Chapter 66: Overlord's Power
After all seven basic passive abilities were raised to X, the [Ultimate Basic Passive] finally awakened, allowing a choice among four [Ultimate Basic Passive] options.
Su Xiao first eliminated [Sacred Power], as his self-healing abilities were very few, only one team skill falling into this category.
As for [World-Destroying Power], it seemed decent, but Su Xiao's development style focused on stacking passives, and he truly had few active skills, so he also excluded this option.
Regarding [Omnipotent Power], this [Ultimate Basic Passive] increased all attributes the most, but unfortunately, its other characteristics didn't suit Su Xiao.
Su Xiao's gaze focused on [Overlord's Power]. He had found this [Ultimate Basic Passive] appealing earlier, and now it perfectly aligned with his combat system, so there was no need for further deliberation.
As soon as Su Xiao made his choice, the skill upgrade pod he was in began operating. A golden-red energy spread out from the surroundings and surged toward him. The moment this energy touched his skin, it was rapidly absorbed by his body. But the next second, every cell in his body seemed to roar. This experience rivaled when he had mastered [Perfect Physique].
A good day came to an abrupt halt upon mastering [Overlord's Power]. When he woke up, it was already the next morning. He supported himself against the wall of the skill upgrade pod, stood up, and stretched his slightly numb body.
After all discomfort subsided, he felt intense hunger. Even with his current physique drained to this extent, it showed how perilous the process of mastering [Overlord's Power] had been.
[Ultimate Basic Passive: Overlord's Power, Lv.1.]
Skill Effect: Increases health by 5000 points, all attributes +1 point, negates 0.5% physical damage, negates 0.5% energy damage.
...
The initial [Overlord's Power] didn't seem strong, and it didn't even enhance [All Physical Potential] or [Technique Ability Level Cap]. But don't forget, this ability's maximum level is Lv.30. Raising it to max would bring it to a different level of strength.
Raising it to max required 29 Golden Skill Points. Su Xiao wasn't worried about this. As long as he took some risks, he could soon obtain a large number of Golden Skill Points.
This method naturally relied on the [Greedy Chapter]. Currently, he had already defeated four [Soul Manifestations] using [Nightmare Blood Shadow].
He took out the [Greedy Chapter]. This item had been "improved" and "enhanced" by previous holders to an astonishingly difficult level of use. To be precise, no matter what abilities one possessed, if the holder's spiritual body entered the [Greedy Chapter], it was absolutely impossible to defeat even the first [Soul Manifestation].
Initially, Su Xiao thought it was due to insufficient training and needed to adapt to fighting inside with his spiritual body. So he had multiple engagements with the first witch in history, Dark Crow.
Later, he discovered it wasn't simply a matter of being unable to win; it was fundamentally impossible. To put it simply, when Su Xiao entered the [Greedy Chapter] with his spiritual body, he was like a Lv.1 newbie player, equipped with a seemingly cool but unenhanced novice longsword.
Then the [Greedy Chapter] kindly introduced him: "This is [Start Challenge]," "This is [Continue Challenge]." Alright, you now understand all usage methods of the [Greedy Chapter]. Go challenge that Lv.50 boss unit, Dark Crow, over there.
Su Xiao's final solution was to create a Lv.70 substitute fighter, which used his blood energy avatar as a prototype to manifest the [Nightmare Blood Shadow]. The current problem was that even a Lv.70 [Nightmare Blood Shadow] was no match for [Soul Manifestation: Fifth Seat: Prayer Place Nun].
Regarding how to enhance the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] inside the [Greedy Chapter], it was simple. Use [Ancient Dragon Core (Special Equipment)] to gather and store blood energy at the [Ancient Battlefield]. With this blood energy, the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] could be strengthened.
The only issue was that Su Xiao had a premonition: if he strengthened the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] too much, he could indeed clear the [Greedy Chapter] at the fastest speed. But what if the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] escaped from the [Greedy Chapter]? He didn't think this thing would harbor even a shred of goodwill toward him, its creator.
Therefore, using the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] to conquer the [Greedy Chapter] was like driving away a tiger to devour a wolf. The ideal outcome would be for the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] to perish together with the last, the tenth [Soul Manifestation].
Su Xiao took out a skill scroll named [Blood Energy Condensation], a type of aura skill. Of the several aura skill scrolls he had acquired last time, only this one remained.
After mastering it, Su Xiao chose to upgrade this ability. Paying 50 Soul Coins, the skill upgrade pod he was in didn't activate but instead triggered a teleportation permission.
