Chapter 243: A Bountiful Harvest

Chapter 243: A Bountiful Harvest

[Spiritual Source Energy +1815]



In front of Ji Xinghuo's eyes, a message appeared.

He glanced at the interface of the Myriad Star Pupils and saw that his spiritual source energy had accumulated to 87,527 points!

Ahead of him, a ten-ton spherical rock rolled out for nearly a hundred meters before coming to a stop, carving a hundred-meter-long gully into the ground, several meters deep, as if a meteorite had crashed there.

The trench was a mixture of mud and blood, and the stones were splattered with blood. This was the mark left by He Yan's brief existence.

There were also some broken spears and fragments of leather armor scattered inside and outside the gully.

The lightning that filled the sky had also disappeared.

The abrupt end to the battle left Xia Qingyu and the other two, who had been rushing over in a hurry, stunned. They stopped in their tracks, witnessing the power of Ji Xinghuo's punch, and found it hard to believe.

"You..."

Huang Yan opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

She had known beforehand that Ji Xinghuo was very strong and had been very wary of him. However, she never expected that he would be this powerful.

One punch was all it took to kill He Yan!

He was a legendary Bloody Warrior, an enemy that she couldn't withstand even with the help of the Dragon King's Life Talisman. Yet, he had died so miserably at Ji Xinghuo's hands.

What was that rock that suddenly appeared?

Ji Xinghuo turned his head to glance at her.

Cold sweat trickled down Huang Yan's back. The energy of the Dragon King's Life Talisman had been almost completely depleted, and if Ji Xinghuo wanted to harm her and silence her, she wouldn't be able to put up any resistance.

However, Ji Xinghuo paid her no heed. His figure flashed, and he leaped into the gully, digging through the compacted mud to retrieve several crimson crystals.

Red Emperor Blood Crystals!

When He Yan was smashed to pieces, the leather pouch he carried with him had also burst open, scattering the blood crystals. Fortunately, the blood crystals were extremely hard and had been hanging at his waist, so they hadn't been directly hit by the meteorite and shattered; otherwise, this battle would have been for naught.

Xia Qingyu and Misha were both thrilled.

However, having adventured in the Star Realm for many years, they knew the rules and didn't rush forward to help collect the blood crystals. Instead, they let Ji Xinghuo gather them himself.

This was the privilege of the strong.

Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic sensing located all the Red Emperor Blood Crystals, digging them out one by one from the soil.

A total of 62 crystals!

This was a little less than they had expected.

When the Blood Fury Tribe's army set out, they had split into five groups. By the time they reached the Red River Giant Peak, the blood crystals they had harvested were all handed over to Chieftain Gu Luoke, totaling at least a hundred crystals.

"Gu Luoke probably distributed some of them to the troops before the battle," Ji Xinghuo guessed.

He was very satisfied.

62 Red Emperor Blood Crystals were more than enough to exchange for the "Magnetism Spirit Nucleus" from the Void Spirit.

He could also exchange them for other things, such as "Spiritual Power" exotic species.

As for the remaining blood crystals, some could be traded for ether crystals, while others could be sold for money on Earth. He could also keep a few for Man Ying, Ren Jie, and his family, or use them for trading for other expansion wonders in the future.

In front of the three of them, Ji Xinghuo put away the Red Emperor Blood Crystals into his dimensional stomach pouch; after all, they had already witnessed them.

His gaze fell on Huang Yan.

Huang Yan's heart was pounding. Previously, she had suggested teaming up with Ji Xinghuo and splitting the Red Emperor Blood Crystals evenly. But now she realized how naive she had been, as Ji Xinghuo's strength meant he didn't need to team up with anyone. In fact, if he hadn't intervened, she would already be dead.

Moreover, she had also exposed the Dragon King's Life Talisman.

The question now was: would Ji Xinghuo let her go?

"I've never had any ill intentions towards you," Huang Yan said.

"You even saved me. I, Huang Yan, may not be a good person, but I'm not the kind of despicable person who bites the hand that feeds me. I swear by the ancestors of the Huang Yan family that I will never reveal anything that happened today to anyone!"

She made her pledge, but Ji Xinghuo just stared at her expressionlessly.

To be honest, he was also hesitating whether or not to kill Huang Yan directly. This woman was too cunning, just as she had said. She was definitely not a good person. She was very utilitarian and skilled at using her advantages to achieve her goals by any means necessary.

Now she seemed sincere and sensible, but once she left and recalled today's events, she might instead harbor a grudge.

Letting her go might become a future trouble.

But it might also amount to nothing.

Ji Xinghuo considered for a few seconds but ultimately couldn't bring himself to harm someone who had no grudge against him. It went against his principles.

She was just a Dragon Warrior, what trouble could she possibly stir up?

"I hope you keep your word," Ji Xinghuo said indifferently, taking out a Red Emperor Blood Crystal and tossing it to her.

Huang Yan caught the crystal with a delighted expression and said solemnly, "Thank you!"

After saying that, she turned and left.

