After the slave owners went bankrupt, they all wanted to keep me as a mistress.

Because the path she guards is ancient enough to be traversed in a single step, she needs to walk a greater distance along it. Therefore, her steps are longer than others, requiring three Starshine Stones to construct their length.

[At the same time, if she is extremely determined in her belief in protecting this, she can easily climb over each step, and she only needs one Starstone to increase the height of the step.]

[However, since the concept of protection is so broad, many professionals have chosen the path of protection. Only a sufficiently wide path can accommodate those who come after, therefore she needs three Starshine Stones to widen the steps.]

Ultimately, the number of Starshine Stones required for each step is the product of the three, which is nine Starshine Stones!

If someone can forge a legendary path that no one has ever forged before, then as a pioneer, she only needs a single Starstone to mark the length of the steps.

[At the same time, since no one has ever set foot on this road, it doesn't need to be very wide; all that's needed is one Starstone.]

The pioneers often have the most steadfast beliefs. As long as they stay true to themselves and don't forget their original aspirations, they only need one Starstone to reach great heights.

Ultimately, she only needed one Starstone to build a single step.

The higher, longer, and wider the steps, the more resources are required to advance to legendary status, and the more difficult it becomes to advance further. It requires several times, or even dozens of times, the effort of others to even step over a single step.

However, the advantage is that the older the path, the lower the risk; the wider the path, the more like-minded people there will be, allowing for the exchange of experiences and mutual learning. Potions masters will also tend to prioritize creating potions with a wider appeal.

The higher the step, the more freedom you have. Even if your resolve is extremely weak, the legendary staircase won't become ethereal or shatter.

【最中庸的选择，便是3×2×2或者2×2×2的道路，使用八枚或十二枚星辉石，来铸就一层台阶。】

【一些对自己的理念极为坚定之人，也会选择3×2×1或者2×2×1的道路。】

However, this means that once faith collapses and ideals shatter, even if one eventually advances to Epic or Legendary status, they could potentially plummet three ranks overnight, returning to the peak of Mithril.

The number of steps represents the future potential of the professional.

[Having built six steps, one is unable to advance to the Epic level in the future, becoming the most ordinary legendary professional;]

[Having built ten steps, one can at most reach the peak of epic status and will be unable to advance to legendary status;]

[Having built fourteen steps, one can at most reach the pinnacle of legend, with no possibility of becoming a saint.]

Only by building the eighteen steps and completing the legendary staircase can one hope to become a saint in the future.

Upon first entering the legendary realm, only three to six steps need to be constructed. Two steps form the foundation, while the remaining one to four steps represent the initial number of steps in the legendary stage.

[The number of steps required for each subsequent minor realm can only be the same as or fewer than the number of steps required for the previous realm; it cannot be more, otherwise the legendary long staircase will break due to an unstable foundation.]

As for the quality of the Starshine Stone, it determines the sturdiness of the legendary rank. The higher the quality of the Starshine Stone, the higher the breakthrough probability and the lower the backlash when a professional fails to break through, or even there will be no backlash at all.

[If the lowest-grade, low-level starstone is used, the success rate of forging a step is only one in ten, and failure will backfire on the professional, preventing them from forging steps again for the next year.]

[Host, if you need to exchange gold coins for starlight stones, 10,000 gold coins can be exchanged for one low-grade starlight stone, 50,000 gold coins for one mid-grade starlight stone, and 200,000 gold coins for one high-grade starlight stone.]

Mu Qiu nodded almost imperceptibly, suddenly realizing something.

No wonder legendary figures hold such a prestigious status and are so rare. Even the Orion Empire could only guarantee that each emperor possessed legendary strength, but could not elevate the emperor's strength to the higher Epic or Legendary realms...

Each step of the ordinary legend requires eight to twelve starstones to build.

Even if only three steps are built, it will require twenty or thirty starstones.

Based on a probability of one in ten, an ordinary person would need at least two to three hundred low-grade starstones, which is equivalent to three million gold coins, to advance to the legendary level.

However, this is only the exchange rate given by the system.

In reality, due to their scarcity, Starshine Stones are often priced several times higher. Without millions of gold coins, it is difficult for an ordinary professional to become a legend.

If you're not lucky enough, even 20 to 30 million gold coins might not be enough for a top-tier Mithril professional to break through to Legendary!

For the vast majority of professionals, the pinnacle of Mithril is the limit they can see.

Unless a completely new path can be created, in which case each step only requires one Starstone to build, the resources needed to advance to Legendary status will be greatly reduced.

But... how easy is it to forge a completely new path?

Thanks to advancements in potion-making technology, the number of low- to mid-level professionals now far exceeds that of those in ancient times, but the number of professionals of legendary rank and above has actually decreased.

"Can I exchange gold coins for high-grade star stones? Hmm... then let's exchange for ninety high-grade star stones and one hundred mid-grade star stones first."

Mu Qiu quickly came up with an idea.

He currently has 25 million system funds. After exchanging them for 90 high-grade star stones and 100 mid-grade star stones, he will still have 2 million gold coins on hand.

He had heard that many legendary treasures and above often required Starstones to exchange for.

Moreover, since Starshine Stones are so precious, even if you don't have enough gold coins, it should be easy to exchange Starshine Stones for gold coins.

Some of these high-grade starstones can be kept for Fiona, and the rest can be used to exchange for legendary or higher-grade treasures.

"Even if I can't use it myself, I can put it in the manor and wait for Luna to pick it up as an ordinary stone someday..."

Mu Qiu's lips curled up slightly into a smile.

Compared to a huge amount of gold coins, losing priceless starstones is much easier!

