Chapter 34: Breaking the Deadlock
Su Xiao closed the mission list and advanced deeper into the Council Hall. He could sense the faint spreading sensation of the Abyss ahead.
After passing through a long corridor, a dark stone wall blocked the way ahead. This dark stone wall was uneven, with the emblem of the Dukain Family carved upon it. Clearly, this required a method of opening, which was the content of the first ring of the Real Stage Main Mission.
Su Xiao took out the [Miraculous Universal Key]. The restriction on the black wall ahead clearly fell under the category of "locks." He used the [Miraculous Universal Key] to touch the black stone wall ahead. A miraculous scene appeared: on the stone wall ahead, an illusory keyhole emerged, and the [Miraculous Universal Key] fit perfectly into it.
Click-clack~
The [Miraculous Universal Key] turned, and the dark stone wall ahead rose, revealing a torrent of darkness within, rushing down like a waterfall. It seemed that jumping into this torrent would allow one to reach the "Abyss Proximity Zone."
Su Xiao hadn't forgotten what the Dark Archbishop Charles said before his death: the Dukain Holy Land was above the Molten Fire, and what was below was a trap.
As the [Miraculous Universal Key] finished unlocking, it floated in front of Su Xiao. The crying face and smiling face at the tail of the key spun rapidly, eventually stopping with the crying face facing Su Xiao.
A suction force came. Some of Su Xiao's misfortune was devoured by the [Miraculous Universal Key]. Hmm, it seemed... there wasn't any particularly strong sensation.
"Facing Wailing: The 'Miraculous Universal Key' will devour your misfortune. However, if the amount of your misfortune does not satisfy the 'Miraculous Universal Key's' current appetite, it will change from wailing to anger, thus beginning to gnaw on your fate, causing permanent damage to your fate.
Warning: If the 'Miraculous Universal Key' is used multiple times within 10 natural days, then each subsequent 'Facing Wailing' will increase the 'Miraculous Universal Key's' appetite tenfold compared to the previous time, thus devouring a massive amount of your misfortune."
Su Xiao estimated that using the [Miraculous Universal Key] three or four times within ten days seemed fine. This left him with mixed feelings, unsure whether to be glad he could use this powerful misfortune item without cost, or to frown at the sheer magnitude of his own misfortune.
Observing left and right, Su Xiao sensed something different on the black stone wall to his right. It was fortunate he had "Absolute Perception," otherwise he definitely wouldn't have noticed the clue. He touched this area with the [Miraculous Universal Key].
Woo~
An illusory keyhole appeared. Su Xiao turned the [Miraculous Universal Key]. After one full rotation, the torrent of darkness ahead, which had been rushing downward, suddenly reversed and surged upward, shooting straight into the sky.
The tail of the [Miraculous Universal Key] spun again, the crying face facing Su Xiao. Compared to last time, misfortune ten times greater in magnitude was devoured by the [Miraculous Universal Key].
Su Xiao looked at the darkness ahead. Before he could step into it, Amu had already thrust one arm inside.
"Moo?"
"..."
Su Xiao nodded, indicating it was safe to enter. Amu leaped into the surging darkness.
It had to be said, Amu's survivability was now quite strong. After a moment, Amu sent a "moo" in the team channel, indicating safety. Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, and Baha entered the surging darkness.
In an instant, Su Xiao was enveloped by darkness, continuously ascending.
[Tip: Your Main Mission: Dark Holy Land has been completed.]
[Main Mission: Primordial Clan Emblem (Triggered).]
[Main Mission: Primordial Clan Emblem.]
Difficulty Level: Lv.99.
Mission Brief: Destroy the Dukain Family's "Primordial Clan Emblem."
Mission Duration: 5 natural days.
Mission Reward: World Evaluation Upper Limit +1.
Mission Penalty: Forced Execution.
...
Darkness, so thick it flowed like liquid, enveloped this place.
Su Xiao opened his eyes again and looked around. Without the Abyss vision from the "Absolute Perception Circle," he would be unable to move an inch here.
