Chapter 8: Blade Path Sword: Flow — Super Powerful Mid-Range Slash, Wind Attribute.
Slash Power: Extremely High.
Note: All self-developed sword techniques have a growth characteristic. The user's own strength improvement will directly feed back into such sword technique moves.
Effect of [Technique Sublimation] Mastery Lv.1: Increases the power of self-developed sword techniques by 5%.
Effect of [Technique Sublimation] Mastery Lv.1: Permanently enhances the user's sword technique potential, increasing the sword technique potential rank by +1.
Note: After the sword technique potential is enhanced, it can directly benefit sword combat, move development, sword technique improvement, meditation, etc.
...
Gulu's gaze was very complex, because she felt that if Su Xiao obtained [Technique Sublimation] and upgraded it, even if she wore the full Night Walker set, she would still be beaten black and blue by him.
In Gulu's view, Su Xiao had definitely mastered a large number of passive abilities, invested massive resources in the Land of All Beings, and thus developed his own sword techniques, using these self-developed techniques as his main combat abilities.
Gulu had also tried this. She had two self-developed abilities, and the feeling was simply amazing. During combat, she could use them however she wanted. As long as she had enough stamina, there was no concept of cooldown time.
What was even more unsolvable was that disgusting abilities like magic suppression and ability inhibition were completely ineffective against self-developed abilities.
Not only that, self-developed abilities also had a natural advantage. As the creator of the ability, once it could be used in actual combat, if one were to datafy it, they would find that it was basically an X-rated ability. Frequent use could even break through this upper limit.
Moreover, this type of ability was not rigid. As long as the user's own strength improved, the power of this type of ability would also increase, making it almost impossible to be phased out.
Self-developed abilities had many advantages. As for why contractors didn't all develop their own moves and insisted on buying "active skill scrolls," the reason was simple.
Developing one's own moves was an advantage derived from "technique-type basic abilities." Contractors who had not mastered "technique-type basic abilities" could not learn it. For example, mastering Blade Proficiency, Blade Master, Sword Grandmaster, etc., these were all "technique-type basic abilities."
For a contractor who had not mastered technique-type basic abilities to try and develop their own moves was like a child who had just learned to crawl trying to research "Life Characteristics: Third-Order Qualitative Change." This was no longer a gap between a child and a Ph.D., but rather a child's mind trying to study the advanced knowledge of alchemy — utterly absurd.
From Proficiency → Specialization → Master → Grandmaster, the terrifying cost of improving swordsmanship was obvious, but the benefits were certainly not small. Self-developed abilities were one of those advantages.
In contrast, many active scrolls could be mastered immediately as long as one's physical attributes were sufficient. The threshold was low.
"If it's still not enough, I'll have to give up."
Gulu thought about her "loan" from the Tuanzhang, feeling extremely conflicted inside.
"It's fine."
"You agree? Really?"
"Mm."
Su Xiao took out four pieces of the Night Walker set. The [Technique Sublimation] scroll was what he needed. Improving the power of his self-developed sword techniques was very important to him. This directly enhanced his combat power. Moreover, this type of technique passive ability could be upgraded.
[You have obtained 'Technique Sublimation (Technique Scroll · Sword Branch · Passive Lv.1)'.]
[You have obtained Soul Crystal Core ×5.]
...
As soon as the transaction was completed, Gulu bristled. It was as if she instantly found her moral integrity again, even wanting to let herself go. But thinking about the price she paid the last time she let herself go with Su Xiao, she forcefully suppressed the urge.
"Hey, there are two more poor souls in this world. Let's go, Dad... ah no, ptooey, ptooey, let's go, Bai Ye."
Gulu had almost gotten used to calling him that. She slapped herself in the mouth, then hummed a tune as she walked out of the Attribute Enhancement Hall.
Su Xiao crushed the scroll in his hand. Soon, he understood what Gulu meant by "there are two more poor souls in this world."
[You have mastered Technique Sublimation.]
