Chapter 3: In the battle with the betrayer, the opponent's fighting style left Su Xiao deeply puzzled. At the very beginning of the fight, he could sense that the betrayer was holding back; otherwise, either Amu or Baha would have surely died. But as the battle progressed, the betrayer switched to a ruthless, no-holds-barred combat state. Yet by the end, the betrayer seemed to suddenly remember something, ultimately choosing to stop sustaining himself with Abyss power, leading to the phenomenon of his life force fading away.
Based on these doubts, it seemed as though the betrayer had deliberately lured Su Xiao here, fought a decisive battle with the Law Destroyer, and then left behind the Awakening Stele before dying.
Now that the betrayer was dead and his ability to conceal things was gone, Su Xiao could clearly sense that the Awakening Stele was directly beneath the battlefield. This resonance was very strong.
From the current situation, although Su Xiao had nearly died in this battle, what he gained from the betrayer was clearly all beneficial, especially witnessing how the Blade Demon Spirit could be used, plus the imminent acquisition of the Awakening Stele.
Yet, for some unknown reason, there was a hint of dissonance in all this. If this were the arrangement of an old Law Destroyer, it would be normal. The problem was that Shadow of the Abyss, Siman Aqide, was indeed once a Law Destroyer, but he had clearly left the Law Destruction Faction a long time ago.
Siman Aqide hadn't joined Arcane Eternal Star; rather, he had fallen into the Abyss, becoming a betrayer of the Law Destruction Faction. Given that the two had never met, and before this, Su Xiao didn't even know of his existence, the things Siman Aqide had done seemed far too benevolent towards Su Xiao.
In this world, there is no hatred without cause, nor kindness without reason. The betrayer was once part of the Law Destruction Faction, but even if he wanted to look after Su Xiao, it wouldn't be to this extent, especially since he had left the faction many years ago.
In this decisive battle with the betrayer, there were too many things Su Xiao couldn't understand. Fortunately, he possessed an ability that the betrayer didn't know about, and that other Law Destroyers didn't have either: his innate ability, Soul Devourer.
Su Xiao cupped his hands, and the soul memories that hadn't fully dissipated gathered into a glowing orb floating between his palms. He began searching for the part he needed and quickly found it. The scene before him changed.
Inside a somewhat dim underground palace, thick candles as wide as an arm were lined up along the walls on both sides. Two people were conversing in the main hall. Seeing this setting, Su Xiao immediately recalled that this was the Dark Cathedral's underground palace of the Dark God Cult in Ghost City.
The two here were none other than Abyss Lord Silvis and the Betrayer Siman Aqide. After a moment of silence, Abyss Lord Silvis spoke:
"You won't last much longer. After you die, your five disciples won't have a good ending."
"Oh? In this world, who would dare provoke them?"
As the betrayer spoke, he picked up a wine glass and drained it in one gulp. It was clear that his life force exuded a withered feel, indicating he didn't have long to live. Su Xiao naturally knew this, whether from the bounty amount dropping from 35,000 ounces of Space-Time Power to 1,800-3,000 ounces, or the brief weakening during the deathmatch.
"That's true. Even if you die, no one in this world would dare oppose them. But after you're gone, will they still be content to stay here? They've long wanted to go to the Void, to see other myriad worlds."
At this point, Abyss Lord Silvis's face showed his characteristic unnatural smile. The betrayer's only weakness was his five disciples. They weren't just his inheritors of techniques; each had been raised by him since childhood, like his own children.
"They're still young. What's wrong with going out to see the world?"
The betrayer refilled his glass, but his cloudy eyes seemed to hold some concern.
"Right, nothing wrong with it. They all have the skills you taught them, Abyss-inclined Law Destruction trait abilities. I'm certain the Spellcasters wouldn't recognize the nature of these abilities. But... a Law Destroyer definitely would. Have you heard? That Law Destroyer from Reincarnation Paradise. Paradise plus Law Destroyer, hahahaha. What kind of monster is that? If I were a Spellcaster from Arcane Eternal Star, I wouldn't go near him."
