Chapter 8: Greedy Money Pouch (Fourth Rank)
Effect: Upon opening, can obtain 40,000 to 4 million Soul Coins.
Stock Quantity: -- (No exchange limit).
Exchange Price: 1 Precipitated Glass.
Tip: The exchange price of the Greedy Money Pouch (Fourth Rank) has changed from an incremental model to one based on the accumulated number of exchanges.
...
The items in the Abyss Shop were indeed getting cheaper and cheaper. Su Xiao quickly completed the exchange.
[You have obtained Primordial Fragment × 1 piece.]
[You have obtained Star Power × 2 portions.]
[You have paid a total of 5412 Precipitated Glass.]
...
The existing Primordial Fragments reached 5 pieces, enough to handle the promotion to Absolute Strength. Although there probably wasn't an opportunity at this stage, it was better to be prepared.
After leaving the Great Gathering Place and returning to Reincarnation Paradise, Su Xiao headed straight for the Equipment Enhancement Hall.
[Welcome to the use of Equipment Enhancement Machine No. 190.]
The tray of the equipment enhancement machine extended out, and Su Xiao placed the Dragon-Slaying Flash on it.
[Equipment inspection complete. Dragon-Slaying Flash +13 (Origin Rank). To enhance to +14, you need to pay 1 Origin Stone.]
[Warning: The failure rate for this enhancement is relatively high.]
...
Su Xiao ignored this prompt. He took out Star Power × 2 portions and the [Star Stone Disc], designating these three enhancement items as the enhancement materials for +14, +15, and +16. After confirming everything, the metal tray of the equipment enhancement machine retracted. He was just about to start the enhancement.
"Oh ho, I..., ah no, Bai Ye, you're enhancing your weapon?"
Gulu's voice came from beside him. Su Xiao turned his head to look. The equipment enhancement machine next to him had already been activated by Gulu, and it was at a critical moment. With so many people around, he really hadn't noticed her next door.
With a crack, a crisp sound came from the equipment enhancement machine in front of Gulu. She smiled lightly, then turned and left with a normal expression. As soon as she left the Equipment Enhancement Hall and was completely out of Su Xiao's sight, her relaxed smile suddenly froze, and her fists gradually clenched.
"Ah!!"
A passing guy was startled and shouted angrily, "Are you crazy!"
Gulu turned around and went back to the Equipment Enhancement Hall, coming to Su Xiao's side. She said, "I have a lot of experience with enhancement. How about you let me see the process?"
"..."
Su Xiao didn't say anything. He temporarily opened the enhancement preview to Gulu. Seeing that the Dragon-Slaying Flash was Origin Rank +14, Gulu, who had originally been upset about her own failed enhancement, suddenly changed her mind. At this level of enhancement, she hoped it would succeed even more.
"Calm down. With your invincible luck, you have to ensure a guaranteed success rate before going for +14."
"..."
Su Xiao started the equipment enhancement machine. However, this enhancement took an unusually long time. Over two hours passed and it still wasn't finished. Gulu, waiting beside him, even yawned.
This enhancement was naturally slow because it was three consecutive enhancements. It took a total of two and a half hours before the enhancement ended.
Pfft!
A burst of steam sprayed from the four corners at the bottom of the equipment enhancement machine, and a prompt appeared.
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +14 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +15 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +16 successful.]
...
Su Xiao picked up the Dragon-Slashing Flash from the metal tray. Because it had just exceeded the limit enhancement level, the Dragon-Slashing Flash would need a few more hours to completely stabilize before its attributes could be viewed. Seeing this, he sheathed the long blade and walked out of the Equipment Enhancement Hall.
"Wait, wait."
Gulu, snapping out of her daze, followed him. She asked urgently, "How... how did you do it?"
"Just lucky."
"Ah?"
Gulu was stunned. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn't say what was on her mind, to avoid getting beaten up if she ever encountered Su Xiao in a mission world.
"Alright, you're luckier than me. By the way, what are you going to do later? I'm hungry. Let me treat you to a meal."
"Treating a friend to lunch."
"Can I join?"
"Yeah."
Su Xiao walked towards Xia's restaurant. When he pushed open the restaurant door, Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha were all at the table. Xia was busy in the kitchen, and Beini was using her looks to sneak a taste of the freshly cooked delicacies. Even the usually aloof Young Miss Beini couldn't resist the temptation of delicious food.
After Su Xiao sat down, he took out his terminal to pass the time. Gulu, who also took out her terminal, had a smile in her eyes and said, "Bai Ye, how about a few rounds? I'm a newbie, really bad."
Pretending to be a newbie, Gulu sent a game request. An hour later, she put away her terminal and sternly declared that playing games was a waste of her precious time. The new bite marks on the terminal showed that the outcome of the match wasn't too optimistic.
