Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1601: 863: Bounty

More than a million miles to the south of Heavenly Wave Lake, a splendid golden treasure hall hovered peacefully over a series of undulating hills.

Innumerable streaks of light gathered from every direction, ceaselessly flowing in and out of the hall, creating a scene of intense activity.

Known as the Foreign Affairs Hall, this golden treasure hall oversees most of the Zhao Family's dealings with the outside world.

Being one of the Zhao Family's Ten Halls, the Foreign Affairs Hall commands great prestige inside the clan; even its most junior roles draw envy from hordes of Zhao Family cultivators.

The Foreign Affairs Hall boasts not just elevated rank and power but also abundant resources, though spots are scarce amid throngs of clan cultivators competing fiercely for them, rendering admission tougher than climbing to the heavens.

Right now, inside the depths of the Foreign Affairs Hall, Hall Master Zhao Tianyi perched elevated on a Magic Platform, as panels of light screens materialized successively.

Streams of text cascaded down the light screens like waterfalls, comprising nothing but pressing and vital issues.

Beams of Divine Light radiated from Zhao Tianyi’s brow, while his Divine Thought divided into thousands of threads, plunging into every light screen to manage hundreds of tasks at once.

He processed them with astonishing speed, typically dissolving a light screen soundlessly moments later, only for fresh ones to pop up shortly after.

For close to a millennium, Zhao Tianyi had led the Foreign Affairs Hall as its master, immersed in this relentless hustle nearly every single day.

Despite the Foreign Affairs Hall's dealings being vast and intricate beyond measure, Zhao Tianyi felt no fatigue—quite the opposite; he yearned to persist right up to his final breath!

Power remains the ultimate intoxicant across all realms, ensnaring even Divinity Transformation True Monarchs without mercy!

Shortly thereafter, amid his deluge of duties, Zhao Tianyi abruptly raised his gaze toward the hall's exterior.

Just then, a streak of Flowing Light streaked in from beyond the hall, halting instantly overhead and spinning relentlessly.

At the sight, a flicker of astonishment broke through Zhao Tianyi’s usual stoic demeanor.

As part of Zhao's Ten Halls, the Foreign Affairs Hall enforced ironclad defenses; not even a Half-Immortal of the Void could slip inside sans proper pass token.

Nevertheless, this simple Jade Talisman bypassed every formation restriction effortlessly to reach this spot; few in Zhao possessed such privilege.

Stunned, Zhao Tianyi swiftly extended his hand to grasp the Jade Talisman, sending his Divine Thought to scan its contents.

“Hmm?… It’s actually that one!!”

An eyebrow arched on Zhao Tianyi’s face, his shock profound.

Regaining composure in the blink of an eye, he bellowed abruptly: “Someone, come!”

His command barely echoed before multiple shadows burst from nearby walls, shifting into fair-faced, ruby-lipped youths upon hitting the floor.

Ignoring the Spiritual Children beneath him, Zhao Tianyi ordered forthwith: “Pass on my directive: call together all Vice Hall Masters with utmost speed. Tell them this hall has an utterly critical issue.”

“Yes!” The Spiritual Children chorused their assent with bows, then melted back into shadows, vanishing through the walls in a flash.

Before long, Vice Hall Masters streamed into the primary chamber one by one.

“Hall Master, what huge event has struck today?”

“I was entertaining a distinguished visitor, yet you summon me in haste, Hall Master. What's the urgent deal!”

“Old Yi, are you off your rocker today? I'm swamped with tasks, and you drag me here—are you stirring up trouble on purpose?”

The Foreign Affairs Hall featured one chief Hall Master and nine deputies, each overseeing a roster of Managers that varied in size. Under every Manager served hundreds or even thousands of underlings.

The Zhao Family's influence spanned the Four Holy Continents, with heaviest focus in the Ten Thousand Peak Spirit Domain, Great Sound Spirit Realm, Eternal Night Spirit Realm, plus ten other Spirit Domains.

Thus, every Vice Hall Master oversaw an entire Spirit Domain's operations, granting them lofty status in the clan along with substantial sway.

Although Zhao Tianyi officially ruled the Foreign Affairs Hall, the Vice Hall Masters operated with fierce autonomy, backed by clan Ancestors, leading to frequent defiance despite outward harmony.

Zhao Tianyi ached over this helplessness but remained powerless to change it.

Yet today's circumstances set it apart from before.

Over half an hour passed before the Spiritual Children came back with updates; all five available Vice Hall Masters had assembled.

With them gathered, Zhao Tianyi cleared his throat and spoke deliberately: “I've called you all here for a weighty issue to deliberate. But first, take a glimpse at this.”

With that, he turned to the most senior Vice Hall Master at his left and flung over the Jade Talisman.

Vice Hall Master Zhao Yiyi’s gaze shimmered faintly as he caught the Jade Talisman, his Divine Thought delving in, a trace of startlement crossing his features.

“This… Third, have a look.” Zhao Yiyi remarked, passing the Jade Talisman to the subsequent Vice Hall Master.

Two breaths later, that one mirrored the surprise, wordlessly handing it onward.

In short order, every one of the five Vice Hall Masters had reviewed the Jade Talisman’s contents, now ramrod straight with grave visages.

Observing their reactions, Zhao Tianyi hid a smug grin.

He cleared his throat once more, inviting amiably: “Everyone, let's talk it over. What's our best course for this?”

No sooner said, senior-most Zhao Yiyi voiced his position: “In all these years, it's the debut utterance from that one who ‘opened’. Thus, their command demands flawless execution without the slightest slip.”

Scarce had he concluded when a Vice Hall Master countered sharply: “Easy for you to say! A God Statue venerated for a millennium isn't commonplace like roadside pebbles. Besides, they want pure golden ones. Such rarities lurk only in temples ancient beyond a thousand years. A handful might be feasible; but that figure specified… the more the better!

What exactly counts as ‘more’? Can anyone pin it down?”

“Third makes a valid point. Why exhaust ourselves? Simply post a Heavenly-level Reward Task, and sweeten the payout if needed.”

“Brother Qing has the right idea! Shall we offer rewards for a hundred Golden God Statues?”

“No good, no good! They set no deadline. To play it safe, avoid capping the rewards—simply, the more, the better!”

An seasoned, wary Vice Hall Master proposed.

But opposition flared at once: “Out of the question; beyond the rarity of suitable God Statues, the reward setup itself is tricky. How about three hundred small merits per Golden God Statue—what do you all think?”

“Way too generous; two hundred small merits should do!”

Zhao Tianyi took this in, then hacked, “Cough, cough!”