C9 Please Invite Young Master Lo Chen to Return to the House!!(2)

[Mission: Secure a top-three finish in the family competition within a month! Reward: 100 attribute points and access to the lottery store!]

Lo Chen reviewed the mission that had arrived from the Lo family a few days after his return. The Lo family's competition wasn't just a contest among his siblings; it also included a host of cousins from the extended family.

The competition was limited to those who had not yet reached the Qi Condensation Stage.

With his current level, clinching a spot in the top three seemed out of reach.

He needed to use the month ahead to advance to the Qi Condensation Stage, and ideally, to the fifth level or so.

While it sounded straightforward, breaking through to the Qi Condensation Stage and reaching the fifth level in such a short time was a formidable challenge.

Lo Chen then remembered the potential of his Innate Holy Bone and the system he possessed. With the system at his disposal, enhancing his cultivation level should be feasible.

[Host: Lo Chen]

[Realm: Eighth level of the Body Tempering Stage [Next level: Ninth level of the Body Tempering Stage]]

[Quality: Innate Holy Bone [Undeveloped]]

[Intuition: 100 (MAX) [Note: The next stage is prodigy, requiring 150 intuition]]

Lo Chen glanced at his maxed-out intuition and shook his head.

Since he had increased his attribute to 100, his intuition had consistently been at its maximum.

He was aware that to further develop his intuition, he needed to boost his strength, as had always been the case.

But increasing his strength wasn't something he could just will into existence. In the Body Tempering Stage, he had to methodically break through each acupoint.

He had already cleared nearly one hundred and one acupoints out of a total of one hundred and twenty in the Body Tempering Stage, with just nineteen more near the dantian needed to progress to the Qi Condensation Stage.

Considering his yet-to-be-developed Innate Holy Bone, reaching the eighth level of the Body Tempering Stage in less than a month was already an extraordinary feat compared to others.

If he were to unlock the potential of the Innate Holy Bone, wouldn't his progress skyrocket?

"System, how should I go about developing the Holy Bone?"

[Ding! The first stage of Holy Bone development requires the following herbs: 1. Golden Lily Flower (Yellow Rank), 2. Nucleated Grass (Yellow Rank), 3. Jade Heart Marrow (Yellow Rank), 4. Bone Spirit Fragrance (Yellow Rank).]

Lo Chen furrowed his brow as he reviewed the list of requirements. The herbs mentioned were unfamiliar to him, prompting a necessary visit to the Lo family's storeroom for inquiries.

After jotting down the names of the herbs on a piece of paper, Lo Chen bid Yu Qiulian farewell and made his way to the storeroom. His arrival at the entrance of the Lo family's storeroom drew curious glances from the bustling family members. They were all aware that Lo Chen had shed his former foolishness and had become a martial artist. Yet, they knew little about this transformed Lo Chen and few approached him for conversation.

Preferring the solitude, Lo Chen approached the steward in charge of the storeroom. "I need these herbs," he said, presenting his list.

The steward, not recognizing Lo Chen, glanced over the list and then at him, remarking, "All Yellow Rank medicinal herbs, I see. Quite the selection. Did you bring silver with you?"

"Silver?" Lo Chen was taken aback, having never heard of needing to pay for items in his own household.

"Don't you know the rules? Are you new here? Let me explain. Our Lo family's storeroom must maintain a certain stock level. To take something out, you must replace it with something else, or pay for it. This is how it's always been, from the highest-ranking family members to the lowest servants. The herbs you're requesting are all valuable Yellow Rank medicinal materials, each costing upwards of ten gold coins."

"Ten gold coins? Is this a robbery?" Lo Chen was dumbfounded. A hundred taels of silver were equivalent to one gold coin, and a typical family of three might spend less than twenty taels in an entire year.

The cost of a single herb was equivalent to the living expenses of an ordinary family for decades. Clearly, cultivation was not an affordable pursuit for just anyone.

"Robbery? You misunderstand. The Lo family is quite generous. The herbs you're after are scarce; even with money, they might not be available elsewhere. And if they are, each could cost you dozens of gold coins."

Lo Chen found himself in a quandary. If only he had known, he would have negotiated with Lo Gaang for a few thousand or even tens of thousands of gold coins in advance.

Lo Ding made his way through the crowd, his arrival stirring up quite a stir among the onlookers. Many members of the Lo family turned their attention to him as he approached.

He walked directly up to Lo Chen and greeted him warmly, "Mr. Lo Chen, it's been a while! How are you?"

Lo Chen's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "And you are?"

The murmurs around them grew louder. "Is this guy feigning ignorance or is he genuinely clueless? How can he be in the Lo family and not recognize Young Master Lo Ding?"

Overhearing the whispers, Lo Chen's confusion only deepened. With so many siblings born to Lo Wushuang, was it really necessary to remember them all?