Hearing this from Abyss Lord Silvis, the betrayer remained silent. Seeing this, Abyss Lord Silvis continued:
"In the upper echelons of the Void and myriad worlds, it's really just those few people. If your disciples go to the Void, there's an 80% chance they'll encounter that Law Destroyer. It's only a matter of time. I bet when they meet, it'll be very friendly. That Law Destroyer will see, 'Oh? Abyss-inclined Law Destruction trait abilities. How special. Should I kill them? Or study them?' Or do you have confidence that your disciples can go head-to-head with the Law Destroyer from Reincarnation Paradise in the future?"
After hearing this, the betrayer's face was ashen. He knew Abyss Lord Silvis wasn't exaggerating. After he died of old age, his disciples would surely be unable to resist their longing for the Void and myriad worlds. Once they went there, although there seemed to be many powerful beings in the nine tiers, it was really just these few people. Encountering that Law Destroyer was truly only a matter of time.
Not to mention others, in the betrayer's view, if he were still a Law Destroyer and encountered someone with Abyss-inclined Law Destruction trait abilities, he would definitely want to study them thoroughly to see what the hell they were.
As for having his disciples go head-to-head with that Law Destroyer, please don't joke. A Law Destroyer within Reincarnation Paradise, with that kind of resource acquisition path, even without the Awakening Stele, would be a monster. The betrayer's disciples had no chance of winning.
And indeed, this was the case. Su Xiao had just advanced to the Ninth Rank. Among the betrayer's five disciples, the Northern General, the Masked Woman, and others were no match for him.
Given the betrayer's style, he naturally wouldn't resort to a plan like "since they'll likely be hostile in the future, I'll just eliminate Su Xiao." Such a scheme was beneath the betrayer's notice.
"Silvis, I'll open an Abyss Rift and hold on a bit longer. As a condition, you'll be the guide for this matter."
"Of course... I can! As long as you're willing to open the Abyss Rift, I'll quickly devour Platinum and Hatred, recover to full, and act as your guide for this matter. But how do we lure that Law Destroyer here? Are you going to eliminate him?"
"Not eliminate him. He'll come. The Awakening Stele hasn't been bought from Holy Light Paradise yet. So, he'll come."
At this point, a smile appeared on the betrayer's face. He suddenly had a good idea: dying in a duel with a Law Destroyer seemed much better than lying on a sickbed, hunched over, gasping out his last breath. At least it would be a dignified end with the Law Destruction Faction. His life began with the Law Destruction Faction, and now it would end with them. Wasn't that quite stylish?
"Siman Aqide, have you considered that if the Law Destroyer is narrow-minded and twisted, your arrangements will be useless? He'll take all the benefits you've prepared, then turn around and kill your disciples. You'll die with regrets."
"It's fine. In this world, there are many people he needs to kill. The Deceiver, Biswo; the Informant, Nightmare King; the Mysterious One, Black Rose; the Defector, Sand King. We just need to watch first, see how he treats these enemies, and we'll know what kind of person he is. Besides, there's still a deathmatch between him and me at the end. What can't be learned from a deathmatch?"
"That's indeed a good method."
As Abyss Lord Silvis spoke, his gaze inadvertently fell on the Law Annihilation Blade embedded in his black mud body. He said:
"That Law Annihilation Blade of yours fell into the Abyss back then. Why not pull this one out and use it for now?"
"I'll come to retrieve it when the time comes. I need to sleep to maintain my life force stability."
Leaving these words, the Betrayer Siman Aqide walked out of the underground palace.
The scene before him quickly dissipated. The doubts in Su Xiao's heart were resolved. Just as he had thought earlier, there is no hatred without cause in this world, nor kindness without reason. He and the betrayer did have some connection, after all, the other party was once a member of the Law Destruction Faction. But that was so many years ago, such a distant relationship, it really shouldn't have reached the point where the betrayer held back in a deathmatch and then gifted the Awakening Stele.
