Chapter 35: Unexpected
A drop of blood slid smoothly along the blade, dripping from the tip onto Emil's collarbone. She stared directly into Su Xiao's eyes, trying to move this hunter with a sincere gaze.
"I know that someone as strong as you doesn't really care about wealth and such external possessions anymore..."
"Deal."
"Uh~"
Emil's flattery was choked back by the word 'deal,' leaving her feeling uneasy. She wondered if this hunter would still kill her after taking the Soul Coins.
Su Xiao sheathed his longsword. He tightened his grip on the translucent soul body in his left hand. With a *pop*, the soul body ignited and shattered, scattering into soul embers. Using a bit of the soul embers on his index finger, he traced a simple spell formation on the wall. The circular formation then shrank into a pitch-black hole the size of a fist, from which a creature resembling a miniature wyvern flew out.
This creature was small, with a tail like a drooping blade-hook, a mouth full of sharp fangs for tearing, and a head densely packed with eyes—at least a dozen crammed together.
This was a type of dark creature, or rather, a secondary Abyss creature, the lowest of the low among the many Abyss creatures, called a Devourer of Darkness. They weren't very strong in combat, but the bite force of their jaws was terrifying. When an Abyss creature died, the scent it emitted would attract Devourers of Darkness, which would then devour the corpse clean.
Before reaching the Absolute Strength rank, Su Xiao wouldn't have tried to lure Abyss creatures like this. But after experiencing the Wind Sea Continent, the Eternal Light World, and the Witch Realm, he gradually realized that as a Law Destroyer, completely avoiding the Abyss was impossible. Instead, he needed to try to understand it. Only then could he better avoid risks. Of course, he had to maintain the principle of never directly absorbing Abyss Force. He had seen many powerhouses who gained strength by absorbing Abyss Force, only to end in tragedy.
One by one, the Devourers of Darkness crawled out of the black hole but didn't attack Su Xiao. They sniffed around, then flew to the corpses lying on the ground. Before long, all the bloodstains in the guest room were cleaned up. When there was nothing left to devour, the Devourers of Darkness flew back into the black hole on the wall. As Su Xiao terminated the spell formation, the black hole disappeared.
Emil witnessed all of this. She looked around the now-clean battlefield and swallowed hard. As a Ninth Rank contractor, she wasn't afraid of this level of killing, but she was shocked by the proficiency in disposing of bodies.
Su Xiao sat down on a single sofa and pointed to the seat opposite him across the coffee table. Emil immediately stepped forward and sat down. Soon, a parchment contract was placed before her. She picked it up and examined it, then froze, because the contract only contained one restriction: "She shall not seek revenge within this world."
Emil hesitated for a moment, then chose to sign the contract. What followed was a scene she would never forget. Every contractor had a limit on the number of contracts they could sign. Once full, they had to cancel existing contracts before signing new ones.
The upper limit of contracts was related to one's fortune capacity. At that moment, Emil received a prompt: her contract slots were full. At first, she didn't react. But when she opened her contract interface and saw the dazzling array of over a thousand contracts, she was dumbfounded.
"You... I... this~"
Emil didn't know what to say for a moment. Seeing this, Su Xiao frowned slightly. His 'Split-Type' contract shouldn't have any problems, right? After actual use, the target seemed to have a strong reaction. Judging by her expression, she had clearly discovered something wrong with the contract.
After Su Xiao's amicable inquiry, Emil told the truth. The flaw in the 'Split-Type' contract turned out to be the limit on the number of contracts one could sign. This was something Su Xiao hadn't expected. He checked his own limit and saw that his contract signing limit was: ???.
The limit on the number of contracts one could sign was related to fortune. With the Law Destruction fortune on him, it wasn't strange that Su Xiao had such a high contract limit. However, today's situation confirmed one thing for him: although the 'Split Contract' allowed a target to sign over a thousand contracts at once, in terms of effectiveness, the 'Multi-Layer Contract' was better. Assuming each layer of the 'Split Contract' had a binding force limit of 5, each layer of the 'Multi-Layer Contract' was around 100.
Having figured out that everyone had a limit on the number of contracts they could sign, it was clear that the development potential of the 'Multi-Layer Contract' was higher. Thinking of this, Su Xiao decided to continue developing the 'Multi-Layer Contract,' striving to break through the realm of a single contract having 50 layers.
