Chapter 52: The Request
[Teleportation complete. You have arrived at Arcane Eternal Star · 5th Transfer Station (Lighthouse Star).]
Inside a massive building, the teleportation array outlined by demonic energy gradually fell silent. This array, over a dozen meters in diameter, had hundreds of similar formations lined up along the inner wall of the structure, all linked in a chain pattern, sharing the same spatial coordinates.
As the spatial ripples on each array faded, beings of various races appeared. Some looked like merchants, others were dressed as travelers, and a few wore dark robes with hoods pulled over their heads.
This place was the 5th Transfer Station. Strictly speaking, it could be considered part of Arcane Eternal Star's territory, yet not entirely part of it.
The clamor of voices came from all around. Su Xiao surveyed his surroundings. The interior of this massive building was ornately carved and painted, exuding a sense of history. To maintain this atmosphere, even the monitoring devices in the corners of the ceiling were disguised to look aged.
Su Xiao hadn't arrived directly inside Arcane Eternal Star. He wasn't using an invasion-style teleportation. His current location was a planet called Lighthouse Star, a small to medium-sized celestial body.
Under normal circumstances, to reach Arcane Eternal Star, one must first use a teleportation device to arrive at one of the five planets surrounding it. These five planets orbited around the larger Arcane Eternal Star.
These five locations were: Lighthouse Star, 19th Mining Star, Seran, Outpost Star, and Bountiful Land.
Among them, the teleportation devices on Lighthouse Star and 19th Mining Star were open to the public. As long as one wasn't from a hostile faction, they could freely come and go.
The remaining three medium-sized planets—Seran, Outpost Star, and Bountiful Land—had different purposes. Seran was home to residents who hadn't yet become spellcasters but showed potential. It had over thirty large cities and a vast population. In a way, it was a scaled-down version of Arcane Eternal Star.
Outpost Star was Arcane Eternal Star's sword of slaughter, while Bountiful Land was a natural treasure trove that continuously produced resources.
It was said that Bountiful Land's orbit hadn't originally been here. Arcane Eternal Star had seized this planet and then fixed its orbit around itself. As for its value, the mere fact that it constantly yielded plant-type supernatural resources spoke volumes.
These five planets revolved around the larger Arcane Eternal Star. To enter Arcane Eternal Star itself, external teleportation arrays were useless. One had to first reach the arrays on Lighthouse Star or 19th Mining Star, then transfer to the Gate of Law, and only through the Gate of Law could one enter Arcane Eternal Star.
To put it simply, the teleportation devices on Lighthouse Star and 19th Mining Star were connected to the outside world. From many places, one could teleport to these two locations.
Arcane Eternal Star's interior was different. Although it had teleportation arrays, they could only be used for internal spatial movement.
Su Xiao wasn't surprised by this. Anyone would fortify their home base like an iron fortress. One of his purposes in coming here was to assess Arcane Eternal Star's defenses, making it easier for future visits.
Leaving the towering teleportation tower, the streets were bustling with pedestrians. Whether it was the shops on both sides or the street lamps, everything had a unique, nostalgic charm, showcasing the architectural beauty of the mystical side.
The technological level in the Void was highly advanced. This meant that, aside from technology-aligned factions, most other factions avoided using overly advanced high-tech creations. In some places, carrying such items was even prohibited.
This rule wasn't hard to understand. Almost all high-tech creations needed to connect to the Star Ring to function properly—essentially, going online.
The problem was that not all races were skilled at manufacturing or using high-tech devices. This meant that when they used such items, not only were their personal secrets at risk, but their lives as well.
For example, if a Scale Lizard clan member bought a home assistant robot, under normal circumstances, it would only help with chores like laundry, cooking, and serving tea.
But one day, if an enemy from the Bana Dwarf Clan hacked into that robot through the Star Ring's interconnectivity, then at midnight, while the Scale Lizard was sound asleep, the robot would quietly pick up a kitchen knife and stab at the Scale Lizard's vulnerable eye, killing them instantly.
Such incidents had actually happened in the Void, and not just a few. Although the Void had technology and civilization, it had never been peaceful.
