8

"It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet Your Majesty, the Pope," I murmured in a trembling voice.

She merely raised her hand, emitting a subtle energy that made me stand up involuntarily. Her voice was both sweet and authoritative:

"You must be the young Yang Kai mentioned in the letter from the director of Notting City's branch. The invention you and your father have developed is something groundbreaking that could change the continent. I want you to explain in more detail how this new formula for producing salt works. If it truly is as described, the Hall of Souls will reward you appropriately."

I took a deep breath and, with as much clarity as I could muster, began to elaborate:

"As stated in the letter, this new method of producing salt is more than 10 times more efficient and results in higher quality. To produce the salt, we follow this process..."

For about 10 minutes, I laid out every detail of the process, while also emphasizing how this discovery could economically strengthen the Hall of Souls. I suggested that the Hall could monopolize the salt market, creating an advantage no other organization could compete with. Bibi Dong's reaction was one of genuine admiration.

She considered not only the economic benefits but also how this could strengthen the Hall's influence on the continent, weakening the two rival empires. According to her analysis, this was a market that could generate over a million coins annually – an extraordinary figure.

Confident in her position, she showed no concern about potential threats to the formula or its security. From her perspective, any move against the Hall would be strong enough justification to eliminate the involved forces. She decided to formalize her gratitude by granting me one million gold coins and a token of elder as recognition for my contribution.

With this token, even a civilian without strength, like me, would have the Hall's protection. To Bibi Dong, this was also a way to showcase the Hall of Souls as a unique place where civilians could thrive without fear of oppression. My heart raced with excitement – the future seemed more promising than I ever imagined.

After concluding the meeting with Bibi Dong, I was escorted by my guide to the new house I had earned in the city due to my new status as a salt elder. Upon entering the residence, I was struck by the impeccable organization – every piece of furniture perfectly aligned – and a décor that exuded both elegance and comfort. The gleaming floors, exquisite tapestries, and the breathtaking view from the balcony made the space majestic, almost as impressive as the figure who guided me there.

She was a stunning woman, with an enchanting appearance, radiant skin like porcelain, and a seductive figure that seemed sculpted by divine artisans. Her movements were graceful, and the smile she directed at me while presenting the house was warm enough to melt away the fatigue from the long meeting. Every detail – from the subtle floral scent in the air to the firmness of her posture – reflected a professionalism harmonized with a unique delicacy.

Once settled in the house, I decided to invest in improving my comfort and utility. I purchased a cubic meter of storage space, costing 1,000 gold coins, leaving me with 1,000,200 coins. Now, with a monthly income of 100,000 gold coins, everything seemed more accessible and, perhaps, transformative.

Everyone knows that the beginning is always the hardest stage, but with such an impressive monthly amount, reaching 2,000,000 coins felt less distant. The possibility of spending more on cultivation resources, such as medicinal baths and cultivation pills, made my advancement in soul power increasingly viable. Furthermore, achieving the first awakening of the martial soul became a tangible reality, which would significantly improve my talent.

I also learned that, as a salt elder, I would receive a fixed salary of 1,000 gold coins. With various stabilized sources of income, I began reflecting on the steps I would take in the coming years of development.

The corporal martial soul, to my knowledge, had classification levels:

Low level: Black Iron

Mid level: Bronze

High level: Silver

Superior level: Gold

Upon checking the system, I discovered that the cost to upgrade my corporal martial soul to the Bronze level was only 100,000 gold coins. I decided to wait for the next month's income to make this upgrade and continue advancing.

Thus, as I reached nine years old, while contemplating my achievements and future plans, I realized I was only beginning a long journey toward the top.