Giant Horned Barbarian Beef

After leaving the entertainment hall, Lu Jue smoothly got a pass from Instructor Wang and immediately rushed to the market by car.

The news he'd heard from Zhang Yang earlier had tightened a string in his heart.

With his current strength, he couldn't guarantee absolute safety.

Among those young masters, there were many capable individuals, far beyond someone like Zhang Yang who was all brawn and no brain.

He had to become stronger, strong enough to shatter all default rules and injustices!

The afterglow of the sunset hadn't completely faded, leaving a trace of orange-red in the sky.

This time was the market's evening rush hour, and waves of noise washed over him.

Lu Jue navigated through the crowded main market area, not even glancing at the ordinary meat and vegetables on the stalls lining both sides. He headed straight for a relatively independent building deep within the market, guarded by sentries at the entrance.

This was the "Inner Market," exclusively for Martial Artists, where Calamity Beast Meat was sold.

The moment he stepped into the lobby, the environment changed drastically.

The clamor was shut out, the air circulation system maintained a comfortable temperature, and the floor gleamed, a stark contrast to the messy scene outside.

More than a dozen female sales assistants, dressed in uniform, well-fitting attire and wearing professional smiles, were stationed throughout the area, ready to serve customers at any moment.

There were noticeably fewer customers here, but most walked with steady steps and had long, deep breaths, clearly Martial Artists with some cultivation.

The first, second, and third floors were dedicated to the "Fresh Meat Zone," featuring fresh Calamity Beast Meat that had been safely transported from outside the city that very day.

It was already seven in the evening, and some stalls had already displayed "Discount" and "Special Price" signs.

Lu Jue circled around with a sliver of hope, his gaze sweeping over the price tags—

"Red-Eyed Barbarian Pig Meat, Today's Special, 1300 yuan/jin"

"Wind Claw Rabbit Ribs, Evening Market Discount, 1400 yuan/jin"

Even with the discounts, the zeros after the prices made his eyelids twitch.

Without hesitation, he turned and headed for the elevator leading to the higher floors.

The fourth and fifth floors were the "Frozen Zone."

In Tianhai City, spiritual livestock were widely popular and almost always in short supply, making it difficult to buy frozen Spiritual Meat.

But Calamity Beast Meat was different. Its audience was smaller, and coupled with the great variability of hunting outside the city, the unstable delivery times and types had fostered a large frozen Calamity Beast Meat market. This served to stabilize prices and ensure a steady supply.

Lu Jue's goal was clear: to buy some Giant Horned Barbarian Beef, known for its affordable price.

This Calamity Beast, rated "Wolf-grade," reproduced quickly, was large in size, and its meat was decent.

Most importantly, the forward bases outside the city had even begun artificial farming, ensuring a sufficient and stable supply. Its price was far lower than other Wolf-grade Calamity Beasts, making it a preferred "tonic" for many common Martial Artists trying new things.

After quickly browsing the meat counters, Lu Jue soon found the large freezers storing Giant Horned Barbarian Beef.

Pieces, cut relatively neatly and covered in a thin layer of frost, were stacked together, displaying a deep red color.

He carefully checked the storage dates on the labels. They were two months old, from before the price surge.

This could work!

A flicker of joy lit up his heart, and his gaze eagerly shifted to the price tag—

[Giant Horned Barbarian Bull (Shoulder Meat), Frozen, 800 yuan/jin]

Seeing this price, Lu Jue's heart sank.

Eight hundred yuan!

The date was clearly from before the price surge, yet the price had still increased by more than thirty percent, following the market trend!

Damn it!

These profiteers won't miss any opportunity to raise prices. The so-called inventory cost is just an excuse!

Lu Jue cursed inwardly.

Just then, a middle-aged man in a work uniform approached him and asked:

"Hello, how much Giant Horned Barbarian Beef do you need?"

"Do you have any meat from an earlier date?"

The staff here were highly trained and didn't neglect Lu Jue because of his simple training clothes. He still replied with a smile, "The earliest dated Giant Horned Barbarian Beef is seven hundred and eighty per jin, from three months ago. How much do you need?"

"I need a large quantity, can you give me a better price?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not the boss. This is an official enterprise, and prices are non-negotiable!"

"Why can't I haggle? Then where's your manager? Can I talk to them?"

Lu Jue negotiated with the staff for over ten minutes, and the other party remained patient and courteous.

Until the last customer beside them left, the staff member suddenly lowered his head and said softly, "Friend, if you want to buy cheaper Giant Horned Barbarian Beef, I get off work in an hour. Can you wait for me outside?"

Lu Jue froze, instantly understanding his meaning.

"Okay, I'll wait for you outside!"

Two hours later.

The sun had completely set below the horizon, and night began to shroud Tianhai City.

In a dimly lit alley in the common district, Lu Jue carefully examined the frozen meat in the sack.

The meat chunks were cut into uneven sizes and still had noticeable ice crystals, clearly indicating they were hoarded stock secretly withheld by some staff.

"Are you sure this meat is real?"

The staff member, dressed in plain clothes, immediately got agitated. "Look at the marbling, how could it be fake! Besides, I'm a public official. If it's counterfeit, just come find me!"

"Alright, alright!"

"There are a total of one hundred catties of meat here, with dates ranging from one week to ten months old. If you want it, it's six hundred per catty!"

"Four hundred!" Lu Jue countered.

"Don't mess with me. My final offer is five hundred. If you don't take it, I'd rather freeze it and keep it!"

"Deal!"

"Here's my business card. Remember to find me if you need anything in the future!"

After the transaction, Lu Jue quickly returned home, took out pots and pans, and began his preparations.

The hundred catties of Giant Horned Barbarian Beef were still covered in a layer of ice. He didn't have time to wait for it to thaw, so he directly dumped it into the pot, added some Energy Powder, and started stewing.

Giant Horned Barbarian Beef has an exceptionally firm texture, and it took a full three hours to process it into pot after pot of broth.

A fragrance, distinctly different from ordinary meat, permeated the room.

Lu Jue had consulted information before and knew that this unique aroma was the special scent emitted by the high-density Spiritual Energy contained within Calamity Beast Meat.

Since the Spiritual Energy Revival, all things on Earth had absorbed varying degrees of spiritual energy. Plants grew taller and more luxuriant, and even seemingly ordinary trees had more intricate internal structures and significantly extended lifespans.

Even ordinary people who hadn't practiced martial arts contained some spiritual energy within them, and their lifespans had generally increased.

The spiritual livestock Lu Jue had eaten before, like the spiritual pigs, had ancestors that were among the earliest creatures on Earth with extremely high spiritual energy absorption rates, containing a considerable concentration of spiritual energy.

As for calamity beasts, they were monsters from another world that descended through spatial rifts. Their ancestors had undergone hundreds of millions of years of survival of the fittest, and the concentration of spiritual energy within them far surpassed that of Earth's native creatures.

Not only did they contain more energy per unit of weight, but depending on the type of calamity beast, consuming their meat could also grant various special benefits.

It was rumored that the meat of certain top-tier calamity beasts could even extend one's lifespan, earning them the nickname "Tang Monk Meat" among netizens.

At one o'clock in the morning, all the meat broth was portioned into bowls and basins.

Lu Jue sat in his chair, took a deep breath, and pulled up "Sound Location" into the rapid mastery panel.

Let's forge!