Therefore, races not proficient in this area avoided using high-tech creations. Of course, they still used normal technological items. The critical point was that high-tech creations connected to the Star Ring carried risks, while those connected to a local planetary network were relatively safe.
It was like how no matter how skilled a hacker was, they couldn't remotely hack a pager that only used local signals. This wasn't a matter of technical skill but a physical barrier.
Arcane Eternal Star could obviously use various high-tech creations, not because they excelled in this area—so far, even if all technology-aligned factions united, they wouldn't be enough to defeat Arcane Eternal Star. It was simply that these mystical-side spellcasters generally had no interest in high-tech devices.
On the street, a steam engine, refined to the point of being a work of art, was running. A few youths, ranging from ten to their late teens, watched it with pure longing. This was a Zoram T-995 steam engine. The beauty of machinery and precision captivated their full attention, making them miss the massive airship slowly passing overhead.
A trackless single-car train, with a steampunk exterior, stopped ahead. In reality, this thing ran on controlled fusion energy. Even if hit by a shell, it wouldn't cause a chain explosion; at worst, it would be blown apart.
Su Xiao boarded the train with Beini. He took out a Soul Coin and dropped it into the ticket machine. Immediately, the machine dispensed a pile of smaller Soul Coins, totaling over a hundred.
Most of these smaller coins bore the Void numeral 100, while some had denominations like 10 or 5. This was one of the mainstream currencies in the Void, issued by Arcane Eternal Star.
In most places across the Void, this currency was accepted.
Not only Arcane Eternal Star, but also the Feather Race, Demon Race, and others had their own representative currencies. Among the major races' currencies, Arcane Eternal Star's was the most widely accepted, followed by the Star Clan, then the Feather Race, and then the Demon Race. The least trusted was the Devil Race's currency, mainly due to the care of their wild daddy.
The only true hard currencies were Soul Crystals and Soul Coins. The former needed no explanation. The latter was a hard currency because Arcane Eternal Star, the Feather Race, the Star Clan, the Demon Race, and others all accepted Soul Coins without limit and were especially willing to exchange their own currencies for them.
The reason was that Soul Coins were the only universally recognized currency certified by the Void Tree. With Soul Coins, one could purchase various rare resources from the Void Tree through certain channels.
The trackless train moved steadily. On a small screen, an advertisement for shampoo was playing, endorsed by the Stone Rock Clan. The ad planner was definitely a genius. The Stone Rock Clan had grass growing on their heads, and the tagline was, "A nourishing shampoo even plants can use." No other race could pull off that effect.
A young boy with a peaked cap and translucent blue skin walked past Su Xiao. He had big eyes and large, pointed ears—a pickpocket.
At the back row of the train, two men in similar peaked caps sat there. Their demeanor clearly showed they weren't ordinary passengers.
Su Xiao took out a coin with a face value of 100 from his inner pocket, holding it between his index and middle fingers. He said, "Buy a tea drink. Keep the change."
Su Xiao was getting into character—specifically, the tone and manner of Holy Flame Alchemist.
Hearing this, the pickpocket boy scurried to the vending machine at the front of the train, bought a bottle of tea, and ran back. He held the remaining change in one hand and the tea in the other.
This little thief wasn't directly under White Bull. He was probably under White Bull's subordinate's subordinate's subordinate—maybe even further removed. But one thing was certain: without the backing of White Bull's people, this gang of pickpockets wouldn't dare operate here.
Su Xiao only took the tea. Looking at the boy, he said, "The change is yours."
Hearing this, the boy instinctively stepped back and lowered his head. On closer inspection, he was trembling, shaking with fear.
Seeing this, Su Xiao frowned. Although he was in his Holy Flame disguise and had no blood aura, his long-standing habits made his gaze instinctively instill fear in others, especially in this little thief from the gray world, who was sensitive and fragile.
Su Xiao leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest. The Arcane Festival was still a few days away, so he wasn't in a hurry to go to the Gate of Law.
Meeting White Bull first was the priority. Previously, Su Xiao had provided the technique, while White Bull supplied the resources and channels. Together, they ran a potion business.
On the surface, Su Xiao had given up all profits, but those profits hadn't actually fallen into White Bull's hands either. All the profits from the potion business went to White Bull's subordinates.
