Chapter 1 Exceeded Expectations

Due to the limitations of logistics in this world, it was difficult to transport products from the Empire's directly managed workshops to remote towns, resulting in this phenomenon.

All kinds of Different Blood potions were dazzling, and even the Deadly-grade Alien Beast potions that were rarely seen outside were available in a dozen copies, including masterpieces of the masters.

Different Blood potions had recipes, specifying how to process the materials of an Alien Beast and what herbs or minerals to mix—even with the same Alien Beast's materials, using different recipes would result in significantly different final product effects.

The better the recipe, the better the body's enhancement effect, the more powerful the characteristics inherited from the Alien Beast, the less likely side effects would occur, and the lower the chance of sudden death.

In the past barbaric era, various tribes had long studied and mastered unique recipes. After the establishment of the Terra Empire, it collected many tribal recipes in one go, further researched and improved them, forming more prominent recipes, and consolidating the Empire's resource advantages.

In addition, a large number of elite and master-level pharmacists were concentrated in the royal capital, so the products of the Empire's directly managed workshops were often one or two levels higher than those in other towns.

In more high-end research projects, the royal capital was several streets ahead of other towns, and it had been studying composite Different Blood potions and potions that inherited the special abilities of Alien Beasts, but there were no results yet.

Because of the strange and diverse Alien Beasts, most of the world's technological system fell on the research of Alien Beasts, which to some extent had risen to the point of biotechnology and genetic engineering, which was quite black technology, but was very backward in other aspects, so specialized it was lopsided.

In some aspects, the Alien Beast world also had some seemingly discordant concepts, products, systems, etc. … Zhou Jing always believed that this was the influence of "other-dimensional life forms".

So sometimes when he saw something with a style different from the current era, he was not surprised.

Zhou Jing asked the workshop staff a lot of questions, and then immersed himself in the workshop's inventory list, unable to extricate himself, wanting everything he saw.

He picked and chose, and finally selected two extremely high-quality Different Blood potions.

Unlike other towns with restrictions on exchanging places for potions, Empire Hunters could directly take anything they liked as long as they reported it to the garrison.

Clayber had already said hello, and the procedures were smooth all the way. Not long after, Zhou Jing walked out of the workshop with two exquisite wooden boxes containing the potions.

"When are you planning to strengthen?" Cole asked curiously.

"In a while, I need to adjust my state first."

"Then when you're ready, you can call me to help you guard."

"Okay, okay."

Zhou Jing perfunctorily agreed.

He didn't plan to use the potion in front of people this time.

Different Blood strengthening was risky after all. If he was unlucky and failed, and died suddenly in full view, it would be difficult to come back afterwards.

After the White Plains Town incident, he had experience in this regard.

Zhou Jing had already thought it over. In the future, strengthening should be avoided by others. Even if he died, no one would know. In this way, when "Jason" the Eternal Apostle was re-launched after death, he would not be regarded as rising from the coffin, and he could continue to stay in the original place.

Cole did not doubt him. He took out a thick hardcover book from his package and handed it to Zhou Jing, saying:

"This is our course catalog. Go back and look through it these days, see which part you want to learn first, and then I'll take you directly to the corresponding Hunter teacher."

Zhou Jing took the hardcover book, his expression a little subtle.

Good fellow, there are textbooks.

He thought that the Hunters were all primitive and taught by example, after all, Barron did just that.

After saying goodbye to Cole, Zhou Jing returned home with Ross and immediately opened the textbook to take a look, and found that the Empire Hunter's courses were indeed comprehensive and well-planned.

Most courses were divided into entry, advanced, expert, and buried levels, which was quite familiar.

"If this isn't the influence of other-dimensional life forms, I'll piss upside down."

Zhou Jing's face twitched.

He had also paid attention to observation these days, and did not find any suspected other-dimensional life forms among the Empire Hunters. Of course, it may also be that they were hidden too deeply.

