Chapter 74: An Ability That Makes Magic Systems Despair
After upgrading his blade technique, Su Xiao took out the [White Dragon Essence]. He planned to use the biological energy within this item to enhance his Azure Steel Shadow ability.
The Azure Steel Shadow ability had not been upgraded for a long time. It was only one step away from reaching Lv.50. At Lv.50, a branch ability called Energy Interruption could be used.
Su Xiao activated the Devouring Core ability and began absorbing the biological energy from the [White Dragon Essence].
A stream of pure white energy surged out from the [White Dragon Essence], entering Su Xiao's arm. It was then absorbed by the Devouring Core, converted, filtered, and purified, ultimately transforming into a colorless energy.
As soon as this colorless energy appeared, it was devoured by the Azure Steel Shadow energy within Su Xiao's body, causing the Azure Steel Shadow energy to rapidly expand.
Because the Azure Steel Shadow ability had not been upgraded for a long time, Su Xiao sensed that he could raise it by multiple levels this time without losing control.
Streams of biological energy surged from the [White Dragon Essence]. Since the Demon Blade energy had been sealed into his blade and turned into his own power, Su Xiao could activate the Devouring Core without any concerns.
[Azure Steel Shadow ability has been upgraded to Lv.50.]
[Azure Steel Shadow ability has been upgraded to Lv.51.]
...
...
[Azure Steel Shadow ability has been upgraded to Lv.56.]
As soon as this notification appeared, a crisp sound came from Su Xiao's hand. The [White Dragon Essence] shattered. This essence from a Seventh Rank Overlord contained an immense amount of biological energy, yet even after devouring all of it, the Azure Steel Shadow ability had only been upgraded to Lv.56.
Realizing this, Su Xiao knew that further upgrades to the Azure Steel Shadow ability would be a major problem. Unless he encountered a deity descending in energy form again, there would be no chance to significantly enhance it.
[Azure Steel Shadow: Lv.56 (Active/Passive Skill)]
Activation Condition: Activate Azure Steel Shadow, consumes 170 mana points per minute (increased by 32 points).
Active Effect: Each melee attack burns 337 mana points from the enemy (increased by 62 points) and deals true damage equal to 1.6 times the burned mana (539 true damage). The enemy will suffer intense pain from the mana burn.
Passive Effect: When the enemy suffers mana burn, there is a 21% chance to trigger one of three abnormal states: Paralysis, Immobilization, or Stun. The duration of the abnormal state is 0.2 to 3 seconds.
Defensive Form: Proud Song (Active), can generate crystal defense layers of any shape...
External Form: Energy Interruption (Active), can cover the enemy's body surface with Azure Steel Shadow energy, lasting 10 minutes. When the enemy uses an energy-type skill, there is a chance of interruption, causing the enemy to fall into a paralyzed state.
Note: If used against a magic-type enemy, when they cast a spell, there is a 50% chance of forced interruption, causing them to enter a non-judgment paralyzed state lasting 0.7 to 3 seconds, and dealing true damage equal to 0.8 times the mana consumed by the enemy.
Note: This ability has no cooldown trigger time. If the magic-type enemy exceeds the Azure Steel Shadow energy's tolerance limit by one rank, this ability's effect will be reduced.
Note: If used against a non-magic-type enemy, when they use an energy-type skill, there is a 6% chance of forced interruption, followed by a physical endurance check. If the enemy fails the check, they will enter an extremely short paralyzed state.
After seeing the effect of Energy Interruption, Su Xiao was basically certain that if he encountered a same-rank Mage Lord, even if the opponent's strength was a notch above his, they would not be qualified to fight him.
What is a Mage Lord's strongest aspect? The answer is their artillery-like firepower. To maintain such firepower, high-frequency spellcasting is required.
Su Xiao did not need to engage in melee with a magic-type enemy to trigger the Energy Interruption effect. He only needed to attach the Azure Steel Shadow energy to Banishment, control Banishment to approach the enemy within five meters, and the Energy Interruption effect could not be avoided.
Energy Interruption lasts for 10 minutes. During these 10 minutes, whenever the Mage Lord casts a spell, there is a 50% chance of interruption, causing paralysis and dealing true damage equal to 0.8 times the mana consumed.
