Chapter 125: Chapter 124: Astonishing Gains

"This..."

Fang Han looked at the envelope but didn’t take it. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Please, don’t worry, Young Master. This is standard practice. The Patriarch has also prepared a token of his appreciation for the other four who came with you. There is no ulterior motive, merely a gesture to foster good relations."

Xu Yan added hastily upon seeing Fang Han’s hesitation.

Hearing that the other four had also received one, Fang Han’s doubts dissipated. He mulled it over for a moment before reaching out and accepting the envelope.

It felt surprisingly heavy in his hand; the envelope’s weight was not insignificant.

"Patriarch Xu is too kind."

Fang Han said, his tone turning polite.

"Then this old servant will not disturb your rest any longer. I’ll take my leave."

Xu Yan smiled at his words.

After speaking, he bowed deeply, retreated cautiously from the room, and gently closed the door behind him.

Fang Han walked to the table and picked up the envelope.

His fingertips could feel a thick stack of paper inside. He opened the envelope and emptied its contents onto the table.

It was five silver notes. Each one had a denomination of one thousand taels, for a total of five thousand taels of silver!

Even though Fang Han had been mentally prepared, he couldn’t help but be slightly shocked.

’Five thousand taels! Isn’t this a bit too generous!’

’If Liu Ye, Wang Meng, Sun Ming, and Bai Feng also each received five thousand taels, then the Xu Family would be spending twenty-five thousand taels of silver just to "grease the palms" of five disciples!’

’Or perhaps... because of the strength and potential I displayed during the day... this five thousand taels was for me alone?’

Fang Han’s eyes flickered, his mind racing.

’It seems the reason Steward Liang gave this tribute collection mission away as a "favor" wasn’t just because of the generous Contribution Points, but also because of the perks that came with it.’

...

Meanwhile, after leaving Fang Han’s room, the butler Xu Yan did not return to his own quarters. Instead, he went straight to Patriarch Xu Rong’s study.

Inside the study, Xu Rong was looking over a ledger by lamplight.

"Master," Xu Yan said with a bow.

"Have the silver notes been delivered?"

Xu Rong asked faintly.

"Replying to the Master, they have all been delivered. The other four accepted readily. Young Master Fang was a bit hesitant at first, but after this old servant explained that the other four also received a gift, he accepted it."

Xu Yan replied respectfully, then, with a hint of confusion, he asked cautiously,

"Master, there is something this old servant does not understand. Even if we wish to show goodwill, according to the precedent of previous years, one thousand taels per person is already the absolute limit. Why give this Fang Han... five thousand taels? Isn’t that... a bit too extravagant?"

Hearing this, Xu Rong set down the ledger. His gaze was profound, and the corner of his mouth held a shrewd, calculating smile.

"Uncle Fu, your vision is still a bit shortsighted."

He put down the ledger and said slowly.

"Did you know that this Fang Han has only been at the Sect for a few months, yet he has gone from a complete unknown to breaking into the top ten of the Sub-Branch, ranking seventh?"

He had spent money to gather this information from the servants who had accompanied the convoy.

"I didn’t realize the boy was so accomplished."

Surprise showed on Xu Yan’s face.

"This young man’s Talent is astonishing, and his growth is incredibly rapid. It is truly rare."

Xu Rong said gravely.

"You saw the fight at the market during the day. Mo Yuan, ranked fifth in the Netherworld Pavilion this year, suffered a loss at his hands."

"In the future, as long as he doesn’t meet an untimely end, this young man is certain to secure a place for himself within the Qingxuan Sect. He might even... become a True Disciple!"

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Five thousand taels of silver is a huge sum for an ordinary Martial Artist, but for a future True Disciple, for someone who might become a high-ranking figure in the Qingxuan Sect, what is it?"

"Today, we use five thousand taels to forge a good relationship, to make him remember the Xu Family’s ’sincerity.’ In the future, it might bring our family ten, even a hundred times the return. Do you think this investment is a loss?"

"Master is wise and far-sighted. This old servant is filled with admiration. A gift in a time of need is worth far more than one in a time of plenty. Investing in him before he has fully risen is indeed a wise move."

Understanding dawned on Xu Yan, and his face filled with admiration.

"You may go. Arrange the handover of the tribute goods for tomorrow. Make sure everything is in order and that there are no mistakes."

Xu Rong nodded, picked up the ledger again, and waved his hand dismissively.

"Yes, Master." Xu Yan bowed, backed out, and gently closed the study door.

Inside the study, the lamplight flickered, illuminating Xu Rong’s contemplative face.

...

At first light the next morning, the area in front of the Xu Mansion in Baisan City was already bustling with activity.

One after another, the tribute goods were loaded onto the cargo carriages that had accompanied Fang Han and the others.

The five of them held a checklist, comparing each item to avoid any mistakes.

Having been burned once before, Fang Han was especially cautious.

It took them more than two hours to inventory all of this year’s tribute goods and load them onto the carriages.

"We appreciate Patriarch Xu’s efforts. We have checked the inventory list and confirmed everything is in order. We will now set off to return to the Sect and report."

Fang Han and the other four disciples glanced over the convoy and nodded slightly.

"A safe journey to you!"

Xu Rong quickly cupped his fists, and the members of the Xu Family behind him echoed his sentiment in unison.

Fang Han and the other four boarded their carriages and signaled for the convoy to depart.

With the shouts of the drivers and the cracks of their whips, the heavy carriage wheels slowly began to turn, letting out a series of creaks.

Xu Rong personally saw them off with a group of core family members, his face wearing an enthusiastic yet respectful smile.

The convoy left the Xu Mansion, passed through the gates of Baisan City, and set out on the main road back to the Qingxuan Sect.

Unlike the relaxed journey here, on the way back, the expressions of Fang Han and the others were all rather solemn.

