Chapter 49: The Oath
Before the mist gate beneath the high wall, a group of hunters greeted Black A with smiles as he emerged from the underground palace. To prevent any monsters from the palace rushing out through the mist gate behind him, one hunter used his ice ability to "thoughtfully" seal the gate behind Black A.
Under the "welcome" of the hunters, Black A narrowed his eyes, gripping the "Abyssal Fall" sword tightly in his hand. Behind him, Wei Wei tried to explain that it was all a misunderstanding, but noticing the hunters' smiles growing more brilliant, she was forced to give up.
"You have the ancient crest?"
Su Xiao, seated among the hunters, spoke. Black A didn't reply. Seeing this, Su Xiao signaled for the hunters to make their move.
Before the mist gate, Black A rolled his neck, appearing quite confident. As the hunters closed in to surround him, Black A thrust the "Abyssal Fall" sword into the ground.
Boom!
The shockwave echoed far and wide. Though it lacked the grandeur of the Sand King's sword strike that shattered dozens of kilometers of earth, it still carried considerable momentum. Amid the dust, Black A let out a roar, releasing his aura fully—wrathful and dark.
30 seconds later.
"What's with stabbing that broken sword into the ground? You got dirt all over me, and I just washed my hair this morning."
Tessa's trusted aide, the bespectacled girl, punched the fallen Black A again. Black A was indeed no weakling, but the problem was that he was now facing the strongest enforcement body of the alliance—the Hunter Corps. These hunters had even besieged Abyss Spawn with indestructible traits. Surrounding Black A now was a walk in the park for them.
"You still glaring? You beat up our young miss and still act so tough? I'll finish you off today."
The bespectacled girl was getting carried away. She pulled out a sharp sword from a masked man beside her, ready to strike Black A. Only after several hunters and Alisa jointly dissuaded her did she sit down angrily, glaring at Black A with hostility.
Black A, pinned to the ground by several hunters, remained calm and cold-eyed. Seeing this, Su Xiao had the hunters bring him forward. Soon, Black A sat on the ground two meters in front of Su Xiao, bound with many coils of energy lines, a hooked blade pressed against his neck.
"Black A, do you know what you're doing?"
Just as Baha spoke, Wei Wei behind Black A quickly explained, "Director Bai Ye, we were wrong. Actually, we joined the Dark God Cult to prevent them from getting the ancient crest. Black, hurry and take out the ancient crest!"
Wei Wei, also bound, nudged Black A with her shoulder, but he remained unmoved, head lowered.
"Sure you won't hand it over? With the notary here, we really can't force it."
Baha's wing mimicked a hand as he rubbed his chin, seeming somewhat troubled. Seeing this, Black A's gaze finally flickered. He was counting on this very point, staying silent to increase his bargaining power. As for Black A's goal, it was naturally to exchange the "ancient crest" for the "Life Source Aggregate Crystal."
Baha changed the subject, grinning maliciously at Black A. "You're now part of the Dark God Cult faction. You can't deny that, can you?"
Hearing this, Black A didn't speak, but the subtle change in his expression was an admission.
"Now the Dark God Cult in Ghost Soul City has fallen. Without this base, the remaining members are like grasshoppers after autumn. And now, the alliance's Hunter Corps is sweeping the city to arrest Dark God Cult members. You're clearly one of them."
"So what?"
Black A finally spoke. Seeing this, Baha's grin grew even more mischievous. "So what? Think about it. After the Hunter Corps catches you, what will happen to you? Two outcomes: 1. Executed, or 2. Transferred by the Hunter Corps to the Twilight Madhouse, locked in the underground prison. Given our friendship, we definitely won't let you be executed. Rest assured, young man, we'll arrange your stay at our institution as soon as possible."
Hearing this analysis, Black A's expression grew serious. This clearly bypassed the notary's prohibitions.
"Compared to getting nothing and being locked in an underground prison, I have a proposal. See if you can accept it. I know what you're thinking—you want to trade the 'ancient crest' for the 'Life Source Aggregate Crystal.' Actually, we were thinking the same thing."
Hearing Baha say this, a different light appeared in Black A's eyes. But Baha's tone shifted, sounding regretful as he continued, "The problem is, you came out too late. If you'd come out earlier, we'd definitely have been willing to trade a whole 'Life Source Aggregate Crystal' for the 'ancient crest.' But before you, the Sun Apostle used all the 'Ancestral Treasures' he obtained to trade for half a 'Life Source Aggregate Crystal.' Don't look at me like that. He originally wanted a whole one, but we felt the chips weren't enough, so we gave him half first, telling him to get more chips for the remaining half."
