Waking up to the melodious songs of rank 1 singing birds drifting through the window, I felt the lingering fatigue and soreness in my body melt away like a refreshing morning breeze. The gentle chirps carried a faint trace of qi, soothing both body and mind. I rose from the simple bed, brushed my teeth with a qi-infused twig, washed my face in the basin of cool water, and thoroughly cleaned my body before changing into the standard green guard uniform of the outer circle. The fabric was sturdy yet comfortable, embroidered with the Wen Clan's subtle insignia on the chest.
Since it was my first official day as a guard, I decided to scout the entire surroundings of the outer circle. I needed to memorize its layout, facilities, and terrain in all directions. Most importantly, I had to learn which areas were occupied by which beasts and when the beast tides were likely to appear. The tides here mostly consisted of rank 1 and rank 2 beasts. The clan regularly cleared the area, so rank 3 beasts were extremely rare. Even if one did appear, the clan head — Tiang Wen at rank 3 high tier — could easily suppress it. However, due to a great incident years ago, he had been delayed from reaching the peak of his rank.
I did not know what a breakthrough truly felt like, nor did I wish to hear about it from others. The elders back at Lague Mountain had taught that casually discussing breakthroughs could either accelerate or diminish one's future progress and luck — a risk I had no intention of taking. Of course, everyone knew Heaven was fair. If a malicious person tried to sabotage me by revealing secrets, there would be no side effects for them, but it would bring me no benefit either. My cultivation path would not sail smoothly simply because of someone else's malice.
There were four heads of the guards — two males and two females — all at rank 1 peak. They were so busy with their duties that when I visited the guard headquarters, I only managed to meet the commanders.
The headquarters was a grand and majestic two-story building that resembled a small fortress. Its exterior was plain and sturdy, built for practicality, but the interior featured exquisite wooden carvings, intricate patterns on the beams, and rich textures that spoke of quiet elegance. The lower floor served as the working area for the commanders, filled with maps, weapon racks, and duty logs. The upper floor was reserved exclusively for the four heads of the guards, who were rarely present.
I introduced myself to the commanders, who were at rank 1 high tier, carefully letting them get a sense of my personality. First impressions were always crucial for building good relationships.
"I know I am new here and have no kinship or backing," I said respectfully. "I may unknowingly cause trouble due to my inexperience. Please do not hesitate to punish me according to my mistakes."
One of the male commanders smiled warmly and replied, "It is fine, newcomer. Not everyone can grasp things and knowledge immediately. We will make sure you do not cause any major trouble."
While thinking to himself, Hehe, this boy is quite a smooth talker and easy to get along with. There is no need to isolate him.
I bowed slightly. "Thank you, commander. Have a great day."
The commander nodded. "Wish you a great day too."
Later, I made my way to the mission hall. It was also a two-story building that looked similar to the guard headquarters from the outside, except the interior featured smooth limestone slabs and elegant tiles that gave it a cleaner, more official atmosphere. Quests were issued and accepted on the lower floor, while rewards were distributed on the upper floor. The quest board was checked frequently by guards, but the reward area was only crowded when someone had accumulated enough contribution points.
I browsed through many available quests — gathering rare materials, rescuing lost clan members, searching for culprits, and hunting specific beasts. It was a pity that, as an intern, I was not yet allowed to accept any of them.
I then climbed to the upper floor to see what kinds of rewards could be exchanged with contribution points. I was quite surprised to find many guards trading with each other like in a lively market festival. The atmosphere was bustling, almost as if they were gently mocking the reward hall master, though no one could blame them. It was the most ideal place for those in urgent need of materials or those who wanted to compare true market values. This kind of private trading did not break any rules.
I saw a wide variety of items: various potions, dew stones, weapons, martial arts manuals, and skill learning scrolls. I wanted to obtain them all, but planning to kill others for them felt boring and shortsighted. Killing without restraint might bring temporary pleasure, but it was not worth the long-term risk.
Since I was still new to cultivation, I only glanced briefly at the layout and left As I do not wish to anger the Reward Master on my first day with casual chit-chat, and as I am a complete newbie who doesn't know any material yet, there is a slight chance that someone might laugh at him. That would not leave the best impression.
I remembered that I currently had 100 contribution points — enough to exchange for one basic skill scroll. That was something very important for any cultivator.
Finally, I visited the library of the outer circle. There, I studied the rules of the outer circle, its significant history, and the names of talented individuals who had once trained here. I also discovered that it was quite easy — almost like learning to write simple letters — for red luck cultivators to advance from the initial tier of rank 1 to the middle tier. The later stages marked the beginning of real difficulty.
I thought to myself, As expected.
In the evening, I returned to the guard mansion, went straight to my room, and began cultivating by drawing karma into my aperture. Afterward, I rested comfortably on the haystack bed. This simple routine — scouting, learning, cultivating, and resting — became my daily practice for the entire week of my internship.
After all, only a fool would be careless when his work involved the lives of his comrades. One must always remain fully aware, especially during the most vulnerable times.