If a Mage Lord's mana consumption exceeds one-third, Su Xiao would not need to engage in melee. He could just slash blade auras from a distance. The Mage Lord suffering from the Energy Interruption effect would likely "commit suicide."
Imagine this: just as the Mage Lord is about to cast a spell, they are interrupted and paralyzed. While paralyzed, they also suffer massive true damage. A 50% chance is not low. After just a few spellcasts, the Mage Lord might not be able to withstand it.
Or rather, the inner fear and anxiety would be more deadly. Hesitation leads to defeat.
The moment the Mage Lord is paralyzed, the battle is already over. This is Su Xiao's best opportunity to close in.
Once Su Xiao gets into melee range, the Mage Lord will question their life choices. Use a magic ability to blast Su Xiao away? That is also very dangerous, as it might trigger a second paralysis, and then they are done for.
As for using a staff to hit Su Xiao after he closes in? Go to sleep and dream on. Even if Mage Lords are not weak in melee, they cannot outfight Su Xiao, who specializes in close combat. They would be beaten into a state of autism in no time.
When a same-rank Mage Lord encounters Su Xiao, if they run fast, they live; if they run slow, they die.
The Law Destroyers are the bane of Spellcasters. This is not fabricated. Just the Energy Interruption ability alone is enough to make Spellcasters despair.
There was once an Ancestral Law Destroyer who developed a "Domain" through the Energy Interruption ability. Within that domain, casting spells only led to faster death.
Su Xiao raised his arm, and light blue electric arcs surged on his hand. He wanted to test the effect of Energy Interruption, which required the cooperation of a mage. Coincidentally, he knew two Mage Lords: one named Chen and the other named Solomon. He had both of their contract numbers.
Su Xiao first contacted Chen and started a temporary text communication. The content was as follows:
Bai Ye: "Around?"
Chen: "What's up?"
Bai Ye: "A sparring match?"
Chen: "Time, place."
Bai Ye: "Arena, designated venue."
Chen: "Alright."
Bai Ye: "Time, more precise."
Chen: "20 minutes later. The fee for getting beaten is 150,000 Paradise Coins."
Seeing Chen's reply, Su Xiao's cheek twitched. He chose to contact Solomon.
Bai Ye: "Around?"
Solomon: "Around."
Bai Ye: "A fight?"
Solomon: "Not the real person."
Su Xiao closed the temporary communication. Mage Lords were surprisingly clever. He could only go to the Arena after finishing his ability upgrades and try his luck there, as there were many magic-type users.
Su Xiao still had 2 Golden Skill Points unused. He began to think about which ability to upgrade.
Prioritizing combat, Su Xiao decided to upgrade the Dragon Shadow Flash ability. This ability had saved him countless times.
[Dragon Shadow Flash: X+ Ability breaking through limits...]
As soon as he received this notification, Su Xiao felt numbness spread through most of his body. In a daze, he felt himself penetrating layers of space.
After an unknown amount of time, Su Xiao regained consciousness. He slowly stood up from the ground, staggered, and then appeared over ten meters away.
Checking the Dragon Shadow Flash ability, its cooldown time was still 2 minutes, but the movement distance had increased from 0 to 15 meters to 0 to 23 meters.
[Dragon Shadow Flash: X+++ (Active Ability)]
Skill Effect: Can break through space barriers to move 23 meters (increased by 8 meters), freely selectable between 0 and 23 meters.
Note: Space barrier breaking speed increased by 35% (new characteristic).
Note: Dragon Shadow Flash (Active) cooldown time is 2 minutes.
Note: Dragon Shadow Flash (Active) consumes 350 Azure Steel Shadow energy points (increased by 50 energy consumption).
Note: If Dragon Shadow Flash (Active) is on cooldown, it can be forcibly used. After use, the cooldown time temporarily increases to 10 minutes. If forcibly used again, it will place a huge burden on the body, and the cooldown time temporarily increases to 30 minutes.
Although the movement distance of Dragon Shadow Flash was short, its activation speed was even shorter, allowing Su Xiao to dodge many attacks that he otherwise could not avoid.
When his body fully recovered, Su Xiao checked his remaining Paradise Coins. He had about 1.6 million left. He then looked at the new passive ability, "Soul Reaping Scythe," which was only Lv.1.
Su Xiao planned to upgrade this passive ability. As for how much to upgrade it, the answer was obvious: max it out, push it to X.