Defiance of the Fall

This meant that he could use his Draugr-class , push it to the equivalent of Middle E-Grade with the seed , and restrict and grind down the trial golem while staying safe with the toolkit of his Fetters of Desolation-class . Zac quickly turned thoughts to action as he snuck back through the Spatial tunnel , with only the guarding Valkyries knowing he had left the Mystic Realm .

Zac wasted no time back on Earth either and he immediately teleported back to his compound . Everything pointed to him having almost a week , but he still felt the risk of getting locked outside . He had already decided that he would stay in Port Atwood at most for an hour or two , even if he had to drag himself back to the Mystic Realm while half-dead .

Oh? I thought you had left . I was looking forward to some peace and quiet , - Brazla snorted as Zac entered the Repository , but Zac still inwardly breathed out in relief when he saw that the Tool Spirit seemed to have one of his more amiable personalities today .

I want to undergo the trial to unlock the E-Grade skills , - Zac said as Verun’s Bite] appeared in his hands .

So you think you’re infallible now that you’ve spent some time among the weaklings , - Brazla said with disdain . - Well , no matter . It makes no difference to The Great Sage whether you live or die . -

Brazla lazily waved the arms of his golden robes next , and a portal appeared in the middle of the hallway .

Just step inside and you’ll be taken to the trial ground , - Brazla said with disinterest .

Zac nodded but he didn’t immediately enter . He instead swapped over to his undead class while Love’s Bond] transformed into its shield-form . Zac didn’t stop there either , but he also activated Vanguard of Undeath] along with Immutable Bulwark] . This would be a trial conducted by Brazla himself , and Zac wouldn’t take any chances . He might not get the opportunity to transform on the other side .

So cautious , - Brazla snorted , but Zac only ignored him as he stepped up to the teleporter .

Any last-minute advice? - Zac asked .

The faster you fail the quicker I can return to my rest , - Brazla said after some thought . - So don't dally . -

Great , - Zac sighed as he stepped onto the teleporter .

The teleportation was immediate , but Zac didn’t even have an opportunity to take stock of his surroundings before a stream of lava the thickness of his thighs almost hit his head . He barely had time to move his shield in time , but he was still pushed back over ten meters from the incredible force of the molten rock . If that wasn't enough Zac also was assailed by a terrifying heat until he finally managed to divert the stream in its entirety . He could feel a stinging sensation on his face , and he audibly groaned when he knew that he had become a monk once more .

However , he was still more concerned about the stream of molten rock as it wasn’t simple lava like the one in the Underworld . This lava contained a fierce spirituality , and Zac actually guessed that it could be considered a powerful E-Grade material . That fact alone made him gawk as he took stock of his surroundings . It was a huge sea of lava , with the only solid ground being the small island he was standing on .

Far in the distance rocky walls could barely be discerned through the smoke rising from the fiery lake , and they reached toward the sky in all directions until he could spot a circle of red sky straight above him . It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he had appeared inside a volcano , and a high-grade one at that .

Thankfully Brazla had saw fit to let him out on the only safe spot , a circular plateau that rose a few meters above the sea of lava and spanned around five hundred meters across . It didn't seem to be a natural formation as it was perfectly circular and flat . Even its surface consisted of beautiful tiles , each of them with a unique image engraved .

The platform was mostly empty apart from what looked like an enormous anvil placed in the middle . Next to it was what looked to be a small pool of lava , no more than ten meters across . Zac guessed that it was connected to the massive lake , but he couldn't be certain as the intense attuned energies that rose from that pond almost blinded him when using Cosmic Gaze] .

There were also several boulders studded across its surface along with a dozen slabs of unknown metals stacked to the side . The raw materials looked different from each other , but it was clear that all of them could withstand the intense heat without a problem , meaning they likely were spiritual metals .

At least Zac guessed anything that could survive in this harsh environment to be a valuable material .

Zac couldn’t be certain , but it felt as though the sea of lava was at least a dozen miles across , which meant this monstrosity of a volcano completely dwarfed both the volcano in the underworld and the one that the Church of Everlasting Dao had controlled . It almost beggared comprehension how much lava would be required to fill it up .

There was one break in the lava right behind him though , a single pathway leading across the whole ocean into a tunnel on the other side of the wall . But it was precariously narrow , just two meters across , and it was constantly being blasted by waves of magma or gouts of flames .

His first instinct was that his trial would take place on the other side , and Zac couldn’t help but feel he had bit off more than he could chew by taking on this trial . He wasn’t confident in making it across that narrow bridge even when using his sturdier class . The power in that sea of lava was just too intense .

However , a voice soon dragged him out of his musings .

This was my creator’s smithy . Or well , one of them , - a grating voice echoed out , and Zac looked up to see Brazla floating in the air .

The Tool Spirit had changed getup since entering the trial ground , and he was currently gripping a grotesquely large hammer , its massive bulk even overshadowing Billy’s club . It was golden just like everything else Brazla used , but this weapon actually had a palpable aura in contrast to the other weapons the Tool Spirit often conjured . A thought suddenly struck Zac , and he looked at the Tool Spirit with suspicion .

Was the guardian actually Brazla himself?

A Celestial Craftsman such as Brazla wouldn’t deign to lower himself to muck around in the mud with some child , - Brazla snorted with disdain , clearly understanding what Zac was thinking . - Your opponent is over there . The Great Sage is only here to be amused . -

Zac nodded in understanding as he turned in the direction the tool spirit was pointing in .

A ten-meter rock was lying on the other side of the stone plateau , looking just like the other boulders that studded its surface . Zac had initially thought that those pieces of rubble were things that had been spit out by the lava and accidentally fallen onto the plateau , but the truth didn’t seem so simple . Just as Zac looked over a startling change took place as the rock itself exploded , causing the whole area to be shrouded in dust .

Have fun , - the Tool Spirit laughed as he floated higher in the air .

