Defiance of the Fall

Zac frowned and looked around a bit . Suddenly he spotted that something was odd with a large medicine cabinet , and with a simple push moved it to the side . It led him to another room , and Zac could only gape when he entered it .

The interiors looked like the basement of a real anime fanatic , if this particular fanatic was also a corrupt warlord . Stands displaying figurines were placed next to machine guns and actual gold bars . The room was completely cluttered , and in the back a man in his late thirties was lounging in a recliner , watching some old series on the television .

A cough from Zac made the man jump up like his ass was on fire . He quickly swiveled toward the exit , and seemed shocked to see a man decked in furs and a war axe standing in his sanctuary .

Who are you? How dare you enter this place? - the man said with a flustered face as he tried to shoo Zac back . - Out , OUT! -

I didn’t mean to intrude on your… Private area , - Zac said with another cough as he backed out into the clinic . - Your nurse sent me through to get some help in exchange for a donation . After that , I’m leaving this town . -

Finally after having stepped outside and closed the hidden door did the man seem to calm down .

Wait here a second , - he said as he rushed over to the door and shouted for the nurse , who quickly came running .

The two exchanged a few whispers as the surrepticiously glanced over in Zac's direction , until the nurse left again .

No way , if I help you then Perseverance will get angry with me . You beat up one of his lieutenants , who knows what he'll do , - the Purifier said , looking scared .

That’s why I would like you to hurry up , - Zac said , simply pouring some crystals on the floor in front of him . - I pay well . -

Greed shone in Mr . Wang’s eyes as he saw the crystals falling like rain from Zac’s bag .

Fine , tw- . . no , five thousand crystals , and not one less , - the Purifier said , not being able to stop himself from licking his mouth . - And leave right after , I will deny having helped you . -

Fine , go ahead , - Zac said as he started to undress .

Don’t you know anything? - the man hurriedly said with a look of disgust . - Who wants to see your naked body? Just point where your miasma wound is . -

Zac stopped , feeling a bit surprised , but pointed toward his side where the festering wound was located .

The Purifier took a step forward and a golden light started to emit from his hands . Zac carefully gazed at the light , and was relieved to see that that the Purifier didn’t seem to play any tricks on him . The light felt like concentrated Cosmic Energy , but it was somehow changed to contain far more of the vibrant life that always existed in it . It was like the opposite of miasma in a sense .

The man held his hands close to the wound and closed his eyes in concentration . Zac soon found a warmth reminiscent of what it felt like then eating healing pills around the blackish tendrils spreading from the core of his injury . But as soon as the warmth entered him it disappeared , as the Purifier backed away with wide eyes .

Just how are you alive? What is this wound? There’s no way I can treat that , - he stammered , looking shocked at what he’d found .

Never mind how I’m alive . I know it’s a bad wound , but I felt the effect of your skills . Do as much as you can , - Zac said with a sigh . - Besides , healing wound this severe should give a huge boost in experience to your class , right? -

Zac guessed that his class was considered a non-combat class , and that healing people would be considered progressing the class . If it worked the same as with a blacksmith and the like , healing a nasty wound should give a large boost of experience . The man still looked troubled , but the reminder seemed to have reawakened the greed in the man .

The Purifier once again extended his hands , though much more carefully this time , and the golden light emerged once more . It started on the outer edges of the wound , and Zac was ecstatic to find that the corruption was melting away at a speed that far eclipsed what he was able to do by himself with his Dao of Trees .

However , Zac started to frown as the minutes passed and the purifier was starting to turn pale . A sheen of perspiration was already covering his face , but he still had only managed to work on the outer rim of the wound . The core was still the same , throbbing with miasma and rot .

Suddenly the man opened his eyes wide and fell back , spewing a mouthful of black blood on the ground . Zac was alarmed and made to move toward him , but an intense pain that was as bad as when he got stabbed by the Corpse Lord's weapon exploded in his side . Huge waves of miasma started to spread out of it , trying to completely convert Zac .

He fought back the rampaging wound with everything that he got , putting his Dao of Trees on overdrive . Pale with anger and pain Zac stepped forward and grabbed the shell-shocked Purifier by the throat .

What the fuck did you do? - Zac growled . - Fix it or I’ll break your neck . -

I swear it wasn’t me , - the man squealed with pain . - It was your wound . It’s alive . -

I don’t care , heal it right now , - Zac said .

Don’t you understand? There’s no way I can heal it . Perhaps not even the strongest purifiers can . And look at me , you’ve poisoned me! - he said with tears in his eyes as he held up his hands .

The hands were greyish , almost looking like the hands of a Zombie . They also gave off the cold aura of death , indicating they were flooded with miasma . The sight quickly stopped Zac in his tracks , and he let go of the man who plopped down on the ground with a groan .

What the man said finally registered in Zac’s mind . The wound truly felt alive , as it time and time again tried to break through the Dao Field Zac had created around the wound . When it didn’t work it tried to break out from another direction , just like a caged animal .

The situation was under control for now , but Zac knew it would be very strenuous to keep his Dao Field going indefinitely .

What do I do to calm the wound down? - Zac said with a frown , not wanting to just leave it like this .

I have no idea . I only got this class since my family were exorcists . Or con-men , you know . I helped out until I was old enough to get the hell out from there and get a real job . I don’t really know anything about miasma or fighting the undead . I just push the light into the wounds and they heal , - he panted as he covered his zombified hands in the golden light .

Man it will take weeks to rid my hands of this much miasma . And this is only the backlash . I don’t understand how you’re alive , but you should go and say your final goodbyes , - he said with a bleak expression , though Zac felt he could discern some schadenfreude in the end . - I can’t imagine anyone surviving that thing . -

Zac looked down on the wounded Purifier with a frown , unsure what to do from here on out . He’d thought that visiting a Purifier would either heal him , or not work . The fact that it seemed to have made things worse wasn’t something he expected .

He could keep going along the edge of the incursion , finding other Purifiers to help out as well , but there was no telling how much time he would waste that way . Weeks , perhaps . And there was no guarantee that the other healers had any solutions .

The other option was to just hope for the best and push through the Dead Zone . That meant that he would have to go through areas with dense miasma while his wound was out of control though .

Finally he settled on staying the night in the town . He would wait to see if the restless attacks would subside . If things got worse he might have no choice but to seek out a better Purifier , but if the wound got back to normal again he would push through the Dead Zone .

Sorry about your hands , - Zac said as he placed the agreed upon crystals on the ground .

You should start working in earnest on your class . My wound came from an evolved Zombie , so this kind of injury will become more and more common . If you can’t heal these kinds of wounds , then sooner or later some wounded powerhouse might lash out at you in anger . That little bodyguard downstairs won’t be able to protect you . -

Mr . Wang didn’t answer Zac , but the Purifier's frown deepened as he thoughtfully looked at his hands . With that Zac left the small room and walked through the clinic . Zac didn’t actually know if what he said was the truth , but humanity needed as many competent Purifiers as possible .

Wang Guo got such a gift thanks to his family’s odd occupation , but if he continued like now that precious gift would get squandered , and it might lead to the death of many warriors who might otherwise have survived .

The two men were still lying unconscious on the ground when Zac returned to the lobby , though they had been repositioned so that their airways were unobstructed . The nurse called Yao Yao looked up when he appeared , but his facial expression must have been quite bad since she flinched away .

Is there an ambush waiting for me outside? - Zac only asked with a hoarse voice as he gave the girl an even look .

I don’t know , no one has come in or out since you arrived . Is… Purifier Wang okay? - she answered looking a bit scared .

He’s fine , but a bit drained . He will likely not be able to work tomorrow , - Zac said with a shrug as he exited clinic .

A quick look around showed nothing out of the usual , except the fact that the whole queue was looking at him with curious or envious eyes . There were no guards lined up , and Zac felt no danger through his sense , so he simply walked away .

A few quick twists and turns later he found himself in a secluded area where he changed his large fur cloak for a more nondescript one . He thought about changing his full face , but he was afraid of doing that at the moment .

The pain of the transformation might cause him to lose focus , which he couldn’t risk while his wound rampaged around in his gut . He did however remove the bun , causing his long hair to cover his face somewhat .

Next , he hurried over to a tavern far from the clinic . He had already seen a few as he walked through the town earlier , as apparently many Zombie hunters didn’t bother owning property . They left for long stretches of time , and their homes might be ransacked when they returned .

Instead many chose to stay in hotels and taverns while they were in town . Zac chose one that was neither particularly flashy nor run-down , and quickly paid for a room .

He was starting to get a bit dizzy as he was walking up the stairs , as the constant movement had put a strain on him . He opened the door with shaky hands and with a muffled groan he sat down on the floor , finally able to focus on the Dao of Trees .

Time slowly passed and Zac was extremely relieved to sense that his wound was slowly calming down , allowing him to relax somewhat . However , he didn’t dare to relent , so he kept his Dao going , even if it was starting to cause some strain . He felt that as long as he could keep this up for a couple of more hours he'd be back in decent shape , to the point he would dare enter the Dead Zone .

But unfortunately the night wasn’t fated to be a quiet one , as the subdued sounds of steps stopped right outside his door .

Chapter 169 - Nature's Barrier

Zac frowned as his danger sense flared to life . He quickly rotated his cosmic energy as a few large emerald leaves started to flutter around him as though he was sitting in the middle of a hurricane . The next second the door exploded into wood chippings as some unknown assailers were firing automatic rifles from the other side .

Zac didn’t get flustered and instead only slowly got to his feet . Not a single bullet actually hit him as each and every one was miraculously intercepted by the leaves that were seemingly haphazardly fluttering around him .

It was Zac’s second new skill , Nature’s barrier] . It was a High F-Graded skill that created a barrier of leaves that automatically intercepted incoming projectiles . Their movements weren’t haphazard at all , but rather followed some intricate pattern that Zac still couldn’t make heads or tails of .

The leaves were extremely durable , but a few tears started to appear from on them the incessant firing . Almost all bullets hit true , making Zac believe that the attackers had some sort of class that aided in with aim . However , the leaves quickly restored themselves , only at the cost of some Cosmic Energy .

Nature’s Barrier wasn’t one of the 9 high graded skills in the repository for nothing . It provided an extremely durable extra layer of protection . It also had a few other strong points that suited Zac quite well . The durability on the leaves was based on his Endurance , which was quite unique for barrier spells .

This alone made it worthy of the High-grade rank . The stopping-power of most spell shields was based on Intelligence , meaning the shields a physical warrior would summon could barely provide any safety .

The leaves could also be empowered with his Dao of Trees , making it was a perfect fit . However , there was no need to do that for some random rifles . However , after testing the skill out on the island he found that the rounds that the sniper rifles fired would easily penetrate the leaves . So he would need to imbue the skill with his Dao to protect himself from that type of attack .

It was the very same sniper rifles that had prompted Zac to get this skill even though he believed he might get something similar from his class in the future . Zac felt that apart from his high stats he had no proper way to protect himself from attacks . Even some weaklings managed to burn through all his defensive charges and almost kill him with the help of three rifles .

The high priest could create a field of fire that incinerated any attack , whereas the Corpse Lord had turned his very body into a treasure , providing far higher protection than average skills . Even Ogras would have no problem surviving an attack from sniper rifles , as he only needed to meld with the shadows .

Zac waited a second for the shooting to die down before he blasted out from the broken door like a raging bull . Outside stood two men , who seemed extremely shocked to see an unscathed Zac emerge . The interruption caused the pain in Zac's side to flare up again , causing a constant annoyance .

A swift slash from a small tomahawk ripped open the throat of one of the attackers , who helplessly slumped down on the floor with a wet gurgling sound . At the same time , Zac grabbed the throat of the other man and dragged him back into the room .

Who sent you? - Zac asked .

P-please don’t kill me . I was ordered , - the man said with horror in his eyes .

Who? - Zac only repeated while he tightened his grip .

Lord Perseverance , - the man quickly said , obviously having no problem betraying the town leader . - You flashed a lot of wealth at the clinic , and you hurt both the Purifier and a lieutenant . -

Zac shook his head , not too surprised with how things had turned out . He had only hoped that someone who could stay alive this far and even lead a town would have better sense . Zac tightened his grip once more , and this time the crunch of broken bones could be heard in the room . Zac dropped down the corpse on the ground and started to prepare for his next move .

He swapped out his normal boots to the pair that had no sole , which would allow him to use his movement skill . He had a feeling he would need it since the tavern was completely silent . The two had emptied a clip each , yet there was no commotion , clearly indicating something was up .

Finally he was ready to break out , but before Zac left he looked down at the two bodies on the floor , some loss in his eyes . It wasn’t really sadness over what he did , but rather at what he was becoming . Perhaps he didn’t need to kill those two , but he wouldn’t leave any hidden risks . It was based on what Ogras said during the third wave .

He truly didn’t just represent himself anymore . Leaving his enemies alive would be like releasing the wolves back into the mountains . Zac couldn’t always be around to protect those close to him , and if he kept being merciful his friends and family would be in constant danger .

He still didn't take out Verun’s Bite] when he exited the room , feeling there was no one in this town that could force him to get serious . A quick glance around showed a completely empty hallway , confirming his doubt that people had been silently evacuated while he meditated .

With a few quick jumps , he quickly descended the stairs , but a sense of danger made him immediately move away with Loamwalker] . This allowed him to narrowly escape the explosion of a claymore that destroyed the whole stairs where he stood just now .

Zac frowned as he saw the destruction caused . These Zombie hunters were extraordinarily well-equipped it seemed . Zac could only guess they had raided some army base in the vicinity since those types of explosives shouldn’t just be lying around .

Zac had no doubt that when he exited the little tavern there would be a firing squad waiting for him . He wasn’t really worried about the outcome , but rather about the rumors that would spread if he went out like a tank and decimated the attackers .

There still weren’t too many people who were able to do things like that , and he didn’t want to alert either the government or any invaders monitoring his activities .

To get around the problem Zac simply decided to create his own exit , and with a few slashes and a kick , he walked out of the building from the side and quickly ran away . He heard a shout from behind , but now that he was out in the open he wasn’t worried they’d catch him .

Zac activated Loamwalker] and sped through a side passage heading for the edge of town . However , he was interrupted after only ten seconds by acute pain in his side , forcing him to slow down to normal speed again .

Zac groaned and touched his side , feeling the deathly chill of miasma pulsating . He already sensed it a bit when he used Nature’s Barrier] , but it truly looked like his wound reacted to him using cosmic energy at the moment .

The wound wasn’t like this before back on the island , making the preparations and research he'd done with the help of Ogras and Alea essentially useless . It was as though a beast had woken up in his wound and started causing all kinds of problems , which no one could have expected . Still , Zac knew it wasn’t time to think about it now and instead kept running toward the outer wall of the town .

Zac was ripping through the streets with breakneck speed even without using his movement skill or cosmic energy , empowered only by his overpowered attributes . However , the hunt was on , and two warriors were closing in on motorcycles . Zac wasn’t sure how they could find him so easy , and could only guess they either had a drone or some skill that could track him within a certain area .

Zac was in no mood to get entangled with whatever the riders had planned , and took out two pieces of rocks he still kept in his bags . He quickly turned around and threw them in quick succession , and the two stones shot like cannonballs into the tires of the motorcycles .

The two pursuers couldn’t keep their vehicles under control even with their improved attributes , and they quickly jumped off the motorcycles who went out of control crashing into a storefront . A quick glance back showed that they were scuffed but largely unscathed , and one even readied a gun while rolling . However , Zac rounded a corner and the shots fired harmlessly hit a wall .

Luckily the town wasn’t too large , and Zac soon found himself at the outer wall . A soldier on guard up on the wall walk heard the commotion of the pursuit , and quickly levied his rifle at Zac and fired . Zac quickly dodged the first shots as he took out a Tomahawk . With a quick throw , it embedded itself deep into the chest of the guard , who fell over the side with a groan .

Not wanting to stay one more second in this town , Zac climbed up the wall quick like a monkey , turning back to remember the faces of those who tried to kill him . But a sense of danger made him heedlessly throw himself over the edge before he could make out anyone's appearance .

An enormous fireball blasted into the section that Zac stood on a second earlier , completely erasing the section of the wall . Zac frowned as he looked back up on the wall he just fell down from . It appeared there were some competent people in the town , after all .

With a grunt , he quickly ripped out the tomahawk from the chest of the fallen guard , and from there ran straight toward the Dead Zone . He ignored the pain in his wound , and once again activated Loamwalker] for a whole minute this time in order to create some distance .

As soon as he found a road leading south-east he took out his car and quickly sped off . As he drove he once again was able to mainly focus on the Dao of Trees , and he was relieved to feel that the wound was quickly calming down again . It appeared that while using Cosmic Energy triggered the wound somewhat , it wasn’t anywhere close to what happened did when it was attacked by the healing energy of the Purifier .

It was completely quiet as Zac sped along through the dead of night , with neither humans nor zombies in sight . Zac knew that this would be the case , as the zombie hunters had essentially cleaned everything out along the rim of the dead zone . To find targets they needed to head further and further in .

It felt a bit shameful to escape in a mad dash instead of just walking out tall and proud . It wasn’t like he’d done anything wrong . But it felt too stupid to eradicate a main opposition to the zombies just because one of the lieutenants being an asshole , creating an unfortunate chain reaction .

Besides , one man fleeing this so-called Lord Perseverance was a far less attention-grabbing gossip than one man killing the lord and his whole army .

Zac kept driving for almost an hour without any lights out , guided only by his keen reflexes and eyesight . However , his mouth curved downward in annoyance as he suddenly saw an array of lights blocking the road ahead .

With a somber expression , he stopped the car and walked out , almost blinded by the light . It felt like there was no point to try and sneak around , as they clearly knew his location . He needed to clear this situation up unless he wanted to be hounded for days .

Between the floodlights Zac saw roughly thirty men lined up , armed with both military weapons and things like swords and spears . The vehicles themselves were clearly of army-make , reinforcing Zac’s belief that this town had ransacked an army base , or perhaps even was founded by deserted soldiers .

A lot of trouble for just one person , - Zac said with a steady voice as he looked at the captors .

Oh , Lord Perseverance doesn’t get his name without reason , - a teasing voice answered .

So what do you want? - Zac asked , trying his hardest to keep his increasingly short fuse in check .

What do all men want? Beauty , youth , wealth . You , unfortunately , don’t have the first two , but I do believe you have the last one , - the voice responded , eliciting guffaws from the other bandits .

We know you have a Cosmos Sack large enough to fit a car . Throw it over , along with everything you wear , and I’ll let you leave , - the man said , prompting another round of laughs .

Something snapped in Zac , and he wordlessly took out his weapon . This time it wasn’t a tomahawk or the twohanded axe he wore on his back , but Verun’s Bite] . He didn’t expect any of the men in front of him to tell any tales of his distinctive weapon and fighting style .

Because enough was enough .

Chapter 170 - Conquest

Alright , what’s next? - Ogras said with a sigh as he cracked his neck .

