Chapter 30: Members
Su Xiao leaned back on the single sofa, finally relaxing a bit. Black Hole Azler had always given him a sense of dread, that feeling that one slight misstep could lead to total defeat. Now, it seemed, that feeling was correct.
The commotion caused by Dancer Fulara's mental breakdown moments ago made Selene rush into the inner hall. When she saw the remains of her family members, her aura tightened. Seeing them chopped to pieces, Selene cast a glance at Su Xiao. Noticing the dried blood trickling from his ear canal, she thought of something and asked tentatively:
"Mr. White Night, was this woman... Black Hole Azler?"
As expected of one of the three candidates for the next Moon Witch, she not only wasn't blinded by rage at the death of her family members but could also make a clear judgment based on the scene.
"Yes."
"Mr. White Night, my family members died to deal with Black Hole Azler, didn't they?"
Selene emptied two wooden crates and began gathering the bones of her family.
"Black Hole Azler was difficult to deal with. Thanks to them risking their lives to hold Azler down, I was able to eliminate this formidable enemy."
"I... understand. I will convey all of this to the clan leader. Also, thank you, Lord White Night."
Having gathered her clansmen's remains, Selene slightly bowed to Su Xiao. As clever as she was, how could she not realize what had happened? The terrifying mental energy outburst earlier meant that Black Hole Azler could easily control the minds of these two family members.
Compared to being killed by an ally for becoming an enemy's puppet, dying in battle against the enemy, and successfully killing this notorious villain, was clearly a more glorious deed. The subsequent compensation the family would give to the deceased's relatives would also be completely different.
Understanding this, Selene said, "Thank you, Lord White Night." It could be said that aside from being a fan of Green Gillian, which was a headache, Selene was the most capable among the three candidates for the Moon Witch position.
Su Xiao opened his mission list and looked at the content of the main mission's third ring, his gaze sharpening slightly. When he had coincidentally met Sha in Reincarnation Paradise last time, he had sensed her Abyss aura. He didn't expect to be opposing this old friend so soon.
If Sha truly became a mortal enemy blocking his path, Su Xiao would show no mercy. Both were Technique Grandmasters, both accustomed to life-and-death battles. To show mercy in a deathmatch would be the greatest disrespect, even an insult, to this technique-type old friend.
If Sha truly fought him to exhaustion, sitting ahead covered in blood, what Su Xiao should do was absolutely not let her slink away like a beaten dog because of their old friendship. Instead, he should cut her down with a single slash, giving her the respect due to a powerful enemy in a life-or-death struggle. Forge ahead; either win or die. That was the technique-type way.
Of course, this also depended on Sha's current state. If her heart had been completely eroded by darkness, then there was no need for any hesitation.
Closing the mission list, Su Xiao searched his storage space and took out a photo. It showed him at a dining table, a plate of seafood fried noodles at hand. Amu had his mouth full of food, chewing contentedly. Beside Su Xiao, Bubu Wang was leaning in, sneak-attacking and biting half the plate of noodles. Although Su Xiao was holding him by the scruff of his neck with one hand, Bubu Wang didn't let go of the noodles he was dragging, his eyes still fixed on them. At the next table, seeing this, Sha, with a piece of grilled meat between her chopsticks, looked like she was about to burst out laughing.
Su Xiao placed the photo on the small round table beside him, tapped it with his index finger, and said to Selene, "Find her."
"Alright, Mr. White Night. I'll have them set out now. No, if there are no other instructions later, I'll go myself."
"Don't act rashly once you find her."
"Okay."
Selene picked up the photo and quickly walked out.
Su Xiao leaned back relaxedly. Only now did he have time to check the additional gains he had just obtained. He had been wearing the [Old Hunter] title when he killed Dancer Fulara, which triggered the loot effect.
[You have obtained a Loot Package (Upon opening, you can randomly seize one of Dancer Fulara's abilities, which will be converted into a skill scroll through the notarization of Reincarnation Paradise).]
[You have opened the Loot Package.]
[You have obtained Dark System Identification (Skill Scroll).]