Zzz~
Spirit Shadow Threads coiled around Bubu Wang and Baha. As for Amu, his Abyss physique allowed him to discern direction. Following Su Xiao was no problem, but seeing the surroundings was still very difficult. However, Amu seemed to have a decent perception of the surroundings.
Moving forward in the darkness, before long, a majestic great hall stood ahead. This great hall was several hundred meters tall, with a pointed top, and seemed to be made of semi-molten dark metal.
Stopping before the tall door, Su Xiao saw the carvings on it. This was from the glorious era of the Dukain Family in the Second Era. Whether it was the Scorpion Lady, the Twin Kings, or a powerful being resembling a centipede, their auras were exceptionally fierce. However, they were all predecessors. The centipede-like powerful being had been completely annihilated by the Ancestral Law Destroyer.
With a grating sound of opening, the tall metal door opened on its own. It seemed the being inside was ready to make a final reckoning with the Law Destruction Faction.
Entering the Holy Land's great hall, there were no pillars inside. The emptiness was filled with spreading darkness, but specks of white light drifted in the air, like dancing fireflies.
Apart from the wide stone table in the center, the most eye-catching feature was the pitch-black wall at the far end of the hall. At first glance, it felt as if the Abyss itself lay behind this rock wall.
On this Abyss Wall were six black stone statues, but five of them were already shattered. They were:
"Mouth of the Brute," "Mouth of the Viper," "Mouth of the Scorpion," "Mouth of the Thousand," "Mouth of the Leech."
The only one remaining was the "Mouth of the Insect," which was significantly larger than the other black stone statues.
Arriving before the "Mouth of the Insect," Su Xiao took out a "Dukain Family Emblem" and stuffed it into the mouth of the "Mouth of the Insect," which was open, with sharp, jagged insect teeth full of malice.
Cracks appeared on the "Mouth of the Insect," but one "Dukain Family Emblem" was not enough to break it. Seeing this, Su Xiao stuffed the remaining four "Dukain Family Emblems" into the "Mouth of the Insect."
Crack, crack, crack~
Numerous cracks appeared on the "Mouth of the Insect," and it finally shattered with a bang. Not only that, but the cracks spread to the Abyss Wall behind.
Thick black smoke surged out from the cracks. Like inverted incense smoke, this black smoke spread along the ground, soon covering the floor of the great hall.
The most densely cracked part of the Abyss Wall fell downward like broken eggshells. Before long, an irregular hole several meters high appeared, revealing the scene inside.
Dense black insects writhed in the darkness. A black stone throne was surrounded by these insects. A figure over two meters tall, with a gaunt frame, graying hair, and withered, hollow holes on its face, sat with its head bowed on this stone throne. Its shoulder-length graying hair hung down, and from all over its body, soft spines extended, piercing into the surrounding space.
Or rather, they pierced into the surrounding world, like suckling. These soft spines had flowing thick nodes, converging into this being's body.
This was the progenitor of the Dukain Family, the owner of the "Primordial Clan Emblem," Dukain Bain. From a causal perspective, all natural-born members of the Dukain Family were its offspring.
"Hah~"
The Dukain Progenitor woke up a bit, exhaling white cold air from its mouth. Its left hand moved, joints cracking with crisp sounds. The soft spines extending from its entire body snapped and fell.
The Dukain Progenitor's eyelids trembled, then suddenly opened. Its eyes were murky at the bottom, showing a dull gray color. The eyeballs trembled and rolled upward, revealing eyes with dozens of tiny pupils. These pupils moved like insects, swirling in the same direction within the eyeballs.
"You are... the gift... that fate... brings to Dukain."
The Dukain Progenitor raised its head. Malice, so thick it polluted the surrounding world, spread from its body.
Hearing this voice, Su Xiao immediately recalled that when he first entered this world, his consciousness was in darkness and he hadn't woken up yet, he heard that sentence:
'Oh? There's still a Law Destroyer alive? This is truly... a rare guest.'
Yes, that was precisely the voice of the Dukain Progenitor. Now it seemed that regardless of whether he chose to trigger the Real Stage of this world's Main Mission, the Dukain Progenitor had already set its sights on him. Even if he chose to play it safe and leave this world, what he would face next was the Dukain Progenitor, restored to its former power.
