Chapter 555 - 378: Eternal Night Mother Tree, Returning to Silver Sail City

「The Observatory, top floor of the Shadow Moon Tower.」

"Ian, let’s go!" Gaga’s voice held a trace of excitement.

Ian nodded, hoping they would find what the little one needed this time.

With a light swipe at the air before him, space ripped open like a bolt of cloth with a sharp TEAR.

Beyond the rift lay the familiar Shadow World, a world of gray gloom.

Gaga’s pupils lit up. A place of such pure Shadow Rule and Energy was where it truly thrived.

"Let’s go." Ian stepped through the rift. With a flap of its wings, Gaga followed close behind.

The spatial rift closed silently behind them, and the scene before their eyes changed in an instant.

Ian stood still, sensing his surroundings.

The Rules of the Shadow World were vastly different from those of the Wizard World. Gravity, Thermal Energy, and even the Time Rule were all distorted to varying degrees.

Here, Rules like Shadow, Void, Concealment, and Devouring reigned supreme.

The moment he entered, he could feel the entire world rejecting him, instinctively trying to expel him.

This rejection was powerful for any being below Level Four, but for Ian...

Within his Sea of Spirit, the Blazing Star Core vibrated faintly. A crimson halo spread out from its surface, enveloping his entire body.

As a fundamental Rule of the world, Thermal Energy held an overwhelming advantage over Low Tier Rules.

The omnipresent feeling of rejection vanished in an instant.

A glint of crimson-gold light flashed in Ian’s eyes. ’Heh. As expected. As long as your Rules are strong enough, you can stand firm anywhere.’

He turned to look at Gaga. The little one’s appearance had completely changed.

Its black feathers had blended completely into the surroundings, its physical body invisible. Only a pair of silver-gray pupils flickered in and out of view within the gray mist.

"Gaga!" it chirped softly, its eyes filled with delight. "Ian, this feels so comfortable! This is my home!"

It glided gracefully through the gray mist, its wings leaving a faint black trail in their wake.

Ian nodded to himself. ’Shadow Night Kites are Ancient Shadow Creatures, after all.’

With a mere thought, his Rule Domain began to slowly expand.

Silver-gray Gravity, crimson Thermal Energy, and pale-gold Purification—the three Rules interwove into a web, spreading out from him in all directions.

Wherever the Domain passed, the gray mist was pushed aside, the ground hardened, and the air began to stir, finally stabilizing across a radius of five thousand miles.

This was the result of Ian’s deliberate control. By revealing only three Rules, he wouldn’t attract too much attention, yet it was more than enough to announce his presence.

But the disturbance was still immense.

As the Domain expanded, countless consciousnesses deep within the gray mist froze, as if an invisible giant hand had seized their very Souls, stopping even their breath.

The Shadow Creatures hidden in the gray mist, from Level One to Level Three, all froze in place, regardless of whether they were hunting, sleeping, or evolving.

The weaker ones immediately prostrated themselves, not daring to even lift their heads. The stronger ones attempted to resist, but it was futile.

To these Shadow Creatures of Chaos and the Void, the Order within the Domain was like sunlight piercing the darkness or ice meeting a blazing fire. It was their true natural predator.

"Ooooo..." Countless low, mournful cries rose and fell in waves from deep within the gray mist.

Just then, an equally vast aura erupted from the depths of the mist in the far distance.

Like a slumbering volcano awakening, the once-still mist began to churn like a violent tide.

The gray mist churned violently, coalescing into a profound, dark Domain with a radius of about three thousand miles. It was much smaller than Ian’s, but just as pure.

It was a Domain of pure Shadow Rule—the epitome of darkness and the Void.

A glint of crimson-gold light flashed in Ian’s eyes. ’Finally, a big shot arrives.’

He had been waiting for a Morning Star Level being from the Shadow World. The two Domains clashed silently within the gray mist.

There was no deafening explosion, only a clash of Rules.

Ian’s Order Domain was as solid as steel; the other’s Shadow Domain was as dense and relentless as the tide.

The moment they made contact, a piercing, corrosive SIZZLE erupted within the gray mist.

The other Domain began to collapse. Wherever the Order Rule passed, Chaos was brought into line, the Void was filled, and Shadow was dispelled.

"How is this possible?! This is my home ground!"

A horrified thought, filled with disbelief, emanated from deep within the mist.

Ian didn’t respond. He simply increased his power output. With a low HUM, the range of his Domain abruptly expanded to ten thousand miles!

The solid, blazing, and constant pressure of his Rule crushed down upon his opponent.

A muffled grunt came from deep within the gray mist, and a figure was forced into view.

It was a bull-headed Shadow Creature, around a hundred meters tall. Its body was pitch-black and covered in knotted muscles. Two curved horns, covered in distorted Runes, sat atop its head.

Its eyes were a pure Dark Silver, but now they were riddled with cracks, like glass struck by a heavy hammer and about to shatter at any moment.

"May I ask... which eminence from the Wizard World has graced this place with their presence?"

The bull-headed Shadow Demon King spoke, its voice hoarse and trembling. "And for what purpose have you come?"

Ian’s gaze fell upon it. ’This creature’s aura is around Level Four Middle Stage.’

’It’s already stronger than "Endless Holy Light" and the others. Its power is certainly not weak, but it’s still not enough to impress me.’

"I need some Shadow Element resources," Ian said, his voice calm but leaving no room for negotiation.

"At least Late Stage Tier Three. If you have any, bring them out for a trade. If not, tell me where I can find them."

A flash of anger crossed the bull-headed Shadow Demon King’s face before it was suppressed.

It stared intently at Ian. A flicker of greed shone in the depths of its Dark Silver eyes, but it was quickly replaced by terror.

Deep within Ian’s eyes, a point of golden starlight ignited. Reflected within that light was a spinning nebula where Fixed Stars were born and died, and where Rules ebbed and flowed.