Chapter 2: Increase the Dosage
The so-called "permanent cure by severance" meant using the triple soul-severing characteristic of Su Xiao's blade technique to cut off Amu's stomach sac. Given the ferocity of the triple soul severance, there was a high probability that Amu would permanently lose the causal existence of its stomach sac, similar to the case of the Archbishop of the Abyss's left arm.
This would eradicate the source of Abyss energy erosion. Subsequently, only the removal of Abyss energy would be needed to resolve Amu's crisis, after which Bubu Wang could craft a semi-mechanical, semi-biological stomach sac for Amu.
The problem was, without the causal existence of the "stomach sac," Amu's sense of taste, appetite, eating, taste bud enjoyment, and satiety satisfaction would inevitably be affected by this causal stripping. Yet Amu's two greatest joys were "following Su Xiao" and "eating."
Depriving Amu of the joy of "eating" was essentially no different from killing it halfway. With this in mind, there was only one other option: increase the dosage.
Originally, this choice couldn't be made, because using more Abyss energy to erode Amu's stomach sac and induce a qualitative change like Su Xiao's right arm was an extremely high-risk behavior. However, now there was "Abyss Source Matter," and a full 35 portions of it. Having Amu drink one portion had a decent chance of completing the qualitative change process while keeping the risk within a controllable range.
Glancing at Amu, who was snoring loudly, Su Xiao decided to increase the dosage once this silly bull, who even ate the flesh of Abyss Spawn, woke up. Before that, he had some accumulated matters from the past few days to handle. He opened the notification list and scrolled up, quickly finding:
[Notification: You have killed Dukain Councilor · Beast Master (Abyss Descendant).]
[You have gained 85,000 Sanctuary City Reputation.]
[You have gained 30,000 Hunter Gold Coins.]
[You have gained Abyss Chest · Ferocity.]
……
Su Xiao's Sanctuary City reputation successfully exceeded 100,000, but compared to Soul Master's 3.57 million, it was far behind. However, this time returning to Sanctuary City, the situation would be different.
Furthermore, the Blade Demon Spirit had devoured all of Beast Master's "Abyss System Source Energy," converting it into Demon Spirit energy.
Su Xiao activated the "Devour Demon Constitution" ability.
[Devour Demon Constitution: When the Demon Spirit devours "Abyss System Source Energy" and gains Demon Spirit energy, you can use the Devouring Core to seize 50% of the Demon Spirit's current Demon Spirit energy. Then, through the Devouring Core, convert it into "permanent enhancement energy" that your own physique can absorb, thereby permanently enhancing your "Base Health Points" and "Abyss Resistance."]
As per usual, Su Xiao seized 50% of the Demon Spirit energy each time. But this time, he intensified the activation of "Devour Demon Constitution," forcibly wresting an additional portion from the Blade Demon Spirit, roughly 10% of the total amount.
The reason for this was that a few days prior, the Blade Demon Spirit had devoured the "Abyss System Source Energy" that the Dark Maiden had accumulated over a month, nearly clearing the undying, unextinguishable Abyss Spawn in the area around "Sanctuary City · Doan." This increased the Blade Demon Spirit's Demon Spirit intensity by 820 points.
Combined with the earlier instance where Su Xiao had invested a large number of Golden Skill Points into "Demon Spirit Awakening," which also significantly boosted Demon Spirit intensity, the Blade Demon Spirit was now somewhat overstuffed. It was essentially experiencing "indigestion" of the "Demon Spirit Source Matter" in the near term.
This also led to an inevitable backlog of the "Demon Spirit Source Matter" that originally belonged to it. Su Xiao's seizure changed the split from fifty-fifty to sixty-forty.
Following the usual process, Su Xiao used the dual filtration and conversion of "Devour Demon Constitution" + "Devouring Core" to obtain a type of permanent enhancement energy, which he then absorbed with his own physique. Compared to enhancing "All Potential Limit Tiers," the current speed of increasing "Base Health Points" was noticeably faster.
Several hours passed. Su Xiao opened his eyes, exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, and felt that his Primordial Life Force had become exceptionally powerful. Coupled with the fact that the enhancement from "Demon Spirit Source Matter" had no hidden characteristics and was entirely Su Xiao's own "Base Health Points," the feeling was even more exhilarating.
[Your Maximum Health Points have been permanently increased by 600,000 points.]
[Your Abyss Resistance has been permanently increased by 11 points.]
Su Xiao's Health Points reached 8.11 million. He faintly sensed that if he continued to maintain this purity of life force—that is, only increasing Primordial Life Force through the method of raising "Base Health Points"—then when his "Base Health Points" broke through ten million, it might trigger a qualitative change.
Just as Su Xiao reached this conclusion, Amu woke up. As soon as it awoke, it let out a series of dry heaves. Its large hand pressed against its chest. Amu, who remained expressionless in all situations except major repairs, was now covered in cold sweat from the intense pain in its chest and abdomen.
After reassessing Amu's condition, Su Xiao approached the mixing table. For others, concocting a potion that could deeply awaken Amu's stomach sac, which had been severely eroded by Abyss energy, was as difficult as ascending to heaven. But the combination of Alchemy Lv.99 + "Limit Refinement · Fourth · Full Potential" [Peak Masterpiece] title—well, consider it understood.
By the time Amu was trembling all over from the pain, its forehead pressed against the ground, the potion was ready.
"Drink it."
Before Amu could get up, Bubu Wang picked up the potion in its mouth, while Baha had already pried open Amu's mouth and poured a large amount of the potion down its throat.
A few minutes later, Amu's pain intensified, and it thrashed around like a fish landed on shore. Seeing this, Su Xiao knew the time was right.
"Give it this to drink."
Su Xiao tossed out a portion of "Abyss Source Matter." This substance was semi-fluid inside a transparent container. After Baha poured it down Amu's throat, Amu struggled for a while longer before finally calming down.
Half an hour later, Amu got up from the ground with a somewhat dazed look, scratching its head in confusion.
"Amu, hungry."
Hmm, excellent. Amu's three most proficient words were uttered in one breath this time. A rare occurrence.
Su Xiao stepped forward to observe, placing one hand on Amu's shoulder to sense its condition. After a moment, he stared at Amu for a few seconds, causing Amu, who was about to get up and forage for food, to shrink its head in guilt and sit there pretending to be dead.
……
Su Xiao took out another portion of "Abyss Source Matter." Seeing this item, Amu gulped down its saliva.
"Drink."
As Su Xiao spoke, he had already decided that from now on, Bubu Wang would have to keep an eye on Amu and prevent this silly bull from eating everything in sight.
Amu took the "Abyss Source Matter," opened it, and downed it in a few gulps. It was important to note that "Abyss Source Matter" and Abyss energy were two completely different things. "Abyss Source Matter" was a top-tier enhancement treasure that was hard to come by even for ten thousand gold coins. It couldn't be said to have no side effects, but the side effects were minimal. The latter, Abyss energy, had erosion and assimilation that far outweighed any benefits it brought.
After the second portion of "Abyss Source Matter" entered its stomach, the Abyss aura at the location of Amu's stomach sac remained unstable, threatening to shift from enhancement back to erosion at any moment. That meant they had to continue.
Third portion, fourth portion, fifth portion...
One portion after another of "Abyss Source Matter" went into Amu's stomach. The glutton's condition was improving by the minute. When the thirty-second portion of "Abyss Source Matter" was drained by Amu in one go, Amu let out an unprecedentedly satisfied burp, then collapsed rigidly from its sitting position as if in a coma, and began to snore loudly.