Back at his residence in the core area, Gaga imdiately leaped out of his shadow.
The process of purifying the [Resentnt Soul Threads] was far more complex and delicate than Ian had anticipated.
Unlike the crude Devouring of [Spirit Devourer], this required stripping away the harmful resentnt to the greatest possible extent, while preserving and purifying the beneficial soul essence.
First, he laid out a small Stabilizing Rune Array on his workbench to stabilize the surrounding Energy Field.
Next, he took out the [Dawn Purification Powder].
This powder was ground from Crystal Stones that had absorbed the first rays of dawn’s energy on the surface, and it had a gentle dispelling effect on dark resentnt.
He also had morning dew from a Condensation Flower, which possessed natural soothing and purifying properties.
A small, expensive Crystal Bottle of [Moonlight Marrow] was to be used for stabilizing Soul Energy.
Several pure High Level Magic Stones would serve as an Energy supplent.
Step one: Soaking and neutralization.
Ian mixed the Dawn Purification Powder with the morning dew, creating a clear, pale-gold liquid.
He carefully dripped the liquid into the Crystal Bottle. Upon contact with the dark purple Soul Threads, it let out a faint SIZZLE.
The clump of dark purple Soul Threads began to writhe, and wisps of black smoke rose from its surface.
Inside the Crystal Bottle, it was as if countless tiny Vengeful Spirits were screaming and struggling in silence.
The color of the Soul Threads slowly faded from a deep, dark purple to a murky grayish-purple, and their volu shrank.
The unsettling whispers diminished considerably.
"Gaa... are they disappearing?" Gaga asked, watching nervously.
"The most intense resentnt on the surface is being neutralized," Ian explained, his expression focused.
He waited for about fifteen minutes for the reaction to subside, then poured the waste liquid from the bottle into a pre-prepared jar ant specifically for contaminated refuse.
Step two: Energy dialysis and extraction. This step required even more delicate control.
Ian placed the Crystal Bottle in the center of the small Purification Array. With his hands hovering over it, his Vaporized Spiritual Power, like the most nimble of fingers, penetrated the bottle’s walls and gently "plucked" at the internal structure of the Soul Threads.
At the sa ti, he channeled a trace of [Spirit Devourer]’s properties, using it like a precision "scalpel" and "magnet" to accurately capture and draw out the stubborn fragnts of resentnt.
This was a slow, grinding effort, and beads of sweat soon ford on Ian’s forehead.
Under his control, strands of resentful residue, finer than hairs and nearly black as ink, were slowly "drawn" out of the main body of the Soul Threads.
The Array, in conjunction with the [Spirit Devourer] trait, then guided them out of the bottle and into the waste jar for Annihilation.
The color of the Soul Threads continued to change, shifting from grayish-purple to light purple, and then to a faint silver-gray.
Its form, initially agitated and restless, beca much more docile and gentle, like a thin mist under the moonlight.
All that remained was the final step: purification and nurturing.
Ian uncorked the bottle and, with extre parsimony, dripped in three drops of [Moonlight Marrow].
The silvery-white marrow rged with the Soul Threads. Like clear water washing away dust, it cleansed the last of the impurities.
The color of the Soul Threads transford completely, becoming a translucent, silvery white that emitted a gentle soul fluctuation.
As the fluctuation washed over him, even Ian felt a slight stir of joy in his Sea of Spirit.
Ian sealed the bottle and placed the Crystal Bottle inside a Jade Box with a Constant Temperature function. The inside of the box was inscribed with a Stabilizing Rune Array.
"It still needs to nurture naturally in a stable Energy Field for a day to let its Energy calm down completely."
"Ah... I still have to wait?" Gaga let out a despairing cry.
It flopped onto the table like a dead fish, patting the surface with its small claws.
"Ian, do you not love anymore?! You used to share yummy things with right away! Gaa!"
Ian was amused by this and poked its soft belly.
"That was then, this is now. Back then, you were eating Blood Essence and Energy Crystals. The worst that could happen was an upset stomach."
