# Chapter 3: The Disguised One Must Ensure Over 80% Body Integrity (The Mask Will Devour It)
**Tip:** The choice of medium will determine the maximum duration of the disguised state (if the target being disguised has been devoured by the mask, then disguising as that person will have no time limit).
**Tip:** This ability cannot disguise gender, nor can it disguise targets whose body size is more than 3 times that of the user.
**Tip:** Each use of this item consumes 1 point of durability + 1 point of the user's Charm attribute (Charm attribute is permanently deducted).
**Equipment Effect 2:** Seal and Retain (Passive) - After this mask devours a unit, it will "seal" the disguise of that unit. The user can disguise themselves as that unit at any time without needing to pay the disguise cost again.
**Tip:** Seal and Retain (Passive) can store up to two disguises, but already "sealed" disguises can be replaced.
**Equipment Detriment:** False Face (Absolute Passive · Cannot Be Avoided) - This equipment is extremely fragile. It will be destroyed upon taking damage, thereby escaping your grasp to an unknown location.
**Equipment Detriment:** Faceless Greed (Absolute Passive · Cannot Be Avoided) - You must "feed" this mask at regular intervals. This mask will only devour items related to the "Abyss" or "Fortune."
**Equipment Detriment:** Arrogant Stride (Absolute Passive · Cannot Be Avoided) - Due to the influence of the Pride Face among the Ten Thousand Faces, while wearing this equipment, you cannot move too quickly. At most, you can jog or walk briskly; otherwise, the disguise level will rapidly decline.
**Rating:** Visible after wearing.
**Description:** The myriad faces of the faceless one are watching you. What you consider dangerous may not be dangerous at all, while what you overlook will bring you greater risk. Use it cautiously, even though it is truly useful.
**Price:** Tradable, Transferable, Lendable, Abandonable.
...
The attributes of the [Primordial Mask] had undergone a major transformation. It looked complicated, but understanding it wasn't difficult. The grade of this item was hard to determine because it entirely depended on the user.
High Charm, Soul Strength, and Natural/Elemental Affinity would result in a high disguise level when wearing this mask. Su Xiao believed this item suited him well.
First, although his Charm attribute was -12 points, his Soul Strength was as high as 590 points. Even if the two were offset, the bonus from Elemental Affinity alone was terrifyingly high.
Su Xiao's current Elemental Affinity was 923 points. This attribute kept increasing on its own. For a long time, Su Xiao felt this attribute was useless.
If the Mages or Spellcasters knew Su Xiao's thoughts, they would surely roar, "F*** your mother!"
Now, the "ten-thousand-year useless attribute" of Elemental Affinity had finally come into play. This meant that Su Xiao's disguise level when wearing the Primordial Mask would be very high.
Beyond this basic bonus, the effect of the Primordial Mask was simple: disguise as others through a medium. Of course, the best medium was to kill the person to be disguised, let the mask devour them, and store that disguise.
This item had detrimental effects. If hit in the face, it would shatter, and once shattered, the mask would take the opportunity to escape. As for not being able to run while wearing it, that didn't matter. The characteristic of shattering upon contact meant it wouldn't be worn in combat.
What truly made Su Xiao cautious was that this mask needed regular feeding, and it was very picky, only eating items from Abyss origins and items related to fortune.
Earlier, when Su Xiao obtained the [Dark Blade], he was somewhat worried that it might become a "Daddy-level" artifact. Now it seemed that wasn't the case. The one truly qualified to become a "Daddy-level" artifact wasn't the [Dark Blade], forged from a large collection of Abyss products, but the inconspicuous [Primordial Mask].
This might also be a characteristic of Abyss power—difficult to control its patterns.
To be fair, the [Primordial Mask] was genuinely useful. Su Xiao hesitated about whether to use this item. It could be predicted that this item's effects would grow stronger and it would become increasingly uncontrollable. However, one thing was certain: Su Xiao had already come into contact with upper-tier "Daddy-level" artifacts. With his dual identities as a Law Destroyer and a Reincarnation Paradise Hunter, he was basically not favored by "Daddy-level" artifacts.
In other words, even if he raised a new "Daddy-level" artifact, this "Daddy-level" artifact would most likely "dislike" Su Xiao, leading to a peaceful separation where neither harmed the other.
