Chapter 50: Thunder Crystalline Matrix!

Chapter 50: Thunder Crystalline Matrix!

“This is it!”

As Orianna’s voice echoed through the chamber, hidden doors along the walls of the grand hall silently slid open, revealing spiraling alloy staircases descending into darkness.

So the Mechanical Race Immortal’s true treasures had been beneath their feet all along?

“And above too!”

Orianna pointed upward. A section of the ceiling retracted, exposing a loft above with a staircase dangling down.

“Anna, do you know what’s in each room below?”

Orianna shook her head. “Alpha never entered this deep, so it doesn’t know. I’ve only accessed the tower’s control hub—no details about the rooms themselves.”

“So… we’re doing an inventory check?”

“More or less. This’ll take time… There are plenty of World Rings down there.”

World Rings could contain other World Rings.

They differed from “Worlds Within Worlds,” which were more covert—ideal for hiding treasures. In a Domain Lord’s projected realm, nothing remained secret; a World Ring would be exposed instantly. But a World Within a World could stay hidden.

The master and servant chose a nearby door, beginning their tedious yet occasionally thrilling stocktake.

Primordial Force weapons, Mental Strength Weapons, World Rings… This was a trophy room, clearly untouched for ages.

The gear’s ranks told a story—countless Cosmic-Level beings, Realm Lords, and Domain Lords had fallen to their owner.

One lab-like chamber held a half-assembled F-grade Mechanical Puppet on the workbench—clearly a workshop for refining and developing tech.

A “small” thousand-square-meter vault held a dozen World Rings on shelves, each containing an E9-grade alloy spacecraft. Backup rides, apparently.

Orianna confirmed they were identical to the Bermuda craft—exceptional propulsion, defensive capabilities rivaling Yinmo Star models, yet discreet enough for a spy’s use.

After cataloging all lower chambers, they returned to the top floor. The hidden doors slid shut behind them.

Jiang Zhe idly twisted the World Ring on his middle finger.

Finding an A-grade Thunder Treasure among the loot was pure luck.

He focused.

A hundred fist-sized purple crystal gems materialized, suspended midair by his Mental Energy.

“Thundervine Blood Crystals!”

Crystallized sap from the Thundervine plant—rich in thunder essence and vitality, accelerates physical evolution.

"It’s similar to a Thunder-attribute Muya Crystal, but only effective up to Stellar Ninth Grade—though its energy is highly volatile and must be absorbed gradually."

“Most use it for elixirs rather than direct consumption.”

Orianna, drawing on Babata’s memories, recited the artifact’s details.

“I’ve better methods. I’ll harness any thunder energy—no need to temper it!”

Jiang Zhe tore open his shirt, revealing a diamond-shaped mark on his chest.

Special Ability: Thunder Prison Realm!

He guided the crystals toward his chest with Mental Energy.

Secret Patterns glowed. A flicker of faint glow.

The blood crystals vanished into the Thunder Prison Realm.

He felt them disintegrating rapidly, flooding the space with pure essence.

Seventy crystals later, the 10-meter cube realm brimmed with energy.

Jiang Zhe flexed his will.

The energy obeyed instantly.

He could:

Infuse his body for physical enhancement;

Condense lightning surging from his chest;

Burn energy for temporary strength boosts;

Or… accelerate Life Evolution directly!

Like the metal-devouring Goldhorned Beast.

After testing each ability, he grinned.

“Anna, the rest are yours.”

“Thank you, Master!” Orianna bowed gracefully.

A red beam from her core absorbed the remaining thirty crystals.

Both master and servant thrived through “consumption.”

They began cultivating on-site.

Fourteen days passed in a flash.

Jiang Zhe opened his eyes. Two Miniature Planets pulsed in his Dantian, four more in his Consciousness Ocean.

Martial Artist: Planet Second Grade!

Mentalist: Planet Fourth Grade!

Earth’s strongest title had a new heir.

“Anna, how long has it been?”

“Today’s February 25th. You cultivated for 14 days, 8 hours, and 32 minutes.”

“Tomorrow’s the second day of the second lunar month. Your grandfather asked if the family banquet should wait for you.”

“I’ll attend. Have your Doppelgänger inform Elder Jiang.”

He gazed upward.

“The last chamber… Still no suitable vessel. Must I wait until…”

Entering the Virtual Cosmos Corporation’s core, splitting a Secondary Divine Spirit at Cosmic Level?

Sighing, he flew toward the stairs. Orianna followed.

The thousand-square-meter loft was empty, its dark-silver alloy floor gleaming like an ice rink.

Before Jiang Zhe could react, Orianna activated hidden mechanisms.

Alloy panels rose, forming twenty-five square platforms with transparent glass walls—display cases.

Scanning the room, Jiang Zhe found only one metallic case in the first right-side platform. The rest were empty.

Orianna unlocked the glass.

Jiang Zhe retrieved the case with Mental Energy, handing it to her.

She brushed the latch. Moments later, the smart lock failed—Orianna’s passive Mechanical Forerunner ability at work.

The box opened.

Luxurious packaging inside—clearly a gift set.

Jiang Zhe realized: a Mechanical Race gift for a human traitor.

At the center sat a thirty-centimeter-wide purple crystal orb, hollow inside, filled with star-speckled liquid. A dense aura of thunder’s Primordial Laws radiated outward.

“Artificial or natural?”

He gripped his fists, tense.

Orianna searched Alpha’s memories.

“Natural!”

Jiang Zhe relaxed.

“This is the Thunder Crystalline Matrix, originally from the Insect Clan's Lei Shen Hall secret realm, now monopolized by the Mechanical Race.”

“Crushing it, using the shell to forge alloy bodies sharpens Sentient AI’s thunder perception.”

For flesh beings, drinking the liquid enhances thunder affinity, sharpening both sensitivity and offensive power!

A priceless treasure.

Yet Jiang Zhe frowned inwardly.

“My main body is lightning-attuned. Should my Secondary Divine Spirit also be thunder? Is there a better vessel?”

“Drink the liquid myself, then use a Spatial Core-type treasure—a higher Primordial Law vessel—for the Secondary Divine Spirit… Maximize gains.”

“But my options now are limited?”

“Thunder… or delay splitting my spirit?”

“Even in Virtual Cosmos, a mere Cosmic-Level’s dreams of Thunder Crystalline Matrix—or space/time treasures—are futile!”

“Wait! I have another option!”

Realization dawned.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end