Chapter 63: Origin Stone
In the exclusive room, the spatial fluctuations subsided. As soon as Su Xiao returned, he received a notification that Blood Feather had completed its upgrade.
The current Blood Feather looked both like a 30-plus-centimeter-long crystalline blood-red feather and a strangely shaped dagger. The blood-red radiance cascading down from it resembled tiny blood-red feathers. But don’t be fooled by this aesthetic beauty—this piece of equipment was exceptionally vicious.
[Blood Feather]
Origin: Overlord Creature · Holy Spirit Bird
Quality: Overlord Rank
Category: Secondary Weapon / Special Equipment
Durability: 15/15 points
Equipment Requirement: Charm Attribute below 5 points
Favorable Use Effect: Charm Attribute -5 points
Optimal Use Effect: Charm Attribute -20 points
Equipment Effect 1: Malicious Harm (Active) — Blood Feather temporarily shatters and attaches to a designated healing-type target, granting that healing-type ability user the Crimson Force, greatly enhancing their healing-type ability intensity, increasing their healing output by 5 to 10 times (depending on the amount of Crimson Force stored within Blood Feather). Subsequently, the healing-type abilities cast by this target will cause the healed target’s maximum health to decrease by 10% (this state can stack up to 5 layers).
Tip: Using this ability consumes 1 point of Blood Feather’s durability.
Tip: The healing-type target attached by Blood Feather can only heal their own friendly targets and cannot heal enemy targets by any means.
Tip: The healing-type target attached by Blood Feather will have their "Fated Limit" ability temporarily sealed, allowing them to cause unlimited, unprotected over-healing on friendly targets.
Fated Limit Effect: A basic ability mastered by all healing-types. When the healed target’s health recovers to 100%, the healing-type’s "Fated Limit" ability will automatically activate, causing a brief healing-type energy rejection in the healed target, thereby preventing malignant proliferation of Primordial Life Force due to over-healing.
Equipment Effect 2: Crimson Surge (Passive) — When a healing-type is attached by Blood Feather, they temporarily gain "Crimson Value." The Crimson Value will increase on its own, with a maximum of 100 points. When the Crimson Value reaches 100 points, the healing-type will die from a Crimson Burst after 10 seconds.
Tip: Releasing healing-type abilities imbued with Crimson Force can consume the rapidly accumulating Crimson Value.
Tip: When the healing-type’s Crimson Value accumulates over 50 points, their next healing ability will definitely trigger at full intensity, resulting in a 15x healing effect.
Tip: When the healing-type’s Crimson Value accumulates over 100 points, if they wish to release the Crimson Force within their body, they can only do so through a large-scale healing-type ability. However, this healing-type ability will transform into a lethal effect, dealing Crimson True Damage equal to 4.5 times the healing amount to all nearby friendly targets.
Equipment Effect 3: Crimson Child (Passive) — When attached by Blood Feather and gaining "Crimson Value," the target is also empowered by the Crimson Force, increasing all attributes by 20 points, current health by 85%, and body defense by 130 points. They can also continuously restore their own health using a special energy mixed from their own healing-type energy and Crimson Force.
Tip: Blood Feather’s attachment lasts for 60 minutes, or until the healing-type kills all friendly units within a large surrounding area. After completing the kills, Blood Feather will detach.
Tip: This equipment’s durability can only be repaired within Reincarnation Paradise.
Tip: This equipment can only be used on healing-types.
Rating: 6000 points
Description: It’s time to bestow power.
Price: Unsellable.
Blood Feather’s attributes had changed significantly. The original choice between healing friend or foe was gone. Now, after being attached by Blood Feather, a healing-type could only heal allies.
The so-called "Fated Limit" ability was something all poison healers must master how to turn off. Once turned off, over-healing could be achieved.
Blood Feather’s effect forcibly closed the normal healing-type’s "Fated Limit" ability and greatly boosted their healing output. This wasn’t just about healing back to full in one go; it was about a single healing ability causing life force to overflow, leading to the proliferation of Primordial Life Force.
Sometimes, severe life force overflow was as terrifying as life force depletion—both meant death.
If that were all, Blood Feather’s intensity wouldn’t reach the Overlord rank’s full rating. The true essence of Blood Feather’s Equipment Effect 1 was that each treatment reduced the healed target’s maximum health by 10%.
If the healed target’s Primordial Life Force was like a container, the initial capacity was 100 points. Exceeding 100 points was dangerous; forcibly stuffing in 200 points of life force would cause the container to burst.
