This place could be described as the physical manifestation of a dying world consciousness.
It was essentially a part of the world’s corpse, continually dissolving and integrating into the world’s rules.
The oracles, wielding the residual powers of gods and devils, were eroding the world, becoming its primary agents of destruction.
What they didn’t realize was…
This place was equally significant.
If these lotus flowers were allowed to fully dissolve…
Even without the corruption of foreign powers, the world’s demise would be inevitable.
Of course, the powers of gods and devils posed a far more immediate threat, their devastation plainly visible.
But the slow decay here couldn’t be ignored either.
“This world… is truly tragic,” Daniel murmured, a rare moment of sentiment escaping him.
Without him, this world—with its mounting internal and external crises—would have long been doomed to destruction.
Fortunately, he was here. The worst could be averted.
Perhaps, as Ryze’s teacher had once said, his arrival in this world was no accident. Maybe he was destined to save it.
Daniel shook his head, dispelling such thoughts.
Looking at this region, he conceived a bold idea.
The lotus flowers were continually dissolving, and one day their energy would be completely depleted, signaling the start of the world’s collapse.
But what if…
He replaced these flowers with something else capable of sustaining the rules of this place?
It just so happened that Daniel had the perfect solution.
In his hand appeared a small sapling—the
Tree of Origin
.
Based on his calculations, planting the Tree of Origin here would perfectly fulfill the required function.
The rules…
That was precisely the Tree of Origin’s intended purpose.
Without hesitation, Daniel tossed the sapling toward the spot where the flower stood.
The sapling gently landed beside the petrified lotus and immediately began to grow at an astonishing rate.
Within moments, it had transformed into a towering tree, much like the one Daniel had planted in the mountains of Karea.
At that moment, Daniel felt the node resonate as if awakened by the Tree of Origin.
The rules that had once emanated from the dead lotus now began to graft themselves onto the Tree of Origin, flowing seamlessly into its structure.
Though the tree initially seemed strained under the weight of the rules, it quickly adapted, using the energy to fuel its continued growth.
The essence of life emanated from the Tree of Origin, gradually revitalizing the area.
Not long after, the Tree of Origin dimmed, becoming inconspicuous. It had fully assumed the node’s function, camouflaging itself in the process.
Even a
tier-sage
would struggle to detect its presence now.
…
Daniel estimated that a single Tree of Origin was sufficient for one node.
But there were thousands of these nodes spread across the world.
If he planted Trees of Origin at all of them…
Could the world’s consciousness be revived?
After all, the Tree of Origin possessed properties akin to life itself.
Daniel dismissed the thought for now. His priority was clear: plant the trees and eradicate the lingering powers of gods and devils.
Once the Tree of Origin replaced the node, the lotus flower lost its original function, becoming ordinary.
Even as Daniel held the stem, he could no longer see the surrounding rules. It was now no different from any other flower.
“Since it’s useless now, I’ll take it,” Daniel said, plucking the dead flower and storing it in his
storage crystal
.
Perhaps Rose could find a use for it later.
As Daniel collected the flower, the lava river began to flow more slowly. Without the flower, the pit, along with its fire stones and fire crystals, would fade into history in the coming years.
Sunken City… might eventually be abandoned.
…
Meanwhile, Rose and the others were still searching for fire crystals.
Occasional bursts of flame erupted around them.
Seeing Daniel casually catch a fire crystal with a simple gesture had made it seem effortless, but the reality was far different. Fire crystals weren’t so easily obtained, which explained their exorbitant price at Dragonscale Bank.
Fire crystals, in many ways, behaved like living creatures, resembling agile, aggressive birds.
Within this unique environment, they used their fiery powers to toy with mages attempting to capture them.
What’s more, if not caught swiftly, fire crystals would self-destruct.
That’s right—self-destruct.
Reed, thinking he could outsmart them with brute force, decided to use his spear. With a precise strike, he hit a fire crystal directly.
However, just as he was about to claim his prize, the fire crystal exploded. Continue your saga on empire
A surge of searing heat engulfed Reed, leaving him scorched. Though he instinctively erected a barrier in time, he emerged from the incident covered in soot and ash, his clothes singed.
Seeing Reed’s mishap, the group quickly realized brute force was not the way to handle fire crystals.
Once they adapted their approach, capturing fire crystals became significantly easier, and their efforts were rewarded with a decent haul.
…
Elsewhere, a group of powerful mages was also hunting for fire crystals.
Clad in matching uniforms, it was clear they belonged to the same organization—one of the six superpowers participating in the Battle for Dominance:
Sanctuary of Extension
.
Their leader was a young man with a cold demeanor.
Other mages, recognizing their attire, had wisely steered clear. No one wanted to provoke a force as formidable as the Sanctuary of Extension.
The young leader, Garr, was their chosen representative for the battle.
At this moment, Garr and his group were attempting to capture a particularly large fire crystal, much larger than the average ones. Its enhanced properties made it especially valuable.
Catching a fire crystal required patience and precision. Too much force would trigger an explosion, and the process demanded both physical endurance and perfect timing to exploit the crystal’s vulnerabilities.
Garr watched silently as his team carefully worked to corner the fire crystal.
But then, without warning, the crystal vanished.
“What just happened?”
“Where did it go?”
“This doesn’t make sense!”
“I’ve never heard of fire crystals disappearing like this…”
The group was baffled. After all their effort, the crystal had vanished without explanation.
Garr, standing apart, had witnessed the entire event. His voice cut through the confusion:
“Stop discussing. The fire crystal didn’t disappear—it was intercepted.”
His tone was cold, carrying an edge of anger.
Moments before the crystal was within his team’s grasp, a hand had reached out, snatched it, and vanished in an instant.
“Spatial abilities,” Garr said, his expression darkening.
He was certain the person who took the fire crystal had used spatial magic.
And they were close.
“What?! Lord Garr, are you saying someone
stole
the fire crystal from us?”
“Stealing from Sanctuary of Extension, in broad daylight?!”
“The audacity! Who dares to disrespect us like this?!”
Garr’s icy gaze locked onto a specific direction, where he had sensed the spatial distortion.
“Pursue them. Whoever took the fire crystal is in that direction!” he ordered.
