Ever since then, Lu Yang's life had been filled to the brim. In the early morning, he sat at the top of the mountain, with the Five Centers Toward Heaven, bathing in the morning light. In the forenoon, he practiced swordsmanship and nurtured his sword with his heart. Around noon, he rested under a tree for a while. In the afternoon, he emerged energized to spar against puppets and get beaten. After dinner, he read by the candlelight, completing the assignments Eldest Senior Sister gave him.
After a year in this manner, Lu Yang's cultivation level steadily increased.
...
"Look, isn't that the Sect Leader's fourth disciple, Lu Yang with the Sword Spirit Root?"
In the Task Hall, Lu Yang appeared in a white robe, his eyes vibrant, and a sword strapped to his waist with a red tassel, distinctly eye-catching.
Anyone who looked at him would inevitably offer a compliment to such a promising young hero.
The disciples of Seek Dao Sect mostly knew each other, especially in a place like the Task Hall. Whenever they saw someone unusual, they loved to discuss it for its novelty.
As the first in the entrance examination with the Sword Spirit Root, Lu Yang had encountered the amicable River Spirit and Dai Bufan, was apprenticed to the Sect Leader, and had received personal coaching from Eldest Senior Sister. With these varying factors together, he shined brightly among the newcomer disciples and gained significant popularity, even surpassing Tao Yaoye, who possessed celestial beauty.
"Is that Lu Yang, the one personally trained by Eldest Senior Sister? Ah, indeed it is."
"I heard he has just become a Foundation Establishment cultivator after a year in the sect."
"He has entered the Foundation Establishment Stage, no wonder he is in the Task Hall. Looks like he is getting ready to take on tasks to temper himself."
As for the curious gazes around him, Lu Yang had grown used to them.
The disciples were correct in their assumptions. Lu Yang had successfully established his foundation seven days ago, took another seven days to stabilize it, and then formally emerged. Following Eldest Senior Sister's instructions, he came out to explore.
In the Task Hall, Lu Yang saw a variety of tasks that left him astounded. From beheading a major demon in a sea of corpses to helping find a lost cat or dog, they ran the full gamut.
Take for example, the task Lu Yang was looking at currently, which was to find a legitimate Dual Cultivation Technique.
Dual Cultivation Techniques fell into two categories: legitimate and indecent. Legitimate Dual Cultivation Techniques needn't be elaborated; they mostly involved mutual assistance between the genders and the balance of Yin and Yang.
The indecent Dual Cultivation Techniques definitely didn't need any elaboration.
The task was posted by a registered Fox Demon at Seek Dao Sect.
Although one of Seek Dao Sect's duties was to eliminate monsters, it didn't kill monsters indiscriminately. For a monster with a clear identity and no intention to harm others, Seek Dao Sect wouldn't subdue it. On the contrary, they would register such monsters and grant them legal identity.
This Fox Demon was an example of that.
Named Su Yan, this fox was an ordinary little fox living in the deep mountains and old forests. She was once trapped by a hunter's snare. Fortunately, a member of the influential family happened to be playing on the mountain and saved her, leaving the hunter's day's efforts in vain.
Later, Su Yan ate a Transfiguration Fruit in a hidden cave, activating the latent bloodline within her body and transforming her into a Fox Demon.
Being a grateful creature, Su Yan changed into a human form to repay the influential disciple.
By that time, the influential disciple had become the head of the family, and though he had seen many women, none was as beautiful as Su Yan.
The two naturally got married.
But then the problem arose.
The Fox Demon was born with the Alluring Charm Body, absorbing Yang Qi uncontrollably. During intercourse, the husband would always be the one losing Yang Qi.
Luckily, Yang Qi could be replenished and was not fatal, but it would simply reduce the frequency of their sexual activities.
Being newlyweds yet having to limit their sexual activities was far from ideal. And when they increased their frequency, the husband began to look exhausted, which could start rumors.
Therefore, Su Yan hoped to practice a legitimate Dual Cultivation Technique to control her Alluring Charm Body.
This task had been posted for a long time and no one had accepted it.