It was just like that god damn man to go gallivanting just when he became a Lord , leaving all the boring work for others . Now Ogras found himself stuck with Adran , who was starting to look more and more disagreeable by the day . A quick look at his new watch told him he’d been stuck in this room for over three hours .

At least the new government building was far better than the stuffy old tent that Adran used before . It was a large four-story structure with quite a few rooms , all nicely ventilated . It was one of the first things they finished outside the wall , as Ogras believed that the growing population needed feel the power of the government .

There have been a few complaints by the so-called experts , citing bad working conditions . A few have requested to be sent back to New Washington , - the stocky administrator said after looking at his docket .

Ogras only snorted in derision , showing clearly what he thought about that .

Everyone is making do with what we have . Cease work on those people’s homes and focus on those who are properly integrating . No point in wasting effort on those kinds of people , - the young demon lord said with a shrug .

There had been some general dissatisfaction amongst the humans after the third wave . The fact that they were almost overrun by three incursions had frayed their nerves , causing some unrest . The fact that they won in just a few hours didn’t seem to be much of a comfort for them either .

Ogras had to admit that his actions right after Zac left hadn’t helped much . As soon as Zac went on his journey Ogras gathered every single demon , having each of them swallow a piece of the Springroot . There actually were two who refused , and they were summarily killed without trial .

Next , they walked over and rounded up every single human , who counted over a thousand by now . They were herded to the large square of the Academy , mainly to keep people from running away with the help of the gravity array . The same procedure happened there , though Ogras used a bit gentler methods . He only slightly tortured the first ones who refused to eat , instead of outright killing them .

It had turned out that a total of 8 people were infiltrators , and Ogras still couldn’t be sure if that was all of them . However , having some spies in one’s midst was noting uncommon , so he decided to not waste any more effort on it . Just take those two incessant women who kept pestering him . However , some of the humans had been crying about - human rights violations - or the like , making him want to show them some real violations .

Still , he knew he had to keep himself in check for when Zac came back . The man was still a bit too soft for Ogras’ taste , and the demon knew Zac would cause a ruckus if he handled the little humans too roughly . And Ogras really needed to stay on his good side for now .

Finally there is the issue of the town who calls itself Refugee Harbor . Since they are located on one of the closest islands and quite populous we aimed to integrate them into the array network first , getting access to their manpower . However , two parties have been rebuffed already , refused access to the town . The second time they were even attacked and forced to flee , - Adran continued with a small frown .

Oh? There was such a thing? - Ogras asked with some interest . - How strong are their forces? -

From what we can tell not overly powerful , their strongest elites are perhaps slightly stronger than the Valkyries . We still have no information about the leader either , as he hasn’t shown himself , - the administrator answered .

Ogras mulled it over as he tapped his fingers against the metallic mold that he had stretching out from his missing forearm . He looked forward to see the results of his little experiment .

Ready the large ship Zac , uh Lord Atwood , bought and 50 soldiers . Ah , bring 2 squads of the girls as well , might as well give them some experience , - Ogras said as he roused himself with a small smile . - My ass is getting splinters from sitting here day after day . Conquering a town sounds like fun . -

We did receive reports of something odd going on there , - Adran hesitantly said . - It’s the place with the missing children and adults acting weird . -

Oh , I’ll bring Janos and Alea as well . They’ll be able to counter any mind-altering things , if that’s what’s going on there , - Ogras said with a shrug as he stood up and left .

As Ogras walked out of the government building he couldn’t stop himself from throwing a glance at the gaudy tower on the other side of the wall , still spewing out its nauseating rays of light . Just looking at the place made Ogras pissed off . He’d never met as annoying a construct in his life .

Clearly , being stuck in some forgotten pocket of the multi-verse had turned the tool spirit insane . However , he really needed to ingratiate himself with it , as he felt that the ticket to his current problems might be through the repository .

Ogras still remembered the soul-wrenching feeling of standing in front of the Nexus Crystal , realizing the system deemed him unworthy . He’d walked the path of the elite , struggling in the shadows all these years , yet it wasn’t enough .

Not a single upgrade path was available to him at the moment , locking him to the F-Grade . He always knew this might happen as he followed an incomplete heritage , yet having it confirmed was a real blow .

At first , he’d lived in denial , hoping that it was the System holding him back with its restrictions , but he knew now that wasn’t the case . He knew that perhaps all 3 of the leaders who invaded the island already had evolved , and were only waiting for the system to release the shackles . In fact it was quite normal to send people right at the precipice of evolving .

It would allow passage through the Incursion , and the second they got through to the baby world they could take the last step into E-Ranks . From there they could properly spend their time to solidify their foundations until they could burst out with unprecedented power as soon as the last restrictions were removed . That was one of the reasons that these humans hadn’t been erased so far .

Yet he was stuck where he was , unable to take that step . Who knew how long it would take for him to gain whatever was needed to improve . The Fruit of Ascension wasn’t enough . He even sacrificed a hand in order to rack up some god damn achievements , hoping that would allow him to evolve . But not even that was enough for The Ruthless Heavens .

At least he was lucky enough to be able to hide behind a human netherbeast . He needed Zac to keep growing into a true monster until he could solve his current conundrum . Ogras knew that more promising men than him had been stuck on this very step for their whole life until they died , consumed with regret .

Yet Ogras refused to succumb to that fate . His eyes once again moved to the towers in the distance .

The Umbra .

He had been despondent , desperate even , until he saw that inheritance . A new path opened up to him as he read those two words . Those two words might not mean much to others , but to Ogras it represented the difference between dying a nobody and defying the heavens .

A full inheritance of someone who walked a very similar path as himself . Such a gift was something that essentially everyone in the multi-verse thirsted for . It was far superior to some Dao fruit or heritages . It could save hundreds , perhaps thousands of years of effort , depending on the grade .

Perhaps it could even give him a large enough boost for him to dare go through with his quest . He had thought that he wouldn’t get any quests for a long while due to his actions in forfeiting the invasion , yet it was there , staring at him .

Doubling down (Unique) : Slay an Incursion leader . Reward : Tower of Eternity Token] , restrictions removed . (0/1)]

Ogras saw it as sort of a test by The Ruthless Heavens , a chance for him to prove it wasn’t cowardice or weakness that made him give up on the invasion . However , until he saw the inheritance he simply ignored it . He barely survived a fight with one Church’s generals , how the hell would he survive the big boss?

And don’t even mention the Tower . He barely survived the desperate push that got him to the entrance of the third floor . He still had one chance left , but as he was now he knew that going back was suicide .

But armed with an inheritance? That was completely another matter . Even more , if he managed to drag a certain human with him to walk in front of him to take the brunt of the trial…

Ogras couldn’t help feeling the universe was paving a true path of supremacy for him , and couldn’t help whistle a tune as he walked toward the house of the old goat . He was thinking of bringing him along . Not because he really needed an experienced sailor , but rather that he enjoyed Sap Trang’s company .

… So anyway , don’t mention that… appearance… to lord Atwood , or you will be spending the rest of your short life on the toilet , - a familiar voice could be heard from inside the small hut the fisherman had built for himself .

Intrigued , Ogras melded into the shadows as he slipped into the house .

Little lass , no need for threats . But you know , you shouldn’t keep secrets from your significant other . If he truly likes you he won’t mind you are a swamp monster , - Mr . Sap said , looking troubled .

Alea looked extremely annoyed at the fisherman’s comment .

He’s not . . . Well anyway , I am no swamp monster , it’s just some complications from my class I am working out . Lord Zac doesn’t need to know about it until I’ve fixed it , ok? And you , why are you hiding in the shadows? - Alea said as she swirled around to the shadows in the corner .

Ogras was a bit embarrassed but didn’t let it show as he walked out of the shadows .

Let’s go . We have a town to conquer . And the old goat’s right . Why not just stay in your real body for now , instead of wasting all that Cosmic Energy? He’s not even here . -

It’s NOT my real body! - Alea raged . - And I can’t have people talking . Whatever , let’s go . -

With that , she simply grabbed the collar of the old fisherman , who helplessly followed the two .

Next , the three walked over to the Academy , intent on bringing a few of the little spear girls . They had just gotten their classes , and some real battle might remind them they weren’t immortals just yet .

We only take orders from lord Zac , - one of the leaders simply said after Ogras told them about the mission .

Ogras didn’t know her name since he hadn’t bothered learning any of them , but he couldn’t help cursing Zac as he looked at the small army . He had all these girls willingly entering contracts with him , yet he only stayed by himself in his large empty castle . Perhaps he really was a monk .

Well , that might be true , but Illvere and Alyn take orders from me , - Ogras said with a small smile . - I hear you want to go to the Ratman incursion in a week? It would be a shame if those two said you weren’t ready . -

The Valkyries angrily glared at him for a bit , before they reluctantly started to get their gear .

Don’t be so glum , we’re going to liberate a town that refuses to acknowledge your great Lord , - Ogras said with a laugh after seeing their faces , which actually seemed to improve their mood .

In just two hours the awe-inspiring Carrack set out , slicing through the waters . It was manned by a group of eager demons and two squads of Valkyries who not only balefully glared at Ogras but at Alea as well .

The girls were in a generally competitive mood against the poison mistress , as she went over to the Academy every now and then to - improve their natural poison resistance - , as she called it . Ogras knew it was more about marking territories , but he didn’t really care .

It took a few hours but soon they found themselves outside the gates of Refugee’s Harbor . Ogras considered just blasting a hole in the whole thing with the ship’s weapons , but reluctantly decided against it . He was sure it would end with some dragged out lecture from Zac when he got back .

Instead , he anchored some distance away from the town and only left a skeleton crew to man its cannons in case would be needed after all . The rest followed him toward the gates . Ogras threw a disdainful glance at the scared-looking guards standing on top of the wall , and with a shake of his head took a step forward .

He guessed he’d have to at least give them a chance to surrender .

Chapter 171 - Shamelessness

You know who we are . Open the gates or we’ll open it for you , - Ogras said with a loud voice , looking up at the hapless guards .

There was no response for a few seconds , and the silence stretched on as the humans up on the wall looked at each other with despondent faces . Ogras was almost thankful for their inaction , as it would save a lot of time in their end .

Very well , thank you for making this easy , - Ogras said with a shrug as the gate was drowned in darkness .

Constant sounds of wood breaking and splintering could be heard as the thick gate was impaled by numerous shadow spears . Shouts erupted from the wall , and a few attempted to stop Ogras’ attack . A few arrows and ineffectual spells sailed toward him , but Ogras effortlessly ignored them without breaking a sweat .

The demons didn’t stay passive when they saw their general being attacked , and a multitude of far more powerful attacks blasted into the wall , completely decimating the top sections of it . Screams and wails could be heard , but Ogras didn’t care as he stepped forward . It felt nice to not be the defender for once , but the conqueror .

Step by step he walked through the remains of the gate , his shadows suffocating the small fires that had started from the spells . The demons followed behind him , and finally the Valkyries walked in the rear with troubled countenances on their faces .

One by one they stepped through the wall of smoke into the town proper , and found themselves face to face with around two hundred warriors . They looked scared but they stood their ground , surprising Ogras somewhat .

Please , we just want to live our lives in peace , why do you need to keep coming here? - a woman in the front shouted with red-rimmed eyes .

Well if it doesn’t suit you , then you’re welcome to swim out of our sphere of influence , - Ogras answered with a smile . - But as long as you stay in Lord Atwood’s kingdom you will need to follow his laws . -

Since when is this area under the influence of demons? We never agree to follow one of your kind , - another man with a large sword shouted back .

Then you’ll be happy to learn that Lord Atwood is a bona fide human . Now let me ask you something . Where are all the children? - Ogras retorted .

The defenders looked at each other with troubled faces , apparently readying themselves for a fight .

Why do you want to know that? There’s no need for you to bother our children , - the woman aggressively shot back , fear covering her face .

Well , depending on what you did with them we will either kill you all , or we’ll- - Ogras didn’t get further as Janos walked up and coughed next to him .

Something… Off . Catch me one? - a voice suddenly said next to him , making Ogras turn to the taciturn Illusionist .

You’re saying they are under an illusion? - Ogras asked with a low voice .

Maybe . Saw glimmer in eyes . Mind control , - Janos answered with a small shrug .

Ogras thought it over for a second until he turned his gaze to a building that was placed just behind the defending army . With a slight exertion , he managed to extend his shadows all the way over there , and with a few well-placed stabs he destroyed the supporting beams of the structure .

The house soon collapsed with a large crash , making many of the defenders worriedly turn around , afraid of getting ambushed . Ogras took advantage of the brief lapse of focus to flash over and grab the woman in the front . Shadows swirled all around her in a fraction of a second , and she was completely immobilized as Ogras teleported back to his own side .

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? RELEASE ME! - she shouted and tried to frenetically rip free from her binding .

The shout made the humans finally realize what just happened , and a few shouted some weak demands to release her . Ogras only snorted and nodded at Janos who walked over and touched her forehead . She quickly calmed down and her face gained a wooden expression , devoid of any life .

Ask now , - Janos said and backed away .

What’s your name? - Ogras asked the woman placed in a trance .

It was one of Janos’ more convenient skills . The only downside was that there had to be quite a difference in attributes between the illusionist and the target for it to work . Besides , even weaklings with extremely strong convictions or wills could break out of it , though this woman seemed to possess neither .

Katherine , - she mumbled without changing her expression .

What happened with the children of this town? Are they dead? - Ogras asked .

Ogras knew that if these people had killed all the kids , then Zac would have personally eradicated everyone here , so it would make his life quite easy . They could simply mow every combatant down , construct a teleporter and be back before supper . But if not , perhaps the situation was more complicated .

He’s holding them captive . We need to follow his order or he’ll hurt them . He ordered us to make you leave , - she said , some fear once again emerging on her face .

Who’s he? - Ogras asked intrigued .

It took a special level of scum to go through with that kind of plan , and Ogras was almost impressed .

The lord , Lord of Eyes . He’ll hurt them unless we do what he says , - she repeated .

Why don’t you just kill him , and you’ll all be free? - Alea asked as she stepped forward .

We can’t , it would harm the children , - she said with a frantic shake of her head .

Why? -

It… - the woman began , but started frowning in confusion .

Hypnotic suggestion , - Janos said .

What? - Ogras asked , slightly annoyed that the man still hadn’t worked out his speech impairment after all these years .

Protective measure . Implant suggestion . Can’t attack , fail , - the Illusionist said with a pained face .

He’s saying that his lord has implanted the townspeople with a hypnotic suggestion . An attempt to kill him or rescue the children will end in failure , and even kill the children , - Alea translated , being used to Janos’ stilted speech .

Then why bother with kidnapping the children? Can’t he just hypnotize them to follow his orders? - Ogras asked skeptically , feeling that the whole thing sounded like a pain in the ass .

Weak hypnotist , too many , too big suggestion , - Janos said .

Ogras finally understood what was going on . Hypnosis generally wasn’t some supreme skill that could make people , especially strong cultivators , believe or do anything . Hypnosis was essentially tricking the brain , not forcing it to believe something . No hypnotist could make a man kill himself , for example , as that would go against the primal instinct of them .

However , this Lord of Eyes had found a pretty smart solution . He didn’t implant a suggestion that tried to force the into unconditional surrender , but a suggestion that an attack on him would end with the hostages dying . For all people knew , it might actually be true , so implanting it would be far easier than saying that the lord was simply invincible .

It was an extra layer of protection the hypnotist created for himself on top of having actual hostages . Ogras brows rose at the realization , as this level of cowardice was something else . Still , the man couldn’t be a complete weakling if he not only managed to capture all the kids but even managed to implant the whole town with suggestions .

He only hesitated for a second before he put on his Circlet of Tranquility] . It was the same item he’d used before to protect himself against mental attacks , and it also worked against mind control . It might be an over-the-top measure against some random hypnotist , but he wouldn’t gamble with his little life . It would be a true embarrassment if he was hypnotized by some hack at an isolated town on a baby world . He might just as well kill himself from embarrassment .

Where is this Lord of Eyes now? - Ogras asked next .

He’s hiding in the library , - the woman answered , her face once again having turned expressionless .

I’ll be right back , - Ogras said , as he looked at the building the captive indicated .

Do you need help? - Alea asked , but only received a small laugh as an answer as the shadows swallowed Ogras .

In no time he walked amongst the book-cases , the claws on his feet creating a clacking sound in the otherwise silent library . Rows and rows of dusty books lined the building , actually making Ogras a bit excited .

This baby planet was far more interesting than he ever could have imagined . The poor saps lived their whole lives without a speck of Cosmic Energy , yet they had created so many fun things . The almost endless amounts of movies and shows were a testament to this , but that only scratched the surface .

Lately he’d asked around a bit about the history of the world from various humans , mainly the congenial one currently running the tavern , and what he learned truly astounded him . The humans of planet Earth had a shorter history than his own clan , yet they had gone from cavemen to taking the first steps of discovering the multiverse .

Who knew , if they were left alone for another few thousand years they might actually have become a new lineage of the technocrats . He wondered just how they could be so industrious . A few thousand years was just a blink in the history of his own homeworld , and nothing really changed .

Perhaps a few wars would take place , and a few new clans emerge . Perhaps there was something in the air of this world making the humans so restless , forcing them to keep reinventing themselves .

He truly looked forward perusing this library , but that would have to be saved for another day . He kept scanning the building with Omniscient Eyes] until they fell upon a certain bookcase against a wall . His mouth tugged upwards and walked over . He gripped the wooden bookcase with a hand and simply flung it away , not bothering with finding the hidden mechanic .

Behind the bookcase was a drape , hiding the entrance to a small room . When Ogras pushed the garment to the side he saw a grimy-looking man wearing rags sit pathetically in a corner .

Wha- Please , spare me! I’m just a nobody , tending the books , - the man cried with a wretched appearance .

Spare the waterworks . The Lord of Eyes , I presume? - Ogras said as he stepped into the small hideout .

Wha? No , I’m Gregor , the librarian , - he answered with a confused face , but before he could continue a spear of shadows penetrated his leg , making him shriek in pain .

Don’t waste my time , I want to be home before dinner . Where are you keeping the kids? - Ogras said as he looked down on the prompt showing above the man .

Gregor Johnsson .

Level : 34

Class : Hypnotist (Uncommon) .

Most used skill : Seed of Suggestion

Highest Attribute : Wisdom

Wait , ok , it’s me . But know that if I’m harmed any further the children will all die . We are linked through my Mental Hive-skill , - the man said between grit teeth .

Ogras snorted as he felt the gem on his circlet heat up , and from how hot it got he realized that it was actually a quite strong attack . The man must have leveled up his Seed of Suggestion] skill to at least high level from using it on the whole town .

Don’t bother using your Seed of Suggestion skill like on the villagers . And even if your little suggestion was true , what would I care about some human brats dying? - Ogras said as another leg of the hypnotist was gored .

The man was now wailing and crying on the floor , sounding like he’d been put through the thousand tortures .

