An invasion from the Abyss? I, a demonic cultivator, laughed.

Chapter 170 Demonic Attribute

With the activation of [Perfect Refinement], the materials worth nearly two billion in front of Chu Xiu began to slowly fuse together. The refining technique, comparable to that of a top-level weapon refiner, made perfect use of every bit of the value of these materials.

Just like the foundational inheritance of the other two paths, the Eight Desolate Netherfire Array also has a strong ability to be continuously upgraded.

Even though Chu Xiu spent nearly two billion, the current materials are only barely enough to meet the requirements for refining the worst grade nine Eight Desolate Netherfire Array.

If Chu Xiu hadn't possessed the [Perfect Refinement] skill, it would have been impossible for him to refine it. The cost for an ordinary demonic cultivator to refine it would usually be more than double his! Plus, there's the chance of failure!
According to the description passed down in my mind, this equivalent Eight Desolate Netherfire Array can only be used to enhance equipment of the Fierce Rank. To enhance equipment of the General Rank, one needs to reach the "Middle Third Rank", which is the sixth rank or above.

As for its power, it was simply described as "usable," leaving Chu Xiu uncertain.

"Never mind, we'll know once it's refined and we try it out."

Chu Xiu didn't think too much about it and focused on refining.

An hour later, a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Refining weapons is actually a physically demanding task, requiring meticulous control over every detail. Even with the assistance of "Perfect Refining," it is still not easy.

And so, Chu Xiu devoted himself entirely to refining the weapon, and several more hours passed.

He finally let out a long breath and stopped when the moon was high in the sky.

At this moment, Chu Xiu was completely soaked in sweat, as if he had been fighting tirelessly with countless abyssal monsters for a day and a night, and his face was full of exhaustion.

But in his eyes, he couldn't hide his excitement!
In front of him, eight long flags emitting a mysterious blue light floated silently.

"It's finally done!"

A look of anticipation flashed in Chu Xiu's eyes. Even though he was already somewhat tired, he still unlocked the [Flesh-Eating Magic] without any hesitation.

He couldn't wait to try out the power of these two inherited techniques!
With the consumption of 8,000 inheritance points, the first level of [Corrosion of Flesh into Magic] is unlocked.

The first tier can add the [Demonized] attribute to equipment of the [Perfect] rank and below.

Fortunately, of the ten rings Chu Xiu currently possesses, four are [Perfect] and six are [Treasured], making them perfect for experiments.

He took off a "perfect" ring.

[Cyclops' Ring: Constitution +15, Spirit +5, Nerve Reaction +3.]

The Cyclops is a mythical creature in legend that can foresee the future. This equipment inherits a portion of its divine power and can provide very good auxiliary attributes.

Of course, since the bonus attributes of small accessories such as rings are far less than those of main equipment such as armor and weapons, they can only provide icing on the cake for Chu Xiu at present.

As the [Flesh-Eating Magic] was activated, a faint magical aura gradually rose from the ring, revealing its new attributes.

[Cyclops Ring: Constitution +19, Spirit +7, Nerve Reaction Speed ​​+4, reduces enemy's nerve reaction speed by 11 upon approaching them, increases the user's damage from demonic energy by 1.4 per second]

The new attribute made Chu Xiu look thoughtful.

First and foremost, there's the increase in basic attributes: 4 points more in Constitution and 2 points more in Spirit, a total increase of nearly 30%.

This should be the enhanced effect of the Eight Desolate Netherfire Formation.

With this magical artifact, Chu Xiu no longer needed corpses. He could simply infuse his magic power into the Netherfire Array to unleash flames with effects nearly identical to corpse fire, thus enhancing his equipment.

As for the additional attributes that appeared later, that should be attributed to the [Flesh-Eating Magic].

"The new attribute [Demonic Transformation] is already quite good for a ring, but it will be corrupted by demonic energy after being equipped." Chu Xiu frowned slightly.

The level 1.4 of demonic energy erosion is neither too much nor too little. The first level of demonic energy initiation is 25 points, and it becomes 45 points after reaching perfection.

With Chu Xiu's current physique, he can almost ignore this damage and use the demonic energy infusion without restriction.

Chu Xiu felt that his current Golden Muscle and Nether Bone fourth-level physique should be able to withstand about 70 points of demonic energy erosion. Any more and his body's recovery ability would not be able to withstand it, and he would start to lose blood, requiring him to use the Golden Embryo Origin to recover.

Most fatally, even if it doesn't exceed the limit, it will affect Chu Xiu's body's self-healing speed, which reduces his ability to fight for a long time.

However, Chu Xiu felt that this damage was not unacceptable compared to the powerful attributes it provided.

Therefore, he did not hesitate any longer and began to upgrade his equipment one by one.

With the top-tier talent of [Perfect Refinement], all of Chu Xiu's equipment except for [Legendary] equipment was enhanced in just half a day.

This gave him an additional 143 points of base attribute boost, as well as thirteen demonic attributes.

These demonic attributes increased his demonic erosion by a total of 20.2 points, which greatly reduced Chu Xiu's self-healing ability, but the various attributes it brought were also extremely powerful, such as the corrosive aura that caused damage upon approach, and the enhancement effect similar to a berserk potion, which directly boosted his strength by a significant margin.

