Chapter 84: The Beginning of the Nightmare
Su Xiao left his exclusive room and waited not far outside the door. After about a few minutes, a young girl wearing a gray round-topped soft cloth hat approached. Her soft cloth hat was a full size larger than a sewer manhole cover.
The undead girl extended a pale hand, and when she opened her palm, two World Core Fragments rested there.
Behind the undead girl followed a large snake wreathed in black smoke, a skeleton draped in dangling fleshy tendrils, and a suit of full-body armor over five meters tall, filled with dark green chill emanating from within.
The auras of these three undead summons were formidable, conservatively estimated to be in the upper echelon of the eighth rank. In contrast, the undead girl herself seemed somewhat malnourished, her gaze fixed on everything as if she wanted to take a bite.
"1000, 1000 Soul Coins."
The undead girl urged, her eyes practically glowing green as she spoke.
The transaction went smoothly. After a moment of deliberation, the undead girl asked:
"Is there anyone you really want to kill? I can give you a 15% discount. No, no, a 25% discount."
"No."
Su Xiao didn't think this undead girl could go head-to-head with Arcane Eternal Star.
"Think carefully. You're so wealthy, there must be someone."
The undead girl tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with longing—she craved Soul Coins.
"Gray Gentleman, Priest."
"Sorry to bother you."
The undead girl turned and left. She knew both of them. Could she kill them? Yes, but killing them would bring a lot of trouble. Even as an eighth-rank undead, she didn't want to provoke those complications. They were Hunters and Violators, even involving the troubles of Treeborn World. It wasn't fear, just not worth it.
"You... don't go to Treeborn World. In the future, if I have good stuff, I'll sell it to you, but you'll have to pay a high price—15% above market value. I'll provide rare, hard-to-find items. Good, very good."
Leaving these words, the undead girl walked away. Even eighth-rank undead were reluctant to easily provoke Violators. The reason was that the relationships among Violators were intricate and interconnected. Killing one might incur the wrath of many others.
Su Xiao wasn't afraid of this because he had a virtual ID, making it impossible for Violators to track him.
Pushing open the door to his exclusive room, Su Xiao entered the massive room where the Black Maple Tree was located. The simulated environment here was spring.
Su Xiao inserted the seven World Core Fragments into the soil around the Black Maple Tree, forming a circle with the fifteen World Core Fragments.
At this point, the Black Maple Tree had grown to 4.13 meters tall, lush and full. Observing the bark, there were no signs of forced growth. The World Core Fragments aided natural growth, not forced acceleration—a fundamental difference.
Moreover, Su Xiao frequently drank tea brewed from Black Maple leaves. He had noticed that since inserting the World Core Fragments into the soil, the quality of the Black Maple Tree's yield had been steadily improving.
This wasn't Su Xiao's imagination. Previously, when trading with White Bull, the latter had eaten a piece of Black Maple Tree branch with astonishment in his eyes. White Bull's exact words were: "How is your Black Maple Tree getting tastier?"
Only a monster like White Bull could directly eat Black Maple Tree branches. Even the Tuanzhang, who was stronger than him, wouldn't do that. It was a matter of constitution—White Bull was the Beast King of Ten Thousand Beasts.
In fact, it wasn't just White Bull. Su Xiao felt the same way. He often brewed tender Black Maple leaves as tea, and during his meditation, his perception of the environment and the world grew sharper.
This was likely a benefit of the improved quality of the Black Maple Tree's yield. Su Xiao was curious: if he obtained dozens of World Core Fragments to aid the Black Maple Tree's growth, how much higher would the quality of its yield become?
Leaving the room with the Black Maple Tree, Su Xiao arrived at the Honor Shop. He currently held 70 Diamond Honor Medals. Half an hour ago, the Honor Shop had refreshed—a benefit of his promotion to the eighth rank.
[Welcome, Hunter, to the Honor Shop.]
[Diamond Honor Medals Held: 70]
[Hunter may make the following exchanges.]
[Beginning of the Nightmare]
Category: Eighth-Rank Enhancement/Penalty Authority.
Effect: After exchanging this authority, the Hunter's brand level will decrease by Lv.4. In the next world progression, you will definitely enter an eighth-rank high-risk world. Within that world, the quality of obtained treasure chests increases by 16%, and the amount of obtained World Source increases by 27%.
Note: After exchanging this authority, the main missions the Hunter accepts in the high-risk eighth-rank world will also be extremely dangerous.
Price: 1 Diamond Honor Medal
Stock: 1 (This item will remain in the Honor Shop for 6 world progressions).