Please , no more , I’ll do whatever , I’ll work for you! The kids are hidden in the town hall . There’s a hidden bomb shelter in the basement , they’re there , - Gregor cried , tears and snot freely running down his face .

It’s a shame , someone like you would make a decent asset . This level of shamelessness is in a way a strength . But I don’t want to rock the boat with the little lord at the moment , I have an inheritance to receive , after all . So my apologies , - Ogras said with a somewhat regretful face .

The Lord of Eyes confusedly opened his mouth , but before he could speak a large shadow spear impaled his torso , completely skewering him . A small burst of cosmic energy entered Ogras’ body , but it soon dissipated out of his body once again , reminding him of his predicament of being stuck on the bottleneck .

Ogras placed the corpse in his bag and returned to the armies who were still in a standstill .

It’s done , the kids are in the basement of the town hall over there . Hidden bomb shelter , - Ogras said as he appeared .

From there it didn’t take long to sort everything out . When Ogras showed the corpse of the Lord of Eyes , chaos took hold of the defending army , with everyone crying that the children were doomed . Only when the Valkyries and a few demons were leading out roughly three hundred haggard , but living , children would they calm down .

The Hypnotist was dead , but the suggestions still lingered in their minds , though they would dispel by themselves over time according to Janos . The Illusionist also walked around and helped to speed along the process , and soon a few people , including the formerly captured woman stood in front of Ogras and the others .

Thank you for releasing us from this mental prison , and sorry about the way we acted earlier , - the woman said with some embarrassment .

It’s no problem . Lord Atwood would surely have come to your aid sooner if we knew what was going on here . Since your town appeared fine on the surface we mainly focused on saving those facing death on the other islands , - Ogras said with a straight face . - I’m surprised you are so calm facing us demons . Most humans are a bit more… shocked . -

Well , we only met the Beastkin in the Tutorial , but I guess you’re another of the new races sharing the fused world? - the woman asked .

Uh , right . You actually have cultivators here? - Ogras asked intrigued .

Yes , roughly two thousand of us are cultivators , - she answered as a matter of course , but Ogras could barely contain his surprise .

This could only mean that Refugee’s Harbor was a drop-off site for a human tutorial group . It explained why the town was largely fine when most of the humans they scooped up on the various islands were on their last legs . But before he could ask any follow-up questions a beautiful , but dirty , woman somewhere in her twenties pushed herself to the forefront of the cultivators of Refugee’s Harbor .

Please , excuse me! You said that the Lord's name is Atwood? Is it Zachary Atwood? - she asked with a hesitant face .

Why do you know that name? Who are you? - Ogras asked with a frown .

I’m Hannah , Zac’s girlfriend . -

Chapter 172 - Balance

A horrifying pressure spread out from Zac as he stepped forward with Verun’s Bite] in his hands . The previously rowdy squad from Perseverance didn’t have time to react before he was upon them . A horizontal swing of Chop] ripped through most of the group , crushing hastily erected defenses like dry twigs .

Attack! - the voice from earlier frantically cried , no longer having any joviality in it .

However , it was to no avail as a dozen glittering leaves whirled around Zac as he methodically cut down everything . Spells and bullets flew through the night , but the defensive skill of Zac proved its worth as the attacks were continuously blocked . The few that snuck by couldn’t really hurt Zac either , as between his monstrous Endurance and E-Grade robes he was nigh-invulnerable to ordinary attacks .

A car door slammed and an engine started , clearly indicating someone had quickly grown tired of the fight . Zac only shook his head with some regret , and detached his fractal edge , letting it cut the military vehicle and its driver in half . He would actually already have finished the fight if it wasn’t for the fact that he didn’t want to damage the vehicles .

They would be a great asset to his town , as he didn’t have many good vehicles at the moment . With some inscriptions and the engine modifications , they would be great tools for his force to explore and traverse the main continent in the future . After all it seemed the Creators wouldn’t sell any land vehicles . The next step after the ships would be the flying spiritual tools , but that was extremely far off .

There were roughly thirty people who were part of the ambush , but the fight only lasted for less than a minute before the night once again was blanketed in deathly silence . Corpses were strewn all over , some as far as a few hundred meters away from the blockade . After the initial rampage a few tried to flee , but between Loamwalker] and the fractal edge projectiles Zac shot out none survived .

However , the battle wasn’t completely without consequence , as Zac was panting with a pallid face . He tried to end it as quickly as possible in order to not let his wound go out of control again , but it was no stopping it as a horrible pain spread through his side .

Worse yet , it started to absorb miasma as well . It seemed like something in the wound almost had turned into a small whirlpool , slowly rotating while drawing in the deathly energy in the atmosphere . Luckily the Dao of Trees blocked out a good chunk of it , forming a natural barrier .

After a brief hesitation he chose not to head out of the Dead Zone . Between the Cleansing Pill he ate back on the island , the Purifier’s efforts , and his Dao , it would take weeks before the concentration of miasma reached the levels of concentration it had right at the beginning . Besides , the wound calmed down after a while the last time , so hopefully the same would happen again .

Still , he didn’t wish to remain at the scene of the battle . It looked like only the leader who spoke in the beginning had a semblance of power , whereas the others were normal foot soldiers . Most used machine guns rather than skills , showing that their power was limited . The huge fireball that almost blasted him up on the wall of Perseverance was still fresh in his mind . He wasn’t in the mood to take one of those blasts at the moment , as the leaves wouldn’t do much against such an attack .

Zac therefore quickly collected all the vehicles as in greatest cosmos sack , gaining 10 military jeeps . After a brief hesitation , he also threw in the bodies of all the men as well , not wanting to leave them to give clues of what happened here . He wanted to leave the so-called Lord Perseverance with some doubt , and if he was smart he’d cut his losses .

Besides , even if they were enemies they were all humans . To leave them here would mean they’d turn to zombies eventually . He’d make sure that they would rest in peace instead . He didn’t bother cleaning up the scene any more than that though , leaving the scars and cracks left from his and the other’s attacks . Finally he put his own car into a sack , and brought out a new one .

It was one of the few vehicles that already was modified to run on crystals instead of gas . Earlier he used a normal one since he expected to enter a town , but now he had no such compunctions . Gas was scarce and he didn’t want to waste it , while he had an almost endless number of crystals . Besides , the car running on Cosmos Energy had another advantage . It made almost no sound , even more-so than an electric car .

Zac swooshed along the road , a silent spectre in the night . However , a frown started to emerge on his face , as the wound wasn’t calming down , and instead kept rotating and absorbing miasma . He thought about stopping , but he still was quite close to the border town . Instead he kept driving for another two hours , until the first rays of daylight started to push through the thick grey clouds that seemed to cover the Dead Zone .

At that moment he stopped the car and put it into a Cosmos Sack , as he walked into the forest next to the road . Even with some sunlight it felt like the Dead Zone was blanketed in an endless gloom , the combination of miasma and the thick clouds creating a sort of a natural barrier against the suns .

As he walked along the forest he also noted that widespread terraforming was taking place inside . He still was quite far out in the edge of the domain of the undead forces , but the trees had already started to transform . They had long lost their leaves it seemed , though Zac couldn’t tell whether it was due to the miasma or winter’s approach .

Since Zac Dao of Trees he could somewhat sense how the trees was faring , and he wasn’t surprised when he felt that most of the trees were dead or on the verge of dying . However , there were some that defiantly struggled on in the face of death , actually somehow gaining strength from the struggle . Others had simply mutated , and seemed to be quietly absorbing miasma as nourishment . As he saw it he was reminded of the adage that life finds a way .

After having walked for thirty minutes he felt confident that he was both far from any civilization , meaning he shouldn’t run into any zombies , or far enough into no-man’s-land that no zombie hunters should find him . Therefore he started to look around for a place to camp .

He still hadn’t slept during the night , as he was busy trying to calm down his wound earlier . Even with his stats he was starting to get tired , and he didn’t want to risk losing focus inside an incursion . He looked around a bit and finally he found a tree that stood tall and proud , actually still having its leaves on its branches .

It was one of the trees that had found a way to combat the miasma . Zac didn’t really understand how , but after holding his hands to it for a while it almost felt like it slowly transformed the deathly energy back into normal Cosmic Energy . It was essentially the reverse of what zombies and unholy beacons did .

Zac was also happy to sense that the miasma actually was quite a bit sparser around the tree , prompting him to sit down and rest his back against the thick trunk . Still , even with better environment his wound wouldn’t stop absorbing miasma .

Until now he’d held back on trying to cut out whatever was in the wound , as the Demon physician had noted it might come with unexpected side-effects . It was a bit like cooking a fugu fish , one wrong cut and the whole fish would turn poisonous . There was a risk with the same happening to Zac , so he decided on slowly healing .

However , things had changed since the purifier tried fixing him . It wasn’t slowly getting better like before , but rather getting worse . Zac had seen the effect of miasma poisoning first-hand , and had no desire to become the walking dead .

He was tired , but before sleeping he’d give it a chance . He took out a knife he’d prepared for just this occasion , along with some bandages and a flashlight . Next he took off all his clothes on his torso , displaying the wound out in the cold air .

It truly looked ghastly , a black hole with tendrils spreading out from it . After a brief touch it didn’t feel hot like an infection , but rather a numbing cold . This much was the same as before , but one startling change had taken place . The wound was now slowly pusling , as though it had a heartbeat of its own .

The disgusting sight only reaffirmed Zac’s decision , and with a somber expression he disinfected the knife before he gingerly cut into his flesh right outside the core of the wound . His plan was to quickly cut out the center , and then slowly heal the tendrils after the main part of the wound was gone .

However , he only managed to cut a centimeter into his body before a wave of pain unlike anything he’d felt before flooded his mind , overloading his system . Zac had no way to produce any semblance of a response as his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed back against the tree unconscious .

The suns were already quite high in the sky when Zac woke up again with a start , and he was surprised to see that he’d actually slept for 5 hours . It was far longer compared to the two to three hours he usually slept , and guessed it was since he wasn’t in great condition .

After making sure nothing in his surroundings was amiss he quickly looked down at his wound , and breathed in relief that his little experiment didn’t seem to have made anything worse . The black core was still slowly pulsating , but it hadn’t spread out while he was knocked out .

A quick internal check also showed that his body didn’t contain any more miasma compared to earlier . In fact , it almost seemed there were less of it than before in his body . However , Zac was worried to see that small amounts of miasma were still entering him . As he dressed again he pondered on his next step .

He was truly walking along blind , not knowing what the hell the thing in his body was . It was quite unfortunate that neither Calrin nor Ogras could figure anything out . The undead faction was extremely vast with tens of thousands of classes and means , and there was no way they could find out exactly what he’d been struck by .

It also was quite hard for the gnome to buy anything used for purifying the miasma . The undead empire saw those types of pills as a direct affront to their faction , and that selling those types of things an attack on them . The pills themselves weren’t hard to make , but few were willing to draw the undead’s ire for the limited revenue that came with the purifying pills .

Zac sighed and rested his head back against the large tree again , closing his eyes . It truly was a marvelous specimen , surviving in this harsh climate . The suns were obscured , and the energy in the atmosphere was corrupted , yet the tree pushed forward , not giving up . Zac thought of trying to glean any hints from it , and entered a meditative state as he tried to understand what the tree actually was doing .

The hours passed and soon the small Dao field he had erected around his wound started to change . Before it was like a cloud that blocked miasma from entering the wound , but since the cloud was porous some snuck through . However , the cloud started to transform , turning into a small whirlpool as well , moving the opposite direction from the whirl in his wound .

Chapter 173 - Disrupt the Call

Zac felt he’d stumbled upon something important as he slowly controlled the Dao of Trees to rotate over the wound . It was a way of manipulation of the Dao that he’d never done before . Usually , he just pushed the Dao into his attack or his body , but now he realized that type of usage probably could be likened to back when he was alone on the island .

The way he used Cosmic Energy in the start was to simply push it into his arms and legs to run faster and punch harder . There was no refinement or finesse to it , and most of the energy was wasted . However , using it in a controlled manner , such as through skills , showed far higher effectiveness .

It seemed that it was the same with the Dao . Even though he was anxious to get going he felt it was critical to test this further , so he slowly manipulated the little whirlpool containing his Dao of Trees . Eventually he managed to manipulate it slightly , such as growing or making it smaller .

More importantly , as he kept the small Dao field spinning over his wound Zac noticed that keeping it going was almost effortless . He still hadn’t really understood exactly what the power from Dao was . Ogras called it the Power of Laws , whereas Calrin mentioned Spirit . Zac himself thought of it as mental energy .

In any case , the consumption of mental energy seemed far lower when he’d turned the Dao field into a small whirlwind , as though the spinning was keeping the field from dissipating on its own . Zac only needed to supply it with a bit of energy every now and then to keep the rotation going . It was far more efficient than wasting a lot of energy to keep a blob of Dao to cover the wound for a while , and then rest a bit as the wound grew worse again .

Having finally found a way to combat the corruption he got up to his feet and started to walk away . However , he quickly walked back and cut off a few saplings from the tree , as the mutation was worth further study . It had even opened up a new avenue for him in a sense , showing a possible direction of how to take his Dao one step further .

Without death , there can be no life . The tree had taken that even further , as it created life out of death , converting miasma to cosmic energy . It was like the seasons , the death of winter turning into the warm life of summer . He felt it was very possible to use this concept into improving his Dao of Trees , though he wasn’t quite there yet .

Zac kept going southeast through the forest , not bothering going back to the road . It didn’t make much difference in speed whether he drove over broken-down roads or sped through the forest on foot , at least not now when his wound was under control .

Had this been a year or so ago he’d be extremely freaked out by the gloomy atmosphere , but now it barely registered as most of his mind was preoccupied with the Dao of Trees . If he wasn’t on a clock he would have secluded himself right at this moment , trying to formalize the wisp of insight he’d gained as he sat under the resisting tree .

However , time waits for no man . There were myriad things he needed to get done . The first and foremost was finding Kenzie , but that was just the start . Next thing on his list was the hegemony quest . There was a one-month time limit on it , so needed to finish it quickly . It was only called the first step , which made it sound like a classic quest chain .

But even though it was only the first step it gave extravagant rewards , making Zac extremely curious as to what other things were waiting down the road . It was also quite welcome considering that there soon was the global treasure hunt .

He had been hemming and hawing whether he should go or not , especially now that it looked like he’d become a persona non grata with the government . But it was starting to feel like he didn’t have much of a choice . The weight of responsibility was starting to push down on him . He simply wasn’t strong enough at the moment .

He might be strong compared to some rabble , or even on earth in general . Yet he barely managed to fight off the Corpse Lord , who wasn’t even the leader of the incursion . That was only one of the Incursions , and beyond that were the Dominators who were suspiciously silent .

The treasure hunt was supposed to give unique opportunities to gain power , and he couldn’t afford not to go anymore , no matter what he personally wanted to do . He would just have to keep his head down and fight for opportunities , and hopefully not get dragged into any large-scale conflict .

Four days quickly passed , and Zac felt he was making good time through the Dead Zone . He’d been afraid that he would be bogged down by endless waves of Zombies , but he barely saw a single one . Then again , it made sense since the incursion had grown way out of proportion , being almost as large as the old United States in landmass .

Still , with his superhuman attributes , he’d crossed around half of the Dead Zone , as he guessed he was somewhat near the Core by now . Just two or three days of travel to the southwest and he should be right at the Nexus Hub that was the core of the Undead Incursion . Of course , he was heading east , almost in the opposite direction . For the moment he had no interest in meeting the real core forces of the Undead Empire .

Most of the area he walked through was pure wilderness , and he skirted around the towns and hovels he passed while he traveled . He assumed that the Zombies would be gathered in the towns , as those who wandered out into the wild would likely be picked off by the wandering beasts .

Zac did , however , get accosted by mutated beasts every now and then , frenziedly trying to ravage him . Zac quickly dispatched the monsters , not bothering with collecting their bodies . They were teeming with miasma , making the meat inedible unless you were desperate . Especially since yesterday , the monsters had grown particularly wretched , as the concentration of miasma had grown far higher . As for their hides , Zac already had a mountain of those from the wolf hordes .

Since there were almost no impediments to his travels he decided to take a few extra hours a day to work on his Dao . Being forced to ceaselessly combat the surrounding miasma had one strong point . It was continuously sharpening his control over his Dao . The deathly energy of the corrupted Cosmic Energy was also a great contrast to his Dao of Trees , which was a subcategory of the Dao of Nature or the Dao of life .

They were almost opposites , and seeing the two forces combat each other through the whirling vortices kept giving Zac new insights . It was on the third day he realized that while the two forces were restricting each other , they also were empowering each other in a sense .

Some of the miasma was still entering him even with his Dao whirl keeping vigil , but Zac initially didn’t care as the Dao of Trees purified a bit of the energy in the wound as well . However , Zac started to note that energy kept going in , but never left .

As he pushed through the wilderness he pondered on the implications . The wound was acting up less and less as his control of his Dao increased , but the energy had to go somewhere . He was starting to get worried that something was accumulating inside him , but a loud explosion dragged him out of his thoughts .

The explosion clearly didn’t come from a natural source , and though Zac generally wanted to avoid problems he couldn’t help but curiously move toward the source of the sound . In just a few seconds a large plume of smoke rose in the air in the distance , giving him a clear direction .

As he moved forward through the gloomy forest he started to hear the sound of machine guns incessantly firing . Zac was surprised , as he didn’t expect human activity this far into the Dead Zone . He’d moved quite quickly , sleeping only a few hours each day for four days by now , bringing him far into undead territory .

There should be good targets quite a bit further out with many towns being overrun by zombies , so there weren’t many reasons for Zombie Hunters venturing this far inside . It exponentially increased the risk of running into something dangerous , like the core invaders themselves . Besides , Zac had already run into two beasts that were quite a bit stronger than the tiger that caused John so much trouble , so the invaders weren’t the only thing to worry about .

The gunfighting sounded more and more intense as Zac increased his pace through the forest , until he finally reached the edge of the woods , the decaying trees giving way to what once might have been vast paddies , perhaps for growing rice . The vast irrigated field had turned into sickly puddles with thick fog wafting above it .

However , the fields weren’t what garnered Zac’s attention . Rather it was the huge swarm of zombies walking together , and the people desperately trying to impede their march . However , even with zombies dropping every second the number was just unimaginable . The number of Zombies couldn’t even be put in the same category as those that invaded his island . If Zac had to guess there had to be at least half a million of them stumbling along .

It was an ocean of the undead , and the only solace was that there seemingly weren’t any Aberrations or corpse golems amongst the ranks . There were however a few zombies who stood out from the mindless masses , and every now and again one would leap out from the ranks and try to snag one of the humans running along with the horde .

The resistance consisted of roughly 300 people , mostly of Asian descent , who kept moving along the flanks of the huge swarm of the undead , using various means of downing one zombie after another . Zac was a bit confused why they fought so hard though , as it seemed the endless hordes of undead were stumbling toward the core of the Dead Zone , rather than out towards the settlements .