Although he felt that there would probably be hidden other-dimensional life forms in places like the royal capital, he didn't have any ideas at the moment. Improving the power of the Eternal Apostle was the real benefit.

In the Empire Hunter's textbook, the most important course was not combat, but learning various Alien Beast data. This was the information that generations of Hunters had exchanged for blood. For most Hunters, it was more critical than direct combat power.

Like Barron in the past, he only had initial strengthening, but because he knew the habits of the White Spider Monster, he was able to lead a group of ordinary hunters to kill it.

But for Zhou Jing, the highest priority course was still the Hunter breathing technique.

"Wow, as expected of the regular army, there are actually eighteen kinds of breathing techniques."

Zhou Jing smacked his lips, his eyes shining.

Barron said that the Hunter breathing technique had to be taught by someone, and books could not teach it. The textbook only listed the breathing techniques mastered by people within the Empire Hunters.

If you want to learn it, you have to ask the corresponding person for advice, and you can't learn it by relying on the textbook alone.

Eighteen kinds seemed not many, which did not match the number of thousands of Empire Hunters, but the breathing techniques mastered by many Hunters were repeated. For example, the three breathing techniques mastered by Zhou Jing were also recorded.

Most people only carefully select two or three kinds to learn according to their own route, and do not have the energy to practice other breathing techniques, and they cannot be used in battle.

It was no longer possible to verify how many kinds of derivative Hunter breathing techniques there were in the world, and the eighteen kinds of breathing techniques of the Empire Hunters basically covered various strengthening directions, including powerful, high-speed, tough, and exercise routes.

Among them, there was also a special breathing technique called "Original Breathing Technique", which was said to be a incomplete version of the original breathing technique, and the subsequent breathing techniques were derived on this basis.

Empire Hunters would learn a little bit of the "Original Breathing Technique". It sounded like a big name, but in fact it was the breathing technique with the worst effect. The ancient breathing technique was rough, and the subsequent improved versions were getting better and better, not the older the stronger.

But the "Original Breathing Technique" had a convenience, that was, it contained the shadow of other breathing techniques to some extent. After mastering it, it was easier to learn other breathing techniques, so this was almost a required course for Empire Hunters.

"This is really a treasure trove of knowledge." Zhou Jing was delighted.

He had unique advantages in learning, and his cultivation speed was accelerated, which was enough for him to master a breathing technique in a short period of time.

According to his previous experience, opening the basic fee's cultivation acceleration would allow him to practice a breathing technique to Lv4 proficiency in three months—but now that his physical fitness and resistance aptitude had been raised to the blue level, learning was faster, and it would probably be achieved in just over two months.

There was limited time every day, and personal energy was also limited. It was probably best to practice three to five breathing techniques at the same time.

So calculating, learning the Empire Hunter's breathing technique would probably take… at least half a year, at most a year?

Zhou Jing calculated it again and wanted to gasp for air.

He didn't know if he didn't calculate, but he was shocked when he did. The Eternal Apostle's learning ability was really perverted.

Of course, the cost was also very expensive…

"The cost of accelerating a breathing technique to Lv4 proficiency is 700 Star Realm Points. Excluding the three I have mastered, there are fifteen that can be learned, which is a cost of over 10,000… it's still a bit expensive."

Zhou Jing pondered for a while, and felt that it was better to take it slowly.

After all, he had a plan to open a new Apostle, so he still had to keep some funds.

In addition, combat breathing techniques do not have high attribute bonuses, and it may not be necessary to learn all of them… let's screen them out and see.

[Hunter Master] This life goal, mastering a large number of breathing techniques is also a necessary path. If you don't learn seven or eight out of ten of the breathing techniques here, then isn't it a waste of time… Zhou Jing's eyes lit up.

……

In the next two days, Zhou Jing became low-key and peaceful, refusing all the Hunters' sparring invitations, with the external reason that he was preparing for the third strengthening and adjusting his state.

