The Tongtian Pavilion had not yet appointed a Pavilion Master—not because it didn't want to, but because no one capable enough to lead such an institution had appeared. After all, the Tongtian Pavilion gathered the most elite and outstanding geniuses within Da Yi—every one of them a once-in-a-generation talent, each possessing a unique and powerful skill. In their respective domains, their talents stood proudly above all peers. Without overwhelming strength and prestige, who could possibly command the respect of such formidable figures?
This time, however, a message had spread—
Whoever could stand out and dominate the upcoming external mission might directly ascend to the position of Pavilion Master.
The Tongtian Pavilion overflowed with experts.
Fu Hongxue, Bu Jingyun, Yan Nantian, Yuan Suiyun, Yan Shisan, Meng Xinghun, Sikong Zhaixing, Zhiqiu Yiye, and more. There were also many powerful figures who had risen from among Da Yi's commoners, their talents no less than any genius.
Those with the highest cultivation had already reached the True Spirit realm, and even the lowest among them were virtually undefeated within their realm—without exceptional talent, it was nearly impossible to set foot in the Tongtian Pavilion.
Now, hearing of a major mission, all of them were rubbing their fists eagerly, ready to display their edge and contribute to Da Yi's conquest of the two Great Realms.
In truth, upon witnessing how all other departments had been contributing to Da Yi's glory, the Tongtian Pavilion members had long been eager to prove themselves. They too wanted to show their worth.
In the absence of a Pavilion Master, the Pavilion operated through a direct task-acceptance system.
Currently, many missions were posted within the Pavilion:
Purple-Rank Mission: Steal the Supreme Dark Ring
Infiltrate the Dark Ring Realm and steal the Supreme Dark Ring from the hands of the Dark Overlord Sauron.
If unable to obtain the Supreme Ring, stealing any of the eight Sub-Rings is acceptable.
Rewards:
Supreme Ring – 500,000 merit points
Sub-Ring (each) – 100,000 merit points
⚠️ Warning: Mission difficulty is extremely high. Intelligence reports suggest Sauron has reached the Dao Platform Realm. Proceed with extreme caution. This mission carries a very high risk of death.
Gold-Rank Mission: Warring Through a Thousand Sects
Travel to the Shushan Realm and challenge disciples of the major Daoist sects.Each victory earns merit based on your cultivation level:
Divine Sea Realm: 1,000 pts
Life Aperture: 3,000 pts
Life Diagram: 5,000 pts
Dharma Phase: 10,000 pts
Primordial Spirit: 20,000 pts
Yang God: 50,000 pts
True Spirit: 80,000 pts
Note: Merit awarded only upon victory. Must be a peer-level duel. Streak victories stack exponentially.
Purple-Rank Mission: Assassinate the Dark Overlord
Infiltrate the Dark Ring Realm and assassinate Dark Overlord Sauron.
Reward: 2,000,000 merit points.
Tip: This can be accepted after completing the theft mission to reduce risk. Intelligence suggests the Supreme Ring massively boosts Sauron's power. Mission rated as extremely dangerous.
Missions in the Tongtian Pavilion were categorized by color: Red < Orange < Yellow < Green < Cyan < Blue < Purple, with Purple being the highest. It was the first time Purple-level missions had appeared—and two at once. Even more shocking: they were linked missions. Completing the first reduced the difficulty of the second. Still, anything involving a Dao Platform realm opponent was terrifying.
These were the kind of missions you gambled your life on.
No one could predict what would happen.
But the rewards… they were unbelievably tempting.
Completing the theft alone and obtaining the Supreme Ring would earn 500,000 merit points. If one could secure all eight Sub-Rings as well, that would total 1.3 million points—enough to exchange for a Viscount title, and not just a ninth-grade one.
Completing the assassination mission would yield 2 million merit points, enough to trade for a high-grade noble title.
The Shushan mission, though only Gold-ranked, was an endless merit fountain. The stronger you were and the more opponents you defeated, the more you could earn. Hundreds of thousands—or even over a million points—was entirely possible.
