Chapter 16: Abyssal Shadow

Chapter 16: Abyssal Shadow

[Abyssal Shadow]
Origin: Reincarnation Paradise
Quality: ★★★★★★★★★
Limit Tempering: Three times.
Category: Title · Ultra-High Rarity.
Title Effect 1: Wrath Shadow (Passive), when battling World-Destroying existences and Abyss System enemies, deals an additional 35% True Damage.
Title Effect 2: Dark Shadow (Passive), each point of your Abyss Resistance increases your physical speed by 0.7%.
Current Physical Speed Increase: 62.3%.
Title Effect 3: Abyss Walking (Core · Passive), when you enter Abyss Erosion Zones, Extreme Dark Zones, and other "Severe Abyss Spread Areas," you will not suffer environmental erosion.
Description: This is... the Wrathful Slaying Shadow within the Abyss!
Price: Unsellable.
...

The increases in damage and speed were considerable. Regarding physical speed, because Su Xiao's Abyss Resistance had reached 89 points, the derived physical speed had reached 62.3%.

The reason Su Xiao's Abyss Resistance had increased again was that the Blade Demon Spirit had absorbed the four "Undying · Abyss Spawn Primordial Life Force" it had devoured after entering this world. After converting them into demon spirit energy, Su Xiao received 50% of it. After filtering and converting this demon spirit energy through the Devouring Core, he gained "All Potential Limit Rank +4" and 4 points of Abyss Resistance by absorbing this energy.

Along with this enhancement came the Blade Demon Spirit's demon spirit intensity soaring to 680 points. This required Su Xiao's 1140 points of Soul Strength to suppress the Blade Demon Spirit, which was why the demon spirit had been so active earlier.

As for the more efficient method of suppressing the demon spirit that Green Gillian had mentioned earlier, Su Xiao, after careful consideration, decided not to consider that secret technique. As the saying goes, not all physiques are the same. Applied to Green Gillian's secret technique, it meant: the upper limits of perversity between individuals are different.

Su Xiao equipped the [Abyssal Shadow] title. He had a feeling that the "Abyss Walking" ability of this title would play a crucial role in the future.

[Tip: Your talent skill, Blood Beast, has completed its transformation.]
[The original effect of the Blood Beast talent, "Blood Nourishment · Passive," has been permanently transferred to a sub-list in your personal profile. You can view this bonus in the sub-list.]
[Talent Ability: Blood Beast.]
Category: Growth Talent.
Level: SSS+
Talent Effect (Passive · Blood Feast): Blood Qi attack rank +1. Each time you kill an "Absolute Strong," this talent is activated to absorb the "Primordial World Force of the world corresponding to the causal magnitude of their strength," providing growth for this talent.
Tip: Each time you kill an "Absolute Strong," you can trigger a maximum increase of "Blood Qi attack rank +1."
Absolute Strong: The "Absolute Strong" you have defeated include: Black King, Sera Guardian · Iron Feather King, Source Guardian · Adiri Dewen, Demon Sea · Doom Number Third Captain · Nameless Captain, World of Paintings · Old Knight, Abyss Eldest Daughter · Yuro, Eternal God, Wolf God · Sheen, Ancient King.
Tip: Because defeating an "Absolute Strong" is a kill judgment with the highest priority, the talent benefits corresponding to defeating the above "Absolute Strong" have triggered fairness compensation.
Tip: Due to your identity as a Hunter, you cannot travel to the above worlds through conventional means to absorb the "Primordial World Force" corresponding to the "causal magnitude" of the nine "Absolute Strong." Under the dual notarization of the Void Tree and Reincarnation Paradise, you will receive nine portions of "Universal · Primordial World Force" upon returning to Reincarnation Paradise this time. You can trigger the nine Blood Feast bonuses of the "Blood Beast" talent by absorbing these "Primordial World Force" portions.
Tip (This tip is Paradise-level): Because the characteristic of Blood Feast is to devour and absorb "Primordial World Force" through the "Blood Beast characteristic," the growth potential of this talent is theoretically unlimited.
Talent Effect (Active · Blood Fury): Each point of life value you lose accumulates as "Rage Blood Value." The upper limit of "Rage Blood Value" is determined by your maximum life value.
Current Rage Blood Value Limit: 0/2,150,000 points.
Tip: After activating this talent effect, all stored "Rage Blood Value" will be consumed. Your next Blood Qi attack will be accompanied by Blood Qi damage equal to 70% of the consumed "Rage Blood Value."
Tip: This talent ability will undergo an ultimate transformation after you successfully defeat the "Fierce Beast · Fei."
...

