“Marketplace – Xiu’er: Hello, I’m willing to trade 10 ‘Fire Phoenix Bamboos’ for your 10 ‘Golden Honey’ portions. Please choose ‘Deliver’!”
About an hour later…
“Marketplace – Xiu’er: Hello, are you there? Has something delayed you?”
Another half an hour passed.
“Marketplace – Xiu’er: Do you think the price is a bit high? How about this, we can renegotiate the trade ratio.”
This time, only fifteen minutes passed.
“Marketplace – Xiu’er: Ah, are you there or not? Why don’t you tell me what you want to exchange for? I can trade other goods too!”
Within his territory, Xia Tian finished reading the messages sent by the other party, his gaze thoughtful.
What did these words imply?
Clearly, this Marketplace Lord named “Xiu’er” was extremely interested in, even desperately needed, Golden Honey, her anxiety barely concealed between the lines!
“Hmm, I can exchange ‘Golden Honey’ for other goods? Yes, why didn’t I think of that!”
The last sentence, in particular, gave Xia Tian an idea.
Since this lord, who possessed a “Marketplace,” had a request of him, then not only “Fire Phoenix Bamboo,” but all the ingredients needed for the Secret Tiger Bone Wine could be gathered through her, enough to bring about a comprehensive upgrade in the territory’s population level.
“Also, the opposite lord’s age shouldn’t be very old!”
As an adult, Xia Tian keenly sensed the immaturity in her words.
Because the communication between them wasn't like chatting on Earth through “typing,” but rather directly converting thought waves into text, it was indeed easy for certain traces to show through “between the lines”!
“This Golden Honey is indeed hard-won; I also collected it at great risk. So, a single item like ‘Fire Phoenix Bamboo’ truly cannot be exchanged at an equal value...”
Having made up his mind, Xia Tian immediately activated his “feigning poverty” mode.
“Especially in cases of severe injury, a mouthful of Golden Honey can be life-saving. Therefore, it can be said that the value of Golden Honey is equivalent to human life, isn’t that right?”
“Ah, it seems so…”
“Therefore, for a fair trade, you need to help me find two more materials. This request isn’t excessive, is it?”
“Ah, it doesn’t seem too excessive, actually…”
“Very good, pleasant cooperation!”
Ultimately, this transaction was completed. Xia Tian not only acquired 10 portions of Fire Phoenix Bamboo by spending only 3 portions of Golden Honey, but he also received a promise from the other party to exchange “Ice Dragon Grass and Earth Turtle Shell” for the remaining 7 portions of honey.
In other words, Xia Tian had essentially transformed from a “buyer” into a “seller,” turning the tables!
“Ah, Sister Bao, I think I’ve been tricked…”
In the valley territory, a child named Xiu’er, dressed in a blue and white school uniform, widened her bright, watery eyes.
“It’s nothing. The lord on the other side possesses a treasure like ‘Golden Honey.’ If we want to secure this source, we’ll certainly have to pay a price.”
Xue Baochai smiled, comforting her.
Although she could provide guidance from the side, Xiu’er was, after all, a little girl under ten years old, and many flaws showed in her words.
However, with a marvel like the “Marketplace” in hand, there was no reason to lose money. The market value of Golden Honey was incredibly astonishing; this transaction was merely a “win-win”!
And Xia Tian, having completed the transaction...
First, he visited the soldiers of Qingfeng Village who had consumed Golden Honey, moving many of them deeply.
Then, he went to Pan Jinlian’s place and chatted with Hua Rong for a while.
Afterward, he returned to the lord’s mansion. After dinner, instead of browsing the “chat channel” as usual, he assumed a stance and seriously practiced the “Five Animal Play”… Fourth day, early morning.
“Whoosh!”
In the training grounds, Xia Tian lifted a hundred-pound stone lock in each hand, forcefully tossing them into the sky. After they reached the height of the roof, they fell, and he steadily caught them mid-air. His seemingly fair and slender arms bulged completely with the sudden exertion, appearing even stronger than those of bodybuilders on Earth!
