Hm?

Lu Changsheng's eyes flickered with surprise. A new mission had appeared in the Mission Hall, and the reward alone made it stand out: 10,000 contribution points.

As a scion disciple, completing it would earn him double that amount. Even within the inner sect, missions worth 10,000 points were rare. Taking a closer look, he found that the task matched his requirements quite well.

Demonic martial artists have been appearing frequently in Qingzhou of the Great Moon Dynasty, suspected of undergoing a second-stage demonic transformation. Proceed to Qingzhou and eliminate them.

Reward: 10,000 contribution points.

Note: Demonic martial artists possess formidable physiques. After transforming, they surpass ordinary Divine Fortification martial artists.

Countless gazes fixed upon the new mission.

"10,000 contribution points? That's great! Sure, demonic martial artists are dangerous, but martial artists with divine fortification aren't necessarily weaker in terms of physical strength. They're just a bit lacking in spirit and explosive power."

"Demonic martial artists take shortcuts to gain power. They grow fast, but there's a fatal weakness in that their minds are usually weak. As long as your Intent is strong, or if you've evolved a Domain, you can suppress them mentally. Then, they're just target dummies."

"No wonder people always fight over missions involving demonic martial artists."

As discussions continued, many inner disciples reacted quickly and submitted their applications.

Demonic martial artists were not as weak as some claimed. At the first stage of demonic transformation, they corresponded to Divine Strength martial artists and often held a clear advantage. Even at the second stage, they still retained certain advantages.

Their methods were strange and difficult to guard against. Only Divine Fortification martial artists who had evolved Domains could face them without fear. Yet, across the world, how many Divine Fortification martial artists had truly evolved Domains?

Within the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect's inner sect, even those without Domains possessed Intent strong enough to suppress the spirit of demonic martial artists. That was why they regarded such opponents as easy targets.

Lu Changsheng himself wanted to take on the mission, so he walked straight up to the steward elder in the Mission Hall.

"Elder, I'd like to take on the Qingzhou demonic martial artist mission."

"Oh? You're a scion disciple. You're not the first to apply, but scion disciples have priority. Since none of the earlier applicants were scion disciples, the mission will go to you."

The steward elder took Lu Changsheng's identity token and assigned the mission to him without hesitation. Being a scion disciple certainly had its privileges; even missions came with priority.

"That's Lu Changsheng... He's a scion disciple of the inner sect. If he applies, we don't stand a chance."

"Ugh... Once a scion disciple sets their sights on a good mission, it's basically out of our hands."

"With Lu Changsheng's strength, this mission shouldn't be a problem for him... What a pity we missed out on that."

Although Lu Changsheng had been in the inner sect for just over a month, he had already become one of its most prominent figures. Nearly every inner disciple knew him.

"You have three months to complete the mission. If the demonic martial artist hasn't been captured or slain by then, it'll be considered a failure. Starting today, no inner sect disciple is allowed to challenge you while you're on this mission. Any challenges will be postponed until you return to the sect," the steward elder said.

The steward elder explained all the key points patiently, his tone notably pleasant. Of course, such courtesy was likely reserved for scion disciples like Lu Changsheng. Within the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect, scion disciples enjoyed privileges in nearly every aspect. It was no surprise that so many were willing to pay any price for that status. The advantages it brought were simply too great to ignore.

The steward elder continued, "Also, as a scion disciple of our Northern Domain Heavenly Sect, as long as you're carrying out a mission within the Northern Domain, no one is allowed to obstruct you. If they do... you are free to kill them without mercy. In fact, your status outranks even the royal families of the Northern Domain's dynasties. If it's related to your mission, you may call upon their authorities for support. Just remember, don't bring shame to our sect!"

Lu Changsheng felt a chill in his heart. To think even the royal family is beneath an inner sect scion disciple Northern Domain Heavenly Sect...

Since entering the sect, he had been focused on internal competition and cultivation. He had never truly reflected on what being a scion disciple meant, nor the weight it carried. Not even princes, princesses, or royal dukes could compare to them.

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder," said Lu Changsheng as he cupped his fists. He was glad for the elder's goodwill.