Perhaps they simply tried to impede whatever was going on . Nothing good could come from hundreds of thousands of zombies gathering together , after all . If so , Zac could only salute their brave efforts . Normally he would have helped , but between his wound and his mission he decided that this was a battle he would simply have to bow out from .

He was about to recede into the forest and walk around the army , but a prompt in front of him suddenly appearing stopped him in his tracks .

Distrupt the Call (Unique , Limited) : The Undead are gathering . As a Lord of the living , spearhead the efforts to impede their progress . Slay 10 000 undead within ten minutes . Reward : 10 Purification pills (0/10 000) NOTE : Failure to complete quest results in your location and status be shared with the Lords of Undeath for 7 days

SHIT! - Zac roared with frustration as he took out his axe while balefully glaring at the zombie horde .

Chapter 174 - Sui

Sui sighed as she reloaded her rifle once again . Bullets were running low as they’d harried the endless hordes for days now . Unfortunately she had no alternative , as her skills were used for healing rather than killing , meaning she didn’t even gain any experience from her attacks .

She didn’t really care about that , but what she was doing left a sour taste in her mouth . She originally ventured out into the Dead Zone in order to find a cure for her people , not to hunt them like animals . But still she kept going , slowly firing one bullet after another , taking great care to hit the brains of the undead in order to save on ammunition . Because like it or not , they had to do something .

Yet it felt like they barely made a dent in their ranks with their tireless efforts . In fact , she suspected there were actually more of them now than when they began , simply since the undead numbers were bolstered as groups kept merging .

She was traveling with the scouts that were the first amongst those realizing what was happening . The dead were organizing . They’d heard rumors of zombies being gathered up by elite undead who were passing through an area , but nothing like what they were experiencing now . It was as though all the dead were receiving some call , and mindlessly headed toward some destination in the central zone .

Even the elite zombies weren’t immune to whatever was beckoning them , as they too walked inside the ranks , hiding amongst their mindless brethren .

Though the small resistance army that gathered from four frontier village knew they were shooting at their countrymen , there was nothing to be done . They couldn’t let the situation progress unimpeded .

Not that a many of them minded , Sui noted with a sigh , looking over at the tired but gleeful faces of a few of the Zombie Hunters . They couldn’t care less about why the towns took action . They only cared about the fact that there suddenly were free targets just mindlessly wandering forward , largely ignoring the fact that they were getting attacked .

They likely saw it as free money . They only needed to survive the occasional attacks from the evolved zombies as they kept cutting down the lower zombies , not caring that they were once someone’s family members .

Shit! - a roar suddenly could be heard from behind , startling the hunters close-by .

Sui quickly swiveled her gun around , only to see a Caucasian man with long hair and madness in his eyes rush toward the zombie-horde with an axe in his hand .

Stop , it’s too dangerous! There are elite zombies inside! - she shouted in English , trying to stop the lunatic’s charge .

However , it was to no avail as he kept running , a growl echoing in his wake . However , the expected scene of a man being swallowed by a sea of zombies after desperately swinging his axe for a few seconds didn’t happen . Her eyes widened in shock as she bore witness to a level of carnage she’d never dreamed of before .

Zac grit his teeth as he pushed into the zombie horde , enraging the closest undead with his aura of life . With the time limit the System gave him there was no time to worry about exposing himself in front of the humans , so he rotated his cosmic energy to immediately create five huge fractal blades .

He let the five blades rip through the air with a speed that made his arms look like a blur as they each carved a path of bisected bodies and pools of putrid blood . However , even with over a hundred of them dying he barely made a dent in the army . A large surge of Cosmic Energy entered his body , as even the gain from killing weak zombies was noticeable when he instantly killed dozens of them .

However , Zac almost paused his charge when he noted that Cosmic Energy wasn’t the only thing that entered him when he killed the undead . Along with the energy there were also large amounts of miasma piggybacking into his body .

He never noticed something like that when he killed the beasts during the past days , but perhaps it worked differently when fighting with true undead , rather than corrupted beasts . Zacs mind frantically tried to figure out what to do , but he could only push more mental energy into fortifying the Dao-Swirl as he kept going . He couldn’t stop now , as failure wasn’t an option .

In order to quickly reach new targets he also used Loamwalker] to shorten the distance between himself and the next clump of undead . Explosions of blood and viscera kept erupting around him as he madly kept pushing forward getting completely drenched in the blackish blood .

Only after five minutes did he stumble , coughing out a mouthful of ice-cold blood as his bloodshot eyes looked around with a wild glare . His wound was going haywire from the exertion and the insane amount of miasma that had entered him by this point .

The system didn’t really give him much of an option with this quest , making him once again wonder whether it was giving him extra attention or if it was just an asshole to everyone . The moment he decided to back away and not get involved he immediately received a quest that forced him into the fray .

The ten purification pills would be a blessing , especially now that he was getting drowned in miasma . However , that’s not why he decided to fight . The price for failure wasn’t something he could afford . Giving he Undead Lords his location and status was likely a death sentence . Not only would the Corpse Lord he fought earlier be warned of his proximity , but his boss would be as well .

Between his festering wound and the disadvantageous terrain , he was in no mood for a second round with the undead nobleman . Zac wasn’t even sure he’d survive the encounter , his improved Dao notwithstanding .

Thousands of zombies were quickly whittled down , and Zac could actually sense glee from the spirit in his axe . The growls created by the swings in the air slowly were changing into howls of exultation . An evolved zombie suddenly tried to get the jump on him , trying to flank him as he once again stepped forward to the next pack of the zombies , but a spectral beast suddenly appeared and ripped it into pieces .

This time the spirit didn’t dissipate immediately though , instead opting to go on a rampage on its own . It was like a bulldozer crushing everything in its path . Zac didn’t really understand how it worked , but he didn’t mind as he was on the clock . He could only hope that the kills from the Tool Spirit counted toward his own kills at least .

The timer kept decreasing , and soon less than two minutes remained on the quest . Zac only needed a final push now , but he knew he was running out of time . Not the timer , but the amount of deathly energy that had entered him by now .

If he didn’t do something quick he would turn to a zombie himself , even if he kept utilizing his Dao . In a final burst of violence he once again summoned more blades , this time completely overloading them and turning them into gargantuan blades of death .

With a roar he unleashed them into five directions , and a prompt told him he’d finished his quest . However , there was no time to take a breather in relief , as his body was wracked with an insane amount of pain , absorbing miasma at an unprecedented rate . Even stopping the killing didn’t stop the miasma from entering his body , as it looked the huge surge had created its own momentum .

The small whirlpool in his wound from before had created a large physical manifestation as dense clouds miasma whirled around him , even following him when he ran away .

An unimaginable amount of corrupted energy kept pushing into Zac , spreading through his whole body before he even had a chance to nullify it . His Dao was already overtaxed and it felt like he was an ant trying to stop an elephant with the Dao of Trees . A numbing cold entered his extremities as his mind was flooded with corruption . The deathly energy was quickly clouded his mind , and a blank rage was starting to take control .

Using his remaining sanity Zac quickly finished the quest , and suddenly held an inscribed bottle with ten golden pills . Zac shakily uncorked the bottle and hurriedly downed a pill , and immediately felt as though a radiant sun flicked to life in his stomach . He quickly integrated the energy into his Dao-spiral in order to directly combat the miasma trying to seize control .

Unfortunately , it wasn’t enough as there was just too much corruption inside him . The pill did what it was supposed to , but one of them wouldn’t cut it against this extraordinary situation . Zac hesitantly looked at the bottle , but could only take a deep breath and swallow another two of the golden beads . His hesitation wasn’t without reason , as he remembered what the Sky Gnome had told him .

Swallowing Purification Pills was like swallowing fire that burned away the corruption . One pill was already taxing on the body . Taking two was putting your life on the line . Three was tantamount to suicide . Yet Zac felt he had no option , and could only hope that the two rampaging powers would cancel each other out somewhat .

The gambit seemed somewhat effective , allowing Zac to take a quick breather . But the torrential amount of miasma entering him was almost endless . Zac’s eyes suddenly widened in horror as he saw that even the zombies still standing in the horde around him started to lifelessly fall to the ground as the miasma was ripped out of their bodies to join the ever-growing whirlpool .

The effect was quickly rippling outward through the horde , and in just seconds even more zombies had died from loss of miasma than Zac’s assault , with hundreds falling down with every breath .

Whatever the Corpse Lord planted inside him was completely unleashed , and was creating a growing storm in the area . Not even the evolved zombies were safe as the whirlpool greedily sucked out their corruption , instantly killing them .

A small solace was that the tens of thousands of zombies that were getting killed was counted as his kills , also awarding him with Cosmic Energy . However , Zac wasn’t happy with the huge sudden increase of experience , as his defenses were quickly crumbling against the increased power of deathly energy .

Completely ignoring the consequences of over-imbibing medicine Zac quickly downed another handful of pills , leaving only one in the bottle for emergencies . The miasma whirlwind around him kept expanding , and without any alternatives he could only flee for an area with sparser amounts of miasma .

Even with 9 pills in his body creating a Dao-empowered blazing inferno of purification it was barely keeping enough to keep his sanity in check , and Zac’s mind was a blur as he started running towards the woods . Worse yet , it no longer only was a problem of being flooded with miasma , but his body was also burning from the inside from the radiant energy of the pills .

The two powers almost seemed to be in contention of who could destroy his body first , as they rampaged through every part of his body , causing unimaginable pain .

However , Zac knew that if he relented the miasma would win , as the supply was almost endless in the Dead Zone . With no alternative he swallowed his final pill as he kept running , finally emerging from the core of the vast zombie horde .

By now a huge chunk of the horde was simply lying lifelessly on the ground while Zac’s figure was completely shrouded in miasma almost dense enough to liquefy . The whirlpool above him even started to look like a hurricane with him as the eye . It made Zac look like a specter that was fleeing for the woods , surrounded by uncountable azure will-o-wisps .

Wait! Let us help! - a voice from the distance entered Zac’s ears through the chaos , but he was barely coherent at this point and ignored the call .

Through the haze of the miasma around him he finally spotted a line of trees , and he mindlessly ran toward it , his only goal to get away from this god-forsaken paddy and its zombies . His desperation lent strength to his legs , and with great strides he disappeared amongst the trees , leaving a shell-shocked resistance army .

The zombie hunters and resistance fighters mutely overlooked the scene of carnage and desolation , unable to move for a few seconds . The scene of destruction they’d just witnessed was something they’d never forget .

Only one pair of eyes hesitantly looked at the direction of the ocean of miasma receding between the trees , and the man inside it .

Chapter 175 - Changes

The clashes kept going for god knows how long between the two whirlpools in Zac’s body , and the energy contained in the center between them was growing more and more horrifying . Zac knew if something destabilized whatever was going on within the blazing waves of energy he’d explode like a nuclear bomb .

The tenth pill had thankfully been enough for him to regain some sort of equilibrium between the two opposing forces , and he wholeheartedly focused his energy on keeping the energy fluctuations as stable as he could .

He was fresh out of ideas and options , but he refused to give in . Giving up control at this moment was tantamount to dying , and so he kept overtaxing his mind and kept pushing his Dao past its limits . He had no idea where he was going or how long he ran , but finally his legs went out , and he didn’t have the energy to get up again .

Still , he kept fighting against the inevitable , hoping that something would change . His will had transformed over the past months , and even though the pain he was feeling far eclipsed what he went through in the pool of Cosmic Water , he never thought to end it .

Instead , he stoutly endured the raging battle between life and death in his body , his mind focusing on his goals and ambitions . For cycle after cycle the two whirlpools clashed , and Zac forgot everything except those two forces’ ebb and flow .

A prompt flashed in his periphery as he kept struggling , but his mind was too over-taxed to notice it . He only kept focusing on stabilizing the two opposing forces and stabilizing his wound . Finally , the frantic bursts from the miasmic wound gave in , just as Zac’s Dao-swirl was on the verge of completely dissipating .

Zac thought he could sense a wave of reluctance and hatred before it disappeared and stillness settled in his body .

The clashes abruptly stopped , and relief flooded Zac’s mind . But it also was the last straw as his mind quickly started to descend into darkness . He had kept himself conscious through sheer willpower , resisting long past his limits . But just before his mind submerged into a deep slumber he sensed something new in his wound .

A small seed barely as large as a fingernail , but containing enough energy to blow up a city was quietly nestled in his gut .

Sharp pain in his leg woke Zac up from his slumber with a groan . He looked around with bleary eyes , who widened at the sight of a desiccated zombie dumbly gnawing at his ankle . Luckily his gear and attributes kept him safe , as the bites only left some surface wounds .

Zac quickly slapped the head of the undead , instantly destroying its brain . However , the rapid motion caused a bout of vertigo , and Zac emptied his stomach without warning . Finally , after a few dry heaves he managed to sit up and look around with a squint , his head still aching from overusing his mental energy .

He was in some random forest , with nothing around as far as he could see apart from dead or dying trees . In his muddled state it took some time for him to realize something was odd ; he wasn’t hurting . That , of course , wasn’t completely correct , as every part of him hurt . It was odd in the sense that the wound in his side that had plagued him for what felt like forever was completely inert , not even a twang remaining .

The only pain he felt at the moment was a general ache all over his body accompanied by a splitting headache from over-drafting his Dao . The great change prompted him to quickly close his eyes again and focus on his side .

He was amazed to sense that there barely was any miasma in his wound , and it was almost completely inert . It still absorbed a small amount of miasma , but it could barely be called a trickle . And that was with his Dao not currently rotating . It likely wasn’t much worse than what anyone traversing the Dead Zone experienced .

Suddenly he remembered the small ball he saw right before passing out , but after checking around he couldn’t find it in his wound . He even took off his shirt again to visually inspect the wound , but couldn’t find anything either . However , he was able to note that the blackness of the wound and tendrils were quite faded . The skin they covered also wasn’t cold like a corpse’s like before , but had regained their warmth .

It was a relief , but Zac frowned as he remembered the sense of extreme power in that little ball that was created from the clashes between his pill-empowered Dao-whirl and the miasma in his wound . It took almost half an hour , but finally he found it . It was nestled right below his navel and had somehow integrated itself with his pathways .

The little beads seemed completely inert , as though the monstrous amounts of power it contained were locked away . Still , it was only after long hesitation Zac dared to channel some cosmic energy through the paths . It was with a huge sigh of relief he felt that the energy passed the bead by without it even reacting .

If it started making a ruckus from energy going through he would essentially be crippled , as the bead was nestled in a core position of the pathways . What made him confused though was that its position reminded him of what he’d learned about the Cores of D-Grade powerhouses .

They were often located in the very same position he found the bead , making it almost seem that he’d formed a Cosmic Core . However , there were some differences from what he’d heard about the topic . A real core was supposedly larger , and while the power contained in his bead was high , it was nothing compared to a real Core .

A real Cosmic Core was the source of energy for a D-Grade powerhouse . He still didn’t really understand what that entailed , but from Ogras it wasn’t only a matter of quantity , but also of quality . The energy a genuine core was of a higher grade than anything he could come in contact with , whereas his core was something else entirely .

There was also the issue of how it was formed . His core was created from miasma and his Dao , making it's composition completely different from what it should contain . He didn’t even understand how the core could form , as the two energies that it was made from should be each other’s bane .

Zac guessed he would have to slowly try to understand what was going on , as he simply had far too little information to make any educated guesses at the moment . He would have to ask someone whether it was possible to form a Core embryo before reaching D-Grade or something of the sort . For now he had to focus on what he could do and instead opened his status screen .

Name Zachary Atwood

Level 58

Class Hatchetman (F)

Race Human (E)

Alignment Port Atwood - Lord (Earth)

Titles Born for Carnage , Ultimate Reaper , Luck of the Draw , Giantsbane , Disciple of David , Overpowered , Slayer of Leviathans , Adventurer , Demon Slayer I , Full of Class , Rarified Being , Trailblazer , Child of Dao , The Big 500 , Planetary Aegis , One Against Many , Butcher , Progenitor Hegemon , Core

Dao Seed of Heaviness - Middle , Seed of Trees - High , Seed of Sharpness - Early

Strength 320

Dexterity 158

Endurance 227

Vitality 188

Intelligence 90

Wisdom 85

Luck 93

Free Points 6

Nexus Coins 49 903 653

Zac’s brows rose when he saw the number of Nexus Coins he somehow possessed . He’d gained around twenty million nexus coins since he checked last . He knew he gained around 70 to 100 Nexus Coins from the Zombies , so killing 10 000 of them for his quest should account for less than a tenth of the total number . His memory contained some blanks from his desperate instinctual flight earlier , just what had happened?

That wasn’t the only thing , his level had increased by two . He was somewhat close to leveling to 57 before running into the zombie horde , but still he’d gained a whole level on top of that , which was quite a lot seeing as how arduous it was becoming to reach new levels .

He also sensed that it wouldn’t take much effort to gain another level , bringing him just one step away from level 60 . A quick glance at a watch reassured him at least that only one day had passed , making his current leveling speed the highest he’d ever managed . He wondered what humanity thought when they saw him push past two levels in no time .

His stats had improved once again almost across the board , and he quickly noted a large reason for this . His Seed of Trees had finally reached High level , bringing it just one step from the peak . His speed of improvement was almost unfathomable , and it made Zac realize why most people ventured out adventuring rather than sitting at home meditating when they were stuck in a bottleneck .

He never would have improved his Dao of Trees to the middle grade if it wasn’t for the battle with the Corpse Lord , and his current breakthrough could be directly attributed to experiences while moving through the Dead Zone . He quickly opened up his Dao Screen and took a look at his evolved seed .

Trees (High) : Endurance +10 , Vitality +40 , Intelligence +5 , Wisdom +5]

The seed now gave a whopping 60 attribute points , doubling up from before . Zac couldn’t help but get a bit excited even though he knew it would happen . Comparing from how it was before his new insight gave him +15 Vitality , and 5 points in Endurance , Intelligence and Wisdom each .

His insight was based on the dynamic nature of the life of a Tree , how it went from almost a death-like state during winter back to teeming with life during summer . It was everchanging , and it was only through death that life could come . Even if a forest burned down , the ashes became nourishment for the seeds germinating in the ground .

Zac felt that this concept was applicable to many things , but for the moment he had no time to properly sit down and ponder on it . He had too many things to do , and he didn’t even know where he was , or what to do about the miniature bomb lodged in his body uncomfortably close to his family jewels .

There was however one more change in his screen that might give him a hint of what was going on . He saw that there was a new Title in his growing list of accomplishments . With anticipation he focused on the new Title called Core , but what he saw only made him more confused .

Core : Successfully form a Core . Reward : ? ? ? ]

Zac blankly stared at the odd line for a while until he hesitantly closed it with a frown . After mentally going through it in his mind there simply was no reward from the Title , differing from all other ones . If he didn’t know any better he would have guessed there was a bug in a computer system .

