Chapter 530 - 369: Divine Field-Clearing Skill: 15,000-Kilometer Domain Crush

Everything unfolded in crystal clarity, as if in slow motion.

This was the wondrous effect of combining his other Rules with the Time Rule, now at 100% mastery.

It wasn’t simple precognition, but the ability to grasp "probability."

But the Shadow Demon was no ordinary Mutant Beast. Its figure vanished in a flash.

Instead of attempting another Space Jump, it pushed its speed to the absolute limit, becoming a blur invisible to the naked eye.

Its sharp, shadowy claws tore through the air, imbued with the power to slice through space itself as they stabbed toward the center of Ian’s back.

Had the attack landed, it could have silently cleaved a mountain in half.

Yet Ian merely reached back casually. "Got you."

His fingers closed with perfect precision around the Shadow Demon’s wrist!

"What?!" The Shadow Demon’s crimson eyes widened to their absolute limit.

’It couldn’t comprehend how its sneak attack, launched at more than ten times the speed of sound, could have been caught so easily.’

Ian’s right hand, still gripping the Shadow Demon’s wrist, tightened as scorching heat erupted from his palm.

It was a pure manifestation of the Thermal Energy Rule.

The Shadow Demon’s arm, composed of shadows and spatial fragments, instantly glowed crimson and began to melt.

"Aaargh!"

It let out a piercing shriek and struggled frantically, but its wrist was held as if welded in a vice.

Ian raised his left hand, cupping it in front of his chest.

A speck of pure white light ignited, instantly expanding into a Miniature Sun one meter in diameter.

Eternal Fierce Sun!

Ian gently pressed the Miniature Sun into its chest.

"NO!!!" The Shadow Demon’s shriek was cut short.

Blazing white light erupted from within the Shadow Demon, igniting and purifying it completely from the inside out.

Three breaths later, the light faded, leaving behind only a single, shimmering, pale-silver gemstone.

Inside the gemstone, a constantly twinkling starry sky seemed to be sealed.

[Acquired: Purified Level Four Soul Gem (Space/Speed Attribute)]

Ian stored the gemstone and turned his gaze southwest, where a massive number of life signals were converging.

’Second stop... the Dark-winged Dragon Bat.’ His figure vanished once more.

To the southwest, in a basin shrouded by dark purple spore clouds, tens of thousands of flying Mutant Beasts circled in the air.

They came in all shapes and sizes; some resembled rotting giant eagles, while others looked like worms with fleshy wings.

But without exception, all of their crimson eyes were fixed on the center of the basin.

A colossal dragon bat with a wingspan over a kilometer wide hovered in midair. Its body was covered in jet-black Scale Armor, and the edges of its bony wings were as sharp as blades.

Its head was a hybrid of a Giant Dragon and a bat, and corrosive venom dripped from its maw.

Dark-winged Dragon Bat, Level Four Middle Stage.

It possessed considerable intelligence, even capable of commanding its flock of subordinate beasts in coordinated hunts.

But right now, its crimson, slitted pupils were filled with unease and rage. The oppressive aura that blanketed the world made it feel intensely threatened.

It had summoned all its minions, preparing for a fight.

The moment Ian’s figure appeared on a peak at the basin’s edge, the Dragon Bat let out a piercing screech.

"ROOOAR!!!"

As if on command, all the flying Mutant Beasts wheeled around in unison.

Blanketing the sky, they swarmed toward Ian like a black tide. There were more than five thousand of them, including many at the peak of Level Three.

This was a true beast-tide tactic.

"A pointless struggle."

Ian remained expressionless as he gently spread his hands to his sides.

Gravity Tide!

Invisible ripples of Gravity spread out from him, and wherever they passed, space began to twist and fold.

A chorus of sickening sounds filled the air—the CRACK of snapping wing bones and the wet THUD of bursting flesh from the Mutant Beasts charging at him.

Then, Ian brought his hands together before thrusting them sharply upward.

"Purification Nova."

A pale gold halo erupted from his position!

The golden ripple expanded with incredible speed. Wherever the halo swept, the Mutant Beasts caught in the Gravity Tide—regardless of their Level—were instantly vaporized by the golden light, leaving not even Ashes behind.

With just two minor techniques, more than five thousand flying Mutant Beasts were utterly annihilated.

The sky above the basin was swept clean, leaving only the solitary Dark-winged Dragon Bat.

Utter terror filled its crimson, slitted pupils.

"It’s your turn." Ian’s figure blurred.

Using the Time Rule for Acceleration and the Gravity Rule to warp space, he appeared directly one hundred meters above the Dragon Bat’s head.

Utterly horrified, the Dragon Bat opened its maw and spewed a torrent of dark purple corrosive fluid.

Simultaneously, it unleashed a piercing Spiritual Shock, attempting to disrupt Ian’s consciousness.

A faint golden glow of Purification manifested on Ian’s body, interwoven with heavy, ochre-colored patterns.

The corrosive torrent slammed against the Light Curtain, making a HISSING sound, but failed to penetrate it in the slightest.

The Spiritual Shock vanished into him without a trace, creating not the slightest ripple.

Ian clenched his right fist. The Thermal Energy Rule coalesced, and a Long Spear made of pure crimson light formed in his palm.

"Break."

He drew his arm back and hurled it forward!

The Crimson Spear became a streak of light, effortlessly tearing through the Dark Shield the Dragon Bat had erected and plunging precisely into its chest.

"ROOOAR!!!" The Dragon Bat let out a final, desperate roar as its massive body began to convulse violently.

No blood flowed from the wound, only blazing white light bursting from within.

Giving it no chance to recover, Ian once again cupped his hands before his chest.

The Eternal Fierce Sun manifested for a second time.

The Miniature Sun descended, completely Devouring the Dragon Bat.

When the light faded, a dark cyan Soul Gemstone hovered in midair.

[Acquired: Purified Level Four Soul Gem (Dark/Wind Attribute)]

"Not bad. This one is perfect for Gaga. I’ll save it for now."

After those two warm-up battles, he now had a clear gauge of his own power.

He could virtually crush any Morning Star Level opponent who relied on only one, or even two or three, Rules.