Chapter 455: Righteous Heavenly Sovereign, World-Slaying Manifestation Breaks Out of Its Shell |
"Guixu..." Su Chen walked down from the rainbow bridge. Exploring the Guixu was one of the extremely important tasks within each Pillar. Various resources catering to professions came from there, and one could even discover things like Morning Star Embers.
"To explore the Guixu, one must go through the Nether Realm."
Although some of the good things inside could be sold for extremely high Spirit Essence prices, Su Chen wasn't too interested in this. Primarily, it consumed too much time, and there was a real danger to one's life.
"Unless it's a special situation, I still won't consider it." Su Chen shook his head. Before he had taken two steps, he saw a rainbow light flash beside him. It was a person from the Office of Law arriving.
The two happened to make eye contact, and the other party was also taken aback.
"Here to deliver goods?" Su Chen asked first.
The other party reacted a half-beat slower and also recognized that this was the buyer. He nodded and said, "The two portions of Morning Star Embers you purchased."
"So fast..." Su Chen was surprised.
This person was a man of few words and didn't mean to chat. He reached out and took two metal boxes from his portable space.
"The efficiency is truly fast. I thought I really had to wait for half a day." Su Chen clutched the metal boxes in his hand, already somewhat impatient, and hurriedly returned to his residence.
First, he took out the Morning Star Embers purchased from outside the Abyssal Domain, which was cheaper. The coal-like exterior showed a grayish-red color in its cracks.
He tentatively fed it to the World-Slaying Manifestation—
[The Morning Star Embers slowly merged into the World-Slaying Manifestation wrapped in yellow clay. The viscous, flowing outer shell solidified quite a bit, and a muffled sound could faintly be heard coming from within...]
"Gone?" Su Chen was slightly taken aback. He waited for quite a while, but no more text appeared. He couldn't help but click his tongue: "Just how much more is missing? Give me an accurate estimate so I can have an idea in my heart."
Su Chen took another Morning Star Embers purchased from within Lingxiao from the other metal box. This piece was valued at two hundred and thirty Faith Essences, and its surface cracks revealed a greenish-white color.
As soon as he squeezed it in his hand, it disappeared.
[The Morning Star Embers slowly merged into the World-Slaying Manifestation wrapped in semi-solidified yellow clay. The outer shell gradually solidified, turning into a statue. The muffled sound within became increasingly distinct, as if something was about to break out of its shell.]
"Break out of its shell... It's really not enough." Su Chen's brow furrowed tightly. It looked like it had reached the final critical juncture. Perhaps it would break out of its shell very soon, or perhaps he would have to wait a very long time.
If he had to buy another portion of Morning Star Embers because of this, he always felt like it was a huge loss.
"But if I don't let the World-Slaying Manifestation finish shaping as soon as possible, I won't have a way to obtain a large amount of Faith Essence by getting on the ranking. The Harsh Gold Stone, Nine Prisons of Thunder Eruption, and Water Spirit Current are all waiting for me to prepare..."
"If it really doesn't work out..." A holographic projection reflected from Su Chen's body. He was already prepared to buy another portion of Morning Star Embers, even gritting his teeth: "Forget it, since I've already bought them, I won't wait. I'll just buy it internally to save having to wait again..."
Right at this moment, the Status Panel suddenly trembled—
[The Sun-Mirror Calamity-Slaying Sovereign sensed the host's intense internal conflict and decided to lend a helping hand. With just a stretch of his hand, a thick, green lightning bolt struck down, hitting directly on the yellow clay statue wrapping the World-Slaying Manifestation.
Only a loud cracking sound was heard, and the World-Slaying Manifestation broke out of its shell, appearing even more robust and radiant.]
"Ha, good Heavenly Sovereign!" Su Chen's heart fluttered, and he immediately put away the holographic projection. The text on the Status Panel continued to evolve—
[The World-Slaying Manifestation has finished shaping according to the host's requirements. The energy supply method for the Sky-Scars has changed; it no longer requires metallic materials to supplement it afterward, but the physical stamina consumed will be increased by an ultra-massive margin.]
[The World-Slaying Manifestation gained the medium-grade trait—[God-Ascending Marks]: When the number of Sky-Scars utilized is three, five, seven, and nine, an overall 20% enhancement will be sequentially obtained.]
