"Forward!"
On the grand avenue not far from Blood Jade City, a formidable group of five hundred knights approached with an air of imposing authority. Each one possessed a fierce gaze, exuding an aura of menace, while some bore clothing stained with blood. From a distance, their formidable presence was enough to instill a sense of dread.
This was Ye Tian and his companions, who, after collecting their spoils of war, were poised to return to Blood Jade City. Following this arduous campaign against bandits, Ye Tian and his fellow newcomers to the Blood Cloak Guard had begun their transformation from novices to seasoned warriors.
Their aura of menace grew increasingly potent; one day, they would embody the same lethal presence as the true Blood Cloak Guard.
Clatter, clatter, clatter...
As Ye Tian and his group neared the city gates of Blood Jade, some individuals waiting to enter caught sight of them, their faces quickly transforming into expressions of astonishment.
"Who are those people?" a young man queried, puzzled.
"What a heavy aura of menace! If they weren't dressed in Blood Cloak Guard attire, I would have thought we encountered the Blood Cloak Guards themselves," remarked an elder practitioner with a sigh.
"You're mistaken; they are indeed Blood Cloak Guards, just newly inducted ones, not yet officially part of the ranks," a gate guard chuckled.
Another guard bellowed, "Clear the way! Let them enter first!"
With this commanding shout, the crowd at the gate parted swiftly, creating a path for Ye Tian and his companions to surge through.
"Huh? I didn't expect that just last time I envied the Blood Cloak Guards for entering without queuing, and now it's my turn to enjoy such treatment," Ye Tian mused as he rode atop a magnificent black steed, watching the crowd step aside.
Among the crowd, envious glances were frequently cast their way, filling Ye Tian's subordinates with a sense of pride as they stood tall, chests puffed out in arrogance.
"Grandpa, who are they? They look so imposing!" a bald child in the arms of a white-haired elder asked curiously.
"They are the Blood Cloak Guards, the mightiest warriors of Blood Jade City, all formidable fighters!" the elder replied, gently patting the child's head with a smile.
"The mightiest... Grandpa, when I grow up, I want to become a Blood Cloak Guard too!" The child's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he raised his chubby arms in excitement.
"Then you must work hard!" the elder said, his face radiating warmth.
Nearby, others observed the exchange with amused smiles.
When Ye Tian and his group returned, a fellow Blood Cloak Guard informed him that he was to lead his men to the training grounds.
At the familiar training ground stood a lone figure. From his silhouette, it appeared to be Captain Zhao Dapeng.
Indeed, as Ye Tian and his group arrived, Zhao Dapeng turned to face them, his expression filled with joy.
"Captain Zhao!" Ye Tian and his companions greeted with raised fists in salute.
Zhao Dapeng returned the gesture and, smiling, waved his hand dismissively. "Relax, everyone. I am quite pleased with your performance this time. Now, I hereby announce: for the rank of Captain, a reward of one thousand contribution points; for the rank of Lieutenant, a reward of one hundred contribution points; and for all others, each shall receive ten contribution points."
Upon hearing this, Ye Tian and the others' eyes sparkled with excitement.
They knew contribution points were unique to the Blood Cloak Guard—each point equivalent to one hundred taels of silver. One thousand contribution points amounted to a staggering one hundred thousand taels!
Ye Tian's heart swelled with exhilaration; he had never seen such a fortune before. It should be sufficient to purchase many precious resources and martial arts techniques.
"I have dragon fruit and don't currently need resources for cultivation; perhaps I could exchange this silver for some powerful martial techniques!" Ye Tian contemplated eagerly.
He was aware that within the Blood Cloak Guard existed a repository akin to a shop, known as the Blood Cloak Guard's Treasury, filled with valuable martial techniques and resources, as well as powerful weapons—all of which could only be exchanged for contribution points, not silver.
The establishment of this treasury served to inspire the Blood Cloak Guards, motivating them to diligently cultivate and earn contribution points. Many martial artists sought entry into the Blood Cloak Guard, primarily drawn by the allure of this treasury, as numerous items could not be bought with mere wealth.
Rare martial techniques, for instance, were seldom available for sale outside, categorized as scarce commodities.
"Ye Tian, among the five Captains returning from this mission, you are the first, and without any losses. Well done!" Zhao Dapeng remarked, admiration evident in his gaze.
The other guards looked at Ye Tian with envy; undoubtedly, receiving praise from a Captain foretold a promising future for him!
"It's all thanks to the excellent coordination of my brothers!" Ye Tian replied modestly.
Instantly, those who had previously envied Ye Tian now looked at him with gratitude, their gazes reflecting not only respect but also a hint of reverence. Clearly, Ye Tian had earned their complete loyalty.
Only the young girl, Liu Hongwu, remained in a state of confusion, wandering off alone after the crowd dispersed, unsure of where to go.