Imagine, if Su Xiao couldn't see soul memories, then after experiencing this teaching-like battle, receiving so many benefits deliberately prepared by the betrayer, and learning who the betrayer's five disciples were, would he bare his fangs at them if he encountered them later? Even if he wouldn't help, he at least wouldn't harm them. That was the result the betrayer wanted. His disciples were what he cared about most, like his children.
As for the betrayer's disciples seeking revenge on Su Xiao for killing him, the betrayer had already arranged for that. Before leaving, he directly told his disciples that his life was coming to an end, that he was going to fight the Law Destroyer one last time, to let the Law Destroyer end his life, to end his life stylishly in battle.
Under these circumstances, as long as the betrayer's disciples weren't brain-dead, they wouldn't come after Su Xiao for revenge.
In the whole affair, the betrayer actually lost his composure once. When Su Xiao arrived at Fierce Winter City, the Northern General was recalled by the Northern high command. Upon learning this, the betrayer flew into a rage and killed everyone involved.
At that time, the Northern Monarch didn't dare make a sound. Or rather, how could he dare? Not only were the betrayer's five disciples representative figures of the North, but more importantly, he was truly afraid that if he said a single word of refusal, he would be taken out by the betrayer, whose life was nearing its end. Weren't the Parasitic Insect Clan strong? They had said to the betrayer: "After you die, none of your disciples will survive."
Then the Parasitic Insect Clan was wiped out, annihilated by the betrayer alone with a single blade.
It could be said that this entire affair was a scheme laid out by the betrayer. What was even more brilliant was that in this scheme, everyone was a winner.
Winner 1: Su Xiao. He learned the true usage and power of the Blade Demon Spirit and obtained the crucial Awakening Stele. Remember, this thing cost the betrayer 1,592 ounces of Space-Time Power, purchased from Holy Light Paradise under the notarization of the Void Tree.
Winner 2: The Betrayer. The betrayer died in a decisive battle with a Law Destroyer, rather than weakening and dying of old age. Also, by having the Law Destroyer eliminate the enemies of the Law Destruction Faction, he wiped out all the ambitious powerhouses in this world. This meant that after the Law Destroyer left, the betrayer's disciples became the top combat power in this world, because the stronger ones had all been killed by the Law Destroyer during his revenge spree.
Winner 3: The Betrayer's Disciples. Their master helped them eliminate enemies who would likely have taken their lives in the future, allowing them to more safely venture into the Void and myriad worlds.
However, not everyone could be a winner in this scheme. For instance, one of the intended winners, Abyss Lord Silvis, ended up killing himself with his own cleverness.
Originally, Abyss Lord Silvis's role was to be the guide, using a series of events to eventually bring Su Xiao and the betrayer together. He would then open an Abyss Passage and return to the Abyss, while the betrayer would close this passage before the decisive battle, just as he had once told the Sun Church how to close the previous Abyss Passage.
The first half went without a hitch. But in the second half, after Abyss Lord Silvis merged with Platinum Bishop and Hatred to become the Archbishop of the Abyss, his fatal mistake came.
When Su Xiao led the alliance team to Ghost City, the Archbishop of the Abyss saw that this wasn't going according to plan at all; they had clearly come to kill him.
After careful deliberation by his Abyss-energy-corrupted brain, the Archbishop of the Abyss concluded that Su Xiao and the betrayer had conspired to kill him. If they wanted to resolve the faction conflict, why not just give the Awakening Stele to Su Xiao directly?
In fact, the betrayer had considered this. It would indeed be simpler and more direct. But it would be far too suspicious. It wouldn't be nearly as effective as acting like a senior of the Law Destruction Faction, seemingly observing for a while, and finally having a decisive battle before revealing the Awakening Stele.
Things obtained easily are rarely cherished, and few people remember such a casually given favor. On the other hand, with the backdrop of a decisive battle and the inheritance of the Law Destroyer's will, the atmosphere was elevated. Anyone with even a shred of conscience wouldn't lay a hand on the betrayer's disciples.