But the menus and prompts weren’t part of some random program , it was part of THE system , an Entity powerful enough to conquer multiple dimensions .

He was completely confused as to what the weird line meant , and he wasn’t even sure whether it was something he should ask around about . The thing with bugs was that they tended to get corrected , and he wasn’t sure how the system dealt with people that did things they weren’t supposed to .

Zac had a feeling the weird prompt was the result of a series of coincidental circumstances . The combination of his specific Dao and whatever the Corpse Lord injected him with had transformed and created something odd through the circumstances of being triggered by the purifier .

Next was the insane amount of miasma that entered him in a very short span of time . Normally he shouldn’t have survived something like that . It was the same with the pills . Taking two was risky , three was suicide . But he gobbled down ten at the same time and still lived to tell the tale .

The only reason he could think of as to why he was still alive was his experience in the pond of Cosmic Water . The experience had been a bit similar , though it wasn’t exactly the same . His body had absorbed extreme amounts of energy from the Fruit of Ascension along with the Cosmic Water and was ripped apart and reformed untold time .

Perhaps that very experience had changed something with him on a fundamental level , and allowed him to survive when he by all accounts should have exploded or become an undead . However , he didn’t have time to figure anything out or even get dressed because an eerie laugh dragged him out of his thoughts .

Well , what’s this? - a hollow voice drifted out from behind him , prompting Zac to whirl around and whip out his axe .

Chapter 176 - Ghosts

Zac’s eyes widened as he saw what faced him . The best way to describe it was that he was looking at a ghost . It was clearly an undead denizen teeming with miasma , but it was mostly translucent . It didn’t really have any facial features , apart from its eyes shining in white and azure .

It looked upon Zac like it was gazing at an oddity , apparently not even considering the possibility of having found itself in danger .

You’ve strayed quite some ways from safety , human , - the specter said . - I will let you live if you can provide any hints of what caused the miasmic disturbance in this area . -

Zac blankly stared at the apparition for a second , not sure what to do . While the thing talked the talk , his intuition told him that the undead in front of him was not of the same power as the Corpse Lord he fought earlier . For a second he thought it might be one of the liches Ogras had mentioned , but he quickly discounted that possibility . The air around it wasn’t even slightly distorted from power , and his danger sense didn’t flare up .

Unhappy with the lack of response the undead looked ready to follow up with something else , but a glance at the wound on Zac’s side stopped the wraith in its tracks .

What is that on your body? -

Zac’s mind worked a mile a minute as he quickly put on his robe again . It looked like his experience had caused a huge disturbance in the area , causing even the sentient undead to scout it out . Perhaps it wasn’t even alone , with some of the real leaders close-by .

He was still not yet ready to start an all-out brawl with the undead forces . His wound was finally better , but he still hadn’t explored the changes to his body . He didn’t want to overload the odd Core in him and go off like fireworks from destabilizing it . The core contained enough miasma to create over a hundred thousand zombies , who knew what could happen if it was unleashed .

Oh , you are one of Lord Mhal’s experiments… - the wraith said , but it shuddered as it looked at Zac’s body , seemingly seeing straight through him . - But what is that core… . Wait , that axe… You’re- - .

The undead didn’t get further than that though , as Zac flashed right next to it with Loamwalker] with his axe already mid-swing . With a growl the edge went straight through the head of the wraith with a swoosh , but Zac didn’t feel any elation .

His brows furrowed when he saw that the undead was completely fine , and Zac understood why the undead was so laid back . The thing was completely incorporeal , and a normal attack wouldn’t cut it . Without missing a beat he imbued the edge with the Dao of Heaviness and swung once again before the ghost even had time to react to the first swing .

He hoped that the effect would be like when he fought the ghost wolves during the first wave . His normal hits didn’t work , but when he empowered the strike with the Dao he had no problem killing them . However , the empowered swing didn’t fare any better , harmlessly passing through the undead .

Zac already knew that some undead were notoriously hard to kill , often requiring specific classes or skills to get the job done . Unfortunately he had no skill of that kind . Initially he’d hoped that his repository would contain one , but there were only so many skills in there .

To think you left your island to come here . Great Lord Voshri was very intrigued when you defeated Mhal , - the wraith laughed as it started to flitter away though the woods . - I am guessing you’re the cause for the disturbance as well . The benefits you will bring me . -

Zac knew he couldn’t let this thing get away , as it would cause untold trouble . Not only did it immediately figure out who he was , but it also seemed to possess some sort of ocular skill . It clearly managed to see the core inside his body . Even worse , Zac’s brows rose in alarm as the ghost started to shine with a stronger and stronger azure light , starting to look like an unholy beacon .

Out of options Zac only had one idea . He’d used the Dao of Trees to combat the miasma for a week now , and perhaps it would be effective in combat as well . The problem was that he never had been able to push the Dao of Trees into his axe , forcing him to only use it for defense .

Zac once again used his movement skill to get next to the fleeing specter , and ignoring his tired mind unleashed a large Dao-field around him . This time he didn’t create a whirl , but just expanded a sphere of influence that focused on the ghost .

The Dao field quickly drifted out , covering a diameter of over twenty meters around him , a huge difference compared to the Dao field he could create with his Dao of Heaviness . Clearly the field was effective as the wraith faltered as it tried to fly away , and even it light dimmed noticeably .

Zac was immediately upon the undead again , once again swinging his axe . He was ready to try to force the Dao of Trees inside the weapon , but it was surprisingly effortless to integrate the Dao into his axe as it once again ripped toward the head of the wraith .

This time the specter tried dodging , but it was to no avail as it was bogged down by the High-grade Dao-field . Desperate its eyes lit up light two ghostly lanterns , and a shield from miasma was erected in front of it . However , it was clear that it was just some sort of scout , its defense largely relying on being incorporeal . Its actual prowess was nowhere close to Zac’s .

The shield couldn’t even muster a defense against Verun’s Bite] that was teeming with green energy . The ghost didn’t get decapitated but rather destroyed as the axe blasted through shining with its green glimmer .

The green light was the Dao of Trees , and it almost looked like it was extremely potent acid as it started to eat the specter , who started to shriek as it tried to get it off . However , in just seconds most of the undead was gone , leaving only a husk .

From death comes life… - Zac muttered as he looked at the ghost melting away in no time .

It looked like he had gotten himself an amazing weapon against the undead . It was extremely effective on the ghost , and Zac guessed that it would work wonders against the other undead as well . A great worry was that the incursion would be led by a Lich , but with his new type of attack he wasn’t as worried anymore .

However , he couldn’t relax just yet , as the miasma around the perishing ghost suddenly shuddered . Zac quickly backed away , just in time to avoid a huge azure fire shooting up at the sky , quickly consuming the last of the undead . It appeared that the thing ignited its last energy to either take him with it into true death , or give out its location .

Zac was far more worried about the second option , as it would mean the ghost wasn’t alone . He had a strong feeling that the ruckus he’d caused yesterday wasn’t small , and this thing was likely only one of many . Not wasting any time he immediately set out to the east , planning to get back on track .

However , he only ran for a few minutes before he was dismayed to find himself essentially surrounded by undead . No matter which direction he looked he could spot a ghost scout . Since it was just a matter of time before he was found out he simply decided to make a break for it and pushed his speed to the limit as he ran through the woods .

As he suspected a few bright beams exploded in the sky not long after , likely markers released by scouts . Zac’s location was completely exposed and he could only pray that he didn’t run into the main army . Zac ignored the ghosts and kept pushing forward , aiming to get as far away as possible from the core zone .

Before he blacked out yesterday he’d already been quite close to the center of the undead incursion , and judging from the density of miasma in the area he’d gone further inside during his mad dash . He couldn’t be held up here , since stronger and stronger reinforcements would come if he was bogged down .

He felt like a trapped animal as he ran through the gloomy forest with his eyes darting left and right , waiting for anything to pop out between the trees . He was proven right in almost no time , as he suddenly found himself in a clearing with over a thousand undead in waiting .

He wanted slap himself when he realized he’d been tricked . Finding himself facing a waiting army was no accident . The ghosts around him shining their lights were herding him . He’d subconsciously tied to run in the direction where there were fewer lights in the way , steering clear of the directions thick with ghosts , afraid the enemy would be there .

Worse yet , this undead army was something else entirely compared to the native zombies , as they all looked sentient and well equipped . And in the front of the army stood a familiar figure , and seeing him Zac couldn’t help a groan escaping .

It’s you , after all! No wonder my wounds were aching! - the Corpse Lord roared with fury as miasma in the area started to gather around him .

The undead general was clearly back on his feet looking intact , though Zac was surprised to see that the arm he’d crushed with Nature’s Punishment] looked completely different from before . It was to the point that Zac suspected that it was actually replaced with another arm somehow , as it not only was larger compared to this other arm , it even looked to belong to some other type of humanoid .

However , the Corpse Lord didn’t feel weaker compared to before . On the contrary , it felt like he’d even gained a power-up , and the new arm pulsated with power . Perhaps the arm once had belonged to a E-Grade individual , as the power emanations reminded him of those of the fiend wolf and hive-queen .

The Corpse Lord was backed up by quite a few other undead , but Zac felt that there was no other undead at the same level as the leader itself , which was the only good news so far . Hopefully he was the only general that had came to the area to check things out , or at least the others were some distance away .

Time was of the essence , so Zac wordlessly sent out five large fractal edges toward the army , imbuing them with the Dao of Heaviness . However , the Corpse Lord only snorted as a vast aura of power emanated from him .

Shields! - the general roared , prompting huge azure barriers to be erected along the army .

As for himself , the Lord simply jumped forward and punched the fractal heading in his direction . The collision created a huge impact creating a small crater in the ground , but it was clear which force was stronger . The new larger arm of the Corpse Lord didn’t even get a scratch as the fractal dissipated into a few wild swirls of Cosmic Energy .

Your tricks will not work again human . I do not know how you survived my Seed of Desolation , but I will slowly figure it out as I pick you apart , - the Corpse Lord said with a growl , its eyes still blazing with fury .

Zac was starting to suspect that the reaction of the general , who apparently was named Mhal , was due to more than just having lost the battle two weeks ago . The undead looked like he wanted to eat him whole . Perhaps the punishment for failing the mission was quite extreme .

Since the incursions had long stabilized they should have an open channel of communications with the main forces back on their own worlds . Who knew , perhaps the Corpse Lord’s whole faction got implicated due to the failure . From how Ogras explained how it worked it seemed like a distinct possibility .

Zac knew that even if some other powerhouses were close , they would be attracted by a large battle . He would need to finish this up quickly and then flee at top speed , so he decided on a gambit . The undead army wasn’t just waiting on him though , and a flurry of attacks flew his way as their leader simply was content to observe for the moment .

Cosmic energy gathered at the fractal on Zacs arm with extreme speed as he ran to keep a constant distance from the opposing side . Soon the fractal was filled , and he pushed forward with his arm once again , making reality crack .

The huge arm from the other dimension started reaching for the Corpse Lord , who didn’t seem surprised at its appearance . In fact , he seemed gleeful , fully expecting the attack .

Did you think the same attack would work twice? - the undead sneered as torrential amounts of corruption rose from three huge kettles carried by gigantic corpse golems .

Chapter 177 - Ravenous

I’m not limited by the Ruthless Heavens here . This time I have my legion with me! - the Corpse Lord roared as three huge streams of corruption rose out from the kettles and flew to intercept the emerging hand above Zac .

Zac wasn’t surprised the undead leader had something up his sleeve , but he didn’t change his mind . He pushed the gigantic hand forward , making it slam straight into the torrents of corruption as it moved to snatch the Corpse Lord .

A sizzling could be heard from his arm as smoke started to rise , making Zac grunt in pain . But he kept going , and soon the whole arm was submerged in the putrid liquid from the kettles . It was a far stronger version of the corruption that spewed out of the Corpse Lord’s own body during the last fight , and Zac felt as though he was submerged in a vat of acid .

True Rot! - the undead leader roared as he pushed the miasma in the air to join the liquid from the kettles , pushing the decaying powers to another level .

The hand was completely submerged in a blob of turbid liquid as it stopped some distance from the undead lord , who looked at a panting Zac with a sneer . The effect of the ball of corruption was extended to Zac as well , and the effect was strong enough to singe him all over . The hair and beard he’d grown out fell out in thick clumps , and the cloak he used above his real gear was rotting away at a speed visible to the naked eye .

However , the Corpse Lord’s eyes suddenly opened wide in alarm as an emerald shockwave of energy scattered the blob of corruption . The putrid liquid flew in all directions , actually killing dozens of the undead soldiers , as a hand blazing in green luster emerged out of it .

The arm wrought out of nature didn’t look decayed at all . On the contrary , it seemed even more vibrant compared to before , as small saplings and leaves grew from its rugged exterior .

You! - Mhal roared , as he tried to perform a body swap , but it was to no avail .

The hand had somehow locked down space around it , turning the area into its domain . Zac sensed it was something like a Dao Field in a sense , but at the same time it was far sturdier . Aghast , the Corpse Lord tried to flee , but he didn’t get far as the hand quickly closed around him .

I’ll take you with me! Seed Detonation]! - was the last thing the undead screamed in fury as the hand clenched , causing a sickening crunch .

Zac froze for a second , bracing for whatever his foe had planned in revenge . But nothing happened , making Zac look around in confusion . The Corpse Lord had said seed detonation , likely trying to explode whatever he embedded in Zac’s gut . But perhaps the odd changes it had undergone had broken the connection Mhal possessed .

Zac sighed in relief as he saw his gambit was successful . He was betting that the two upgrades to his Dao of Trees would supersede whatever the Corpse Lord had planned . A Dao Seed gaining two upgrades was a huge boost , and even with the support of the Dead Zone Mhal shouldn’t be ready for the power-up .

He was correct . Though the three large kettles made the power of rot far stronger , it was no match for the concept of growth through decay . The hand even emerged stronger from the attack . A huge surge of Cosmic Energy entered him , effortlessly pushing him to level 59 .

While there was utter chaos in the undead ranks from the sudden fall of their leader Zac quickly ran forward and stored the mangled remains and weapon of the Corpse Lord in his sack . The undead himself possessed a sack , which Zac quickly bound to himself and put inside his robe .

Zac had achieved his goal and was pondering what to do next . He even contemplating going on a rampage to push himself toward level 60 . However , a sudden blaze of pain erupted in his body as the core beneath his navel sprung to life as it started to absorb miasma once again .

The last words of the Corpse Lord once again echoed in Zac’s , making him wonder whether Mhal had some sort of contingency after all .

At least Zac noted with some relief that the miasma it absorbed wasn’t too bad , not at all at the same level as before . Of course , continuously absorbing corrupted energy wasn’t great , so Zac quickly started up a Dao-swirl above the bead to stem the influx , even though his mental energy was quite tapped out .

However , his eyes widened in horror when he felt the mental energy forming the Dao swirl getting sucked into the bead alongside the miasma . Zac quickly stopped the Dao-field , afraid he would damage his mind if it kept going . He was already almost wrung dry from yesterday , and along with this fight he was already close to his limits .

Right now was not the time to ponder on a response to the new issue because the undead army was quickly turning berserk after seeing their leader get killed . Huge lumbering corpse golems were rushing toward him as a dizzying array of attacks soared through the air .

Zac judged the army to be even stronger than his demon force , with real foreign invaders making up the bulk . Even at top condition this wasn’t a fight he’d take on heedlessly . He quickly oriented himself as he dodged as many of the attacks as he could before he started to run around the army . It was time to flee .

A few of the golems moved to intercept , and Zac once again hefted his axe as he carved a path of carnage to make an escape . However , the undead here were not like the mindless zombies from before and they mounted a terrifying retaliation . He was constantly struck by fists almost as large as himself , and each one hit with the force of a truck .

He was also continuously pelted by ranged attacks , both mental and physical . His skill Mental Fortress] was running on overdrive , and he was forced to unsummon the glistening leaves from Nature’s defense] as he was unable to keep up the consumption of Cosmic Energy from reforming them .

In just a few minutes he was completely bloodied with innumerable wounds . However , the undead army wasn’t unscathed either . With each step of Zac's an elite of the undead army was destroyed as he pushed forward like a meat grinder on legs .

It didn’t matter whether it was Corpse Golems , aberrations or elite zombies . Everything fell in front of Zac’s relentless swings . The experience he was gaining was enormous , but he knew he couldn’t keep it up for long . With every kill he gained Cosmic Energy , but more miasma also entered him .

If that was it , then it wouldn’t be such a problem , but the core clearly was looking for some sort of equilibrium as it kept absorbing opposing energy as well . Since Zac couldn’t keep the Dao Field going anymore it actually absorbed something else from him . His lifeforce .

It felt like he was slowly being sucked dry , and every time he killed an undead a little bit of his life was ripped away to keep the balance going . However , it wasn’t like he could just stop , so the carnage continued until he finally broke away from the army , fleeing into the woods .

This time he wouldn’t get controlled by any ghosts as he pushed straight east . A quick look around showed that the army at least wasn’t following him . He’d caused massive losses to the army , and perhaps they didn’t want to throw their lives away , instead opting to wait for orders from superiors .

A few of the scouts tried to keep track of him , but Zac finally managed to shake them off with the help of Loamwalker] and his superior physique . However , he was completely spent by this point . The fight had cost him almost all his Cosmic Energy , and his mind was overtaxed after the last two days’ efforts .

Even his body felt completely drained from the bead sucking the life out of him . At least it had calmed down by a bit since he’d stopped his killing spree , but things still looked dire . Even though he just wanted to lay down and sleep for a few days he kept running .

He just killed one of the generals of the undead army , and he didn’t for one second think that there wouldn’t be some reaction from this . He needed to create much more distance before he was satisfied . He really wanted to find a road by this point , but the forests and uneven plains felt endless as he ran for hours .

Zac’s mind was starting to become a blur , all his effort focused on taking one step after another . He’d long lost any pursuers trying to keep up with him , but the problem of him getting continuously drained was persisting . No matter what he tried , from using his Dao to trying to feed the bead the energy from Nexus Crystals , it didn’t work .

The only thing he found to somewhat help out was to eat meat from strong creatures , so he kept continuously eating dried meat as he ran . In just a few hours he’d consumed a couple of week’s worth of food , but he kept ravenously putting one piece after another into his mouth as he ran .

The only permanent solution Zac could come up with at the moment was to keep running further away from the core of the Dead Zone . The drain on his body was based on how much miasma his body absorbed from the atmosphere . Zac figured that if he got to the edge of Dead Zone the sparse miasma in the air would result in his body wouldn’t get drained to such a degree .

Still , even with his speed he knew it might take days to get far enough out as he felt he was getting closer and closer to his limits , meat or no meat . Those were the thoughts churning in Zac’s muddled head as a bright light suddenly flashed from the left of him and he looked over with confused eyes . What entered his eyes was a large truck speeding right toward him , and in the next moment everything went black .