Ye Tian paid her no mind; he was eager to return and refine the dragon fruit. Aside from unforeseen events, the missions of the Blood Cloak Guard occurred once a month, granting him a month of rest after this mission.
This was undoubtedly the best time to refine the dragon fruit.
Upon returning from the training ground, Ye Tian disbanded his team and retreated into his room, ready to consume the dragon fruit.
The fruit was a vibrant crimson, glistening enticingly, radiating a warm red heat like flickering flames, accompanied by a captivating fragrance.
Just inhaling the aroma ignited a desire to devour it, filling Ye Tian with anticipation.
"Dragon fruit, I hope you won't disappoint me; may you help me break through to the Warrior realm!"
Filled with anticipation, Ye Tian hesitated no longer and swallowed the fist-sized dragon fruit whole.
To his astonishment, once consumed, the massive fruit transformed into a torrent of searing heat that surged through his dantian, racing toward his ten primary meridians.
In less than half an hour, Ye Tian felt his body brimming with potent true energy, which eventually condensed into a dense, mist-like vapor.
Seizing this fortuitous moment, Ye Tian focused his mind and fully engaged the Blood Battle Eight Desolation technique, channeling the true energy within him towards a dimly lit acupoint.
"Boom!"
A resounding explosion echoed in his mind as Ye Tian witnessed the acupoint he targeted erupting with a blinding radiance, reminiscent of a sun radiating its brilliance.
Had he truly opened it?
Ye Tian was momentarily taken aback, but soon his heart swelled with excitement; the medicinal effects of the dragon fruit surpassed his expectations, allowing him to open an acupoint in such a short time with minimal energy expenditure.
Seeing such results, Ye Tian was unwilling to waste a moment and continued to unlock the eighth acupoint.
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
As time passed, more and more acupoints yielded to Ye Tian's efforts, far surpassing the speed at which he had first opened them, clearly aided by the dragon fruit's medicinal power.
With each acupoint opened, Ye Tian underwent a profound transformation; his ten primary meridians expanded, and his bones and flesh radiated a hazy, sacred glow.
"Swish!"
The dragon fruit's energy surged with an intense heat, flowing through Ye Tian like molten lava, enveloping him in a cloud of steamy warmth.
When Ye Tian had opened thirty acupoints, he felt a remarkable enhancement to his strength; he believed that, at this moment, even without employing his blade intent, he could defeat the one-eyed bandit leader at the martial master level.
At this point, dawn had crept in unnoticed, yet Ye Tian continued his efforts, still assaulting the acupoints.
Within him, the medicinal power of the dragon fruit remained abundant; he had expended only about thirty percent of it throughout the night.
The rich true energy flooded his body, suppressing any sense of hunger, making him forget the passage of time and everything else, leaving only the singular intention to open the acupoints.
As noon approached, an overwhelming aura suddenly erupted from Ye Tian, causing the wooden bed beneath him to tremble audibly.
Inside him, an earth-shattering transformation was unfolding.
Thirty-six radiant acupoints erupted with a blazing luminosity, dazzling like suns. They connected in a defined trajectory, forming a miniature circuit of energy.
Within this cycle, Ye Tian felt an unending flow of true energy surging through him, filling him with an overwhelming sense of power.
Martial Master Level!
Ye Tian's heart brimmed with exhilaration; had he not been focused on opening more acupoints, he might have leaped up in celebration.
He had finally ascended to the rank of Martial Master!
"Father, Mother, Uncle Feng, Uncle Ba, Village Chief, Elder of the Martial Arts Pavilion… do you know? I have become a Martial Master!" Ye Tian couldn't help but think of his relatives back in Ye Village.
If the villagers knew he had become a Martial Master, they would undoubtedly be thrilled.
For martial artists, the chasm between levels was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.
In Blood Jade City, only by becoming a Martial Master could one be considered to have truly stepped into the realm of martial arts, earning the title of a true powerhouse.
And Ye Tian had finally reached this milestone.
At this moment, Ye Tian was overflowing with excitement; becoming a Martial Master not only signified a boost in power but also meant he could now cultivate the mysterious low-level martial technique he had inadvertently acquired—Starlight Hand, which required the Martial Master level for training. He had met the prerequisite, meaning he could now master this formidable skill.
Even the lowest tier of mysterious martial techniques possessed terrifying power.
As far as Ye Tian knew, in all of Blood Jade City, the highest martial technique available was merely of the mid-mysterious level, and only the city lord possessed it. Others, even the leaders of the Blood Guard, could only claim low-level mysterious techniques.
This demonstrated just how precious this martial technique was, undoubtedly wielding extraordinary power; Ye Tian was already filled with anticipation. However, he needed to continue opening acupoints, for the energy from the dragon fruit still remained abundant within him.