The Blood Demon Bat was still hovering by the distant lakeside. Huang Yan had originally intended to go straight to it, but halfway there, she suddenly turned back and collected the corpses of her four teammates, placing them on the back of the Blood Demon Bat. She then climbed onto it herself, waved to Ji Xinghuo from a distance, and flew into the sky.

Xia Qingyu finally shouted excitedly, "As expected, wealth and danger go hand in hand! I've been wandering in the Star Realm for several decades, but today was the most thrilling!"

Looking at Ji Xinghuo, he couldn't help but ask, "How did you do it?"

"Take a guess."

Ji Xinghuo laughed, walked over, placed his hand on the bloodstained boulder, and stored it back into his Dimensional Stomach Pouch. After the upgrade, the space in the pouch had doubled, allowing him to use heavier stones or even accommodate two boulders for his next artificial meteorite.

"I understand now!"

As Xia Qingyu watched the stone disappear, he immediately guessed what had happened and exclaimed, "So that's how you can use spatial equipment! You're too clever, and indeed my... cousin."

Even now, he still believed that Ji Xinghuo possessed a piece of spatial equipment.

Ji Xinghuo offered no explanation.

"Return my weapon," he said, holding out his hand.

Misha reluctantly returned the Heaven's Fury Scarlet Blood Spear to Ji Xinghuo. She had never used such a powerful weapon before, and while holding the spear, her strength had surged, giving her the courage to face a Bloody Warrior head-on. That feeling was truly exhilarating!

As she watched the Heaven's Fury Scarlet Blood Spear disappear into Ji Xinghuo's hand, Misha's face was filled with reluctance. "It's such a waste for you not to use the spear. Can you sell it to me?"

"No," Ji Xinghuo refused outright.

Firstly, he had no intention of selling it, and secondly, Misha couldn't afford it.

Xia Qingyu returned the Demon Sound Longsword, and as he watched Ji Xinghuo sheath it and hang it on his back, he couldn't help but feel envious. However, he didn't voice his desire.

"In this battle, you two contributed a lot and took great risks as well," Ji Xinghuo said. "But I contributed the most, and I was the one who killed He Yan, so I'll be taking most of the blood crystals. I'll give you each five blood crystals; is that alright?"

"That's fine," Misha readily agreed.

When they were at Skyfall Cliff, her goal had been to obtain just one Red Emperor Blood Crystal, so receiving five was already far beyond her expectations.

Unless one was a follower of the Red Emperor, they could only use one blood crystal.

Otherwise, the consequences would be unpredictable.

Xia Qingyu affectionately slapped Ji Xinghuo's shoulder and flattered him, "With our relationship, can't you give me a few more?"

Ji Xinghuo slapped his hand away. "If you keep exploiting our relationship, then you'll only get four."

"Alright, alright, five is enough. I was just joking," Xia Qingyu said, startled, quickly withdrawing his hand.

Ji Xinghuo took out ten Red Emperor Blood Crystals and distributed them to the two of them.

Holding the crimson crystals in their hands and sensing the surging power within, the two were elated. With these five blood crystals, they could both take their strength to the next level. Aside from using them for species fusion, they could also trade them for weapons, equipment, and cultivation resources, ensuring they wouldn't have to worry for many years.

"It's time to return to Skyfall Cliff," Ji Xinghuo said.

"Yes."

Xia Qingyu nodded repeatedly and even seemed eager. "The Blood Fury Tribe is in complete chaos now, and it's very dangerous. We'll have to take a detour to get back to Skyfall Cliff."

Now that he possessed valuable treasures, he dared not wander around aimlessly.

Before leaving, Ji Xinghuo didn't forget to collect He Yan's two weapons—a battle axe and a blade-shaped dagger. Both were Super Ability Two-star weapons, and although they weren't among the top-tier ones, they were still quite valuable and could be sold for a good price back on Earth.

Ji Xinghuo instructed Qinghong to shrink in size and hide on his body, then they rode on a six-legged horned horse belonging to the Highlanders by the lakeside.

The three of them hurried on their journey.

As they had been tracking He Yan to the east, they were now only two to three hundred kilometers away from the Blood Fury Tribe, so they changed directions and headed south instead.

Traveling day and night, they covered more than a thousand kilometers in just two Star Days.

When Skyfall Cliff finally came into view, Ji Xinghuo and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. They slowed down and continued for a few more dozen kilometers until they reached the foot of Skyfall Cliff.

They rode the steam elevator up to the top of the cliff, both themselves and their mounts.

Soon, they returned to Xia Qingyu's home.

"We're back!"

Xia Qingyu jumped off his warhorse in the courtyard, his face tired and dusty, but his eyes shone with unmistakable joy. "I'm exhausted. I need to get some sleep first." Then, he pulled Misha upstairs with him.

Ji Xinghuo, however, didn't feel the same way. After washing up, he came out to find that the two upstairs had already fallen asleep.

He entered the cultivation room.

Then, he took out all 51 Red Emperor Blood Crystals and inspected them one by one. They were all ordinary blood crystals, which could be used to enhance one's body and provide an additional opportunity for species fusion.

"There aren't any Red Emperor Blood Diamonds," he said with some disappointment.

