Chapter 7: Atonement Badge
Effect: After use, can eliminate the "Misfortune" cause and effect.
Stock Quantity: 2 pieces.
Exchange Price: 200 Pure Blood Stones.
...
All kinds of items were dazzling, and this was even without the Mysterious Merchant bringing out all his goods. Where his home world was located was unknown, but every time he went out, he only brought a portion of the goods from his home.
Among these items, Su Xiao pondered for a moment, then exchanged for the [Moon Wolf Sword]. Together with the [Inherited Wolf Blood] he already held, the Moon Wolf lineage would not be severed. As for who would inherit it later, that depended on fate; both the Law Destruction and Moon Wolf power inheritances were like this.
Although Su Xiao wanted to exchange for the [Twisting Abyss Crystal], unfortunately, this item was too expensive, priced at 16,850 Pure Blood Stones. He only had 543 Pure Blood Stones now, not even enough for the remainder.
Such a demand for Pure Blood Stones could only be met after killing a large number of Red-Eyed Warriors, Red-Eyed Knights, and several leaders of the Scarlet Faction.
There was only one way to obtain Pure Blood Stones: kill members of the Scarlet Faction. The problem was that the Nightmare Blood Shadow was right there in the underground world. Going to kill Scarlet Faction members now had a very high probability of encountering the Nightmare Blood Shadow.
Even though Su Xiao knew the Nightmare Blood Shadow was hunting for Primordial Life Force and Soul Power, he still chose not to stop it, precisely because there was no way to defeat it. His strengths lay in his technique abilities, combat experience, and combat reaction speed. The problem was that all these strengths had been inherited by the Nightmare Blood Shadow.
Finding a way to defeat the Nightmare Blood Shadow was a very unreliable plan. This thing originated from nightmares; sealing it was the correct method. Just as, to deal with a living being, you kill it; to deal with an indestructible Abyss Spawn, you use a Demon Spirit to devour its origin; and to deal with a Nightmare Blood Shadow that comes from nightmares, sealing it was the wisest choice.
The situation had reached a deadlock. Unable to deal with the Nightmare Blood Shadow, he couldn't kill enemies in the underground world to obtain Pure Blood Stones. Without Pure Blood Stones, he couldn't strengthen the Greed Chapter to attempt sealing the Nightmare Blood Shadow.
Su Xiao looked at the Mysterious Merchant opposite him. A plan took shape in his mind. He asked, "Do you want to die in this world?"
As soon as Su Xiao said this, a hint of wariness appeared in the Mysterious Merchant's eyes. If anyone else had said this, he wouldn't have cared, but the Void Tree Reputation of this Law-Destroying Shadow opposite him was -???. There was nothing too surprising about anything he might do.
"You guessed right earlier. That nightmare incarnation is indeed my projection in the nightmare. Since you know it's a nightmare incarnation, you must also know how much it longs to kill me and take the cause and effect from me. That's the only way it can achieve perfection."
Hearing Su Xiao say this, the Mysterious Merchant's expression relaxed a bit. After a moment's thought, he felt Su Xiao's words made sense, but he asked doubtfully, "This young Law Destroyer, may I ask bluntly, what direct relation does your being killed by your own nightmare incarnation have to do with me?"
The Mysterious Merchant's words were as tactful as possible, but Su Xiao didn't directly answer his question. Instead, he said, "I know a neutral unit. His name is Mushroom Prophet."
"Oh, that kid. I know him. He's considered a mid-to-high-level itinerant merchant."
"You neutral itinerant merchants generally enter a mission world under two circumstances: voluntarily entering, or receiving an itinerant merchant mission from the Void Tree. In the former case, you can leave the world at any time. In the latter, there's a time limit; you must stay in the mission world for at least a few days. This is the Eternal Light World. I doubt any neutral itinerant merchant would willingly come here."
"Hmm, young man, everything you say is correct. But what direct relation does your life or death have to me? Perhaps what I'm saying sounds a bit heartless, but our relationship is limited to you bringing me to this sanctuary. As a token of thanks, I gave you a certain trading discount."
"If I die, you might not be able to leave this place."
