Chapter 42: Hello There, Ancient God
Viscous darkness surged above the magic array, gradually drifting toward its edges. The moment it left the array's range, part of the darkness evaporated. Without the array supplying energy, this sourceless darkness could not exist.
"Mortal, I accept your tribute."
A deep voice came from within the darkness.
Su Xiao didn't respond. Instead, he took a few steps back, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.
"No need to panic. Continue offering these 'stones,' and I will make you my spirit sacrifice."
"Spirit sacrifice..."
Su Xiao showed clear 'confusion' and was very vigilant. The confusion was, of course, fake, but the vigilance was real. The bait had been partially swallowed, and the remaining bait could not be lost.
Furthermore, he had just killed a follower of the Ancient God. He couldn't show any understanding of the Dimming Light Divine Cult, or he would be exposed.
What he needed to play now was a somewhat capable young man who had recently set sail, was pursuing mysteries, and was the type easily exploited.
Given Su Xiao's age and appearance, he didn't need to disguise other aspects. Only the 'easily exploited' part was a bit hard to act out.
"Send the stones on the ground into... these rings."
Probably never having seen an alchemy array before, the Ancient God referred to it as 'rings.'
"From a technical standpoint, I can't do that."
"Hmm? Are you trying to defy a god?"
The Ancient God was clearly displeased.
"After the array is activated, I would die if I entered that area."
"..."
The Ancient God fell silent. His lack of knowledge in alchemy was his fatal weakness.
The darkness churned for a moment, then stopped at the edge of the array, beginning to rotate and forming a black vortex.
Crack, crack, crack...
Something seemed to be breaking. A large, gray-black hand reached out from the vortex. This hand had sharp claws, and its rough, thick skin had patches of exoskeleton in some areas.
Seeing this exoskeleton, Su Xiao speculated that this Ancient God was probably the same type as the Moon God; both could grant power to their followers.
The large hand grabbed at the soul crystals on the ground. At that moment, Su Xiao suddenly vanished from his spot. To maximize speed, he used Dragon Shadow Flash to penetrate space.
Su Xiao appeared abruptly in front of the Ancient God's large hand and drew his blade in an instant.
'Blade Path Sword: Extreme.'
The long blade swept through. Almost simultaneously, Su Xiao manipulated the alchemy array on the ground, causing it to collapse.
Clang!
The blade hummed sharply. Dragon-Slaying Flash sliced across the Ancient God's pinky finger. Because the Ancient God was also on guard, the tip of Dragon-Slaying Flash only grazed his pinky, creating a wound less than half a centimeter deep.
"Insignificant mor..."
Before the word 'mortal' could be fully uttered, the alchemy array collapsed. The darkness above dissipated, and the Ancient God's arm, which had used it as a medium, also vanished.
Ting~
A soul crystal fell to the ground. Bubu Wang, carrying the backpack in his mouth, ran over, picked up the soul crystal, wiped it clean, and put it back into the backpack.
The Ancient God's energy fluctuations completely dissipated, making tracking impossible. It seemed that Su Xiao, who had lost 4 intact soul crystals, had suffered a net loss.
A drop of blood dripped from the tip of Dragon-Slaying Flash. Before it hit the ground, Su Xiao caught it. The drop of black blood spread in his palm, causing a faint stinging sensation on his skin.
Everything Su Xiao had done was to drag this Ancient God out. And now, he had succeeded. This single drop of blood was enough.
The black blood slowly floated up, gradually forming a black mark. It was hexagonal, about the size of a dragon's eye.
This ability came from one of Su Xiao's titles.
[Old Hunter]
Origin: Reincarnation Paradise
Quality: Special (Obtainable only by Hunters)
Category: Title
Title Effect 1: Blood Mark (Active). Can track a target using their blood. Even if the prey is located in a derivative world, primordial world, trial world, etc., it can still be accurately tracked.
Tip: This skill has no cost. Each tracking lasts for 12 hours. If the prey is in another world, the prey's world coordinates are obtained, and the tracking effect ends immediately.
Tip: This skill can be used once per world and refreshes upon entering a new world.
Rating: Special item, no rating
Description: Flee in despair, then... obediently die at my feet.
Selling Price: Unsellable
Su Xiao grabbed the Blood Mark in his hand, closed his eyes, and sensed it. The scene before him rapidly changed. A large cluster of buildings appeared. This was somewhere within the 'Füding Kingdom.'
His vision descended from high above. He saw a large group of men and women near the buildings below, wearing gray robes and exuding eerie auras. They were kneeling on the ground, chanting praises in unison.
The vision zoomed in, reaching a spire. This was a somewhat dim room. A figure sat on a stone chair.
Under the Blood Mark's detection, this figure became semi-transparent in Su Xiao's eyes. This wasn't the Ancient God's true body, but an energy avatar generated by him.
