Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

Dashang, Haizhou.

Demon Subduing Hall.

Alkaid had crossed the Sea of Turmoil and did not return to the Nine Heavens Sect immediately, but instead went directly to the Demon Subduing Hall, which specialized in rewards and repelling enemies.

He had not only changed into the garb of an Inner Sect Disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect but was also displaying his Blazing White Golden Core cultivation.

This level of strength was among the most formidable in the Province Prefecture.

Apart from the Provincial Guardian and a few Hollow Void War Immortals and Deep Blue Golden Core cultivators, he was indeed the strongest presence.

Therefore, upon entering the Demon Subduing Hall, he was quickly approached and attended to by cultivators. When they learned of his purpose, they immediately informed the Hall Master of the Demon Subduing Hall.

...

The Demon Subduing Hall in Haizhou had always been under the control of the Xi Family.

This was a top-tier grand family with a Hollow Void elder stationed in the Imperial Capital as a Second Grade Officer.

Apart from the Hollow Void elder, there were five Hollow Void War Immortals, as well as several Deep Blue, Blazing White, and Sunburst Golden Core level talented disciples.

Even placed within the Heavenly Dao Sect, they were a force on the same level as the Chi Family.

Some of these individuals accompanied the elder in the Imperial Capital to consolidate their family's power, while others stayed in the capital of Haizhou.

The current person in charge of the Demon Subduing Hall was the Xi Family Head's ninth uncle, named Xi Hai, a figure who had achieved the Deep Blue Golden Core level.

Cultivators in the Blazing White Golden Core stage have a less than 10% success rate of advancing to the Hollow Void. To quantify it, it's roughly equivalent to the 5% when they first transform, gradually climbing to 8%. Different talents, cultivation techniques, and foundations can even push this 8% to 9% or 10%.

However, once the Golden Core completes its 'quantitative' transformation and becomes a Deep Blue supergiant form, the success rate jumps to about 20%.

Each subsequent form change, that is through the middle, late, and perfected stages of a Deep Blue Golden Core, can increase the success rate by 4% to 5% depending on each person's foundation and talent.

And 35% is basically the limit that a Deep Blue Golden Core can achieve by their own cultivation in advancing to the Hollow Void Realm.

Beyond this, with the support of top-tier powerhouses, depending on the Void Refinement and Shattered Void realms, an additional 3% to 10% increase in success rate can be achieved.

Or, if one has profound opportunities and acquires against-the-odds natural treasures, it could increase the success rate by 1% to 100%.

Of course, there's an even more effective method: having a Dao Lord protect the way, not only can significantly increase the success chance, but if the cultivation attempt fails, the Dao Lord is also capable of controlling the cultivator's runaway Golden Core, reverting it back to its previous state for recuperation, then continuing the pursuit of advancing to the Hollow Void Realm.

Until successful.

But the foundation of the Xi Family…

Let alone having a Dao Lord protect the way, they might not even be able to gather decent natural treasures.

Even paying a Void Refinement Realm powerhouse to protect the way is something they might not be willing to spend heavily on.

Any force allocates more than 90% of their resources to their top-tier powerhouses.

Spending resources on Deep Blue Golden Core juniors is less appealing than funding their own elders, aiding them in achieving Void Refinement sooner.

In this circumstance, the Deep Blue Golden Cores within the family could only rely on their own cultivation.

They needed to reach the peak of the Deep Blue Golden Core, raising their success rate from 20% to 30%, or even 35%, before considering other options.

These are tangible, touchable increases in the success rate.

Naturally, cultivation requires resources.

Going from the initial to the peak state of a Deep Blue Golden Core requires an investment of millions of Pure Yang Great Pills.

For this, Xi Hai had been devising all manner of strategies over the years, seizing every profit, big or small, within controllable risks, unwilling to miss even the smallest opportunity.

