Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 564 - 475 Shadow Burial_1

Advancement: achieved.

Spirit Coffin Rejuvenation: achieved.

Uncle Fang's independence: achieved.

All three major objectives were completed so suddenly that Huai Shi didn't feel it was real at all until after he confirmed multiple times and watched Uncle Fang finally able to step out of the Stone Marrow Pavilion, no longer bound to that place. Only then did Huai Shi finally breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't feel the overwhelming ecstasy that he had expected. Instead, in the calm, he genuinely felt peace and pleasure. It was a grand accomplishment.

「Next was the main event.」

After being dragged back to the basement by Raven, he began to test each of his abilities as the newly advanced Soloist.

First were strength and speed, which hardly needed mention. With so many high-grade materials as the foundation, if Huai Shi couldn't reach above-standard levels after advancing, he might as well slit his throat in apology.

First came the strength test: Third Stage average level—the "average" here refers to the average level among combat-oriented Stigmata, excluding a few freakish Stigmata that enhance strength to the extreme. Against any Third Stage Sublimator, Huai Shi would not fall short. If he factored in the Drummer's augmentation and the Overload State achieved by combining it with Yu Step, Huai Shi could even arm-wrestle the former Ely.

Well, though if he broke his wrist by exerting too much force, it would be a bit troublesome... But before that happened, it would be enough to make Ely drink a bitter cup.

「Next came the endurance test.」

His endurance was terrifyingly impressive. Without resorting to special techniques, after half an hour of continuous full-force punches that turned the steel plate in front of him into a crumpled mess, aside from a slightly sore hand, Huai Shi didn't feel the slightest fatigue. If it were before, he would have been wiped out long ago.

"It's normal. Originally, the Mountain Ghost's recovery speed is terrifyingly high. Now that you've advanced, if we don't consider the physical limits of bones and muscles, you can maintain a high-efficiency output state twenty-four hours a day," Raven said, wrapping a pen with his wing and tapping on a notebook. "However, achieving a break-even effect is already quite frightening. Next item—"

Speed was Huai Shi's forte. Limited by indoor space, he couldn't test long-distance running, but that was more dependent on endurance, so there was no need to waste effort testing that anymore. The current test focused more on Huai Shi's explosive power and improvements in short-distance sprinting. And when Huai Shi effortlessly completed six jumps between the ceiling and walls, appearing silently like a ghost at the other end of the basement, he couldn't help feeling a profound sense of satisfaction.

This is incredible!

He was now certain that his current self surpassed the once Third Stage Peak Vampire, Van Essen. He could do everything Van Essen once could, and even more effortlessly.

As for attack speed, after repeated trials and adjustments, Huai Shi had tuned his mental metronome to a terrifying 416 beats per minute. This was a terrifying speed, over twice that of a conventional metronome. In an ideal state, a fully concentrated Huai Shi could launch six attacks in one second, with time to spare.

With the enhancement of his own muscular strength and speed, the chord techniques learned from Luo Lao naturally integrated smoothly—his charge time had now been shortened to the limit. He could produce third chords with ease. With only one second of preparation, he could also comfortably perform a ninth chord with five overlapping notes. Huai Shi could strive for even more, but he was limited not by his ability, but by the number of weapons he possessed.

The original Sword of Virtue had also been integrated into the Stigma as material during the advancement, much like the Sacrificial Knife before it, eliminating the need for him to carry them physically as they could be drawn from his Soul whenever he wished. Apart from The Sorrow of Index, which was not good at direct attacks, the Axe of Anger, Sacrificial Knife, Spear of Compassion, The Hammer of Sorrow, and the Sword of Virtue made up exactly five. These were the weapons Huai Shi felt most comfortable and proficient with. As for other Border Relics, even if he could barely use them, they lacked this harmonious sense of integration.

Without a doubt, even if only considering the increase in basic physical attributes, this was a metamorphosis!

And as an auxiliary Stigma, with the advancement of Soloist, the original Mountain Ghost's talents were enhanced as well, evolving into 'Life Diversion', further improving his ability to cling to life. The Yin Soul, the twin aspect of the Mountain Ghost, astonishingly advanced as well—Death Extraction. Back when it was still a Yin Soul, Huai Shi could extract Apocalypse from people's fear and despair before death. Now, this ability took a further step, enabling him to extract Source Substance from Apocalypse in reverse. Even though Huai Shi's techniques were still too raw, and the conversion efficiency wasn't even one-tenth, it was still astonishing.

"Isn't this basically killing to recover mana?"

This skill doesn't seem befitting of Reputable Sects at all! Huai Shi was astonished. Why does my style seem to be approaching that of a villain more and more? No, it seems like I've been on a villainous path from the very beginning...

