CHAPTER 887: CHAPTER 34: XU SHU: WHAT A CALM AND PEACEFUL DAY

This phenomenon that defies any mathematical pattern made Xu Shu curious enough to ask Old Gang, so how much does a fourth-order crystal cost?

Old Gang’s answer was, no comment.

This wasn’t him trying to be mysterious or act like a riddler, but because his level wasn’t high enough either. Within the third rank he could make the call, but above the fourth? He simply didn’t have the clearance to know.

Anything involving a Demigod, or even a "Half-step Demigod" is considered highly confidential in the Transcendent domain, way beyond their current meddling capabilities.

"Tsk, I’m already third-tier, yet the higher I go, the more unknowns there are?"

"Oh well, when the time comes, I’ll pay more attention. There’s no wall that doesn’t leak, and as long as it’s knowledge, I’ll eventually find a way to learn it."

Xu Shu stroked his chin, not dwelling too much, instead being quite open-minded, taking things one step at a time, focusing on tasks at hand as the most important.

He chose the B8D9 area where Xie Xiaochan was, paid a few dozen contribution points for the delivery fee, and sent out the freshly made "Weapon Master" curse seal in a baby bottle.

Watching a golden light swallow the curse seal, then shoot skyward and disappear without a trace, Xu Shu turned to open the private chat channel and sent a message to Xie Xiaochan:

"Trade at the usual place, pick it up on time. It cost 65 contributions, strange, is Lie Zhenzi’s shipping fee that high~"—Gu Pan.

He subtly reminded, and after a moment, indeed received 200 contribution points from Xie Xiaochan along with a thank-you note.

"Okay, got it, I’ll grab it now! By the way, I’m picking a team, planning to head to the Sea of Death earliest in three days. Are you free?"—Xie Xiaochan.

"Free, totally free! Also, sis, what’s this about? Why so distant, well, I’ll accept it then."

The "bride" was indeed generous, giving a full 200 points, not only covering the travel expenses but earning a profit... Come to think of it, being the heir of a major sect certainly brings wealth, two million without batting an eye...

Xu Shu feigned reluctance, inwardly envious, but accepted it gladly.

As for what Xie Xiaochan mentioned about heading to that special ruin, the Sea of Death within the next three days, Xu Shu wasn’t in a rush, although it seemed she might be facing difficulties in gathering people?

But since Xie Xiaochan hadn’t asked for help, she likely had it sorted; he didn’t dwell on it.

After finishing all this, Xu Shu immediately left the Star Tower, wandered the dim and narrow streets of the Lower District, finding a relatively cheap and convenient hotel where no ID was needed for check-in.

If it were in a relatively higher district, booking a hotel would require a rather tedious procedure, at least a residency proof needed, even if it’s forged.

But the lower the district, the more lenient the Judgement Department’s enforcement of law.

With the officials being like this, to say nothing of just a lodging motel they’re overseeing, paying a bit more to stay unconditionally.

Xu Shu locked the door, lay down in the washroom, and stuffed the broken flawless Curse Crystal into his pocket.

"Dog food level 18, I’m level 1, at least I can rise four levels, no, five levels right?"

Filled with anticipation, he began doing sit-ups earnestly, sweating and bleeding.

This went on for eight or nine hours.

At five in the afternoon, Xu Shu’s face was deathly pale, eyes bloodshot, appearing at the counter.

Under the scrutinizing gaze of the receptionist, wondering if he’d gone through a wire brush upstairs, he took back his deposit and staggered out of the hotel.

Ten minutes later, the eighteen-year-old third-tier Transcendent of Great Perfection squatted in a dim alley rarely passed by anyone, checked the promotion drive, reviewed the brief yet long day, and couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.

"Only leveled up once...once..."

Xu Shu looked at the promotion drive display [Level: 02/20], letting out a rather speechless sigh.

Though he had anticipated, with his dual-legendary curse seal, his leveling speed would slow significantly, what he hadn’t expected was that a time he thought sufficient for a three-level upgrade turned into only a one-level rise.

Furthermore, the difficulty of absorbing the level 18 Curse Crystal was also greater than he imagined.

Although according to some, this broken curse crystal was only equivalent to two third-tier blue Curse Crystals, Xu Shu spent a full eight hours just to fully absorb its curse power and convert it for his use.

Be that as it may, the most crucial thing is that absorbing this Erosion Crystal placed a substantial burden on him.

"Indeed, the path of cultivation is like rowing upstream, the deeper you go, the harder it becomes. I must not have a shred of arrogance or complacency!"

—On the day of advancement, not even a day had passed, instead of consolidating his realm, he opted to level up on the spot; known as the "King of Versailles," the Heroic Hero Gu Pan, thought so.

Little did he know that what he was doing was something others wouldn’t even dare to dream of, only feeling that it was too little, too wasteful.

According to these calculations, now leveling up, each time amounts to over ten million in cost, and the crystals required will only increase; how can he keep up?

Calculating like this, to reach third-tier full-level would require close to a billion in investment?

In this light, the Astronomy Association’s bounty of a hundred billion on the newly ascended Demigod Ning Baishou wasn’t so much money, was it?

Not at all! Just the resources for leveling up must be several billion, not to mention the resources consumed for Fourth Realm ascension.

According to rough estimates from when advancing from Second Rank to Third Rank, the resources consumed in value increased by a few percentage points compared to reaching full level of Second Rank, a sprint toward becoming a Demigod would need at least ten to twenty billion to attempt?