Chapter 430: [Verdant Wood Guest], Arriving in the Dust Star Sea |
"Borrow again?" The muscles on Qing Cang's cheeks twitched. Triggered by these two words, he couldn't help but glare and say:
"Borrowing Divine Blood is one thing, but why are you also borrowing Faith Essence?"
"No, borrowing Divine Blood can't be overlooked either." Qing Cang suddenly reacted, almost confused by this kid.
"Don't worry, I won't borrow much this time," Su Chen explained.
"Not borrow much..." The corners of Qing Cang's eyes twitched. For some reason, upon hearing these words, his heart inexplicably let out a sigh of relief, but soon his face darkened again: "What exactly are you thinking?"
"The original Faith Essence was meant to be used for the sacrificial ritual to guide the Ancient Kings back. You didn't mention borrowing it earlier, clearly because it wasn't urgent. Now that the Faith Essence is no longer needed for that, you open your mouth to borrow it."
Qing Cang reasoned things out increasingly smoothly and said grumpily: "I see you just want to hollow out the Order."
Lao Qing actually saw through this... Su Chen muttered secretly in his heart. Qing Cang truly didn't guess wrong. He indeed wasn't in urgent need of the Faith Essence; it was just for backup.
"Senior Brother..." Su Chen let out a sigh.
Su Chen changed his tone, "Actually, it's not that it wasn't urgent. It's just that I knew the Faith Essence was previously going to be used to guide the Ancient Kings back, so I didn't speak up. I truly have an urgent use for it."
"What urgent use?" Qing Cang asked directly, secretly wondering if he had been too easy to talk to before, allowing this kid to Give an Inch, Take a Mile.
"The Immeasurable Buddha..." Su Chen spat out four words. "I might be able to find a countermeasure."
"A countermeasure?" Qing Cang's expression became Doubtful and Uncertain. The threat of the Immeasurable Buddha wasn't just his own strength, but more importantly, because he came from the Abyssal Domain, instilling awe in people's hearts.
Master had already given the order to raise alertness. The estimated development of the situation was clearly not heading in a good direction. Su Chen could actually find a countermeasure?
"You..." Qing Cang's expression was both filled with Suspicion and hesitation. Su Chen didn't have an arrogant and conceited personality; he understood this much.
Moreover, if spoken more seriously, this matter even involved the life and death of the Order. Su Chen definitely wouldn't dare to speak nonsense about this matter.
"What method?" Qing Cang asked again.
"The specific method requires Faith Essence..." Su Chen spread his hands.
Qing Cang frowned tightly. What he wanted to ask was how Su Chen would use the Faith Essence. But under normal circumstances, this thing could only be used for sacrificial rituals.
Sacrifice to whom? The first thing he thought of was an Evil God, but he felt it wasn't quite like that. After all, it wasn't like he had just met Su Chen.
Right now, the Faith Essence indeed had nowhere else to go. If Su Chen wanted to use it, there was no harm in trying.
Although Qing Cang resisted on the surface, he still trusted Su Chen extremely in his heart, because past examples were right before his eyes.
Su Chen had almost never disappointed him, no... he had never disappointed him.
"How much do you need?" Qing Cang spoke with a cold face.
"One hundred and fifty portions." Su Chen stated a number.
"One hundred portions, not a single one more." Qing Cang was Resolute and Decisive.
"This... fine then." Su Chen reluctantly agreed.
I knew it! Qing Cang snorted coldly in his heart. What this kid said might be true, but it wasn't necessarily true that he didn't want to take more from the Order.
Thinking of this, he actually felt a bit satisfied in his heart, after all, he had cut off fifty portions.
"Sorry to trouble you, Senior Brother." Su Chen sent off the cold-faced Qing Cang with a smile, and truly breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that my cheap Master is fine."
If the Bronze Ancient King fell, the Radiant Moon Spirit in the Order would naturally react. Although there had been no sign of his fall previously, it wasn't impossible that he had been captured.
