Lunch at the City Lord's Mansion! The Title Application!

After returning from the Spirit Hall Branch, Lan Tian did not rush to the City Lord's Mansion.

He first put the subsidy he had just received into his storage ring, pinned the three-ring soul master badge to the inside of his collar, then went back to the rear courtyard to water the Nine Heart Begonia. After using Endless Life to nourish it for a while and confirming that everything was normal, he finally sat down and carefully organized the materials he needed to discuss with the city lord.

Elder Zhao was right. The first step in applying for a title was filing a record with Spirit Hall, and he had already completed it.

The second step was the key. It required the City Lord's Mansion's review and guarantee. Once this step went smoothly, the rest would merely be a matter of procedure.

He took out a sheet of paper and roughly listed his current identity information, soul master rank, the date of his appointment as chief physician, and the records of the treatments he had provided for the city guards and the City Lord's Mansion over the years.

Although the final approval over in Heaven Dou City mainly depended on the City Lord's Mansion's seal and letter of guarantee, preparing all the materials and handing them to Alfred would also show that he was entirely sincere.

The next morning, after he finished seeing several patients, he changed into a neat dark robe and went to the City Lord's Mansion with the organized materials.

The gatekeeper at the City Lord's Mansion recognized him. As soon as he saw him, there was no need to report his arrival. He simply smiled and led him inside. "Doctor Lan is here? The city lord is in the study. You can go straight in."

When Lan Tian passed through the front courtyard and entered the study, Alfred was standing by the window reading an official document. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and greeted him with a smile, inviting him to sit. "Doctor Lan, you haven't come by in some time. I heard you went to Sunset Forest again a while ago? That place isn't very peaceful. You didn't run into any trouble, did you?"

"It was fine. I ran into a few minor twists, but they were all resolved." Lan Tian sat down in the chair and got straight to the point. "City Lord, I came today because there is something I would like your help with. I have already broken through to a three-ring Soul Elder, and I plan to apply to the Tiandou Empire for a baron title. I need the City Lord's Mansion to provide a guarantee and review, so I would like to ask for your assistance."

Alfred raised his brows slightly, set down the official document in his hand, and looked at Lan Tian seriously, a hint of scrutiny in his gaze.

A moment later, he nodded, his tone carrying a measure of heartfelt appreciation. "A three-ring Soul Elder? I remember when you first came to Nuoding City, you were still a one-ring soul master. It has only been about eight years, and you've already come this far."

He pondered for a moment, then continued, "I am familiar with the application process for a baron title. The City Lord's Mansion's letter of guarantee and seal are necessary. You are the chief physician I personally appointed. Over the years, you have never once refused when called to treat the city guards or the City Lord's Mansion. I know your character and ability well. There will be no problem with the letter of guarantee from my side. Later, I will have the clerk draft an official copy for you, and I will sign and seal it."

"Thank you, City Lord." Lan Tian cupped his hands.

"However, there is one more thing I need to make clear to you."

Alfred picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone becoming more solemn.

"After the title application is submitted to Heaven Dou City, the review period there is not short. If it's fast, it will take three or four months. If it's slow, half a year or even longer. During that time, someone may come to Nuoding City to make inquiries and verify your situation. You don't need to worry about that. I will arrange for someone to receive them."

He paused, then continued, "Also, after the title is approved, aside from the soul master subsidy from Spirit Hall, the empire will additionally issue you a baron's salary and benefits each month. According to the current standard, a baron receives an additional salary of one hundred Gold Soul Coins per month. In addition, there is an annual share of fief rent. The exact amount depends on which region the empire assigns your fief to. The difference between good land and poor land is considerable. On my side, I will do my best to help you secure a better fief. After all, you have been rooted in Nuoding City for so many years. It's better to keep the benefits within the family."

Lan Tian's heart brightened slightly.

Spirit Hall's subsidy was already one hundred Gold Soul Coins. Even without the other benefits, just the baron's monthly salary alone meant he would have an income of two hundred Gold Soul Coins every month without lifting a finger.