Su Xiao and White Bull had always maintained a break-even policy, which made White Bull's subordinates earn so much that they were almost uneasy. The fact that these desperadoes were uneasy showed how much they were making.
When every desperado had meat on their table, their boss White Bull's status in their hearts was unquestionable. Meanwhile, the other party, Holy Flame Alchemist, also rose in their esteem.
Under these circumstances, to expand the potion business, these desperadoes spared no effort in promoting how good Holy Flame Alchemist's potions were, spreading his name far and wide across the Void.
Initially, Arcane Eternal Star didn't pay much attention. Alchemy Grandmaster Tree Sage was their honored guest, and they had a stable source of potions.
That changed when Arcane Eternal Star bought a permanent enhancement potion that boosted mental strength. They realized things weren't simple.
When Mage Sage Seraphilia, Soul Lord Yuwen Gewu, and Fierce Winter King brought that potion to Tree Sage, asking him to replicate it, they saw Tree Sage's wrinkled face, which looked like he'd been constipated for half a year.
Tree Sage almost put on a pain mask but finally managed to replicate it, restoring Arcane Eternal Star's confidence in him.
A week later, an upgraded version of that potion appeared. Seraphilia and the others realized things weren't simple again. But soon, they discovered that this potion was updated every week. The first version they bought was a stripped-down version of a stripped-down version. Up to now, the potion was still upgraded weekly. The overwhelming sense that the entire Void's alchemy level was being ground into the dirt hit them like a tidal wave.
The collaboration between Holy Flame Alchemist and White Bull was well-known in the Void. This time, Su Xiao came to Arcane Eternal Star as Holy Flame Alchemist because Mage Sage Seraphilia had approached White Bull, offered benefits, and arranged this meeting.
So, Su Xiao planned to meet White Bull first and then go to the Gate of Law together. As for whether Arcane Eternal Star would retaliate against White Bull after Su Xiao attacked them and they saw through his Holy Flame identity, that wasn't a concern. Mage Sage Seraphilia had repeatedly approached White Bull to arrange this introduction, and White Bull wasn't afraid of Arcane Eternal Star.
The trackless train stopped. The pickpocket gang got off, and two bald men in suits boarded. They wore silver-gray suits and shiny black shoes. Their bald heads, combined with small goatees, made them look exceptionally cold and sharp. Without a doubt, these were White Bull's men.
The two brothers sat opposite Su Xiao. Their expressions were stern, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on Su Xiao. Even if a mosquito flew near Su Xiao, it would be killed by their stares. They were utterly emotionless.
Beini, by Su Xiao's leg, jumped onto his lap. She had to lean against Su Xiao to feel safe under the brothers' gaze. Their stares carried immense pressure.
The trackless train started again. The two bald brothers remained emotionless. Not far away, a short-haired girl in a soft fabric robe had sweat beading on her cheeks. For some reason, she felt the pressure in this carriage was enormous.
"Are... are you here for the Arcane Festival in a few days?"
The short-haired girl tentatively spoke. Hearing this, the two bald brothers shifted their gaze to her, still staring unblinkingly.
A few minutes later.
"If... if you keep staring at me, I'll call the security department."
The short-haired girl, who had been training in demonic energy for less than two years, unpretentiously pulled out a terminal phone and prepared to dial. Seeing this, the two bald brothers averted their gaze. Being taken away by the local security department would be troublesome.
When the trackless train stopped again, the two bald brothers got off. They had delivered their message.
A minute later, the train started again. Inside the carriage, the short-haired girl breathed a sigh of relief. She had only recently become a spellcaster. The good news was that if she achieved a decent rank in this Arcane Festival, she could leave here and go out to train.
"Sir, are they your friends?"
The short-haired girl asked casually. After sitting near Su Xiao, the faint scent of medicinal herbs, or rather, plant essence, made her feel relaxed, as if her breathing had become smoother.
Normally, Su Xiao wouldn't bother with this short-haired girl, but he was now Holy Flame Alchemist.
"Barely."
"Barely? The adult world is so complicated."
The short-haired girl raised her hand, spreading her fingers. With a hint of delight and a touch of pride, she said, "Sir, look at my new medium. Isn't it beautiful?"
