Chapter 13: Proficient Shadow Claw & The Bride-Selection Ball Toss!
In the end, Alex tapped his finger, choosing to add points to Shadow Claw.
Between attack and crowd control, he decisively prioritized attack.
Offense is the best defense!
[Consumed 300 Slaughter Points. Shadow Claw successfully advanced to Proficient.]
Instantly, his mastery of Shadow Claw soared, as if he had practiced it thousands or tens of thousands of times!
He tested it out. The Shadow Claw not only had significantly increased power but also a much wider attack range.
Alex nodded in satisfaction, closed the panel, and grabbed the Top-Grade Origin Stone given by Elara, preparing to cultivate.
The Origin Stone looked like a black crystal containing endless energy.
Inside, it held a massive amount of pure Origin Energy, which could greatly accelerate a cultivator's absorption speed and realm advancement.
For Awakeners, improving cultivation required circulating unique cultivation methods to draw the free-floating Origin Energy from the world into their bodies and convert it into their own power.
Although Alex could level up by adding points, he was currently out of Slaughter Points, and hunting beasts at night was too dangerous.
So, he decided to cultivate peacefully at night and hunt beasts during the day to earn Slaughter Points for upgrades.
Once he reached Tier 2, the Blood Condensation Realm, he would gain night vision!
Then he could hunt beasts to his heart's content every night, frantically adding points and leveling up, leaving his peers far behind in the dust!
The King of Grinding in a High-Martial World!
Thinking of this, Alex took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and began circulating the Basic Ability Cultivation Method.
The air around him rippled slightly as invisible threads of Origin Energy gathered and drilled into his body, flowing slowly through his meridians.
Meanwhile, inside the City Lord's Manor.
"Daughter, how can you be so willful, running around everywhere? You had your old man worried sick."
Cyrus Xander, the City Lord, looked at his daughter with a face full of concern.
Sia huffed softly, pouting her small lips. "Hmph, who asked you to worry! It's all your fault. Without my consent, you insisted on making me do this 'Ball Toss' to choose a fiancé tomorrow. I don't want to do it!"
At the mention of this, a flash of anger appeared in her eyes.
Cyrus sighed helplessly. "Sigh, daughter, this is a tradition from your mother's family. We can't do anything about it. Just treat it as going through the motions. Besides, I couldn't bear to actually marry you off!"
Sia turned her face away in a huff. "Too late! I already have someone I like. I'll marry him in two days just to spite you!"
"What?! You have someone you like? Who is it? Tell Dad quickly. I want to see which boy has such great ability to catch your eye!"
Cyrus instantly perked up.
"Not telling!" Sia stuck out her tongue playfully.
Actually, saying she "liked" him was a stretch; they were acquaintances at best.
She only said that to annoy her old man.
"Sia, my good daughter, just tell Dad. Who is it?"
"No way. Unless you give me some cultivation resources!"
"Name it. Whatever you want, as long as Dad can get it, it's yours!"
"I don't want much. Just that Shadow Ability Cultivation Method you got from the Secret Realm, and a Level 3 Darkness Combat Skill book."
"This? Daughter, you call that 'not much'?" Cyrus looked troubled upon hearing this.
"Oh! Then I won't tell you!" Sia said, pretending to leave.
"Fine, fine, fine. My precious daughter, I'll get them for you later, okay?" Cyrus compromised helplessly.
Anyway, no one in their family could use that Shadow Ability Cultivation Method. As for a Level 3 Darkness Combat Skill, with his status and strength, it wasn't impossible to obtain.
"Hehe, it's a deal then!"
"Dad agreed to your terms. Now tell me, which brat is it?"
"The one who catches the ball tomorrow!"
Sia flashed a victorious smile and skipped away.
Cyrus watched his daughter's retreating figure. "Good lord, it looks like my precious cabbage is really going to be dug up by a pig!"
Tomorrow, he would see exactly who this pig was—and if he was some punk with dyed hair riding a loud motorcycle.
10:00 PM. Moonlight washed over the streets and alleys of Riverdale City like water.
