*Knock Knock Knock*

"Please, enter."

With the welcoming reply, Tyler gently pushed one of the double doors open and entered the chambers of Elder Yopp, a respected member of the Outer Sect within the sect at the second level of Sea Formation.

Upon his arrival, a potent herbal aroma permeated the room, originating from the depths of the elder's office.

The whole garden was unknown to Tyler before but now, Elder Yopp had left the windows and the door open, presenting this beautiful little piece of nature for Tyler to see.

In this verdant sanctuary, he cultivated a wide variety of rare herbs destined for the creation of potent pills and the brewing of elixirs.

Additionally, the garden boasted a meticulously chosen assortment of tea leaves, providing a delightful collection for the elder's tea-making endeavors.

The garden was a testament to Elder Yopp's dedication to his craft and love of nature.

As Tyler entered, Elder Yopp looked up from his desk, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Ah, Tyler, you're back already. Please, follow me outside. I was just about to go gather up a few tea leaves." He gestured toward the door as he rose from his desk.

Tyler nodded and joined Elder Yopp outside, where the garden's serene atmosphere welcomed them. "Elder Yopp, thank you for seeing me."

The elder smiled warmly. "Of course. Have you already made your breakthrough?"

Tyler answered candidly. "Yes, I have. In a somewhat unexpected manner, but I'm here to discuss two matters, one of which is related to my breakthrough and the accompanying mission."

Elder Yopp's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "We'll delve into the mission later. First, you mentioned your breakthrough was unexpected. Can you elaborate?"

Rubbing the back of his head, Tyler explained, "You saw the lightning strike in Edge City a few hours ago? Well, that was me, coming into contact with Bralok's latest creation."

"That was you? That treasure is a celestial-grade weapon of rank 3, isn't it? You managed to survive the energy feedback from such a potent weapon?"

Smiling awkwardly, Tyler nodded. "Yeah, it forced me to temper my pathways immediately, resulting in the unexpected breakthrough. Earlier today, I had planned to take things slow because I was told I'm progressing too rapidly. But it seems destiny has other plans for me..."

Frowning skeptically at the incredible account, Elder Yopp couldn't help but doubt the young man. "And I used the Sword King's breakthrough to directly advance to the Aperture Strengthening stage! You don't have to lie if you don't want to tell me the truth."

Tyler raised an eyebrow but decided not to press the issue further. Whether Elder Yopp believed him or not was not his concern at the moment. "Understood. Now, for the other matter I came to discuss. Following the mission assignment, I plan to learn the fundamentals of treasure refining, or more precisely, blacksmithing. I've reached an agreement with Bralok regarding the Serene Dew."

Tyler paused, observing the Elder's expression as he carefully gathered a few leaves from an unknown plant. "I hope this won't be a problem? Bralok seemed concerned about teaching someone from the Sword Sect, citing potential problems with the sect not approving of it."

Yopp considered the question as he continued the meticulous task of gathering tea leaves. "I don't believe it would be an issue. Since you're interested in learning from one of the young crafters of the Thunderpeak merchant clan, it's unlikely to draw much attention or ire. Generally, we only become concerned if such arrangements are done covertly or if the teacher has a questionable background."

He paused, deciding to elaborate a bit further. "You see, in the past, some Sword Sect disciples sought to deepen their crafts and cultivations by engaging in unsavory practices that reflected poorly on the sect and the Sword King. There was one particularly notorious case involving an inner sect disciple who had been stuck at the Sea Formation stage for several decades and was on the verge of being placed in a position similar to mine as an outer sect elder and he wouldn’t have it."

Reflecting on this dark chapter in the Sect's history, Elder Yopp continued, "He entered into a servitude pact with an entity from a different realm, which he had encountered within one of the various hidden dungeons across our world. Upon returning to the sect, he attempted to go on a murderous rampage using the newfound power of an evil sword spirit that accompanied his new weapon. Luckily after he killed only a few inner sect disciples, an Elder at the Aperture Strengthening stage ended the matter."

Summarizing his opinion on the matter, Elder Yopp ended his small story. "So no, there shouldn't be any issues. I'll run it up through the disciplinary elders and we should hear back before you come back from your mission and you'll have your answer then."

Tyler wasn't that surprised at this small story. Talk about original. A cultivator stuck in his cultivation made a deal with a big bad devil or something to gain power, only for him to fail in the end.

