Chapter 71: Debts of Kindness
by xennovel“No.”
Selina shook her head, “Ms. Ren knows that symbiotic mutations are always in high demand and rarely reach the market. It’s been nearly a year since I last handled one.”
Ji Xinghuo felt disappointed.
In that case, he would have to settle for a protective ornament for now.
“I’m well aware,” Ren Mian seemed prepared, “With Dragon Lookout Pavilion’s connections and market position, they can certainly acquire a symbiotic mutation. I urgently need it.”
“How urgent?”
“It can’t be later than one Star Realm month.”
The conversation between the two was swift, more akin to the exchange between a subordinate and a superior rather than haggling between a merchant and a customer.
Selina pondered for a few seconds, “Although symbiotic mutations are rare, with so many extrahumans and hunting teams on Earth, someone will sell if the price is right.”
“I’m willing to pay a premium,” Ren Mian stated without hesitation.
“If it’s just a cash transaction, it might be hard to persuade the seller. Ms. Ren, if you could add a unique term, I could guarantee delivery within a Star Realm month.”
Ren Mian responded calmly, “I’ll pay with Qing Sky Fruits and sell an additional five to Dragon Lookout Pavilion.”
“Then there’s no problem!” Selina’s eyes brightened as she smiled, “Madam, please await my good news.”
Ji Xinghuo understood as well.
Qing Sky Fruits are a rare spatial enlargement item, priced at thirty million each but priceless to many who want to buy them without access. Dragon Lookout Pavilion acquiring them would not only profit from the markup but also leverage rare resources for other benefits.
“I can’t come here every day. Take another Dragon View token and get him a membership,” Ren Mian indicated Ji Xinghuo.
“Please wait a moment.”
Selina quickly fetched a dragon-shaped metal plaque and handed it to Ji Xinghuo, “Sir, this token grants you unrestricted access to Dragon Lookout Pavilion transactions.”
“Thank you.”
Ji Xinghuo examined the token. It was made of titanium alloy, featuring a vividly crafted five-clawed golden dragon but was otherwise unremarkable.
“I must go now,” Ren Mian stood to leave.
Selina personally escorted them out, handing Ji Xinghuo a paper envelope filled with cash notes valued at a hundred thousand Asia Yuan each.
Leaving Dragon Lookout Pavilion, Ji Xinghuo decided to rent the same large-tamed wind deer from the stable as before.
He sat behind Ren Mian, opened the envelope, and quickly counted, suddenly saying, “Sister Ren, this amount seems incorrect.”
Several million short!
Ren Mian glanced back at the envelope, “The money’s right, just spent some on Blood Marrow Solution.”
“What?” Ji Xinghuo was shocked, still holding the box containing Blood Marrow Solution. Was it that expensive?
He couldn’t help asking, “What does Blood Marrow Solution do and how much does it cost?”
“It works like Ether Tea, enhancing your cultivation efficiency, but it’s even better. A class A Blood Marrow Solution costs three hundred thousand Asia Yuan each, doubling the efficiency of absorbing ether energy and converting star power based on your current level,” explained Ren Mian.
“Class B is a bit less effective, improving about 25%, costing fifty thousand Asia Yuan each.”
Ji Xinghuo’s eyes widened.
Thirty doses in his hand were worth 6.5 million! But more than its high cost, he was astounded by the medicinal effects.
“This is great stuff!”
Ji Xinghuo sincerely admired.
Using one class A Blood Marrow Solution daily would cost nine million Asia Yuan a month. For most people, that was an enormous amount, unsustainable.
But to the billionaires, it was just a drop in the bucket.
A month of cultivation worth two months was too good a deal. Even geniuses could be made with money and resources.
Ji Xinghuo joked, “It’d be awesome to always use Blood Marrow Solution.”
“That’s not possible.”
Ren Mian gently pulled the reins to turn the great wind deer, “Production of Blood Marrow Solution is low. Although I don’t know the exact method of its production, I guess the main ingredient is the blood of an elite monster. Inside Dragon Lookout Pavilion, it’s scarcely enough, only a small amount released monthly to nurture relationships.”
“Like your Qing Sky Fruits?”
“Exactly.”
Ren Mian nodded slightly, adding, “Furthermore, the effectiveness of Blood Marrow Solution decreases with higher ranks, becoming almost negligible at legendary levels.”
Realization dawned on Ji Xinghuo’s face.
If Blood Marrow Solution were effective for high-tier Strengths, it wouldn’t be sold at all and would be hoarded by Dragon Lookout Pavilion’s legendary extrahumans themselves.
Great stuff is always first enjoyed by those in power, not ordinary folks.
“For the next month, focus solely on your cultivation, aim to advance to an intermediate extrahuman early,” Ren Mian spoke softly, “Only with another evolution can you fuse with new extrabilities.”
“Don’t worry about the symbiotic mutation.”
“Selina is confident she can manage it. Visit Dragon Lookout Pavilion every two or three days, but be careful not to be followed.”
Ren Mian seriously warned at the end.
“I understand.”
