Chapter 140: Doubts
Inside Xia's restaurant.
Su Xiao was enjoying his meal as usual. Across the table, Xia was holding the Deathmatch Terminal with both hands, her expression full of resentment. After a while, she was utterly depressed by the ultra-hard DLC of the puzzle game.
"Do you usually play this game to relax? This... can this really help you relax? I'm starting to feel a bit withdrawn."
Xia put down the Deathmatch Terminal, calmed her emotions, and then asked, "How is it? Do you feel any warmth in your body? Don't worry about my feelings, just tell me."
Xia's gaze was full of anticipation. Recently, her culinary skills had successfully developed. In her words, she was about to become extremely wealthy.
Xia had been developing her culinary skills, which, of course, wasn't just to make better-tasting food. That was only the initial stage. Now, her abilities had finally blossomed. To some extent, Xia had become a unique type of alchemist. She could now bestow permanent enhancement traits on food through cooking.
Unlike the enhancements from potions, the effect of Xia's cooked food was minimal if eaten only once. However, if consumed consistently over time, the accumulated enhancements would surpass those of potions.
Xia's current challenge was that she needed to conduct various experiments and cookings. The higher the quality of the ingredients she used, the more proficiency her ability would gain. It was similar to how Su Xiao initially improved his Alchemy skill—once proficiency was maxed out, he would pay Paradise Coins to upgrade the ability level.
"I don't feel much. There seems to be some enhancement."
Su Xiao was eating seafood noodles. The flavor was rich and savory, making it impossible to stop.
"It might be because your physical attributes are too strong. Let me try it on my friend tomorrow. She should feel the effects after eating it. Oh, and don't forget what I mentioned earlier."
"Mm."
Su Xiao continued enjoying his meal. Xia's earlier suggestion was that if he fought large beasts, regardless of their strength, he should bring back some meat ingredients for her to cook. This way, it would kill two birds with one stone—Xia would gain proficiency in her culinary skills, and Su Xiao would get free food along with a slight boost to himself.
Moreover, since he had all three meals at Xia's place while in Reincarnation Paradise, it was convenient due to the proximity and because the taste was getting better and better.
If Xia's culinary skills had shown improvement earlier, Su Xiao would have brought back some Sunbird meat. It wasn't too late now. In future missions, he could keep an eye out for rare beasts, extraordinary wild mushrooms, or similar items. As long as he paid the corresponding fees for notarization, he could bring them back for Xia to cook.
Thinking this, Su Xiao had already left the restaurant and walked quite a distance. Realizing he hadn't paid, he estimated the distance he had covered and decided to pay next time. Well, it seemed like he had been saying "next time" for the past three months.
Su Xiao still had a large number of Soul Coins. He arrived at the Skill Upgrade Hall, found a Skill Upgrade Pod, and began upgrading two abilities: [Basic Passive: Spiritual Toughness Lv.1] and [Basic Passive: Body and Soul Lv.40].
The former was upgraded to deal higher soul damage and enhance [Soul Energy Rank], which was necessary for mastering Soul Severing Shadow in the future and wearing soul equipment in the near future.
Two hours later, Su Xiao sat cross-legged in the Skill Upgrade Pod. He still had 7,140 Soul Coins left. No matter how many Soul Coins he obtained, they were never enough.
[Basic Passive: Spiritual Toughness, Lv.30.]
Skill Effect 1: Increases soul damage dealt by 25% (increased by 22%).
Skill Effect 2: Soul Energy Rank +3 (increased by 2 ranks).
Skill Upgrade Requirement: Soul Strength above 150 points.
[Basic Passive: Body and Soul, Lv.45.]
Skill Effect 1: Permanently increases HP by 41% (increased by 6%).
Skill Effect 2: Physical potential upper limit rank +5.
Skill Effect 3: Increases resistance to abnormal attributes such as poison, erosion, paralysis, and dizziness by 60 points (increased by 8 points).
Skill Upgrade Requirement: True Stamina attribute above 220 points.
Su Xiao attempted to upgrade [Aura Release Lv.32]. He had already mastered the Blood Spear Grandmaster, so he definitely wanted to enhance this ability. Additionally, he had the seven-star title [Blood Intent] to boost it.