That was two thousand four hundred Gold Soul Coins a year.

Whether in this era or in the future a hundred years from now, that was a considerable income, enough to live an extremely wealthy life and thoroughly step into the class of the powerful and noble.

If the baron's salary and fief share were added on top of that, he hardly dared to imagine it.

Once this money accumulated, whether it was used to purchase older medicinal herbs or to prepare equipment and supplies for his future strategy regarding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, it would be a tremendous help.

He cupped his hands solemnly toward Alfred. "City Lord, I will remember this kindness. In the future, wherever the City Lord's Mansion and the city guards have use for me, I will never refuse."

Alfred smiled and waved his hand. "There is no need for such polite words between us. You have done so much for Nuoding City. Helping you secure the status you deserve is part of my duty."

He stood and walked to the bookshelf, took a blank letter of guarantee form from a drawer, and placed it on the desk. "Did you bring your materials? I will have the clerk fill it out now and try to send it out within the next two days."

Lan Tian handed the materials he had brought to Alfred.

Alfred took them and quickly flipped through them. He was quite satisfied with how detailed the contents were and casually handed them to the clerk waiting outside the door for transcription.

Then he looked at Lan Tian again, as if he had suddenly thought of something, and a bit more interest appeared on his face. "Doctor Lan, the standard soul ring configuration for a three-ring Soul Elder should be two yellow and one purple, but many people cannot achieve that. You are quite lucky. By the way, how old is your third ring? The shade of purple is related to your Soul Power foundation. When the title is reviewed in the future, if someone from Heaven Dou City asks about it, I will need to be prepared on my side as well."

"The third ring just happens to be a thousand-year plant soul ring." Lan Tian repeated the same explanation he had given Elder Zhao.

After Alfred listened, he nodded and did not ask for further details.

He came from an ordinary background and had limited understanding of how to identify the age of soul rings. Whatever Lan Tian said, he believed.

About two quarters of an hour later, the clerk brought back the completed letter of guarantee. Alfred picked it up and carefully read through it. After confirming that there were no errors, he took a brush from the brush rack, dipped it in cinnabar ink, signed his name at the end of the letter, then took out the city lord's seal and stamped it on.

After the ink dried completely, he folded the letter of guarantee, placed it in an envelope, pressed sealing wax over the flap, and handed it to Lan Tian.

"All right. Later, send this together with the filing certificate from Spirit Hall to the imperial government office in Heaven Dou City, or you can make the trip yourself. I suggest using the official post station to deliver it. It is safe and fast, and the cost will be paid from my side."

"You have arranged everything thoroughly, City Lord. Thank you." Lan Tian accepted the envelope with both hands and carefully placed it into his storage ring.

When he left the City Lord's Mansion, the sunlight outside was just right. Pedestrians and vendors on the street were each busy with their own affairs, and the whole of Nuoding City was bathed in warm, mellow light.

He stood on the steps at the entrance of the City Lord's Mansion, took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. The stone in his heart regarding his status finally settled.

The materials for the title application were complete, and he had obtained the city lord's guarantee. The rest was to send it out and wait for news.

Three or four months at the fastest, half a year at the slowest, and he would go from a grassroots soul master with no noble status at all to a baron officially recognized by the Tiandou Empire.

He slowly walked back to the clinic along the main street. When he passed the stall selling baked flatbreads at the street corner, he stopped for a moment and bought two steaming meat-stuffed baked flatbreads, holding them in his hand and eating as he walked.

The road ahead would only become broader. His strength was rising, his status was rising, and his resources were accumulating. Although he still could not charge into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for the time being, with a title and more channels of income, the speed of his preparations would only become faster and faster.

When he returned to the entrance of the clinic, he stuffed the last bite of baked flatbread into his mouth, brushed the crumbs from his hands, pushed open the door, and walked inside.

The afternoon sunlight shone down from above the courtyard. The leaves of the Nine Heart Begonia gleamed with a soft luster beneath the light, and the pink-white shading looked as if it had been coated with a thin layer of beeswax.

In a few more months, he would be a baron.