Chapter 12: Teammates
The blazing sun hung high overhead, the ground as far as the eye could see was scorched, withered, and littered with shattered bones. A dead, colossal tree stood several kilometers away, its shape twisted and grotesque. Just two seconds ago, the mutated beast deity had punched Amu flying with a single blow. If not for the Dawn Shield blocking it, that punch would have shattered Amu into pieces, killing him on the spot. But even with the Dawn Shield, Amu was sent flying from the Land of Exile all the way to the outer district of Twilight City.
To put it more vividly, if not using a teleportation array, this distance would take Baha about four to five days of flight. After all, this was once a Transcendent Primordial World, its vastness beyond doubt. Yet Amu completed in the blink of an eye what would take Baha nearly five days to travel, meaning it had been blasted at speeds exceeding light. The sheer terror of the Beast God's power was evident from its ability to launch Amu at such velocity.
Standing over eight meters tall, humanoid in shape, its body covered in gray-white, semi-long, loose fur, the Beast God roared skyward, then slammed its elongated and stronger right arm onto the ground.
*Boom!*
Su Xiao felt the earth beneath him tremble first, then the ground surged like ocean waves as a force hidden underground rippled outward in a ring, finally bursting with a deafening crash in the distance, forming a circular trench. From an aerial view, this circular trench enclosed the area where the Beast God and Su Xiao's group stood. Within the trench, power currents continuously erupted, sealing off the battlefield. Any creature attempting to forcefully break through this area would be torn apart by the sustained barrier of force.
This scene indicated that the Beast God was no mindless, raging beast with only brute strength. Though its spirit was berserk and devoid of reason, it was far from chaotic in combat. Earlier, Su Xiao's strength had surged significantly, nearly reaching the pinnacle tier among Absolute Strength-level combatants. However, there was a problem: after raising his Blade Grandmaster skill to Lv.95, the resulting [Soul Blade] was still in the forging stage. He had to wait for the old man, Duan Guang, to finish tempering the Soul Blade and deliver it via special means. Only after absorbing the Soul Blade could Su Xiao unleash the full power of Blade Grandmaster Lv.95.
Thus, going head-to-head with the monster-level Beast God among Absolute Strength-level enemies was unwise. Even with two good teammates by his side, the victory rate for this battle might be less than 40%. The Beast God's strength was terrifying, and alongside its immense power, its speed was also absurdly high.
A fierce wind pressure came head-on. Su Xiao raised his hand, protected by the Black King Bracer, to shield his eyes from the flying embers.
"Bai Ye, retreat or not? Decide quickly."
Zuiyasi's voice came from less than three meters behind, lowered. Beside him, Wude's dark green pupil flames condensed, also waiting for Su Xiao's decision, after all, this siege of the Beast God was Su Xiao's proposal.
"..." Su Xiao remained silent. Coming to fight the Beast God this time wasn't so much a life-or-death gamble as it was a bait. This was the first formidable enemy faced in this world. If treated as the final boss, there would be no way forward afterward. The problem was that the Beast God's overall combat power was already at the final boss level among Absolute Strength-level enemies.
This was why the small teams sent by Twilight City, the Divine Academy, and the Pantheon of Gods had been wiped out in several waves. For any faction in this world, the [Sun Source Stone] was an irresistible temptation. Swallowing just one [Sun Source Stone] allowed direct absorption of this world's World Force to strengthen oneself. Few could resist such allure.
This also meant that among the four powerful enemies Su Xiao's team, Shenfu's team, and the Big Brain team would each face later, even if some were weaker than the Beast God, they would at most be slightly inferior, like the Bloodthirsty Beast or the Giant Tree King. After negotiations among the three major factions, the first strong enemy chosen for each team was naturally the easiest on their respective paths. This meant that the second enemy Su Xiao's team would face, the High Tower Knight Commander, would only be stronger than the current Beast God.
This made Su Xiao realize one thing: in this world, there was no need to consider the open and covert struggles with the three major factions. He could skip that step entirely. His core goal was to defeat the successive powerful enemies ahead. The good news was that the [Main Mission] and [Bounty Mission] he had accepted didn't require wasted effort to figure out how to complete. As long as he defeated the strong enemies along the way, these missions would be completed incidentally. In fact, this world had an ultimate hidden mission: to survive, and to do so by relying on this significant power boost to live through this world.