[Title Effect: Blood Spring Surge (Passive): When enhancing blood or blood energy abilities, it can significantly increase blood quality or enhance the intensity of blood energy aura.]
The cost to upgrade one level of [Aura Release Lv.32] was 1,000 Soul Coins. For Su Xiao, this was a steal. He chose to pay, and the next second, he disappeared from the Skill Upgrade Pod.
Time passed, minute by minute. One minute, five minutes, ten minutes. Normally, when he went to the Ancient Battlefield, he would return in just a few minutes.
After 15 minutes and 37 seconds, spatial fluctuations spread, and Su Xiao suddenly appeared.
Boom!!
A dent was smashed into the metal inner wall of the Skill Upgrade Pod. Su Xiao stood up, his face and neck covered in blood patterns. These blood patterns emitted high temperatures, giving off wisps of sparks.
Earlier, while plundering blood energy on the Ancient Battlefield using a simplified version of the Devouring Core, Su Xiao had encountered the Sleep Guardian formed from the corpse of a Law Destroyer again. The Sleep Guardian had created a Devouring Core several kilometers away in the sky.
That Devouring Core had different characteristics from the one Su Xiao possessed. Su Xiao's Devouring Core was used to absorb usable energy to strengthen himself.
The Sleep Guardian's Devouring Core was combat-oriented. Although it couldn't be used for self-enhancement, the combat power it derived was very tempting to Su Xiao.
Everything within several kilometers was being pulled toward that black hole-like Devouring Core. If not for the Sleep Guardian not wanting to cause massive destruction to the Ancient Battlefield, the suction area of the Devouring Core would have been even larger.
Although Su Xiao had retreated, he was locked onto by the Devouring Core. After being teleported back, the suction force hadn't dissipated, causing him to crash into the inner wall of the Skill Upgrade Pod.
Neither type of Devouring Core was inherently better. Which one a person mastered depended on their physique. If their body energy had good growth potential, they would get the auxiliary-type Devouring Core. If their body energy had good extensibility, they would get the combat-type Devouring Core.
[Prompt: To remove the blood energy erosion from the Ancient Battlefield, 153 Soul Coins are required.]
[Prompt: To remove the blood energy residue from the aura, 429 Soul Coins are required.]
Su Xiao chose to pay. As the Soul Coins were consumed, his mind gradually became clear. He sat cross-legged in meditation, and a few minutes later, the blood patterns on his body completely evaporated, and his state returned to normal.
[Aura Release has been upgraded to Lv.44 (increased by 12 levels).]
[Warning: Due to the increase in your blood energy, your Charm attribute is about to drop.]
[Warning: Your Charm attribute has dropped by 1 point.]
[Current Charm attribute: -10 points.]
[Because your Charm attribute has reached -10 points, the ability Blood Malice (Passive) has begun to awaken. It is expected to fully awaken in 3 to 5 natural days.]
Su Xiao ignored this. The significant increase in blood energy had also benefited his Blood Spear Grandmaster, as the blood spear was composed of blood energy.
Since he had dented the Skill Upgrade Pod, Su Xiao paid 12 Soul Coins and left the Skill Upgrade Hall, heading toward the Trial Grounds.
He had initially wanted to play in the Arena, but his remaining time was limited. It was more important to develop his abilities. This time, he had several abilities to develop and perfect, such as Azure Demon and various uses of the blood spear.
[To enter the seventh layer of the Land of All Beings, 100 Soul Coins per hour are required.]
Su Xiao paid 3,500 Soul Coins, and the teleportation array beneath his feet lit up. When the teleportation ended, he was standing on a water surface. The water was as smooth as a mirror, and stepping on it felt like stepping on rock. This was actually pure soul energy.
The arduous training began. After 35 hours, Su Xiao, nearly exhausted, reached the limit of his stay in Reincarnation Paradise and was directly teleported back to the accessory shop in the Real World.
A gentle breeze blew. It was early September, the end of summer. The evening coolness made one drowsy. The two groups of elderly dance troupes hadn't shown up today, so he couldn't watch their "Sunset Red Battle."
Su Xiao's snoring gradually became steady. Seeing this, Amu, who was sitting by the bed, got up to close the window.
Amu had a particularly bad habit. In the middle of summer, since it didn't feel the heat itself, it assumed others were cold and liked to cover people with blankets in the middle of the night. Bubu Wang was the primary victim.
