33: process

"Grandpa, Dad, come here." It was Chu Shengfan, who had arrived earlier for his shift, making the call.

At this moment, he was standing on the other side of the registration desk at the entrance. Chu Jingyu and Chu Qinhui didn't hesitate, leaving the queue directly and walking up to Chu Shengfan.

Chu Shengfan whispered a few words to the guard nearby, then led Chu Jingyu and Chu Qinhui directly through the main gate of the Town Chiefs Mansion.

They bypassed several courtyards and arrived at the Logistics Department, which Chu Jingyu had visited before.

"Grandpa, I've inquired. The process to apply for a Noble Family status needs to be done at the Logistics Department. It used to be at the Internal Affairs Office, but the Town Head felt that having too many departments was a huge waste of manpower, so he merged those functions into the Logistics Department as well."

As he spoke, the three entered the Logistics Department's doors.

The Logistics Department still operated in the same large hall as before. Thick ledgers were placed on everyone's desks, appearing to be official documents requiring immediate processing.

Chu Shengfan led Chu Jingyu and Chu Qinhui directly to the largest desk, directly opposite the entrance, and called out to the man writing furiously:

"Director Bai, there's an urgent matter here that needs your attention."

Before he even lifted his head, Bai Liangshu's voice, full of resentment, came through first, "Which matter isn't urgent? Just work the people in our Logistics Department to death."

When he clearly saw the two people in front of him, Bai Liangshu's expression first froze, then he slowly reined in the resentment on his face. "If I'm not mistaken, you are Little Fan's grandfather? And this is?"

Chu Jingyu nodded, then smiled and said, "This is my son, who is also Little Fan's father."

"Oh, I see." A faint hint of confusion flashed in Bai Liangshu's eyes. Why did the father's cultivation seem lower than his son's? It was a bit strange.

"May I ask, Old Gentleman, what urgent matter brings you here? We are truly very busy on our end lately, so I apologize for not being able to entertain you at length."

Bai Liangshu later secretly inquired about Chu Shengfan's background from Zhang Yu and learned that the Old Gentleman in front of him was a formidable individual whose cultivation was not inferior to Zhang Yu's, so he spoke very politely.

"We ordinary folk don't need special entertainment. It's like this: we've come this time to apply to become a Noble Family. We were wondering what the process is?"

"Become a Noble Family?" Bai Liangshu stood up from his seat in surprise. "I shouldn't have misheard, right?"

Bai Liangshu's shout startled the other staff in the Logistics Department, who all looked over. The entire room suddenly became somewhat quiet, and the rustling sound of furious writing significantly diminished.

Chu Jingyu, with a gentle smile, gave Bai Liangshu an affirmative answer, "Yes, Director Bai, you did not mishear."

"The Jingyuan Dynasty has a law: if a family possesses a Origin Artifact, and three generations of ancestors and descendants are all Contract Masters, they can be designated as a Main Noble Family based on the number and quality of Contract Masters.

If a family does not possess a Origin Artifact, but three generations of ancestors and descendants are also all Contract Masters, they can apply to become a Secondary Noble Family, which is one rank lower, based on the quality and number of Contract Masters in the family.

May I ask, Old Gentleman, which type of Noble Family you wish to apply to become?"

Bai Liangshu recited the relevant laws, then quietly looked at Chu Jingyu, seemingly waiting for his answer.

After a few seconds of silence, Chu Jingyu smiled and said, "Of course, a Main Noble Family."

A Secondary Noble Family is inherently one rank lower in status than a Main Noble Family because their family does not have the ability to independently produce Contract Masters and needs to find a Main Noble Family to depend on.

Furthermore, even if a Secondary Noble Family has the same number and quality of Contract Masters as a Main Noble Family, their rank will automatically be reduced by one grade.

In other words, if Chu Jingyu were to choose to become a Secondary Noble Family today, they could turn back now, because according to the Chu family's number and rank of Contract Masters, they could only become an unranked family, which is simply not worthy of becoming a Noble Family.

Upon hearing Chu Jingyu's answer, many burning gazes from the entire Logistics Department immediately fell upon the three members of the Chu family.