For Su Xiao, this was also his path toward the Supreme Rank. Why say that? Because of the changes in his current [Sun Lord] title. After entering this world, under the notarization of Reincarnation Paradise, this title had transformed into a special title. Its characteristic was the ability to devour [Sun Source Stones]. How many [Sun Source Stones] existed in this world? Su Xiao didn't know. The earlier prompt mentioned devouring "all [Sun Source Stones]," but this "all" referred to the known 12, corresponding to the 12 powerful enemies the three teams needed to defeat.
In reality, the total number of [Sun Source Stones] far exceeded this. Having the [Sun Lord] devour 12 [Sun Source Stones] was merely to qualify the title to devour the [Blazing Sun Blood]. Without a sufficient foundation, the Sun Lord title would be instantly overwhelmed and destroyed upon devouring the [Blazing Sun Blood].
Meeting the minimum requirements and successfully devouring the [Blazing Sun Blood] with the Sun Lord title would transform it into the [Divine Clan Holy Emblem]. [Divine Clan Holy Emblem (??-level, one-time enhancement item): Upon using this holy emblem, over the next 10 natural days, your body will be greatly nourished. True Strength, True Agility, True Stamina, True Intelligence, True Charm +85 points. Current health +15%. Current mana +10%. If you face death, you will not die completely. After a 30-minute feigned death, you will regain vitality due to the [Warm Sunlight] effect. Damaged body parts will gradually regenerate until your health recovers to 30% (this effect can only be activated once per person in a lifetime).]
In other words, this was actually the "lowest-grade" Divine Clan Holy Emblem. If the current Sun Lord title was a container, then the [Sun Source Stones] it devoured were the liquid volume inside. The final devouring of the [Blazing Sun Blood] was more like the final transformation ritual. The [Blazing Sun Blood] determined quality, while the [Sun Source Stones] determined quantity. Devouring 12 [Sun Source Stones] with the Sun Lord title would ultimately yield the [Lowest-Grade Divine Clan Holy Emblem]. If unknown [Sun Source Stones] were found and the number devoured reached 20, the resulting holy emblem might reach the mid-grade. To obtain the highest-grade holy emblem, the Sun Lord would need to devour at least 30 [Sun Source Stones].
The problem was that the difficulty of obtaining the first [Sun Source Stone] was already apparent. Moreover, even if they successfully defeated the Beast God, the resulting [Sun Source Stone] would be split among Su Xiao, Zuiyasi, and Wude. Additionally, there was the covetous gaze from Twilight City. After all, the three were acting under the banner of Twilight City's team to defeat the strong enemy and reclaim the [Sun Source Stone].
These two "good teammates" had come to this world not for their own gain but for the sake of their respective factions. Su Xiao felt that both were acting on behalf of their factions. Despite their tendency to stab each other in the back, both had a strong sense of gratitude for past favors, especially toward the factions that nurtured them. After their rise in power, they became the pillars of their respective factions.
Whether it was the Night Faction or the Demon Clan, such large factions were rife with internal strife. Yet Zuiyasi and Wude managed to stay above it all. Not only were they exceptionally skilled at internal conflict, but their spearhead was always aimed at external enemies. The internal factions of the Night Faction or Demon Clan knew that if they drove these two to the brink, external pressure would immediately surge in.
A more vivid analogy: on Doom Star, Zuiyasi was outside, beating various Ancient God factions until they were crying like children, while behind him, several factions within his Night Faction were tearing each other's hair out. For instance, this time, after the Night Faction learned of the general situation on Blazing Sun Star through Zuiyasi, who dared to come? Send a Supreme Rank? That would be a direct declaration of war against Blazing Sun Star. Although the once-mighty Sun God Clan had declined, no one dared to underestimate the only race deemed the perfect lineage.
