Stronger with Crimson Modifier-Chapter 105: Calm

"Thanks for your help with this."

Hu Qi said.

"Not at all, Minister. It’s my duty to help you with these things."

On the other end of the line, Dai Shu heard Hu Qi’s praise. Although her tone was modest, she couldn’t help but let a smile grace her face.

Due to the existence of the Black Blood Species, Extraordinary Power had been made manifest.

The Xia Federation had granted the various Schools immense power.

This was evident from the fact that each School’s Sect Leader also served as a president within Zhu Xi.

It was no exaggeration to say that the local Secret Martial Arts School in any given region was the true Local Emperor, controlling several surrounding cities.

They wielded power beyond the imagination of ordinary people and could even dismiss Federation officials within their jurisdiction at will.

As the sixth Direct Disciple of the Shexin Sect and a minister of Zhu Xi, the authority Hu Qi held and the forces he could mobilize were far beyond what an ordinary person could imagine.

Dai Shu herself was a Qi Blood Second Transformation Secret Martial Artist and a disciple of the Shexin Sect.

Although she was only in her twenties, she was well aware of her own aptitude.

’Breaking through to become a Martial Arts Family member is practically hopeless for me.’

That was why she had applied for a staff position at Zhu Xi.

Her situation was not uncommon. Those who could break through to the Qi Blood Third Transformation in just a single year were an extremely small minority, and this minority almost always chose to join Zhu Xi in the end.

After all, the benefits here were far beyond what ordinary people could receive. And after coming into contact with the Extraordinary World, no one was willing to return to an ordinary life.

Of course, a few were willing to go back, but as a disciple of the Shexin Sect, how could one ever truly leave?

She had thought her life would continue on this path, never expecting that the higher-ups would assign her as the new minister’s assistant. This was undoubtedly an opportunity for her.

Direct Disciples were all one-in-a-million prodigies. Barring any accidents, breaking through to become a Martial Arts Family member was a sure thing.

When that time came, she would also be able to bask in his reflected glory, and the benefits she could gain would be immeasurable.

"By the way, did you leave my name when you handled that matter?"

Hu Qi suddenly seemed to think of something.

"Uh, you can rest assured, Minister. As per your previous instructions, we have tactfully informed her that the one who saved her was you."

Dai Shu replied immediately upon hearing this.

’To be honest, I don’t understand what he’s thinking.’

’Shouldn’t he keep his identity a secret in this situation, according to the usual script?’

"Okay, that’s good."

Hu Qi then gave a few more simple instructions, telling her to keep someone watching, before hanging up.

Hu Qi was unaware of Dai Shu’s thoughts.

To him...

...some faces needed to be slapped right away.

And when you do a good deed, you naturally have to say so. Otherwise, how would anyone know you did it?

Did he have to act all mysterious and make the other person guess?

He had clearly helped them and done them a favor.

Yet he was looked down upon and humiliated by them time and again.

That would make him either insane or a masochist.

He, Hu Qi, had no such hobbies.

...

Time flew by.

For the next few days, besides his daily Cultivation, Hu Qi spent his time familiarizing himself with his power as a member of a Martial Arts Family.

During this period, he also went out a couple of times, hoping to lure out Han Luan, the one who had attacked him before.

Unfortunately, he had no luck.

’It makes sense, though. After a failed attack on a Direct Disciple of the Shexin Sect like me, they’d have to be an idiot to dare stick around.’

Afterward, he returned to his usual routine.

He didn’t tell anyone about his breakthrough to the Martial Arts Family realm.

The main reason was that his breakthrough speed was simply too fast. Even his fastest senior brother...

...had taken over a year to break through to the Martial Arts Family realm. As for him, excluding the time he spent practicing the Fighting Technique and the time since he arrived in this world...

...it all added up to less than half a year.

’Being too much of a prodigy is never a good thing.’

But suppressing his breakthrough for such a reason wasn’t Hu Qi’s style either.

Fortunately, after breaking through, perhaps because he had opened a perfect-grade Essence Element Divine Treasure, he could contain his own Qi and Blood, achieving a nearly flawless Disguise.

As long as he didn’t reveal it himself, it was almost impossible for others to see his Cultivation level.

This undoubtedly increased his safety significantly.

However, he had no intention of staying at the academy any longer.

Although the academy offered free lodging, the space was a bit too small for him.

...

「A few days later.」

In the courtyard of a luxuriously decorated villa.

The weather was cold, and the branches of the trees in the courtyard had become bare.

A thinly-clad figure sat cross-legged. Beside him, a long-bladed Long Saber was stuck in the ground, glinting with a cold light.

This person was none other than Hu Qi, and this villa was one he had just purchased.

One must understand that he had gained not only the power of a Zhu Xi minister but also an enormous amount of money.

The Shexin Sect, a Local Emperor-like existence in Donglin Province, was not short on cash.

There’s a saying: money doesn’t always mean power, but enough power can often generate more money.

The industries controlled by the Shexin Sect alone, which included hotels, real estate, automobiles, and more, had accumulated an unimaginably large amount of money.

This also explained why the Shexin Sect’s benefits were so good—they were simply never short of money.

If the Shexin Sect were a company, then Hu Qi, as a Direct Disciple, would be one of its shareholders. The dividends he received from it each month amounted to tens of millions.

Buying this villa was naturally a piece of cake.

Even without the status of a Direct Disciple, with his strength as a member of a Martial Arts Family alone, Hu Qi would never have to worry about money for the rest of his life.

This was the advantage of being in the Extraordinary World: as long as one had enough power, one could obtain everything.

Suddenly, the aura around Hu Qi, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, surged violently.

A tyrannical, scorching aura erupted from his body as the epicenter, spreading rapidly in all directions.

In an instant, enveloped by this aura, the artificially planted green grass beside him quickly yellowed and withered, as if all its moisture had been baked away by a scorching fire.

Fortunately, this aura didn’t last long before it receded and vanished without a trace.

————

[Three-Eyed Primordial Snake Spirit Devouring Map (Essence Element Chapter Second Layer)]

[Seven Evils Saber (Third Layer) △]

...

[Modification Points: 7 (19%)]

Compared to a week ago, his strength had changed once again.

The Three-Eyed Primordial Snake Spirit Devouring Map had reached the Essence Element Chapter Second Layer, which was equivalent to the Middle Stage of Qi Blood Furnace for a Martial Arts Family member.

One had to know that even for the most prodigious geniuses, making any progress after reaching the Martial Arts Family realm was measured in years, or even decades.

A situation like Hu Qi’s was simply unheard of.

Of course, to reach his current state, the perfect Divine Treasure, Hu Qi’s own efforts, and the panel were all indispensable.

This was especially true for the last point. Thanks to the power he now wielded, his efficiency in collecting Exotic Beasts had also increased.

Although these creatures were rare, as long as one was willing to pay, there would always be people willing to collect them for him.

This allowed him to accumulate nearly twenty Modification Points in just one week.

He had used ten points to modify the Three-Eyed Primordial Snake Spirit Devouring Map, leaving him with seven.