Chapter 66: Abyss Descendants
[Origin Stone: World]
Origin: Reincarnation Paradise (determined by location at time of synthesis).
Type: Special Equipment.
Durability: 18000/18000 points (increased by 3000 points).
Equipment Effect 1: Meditator (Passive), if the Hunter carries the Origin Stone, each meditation will increase the current meditation ability's progress by 10% (can be triggered once per natural day), and allows the [Meditation] ability's upper limit to reach Lv.110.
Equipment Effect 2: Power (Passive), you will gain a permanent boost. All skills in your skill list will have their level cap increased by Lv.10 (requires 500 points of True Stamina attribute to trigger this bonus).
Equipment Effect 3: Enthronement (Passive), when all four main attributes reach 1000 points, this effect can be activated.
Equipment Effect 4: Peak (Passive), upon reaching Above Supreme, this effect can be activated.
Equipment Effect 5: World: Chosen (Passive), you become the [Chosen], Fortune cap +50000 points.
Current Fortune cap: 150000 points.
Description: You are the [Chosen], but not yet the only one.
Selling Price: Unsellable, untradeable, non-transferable, guaranteed to drop upon death. If the one who kills you is unworthy of possessing Origin Stone: World, this Origin Stone will shatter into five pieces.
...
Su Xiao's previous estimate was wrong. The durability cap of [Origin Stone: World] was not 15000 points, but a staggering 18000 points. Thinking about it, there might be other Origin Stones that could reach 15000 points of durability.
One thing was certain: [Origin Stone: World] was the absolute pinnacle Origin Stone. It occupied its own tier, and beneath it, there were several other powerful Origin Stones. Although they were far inferior to it, they were not to be underestimated.
As an Origin Stone, enhancing the [Meditation] ability was its basic characteristic. The problem was that [Origin Stone: World]'s basic enhancement was ridiculous; it increased meditation growth speed by a percentage. Other Origin Stones provided [Slight], [Moderate], or [Significant] increases, with the strongest ones offering at most a [Massive] increase to meditation growth speed.
Su Xiao's current meditation ability level was:
[Heart Meditation (Passive Skill) Lv.99: 15.75 million / 63 million Mind Value.]
The so-called [Mind Value] was a unique characteristic of reaching an extremely high level in the meditation ability, as well as being a Blade Grandmaster. The saying [A single thought can cut through all things] applied here. In the late stages, Technique abilities, while not able to draw upon powerful supernatural forces like other systems, allowed one to overcome all things in the world through one's own strength.
Because the power came from within, combat appeared unadorned, unlike other systems which were grand and spectacular. Of course, if a Technique-type accidentally sliced apart a world... well, it was said that Technique-types derived power from themselves. As a weak human, occasional mistakes were understandable. Surely other systems could forgive that. If not, Technique-types were generally also quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
With the current [Heart Meditation] ability, meditating once a day meant leveling up every 10 days. There were 11 levels left to max out, meaning it would take another 110 days. That was quite good.
Furthermore, within the attributes of [Origin Stone: World], Su Xiao had finally transitioned from [Qualified] to a true [Chosen]. Although this didn't cause any internal change in him, this [Chosen] status provided a tangible boost, such as increasing the Fortune cap by 50,000 points.
Su Xiao weighed the pros and cons and suddenly felt that this Fortune cap increase of +50,000 points might be... more of a curse than a blessing. First, his current Fortune cap was 150,000 points. By extension, was his usual Fortune 100,000?
Don't be ridiculous. Without the [Fate Dominator] equipment, Su Xiao would be so unlucky when opening treasure chests that he'd want to sell them. It was only the half-hour activation of [Fate Dominator] that allowed him to get good things from chests.
In other words, this so-called Fortune cap and actual Fortune were two different things. No matter how big the bucket, it had to have water inside. And the reason his Fortune cap was 100,000 points? Without a doubt, it was caused by the [Fortune Electrocardiogram] resulting from the Law-Destruction Fortune.
Previously, the lowest Law-Destruction Fortune was -43,000. Now it seemed his earlier guess was correct. The step of advancing to Supreme was so crucial that the Law-Destruction Fortune advanced along with him?
No, that wasn't right. How could the Law-Destruction Fortune advance just because one person advanced to Supreme, even if it was an ultra-limit Supreme advancement? This Fortune represented the entire Law-Destruction Faction.
Su Xiao considered another possibility. Before his advancement to Supreme, he could at most bear -43,000 of the Law-Destruction Fortune. There was actually more Law-Destruction Fortune, but he couldn't bear it yet. Since there were no other Law-Destroyers, that Fortune was accumulating in some unknown domain.