She wiggled her index finger, which bore a gemstone ring—her spellcasting medium, equivalent to a staff.
Among spellcasters, few actually carried staves. Most wore gloves, rings, or bands as casting enhancement mediums. Those who carried staves usually had very long ones, often used for close combat.
"My mentor rewarded me. She told me to try meeting a big shot. If I succeed, there's more reward."
The short-haired girl smiled brightly.
"Your mentor is generous. Who is she?"
"My mentor is honored as Mage Sage. She's Seraphilia, representing the Arcane Faction."
The short-haired girl smiled even wider, revealing neat white teeth. She had clearly recognized Su Xiao as Holy Flame Alchemist but didn't say it directly to avoid potential awkwardness.
Just then, the trackless train stopped. A figure boarded—an old acquaintance, Fierce Winter Prince.
"Tch, fast."
Fierce Winter Prince glanced at the short-haired girl, then turned and got off. He had been forced by his father to come here and intercept, but Mage Sage Seraphilia's disciple had arrived first.
The trackless train started again. The short-haired girl didn't know that her two seniors, Seraphilia's chief disciples, had both been killed by Su Xiao before. Now, she had come to him willingly. If Su Xiao weren't in his Holy Flame disguise, he would already be sheathing his long blade and checking the kill record.
"Go back and tell Seraphilia that I'll arrive at Eternal Star either tonight at the earliest or the day after tomorrow morning at the latest."
"Understood."
The short-haired girl, having achieved her goal, pushed open the window and jumped off.
Clang!
A crisp sound. The short-haired girl, due to inertia, slammed into a thick metal mailbox.
"Ouch!!"
She covered her head with both hands, kneeling on the ground in pain. With this goofy personality, someone might believe she was Molei's sister. No wonder she wasn't very favored by her mentor Seraphilia. It was hard to imagine how the stern Seraphilia had taken on this apprentice.
Three hours later.
Inside the trackless train, the scenery outside flew by. They had gone from the town to the outskirts. Endless flower fields were a delight to the eyes. The reddening sunset on the horizon made the view as beautiful as a painting.
Beini, curled up and sleeping soundly, was lifted by the scruff of her neck. Even so, the drowsy Beini didn't wake up. It was her habit to not sleep a second in a mission world, then sleep her fill after returning to Reincarnation Paradise or the Real World.
The trackless train stopped at the terminal. The robot driver in the cockpit went into standby mode. The train doors opened, waiting for the last two passengers to get off.
Confirming that there were no living beings within several dozen meters, Su Xiao closed his eyes to rest. On the surface, it seemed so, but in reality, he was checking his newly evolved blade technique ability.
Because Blade Grandmaster had been raised to Lv.70, Blade Soul and Blade Spirit · Soul Core had begun to awaken. Half an hour ago, both abilities had stabilized and completed their advancement.
[Blade Soul: Lv.70 (Passive Skill)]
Skill Effect 1 (Core Passive): For every level Blade Grandmaster increases, this ability will increase by one level.
Skill Effect 2 (Passive): Blade weapon attack power increased by 194%, base nerve reflex speed +34 points.
Lv.10 Derived Trait: Willpower +10 points.
Lv.20 Derived Trait: Willpower +20 points.
Lv.30 Derived Trait: Willpower +30 points.
Lv.40 Derived Ability: Your hidden ability 'Iron Will' is enhanced.
Lv.50 Derived Trait: All blade-type skill attack power increased by 20%.
Lv.60 Derived Trait: After attacking an enemy's weak point, you can enter a brief super burst state (super burst state lasts 0.5 seconds. During this time, dynamic vision and dynamic perception are greatly enhanced, and body speed also has a temporary overdraft boost. You will experience a combat sensation where everything around you slows down).
Tip: The super burst state consumes a large amount of stamina. Use with caution.
Lv.70 Derived Trait: For every 5% reduction in health, perception increases by 2.5% (maximum increase of 47.5% perception).
...
This newly awakened trait was well-suited for life-and-death battles with powerful enemies. When perception was strong enough, sometimes before an enemy's attack was even launched, Su Xiao would feel a warning pain at the location to be struck, allowing him to dodge almost preemptively.
Even if this only happened occasionally, each occurrence was a life-saving evasion.
