Chapter 39: The Ancient King
[King's Crown] was very compatible with Su Xiao, and he estimated that his -22 points of Charm attribute was definitely not the limit. He checked the attributes of [King's Crown].
[King's Crown]
Origin: Witch Realm
Quality: World-Class
Category: Crown/Form (Each holder chooses the form of this equipment upon acquisition, which cannot be changed until the holder dies or permanently loses ownership, at which point the equipment reverts to its initial characteristics).
Crown Form: In this state, [King's Crown] is likely to have active-type abilities.
Ring Form: In this state, [King's Crown] is likely to have passive-type abilities.
Tip: Ring Form has been selected.
Durability: 500/500 points.
Equipment Requirement: Has been crowned king (Achieved).
Equipment Effect 1: Deathless Immortal (Core Passive), Total melee attack intensity +10% (includes your slashes and kicks), Total health points +10% (increase of 166,000 points).
Equipment Effect 2: Malicious Gaze (Core 'Passive). When murderous intent surges within you and you gaze into a target's eyes, they will suffer immense psychological pressure and mental damage, taking [True Mental Damage] equal to (your True Willpower - their Willpower) × 52.6 times per second, along with [Immobilization] and [Sight Lock] effects that the target absolutely cannot dispel, until the target dies.
Tip: This effect is effective against enemies of the same tier but cannot provide a [Strong Control] effect.
Tip: This passive effect is enhanced based on the intensity of the negative Charm attribute.
Equipment Effect 3: Crown's Might (Core 'Passive), You can select any current [Equipment Ability] to undergo a significant enhancement.
Tip: This effect only works on abilities attached to equipment and cannot enhance abilities you personally possess.
Tip: After successfully enhancing this ability, each time you use it, you will gain a [Deep Understanding] of it. After triggering [Deep Understanding] multiple times, you have a high probability of mastering this ability yourself.
Tip: This passive effect is enhanced based on Soul Strength.
Tip: Due to the particularity of this equipment, its durability consumption is increased by +300%.
Description: This is a powerful and special piece of equipment. Its internal structure is extremely complex, and fine cracks will appear on its surface during use. This is normal. You need a familiar blacksmith to repair it. Of course, this blacksmith needs superb skill and a gentle, easygoing temperament. After all, across the myriad realms, this is one of the five most difficult pieces of equipment to repair.
Rating: 6000 points (World-Class equipment rating is 10~6000 points)
Sale Price: Cannot be sold after equipping.
[King's Crown] was very strong, which wasn't surprising. Trait 1 needed no explanation: boosting attack and health, a simple yet powerful enhancement.
Trait 2 was very interesting. If an enemy's Willpower was 100 points, and Su Xiao's True Willpower attribute was currently 368 points, then when he harbored murderous intent and the enemy met his gaze for one second, it would deal 14,097 points of True Mental Damage.
Enemies of the same tier could withstand it; Absolute Strength rank enemies often had health pools in the hundreds of thousands. But for those below Absolute Strength rank, just one look from Su Xiao could instantly kill them. Activating this ability instantly gave off the aura of a major villain boss.
The third ability of [King's Crown] was its core. It was simple and brutal: Su Xiao could select an ability attached to his equipment and enhance it. Of course, this only applied to the equipment he was currently wearing.
Su Xiao tried activating the [Crown's Might] ability, and a series of abilities available for enhancement appeared before him: Dragon-Slaying Flash: Demon Blade (Active), Thunder Spirit: World Thunder (Active), Blood Soul Grip: Protective Soul Blood (Passive), Soul: King's Coronation: Deathly Annihilation (Active), Blood Feather: Malicious Damage (Active), Silver: Moonlight Set: Perfect Parry (Passive).
[King's Crown] was incredibly powerful. The fact that it could even enhance the Demon Blade ability of Dragon-Slaying Flash showed its strength. It made sense; this was one of the three treasures of the Witch Realm. What were the three treasures? They were the three strongest artifacts or secret treasures from the time the Witch Realm ascended to a Transcendent realm until now. Across the Witch Realm, aside from the long-lost Wizard faction treasure [Moon Scar], [King's Crown] was the strongest.
Regarding what ability to enhance, Su Xiao first ruled out Demon Blade and World Thunder. The former could only be used once per battle, and even if its intensity increased, it wasn't critical enough. The latter couldn't be enhanced. Su Xiao always believed that bravery and suicide were different. Even though he had recently developed the [Scarlet Garb] to resist World Thunder, his reverence for World Thunder hadn't diminished at all.