Now that he had advanced to Supreme, he finally qualified to bear more Law-Destruction Fortune. So, as soon as he succeeded in advancing, the Law-Destruction Fortune immediately filled up, reaching a capacity of -100,000.
The problem was that this -100,000 volume of Fortune wasn't the entire Law-Destruction Fortune reserve. And to make matters worse, [Origin Stone: World] had increased Su Xiao's Fortune cap by another 50,000 points.
According to the relativity of the [Fortune Electrocardiogram], the lowest point and the highest point of Fortune were the same. Conversely, the upper limit of the highest point also affected the lowest point.
Thus, Su Xiao's Fortune lower limit successfully rose to 150,000. This situation would inevitably provoke the Law-Destruction Fortune. Seeing this, the Law-Destruction Fortune would think, "Oh, this kid still has capacity. He's the sole seedling of the Law-Destruction lineage. We must fill him up."
Good news: The Law-Destruction Fortune wouldn't make Su Xiao unlucky in life, combat, or skill mastery. It only remained rock-solid when it came to probability-based acquisitions. For example, a 99.99% success rate might become a 9.999% success rate for Su Xiao.
However, having this volume of Fortune also had its benefits. For instance, if Arcane Eternal Star wanted to play dirty tricks on Su Xiao in terms of Fortune or causality, it was impossible. Causality-type beings would run away as fast as they could after seeing Su Xiao.
Su Xiao sensed his own state. Although advancing to Supreme didn't result in an explosive increase in all attributes, it had unlocked his upper limit. A feeling of boundless possibilities and infinite potential for growth ahead was exceptionally strong.
[Prompt: You have obtained all the heritage of the Ancient Dragon/Sun Faction. Successfully triggered the Ancient Dragon Faction mission, Dark Redemption.]
[Hidden Mission: Dark Redemption]
Difficulty Level: Lv.98.
Mission Brief: Rescue the White Dragon Maiden abducted by the Darkness, and ensure she leaves [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas] alive.
Hint: The White Dragon Maiden has currently activated the Ancient Dragon Faction's strongest freezing ability, [Winter's Embrace], allowing her to freeze herself in ice. It is estimated she can withstand the Dark corruption for 30 to 32 natural days.
Mission Time Limit: 30 natural days.
Mission Reward: Primordial God's Blood (World-Class Item).
Mission Penalty: All attributes permanently -50%, Health Points permanently -50%, all ability levels permanently -50%.
...
The severity of this mission penalty was no different from a forced execution. Thinking about it, obtaining a secret treasure heritage of this scale, and only needing to rescue the White Dragon Maiden swallowed by the Darkness in return, was a very small price to pay.
As for which faction had abducted the White Dragon Maiden, Su Xiao had some clues. First, the former stronghold of the Ancient Dragons, [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas], could be divided into two parts: the upper cold zone and the Abyss Darkness spreading zone.
Due to the lingering Ancient Dragon frost in the upper zone, the Abyss Darkness hadn't completely eroded this world. However, judging by the current situation, within a few years at most, the Darkness would occupy the entire [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas].
The one who abducted the White Dragon Maiden must be something within the Darkness. Earlier, in the records of the Great Library, Su Xiao had seen that the [Dukain Clan], one of the five major Abyss Descendants, was located in [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas]. Now, seeing the spread of Darkness here, this statement was confirmed.
It was worth noting that [Dukain] in the Abyss language meant [Darkness Descends/Dominates].
If he were facing the [Azguk], [Rune], or [Bronze] clans, Su Xiao would have no chance of victory. But if it was the [Dukain Clan], there was still some hope.
The first point was that the [Abyss Descendants] weren't just five families. The reason these five families were specifically mentioned was that they had the greatest enmity with the Law-Destruction Faction. Other Abyss Descendants were also hostile to the Law-Destruction Faction, but it was more of a "don't bother me, and I won't bother you" situation.
The reason fighting the [Dukain Clan] had some chance of success was that this had once been one of the strongest tiers of Abyss Descendants. Consequently, they had been consistently targeted by the previous Law-Destroyers throughout the last era. The fact that they still existed demonstrated their strength. However, they had been targeted so heavily that their overall combat power had significantly declined. At the very least, they no longer had several Supreme Peaks from the early First Era within their clan.
That's right, a single Abyss Descendant clan could have several Supreme Peaks. This was absurd. However, when counting Supreme Peaks, Abyss Descendants were generally not included, because these super ancient immortals had survived from who knows which era and had their own restrictions. Some couldn't leave the Abyss vicinity, others couldn't leave the deep sea, etc.