The scene before Su Xiao pulled back, shifting to an endless sea. After a moment, another scene appeared before him: a somewhat gloomy sky, below which was a barren, shallow water area where everything had withered.
An old wooden boat floated by the shore. A figure in a tattered black robe stood at the bow, waiting for something.
The vision continued forward, passing through the murky shallow water area, and reached a long-abandoned hall. A figure sat on a stone throne deep within the hall, shrouded in darkness.
Found it. The figure in the darkness was the Ancient God!
Su Xiao's focus returned. He released his hand, and the Blood Mark floated beside him.
"Let's go."
Su Xiao quickly walked out of the small building. Bubu Wang and Baha packed up the items on the floor and hurriedly followed.
The Ancient God was not within the 'Füding Kingdom.' This guy was very cautious, hiding on an isolated island to avoid another joint campaign by the pirates and various kingdoms.
What was located within the 'Füding Kingdom' was the main base of the Dimming Light Divine Cult. There was an energy avatar of the Ancient God there. The Ancient God's true body, however, was on an isolated island. Clearly, this Dimming Light Divine Cult was a very unstable tumor, and the Ancient God knew this.
Leaving the small building, Su Xiao headed straight for the dock. Speed was crucial now. He didn't know if the Ancient God had already summoned the members of the Dimming Light Divine Cult, or if this Ancient God, who used the cult as a tool, didn't trust its members, which was why he hid on an isolated island.
A few minutes later, Su Xiao leaped onto the Doom Number. Under the astonished gazes of the many pirates, the sails of the Doom Number were lowered, and the ropes on the ship moved on their own, hoisting the sails and setting sail.
The Doom Number's speed was definitely at the top tier on the Viking Sea. Using the Blood Mark's tracking, the Doom Number headed straight for an isolated island at sea.
Su Xiao ignored the passing pirate ships and stopped fishing for sea beasts. The Doom Number was running at full speed.
Inside the captain's cabin, Su Xiao manipulated the Blood Mark to float before him. The time limit was only 12 hours. As long as the Ancient God didn't leave the 'isolated island,' even if the Blood Mark dissipated after 12 hours of sailing, it wouldn't be a problem. The direction had been obtained. Su Xiao could lock onto this direction using a sea chart and a compass and continue sailing in that direction. He had already memorized the general appearance of that island.
Time passed quickly during the voyage. 1 hour, 2 hours, 5 hours...
The sky gradually darkened. After tracking for 11 hours and 53 minutes, only 1 hour and 7 minutes remained on the Blood Mark.
In the previous 11 hours and 53 minutes, the Doom Number had covered a distance equivalent to 6 to 7 days of sailing for an ordinary three-masted ship.
The waves crashed noisily. After sailing for another 1 hour and 7 minutes, the Blood Mark gradually dissipated into the air. Seeing this, Su Xiao picked up a sea chart he had drawn himself. No one else could understand this thing except him. It wasn't for secrecy, but because his sea chart drawing skills were limited.
Now, only a general direction remained. Su Xiao wasn't discouraged. Nothing ever goes smoothly. When encountering difficulties, the solution is to find a way to overcome them, not to give up or leave it to fate.
After continuing to sail for nearly 3 more hours, the Doom Number slowly came to a halt. Noticing this, Su Xiao quickly walked out of the captain's cabin.
The sails of the Doom Number drooped. The wind in the surrounding sea area had stopped. There was no wind at all. The wind-powered Doom Number naturally couldn't sail.
"No wonder he hides here."
Su Xiao walked to the ship's railing. Just as he was about to jump into the sea, Amu, who had been dragging a cable nearby, leaped down first.
"Bubu, South, 419.227.11."
After Su Xiao gave the precise coordinates, Bubu Wang also jumped off the ship to guide Amu in the sea.
Beini also jumped into the sea. She swam to the stern of the ship, keeping watch for any sea beasts that might appear from behind.
The Doom Number gradually began to move forward, its speed increasing. Amu was swimming in the sea, pulling the ship forward.
"Baha, Air, South, 914.722.11."
"Leave it to me."
Baha flew high into the sky, acting as an aerial coordinate point and searching the vicinity for any possible small islands. Even though it was nighttime, with his eyesight, if there was an island nearby, he would definitely spot it immediately.
After sailing for less than an hour, Baha swooped down from above and said urgently, "Found it. There's a large swamp on the island. I didn't dare get too close, that's all I could see."
"Excellent. Have Amu change direction. You continue to keep watch nearby. Don't let the target escape."
"Understood."
Baha flew away. After a while, the Doom Number turned on the spot and began sailing in the opposite direction. It stopped after sailing for over 20 minutes.
It was nighttime now. Su Xiao didn't plan to land on the island to find the Ancient God right now. Based on his speculation, nighttime might enhance the Ancient God's combat power. Early tomorrow morning would be the right time to land.