Chapter 1374 - 85: Stingy Old Man

Chapter 1374: Chapter 85: Stingy Old Man

The space-time power surged, and Su Xiao appeared out of thin air in his exclusive room. He staggered forward a few steps before stabilizing his footing.

"Ow!"

After a miserable cry, Bubu Wang, who was taking a nap on the carpet, was awakened by being stepped on, his dog face utterly confused.

"Awoo~"

Bubu Wang howled as he lay on the floor, meaning: "I won’t get up today without 1000 Paradise coins."

But the next moment, Bubu Wang immediately got up and trotted off to brew tea for Su Xiao.

Su Xiao put down the size 65 slippers used as a household decoration and checked Reincarnation Paradise’s notifications.

[Sword Technique Master has been upgraded to Lv.46.]

[Sword Technique Master has been upgraded to Lv.47.]

[Sword Technique Master has been upgraded to Lv.48.]

[Meditation of Heart has been upgraded to Lv.40.]

...

The enhancement of Sword Technique Master was not surprising to Su Xiao. He opened the skill description to check the changes in sword technique.

[Sword Technique Master: Lv.48 (Passive Skill)]

Skill Effect: Increase the sword type weapon attack power by 242% (18% increase), greatly enhancing sword technique skills.

Lv.10 Additional Ability: Rule of All Things (MAX)

Lv.20 Additional Ability: Blade Aura

Lv.30 Additional Ability: Blade of Mind (MAX)

Lv.40 Additional Ability

Blade Radiance: Blade Aura flying speed +140% (+20%), Blade Value +20 (+5), Armor Break +20, Blade Aura upgraded to half-physical.

...

The enhancement in sword technique was not too significant; basic abilities are such that they need continuous accumulation. Without basic abilities, even if you have plenty of active skills, it’s still like a castle in the sky.

Skill Type Mage possesses plenty of abilities, but they also won’t abandon investment in basic abilities.

Due to the massive consumption of basic abilities, the price of Soul Crystals is so high. More than 98% of the contractors are aware of the importance of basic abilities, while the remaining 2% will be eliminated in a short time.

If active skills are like branches and leaves, then basic skills are like the trunk. Without the trunk, branches and leaves can only lie on the ground waiting to wither.

Or put another way, without basic skills, you essentially cannot master active abilities. Su Xiao has seen that 99% of active skills require a certain level of basic ability as a prerequisite.

Just like the Spear of Swift Thunder he sold earlier, it required mastery of ’Basic Thunder Control Lv.30 and above.’ Without Thunder Manipulation, where would the thunder to form Spear of Swift Thunder come from? Via intention? Mysticism? Reincarnation Paradise’s support?

It simply does not exist. Reincarnation Paradise will not assist contractors, workers, including hunters in combat. Without mastering Thunder, obtaining the [Spear of Swift Thunder] scroll, one can only look at it.

Therefore, all contractors strive to enhance their basic abilities, and furthermore, basic abilities are not for show; high-level basic abilities are even more potent than active abilities.

In the long run, Soul Crystals will surely be in shortage, even for solo adventurers, let alone adventure groups.

Hence, consuming a large quantity of Soul Crystals to enhance Sword Technique Master is something Su Xiao doesn’t feel distressed about. He even wants to find opportunities to level it up a few more times.

Compared to the enhancement of Sword Technique Master, Su Xiao was more surprised by the enhancement of Meditation of Heart, as he maintained meditation every day, even in the Derivative World without interruption, bringing Meditation of Heart to Lv.31.

Elevating a skill that cannot be leveled up via Reincarnation Paradise to Lv.31 shows Su Xiao’s level of dedication. As long as the battle isn’t fierce enough to demand a nonstop 24-hour action, he would meditate for a while before resting.

[Meditation of Heart: Lv.40 (Active/Passive)]

Skill Effect 1: Greatly enhances perception force, willpower, calms the mindset, and provides realizations about nature.

