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

Chapter 339 Balance Between Life and Death
Should one choose a predetermined and secure path to godhood?

Choosing this path would almost certainly allow him to surpass numerous Heavenly Kings in a very short time and reach the pinnacle that no humankind has ever been able to achieve before.

God!

Becoming a god means living a life of luxury for tens of thousands of years!
After pondering for a while, Chu Xiu let out a long breath, clasped his hands and said, "I have another matter I would like to ask Lord Blood Pool for clarification."

"Speak," Astrid said, his eyes showing impatience.

Chu Xiu asked, "I would like to ask if, after becoming an Awakened, one can only advance to a higher rank through advancement trials and cannot break through on their own?"

These words immediately caused Astrid to show a strange expression: "Do you know that the advancement trial is a unique advantage for awakened beings? Although it is dangerous, it can save thousands of years of time."

"Without advancement trials, most people will never break through their bottlenecks, even if they grow old and die."

"With such a powerful ability, you're unwilling to use it?"

Chu Xiu said, "Please ask on my behalf, Your Excellency."

Astrid stopped speaking, but turned to look at the rift behind him, as if communicating with something from a distant being.

After a moment, Astrid turned around and said, "There are solutions, and three of them."

These words brought a smile to Chu Xiu's face, and he hurriedly said, "Please tell me, Divine Envoy."

Astrid said, "The first method, naturally, is to use special tools to relinquish the identity of an Awakened One."

As soon as he finished speaking, the joy on Chu Xiu's face faded considerably.

He naturally knew this method as well. Just like Qin Xiang, who was lost in the abyss, he used a prop to give up his Awakened identity, thus surviving the failed trial.

However, giving up his Awakened status also means giving up all the benefits associated with being an Awakened. He will no longer be able to travel between different worlds, and many of his items will become useless.

Chu Xiu has not yet grown to the point where he can freely explore the Abyss. At this stage, he still needs to utilize the abilities of the Awakened Ones. Otherwise, trapped on Blue Star, he will have no way to quickly acquire resources.

More importantly, only awakened beings can use causal points.

Chu Xiu was quite self-aware. Without the help of causal points and lacking cultivation resources in this world, he couldn't possibly go very far on the path of cultivation.

"What about the other two methods?" Chu Xiu asked.

"The second method is to ask a [God King] or a [Main God] who has mastered certain special [rules] to intervene and completely hinder the Abyss's exploration when you break through."

"However, this move might incur the malice of the abyss, so basically no relevant deity would agree to it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiu could only manage a wry smile.

Asking the God-King to take action? What kind of bullshit is that?

Let alone a God-King, even a low-level God wouldn't take Chu Xiu seriously in his current state.

Even the Blood Pool would only treat Chu Xiu differently after he wins the competition and achieves the position of [God]. It would be impossible for them to offend the Abyss for him.

But Astrid's next words made him completely give up on that idea.

"I just learned from the adults that quite a few God-Kings are already experimenting with methods to fight against the Abyss. They even have a special plan to cultivate geniuses who are independent of the Abyss."

"But unfortunately, even with a huge price paid, this path ultimately ended in failure. None of the geniuses cultivated were able to become gods, and they all eventually disappeared into the long years."

"At this point, only a very few god-kings are still trying in this regard."

"If you could get in touch with them, with your talent, it might be possible to get them to invest. However, the Abyss is too vast. Even for Lord Blood Pool, contacting these beings would require a great deal of effort and resources. The probability of you meeting even a few of them is infinitely close to zero."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiu sighed softly: "What about the third method?"

At this point, he had lost much of his hope.

Astrid said, "The last method is to forcibly fight against the Abyss using [Causal Points]."

"Forcefully confront the abyss?"

These words startled Chu Xiu.

“That’s right,” Astrid nodded. “You should also know that the essence of the Abyss is actually a complete set of rules.”

"The core of this rule is balance, that is, life and death coexist, life breeds death, and death contains life."

"The abyss has devoured so many worlds, and the [Causal Point] is the 'life force' that is swallowed and spat out from those 'dead worlds'."

