Chapter 59: I walked straight into a trap.
The next morning arrived with a soft breeze flowing through the tall trees surrounding the teleportation platform.
John, Caros, and Riara stood together, ready to return to the sect after a mission that had tested not only their cultivation but their very humanity.
With a shimmer of light, the teleportation portal activated, warping them back to the Blue Cauldron Sect.
Once their feet touched the sect grounds, Caros wasted no time. "I’ll go submit the mission token," he said, his tone light but proud. John and Riara nodded, watching him stride confidently toward the Mission Hall.
After a while, Caros returned and reached into his spatial bag. "Here," he said, tossing John a small pouch.
John caught it mid-air and peeked inside. Five glowing mid-grade spirit stones gleamed within.
"Your cut," Caros added with a grin. "You technically already completed your hard mission, but if not for you, we’d be dead meat."
John nodded with a faint smile. "Thanks."
Riara yawned, stretching lazily. "Well, that was fun. Let’s not do it again."
With lighthearted farewells, the three of them parted ways, each heading toward their cottages scattered across the outer sect.
By the time John reached his own cottage, dusk had painted the sky with deep oranges and purples.
The soft rustle of leaves greeted him, and the faint spiritual hum from the herb garden and formation lines surrounding his home offered a soothing ambiance.