Su Xiao's voice was exceptionally calm. Upon hearing this, the Mysterious Merchant opposite him frowned deeply, very puzzled, until Su Xiao took out the [Book of Original Sin].
Opening the first page, the Mysterious Merchant saw the [Collector], which made his eyes widen a bit.
Opening the second page, the Mysterious Merchant saw the [Necronomicon], which made his eyes widen to the extreme.
Opening the third page, the Mysterious Merchant saw the [Nether Bone Ring], which made his already wide eyes gradually fill with bloodshot veins.
Opening the fourth page, the Mysterious Merchant saw the [Soul Crown]. His hands pressed against his strange hood.
Opening the fifth page, the Mysterious Merchant saw the [Scarlet Scepter]. From his gaze, his understanding of Original Sin Object holders had been overturned and refreshed.
Su Xiao closed the Book of Original Sin and said, "I have inscribed a Banishment spell formation on this sealing book. The moment my life ends, it will be banished into the Abyss, not left in the world where I die."
Su Xiao wasn't lying. He had indeed permanently inscribed this spell formation on the [Book of Original Sin]. If he died, it meant he had lost. Losing meant his skill was inferior. Dragging a world to perish with him was dishonorable. If the Original Sin Objects he sealed lost his suppression and were all located in the same world, it would be enough to cause that world's destruction. Therefore, the Banishment spell formation on the [Book of Original Sin] was very important.
But the current problem was that in the Eternal Light World, this Banishment spell formation was ineffective.
"What do you mean?"
"This is the Eternal Light World. The Banishment spell formation has no chance of taking effect. If I die here, these Original Sin Objects will break free from their bonds. The Eternal Light World has no shortage of prisoners daring to take risks. They will try to use these Original Sin Objects to escape this cage. Do you have the confidence... to survive in the Eternal Light World after five Original Sin Objects are activated, until the time limit of your itinerant merchant mission? If you do, then consider all my words as nonsense."
After Su Xiao said this, the Mysterious Merchant fell into deep thought. Finally, he asked with some disbelief, "Young man, have you really... sealed five Original Sin Objects?"
"..."
Su Xiao didn't speak. He simply tossed the [Book of Original Sin] in his hand to the Mysterious Merchant. Even with the Mysterious Merchant's experience, he caught it with some fluster. When he tried to open the first page himself, the soul-penetrating shock made him instinctively look at the young Law-Destroying Shadow opposite him.
"You usually... carry this thing around?"
"Yes."
Su Xiao's calm reply made the Mysterious Merchant want to say something, but when the words reached his lips, he didn't know what to say. After a moment, he said, "As expected of a Law Destroyer."
Having said this, the Mysterious Merchant seemed to remember something and asked, "But young man, there's one thing I don't understand. I wonder if you could tell me."
"Go ahead."
"How did your nightmare incarnation break free from the nightmare? With your Soul Power and Willpower, this shouldn't have happened."
The Mysterious Merchant didn't doubt Su Xiao's formidable Willpower at all. Someone who could seal five Original Sin Objects definitely had Willpower that was absurdly strong.
"Previously, the seal on the Dead Silence Origin was completely released. I was affected by the Dead Silence for a while."
Hearing Su Xiao's words, the Mysterious Merchant, who had just taken a swig from his flask, choked on his drink, even spraying some liquor from his nose. He asked in astonishment, "The Dead Silence Origin from the Gloomy Continent?!"
"Yes."
"!"
The Mysterious Merchant was somewhat shocked, then sincerely sighed, "Young man, the things you suppress are truly remarkable."
After sighing, the Mysterious Merchant changed his tone. He crossed his arms, slightly raised his chin, and said with a hint of arrogance, "But the rules can't be changed. If you want to buy goods from me, you have to use enough Pure Blood Stones."
Hearing this, Su Xiao knew the matter was settled. The Mysterious Merchant's sudden change in attitude, acting as if he only recognized Pure Blood Stones, actually meant: 'Young man, as long as you bring enough Pure Blood Stones, I'll sell you this item. As for whether these Pure Blood Stones are real or fake, this old man's eyesight is failing, so it's normal for me to be unable to tell the difference for a while. Later, when I report to the Void Tree that you deceived me with fake Pure Blood Stones, the worst that will happen to you is a deduction of Void Tree Reputation. In my opinion, your Void Tree Reputation can't get any lower.'
