Meanwhile, Alchemy Peak, at the Punishment Crypt...
Deacon Joe Lion observed with attention as his subordinates meticulously counted out the final Spirit $tones from the substantial pile before them, verifying each denomination and ensuring perfect accuracy in their accounting.
The process took considerable time given the sheer quantity involved, but eventually they reached the definitive total and reported their findings. Satisfied with their thoroughness, Joe gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"The financial penalty has been paid in full—seventy-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-one D-grade Spirit $tones, counted and verified. Therefore, according to Abyss Pit Sect laws regulation and established precedent, the crime committed by Outer Sect disciple Lordi Payne of Ghostshade Peak—specifically, the act of murdering three fellow Outer Sect comrades, namely Miu Toanh, Chou Ease, and Lee Sagwon—is hereby considered fully adjudicated and completely resolved. The debt is settled, the penalty is paid, and this matter is now closed. Your record is wiped clean of this incident."
He casually tossed the handful of remaining spirit stones back toward Lordi—the small excess amount that had rounded the payment above the required penalty. "There you are. You're free to go now."
However, instead of simply accepting the returned Spirit $tones, Lordi cupped his hands in a respectful formal gesture and addressed the Deacon with careful politeness. "Deacon Enforcer Lion, if I might trouble you for just a moment longer to seek your counsel on an administrative matter? As your wisdom must see, this humble disciple achieved some significant breakthroughs and advances in my alchemical studies and elixir refinement techniques recently. Given these developments, I believe it would be tremendously beneficial for my continued progress if I could secure permanent residence at Alchemy Peak rather than remaining in my current accommodations. I was hoping you might be willing to offer some guidance on the proper procedure for arranging such a transfer?"
Joe's response was remarkably swift and completely unambiguous. Without the slightest hesitation or attempt at maintaining pretense, he smoothly pocketed the spirit stones that Lordi had declined to retrieve, making them disappear into his robes with practiced efficiency. "That matter is actually quite simple to arrange and requires minimal effort on your part. You just need to proceed directly to Halls of General Affairs and locate the Accommodation Office. Once there, present yourself to the front desk and provide the reception disciple with an appropriate quantity of Spirit $tones as processing fees. They'll take care of assigning you a suitable residence in short order."
"This humble junior expresses his deepest gratitude for Deacon Enforcer Joe's invaluable guidance," Lordi replied with proper courtesy, though his eyes had narrowed ever so slightly in an expression of satisfaction. In truth, the matter of changing his residence location had been merely a secondary concern. His primary objective in making this additional request had been to determine whether officials in the Punishment Crypt could be effectively bribed. Based on the remarkable speed with which Joe Lion had accepted those Spirit $tones without even token resistance, based on how readily he'd provided assistance once payment was offered, the experimental results were extremely promising. The answer was a definitive yes: these people could absolutely be bought.
This discovery brought Lordi considerable psychological comfort and a substantial increase in his sense of security within this Abyss Pit Sect. It seemed that while this morally questionable, frequently dangerous demonic sect he'd joined proved utterly unreliable in virtually every other respect—their written regulations meant nothing, fellow disciples couldn't be trusted not to murder you for advantage, and senior authority figures offered no real protection—at least Spirit $tones retained their universal power. At least money still talked. In a world where nothing else could be counted on, the power of currency remained a constant, reliable force that could grease wheels and open doors.
Having concluded his business at the Punishment Crypt with his record cleared, Lordi departed from that building and made his way directly back to front square of the Pill Peak. Following Deacon Enforcer Lion's straightforward instructions, he located the Hall of General Affairs and initiated the process of securing new accommodations.
For the first time since his arrival at the demonic sect, Lordi knew a profound and unfamiliar peace. The crushing weight of debt was gone, lifted by the substantial fortune now resting in his storage pouch. He was, at this particular moment, not just solvent but secure.
