During midday, the trio finally arrived in a new city as quietly as they left the sect.
Zanou had been part of the sect for a few years and had good general knowledge. He then explained some things, and Zane and Gael decided to head to this new place.
This new city was a few kilometers to the right of Celestial Abyss City and was also close to a black tower dominated by the Vital Yin Sect. Zanou explained that each city near a tower specialized in something.
Celestial Abyss City was considered the largest city of all. In it, techniques and some treasures were kept. Its function was to distribute crystals to everyone, and it also served as the first dwelling for disciples and some elders.
This other city was Dark Night City. In it, there was a large building responsible for the sect's intelligence. In this place, clan members could receive missions and jobs in exchange for abyss crystals. It was exactly what Zane and Gael wanted now.
Upon entering the city, it had less than half the population of the previous one. Therefore, Dyen, not expecting them to flee there, gave them some time free from his watchful eyes. They quickly went to the sect's central building.
The place was rustic and dark as expected. But around all the walls, there were hundreds of crystals with different colors. They were all missions, and the color indicated the difficulty level of each one. As they walked toward the counter, an elder appeared.
She was an elder with a cold look who immediately asked for the leader's emblem sternly. Gael promptly presented it, and she immediately understood the subtle QI of the patriarch in him. Soon, she knew who the whale in front of her was. News of a God of Evil-level talent had spread even outside that world.
"Did young Goku come to choose a mission?" She asked, now a bit more polite.
"I want things that can be done in the desert. Preferably in multiple missions, in various different locations," Gael replied slowly.
"Hm... for your level, there are several small villages...."
He immediately cut her off. "Nothing that involves massacres and robberies." Gael wasn't willing to do anything of that sort, much to Zane's displeasure.
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"I understand. That's something very specific; almost no one wants them, so they are never completed or even requested. But I had already set them aside for someone else before..." the elder said and turned away, heading to a distant place.
'We're in an evil sect! Don't be so foolish; all cultivators here refuse to do anything that isn't involved with massacres and robberies.' Zane exasperated mentally.
After some time, the elder returned with two crystals. "Fortunately, someone came here not long ago and requested something similar. But these missions can only be done by a group of at least three sect disciples. So you can take them."
"Hm? Is it mandatory to be in a group?" Gael muttered.
The elder responded slowly, "Yes, one of them is at the elder level. But there is a gap for cultivators to gather extra information, and you can seize it."
"The other is a quest in the desert. Several elders end up fighting against pathetic cultivators from outside, so some weak ones end up dying. And since everyone explodes, taking enemies with them, their belongings are lost."
"This mission has hundreds of different clues and locations. And as no one wants to fulfill them, years go by, and various divine beasts end up taking the belongings for themselves. A group is essential to reduce the risks, and yet there's no way to measure the level of the beasts guarding the treasure, making the mission extremely dangerous."
"As compensation for the lack of information on the real difficulty, we're letting you keep half of everything you manage to bring back to the sect." the elder concluded.
"This second one is perfect," Gael replied. But soon, he remembered a problem; they needed to have three sect disciples, and Mira wasn't a disciple.
Gael then commented mentally, 'Hm... we need to look for a new member.'
'New member? Didn't you hear that old woman? Another person came here looking for the same pathetic thing you did,' Zane replied curtly.
'It's really surprising to have someone with common sense in this place of crazy psychopaths. But...' Gael then remembered a muscular, green-skinned woman.
He then asked the elder, "The person who came looking for this type of mission, is she also a new disciple?"
"Yes, I remember well. Someone asking for exotic things that don't bring the great pleasure of bathing in blood... and the crying and screaming... are rare to the point of not existing. And yet two of them came in the same batch of young ones..." The elder spoke, reminiscing in a sadistic and evil manner.
Gael nodded; there was no doubt it was Langrum. "Has this person been here long?"
"It was three days ago," she replied.
"Great. We'll be back soon," Gael responded, turning to leave.
***
A few hours later, outside the city, Mira, Zanou, and Gael waited patiently in front of the gates. However, Zanou was filled with doubts and impatience.
"How long are we going to stand here? News about our whereabouts must have reached Dyen by now."
Gael simply ignored him when a frenetic disturbance came from the Dark Forest. Zanou also noticed something amiss in that specific direction, growing even more doubtful.
Mira grinned maliciously, advancing toward Zanou with a determined expression, gracefully pulling out the bone saber. Zanou noticed the movement, finding Mira kneeling next to him with the saber firmly planted in the ground. Her face displayed a peculiar and intriguing expression.
"What are you..." he murmured.
At that exact moment, several nearby trees were bent by a powerful force, announcing the arrival of something imposing.
Zanou was shocked to see the muscular, green figure emerging. A woman exuded a deep and dense aura, wild and violent at the same time. She firmly held a large, heavy black saber, pointing it forward with determination. It was clear that Zanou seemed to recognize her. Still, he realized in astonishment that she had come running from a distant place, breathing heavily as a result of her sprint.
'It can't be... she ran from the city all the way here?' Zanou thought, but soon, a roar that seemed more like a beast's made his body tremble.
"YOU!! DON'T TOUCH HER!" Langrum shouted furiously.