Chapter 11: Rich Lady Liu is looking for a lover... wait, what?
If someone wants to buy something within the sect, they need to spend Contribution Points, which can be earned by completing tasks. A very simple but effective system.
"Although, the wealthy can just obtain techniques from the external world," Xie Qing thought, rolling his eyes again. "In this way, the gap between the rich and the poor was enormous."
In the case of Xie Qing, he could simply write to his family, informing them of his breakthrough, and then seek assistance. And so, he sent a message yesterday.
Knock-knock.
"Looks like it's here," Xie Qing thought, turning to the window and seeing a beautiful snowy bird gazing at him with intelligent eyes. The young man approached the window, opened it, petted the bird, and then opened a small bag on the bird's back, pulling out a letter.
Once he confirmed everything was fine, the bird chirped and flew away. Closing the window, Xie Qing sat at the table and opened the envelope with the letter, which had no distinctive features. It surprised him a little.
"They didn't even format the letter according to official standards... What if it had been intercepted?" Xie Qing was speechless at his family's carelessness but shrugged, taking out the letter.
He was a bit excited – he hadn't written anything since leaving his family. And now, reading the reply, Xie Qing... was stunned.
"WHAT?!"
His loud cry drew the attention of the staff delivering dinner to Elder Xu's Pavilion, but they just glanced at each other and shrugged, returning to their work.
Meanwhile, Xie Qing stood – the chair was on the floor, and his facial expression distorted with anger and disappointment.
"What does this mean: 'Enough of lying. We won't give you a single Huang*'? Are you mocking me, bastards?"
Xie Qing was angry, but at the same time, he felt despondent. Without his family's support, it would be difficult for him to even acquire basic sword techniques, let alone something better.
However, even if he sits down right now and wallows in his pathetic life, it won't change anything. So, there was only one option:
"I'll find a sugar mommy!" Xie Qing said seriously.
...No, you will perform sect missions.
***
Today was the most ordinary and boring day for Elder Lian Xin.
She worked as the manager in the Task Pavilion, which usually assigned various tasks to disciples and distributed rewards, including the monthly quota of spiritual stones.
Normally, she didn't have to strain at all, as rarely anything happened that required attention. Today, as always, she went to work and was stunned to see a crowd in the Pavilion.
"Why are there so many people here? Did someone release a level five importance mission?" Elder Lian wondered.
Tasks were divided into five levels of importance. The higher the level, the greater the reward and, consequently, the danger. Level five importance missions were usually released extremely rarely due to the significant costs involved.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Elder Lian called out to another elder who stood with a tired face.
"Elder Lian... it's again Disciple White. He came to take a mission, and others approached him with offers to form a group. Then a battle started over who deserves to form a group with him.
Now it has escalated into a serious competition, and whoever wins can take Disciple White into their team," the elder explained in one breath – his old face looked tired, and he wrinkled his face, muttering quietly: "Why didn't I have such looks in my time? Tsk, tsk, tsk... The heavens are unjust."
Ignoring the elder's grumbling, Lian Xin noticed something else. Disciple White was the nickname given to Xie Qing by fellow disciples, and it was his official moniker.
"Disciple Xie Qing is here?" she thought, flashing a bright smile, feeling excitement. "What luck! I've seen him twice in a month! Could this crazy one finally show some kindness to the poor young man?"
Although Lian Xin doubted that Xu Mei would ever change, she was still pleased with the current situation. Recalling that Xie Qing seemed to want to take on a mission, her eyes sparkled, and an imaginary light bulb appeared above her head.
Pushing through the crowd and ignoring the disgruntled disciples, she reached the epicenter of it all - Xie Qing, who stood at the task reception counter with a strange expression on his face.
In front of him, disciples formed a circle, leaving a space for two girls who were preparing for battle.
"What are you doing in the Task Pavilion?! Scatter, all of you!" suddenly, a stern female voice echoed.
"Eh?! Oh, it's Elder Lian! Disperse, disperse!"
As soon as Lian Xin shouted, the crowd of disciples dispersed, and the two girls who were preparing for battle could only sigh heavily and leave.
It was no secret to everyone that Elder Lian Xin harbored a fondness for Xie Qing. Although some were dissatisfied, disrespecting the sect elder and disobeying her would be excessive. At the very least, their lives would turn into a nightmare.
Even though the commotion in the Task Pavilion diminished, there were still disciples observing Xie Qing's actions, who had lost the ability to speak.
"Can't I just mind my own business?" he thought and shook his head, sighing and shrugging, "What a misfortune to be this beautiful... sigh. You wouldn't wish it even on your enemy... or your loved ones. Being beautiful is tough."
Well, he was arrogant.
While Xie Qing was lost in his thoughts, Elder Lian approached him with an excited face. She didn't immediately start a dialogue and just squinted her eyes at the elder who stood behind the counter. He immediately understood the hint and left, allowing Elder Lian to take his place.
"Disciple Xie Qing, what mission would you like to undertake?" Elder Lian asked with a bright smile.
"Elder Lian," Xie Qing greeted her with a smile, then added, nudging the task sheet, "Here it is."
"I'll check it now..."
Elder Lian nodded with slightly flushed cheeks and took the sheet in her hand, starting to read. As she read, she squinted more and more, and her face became as cold as ice – the temperature in the surroundings dropped by several degrees.
"Disciple Xie Qing... are you sure you were given the right sheet?" she asked, looking at him with an offended look - Xie Qing was puzzled.
He suddenly grabbed the sheet in her hand and brought it to his face.
"Oh..."
[Mission – third level of importance
Description: A Lady from the rich Liu family in the city of Liuyan is looking for a potential lover.
Requirements: be handsome, have a good physique, and be a cultivator at least at the Foundation Building stage.
Reward: financial support from the Liu family, other details will be discussed face to face]
"Ahem... Elder Lian, I think there's a misunderstanding here. I decided to pick random tasks for outer court disciples, and it seems I accidentally grabbed the wrong one... let me take it back," Xie Qing said, fake coughing and blushing slightly.
In reality, he deliberately took this mission but didn't plan to submit it for Elder Lian's review and confused it with two other tasks in his hand.
Elder Lian, who had been watching him, narrowed her eyes and shook her head. Then she smiled brightly and snatched the mission with questionable content from Xie Qing's hands, nodding with a smile.
"Of course, coincidences happen. And for now, allow me to burn this mission and put some people on the blacklisted clients..." Elder Lian said with a smile.
Xie Qing lost the ability to speak and raised an eyebrow.
"Woman, can't you let your disciples unleash their potential?"
===
*Huang is the money of the Huanglun Dynasty.