"Haha!"

Wu Yan actually laughed, looking at Du Wenzhen with admiration, "The members of my team should be like Du Wenzhen and Xiao Mu. What Du Wenzhen said makes sense; what's so daunting about the Extraterrestrial Evil Beings? If they dare to come, we dare to kill them!"

The team members were rendered speechless, including Xiao Mu.

It would have been one thing for the team leader to be a hot-headed youngster, but now there was another member who was just as rash, and the two of them were compounding each other's foolishness.

Wu Yan continued, "Everyone's destinations have already been assigned. Feng Rensong, read out the list."

Wu Yan glanced at Feng Rensong and then turned to the other members, reminding them, "Remember the place you've been assigned to, and don't go to the wrong location. Feng Rensong, start reading!"

"Yes, team leader!"

Feng Rensong took out a piece of paper filled with writing and began to read from it, "Wu Yan, West Sixth Domain, Feng Rensong, East Fourth Domain, Feng Xian..."

The members quieted down, listening to Wu Yan recite the list.

There weren't many members in the group, just around ten or so, and it wasn't long before the list was read through, "Jiang Mei, West Sixth Domain, Du Wenzhen, South Five Regions."

Xiao Mu furrowed his brows; his own name was curiously absent from the list.

However, Du Wenzhen immediately brought it up, raising his hand and calling out, "Team leader, why isn't Xiao Mu on the list?"

Wu Yan replied, "Xiao Mu has been given special arrangements. I will speak with him privately about it later."

"Everyone, remember the direction you have been assigned to. We will depart by tomorrow at the latest. You can now go back and prepare. If you can't remember where you've been assigned, you can ask Feng Rensong at any time."

Upon hearing this, the team members all stood up. Some headed out while others approached Feng Rensong to check the list.

"Xiao Mu, come with me."

Wu Yan stood up and walked towards his office.

Xiao Mu followed Wu Yan into his office. "Team leader, you called me here for..."

Wu Yan motioned for Xiao Mu to sit down before he said, "The incense burner you brought back has been assigned by the Grand Leader to the elder Gu Hui of the Ruins. The Grand Leader asked me to pass the message to you."

"As long as the incense burner is allocated by the Grand Leader, I have no objections to who it is given to," said Xiao Mu, who had some understanding of the Alliance's rules and immediately guessed why Wu Yan wanted to tell him this.

Wu Yan smiled and suddenly asked, "Even if it's given to Zhou Pudu to use, you wouldn't object?"

"That..." Xiao Mu hesitated.

"Haha! Just teasing you," said Wu Yan with a laugh, patting Xiao Mu's shoulder affectionately. "During the meeting just now..."

He then simply recounted the events of the recent meeting to Xiao Mu.

When he heard that the True Monarch of the Five Elements had demanded him from the Great Tang Ruins, and that Zhou Pudu, Cui Yan, and Qin Duan all advocated for his handover, even the usually calm Xiao Mu's complexion changed for a moment, looking somewhat distressed.

Wu Yan laughed, "Fortunately, the Grand Leader has high hopes for you. Xiao Mu, I believe that although the Grand Leader didn't openly praise you, he was clearly on your side."

Xiao Mu responded seriously, "I am deeply grateful for the Grand Leader's regard."

Wu Yan laughed, "Don't be so formal with me."

"Xiao Mu, the main reason I called you here is concerning this team task. I recommend that you do not participate in this mission," Wu Yan said.

"Not participate? Why?"

Xiao Mu had already guessed the reason Wu Yan would have him not participate, yet he couldn't help but ask.

Wu Yan said gravely, "This large-scale disturbance by the Extraterrestrial Evil Beings might very well have been instigated by the True Monarch of the Five Elements."

"One of his goals could be specifically aimed at you."

"After all, you stole his incense burner, preventing him from receiving incense offerings on Earth, and now the True Monarch of the Five Elements must despise you deeply."

"If you go, the True Monarch of the Five Elements will surely target you."

"Therefore, I suggest that you abstain from this operation, and this is also the Grand Leader's intention."

Xiao Mu wondered, "The Grand Leader also doesn't want me to participate in this operation?"

"That's right," Wu Yan nodded. "This is the Grand Leader's way of looking out for you; he's also worried about you being targeted during this mission."

"The Grand Leader greatly admires your talents and does not wish for any mishaps to befall you."

Even the Mutated Beings of the Divine Spirits Realm might not have been able to snatch the incense burner from the hands of the True Monarch of the Five Elements, yet Xiao Mu, in the Mid Yin God Realm, had done just that.