[Deathly Annihilation] couldn't be easily enhanced either. This ability was related to the [Deathly Origin]. Currently, the [Black King Bracer] still had two seals on the [Deathly Origin]. The intensity of [Deathly Annihilation] was definitely determined by the degree of resonance with the [Deathly Origin]. Enhancing [Deathly Annihilation] would essentially mean unsealing another layer of the [Deathly Origin], which was a huge risk and not worth trying.
Thus, [Perfect Parry] became the most suitable ability. As the core ability of the [Moon Wolf Set], [Perfect Parry] had always been prestigious. The key point was that it gave Su Xiao a way to deal with enemies he previously couldn't fight.
Before mastering [Perfect Parry], as a Melee Grandmaster, if his Strength attribute was 30 points or more lower than the enemy's, it was very difficult to fight. If the difference was 50 points, being suppressed throughout the battle was the norm, and his chances of winning were minimal. But with [Perfect Parry], Su Xiao gained the qualification to fight to the death against enemies whose Strength attribute far exceeded his own.
After he selected the [Perfect Parry] ability, the ability on the [Silver: Moonlight] set gradually dimmed, then transferred to [King's Crown] and was enhanced. The effect was:
[Perfect Parry (Core Passive): When you parry with a melee weapon, it will draw upon the protective energy generated by your technique abilities, turning that parry into a perfect block. Each level of technique-type ability you possess increases the parry correction by 1 point. Current parry correction: 257 points.
Tip: The cooldown of Perfect Parry is 5 seconds (originally 10 seconds).
Tip: Perfect Parry cannot completely negate the shock damage and energy damage from enemy attacks, but within the parry correction range, you will definitely not be guard-broken.]
A perfect block every 5 seconds was a qualitative change. Su Xiao chose to wear [King's Crown] as a ring. He now had two ring/band slots, allowing him to equip both [Divine Judgment] and [King's Crown].
Besides the bonuses, the equipment's description also caught Su Xiao's attention. This equipment was extremely difficult to repair, even rated as one of the five most difficult pieces of equipment to repair across the myriad realms. Its difficulty level was probably comparable to having a blacksmith repair a long leather coat armor. Thinking about it this way, wouldn't this be a source of 'double happiness' for Reed?
The repairs for [Wild Hunt Night] and [King's Crown] would definitely be done by Reed. This 'double happiness' made Su Xiao wonder if, after explaining the situation to Reed, the latter might pick up his forging hammer and hit him with it.
Su Xiao checked his current supplies: [Honor Recovery Potion × 1 bottle], [Sanctuary Potion × 1], [Dragon Heart Potion × 1]. Although he felt there should be more powerful enemies ahead, he couldn't afford to worry about that now.
Looking at the towering building in the distance, that was the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds, the landmark of the top city.
"Roar!"
A dragon roar came from above, followed by a dive. As it passed, exclamations and screams could be heard. The dark blue-black feathers on the back of its wings scraped through the air, leaving trails of wind scars along the way.
Although fighting the Ancient King in dragon-riding form was possible, considering the current strength of Storm Flame Dragon Dis, Su Xiao abandoned the idea. The ultra-high-speed flight of the Storm Flame Dragon was something the Demon Flame Dragon Barbatos could never achieve. Of course, Barbatos's war capabilities were something the Storm Flame Dragon Dis could never reach.
At this moment, the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds in the center of the top city.
This was a circular area several hundred meters in diameter, open and quiet. The center was the lowest point, with a slight slope rising towards the edges. Dense, concentric ring-like steps on the ground made the slope very subtle. Combined with the weathered rock, it made the place look like a giant stone disc.
Surrounding the area were towering ring walls, with a relief sculpture every few meters. In the past, these were images of past Moon Witches. Today, these reliefs were blurred, like half-melted candles.
At the center of the area was a throne made of skulls. These skulls varied in size; some were the same as ordinary humans, some were several times larger, and some had single horns. All the skulls shared a common feature: they had irregular sun patterns on them and slowly emitted embers and sparks. Yes, this throne was made from the skulls of Sun God Clan strongmen.
Actually, within the Sun Faction, thrones were also made from Ancient Dragon bones.
The enmity between the Sun Faction and the Ancient Dragon Faction was truly a twist of fate. When both were still top-tier Ninth Rank worlds, they not only had no hatred for each other but also held mutual respect. This lasted until both worlds were successively invaded by the Abyss.
Their invasion by the Abyss was actually caused by the predecessor of Arcane Eternal Star, the Temple of Law. Both worlds were not far from the world where the Temple of Law was located. It was the Spellcasters of the Temple of Law devouring natural elements that caused this large drifting zone of worlds to be invaded by the Abyss.