Zac wanted to swear at the cavalier attitude of Brazla , but he knew better than that . It was better to direct his ire toward the guardian than the tool spirit , as there was no telling that Brazla would do if he got annoyed . Zac couldn’t see what was going on inside the dust cloud , but his Cosmic Gaze] noticed that vast amounts of attuned energies radiated from its center .

Something illuminated the cloud in grey and a fiery orange , and Zac recognized both the Daos ; Fire and Steel . Zac frowned when he felt the intense spiritual fluctuations , as they almost rivaled his own Dao Field . He had somewhat hoped that the trial guardian would be more like the Cyborg in the Underworld . It had possessed shockingly high attributes , but it didn’t utilize the Dao at all , severely limiting the damage it did .

If the Cyborg had also been able to use just a Peak Seed rather than just its body , then Zac definitely wouldn’t have survived the encounter .

However , he was clearly not as lucky this time around . An explosion erupted from within the cloud once more , and the blast forced Zac back a few steps . He quickly swallowed the Rageroot Oak Seed] , decidedly going all-out from the start . His instincts told him that undergoing this trial without it would be nigh suicidal .

It was as though Zac swallowed the molten ocean itself as a shocking force spread through his limbs . It felt like every cell in his body suddenly had a heartbeat of its own , and all of them were beating like the drums of war . Even his soul had ballooned up to unprecedented proportions and Zac almost believed he was the heavens themselves for a moment before he found his bearings .

However , he couldn't sit still and wait to see what was going on in that ominous dust cloud . A surging momentum was building up in his chest , and it demanded release . A mighty roar escaped from his lips as he bent down toward the ground to rip out one of the intricate tiles . He would start this battle like he often did , with a pre-emptive throw containing all his bloodlust .

However , the stone refused to budge , and Zac felt a towering fury lambasting his mind , a fury directed at the creator of this place . How dare a mere tile setter subvert the will of a god? His arms shook with exertion , but it was to no avail . But Zac figured it might be for the best as he started running toward the cloud with purpose in his steps and death in his eyes .

After all , was there any better feeling than ripping apart your enemies with your bare hands?

Chapter 573 : Ash and Steel

Ash and steel swirled in Zac’s eyes as he pushed forward , urged on by the call of battle . His muscles trembled in anticipation and veins were popping out all across his body to accommodate the overflowing Miasma , and there was even a red haze rising from his very pores . It was no doubt weakness leaving his body , a miracle that the Zhix warriors could only dream of achieving .

The trial no longer mattered . The E-Grade skills no longer mattered . The only thing of import was the thrill of the fight , to use this smithy as an opportunity to temper himself in the fires of war . His axe was already salivating corrosive venom across the floor , no doubt anxious to bite into their shrouded enemy .

A third explosion erupted from within the haze , but Zac’s anticipation only grew as his arm swelled . His power was already enough to rival the firmament itself , but it wasn’t enough . He pushed into the cloud , but he only took two steps before he sharply stepped to the right as his axe fell . The pincer of a massive tong suddenly appeared and barely missed his head , its size enough to grab Zac’s whole torso even when he already had turned into his ultimate form that rose over three meters into the air .

Zac only sneered as his bardiche fell toward the exposed hand , his response already planned out . His soul was one with the Dao itself , so how could a paltry sneak attack ever work? However , he screamed in anger when his foe didn’t have the decency to lose his hand from the transgression . What should have been a fountain of nurturing blood only turned into a reverberating clang that finally pushed all the dust out of the area , exposing his prey .

And it was big .

The target towered almost three meters above him , but Zac didn’t care about the specifics . There were weapons to clash with and limbs to cut , what else was there to know? His first attack had only left a jagged scar on metal and a small festering wound , far from accomplishing his goal . But wasn’t that great news? How boring would it be if one swing would have ended the fight? This way he could keep tempering himself , keep reveling in the glory of slaughter .

The massive slab of a hand swiped out at him after being cut , and Zac laughed as he moved his shield to slam it out of the way . A faint voice whispered in the back of his head about a way to empower its defensive capabilities , but he couldn't abide by such cowardice . An intractable force pushed into the core of his being as he was thrown away , and the sweet taste of miasma appeared in his mouth as he slammed into the ground over thirty meters away .

But Zac had eaten the divine seed , making him invulnerable . He could be kicked down a million times , yet he would rise again to tear down his foes . Not even a second had passed before he was almost back at his target , launching a flurry of strikes aimed to maim and brutalize the big bastard in front of him . The tong kept slamming into him and throwing him away , but Zac was more than happy to go along with the cycle of destruction .

Every time he came back he could see a few more scars on his enemy while he was just fine . The wounds were like a beautiful piece of art , and Zac an artisan using his axe as a paintbrush . A bit more and a masterpiece would be born . However , the coward in front of him seemed to finally have realized the futility of catching Zac with its tongs .

Zac was the incarnation of war , his technique and movements the peak of perfection . To catch him unaware was as impossible as catching the wind . The miscreant was clearly on its last legs as it reached for something attached to its back , no doubt another feeble attempt to take him out . Zac laughed uproariously , as he gathered power in his fist to meet whatever his prey had in store . A punch felt like the right decision here .

Violence would be met with violence , and blood would be repaid with blood .

However , a piercing scream of danger finally managed to cut through the madness , and Zac’s eyes widened in horror when he saw what was about to hit him . He barely managed to stop in his tracks and move his shield to block , but there was no time to activate Immutable Bulwark] . He was also unable to completely dispel his accumulated momentum , so Zac was still caught by the edge of the enormous hammer and thrown to the other edge of the platform like a ragdoll .

His whole body hurt , but the pain was still muted and somehow distant thanks to the fierce killing intent still churning in his chest . However , his Danger Sense had allowed him to at least regain most of his rationality , though Zac couldn’t be sure . He had felt completely lucid just a second ago as well , and that he had everything under control . But only now did he realize that he had acted like a raving lunatic , and worrying wounds covered his whole body .

Zac had severely overestimated his mental fortitude when planning this fight . He previously believed himself almost immune to the effects of taking a berserking item thanks to his experience dealing with this kind of mental affliction before . But it turned out that not even the Splinter of Oblivion had managed to prepare him for the insidious whispers of the Rageroot Oak Seed] .