It wasn't because legitimate Dual Cultivation Techniques were particularly scarce, it's just that anyone who completed the task would be known to possess one. Once they were known to have a legitimate technique, people would start speculating whether they also had an indecent Dual Cultivation Technique.
If a fellow disciple asks for the indecent Dual Cultivation Technique, should you admit to having it or not? And would you give it?
How would the Senior Sisters see you?
"This is a good task. I'll take it."
Someone behind Lu Yang said, judging by the voice, it was Meng Jingzhou.
Meng Jingzhou was the most suitable for this task. With the Meng Family's status, they definitely didn't lack Dual Cultivation Techniques. And because of his Pure Yang Spiritual Root, he certainly wouldn't have any indecent Dual Cultivation Techniques.
Even if Meng Jingzhou had indecent Dual Cultivation Techniques, he could only stare helplessly.
Meng Jingzhou had established his foundation before Lu Yang and this was his third task.
"You've also reached the Foundation Establishment Stage?" Meng Jingzhou smiled. Both of them possessed mutant Single Spiritual Root, their cultivation talents were more or less the same. Lu Yang establishing his foundation so much later was quite unexpected.
Thinking back to the torment he had suffered under Senior Sister in this past year, Lu Yang sighed, "I've finally established my foundation."
"Once you have completed the task, let's get together for a good meal. I'll treat." Meng Jingzhou generously took charge. He had plenty of Spirit Stones.
After Meng Jingzhou left, Lu Yang continued to browse the tasks posted on the wall.
"There are suspected traces of Demon Path rituals in the north. It is recommended that Golden Core Stage or above cultivators investigate. The reward is 400 contribution points. If additional information is found, extra rewards will be given."
"Daoist Li Hong at Shanhai Pass has lost his pet and needs someone to search for it."
Lu Yang paused, finding this task to be quite suitable—finding a kitten or a puppy wouldn't pose any danger. Then he read on.
"Lost pet: a Nascent Soul Mid-stage Two-Winged Ferocious Tiger. If found, the task reward is 5,000 contribution points."
Lu Yang shrank his neck. A Nascent Soul Stage demon beast, especially a Two-Winged Ferocious Tiger with ancient bloodline—the very origin of the phrase "adding wings to a tiger"—he didn't even qualify to be this creature's toothpick. Next, next.
"Strange fluctuations of Spiritual Energy are sensed at Kunwu Mountain at the intersection of day and night, suspected to be an undiscovered Cave Heaven. It is suggested that Nascent Soul Late-Stage or above cultivators should investigate. The task reward is 8,000 contribution points. If the Cave Heaven proves valuable, there will be extra rewards."
Another task unrelated to Lu Yang.
If it were in the outside world, one could be regarded as an expert if they could travel across rivers and lakes at the Qi Refinement Stage. At the Foundation Establishment Stage, one could be hailed as a leader and live prosperously for a hundred years in minor regions. Someone at the Golden Core Stage could even declare himself a true person and establish his own sect.
But in Seek Dao Sect, a casual passerby was at least at the Golden Core Stage. A thrown brick could hit a bunch of them... and with average disciples' cultivation levels, they could throw the brick back.
The disciples of Seek Dao Sect were all elites picked from among thousands. Before the recruitment of new disciples like Lu Yang, Seek Dao Sect didn't even have disciples at the Qi Refinement Stage or Foundation Establishment Stage. The disciples' lowest cultivation level was at the Golden Core Stage.
No matter how prominent you were outside, once you returned to Seek Dao Sect, you had to behave modestly.
Thus, there were not many tasks suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Lu Yang went through several in a row, all of which required Golden Core Stage or Nascent Soul Stage cultivation levels.
He also noticed a special long-term task.
"Long-term task: Collect cultivation techniques not yet included in Seek Dao Sect's collection. The reward is determined by the content of the technique."
"Note: Senior Sister Yun Zhi, please do not take this task. The Scripture Pavilion has already set up a Yun Zhi Zone. Yun Zhi can place her completed cultivation techniques directly in this area."