Chapter 26: The Second Ability

It seemed he was significantly stronger than Chen Xin?

Lin Xiao suddenly grew suspicious. Could the sacrifice of "Absolute Truth and Sincerity" truly justify such a formidable ritual grade?

Before he recovered that golden amber, he could not know the exact answer. However, he had no more reliable options at the moment, and he had certainly not suffered any divine retribution by acting according to this principle.

So, under Yang Shubai’s curious gaze, he bit the bullet and said, "I am... significantly stronger than Chen Xin."

Hearing Lin Xiao’s answer, Yang Shubai’s eyes brightened even more. "I knew it! You are completely different from everyone else! How much is 'significantly stronger'?"

"I don't know either. Perhaps the ritual grade is more than one level higher," Lin Xiao replied, shaking his head.

"What makes you make such a guess? You haven't already advanced to a Level 2 Esper, have you?" Caught by surprise, Yang Shubai made a bold conjecture.

Lin Xiao: "..."

He was now fully aware that his rapid advancement speed was absolutely jaw-dropping. If people with ulterior motives were to find out, it would likely not be a good thing. But Miss Yang before him seemed trustworthy, and even if she weren't, Lin Xiao dared not lie.

"Yes," Lin Xiao nodded in admission.

"Good heavens..." Yang Shubai covered her open mouth in astonishment. This was the first time Lin Xiao had seen such a surprised expression on her.

"You’ve barely been eighteen for forty days, right?" Yang Shubai asked.

"That's correct."

"This must be at least an 8th-grade Agony Ritual to have such a shocking growth rate." Yang Shubai cast a look of pity at him. "You really are a ruthless person. Isn't it too cruel to treat yourself like this just to get stronger?"

Lin Xiao: "..."

He didn't know how to answer that. According to common knowledge, the strong in this world were all ruthless; the more they tortured themselves, the more powerful the strength they could exchange for. Yet, while Lin Xiao felt he had many inconveniences, he didn't feel it was painful to an unbearable degree.

What exactly was his Vow of Agony? Perhaps only by obtaining that golden amber inscribed with his name in his memories could he unravel this mystery.

Yang Shubai, her eyes filled with sympathy, stepped closer and patted Lin Xiao on the shoulder. "If life is too bitter, don't try to endure it alone. When you can't take it anymore, come to me; have a sweet dream to vent. Don't be ashamed to speak up; I can satisfy you with any kind of dream you wish."

"I really am not in that much pain..." Lin Xiao said.

Hearing this, Yang Shubai’s eyes held even more pity. Having reached an 8th-grade Agony Ritual, how could he not be living in hell every single day? This man was truly different—handsome, stoic, and restrained. He was worthy of being the person she had set her sights on!

"I understand. I understand all of your pain..." Yang Shubai comforted him.

Lin Xiao: "..."

No, what do you understand? I don't even understand it myself! Please stop making up a tragic life for me in your head!

Before he could speak, Yang Shubai said solemnly, "Don't let people know your advancement speed is this fast. Most people cannot stand seeing others do better than them. Someone will surely investigate you and try to tempt you into breaking your vows to suffer divine retribution."

Lin Xiao nodded to show he understood, but the problem was... it was really hard to keep this secret! He could choose not to bring it up, but if others grew suspicious and asked, it would be difficult to handle. What exactly was the standard for "Absolute Truth and Sincerity"? He hoped to get his hands on that golden amber immediately so he would no longer live in such precarious uncertainty.

At this moment, Yang Shubai continued, "By the way, now that you are a Level 2 Esper, the choice of your second ability must be made with caution. Do you need my help?"

"Second ability?" Lin Xiao was a bit confused. Literally speaking, did that mean one could learn a second type of ability?

"I forgot you don't have the divine inspiration memories from the rituals," Yang Shubai explained in detail. "Every Esper can learn a new ability upon advancing to Level 2, Level 4, Level 6, and Level 8. The ability learned at Level 2 is crucial for every Esper; one could say its importance is second only to the Agony Ritual."

Lin Xiao immediately understood the reason. The vast majority of people would never become Level 4 Espers in their entire lives. Therefore, the new ability learned upon advancing to Level 2 would be their only one, so one naturally had to choose the most suitable one.

However...

Lin Xiao asked the question weighing on his mind: "If one can choose a second, third, or even fourth ability, why endure so much uncertainty in the Agony Ritual?"

Yang Shubai smiled and replied, "You cannot survive on only the fifth bun that fills your stomach. Without the foundation laid by the Agony Ritual, all subsequent abilities are castles in the air."

Amidst Lin Xiao’s confusion, Yang Shubai continued, "The upper limit of a second ability is permanently one level lower than the first, and the source energy consumption for advancement increases by 50%. The third ability is permanently one level lower than the second, with advancement costs increasing by another 50% on top of the second ability's base. The fourth and fifth abilities follow the same logic."

Lin Xiao understood now. Without the foundation of the Agony Ritual, his first ability could not progress, and learning subsequent abilities would be out of the question. Furthermore, every new ability learned had higher costs and level caps, which made the foundational status of the first ability unshakeable. This meant that an 8th-grade Esper, assuming they had sufficient source energy, could possess a 7th-grade second ability, a 6th-grade third ability, a 5th-grade fourth ability, and a 4th-grade fifth ability.

"I understand. I will choose my second ability carefully," Lin Xiao replied.

"How do you plan to choose?" Yang Shubai had just started speaking when she immediately added, "I don't mean to pry into your secrets, I just want to ask about your thought process for selecting a second ability."

"It should naturally be a supplement to the first," Lin Xiao answered. "The strongest second ability isn't necessarily the most suitable. The best second ability is one that can form a complementary synergy with the first."

For Lin Xiao, he was fully confident that he could grow into an 8th-grade or even a 9th-grade Esper in the future. Therefore, when choosing a second ability, he had to consider not only forming a synergy with his current first ability but also effectively coordinating with his future third and fourth abilities. It was like playing a game; a single powerful skill wasn't the most important thing. Creating a perfect build—that was the best choice!

Hearing Lin Xiao’s answer, Yang Shubai felt reassured. "You are truly smart. Follow your own ideas and make your choice. If you are short on money, don't hesitate to borrow from me."

"I have to pay for it?" Lin Xiao felt a sense of dread.

"What else? You didn't think you could learn it for free, did you?" Yang Shubai rolled her eyes.

Sure enough, there was no such thing as a free lunch. Lin Xiao felt he was on the verge of bankruptcy again.

"Then where should I go to learn this second ability?"

"Where else? The Heavenly Dao Divine Palace, of course."