Swish! Swish! Swish!
The dense sound of treasures slicing through the air echoed across the desolate wasteland.
Amid the roars of the beasts, a rhinoceros-like beast, standing six to seven zhang tall, collapsed in a cloud of blood mist.
On the other side, a cultivator was locked in a fierce battle with a towering beast.
The cultivator wielded a flying sword, which flashed with lightning-like brilliance, slashing repeatedly. Each sword strike left deep wounds on the beast's body, causing torrents of beast blood to gush out.
After a long struggle, the beast's movements gradually slowed, and the cultivator delivered a precise sword strike to its throat, ending its life instantly.
"A top-grade first-tier cultivation technique is indeed extraordinary!"
Xu Bo's heart stirred as he gazed at the fallen beast's corpse before him, a smile of delight appearing on his face.
This beast's cultivation level was equivalent to his own, both at the mid-second tier. In the past, killing such a beast would have been an arduous task.
However, since he exchanged for and practiced the "Heavenly Martial True Qi" through the secret method, his body had condensed genuine immortal spiritual energy, significantly enhancing his strength.
Although still at the mid-second tier, his combat prowess had vastly improved.
Comparing his strength before and after cultivating the "Heavenly Martial True Qi," Xu Bo was confident he could defeat his former self within ten moves.
Such is the power of a cultivation technique.
Before truly encountering orthodox cultivation techniques, Xu Bo had mistakenly believed that first-tier techniques would offer little benefit to a second-tier cultivator like himself.
It was only after actually practicing a first-tier technique that he realized how shallow his previous understanding had been.
First-tier techniques might not enable a second-tier cultivator to break through, but they could fortify their foundational cultivation, making them more formidable within their current realm.
Afterward, Xu Bo approached the beast's corpse, placing his palm on its body and chanting the sacrificial incantation while silently invoking the name of the divine tree.
As the sacrifice commenced, the beast's corpse began to fade before his eyes, vanishing completely within moments.
At the same time, Xu Bo's gaze fell upon the interface of the Heavenly Court chat group, where a detailed data panel appeared.
...
[Name: Xu Bo]
[Race: Human]
[Cultivation Level: Mid Second-Tier]
[Offerings: 200]
...
"Finally obtained the first offering!"
Xu Bo nodded slightly. This data panel was a recently added feature of the Heavenly Court chat group, clearly displaying various personal details.
Although two hundred offerings weren't much, it was a promising start.
With a few more second-tier beast kills, Xu Bo hoped to unlock the second-tier technique exchange, thereby acquiring higher-level cultivation secrets.
Next, he moved to the other beast corpses hunted by his family's hunting squad, performing the sacrificial ritual on each to convert them into personal offerings.
Though not all members of the Xu family hunting squad were cultivators, they were composed of former elite soldiers whose strength far surpassed ordinary people.
Their mastery of various mortal weapons was exceptional.
Forming a battle array, they could handle common beasts with ease.
This time, Xu Bo led the hunting squad away from the Eighth Alliance territory on their first beast hunt to accumulate offerings and exchange for higher-tier cultivation techniques.
After sacrificing all the beasts, Xu Bo checked his offering count again.
...
[Name: Xu Bo]
[Race: Human]
[Cultivation Level: Mid Second-Tier]
[Offerings: 430]
...
"Nearly halfway to the goal of a thousand offerings!"
Xu Bo nodded, then scanned the group and said solemnly:
"Continue clearing out the remaining beasts, but proceed with caution. If you encounter third-tier beasts, do not engage without authorization!"
"Understood!"
The hunters responded in unison, their faces solemn.
Third-tier beasts were extremely terrifying.
If they encountered a third-tier beast, the current strength of the hunting squad would likely lead to total annihilation.
Indeed,
While hunting beasts was highly rewarding, it also entailed significant risks.
...
In another corner of the alliance's outskirts, other hunting squads were also busy hunting beasts in an orderly manner.
These squads included both civilian forces like the Xu family and official cultivator hunting teams from the alliance.
"Bang!"
A powerful beast fell with a crash. Yang You extended his hand to touch it, swiftly performing the sacrificial ritual to offer the beast's body to Lu Qingyang.
The beast's body gradually faded and vanished, and the corresponding offering value was instantly credited.
...
[Name: Yang You]
[Race: Human]
[Cultivation Level: Early Third-Tier]
[Offerings: 1000]
...
"A thousand offerings, not bad!"
Yang You was quite pleased.
Sacrificing an early third-tier beast yielded a thousand offerings.
Once these offerings were used up, he could smoothly unlock the second-tier technique exchange.
Although the alliance's rules required that all hunted beasts be collectively processed,
and efforts be focused on helping one person raise the exchange market level first, this did not mean that all beasts must be handed over.
If someone hunted a beast on their own and performed a private sacrifice, the high command typically wouldn't scrutinize too closely.
Soon,
Yang You found the item he had long coveted in the first-tier market of the Heavenly Court chat group.
The "Thunderous Heart Sutra."
A first-tier inferior technique that, when used by someone with spiritual power, could instantly unleash the power of thunder, boasting formidable might.
"This is the one!"
Yang You decisively exchanged for it.
Since all first-tier inferior techniques were essentially equivalent, his primary goal was to use up offerings to unlock the second-tier market.
Additionally,
Yang You chose the "Thunderous Heart Sutra" because his initial free exchange was for a first-tier superior technique, the "Qi Induction Technique."
This technique was a genuine orthodox cultivation method of the immortal realm.
It allowed the cultivator to generate spiritual power within, perfectly meeting the requirements for using the "Thunderous Heart Sutra."
Not long after,
The complete knowledge of the "Thunderous Heart Sutra" flowed into Yang You's mind.
Images and countless characters flooded his consciousness, making him instantly familiar with all the contents of the "Thunderous Heart Sutra," needing only diligent practice henceforth.
However, at this moment—
Yang You's focus shifted from the "Thunderous Heart Sutra" to the Heavenly Court market before him.
Beside the original first-tier market, a second-tier market icon had quietly appeared. As Yang You's thoughts moved, the interface immediately switched to the second-tier market.
More powerful cultivation techniques, secret arts, and various treasures and talismans were displayed before Yang You.
Suddenly,
Yang You received another piece of information that made his expression change slightly.
"To unlock the third-tier market, you need to consume ten thousand offerings!"
"Note: The third-tier market is still under construction. Please be patient!"
Digesting this message, Yang You muttered to himself, "The third-tier market isn't completed yet, so it seems the alliance's high command's plan is temporarily hindered!"
4o