My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 381: Treasure

Ethan’s hand remained unshaken as he reached toward the grey thread. To the Patriarch and the surrounding guards, his hand appeared to be grasping at nothing but thin air. However, in Ethan’s vision, he was making contact with the literal manifestation of decay.

A piercing, glacial chill surged through his arm the moment his fingers touched it. This was more than mere cold; it was the sensation of absolute void. Inside him, the Law of Entropy—that minuscule 0.1 percent—began to throb with the intensity of a starving predator.

Slowly and with extreme caution, Ethan started to pull.

This was more than a simple healing of a young girl; he was untangling a spiritual tether. Every inch of the grey thread extracted from Seraphina’s chest was drawn into his own palm. As the substance merged with his body, his consciousness felt as though it were being grated by sandpaper. Flashes of collapsing stars and the slow death of galaxies flickered through his mind.

"This is no natural ailment," Ethan mused, his brow tightening. "This thread possesses a distinct signature. It was placed here with calculation."

A chilling thought struck him. A thread of such precision, anchored to the prodigy of a prestigious clan, indicated that an inverse being was either hiding in their midst or had personally targeted this girl.

The "malady" was actually a slow-motion feast. An entity from the inverse world was treating her as a biological battery, gradually converting her life force into entropy.

This realization turned Ethan’s heart cold. He had come to this place to evade a hunter, yet he had inadvertently wandered into a web spun by the very realm he sought to avoid.

"I must gain mastery over this law," Ethan thought, even as beads of perspiration formed on his brow. "If I can harness entropy, I can transform the hunters into my prey. Their unique power will become my own blade."

The necessity of upgrading the Space Cube became even more desperate. He could sense a massive stage being prepared. The conflict between the positive and negative planes was no mere myth; it was a tempest gathering at his doorstep.

An hour passed in heavy silence, disturbed only by the labored breathing of the Patriarch.

Suddenly, the final traces of the grey mist were absorbed into Ethan’s skin. The pale, sickly tone of Seraphina’s complexion faded, replaced by a vibrant, healthy flush. Her chest heaved as she took a deep, shuddering breath.

Her eyes fluttered before slowly opening.

The first sight she beheld was Ethan.

He was hovering over her, the silver tint in his eyes only just beginning to revert to their natural shade. His expression carried a blend of intense focus and a peculiar, ancient intelligence. In that instant, the rest of the world ceased to exist for Seraphina. There was only this man.

Her heart, which had been nearly dormant for months, suddenly gave a forceful, violent thud. An inexplicable warmth flooded her cheeks. She felt a deep, soulful pull toward him—a sense of gratitude so powerful it mirrored love at first sight.

"You..." she breathed, her voice thin but audible.

The door swung open violently. The Patriarch and her father scrambled to the bedside, their faces wet with tears.

"Seraphina! My daughter!" the Patriarch shouted, his Monarch level aura vibrating with overwhelming relief.

They hovered over her, inspecting her pulse and her soul. She was in perfect condition. Better than she had ever been.

The Patriarch looked at Ethan, his gaze filled with deep admiration. "Doctor... Alistair... you have achieved what even the gods of this realm could not. From this moment on, you are the Eternal Benefactor of the Velzard Family. Our blood is your blood."

Ethan stood, wiping the sweat from his face. He offered no smile and no celebration. "It is time to settle your debt. Lead me to your treasury."

The Patriarch did not waver. "Naturally. My word is my bond. Guards! Clear the way. The Benefactor intends to visit the Hall of Origins."

Ethan was escorted into the deepest reaches of the mountain. The corridor was constructed of obsidian and protected by seals capable of incinerating a Saint level cultivator in a heartbeat. Eventually, they arrived at a massive portal forged from star-iron.

"Take as much time as you require, Your Highness," the lead guard remarked with a low bow. "A magnificent feast is being readied in your honor. We shall await your return."

The guard retreated. Ethan stood solitary before the vault. Yet, as he reached out toward the door, the very air began to thicken.

The space around him felt as though it were curdling. A weight so massive and ancient crashed onto his shoulders, feeling as if it originated from the dawn of time itself.

"A Primordial being?" Ethan’s eyes sharpened. He hadn't anticipated the Velzards possessed a guardian of such caliber.

"Who goes there?"

The voice did not enter through his ears; it resonated directly within Ethan’s soul. An old man emerged from the shadows near the entrance. He appeared frail, clad in tattered rags that seemed to be rotting away, yet his eyes glowed like twin dying suns.

"You do not carry the Velzard bloodline," the elder rasped. "The source is forbidden to outsiders."

Ethan did not flinch. Though he felt the crushing weight, his own origin source served as a protective barrier. He calmly presented a crystal card. "I am here with the family's consent. This is the pass they provided."

The old man’s gaze fixed on the card, his pupils snapping wide. It was the Heart of the Clan, an item he had personally crafted eons ago. He had bestowed it upon the family with a single decree: it was only to be given to one who saved the lineage from total ruin.

The elder had been in isolation within this treasury for so long that centuries had blurred together. He was unaware of Seraphina’s plight or the miracle that had just occurred.

"Old man," Ethan stated bluntly, his voice piercing through the atmospheric pressure. "You are the Ancestor of this clan, are you not?"

The elder’s aura flared violently, causing the corridor walls to crack. "How could you know that? No living soul in this world recognizes my face!"

Ethan remained unmoved. "Your energy signature is a match for the girl I just saved. It is etched into your very being. Be at ease, I have no intention of telling anyone. I care nothing for your family’s internal affairs. However, my time is limited. May I go inside?"

The Ancestor studied Ethan for a long duration. He found no trace of fear in the youth’s gaze. Instead, he saw a depth that made even a Primordial like himself feel insignificant. He slowly retracted his pressure.

"Enter," the Ancestor murmured, his voice laced with bewilderment.

The heavy doors groaned as they opened.

The treasury was not merely a room of gold; it was an entire pocket dimension. Vasts mounds of spirit stones, hovering weapons of various grades, and countless cultivation resources stretched toward the horizon.

"Nini," Ethan called out in his mind. "See if there is anything worthwhile here."

He began walking through the aisles of wealth. He skirted past blades that could shatter worlds and ancient scrolls of forgotten techniques, but Nini remained quiet.

Finally, as they reached the furthest corner of the vault where the torchlight failed to reach, a voice echoed in Ethan’s mind. It wasn't the usual calm tone. It was a voice filled with a raw, instinctive longing.

"Master..." Nini whispered. "I feel... an existential hunger. There is something in this chamber... something calling to the very foundation of my existence."

Guided by Nini, Ethan approached a small, secluded pedestal. There were no guards, no traps, and no seals here. It seemed the family had forgotten this object even existed, likely because it emitted no detectable energy.

A stone hovered silently above the pedestal.

It was neither radiant nor beautiful. It was a jagged, obsidian rock that appeared to consume the light around it. It felt heavy, not in physical mass, but in its profound significance.

"Master... this is the one," Nini’s voice shook with fervor. "This is a shard of a World Heart from the Void. It holds the pure essence of unshaped space. If I absorb this... I am certain I can reach the Chaos rank, though I will need additional treasures to complete the process."

Ethan reached out. As his hand drew near the stone, he felt the Space Cube within his soul vibrating with intensity.

"With this," Ethan realized, "I can finally disappear from their sight."

He seized the stone. The moment he grasped it, the entire pocket dimension let out a low groan. The dark stone began to liquefy into his palm, flowing directly toward the Space Cube.