Some things couldn't be said outright, no matter how many expressions or gestures were made, just like the Mysterious Merchant's true meaning at this moment.
As for the Mysterious Merchant directly giving the [Twisting Abyss Crystal] to Su Xiao, that naturally wouldn't do. After all, the Mysterious Merchant was here because of the Void Tree's itinerant merchant mission.
Su Xiao walked towards the teleportation array. He didn't use the original teleportation array of the Gloomy Sanctuary, but activated a newly set up teleportation array. This was the [Law-Destroying Teleportation Array], which could directly reach Black Iron City.
"Wait, I'm coming too."
The Shadow Devourer said as it stepped onto the teleportation array. It didn't want to stay here for a single second longer. Every time the Dark Maiden's gaze fell on it, it felt like death was getting closer and closer. This feeling was terrifying.
"Are you sure?"
Out of 'teammate camaraderie,' Su Xiao confirmed with the Shadow Devourer before activating the teleportation array whether it really wanted to do this.
"Of course I'm sure. Let's go quickly..."
As the Shadow Devourer spoke, the teleportation array activated, and light filled its vision.
When the teleportation ended, Su Xiao had arrived inside the workshop of Black Iron City. He glanced at the Shadow Devourer, then released several Spirit Shadow Threads from his hand. After a moment, he pulled them, using micron-level stitching to fix all the Shadow Devourer's parts. Then he took out an injection gun and gave the Shadow Devourer a shot in the neck.
After a moment, some vitality returned to the Shadow Devourer's eyes. First, it was angry, then angry and aggrieved, which made it say indignantly, "Bai Ye, why... why did you ambush me?"
"It wasn't an ambush. It's a minor side effect of the teleportation."
"??"
The Shadow Devourer's bewildered eyes showed great confusion.
Ignoring the confused Shadow Devourer, Su Xiao sat down at the round table in the inner hall of the workshop. Zuiyasi was making something at a nearby workbench, but this time, he wasn't here to ask for help.
Before long, Wude walked into the inner hall. After he sat down, Su Xiao took out a Soul Coin and flicked it with his thumb.
Ding~
The Soul Coin flew up. Just as it was about to fall, it was caught by a hand, then disappeared into that hand. Kaisa, who had suddenly appeared, sat down.
"Bai Ye, what's the matter this time?"
Wude spoke. Su Xiao took out a Pure Blood Stone and placed it on the table.
"Make something identical?"
"A counterfeit."
Hearing Su Xiao's words, Wude understood. However, he still said, "This thing is very difficult to counterfeit. With my abilities, I can't reach..."
Slap~
A 20,000-denomination Soul Coin savings card was placed on the table. Wude's tone changed, and he continued, "Although it's somewhat difficult, sometimes you have to try boldly. It's just that the success rate..."
Slap~
A second Soul Coin savings card was placed on the table. Wude and Kaisa each received a reward of 20,000 Soul Coins.
A few hours later, Su Xiao carried two large boxes of Pure Blood Stones and stood on the teleportation array. Then, under the Shadow Devourer's shocked gaze, he activated the teleportation array.
Returning to the Gloomy Sanctuary, Su Xiao came to the Mysterious Merchant's stall and put down the two large boxes of Pure Blood Stones. Seeing this, the Mysterious Merchant opened a large wooden box and picked up a few Pure Blood Stones.
The Mysterious Merchant seemed to notice something was wrong. After carefully examining it, he found that half a piece of wood on this box looked like it was pressed and bonded from Black Maple Tree branches. He immediately coughed dryly and said seriously, "Hmm, the quantity of Pure Blood Stones is just right."
After saying this, the Mysterious Merchant picked up the [Twisting Abyss Crystal] and handed it to Su Xiao. But before handing over the [Twisting Abyss Crystal], the Mysterious Merchant said with some emotion, "The Gloomy Continent has lost the Dead Silence Origin. There should be no more Wasteland outside the High Wall, right? Don't waste this Abyss Crystal. Finally, I wish you success, Law Destroyer."