Zac was swimming in a sea of darkness , not knowing what was going on . He couldn’t remember how he got here , or even who he was . Time and space had no meaning as he quietly floated in the endless black until a glowing warmth spread through the universe , rekindling his memories .

Zac stirred with a groan , and immediately heard a conversation above him .

Why are you wasting our resources on that man? He is teeming with miasma , he’s probably lived inside the Dead Zone for months . I don’t know how he has survived , he doesn’t seem to have an ounce of Cosmic Energy in his body , and he seems like he’s on the verge of death anyway , - a disgruntled voice said as Zac felt something pushing him in his side . - Just let him quietly pass . -

It was us who hit him with our truck , it’s only right that we help him out . And how I use my healing powers is none of your business , - an irritated female voice from somewhere right next to Zac responded . - Besides , do you want to answer to the Battle Monks when they find out we left one of their kind in the wilderness? -

Shit , we've already lost most of our army , but you pick up strays . Well , whatever , - the man muttered , followed by steps walking away .

The warmth kept flooding into his body , reinvigorating his drained cells . At the same time he felt that some miasma kept entering his body , though now the golden warmth was what got absorbed into his Core to balance it out . It gave his body a much-needed respite , as he was just too exhausted from the past two days .

He wanted to get up and see what was going on , but he was surprised that his body wasn’t listening to him , not even allowing him to open his eyes . Instead , he was forced to lie there mulling over what the two said . The way the man described him was troubling , so he tried to properly sense the state of his body .

He was shocked by what he found out . He had no problem using his inner vision , but he almost thought he’d was looking at someone else when he saw what was going on .

There was not a smidgeon of energy in his body , to the point that it almost felt like he’d gone back to be a normal mortal . At the same time his frame had undergone a transformation , and not a good one . Most of his muscles were gone , and he looked sickly or starving . Zac could only guess that his bulk was swallowed along with his energy into the gluttonous bead .

Finally there vas the mention of battle monks . Zac didn’t understand what they had to do with him , until he went over the battle from before . The fight had once again singed his hair clean he realized with an inward groan .

I guess I’m back to being Monk , was the last helpless thought in Zac’s mind as he once again drifted into unconsciousness .

Chapter 178 - Monks

Zac once again woke up from his deep slumber . This time he was relieved to sense that he was once again able to move , though the feeling of feebleness was still there . He arduously got up to a sitting position and quickly looked around .

He was in the cargo of a small military truck that was obviously still driving as it was bumping and waving around . Inside were another six people resting , four men and two women . All of them were east Asian apart from one of the men who seemed to be Indian .

Two were having a conversation with subdued voices , while the others were reading or maintaining their weapons . When Zac got up to a sitting position a few glanced at him , but soon lost interest and got back to what they were doing .

Zac still wasn’t sure of what was going on so he first checked his situation . He wasn’t bound or anything of the sort , and he still had all his cosmos sacks within his robes . It appeared he wasn’t a prisoner , not that he really thought that after overhearing the earlier conversation .

Still , it was a relief since he wasn't sure he'd be able to mount a prison break in his current condition . A deep rumbling in his stomach reminded him of his wretched and starved state , and it also roused one of the girls who sat close to him .

You’re awake? How are you feeling? - she asked after she noticed Zac’s sitting posture , and Zac could tell that she was the one who spoke earlier before he passed out again .

She was quite short , barely reaching 150 cm . Along with her petite frame , Zac almost thought for a second that she was a child . However , she appeared to be somewhere in her early twenties from her facial features . She didn’t give off a strong impression from her appearance , but there was still something about her .

At first he couldn't put his finger on it , but after a while , Zac realized it was a slight aura of power . However , it was different from those he was used to , like his own or the Demon warriors . Their auras were drenched in bloodlust and something wrought from countless battles .

Hers was a subdued warm glow that gave off a rather comforting feeling . Another rumble came from Zacs belly , and with a slight flush the girl quickly handed over a can of sausages from her backpack

Yes , thank you for saving me , - Zac answered with a hoarse voice and quickly devoured the small Vienna sausages with relish .

He considered bringing out something more from his pouch but decided against it with some regret . He wasn't in a condition to defend himself for the moment , and showing he possessed multiple Cosmos Sacks wasn't a good idea .

We're sorry about hitting you with our truck . I’m Sui . We’re heading out of the Dead Zone now , and you’re free to join us , -

Oh? - Zac said . - In which direction? -

We’re- - Sui said , but didn’t get further before a gruff voice interrupted her .

Oh? You’re awake? Which monastery do you belong to? -

Zac frowned and looked over at a man who sat opposite him . The voice was the same one that wanted to leave him for dead earlier .

I am not part of any monastery , - Zac answered , deciding to tell the truth .

He felt it was no point in lying about the situation , as he had no idea what the so-called battle monks were . He’d be exposed in just a follow-up question or two , and he didn’t want to get caught lying while he was in this condition .

Though he could sit up his body was far from restored , and he wasn’t sure he would even be able to walk around at the moment .

You’ve got some balls impersonating a monk , - the man snorted . - I say we throw him off before we arrive , we can’t afford to anger the Everlasting Monastery . Our villages depend on their protection . -

Don’t be stupid , the monks are benevolent people . They wouldn’t jeopardize the population over something like that , - Sui said with a glare .

What’s the Everlasting Monastery? - Zac asked .

It’s a large monastery led by one of the most powerful people in the world , Abbot Everlasting Peace . The monastery is actually two days inside the Dead Zone , but the monks still reside there . More impressively , they are actually able to purify the miasma , - Sui said with some reverence on her face . - They have turned a large area into a safe zone . -

Zac’s brows rose at the explanation . Abbot Everlasting Peace was actually the one he was most curious about since the Ladder System was launched , even more so than Salvation and Thea Marshall . Abbot Everlasting Peace was the person who held the first spot on the Dao-ladder at the time .

Surprisingly there had been no information about him , or the Indian Guru holding the second spot on the Dao Ladder , in New Washington . So it turned out the monk was staying in the middle of the undead incursion , somehow eking out a living .

Zac felt it was no wonder that the Abbot had such a high level . He was living in the middle of an incursion , so he was bound to either perish or get strong , just like himself . A thought struck Zac and he opened up the ladders for the first time in a while .

Ladder - Level

Rank Name Level

1 Super Brother-Man 59

2 Salvation 48

3 Thea Marshall 47

4 Enigma 43

5 Thwonkin' Billy 42

6 Joker 42

7 Abbot Everlasting Peace 41

8 Daoist Chosui 41

9 Silverfox 41

10 Guru Anaad Phakiwar 40

. . .

100 Ling Tian 40

Ladder - Wealth

Rank Name

1 Super Brother-Man

2 Smaug

3 Salvation

4 Joker

5 Enigma

6 Greed

7 Little Treasure

8 Thwonkin' Billy

9 The Eternal Eye

10 Henry Marshall

Ladder - Dao

Rank Name

1 Abbot Everlasting Peace

2 Guru Anaad Phakiwar

3 Super Brother-Man

4 Thea Marshall

5 Abbot Boundless Truth

6 The Eternal Eye

7 Silverfox

8 Father Thomas

9 Daoist Chosui

10 Little Treasure

Zac was shocked . Not even attaining a high tiered Seed was enough to push him to the top of the Dao ladder . It made him truly wonder just what kind of insights the monk had . He was actually a bit excited about going to the monastery now . Perhaps he would be able to glean some insight as to why the monk was gaining so much enlightenment .

Otherwise not much was changing on the ladders . The only large change since he checked last was that the individual named Dahlia had disappeared from the ladder . Before she was at the 9th spot , so Zac guessed she’d died . It happened every now and then , and it seemed that less than 30 of the original rankers were left on the ladder after roughly 11 weeks .

Some had simply gotten passed by others , while others died . To keep up with the top 100 of the world one needed to be constantly throwing oneself in danger after all . Another trend Zac was noticing was that the ladders were starting to get more harmonized .

In the start Zac was one of the few that existed on all ladders , while Thea was another example . But by now quite a few of those who were on the Dao Ladder also found themselves on the Level ladder . This was nothing odd , as gaining a Dao Seed not only improved attributes , but also empowered skills . It gave a huge boost and would increase leveling speed and survivability by a tier .

Zac himself would be long dead if he didn’t have his Dao Seeds for example . Curiously enough Salvation still wasn’t on the Dao Ladder though , defying expectations . There was a rumor in New Washington that Salvation was doing the same as the Dominators , gaining levels by killing humans , which was why he gained so many levels without gaining any Dao .

Why are you heading to the monastery? - Zac suddenly asked .

There was an… incident , - Sui hesitantly answered , throwing a quick glance at Zac .

Incident? You call most of our people getting slaughtered an incident? - another man in the truck retorted with a glare .

A god damn lunatic came from nowhere , causing a huge amount of trouble . He was extremely strong , but I think he had gone crazy from miasma like he was on the verge of turning . He killed god knows how many zombies , but then the miasma in the area started to go haywire , - the man continued .

Then everything turned crazy . Elite undead started to gather in droves , seemingly looking for the madman . We think he might have turned into a zombie lord or something , judging by the amount of miasma that entered him , - the man opposite spat with a frown . - We got caught in the middle of it . We got butchered . If I find that asshole… -

You’ll what? - a scarred man sitting in a corner of the truck snorted . - Piss your pants? That guy was crazy strong , and now he's a Zombie to boot . -

Zac had to force his face to stay neutral as he heard the explanation . He had no idea that he turned out to be a calamity not only for the zombies but the humans as well . He couldn’t let them know he was the one responsible for the chaos . Otherwise , they’d likely rip him apart for revenge .

Suddenly he was quite happy that his whole appearance had undergone a transformation during his flight . Not only was his hair gone , but his face had changed back to its original since he wasn’t able to keep his disguise going . Even his frame had drastically changed in only two days , making it nigh impossible to know he was the responsible party .

He felt extremely bad about the situation and made a mental promise to try to help out the villages affected by his actions in the future . But for now he had to stay silent on the matter , even if it was unethical .

So you’re heading there to rest up? - Zac asked .

We need to warn the monastery about the developments in the Dead Zone , and hopefully some of our party are heading there as well . We got split up when we fled , - Sui answered as he looked down , fiddling with her fingers .

Zac simply nodded and reclined back against the wall .

What about you? - the gruff man asked . - If you ask me , you’re extremely suspicious . What were you doing so far into the Dead Zone? -

I originally am from Perseverance on the west side of the incursion . I heard a rumor about a town having a lot of Caucasian cultivators on the east side . I was trying to get there to find a good team , but I got turned around , - Zac answered , mixing some truth with lies .

You crossed the whole Dead Zone . . . to find a party? - the gruff man asked suspiciously .

I accidentally got in an argument with the purifier in Perseverance , so my situation got a bit . . . complicated , - Zac shrugged . - None of the teams would take me in . -

A few of the people in the truck snickered at that , throwing a glance at Sui who frowned .

It’s disgusting how some of us use our gifts for personal gain when we should strive to help mankind , - she said with a sour face .

Not everyone is as idealistic as you , girl , - an old man sitting on the other side of Sui spoke up for the first time . - Most are just trying to survive . -

They kept talking for a while , and Zac was happy to find out that the monastery was to the east , roughly halfway between the core and the edge of the Dead Zone , which meant that they drove in the right direction .

They didn’t really know about any town like the one Zac described , though some of the monks might know , as quite a few of the elite Zombie Hunters had passed through there and left some intelligence behind .

After a while Zac was starting to feel drained once again by the bead , but Sui seemed to sense it somehow . She quickly started to heal him again , while the man on the opposite side snorted after throwing Zac a glare .

After driving a few hours the truck stopped , but apparently it was only for a quick bathroom break and switch drivers . The others seemed eager to get out of the cramped truck , and quickly jumped out one by one . In just seconds only Sui and Zac were left behind , as she was in the middle of once again healing him , or rather feeding the greedy Core in his body .

Don’t mind what the others said earlier… - Sui suddenly said with a low voice as she imbued him with her healing skill .

About pretending to be a monk? I don’t mind , I kinda look like one , - Zac answered about a shrug .

No , not that… About you causing the deaths of our teammates . I know you didn’t mean for that to happen . I guess it has to do with the weird thing in your body? -

Chapter 179 - Divine Mountain

Various thoughts ran through Zac’s head as he leveled an even stare at Sui , to the point that she quickly started to get flustered .

I’m sorry , I didn’t mean to surprise you . Your face and body are different , but your energy feels the same . I only know it because my class has given me some unique skills . The others don’t know . I promise I won’t tell , so please don’t do anything drastic , - she quickly explained in a hurried flurry of words .

I understand . Thank you for your discretion . You can call me David , - Zac said after a while and closed his eyes , once again using the nickname he chose on the other side of the Dead Zone .

The silence might have been a bit oppressive to the Purifier because she quickly got out of the van as well as soon as she was done imbuing him with another round of energy . That left Zac alone in the van , going over what she said . In the end he felt it wasn’t a big deal that she knew . If she didn’t even tell those in her team she wouldn’t tell anyone else .

Since he was alone for the moment he quickly took out a bunch of dried meat and stuffed himself , almost inhaling the strips made from high leveled beasts . Sui’s efforts was very effective in keeping the bead happy , but that alone wasn’t enough . His body felt as though he’d been starving for months , lacking not only energy but nourishment .

With his attributes he had an extreme metabolism , if he didn’t eat a lot he’d only get worse . In just seconds Zac actually managed to stuff his face with over a kilo of high-grade meat and a couple of liters of water from a canteen . After a brief hesitation he took out another flask and took a small sip from it .

It was actually extremely diluted Cosmic Water , containing roughly one percent of the high energy liquid . As it entered his body he felt the familiar burn through his pathways , but with the low amount of water it was just a small flash of warmth before it turned into Cosmic Energy .

It was the highest concentration he dared to drink at the moment , but even this mixture was harmful if imbibed to much . It did , however , give a small boost to his completely depleted reserves of Cosmic Energy , which improved his bodily functions in general .

Drinking it was partly to invigorate his body , but mainly in order to stay prepared . While Sui seemed nice enough , he didn’t really trust the others . If it came to it he needed to be able to protect himself . Besides , they were still in the Dead Zone , anything could happen .

Zac would have liked to continue eating , but approaching voices told him his feast was over , so he quickly put away his Cosmos Pouch again . The trip was largely uneventful after that , as they only traveled on roads far away from civilization . They entered a sort of routine where nothing really happened apart from Sui infusing some energy into Zac every hour or so .

They never stopped driving and kept going non-stop . The only times they stopped was when they found abandoned vehicles , where they tried to salvage some leftover gas with practiced ease . It was the middle of the night when they made another such stop , and the Old man jumped out of the back of the truck with a hose and a can .

However , it didn’t take long before the calm of the night was interrupted by multiple roars from zombies .

Attack! - a shout from outside came , and within seconds the rest of the people in the truck were up on their feet and outside .

Zac had to admit that these people seemed to have more combat experience than even his Valkyries . Perhaps trying some recruiting in the area would be a good idea . For a second he thought about going out to help , but a quick check told him his body was in no condition yet . The energy he got from the Cosmic Water was just to keep him going at full power for a couple of seconds , and he didn’t want to waste it on some mindless zombies .

Instead , he took the chance to once again replenish his body . He stuffed his face with dried meat , and once again downed it with a mouthful of diluted Cosmic Water . It was simply too hard to restore energy naturally in the Dead Zone , as most of the Cosmic Energy was converted into miasma . Taking out a bunch of crystals would be suspicious as well , leaving him with only this option .

Aren’t you relaxed , having a drink while we’re out here risking our lives , - a grunt suddenly came from outside .

Surprised Zac quickly looked over , and to his annoyance it was the man who sat opposite him , Wang Fang . It appeared that the man had actually snuck back toward the truck while the fight was still going . Zac could only say that the man’s name was completely apt , as he had been a complete wang since Zac woke up .

Unfortunately I’m not in shape to help at the moment , - Zac could only respond , as what the man said was in a sense true .

Even worse , you’ve also been hiding rations while enjoying ours , - the man pressed on as he jumped into the van . - Makes me wonder what else you have been hiding . I knew we should have frisked you when Sui picked you up . -

Zac’s brows scrunched up , and he started to wonder if he would have to waste the little energy he’d restored in order to break some bones . He couldn’t have the man search him , even if it meant that he’d have a falling out with the people in the truck . The wealth on his person was beyond anything they could imagine , and it would create chaos .

Zac slowly started to rotate his cosmic energy through his parched pathways , getting ready for a quick surprise strike . However , he was relieved to hear that the fighting had died down outside , and footsteps were approaching the truck .

Wang Fang tsked in annoyance , but quickly snatched the flask out of Zac’s hand and backed away with a triumphant sneer . However , face quickly changed as the sweet aroma from the Cosmic Water drew his attention , and he unhesitantly took a swig from the canteen .

You really shouldn’t drink that . It is poison , and it will be the end of you , - Zac said with a frown .

However , Wang ignored him and greedily swallowed one mouthful after another with a blissful expression on his face .

At this moment the others entered the truck , frowning at the scene .

What’s going on? - the old man , who appeared to be some sort of leader , asked .

Our little guest has been hoarding treasures all along , - the Wang Fang said and showed them the flask triumphantly . - I found him drinking from this when I looked inside . It’s some magical water that restored instantly restored all my cosmic energy from just a few mouthfuls . -

Some murmurs erupted from the others as they greedily looked at the flask , apart from Sui who looked aghast at the situation . Wang seemed emboldened by the attention and Zac’s silence so he kept going .

Not only that , the flask itself is a treasure , as it contains an endless amount of the Treasure Water , - he said , looking at Zac with a sneer . - I bet this thing is why you had to flee into the Dead Zone . You probably stole it and got chased . -

I’ll give you a final warning , - Zac said with a shrug . - That bottle contains diluted Cosmic Water . It will restore your cosmic energy , but it will also ruin your pathways . I only took a small sip to restore my depleted energy , but that was because I had no alternative . Drinking it like you did will only end in tragedy . -

You stole it from David? Fang-ge , what kind of man have you become? - Sui said with disappointment . - Return it immediately . -

It’s okay , it’s nothing valuable , - Zac said with a wave , before he looked at the others in the truck . - You were benevolent and helped me in my time of need , so I wish you no harm . Stay away from that liquid . -

Not wanting us to waste your treasure? - Wang snorted . - I bet you’re planning to steal it back . Sorry , but it will stay with me from now on . This will be what push our squad to greatness . -

Zac shook his head , not wanting to bother with the fool any longer . If he wanted to kill himself he was welcome to . Besides , the flask was nothing expensive , just a little Cosmic Water diluted in normal water . It was nothing compared to the small lake of the stuff he possessed .

Instead he closed his eyes and rested . In the end a few others tasted the water , and all marveled at its magical effects . However , the Old Man , Sui , and another man declined instead opting to slowly restore themselves with Nexus Crystals . Since they didn’t take it any further or trying to frisk him for any more treasures Zac let the matter end there .