After his series of maneuvers, the Archbishop of the Abyss successfully killed himself. To his dying breath, he felt that the Law Destroyer and the betrayer had conspired to set him up.
At this point, it seemed like the whole affair was planned by the betrayer. But that wasn't entirely the case. The betrayer's plan changed midway. More accurately, halfway through the plan, the biggest winner could only be Su Xiao, because some of the things Su Xiao did far exceeded the betrayer's expectations.
It seemed that Su Xiao lost the final decisive battle, with the betrayer dying of life force exhaustion at the last moment. But the real situation was that in this decisive battle between Su Xiao and the betrayer, Su Xiao was destined to win. Did the betrayer never consider eliminating Su Xiao in the battle to remove future troubles? He actually did consider it, but later decisively abandoned the idea.
More precisely, after Su Xiao dealt with the Sand King, the betrayer abandoned any thought of killing Su Xiao in the decisive battle. Because if he did, all his arrangements and the disciples he cared about would be completely lost.
Su Xiao had used the Original Sin Object, the Soul Crown, to kill the Sand King. After learning this, the betrayer, in a semi-sleeping state, used the Blade Demon Spirit to control a suicide operative to investigate whether Su Xiao had any other Original Sin Objects.
Through meticulous investigation, the betrayer sensed a strong residual aura of Original Sin Objects in the large stone house where Su Xiao had stayed in the Sand Country. After urgently summoning an old friend from the Devil Clan who specialized in this from the Void, that Devil Clan member was stunned. His reply to the betrayer was: "This isn't just one Original Sin Object; it's the residual aura of four Original Sin Objects!"
Obviously, the Abyssal Jar was counted in. The Soul Crown, Nether Bone Ring, Necronomicon, and Abyssal Jar made exactly four.
Upon learning this, the betrayer made up his mind: in the decisive battle, he must hold back. He absolutely could not kill this Law Destroyer. Original Sin Objects share a common characteristic: if their holder is killed, the ownership transfers to the killer.
The betrayer himself wasn't afraid of death; he was nearly spent. But if he simultaneously held four Original Sin Objects, after his death, the karmic consequences would inevitably spread to his disciples. In that case, forget his disciples; with the power of four Original Sin Objects, the Northern Empire would be reduced to ashes without a trace.
In fact, an accident occurred during the decisive battle. As Su Xiao and the betrayer fought, both were getting into better and better form. The Abyss energy within the betrayer was too active. In the end, he unconsciously entered a serious state due to the clash of techniques. Everyone has flaws. In his youth, the betrayer was exceptionally battle-hungry, and this was why he had thrown himself into the Abyss.
Fighting to the end, just before his life faded, the betrayer's thought was: "Are Law Destroyers nowadays this resilient? To have this kind of survivability at this level of strength?"
If Su Xiao, who held three Original Sin Objects, were to die here, it wouldn't just be his loss; it would be a mutual defeat. The betrayer would also lose.
In simple terms, the whole affair was a scheme laid out by the betrayer. But when Su Xiao entered the scene, he came with a royal flush plus four twos, meaning two Original Sin Objects, and later drew four aces. It was hard to say who had arranged whom.
Su Xiao didn't want to completely figure this out. He cared about the results. He learned the powerful usage of the Blade Demon Spirit, obtained the Awakening Stele, and completed the 「Hunt List: Blood Pact」. That was his victory.
As for losing to the betrayer, Su Xiao wasn't discouraged. Losing once isn't scary. Just get up from the ground and keep walking forward firmly, rather than wallowing in self-pity after a single fall.
After falling, you must stand up quickly and continue climbing higher. When you reach a higher place and look back at the spot where you once fell, you will only see the lesson etched in your memory, not the large pool of blood on the ground that you saw back then.
Su Xiao's injuries were completely stabilized. He still sat leaning against the tree wall, checking the prompts that had just appeared.
