Chapter 459 - 341: Crystal Flower, Hunting the Lord

Laboratory.

Ian gazed at the six neatly arranged Crystal Test Tubes. They contained the new Potion he had just refined.

The Potion was a nearly transparent pale gold, with countless fine, silver-white crystals suspended within.

The silver-white crystals slowly drifted through the liquid—colliding, shattering, and reorganizing...

"I’ll call you... the Purification Crystal Cluster Potion."

Ian’s fingertip gently brushed the outer wall of the Test Tube. It was warm to the touch.

This was the "targeted weapon" he had spent three days meticulously Refining.

The core concept was simple: if the Shadow Centipede’s Shadow Swamp was a distortion of the boundary between reality and shadow, then he would use the absolute Power of Order Purification to tear that distortion asunder.

But ordinary Purification Potions had limited efficacy. In the Shadow World, they would be continuously subjected to Erosion by Shadow Energy until they dissolved.

So, Ian added something more radical.

’A "seed" of Order Purification, plus some self-proliferating Energy as "flesh and blood".’

He had sealed a sliver of a Core Mark from the Power of Order Stars within the Potion.

It was like embedding a "core" within the Purification Power. Once the Potion detonated, the Core Mark would activate.

It would then frantically absorb the surrounding Shadow Energy, converting it into its own Power of Order Purification.

Like a cancer cell, it would multiply and expand indefinitely, ultimately... forming a continuously spreading field of "Purification Crystal Flowers."

"Gaga, are you ready?" Ian asked, looking at the little fellow on his shoulder.

Gaga nodded emphatically, its Dark Silver pupils shining with excitement.

"I’ve been waiting forever! This time, we’ll definitely get our revenge!"

"Then let’s move out."

「In the Shadow World, beneath a gray and hazy sky.」

Ian stood at the edge of a warped, black swamp, and the rich scent of decay mixed with nectar washed over him.

Under his feet was a viscous black mire, its surface constantly bubbling.

’The swamps of the Shadow World...’

His Perception spread out, sweeping through the depths of the swamp like an invisible net.

Soon, he located his target for this trip.

In the center of the swamp, about five thousand meters away, grew a patch of peculiar "plants."

They resembled orchids, with long, thin roots and stems, translucent leaves, and hearts that shimmered with a faint, ghostly blue light.

’Ghost Orchids... and more than one.’ Ian’s eyes lit up.

Three were ordinary Ghost Orchids, and one... seemed to have mutated.

The mutated flower was larger and darker in color, and the ghostly blue light within its heart was more than three times as concentrated.

’This must be a Shadow Soul Orchid.’ Ian took a deep breath.

’The main ingredient for the Tier Three Neutralizing Potion is now secured.’

He wasted no time. His Order Divine Body unfurled.

The surrounding space warped abruptly as silver light erupted from within Ian.

This time, he didn’t compress its size; the hundred-zhang divine body expanded to its full glory!

It was like a great silver mountain standing tall over the gloomy swamp.

Deep within his pupils, three rings of Star Orbits spun faster and faster. The oppressive might of three Rules was unleashed without reservation!

"Go!" Ian barked, and the divine body shot forward!

The hundred-zhang form streaked across the sky above the swamp, kicking up a furious gale.

The black mire below was churned by the gale, sending monstrous waves of mud surging into the air.

Within the waves of mud, countless Shadow Creatures were jolted awake.

Twisted vines erupted from the depths of the mire, their surfaces covered in fine barbs. Their tips split open, revealing sucker-like maws.

Black, jellyfish-like creatures drifted in from mid-air, their Tentacles dangling, the tips glinting with a dangerous violet light.

There were also countless tiny, gnat-like insects, as dense as a black cloud, that came swarming and shrieking toward the divine body.

’Courting death.’

Ian’s eyes turned to ice. He activated the Gravity Rule at full power!

An invisible Force Field expanded from him, and the movements of the attacking Shadow Creatures abruptly froze.

The next second, the Gravity collapsed inward!

BOOM!

All Shadow Creatures within a thousand-meter radius were crushed inward at once!

Vines snapped, jellyfish burst, and insects were pulverized into dust, as if an invisible giant hand had crushed them all.

The black Energy residue scattered, only to be forcibly gathered by the Gravity Field.

It condensed into clusters of fist-sized, dark violet crystals.

Ian made a grasping motion with his left hand, and his Gravity pulled the Crystals toward him like a shower of rain. He collected them all in his Dimension Ring.

The entire process took less than three seconds.

The swamp fell silent once more.

Only the roiling black waves below testified to the terror that had just occurred.

’Onward.’

Ian didn’t pause. The divine body continued its charge, covering the five-thousand-meter distance in the blink of an eye.

He stopped above the Ghost Orchids, his divine body shrinking to ten meters in height.

He reached out a hand, its fingertips glowing with a faint golden light.

The Purification Rule formed into the finest Energy tendrils, which seeped into the swamp and enveloped the roots of the four Ghost Orchids.

With a gentle tug, he pulled them all out, roots and soil included.

The instant the Ghost Orchids left the swamp, their petals began to tremble violently.

"Aaaah!"

The ghostly blue light deep within their hearts flashed wildly, as if they were screaming.

Ian was prepared. His Purification Energy formed a thin shield, completely sealing all four flowers.

This severed their connection with the outside world and prevented any of their Energy from escaping.

He carefully placed the Ghost Orchids into a specially made Jade Box before stowing it deep within his Dimension Ring.

"All set," Ian said, turning to Gaga.

"Next... we go find that centipede."

The little fellow nodded excitedly. "The nest is deep within the ore vein! I left a marker last time I scouted the area!"

"Let’s go."

「The Shadow Crystal Ore Vein, still the same scene of a twisted, black forest.」

Arriving here again, Ian didn’t immediately start mining. He had only one target: the Shadow Centipede.

Gaga led the way, its vibrating wings carving a faint black trail through the gray mist.

Ian followed, maintaining his divine body at a height of ten meters.

His Gravity Perception spread out like liquid mercury, scanning every corner in the depths of the ore vein.