Fifth Lingyu quickly provided an answer.

He personally announced that the cooperative families matter was under his jurisdiction.

He explained, “To change the plight of the Western Ridge, the Bureau of Celestial Wonders has implemented various reforms.

While local families in the Ridge could handle tasks like opening up the Cut-off Vein Mountain, combating fire poison required alchemical medicines, which were scarce in the Ridge.

After much consideration, we sought help from external noble families and discovered the renowned Qin family of Nanling.”

After officially commissioning the Qin family, they successfully produced vitality-enhancing pills and detoxifying pills for the monks in the Western Ridge.

Additionally, the cultivation accelerator was also crafted by a guest elder of the Qin family.

In recognition of the Qin family’s contributions, the Celestial Bureau appointed them as the official cooperative family of the Western Ridge for a ten-year period.

This included tax incentives and industrial support.

As the Director spoke, confusion spread among the audience below.

“What does it mean to appoint the Qin family of Nanling as the official cooperative family of the Western Ridge?”

They wondered.

It seemed that the Celestial Bureau had appointed an external family to solve the Ridge’s problems, rewarding them with benefits.

It was a complicated situation, but the magistrate and the scribe seemed firm about it.

Upon understanding this, some became discontented, even angry.

Tang Biao couldn’t help but ask, not out of confrontation but genuine confusion, speaking on behalf of the families of the Western Ridge.

“Director, how can an external noble family become the official cooperative family of our Western Ridge? There’s no precedent for this!”

Fifth Lingyu glanced at him with a smirk. “Without precedent, we can create one. Haven’t we changed the status quo in the Ridge without orders in the past? Am I wrong in setting this example?”

Tang Biao began to sweat. “Director, I didn’t mean that at all!”

“Furthermore, to address the fire poison among the Ridge’s Cultivator requires specific alchemical medicines.

If any local family could produce such medicines, we wouldn’t need external help. Do any of you have that capability?” Fifth Lingyu’s gaze swept down fiercely.

Silence fell over the crowd.

The Western Ridge was hot and arid, more desert than fertile ground for alchemical ingredients.

Under the magistrate’s words, they realized seeking cooperation from external noble families wasn’t just incidental but necessary for changing their current situation.

The Qin family of Nanling was simply the most capable in producing the needed medicines.

Thus, cooperation with them by the Celestial Bureau was logical.

They couldn’t oppose it, nor did they have the authority to.

“Yes.”

Seeing the silent crowd below, Tang Biao sat back down disappointedly.

Fifth Lingyu resumed his relaxed posture and gestured to the scribe.

The scribe then turned to Qin Ruqing and said, “Now, let Elder Qin from Nanling represent and sign the official cooperation agreement between the Bureau of Celestial Wonders and the Western Ridge.”

At this moment, everyone saw the stunning woman in red who had entered with the magistrate stand up slowly.

She turned out to be from the Qin family, the representative elder? And such a young elder?!!

But indeed she was.

As this graceful young lady approached, she took out two identity plaques in front of all the family heads and elder.

One represented the ancestral status of the Qin family, and the other identified her as an elder of the Qin family.

Due to the distance, no one dared to touch the plaques to verify if her seat was officially listed.

With these plaques in hand, she symbolically represented the Qin family, able to fully speak and act on their behalf.

In front of everyone’s witness, Qin Ruqing signed the official cooperation agreement between Nanling’s Qin family and the Western Ridge.

With a flash of golden light, the contract was sealed, unchangeable.

Qin Ruqing also learned for the first time that the scrolls handled by the scribes were actually celestial scrolls.

What was written on them could establish certain laws of order, sanctioned by the heavens.

It all seemed quite impressive. Qin Ruqing couldn’t help but wonder if the celestial scrolls were bestowed from above or created independently.

She needed to pay attention to such matters, especially since the Qin family aimed for, well, certain goals…

Maintaining her composure and pride, Qin Ruqing returned to her seat. In such occasions, she needed only to follow the procedure.

The scribe had already given her the document stamped with the seal of the Celestial Bureau, informing her that news would soon reach both the Bureau in Nanling and the Qin family.

Undoubtedly, the Qin family would be pleased (and perhaps startled).

Compared to Qin Ruqing’s calm demeanor, the minds of the Western Ridge families were much more complicated.

Allowing an external noble family to take the lead as the official cooperative family of the Celestial Bureau was unprecedented.

They were still struggling with the bidding project for opening the Cut-off Vein Mountain.

With this contract in place, the Qin family effectively became guests in the entire Western Ridge, beyond any local family’s control.

Thus, the local Clan Leader’s and Elder couldn’t help but curse this outsider who plucked their peaches.

Despicable! Annoying!

After venting their frustration, the smooth-talking family heads began contemplating how to present gifts to this young elder from the Qin family.

Offering gifts might encourage her to release more resources, as cooperation with the Bureau of Celestial didn’t necessarily mean they couldn’t collaborate with them afterward!

Hmm, they could send some local specialties from the Ridge, a few basic spirit stones, and even some rare natural treasures.

Oh, she looked quite young and handsome; they could also send a few strong and healthy young men.

Western Ridge women tended to appreciate that sort of thing.

If anyone understood the true implications, it was probably the Yang family.

At this moment, the astonishment in the mind of the Yang family’s Grand elder was self-evident.

Yet, he couldn’t help but recall the words of Yang Wenxu.

“Perhaps that young lady was speaking the truth after all, as she at such a young age, becoming an elder. What’s the problem if her family has connections to the Celestial Bureau?

Grand Elder, you’re too narrow-minded overseeing auctions. What rare things can Xi Ling Auction House auction?

We need to broaden our horizons!

There are plenty of strange things happening outside!

I truly believe the Qin family must be connected to the Celestial Bureau, perhaps even supported by them!”

Now looking at this situation, isn’t it exactly what Yang Wenxu said?

Whether the Qin family had any relationship with the Celestial Bureau before is hard to say, but now with the Heavenly Book Contract, they have a clear and legitimate connection.

But this is just the Celestial Bureau of Xi Ling! What about the Celestial Bureau on the other side of Nanling, their hometown?

As the Grand elder of the Yang family pondered deeply, he realized that perhaps he had been too narrow-minded in managing the auction house, unable to see the rapid developments outside.

The Yang family auction house is almost bankrupt, what does he still care about managing?

He’ll leave it to Xiao Wenxu in the future, and he himself will go manage the caravan.

Hmm!

Just as the scribe finally announced the end of the family meeting and everyone could leave, Qin Ruqing suddenly heard a familiar “ding” in her mind.

This “ding” was all too familiar.

Every time there was progress in a task or a significant development, the system liked to notify her like this.

But because she preferred to accumulate rewards later, the system had gotten lazy and stopped notifying her.

So, after such a long time, Qin Ruqing was somewhat unaccustomed to hearing this “ding” again, not realizing what new progress or lazy notification the system was giving her this time.

Wait… Qin Ruqing suddenly widened her eyes.

Her last chance to draw lots—the system promised that if she could cooperate with the Silver Family or another Xiling family, it would drop.

Although this time she didn’t manage to cooperate with the Tang family, she directly cooperated with the official Powerhouse in of Xiling, the Celestial Bureau!

And it was a direct cooperation written in the Heavenly Book! Isn’t this much more awesome than cooperating with the Tang family!

So, could this “ding” be rewarding her with her last chance to draw lots?!

Then her ten consecutive draws…