Saying this, Baha took out half a "Life Source Aggregate Crystal" and said with some regret, "We can't exactly trade this half 'Life Source Aggregate Crystal' for your 'ancient crest,' can we? You definitely wouldn't agree. Hey? Why are you taking out the 'ancient crest'? You agree?"
Baha "surprisedly" looked at Black A, "incredulously" exchanging half a "Life Source Aggregate Crystal" for the "ancient crest."
"In my opinion, Black A doesn't seem like a member of the Dark God Cult. He must have been coerced. Don't you all agree?"
Baha's words prompted the surrounding hunters to speak up one after another:
"Our captain contacted me, said there's an urgent matter. I'm off."
"I have diarrhea. Farewell."
"I, I..."
The last hunter stammered for a while without coming up with a new excuse, but he too quickly walked away. Within half a minute, all the hunters had left, also taking Alisa to see her sister Tessa.
Before the mist gate, only Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, Baha, Black A, and Wei Wei remained. Black A broke free from his restraints, stood up, and looked at Baha. Just as he was about to speak, Baha preemptively said, "The Sun Apostle went that way. He's been gone for... half an hour? Should be about right."
Hearing this, Black A took Wei Wei and quickly left. Before leaving, Wei Wei secretly gestured to Su Xiao, indicating she would keep an eye on Black A and prevent him from doing anything extreme. Clearly, Wei Wei knew who the real boss was.
Seeing this, Su Xiao had an idea: the subsequent mining team could also include Wei Wei. Black A's compromise this time was clearly not out of fear of death or being locked in the madhouse's underground prison. Though subtle, Black A was afraid that Wei Wei, who had been following him, would die tragically. By devouring the Dark Saint, Black A had gained a lot, but in return, he had developed a weakness.
In Su Xiao's view, this was good. If Black A had no weaknesses, before leaving this world, Su Xiao would have used his reserved methods to restore Black A to his previous Devourer form. Now, it seemed unnecessary. The current Black A was the combat powerhouse of the mining team.
Regarding the mining team, this was an idea Su Xiao had conceived long ago, and it was becoming more refined. His plan was to send Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants into resource-rich Eighth Rank worlds.
If only Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants were sent, once discovered by the people in that world, not only would the resources they mined be taken, but the servants themselves would be stolen. It would be a loss.
The current situation was to form a team with Black A, Wei Wei, Alisa, the Sun Apostle, Silent Servants, and Tunnel Digging Servants, and send them together into a resource-rich Eighth Rank world. Once Black A and the others entered that world, Su Xiao wouldn't care what they did, but they had to ensure the Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants were safe until the end of one world progress, when Su Xiao would recall them to Reincarnation Paradise using his authority.
Also, as alchemical creations, Su Xiao could manufacture more Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants. For example, creating three Silent Servants and three Tunnel Digging Servants, letting each group find a resource-rich location to mine.
If managed properly, earning over 100,000 Soul Coins per world wouldn't be a problem. If the world's resources were abundant, 200,000 Soul Coins in profit wasn't impossible. If they struck a highly rare and scarce mineral vein, 500,000 Soul Coins per world progress wasn't a fantasy.
Black A, Alisa, and the Sun Apostle each had their specialties and mutual constraints. Black A and the Sun Apostle—one was the combat powerhouse, the other the strategist. The problem was, one was a rebellious son, the other a filial son. If they took the Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants, one would openly rob, the other would embezzle. But if Alisa was there, neither Black A nor the Sun Apostle would dare. The cost of being discovered was too severe.
Su Xiao would turn a blind eye to other things Black A and the Sun Apostle did. But if these two dared to touch the resource output of the Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants, they would truly cease to exist—annihilated without any chance to resist.
After ensuring the mining team wouldn't embezzle, the external threats of the world they entered had to be considered. The world the mining team entered would inevitably have various intertwined factions. When someone in these factions discovered the Silent Servants and Tunnel Digging Servants and the resources they mined, greed would surely arise.
That's when Black A, Alisa, and the Sun Apostle would shine. Black A was the combat powerhouse, good at group battles. Alisa excelled at pursuit, one-on-one combat, and assassinating enemy high-levels. The Sun Apostle was skilled in strategy and calculation. In an Eighth Rank world, few factions could handle the three of them working together.
Thus, the mining team was formed. The current problem was how to send them into an Eighth Rank world. For this, the three scoundrels of the Arbiters would be needed. Therefore, in the mining team's profits, Su Xiao would take 50%, Kaiser 20%, Toad 10%, Rat 10%, and Black A, Alisa, and the Sun Apostle would split the remaining 10%.