Although the Empire Hunters were very curious about this powerful newcomer and wanted to get to know him, they also knew the danger of the third strengthening and wisely did not disturb him.

After making himself less noticed, Zhou Jing left the garrison one day, took Ross and ran to the wilderness.

The area around the royal capital was mainly plains. He ran for a long time before he found undulating hills with a few sparse forests.

Zhou Jing found a secluded and uninhabited forest, stopped, and took out two Different Blood potions.

"Let's just do it here… come over, drink this."

Ross's expression was wooden. He took a bottle of black oily potion, raised his head and drank it in one gulp, looking at Zhou Jing without speaking.

"Don't stare at me, go sit over there."

Zhou Jing pointed to a tree.

Ross then walked over and sat cross-legged under the tree, waiting expressionlessly for the effects of the medicine to take effect.

Soon, black blood vessels狰狞 appeared and covered his calm face.

"I wonder if it will work this time…"

Zhou Jing muttered secretly.

He asked the workshop for two Different Blood potions, one of which was selected for Ross, which was a Flying Shadow Dragon potion of excellent craftsmanship quality.

Flying Shadow Dragon, a rare Deadly-grade dragon species Alien Beast, also known as "Black Fierce Shadow", was famous for stealth and surprise attacks, and could also fly short distances. It was extremely dangerous in dark environments, and even a well-prepared hunter team would be wiped out if they were not careful.

Ross's last strengthening was "Black Hand Fox", the species span was very large.

Different Blood strengthening was naturally best with potions of the same species, but if non-same-species potions had similar strengthening directions and characteristics, they would not easily cause conflicts, only losing the success rate bonus of similar potions, and the risk was acceptable.

Black Hand Fox and Flying Shadow Dragon were not the same level of Alien Beast, but their strengthening directions overlapped to some extent, and they had a certain degree of compatibility.

Some Hunters who pursued more powerful power would occasionally risk jumping to other species of Different Blood potion routes during strengthening… and Dragon species Different Blood potions often had the best strengthening effect of the same level.

After the Eternal Apostle reset the follower function, Ross had another chance to revive, so it was better to let the笨比 strengthen first.

If it fails, it can also be a stepping stone for me…

Zhou Jing jumped to the tree and watched from time to time to see if anyone was coming, secretly guarding.

The Different Blood potion quickly transformed Ross's body. After a long time, the blood vessels on his face subsided and returned to their original state.

Seeing this, Zhou Jing jumped down the tree and looked at Ross's changes.

This 笨比 seemed to have grown seven or eight centimeters taller, and his arms had also lengthened, and he could reach his knees with both hands.

"He didn't die suddenly again, what kind of luck is this…"

Zhou Jing啧了一声, happy is happy, but inexplicably a little jealous.

How come Ross strengthens so easily, I was much more unlucky when I strengthened the second time.

He shook his head, opened the panel, and looked at Ross's attributes.

[Ross (Beginner)]

[[Different Blood Warrior]: Second Strengthening (Flying Shadow Dragon)]

[Effect: Physical +14, Resistance +8, Perception +8]

[Current Attributes: Physical 28, Resistance 20, Perception 18, Spirit 5, Energy 0]

[Second Strengthening Attached Characteristics: [Surprise Stance], [Shadow Ambush], [Low-level Dark Element Resistance], [Child of the Night] (Special)]

"The strengthening of Dragon species Alien Beasts is really good, this attribute bonus is much higher than Ross's last time."

Zhou Jing secretly calculated.

Ross's initial strengthening gave a total of 21 attribute bonuses, and now the second strengthening has directly increased to 30.

Because Ross himself was almost blank, this was basically the quality difference of the potion itself.

Moreover, this Flying Shadow Dragon potion not only had a high attribute increase, but also allowed Ross to inherit powerful characteristics.

