Chapter 517 - 363: Hope (2)

Ian closed the book in his mind and looked around.

Everyone in the rock cavern looked at him, their eyes filled with awe, unease, and anticipation.

"We can make a deal," Ian said, looking at the chieftain.

He could offer some help. First, the Purification of this settlement, covering all Mutant Beasts within a five-hundred-kilometer radius, as well as the soil, water, and air.

He could also set up a self-sustaining Purification Barrier around the settlement’s perimeter that would last for at least ten years.

Finally, he would heal all the infants, ensuring they no longer carried any congenital corruption.

In exchange, the settlement needed to provide three things.

One: all preserved books from the Starlight Empire, Metal plates, and any items with written information.

Two: the locations of all known Star Realm Refined Gold veins, as well as all existing raw ore of the Refined Gold.

Three: intelligence on the deeper regions of this world, especially information about other large survivor strongholds, dangerous forbidden zones, and points of abnormal Energy fluctuation.

After listening, the old chieftain’s fingers clenched the hem of his clothes, his voice dry. "We... we don’t have much Refined Gold."

"Our ancestors only left behind three fist-sized pieces of raw ore. They’ve always been buried in the deepest vault. We are willing to give them to you, my lord."

"As for other strongholds..." The old man hesitated.

"It is said that about three thousand miles to the west, there is a large underground settlement called Deep Rock City. They say it still has some Workshops from the Empire era, with a population of tens of thousands."

"But the journey is dangerous. There are wandering herds of Mutant Beasts on the surface, and mutated cave-dwelling monsters in the underground tunnels. We haven’t been there in decades."

’Putting everything else aside,’ Ian thought with a hint of pleasure, ’the Refined Gold scattered throughout this world alone makes it worth all my effort.’

He immediately extended his Perception three thousand miles out. The surface showed no signs of anything unusual, with only a few Level Three Mutant Beasts nearby.

He continued downward to a depth of a thousand meters, but still found no human settlement.

’Forget it, I’ll go there myself. Its presence might be concealed by some means.’

But before he left, he would first purify this place.

He raised his right hand, and a pale golden light blossomed from his palm, transforming into countless fine threads of light.

The threads of light drilled into the rock walls, the ground, and the air, continuously extending and spreading...

The old chieftain’s eyes widened as he watched the cracks in the rock walls, which had seeped a dark green slime for years, now being filled with golden light.

A sizzling, corrosive sound echoed as the dark green slime evaporated into black smoke, which was then completely purified by the golden light.

The mycelia, which had once carried corrupting spores, now shed their dark purple hue, returning to a pure, milky white.

The air was changing. The stench of decay that had lingered for years was being replaced by a fresh scent, one that pulsed with ripples of Energy.

Someone couldn’t help but take a deep breath, only to start coughing violently.

It was too clean! Their lungs, accustomed to the filth, were now struggling to adapt.

Ah Ya walked to the edge of the rock wall and reached out to touch it. The surface, once slick and damp, was now dry and warm.

She looked up at the ceiling. The "darkness" in the cavern was dispelled, and the glowing moss seemed a bit brighter.

The intangible, oppressive gloom of filth that had hung in the air for hundreds of years was vanishing under the glow of the golden light.

As they gazed up at him as if he were a Divine Spirit, Ian swiped his left hand through the air.

Where his fingertips passed, pale golden trails of Runes were left in the air.

The old chieftain felt dizzy after just a single glance at the complex Runes, but he still refused to close his eyes.

They were too beautiful, like the trajectories of orbiting stars, stirring memories deep within his mind.

"They’re as beautiful as the stars described in the books!"

The golden Runes coalesced at the cavern entrance, forming a translucent, golden Light Curtain. Tiny points of starlight flowed across its surface, like a miniature galaxy.

"This Barrier will continuously purify the air and water that flows in," Ian said, retracting his hand and looking at the old chieftain.

"It can also withstand attacks from most Mutant Beasts. Now, you can give me the Star Realm Refined Gold and all the books."

"My lord is merciful..."

The old chieftain looked at the golden Barrier before him and could no longer hold back his tears. With a THUD, he fell to his knees.