[Dark System Identification, Lv.1.]
Type: Skill Scroll · Knowledge Identification Class.
Prerequisite: True Intelligence attribute over 100 points, Willpower over 50 points.
Skill Effect: Upon mastering this skill, you can identify the origin, characteristics, etc., of dark-attribute items.
...
As a contractor, the initial feeling upon obtaining this item was that it was useless. Over ninety-nine percent of dark-attribute items with supernatural characteristics would undergo preliminary notarization, meaning their attributes could be viewed. Furthermore, the cost to upgrade this ability called "Dark System Identification" was exorbitantly high.
The upgrade cost for this ability was between that of a normal passive skill and a technique-type passive skill. Such a high price piqued Su Xiao's interest. Using his current Hunter authority to check, the result was that upon reaching Lv.50, this ability could undergo one advancement.
There were two advancement options. The first was "Dark Substance Formulation." Su Xiao knew this system; developing it would make one very wealthy. The second advancement was "Introductory Abyssology."
Seeing this result, Su Xiao decided to keep the "Dark System Identification" ability and invest enough resources to develop it.
The further he went, the more he could feel the connection between the Law Destruction Faction's inheritance system and "Abyss/Element." Natural elements were fine, but regarding the Abyss, one slight carelessness could lead to instant death. Therefore, having more understanding of this would help avoid many risks in the future.
[Notice: The exhibition match of this Golden Arena has concluded. Settlement of your Golden Arena-related judgments is about to commence.]
[Hunt List · Blood Pact · Bounty 3 · Golden Challenge.]
[Bounty Content: Become the champion of this Golden Arena.]
[Current Status: Achieved.]
[Prepaid Bounty Deposit: 2000 ounces of Space-Time Power.]
[Due to the "Hunt List · Blood Pact" multiple bounty + bounty correction, you will receive a total bounty worth 10,000 ounces of Space-Time Power.]
[You have obtained Space-Time Stone Fragments × 450 (This is an equivalent item. Selling it to Reincarnation Paradise yields 4500 ounces of Space-Time Power).]
[You have obtained Secret Treasure Box × 2 (This item is equivalent to the value of 1000 ounces of Space-Time Power in this judgment).]
[You have obtained Imprint Permission · Dual Ring (Upon obtaining this permission, your imprint will gain the "Stable Medium" effect, allowing you to wear two ring-type equipment simultaneously, and ensuring that the two ring-type equipment worn will definitely not interfere with each other. This is a permanent passive effect).]
[Your ring-type equipment slot is permanently +1.]
[Note: This permission is equivalent to the value of 4500 ounces of Space-Time Power in this judgment.]
...
Back at the first rank, Su Xiao had wondered why there was only one ring equipment slot. But if you wore a ring on your finger, you could still trigger the ring equipment's bonus. This made the single-slot ring position seem utterly useless.
Therefore, in some situations at the first rank, the number of rings on a person's hand could reflect their strength and wealth.
By the second rank, this situation disappeared. Ring equipment would interfere with each other. Invalid bonuses were a minor issue; worse, interfering bonuses could occur. For example, a contractor in battle might suddenly feel their strength decrease, then suddenly increase again. In a life-or-death battle, such a situation meant certain death.
By the fifth rank and above, any contractor knew that unless their ability's characteristics had a bonus in this regard, they would only wear one ring or band.
In Su Xiao's view, the value of this new ring slot far exceeded 4500 ounces of Space-Time Power. In the later stages, it was all about pushing the upper limit. Having a slightly higher upper limit was a significant advantage. Being able to equip another Eternal-rank ring now, the advantage was imaginable.
There was no news from Sha for now, and the mission time limit was a full eight days. Su Xiao planned to do other things before Selene's family found Sha's trail. He took out his communicator and contacted Kaisa. After a moment, it connected. He asked:
"Are the two of them in the Witch Realm?"
"No."
"300 ounces of Space-Time Power."
"Well, my dear friend, Fat Mouse and Toad have urgent matters. It's too difficult to call them over."