However, calling the Temple of Law the predecessor of Arcane Eternal Star isn't entirely accurate. The main body of both were Spellcasters. The 'Spellcaster' inheritance was ancient and powerful, existing since the early First Era. It only fully rose in the mid-to-late Second Era.
The rise of such a hegemon was never sudden. The Spellcaster faction was like this. This inheritance system had been accumulating since the early First Era. Their rise was both inevitable and the beginning of their self-destruction.
[Blazing Sun Star: Chiriad] and [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberath] both survived the Abyss invasion. Following [Eternal Light World], they became the second and third Transcendent Primordial Worlds. Their destined war began.
Every world has different characteristics. Su Xiao, who had entered dozens of worlds, knew this well. [Blazing Sun Star: Chiriad] and [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberath] had the characteristics of 'Blazing Sun' and 'Frozen Wasteland' respectively. One hot, one cold, they roasted and froze each other.
A cruel situation emerged. If the Sun Faction flourished, then [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberath] would be roasted to dryness. But if [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberath] flourished, [Blazing Sun Star: Chiriad] would be frozen into a silent, lifeless state.
Each other's prosperity was each other's doom. Couldn't they both stop developing? Impossible. The birth of a new Ancient Dragon strengthened [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberath], and someone praising the sun strengthened [Blazing Sun Star: Chiriad]. Therefore, they were destined to fight to the death. This was a conflict beyond hatred: the survival of a race.
This history was far too ancient. An Era wasn't a few thousand or tens of thousands of years; it was an extremely long time. When the White Dragon Princess of [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberath] was born, it was already the Third Era.
Even the White Dragon Princess, the sole inheritor of the Ancient Dragon Faction, wasn't entirely clear on the conflict between the Ancient Dragons and the Sun. Such secrets were only recorded in the Soul Library, and not even having a [Library Badge] granted access. Of course, as an [Original Sin Sealer], Su Xiao had the authority to borrow these historical records.
Speaking of which, the White Dragon Princess was practically a top-tier little rich girl. The legacies left by both the Ancient Dragon Faction and the Sun Faction were passed down to her. However, she was trapped in the Confinement Tower of [Eberath], a deed of the Sun God Clan. By the Third Era, the Sun God Clan had finally defeated the Ancient Dragons. Even though both sides had nearly fallen to Eighth Rank worlds, they had won in the end. The mental journey of both sides was basically:
Void, First Era: For the race, the other must be destroyed.
Void, Second Era: Destroy the other, seize their fortune, and rebuild the glory of the Ancient Dragons/Sun.
Void, Third Era: We've been fighting for two Eras; the enemy must be destroyed.
The epic war between the Beast Clan and the Sea Clan on the Wind Sea Continent was once thought to be earth-shattering, both being warring races. But compared to the Ancient Dragon and Sun Factions, the Beast Clan and Sea Clan instantly became small fries. The Ancient Dragon and Sun Factions were the strongest warring races in history. These two sides fought for two entire Eras and the beginning of a third.
At the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds, a burly figure sat on the throne made of skulls at the center. He was at least four meters tall. The black battle armor on his body looked as if it had been scorched by flames, clinging to him like a second layer of steel skin. His arms were covered in black scales, and the scales on his right shoulder had been severely roasted, showing signs of semi-melting.
Even now, traces of sparks remained at the edges of these semi-molten scales, showing how powerful the one who injured the Ancient King back then was. It was likely an opponent of equal strength from his prime, most probably the original leader of the Sun Faction.
The Ancient King's slightly disheveled, graying beard was tied up. His skin had a grayish-white tone. The wrinkles and scars on his face created a landscape of age. Having just awakened after sleeping for tens of thousands of years, his vertical pupils already radiated a king's dominance. It wasn't arrogance, but the coldness that came with the passage of time.
His somewhat worn black cape still faintly showed its former glory. His full head of grayish-white wild hair was loose, giving him not a sense of decrepitude, but a powerful feeling against the backdrop of Abyssal black.
A black greatsword nearly three meters long, just the right size for the Ancient King, was thrust into the ground before him. Darkness flowed down from this Abyssal weapon, spreading like reverse incense smoke, gradually covering most of the ground of the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds.
Rumble~
A muffled thunderclap brewed in the sky. On the high platform at the edge of the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds, the aura of the three council elders of the King's Council, who looked like black vortices, was subdued. Although to outsiders, the members of the [Star Tower] were equals, they themselves knew that not having to prostrate themselves before this ancient king was already his grace.
Beside the three council elders were the ghost sisters who had acted with Sha earlier. They were hiding behind a concave section of the side wall, ready to watch the impending deadly battle.
Crack!
Golden World Thunder streaked across the black cloud vortex in the sky, making the ghost sisters tremble. As spectral beings, they were terrified of World Thunder.
