"Dear nephew, I have heard that you recently displayed remarkable prowess by vanquishing a band of mountain bandits, earning a commendable reward of one thousand contribution points from the esteemed Centurion. Are you here today to exchange for something of value? Allow Uncle Li to assist you."
Li Tian spoke with genuine warmth, well aware of Ye Tian's extraordinary talent, believing that he would inevitably soar to great heights, hence his desire to cultivate a strong relationship.
"Uncle Li, please refrain from jesting; I possess no such remarkable prowess!" Ye Tian humbly replied.
"Humph, a couple of insincere fellows!" Liu Hongwu remarked, wrinkling her nose in disdain.
As they walked, they soon arrived at a row of bookshelves adorned with a myriad of various manuals, all strikingly eye-catching.
"Dear nephew, this treasury is divided into three levels. The first level comprises martial techniques, ranging from the lowest, yellow-tier low-level techniques to the highest, yellow-tier peak techniques," Li Tian elaborated.
Ye Tian glanced around and noted the presence of approximately a hundred martial techniques, silently astonished; indeed, the Blood Clothed Guards were far superior to the Weapon Pavilion in Ye Family Village.
"Uncle Li, what are the exchange prices for these martial techniques?" Ye Tian inquired.
Before Li Tian could respond, Liu Hongwu interjected, "Yellow-tier low-level techniques cost 10 contribution points, yellow-tier intermediate techniques cost 100 contribution points, and yellow-tier high-level techniques cost 1,000 contribution points. With your meager resources, you can only afford a single yellow-tier high-level technique."
Ye Tian remained silent, instead turning his gaze toward Li Tian.
Li Tian nodded, stating, "The young lady speaks truthfully. These are indeed the established prices. Given that you are on the cusp of ascending to martial master, it would be prudent to exchange for a yellow-tier high-level technique to enhance your combat prowess." He recognized that Ye Tian hailed from a humble background and likely lacked access to formidable martial techniques, prompting his suggestion.
Little did he know that some individuals in this world were destined for extraordinary encounters.
Without a doubt, Ye Tian belonged to that very category.
"Ah, Uncle Li, I have already ascended to martial master. Moreover, the Starry Hand is a玄-tier low-level technique, vastly superior to anything here. Thus, I see no need to squander my contribution points on martial techniques," Ye Tian mused internally.
Originally, he intended to select a sword technique for training, but upon reflection, he deemed it unnecessary; after all, as long as he remained with the Blood Clothed Guards, he would have ample opportunities to revisit the treasury. Instead, he preferred to acquire treasures akin to the Fire Dragon Fruit to elevate his cultivation.
Once his cultivation improved, coupled with the玄-tier technique Starry Hand and his own understanding of sword intent, he would be capable of dominating his peers, even challenging those of higher ranks.
Ultimately, Ye Tian aspired to amplify his strength.
"Ye Tian, I believe this fellow is onto something; you should consider selecting a yellow-tier high-level technique for your training. Your current Palm Technique is woefully inadequate. If you were to choose a powerful sword technique, your strength would undoubtedly multiply," Liu Hongwu's voice chimed in. She understood that Ye Tian possessed sword intent, and the combination with a technique would yield tremendous power.
According to her father, Liu Bao, the martial will could significantly enhance the potency of martial techniques. For instance, a yellow-tier high-level sword technique, when augmented with sword intent, could potentially reach yellow-tier peak status, and if the sword intent were particularly strong, it might even attain Profound-tier or higher.
Such was the remarkable strength of martial will!
After hearing this, Liu Hongwu felt a pang of envy, her gaze towards Ye Tian tinged with jealousy.
Ye Tian pondered for a moment before addressing Li Tian beside him, "Uncle Li, I'm not considering martial techniques for now; please show me around the upper levels."
"Um... very well, dear nephew, follow me!" Li Tian replied, somewhat perplexed, yet he led Ye Tian up to the second floor.
"You little rascal, you'll regret this, humph!" Liu Hongwu, incensed by Ye Tian's dismissal of her advice, huffed and turned on her heel to leave.
The second floor was filled with an array of weapons: swords, blades, spears, staffs… a veritable cornucopia, overwhelming to Ye Tian's senses.
"Dear nephew, although the weapons here are commendable, I advise against wasting your contribution points on them. Once you ascend to martial master, you will become a full-fledged member of the Blood Clothed Guards, at which point you will receive the blood blade from above, which is on par with these weapons," Li Tian cautioned.
Ye Tian nodded in agreement, smiling, "Uncle Li, rest assured, I'm not foolish enough to squander my resources. I'm here to seek treasures that can enhance my cultivation."
"Oh, so that's your intention. It seems you are eager to ascend to martial master and become a legitimate member of the Blood Clothed Guards," Li Tian chuckled upon hearing this. He understood the youthful fervor, as many desired treasures to bolster their cultivation, for cultivation was indeed the foundation of a martial artist.
"Had you said so earlier, come with me. There are plenty of treasures that can enhance cultivation; I will introduce them to you one by one."
Li Tian then led Ye Tian up to the third floor.
Ye Tian quickly realized that the third floor was the most crucial area of the treasury. The martial techniques on the first floor were merely supplementary; even if lost, it wouldn't be a significant loss.