"400."
"This isn't a matter of Space-Time Power."
"900. Just for a day or two. You each get 300 ounces."
"My dear friend, I think, no matter what urgent matters Fat Mouse and Toad have, they will rush over at full speed for the sake of their friendship with you."
...
Sky City · Top City, Ancient Sacrificial Grounds.
This was a circular area several hundred meters in diameter. The center was the lowest point, with a slight slope towards the edges. Dense rings of circular steps on the ground made this slope very subtle. Combined with the weathered rock, it made the place look like a huge stone disc.
Surrounding it were towering ring walls, with a relief every few meters. In the past, these were images of past Moon Wizards. But now, these reliefs were very blurry, like half-melted candles.
Long ago, Sky City was the origin place of wizards. To this day, it remains one of the three main cities of the Wizard Faction. However, it is extremely xenophobic. Entry and exit for commoners are relatively relaxed, but once it involves a wizard, they must undergo layers of inspection before possibly entering Sky City, and even then, only to the Bottom City or Middle City. Foreign wizards cannot enter the Top City.
The "Mutation" probability of up to thirty percent among local wizards in the Top City had long put the Witch Guild of Moon Ring City and the Star Research Society on alert. But since they were both in the Wizard Faction, they couldn't directly fall out with Sky City. This was the origin place of wizards, where the oldest wizard families resided, and even a few fossil-level old wizards lived.
Ashes drifted in the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds. The huge rotating vortex of clouds in the sky gave the place a dim and oppressive feeling, as well as an awe-inspiring ancient grandeur.
Three black vortices floated a dozen meters above the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds. They were the original watchers of Sky City. As for who they would help, it depended on who had signed the initial contract with them. These ancient beings did not care about power or wealth; they only valued oaths, karma, and the like.
These three beings were called the "Council Elders." During the period when the Abyss invaded this world, the "Council" existed. It had declined by now, but the status of the three "Council Elders" in Sky City was unshakable. Even the city lord had to show them sufficient respect. There was also a saying that the three "Council Elders" were eternal and unchanging, while the city lord of Sky City changed every few hundred years.
This time, it was these three who helped Sha master the "Purest Abyss Power." In return for this gain, Sha had to avenge the former Twin Guardians of the "Star Tower."
Mentioning the mysterious force "Star Tower" involved the "Council." The "Council" was the predecessor of the "Star Tower." However, the "Council" was an alliance formed to resist the Abyss invasion. After successfully resisting the Abyss and this world evolving into a Transcendent one, the overly powerful and chaotic "Council" was no longer necessary.
The "Star Tower" perfectly inherited the "Council's" philosophy: not to be loyal to anyone, but to exist for the normal operation of this world. Furthermore, members were not judged by good or evil, as long as they did not violate the rules of the "Star Tower."
The known members of this force were:
Three Council Elders.
First Generation Sky City · City Lord (Deceased).
Ancient King.
Great Swamp King · Kalaia (Deceased).
Death Witch · Duoluo (Deceased).
First Generation Black Hole · Azler (Deceased).
Strongest Filth · Dark Prophet.
Moon Witch · Sessiris (Former member, withdrawn).
Dark Twins (Former preparatory member · Guardians. After joining the Dark God Cult, they were expelled from the preparatory member status of the Star Tower).
Sha (Preparatory member. Needs to kill the Law Destroyer to avenge the former member · Dark Twins, and gain the recognition of this world to join).
Dancer · Fulara / Madman (Preparatory member. One of them needs to become the true Black Hole Azler to be eligible to join).
...
The drifting ashes in the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds stopped. One of the three Council Elders spoke: "The Ancient King will awaken. Should we... interfere?"
The speech of one Council Elder prompted the other two to speak in turn.
"No, it is... already time."
"The Mutation is about to overflow."
"She has reached her limit. Everything is destined."
"Including the arrival of the Law Destroyer?"
"Perhaps, yes."
"He is the Chosen One. How dare we pry into his destiny?"
"No, he is merely the Chosen One who possesses the 'World Stone,' not the only one."