In light of this, when his trusted subordinate and disciple Fang Lang reported that someone had come to claim the "Black Dragon Thieves" bounty, the eyes of the Demon Subduing Hall Master immediately lit up.

"Black Dragon Thieves? Tong Yan!?"

Xi Hai quickly said, "If I remember correctly, isn't his bounty worth 300,000 Pure Yang Great Pills!?" Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire

"Not 300,000, but 400,000. The Netherworld Sect that offered the bounty on them recently increased it by 100,000."

As Fang Lang spoke, he quickly added, "Moreover, aside from Tong Yan, this person claiming the bounty also wants to collect the bounties of a few other Black Dragon Thieves leaders; this batch together totals to 64,100 Pure Yang Great Pills."

"460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills!"

Xi Hai took a deep breath.

This…

It was enough to nurture three or five Sunburst Golden Cores.

Even for someone sitting in the Hall Master's position, it was equivalent to over a decade's worth of income.

"What background does the claimant have?"

Xi Hai asked swiftly.

"Heavenly Dao Sect Inner Sect Disciple."

"Inner Sect Disciple?"

Xi Hai was slightly taken aback, then his voice suddenly rose a notch, "Just an Inner Sect Disciple!?"

"Yes, just an Inner Sect."

Fang Lang nodded excitedly.

"An Inner Sect Disciple daring to claim the Black Dragon Thieves' bounty!?"

There was a hint of incredulity in Xi Hai's expression.

"Yes, and he is alone."

Fang Lang emphasized gravely.

"Alone..."

Why had the various bounties offered by Dashang and numerous sects remained unresolved for so long?

The cunning and strong ability of those with bounties on their heads, and the lack of interest from top-tier powerhouses due to the small reward amounts were all reasons.

There was also a covert reason: the issue of bounty payment.

Though the chances of a problem occurring were low, …

It always happened every now and then.

Therefore, those who truly completed bounty tasks, to ensure such incidents didn't occur, generally presented sufficient proof of their identities.

Even without an identity, those with connections would have influential figures help claim the reward and then share it.

This had become almost an unspoken rule in the bounty circle.

In this context, a Heavenly Dao Sect Inner Sect Disciple daring to claim a bounty, especially the Black Dragon Thieves' 460,000 reward...

"He has absolute confidence in his strength!? No! If he had absolute confidence, he would have become a True Disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect already, why would he still be in the Inner Sect? Fishing? No! Everyone knows that the Demon Subduing Hall is backed by our Xi Family, why would anyone want to openly make an enemy of us like that? At least it must be Hollow Void, and Hollow Void would never use such underhanded methods! Does he have someone backing him? If he had someone, they would've already contacted our Xi Family..."

Xi Hai's thoughts spun rapidly.

Eventually, he arrived at a conclusion that, although hard to believe, was the only possible explanation.

"He has no strength, no connections, and is in dire need of this bounty, so, he takes a risk... No, he must have some strength, otherwise, how could the members of the Black Dragon Thieves have fallen into his hands? Even if he used sneaking, assassination tactics, his strength must be among the top in the Blazing White Golden Core level, just not yet at the major sect's True Transmission status, which implies a combat power of around 500,000."

"He desperately needs this bounty..."

Fang Lang pondered briefly and quickly guessed something, "His cultivation must have reached the peak of the Blazing White Golden Core; just acquiring this 460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills could allow him to instantly break through the limit of 'quality' and ascend to the realm of the Deep Blue Golden Core, thus becoming a True Disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect..."

Xi Hai nodded, "These bounties, sometimes they get swallowed, and other times, we give the bounty first but tamper with it. Once he leaves the range of the Province Prefecture, we would kill to seize his treasure. He's betting on the latter. I can assure that if we give him these 460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills, he'd consume them immediately to rush into the Deep Blue Golden Core realm..."

As he said this, a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "However, I have no intention of giving him this opportunity."