The weapons on the second floor were also not particularly rare; only the Heaven and Earth Treasures on the third floor represented the most valuable items in the entire treasury.
Upon ascending to the third floor, Ye Tian was greeted by a delightful fragrance that instantly invigorated him. As he took in the sight of the vibrant flowers and various spiritual herbs surrounding him, he was left utterly astounded, his eyes sparkling with wonder.
"Ye Tian, you are currently at the tenth level of a martial artist. To advance to a martial master, you must open your meridians. I recommend you take the Primary Meridian Unblocking Pill. Each pill opens one meridian and is quite affordable, costing only ten contribution points apiece. For a total of three hundred and sixty contribution points, you could elevate yourself to the rank of martial master," Li Tian explained, retrieving a fragrant bottle of pills from a nearby shelf.
"Such a pill exists…" Ye Tian exclaimed, astonished. His heart stirred with curiosity as he inquired, "Uncle Li, if there is a Primary Meridian Unblocking Pill, does that mean there are also Intermediate and Advanced Meridian Unblocking Pills?"
"Ah, you are quite perceptive!" Li Tian chuckled softly, nodding in affirmation. "Indeed, the Primary Meridian Unblocking Pill is only suitable for those at the tenth level to advance to martial master. Once you reach the martial master level, the Primary Pill will no longer be effective; only the Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pill can open further meridians."
"Uncle Li, could you elaborate a bit more? Do we have the Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pill here?" Ye Tian asked eagerly. He had already decided to exchange for this pill, as nothing could enhance his cultivation faster.
"Alas, my boy, you have not yet reached the martial master level, yet you yearn for the Intermediate Pill. We indeed have it in the treasury, but it would be of no use to you!" Li Tian shook his head, continuing his explanation. "The Intermediate Pill is suitable for those at the first to third levels of martial master, while the Advanced Pill is for the fourth to sixth levels. The Top-tier Pill is for the seventh to ninth levels. However, our treasury only possesses the Advanced Meridian Unblocking Pill, and you won't find a single Top-tier Pill in all of Blood Jade City; only the larger cities might have such high-level pills."
"Oh, I see!" Ye Tian finally grasped the situation. He turned to Li Tian, revealing a bright smile as he said, "Uncle Li, I have made my decision; I want to exchange all my one thousand contribution points for the Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pills!"
"Oh, what?!" Li Tian was momentarily taken aback.
But in the next moment, an aura befitting a martial master erupted from Ye Tian, highlighting his extraordinary presence.
Li Tian's eyes widened in disbelief as he gazed at Ye Tian, exclaiming, "When did you ascend to martial master? How did you do it so swiftly?"
He finally understood why Ye Tian opted for the Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pills!
"Ha-ha, I just broke through this morning, thanks to the Blood Battle Eight Desolations internal cultivation method!" Ye Tian replied with a grin.
Li Tian was at a loss for words; it had only been a few days, yet others who received the same internal method had not made any breakthroughs. Ah, such is the life of a genius; comparing oneself to others can be disheartening.
"Uncle Li, I almost forgot to ask the price of the Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pill!" Ye Tian recalled, noting that the Primary Pill required ten contribution points, and thus the Intermediate Pill would certainly be more expensive.
As expected, Li Tian replied, "The Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pill is quite precious, costing fifty contribution points each. With your one thousand contribution points, you can only exchange for twenty pills. Thus, you won't be able to rely on them to directly elevate yourself to the second level of martial master."
"Really? In that case, please help me exchange all of them for Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pills!" Ye Tian nodded, secretly amused. He had already opened sixty-one meridians and only needed three more to advance to the second level of martial master, so just three pills would suffice.
"Alright then, just wait a moment while I check our inventory. The Primary and Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pills are frequently exchanged by the Blood Warriors, so I'm not sure if we have enough stock," Li Tian said, walking over to search through some nearby boxes.
While he waited, Ye Tian casually asked, "Uncle Li, why are the Primary and Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pills so sought after? Is there really no demand for the Advanced Pill?"
"Alas, you are quite bold to ask! The Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pill costs fifty contribution points each, while the Advanced Pill is even more valuable, requiring one thousand contribution points for a single pill. Among the Blood Warriors, aside from the five great captains, who could possibly afford it?" Li Tian retorted, chuckling as he searched.
"Whoa, one thousand contribution points for a single pill!" Ye Tian exclaimed, feeling a chill run down his spine. It seemed he would need to embark on more missions to accumulate contribution points.
At this moment, Ye Tian fully understood the allure of contribution points; no wonder so many people rushed to participate in the Blood Warriors' assessments.
"Here you go, a total of twenty Intermediate Meridian Unblocking Pills. Keep them safe!" Shortly thereafter, Li Tian returned with a vial of pills.
Ye Tian accepted the bottle and counted the contents, only to find himself puzzled. "Twenty-two pills? Uncle Li, did you miscount?"
"Miscount? Impossible! Do you really think Uncle Li is getting old and losing his sight?" Li Tian dismissed, waving his hand. He turned to head downstairs while muttering, "Alas, a mouse has infiltrated the treasury, even causing the loss of two Intermediate Pills. I'll need to get some cats tomorrow."
"Thank you, Uncle Li!"
Ye Tian's eyes lit up as he comprehended Li Tian's intention, his heart swelling with gratitude.