Early the next morning, Yunxi and Zonghao arrived at the entrance of the Mission Hall, hoping to learn more about the task Senior Sister Hua had mentioned.
As soon as Hua Xuanzi saw them, she waved enthusiastically.
"Junior Sister Yunxi, over here!"
The two quickened their pace, offered a respectful bow, and exchanged greetings before getting to the point.
"Senior Sister Hua, what's the task in the back mountain you mentioned? Is it alright if my cousin joins? He's already reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining."
Hua Xuanzi had already noticed Zonghao's cultivation. Smiling warmly, she replied,
"Of course. You're very welcome, Junior Brother Wei. I invited you both for a mission involving the harvesting of Jinsha Grass."
Yunxi nodded in understanding. This particular herb was known to be delicate. Only young girls under the age of twenty could harvest it without causing it to lose its medicinal properties. Otherwise, it would crumble into golden sand, hence the name.
Seeing Yunxi's knowing expression, Hua Xuanzi realized she was already familiar with Jinsha Grass and continued,
"Our teammate, Junior Sister Zhang, recently entered a short closed-door cultivation, so our team is down a member. The team leader was worried I wouldn't be able to collect the grass alone, so I was told to find someone to help. Naturally, I thought of you."
Yunxi and Zonghao exchanged a glance and understood each other's thoughts instantly. Yunxi nodded and said,
"Thank you, Senior Sister Hua. We'll take the task. When do we depart?"
"Junior Sister Yunxi, you're so straightforward. If you're both ready, we'll leave in half an hour. I'll first add you and Junior Brother Wei to our temporary team, then register the mission. You'll still have a bit of time to prepare."
They agreed without fuss and followed Hua Xuanzi into the Mission Hall.
Hua Xuanzi found a familiar senior brother to help them skip the queue and quickly added both their names to the temporary team. After registering the group mission, she handed their identity jade tokens back to them.
"You two go get ready. I'll inform the others. We'll meet at the back mountain entrance shortly."
"Alright."
With the plan set, Hua Xuanzi left to notify the rest of the team.
Yunxi and Zonghao returned briefly to the disciples' courtyard, leaving messages for Yun Ying and Zong Yu to inform them of their whereabouts. After tidying up their storage pouches and making sure nothing was missing, they headed to the back mountain.
On the way, Zonghao asked uneasily,
"Yunxi, you're familiar with Senior Sister Hua, but not with her teammates. We should stay cautious during the mission. I don't want us turned into cannon fodder."
"I understand. But this is a rare opportunity. We can't just cultivate all the time. We need real combat experience too. Learning how to handle unexpected situations is important. Let's treat this as practice."
She glanced at him and asked,
"Brother Zonghao, did you read the mission details?"
"I did. Besides harvesting Jinsha Grass, their team also took on a task to capture Sand Mice. These beasts live alongside Jinsha Grass, and their hides and teeth are useful for refining tools.
Sand Mice reproduce quickly. Though only first-tier beasts, they're excellent at devouring spiritual plants, so this task comes up regularly. It's a case of 'first come, first served.'"
"Then they'll probably pick some low-tier spiritual herbs along the way too. Since you want to learn to grow herbs, we can keep an eye out for seeds."
Since they were already heading to the back mountain, Yunxi figured they might as well make the most of the trip.
"Alright, I'll follow your lead."
While chatting, the two arrived at the back mountain entrance. The area was crowded with sect disciples, including some from the inner sect. Clearly, many had taken on missions deeper within the mountains.
Knowing their own limits, Yunxi and Zonghao stood to the side so as not to block anyone, quietly waiting for Senior Sister Hua.
They didn't wait long. Soon, Hua Xuanzi appeared, walking toward them with three male disciples in tow.
"Senior Sister Hua, over here!"
Following the call, Hua Xuanzi waved and led the group over. Once everyone had gathered, she took on the role of introducing everyone.
"Junior Sister Yunxi, Junior Brother Wei, these are the members of our team. This is Senior Brother Zhao, Senior Brother Qian, and Senior Brother Li."
She turned to the three men and said,
"These are the ones I mentioned before, Junior Sister Wei Yunxi and her cousin Wei Zonghao. They're here to temporarily replace Junior Sister Zhang."
Yunxi quietly swept her divine sense over the three teammates. Two of them were at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Senior Brother Zhao was at the ninth, on par with Hua Xuanzi. That meant she and Zonghao were the lowest ranked in terms of cultivation, at least on the surface.
Senior Brother Zhao welcomed them warmly.
"We've heard a lot about you from Xuanzi. Many of the talismans you made were used directly within our team."
Yunxi returned the courtesy with a bright smile.
"That's all thanks to Senior Sister Hua's support. I'm honored that my talismans could be of use to all of you."
Zonghao stood beside her, silent but smiling.
Senior Brother Qian laughed.
"Junior Sister, no need to be so polite!"
After a few more words of friendly chatter, the group of six followed Senior Brother Zhao and entered the back mountain.
At the entrance, a stationed disciple checked their identity tokens and mission slips before allowing them through.
Once inside the mountain, the group stopped making small talk and focused on their journey.
Yunxi and Zonghao were placed in the center of the formation. Senior Brother Zhao and Hua Xuanzi led the way, while Senior Brother Qian and Senior Brother Li brought up the rear. It looked like they were being protected as the lowest-ranked members, but it could also be a way to keep a close eye on them.
Yunxi and Zonghao exchanged a subtle glance and quietly raised their guard. It never hurt to be cautious. Neither of them wanted something to go wrong inside their own sect's territory.
Yunxi discreetly made a hand gesture, signaling Zonghao to watch the pair up front. She turned her divine sense toward the two behind them—and immediately noticed something off.
Senior Brother Li, who was walking last, used moments when Senior Brother Qian wasn't looking to leave markings along the trail. From the moment they left the main group until they branched off from the others, he had already marked the path twice. If Yunxi hadn't been observing with divine sense, she might have missed it.
Her brow furrowed slightly, and unease rose in her chest. Her mind spun quickly. Was Senior Sister Hua plotting against them? If that were the case, they could have ambushed her and Zonghao in a secluded place without needing extra help.
After all, she and Zonghao were only at the fifth and seventh layers of Qi Refining. The other four could easily overpower them. There would be no need to summon outside assistance.
If the goal wasn't to target them specifically, then perhaps the entire team was being set up. That would mean Senior Brother Li had other motives. Otherwise, why leave such marks? The question now was—did the rest of the team know? Were they in on it? She couldn't say for sure.
"Yunxi, are you tired?"
Zonghao noticed the change in her expression and asked with concern.
"No, I'm just taking it all in. This is my first time visiting the back mountain of Haoran Sect. I've been here over a year, and I never realized the back mountain was this vast."
Yunxi quickly masked her unease, brushing it off as curiosity and excitement.