Thankfully he wasn’t hurt to the point of no return , though it didn't look great . His shield arm was hurting quite a bit , and there were even some cracks in a few bones . He hadn't used his defensive skills at all when he fought like a rabid animal , and his body had paid the price . His internal wounds were too numerous to count , and black ichor leaked from the seams of his black armor . He would probably have to use one of his two remaining Serene Flesh Pills] to quickly recover from this mess .

At least he still felt power coursing through his body , allowing him to fight far above his normal capability . No matter if it was speed or strength , it had nearly increased by 60% as far as he could tell . Besides , Zac wasn't the only one who had taken damage from his insane offensive , and he looked over at his target who seemed content to maintain its distance .

Only after having woken up from his furor did Zac get a proper look at what he was dealing with . It was indeed a golem , but calling it a robot might be more appropriate going by its appearance . It was a bulky bipedal machine that reminded Zac of a five-meter-tall dwarf . It was roughly the height of the greatest Anointed , but its circumference was a few times wider than even Rhubat's . Its four limbs were short and stocky , with an almost spherical torso that was clad in a steel mesh apron . The apron was mostly in tatters by now though , and Zac distinctly remembered having attacked it multiple times already .

Its head was attached straight on its torso without a neck , and in its right hand was an almost picture-perfect copy of the hammer that Brazla had in his hands earlier . The only difference was that it was wrought from some black metal , and it emitted an extremely heavy aura . The array on its hammer face was a bit different too , and Zac almost got a bit dizzy when tracing the extremely intricate lines . This was the weapon the golem had finally grabbed from its back to deal with him .

The golem still held the same steel tong as before in its left hand , completing the look of a mechanical blacksmith . It looked far more like a proper craftsman when compared to the Creators over at Zac’s shipyard . Perhaps it really was one too , an assistant who had helped the original Brazla in his work . That would explain why the hammer emitted such shocking pressure .

Anything that could be used in forging spiritual metals would have to be extremely durable as to not break apart after a few days of hammering . The golem blacksmith was clearly made from some sort of attuned materials , making it exude an aura akin to Zac's own Dao Field . It wasn’t quite at the same level , but it spoke volumes about the quality of the materials the golem was crafted with .

This was just further proven by his series of frenzied attacks earlier . Zac had maintained some sort of rationality earlier , or perhaps it would be fairer to call it a beast's instincts . He had primarily focused on cutting off the golem's limbs , and over a dozen strikes empowered by Blighted Cut] and sometimes also Unholy Strikes] had reached their mark before he was thrown away . However , the golem clearly had its limbs , and they seemed to be in working order .

However , that wasn't to say that his efforts were completely ineffective . The colors of the metals around the axe scars were decidedly darker than the rest of its body , meaning that Zac had lain the foundation for victory . He was clear on how powerful his new E-Grade skill was , and not even spiritual metals would be able to resist forever .

The golem might even have some problems judging by the fact that it didn't move toward him . It just stood in the distance and stared at him . Zac just needed to keep working on it and it would sooner or later lose its limbs . However , now that he was awake he would hopefully be able to do so without directly trading blows . After all , his body was sturdy , but not as sturdy as spiritual metals .

Zac really wanted to just sit down and rest up a bit first though , but he forcibly pushed those ideas to the back of his mind . The timer had started the moment that he swallowed the berserking seed , and he had no idea how long it would retain its effect . He had turned a bit insane there for a moment , but its potency couldn't be denied .

Its boosting effect was far beyond what Hatchetman's Rage] provided , a qualitative boost that pushed every aspect of his power to the next tier . Zac knew there was no way for him to break through this golem's defenses without it , especially not if he was suddenly forced to deal with a weakened state .

Calrin’s book only described the general properties of the Rageroot Oak and its seeds , but it didn’t provide any details . He didn't know exactly how bad the drawbacks were , and when they would kick in . He only knew that it would last longer than a skill , 15 minutes at the minimum . That left ample time , but Zac was afraid that he would slide back into his delusions of being a god of war without notice . He needed to quickly finish this so that he could eat a soul-nurturing pill to calm down a bit .

Besides , the golem had finally started moving when it realized that Zac wasn't rushing back toward it , and it was already lumbering toward him .

Its step was slow and deliberate , and its weight caused tremors in the ground . Part of its slow speed could probably be attributed to the scars that covered its legs , but Zac also felt that the golem should have an attribute spread similar to his own ; focusing on Endurance and Strength . It definitely wasn’t something that excelled at speed , which was a shame as his current class was particularly effective against those kinds of targets .

A power-based class was a lot trickier to deal with . That swing before had contained a ruthless finality that had warned him of death and he didn’t feel confident in trading a series of blows with the giant in front of him now that it didn't only use the restraining tongs and its fist . Not even with the seed empowering him to unprecedented heights .

But Zac already had experienced dismantling an even bigger golem during the hunt , and he knew how to deal with something like this . Zac released a deep breath as he started to walk back toward the golem , causing a storm of corrosive mists to spread across the whole platform . He didn’t really expect the golem to be hurt by Winds of Decay] , but he wanted to turn the battlefield more in his favor .

If some of the corrosive mists managed to enter the dozens of festering scars , then all the better .

The miasmic mists of Fields of Despair] soon billowed out as well , but it barely had time to spread out before the golem’s chest expanded to the point that it almost doubled in size . A storm of fire spewed out of its mouth the next moment , spreading hundreds of meters in every direction and utterly destroying Zac’s efforts in an instant .

Not a shred of his two skills remained , but the flames lingered on the floor , turning the plateau into an inferno as well . Zac stomped down with force , dispelling the flames in his immediate vicinity . But the temperature was definitely out of Zac’s comfort zone , and he looked at the stoic golem with some trepidation . It looked like the golem had more abilities than just its physical prowess .

Zac had to admit that he might have taken on a bit more than he could chew this time .

Chapter 574 : Deathwish

Zac swore in annoyance when he saw the blacksmith effortlessly quash his attempts to putrefy the surroundings .

