Chapter 3: Using the "Demon Spirit Awakening" ability to kill the immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn allows the Blade Demon Spirit to devour its "Primordial Life Force." When enough is accumulated to equal one portion of "Demon Spirit Source Matter," the demon spirit can feast, increasing its demon spirit strength by 30 points, while Su Xiao permanently gains 50,000 health points and 1 point of Abyss Resistance.
Moreover, the health points gained this way strengthen Su Xiao's primordial life force, without any issues of impurity.
With this in mind, the goal for this trip must include one more objective: to eliminate as many immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn in this world as possible. As Su Xiao pondered this, he noticed faint traces of dark energy ahead.
Originally, he expected to reach the vicinity of the "Raging Sea" by evening that day. However, the Blade Grandmaster leading the way frequently changed routes, essentially circling the area around Sanctuary City before heading toward the "Raging Sea."
Xilin, who had been following behind, was reaping the benefits. The perception-type team's kill bonus triggered the Apocalypse Paradise's reward mechanism with each kill. After triggering this benefit a second time, Xilin decisively applied to Apocalypse Paradise to formally enter this world, ending her temporary reinforcement status.
Normally, this wouldn't be easy, but since Xilin had already participated in killing two immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn, her application was quickly approved.
By dawn the next day, the sky remained pitch black. Su Xiao stopped hunting, having killed a total of 9 immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn. Unfortunately, none were at the Supreme level; all were Absolute Strength-level Abyss Spawn.
He had accumulated three portions of "Demon Spirit Source Matter," a significant gain. Furthermore, the completion rate of the "Abyss Mission: Death's Grant" had reached 61.03%, for the following reason:
"Hint: The cumulative calculation method for this mission's completion rate is as follows: when you successfully kill a target unit, it increases the 'target unit's danger level corresponding mission completion rate' + '45% of the current existing mission completion rate, which is the mission completion rate added this time.'"
When Su Xiao killed the eighth Abyss Spawn, the mission completion rate was still 41.4%. An Absolute Strength-level immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn typically increased the completion rate by about 0.9% to 1.2%.
However, upon killing the ninth, the completion rate immediately increased by 19.63%. The next kill, even if it were still an Absolute Strength-level immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn, would yield at least a 28% increase in completion rate.
In other worlds, having one or two immortal and indestructible Abyss Spawn would be remarkable, but in this world, heavily eroded by the Abyss and nearly assimilated by it, there were many such creatures.
This confirmed to Su Xiao that the greatest gain in this world came not from main missions or hunt bounties, but from this "Abyss Mission: Death's Grant."
With this in mind, the priority of objectives for this trip needed adjustment. The first priority was the main mission; failing that would trigger forced execution.
The second priority was rescuing the White Dragon Girl, relying on this contract/oath to achieve a unique promotion to Supreme.
The third priority was the "Abyss Mission: Death's Grant," while the "Hunt List: Blood Pact" would have to take a back seat.
As Su Xiao gathered his thoughts, he noticed a faint light ahead. Approaching, he saw an endless expanse of pitch-black water. The sand beneath his feet was cold and biting, and the sea ahead was as calm as a giant mirror.
Su Xiao felt a salty, slightly decayed sea breeze, but the dark sea surface remained still. He stepped forward, and when he was a few meters from the water, a black root burst out, heading straight for his right eye.
Clang~
The blade aura severed the black root. The plant matter fell to the ground, writhing like a severed octopus tentacle for a while before settling, oozing black water that stained the sand below.
Su Xiao looked at Xilin. It was time for the perception-type to step in. Xilin came behind Su Xiao. She was usually a big shot, but here, it was better to lie low; this place was too dangerous.
Xilin released her perception, her eyes widening and her face turning pale. After a few seconds, she stopped, covering her mouth to avoid dry heaving.
As a Supreme-level contractor, even from Apocalypse Paradise, Xilin's mental fortitude wasn't weak. The perceived scene, however, was a spread and distortion of spiritual pollution.
This "Raging Sea" was vast, seemingly an ocean but actually a kingdom of plants. Beneath the sea were twisted plant bodies with roots covered in eyes, intertwined and writhing, emitting intense spiritual pollution.
