Chapter 23: Silent Hymn
Seeing the Shadow Stone in Su Xiao's hand, the Saint's face broke into a smile, a very pure one.
"What do you wish to obtain? Everything I have can be exchanged for 'freedom'."
The Saint lowered her arms, knowing that Su Xiao would not approach her.
"..."
Su Xiao said nothing, only crouching down to meet the Saint's gaze at eye level.
"Please, don't give me hope only to cast me into despair. I beg you."
The Saint knelt on the ground, her hands clasped together in a prayer posture.
"..."
Su Xiao remained silent, observing the changes in the Saint's expression. At the slightest sign of trouble, he would draw his blade. Whether he could defeat her was one matter; whether he dared to fight was another. There was no turning back now. Without the White Tallow Candle, he couldn't move forward, and thus couldn't obtain the bone plaque.
After observing for a moment, Su Xiao pressed the Shadow Stone against the ground, exerting force with his index finger. The Shadow Stone emitted a crisp cracking sound.
A surge of dark cyan energy spread out, shattering the chains binding the Saint with a series of clattering sounds. She fell forward to the ground.
Within seconds, the Saint slowly rose to her feet.
"Please, let me know your name."
"Bai Ye."
"Lord Bai Ye, thank you."
The Saint walked past Su Xiao, arriving at the wooden door. She gazed at the black mist outside, and memories surged in her mind: a sealed room, bloodstained vessels, a sorcerer wearing a crow mask, and her parents and younger brother being burned alive.
Before being imprisoned in the Death House, the Saint was a world-destroying terror. After being transformed into this state, she had immediately lost control. The sorcerers had altered her brain and split her soul, creating an even more extreme monster from such extreme modifications.
After slaughtering half the world's living beings, she had entered the Death House by sheer chance. In the beginning, she was still lucid, carving words and patterns into the wooden walls to avoid harming visitors who entered the cabin during her fits of madness.
Until one day, a somewhat airheaded girl pushed open the wooden door. For reasons unknown, the Saint became friends with her. As long as the girl was by her side, she felt a sense of peace.
The two agreed that the girl would stay with the Saint for three days. The girl had her own aspirations and couldn't linger here too long.
Three days later, the Saint broke down. That day, she woke from a dream to find a metallic taste in her mouth. At her feet lay a bloodstained piece of cloth, the bite marks on its torn edge clearly visible.
Her train of thought ended there. The Saint turned around, standing at the doorway, looking at Su Xiao.
"She's gone now... eaten by me."
The Saint raised her arms, her lips parting. She was trying to sing a hymn, but after slaughtering half the world's beings and biting off half a god's arm, she had lost that ability.
In a silent hymn, Saint Tracy fell backward into the black mist behind her.
Hiss, hiss, hiss...
The black mist rapidly corroded the Saint's body, specks of dark purple-black liquid appearing on her cheeks, gradually reducing her to ashes.
At that moment, she was free, escaping the interrogation of her own heart.
The Saint was not pitiable. She wasn't suffering from a split personality. She had once been holy, yes, but when she slaughtered half the world's beings, her consciousness was fully clear. Her loved ones were already dead. At that time, she was venting her fury—venting it on every living thing within her sight.
In the black mist, a pair of eyes watched all of this.
"May you find peace."
An aged voice gradually faded. In the black mist, an old woman carrying an oil lamp walked away. The surrounding black mist converged, as if she had never been there.
Inside the wooden cabin, Su Xiao tossed a Soul Crystal Fragment into his mouth. Things had gone unexpectedly smoothly.
"Boss, was this Saint already insane?"
"Half insane."
Su Xiao approached the wooden table, where a carved inscription caught his eye:
'Death and Atonement—Coward Tracy.'
After glancing at the inscription, Su Xiao paid it no further mind. He had no habit of meddling in others' affairs. He had paid one Shadow Stone and obtained an oversized White Tallow Candle, a short blade, and a gemstone. That was fair.
Su Xiao picked up the White Tallow Candle from the table, and a prompt appeared:
[You have obtained White Tallow Candle (Can be used to dispel black mist for 4 hours).]
[You have obtained Secret Trace Gem (Holy Spirit-level gem).]
[You have obtained Execution Blade (Special weapon).]
[Secret Trace Gem]
Origin: Watchful Paradise
Quality: Holy Spirit-level
Type: Gem/Item (Rare)
Effect 1: When embedded in a weapon, weapon sharpness +85 points. Each attack on an enemy reduces their defense by 8% (this effect can stack, reducing enemy defense by up to 30%, lasting 30 minutes).
Effect 2: Using this gem permanently increases True Agility by 3 points.
Rating: 990 points (Holy Spirit-level items are rated 700–1000 points).
Introduction: This is a treasure of the gods.
Price: 600,000 Paradise Coins.
[Execution Blade]
Origin: Void·Death House
Equipment Requirement: Willpower 75 points or higher.
Equipment Effect: This is a special weapon, usable to kill a 'certain person.'
Introduction: Before finding that person, do not use it in battle—you will die. The blade carries no curses, but if the fight is too intense, it may break.
Price: Tradable, discardable.
Su Xiao had obtained three items in total. The White Tallow Candle needed no further explanation—it was essential for traveling through the black mist, burning for a full 4 hours, equivalent to 12 ordinary White Tallow Candles.
The [Secret Trace Gem] was quite powerful, not only increasing weapon sharpness by 85 points but also reducing all of the enemy's defenses. After four strikes, it directly reduced the enemy's defense by 30%.
Although the type of defense reduction wasn't specifically noted, this situation indicated it was 'adaptive' defense reduction.
For example, if Su Xiao fought an enemy who blocked with a shield, it would reduce the shield's defense. If they blocked with armor, it would reduce the armor's defense.
As for directly striking the enemy's body, it would reduce their physical defense. An 8% reduction per strike might not seem significant, but after four strikes, most enemies couldn't withstand it.
If there was a shield, break the shield; if there was armor, break the armor; if there was nothing, directly reduce physical defense.
Su Xiao wanted to embed the [Secret Trace Gem] into Dragon-Slaying Flash, but given the nature of Holy Spirit-level gems, it clearly couldn't be embedded now. Dragon-Slaying Flash already had four Soul Severing Shadow Stones, along with Spirit Cat, Elegy, and Moon's Grace.
As for the short blade, it was very special—it didn't even have a quality rating. It was exceptionally effective against a 'certain person,' but in ordinary combat, it was troublesome and might even break.
After searching, Su Xiao found no other items in the wooden cabin. He speculated that these three items had been obtained by the Saint from those she had killed.
Picking up the oversized White Tallow Candle, Su Xiao led Bubu Wang and Baha out of the cabin. With this item now in hand, he was confident he could find other cabins within the black mist and obtain bone plaques.
Stepping out of the cabin, Su Xiao pondered a question: what would happen if he tossed the Cursed Coin within the black mist?
First, his current Luck attribute was 14 points. Even if he rolled a Luck -15 debuff, he could endure the hour-long penalty.
What truly worried Su Xiao was summoning Axe Bro and whether Axe Bro could move within the black mist.
If not, Su Xiao could obtain more Shadow Stones. But if Axe Bro could move within the black mist, there would be no escape.
Imagine being hunted by an Axe Bro carrying an oil lamp—that would be an utterly hopeless situation.