Turning a battlefield into one that favored you and restrained your enemy was a basic tactic that both his classes possessed . His human side had Hatchetman’s Spirit] , while his Draugr side had multiple skills in this category . Zac was hoping to use these methods to counteract the blistering heat , but he was out of luck this time .

There was no time to formulate a plan either as the hammer in the golem’s meaty hand suddenly turned into a blur . The distance between the two was still over 200 meters , but that wasn’t much to E-Grade beings . Zac immediately conjured a fractal bulwark to meet whatever blow the guardian had prepared , but he frowned in consternation when the hammer slammed into the ground right in front of it rather than launched an attack in his direction .

It obviously wasn’t a mistake , and Zac’s first guess was that it launched something through the ground , like an earthquake or metal spikes that would rise to stab him . However , Zac had still underestimated the advantage that the golem enjoyed in this place , and he was shocked to see a monstrous pillar of smoldering rocks rising out of the lava lake behind him .

It looked like a fiery dragon jumping out of the sea , and it reached almost a hundred meters in height before it started falling in a parabolic arc . Straight toward Zac . There was no hesitation as Zac started running as quickly as his legs could carry him . He would probably be able to block the pillar as it only held the attunement of the lava sea itself , but doing so would fill no purpose .

The stream of lava slammed into the ground half a second after Zac got out of the way , causing a wave of magma to splatter in every direction . Even its fiery droplets were as large as small boulders , but it was far more manageable for Zac to control and he easily blocked the ones who flew in his direction . However , the attack had left pools of magma across half the plateau , severely limiting Zac’s mobility . Just the ambient heat was causing a constant drain on his Miasma , and this only made it worse .

Zac frowned at the scene as he felt that the golem really was cheating . His Cosmic Gaze] could clearly sense that there seemed to be some connection between the robot and the sea of lava surrounding them , which steadily supplied it with a stream of power . It all surged toward a spot roughly at the same place as his own Duplicity Core , which no doubt was the command core of the golem itself .

Destroying it would instantly end the battle , but it was easier said than done . Those kinds of cores were always the most heavily protected components of a puppet , and this blacksmith was no exception . Zac would have to cut his way through the extremely thick plating of its torso if he wanted to take out the golem that way .

And Zac didn’t know if he had the energy to keep fighting that long , especially when the Golem was getting outside help . It was like the Dao Discourse all over again , and Zac was pretty certain that this thing would never run out of steam unless he somehow managed to break that connection .

He briefly considered erecting Profane Seal] now that the lava pillar had already landed , but he eventually discarded the idea . The golem was still in peak condition , and Zac felt that he would have to wear the thing down a bit before trying to entrap it . He could only use the skill once , and it would be wasted if it immediately got destroyed by that huge hammer or another lava pillar .

First thing first , he needed to sound out the power of this thing , this time while in control of his faculties . Zac made his way toward the robot , the black armor of Vanguard of Undeath] at least somewhat protecting him from the scorching heat . He still couldn’t quite match the golem in bulk even in this form , but the disparity wasn't nearly as bad as without it .

His fractal bulwark repositioned itself to the front of Love’s Bond] , superimposing his defenses . Zac didn’t have any movement skills to increase his speed , but the plateau was only so big . Each step forward increased his momentum , and he was in front of the golem in just a few seconds , his accumulated force already transferred to a mighty swing aimed to strike down its left leg .

His arm had already swollen up to a size that matched the golem’s own as Unholy Strike] was pushed to its limits once more . He needed to dig deeper and deeper with every swing , further increasing the amount of corrosion that could be left behind . However , the robot blacksmith responded with a speed that belied its stocky frame . Its hammer was somehow instantly moved to its left hand , and it pushed the massive hammerhead down toward the ground to block Zac’s swing .

The clang of two metals clashing reverberated across the whole area and the inner walls of the volcano bounced the sound back , making it sound like the tolling of church bells . But Zac had no chance to appreciate the hauntingly beautiful sound as he looked at the hammer for signs of damage , only to come up empty-handed .

The first clash between weapons had ended without a victor .

Verun’s Bite] had reached new heights since its evolution , but the densely inscribed hammer was obviously a lovingly crafted treasure as well . A fractal had lit up on its side , completely protecting it from getting cut into by the furious swing of Zac’s axe . He had managed to cause some damage to the metal plating on the golem itself during his earlier rampage , but it seemed that the hammer itself had reached a far greater level of durability . He didn’t even have a chance to apply any corrosion with the array blocking the blackish liquid .

However , the power of Zac’s swings wasn’t anything to scoff at even for a half-step D-Grade golem . It contained layers of empowerment from multiple skills and the Rageroot Oak Seed] . Its power was far beyond Zac's normal limits , and even the dragon wouldn’t have been able to withstand its might . The enormous golem stumbled back a few steps and the hammer was pushed away , exposing its legs once more .

Zac’s eyes lit up at the opportunity , but the blacksmith managed to expertly make use of Zac’s force to power a counter-swing before Zac had the chance to swing again . The enormous hammerhead moved in a precise arc , with Zac’s head at the end of its trajectory .

There was no time to move away , so Zac forcibly stilled the whispers in his mind that told him to fight fire with fire . He instead readied himself to block the swing , moving to intercept it with his shield . Blocking a direct hit would activate Deathwish] , and the distraction would hopefully create another opening to attack .

The array on the hammer lit up as it approached Zac’s barrier , illuminating the pitch-black armor in gold . Zac’s aura surged in anticipation of launching a counter of his own , but his abyssal eyes widened in shock when the golem’s attack reached Immutable Bulwark] . A weight that Zac never had felt before hit him , far surpassing any Gravity Array he had ever encountered .

It felt as though he was being crushed in the heart of a black hole as a soul-crushing pressure immediately threatened to break every bone in his body . The furious energy of the Rageroot Oak Seed] surged within his body to counteract the effect , but even the top-quality berserker item proved insufficient . It only took a fraction of a second to realize that his arm would break if he didn’t back down .