"Medium-grade trait?" Su Chen's pupils dilated slightly. "Can't the [Sun-Igniter] only catalyze weak characteristics?"
Su Chen believed he remembered correctly. After pondering for a moment, he had a guess. "Could it be because of the two Morning Star Embers?"
"That's true. This thing is a good item that can only be obtained after a Morning Star's death. Two pieces used shouldn't just accelerate the shaping speed of the Mystic Yellow Clay..."
"[God-Ascending Marks]. This trait is a bit abnormal. I currently have eight Sky-Scars, which means I can obtain a 60% total enhancement, nearly half. It's equivalent to gaining another five Sky-Scars out of thin air..."
Thinking carefully, Su Chen couldn't help but gasp. "A medium-grade trait is already this formidable?"
But then he thought again: "That makes sense. This trait is already considered something that can only be obtained by a Radiant Moon or a mid-to-late stage Morning Star. It should have this kind of strength."
"This is only medium-grade. Just how abnormal would an even higher-grade trait be..."
"However..." Su Chen glanced at the text on the Status Panel again. A major flaw of the World-Slaying Manifestation had been solved, turning into purely being supplied by physical stamina.
"Increased by an ultra-massive margin"—it was already marked in the text. Coupled with the newly obtained medium-grade trait, he feared the consumption of the World-Slaying Manifestation would reach an unimaginable degree.
"With the Eternal Physique, Verdant Wood Guest, and Cinderless Flame linked by the Seven-Branch Wondrous Tree, I wonder if they can hold up." Su Chen felt somewhat unsure.
The more powerful the ability, the more terrifying the consumption would be.
"Right, now that it doesn't need metallic materials to supplement it, I might as well try it..." Su Chen reacted. Thinking of it, he did it. He adjusted his body's posture and tentatively utilized one Sky-Scar.
In an instant, a surging power erupted from deep within his body, but Su Chen's face couldn't help but change slightly. He only felt his physical stamina being drained like opening floodgates.
"This consumption is a bit too fucking fierce." He estimated carefully; the consumption had probably multiplied by five or six times at least, and this was under the consumption weakening of the Inexhaustible Titan.
The Cinderless Flame erupted, and black flames submerged into his body, amplifying the Eternal Physique and doubling its base augmentation. Only then did Su Chen's expression ease up a bit.
"This is only one, and it's almost higher than the joint use of five Sky-Scars." Su Chen clicked his tongue. This was the price of not needing metallic materials to supplement the energy supply.
Gritting his teeth, he simply tried triggering two directly.
Instantly, his skin pulled taut, and vitality nearly condensed into substance rippled outwards, forming a hazy blood mist.
Su Chen's face changed slightly. A phantom image on the surface of his skin dispersed. From within his nearly dried-up body, a torrent gushed out; it was the Doppelganger augmentation.
Benefiting from the trait of the Eternal Physique, coupled with the amplification of the Cinderless Flame, the augmentation of the Doppelganger was nearly two hundred times his own, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Three Sky-Scars, the initial trigger requirement for [God-Ascending Marks]. The consumption indeed multiplied by a large margin because of it.
Even the Eternal Physique amplified by the Cinderless Flame wouldn't be able to hold up for too long.
"Even with the Doppelganger augmentation, I estimate it'll drain me dry within a minute..."
Su Chen had already roughly estimated it and dispersed the augmentation.
This was only the single ability of the Eternal Physique; he still had the Verdant Wood Guest to supplement the Doppelganger: "If only five Sky-Scars coordinate with the Inexhaustible Titan, I might be able to hold up a little longer. But with all eight Sky-Scars active, and obtaining another 60% augmentation on top of that, hiss..."
He couldn't help but shake his head, mocking himself somewhat. "I thought I really had some stamina redundancy. Once the World-Slaying Manifestation comes out, tsk..."
Although the consumption had increased massively, Su Chen had somewhat expected it in his heart, and he preferred it this way. Otherwise, having to supplement metallic materials every time was something he truly couldn't afford.
"The Eternal Physique has been strengthened to a certain degree, but the Inexhaustible Titan hasn't been strengthened much yet. Perhaps I can do something about it."
