# Chapter 39: The Defeated
[Soul Secret Treasure Box Seventh Layer has been opened.]
[You have obtained Soul Awakening (Ultra-High Rarity Resource, can deeply awaken Soul-type core abilities).]
[Warning: This Curio can only be used once per person. Multiple uses will inevitably cause the soul to shatter from inability to bear it.]
...
A translucent orb of light appeared in Su Xiao's hand. The orb was a light blue of the soul, with what seemed to be a gentle liquid substance flowing within. This was undoubtedly a supreme treasure. The problem was, Su Xiao, whose Soul Strength was as high as 1500 points, did not have a Soul-type core ability.
If he were to sell this thing, it would feel like a waste no matter what. The train traveled across the low-speed wilderness, the quiet environment inside the carriage making it easier for Su Xiao to enter his optimal meditative state. He attempted to resonate with the Curio in his hand. To his surprise, one of the abilities in his skill list gradually became active — it was the [Soul Severing Shadow] ability.
Su Xiao was indeed a Soul Severing Shadow among the Law-Destroying Shadows. However, because this ability required an extremely powerful physique for deep development, he had never really developed it much. Now that his Stamina attribute had reached 800 points, no matter how one looked at it, he was qualified to deeply develop this ability.
Su Xiao got up and went into the bedroom, activated the [Skill Upgrade Pod], walked inside, and closed and locked the device. He controlled the Lord's Train to enter alternate space travel, then pulled the speed to the maximum of first gear.
After successfully setting up the safest environment possible, Su Xiao used [Soul Awakening] to enhance his Soul Severing Shadow ability.
Speaking of which, there was one particularly interesting point. As a Soul Severing Shadow, Su Xiao was not supposed to develop all four main attributes. The development of the Intelligence attribute, in the Law-Destruction system, corresponded to the [Demon Spirit System], meaning only Soul-Devouring Shadows developed True Intelligence attributes. Void-Breaking Shadows and Soul Severing Shadows respectively developed:
Void-Breaking Shadow: Strength, Agility, Stamina, Blue (Body Energy), Willpower.
Soul Severing Shadow: Strength, Agility, Stamina, Red (Health Points), Soul.
The key problem lay here. When the Ancestral Law Destroyers notarized the [Shadow of Law Destruction] system to Reincarnation Paradise, they simply couldn't distinguish these three class differences. Because after inheriting the Law-Destruction system through Reincarnation Paradise, one would definitely start in a mentorless state — meaning there was no way to decide the subsequent class route. It all depended on the inheritor's subsequent development and choices.
This created an extremely absurd situation. In Reincarnation Paradise's notarization, it needed to determine and reserve room for Su Xiao to choose among the three classes. Thus, it was notarized that he needed to develop:
Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intelligence, Blue, Red, Willpower, Soul.
The result was that Su Xiao now had four attributes at 800 points, 4.81 million Health Points, 199,000 Mana Points, 998 True Willpower, and 1500 Soul Strength.
Even more absurd was that, as a Soul Severing Shadow, he had already utilized all the excess development characteristics. For example, with his developed Intelligence attribute, he successfully suppressed the Demon Spirit. Correspondingly, he dared to develop the Demon Spirit without restraint, thus obtaining an exceptionally powerful Demon Spirit.
Even a powerful Soul Severing Shadow like Green Gillian, upon witnessing Su Xiao's Demon Spirit, gritted her teeth and said, "I'm not jealous at all. Which Soul Severing Shadow develops a Demon Spirit? You're a disgrace to Soul Severing Shadows. I'll expel you from the sect tomorrow."
From that tone of envy so intense it caused physical separation, it could be seen that previous Soul Severing Shadows rarely possessed such a powerful Demon Spirit.
Not only that, but through his sufficiently high Intelligence attribute, Su Xiao had also mastered the three top-tier secondary professions of [Alchemy], [Pharmaceutics], and [Sealcraft].
As Su Xiao crushed [Soul Awakening] with one hand, he immediately went dark before his eyes. When he woke up, he found that 1080 ounces of Space-Time Power had been consumed, indicating he had been in dreamland for five hours.
