In the meantime, with the Serkar elders, Gulistan, Chimera, and Cat-Else by his side, Konrad stepped into the Infernal Cult's Merit Hall and walked toward the Stele that not only recorded Merit Reserves but enabled the exchange of merits for boons.

　　 Following their sacrifice of one billion barbarian souls, the Serkars indeed used their overflowing Merit Reserves to exchange ma.s.sive boons and resources, thereby filling their coffers to the brim. However, that was not the method they used to obtain Ashara's Seals. Through Berken's memories, Konrad realized that the thirteen seals were the result of a pact, and not a direct Merit Exchange.

　　 Berken used some Merit to obtain the right to discuss with Ashara, then traded the Ancestral Records of house Serkar to obtain the thirteen seals. As for why Ashara wanted those records, though Berken himself couldn't say it with certainty, Konrad had already formed some hypotheses.

　　 House Serkar's Ancestral Records didn't merely contain history. They also doc.u.mented ancient cultivation methods, inheritances experiences, and processes. Although much of it was incomplete, it still allowed Gulistan to achieve Wielding in Light and Darkness.

　　 Clearly, it wasn't just that ability Ashara sought. Rather, his true interest lay in the Law of War. Although Infinite Blood Burning allowed him to stand above his peers, Ashara could never accept his inferiority on cultivation. Of the four, he struggled the most to Wield Higher Laws. This was the unfortunate result of becoming the Embodiment of a Base Law.

　　 Regardless of his paramount talent, Higher Law principles appeared in a foggy state he couldn't decipher. And for the sake of breaking through that fog, Ashara collected the ancient records of ancestral houses to corroborate the experience of ancient experts. With time, he realized that even if he could break through his limits, he could only do it in a scant few.

　　 Naturally, War, the most destructive of Higher Laws, was his primary choice.

　　 As the only Primogen skilled in Infinite Blood Burning, Ashara possessed vast ambitions. As long as he could take his base strength to the next level, then perhaps, the time would come when he could unify the Infernal Realm and reign supreme. Or so he hoped.

　　 It was due to that hope that Konrad had full confidence in his move.

　　 "Channel the merit reserves and establish a connection with Ashara."

　　 Konrad ordered a Serkar elder who immediately executed the task.

　　 Blood-red light erupted from the Merit Stele and coalesced into the figure a handsome middle-aged man, whose illusory blood fog shaped features made his true attribute impossible to identify.