"Moreover, after the Limit Break pulls me to the 9th-Tier, my physical constitution will undergo a leap, and my base stamina will also increase significantly. Perhaps I can hold up longer..."
Su Chen calculated for a while. Overall, he was quite satisfied with this metamorphosis of the World-Slaying Manifestation. Not being able to hold up due to the massive consumption wasn't a problem with the World-Slaying Manifestation; it was his own problem.
"With the Heavenly Sovereign righteously lending a hand, I can directly purchase the Harsh Gold Stone now." Su Chen projected the holographic screen. After merging the token into himself, issuing commands with just a thought was very convenient.
He found the Harsh Gold Stone he had marked long ago and chose to purchase it.
[Your purchase request has been accepted. The Harsh Gold Stone has always been deposited in the Office of Law. Please wait a moment.]
"Deposited in the Office of Law... It's probably sold by some big shot." Su Chen glanced at it. The Office of Law always had a deposit service, which could save a lot of time.
But due to some unspeakable psychology between the various heavens, very few people used the deposit service; only some big shots dared to.
"Right, there are also the potions..." After the purchase was complete, he suddenly remembered this matter. He jumped to the resource allocation page, selected his attribute inclination, and claimed the Rank Eight—Lightning Flame True Liquid potion.
.........
"Hiss~"
Shen Yi'an pushed open the hall doors and walked out with a very unsightly expression. He just happened to see Chu Ran and Wei Zhenghong discussing something in low voices in front of the neighboring palace.
"Old Shen, you're out." Wei Zhenghong spotted him and greeted him.
"Senior Brother Shen..." Chu Ran bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
There had always been a certain distance between him and Shen Yi'an. Later, because he followed a portion of the people to evacuate when the Royal Court attacked, although this was within the permissible scope of Qing Cang, those who stayed behind inevitably had thoughts, and the estrangement between them grew heavier.
Shen Yi'an was well aware of this and merely returned the bow politely. Wei Zhenghong then asked, "What rank?"
Hearing this, a hint of bitterness appeared at the corner of Shen Yi'an's mouth. "Nine hundred... and eighty-seven..."
"A lot better than me." Wei Zhenghong grinned, but he also looked very helpless, trying to find joy in sorrow: "At least you got into the top thousand."
"A thousand..." The corner of Shen Yi'an's eye twitched. He and Wei Zhenghong were the top tier in the Dust Star Sea, yet here, one was outside the top thousand, and the other barely squeezed into the top thousand.
"...We can't even compare to some 7th-Tiers..." Shen Yi'an almost squeezed this sentence out from his throat, feeling both sorrowful and helpless.
The Lingxiao Morning Star Ranking included all age-appropriate practitioners in the eight heavens who had not yet advanced to Morning Star. Let alone 7th-Tiers and 6th-Tiers, there were even 1st-Tiers and 2nd-Tiers.
"Old Shen..." Wei Zhenghong consoled him: "Those aren't ordinary 7th-Tiers either; they are all Divine Dawn and True Radiance. They basically all have top-tier Holy Classes, and more than one."
"Between the two of us, only you have an intermediate-level Holy Class."
Although he was consoling Shen Yi'an, by the end of his words, Wei Zhenghong also found it hard to force a smile.
The more they understood, the more helpless, and even despairing, they felt in their hearts.
A top-tier Holy Class was forged from eight professions, abruptly three more than a lower-level one. And those guys had more than one top-tier Holy Class on them.
He only had one lower-level Holy Class. The gap between them was more than just a chasm.
Shen Yi'an clenched his fists, his face extremely ugly. With his pride, it was very hard to accept this kind of reality. He gritted his teeth and said:
"Xuanwu Heaven is publicly acknowledged as the weakest among the Nine Heavens, yet their four Star Seeds are all ranked in the top hundred. We can only hover around the thousandth rank."
"You tell me how the other sect members can go out to handle affairs and communicate!"
After joining Lingxiao, the distance between sect members became extremely close; they shared both glory and disgrace.
Like Xuanwu Heaven, which was declining day by day, quite a few of their internal members had defected to other heavens, and when interacting with other heavens, they unconsciously felt inferior.
Their Bronze Heaven had just joined, and they still had an Ancient King present. Perhaps some malice wouldn't manifest so quickly, but it ultimately couldn't remain like this forever.
