208: Chapter 208: Acquiring the Yeti Corpse

Shen Xiaochuan snapped out of his state of monitoring private messages and stood within the altar. The stone slabs beneath his feet were still slightly warm.

The wind and snow were heavy outside, but it was very quiet inside, with only the sound of water droplets falling. He looked down at the back of his hand; a faint green light beneath the skin had not yet vanished, as if something else were flowing through his body. He moved his fingers, his joints cracking, and the power within him felt steadier than before.

The Evil Sheep Priest stood in the center of the altar, leaning on his staff. His eyes were those of a sheep, flickering with green fire. He didn't leave or speak, but raised his hand to draw a circle in the air. The ground vibrated, and two dark shadows crawled out from the cracks. They were shrouded in black mist, with horns on their heads and chain-like tails behind them.

“They have also grown stronger,” the Priest’s voice was raspy. “Lord Aminos's guards have leveled up along with you.”

Shen Xiaochuan looked at the two shadows. They were motionless and silent, but he could feel a pressure from them stronger than any Evil God servants he had seen before. He nodded: “Is it because I became stronger?”

“The stronger the sacrificer, the stronger the beneficiary,” the Priest lowered his hand, and the green fire died out. “The corpses you brought were numerous and pure enough. His dream that you would come was not a hollow one.”

“What about Aminos?” Shen Xiaochuan asked. “Is He awake?”

The Priest shook his head: “The injuries are too severe; He is still sleeping. This sacrifice has stabilized His soul fire. He is not far from waking.”

Shen Xiaochuan didn't ask further. He knew such beings wouldn't tell the whole truth, but at least he knew he was on the right path. Now he could summon twenty Evil God Guards; although they couldn't be used in the city, they served as a trump card for critical moments. As long as he continued to sacrifice, he could become even stronger.

“Besides the permissions, what other rewards are there for this sacrifice?” he asked directly.

The Priest smiled, revealing sharp fangs: “Of course there are. Two rare-grade weapons; choose for yourself.”

With a wave of his hand, two items appeared in the air. On the left was a short axe with a serrated blade covered in blood-sucking runes. On the right was a shield of irregular shape, looking as if it were made of charred bone, with a closed eye on its front.

“The short axe is called ‘Soul Eater’; it restores thirty percent of your stamina for every person killed,” the Priest said. “The shield is called the ‘Evil Spirit Shield’; it passively reflects twenty percent of damage and has a chance to freeze the enemy for one second when hit.”

Shen Xiaochuan immediately said: “I want the shield.”

The Priest was a bit surprised: “You’re not going to be the main attacker?”

“I have someone I want to cultivate.” Shen Xiaochuan took the shield. It was very light, feeling not like metal but more like some kind of bone. He turned it over and saw a line of small characters on the back: The Disaster Bearer who holds this may suffer tribulations on behalf of their master.

He took note of those words.

“Goudan just became a Legion Commander and lacks defensive gear,” he said. “This thing is perfect for him.”

The Priest snorted and turned to walk deep into the altar. After a few steps, he stopped: “Do you want to trade it for something better?”

Shen Xiaochuan looked up: “What do you mean?”

“You are thinking about the great desolation blade,” the Priest said with his back to him. “I know. Many gods are searching for the fragments of that blade. Do you want it too?”

Shen Xiaochuan didn't deny it: “Do you have news?”

“I do.” The Priest slowly turned around. “The third scabbard fragment, perfect grade, is in my hands.”

Shen Xiaochuan’s gaze tightened: “What’s the trade?”

“Three hundred corpses of rare-grade or higher aberrant creatures,” the Priest held up three fingers. “Or an equivalent value in faith points.”

Shen Xiaochuan fell silent. Three hundred rare-grade corpses was no small number. The 223 Yeti corpses he had just delivered were already the largest batch currently findable. If he relied on himself to hunt the rest, he didn't know how long it would take.

“Is there any other way?” he asked.

“No,” the Priest’s tone was firm. “Rules are rules. I can wait, but the scabbard fragment won't stay forever.”