[Prompt: Contractor 15***82 requests a trade with you.]
[You have received a 200,000 Soul Coin savings card.]
...
A crystal Soul Coin savings card appeared in Su Xiao's hand. Translucent blue crystals spread under his feet, forming a teleportation array that activated.
Boom!
Emil was caught in the shockwave of the teleportation, her hair blown back by the blast. When everything settled, she looked at the cracked floor and the hole blasted through four or five layers of the ceiling above, somewhat stunned. Her first thought was, is this really a teleportation?
When everything calmed down, Emil leaned back on the single sofa and let out a long sigh. But then, anger flared in her eyes as she demanded, "Fanny! What kind of stupid idea was that? You told me to gather people to rob that three-person team. Did you already know who they were?"
"Oh-ho? You're still alive? Congratulations, congratulations, wahaha~"
A voice that sounded particularly sarcastic came from the air. Hearing this, the button on Emil's dress collar *popped* off. Her figure visibly grew, her muscle lines becoming more pronounced. She transformed from a 1.5-meter-tall, delicate-looking mental-type cute girl into a 3.5-meter-tall muscular powerhouse. She was indeed a mental-type, but she used mental power to nourish her physique, becoming strong from the inside out.
Emil's favorite tactic was to first pretend to be a delicate, long-range mental-type. When the enemy charged, she would instantly transform, grab them by the neck with one hand, and look down at the enemy with a gaze that said, 'Little buddy, what's your problem?'
As for why she didn't transform when she encountered Su Xiao this time, was she crazy? Transform to give that terrifying hunter a better cutting feel? When she saw that hunter forcibly pull out Bai Yinxing's soul and use some unknown power to examine the soul's memories, Emil's scalp went numb. The vibe of an evil faction, final boss was just too strong.
"Calm down, calm down~. Don't forget, who taught you how to get through this?"
The unknown existence named Fanny spoke.
"How did you know that hunter would take the Soul Coins and not kill me?"
Fanny asked the question that had been bothering her. When she was about to be killed with a single slash, it was based on Fanny's hint that she shouted out the offer of 200,000 Soul Coins plus signing a contract.
"I guessed."
"You!"
Emil became even angrier.
"Don't be mad. Have you forgotten? You were once a contractor who couldn't even break through the 50-point attribute barrier. Who helped you get to where you are today? Everyone has a different fate. The thread of fate is both fixed and full of unknowns."
Having said this, Fanny paused, then continued with a hint of emotion: "If you just muddle along, your fate thread will continue on its predetermined track. But if you suddenly start taking crazy risks, and keep doing it, your fate becomes full of infinite possibilities. I took you from a low-rank contractor who could only sign 10 contracts and should have died in the Second Rank, to a Ninth Rank, high-rank contractor who can sign over a thousand contracts. What more do you have to complain about?"
After hearing Fanny's words, Emil's anger dissipated. Whenever they had a conflict, it was always like this. A few words from the other party would leave her speechless.
Ripples spread in the air, and a small elf appeared. Unlike the usual attire of small elves, this one wore a black gothic dress with dark purple eyeshadow, giving her an unfriendly look, as if she would curse you out if you provoked her.
Don't underestimate this small elf. She was the Fifth Princess of the Elf Kingdom. The Elf Kingdom was a force attached to the Soul Library. It was an exaggeration to say no one dared to provoke them, but as long as the enmity wasn't extreme, no major power in the Void or the Ten Thousand Realms would make a move against the Elf Kingdom.
It was worth mentioning that the Elf Princess Fanny was the sister of the irritable little elf Diagu. Their relationship was complicated. They secretly cared for each other as family, but whenever they met, they would tear open each other's old wounds and part on bad terms.
"So, was this all arranged for me to have a stronger fate?"
Emil asked the question in her heart.
"Uh~, I... guess so."
Elf Princess Fanny smiled awkwardly but gracefully. Emil, however, couldn't stay calm. The corner of her eye twitched violently. She took a deep breath to calm herself and asked, "What do we do now? I signed over a thousand contracts."
"No big deal. My annoying third brother knows the strongest contract master in the Void, Trickster Wobo Wood. My brother mentioned it to me before. It seems he also knows another contract master, but he wouldn't tell me who, just called them 'Sir.' Anyway, finish your mission quickly, and then I'll take you to the Void. I can feel you're getting involved in some very interesting events. You need to keep working hard."