...
Silver Moon Port · East Side, a small town about 40 kilometers from Night City.
The cool summer night gave this small town a sense of tranquility. A small noodle shop still open at midnight had only one customer. She was draped in a black robe and wore a hood. After finishing a bowl of soup noodles, she even held the bowl with both hands and drank the broth. Then she tossed the empty bowl onto a pile stacked over a meter high.
With a bandaged hand, she wiped the grease from her mouth with her palm. She reached into her bosom with one hand and pulled out a wad of banknotes. Tilting her head to look, her eyes, with black pupils, narrowed slightly. She then tilted her head to the other side in confusion before clumsily pulling out the largest denomination bill with two fingers and pressing it onto the table.
It could be seen that although this person was usually informal, she was still reasonable. She paid for what she ate. Even while being eroded by Abyss power, this principle was remembered by her.
"Customer, you've paid too much..."
The noodle shop owner stopped mid-sentence, finding that the customer sitting there had suddenly disappeared.
Almost simultaneously, within the shadow on the third-floor rooftop opposite the noodle shop, a man merged into the shadow whispered repeatedly: "Sir, target disappeared! Target disappeared!"
In front of the abandoned clock tower in the town, Selene removed her communication earpiece, ignoring the repeated "target disappeared" from her subordinate. Of course, she knew the target had disappeared, because the target was ten meters away from her, casually flicking off the black robe draped over her shoulders.
Su Xiao had previously instructed Selene not to act rashly after finding the target. She hadn't forgotten. The problem was that the enemy's perception was too sharp. Now, there was no avoiding it.
Selene looked at the woman opposite her. She had black eyes, a ponytail, a black vest, and a formidable aura. Her physique wasn't strong, but her silhouette exuded a wild sense of power.
"People like you, I've seen plenty. Gaining power quickly by joining the Dark God Cult, but you don't know that your power is a castle in the air. Today, I'll show you what true power gained through hard training is."
Selene looked at Sha opposite her with a half-smile. While saying this, she had secretly contacted the nearest stronger wizard. Trash-talking to buy time seemed to be working.
Was Sha really the kind of person Selene described, who suddenly gained power but couldn't control or use it? Of course not. Sha had always been stuck by her own physique, unable to advance an inch. But her obsession with close-combat techniques had never disappeared. When Sha broke through her limits, her Close Combat Grandmaster skill level soared to Lv.93, six levels higher than Su Xiao's Blade Grandmaster skill level.
This wasn't luck. It was the accumulation of Sha's crazy training. Now, with the boost of Abyss power, it was a case of explosive release. This was Su Xiao's former close-combat physical instructor. How could she be outwardly strong but inwardly weak?
"Hmm? Scared to the point of not speaking? I'm actually not fond of fighting. You can still leave now."
Selene crossed her arms, appearing arrogant, but her inner feeling was: 'Get the hell out of here now, don't make me beg you on my knees.'
"You..."
Selene had just opened her mouth when she heard a whoosh of breaking wind. Her eyes turned silver, and her body energy burst forth. But in that instant, Selene felt an embrace from behind. Two arms wrapped around her waist, causing her bursting body energy to dissipate weakly.
After being embraced from behind, Selene's vision went black, and she knew nothing else. When she opened her eyes again, she was lying in a ward of the treatment institute directly under the Witch Guild in Moon Ring City.
The clean white gauze curtains were stirred by the morning breeze. Selene blinked and tried to sit up, but was slightly horrified to find that she could no longer control her body normally. She could only control the parts above her shoulders, such as her arms, neck, and head. The rest of her body below her shoulders had completely lost sensation.
"Lord White Night, I... have been defeated."
"..."
Su Xiao, sitting on a chair beside the hospital bed, said nothing. Bubu Wang and Baha were also there. The Supreme Strong Guild Leader · Po. Ye'en was also present. He had received Selene's distress signal last night and arrived quickly. He saw Selene unconscious on the ground and found traces left by the enemy. However, the enemy had a power of instantaneous disappearance. Guild Leader · Po. Ye'en decided to treat Selene first.