Shen Xiaochuan said nothing more. He knew there was no bargaining in this kind of deal.

The entire world was currently in a cold wave, and since the appearance of the Snow Mountain Behemoths, Yeti-like creatures had appeared in various countries. No one dared touch these corpses, nor did they know what use they had. But if he offered a high price to buy them... He immediately had an idea.

He closed his eyes, opened the Faith Mall interface, and posted a bounty on the Blue Star Channel:

【Buying rare-grade Yeti corpses at high prices, unlimited quantity, immediate settlement, anonymous transaction, location of your choice】

Poster: A certain Eastern God King.

He set up an automatic reply; private messages meeting the criteria would be recorded, and payments would be made via faith points transfers without leaving a trace. Then he clicked send.

The moment the message was sent, the entire Blue Star Channel went quiet for a moment.

The next second, countless deities sent private messages.

“Which Eastern God King?”

“How is the rare-grade calculated?”

“Is this for real?”

“Is this a scam?”

Shen Xiaochuan didn't reply to a single one. He closed the interface, opened his eyes, and found the Priest still watching him.

“Did you just do something?” the Priest asked.

“Sent a message to collect corpses,” Shen Xiaochuan said.

“You want to gather the offerings?” the Priest asked.

“Why else?” Shen Xiaochuan retorted. “Did you think I would go and hunt them one by one?”

“Smart,” the Priest nodded. “While others are trying to save their lives, you’ve already started hoarding resources.”

“Times have changed,” Shen Xiaochuan said. “Who lives the longest doesn't depend on who fights the hardest, but who can accumulate the most.”

He put the “Evil Spirit Shield” into his space and touched the copper gear pendant around his neck. His parents had given it to him, and he had worn it ever since. It was still warm now, as if it had sensed something.

“Go back,” the Priest said. “The message is out; someone will eventually deliver. But I warn you—not just any corpse will do. It must be a Pure Yin body, the kind where the soul hasn't dissipated. Ordinary beasts, even if they look similar, are useless.”

“I know,” Shen Xiaochuan nodded. “Yetis like these will work.”

“Yes.” The Priest walked deeper inside. “When you have brought enough, come again.”

Shen Xiaochuan was in no hurry to leave. He stood there and opened the Faith Mall to check the response to the bounty.

There were already seventeen valid replies.

Five of them had photos attached showing giant frozen creatures that looked very similar to the Yetis he had killed.

The locations were in Northern Europe, Siberia, and Alaska.

He looked through them one by one, marking the three most suitable ones, planning to decide on the first batch of trading partners once the information was complete.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a change within his body. The growth of faith points had changed. It was originally +1 per second, but now it had become +3 per second.

He was stunned for a moment.

【S-rank talent “+1 Faith Point per second” has evolved into “+3 faith points per second”】

The notification appeared in his mind.

He didn't smile or get excited. He just noted the change. In the future, he would be able to obtain resources faster and make larger trades.

He took one last look at the altar. The green fire was extinguished, the ground cracks had closed, and nothing remained. Only those two new Evil God Guards stood in the corner, motionless, as if waiting for the next summons.

He turned and walked toward the exit.

The wind and snow were still outside. But he wasn't as rushed as when he arrived. He knew this trip wasn't in vain. He had the power, he had the intelligence, and the next step was clear.

He stepped out of the stone door, the cold wind blowing against his face. The snow was heavier now, turning the world white. He stood on the high ground, looking toward the direction of Skydome City.

He lightly tapped his finger.

The bounty on the Blue Star Channel refreshed.

A new title appeared:

【Emergency Price Increase: rare-grade Yeti corpses, unit price increased by thirty percent; the first hundred traders will receive an extra defensive item】

Posting complete.

He stood in the wind and snow, closed his eyes, and began to watch the changes in his private messages.

Seven seconds later, the first trade request arrived.

It came from a lone deity in Siberia, with a clear picture attached; the corpse was intact, and coordinates and storage status were written down.

Shen Xiaochuan opened the reply box and typed two words:

“Reception approved.”