The Beginning Of An Army

Chapter 180 — The Beginning of an Army

A low rumble echoed through the mountains, followed by a faint distortion in the surrounding space. Aether stopped walking and turned toward the northeastern mountain range. The disturbance was subtle, but the spatial energy fluctuating in that direction was unusual enough to catch his attention.

Beside him, the Ancient Origin Earth Dragon narrowed its golden eyes. Although its reconstructed body was still far from its former peak, its knowledge and perception remained those of an ancient powerhouse.

"Spatial energy," the dragon observed. "Something nearby is interfering with the surrounding space. It could be a natural phenomenon, an ancient formation, or a creature that has developed an affinity for spatial principles."

Aether considered the possibilities before raising his hand. Dark Origin Energy spread across the ground, and several shadows emerged from his shadow. Rather than keeping all of them beside him, he assigned them different directions to investigate. Each shadow moved independently, searching the surrounding territory for unusual energy fluctuations, valuable resources, and potential prey.

"Don't engage anything beyond your capabilities," Aether instructed. "Report anything unusual."

The shadows acknowledged his command and disappeared into the forest. Grimhorn remained beside him, its imposing figure following silently as Aether continued toward a nearby rocky slope.

The dragon suddenly stopped and examined the mountainside. "Young Master, there is something beneath those rocks."

Aether looked in the indicated direction. At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary section of the mountain, but his perception soon detected a faint formation fluctuation concealed beneath the surface. He approached and placed his palm against the stone. After carefully examining the energy circulation, he released a controlled stream of Origin Energy.

The rocks trembled before gradually separating, revealing a narrow passage leading into a small underground cavity. Inside, several dark-golden mineral deposits were embedded within the walls, their surfaces carrying dense Origin Energy.

The dragon inspected them and nodded. "Ancient Origin Minerals. Their quality is considerably higher than the ordinary deposits found in this territory. The formation concealed them from external perception, although its structure has weakened considerably over time."

"Can they be used for cultivation?"

"Certainly. They can also serve as materials for refining weapons and reinforcing certain formations. However, their greatest value lies in their purity."

Aether collected the minerals without wasting time. The discovery was already worthwhile, and the dragon's ability to recognize ancient resources would undoubtedly save him considerable effort during future explorations.

Before they could continue, a notification appeared in Aether's private System interface.

[Detection Report]

[One registered shadow has encountered an unidentified powerful lifeform in the northeastern mountain region.]

[Spatial energy fluctuations detected in the surrounding area.]

[Recommended Action: Investigate.]

Aether glanced toward the mountains. "Looks like we have found something more interesting."

The dragon followed his gaze. "Then we should take a look. If the creature is responsible for the spatial fluctuations, it may possess an unusual bloodline characteristic."

They moved toward the reported location, with Grimhorn taking the lead. As they approached, the surrounding trees began to bend slightly despite the absence of wind. Small distortions appeared between the rocks, making distant objects seem to shift momentarily.

Eventually, they reached a rocky clearing where a large beast stood beside a fractured stone formation. Its body resembled a heavily armored quadruped, covered in dark grey scales with pale markings running along its limbs and back. The markings occasionally glowed, causing the space around its body to ripple.

[System Analysis]

[Target: Riftstone Origin Beast]

[Major Realm: Origin Core Realm]

[Characteristics: Spatial Affinity, Spatial Distortion]

[Assessment: The creature possesses an unusual ability to distort nearby space over short distances. Its movements may appear instantaneous, but the ability is restricted by its energy reserves and the condition of its spatial markings.]

Aether studied the beast carefully. The dragon, however, appeared more interested in the markings.

"I have encountered creatures resembling this species in the past," it said. "But those markings are unusual. They appear to have been influenced by something nearby, possibly an ancient spatial structure. Its natural spatial affinity may have developed considerably under those conditions."

Before Aether could ask another question, the beast suddenly disappeared.

"Young Master!"

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The warning came just as the creature reappeared beside Aether. Its armored body slammed into him, sending him skidding across the rocky ground. He managed to stabilize himself before suffering a serious injury, but the attack had been powerful enough to make him reconsider the creature's threat.

Grimhorn immediately charged, forcing the beast to redirect its attention. However, the Riftstone Origin Beast distorted the space around its body again, slipping away from the shadow's attack and reappearing several meters away.

Aether did not rush forward. Instead, he observed the creature's movements, remembering the brief glow that had appeared across its markings before each displacement.

"The markings," the dragon said. "Watch the flow of energy through them. The creature gathers spatial energy there before distorting its surroundings. If you disrupt that circulation, its movement should become unstable."

Aether's expression changed slightly as he understood the implication. Rather than chasing the beast, he began watching its energy circulation. When the markings started glowing again, he immediately launched a concentrated Origin Energy attack toward the brightest section along its side.

The attack struck just as the creature attempted to disappear. Its spatial distortion faltered, leaving its body exposed for a brief moment.

Grimhorn seized the opportunity and attacked from the opposite direction. The beast twisted violently, attempting to escape, but its unstable spatial ability prevented it from moving as intended. Aether followed with another concentrated strike, targeting the same damaged markings.

