Chapter 270 - 256: Gains and Losses

Chapter 270: Chapter 256: Gains and Losses

Contribution Hall.

The three ancient characters on the plaque were simple and clear.

Cultivators streamed in and out of the great hall in a constant flow.

Chu Mu paused, lost in thought. The question that had been nagging at him before he entered the Marketplace surfaced once more.

Once the chaos erupted, it had spiraled beyond his expectations, sweeping across the entire Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World.

And everything he had seen and heard since coming out of seclusion confirmed this was no exaggeration.

The entire Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World was essentially engulfed in the flames of war. Even areas untouched by the fighting were inevitably affected; absolute peace was nowhere to be found.

His previous plan to simply hide from the trouble had been snuffed out at its source.

’Since it’s the same no matter where I go,’ he thought, ’I obviously need to consider how to secure the greatest benefit for myself in these chaotic times.’

After all, stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm was basically a new beginning for him. It wasn’t much different from when he first embarked on his Immortal Path, impoverished and struggling.

He possessed very few of the vast resources required for Cultivation in the Foundation Establishment realm.

And with his Spirit Root Talent, without enough resources to support him, his current Cultivation at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment would likely be his limit.

’Chaotic times present countless opportunities.’

This employment contract he’d learned about was undoubtedly a massive opportunity for most Loose Cultivators.

And for him, it was clearly the same.

’As for the risks...’

’On the Immortal Path of a mere Loose Cultivator, when is it ever possible to gain benefits without taking risks?’

He mulled it over for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Then, he took a step forward and entered the Contribution Hall.

At the same time, he stopped concealing his Cultivation and fully revealed the aura of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

In that instant, the expressions of the many Cultivators walking nearby changed drastically. They respectfully cleared a path, and the once-bustling crowd instantly parted.

As soon as Chu Mu stepped into the hall, a woman wearing the Magic Robe of the Righteous Alliance quickly walked up to greet him.

"Senior, are you here to sign an employment contract with our Alliance?"

Chu Mu gave a slight nod, neither denying nor confirming it.

"This way, Senior..."

The woman gestured toward a back room, her attitude deferential.

Chu Mu nodded and surveyed the great hall. Its layout was similar to the Task Hall he had seen back in Jade Emperor Valley.

Giant screens formed a circle, with lines of information flashing across them. Below the screens were counters, also arranged in a circle.

Behind the counters, disciples of the Righteous Alliance, all clad in Standardized Robes, bustled about.

In front of the counters, numerous Cultivators stood in orderly lines, their Cultivation mostly at the Qi Cultivation Realm.

As he took in the scene, Chu Mu’s eyes flickered, and a sense of understanding dawned on him.

’From what I’ve seen and heard in Water Heaven Workshop alone, it’s not hard to see that everything is in perfect order.’

A united power that occupied more than half of the Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World had managed to get everything so well-organized in just two or three short years.

’They must have been a partnership in name only, plotting this for a long time.’

Everything corresponded with the open and secret struggles from before.

The back room was a bright space large enough to accommodate dozens of people without feeling crowded. The furnishings were simple yet exquisite.

A set of classical-style wooden furniture was arranged with simple elegance. In a corner of the room, an Ancient Bronze Incense Burner released a faint, lingering fragrance that gave one an inexplicable feeling of refreshment.

"Please have a seat, Senior."

The woman led him respectfully and waved toward the door. A moment later, a woman in a Maid’s attire entered with a tray.

Several types of Spirit Fruits, pastries, and a pot of Spirit Tea were placed on the table beside Chu Mu.

The woman, dressed in a palace gown, picked up the teapot, poured a cup, and offered it to Chu Mu.

"This is our Alliance’s specialty, Qingning Tea. It has a calming and tranquilizing effect. Please, try some, Senior."

Chu Mu accepted the tea but did not drink it, instead placing it on the table.

Seeing this, the woman quickly took out two contracts and respectfully placed them before Chu Mu.

"Senior, this is our Alliance’s employment contract, and this one is our Guest Minister Contract. Please, have a look..."

Chu Mu glanced at the woman, then picked up the employment contract. Its contents were simple, just a few clauses, and no different from what Xu Yuan had described.

The other document, the Guest Minister Contract, was much more detailed. More details naturally meant more restrictions.

Of course, the benefits were also far better.

In addition to a fixed monthly salary of Spirit Stones, one could enjoy discounted exchanges in the Contribution Treasure Vault and select missions just like an internal disciple of the Righteous Alliance, rather than being stuck with the dirty, tiring work typical of the employment contract.

The difference was obvious, and the choice was clear.

"I heard you issued a new decree a while ago, something about being able to exchange for a Spirit Vein?"

Chu Mu put down the Guest Minister Contract and looked at the woman to ask.

The woman glanced at the contract he had set down, her expression unchanging, her tone still respectful.

"You are correct, Senior. According to our Alliance’s rules, with one hundred thousand Contribution Points, you can exchange for a Tier One Lower Grade Spirit Vein."

"The location of the exchanged Spirit Vein is random. But whether you establish a Clan, a Marketplace, or use it for personal Cultivation, there is one precondition: you must remain under the jurisdiction of our Alliance."

Chu Mu raised an eyebrow. "In other words, the prerequisite for exchanging a Spirit Vein is to join your Righteous Alliance?"

"Yes. However, our Alliance was founded as a coalition, and our policies towards affiliated Clans are extremely lenient..."

Chu Mu smiled but said nothing more. With a slight stir of his Divine Sense, he directly signed his name, Chu Mu, onto the employment contract.

’As for the Spirit Vein...’

He was tempted. After all, a Spirit Vein represented a power base, a Treasure Basin.

’But he didn’t like the idea of being constrained by others.’

Besides, the value of Contribution Points wasn’t yet clear. It was too early to decide.

"This is your Contract Contact Order, Senior."

The woman took the contract and respectfully handed him a Token.

"According to Alliance regulations, since you are in the Foundation Establishment Realm, you receive a first-class Contract Contact Order. With it, you can consult our Alliance’s Shadow Hall for intelligence once a year, free of charge, as a form of mission guidance."

"Furthermore, the first-class Contract Contact Order also grants you the authority to post missions in the Alliance’s Task Hall, and it also allows..."

The woman explained clearly and methodically while Chu Mu examined the Contract Contact Order with great interest.

Compared to Xu Yuan’s, its material was clearly of a much higher grade. Under his Divine Sense Perception, he could tell there were far more than just two Array Prohibitions on the Jade Token.

As he observed it, he seemed to notice something. The corners of Chu Mu’s mouth lifted into a faint smile.

’This Contract Contact Order actually has a series of Array Prohibitions for tracking, sensory monitoring, and more.’

’Carrying this would be like living in the information age of his past life, with no privacy to speak of...’

"Senior, your first-class Contract Contact Order is also equipped with monitoring and tracking functions. This is mainly to facilitate recording your progress when you undertake certain missions, making it easier to verify and issue rewards."

"On a normal day, you can place it in your Storage Space. Doing so will block the tracking and monitoring functions..."

Seeming to notice the change in Chu Mu’s expression, the woman hastily added an explanation.

Chu Mu smiled, casually placed the Token into his Storage Talisman, and, without another word, stood up and walked out of the room...

...