On the day the Sacrificial Shop officially opened, Sacrifice City had already become a boiling sea of people before dawn.
From a distance, the city gates were barely visible through the dense mass of figures. Streams of cultivators poured in from every direction of the Black-Corner Region, shoulder to shoulder, packed so tightly that even the air seemed compressed.
Voices overlapped into a thunderous roar, discussions, arguments, bargaining, disbelief, excitement—countless emotions blending together into one overwhelming tide.
Yet, despite the chaos, there was no disorder.
Whether it was a newly arrived Dou Zhe with nothing but ambition, or an aloof Dou Huang who normally strode the region like a king, everyone stood obediently in line outside the city gates. No one dared to cut in. No one dared to fly.
Because above the city wall—
Twelve enormous sixth-tier Spirit Beasts stood silently.
Their bodies were like small mountains, scales and fur shimmering with faint elemental light. Each breath they exhaled distorted the air, their eyes cold and alert as they swept across the crowd below.
The oppressive aura rolling off them made even seasoned Dou Kings unconsciously stiffen, their hearts tightening.
These were creatures that, in the wilderness, could dominate entire regions.
Yet now, they stood like loyal sentinels.
That single fact alone was enough to extinguish any thought of trouble.
"Dong—!"
A deep, ancient bell rang out.
The sound echoed across the plains, rolling over the crowd like a wave. Conversations died instantly. Heads lifted in unison.
With a slow, deliberate groan, the massive city gates began to open.
From within, a patrol team marched out.
They wore uniform black armor, simple yet imposing, dark golden sacrifice emblems embroidered clearly on their chests. Their footsteps were synchronized, their gazes sharp and disciplined.
As their auras spread without concealment, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Dou Wang…"
"The captain is a Dou Huang…"
"No—there are two Dou Huang leaders…"
Shock flickered across countless faces, but no one cried out in disbelief anymore. After everything the Sacrificial Shop had displayed in recent days, this level of power felt… expected.
Only Elder Su Qian of Canaan Academy felt his heart sink heavily.
It wasn't just their strength.
It was their age.
These patrol members were far too young.
Some of them looked barely past twenty, yet already stood at the Dou Wang or even Dou Huang level. Even in the Inner Court, such talent would be considered monstrous.
And here, they were patrol guards.
"No private dueling."
"No flying."
"No damage to city infrastructure."
The patrol leader's voice was cold and sharp.
"Violators will be expelled immediately."
"Severe offenders will be issued bounties."
"Life or death is irrelevant."
No one objected.
Not a single soul.
With a crisp wave of her hand, the patrol team split into orderly formations, guiding the endless queue forward. The crowd surged smoothly through the gates like water released from a dam.
The moment people stepped into Sacrifice City, a collective gasp rippled outward.
Eight main roads.
Four horizontal, four vertical.
Each was more than ten zhang wide, perfectly straight, dividing the city into twenty-five square market districts. The layout was precise to the point of obsession, exuding an almost mechanical sense of order.
The ground beneath their feet was paved with a strange metallic material. Someone discreetly injected Dou Qi into their sole.
Nothing.
Not even a scratch.
A Dou Huang beside him frowned, secretly exerting more strength.
Still nothing.
A chill crept up spines.
This ground alone was worth a fortune.
The five central districts housed the true core of the Sacrificial Shop. The remaining twenty districts were already alive with activity—shops run by Ninjas, Spirit Masters, and even Spirit Beasts.
Inns.
Mercenary halls.
Alchemy exchanges.
Ore trading posts.
Engineering teams.
Mission boards.
And the staff—
That was the most terrifying part.
Waiters, clerks, guides, guards—almost all were above Dou Ling.
Dou Wang poured tea.
Dou Huang greeted customers.
The traditional dignity of experts had been completely overturned.
Elder Su Qian led the Canaan Academy group forward in silence. The more they saw, the heavier their expressions became. After only a short walk, their initial shock had already turned into numb disbelief.
They finally stopped before the towering main hall of the Sacrificial Shop.
Just standing outside, Elder Su Qian took a long breath to steady himself before entering.
Inside, brilliance assaulted the senses.
Pill counters glowed softly under formation lights, each jade plaque listing names and effects that made hearts race.
Qingming Longevity Pill (Tier 4): Extends lifespan by twenty years.
Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill (Tier 4): Raises Great Dou Master by 2–3 stars.
Dou Yuan Pill (Tier 5): Raises Dou Ling by 1–2 stars.
Three-Turn Sense Pill (Tier 5): Increases breakthrough success to Dou Wang by 30%.
Elder Su Qian's breathing grew heavy.
He didn't dare read further.
"I'll take all four," he said immediately, voice firm.
The Elders behind him nearly choked.
Elder Su Qian knew himself too well. If he kept reading, he would lose control. Even a Dou Zong was still human.
Clutching his resolve, he fled the pill area and stepped into the Spirit Tool section.
And promptly suffered another mental collapse.
Blazing Flame Sword.
Quake Peak Spear.
Transformation Armor.
Metal Puppet.
Each item radiated terrifying value.
The Transformation Armor drew his gaze like a vortex. A Tier 6 defensive Spirit Tool—something that could raise a Dou Huang's defense to near Dou Zong levels.
But when he saw the price…
He turned away so fast it was almost shameful.
"The academy won't buy Spirit Tools this time," he said hoarsely.
"If any Elder wants one… fund it yourself."
He escaped.
Unfortunately, the Cultivation Method and Dou Skill section was the final blow.
When Elder Su Qian saw the Earth Tier movement Dou Skill, his legs nearly gave out.
"Earth Tier… movement…"
Hu Gan swallowed.
Elder Su Qian slapped down magic cores without hesitation.
"I want it."
"Teaching rights cost triple," the clerk said calmly.
"Then triple it is."
When the last sacrificial coin was spent, the counter was empty.
Elder Su Qian stood there, hollow and dazed.
Then—
Satisfaction.
Pure, dangerous satisfaction.
He finally understood.
Why people kept saying—
Once you start spending sacrificial coins, you never want to stop.
"Hu Gan," Elder Su Qian said quietly, regaining composure.
"Return to the academy immediately."
"Bring the treasury."
"All of it."
Hu Gan nodded solemnly and left.
As Elder Su Qian turned toward the Mission Hall, he noticed others clutching their storage rings like lifelines, faces pale, eyes bloodshot.
Some smiled bitterly.
Some laughed hysterically.
Then—
A blood-red bounty appeared.
[Clear Out the Demonic Flame Valley]
Rewards listed line by line.
The hall exploded.
Kisame's voice cut through the noise.
"The Old Demon tried to rob the shop."
"His head is on the city gate."
"The Madam ordered annihilation."
Silence.
Then—
Madness.
The crowd surged outward like a tidal wave. The sky darkened with figures as experts shot into the air, eyes burning red.
Dou Zong led.
Dou Huang followed.
Dou Wang swarmed.
The heavens trembled under the collective Dou Qi eruption.
Who could resist?
A mountain of sacrificial coins was waiting.
And no one intended to leave it untouched.
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