Tyler shifted his focus to the main purpose of his visit: the breakthrough mission. "With that out of the way, can you give me Orders for this mission?"

As the words left his lips, Tyler experienced a wave of nostalgia.

He had largely set aside this aspect of his life since arriving in this new environment a few months ago. Nevertheless, with a familiar and well-practiced motion, he reached into his inner world to retrieve his pen and paper, prepared to receive orders.

In his mind, a soldier should always have a notepad and pen readily available. This principle was deeply ingrained in him, and he maintained this belief even though many of his past coworkers perceived him as a civilian dressed in cadpat despite being side by side with them on a daily basis.

Furthermore, apart from the ambush from the Azure Viper Gang, Tyler had rarely exhibited behaviors associated with his past life as his civilian and military lives had been distinctly separate.

Unless he wore the uniform, there was little indication that he had once been a soldier. The leisurely lifestyle he had adopted since arriving in this mountainous region had brought about such a dramatic shift from his previous routine that he had almost forgotten that aspect of his life.

A stoic expression settled on Tyler's face as his mind shifted gears, adopting the focused look of a proper soldier ready to receive orders moments before a dangerous mission.

Elder Yopp, having finished gathering tea for himself and his guest, gestured for Tyler to follow him back inside. "Let's sit and enjoy some tea as we discuss it. How does that sound?"

"Yes sir," Tyler responded.

Returning to the cozy interior, Tyler took a seat in the same spot Bralok had occupied a few days earlier. Elder Yopp, with practiced skill, began the process of brewing hot tea.

Using a touch of true essence and a special alchemical technique, he expertly brought the concoction to a boil, seamlessly infusing the fragrances of the leaves into the boiling water. Then, he summoned a couple cups from his storage ring and began pouring Tyler a cup.

"Thank you for the tea, Elder," Tyler said in a tone that carried more formality than his usual casual demeanor. As he brought the tea to his lips, he couldn't help but savor the delightful flavors it offered.

The herbal infusion danced on his palate, revealing a medley of intricate notes—hints of earthiness, a touch of floral sweetness, and a subtle, refreshing finish that left a lingering sense of calm and balance.

It wasn't a potent tea filled with Qi like the one Master Tanaka had served him but a nice and smooth herbal tea made for calming one's body and mind.

"This is delicious." Commented Tyler.

Elder Yopp nodded. "Ah, it's brewed from Thea Silverleaf, a plant imported from the York Empire. I might have "acquired" an entire garden of it during my last visit," he admitted with a mischievous grin as he did air quotes with his hands.

Shifting to a more serious tone, Elder Yopp set down his own cup. "Now, before we proceed, I need to confirm your at the Qi Transformation stage. Please, refrain from using any concealment techniques to mask your level this time."

Tyler did not really care for it, although he wasn't entirely sure how such a technique would reveal his cultivation. To comply he allowed the incoming probe through and, to ensure he seemed like every other cultivator he had seen, he flooded his meridians with Qi from his inner world.

Elder Yopp was utterly confused when he sensed Tyler's cultivation.

The man claimed he had just broken through to the Qi Transformation stage but this didn't make sense.

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The man's aura alone as soon as he undid his shrouding technique reflected the level of energy of a late stage Qi Transformation cultivator!

"I do not appreciate being made fun of, Tyler. Why are you going around telling people you just broke through accidentally into the Qi Transformation stage?" He asked, his brow deeply furrowed.

Tyler heaved a deep sigh and reabsorbed all of his Qi into his inner world. "Well, believe what you want. Go ahead, assess my cultivation a couple more times, I won't hide it at all and perhaps you'll understand my reasons for concealing my true cultivation level."

Intrigued and annoyed, Elder Yopp decided to follow Tyler's request and assessed his cultivation level once more.

To his bewilderment, this time there was almost no Qi coursing through Tyler's body, and his technique remained unhindered.

Frowning in confusion, Elder Yopp attempted the technique again, but this time he was even more astounded.

Tyler's apparent cultivation level was nearly non-existent. The only notable activity was the vigorous beating of his heart, which seemed to be pumping a gentle stream of fire-qi into his bloodstream.

Tyler had completely sealed off the Cloud Swords' access to his real body, making his acupoints invisible to anyone without divine sense.

"What... is this?" Elder Yopp muttered in bafflement.

