Chapter 20: Enhancement
Inside the secret chamber of the Gray Sanctuary, spatial ripples gradually faded away. After inspecting the damaged teleportation array, Su Xiao confirmed that Green Gillian had arrived at Arcane Eternal Star.
He was only responsible for sending her there; how she acted afterward was beyond his knowledge. However, the ideal approach was to temporarily remain inactive and stay completely hidden.
If Green Gillian used this opportunity to kill a few Spellcasters, the plan would be counterproductive. Conversely, if she managed to conceal herself without Green Wei Duo noticing, only occasionally acting to set things up, and then dealt a heavy blow to Arcane Eternal Star at the most critical moment, that would be well worth it.
Putting this matter aside for now, Su Xiao grabbed several floating inheritance crystals in front of him with one hand. These contained one of Green Gillian's secret techniques, totaling three inheritance crystals. The first detailed how to maximize the Soul Severing Shadow's soul core slots to the limit of twelve.
Su Xiao grasped this inheritance crystal. After a moment, he found the method unsuitable for him. The reason was that it required at least several years, or even over a decade, of training. Su Xiao could achieve the same result with 7-8 Golden Skill Points.
He grasped the second inheritance crystal. This one concerned Soul Slash Soul Core. Soul Slash Soul Core could occupy up to 10 soul core slots, but Green Gillian did not recommend this.
If the intensity of Soul Slash was quantified, a Soul Slash Soul Core occupying one soul core slot would have an intensity of 12-15. Occupying eight soul core slots, the intensity would be around 30-32. Occupying ten soul core slots, the intensity would reach 35-37. However, the risk of mastering this soul core was too high, with a high probability of permanently damaging the Soul Slash Soul Core.
Had Green Gillian chickened out and chosen not to master the 10-slot Soul Slash Soul Core? No, the 8-slot version was merely a transition for her. She was known as the Law Destroyer with the strongest Soul Severing Shadow ability, and that wasn't for nothing.
Su Xiao grasped the last inheritance crystal. This one recorded a soul core secret technique called the Transcendent Realm. To date, only its developer, Green Gillian, had successfully mastered it.
This secret technique required raising the Soul Severing Shadow ability to X and reaching 12 soul core slots before the prerequisites could be met. First, three soul cores that the user had already mastered had to be selected. Once chosen, these three soul cores could never be changed, and no other abilities could be mastered afterward.
Among these three soul cores, two were mandatory: the Azure Steel Soul Core and the Soul Slash Soul Core. The remaining soul core type could be chosen based on the user's situation, with Speed Soul Core being the common choice.
After completing these two steps, a secret method was used to strip these three soul cores from their slots and embed them in the center of the soul disk. The vacated 12 soul core slots would all be filled with a type called "Nourish Strengthen Soul Core." Finally, the soul disk underwent an ultimate reshaping.
Once this life-risking reshaping was completed, Soul Severing Shadow could only switch between three soul cores: Azure Steel Soul Core, Soul Slash Soul Core, and Speed Soul Core. No matter which soul core was switched to, under the amplification of the 12 Strengthen Soul Cores in the surrounding slots, each would be an ultimate soul core at the intensity of 12 soul core slots.
For example, the Soul Slash Soul Core, upon reaching its limit intensity, would undergo a qualitative change, with its Soul Slash intensity reaching 50.
Achieving this secret technique was equivalent to having 36 soul core slots to amplify these three powerful soul cores. As for functionality, in the late game, soul cores had to pursue the ultimate.
Su Xiao was in no rush for this secret technique. For now, his six soul cores served him well: Azure Steel, Speed, Soul Slash, Blade Spirit, Thunderfall, and Darkness.
He would at least wait until his Stamina attribute reached 450-500 points before considering Green Gillian's secret technique. The reason was that the smile on her face when she gathered these inheritance crystals was too strange.
After returning to his living quarters, Su Xiao picked up the wooden box on the bedside table and opened it. [Wild Hunt Night] came into view. Although it was still a black leather long coat, faint ember patterns could be seen flickering on it. As he touched the equipment, the ember flames completely faded away.
[Wild Hunt Night]
Origin: Dark Crow World.
Quality: Origin Rank.
Category: Long Leather Coat.
Durability: 210/210 points (increased by 25 points).
Base Defense: 30 points (increased by 5 points).
Origin Rank Leather Armor Base Bonus: 10% Physical/Energy Damage Reduction.
Equipment Requirements: 320 True Stamina, 320 True Intelligence, Hunted more than 8 Divine Units (Met).