Closing the data for Blade Soul, Su Xiao checked the Soul Severing Shadow ability.
[Soul Severing Shadow: X (Active)]
Existing Soul Cores: Azure Steel, Swift, Soul Sever, Blade Spirit.
Soul Core Slots Total: 4/6 (4 slots occupied).
Azure Steel · Soul Core (Passive Trait): Azure Steel Shadow ability overall intensity increased by 20%. This boost can exceed the maximum limit of Azure Steel Shadow ability (the 20% boost includes true damage from burning enemy body energy, as well as Proud Song form and Law Annihilation form).
Swift · Soul Core (Passive Trait): Greatly increases body speed but significantly increases stamina consumption rate.
Soul Sever · Soul Core (Passive Trait): Can 'sever' or 'cut' souls, depending on the difference in soul strength. If the user's soul strength is higher than the enemy's, while cutting the enemy's physical body, the corresponding part of the soul can also be severed.
Blade Spirit · Soul Core (Passive Trait): When you are surrounded by enemies, you trigger the 'Blade Spirit Frenzy' state. In this state, your Blade Grandmaster ability is overloaded. For each same-rank enemy you kill, you temporarily increase one of your main attributes by 1 point. This state lasts 30 minutes. Each time this effect stacks, the duration refreshes.
Tip: True Strength attribute can be temporarily increased by up to 10 points.
Tip: True Agility attribute can be temporarily increased by up to 10 points.
Tip: True Stamina attribute can be temporarily increased by up to 10 points.
Tip: True Intelligence attribute can be temporarily increased by up to 10 points.
Tip: This trait can boost true body attributes above 300 points.
Tip: Soul Severing Shadow ability can only activate one Soul Core at a time.
...
The newly awakened Soul Core was for group battles. Su Xiao was satisfied with this. For life-and-death fights against powerful enemies, Swift Soul Core and Soul Sever Soul Core were enough. Sometimes, he even had trouble choosing between them.
Now, the newly awakened Blade Spirit Soul Core was a god-level core for group battles. If surrounded by soldier-type units, Su Xiao could instantly max out this core's effect.
One thing Su Xiao had always wanted to know was how to increase the strength of Soul Cores. He had consulted using his Hunter authority before. Using Golden Skill Points to increase the level of Soul Severing Shadow wouldn't raise the core's strength, only the number of core slots.
Su Xiao had six core slots. Four awakened Soul Cores occupied four slots. It seemed enough, but it wasn't. When a Soul Core's strength increased, it would need two core slots to accommodate the enhanced core. If the core became too strong, it might even occupy three slots.
This information wasn't obtained through consultation. It was told to him by Mawen Hua'erzi. As for how to increase Soul Core strength, Mawen Hua'erzi's original words were: 'Figure it out yourself.'
No wonder Mawen Hua'erzi said that. He hadn't mastered the Soul Severing Shadow ability. When he became Su Xiao's guide, both were forced into it. At that time, among the Ancestral Law Destroyers, only Mawen Hua'erzi's remnant soul remained, and the only new Law Destroyer was Su Xiao.
The situation was that the mentor couldn't choose the student, and the student couldn't choose the mentor. Both were unique. This meant that even if their ability development directions differed, they had to make do. It was better than nothing.
This also meant that Mawen Hua'erzi taught as little as possible. It wasn't that he was holding back, but to avoid teaching incorrectly. Who knew how to enhance the Soul Cores of Soul Severing Shadow, and what Golden Skill Points were? Every time Su Xiao asked, Mawen Hua'erzi felt like the times had changed.
Just after Su Xiao finished checking Blade Spirit Soul Core, he sensed a faint presence behind him. He turned to see a figure over five meters tall, exuding an overwhelmingly powerful pressure, standing outside the carriage. He was even taller than the carriage itself—it was White Bull.
"Been waiting long? I ran into an old friend on the way, so I'm a bit late."
White Bull placed an empty wine bottle inside the carriage. The carriage sank slightly under the weight of the large bottle.
A faint smell of blood came from White Bull. He had encountered an enemy on the way.
"..."
Su Xiao got off the train and noticed the two bald brothers following behind White Bull. Under White Bull's comparison, the two brothers suddenly didn't look so fierce.