Could it be that Heyu Town, having lost a Liu family, was about to welcome a new Noble Family?

"Please wait a moment. Chen Gengcai, go get the Noble Family records manual."

A somewhat flashy young man behind a desk immediately raised his hand and responded, "Yes, Director."

"Since you are applying to become a Noble Family, I need to first register the rank information of your family members who are Contract Masters."

Chu Jingyu nodded, indicating that Bai Liangshu could ask anything.

"How many Contract Masters are in your family, and what are their realms?"

"Three people: Chu Jingyu, Intermediate Alien Tier; Chu Qinhui, Mortal Rank Low-tier; Chu Shengfan, Mortal Rank Low-tier."

Bai Liangshu recorded the information one by one, then continued to ask, "Have you brought the Origin Artifact? If it's inconvenient to carry, we will send someone to your home to inspect it."

"I haven't brought it. Then I'll trouble Director Bai to send someone to inspect it."

At this moment, Chen Gengcai approached, holding a book with gold thread and a red cover. "Director Bai, I've brought the item."

Bai Liangshu took the ledger from his hand, then opened the pages and took out a jade slip as thin as a cicada's wing.

He carefully placed the thin slip on the desk. "Please, the three of you, each drop a drop of blood to verify your bloodline realm."

Chu Jingyu had just raised his hand, but saw a younger hand reach out even faster than his.

"I'll go first."

That hand belonged to Chu Shengfan. He held his palm above the jade slip, and a dagger, which he had gotten from who knows where, appeared in his hand.

The blade of the dagger cut across his fingertip, and a drop of crimson blood fell onto the jade slip.

The blood drop first spread out on the jade slip, then was absorbed into it. After that, the jade slip emitted a white glow.

"Luminescent White Jade, indicating Mortal Rank. A Mortal Rank Contract Master, no mistake."

"I'll go next." Chu Qinhui, who had been silent, spoke second.

He took the dagger from Chu Shengfan's hand, and the second drop of blood fell onto it. The same scene reappeared.

"Luminescent White Jade, Mortal Rank Contract Master."

Finally, Chu Jingyu also dropped a bead of blood, and this time a different scene appeared.

The color on the jade slip displayed a brilliant white, and after a second of stillness, it then burst forth with a faint blue light.

"Dual-colored Illumination, an Uncommon Rank Contract Master. The three drops of blood do not repel each other, indicating a family of the same lineage. The first step of this Noble Family application process is complete."

Next, he registered the population information of the other non-Contract Master members of the Chu family. After all this was done, Bai Liangshu picked up the ancient text and placed the jade slip on top of it.

He spoke to the Chu family's three generations, "Please, the three of you, follow me to meet the Town Head. The emergence of a new Noble Family is a matter of utmost importance for the town, and it still requires the Town Head's approval."

The Chu family's three generations naturally had no objections.

This time, Bai Liangshu led the Chu family's three generations to a deeper part of the Town Chiefs Mansion, a place the three had never visited before.

The Town Chiefs Mansion didn't look very big just from its entrance, but who knew that the interior held a different world? It wasn't until the three had walked for nearly ten minutes that they arrived at a courtyard that looked like a study.

"Ahead is the Town Head's study. When you see the Town Head later, don't say too much. Hmm... he seems to be in a bad mood recently, so..."

Before he could finish, Chu Jingyu nodded with a serious expression, "We understand."

Seeing that the three were not reckless people, and that Chu Jingyu seemed to have left some impression on the Town Head before, Bai Liangshu felt relieved and had the young attendant guarding the door go in to announce them.

A few minutes later, the attendant came out from the courtyard. "Please enter, everyone."

The few of them then walked in.

The study was unusually simple, with only a strangely shaped green pine tree standing alone in the very center of the entire study. Feeling the extraordinary energy fluctuations emanating from it, it was likely an extraordinary Source Beast.

The door to the study was open, and Tang Cheng, the Town Head of Heyu Town, seemed to be sketching something at his desk.

Bai Liangshu smiled and said, "Town Head, there's going to be a joyous event in town today."

Tang Cheng didn't even lift his head, his tone flat. "What joyous event?"

"A new Noble Family is about to emerge. Don't you think that counts as a joyous event?"