The sky was a pale blue canvas scorched by the noon sun. Jiang Chen stepped out of the mission hall and moved toward the sect's market district without a moment's pause.
The rows of stalls buzzed with life, filled with haggling cultivators and merchants selling spirit herbs, beast cores, and strange talismans.
Jiang Chen moved from stall to stall, eyes sweeping the display of beast materials. He was searching for tiger-type beast bones. Yet everything that met his eyes was disappointing.
Most were from mid-stage Rank One tigers or weaker. A few late-stage specimens turned up, but they were incomplete, barely a femur or a shattered rib. Not enough for the full refinement process of the Flesh Devouring God Scripture's bone aspect.
One shopkeeper offered him a full corpse of a peak Rank One tiger beast.
Jiang Chen gave it a closer look.
"Dream Illusion Tiger," the seller said proudly. "Its bloodline allows temporary invisibility. Truly a rare find. Young customer, you can use it to refine weapons that vanish, or talismans that cloak your presence."
Jiang Chen stared at the skeleton for a moment. "Not what I need."
Though the bloodline was special, the skeleton was too ordinary. The Dream Illusion Tiger was lacking the speed and force he desired for the bone aspect.
The seller's smile faded slightly. "You sure, young customer? Invisibility is rare—"
But Jiang Chen was already walking away.
He visited four more shops. In the end, he bought only the auxiliary refinement materials needed for the Hexagonal Bone-Seizing Formation as recorded in the Flesh Devouring God Scripture.
By the time he exited the final shop, he had spent one hundred eighty-seven spirit stones. Only around one hundred fifty remained.
The sun was sinking. The sky had turned gold and crimson, shadows stretching like spider legs across the stone path.
Jiang Chen slowly walked toward the market exit and took out the Cloud Balm.
Earlier today, he had casually asked several shopkeepers to verify its authenticity. They confirmed it was a genuine Cloud Balm, a premium healing cream.
He applied it to the wound. A cold layer spread across the torn flesh.
'A few days ago, they wouldn't even greet me,' Jiang Chen thought. 'Now they hand me balm with a smile. Even the smallest rise in strength changes how you're treated.'
He stopped at the end of the street.
'Maybe I should post a mission myself,' he mused. 'A proper tiger-type corpse…'
Without delay, he turned back toward the mission hall. By the time he arrived, the sky was painted in deep orange.
As he stepped through the hall doors, he spotted Wen Shan chatting with his uncle Wen Liang. They looked ready to leave, but paused when they noticed him.
Wen Liang's eyes flickered. He gave his nephew a pat on the shoulder. "I'll go ahead."
"En." Wen Shan nodded, turning to Jiang Chen with a smile.
"Brother Jiang," he said, stepping forward. "Just finished my shift. But since it's you, I don't mind helping personally. Here for another mission?"
"No. I came to issue one," Jiang Chen said politely. Inwardly, he was amused at Wen Shan's drastic change in attitude.
"Oh?" Wen Shan raised a brow, then smiled. "Come. Let's talk inside."
He didn't take Jiang Chen to the counter. Instead, he led him around it, through a side door marked for staff, into a more private room lined with scrolls and cabinets.
"Please," Wen Shan gestured toward the seat.
Jiang Chen sat without a word.
Wen Shan leaned on the side table, "Before I write it down, I have to say… taking on a Second Order mission alone, and succeeding at the fifth layer. That's no small feat."
Jiang Chen gave a polite nod. "You flatter me fellow cultivator. It was manageable."
Wen Shan chuckled. "Modest too. I respect that." He paused, then shifted his tone, slower now. "You know, Brother Jiang… someone like you shouldn't walk alone for long. There are many benefits in choosing the right allies."
Jiang Chen said nothing.
Wen Shan continued. "Take Senior Brother Sun Jian, for example. He's not just an inner disciple with great strength. He has reputation, influence, and connections. If someone like you were under his banner… things would change."
He leaned closer.
"You'd gain protection from a respected inner disciple. The kind of shield that ensures even other inner disciples hesitate before acting against you. Your name would rise among the outer sect. Disciples would show you deference, and pretty junior sisters would also take note of you. Opportunities… missions… resources… all flow easier when you have the right support."
Jiang Chen's expression remained blank.
"I'm not saying to become anyone's servant," Wen Shan added with a smile, though his tone sharpened ever so slightly. "Just that… pledging allegiance has its rewards. And believe me, Senior Brother Sun Jian rewards loyalty well."
There was a long silence.
Jiang Chen finally said, "I prefer freedom."
Wen Shan's lips twitched.
But he quickly forced another smile. "Haha… Freedom, of course. But sometimes, tying yourself to a rising star is the true path to soaring."
Jiang Chen replied calmly, "Tying yourself down is still tying yourself down."
The twitch returned to Wen Shan's face, stronger this time.
Yet, Wen Shan still persisted. "Think of it this way Brother Jiang... even a lone tiger eventually has to drink from the same river as the pack. In the end, sect life isn't about ideals. It's about survival. Position. And longevity."
Jiang Chen gave him a look. "Maybe. But... I'll walk my own path."
That did it.
Wen Shan quickly turned away to retrieve a mission token.
Internally, he was seething.
'Curse you Jiang Chen!'
'Walk your own path..? He really said that with a straight face. You're a fifth-layer Qi Condensation ant. No name, no background. What path? The one to the outer sect graveyard?'
'Hmph. Maybe I should just tell Sun Jian to crush him early.' But Wen Shan suddenly remembered his uncle's warning and took a deep breath. Don't make an enemy of such people.
"Very well," he said with a forced smile. "Let's proceed with mission details."
He filled out the form and the token.
"Mission number: 737. Mission rank: Third Order. Target: Peak-stage Rank One beast—Myriad Strength Tiger(Dead). Mission reward: 40 spirit stones."
Jiang Chen opened his pouch and placed forty spirit stones on the table.
Wen Shan counted them quickly and nodded. "Good. Since it's a Third Order mission, the commission to post it is fifteen spirit stones."
Jiang Chen reached for his pouch again, but Wen Shan raised a hand.
"Don't worry. This is your first time issuing a mission. As a token of our friendship, I'll waive the commission."
Jiang Chen nodded. "Then I thank Brother Wen."
Wen Shan, trying once more, said with a light laugh, "Of course, if you were under Senior Brother Sun Jian's banner… you'd never have to pay commission fees. Ever. Think about it."
Jiang Chen feigned a look of contemplation. "I'll consider it."
He then turned and left.
Wen Shan stared at the door as it closed behind him, his face darkening instantly.
"Arrogant bastard," he muttered through clenched teeth. "You'll regret this, Jiang Chen…"
He stood, pacing, eyes flashing with unconcealed anger and frustration.
"I show him respect. Offer him a way up. And what does he do? Reject my goodwill? How dare he! Blind and ungrateful like a frog at the bottom of a well!"
Just then, Wen Liang stepped inside.
"Uncle? You didn't leave?" Wen Shan asked, startled.
The older man gave a faint smile. "I was watching from the side. Thought I'd see how you'd handle it."
Wen Shan exhaled. "I did what I could, uncle. He rejected the offer cleanly."
Wen Liang stepped forward, hands behind his back. "I observed everything. You controlled your temper. That's good."
He looked at the token in Wen Shan's hand and then toward the door. "Don't worry. That boy will kneel to your Senior Brother eventually."
He patted his nephew on the shoulder.
"There's more than one way to tame a tiger. Just do as I say."