What do you mean I'm a cultivator?-Chapter 11

The first rays of sunlight illuminated the Falling star sect as Jiang Cheng made his way toward the disciple pavilion. His steps were measured, betraying nothing of his recent advancement, though he could feel the difference in his body. Each movement slightly more effortless, each sense marginally sharper. The world had taken on a subtle clarity that only confirmed what he already knew: he had broken through.

As he approached the pavilion, he noticed several disciples gathered near the entrance, their expressions ranging from curious to envious as they watched him. News traveled quickly in the sect, and though he had told no one of his breakthrough, cultivators of sufficient level could sense the change in others if they paid attention, Less said about realm differences.

Seems like there was some free time, that allowed these disciples to laze around. Was the sect just going to let the outer sect rest for a day? Cheng doubted it. But then again, last time, the Disciple pavilion was empty, devoid of disciples outside, loitering.

Entering in, he reached the small desk, where a inner sect disciple was waiting. As there was a realm difference between them, it was likely inner disciples were stationed here, to make sure that no smartass reported a false level. Though they couldn't accurately tell the stage, they could sense the difference between early stage, and mid stage, and so on.

"Welcome Junior. I take it you have broken through to the mid stage?"

Jiang Cheng merely nodded. There was no point denying it.

"Yes, Senior. I would like to report, that I, Jiang Cheng, have broken through to the Sixth stage of Qi condensation.

The Older, senior disciple nodded as well, surprisingly without any distain, and just wrote in his jade tablet.

"Strike as hard as you can. It's the same test, as the five year assessment."

Jiang complied, gathered His inner Qi, flowing through his dantian, to his body and fist, and let out a strike, fist meeting the stone pillar. Predictably, A bright yellow appeared, Showing his sixth stage cultivation.

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The inner sect disciple, not surprised at all, expecting this, as no reasonable person would try to cheat a test of the sect, and walked to a cabinet along the wall retrieving a folded set of robes.

They looked, at first glance, identical to the gray outer sect uniform Jiang had grown accustomed to, but as the elder unfolded them, Jiang noted the difference: a swirling streak of blue wrapped around the gray cloth, cutting through the monotony like a flowing river.

"Senior outer disciple robes." The inner disciple stated, handing them to Jiang. "Wear them with the dignity befitting your position. You now have access to the second floor of the Tower of Records and may take on Beginner rank missions from the mission board."

"Thank you, Senior." Jiang Cheng spoke, cupping his hands, and slightly bowing, in a show of respect, the usual as it came to stronger cultivators. After all, not using such greetings, usually came with a beating, as if you offended the stronger party, something Cheng was not keen to experience.

Cheng changed into his new robes in a side chamber, feeling the slightly higher quality of the fabric against his skin. The blue streak was subtle enough not to be ostentatious, yet visible enough to mark his new status. He wondered briefly if this was wise.

The new robes would only make him more of a target. But that thought was dismissed instantly. After all, you needed those robes to show you were eligible, as well as your wooden token, His original one bearing another Streak across it, making two of them.

His next destination was clear. The mission board. Senior disciples could take on missions beyond the sect's inner grounds, earning contribution points and, more importantly, accessing resources typically unavailable to outer sect members.

His mouth watered, as a random thought spoke of a heavenly opportunity, supposedly a lucky treasure obtained by protagonists of novels. At least that was a clue to who he was. Apparently quite the reader, before becoming whatever he was now.

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Though unfortunately for Cheng, he doubted he was much of a protagonist. Shouldn't those be in the inner sect? it made more sense as a starting point. but then again, stories were weird.

It still felt weird sometimes, when he meditated. It felt like his one, meant two, one and one and a half. he couldn't explain it well, so he never did.

Confusing thoughts aside, there were more important things.

The mission hall buzzed with activity as disciples clustered around the large wooden board that dominated the eastern wall. Various scrolls and paper slips were pinned to it, each describing tasks of varying difficulty and reward.

Most disciples hovered near the easier missions—gathering herbs from nearby forests, delivering messages to affiliated households in the region, escorting merchants along well-traveled routes.

