Chapter 177: Purification Ritual and the Sleeping Old God
Looking at the introduction of the "pseudo-artifact-Azure Sword" on the panel in front of him, Ryan's mood was difficult to calm down.
It turned out that Noel's way of existence was like this - the sword soul born from the "holy artifact-Azure Sword" in a "special way" was also the key to the holy artifact's promotion to an artifact.
It's a pity that the Azure Leader, the original owner of the Azure Sword, did things that even Noel, the sword soul, couldn't stand... This may also be closely related to the so-called "special way".
Now, the Azure Leader is dead, and Noel has fallen into a deep sleep due to serious injuries and he doesn't know when he will wake up. Without the "sword soul", the "pseudo-artifact-Azure Sword" naturally has no way to be recognized, and even the specific attributes cannot be checked. It is just an extremely solid long sword. In terms of practicality, it is not as good as the [Crown Dragon Slayer Sword].
Of course, the "pseudo-artifact-Azure Sword" is not useless.
When Noel wakes up, gets her approval, and can drive this pseudo-artifact, Ryan's strength will definitely improve a lot.
Not only that, the introduction of the panel about the method of upgrading "holy artifact" to "artifact" is his biggest gain.
Such secrets are not easy to obtain.
Even Freni is completely unaware of this high-end mysterious knowledge.
A series of thoughts flashed through his mind, Ryan calmed down, and cast his eyes to another position on the panel.
But what he saw made him frown.
At this moment, the "Greed Ritual" on the panel still showed an unfinished state.
"Even the 'pseudo-artifact·Azure Sword' cannot meet the definition of 'rare treasure'?!"
"Does it mean that a real artifact is needed?"
"No, it's unlikely."
After the initial shock, Ryan calmed down and analyzed calmly.
Although the "Original Sin Path" is a hidden path and extremely powerful, the "Greedy Monarch" is only a third-tier level after all. It is too outrageous to say that even a 'pseudo-artifact' cannot satisfy the "Greed Ritual" with the second-tier body of the "Apostle of Pleasure".
You should know that the definition of "pseudo-artifact" is a transitional state between "sacred artifact" and "artifact". Once Noel, as a sword soul, wakes up, it is not wrong to say that it is an artifact.
And artifacts are something that even legendary professionals basically cannot have, and even holy artifacts are not owned by every legend.
In other words, with a second-tier body, it is no longer a question of whether it is difficult or not to seize a "pseudo-artifact" from a fifth-tier legend or even a sixth-tier absolute existence. That is to die.
Therefore, the reason why the "Greed Ritual" cannot be completed is most likely not because the quality of the "pseudo-artifact·Azure Sword" is not enough, but because the "rare treasure" required by the "Greed Ritual" is most likely not on the material level.
Ryan had guessed about this before, but now he is really sure.
After knowing this, Ryan's brows not only did not relax, but frowned even deeper.
Since "rare treasures" are not objective things like materials, they are only subjective things at the spiritual and soul levels.
This makes Ryan a little bit Muggle.
No matter how difficult the objective things are, he has a way to get them, but this kind of "rare treasures" at the subjective cognitive level makes people have no way to start.
"Alas..."
Ryan sighed and comforted himself: "At least one wrong option is eliminated, and it's not a loss."
Putting away the Azure Sword, Ryan then turned his attention back to this "fluorescent blue abyss".
This strange place appeared with the death of the Azure leader and the collapse of the Azure Sword Dojo. It is almost impossible to say that this place is artificially created. The erosion breath that is completely different from spirituality is not something that professionals who use spirituality can do, even legendary professionals cannot.
In other words, it is not that there is this "Fluorescent Blue Abyss" under the Tianqing Sword Dojo, but that the "Fluorescent Blue Abyss" came first, and then the Tianqing Sword Dojo.
The Tianqing Sword Dojo itself, located on the surface, is more like a carrier of a seal.
It was only with the death of the Tianqing leader that the seal collapsed, which exposed the entrance of the "Fluorescent Blue Abyss" again.
After a simple search around, he did not see Durrand, which made Ryan confused.
When the ground collapsed, he and Durrand stood very close. Logically speaking, even if they fell into the abyss, they would not be too far apart.
As for the possibility of Durrand falling to death? Please, how could the "immortal existence" that even the Tianqing leader could not kill be killed by falling?