At first glance, Su Xiao had prepared for so long only to get 50%, which seemed a bit low. But from another perspective, Su Xiao had done everything he needed to do. He could just sit back and reap the benefits afterward. Moreover, for such matters, if substantial benefits weren't distributed, it couldn't be sustained long-term.
Before the mist gate, Su Xiao checked the time. He had been waiting here for over an hour, and the Sun Apostle still hadn't come out. Among the three, Black A had obtained the "ancient crest," Alisa had gotten the black clay pot, and as for the Sun Apostle, all the "Ancestral Treasures" discovered by the participants were now with him.
Part of them were stolen by the Sun Apostle through schemes, but more were traded from others using a suppression potion.
Inside the family mansion and underground palace, participants suffered a negative status called Bloodthirst. This status would stack continuously. Once it exceeded the tolerance limit, they would mutate into monsters of the mansion or palace. But by drinking the suppression potion, Bloodthirst could be alleviated. After leaving this dangerous area, Bloodthirst would naturally dissipate over time.
The Sun Apostle used this suppression potion to trade for the "Ancestral Treasures" obtained by the participants. Only Black A wouldn't trade with him, because Black A had killed the old merchant in the mansion and had enough suppression potion. That's why the Sun Apostle later schemed to steal Black A's "Ancestral Treasures."
The mist gate ahead rippled, and a figure walked out—it was the Sun Apostle. He still wore a smiling expression, holding an old leather bundle in his hand.
"The thing you wanted, I brought it out for you."
The Sun Apostle put down the old bundle. This guy was smart. Seeing only Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, and Baha outside the mist gate, he sensed something was wrong.
"..."
Su Xiao tossed out half a "Life Source Aggregate Crystal." After the Sun Apostle caught it, his aura fluctuated for an instant, but he soon noticed the uneven cross-section, indicating it had been split.
"The other half is with Black A."
As Su Xiao's words fell, a sound of wind breaking came. A figure leaped down from the top of the high wall above, crashing heavily to the ground—it was Black A, who had just left.
"Found you. Come and fight me to the death..."
Before Black A could finish, the Sun Apostle had already thrown the "Life Source Aggregate Crystal" in his hand. With a plop, half a "Life Source Aggregate Crystal" landed on the mud before Black A's feet, cutting off his words.
Black A frowned, feeling there must be a conspiracy. But half a "Life Source Aggregate Crystal" was right at his feet. Frowning deeply, he picked it up and touched it to his own half. With a click, the two halves adhered and perfectly fused. Seeing that this half was genuine, Black A was completely stunned.
Black A looked at the Sun Apostle, then stared at Su Xiao, who remained seated. Suddenly, he thought that the "Life Source Aggregate Crystal" must be flawed—that it didn't have the effect he imagined.
Black A absorbed the "Life Source Aggregate Crystal." The next second, he felt the power binding his origin and soul dissolve in an instant. At this moment, he was completely free from the creator's restraint! Not only that, but his strength also began to slowly increase.
Even Black A couldn't help but smile. He looked at Su Xiao with a complex expression and said, "Never, see you again."
After saying this, Black A was about to vanish, but before he could, Su Xiao said calmly, "Enjoy the remaining time. After all, this is your last moment of existence."
Hearing this, Black A immediately stopped, frowning. "What do you mean?"
"Don't doubt it. You're completely free now, out of all my control."
Su Xiao wasn't lying. The current Black A had indeed completely broken free from all restraints.
"Black A, what do you think you are in the world consciousness of this world? A native? A guest? Neither. You're a foreign object that appeared out of nowhere, an existence that needs to be expelled. In the days to come, you'll gradually feel the world's rejection of you, until the world consciousness reaches its tolerance limit and uses world thunder to eliminate you."
"Impossible. Abyss Spawn are also foreign creatures. They..."
Su Xiao raised his hand to interrupt Black A's argument. "Abyss Spawn come from the Abyss, and their karma is also in the Abyss. This world isn't qualified to reject them."
"Then why wasn't I rejected before?"
"In the judgment, you were a contracted creature under my command, a contracted creature notarized by Reincarnation Paradise."
Hearing Su Xiao's words, Black A suddenly fell silent, narrowing his eyes in thought.
Su Xiao took out a wooden box and opened it to reveal several bottles of [Vitality Concentrate]. He tossed the box to Black A. "In the coming days, you'll need them more and more."
Su Xiao leaped onto the dragon's back, ready to leave. From start to finish, he wasn't afraid of Black A breaking free from his control. Otherwise, he would have eliminated this rebellious son long ago.
"Creator, what should I do next?"
The Sun Apostle spoke with a smile.
"Whatever you want."