"A conversion efficiency of less than one-tenth can only be said to be barely better than nothing. In a pinch, it might provide a little supplement, but if you truly rely on this to get by, you'd be better off becoming an Evil Soul. Extracting Apocalypse from the Soul and then Source Substance from Apocalypse, after two layers of transformation, how much can you really extract?" Raven was unconcerned. "The Evil Souls of the Nordic Genealogy can suck from captured humans, every bit counts, with an efficiency of over ninety-eight percent. Compared to them, you're just a novice by comparison. In the end, it's just an extra perk of Soloist. Don't worry about this. Can we get to the main topic now? Get your Stigma out!"

Huai Shi took a deep breath upon hearing this, finally activating the Stigma within his body. It was as if he turned into mist and diffused in an instant, followed by the mist recondensing into a human form. After a momentary flicker, Huai Shi's silhouette reemerged, standing in the center of the basement. He carefully examined his own hands. Below his thin T-shirt on his chest, the rift that had disappeared after his previous advancement had emerged once again. And from within, pure white lines stretched out like tattoos, overlapping each other, wrapping around his limbs, covering his fingertips, and even extending above the collar, outlining obscure emblems and crests on his neck.

Incredible. It felt as if he had lost all weight.

Huai Shi took a few careful steps forward, feeling an unprecedented lightness, yet not so much that he lost control of his body. It was almost as if, with just a thought, he could...

BOOM!

Huai Shi's vision darkened as he crashed into the wall that had been ten steps away just moments before, collapsing to the ground face up. He had moved so fast he hadn't had time to react.

As if expecting it, Raven started laughing with schadenfreude, looking down at him. "After the Soloist's Stigma Activation, your physique becomes the purest conductor of Source Substance, with no loss in any Source Substance application. Your Source Substance can directly interfere with your body—to some extent, it's truly movement at the speed of thought. However, it's better not to think about anything not suitable for children during activation, or you might end up embarrassed!"

Just like those mischievous gods in myths.

—I can teach you the art of alchemy, but you must never think of that big stone at the head of the village when using it.

Once that thought is planted, it's impossible not to think about it.

Huai Shi's face turned green instantly, struggling to restrain himself, but to little avail... Scenes that should not appear in the Book of Fate kept surfacing in his mind, and he just wanted to pin that damn Raven to the ground and give it a good beating.

It wasn't until Raven had had his fill of amusement that he lifted his wing, pointing at Huai Shi's original position. "Look over there."

Huai Shi looked up and then he saw... himself. No, to be more precise, it was my former self. Just as waving one's hand under the light creates a trail of afterimages, Huai Shi could actually see a lingering outline of himself left in his original spot. These outlines, following Huai Shi's recent movements, were evenly scattered along the path he had just taken. They lingered for a long time, as if engraved into the air itself. And when Huai Shi got up, he could see a faint outline of his body on the ground where he had been. Every step he took left a blurry shadow behind him. It was like a series of contrast photographs captured by a high-speed camera.

"What is this?"

"This is the qualitative change after the Third Stage on the Heavenly Inquiry Route, and is also the most important talent of the Soloist—Shadow Burial."

That's it? Huai Shi couldn't believe it. He didn't understand why Raven was being so solemn, nor did he grasp what use this shoddy, afterimage-leaving talent could possibly have. But as he pondered distractedly, he was shocked to find that the afterimages he left behind began to move on their own accord. Once Huai Shi relaxed his control, they began to move erratically around the room. Some ran around aimlessly, some lay on the ground, some stood upside down, and some even picked at their feet... Soon, as the flow of Source Substance was interrupted, the afterimages quickly dissipated. They vanished like bursting bubbles.

"Do you understand why, in the Heavenly Kingdom Genealogy, the Heavenly Inquiry Route is the most trouble-free and effortless, yet also the most difficult to control?" Raven tilted his head, glancing over. "To smoothly harness this power is incredibly difficult; it requires far too many things. Why don't you take a look at your right hand?" he suggested.

Huai Shi skeptically lowered his head to look at his right hand. Only then did he notice that the Ring of Nibelungen had vanished. At the base of his index finger, that band of pale golden runes, like a tattoo, had somehow merged with the Stigma. It integrated seamlessly into his body as if an accessory to the Stigma, with no gap. And inside... the space, which had already been at its limit, expanded once again.

In the past, the space for three Yin Souls was already at full capacity. But now, with Huai Shi's advancement, this capacity had increased severalfold. In the midst, a new Rank had appeared, slowly developing as it drew Source Substance from the Soloist to supply a new Legion. Huai Shi felt he could use Death Extraction at any time to fill it with negative Source Substance. Now that Huai Shi had become a Third Stage Soloist, his internal capacity had terrifyingly increased. Back when he was a Mountain Ghost, he could only create three Yin Souls, but now, those initial three Yin Souls had advanced alongside Huai Shi to become Mountain Ghosts themselves. And beneath each Mountain Ghost, three new vacancies appeared.

This is like a pyramid scheme; they can even recruit their own downlines!