"White Night, you tell her. I've watched this child grow up. I can't bear to tell her this cruel truth."
The guild leader sighed, walked to the window, and stared blankly outside.
Seeing this, Selene was visibly panicked. She said urgently, "Isn't it just nerve damage? The physicians at the treatment institute can definitely fix it."
"One good news, one bad news..."
Before Su Xiao could finish, Selene said, "Tell me the bad news first."
"Your central nervous system is damaged. That's not the key. Dark matter has severely eroded your spine and nervous system. This leaves the physicians at the treatment institute with no solution."
"Then... first remove the dark matter? Then restore the nervous system?"
"Physicians are better at treating. They can't filter carbon soot, glue, and other things out of a cup of ink."
Su Xiao's simple analogy made Selene's face turn pale. She asked, "Then... what's the good news?"
"The good news is that I have some knowledge of alchemy and treatment in this area."
Hearing this, the light in Selene's eyes immediately returned. She quickly said, "Lord White Night, you must cure me."
"Certainly," Su Xiao paused, then continued, "However, my past patients have had... some minor complaints about my treatment methods."
Hearing this, Selene asked tentatively, "Why is that? Is the treatment effect not good?"
"No. They said my treatment methods were a bit... rough."
"Is that all? As long as the treatment effect is good, don't be polite with me."
Selene's tone was decisive, and she nodded firmly at Su Xiao to confirm.
"Really?"
"Really! Just go ahead."
A smile bloomed on Selene's face. Compared to the treatment process, she cared more about the treatment result.
That evening, 7 PM, Recovery Ward.
The light illuminated the room brightly. Selene lay on the bed, her eyes vacant. All her injuries had been healed. She could be discharged tomorrow morning. But for some reason, lying on the bed now, the light in her eyes had faded.
Seeing this, Alanna, who was taking care of her by the bedside, said, "Why don't you just cry it out?"
Hearing this, Selene almost broke down on the spot. Tears filled her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back. It could only be said that she was indeed a fan of Green Gillian.
...
The night was deep. Falling Star City, the most remote 29th District, near the large water tower on the south side.
In an antique shop across the street, a young man with an air of nobility and witty demeanor was chatting and laughing with the shop owner's daughter behind the counter. The young man's wit and humor made the shop owner's daughter's eyes full of laughter. It could be seen that both were full of affection, but both were reserved people, too shy to speak first.
Such a beautiful love story was currently being projected onto a wall. In a wine cellar one kilometer away from the antique shop, Su Xiao, Kaisa, Fat Mouse, Toad, and Guild Leader · Po. Ye'en were all present.
Guild Leader · Po. Ye'en wasn't here to help. The upcoming matter was something he couldn't assist with anyway. So he was purely here to watch the show, which was very much in line with Po. Ye'en's style.
Po. Ye'en watched the projection on the wall for a while and asked, "Is your plan really effective? Even if it's not a true Original Sin Object yet, it's a pseudo-Original Sin Object between an Original Sin Object and a Misfortune Object. It can still involve karma."
That's right. Su Xiao's purpose here was the "Misfortune Scroll," or more accurately, calling it the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was more precise. "Scroll" was just a name based on its appearance. "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was the name of this pseudo-Original Sin Object at the karmic level.
When Su Xiao killed Soul Shepherd · Hugh En, the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" took advantage of the karmic lines not yet being completely fixed to escape. Even so, it couldn't completely sever the karmic connection with Su Xiao. This resulted in, after Su Xiao finished the Golden Arena, the Void Tree also teleporting the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" to the Witch Realm. In the judgment, this was one of Su Xiao's kill rewards.
The previous kill notification showed that Su Xiao currently had "30 natural days of Misfortune Karma," meaning this karmic line with the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" would last for a month. If he couldn't catch the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" within a month, this pseudo-Original Sin Object would escape this world and find a new holder.
Most Original Sin Objects have the characteristic of not moving on their own. The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was actually the same. It was changing positions repeatedly now because it had just lost its holder. Once it entered a dormant period later, it could only wait for Su Xiao to find it.
