Endless Ascension

Chapter 5: SSS...Super Mission

The Clear Water River flowed majestically, its vast expanse stretching as far as the eye could see, resembling a dragon coiled at the riverbed. This vital waterway near Qinghe City originated from Kunlun Mountain, winding its way for thousands of miles, its waves surging and crashing against the shores, giving Qinghe City its fame.

It was dawn.

The sky was still dimly lit, casting the Clear Water River in the appearance of a black dragon coiled upon the earth, majestic and awe-inspiring. Listening to the roar of the waves, Qin Ze hurried towards the riverbank.

Under the bright moonlight, the night breeze rustled through the reeds, adding a touch of serenity to the scenic landscape. Yet Qin Ze had no heart for appreciating the beauty; he needed to quickly wash away the bloodstains on his body before returning, lest he faced Zhang Dafu's scolding.

With his pace hastened, he arrived at the river's edge, stripped off his clothes, revealing his frail physique.

A gust of wind made Qin Ze shiver despite the summer heat; the river breeze carried a chill. However, he had no time for such trivialities and prepared to dive into the river for a thorough cleanse.

Just as he was about to plunge in, a corpse floated up from the weeds beside him, resembling a stranded whale. Its golden robes glinted in the moonlight.

"Someone drowned?"

Qin Ze quickly dove in and pulled the person ashore.

"No breath, dead?"

Qin Ze placed his finger on the man's nostrils, feeling for a pulse. The man's body was covered in scars, his chest charred black as if struck by lightning, a gruesome sight indeed.

Dressed in fine silks and brocades, the man must have come from a wealthy family. Qin Ze's eyes lit up as he gazed at the bulge in the man's chest, smirking, "A gentleman earns his wealth honorably, but a scoundrel takes it when opportunity arises."

Poverty being the greatest fear, he dismissed all thoughts of bad omens and reached into the dead man's robes.

As Qin Ze retrieved a delicate box from the corpse's embrace, the man's hand suddenly moved, gripping Qin Ze's wrist tightly. His eyes snapped open, glaring fiercely as he roared, "Thief, your life is mine!"

"A zombie!"

The sudden turn of events nearly frightened Qin Ze out of his wits.

Without hesitation, Qin Ze kicked the man's head, hearing a sickening crack that suggested a bone had broken.

"See if you're still alive now."

Qin Ze muttered, only to hear the man say, "Young man, our meeting as my spirit returns is a sign of fate..."

"Not dead?" Qin Ze froze, his right wrist aching from the grip of a skeletal hand. Just as he prepared to deliver another kick, the man added, "I am already dead, fear not."

"Talking while dead? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Ignoring the man's words, Qin Ze kicked again, thinking, "Is this what they call greed getting the better of me?"

The exquisitely embroidered box in his hand, adorned with golden trims, suggested it was no ordinary item. It alone could fetch a considerable amount of money, let alone whatever treasures it might contain.

Strike while the iron is hot; this was the unspoken rule of survival in this world. Seeing that the man was nearly lifeless, what harm could a few more kicks do?

Even if someone reported him to the authorities, how could they trace it back to him?

Yet curiously, the forceful kick did not silence the man; he seemed unaffected by the pain.

"With your inferior cultivation, you couldn't harm me even if you tried. Had my foundation not been shattered, a mere thought from me would send your soul to oblivion."

Stunned, Qin Ze refrained from kicking again. The man's tone suggested he was not lying, so Qin Ze's demeanor softened, and he spoke respectfully, "Elder, I apologize for my disrespectful actions amidst my panic. Please forgive me."

"Never mind. My time is limited; let me be brief."

"Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

"Take you as my master?" Qin Ze hesitated, his mind whirling with mischievous thoughts, "Take a dead man as my master? What benefits could a dead man offer me?"

"Plenty of benefits. Consider the invaluable secrets and countless elixirs I possess. They will all be yours

Before Qin Ze could respond, a system prompt flashed through his mind, "Accept Cang Tianji's request. Rewards for apprenticeship: Experience 1000, Qi Gong 100, Survival Value 10."