"I'll be the one to steal the Supreme Dark Ring. Who else but me? I, Sikong Zhaixing, won't let anyone else take it. Pardon me, but it's mine!"
Sikong Zhaixing immediately locked onto the Purple mission. This was like a treasure falling from the sky. When it came to the art of stealing, he had never been outdone.
"Heh, Sikong, do you think you're the only one with quick hands? You may know the art of Empty Hands, but don't forget—I, Chu Liuxiang, the Gentleman Thief, am not lacking in that regard. Shall we see who's better?"
A man in white robes stepped forward, elegant and composed, with a noble air. He was none other than the legendary Chu Liuxiang, the "Thief Prince" of the martial world.
"To speak of stealing, I am the undisputed number one. I, Kong Kong'er, will accept nothing less!"
A thin, monkey-like man grinned as he stepped out. He was a master thief in his own right, famed for his divine skill Empty Hands Divine Art.
"If that's the case, I'll join the fray too. This mission looks promising."
Another young man appeared, exuding a free and easy charm. His name was Li Sansi, and he was known for his "Flying Dragon Cloud-Grabbing Hands," a top-tier thieving technique.
With that, the four legendary thieves stood face to face, each burning with competitive fire.
"Let's settle it—between the four of us, who is truly the Ancestor of Thieves? My Star-Snatching Hand is unmatched," said Sikong Zhaixing, eyes gleaming with fighting spirit.
"My Heaven-Stealing Swap isn't any weaker than your hand techniques," Chu Liuxiang replied with equal confidence.
With no further words, the four accepted the mission and departed from the Pavilion—each determined to obtain the Supreme Dark Ring. A true clash of titans was about to unfold.
"Incredible—four masters of thievery going head to head! I can't wait to see who comes out on top," Lu Zhishen laughed heartily.
"There are eight Sub-Rings. I reckon they'll target those first, then make a move for the Supreme Ring. But the one who takes the Supreme Dark Ring will become the true King of Thieves, the uncrowned overlord," Zhiqiu Yiye added thoughtfully.
"I'll take the assassination mission. There's nothing a bullet can't solve. And if one won't do it, I'll fire two more."
A youth in a windbreaker spoke with calm assurance, clutching a rune-inscribed sniper rifle. The weapon radiated golden light and carried the image of a Vermilion Bird about to soar.
His name was Pei Xingjian, styled Pei Shouyue. His mother hailed from the prestigious Baili clan.
His sniper rifle, named Vermilion, was crafted from the remnants of a Vermilion Bird and its feathers, fused with a rare Vermilion Crystal. The result was a divine weapon of terrifying power—capable of condensing its own bullets, each infused with Vermilion divine will. A single shot would ignite divine flame, incinerating even the soul.
The rifle had already reached the peak Profound-grade, and was on the verge of breaking into Earth-grade—the threshold of a true innate spiritual treasure. He planned to visit the Treasure Hall next to exchange high-grade materials to complete the weapon's evolution.
All he needed was a Star Crystal. One fingernail-sized shard cost 100,000 merit points—a steep price, payable only in merit. Luckily, years of hard-earned points had prepared him for this.
"I'll accept the mission too. If your long-range strike fails, I'll finish the job."
Fu Hongxue stepped forward coldly, casting a flat glance at Pei Shouyue.
That made Pei's face darken. What's that supposed to mean—coming in for the kill shot afterward?
Still, he couldn't argue. The missions were open to everyone. Whoever completed it got the credit. If they worked together, the system would divide merit points according to individual contribution—calculated and recorded by the Star Network, ensuring absolute fairness.
This real-time contribution system was a unique trait of Da Yi. Every action was recorded, transmitted, and evaluated down to the smallest detail.
It was the fairest possible way.
Thanks to this, Da Yi had become a place where heroes didn't need to worry about being cheated out of rewards or recognition.
Everyone had a scale in their heart—and this system kept it perfectly balanced.
As more people began accepting missions, most chose the Shushan challenge, while only a few dared to try assassinating a Dao Platform-level enemy. That was gambling with their life. One failed strike, and death could be instant.
The danger level? Off the charts.