The delicious food finally arrived. All sorts of rare ingredients obtained from the Wind Sea Continent were basically on the table. Xia, looking slightly tired, also came out of the kitchen. Seeing Gulu, she asked, "Is this the friend you mentioned earlier?"
"No, she's here to freeload."
As soon as Su Xiao finished speaking, one of the restaurant doors was pushed open. Solomon walked into the restaurant. Although he didn't say a word, he nodded at Su Xiao and then took a seat at an empty spot.
Lunch began. Both Su Xiao and Solomon were very quiet, and Bubu Wang, Amu, Baha, and Beini, who were busy eating, also had no time to talk, making the atmosphere increasingly tense.
"What's with this serious atmosphere? Isn't this just lunch?"
Gulu couldn't help but complain. This made Solomon pause, and he looked at Gulu, staring.
Gulu was sweating. Solomon probably also felt the atmosphere was too serious, so he casually summoned the Hell Band. Soothing music began to play, but for some reason, the evil god servant in the Hell Band was trembling like a sieve.
"Your summon seems really nervous. What's wrong with it?"
As she spoke, Gulu picked up a piece of stir-fried pork heart with peppers. This delicious dish went well with rice.
"I don't know."
Solomon rarely spoke. He picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork, chewed it slowly, then frowned as he looked at the evil god servant in the Hell Band. For some reason, the evil god servant was trembling even more violently.
Hearing their conversation, Xia also looked at the evil god servant. The evil god servant, already on the verge of being scared to death, fell straight backward after being glanced at by Xia, as if it had gone into shock.
"Solomon, your summon is way too timid. But speaking of which, these dishes are really delicious. It was totally worth it to come and freeload this time."
Gulu was in a good mood and then finished another bowl of rice.
"..."
Su Xiao raised his glass.
"..."
Solomon also raised his glass. After a symbolic clink, both cups of Elemental Brew were drained.
After eating and drinking their fill, when Solomon and Gulu had both left, Su Xiao also got up to leave. But he hadn't gone far from the restaurant when he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to pay the bill again. However, he had been bringing his own ingredients lately, so he would pay for the next meal together.
Returning to his Exclusive Room, Su Xiao used the Library Badge to open a spatial gate to the Soul Library.
The scene before him was filled with huge bookshelves over a hundred meters tall. Beside the bookshelves were many steep wooden ladders that could be moved back and forth. Small elves fluttered among these giant bookshelves, either organizing books or doing cleaning work. Some lazy ones were sleeping on top of the books.
Su Xiao walked between two rows of hundred-meter-tall giant bookshelves. After more than ten minutes, he walked up a semi-arc-shaped staircase and entered a separate compartment.
The inner side of the compartment was occupied by tree roots. Among these tangled roots, a figure could be vaguely seen. This figure had five arms, and its skin was dry but with a fine texture. There were eyes on the palms of all five arms. This was the owner of the Soul Library: the Ancient One.
The Ancient One had gray cloth wrapped around its head, leaving only its right eye exposed. The Ancient One was currently sleeping, but sensing Su Xiao's arrival, it opened its right eye.
"The Abyss... has already... begun to approach you. Be... cautious... and maintain... reverence."
A voice so deep it didn't sound like it came from a living being came from the dry tree roots ahead. This was the Ancient One's warning.
Most of the time, Su Xiao encountered enemies of the Law Destruction Faction. But in the Soul Library, the powerful Ancient One showed a different attitude towards the Law Destruction Faction. The Ancient One, who had long stopped paying attention to library visitors, would give some warnings every time Su Xiao came to see it.
[Tip: You are negotiating with the absolutely neutral entity: the Ancient One.]
[You have submitted various tribal ancient texts.]
[You have submitted a tattered Ancient One's Proof.]
[You have obtained 1580 Library Silver Coins.]
...
After exchanging the Library Silver Coins and leaving behind a piece of Black Maple Tree Branch, Su Xiao left the Ancient One's resting place and headed straight for the spiral staircase at the center of the Soul Library.
When he walked up the central spiral staircase to the end, he stopped on a landing. Two opposing heavy, gray metal doors blocked the way. In the center of the metal doors was a badge-shaped recess. He took out the Library Badge and pressed it into the recess.
The door to the top floor of the library creaked open. The light on the top floor was a bit dimmer. Entering the top floor, the sound of even snoring came, along with soul bubbles representing dreams floating over. Su Xiao looked towards the sound and saw an especially huge head.
This head was so big, at least over 10 meters in diameter. Because it was so huge, it couldn't maintain a relatively normal brain shape. It felt like a soul-blue jellyfish floating there.
This was the manager of the top floor of the library: the Soul Elder. Before the Law Destruction Era, this was a Soul Archmage famous throughout the Void. Now, the Soul Elder was sleeping soundly, snoring, with a kind and gentle expression on his face. He floated there, having slept for many years. Su Xiao had many questions he wanted to ask this elder, but unfortunately, the other party was always sleeping, and he didn't want to disturb him. It seemed there was no chance this time either.