Send other Absolute Strength-level combatants? That was wishful thinking. If the Night Faction did so, that Absolute Strength-level combatant would rush to cooperate with Su Xiao and Wude, only to be killed off within a short time. Thus, the Night Faction could only send Zuiyasi. Sending Zuiyasi not only carried low risk but also gave him the chance to bring back rare resources needed for the Night Mother to advance toward the Supreme Peak.
Su Xiao certainly wouldn't hoard the [Sun Source Stones] alone. For each [Sun Source Stone] obtained, he would take out some Black Maple Tree stock and share it with his two good teammates. As for the [Black Maple Potion], which required a large accumulation of Black Maple Tree yield to attempt brewing, it could be delayed for now.
After Su Xiao proposed this, the two good teammates immediately agreed. If not for his identity as a "Contract Master," they would have pressed him to sign a contract. How could Zuiyasi and Wude miss such an opportunity? The small amount of Black Maple Tree they had previously received from Su Xiao was quickly divided among the old immortals in their respective families and factions, who looked at them with smiles and satisfaction. Of course, these old immortals also provided the resources Zuiyasi and Wude needed.
The most pressing issue now was that on the battlefield littered with bones, where each breath scorched the lungs with hot air, the Beast God was staring at the three. If not for the aura of the Law Destroyer, the Ancient God system, and the high-ranking Demon Clan, it would have already pounced and crushed them flat.
As the provider of Black Maple Tree yield, Su Xiao's opinion naturally took precedence in this battle. Whether to fight or retreat was his call. Just as he was about to order a retreat, Bubu Wang's message appeared in the team channel—a coordinate. Seeing this, Su Xiao said, "Today, we must seize this Sun Source Stone."
The moment Su Xiao said this, Zuiyasi and Wude's expressions shifted slightly. Zuiyasi, always a good actor, was about to dissuade him.
Meanwhile, on the dead tree several kilometers away, the Nature Maiden, Aikelu, sat on a thick branch, dressed in a gold-white robe. One leg hung naturally, the other foot half-stepping on the branch. Her long hair was half-tied, its color reflecting her mood. The current light golden, flowing hair indicated she was in a good mood. The light spirits dancing above her prevented outsiders from sensing her presence.
Although a member of the Twilight Team, Aikelu was not foolish enough to cooperate with Su Xiao, Zuiyasi, and Wude. Even as a teenager, she had recognized one of her good qualities: she was very self-aware. Since she couldn't outsmart those three old schemers, she simply wouldn't act with them. Why would an elemental spellcaster like her clash head-on with a Law Destroyer whose average elemental affinity at the Absolute Strength level exceeded a thousand?
Aikelu was waiting for an opportunity. Was she waiting for Su Xiao and the others to mutually wound the Beast God? Of course not. She had no intention of participating in this battle. For now, she only needed to observe. This was her greatest advantage at this stage. The next strong enemy for the Twilight Team, the High Tower Knight Commander, was her true target. Only by defeating the High Tower Knight Commander could she seize the [Dark Moon Ring], which was her ultimate goal for coming to Blazing Sun Star.
Just as Aikelu reached this thought, she suddenly noticed a change in the distant battle.
On the field littered with withered bones, Su Xiao, Zuiyasi, and Wude simultaneously charged at the Beast God. But in the next second, Su Xiao vanished into an alternate space passage opened by Baha. Zuiyasi was swallowed by a massive mouth formed by black tentacles and disappeared. Wude turned into black mist and evaporated into the air.
"Roar~!"
The Beast God's roar lasted only half a sound. The three enemies that could threaten its life had simultaneously vanished, leaving it momentarily stunned.
To Aikelu, this was far from a simple moment of surprise. She stood up from the tree trunk. Suddenly, an alternate space vortex appeared to her right. Su Xiao's left hand, surging with Azure Steel Shadow energy, reached out, grabbing toward Aikelu's head. In an instant, his hand was only half a meter from her cheek.
Aikelu felt not fear from the ambush but a surge of uncontrollable anger. She rarely got angry, but this Law Destroyer was too disrespectful, using such an unstable method to ambush her. Any alternate space was unstable. Unless the power gap was one or two tiers, no one would use such an unreliable method for an ambush.