"Very well. Take your identity token. You may leave the sect any time."

Lu Changsheng took his token back along with a map of the Great Moon Dynasty, then returned to his courtyard and packed his belongings.

This trip would take him far, and although the deadline for this mission was three months, he had no idea how long it would take to deal with the demonic martial artist. He had to be thorough with his preparations.

Once everything was in order, he set off alone.

***

Qing City was the capital of Qingzhou. It was prosperous and lively, filled with bustling crowds and heavy traffic. There was no visible trace of the demonic turmoil, at least not on the surface.

Inside the government office, Governor Zhang Wending was receiving a group of martial artists. They were no ordinary figures. Every one of them was a Divine Fortification martial artist, each famed across the jianghu. Some were supreme elders of major sects, others grand elders of great clans. The appearance of any single one of them would cause a stir.

Yet, despite their lofty status and reputation, all of them now wore solemn expressions.

"Lord Governor, if you ask me, there's no point waiting any longer. If the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect doesn't send anyone... are we just supposed to keep waiting?"

"Exactly. That's a second-tier demon! It has already used an entire city for a blood sacrifice. Who knows what kind of technique it's cultivating? We need to act fast and stop it from growing stronger."

"That's right. With so many Divine Fortification martial artists here, are we really powerless against a single second-tier demon? Grand Elder Yuan's Slaughter Domain is terrifying, and Elder Zhou's Sword Intent is just as sharp. We may not match the disciples of the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect individually, but working together, we're no weaker than one of them."

"Yeah. It's not like we've never dealt with disciples from the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect before. They're strong, sure, but not so strong that all of us together would be helpless against them. If we can't handle this demonic martial artist, then even if one of their disciples shows up... they probably won't be able to do much either."

The governor glanced across the group and remained firm. "It is a second-tier demonic martial artist, after all. Without a disciple from the heavenly sect overseeing things, I can't rest easy. I'll have to ask you all to wait a little longer."

In truth, the governor understood their intentions well. They were not here to resolve the government's crisis. A second-tier demonic martial artist was immensely just for their demonic essence blood, which was especially potent at the second tier.

Therefore, even though they were hunted like vermin, their essence blood was highly coveted. Its greatest benefit was extending lifespan. For those unwilling to face death, even a small amount could add decades to their lives.

Naturally, such dealings could never come to light. If found out, it meant certain death. Even so, the enormous risk did little to dampen the desire for demonic essence blood. If these Divine Fortification martial artists joined forces to kill the demonic martial artist, they would surely find a way to secretly secure the blood, even under Zhang Wending's watch.

However, if disciples of the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect arrived, the situation would change. The essence blood would be taken back to the sect, leaving these martial artists from Qing City with nothing.

Of course, they could attempt to act independently, but a second-tier demonic martial artist was far from weak. Though they spoke with confidence, if the battle turned against them, they would not hesitate to retreat, regardless of the devastation left behind in Qingzhou. And if it came to that, both the Great Moon Dynasty and the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect would hold them accountable.

Thus, they dared not move on their own. Instead, they tried to pressure Zhang Wending. If he agreed, the operation would fall under the authority of the dynasty. Should it fail, responsibility would rest with the yamen and with Zhang Wending himself, not with them.

However, Zhang Wending refused outright. The expressions of the martial artists darkened, and the atmosphere in the office grew tense. Faced with so many Divine Fortification martial artists, he truly had little leverage. He had only one thought now: that disciples of the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect would arrive soon and keep these unruly martial artists in check.

"Governor! A disciple from the Northern Domain Heavenly Sect has arrived!"

"Bring them in at once—no, wait! I'll go and receive them personally!"

Zhang Wending felt a surge of joy. At last, they had arrived. He had been waiting anxiously, and now a disciple of the heavenly sect had finally arrived. These past days, he had been torn between dealing with the demonic martial artist and maneuvering against the ambitious martial artists currently in his office. It had left him drained.

He only hoped the one who came was no ordinary disciple. Otherwise, keeping those martial artists in line would not be easy. Without delay, Zhang Wending left the office to receive the sect's disciple.