[Technique Sublimation: Lv.1 (Technique Type · Passive)]
Skill Effect 1: Increases the power of self-developed sword techniques by 5%.
Skill Effect 2: Sword technique potential rank +1.
...
Su Xiao tried to upgrade the [Technique Sublimation] ability. Although this ability could only be upgraded in the Skill Upgrade Hall, he could now know its upgrade cost.
[Note: To upgrade Technique Sublimation Lv.1, each level requires 500 Soul Coins.]
The upgrade cost was very expensive, but this investment was worth it. It could be clearly felt in combat.
The upgrade of Technique Sublimation, the replacement of equipment, and the enhancement of his own abilities all required Soul Coins.
On the way to the Adventure Group Guild, Su Xiao placed several items into the team storage space, letting Beini sell these items as soon as possible. These included [Crystal Skull (Undead Bloodline Item)], [Destruction · World-Shaking King], [Blood-Draining Demon], and [Hunter's Manuscript (Legendary)].
Su Xiao soon arrived at the Adventure Group Guild. After entering the inner area, Su Xiao collected 3 team supply crates from the temporary material storage area. This was the 20% team materials from the Adventure Group Guild.
Just as he exited the Adventure Group Guild, Bubu Wang came running towards him. Bringing Bubu Wang along, Su Xiao headed to the Skill Upgrade Hall.
Choosing a skill upgrade pod, Su Xiao locked the hatch, took out the 3 team supply crates, and prepared to open them first while waiting for Beini to sell the items on the other end.
[You have opened a team supply crate.]
[You have obtained Mishinai Ore ×219 (Ore · Quality to be identified).]
[You have obtained THH57 Type Ore ×127 (Ore · Quality to be identified).]
[You have obtained Earth Vein Essence ×162 (Ore · Quality to be identified).]
[You have obtained Blue Ore ×102 (Ore · Quality to be identified).]
[You have obtained Withered Moonlight Vine ×4 (Holy Spirit Rank · Material).]
Various ores and underground products filled more than half of the team supply crate. Su Xiao somewhat understood why the contractors of Apocalypse Paradise were so willing to mine, and why they were so wealthy.
Su Xiao exchanged a glance with Bubu Wang. This was a big score, and they had only opened one team supply crate.
Taking out the second supply crate, after opening it, Su Xiao found that he had underestimated the financial power of the Apocalypse Paradise contractors.
[You have obtained Chaotic Night Blade (Holy Spirit Rank · Longsword · Rating 935 points).]
[You have obtained Soul Crystal (Large) ×42.]
[You have obtained Red Spine Ore ×3 (Holy Spirit Rank).]
[You have obtained Spring Water · 2 Units (Holy Spirit Rank · Forging Required Item).]
[You have obtained Rock Holy Heart ×1 (Holy Spirit Rank · Forging Required Item · Rare).]
...
Su Xiao felt that opening this was more satisfying than opening treasure chests. He decisively opened the third team supply crate.
[You have obtained 2450 Soul Coins.]
...
Seeing the final Soul Coin acquisition amount, Bubu Wang was dumbfounded. Getting Soul Coins meant that they had drawn from the Holy Hall Adventure Group's team fund storage. Calculated at 20%, this meant that the Holy Hall Adventure Group had stored 12,250 Soul Coins.
Even if this was a large adventure group, storing so many Soul Coins was still exaggerated. Keep in mind, they were located inside a mission world, not having just returned to Apocalypse Paradise and sold off their obtained resources.
These 12,250 Soul Coins were most likely stored by the Holy Hall Adventure Group to be used as rewards for their members, or perhaps it was an overflow of team resources temporarily kept.
"Woof?"
Bubu Wang barked, meaning: "Master, isn't mining too profitable?"
Su Xiao wasn't particularly surprised by this. After all, this was the strength of Apocalypse Paradise. When it came to resource acquisition, Apocalypse Paradise was the strongest. But if it was a World Domination War, they were often beaten until they cried "boohoo."