For a while, Bubu Wang always thought the accessory shop was haunted. It mysteriously gestured to Su Xiao, indicating that there was a ghost, and a psychologically twisted one at that. Every night, it would cover Bubu Wang with a blanket—the thickest winter blanket—almost overheating it.
"Don't close the window. It's stuffy and hot."
The person lying on the bed with closed eyes spoke.
"Moo."
Amu returned to the floor and continued reading a picture book with its thick fingers.
Unconsciously, Su Xiao fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a plain with sparse trees. Some areas had exploded craters, with bloodstains and broken corpses nearby.
A dazzling sun hung in the sky. Su Xiao initially thought this was a dream, but when he saw a large empty area where foundations were being prepared, he realized it wasn't a dream.
[Prompt: The Hunter is in a state of conscious viewing (the images you see are real-time images).]
Seeing this prompt, Su Xiao understood what was happening. This was a scene shown to him by Reincarnation Paradise while he was asleep. He was in an overhead perspective, able to zoom in on the scene or move the perspective quickly.
The foundation below spanned about a kilometer. It seemed they were building several interconnected structures. Many tents were set up nearby, and many people were kneeling and worshiping. These people wore identical head barrels, indicating they were members of the Sun Church.
Su Xiao's viewing perspective rapidly retreated, and his consciousness became somewhat fuzzy. He didn't know how much longer he slept, but when he opened his eyes, he found himself still lying on the small bed on the second floor. Beini was sprawled on his chest with all four paws spread out, Bubu Wang was squeezed in beside him, and the morning sun streamed through the curtain gap, signaling it was morning.
[Prompt: You have obtained Faith Power: Sun (10 ounces).]
[Prompt: The Hunter does not have a divine physique. Do not absorb this energy.]
Su Xiao was full of doubts. He checked his storage space and found a tightly sealed small bottle containing a golden, sand-like energy. This was the Faith Power.
The scene he had just seen must have been from the new Painting World. Judging by the corpses he initially saw, the Sun Church and the Sea God Palace had fought over better building locations.
The result was that the Sun Church won. These lunatics were in combat mode 24/7, spending their free time hunting beast-transformed individuals.
How could the Sea God Palace, once located at the bottom of the sea, be a match for these sun-crazed fanatics? They were instantly crushed into submission. If not for their numbers, they would have been beaten to tears by the Sun Church.
This still didn't explain why he had obtained Faith Power: Sun. The only possibility Su Xiao could think of was whether it was because he had named the new Painting World, killed the Sunbird, and then stewed and ate a lot of it with mushrooms.
Aside from these factors, Su Xiao couldn't think of any other reason for obtaining Faith Power: Sun. He couldn't absorb this energy himself, but letting the third-generation Devourer he was cultivating try it was a good choice.
He pulled open the curtains and gazed at the scenery outside. For now, he just needed to relax and wait for the new world to arrive. If the next world was Treeborn World, he would have to clash with Huishenshi, Shenfu, and Xianji.
But that was a few days away. For now, Su Xiao planned to find a place to wander around. Just as he was about to turn and go downstairs, he saw through the window two people walking toward the accessory shop. Customers.
Su Xiao was surprised. It had been a while since he last sold anything. When he saw the two female customers approaching, one of them made him slightly puzzled—it was Xia.
Su Xiao noticed that Xia and her friend didn't walk directly into the shop. Instead, they took a detour nearby, seemingly heading around to the backyard. This clearly indicated they had something to discuss, not just a casual visit.
Su Xiao didn't think much of it at first, but after a moment, he suddenly remembered that when he was at a lower rank, to avoid revenge from enemies, he had buried landmines in his backyard. Small animals like cats or children weren't heavy enough to trigger the mines, but Xia, being an adult woman, and her friend could definitely set them off.
"Boss, the alarm went off. Someone stepped on a mine in the backyard. They should be standing there frozen. Not sure who it is."
Baha's shout came. Su Xiao continued toward the backyard. When he arrived, he saw Xia with an expression of utter disbelief. She probably couldn't fathom why someone would bury landmines in their own backyard. This was far beyond her understanding.
PS: (Three chapters, ten thousand words. Continuing the extreme effort.)