Chapter 226: Blood Warrior

Chapter 226: Blood Warrior

"No deal."

Ji Xinghuo flatly refused, immediately getting up and making it clear that he wanted Missy to leave.

The Red Emperor's Blood Crystal was extremely precious. She had only brought him into the Blood Rage Tribe because of her status as a Highlander, and now she wanted a Blood Crystal for herself, even asking for priority. What was she thinking?

Missy was taken aback, her expression turning to one of shock as she looked at Xia Qingyu.

Xia Qingyu was stunned as well.

Earlier, when Ji Xinghuo had asked him to negotiate on his behalf, he had thought that Ji Xinghuo valued their relationship. But now that he was here, a single sentence had turned the situation sour.

"Xinghuo, didn't you ask for Missy's help?" Xia Qingyu tried to smooth things over, feeling embarrassed.

Ji Xinghuo replied in a calm voice, "I do need her help, but that doesn't mean I'll be taken advantage of."

"Umm..."

Xia Qingyu spoke in the common language of the continent, "It's true that she's a bit greedy, but everything is negotiable. While I know other Highlanders, my relationship with them is not as good as with Missy, so I can't trust them. There is no better candidate than her, and she's aware of this, which is why her asking price is so high."

He was laying all his cards on the table.

Ji Xinghuo nodded, then turned to Missy, "I won't give you the Red Emperor's Blood Crystal, nor will I give it to you first."

"Why?" Missy was clearly unhappy, but having witnessed Ji Xinghuo's strength, she was suppressing her anger.

Ji Xinghuo hadn't intended to be so blunt, but considering the Highlander's tradition of respecting strength and their direct nature, he decided to be frank.

"You're too weak." Ji Xinghuo spoke his mind.

All he needed was someone to escort him into the Blood Rage Tribe and provide him with an identity as a cover. He could handle everything else himself.

While Missy was a Fourth Rank 'Iron Warrior' and considered a top-notch expert, her help in this matter would be minimal.

She didn't deserve it, nor did she have the qualifications to receive the Red Emperor's Blood Crystal first.

Missy flew into a rage.

"What did you say?"

She had sparred with Ji Xinghuo before and acknowledged that he was stronger than her, but she attributed that partly to her own carelessness. To be looked down upon like this was unacceptable.

The female Highlander felt insulted.

She stood up abruptly, her pupils turning black as a black aura flowed around her body, emanating a sense of destruction. Her hand gripped the axe handle on her back, and she took a step forward, confronting Ji Xinghuo.

Ji Xinghuo remained seated, unmoved.

Qinghong jumped out of his pocket, instantly growing to an enormous size. Its massive body filled the living room, its head nearly touching the ceiling. Ten illusory blades appeared on its claws, and it glared down at Missy. Electricity crackled in its mouth, ready to unleash a powerful attack at any moment.

Missy's face drained of color, and she quickly backed out of the living room.

Xia Qingyu was dumbfounded.

Having spent so many years in the Star Realm, he had encountered countless strange creatures, and his eye for appraising them was excellent. He could tell how terrifying the massive creature before him was.

"A Calamity-grade battle pet!"

He had spent an entire day with Ji Xinghuo and had not sensed the presence of such a powerful pet.

No wonder Ji Xinghuo had been so domineering. If it were him, he would have been even more arrogant.

Missy's face turned ashen.

She felt the weight of Qinghong's stare, and her limbs went numb.

At that moment, she recalled a terrifying experience from years ago. On the plateau, she had accidentally trespassed into the territory of a wild Thunder Shock Dragon. The tribal warriors with her had been almost completely wiped out, and only she and a few lucky ones had escaped with their lives.

The creature before her was not a dragon, and its strength was far inferior to that of the Thunder Shock Dragon, but at such close range, the oppressive feeling it gave her was even more terrifying.

Ji Xinghuo glanced at Xia Qingyu, who had misjudged the situation. Qinghong was indeed an extraordinary spiritual creature, but it was still one evolution away from becoming a Calamity.

However, its strength was comparable to that of a Flood-grade creature.

"Qinghong, come back."

At Ji Xinghuo's command, Qinghong immediately shrunk to a size of only a few centimeters and crawled onto his hand. However, its golden eyes remained fixed on Missy.

Xia Qingyu couldn't help but ask curiously, "What kind of battle pet is this?"

With his extensive experience, he was surprised that he couldn't identify Qinghong's species, especially with its ability to shrink and grow. He had never heard of such a creature before.

"Lizard-shaped Flood Dragon," Ji Xinghuo replied casually, then turned to Missy, whose pupils had returned to normal. She dared not approach him again and stood at the door, looking uneasy.

Of course, her previous anger had completely vanished.

Highlanders have always respected the strong.

