Facing the Abyss as a Demon Cultivator

As the colossal creature crashed to the ground, a torrent of notifications flooded Chu Xiu's vision. He let out a long sigh of relief.

Before he could fully process the information, a surge of power coursed through his body! The D-rank Elite, amplified by the 100% experience boost, had propelled him up a level!

[Name]: Chu Xiu

[Rank]: F-rank Level 8 (714/1600)

All his attributes had increased again, with a significant experience overflow! He was now only halfway to the next level!

As usual, a new inheritance unlocked.

[Art of Concealment]

[Description]: Manipulate your internal energy to hinder detection and reduce your presence.

[Evaluation]: Once mastered, it can operate automatically according to the user's will.

[When actively used, both interference with detection abilities and concealment are greatly enhanced.]

[As a sinister and cunning demonic cultivator, how can you not possess skills in theft, assassination, and playing the pig to eat the tiger?]

"A secret technique for concealment?" Chu Xiu mused, stroking his chin.

This secret technique was incredibly valuable.

Concealment would significantly enhance his safety during future explorations and provide him with greater flexibility in decision-making.

He could now realistically consider infiltrating monster camps for reconnaissance, ambushing enemies after others had weakened them, and other such tactics.

The ability to mask his true strength was, in some ways, even more crucial than concealment.

His talent and profession were far too extraordinary. Exposing them would be akin to a monk wandering into a den of demons – he would inevitably be devoured!

In this world, there were no truly powerful legal constraints, especially for high-rank Awakened.

It stood to reason: the cost of maintaining social order far outweighed the cost of crime!

Take, for example, the country of Chu Xiu's previous life. Despite a police force exceeding two million, there were still around thirty thousand criminal cases annually.

And this was with the police possessing an overwhelming advantage in equipment, a disparity that created a relatively safe environment for the populace.

However, looking at a certain neighboring superpower where the police's equipment advantage wasn't as pronounced, one would find that in 2023 alone, over 42,000 people died from gun violence! Since 2014, this number had consistently exceeded 39,000 annually!

High-rank Awakened were akin to individuals wielding the most advanced tanks and fighter jets. Imagine the resources required to apprehend an Awakened capable of moving at the speed of sound!

And if the capture resulted in a confrontation within a densely populated area, the consequences would be catastrophic!

Under such circumstances, if the government refused to allow for any gray areas as a buffer, the entire social order would crumble!

The Abyss was one such gray area.

Unbound by laws, it served as a battleground for settling grudges, disputes, and conflicts of interest.

"Within the Abyss, one can find all sorts of bizarre and wondrous items. It's not an exaggeration to call it a wishing well of miracles. If you can imagine it, it can be found there."

"Among these items are tools capable of stealing talents and professions!"

"Although the stolen talents and professions would be downgraded by two to three ranks, even an A-rank Perfect Refinement would be enough to spark a frenzy among high-rank Awakened!"

"I absolutely cannot reveal my profession and talent!"

While professions with detection skills were incredibly rare, returning to Blue Star would inevitably draw unwanted attention.

Without hesitation, Chu Xiu invested a large number of Karma Points into the Art of Concealment!

[Consumed 47 Karma Points, Art of Concealment proficiency increased to Beginner!]

[Consumed 132 Karma Points, Art of Concealment proficiency increased to Skilled!]

[Consumed 501 Karma Points, Art of Concealment proficiency increased to Minor Completion!]

The Art of Concealment's cost was slightly higher than the Phantom Steps. It took nearly seven hundred Karma Points to reach Minor Completion.

This expenditure consumed a large portion of his recently acquired Karma Points, leaving him with only 420.

However, it was a worthy investment.

With a thought, Chu Xiu felt himself become like a stone. His breathing, heartbeat, and blood flow seemed to be suppressed by a mysterious force, significantly reducing their presence. Visually, he blended seamlessly with his surroundings, making him difficult to detect without close scrutiny.

This skill was not only useful for stealth and evasion but also for direct combat! It would make Chu Xiu's movements even more unpredictable and ghostly.

Moreover, the energy consumption was minimal, barely exceeding 1 point per minute.

When operating automatically, the consumption was practically negligible.