Wei Zhenghong was silent, but his voice became much colder. "It's useless to talk about this now. It's only because of the limitations of the Dust Star Sea that this is the case. The only benefit is that you and I have never used resources to weaken the difficulty of professions."
"Perhaps we can use this to at least supplement a top-tier Holy Class, and see if it can harmonize with an intermediate-level low-grade Cultivation Technique. We might be able to advance quite a bit."
Hearing these words, Shen Yi'an took a deep breath, but calmed down a lot. "What you said is right. What we should consider now is how to make up for the deficit."
Wei Zhenghong nodded, and his tone shifted: "Furthermore, we still have Su Chen. I heard from Chu Ran that while the two of us were entering the Nether Realm, he had already come out of seclusion."
"He underwent metamorphosis into True Radiance?" Shen Yi'an couldn't help but look over.
"That's right." Wei Zhenghong nodded, and couldn't help but say: "When Su Chen was at the 7th-Tier, he could withstand a strike from Qin Yun head-on. Although the gap between Morning Stars in the Dust Star Sea and the Morning Stars here is quite large, it was still a Morning Star."
"Moreover, it's said that the True Radiance talent has unique abilities that provide massive augmentation. Once he advances to the 8th-Tier, he might be able to squeeze into the top hundred, or even the top fifty."
"In this way, our Bronze Heaven can be considered to have someone who can hold up our reputation."
"True Radiance..." Shen Yi'an's expression was complex, yet he smiled inexplicably. "Both inside and outside Lingxiao, people are surprised that Su Chen advanced to the 7th-Tier at such a young age. They all think he focused on his main profession, not knowing exactly what his Holy Classes..."
Mentioning this, Wei Zhenghong also grinned. Just as he was about to speak, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at another palace nearby.
The hall doors were opening, and Su Chen walked out from within. Seeing the two, he greeted them: "Old Wei, Brother Shen..."
"We were just talking about you, and out you come." Wei Zhenghong cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations on undergoing metamorphosis into True Radiance."
"Congratulations, Martial Uncle." Shen Yi'an also echoed.
"We're already so familiar, no need for these formalities." Su Chen waved his hand and inquired, "I heard you guys talking about some ranking?"
"Naturally, it's the Lingxiao Hidden Star Ranking..." Wei Zhenghong smiled bitterly.
"Oh, you guys went to try it? What's the situation?" Su Chen couldn't help but ask.
"Hovering around the thousandth rank." Shen Yi'an sighed.
Su Chen raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but thinking of Wei Zhenghong and the other's setup, he didn't say anything.
Naturally, he wouldn't press on the sore spots of the two, and instead asked, "This Lingxiao Hidden Star Ranking, what kind of rotation method does it use?"
"Hmm..." Shen Yi'an pondered, seemingly organizing his words, but Su Chen interrupted: "Forget it, let's go check it out together later. I'm going to pick something up."
He came out naturally because the Harsh Gold Stone had arrived.
"That works too." Shen Yi'an nodded.
Su Chen arrived outside the Core Zone. The delivery person from the Office of Law was already waiting there. After signing and receiving the goods, the other party left.
"Harsh Gold Stone..." Su Chen looked down at the brilliantly radiant, irregular metal-like stone in the box. He reached out and grasped it, and it vanished.
[The World-Slaying Manifestation swallowed the Harsh Gold Stone in one gulp. Its body underwent some changes, suddenly taking on a layer of metallic luster. The defensive strength of the Immovable Vajra increased slightly.]
With the trait harmonizing, the World-Slaying Manifestation obtained a slight enhancement. And Su Chen had already opened the Seven-Branch Wondrous Tree page, somewhat impatiently wanting to integrate it.
One of the branches gradually turned blood-gold and spread towards the roots, mixing with the power of the other Holy Classes.
Under the Seven-Branch Wondrous Tree, multiple lines of text were trembling. At the very bottom, a line of blurred blood-gold handwriting gradually took shape, a fierce and savage aura rushing toward one's face—
[Harsh Gold Essence-Devouring: At the cost of temporarily being unable to use any augmentations or abilities of the Eternal Physique, Cinderless Flame, or Verdant Wood Guest, the World-Slaying Manifestation will have zero consumption for a short period of time.]