When the spatial teleportation ended, what met his eyes was a land stained dark red by blood, surrounded by remains of powerful beings and broken weapons. This place was the [Ancient Battlefield].
The [Greedy Chapter] couldn't directly absorb blood energy, so it first needed the [Ancient Dragon Core (Special Equipment)] as a container to absorb it, and then use this equipment's characteristics to infuse blood energy into the [Greedy Chapter].
...
Inside the skill upgrade pod where Su Xiao had been, after he left, the pod remained occupied. Time passed minute by minute. Half an hour later, Su Xiao appeared out of thin air.
Bang!
Su Xiao crashed into the pod wall. Using a blood-red crystal claw, he pulled a broken metal spear from his shoulder and tossed it aside. At this moment, his pupils were bloodshot, but his long-standing meditation practice kept his gaze calm.
[Tip: To remove blood energy erosion from the Ancient Battlefield, consume 5390 Soul Coins.]
[To remove blood energy residue from the aura, pay 5520 Soul Coins.]
[To restore physical injuries, pay 822 Soul Coins.]
Su Xiao chose to pay all. As the blood energy erosion was removed, the blood-red crystals on his arm shattered, the redness in his pupils gradually faded, and the wound on his shoulder quickly healed. He had just encountered an attacking [Sleep Guardian]. He estimated that before reaching [Absolute Strength], it was impossible to confront it.
It was fortunate that every time he went to the [Ancient Battlefield], he had the protection permission + teleportation permission from [Reincarnation Paradise]. Otherwise, given his combat power when he first encountered the [Sleep Guardian], he would have surely died that time.
After sitting cross-legged and meditating for a moment, Su Xiao used his [Blood Spear Grandmaster] ability to fuse the [Blood Energy Condensation] raised to X. It was absorbed quickly. Unfortunately, after [Blood Spear Grandmaster] reached Lv.80, absorbing a max-level aura ability was no longer enough to raise [Blood Spear Grandmaster] by one level.
Su Xiao examined the [Ancient Dragon Core (Special Equipment)] in his hand. Last time at the [Ancient Battlefield], he had only filled it halfway. This time, he filled it completely. An astonishing amount of [Ancient Battlefield] blood energy was stored inside.
Leaving the skill upgrade pod and walking back to his [Exclusive Room], Su Xiao noticed that while mastering [Overlord's Power], three emails had arrived. Two were from [Divine Emperor]: one was a repayment, and the other expressed gratitude and subtly indicated that after this period of development, the [Divine Emperor Adventure Group] had regained its financial strength.
The other email was from [Solomon], also repaying a debt totaling 390,000 Soul Coins. Solomon didn't express gratitude or say polite words. Or rather, given Solomon's style, he couldn't be polite.
Solomon's message was simple: if Su Xiao needed anything, he could ask him once, and he would help for free, even if it risked his life.
It seemed this necromancy mage had been poor all the way to the late game. After obtaining the [Death Gem], his combat power had undergone a qualitative change.
Necromancy was naturally a super late-game inheritance system. This ability was very weak in the early stages. For example, the [Necromancer Sister] could only summon one skeleton at the first rank, and that skeleton couldn't even defeat a strong man.
Speaking of which, the [Necromancer Sister] still summoned skeletons, but now she summoned a few more skeletons, and they were diverse, like a thousand-meter-tall giant skeleton, a ten-thousand-meter-level exotic beast skeleton, etc.
Su Xiao weighed the options and chose to contact Solomon. The conversation was as follows:
Bai Ye: "There?"
Solomon: "."
Bai Ye: "In the next few world progressions, I might go to the [Eternal Light World] for a trial. I'm not confident about this. Attached: [Detailed information on the Eternal Light World and its danger level]."
Solomon: "I know the Eternal Light."
Bai Ye: "Just hearing about it isn't enough to fully grasp the danger of the Eternal Light World."
Solomon: "I've been there."
Bai Ye: "."
Solomon: "When I went, there was a shelter zone there, about the size of a small to medium city. As for outside, it might be more dangerous than you described. I didn't leave the shelter zone."
Bai Ye: "I'll go to the Eternal Light later."
Solomon: "[Iron Refining Invitation]. I've been hesitating whether to accept the highest-risk trial. It seems you have the same trouble."
Bai Ye: "Team up?"
Solomon: "Good."
...
