Inside the treasure boat, Fletcher Toba walked over to Diana Toba with a helpless expression and asked, "Diana, just who are you looking for? Why don't you tell your big brother, and I'll send someone to help you find them."
Diana Toba stared unblinkingly at the cultivators below the island and replied coolly, "No need."
Fletcher Toba's face darkened. He'd spent most of the past few days healing, but he'd noticed that his sister Diana's mood was off. Clearly, something happened to her inside that formation that she wasn't telling anyone.
But no matter how many times he pressed her, she wouldn't say a word. That made him both anxious and angry.
An hour later, all the cultivators had left the island. Diana Toba withdrew her gaze in disappointment. "Let's go back."
A few days later.
Ian Song and his group returned to the Jade Maiden Sect.
Inside the main hall, everyone was busy tallying up their harvest from this trip.
"Leah, you first. How many spirit beasts did you bring back this time?" Lana Snow asked with a smile.
Leah Ling's cheeks reddened slightly, and she answered a bit shyly, "Sect Master, I only brought back two spirit beasts."
As she spoke, she took out two spirit beast bags and released the two spirit beasts inside.
Lana Snow nodded in satisfaction. "One first-rank spirit beast, one second-rank spirit beast—not bad. Leah, you did well. Ten low-grade spirit crystals as a reward!"
"Thank you, Sect Master," Leah Ling said happily.
Lana Snow nodded and turned her gaze to Lacey Ling. Lacey stepped forward, took out three spirit beast bags, and released three second-rank spirit beasts.
The elders' eyes all lit up at the sight, and Lana Snow was pleased as well. "Lacey, you did great too. Fifty low-grade spirit crystals as your reward."
"Thank you, Sect Master."
A proud look flashed across Lacey Ling's face. She couldn't help sneaking a glance at Lena Ling. She'd always been competitive with Lena, and although she'd toned it down a bit after the 'Second Fool' incident, she still couldn't resist trying to outdo her.
"Lena, how about you? What did you bring back this time?" Lana Snow asked, looking at her treasured disciple.
Hearing this, Lena Ling walked to the center of the hall, then took out four spirit beast bags at once and released four spirit beasts.
"Three second-rank spirit beasts, and one third-rank spirit beast!"
Seeing Lena's four spirit beasts, Lacey Ling's heart sank. Looks like she'd lost to Lena again this time.
"Very good, very good. I didn't expect Lena to bring back a third-rank spirit beast. Two hundred low-grade spirit crystals as your reward!"
"Thank you, Master!"
After expressing her thanks, Lena Ling put away her spirit beasts and stepped back, showing no trace of pride on her face.
"Skyler, how many spirit beasts did you bring back this time? Show everyone what you've got," Lana Snow said gently to Ian Song.
"Yes, Sect Master!"
Ian Song stepped forward and took out ten spirit beast bags.
When the elders saw that Ian actually had ten spirit beast bags, they were all shocked. Had Second Fool really caught that many spirit beasts?
But they figured they must all be first-rank spirit beasts.
Just then, Ian flicked his wrist, and ten spirit beasts appeared in the hall.
When everyone saw these ten spirit beasts, everyone except Shayne Snow and Lena Ling looked utterly astonished—there wasn't a single first-rank spirit beast among them.
Six second-rank spirit beasts, four third-rank spirit beasts.
"Unbelievable! Skyler Ling actually brought back four third-rank spirit beasts—he's truly a lucky star for our Jade Maiden Sect!"
"That's right. If those third-rank spirit beasts grow into fourth-rank, our Jade Maiden Sect will gain four new Golden Core experts!"
All the elders became extremely excited, and their gazes toward Ian Song were filled with admiration.
Ian, however, found it secretly amusing. If he revealed the fourth-, fifth-, or even sixth-rank spirit beasts he still had, he wondered just how shocked they'd be.
After leaving the valley formation, Ian spent the rest of the time using his Beast Command Seal technique to capture twelve sixth-rank spirit beasts.
With twelve sixth-rank spirit beasts working together, even a Nascent Soul expert would have a hard time against them.
"Excellent, Skyler! You've done a great service for our Jade Maiden Sect this time. Ten mid-grade spirit crystals as your reward!" Lana Snow announced loudly.
"Thank you, Sect Master."
Ian Song bowed respectfully.
When the elders heard Ian was rewarded with ten mid-grade spirit crystals, even they looked envious. After all, the purer the spiritual energy in a spirit crystal, the faster one can cultivate.
Lena Ling, meanwhile, secretly curled her lip. This guy could give away two high-grade spirit crystals without blinking—why would he care about ten mid-grade ones?
…………
"You really stole the show this time, kid. Shouldn't you treat your senior sister to a good meal and some fine wine?"
Ian had just returned to his courtyard and hadn't even warmed his seat when Lena Ling showed up at his door to extort him.
An hour later, after seeing Lena off half drunk, Ian began thinking about his second system task.
System Task Two: Within ten years, reach the top ten of the Immortal Ranking's Rising Stars list. Reward: 5 billion Fame Points for completion; penalty: 10 billion Fame Points deducted for failure!
He'd only just learned on this trip to Myriad Spirits Island that the Immortal Ranking was created by the Phoenix Heaven Church of the High Zhou Imperium.
The Rising Stars list is one of the three sub-rankings of the Immortal Ranking.
The other two sub-rankings are the Male Immortal List and the Female Immortal List.
Both the Male and Female Immortal Lists record only one hundred people each, but the Rising Stars list includes five hundred.
Even the five hundredth place on the Rising Stars list has late Nascent Soul strength, while the top three have reached the Fusion Realm.
To make the top ten of the Rising Stars list, you'd need at least late-stage Deity Transformation.
No wonder the system gives such a generous reward—reaching late-stage Deity Transformation in ten years is no small feat.
To qualify for the Rising Stars list, you have to go to the High Zhou Imperium and undergo the Phoenix Heaven Church's trial. Only after passing can you challenge the five hundredth ranked Rising Star.
After learning about the Rising Stars list, Ian realized it was a way for the Phoenix Heaven Church to recruit talent.
If you want fame and a spot on the Rising Stars list, you have to go to the Phoenix Heaven Church for the trial. If they see potential in you, they'll accept you as an outer disciple.
Don't underestimate the title of outer disciple—many people would fight tooth and nail for it.
That's why, ever since the Immortal Ranking was founded, the Phoenix Heaven Church has only grown stronger. Even if the Prime One, Fire God, and Witch God Churches joined forces, they wouldn't be a tenth as powerful.
At this, Ian couldn't help but hesitate. Should he stay in the Jade Maiden Sect and cultivate, or head to the High Zhou Imperium?
In the blink of an eye, several days passed.
Ming Dynasty, Fire God Church headquarters, Fire God Hall.
Vulcan Pi, the sect master, sat high on his throne, looking down imperiously at Fletcher Toba and Diana Toba, the sibling pair.
"Master, this time we only managed to kill Warren Tang and let Lila Li escape. Please punish us, Sect Master!"
The siblings knelt below, their faces filled with fear.
"Hmph!"
Vulcan Pi snorted, "You can't even handle such a trivial matter. What use are you to me? Both of you, go back and face the wall for three years!"
"Yes, Master! We take our leave!"
The two replied in unison, then rose and retreated from the great hall.