Confirming that he was already on the way back, Su Chen finally set his mind completely at ease.
"With my cheap Master around, things become much simpler. After all, he's a living Radiant Moon, which can be considered a big shot even in the Abyssal Domain."
"At the very least, we have to protect the Bronze Sect from the hands of Great Heaven before we can prepare matters regarding heading to the Abyssal Domain."
The Abyssal Domain probably wasn't an easy place to get along in. If he fought alone, he estimated he wouldn't be able to come into contact with the Resources he wanted for a very long time.
Su Chen opened his Comm-Bracelet and took a glance. He didn't return to the Training Room, but waited at the Port. Not long after, Luo Shuhang and Zhong Chengyu arrived together.
Seeing Su Chen waiting for them at the Port, they hurriedly revealed expressions of being overwhelmed by the favor, "To have you personally come to greet us truly makes us unworthy."
"It's no matter..." Su Chen waved his hand and led the two into the Main Building. Bringing these two here was naturally to prepare a Holy Class.
"Wood-attribute... Recovery type..." Hearing Su Chen's request, Luo Shuhang's expression eased. He was truly afraid Su Chen would bring up some bizarre requests like before.
Although there was an attribute requirement, there were indeed many recovery-type classes within the wood attribute. He opened his mouth and reported several, which Zhong Chengyu immediately pulled up.
Su Chen only picked four from among them, all of which were of 8th-Tier strength. He had long since Job Entry-ed the first four classes of the Undying Bird sequence and didn't want to waste them.
Moreover, if he mixed in four already Job Entry-ed classes to perform Forging, the difficulty of Job Entry would be greatly reduced. Anyway, he could slowly strengthen it afterwards. For minor differences in strength, there was no need to strive for excessive perfection.
After selecting the four classes, Zhong Chengyu further pulled out their Profession Requirements.
Su Chen glanced over them as usual, and the Status Panel popped up. First was the "giving face" segment for the Specialized Classes.
...
【Plants have spirits, withering and flourishing have their order. The Wood Nurturer comes from nature. Upon seeing the Sovereign of the Purple Zenith, endless reverence is born in their heart. Profession Requirement Number Two receives a weakening: you only need to find a century-old dead tree, care for it meticulously, and cause it to come back to life.】
He had seen it too many times and had long stopped caring much about it. But this time was slightly different, because the target of "giving face" had changed to the Sovereign.
"Every new sovereign brings their own courtiers. These newcomers naturally have to revere the most powerful figure." Su Chen sighed with emotion.
However, before he could even glance at the second class, another Status Panel popped up—
【The Sun-Mirror Calamity-Slaying Sovereign feels his majesty is being challenged and opens his cold eyes. Cyan lightning blasts out. The Wood Nurturer hurriedly prostrates on the ground. Profession Requirement Number Three is weakened: you only need to find a thousand-year-old tree core and fuse it into yourself.】
No way... you... Su Chen was stunned. The Heavenly Sovereign's refusal to submit was manifested in all aspects.
But thinking about it, he could also understand. After all, they used to revere him in the past, but now that they changed to someone else, he would definitely feel uncomfortable in his heart.
The Sovereign's Profession Requirements were incomplete, and he was aloof and indifferent to these matters. But the Heavenly Sovereign was way too active.
"But to me, it's good news." Su Chen muttered. The strength of these 8th-Tier Specialized Classes was already not low. After being weakened in difficulty twice, it was already quite considerable.
Capturing the remaining three classes, Su Chen immediately performed Forging.
【Remnant Embers are ignited, Divine Blood is fused within. With the Stigmata Healer as the core, four portions of Faceless Ghost, Crimson, and Cunning Fox Essence are rolled in. Forging in progress...】
There were only four non-Job Entry-ed classes, so it only consumed four drops of Divine Blood. And for the various Eldritch Essences, naturally, only four portions were needed.