[Surprise Stance] can enhance burst and speed, and has a special high-speed bonus when making the first move, while [Shadow Ambush] enhances stealth ability, and at the same time, when ambushing from the shadows, there is an additional burst of power bonus.

The best of them was [Child of the Night], which was a special characteristic like his own [Thunder Assault].

When fighting at night, there are positive buffs, and all qualities such as strength, speed, reaction, and perception are fully strengthened, and it is more difficult to be discovered when sneaking at night.

Because Ross has not mastered several breathing techniques and lacks skill attribute bonuses, his total attributes are only the medium level of a second-strengthened hunter.

But the strengthening characteristics of being good at stealth and ambush make him have a short burst of power in surprise attacks and assassinations that is no less than that of elite hunters… as long as he doesn't act stupid as usual.

This follower is more useful… Zhou Jing secretly rejoiced.

He told Ross to guard aside, and took out another bottle of golden potion.

Golden Thunder Dragon potion, a masterpiece of the master, of excellent quality, he specially selected the strengthening potion for himself.

Golden Thunder Dragon, an upper-level existence among Deadly-grade Alien Beasts, also known as "Raging Thunder", can condense electricity, release thunder, and has a strong and agile dragon body, swift and powerful. It is a top predator. Except for not being able to fly, it has almost no shortcomings. Hunters who have not been strengthened three times are all delivering food in front of it.

Zhou Jing inquired from the workshop staff that the Golden Thunder Dragon appeared in the surrounding area a few months ago, and a fourth-strengthened hunter led the team to crusade, but was seriously injured and defeated, and almost failed to come back alive.

In the end, Clayber personally took action, fought fiercely, and finally killed this Alien Beast, and the workshop had this type of potion.

"I myself have Electric Leopard strengthening, both are Thunder attribute, I hope this time I can jump to the Dragon species strengthening route…"

Zhou Jing took a deep breath, and then drank the potion in one gulp.

Gudong!

The potion entered the mouth, like extremely spicy spirits, with a feeling of numbness in the tongue.

Soon, the body seemed to be struck by lightning, and a burst of electric shock pain and numbness quickly swept the whole body.

Zhou Jing quickly leaned against the big tree and sat down. His whole body was numb, twitching non-stop.

He was not experiencing the pain of Different Blood strengthening for the first time, but the pain this time was more intense than ever before, and he seemed to be able to smell the burnt smell of his flesh and blood being electrocuted.

But after the first wave of pain peaked, Jason's [Tenacity] talent, and the [Low-level Electric Shock Resistance] of the initial strengthening, began to gradually take effect.

He vaguely realized that the violent energy in his body was gradually stabilizing and began to transform his flesh and blood and bones. He closed his eyes and silently endured the strengthening process.

……

Time passed by minute by minute, the sky gradually darkened, and faint wolf howls echoed in the forest.

Ross on the tree was motionless like an owl, faithfully guarding Zhou Jing.

Zhou Jing sat under the tree for a long time, and finally waited for the pain to subside, and the surging sense of power was almost overflowing.

His eyes slowly opened, faintly flashing with golden electric light.

Zhou Jing felt the changes in his body for a while, and there was no other discomfort except for a strong sense of hunger.

"Reliable, the third strengthening didn't go wrong!"

He was relieved at this moment.

His own basic attributes were already high, and there were also skill bonuses. In addition, his physical fitness and resistance aptitude were even raised to the blue level. Under the superposition of various factors, the success rate of Different Blood strengthening was much higher than that of Ross.

Opening the panel, brand new attributes immediately jumped into view.