This time, the creature could not recover its spatial distortion in time. Grimhorn's next attack brought it crashing against the rocky ground, and Aether finished the battle with a decisive strike.

The clearing gradually returned to silence.

The dragon glanced at Aether. "You adapted quickly. Rather than competing against its spatial ability, you identified the condition required to use it and disrupted that condition."

"Chasing it would have been a waste of energy," Aether replied. "I would rather make my opponent's strongest ability useless than try to overpower it directly."

Aether approached the defeated beast. Its spatial characteristics were particularly valuable, and he had no intention of wasting the opportunity. He extended his hand and invoked his Shadow Authority.

"ARISE."

Dark Origin Energy spread across the creature's remains before gathering into a new shadow. Its form gradually stabilized, preserving the general appearance and characteristics of the original Riftstone Origin Beast.

[Shadow Extraction Successful.]

[New Shadow Imprint Registered.]

[Total Registered Shadow Imprints: 10]

[Preserved Characteristics: Spatial Distortion, Spatial Affinity.]

Aether examined the new shadow briefly before turning his attention inward. His Infinite Origin Physique had already begun responding to the spatial characteristics he had encountered. The familiar process of copying and integrating a compatible trait had started automatically, entirely separate from the shadow extraction.

[Physique Characteristic Detected: Spatial Affinity.]

[Copying Successful.]

[Integration Initiated.]

[Integration will progress automatically. Dedicated cultivation may accelerate the process.]

Aether nodded slightly. Spatial Affinity would be useful in many situations, particularly if he eventually developed a deeper understanding of spatial principles.

The dragon watched the new shadow with interest. "An unusual creature. I suspect its spatial characteristics developed because of something nearby. We should investigate the surrounding area before leaving."

Aether agreed. The earlier fluctuations had not disappeared, and the creature's unusual markings suggested a connection to something beyond its natural development.

They continued deeper into the mountain region until the surrounding spatial energy became noticeably denser. Eventually, a massive stone structure appeared between two mountain cliffs. Much of it was buried beneath the earth, while the exposed surface was covered in ancient symbols and intricate formation patterns.

Aether stopped several meters away. Even without touching it, he could feel the unusual spatial energy circulating through the structure.

The System immediately began analyzing it.

[Detection Report]

[Spatial Energy Density: Extremely High.]

[Formation Structure: Ancient.]

[Analysis: Incomplete.]

[Additional Observation: The structure contains an unidentified spatial mechanism. Its original purpose and internal conditions cannot currently be determined.]

The dragon moved closer, examining the symbols. Its expression gradually became serious.

"I recognize this formation language," it said after a moment. "I encountered something similar in an ancient spatial sanctuary many ages ago. However, I cannot determine whether this structure serves the same purpose."

"Was it used to conceal treasures?"

"Perhaps, but I would not assume that. The formations I remember were not designed merely to hide ordinary treasures. Some were connected to spatial pathways, sealed regions, or places that existed beyond conventional geographical boundaries."

Aether examined the structure more carefully. "Do you know what is inside?"

"No. Recognizing the formation language does not mean I understand this particular structure. Countless ages have passed since I last encountered it. Its original purpose, condition, and contents remain unknown."

Aether appreciated the distinction. Ancient knowledge was valuable, but pretending to understand something simply because it resembled an old formation would be foolish.

He approached cautiously and extended his hand toward one of the symbols. The moment his fingers touched the stone, a faint golden light spread across the formation.

The surrounding spatial energy began to gather.

Aether immediately withdrew his hand, while the dragon's expression changed.

"That was not supposed to happen," it said.

A private notification appeared before Aether's eyes.

[System Alert]

[External Energy Signature Recognized.]

[Formation Response Detected.]

[Access Condition: Unknown.]

[Further Analysis Required.]

The ancient symbols continued glowing, and the spatial energy surrounding the structure grew increasingly active. Aether did not attempt to force it open. Whatever this structure contained, entering without understanding its mechanisms could be dangerous.

The dragon examined the formation with renewed attention. "Young Master, I strongly recommend that we do not activate anything else until we understand what we are dealing with. This structure may be considerably more important than it appears."

Aether withdrew his hand completely and studied the glowing symbols. "I wasn't planning to force it open. We have three days remaining in this territory. There is enough time to investigate, but there is no reason to take unnecessary risks."

The dragon gave a small nod. "A sensible decision. I would rather not have our exploration end because someone became impatient with an ancient formation."

Aether glanced at it. "You sound as though you're speaking from experience."

"I have lived long enough to know that ancient formations and impatient cultivators rarely make a pleasant combination."

Aether let out a quiet laugh before turning his attention back toward the structure. His shadows were still exploring the surrounding territory, and the army he had begun building was gradually expanding. Yet this discovery felt different from an ordinary resource deposit or powerful beast.

The formation had reacted to him.

He did not yet know why, what it recognized, or what lay beyond its sealed boundary. But he intended to find out.

For now, he would continue strengthening himself, expanding his shadow army, and investigating the opportunities hidden within Verdant Origin Territory. Whatever secret this ancient structure held, he would uncover it when he was ready.