Chapter 1118 - 372: The Difficulties of High-Level Martial Artists

Shenchu City, reception room!

Bai Zhiyong was waiting for Su Qingfeng to return.

He was the CEO of Shen Zhou Tongxin Materials and Supplies Co., Ltd. The Ketone Trust Group was one of the largest raw material procurement conglomerates in the Divine Land. It was primarily responsible for supplying armor, weapons, and raw materials to the Divine Land’s scientific research institutes and the Military Department. The Ketone Trust Group even dabbled in the Elixir Group’s business. Among the private enterprises in the Divine Land, it undeniably ranked in the top three.

In fact, the Divine Land Government was already drafting a proposal to acquire shares in the Ketone Trust Group. After all, the group’s sheer scale was massive—so massive that the Divine Land Government had no choice but to take it seriously.

For Bai Zhiyong, the government acquiring a portion of the shares was a tremendously good thing. This way, he could leap from being an ordinary Martial Artist to a high-ranking official within the Divine Land Government, ultimately achieving his goal of making a name for himself.

"The stench of the Wet Realm is always so repulsive!" Bai Zhiyong muttered, gazing out from the office at the entrance of the Wet Ghost Tower.

Although he was a Qi and Blood Martial Artist, he was a Seventh Grade Grandmaster-level Qi and Blood Martial Artist. Yet, the number of times Bai Zhiyong had descended into the Wet Realm was pitifully few. His life-and-death battles against the Wet Realm’s alien races numbered no more than three.

His method for breaking through to the Grandmaster realm relied entirely on piling up massive amounts of resources. He consumed the highest quality elixirs and used the most expensive impurity-cleansing pills available. Bai Zhiyong couldn’t even clearly remember all the different types of alien elixirs he had taken. At every stage of his breakthroughs, as long as an undiscovered alien elixir was found, he would do everything in his power to obtain it.

But elixirs alone weren’t enough to let him break through to the Seventh Grade at such a young age. Bai Zhiyong had another trump card. He could spend money to have Grandmasters of the Divine Land help him digest the elixirs.

That’s right.

Bai Zhiyong had once paid an astronomical price for a Yangxiang Race combat technique. This technique could digest the Qi Blood of other Martial Artists, making it a rather unorthodox divine skill. For a Qi and Blood Martial Artist unwilling to put in hard work, it was the divine skill of all divine skills.

And Bai Zhiyong was incredibly wealthy. Whenever he needed help, he could invariably find a way to hire any Grandmaster below the Ninth Grade in the Divine Land. Although assisting Bai Zhiyong’s cultivation exacted a grueling toll on them, he always offered compensation that left everyone satisfied.

If they lacked elixirs, he would procure them from the Elixir Group. If they needed weapons, he would get them. Even if the item wasn’t available in the Divine Land, Bai Zhiyong could purchase it from abroad. And if a Grandmaster truly had no desires, Bai Zhiyong would target their friends and family. He always found a way to make the Divine Land’s Grandmasters owe him a favor, forcing them to obediently repay him with their own Qi Blood.

Not even Prince Qing of the Divine Land, Su Qingfeng, was an exception.

Bai Zhiyong had come to Shenchu City specifically to discuss business with Su Qingfeng.

"Every cup of tea I drink here costs me tens of millions. Only Su Qingfeng has the prestige to make me wait like this." Bai Zhiyong exhaled a long breath and smiled.

Several of his attendants followed close behind, brewing top-tier tea for him. Though their official job titles were drivers, they were all dressed in exquisite leather business suits with polished shoes and meticulously groomed hair.

"Mr. Bai, since this concerns your opportunity to reach the Eighth Grade, it’s best to wait for Prince Qing.

"Speaking of which, Prince Qing is already seven minutes late. It’s just a Flame Fruit Demon Beast; it really is a bit of a waste of time," said a low-grade Martial Artist dressed as an assistant.

Working at the Ketone Trust Group, they had seen plenty of the world. Even here in Shenchu City, they lacked much reverence. After all, the Ketone Trust Group had seen far too many destitute Martial Artists, making it impossible for the staff to respect them from the bottom of their hearts. Moreover, this place was merely a prison for holding convicts.

"Although the Flame Fruit Demon Beast hasn’t broken through to the Ninth Grade yet, it is still a peak Eighth Grade great demon. If it appeared in front of you, it would tear you all to shreds in thirty seconds.

"You have absolutely no idea how fast the Flame Fruit Demon Beast is. Aside from the Ninth Grade Generals of the various corps, only Prince Qing would take on such a miserable task.

"Your Ketone Trust Group should be thanking Prince Qing."

Beside them, two Sixth Grade Major Generals hosting the visit spoke up, their expressions darkening.

Theoretically, the Ketone Trust Group were just visiting guests here to see a prisoner. Their arrogance had nothing to do with the Shenchu Corps. Furthermore, they hadn’t slandered the corps; they were merely impatient with Prince Qing.

Yet, the two Major Generals still felt uncomfortable. This bunch of Qi and Blood Martial Artists had absolutely no understanding of how terrifying the Flame Fruit Demon Beast was. Even an Eighth Grade Combat Martial Artist could potentially be slain by a Celestial Fruit Demon. It was fine if they didn’t understand, but why did they have to speak about it with such dismissive ease?

It was a blatant display of contempt toward Combat Martial Artists. They simply held no respect for human life.

"Prince Qing and our Ketone Trust Group are in an employer-employee relationship. We provide the money, and he provides the labor. It is a completely normal contract.

"Right now, Prince Qing is late, but our Mr. Bai hasn’t blamed him or deducted his pay. This is a courtesy that extends beyond the contract, so you should be thanking Mr. Bai for his generosity on Prince Qing’s behalf.

"As for how powerful the Flame Fruit Demon Beast is, that is your Prince Qing’s business and has nothing to do with the Ketone Trust Group!"

The assistant’s usual job involved handling various legal disputes for the Ketone Trust Group, so he was accustomed to this confrontational style of negotiation language. After all, in a negotiation, as long as it was logical and reasonable, shutting the other party down with a single sentence was the best outcome.

"So what if you have money?

"Can the Ketone Trust Group’s money buy peace for the Divine Land?

"Have you ever actually experienced the dangers of the Wet Realm? It’s easy to run your mouths when you aren’t the ones out there risking your lives!" one of the Major Generals snapped, unable to tolerate it any longer.