Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 571 Deterrence
The "Spirit of Authority," Hastia, was opposite Luo Xiu. The demigod, imprisoned and bound by hundreds of crimson divine locks cast from the "sky," was staring at him with dragon eyes filled with killing intent.

Luo Xiu also looked at Him at the same time, and when his gaze met Hastia's, even Luo Xiu couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine—

That was the first time he had truly faced the "Spirit of Authority," the former "King of the Dragonborn," Hastia, and he indeed felt an extremely high and terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from Him.

Even though He is currently under suppression, He was once a "demigod," and the aura emanating from Him is exceptionally intense.
If an ordinary saint were to enter the [Divine Prison Lock], they would probably be crushed on the spot by its terrifying pressure.

"..."

As Luo Xiu gazed at Hastia's blurry figure, these thoughts crossed his mind.

He then headed toward Hastia.

At this moment, Luo Xiu could feel more and more clearly the hatred and loathing that the former "Dragonborn King" Hastia harbored for "Durant" deep within his heart.
That chilling, naked murderous intent and malice were almost irreconcilable and impossible to dispel.

If He hadn't been imprisoned and bound by the [Divine Prison Lock], Luo Xiu had no doubt that Hastia would have charged directly at him and killed him in the most terrifying and cruel way possible.

With these thoughts in mind, Luo Xiu gradually approached Hastia.

The mist inside the [Divine Prison Lock] gradually dissipated, and Luo Xiu was able to see Hastia's figure clearly.

The Dragonborn King, clad in tattered yet still recognizable ancient dragon armor, with his half-human, half-dragon black-scaled head, still wore a crown atop his neck symbolizing his status as a "mortal king."

But the crown had long since rusted, its former glory faded, leaving only a dull appearance. The ring on its base was the same crown that had been bound to Hastia's dragon head for thousands of years, a crown that He could not bear to part with.

And like Helmond, the “child of the dragon god”, Helmond was deeply impaled in his flesh by divine chains as sharp as swords and spears.

Those divine locks were burning with crimson flames, seemingly burning the spirit of Hastia.

He must have been in pain, but the intense burning kept him weakened, so he could not move even a little bit under such confinement and restraint.

Luo Xiu gazed at Him, carefully observing His clear form.

It is very different from the "avatar of Hastia" formed from the power He condensed.

In Luo Xiu's eyes, the true form of "Hastia" before him was much older and dimmer than the incarnation he saw outside, but also much more dangerous.

Luo Xiu could indeed feel the kingly dignity emanating from the "Hastia" before him, even without anger.

But it was completely shrouded in naked malice—

On Hastia's dark red dragon head, branded with silver and gold patterns, the pair of scarlet dragon eyes were unleashing His rage and killing intent without reservation.

Because Hastia had been imprisoned in the Chains of God for far too long, the hundreds of chains that pierced his flesh had even begun to rust.

The rust had become embedded, or rather, "integrated" into His flesh, almost becoming one with Him.

Luo Xiu gazed at Him, approached Him, until he truly stood before Him.

"...Durant's bloodline."

Hastia, the Dragonborn King, opened his dragon jaws with some difficulty and hesitation, from which a low, hoarse voice emanated—

"You are born with the blood of sin... Durant..."

"I will definitely hunt you down... What a pity... What a pity..."

"..."

Even though He was completely unable to break free from the chains of God, He still uttered such a resentful voice when He faced Luo Xiu.

Luo Xiu simply watched Him silently. Wearing the black-patterned puppet mask, Hastia couldn't see the expression on Luo Xiu's face.

"..."

"Hastia".

After a long pause, Luo Xiu finally spoke.

He addressed the formerly authoritarian demigod before him:

“I respect you, Hastia. But we shouldn’t be enemies.”

“If you don’t see me as the ‘Durant’ you imagine, there’s room for reconciliation. We could… no, we could always have ‘cooperated,’ Hastia.”

Luo Xiu said this to Hastia.

To be honest, Hastia is not like Helmond, the "Child of the Dragon God"—Helmond's consciousness has been completely clouded, like a beast trapped in chaos, completely unable to communicate.