Walking out of the Skill Upgrade Pod, Su Xiao supported himself against the wall for a few seconds before coming to the bedside and collapsing onto the large bed. He didn't know where Molei had ordered this big bed, but it was indeed comfortable to sleep on. However, considering the entire train's decoration costs, this level of comfort was only to be expected.
Su Xiao's [Soul Severing Shadow] ability was originally at Lv.EX. It was unlikely to level up further. However, the characteristics of Soul Severing Shadow had now changed. It was no longer functionally diverse but bloated as before; instead, it had become pure and powerful.
[Soul Severing Shadow: Lv.EX (Active)]
Existing Soul Cores: Azure Steel, Soul Sever, Shadow Devour.
Main Soul Core Slot: 1 (This is the absolute limit).
Hint: The Main Soul Core Slot can accommodate one of the three Soul Cores: Azure Steel·Soul Core, Soul Sever·Soul Core, or Shadow Devour·Soul Core, and can be freely switched during combat.
Sub Soul Core Slots: 5/5 (Every 300 points of Soul Strength increases the Sub Soul Core Slot limit by 1).
Hint: On your Soul Severing Shadow·Soul Disk, the Main Soul Core Slot is at the center, used to accommodate functional Soul Cores. It is the largest Soul Core Slot. The Sub Soul Core Slots are located around it, each one-fifth the size of the Main Soul Core Slot, but greater in number, providing enhancement characteristics.
Hint: Your Sub Soul Core Slots contain [Soul Nourishment·Soul Cores], totaling five. Each [Soul Nourishment·Soul Core] enhances the current Main Soul Core's strength by 20% (this enhancement can stack).
Azure Steel·Soul Core (Passive): Azure Steel Shadow ability comprehensive strength increased by 40% (this enhancement can exceed the maximum limit of the Azure Steel Shadow ability).
Soul Sever·Soul Core (Passive): Grants Blade attacks [Soul Sever] characteristics (Current Soul Sever Strength: 50).
Shadow Devour·Soul Core (Passive): Negates 30% of all damage.
Hint: The above three Main Soul Cores are all at their strength after receiving Sub Soul Core enhancements.
...
All three Soul Cores were extremely powerful. [Soul Sever] maximized attack characteristics. [Shadow Devour] boosted survivability by one-third — with this damage negation magnitude, it was definitely a boss template. The [Azure Steel] Soul Core was the most comprehensive.
The so-called "Azure Steel Shadow ability comprehensive strength increased by 40%" didn't just enhance Azure Steel Shadow's True Damage. It also included the defense of the Proud Song form, the comprehensive strength of Spirit Shadow Threads, the quality of teleportation arrays formed by Azure Steel Shadow energy materialization, and even the strength of sealing formulas.
Sealing formulas weren't constructed from nothing. They required a medium, which was Azure Steel Shadow energy existing between an energy state and a material state. However, the consumption was very small. Constructing thousands of layers of sealing formulas only consumed a few dozen points of Azure Steel Shadow energy. Under normal circumstances, he would definitely switch the Soul Core to [Azure Steel Soul Core].
Just as Su Xiao was about to take a short nap to recover from the full-body soreness after enhancing Soul Severing Shadow, the communicator on the bedside table rang. He sat up a bit, leaning against the headboard, and answered the call. The other side transmitted Xiketo's voice:
"White Night, did the White Ram die with dignity?"
"..."
"Now you don't even bother with provocation? It seems the White Ram died cleanly, without torture or humiliation. That puts my mind at ease. Actually, I, this failure, made a mistake. The mistake was that I wasn't pure enough. The reason a person suffers is that they aren't pure enough in good or evil. When there is absolute justice or ultimate evil in the heart, the heart will no longer suffer."
"..."
Su Xiao still didn't speak. However, he knew that the plan to exchange the [Source Core] for that [Desire Statue] had basically fallen through. The good news was that, from the fourth round until now, the uneasy feeling in his heart had finally begun to fade.
"Actually, if I carefully judge myself, it's too ridiculous. I failed years ago but refused to admit failure. I considered myself the Regiment Leader's nemesis, but in reality, I was just a stumbling block on their path toward transcendence. Failure must be acknowledged. Death must be complete."
"..."
Su Xiao continued to remain silent.