Even if he were truly entangled, Su Xiao had a backup plan. At worst, he would pay some price and have Kaisa help him survive the tribulation, sending this new "Daddy-level" item away.
Moreover, Su Xiao's goal wasn't to turn the Primordial Mask into a "Daddy-level" artifact. He wanted to use it during its enhancement process to gain benefits for himself.
Having thought this through, Su Xiao took out a piece of Black Maple Tree branch and threw it into the mask. The next second, crimson energy threads extended from inside the mask, greedily devouring this small piece of Black Maple Tree branch. This mask, which felt somewhat like wood, had a particular fondness for Black Maple Tree branches.
After the mask devoured the Black Maple Tree branch, Su Xiao felt that the Primordial Mask's rejection of him had greatly decreased, and compatibility was skyrocketing.
Originally, the compatibility between this mask and himself was -15.7%, barely usable. Now, the compatibility had soared to 98.6%, so real it was speechless.
Su Xiao took out the [Misfortune Gold Coin]. This lucky charm had never favored him since he got it. When Ai Duo'er tossed it for a long time, it wouldn't temporarily reduce 1 point of Luck. When Su Xiao tossed it once, it temporarily reduced 1 point of Luck. The "billing" was incredibly accurate—reducing Luck for 5 hours meant exactly 5 hours, not a second less.
Earlier, Ai Duo'er had temporarily reduced 1 point of Luck, and it recovered in less than 5 minutes. This made Su Xiao realize that the [Misfortune Gold Coin] was a sycophant. Facing Ai Duo'er, it was sycophantically astonishing. When Su Xiao used it, this broken coin became utterly impartial.
Su Xiao had seen many trash equipment pieces, but a sycophantic equipment piece was truly a first. Originally, he planned to gift it to Kaisa, to let him know the dangers of this world, but now that wasn't necessary.
Ding~
Su Xiao tossed the [Misfortune Gold Coin]. The coin landed, showing Great Misfortune. Su Xiao's Luck was temporarily reduced by 1 point. His eyes narrowed.
Excellent. Coin, you're done for.
How the hell could it show Great Misfortune inside Reincarnation Paradise? Su Xiao had once thought it was his own bad luck, that it had nothing to do with this special equipment that had an "artifact spirit," that it was his own problem. Now it seemed that wasn't the case at all.
Farewell, sycophantic coin.
Su Xiao casually threw the Misfortune Gold Coin into the mask. The next second, the Primordial Mask revealed its brutal side. Crimson tentacle threads tore the Misfortune Gold Coin to pieces and finally devoured it.
Su Xiao took out the [Dark Blade]. As soon as the [Dark Blade] appeared, he noticed the Primordial Mask in his hand trembling. This wasn't fear but excitement to the point of madness. The crimson tentacles extending from inside the mask writhed, as if craving for Su Xiao to feed it the Dark Blade.
Seeing this, Su Xiao put both away—one into his own storage space, the other into the team storage space. His earlier guess was correct. The Primordial Mask had the prerequisite of a Daddy-level artifact. Upon seeing the Dark Blade, its first reaction wasn't fear of a higher Abyss-level artifact but a desire to devour it.
The Primordial Mask, obtained unintentionally, made Su Xiao appreciate even more the uncontrollability of Abyss power and deepened his reverence for the Abyss.
Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the carpet. He currently had 585 Soul Crystals (Complete). He took out 200 to upgrade his Blood Spear Grandmaster ability.
[Yes/No to upgrade Blood Spear Grandmaster Lv.57. Upgrading this ability requires Soul Crystal (Complete) × 100 and 34 Soul Coins.]
One by one, Soul Crystals shattered around Su Xiao. The feeling of raising Blood Spear Grandmaster from Lv.57 to Lv.59 wasn't particularly obvious, as it was a cumulative process. Technique abilities all had 10 levels per tier, resulting in a major gain.
Su Xiao currently had 48 Soul Crystal Cores. After thinking, he decided to push Blood Spear Grandmaster to Lv.60 first, bringing all three technique abilities to Lv.60 or above.
Moreover, when upgrading to Lv.60 and above, Su Xiao could change the characteristics of Blood Spear Grandmaster to a certain extent. This was one of the benefits of technique abilities. As long as the general direction was correct, a few small missteps along the way could be corrected.
