Chapter 797: The Outbreak of Total War, Choosing Missions
At this moment, whether it was Jiang Chengxuan, Zhao Tianfan, or Xie Xiangyao, their emotions were inevitably stirred.
They were ail too aware of how precious an untouched, natural secret realm could be.
Almost instinctively, they harbored the same thought.
No matter what, their Haoran Sect must secure the large Heavenly Crystal mine for themselves.
However, the three of them quickly calmed down.
Xie Xiangyao said, “Shifu, with such crucial information, is it possible that the Eternal Sword Sect, or even the Five Elements Heavenly Sect, might also come to know of it in time?”
Qin Shenwu smiled slightly, then shook his head and replied,
“You can rest assured on that matter. As long as they do not possess the large Heavenly Crystal mine, they will not be able to learn of this news.
Because, before this, we old folks have combined several of our Haoran Sect’s treasures to completely shield the secrets of heaven.
They would not be able to divine any related information even if they tried.” “That’s good.”
This assurance secretly relieved Xie Xiangyao, Jiang Chengxuan, and Zhao Tianfan.
As long as those outside their circle remained unaware, then the control over the large Heavenly Crystal mine remained within manageable bounds.
Even if a sect war broke out, it could still be contained to a certain extent, preventing it from affecting a larger, broader scope.
“Now, what I want to discuss with you is this.”
Qin Shenwu’s voice rang out once more.
This jolted Jiang Chengxuan, Zhao Tianfan, and Xie Xiangyao.
“If, after this, we indeed go to war with the Eternal Sword Sect and the Five Elements Heavenly Sect, then you must strive to earn sufficient contribution points during this conflict.
Only by doing so, after we have secured that large Heavenly Crystal mine, will you be eligible to be among the first to enter that natural secret realm.” These words instantly sharpened the resolve of Jiang Chengxuan, Zhao Tianfan, and Xie Xiangyao.
They could discern from their Shifu’s words that the slots for the first expedition into the natural secret realm would be highly contested. Only those who truly made significant contributions during this event would be granted the privilege of initial entry.
For any natural secret realm, the first entrance always comes with the blessing of the realm’s fortune.
This fortune not only benefits the individual in numerous ways but also enables them to find treasures that are perfectly suited and harmoniously aligned with themselves during their journey in the realm.
Thus, whenever a natural secret realm is discovered, the opportunity to be among the first to explore it becomes incredibly precious.
Even within a sect as unified as their Haoran Sect, competition is inevitable in such matters.
And this, Qin Shenwu conveyed, was the real reason he had summoned them here.
Compared to their fellow sect members who hadn’t received this news, Jiang Chengxuan and his companions had indeed gained a significant advantage. “Alright, that’s all for now. If there are no further questions, you may leave. Remember, during this period, try not to go out or accept any sect missions. According to my estimation, the war with the Eternal Sword Sect should start very soon.”
And indeed, Qin Shenwu’s predictions came to pass.
Just half a month after Jiang Chengxuan and the others bid farewell to Qin Shenwu, a piece of news suddenly swept through the entire Haoran Sect.
Just half a day earlier, a Seethrough stage powerhouse from the Eternal Sword Sect had led a team to attack the Haoran Sect’s Tianyun Herbal Garden, slaughtering all the cultivators stationed there.
Moreover, they plundered all the spiritual herbs from the Tianyun Herbal Garden and used a secret method to contaminate its spiritual veins.
This turned the Tianyun Herbal Garden into a barren land.
Such shocking news immediately startled all the cultivators within the Haoran Sect and then enraged them.
How many years had it been since such a bold attack on their Haoran Sect’s properties occurred?
Let alone wiping out all the cultivators stationed in their Tianyun Herbal Garden.
Such actions were extremely vile.
Sect Master Xue Ping had declared a full-scale war against the Eternal Sword Sect just an hour before.
As for this announcement, the higher-ups of the sect remained relatively calm, especially those like Jiang Chengxuan, Zhao Tianfan, and Xie Xiangyao, who had been aware of the situation beforehand.
They understood that the incident at the Tianyun Herbal Garden was not the beginning.
In fact, there had been many clashes between the cultivators of both sides before, with both sides experiencing losses.
However, this incident had become the spark that ignited a full-scale war between their Haoran Sect and the Eternal Sword Sect.
It was believed that similar news would also spread throughout the Eternal Sword Sect.
At this moment.
Many elders within the sect had already received their missions and headed to various battlefronts.
It was then that Jiang Chengxuan suddenly received a message from his Shifu, Qin Shenwu, asking him to come to Shenwu Peak directly.
