Chapter 217: Chapter 140: Subsidiary Branch Residence · Golden Merit Points

Up ahead, the Internal Affairs Hall manager responsible for record registration looked up at Song Chi and then spoke indifferently:

“Isn’t it Blue Quality? When did it automatically downgrade?”

Hearing this, Song Chi wasn’t surprised; he had habitually reported one Level lower to see if he could slip by unnoticed, never holding much hope for it.

Given the Dinghai Song family’s energy, it was impossible for them to have not conducted an investigation into what had transpired over the decades their lineage had been outside, and with a little bit of investigation, the discovery that his Seed of Torch had advanced to Blue Quality was hardly a difficult task.

Soon after, he re-reported his registration information:

“Song Chi, thirty-one years old, Blue Torch Seed, First Rank Torch Ship Captain.”

Once the information was entered, the manager in front of him grabbed the nameplate that recorded the information, handed it over to Song Chi’s forehead, and his indifferent voice rang out again.

“Activate the Seed of Torch within your body and leave a wisp of Origin Torch in this nameplate.”

As Song Chi operated in accordance with the instructions and integrated a wisp of his own Origin Torch into the nameplate, the nameplate quickly lit up with a faint glow.

With that, Song Chi’s personal information registration was officially complete.

As for this nameplate, called “Torch Life Plate,” it is commonly used among many medium-to-large forces to determine the life-and-death status of members.

Well… it’s similar to the soul lamps in cultivation novels from his previous life, at least that’s how Song Chi understood it.

Once the Torch Life Plate dimmed, it meant that the corresponding Torch Ship Captain’s Seed of Torch had been completely extinguished, and naturally for a member of the Torch Human Civilization, the extinguishing of the Seed of Torch also meant the end of the Torch Ship Captain’s life.

Song Chi estimated that this Torch Life Plate was probably the key to this round of procedures, while the registration itself was just a pretext.

After stepping back behind Song Mingsong and the others, he soon saw the odd looks from his grandfather and father—clearly, his ploy of reporting a Quality one Rank lower had left them speechless.

The younger generation had the opposite reaction. Song Qi, Song Lin, Song You, and others all stared at him with wide eyes, showing nothing but surprise.

“Fourth brother, when did your Seed of Torch advance to Blue Quality?”

To his left, his third brother Song Wen asked.

Seeing everyone’s attention focused on him, Song Chi explained softly:

“About two months ago, I happened upon a wisp of Top Rank Purple Senbai Bone Flame in a shop. I had just been assigned a Purple Main Cannon at that time, and after adding a few other things, I made the trade.”

Skeptical looks emerged on the faces of those around him at such a nonchalant explanation. How incredibly rare were Top Rank Purple Fire Source UpRanks within the territory of the Torch Human Civilization? Could one really lay hands on it that easily?

However, no one pressed further, as the completion of the registration meant it was soon time for his grandfather to choose their lineage’s territory.

Suddenly, brilliant lights flashed in the council hall, and a vast virtual map of the Dragon Spine Continent materialized.

The map was large enough, with many regions marked suitable for a territory, but compared to the 10 light-year diameter of the Dragon Spine Continent, it seemed very limited by comparison.

In response, the manager from the Internal Affairs Hall explained:

“These are the locations of Second-Rank and higher Floating Land Origin Eruption Eyes, with a steady yearly output of Second-Rank Floating Land Origin and a small amount of Third Rank Floating Land Origin. Those marked in red are Third-Rank Origin Eruption Eyes, capable of producing steady Third-Rank Floating Land Origin and a small amount of Fourth-Rank Floating Land Origin, for you to choose from.”

Having said this, the manager paused before adding:

“To be forewarned, these Third-Rank Origin Eruption Eyes require a constant suppression by a Third Rank Torch Warship; otherwise, it will be difficult to collect the Floating Land Origin. Please consider carefully.”

Song Mingsong nodded slightly, turned around, and discussed with Song Shan, Bai Xiuqin, and a few others. Half a minute later, he posed another question:

“Once a territory is selected, can it be changed later?”

Before he was expelled from the family, although he had opened his veins, because Furious Lion had just advanced to Third Rank and he was busy improving his Guidance Technique Level, he hadn’t chosen a territory. Now, as it was his first time making a selection, naturally, he had to ask for clarity.

“Yes, but it will require the consumption of Family Merit Points.”

Hearing that changing territories later would consume Merit Points, Song Mingsong hesitated no longer. He shifted his attention away from the Second-Rank Floating Land Origin Eruption Eyes and instead focused on the Third-Rank Origin Eruption Eyes that radiated red light.

Family Merit Points weren’t something that could be obtained on a whim; they were earned through genuine execution of meritorious mission tasks, so it stood to reason to save on these unnecessary costs where possible.

Furthermore, with Song Shan’s flagship, Mountain, having ascended to Third Rank, for the short term, Song Shan’s task was to cultivate Spectral Energy Guidance Technique in quiet, using Mountain’s Third Rank Ghost Energy Cultivation Platform to step into Third Rank himself as soon as possible—taking on that suppression task for at least the next year or two.

The most crucial point was that as long as the Third-Rank Origin Eruption Eye could be suppressed, the annual yield was incomparable to that of a Second-Rank Origin Eruption Eye.

With these considerations, Song Mingsong started to carefully pick out one of the Third-Rank Origin Eruption Eyes along with Bai Xiuqin and others. Before long, their Tenth Vein’s territory was settled on a place named “Green Moon Lake.”

“Alright, this is the development certificate for Green Moon Lake. Take it to the construction department behind the hall entrance to request the deployment of ‘Mountain-moving Soldier Figurines’ to commence subsequent construction in your territory.”