But Hastia was different; He was simply consumed by anger and hatred, even though He had been severely worn down by the passage of time.

Even though He fell from the demigod status of "authoritarianism" and became the "celestial spirit" deity He is today, it is clear that He still retains a sufficiently clear rationality and consciousness.

This forms the basis for the dialogue. Although Luo Xiu did not expect Hastia to simply let go of his hatred, he could at least make a similar attempt.

"……cooperate?"

"..."

Hastia was clearly stunned for a moment, as if he had heard something utterly absurd.

But then, He burst into a piercing, trembling laugh—

"Hahahahaha..."

"Hahahaha... Hahahahahaha!!!"

"Cooperation!!! Durant's bloodline...you actually...would say we can 'cooperate'!"

Hastia's maniacal laughter was filled with anger and mockery. His crimson dragon eyes were fixed on Luo Xiu, and he said in a trembling voice:

"Impossible... It's absolutely impossible for us... Absolutely impossible!"

“Alfonso Durant…you are that man’s bloodline, and also that man’s…ha. You’re probably the only Durant still alive, and I just want to devour your flesh and blood, to taste your blood properly…”

"I wonder if it will be different from other 'Durants'... Hahahaha!!!"

"We can only fight to the death, do you hear me, Durant's bloodline? We will always... always, it can only be a fight to the death!!!"

"..."

Hastia's voice grew increasingly high-pitched and shrill, his emotions clearly reaching their peak, even causing his deeply bound body to tremble and the divine chains that bound him to rattle and clang.

"Ah, that's it."

Luo Xiu nodded.

He certainly didn't expect Hastia to simply let go of her hatred. His speaking to her this time was more of a test, to see how Hastia would react to him.

Clearly, Hastia still harbors hatred for herself.

Although the source of that hatred did not come from himself, but from "Alfonso Durant," Durant's bloodline was the original sin, and Hastia seemed determined to hunt him down.

“If we can put aside our hatred and achieve ‘cooperation,’ Hastia,”

Luo Xiu said with some regret.
“I can release you; after all, the Durant blood flowing in my veins can indeed free you from here. But right now… we are so irreconcilable, I don’t want to see that happen.”

"..."

"Stop your disgusting pity, Durant's bloodline..."

Hastia finally stopped his wild laughter and let out a low, mocking and sarcastic tone.

"You are just Alfonso Durant's shadow, you are destined to be just his shadow... You are merely a Saint who has reached the sixth level of destiny, you are not worthy to speak to me like this, you are not worthy... Uh!"

"..."

He said this, but the next moment, his voice was suddenly cut off.

Before Him—the "Durant" wearing the black-patterned mask—his figure suddenly moved.

As Hastia was raving about those things, Luo Xiu's right hand suddenly grabbed Hastia's neck right under his gaze! His fingertips emitted a scorching light and dug deep into Hastia's flesh, making a sizzling sound, while Hastia groaned in pain.

"you you……"

"Hastia".

Luo Xiu's voice suddenly turned icy cold—

“I’m not Alfonso Durant. But I don’t mind doing what he did again.”

“This is a warning, Hastia. I am stronger now, and your life or death is in my hands.”

——Bang! ! !

After Luo Xiu said these words, he no longer restrained any of his spirituality, but instead released it completely!

……

It was within Hastia's perception—

He "saw" it, as if the originally insignificant [Radiant] Saint in front of him suddenly rose a towering wall with him as the origin.

Hastia himself was completely enveloped by that radiant wall, which suppressed him completely.

That was no less oppressive than the [Chains of Gods] that brought Him. Hastia never imagined that such a strong sense of oppression would erupt from a mere "Sixfold Fate" Saint!
The sense of oppression he felt when his previous incarnation broke through the seal and came into contact with "Durant" in the outside world was completely different from the one he felt when he broke through the seal and came into contact with "Durant" in the outside world!
That spiritual surge was even infinitely close to the "Sevenfold Destiny"... no, it had even surpassed the "Sevenfold Destiny"!
"..."

No, that's not right...

