Just as Ace was still thinking about the purpose of Steward Jesper sending him to the Evil Slaying Division at the far end of the courtyard, a towering man with iron-like skin stepped forward, following ten people with sharp auras.
His presence silenced the murmurs instantly as everyone looked at him with apprehension and fear, as if he was some kind of demon.
The iron-skinned man in front was the Outer Bastion overseer, Division Elder Melvin, but everyone called him 'Commander' Melvin.
Melvin's steel-gray hair was tied back tightly, and his piercing bronze eyes seemed to bore into the souls of those present. Draped in a flowing black and gold mantle, he exuded authority and power. After all, he was a member of the Barbarian Race, a terrifying battle-hungry race with the innate talent of the martial path and fleshy body prowess! "Welcome to the Evil Slaying Division," Melvin began, his voice deep and resonant, carrying effortlessly across the courtyard. "You stand here not because of your talents, bloodlines, or sect affiliations but because you have chosen—or should I say been chosen—to walk a path few dare to tread."
He pulled an icy grin that sent chills down everyone's spine, "Our purpose is simple: to root out and annihilate evil wherever it festers, be it rogue cultivators, demonic beasts, or heretics of evil path defying the natural order. Justice is our creed, and survival is your only test."
His gaze swept over the recruits, lingering momentarily on Ace, who maintained a calm, neutral expression.
"In the Evil Slaying Division, strength and results define your worth. You will be ranked as Initiates, Slayers, and Executors based on your performance and contribution. Fail, and you will not be alive to wallow up in your misery. Succeed; you may leave a legacy carved in blood and fire."
Melvin's grin turned into a grim smile as he gestured toward a man behind him, holding a scroll. "In Evil Slaying Division, your worth is based on your skills and merits. There is no easy way, only the killing way. The more you kill and bring justice to the land, the more you'll be appreciated here.
"So, without any further crap, let's start our division's entrance ceremony. This will determine whether you belong here or nowhere. Each of you will undertake an entry mission—alone. Only those who succeed will earn the right to stay. Alright, little second, being."
The man holding the scroll stepped forward with a gentle yet cold smile as she looked at everyone as if looking at fish on the chopping board.
He unfurled the scroll without wasting any time and called, "New Disciple Ace, step forward."
Ace was startled when he heard his name being called right off the bat, and his uneasy feeling became deeper.
But he acted calm and moved to the front of the line under everyone's eyes, and they were all looking at him with pity and even gloating. Many of them were even surprised to see his human appearance, and they wondered who he had offended to get her or if he was just a lunatic who sought his death by being willing to join this place.
Furthermore, Ace also noticed that Melvin was looking at him with a strange gaze, and when he saw Ace looking at him, he seemed to have nodded ever so slightly. No one noticed it as the man called Old Second handed him a jade scroll at this moment. "Your mission and all of its details are in this Jade Scroll. You have three days to prepare before you leave. You're dwelling, and all the necessary information has been transferred to your disciple badge. Be warned that if you delay or turn deserted, you will be chased down by the Law Division and executed on the spot. You are dismissed!"
Ace took the jade scroll and looked at Old Second before glancing at Melvin and bowing slightly. "Understood."
He fell back in line, and Old Second called another disciple who came forward and received the jade scroll with a trembling hand and a paled face.
Ace didn't pay any attention to the rest of them. He had already remembered the map and details in the disciple badge.
But this abrupt mission was still out of his expectation since he was under the impression the outer disciples weren't allowed to leave the sect, yet the Evil Slaying Division was directly sending them out.
Ace wondered if he had joined the evil path sect since these kinds of missions should be their specialty. The King sects were truly different!
At this moment, Ace curiously poured his Qi into the Jade Scroll to see what kind of mission he was given, and details appeared in his head.
"Initiate Rank Mission: Eliminate the Bone Shade, a notorious bandit haunting the Shadowed Glade within the Southeast Azure Flow Basin outskirts. He has robbed and murdered many merchant groups. He is merciless and cunning. He is suspected of possessing an Evil Treasure and might have ties with an Evil Sect. Retrieve his body, if not all his belongings, to clear this mission.
"Suspected Strength: 9-Star Ascension Warrior or 1-Star Grand General
"Reward will be given based on the performance and time taken in competition of this mission…"
Ace was astounded when he found the information about his target, 'Bone Shade.' There was even a detailed map of his activities.
'If they already knew his whereabouts, why didn't they just eliminate him? Could they be leaving him alive to train disciples and give them life and death experience? What a ruthless division…' Ace's expression was solemn as he mulls over the details.
Although confident in his strength, he didn't dare to underestimate his target. After all, this wasn't his main body, and it only had soul spirit Qi, not the primordial Qi of his real body, nor did he have Force of Darkness. At this moment, Melvin's voice rumbled once more once the jade scrolls were divided among the disciples, "Let us see if you truly possess the strength and determination to walk the path of Evil Slaying! Everyone dismissed!"
Melvin gave Ace a peculiar glance before he left. Ace also noticed it, and his guard was up. He turned and left the courtyard, his mind already analyzing the mission. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was no ordinary test.
The mission wasn't even the main problem because he suspected someone in the PHW King Sect might have ulterior motives against him!