Chapter 139: A Risky Test

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: A Risky Test

Damon turned toward the Zone Heart.

The massive frozen tree continued its slow pulse.

His Spirits were also watching from within his Spirit Origin.

Freya.

Sylphie.

Shiro.

All of them had felt the corrupted Aether.

And they didn’t like it.

Freya was especially restless.

Damon could feel her concern through their connection.

"I know."

He closed his eyes.

"I’m going to be careful."

That wasn’t enough, as their worry only increased.

Damon sighed.

"You guys aren’t going to make this easy, are you?"

He released them from the second core one after another.

Freya appeared first.

Then Sylphie.

Shiro followed.

All three immediately surrounded him.

Even Snow moved closer to Caelia, watching Damon carefully.

Damon crouched.

"I’m not planning to get myself killed."

Freya stared at him.

"I’m just trying something."

She still didn’t move.

Sylphie was just as stubborn.

Shiro lowered his head.

Damon sighed.

"Alright, alright."

He reached out and gently caressed Freya’s head.

"I’m fine."

Then Sylphie.

"You too."

Finally, he rubbed Shiro’s head.

"You’ll get your chance to help later."

Shiro still looked worried.

Damon smiled.

"Trust me."

The three Spirits finally backed away.

They didn’t look happy about it.

But they trusted him.

Damon stood again.

He looked toward the Zone Heart.

"Now."

He had one more problem.

He needed the Heart to send the corrupted Aether toward him.

That was easier said than done.

Damon focused on entirely on it now.

He didn’t know if the Heart could understand him.

But he tried anyway.

Send it to me.

The Heart pulsed.

Damon waited.

Nothing happened.

He frowned.

"Come on."

Another pulse.

Still nothing.

Damon sighed.

"You’re scared too?"

The Heart remained silent.

Damon couldn’t help but smile.

Even the Zone Heart seemed reluctant to put him in danger.

"Just a small amount."

He focused again.

"I’ll refine it and give it back to you."

Another pulse passed through the cavern.

This time, the Heart responded.

Damon’s expression became serious.

"Good."

The damaged channel brightened.

The corrupted Aether began moving.

Caelia immediately noticed.

"Damon."

"I’m ready."

The first wave entered the channel.

Then it broke away from the flow as it moved toward him.

Damon’s heart beat faster.

The corrupted Aether reached him.

And he absorbed it.

Pain immediately spread through his Aether Veins.

Damon’s expression tightened.

It felt completely different from normal Ice Elemental Aether.

The energy was chaotic.

Cold.

Heavy.

And there was something wrong about it.

It didn’t want to stay under his control.

Damon immediately moved it through his Aether Veins.

His Lord Rank foundation helped.

The Aether Veins he had developed after his breakthrough were far stronger than before.

Without them, this first wave alone might have caused serious damage.

Damon gritted his teeth.

"Not bad."

Caelia’s face changed.

"Not bad?"

Damon forced a smile.

"Could be worse."

Caelia looked like she wanted to hit him.

But she didn’t interrupt.

Damon couldn’t afford to lose focus.

The corrupted Aether was moving too quickly.

He couldn’t leave it inside his body.

He guided it toward his Spirit Origin, and the moment it entered, the entire Spirit Origin reacted.

It began rotating.

Faster.

Much faster than normal.

Damon’s eyes widened.

"Whoa."

The Spirit Origin immediately began breaking down the corrupted Aether.

The impurities separated.

The unstable energy was slowly stripped away.

But it wasn’t easy.

The process was slower than Damon expected.

The corruption resisted.

It tried to remain mixed with the Ice Aether.

Damon continued guiding it.

His forehead became covered in sweat.

Caelia watched nervously.

She couldn’t tell exactly what was happening inside him.

Neither could the Spirits.

They could only watch his expression.

As they noticed Damon’s breathing became heavier.

Shiro took a step forward but Caelia stopped him gently.

"Wait."

Shiro looked at Damon again.

Then he stopped.

A few more seconds passed.

Then Damon suddenly smiled, making the Spirits relax slightly.

Caelia released the breath she had been holding.

Damon opened his eyes.

"It works."

Caelia stared at him.

"You’re sure?"

Damon nodded.

"It’s slow."

He looked toward the Spirit Origin.

"But it works."

Caelia wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"You scared me."

Damon smiled.

"You’re getting used to it."

"No, I’m not."

He laughed.

Then his expression became serious again.

He had successfully refined the first batch.

The corrupted Aether was gone.

Only pure Ice Elemental essence remained.

Damon immediately guided it out of his Spirit Origin.

He didn’t keep it inside his body.

Instead, he sent it toward the Zone Heart.

The Heart reacted instantly.

The pure essence was absorbed almost greedily.

Its pulse became stronger.

Boom.

A wave of Ice Elemental essence spread through the channels.

The damaged channel became slightly clearer.

The corrupted Aether was pushed back.

Damon watched carefully.

It worked.

Again.

But this time, they had done something different.

They hadn’t simply used resources to create pure essence.

They had taken the corruption itself and turned it into something useful.

Damon slowly smiled.

"That’s better."

Caelia stared at the channel.

Then at Damon.

"You actually did it."

Damon shrugged.

"Told you I’d try."

"You also said you’d stop if it was too much."

"I remember."

Caelia narrowed her eyes.

"You better."

Damon smiled.

"Relax."

Before she could answer, the Zone Heart pulsed again.

The damaged channel brightened.

Then another wave of corrupted Aether broke away from it.

It moved toward Damon.

His smile disappeared.

He took a breath.

The next wave was already coming.

Caelia’s expression tightened.

"Damon..."

He looked at her.

Then at the approaching corrupted Aether.

His eyes slowly sharpened.

"Let’s see if I can do it again."

The second wave entered his body.

Damon continued with the next wave of corrupted Aether.

It didn’t become easier on the second try.

The corrupted Aether still felt wrong as it entered his body, and controlling it still required his full attention. But this time, Damon was more confident.

He knew what to expect.

Caelia and the spirits were also able to relax a little more. They still watched him closely, though. None of them were willing to treat something this dangerous as safe yet.

Damon guided the corrupted Aether toward his Spirit Origin.

The moment it entered, the Spirit Origin began rotating.

Faster than before.