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Ye Mingshang brought Joan to the city’s Overseer, and upon learning that they were there to collect the ranking for Real Person, the Overseer was extremely enthusiastic. The current Taoist Sect is not what it used to be; talents are scarce, and there are very few Taoists with the strength of a Real Person. Many of them only barely passed the threshold of Real Person status at an older age.
Someone as young as Joan becoming a Real Person certainly has a bright future ahead. Even if she cannot become a Celestial Master in the future, she will still stand out among Real Persons and have a good path in the Underworld.
Soon, Joan was taken for a strength assessment. Not long after, she came out holding a palm-sized token, beaming with joy as she was sent off by the Overseer.
“Did you not receive the empowerment?” Ye Mingshang noticed that Joan's magical power had not increased and asked.
“No,” Joan shook her head and continued, “Master, you said that although empowerment can significantly boost one’s strength in a short time, it also imposes many limitations on personal growth. I don’t want to stop here, so I naturally don’t wish to receive empowerment.”
Ye Mingshang nodded: “That’s fine. Your talent is good, and with the Dao Seed improving your aptitude, your cultivation speed already far exceeds that of ordinary people. As long as you are willing to work hard, achieving Celestial Master status in the future will come naturally; relying on empowerment would indeed be counterproductive.”
“Once the Real Person's Tablet is confirmed, you can obtain a good magical artifact. What did you get?” Ye Mingshang asked.
“Here it is.” Joan took out a pair of glasses.
Ye Mingshang examined it carefully for a moment. “Zhao Yao Jing?”
Joan nodded and said, “Yes, this is the latest model of Zhao Yao Jing. As long as you wear it, you can see ghosts and see through lower-level illusions. Its practical effect is significant. Master, you have the innate Yin-Yang Eye and don’t need this, but it’s too troublesome for me to open my eyes every time. With this, my strength can increase by at least thirty percent.”
In terms of pure offensive capability, this new Zhao Yao Jing has no attack power at all; it’s even less effective than the old version which had decent lethality. However, its convenience makes it easy to carry and wear at any time. Although it lacks offensive power, being able to open one’s eyes anytime and see simple illusions like Ghost Walls is quite impressive; it is very supportive and practical.
“I still have quite a few magical artifacts; when we return, you can choose two pieces. You cannot lack offensive means either,” Ye Mingshang said with a nod.
Joan's eyes lit up; she had been eyeing Ye Mingshang's artifacts for a long time. She knew her master was capable and that anything he found valuable would surely be exceptional. She quickly exclaimed, “Thank you, Master!”
Ye Mingshang waved his hand: “Let’s go; follow me to Yin Capital to find someone.”
The two once again arrived at Yin Capital. This city was considerably larger and more prosperous than Wangsi City. If Wangsi City could be considered a small county town, then Yin Capital could be regarded as the capital.
At the city gate, Ye Mingshang did not take out his Pass; instead, he let Joan present his token. The Ghost Messenger on duty glanced at it and quickly returned it to him, bowing and being very polite.
Joan knew that Ye Mingshang had not claimed the token; initially, he thought it was simply because Ye Mingshang did not want the empowerment. However, after witnessing the benefits of the token, he became somewhat puzzled. From his perspective, having the token seemed to offer many advantages, so why not claim it? Although Ye Mingshang looked down on the magical artifact, having a token would certainly make things easier.
"There are no free benefits in this world. If you take something from someone else, you have to do things for them. It brings both convenience and trouble; I don't want to be bound by those obligations," Ye Mingshang explained, noticing Joan's confusion.
Joan frowned. "So does that mean claiming the token is actually a disadvantage?"
Ye Mingshang shook his head. "Of course not. For most people, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. With a token, whether in the Underworld or Yangjian, it makes things much easier. After death, you can secure a position and stay there long-term, avoiding the suffering of reincarnation. Moreover, holding a token is generally a nominal position; usually, there isn't much for you to do in the Underworld. If you're lucky, you might not even encounter any tasks until you die."
"Then why don't you claim one, Master? Surely having the Talisman of the Celestial Master would be more useful," Joan asked.
"I'm different from you. My status represents not only myself but also my adoptive father. If I claim a token, some matters could potentially be used against my father," Ye Mingshang said cryptically.
Joan was taken aback. "But Master, aren't you an orphan?"
Ye Mingshang nodded. "That's correct; I'm referring to my Adoptive Father."
"Oh," Joan replied quietly and did not ask further.
Having the token made things much more convenient. Before long, they were brought into an office where a portly official sat behind a desk, smiling as he looked at them.
"I wonder what I can do for you two," he said.
"I would like your help in finding two favors," Ye Mingshang said.
"Not a problem, but this..." As he spoke, the Fat Official rubbed his hands together.
Understanding the hint, Ye Mingshang directly pulled out a stack of Joss Paper and placed it on the desk.
"Good, good! May I ask who you wish to find?" The Fat Official happily counted the Joss Paper, even changing his address to a more respectful tone.
"Ye Mingshang said, 'I am looking for two people, one is a woman named Mengyu from the Celestial Abode during the Tang Dynasty under Li Longji, and the other is Li Mingqi, the director of Warm Harbor Orphanage.'"
"The Fat Official, having received benefits, did his best. He opened the laptop on the table and quickly found information about both individuals after some searching."
"You still use computers?" Joan exclaimed in surprise.
The Fat Official smiled, "We keep up with the times."
He turned the laptop around for them to see. Ye Mingshang glanced at it and suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open, breathing rapidly, and his fists clenched tightly.
Joan was startled and didn't understand what was happening, so he looked at the computer screen. It read: "The Celestial Abode deviates from the Six Paths, is not within the Five Elements, and is not managed by the Underworld; no information can be found."
Seeing this, Joan thought to himself, "Could it be that he is angry because he couldn't find the person he was looking for?" He then continued to read down.
The second line stated: "Li Mingqi, director of Warm Harbor Orphanage, has rescued dozens of homeless orphans but has frequently committed fraud and extortion. Due to not being punished in Yangjian, he has been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment in Crimson Lotus Hell."
Upon reading this, Joan understood, "No wonder Master is so angry."
Ye Mingshang saw the first statement and felt disappointed that there were no leads on Mengyu, but he didn't press further. However, when he read the second line, he could no longer contain his anger.
(To be continued.)
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