[Jason Wood-Eternal Apostle]

[Extraordinary System-[Different Blood Warrior], Level Up]

[Different Blood Warrior: Third Strengthening (Golden Thunder Dragon)]

[Effect: Physical +17, Resistance +13, Perception +10, Energy +5]

[Current Attributes: Physical 58, Resistance 40 (+4) (First Order ax), Perception 28, Spirit 6, Energy 5]

[Third Strengthening Attached Characteristics: [Fierce Dragon Power], [Raging Thunder], [Medium Electric Shock Resistance], [Internal Discharge] (Special)]

——

[[Fierce Dragon Power]]

[Effect: With the powerful power of the Dragon species, your muscles and bones are more solid, greatly increasing strength and impact resistance]

——

[[Raging Thunder]]

[Effect: Your offensive is like raging thunder, bursting power and speed are improved, and you can support longer bursts without fatigue]

——

[[Medium Electric Shock Resistance]]

[Effect: You have a certain tolerance to electric shock and will not easily fall into a state of electric shock paralysis]

——

[[Internal Discharge] (Special)]

[Effect: Your body usually stores electricity naturally, and you can discharge electricity in your body when needed to stimulate your body and comprehensively improve your physical fitness. The maximum duration of the "Internal Discharge" state depends on the upper limit of the body's electricity storage. The higher the electric shock resistance and energy attributes, the higher the upper limit]

[But long-term use can lead to paralysis and organ damage. The higher the individual's electric shock resistance, the less likely it is to be damaged. When the advanced electric shock resistance is reached, the side effects can be completely exempted.]

——

"Wow, this time the attribute bonus has increased a lot!" Zhou Jing was pleasantly surprised.

His own initial strengthening provided 27 total attribute points, the second strengthening was 31 points, but at this time the third strengthening increased to 45 points all at once.

The quality of the potion was one aspect, and the increase in his own physical fitness and resistance aptitude also played an important role.

The characteristics of this strengthening further enhanced his physical fitness. He was no longer a purely agile route, but a high-agility, high-strength, high-burst, living like a boss.

What surprised him the most was that this strengthening actually obtained a special characteristic related to energy, and he could really discharge electricity.

Although he can't shoot it out, he can only use it to stimulate and strengthen the body, the essence is still a muscle, but it is also a sign of special abilities.

"Is this a normal strengthening, or is this potion the phased research result of the Empire's directly managed workshop?"

Zhou Jing thought to himself, he estimated that the 5 energy attribute was brought by the [Internal Discharge] characteristic.

Sensing it slightly, it seemed that he could really feel the electricity slowly accumulating in his body, but it was not absorbing any external elements, but bioelectricity.

The burst of "Internal Discharge" lasted longer than "Thunder Assault" and could support longer operations.

He tried it and found that the two could be used together, but it consumed more physical strength.

"As the degree of strengthening increases, my initial attribute and aptitude advantages will slowly magnify. Generally, hunters who have been strengthened three times only break through the first order in physical fitness, and it is almost impossible to reach 50 points, but now I am almost 60 points… should it be equivalent to four strengthenings?"

Zhou Jing silently assessed his own level, suddenly a whip leg was thrown out and hit the tree trunk next to him.

Kacha!

The wood exploded, and the whole tree was broken in the middle and fell down with a crash, and the huge noise startled a large number of birds in the forest.

"If I kick down with this leg, wouldn't even some Alien Beasts be kicked into two pieces… Sure enough, the body of the flesh body strengthener is the biggest destructive weapon."

Zhou Jing secretly smacked his tongue, excited.

He calmed his mind and looked at the attribute panel. The rank bonus of the resistance attribute was enough to advance, and he did not hesitate.

[(+4) Rank bonus has been consumed]

[Resistance increased to second order]

[Please choose a new trait from the following three options]

[1. Thick-skinned and fleshy——Strengthen the toughness of the skin, muscles, bones, and organs, and can withstand stronger physical attacks]

[2. Elemental Resistance——Energy resistance and elemental resistance are additionally strengthened]

[3. High Immunity——Your immunity is better, and your resistance to toxins and diseases is enhanced]

Zhou Jing thought for a few seconds and made a choice.

[Choice completed, trait has been generated]

[Current Resistance Attribute: 40 (Second Order)]

[Resistance Trait: [Elemental Resistance]]