This time, there was no queue. Hope walked straight to the counter and found the same old man. By now, they had grown somewhat familiar with each other.

  The old man was lounging around, enjoying a rare moment of peace in his otherwise busy routine. When he noticed Hope approaching, he thought to himself, "What kind of crazy mission is he picking this time?"

  Without a word, Hope handed over his badge along with the mission token he had chosen.

  And then... the old man saw it.

  He shot to his feet, eyes wide with shock. For a full five seconds, he just stood there, unable to process what he was seeing. When he finally regained his composure, he stared at Hope and yelled, “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? DO YOU KNOW WHAT A RANK 5 BEAST IS?”

  Hope froze for a moment, stunned by the sudden outburst. He hadn’t expected the usually calm old man to raise his voice. But with his usual indifferent demeanor, he nodded and replied, “Yes, I know what it means.” He offered no further explanation.

  Edmund’s anger flared even more at Hope’s dismissive attitude. “Then you should know that you have no chance of completing this mission!” he barked.

  “Maybe, maybe not” Hope replied, his face still unreadable. “I’ll have to try.”

  The old man almost choked on his frustration. Taking several deep breaths to calm himself, he finally let out a long sigh. “Fine” he muttered. “Here’s your badge. I’ve already registered this mission as yours.”

  Hope nodded in gratitude. This old man was good to him, better than most people he had encountered on his journey so far. For a brief moment, another figure crossed his mind. ‘Hmm, maybe Joran was also good to me like this’ he thought.

  As Hope turned to leave, the old man called out, “Young man, what’s your name?”

  Hope paused mid-step, glancing back. “Hope” he said simply.

  The old man nodded heavily. “I’ll remember it. My name is Edmund.”

  Hope acknowledged him with a small nod. “I won’t forget it, Edmund.” With that, he turned and left.

  As Edmund watched Hope’s retreating figure, a faint smile appeared on his face. “What an interesting young man” he mused quietly.

  Hope checked the map provided by the sect. The Flamedragon Mountain was a ten-day journey from the sect, meaning it would take considerable time to reach. Without wasting a moment, he descended the sect mountain at full speed.

  Before long, he arrived in the bustling capital city of the Crimson Phoenix Empire, Ashengarde. As expected from the heart of one of the strongest empires, the city was teeming with life. Merchants yelled out their wares, hawkers moved through the crowds, and nobles paraded the streets with an air of superiority.

  Hope decided not to rush. This wasn’t a mission he could complete in a day, so he took his time making his way toward the northern gate. While walking, he couldn’t help but notice the stark divide in the city. Young masters strutted arrogantly, while the common folk moved with caution, careful not to offend anyone who might hold power over them.

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  Unlike others, Hope drew wary but respectful gazes. His Phoenix Cry Pavilion uniform acted as a shield, keeping people at a distance. Even though it marked him as an Outer disciple—a lower-ranking member of the sect—it still carried enough weight to command deference from most nobles. No one dared approach him, which suited Hope just fine. The fewer distractions, the better.

  As he continued walking toward the north gate, the bustling streets slowly grew quieter. The vibrant life of the city center gave way to a sparse and subdued atmosphere. By the time Hope stepped beyond the northern gates, the crowds had all but disappeared, leaving the area eerily empty.

  He paused for a moment, glancing around to make sense of the sudden change. The absence of people felt unnatural, but there were no immediate clues to explain it. Shrugging off his unease, he adjusted his pack and resumed his journey, his focus fixed on reaching Flamedragon Mountain.

  About thirty minutes into his journey, Hope noticed someone standing in the middle of his path, about ten meters ahead. He raised an eyebrow, scanning the figure. ‘This guy’s wearing the same uniform as those three I killed before. That makes him an Inner disciple, I suppose’ Hope thought to himself, his expression calm.

  The man in front of him met Hope’s gaze, his eyes sharp and calculating. After a brief moment, he made a gesture, and four more figures emerged from the surrounding terrain, encircling Hope.

  Now it all made sense. The deserted streets back at the city gate—they’d been cleared on purpose, likely by a warning from these people.

  Five Inner disciples of the Ember Phoenix Sect now stood around him, their presence suffocating to most.

  The man who seemed to be their leader finally broke the silence. “Well” he said with a faint smirk, “Three of our sect members vanished recently. So... we’re here to even the number out. Consider yourself unlucky. No personal feelings.”

  Hope let out a small sigh and shook his head. ‘Are all the people from the Ember Phoenix Sect this stupid?’ he thought, his lips curling slightly in disdain.

  Before they could utter another word, Hope’s figure blurred, vanishing like a wisp of smoke. By the time he reappeared in his original position, the five disciples had already met their end. Not even their bodies remained.

  Hope’s expression as indifferent as if he had just swatted away some flies. Without hesitation, he slid his sword back into its sheath with a sharp click, the sound resonating faintly in the empty air. His gaze lingered briefly on the now desolate scene before he turned and resumed his journey, his thoughts heavy with disdain.

  ‘Why are people so eager to throw their lives away?’ he pondered, his footsteps steady and deliberate. ‘For what? Sect reputation? A sense of loyalty to some higher power that doesn’t care about them in the slightest? It’s pathetic… and foolish.’

  The bitterness in his thoughts lingered as he continued onward, the northern border of the Crimson Phoenix Empire far away. Yet, he felt no joy, no satisfaction from the outcome of the skirmish. To him, it was a meaningless waste—a futile struggle by people bound by ideals he couldn’t understand, nor did he care to.

  As the silence of the road enveloped him once more, the faint rustle of leaves and chirping of birds became his only companions. With his thoughts momentarily cleared, he pressed on, his figure melding seamlessly into the horizon as though he were just another shadow passing through this vast world.

  The roads were uneventful; even the bandits dared not target him. Hope found himself occasionally playing with the little one to pass the time. As night fell, he came across a clearing and decided to stop. Although rest wasn’t a necessity, it was a preference. Igniting a small fire with his fire intent, he sat cross-legged to cultivate. He could feel himself edging closer to the mid Soul Resonance realm and hoped to break through before reaching Flamedragon Mountain.

  The next morning, Hope stretched and reflected on the decent progress he had made during his cultivation session. Hope plucked the little one from his hair, shaking his head in mild amusement. It always seemed to find a way to nestle there.

  "You're a strange one" he muttered softly, letting the little one return to its familiar spot. The little one blinked up at him, letting out a soft, almost playful meow, as if agreeing with his words. With a brief chuckle, Hope focused again on the road ahead, feeling the weight of his journey just a bit lighter.

  About an hour later, a city came into view. It lacked the grandeur of Ashengarde but held its own understated charm.

  “Serene Sun City, huh” Hope muttered, glancing at the name displayed in the jade slip. With a faint nod, he decided, "I should check it out."

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