Chapter 50: I'll Take It

"I wonder what level of cultivation Bookworm has reached. It's been a year, and he has finally emerged from seclusion."

"He bet on Guo Young Master’s gamble that Bookworm would come out of the Scripture Pavilion within a year. Hurry, notify him—he's going to win!"

Hearing the murmurs around him, Qin Changsheng felt both amused and bewildered. He never expected that spending a year reading in the Scripture Pavilion would become the subject of others’ bets.

Moreover, they had given him the nickname 'Bookworm.'

Truly... one sits at home, and trouble falls from the sky.

At that moment, a disciple rushed hastily into the Mission Hall.

"Young Master Guo, you won! You won!"

In a secluded corner of the hall, a young man dressed in brocade heard the news and sprang up from his chair.

"But Bookworm has come out of seclusion?"

"Yes, Bookworm has come out!"

The brocade-clad youth laughed heartily.

"Good! This time, I’m going to make a fortune! Ha ha ha!"

A year ago, this young man had opened a betting pool on when Qin Changsheng would leave seclusion. Most had bet it would take several years.

But now, Qin Changsheng had emerged in just one year.

This would be a huge payday.

Not just him—many who had bet on a short timeframe were ecstatic, while those who wagered on years cursed in frustration.

"Let’s go claim our rewards! I bet on one year!"

A crowd surged toward the Mission Hall.

Meanwhile, Qin Changsheng was already inside. Upon entering, he immediately recognized the task and approached the mission counter.

"I accept this mission," he said, placing his identification token on the desk.

Before the disciple could respond, a crowd burst in.

"I bet Bookworm would come out in a year! Pay up!"

"Young Master Guo, congratulations! This time, I’m making a killing, ha ha!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and flocked to Guo to redeem their winnings.

Guo Young Master entered confidently.

"Ha ha ha, I admit defeat this time. Come on, pay up!"

With a grand gesture from Guo, the crowd began collecting their rewards.

Qin Changsheng stood aside, waiting for them to finish before repeating, "I accept this mission."

Only then did the disciple react and begin registering his identification token.

"Bookworm, you’re taking a mission?"

Guo Young Master, noticing Qin Changsheng, asked with surprise.

"Yes," Qin Changsheng nodded.

"What mission do you want? Since you helped me earn quite a bit of spirit stones, I can assist you!"

Guo said magnanimously.

"Seeking the Origin of Yin and Yang."

Qin Changsheng did not hesitate.

Upon hearing this, the crowd froze, then burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha, a bookworm is still a bookworm. Do you even know what the Origin of Yin and Yang is?"

"That is the rarest and most precious primal force. The entire Eastern Land might not even have it."

"A mission like that has been posted here for over a hundred years with no one completing it. You should pick another."

Voices buzzed with advice.

"Thank you all for your kindness, but I have already decided."

Qin Changsheng said earnestly.

"You... fine. Since you’re determined, I won’t say more. This mission has no time limit. Take your time looking for it. If you find it, then you truly have great skill."

An elder disciple spoke.

"Thank you!"

Qin Changsheng expressed his gratitude again and left with his identification token.

Watching his retreating figure, the crowd resumed their chatter.

"He must have read himself silly to take such a mission."

"Let it be. It’s his choice. Besides, though difficult, the reward is generous. Completing it grants a million points, instantly making one a five-star disciple—saving decades of effort."

"True, we don’t even know where the Origin of Yin and Yang is. Maybe he does?"

The crowd debated without malice, simply doubting Qin Changsheng’s chances.

For over a century, no one had completed that mission, and no one knew the location of the Origin of Yin and Yang.

It had become one of the most difficult tasks.

By then, Qin Changsheng was already on his way back to the Scripture Pavilion to continue reading.

He had no intention of submitting the mission immediately; doing so would draw unwanted attention. He planned to turn it in after some time.

Back in the Scripture Pavilion, he resumed his studies.

The next day, however, he was stopped.

"Your points are insufficient. You can no longer stay in the Scripture Pavilion," the elder guarding the pavilion said calmly.

Qin Changsheng was stunned.

He had just accepted a mission yesterday, and today they told him he lacked points?

"Elder, I was allowed in yesterday," Qin Changsheng protested.

"Yesterday is yesterday, today is today! Each level has a limit on entries, and you’ve just used yours up."

"Besides, each entry only costs a dozen or so points—it’s not much. The academy’s rules are meant to prevent bookworms like you from just reading endlessly."

The elder explained dispassionately.

"Can I pay a deposit first? Once I complete the mission, deduct the points then."

Qin Changsheng asked.

The elder shook his head.

"There is no such rule in the academy."

Qin Changsheng felt helpless and left.

"Looks like I have to take some simple missions first."

He had initially avoided missions, considering them a waste of time, but now he had no choice.

Leaving the Scripture Pavilion, he returned to the Mission Hall.

The hall bustled with people accepting or submitting tasks.

He approached the counter.

"Give me some simple missions," he said.

The disciple nodded and handed over a jade slip.

"Here are some simple missions. You can choose from these."

Qin Changsheng accepted it and began to review.

"Collect spirit herbs—reward: 10 points."

"Hunt level-one beasts—reward: 50 points."

"Find lost magical treasures—reward: 500 points."

Looking at these, Qin Changsheng felt speechless. The rewards were too low.

But with no points, he had no choice but to start with these simple tasks. Besides, he needed to get out and move around; otherwise, he’d become a recluse.

After accepting several missions, he left the academy and headed toward the task locations.

Though simple, they were tedious and required running around.

After a few days, he had completed several tasks and earned a few hundred points.

He returned to the academy.

This time, he did not go to the Scripture Pavilion but to the Martial Arena.

He intended to spar with others, testing the power of the martial arts and spells he had learned, and improve his proficiency.

"..."