[Holy Angel·Fake]
Category: Eighth-Rank Item.
Effect: After use, summons the Holy Angel·Fake, releasing a large-scale healing ability lasting 25 seconds.
Note: While the Holy Angel·Fake exists, all targets within a 900-meter diameter below her will receive multiple enhancement effects.
Price: 60 Diamond Honor Medals
Stock: 1
[White Dragon Maiden of Eberath]
Effect: Holding this certificate allows immediate arrival at Eberath and the establishment of a covenant with the White Dragon Maiden, obtaining the [Covenant Emblem·White Dragon].
Price: 130 Diamond Honor Medals.
Stock: 1
[Bloodthirsty Madman (Overlord Equipment)]
Category: Slaughter Trait, ??? Rating.
Price: 570 Diamond Honor Medals.
Stock: 1 (Unique)
Several items were quite good. [Beginning of the Nightmare] wasn't needed yet. With this, it was like getting a free world, though the world entered would be dangerous. The rewards were high, balancing risk and opportunity.
[Holy Angel·Fake] also wasn't needed for now. The recovery and enhancement effects lasted only 25 seconds—too short. It might be worth considering if priced under 30 Diamond Honor Medals, but 60 was too expensive.
For a powerful enemy willing to fight Su Xiao to the death, would they give him a chance to use an item during battle? Almost impossible.
If it were a world war or resource war, [Holy Angel·Fake] would be very useful and worth exchanging.
Su Xiao was very interested in the [White Dragon Maiden of Eberath] because its price had dropped. Previously priced at 240 Diamond Honor Medals, it was now 130.
The effects of the Dragon Covenant were unclear. If future Honor Shop refreshes didn't offer anything more suitable, he might consider exchanging for the [White Dragon Maiden of Eberath].
As for the last Overlord Equipment, he couldn't afford it and ignored it for now. Besides, it looked like a burst-type item, not suitable for a Technique-type user.
Su Xiao entered the Alchemy Laboratory and sat before the workbench. He placed the Alchemy Codex in front of him. Before deciphering the Alchemy Codex, he first needed to use the [Spiritual Saint Emblem].
The [Spiritual Saint Emblem] was a one-time-use item. After activating it, Su Xiao's mental energy would be drawn into it for high-intensity tempering, permanently and significantly enhancing mental energy strength and resilience. After one use, the [Spiritual Saint Emblem] would be permanently destroyed.
Gripping the [Spiritual Saint Emblem] in his hand, Su Xiao activated it. A pulling force came from his palm, as if a black hole had appeared on his hand, drawing his entire being—or rather, his mental energy—into it.
Su Xiao's head drooped, and he remained motionless at the workbench. Over ten minutes later, his eyes suddenly snapped open, and he took a long, deep breath.
After a few seconds, Su Xiao gently rubbed his forehead with one hand and glanced at the [Spiritual Saint Emblem] now covered in cracks in his other hand. He tossed it into the waste disposal bin beside him.
Sitting at the workbench, Su Xiao rubbed his forehead for over half an hour before recovering somewhat. The experience of enhancing "mental energy strength and resilience" through the [Spiritual Saint Emblem] was utterly terrible.
It felt like being in absolute darkness, with pressure suddenly appearing all around, crushing him until he couldn't feel himself, then the pressure abruptly vanished, repeating in a cycle.
Aside from the awful experience, Su Xiao's mental energy strength and resilience had indeed improved significantly. If he obtained another [Spiritual Saint Emblem], he would use it again. The experience was terrible, but it genuinely strengthened his mental energy.
After his groggy mind recovered, Su Xiao opened the Alchemy Codex. He had already deciphered up to the fourth page, the 295th engraving. He needed 232 more engravings to complete the fourth page, after which he could turn it over and view the alchemy formula recorded on the back.
Su Xiao's index finger touched the 296th engraving. As his mental energy flowed into it, the engraving gradually turned blue.
After a long time, Su Xiao lifted his hand from the Alchemy Codex, and prompts appeared one after another.
[Alchemy Bomb Science has been upgraded to Lv.58 (Increased by Lv.2).]
[Alchemy Pharmacy has been upgraded to Lv.58 (Increased by Lv.2).]
[Alchemy Biology has been upgraded to Lv.58 (Increased by Lv.2).]
[Plant Harmony Chapter has been upgraded to Lv.66 (Increased by Lv.1).]
All the engravings on the fourth page were deciphered. Su Xiao turned the page and saw the alchemy formula recorded on the back of the metal page.
[You have unlocked a new alchemy formula: Ancient Secret Medicine.]