This situation made Su Xiao think of a possibility. Back then, the Abyssal Shadow, Ximan Achide, had caused irreversible damage to the Dukain Family's "Primordial Clan Emblem." After years of research, the Dukain Progenitor seemed to have found a way to break the deadlock. However, this method required the entirety of Su Xiao's Law Destruction fortune as the last Law Destroyer.
In reality, the Dukain Progenitor didn't want Su Xiao to come here now. It had devoured massive resources and drained the Ancient Dragon Kingdom to this state. Reaching its former "Supreme Peak" was no longer out of reach.
Unfortunately, the current generation of Councilors and the Council Leader of the Dukain Family couldn't stop Su Xiao's advance, allowing him to enter the Dukain Family's most core secret, the Dark Holy Land.
Looking at the Dukain Progenitor opposite, Su Xiao didn't hesitate. He leaped backward, exiting the great hall.
Crystal-formed teleportation runes spread under Su Xiao's feet. Due to the enhancement of the Proud Song Crystal, the construction speed of the "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array" increased several times over.
Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha's tacit understanding needed no words. They all instantly stood on the "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array."
Boom!
The Law-Destroying Teleportation Array activated. The Dukain Progenitor was about to raise its hand to stop it, but paused. The reason was that in its past battles with the Law Destruction Faction, it had seen a teleportation array similar to this. However, the vibration emitted by that array was far less than what it saw now. Even so, that array was almost unstoppable.
A faint smile appeared on the Dukain Progenitor's cracked face. It knew why this Law Destroyer was so reckless, venturing deep into this place alone. Such courage and decisiveness turned the tables of offense and defense.
Before the "Mouth of the Insect" was broken, the Dukain Progenitor was in the area between this world and the Abyss. Based on Su Xiao's Abyss knowledge, he was certain that the Dukain Progenitor here was either impossible to kill or extremely powerful.
Su Xiao leaned towards the latter. The Dukain Family's "Primordial Clan Emblem" had problems, and the undying causal power it granted was sharply reduced.
Fighting the Dukain Progenitor in the Abyss Proximity Zone, Su Xiao could only estimate one outcome: certain death.
Under the powerful impact of the "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array," Su Xiao felt as if he was forcibly pulled out of a dark quagmire. The surrounding world gradually regained light. Although it was still dim, compared to the Abyss Proximity Zone, Molten Fire City was already considered bright.
Summoning the Lord's Train, everyone boarded. As the train started, Su Xiao looked at the darkness surging from the Council Hall. He controlled the Lord's Train to enter the "Scarlet Train" state:
[Scarlet Train (Core Passive): After this train enters an overload burst state, it can temporarily enter a second-stage hyper-acceleration, increasing speed to 450, consuming 10 points of train durability per second, lasting a maximum of 30 seconds per use. During this time, it can crash through 99% of barrier types, sealing techniques, etc.]
The train's speed surged from 30 to 450. Even Su Xiao felt the pull of weightlessness. Bubu Wang's eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot. That wasn't a problem; he would recover in a while.
A dark giant hand with dozens of fingers pressed down. The Lord's Train escaped its range just before the dark hand fell, entering an alternate space form.
Boom!!!
Molten Fire City behind was pressed down by the dark giant hand. This part of the world seemed to be crushed, and everything around began to be sucked inward. The Lord's Train's speed uncontrollably decreased as the darkness surged from behind.
After all, this was a Lord's Train enhanced to +32. In the first few seconds of the darkness surging, it rushed out of the world collapse zone, breaking free from the darkness. In a very short time, the scene behind faded away. Seeing this through the train's imaging, Su Xiao knew that the odds of victory in this decisive battle had increased from zero to ten percent.
A few hours later, in the woodland behind the Wutong Manor in the 15th District of the Queen's City, the Lord's Train stopped. After Su Xiao got off, a crystal layer spread under his feet, covering the woodland spanning several kilometers in diameter. It crystallized ninety percent of the trees, leaving only the surrounding trees as cover.