[Prompt: You have killed Shadow of the Abyss, Siman Aqide.]
[You have obtained 7,900 Soul Coins.]
[You have obtained 39.5% World Source.]
[You have obtained Abyss Chest (Opening has a chance to yield Abyss products).]
[You have obtained Law Destruction Chest (Opening has a chance to yield Law Destruction exclusive equipment or items).]
Two types of chests appeared simultaneously. Su Xiao put them away, then materialized the 「Hunt List: Blood Pact」, using the betrayer's blood to erase the name at the bottom of the list.
[You have successfully hunted the Betrayer.]
[Due to the 「Hunt List: Blood Pact」's multiple bounty + bounty correction, you will receive a total bounty worth 2,600 ounces of Space-Time Power.]
[You have obtained Space-Time Stone Fragments ×200 (This is an equivalent item; selling it to Reincarnation Paradise yields 2,000 ounces of Space-Time Power).]
[You have obtained High-Intensity Abyss Blood ×6 (When used according to a specific method, it can increase Abyss Resistance by 8-15 points). This item is valued at 600 ounces of Space-Time Power in this judgment.]
[Your Main Quest: Shadow of the Abyss (Completed)]
[You have obtained Origin Stone: Endless.]
[It has been verified that you have completed the final stage of your Main Quest. You may immediately return to Reincarnation Paradise, or stay in this world for 48 hours. If the return authorization is not activated after 48 hours, you will be forcibly teleported back to Reincarnation Paradise.]
Seeing the last prompt, Su Xiao felt a wave of physical and mental relief. Not long after entering this world, he had been constantly vigilant because the betrayer hadn't attacked him proactively. He had never encountered a situation before where the final boss was just waiting at the final battleground. In the past, whenever he entered a mission world, the enemy's final boss would immediately bring a bunch of underlings and surround him as fast as possible.
The most bizarre time was when he entered a mission world and was poisoned before he even opened his eyes. Luckily, his poison resistance was high, or he would have been done for.
A sound of something breaking through the air came. Su Xiao looked up and saw Baha swooping in. When Baha arrived, although he was excited inside, he didn't show it too much, since he had already seen the kill notification in the team channel.
Over ten minutes later, Amu and Bubu Wang also arrived. To get there faster, Sacred Hymn was riding on Bubu Wang's back. From Sacred Hymn's reddened nose and the hand she held to her forehead, it seemed Bubu Wang had run too fast and crashed into something on the way. Question: If you ride Bubu Wang and he hits a tree, who hurts more, Bubu Wang or the rider? The answer is the latter. Don't ask Su Xiao how he knows.
"Amu, find a place nearby and bury Siman Aqide."
Su Xiao spoke. Hearing this, Amu let out a moo.
Su Xiao went to the center of the battlefield. After searching for a moment, he found a mechanism under the rubble. He pulled the lever, and a sloping passage leading underground appeared. Following the steps, he walked down.
About a hundred meters underground, a metal door blocked his way. Su Xiao looked at a hole about 20 centimeters in diameter on the door. He grabbed the ring inside and pulled hard, but it didn't budge. He tentatively released his energy perception. Unexpectedly, as soon as his Cyan Steel Shadow Energy entered the hole, the metal door slid open to both sides. It could only be said that Shadow of the Abyss had set things up thoroughly.
Entering the underground palace, Su Xiao looked around and found it was about a hundred square meters, not too large. The furnishings inside were simple: a small wooden shelf and a towering dark blue Awakening Stele.
The texture of the Awakening Stele was somewhat crystalline, but touching it revealed a heavier, denser feel than crystal. The several-meter-tall stele was densely covered with incomprehensible patterns.
Su Xiao looked at the small shelf beside it. There was a letter on it. He opened and read it. The content was that back then, Siman Aqide chose to throw himself into the Abyss, nearly severing ties with the Law Destruction Faction. While the Law Destruction Faction didn't oppose using Abyss power to a certain extent, they couldn't fully immerse themselves in it. If discovered, they would be considered traitors. This was a rule set by the earliest generations of Law Destroyers. Su Xiao didn't know the specific reason.