Holding the "Book of Original Sin," Su Xiao finding the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was only a matter of time. The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" seemed to know this too, so it took countermeasures: finding a holder within this world. If this happened, the karmic line between the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" and Su Xiao would completely disappear.
Based on Su Xiao's research and understanding of Original Sin Objects, he naturally knew this. If he couldn't even figure out the purpose of a pseudo-Original Sin Object, he would have been killed by the big dads he held long ago.
Since the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" had a purpose, one should never try to change it. It was better to go with the flow. As long as he could deduce the requirements for the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" to choose a holder, the taboos it faced, and its weaknesses, the subsequent situation would be simple.
Taboo 1: The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" will not choose a person from the Paradise camp as its holder.
Taboo 2: The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" will not choose a person from the Wizard camp as its holder. After all, it's just a pseudo-Original Sin Object.
Weakness 1: The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" cannot leave this world for the time being.
Weakness 2: The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" doesn't have much time to move on its own. Therefore, the area it is in is the best area for it to choose a holder.
Requirement 1: The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" also needs to devour resources. Therefore, its target selection tends towards a member of a medium-sized force, preferably a young person who dares to take risks and likes to challenge the unknown.
Requirement 2: The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" needs to leave this world quickly. Therefore, this young person should have left the Witch Realm before and have a channel to leave the Witch Realm in the future.
The young man in the antique shop currently met all these conditions. He was the future clan leader of a medium-sized force, had left the Witch Realm, and currently held a position in rare energy gem trade, occasionally leaving the Witch Realm.
Su Xiao didn't think the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" would miss such a suitable target. What he needed to do was wait and ensure that the young man had a spatial imprint on him. He could activate this spatial imprint at any time and appear near the young man.
The real trouble was creating a spatial imprint that wouldn't be detected by the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll." This was handled by Kaisa, Fat Mouse, and Toad. The effectiveness would be seen by whether the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" appeared next.
"It's coming."
Kaisa, wearing the Abyssal Jar, spoke. In his state of unity with the jar, his perception of Original Sin characteristics was very sharp.
Su Xiao didn't immediately take out the "Book of Original Sin." Inside the currently seven-page "Book of Original Sin," Bloodthirsty Madman had been temporarily removed to make room for the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll."
"Now!"
Kaisa shouted low. The next instant, the "Book of Original Sin" appeared in Su Xiao's hand. The spatial imprint was activated, and he teleported into the antique shop.
Buzz!
The fluctuation of the "Book of Original Sin" spread. The "Misfortune Ancient Scroll," located in the spatial gap, was shaken out. Strands of karmic lines coiled out, followed by the sealing sigils of the "Book of Original Sin," which dragged the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" into the third page.
The Original Sin fluctuation spread. When the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was completely dragged into the third page, Su Xiao snapped the "Book of Original Sin" shut. The young man and woman in the antique shop were about to speak, but after Su Xiao glanced at them, they immediately dared not move. Only after Su Xiao walked out of the antique shop did they both let out a long sigh of relief.
Su Xiao got into a stretched luxury car parked by the roadside. It was Guild Leader · Po. Ye'en's vehicle. As soon as he got in, Po. Ye'en asked, "Success?"
"..."
After sitting down, Su Xiao opened the "Book of Original Sin," revealing the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" on the third page. It could be said that the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was treated quite well. Its neighbor on the previous page was the Necronomicon, the one before that was the Collector, its neighbor on the next page was the Scarlet Scepter, and the one after that was the Nether Bone Ring.
Under the welcome... ah, no, the encirclement of these four big dads, the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" was very quiet, as if it had found its 'home.' Simply put, look how 'happy' this pseudo-Original Sin Object was; the information data under its avatar was even a bit garbled.
Guild Leader · Po. Ye'en looked at the "Misfortune Ancient Scroll" sealed within the page. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. As a Supreme Strong, this was indeed the first time he had seen a pseudo-Original Sin Object fall victim to a honey trap.