Under Bubu Wang's direction, Amu took out various equipment from the Lord's Train's storage hold. Before long, they assembled a biological cultivation device.
Stopping before this device, Su Xiao used the Dragon-Slaying Flash to cut his left hand. Blood fell into the cultivation device, and inside, purplish-red flesh began to grow, with a distinct insect race style.
Half an hour later, the cultivation device opened. An insect race avatar rose from inside. Su Xiao placed one hand on the insect race avatar's head, and a soul imprint gradually branded onto the avatar's brow.
That wasn't all. Su Xiao constructed a miniature Law-Destroying Teleportation Array, compressed it into a seal-like form, and implanted it into the chest of the insect race avatar.
Constructing a single-person world-level "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array," Su Xiao had Baha responsible for activating it. He then sat in a mechanical chair. Bubu Wang used a mechanical arm to attach electrode-like patches to him.
"Woof!"
"Mm."
Seeing Su Xiao was ready, Bubu Wang, after a dog-paw identification, activated this ultra-long-range control device.
Thump~ Thump!
Like a defibrillator, Su Xiao's head suddenly drooped, seemingly falling unconscious. In reality, the insect race avatar standing on the single-person world-level "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array" suddenly opened its eyes.
"Boss, ready?"
"..."
The insect race avatar controlled by Su Xiao nodded. Baha activated the world-level teleportation device.
Boom!!
Like a space explosion, large cracks appeared in the surrounding air. The insect race avatar vanished.
Over ten minutes later, in the Eternal Light World, over ten kilometers from the Insect Nest Base Camp, a space explosion occurred. The insect race avatar flew out of a spatial rift. After landing, its body was less than thirty percent intact. Apart from its head, only part of its torso and most of one arm remained.
Super worker scorpions rushed forward, continuously spraying fluorescent green healing mist. The insect race avatar quickly recovered. The Demon Flame Dragon Barbatos landed, letting out a dragon roar. The endless Demon Flame Dragons around all lowered their heads.
The insect race avatar raised its hand, signaling that Barbatos wasn't needed this time. Instead, it chose an elite Demon Flame Dragon covered in thick, pitch-black armor layers, looking tough and massive.
Barbatos lowered its eyelids, looking at this elite Flame Dragon. The elite Flame Dragon shrank back, but under Su Xiao's control, it spread its wings and took off.
"Roar..."
Barbatos was about to let out an angry roar, but after Su Xiao casually glanced at it, it immediately choked back the sound.
Looking down from above, the current Insect Nest Base Camp was already very spectacular. The star giant tree couldn't compare to the Insect Nest Base Camp.
Flying continuously towards the "Sand Sea" direction of the Eternal Light World, this was the northernmost part of the Eternal Light World. When he gradually adapted to the spatial characteristics of this world, Su Xiao had the elite Flame Dragon land. A crystal layer spread from the elite Flame Dragon's body. Su Xiao crystallized its biological energy to construct a "Law-Destroying Teleportation Array."
Boom!
The surrounding world became clear again. Su Xiao had arrived at the northernmost part of this world, the "Sand Sea." As expected, the elemental power here was still violent and abundant. He had indeed opened a few Abyss passages in this world, but the balance between the Abyss and elements took time. The "Sand Sea" region had accumulated elemental power for too many years.
Assuming the total elemental power of a normal high-tier world was 5000, then the total elemental power of the "Sand Sea" was conservatively estimated at 3 million. The sand that made up the "Sand Sea" was essentially elemental power crystals.
Su Xiao didn't have to wait long. A dark purple spatial wormhole formed nearby and quickly perfected. Before long, a world-level spatial wormhole was completed. This was Jila's war and invasion ability. However, without Su Xiao's orders, she wouldn't invade any world.
Su Xiao thrust one hand into the chest of this insect race avatar, pulling out the miniature Law-Destroying Teleportation Array implanted earlier. This thing couldn't be activated, but what was inscribed inside was the coordinate of the Ancient Dragon Kingdom.
Su Xiao wanted to use the insect race to deal with the Dukain Progenitor? That wasn't realistic. The insect race had developed to such an outrageous scale in the Eternal Light World at the cost of being unable to leave the Eternal Light World. Moreover, using the insect race against the Abyss system was truly not a wise choice, especially since the Abyss Descendants had the "Dark Corruption" ability.
