Chapter 25: Talent Tree Upgrade: Lust

As soon as the system notifications rolled in, two mighty trees erupted into existence at opposite ends of the room.

They towered like skyscrapers. Ancient, colossal and lifeless.

Both trees were dry and withered, their branches skeletal and barren, no leaves, no flowers, no fruit. They stood like forgotten gods that had long since died.

A message flickered the moment Damian glanced to the left.

[Abyssal Talent Tree]

His gaze shifted to the right.

[Lust Talent Tree]

The second notification pulsed softly in the air.

“It’s nice to know my successor shares my values. I can finally leave without worry, knowing my darlings will be safe and well taken care of.”

Damian’s attention snapped back to Lin Qui. His body was fading, turning translucent like a ghost being erased from reality. Alarm surged through Damian’s veins. He instinctively reached forward but Lin Qui gently raised a hand, stopping him.

“It’s unfortunate… there is nothing else I can do for you.”

He sighed.

Clank!

The chains binding his neck and limbs began retracting, wheeling backward with metallic shrieks. Yet Lin Qui did not resist. He had been prepared for this fate from the very beginning.

“NEANDERTHAL SWINE! NOW YOU HAVE GIVEN AWAY THE REMNANTS OF YOUR POWER, YOU CAN NO LONGER RESIST ME. YOU WILL BECOME ANOTHER MORTAL SLAVE THAT DARED TO WIELD THE SIN OF PRINCE OF LECHERY!”

The voice boomed.

Its laughter followed; deep, vile, and endless. Damian felt goosebumps erupt across his skin. His body jolted every time Asmodesus spoke. But he held himself together because Lin Qui had remained calm.

“Is there any final advice you can give me?”

Damian’s voice carried urgency. Lin Qui’s situation was pitiable, yes, but his fear was sharper. If he was to survive this nightmare, he needed every scrap of knowledge.

Lin Qui did not answer immediately. Even now, with chains tightening around his limbs, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and calmly pondered for an appropriate response. Then he looked at Damian.

“Don’t fight wrath or pride head on, you will lose. The only way past them is to pit those two against each other. Or gather the power of the other sins before you confront them. Do not think you can face them simply because you have the power of the abyss on your side.”

For the first time, his expression hardened. Stern, severe, and grave. But then the chains yanked violently, the shackles glowed and Lin Qui shot Damian one final smile. Gentle, almost affectionate and then he was pulled away so fast he became a blur. He phased through the gate and vanished into the darkness beyond.

Silence lasted only a second as three pairs of eyes ignited in the void. Violet, emerald, and amber. They burned like stars in an abyss that had no sky.

A three-headed presence watched him.

“I await the day you open this gate, Damian… The power of the abyss will fail you on that very night!”

The declaration echoed and then the eyes faded.

Almost immediately the dreadful pressure evaporated. The mighty gates lost their crimson glow, returning to dull metallic gray. Beneath the water’s surface, a crescent moon shimmered in reflection despite no moon existing in the blackened sky above.

The realm drowned in silence and for the first time since arriving here Damian felt alone.

Lin Qui was gone.

Asmodesus was gone.

“That was… really… really scary.”

He clutched his chest, gasping. Each breath felt stolen. Greedy and desperate. The crushing weight that had sat on him since the moment of his arrival had vanished, leaving him dizzy with relief.

He collapsed backward onto the water’s surface, lying flat and staring into the endless darkness above. One truth rang loud in his mind: This second life was no longer a joke.

It was a threat.

A threat capable of ending his first life.

’This is no longer something I can sidetrack,’ he muttered, concern blazing in his eyes.

Reluctantly, Damian pushed himself upright. His gaze drifted toward the two colossal trees.

Which one first?

“Lin Qui did say the power of the abyss is unstable and I should rely mostly on my lust inheritance… so let’s go with that.”

He hopped to his feet and approached the dead tree on the right. Up close, it was even more monstrous. Five thousand years old, at least. Its trunk was wide enough to swallow buildings. Its roots spread like coiling dragons, dwarfing Damian completely.

“My God… this thing is huge.”

A notification appeared.

[Lust Talent Tree]

[Rejuvenation Process: 10 Points]

[Continue? Y/N]

“Yes!”

Buzz!

Purple energy rippled from Damian’s body like shockwaves. They slammed into the towering tree. For a moment nothing happened. But then tiny purple fireflies began to appear, swirling around the tree like spirits awakening from slumber.

Notifications flooded in.

[Lust Talent Tree Rejuvenation Process: 0%]

[Infernal Transformation: Lust I Unlocked!]

[Lust Talent Tree Awakened]

[Living Arts: 0%]

[Primal Soul: 0%]

[Elder Arts: 0%]

Damian blinked.

“Okay… cool names and all that, but I need you to explain every single thing in detail.”

The system complied.

[Name: Infernal Transformation: Lust I]

[Type: Transformation Skill]

[Description: A skill that allows you to manifest your spirit traits unto your physical form.]

[Living Arts: The honing of the body into a weapon.]

[Primal Soul: The honing of the soul into a weapon.]

[Elder Arts: The honing of knowledge into a weapon.]

[All three represent the body, the soul, and the mind. Only when cultivated to their utmost perfection can one attain the full inheritance of the sin of lust and completely rejuvenate the Lust Talent Tree.]

Damian reread the messages. Once. Twice. Three times.

His brows knitted tightly.

Helpful? Yes.

Detailed? Not even close.

It was vague. Too vague. It didn’t specify what upgrading any of the three would actually do.

“Stingy!”

He crossed his arms and began tapping his foot, humming along to the rhythm of his favorite country song.

Above him, the three upgrade options floated like massive banners, awaiting his decision. Hazel’s warning echoed in his thoughts. His biggest threat wasn’t physical combat. It was demons and angels and all spiritual entities hunting him. His body would be useless if his soul was crushed.

’I should prioritize strengthening my soul first.’ He concluded briefly after.

“Upgrade Primal Soul.”

A notification flashed.

[Primal Soul: 0 → 1%]

[-10 Talent Points]

[Fox Fire Skill Unlocked!]

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