Qian Jingming's Ready Agreement!

"The contribution points calculated for Dongfang Yueming this time came to at least 20 extra points." Wang Zhen's tone was even, but it carried an unquestionable authority. "That goes on your tab. It'll be deducted from your contribution points next month! Any objections?"

Zhang Meng's face turned pale, then ashen. In the end, he could only swallow his broken teeth. He lowered his head and replied through clenched teeth, "...No objections."

He knew this was the captain's punishment for him, as well as compensation for Dongfang Yueming and an attempt to win him over.

Today, he had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice he had lured it with, and had lost both his wife and his troops! His hatred for Dongfang Yueming had grown even deeper!

Humming an off-key tune, Dongfang Yueming returned in excellent spirits to his doghouse-er, his cramped, shabby dorm room.

Not long after he sat down, his personal terminal gave a notification chime.

He opened it and saw a notice from the Academy Contribution Point Management Center:

"Dear student Dongfang Yueming, you have completed the city security patrol (temporary) mission and earned 6 base contribution points. Additional rewards: killed three mundane beasts-carrion rats (berserk), reward: 30 contribution points. Total contribution points earned: 36. Current total contribution points: 36."

"Whoa! They're already in my account?" Dongfang Yueming's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help clicking his tongue in praise. This was far more efficient than certain sluggish institutions in his previous life!

Looking at the number "36" on the panel, he knew it wasn't much, but it was the first pot of gold he had earned with his own strength since coming to this world! What a wonderful feeling!

Now that he had contribution points, Dongfang Yueming immediately logged back onto the Martial Dao Academy's internal website, headed straight for the "Cultivation Method Exchange" section, and began searching for a more advanced skin tempering method.

But he wouldn't have known if he hadn't looked. Once he did... his wallet ached!

The "Green Wood Skin Tempering Method" cost 50 contribution points!

The "Boulder Skin Tempering Art" cost 80 contribution points!

The "Cold Iron Skin Tempering Essentials" cost a whopping 100 contribution points!

These methods were clearly a grade above the "Basic Skin Tempering Method," and their prices had risen with the tide, costing nearly two to five times as much as the basic method! They also often had a note in small print: "Cultivation is more effective with the aid of specific resources."

"They're all so expensive..." Dongfang Yueming clicked his tongue in astonishment. The 36 contribution points he had worked so hard and risked so much to earn weren't even enough to exchange for the cheapest advanced skin tempering method!

"Forget it," he said, quickly calming down. "I've already asked Qian Jingming to get one anyway, so I'll wait and see what he can get his hands on. If I buy one and he brings me the same thing, won't I have taken a huge loss?"

With that in mind, he sent Qian Jingming a message: "Student Qian, I earned some contribution points today. When can you get me the advanced skin tempering method you promised?" He deliberately didn't mention how many points he had, keeping a card up his sleeve.

Qian Jingming's reply came soon after he sent the message, and it was unexpectedly forthcoming:

"Big Brother Dongfang! Don't worry! I've already made arrangements for the cultivation method, and I guarantee it's good stuff! Tomorrow! I'll personally deliver it to your dorm by tomorrow afternoon at the latest!"

"Hm?" Dongfang Yueming looked at the reply and began to wonder. This guy... why did he suddenly get so polite? He even called me Big Brother? And he agreed to deliver it tomorrow just like that? When something's out of the ordinary, there's bound to be something fishy...

Sure enough, another message followed right on its heels:

"Hehe, Big Brother Dongfang, here's the thing. I have a tiny request. Could you do me a favor?"

Dongfang Yueming: "Go on."

Qian Jingming: "Straight to the point, Big Brother! Here's the thing: there's a small get-together for people from our Martial Dao Academy in a week. I... I was hoping you could come with me and lend me some prestige! Don't worry, it definitely won't be any trouble. Just show your face, and there'll be good food and drink for you!"

"A get-together?" Dongfang Yueming raised an eyebrow. "What kind of get-together? Why do you need me to lend you prestige?" He had never been interested in that sort of social event.

But then he reconsidered. Who cares what kind of get-together it is! I'd just be showing my face. It's not like they can eat me, can they? As long as he can get me the advanced skin tempering method, there's no harm in going.

So he replied without hesitation: "Sure."

Meanwhile, in a luxurious cultivation room somewhere in the academy.

Qian Jingming looked at Dongfang Yueming's "Sure" on his terminal, and his face instantly broke into a relieved smile.

Beside him stood a female student with an unusually... brawny build. Yes, brawny! She was nearly 1.9 meters tall, with broad shoulders and knotted arm muscles that radiated explosive power. She was even more imposing than Zhao Tieniu!

If not for the feminine contours of her face, though those were rather rugged too, and the curves of her chest, squeezed almost out of shape by her tight Martial Dao uniform, it would have been hard to associate her with the word "female."

"Well? Did he agree?" The brawny senior's voice was low and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"He did! He did!" Qian Jingming hurriedly bobbed his head and bowed, an ingratiating smile plastered across his face. "Don't worry, Senior Shi! That kid Dongfang Yueming has agreed. He'll definitely be at the get-together in a week!"

"Mm, good." The brawny woman called Senior Shi nodded in satisfaction and patted Qian Jingming's shoulder with her palm-leaf-fan-sized hand. The force made him feel as though his shoulder blade was about to shatter.

"You'll get your share of the benefits once it's done." With those words, Senior Shi turned and strode out of the cultivation room with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, making the floor tremble slightly with every step.

Only after watching Senior Shi leave did Qian Jingming let out a long breath of relief, feeling that his back was soaked in cold sweat.

"Good heavens... Senior Shi's aura really is getting more and more terrifying..." He wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, still shaken.

Senior Shi was a famous figure in the Martial Dao Academy. Not only was she tremendously strong-she was said to have reached the Peak Flesh Refining Realm and was about to attempt a breakthrough to the Bone Forging Realm-but she also had a powerful background. She was someone ordinary students like them absolutely couldn't afford to offend!

Qian Jingming muttered inwardly, I heard that when Senior Shi first enrolled, she was a great beauty with a slender figure and lovely features... What a pity she had to choose to cultivate that extremely overbearing "Pangu Heaven-Opening Flesh Refining Method" and turn herself into this through sheer training... What a pity...

But none of that had anything to do with him. The most important thing now was that Dongfang Yueming had agreed to attend the get-together, so he could finally report back to Senior Shi! As for what would happen then... that was beyond his control.