"Things like Divine Power aren't very useful, and the Order doesn't have much stored. These are still my own stock." Su Chen glanced over. The Divine Power he had previously obtained from the Order had only been forged into a little over ten portions of various Eldritch Essences.
They had long been mostly consumed. These remaining ones still came from the accumulation of his own channels during this period.
【Discovered Holy Class — Verdant Wood Guest. Can be Job Entry-ed after completing the Profession Requirements.】
【Profession Requirement Number One: In the deep mountains and wild forests, accompany nature for more than four years, recognize every kind of grass and flower in the mountains, befriend the trees, and listen to their troubles.】
【Profession Requirement Number Two: Find Cliff Grass, Deep Ravine Moss, Gobi Willow, and Frigid Peak Lotus, and fuse them into yourself using the 'Resurrection Ritual'. (After completing the requirement and performing Job Entry), you can obtain an additional reward.】
【Profession Requirement Number Three: Find a desert planet and, relying solely on your own power, turn it into an oasis.】
"Having four already Job Entry-ed classes, plus various levels of weakening, the difficulty is indeed not considered too high. There are only three requirements..."
He glanced over them. The most difficult one among them was probably finding a desert planet and turning it into an oasis.
It sounded like it involved a planetary scale, but there wasn't any danger, nor was there a time limit. Coupled with his own impressive Tier, it wasn't actually too difficult.
If he had a water-attribute class, it would probably be even simpler.
"However..." Su Chen took out the remaining portion of Perfect-Grade Eldritch Source Power in his hand.
He hadn't figured out exactly which aspect the lightning-attribute Holy Class should lean towards, and he temporarily didn't have enough Eldritch Essences, making it difficult to forge. So he might as well use it on this Verdant Wood Guest first.
【The Verdant Wood Guest is steeped in the Eldritch God Source Power, feeling an unbearable searing heat all over. Profession Requirement Number One is erased, and Profession Requirement Number Three is deemed completed.】
Su Chen's eyebrows raised. Perhaps because the difficulty of the Verdant Wood Guest wasn't considered high, the effect of this Source Power was astonishing. The difficulty was reduced by far more than a lot.
"Only Requirement Number Two is left, just a few materials. I estimate it will be completed very quickly and won't take much effort." Su Chen nodded in satisfaction, sent off Zhong Chengyu, and had Luo Shuhang help prepare the materials and ritual he needed.
......
Nether Realm, on the Nuo Vessel. Intersecting mechanical arms extended from both sides, guarding a golden flower that faintly exuded a radiance. Even amidst the Nether Mist, it projected a very far distance.
Soon, movement came from the Nether Mist, and faint crackling sounds quietly arose.
Following closely, a deep roar resonated from the depths of the sea of mist. It was actually a ferocious giant beast with three heads, its entire body covered in cyan-grey scales that emitted a faint phosphorescence.
The eyes of the central head were red like magma, spewing scalding foul breath as it charged straight towards that golden flower, seemingly unable to see the long and narrow black Nuo Vessel below.
Boom!
A dazzling crimson lightning arc abruptly tore through the gloom—"Rip!"
A rift was torn in the Nether Mist, and an energy spear three meters long appeared out of thin air. Its tip condensed into a continuously rotating quantum blade, emitting a hum brought by high-frequency vibration.
The spear shaft was composed of a certain semi-transparent crystal, with crimson light patterns flowing inside. It wasn't swung, but "torn" over. Carrying a sharp whistling sound that tore the air, it precisely pierced the central head of this Nether Realm Creature.
"Urgh——!"
A non-human wail of grief exploded. The crimson light patterns in that energy spear seemed to be injected into the Nether Realm Creature.
Its body twitched violently, and its black outer shell began to crack and peel off, before hardening and turning into a palm-sized statue.
A withered, yellow large hand reached out from the void and grabbed it. It was exactly Huang Pan. He lowered his head, glanced at it, and conveniently tossed it into his mouth. The sound of crunching and chewing arose.