Was he captured by the existence in the "Fluorescent Blue Abyss"? Or did he disperse too far during the fall?
Since he couldn't find Durrand, he wouldn't look for him. Anyway, this guy wouldn't die... With this idea in mind, Ryan randomly chose a direction and began to explore.
As a "real projection", Ryan was not afraid of death.
This "fluorescent blue abyss" gave him a very bad feeling.
It was most appropriate to use the "real projection" who was not afraid of death to explore this place. If there was something terrible here that caused the real projection to die, it could also warn the main body, and then he could take Freni and Cecilia away from Tianqingdao as soon as possible.
The fluorescent blue light was like a dream. Walking in it was like walking in the deep sea.
This fluorescent blue light was emitted by something similar to spores suspended in the air.
As the distance deepened, the color of the fluorescent blue light in the environment gradually became deeper, and the erosion phenomenon became more and more intense.
At a location near the end of a passage, Ryan stopped.
Because here, the spiritual erosion phenomenon in the environment has reached the same level as his own spiritual recovery speed. If he continues to go deeper, his spirituality will begin to show an overall downward trend.
In this regard, Ryan's solution is to open the blood barrier.
After trying for this period of time, Ryan found that this erosion phenomenon has the strongest effect on spirituality, and the effect on blood energy, which is derived from [physical], is very weak, only about one-tenth of spirituality.
After supporting the blood barrier, the feeling of being eroded disappeared immediately.
Ryan glanced at the "blood core" floating on his shoulder. According to the current erosion rate, the blood barrier can exist for at least several hours, which is enough for initial exploration.
Continuing forward, crossing the passage, the sight in front of him suddenly became bright.
Of course, this brightness is only relative, far inferior to the light on the surface.
Looking at the scene in front of him, Ryan's eyes flashed with a trace of astonishment, and then gradually became solemn.
In front of him appeared a large space made of silver-white metal, with rows of things similar to jars displayed inside.
These jars are made of a fluorescent blue crystal, and only one side has transparent glass material. Most of these fluorescent blue jars have been broken, and only a few complete jars are left, which are filled with gray-white viscous liquid.
This is a place similar to an experimental base!
The productivity level on Tianqing Island is relatively primitive as a whole, roughly equivalent to medieval Europe. Although the existence of enchantment technology makes many seemingly primitive creations have very powerful performance, it is the first time that Ryan has seen such a strong "sci-fi déjà vu" since he traveled through time.
Ryan's eyes moved forward and saw a familiar back standing in front of a complete fluorescent blue jar.
Durland?
Ryan's eyes condensed slightly, and then stepped forward.
The undisguised footsteps did not divert the black-haired swordsman's gaze. He still stared blankly at the fluorescent blue jar in front of him.
With the end of the fierce battle, Durland's hair faded from blood red to black, and he no longer looked so cold.
It was not until Ryan walked to his side that Durland slowly said, "This is where the Tianqing leader once conducted experiments."
"The disciples of the Tianqing Sword Dojo who disappeared in recent years were all transferred here by him and subjected to a series of inhuman experiments.
While speaking, Durland raised his hand, as if to touch the fluorescent blue jar, but stopped when it was one centimeter away: "Mr. Zifeng, do you still remember the 'Spirit Shadow Show' we watched together in the tavern before? "
Ryan was not surprised that Durrand recognized his identity.
In the battle with the Azure Leader, he used a greatsword, and Durrand had seen him fight the four black knights, so it was reasonable for him to recognize him.
He nodded, and no longer used a deliberately low and hoarse voice: "I was deeply impressed by the Azure Sword."
"The Azure Leader at that time gave me a much stronger feeling than now."
Hearing this, Durrand sighed with a complicated look in his eyes.
"Your feeling is not wrong."
"Just as the fourth-level extraordinary has the strength division of beginner, senior, peak, and limit, the same is true for legends."
