Early the next morning, after Chu Danqing and Da Bao finished the breakfast delivered by the maids, someone came to lead the two of them away.
They were taken from the guest rooms to a courtyard residence, like a small villa, complete with a host of servants and attendants.
This was the area where retainers and Attendants lived, each with its own courtyard and small garden. One could only say that a powerful local aristocratic clan truly lived up to its name.
"A D-rank Trial Mission isn't low in difficulty." Chu Danqing could not directly grasp it, but the treatment alone made it clear.
Including him, there were only seven Lu Clan Retainers.
Besides having standalone small villas with courtyards within the Lu residence, each of them also had an office specially provided for them, called Cloudwater Pavilion.
They were fed, entertained, and waited upon in every way, enjoying an extraordinary status in daily life. But if the Lu Clan encountered trouble, these retainers would truly have to fill the gap with their lives.
After Chu Danqing settled in, he successfully completed the Trial Mission. There was no registration or information entry needed; as long as people knew, that was enough.
Mission completed. You have received: Paradise Points ×1000, Attribute Points +1 Next-stage mission activated Trial Mission: Obtain 1000 Faction Contribution Points within seven days Trial Difficulty: D-rank (Normal) Trial Reward: Return Qualification, Paradise Points ×1000, Attribute Points +1 Trial Failure: Paradise Points -2000, forced return
Though both involved returning, there was a difference.
Forced return meant that if one failed to complete the mission within the allotted time, one would be sent back directly.
Return Qualification, meanwhile, allowed one to choose when to return within the time limit.
Not every apostle could complete the Trial Mission as quickly as Chu Danqing, so the Return Qualification followed the total mission duration—three plus seven plus seven days, seventeen days in all.
During that extra time, one could improve their evaluation through their actions, cultivate, trigger missions, and so on.
It was a hidden benefit for completing missions ahead of schedule.
"I just wonder how long it'll take to earn a thousand Faction Contribution Points."
"The difficulty probably won't be too high. At most, it should be a little harder than wiping out Green Cliff Stronghold."
For Chu Danqing, it was not difficult, but that might not be true for the other apostles.
He then took Da Bao to Cloudwater Pavilion. There were even more people here, all of them existing to serve the retainers and Attendants.
"Mr. Chu, why have you come in person? If you need anything, just call for us." A steward hurried over with a warm smile.
"I came to see if there's anything I can help with," Chu Danqing replied.
"You've only just arrived. Why not rest a little longer?" the steward quickly said, leading Chu Danqing to his main hall within Cloudwater Pavilion.
He then had someone bring fine tea, fruit, pastries, and other refreshments. The service was impeccable.
Chu Danqing casually picked up the register placed on the table, and Dimension Paradise presented an exchange list.
Faction Store · Aristocratic Lu Clan -- Heavenly Fire Wildfire Sutra Type: Inherited Skill Quality: Fine Effect: Upon use, obtain the Heavenly Fire Wildfire Sutra Inherited Skill Tree. Energy Points are converted into Mana Points, and mana gains fire-element effects. Quantity: 1 Exchange Requirement: Contribution Points ×10000 -- White Crane True Immortal's Notes · Volume One Type: Knowledge-type Item Quality: Excellent Durability: 100/100 Effect: Reading it can raise the levels of Summoning Basics and Basic Summoning Art. Quantity: 2 Exchange Requirement: Contribution Points ×3000 -- Lu Clan Body Tempering Elixir Type: Consumable Quality: Excellent Effect: After consumption, Health Points +300 Quantity: 3 Exchange Requirement: Contribution Points ×1500 -- Note: The three factions share the exchange quantities of the first three items. Note: The first three items differ depending on the faction.
Chu Danqing's gaze fell upon the second item. This knowledge-type item was worth more than a thousand pieces of gold to him.
As for why it happened to be a basic summoning skill, it was not because Chu Danqing was especially unusual. Rather, because he already possessed a Basic Skill, the reward had been replaced with an item that improved Basic Skills.
Otherwise, it would have been some item or consumable capable of granting a Basic Skill.
Furthermore, those who possessed different Basic Skills would receive different knowledge-type items for exchange.
Chu Danqing ignored the first item outright. The required Contribution Points were too high; gathering them all would likely not be easy.
He also wanted the Lu Clan Body Tempering Elixir that increased Health Points, but he had to prioritize White Crane True Immortal's Notes.
The first three rewards on this list were not meant for most apostles, but for the small number of high-evaluation apostles like Chu Danqing.
The items further down, on the other hand, did not cost more than a thousand Contribution Points. As long as one successfully completed the mission, there would basically be extra gains.
Dimension Paradise required him to obtain a thousand Contribution Points, not keep them, so spending them did not matter.
"No need to rest. Precisely because I've only just arrived, I need to leave a good impression on the master of the house." After seeing the items on the exchange list, how could Chu Danqing have any desire to rest?
He only wanted to gather three thousand Contribution Points as quickly as possible to exchange for White Crane True Immortal's Notes.
Chu Danqing was certain that his progress was most likely the fastest. If he was efficient enough, there was still a good chance that he could obtain the Lu Clan Body Tempering Elixir as well.
Seeing that Chu Danqing had put it that way, the steward could not insist. He could only retrieve another register and hand it to Chu Danqing.
"These are some matters within the estate that require your assistance. Please take a look first," the steward said.
After taking the register, Chu Danqing began flipping through it. Dimension Paradise also popped up to make its presence known.
Maintain order during porridge distribution: 150 Contribution Points per day Purchase grain: Determined by the quantity of grain Suppress the beast infestation at the mine pit outside the city: 1000 Contribution Points
There were quite a few entries in the register. There was no need to accept them; as long as they were completed, they would be counted.
After glancing through it, Chu Danqing closed the register and casually asked, "Do you know the Ji Family in the commandery?"
Upon hearing this, the steward immediately said, "I do. They are the great wealthy family of Yangxian."
"In terms of family standing, they cannot compare to our Lu Clan, but in terms of wealth, they surpass the Lu Clan by ten thousandfold."
Chu Danqing's expression did not change. He remembered that among the goods Ji Yun had transported back before, there seemed to have been grain.
"I'll handle these three matters. I have some ties with the Ji Family." Chu Danqing casually checked off the first three contribution missions.
Further down, the Contribution Points fell off a cliff, just like in the Faction Store.
The key lay in the quantity of grain.
Otherwise, the remaining two missions together would only yield 2050 Contribution Points, and they could only be obtained on the final day.
Naturally, Chu Danqing was unwilling to wait. He wanted to obtain them early, which meant he needed enough grain.
The Ji Family happened to be a breakthrough point.
The steward looked at the three missions Chu Danqing had checked off, seeming as though he wanted to speak but hesitated.
"Is there anything else?" Chu Danqing asked.
"Nothing. It is simply that the Ji Family is arrogant because of their wealth, so they may not be easy to deal with," the steward reminded him.
Before you continue