Su Xiao was in a good mood. Teammate for the Eternal Light World +1. Suddenly, he missed his "teammate" from the last world, [Shenfu]. If he were also going to the Eternal Light World, that would be great. But with [Shenfu]'s steady and cautious style, it was unlikely he'd go to the Eternal Light World.
However, Su Xiao didn't yet know that with the help of [Shenfu]'s teammate [Befuri], the quota to go to the Eternal Light World had already been added for [Shenfu].
Su Xiao checked his remaining Soul Coins: 467,886. It seemed like a lot, but what he was about to do required a massive amount of Soul Coins.
Returning to his [Exclusive Room], Su Xiao found an empty room, closed the door, and sat on the floor. He took out the [Ancient Dragon Core (Special Equipment)]. With his current means, this was the only way to infuse enough raw blood energy into the [Greedy Chapter] to enhance the [Nightmare Blood Shadow]'s strength. But the problem was that the ancient wyverns had abandoned this secret treasure because its output frequency was unstable.
When releasing blood energy, it was an irregular pattern like -1, -1, -1, -9999999, -1, -10. Su Xiao didn't care much about this. This time, he intended to infuse all the blood energy inside into the [Greedy Chapter]; otherwise, the [Nightmare Blood Shadow]'s strength wouldn't be enough.
As the infusion began, the [Ancient Dragon Core] emptied instantly, with no blood energy left. Anyone unaware would think the [Ancient Dragon Core] was broken.
Su Xiao looked at the [Greedy Chapter] in his hand, which was emitting blood energy. This infusion had too much blood energy. He tried to check the data of the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] inside the [Greedy Chapter]. The data was sparse:
Power Soul: S+++++++++++++++
Agility Soul: S++++++++++++++++++++
Body Soul: S+++++++++++++++
Wisdom Soul: S+++++
Luck Soul: E-
...
Seeing this, Su Xiao's gaze turned serious. There was no need to count the plus signs; looking at the length of the plus signs was more intuitive.
Su Xiao controlled the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] to enter the scene of [Soul Manifestation: Fifth Seat: Prayer Place Nun], then waited for the deathmatch to end. Last time, the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] had lost to the [Prayer Place Nun]. But this time, only a few dozen seconds passed before the deathmatch had a result.
[Tip: You have defeated Soul Manifestation: Fifth Seat: Prayer Place Nun.]
[You gain Golden Skill Points ×5.]
[You gain Cold Prayer Rune (One-time item, after use, forms a fixed recovery area of 5×5 meters, lasting one world progression).]
Taking out a [Soul Crystal Core], Su Xiao activated the next [Soul Manifestation]. With a mental command, he sent the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] into the battle scene and started timing. After 1 minute and 50 seconds, a prompt appeared.
[Tip: You have defeated Soul Manifestation: Sixth Seat: Light King.]
[You gain Golden Skill Points ×6.]
...
The [Light King] of the [Dark Spirit World] was naturally remembered by Su Xiao. He took out another [Soul Crystal Core], activated the next [Soul Manifestation], and sent the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] into a new challenge. This time, over 10 minutes passed before the prompt appeared.
[Tip: You have defeated Soul Manifestation: Seventh Seat: Elf Old King.]
[You gain Golden Skill Points ×7.]
...
This opponent was the [Elf Old King] of the [Treeborn World]. At this point in the challenge, even with the [Nightmare Blood Shadow]'s strength, it couldn't continue to be unstoppable. Su Xiao wasn't disappointed by this. It meant the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] still had controllability and at least wouldn't break out of the [Greedy Chapter] due to this enhancement.
After activating the next [Soul Manifestation], Su Xiao controlled the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] into a new scene. This time, a full half hour passed before he received a prompt.
[Tip: You have defeated Soul Manifestation: Eighth Seat: Trace King: Lushuman.]
[You gain Golden Skill Points ×8.]
[You gain World Trace ×1 portion (World-level item).]
...
When he had encountered [Trace King: Lushuman] in the [World of Paintings], Su Xiao knew this person was extraordinary. Now, as [Soul Manifestation: Eighth Seat], it wasn't surprising.
Checking his current Golden Skill Points, he had 28. If he defeated one more [Soul Manifestation], he would have enough Golden Skill Points to max out [Overlord's Power]. He took out a [Soul Crystal Core] and activated the ninth [Soul Manifestation]. This time, only a few seconds passed before a prompt appeared.