Elf Princess Fanny grew more excited as she spoke. Hearing this, Emil sighed and asked, "How do I work hard?"
Hearing this, Elf Princess Fanny smiled a bit mischievously. She said, "You, of course, need to keep working hard at taking crazy risks."
The smile on Elf Princess Fanny's face was incredibly cheerful. She looked at the traces left by the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array' on the ground, and a strange excitement flickered in her eyes. She had finally seen the 'Chosen One' of this Void Era, even though they weren't the only one yet.
...
Inside the guest room of the luxury cruise liner, Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array' made of crystals. This was the latest version of the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array' he had developed. It was no longer driven by Soul Crystal Cores, but constructed using physical energy. This had many advantages: low cost, greater maximum single-teleport distance, more people per teleport, and stronger teleportation penetration and destructive power.
The reason for this was that the pure soul energy of the Soul Crystal Core didn't have a high compatibility with the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array.' Pure soul energy was a universal energy, whereas Su Xiao's physical energy had 100% compatibility with the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array' he had developed.
Currently, Su Xiao's Mana Points were 110,279. Constructing the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array' consumed about 5,000 to 10,000 Mana Points, depending on the distance and number of people being teleported.
Using only physical energy wasn't enough. Each time he constructed the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array,' it also consumed 10% of his soul energy. With his Soul Strength of 895 points, his total soul energy was immense. This was why he could construct the 'Law-Destroying Teleportation Array' on his own. He could use it a maximum of ten times a day, which was more than enough.
After meditating for a while, Su Xiao received a message from Molei. She had found 94 'Moonstones' at the location he provided and was preparing to continue mining, hoping to exhaust the 'Moonstone' vein before the end of this world progress.
When the first rays of the morning sun appeared on the horizon, Su Xiao heard the cruise ship's horn again. He opened his eyes, ending his meditation. The magnificent view outside the window came into sight. It was a colossal city. The buildings grew taller towards the center, culminating in a kilometer-high spire at the very heart.
This spectacular scene was only the base city of the Sky City. Looking up, one could see a giant floating island in the sky. The architectural style on it was similar to the base city, but more majestic and ornate. This was the Sky City's Middle City. Continuing to look up, one would see a massive vortex of clouds in the sky. Below this vortex was the Sky City's Top City.
Clouds and mist wove between the Base City, Middle City, and Top City. Combined with the rising sun and the distant iconic landmark—the Wizard's Giant Tower, once used to suppress the Abyss Passage—the scene was breathtaking.
"So this is the Sky City."
Alanna stood by the window, gazing up at the Sky City's Top City. Hearing this, Baha was surprised and asked, "You've never been to the Sky City?"
"Never been. What's so strange about that? Serin hasn't either."
"I've been here. Well, okay, I haven't been to the Top City. Can't get in."
Serin, who was eating breakfast, shrugged, her displeasure undisguised.
As core members of the Wizard Faction and heirs to the Moon Witch, neither Alanna nor Serin had ever been to the Sky City's Top City. This showed just how severe the situation in the Sky City had become.
Su Xiao's visit to the Sky City this time was quite peculiar. Moon Witch Sesshirlis had personally ordered Su Xiao to go to the Sky City to thoroughly investigate the Dark God Cult's conspiracy. The Sky City Lord and the three 'Council Elders' had only two choices: tolerate it or directly fall out with the Moon Witch.
In Su Xiao's view, the Moon Witch's methods weren't swift enough. Therefore, he chose to temporarily borrow the Absolute Strength Three Brothers from the Great Noble Shio. He had these three brothers assassinate a Sky City high-ranking official. Whether they succeeded or not, it would enrage the long-arrogant Sky City and thoroughly muddy the waters.
According to intelligence from Serin's family, one of the main enemies this time, the Ancient King, was likely sleeping in the Sky City's Top City. The Ancient King was one of the oldest members of the 'Astral Tower.' He possessed the 'Dark Blood: Authority,' the strongest of the five Dark Bloods. Another point was that Sha was also in the Sky City's Top City now.
Furthermore, the plans of Shenfu, the Platinum Apostle, and the Archbishop of the Abyss were likely also coming to a head in the Sky City's Top City. Therefore, it was crucial to stir up chaos here before the situation collapsed, thereby delaying the plans of multiple parties.
Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, Amu, Baha, Alanna, and Serin disembarked with the other passengers and took a steam train to the Sky City's teleportation platform. This was the fastest way to reach the Middle City above.
When Su Xiao arrived at the teleportation platform, he noticed a few wizards mixed in the crowd. Their auras were strong and violent. These were likely the 'Madness Sequence' after the evil transformation. He turned his head and made eye contact with one of them. After a moment, the other person looked away.
When he first entered this world, Su Xiao learned about the general situation of the wizards' 'Evil Transformation' through the world introduction. Now, it seemed that the wizards here had been able to alleviate the madness after the evil transformation to a certain extent. No wonder the wizards here had such a high probability of evil transformation and still acted with impunity.
After a brief teleportation sensation, Su Xiao arrived at the teleportation platform in the Middle District. He moved to the platform leading to the Top City. The old wizard guarding it said nothing, just activated the teleportation platform. This also represented the Sky City Lord's attitude: choosing to show some deference to the Moon Witch.
When the teleportation mist dissipated, Su Xiao arrived at the Sky City's Top City. A faint rumbling came from above—the sound of the cloud vortex slowly churning. Exiting the teleportation tower, he stood on a high vantage point and looked around. He found that the architectural style of the Top City wasn't ornate, but rather had a sense of historical weight and antiquity.
Some buildings made of gray-white rock showed signs of weathering. From the fine relief carvings on them, one could still see the pride of the craftsmen who built this place. Indeed, they were helping the world-saving wizards build their main city, so of course they were full of pride. Unfortunately, the Sky City had fallen into decay. The wizards who once saved the world were gone. Their descendants and inheritors of power had become addicted to the power brought by the evil transformation.
Su Xiao looked up at the sky. He noticed that the center of the cloud vortex showed a hint of darkness. Even from this distance, he could sense that a powerful enemy was about to awaken. This enemy was definitely not on the level of the Dark Twins or the Madman. This was an enemy that required him to use all his means and fight with his life on the line.
At that moment, in a place shrouded in darkness, a burly figure sat on a dilapidated, worn throne. A greatsword, radiating darkness, was thrust into the ground before him. This figure, wearing a crown, opened his eyes. He too sensed that his enemy had arrived at the Sky City.
...
Top City, Central Park, North Observation Point. The Absolute Strength Three Brothers, dressed in black clothes, black hats, and black shoes, sat on a bench, waiting for their target. According to the intelligence from their employer, the target would definitely come to the fountain pool a few hundred meters ahead to meet with a 'Madness Sequence' wizard.
"Ha~"
The third brother yawned, sniffled, and asked, "Big brother, how much longer until the target arrives?"
"Wait."
The eldest brother held his head, gently rubbing his temples with his thumb. His headaches were becoming more frequent.
At that moment, at the entrance of Central Park, a female Sky City high-ranking official with short silver hair and sunglasses walked into the park. Even though she was in her own faction's territory, she still chose to wear sunglasses that covered nearly half her face. She checked the time. There were still twenty minutes before her appointment.
Almost simultaneously, a serious, sharp-tempered old lady walked into the park. It was Silver Lady. Why was this big shot from the Witch Guild here? There were two reasons. Silver Lady was one of the people Moon Witch Sesshirlis trusted most. Additionally, although she held no official power, she could represent the interests of all witch families. Sending her to represent the Moon Witch in the Sky City was the most appropriate choice. The Moon Witch was very worried that Su Xiao and the Sky City Lord would directly come to blows.
Silver Lady was here to avoid conflict. But half an hour ago, she received a secret order from the Moon Witch: the Law Destroyer, Bai Ye, had borrowed three Absolute Strength-level assassins from the Ancient King City to assassinate a Sky City high-ranking official.
Upon learning this news, the corner of Silver Lady's eye twitched violently. She had already anticipated the Law Destroyer's violence, but she hadn't expected him to be so ruthless and direct. This wasn't just about having a conflict with the Sky City Lord; it was about slapping the Sky City Lord in the face.
Silver Lady quickly learned who the three Absolute Strength-level assassins were. Seeing their names, the corner of her eye twitched again. It was during the Moonless Assassination Night ten years ago. These three stupid assassins had mistaken their target and nearly killed Silver Lady that night. The terrifying scars on Silver Lady's right arm were a gift from the three assassin brothers.
