After the particulars had been finished, Gui Shiren left with Assistant Director Feng Lei, Xu Ling the short owl-eyed special inquisitor who restored his body, Vice Chancellor Wu Ling who tagged along with them out of a clear fascination with the technique Xu Ling had performed, and lastly Vice Warden Shao An.
Only Yang Qing and Assistant Director Jun Pei were left behind.
"So, do you want to hand them in now, or you'll bring them later at your own convenience?
I'm okay with whichever option you choose, I know you can already afford it," said Assistant Director Jun Pei with a teasing smile.
Yang Qing couldn't help but grimace at her 'kind' suggestion.
It's been a long while since he had felt this confident and free, and he had an inkling, the uncountable treasures burning a hole in his storage ring had something to do with it.
Was he willing to risk his current transformation and rebirth; the sense of security that came from knowing he could eat a whole mountain for a whole year and still not make a dent in his finances, all for a chance of looking cool with saint-grade treasures at his party?
Of course, he was. Treasures come and go, but donning saint-grade artifacts, looking cool, and rubbing them in everyone's faces, was eternal.
This was why Yang Qing had no regrets when he said,
"Assistant Director Jun Pei, I think I'll hold onto them for the maximum allowed time up until the point before you have to send guards to reclaim them back.
I remember you saying you will send Special Inquisitors at the three-hour mark, I'll hold onto them for two hours and the fine you mentioned was 120,000 high-grade spirit stones if my memory serves me correctly...Right, Assistant Director Jun Pei?" asked Yang Qing as he recollected the gut-wrenching introduction he was given yesterday when he picked up the three saint-grade treasures.
"It is," said Assistant Director Jun Pei with an amused smile on her face.
"Please accept this as my payment for the ensuing fine," said Yang Qing as he handed over the gifts offered by the Golden Bamboo Pavilion, the Maple Leaf Manor, and the Red Maple Empire. He added a few other treasures that he knew he wouldn't make the most of to the pile, to add up their value to 120,000 high-grade spirit stones.
"This should be enough, right?" asked Yang Qing with a slightly pained expression. He had no regrets about disposing of the gifts from the Golden Bamboo Pavilion and their cohorts, all for the sake of gaining bragging rights with the saint-grade artifacts.
However, even if he knew it was for a good cause and he wouldn't have enjoyed their gifts much anyway, it still hurt when he imagined the things he could eat with 120,000 high-grade spirit stones, along with the blind market finds.
But it had to be done.
"It's more than okay. If you bring it back within that time, I'll even give you a 10% discount since you were so forthcoming," said Assistant Director Jun Pei.
"Don't be late, little judge, though some part of me hopes you do," added Assistant Director Jun Pei as she disappeared from the spot leaving Yang Qing behind.
"Is she some sadist," muttered Yang Qing with a wary expression.
However, a glow immediately appeared on his face when he imagined all the bragging he was going to do with Blue Universe, Veiled Destiny, and Green Cocoon.
"Seniors I hope it's okay?"
Yang Qing suddenly remembered he had not consulted the other half of the equation in this matter. If they refused him, in addition to the embarrassment and disappointment from not doing all he had planned, he worried he wouldn't get a refund back.
The Order were the biggest money grubbers he knew. They never delayed when it came to collecting fines and penalties and whatever dues they were owed, but when it came to reconciliation and refunds, they dragged their feet and on certain occasions, they would ignore it altogether.
Yang Qing was all too familiar with their ways, and to him, it always seemed like he was the only one who knew that side of them.
"I don't mind. I think it would be a nice break from the mountain we always stay at," said Blue Universe.
"There were some interesting kids I saw today. I'd like to read their karma," said Veiled Destiny with a mildly excited tone.
"I'm going to sleep," said the last member of the trio, Green Cocoon.
Yang Qing was practically beaming after gaining all their approval. He conveniently decided Green Cocoon's answer was tacit approval since it didn't matter where she slept.
Yang Qing rushed to his abode at the fastest speed he could. His friends from both the Order and the guests who had come for his ceremony were already at his abode.
He could see Kang Huilang being hounded by Wei Liling, Liu Juan seemed to be pleading with the celestial nesting weaver to gain entry into the nest and by the look of things he was being fleeced of everything he was worth by the greedy bird, staff from the Thousand flavors restaurant were with Feng Xin along with King of the White Baobab kingdom heavily discussing something. Yang Qing couldn't wait to join in on such an important discussion, his stomach even seemed to be in agreement with his sentiments.
Mao Yunru, her friends, other inquisitors, his judge friends, Cai Ying, and the rest of his institute friends were in attendance, the Zou siblings were there along with his brother and sister-in-law. His abode which looked like a vast stretch of wild lands, now seemed congested because of how packed it was.
Yang Qing even managed to see the two palace realm disciples from the Radiant Sword Sect and the Flowing Valley Sect mingling with the crowd. The bulk of those present were from the Order, who were geniuses in their own right, even enough to stand out at both these holy lands, so their interaction wasn't strained, and the two disciples couldn't put on airs since there were already more than five people within the crowd who matched them in talent, like Zhang Qingge for example, who was tightly clutching Yu Huifang's robe as she looked around with a shy look and eyes that had a mix of curiosity, excitement, and awkward anxiousness.
Yang Qing silently took everything in before he loudly yelled,
"GUYS, YOUR AMAZING SAINT HAS ARRIVED, LET THE PARTY BEGIN!!"
ƥαṇdα- ηθνε|·ƈθm Yells and scornful remarks were immediately flung by Yang Qing's way which then devolved into launching cultivation spells and weapons.
Yang Qing welcomed it all with a smug smile, he even wished they would ump up their intensity, otherwise how else would he show off 'his saint-grade artifacts'? He taunted and mocked them endlessly to rile them up which was a decision he came to regret later when he handed the artifacts in 2 hours later and the party was still ongoing. But for now, he was going to make memories.
Laughter, yells, and cheers filled the place. Years later when a massive tragedy struck, Yang Qing would look fondly at this memory and feeling of this moment. That point in time when everything seemed peaceful, joyful, and perfect before it all got decimated in something the Order both predicated but also never saw coming. Some of the faces here, he would never get to see, after that tragedy.
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