If the container’s upper limit dropped from 100 to 90 points, it would burst even more easily. Worse, each treatment reduced it by 10 points, down to a minimum of 50 points capacity.
With this give-and-take, who could withstand the healing-type’s treatments? The usually gentle and beautiful healer would suddenly turn dark and become a poison healer.
Blood Feather’s Equipment Effect 2 forced the healing-type to heal allies. Once the Crimson Value maxed out, they would die on the spot, and the Crimson Value accumulated quickly.
If that were all, Blood Feather’s change wouldn’t be significant—it just made the healing-type wear a "pain mask" in a different way. But Blood Feather’s Equipment Effect 3 ensured it wasn’t just an upgraded version of the old Blood Feather; it was a unique, advanced piece of equipment.
When an enemy healer was attached by Blood Feather, they instantly transformed into a female war goddess—except one who was particularly good at beating up teammates. The over-healing was utterly unstoppable.
If injured, one could drink potions or rely on self-healing abilities to endure. But what to do about over-healing? Stab oneself a few times? That wouldn’t work either—the friendly healer’s output was too fierce; self-inflicted damage barely reduced health, and the life force inside swelled crazily. No matter how tough a tank was, they would be terrified.
Su Xiao put away Blood Feather and headed to the planting area to soak in the Eternal Spring-formed hot spring. The fatigue gradually melted away, bringing him immense comfort. Ahead, Beini floated by on her back, looking amusing.
Su Xiao had no idea how Beini mastered this skill—she could float like that forever, looking utterly relaxed. Not far away, Amu was feeding an incredibly ugly, dazed bird. Don’t underestimate this bird; it was a tough character who dared to challenge Su Xiao to a one-on-one fight.
Bubu Wang was meticulously tending to the Black Maple Tree. The tree had grown to over eight meters tall, and Bubu Wang’s efforts were indispensable.
After soaking in the hot spring for a while, Su Xiao took a hot shower and changed clothes. He then left the exclusive room with Bubu Wang, heading straight for the Equipment Enhancement Hall.
Although he only had one [Origin Stone: Slow Motion] in hand, Su Xiao had a way to enhance the Eternal-rank Dragon-Slaying Flash. He didn’t plan to consume this Origin Stone; he could later try if it could boost the "Ultimate Blood Spear."
When Su Xiao arrived at the Equipment Enhancement Hall, he found many enhancement machines vacant. The contractors here were gathered around a machine at the back. He happened to meet Wild Fox from the Divine Emperor Adventure Group, who informed him that a worker was enhancing a +29 growth-type equipment.
Immortal-rank, Origin-rank—these mainstream equipment grades couldn’t be enhanced to such levels, but growth-type equipment could. Only the mysterious upper limit of growth-type equipment allowed such absurd enhancement levels.
However, enhancing a growth-type equipment to +16 was already very lucky. Beyond +20, the success rate dropped below 0.001%. Past +25, subsequent enhancements required not only incredible luck but also sufficiently strong enhancement items to prevent the equipment from shattering due to the enhancement level.
Judging by the scene, that worker was attempting a +30 enhancement. Even for the easiest-to-enhance growth-type equipment, if +30 succeeded, high-rank contractors from all six Paradise factions would soon hear about it.
As for Violators, they would swarm like sharks smelling blood. Not to mention, this growth-type equipment was a highly versatile ring.
Su Xiao, who had failed even a +0 to +1 enhancement, couldn’t bear to watch this—it would sour his mood. He approached an idle enhancement machine and activated it.
[Welcome to Equipment Enhancement Machine No. 208.]
The machine’s tray extended, and Su Xiao placed Dragon-Slaying Flash on it.
[Equipment verification complete. To enhance Dragon-Slaying Flash (Eternal Rank) to +1, 1 rare Origin Stone is required.]
Su Xiao currently had two enhancement items:
"Miracle of Birth: When used with an equipment enhancement machine on an Origin-rank equipment, it can enhance it to +15. When used on an Eternal-rank equipment, it can enhance it to +12."
"Stellar Crystal Core: When used with an equipment enhancement machine, it can enhance an Eternal-rank equipment from +0 to +5."
At first glance, it seemed obvious to choose [Miracle of Birth] to boost Dragon-Slaying Flash to +12. Enhancing Eternal-rank weapons was the hardest of all enhancements. As seen from the Supreme Blade’s bonus to Dragon-Slaying Flash, Eternal rank was the highest equipment grade, at least under normal circumstances.