This newfound security changed everything. There was no logic in clinging to the harsh frugality of a desperate man. Why endure substandard conditions when he could afford excellence? So, when presented with the spectrum of available residences, Lordi didn't hesitate. His eyes passed over the modest lodgings and settled without debate on the premium options. He selected a superior-grade mountain manor, and not just any—he chose the one perched in the area of densest, most vibrant spirit flows on the entire peak.
The reasoning was simple, almost instinctual: if he was going to spend, he would have the best.
The difference that adequate funding made in Lordi's experience at the reception office of the Accommodation Department proved immediately and almost shockingly apparent, transforming what he'd expected to be another exercise in humiliation into something resembling an actual pleasant transaction.
The moment—the precise instant—that Lordi raised his hand and pointed a single finger toward the illustrated map section depicting the superior-grade mountain manor compound, a area of prime real estate reserved for disciples with either substantial personal wealth or powerful backing, the entire atmosphere in the Hall of General Affairs shifted as dramatically as if someone had flipped a switch that controlled the very nature of reality itself.
The front desk disciple staffing the reception counter, a young man at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement who'd initially been examining Lordi with the same vaguely dismissive expression, suddenly straightened his posture and arranged his features into an expression of genuine courtesy and attentiveness.
The transformation stood in stark, almost comical contrast to the dismissive, barely civil treatment Lordi had received from administrative personnel when he'd first entered the sect as a poor, unconnected nobody. Gone was the perfunctory half-bow, the impatient drumming of fingers on the counter, the thinly veiled sighs that communicated how much of an inconvenience his presence represented. Instead, Lordi found himself being politely—no, obsequiously—invited by this sixth layer disciple receptionist to please, honored guest, follow him to a more appropriate setting for conducting such important business.
The man actually bowed deep and gestured toward a staircase leading upward with the kind of sweeping hand motion usually reserved for greeting sect elders.
"If the esteemed senior brother would be so kind as to accompany this humble one to our elegant private consultation chambers on the higher floor, we can discuss your accommodation requirements in comfort befitting your obvious status and discerning taste," the receptionist said with a smile that looked almost genuine. "Please, this way, allow me to guide you."
The private chamber turned out to be something genuinely impressive, certainly several grades above anything Lordi had expected to encounter in his previous life's experience of what is called an Eastern traditional luxury decoration. The room occupied a corner position with windows on two sides that let in natural light filtered through formations that somehow made it softer and more pleasant than ordinary sunlight, casting everything in a warm golden glow that made even mundane objects look more refined.
The furniture consisted of actual quality pieces rather than the standard sect-issue wooden chairs—cushioned seats with armrests carved in the shapes of mystical beasts, a low table made from some dark, lustrous wood that practically radiated the faint spiritual energy of whatever ancient tree it had been harvested from, and decorative wall hangings depicting famous cultivation scenes that, while not masterworks, showed considerably more artistry than the bare walls of typical sect facilities.
The receptionist gestured for Lordi to take the seat of honor with another of those deep bows, then actually excused himself briefly before returning with refreshments that made Lordi's eyes widen slightly. The cocktail alone probably cost more than Lordi's Clan Brother, Honine's had spent on food at the sect—a delicate crystalline cup filled with liquid that swirled with faint traces of spiritual energy, made from freshly squeezed spirit fruit that still retained enough potency to provide minor cultivation benefits just from drinking it. Beside it sat a small dish of dried spirit fruit seasoned with what smelled like fine salt harvested from some special location and thin slices of what could only be demon beast meat.
"Please sir, refresh yourself while this humble one makes the necessary arrangements," the receptionist said, setting the items down with careful precision. "An esteemed guest with such refined requirements naturally deserves our full attention and the expertise of our most knowledgeable personnel."
Alas, with Spirit $tones jingling in his storage pouch and merely the demonstrated intention to pursue expensive accommodations at the office, everything had changed so dramatically it almost felt like Lordi had wandered into a completely different sect that just happened to occupy the same mountain range.