Hastia thought with a sense of awe—

The last time his avatar was destroyed, he hadn't even had any contact with him... The thing that shattered his avatar was just the three strange gods summoned by "Durant" in front of him!

“However, I will give you a chance, Hastia.”

As Hastia's dragon eyes trembled, a slightly calmer voice came from beneath the black-patterned mask of "Durant" before him—

“I don’t like things going to extremes, but I’m not against it either.”

“You can still resist, Hastia. But I welcome you anytime and am happy to resolve the feud about the ‘Durant’ bloodline with you.”

"If you ever come to your senses and are willing to 'share' some things with me about the former 'Alfonso Durant,' I would be very happy."

"..."

……

Luo Xiu said this to Hastia.

He gradually loosened his grip on Hastia's throat and stepped back before Hastia could respond.

As Hastia watched, the figure of "Durant" before him gradually receded into the distance, disappearing into the layered mist.

The intense and surging spiritual energy he had just exuded, like a tsunami, gradually faded away as he went into the distance.

Until Hastia could no longer sense Luo Xiu's spirituality.

He knew He had left, left the inner space of the [Divine Prison Lock], but His pupils were still trembling slightly, as if still lingering in the shock of what had just happened.

"..."

"Uh……"

Hastia's throat bobbed, producing a dry sound.

After a long while, He began to murmur intermittently—

"Durant's...bloodline..."

"..."

"I will not give up."

"Won't……"

"..."

"Hastia... will never... will never submit to you..."

"I will definitely... hunt you down..."

"..."

……

Holy Abyss.

When Luo Xiu reached the end of the inner space of the [Divine Prison Lock] and stepped through a circular door identical to its entrance, he first felt a sense of weightlessness.
Then, the familiar scene belonging to the Holy Abyss Royal Court, after a brief blur, returned to his field of vision.

He had returned to the sacred abyss he had been loyal to, and then turned to the still-open [Chain of Divine Imprisonment], closing it again, and the circular gate of light faded and disappeared.

Boom——

The [Divine Prisoner's Lock] slammed heavily onto the ground, creating another extremely deep crater.

Luo Xiu bent down to pick it up, sat back on the golden throne, patted the armrest, and put the [Divine Prison Lock] back into the hidden compartment.

Hastia, the "Spirit of Authority" and also the "King of the Dragonborn," would clearly not submit so easily.

Luo Xiu thought to himself, but he was not in a hurry, because this time he was going to "face" Hastia in person only to convey some information.

That was both a deterrent to Him and an invitation to Him—it would be best if He could suppress His deep-seated hatred for "Durant".

If that's not possible, then at least He should think twice before He sends His incarnation out of the divine prison to attack Him again.

In any case, it's good for you.

"..."

Luo Xiu was thinking about these things.

Next, all that's left is to wait regarding advancing [Abyss] to the fifth level of destiny.

Two days later—after the Dragonfire Demon Sword pierces the heart of Helmond, the "Child of the Dragon God," and the flowing dragon blood has accumulated enough, he can proceed to the next stage of advancement.

As he pondered these things, he suddenly felt a momentary tremor in his soul.

At the other end of that connection—her only companion in the Abyss, the Faceless One Indis—her spirituality suddenly showed clear signs of sublimation.

She succeeded—

A glint flashed in Luo Xiu's eyes as he realized that Indis had completed her hunt and successfully performed the Blood Feast Ritual, thus advancing to the fifth level of the Crimson Lotus Destiny and becoming the Blood Witch!
“Very good, Index…”

Luo Xiu murmured softly.

Indis has not yet arrived at the Sacred Abyss; she still has things to do in the real world.

Luo Xiu, on the other hand, was more focused on Indis's spiritual state. He rose from the golden throne and walked toward the forging workshop of "Sacred Abyss".

He was going to find the "Holy Abyss's" exclusive craftsman, the "Ghost Craftsman" Balin.

Deliver the [Devouring Dragon - Origin Crystal] and the [Lament of Death] to him and entrust him with the forging of enhancements.

This is the second thing Luo Xiu will do.

……

(End of this chapter)