Adrian ascended into space once more and began casting the spell repeatedly. This time he created six crimson spheres, each formed with an investment of five thousand mana units. When the constructs stabilized, he launched them toward six different coordinates across the planet's surface.
Each sphere descended through the void and embedded itself within the chaotic layers surrounding the world. Upon reaching their designated regions, they began their steady work of refinement.
He did not create more. His total mana capacity was only around forty thousand mana units, and he had already expended thirty thousand in this sequence. He simply did not possess enough mana to continue further at this stage.
Instead, he waited patiently. The six spheres continued operating below. Within ten minutes, each sphere had purified an area with an approximate radius of two hundred meters. The chaotic turbulence within those regions was transformed into pure ambient mana.
Adrian then activated his devour-based divine domain and absorbed the newly purified mana from those regions. He had already realized that this method of absorption was far more efficient than conventional focused meditation. Under normal circumstances, drawing in ambient mana required sustained concentration and considerable time. With the devour-based divine domain, however, the intake was faster and more aggressive. The mana flowed into his Mana Sea rapidly, restoring what he had expended.
Once recovered, he ascended into space again and created six more spheres.
The process settled into rhythm: creation, launch, waiting, absorption, and repetition.
As this cycle continued, Adrian noticed something encouraging. His Mana Sea capacity was slowly expanding as well. Each refinement cycle provided not only recovery but incremental growth. He also made sure not to absorb every bit of ambient mana. Mana was needed for this planet for future use cases.
This continued for an entire week. The planet was extremely large, and the density of chaotic energy was significant. There was no shortcut available to him. He could only refine the world gradually, sector by sector. The process was time-consuming, but the results were undeniable.
By the end of the week, Adrian's mana capacity had grown to approximately forty-five thousand mana units. The transformation of the planet was even more striking. The chaotic layers that once blanketed the world had vanished entirely. The atmosphere was now filled with stable ambient mana. From space, Adrian could clearly see the planet's surface without distortion. Even his perception was no longer limited when descending through the atmosphere. Mountain ranges stretched across continents. Oceans reflected the twin suns' light. The relic world had become stable.
He descended toward the surface, heading to the established base of the Crimson Vital Sect that contained the teleportation formation.
Marivelle was nearby when he arrived. She straightened from where she'd been examining a formation inscription on the wall.
"We are going back to Andromeda," Adrian said calmly. "Come."
She followed him. During the week, she had searched the surrounding regions thoroughly for any remaining Everlasting Pill Sect disciples and found none. She had also witnessed the entire week-long purification process. Several times, she'd emerged from the complex to stare upward at the descending crimson spheres, watching chaotic storms dissolve into clear skies.
Inside the base, Adrian found Lara.
Lara had returned several times during the week to check on the situation, but since he had been focused, she had not disturbed him. Now that the work was complete, she spoke immediately.
"The Sect Leader has fully recovered. She wishes to meet you."
Adrian nodded.
He extended his hand and created a portal directly in front of him. He no longer needed to rely on the relic formation for travel.
He stepped through first. Lara and Marivelle followed.
They materialized at the Crimson Spire.
Disciples in the main hall startled at their sudden appearance. Several backed away from the portal's residual energy. Lara gestured, and they soon scattered.
Lara then led them toward the peak. When they reached the uppermost chamber, Lara extended her arm and blocked Marivelle's path.
"You cannot enter," she said.
Adrian understood. Marivelle was an elder from the Everlasting Pill Sect. Already allowing her here was a significant risk.
"You stay here. I will return shortly," he told Marivelle.
"Understood." She stepped aside, her expression carefully neutral.
With that, he entered the chamber alone.
...
Inside, Hestia floated at the center of the chamber, seated cross-legged in midair. It was the same sight Adrian had witnessed during his first visit. However, this time, the unstable essence that had previously surrounded her was entirely gone.
Sensing his presence, Hestia opened her eyes. Her pale golden irises met his gaze directly. She unfolded her legs and descended gracefully until her feet touched the ground, her crimson robes settling around her with barely a whisper of fabric.
"You upheld your words and proved yourself," Hestia said.
Previously, there had been doubt in her mind regarding Adrian. That doubt no longer existed. His actions had spoken clearly, he had not only saved her life but secured a relic world of immeasurable value.
"I only did what was agreed," Adrian replied calmly.