He immediately angled the shield to allow the hammer to slide down its side and slam into the ground instead . The shockwave would still wound him at such proximity , but it was far preferable to being brutalized by a direct hit . However , just as Zac was tried to divert the attack , so did the golem try to keep the original trajectory . It somehow seemed to be able to anticipate and match Zac’s actions , and small adjustments to its stance was all it required to keep the force pointing toward Zac .

A desperate push thankfully forced the golem a bit off-balance , allowing Zac to take a step to the side as he angled the shield even further . The hammer slid down its surface , the friction causing sparks across the whole coffin lid . But the massive slab of metal slammed into the ground instead of onto Zac’s body , allowing him to breathe out in relief .

Zac still felt like he was being punched in the gut by the force from the shockwave , but he grit his teeth and stood his ground knowing he would have taken damage for nothing if he didn’t respond in kind . The golem’s reaction was quick as it tried to keep Zac at bay with its tongs but he managed to push them aside with a swipe of his axe . However , his mind wasn't exactly on the tongs , but rather another realization .

It was Deathwish] . He hadn’t truly blocked the hammer’s strike , but he had still absorbed some of the force from the swing while redirecting most of it . He didn’t actually know that was enough to activate the strike , and he quickly took the opportunity to conjure a massive spectral blacksmith that slammed down toward the back of the blacksmith’s head .

The huge golem seemed to take the threat of the spectral hammer extremely seriously , perhaps thinking it would do as much damage as its own . It actually swiveled its torso 180 degrees to meet the attack while its legs stood rooted in place . Zac’s had no idea that its upper body could spin around like that , but he could spot an opportunity when he saw it .

The massive blacksmith’s hammer rose to meet its spectral twin , and the whole ghost was obliterated in an instant as the true hammer ripped through the false one . Zac didn’t care about that though as he lunged for the closest leg . One , two , three swings bit into one of the deeper scars as Zac desperately tried to cut off its leg in one go . However , the metal was simply too hard , and Zac was beset by a counterforce almost strong enough to sprain his wrist .

The barrage was enough to deepen the wound at least , and this time even more corrosive liquid empowered by the Fragment of the Coffin was left behind . The golem’s response was quick and it kept spinning its torso clockwise as it kept its hammer swing going . The two-meter wide hammer once more ripped through the air as it moved straight toward Zac , but he was already moving away from the blacksmith .

The hammer ripped through the air just in front of Zac’s face , a gust of fiery wind buffeting his face through the slits of his helmet . However , Zac didn't care as it felt as though a new door had opened to him thanks to the latest exchange , and he realized that there was huge room for improvement in how he fought as a Draugr .

Zac had always been extremely confident of his Endurance since getting his second class , certain that he would be able to outlast anyone in a brutal melee . That had made his technique sloppy , where he relied on his body to be able to take the beating . There was no reason to take on unnecessary punishment though ; he needed to improve his efficiency .

Rather than blocking 100% of a strike he could block 20% while diverting the rest of the force . This was just how many of the more experienced fighters had acted , like how Void's Disciple had somehow sapped the strength from his strikes . It would result in the same outcome , but with him wasting less Miasma and getting wounded less .

He needed to increase as much damage as possible while taking as little damage as possible . It was such a basic concept , but it was easier said than done to apply it in the heat of battle . The tongs were already coming for his head as the blacksmith advanced on him , but Zac took a step forward while angling his shield once more , allowing the pincers to push right past his head as he came close .

The corrosion from his previous strike along with his Dao was still lodged in the golem’s leg , but it was quickly being eroded by a fiery heat emanating from the Puppet Core . He couldn’t allow his earlier efforts to go to waste , and he swung twice in quick succession once more before a terrifying swing of the hammer forced him back .

Zac’s mind screamed at him to keep going , to stop backing away from the battle , but he refused to give in to the battle lust again . He had already taken too much damage , so he needed to be measured in his approach . The golem kept pushing forward with an intractable momentum , like Zac was just a stubborn block of metal on the anvil .

Zac felt a slight in his arm as he rerouted the hammer toward the ground , and another spectral blacksmith appeared . The golem froze from indecision for an instant , but Zac shook his head when it quickly chose to ignore the ghost .

The spectral hammer slammed into the golem’s head with furious velocity , but Zac knew it was just a hollow strike . However , Zac's eyes widened in surprise when the hammer slammed into the golem with enough force to cause it to stumble , and a small but noticeable dent had appeared on its head . There was no earthly reason that his counter-skill could do enough damage for something like this to happen except one .

Deathwish] had evolved to the next stage .

Chapter 575 : Tempering

Zac was elated to see that another one of his skills had evolved . It had become increasingly hard to push them forward lately , partly because of his lack of good targets to practice on . Deathwish] was a mainstay of his class too , a skill that was a constant drain on his enemy and the bane of any Dexterity-based classes .

However , Zac knew that he couldn't expect too much from the skill in this fight , even if it had just reached Late Proficiency . The spectral blacksmith's attack did cause a slight dent , but the golem immediately regained its footing . The small stumble did give Zac the opportunity to launch another barrage of axe swings before the tongs came for him though , which was exactly what he needed .

He tried to repeat his earlier successes and block the pincers next , but he had underestimated the golem as Zac suddenly had a meaty leg slam into his shield as the tong disappeared from sight . Zac was thrown away once more as pain wracked his body . He had made some improvements to his fighting style just now , but it was too little too late . This couldn’t go on .

He was getting better , but the golem was also slowly adapting , and Zac would bleed out before he managed to completely dismantle that thing if he didn’t change things up a bit . He eventually made a decision as Love’s Bond] turned into its offensive form , its four free chains hovering in the air around him like venomous snakes . Droplets of corrosive liquid fell down o the burning tiles beneath , causing a constant sizzling sound around him .

The fractal shield of Immutable Bulwark] disappeared as he no longer had a shield to base it on , but that was easily solved as Zac took out one of his back-up shields . It wasn't anything special , but it was enough to conjure his defensive skills . The defensive capabilities of the skills were considerably worse when based on a normal shield , but it wasn't like Zac dared to take a direct hit in any case .

