BTTH: DISCIPLE CASHBACK SYSTEM

Chapter 539: The Mercenary Guild Proposal!

Liu Ling and Qinglin now both knew that Gu He was likely the legendary Saint, so neither of them was surprised that he had friends at the Dou Venerate level.

As for Yue Mei, although she couldn’t detect any powerful aura from Gu He, she could clearly sense the overwhelming pressure emanating from Tianhuo Venerable.

‘This Tianhuo Venerable, his cultivation is truly terrifying. Just his presence is dozens of times stronger than Her Majesty’s. Perhaps two years ago, when we suddenly withdrew from the attack on the Jia Ma Empire, it was because Her Majesty discovered that the Yunlan Sect had such a powerful individual!’ Yue Mei thought to herself.

…

“Master, didn’t you once tell me that there’s a Pill Tower in the Central Plains? It’s a sacred place for all alchemists!”

That evening during dinner, Liu Ling suddenly brought it up.

“Oh? Liu Ling, are you interested in the Pill Tower?” Gu He smiled and responded casually.

“No.”

Liu Ling smiled and shook his head at Gu He’s question. He and Xiao Yixian had both received the inheritance of a ninth-tier alchemist from Gu He. They already possessed considerable alchemy insights and knowledge of ninth-tier pill formulas. Joining the Pill Tower would mainly offer access to ancient and vast alchemy recipes, but their inheritance already included many such formulas. So, there wasn’t much need to join the Pill Tower.

“Master, since alchemists have a sacred place, a place of protection and order, I was thinking—shouldn’t mercenaries across the continent have one too? A place of sanctuary and a system to establish order?” Liu Ling continued.

“Tell me your idea.”

Hearing this, Gu He became interested.

“Master, I want to build a Mercenary Guild. Like the alchemists, we’ll have a president, elders, and other positions to directly manage the guild.”

“When the Mercenary Guild grows large, we can attract other mercenary groups to register with us. Our guild will be responsible for accepting commissions and issuing missions to these groups. The mercenaries won’t know who issued the missions. We’ll take at most 20% of the reward. These groups will earn points based on mission completion, which can be used to rank them... The ultimate goal of these groups is to establish order in the mercenary world and protect the interests of every mercenary.”

“Hehe, Master, that’s roughly what I’ve thought of so far. It’s not very complete yet!” Liu Ling rubbed the back of his head and smiled.

“Not bad. That’s already a very detailed system!” Gu He was clearly pleased after hearing Liu Ling’s plan.

On the Dou Qi Continent, alchemists were the most in-demand profession. But for ordinary people, becoming an alchemist was practically impossible. Even if they met the requirements, they often lacked the resources. In contrast, becoming a mercenary had far fewer barriers.

Ordinary people without powerful families or sects to rely on could use a platform like the Mercenary Guild to find a path for development.

More importantly, it was Liu Ling’s final statement that struck the deepest chord—establishing order in the mercenary world. That would become the true support for mercenaries and give them a sense of belonging.

“To think that Brother Gu’s disciple has such lofty ambition… perhaps protecting him really isn’t meaningless.”

On the other side of the table, Tianhuo Venerable also held a very high opinion of Liu Ling after hearing his proposal.

“Master, do you really support my idea?” Liu Ling asked excitedly after hearing Gu He’s approval.

“Mm!”

Seeing the joyful expression on Liu Ling’s face, Gu He nodded and smiled. “Not only do I support it, I’ll fully support you.”

“Thank you, Master!”

“A toast to you!”

Liu Ling put down his chopsticks, picked up his wine cup, and stood up quickly, offering a toast to Gu He. Yue Mei also picked up her cup respectfully and looked toward Gu He.

Gu He gently pressed his palm downward and said slowly, “Sit and drink. There’s no need for formality between master and disciple.”

…

Soon, three days had passed since Gu He returned after reviving Tianhuo Venerable.

Three days later, Liu Ling came with Yue Mei to bid farewell.

“Master, I will be leaving today. This time, I intend to begin realizing my plan to establish the Mercenary Guild,” Liu Ling said respectfully.

“Liu Ling, the initial investment to build a Mercenary Guild will definitely be substantial. Take these with you.”

Understanding Liu Ling’s intentions, Gu He took out a storage ring and handed it to him.

The resources within that ring would make even top-tier forces in Central Plains green with envy. It contained no fewer than ten thousand seventh-tier pills, along with tens of thousands of other grades of pills.

On the Dou Qi Continent, ordinary goods could be bought with gold coins, but truly valuable items—who would trade them for mere gold? Once someone reached a higher level, pills became the most reliable form of currency.

“Thank you, Master!”

Liu Ling accepted the storage ring with deep gratitude in his heart. Together with Yue Mei, he bowed respectfully to Gu He.

Gu He stepped forward and patted Liu Ling on the shoulder. “Stay in touch with me while you're out. No matter how far away you are, if you ever want to return, I’ll come and bring you back.”

“Mm!”

Hearing Gu He’s words, Liu Ling’s eyes reddened slightly as he nodded firmly.

“Just in time—Xiao Jin has also come out of seclusion. This time, let him go with you,” Gu He said, pointing to the blonde-haired boy standing nearby.

After that, Liu Ling, Yue Mei, and Xiao Jin said their goodbyes to the others and left the Nine-Colored Valley.

…

“Master, didn’t you say that once Senior Brother returned, I could finally go out and see the world?”

After the three had left, Qinglin also expressed her desire to venture out and train.

This time, Gu He didn’t refuse her and immediately agreed.

“Qinglin, remember this: the Void Jade Talisman I gave you—never lose it. If you encounter danger you can’t handle, crush the talisman immediately. I will come to your side at once,” Gu He reminded her again.

Qinglin had seen Nalan Yanran use a Void Jade Talisman back at the Yunlan Sect and was already aware of its usefulness. Hearing Gu He’s warning again, she nodded heavily and said, “Don’t worry, Master. I’ll remember!”

(End of Chapter)

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