[Attack Power: 4,711 (+612)]
[Physical Strength: 3,513 (+819)]
[Endurance: 2,901 (+936)]
[Defense Power: 2,888 (+616)]
[Spiritual Power: Unknown]
Beyond the growth in his stats, Shi Ming also discovered he could seemingly use his connection with the Colorful Insect to unleash its Celestial Calamity skill, [Bicolored Celestial Calamity]!
But the most surprising thing was—
This [Bicolored Celestial Calamity] didn’t belong to the same system as any of the S-rank, Holy Hall-rank, or Nirvana-rank skills in the Star Sea. It wouldn’t occupy a Nirvana skill slot, nor did it cause any additional physical burden... This reminded Shi Ming of the intel from the Eye of Destiny: the Colorful Insect’s way of thinking was the complete opposite of all living and spiritual entities in the Star Sea. They were two completely different types of beings.
This meant Shi Ming had obtained a skill comparable to a Nirvana skill for free.
However, he deeply disliked the skill’s effects.
He even felt a primal revulsion toward it.
[Bicolored Celestial Calamity]
[Level: ??? (Celestial Calamity)]
[Sowing: Disseminate a seed of corruption within a group, allowing it to rapidly grow into a spiritual contamination that spreads throughout the entire group. This contamination can subtly alter the group’s consciousness and dominate the minds of its members, who will find it difficult to realize they have been corrupted and will instead believe these new thoughts are their own.]
[Outbreak: The Bicolored Celestial Calamity erupts, altering the wills of corrupted targets en masse and turning them into a group absolutely loyal to your side. In this situation, even the uncorrupted minority, or individuals outside the group, will be forced to obey the majority and be assimilated.]
This skill was highly unusual.
Its combat power might not match [Sorrow],
But the negative effects it could cause were far greater. Fortunately, the Colorful Insect had been trapped in the ancestral land of the Star Spirit Race since its birth and was unable to leave. If it had truly escaped, it’s likely that one race after another in the Star Sea would have unwittingly become its vassals. A truly terrifying prospect!
It absolutely lived up to the name of a true "Celestial Calamity"!
Fortunately, it had been confiscated.
And the one who confiscated it was no slave to power.
’A Celestial Calamity-level skill is independent of the current power system in the Star Sea. There’s no way [Bicolored Celestial Calamity] is the only one. Other similar skills must exist elsewhere in the universe.’
’The skill’s effects are unconventional,’
’But the stat boost from absorbing it is just too good... ’
’I really want to do it again.’
Shi Ming looked inward at his Sea of Spirit.
The listless Colorful Insect seemed to have recovered a little. Shi Ming couldn’t kill it for the time being, and it could recuperate over time. Based on the direct feedback from his Right Arm Red Pattern, it seemed this "squeezing" process could be done more than once—it was sustainable. The effects might not be as powerful every time, but they wouldn’t be too bad either.
Excellent.
...
...
...
In an empty region of space, a considerable distance from Treasure Star, Shi Ming rendezvoused with Bai Yimo.
It was time for a debriefing and handover!
"Boss, this Treasure Star is a wonderful place! The people here have refined taste and are incredibly generous. Every being is a perfect gentleman, especially those fabulously wealthy tycoons. Even the smart assistants here are thoughtful and adorable... I absolutely love it here."
A shimmer appeared in Bai Yimo’s eyes.
Shi Ming glanced at her.
"Do you remember the second rule of the code?"
"Oh no... I forgot again, Boss... How do you plan on punishing me?"
"How about we extend your employment contract by 10%?"
"..."
Shi Ming ignored the succubus’s performance.
Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
Bai Yimo was also a genius who had mastered a numbered Nirvana skill. Without activating [Bright Eyes of the Void] to forcefully suppress his mortal nature, he too would be affected by her skills. This had nothing to do with the strength of his Spiritual Power; it was simply a biological, genetic instinct.
However, a being with a powerful consciousness could overcome instinct, while one with an ordinary will would fall prey to it.
No numbered Nirvana skill should ever be underestimated.
"Have you completed the task I gave you?"
"Of course, Boss. It took up a lot of my socializing time, you know. How are you going to reward me?"
Bai Yimo said with a captivating smile.
She handed over a Medium Crystal Core.