A dragon roar approached from afar. The Storm Flame Dragon swooped in, circled once above the Ancient Sacrificial Grounds, and landed.
"Roar!"
Storm Flame Dragon Dis roared at the Ancient King from a hundred meters away, causing the Ancient King to open his eyes. The moment he was stared at by those vertical pupils, Dis's sharp teeth protruded. This creature, bound by a soul contract with Su Xiao, was startled by the Ancient King's aura but absolutely not intimidated.
Su Xiao walked down from the dragon's wing. The Storm Flame Dragon spread its wings and took off. Its subsequent task was to get far away. Baha wasn't very good at long-distance spatial movement with others, so taking Bubu Wang and Amu over a hundred kilometers away was its limit.
Su Xiao stopped a dozen meters from the Ancient King. Even though the powerful enemy opposite hadn't released his aura yet, Su Xiao could still feel the oppressive pressure coming at him. It felt like an invisible mountain range was slowly pressing down on him, getting heavier and heavier.
Crack, crack, crack~
Cracks appeared on the ground beneath Su Xiao's feet. With a boom, darkness erupted from in front of him. Just as it was about to engulf him, blood energy surged upwards against it.
Dong!
The darkness and blood energy clashed at the boundary, eroding each other and creating dense, fine dark red spatial cracks.
Within the blood energy, the Mysterious Eye floated behind Su Xiao. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
[Mysterious Eye has been activated. This detection will randomly select one attribute for comparison between you and the enemy. The random selection range is: Strength, Agility, Stamina, Charm, Intelligence.]
[Random selection complete. The attribute for this detection judgment is: Strength Attribute.]
[Your Strength attribute is 539 points.]
[Enemy's Strength attribute is 662 points.]
[Tip: Due to the characteristics of the Mysterious Eye, 50% of the enemy's data has been successfully detected.]
Name: Ancient King
Category: Ancient Dragon God / Transcendent / World King / Abyss Warden (Former)
Health: 65.3% (Permanently dropped by 34.7% due to severe weakness)
Ancient Dragon Power: 85,200 / 1,600,000 points (Due to multiple injuries, the current maximum recoverable is 85,200 points)
Battle Soul Power: 120,000 / 120,000 points
Strength: 662 points (True Attribute)
Agility: 548 points (True Attribute)
Stamina: 620 points (True Attribute)
Intelligence: 385 points (True Attribute)
Charm: 0 points (True Attribute)
Skill 1, Immortal Dragon Scales (Ancient Dragon God · Exclusive ' Passive, X): The Ancient King will negate 50% of all damage.
Tip: This trait has high priority.
Skill 2, Eternal Life (Transcendent Exclusive ' Passive, X): Total health points increased by 350%.
Skill 3, Grip of Power (World King Exclusive ' Passive, X): The Ancient King can control gravity, frost, and darkness.
Skill 4, Ancient Wyvern King (Passive, X): This unit ignores all control-type abilities. Health +41,000 points. Physical Defense +235 points. Each time it is attacked, Physical Defense increases by 25 points (this bonus stacks up to 500 points).
Skill 6, Abyssal Sin-Atone Sword (Passive, X): The Ancient King is qualified to use any Abyssal weapon without paying any cost and will not suffer any erosion or backlash from any Abyssal weapon.
Skill 7, Ancient Dragon Combat Technique (Technique Passive, Lv. 92): ??
Skill 9, Abyssal Heavy Sword (Technique Passive, X): When the Ancient King attacks with an Abyssal greatsword, such attacks will receive triple damage bonuses from Strength, Agility, and Stamina attributes, plus damage bonuses from the 128 [Passive Abilities] derived from Ancient Dragon Combat Technique.
Tip: Abyssal greatsword attacks carry Strong Knockback, Heavy Shock Damage, Strong Armor Break, and Lethality traits.
Skill 13, Ancient Wyvern (Ultimate Ability · Active, X): In this form, the Ancient King's combat style changes, and combat power increases moderately.
Skill 14, Ancient Dragon King (Ultimate Ability ' Active, X): In this form, the Ancient King's combat power increases significantly.
Skill 15, Ancient Dragon God (Ultimate Ability ' Active, X): This is the Ancient King's strongest form.
Skill 17, Dark Frost (Arcane Level · Passive, X): ???
Skill 19, King of Kings (Supreme Level ' Passive, ????): This ability can no longer be used.
Skill 20, End All Things to Silence (Supreme Level Active, ): Can be used once when the Ancient King's health falls below 35% (Due to the Ancient King's current state, after using this skill, it will enter a cooldown of 127,750 natural days).