Chris had slain Shadowfang, a feat proving his strength was at least at the Pinnacle level. While Pinnacle-level cultivators were not considered top-tier within the Aetherbinding world, in a small place like Flameforge, such strength was enough to stand out.
An attendant, wearing an apologetic expression, said, “I’m sorry, I can’t handle this many Heartstones from magical beasts myself. I’ll need to report this to my superior.”
With that, the attendant turned and left.
Moments later, a woman wearing a veil approached. She studied Chris with furrowed brows and asked, “Are you the one who killed Shadowfang?”
Chris nodded. “Yes. And you are?”
The woman replied, “I’m Jane Clarkson, the head of the Flameforge Mission Hall.”
Chris responded, “Good. I’m here to complete my mission. Could you process this for me?”
Without further conversation, Jane Clarkson immediately began calculating the rewards.
About half an hour later, Jane said, “Here we have six hundred First Grade Heartstones, three hundred Second Grade Heartstones, one hundred Third Grade Heartstones, and one Fourth Grade Heartstone.”
“The value of the First Grade Heartstones is five Essence Stones each, totaling three thousand Essence Stones. Second Grade Heartstones are worth ten Essence Stones each, making three thousand more. Third Grade Heartstones are valued at twenty Essence Stones each, for another two thousand, and the Fourth Grade Heartstone is worth one thousand Essence Stones. In total, you’ve earned nine thousand Essence Stones!”
“Additionally, since you killed the Fourth Grade magical beast Shadowfang, by the Mission Hall’s rules, you’re eligible to receive a Fourth Grade Hunter token. With this token, you can now take on Fourth Grade missions.”
This venture into the Night Forest had yielded nine thousand Essence Stones. While it couldn’t compare to mining Essence Stone deposits, this amount was still enough to make most Aetherbinding cultivators green with envy.
Chris needed a large number of Essence Stones to purchase Vitality Essence, which could improve his physique and enhance his strength.
Jane Clarkson gave Chris a surprised look, impressed by his ability to kill so many magical beasts in one outing. After a moment’s thought, she said, “As a Fourth Grade Hunter, you’re entitled to certain privileges in the Mission Hall. Please head to the second floor.”
Chris was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Fourth Grade Hunters to enjoy additional benefits.
Nodding, he followed Jane Clarkson upstairs. The gazes of those around him were filled with envy-after all, those permitted to enter the second floor were far from ordinary.
The second floor was completely different from the first. It was lavishly decorated, exuding an air of luxury.
Jane Clarkson smiled at Chris. “This must be your first time in Aethelgard, correct?”
Chris, surprised, asked, “How did you know this is my first time here?”
Jane explained, “Because this is your first time registering as a Hunter and completing a mission in our hall. So, I figured it must be your first visit to Aethelgard.”
Hearing this, Chris gave a wry smile. Clearly, his identity wasn’t something he could easily hide.
He nodded. “You’re right. This is my first time here. I’m from Earth.”
Jane said, “That explains it. Aethelgard’s Verdantia region has a teleportation portal connecting to Earth, so it’s not unusual for you to have come from there. By the way, I have a gift for you.”
With that, Jane pulled a small box from her pocket.
Chris looked puzzled. “Miss Clarkson, we’ve only just met and don’t know each other. Why are you giving me a gift?”
It was odd for someone to offer gifts without any reason, and Chris, though new to Aethelgard, was no novice. He wasn’t about to accept the gift without understanding the motive behind it.
Jane smiled and opened the box, revealing a storage ring inside. “This is a storage ring with a capacity of twenty square meters. It can be used to store items.”
“A storage ring?” Chris was momentarily taken aback.
He already possessed a storage ring, one he had obtained from the tomb of Fusu.
Seeing Chris remain silent, Jane added, “I’ve already placed your nine thousand Essence Stones inside this storage ring. Consider the ring a small token of goodwill from me.”
It was worth noting that despite its modest size, a storage ring of twenty square meters was quite valuable, worth at least a hundred Essence Stones.
Chris hesitated and asked, “I don’t like accepting gifts without reason. Why are you giving me this ring, Miss Clarkson?”
Jane chuckled lightly. “Don’t overthink it. I simply wish to befriend you. In the future, if you ever need help, I hope you won’t turn me down.”
After a brief pause, Chris took the storage ring. “In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony.”
Whatever her intentions were, a gift like this was hard to refuse.
Seeing Chris accept the ring, Jane smiled. “Since this is your first time in Aethelgard, you might not know how to use a storage ring. All you need to do is imprint it with a sliver of your consciousness, and you’ll be able to use it freely.”
Following her instructions, Chris quickly imprinted his consciousness onto the storage ring.
When he opened it, he saw that it indeed held nine thousand Essence Stones. A smile crept across his face as he admired the wealth.
After exchanging a few polite words, Chris left the Mission Hall.
Once he was gone, an elderly man approached Jane Clarkson, his tone respectful. “Miss, why do you wish to befriend this Chris? He’s just a cultivator, not even an Aetherbinding practitioner. His strength seems to be at the Pinnacle level at best. He’s hardly worth your attention.”
The old man was well aware that Jane Clarkson’s status extended far beyond being the head of the Flameforge Mission Hall. Compared to her, Chris was insignificant.
Jane, however, smiled faintly. “While it’s true that he’s merely a cultivator, reaching Pinnacle level at such a young age is no small feat. His future potential is limitless. To give him a storage ring in exchange for the possibility of cultivating a valuable connection is a trivial investment.”
She continued, “Although cultivators have declined in prominence in the modern age, in ancient times, many powerful figures emerged from their ranks. When a cultivator reaches the peak of their potential, they can ascend to godhood through sheer physical might. That’s no less impressive than what Aetherbinding practitioners can achieve.”