"Don't be suspicious. I just have no one to talk to. I happened to see the communicator on the table. Isn't it interesting to discuss life's great principles with one's final mortal enemy? When we meet next time, I might no longer remember you, this formidable foe. So, farewell forever."
The Xiketo on the other end hung up the communication. Su Xiao looked at the communicator in his hand, its red indicator light flashing. After thinking for a few seconds, he decided to sleep and recover his state. The true face of this round of the Struggle for the Statues was likely just being revealed. The previous situation was merely the Foreshadowing for this world to show its true appearance. As the fourth round of this Struggle for the Statues, the danger level was bound to be maxed out. After all, the next round would go to the outskirts of the Dawn Paradise ruins.
At this moment, in Dawn City, Eternal Life Society Headquarters, 80th Floor Council Hall.
Xiketo put down the communicator in his hand. He leaned back in his seat, his feet propped up on the council table, a faint smile on his face.
Members of the Eternal Life Society arrived one after another. Joy Fish and Mad Lion sat down. The two exchanged glances but didn't speak. However, it was clear that Joy Fish and Mad Lion appeared solemn but were in good spirits. Gold Scorpion, Raging Bull, Greedy Crab, and White Ram had all died. If Xiketo didn't want to become a loner, he would have no choice but to rely on the two of them going forward. As for promoting others, Xiketo hadn't made any arrangements in this regard over the years. Last-minute efforts would be too late.
Dozens of core members of the Eternal Life Society arrived one after another, all looking worried. The [Sun Sacred Tree] had been seized, and their remaining [Primordial Life Force] could only last a few months. After that, they would degenerate into the Undying, slowly eroded by undeath in humanity and soul, eventually becoming walking corpses.
The Violators also arrived. Hao Tao, the Bandage Man, Gangmu, and Bone Mountain were all present. Shenfu had something to do and didn't come. Since Shenfu wasn't there, Platinum Apostle also chose not to show up. It seemed Platinum Apostle had fully understood that when that old thing Shenfu was absent, it was never good news.
The reason Moon Witch hadn't come was that she was trying to find a way out of the 2400 contracts she had signed. After some maneuvering, tragically, due to various passive contract clauses, the contracts she had signed successfully became over 2900. The so-called "Contract Master" who helped her with the operation was instantly killed by the backlash of contract power.
"Now there's a choice before us."
Xiketo spoke, and the slightly noisy council hall gradually quieted down.
"That Law Destroyer who took the [Source Core] contacted us, asking us to exchange the [Desire Statue] for that [Source Core]."
Hearing Xiketo's words, the expressions of several Violators present changed slightly. They had already smashed that [Desire Statue] and divided the spoils. There was absolutely no way they would spit it out now.
"President, what is your opinion?"
Joy Fish spoke, her voice full of allure.
"I want to hear your opinions."
Just as Xiketo finished speaking, Mad Lion said decisively, "Exchange."
"Right, without that [Source Core], we'll soon become the Undying."
"This is just the first [Desire Statue]. Once we get the [Source Core], we can help you compete for the second, even the third or fourth [Desire Statue]."
"Hao Tao, you're in charge of the Violator faction now. Give us your stance."
The council hall became noisy again. Everyone spoke at once. The Bandage Man, Gangmu, and Bone Mountain all sensed that things were taking a bad turn. Hao Tao yawned, as if considering what to eat for lunch.
Just as the two sides' words became increasingly heated, even on the verge of coming to blows, Xiketo tapped the council table. Everyone quieted down. He glanced at Joy Fish, seeming dissatisfied, shaking his head slightly. Then he looked at Mad Lion and asked:
"Mad Lion, I'll listen to you this time. Make a decision."
Xiketo's attitude made Mad Lion's expression uncertain. But after a few seconds of silence, he gritted his teeth and said, "Agree to the Hunter's request. Exchange."
"Even if he's a Hunter, our former mortal enemy, that doesn't matter?"
Xiketo looked at Mad Lion with a smile. Mad Lion frowned, wanting to say something, but restrained himself due to Xiketo's former authority. In truth, ever since being exiled to this Undying Kingdom, Mad Lion had felt that Xiketo had lost his edge. He was no longer the Violator leader who once led them against the Reincarnation Paradise faction.
