Chapter 100: Devouring Planets III

He had a perfect idea. 

"Switch!" saying this he immediately places with the planet consciousness before squatting down immediately. 

Once he had squatted down, he immediately put his hands on the stone platform before he started to make the energy flow chaotic within it. 

The stone platform had a cold touch to the hand but instead of refreshing the mind like his mask did, it instead made it slower and more muddled. However, with his perception next to it, it wasn't able to change it even slightly. 

'Is this astral stone? It's expensive and was sold by the grams yet the planet was hoarding such a treasure by itself? How much years did it require? Ten millennia? Twenty millennia?' 

Seeing that the platform was entirely made of astral stones, Cylius almost cursed out loud. 

This thing was very expensive and it would require immense luck and gravitational force to attract it. He had only seen this item before in the academy shop and it was worth a fortune every gram. 

It only comes from certain unique stars and was very useful in building dimensional items. If an item was built with it, it would improve immensely overall.

Many would want such material yet this planet had so much of it? 

If he were to sell it, he would immediately be considered rich among the students. 

But the thing was, how did this planet had so much of it? Did a meteoroid full of such a thing hit it? But that possibility was very slim, the meteoroid would usually just travel through the dimension and teleport to another place just as its about to hit a planet. 

The only way to capture such a thing would be if the planet locked down the dimension and caught it. But then, such a thing would only be possible by spiritual planets. 

Was this planet a spiritual planet a long time ago? Then, due to the sudden attack, it fell back an entire tier and became an ordinary planet? 

Or did it just have an extremely rare occurrence where the meteoroid hit it without entering the dimensional world? Anyway, it didn't matter to him. 

The only thing that mattered right now was whether he could obtain it and how he can capture the planet consciousness. If he were to destroy the stone platform right now, he would be able to take down the planet consciousness easily but he would lose the astral stones and if he were to not destroy it, taking down the planet consciousness wouldn't be so easy. 

He even had a chance of dying. 

After all, it was a fight between a whole planet and a single lifeform. With his cultivation, it would be hard to succeed. 

'What should I do?' thinking of all the pros and cons of his actions, he decided in the end.

With a decisive look, he went full force as most of the runic energy within him entered the stone platform, disrupting the energy flow within. 

It even messed with the astral stone's natural properties as its functions slowly started to lose their ability. Even its gray stone like appearance constantly changed colors and properties before stagnating at a damp yellow color. 

It didn't end there, after the color changed into a damp yellow color, it soon started to collapse. It just felt like it had gone through thousands of years in a single moment. 

Not much later, the platform had already faded away into the air. 

'NOO WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" the planet consciousness angrily shouted. Even its ethereal voice sounded angry as it vibrated through the dimensions, seeming as if two people were saying at the same time.

Not caring about the planet consciousness at all, he stood up and clapped his palms. 

The rune core of this planet was rich and was nearly equal to a spiritual planet. He was sure that with just one another normal planet, he would be able to complete his Dimensional Spirit Core. 

He could even try hunting for another to devour and increase his cultivation. With this exploration, he was sure to gain massive rewards. 

Who knows, in a few years, he might just be able to become a third-tier runic existence. 

Although it was a happy thing to think about, he had to handle the current matter first. 

Since the planet consciousness was deprived of the power the platform gave, it was easy to crush it. 

Although he was spent in runes and runic energy, he still had his soul to catch it; it was more than enough to catch it.

Condensing his soul to form outside his body, it took the shape of an illusory ball, constantly turning. It was hard to form his soul outside his body. Well, it was using soul energy as a body to transmit his soul's power through them. 

If he had actually formed his soul outside his body, his body would be left ownerless and the planet consciousness might take the chance to possess it. If he had fully evolved into a ghost, his body and soul would've been one and the planet consciousness would have no way to possess it.

Unfortunately, he wasn't going to become a ghost soon; he had to wait until he becomes a third-tier. Otherwise, his growth would've been astonishing just like when he had just become a second-tier. 