In terms of concealing his strength, his current mastery of the Art of Concealment was sufficient to evade most detection skills of the same rank. When actively used, even D-rank Awakened wouldn't be able to see through it!

As the Art of Concealment automatically activated, Chu Xiu adjusted his aura to that of a Level 6.

"Whew!" He exhaled, feeling a renewed sense of security.

"Once I possess the power to crush all opposition, I won't need to hide anymore. Still, I need to level up faster."

Shaking his head, Chu Xiu dismissed the thought and continued to examine his other gains.

He had obtained two pieces of equipment. Although the armor was of Rare quality, it was far inferior to his +7 Heavy Energy-Absorbing Armor. Chu Xiu decided to sell it.

The ring, however, was quite good. When equipped, it increased his hourly energy recovery by +1.0 and his energy capacity by +25.0.

This equipment effectively doubled Chu Xiu's energy, greatly enhancing his combat endurance. It was worthy of its Rare quality!

As for the Berserk Hormone, it was similar to the skill used by the D-rank Ghoul in its final moments. It could drastically enhance his physical abilities for a short period, turning him into a berserker. However, the effects would gradually diminish over 10 seconds, followed by a state of weakness. It could serve as a last resort in desperate situations.

But what truly delighted Chu Xiu was...

"I actually got a Trait!"

Traits were essentially weaker versions of Talents, typically one to three ranks lower than their namesake.

Nevertheless, they were still incredibly valuable! Even a D-rank Trait could be a significant asset. Just look at Wang Long's Power Burst, which allowed him to unleash triple his strength for a short time! It was even more potent than the D-rank Ghoul's Berserk skill, and without any drawbacks!

Of course, Trait absorption wasn't without limitations.

Otherwise, one could simply absorb hundreds of Traits, and even if each one was slightly weaker, the combined effect would be astonishing, turning even a pig into an SSS-rank genius!

The biggest concern with Traits was the risk of [Mutation].

Mutations were highly random and unpredictable. While theoretically, beneficial mutations were possible, the vast majority were detrimental, potentially even leading to death from rejection!

Besides incompatibility with the host's body, different [Traits] could also clash with each other.

In other words, the more [Traits] one fused, the greater the likelihood of a more severe and uncontrollable [Mutation].

Therefore, the core factors determining a [Trait]'s value, besides its rank, were its [Mutation] stability and compatibility.

Generally, common [Traits] like Power Burst, Life Regeneration, and Enhanced Endurance had the highest mutation stability.

Other factors included whether the Traits were from the same species or profession, and the availability of fusion data.

For instance, the most common Trait, [Strength Enhancement (E)], had an average mutation deviation rate of only 0.0037%. Based on extensive data, its mutation rate was around 5.7%, with most side effects being minor and insignificant. It was a very stable Trait.

However, if a human insisted on fusing Traits like [Multiple Eyeballs] or [Regenerative Tentacles], the mutation rate would skyrocket.

Lastly, there was an exceptionally rare type of Trait: the upgradable Trait.

These Traits might initially have poor compatibility, but each upgrade would increase their synergy with the host's body, eventually becoming indistinguishable from innate Talents.

However, such Traits were incredibly scarce and exorbitantly priced.

Chu Xiu looked down at the Trait in his hand.

[Tough Skin]

[Attributes]: Skin Defense +3.6, significantly enhances heat resistance, acid resistance, and impact absorption.

The effects were quite impressive. It provided a free 3.6 points in defense, but what truly enticed Chu Xiu were the various resistances, which would greatly enhance his ability to deal with different types of monsters.

His Heavy Bone Armor provided ample defense, but its heat and corrosion resistance were lacking. It could withstand bullets, but a flamethrower could easily incinerate him.

However...

Gazing at the 0.15% mutation deviation rate, Chu Xiu stroked his chin.

This wasn't low at all.

There was at least a 30% chance of mutation.

However, since it seemed to be a common Trait, the side effects of mutation shouldn't be too severe.

Without much hesitation, Chu Xiu focused his mind, initiating the Trait fusion.

As an Awakened, who didn't have a few mutations?

"I'm not human anymore!"

(End of Chapter)