Coming to the counter at the exchange office, the small elf Boboli was reading a book inside. Seeing Su Xiao arrive, the small elf Boboli sat up straight and asked with a smile, "Bai Ye, my younger brother hasn't caused you any trouble lately, has he?"
"No."
"That's good, that's good. What brings you here this time?"
"Sealcraft."
Su Xiao planned to invest all his current Library Silver Coins into Sealcraft, to deal with the current situation of the Book of Original Sin and the four Original Sin Objects.
"Didn't you just take the Complete Book of Seals not long ago? That's very advanced Sealcraft knowledge. You should master that first..."
"Already mastered."
"What?!"
The small elf Boboli was shocked. He looked Su Xiao up and down and exclaimed, "Could it be that you are a prodigy in Sealcraft?"
"Not really..."
Su Xiao didn't hide it. He really wasn't. He just had a relatively strong motivation to master Sealcraft. The motivation of four Original Sin Objects.
"Hiss~, you really did master it too quickly. How many Library Silver Coins did you get this time?"
"1580 coins."
As he spoke, Su Xiao took out the [Complete Book of Seals] to return it, which earned him another 101 Library Silver Coins. Combined with what he had, the total reached 1681 coins. The small elf Boboli inside the counter thought for a moment, then suddenly asked:
"Bai Ye, if you don't mind me asking, what are you trying to seal? An enemy? Some dangerous creature? Or some strange secret treasure? Different types of sealing have different focuses."
"Original Sin Objects."
"I see. Wait a moment."
The small elf Boboli flew away. After a while, he came back carrying a very historic metal box. This box looked like it was made of molten dark silver poured and stacked together.
"Advanced Sealcraft. Don't be fooled by the simple name. The valuation of this knowledge is 3800 Library Silver Coins. Of course, I've been organizing the knowledge on the top floor recently, so I happened to split it into two parts: front and back. And coincidentally, the exchange price for the front part is 1680 Library Silver Coins. What a coincidence, isn't it?"
"..."
Su Xiao put down the Library Silver Coins and a few bottles of Elemental Brew. The small elf Boboli's eyes immediately lit up. It was obvious he had tasted this fine wine before. Without needing to think, it was the hot-tempered small elf Diagu who had given one of the bottles of Elemental Brew Su Xiao had given him to his own elder brother.
Every time the hot-tempered small elf Diagu mentioned the small elf Boboli, his face was full of disgust and his words were full of disdain. Yet this alcoholic, upon getting the finest wine, didn't keep it for himself but sent it to his elder brother. One could easily imagine the expression and tone of the hot-tempered small elf Diagu when he gave the wine: 'Tch, I've quit drinking recently. It's yours.' After saying that, he turned around, swallowed his saliva, and walked away with big strides.
After bidding farewell to the small elf Boboli, Su Xiao returned to Reincarnation Paradise with Beini. After returning, he headed straight for the Land of All Beings on the eighth floor of the Trial Grounds. Since he could use the Land of All Beings on the eighth floor for free now, he couldn't waste a single minute. After a period of intense training.
[Tip: Your stay time limit has been reached. You will soon return to the Real World.]
[Transmission begins.]
The scene before Su Xiao's eyes blurred for a moment, and the next second, he was on the second floor of the accessory shop. Going down to the first floor, he leaned back in the recliner. Although he was too tired to lift a finger, he still equipped the [Ancient Scholar] title, took out a Sealcraft ancient text, and began to read.
Around noon, Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha were all seriously thinking about what to eat for lunch. Bubu Wang wanted noodle soup, Baha suggested hotpot, Beini wanted pickled fish, and Amu didn't care, as long as the portion was enough. They finally decided on rice with toppings. After Amu spent over an hour cooking, everyone decided it was better to just order takeout. It was almost one in the afternoon, and they were quite hungry.
As for the rice with toppings Amu had cooked, he ate it all himself. Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, Baha, and Beini simply couldn't stomach it and decided that Amu was never allowed in the kitchen again.
Time passed quickly while reading the Sealcraft ancient texts. Without much notice, the sky outside the window darkened. He ignored it and continued reading. Before long, he noticed the sky had brightened again.
After Su Xiao had read several Sealcraft ancient texts and his skill in this area had improved significantly, he checked the time, got up, and went upstairs to rest. He had just woken up when a prompt from Reincarnation Paradise appeared.
[Tip: You will soon return to Reincarnation Paradise.]
Closing the prompt, Su Xiao tried to inquire about which world the next world progress would be in. The result was very smooth, and he even learned which world he would be entering a few hours in advance. This was a considerable advantage, allowing him to make appropriate preparations.
[Determining the current situation of the Hunter...]
[Determination complete.]
[World selection complete. You will be entering: Eternal Light World.]