"If this stuff isn’t processed properly, eating it won’t just make you a silly bird—your brain will turn to mush."
"I would not!" Gaga retorted indignantly, but shrank back at the thought of that possibility.
"Fine... I’ll wait another day."
That day of waiting was absolute torture for Gaga.
Every half hour, it would fly over to the Jade Box to sniff at it or gently tap the box with its little claws.
Then, it would return to Ian with a sigh, or absentmindedly chew on a [Wind Pattern Fruit] that Ian had exchanged for.
Ian, anwhile, used this ti to begin refining the [Eye of the Gazer] to increase his Cultivation.
A day later, Ian opened the Jade Box and took out the Crystal Bottle.
The [Resentnt Soul Threads] in the bottle had completely stabilized. They were like a flowing cluster of silver clouds, pure and flawless, without a trace of negative aura remaining.
"It’s ready."
"Finally!" Gaga cheered, darting to the mouth of the bottle like a bolt of lightning and staring with eager eyes.
Ian uncorked the bottle and gave it a gentle tilt.
The cluster of silvery-white clouds floated out, slowly unfurling in the air and stretching into a ribbon that seed to be made of condensed moonlight.
Gaga couldn’t wait and sucked it in with an open mouth.
Like a whale inhaling water, all the silvery-white Soul Threads transford into a streak of light and vanished into its mouth.
HUM!
A silvery-white brilliance suddenly shot out from beneath every one of Gaga’s feathers.
Its small body began to expand and solidify at a visible rate.
Before, it had stood on Ian’s shoulder like a palm-sized furball.
Now, it had swelled to nearly the length of an arm, and its wingspan was close to two ters when spread.
Its feathers were no longer a dusty, dark color, but now displayed a deep, layered, shadowy luster.
Under the soft light, the edges of its feathers shimred with a mysterious halo.
Its once-heterochromatic eyes had beco even more profound.
The intricate Rune patterns of the [On Eye] flashed for a mont. The gray eye beca hazier and more abstruse, while the right eye was as cerulean and profound as deep space.
"GAA!"
A clear cry issued from Gaga’s throat, no longer the previous childish "gaga" sound, but one with far more Penetration Power and majesty.
It flapped its wings in excitent, and a wave of Shadow Energy—far stronger and purer than before—naturally enveloped its body, forming a faint ripple of Shadow.
It attempted a [Shadow Jump], and its figure vanished with a WHOOSH.
The next second, it appeared directly in the farthest corner of the room, easily covering a distance of over fifty ters.
Moreover, its aura showed no signs of disorder; it had clearly perford the jump with ease.
"Ian, I’ve gotten stronger! I can feel it!"
Gaga’s voice rang in Ian’s mind. "My [Shadow Jump]’s distance and stability have both improved, and also..."
It looked toward a corner of the room where an Alchemy Puppet was placed. Its heterochromatic eyes suddenly lit up with a faint glow.
The simple Energy Circuit inside the Alchemy Puppet was instantly thrown into disarray, and it even made an uncoordinated lurching motion.
"The effect of my [On Eye] has been enhanced too! The interference is stronger, and the range is wider!"
Ian observed carefully and nodded in satisfaction.
It wasn’t just an enhancent of its Talent Skills; Gaga’s overall Soul Origin aura had beco much richer and more condensed.
This ant that its future growth potential and its shadow-aspected traits would both be significantly improved.
"Well done. You’re not just a little troublemaker who only knows how to sneak food anymore," Ian praised with a smile.
"I’m not trouble, I’m a powerful assistant!"
Gaga flew around the room smugly, showing off its newfound power.
Gaga’s enhancent was complete, but Ian’s eyes held little excitent. Instead, a solemn look flashed across them.
"Hector..." he muttered the na under his breath.
The Withered Council was protective of its own and held grudges. Their thods were treacherous.
They would never let the disappearance of an Official Wizard go.
Even if he had covered his tracks perfectly, the risks still remained as the Demon Hunting war deepened and personnel moved about more frequently.
’I must increase my strength as quickly as possible. Only with strength can I handle any unforeseen circumstances.’
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