Chapter 1050: Chapter 135 True God and Pioneer of Iron (1/2)
"The Exotic Species Research Institute must have been a magical beast or biological research facility of the pre-epoch civilization."
Ian remained expressionless at this moment. His exterior was calm, but a tempest was already raging in his heart.
The Director of the Exotic Species Research Institute, the âPioneerâ... thatâs it, it must be the laboratory of the Pioneer!
The earliest known owner of the Silver ChipâPioneerâs laboratory!
Up till now, Ian knew virtually nothing about the Pioneer. He only understood that this individual had been the head of a scientific institution either during the twilight of the pre-epoch civilization or the Lost Epoch. Their authority was a devastating, crushing force compared to places like the subsidiary Redwood Base.
Using this tremendous authority, Ian effortlessly took control of the entire Southern Sea Great Labyrinth, even managing to make the base self-destruct (referring to halting the operation of the baseâs core furnace).
But beyond this, the true goals of the Exotic Species Research Institute and the reason why the Pioneer earned their title remained shrouded in mystery.
Anfa chimed in at this point, responding to Ianâs remark: [Exactly. In the context of pre-epoch civilization, âexotic speciesâ referred to all non-human organismsâmagical beasts, alien forms, and all manner of synthetic creatures fall under this category. Actually, regions all over Terra host similar research facilities; for instance, the Southern Sea Great Labyrinth near your hometown, Harrison Port, is quite likely one of them.]
[But the scale of the ruins beneath Half Moon Lake is unprecedented. We believe it may be the central research institution of the pre-epoch civilization... To venture there poses both peril and opportunity, Ian. If you donât wish to go, itâs entirely understandable; your territory has just begun to stabilize.]
"Go, of course, Iâll go."
Ian interrupted Anfaâs words, smiling as he spoke, "Such a monumental opportunityâif I missed this, Iâd regret it for life."
âHa, I have authority, visiting this research institute would feel like returning home.
As soon as Ian heard its name, he made up his mind to go. He was, after all, the current directorâhe was confident of obtaining some benefits from the institute. Still, Ian did not allow himself to relax.
"That damned place has a Golden Dragon lurking under the ground!"
Ian hadnât forgotten the initial phase of the Spirit Disaster Pathâwhere a dark gold dragon attempted to leave the Terra Starfield. That dragon undoubtedly had Fifth Energy Level strength.
Even if those six years had been advanced prematurely and the dark gold dragon hadnât reached its complete form, it still would possess Fourth Energy Level capabilities, wouldnât it?
A central-level Great Labyrinth containing a Fourth Energy Level magical beast is not surprising; various nationsâ exploration teams undoubtedly would dispatch equivalent levels of force. However, a colossal monster at the depths of such ruins is undeniably a threat.
If nothing else, imagine that creature destroying critical information and artifact resources housed within the ruinsâthat would hurt Ian more than even killing him.
Regarding this dark gold dragonâs true nature... Ian wasnât entirely sure either. Could it be offspring of the Qing Steel Dragon? A third-generation True Dragon that had been dormant for ages? Or perhaps a fourth-generation True Dragon possessing extraordinary innate talent?
Ian was acutely aware that, even with authority granting him a monumental advantage over others, he couldnât fully guarantee his safety.
To ensure he had sufficient protection during his future expedition to the Exotic Species Research Institute, Ian had to bolster his strength.
After ending his communication with Anfa, Ian promptly returned to his laboratory.
Now was the time to sort through all the various abilities he had accumulated.
First and foremost, he possessed two Bloodline True Forms: [Rock Cast Knight] and [Fae]. The Essence Organs and Origin Structures inherited from these two formed the backbone of Ianâs current capabilities.
Not to mention these inheritances were inherently powerful, Ian further used Demi-Magic Potion to cultivate extremes in âphysical body,â âspiritual soul,â and âprecision of control,â pushing his combat prowess to a new threshold.
Such extremes, as clearly explained in Hiliardâs notes on deduction, are unique structures permitting one creature to utterly outmatch another in certain aspects. Examples include the âSoul Structureâ of Fae and the âPhysical Structureâ and âFurnace Core Structureâ of True Dragonsâthese are precisely why their power far surpasses other creatures.
The Domain of Extremes, without a doubt, can be studied and emulated. Humans, being naturally devoid of extremes as wise creatures, can elevate themselves by possessing the Domain of Extremes from other beings, transforming into âSuperhumanâ or even âGodlike Humans.â
Next in the list is his meditation technique, which granted Ian a Third Energy Level soul along with [Heartlight Body: Guiding Star].
Since Ianâs Heart Light Body wasnât a direct combat type, during battles it only served as a source for âHeart-Light Shield.â However, because Ian had enhanced his soul and computational capacity via meditation technique, his Heart-Light Shield was more robust and its regeneration speed faster.
Furthermore, his use of other Sublimatorsâ soul-built [Calculation Units] enabled Ian to carry with him several miniature supercomputers. These allowed him to multitask during combat, on-the-spot calculating optimizations for strategies and ability usage.
Following that were several scattered abilities.
Built upon [Ancient Dragon Heart Core] and [Aether Crystal] was [Essence Furnace Core].
This was an entirely new Sublimation Organ integrating two top-tier Sublimation Organs. It currently served as Ianâs most powerful energy source, giving him the ability to release Origin Quality output dozens of times beyond typical Second Energy Level bounds. Even in the future, when reaching Third Energy Level, this Furnace Core would exponentially amplify his strength. It was Ianâs trump card for confronting higher-level enemies with seemingly unmatched force.
The Essence Furnace Core itself was graded across nine tiers, with the ninth-tier weakest core only capable of marginally increasing a Sublimatorâs burst strength. Ianâs Essence Furnace Core, however, was indubitably first-tierâthe highest grade available.