[You gain the ability to awaken your specialty x1.]
[You opened the eight-star title lottery and won the title: Soul Master.]
[Name: Soul Master]
Attribute: Title
Quality: ★★★★★★★★
Wearing Effect: Your soul will be continuously nurtured, allowing it to grow slightly every 30 natural days. The abandoned soul dimension can be summoned, covering a radius of 100 meters. Within this range, creatures with a spirit below 700 points will suffer soul damage equal to 20% of their maximum health per second. The higher their soul strength, the less damage they endure. Duration: 10 seconds.
Cooldown Time: 30 natural days.
Wearing Requirements: Spirit 700+
Introduction: Your soul appears connected to a strange power, enabling you to exert incredible influence within this realm.
Bai Yi's eyes sparkled with joy as he surveyed the rewards he had drawn. This task had bestowed upon him three specialties, an eight-star title, and a wealth of skill points. He had never completed a task with such generous rewards. It felt akin to experiencing a massive leap in power.
He glanced at Luo Ning, who appeared a bit fatigued, and then at the moonlight shimmering above. The subsequent draws had indeed taken considerable time, allowing the waiter, who had unexpectedly gained wealth, to depart.
Bai Yi smiled. "No more for today; you've worked hard. Go rest."
"Well, Boss Brother," Luo Ning rubbed her tired eyes, "you really have terrible luck."
Every moment's future is unknown, which meant the rewards refreshed every second. The first draw had been swift, but the last two required tens of thousands of refreshes to yield anything worthwhile. She had been dazzled by the spectacle of souls dancing before her.
Bai Yi sighed. He didn't wish for this, but his luck seemed constant. He needed to find a way to enhance it quickly.
"Go get some rest. I'll reward you later." Bai Yi stood, gently ruffled her hair, and asked, "Do you want me to take you back to your room?"
"No, I still have things to do. But… it's late. I'm going to sleep now. Goodbye, Boss Brother."
As Luo Ning spoke, she summoned a crystal ball, which lifted her into the air, carrying her toward her room.
Bai Yi smiled. The City Lord's Mansion had a no-fly zone above the tallest buildings, but it didn't restrict flying within the premises. Bone dragons could only take off outside the designated areas.
After some contemplation, Bai Yi decided to utilize his expertise first. He had two awakening permissions: one for light and one for dark.
[You used your expertise awakening privilege x1.]
[You gained the boss feat: Undefeated Soul.]
[Invincible Soul: Your soul resistance is greatly improved, and your soul's recovery ability is +100%.]
Bai Yi felt his soul become significantly more resilient. He raised his hand, focused his mind, and a dark blue arm extended from his body.
Soul Out of Body!
At this moment, his soul's tenacity was astonishing. He swung his fist as if he could directly attack with his soul. For instance, he could seize an enemy's soul from their body without any spells.
Bai Yi considered the implications.
Mental Stagnation!
Buzz~
The dark blue energy enveloped the pavilion in the middle of the lake, freezing the gently falling snowflakes in mid-air.
Bai Yi slowly raised his hand, and the dark blue arm pressed against the spiritual barriers, extending infinitely. It wrapped around a snowflake and drew it back.
Buzz~
The mental stagnation lifted, revealing the snowflake cradled in his hand.
This was a new skill that required further development.
Thoughts raced through Bai Yi's mind. The eight-star title, the Abandoned Soul Dimension, was equally intriguing. Wasn't this dimension the realm of the Soul Master? There had been no news about the Soul Master for ages, and his artifact remained in the hands of the Difeng family. Did this indicate that the god-level Soul Master was dead?
Bai Yi shook his head, dismissing the thought. These concerns were minor. This title represented a powerful ability. Combined with Mental Stagnation, he could potentially eliminate foes within seconds.
The only drawback was the lengthy cooldown time.
Moreover, this title's ability differed from skills like Spirit of Evil. While Spirit of Evil had a cooldown of one month, using it through the dark side was a form of energy manipulation, effectively making it cost-free and instantaneous.
