Chapter 630 - Duck, Crow

Lu Ran sensed that something was off, so he questioned it sharply through soul communication. What came next was Limitless City’s response, one that gave Lu Ran a headache.

“At first, I did properly shield it. However, since you exchanged quite a few Seeds of Transformation, the universe’s energy level dropped rather drastically. So I... slacked off a little. I didn’t expect that this galaxy sprite would be this strong. In theory, even if I did slack off, an ordinary cosmic-level lifeform shouldn’t be able to sense Dark Crow’s origin power through your Beastmaster Space.

“Of course, it’s also possible that because of your Super Beast Mimicry, you’ve absorbed too much of the Evil God’s aura. What they’re detecting might not be Dark Crow at all, but you.”

Lu Ran snapped. “What do you mean by ‘slacked off a little’? You could’ve said that earlier!”

“Is there a problem? You’re currently acting as one of the Gem Queen’s people. Even if you get locked on to, just state your identity, and they’ll let you through. While we were traveling, Manager Ying entered the Dream Network to investigate and gathered quite a bit of intel.

“The galaxy sprite’s Natural Preservation Army maintains good relations with Dream Net Corporation. Moreover, that legion doesn’t exterminate polluted species completely. In fact, within Silver Galaxy itself, there’s a reserved autonomous zone for polluted species. Aside from that—”

Before Limitless City could finish, the blue jellyfish enveloping the entire Ethereal Star released countless offspring. Clusters of slime-like organisms fell upon every living being on the planet. That must have been their so-called security inspection.

Most extraterrestrials stayed calm in the face of such an inspection, letting those sticky, slippery blobs wrap around their bodies to examine their aura. One of the blobs drifted down toward Lu Ran. It was about to touch him, but unwilling to let such a thing come into contact with him, Lu Ran casually pinched it in his hand. That simple motion completely exposed him.

“Detected one subject refusing inspection. Initiating compulsory enforcement.”

From high above, several enormous, blue-transparent tentacles ripped through the sky, stretching toward Lu Ran with terrifying might. The blue sun hanging in the heavens shone even brighter. Upon seeing this, everyone nearby tensed immediately. Their eyes fixed on Lu Ran as they frantically backed away, trying to distance themselves from this defiant individual.

Yet they hadn’t expected that Lu Ran had every reason to resist because his background was powerful beyond imagination.

“Watch your manners. I’m under the Gem Queen. The Natural Preservation Army shouldn’t overstep its bounds.”

Lu Ran didn’t even summon his familiars. With a single wave of his hand, golden flames erupted across the massive blue tentacles within his line of sight. In an instant, that fire imbued with virtuous energy completely vaporized the appendages, forcing the Divine being to let out a muffled groan in the starry sky as it stared at Lu Ran in shock.

The Divine grade was actually divided into ten stages, stage one being the lowest and stage ten the peak.

Although that being was only at stage two, to have its attack erased so easily, only someone at a stage above seven could accomplish that. The Divine-grade powerhouse of the Natural Preservation Army was horrified. It never imagined that such a powerful Divine existence would appear on this small Ethereal Star.

“Your Excellency, I was only fulfilling my duty. Please forgive me.” The Divine-grade member of the legion lowered its head at once.

Not only had Lu Ran displayed strength far beyond its own, but also, the Natural Preservation Army had little authority to meddle in Dream Net Corporation’s affairs.

A stranger of such power could only have been trained by one of DreamNet’s cosmic emperors. It had no reason to doubt Lu Ran’s claim. First, because of his overwhelming strength, and second, because even a Divine-grade lifeform wouldn’t dare falsely claim association with a cosmic-level entity.

To form karmic ties with a cosmic emperor was far more dangerous than offending the entire Natural Preservation Army.

“Forget it. Be more careful next time,” Lu Ran said as he rose into the air, intending to leave the planet.

The surrounding cosmic beings looked on in silence. None had expected that a temporary inspection would draw out a Divine-grade powerhouse, one strong enough to repel the legion’s purifier with a single strike.

Just as everyone thought the inspection would resume after Lu Ran’s departure, a strange, eerie laugh echoed through the void. The blue sun above the starry sky was suddenly streaked with black. A terrifying and malevolent abyssal aura spread across the heavens in an instant.

“

Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw

!”

Hold it right there!

That deranged cackle that sounded like it was from the depths of the abyss made every creature’s skin crawl. Not only did the countless lifeforms of Ethereal Star freeze in terror, but even the Divine-grade purifier of the Natural Preservation Army and Lu Ran, who was about to leave, turned pale at once.

That dreadful aura instantly polluted even the purifier’s cleansing energy. Lu Ran himself felt an overwhelming darkness surge toward him like a vortex of shadow that threatened to swallow him whole.

This pressure was far more terrifying than Lin Xiuzhu's, whom they had encountered in the DreamNet—several times worse in fact. Even compared to the Creation Dragon suppressed at the Primary Divine level, it was hardly any weaker.