He stood up decisively: "Let's go, I want to see this Golden Core myself; if he really is as we suspect... not only do I want those 460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills, I am also very interested in the method he used to kill the Black Dragon Thieves."

"Yes."

Fang Lang responded.

"By the way, just to be safe, where is Heavenly Dao Sect's latest Disciple Register? I need to see if he is some renowned figure."

Xi Hai said.

"I have prepared it in advance for your reverence."

Fang Lang handed over the Jade Talisman with insight.

Xi Hai checked it while walking towards the VIP Hall.@@novelbin@@

Arriving at the hall, he saw the Heavenly Dao Sect disciple being served by maidservants, and compared him with the recently reviewed Disciple Register...

He wasn't any famous person.

Probably one of those who practiced quietly, hoping for a spectacular breakthrough.

That settles it.

...

In the VIP Hall.

Alkaid was waiting calmly.

Inner Sect Disciple...

Wondering if he could intimidate the Demon Subduing Hall of Haizhou.

While pondering, he saw a man who has cultivated for five to six hundred years accompanied by a young man walking in.

Based on his preliminary understanding, it was indeed the Demon Subduing Hall Master, Xi Hai.

"Are you here to claim the bounty for the Black Dragon Thieves? Do you have proof?"

The Demon Subduing Hall Master held an upright manner, his actions direct and decisive.

"Of course, I do."

Alkaid took out the Shadow Retaining Stone: "This is the record of me killing the Black Dragon Thieves."

Xi Hai took the Shadow Retaining Stone and swept it with his Divine Sense, a hint of surprise between his brows.

Red Refining Divine Fire Thunder!?!

This weapon was quite valuable.

If sold, it could probably fetch three to four hundred thousand Pure Yang Great Pills.

But based on these images, he also understood why Alkaid could kill the Black Dragon Thieves.

The activation of the Red Refining Divine Fire Thunder was extremely fast, and taking down an ordinary Deep Blue Golden Core was not a difficult feat.

Of course, if a Deep Blue Golden Core was prepared, it could still be avoided.

The records in this Shadow Retaining Stone were limited, and he was a bit uncertain whether it was Alkaid's use of the Red Refining Divine Fire Thunder that was too clever, catching Tong Yan of the Black Dragon Thieves off guard, or...

Taking advantage of the moment when Tong Yan and others were distracted by someone else, he launched this weapon and completed the Fatal Kill.

However, this wasn't the main point...

"Is this all? Where is Tong Yan's head? Or his Lifebound Spiritual Treasure?"

Xi Hai asked in a procedural manner.

Alkaid frowned upon hearing this but still answered patiently, "As the Hall Master saw on the Shadow Retaining Stone, under the Red Refining Divine Fire Thunder, no high-level members of the Black Dragon Thieves survived."

"No?"

Xi Hai feigned slight hesitation and continued asking, "How should I address you? Where are you from? What is your cultivation level?"

After that, he added, "You have only a Shadow Retaining Stone here, and Tong Yan is involved in a high bounty of several hundred thousand Pure Yang Great Pills. We must verify thoroughly to prevent false claims. Please forgive any offense."

But after hearing his words, Alkaid's mood had already sunk.

After a while, he spoke, "I've heard of the unspoken rules of the Demon Subduing Hall, but my own strength is enough to handle the Black Dragon Thieves easily. Where I come from is not important. In three years, I will be promoted to the True Transmission of the Heavenly Dao Sect, so, please, Hall Master Xi Hai, give me this bounty. When the True Transmission grand banquet occurs, I will invite you, Hall Master, to thank you with a toast."

Three years later?

True Transmission grand banquet?

Xi Hai secretly smirked, feeling even more relaxed.

As expected.

But on the surface, he maintained a solemn expression and handed over a Jade Talisman, "I don't know what you are talking about. Please register your information here; it involves several hundred thousand Pure Yang Great Pills, all assets of Dashang. If the information is not complete, we cannot give you the bounty."