Equipment Effect 1: Spirit Attire (Core Passive). For every 1000 Mana Points the wearer has, this equipment gains an additional 10 defense, 1 penetration resistance, 1 high-temperature resistance, and 1 erosion resistance.
Increased: 320 equipment defense (cap reached at 320 points).
Increased: 80 penetration resistance (cap reached at 80 points).
Increased: 80 high-temperature resistance (cap reached at 80 points).
Increased: 80 erosion resistance (cap reached at 80 points).
Equipment Effect 2: Indomitable (Core Passive). When this equipment is damaged by attacks from enemies of the same tier in battle, it will ignite the "Ember Flame" within, permanently increasing this equipment's intensity cap.
Ember Force Absorption: 0% (Upon reaching 100%, this equipment will advance to Eternal Rank).
Tip: Only life-or-death battles can cause the "Ember Flame" within this equipment to ignite, triggering this trait. Sparring or non-lethal contests will not gain the recognition of the "Ember Flame" and cannot trigger this trait.
Tip: Due to this trait, the difficulty of repairing this equipment increases by 40%.
Description: This equipment was forged by a certain blacksmith after enduring numerous hardships. Interestingly, it is not a metal battle armor. Truly a versatile blacksmith. However, for unknown reasons, this blacksmith has always refused to inscribe his name in this equipment's description.
Price: Untradeable.
[Wild Hunt Night]'s attributes had changed. The original Soul Plating ability had disappeared. This ability provided a very thick shield, but unfortunately, the enemies Su Xiao faced were too absurd. If the shield could withstand even one hit, he would have found a way to keep the ability. Sadly, the shield couldn't even take a single blow.
Thinking about it, with Su Xiao's millions of HP, he could only withstand three or four hits from a strong enemy, so the shield naturally shattered on contact. The new ability of [Wild Hunt Night] was very practical. When this armor suffered damage sufficient to break it, it would grow. When its absorption of Ember Force reached 100%, it would advance to Eternal Rank.
At least four ultimate final bosses needed to be dealt with this time. It was estimated that [Wild Hunt Night] would gain considerable growth. As for subsequent repairs, he would naturally go to Lide. Even with a 40% increase in repair difficulty, Lide should be able to handle it.
Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the bed, calming his breath through meditation for a moment. He planned to use 2 Primordial Skill Points on the Melee Grandmaster ability. This item was also called a Primordial Core. In the Void or Transcendent Primordial World, it was commonly referred to as a Primordial Skill Point.
What was the weight of 1 Primordial Skill Point? Taking Technique-type abilities as an example, the enhancement from 2 Primordial Skill Points was equivalent to the leap from lv.79 to lv.80 for a core Technique ability.
Using the most common method to advance to Absolute Strength only granted 1 Primordial Skill Point. Obtaining five "Primordial Fragments" granted 5 points. Both required extremely careful allocation of Primordial Skill Points, especially the former, which could only add 1 point to the most core ability.
Someone like Su Xiao, who added 6 Primordial Skill Points to Blade Grandmaster, was extremely rare. It was precisely for this reason that when he faced the powerful male boss, the Scarlet Guard Captain, in the Scarlet Castle, he could meet his blade strike head-on with one slash, forcing the opponent to kneel on one knee on the spot. As for the City Lord's Wife, a boss who required cooperation from others, special props, and careful preparation for a strategic takedown, he ignored all these tedious steps. With just himself and his blade, he killed this boss on the spot.
Although Melee Grandmaster and Blood Spear Grandmaster could not replicate the power of Blade Grandmaster, each had its own characteristics. In terms of ultimate attack power, it was undoubtedly the straight kick. With a full 80 levels of Melee Grandmaster, all of it was poured into this one straight kick.
Why hadn't Su Xiao used the straight kick to clash head-on with the City Lord's Wife's charging slash before? He was certain that one kick could obliterate the charging City Lord's Wife, instantly killing this boss. However, he would also have to pay the price of his right leg, entire right arm, and part of his shoulder and torso.
Now, he was going to elevate the straight kick to another level. Only then could he contend with the Four Giants of the Lightless Temple.
Su Xiao chose to use 2 Primordial Skill Points to enhance Melee Grandmaster. Two streams of energy within his body surged forth, and the next second, his vision went black.
When Su Xiao woke up, he was lying on the stone platform in the recovery point, with the black cloak that the Dark Maiden wore when going out serving as his pillow. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the Dark Maiden's deep gaze, and she seemed to let out an almost imperceptible sigh. Presumably, encountering a Law Destruction Lord who improved his abilities so astonishingly, the Dark Maiden had many things she wanted to say, but her quiet and gentle nature meant she would never voice them.
