43: Chapter 43 The Golden Name Card

The Black Well Outer Ring had only been quiet for a day when the Pei family's invitation arrived.

The number of people who came was small, but the display was grand.

A messenger wearing gold-patterned robes stood in the center of the corridor at the well entrance, holding a slender gold box. Pressed onto the lid was a thin Sun Gold emblem. It was the Pei family crest; at just one glance, the surrounding freshmen automatically cleared a path.

Those in the corridor who had been chatting about the academy team's reserve list all fell silent at once.

"A Sun Gold Invitation..."

"The Pei family has really come knocking."

"How long has it been? Lu Jin just entered the top ten reserves, and they're already here to recruit him?"

Shi Jiukui stood to the side, his expression grim.

"This bunch has a keen nose. Wherever someone shows promise, they flock."

Lu Jin walked over from the end of the corridor, his gaze landing first on the gold box, then sweeping over the messenger.

"Who is waiting for me?"

The messenger bowed slightly, his voice steady.

"In the reception hall. Instructor Gu is present, and a representative of the Pei family's collateral branch is also there."

As soon as these words fell, the silence in the corridor deepened.

With Instructor Gu present, the meaning was clear.

Today wasn't about private solicitation; it was being brought out into the open. The Pei family wanted everyone to see that they were willing to reach out.

Lu Jin reached out and took the gold box, weighing it in his hand, but didn't open it immediately.

"Shi Jiukui."

"Here."

"I'm going to the reception hall. Keep an eye on the resource warehouse; note the face of anyone who approaches."

Shi Jiukui was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll watch it like a hawk."

Lu Jin sank his divine sense into the Dead Ash Mine and quickly scanned the Breeding Cave.

The incubation pool was stable.

The White-Bellied Mother Rat lay by the pool, its crystal core pulsing with a steady rhythm. Grey Pupil stood in the outer ring, leading the sacrificial guards in sorting the thermal materials. The crate of nest powder mixed with ripening powder had already been sealed separately; not a single grain had entered the pool.

Only then did Lu Jin turn and walk toward the reception hall.

The reception hall of Zhuixing Divine Academy was built with a cold design.

Black stone walls, narrow lamps, and a long table placed in the center, with only a small sacrificial basin on it. The fire in the basin was dim; it was usually used to verify invitations and burn contracts, which was the custom for receiving guests.

Instructor Gu sat at the head of the table, slightly to the right, his expression neutral, as if it didn't matter to him who won or lost.

On the other side of the long table sat Senior Student Pei Zhaoting.

Lu Jin recognized him.

He had seen him on the high platform during the incident at the District 3 transport corridor. During the waste warehouse trial battle, he had held the position of overseer for the Sun Gold department. Within Zhuixing Divine Academy, Pei Zhaoting was more than qualified to represent the Pei family's collateral branch.

Pei Zhaoting wasn't wearing armor today, only a gold-patterned robe with delicate Sun Gold lace at the cuffs. His entire demeanor was restrained and clean, making him appear even colder.

Seeing Lu Jin enter, he didn't even stand up, merely lifting his eyes.

"Sit."

Lu Jin didn't rush to sit, looking first at Instructor Gu.

Instructor Gu spoke indifferently.

"Today, I only oversee the rules. I won't suppress anyone for anyone else, nor will I elevate anyone."

"The invitation has arrived, the person is here; discuss it yourselves."

Lu Jin then pulled out a chair and sat down, placing the gold box on the table.

Pei Zhaoting pushed it forward with his hand.

The lid sprang open on its own.

Inside lay a thin gold invitation, its edges pressed with Sun Gold patterns, and only two characters in the center.

Pei Clan.

Pei Zhaoting looked at him, his tone unhurried.

"You defeated Zhou Jibai, entered the academy team's reserve list, and fished out good things from the waste warehouse. This momentum is enough for the Pei family to take notice."

"This invitation today is the response you get after we've taken notice."

Lu Jin didn't reach out to touch it, only asking, "What can you give?"

Pei Zhaoting, as if he had expected him to ask about the price first, raised his hand and pushed three items from the edge of the table.

Two vials of Tier 2 Stabilization Fluid, a guest instructor token for the Sun Gold department, and a black-silver archival access plate.

With the chips laid out on the table, the situation suddenly became concrete.

Pei Zhaoting's voice wasn't fast, but he articulated each word clearly.

"Two vials of Tier 2 Stabilization Fluid; your current Breeding Cave and new walls can both make use of them."

"The Sun Gold department instructor token; I will register your name for you. In the future, when you enter workshops, undergo practical training, or obtain seals, it will be much smoother."

"This archival access plate can save you from taking many detours."

After he finished, his gaze lingered on Lu Jin's face.

"That old case of your father's—you've been investigating it. I know about this."

The reception hall went quiet.

Instructor Gu didn't move, but his eyelids flickered.

Lu Jin's face remained calm, and he asked indifferently.

"Which level?"

Pei Zhaoting understood.

"Above the index, within the supplementary records."

Lu Jin continued to ask, "What about the sealed files?"

Pei Zhaoting paused for half a beat before speaking.

"Sealed files are not within the academy's sole jurisdiction."

"It requires the Military Court's transfer seal and the Federation's registered fire-stamp. You can't touch that right now."

Lu Jin nodded, as if he understood, or perhaps as if he were keeping a tally.

"What are the conditions?"

Pei Zhaoting leaned back, finally saying what he truly meant.

"First, submit a complete rubbing of the item you brought out from the waste warehouse. We don't want the original; we only want to see the structure."

"Second, do not delve too deeply into the Pei family's channels and goods in the future. Go ahead and rob others as you should, but if it's the Pei family, pull back a little."