In fact, the Law Destruction Faction not only didn't oppose using Abyss power to a certain extent, they also didn't oppose or interfere with using natural elemental power to a certain extent. Because elemental power couldn't be used up. Everyone, including every plant, normally absorbs trace amounts of natural elements. This is more like a cycle and doesn't cause a total consumption of natural elements.
But devouring natural elements was a different matter. This was taking without giving back, which would inevitably cause the total amount of natural elements to decrease, breaking the balance and ultimately leading to the Abyss's invasion.
Su Xiao continued reading the letter. It expressed that Su Xiao was the last surviving member of the Law Destruction Faction, and the Awakening Stele was a gift to him. It also mentioned that this Awakening Stele was not in its complete state, and the search for the other part had been fruitless, asking Su Xiao to try his best to find it. At the end of the letter, it also mentioned the five disciples in the North, implying that even if they weren't friends in the future, it would be best not to become enemies.
Faced with this situation, Su Xiao looked at the three [First Generation Finger Bones] and two [Awakening Stones] in the wooden box on the shelf, plus one [Soul Crystal (Usage effect roughly equals 100 Soul Crystal Cores, cannot be split for use, highly rare item, can be sold to Reincarnation Paradise for an equivalent amount of Space-Time Power)].
If this kind of situation happened once a day, it would be great. The rewards were truly too generous. Su Xiao put away all the materials and returned to the Awakening Stele.
Su Xiao placed one hand on the Awakening Stele and soon learned how to use it. To master the abilities inscribed on it, he first needed to charge the Awakening Stele. The charging method was simple: use Soul Crystal Cores. Each core charged 1%.
This expensive cost made Su Xiao frown. Because after charging, he would also need a corresponding number of Law-Destroying Skill Points to master the abilities above.
Mastering abilities similar to [Spirit Shadow Constitution], [Slaughter Shadow], and [Absolute Magic Constitution] — these 「Law Destruction Passives」 — required 10 Law-Destroying Skill Points each. Upon mastering, the initial level was X. They could later be upgraded with Golden Skill Points to reach X.
Besides these 「Law Destruction Passives」, there were also 「Branch Passives」. 「Branch Passive」 abilities only required 1 Law-Destroying Skill Point to master one, but the initial level was Lv.1, with a cap of Lv.10. They could reach X without needing Golden Skill Points. These types of abilities could be upgraded with Law-Destroying Skill Points, or in the Skill Upgrade Hall at a relatively high cost using Soul Coins.
The effects of these 「Branch Passives」 were to increase the True Damage of the Cyan Steel Shadow ability, or the damage of Blade techniques, or the characteristics of the Azure Shadow King, etc. They all enhanced abilities he had already mastered.
These 「Branch Passives」 were quite formidable. Just the 「Branch Passives」 related to the Cyan Steel Shadow ability numbered in the dozens, including those that increased True Damage, those that enhanced the strength of Proud Song, and a whole bunch more.
Furthermore, 「Branch Passives」 had another wonderful use: some 「Branch Passives」 were used to enhance oneself.
What does enhancing oneself mean? After mastering a Lv.1 「Branch Passive」, it might increase Mana Points by 1%, or Health Points by 1%, or increase Physical Strength by 2 points, etc. At first glance, the increase doesn't seem huge. But this ability caps at Lv.10, and there are a whole bunch of them. The bonus from one or two isn't particularly significant, but what about dozens or hundreds?
Su Xiao suddenly realized why he couldn't beat the elderly, severely weakened Siman Aqide. It would be strange if he could. Who knows how many passive abilities the other party had stacked.
Moreover, Siman Aqide had been using basic attacks the whole time. Thinking about it now, as long as enough 「Law Destruction Passives」 and 「Branch Passives」 were stacked, basic attacks were sufficient in most situations.
