"Oh, is that possible? How much energy would it cost?" Alex asked curiously, hoping the alternative method would be more reasonable.
Alex's eyes widened in disbelief as the system's answer echoed through his mind like thunder. He stared blankly for a moment, wondering whether he had heard the number correctly.
"Ten thousand?!" he exclaimed inwardly, unable to believe such an outrageous price.
After a moment, Alex let out a long sigh and decided to put the matter aside for now. "I'll think about this later," he muttered as he placed Sky Splitter back into its sheath.
Just then, he heard several noises coming from outside the building. His attention immediately shifted toward the window, and he carefully approached it to see what was happening.
When Alex looked outside, he saw numerous people kneeling along both sides of the road. They had lowered their heads respectfully toward a carriage passing through the street, making it clear that the people inside held a position of considerable importance.
The carriage was open at the top, allowing anyone nearby to see its occupants. A man and an exceptionally beautiful woman sat inside, both dressed in elegant, noble clothing, while several people who appeared to be their servants followed behind them.
What's going on? Who are these people? Alex wondered, looking at the unusual scene with confusion.
He had no idea why so many people were kneeling before a single carriage, but the situation had certainly caught his interest. Rather than continuing to watch from the window, he decided to go outside and find out what was happening.
However, before leaving the room, Alex remembered that he still had the monster core from a Fourth-Layer monster. Since he had recently unlocked the system's ability to extract information from things he consumed, he decided to test the feature before heading out.
Without wasting any more time, he took out the remaining monster core and swallowed it.
For the next few seconds, nothing happened.
Alex waited patiently, but when there was still no response, he began to wonder whether the system had somehow forgotten to perform its function.
Did it forget what it's supposed to do? he wondered, growing slightly impatient.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a familiar notification finally sounded.
Alex was surprised by the result, but he quickly remembered the second feature the system had mentioned earlier. Apparently, the ability could do more than simply provide information about what he consumed.
"How much energy will it require?" he asked, wanting to know the cost before making his decision.
Alex fell silent for a few moments as he considered the price. Eight units were certainly not cheap, especially when his undying energy was directly connected to his survival, but he was also curious about what the technique could offer.
Eventually, his curiosity won, and he allowed the system to proceed. After all, he had unlocked this feature precisely to discover what it could do, and there was little point in having such an ability if he never dared to use it.
The next moment, an enormous amount of information entered his mind. However, unlike the overwhelming sensation he might have expected, the process was surprisingly gentle, and he felt no pain or discomfort whatsoever.
Within a few seconds, the information settled into his mind, giving him a complete understanding of the technique he had extracted.
The technique was called 'Screech of Fear', and it possessed both passive and active effects. Although the two effects shared the same fundamental purpose, their strength and methods of application were considerably different.
The passive effect caused Alex to naturally radiate a powerful aura of suppression into his surroundings. Anyone who came within its influence could feel an instinctive sense of fear, even if Alex made no deliberate attempt to intimidate them.
Interestingly, the strength of this passive effect depended on his anger. The angrier Alex became, the more powerful the suppressive aura would grow, making his emotional state an important factor in determining its strength.
The active effect, however, was far more terrifying.
By consuming Qi or other types of energy, Alex could deliberately release a powerful field of suppression across a certain area. Unlike the passive effect, which mainly inspired fear in the hearts of those nearby, the active effect directly affected the souls of its targets.
If an opponent possessed a weak mind and an unstable Dao Heart, the technique could destroy their Dao Heart and replace it with a Demon Heart. Such a transformation would completely cripple their cultivation, leaving them unable to cultivate any further.
in worst condition if their soul is not powerful enough then that means instant death.
Alex couldn't help feeling surprised as he absorbed the information. He had never imagined that a technique obtained from a Fourth-Layer monster could possess such a frightening ability.
Before he could fully process everything, he had learned, another notification appeared.
Alex's eyes widened as he read the notification, his surprise growing even further. Not only had he obtained a new technique, but he had also gained a considerable amount of Qi energy from consuming the monster core.
'This technique is incredibly cruel,' Alex thought, recalling the destructive effect of its active ability. 'I should be careful about when and how I use it.'
The information he had received also helped him understand several unfamiliar concepts about the cultivation world. He now had a clearer understanding of the Dao Heart, the Demon Heart, cultivation crippling, and the general nature of cultivation techniques.
Previously, many of these concepts had been nothing more than unfamiliar terms to him. Now, he finally understood their basic meanings and how they were connected to a cultivator's strength and future development.
Although Alex had no intention of using such a cruel technique recklessly, a part of him still wanted to test its power. The thought lingered in his mind, tempting him to discover how effective Screech of Fear would be against another person.
However, he quickly suppressed that curiosity.
There's no need to experiment with it right now. I should first understand the situation outside, he reminded himself, shifting his attention back to the carriage and the kneeling crowd.
With that decision made, Alex adjusted his belongings, checked that Sky Splitter was securely fastened in its sheath, and prepared to leave his room.
A moment later, he stepped outside the building known as Heaven's Palace.