[To upgrade Blood Spear Grandmaster Lv.59, you need to consume Soul Crystal Core × 10 and 540 Soul Coins.]
Su Xiao chose to upgrade. The 10 Soul Crystal Cores he took out shattered, turning into Soul Energy that merged into his body. His Blood Qi erupted. Beini, who was sleeping on the cat tree, woke up in fright, her fur standing on end. Together with Bubu Wang, she slipped under the bed.
After a long time, when the erupted Blood Qi gathered back, Su Xiao, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, opened his eyes. The red light in his eyes and his current aura were enough to make those with weak willpower faint on the spot.
Su Xiao could feel that this transformation of Blood Spear Grandmaster was significant.
[Blood Spear Grandmaster: Lv.60 (Passive)]
Skill Effect: Blood Qi attack power increased by 372%, Body Energy control greatly improved (Cyan Steel Shadow/Blood Qi).
Blood Qi Intensity: 85 points.
Lv.10 Ultimate Ability: Killing Spear Blade (Passive) - All your Blood Qi attacks come with a Life Force recovery suppression effect (the degree of suppression is determined by the enemy's Stamina value).
Lv.20 Ultimate Ability: Ruthless Spear Blade (Passive) - All your Blood Qi attacks come with a defense weakening characteristic.
Lv.30 Ultimate Ability: Iron Blood Spear Blade (Passive) - All your Blood Qi attacks come with a defense/armor penetration characteristic (high amount).
Lv.40 Ultimate Ability: Death Before Surrender (Passive) - When your HP drops to a near-death state, your Soul Power will be fully activated. During this period, all your melee attack damage increases by 50%.
Lv.50 Ultimate Ability: Blood Loss (Passive) - After your Blood Qi ability attacks an enemy, the enemy will suffer a total of Hunter's Agility attribute × 3.1 true bleeding damage over the next 10 seconds.
Tip: If the enemy's Stamina attribute is below a certain level, they will enter a Deep Blood Loss state.
Deep Blood Loss Effect: The wound cannot be healed by conventional means (such as healing potions, healing abilities, high-tech medical treatment, etc., none can heal this injury). The enemy will continue to suffer true bleeding effects until death.
Lv.60 Ultimate Ability: Blood Soul Resonance (Passive) - Requires raising the Aura Release ability to X or higher to fully awaken this ability.
Tip: If Blood Qi Resonance is completed, your Blood Qi release ability will merge into this ability.
...
The changes in Blood Spear Grandmaster were vastly different from before. Su Xiao had chosen the wrong direction earlier, so Blood Spear Grandmaster had increased Blood Spear attack power by 654% at Lv.57.
Now it had become a 372% increase in Blood Qi attack power. It seemed weaker, but that wasn't the case. Blood Qi attack power meant that Blade Dao Sword: Blood Blade, Blood Shadow, and Slaughter—these three sword techniques—were also enhanced.
Moreover, due to the existence of the Upper Limit Constant ability, the Blood Spear used for long-range sniping hadn't actually been weakened. When the Blood Spear's upper limit was 1, all aspects of its characteristics were greatly enhanced.
Su Xiao felt that the current Blood Spear Grandmaster suited him better, or rather, it provided a higher bonus to sword techniques. The manifested Blood Spear only needed two uses: to prevent himself from being kited and to cooperate with [Kill Ring] for ultra-long-range sniping.
Su Xiao calmed his aura for a moment and used the remaining Soul Crystal Cores to upgrade his sword technique ability.
[Tip: Blade Grandmaster has been upgraded to Lv.65.]
Su Xiao checked the sword technique ability. Overall, it was steadily increasing. The transformation of the Blade Domain would take some more time.
He took out the [Basic Passive Skill Scroll Chest] obtained from You You'an. Opening this didn't depend on luck. It was a seven-choose-one, and all seven "Basic Passives" were of the highest potential, so it was an equivalent acquisition.
[You have opened the Basic Passive Skill Scroll Chest.]
[Randomly drawing...]
[You have obtained Basic Passive: Awakening.]
[Basic Passive: Awakening, Lv.1.]
Type: Basic Passive Scroll
Corresponding Characteristic: Perception.
Prerequisite 1: Stamina attribute 6 points (Achieved).
Prerequisite 2: True Agility, Stamina attribute 230 points (Achieved).
