The moment Shi Feng clicked on the system panel, the silver-white Abyssal let out a deafening dragon roar.
The tremendous sound was as if a colossal dragon were standing right beside him.
Even the birds soaring through the sky were stunned by the fury of that roar, tumbling from the air one after another.
The instant the dragon roar erupted, the Abyssal broke free from Shi Feng's grasp and shot into the sky.
In the blink of an eye, the silver-white Abyssal dissolved into plumes of black mist that devoured the eleven sacrificed weapons.
As the weapons were consumed, Shi Feng heard a violent heartbeat pounding within the black mist, as though some primordial creature had been awakened. A terrifying pressure bore down on him, and the lush grass around him withered on the spot.
"Why is this pressure so different from before?" Shi Feng frowned slightly as he stared at the black mist hovering in midair. "Could it be starting to backlash?"
No one had ever described what a Magic Artifact's backlash actually looked like. Players who had obtained Magic Artifacts in the previous life had never reported any details about it. All they ever told people was simply not to touch one.
The current pressure was overwhelming. If, when he had advanced to level 25, he could still move freely under the pressure, then right now even shifting his position was a luxury. All he could do was stand rooted to the spot, quietly watching everything unfold.
After a moment, the heartbeat grew louder and louder, the black mist coalescing into an enormous black heart. Radiating outward from that dark heart was a semi-transparent phantom of a black dragon.
The black dragon's crimson eyes gazed down at Shi Feng in silence, a flicker of human-like mockery in its stare before it faded away. It dissolved once more into a silver blade and dropped to the ground in front of Shi Feng.
"Every time it advances, this black dragon phantom becomes more and more real. The pressure intensifies with it. No wonder so many players who obtained a Magic Artifact never dared to use it again." Shi Feng stared at the Abyssal plunged into the earth, his brow furrowed tightly.
A backlash — when it came, how it would manifest, nobody could predict.
Continuously strengthening a Magic Artifact meant strengthening the backlash in kind. At its current level alone, it already made his heart pound with dread. If he pushed the Abyssal's power any further, there was a real chance he wouldn't be able to endure it.
The higher you stand, the harder the fall...
"Whatever. One step at a time." Shi Feng shook his head and grabbed the Abyssal with one hand, pulling it up to inspect it.
**Abyssal** — One-handed Sword, Magic Artifact.
Attack Power +633 All Attributes +42 Attack Speed +15 Ignores monster level +15. On hit, 50% chance to deal 2x damage; 25% chance to deal 3x damage. After each hit, attack speed increases by 2%, stacking up to 20%. All Swordsmen class holders gain +3 to all skill levels. Each level-up grants 2 additional free attribute points. Required Level: 30. Upgradeable (consume twenty level-35 Gold-grade weapons and three level-35 Dark Gold-grade weapons to upgrade to level 35). Evolvable (unknown).
Skill I — **Phantom Kill**. Instantly creates a clone possessing 70% of the wielder's stats and all skills. Lasts 1 minute. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Skill II — **Abyssal Bind**. Restricts the target, preventing movement and reducing their defense by 100%. Lasts 4 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute.
Skill III — **Nine-Headed Dragon Slash**. Instantly conjures twelve phantom copies of the Abyssal for the wielder to command. Each phantom sword deals 50% damage. Lasts 30 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Skill IV — **Abyssal Curse**. Targets within a 30-yard radius are unable to move or attack for 5 seconds, after which their stats drop by 20% for 10 minutes. If there is only a single target within range, the effect is doubled. Cooldown: 40 minutes.
Skill V — **Secret Art: Black Emperor**. On landing a critical hit on a target, one stack of Death Qi is accumulated. Each stack consumed grants +2% to all attributes and +1% to attack speed and movement speed for 10 seconds, or reduces one skill's cooldown by 3 seconds. Maximum 30 stacks. Stacks last 10 minutes. Cooldown: 15 hours.