"There are many Highlanders on the Cliff of Heaven's Fall who can bring me into the Blood Rage Tribe. It's not like you're the only option." Ji Xinghuo spoke again, his tone still firm. "I'm hiring you, so I won't let you work for nothing. I'll give you a suitable reward."

As he spoke, he reached into the leather pouch at his waist, ostensibly to retrieve something, but in reality, he was taking items out of his dimensional pouch.

When he withdrew his hand, there was a hexagonal pillar-shaped crystal in his palm, about ten centimeters long and semi-transparent, reflecting a faint rainbow light.

Xia Qingyu tore his gaze away from Qinghong, exclaiming, "You actually have something like this!"

In Tianzhuai Cliff, the True Dragon Coins were used as hard currency, and while they held value in the True Dragon Empire and its surrounding areas, they were still inferior to Aether Crystals.

Aether Crystals were a universal hard currency throughout the Star Realm and even the entire Milky Way Galaxy.

On Earth, a single Aether Crystal was worth around 10 million Asian dollars, but in the Star Realm, its value was even higher, capable of fetching 50,000 True Dragon Coins, or the equivalent of over 20 million Asian dollars.

"Guide me into the Blood Rage Tribe, and this Aether Crystal is yours." Ji Xinghuo stated, "On the battlefield, all Red Emperor Blood Crystals will belong to me. If I obtain more than three, you can have one, and I will also distribute the other spoils as I see fit. Consider my offer."

Missy's expression wavered as she glanced at the Aether Crystal in Ji Xinghuo's hand and then at Xia Qingyu, hesitating to accept.

Ji Xinghuo, however, remained calm and collected, holding the upper hand.

"It's impossible for outsiders to obtain Blood Crystals from the Blood Rage Tribe. Do you really think you can get them, or more than three at that?" Missy questioned.

Ji Xinghuo replied coldly, "That's none of your concern."

"Hmph!"

Turning on her heel, Missy stormed off, unable to tolerate Ji Xinghuo's arrogant attitude any longer.

However, Ji Xinghuo had no intention of stopping her, and as she reached the gate of the courtyard, she realized he hadn't even made an attempt to call her back.

She turned to Xia Qingyu and scolded, "You scumbag, say something!"

Xia Qingyu shook his head, choosing to remain silent.

Having deceived women for so many years, he knew better than to speak up now and ruin everything.

"You two are truly a pair! Neither of you is any good!" Missy fumed, her anger making her teeth itch. Nonetheless, she turned back and said to Ji Xinghuo, "I accept your employment."

Ji Xinghuo nodded slightly, as if he had expected this outcome all along.

"Is it just the two of us?" Missy inquired.

Ji Xinghuo looked at Xia Qingyu and said, "If you're interested, you can come along too. I'll hire you as well, but at a lower price."

"How much are you offering?" Xia Qingyu asked.

Ji Xinghuo took out two gold dragon coins, each worth 10,000, and showed them to Xia Qingyu. "At most, two gold dragon coins."

"Damn!"

Xia Qingyu was immediately displeased. The difference was huge, only half of what Missy was offered. In the Star Realm, a single Aether Crystal could be exchanged for four gold dragon coins.

He glared at Ji Xinghuo and asked, "What's the meaning of this?"

Ji Xinghuo spread his hands and replied, "You get what you pay for."

Finally understanding Missy's frustration, Xia Qingyu felt offended by Ji Xinghuo's words, realizing how little he valued his abilities.

"I'm your...cousin!" Xia Qingyu exclaimed.

"If you weren't my cousin, I'd only offer one gold dragon coin." Ji Xinghuo responded bluntly.

Xia Qingyu was left speechless.

"Hahaha..." Missy burst into laughter. Seeing Xia Qingyu's frustrated expression was even more satisfying than earning money herself, and she couldn't help but revel in his misfortune.

Ji Xinghuo's gaze shifted towards her, and her laughter abruptly stopped.

"You two, get ready. We leave tomorrow." Ji Xinghuo tossed out these words before entering the cultivation room with Qinghong in tow.

Only Xia Qingyu and Missy were left in the living room.

Lowering her voice, Missy asked, "That cousin of yours is truly intimidating. What's his background?"

"I don't know much about him either." Xia Qingyu shook his head.

Missy muttered, "I always feel like he doesn't like me, and he doesn't seem that close to you either..."

"Maybe," Xia Qingyu replied.

Suddenly, he sighed.

Inside the cultivation room, Ji Xinghuo had already begun his training. Although he hadn't fused with any auditory-type abilities, his perception was exceptionally sharp, allowing him to hear their hushed conversation through the walls, though he didn't pay it any mind.

To be honest, he didn't have a favorable impression of either Xia Qingyu or Missy and couldn't bring himself to fully trust them.

In fact, he was somewhat on guard against them.

The next morning.

Ji Xinghuo, along with Xia Qingyu and Missy, left the small courtyard.