Skill Effect 2: Threefold increase in willpower in a meditative state, 80% boost in perception sensitivity.

...

Upon seeing the newly emerged skill effect 2, Su Xiao’s eyes gleamed. This is absolutely a divine skill, although it cannot directly boost combat strength. If facing a crisis such as a foreign consciousness invading his body, he only needs to enter a meditative state, then his willpower becomes as firm as steel, and will not easily be shaken. Or rather, at that time, Su Xiao could capture and deal with the enemy’s consciousness.

This ability cannot help but make Su Xiao wonder: if he accidentally transforms into Demon Blade, could he dispel Demon Blade using the meditative state or reject that energy outside his body?

Su Xiao surely wouldn’t attempt it himself. Every time the Demon Blade Phantom appears, he can’t help but feel a chill in his heart. With his current strength, he’s not enough to counter that thing, let alone make use of it.

With the enhancement in sword technique completed and an unexpected gain, Su Xiao’s mood was evidently good.

A palm-sized piece of bark appeared in Su Xiao’s hand. As soon as it appeared, it quickly decomposed, dispersing in the air.

Su Xiao hurriedly grabbed a glass cover to collect the bark scattered in the air and put it into a glass bottle the length of a pinky finger.

Moving the glass bottle, the brown fragments inside seemed unaffected by gravity, lightly floating. Su Xiao attempted to examine the information on this bark debris.

[Black Maple Bark (Fragment)]

Origin: Deepest part of Black Abyss (unique)

Quality: White~???

Category: Material

Usage Effect: Can attempt planting.

Rating: None

Description: A small fragment of Black Maple bark, with the life energy of Black Maple, planting can be attempted. Needs Soul Crystals + Abyss Pond Water for nourishment.

Price: 200,000 Paradise coins

...

The bark Su Xiao got at random clearly wasn’t ordinary. He stretched his hand to rub his lower back. Earlier during teleportation, he felt like someone had kicked him hard, causing unbearable pain, not to mention his mana value of 5726 points was reduced to just 465 points; even now, his lower back ached faintly.

"That old chap..."

Su Xiao of course guessed what happened. Through interaction with Marvin Hwaltz, he discovered that while other Shadow of Annihilation Law don’t harbor malice towards him, ’mutual affection’ was clearly impossible. Just like the old man, who appeared evidently after receiving Soul Crystals, because Su Xiao tore off a piece of Black Maple bark, kicked Su Xiao once before leaving.

Thinking about it this way, Marvin Hwaltz seems a pretty reliable guide, even if his laughter has a touch of ruthlessness.

Su Xiao found a flowerpot, filled it with soil, and then poured the bark fragments from the glass bottle into the pot. After hesitating for a while, he inserted a Soul Crystal (Medium) into the soil.

As for Abyss Pond Water, he had previously asked Reincarnation Paradise; the answer was this item could be exchanged using Paradise coins, 5000 Paradise coins per 100 ml.

ml sounds little, but it’s actually not; a disposable cup can hold about one cup.

Su Xiao exchanged for 200 ml of Abyss Pond Water, a green water ball appeared before him, and he controlled it to flow into the flowerpot.

After watering, Su Xiao observed changes in the flowerpot, yet nothing changed, it was still just soil, with no sign of rooting and sprouting he had expected.

Just as Su Xiao was observing whether the Black Maple would sprout, a dog head leaned forward, seemingly quite interested in the flowerpot.

"Bubu, if you chew this thing, I’ll hang you up and slap you with slippers."

"Woof."

Bubu Wang lifted his dog head, meaning: "Master, I’ve already drafted over 300 house demolition plans in my mind; do you want to go over them?"

At that moment, the core member of the demolition squad, A Mu, approached, also evidently curious about the flowerpot.

Su Xiao walked to the bedside, picked up the large slippers for decoration, and placed them next to the flowerpot. This time, neither Bubu Wang nor A Mu dared to have any mischievous ideas about the flowerpot, being slapped with slippers truly hurt...