World-rank and Overlord-rank equipment had a maximum rating of 6000 points, while Eternal-rank equipment ranged from 3000 to 6000 points. This meant Eternal rank was the highest quality in the mainstream equipment system.
Enhancing this highest-quality equipment was a challenge at every level. At high ranks, obtaining an Eternal-rank weapon was difficult, but most top-tier Ninth-rank or Absolute Strength contractors could get one, whether its rating was 3001 or 6000 points—at least they had the highest-quality weapon.
High-rank contractors had a saying: obtaining a full-rating Eternal-rank weapon was both a blessing and a curse. The crafting cost was too high, and failing a +1 to +2 enhancement was common.
Su Xiao placed [Miracle of Birth] on the tray, and a prompt appeared.
[Yes/No to proceed with this enhancement. If you proceed, it will skip enhancement levels and enhance Dragon-Slaying Flash (Eternal Rank) to +12.]
[Tip: This is a standard enhancement certification. If you choose this, Dragon-Slaying Flash will default to forfeiting the Eternal-rank equipment exclusive enhancement certification.]
[Warning: If you use this item on an Eternal-rank equipment, subsequent attempts to enhance to +13 will have a greatly reduced success rate. Extremely rare Origin Stones will be required to ensure a low success rate.]
A choice lay before Su Xiao: take the cheaper path to jump directly to +12, quickly gaining the power of an Eternal-rank weapon at +12, or gradually accumulate enhancement levels, climbing step by step.
In simple terms, it was like building steps upward versus jumping directly to the height of 12 steps. The latter offered significant gains, but if you tried to add a 13th step, it might collapse.
[Miracle of Birth] was one of the rewards from conquering the Watcher’s Tower, while [Stellar Crystal Core] came from slaying the Star Devourer. The difficulty of the two was incomparable—the latter was far harder—yet [Stellar Crystal Core] only enhanced to +5, while [Miracle of Birth] went to +12.
More intuitively, these were two different enhancement systems. [Miracle of Birth] was the standard system, while [Stellar Crystal Core] was the Eternal-rank exclusive system.
The standard system wasn’t bad, but the improvement was slightly smaller. Above +8, failure reset the enhancement level to zero. Above +10, failure could damage the equipment.
As the highest-quality equipment, Eternal-rank equipment had its own exclusive enhancement system: using Origin Stones to enhance level by level. This system was both loved and hated. The hate came from the difficulty; the love came from the fact that failure was just failure. For example, if the enhancement state was +4 and you failed to reach +5, the level remained unchanged. If you had another rare Origin Stone, you could try again. Fail again, try again.
This was Eternal-rank equipment. The impact and fluctuations of enhancement weren’t enough to shatter this highest-quality weapon—that was the prestige of peak quality.
Undoubtedly, [Miracle of Birth] was a shortcut. Su Xiao didn’t plan to take it; the cost to make up for it later would be too high. As for [Stellar Crystal Core], it was practical. Although it only enhanced to +5, it was equivalent to using five high-quality rare Origin Stones, each with a 100% success rate, building the enhancement level solidly step by step.
This was why only Eternal-rank equipment at +0 could use [Stellar Crystal Core]. As for [Miracle of Birth], Su Xiao didn’t plan to sell it; it would be useful later.
Under Su Xiao’s adjustment, the enhancement machine’s tray extended. He placed [Stellar Crystal Core] on it, and the metal tray retracted.
[Yes/No to proceed with this enhancement. This is the exclusive enhancement method for Eternal-rank weapons.]
[Evaluating Stellar Crystal Core...]
[Evaluation complete. The "Stellar Core Energy" contained in the Stellar Crystal Core is equivalent to the "Stellar Core Energy" of five high-quality rare Origin Stones.]
[If you proceed with this enhancement, it will be treated as five consecutive enhancements from +0 to +5.]
Su Xiao chose to enhance. The machine began operating. He didn’t focus on the enhancement but reviewed the recent prompts. Based on the content, weapons at Origin rank required Origin Stones for enhancement because they contained "Stellar Core Energy," which was the key to weapon enhancement.
Understanding this, if the "Stellar Core Energy" provided by rare Origin Stones was sufficient, could adding some "Stellar Force" increase the success rate?
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +1 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +2 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +3 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +4 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash enhancement +5 successful.]