Since the target was identified as the [Dukain Clan], he needed to consider why they had captured the White Dragon Maiden and what corresponding risks existed.
After thinking for a while, Su Xiao estimated that the [Dukain Clan] might be plotting to take over this world. This was the stronghold of the Ancient Dragons. Even though two eras had passed, it must have its special qualities. The fact that the black mist in the upper zone had resisted the Darkness's invasion for many years confirmed this.
The [Dukain Clan] had probably been eyeing the White Dragon Maiden for a long time. However, hindered by the [Forbidden Tower] closely connected to this world, and intending to transform this place into their stronghold to revive their former glory, the [Dukain Clan] naturally wouldn't violently attack the [Forbidden Tower]. They could only erode it slowly.
Su Xiao was currently inside the Ancient Dragon Faction's treasure vault. He looked around. Sure enough, black spots had appeared on the metal walls of the vault, and in some places, black droplets had formed. It seemed the [Dukain Clan] was close to success.
From this perspective, it was no longer simply a matter of rescuing the White Dragon Maiden. Who knew how many years the [Dukain Clan] had been gently and slowly eroding this place. They were finally about to open the treasure vault. And then, out of nowhere, their eternal enemy, a Law-Destroyer, appeared with the key, opened the vault, and took everything inside, leaving not a single scrap behind.
This was a classic case of adding insult to injury. Su Xiao estimated that if he went to another mission world now, the [Dukain Clan] might even send clansmen specifically to hunt him down. The Abyss Descendants were never known for their good temper. They had fought the Law-Destruction Faction for an entire era without either side subduing the other.
Why did the Moon Wolf Clan have such a strong friendship with the Law-Destruction Faction? It was because the Moon Wolf Clan, in its heyday, had been betrayed by the Abyss Descendants.
Some scholars believed that the ancestors of the Silver Moon Wolves came from Blazing Sun Star: Chiriad. The entire Silver Moon Wolf clan became Abyss Watchers, likely because their initial Silver Moon on Chiriad was corrupted by Abyss power, mutating into a Blood Moon.
Why would a perfectly good initial Silver Moon be corrupted by Abyss power? And that was the Sun Faction's stronghold, Chiriad. The Sun and Moon were never enemies; they were more like partners.
In this case, it was the Abyss Descendants who corrupted the initial Silver Moon. Furthermore, the decline of the Sun Descendants years later was directly related to the erosion of the initial Silver Moon, leaving only the Blazing Sun.
The more he speculated, the more Su Xiao sensed a conspiracy, one that had started in the First Era, gradually operated until now, and was about to bloom violently.
Why would the Abyss Descendants go after the Moon Wolf and Sun Descendants for no reason? No, setting that aside for now, the Sun Descendants lost their former ally, the Moon Wolf. This would inevitably put them at a disadvantage against the Ancient Dragon Faction. But the Sun brothers weren't the type to back down.
What was even more puzzling was that after the Sun Faction later fought the Ancient Dragon Faction, they didn't fall too far behind. The hostility between the two sides was a destined showdown. Ignoring the process and looking only at the result.
Both the Sun and Ancient Dragons declined, becoming the afterglow of their era. Blazing Sun Star: Chiriad nearly collapsed, no longer a Transcendent Realm...
Transcendent Realm? Su Xiao suddenly thought of the purpose behind the Abyss Descendants' instigation of all this. Their target was most likely the Transcendent Realm. Moreover, the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes might not be just one Abyss Descendant clan, but two in the form of large families. One of them was the [Dukain Clan].
An era had very few Transcendent Realms. The First Era had the Ancient Dragon Kingdom, Blazing Sun Star, and Eternal Light. The Second Era had four Transcendent Realms, but unfortunately, Dead Silence City failed to fully ascend to Transcendent. The Third Era had Wind Sea Continent, Witch Realm, and Doom Star.
Thinking of Wind Sea Continent, Su Xiao was further confirmed. The Abyss Descendants would scheme to seize Transcendent Realms. The Abyss Descendant [Azguk Clan] on Wind Sea Continent had remained hidden for so many years and had finally achieved its goal.
As for the [Dukain Clan], one of the major Abyss Descendants of the past, they had started scheming for a Transcendent Realm as early as the First Era. Unfortunately, their plan succeeded, but the Transcendent Realm they were trying to seize collapsed. The result was predictable. The [Dukain Clan] tore up the agreement and fought the cooperating Abyss Descendant clan so fiercely that their clan emblem nearly shattered.