This is the main reason why the Great Leader Wu Jie appreciates him.

There aren't many Mutated Beings at the Yin God Realm with this ability, and Great Leader Wu Jie believes that Xiao Mu is worth protecting. Such a talent would be a pity to lose if he died!

"However, Captain, I still want to participate in this mission."

Xiao Mu thought for a moment and then answered seriously.

At this moment, Xiao Mu was not only short of the Energy Points needed for the Variant, but he was also lacking the Energy Fruits needed to enhance his Realm.

Both Energy Points and Energy Fruits could be obtained through this team mission.

If he missed this team mission, he might not have the opportunity to obtain Energy Points and Energy Fruits for a long time.

Without Energy Points and Energy Fruits, Xiao Mu's strength improvement would inevitably be affected.

After all, in three months' time, Xiao Mu would have to go to the 'Netherworld' again, and any delay in improving his strength would be troublesome.

It is imperative to go to the 'Netherworld'; without sufficient strength, the likelihood of death would drastically increase.

"Xiao Mu, it's not that I'm unwilling to let you go."

Wu Yan still thought Xiao Mu was insisting on going because he was afraid of being gossiped about and tried to persuade him, "This mission is very likely targeted at you. It's too dangerous for you to go, and once you're targeted, you could be killed."

"You're only at the mid-stage of the Yin God Realm, maybe a bit stronger than the average person at this stage. But what use is that? Can you defeat a Divine Spirits Realm powerhouse?"

"Don't worry about what others say; I believe they can all understand."

Xiao Mu shook his head and said, "Captain, I'm not someone who's afraid of trouble, nor do I want to run away."

"I can participate in any battle that other team members can, please don't make an exception just for me!"

Though he said this, Xiao Mu felt helpless inside.

He was well aware of the dangers of a team mission. If he could avoid it, he actually wanted to.

But without going, there would be no Energy Points, no Energy Fruits— he really had no choice but to participate.

"Xiao Mu, I still suggest that you think it over carefully. The Great Leader's arrangement to prevent you from going isn't out of any ill will towards you—it's truly just for your protection," Wu Yan continued to persuade.

"How come I can't see the Great Leader's good intentions?"

Xiao Mu smiled and insisted, "But, Captain, I really do want to participate in this mission."

Wu Yan frowned but after a moment of thought said, "I still advise you to think it over. How about this, go back and think it over well, and tell me your thoughts after you've figure it out tomorrow. If by then you still want to go, come and find me again, how about that?"

"Alright then!"

Xiao Mu agreed.

It seemed that there was no way to persuade Wu Yan today, so it would have to wait until tomorrow.

But even if it was the day after tomorrow, his thoughts wouldn't change. This team mission was too important for him, directly related to the enhancement of his strength, which in turn was directly linked to the matter of life and death once he entered the 'Netherworld'.

Just as he stepped out of the Task Group office, Xiao Mu received a message from Elder Zun, asking him to pay a visit.

Xiao Mu, curious about why Elder Zun was summoning him at this time, immediately went to the Task Hall.

After the initial pleasantries, Xiao Mu went straight to the subject and voiced his doubts.

Elder Zun, however, said, "The Task Group is about to issue a team mission, what arrangements have they made for you?"

Xiao Mu replied, "The Great Leader and Captain Wu Yan don't want me to participate in this mission."

Elder Zun smiled, "That's a good thing, and it coincides with my thoughts. Xiao Mu, do you realise that now it's not just the Five Elements True Monarch who wants to kill you, but Funeral God and Curse Child might also want you dead?"

"The Five Elements True Monarch harbors deep hatred for you and has likely made entreaties to Funeral God and Curse Child as well as to the sects they belong to."

"Is it really that serious?"

Xiao Mu was taken aback.

Being targeted by three great Divine Spirits Realm powerhouses was indeed more recognition than he expected!

Elder Zun said seriously, "The matter may be even more severe than you imagine. Xiao Mu, you might not know how important that incense burner is to the Five Elements True Monarch."

"That incense burner belonged to the Ancient Land God Chen Yan, but in fact, it was seized by him from the hands of a Divine Spirit of the Five Elements Sect."

"This ancient incense burner, originally belonging to the Five Elements Sect, has a strong compatibility with the Five Elements True Monarch, allowing him to receive Incense Fire from the Human world."

Xiao Mu was stunned; was that ancient incense burner really that significant?

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