As the enhancement ended, the tray holding Dragon-Slashing Flash extended, steam billowing from the machine’s bottom edge. Su Xiao didn’t pick up the blade but chose to continue enhancing.
With a click, the tray retracted into the machine. Su Xiao pressed [Origin Stone: Slow Motion] into the slot on the machine’s right side, then activated the Abyss Store. With 1300 Precipitated Glass, he exchanged for a [Stellar Force].
[Stellar Force (Crystallized)]
Category: Enhancement Item
Effect: When used with an equipment enhancement machine, it can increase an equipment’s enhancement level by 1 (maximum up to +15).
[Stellar Force] could enhance Origin-rank equipment. Su Xiao placed it on the medium-sized item tray at the bottom of the main tray but didn’t immediately retract it. While wearing the [Immortal Fortune] title, he checked the current success rate.
[Tip: Because Dragon-Slashing Flash’s enhancement method is the Eternal-rank exclusive enhancement certification, even if this enhancement fails, the equipment’s enhancement level will not decrease.]
Su Xiao pressed the metal button beside the item tray, and the tray retracted. The success rate changed.
At least a 14% increase in success rate. Spending 1300 Precipitated Glass was well worth it. In Su Xiao’s view, even the gap between 86% and 100% wasn’t safe enough. The Law Destruction fortune had instilled in him a style of seeking maximum stability.
Su Xiao put away both [Origin Stone: Slow Motion] and [Stellar Force], then extended the tray and retrieved Dragon-Slashing Flash.
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +5]
Durability: 980/980 points (increased by 40 points)
Attack Power: 846–983 (increased by 40–50 points)
Base Bonus: Cyan Steel Shadow Energy’s True Damage increased by 30%.
Supreme Blade Effect 1: Sharpness +1612 points (increased by 50 points).
Supreme Blade Effect 2: Demon Blade (Core · Active)...
Inlay Effect: 0/3 slots.
Rating: 7150 points (this weapon’s rating ranges from 3000 to 10500 points).
Description: Slay gods and vanquish evil, sever souls and destroy heresy, seal demons in the blade, cut down the immortal and indestructible!
Su Xiao sheathed Dragon-Slashing Flash. After checking the remaining stay time, he headed back to the exclusive room. On the way, he happened to encounter Sha. It had been a while since they last met. Sha’s aura had changed—it was now as dark as a wild beast’s, with a strong sense of aggression.
On the steps by an alley, Su Xiao ate some snacks while Sha tossed an empty food container into a trash can. She brushed off seasoning crumbs from her legs, stood up from the steps, and said, "I’m off."
"Are you sure you want to keep going forward?"
Su Xiao chewed on some roasted tofu, uttering puzzling words. But upon hearing this, Sha paused mid-step.
"I’ve always pursued power, you know that."
Sha spoke with her back to Su Xiao, clearly understanding what he meant.
"You might lose control."
"I won’t."
Sha stood with her back to Su Xiao, her short hair hanging freely. She wore a black vest, with black lines tattooed on her back and arms. She turned her head slightly, glancing at Su Xiao from the corner of her eye. If one met her gaze, they would see that her pupils and irises were pitch black.
"Don’t worry, I’m tough as nails. Besides, what’s there to regret about dying on the path to power?"
Leaving these words, Sha made to step away. A black potion flew toward her. Sha caught it with one hand. Just by touching it, she knew it was a potion that could temporarily suppress Abyss Force erosion, and it was very potent. She didn’t thank him but, as usual, waved her hand while walking away with her back to him, eventually disappearing around the street corner.
Su Xiao sat on the steps. He didn’t intend to interfere with Sha absorbing Abyss energy—at most, he would warn her. Everyone had their own choices, especially since Sha had always pursued strength. But at the peak of Eighth Rank, she had reached her limit. This was the price of constantly forcing breakthroughs despite bodily damage. If not for Su Xiao’s repeated treatments, Sha might have been on the verge of death.
For a powerhouse whose goal was to pursue power, this was painful. So it was no surprise that Sha chose the Abyss system. She had used it to break through her limits and continue seeking strength.
However, judging by Sha’s appearance, she hadn’t recklessly absorbed Abyss energy directly. She had likely obtained some kind of Abyss system power inheritance. Even so, the risk was extremely high.