"Elder, I'll share something I've been strongly advised not to disclose. If you read between the lines and investigate further, you should be able to draw your own conclusions," Tyler explained, exhaling deeply.

"My cultivation is unconventional, and I chose to be here. While it's true that I properly stepped into the Qi Transformation stage today, the tempering of my heart and skin was also an unplanned occurrence while in the Qi Gathering stage. That's all I'll say." he added.

Being nearly 300 years old, having spent a majority of his lifespan as an elder of the outer sect, he was extremely cunning and could clearly tell that there was more to this story but he wouldn't believe an outer sect disciple at his words and would definitely investigate afterwards.

"Fine, I'll drop this matter for now. Then, I need to know. To what level do you think your power reaches?"

After some contemplation, Tyler realized that he hadn't actively assessed his abilities in quite some time, especially since his significant breakthrough. Consequently, he couldn't provide a definite answer.

He said, "I don't know anything about the Sea Formation stage, but at the very least, I believe a pinnacle Qi Transformation stage martial artist would find it difficult to survive my attacks."

As the conversation continued to deliver unexpected revelations, Elder Yopp ceased to be surprised and instead became utterly bewildered.

He couldn't help but think, The pinnacle of the Qi Transformation stage? He claims to have broken through today? Is he trying to deceive me or is he really some unknown genius?

In response to Tyler's claims, Elder Yopp reluctantly conceded, saying, "Very well. Given the complexity of this situation and your confirmed mid Qi Gathering stage cultivation, which I verified with the admission's office since our last encounter, I will assign you a standard mission. When you return, we'll need to have another discussion..."

"That sounds more than fair. Thanks for not making this hard for me, Elder." Agreed Tyler.

Elder Yopp retrieved a token and infused it with true essence, allowing him to access its contents before addressing Tyler.

He remarked, "Ah, here it is. This should do." He then produced a blank token and meticulously inscribed the mission details onto it.

"Here's the token," Elder Yopp instructed, handing it to Tyler.

"Infuse it with your Qi. Put that pen and paper away. The mission details are strictly confidential and should not be documented in any way, as they must remain within the sect's boundaries. The token will naturally dissolve after you've accessed its contents, and it will be officially assigned to you within our records."

He paused to take a breath and added. "You can trust that the information contained within will be crystal clear and unambiguous. The contents should essentially be automatically added to your system menu for tasks anyways."

Feeling a bit like a peasant in front of the Elder's instruction, Tyler nodded and infused some Qi into the mission token.

Breakthrough Mission #67

In the wake of the Sect Master's recent advancement, various opposing factions have become increasingly active, posing a threat to our efforts to maintain secrecy about the event on the Sword King's orders.

One such faction, the Phantom Legion, is a mortal adversary to all practitioners of the Living and Righteous path who have a base in the Underworld, a neighboring region.

Your mission goes as follows:

* Proceed to the Inner Sect, situated in the vicinity of Sword City and seek out Disciple Luo Pang, a second-level Sea Formation cultivator.

* Follow Luo Pang's directives with the same obedience as if they were issued by the Sect Master himself.

* Embark on a journey to the southeastern borders of the Veridian Peaks and conduct an investigation in the village known as Soul Refuge.

* Numerous merchants en route to the Underworld have mysteriously vanished, and their respective factions have lost contact with them.

* Identify the cause of these disappearances and implement a resolution.

Disciple Luo's role is to provide protection and assessment, not to do the work for you.

Additional Instructions:

* Survival in the wilderness is solely your responsibility.

* You must also provide meals for Disciple Luo. However, all cultivation resources required by him should be prepared by him.

* Any treasures and natural resources discovered during the mission are your entitlement. It's essential to remember that Disciple Luo's role is protection, not monastic seclusion. It's crucial for both of you to reach a mutual agreement on resource distribution.

Concluding Guidelines:

After accomplishing the mission, make contact with the following individuals for updates:

* The Golden Jade Hall merchant group, located in Pallius City.

* Perseverance Pill House, situated north of Pallius City in the Verdant Reach Halls.

* The ruler of Sun Haven, the second-largest city in the Veridian Peaks.

* Martial Elder Lao of the Inner Sword Sect.

Rewards:

* 150 Silver Condensates and 10 Spirit Crystals.

* 3 Earth Grade Organ Opening Pills.

* 1 Spirit Grade Blood Igniting Pill.

