Chapter 547 – Enhanced Concepts
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As Lin Ming immersed his consciousness into the jade slip, not only did he see an introduction to the Concept of Wind, but also a variety of images. Lin Ming watched the swirling breeze images for a long time, perceiving the endless mysteries contained within. The patterns of wind contained within the jade slip seemed to have an infinite variety of changes, as if it could be fused into a spear or step…
Lin Ming decided to test it out. In the practice area, he used ‘Golden Roc Shattering the Void’. Although the practice area was only a few dozen foot wide square room, Lin Ming’s steps were not restricted at all. He was extremely flexible, and he trailed over the ground, up the wall, over the bed, and even on the ceiling.
The Concept of Wind constantly fused with the Concept of Space. Lin Ming’s understanding of ‘Golden Roc Shattering the Void’ increasingly deepened. After being stuck at the first layer of ‘Golden Roc Shattering the Void’ for years, he was finally making great progress towards reaching the second layer.
Time passed unconsciously. In his closed-door cultivation, five days passed for Lin Ming.
During this time, Lin Ming would often exhaust his true essence to the limit. After emptying most of his true essence, Lin Ming would take out a high-grade Blood Demon Crystal from his spatial ring, and absorb infernal energy from the air, constantly nourishing his own true essence.
Compared to the mild true essence stones, Blood Demon Crystals, particularly high-grade Blood Demon Crystals, seemed to contain an implacable will. A common weak-will martial artist would find it impossible to absorb.
Lin Ming would first wear down this will before he could smoothly absorb the Blood Demon Crystal’s energy. But, in comparison to true essence stones, the advantages of Blood Demon Crystals were obvious. They were able to nourish a martial artist’s blood vitality whilst also nourishing their soul.
Peng!
A high-grade Blood Demon Crystal burst apart in Lin Ming’s hand. The warm and dark red hue of the crystal had already disappeared, leaving nothing but a pale gray glow behind. It had spent all of its energy.
The infernal blood energy merged into Lin Ming’s body, blending with the Heavenly Demon Tattoo before continuing to Lin Ming’s dantian where it gathered. Under such favorable cultivation conditions, Lin Ming’s ‘Great Desolate Halberd Art’ could be said to be advancing at a ridiculously rapid pace.
“I’ve only cultivated for five days but I’ve used up 10 high-grade Blood Demon Crystals. That’s the equivalent of 1000 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals. In addition to the cost of the practice area as well as the pills, jade slips, and other resources, this isn’t something that a small sect would be able to afford. All the resources that I have right now were taken from others. None of them could bear to use their wealth so wildly. Not even someone like Lan Xing dared to spend so freely.”
There had only been 20 some high-grade Blood Demon Crystals in Lan Xing’s spatial ring. It seems that when he cultivated, he had mostly used medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals with the occasional high-grade Blood Demon Crystal mixed in.
The higher realm a martial artist arrived at, the greater the costs were. This was also why common martial artists would forever be inferior to sect martial artists. Likewise, this was also the same reason that martial artists from the mortal worlds would always be inferior to martial artists from the Realm of the Gods.
Lin Ming didn’t hesitate to spend any resources. In exchange, the effects on his cultivation were significant. He estimated that it wouldn’t be much longer before he could break through to the middle Xiantian realm. At the same time, with his increasing comprehension of the Concept of Wind, he was nearing the second layer border of ‘Golden Roc Shattering the Void’.
Lin Ming glanced at the large hourglass in his room. It had been a full five days; it was time for him to go out and rent some battle array discs.
Lin Ming stepped into the transmission array. With a flash of light, he disappeared from the room. In a few more moments he arrived at Morningdew Inn.
This was an old-fashioned inn. The decorations inside weren’t luxurious, but it was simple and elegant. It gave off an extremely pleasant and comfortable feeling. In Skysplit Tower, this sort of style was extremely rare.
“Sir Lin.”
When Lin Ming entered Morningdew Inn, a beautiful young Fey girl was already quietly standing there. After she had received Lin Ming’s order, she had arrived here before the break of dawn and had been waiting here until the present time. As she saw Lin Ming walk in, she quickly welcomed him. She didn’t dare to be the least bit negligent when it came to the tower challengers, especially one as powerful as Lin Ming.
“How is the matter that I asked of you?”
“Sir Lin, please rest assured that I have contacted every place possible. A quasi Emperor level battle array disc is almost only rented out by the official Skysplit Tower offices and they do so at proper prices. There should be no issues with authority ranking.”
“Great. Bring me there.”
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The eastern section of the second floor also held the largest trading market. Not only was there the official Skysplit Tower store, but there were also private shops and stalls held by martial artists.
Without exception, everything here was the highest quality goods. After all, everyone that came to Skysplit Tower had a deep background. If anyone dared to pull out some garbage to sell, then no one would buy it. Instead, they would even be ridiculed by others.
As Lin Ming and the young Fey girl walked forwards, they saw a greater number of martial artists that had set up stalls in the street. These stalls stretched out as far as the road did.
“It’s really lively here.” Lin Ming had been at Skysplit Tower for a while already but he had never come to the public marketplace. It could be said that he had been missing out.
“Mm… because of the constant fighting in Skysplit Tower, murder is commonplace here. After someone dies, their property will be taken. There are many things that aren’t needed, thus they are then brought here and sold. This is why the trading market is so busy. Setting up a stall here for just a single day costs 50 medium-grade true essence stones. Also, fighting is restricted here. If anyone dares to stir up trouble, they will be chased down by the enforcement squad, so there isn’t normally a problem with security.”