This could gradually pollute the minds of all normal beings on the sea, then the spiritual pollution would corrupt their bodies, eventually assimilating them into its kind, taking root and sprouting in this dark sea.
Given the vastness of the "Raging Sea" and the number of dark plant bodies, fighting through was impractical. Su Xiao looked at Bulgan, the guide from Sanctuary City, who had secrets only shared with the Pain Priest.
"We need to take a boat across the sea. The Raging Sea is home to the Bana Dwarf Clan; they have ways to avoid attacks from the violent sea creatures."
With that, Bulgan pointed to a nearby watchtower. He climbed the old tower made of dead wood and rotten vines, grabbed a large bone so clean it would make a dog weep, and slammed it hard against the large bronze bell hanging from the tower's top.
Despite Bulgan's force, causing the bronze bell to swing back and forth, sending rust flying, it made no sound, only layers of sound waves spreading into the distance.
After waiting on the shore for over three hours, the creaking sound of wooden boards came from the horizon. A five-masted ship sailed into view. The ship looked unremarkable, but as it approached, they saw it was entirely made of living tree roots intertwined. There were no sailors or helmsmen; the deck was empty.
When the ship docked, Su Xiao understood why there were no sailors. The ship began to disassemble itself, and within minutes, only the old ship's skeleton remained. The rest was composed of Bana Dwarf Clan members, each over five meters tall, looking less like trees and more like wet, humanoid sea creatures covered in barnacles.
The tallest Bana Dwarf Clan member approached Bulgan, looked down at him for a few seconds, then grinned, revealing yellowed, flat teeth that gave a fierce impression.
"So, it's you (Void Language)."
The Bana Dwarf Clan captain looked at the others. Upon seeing the Pain Priest and Su Xiao, its single vertical eye narrowed slightly, and it spoke in a booming voice:
"Same price as before. To cross the sea, you must pay with souls."
As soon as the Bana Dwarf Clan captain finished speaking, the Pain Priest tossed a large cloth bag. The Bana Dwarf Clan leader opened it, saw the Soul Crystals inside, and felt satisfied. It let out a silent, majestic roar, causing the other Bana Dwarf Clan members to scurry quickly toward the ship's skeleton, gradually forming the ship they had just seen.
The Bana Dwarf Clan captain tilted its head, looking at the group with a meaningful gaze, then walked toward the "Doom Number" and merged into the ship's body.
"Boss, this tree is up to no good."
Baha, perched on Su Xiao's shoulder, spoke. Su Xiao said nothing, just leaped onto the ship and headed for the cabin. Pushing open the door, he found it wasn't damp and was relatively clean, indicating occasional cleaning.
This meant the Bana Dwarf Clan had been in this business for a long time, but the nearby port had been unused for a while.
In this world, besides doing business with the Dukain Family, Su Xiao couldn't think of other stable partners. Sanctuary City was the largest resistance force in this world, and even its port had fallen into disrepair, let alone other, weaker resistance forces.
The problem now was that the world's spatial coordinates had become chaotic under the dark invasion. Daring to specify a direction without precise coordinates for teleportation could result in being directly sent into the Abyss, a certain death.
Clearing the aquatic plants of the "Raging Sea" and fighting through to cross was also unrealistic. Su Xiao suspected that the entire "Raging Sea" had a single massive entity, with combat power so exaggerated that even the Dukain Family wouldn't provoke it easily. It was likely some ancient existence from the Abyss.
Thus, to cross the sea, they had to rely on the malicious Bana Dwarf Clan. Moreover, it was uncertain whether the vast Elf Kingdom south of the "Raging Sea" had stable spatial zones.
If not, after clashing with the Beast Lord, they would have to return the same way. "Sanctuary City: Doan" was the central area of this world, and starting from Doan was the best choice for any subsequent destination.
With the creaking of wooden boards, the "Doom Number" set sail. Inside the cabin, Bulgan sat blankly on a wooden chair, lost in thought.
"Bulgan, is this how you successfully crossed the sea back then?"
Xilin spoke, her gaze turning hostile.
"I... don't know."
Bulgan's eyes were unfocused. What he was experiencing now was completely different from his memories. He remembered that when he boarded the "Hope Number," the captain was friendly and generous, but now, the same person had become cold and malicious.