Ji Xinghuo thought it seemed Ren Mian both collaborated with and was cautious of Dragon Lookout Pavilion.
After returning the great wind deer a few blocks from the villa, they took a bus home. Just before entering the villa, Ji Xinghuo finally said, “Sister Ren, symbiotic mutation must be very expensive, right?”
The price of symbiotic mutation was definitely higher than that of basalt body, easily three or four million.
Plus, Ren Mian intended to pay a premium.
And it was to be paid with Qing Sky Fruits.
Not only was his money insufficient, but he also had a pre-existing debt of twenty million, and his liabilities were mounting.
“Don’t worry too much about the money,” Ren Mian smiled at him, “Problems that can be solved with money are not really problems.”
She then walked into the villa.
Ji Xinghuo watched her graceful figure disappear, speechless.
He knew Ren Mian was extremely wealthy and unfazed by the money, but beyond finances, he owed her a favor and wondered how he might repay it.
Back at the villa, Ren Mian announced to Jiangnan Caiyi and Chi Zhonglin that she would not go hunting for the next month. If they had matters to attend, they could return to Earth or make their own plans.
Chi Zhonglin returned to Earth overnight.
Compared to Olympia, Earth’s entertainments were a hundredfold more exciting, and life more convenient.
Jiangnan Caiyi stayed to cook for Ren Mian and Ji Xinghuo, mainly for Ren Mian with Ji Xinghuo being incidental.
That very night, Ji Xinghuo immersed himself in cultivation.
He first spent twelve hours on four training cycles, getting a tangible sense of his upgraded affinity for ether. Then, he drank a dose of class A Blood Marrow Solution as a benchmark comparison to adjust his cultivation plan.
On the third day.
Seeing his star power had surged to 223 points, Ji Xinghuo felt ecstatic!
Ether affinity combined with Blood Marrow Solution, just two days of cultivation increased his star power by 5 points! At this pace, it would only take about three Star Realm weeks for his star power to reach the upper limit of a junior extrahuman and trigger his second life evolution.
Months flew by.
For twenty-four consecutive Star Realm days, Ji Xinghuo was engrossed in cultivation, tireless, spending over forty hours daily in the training room, as if oblivious to the external world, even skipping visits to the Extreme Martial Hall.
He only ventured out every three days to meet Selina at Dragon Lookout Pavilion.
Yet, there was still no news of the symbiotic mutation.
Bang!
Ji Xinghuo completed a set of ten bench presses, placing the heavy barbell back on the rack with a muffled sound.
The barbell plates were nearly fully loaded, weighing up to a thousand kilograms.
That’s a ton!
Sweating profusely, he sat up straight, exhaling lightly, and wiped the sweat off with a towel before turning to look at his reflection in the opposite wall mirror.
Compared to more than twenty days ago, his physique hadn’t changed much, just his muscle contours were slightly more defined.
But the increase in inner strength was significant.
His bench press had increased by 200 kilograms, and his squat and deadlift improved similarly, the total weight of his three lifts now exceeded four tons!
In the era before the star gates opened, this would have definitely been considered superhuman.
Even now, such physical quality was considered quite high, especially in terms of strength, stronger than a strength-specific intermediate extrahuman. Yet, his shape remained agile and light, speed and agility unaffected.
“A ranger should look the part,” Ji Xinghuo smiled, satisfied as he viewed his figure.
Greater strength allowed for drawing heavier bows.
Normally, even senior rangers struggled to bench a ton, giving him a significant advantage in this respect alone.
“Once I evolve again and advance to an intermediate extrahuman, my strength will increase further.”
“And the magnetic vortex can also be upgraded.”
Ji Xinghuo opened the Wanxiang Star Pupils interface. The magnetic vortex had long been stuck at (Level 2, 1/1699), he thought upgrading the magnetic vortex should be considered once his ether affinity improved another level.
He then glanced at his star power indicator.
[Star Power: 15/276]
After over twenty Star Realm days of intense cultivation, his star power had surged by 58 points. Since yesterday, the rate of increase had noticeably slowed, subtly reaching a peak.
Ji Xinghuo also felt it, his body in excellent condition, ready to evolve again at any moment.
He watched as his star power gradually restored.
The dual effects of ether affinity and Blood Marrow Solution now required less than an hour and a half for his star power to fully replenish.
Ji Xinghuo didn’t just wait idly, regaining some energy, he picked up the Dragon Falcon Eagle Bow in the next room to practice archery.
Although it didn’t improve his shooting precision, it was a chance to practice Thousand Agile Hands.
Practice makes perfect is always true.
Even though he could directly upgrade with mental source energy, he didn’t completely forego practicing Thousand Agile Hands. With each round of archery, his technique became more proficient, and his shooting frequency slightly increased.
Pop! Pop! Pop…
Ji Xinghuo shot arrow after arrow, each hitting the bullseye.
He occasionally opened the interface to check his star power status.
An hour later when Ji Xinghuo opened the interface again, he saw his star power had returned to 276/276. At that moment, the numbers flickered, changing to 277/277!
Simultaneously, he felt a shift in his body.
His second life evolution had begun!