A dark light flashed in his eyes, and his chewing motion paused before slowly continuing. He muttered in a low voice:
"Finally found it... Dust Star Sea... Six Major Factions... Royal Court... The Orders..."
Huang Pan carefully retrieved the memories within this Nether Realm Creature. Ever since the order from Great Heaven was issued, he had been continuously luring and killing nearby Nether Realm Creatures. Not knowing how many he had killed, he finally found a clue.
Soon, he spat out another black shard and raised his head to look at that black cavity obscured by the Nether Mist. One could faintly see flesh folds churning within it.
Just as he was about to make a move, he saw a dark light plunge down from that cavity, falling straight onto the deck of the Nuo Vessel. It was actually a black meatball full five meters tall.
Soon, the top of this black meatball opened, and several figures were inside.
"Eerie King!"
Seeing Huang Pan, several people invariably revealed expressions of reverence.
"Mm." Huang Pan nodded, his gaze looking at the person in the very center among them. To call him a person was no longer accurate. His face was deathly pale, his expression sluggish, and more than half of his body was wrapped in a wriggling black root stem.
Huang Pan looked at the identification tag in the center of his neck. It impressively read—
"Taixuan... Feng? 9th-Tier Class User..."
"How much of the Taixuan Family's Human Stock is left?" he asked casually.
"Reporting to the Eerie King, according to our calculations, there are approximately one hundred and thirty-six left." The person on the right with a long and narrow face reported.
"Should be enough." Huang Pan looked thoughtful, and then asked, "Have you stopped extracting them according to my instructions?"
"We have gathered them all in one place to ensure they won't die."
"Mm." Huang Pan nodded and hooked his finger. Taixuan Feng, who was in a half-dead, half-alive state, floated out and landed on the Sacrificial Altar prepared on one side. Many humanoid Nether Realm Creatures were bound around it.
As if receiving some kind of instruction, they all prostrated on the ground, chanting some kind of ancient prayer.
Blood-red veins spread across Taixuan Feng's body. Even his sluggish expression changed slightly, and he twitched continuously.
Until a certain moment, his body expanded and exploded with a boom. Blood plasma scattered in all directions, turning into a cluster of hazy blood light that soared into the sky, dispersing into a cluster of blood mist. In some places, the blood light was extremely dense, while in others, it was very sparse.
"Tsk..." Huang Pan took a general look, but his face couldn't help but reveal an expression of disappointment. "A pity, there is no one from the Taixuan Family nearby."
According to his past experience, starting from the physical realm where the Solar Flame was located, without using any Methods, it would take more than several years of voyage to reach the nearest target.
If there were targets relatively close by, there was a certain Probability that it was that Taixuan Hong. After all, that Taixuan Ye who had turned into a statue couldn't have sent him too far away.
But looking at it now, the other party had used some kind of Method, making it difficult to distinguish by distance.
Although disappointed, it was also expected. With a casual wave of his hand, the blood mist dispersed.
Flicking his finger, the black shard in his hand fell into the cavity. Its folds churned and spread, actually etching out another black cavity not far away.
"Dust Star Sea... I really want to see what kind of place it exactly is." Huang Pan's expression flickered, and he stepped into it with a single stride.
......
Royal Court, Royal Capital, Hall of Dawnlight. This was the residence of the Vast Sea Emperor. Regardless of how the planet beneath one's feet revolved, one could always see that glorious Solar Fire Pillar.
"Truly Unimaginable..." At this moment, under the dome inside the hall, the Immeasurable Buddha was looking up. The alloy floor beneath his feet gleamed with a cold light.
The holographic dome overhead was slowly rotating. Countless fine nano-light filaments intertwined in the void, decomposing the pale golden halo of the morning dawn into ten million precise beams of light, sprinkling onto every inch of space, and also sprinkling onto his body.