I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 698: Anomalous Objects

The shimmering light that guided them towards the Trifoliate Star System gradually vanished beneath Jie Ming’s feet.

As soon as his eyes opened, a colossal ochre arch met his gaze, dominating nearly half the sky.

It was a gas giant.

The teleportation destination had been precise, allowing Jie Ming to immediately perceive the planet’s immense scale and imposing presence, far exceeding that of Jupiter. Just its mere existence seemed to instill a sense of insignificance against nature's might.

In comparison, the primary colony planet in the adjacent orbit appeared as a mere unremarkable speck.

Close to the gas giant’s equator, perpetual storm bands composed of ammonia crystals raged ceaselessly. Countless layers of ochre-red and gray-white clouds clashed, forging enormous vortices that spanned tens of thousands of kilometers.

Towards the poles, ethereal blue auroras graced the upper atmosphere, drifting like the cold, burning flames of a polar night.

This particular planet had not been converted into a colony. After all, a gas giant offers no solid surface suitable for habitation.

Nevertheless, the Tentacle Tree Civilization had established three colossal research space stations in its vicinity.

Each of these stations dwarfed the sixth-level flagship they had previously captured.

These stations were cleverly hidden deep within the gas giant’s atmosphere. They were willing to expend vast amounts of energy to withstand the planet's terrifying internal storms rather than risk exposure.

Jie Ming’s eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the intelligence gathered.

He was not the first to arrive. Over a dozen Black Giant priests had reached this system prior to him, dispersed across various orbital zones. Several fifth-level Black Giants, who had initially detected the anomaly, were positioned on the fringes of the research facilities.

Upon witnessing Jie Ming’s arrival, the vertical slits on their chests sealed simultaneously. They inclined their heads in a synchronized salute.

Their movements were meticulously uniform, as if practiced countless times.

At that precise moment, a solitary figure emerged from the depths of the gas giant. It was a Black Giant priest.

His physique was more slender than that of typical priests. The dark-gold markings adorning his body were not evenly distributed but concentrated around his left shoulder and chest, resembling a fierce, albeit damaged, scar.

This was not a genuine wound, but rather a pattern mutation that emerged post-autonomous evolution. This distinct characteristic set him apart from the rest.

“Alaric,” Jie Ming acknowledged him by name.

“Master.”

Alaric halted before Jie Ming, omitting any pleasantries, and immediately addressed the matter at hand.

“The three colony planets within the Trifoliate Star System have been thoroughly inspected and verified to be free of any further anomalies.”

“The true anomalous zone is located exclusively within this gas giant,” he stated, his voice low. “Near the planetary core, we have identified a unique construct.”

Alaric paused, a hint of surprise evident even to himself. “It is not a technological creation of the Tentacle Tree Civilization.”

Jie Ming’s brows flickered slightly.

Following Alaric’s lead, the two men proceeded towards the gas giant’s interior.

As they navigated through the outermost layers of the atmosphere, the ambient light rapidly diminished.

Within the profound cloud layers, ammonia crystal storms raged violently. The deafening roar was so intense it could shatter the internal organs of ordinary life forms.

Naturally, this was not sound in the conventional sense, but rather a low-frequency resonance generated by the friction between densely charged particle flows and their energy fields. The deeper they descended, the more formidable the pressure became.

The planet’s immense gravitational field even began to warp the surrounding space, causing the readings on standard detectors to fluctuate noticeably.

Then, in proximity to the planetary core, Jie Ming laid eyes upon the armor.

It floated serenely approximately twenty thousand kilometers above the gas giant’s core, enveloped by a faint blue energy barrier.

The colossal suit stood one hundred meters tall. Its design diverged completely from the curved, aerodynamic aesthetics favored by the Tentacle Tree Civilization. It bore the resemblance of an enlarged humanoid war machine—characterized by sharp, hard lines and a simple, robust structure. Its joints were protected by layered, interlocking armor plates.

This armor had remained here for an indeterminate duration, yet its gray-black exterior exhibited no signs of degradation despite the high-temperature, high-pressure environment. Several thick conduits extended from its rear, probing deep into the planet. Faint blue pulses of light flowed rhythmically through these conduits. It was actively drawing core energy to maintain its own functionality.

Perceiving the potency of the outermost protective barrier, Jie Ming slowly contracted his golden vertical pupils.

Seventh level.

Even operating autonomously without a pilot, this armor was capable of sustaining a seventh-level standard protective barrier.

“We have concluded the preliminary scan.”

With a raised hand, Alaric presented a holographic blueprint, dark gold light swiftly outlining the war armor's internal framework in the air.

“It’s confirmed as an external skeletal augmentation device designed for humanoid biological entities.”

“Consequently, the creators of this armor cannot possibly be the Tentacle Tree race; their physiological structure makes entering this cockpit impossible.” The projection spun, revealing a succession of intricate interfaces and neural connection pathways.

“The armor is currently in an unmanned, dormant state, with only its defense systems and energy harvesting components operational.”

Jie Ming remained silent, circling the war armor with a slow, steady flight.

His eyes meticulously scanned every section. Though he was seeing it for the very first time…

It felt strangely familiar.

Astonishingly familiar!

He suddenly articulated, “The energy distribution system, the shield frequency modulation, and this specific crystalline alloy configuration…”

His voice was even, as if reciting from a well-worn tome.

“The Tentacle Tree Civilization's shield technology, their energy weaponry, and the charging mechanisms for their main cannons… these are all merely simplified, degraded iterations of these components.” Alaric paused briefly. The dark gold patterns adorning his form flickered subtly.

Despite the Black Giant priests' classification within Jie Ming's research division, their access to comprehensive data was restricted, preventing an immediate recognition akin to Jie Ming's. However, the implication dawned on him now.

Jie Ming resumed his analysis: “The Tentacle Tree Civilization's technological progression hasn't even reached the stage of referencing this armor; they’ve directly replicated it, apparently without grasping the fundamental principles…”

Moments later, several newly materialized Black Giant priests approached Jie Ming, their instinct driving them to salvage the armor.

Jie Ming lifted a hand, halting their advance.

“Hold off on touching it for now.”

His gaze remained intently fixed on the war armor. He stroked his chin in contemplation. “First, we must ascertain if it possesses any deeper entanglement with its surroundings. Should this be a component of a larger, integrated system, impulsive removal could precipitate an unforeseen chain reaction.”

“Understood.”

Alaric promptly confirmed the directive, dispatching other Black Giant priests to conduct a more thorough dive for examination.

The pair then ascended towards the upper atmospheric strata.

Floating within the less turbulent atmospheric layers, a research facility hovered serenely above the raging storms.

It presented as a flat, hexagonal edifice, entirely charcoal gray, enveloped by a faint golden energy shield.

The turbulent ammonia crystal storms below relentlessly assaulted the shield's perimeter, generating outward ripples of golden luminescence, yet the structure itself remained utterly undisturbed.

Upon entering, Jie Ming immediately perceived the discrepancy.

The technological sophistication within this facility indisputably dwarfed the current capabilities of the Tentacle Tree Civilization.

Corridors were lined with highly precise environmental control apparatuses.

The analytical equipment housed in the laboratories was so advanced that even he would require considerable effort to decipher their operational logic.