Mounted on Qinghong's back, Ji Xinghuo led the way while Xia Qingyu and Missy rode on tall, six-legged horned horses, a common mode of transportation on the Bloodsoaked Plateau and easily obtainable in Tianzhuai Cliff.

"Follow me."

With a nudge of her mount's belly, Missy took the lead.

She had stayed at Xia Qingyu's place the previous night, making quite a ruckus. Nonetheless, they had still managed to gather information and make preparations before setting out.

The trio traveled along the edge of Tianzhuai Cliff, detouring for several kilometers before passing through the streets and entering the Highland tribe's territory on the cliff.

About half of the Highlanders had a blood-colored skull tattoo on their faces, marking them as followers of the Red Emperor.

This proportion was lower than that of Red Emperor worshippers across the plateau.

Tianzhuai Cliff was a place of order, and followers of the Red Emperor had to be more subdued here compared to the wildlands and their own tribes.

The other half of the Highlanders had a more diverse range of faiths.

Some worshiped the "Doomsday Dragon," while others followed the "Winter God," the "Storm Lord," "Su," the "Elk Prophet," and the "Black-Robed King," among others. They bore the star god's insignia as tattoos, making their faith easily identifiable.

Even with Missy riding at the front, she and Ji Xinghuo still attracted attention from some of the Highlanders.

A moment later, the trio arrived in front of a tall log house, shaped like a tent but towering several dozen meters high. Other buildings flanked it on both sides, and a blood-red flag with a sinister black skull fluttered from a pole at the entrance.

A group of Highlander guards stood at the door, their bodies covered in blood-colored tattoos, almost obscuring their original skin color.

Their necks and chests, left bare, also bore extensive tattoos.

Their pupils were blood-red, and they looked fierce and intimidating.

When Ji Xinghuo and his companions arrived, they noticed that they were not alone, as several other outsiders had also come to enlist for the battle.

"I wish to meet the recruiting officer of the Blood Rage Tribe," Missy announced loudly.

The Highlander guards nodded. "Go right in."

Led by the guards, the trio entered the tribal headquarters and was brought to a training ground, where they saw a tall Highlander warrior standing at over two meters tall. His entire body, from head to toe, was covered in blood-red tattoos depicting the valor of the Red Emperor and his own battle exploits, leaving barely any original skin color visible.

Ji Xinghuo only needed one glance to feel a chill in his heart.

Blood Warrior!

This Highlander had once been blessed by the Red Emperor and possessed the "Blood Drinking Rage Flame," similar to the Chulin Tribe leader they had slain together with Ren Jie and the others.

However, he was far more powerful than that Chulin Tribe leader, having reached the fifth rank and achieving legendary status! Each Blood Warrior was bloodthirsty by nature, and to say that their hands were stained with blood did not do them justice—they had grown up immersed in blood.

His weapons, reminiscent of the Red Emperor's insignia, consisted of a battle axe and a sharp blade, crossed and strapped to his back. An aura of bloodlust emanated from his entire being.

Several teams were already present.

Everyone felt nervous in the presence of the Blood Warrior, speaking in hushed tones.

"Is that all of them?"

The Blood Warrior, whose name was He Yan, asked one of the Highlander guards.

The guard quickly replied, "For now, Lord He Yan."

"Good." He Yan nodded, turning to face the assembled teams with a smile that revealed his sharp, filed teeth. His voice was ominous as he said, "I know you are all here for the blood crystals, but whether or not you obtain them depends on your abilities."

"This battle will be on a grand scale, and at least two hundred blood crystals will be up for grabs on the battlefield."

"They belong only to the victors."

"That is, our Blood Rage Tribe!"

He Yan's blood-red gaze swept across the teams. "No one is to privately hoard blood crystals on the battlefield. Anyone who dares to touch the blood crystals must be prepared to offer their blood as a sacrifice to the Red Emperor."

"The tribe will not let your efforts go unrewarded."

"After defeating the Skull-Smashing Tribe, you may plunder as you wish. Aside from the blood crystals, all other spoils of war are yours for the taking."

"At the end of the war, each team will be granted one blood crystal as a gift."

Everyone listened quietly.

The rules of the Blood Rage Tribe had already spread beforehand.

The Skull-Smashing Tribe, a branch of the Ferocious Tribe, was also recruiting outsiders at Tianzhuai Cliff, offering slightly better terms. However, more teams had chosen to join the Blood Rage Tribe due to their stronger position and higher likelihood of winning the war.

The so-called spoils of war were secondary. Moreover, the Biao Tribe was not adept at crafting weapons and equipment, so there wasn't much valuable loot to be had.

The most important thing was the blood crystals!

"Not everyone is qualified to join us," He Yan continued, changing the subject. "Only the strong are worthy of fighting alongside the Blood Rage Tribe."

He clapped his hands, and a group of Highlander warriors entered.

He Yan added with a malicious smile, "Defeat my subordinates, and you will have passed the test."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end