"You motherf*cker..."
Xilin stood up, ready to kick Bulgan into the wall, but Baha interjected:
"Now's not the time for infighting."
"Yes, yes, we can't infight. It must be that the darkness back then eroded my brain, altering my perceptions. But one thing is certain now: I remember the route to the 'Elf Kingdom,' and it should be correct."
Bulgan's gaze gradually shifted from confusion to determination. His bright eyes made him seem sincere and brave.
However, beneath Bulgan's disguised exterior, his subconscious self was grinning. He had truly passed the half-year nightmare of surveillance and learned the spatial coordinates for entering and leaving Sanctuary City.
Next, he needed to return to his master's kingdom and report everything about Sanctuary City: Doan. As for these companions daring to challenge his master, they were just unexpected gains.
Thinking of soon meeting his master and kneeling happily and obediently at his master's feet, Bulgan could barely suppress the smile on his face and the joy in his heart.
Yes, this was the Dukain Family's "Dark Corruption." The most terrifying aspects of this "Dark Corruption" were two things: first, the complete submission from within, and second, the absence of any special energy fluctuations. For example, Bulgan, after being "Dark Corrupted," underwent various observations and inspections without any abnormality. He was still himself, yet completely not the same person.
Su Xiao naturally noticed this change but didn't intend to deal with it. In fact, he didn't even plan to attack the captain of the "Doom Number." Since the captain was a lackey of the Dukain Family, they would surely send Bulgan, the completed scout, back to his master.
Confirming this, Su Xiao leaned back in his recliner, took out a blanket, and covered himself for a nap. He had killed quite a few Abyss Spawn and dark creatures last night and was quite tired.
Meanwhile, in the Elf Kingdom: Sedun, 5th Underground District.
A giant mechanical disc rotated above, emitting bursts of hot steam. Countless elves, like ants, worked in this underground district. They wore coarse robes, their exposed clothes stained with oil and sweat. Their pointed ears were curled from prolonged high temperatures, and they wore identity tags on their ears. They had no names, only production batches and serial numbers.
In the central building of the underground district, on the 105th floor, in an office with a red and dark gold theme, a man in a pure white suit with short blue hair sat in a chair, listlessly looking out the window, watching the elves laboring like ants.
His name was Soth, given by his father, the Beast Lord. His appearance had gradually changed to facilitate business with major forces in the Void. The Dukain Family had few members, only about a hundred, most of whom were asleep. Fewer than 20 were active.
The Dukain Family also had internal factions, roughly four: the three councilors each led a faction, and the council chairman led one.
Each faction managed different territories. The Elf Kingdom belonged to the Beast Lord, but most management was handled by his son, Soth. If something important came up, Soth would summon his brothers and sisters for discussion. As the youngest member of the Barbarian lineage, Soth was ambitious but not reckless, earning his father's trust.
"So boring (Abyss Language)."
Soth toyed with an iron coin in his hand, left behind by an awakened elf years ago. There were exceptions to everything, including "Dark Corruption." The awakened elf who broke free from the "Dark Corruption" had clashed with Soth for years, bringing him much amusement. Unfortunately, it eventually caught the attention of one of his brothers, forcing Soth to quickly eliminate this rare playmate.
"Earless, anything unusual lately?"
Soth leaned back, eyes closed, speaking. The elderly elf slave waiting nearby replied obediently:
"Master, everything is fine. All districts are stable."
"Is that so? That's neither good nor bad news."
Soth grew more bored. He tossed the iron coin and asked, "Have the representatives sent by the Scorpion Lady been settled?"
"According to your instructions, they have been arranged."
"That muscle-bound fool only cares about food and female elves. Keep sending them endlessly; there's no cost to raise them."
"Your command is my mission."
"Heh, you've served me for so many years, no need to keep flattering me."
Soth patted the elderly elf slave's shoulder, but the slave remained unmoved, still obedient.
"Our Barbarian lineage and the Scorpion lineage have a long-standing feud. This is a good opportunity to ease relations. You..."
Soth hesitated slightly but continued, "Send Yayala. Though I'm reluctant to part with her sweet blood, we need to show some sincerity in negotiations."
"Yes."