If we were to quantify it, it would be roughly equivalent to a 150-point increase in combat power based on physical attributes.

And these are just the [Perfect] and [Rare] equipment, so each one doesn't provide a particularly large number of attributes. When he cultivates [Flesh-Eating Magic] to the third level, which is enough to enhance [Legendary] equipment, his strength will experience a surge!
However, this enhancement also consumed a large portion of the energy that Chu Xiu had painstakingly replenished.

The amount of mana required for enhancement is enormous, and the mental strain of crafting is also considerable.

Chu Xiu rested for a day, and then found Zhang Qingshan.

Zhang Qingshan was very happy to see Chu Xiu. After a brief reunion, Chu Xiu got straight to the point and asked, "Qingshan, are you going to participate in the Fierce Rank Trial soon?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qingshan was slightly taken aback, but then he didn't hide anything and nodded, saying, "That's right. This battle against the calamity is a rare opportunity, and with three King-level experts in charge, I don't want to miss it."

"Isn't this a bit too risky? Have you mastered all your skills? Are your equipment all ready?"

Zhang Qingshan waved his hand and said, "Achu, how can we not take any risks in the abyss? Just like you told me before, if we want to realize our ideals, we have to do everything we can. How can we be timid and hesitant about everything?"

"I didn't mean for you to be a reckless fool," Chu Xiu said helplessly.

Zhang Qingshan laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm not a reckless person."

“Alright,” Chu Xiu said no more, only saying, “Qingshan, give me your equipment. I’ve also participated in the advancement trial recently and luckily passed it. Now I can enhance my warrior-level equipment.”

"You can even enhance warrior-level equipment?" Zhang Qingshan was somewhat surprised, but then quickly realized something. "Well, Ah Chu, you told me not to take any risks, but you went to participate in the advancement trial without saying a word. You really are something else."

Zhang Qingshan seemed to want to say something to Chu Xiu, but then he thought that he was the same way, and in the end he could only shake his head helplessly: "We two brothers are really alike."

"It doesn't look like it at all," Chu Xiu thought to himself.

Then, Zhang Qingshan readily removed all his equipment, which Chu Xiu then took and enhanced for him in a secluded spot.

Chu Xiu did not choose to become a demon. Although the attributes of demonization are strong, the erosion of demonic energy is not something to be trifled with. His good brother's physique could not withstand it. Even a little bit would cause chronic damage. Only the "Golden Embryo Netherworld Method" specially designed by the innate divine and demonic lineage for cultivating demonic arts can effectively resist demonic energy.

Strengthening warrior-level equipment requires far less effort and time; Chu Xiu completed the entire strengthening process in just two hours.

He stayed for another three hours to recover his depleted mana before leaving.

At this moment, Zhang Qingshan was chatting and laughing with his teammates. When he saw Chu Xiu coming over, he waved and took the equipment, saying with a smile, "Ah Chu, thank you for your trouble. I'll treat you when we get back. Holy crap!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Qingshan stared wide-eyed in shock at the equipment in his hand. "What's wrong, Qingshan?"

A teammate picked up a pair of gloves and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't this the glove we got from that flying elite monster in the city? I remember it only adds 10 points to Constitution, how come it's 13?"

"Mine too! It was supposed to have a defense attribute of only 33 points, but now it's 43! I absolutely cannot be wrong, because 33 is my lucky number! I really wanted it when it first dropped, but it wasn't suitable for my class, so I gave it to the boss."

"That's right! This one, this belt is one too!"

Zhang Qingshan's team members started chattering. Zhang Qingshan himself didn't say anything, but quickly flipped through the equipment in his hands. After browsing through it all, he looked at Chu Xiu with a complicated expression.

"Ah Chu, this level of enhancement... I've never heard of any D-rank support class being able to achieve this."

"The abyss is full of strange and wonderful things; you can find all sorts of professions there," Chu Xiu said, shrugging.

Zhang Qingshan remained silent for a while. He wasn't stupid; he naturally knew that Chu Xiu was hiding something from him. This feeling of not being trusted made him feel uncomfortable.

However, he quickly suppressed these negative emotions, because Chu Xiu must have had his reasons for doing so.

"Thank you, Chu. Now we're much more confident about passing the trial." Zhang Qingshan smiled again and put away all the equipment.

Hearing Zhang Qingshan's words, the team members stared wide-eyed in surprise at Chu Xiu: "Qingshan, do you mean that your childhood friend helped you upgrade these equipment?"

Zhang Qingshan nodded, and the team member's eyes lit up. With a smooth turn, he moved closer to Chu Xiu as if dancing a waltz.

"Hey bro, can you help me upgrade this too?"

"Me too!" A female team member came over and winked playfully at Chu Xiu.

"Xinyi, get out of here! If you don't have the looks, don't try to flirt! Big shot, help me upgrade my gear, I'm willing to pay 100,000 RMB for each item!"

"Only 100,000? Who do you think you are? You're insulting the big shots! I'll offer 200,000!"