[Challenge Failed. The Nightmare Blood Shadow has been dispersed. It will take 20 natural days for the Nightmare Blood Shadow to reform.]
Last time the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] was dispersed, Su Xiao had to pay 8 [Soul Crystals (Complete)] to reshape it. This time, it could automatically reform, albeit slowly. But this represented a trend: the stronger the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] became, the more it showed signs of breaking free from Su Xiao's control.
Sensing the [Greedy Chapter], he found its internal state relatively stable and checked its current attributes.
[Greedy Chapter]
Origin: Abyss/Dead Silence City
Quality: World-level
Type: Special Item/Medal-type Equipment
Use Effect: Each time a Soul Crystal Core is consumed, one Soul Manifestation can be activated.
Tip: Before defeating the activated Soul Manifestation, the next Soul Manifestation cannot be activated or challenged.
Soul Manifestations Defeated: 8
Total Soul Manifestations: 10
Soul Manifestation: First Seat: First Witch in History: Dark Crow (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Second Seat: Day King (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Third Seat: Sun Warrior (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Fourth Seat: Immortal: Xi Wu (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Fifth Seat: Prayer Place Nun (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Sixth Seat: Light King (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Seventh Seat: Elf Old King (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Eighth Seat: Trace King: Lushuman (Challenge Successful)
Soul Manifestation: Ninth Seat: God King: Os Tobey (Challenge Failed)
Soul Manifestation: Tenth Seat: ???
Selling Price: Cannot be sold until all challenges are completed after activation.
...
Seeing who the [Soul Manifestation: Ninth Seat] was, Su Xiao understood why the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] had lost. When fighting the eighth seat, [Trace King: Lushuman], the [Nightmare Blood Shadow] was already evenly matched. Against [God King: Os Tobey], it had no chance at all.
Su Xiao estimated that it would take at least five to seven full loads of blood energy in the [Ancient Dragon Core], all used to enhance the [Nightmare Blood Shadow], before it could fight [God King: Os Tobey], and even then, the outcome was uncertain.
Based on his tests, filling the [Ancient Dragon Core] with raw blood energy at the [Ancient Battlefield] took a little over an hour. Filling it seven times would take at least seven to eight hours.
In all this time, his total stay at the [Ancient Battlefield] probably hadn't added up to that long. Every time he went, he had to teleport back quickly due to the [Sleep Guardian]. Therefore, going to the [Ancient Battlefield] multiple times in a short period to absorb blood energy wasn't realistic.
Each time he used the [Ancient Dragon Core] to absorb blood energy for about half an hour, it would alert the [Sleep Guardian]. After each alert, he had to wait at least 10 to 15 days before it might fall silent again. Otherwise, as soon as he arrived at the [Ancient Battlefield], there was a high chance of immediately attracting the [Sleep Guardian]'s attention. Su Xiao had personally tested this and remembered it vividly.
Therefore, to gather the blood energy needed for the [Nightmare Blood Shadow], it would take at least 14 world progressions. This was no better than quickly advancing to [Absolute Strength], then further enhancing his strength to defeat the [Sleep Guardian]. That way, he could freely absorb blood energy at the [Ancient Battlefield].
Moreover, the benefits of defeating the [Sleep Guardian] didn't end there. Deep within the [Ancient Battlefield], something seemed to be hidden. At that time, he could explore the depths of the [Ancient Battlefield].
With 28 Golden Skill Points, after weighing the options, Su Xiao decided to use them to enhance [Overlord's Power] rather than [Azure Shadow King]. The reason was that before mastering the [Azure Shadow King: Awakening] ability on the [Awakening Stele], the form of [Azure Shadow King], the ultimate move of the [Law Destruction Faction], was incomplete, so its strength never met expectations.
To be precise, Su Xiao had mastered most of the [Azure Shadow King] ability, but the more important awakening process hadn't been completed. To perform this awakening, he needed at least to break through the 300-point attribute limit and have high physical attributes as support.
Coincidentally, [Overlord's Power] could increase all attributes significantly. It was more reliable to enhance [Overlord's Power] first.
A large number of Golden Skill Points were allocated to [Overlord's Power]. The unforgettable experience of mastering [Overlord's Power] earlier threatened to return, but fortunately, it wasn't as intense as when he first mastered it.
Three hours later, Su Xiao calmed his breathing. The Golden Skill Points were exhausted, and [Overlord's Power] had reached Lv.29, only one level away from max. This was negligible; by the end of the next world progression, it would naturally be maxed out.