Between Sui’s help and his slow recuperation he was over 15% restored by now by his own account . It wasn’t optimal , but it was enough to rebuff some zombie hunters if it came to that . But Zac felt that what they would go through in the future was punishment enough . He remembered how addictive the water was , it felt like one could keep going and fight forever with the stuff . But reality would catch up with them soon enough .

After the confrontation the atmosphere in the truck got quite oppressive , with no one really in the mood to speak up . Zac knew that if it wasn’t for Sui he would have been attacked , or at least thrown out by now . It was lucky for him that no one wanted to anger the purifier , as it might result in their death tomorrow from lack of treatment .

Zac considered whether he should just start to bring out his meat and some crystals , and beat them up if they got greedy for his things . But in the end he gave up on the idea , as he didn’t want to rock the boat . He needed to get infused by the energy from Sui , so he decided to stay put until they arrived at the monastery .

Instead they sat in silence , the hours feeling like days . Zac wasn’t sure how long they’d driven , but suddenly his eyes opened due to a change in the atmosphere . The concentration of miasma was rapidly declining , to the point that it was almost gone after 20 seconds of driving .

The others in the truck sensed it as well and stretched their legs as they cracked their necks . The truck stopped only a minute later , and everyone quickly got out . This time Zac didn’t stay behind , and for the first time in over a day he got up on his feet and walked out of the stuffy truck .

By now Sui had infused him over 30 times , and his body finally didn’t feel like it was teetering on the brink of collapse . Even better , the air was completely free from miasma , and Zac felt his body slowly start to absorb energy to deplete his wrung out body .

With a grunt he jumped out of the truck , but he immediately froze when e looked at the area , and he couldn’t help but gape in awe . As he looked around it almost felt like he was in a dream , standing on the foot of Mount Meru .

The sky was an intense blue , the gloomy clouds of the Dead Zone just a distant memory . The surroundings were draped Lush greenery , with rice paddies covering most of the base of a towering mountain that rose to the skies . The fields were tended by at least a hundred monks , dressed in simple kasayas , and it was easy to forget that they were surrounded by zombies from the pastoral scenery .

The greenery actually stopped some ways up the mountain , being replaced by sheer walls and cliffs . More amazingly the mountain itself was almost completely covered text , huge letters leaving barely any surfaces unaltered .

It was not the fractals of the system or any foreign species Zac knew from a glance . He was by no means an expert in the area , but he was pretty sure it was some sort of Indian text , likely Sanskrit as it was a Buddhistic mountain .

However , Zac had never heard of something like this magical mountain before the integration . Engraving a whole mountain was an unfathomable undertaking , and the carvings would have made it world renown . So Zac could only guess that the engravings were added after the world got integrated , which made sense since something like this should be a lot easier when one’s attributes had improved .

More surprisingly he felt that the Sanskrit wasn’t just decoration , as there were hints of power in the letters . They held a subdued but intractable strength , making Zac even doubt he could cause a crack in the stones . Together they formed something unfathomable giving the whole mountain almost a divine aura .

Chapter 180 - Invitation

Since he heard about it Zac had wondered how a monastery could stand strong in the middle of the Dead Zone , wantonly purifying the area . He would have thought that the undead leaders would have purged the area and flattened the mountain , not wanting to leave such a cancer in their backyard . But he had a feeling that the tens of thousands of letters were part of the answer somehow .

Some distance from them a set of stone stairs led up the mountain , simple and unadorned compared to the rest of the area . At its end far up the mountain Zac could vaguely spot a few roofs of the monastery , though much of it was shrouded in a white mist .

Are we really still in the Dead Zone? - Zac couldn’t help ask with a subdued voice to Sui who stood next to him .

Buddha guards this place , and the mountain grow stronger every day . It is the beacon of hope for many of us , - Sui answered with reverence in her eyes as she looked up at the shrouded monastery in the distance .

A deep gong suddenly spread out from the top of the mountain , somehow clearing Zac’s mind in an instant . For months worries had plagued his mind , and new issues kept cropping up . However , it was all blown away from the sound , and it appeared it was the same for Sui as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath . The two simply stood and took in the tranquility for another few seconds until a jarring voice broke the serenity .

That’s him! He pretended to be a monk , I think he works for the undead trying to spy on you! -

Zac couldn’t help roll his eyes as he looked over at the direction the sound came from . Wang Fang stood some distance away , clearly trying to suck up to two monks .

Both monks appeared to be some sort of guards , as they each held a staff with some iron hoops at the end . Just looking at them Zac sensed they had to be at least level 30 from their presence . The two guards looked back at him , though they looked confused rather than anything else .

The others of the party stood some distance away , looking at the ongoings with troubled faces . Clearly they didn’t want to get involved in what was going on , neither speaking up for Zac nor helping Wang Fang .

Zac took the accusation in stride , as he didn’t feel it would be very hard to prove his innocence . He was especially sure of that as he just received a prompt he had never seen before . After mulling it over a few seconds he made his choice , making the prompt disappear again .

However , Sui wasn’t as calm as she scurried over toward the two monks who both seemed to recognize her . As soon as she approached they both put their hands together and bowed in greeting .

Don’t listen to Fang , he’s talking crazy . We accidentally hit David with our truck on the way here , - she said , and followed up with a quick recounting of the situation .

The two monks looked a bit troubled at the situation , but soon one of the two hurried toward the long stairs leading toward the monastery while the other one walked over toward Zac , much to the joy of Wang Fang .

Patron , please accommodate this penniless monk and stay for a moment . While Patron Sui is a respected guest of the monastery , it is still a fact you contain an unordinary amount of yin energy . Please stand by while we confer with our senior brothers , - the monk said with a courteous bow .

That’s fine , I’ll look at your mountain for a bit . It is very interesting , - Zac said as he sat down .

Zac truly didn’t mind the wait , as he found the inscriptions extremely interesting . Every type of inscription he’d encountered so far came from the system or integrated societies , and they all had one thing in common .

They were based on the fractals that made up the skills and pathways for Cosmic Energy . The fractals from the system felt the purest and unadulterated , whereas the ones from the Creators and Demons differed in various ways . However , they shared the same root .

From how Zac understood it , the fractals were the language of the Dao and they contained hints of various truths . That’s why it was possible to study skill fractals to slowly gain insight into the Dao . It was all based on a cohesive system drawn up by the Apostate of Order billions of years ago .

It was different with the Sanskrit writings on the mountain walls , as they had nothing to do with the fractals . Zac couldn’t understand how it was possible to draw power from something that seemed to be its own system , rather than the system of the multiverse .

It felt like a true miracle that the monastery somehow had managed to create something with Earth Scripture . As for exactly what the mountain did , Zac still wasn’t completely sure . It emitted a pressure as heavy as the world , yet at the same time it was light as a feather .

The only thing he could figure out after watching it for twenty minutes was that the mountain itself was the thing responsible for converting the miasma in the area . But that was likely only part of the capabilities of the mountain .

For the monastery to still stand strong , it likely possessed some sort of defensive or offensive abilities as well . Otherwise Mhal or one of his colleagues would have just destroyed the whole thing . Abbot Everlasting Peace should be quite powerful , but in the end he was only level 41 . He shouldn’t be able to fend off the whole Undead Hordes with his own power .

One possibility he thought of was that this monastery was chosen as an outpost and the monks were given a crystal just like his . Maybe they possessed some extremely strong arrays that kept the area safe in case of attack . However , Zac didn’t gain access to those kinds of arrays until he finished the first Incursion quest .

He didn’t really make any headway with the scriptures , so didn’t mind seeing a coulple of monks slowly descend the stairs and walk toward him .

Amitabha , patron . Abbot Everlasting Peace has asked for your company if convenient , - the monk said with a bow .

The old monk himself seemed quite confused about the invitation , and the same could be seen on the others . However , Zac himself wasn’t too surprised . When he arrived at the monastery he got the option by the system to make his presence known , which he accepted .

Sounds good , - Zac only said and got to his feet . - Let me just talk with my travel companions . -

With a few steps he walked over to the group who now sat around a table having dinner some distance away , with the group of warrior monks following close behind . Sui looked over with a troubled face , but Zac spoke up before she could say anything .

Thank you for your help over the past days . I am not sure I would have survived without your gift of life . If possible I will return the favor in the future . -

You need to survive impersonating a venerable first , - Wang Fang retorted with a gleeful face , clearly misunderstanding the presense of the monks behind Zac .

The others looked troubled , especially the Old Man who looked back and forth between Zac and the monks respectfully standing behind him with a slight frown on his face . Zac only ignored Wang , much to his annoyance .

You are welcome . I believe helping you will be the largest karmic contribution of my life , - Sui answered with sincerity , drawing surprised glances from the others .

Wang Fang seemed completely infuriated by the comment , and looked ready to go another round . However , he wasn’t given the opportunity as Zac simply left toward the stairs with the monks in tow .

As he reached the stairs he saw that they weren’t actually unadorned like it seemed from the distance . They were covered with scripts as well , with Sanskrit covering both the left and right sides , leaving only a small part of the middle clear to step on .

There are 2 700 stairs leading up to the Monastery of Everlasting Peace . Each step is inscribed with a line from the Diamond Sutra . The Sutra is then repeated nine times . To walk the stairs is to search for enlightenment through repetition , - the elderly monk commented as he saw Zac gaze upon the text .

Zac only nodded in response as he took the first step on the stairs . As he did a small pressure landed on his shoulders , but it wasn’t to the point of really bothering him . Mostly unencumbered he kept walking up the stairs as he looked at the inscriptions on the sides .

The monks behind Zac looked at each others with some surprise , but quickly followed Zac up the stairs . No one spoke as they kept walking up one step at a time . Zac couldn’t help but look at each line as he walked , being drawn to the words . He couldn’t actually read the Sanskrit , but through his language skill he still got a sense what it said .

Of course , that was just the surface . The sutras of Buddhism and Hinduism were notoriously cryptic , and one could spend their whole life pondering its layers . However , he was surprised to sense that he got a different inspiration from the 301st step compared to the 1st . The inscriptions were the same , yet their meaning was somehow different .

Curious , Zac kept climbing , trying to absorb whatever the Diamond Sutra was trying to tell him . The formless pressure was gaining slightly in strength with each of his step , and by the time he reached the seventh iteration of the Diamond Sutra it started to become quite strenuous , to the point that Zac was unsure whether he’d make it all the way .

Zac was contemplating whether he should start rotating his Cosmic Energy or ask the monks walking behind him what was going on . But in the end he felt that would somehow be losing , or failing some test . The monks behind him walked without any effort , telling Zac it wasn’t an issue of strength . Even the old man looking to be at least 70 wasn’t even panting , only kindly smiling at him when Zac looked back .

Since the old man wasn’t using Cosmic Energy , Zac instead summoned his Dao of Trees as he kept walking . He felt he was on to something as the pressure drastically lessened , and released a Dao Field around his body . More surprisingly it felt as though the meaning of the inscriptions on the ground changed as he walked , instead starting to talk about his Dao .

As he ascended the last sets of steps his Dao Field kept subtly changing , turning more solid and robust . When he finally stood at the end of the stairs the pressure suddenly completely disappeared , and his Dao Field spread out over fifty meters , twice what he managed earlier .

His mind was crystal clear as he stood still for a few breaths , only pondering on his recent insights into the Dao . The stairs and its inscriptions had somehow stabilized his evolved seed , something that might normally have taken him weeks of meditation .

Amithaba , patron . All is none . Heart is all , - the old monk said behind Zac as he bowed toward him .

I feel like I have been given a huge gift here , - Zac said as he looked down at he stairs leading back toward the base of the mountain .

If you light a lamp for somebody , it will also brighten your own path . Remember , the Dao comes from the heart . The heart can manifest the myriad Dao , but also endless worries , - the old monk said with a kindly smile . - This way patron , the Abbot is waiting . -

The other monks in the party monks seemed much friendlier to Zac after he ascended the steps , and with a bow , they left him and the old man . The monastery wasn’t too big Zac noted as they walked , and perhaps it could house a thousand monks . Then again , they were on a mountain , and perhaps there were a bunch of monks living as hermits in caves .

The temple was simple and austere but in spotless condition . There was a solemn silence in the air , and the area exuded an ancient aura . Zac felt it would taint the tranquility if he spoke here , so he let the old man lead him in complete silence through the compound .

After a few minutes they had walked to the back of the temple , and Zac noted with some surprise they passed the larger halls . Instead it appeared they headed toward a small courtyard hidden in the back . It was small and unassuming , and absolutely not the place Zac thought the abbot would stay .

A few monks sat and meditated on a square in front of the gates to the small courtyard , and they all opened their eyes when they heard the footsteps of Zac and the old monk . Even Zac felt some pressure when faced with the calm stares of the monks in front of him .

Zac realized that while these monks might not be on the ladder , they likely weren’t too far off . Besides , judging by the mysterious things going on at the monastery they might actually be stronger than some rankers in reality .

The old man simply placed his hands together in greeting , and led Zac into the small courtyard . There Actually were two layers of doors , and before opening the second door , the old man first closed the outer one . When the old man opened the inner door next , Zac was blanketed with an extremely dense amount of cosmic energy , to the point that it could rival the small cave beneath the lake of Cosmic Water .

As they entered Zac was surprised to see that most of the inner courtyard was covered by a pond , though it seemed to be normal water . Zac saw a few koi swing about , but that wasn’t what drew his attention . In the middle of the pond was a huge lotus-flower , reaching at least 3 meters across , and on top of it sat a monk staring out at the sunset .

The imagery was quite striking , but that wasn’t enough to shock Zac . He was still left gaping however from the torrents of pure healing powers that swirled around the flower . It was as though the old monk sat in the middle of a hurricane wrought from pure life .

Chapter 181 - Abbot Everlasting Peace

Initially when they entered Zac could only see the side of the old monk sitting on the lotus . However , as Zac was lead around the pond to a seat facing the Abbot his brows rose in shock .

His first impression of Abbot Everlasting Peace was that he was teeming with life , but his appearance truly didn’t match . The old man sat in a classic meditating pose , but there was a huge hole in his chest right where his lungs and heart should be .

The loose robes the old monk wore covered some of the wound , but Zac could actually see the sky through the hole in the old man’s chest . The Abbot’s face was equally grisly , with huge jagged scars lining his face that made Zac’s scars seem like small beauty marks .

Furthermore , having been on the receiving end of the Corpse Lord Zac recognized the aura coming from the wounds . It was clear it was done by some undead powerhouse . The miasma was mostly cleansed in the old man , but some hints remained , and the scars were still slightly blackened .

His eyes were closed , and Zac sensed he was in the middle of cultivation as energy swirled around him like a whirlwind in slow motion . Zac’s eyes couldn’t help but turn to the flower underneath the monk , as the energies it emitted were extremely pure .

Zac even guessed the flower might be a treasure of the grade of the Fruit of Ascension , though its function likely was separate . Judging by the state of the old man he might not even be able to leave the flower , as it was continuously pouring healing energies into his body .

The old monk who led Zac to the courtyard wordlessly bowed to the Abbot and Zac before he left again , closing the doors to the courtyard behind him .

Zac was happy to wait for the old monk to wake up , as some of the spill-off from the flower actually entered himself , nourishing even better than Sui’s healing skills did . It felt as though his parched body was slowly being submerged into a pure river , with him slowly absorbing the water .

It made Zac wonder just how potent it was to sit in the center of the flower . After roughly 30 minutes the old man finally roused himself

Ambithaba , benefactor , - the old man said as he slowly opened his eyes . - I apologize for making you see this embarrassing sight . -

That’s okay . Uh , no offense , but how are you alive? - Zac couldn’t help asking as his eyes once again were drawn to the hole in the old man’s chest .

Do not worry , I am not one of the yin creatures you’ve met outside , - the old man said with a kindly smile , though it was somewhat marred from the scars .

This penniless monk was wounded in battle . I am ashamed to admit it , but I am not ready to enter the Samsara . My home has turned into a hell on earth . If I don’t stay and fight , who will? Perhaps I performed meritorious deeds in a past life , as the universe bestowed me with this treasure in my moment of need , - he said as he pointed down at the Lotus flower .

It is prolonging this one’s life and slowly provides healing , - the Abbot said . - Unfortunately it means I am not able to leave it , and won’t be for a long while . -

It seems quite special , sitting here is helping me out as well . I’m Zac , by the way , thank you for receiving me , - Zac simply said .

Benefactor showed great merit when you laid one of the leaders of this Incursion to rest . Receiving you is the least this poor temple could do , - this old man said with a small smile .

Oh? How did you know that? - Zac asked curiously .

The abbot only kept smiling as a screen opened up in front of Zac .

Life versus Death (Unique) : Triumph over the six lords of undeath and the Lich King of the Undead Incursion . Reward : Infallible Sutra , unique building depending on performance . (3/7) .

Zac was shocked when he saw the quest . It was very similar to his own old quest , Off With Their Heads , as it was based on killing the leaders of an incursion . That wasn’t what surprised him though , it was the fact that the progress was already at (3/7) .

Zac was quite sure that Mhal was one of the three , but that still meant that two of the generals were already killed before his battle . While it might not seem like much compared to Zac killing all four of the heralds before two months were over , he knew the two couldn’t be compared .

Clan Azh’Rezak was a fledgling demonic clan that only got the opportunity to invade a new planet through dumb luck , and the resources they could put into the invasion were severely limited . Meanwhile , the Undead Empire was one of the largest forces in the multi-verse , with resources and means that Zac couldn’t even imagine .

Of course , the undead force that invaded Earth was just some insignificant branch of the empire , but still , the foundations would have to be on another level compared to Ogras’ clan . That was easily displayed by the fact that Ogras was barely as strong as just one of the lords , but likely no match against the actual Lich King . Mhal and his colleagues would likely have no trouble slaughter the beasts that were the Heralds of the demonic incursion .

I barely survived the fight against the undead lord , I can’t believe you have managed to kill two of them , - Zac said , not hiding his awe .

They came two months ago to destroy this mountain . An army of undead lead by two generals . With some special means and luck , we managed to prevail . However , the fight resulted in this embarrassing appearance , - the monk explained . - This mountain warded off evil and protected us in our time of need . However , my brothers tell me the undead are growing stronger . I am not sure how long it will take until they try again . -

Perhaps the death of one more of their own might give us more time to prepare , - Abbot Everlasting Peace continued .

Hopefully our force can be of assistance soon . Currently , they are closing up another Incursion , - Zac said , referring to the Ratmen Incursion at Billyville .

The operation should have started by now , and Zac hoped they would be successful in closing it down . It would free up another powerhouse to join the battle against the other Incursions .

But I believe this undead Incursion must be closed as soon as possible . They can’t be allowed to keep growing for much longer , - Zac continued .

