433: Buy one get three free

After roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the gray mist inside the Purification Stone gradually calmed down, resuming its slow circulation.

The Core Divinity belonging to the Thousand-Faced Shadow in her palm, along with the two Fragments of Authority that had been stripped away, had completely transformed.

The divinity itself condensed into a pigeon egg-sized Crystal of Divinity, containing thousands of streams of light.

The [Disguise Authority] and the [Prying Authority] had transformed into crystal fragments of pure white and dark purple light, respectively, gently suspended above her palm, emitting delicate halos.

"Done."

Shang Wan Ning curled her finger, collecting all three items into her palm.

A complete Tier 7 Divinity, plus two pure Fragments of Authority—when calculating the total, she hadn't just avoided a loss; she had made a small profit.

In the System Mall, an unowned Tier 7 Divinity was priced at least eighty billion incense points.

She put away her gains and turned her attention to the System Panel.

The progress bar for the Main Quest "Ativi Continent: Path of Faith" slightly jumped. Eliminating the local evil god undoubtedly played a 'positive' role in the Abyss Church's expansion and control over the Plane.

Shang Wan Ning lightly rubbed the two Fragments of Authority between her fingers.

The Divine System of the Underworld is rooted in the laws of Reincarnation and the Netherworld Law; its compatibility with the authority of evil gods, which leans towards mind-deception and disguise, is quite low.

She couldn't use them herself. Core subordinates like Sister Meng and Tudor also followed the orthodox path of Yin God cultivation. Rashly merging with authority from a different kind of divinity could easily contaminate their own origin, or even lead to mental degradation, making it truly not worth the cost.

However, these "unconventional" authorities might be useful for the Guixu Walkers under You Yu, or for quickly cultivating some peripheral enforcers in the future.

It's just that her expenditure of incense points was considerable right now, so recovering some funds would certainly be good.

Her Divine Sense sank into the System Space.

"Xiao Si, will the shop accept these two Fragments of Authority?"

The light sphere flashed with a 'buzz,' and a translucent Appraisal Interface popped up.

[Item appraisal in progress...]

[Disguise Authority (Pure)]: One of the core authorities of the Tier 7 evil god, Thousand-Faced Shadow. Possesses high-level disguise, transformation, and aura simulation abilities. Compatibility with Host's current divine system: 17.3%.

System estimated recycling price: 15 billion incense points.

[Prying Authority (Pure)]: One of the core authorities of the Tier 7 evil god, Thousand-Faced Shadow. Possesses the ability to discern illusions, pry into origins, and dispel falsehoods. Compatibility with Host's current divine system: 25.1%.

System estimated recycling price: 17 billion incense points.

[System Recycling Offer (Bundle): incense points 32,000,000,000 (Thirty-two Billion)]

Shang Wan Ning stared at the offer, raising an eyebrow, and quickly calculated in her mind.

She spent sixty-five and a half billion on the Purification Stone, but the Tier 7 Divinity she received was worth over eighty billion, and adding this thirty-two billion recovery, she still made a profit overall.

However, when dealing with this Stingy System, every little bit she could squeeze out counted.

"Xiao Si, isn't your price reduction a bit too ruthless?" She twirled the Fragment of Authority on her fingertip, her words laced with teasing.

"Two Tier 7 core authorities, clean and uncontaminated, bundled for only thirty-two billion? Authorities of the same tier listed in the shop sell for over forty billion each. You're making double the profit just by reselling them."

Xiao Si's voice sounded aggrieved: "great host, compatibility determines value! What use does the Underworld have for 'Disguise' and 'Prying' authority?"

"Are we supposed to let the Ox-Head and Horse-Face put on disguises and go undercover? Or have Sister Meng secretly scout out other people's secret soup recipes? System recycling also requires energy for conversion and stripping. Thirty-two billion is truly a fair price!!!"

The light sphere even wobbled, as if confirming it wasn't lying.

"Thirty-five billion." Shang Wan Ning stated flatly, refusing to budge.

"They are Tier 7 goods, after all. If you break them down into Law Fragments or sell them off to High-Dimensional Beings specializing in stealth and insight, the profit will definitely be more than this."

"Host, you're picking the System's pocket!" The light sphere's brightness shot up suddenly, then quickly dimmed. "Thirty-two billion, final price! Any higher and the System will lose money. Take it or leave it."

"Thirty-four billion." Shang Wan Ning made a show of retrieving the Fragments of Authority into her Storage Space.

"If not, I'll just keep them for now. If I ever need an undercover agent or spy, they'll make perfect treasures to bestow."

"...Thirty-three billion." The light sphere flickered like a dying lightbulb, sounding anxious. "This is truly the highest. If Host bargains again, this System will really have to activate Energy Protection Mode and temporarily shut down the recycling function."

Shang Wan Ning knew when to quit while ahead. With a flick of her finger, she sent the two Fragments of Authority into the System Space.

"Deal."

Even a mosquito's leg is meat; squeezing out an extra billion is a billion.

[Ding! System recycling successful. incense points +3,300,000,000 have been credited.]

Looking at the newly added thirty-three billion incense points in her account, and thinking of the Tier 7 Divinity she had secured, Shang Wan Ning felt much more cheerful.

Although the System Mall was always black-hearted, at least this time she wasn't fleeced too badly.

Too lazy to bother with the sulking, flickering light sphere, her Divine Sense swept across the now empty and scorched Human Skin Lair.

As soon as the Thousand-Faced Shadow died, this Demiplane, maintained by its divine power, began to collapse. The edges were constantly dissolving into nothingness, as if stained by ink.

She turned and stepped out, her figure disappearing into the distorted spatial ripples, exiting this evil god's lair that was about to end... Meanwhile, within the Violet Kingdom, at a hidden Underground Altar.

This was one of the core strongholds of the "Thousand-Faced Sanctuary," where the Statue of the Deity of the Thousand-Faced Shadow was enshrined.

Pope Alvaro Serafini's face was hidden in the shadow of his hood. His withered fingers twisted Prayer Beads as he led a group of core believers in reciting prayers.

The candlelight on the altar flickered gently with the chanting, causing the small faces on the Statue of the Deity to alternate between light and shadow.

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain came from Alvaro's chest, as if something had been violently torn apart.

Almost simultaneously, the Statue of the Deity in the center of the altar, constructed from a thousand tiny faces, began to tremble violently without any warning.

"Crack... crackle..."

Fine cracking sounds rang out one after another. The lifelike faces on the Statue of the Deity's surface simultaneously twisted into expressions of agony.

Immediately, it began to crack inch by inch from the top. Gray-black fissures spread rapidly, until finally, with a loud "boom," it turned into a pile of gray powder devoid of any spirituality, scattering down and raising fine dust.

The flickering candlelight around the altar instantly extinguished all at once, leaving only dead silence and darkness.

"Your Holiness!"

"The Statue of the Deity is shattered! The Statue of the Deity of His Excellency the Thousand-Faced Shadow is shattered."

"No, what in the world happened?"

The believers' screams came one after another, and the formerly solemn altar instantly descended into chaos.

Some slumped onto the ground, desperately clutching the floor, repeatedly muttering, "May the Gods Protect Us"; others frantically rushed to the Statue of the Deity fragments, trying to piece them back together, only to touch cold powder.