Chapter 288 : Development of the Abyss Altar

Development ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍of the Abyss Altar

"Why are Celia's clothes here with me?"

Just as Serea was looking utterly confused, Dogsius and the other handmaidens walked in.

"Good morning, queen Serea."

"Morning... Wait, what's going on here?"

Looking at the handmaiden group led by Dogsius and Lola, Serea noticed something different from usual, namely...

"Where did you all get these outfits, and why is Tethys here as well?"

When asked by Serea, tethys answered openly.

"Of course, we're here to serve our master. So, how is it? My clothes aren't bad, right?"

Seeing her mischievous, playful grin, and then looking at the two rows of handmaidens all dressed in black-and-white maid outfits, Serea could immediately tell—this was Tethys's handiwork.

At that moment, Lola stepped up to explain as well.

"To bring joy to Her Majesty is a handmaiden's duty."

It was obvious that Lola was inspired by Dogsius, which was why she did this, and all the handmaidens present... no, at this point, their attire could truly be called a full-fledged maid group!

It was just like living in a dream!

Receiving service from the brand-new maid group, Serea got dressed and washed up. While secretly excited inside, she remembered there was still an unanswered question.

"By the way, where's Celia?"

"Miss Celia? She only went back to rest at midnight yesterday, so she probably hasn't gotten up yet."

"I see..."

Judging by all the clues at hand, the truth was already self-evident, causing Serea's face to grow a little red.

But back to business: she hadn't had the chance to check out the "Abyss Altar" after unlocking it yesterday.

Thinking this, Serea entered her consciousness space.

First...

"Let's do this draw."

Yesterday, she'd received three compensatory The Darkness Sovereign's Invitation cards; she wondered if anything good would come out.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Seven cards flew out: one gold, one silver, and one purple—the unspent cards from the last pool.

First card!

"Veil of Deception" (Purple): When worn, affects others' perception of the wearer, thus hiding one's identity.

A lucky start!

Second card!

"Fear Potion" (Blue)

Tsk tsk...

Third card!

"Crimson Bastion" (Silver, blueprint): Can construct three types of fortifications—walls, high walls, and beast walls. The original architecture's difficulty and material consumption increases accordingly.

A wall blueprint! And it's silver!

But...

This seemed a bit redundant, honestly; the stone walls she used now were pretty decent.

"Better to have it than not."

Reluctantly glancing again at the last golden card left in the pool, Serea closed the draw, then checked the Abyss Altar's tech tree.

The Evil God Chapel, just like the Blood Altar, only had a junior building to start with, which then branched into two paths.

The Faith path could unlock the level-two building "Inquisitor Chapel."

The Fear path could unlock the level-two building "Fear Sacrificial Altar."

The former consumed Faith Crystal, the latter consumed fear crystal. Unlike the army-rush style of the Death Altar or the farming-style development of the Blood Altar, the Abyss Altar's path was a unique management approach.

The other two could develop in isolation, just by finding a jungle. But the Abyss Altar...

Faith Crystal: requires the faith of believers.

As the name suggests, just building a chapel is not enough—you also need followers' belief. So, it seems...

"System, how is the yield if I build a chapel inside my camp?"

System: Very low. Most jungle-dwelling non-humans have their own gods, and they are devout, unwavering believers.

"What about in human towns?"

System: Uncertain. Human towns have a large population base, but you'd need to steal faith from other religions, so the yield is unknown.

"So, it could be high or low, but it definitely won't grow in the jungle. Moreover..."

Evil God Chapel: Unlock costs 200 Faith Crystals, 100 fear crystals, requires the original building "Chapel," occupies 1,500 square meters.

Currently, Serea only had 42 Faith Crystals on hand. To unlock it, she'd have to shamelessly become a "pop idol"—how embarrassing...

Plus, the chapel would need to be actively managed. Otherwise, just relying on becoming a "pop idol," with tech upgrades later costing thousands of materials each time—busking wouldn't be enough, even selling herself wouldn't be enough debt-wise.

So, either don't develop it at all, or, if she wanted to grow, she'd have to infiltrate the human world. Now that the Blood Altar and Death Altar tech were both bottlenecked, the only way to improve overall strength was to focus on the "Abyss Altar."

Therefore...

"One step at a time—I was just planning to check out Avril's Trading Post today."

Back in reality, after washing up, Serea first went to the Blood Stone Carving Workshop, enchanted the "Crimson Bastion" onto a Blood Stone, and then handed it over to Flosa.

After handling affairs in the camp, Serea met up with Avril.

By now, all medicines, enchanted items, and local "specialties" produced in the camp were loaded onto carts. This trading trip required as many as ten wagons to carry all the goods.

The guards stood ready; everyone was prepared to depart, and that was when Celia hurried over.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Her voice was small, and Serea looked a little flushed upon seeing her.

But upon closer inspection...

Wasn't the hair accessory on Celia's head the same one Serea had given her?

"Ahem, since everyone's here, let's set off."

The group set out. The guard team was the First Blood Slave Guard led by Maro. To prevent accidents, Serea also brought Little Black and Little White. Since she hadn't had time to accompany Ina recently, she brought her too—a trip to the Trading Post would be a nice outing.

Of course, sahi, who planned to visit the Trading Post as well, brought along the fox tribe.

The journey was smooth. In the afternoon, the party reached the Trading Post. In the distance, a bustling trade town appeared before them.

Entering the Trading Post, they found commercial streets, taverns, inns, clinics, an adventurers' guild—every facility one could wish for—a true paradise for adventurers!

Notices on the main gate and throughout the streets warned, "Slave trading is prohibited here."

Roaming this little town weren't just human guards but also finely armored members of the fox tribe.

These measures attracted a great number of non-human races. Some even chose to trade here personally—and all this was under the protection of Leon and others.

What perfect urban planning!

"Our next plan is to apply to Otto Kingdom to be listed as a 'neutral town.' The Trading Post will be further expanded and eventually become 'Xiyun Town' and 'Xiyun City.'"

After sharing her grand plan, Serea couldn't help but be impressed by this woman. To have the courage to build a neutral trading town on the edge of the Corrupted Jungle—one can only imagine what kind of pressure the Xiyun Merchant Guild had to bear.

Looking across the kingdoms, perhaps only the Xiyun Merchant Guild would dare do this. And it's worth mentioning—the Xiyun Trading Post had a 30% share belonging to Serea; after all, this town was built under the "protection" of the Darkmoon clan.

(To be continued...)