System: Replicating The Heavens-Chapter 499: Ch : PLM (13): Dark Sun Immortal Land

"Unlike the other ninety-nine, the last drop of Loren's Blood has not yet devoured a life signature. It is still searching for a living being capable of enduring it long enough for the curse to mature."

"You can say that the final drop of Loren's blood is a wandering calamity. If it is unable to find a suitable vessel, it will take the initiative to seek out living creatures and devour them so the curse can mature. When that time comes, this single drop of blood may devour an entire world, or perhaps even more than one."

"Then… where is it now?" Alex asked again.

"It is in a place even Immortals avoid." Elryn spoke, "There is a forbidden region known as the Abyss of Returning Silence in the Dark Sun Immortal Land. The Abyss of Returning Silence is a forbidden land where all sound, intent, and spiritual fluctuation are gradually erased, as if the world itself is being returned to a state before existence learned to speak. The last drop of Loren's blood is at the deepest point of that abyss."

Elyrn was curious about what Alex had in mind. But he didn't ask. There is nothing that can be hidden from his eyes. As long as he wants, he can see everything. Even if he couldn't see something, he could always obtain information.

After Alex got to know what he wanted, he asked, "I think I would not last long due to the Loren's Curse. Its devouring power is already gnawing at my soul essence without pause. However, I know I can delay the curse's eruption."

"And how would you do that?" Elryn asked.

Fritz and Alicia also turned their gazes toward him, curiosity clearly written on their faces as they waited to hear his answer.

"Actually, this idea popped into my mind the previous night while browsing the shop through the auxiliary system. I noticed several items there that can help greatly, and I already have a plan in mind. But before that..."

Alex turned his gaze toward Elryn and asked calmly, "You said that anything can be bought here, as long as the price can be paid. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Elryn nodded lightly without changing his expression, confirming the statement without hesitation.

Alex did not waste any time and asked directly, "Is there any item capable of strengthening my soul to the strongest possible level, perhaps even stronger than that of Immortals, without requiring an increase in cultivation?"

Elryn's eyes narrowed slightly before he answered. "There are indeed such items that did, and not just one, but several. But your soul is far too weak to endure the sudden influx of soul essence required for such a leap. Soul, more than anything else, requires gradual progression. A sudden elevation could cause irreversible collapse of the soul. Even Immortals advance step by step, tempering their souls over unfathomable lengths of time. To force such growth prematurely is nothing short of self-destruction."

"However, tell me, Alex. Why do you want to strengthen your soul without elevating your cultivation?"

Alex listened without interrupting, then responded, "I don't have the luxury to follow rules. Time is the one thing I currently lack. At this rate, I may be completely devoured by the Loren's Curse within five or ten years. Moreover, I can feel that as my cultivation increases, the curse grows stronger as well, tightening its grasp on me. I have an idea of how to escape the Loren's Curse, but to do that, I must first strengthen my soul. So, Elryn, tell me. At my current level, what is the absolute limit my soul can endure?"

After a brief pause, Elryn answered honestly. "If you can truly withstand inhuman agony, pain akin to having his soul torn apart and reforged, then your soul can, at most, reach the level of a Profound Immortal. Even so, the price for such a transformation would be no less than one million Boundless Coins. If you want to go through such a transformation, you must gather one million Boundless Coins first."

Alex did not hesitate to nod. Although Elryn was answering his questions personally because Alex possessed the strongest bloodline and physique—albeit dormant—as well as one of the most fearsome forbidden bodies in the universe, and perhaps also because of the Loren's Curse, the fact remained that Elryn was answering him at all. That alone was an immense help.

Finally, Alex asked his last question, "Elryn, if I want to contact you later, how would I do that? And if I leave the Boundless Shop, how can I return again?"

One Boundless Coin per day for accommodation was not a high price. Moreover, no matter how much time passed within the Boundless Shop, not even a single moment would pass in the outside world. Such a condition was an immense boon for anyone in desperate need of time to grow stronger. However, the real issue lay elsewhere. Once they left, how could they ever enter the Boundless Shop again?

A profound smile slowly formed on Elryn's face when he heard the question. His casual demeanor vanished, replaced instantly by the air of a flawless merchant.

"Dear customer," Elryn said smoothly, "there is no such thing as freely coming and going from the Boundless Shop. There is only one way to open the door to my shop, and that is through a Boundless Token. Each time you wish to visit, you may purchase a Boundless Token anew. As for its price…"

He paused deliberately before finishing, "You may browse it at any time through the auxiliary system assigned to you by the shop."

Alex nodded and opened the shop before searching for the Boundless Token.

"What the—?"

Alex couldn't help but scream, because the price of a Boundless Token was insanely high.

[Boundless Token]

﹂ Description: The one and only key that can open the door to the Boundless Shop.

﹂ Price: 10,000,000 Boundless Coins.

"Damn! Are you sure this is the price of a single Boundless Coin?"

Felix also couldn't help but curse. He and Alicia had also opened the shop to look for the price of the Boundless Coin, only to curse out loud.

Elryn nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. Don't you think one Boundless Coin for a day of accommodation here is too cheap? I also need to make money, you know. If you want to enjoy the services available in my Boundless Shop, you must be prepared to spend Boundless Coins."

"Now I understand," Alex took a deep breath and looked deeply at Elryn before saying, "You truly are a heartless shopkeeper."