The young Fey girl was very familiar with the workings of the second floor. She patiently explained this all to Lin Ming.
“So that’s how it is. Most of those killed are the heroic youths of the largest sects, so naturally they wouldn’t be lacking in possessions. This Skysplit Tower is truly the paradise of the strong. Even if one is broke, they can still loot a great deal of resources from others as long as they have the ability to do so. At the same time, they can also purchase the highest quality materials and pills that Skysplit Tower has to offer as well as receive the treatment of an Emperor.
Lin Ming casually glanced over at the stalls. He saw a stall that specialized in selling various jade slips. The cultivation method jade slips were marked at 500 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals each.
If a single jade slip was worth 500 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals, then a dozen or so of those jade slips could be almost 10,000 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals. The scale of transactions of just this small stall was not something that even a third-grade sect could compare to.
But, the stall vendor’s attitude was too wretched. He was dismissive, unhelpful, and unbelievably rude. He shooed away anyone that was only looking.
This attitude left one tongue-tied. These martial artists were normally the most arrogant and proud of their generation. Even if they set up a stall and were hawking items, they still wouldn’t lower their heads to others.
Lin Ming stopped in front of a stall in a larger area. The vendor was a fat Fey man. A Fey martial artist was usually slim, compact, and graceful. It was rare to see such a fat Fey like this.
The fat vendor looked a bit lackadaisical, as if he wasn’t noticing anyone at all. But as he saw Lin Ming walk over, his eyes widened. “Lin Ming?”
After Lin Ming’s fight with Lan Xing, he had become infamous. He was already recognized as one of the top ten powerhouses of Skysplit Tower’s second floor.
“Haha, Young Hero Lin graces my little store. Is there anything that you need?” The fat vendor grinned as he spoke. Although he was surprised to see Lin Ming here, he wasn’t scared at all. Instead, he had a teasing tone.
“I want to exchange for some new Blood Demon Crystals.”
In the trading market, the common currency was medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals. Occasionally, there would be high-grade Blood Demon Crystals. Low-grade Blood Demon Crystals were never used. Besides some that servants were rewarded with, no one ever used them. It was because they were simply too slow to cultivate with.
“Oh? Would you like to exchange some medium-grade ones for high-grade?” The fat vendor’s eyes shined as he correctly guessed Lin Ming’s thoughts.
“Yes.”
The fat vendor blinked and said, “Young Hero Lin is a rich man! Ah, medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals must be too slow for you. If you want to exchange for some high-grade Blood Demon Crystals, then of course you can! If you exchange for at least ten, then I can do a trade with you of one for every 115.”
The normal conversion cost was normally 100 to one. But in Skysplit Tower, this price was more appropriate, as high-grade Blood Demon Crystals were much rarer.
“Alright!” Lin Ming readily agreed, “I’ll trade for 100.”
100 high-grade Blood Demon Crystals were equal to 11,500 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals. After Lin Ming acquired all of Lan Xing’s wealth, this was a simple amount to produce.
“Hey, I only have 30 available right now. I’ll give them to you in advance.” As the fat vendor spoke, he took out a small jade box from his spatial ring. He opened it, revealing rows of incomparably pure high-grade Blood Demon Crystals.
A rich blood energy mixed with pure heaven and earth origin energy leaked out into the air. The young Fey girl’s eyes widened. As she saw over 30 high-grade Blood Demon Crystals suddenly presented in front of her, this sight was just too visually shocking.
She couldn’t help but take several deep breaths, as if she wanted to suck up all the heaven and earth origin energy that the high-grade Blood Demon Crystals were emanating. This sort of pure origin energy was extremely helpful if she could attract some into her meridians.
Truly, comparing between people was ridiculous. These top geniuses already had naturally heaven-defying talents. If they also used this sort of Blood Demon Crystal to cultivate, then the rate of their practice speed could be imagined.
The young Fey girl helplessly mused to herself.
Lin Ming glanced at the jade box. After he confirmed that there was the correct number, he bluntly handed out 3450 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals and took the jade box.
“I’ll come back in a few days for the rest. 100 pieces are too few and 200 pieces are too many.”
Lan Xing had more than 30,000 medium-grade Blood Demon Crystals in his spatial ring. Lin Ming had planned to spend 20,000 of them and use the rest for cultivating.
“Okay. I’ll help you raise the rest within ten days.” The fat vendor promised. He wasn’t some nobody from the second floor, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to instantly produce 30 high-grade Blood Demon Crystals.
Lin Mind nodded. He turned to the young Fey girl and said, “Let’s go and buy some array discs.”
“Ah… alright.”
Exchanging for these high-grade Blood Demon Crystals was only a small trip. Lin Ming’s main destination today was the center of the trading market, where the Hundred Treasures Hall was located.
Hundred Treasures Hall was a store opened up by a ten-winged High Lord of Skysplit Tower. They only sold the highest quality of all high quality items.
As for battle array discs with quasi Emperor level masters, Hundred Treasures Hall had the most comprehensive collection. It was several times superior to what was at the registration office.
Hundred Treasures Hall was nine stories high. The surroundings were all covered and protected by different spells. After Lin Ming stepped inside, he saw that there were only seven or eight martial artists within. These places never had too many people.
But of these seven or eight martial artists, Lin Ming actually recognized one.
“Mm? It’s you?”
Before Lin Ming even said anything, the other party had already spoken.