Throwing the miniature Law-Destroying Teleportation Array into the "World-Level Spatial Wormhole," Su Xiao waited for over half an hour. When this "World-Level Spatial Wormhole" was activated with a bang, he controlled the insect race avatar to walk into it.
Dark purple spatial light flickered before his eyes. When he regained the feeling of solid ground, the insect race avatar had returned to the woodland behind the Wutong Manor in the 15th District of the Queen's City in the Ancient Dragon Kingdom. The woodland previously cleared by crystal assimilation was now occupied by a giant "World-Level Spatial Wormhole."
The insect race avatar shattered. Su Xiao, sitting in the mechanical chair, opened his eyes. He tore off the consciousness link device on his body. The odds of victory against the Dukain Progenitor had increased to thirty percent.
The "World-Level Spatial Wormhole" ahead began to fade. It wasn't failing, but a war tactic of the Demon Insect Race. As long as Jila, located in the Eternal Light World's Insect Nest Base Camp, wanted, in the following months, she could use this "World-Level Spatial Wormhole" integrated into this world's space to quickly construct new "World-Level Spatial Wormholes" anywhere.
As for the consumed biological energy, as the reward for the Demon Insect Race being unable to leave the Eternal Light World, the excess world force of the Eternal Light World could be converted into biological energy through the Insect Nest Base Camp.
Su Xiao boarded the Lord's Train and took out a portion of "Abyss Source Matter." This container was previously modified by Bubu Wang. He pressed the valve on one end. The "Abyss Source Matter," pulverized by a micro-oscillation device, dispersed a bit. He took out a hollow transparent container and sealed it.
After it settled, Su Xiao found that the pulverized "Abyss Source Matter" inside the transparent hollow container began to converge in one direction. He immediately started the Lord's Train and headed in the direction the pulverized "Abyss Source Matter" was converging.
The further they traveled, the darker the surrounding environment became. After traveling over a thousand kilometers, they entered an area with intense Abyss energy spreading. Over ten minutes later, the Lord's Train stopped near an Abyss passage.
Yes, Su Xiao was using the way the "Abyss Source Matter" returned to the Abyss after leaving the container to find the Abyss passages in this world.
Getting off the train and arriving before the Abyss passage, he brought his hands together, then pulled them apart. One by one, Spirit Shadow Threads as thick as a little finger were pulled out. These Spirit Shadow Threads spread towards the Abyss passage. The crystal sharp thorns at the tips pierced through the world, forming a suture. He pulled hard, and the Abyss passage was initially sutured. Then came the most important follow-up treatment. All the Spirit Shadow Threads fused, and this Abyss passage was successfully closed.
As long as Su Xiao wasn't dead, this Abyss passage wouldn't open in the near future. Moreover, since this was a forcibly opened Abyss passage, this world region still had a certain healing property. Before long, this Abyss passage would be completely smoothed over.
Was closing an Abyss passage simple? The answer was, of course, no. When someone tried to close an Abyss passage, the Abyss Spawn in the nearby dark spreading area and the Abyss region on the other end would swarm.
The problem was, in the Abyss region near this world, what Abyss Spawn dared to come and provoke this Law Destroyer, this god of death? They had been fished twice already. They weren't stupid. It was better to have the Abyss passage closed. They could just flow covertly to the Abyss passages of other worlds.
Su Xiao used the secret method of the Law Destruction Faction to close Abyss passages. Therefore, what was almost impossible for others, Su Xiao could accomplish. Coupled with the astonishing speed of the Lord's Train, the plan's efficiency was even higher.
Three days later, on the north side of the Rotting Lake, as the finger-thick Spirit Shadow Threads tightened and fused, another Abyss passage was closed. Just then, a prompt appeared.
[Tip: As you have closed over 95% of the Abyss passages in this world, you have gained the recognition of this world's World Consciousness (World Consciousness: Weak State). You will receive a "World Blessing."]
[While you are in this world, all your main attributes are increased by 15%!]