I wonder... during the two days I was away from the manor, did Luna secretly embezzle the one million gold coins he left behind?

"boom--!"

At that moment, a loud noise brought Mu Qiu back to reality.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw the group of gold-level twisted tree spirits howling in the raging flames, soon turning into ashes. Vera, standing beside him, calmly put away her wand.

"Where are the two monsters?"

Mu Qiu still remembered that there was a goblin and a minotaur left just now, two peak silver-level monsters, how could they run away so fast?

"They seem to have escaped back to the underground city."

Vera pointed in the direction of the dungeon, her face showing an eager expression: "Master, shall we go in and take a look?"

Mu Qiu pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

"Fine, since they've already returned to the underground city, let's let them go this time."

"The highest level of the underground city is a lord at the peak of the Copper Mountain realm. If we just barge in like this, we might encounter some danger."

"Now that the rioting monsters have been eliminated, let's continue on our way."

He remembered that the giant goblin seemed to call out the minotaur's name and say that it was a monster with a human soul.

Come to think of it, that minotaur didn't look like a normal monster either.

There were also equipment dropped in the dungeons. Mu Qiu also remembered that when he was able to temporarily identify the information of dungeon equipment, each piece of dungeon equipment seemed to have a related little story.

These are not the equipment created by dungeons as people in this world imagine, but equipment that actually existed in the past and originated from ancient times.

Since these items were once real, then... what about the intelligent monsters in the dungeon?

Vera and Fiona had no objection to Mu Qiu's decision, and the three packed their luggage to continue their journey.

at the same time.

Lyme, who had fled far away, was standing on a large rock at the edge of a cliff, deeply troubled.

"The Demon King wants me to go into business to earn funds for his activities in the human world, but what field should I go into?"

[Of course, it's the slave trade.]

Just then, a clear, cool female voice rang out in Lyme's mind.

"Lilith, Lady Lilith?!"

Lem was startled, not expecting that this lord was still paying attention to him.

"You mean... I'm going to work as a slave?"

【Exactly. 】

To conquer the human world, we currently need to win over some forces that can be united.

Lilith's indifferent voice rang out.

[The demi-human slaves suffer greatly from human oppression and are our best allies. With your abilities, you can kill those slave traders, transform into their likeness, seize their businesses, and select demi-human slaves from among them to become the Demon King's right-hand men.]

[For those demi-human slaves who aren't good enough to stand by the Demon Lord's side, you can secretly train them to become the Demon Lord's future demi-human army!]

Lilith's persuasive voice continued to ring out.

[Furthermore, if you kill one or two humans now and drink their blood, you will become addicted to human blood, and you will find it increasingly difficult to suppress your bloodsucking desires. Sooner or later... you will be discovered by the human saints and suppressed by them!]

I estimate that there are at least several hundred saints in the human world capable of suppressing you!

"!!!"

Lyme's pupils dilated, and he let out a terrified cry.

"This...so many? Humanity now has so many saints?"

He had never been to the human world and knew nothing about the situation on the ground. He never imagined that the strength of humans was so exaggerated!

Even though those great rulers all say that humanity now has fewer than two hands' worth of saints...

Were they lying to him?

"Of course! There have been beings in the human world who became saints in just over thirty years. Humanity has developed for a thousand years, and countless saints have remained hidden!"

Lilith's tone was serious, and her voice became low.

Lym was also frightened.

He became a saint in his thirties?

What kind of strength does the other side need right now?

Human power... is it really that terrifying?

No wonder even the Demon King had to infiltrate the human world and carefully conceal his identity!

Lyme thought of the demon lords who had deceived him, saying that the number of saints in the human alliance was no more than ten, and he couldn't help but grit his teeth.

"Those damn liars!"

"Are they trying to trick me into dying so they can inherit my legacy in the Abyss?!"

"Damn it! This is absolutely awful!"

"Thank goodness Lady Lilith was here, otherwise I would have really fallen for their trick and thought I could do whatever I wanted in the human world!"

"After all, you are a subordinate highly valued by the Demon King, so of course I can't just stand by and watch you die."

Lilith spoke with a soft laugh.

For the sake of the Demon King's grand ambitions, you'll have to suffer a bit first.

Such oxen and horses, capable of operating 24/7 without rest or bloodsucking, are extremely rare to find in the abyss.

[Besides, you haven't drunk blood for nine hundred years. As long as you don't come into contact with blood, you won't have the urge to drink it. As long as you don't drink blood, no one will realize your vampire identity; at most, they'll think you're a slime with mimicry abilities.]

[Once the Demon King conquers the human world, you can drink whatever blood you want without any worries or need to work for anyone. You can then fully enjoy your vampire life!]

You should know that the Demon King has no shortage of demons willing to serve him! If you don't do it, plenty of other demons will!

【The Demon King is giving you this opportunity; you've caught a lucky break, so seize it!】

Do you really want to continue working in the abyss of sloth, watching other vampires feast on fresh human blood on the surface?

"!!!"

Lyme was invigorated.

Yup!

The slave industry is extremely profitable in the human world!

With his abilities, he could easily usurp their land, kill those unscrupulous slave traders, and seize their property!

While training demi-human slaves, they also send massive amounts of funds to the Demon King's manor!

Once the Demon King successfully conquers the human world, he can drink any blood he wants without worrying about being discovered by the human saints!

Then I'll be able to live a good life!

Lyme seemed to see a bright future, and an expectant expression appeared on its jelly-like face. Its motivation was instantly ignited, and it roared loudly!

"Work!"

"I will work for the Demon Lord!"