Prerequisite 3: Already mastered a perception ability of Lv.50 or above (Achieved).
Tip: Meeting one of the three prerequisites is enough to master this ability. If all three prerequisites are met, the potential of 'Basic Passive: Awakening' will be fully released, making it a top-potential Basic Passive ability.
Skill Effect 1 (Potential Fully Released): Perception +2 points (this refers to perception speed, perception accuracy, perception sensitivity, perception intensity, etc.).
Tip: Perception intensity is extremely important. When the enemy's attack ability is too strong, exceeding your perception intensity's upper limit, your perception field may temporarily 'shatter,' entering a perception-less state. The duration of this state will be determined by your perception power and the degree of damage to your body's perception system.
Skill Effect 2 (Potential Fully Released): Body perception potential upper limit +1.
Skill Effect 3 (Potential Fully Released): Meditation, nature contemplation, ability development, etc., efficiency increased by 10% (this is a 10% increase on top of all existing bonuses combined).
...
It could be said that "Basic Passive: Awakening" was a pretty good ability. Raising this ability would benefit one's own development. In close combat, perception was also crucial. He used the skill scroll in his hand.
[You have mastered Basic Passive: Awakening.]
Su Xiao checked the skill list and also tested the upgrade cost of "Basic Passive: Awakening." He could imagine that raising this top-potential Basic Passive would be expensive enough to make one doubt life.
[To upgrade Basic Passive: Awakening Lv.1, you need to consume 240 Soul Coins.]
Seeing this prompt, Su Xiao found the upgrade cost of this ability surprisingly friendly. The friendliness was similar to "Basic Passive: Body Soul" in its later stages.
Earlier, Su Xiao thought that "Basic Passive: Body Soul" from Lv.60 to Lv.80 would cost at least 160,000 Soul Coins. In the end, "Basic Passive: Body Soul" only used 135,000 Soul Coins. The upgrade pattern of this ability was: not expensive in the early stages, increasingly expensive in the middle stages, soul-crushingly expensive in the mid-to-late stages, and finally smoothing out in the very late stages, just slightly above the mid-to-late stages.
Su Xiao currently had 10,538 Soul Coins. He decided to go to the Skill Upgrade Hall to try. This perception-attribute Basic Passive might be friendlier than imagined. Among the many Basic Passives, the least friendly was "Basic Passive: Soul Toughness," which was so expensive it made one's vision go dark.
Three hours later, Su Xiao walked out of the Skill Upgrade Hall. His "Basic Passive: Awakening" ability had been successfully raised to Lv.27, with 218 Soul Coins remaining.
This achievement was due to both the fact that this top-potential perception passive ability wasn't too expensive to upgrade and the [Reincarnation · Glory Badge] reducing upgrade costs by 20%.
[Basic Passive: Awakening, Lv.27.]
Skill Effect 1: Perception +34 points.
Skill Effect 2: Body perception potential upper limit +3.
Skill Effect 3: Meditation, nature contemplation, ability development, etc., efficiency increased by 61% (this is a 61% increase on top of all existing bonuses combined).
...
Su Xiao experienced a long-lost perception overflow. This made everything around him feel very slow. The passing Contractors chatting nearby were so slow that he couldn't hear clearly.
This state was perfect for going to the Land of All Beings. He would spend most of his remaining stay time there. Now that the Land of All Beings was free, freeloading forever was the way to go.
Arriving at the Trial Grounds, Su Xiao teleported into the Land of All Beings. A prompt appeared.
[Yes/No to enter Land of All Beings Layer 8. You need to ensure your Stamina attribute is above 240 points and Soul Strength above 320 points to stay in Land of All Beings · Layer 8 for more than 24 hours.]
Su Xiao chose to enter. The next second, he appeared on a barren black land. The surrounding ground was filled with various long blades stuck into it.
Su Xiao looked around. Unlike in Land of All Beings Layer 7, he didn't see a frozen lake formed by Soul Energy.
[Tip: You have entered an absolute protection state.]
[Your vital areas—brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and other organs—are protected by an absolute invincible protective layer.]
[While in Land of All Beings · Layer 8, you can enjoy high-level recovery effects free of charge (healing your injuries to the state you were in when you first entered Land of All Beings · Layer 8).]
[Land of All Beings Layer 8 has two key facilities: 1. Trial Ground, 2. Spirit Thought Ground.]