Su Xiao had previously completed a "World Quest" and obtained the [Ascension Blood Core · Nourishment (Talent Item · Unique)], which he used to enhance his "Blood Beast" talent. The changes to the Blood Beast talent were indeed significant.

To put it simply, the "Blood Beast" talent now had only two effects: 1. Blood Qi damage rank growth, and 2. Temporarily enhancing any Blood Qi skill into a super-move-level killing method.

The strength of the "Blood Feast" characteristic of the Blood Beast talent lay in its ability to devour "Primordial World Force" and its theoretically unlimited growth. However, "Absolute Strong" were too rare. It wasn't just about being powerful; one had to be strongly recognized by their world to earn this honor.

The "Blood Fury" effect was straightforward to the extreme. If the "Rage Blood Value" was fully accumulated and this characteristic was activated, the maximum possible was 1,505,000 points of Blood Qi damage.

Take the Blood Smoke Cannon ability as an example. If an ultra-enhanced Blood Smoke Cannon blasted an enemy, unless it was a final boss, they would be shattered on the spot.

Even if a final boss withstood it, because Blood Qi abilities inherently had the basic effect of "reducing all defenses by 30%," this Blood Smoke Cannon blast, even after deducting damage reduction from defensive characteristics, would still deal at least 500,000 to 800,000 points of Blood Qi damage.

Although the damage reduction seemed significant, the problem was that final bosses generally had percentage-based damage immunity abilities. For example, the previously encountered Scarlet Monarch · Euyishure had abilities like "Physical Defense +270 points, reduce 40% physical damage, reduce 40% energy damage."

After this damage reduction, conventional defense judgments applied, such as outer armor defense judgment, then body defense judgment, and finally passive defense ability judgment. Only after all these steps was the final damage determined. This was why True Damage was exceptionally absurd.

Therefore, Extreme Blade: World, which dealt "25% of maximum life value as True Slashing Damage," was an especially outrageous ability.

The strongest point of the "Blood Fury" effect was that this characteristic could be applied to all Blood Qi abilities, and the damage intensity ceiling of this characteristic would continuously rise as Su Xiao's health increased.

Su Xiao currently had 2,150,000 life points. His plan was to reach over 5,000,000 life points before advancing to the Supreme rank, that is, when his Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Intelligence attributes all reached 800 points. By then, the damage from "Blood Fury" would be exceptionally absurd.

In the underground space with fresh air, Su Xiao sat cross-legged on a carpet. As he assessed himself, an unexpected idea gradually emerged. After defeating the Beast God this time, his improvement had been enormous, summarized as follows:

Blade Grandmaster Lv.95: Two "Blade Hearts" could negate two instant death or execution judgments. The blade grandmaster ultimate move "Extreme Blade · White Night," meaning activating this ability would increase the next melee slash by 500% as a "Powerful Slash."
Abyssal Shadow · Title: Deals an additional 35% True Damage to Abyss System enemies, plus a significant speed increase.
Blood Beast · Talent Ability: Particularly practical ultra-high damage bonus.
Frozen Will · Overlord Equipment: Reduces all Solar damage you take by 50% (including True Solar damage, this is a faction mutual-restraint characteristic).

With these improvements, Su Xiao felt that if he were to fight the Beast God one-on-one now, he might not necessarily lose. The odds were probably fifty-fifty. This wasn't arrogance; the intensity of the "Powerful Slash" was simply too absurd.

Su Xiao checked his attribute data:

True Strength: 652 points.
True Agility: 652 points.
True Stamina: 692 points.
True Intelligence: 652 points.
...

These physical attributes were formidable, but against the powerful enemies of this world, they weren't enough. Previously, when fighting the Beast God, the opponent's True Strength attribute was definitely at the extreme 800 points of Absolute Strength. As for the "High Tower Knight Commander" he would face next, it might even have two body attributes at the extreme of 800 points.

Su Xiao's plan was to find a way to quickly improve his physical attributes. Reaching 800 points was unrealistic, but reaching over 700 points was somewhat possible, especially since he had one of the top-tier "Absolute Strong" abilities. With just two portions of "Power Source Matter," he could push all four of his main attributes past 700 points.