[Ultimate Basic Passive: Overlord's Power, Lv.29.]
Skill Effect: Increases health by 145,000 points, all attributes +29 points, negates 14.5% physical damage, negates 14.5% energy damage, all potential limit rank +4, all technique ability level cap +4.
...
[Overlord's Power] lived up to its name as an [Ultimate Basic Passive]. At max level, a 150,000 health increase and a 30-point all-attribute boost were quite exaggerated. Although these two boosts currently didn't affect Su Xiao, once he advanced to [Absolute Strength], his power would immediately surge.
This 30-point all-attribute boost wasn't just a 30-point increase in Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Endurance. Attributes like Soul Strength, True Willpower, and even Abyss Resistance each increased by 30 points. This showed how formidable [Overlord's Power] was. But for some reason, it didn't boost the Luck attribute.
The reason was simple: everyone's [Overlord's Power] was different. For instance, many people, even if they mastered [Overlord's Power], wouldn't have it absurdly increase Abyss Resistance by 30 points, let alone that Abyss Resistance was a stage-based enhancement.
Stage-based enhancement wasn't complicated. For example, Su Xiao currently had 20 points of Abyss Resistance. He obtained a potion that could increase Abyss Resistance by 10 points but didn't drink it immediately. When his Abyss Resistance reached 50 points, if he took out the potion, he would find that despite the same effect, the boost had changed from increasing Abyss Resistance by 10 points to increasing it by 1 point.
The characteristic of Abyss Resistance was that every 10 points had such a tier. Therefore, the higher the Abyss Resistance, the more precious the treasures that could still increase it.
The strength of [Overlord's Power] lay in its annotation: it increased by 30 points, and that was the full 30-point increase, certified by [Reincarnation Paradise]. As a result, Su Xiao's Abyss Resistance had soared from 20 points to 50 points.
Su Xiao took out [Secret Medicine Formula: Dark Walker]. Previously, its attribute stated that the prepared potion could increase Abyss Resistance by 2 points. Now, checking its attribute, it had become: can increase Abyss Resistance by 0 points.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the materials required for [Secret Medicine Formula: Dark Walker]. The [Dark Essence] needed in the formula couldn't be exchanged with [Hunter] permissions. But another good news was that the [Extreme Pure: Abyss Blood] obtained from the old beast king had changed attributes upon inspection.
Previously, this item was a sealed dangerous Abyss item, clearly marked as untouchable. But after Su Xiao's Abyss Resistance skyrocketed to 50 points, when he checked its attributes again, it had become: after dilution and soaking, can permanently increase Abyss Resistance by 3 points.
The increase seemed small, but after Abyss Resistance exceeded 50 points, it had to be accumulated bit by bit. To increase it by more than 10 points at once again was extremely difficult. This time, [Overlord's Power] had increased it by 30 points at once, giving a sense that an overlord could face the Abyss directly.
After stabilizing his breathing for a moment, Su Xiao took out a large number of [Soul Crystal Cores] and three [Primordial Fragments] to begin enhancing [Blade Grandmaster].
[To raise Blade Grandmaster to Lv.80, consume Primordial Fragments ×3 + Soul Crystal Cores ×600 + 43,500 Soul Coins.]
[You have mastered three technique abilities. You must select one as the core ability of your technique system. After selecting the core ability, when its level reaches Lv.80, its strength will increase significantly.]
Su Xiao chose [Blade Dao] as his technique core ability. As he made his choice, the surrounding [Primordial Fragments] and [Soul Crystal Cores] all shattered, transforming into energy that swept toward him.
Drip.
Water droplets fell on a flat water surface. Everything around disappeared, replaced by hazy white light. Su Xiao was sitting on this water surface.
Unlike when enhancing [Melee Grandmaster] and [Blood Spear Grandmaster], he didn't see magnificent scenes or ferocious blood beasts. Sitting on this water surface, he seemed to have comprehended everything, yet felt incredibly far from the pinnacle.
No, it wasn't distance. He simply hadn't been qualified to see the pinnacle before, so he didn't even have the right to feel its distance. Now, at least he could see it, even if still far away, but he had a sense of direction.
At some point, countless blades were inserted into the surrounding water surface. Just sitting here, Su Xiao's [Blade Grandmaster] insights and enhancements soared to their peak. Unfortunately, this wonderful experience was fleeting. A strong pulling sensation came, and the next moment, he was back in his [Exclusive Room], still sitting cross-legged on the carpet. Not far away, [Bubu Wang] was snoring loudly, occasionally whimpering and moving its dog paw, probably dreaming of watching a horror movie.