Ian didn’t stop him this time. He understood the man’s feelings well.

The old chieftain led Ian to their "vault," which was just a sealed room simply welded together from Metal plates.

The old chieftain used three rusted keys to open three locks.

The space inside was not large. In the center, on a stone pedestal, sat three fist-sized chunks of Metal—the Star Realm Refined Gold.

Even in the dim light, they radiated a restrained, deep blue luster.

Their surfaces were dotted with natural points of starlight, as if an entire night sky had been sealed within the Metal.

Ian reached out and made a grasping motion. The three pieces of Refined Gold levitated into the air and landed in his palm, cool to the touch.

His Spiritual Power probed into them, sensing the vast Star Realm Energy they contained.

’They’re quite a bit larger than the last one, but for a massive Wizard Tower, it’s still just a drop in the bucket.’

In two iron chests nearby, one held a dozen or so paper books, while the other contained over thirty inscribed Metal plates.

Ian’s Spiritual Power swept over them, and all the information was stored in his Sea of Spirit.

The old man pulled an animal-hide map from his robes. "This is the precise location of Deep Rock City."

On it, crude terrain was sketched in charcoal, marking a few scattered settlements, dangerous areas, and "Deep Rock City" to the west.

"Follow the main underground thoroughfare west... but some of the tunnels along the way collapsed hundreds of years ago. You’ll have to go to the surface to get around them."

The old chieftain’s finger slid across the map. "This collapsed region is filled with flying Mutants."

"And here..." His finger stopped on an area marked with a skull.

"They say the wreckage of a Floating City that fell long ago is buried here. Its automated defense systems are still active. Get too close, and you’ll be attacked by residual Starlight Energy."

Ian committed all the information to memory. "After I leave, don’t venture outside carelessly. You should be safe for a long time."

With that, he turned and walked toward the cavern exit, and all three hundred-plus people followed him out.

They stood at the entrance of their purified settlement, watching Ian’s departing figure.

Ah Ya suddenly ran forward a few steps. "My lord, will... will you come back?"

Ian stopped. "If you gather more Refined Gold, I will return for it."

"Also, from now on, you can try to resume your Cultivation of Starlight Power."

The old chieftain trembled. "But... but the surface..."

"The air within the Barrier has been purified," Ian said, looking up at the cavern’s ceiling.

"The Starlight can penetrate the rock strata. It’s weak, but it’s enough for a Beginner to get started."

He gave them one last look. "Whether you continue to merely survive or seize this chance to rise again—the choice is yours."

As his voice faded, Ian’s figure dissipated on the spot like mist.

All that remained was the pale golden Light Curtain Barrier, shimmering quietly at the entrance like a spark rekindled in the darkness.

On the surface, Ian stood on a mountain peak. Gaga spread his wings, transforming into a Shadow Night Kite with a hundred-meter wingspan.

He opened his palm, and four pieces of Star Realm Refined Gold levitated and spun above it.

’This world... is far more valuable than I imagined.’

’It’s not just the materials. The Starlight Empire’s Space Technology, Energy Compression Skill, Spiritual Creation System... every single one can make up for the shortcomings in building my Wizard Tower.’

’Especially the Floating City technology. If I could merge it with the Wizard Tower...’

A calculating glint flashed in Ian’s eyes.

In his Sea of Spirit, the blueprint for a brand new High Tier Wizard Tower, one that fused both systems, was slowly taking shape.

He leaped onto Gaga’s back. "First, to Deep Rock City."

Gaga’s Shadow Domain unfolded. With a beat of its wings, it transformed into a black shadow and shot into the sky, streaking rapidly westward.

The purple sun still hung in the dark red sky. Below, the Earth was covered in a constantly squirming carpet of corruption, and the low roar of a distant mountain of mutated flesh could be heard.

In the underground settlement, the old chieftain, trembling, opened the most ancient Starlight Meditation manual.

He followed the diagrams in the book, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes.

He tried to sense the starlight that had been forgotten for a thousand years.

Suddenly, from the cavern’s ceiling, a faint, pure ray of Starlight pierced through the thick layers of rock and fell upon his wrinkled face...