In contrast, the cooldown for the panel power was real and couldn't be accelerated.
Bai Yi gazed at the sky, a hint of crimson flashing in his eyes.
At that moment, he activated another expertise awakening.
[You used your expertise awakening privilege x1.]
[You have awakened the extremely evil specialty: Extremely Evil Body.]
[Extremely Evil Body: Your body is composed of evil thoughts, granting you no fatal weaknesses.]
[The Extremely Evil specialty is a fundamental trait of evil creatures. Choosing two or more may awaken new ultimate evil specialties. Do you want to proceed?]
Note: Each Extremely Evil specialty represents the growth rate, strength, and danger level of an evil creature. If your soul cannot suppress the extreme evil, you will become one yourself.
Bai Yi hesitated but ultimately confirmed his choice. In this era of vanished new gods, he felt no advantage in facing them without being extreme.
The legendary black dragon Christine, a third-level legendary creature, matched the strength of a seventh-level human legend. Yet, she had almost been slain by a casual strike from the Lady of Night, who was separated by countless dimensions.
If a god of that caliber was hesitant, it would be wiser for him to wait for death.
As for the erosion of his soul, the worst outcome would be that the entire Federation would unite to feed the Soul Gourmet. Alternatively, he could seek a permanent solution.
[You have chosen to awaken the Extremely Evil Body.]
[You have awakened a new specialty: Evil Will.]
[Evil Will: Whenever you kill a living being, you can absorb part of its memory and temporarily steal its power.]
Buzz~Boom!
As soon as the choice was confirmed, a wave of blood and malevolence surged into the sky, and the bright full moon seemed to turn blood red.
Auras emerged, and powerful beings looked toward the City Lord's Mansion with concern.
Those unqualified dared not approach, while the qualified understood the implications.
The people of Dawn recognized the scent of evil thoughts. When these thoughts had first manifested, a disaster had unfolded, leading to the death of a congressman and the fall of a city. The evil thoughts had grown to engulf the materials used in its construction, ultimately exploding like a bomb.
Consequently, the older generation had vivid memories of that chaos.
Buzz~
A stronger malice spread, causing panic to ripple through the city, engulfing the world in an unprecedented wave of heinous crimes.
But in the next moment, a faint blue light flickered, and the blood and sin vanished, as if everything had been an illusion.
The dark blue and crimson hues in Bai Yi's eyes intertwined, revealing an aura of evil. However, the dark blue soon suppressed the crimson with overwhelming force.
His expression turned solemn. Bai Yi's eyes glowed scarlet as he extended a finger.
As he gazed, a pair of scarlet eyes emerged from that finger. Simultaneously, a second vision appeared in his mind, reflecting his own gaze.
The Extremely Evil Body had no weaknesses, meaning his entire being could serve as a conduit for consciousness. After being decapitated, even if two eyes sprouted from his neck, he could still use his headless corpse to strike down enemies.
However, Evil Will was different. This ability was potent and perilous, but it involved temporarily acquiring the power of others.
This power could be stacked indefinitely, meaning he could grow stronger with each kill.
For instance, during his journey to hell, had he possessed the dark side of this expertise, he might have easily defeated the devil Eugene after slaying hundreds of thousands of hellish creatures.
Yet, this power and memory from others could accelerate the erosion of his soul. If one couldn't resist the temptation of rapid power increases, even a holy soul might succumb to true evil in the bloodbath of war.
Bai Yi needed to control this carefully.
The power of extremely evil creatures was terrifying, and it was not something that beings of the order could control.
Fortunately, his current soul could still suppress the dark side of the three Extremely Evil specialties.
Thoughts raced through Bai Yi's mind. It would be beneficial to have a soul that couldn't be eroded as an intermediate value. Perhaps souls could be layered, allowing dark side souls to be eroded at will while the light side could control their power.
In the future, he could research this direction, as the arcane might provide assistance.
Arcane was a system of knowledge. If he studied the power of the soul and applied arcane techniques to pry into it, could he achieve the perfect idea he envisioned?