[Grandmaster Force (Passive): During melee combat, kick attack power increased by 1000% (This is the maximum boost Melee Grandmaster can achieve in kick attack power amplification).]
[Extreme Reflex (Passive): Base Nerve Reflex Speed +160 points, Base Dynamic Vision +160 points (This is the maximum boost Melee Grandmaster can achieve in Base Nerve Reflex Speed and Base Dynamic Vision).]
[Melee Grandmaster: lv.80 (Technique Passive)]
Skill Effect: Kick damage tier +10, Physical Toughness increased by 48%.
lv.10 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Basic Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.20 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick First Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.30 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Second Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.40 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Third Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.50 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Fourth Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.60 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Fifth Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.70 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Sixth Enhancement (Oath-level Passive)...
lv.80 Ultimate Ability: Power Penetration Kick Seventh Enhancement (Oath-level Passive): Kick attack judgment is elevated to "Flight Level," and has a probability of triggering the "Death Recall" effect on the enemy, thereby reducing the enemy's evasion probability.
What was the "Death Recall" effect? It meant that when Su Xiao kicked an enemy straight on, the enemy, facing death directly, would recall their entire life in an instant. Although it was only a moment, it still counted as a control effect.
Moreover, all the various abilities of Melee Grandmaster, just like when Blade Grandmaster was chosen as the core Technique, had advanced to the Oath-level. This was the enhancement brought by 2 Primordial Skill Points. Of course, this required Melee Grandmaster to have a good foundation; otherwise, Primordial Skill Points would be useless.
After enhancing Melee Grandmaster, Su Xiao's condition was still good. He decisively enhanced Blood Spear Grandmaster as well, and then his vision went black again.
The Dark Maiden beside him looked at him with a deep gaze. After a moment of silence, she took the folded cloak and placed it under Su Xiao's head as a pillow before continuing to sit quietly by his side.
When Su Xiao sat up from the stone platform, which was less than half a meter high, he checked the time. It was almost evening.
[Grandmaster Breath (Passive): Blood Qi attack power increased by 900% (This is the maximum boost Blood Spear Grandmaster can achieve in attack power amplification).]
[Blood Spear Grandmaster: lv.80 (Passive)]
Skill Effect: Blood Qi attack tier +18. Any Blood Qi attack will reduce all of the enemy's defenses by 18%.
Blood Qi Intensity: 260 points.
lv.80 Ultimate Ability: Blood Master (Oath-level Passive): When your HP is only 1% remaining, all your remaining Soul Energy, Mental Energy, and 80% of your Physical Energy will be instantly transformed into Blood Qi Force through the Devouring Core. This massive amount of Blood Qi Force will protect your "Primordial Life Force" for 6 seconds. During these 6 seconds, if your Primordial Life Force (heart) and the Human Race's vital weak point (head) are not severely destroyed, even if you sustain high-intensity attacks, your HP will not drop to 0%, causing death. After 6 seconds, the Blood Qi Force protecting your "Primordial Life Force" will be exhausted.
The newly appeared Blood Master had become the sole trait of Blood Spear Grandmaster. The level of this trait would increase as Blood Spear Grandmaster's level rose. Its strength was evident to all. Simply put, when Su Xiao was on the verge of death, with HP reaching 1%, he could pseudo-lock his HP for 6 seconds.
The reason it was called pseudo-lock HP was that he was not invincible during this period. Invincibility abilities only appeared in two situations: 1. Paradise notarization mechanisms (such as equipment, items, etc.) 2. The ultimate Oath-level ability of the Paladin class.
Even so, Blood Master should not be underestimated. During these 6 seconds of entering "Blood Master Death's Door," as long as Su Xiao's body was not shattered, his heart and head were not severely damaged, and he was not killed by an ability, he could fight a desperate battle against a strong enemy at his peak state for 6 seconds. A three-technique Grandmaster who no longer cared about injuries, even with a time limit of only 6 seconds, was equally terrifying.
Therefore, this was Su Xiao's fourth stage, a stage of fully unleashed combat power sufficient to turn the tide in a desperate situation.
As for the changes in Blood Spear Grandmaster, it was actually within Su Xiao's expectations. In the final analysis, Blood Spear Grandmaster was an energy-type Technique ability. For this major category of Technique abilities, the ultimate final moves at the end were essentially three types.