Chapter 139: The Task Board

The Task Board is a facility established by the Tianxuan Academy, modeled after the Mercenary Guild. Its functions are similar: students can post tasks, accept them, and receive the same rewards upon completion. It also serves as a place where one can register as a bona fide mercenary.

Unlike the Mercenary Guild, this board is exclusively for students of the Tianxuan Academy's inner court. Beyond posting tasks, it acts as a hub for item exchanges. If a student specifies what they possess and what they desire in return, the person in charge of the board will use various channels to help them secure the items they need. Of course, this service is not free; the academy takes a small commission, but the fee is negligible and easily accepted by the students. Consequently, it has become one of the liveliest spots in the Tianxuan Academy. Most inner-court students make a point of visiting before heading into the Trial Forest to see if there are any convenient tasks they can pick up along the way.

"Wang Luo, don't tell me this is your first time here!"

A group of nine, accompanied by two beasts, arrived at the task board in a grand procession before splitting up to search for tasks, mostly in pairs. Eventually, only Prier, the eccentric Bonnie, and Wang Luo remained. Seeing Wang Luo looking at the bustling crowd with curiosity, Bonnie asked with exaggerated surprise.

"Yeah."

Watching the drama-queen, Wang Luo shrugged indifferently. It didn't seem like such a shameful thing to be here for the first time; there was no need to make such a fuss. Then again, if she didn't make a fuss, she wouldn't be the eccentric Bonnie.

"I'm going to look over there!"

Although he had never been here, Wang Luo understood how it worked. He had planned to come here after refining his pills, and since Prier’s group was heading to the Trial Forest, the timing was perfect. He had delayed by a few days, but now it was time to get things done. Without waiting for Prier or Bonnie to respond, Wang Luo took his two beasts and walked away. He had no desire to hear whatever witty remarks the eccentric girl might come up with; leaving early was the better choice.

*Oink, oink...*
*Squeak, squeak...*

Wiggling its massive rear and struggling under the weight of its increasingly prominent belly, the exceptionally plump Tusked Boar followed Wang Luo, carrying the little black monkey on its back. This sight naturally drew countless stares. The news of the Tusked Boar’s pregnancy had spread throughout the academy, growing more absurd with every retelling—ranging from rumors of deviant human-beast relationships to cross-species interbreeding. Naturally, the "protagonist" of the scandal became an overnight sensation.

Few students at Tianxuan Academy owned magical pets, and they were utterly baffled as to why Wang Luo would choose a sow as his. They wondered if it was because he had a depraved desire to mate with it, concluding he must be truly wicked to have such tastes at only eleven or twelve years old—and with a pig at that! The fact that it was pregnant only fueled the fire, and everyone gave Wang Luo a wide berth.

In the crowded task board area, where people were usually jostling for space, Wang Luo found that people would automatically move aside, clearing a wide path wherever he went. Wang Luo simply touched his nose and smiled silently, not taking it to heart. He would be leaving the academy once he reached the seventh level, and the Tianxuan Continent was vast; it was unlikely he would ever see these people from all corners of the world again.

Walking to the task submission counter, a familiar, delicate figure appeared in his sight. Memories of the Mercenary Guild flooded his mind, though they felt as distant as if they had occurred several lifetimes ago.

"Anwei'er!"

He greeted her with a smile and, without wasting words, stated his purpose: he wanted to post a task to exchange medicinal pills for magic crystals.

"Exchange pills for magic crystals? What kind of pills? And what grade of magic crystals are you looking for?"

Anwei'er looked at him with surprise but refrained from prying. Suppressing her curiosity, she began asking for the necessary details to register the task.

"These are one hundred Grade 6 Blood-Replenishing Pills. Fifty Grade 6 magic crystals for one pill."
"These are eighty Grade 6 Mana-Recovery Pills. Eighty Grade 6 magic crystals for one pill."
"These are fifty Grade 6 Mind-Focusing Pills. One hundred Grade 6 magic crystals for one pill."
"These are thirty Grade 6 Mana-Supplementing Pills. Two hundred Grade 6 magic crystals for one pill."

As Wang Luo pulled out bottle after bottle of pills, Anwei'er helped him estimate their value and set the exchange rates. Her eyes widened with shock; she had never heard anyone mention that Wang Luo was an alchemist.

"Is this... a Seven-Star Pill?!"

Picking up another bottle, she poured one out into her palm. Seeing the seven star-shaped patterns on the surface of the pill, she let out an exclamation.

There were no weaklings in the Tianxuan Academy. The moment Wang Luo produced the pills, the rich medicinal fragrance had already drawn many eyes. Now, seeing the Seven-Star Pill, the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

"A Seven-Star Pill?! Heavens, it really is a Seven-Star Pill! With one, I’ll definitely be able to break through to the seventh level when I enter the Advancement Illusion!"
"Is Wang Luo crazy? Trading Seven-Star Pills for magic crystals? Can magic crystals even compare to these pills?!"
"I must get into the Trial Forest and hunt magic crystals to exchange for a Seven-Star Pill!"

...

"Are you sure you want to trade Seven-Star Pills for magic crystals?"

Anwei'er glanced at Wang Luo, asking with a hint of shock. Having already obtained a bottle of Seven-Star Pills herself, they didn't hold much mystery for her, but for those without backing who had to rely entirely on their own efforts, the Seven-Star Pill was something they would fight tooth and nail to acquire if they ever encountered one.

On the Tianxuan Continent, strength was everything. Such pills, capable of breaking through cultivation bottlenecks, were the most sought-after items; once they appeared, they would be snapped up instantly. While auxiliary and healing pills were also essential, they paled in comparison to the Seven-Star Pill.

"Fifteen Seven-Star Pills. One hundred Grade 7 magic crystals for one pill."

"One hundred Grade 7 crystals?!"
"Even if several of us team up, it's hard to defeat a Grade 7 magical beast. How long would it take to get one hundred crystals?"
"Even if we exchange them for Grade 6 crystals, that's one thousand per pill. At one beast per day, it would take three years!"
"If you have a Seven-Star Pill and break through to the seventh level, you can earn as many Grade 7 crystals as you want. That’s why they’re so expensive!"

...

"Wang Luo, besides magic crystals, can we use other things to exchange for the Seven-Star Pills?"

The crowd, which had been murmuring in heated discussion, suddenly went silent, all eyes fixed on Wang Luo, waiting to see if he would accept other items, such as monster parts.

"Anything that contains vast amounts of energy is fine. The more energy, the better," Wang Luo replied after a moment of thought.