If he achieved this, he was confident in fighting the "High Tower Knight Commander" one-on-one, even if the win rate was only fifty percent. But this involved another advantage.

From the attributes of [Sun Lord], Su Xiao learned that this world had a total of 32 "Sun Source Stones." His minimum goal was to obtain 12. The problem was that, following the current channels of fighting powerful enemies, he could only acquire 4 "Sun Source Stones."

The minimum goal of 12 required seizing the 4 stones each that the Shenfu Team and Soul Team would obtain later. Only then could he reach his minimum expectation. However, whether it was the Shenfu Team, composed of three super old schemers, or the Soul Team, with Black Demon as their face, dealing with them would be extremely difficult.

To seize "Sun Source Stones" from those two teams later under such circumstances, the only method was to split up with his two good teammates. This would free up Zuiyasi and Wude, allowing them to operate without the pressure of facing subsequent powerful enemies.

Not only that, but Kaisa and the other two could also free up to assist Zuiyasi and Wude. With such a lineup, even the Shenfu Team would find it troublesome. Moreover, Shenfu, Platinum Apostle, and Archbishop of the Abyss all had other purposes for being here, so there was a decent chance they would throw away the "Sun Source Stones" they had already obtained.

Regarding having the two 'good teammates' help compete for the "Sun Source Stones," the two 'good teammates' were duty-bound. After all, for each "Sun Source Stone" Su Xiao obtained with their help, he would pay them a certain amount of Black Maple Tree yield.

Regarding this compensation, both 'good teammates' stated that their other matters on Blazing Sun Star were no longer important. For the sake of their 'brotherly friendship,' they would do whatever it took to help Su Xiao obtain more Black Maple... ahem! More "Sun Source Stones."

As for whether the forces behind Zuiyasi and Wude supported this, they were extremely supportive. When Wude contacted the clan elders, his implication was that the matter the clan had instructed seemed more important. But the Demon Clan Patriarch and all the elders indicated that Wude shouldn't lose sight of priorities; he absolutely must not let important matters interfere with obtaining Black Maple Tree yield.

The foundation of all this was Su Xiao's ability to handle subsequent powerful enemies alone. To achieve this, he needed to obtain at least two portions of "Power Source Matter." He took out two [Source Matter Chests], which were his gains from entering this world until now.

Su Xiao had an advantage: he was always very self-aware. Although he occasionally had a mysterious confidence in opening chests due to the "Absolute Fortune" bonus from [Fate Dominator], at this critical moment, he decided to play it safe.

After a moment of emotional preparation, a slight smile appeared on Su Xiao's face. He said to Molei, who was a few meters away, "Molei, come over here."

"Hmm?"

Molei looked at Su Xiao upon hearing this. When she saw Su Xiao smiling at her, she suddenly shivered. Her usual carefree and reckless personality temporarily receded as she shook her head and said, "No."

Hearing this, Su Xiao's smile became even more friendly. Seeing this, Molei was stunned. She instinctively reached out to pull her two close friends over as shields, but grabbed nothing. Turning her head, she saw Yueshitu and Hao Mei watching from dozens of meters away. Plastic sisterhood had activated.

A moment later, Molei held two [Source Matter Chests] in one hand and said with a smile, "You scared me half to death. I thought you were short on Soul Coins again."

Su Xiao didn't speak. He took out a [Library Badge] from the Soul Library. He still had 15 of these. For Battle Angels like Molei from Apocalypse Paradise, they were the most welcome type in the Soul Library: well-behaved, gentle-natured, and relatively kind.

Su Xiao held a [Library Badge] between his index and middle fingers and tempted Molei, "If you can help me open a Power Source Matter..."

"Uh~, you mean this?"

Molei held a portion of "Power Source Matter" in her hand and continued, "What is this? All attributes are question marks except the name. Last time, my world evaluation in the Witch Realm was particularly high. Apocalypse Paradise rewarded me with a Miracle Chest. When I opened it, I got this."

"..."
Su Xiao didn't speak. Whether it was Apocalypse Paradise's reward mechanism treating Molei like a favored daughter or the luck of pulling "Power Source Matter" from a Miracle Chest, it left him speechless yet feeling the need to say something.

"Name your price."
"Well~, I don't know what this is for, so I can't name a price."

Molei hadn't yet advanced to Absolute Strength, so she naturally hadn't activated various permissions related to "Source Matter," especially precious universal Source Matter like "Power Source Matter."