Leaving these words, the Mysterious Merchant walked towards the sanctuary's teleportation array, then activated the sanctuary's own teleportation array and left this place.
Hearing the Mysterious Merchant's parting words, Su Xiao's doubts disappeared. He had been wondering earlier why the Mysterious Merchant had so easily boarded the pirate ship. This old man's reputation among neutral itinerant merchants was actually average. The highest-ranked neutral itinerant merchants were two: the Mysterious Merchant and the Traveling Merchant.
Rumors about the Mysterious Merchant mostly revolved around him being cunning and treacherous. But this time, before Su Xiao could use his subsequent trump cards, he had voluntarily jumped onto the pirate ship. Now it seemed that the Mysterious Merchant was probably from the Gloomy Continent. After seeing the [Dead Silence Origin] that had nearly destroyed his hometown, he decided to board the pirate ship.
Arriving in an uninhabited room, Su Xiao began to inscribe a spell formation on the ground. This time, he was setting up a sealing spell formation. Through the [Twisting Abyss Crystal], he would upgrade the Greed Chapter into an equipment with sealing properties specifically targeting the Nightmare Blood Shadow.
Su Xiao didn't think that the Greed Chapter, upgraded to this extent, could seal the Nightmare Blood Shadow forever. But sealing it for a month, no, just over 20 days, would be enough. As long as he completed the talent mission and the legendary mission, he would return to the Reincarnation Paradise afterward and strengthen the Greed Chapter's seal in various ways.
After setting everything up, Su Xiao injected 500 ounces of Space-Time Power into the sealing spell formation on the ground, then activated it.
With a hum, a brilliant light shone. The spell formation on the ground peeled away from the surface, contracted, and gradually enveloped the Greed Chapter. The [Twisting Abyss Crystal] also gradually dissolved, and the energy it finally transformed into all merged into the Greed Chapter.
This upgrade was very fast. The Greed Chapter's information had changed. Its quality and rating had both become ???, but it was still possible to enter and challenge the [Soul Spirit Manifestation]. This function was temporarily unnecessary. The main use of this item now was to seal the Nightmare Blood Shadow.
[Tip: The upgrade of Soul: King's Coronation has been completed.]
[Soul: King's Coronation]
Origin: Root: Dead Silence City
Quality: Eternal Rank.
Category: Bracer
Durability: 286/300 points (Increased by 105 points).
Equipment Requirement: Only the Dead Silence King can wear (Already met).
Basic Effect: Exempt from dying state until death (This bonus has high priority).
Equipment Effect 1: Ember Extinction (Core: Active), release Dead Silence Ember and hold it in your hand. Within the initial 3 seconds, you can designate a target, causing its speed to be greatly reduced. Initial deceleration is 70%, decreasing by 10% per second thereafter until the deceleration effect completely disappears.
Tip: The initial attack power of Dead Silence Ember is fixed. There are 5 Ember Extinction Bullets inside.
Tip: Ember Extinction Bullets are affected by Soul Strength, gaining additional attack power equal to Soul Strength × 0.82 (705 points additional attack power), and additional penetration power equal to Soul Strength × 0.82 (705 points additional penetration power).
Ember Extinction Bullet: An old-fashioned bullet composed of a large amount of Dead Silence energy. If multiple Ember Extinction Bullets hit the same enemy, the erosion of Dead Silence energy will reduce the enemy's defense, causing the damage of subsequent Ember Extinction Bullets to increase. The first Ember Extinction Bullet hitting the enemy deals 100% damage, the second 150% damage, the third 200% damage, the fourth 300% damage, and the fifth 500% damage.
Tip: If all five bullets hit, a 'Dead Silence Devouring Explosion' can be triggered, destroying all defensive equipment and defensive abilities of this enemy (This bonus has high priority).
Tip: Ember Extinction Bullets automatically generate one per hour until the 'Dead Silence Ember's' gun chamber magazine is full (reaching 5 bullets), at which point automatic generation will stop.
Equipment Effect 2: Dead Silence Descends (Core: Active): After activating this ability, this equipment will release high-concentration Dead Silence energy generated by the 'Dead Silence Origin,' rapidly assimilating the environment within a range of 10 to 30,000 meters, temporarily assimilating this area into 'Root: Dead Silence City,' and causing the erosion level of this area to be above level 80 (Increased by 40 levels of intensity).