"Brother Chu! You're Brother Zhang's good brother, so you're my brother too! Brother, help me upgrade it, I'll give you 300,000!"

In an instant, Chu Xiu was surrounded by a group of excited team members.

"Stop messing around, all of you move aside." Zhang Qingshan pulled all his team members away, both amused and exasperated, and said to Chu Xiu, "Chu, what do you say? Just ignore these guys, if you don't want to, just say so."

Chu Xiu thought for a moment and said, "Strengthening these equipment will take up a lot of my energy and time, and it is not an easy task. You can strengthen them if you want, but I will only charge you karmic points. Ornaments will cost 30 karmic points each, weapons and shields will cost 100, and other equipment will cost 50."

"And I've exhausted my energy today and need time to replenish it. I'll come back tomorrow. If you need anything, you can come find me then."

Compared to other support classes that can enhance equipment, Chu Xiu's asking price is not high, especially given that the battle against the Calamity is imminent.

Better equipment increases their survival rate and monster-killing efficiency, which is a huge gain from any perspective.

Even if the price doubles, I reckon there would still be people willing to pay.

However, out of respect for Zhang Qingshan, he did not ask for an exorbitant price.

This move can also be seen as helping his good brother further increase his prestige.

This price naturally made the team members leave happily, and some even called to their companions. It is foreseeable that this should be another considerable income.

This reminded Chu Xiu that he initially earned extra money by manufacturing equipment for others.

Somewhat amused, Chu Xiu shook his head and didn't think about it any further. Instead, he set off back to his cave.

Now that he has pushed his strength to its limit, it is time for him to enter the Blood Arena and make final preparations for the upcoming decisive battle.

With a thought, the Gladiator Badge appeared in Chu Xiu's hand, and with a flash of light, his figure disappeared into the cave.

At the same moment, on another mountain peak, four people were gazing at the cave where Chu Xiu was.

One of them was Qin Xiang, and the three people beside him all exuded extremely strong pressure, and they were all awakened king-level beings!
"Officer Qin, you specifically asked me to bring all this stuff in for you, just for this brat?"

A burly man with his arms crossed spoke, his voice like thunder. He was shirtless, with his beard and hair flying wildly, just like a warrior from an ancient Chinese novel.

“Mu Wu, don’t underestimate him, he’s an envoy of civilization,” Qin Xiang said.

"So what?" The big man remained dismissive. "Anyone who can reach our level isn't a genius. Even the most talented Awakened One needs time to grow."

"Besides, don't you know about the Abyss? You can change your profession, upgrade your talents, and if all else fails, you can directly fuse traits. The Abyss is a paradise for human elites; talents are just the starting point."

"In my eyes, temperament, perseverance, and character are more important than talent!"

“Isn’t Brother Li the best example?” Mu Wu said in a deep voice, looking at a young-looking Wang Jie behind him.

The latter simply nodded slightly.

The higher the level of the Awakened Ones, the more difficult it becomes to level up. Those who have reached this level have all gone through countless life-and-death experiences and decades of adventure to accumulate their current strength and status. Naturally, they know what is truly important in the Abyss.

They had seen too many exceptionally talented individuals who suddenly and inexplicably died in the abyss one day.

However, Qin Xiang shook his head and said, "He is different. He is a genius who is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. He will definitely become a top figure in the future. You will understand once you have been in contact with him."

“Is that so?” the big man said noncommittally. “If that’s the case, he’s in even more danger.”

“I have a good eye for people. Even if I only glance at him, I can be sure that this kid is definitely not the kind of person who would make sacrifices for humanity or the collective. Instead, he is the kind of person who would do anything to seize power. I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes a ‘Forsworn’ and stands on the opposite side of humanity in the future.”

"This kind of person could never complete the 'Trials of the Past'!"

A slender female king standing next to the burly man nodded and said, "Surviving the Old Trials is not difficult, but to save civilization from the abyss, one must take great risks. Sometimes, one even needs to give up the 'Proof of the Old Days' as a protective charm and gamble with one's own life. Those who have ever completed the Old Trials are all people who care about the common people and are willing to sacrifice their lives."

The Trials of the Past are extremely difficult, but usually there are places where you need "Proof of the Past". As long as you give up this talisman, you can gain a great advantage in clearing the trial.

But how many people have the courage to fight with their backs to the wall and burn their boats?
At least Mu Wu felt that the sneaky Dark Night King would never do such a thing.

"Not necessarily." But then Qin Xiang shook his head again, "As long as you are strong enough, theoretically you could sweep through the old trials."

Qin Xiang's words surprised the other three, who all looked at him with some astonishment.

"Hey, Qin Xiang, is that kid's talent really that freakish?" Mu Wu asked with a suspicious look.

"I'm just saying it's possible," Qin Xiang said calmly.

“If that’s the case, then we should strip him of his talent as soon as possible.” Mu Wu’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“The government’s decision is to do everything possible to nurture him,” Qin Xiang glanced at Mu Wu. “Any awakened person who wants to harm him is an enemy of the government.”

Mu Wu gave a soft snort and said nothing more.

The two kings behind him exchanged a glance, their faces showing thoughtful expressions.

(End of this chapter)