The evening air was slightly cool. Su Xiao looked around at the flower fields and asked, "Where is she?"
"Over here."
"..."
"If my sister is rude later, blame it on me."
"Oh."
"My sister gets a bit... impolite during her old injury flare-ups. Bear with it."
As White Bull spoke, he tossed a bottle of wine to Su Xiao.
White Bull had been injured for a long time. The Life Source he needed at Starry Sky Seat was what he used to suppress his injuries.
This injury came from a life-and-death battle with an Abyss Dragon years ago. His sister was one of the participants back then and was also injured by the Abyss Dragon.
At that time, White Bull wasn't as strong as he was now, which was why he had left such an almost incurable wound.
Compared to White Bull, his sister's injuries were lighter. But over the years, they had tried many famous doctors and rare medicines, none of which could heal the damage caused by the Abyss Dragon. That was the terror of the Abyss Dragon.
Su Xiao wasn't as skilled as those famous doctors, but his alchemy expertise was high enough. His treatment involved potions with extremely potent effects but a shelf life of only 5 to 10 hours after preparation.
These short-lived potions, combined with Su Xiao's crude but efficient treatment methods, had an effect far greater than 1+1=2.
The group walked along a path through the flower fields. Soon, a three-story mansion stood alone in the vast fields.
Su Xiao entered. In the living room, a woman with wavy white hair sat cross-legged, backlit by the setting sun through the window. Under the blood-red glow, her features were unclear, but her golden-red vertical pupils gave off a strong, stubborn impression. Her wavy white hair was long, draped over her back. The white wasn't pale but more of a warm white.
"Excuse me. Old injury flaring up... couldn't... welcome... Holy Flame Sir."
White Bull's sister spoke. Her voice had a slightly hoarse, husky quality, and it was somewhat broken, showing she was enduring the torment of her old injury. Setting aside her sharp claws and golden-red vertical pupils, she had a unique beauty.
White Bull's sister was named Nilin. It could be said that none of White Bull's desperadoes weren't afraid of her.
Sometimes, when these desperadoes made mistakes, White Bull, as the boss, wouldn't use the harshest methods. He was both an underground emperor and a leader. When he needed to be ruthless, he was more ruthless than anyone, but sometimes he turned a blind eye. Authority wasn't maintained solely through cruelty and ferocity; it required a balance of grace and power.
Nilin was different. If those erring desperadoes fell into her hands, even a quick death would be hard to come by.
"..."
Su Xiao approached Nilin, looked her over, and found that she had survived this long not only because White Bull spared no expense in obtaining rare medicines but also because of Nilin's strong will.
"Holy Flame Sir, I have a request."
Nilin spoke. Her words and actions, though not exactly polite, were far from rude.
"..."
Su Xiao used a needle to take a sample of Nilin's blood and gestured for her to speak freely.
"I really hate losing sensation or consciousness. So when you treat me, please don't inject anesthetics or anything like that. Is that... okay? Don't worry, I won't move during the treatment."
Nilin said. In fact, this was her euphemistic way of speaking. Over the years, due to her injury, she had been in constant pain. Additionally, she had a strong aversion to anesthetics.
Su Xiao had treated many people, but he had never encountered such a request.
For some reason, under Su Xiao's current gaze, Nilin's heart seemed to tighten.
"This is the list. Prepare everything on it before dark. Surgery tonight."
Su Xiao handed the prepared list to White Bull.
White Bull looked at the front of the list. It contained various medical instruments and plant materials. No problem there. But when he checked the back of the list, he gradually frowned. He didn't understand why surgery would require these things.
When White Bull saw that the required instruments included a particle cutting saw, he realized this treatment wouldn't be simple.
[Shocked Me]
[The mosquito started writing at 7 a.m. and wrote until now. Thinking it was a holiday, I wanted to finish writing before eating to eat in peace. I had already written over 7,000 words and was about to check before posting when, suddenly, the power went out. I stared at the computer for at least a few seconds, then almost fell apart.
Going to eat first. If the power comes back today, I'll post today. If it doesn't come back before bed, I'll post two chapters together tomorrow. Dear readers, please forgive me.]
[Reincarnation Paradise] Shocked Me
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