Chapter 40 : Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Asura Saber
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[ Ding! Congratulations, host, on obtaining the mission reward — Sumeru Mark x1 ]
[ Sumeru Mark: When used, the mark will be planted onto a carrier. Once the mark is set, the host may control it with thought and gain a Sumeru space of 500 cubic meters. ]
There was another line of small text beneath it.
[ Please note: once the mark has been planted, the carrier cannot be changed. ]
[ Claim? ]
What should he choose as the carrier?
The Longevity Saber? Or...
His gaze fell on his right hand. What would happen if he placed the Sumeru Mark on his own body?
Without hesitation, Lu Zhan decisively planted the Sumeru Mark into his palm.
[ Detected that the host has selected the carrier for the Sumeru Mark — palm ]
[ Marking in progress. Please wait... ]
Lu Zhan spread out his right hand, palm upward. A black ray of light descended from nowhere and slipped into his palm like a living thing.
At the moment of branding, it felt as though his palm had been lightly touched by a hot iron. Then an oddly cool sensation spread along his meridians into his arm before rapidly gathering back into his palm.
Very soon, the black light seemed to form a complex pattern in the center of his hand.
No matter how hard Lu Zhan rubbed, it would not come off.
“So it’s done already? I thought it would be painful.”
Lu Zhan was a little surprised, though he was certainly not the sort to seek suffering for its own sake.
Just as he was about to test the Sumeru Mark, another system notification appeared.
[ Detected that the host completed the mission exceptionally well. Reward: 500 cubic meters of Sumeru space ]
[ Reward distributed. Sumeru space expanded to 1000 cubic meters ]
“Tsk, two good things at once.”
Lu Zhan had just been worrying that 500 cubic meters of Sumeru space might be too small. After all, that was not even the size of a two-story villa.
He had not expected the Sumeru Mark to be expandable.
After that, he took out a bandage and wrapped both hands, completely covering the pattern of the Sumeru Mark.
Outside the Demon-Suppressing Tower, there was a small pavilion attached close beside it.
The Demon Extermination Bureau personnel guarding the Demon-Suppressing Tower were, in fact, jurisdiction heads from various districts.
Lu Zhan took out his identity token.
“May I ask how Demon Beast flesh is exchanged here at the Demon-Suppressing Tower?”
Exchanging for Demon Beast flesh was nothing unusual in the Demon Extermination Bureau, but most people preferred to buy it outside.
After all, outside one paid in cash, while inside the Bureau one had to use Contribution Points.
Most people were not rich in Contribution Points, so how could they afford to waste them on this?
That was why the area in front of the Demon-Suppressing Tower was rather deserted.
“Oh, take a look yourself. One hundred jin minimum. No bargaining.”
The brother guarding the tower looked uninterested and pointed at the prices posted nearby.
Lu Zhan’s Demon-Subduing Guard token was obviously brand new.
There was no way he had many Contribution Points on him.
Lu Zhan suddenly felt as though he were wandering through a supermarket, and the thought amused him.
He glanced over the marked prices.
A Spirit-Awakened Realm Sword-Hedgehog cost about one Contribution Point per hundred jin. Since Demon Beasts of different realms contained different amounts of qi and blood, the prices naturally varied as well.
It looked quite cheap, but any random Sword-Hedgehog weighed more than seven hundred jin.
Not to mention many Demon Beasts even larger than Sword-Hedgehogs. For example, a Great Strength Ox Demon could easily weigh two thousand jin.
Any one of them could be sold for more than twenty Contribution Points.
That amount of Contribution Points was enough for an Aperture Opening Realm Martial Artist to complete a mission.
As for Demon Beast flesh from the Demon Acolyte Realm, it was about one Contribution Point for fifty jin.
Twice the price.
Lu Zhan looked around. These Demon Beasts might have plenty of meat, but the qi and blood within it was pitifully thin.
The refinement efficiency was far too low. Buying it would be a complete waste.
“The qi and blood in this Demon Beast flesh is too weak. I need Demon Beast flesh with a high concentration of qi and blood.”
Lu Zhan raised a brow, clearly dissatisfied.
“Oh? Brother, do you really have that many Contribution Points? Demon Beast flesh with a high concentration of qi and blood is very expensive.”
The man looked suspicious, though his interest in Lu Zhan had obviously increased.
“Just lead the way.”
His tone was crisp and confident.
A gleam immediately flashed through the tower guard’s eyes.
Had he misjudged him?
Soon enough, his attitude grew much warmer. “Brother, this way please. Welcome.”
