After listening, Meng Jingtian realized that this had all been a trial, so he swiftly boarded the crane.
The crane was huge, with a wingspan of more than two meters. As Meng Jingtian climbed onto it, it did not move a muscle.
Once Meng Jingtian was seated, the two cranes flew past the clouds toward the summit.
Upon his arrival, Meng Jingtian discovered that at the top of that skyscraping stone mountain was a flat platform. This had probably also been the work of that old Daoist's ancestor.
Clouds flowed by his feet, transforming that simple Daoist monastery in front of him into an immortal paradise.
He had barely walked through the gate when a young boy who appeared twelve or thirteen waved his horsetail whisk and bowed. "The monastery master has been waiting for some time. Honored guest, please come with me to the tea-tasting rock!"
"Please guide me!" Meng Jingtian glanced at the boy and realized that he was a Level 70 NPC, even stronger than the old Daoist who had come to fetch him, so he was very polite with his reply.
"Then I will leave it to Senior Brother Qing Feng!" The old Daoist who had rode the crane to fetch Meng Jingtian brought his hands together in a salute before withdrawing.
Meng Jingtian followed the boy into the monastery. After passing through several winding corridors and over a stone bridge crossing a lotus pond, he arrived at a platform placed at the edge of the summit.
Next to the edge was a large rock that started thick on the top and tapered to a point at the bottom. It appeared to be balanced precariously on the edge, yet it was perfectly stable. In fact, it was being used as a table, carrying one pot of tea and two full teacups.
Next to the table was a white-robed old Daoist with black hair and a youthful complexion. He was seated on a stone stool and leisurely sipping tea, exuding an aloof and transcendent aura. He truly seemed like an immortal who had descended from the heavens.
"Congratulations on your birth, new god!" The old Daoist smiled and rose to greet Meng Jingtian.
Level 120! Meng Jingtian mentally called out. This was the second Level 100 boss he had encountered in this game!
And he was twenty levels higher than that divine beast!
"This junior pays respects to Master Tian Ying. The reason for this junior's visit…" Meng Jingtian did not act rudely because he was a player. He used the etiquette he had learned from NPCs to pay his respects to Master Tian Ying, and then he explained why he had come.
Master Tian Ying quietly listened, and then he sighed and pointed at the 'stone stool' across from him. "Please sit!"
Meng Jingtian glanced at the stone stool. Just like the table, it went from wide to narrow, its connection with the ground covering as much area as a finger.
This wasn't that important. After all, that 'stool' was very firmly placed there.
But once Meng Jingtian got up close, he only needed to look to the left of the stool to see the abyss right next to the edge of the summit.
Even though this was a game, the realism was too much, and Meng Jingtian's heart thumped in fear.
Not just any ordinary person could casually sip tea at the edge of an abyss.
But what else could he do to finish the mission? He could only stretch out his neck!
Meng Jingtian clenched his teeth, and even though his face paled, he still managed to compose himself and place himself on the stool.
But he only half-sat down. He did not dare to place his full weight on this unreliable stool, for if the stool toppled, it would dump him into the abyss.
"Ding! Congratulations! For passing the trial, your Guts has increased by 10."
'Guts'? Meng Jingtian was rather surprised. This stat wasn't available on his stat panel. Was it a hidden stat?
Gulp! Meng Jingtian swallowed his saliva, picked up the thumb-sized teacup, and drained all of the light-green tea in the cup in one go to calm himself down.
"Ding! For consuming Mind-Focusing Tea for the first time, your Spirit has increased by 30!"
Pft! Caught off guard by the system notification, Meng Jingtian spat out the Mind-Focusing Tea that he had yet to fully swallow.
Hell! This really was a Level 120 boss! A mere cup of tea could add 30 points to Spirit?
Going up one level only granted a single free stat point!
Moreover, his Divine Punishment was a damage spell. These 30 points of Spirit had more than doubled its damage!
Meng Jingtian's gaze toward Master Tian Ying became rather ardent. Screw it! This old man is joining Qian Kun Monastery!
Master Tian Ying paid no attention to his gaze, appearing rather absentminded. He let out a sorrowful sigh. "Junior Brother Tian Yuan had outstanding talent, and he was Teacher's most favored disciple. Alas, though Qian Kun Monastery cultivates the Dao of withdrawing from the world, Junior Brother Tian Yuan had a heart determined to enter the world.
"He left the monastery thirty years ago to experience the secular world. Not even I knew where he was. I never imagined that when I next heard of him, it would be to learn that he met this sort of end!"
"This is the body of Master Tian Yuan and the letter he asked me to deliver!" Meng Jingtian removed the two mission items from his inventory and gave them to Master Tian Ying.
"Demon Nightmare!" Upon seeing Master Tian Yuan's body, Master Tian Ying shot to his feet in shock, his beard trembling.
Meng Jingtian was rather astonished. 'Demon Nightmare'? What was that? What could shock even a Level 120 boss?
Master Tian Ying hastily opened the letter, and as he read through it, his face turned graver and graver.
"So that's what happened. Young friend, I must thank you for delivering this letter!" Master Tian Ying solemnly thanked Meng Jingtian once he was done reading.
"Ding! Congratulations! Mission Complete: A Heart That Prays for All Peoples (1). You have obtained the rewards: Skill Points + 1, 1 Sky-Soaring Shoes (Purple)."
"Ding! Congratulations! Level up!"
Simultaneous with the notification of mission completion, Meng Jingtian leveled up to 36.
Master Tian Ying looked at Meng Jingtian and asked, "Young friend, could you help this old Daoist with something else? Of course, young friend, I will also grant you a reward!"
"Help with what?" Meng Jingtian hastily asked. Meng Jingtian knew that this was a chain mission, so he had expected this request from Master Tian Ying.
"Could you go to the base of the Blood Demon Palace for me and search it? It would be great if you could find some information on the Demon Nightmare," Master Tian Ying solemnly said.
"I can, but…" Meng Jingtian hesitantly looked around.
Master Tian Ying saw the look on his face and said, "Young friend, if you have some request, please speak directly."
"This lowly one lacks the strength. If Daoist Elder could accept me as a disciple and teach me a few techniques, I would be more capable of completing this task for Elder!" Meng Jingtian said, and smiled.
Master Tian Ying's level was very high, and there was also a chance he was of the righteous faction. His Friendliness toward Meng Jingtian was also a rather high 70.
Meng Jingtian could be considered negotiating his rewards with him.
"No! Young friend, you are a god, not someone this mortal old Daoist can take as a disciple." Master Tian Ying waved his hand and immediately rejected the idea.
Meng Jingtian was rather downcast, and he was preparing to argue his case when Master Tian Ying said, "But I do have a place that is perfect for you to advance your cultivation."
"Ding! Demon Nightmare (2): The master of Qian Kun Monastery has requested you to head to the base of the Blood Demon Palace and seek out information regarding the Demon Nightmare.
"Mission Time Limit: One Month.
"Mission Reward: Special Equipment: Destiny Dice (Orange), Divine Academy Admission Notice."