Leaving these words, Su Xiao's Storm Flame Dragon spread its wings and soared into the sky, leaving Black A frowning deeply, already beginning to doubt his life.
"What's the point of all this?"
Black A looked at the Sun Apostle. Hearing this, the Sun Apostle laughed. "Of course there's a point. It's about earning the qualification. The winners of this competition were never just one—there were five. You, me, Boiling Red, Dark Sun, and Crystal Lady all had winning spots. We just killed off a few spots by fighting each other to the death. Think carefully. What exactly does the Creator need us for? Watching us fight for entertainment? Of course not. There's something very important for us to do later. The good stuff is still waiting."
The Sun Apostle left with a full smile, in an exceptionally good mood. In fact, from early in this competition, the Sun Apostle was destined to be one of the winners. He had been lying low all along, guessing that holding out to the end would make him a winner.
...
Alliance, Kuth City, Twilight Madhouse, Third Floor, Director's Bedroom.
With a rumble, the teleportation completed. Su Xiao walked out of the bedroom. This trip to Ghost Soul City was both smooth and not. Smooth because the competition was finished. Not smooth because he only learned the general location of the traitor.
Sitting behind the office desk, Su Xiao closed his eyes and leaned back for a moment. Bubu Wang and Amu's snoring rose and fell. These past few days had truly exhausted Bubu Wang and Amu. Bubu Wang had infiltrated the Dark Cathedral multiple times, while Amu, in a detached state, had wielded the Dragonheart Axe alone to fight off the mid and small factions of Ghost Soul City that tried to take advantage of the chaos. Amu had beaten them into submission.
Su Xiao placed the sheathed Dragon-Slaying Flash on the table. He estimated that in about three days, the Blade Demon Spirit within Dragon-Slaying Flash would finish devouring the indestructible Abyss Spawn's origin energy.
Compared to that, finding the traitor's trail was more important. For this, he naturally had to entrust the Hunter Corps' intelligence department. Having just destroyed the Dark God Cult, the Hunter Corps took his commission very seriously. Their space-type intelligence personnel had already gone to the "Bar Great Forest" to drive animal servants to find the forest cabin.
Moreover, the Hunter Corps' intelligence department had drawn a portrait of the traitor based on Su Xiao's description. Aside from being a bit lighter in color, it looked almost like a photo.
The phone on the table rang. It was Tessa. Su Xiao picked up.
"The forest cabin in the Great Forest has been found. One good news, one bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
"Bad news."
"The bad news is that the person living in that cabin left months ago."
"..."
"Don't you want to hear the good news?"
"Go on."
"I have a subordinate who can track residual soul traces. You know my department—tracking is routine. The person you're looking for is quite something. His residual soul traces from months ago caused my subordinate to suffer backlash and go into shock on the spot. Before passing out, he only managed to say 'Northern Border.' As for exactly where in the Northern Border, we'll have to wait until he wakes up."
Hearing Tessa's words, Su Xiao hung up. The traitor had gone to the Northern Border Empire. This was good news. As long as the other party showed up in any city in the Northern Border, there would be a way to find him. At least it was easier than searching in the "Bar Great Forest."
Su Xiao took out the "ancient crest" and examined it. He found that its practical value was far less than its existence value. This item was the key to the dangerous areas—the family mansion and ancestral underground palace. With it, the Void Tree could notarize these two locations and separate them from this world.
Su Xiao didn't know why the initial regulations were established, but he could confirm that one of them stated that the Void Tree and the Paradise factions couldn't arbitrarily separate parts of a world. Even if they had to, they needed representative items, like this "ancient crest."
[You have submitted the "ancient crest."]
[You have become the winner of this competition.]
[You have obtained Primordial Fragment ×1.]
[Your Void Tree Reputation has increased...]
[Increase failed.]
[Re-initiating increase...]
[Re-increase failed.]
[According to the compensation rules of the initial regulations, you have obtained Precipitated Glass ×10.]
...
Su Xiao looked at the 10 Precipitated Glass appearing on the table, a different light in his eyes. He suddenly thought that his -??? Void Tree Reputation might have a special use.
If he could obtain a reward for "massively increasing Void Tree Reputation" through some event, and the increase still failed, wouldn't he get random materials equivalent in value to the "massive Void Tree Reputation"?
Putting away the [Primordial Fragment] and [Precipitated Glass], Su Xiao took out all the "Ancestral Treasures." Using the authority attached to the Abyss Shop, he sold these items containing "Abyss Precipitate" to the Void Tree in bulk, obtaining 19.2 ounces of "Abyss Precipitate." He then used this to exchange for 192 Precipitated Glass.
Su Xiao opened the Abyss Shop, and a long list appeared before him: