The bounty notice read as follows: the Yi Trading Company of Feng City sought to venture into the Death Swamp deep within the Qiling Mountains to gather spiritual herbs.
Stretching nearly ten million li across, the Qiling Mountains held countless strange and treacherous lands. Even the Misty Sect, a major power settled at the mountains' edge for centuries, had never explored every corner of the vast range.
The Death Swamp was an extraordinary and perilous region within the mountains. Venomous creatures ran rampant throughout its murky depths, and as a result, toxic herbs proliferated everywhere. Yet extremes breed opposites: where each kind of poisonous plant grew, its antidote could invariably be found nearby.
At the very heart of the Death Swamp flourished numerous high-grade spiritual herbs. Protected by the swamp's deadly hazards, these herbs had grown for many long years, making them far more potent—and precisely what the Yi Trading Company desperately needed.
The Death Swamp was far from a simple place, however. Venoms and poisons permeated its air and waters, and the creatures dwelling within had been warped by its miasma, far deadlier than their counterparts beyond the swamp. Even a Sixth Layer True Essence cultivator, if stung or bitten by the slightest venomous creature, could perish without a sound.
Quicksand bogs lurked around every corner; one misstep, and a cultivator would sink to their certain death.
The swamp lay relatively close to Feng City. The round trip would take only six days, and with time allocated for gathering herbs, the entire endeavor would last no more than seven days.
The Yi family had dispatched twenty guards, each at the Ninth Layer of Qi Condensation—already the backbone of the clan's forces. Yet such strength would not suffice to cross the Death Swamp; even Second Layer True Essence cultivators would be of little use.
Third Layer True Essence experts counted as core powerhouses to the Yi family. Losing even one could leave the clan in a precarious position within Feng City, threatening its very survival. In total, the Yi family boasted merely five Third Layer True Essence cultivators. The mission notice therefore required five experts above the Third Layer of True Essence.
Given the extreme danger of the task, the reward was generous: seven thousand taels of silver per participant. A strict deadline was also set: the expedition would depart in three days, making the next day the final chance to enlist.
Gao Han walked calmly to the red notice board and tore the mission slip from its surface.
Onlookers stared and sneered at the sight of a Third Layer True Essence cultivator daring to take on a Two-Star mission.
"Who does he think he is? A Third Layer cultivator taking a Two-Star task?"
"Truly courting death! The mission says Third Layer and above, but that is just a formality!"
"Sigh. Will he not shame our Misty Sect? Other major sects send their disciples on these external missions too."
Gao Han ignored the jeers and walked to a desk where an inner-sect elder sat in repose. The elder possessed Ninth Layer True Essence cultivation, his eyes closed as if oblivious to all that transpired in the hall.
"Elder. I wish to accept this mission," Gao Han said with a slight bow, gently rousing the man.
The elder stretched lazily and glanced at Gao Han. "Which mission? Let me see it."
Gao Han handed over the slip. The elder read it, then lifted his gaze to study Gao Han.
"You are only at the Third Layer of True Essence. This mission is not suited for you, young friend. One must advance at a steady pace."
Gao Han smiled faintly. "There is no need to persuade me, Elder. I have made my choice."
The elder shook his head helplessly, took Gao Han's token, recorded his information alongside the mission number, and returned the tablet.
He lapsed back into his languid state. "Boy. Good luck to you."
Gao Han nodded and headed toward the sect's outer gate.
His dark brown steed was a fine stallion among thousand-li horses, capable of traveling a thousand li by day and eight hundred by night. By the very next day, Gao Han had reached Feng City.
Though he had visited Feng City several times before, he did not know the Yi family's exact location and had to ask for directions along the way, losing a fair amount of time.
He arrived just in time. More than twenty people already waited at the Yi family manor, most of them disciples from various sects.
"Look, another one's here. For the Yi family mission?"
"Hardly. He's only Third Layer True Essence. Everyone else here is Fourth Layer. He must be a spectator."
As Gao Han drew closer, his appearance and robes came into full view. He wore a deep blue robe with a sword at his waist, his handsome face bearing a calm smile, his bearing noble and imposing.
"Wait—he's a disciple of the Misty Sect! Did he come to cheer on his senior brothers?"
"Truly! Look at the two cloud lines stitched on his cuffs."
The blue robe with cloud-embroidered cuffs was the exclusive mark of Misty Sect inner-sect disciples, leaving no doubt as to his origin.
Before the Yi family gates stood twelve disciples from the six major sects, with the rest hailing from smaller clans. Each faction stood apart, eyeing the others with thinly veiled hostility.
Five groups had gathered in total: three from the Misty Sect, three from Firecloud Manor, three from Serene Lotus Sect, three from Qianling Sect, and the remaining smaller-school disciples banded together as one.
Gao Han paid no heed to the whispers and continued forward.
"What is he doing? Is he here to join the mission?"
Everyone frowned. The Yi family required only five participants, and the number of candidates already far exceeded that. A fierce competition was inevitable. Yet a mere Third Layer cultivator dared to challenge them for a spot.
The Firecloud Manor and other sect disciples glared, and even the three Misty Sect members looked upon Gao Han with disgust, certain he would bring further shame to their sect.
"Hahaha! Has the Misty Sect run out of talent? Sending a Third Layer cultivator? It seems your sect is in decline!"
A Firecloud Manor disciple laughed loudly. The three Misty Sect disciples flushed crimson, their eyes bloodshot as they stared daggers at Gao Han.
Yi Zhiyong, patriarch of the Yi family and a Sixth Layer True Essence cultivator, stood at the gate watching Gao Han approach, his brows knitted in displeasure.
"What is the meaning of this, Misty Sect? Do you truly take my Yi family so lightly?"
Beside him stood a young maiden, her body trembling as she watched Gao Han draw near, tears glistening in her eyes.
Her heart screamed: It's him! It's really him! He came back to see me!
"Yingying! What's wrong? Are you unwell?" Yi Zhiyong noticed his daughter's strange condition and asked at once.