The Sacred Coffer.
A treasure and tribute specially offered by the rulers of the Obscure Eye to the Primal Rift.
Within the voidlike darkness was an abundance of calamity and essence extracted from Solidified Souls.
Unlike the pure Supreme Essence of the Present Realm, it was an impure product enriched with the essence of the Abyss, countless aberrant lifeforms, and Solidified Souls. It was also crystallized from fragments of souls filled with resentment and madness.
To sustain the horrific consumption required for extraction, the Obscure Eye had not hesitated to unleash endless slaughter and plunder in Hell.
Only such intense stimulation could preserve the Primal Rift's dim consciousness and keep it from falling into an even deeper dream of assimilation.
Simply put, it was an oxygen tank in the ICU.
And the hard-earned money painstakingly scraped together by dutiful children and grandchildren had suddenly been robbed at knifepoint on its way to the hospital by someone disguised as the neighboring hospital.
Then, just as the victim was about to lose his mind with panic, it had been tossed into his own home!
The instant he recognized its nature, the Eye of Decay's heart sank. Instinctively, he reinforced the seals of the surrounding ritual, then cautiously peered outside several times, searching for any sign of anomaly.
Only after a long while did he come back to himself and look at the smiling Huai Shi before him.
"You're threatening me!?"
Decay demanded furiously.
Huai Shi, holding the Utopia insignia in his hand, asked in confusion, "Do you think I'd threaten someone this way if I wanted to threaten them?"
"..."
Those words were so brazenly self-righteous, yet somehow made a bit of sense, that Decay froze where he stood.
"Don't worry. Even if you disagree, we can part on good terms. Keep