He rushed back to repeat the process , and the golem met his approach with a wide vertical arc of the hammer again . Zac had already expected this , and a new fractal bulwark had already appeared to divert the hammer . He quickly took a diagonal step as the four chains shot forward . Two of them moved to intercept the golem's left hand as the other two tried to poke holes in the golem's legs like spears .

Zac himself was in hot pursuit , though not without his own difficulties . His left arm hurt like hell as the provisional shield had been turned to scrap metal that dug into his arm . Even blocking a portion of the hammer had completely destroyed both the fractal bulwark and the shield beneath . Zac could only throw the twisted shield to the ground and summon a new one from his Spatial Ring as he reached the golem's legs .

Metal clashed against metal , but the crisp sounds were slowly turning dull as the metal was steadily being deteriorated . Zac almost decided to go all-in then and there , but he quickly shook his head as he backed away . He had almost let his success go to his head , allowing the seed to take control once more .

But the two-meter wide hammer was still a deadly threat . One hit and it would be game over . Zac couldn't help but briefly think of Ogras while he walked a tightrope , moving back and forth to whittle down the golem while narrowly avoiding taking a lethal blow . Cold sweat would no doubt be running down his face and back if he was in his human form right now . Was this how fighting felt like for Dexterity-based cultivators , walking hand in hand with death?

It was just terrifying .

However , while the golem was mighty , but it was ultimately not a sapient cultivator . It had some sort of battle-algorithm that improved over the course of the fight , but Zac was able to figure the preferred trajectories and fighting patterns soon enough . The swings that had felt life-threatening a few minutes ago no longer felt as dangerous as Zac and his chains swirled about .

The golem's attacks still contained the same power as before , but Zac was well aware of its reach and speed by now . He didn't take as much damage from his blocks either , as he slowly managed to lessen the force he forcibly had to block every time . In the beginning , he was taking on up to 30% before he managed to divert the strike , but after just a few minutes that number should have decreased to 20% .

His back-up-shields now managed to withstand two strikes before breaking apart , and his arm wasn't hurt every time either .

The chains of Love’s Bond] kept slamming int to the scars with extreme force , and the ground was littered with metal plates and molten puddles from the disposable shields . It was like the chains lived their own lives as they targeted the weaknesses of the golem , and Zac could almost exclusively focus on creating as much damage as he could .

The golem , or rather its components , finally couldn’t take it any longer after another five minutes of intense battering . It took a step toward Zac to launch its next swing , but a snap echoed out as its left leg shattered like it was made from brittle glass . The ceaseless attacks of Blighted Cut] had finally permeated the whole leg , and Zac’s eyes lit up as he saw his opportunity .

He immediately stomped into the ground while the golem toppled over , and the cage of Profane Seal] sprung up around them . The lava lake just outside the cage immediately started to wear down the skill , but Zac didn’t care about that as he ordered the 20 spectral chains to shoot toward his prey . The four available chains of Love’s Bond] were even quicker as they wrapped around the golem multiple times before they slammed into the ground to pin it down , especially focusing on keeping the hammer-wielding arm in check .

The golem desperately tried to pry itself free with its tongs , but Zac was already upon the golem with his axe , and a frenzied series of swings destroyed the arm before the spectral chains had even reached him . Soon enough the golem was barely visible beneath over a dozen chains , but Zac still felt a pang of danger as the whole golem burst into searing-hot flames .

Zac’s eyes widened in alarm , knowing that his spectral chains wouldn’t be able to last more than a second or two in this state . But he still didn’t back down . If the golem managed to break out then it was over . He was running dangerously low on Miasma already , and just summoning Profane Seal] had been a risk .

A bit more and his Specialty Core would activate by itself , and a 3-second phase of weakness was enough for him to be turned into paste . The fires spread from the golem to the point that the pile of chains looked like a bonfire , and even Zac's armor had been ignited .

The golem was seemingly trying to bring Zac down with it to hell as it exuded more and more flames , but Zac ignored the scorching pain across his body as the fire danced in his eyes . He was waiting , each moment feeling like an eternity , but suddenly there was a change in the skill fractal on his arm .

The real strike of Blighted Cut] was finally ready .

Zac didn't hesitate , knowing his time was limited . The moment felt the change in Blighted Cut] he immediately seized the opportunity . This was what he had worked so hard for , and he needed to make it count . Three black waves appeared around the golem and they shot into its bulky frame in an instant , cutting through the flames like they weren’t even there .

It was like the strike was both corporeal and a projection as it passed straight through the chains that held the golem in place , and the waves disappeared into the golem’s torso , each of them aiming for the same spot . The robot blacksmith frenetically struggled for another few seconds , but it was futile . A subdued crack could be heard from within , and Zac breathed out in relief , knowing that the golem’s core had been cut apart .

Without that , it was just a big hunk of metal , and it unsurprisingly stopped moving just a second later . There was no surge of energy entering his body to confirm the kill , but that was always the case with beings without sapience . The blacksmith was ultimately a puppet rather than a true golem cultivator like the Creators , and destroying it didn't award any Cosmic Energy at all .

It was as though the air left Zac’s body after golem stopped moving , and he barely managed to escape the flames before he helplessly fell down on the ground from exhaustion . He still felt the effects of the seed coursing through his body , but he knew his body wasn’t in any state to take advantage of it any longer . Activating the final and ultimate strike of Blighted Cut] had drained him of his last Miasma as well , and his Duplicity Core had already begun reverting him back to a human .

He would normally hold off on turning back to human considering the state his body was in , but Zac didn’t have much choice at the moment . He could only prepare the Serene Flesh Pill] and he popped it into his mouth the instant the transformation was complete . A surge of pain wracked his body the moment he came alive , but it was thankfully quickly soothed by the High-Quality Zethaya pill .

His body was still drained of energy though , and he was content lying on the ground gasping for air a while longer .

