Chapter 132: The Offering

As Fang Yue took the purple jade gourd, the maid in white explained, "This purple jade gourd is a complimentary gift from White Cloud Palace. Anyone who joins and becomes a contributor to the palace is entitled to one. However, should it be damaged, you would need to expend merit points to acquire a replacement.

Beyond this gourd, White Cloud Palace offers a vast array of miraculous treasures, cultivation techniques, talismans, and medicinal pills; all are available for exchange, provided you have sufficient merit. As for how to earn merit, you should already be aware: it is through the slaying of ghosts and monsters. The Imperial Court has established twenty-seven such palaces across the land specifically to suppress the rampant supernatural entities plaguing the world. As one of these twenty-seven, White Cloud Palace is primarily tasked with guarding Yun Province..."

The maid, whose name was Deng Jian, provided Fang Yue with a detailed briefing on the protocols, the methods for accepting missions, and other essential information. Some of it Fang Yue already knew, while other parts were new to him. He listened quietly, without interrupting. Half an hour passed before she finished explaining the fundamentals.

"Does the young master have any further questions?" Deng Jian asked.

Just as Fang Yue was about to speak, he saw Li Tianmu enter the side hall clutching a small vial.

"Tianmu!"

Deng Jian’s eyes lit up. She hurried to meet him, her face breaking into a radiant smile as bright as spring blossoms, her joy evident. Seeing the maid’s reaction, Fang Yue immediately realized there was a history between the two. He decided not to press his questions just yet and stood aside to watch the scene unfold.

Li Tianmu, however, kept a stern face, appearing reluctant to engage with her. Accustomed to his cold demeanor, Deng Jian spoke as if to herself, "I didn't know you would be coming to the palace today, so I wasn't prepared. It has been forty-two days since I last saw you, and I don't know when I'll see you again. I am confined to the palace, unable to leave..." Her voice trailed off, and a shadow of sadness crossed her face.

Li Tianmu replied coldly, "I came to find my friend, not specifically to see you. I am a man of the cloth; I ask that you conduct yourself with propriety."

Deng Jian sighed, "Fine, I know you didn't come for me. But you must have been traveling hard—you look so thin. Exorcism is dangerous work, and here I am in the palace, unable to help at all..."

Fang Yue quietly slipped out of the side hall, leaving them to their conversation. He could easily ask Li Tianmu his minor questions later; there was no harm in granting them some privacy.

...

Fang Yue stood outside the palace, gazing down from the mountaintop through the mist, lost in thought.

Now that he had officially become an outer-sect contributor to White Cloud Palace, he could accept missions to slay ghosts and earn merit. Alternatively, he could hunt them independently, using the purple jade gourd to collect the resentment and baleful energy from the spirits as proof to exchange for merit back at the palace. Merit points were highly valuable, as they could be traded for rare treasures, pills, and techniques.

His current status as an outer-sect contributor granted him considerable freedom. Beyond the requirement to accept at least one mission a year, he was under no obligation to take any others. Consequently, the threshold for joining as an outer-sect contributor was low; anyone who had attained the Xiantian or Foundation Establishment stage and was not associated with heterodox paths could join simply to have their name registered. The palace was indifferent to one's background so long as they were willing to slay monsters.

There was another tier, known as inner-sect contributors. These individuals enjoyed far less freedom and were required to work for the palace year-round. They were often tasked with the most dangerous or undesirable missions. However, the benefits were substantial—they were provided with free cultivation resources, techniques, and pills commensurate with their cumulative merit. Becoming an inner-sect contributor required rigorous screening and loyalty, and they were considered true members of the palace, carrying an official token and enjoying the protection of White Cloud Palace.

Fang Yue had no interest in becoming an inner-sect contributor; the freedom of his current status suited him perfectly.

"Generally, outer-sect contributors can choose a prefectural city to be stationed in. When local counties report abnormal events, we accept the missions and investigate. However, the palace also handles missions from across Yun Province involving particularly troublesome entities that are reported directly to headquarters."

Fang Yue had intended to wait for Li Tianmu to finish so they could go to the main hall together to check the mission boards, as having an experienced guide would be beneficial. But seeing that the two were still occupied, he shook his head and decided to proceed to the main hall on his own.

...

The main hall of White Cloud Palace was grand and imposing, measuring dozens of yards in height and hundreds in length. Rows of low tables were arranged throughout the hall, each topped with a jade slip.

These jade slips were linked to a massive artifact housed within the palace known as the "Yihong." Through it, one could query missions, check merit balances, and view items available for exchange. When Fang Yue arrived, several people were already seated on mats, their minds immersed in the jade slips.

Fang Yue found an empty spot, sat cross-legged on a mat, and picked up a slip. The jade felt cool to the touch. He found himself coveting these tools. The maid had mentioned that inner-sect contributors with enough cumulative merit were gifted a portable version of these slips, allowing them to communicate with the Yihong from anywhere in the province.

These portable "black jade slips" were far more sophisticated and difficult to produce than the simple "white jade slips" found on the tables. They were crafted by the Imperial Observatory and were in limited supply. Owning one was a mark of an elite contributor. For an outer-sect member, the cost in merit to obtain one was astronomical—hardly a worthwhile investment compared to more practical treasures. One could simply visit a local palace branch to use their black jade slip whenever necessary.

Fang Yue calmed his mind and immersed his consciousness into the white jade slip. A stream of information flowed into his thoughts. He bypassed the general notices and went straight to the mission categories:

"Blood Lake incident at South City Mountain: Earth-grade."
"Ghost soldier transit incident in Anyong County, Tianping Prefecture: Earth-grade."
"Collapsed mountain pit discovery in Weijia Village, Shihe County, Taikang Prefecture: Earth-grade."
"Mysterious disappearance of all villagers in Bahe Village, Gongmu County, Yannan Prefecture: Earth-grade."

...