He was actually able to comprehend 50% of the dimension rune in a few months. The progress couldn't even be compared to the progress he has now. 

Well, it could be said to be the effect of changing into a ghost then. Even if it was half evolved, it pushed his cultivation high up. It was like a boost. Now that the boost was gone, he had no way but to cultivate like an ordinary person. Although his speed was still higher than the average person because of his bloodline. 

Although the body and soul had a connection, if the planet consciousness were to try, it would be easy to cut the connection and make the body its own. He can do nothing about it. 

As even condensing the soul energy was hard and it would usually just disperse, he had to keep it in one place; and to do that, he was turning it in a specific pattern so that it would keep itself without dispersing. 

It was using the soul energy to keep the soul energy just like lego. 

Now that it had condensed, it was easy to capture the planet consciousness. With just a few moves, he had caught it. It wasn't even able to resist. 

Well, the power of a planet depended on the lifeforms living within and the planet core. As the planet rune core wasn't sentient, it didn't have the ability to defend from attacks. It was just like a machine and was designed to create runes in a pattern. It can't think independently, therefore, it can't move according to its own will. 

However, the planet consciousness was different. As it was created from the souls of the sentient lifeforms living on it, it was sentient and had the ability to think on its own. 

But, it wasn't powerful. Unless it obtained a rare soul manual that only existed in ancient times and currently didn't exist, it wouldn't be able to use its power. 

It was a unique spiritual lifeform. It had the power but not the technique to use it to full power. It couldn't even display all of its rough power comfortably. 

It may lead to problems if it did so. 

Therefore, it was easy to capture it. He just had to lock its power and trap it in a cage. 

He exactly did so. 

The ball of fire from before had long been taken care of by Fey and it didn't even have the power to self explode now. Both its master and servant was now in the hands of Cylius. 

Next, he did some questioning. Since he had caught it and had the power to kill it any time he wished, it didn't dare hide a thing. 

This time, he had obtained everything he wanted to know. From why his perception was sealed to the information on its weaknesses and the planets next to it and such. 

It said it was indeed a spiritual planet before; quite a powerful one at that. It said it was even nearing the power of a star.

But, because of the monster race's invasion, its power fell sharply and became what it was now, an ordinary planet. 

It was also as he had thought, the planet consciousness was now unable to advance in power as it only had the fire elementals as inhabitants. It was using the astral stone it had obtained years ago to preserve its current rank otherwise, it even had the possibility of extinguishing. 

It knew that even with the astral stone, it would still fade away just that it prolonged the amount of time needed; therefore, it started to assimilate with the planet rune core. 

As the planet rune core was advancing very fast compared to before, the process was risky but somehow, it managed to start the process successfully. 

It also said as it was just starting, he had come in and ruined the entire process. 

If not for him, it would've succeeded in assimilating successfully. It might really just turn into a sentient planet core that had the ability to think independently and also create runes. This was similar to a galaxy just that it would've been far lower in power. 

Still, it would've been top-notch among the planets and could even be on an equal footing with stars.

As for the reason for his perception getting sealed, it was because it said it felt similar to another planet consciousness so it sealed it. If it was truly the planet consciousness of another planet, it would be like infringing upon their territory after all. 

It would even try to send all of its force in order to capture or kill it.

He had asked for many information and there were many special and valuable ones among them. Generally, he was very satisfied with this trip. 

And now, to reap the benefits.

He didn't need just information, his purpose for coming here was this planet's rune core. He might just take the planet consciousness too. It would be a valuable research material and when it was researched fully by him, he could either sell it or devour it himself. 

He surely wouldn't refuse such a thing. 

"What are you doing-?"

Cylius didn't answer. He just brought out a glass container especially used for containing these kinds of spiritual lifeforms and put the planet consciousness in there before sealing it. After that, he reinforced the seal several times before putting it back into his spatial pouch. 

This planet consciousness was merely a side reward for him. Now that it was obtained, he was going to focus on the main reward. 

...........

Author's note: 

Thank you for reading this far.