Su Xiao pushed [Bubu Wang]. [Bubu Wang] shuddered and woke up. A few seconds later, it sighed and leaned closer to Su Xiao's leg, as if to say: "Good thing you woke me up, master. I was dreaming of watching a horror movie and had nowhere to escape."
Soon, the drowsy [Bubu Wang] fell asleep again. Judging by its occasional whimper of fear and paw movements, the horror movie dream had resumed.
Ignoring [Bubu Wang], Su Xiao felt his own enhancement and checked the prompts that appeared.
[You have selected Blade Grandmaster as your core technique ability. This enhancement has separated the characteristics of Blade Grandmaster pushed to the extreme. You will permanently gain the following passive characteristics.]
[Grandmaster's Heart (Passive): Blade-type weapon attack power increased by 1200% (This is the maximum gain Blade Grandmaster can achieve in attack power amplification).]
[Extreme Reflex (Passive): Base Neural Reflex Speed +320 points (This is the maximum gain Blade Grandmaster can achieve in Base Neural Reflex Speed).]
[Your Blade Grandmaster ability has been enhanced.]
[Blade Grandmaster: Lv.80 (Technique Core Passive)]
Skill Effect: Blade-type weapon damage rank +20 (original base 15, new increase 5), Blade-type weapon cutting force judgment rank +15 (original base 10, new increase 5).
Base Effect: Immune to mental and spiritual control (This characteristic has extremely high priority).
Lv.10 Ultimate Ability: Blade's Extreme (Ultimate Passive), All blade skill caps and intensity increased by Lv.2, excluding Blade Grandmaster ability.
Lv.20 Ultimate Ability: Blade's Edge (Ultimate Passive), All blade skill caps and intensity increased by Lv.3, excluding Blade Grandmaster ability.
Lv.30 Ultimate Ability: Blade's Mastery (Ultimate Passive), All blade skill caps and intensity increased by Lv.5, excluding Blade Grandmaster ability.
Lv.40 Ultimate Ability: Blade's Peak (Ultimate Passive), All blade skill caps and intensity increased by Lv.10, excluding Blade Grandmaster ability.
Lv.50 Ultimate Ability: Soul Blade (Ultimate Passive), Can negate one instant death or execution judgment (After enhancement, this characteristic gains high priority).
Tip: After each execution negation, this characteristic enters a 120-hour cooldown.
Lv.60 Ultimate Ability: Soul Severing Blade (Ultimate Passive), When using blade-type weapons, attacks carry the [Soul Severing] characteristic (Inflicts Soul Strength ×3.8 soul damage).
Lv.70 Ultimate Ability: Blade Domain (Ultimate Passive), You gain 10% total damage reduction, blade-type weapon damage rank +5.
Lv.80 Ultimate Ability: Extreme Blade: World (Ultimate Passive), Instantly expands [Extreme Blade Domain], dealing 15% to 20% of maximum health as indiscriminate true cutting damage to all targets within a 30-meter radius centered on you.
Blade Domain Exclusive Effect: Domain Breaker: When this ability is activated, if you are within another domain, it will instantly destroy that domain.
Tip: This domain-breaking characteristic has high priority.
Tip: Although this ability has an active effect, it is a passive characteristic, so it has no cooldown. However, each use consumes a large amount of your stamina, and continuous use in a short period will cause permanent reduction in your True Endurance attribute and lead to sustained severe weakness. The interval between uses must be carefully controlled. After one use of this ability, wait at least 20 minutes before using it again.
Tip: The attack intensity rank of this [Extreme Blade Domain] is 30 (Blade-type weapon damage rank 20 + additional attack rank 10). If the enemy's [Physique Judgment Rank] is lower than this attack rank, they will be instantly executed.
Tip: This skill has no activation delay and is instantly triggered.
Tip: This ability cannot be interrupted or stalled for any reason.
Warning: After using [Extreme Blade Domain], the space in the area will be severely damaged, and spatial movement cannot be performed in this area by any means.
Warning: Do not use [Extreme Blade Domain] three consecutive times in one area. This behavior is highly likely to cut through space and further damage the [Natural Element Barrier]. If the [Natural Element Barrier] is damaged, external Abyss energy will pour in for a period, potentially causing this damaged spot to become an [Abyss Hole] or [Abyss Passage].
Tip: This is your exclusive ability.