"Mad Lion, Joy Fish, use your not-so-bright minds to think as hard as you can: why did I create Dawn City in the first place?"
Xiketo's words made Mad Lion and Joy Fish both look puzzled. Ignoring their confusion, Xiketo continued:
"All along, my team, including myself, only had seven people. The other team members were just expendable tools and cannon fodder. Unfortunately, and fortunately, in the confrontation with the Regiment Leader and the others, two of my members unfortunately died. The remaining four were exiled here with me."
Xiketo seemed to be reminiscing about something. He leaned back in his chair and looked at the bright sunlight outside the window.
"Gold Scorpion had a heavy lust for power. Greedy Crab, that fatty, was very gluttonous, loving fine food. Raging Bull loved gambling and even more, drinking strong liquor. White Ram liked to wake up in the early morning to the somewhat noisy sounds of people outside the window. These preferences required a large, prosperous city with enough population. Yes, that's why Dawn City was created."
Xiketo spoke with a smile, but the more the people present listened, the more they felt a chill. Mad Lion and Joy Fish were now looking at Xiketo with full vigilance.
"I lost the Paradise that was my backing. I lost my ambition to pursue the supreme. I lost the person who loved me. I even lost my own life. As a half-dead failure, I've been lingering here. But now, I've lost even my last few friends."
Xiketo rested one elbow on the council table in front of him, supporting his forehead with one hand, laughing so hard his shoulders shook. Suddenly, his laughter stopped. Eyes glowing with dark red light, he looked at the crowd before him through the gaps in his fingers and asked:
"Tell me, since things have come to this, does this Dawn City still need to exist? It has already lost the meaning for its continued existence. Just like... me."
The smile on Xiketo's face grew more intense. The corners of his mouth split open to below his ears, revealing interlocking sharp fangs. The monster that Xiketo had been sealing was about to devour his will and break free.
The Undying Kingdom was a place of punishment, a place of exile. But from the current situation, after arriving here, as long as one could obtain [Primordial Life Force], one could barely be considered alive between life and death. This hardly seemed like a place of punishment.
The truth was, all the exiles in this world had actually benefited from Gold Scorpion, Raging Bull, Greedy Crab, and White Ram. Their president had sealed that terrifying monster powerful enough to exceed this world's combat power limit — the collective will of undeath in this world, known as the Undying Monarch.
The Undying Monarch did not refer to a specific consciousness. It was more like the "World Consciousness" of this world after it had become malignant. Therefore, the Undying Monarch had a characteristic: the stronger the being it devoured, the stronger its manifestation would be this time.
And this time, what the Undying Monarch devoured was one of the former representative figures of the Dawn Paradise who had sealed it with willpower — President·Xiketo. In other words, the Undying Monarch·Xiketo had descended.
Boom!
Black and white Death Flames erupted with the Undying Monarch·Xiketo at the center. Its form rose from less than two meters to over four meters. Backward-curving horns grew from its head. Armor-like dark gold scales appeared on its body. Black exoskeleton formed a black crown on its head. A pale cape rustled loudly.
In an instant, the remaining [Primordial Life Force] of the Eternal Life Society members present was evaporated. They transformed into the Undying, their bodies burning with Death Flames, rushing out through windows and walls, screaming as they ran out of the city, leaving trails of burning Death Flames behind.
These Death Flames spread extremely quickly. Looking down at the entire Dawn City from above, one could see Death Flames spreading from the city center. From the buildings affected, first came miserable screams, then after a brief silence, the roars of those transformed into the Undying.
At this moment, on the Withered Bone Wasteland.
One by one, the Undying crawled out from the yellow sand on the ground. Some still had withered flesh, others only incomplete skeletal outlines. These Undying all looked toward the south, toward the central region of this world, the direction of Dawn City.
From the Sleeping Ruins, Zone 8 Dark Area, Red Moon Cemetery, Windless Harbor, Withered World Tree, and other major regions of this world, the Undying — as long as they could still move — all surged toward Dawn City. They all sensed that their master was summoning them.
Boom!
Between the dark clouds swirling above Dawn City, a dark red lightning bolt flashed. Below, Dawn City had already turned into a living hell. Screams, cries, and shrieks were incessant. But when the Death Flames enveloped the entire city, everything fell silent.