After all, the carriages were loaded with valuable goods. Furthermore, yesterday’s conflict with the disciples from the Netherworld Pavilion made them worry that their opponents might hold a grudge and set up an ambush along the way to get revenge.

"We took the main road on our way here."

Liu Ye suggested to Fang Han, her brow tinged with worry and her voice low.

"To be on the safe side, I suggest we change our route. It’ll be a longer detour, but it will help us avoid potential trouble and be much safer."

In the world of Martial Artists, strength was paramount, and this was even truer within a Sect. After witnessing Fang Han’s power yesterday, she had naturally started to see him as the leader of this trip.

Fang Han pondered for a moment. His gaze swept over Sun Ming, Bai Feng, and Wang Meng, and seeing agreement in their eyes, he nodded.

"For the sake of caution, we’ll do as Senior Sister Liu says."

And so, at the next fork in the road, the convoy deviated from the wide, flat main road they had taken here and turned onto a narrower, more remote path that wound through hilly woodlands.

This road was indeed much more difficult to travel. The surface was bumpy and uneven, and the carriages’ speed slowed noticeably.

The dense trees on both sides obstructed their view, adding to the tense atmosphere.

The five of them didn’t dare to be the least bit careless. They couldn’t even focus on Cultivation. Their minds were highly focused, keeping their eyes and ears peeled, constantly vigilant for any possible attack.

However, to their surprise, the journey was unexpectedly calm.

Aside from the occasional startled bird or scurrying rabbit, they encountered no ambushes, not even a single roadside bandit.

"Looks like we were worrying for nothing!"

After two straight days of tense vigilance, Sun Ming’s taut expression relaxed slightly as he spoke with a grin.

But the movement pulled at the wound on his ribs, making him hiss in a sharp breath of cold air.

Bai Feng remained as taciturn as ever, but the sharpness in his gaze also softened a bit.

Wang Meng sat upright on her horse, her cool gaze sweeping over the silent woods. She gave a slight nod, tacitly agreeing with Sun Ming’s assessment.

Fang Han also breathed a small sigh of relief, but he didn’t let his guard down completely. ’As long as we haven’t returned to the Sect, there’s still a chance of danger.’

It wasn’t until the afternoon of the third day, when the familiar, majestic silhouette of Qingxuan Mountain came into view in the distance, that the great weight in his heart finally lifted.

A day later than planned, the convoy finally arrived safely at the foot of the Qingxuan Sect’s mountain.

Looking at the towering sect gate and the familiar green robes of the disciples on duty, the constantly strained nerves of Liu Ye, Sun Ming, Bai Feng, and Wang Meng finally relaxed completely. Smiles of relief appeared on their faces.

The last trace of solemnity deep in Fang Han’s eyes also quietly dissolved, but his expression remained calm.

The handover process was exceptionally smooth.

A few disciples specializing in inspections came forward and carefully checked everything.

The entire inspection was efficient and rigorous, completed in less than an hour, confirming that the quality and quantity of all goods met the requirements without any discrepancies.

"Mission completed without error. The Contribution Points have been transferred."

The Steward in charge of registration swiped the five Identity Jade Tokens one by one over an inkstone-shaped device. After a faint glimmer of light, he handed them back.

"Thank you, Steward."

Fang Han took back his Jade Token and infused a trace of Inner Qi into it. He glanced down and saw the number on it had changed from "60" to "180".

The one hundred and twenty Contribution Points had been successfully deposited.

Liu Ye, Sun Ming, Bai Feng, and Wang Meng also showed joy on their faces, clearly very satisfied with the generous reward for this mission.

The five said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

Fang Han went straight back to Room C-7 in the Sub-Branch.

He closed the door and slid the bolt. The familiar, faint dusty smell of the room finally put his mind at ease.

He walked to the table, sat down, and took out his Identity Jade Token again.

’One hundred and eighty Contribution Points...’

His fingertips brushed across the warm, jade-like surface, feeling the number contained within. A hint of satisfaction flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.

Exchanging for a Middle Grade Step Technique usually required one hundred to one hundred and fifty Contribution Points.

He now had one hundred and eighty points, which was more than enough, with even some to spare.

The reward for this mission was far more generous than any he had ever taken on before.

’One hundred and twenty Contribution Points is equivalent to two thousand four hundred taels of silver...’

’The Xu Family also gave me five thousand taels separately... This mission’s net profit is as high as seven thousand four hundred taels of silver!’

Fang Han couldn’t help but be astonished by his earnings.

He had never imagined he could gain so much from a single mission.

However, he was also aware that this profit was partly because the mission was a high-quality one not available to the public, and partly because the Xu Family valued his demonstrated potential and future prospects.

On the way back, he had asked Wang Meng and the others about the Xu Family’s "token of appreciation." Wang Meng had coolly replied, "One thousand taels," and Liu Ye, Sun Ming, and the rest had said much the same.

Only he had received five thousand taels. The preferential treatment was self-evident.

’Strength... The source of all preferential treatment is, ultimately, strength.’

Fang Han gently rubbed the Jade Token, a flash of understanding in his eyes.

’Only with strength will others value you and be willing to invest in you.’

’In the end, this world respects strength above all else.’

’To obtain more resources, one must possess greater strength.’

’For the next while, it’s time to focus on Cultivation.’ 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He put the Jade Token away, his mind made up.

Frequently taking missions could rapidly accumulate resources, but if it delayed his fundamental Cultivation, it would be missing the forest for the trees.

His Startled Swan Step had reached the Peak of Great Success and was only a single step away from Perfection.

The most pressing matter was to strike while the iron was hot and push this Step Technique to the Realm of Perfection in one go.

At that time, his Body Technique’s speed and agility would surely rise to another level, and his overall strength would increase along with it.