25.2 - Breakthrough Mission (Three in One)

Chapter 25: Breakthrough Mission (Three in One) – Part Two

After Xiao Ran casually got ready, he walked through the streets and alleys of Mo City until he exited the city.

The current upper limit for player levels in Shenzhou was 60. Every 20 th level, there is a breakthrough mission, also known as a career mission. 1 There were three parts total. Players need to solve the problems detailed by the career instructor before they could move on to the next part.

The career center was in a dense forest outside of Mo City. A giant crystal stood in the center of the dense forest, and it was as beautiful as the fairy realm. After years of sunshine and wind, the surface of the crystal was covered in moss and vines, giving off an ethereal yet unwelcome aura.

The base of the crystal was composed of ten mirror doors, and each mirror door was also surrounded by similar moss and vines. The phantasmal mirror surface made the entire door look mysterious and tempting.

Beyond the mirror doors were the mission instance map for the max level breakthrough mission.

Level 60 players and max-level players, although they were the same level, had a difference in strength beyond a star and a half. 2 The ocean between the two was the max level breakthrough mission.

Every Level 60 player needed to pass the test behind the door in order to become a real max level player.

The god-level career instructors representing the eight major careers in Shenzhou stood in front of the eight mirror doors, awaiting questions from players.

There were vines handing from the branches of the dense forest trees near the career center. Xiao Ran shifted the vines in front of him away and turned to the other side of the crystal base.

Right behind the crystal base was an old painter with white temples and a sheep’s wool brush in his hand. He gazed far into the distance, like a motionless sculpture. It was only when players approached him that he turned his head slightly to show them a generous smile.

Compared with the situations at the other seven mirror gates where players needed to stand in line to receive their missions, there were significantly fewer people near the Shen Bi career teacher.

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It didn’t tale long for Xiao Ran to line up in front of the old painter.

“Laoshi-fu, it has been a long time.” Xiao Ran bowed his head slightly to show respect. He had been shown a lot of attention from this NPC when during his Level 20 breakthrough mission. Without him, it would have been very difficult to pass the last part of the team instance, so Xiao Ran had a very good impression of the instructor.

“I once accompanied floating clouds and winter greenery. I still accompany the setting sun and the sound of autumn. The world is infinitely bright and blue, so I cannot paint with sorrow.” The old [ainter spoke his familiar opening remarks in a low, aged voice, and stared at Xiao Ran with muddled, warded eyes before gradually regaining clarity. As if he recognized Xiao Ran, he said: “So it’s you, brave adventurer. It has been a long time.”

“I’ll be bothering you once again this time.” Xiao Ran spoke with a bow.

“There is no hurry.” The old painter waved his hand. “You asked this old teacher what the true meaning of a Shen Bi was when you came last time. Do you have an answer now?”

When the old painter asked this, Xiao Ran recalled that there indeed was such a question.

A few months ago when Xiao Ran had just reached Level 20, he arrived to complete his breakthrough mission. He didn’t understand anything, so he chatted with the old painter for a while. One sentence eventually touched the old painter, and he actually opened a back door for him to aid him as he completed the breakthrough mission.

But he thought it was just the NPC who felt like doing so at the time. Now that he asked again, Xiao Ran smelled something unusual.

Last time, the old painter said that for the true meaning of the Shen Bi career, some people said that there was no painting without heart; some people said that there was no heart without painting; but most people said that the true meaning lay in the door behind him—

The entrance to the max-level career mission quest instance for the Shen Bi.

Of course, this ‘most people’ referred to the Level 60 Shen Bi players in Shenzhou. That sentence was more realistic. If they could pass the Shen Bi max-level career mission, it was natural for players to find the true meaning of the Shen Bi career.

But the more obvious the answer was, the more it needed to be questioned.

He thought about it for a while, looked at the mirror behind the old painter, and after considering several times, he said: “There is no painting without heart, but no heart without painting.”

The old painter who kept a smile upon his lips paused, and his expression became serious. The sudden change made Xiao Ran feel somewhat uneasy.

Just when he thought he had said something wrong, the old painter sighed and spoke to Xiao Ran: “Young man, you’re so hesitant. It seems that you only know the truth, but you do not know why……”

The obvious mission failure phrase made Xiao Ran’s heart sink.

Who would have known that the old painter would then change the subject and tell him: “I have a clue about the true meaning here. You must take this painting to Dunhuang Huangsha City, then find a young man named Dong Xiu. He’s encountered some trouble and needs your help. I hope that after you’ve experienced this adventure, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the phrase ‘there is no painting without heart, but no heart without painting’. Are you willing?”

[Hidden Task: ‘No Heart Without Painting’—

The painter Hua Wuxin entrusts you to bring a nameless scroll to Dunhuang to help a young man named Dong Xiu—

Do you accept?

[Yes] or [No] ]

Hidden Mission!

Footnotes

not me forgetting whether I call it a career, profession, occupation, etc. every single time I see this word. Rip the star ranking system is a power ranking system, may cap out at 3, 5, or 7 stars. Unsure about it in this novel setting right now.