The rays of light that shone from the hairpin were a clear indicator that this was no regr antique.


    Wilbur scanned the hairpin with his spirit energy and knew at once that it qualified as a mid-tier contribution. That alone was rare enough.


    "Sir, this is the Octogem Hairpin that has been passed down several generations in my family. It has a history of almost a thousand years, I hope it''ll be enough," Roshan said with a bow.


    Wilbur sat back down. "I can''t take your family treasure from you,e on. Take it back."


    Yet Roshan fell to his knees, looking nothing but solemn. "Nothing can be more precious than the lives of my n and mine. You saved my family, and you must take the gift. I won''t get up otherwise."


    Robert got on his knees as well, as did the rest of the cultivators in the room. "Please ept this gift, sir."


    "Please ept it, sir," the other cultivators chorused in unison.


    Wilbur coughed. "Well, I guess it''d be rude of me to turn it down if you put it like that. You can hold onto it for me, Ryder."


    Ryder got to his feet, closing the lid over the wooden box, and putting it next to him.


    Just then, one of the other cultivators said, "We''d like to give you a token of our gratitude too, sir. Could you please give us your bank ount so we can show you our appreciation?"


    "Please let us do this much for you, sir," the rest of the cultivators called out.


    Wilbur coughed. "I don''t think you need to do that..."


    "Sir, they''re just trying to express their gratitude. Please let them do so," Roshan wheedled.


    Wilbur gave it some thought before finally saying, "Alright, I''ll allow it."


    The cultivators finally got back to their feet, looking a lot less distressed.


    To tell the truth, they would have been even more upset if Wilbur had turned their gifts down.


    The cultivators who had surrendered to Kamura were especially guilty and remorseful and wanted to make it up with such a token of gratitude. They would have spent the rest of their lives in shame if Wilbur had refused to ept it.


    Seeing as everything was settled for now, Roshan said at once, "Robert, tell the kitchen to prepare a feast. We''re going to drink up a storm with Master Penn tonight."


    "Got it, Dad!" Robert rushed off to do as told.


    Following that, Roshan settled Wilbur and Ryder down in the guest rooms before ordering the other cultivators to clean up the scene.


    Wilbur and Ryder sat on the couch in the guest room, Wilbur ying with the Octogem Hairpin as he hummed to himself happily.


    "Are you really going to Shia alone?" asked Ryder.


    "Yes," Wilbur replied without missing a beat.


    "That''s going to be really dangerous, though. Do you maybe want to take Shepard and the others with you? At least you''d have someone to look out for you," said Ryder.


    Wilbur shook his head. "They''d all be a burden."


    Ryder did not know what to say to that. Wilbur had just called these super Sanctuary level cultivators a burden.


    Later that night.


    A feast had beenid out in the courtyard, where the crowd wined and dined to


    their hearts'' content before returning to their rooms to rest.


    Ryder went to bed, and Wilbur entered his demine.


    He stood next to the Dragon''s Altar holding the gray token in one and the Octogem Hairpin in the other.


    Wilbur had gotten the token from Ferris, and it was definitely a top-tier contribution.


    The Octogem Hairpin was a mid-tier contribution as well, and more than decent.


    Wilbur gave it some thought and put the Octogem Hairpin down first.


    He had decided to keep the hairpin for future emergencies.


    After making up his mind, he hurled the token into the Dragon''s Altar.


    All at once, an ancient aura came surging over as the token was turned into grace points.


    Five hundred points.


    Wilbur stared at the grace points in the golden hourss, nearly letting out an audible smirk.


    The screen popped up, and he began to peruse his options.


    The first one seemed to nearly demand his attention, flickering brightly.


    "Basicprehension of the Laws of Dimension. Allows the contributor to master


    the basics of the Laws of Dimension. Seven hundred grace points."


    The description was simple enough, but it made Wilbur gasp in surprise.