Hestia's lips curved faintly as she nodded, "As promised, you will be recognized as an Elder of the Crimson Vital Sect."
She raised her hand. A thin projection of sect law materialized in the air, displaying the standing authority granted to elders. It listed responsibilities, privileges, and jurisdictions in detail. "You will hold full standing authority equal to the other elders."
Adrian studied the projection briefly before nodding once in acknowledgment.
Hestia continued, "Your people were formally registered as official disciples during this week while you were cleansing the planet. They have been assigned cultivation residences and granted access to sect resources. As an initial step, Rule Perception Pills have been distributed to them."
"Good," Adrian replied.
He was already aware of Rule Perception Pills from his research. There were two primary methods to unlock rule perception in the universe. The first was the ancient method used by early generations of cultivators: cultivating a dozen arcane concepts to advanced galactic level. Once that threshold was reached, perception of rules unlocked naturally.
However, that path was impractical for most. The sheer time investment alone made it unfeasible for anyone who wasn't blessed with extraordinary capabilities. The alternative method involved specialized advancement pills. Many plants across the universe possessed the ability to unlock rule perception. The Celestial Violet plant he had seen in the Azure Garden was one such example. When refined into a pill and consumed, it allowed a cultivator to awaken rule perception directly.
This perception was fundamental for stepping into the Rule Stage. Without seeing rules, one could not extract and merge the necessary rule fragments from their essence seeds. Therefore, distributing these pills to his people was an essential first step.
Hestia then materialized a spatial ring and allowed it to float toward him. "This contains your Elder Token, your first monthly allowance, and an instructional scripture for our divine concept."
Adrian caught the ring between his fingers.
She continued, "The scripture includes the authority techniques our sect uses and the full structure of divine spells for you to comprehend our divine concept, Crimson Vital Dominion, which I developed. However, the Ultimate-level spell is still under refinement. When training disciples, you may teach the Low, Mid, and High levels, but keep the Ultimate-level restricted for now."
Adrian understood. Creating an Ultimate-level divine spell is something extremely hard. If Hestia hadn't finished refining it, then letting others practice it prematurely would be dangerous.
He examined the ring briefly before storing it within his own spatial ring. This could directly grant him access to a full knowledge of a divine concept, and once comprehended, he would have seventy percent authority with just this concept. With this, he wouldn't need to always use his Source, which was detected as an ultimate-tier. This would be helpful in many situations while he roamed the universe.
He then asked, "What is the sect's next action? Retaliation?"
The war had halted only because both sect leaders had been injured. Now Hestia was healed, and Adrian stood at her side, it was natural to question what came next.
"No," Hestia replied calmly.
Hestia clasped her hands behind her back, "With you and me, victory is achievable. However, the price would be severe. We have already suffered greatly in the war. Our sect has lost many people and now has fewer than one hundred thousand disciples remaining. Some are still recovering from the wounds they suffered in the war. Sending them back into battle would endanger their lives further."
She continued, "There is also a high probability that the Everlasting Pill Sect will seek external support. If another upper minor sect intervenes, the situation will escalate beyond our control. Restarting the war now would be reckless."
Her tone shifted slightly as she added, "However, we cannot simply forget what they have done to us. We have lost too many dear people. We may not be able to launch direct war, but we can wage war through the market."
Adrian tilted his head slightly, listening.
"In the first place, they attacked us because we were beginning to take their market share. Now we possess a significant advantage due to the Azure Garden. With those resources, we can dramatically increase pill production. With it, we will not only recover our market share, but we will also surpass them."
"And as our production grows," she added, "our disciples will grow stronger as well. When we are stronger, and they are pressured, that is when we end this."
Adrian nodded slowly as he understood her reasoning. Hestia was not acting out of blind vengeance. She was protecting her people first, and even though revenge seemed to remain in her heart, it was redirected towards strategy rather than reckless bloodshed. Economic dominance would strangle the Everlasting Pill Sect far more effectively than another bloody siege.
"It seems my choice to align with this sect was correct," Adrian said.
Hestia gave a faint smile, the expression brief but genuine. "I hope you continue to think so."
She gestured toward the chamber's exit. "Go. Your people will require guidance. And as an Elder, you now carry responsibility."
Adrian inclined his head and turned toward the exit. His footsteps echoed softly as he crossed the chamber. Behind him, Hestia's presence remained steady and watchful until he passed through the doorway.