[Trial Ground: Used to perfect your own abilities.]
[Spirit Thought Ground: Used to conceive new abilities or to conceive and perfect existing abilities.]
...
Su Xiao looked ahead. At the top of a distant mountain peak, there was a stone platform. Just as he thought about going there, he was directly teleported to the mountain summit.
Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the small circular stone platform. Initially, he didn't feel anything. After a while, he found that his inspiration for developing sword techniques had greatly increased, and this feeling was growing stronger.
He didn't need to develop new sword techniques for now, so he looked toward the Trial Ground—that barren land filled with various long blades. The next moment, he was teleported onto the Trial Ground.
Su Xiao assumed a drawing-sword-slash posture. He drew and slashed diagonally. With a whoosh, a black-red slashing chain was slashed out—it was Blade Dao Sword: Slaughter.
Suddenly, hundreds of figures appeared around him. They were identical in form to Su Xiao, except their bodies were made of Soul Energy. They all assumed a drawing-sword posture and slashed at Su Xiao with Blade Dao Sword: Slaughter.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...
For a moment, Su Xiao was overwhelmed by the slashing chains of Slaughter. When his eyes reopened, he was standing at the starting point of the Trial Ground. Undoubtedly, this was the deepest he had ever felt Blade Dao Sword: Slaughter. Usually, he used this ability to slash others. Today, for the first time, he was slashed by this ability, and it was hundreds of Slaughter attacks overwhelming him instantly. Fortunately, he had the invincible shield.
This function of experiencing the shortcomings of one's own sword techniques was only part of the Trial Ground's effects.
Su Xiao activated the limit, and a figure identical to him in form and aura appeared ahead. This replica could only exist within Land of All Beings Layer 8. All its abilities were exactly the same as Su Xiao's.
To perfect abilities, fighting against oneself was undoubtedly the best choice. To increase the proficiency of abilities, going to Land of All Beings · Layer 7 was most suitable.
Using "Proficiency" as an analogy: In Layer 7, after Su Xiao himself slashed once, the thousands of Soul clones formed around him would also slash the same attack. Then the souls would shatter, feeding back the experience of that slash to Su Xiao himself through Soul Energy. This was commonly known as gaining over a thousand points of "proficiency" in one slash.
After polishing a sword technique to proficiency, coming to Layer 8 to fight against one's own mirror image with that sword technique was undoubtedly the best way to experience how one's newly developed ability performed, what shortcomings it had, and so on, to perfect it.
Once a technique was perfected, one would sit in the Spirit Thought Ground of Layer 8. Before long, one could realize the opportunity to continue breaking through the upper limit of that technique. Then return to Layer 7 to heavily stack the technique's proficiency level. Finally, repeat this cycle. As long as the body and will could endure, this was the most efficient way to polish sword techniques.
When there were only 2 hours left of stay time in Reincarnation Paradise, Su Xiao left the Trial Ground. Dragging his tired body, he returned to his Exclusive Room to soak in the hot spring. Half-asleep, half-awake, he returned to the second floor of the Accessory Shop in the Real World.
Real life was still peaceful. Su Xiao rarely slept until he naturally woke up. After fully recovering his energy, he took out an item.
[Dragon Academy Letter of Recommendation (Can be used during the rest period after returning to the Real World. Due to world time flow differences, 10 natural days in the world where Dragon Academy is located = 1 natural day in the Real World. After arriving at Dragon Academy, you cannot obtain World Sources, Treasure Chests, etc., in this world. This world is an ultra-high-rank world.)]
After thinking, Su Xiao decided to let Beini and Amu rest in the Real World. After traveling through one world progress, both of them were almost going to become hermits and needed some time to recover. Therefore, this time he would go with Bubu and Baha.
Su Xiao prepared to visit Dragon Academy to explore the power of crystallization there. This time, he wasn't trying to master any ability but to acquire knowledge related to crystallization and records of combat experience in the crystallization defense system. In this regard, Dragon Academy was a good place.
Su Xiao didn't plan to stay at Dragon Academy for too long. After obtaining crystallization-related knowledge, he would return, conserve his energy, and welcome the next Nightmare difficulty world.
While waiting, the door of the Accessory Shop was pushed open. A short, thin figure walked in and said:
"My dear friend, let's set off."