The undead disrupt the harmony between life and death and deny poor souls Samsara . This penniless monk would be most indebted by any assistance benefactor can bring , - the Abbot said . - But I believe that is not why benefactor visited this old man? -

Zac pondered a bit on how to frame his next questions . It was generally quite rude to ask about secrets to cultivation from outsiders , as it was akin to asking them for their weaknesses . However , the situation on Earth was desperate , and Zac felt it wasn’t time to be bashful .

I gained my strength by singlehandedly closing an incursion , - Zac said , explaining his situation to an outsider for the first time . - It has awarded me with various benefits that snowballed into a huge advantage in power over perhaps anyone on this planet . Yet I fear it’s not enough . I have no confidence in defeating the Lich King as I am , and there are many more invaders out there . -

I am looking for any methods to get stronger , and seeing the mountain and your monks tells me I have much to learn from you . Can you tell me how your insight into the Dao is so high? -

Did you know? This penniless monk had never left this mountain before the integration , - the old man responded with a smile . - I also never contributed much to the monastery . I believed that to understand Karma you first needed to sever Karma . -

This monk only sat and pondered on the Sutras and what the Buddhist Dharma meant , but I realize now that was just selfishness . Only when I stepped out from my courtyard did I come to understand things that had been hazy mysteries for decades . -

What is the point of understanding Karma if you do not create spread goodness through Karma? - the Old man asked , seemingly rhetorical .

Dao , Faith , Insight , Truth , Enlightenment . All are names for the same thing as this one sees it . Understanding of the self and the universe . This mountain has been consecrated in the Dao for thousands of years , and it gained spirituality . The sutras are the basis for its being , therefore they have power . Our hearts give them power , therefore they are powerful , - Abbot Everlasting Peace said as he looked up at the sky , before once again focusing on Zac .

Zac wasn’t sure what to make of the old man’s explanation . He wasn’t a spiritual person before the fall and didn’t really understand some of the things these monks said .

He was sure that there was a lesson to be learned from how the old monk gained power , but at the same time , it might not apply to himself . They walked different paths , his wrought with blood and carnage . The old monk seemed to understand Zac’s confusion and only shook his head .

Benefactor doesn’t need to become a monk and read scriptures to improve the Dao . This old man believes that finding the answers is not about following a certain procedure . It is about being true to your nature and your heart . If you try to force enlightenment it will always be out of reach , you will become an old man looking up at the clouds in despair , - he said .

But if you follow your nature and your heart , the myriad Dao will open themselves to you . -

Zac slowly nodded , somewhat understanding what the old man was driving at . However , suddenly he had an epiphany .

Nature… - Zac murmured with his eyes widening .

What he gained wasn’t some realization in regards to the Dao , but rather about inscriptions , though it all tied together . He realized he’d been naïve when he thought of the fractals by the Creators and the Demons as simple or flawed .

The creators were among the greatest craftsmen in the multi-verse , there was no reason they shouldn’t be able to create fractals that looked the same as the ones the System used . However , they still inscribed the squarish ones that had reminded Zac of old-school computer text .

It was the same with the Demons . Their fractals looked a bit crude in comparison to the one that adorned his robes , but after living with them for months Zac knew they weren’t some barbarians .

Why couldn’t they simply alter their scripts a bit to look like the ones from the system? The design of those fractals wasn’t anything uncommon , as they could simply buy basic gear from the General Store . Add to that the thousands of years of research they had .

Only now did Zac understand that it was a deliberate choice . The scripts the two factions used were more closely aligned with their nature . The strength of an inscription wasn’t dictated how close it looked to a - real - fractal , but by the insight and skill of the inscriber .

Zac now realized that the power of the inscriptions likely got stronger , not weaker , when the inscriptions were more suited to the nature of the Creator . For the same reason , the Sanskrit covering the mountain was close to the nature of these monks , which is why they gained power .

This was what the Abbot was trying to tell him . Zac was looking at the Dao like there was an answer sheet , and Zac hoped the Abbot had a few of the answers he didn’t possess yet . But Dao was an individual journey .

He should be looking inward to find his own nature and what Dao suited him and his path , instead of trying to find tricks or Dao fruits that would give him shortcuts or answers to questions he wasn’t even asking .

Benefactor is still hurt from earlier . Why not keep this penniless monk company for a few days? - The Abbot suddenly said , dragging Zac out of his thoughts .

Actually , I am in the region on a mission , - Zac said with some hesitation . - I can’t stay overly long . -

It would be nice to stay in this courtyard for a bit since he was getting better by the second . The lotus was flooding the area with vitality after all , and he was still sorely lacking in that department .

This old man can see benefactor has strong Karmic ties to someone in the east . But it is not yet time , - the Abbot said .

Nature does not hurry , yet all is accomplished . -

Chapter 182 - Black and Gold

What do you mean? - Zac asked confused .

This penniless monk gained some minor insight into the Dao of Karma from his many decades of meditation . It has given me some unique skills in this new reality of ours . Karma ties you to a location to the east . However , if you leave now you will likely fail in your goal , - the monk said with a calm voice .

Zac thought it over and couldn’t find any reason the old man would lie . Still , it felt like too strong a power to be able to predict the future like that , at least for someone at level 40 . That felt like something that was in the realm of gods .

Why would I fail? - Zac asked with some skepticism .

Because your yin and yang are currently out of balance , - the old man said as he pointed at Zac’s stomach .

Benefactor’s wound might not look as bad as this one , - the Abbot continued as he pointed at his chest . - But it is just as dangerous . I sense a storm inside you . Unless benefactor finds harmony , the yin outside the mountain will kill you . -

Zac grimaced , very aware of the problem . The wound in his side was calm at the moment , but that was only because there was bountiful vitality in this courtyard , almost to the point that it was like being constantly healed by a purifier .

The moment he stepped out from the mountain the process of his vitality being sapped would likely restart again . As he sat and pondered in the back of the truck he made some educated guesses about his situation . The suction of his life force likely wasn’t only because he was inside the Dead Zone , but because of the composition of the bead .

The Core was mainly created from the miasma of over a hundred thousand zombies along with a lot of ambient deathly energy . The opposing force was the ten purification pills along with his Dao of Vitality and Sui’s ministrations . However , the pills and other life-attuned energies he absorbed were far less than the total amount of miasma , to the point that at most 10% of the energy in the bead was life-based .

That meant that the absorption would likely continue even after he left the Dead Zone . His current idea was just to tough it out somehow until he found Kenzie , then hurry back to Port Atwood and hope Ogras or someone else had some idea . But perhaps the monk in front of him could provide some alternative solution .

Do you have a way to cleanse away the miasma in me? - Zac asked with some hope .

Why would benefactor want to remove half of his self? -

Half my what? - Zac asked confused , afraid the monk had misunderstood him .

If this poor monk may be blunt , I believe benefactor has not looked at the situation from all angles , - Abbot Everlasting Peace said .

Benefactor likely looks at the yin energy on the outside as something negative , akin to poison . However , this poor monk sees it as the other half of life . This poor monk sensed benefactor walk a path of life when he ascended the stairs . One might look at death as the opposite of life , but one can also see it as its shadow , - the monk said .

Zac nodded in agreement , as that was basically what he based his latest insight of his Dao Seed around .

One might say that the two restrain each other , but this penniless monk believes they can also nurture each other . Perhaps benefactor doesn’t need to remove the yin , but rather bolster the yang , - the monk concluded .

This was honestly something Zac had thought about before . He felt that he shouldn’t even be alive , but a series of coincidences had left him with this odd core , and perhaps it was a ticket for him to go further than the conventional cultivator . He knew that reaching the higher tiers of power was beyond hard , and unless one encountered a continuous stream of lucky encounters the road would likely end at E-Grade or even lower .

However , there were a lot of question marks about choosing this path . First of all , he wasn’t too sure if it fit his current Daos or his class . He was , in essence , an axe warrior with some nature-element skills on the side . The life-death path was something else .

He was afraid that he’d find himself at an impasse when he reached level 75 . Alyn and Ogras had multiple time told him how extremely hard it was to walk the path of the elite , and that almost everyone got stuck at the bottleneck due to lacking the qualifications to go further .

Getting an epic-graded class was nigh-impossible unless you came from a high tier background who had resources that a newly integrated world could only dream of . Perhaps if he spread himself too thin he would lose everything . The situation on Earth was dire , and perhaps it was a mistake to take such a big gamble .

Like it or not , he was the main force against the Incursions and Dominators . The incursions were possible to close without evolving due to the restrictions still in place , but that didn’t hold true for the Dominators . They were already at level 100 , far past the F-grade barrier .

He’d discussed the issue at length with Ogras and understood that the increase in strength from each level at E-Grade was the same as a handful of levels for an F-Grader . It wasn’t impossible to skip ranks and fight people who were at the beginning of a new rank , but the Dominators were too far past the delimiter . Even if they were trash who just had a lot of extra time there was no way for Zac to defeat them at level 75 .

So if Zac got himself stuck at the bottleneck for too long the Dominators might just kill him and everyone else even if he managed to close the Incursions . The odd cultists of the Zhix were still shrouded in mystery . If they wanted they should have been able to destroy the Incursions without too much effort . Yet they were still biding their time , hiding in their burrows .

That fact only made Zac more nervous , rather than the opposite . It felt like the Dominators were a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment , and who knew what they had planned over the past 6 months .

It might be a good idea , but the amount of miasma in me is enormous . I had a purifier help me for over a day , and it barely put a dent in the life-attuned energy needed to reach a balance , - Zac said with a sigh .

Well , perhaps this penniless monk can help benefactor on this front , but only if you’ve decided on your path , - the Abbot said .

Zac thought it over for a good ten minutes , but finally he decided to go with it after all . If the Abbot could help he would accept it . He already was determined to walk the path of the elite , and he felt that utilizing the core rather than discarding it was the path with more potential , even though it was a large risk . Cultivation was taking risks and defying fate . Nothing ventured nothing gained .

Amitabha , this penniless monk can see benefactor has made his choice , - the monk said with a smile as he bent down and plucked something from the lotus flower beneath him . - This lotus seed contains part of the vitality of the flower . Though it is only a part , it is nigh boundless . Benefactor can slowly absorb it in order to supplement the yang . -

The torrent of life-attuned energy swirling around the lotus flower got distinctly weaker , and Zac suspected it lost around 20% of its power . Zac understood what kind of sacrifice the old man-made as he looked at the wound in his chest .

Why are you doing this? - Zac couldn’t help asking .

Amitabha , do good deeds to gain merit . If benefactor wishes to look it as another way , see it as this penniless monk sowing seeds of karma , - the old monk said with a smile .

Zac said nothing more as he received the seed . He sat down and started absorbing the energy in the seed . It was as though an endless surge of pure life entered his body , and in just minutes his drained body felt like it was back in top condition .

The Core wasn’t so easily satiated though , as it greedily kept absorbing the energy from the seed . A storm of energy exited the seed as it entered Zac’s body and gathered beneath his navel . The huge amounts of energies were painful , but Zac kept pushing his body to the limits in order to finish as quickly as possible .

After roughly twelve hours the speed of absorption started to dwindle slightly , allowing Zac to once again talk with the monk who hadn’t moved the whole time .

Benefactor’s body is truly resilient . If this penniless monk was able to absorb energy at that speed I would have been able to leave this flower weeks ago , - the Abbot said with a shake of his head .

This gift is immeasurable , - Zac said . - I do not know how to repay you . -

Zac was regretting not buying the second Fruit of Ascension with contribution points so that he could give it to the old monk . He still was holding one , but he was planning on giving it to his sister .

Besides , it was unclear how helpful it would be to the man in front of him . The fruit didn’t really have any healing properties , and Zac suspected the old man in front of him already had improved his constitution to E-rank . It would almost be impossible not to evolve after sitting in this level of vitality for two straight months .

Benefactor does not need to repay this old man . This penniless monk only wishes that benefactor does not give up on humanity and uses his gifts for good . -

Zac could only nod and mentally promise that he’d find some way to make it up to the Abbot as he looked inward . There were still surges of life-attuned energy entering his bead , but it had changed quite a bit since he looked at it last .

For one it had almost doubled in size , and secondly , it wasn’t pure black with some golden specks like before . It now held a much evener distribution of colors , though the black was still a majority . He guessed it would take another 12 to 15 hours before he’d reach equilibrium .

More impressively there actually seemed to be fractals naturally forming on the bead , though Zac had no idea what they meant . They were extremely intricate and written in both gold and black . It seemed there was a profundity behind them that still was beyond what Zac could understand .

As the two sat and absorbed the energies from the lotus flower the two discussed various things . The old man was a cultivator , which wasn’t surprising to Zac . What was surprising was that most of the monks who had spent their life in the monastery were cultivators as well . It clashed with what he knew about the randomness of who was a cultivator and who wasn’t .

Zac also gained some clues as to where his sister might be . The monk knew of a large town some distance away from the edge of the Dead Zone that was a drop-off zone for Caucasian cultivators . It was called Kingsbury , and it sounded like it would take Zac roughly two days to get there if he hurried .

What was worse was that the monk mentioned that the town had gotten integrated with the New World Government a few weeks ago . Zac wasn’t sure whether it was a coincidence or not , but it was cause for worry . However , he forced himself to stay put . It was as the Abbot said , rushing would only have an opposite effect .

After another 17 hours , Zac could sense that the core in his body was finally in equilibrium . He was extremely impressed with the lotus flower that the monk sat on . One single seed was able to offset the entire amount of miasma in his core , and there still was a good deal of energy left inside it .

However , when Zac made to give the seed back to the old man he refused with a shake of his head .

Keep the seed , it might come handy , - the Abbot said . - Remember , the heart is all . -

Thank you , I will remember this , - Zac said as he stood up and walked toward the door .

He took one last look at the small courtyard and the congenial old man who sat looking up at the clouds with a smile on his face .

Soon Zac was running through the woods toward Kingsbury . The rumors that the Abbot mentioned kept gnawing at him , making him unable to calm down . It felt too coincidental that the town was getting with the government just as he was about to arrive .

It all smelled like a setup to him . They were trying to lure him to Kingsbury , but what kind of plan they had was unknown . The problem was that Zac couldn’t understand why the government would do something like this . They had to know that if they took his sister hostage to harm him they would put themselves square in his crosshairs .

They already knew how he dealt with things by looking at the aftermath in Greenworth . The stupidity of it all made Zac doubt whether he was just paranoid . Still , he would rather be safe than sorry , so he hurried toward the town , cutting a straight line through the forest .

Chapter 183 - Kingsbury

As soon as he had exited the sphere of protection from Mount Everlasting Peace his core once again had started to absorb miasma . However , it wasn’t a problem for Zac anymore , as the lotus seed provided him with the life energy he needed . Besides , now that his core was balanced the amount of life energy needed to maintain the balance was minuscule compared to before .

It went to show that while the bead was balanced it was still able to absorb more energy . However , Zac wasn’t sure whether pushing more energy into the core was something he should be aiming for until he knew what he was dealing with .

After talking with the Abbot for almost a day he didn’t feel as bad about the bead anymore , rather the opposite . He was excited to dig into the mysteries it contained when he had some time . He was especially curious about the fractals that had somehow appeared by themselves on the small core . Perhaps they were a clue how to harness the massive energy the core contained .

Zac was still stunned by the generosity of the Abbot . It was a bit of an uncomfortable feeling to be so far in debt to a stranger . No matter what Zac had tried while he absorbed energy from the bead the Abbot had refused to accept any gift in return , no matter if it was healing pills or crystals .

The only thing he could think of was to provide as much information as he could to the monks , from the various incursions to the threat of the Dominators and shapeshifters . He also set up an alliance with the monastery , which in a sense was a large gift , as it gave the monks a path of retreat in case the undead came again .

It was a new function he possessed now that he was a Lord , which essentially allowed him to put individuals and factions on what could be seen as a - friend list - in a game . It would allow them to teleport to his teleportation array , even when it was closed to strangers .

It meant Zac had three modes to his teleporter now ; private , trusted , and public . His teleporter was already set on trusted at the moment , which allowed anyone from his faction , and now also the monks , to use the teleporter . Otherwise , his troops would be stuck on the island and unable to join Billy .

As he ran through the forests toward the east he kept trying various things . Between the stairs and the long talks with the Abbot he felt he’d gained a deeper understanding of the Dao , and he was trying to incorporate it into his fighting style .

Not only that but , he also needed to test his improved Dao Seed . During his fight with the ghost he realized that the seed had gotten a lot more flexible since it got upgraded . He needed to know the effect of adding it to various skills .

His experimentation had an unexpected result , as his movement skill Loamwalker] skill gained a level and reached Middle mastery . It was almost instantaneous after he incorporated his Dao of Trees into his steps , clearly showing what the criterion for the upgrade was .

Zac was elated as the movement skill was integral to his fighting style . After the upgrade he kept trying it out in various ways until he properly understood the changes .

Zac realized that his energy consumption decreased by quite a bit when he infused his legs with the Dao of Trees . It wasn’t to the point that he would be able to use it non-stop for hours , but it helped with one of the largest downfalls of the skill ; its high energy consumption .

As for the effect of the upgrade itself , it was a simple upgrade to the range of the skill . At low mastery each step could take him a few meters forward at the most , but after it improved to middle rank the range improved to around 15 meters .

This , in essence , improved his maximum speeds by a few folds as well as each step moved him forward around 4 times the distance compared to before . The downside was that the further he walked the higher the consumption was , and to use the skill to its maximum effect was quite costly , even with the empowerment of the Dao .

As Zac kept going he also found that good news sometimes came in pairs . The second day after he leveled up his movement skill another prompt suddenly appeared in front of him . This time it was the Forester’s Constitution] skill that gained a boost .

The only reason for the upgrade he could come up with was that it required time spent in forests to level up , since its boost was dependant on staying in forests . Other than that he had no idea , as the skill was passive , and not something he could train with .

The improvement wasn’t great , though it was convenient . At low rank it gave a 10% boost to Endurance and Vitality as long as he was in a forest , and otherwise a 5% boost .

But at middle proficiency , it gave an 11% boost as long as he’d been in a forest the last 24 hours . It was quite convenient as he wouldn’t suddenly lose attributes the moment he entered a town anymore . The lower boost improved slightly as well , clocking in at 5 . 5% .

He’d hoped that his other new skills would have improved as well , but most of them were still at Early Proficiency , apart from Thousand Faces] that couldn’t be improved upon . Still , as he opened up his menu he felt his repertoire was starting to become quite diverse .

Skills

Inquisitive Eye - Proficiency : Early . See through their secrets . Upgradeable .

Book of Babel - Proficiency : - . Enlightenment through understanding .

Mental Fortress - Proficiency : Middle . Enduring Stability . Upgradeable .

Thousand Faces - Proficiency : - . If you hate who you are , change it . Upgradeable .

Nature's Barrier - Proficiency : Early . Brave thousand storms with Gaia's protection . Upgradeable .

Axe Mastery - Proficiency : Late . The seed of Dao is planted . Upgradeable .