Sure, the sect had their own herbs, but some just had to be born in the wild, necessitating such gathering missions.

Jiang scanned the board methodically, noting the requirements and rewards of each mission. Some required specific skills or cultivation levels, others specific knowledge or tools. He was calculating which would provide the best return on investment when a commotion drew his attention to the center of the hall.

A crowd had gathered around two disciples. One, wearing senior outer disciple robes similar to Jiang's new attire, stood over another who was sprawled on the ground, face bloodied and a tooth skittering across the stone floor.

"Thought you could fool the mission clerks with stolen robes?" The standing disciple. A tall, young man Jiang recognized as Zhang Kai, an eighth-stage Qi condensation cultivator. His leg shot out again, devoid of Qi, but powerful nonetheless, kicked the fallen disciple in the ribs. "Thought you could take a mission with your pathetic fourth-stage cultivation?"

The beaten disciple coughed blood onto the stone floor. "The—the sect doesn't care who takes the missions as long as they're completed—"

Another kick silenced him. "The sect may not care? such impudence. These missions are for those who've earned them. Those who have ascended past you weak early stage small fries."

Zhang Kai's voice carried through the now-silent hall. "Pretenders like you endanger us all when you take missions beyond your capability."

"tsk tsk tsk. a frog hungry for swan meat. such a fool."

One disciple whispered to a fellow one, right behind Cheng. As he watched dispassionately. The fallen disciple had indeed attempted to circumvent the rules, likely desperate for the resources that came with missions. After all, every single recourse mattered. Cheng bet that if he had access to daily pills like the inner sect members, he'd most likely be at the same level as Zhang Kai.

His robes, now torn and bloodied bore the blue streak of a senior disciple, though based on Zhang Kai's accusation and the beaten disciple's cultivation level, they were not rightfully his.

"Let this be a lesson." Zhang Kai announced to the onlookers. "The ranks exist for a reason. Try to skip ahead, and you'll find yourself broken or dead."

His gaze swept the crowd and locked briefly with Cheng. A flicker of recognition, then calculation, as he had more than likely seen Cheng's result in the Five year assessment. Interest passed across Zhang's mind as he noted Cheng's new robes. Cheng met his stare evenly, neither challenging nor submissive.

After a moment, Zhang Kai looked away, gesturing to his companions. "Take this trash to the healers. Make sure they know he tried to steal a hunting mission while at the fourth stage."

As they dragged the battered disciple away, the crowd dispersed, returning to the mission board with renewed focus. Some cast speculative glances toward Jiang Cheng, noting his age, as his face bore clear indication of puberty, most noticeable, the slightly bigger head in comparison of his body, and his robes, but none approached him.

Cheng turned his attention back to the mission board, as his motivation to keep pushing soared. The incident had illustrated a crucial truth of sect life. Advancement brought opportunity, but also scrutiny and challenge. Zhang Kai's treatment of the impostor wasn't just about punishment. It was about maintaining hierarchy, about reminding everyone of their place.

Now, wearing the robes that marked his legitimate rise, Jiang Cheng stood before the mission board with new considerations. He needed to select not just based on rewards, but on strategic value. missions that would further his cultivation while minimizing unnecessary attention.

His eyes settled on a small, unassuming scroll tucked in the corner of the board. Unlike the flashier missions promising combat or rare materials, this one simply requested herb gathering in a specific valley, a three day journey to the east. A valley rumored to have unusual Qi concentrations due to its unique geography, supposedly a mark left during the fight of two rogue cultivators. Or so the scroll wrote.

Cheng shuddered. A mark? There was no way the scroll meant that this was some casual strike right? that had to be some supreme life ending technique or something. Otherwise, cultivators were far more dangerous than he had estimated.

Jiang held the scroll, his decision made. Sometimes, the most valuable opportunities were those others overlooked.

After all, this was a long way, and the reward, ten contribution points and one gathering pill, left much to be desired. Especially when easier missions such as the ever popular letter delivery could even net you a hundred points.