Beneath the stars, black currents of energy coalesced into a huge figure. From its outline, it faintly resembled both a duck and a platypus, but the density of its energy was so thick, so absolutely evil, that its true form was almost impossible to discern.

Boom.

As the demonic duck’s silhouette became clearer, many of the onlookers collapsed to the ground with their faces filled with horror.

“Is... Is this the polluted species detected by the Natural Preservation Army?”

“A Divine-grade polluted lifeform?”

“No, that’s wrong!”

“This is... the deputy commander of the Natural Preservation Army, the king of the Polluted Species Autonomous Zone, the Purification Demon God!” someone screamed.

Those who were more knowledgeable among the cosmic beings immediately recognized this entity’s identity. At its arrival, even the Divine-grade purifier who had first appeared began trembling violently with fear. None of them had expected this being to descend here.

“The Purification Demon God? But its aura... It’s completely different from the members of the Natural Preservation Army!”

“I don’t know... all I know is that the Purification Demon God belongs to the Abyssal species. They were once part of the Dark King’s lineage of cosmic emperors. But after the Sprite Queen of the Starsea slew the Dark King, the Purification Demon God managed to secure an autonomous region for the polluted races and became her first general.”

“What? But the polluted species and the Natural Preservation Army were supposed to be mortal enemies!”

“Yeah, you’re right. The Legion was born out of the Cosmic Sea Environmental Association, sworn enemies of the Dark King’s army. Back then, when the Sprite Queen wanted to preserve the Polluted Species Autonomous Zone and appoint the Purification Demon God as her first general, many within the original Association strongly opposed it, including some Divine-grade purifiers among them.

“Even though the Sprite Queen had already destroyed the Dark King and ascended to cosmic level, countless purification species refused to serve alongside an Abyssal being. They declared that if the Legion accepted the Abyssal species, they would resign from the Association altogether.

“But, of course, a cosmic emperor like the Sprite Queen couldn’t care less about the opinions of mere ants. She made the Purification Demon God her second-in-command regardless. As for those who couldn’t accept it, she didn’t even bother to stop them from leaving.”

“That makes sense. After all, the Purification Demon God is a quasi-cosmic being, one of the lifeforms closest to reaching the cosmic level within the Divine realm. Its loyalty to the Sprite Queen holds far more value than a handful of weaker Divine purifiers.”

Everyone trembled before the Purification Demon God’s presence. Its reputation within the Legion was infamous for being violent, bloodthirsty, and unpredictable. Even within the Natural Preservation Army, fear toward it far outweighed any respect. No one knew why such a being would suddenly appear here.

“Purification Demon God... My lord,” The Divine-grade purifier croaked, its voice hoarse.

“

Caw, caw...

I sensed the presence of an extraordinary monster here. The power of pollution it holds might rival my own. You’re not its match, so leave this one to me.”

The enormous projection of the demonic duck swept its gaze across Ethereal Star. The crowd was struck dumb by its words.

The detected pollution signal... is as strong as the Purification Demon God’s? What kind of joke is that?

Even the Purification Demon God itself was surprised. Its golden eyes darted across the planet’s surface. Ever since its superior, the Sprite Queen, had gone on vacation with her master, it had been stationed alone at the Galactic branch of the Legion and expected a dull, uneventful period. But now, unexpectedly, the Legion’s detectors had picked up a major anomaly, a “big fish.”

Other than the late Dark King and itself, this was the first time it had ever sensed such pure, powerful pollution energy.

Just who, or what, is this being?

Its golden eyes scanned left and right, then suddenly turned toward Lu Ran, who was still attempting to leave.

“So it’s you...” The Purification Demon God declared.

Lu Ran cursed inwardly.

Fuck, why are there so many monsters in this universe?

He could tell that even Dark Crow’s Evil God aura was weaker compared to the demonic aura radiating from this creature. And that was after Dark Crow had just merged with a high-quality Source of Transcendence.

Before the fusion, they wouldn’t even have been in the same league. What made it worse was that this thing’s body didn’t just radiate pollution; it also carried traces of purification energy.

“I’m under the Gem Queen,” Lu Ran said helplessly.

Before the Gem Queen officially finalized his identity, he didn’t want to start a fight. If a fight broke out, it’d be better to do it once his identity was legitimate to avoid unnecessary trouble.

“

Caw?

” The Purification Demon God tilted its head, glancing at Lu Ran.

It hadn’t heard that Teacher Ying had such a powerful subordinate. But it didn't really care. It wasn’t afraid of anyone under her protection. That same Teacher Ying had once tried to make soup out of it, so why would it care?

You? You’re the one I’ll fight.

Just as the Purification Demon God was about to strike, another terrifying aura descended. Every cosmic being near the Ethereal Star went numb.

What is happening today? One powerhouse after another keeps arriving!

Nine-colored divine light illuminated the entire star system as a voice that was supreme and unquestionable echoed through the galaxy.

“Stop, you filthy duck. He’s one of mine.”

The voice made Dark Crow, who had been struggling to emerge from Lu Ran’s Beastmaster Space to challenge the duck, fall silent, only for Lu Ran to press him back down.