Any additional rewards will be contingent on the mission's outcome and the report submitted by Disciple Luo.

Since Tyler was system-less, his mind absorbed the information for just a fleeting moment before the token vanished.

Fortunately, he had gradually become accustomed to processing a vast amount of data simultaneously through his continuous utilization of divine sense and easily remembered it.

Elder Yopp remained in place and inquired, "Any questions?"

Tyler briefly reviewed his memory before answering. "Yes, a few. One, when do we leave? Two, any deadlines for finishing the mission? Three, how do I communicate with the sect if things go wrong? Four, any transport or routes you guys want me to use?"

Tyler paused and added. "The rest seems straightforward. Link up with Luo Pang, investigate the village, eliminate any threats, and then report back to the individuals presumably paying for this contract."

Elder Yopp offered a nod of approval. "Good. While there's no strict deadline for completion, Disciple Luo will be expecting your arrival in a week's time. As far as communication, Luo Pang will have that but here, you can reach me with this in case of something going extremely wrong."

After handing a communication crystal to Tyler, he continued. "Finally, we don't really plan those routes ahead of time, you can just use whatever mode of transportation you and Disciple Luo want. Anything else?"

Tyler nodded and remembered a single thing. "Got a map of Veridian Peaks by any chance? I have not really stepped outside of this mountain." He swiftly explained.

Yopp raised an eyebrow and reached into his desk and pulled another crystal, this time it was the requested map. When Tyler received it, he saw the somewhat familiar landscape he had seen in the history books but in much greater detail and swiftly returned it to the elder.

"Keep it, I have hundreds." Yopp gestured.

"Thank you Elder." Said Tyler.

"Anything else?" the Elder asked.

Tyler shook his head, and took his leave. Shortly after, he navigated through the sect and returned home to start his preparations. He had some inner world qi-waters to gather.

***

In one of the chambers within the very same edifice Tyler had recently departed, an individual accessed the freshly updated roster of breakthrough missions. This individual possessed exclusive access, a privilege secured through their uncle's influence several years prior.

"Ah, here we go. Mission #67, assigned to Tyler Reed. Finally, that trash will finally venture beyond the sect's immediate territory..."

Subsequently, they procured a communication crystal and dispatched a solitary message:

"It's time. He is en route to Soul Haven village."

Across different regions of the mountain, assorted cultivators initiated their movements, converging on a predetermined meeting point outside of Sword King Mountain.

Among these cultivators were none other than Lo Xin, Shin Seok, and a selection of contracted martial artists facilitated by Hung Jeok, who had tapped into his family's extensive network and resources to secure their services.

They had all united in response to perceived grievances with Tyler. Remarkably, Tyler remained entirely unaware of these developments, including Lo Xin's recovery from his coma.

He had shown complete disregard towards these matters. So much so that he didn't even know the name of Hung Jeok's cousin he had reprimanded on the beach, Shin Seok.

***

Back in Three Heritage Haven, Tyler engaged in a conversation with Annie and Gregory regarding his imminent departure.

During their discussion, he came to realize that embarking on a journey on foot toward the outskirts of the Veridian Peaks, without the use of flight or some form of beast for transportation, would likely span several months at the very least.

After reaching an understanding, the duo agreed to continue staying in the estate to maintain it during Tyler's absence.

With some of his remaining funds, Tyler acquired a single communication crystal, which he entrusted to Annie's care.

He assured Annie that he would reach out once he returned, presuming they had returned to their own homes during his absence.

Tyler maintained the perspective that while they were technically servants, they should be regarded more as employees with a right to ample free time for the services they provided.

He acknowledged that their decision to reside in his house was a substantial display of commitment, a practice he had learned was customary in this setting.

Granting them the freedom to come and go from the estate, beyond the typical scope of errand-running, was not a common practice however, but it aligned with his belief in treating them with fairness and respect.

Before getting to the crux of his preparations, there were two things he wanted to do as he went and sat down in the gazebo, enjoying the relaxing sounds of the slowly trickling waters.

From his inner world, he reached for a pair of communication crystals and told his two friends that he'd broken through and would soon leave Sword King Mountain for Soul Haven Village.

Almost simultaneously, Lin Jian and Lo Shen decided to pay Tyler a visit this very evening.

So, Tyler did what any good host would do and told Annie to prepare a small feast for 3 as he'd be receiving guests.