On Treasure Star, this was a medium for storing information, and a top-tier one at that. Only intelligence or information of the highest confidentiality was stored in them. Normally, reading the information within required complex decryption methods. However, the Medium Crystal Core Bai Yimo handed to Shi Ming had no such password protection. All its contents were laid bare, ready to be read directly.
Shi Ming accepted it without ceremony.
’Looks like this employee of mine is quite dedicated after all.’
On Treasure Star, the strongest individuals were merely General-rank Nirvana Powerhouses, similar to the Tower King. For an "Elder Ancestor" like Bai Yimo, who had escaped from the Star Cave Cage, being here was like being a fish in water; she was in a league of her own. By using a few of her tricks, she could easily become the head of another shadow power. Of course, she was still far from being able to do whatever she pleased. Treasure Star was also under Ron’s jurisdiction, and if any anomalies occurred, the Pillar Stone would arrive immediately to eliminate any disruptive elements.
"Very good. You’ll receive a verbal commendation. Continue with your work!"
"You unscrupulous capitalist!"
With her debriefing complete, the succubus fully embraced her role as a tool. She used the skill [Into Mist] and vanished from the empty stretch of space, riding a stolen solitary boat back to the paradise she loved so much.
Shi Ming swept his Spiritual Power over the Medium Crystal Core to inspect it.
Out of caution, he also used one charge of his Eye of Destiny to scan it again.
From the internal data to the storage medium itself, there were no anomalies.
It hadn’t been tampered with.
The scientific findings within were a dazzling array. Not only was there the intelligence Shi Ming and the Endless Ocean needed, but it also came with a wealth of research materials from many other fields, such as astronomy, cosmology, physics, technology, and civilization studies. For example, there were studies on deep-space travel, the formation and chronicles of the Star Caves, accounts of Cosmic Law Enforcers and Hunters, and so on. The value was astonishing.
Perhaps Bai Yimo didn’t have the patience to filter the information and just copied everything wholesale.
Whether it was because this was the first task Shi Ming had given her, or because she had finally learned that discretion is the better part of valor, Bai Yimo’s results were outstanding.
Shi Ming put the Medium Crystal Core away.
All preparations were complete.
He then took out a lamp that twinkled with starlight.
This was the Star Lamp, obtained from the Scorpion King’s Pyramid in the Endless Ocean. It had undergone one purification upgrade and one infinite upgrade, and could now be used as a hearthstone to return to the Endless Ocean.
Shi Ming activated its first trait: Fixed Star.
Home is where the heart is.
When this lamp was lit, its holder would never get lost. Wherever their heart yearned to be, the starlight would guide them and show them the way home. No matter where they were, they only needed to take out the Star Lamp, and with a thought, they could return to their designated home.
"Let’s go."
"Return to the Endless Ocean."
The starlight from the Star Lamp enveloped the entire great ship. In a flash of light, Shi Ming and the Great Fortune vanished into the vast, boundless starry sky.
...
...
...
The Angler arrived once again at Lord Ron’s True King Hall.
The True King Hall was solemn and magnificent. Twelve treasures of destiny formed a ring, their previously consumed power of fate now replenished. Lord Ron sat at the center of the ring, his gaze deep and inscrutable.
The Angler was puzzled.
’This nephew of mine hadn’t contacted me once in the past thousand years, so why is he summoning me repeatedly now?’
Ron’s gaze fell.
"Uncle."
"The Tower King has passed away. The Ten Thousand Vaults Star Realm that he governed will be handed over to you, effective immediately."
’What?’
’The Tower King is dead?’
The Angler was stunned. ’Although the Tower King’s strength was lacking, as a General-rank Nirvana Powerhouse, he could use his ultimate treasure, the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance, and his other trump cards to hold out for a while even against a Pillar Stone. He could have called for help from the Sovereign in that time. Surviving shouldn’t have been a problem.’
’He died just like that?’
"...Who killed him?" the Angler couldn’t help but ask.
"That is not for you to know," Ron replied, his voice as devoid of emotion as ever.
The Angler didn’t dare ask more. He accepted the sovereign’s contract and withdrew from the True King Hall.
Ron sat alone in the Royal Hall.
The twelve treasures continued their silent rotation.
’Who killed him?’
’Who do you think?’