Chapter 71: A Debt of Gratitude
Chapter 71: A Debt of Gratitude
"No," Serena shook her head. "Ms. Ren is aware that Symbiotic Ectotypes are highly sought-after and rarely make it to the market. It's been almost a year since I last came across one."
Ji Xinghuo's heart sank at this news. It seemed like his only option now was to purchase a decorative Quelling artifact for the time being.
"I'm well aware of that," Ren Mian said, as if she had anticipated this response. "Given the connections and market position of the Dragon Gazing Tower, they should definitely be able to procure a Symbiotic Ectotype. I need it urgently."
"How urgent?"
"The latest I can accept it is one Stellar Month from now."
The conversation between the two was swift, resembling less of a negotiation between a merchant and a customer, and more like a subordinate attending to their superior.
Serena pondered for a few seconds before speaking. "While Symbiotic Ectotypes are rare, there are plenty of aliens and hunting teams on Earth. As long as the price is right, there will definitely be someone willing to sell."
"I can offer a premium price," Ren Mian said without hesitation.
"If it's just a cash transaction, it might be difficult to convince the seller. But if you can add some unique conditions, then I can guarantee to have the Symbiotic Ectotype delivered to you within one Stellar Month."
Ren Mian's voice remained calm as she said, "I'll pay with Blue Sky Fruits and additionally sell five more to the Dragon Gazing Tower."
"In that case, we have a deal!" Serena's eyes lit up, and she smiled. "Please wait for my good news, ma'am."
Ji Xinghuo also understood the implication.
Blue Sky Fruits were extremely rare expansion curiosities, each selling for 30 million, but their value was immeasurable as many who desired them lacked the connections to acquire them. The Dragon Gazing Tower could not only profit from reselling them but also gain other advantages by possessing such a rare resource.
"I don't have time to come here every day. Take another Dragon Gazing Token and enroll him as a member." Ren Mian pointed to Ji Xinghuo beside her.
"Please wait a moment," Serena readily agreed and soon returned with a metal token shaped like a five-clawed golden dragon. She handed it to Ji Xinghuo, saying, "Sir, with this token, you can enter the Dragon Gazing Tower for transactions at any time."
"Thank you," Ji Xinghuo said, examining the token briefly. It was made of titanium alloy, and the dragon design was intricate and lifelike, but aside from that, it didn't seem particularly special.
"I'll be going now," Ren Mian said, rising to take her leave.
Serena saw them out personally and handed Ji Xinghuo a paper envelope filled with cash, each bill worth 100,000 Asian dollars.
Upon leaving the Dragon Gazing Tower, Ji Xinghuo took the initiative to rent a mount from the horse shop, choosing the same large tame wind deer as before.
Sitting behind Ren Mian, he opened the envelope and quickly counted the money. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "Sister Ren, I think there's a mistake with the amount!"
Several million was missing!
Ren Mian turned back to glance at the envelope. "The money is all there. I just bought some Marrow Solution."
"Ah?" Ji Xinghuo was stunned. The box containing the Marrow Solution was still in his hand. Was it that expensive?
He couldn't help but ask, "What effect does this Marrow Solution have, and how much does it cost?"
"It has the same effect as Aether Tea—drinking it will enhance your cultivation efficiency, but with better results. Grade A Marrow Solution costs 300,000 Asian dollars per dose and can double the efficiency of absorbing Aether energy and converting stellar power based on your current level." Ren Mian explained.
"Grade B is slightly less effective but can still provide a boost of around 25%. It costs 50,000 Asian dollars per dose."
Ji Xinghuo's eyes widened in surprise.
The 30 doses of medication in his hand were worth 6.5 million! But aside from the steep price of the Marrow Solution, he was more astonished by its efficacy.
"What a great item!" Ji Xinghuo exclaimed sincerely.
Using a dose of Grade A Marrow Solution every day would cost 9 million Asian dollars per month. For most people, this would undoubtedly be a huge sum, unsustainable in the long run.
However, to billionaires, it would be a mere trifle.
Cultivating for a month with this solution was like cultivating for two, an incredibly worthwhile investment. Geniuses, it seemed, could be forged with money and resources.
Ji Xinghuo smiled. "It would be amazing if I could use Marrow Solution all the time."
"That's impossible," Ren Mian said, gently pulling on the reins of the large tame wind deer to turn a corner. "The production of Marrow Solution is very low. Although I don't know the exact manufacturing method, I can guess that the main material is at least the blood of an elite monster. Even the Dragon Gazing Tower doesn't have enough supply, and they only release a small amount each month to cultivate connections."
"Just like your Blue Sky Fruits?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
"Yes," Ren Mian nodded slightly. "Moreover, the effect of the Marrow Solution diminishes with higher stages. The higher your stage, the less effective it becomes, and by the time you reach the Legendary stage, it has almost no effect."
Understanding dawned on Ji Xinghuo's face.
If the Marrow Solution were effective for high-stage powerhouses, there was no way it would be sold. The Legendaries of the Dragon Gazing Tower would have kept it for themselves.
Good things were always enjoyed first by those in power, leaving the common folk with scraps.
"For the next month, focus on cultivating and try to reach the Intermediate Alien stage as soon as possible," Ren Mian said softly. "Only by evolving again can you merge with a new alien ability."
"As for the Symbiotic Ectotype, you don't have to worry about it. Serena has guaranteed it, and there's a high chance she'll deliver. Come to the Dragon Gazing Tower every two or three days, and be careful not to let anyone follow you."
Ren Mian's tone turned serious as she gave this last instruction.