...
The enhancement of [Blade Grandmaster] was complete. Su Xiao sat cross-legged and meditated for a moment to stabilize his aura. The reason was that after [Blade Grandmaster], as the core technique ability, broke through Lv.80, his protective energy surged significantly, more than the combined increase from [Melee Grandmaster] and [Blood Spear Grandmaster] when they broke through Lv.80.
The skill description for [Blade Grandmaster] was lengthy, but in Su Xiao's view, it consisted of two parts. First was the increase in [Blade-type Weapon Damage Rank]. Previously, he thought this was similar to his imprint rank, only from one to nine ranks. But after enhancing it for a while, he found it was different.
Now it seemed that [Blade-type Weapon Damage Rank] was a comprehensive advancement of [Blade Attack Power]. This was why, when fighting the old beast king with strong Overlord's Body, Su Xiao could still severely wound him.
As for [Blade-type Weapon Cutting Force Judgment Rank], he had experienced this with the old beast king. This characteristic directly related to the power and force of the cut.
Simply put, [Cutting Force Judgment Rank] was for breaking the enemy's parry, while [Blade-type Weapon Damage Rank] took effect after the cut hit the enemy. One was mainly for breaking defense, the other for dealing damage.
[Blade-type Weapon Damage Rank] and [Cutting Force Judgment Rank] were the core attributes of [Blade Grandmaster] after Lv.80. Raising the level of [Blade Grandmaster] would continuously increase both.
Compared to these two straightforward attributes, the other characteristics of [Blade Grandmaster], though still simple and direct, were more diverse. The existing [Soul Severing Characteristic], [Total Damage Reduction], and [Instant Death and Execution Block] needed no further explanation. The key was the two new characteristics.
One was the increase in the level and cap of blade-type abilities. Although this ability couldn't enhance [Blade Grandmaster] itself, it was still powerful. Simply put, it raised the intensity of already maxed-out blade-type abilities by 20 levels. Su Xiao checked the [Technique Sublimation] ability and, sure enough, its intensity had surged significantly.
[Technique Sublimation: X (Technique Passive)]
Skill Effect 1: Increases blade technique power by 490% (increase of 120%).
Skill Effect 2: Own blade technique potential rank +18 (increase of 3 ranks).
Skill Effect 3: Base Neural Reflex Speed +230 points (increase of 35 points), Base Dynamic Vision +230 points (increase of 35 points).
Skill Effect 4: Blade-type weapon damage rank +1.
...
This characteristic seemed to only enhance [Technique Sublimation], one blade-type ability. But in reality, many of Su Xiao's blade abilities weren't visible in the skill list, such as his [Blade Path Sword: Extreme], [Blade Path Sword: Flow], etc. These self-developed blade techniques also belonged to blade-type abilities and received a Lv.20 enhancement.
Besides these enhancements, [Blade Grandmaster] also gained an ultimate move: [Extreme Blade: World]. It was hard to gauge this ability just by sensing his own enhancement. Su Xiao stood up, went to the training room, closed the door, and used his imprint permissions to generate metal posts there.
One by one, 900-strength metal posts stood around. These were posts he couldn't budge even with his strongest cut before. Now, he steadied his breathing, placed one hand on the sword hilt.
Clang!!
A sharp, metallic cutting sound rang out. Centered on Su Xiao, a spherical [Extreme Blade Domain] appeared. It only lasted an instant, making the surrounding air seem darker. Every dozen or so centimeters, there was a grain-of-rice-sized flashing cutting point.
But this [Extreme Blade Domain], which appeared for only an instant, shattered all the surrounding metal posts, sending them flying. The metal posts that he couldn't budge with full-force cuts before were now like cutting vegetables.
Moreover, because the space intensity in the training room was adjusted to that of a ninth-rank world, crisscrossing black marks now hung in the air. These were space traces cut open, dividing the surrounding space into 1-cubic-centimeter cubes, each forming a separate block state.
This spectacular scene lasted only a few seconds. The area that had endured [Extreme Blade Domain] began to collapse spatially, forming a pitch-black spatial vortex that emitted a huge suction force.
As the black spatial vortex formed, Su Xiao activated his imprint permissions to reset the training room environment. After using [Extreme Blade Domain] once, he had a new understanding of this move. It wasn't a technique executed by swinging the sword. He hadn't drawn the sword at all, just placed one hand on the hilt.