"..."
Su Xiao tried to share the permission for "Source Matter" information, but received dual warning prompts from Reincarnation Paradise and the Void Tree. He instead roughly explained the value of "Power Source Matter" to Molei.

"Oh~, so it's that precious. Then..."

Molei thought for a moment and asked, "White Night, you're the Holy Flame Alchemist, the strongest alchemist in the myriad worlds, right?"

"No."

Su Xiao wasn't being modest. What Molei called the myriad worlds referred to the entire Star Realm. Su Xiao was indeed the strongest alchemist in the Void, recognized by the Void Alchemist Guild. But calling himself the strongest alchemist in the Star Realm felt very inappropriate.

The Star Realm had existed for far too long. Among the countless races as vast as the stars, there were naturally long-lived species. Some particularly ancient long-lived species had existed from the early First Era to the present. Consider this: among these long-lived species, there were certainly ancient alchemists. How powerful would the pharmaceutical skills of such long-lived alchemists be, having learned and honed their craft from the First Era to the current Third Era?

Even at the peak of the Second Era's Alchemical Civilization, they might not dare to claim that their pharmaceutical skills were definitely stronger than these rare long-lived species. Alchemists were proud, but not arrogant enough to be blind.

Previously, if someone called Su Xiao the strongest alchemist in the myriad worlds, he might not have refuted it. But after understanding the concept of the Star Realm, he would definitely not acknowledge this title. The Present World, several secondary Present Worlds, derivative worlds, primordial worlds, transcendent worlds, the Void, etc., were all within the Star Realm.

The Star Realm could represent these worlds, but the sum of these worlds could not represent the entire Star Realm. For example, the Nether Realm at the bottom of the Star Realm, or the vast, unknown, dangerous, and deeply terrifying Dark Drift Zone.

Or the Elemental Barrier Zone, and the "Abyss," which was unclear whether it was a conceptual description or a specific place.

"Then... can you customize a permanent enhancement potion based on my physique?"

Molei's transaction request made Su Xiao take out a notebook and find a pen. He asked, "Customizing a permanent enhancement potion is certainly possible. I'll need a small amount of your blood. You can also make requests for the customized potion."

"Really? Can I customize the details?"

"..."
Su Xiao didn't speak, using silence as affirmation. For her offering a portion of "Power Source Matter," he could find a way to customize even the flavor, let alone the details of the enhancement potion.

Molei habitually scratched her pink short hair and tilted her head slightly as she narrated, "I want one that enhances more than two body attributes."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiao recorded in his notebook: 'Enhance all attributes, life value, mana value, soul strength.'

"Uh~, and no side effects."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiao recorded in his notebook: 'No side effects.'

"And, and, it should have ultra-low risk after consumption."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiao recorded in his notebook: 'Won't die after consumption.'

"Hmm~, oh right! The enhancement process after consumption should be painless."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiao recorded in his notebook: 'Won't die during the enhancement process.'

"That's about it. Did you write it all down? I didn't expect ordering a potion from you to be so thoughtful."

Molei was in an excellent mood. However, if she saw the few potion entries Su Xiao had recorded, she definitely wouldn't be smiling so happily. The enhancement effect of this potion would probably be 7 to 10 times what Molei expected, with no side effects. As for the consumption risk and post-consumption experience, that was more Law Destruction style. As long as it didn't kill you, it was an excellent secret medicine.

Completing this transaction, Molei chose to open the two [Source Matter Chests]. The result was:

[You have opened Source Matter Chest × 2.]
[You have obtained Corrupted Source Matter.]
[You have obtained Resentment Source Matter.]
...

Molei didn't know the value of Source Matter. She asked somewhat excitedly, "How is it? Resentment and Corrupted Source Matter sound formidable. These two Source Matters must be very valuable, right?"

"..."
Su Xiao took out a Source Matter price list. After Molei's eyes scanned the first half, her face showed a bit of distress. Was she going to open low-to-medium value Source Matters on her first try? But soon, she realized the seriousness of the situation. Among the three garbage Source Matters at the bottom of the list, she had opened two of them.

Death Soul Source Matter: Value 80 ounces.
Resentment Source Matter: Value 85-90 ounces.
Corrupted Source Matter: Value 87-90 ounces.

