Chapter 509: Exchange List
Chapter 509: Exchange List (Monthly Vote Request)
A massive screen projected downward, refreshing rapidly.
[Item: Tianzai Flame Dragon Blood (Sold Out)]
[Description: Blood of a Level 10 Disaster Beast, the Tianzai Flame Dragon, capable of triggering physical transformation.]
[Merit Points: 500,000 Crimson Heaven Points per ton]
Lin Qi inwardly gasped at the first entry.
A Level 10 Tianzai Flame Dragon?
He’d never heard of this one—probably the beast Red Emperor’s team hunted down in the Otherworld.
The blood of a Level 10 Disaster Beast… if he consumed it, his Vital Energy Stat could skyrocket.
Five hundred thousand Crimson Heaven Points for just one ton.
He kept scrolling.
[Tianzai Flame Dragon’s Heart]
[Polar Ice Rhino Blood]
[Polar Ice Rhino Flesh]
…
The list continued with Level 10 Disaster Beast parts—all marked “Sold Out.”
A pang of regret hit him. If he could’ve bought even a little, his Vital Energy Stat would’ve skyrocketed. He imagined hundreds of kilograms of dragon blood—enough for multiple Blood Transfigurations.
Scrolling further, he spotted familiar treasures: his earlier Tiger Bone Pill, the Five Elements Organ Tempering Balm, each requiring hundreds of Merit Points.
Redeeming these would mean slaying several Level 6 Disaster Beasts.
Even the Life Water was prohibitively expensive—tens of thousands of Merit Points.
Suddenly, Lin Qi’s eyes lit up.
[Item: Blood Spirit Elixirs]
[Description: Elixirs crafted from Xue Ling Zhi, dramatically boosting Vital Energy Stats and enabling Blood Transfiguration success.]
[Merit Points: 100,000 per vial]
He recognized Xue Ling Zhi immediately—his master Mu Hong’s revered heavenly treasure. These elixirs offered a side-effect-free Blood Transfiguration for Seventh Realm Martial Artists, an irresistible temptation.
Countless Xia Kingdom cultivators were stuck at the Seventh Realm, their foundations and innate talents too weak for natural progression. Without external help, they’d hit a dead end.
Though Xue Ling Zhi itself was grayed out as sold out, these Elixirs, while perhaps slightly inferior, were still highly desirable. The stock appeared ample.
Lin Qi mentally marked them as a target.
He thought of Dean Liu—surely, with his resources, he could redeem these Blood Transfiguration Elixirs soon, accelerating his breakthrough to the Eighth Stage.
Continuing to browse, Lin Qi spotted more heavenly treasures:
Starlight Essence, capable of elevating ordinary innate talents to S-Rank Genius levels.
Adamantine Body Fruit, enhancing physical innate talents up to S-Rank Genius standards.
Perfect for his parents, but the price tag—millions of Merit Points—was astronomical.
Too expensive for those who needed it most. Those who could afford it likely didn’t need it.
When I reach the Eighth Stage, I’ll hunt more Disaster Beasts, he resolved.
“Dingdong!”
The doorbell chimed, projecting the hallway view.
Lin Qi opened the door to a burly worker in black uniform and a Smart Robot carting metal crates. The wide corridor easily accommodated the load.
“Mr. Lin Qi, your Grade 8 Disaster Beast Flesh has arrived.”
Lin Qi nodded, guiding the worker as Xiaochan materialized to help carry the crates.
The apartment’s freezer maxed out at 2,000 kilograms—barely enough.
Once the delivery finished, Lin Qi eagerly ordered Xiaochan to cook.
“Level 7 Beast Flesh is obsolete now. Time for Grade 8,” he declared, stepping into the Martial Arts Training Hall.
…
At Black Dragon Base’s core, the command center buzzed with top-tier officials.
In one office, Mu Hong in black and Dean Liu in white sat on a gray sofa across from a towering figure in silver battle armor—Mountain and River King.
He lifted his tea cup slowly.
“Lin Qi’s at Black Dragon Base now? Three days to refine Steel Qi… remarkable innate talent. I took over ten days to achieve that.”
Dean Liu sipped tea, smiling.
“Senior Master Mu, back then you were always at the battlefront, fighting Disaster Beasts daily. You barely had time to cultivate. If you’d had Lin Qi’s luxury of advancing in days…”
Mountain and River King shifted the conversation:
"Let Lin Qi join the squad first and get familiar with the battlefield environment."
"Once he adapts, he can operate independently."
