Contribution points were the internal quasi-currency of the Dao Seeking Sect. Purchasing goods within the sect, eating in the dining hall, and trading with fellow disciples all required contribution points.
Besides that, the special rewards in the Mission Hall also cost contribution points.
For instance, the most popular yet completely unaffordable "One-Day Dao Seeking Sect Master Experience Tour." As the name implied, redeeming this reward allowed one to be the Sect Master for a single day: holding meetings with the elders, handling sect affairs, having everyone address them as Sect Master, commanding wind and clouds, and enjoying the supreme privileges of a leader of the Five Great Immortal Sects...
There were countless perks, but unfortunately, the required contribution points were so astronomical that no one had ever managed to redeem it.
Rumor had it that several senior brothers once tried pooling their funds to redeem it just for the thrill. However, when it came to deciding who would actually get to be the Sect Master, an argument broke out. With none willing to back down, it devolved into a brawl, ultimately ending with all of them carried off to Pill Cauldron Peak for medical treatment, drawing a massive crowd of onlookers.
Nowadays, those senior brothers were out on long-term missions and had not returned to the Dao Seeking Sect for ages.
Then there was the "Medicine King Spiritual Liquid." The description stated that it was a precious elixir specially brewed by the Dao Seeking Sect's upper echelon, completely unique to their sect. It could be taken orally or applied topically, strengthening the physique, boosting physical vigor, solidifying the soul, and consolidating one's cultivation. Though its contribution point price was steep, it still ranked among the top sellers and was wildly popular among senior brothers and sisters.
Take a sip during a duel, and your stamina and mana were guaranteed to top off while wound healing sped up. Everyone who tried it sang its praises.
Another example was the "Flying Boat Accident Insurance," which cost merely one contribution point.
"Wait, why is there 'Flying Boat Accident Insurance'?" Lu Yang felt that this phrase did not sound very auspicious.
The senior brother handling the missions replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "It's completely normal. What kind of transportation is a hundred percent safe? Even with flying boats operated by the Falling Coin Chamber of Commerce, accidents can happen. Things like colliding with some supreme expert, parts malfunctioning leading to a failed emergency landing, the captain going on strike demanding a raise... These are all very common accidents. Fortunately, fatalities are rare, so there's no need to make a fuss.
"After the president of the Falling Coin Chamber of Commerce noticed that flying boats were always getting into accidents, he felt it was a significant risk. So he proposed having passengers pay a small sum into a shared pool. If an accident occurred, the chamber would take a hefty compensation out of the pool to pay the passengers.
"This way, if nothing happened to the flying boat, the passengers only spent a negligible amount of pocket change. If an accident did happen and delayed their business, they would receive compensation.
"The chamber president named this model 'Risk Assurance,' abbreviated as 'insurance,' and promoted it heavily across other industries.
"Don't worry, though. Our Dao Seeking Sect would never let our disciples down. We've always been generous when it comes to insurance. When you joined the sect, various insurance policies were already purchased for you, including Flying Boat Accident Insurance. The Flying Boat Accident Insurance listed on the reward board is just to increase the payout amount."
The senior brother wore an expression that practically said, *We are a righteous sect, not some fly-by-night demonic sect; whatever insurance ought to be covered is covered.* He looked thoroughly dependable.
"The cultivation world really is advancing fast. To think even insurance exists here."
The corner of Lu Yang's mouth twitched. In his memories from his past life, insurance was a product of maritime shipping. Who would have thought that in the cultivation world, it was born from flying boat transit?
He felt this thing was too bad an omen, and that it was better to buy something else.
One had to be at least a little superstitious in the cultivation world.
As if hearing Lu Yang's inner thoughts, the senior brother added, "A grandmaster who studies karma once suggested: could purchasing insurance establish a karmic link with risk, thereby increasing the likelihood of an accident occurring?
"The chamber flatly denied the possibility. Both sides argued for a long time without reaching an official conclusion.
"This topic is considered very worthy of research in the cultivation world. If your research concludes there is a karmic relationship, that grandmaster will favor you; if your research concludes there is no karmic relationship, the Falling Coin Chamber of Commerce will favor you. A surefire win either way."
*If I concluded there was a karmic relationship, the chamber would probably butcher me,* Lu Yang thought to himself.
"One contribution point can be exchanged for one hundred low-grade spirit stones, while one hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones can be exchanged for one contribution point."
"Blood-Drinking Flying Sword, two thousand contribution points. The longer it is soaked in blood, the greater its power... Looking at the description, how come this doesn't sound like a righteous weapon?"
The senior brother explained beside him, "It doesn't have to be soaked in human blood. Pig blood, cow blood, or duck blood all work. I heard that just two days ago, the shop selling Sichuan hotpot in the sect went around lodging complaints at every peak, demanding to know which bastard secretly soaked a Blood-Drinking Flying Sword in their duck blood!
"After a thorough search, the culprit was found. The hotpot shop owner's punishment was making him drink down an entire pot of red-oil broth. That scene was really—*tsk*—I bet he won't want to eat hotpot again for the rest of his life." The senior brother clicked his tongue several times, wearing quite a delicate expression. Who knew what he had witnessed back then.
Lu Yang continued browsing: "One bottle of Fasting Pills in any flavor, one contribution point."
"Ancestral Barbecue Secret Recipe, one hundred contribution points."
"Sword Levitation Formation, twenty-five contribution points. This formation can be engraved onto a weapon to suspend it behind one's back, eliminating the restriction of a scabbard for convenient use at any time. It also comes with a protective formation to shield the sword from wind and sun."
Lu Yang mulled it over and felt this formation was quite practical, so he bought it without hesitation.
This was a semi-concealed formation condensed in midair. As it settled onto the ancient sword, it evaporated like water droplets into the air, vanishing completely. The precious sword now hovered quietly behind Lu Yang's back, looking exceptionally dashing.
Lu Yang turned his body, and the ancient sword moved along with him without the slightest lag or delay.
"Good stuff."
"Ten-Ox-Strength Pill? One hundred contribution points, one thousand contribution points, ten thousand contribution points? The classic masterpiece of Alchemy Grandmaster Wu Ming. Ingesting it grants the strength of ten oxen to sweep through thousands of troops; usable from the Foundation Establishment stage all the way to the Nascent Soul stage."
Lu Yang suspected that if it hadn't been concocted by that Senior Brother Wu Ming—whose pills were half medicine and half poison—the price would have been even higher.
Still, judging from the description, this pill really was good stuff with miraculous effects in combat. It wouldn't hurt to buy one and test it out.
"Junior Sister Tao Yaoye, excuse me, are you buying anything with your contribution points? I'd like to borrow five contribution points. I'll pay you back after our next mission."
Contribution points could be transferred between disciples.
The things Tao Yaoye wanted to buy required a massive amount of contribution points, so having five more or five less made little difference.
"Sure."
Lu Yang briskly purchased a Ten-Ox-Strength Pill.
The senior brother handing out missions passed Lu Yang a small porcelain bottle containing a golden pill. It glinted faintly under the sunlight, clearly no ordinary item.
"I said earlier that we should properly celebrate your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment! I've booked a table at Baixiang Restaurant. Come on, let's eat—I guarantee it'll all be food you like." Meng Jingzhou laughed heartily and warmly invited Tao Yaoye as well.
"Junior Sister Tao, want to join us?"
Having ranked second during sect entry, Meng Jingzhou was Tao Yaoye's senior brother.
Tao Yaoye figured that although Lu Yang was afraid of heights, full of nonsense, and had poisoned her room without telling her, they had nonetheless completed a mission together, so they could probably be considered friends.
"I'll go."
Chapter 25