Suspicious Mission

While examining the missions, Leo overheard a heated argument between two individuals discussing the mission at hand. Intrigued, Leo decided to listen in on their conversation while using the system to inspet them.

[

Name: Ethan

Spirutal Root : Sword Heart (Saint Grade - Sword Qi)

Talent : 84

Cultivation realm : Perfect Stage Of Foundation Estabhlisment

]

[

Name: Extra

Spirutal Root : Extra

Talent : Extra

Cultivation Realm : Extra

]

After reviewing their information, Leo couldn't help but think 'That's an unusual duo.' The one with superior talent was Ethan, who Leo scrutinized and found to be a personal disciple of Sword Peak, as evidenced by his robe emblem. With a pair of brown eyes and long, dark hair, Ethan was quite handsome, like most cultivators in this world. Leo had noticed that cultivators were generally attractive, unlike mortals. It appeared that cultivating refined a person's appearance. The other person was just an extra, which was why Leo found the duo peculiar. Having spent enough time in this world, Leo had observed that people usually hung out with others who had similar backgrounds. It was uncommon to see a pair of named and extra individuals socializing together.

Leo then turned his gaze to the extra and, based on his appearance and behavior, quickly recognized him as someone with a sly and backstabbing personality. Leo's ability to discern obvious characteristics and thoughts was likely due to his past life experiences. Having interacted with various types of people, Leo was adept at recognizing and interpreting people's behaviors. After observing this unusual duo, Leo began to eavesdrop on their conversation, hoping to obtain a clue that would help him uncover the cause of the disturbance in the flow of destiny.

Ethan was diligently cultivating on the sword peak, striving to break through to the next realm. As he focused on his training, he suddenly heard his childhood friend Chris calling out to him. Ethan decided to interrupt his cultivation session to see what Chris needed, and made his way over to the mission hall where Chris was waiting for him.

Ethan and Chris had known each other for years, having grown up in the same village and both joining the sect after passing the outer sect recruitment exam. Although Ethan had finished in first place, while Chris had placed in the middle, their friendship had endured and they continued to support each other on their cultivation journeys.

Ethan recognized that he had a natural talent for cultivation, while Chris struggled to make progress. Nonetheless, whenever Chris asked for help, Ethan would go out of his way to assist him, hoping to encourage Chris and preserve their strong bond.

Ethan was determined to maintain their friendship, even if their paths diverged. He knew that true friendship was not based on talent or fortune, but on loyalty and mutual respect. So he promised himself that he would always be there for Chris, no matter what challenges they might face.

As Ethan approached Chris, they exchanged pleasantries. Ethan heard that Chris wanted to undertake a mission and needed a partner. He asked if he was available, and upon hearing the reason for Chris's call, Ethan responded by trying to appear eager without hurting Chris's feelings. "I was hoping for some real-life experience too. Let's head over to the mission board and find a mission."

Upon reaching the mission board, Ethan began to examine the available missions, searching for one that would be suitable for their skills. As he scanned through the various missions, he noticed an outer sect disciple examining the mission descriptions as well. Ethan knew it wasn't safe for someone at the first realm of Qi condensation to undertake these missions, and he was about to advise the disciple against it. However, before he could say anything, Chris pointed to a mission and nudged him. "Ethan, let's do this mission. The reward is pretty good." Ethan took a moment to read through the mission description that Chris was pointing to.

The mission at hand was an escort task to transport a mortal noble from Jade City to Cloud City, a perilous journey with forests and territories inhabited by monsters in between. It was a challenging mission for individuals like Ethan and Chris, but surprisingly, it was only open to those in the Foundation Establishment realm or lower, making it unsuitable for higher realms.

Despite the inherent danger, the reward for the mission was more than satisfactory, twice the amount offered for a regular mission in the Foundation Establishment range.

Ethan's intuition told him that something was off about the mission at hand, prompting him to suggest to Chris, "This mission looks challenging. Maybe we should consider another option." Ethan resumed perusing the available missions while Chris remained silent. Eventually, Chris spoke up with a downcast tone, "Is it because of me that you think we can't handle it?"

Realizing that Chris had misinterpreted his words, Ethan quickly clarified, "No, that's not what I meant. I just have a bad feeling about this mission. It doesn't feel like the right fit for us."

As Chris expressed his interest in the mission, Ethan's concerns only grew stronger. "But its reward is the best out there. I want to do this," Chris repeated, unmoved by Ethan's hesitation. It was clear that Chris had his heart set on this mission, and Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Chris's next words only intensified Ethan's worry: "If you don't want to do it, I will do it alone. You don't have to accompany me. After all, I am not a baby." Ethan knew he couldn't let Chris go alone, and the thought of something bad happening to his friend on the dangerous mission sent chills down his spine.

Although Ethan had reservations, he caught up with Chris, and together they applied for the mission. As they left the mission hall, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that today's events would alter his life irreversibly, and not for the better.