Since the beginning of this year, the Daoist Disciples’ Academy has truly felt like a season of troubles.

The impact of the earlier traitor incident had only just gradually subsided.

At least, it had gradually subsided on the surface.

But just as one wave calmed, another arose.

One day, right after Jason Reed finished morning class in the Sixth Branch’s main hall, he heard the other young Daoist disciples gathering again, chattering noisily:

“Senior Brother Reed, did you hear? This time it’s the Eighth Branch next door that’s in trouble!”

Jason Reed: “What happened?”

That Senior Brother Bolton, the thin Daoist disciple whose full name was David Bolton, spoke mysteriously:

“That Ethan Brooks from the Eighth Branch, Junior Brother Brooks—the one who previously received the pure gold lingzhi from the Lingzhi Platform—he took on a task to go down the mountain for training, and ended up injuring three senior brothers from the Third Branch outside the mountain. One dead, two wounded!”

The other young disciples buzzed with discussion:

“One against three? That’s amazing!”

“He has the pure gold lingzhi, after all!”

“But I heard Senior Brother Brooks’s cultivation has improved rapidly this year. Looks like he’s sure to participate in next year’s Ordination Ceremony.”

“With fellow disciples killing each other and causing a death, let’s see if he can get through today first…”

David Bolton nodded: “I heard he was locked up in the Eighth Branch’s Discipline Hall as soon as he returned last night. Both the Third and Eighth Branches have people watching over him.”

Regarding Ethan Brooks’s predicament, some of the young disciples were gloating, feeling that fortune’s wheel had turned—he was lucky before, now it was his turn for misfortune.

Others admired Ethan Brooks’s strength and envied his rapid rise; in this Daoist Disciples’ Academy at the foot of Tianshi Mansion, he had been almost unrivaled in reputation over the past year.

A few days later, accurate news finally arrived:

Ethan Brooks was not heavily punished.

The two disciples he injured were punished by the sect’s rules even more severely than he was.

In the Sixth Branch, David Bolton and the others were surprised: “They started it? And even ambushed him?”

The disciple who had inquired nodded repeatedly: “Ethan Brooks had solid evidence—clear and undeniable—those three couldn’t deny it.”

Jason Reed: “Did they attack Ethan Brooks to curry favor with the Daoist masters of the main mansion up the mountain?”

Disciple: “That’s what I heard. Fortunately, Senior Brother Brooks’s cultivation has improved so quickly lately, far beyond their expectations, so even with three of them together, they hit a brick wall.”

Everyone sighed, each with their own thoughts.

Jason Reed continued to live and cultivate at his own pace.

Summer passed and autumn arrived.

As time went on, Jason Reed’s cultivation deepened.

He successfully opened a ninth qi sea within his body, marking his advancement to the ninth level of Qi Refinement.

One noon in September, after lunch, Jason Reed encountered some cultivation problems. He first went to consult William Thompson, then headed to the Steward Hall to receive a training assignment.

Because he arrived late, most of the good assignments had already been taken.

Only two options remained.

The first was making ink at the Talisman Ink Workshop.

When Daoists at Tianshi Mansion make talismans, besides talisman brushes and paper, they also need talisman ink.

In addition to cinnabar, there are various other materials for higher-quality talisman ink.

But some talisman inks have rather strange odors, so this task is rarely chosen voluntarily by the young disciples; often, the instructors have to forcibly assign it.

Talisman ink is always needed, so this task is always available.

The other assignment was a recent, temporary one.

Within the Xizhou region where Mount Longhu is located, rivers and lakes are dense, and every summer brings heavy rains and frequent floods.

Fortunately, experts from Tianshi Mansion descend the mountain to help control the waters, so disasters are not severe.

But some people are still displaced, and by autumn, epidemics often break out among the refugees. Thus, when Tianshi Mansion receives word, they organize disaster relief and epidemic prevention.

Most of these matters are led by Daoist masters from the mountain, while the stewards or managers in charge of the various businesses at the foot of the mountain organize people to handle the details.

The Daoist Disciples’ Academy often sends disciples to participate as a form of training assignment.

Unlike other tasks, going out for disaster relief is not a same-day return; it lasts at least three to five days, sometimes half a month or even a month.

Some people are enthusiastic and volunteer.

Others see it as a hardship and avoid it if they can.

If the trip is short, it’s not so bad.

But if it’s long, it inevitably affects one’s own cultivation—how can the environment outside the mountain compare to the blessed land of Mount Longhu?

Since Jason Reed came late today, only the ink-making and disaster relief assignments were left at the Steward Hall.

Of course, he could also simply not take any assignment today and return to his courtyard to cultivate on his own.

He had already taken on many tasks usually, and after helping capture the pill furnace thief earlier, he had earned considerable merit and virtue—missing a day or two wouldn’t matter.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, the light sphere in Jason Reed’s mind flashed again, and words appeared:

【When fire breaks out at the city gate, an eagle may soar high and turn the tide, or a fish may swim deep and hide from danger】

Jason Reed was already used to this light sphere popping up at unpredictable times.

He immediately focused his mind, reading the three new lots that flew out from the light sphere:

【Best lot: Go to Qingyun Dike for disaster relief, obtain a third-grade opportunity, the hidden dragon in the abyss, soaring to the sky—great fortune!】

【Average lot: Do not take any training assignment, return to your residence to cultivate alone—no mistakes, no gains, no losses, just ordinary.】