Thinking of this, Silver Lady quickened her pace. As she passed the main gate of the park, she caught a glimpse of the female Sky City high-ranking official wearing sunglasses. The other party also noticed Silver Lady, but it didn't matter. Silver Lady breathed a sigh of relief. She had finally made it in time to stop it. Now, she just needed to tell those three idiots to get lost immediately.
These three were long-term employees of the Great Noble Shio. To some extent, they could also be considered members of the Wizard Faction. Silver Lady naturally had a way to make the three brothers retreat.
At the North Observation Point, the second assassin brother yawned boredly. He squinted, trying to squeeze out some vision, and scanned the passersby, repeating the target's characteristics in his mind: female high-ranking official, white hair, elderly (actual intelligence: female high-ranking official, silver hair, middle-aged. Due to the second brother's poor eyesight, he couldn't distinguish between silver and white hair).
As the second brother's gaze swept across, he suddenly saw what seemed to be a white-haired old lady with a unique temperament walking towards him. Except for having no guards around her, this person matched all the conditions of the target. He then thought that the condition of 'having guards' was something he had made up himself. His eyes narrowed, and a smile he couldn't suppress appeared on his face. This was the target!
"Big brother, third brother, the target has appeared. Let's go!"
The second brother shouted in a low voice. The three brothers were exceptionally in sync. They drew the guardless short knives from their lower backs and lunged at Silver Lady.
"You three..."
Silver Lady's words were cut short. Not because she wanted to, but because the three stupid assassins were charging straight at her. This scene suddenly reminded her of the Moonless Assassination Night. The look in the three brothers' eyes as they attacked was a perfect replica.
Silver Lady didn't hesitate. She turned and fled. The dignity of a high-ranking member of the Wizard Faction and the temperament of an old lady could be put aside for now. She knew all too well how ruthless these three idiots could be.
At that moment, on the top of a tall building on the south side of the park, Baha was flying slowly, overlooking the movements of the three assassin brothers. Seeing them make their move, it immediately locked onto the target. Taking a closer look, it exclaimed, "Holy shit!" and immediately flew towards Su Xiao, who was standing on the rooftop.
"Boss, big trouble! The three assassin brothers are chasing Silver Lady."
"..."
Su Xiao frowned in confusion. But then he thought, Silver Lady must have come here on the orders of Moon Witch Sesshirlis to restrain him and the Sky City Lord, to prevent a fight between them.
But why were the three assassin brothers chasing Silver Lady? These three were a bit simple-minded, but they were very professional. They shouldn't be settling a personal grudge during an assassination...
Suddenly, a possibility occurred to Su Xiao. Maybe these 'top-tier assassins' had mistaken their target again, confusing Silver Lady for the female Sky City high-ranking official. Even though the age difference between the two was over 150 years, the three assassin brothers were perfectly capable of doing this.
"Baha, you go."
Su Xiao sent Baha to stop them. Silver Lady couldn't get into trouble here. She was technically on his side. If Su Xiao really did end up fighting the Sky City Lord, Silver Lady would definitely be on his side.
At that moment, in a mansion on the west side of the Top City, inside a study on the third floor. The room was rustic. The Sky City Lord sat behind a wooden desk, seemingly reviewing documents, but in reality, he was thinking about the purpose of Su Xiao's visit. Just then, a hurried knock came at the door. The Sky City Lord's trusted aide quickly entered the study.
"My lord, there is something I believe I should report to you immediately."
"Speak."
"The three assassin brothers under the Great Noble Shio of the Ancient King City are chasing Silver Lady of the Witch Guild in Central Park. The Law Destroyer, Bai Ye, happens to be nearby, observing."
"What?"
The Sky City Lord, sitting behind the heavy wooden desk, interlaced his fingers and frowned deeply. This sudden, confusing situation left him in a state of unsolvable bewilderment. Because weren't the Great Noble Shio of the Ancient King City, Silver Lady of the Witch Guild, and the Law Destroyer, Bai Ye, all on the same side? How could they be... fighting each other in such a bizarre manner?
Let alone the Sky City Lord being confused. At that moment, Shenfu, the Platinum Apostle, and the Archbishop of the Abyss, who were hiding in the shadows and preparing to act, all chose to wait and see. Because this development was too bizarre. So bizarre that no one knew what would happen next. Even Su Xiao, the instigator of all this, didn't really know either.