The enhancement effect of blood diamonds was even better than that of blood crystals, and they also provided an extra chance for species fusion.

There were even top-quality blood diamonds that allowed for three fusions.

This was knowledge he had gained from other mercenaries while in the Blood Fury Tribe. Red Emperor Blood Diamonds were extremely rare, and it was said that only one diamond would be born out of several hundred blood crystals.

Ji Xinghuo glanced at his spiritual source energy; it had reached 87,527 points!

Due to the unexpected turn of events, the Blood Fury Tribe's army quickly collapsed, with many fleeing for their lives. Fewer died on the battlefield than anticipated, and many fell outside the absorption range of the Myriad Star Pupils, resulting in less spiritual source energy than he had expected.

"I had thought it would reach at least 100,000, or even 150,000, but it didn't even hit 90,000 points."

"But it's enough."

Ji Xinghuo shook his head, dismissing these pointless thoughts.

He drew out Lei Chi and controlled his urge to activate the Sacred Dragon Scale Armor. He slashed his wrist with the blade, creating a wound into which he pressed a Red Emperor Blood Crystal, and his skin immediately healed.

Soon, the blood crystal beneath his skin began to react.

Ji Xinghuo felt the blood crystal melting like ice, gradually releasing a scorching energy that blended into his blood and coursed through his veins, infusing his entire body.

Gradually, just like with the upgrade of the Rotating Magnetic Field, his flesh, bones, and internal organs, down to the cellular level, were nourished by this overpowering energy, and a sense of exhilaration surged within him.

"Ugh..."

Ji Xinghuo's eyes widened.

His vision was filled with a terrifying illusion of a sea of blood and mountains of corpses, as if the entire world had been stained crimson. Countless scenes of battle and slaughter, pain and screams, invaded his mind, stirring up violent and ruthless emotions.

"Blood! Slaughter!"

Ji Xinghuo found his eyes bloodshot, and his chest burned with a nameless rage that had no outlet.

Only bloodshed and slaughter could soothe this craving.

At the same time, he vaguely sensed a great presence that inspired reverence, and he felt compelled to look up, his gaze piercing through the ceiling of the cultivation room as if gazing upon the Red Flame Star hanging high in the sky.

"Hu... Hu..."

Ji Xinghuo's breathing became heavy, and his expression began to twist, but he struggled to maintain his sanity and control his anger.

Finally, after more than ten minutes, the bloody illusion before his eyes faded away.

The urge to kill also subsided.

"Hu..."

Ji Xinghuo exhaled, feeling relieved. The sensation he had just experienced was terrifying; he felt like he had become a different person, ruthless and fearless, with only thoughts of slaughter in his mind.

"No wonder you can only use one Red Emperor Blood Crystal at a time," he said, understanding the reason. "If I had to go through that again, I'm not sure I could guarantee my willpower wouldn't spiral out of control."

Coming back to his senses, he realized that the blood crystal embedded in his wrist had been completely absorbed.

"Another chance for fusion."

Ji Xinghuo felt the changes within himself; his physical attributes had noticeably improved, and his strength, speed, and explosive power had all increased.

He walked over to a set of equipment and tested his hand.

He could bench-press 30 tons now!

Previously, when the Rotating Magnetic Field had reached Level 4, his bench press had increased from 18 tons to around 27 tons. Now, with the use of the Red Emperor Blood Crystal, his strength had surged once more, and he could effortlessly push 30 tons of weight, only reaching his limit after ten repetitions.

This level of physical enhancement was quite remarkable; for other high-level Exotics, a single blood crystal could make their bodies incredibly powerful, doubling or even tripling their strength.

He opened the interface to take a look.

Ji Xinghuo was delighted to find that his stellar power had also increased, finally breaking through the 1,000-point mark!

[Stellar Power: 1013]



Before his last return to the Star Realm, his stellar power had just reached 900 points, and in the half-month since then, it had barely increased at all. Now, with the use of the Red Emperor Blood Crystal, it had directly increased by over 100 points, which was an unexpected bonus.

However, he was still quite far from the threshold for advanced Exotics in terms of stellar power.

Ji Xinghuo estimated that the stellar power required for his next evolution to a super exotic would be at least 1,500 points, which was three times that of other advanced Exotics.

He took out a syringe that was already filled with a deep blue liquid.

This was the "High-Frequency Thought" exotic species.

Its method of fusion was injection. Before entering the Star Realm, Ji Xinghuo had purchased the exotic species and prepared the injection solution, keeping it in his dimensional stomach pouch so that he could fuse with it at any time.

[Exotic Species: High-Frequency Thought]



[Grade: Superior]



[Fusion Success Rate: 92%]



[Can it be Upgraded: Yes]



Ji Xinghuo also took out a set of delicate manual drilling tools.

He stood in front of the mirror, positioned the tool against his brow, and pierced his flesh, the drill bit penetrating his skull. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he skillfully drilled a small hole in his bone and injected the medicine into his brain through the opening.

"Sss..."

Ji Xinghuo immediately felt a chilling, piercing pain in his brain, and he drew in a breath of cold air.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end