Aikelu's deep red hair flew up. Extreme ice, like beautiful crystals, climbed onto her pale fingers and hand. She raised her right hand to meet Su Xiao's grasping left. Suddenly, Baha appeared behind her head.
This didn't surprise Aikelu; instead, her anger quickly subsided. The enemy hadn't underestimated her. The attack from the right was just a decoy. The true killing blow was the Demon Hawk assassination from behind. It was a wise decision to eliminate her, the observer, before facing the Beast God.
But was Su Xiao's plan really that? Of course not. Why would he kill the spellcaster with the highest output on his team? Against the Beast God, Aikelu was the core backline damage dealer.
Just as Aikelu was about to counter Baha's ambush, Bubu Wang suddenly appeared to her left. This truly made her shudder. The dog's appearance was too sudden, as if it had materialized out of thin air. This wasn't invisibility or stealth; it was something far more advanced.
*Boom!*
A deafening explosion centered on Aikelu, sending a surge of elemental tides outward. Su Xiao and Baha were both knocked back. Bubu Wang exploded into a large spray of dark red blood before disappearing, seemingly severely injured.
A blade hummed softly. Su Xiao appeared behind Aikelu at some point. The pressure from this strike was so immense that she had no mind to notice the dark red bloodstains Bubu Wang had left three meters away. Just as the blade tip was about to pierce Aikelu's nape, and she was about to use her elementalization ability, a burning sensation clung to her left side. The dark red blood Bubu Wang had sprayed earlier all converged and attached to Aikelu.
Su Xiao vanished again, leaving Aikelu standing on the dead tree, stunned. But she quickly showed concern. She raised her left hand. The dark red bloodstains had penetrated her clothing and clung to her left body surface. These bloodstains had been specially treated, making them highly adhesive and tough when attached to a living being's surface.
Removing these dark red bloodstains from the skin in a short time was nearly impossible. They also had a certain soul-adhesive property. The only good news was that these bloodstains had no corrosive or toxic effects and were slowly evaporating. At this rate, they would completely disappear in a few days.
But if these bloodstains had been highly corrosive, Aikelu would have been more at ease. The Law Destroyer's assassination setup earlier was solely to ensure these bloodstains successfully attached. Now that they were attached without causing any pain or discomfort, a very ominous feeling arose in her heart.
A gaze from several kilometers away was immediately caught by Aikelu's perception. She looked toward the Beast God's direction. The Beast God, which had been searching for Su Xiao and the others, now completely ignored their traces. It stared directly at Aikelu's location, its murky pupils standing upright.
After confirming the gaze, Aikelu knew the Beast God intended to swallow her whole. The dark red bloodstains clinging to her body held an irresistible allure for the Beast God.
Why was that? Earlier, Su Xiao had released Iron-Blood Hounds to hunt down twisted deities in this Land of Exile, collecting a total of 22 portions of divine blood. Using a temporary Devouring Core, he filtered these 22 portions over a dozen times, obtaining 15 portions of pure divine blood. These pure divine bloods were meant for trading with the Goddess of Fortune to acquire Lucky Divine Blood. The remaining 7 portions of impure divine blood, after Su Xiao's processing, became the bloodstains clinging to Aikelu.
For benevolent deities, these bloodstains were to be avoided at all costs. But for the Beast God, which had long devoured other mutated deities, these mutated divine bloods were refined supplements. The Beast God might have been eroded by the twisted Blazing Sun Force to the point of forgetting everything else, except the one thing it never forgot: growing stronger to defeat its mortal enemy.
The situation changed so rapidly that it caught everyone off guard. As for Aikelu trying to escape using spatial abilities, not to mention her spatial skills, Baha was a specialized spatial assassin. Trying to escape using spatial abilities in front of him was utterly disrespectful.
Thus, Aikelu's remaining options were as follows:
1. Forced to become the magic damage dealer of Su Xiao's team, and during the battle against the Beast God, harbor no other intentions. Even with Su Xiao, Zuiyasi, Wude, and Aikelu joining forces against the Beast God, victory was not guaranteed. This enemy's power was terrifying.