Back then, when he'd first arrived at Ghost Shade Peak as a newly accepted Outer Sect disciple with nothing to his name but the basic supplies the sect had grudgingly provided and the clothes on his back, the senior disciple manning the reception desk had radiated contempt and impatience from every pore, making Lordi feel like an unwelcome nuisance whose very presence represented an annoying interruption to whatever more important activities they'd rather be pursuing.
Every question had been met with curt, minimal answers delivered in tones that suggested Lordi should have already known such basic information. Every request for clarification had earned him irritated sighs and eye-rolls that communicated exactly how far beneath the receptionist's dignity this interaction fell.
But here on Alchemy Peak, with the promise of substantial rental fees implied by Lordi's interest in premium properties, the sixth layer disciple maintained that obsequious smile and respectful demeanor throughout their brief initial interaction before excusing himself with another bow.
"Please forgive this one's presumption, honored Senior Brother, but a matter of such importance—the selection of a superior-grade manor residence—truly requires the personal attention of someone with greater authority and expertise than this humble receptionist possesses. If you would be willing to wait just a brief moment while this one informs our supervisor of your distinguished presence, I'm certain our managing supervisor will be honored to handle your accommodation requirements personally. An esteemed guest of your evident status deserves nothing less than our finest service."
Not long after the receptionist departed, leaving Lordi to sip his expensive fruit cocktail and contemplate the surreal nature of being treated like someone who actually mattered, the door to the private chamber opened again to admit a figure that immediately commanded attention through sheer presence alone.
A tall woman strode into the room with the confident bearing of someone accustomed to authority, her powerful aura radiating the unmistakable pressure of Foundation Stage cultivation in a way that made the air feel heavier and charged with potential energy. She was clearly an elite Inner Sect disciple, probably serving in some administrative capacity of some Bloodlines that required both cultivation prowess and management skills. Lordi had braced himself for the typical arrogance such figures usually displayed toward outer sect members—that particular blend of condescension and impatience that powerful cultivators seemed to develop naturally when dealing with those they considered beneath their notice.
Instead, to his genuine surprise, the Foundation Stage senior sister's tone was warm and genuinely considerate as she entered the chamber, her expression open and welcoming in a way that seemed entirely sincere rather than simply professional courtesy. She performed a graceful curtsy upon seeing him, the kind of elegant gesture that ladies from prominent aristocratic families learned from childhood, bending at the knee with perfect poise while her hands arranged her robes in a practiced motion that spoke of genuine refinement rather than mere sect training.
"This humble one greets the honored guest," she said with a smile that reached her eyes and made them crinkle slightly at the corners. "My name is Melissy Chiu, and I serve as the accommodations manager for the superior-grade properties in this region. The receptionist has informed me that you're interested in selecting a mountain manor from our premium collection, and I would be absolutely delighted to assist you personally in finding a residence that perfectly suits your needs and preferences."
Not only did the administrative manager maintain that pleasant, welcoming smile throughout their entire subsequent interaction—as Lordi explained his requirements and examined the various property listings she produced with detailed illustrations and specifications—treating him as a genuinely valued and respected member of the holy sect whose business was important and whose satisfaction mattered.
Lordi finally finalized his selection of the specific manor he wanted from among the available options, pointing to a particularly impressive property situated on a cliff face with commanding views of the surrounding peaks.
"Excellent choice, Mister Payne! That particular manor is one of my personal favorites among our available properties—truly a gem that will serve you well in your cultivation journey. Now, rather than simply providing you with directions and leaving you to find your way there alone, which seems rather impersonal and inadequate for such an important transaction, please allow this humble senior sister the privilege of personally escorting you to the property. I can provide you with a much more thorough orientation to its features and the surrounding area that way, and it would be my genuine pleasure to ensure you're completely comfortable with your new residence."