Jin let out a long sigh as he found himself alone in front of the enormous mission board. He could still hear the senior disciples walking away, their soft laughter and murmurs fading into the distance—
"Good luck, kid,"
and
"Don't pick anything that smells like death."
Once he was sure they were out of sight, he relaxed his shoulders a little.
Good thing they didn't notice… he thought, rubbing the back of his neck. I've made progress, sure, but letting half the sect know that when I've only been here a few days? Yeah, no. Better to stay low… for now.
Before him, the board overflowed with scrolls tied by fraying cords—some brand new, others wrinkled and practically falling apart. There were missions of every kind: trivial, exhausting, humiliating, and others that sounded dangerously close to "chores done by future corpses."
Jin scanned slowly.
Collect herbs on the lower slopes of the Misty Forest – Reward: 1 to 5 low-grade spirit stones + 10 contribution credits.
Employer: Alchemy Division (Outer Sect).
Details: Quantities and species listed in the attached note.
He raised a brow.
"The Alchemy Division, huh?" he murmured, picking up the scroll.
He remembered the small ceramic bottle hidden beneath his robes. A small connection, but oddly fitting.
The missions nearby were far less appealing:
"Assist Senior Brother Ruoxing with his alchemy cauldron – 12 stones, 20 credits… high risk of severe burns."
"Feed the spirit beasts in the farm – 10 credits, 3 stones… caution: some bite."
"Tend Senior Brother Wen's spiritual garden – 20 credits. Do NOT keep any leaves."
Jin narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah, no. I'm not getting a cauldron blown up in my face on day one."
He looked back at the Misty Forest mission and held it between his fingers.
Simple. Walk, find herbs, come back alive.
The reward wasn't bad either, especially since his pockets were currently as empty as his dantian on his first day.
Besides, the lower slopes weren't dangerous—no formations, no strong spirit beasts… just herbs, humidity, and spiritual mosquitoes with way too much personality.
"Perfect. Easy, quick, and paid," he thought with a satisfied grin. "If I'm going to start from zero in this world, at least let it be with something that doesn't try to kill me immediately."
He rolled the scroll and tucked it away.
"Thank you, Alchemy Division. I don't know who needs herbs, but I urgently need your stones."
Jin walked toward the counters of the Contribution Pavilion, where several reception tables formed a perfectly ordered row. Each had a jade nameplate, and behind them worked outer-sect disciples dressed in immaculate muted-blue robes. They seemed far more organized than the market vendors.
He lined up behind a pair of cultivators handing in their mission plates, overhearing bits of conversation without meaning to.
"...the cauldron nearly exploded, brother, I swear it wasn't my fault…"
"…they rejected your talisman again? I don't even know what to tell you anymore…"
When it was his turn, the disciple behind the counter looked up.
Her eyes were bright, her hair tied in a practical bun, and her expression shifted from neutral to surprised in less than a second.
"Oh." She blinked slowly. "Well… this is new."
Jin raised a brow.
"Is something wrong?"
She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the desk.
"Junior brother… how many days have you been in the sect? Three? Four?" She looked him over from head to toe, as if checking whether he was real. "Don't tell me you're already here to take missions."
"Five days," Jin corrected with complete seriousness. "And yes, I'm here for one."
The girl let out a soft giggle, covering her mouth—unsuccessfully.
"This cute junior brother is already out looking for money…?" she teased, tilting her head. "Or is it credits you need? Or everything?"
"Everything," Jin admitted without shame.
She chuckled, but when she picked up the registration tablet showing his chosen mission, her demeanor shifted back to professional.
"Let's see… 'Herb collection on the lower slopes of the Misty Forest.' Reward: 10 credits and one to five low-grade spirit stones depending on the batch quality…" She nodded. "A classic beginner mission. Good choice, junior brother. Almost no one dies on that one."
"Thanks for the confidence boost," Jin replied, arms crossed.
"It's my job," she said with a smile far too sweet to be completely innocent. "But seriously, it's manageable. The lower slopes aren't too dangerous, and the Alchemy Division always pays on time. One of the few that do."
She stamped the tablet with a circular red seal and handed it back.
"All done. This is your copy. The mission is officially yours. You'll need to deliver the herbs before sunset to receive the full day's reward. If you're late, they'll still take them, but they pay less."
"Understood."
"And junior brother…" She winked. "Try not to get lost. Newcomers always think the Misty Forest has only one path. Spoiler: it doesn't."
Jin put the tablet away carefully.
"I'll take your advice seriously."
"Do. And good luck. Although…" She gave him another look, as if noticing something. "I get the feeling you don't need as much luck as you say."
Jin simply smiled—quiet, neither confirming nor denying anything.
He walked out of the pavilion with firm steps… for about three seconds.
The moment he crossed the doors, he froze.
The cool wind hit him, and the sect's bustle opened before him like a vast ocean: stone paths splitting in every direction, endless stairways, pavilions floating slightly above platforms, distant peaks connected by wooden bridges, formations humming with Qi…
and absolutely zero signs saying Misty Forest – This Way.
Jin blinked.
Then blinked again.
"…And where the hell is the Misty Forest?" he muttered.
A couple of disciples walked past him. Jin briefly considered asking, but both looked busy… or like they'd rather die than talk to anyone.
He looked left: three paths.
Right: five.
Forward: one going up, one going down, and another literally disappearing into mist.
"You've got to be kidding me," he whispered, feeling his dignity flee his body as fast as the warmth in his cheeks. "I literally just accepted my first mission and I'm already lost…"
He stayed silent for a moment.
Took a deep breath.
"…No. I'm not wandering around like an idiot for an hour."
He turned around.
Swallowed.
And went back inside the pavilion.
The disciple behind the counter looked up, and her smile formed so quickly Jin knew she'd already guessed everything.
"Junior brother…" she said, resting her cheek on her hand. "Don't tell me you've already regretted the mission. That would be a new record."
"No," Jin replied, clinging to the last threads of his dignity. "I just… need directions to the Misty Forest."
She blinked once.
Then twice.
And then let out a tiny laugh she tried to suppress—failed again.
"Ah… of course." She stood up and rummaged in a drawer. "You're not the first or the last one to come back for that. Honestly, they should put a giant map outside."
"That would help," Jin admitted, swallowing his pride.
She pulled out a thin wooden tablet with a simple sketch of the sect: main paths, pavilions, training zones, peaks… and a shaded corner labeled 'Misty Forest – Outer Entrance'.
"Here." She traced a winding route. "Take the medicinal garden path, go up these stairs, follow the stream until it disappears, and you'll find a stone arch covered in mist. Go through it. Straight ahead until the ground starts sloping. The lower slopes are right before the first ring of dense fog."
Jin studied the tablet with every neuron available.
"…Okay. I think I've got it."
"Do you want to take the map with you?" she asked innocently—though her smile said otherwise.
"No need," Jin lied with confidence that surprised even him.
She stared at him for a moment, evaluating his soul.
"Junior brother…" she finally said, leaning in slightly. "If you get lost, just come back. You wouldn't be the first. And trust me… you won't be the last."
Jin nodded, regaining a bit of composure.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."
"That's what I'm here for." She winked before sitting back down. "May the Heavens protect your sense of direction, junior brother."
Jin stepped outside again, this time with more determination than certainty.
As he walked, he closed his eyes for a moment.
"First day taking missions… and I'm already asking for directions. Yep… I'm definitely getting the full outer-disciple experience."
With a mix of wounded pride and resigned humor, he took the path she'd shown him.