Alex walked slowly out of the training center, buying a meat sandwich on his way home to fill his stomach.
After all, food was the priority of the people.
His apartment was in an old complex. Although a bit worn, it was clean and tidy—the only property left to him by his parents.
Alex unlocked the door, walked inside, and placed the food on the table.
Just as he was about to relax and take a shower, his phone chimed with a notification.
Ding, ding, ding!
He pulled out his phone and saw a string of messages from the person he had saved earlier.
[Cute Bunny Loves to Eat: Hey hey hey! It's 9 PM, time to wake up and pee!]
[Cute Bunny Loves to Eat: Hehe, it's 9:30 PM, time to wake up and poop!]
[Cute Bunny Loves to Eat: Alex! It's 10 PM, wake up already!]
Alex's mouth twitched. Is this person toxic?
[Alex: ?]
The other party replied almost instantly. [You finally replied!]
Immediately after, several images appeared on the screen.
Alex looked closely. One image showed a Level 3 Darkness Combat Skill book: Eroding Dark Bat Strike!
Another image showed a Shadow Ability Cultivation Method.
Besides these, there were also some Top-Grade Bone Tempering Pills!
Alex gulped. "Good lord, saving that person really wasn't in vain. Such generous rewards!"
[Alex: Daddy! Daddy!]
At this moment, in a bedroom within the City Lord's Manor, Sia lay on her bed hugging her phone. Seeing Alex's message, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"This guy really opens his eyes at the sight of money. Getting so excited over just this much stuff."
[Calling me Daddy is useless. You have to call me Mommy.]
[Alex: 666. I'm not some simp. Also, you're a girl, right?]
Alex guessed internally that the other party was likely female. Judging by her previous behavior, it was too similar!
Good lord?
Did I indirectly pull off a "Hero Saves Beauty"?
Although the plot is cliché, it sure tastes sweet!
[Not telling! Remember to come to the City Lord's Manor gate tomorrow morning.]
[Sure. For the skill book, I'll definitely be there.]
[It's a deal then. Goodnight!]
[Goodnight.]
After saying goodnight, Alex turned off his phone, took a shower, and lay in bed, ready to sleep.
Today's harvest had been incredibly bountiful.
Not only had he received millions in transfers, but his realm and bone tempering had also improved significantly. Thinking of this, he smiled with satisfaction, closed his eyes, and soon drifted into dreamland.
The next morning, the sun shone brightly.
Alex walked along the road toward the City Lord's Manor, feeling a bit puzzled.
He saw many people rushing in the same direction, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Hey, bro, what are you all going to the City Lord's Manor for?"
Alex grabbed a passerby and asked curiously.
"Don't you know? Today, City Lord Cyrus's daughter, Sia, is holding a 'Ball Toss' event to select a husband! I'm going to try my luck. Maybe I can become the live-in son-in-law!"
After speaking, the young man showed a hopeful smile, then quickened his pace, running toward the manor.
Ball Toss to select a husband?
Alex paused. Isn't that something from ancient times?
He didn't expect such a practice to exist in this era.
He finished his breakfast wrap in one bite, curiosity welling up in his heart, and decided to join the fun.
Alex had an impression of the name Cyrus Xander.
He was one of the strongest individuals in Riverdale City, having reached the Tier 6 realm, and held extremely high prestige.
As for his daughter, Sia, Alex had only heard the name but had no idea what she looked like.
In his mind, he even speculated she might be ugly—otherwise, why resort to a ball toss to find a husband?
Also, Alex strongly suspected that the person he saved yesterday was Sia.
Spending money so freely, and mentioning the City Lord's Manor... all signs pointed to this guess.
No way, right? No way?
Well, I'm already here. I definitely need to get that Combat Skill!
As for what Sia looked like, he didn't really care.
She's not my girlfriend, and not someone I like, so why should I care?
He looked ahead. "Combat Skill, here I come!"
Slaughter Points were necessary, but one couldn't do without powerful Combat Skills!
Making a trip to get a powerful skill—why not?