The [Dukain Clan] emerged as the winner. Consequently, their former mortal enemies, the Ancient Dragon and Sun Descendants, gathered their heritage in one place at the last moment, established the [Forbidden Tower], left the last White Dragon egg inside the tower, and had the elders prophesy about the descendant within the egg.
In contrast, just as the [Dukain Clan] was about to take over [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas], the Second Era began. The Age of Law-Destruction arrived. The Law-Destroyers came knocking. The ensuing slaughter between the two sides was beyond tragic.
All the threads were now straightened out. Su Xiao didn't know the secret of the [Dukain Clan] completely controlling the Transcendent Realm, but one thing was certain: he couldn't let it go unchecked. A plan gradually formed in his mind.
Even if he had to go to war with the [Dukain Clan], he couldn't do it now. Instead, he needed to find a way to make the next world progress be [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas].
At that time, with his identity as a Law-Destroyer, the main mission would almost certainly be to deal with the [Dukain Clan]. This way, he would be settling old grudges, completing the main mission, rescuing the White Dragon Maiden, and if he could trigger the [Hunt List: Blood Pact], it would be a fourfold gain.
Su Xiao took an item from his storage space. It was:
[Dukain Family Emblem]
Origin: Abyss.
Usage Effect: ???
Description: ???
...
This was obtained from an [Abyss Chest] he got on Blazing Sun Star. Looking at it now, the connection between the [Dukain Clan] and Blazing Sun Star had been hinted at when he opened the chest in the previous world progress.
As Su Xiao took out the [Dukain Family Emblem], it was activated by this world, and its attribute display began to change.
[Dukain Family Emblem]
Origin: Abyss.
Usage Effect: Five [Dukain Family Emblems] can be placed at the [Maw's Mouth], [Scorpion's Mouth], [Brute's Mouth], [Leech's Mouth], and [Viper's Mouth] in the [Ancient Dragon Kingdom: Eberas: Abyss Vicinity]. This will open the ancient seal of the [Dukain Clan], allowing the retrieval of the [Primordial Clan Emblem] representing the [Dukain Clan].
Description: Either be lost, or leave a flaw.
...
Putting the [Dukain Family Emblem] away, this item would be crucial in the next world progress. Su Xiao activated his Reincarnation Brand to return to Reincarnation Paradise. He needed to boost his combat power first.
[Transmission about to begin, 10, 9...]
Although there was a transmission countdown, Su Xiao wasn't on guard. The transmission into a mission world was brutal, but the transmission back to Reincarnation Paradise was relatively gentle.
When the transmission light dissipated, Su Xiao was in his Exclusive Room. Bubu Wang, Amu, Baha, and Beini had all returned as well.
[Prompt: You have received a tribute from the Demon Insect Race of Eternal Light World.]
[You have obtained Primordial Container.]
...
It was the Molten Giant who had completed the repair and enhancement of the [Primordial Container], then sent it to Jila through the Demon Insect Race. Jila, as Su Xiao's follower, offered this item as a tribute into the team storage space. Su Xiao had to admit, Jila was quite clever, knowing this would avoid the cost of transmitting items.
Su Xiao observed the [Primordial Container] in his hand. The originally thin, hollow container now had a bit of a solid feel, although it was still a thin, hollow structure.
He tried to use the recently obtained [Apocalypse Paradise Advanced Enhancement Device Usage Right: One Time] on the [Primordial Container].
[Yes/No to use this authority. This authority is extremely rare.]
An authority described as [extremely rare] even in the prompt. The enhancement effect was predictable. Su Xiao chose to enhance. The [Primordial Container] disappeared, beginning its enhancement process. It would probably take a while to complete.
While waiting, Su Xiao opened his title list. He still had 992,199 Hunter Gold Coins, meaning he could exchange for 992,199 [Spreading Hotbed] titles. Now that the Law-Destruction Fortune was back, it was time to complete the title enhancement.
He exchanged some [Spreading Hotbed] titles using Hunter Gold Coins. The Smelting Disc materialized. He set the relevant permissions, placed one [Spreading Hotbed] in the slot, and with a bang of the hammer, the [Spreading Hotbed] title exploded.
Removing the [Abyssal Shadow] title, Su Xiao temporarily handed it to Bubu Wang, instructing him to use the recently reforged 100% title potential [Spreading Hotbed] on this title for a while.
[Spreading Hotbed: Title Effect: Potential Nurturing (Active), devour a main title for nurturing. During this nurturing process, there is an 11.11% to 99.99% probability of nurturing the limit potential of that title to the devoured main title.]