When Su Xiao returned to the exclusive room, he saw Bubu Wang clinging to the chandelier while Beini glared up at him from below, clearly saying: ‘Stupid dog, just wait until you come down. I’ll show you what the Shadow of the Hunt is.’
Seeing the box of exquisite ice cream with dog footprints on the floor, Su Xiao immediately understood what had happened. Beini had been happily eating ice cream and watching a show when the just-woken Bubu Wang stumbled by, accidentally stepping on Beini’s tail and then into the ice cream box, reshaping Beini’s custom-made ice cream.
"Woof."
"..."
Ignoring Bubu Wang’s "plea for help," Su Xiao sat down on the sofa. Just as he put on the Mystic Scholar title to improve his Sealcraft, a prompt appeared.
[Tip: Origin Stone: World has completed fusion.]
[You have obtained Origin Stone: World (Strongest Origin Stone).]
[You must make the following choice.]
[Yes/No to decide to become the owner of Origin Stone: World. If you choose to own it, your ??? mission will change, and the mission difficulty will increase to the maximum.]
[Warning: This choice is extremely dangerous. You must consider it carefully.]
[If you choose No, this Origin Stone: World can only be used for wearing or inlaying.]
Seeing this prompt, Su Xiao immediately took out [Origin Stone: World] from his storage space. In the certification, it was marked as the strongest Origin Stone, indicating just how powerful it was.
[You have chosen to become the holder of Origin Stone: World.]
[Origin Stone: World]
Origin: Reincarnation Paradise (determined by location at time of synthesis)
Type: Special Equipment
Durability: 15000/15000 points
Equipment Effect 1: Meditator (Passive) — If the Hunter carries the Origin Stone, each meditation will increase the progress of the current meditation ability by 2.5% (can be triggered once per natural day).
Equipment Effect 2: Power (Passive) — You gain a permanent boost. All skills in your skill list have their level cap increased by lv.10 (requires True Stamina attribute to reach 500 points to trigger this bonus).
Equipment Effect 3: Enthronement (Passive) — Can be activated upon reaching Supreme rank.
Equipment Effect 4: Peak (Passive) — Can be activated upon reaching Above Supreme rank.
Equipment Effect 5: World · Chosen (Passive) — You gain "Qualification (Inactive State)."
Description: You have obtained the "Qualification," but you are not yet the only one.
Sale Price: Unsellable, non-tradeable, non-transferable. Drops upon death. If the one who kills you is unworthy of possessing Origin Stone: World, this Origin Stone will shatter into five pieces.
What did it mean to increase all ability level caps by +10? Once this boost was obtained, all of Su Xiao’s current abilities that had reached x could be improved again using Golden Skill Points, and the improvement would be significant. After completing this enhancement, Su Xiao would be nearly invincible among Absolute Strength rank.
However, this boost couldn’t be achieved yet, both because his True Stamina attribute hadn’t reached 500 points and because, after this return to Reincarnation Paradise, Su Xiao’s strength had increased tremendously. He needed some time and a few battles to fully digest this improvement.
Holding [Origin Stone: World], Su Xiao entered a meditative state. In an instant, everything around him disappeared, and he sank into meditation. When he opened his eyes, over two hours had passed. He checked his Heart Meditation ability.
"Heart Meditation, lv.96 (Passive): 1300015/52000000 proficiency."
The meditation ability’s proficiency had skyrocketed. Previously, meditating once only increased proficiency by a dozen points. Now, the efficiency was on a completely different level.
Su Xiao held [Origin Stone: World] between his index and middle fingers. This item had immense origins. Even though he was now at Absolute Strength rank, he still couldn’t activate all its effects. He would need to advance to Supreme rank, and even Above Supreme, to fully activate this Origin Stone.
Su Xiao put away the Origin Stone and began delving into mastering Sealcraft. This concerned his life and safety. The "High-Level Sealcraft," worth a total of 3800 Library Silver Coins, was profound. But with the assistance of the Mystic Scholar title and the "encouragement" of the five Original Sin objects, Su Xiao’s Sealcraft improved rapidly.
When the timer rang, Su Xiao put down the ancient tome. A wave of mental fatigue hit him, but his body wasn’t tired. He headed to the Land of All Beings · Eighth Layer. There were many abilities to develop this time, such as the Blood Beast talent’s "Heaven’s Wrath · Mark," the awakened Azure Shadow King, and so on. The arduous training began.
[Tip: Your remaining stay time in Reincarnation Paradise is only 30 minutes. You have the following options.]