The three of them approached Jiang Xu and Zong Ziqi.

Jiang Xu was just getting ready to grab some popcorn and watch the show, but he never expected that after Yan Chunyu came over, she wouldn’t say a word. She just spun around, leaving the two of them with nothing but her back.

"???"

Jiang Xu was dumbfounded.

’Why isn’t she playing by the book?’

Seeing Yan Chunyu turn away, the girl beside her covered her mouth to hide a smile and stepped forward.

"Hello, allow me to introduce everyone.

"My name is Shan Lanlan, and this is Ding Shiping. We were both promoted from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect, and we’re also members of the Jade Heart Association, which was founded by Chairman Yan.

"We’ll be undertaking a Sect mission with our Chairman, Yan Chunyu, today. It’s a pleasure to be working with you."

Seeing how polite Shan Lanlan was, Jiang Xu didn’t dare to be discourteous. He quickly cupped his hands and said:

"My name is Jiang Xu. I’m truly honored and humbled to be joining Senior Sister Yan’s team today. It’s a great privilege.

"However, I’m afraid I don’t really have the skills for this, so if I perform poorly, I hope you can all forgive my shortcomings!"

Although Jiang Xu didn’t know why Yan Chunyu had added him to her team,

he was sure she was up to no good.

Therefore, feigning weakness was his best option.

That way, if something happened, he would have a perfectly legitimate reason to hide behind them.

’After all, I already said I wasn’t very capable.’

Of course, if Yan Chunyu really intended to use him as cannon fodder, that would be another matter entirely.

’Worst case, I’ll just bail.’

’Who’s afraid of who?!’

Just as Jiang Xu had expected, Shan Lanlan only smiled at his words and didn’t pay them much mind.

She turned her head to look at Zong Ziqi.

"Senior Brother Zong, aren’t you going to introduce yourself?"

’Here it comes!’

Jiang Xu tensed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the ever-silent Ding Shiping shift his gaze to Zong Ziqi. Even Yan Chunyu’s small, delicate ears twitched slightly.

Zong Ziqi slowly, unhurriedly, opened his mouth.

"I am Zong Ziqi."

And then he said no more.

...’That’s it?’

Jiang Xu waited for a long moment, but nothing else followed.

Shan Lanlan was clearly taken aback as well.

She hadn’t expected Zong Ziqi to be so arrogant, even after losing his Cultivation.

Yan Chunyu’s fists tightened.

Seeing the situation grow tense, Shan Lanlan quickly tried to smooth things over by explaining the mission to everyone.

"You probably don’t know the specific details of our mission yet, so let me explain.

"We need to complete two tasks this time, both of which require us to leave the Sect.

"First, we need to investigate the mysterious disappearance of disciples at a mining area outside the Sect.

"Second, we’re to go to the outskirts of the Endless Forest to pick a type of Spirit Medicine called the Little Jade Qilin Fruit."

’Leave the Sect?’

Jiang Xu truly hadn’t expected that.

When he was at the General Affairs Hall, he hadn’t seen any suitable missions that involved leaving the Sect.

He had just assumed, out of habit.

He’d thought that missions for Inner Sect Disciples were more or less the same as those for Outer Disciples.

He never anticipated that this mission would actually require leaving the Sect.

Jiang Xu had originally assumed they would use some random mission within the Sect as an excuse to humiliate Zong Ziqi and be done with it. He never imagined they would have to leave the Sect...

Wait!

Jiang Xu was suddenly struck by a terrible premonition.

’Don’t tell me they’re planning to kill Zong Ziqi after we leave the Sect, and then blame it on the mission?

’After all, Zong Ziqi nearly died on his first mission. It wouldn’t be too strange if he just happened to die on his second one, would it...?

’And they brought me along because I have no background or power, making me easy to control. They want me to be their false witness?

’Or maybe they’d just pin the whole thing on me?

’They could go back to the Sect and claim that I, a simple Spirit Plant Cultivator who’s never seen the world, got greedy when I saw Zong Ziqi’s Spirit Stones and killed him for his treasures?

’No way... Holy crap!

’Come to think of it... that’s a very real possibility!’

And so Yan Chunyu, who had only wanted to test Zong Ziqi, was unknowingly labeled a premeditated murderer in Jiang Xu’s mind. Meanwhile, she was still grinding her teeth in anger at Zong Ziqi.

’You, Zong Ziqi! Still so arrogant even in your sorry state, huh? Too proud to even say more than a few words. Fine! Just wait until we get to the mission site. We’ll see if I don’t take you down a peg!’

Seeing that the time was right, Yan Chunyu waved her hand, and a miniature boat flew out of her sleeve.

It expanded as it flew, growing until it hovered in the air as a "large ship" over thirty feet long.

The ship was a brilliant silver-white, as if forged from the purest moonlight, and it emanated a faint glow.

Shan Lanlan’s eyes filled with envy as she looked at it. She turned to Jiang Xu and Zong Ziqi and said:

"This is Chairman Yan’s Flying Spiritual Artifact, the Silver Moon Ship. It’s a Tier One Upper Grade artifact with as many as sixty-eight Artifact Patterns. It provides effects like Gathering Spirit, Defense, Concealment, and High Speed. The price is absolutely ridiculous!"

Yan Chunyu gave a slight nod, casting a nonchalant glance at Zong Ziqi.

Zong Ziqi coughed lightly. Then, feigning nonchalance, he drew the Profound Dragon Sword from his waist, cradled it in his arms, and leaped onto the Silver Moon Ship.

Yan Chunyu instantly froze.

She had forgotten about that sword of his.

The Profound Dragon Sword was also a Tier One Upper Grade artifact.

Generally speaking, a Flying Spiritual Artifact is much more valuable than an attack-type Magical Artifact of the same tier.

However, Zong Ziqi’s Profound Dragon Sword had been hand-picked by his master. In some respects, it was even superior to certain Tier One Top Grade Spirit Swords.

Naturally, its price was also much higher than Yan Chunyu’s Silver Moon Ship.

This made Yan Chunyu even more irritated, and her gaze grew increasingly dangerous.

Sensing trouble, Shan Lanlan and Ding Shiping quickly flew onto the Silver Moon Ship, not daring to linger and incur Yan Chunyu’s wrath.

Jiang Xu cast a Light Body Spell on himself, but he deliberately weakened its effect to the Beginner Stage level before leaping onto the Silver Moon Ship.

...

The Silver Moon Ship was now underway.

It headed away from the Sect.

At the ship’s bow was a small helm with several grooves in its center.

The grooves were filled with Spirit Stones.

The Spiritual Qi contained within the Spirit Stone in the center groove—in its concentration, purity, and sheer amount—was clearly far superior to the others.

It was a Middle Grade Spirit Stone.

Jiang Xu had just seen Yan Chunyu place it there with his own eyes.

The extravagance of this wealthy Inner Sect Disciple made Jiang Xu burn with envy.

One Middle Grade Spirit Stone was equivalent to a hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones, yet Yan Chunyu was just using it for travel...

Such an extravagance! He wondered if the reward for this mission would even cover the cost of that one Middle Grade Spirit Stone.

Though the Silver Moon Ship moved swiftly through the sky, the ride was remarkably stable.

The hull was wreathed in clouds and mist, forming a natural barrier that protected the Silver Moon Ship.

This was a built-in Magic of the Silver Moon Ship. Its effect was similar to the Concealing Breath Spell, allowing it to hide its presence.

Those inside the ship could see out through the mist, but anyone looking from the outside would only see a drifting white cloud.