Tip: The larger this area, the lower the Dead Silence erosion level, with a minimum of level 10. Conversely, the smaller this area, the higher the Dead Silence erosion level. An erosion range with a diameter of 100 meters can reach a Dead Silence energy erosion level of level 80.
Tip: Enemies within this area will take 1500 points + 5% to 30% of maximum health as erosion damage per second (depending on the Dead Silence erosion level), and enemies will suffer a continuously increasing movement speed reduction (the faster the enemy moves, the more severe the movement speed reduction, up to a maximum reduction of 99% movement speed, lasting 5 to 15 seconds, depending on the enemy's Stamina attribute).
Tip: During the release of Dead Silence Descends, your movement speed will be greatly reduced, but as the Dead Silence King, you can designate 10 targets that will not be eroded by Dead Silence energy, using your Soul Power to protect them.
Tip: The duration of Dead Silence Descends (Active) will be comprehensively determined based on the coverage range and your Soul Strength × 10% (i.e., 86 seconds).
Tip: Dead Silence Descends (Active) has no cost.
Tip: Dead Silence Descends (Active) can only be used once per world progress. If used more than once, you will be strongly rejected by the world you are in, even forcibly expelled from this world.
Tip: When you are within the range of Dead Silence Descends (Active), the unique weapon of Root: Dead Silence City, 'Dead Silence Ember,' will be strengthened. For each enemy killed, 'Dead Silence Ember' will temporarily increase its attack power by 45 points and immediately replenish one Ember Extinction Bullet.
Tip: Dead Silence Descends and Dead Silence Ember will have a mutual resonance effect. When you are within the coverage range of Dead Silence Descends and kill an enemy with 'Dead Silence Ember,' that enemy will transform after death into a Dead Citizen, Dark Medium, or Tree Erosion (depending on the enemy's strength), randomly attacking nearby enemy units. This target will only obey a small portion of your commands to a certain extent.
Equipment Effect 3: Soul Nourishment (Core: Passive): Your Soul Power will slowly nourish your Willpower and Mental Power, thereby permanently increasing your True Willpower and Mental Power intensity.
Tip: The higher your Soul Strength, the stronger the nourishment for your True Willpower attribute and Mental Power intensity.
Current 'Dead Silence Origin' Seal Degree: Two Seals (The fewer the seals, the stronger this equipment).
Warning: If the seal is reduced to one, the 'Dead Silence Origin' will bring many uncertainties and dangers. Only when your own Soul Power is strong enough should you consider completely removing this seal effect, thereby fully releasing the power of the 'Dead Silence Origin.'
Rating: 6000 points (As the seal is removed, this equipment's rating will increase).
Introduction: Are you truly ready to face the Dead Silence Origin that led to the decline of a Transcendent Primordial World?
Selling Price: Cannot be sold.
...
The upgrade of the Black King Bracer was undoubtedly good news. Su Xiao put away the Greed Chapter, then brought Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha, preparing to use the Watcher's Ring to return to the underground world and seal the Nightmare Blood Shadow.
It was worth mentioning that Amu's Dragonheart Axe had been repaired, and this simpleton was especially happy. However, it was now more appropriate to call this weapon the Bloodthirsty Battle Axe.
Spatial mist surged around them. When the mist dissipated, Su Xiao was already in the enemy faction's lair, the underground world.
The scene before him made Su Xiao immediately take out the Greed Chapter. The previously magnificent Scarlet Temple was now more than half collapsed, with blood smoke rising from the ruins.
In the distance, the Blood Pattern Disc had shattered, and the fragments floated in midair as if weightless. The aura fluctuations of the Eternal Dark Lord, the Archbishop of the Abyss, and the Star Devourer were no longer here, indicating that these three parties had already left the underground world.
[Tip (Void Tree): The hidden faction of this world, the Scarlet Faction, has been over 95% annihilated. The remaining members have all fled this area.]
[Judgment complete. The Scarlet Faction has been eliminated by the Nightmare Blood Shadow. Related faction shops have been closed.]