Chapter 25: Advancement Mission

Chen Ming didn’t have the time for a friendly match, trade blow for blow. Wouldn’t Archfiend Azure Lion discover him so?

Picking up a mace, Chen Ming popped behind a Great Fiend. The target was pulled everything in defending against a flying sword. If he didn’t, then how could he hold his own against the improved spiritual power of an Archfiend?

Chen Ming flung the mace at the azure lion’s head. With the strength he got from the Nine Nines Mysteries Art was at the 2nd stage of Dao Initiation realm, one hit bloodied the azure lion’s forehead. Chen Ming went on swinging, muttering all the while, “They do have stronger bodies than cultivators, being fiends an all.”

It took no less than seven hits to crush the Great Fiend’s skull and scatter his brains.

With one down, Chen Ming controlled the Lustrous King Sword to change targets. Working in tandem, the two swords made quick work out of their opponent.

He then started waving the mace around, turning the bodies into mush and making sure no one knew what killed them.

After checking to see if he received the reward from his recent kills, Chen Ming picked a bloody key from among the tenderized meat and glanced at the prisoners. The white fox Great Fiend realized White Fox Mountain didn’t send Chen Mingo to rescue him because he did not differ from an Archfiend.

“Who are you? Why are you saving us?” White fox Great Fiend questioned.

Chen Ming smiled, “Oh no, I didn’t come to save you. I only want to make a deal with the Archfiends behind you.”

“What deal?”

“You all know that Archfiend Azure Lion trains in Spirit Devouring Art and if we don’t kill him, he will become a Great Archfiend soon, not something your Archfiends could run from. “

“You are right, we’ve all seen the evil method he is training in.” Nodded the white fox Great Fiend.

“Then tell your Archfiends Azure Lion’s secret and this will save their precious lives. I am not a greedy person you know, this king only wants Pitfall Mountain! And your freedom will be my gesture of good-will!”

Chen Ming stressed the words ‘this king’, to tell them of his status as an Archfiend.

“I cannot accept his deal.”

“Even if you agree, it won’t hold any meaning. Tell your Archfiends and they’ll decide.”

Chen Ming threw the key in white fox Great Fiend’s cage, who rushed to open the cages, letting out twelve Great Fiends.

Chen Ming waved his hand, “Follow me.”

With the patrols’ routes in his head, he used what was left of the night to his advantage, along with the fifteen minutes the guard used to take a break, to lead the thirteen Great Fiends through a complicated route at the border of Pitfall Mountain. Here, he changed into a crow, also replacing his first Dao Palace position with the one belonging to the Dao Canon. He then took to the air, resuming guiding the escapees from above.

Chen Ming perched on a mountain peak and watched as the thirteen Great Fiends left Pitfall Mountain’s territory, “Now I can finally begin making my stand. If all works out, who knows, maybe it will destroy Pitfall Mountain.”

Seeing how they all escaped, Chen Ming flew towards Eagle Peak. All he needs to do now was to lay in wait for the war to erupt.

“Ding! Undercover mission’s second objective completed, rescued thirteen Great Fiends. Rating: perfect. Reward: 1300 spiritual knowledge, 130 fame.”

He has gathered over 2800 spiritual knowledge. This made Chen Ming consider promoting his realm. After all, the war would soon start and only Fiend Generals had the right to command Great Fiends. He needed to increase his strength.

“Upgrade Fire Crow Art to the 6th stage of Dao Initiation realm!”

The Dao Palace corresponding to Fire Crow Art in his body burst with a warm glow, increasing Chen Ming’s might and spiritual power.

He checked his status.

Name: Chen Ming

Fame: 565.

Rank: mid-level Cannon Fodder.

Realm: Dao Initiation realm. (There is no longer any relation between your strength and your realm)

Constitution: Limitless Dao Body.

Cultivation Methods: Fire Crow Art, completed. Dragon Form Art, stage 6/9. (At the 9th stage a Dao Seed is formed). Nines Mysteries Art, stage 24/81. (At the 72nd stage a Dao Seed is formed). Heavenly Thunder Nine Changes Art, stage 1/9. Dao Canon, volume 1/18.

Magical Arts: Lustrous King Sword Art, Benevolent Sword Heart. Fairy Sword Art, entry-level.

Dao Seed: Fire Crow.

Disciples: Zhuo Qingyao.

Merits: 91.

Spiritual knowledge: 11.

Aura: Killing Intent.

Danger value: 240 (Not calculated when it’s controlled)

Danger rating: dangerous.

Fate: A year after the Grand World Opening, at the Demon Subjugation Gathering, cut off the hand of demonic Dao Head Disciple Ya Mo.

It used over 2800 spiritual knowledge to jump his cultivation by two stages. With his almost depleted spiritual knowledge, and his new strength, he could be a match to a Fiend General, but not enough to go head to head with Fiend General White Wolf.

But that was the reality. The Dao Initiation realm was divided into nine stages and reaching the 7th stage brought about a change. Only after entering this stage could a Fiend call himself a Fiend General, and a cultivator a Great Cultivator. Reaching the danger value of a Fiend General at the 6th stage of Dao Initiation realm was thanks to having the same profound spiritual power as an Archfiend. On top of having the Dragon Form Art at the 2nd stage of Dao Initiation realm, and the same went for the Nine Nines Mysteries Art.

“Ding! Your power is changing and are no longer a simple cannon fodder. Because you are now, a mid-level cannon fodder!”

Triggered the advancement mission: stage upgrade.

Objective: slay an Archfiend.

Reward: removing the stage seal.

“What is this stage seal?”

“Ding! Speaking plainly, the highest stage you can attain, for now, is the 6th stage of Dao Initiation realm.“

“Why is there such a strange restriction?”

“Ding! Don’t you feel that, as a Limitless Dao Body who cherishes the three thousand Grand Daos, you are insulting it by promoting a single cultivation method to this stage?”

Chen Ming found it reasonable. If he only promoted a single cultivation method how was he any different from other cultivators out there, what use would Limitless Dao Body have then?

But this mission was insane. A 6th stage of Dao Initiation realm fighting an Archfiend was equal to committing suicide!

In the furious wind and cold waves, once you’re gone you cannot return!

‘Then just don’t go!’

With Chen Ming promoting the other methods to this stage, the gap between him and an Archfiend would reduce.

And wasn’t Pitfall Mountain on the brink of war? If he could use this battle to his advantage, and kill-steal, wouldn’t this problem be as easy as pie?

(1)    A line from a poem by Jing Ke before Qin Dynasty. It means he has no choice but to do it once he started.