What a disgraceful display , - a disgusted voice snorted , and Zac turned his bleary eyes toward the Tool Spirit who had appeared next to him at an unknown time . - I knew you were talentless , but this was beyond the pale . What kind of craven backwater planet was I sent to if you’re the best of the best? -

Well , the golem is down , which means I passed , right? - Zac sighed , his voice barely recognizable .

Luckily for you , my creator didn’t add any base requirement of skill or grace , so you barely passed , - the Tool Spirit said with a shake of his head . - As specified , you will be provided with a round of tempering for being the one to open the second floor of the Dao Repository . Considering your level you would be given the full 30 minutes , but I’ll go ahead and deduct 10 minutes for cheating by using a Berserking Item . -

What tempering? And wait , I got a reduction for using the seed?! You never mentioned anything like this before , - Zac said with a frown as he dragged himself up to his feet . - You said it was okay using things like that! -

The fact that he had missed out on some rewards because the Tool Spirit wasn’t doing his job was infuriating , and anger overcame his caution as he glared at Brazla .

Well , you never asked , - Brazla laughed , clearly delighted by Zac’s anger . - Besides , The Great Sage only said that you were allowed to use it . I never said that it wouldn’t affect your grading . -

Zac wanted to argue that it clearly making things difficult for him , but his head was just a mush after the fight . He could only point at the Tool Spirit in righteous indignation , which only seemed to delight Brazla even further .

Can't be wearing those rags during the tempering though , - Brazla muttered , and Zac found himself floating in front of the Tool Spirit the next moment .

Wai- - Zac screamed , but it was to no avail as everything from his robes to his spatial ring was dragged off his body , leaving him stark naked .

Now , off you go . -

Zac’s eyes widened in alarm , but the Tool Spirit was impossibly fast as its golden hammer turned into a blur . He wasn’t even able to consider a response before the Tool Spirit had already attacked him . Zac was already exhausted from the battle , but he inwardly knew that he wouldn’t have been able to block that strike even in peak condition . It was just on a completely different level than even the golem just now .

Thankfully there was no painful sensation from being hit by the golden hammer , but alarm bells still went off in his head when he was launched into the air . Worse yet , he found himself completely restrained as his body became covered in dense golden fractals . He couldn't circulate his Cosmic Energy at all , and his mental connection to his Spirit Tools was severed as well .

He was utterly helpless , and he could only look on with trepidation as he flew closer and closer to the enormous anvil in the middle of the plateau . The battle before had caused massive shockwaves and fires to spread across the whole area , but the massive slab of metal still stood there completely unscathed .

Zac's flight got an abrupt end as Zac slammed into the anvil’s side face first , and the blinding pain almost made him pass out . He wanted to get away , or at least reset his broken nose , but he still couldn't move because of the runes covering his body .

So he could only mentally curse the tool spirit one last time as he started sliding down toward the pool of magma below .

Chapter 576 : Plunge

Zac struggled against the restraints that covered his body , but it was to no avail and the only reason he didn't cry out in shock as he fell toward the red-hot magma was that he was physically unable to .

It was a poignant reminder of the true power of the annoying braggart who usually just messed around in the Towers of Myriad Dao . Brazla might not be a real cultivator , but he was definitely a top-tier D-Grade Tool Spirit , perhaps even approaching C-Grade . Going by how powerful Verun already was in E-Grade , then Brazla was probably the most powerful being in Port Atwood , with Karunthel being the only possible exception .

The lava in the small pond below him was definitely something far more dangerous than the lake surrounding the platform , and Zac was almost thankful that he couldn’t activate Cosmic Gaze] close to the pond . The shocking amounts of attuned energies below him made the hair on his arms stand on end , and looking straight at it with his skill might have blinded him .

However , Zac quickly calmed down even as he still fell . Suddenly being stripped naked and thrown into a metal anvil with enough force to break his nose had plunged his exhausted mind into chaos , but he quickly remembered what was going on . Brazla might be annoying and fond of causing trouble , but he always did what his creator had instructed him to .

The Tool Spirit's execution was definitely lacking , but this was no doubt an opportunity that Zac had to seize .

That notion only grew stronger as an extremely intricate script appeared on the pool of lava just before he dropped into it , and Zac immediately realized how similar it was to the golden array that currently covered and restrained his body . He didn’t get the chance to get a better look though as he was submerged in the lava the next moment , forcing him to quickly close his eyes .

His body instinctively strained to swim up to the surface , but he was still completely unable to move as he sunk deeper and deeper into the depths . Thankfully , he quickly realized that the lava around him didn't hurt at all . The magma rather felt like a warm embrace , allowing Zac to breathe out in relief . That by itself confused Zac even further as fresh air somehow entered his lungs even when he was supposed to be submerged .

Was the lava around him just an illusion?

The notion was so strong that he actually opened his eyes , but surrounding him was just an endless red , with the occasional wisp of white-hot fires . It definitely looked like lava , but his vision wasn't completely obfuscated as he could actually see his body just fine , making him feel like he was submerged in water rather than molten rock .

The situation was extremely odd , but his attention was quickly seized by the small sparks of white flames that flitted about before they disappeared . There was something unique about those flames . It was definitely fire-attunement , but also something more . It felt like he could only grasp the edge of it , similar to how he was unable to understand even a corner of the Chaos Pattern back then .

It was pretty annoying that he couldn't activate Cosmic Gaze] to get a better look , but he wasn't too sure it would do him any good against those small fires . They didn't feel as vast as the Purple Lightning or domineering as the System's presence , but they were extremely pure . The impression they gave Zac was that all the attuned energies he had seen until now were fake , a hollow mimicry of energies truly touched by the Dao .

Was this perhaps hos C-Grade attuned energies looked like? Or was it something else entirely? It honestly didn't feel as powerful as something that could be considered C-Grade , and it was rather more reminiscent of the Dao Intent that Thea had been imparted from the Inheritance . In either case , it was definitely something valuable , and Zac's heartbeat sped up in anticipation .