"Oh dear, I've never been this unlucky."
"..."
"White Night, let me explain. I'm usually very lucky. You trusted me so much to let me open the Source Matter Chests, and this is the result. But, could it be the chest's problem? I really haven't been this unlucky. Let me explain!"

"..."
Su Xiao didn't speak, but Molei suddenly noticed that before she started explaining, the Hunter across from her was still very calm, as if he was already used to such opening results. But when she began explaining and mentioned whether it was the chest's problem, a feeling of being about to get beaten washed over her. With Molei's rich experience of being beaten by White Night, her intuition in this regard was particularly sharp.

Su Xiao stood up and walked toward the teleportation array. After Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha stood on the array, Molei asked casually, "Where are you going?"

"Twilight City. Want to come?"

Su Xiao broke his previous silence.

"Well, I kind of want to, but..."

Before Molei could finish, she only felt a blur before her eyes. By the time she reacted, she was already standing on the teleportation array, with a hand on her shoulder.

Having finally caught... ah, no, encountered someone willing to experience the "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array," he couldn't let them escape. This was precious teleportation process data, valuable experience for perfecting the "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array."

"I... I was just saying it casually. Wait... wait! I have my own teleportation items. Help!"

Thump~!

Under the scene of Yueshitu and Hao Mei both stepping back half a step, the teleportation array activated.

Twilight City · Inner City · Sun King Plaza.

"Ugh!"

Molei held the bridge with one hand and roared like a dragon over the flowing stream in the plaza. After vomiting until her face was pale, she took out a bottle of water to rinse her mouth and muttered, "You must have tricked me on purpose. You knew I would say that subconsciously."

On a bench in the plaza, Su Xiao took a bite of a grilled meat skewer that resembled iron plate squid. The fragrant oil and meat texture gave a primal and simple sense of happiness. As his hand lowered slightly, Bubu Wang, who had been waiting nearby, tilted his head and snatched the remaining half skewer.

Bubu Wang's cognition: Food held by its master has a 50% increase in deliciousness.

Su Xiao had returned to Twilight City's Inner City to get information from the Monarch Faction about the second powerful enemy, the High Tower Knight Commander, and their exact location.

Before long, the high noble in loose white training clothes, Luciwa, stopped nearby. As the legion commander of the Wanderer Hunt, Luciwa's Absolute Strength peak strength was naturally formidable. Even if Su Xiao fought him with his current strength, the win rate for both sides would be fifty-fifty, showing the weight of this legion commander.

But then again, the Wanderer Hunt often ventured deep into the "Lightless Zone." Being able to explore such Abyss Erosion zones, High Noble Luciwa's strength was naturally top-tier. Within the Twilight City Monarch Faction, High Noble Luciwa was the combat deterrent, while Old Noble Augustus was the strategist.

As for the Sun Warriors in the Central District, these ancient guardians couldn't leave the Central District. They were guarding something there.

Therefore, the combination of Old Noble Augustus and High Noble Luciwa was the main force for deterring the old monsters of the Great Library.

"You... how did you do it?"

High Noble Luciwa turned his head to look at Su Xiao. He wasn't asking how Su Xiao defeated the Beast God, but how Su Xiao's combat power had increased so much in just a few days.

This was an explosive improvement brought about by accumulation. The Blade Grandmaster had consumed massive resources, and now it was finally about to fully display its formidable side.

"That old man sent me to retrieve the 'Sun Source Stone.' Let me be clear upfront: whether you hand it over or not is your decision. Regardless of the outcome, I'm just a messenger. Also, the old man asked me to convey that you should consider carefully what the consequences are of not handing over the 'Sun Source Stone.'"

High Noble Luciwa's words sounded unpleasant, but if understood, they were quite interesting. High Noble Luciwa meant he was just running an errand, not threatening or using force to take that "Sun Source Stone."

As for the few words Old Noble Augustus conveyed, they were even more interesting. The implication was: if you don't hand over the "Sun Source Stone," this old man will be very dissatisfied. And then nothing more. The hidden meaning was: don't hand it over; keep it yourself.

The reason was that Old Noble Augustus was trying to avoid the Great Library coming to them and mentioning the sealing issue of the "Sun Source Stone." Once Twilight City got involved in the sealing, they would inevitably have to go through the Great Library, ultimately causing the "Sun Source Stone" to fall into the Great Library's hands.