Bai Yi glanced at his two panels, allocated all 30 free attribute points to intelligence, and strode toward the laboratory.
First, he needed to create Barrett, and then he would delve into the arcane of the soul.
As for other arcane powers, he had little demand for them on either side. The power of the soul was the focus of his continuous study.
Perhaps next time he chose a specialty, he could follow today's model and let Luo Ning take charge. It would be best to select a specialty that could directly resolve the side effects of the dark side, ensuring a lasting solution.
[Host: White Plague (Light)]
Race: Human
Template: Alchemist
Occupation: Alchemist
Level: 62 (1,344,000/5,000,000)
Experience: 4,395,000
Gold Coins: 2,064,001
Personal Attributes: Strength 128, Agility 139, Endurance 161, Intelligence 550, Spirit 800, Charm 11, Luck 1
Free Attribute Points: 0
World: Black Death Pathogen, Dark Town
Legend Degree: 99
Rank: Gold Mid-Level
Title: Future Star: ★★★★★★, Hunter: ★★★★★, God Hunter: ★★★★★★★, Alchemy Master: ★★★★★, Taster: ★, Soul Master: ★★★★★★★★
Skills: Master-level Alchemy and Alchemy (18,810/50,000) (expand), Master-level Alchemy Technology (23,423/50,000) (expand), Master-level Alchemy Transformation (26,000/50,000) (expand), Spirituality (expand).
Accumulated Soul, Black Gaze, Mental Stagnation, Space Penetration.
Skill Points: 55
Special Skill Points: ×3
Personal Expertise: Highly Focused, Profiteer, Fast Manufacturing.
Boss Template Specialties: Alchemist Demon, Spiritual Growth (temporarily sealed), Spiritual Defense, Soul Gourmet (temporarily sealed), Light and Dark (only), Magic Fountain, Demon Soul Blood, Demon Dimension (only), Mechanical Possession, Immortal Soul.
Boss Growth: You can choose a boss specialty every ten levels. The current number of selectable specialties: 0.
Evaluation: It is undeniable that you have already stood among the strong.
Bai Yi's light side data was impressive. He was stronger than Charles of the same level, as his specialties nearly matched Charles' count. If the dark side was included, he was significantly more powerful.
At level 62, Bai Yi surpassed level 65 Charles.
[Host: White Plague (Dark)]
Race: Evil
Template: Evil Creatures
Level: No display for extremely evil creatures (can only improve by absorbing negative energy and killing).
Rank: Gold Middle.
Personal Attributes: Strength 535, Agility 580, Endurance 545, Intelligence 230, Spirit 800, Charm -7, Luck 1.
Legend Degree: 8
Titles: Hunter: ★★★★★, God Hunter: ★★★★★★★, Hell Hunter: ★★★★★, Taster: ★, Soul Master: ★★★★★★★★.
Exclusive Weapon: Blade of Evil.
Skills: Space Penetration, Bloody Backstab, Malice Intimidation, Evil Spirit, Black Eyes, Accumulated Soul, Mental Stasis.
General Specialties: Mental Growth, Mental Defense, Soul Gourmet, Light and Dark (only), Demon Soul Blood, Demon Dimension (only), Immortal Soul.
Evil Thoughts Specialties: Evil Thoughts Collection, Extremely Evil Creature, Malicious Deception, Extremely Evil Body, Extremely Evil Will.
Evaluation: Three Extremely Evil Creatures with Extremely Evil specialties. If your soul falls into extreme evil, the entire Shia may face a real disaster ahead of time.
Outside Dongwu Castle.
Demacia continued to broadcast live, riding the wave of popularity brought by the black dragon Lixtin. The scene he and Xiahou Fuxing had enacted became a highlight on their forum page, with many comments exclaiming, "Oscar owes you two a little golden man!"
The innovative methods of completing tasks in Demacia inspired many. This game was indeed different from others, attracting a wealthier player base.
After watching the Demacia live stream, some real-life affluent individuals seemed to discover a new world. In this realm, gold coins represented not just currency but also valuable metals. Some magicians, alchemists, and rare professions utilized these metals as materials for their research.