The Eternal Life Society Headquarters had become a half-collapsed ruin. The Undying Monarch·Xiketo slowly descended, standing before its own shattered tall statue. In its claw was a skull covered in sparks, with a ring embedded in the center of the skull's forehead — it was Mad Lion's head.
Crack~
The skull, burned dry and brittle by Death Flames and covered in sparks, shattered, turning into powder with some sparks, falling through the gaps between the Undying Monarch·Xiketo's fingers.
Just then, an Undying walked into the ruins and prostrated itself before the Undying Monarch·Xiketo. The Undying Monarch·Xiketo raised its hand, pointing its index finger at the prostrating Undying. A stream of gray-white Undying Causality emerged on the Undying's body, which the Undying Monarch·Xiketo absorbed.
Temporarily losing the erosion of Undying Causality, the prostrating Undying's turbid eyes regained some clarity, though still somewhat dazed.
More and more Undying gathered around. The Undying Causality they had accumulated converged toward the Undying Monarch·Xiketo, making its aura increasingly terrifying. When it reached a critical point, it could even begin to absorb the World Force of this world.
The Undying Legion began to assemble in Dawn City. As the master of these Undying, the Undying Monarch·Xiketo's aura grew stronger and stronger, until it broke through this world's power limit. And it wasn't immediately subject to the Void Tree's notarization intervention, since to some extent, the Undying Monarch·Xiketo had merged with this world's malignant World Consciousness.
Just as the Undying Monarch·Xiketo was about to return to the Supreme level, the Void Tree's notarization intervention was triggered. The Undying Monarch·Xiketo's continuously expanding aura suddenly stopped. But even so, the Undying Monarch·Xiketo's current combat power was undoubtedly the strongest in this world. It was now extremely close to the Supreme level.
Or rather, this was the form this world should have taken — a purgatory for the exiled.
South of Dawn City, behind a slope a hundred kilometers away, Hao Tao was carrying a figure — Joy Fish, whose [Primordial Life Force] was slowly draining. Beside Hao Tao stood the Bandage Man, whose aura was weak, and Bone Mountain, who sat on the ground, coughing incessantly before falling dead. As for Gangmu, he had been lying dead for several minutes.
"Seeing you all return safely puts my mind at ease."
Shenfu walked out from an ancient fortress in the mountain. Seeing this old fellow, Hao Tao's eye twitched, but he had to admit defeat. Every time danger came, this old fellow could predict and avoid it like a prophet. This made Hao Tao couldn't help but ask:
"Shenfu, since you have precognitive abilities, predict clearly what will happen next."
"Precognition? How would I have precognitive abilities."
"No precognition? Then how do you judge danger and safety?"
"Perhaps this is the good fortune bestowed upon me by the gods."
"You..."
Hao Tao was somewhat speechless. A humanoid Ancient God saying that the gods bestowed good fortune upon him — this way of expressing things was truly outrageous.
"Hmm? How did you save him?"
Shenfu looked at the dying Joy Fish.
"I felt he might be useful, so I saved him on a whim. But it looks like he's about to lose his sanity and become an Undying."
"He is very useful. Therefore, he must remain conscious."
Just as Shenfu finished speaking, an announcement appeared.
[Announcement: Due to the descent of the Undying Monarch·Xiketo, the distribution rules for the remaining five [Desire Statues] have been fairly changed according to the changes in this world.]
[The remaining five [Desire Statues] will only be distributed within Dawn City.]
...
Seeing this announcement, Shenfu's smile became even more amiable. He formed a temporary team through the World Contact Platform, then pulled Hao Tao, Platinum Apostle, Moon Witch, Sea Crocodile, and the Bandage Man into this temporary squad. Not only that, he also invited Su Xiao.
"Shenfu, what are you..."
Moon Witch, who had just arrived, stopped mid-sentence, finding that the avatar and name representing Hunter·White Night appeared in the list of this temporary squad. Not only that, Kane from Death Paradise, Magic Scythe·Talid from Holy Light Paradise, and Zelina from Apocalypse Paradise were also pulled into this temporary squad one after another.
The situation of the fourth round of the Struggle for the Statues began to become increasingly peculiar.