Compared to the "Sun Source Stone" falling into enemy factions, Old Noble Augustus would rather risk criticism from other nobles and tacitly allow Su Xiao to keep it, even though all "Sun Source Stones," regardless of time or place, would always belong to the Sun God Clan.

"White Night, I heard Lord Augustus mention before that Law Destroyers know a lot about the Abyss?"

High Noble Luciwa spoke, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Rumor."

Although Su Xiao had mastered "Advanced Abyss Studies," he would never claim to know the Abyss well.

"You know about the irrelevant zone behind the northern sky wall, the Abyss Spread Zone, right?"

High Noble Luciwa spoke casually. Su Xiao glanced at him but didn't answer his question. Instead, he said, "The secrets you want to know, I should know."

"Is that so? Then name your price."

"Your sister."

Su Xiao wasn't insulting High Noble Luciwa; he was referring to the other's sister, the lazy girl Delona.

"It seems you want to settle this with me."

High Noble Luciwa's gaze turned somewhat hostile. Although he knew his sister was full of ominousness and unknowns, and he felt pity for the potential future brother-in-law who might or might not exist, if someone named a price using his own sister as a bargaining chip, he would definitely fight them to the death.

"You let her sprout and grow. If I'm not mistaken, she's about to awaken."

Su Xiao wasn't being cryptic; he was laying out his price. "Let her sprout and grow" and "about to awaken" were two pieces of information.

High Noble Luciwa naturally understood this. He said, "The intelligence trade about the Lightless Zone will be postponed for now. Let's first talk about these two secrets. Name your price."

Su Xiao took out a small bottle containing liquid ultra-high concentration Abyss Energy. He tapped the small bottle with his fingertip and said, "This is ultra-high concentration Abyss Energy. When the concentration is 1.6 to 1.8 million times higher than this, it can be called Abyss Source Matter."

Su Xiao tossed the small bottle to High Noble Luciwa as a small gift for this transaction. With a good friend like Kaisa, he wasn't short of this type of Abyss Energy.

"If I'm not mistaken, your father wasn't eroded by Abyss Energy back then, but by a small amount of Abyss Source Matter."

"What... difference does that make?"

"If it were Abyss Energy erosion, at most your father would suffer pain and mutation as an individual. But with Abyss Source Matter erosion, your father's soul might have been assimilated into a coordinate. Some bizarre existences within the Abyss could use this to transfer and parasitize onto your father."

After hearing Su Xiao's words, High Noble Luciwa nodded absentmindedly.

"Your family is very lucky. Compared to your father's middle-aged physique full of hidden injuries and ailments, this unknown bizarre entity preferred the next generation's causal link, that is, your sister Delona, who was still in the womb. This bizarre entity wouldn't miss this chance to integrate into the material world. It didn't parasitize; it assimilated with your sister."

"So, is my sister currently in disguise?"

High Noble Luciwa appeared calm, but inside, his blood was running cold with shock. He didn't fear life or death, nor the dark terrors that could shatter others' souls. The only thing he cared about was his family. That was why, when Su Xiao mentioned using his sister as a bargaining chip, he immediately proposed a fight to the death.

"She is indeed your sister; there's no doubt about that. That part of the bizarre entity was stripped and sealed away. But as she gradually undergoes passive dark awakening, that part will soon break through the seal and take over."

At this point, Su Xiao stopped speaking, leaving High Noble Luciwa feeling uncomfortable. With his strength, he could naturally sense that his sister Delona's aura had been becoming increasingly wrong lately, but he had no way to deal with it. This feeling of powerlessness—having strong combat power yet being unable to save his loved ones—had been making High Noble Luciwa's mood terrible lately.

"Do you have a way to stop my sister's dark awakening?"

"No, it's inevitable."

"Then..."

"I can make her the winner. She and that unknown bizarre entity can devour each other. But to become the winner, a price must be paid. Either you pay it, or you gamble on whether your sister's fate is strong enough. The probability of winning is probably one in ten million."

"Name your price."

"One portion of Power Source Matter."

"Give me a few decades, and I might have a one percent chance of finding one. Name another price."

"Primordial Fragment."

Hearing this, High Noble Luciwa was surprised and couldn't help saying, "The gap in your pricing is too big. How about this: I'll offer 1 Primordial Core and 20 Primordial Fragments."

