The Lord of Void and Real

Chapter 226: Chapter 224: Immortal Jade

“Junior understands.” Shen Luo’s expression didn’t change as he respectfully responded.

“Very well, someone will deliver the Guest Official Token to you tomorrow, along with the stipend for the past three months.” Bai Hecheng nodded approvingly and said.

“Family Head, when will the junior be able to undertake tasks?” Shen Luo asked.

“No need to rush, the clan will arrange it and notify you.” Bai Hecheng waved his hand and said.

After thanking them again, Shen Luo excused himself and left.

After he left, a figure suddenly emerged from the inner room of the study. It was the Third Elder, Bai Jiangfeng.

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“Family head, according to the rules, only monks who have reached the Qi Refining seventh layer can receive one Immortal Jade every three months. However, Shen Luo lacks both cultivation and potential. It was already an exception to let him serve as a Guest Official, so why still offer Immortal Jade as a stipend?” Bai Jiangfeng asked, puzzled.

“No harm, the Bai Family can afford that amount of Immortal Jade. Let’s consider it as giving this young man an opportunity. Besides, this was also the only request made by Xiaotian before he went to the Hua Sheng Temple.” Bai Hecheng laughed and said.

“The family head means well, and I agree. However, I’m afraid the clan children and other Guest Officials would not be convinced. They may cause trouble for him.” Bai Jiangfeng shook his head and said.

“If he can’t handle this bit of trouble, then our Bai Family’s Immortal Jade and Xiaotian’s well-intentioned effort would really have been wasted. At that time, there will be a way to make him leave the Bai Family on his own.” Bai Hecheng laughed and said dismissively.

The next day, the news that Shen Luo had become a Guest Official of the Bai Family spread quickly through the entire Bai Mansion.

As soon as Shen Luo received the Guest Official Token and an Immortal Jade, he moved out of Bai Xiaotian’s small courtyard and into a separate small courtyard arranged by the Bai Family.

The small courtyard was located in a dense forest near the lake in the mansion, which was even more secluded and further away from the main gate, but much closer to the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake.

However, after Shen Luo fully adopted his status as a Guest Official, when he went to the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake again, he was stopped by the old woman stationed there. She informed him that he temporarily did not have the qualification to practice here. As a Guest Official, he would have to establish merits for the Bai Family and receive the Family Head’s agreement before he could use it.

Although Shen Luo was somewhat frustrated, he couldn’t say much on the surface. After all, his ability to enter the secret chamber to practice was an exception, thanks to Bai Xiaotian’s influence. Now that he had accepted his new status, he naturally had to accept the corresponding changes.

Once this was understood, Shen Luo settled down in the small courtyard and continued his cultivation.

In a blink of an eye, more than half a month passed.

Jianye City experienced a continuous drizzle, and the temperature dropped sharply. The autumnal ambiance in the city became more profound.

On this day, Shen Luo woke up early. However, instead of meditating and practising as he usually did, he took out the stone box that he had carefully stored.

After opening the stone box, he took out a gold ingot and several silver bills from inside and put them to one side.

Then, he carefully extended two fingers and slowly took out a jade stone the size of a coin from inside. Its colour was as lush as one could imagine, with a trace of pure spiritual energy visible inside. This was the legendary Immortal Jade, also his first stipend as a Guest Official.

According to the ancient book, this Immortal Jade itself is a rare spiritual material. It is born from the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi and nurtured by earth veins, thus forming some extremely secret underground jade veins.

After being mined by people, it is shaped according to rituals and refined using secret methods, so that the spiritual energy it contains remains undissipated. Only then does it become the “immortal money” widely circulated among cultivators.

Shen Luo held the Immortal Jade in his hand, examining it carefully, his eyes full of treasured affection.

Previously, while using yellow talisman paper to draw the Thunderfall talisman, all his talisman ink was used up, and not a single successful one was created. He planned to pay Lubao Hall a visit today, use this Immortal Jade to buy ten sheets of Green Frost Rune Paper, and try again.

Having stored the Immortal Jade, he was about to close the stone box when the flicker of a metal object caught his eye from a corner of the box. He swept aside all the things on top of it, including the Silver Bills and the Nameless Heavenly Book, to reveal a piece of gold foil.

Shen Luo took it out and examined it carefully. Upon seeing the charm patterns carved on it, he suddenly remembered. This was what he had taken from a metal bag full of bones when he salvaged the Nameless Heavenly Book from the Luan Shui River.

“I almost forgot about this object. I’ve always wondered what it was. Manager Ma has handled numerous spiritual materials; his insight must be wide, perhaps he would know what this is?” Shen Luo mumbled to himself.

Having said that, he tidied up the stone box and left the Bai Mansion, heading straight for Lubao Hall.

When Shen Luo arrived at Lubao Hall, from a distance, he saw two men he recognized standing outside the shop entrance. They were the two followers of Bai Xiaoyun whom he had met before.

His eyebrows furrowed, a suspicion growing in his mind. He quickened his pace towards them.

Before he could reach the entrance, however, the two followers moved to intercept him.

“Elder Shen, the Second Young Master is handling some matters inside, perhaps you could visit another day?” The two men recognized Shen Luo and knew who he was, treating him with due respect.

“No matter, I just came to buy some things,” Shen Luo glanced at the shop entrance and replied.

“Please don’t put us in a difficult position,” One follower glanced at the Guest Official Token hanging around Shen Luo’s waist and pleaded.

“Rest assured, I am merely here to purchase some items and will not disturb the Second Young Master,” Shen Luo replied, a hint of amusement in his smile.

The two men exchanged a look, still uncertain.

Shen Luo’s expression darkened, and he darted through the space between them, lightly waving his hand as he did so.

“Yo…” The two men looked shocked. But before they could even utter a word, they collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

As Shen Luo stepped inside, a coarse voice echoed out, unlike Bai Xiaoyun’s.

“Manager Ma, a wise man knows when to yield. Second Young Master Bai has the prestigious Jianye Bai Family behind him. Many people want to climb up the social ladder but have no opportunity. Don’t be unappreciative.”

As soon as the voice faded, a young voice piped up, “Uncle Ma, don’t tell me you still can’t see my sincerity after my repeated visits? I truly do like Miss Xiuxiu, why do you keep interfering?”

“Young Master Bai, your family is highly respectable, not a fit for a humble family like ours. Our daughter is still too young, not at the age to be married. There’s no need to insist. Isn’t it better to avoid unnecessary trouble with the Young Master?” Manager Ma’s voice rang out, pleading in his tone.

“Don’t use my own brother to suppress me! He’s not in Jianye City anymore, and this time no one will dare to interfere in my personal affairs again,” the young man said, his voice becoming heavier.

“The Second Young Master. Your brother just left a couple of days ago, and you are already getting restless. You are really quite passionate!” Shen Luo stepped across the threshold, speaking as he walked, his tone casual, like greeting an old friend.

His gaze swiped over the room, where he saw Manager Ma behind the counter, his face flushed as he protected his daughter. The young girl’s eyes were teary, a pitiful sight.