"The Azure Leader at that time had already reached the limit of legends, and he held the sacred Azure Sword, so the power of the sword was so great that even the deep-sea diver could not resist it. "
"At the age of six, he learned sword skills, and at the age of sixteen, he was promoted to the fourth level of extraordinary. At the age of thirty, he reached the legendary realm that countless professionals could not cross in their entire lives... At that time, Tianqing leader showed amazing talent. Even the alliance of various countries was impressed by his strong talent and strength, and signed a non-interference agreement with him. "
"But all this has changed dramatically after Tianqing leader reached the limit of the legendary realm. "
"Legend, in the distant era of gods, is also called 'apostle of the gods', because professionals who have reached this realm are already the pinnacle of mortals, and above that is the realm of gods. "
"In the era of gods, if legends want to be promoted to gods, they need to gather faith, ignite the divine fire with faith, and cross the natural chasm between humans and gods. "
"And in today's golden age, although the career path has not been cut off, there is also a way to go above legend, but the way of faith has completely lost the ability to help become a god. It is so difficult to reach the realm of gods with a mortal body that it is beyond words. ”
“And the leader of Tianqing, who reached the limit of legend, was trapped for 250 years before this Daoist God-man chasm!”
“At this time, the leader of Tianqing is 280 years old, but the life span limit of a legendary professional is only 300 years old!”
“This is the limitation of the rules, and no one can cross it.”
“But as the leader of sword with unparalleled talent, how can the leader of Tianqing be willing?”
“After 250 years of hardship, he finally found a way, and from then on, he went completely crazy.”
“He integrated the flesh and blood of the sea monster, or the residual god of the old era, the deep-sea diver, into his body, trying to extend his life.”
“The deep-sea diver did not die. After being chopped into pieces by the leader of Tianqing, he slept in the ‘great abyss’. Give him some time, and he will be able to come back again.”
"The divine authority of Poseidon includes the sea and life, and this divine authority also blesses his godly nature. Although Poseidon has long since fallen, this blessing has not dissipated, and without the power of divine authority to restrain 'life', there is no way to Completely kill the Deep Diver."
"Most of the surviving remnants of the gods are named sea monsters, and these survivors of the old era have terrifyingly long lifespans, as if they are not restricted by rules. The gods of the former Poseidon camp are particularly outstanding in this regard. "
"It's just that Leader Tianqing's first experiment quickly ended in failure."
"Fusing the flesh and blood of a deep-sea diver can indeed delay his aging. It also proves from the side that if one can truly fuse his flesh and blood, it is possible to extend his lifespan. However, these flesh and blood are filled with indescribable gibbering, or in other words, pollute."
"With only a small amount of attempts, Leader Tianqing once again consumed part of his remaining life due to pollution."
"But Leader Tianqing, who had a direction, quickly figured out a way."
"Since there is pollution, wouldn't it be good to dilute the pollution to a point where it is bearable before using it?"
"As for the dilution method, after constant attempts, in the end, it is the scene you are seeing at this moment - using fourth-level professionals with good swordsmanship qualifications as the 'carrier' to filter the pollution, and wait until the pollution contained in the flesh and blood is reduced to a certain level. After the limit, Tianqing leader will take it out for his own use to extend his life. "
"As a price, the fourth-level professionals who serve as the 'dilution net' will eventually be completely swallowed by the pollution and turn into abnormally grown pieces of meat or monsters."
"This experiment is known as the Purification Ceremony."
"But even if most of the contaminated flesh and blood is diluted, there is still pollution, and the Azure leader who keeps using these flesh and blood is also completely contaminated without knowing it."
"He became more and more crazy and paranoid, and even began to use his disciples as filter carriers, just to achieve complete integration and break through the shackles of lifespan before the end."
"Eventually, he made a breakthrough."
"I became the only survivor of Azure Leader's experiment because, for some reason, my physique was able to perfectly fuse with the flesh and blood of a deep-sea diver. This fusion even produced a mutation, giving me abilities equal to or even beyond The 'immortality' characteristic of the Deep Sea Diver."
"As long as he finds out my difference, Leader Tianqing will be truly immortal."
"Because of this specialness, I am able to survive, but I am still trapped here and cannot escape."
"Until that drastic change in the 'Abyss' - the resurgence of the deep-sea divers, the leader of Tianqing at that time, due to the depletion of vitality and the approaching end, his strength was no longer as good as before. Even with the holy weapon in hand, he could only barely Suppress the Deep Sea Divers."
"I was able to escape during that drastic change. As for what happened after that, I was wanted by the Azure Sword Gym and the Alliance of Nations, and you generally know that."
"What I didn't expect was that the Azure Leader himself was the hub of the seal of the 'Abyss'. With his death, the seal was broken, and the deep-sea divers are expected to be resurrected and return soon. And the monsters in the abyss that were deformed and distorted by the experiments will most likely follow him to the surface."
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