The elderly elf slave went to carry out the task. Soth sighed, his completely black eyes showing growing irritation from boredom. Just then, an ancient book on his table emitted a faint glow, opening to a page shaped like a tree.
"These Bana Dwarf Clan members are still dreaming of redeeming their spirit seeds."
Soth muttered boredly but still placed his hand on it, reading the information from the "Doom Number." After a brief reading, he sat up slightly, the darkness in his eyes giving way to white threads, indicating emotional fluctuation.
"The seed I casually threw out back then is actually coming back? And leading two Supreme-level beings from Doan? How... interesting."
A smile gradually appeared on Soth's face. Almost simultaneously, in the 26th District above the underground district, in a lavish two-story building.
Inside a bedroom covering over a thousand square meters was a giant bed over 20 meters long and wide. On the bed sat a fat, ugly man over six meters tall, with four thick arms, a head with over a dozen eyes, and a large mouth that could open its entire lower jaw.
This dark-skinned, shiny ugly man was chewing something with a crunching sound, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Within easy reach were over a dozen female elves huddled together, trembling in silent tears. However, the "Corruption Mark" on them prevented them from disobeying the guardian's orders, let alone the fact that this being nearby was one of the sources of "Dark Corruption," an Abyss Descendant.
"You're truly cruel."
A female voice came. The fat ugly man paused his chewing, glanced at the Abyss Princess in the darkness over ten meters away, and asked, "Where are they?"
"Raging Sea."
"Good. It seems it won't be long before I can bring them back to see the Empress."
The fat ugly man spoke in a rumbling voice. The Abyss Princess in the darkness snorted and pressed, "After it's done, have your Empress release my two sisters immediately."
"Hoo hoo hoo~" The fat ugly man let out a dull laugh and teased, "Aren't you hoping they'll be annihilated? Why save them?"
"Don't lump us Abyss Royalty with you Abyss Descendants, who are only after profit. We may have different mothers, but we share blood ties."
Hearing this, the ugly man's expression darkened: "We, Abyss Descendants, also have blood ties."
"Oh really? Your blood ties meant that when the Scorpion lineage watched the Barbarian lineage nearly be wiped out by the previous Law Destroyers? I remember you were one of the spectators back then."
This jab at a sore spot made the ugly man very displeased. He grabbed a female elf and threw her into the darkness.
Splat~
Blood splattered everywhere. The Abyss Princess in the darkness had already disappeared.
...
Raging Sea, South Port: Deer Antler Dock.
The "Doom Number" docked in the evening. After crossing the "Raging Sea" and reaching the southwestern region of this continent, Su Xiao noticed a faint light shining down from above, about as bright as an overcast day. Even so, it was incredible in this world.
Thinking about it, the Abyss Descendants must have ways to curb the Abyss's invasion, since they orchestrated the dark invasion of this world. If they had no means of control, it would be too ridiculous.
The Abyss Descendants could survive in lightless darkness, but the elves they enslaved could not. This level of illumination was the basic condition for elves to survive under high-intensity labor.
Jumping off the "Doom Number," Su Xiao walked across the dark sea surface and soon reached the shore. After everyone was ashore, the "Doom Number" quickly sailed away.
Su Xiao turned to look at Bulgan. After being stared at for a few seconds, Bulgan became uneasy, eventually showing anger and anxiety, because he noticed the Law Destroyer looking at him with an increasingly friendly smile.
Looking around, Su Xiao felt this place was good. He knew that Bulgan was likely a corrupted servant of the Beast Lord or his offspring, but that wasn't a big problem. In fact, if arranged properly, this could become the Beast Lord's weakness.
It was time to invite the hound friends from the Underworld to visit this place. Moreover, after being promoted to Supreme, Su Xiao was qualified to summon Supreme-level Underworld hound friends. He knew one particularly suited for this situation: the brother of Blood Leech, ranked 39th among the Iron-Blood Hounds, and ranked 6th among them, Black Leech: Kenbas!
Also known as the Abyss Prison Screamer: Kenbas, because enemies who fought him would suffer as if in an abyss prison, letting out desperate screams before death.
Besides his formidable combat power and exceptionally cruel abilities, Kenbas's extremely vile personality was also famous in the Underworld. However, Su Xiao had a way to deal with that.