[While you are in this world, your "Base Damage Reduction" is increased by 10% (currently 70%).]
[Your True Luck Attribute is permanently increased by 20 points!]
[Your True Charm Attribute is permanently increased by 150 points!]
[True Charm Attribute increase failed.]
[World Consciousness is boosting again...]
[True Charm Attribute increase failed. Although this increase failed, it consumed too much of this world's already severely weakened World Consciousness. This world's World Consciousness will fall into temporary silence, but the relevant bonuses while in this world will still take effect.]
...
Su Xiao clearly felt the strange energy around him surging towards him, enhancing his own physique.
The Lord's Train started. This time, the target was the Molten Fire City ruins.
In the rear carriage bedroom of the train, Su Xiao sat cross-legged, meditating with his eyes closed. When his state was adjusted to the best, the Lord's Train stopped.
Getting off the train, Su Xiao saw a twisted-shaped building in the distance. This was all the building remnants of Molten Fire City, squeezed and fused together by a massive force. Besides that, what met his eyes was the polluted earth heavily stained by darkness.
Su Xiao placed one hand on the end of his knife handle. The next moment, massive "World-Level Spatial Wormholes" appeared behind him, over a hundred of them. After a brief brewing, elemental crystal fragments from the "Sand Sea" of the Eternal Light World surged out from within.
It wasn't that the Dukain Progenitor didn't want to stop Su Xiao; it was that it couldn't leave the Abyss Proximity Zone. This was the source of its power recovery. If it left the Abyss Proximity Zone before recovering to the "Supreme Peak," everything done before would be in vain.
Or rather, Council Leader Ergu Baiya could have completely stopped Su Xiao. At least, in a death battle, he could have blocked him. Unfortunately, Ergu Baiya was killed by Su Xiao using other means.
Rumble...
The entire world began to tremble. The dense Abyss environment here, after the influx of massive natural elements, began to show a balancing reaction between the Abyss and elements. Su Xiao was forcing the Dukain Progenitor to leave the Abyss Proximity Zone, the Dark Holy Land? No, he was going to use the massive natural elements to make this Abyss Proximity Zone completely disappear.
The elemental power rapidly spread. Su Xiao looked at the sky. He had previously instructed Jila to open more "World-Level Spatial Wormholes" in the sky above.
Not only that, Su Xiao controlled the Lord's Train to slam shut and quickly drive away. It had to be noted that Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha were all inside, and the Demon Spirit was also in the train.
Before the spectacular "World-Level Spatial Wormholes," Su Xiao's aura was calm. He looked at the darkness brewing ahead.
Crack!
Crack!
It was as if glass shattered ahead. The next instant, a shockwave burst forth. Starting from the Molten Fire City ruins, over half of the Ancient Dragon Kingdom began to decay and corrupt. First, tiny black dots appeared in the air. Then, black insects drilled out from within. From the earth to the sky, they were densely packed, as if the entire world had been riddled into a nest by insects.
This pressure made people feel despair.
Except for the "World-Level Spatial Wormholes" in the cold zone above, the rest were riddled through by the black insects, becoming tattered. In contrast, the darkness shrouding ahead gradually thinned. This was the price of the Dukain Progenitor leaving the "Abyss Proximity Zone." Years of preparation went up in smoke.
Even this "Abyss Proximity Zone," due to the massive influx of natural elements, coupled with too few Abyss passages in this world, and the Dukain Progenitor being forced to leave this place, began to peel away from this world. Eventually, it would be swallowed by the Abyss.
The elements stopped spreading. The Abyss ceased its invasion. Standing on this dark earth, Su Xiao received a prompt from the Void Tree.
[Tip (Void Tree): You have triggered a Faction Mission.]
[Faction Mission: Dukain.]
Difficulty Level: Lv.99.
Mission Brief: Completely eliminate the Dukain Family.
Mission Duration: 1 natural day.
Mission Reward: Law-Destruction Treasure Chest (Opening this chest will grant a random Law Destruction Faction item from the Void Tree's vault.)
Mission Penalty: None (As this is a triggered Faction Mission, there is no penalty).