"When all the worlds are swallowed up, all these 'vital energies' will converge and begin a new cycle."

"Of course, this new cycle will have nothing to do with us. Our universe will fall into complete silence. The God Kings are all researching the method of [transcendence], but it is unclear whether anyone has made any progress. That is a secret that even Lord Blood Pool cannot access."

"Back to your question, the more 'causal points' you use, the stronger your 'vitality' will be, and the more likely you are to break the limitations of the abyss."

"However, the number of causal points required will be an unimaginable astronomical figure! And it will grow exponentially!"

"This enormous resource is definitely beyond your means."

Astrid's words made Chu Xiu shake his head with a wry smile.

He had an unmistakable understanding of this matter.

Since entering the abyss, he must have used nearly 20 million karma points. Not to mention the King rank, even some demigods don't have as many karma points as he does!
But what's the result?

Still, the limitations of the abyss cannot be broken!
Astrid continued, "And it's not just about having enough resources; otherwise, with the wealth of those [God-Kings], they could easily have nurtured one or two."

"The key point is that if you forcibly break through the Abyss's restrictions, you will anger the Abyss. From then on, all your [Trials] will become [Calamities], and they will be forcibly brought down when you break through."

"The Tribulation can be described as an Advancement Trial magnified many times over. Of course, due to the rules of balance, the corresponding rewards will also be increased. It is even rumored that Awakened Ones who overcome the Tribulation can glimpse the true secrets of the Abyss."

"But you don't need to think about that anymore. Even the disciples carefully trained by the God-King can only pass the low-level Tribulations. No one has ever been able to become a God through this. What's the use of a good reward?"

After saying that, Chu Xiu felt no bitterness left, only numbness.

Is this the difficulty of fighting against the Abyss?

It's simply—

Going against the heavens!

For some reason, these four words flashed through Chu Xiu's mind.

"Alright, your question has been answered. Now it's time to tell me your answer." Astrid's blood-red pupils fell on Chu Xiu. "Lord Blood Pool has high hopes for you. I hope you won't disappoint Him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Xiu felt an invisible pressure surging out from the spatial rift behind Astrid, as if an indescribable gaze had traveled through countless light-years to land on him.

Chu Xiu felt a tightness in his back, as if he would be completely devoured by this power if he didn't agree!

Taking a deep breath, Chu Xiu clasped his hands and said, "My lord, please give me some time to consider this."

"Consider? What else do you need to consider?" Astrid looked dissatisfied. He couldn't understand what there was to consider about such a huge opportunity that was practically a windfall.
At the same time, the gaze from the rift behind him suddenly turned malicious.

How long will it take you?

"No, a month? Just three days will do!"

Chu Xiu said.

As his words fell, Chu Xiu felt countless prying eyes suddenly emerge from behind the crack, as if those eyes wanted to pierce through his body and see his very soul.

After waiting for a long time, until Chu Xiu's back was completely soaked with cold sweat, those gazes slowly withdrew.

Astrid snorted coldly: "Lord Blood Pool has agreed. I hope you won't be ungrateful."

"Yes, yes," Chu Xiu replied hastily.

After saying this, Astrid stepped back and disappeared into the spatial rift.

As the crack closed, the space was completely restored to its original state.

Chu Xiu breathed a long sigh of relief.

He ultimately decided to give it one last shot.

He still has five inheritances to cultivate, and with the resources of other worlds, he may be able to obtain enough resources to break the restrictions of the abyss.

"Furthermore, aren't demonic cultivators inherently defying the heavens?"

Absorbing the resources of all things to nourish oneself, even in the past, was going against the will of Heaven! It would bring the backlash of killing and be struck down by lightning! Only by overcoming all difficulties and fighting one's way out of countless desperate situations can one become a true giant of the demonic path!

Of course, Chu Xiu didn't make this decision on a whim.

The real reason he refused the Blood Pool was the ranking system for demonic cultivators.

【MAX】!
This means that the lineage of demonic cultivators is the pinnacle of all professions!