"Third, regarding your father's old case, if you investigate where you shouldn't, stop."

As the last sentence fell, Instructor Gu tapped his fingertip lightly on the table.

The tap wasn't heavy, but the meaning was clear.

This wasn't just about giving benefits.

It was about giving benefits, then pressing their hand down on the person's head.

Pei Zhaoting acted as if he didn't see it and continued, "You receive resources, a teacher position, and access to the archives; you must let the Pei family see some sincerity."

"For an ordinary person, being able to receive this invitation is already a favor."

As soon as this word "favor" came out, the air pressure in the reception hall changed.

But Lu Jin laughed.

The smile wasn't deep, but when Pei Zhaoting saw it, his brows immediately furrowed.

"What are you laughing at?"

Lu Jin looked at the archival access plate on the table, his voice very flat.

"I'm laughing because you Pei family members are even stingier than I thought."

A cold light flashed in Pei Zhaoting's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"The meaning is simple." Lu Jin leaned forward slightly. "I asked you about the files, and you gave me supplementary records. The supplementary records can touch the door, but not what's behind it. I asked for the sealed files, and you said they couldn't be opened. I asked for what's behind my father's set of coordinates, and you said it couldn't be touched."

"You put a bunch of things that look shiny on the table, but in the end, what you can actually give me is only half a crack in the door."

As he spoke, he tapped his finger lightly on the two vials of stabilization fluid.

"As for these resources, I can rob Tier 2 Stabilization Fluid myself, I can win the instructor token myself, and I will have workshop seals sooner or later."

"To put it bluntly, this invitation of yours is just trying to use a level of access that can't touch the real thing to trade for the waste warehouse structure map in my hands, and at the same time, make me steer clear of the Pei family's channels in the future."

Pei Zhaoting stared at him, his voice already cold.

"Lu Jin, you'd better think clearly before you speak."

"You've just emerged. Zhou Jibai is only one of the people in the sponsored department who stands near the front; he's not the most troublesome one."

"The Sun Gold Invitation is extended to you; if you accept it, you can avoid a lot of trouble in the future."

"If you don't accept it, the road ahead will be even harder to walk."

Lu Jin looked at him.

"Is that crate of nest powder mixed with ripening powder in the resource warehouse one of the 'troubles' you sent?"

Pei Zhaoting's pupils constricted slightly, then immediately returned to normal.

"Zhuixing is huge, and it's not just the Pei family watching you."

"The Pei family doesn't do dirty work."

This was said very steadily, even sounding nice. But it had only one real meaning.

This might not have been my doing, but you'd better not pin it on us indiscriminately.

Lu Jin nodded.

"Whether I believe it or not is my business."

"Whether you respond or not is your business."

Pei Zhaoting stared at him for two breaths, then suddenly laughed, though there wasn't a shred of warmth in the smile.

"It seems you really think that because you've won a few matches, you're qualified to haggle over the Pei family's price."

"Lu Jin, sitting in front of you today is me. If it were truly Young Master Pei Tiange, you might not even have had the chance to ask about the price."

Young Master Pei Tiange.

As soon as this name came out, even Instructor Gu lifted his eyes.

That was the Pei family's true main-line heir and the core figure of the Sun Gold Adjudication divine lineage. A collateral-branch senior student like Pei Zhaoting could only be considered a paving stone in front of him.

After hearing this, Lu Jin's face became even calmer.

"Then let him come."

"This invitation of yours is not enough."

The reception hall became so quiet that a falling needle could be heard.

Pei Zhaoting's expression sank completely.

"Lu Jin, think clearly."

"If this invitation is burned, the Pei family will not give you a second one."

Lu Jin finally reached out and picked up the thin gold invitation.

He held it steadily, not even a corner trembling.

"Resources, I will get them myself."

"Teacher position, I will win it myself."

"The threshold to the archives, I will cross it myself."

"Your invitation can't open the level I want, yet you want to take what's in my hands and, while you're at it, force me to bow my head."

He looked up at Pei Zhaoting, his tone turning truly cold for the first time.

"Pei Zhaoting, if you want to test me, fine."

"If you want to buy me, the price is too low."

As the words fell, he flipped his wrist and pressed the Sun Gold Invitation directly into the fire in the sacrificial basin on the table.

Boom!

The fire in the sacrificial basin hadn't been strong, but pressed by the gold invitation, it was as if it had been fiercely poked; the grey-red flames suddenly flared up. The entire invitation first brightened, then curled, and finally burned along the Sun Gold patterns, the edges emitting a series of extremely fine crackling sounds.

The two messengers standing outside the door changed color on the spot.

Pei Zhaoting stood up abruptly, his eyes cold and heavy.

"You really dared to burn it."

Lu Jin's hand was still pressed against the edge of the sacrificial basin, not even turning his head.

"The invitation was sent by you."

"The fire belongs to Zhuixing."

"I burned it quite properly."

Instructor Gu didn't stop him at all.

It wasn't until the fire suddenly jumped that his eyes truly flickered.

"Wait."

A "ding" sound came from the fire.

It sounded like some hard object had hit the bottom of the basin.

Lu Jin's movements were faster than anyone's; with a flick of his finger, the grey fire immediately parted, and a thin Sun Gold seal sliver slid out of the fire.

The seal sliver was only two fingers wide; its edges had been burned black, but both sides were engraved with very fine serial numbers.

Lu Jin only took one glance, and his pupils constricted.

He remembered the dark red coordinate fire-code in the black box very clearly. The first three segments were identical, even the turning points were no different; it was only in the last section that it differed by one serial number.

This was not a coincidence.

This was a serial number from the same set.

In other words, this seal sliver that fell out of the Sun Gold Invitation and the coordinate left by his father were originally two pieces from the same set of items.