After throwing twelve sets consecutively…
Xia Tian finally let go, allowing the pair of hundred-pound stone locks to fall back to the ground, creating two deep sand pits!
“Finally, I’ve reached the eighth rank.”
He brushed off the sand on his body, a hint of excitement on his face.
By fully practicing the “Five Animal Play” last night and this morning, combined with eating the meat of the “Black and White Jiao Pheasant,” he had successfully raised his physique value to “6.6,” reaching the eighth-rank level.
At this moment, if he were to wield a golden-quality broadsword, he was confident he could single-handedly take on the eight-rank Purple-Striped Fierce Tiger he first encountered!
Even with the “Silver Silk Soft Armor” and the “Divine Arm Crossbow,” he could probably retreat calmly even if he encountered a ninth-rank creature.
With the appropriate use of the “Mist Concealing Pearl” and the “Stone of Protection,” even facing “transformed” creatures, there was a possibility of victory.
From today onwards, he could be considered to truly have some self-preservation ability in this jungle!
After his workout, Xia Tian stepped into a corner of his territory, a golden building he had newly constructed this morning.
【Military Workshop (Gold)】
【Level】Mortal-grade
【Area Occupied】Four mu (temporary)
【Attribute】Military equipment manufacturing speed +300%
【Description】Can produce various forms of military equipment that have appeared in human history, according to blueprints.
【Remarks】Currently, “Trebuchet Workshop, Crossbow Workshop, Sword Workshop, and Armor Workshop” have been built.
This building was the Military Workshop obtained through the “Designated Building Blueprint.” To build it, over 1000 resources and 400 points of destiny value were spent.
But it was worth it.
At this moment, a “Trebuchet” with wooden wheels, about four meters high, was being dragged out of the “Military Workshop” by Big Niu and placed at the edge of the territory.
When Big Niu lowered its stone-loading “bucket,” the nine-rank mutated Stone Man, who had “willingly” joined the territory last night, placed its hand on the soil outside the territory. After being enveloped by a gray light, it produced a black stone ball the size of a washbasin.
After placing the stone on the trebuchet, he chose to fire.
“Boom!”
Accompanied by a sound like “thunder,” the stone shot into the sky, flying over a li away, smashing a head-sized tree in the jungle in half.
“Good, with this trebuchet, non-alien race creatures probably won’t dare to approach the territory easily again.”
Xia Tian nodded in satisfaction.
Although this “Trebuchet” and “Divine Arm Crossbow” could be considered ancient versions of “guns” and “cannons,” now that the territory was fully equipped, even if “transformed” creatures approached, they could be driven away!
After inspecting the “Trebuchet,” Xia Tian took out a stack of blueprints from his lord’s space.
【Do you wish to use ‘Touch of Gold’ on the ‘Arrow Crafting Blueprint (Silver)’?】
“Yes!”
Consuming “108” destiny points, he once again obtained a golden-quality item.
【Arrow Crafting Blueprint (Gold)】
【Level】Mortal-grade
【Description】Contains the crafting processes and detailed information for all types of arrows that have appeared in human history.
【Remarks】With the corresponding materials, and in conjunction with the “Military Workshop” building, arrows can be “mass-produced quickly” by consuming destiny!
The centaurs could attack at any time, so a sufficient quantity of arrows had to be prepared.
Making arrows required materials such as iron, wood, and animal feathers.
Wood, of course, went without saying; since the logging workshop was operating around the clock, wood was currently the material Xia Tian had in abundance.
As for feathers and iron, the territory also had those.
After all, they had eaten quite a few Five-Colored Feathered Chickens these past few days, and a good deal of “metal” had been extracted from the armor of the “Beastmen” and the stones used by the “Xiao” to build their houses.
However, before making arrows for the Divine Arm Crossbow, Xia Tian planned to first craft a batch of rather special “arrows.”