This is the evaluation given by the Abyss, which means that even if the God King is included, it is no exception!
Whether or not he rebels against the abyss is another matter, but at the very least, he won't be content with just being a "subordinate god".

Moreover, Chu Xiu was not in the habit of entrusting his life to others.

"The only pity is that I can't come here anymore."

He looked around at the scenery with some regret.

Dealing with those in positions of power is not always a matter of opportunity; more often than not, it can lead to death!
The reason is simple: ordinary awakened beings are no different from ants in the face of these superior beings, who can decide their life or death at will according to their own preferences!
Chu Xiu's intuition told him almost definitively that if he refused the Blood Pool, it would surely provoke the other party's wrath!

Therefore, Chu Xiu's suggestion of three days was merely a temporary measure; he would never see the Blood Pool again in his lifetime.

In fact, when he proposed this plan, he was already prepared for Blood Pool to turn on him and cause him to lose the Freediving Rope.

Fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not occur.

As for the possibility of angering the Blood Pool and being hunted down by them in the future, there's nothing that can be done! After all, Chu Xiu would never submit to anyone, let alone entrust his life to them.

He's taken so many benefits from the Blood Pool, so he should bear this risk.

To be honest, Chu Xiu now regrets his previous performance; he should have held back a bit more.

Half the power is still too much; a quarter would be about right.

But then he thought, even the Sun King could see through him, let alone a [Main God]. The other party probably realized Chu Xiu's true strength later, which is why he was willing to give him a small King-level [Subordinate God] as a guarantee.

With that thought in mind, Chu Xiu stopped worrying. He summoned his blood servant and decided to fleece him one last time before leaving.

First, naturally, I upgraded my [Thought Overwriting - Subconscious Disturbance (SS)] to the King rank.

Now, his ability to hide has been greatly enhanced.

The Heavenly King is unclear, but most demigods probably wouldn't be able to see through his disguise.

With some points remaining, Chu Xiu also upgraded his previous [Time Reversal (SS)] to the King rank. Although Chu Xiu hadn't used this blessing before, it was still good for saving his life in critical moments.

In this way, the points will be almost used up.

But Chu Xiu was still not satisfied.

He did not take the Sun King's warning lightly; he kept it firmly in mind.

So he decisively used the newly acquired and previously accumulated Ancient Blood to exchange for a demigod-level [Legendary] equipment!
[Shadow Assassin Royal Mask (Demigod Legend): A symbol of the Shadow Assassin royal family, currently ranked King. When worn, it grants +600 to all attributes, significantly enhances stealth capabilities, and generates a field that isolates detection skills. Active use allows entry into a shadow space to avoid damage or perform short-range spatial teleportation.]

It was thanks to the fact that Chu Xiu had been saving up the ancient blood he had obtained before that he was able to leap two ranks and exchange it for a legendary demigod-level equipment.

The main function of this legendary item is to conceal one's aura. Once worn, even a Heavenly King would find it difficult to discern one's true identity.

As for the ability of the Shadow Space, it's rather useless; it's more of a side skill. It should become more useful once his rank is increased.

With one or two hundred ancient bloods remaining, Chu Xiu didn't waste them. Instead, he exchanged them for items such as those that could eliminate pollution, regenerate severed limbs, and prolong life.

These things are easily obtained by gods, especially those who control blood, but it is extremely difficult to obtain them outside of this place.

Chu Xiu felt it was time to help his parents rebuild their bodies.

After doing all this, Chu Xiu took one last look at the ancient and desolate arena, activated his Gladiator Badge, and left.

Upon returning to Earth, he immediately destroyed the badge, eliminating any possibility of the Blood Pool tracing him back to his origins.

Next, he needs to consider how to continue obtaining causal points in preparation for his second breakthrough.

He had already planned this out. He turned on his communication bracelet and began contacting Jiang Miaoyin.

Almost as soon as Chu Xiu dialed, the other end answered immediately and an excited voice came through.

"Senior! You've finally arrived!"

"I've been waiting for you for so long!"