"..."
Su Xiao was slightly surprised. He had only accumulated 7 "Primordial Cores" so far. Now High Noble Luciwa was offering 1 "Primordial Core" plus 20 Primordial Fragments at the drop of a hat. It seemed that the production of "Primordial Cores" in this world was not low. No, it was that the Wanderer Hunt, which had been exploring the "Lightless Zone" for years, had stored some "Primordial Cores."

This made Su Xiao even more interested in future cooperation with High Noble Luciwa. He needed ten "Primordial Cores" to advance to Supreme. Additionally, after Blade Grandmaster, Melee Grandmaster, and Blood Spear Grandmaster exceeded Lv.95, each level also required consuming one "Primordial Core." Conservatively estimated, he would need a total of 40 "Primordial Cores" to advance to Supreme and raise his three technique abilities to X.

This didn't even consider whether the "Primordial Cores" required per level would increase after technique abilities broke through Lv.100.

After a brief discussion, Su Xiao and High Noble Luciwa agreed that after Su Xiao dealt with the "High Tower Knight Commander," they would begin this matter.

On the bench in the plaza, Su Xiao checked the time. The person he was waiting for hadn't arrived yet. As for the "Power Source Matter" he needed to obtain quickly, there were currently several avenues.

First was the Goblin Merchant Guild. He had originally planned to buy one with Space-Time Power, but they quoted 15,000 ounces of Space-Time Power per portion. Checking the Honor Shop list, where "Power Source Matter" was priced at 700 ounces of Space-Time Power per portion, showed how high the Goblin Merchant Guild's price was. However, the "Power Source Matter" in the Honor Shop was at a super discount price, and with limited stock, it was always snapped up instantly upon refresh.

After completing the World Quest, Su Xiao had obtained a [Designated Source Matter Chest], which would definitely yield "Power Source Matter." But the "Body Source Matter" needed for Melee Grandmaster Lv.95 still depended on this chest.

If he relied solely on luck to obtain "Body Source Matter," Su Xiao estimated that with his luck, his Melee Grandmaster might still be stuck at Lv.95 even when his strength reached the upper echelons of Supreme.

Thinking this way, he would have to go to the Soul Academy. They had invited Su Xiao to help them eliminate the two "Undying · Abyss Spawn" they had sealed.

For this, Su Xiao quoted a price of one portion of "Power Source Matter." But the Soul Academy said they didn't have "Power Source Matter" and would only pay Su Xiao 50,000 Soul Coins as a reward for each "Undying · Abyss Spawn" eliminated.

The Twilight City Monarch Faction had previously paid 500,000 Soul Coins per "Undying · Abyss Spawn" eliminated. At the Soul Academy, it was reduced by ten times. And haggling with these soul-crazed individuals was clearly impossible.

Su Xiao readily agreed to the Soul Academy's offer. On the surface, it was only a reward of 100,000 Soul Coins. But this time, he was going to "stock up." The Soul Academy claimed not to have "Power Source Matter"? Actually, according to intelligence sent by Kaisa half a minute ago, there was clearly one portion of "Power Source Matter" in the Soul Academy's treasury.

As for the discomfort caused by the surge in physical attributes after absorbing two portions of "Power Source Matter," Su Xiao had certainly considered this. He wouldn't directly go to fight the "High Tower Knight Commander" afterward; that would be suicide.

The main quest's second ring had a full 12 days. After absorbing the "Power Source Matter," he would first go to the Lightless Zone. Through a series of dangerous battles there, he would adapt to his enhanced physique as quickly as possible.

Just as Su Xiao was pondering this, a vintage luxury car powered by Crystal Resin stopped. A figure got out and walked into this slightly old small plaza. This person wore Inner City noble attire, with a slightly chubby middle-aged build and a kind face. It seemed that as long as he squinted his eyes, there would be a sense of smile on his face.

Set against such a kind face, his completely black eyes added a touch of mystery and eeriness.

The newcomer sat down on the bench, looking at the already weathered Sun King sculpture in the center of the small plaza. He said, "White Night, it seems our friendship has been revived."

The newcomer's smile was kind, paired with a pair of black eyes. Without guessing, one could tell that this humanoid Ancient God aura was undoubtedly Shenfu. This middle-aged noble was most likely controlled by Shenfu through some method.

As for why they were meeting in this manner, it was only natural. Because this time, the target they were going to ambush... ahem, cooperate against, was the Archbishop of the Abyss.

I've been in the hospital recently. Fortunately, my father's condition has stabilized. Sorry for the delay in updating. Please forgive me, dear readers.