The rewards were too generous, just for accepting an apprenticeship! Was it really necessary to be so lavish? It left me with no choice but to accept.

Gazing at the alluring quest rewards, Qin Ze wasted no time, kneeling down and kowtowing on the spot, "Master, please accept your disciple's bow."

"Good, good, good..."

Cang Tianji remained expressionless, looking as lifeless as ever, but his tone betrayed his excitement, immense excitement...

"Apprenticeship successful. Rewards received: Experience 1000, Qi Gong 100, Survival Value 10."

"This quest is too easy, and the rewards are so lavish. It's amazing."

"You are now my 1089th disciple. The responsibility of revitalizing the Tianji Sect falls upon your shoulders..."

"I'll revitalize your Tianji Sect someday, but first, let's talk about the perks, shall we?" Qin Ze looked at Cang Tianji with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "This Tianji Sect must have quite a stash of treasures."

"Greed, good. Greed and ambition to rise above, these are the qualities I seek. The treasures of Tianji Sect are countless, but only you can reclaim the position of Sect Master, and then all of Tianji Sect will be yours."

"You think I'm stupid? Even if I don't know how formidable Tianji Sect is, just your 1088 disciples are enough to overwhelm me. How can a lowly peasant like me compete for the Sect Master's position?"

"If you cultivate the 'Dragon Elephant Supreme Void Scripture' and break through to the Realm of Heaven and Earth, no one in Tianji Sect will be your match. Then, when you present the Sect Master's talisman, no one will dare to doubt you."

"After you reclaim the position of Sect Master, you'll do a few things for me."

"What things?"

Qin Ze was suddenly exhilarated, without any warning. A quest popped up in his mind, and the quest level left him stunned.

After seven years of playing online games and accepting countless quests, he had never encountered an SSS... Super Quest before.

S-ranked quests were already top-tier. Typically, the highest quest level set in games was SSS, and such quests were incredibly rare, with the likelihood of triggering an SSS quest in an online game practically nil.

Yet here he was, faced with an SSS... Super Quest, a level he had never seen before. The rewards, one could only imagine, must be immense.

Qin Ze dared not contemplate further, afraid his heart couldn't take it.

Immediately, he silently mouthed the word "Accept" in his mind.

At this moment, a hint of immeasurable hatred crept into Cang Tianji's voice, "Kill Long Xiaotian and destroy the Demon Sect."

"Long Xiaotian, a traitor to Tianji Sect, conspired with the Demon Sect to steal my 'Dragon Elephant Supreme Void Scripture'. If you accomplish these two tasks, everything in Tianji Sect will be yours. And if you still have a conscience, use your divine abilities to resurrect me. I'll reveal a great secret to you then."

Qin Ze was confused by the tangled story. Why was something so simple made so complicated? Wasn't this just a clichéd revenge plot?

Long Xiaotian, driven by greed for the Dragon Elephant Supreme Void Scripture, conspired with the Demon Sect, set a trap, and gravely injured Cang Tianji. But Cang somehow escaped and, upon encountering Qin Ze, entrusted everything to him.

The SSS... Super Quest demanded that Qin Ze kill Long Xiaotian and eradicate the Demon Sect.

Even if Qin Ze wanted to avenge Cang Tianji, he lacked the power. The strength of a Sect Master was far beyond him. Currently, he was only at the third level of martial cultivation. How long would it take for him to reach the Realm of Heaven and Earth?

Some people spent their entire lives stuck at the martial level, unable to make further breakthroughs. There were few experts at the Realm of Heaven and Earth on the Tianyuan Continent, and each of them had cultivated for hundreds or even thousands of years. Qin Ze knew his limitations. To reach the Realm of Heaven and Earth, he didn't know if he would even live that long.

However, Qin Ze couldn't care less about that.

He wouldn't do anything that was of no benefit to him. He would be reluctant to let go of any opportunity to gain benefits right in front of him.