Mu Hong nodded. "I'll have Liang Tai accompany him for now."
Mountain and River King stood up, his voice tinged with anticipation. "I look forward to seeing Lin Qi reach his full potential. If he, Sun Sheng, and Li Tianxing all break through to the Nine Realms..." He paused, his tone hardening. "With more Nine Realms martial artists, we won't have to fear Level 10 Disaster Beasts anymore."
"The Shadow Vanquishers wouldn't have to die in vain."
At those words, the air grew heavy. Dean Liu and Mu Hong exhaled deeply. The specter of Level 10 Disaster Beasts loomed over them all.
Every time one appeared, 8th Stage martial artists inevitably perished. Level 9 Beasts outnumbered the Nine Realms cultivators, forcing the elite to prioritize eliminating them while weaker teams distracted the Level 10 threats. By the time they regrouped against the apex Beasts, most 8th Stage fighters had already fallen to the lower-tier Beasts—or ambushes by the Vermin Race. Several high-ranking martial artists had died this campaign from such sneak attacks.
Mountain and River King clenched his fists, his voice icy. "If not for the Vermin Race, our comrades might still be alive." "We'll eradicate them eventually. That day will come soon."
---
That afternoon, after finishing his cultivation, Lin Qi followed Senior Disciple Liang Tai to tour Black Dragon Base. They passed through the dormitory district, Martial Arts Training Halls, Virtual Chambers, and Gravity Chambers. While all facilities were accessible, usage required payment. Many who failed to enter Wu University joined the military directly, relying on wartime cultivation to grow stronger.
As Lin Qi walked the base, the stench of blood stung his nose, and the ground beneath him darkened with dried crimson stains. On either side, black stone walls stretched a hundred meters high, their surfaces scarred by claw marks and streaked with the stains of time.
Groups of martial artists entered through the gates, clad in Battle Suits saturated with blood and thick with Slaughter Qi.
Liang Tai gestured calmly. "Little junior, this is our base's main entrance."
"We have nine gates in total", Lin Qi replied.
"Liáng Xióng, you're here already?" A mocking voice suddenly called from the entrance.
Several figures approached, led by a sharp-featured young man in a silver Battle Suit. He twirled a Battle Saber lazily, his entourage of male and female martial artists radiating Sixth Realm auras.
Tilting his chin at Liang Tai, the man sneered, "So soon after losing a team member, you're already replacing him? What a joke."
Liang Tai's face darkened. "Gù Míng, watch your mouth!"
"If you hadn't provoked the Vermin Race, Hé Chuān wouldn't have died."
Gù Míng scoffed. "That's your weakness, not our problem. Can't protect your own? Pathetic."
He turned to Lin Qi, lowering his voice. "Hey kid, quit while you still can. Liang Tai's squad will get you killed."
Lin Qi glanced at Liang Tai. "Who's this clown?"
Liang Tai burst into laughter. "A clown indeed!" Senior Disciple Wáng Zhì Xuān smirked beside him.
Humiliated under the crowd's gaze, Gù Míng's expression twisted. A burly, scarred man beside him jeered, "Greenhorn, watch your back out here. You might not like how fast you die."
Gù Míng added coldly, "Kid, this is the battlefield. Didn't your parents teach you to keep your head down?"
Lin Qi shrugged. "Sorry, I'm already being polite."
"Just tired of listening to stray dogs bark."
"Let's go", he said to Liang Tai.
Liang Tai laughed heartily, steering Lin Qi away. Behind them, Gù Míng's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Tch, that brat's asking for it", his henchman muttered, mimicking a slit-throat gesture.
"Aren't we rushing?" the only woman in the group interjected. "Maybe we should check his background first."
Gù Míng hesitated, then the burly man scoffed, "What background? He's just lucky to join Liang Tai's ragtag team."
"Exactly", Gù Míng smirked. "My brother's Huǒ Lóng Gu Chéng. Who else dares touch us?"
His smile faded. "Plan an 'accident' during the next Beast Tide. Make sure the Celestial Eye System doesn't catch us."
His gang exchanged wicked grins. They'd done this countless times before.
---
Later, as they walked, Lin Qi asked, "Senior Disciple, what's between you and Gù Míng?"
Liang Tai's face hardened. "We've never gotten along."
"Little junior, remember—besides Disaster Beasts, watch your back against comrades."
"The Celestial Eye System focuses on Beasts", he continued. "During chaotic Beast Tides, even minor betrayals slip through. Some people..." He trailed off meaningfully.
Lin Qi caught the unspoken warning.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