"I understand," Ji Xinghuo replied, his thoughts racing. It seemed that Sister Ren had a cooperative relationship with the Dragon Gazing Tower, but she was also wary of them.
And from what he had gathered from Ren Mian's earlier words, she intended to purchase it at a premium.
On top of that, she would be paying with Blue Sky Fruits.
Not only did he not have enough of his own money, but with the additional two hundred million he already owed her, his debt was mounting higher and higher.
"You don't have to worry about the money," Ren Mian said with a smile in his direction, "Any problem that can be solved with money is not a real problem."
With that, she strode into the villa's front gate.
Ji Xinghuo watched her graceful figure as she walked away, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Though he understood that Ren Mian was incredibly wealthy and didn't fret about such sums, he knew that beyond the money, he also owed her a personal debt, and he wondered how he would ever be able to repay her.
Upon returning to the villa, Ren Mian informed Jiang Nancai and Chi Zhonglin that she wouldn't be going out hunting for the next month. She told them they could return to Earth if they had any business to attend to, or they could make their own plans.
Chi Zhonglin promptly returned to Earth that very night.
Compared to Olympia, Earth offered a hundred times more entertaining activities, and life there was much more convenient.
Jiang Nancai, however, chose to stay. She wanted to cook for Ren Mian and Ji Xinghuo, although her primary motivation was to cook for Ren Mian, with Ji Xinghuo being more of an afterthought.
That very night, Ji Xinghuo immersed himself in cultivation.
He began with twelve hours of training, completing four cycles to gain a direct understanding of his improved cultivation efficiency now that he had attained the Aether Affinity. Then, he drank another dose of Grade A Marrow Solution to use as a reference for comparison and to adjust his cultivation plan accordingly.
Day three.
Ji Xinghuo gazed at his stellar power, which had risen to 223 points, and felt an exhilarating rush!
The combination of Aether Affinity and Marrow Solution produced a synergistic effect, resulting in a gain of 5 points of stellar power in just two days of cultivation! At this rate, he estimated that it would take him around three weeks to reach the upper limit of the early Alien stage and trigger his second evolutionary breakthrough.
Time flew by.
For twenty-four consecutive Stellar Days, Ji Xinghuo dedicated himself wholly to cultivation, unfazed by fatigue. He spent over forty hours each day in the training room, as if oblivious to the outside world, even neglecting to visit the Extreme Martial Arts Gym.
The only exception to his routine was his trip to the Dragon Gazing Tower to meet with Serena every three days.
However, there was still no news about the Symbiotic Ectotype.
Bang! Ji Xinghuo completed a set of ten bench presses, carefully returning the heavy barbell to its rack, producing a dull thud.
The barbell was almost fully loaded, weighing a whopping 1,000 kilograms.
That's one ton! He sat up, drenched in sweat, and wiped his face with a towel before turning to glance at his reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall.
Compared to over twenty days ago, his physique hadn't changed drastically, but his muscle definition had become more pronounced.
However, the most noticeable changes were occurring within his body.
His bench press had increased by 200 kilograms, and his squat and deadlift had seen similar improvements. The combined weight of the three exercises now exceeded four tons! In the era before the Stargate opening, this would have undoubtedly been considered superhuman.
Even now, such physical prowess was quite remarkable, especially in terms of strength, surpassing even that of a mid-level Alien focused on strength. Yet, his physique remained sleek and agile, showing no signs of hindering his speed or flexibility.
"A ranger should look like a ranger," Ji Xinghuo commented, pleased with his figure.
Greater strength meant he could draw a heavier bow.
Typically, even a high-level ranger would struggle to bench-press a ton, so he already had a significant advantage in this regard.
"Once I evolve again and advance to the mid-level Alien stage, my strength will increase even further," he mused.
"And I can also upgrade my Rotating Magnetic Field."
Ji Xinghuo opened the Myriad Star Pupils interface and noticed that the Rotating Magnetic Field had been stagnant at (Level 2, 1/1699) for quite some time. He figured that once his Aether Affinity reached the next level, he should consider upgrading the Rotating Magnetic Field.
He then turned his attention to the stellar power statistic.
[Stellar Power: 15/276]
After tirelessly cultivating for over twenty Stellar Days, his stellar power had skyrocketed by 58 points. However, starting from yesterday, the rate of increase had noticeably slowed down, hinting that he was approaching the peak.
Ji Xinghuo could sense it himself—his body was in prime condition, and he felt that evolution was imminent.
He watched as his stellar power gradually recovered.
Thanks to the combined effects of Aether Affinity and Marrow Solution, it now took less than an hour and a half for his stellar power to replenish to its maximum value.
Rather than waiting idly, Ji Xinghuo, with his partially restored stamina, picked up the Dragon Falcon Eagle Bow and headed to the adjacent room to practice archery.
Although this didn't improve his shooting accuracy, it allowed him to hone his Thousand Dexterity Hands technique.
Practice makes perfect, after all.
Even though he could directly upgrade his skills using spiritual source energy, he didn't abandon his physical training. With each arrow he loosed, his technique became increasingly refined, and his shooting frequency improved slightly.
Thwap! Thwap! Thwap...
Ji Xinghuo released arrow after arrow, each one finding its mark at the center of the target.
Occasionally, he would open the interface to check his stellar power status.
More than an hour later, when Ji Xinghuo checked the interface again, he saw that his stellar power had recovered to 276/276. In that instant, the number ticked upward, transforming into 277/277!
Simultaneously, he felt his body undergoing a transformation.
His second evolutionary breakthrough had begun!
(End of Chapter)
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