Chapter 27: Spirit Master Allowance and a Well-Intentioned Lie

Time flowed steadily by, and before anyone realized it, another month had passed.

Regarding the recruitment of Tai Long, Xu Shuangshuang and the others had moved from initial confusion and bewilderment to gradual acceptance. Among the children, only Ye You was the exception. Whether out of jealousy or some other motive, ever since Tai Long became Jiang Beibei's new attendant, he always tried to stir up trouble whenever they crossed paths. Fortunately, Tai Long was significantly older and simply dismissed the little brat’s antics as childish, never taking them to heart.

Meanwhile, Jiang Beibei, who had poured her heart and soul into the "baby bottle" research project, still hadn't made the slightest bit of progress. The first batch of storage soul tools sent over by Tai Nuo had pitifully small storage capacities—each was only about one-tenth the size of the "Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges." There was no helping it; such items were far too rare at the moment. The fact that the Strength Clan's patriarch, Old Titan, had approved providing so many for her research was an exceptional gesture. His exact words had been: "If the initial research yields results, we can increase our investment. If it fails, let's just consider it the cost of making friends." Due to a non-disclosure agreement, Tai Nuo hadn't told his father about Jiang Beibei's spirit or her true strength, but this genius concept for an auxiliary soul tool was enough to impress the legendary master craftsman.

"Sister Beibei, I've broken through to level 10 too!"

In the midst of the peaceful atmosphere, Xu Shuangshuang—the child with the most talent after Ye You and the hardest worker—had finally made her breakthrough.

"Congratulations, Shuangshuang! Are you planning to go get your spirit ring first, or register at the Spirit Hall first?"

"Wait! Oh no, I have to go!"

A second after congratulating her, Jiang Beibei suddenly realized she had forgotten something incredibly important: spirit master certification and collecting the monthly stipend!

"Sister Beibei? Sister Beibei, what's wrong?"

Xu Shuangshuang was startled by the lightning-fast change in her expression and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her worriedly until she was pulled back to reality.

"N-nothing, it's nothing. I'll go discuss it with Mom and arrange for you to get your spirit ring as soon as possible."

Liu Erlong’s three strict rules constantly hung over Jiang Beibei’s head. She knew that if she went to certify her rank alone, she might be marked by the Spirit Hall. If they came to forcibly snatch her away, it would be a disaster. For such a major event, it was better to consult Mother Erlong. Concerned about her precious money, she couldn't wait a second longer and skipped all the way to Liu Erlong’s cabin.

"Mom!"

"What is it, Beibei? Is there new progress? It’s good that you’re willing to put effort into researching soul tools, but don't neglect your own cultivation. That is the foundation for us spirit masters to stand tall on the Douluo Continent."

After a month of silence, Liu Erlong saw her daughter suddenly approach and assumed she had made a breakthrough in her research. The smile that had just appeared on her face quickly turned into worry. If she didn't know that Beibei could absorb spirit power automatically without meditating, she would never have let her spend so much time and energy on this. If the auxiliary soul tool were successfully developed, it would undoubtedly shock the entire continent, but it would also push Beibei into the eye of the storm. By then, the people watching her wouldn't just be spirit emperors or spirit kings, but terrifying top-tier masters like spirit saints, titled douluos, and beyond. Faced with such powerhouses, the combined strength of Liu Erlong and the Strength Clan would be completely unable to protect Beibei. Therefore, even at the risk of being nagged by her daughter, she had to remind her repeatedly.

"Mom, I know. I’ve decided to put the soul tool research aside for now."

Research? What was there to research? After a month of effort, she hadn't even figured out the basics of how to disassemble one. To think of manufacturing one now was a fantasy. Besides, from the very beginning, her plan had been to let the Strength Clan play the beast of burden while she acted as the "heartless boss." How could she continue wasting time on this? Perhaps when her strength improved in the future and she gained other unexpected boons—like a wisdom skull bone—or found someone capable of crafting soul tools, she would continue the project.

Seeing her willing to let it go, Liu Erlong was very relieved. "Beibei is so sensible. So, why did you come to see Mom today?"

After spending time together, Mother Erlong had figured out some of Beibei’s personality. Unless it was something very important, Beibei would never come to see her just to report on her cultivation or decisions she could make herself.

"Mom, um, Shuangshuang just hit level ten and needs to get her first spirit ring. And, um, does that mean she can go to the Spirit Hall to register and collect the spirit master stipend?"

Jiang Beibei spoke hesitantly as she reported the situation, and this behavior was quickly seen through by Mother Erlong.

"Hahahaha, our Beibei really is a little miser. You’re trying to say that you haven't received your own spirit master stipend for a long time, aren't you?"

Liu Erlong laughed heartily and ruffled her hair. The little girl’s miserly streak reminded her of her old friend, Flanders.

"Hehe~ Mom knows me too well! So, when can we go to the Spirit Hall to register?"

Jiang Beibei grinned, not at all bothered that she had been caught. Her tactic of "advancing by retreating" was just to find a proper solution through her mother. After all, the spirit master stipend disappeared after level 40. It was something that dwindled with each passing level; if you missed the chance now, it was gone forever.

"Silly girl, Mom was afraid of disturbing your cultivation, so I already registered for you. Here is the stipend for you and Ye You for this past period. Little miser, hurry up and count it to see if the amount is right."

As she laughed, Liu Erlong reached into her storage soul tool and produced a heavy little cloth bag. With a slight shake, it emitted a crisp, jingling sound—the sound of gold soul coins!

"Thank you, Mom! You are the best person in the whole world!"

Jiang Beibei jumped up with a giggle, snatched the bag, and crouched down, her eyes sparkling as she carefully counted the gold coins. Mother Erlong watched her daughter quietly, her eyes full of love. However, she did not know that Jiang Beibei, crouched on the ground with her back to her, wasn't counting coins at all—she was secretly wiping away tears.

"Mom is really something. Why tell such a lie to deceive me? Damn it, I got sand in my eyes again!"

It wasn't blame, but deep emotion. Having lived two lives, Jiang Beibei knew very well that the Spirit Hall’s certification and stipend distribution required the person to be present in person; there was no such thing as someone else collecting it for you. Furthermore, Liu Erlong hadn't even given her the badge that signified her status as a spirit master, and she knew Mother Erlong would never touch a single cent of the academy's funds. This could only mean that these gold coins came entirely from Mother Erlong’s own pocket!

This was her mother’s white lie.