Hearing the woman's anxious voice, Chu Xiu smiled slightly.

At the celebration party, Chu Xiu also took the opportunity to learn about the woman's situation, since if she died, Chu Xiu would lose a lot of information in his exploration of the Hundred Ghosts Furnace.

While in Pengcheng, he fought alongside Jiang Lingfu, and during the final battle, he chose to charge into the Black Death Pillar together, fighting in the most dangerous place and ultimately making a significant contribution.

However, Jiang Miaoyin's fighting style relies on cursed spirits, making her a summoner class. Just think about how many ghosts Chu Xiu loses in each battle; for summoners, especially those who rely on numbers, every battle is a drain.

This girl was quite headstrong, directly taking on the dangerous vanguard mission and unleashing combat power no less than that of a Heroic Spirit without holding back at all.

But the price was that her cursed spirits suffered heavy casualties.

Although they received a considerable reward afterward, the lost cursed spirits needed a large number of souls to slowly replenish them, so they were naturally eager to follow Chu Xiu again to reap more benefits.

Chu Xiu didn't mind at all; it was just a matter of helping each other and getting what they needed.

Furthermore, after this battle, Chu Xiu had a good impression of the Jiang family. Among the traitorous heroes, there were no members of the Jiang family. From this, it seems that the family's traditions are not bad, and cooperating with them provides a certain level of security.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Is that enormous ghost still there? What about the domain ghost?"

"Don't worry, senior! Everything is fine. No one has discovered the spirit realm where the super-large ghost dwells yet. As for the domain ghost, a heroic spirit did come to explore, but after hearing that this place had been claimed by our Jiang family and you, senior, he decisively left."

"If you're worried, senior, I'll personally go and keep an eye on things for you!"

"Ah! But..."

Jiang Miaoyin seemed to suddenly think of something, but stopped before she could speak.

"But what?"

“It’s you, senior. Do you remember that murderer?” Jiang Miaoyin asked.

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiu was taken aback at first, but then quickly realized what was happening and frowned slightly.

"You mean, that guy is in the Hundred Demons Forge World right now?"

"I think so, senior. As you know, after the extraterrestrial demons escaped, the brainwashing was lifted, and many extreme cultivators took advantage of the chaos to escape."

"The murderer is a key target of the Regulatory Bureau and is personally overseen by Senior Zhao Jie. The only way he could have escaped right under Senior Zhao Jie's nose is that he was teleported to another world after the destruction of the Black Death Prison."

"Senior, I'm a little scared without you by my side," Jiang Miaoyin said somewhat shyly.

Chu Xiu chuckled, but Jiang Miaoyin's worries were not without reason. This guy's talent was too terrifying. After entering the Heroic Spirit realm, even Chu Xiu himself wouldn't dare say he was 100% confident in dealing with him.

Furthermore, the other party knows their opportunities like the back of their hand, so it would indeed be a bit dangerous for Jiang Miaoyin to go there now.

Therefore, he needs to act quickly to prevent the other party from getting there first.

There's no need to worry about the super-large ghosts, as these giants are a natural counter to the killer ghosts' talents. However, the domain ghosts might not be able to stop the killer ghosts.

After thinking for a moment, Chu Xiu said, "Let's go together in three days."

"okay!"

After hanging up the phone, Chu Xiu wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved the remaining causal points.

In fact, even if he followed the rules of the abyss to level up, he wouldn't be in such a hurry to participate in the Heroic Spirit Trials.

Although he is currently very strong, even comparable to a demigod, he has a weakness in his soul, since the two inheritances he is currently cultivating are both for enhancing the physical body.

Chu Xiu doesn't necessarily have to complete all six inheritances, as that would consume too much energy, but he must at least cultivate one physical inheritance and one spiritual inheritance.

Therefore, he plans to use the remaining causal points to cultivate a lineage related to the soul.

He had already decided what exactly to fix.

"Since I'll be mainly developing my career in the Hundred Ghosts Furnace world from now on, I naturally need to cultivate the inheritance related to ghosts!"

(End of this chapter)