A fellow Senior Brother standing beside Lu Yang also noticed this task and chuckled, "Everytime I see this long-term task, I always remember the great achievements of Eldest Senior Sister."
Another one chimed in, "When Eldest Senior Sister was found to have written her own techniques and falsely claimed that she obtained them from the Relic Blessed Cave, it caused quite a commotion."
"I have heard from my master that there is an ancient blessed cave in Lingnan, known as Sishui Cave Heaven. The most valuable treasure in it is a cultivation technique called 'Chaos Awakening Technique', left behind by the master of the cave heaven in his lifetime."
"Eldest Senior Sister once falsely claimed to have found the 'Chaos Awakening Technique' in the Sishui Cave Heaven, asserting that those who train it to completion can transcend the chaos and gain insight into all the truths of the world."
"But not long after Eldest Senior Sister's lie was exposed, someone stumbled upon the deepest part of the Sishui Cave Heaven, retrieving the true 'Chaos Awakening Technique'."
"The result was quite surprising. When the sect compared the two, they found that the technique crafted by the Eldest Senior Sister was easier to practice than the original, and the final results between the two were worlds apart."
"Subsequently, several other manuals of similar rank were found in the Relic Blessed Cave, but none of them were as powerful as the techniques created by the Eldest Senior Sister. Hearing about all this, the Elders fell silent for several days."
Lu Yang: "..."
Lu Yang has never seen Yun Zhi, the Scripture Pavilion. Likely because the techniques crafted by Eldest Senior Sister were too outrageous, they were all stored in the highest layer of Scripture Pavilion, and no one without a special permission was allowed to read them or practice.
They were, in a word, forbidden.
"Eldest Senior Sister has an extraordinary talent and a rare mind, with a deep understanding of the world. It's said that it's good that she holds the position of Acting Sect Leader while the Sect Leader is in seclusion."
"There's also a rumor saying that Eldest Senior Sister usurped the throne, that she locked up the Sect Leader and wants to become the real sect leader. She has the upper hand on the eight grand elders, and no one dares to resist her. Some people even claimed hearing moaning sounds from Sky Gate Mountain at night—that's said to be the sound of the Sect Leader in the dungeon!"
"Hahaha, that's definitely nonsense. It just can't be."
Lu Yang didn't pay them any mind. He hadn't heard any such noises on Sky Gate Mountain, so he continued looking for a task.
Finally, he found a suitable one.
"As reported by the people of Taiping Village, Quhe County, a bird-like Demon Beast has appeared. It can speak human language, but its species is unknown. So far, there have been no records of it harming people or using any demonic powers. Seek Dao Sect is requested to resolve this issue."
Lu Yang thought for a while and decided to take this task.
In his estimation, it was either some kind of demon beast who had mistakenly wandered into human territory or perhaps a demon beast who had inadvertently become enlightened. These kinds of creatures generally didn't have a cultivation level beyond the Foundation Establishment Stage, they weren't particularly aggressive, and they were usually amicable towards humans—perfect for a newbie like him.
Moreover, the rewards offered by the Task Hall confirmed this.
Reward: 30 contribution points.
The minimum reward.
The reward for a mission was determined by the specialists from Seek Dao Sect and double-checked by another person, ensuring minimal mistakes.
The lower the reward, the simpler the task.
Lu Yang walked over to the counter, "Senior Brother, I will take this task to solve the bird-like Demon Beast."
"I will take this task to solve the bird-like Demon Beast." Another voice rang out, almost at the same time as Lu Yang's.
The owner of the voice was a young girl in a pale pink dress. She was pretty with a clear complexion and her radiant beauty was especially enchanting.
With such a sweet face, and a cultivation level similar to Lu Yang's, the girl's identity was obvious.
"Junior Sister Tao Yaoye, what a coincidence." Lu Yang smiled. He had only met Tao Yaoye at the time of admission. He had spent a year on Sky Gate Mountain and rarely met any outsiders.
Lu Yang was the top scorer in the entrance examination, and until new rankings were established, he held the position of Senior Brother.
The truth was, Tao Yaoye choosing this task was not a coincidence. Tasks suitable for people at the Foundation Establishment Stage were scarce. For this generation, there were only a few tasks they could undertake.
"So it's Senior Brother Lu. Congratulations on your Foundation Establishment. There aren't many tasks for those at the Foundation Establishment Stage, so why don't we work together to complete it and split the reward?" Tao Yaoye proposed with a sweet smile. Her curiosity was piqued by Lu Yang, who seldom showed himself.
Lu Yang readily agreed.
The task wasn't all about the rewards, they were more interested in gaining experience.
"Quhe County is quite far from here, shall we take a flying boat?"
...
"Do you know, Junior Sister Tao, we the human race are quite a contradictory species. Often, we fear what we also admire."
"In ancient times, demons and calamities were rampant. The human race, being weaker, was struggling to survive."
"These great demons, relying on the bloodline of their ancestors, their sturdy bodies, and their innate divine abilities, strutted around the barren lands."
"Humans feared the great demons, considering them as natural disasters that were insurmountable. At the same time, they also worshipped them, hoping to possess a level of power similar to them."
"Thus, the ancestors of ancient times created their own cultivation techniques, learned divine abilities from the bloodlines of demon beasts, overcame numerous difficulties and stood at the top of the continent, opening up a new world for the human race and allowing them to survive and thrive."
"And then there's wind, rain, thunder and lightning. The ancient ancestors were certainly afraid of them, but also longed for them. They represent the authority and tremendous power of nature, which is an irresistible natural will."
"Humans longed for them and wanted to obtain the tremendous power and authority of nature. The ancient ancestors questioned the heavens and faced thunderstorms, contemplated amidst wind and rain, and understood the principles that 'man follows earth, earth follows heaven, heaven follows Dao, and Dao follows nature', and discovered a series of laws."
"Have you noticed? This contradictory mentality is a necessary element for humans to become the lords of the continent."
"And then there's the sky. Humans yearn for the sky, hoping to fly freely in the sky like birds, and respect the sky, finding it mysterious and elusive. This feeling of awe is embedded in our bloodlines, and every human has it, some more obvious than others…"
On the flying boat, Lu Yang was impassioned. Whenever he got excited, he jumped up, gesturing with his hands and talking animatedly.
After thinking calmly for a moment, Tao Yaoye interrupted Lu Yang's long discourse.
"So, this is the reason why you are afraid of heights?"
"Yes."
Tao Yaoye: "..."
The two of them sat inside the hull of the flying boat, soaring through the clouds. The bottom of the flying boat was engraved with mass-produced balance array methods crafted by array masters, ensuring those inside wouldn't feel a thing, even in a raging storm.
Right now, the weather was clear with a bright blue sky. It was a great opportunity to sunbathe, meditate, and enjoy the view from the deck. Tao Yaoye suggested that they go and take a walk on the deck, but Lu Yang firmly refused.
Due to Tao Yaoye's strong curiosity, she kept asking over and over. Lu Yang had no choice but to explain, starting with the ancient history as to why he was afraid of heights, citing sources and making wide references. He talked and talked, trying to prove that his fear of heights was a reasonable and ancient psychological condition. Broadly speaking, he believed it could even contribute to the progression of the human race.
Luckily, Tao Yaoye didn't believe a single word.