To be precise, as long as he touched his sword, even just pressing his finger on the end of the hilt, he could use this move normally. This also meant he could slash at an enemy, and after their weapons clashed, suddenly expand [Extreme Blade Domain].
Given the expansion speed of this domain, even a top-tier space user within 30 meters of him couldn't dodge this move. It was too fast to release. The feeling of releasing this move wasn't about mobilizing body energy or anything else. It was as smooth as slightly flexing a finger.
Of course, this move had a drawback: it consumed a lot of stamina, and it consumed stamina as a percentage of total stamina. But speaking of which, this wasn't entirely a drawback.
The more stamina Su Xiao had, the stronger this percentage-based stamina consumption ability became. That is, as long as Su Xiao himself kept getting stronger, this ability would never be phased out and could be used as a divine skill until the end.
Leaving the training room, Su Xiao sat down and tried to raise [Blade Grandmaster] to Lv.80. His poverty level for the next period would depend on the cost of raising technique abilities in the late game.
[To raise Blade Grandmaster Lv.80, consume Soul Crystal Cores ×10 + 95,000 Soul Coins.]
Su Xiao's gaze grew serious. After [Blade Grandmaster] reached Lv.80, further enhancing it was something that should be done in the mid to late stages of [Absolute Strength]. So the cost of 95,000 Soul Coins per level was acceptable. But the consumption of [Soul Crystal Cores] ×10 made him uneasy.
1 [Soul Crystal Core] = 119 [Soul Crystal Cores]. That meant raising [Blade Grandmaster] by one level required 1190 [Soul Crystal Cores]...
Su Xiao pondered for a moment and finally used the remaining 21 [Soul Crystal Cores] to raise [Blade Grandmaster] by two levels. An hour later, the enhancement was complete.
[Blade Grandmaster: Lv.80 (Technique Core Passive)]
Skill Effect: Blade-type weapon damage rank +24 (increase of 4), Blade-type weapon cutting force judgment rank +19 (increase of 4).
Base Effect: Immune to mental and spiritual control (This characteristic has extremely high priority).
Lv.10 Ultimate Ability: Blade's Extreme (Ultimate Passive)...
...
...
Lv.80 Ultimate Ability: Extreme Blade: World (Ultimate Passive)...
...
Su Xiao drew the [Dragon-Slaying Flash] from its sheath. As the longsword left the sheath, a suffocating pressure spread out, enough to make over 90% of living beings gasp. Coupled with the newly mastered [Overlord's Power], if he were in a deathmatch with a world's final boss, onlookers would surely exclaim, "Holy crap! Look, two final bosses are fighting over something! Let's hide and wait for them to mutually destroy each other!"
Indeed, with Su Xiao's current [Blade Dao] + [Overlord's Power] aura, it didn't look like he was challenging a final boss, but rather like two final bosses fighting.
Or rather, there was something Su Xiao didn't know yet. If he were in a world of [Apocalypse Paradise] and detected by contractors there, he would be a genuine boss template, whether in total health, various physical attributes, or numerous X-level passives.
Su Xiao checked the time. Enhancing and mastering several abilities had taken almost a day. If he had time tomorrow, he could visit the [Great Gathering Place]. He could identify and sell the [Gravity Ring (Eternal-level Equipment)] or try to exchange it for an Eternal-level equipment suitable for himself.
For today, the good day could temporarily end. He planned to use the [Awakening Stele] to master two [Law Destruction Faction] abilities:
[Adaptive Force (Passive): Based on enemy characteristics, increases corresponding irreducible true resistance (True resistance has absolute priority; enemies cannot reduce this type of resistance by any means).]
[Soul Electrocution (Passive): Greatly enhances the control characteristics of [Azure Steel Shadow] energy. When [Azure Steel Shadow] energy burns the enemy's body energy, there is a 15% chance to trigger a paralysis state (This is an absolute control effect, cannot be negated by any means). Abnormal state duration: 0.2 to 3 seconds.
Tip: This effect can stack continuously. Each time [Azure Steel Shadow] energy burns the enemy's body energy without triggering the [Absolute Control] effect, the trigger probability of this characteristic increases by 20% until it reaches 100%. The next cut carrying [Azure Steel Shadow] energy, upon hitting the enemy, will definitely cause the enemy to enter an [Absolute Paralysis] state.]
Su Xiao arrived at the room with the [Awakening Stele]. Placing one hand on it, he found that the [Awakening Stele]'s enhancement was complete, with several advanced [Law Destruction Faction] abilities added.