Ringing the Bell for a Hundred Years, I Became the Sect’s Ancestor – Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Mission

Watching Yan Song leave, Li Qian’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.

This Yan Song is truly insidious. As a Formal Disciple, he actually dared to launch a sneak attack.

Fortunately, my strength is not weak, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

Although he wouldn’t dare to really kill me, injuring me is absolutely certain.

It was precisely because of this that Li Qian’s sword only cut the surface of his throat, not truly delivering a fatal blow, as a warning to him.

He only wanted to cultivate peacefully and didn’t want to get involved in trouble.

A mere Postnatal Seventh Level cultivation is not enough to protect oneself in this Divine Sword Sect.

Even if I have Master, I don’t want to cause him trouble.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.

Song Yingying came up the mountain again, mentioning that she had been reassigned to the Hundred Herbs Garden and given a better job.

Li Qian told her to focus on her work and cultivation.

Song Yingying also knew that the little bit of favor her grandfather had left behind was used up.

Li Qian’s cultivation life returned to peace once again.

The Time Bell Pavilion was very quiet.

Almost no one came over.

Only Chen Yong would occasionally come up the mountain and share some news about the Odd-Job Disciples.

Time flies like an arrow.

It was already deep winter.

The trees and plants on the mountain were withered and the cold wind was biting.

However, Li Qian was still wearing thin clothes. After ringing the bell, he started cultivating the Heartless Sword Manual again.

After a long time, he finished his cultivation.

He summoned the system interface and checked it.

Host: Li Qian.

Cultivation: Postnatal （Eighth Level 43/100）.

Sacrificial Instrument: Time Bell （Law 168/10000）.

Martial Arts: Sword-Piercing Fist （Perfection）, Heartless Sword Manual （Major Completion 99/100）.

His current cultivation had already reached Postnatal Eighth Level.

As for the Heartless Sword Manual, it had also reached Major Completion, ninety-nine points of progress.

Actually, he had already reached this level a few days ago.

But the last bit of progress just couldn’t break through.

As if it was stuck.

This was exactly the same as the Sword-Piercing Fist before.

It took several months for the Sword-Piercing Fist to finally break through the limit and reach Perfection.

But it’s estimated that the Heartless Sword Manual will take even longer.

Therefore, he was not in a hurry.

In the evening.

Li Qian came to the wooden house.

“Disciple, how long have you been a Formal Disciple?”

Zhou Buping said.

“Master, one year and one month.”

Li Qian said.

“According to the Inner Sect’s rules, you should start taking on the responsibilities of a Formal Disciple.”

Zhou Buping nodded and said.

Li Qian had learned about the Inner Sect. After becoming a Formal Disciple, there was generally a one-year transition period, after which corresponding missions would be assigned, usually once a year.

After all, the Inner Sect wouldn’t provide cultivation resources to Formal Disciples for free.

Moreover, after completing missions, the Inner Sect would award Contribution Points based on the mission level.

The Contribution Points earned by Formal Disciples for completing missions were much higher than those earned by Odd-Job Disciples for doing chores.

“Please instruct me, Master.”

Li Qian said quickly.

“Go to the Inner Sect Mission Hall tomorrow and pick one. Under normal circumstances, the missions in the first three years are relatively simple and less dangerous.”

Zhou Buping said.

“Yes.”

Li Qian quickly said, “Master, if I go on missions, what about the Time Bell? Who will ring it?”

“It’s no problem if the Time Bell stops for a few days. Of course, you’d better find an Odd-Job Disciple to ring the bell for you.”

Zhou Buping waved his hand dismissively.

◈◈◈

For Odd-Job Disciples, it was a serious matter if the Time Bell wasn’t rung, but for Li Qian, a Formal Disciple, it was nothing.

The Time Bell’s function was simply to remind people of the time.

Then, Zhou Buping tossed a book to Li Qian.

“This Heartless Sword Manual True Explanation was written by a deceased Senior. It should be helpful for you to comprehend the secret technique.”

Li Qian took it and carefully flipped through it.

Although he had already cultivated the Heartless Sword Manual to Major Completion at 99, he had not comprehended the secret technique.

According to Master, for the Heartless Sword Manual, one usually comprehends the secret technique first, and then through the secret technique, comprehends the Heartless Sword Intent.

Li Qian suspected that the reason why his Heartless Sword Manual couldn’t reach Major Completion was that he hadn’t comprehended the secret technique.

“Thank you, Master.”

Li Qian said quickly.

“Don’t rush. It’s not that easy to comprehend the secret technique.”

Zhou Buping said.

He didn’t know Li Qian’s current cultivation level and swordsmanship progress, nor did he ask.

Moreover, after the Time Bell was upgraded to a Law Instrument, it had the effect of concealing one’s cultivation level and spiritual sword momentum, so Zhou Buping couldn’t see through it either.

After returning to the Bell Tower, Li Qian took out the book and flipped through it under the oil lamp.

After reading it, Li Qian shook his head. What was written in the book basically didn’t suit him.

As long as one comprehends the Heartless Sword Manual to Major Completion, one should basically be able to comprehend the secret technique. Logically, he should have comprehended it long ago.

But the problem was, he hadn’t.

He suspected that this had something to do with him relying on the bell sound for cultivation, rather than truly relying on his own comprehension.

The next day.

After ringing the Time Bell, Li Qian went down the mountain to the Inner Sect.

Since Master said it was no problem if the Time Bell stopped for a few days.

Then let it stop.

As for finding another Odd-Job Disciple to ring the bell for him, forget it.

After all, Odd-Job Disciples ringing the bell couldn’t increase the refinement progress of the Sacrificial Time Bell.

Only he, the Sacrificial Master, ringing the bell was effective.

This was the first time Li Qian entered the Inner Sect.

It was different from the remote corners where the Odd-Job Hall was located.

The Inner Sect had seven Main Peaks and many other mountain peaks. Numerous magnificent buildings were scattered throughout, with a well-organized layout, fully displaying the grandeur of a major sect.

The Mission Hall.

A rather imposing complex of buildings. Compared to it, the Odd-Job Hall was like a small thatched hut.

Moreover, in addition to Odd-Job Disciples doing the menial work, there were also Formal Disciples working in the Mission Hall.

Li Qian glanced at the many missions posted on the mission wall.

They were divided into Inner Sect missions and external missions.

Inner Sect missions naturally involved working in the Mission Hall or similar tasks. These Inner Sect missions had a time period, often starting from a month and lasting up to a quarter.

Not to mention the long time, the Contribution Points were few.

The advantage was safety.

These Inner Sect missions were usually snatched up as soon as they appeared.

Therefore, there were basically only external missions left on the mission wall.

Bandit suppression missions, hunting down Oceanic Bandits, Black List wanted criminals, guard missions, escort missions, gathering spiritual herbs, mine supervision… all kinds of missions, basically all with a certain level of risk.

The higher the Contribution Points, the greater the risk.

Li Qian only had one requirement for the mission, and that was a short time period.

After all, every extra day he spent outside was equivalent to a few fewer days of ringing the Time Bell, and the refinement progress of the Time Bell would also be delayed by a few days.

“Escort mission, time period approximately ten days, recommended cultivation level Postnatal Fifth Level and above, Contribution Points 300.”

Li Qian’s gaze fell on a mission.

So he walked to the mission registration window.

Soon, the staff member handed him a temporary mission token and a mission booklet.

The temporary mission token represented that he had accepted the mission and could serve as proof for completing it.

The booklet contained detailed information about the mission.