Lo Ding, managing to keep his composure, explained, "Mr. Lo Chen, when you came back home, I was there beside you. I took quite a liking to your character then. Today, by chance, I saw you and thought I'd say hello."

"Oh, hello then. Was there something else you needed?"

"Yes, actually. I heard you're having trouble affording some medicinal ingredients, is that right?"

"Indeed, I can't afford them. And you're my fourth brother, right? Considering we're brothers and this is our first meeting, perhaps you could buy them for me as a gift?"

Lo Ding had never encountered someone so brazenly shameless, asking for gifts upon a first meeting.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, "Mr. Lo Chen, the herbs you need are quite costly, and I'm afraid I don't have the means to help."

Lo Chen's face fell with disappointment. "If you can't afford it, you should've said so sooner—you've wasted my time! I'm leaving."

"Hold on, Mr. Lo Chen. While I may not be able to purchase the herbs for you, I can point you towards a lucrative opportunity."

"What kind of opportunity?"

"If you're interested, follow me."

Lo Ding led Lo Chen to a separate courtyard and presented him with a document. "Mr. Lo Chen, our Lo family business has an outstanding debt with the Wan Nan firm. If you can collect it, the commission is over a hundred gold coins—more than enough to buy those four medicinal herbs."

Lo Chen examined the document, noting the substantial commission. He couldn't help but wonder why Lo Ding would offer such a deal to someone he barely knew.

"Fourth brother, if it's such a profitable venture, why not do it yourself? Your cultivation level is much higher than mine, surely it would be a simple task for you?"

"Mr. Lo Chen, you might not be aware, but the Wan Nan firm has a deep connection with the South Suppressing King. Our Lo family has an agreement with the South Suppressing King that warriors at the Spirit Condensation Stage cannot engage in mundane competitions."

"Given that, why does the Lo family still want me to go?"

"Cough, cough. It's because I felt an instant bond with you, Mr. Lo Chen. Besides, you're in need of money, so I thought it would be suitable for you. If you're willing to go, the entire commission will be yours—I won't take a dime!"

"Well, I'm quite embarrassed!"

Lo Chen accepted the bill with a smile, though he didn't buy the 'instant bond' excuse for a second. Clearly, Lo Ding was up to something.

But as he urgently needed to enhance his strength and was indeed short on cash, he decided to check it out. Given the Lo family's standing in South City, could they really not recover a debt?

Even if the debt couldn't be collected, he could always walk away from the job.

After Lo Chen departed, Lo Ding left with a sly grin, looking as though his plan had come to fruition.

Having inquired about the location of the Wan Nan Chamber of Commerce, Lo Chen stepped out of the Lo family's gates.

Wandering the city, Lo Chen marveled at its vibrancy, with countless exotic items and a never-ending stream of people.

The main thoroughfare seemed to stretch endlessly into the distance.

Following the Lo family servants' directions, he quickly reached the entrance of the Wan Nan Chamber of Commerce.

Lo Chen strode in confidently. The place was bustling with activity.

They offered not only food and drinks but also a variety of daily goods for sale, much like the shopping malls on Blue Star.

Announcing himself as a young master of the Lo family, he was led by the manager to the top floor.

"The Ninth Young Master of the Lo family, Lo Chen has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, the business owner, Jia Yuan, who had been reviewing documents, immediately stopped his work to come out and greet him.

"Young Master Lo Chen, it's an honor to have you visit. My apologies for not greeting you sooner."

Upon meeting Jia Yuan, Lo Chen's initial impression was favorable. He didn't let his status as the scion of the Lo family inflate his ego and said, "No need for formalities, Boss Jia!"

"Please, Young Master, take a seat! Butler Liu, bring the tea at once!"

"Indeed!"

Once Lo Chen had taken a sip of his tea, Jia Yuan inquired, "Young Master Lo Chen, what brings you to my establishment today?"

Without beating around the bush, Lo Chen placed a document on the table and explained, "Boss Jia, here's the situation. My elder brother mentioned that your esteemed company has an outstanding payment with the Lo family. I'm here to settle that account."

Jia Yuan's frown deepened, and he replied icily, "Young Master Lo Chen, if you're here for that repayment, I'm afraid I cannot fulfill that request."

"Why can't you? Paying debts is a matter of principle, isn't it?"

"Humph, show our guest out!"

Jia Yuan dismissed Lo Chen without further discussion.

Lo Chen, frustrated by their lack of explanation, protested, "Boss Jia, as a man of your standing, is this really how you treat your creditors?"

This only enraged Jia Yuan further, who bellowed, "This is outrageous! If Young Master Lo Chen is unable to leave on his own, assist him—but be careful not to harm him!"

At his command, over a dozen warriors swiftly entered the room.

Lo Chen was at a loss for words. Who was truly being unreasonable here?