That service attitude improved all at once, and even the smile on his face became more sincere.
“Brother, what kind of Demon Beast flesh are you looking to buy?”
Lu Zhan followed him inside.
Not far away, a young man in the robes of a Demon-Suppressing Mage lifted his head slightly and frowned.
“Qian Duoduo, why are you bringing an outsider into the Demon-Suppressing Tower?”
But after seeing Lu Zhan, the man’s brows gradually relaxed, and a hint of surprise entered his eyes.
“Heh, Brother Chen, this kid wants to buy Demon Beasts with highly concentrated qi and blood.”
Qian Duoduo offered a quick explanation.
At the same realm, the smaller the beast’s body, the higher the concentration of qi and blood. In other words, Lu Zhan wanted Demon Beast flesh from smaller-bodied beasts.
“Who is he?”
Something stirred in Lu Zhan’s heart. Chen? Could it be him?
“Oh, you mean Brother Chen? His original name is Chen Xiaoguang. He’s a senior from the fifty-second class. In just two years, he went from Qi Condensation all the way into the Divine Sea Realm. Tsk, tsk. With talent like that, he counts as one of the outstanding Demon Exterminators of the fifty-second class.”
At the mention of him, Qian Duoduo could not help sighing in admiration.
The corner of Lu Zhan’s mouth lifted slightly. So it really was him.
What came without effort was always the best.
“System, use the Martial Art Copy Card on Chen Xiaoguang.”
[ Ding! Detected copy target — Chen Xiaoguang ]
[ Scanning... ]
[ Scan successful. Seven martial arts detected in total. Four Mortal Rank martial arts, three Spirit Rank martial arts ]
“Exclude the Mortal Rank martial arts. Show the Spirit Rank ones.”
[ Detected Spirit Rank martial arts: Eight Steps Chasing the Cicada (Middle Spirit Rank), Mountain-Shattering Palm (Lower Spirit Rank), Nine Heavens Breaking Fiend Art (Upper Spirit Rank) ]
Hm. This senior is fairly wealthy.
Lu Zhan silently teased him a little, though the combination was a common one: a saber art to pair with a weapon, a palm art that required no weapon, and a movement art that could be used both offensively and defensively.
Lu Zhan did not hesitate. He directly chose the best one.
“System, copy the Upper Spirit Rank martial art — Nine Heavens Breaking Fiend Art.”
[ Ding. Host has chosen to copy Nine Heavens Breaking Fiend Art ]
[ Copying martial art... ]
[ Copy successful. Congratulations, host, on obtaining the Upper Spirit Rank martial art — Nine Heavens Breaking Fiend Art ]
[ Martial art stored in Inventory ]
In the next instant, an overbearing phantom of saber intent flashed through Lu Zhan’s mind of its own accord.
After finishing all of that, Lu Zhan let out a breath of relief. This way, he now possessed two Spirit Rank martial arts.
For anyone else, exchanging for them would take at least one or two years.
Yet Lu Zhan had obtained them in only a few days.
Chen Xiaoguang waved a hand.
“Fine. Take him in.”
Another Demon-Subduing Guard guarding the tower beside him raised a brow.
“Brother Chen, his identity token seems to start with fifty-six. Can he really afford the Demon Beast flesh inside? That kid Qian Duoduo only cares about money. Has he been played for a fool?”
The man spoke in a tone of gloating.
Chen Xiaoguang slapped him on the back of the head at once.
“Has your house been cut off from the net or what? Didn’t you read the forum posts about Jade Bottle Bay yesterday?”
The man was dazed by the slap, and only after a moment did he come back to himself.
“Wait, you mean he’s that ruthless guy everyone’s been talking about online?”
“The Asura Saber Who Never Lets a Grudge Go!”
The forum had only posted photos of the Five Poisons Sect stronghold in Jade Bottle Bay being uprooted. It had not mentioned which jurisdiction head had done it.
That was also meant to better protect the jurisdiction heads.
As for the battlefield at Blackwater Hall, that had naturally spread online as well. But the bloody scene there... how to put it? Even he, as someone in the Divine Sea Realm, had seen great scenes before.
But whenever he recalled those images now, a chill still ran through him.
“It should be him. He wiped out an evil cult stronghold. How could he possibly be short on Contribution Points?”
Chen Xiaoguang shot him a flat glance, as though calling him shortsighted.
The man did not get angry. He only grinned and said, “Hahaha, Brother Chen, so this is a fat sheep. In a moment, let’s fleece him hard...”