"Nephew Su Luo, how should the expenses for next month be handled... should they be issued as usual?"
Two deacons stood before Su Luo, both in their early forties, responsible for the Resource Hall's treasury.
They knew the true situation clearly over the years. It was only because Li Tianjue had borne it all and asked them not to speak of it that they had remained silent and acted according to his wishes.
Su Luo ruffled her hair, looking flustered, and said, "Yes, of course, they must be issued, and even more!"
After receiving so many gifts from everyone, how could she not reciprocate?
But the situation would be dire in two months. She had to find a way to earn money quickly. She didn't want to be disgraced.
"Deacon Wang, Deacon Liu, you can see the state of the treasury. If we don't find a solution, we won't be able to sustain ourselves."
Su Luo was in a terrible hurry. Facing those who knew the truth, she had nothing to hide and asked directly, "How can we earn more money? Do you two deacons have any ideas? Tell me."
Deacon Wang and Deacon Liu exchanged glances, both looking helpless.
"Perhaps we could hunt some demonic beasts? We can sell them for money..." Deacon Liu offered honestly.
Su Luo shook her head. "Even hunting demonic beasts of the fifth or sixth tier would only yield two to three million. But where would we encounter them so easily? It's tiring and dangerous, and it won't solve the long-term problem. No, no!"
Deacon Liu's head ached slightly. Wracking his brain, he said again, "Then the only option is to continue selling the resources submitted by the outer disciples. I know a merchant guild that has always wanted our Qingxu Tian's spiritual grains and spiritual tea. They are willing to purchase them at ten percent above market price for spirit coins. What do you think, Nephew Su Luo?"
Su Luo still shook her head. "No, this precedent cannot be set! Once word gets out, Qingxu Tian's reputation will be gone."
If people knew that the foremost sect on the continent had to rely on selling large quantities of spiritual grains, spiritual pets, and spiritual teas to maintain its operations, they would likely be laughed to death by other forces, and their reputation built over years would be lost overnight.
She absolutely could not do anything that would tarnish the sect's image.
There was a long silence.
At this moment, Deacon Wang said, "Nephew Su Luo, why don't you check the mission board in the Imperial Capital's black market? Some missions offer very high rewards upon completion. This is what Senior Brother Tianjue used to do..."
Su Luo's heart stirred. "How high?"
"Missions worth tens of millions of spirit coins are commonplace, and there are even those worth hundreds of millions!"
Deacon Wang was clearly familiar with it and spoke fluently, "There are missions for assassinations, for finding demon cores, or for special materials... Senior Brother Tianjue used to only accept missions to kill disciples of demonic sects because they paid the highest. But that's too dangerous and time-consuming. Nephew Su Luo, you could consider other options; perhaps there's hope."
As long as it could earn money and solve the immediate crisis, Su Luo was willing to try anything.
She immediately got up. "Alright, I'll go and take a look."
Su Luo didn't know where the black market of the Beiming Empire was, so she went to find Li Tianjue to lead the way.
"You want me to take you?"
Li Tianjue had intended to take on missions to earn money himself. Hearing this, his heart stirred. It was a good opportunity to see her capabilities. He said, "Given that it's your first time, I can accompany you, but don't expect me to help you. This is your responsibility."
Su Luo pouted and let out a charming hum. "Senior Brother, don't be so heartless. Hmph! Never mind, I can do it myself. Let's go quickly!"
First, lure him out! Kuaishu Ge
If something happens later, he won't be able to refuse.
Su Luo 'borrowed' a flying spiritual artifact shaped like a flying carpet from the treasury and spent a 'huge sum' of one hundred spirit coins to activate it. She and Li Tianjue set off towards Yuxu City, the imperial capital of the Beiming Empire.
Flying spiritual artifacts were fast. In less than two hours, they reached their destination.
After putting away the flying carpet and entering the city, Su Luo, without a second thought for the bustling and prosperous city sights, immediately asked Li Tianjue to take her to the black market.
Li Tianjue, wearing a mask, did not attract attention.
There were all sorts of people on the streets: cultivators carrying giant swords, people with various spirit pets, and even those completely shrouded in black cloaks. Li Tianjue and Su Luo's attire did not stand out at all.
The two of them detoured for several streets and walked for half an hour, finally arriving in front of a market area in the northern part of the city.
There were even more cultivators entering and exiting here.
"This is the black market of Yuxu City. On the surface, they are all engaged in legitimate businesses, but only through acquaintances or member introductions can one learn about insider dealings and secret information."
Li Tianjue explained a few things and led Su Luo into a trading firm, which had five floors.
The first floor was the lobby.
It was as large as a stadium from her previous life and similar to the mercenary guild Su Luo had seen in the Yun Cang Kingdom, but it was decorated more luxuriously and tastefully. On a large crystal screen, text scrolled clearly, displaying mission details one by one, including hunting demonic beasts, collecting spirit herbs, pursuing enemies...
Of course, there were also some peculiar and special missions.
For example, hiring two trial tasters for three days, regardless of life or death, for ten thousand spirit coins each.
There was also a mission to help feed spirit pets. The poster specifically noted that the spirit pets were nine large black mice, officially named Black Jade Rats. They ate a lot and excreted a lot, and it was required to clean up after them.
There were even requests to secretly purchase the Crown Prince's personal hobbies (especially his ideal type of partner), and someone even sought to buy personal items used by the Ninth Princess, such as bowls, chopsticks, tea cups, and hairpins, preferably... heh heh heh heh...
Su Luo clicked her tongue in amazement. Some people were truly shameless.
The mission to purchase Chu Tianshu's personal hobbies offered a reward of one hundred thousand spirit coins, which tempted her greatly.
With great effort, Su Luo suppressed the thought. Forget it, she wasn't willing to sell her second senior brother's privacy to those wolf-like, infatuated women.
"Wait for me, I'll be right back."
Li Tianjue said, then walked forward and disappeared into the crowd.
After a while, he returned and handed Su Luo a palm-sized jade tablet. He said, "Those just now were all public missions. Any member can take them, but the rewards are very low. These are different; only high-level members can accept them. See if there's anything suitable for you."
"Senior Brother, thank you very much," Su Luo smiled and took it.
The jade tablet was very thin and contained a mysterious energy.
Scrolls of missions appeared on it, with each one starting at a minimum reward of five hundred thousand spirit coins, divided into safe missions and dangerous missions. She first looked at the dangerous missions. The content was indeed more bloody, all of them involved assassinating someone.
Mission List 1: Assassinate Molojia, the master of the Dark Demonic Ridge, reward: one billion spirit coins, no time limit.
"This is simply impossible."
Su Luo clicked her tongue in amazement. Without even thinking, she knew that no one would dare to accept this mission unless they wanted to die.
Who was the master of the Dark Demonic Ridge?
He was not only the leader of all demonic sect organizations but also the foremost master of the demonic path, with heaven-defying cultivation and a mysterious whereabouts. No one even knew what he looked like. Who could kill him?
Let alone one billion spirit coins, even ten billion would not make anyone dare to go.
Further down the list were the sect leaders of the other six major powers, with rewards ranging from five hundred million to eight hundred million spirit coins. As she scanned down, Su Luo actually saw Li Tianjue's name, with a reward of one hundred million spirit coins.
"There's even a mission to hunt you?" She widened her eyes.