Chapter 110: Contract Completed
The young man across the table looked at Fengyu with a look of surprise, understanding gradually dawning upon him.
This was the mindset of production creation masters.
For them, their foundation is the greatest home. Anywhere else can only be worse.
"I have neglected something. Please let me introduce myself –
I am Liu Shanqing of the Liu founding family. You may call me Shanqing."
"Greetings fellow daoist Shanqing! I am Fengyu, you may also call me Fengyu."
"Greetings fellow daoist Fengyu!"
Fengyu and Shanqing smiled, knowing today was the day they formed their friendship.
How far it would go, how close they would become... was all left for the future.
"Then fellow daoist, how do I formally become an Inner Citizen?"
"Let’s go to the reception of this library. Each of the four buildings has the means to complete the process, and it’s a rather simple process."
Fengyu nodded and walked together with Shanqing to the reception, his thoughts winding about the endless possibilities there would be in the future.
His steps were calm, yet the tips of his fingers trembled slightly, the impatience seemingly suppressed.
"Do you wish to borrow, buy or copy a book?" the receptionist asked when they approached.
Shanqing didn’t say anything and instead pulled out a token – made of jade, yet instead of the common green jade, this one was purple in colour, an emblem engraved in the centre – countless roaring beast heads roaring at a moon in the centre.
"Greetings esteemed Inner Citizen!" the receptionist instantly lowered his head and cupped his hands, a short bow to all inner citizens who are half a rank above outer citizens.
"I am inviting a new member into the inner city. Please prepare the initiation ritual."
The receptionist nodded and tapped a few things on the jade tablet in front of him.
A moment later, an older cultivator came from behind, his back slightly hunched.
"Please follow me," he said, leading Shanqing and Fengyu behind the reception into an inner room.
"I wonder if you are the cultivator who’s about to enter the Inner City?" the cultivator asked Fengyu as he walked behind a desk, taking out several items.
"Indeed I am." Fengyu nodded.
"Then do you know the responsibilities and rewards that come with the Inner Citizenship?" the man asked again as he took out a contract and presented it to Fengyu.
"Fellow daoist Shanqing has told me about it," Fengyu said, but still looked over the contract.
It was extremely detailed and contained many things, but the general information it contained was the same as what Shanqing said.
What made him happy was that there weren’t any additional responsibilities mentioning the beast tide - it was as if the tide was ignored wholly in the contract.
As for the specific responsibility or task he would be getting, that was also written there. He would be given a test to see what he was most adept at, and then he could attempt doing it.
There was also a mention of privileges in economic matters. His own economic interests had priority over that of others of his stage, as long as they benefited the city more.
This meant that while others had to compete fairly in price wars and others, he could do it right away as long as it didn’t damage the city. On the other hand, he would now have to consider the city’s interests to be above his own economic interests.
After a few read-throughs he nodded, agreeing with the content. There were a few things he didn’t fully align with, but he was in the weaker position now, so he didn’t have the right to make demands.
"If everything is acceptable to you, please drop a drop of blood onto the contract."
Fengyu nodded and whispered a spell below his breath, instantly creating a feather, which he used to slice his own finger. While a drop of blood was falling, he already cast the next spell to recover the injury.
"Your attack spell is quite good, but it doesn’t seem to have any alignment with your power. You should avoid learning too many spells outside your own strengths. But your healing spell on the other hand... you have quite a good hand," the old man commented seeing him casting spells.
"Thank you, haha, my talent in healing is second only to my talent in spiritual breeding," Fengyu commented, not hiding anything.
"Second only?" the man looked curiously, gaining an understanding.
"Please wait a moment as I summon the altar," the man said after putting away the contract that shined for only a moment after it was signed by him.
He moved his hands rapidly, his eyes closed, seemingly summoning something.
Spiritual power gathered, golden light formed and manifested into the shape of the city’s emblem - the Ten Thousand Beasts Moon Plate.
As the symbol took shape, below, a huge tower formed. At each stage there was a small bowl, made of jade and with a moonstone in the centre.
Fengyu could see countless small drops at each stage.
A total of nine stages, yet there were no drops in the last three, only drops in the first six. The sixth stage had only a few, while the red drops in the first stage coloured the whole bowl crimson.
"Drop another blood into the first stage," the man said after casting, his breath slightly weak.
Fengyu nodded and did another round of casting, not hesitating about this.
A drop of blood flew out of his hand and was absorbed into the first stage, shrinking several times in the process.
Only now did Fengyu realise how many there must have been, since a single drop appeared to be practically nothing.
Just as he looked at it, the moment the drop fell, he felt a change in his soul -
It was as if something was pulling at his soul. He felt no harm and nothing happened, as if it was just a momentary pull. Yet from the moment it happened, he could feel a different presence far outside his soul.
He looked up, his eyes directly looking towards the position of the inner city.
A glint of confusion appeared in his eyes, followed by a deep shock.