This also gave Law Destroyers an absurdly high margin for error. Other systems might lose after missing one ultimate ability. Law Destroyers didn't have this problem. If they missed one ultimate-level basic attack, they just needed to land another one. Ultimate cooldown? What cooldown? Basic attacks don't have cooldowns.
However, the cost of stacking passives was also significant. It required a massive amount of Soul Crystal Cores and Law-Destroying Skill Points. The latter was manageable; killing strong enemies generated them. The former was a problem.
Su Xiao opened his storage space, intending to take out some Soul Crystal Cores to try activating the Awakening Stele. But as soon as he opened his storage space, he found an item inside continuously resonating. This item was the [???] given to him by the Demon Blacksmith in the White Town.
[???]
Origin: ???
Quality: ???
Material: ???
Category: ???
Effect: ???
Description: ???
Selling Price: ???
Su Xiao took out the [???] wrapped in a deep blue light orb. When he first obtained this item, Baha touched it and was almost electrocuted to death by the blue arcs. Seeing this item now, Baha subconsciously took two steps back.
Earlier in Dead Silence City, Su Xiao met the Demon Blacksmith again and asked him what the [???] was. The Demon Blacksmith's reply was: "How the hell would I know? I was just keeping it safe. That dying Law Destroyer back then only told me that if I ever met another Law Destroyer in the future, I should give this to him. If I didn't, I could do whatever I wanted with it."
Now, Su Xiao finally knew the purpose of this thing, and why charging the Awakening Stele was so ridiculously expensive. The reason was that the Awakening Stele wasn't meant to be charged with Soul Crystals at all.
Su Xiao inserted the circular [???] into the semi-circular groove at the top of the Awakening Stele. It fit perfectly. The next second, the entire dark blue Awakening Stele gradually turned into a translucent light blue, magnificent and beautiful, with irregular natural patterns inside.
Su Xiao placed his hand on the Awakening Stele again and found that it no longer needed Soul Crystal Cores for charging. This [???] was actually the core energy source of the Awakening Stele. Now, he only needed to consume Law-Destroying Skill Points to master the abilities on the stele.
As for how long this core energy source would last, Su Xiao didn't know. He estimated that if only he used it, he might not even use up all the Law Destruction characteristic core energy inside, even if he mastered all the abilities on the Awakening Stele.
No wonder in the letter just now, Shadow of the Abyss said the Awakening Stele was incomplete. He had tried to find the core energy source but couldn't. Of course he couldn't find it; this thing was in Su Xiao's hands.
This meant that this item had never been lost; it had always been in the hands of the Law Destruction Faction.
Su Xiao began to examine the abilities that could be inscribed on the Awakening Stele. As for 「Branch Passives」, as long as he had enough resources, he could master as many as he wanted. As for 「Law Destruction Passives」, these were more ferocious abilities. His experiences mastering [Spirit Shadow Constitution], [Soul Severing Shadow], and [Demon Spirit Awakening] were still fresh in his mind. However, Su Xiao still had some confidence, which came from:
[Spirit Shadow Constitution: Skill Effect: The body's adaptability to all Law Destruction energies increases. When mastering new Law Destruction abilities, the mortality rate is reduced by 45%.]
Under normal circumstances, a Law Destroyer mastering 「Law Destruction Passives」 was a gradual process. Mastering this type of ability didn't require prerequisites or talent; it depended on whether the body could withstand it. If it could withstand it, then they could learn it. Once learned, the initial level was X.
If it were during the era of the Law Destruction Faction, Su Xiao's development path would certainly be: after his overall strength increased by a tier, he would master one Law Destruction passive. To put it simply, after his physique improved by a tier, he would gain an empty skill slot for a corresponding 「Law Destruction Passive」. Only with an empty 「Law Destruction Passive Skill Slot」 would he be qualified to master a new 「Law Destruction Passive」. Otherwise, he would surely die.
The problem was that Su Xiao didn't have the Awakening Stele before. This resulted in him now having roughly ten empty 「Law Destruction Passive Skill Slots」.