180: Spirit Beast Hall Quest

Deep within the Medicine King Valley, inside a Meditation Pavilion shrouded in spiritual mist.

Valley Master Li Changqing, dressed in a plain white robe, was playing chess with the Vice Valley Master. Black and white pieces were scattered across the nineteen lines of the board; it looked leisurely, but hidden depths lay within. A spirit bird, pure white with only a touch of vermillion at the tip of its tail, landed silently on the pavilion railing, a tiny Jade Slip held in its beak.

Li Changqing beckoned with a hand, and the Jade Slip flew into his palm. As his Divine Sense swept through it, a faint look of surprise appeared on his normally calm face.

"Oh? In just seven days, she actually managed to completely purge the Heart-Eroding Baleful Curse... It seems that girl named Xiao Chun is not as simple as she appears on the surface." He placed a white piece down, his voice calm. "While acupuncture can guide medicinal power, the yin poison in Li Ju's body had already seeped into his marrow. It's definitely not something that ordinary needle techniques combined with Nine Yang Soul-Returning Soup could eradicate within seven days."

The Vice Valley Master opposite him was a middle-aged scholar with a lean face and gentle eyes. Hearing this, he smiled slightly and placed a black piece. "No matter what method she used, she saved General Long Teng in the end, proving she truly has extraordinary talent. More importantly, she is a descendant of a Medicine King Valley Disciple; unique talent for the Dao of medicine might just flow in her Bloodline. Letting Elder Yi relent and allowing them to enter the sect to take on missions isn't considered breaking the rules."

"You certainly know how to calculate," Li Changqing glanced at him. "This way, you uphold the rules while keeping such a talented person in the valley for observation, and you can even have them complete those troublesome missions for you. However, the Ghost Doctor Hall's mission quota for this month has been used up. For their next class a mission, they'll need to take it from another hall. In your opinion, which one will they choose? And which one can they take?"

The Vice Valley Master picked up his spiritual tea and took a small sip, his gaze turning toward the sea of clouds outside the pavilion. "Those two lads, Duanmu and Lingyun, share a deep history with Chu Tianhe; it's only natural they'd secretly make things convenient. As for the next mission... isn't the Spirit Beast Hall currently worrying about the old injuries of those few old fellows? The injuries of three Martial King level Spirit Beasts—individually they'd be Class B, but together, they make up exactly the volume of a class a mission. If they have real skill, they might as well go and try."

Li Changqing rubbed a warm chess piece with his fingertips, noncommittal. "Spirit Beasts are sentient but also recalcitrant, especially when injured; their wariness is even greater. Treating humans is already difficult, but treating beasts... let's wait and see."

...Inside the Bamboo Rhyme Residence, Qin Feng had just used his identity jade plate to check the information on the newly posted class a mission from the Mission Hall.

"Spirit Beast Hall class a mission: Treat the old injuries of three Martial King level Spirit Beasts within the Beast King Valley. Time limit: Two months. Reward: Generous contribution points and exchange permissions for specific Spirit Beast Hall resources. Note: The three Spirit Beasts have different temperaments and injuries; high-level treatment methods and the ability to communicate with Spirit Beasts are required. Danger level: Grade A."

"Treating Spirit Beasts?" Xia Ya scratched her head. "This is much harder than treating people. Spirit Beasts can't talk, and if they get hurt or anxious, they might just give you a swipe of their claws."

Ji Ruxue said, "Risk and opportunity coexist. If we succeed, we not only complete the mission but might also gain the friendship or even the help of the Spirit Beasts. The Spirit Beasts of the Medicine King Valley are extraordinary."

Qin Feng pondered. This mission was quite difficult, but as Ji Ruxue said, the rewards would be great if they could complete it. Moreover, he remembered the Spiritual Whisker given to him by the Mountain Spirit Gray Shadow... Could the rat tribe's Spiritual Whisker play a role among fellow Spirit Beasts?

"We'll take it. Since I have the Myriad Medicine Body, treating people and treating beasts are the same; we just need to be careful not to expose ourselves," Qin Feng made his decision. "We need to accumulate contribution points as quickly as possible. Besides, this mission might allow us to come into contact with the Spirit Beast system of the Medicine King Valley, which will be beneficial for the future."

The four of them immediately headed to the Spirit Beast Hall.

The Spirit Beast Hall was located on the Southwest side of the Medicine King Valley, near a mountain forest brimming with Spiritual Qi and towering ancient trees. The hall's architecture was rugged and grand, built from giant stones and logs, with the air filled with a faint scent of beasts and the fragrance of herbs.

They were received by a tall, rugged-looking man wearing a short-sleeved vest made of animal hide. He was the Vice Hall Master of the Spirit Beast Hall, surnamed Lei, with a voice like a booming bell.

"You're the two new Outer Sect Disciples recruited by the Ghost Doctor Hall? You want to take the mission to treat Spirit Beasts?" Vice Hall Master Lei's bell-like eyes scanned Xiao Chun from head to toe, full of doubt. "Little girl, you know how to treat injuries for Spirit Beasts? Those three are all Martial King level Old Ancestors with very big tempers!"

Xiao Chun felt a bit nervous under his gaze, but she still mustered her courage and said, "I... my former master taught me how to treat small cats and dogs... I've also learned some pharmacology and acupuncture specifically for beasts... I can try."

"Small cats and dogs..." Vice Hall Master Lei's mouth twitched, looking speechless. But seeing the identity jade plate Qin Feng handed over, which bore the mark of the Ghost Doctor Hall and the record of the completed 'Long Teng Life-Prolonging' mission, he hesitated.

"Fine, since those two old fogies Duanmu and Lingyun are willing to let you take the mission, you must have some skill. Let's treat a dead horse as if it were alive! Follow me, I'll take you to the Beast King Valley. I'll tell you upfront, if those three get angry, I might not be able to fully protect you, so be sharp!" Vice Hall Master Lei was a straightforward man; with a wave of his hand, he led the four of them toward the depths of the valley.