Chapter 397 An Ancient Legend

"My self-healing is stronger and faster than the healing produced by it." Roy explained to her and, with a mischievous smile, added, "But if you think I am being too nice, you can return it to me. It will sell for a good price."

"You can forget about it. It became mine the moment you gave it away!" she smiled while looking at his side profile and held the stone tight as if it was the first gift given by her lover.

…

"What is soul essence?"

Roy questioned the system while walking toward the end of the right path.

『Soul essence can be purified into a liquid worth 1000 points of exp. This item can be used for commercial or personal purposes』The system answered.

Roy scratched his chin thoughtfully as a joyful glint flashed in his narrowed eyes.

The answer he received was interesting, to say the least.

So far, there has been only one way to let others gain access to experience points called the Lord's blessing. It was a unique skill that could affect a limited number of people, but there was no such limitation with the soul essence.

"I can give it to anyone I like and help them become strong, and I can even advertise it as a rare elixir to rake in a lot of gold and form a connection. Since it has never appeared in the market before, it will sell for a ridiculous price. I need a good auction house to promote it. I already have one in mind."

Roy didn't brood over it.

For now, it didn't have any use.

"What about the sunfire blood?" Roy asked the system.

『Would you like a lengthy explanation or the short one?』

"The more clearer, the better," Roy said.

They were still a distance away from the cliff. He didn't mind hearing a good tale while getting there.

『Legend has it that in ancient times, a small piece of the sun broke and fell on the Far West Major World, disturbing

countless minds. Affected by the sunstone, the beasts gained regeneration abilities comparable to an immortal, strength comparable to the ancient lords, and the mindset of a mindless, bloodthirsty fool』

『They lost their sanity and went on a rampage, invading nearby territories and laying waste to all life. The inhabitants of the lands they invaded fought back, but they were faced with unkillable beasts with endless stamina and inexhaustible vitality. Their resistance was proving to be useless』

『When the only choice left was to abandon their homes or die protecting their land, the god of the mountain rose from his slumber. Because of all the devastation caused, the land was washed with blood. He couldn't overlook the devastation caused by mindless beasts and tried to do something about it. After discovering that the root cause of it all was the sunstone, he vowed to destroy it. However, when he traced it down and found it, even his strongest attack didn't leave a scratch on it』

『The flame of war raged on, and the disaster threatened to spread far and wide. Fearing that if he remained half-hearted, the end of the world would come, the god of the mountain swallowed the sunstone, hoping that he would be able to contain the radiation spreading out of it by sacrificing himself』

『He fought back the mind-numbing and bloodthirst-inducing corrosion as he used his body to suppress the sunstone』

『Fate has its way of playing with people. Instead of succumbing to the wilfulness of the sunstone or failing to keep it sealed, the god of the mountain assimilated with it, gaining a True Immortal body』

『Thus, the first drop of Sunfire blood was produced』

『The Sunfire blood contains the breath of fire and is associated with the Sun. It can be used to gain the True Immortal SunFire Body』

『False sunfire blood is 100 times less effective than true Sunfire Blood, but it can be used as a catalyst to upgrade fire-type skills or purify bloodlines of the same type.』

"So it's more useful than it seems."

It looked like a button. Roy would be charged with committing fraud if he tried to sell it for treasure. No one could be blamed for not recognizing its worth. It looked painfully plain and lacked defining features that a treasure should have.

"Can ten drops upgrade my fire-control skill?" Roy asked, speaking in his mind.

『Yes. Your fire control skill will reach level 9 if you use all ten drops.』

The words sounded in his mind.

Delilah didn't notice that a conversation was taking place.

"Then what are you waiting for? Do it!"

The fire-control skill was the only way to kill Voss.

At least, that was what he knew and could achieve.

Voss was like an executioner's sword hanging above his neck.

It could drop anytime and behead him.

He wanted to deal with Voss before something like that happens.

『Ding! Ten drops of False Sunfire Blood have been consumed!』

『Your fire-control skill has leveled up!』

『Skill level up!』

『Congratulations on upgrading the fire-control skill to level 9』

『You have gained the following perks』

-Able to upgrade level 1 fire to level 2 to level 9 magic fire.

-Able to extinguish any magical fire below level 9.

-Gained the ability to burn curses of the lowest two levels.

-Gained the ability to melt Defensive Force.

『Level-9 fire is strong enough to smelt divine metal. Throughout the empire, someone with a talent like yours will be respected』

『Your action will determine your reputation and future』

『Warning: Too much attention can lead to misfortune, so it's advised to take caution before showcasing how amazing you are to the world』

"Is it my imagination, or is the system becoming more talkative? Is it sentient?" Roy wondered as he scratched the side of his face.

The system didn't bother him any longer.

In the fiery grove, Roy walked past the lava lake and entered the barren land. His first shadow and Delilah were with him.