Sithorn, a Super Power Bank?
After listening to Xingji's explanation, Xu Mo's face lit up with joy.
At first, he had thought Xingji was just an intelligent lifeform like Babata. But now, it was clear she was something much more.
Think about it—Sithorn, the god of the underworld, wasn't a fool. How could he fail to notice Xingji's power?
That left only two possibilities.
The first was that the mana borrowed from Xingji was insignificant to Sithorn, nothing more than a drizzle in his vast ocean of power. In that case, he simply didn't care and let it continue. But when Xu Mo looked at the torrent of magic in front of him—an endless current as vast as the Milky Way—that explanation seemed absurd. If all that power were truly meaningless to Sithorn, he would have long since overthrown the Life Tribunal and seized dominion himself.
That left only the second possibility.
Sithorn had sensed it all but was powerless to stop it.
Xu Mo was almost certain this was the truth. Back then, when an unknown will had controlled the Dark Book to attack him, Xu Mo hadn't understood. But now it was obvious—it had only been Sithorn's feeble struggle, crushed in an instant.
His eyes grew fervent as he looked at Xingji beside him.
Noticing his gaze, Xingji deliberately feigned shyness.
"Master, what do you want to do?" she teased.
"Well…" Xu Mo hesitated, unable to say the words aloud. But seeing her playful smile, he knew she was doing it on purpose.
With a silvery giggle, Xingji averted her gaze. Xu Mo coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment.
"I meant… what is your true level of strength?"
Xingji's laughter faded.
"In truth, my strength doesn't matter much to you, Master. I cannot leave the Star Tower to fight at your side. What I can do is control the Tower to repel enemies who dare invade your sea of consciousness."
Her voice grew calm, unwavering.
"All you need to know is this: no one who enters your sea of consciousness will ever leave alive."
Xu Mo drew a sharp breath.
"So strong?"
If he could fully master the Star Tower, wouldn't that make him invincible?
His excitement surged, and it took him a full minute to calm down. By then, Xingji was already standing at the altar ahead. She reached out, took one of the Dark Books, and left the other still absorbing dark energy.
"The mana stored here will last you a very long time. When it's depleted, simply switch to the other one."
She returned to his side and handed him the book. Xu Mo accepted it, once again awed by her strength.
To think she had turned Sithorn, one of the four oldest ancient gods, into little more than a power bank—it was staggering.
The two Dark Books now looked almost identical. After such prolonged baptism and infusion of energy, even ordinary paper would have transformed into a formidable artifact.
With a wave of Xingji's hand, a drop of Xu Mo's blood welled from his fingertip and sank into the book. At once, the Dark Book flared with black light and shot into Xu Mo's brow.
"That's how it will work," Xingji said. "From now on, this book will not only supply your mana, but also increase your casting speed and amplify your magic's power."
---
The Underworld
Sithorn's colossal body had withered to less than half its former size. When Xingji removed one Dark Book, Sithorn—who had nearly fallen into despair—was so relieved he nearly wept.
"Slow down! Please, slow down!"
His roar echoed through the underworld. Based on the previous absorption rate, he would have been completely drained in a month at most. He had tried tens of thousands of methods, yet nothing could sever the link draining his power.
A multiversal god, equal to the Five Great Gods, reduced to such a state—it was humiliating.
Now, with the absorption halved, his recovery outpaced the loss. With time, he could rebuild his strength.
Sithorn quickly gathered himself and mobilized all the dark energy of the underworld into a vast vortex, drawing it back toward his withered form.
---
Xu Mo's Cave
Meanwhile, Xu Mo had exited the Star Tower, returning to the mountain cave he had carved out. He withdrew the Dark Book and opened it.
Though the book now existed in a state of pure energy, the words of its spells remained. Strange symbols shimmered on the page, and as Xu Mo gazed at them, they lifted from the parchment, transforming into streams of information that flowed directly into his mind.
In an instant, he understood them.
The first spell was the Portal.
Xu Mo closed his eyes, reviewing the incantation. Doctor Strange himself had struggled for a long time to master this very technique. Would Xu Mo succeed?
Opening his eyes, he formed a seal with his left hand and traced a semicircle with his right.
A space gate, rimmed with black sparks, unfolded before him.
Xu Mo's heart leapt. To succeed on the first attempt—it was beyond expectation. But then he realized why.
Magic relied heavily on mental strength. The greater the willpower, the greater the magical talent. And Xu Mo, a spiritual master at the peak of the God of War level, had mental strength thousands of times greater than any ordinary human. Of course he could do it.
But then the gate opened wider, and on the other side appeared… a steaming bathroom.
Through the mist, a feminine silhouette emerged. Pale skin, a hazy outline—an image both delicate and alluring.
Xu Mo froze, then frantically tried to close the portal. But whether from inexperience or nerves, the opposite happened—the gate expanded, doubling in size until it was wide enough for someone to walk through.
The woman bathing inside felt the sudden change in air and turned, startled. Her eyes fell directly on Xu Mo.
"Uh… I didn't mean it. Do you believe me?" Xu Mo stammered.
"Ah!"
She screamed, curling into the corner of the bath. Escape was impossible—the portal had opened right at the doorway, blocking her only exit.