Without any hesitation, Jiang Chengxuan quickly made his way to Shenwu Peak.
He saw Qin Shenwu standing in front of a stone table, who smiled upon seeing Jiang Chengxuan’s arrival.
“Chengxuan, I have something to tell you. Your senior brother and sister have already been assigned by me to the frontlines.”
“Huh?”
Hearing Qin Shenwu’s words, Jiang Chengxuan was slightly surprised.
Just two days ago, he, Zhao Tianfan, and Xie Xiangyao had still met up.
It was unexpected that in the blink of an eye, his senior brother and sister had already been sent to the frontlines.
The specifics, I have already mentioned to you before,”
Qin Shenwu continued.
“If you wish to be among the first to enter the natural secret realm in the future, then it is imperative not to stay behind in the sect during this war. You must earn sufficient contributions.
Therefore, as you might have already guessed, I’ve called you here to assign you a specific mission.”
With that, Qin Shenwu gestured with a wave of his hand.
Instantly, several mission details appeared before Jiang Chengxuan.
The first mission was to head to the large Heavenly Crystal mine battlefield in the Xichuan Plains, to assist Senior Sister Xie Xiangyao and other Seethrough stage elders in the struggle against the Eternal Sword Sect cultivators for control over the mine.
The second option was to be stationed at a location known as Haoran Valley within the Haoran Sect to prevent surprise attacks from the Eternal Sword Sect.
The third mission involved leading a group of cultivators to defend a major city
on the front lines, named East Sky Immortal City.
The last option was to covertly infiltrate the area behind the large Heavenly Crystal mine battlefield in the Xichuan Plains, waiting for the right moment to launch a surprise attack or an assassination operation against the Eternal Sword Sect monks.
These four tasks were carefully selected by Qin Shenwu for Jiang Chengxuan after much consideration.
The choice was Jiang Chengxuan’s to make.
After much deliberation, Jiang Chengxuan recognized the merits in each of the missions his Shifu had chosen for him.
However, being inclined towards action rather than passive defense, and having undertaken many defense missions previously out of necessity rather than desire, he quickly ruled out the second and third options.
Both guarding Haoran Valley and defending East Sky Immortal City didn’t align with his personal inclinations.
Compared to these, he preferred a more proactive approach, making him gravitate towards choosing between the first and the last mission.
Sure enough.
Upon closer inspection, the first mission seemed the most suitable for him.
On the frontline, the opportunities to earn merit were significantly greater than those in a covert operation.
Plus, having Senior Sister Xie Xiangyao, a Seethrough stage powerhouse, by his
side provided some assurance of safety.
However, such a role would limit his ability to fully utilize his strengths, especially considering his status not just as any Celestial Radiance stage cultivator but also the possessor of the supreme-grade Spiritual Treasure, the Five Elements Diagram, which granted him combat capabilities even against Seethrough stage powerhouses.
Under such circumstances, the frontline battlefield did not seem to meet his needs.
So.
After careful consideration, Jiang Chengxuan looked at Qin Shenwu and said,
“Shifu, I wish to undertake the last mission.”
Hearing Jiang Chengxuan’s response, a smile immediately spread across Qin
Shenwu s face, and he nodded, saying,
“I knew you would choose this last mission.”
Jiang Chengxuan immediately responded with a flattering compliment with a smile.
“It’s all thanks to your excellent arrangement, Shifu, knowing exactly what your disciple needs.”
“Haha.”
Qin Shenwu chuckled and tapped at Jiang Chengxuan’s forehead, his expression then turned serious as he looked at Jiang Chengxuan and said, Since you have chosen this last mission, I won’t say much more.
In any case, the battlefield is ever-changing, and even the undying cultivators
of the Celestial Radiance stage have fallen in the past.
I don’t have many demands on you, just one – prioritize your own safety above all else.
If you’re not sure, remember not to force it.
Remember, as long as there’s life, there’s hope.”
It was evident that Qin Shenwu’s words came from the heart.
Jiang Chengxuan was deeply moved.
He nodded solemnly at Qin Shenwu, saying,
“Please rest assured, Shifu. I will prioritize safety, and if I’m not absolutely
sure, I will not take unnecessary risks.”
“Yeah.”
Qin Shenwu nodded in satisfaction.
Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he turned to Jiang Chengxuan and said:
‘By the way, if you get a chance, remember to keep an eye on your senior sister.”
“Uh…”
Hearing his master’s words, Jiang Chengxuan’s expression momentarily froze.
Qin Shenwu, however, shook his head with a hint of helplessness.
-Anyway, just remember to pay a little attention when the time comes.
Your senior sister, sigh…”