Exchange

"Liang Bo, speaking of the True Martial Sect, there are three places most worth visiting. The first is the True Martial Stele—the enormous stone monument in the center of the city that we saw when we entered on flying beasts. That stele is also the core of all True Martial City. Whether we want to accept missions or exchange for cultivation arts, martial skills, or other treasures, we have to go there."

Liang Bo's eyes lit up at this. As a direct disciple, he had received three thousand contribution points outright. Of those, two thousand could only be used to exchange for cultivation arts, martial skills, or secret arts, while the remaining thousand could be freely allocated. Beyond that, if he wanted more contribution points, he could only complete sect missions.

The martial skills he had obtained from the Liang Clan had ultimately been too low-grade, with limited potential. Now that he had finally arrived at the True Martial Sect, he could barely wait to exchange for high-grade martial skills and secret arts.

Du Chi continued, "The second place is the True Martial Tower, which is also where sect disciples take on challenges. The True Martial Tower has ten levels. Each level is guarded by three gatekeepers, and only by defeating all three can one proceed to the next level. The gatekeepers on the first level are roughly as strong as Inner Strength First Grade martial artists. By the second level, they are comparable to martial artists in the early Human Origin Realm. The ones beyond that grow stronger and stronger. It is said that anyone who clears the eighth level of the True Martial Tower can become an elder of our sect directly. However, to possess that kind of strength, one would at least need to be an Earth Origin Realm expert."

"An Earth Origin Realm expert can become an elder of the sect?" Liang Bo's eyes brightened, and he developed a trace of interest in challenging the True Martial Tower.

Du Chi laughed. "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. Every time you clear a level of the True Martial Tower, you receive contribution point rewards. This is one of the few ways to earn contribution points apart from completing system missions. The first level rewards one thousand points, the second rewards two thousand, and every level afterward gives double the reward of the previous one. So? Do you want to challenge it right away?"

"Of course I do. That's a thousand contribution points." Liang Bo smiled.

"Uh!" Du Chi stared blankly. He scratched his scalp and said awkwardly, "You really want to go? I said the first-level gatekeepers are comparable to Inner Strength First Grade martial artists, but these aren't ordinary martial artists. They are the very best among Inner Strength First Grade martial artists, with saber or sword techniques absolutely at the level of man and saber as one, or man and sword as one. For an ordinary martial artist to clear the trial, they would need at least the Human Origin Realm to stand a chance."

The implication was obvious: he did not think highly of Liang Bo's chances.

Liang Bo gave it some thought and felt that he did not have much confidence either.

The strongest opponent he had defeated so far was probably Liang Cheng, an Inner Strength Second Grade martial artist. But that battle had mainly been won because Liang Cheng had been too eager for quick success, allowing Liang Bo to seize a flaw and heavily wound him in one stroke. Otherwise, Liang Bo estimated that it would have taken at least several hundred exchanges to win.

Although he had since cultivated the Eye of Truthpiercing and his overall strength had improved greatly, he still did not have much confidence in defeating the very strongest among Inner Strength First Grade martial artists.

Of course, the specifics would only be known after he tried.

"Du Chi, what is the third place you mentioned?"

"The third place is the Treasure Pavilion. It is a massive palace containing one hundred side halls. Each side hall holds a question left behind by a senior of the sect. If you can solve the question, you can obtain the treasure hidden within that hall. However, every sect disciple only has one chance to obtain a treasure. Even if they solve more questions afterward, they cannot receive any rewards."

"What kinds of questions are there? And what treasures are inside?" Liang Bo's interest was immediately piqued.

"There are all sorts of questions. I can't say exactly, since I haven't been there either. As for the treasures, they're impressive. Think about it—every sect senior qualified to set a question is at least an Earth Origin Realm expert. How could the treasures they leave behind possibly be poor? If they truly left behind some worthless trash, it would be humiliating if word got out."

Liang Bo nodded repeatedly.

Du Chi asked, "Of the three places, where should we go first?"

Liang Bo pondered for a moment. "Let's go to the True Martial Stele first. I want to exchange for some high-grade martial skills and secret arts. What do you think?"

"The True Martial Stele? Sure! We direct disciples receive three thousand contribution points the moment we enter the sect. We need to turn them into strength as soon as possible." Du Chi nodded repeatedly.

The two of them promptly rode flying beasts and soon arrived at the True Martial Stele in the center of the city.

There was a majestic hall on either side of the stele. The hall on the left was where missions were issued and turned in, while the hall on the right was where one could exchange for cultivation arts, martial skills, various secret arts, and treasures.

Liang Bo and the others had not even attended the disciple induction ceremony yet, so naturally they would not be accepting missions.

They entered the hall on the right, intending to exchange for martial skills and secret arts.

The entire hall was further divided into several smaller halls. Some were for exchanging cultivation arts, martial skills, or secret techniques; some for weapons; some for heavenly treasures and earthly treasures; some for spiritual pills and wondrous medicines; and so on. The categories were exceedingly varied.

"Liang Bo, what do you plan to exchange for?" Du Chi asked.

"As for cultivation arts, I have the True Martial Canon, so there should be no need to exchange for another. But regarding martial skills, the best martial skills in the clan I came from were only mid-grade Human Rank. So I plan to exchange for more high-grade martial skills. What about you?"

"Me? I plan to exchange for a few treasures to protect myself. Liang Bo, I suggest you exchange for some protective treasures too. Of course, it depends on your own plans." As he spoke, Du Chi walked toward the weapons hall.

Liang Bo, meanwhile, headed toward the exchange area for cultivation arts and martial skills.

This side hall had three levels. The first level was for exchanging various cultivation arts, the second for various martial skills and secret arts, and the third for miscellaneous things such as alchemy, artifact refining, formations, poison techniques, and the like.

Although Liang Bo believed that he had the True Martial Canon and had no need to exchange for other cultivation arts, he still decided to look around the first level. Perhaps he might find an unexpected surprise.

To his surprise, he really did find one!

What delighted him was a rather special category among cultivation arts: body tempering arts.

There was no need to elaborate on the importance of the physical body. If one could raise the body's toughness to the point where blades and spears could not penetrate it, a martial artist's ability to survive would undoubtedly improve enormously. Moreover, body tempering arts could enhance physical strength, making it an important source of power besides Inner Strength. Compared to Inner Strength, which could easily be exhausted, physical strength could last far longer.

Thus, upon seeing that the cultivation arts archive offered body tempering arts for exchange, Liang Bo hurried inside and searched carefully. Before long, he found an excellent body tempering art.

Profound Yellow Body Tempering Art, a top-grade Earth Rank body tempering cultivation art. It had three levels and could be exchanged in stages. The first level required only one hundred contribution points, the second one thousand, and the third ten thousand.