Chapter 552 ·The Unusual Celestial Sparrow

Feeling ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Celestial Sparrow’s abnormality, Janna immediately cast Contract Witchcraft, preparing to summon the little bird over.

However, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just halfway through the incantation, Janna suddenly seemed to recall something. She halted her hand movements, closed her eyes, and sank her consciousness into her Sea of Spirit, quickly linking her awareness with 【Zoe Star】 on the Witch’s Tree.

“Sure ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍enough, it’s here.”

Looking ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍at a small mound inside 【Zoe Star】, where the Celestial Sparrow had curled itself tightly into a ball, Janna—having descended into 【Zoe Star】 in her spiritual body form—flew to its side to examine its condition.

“The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍body doesn’t seem to have any problems.”

Casting ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a Spiritual Detection Spell on the Celestial Sparrow, Janna found nothing wrong. Whether it was the magic flowing within its body or its soul, everything seemed almost identical to normal.

“Aph, can you hear me now?”

Since Spiritual Detection could not identify the root cause, Janna crouched beside the Celestial Sparrow and switched to mental communication, attempting to understand what was going on.

“Master.”

After several minutes of trying, the Celestial Sparrow’s slightly weary voice finally echoed in Janna’s mind.

“Aph, what’s wrong with you? Is there any discomfort?”

A few more minutes passed. Just when Janna thought the Celestial Sparrow would not reply again, its voice once more resounded in her mind.

“Aph feels so sleepy—my body feels all warm and cozy—it’s very comfortable—”

“Comfortable?”

Hearing that, Janna, who had been worried, gradually felt relieved.

Since the Celestial Sparrow was neither in pain nor weak, it meant its current state was not due to injury.

Still, as she looked at the unusually drowsy Celestial Sparrow, Janna frowned slightly, unable to find a reason.

“The body isn’t injured, the soul isn’t polluted, and the inner magic is plentiful… could it be…”

Recalling the reason the Celestial Sparrow had shown similar symptoms before, Janna narrowed her eyes slightly.

“I remember the last time Aph became drowsy was when I comprehended the 【Fragment of the Law of Purification】. Back then, because its soul was nourished by the returning power of Purification, it showed signs of evolution—but since the energy in its body couldn’t sustain the immense consumption required for evolution, it was forced into an emergency hibernation.”

Remembering this, Janna once again placed her hand on the Celestial Sparrow.

As emerald-green magic gathered at her fingertips, dozens of hair-thin strands of magic power extended from her fingers and entered the Celestial Sparrow’s body to investigate its condition.

“Failed, huh—”

The moment Janna’s magic threads entered, they were instantly purified by a pure power of Purification, leaving even her palm slightly scorched.

“Then this time, I’ll use Purification Power instead—”

Since her own magic failed, Janna immediately changed her approach, condensing the Purification Power within the 【Fragment of the Law of Purification】 into strands of energy and sending them into the Celestial Sparrow’s body.

As expected, once she replaced her magic with Purification Power, she no longer faced rejection from the sacred Purification Force within the Celestial Sparrow. Her threads smoothly entered its body.

However, to Janna’s disappointment, no matter how she searched, she couldn’t find anything unusual. In the end, she had no choice but to withdraw her threads—empty-handed.

“In that case, I’ll observe for a while longer. If Aph’s condition truly worsens, I’ll take her for treatment—and if that fails, I can always ask Lord Lucifer for assistance.”

Having made up her mind, Janna set up a Soundproof Barrier around the Celestial Sparrow to prevent any disturbance.

“So this is where Aph planted that cactus.”

Looking at the small green cactus growing energetically on the mound not far from the Celestial Sparrow, Janna couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“This cactus has been well cared for by Aph. Even without the infusion of the 【Origin of Growth】, it’s still thriving—quite rare—hmm?”

Just as she sighed at the Celestial Sparrow’s “cultivation ability,” a faint, nearly imperceptible power surrounding the cactus was caught by Janna’s senses in an instant.

“The Purification Force around this cactus isn’t something Aph deliberately released—it’s more like a manifestation of law itself.”

With that realization, Janna immediately left the mound and flew toward the sapling at the center of the Purified Land.

“There too… the trees around here also contain traces of Purification Force.”

Based on her long experience cultivating 【Zoe Star】, when neither she nor the Celestial Sparrow actively used the Purification Power, the spread of pollution usually exceeded their cleansing speed.

Especially on land that hadn’t yet developed Autonomous Will, the Purified Land was often reconsumed by pollution. Without the Celestial Sparrow’s constant watch, the trees Janna planted within 【Zoe Star】 would have long been corrupted.

Of course, the ocean inside 【Zoe Star】, which had already developed Autonomous Consciousness, no longer suffered from the frequent pollution fluctuations of the past.

Although the frequency had greatly decreased, it didn’t mean the problem was fully resolved.

Splash—!

Hearing the distant roar of surging waves, Janna, now filled with faint suspicion, immediately exited her spiritual body state and projected her consciousness into 【Zoe Star】’s 【Law Consciousness Cluster】.

“Just as I thought!”

Within the cluster, Janna spotted a law symbol resembling a small bird. Her eyes lit up with excitement.

Although this symbol representing the Will of Purification had not yet fully formed, the Origin of Purification it contained was already enough to halt further pollution within 【Zoe Star】.

Once the Will of Purification was completely formed, Janna believed that all pollution within 【Zoe Star】 would be eradicated entirely—meaning it would soon shed its identity as a “Fallen Star.”

“No wonder Aph showed signs of evolution—this is entirely thanks to the birth of the 【Will of Purification】—”

RelatedRelatedRelated