However, these materials were neither common nor inexpensive.
Their raw material was [Shining Gold]. If someone discovered a vein of this ore, one Dawn Gold Coin would equate to fifty grams, and the value of Shining Gold also stood at fifty grams per gold coin. The three federations unanimously regarded this metal as a trade item with extraordinary beings.
In contrast, silver and copper coins served as the trading currencies of mortals. Their manufacturing process was remarkable, making them difficult to replicate. They could also be viewed as a form of material, alleviating concerns over their proliferation.
The Federation yearned for more gold coins.
"Hehe, you never know," Demacia said proudly. "Once this new specialty becomes popular, a production crew actually asked me to act in a play."
He continued, "Xiahou Fuxing couldn't resist the temptation and joined the crew, didn't he?"
"But do I really need it? All I can say is that I'm not interested in acting."
Demacia rode his two rats as he flew toward distant Tobu City, engaging with the barrage of comments.
"Hmm? Miss Celebrity?"
Demacia puffed up his chest. "What of it? We in Demacia are all single nobles. Are celebrity girls as beautiful as elf girls? Ni Chunlou is hosting an event soon, and you only need ten gold coins to attend for a night. Hehehe, that's an elf!"
"Huh? What? I can't take off my underwear?" Demacia said with a mischievous grin. "If it weren't for the panel blocking me every time a key plot is about to unfold, what do you think mere underwear would matter?"
"Besides, even if the panel has an anti-astringency function, we can still go there to make potions! Isn't it illegal for us to engage in business?"
"Hehe, those beautiful fallen ladies dress so alluringly; I'm just taking a look."
[It is forbidden to spread pornography, gambling, and drugs. You will receive a warning.]
"Hey!" The playful grin on Demacia's face vanished, replaced by seriousness. "Brothers who frequent those places, remember: if you truly want to indulge in anything, you'll be removed from the line. Even the money you spend will go toward those venues, so for the sake of your assets, swear with me: I, Huang, will never reconcile with gambling, drugs, or fraud!"
The Demacia live broadcast room erupted in laughter at this warning.
However, as they continued to fly, the two rats beneath Demacia sensed something amiss, causing him to nearly lose his balance.
He quickly grabbed their wings, exclaiming, "Second Rat, what's wrong? Can't you even fly? How can you eat gold materials like this?"
"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"
"Huh? Is there danger ahead? Quick, set me down! I want to see what's going on!" Demacia exclaimed, excitement bubbling within him.
As expected, a treasure-hunting bat was true to its nature.
He summoned the carnivorous plant Xiao Mo, brandished his staff, and rushed toward the source of danger upon landing.
Players thrived on danger.
What they feared most was its absence. The few players in the capital, unable to defeat anyone amidst the myriad ridiculous rules, would flee to the border town in no time.
As Demacia approached the perilous area, his excitement mounted.
This familiar feeling, this familiar scene, this familiar woods!
War was imminent—was the grand plot finally about to unfold?
When Demacia reached a small hill, he slowed his steps and crawled forward cautiously. He peered over the crest.
He froze.
Before him lay an elf with bloodshot eyes, sprawled on the hillside.
Oh no, this was not good.
Both he and the elf thought the same thing.
But the next moment, they stood up in perfect synchronization, turned, and fled in unison.
Demacia shouted excitedly, "Brothers, we've found another monster spawning point! Wait for me to call for help. These guys are finished!"
The elf shouted back, "Hurry and report to His Majesty! Wonder has discovered us again! Retreat, retreat! We need to dismantle the teleportation array! A distance of one thousand kilometers is not safe; we must ambush from farther away!"
Demacia halted, stunned by the elf's words. In disbelief, he turned around and ran back.
When did their players become so formidable?
Climbing back up the hillside, he found that the shadowy figures in the jungle had vanished, leaving only footprints to tell the tale of what had just occurred.
Demacia scratched his head, bewildered. "Did I just scare off a wave of national wars?"
(End of this chapter)