The odd surroundings made it impossible to get a proper bearing but it felt like he was being submerged deeper and deeper by the second , to the point that he had descended thousands of meters into the depths of the volcano . The pure energies around him only seemed to become even stronger as he sank deeper , and the surroundings quickly changed from red to a warm yellow until it was just a world of pure white .

When the color gradient stopped changing so did Zac's impression of descending , and he knew that his opportunity was about to arrive . Brazla had said that he had gained 20 minutes of Body Tempering , and he guessed that the clock had already started ticking . The problem was that Zac had no idea what to do next .

He didn’t own any bloodline tempering manual just yet , and the white fire around him didn’t seem to do anything apart from heating his body . He wasn't a cultivator either , so he was unable to naturally absorb the energies from his surroundings . Not that he was sure it would be possible to circulate a Cultivation Manual when covered in a set of restraining runes .

However , tendrils of warmth finally started burrowing into his body , filling him with that mysterious force he had sensed earlier . Zac was initially worried that such a force would be dangerous to absorb when he was just E-Grade , but the white fire was extremely gentle as the warmth spread across his body . The intensity kept increasing , but it didn't hurt at all .

It was as though his body could contain an endless amount of this force without issue , and that he could withstand the steadily increasing heat in his body . The exhaustion from the battle was soon forgotten , replaced with a state of complete relaxation . It was like he had returned to the womb , and his eyes were starting to get heavy .

But Zac's eyes shot open just as they were about to close as he noticed a startling change across his body . His skin had started to change color , rapidly turning molten red . Zac couldn't believe what he was seeing as he looked down at his hands . It looked like he was made out of metal , and that this metal was heated in a furnace to a melting-point . It didn't hurt at all though , and Zac guessed this was the tempering that Brazla mentioned .

Zac was about close his eyes again and let the warmth wash his body clean , but a sudden force slammed into him , startling him awake . It felt startlingly similar to when the blacksmith golem pummeled him with its hammer , and sharp pain radiated across Zac's torso . It wasn’t quite at the level of the terrifying Bone-Forging Dust] he had used a couple of times by now , but it was still extremely painful . However , he knew that he had to endure to get the full benefits of whatever this tempering entailed .

One slam after another made Zac’s body shudder , and the words of Brazla reappeared in the back of his mind . Less than a minute had passed and it felt like he was about to pass out from the pain , how would he be able to withstand almost 20 more minutes of this? But Zac forcibly pushed those cowardly thoughts out of his mind , and he emptied his mind as he welcomed another hammering .

This was a god-given opportunity to empower himself , and he wouldn’t waste it .

The hits kept increasing in both strength and frequency though , and Zac's conviction was quickly starting to crack . He had essentially been turned into a piece of raw metal that was being worked over by this mysterious array , his flesh turned malleable by the heat around him . Were there even any benefits of doing this? He was just being pummeled over and over . What if this opportunity was meant for Peak E-Grade warriors who had properly evolved their bodies to D-Grade long ago? Was this perhaps even detrimental to him rather than beneficial?

However , those invasive thoughts were suddenly thrown away after a couple of minutes as Zac suddenly could see palpable results , and his eyes lit up as he wished the hits could come even faster .

His body was still glowing red-hot , but murky clouds were being expelled from his pores all across his body . They tainted the pure white of the surroundings for an instant before incinerated to the point that they were utterly annihilated . These clouds were definitely impurities and various types of sequelae trapped in his body , and he could even recognize their sources with the help of the weak aura they emitted just before they were burnt away .

First to get expelled was the fiery energies of the Rageroot Oak Seed] , and small explosions erupted as they came in contact with the magma . Next were the stubborn Dao energies left in his body from his fight with Void’s Disciple . The sight made him widen his eyes , as there was a lot more stuck in his body than he had realized .

His pores kept spewing out the two foreign Daos , and by the time the slams no longer could extract any more he had expelled even more than he had removed himself over the past ten days . The tempering didn't end there though , and Zac’s eyes were wide with marvel as impurities left from his Bone Forging Dust] , node-breaking pills , and all other sorts of treasures spewed out one by one .

Every second he felt as though his body was becoming lighter , and worry had long been exchanged with elation . Who would have known that such a huge boon was hidden within the Dao Repository? The magical molding even managed to find hidden remnants of the wound Mhal left when implanting him with the Draugr-samples so long ago , and the deathly energies were quashed in the lava lake .

Zac couldn’t help but lament that his time in the lake was limited even though it felt like his body was being broken and remolded every second .

That feeling only grew when there was finally a reaction from his Void Heart] . It had been utterly silent since swallowing the Tribulation Lightning , but it had suddenly started vibrating as it gobbled up a small part of the fiery energies in his body . Not only that , but Zac' actually felt two more spots on his body vibrate in a similar fashion .

First was the same spot in his head as he had sensed before , the spot that Zac suspected to be another hidden node related to his soul or the Dao . The second vibration came from his spine down at the small of his back . It immediately made him think of the Bloodline Marrow] he had been awarded before , and he could only lament that it was left in his Spatial Ring .

Unfortunately , the three spots only seemed to resonate with each other , with the two spots seeming unwilling to be opened . Zac tried everything he could to steer more of the mysterious energy into those two spots , but it was to no avail . Soon enough there were only seconds left before twenty minutes had passed , and Zac knew that this opportunity wasn't enough to break open the two nodes .

He could only give up on breaking open those two nodes , but he also knew that just finding them was a huge step forward . Before he only suspected the spot in his head , but now he was 100% certain about the location of two hidden nodes . Forcibly opening them was just a matter of finding the right sort of treasure by now .

The time was running out , so Zac readied himself mentally in case he would have to swim out by himself somehow , but a scene right at the end made him almost forget about the hidden node .

Not one , not two , but six small runes that clearly were of different origins suddenly shot out between his brows just before his vision blurred . The next moment he found himself panting on the ground in the hallways of the Towers of Myriad Dao , and Zac was relieved to see his spatial ring and treasures lying next to him .

His mind was foggy and unfocused after having both gone through a tough battle and the subsequent tempering , but he forced himself to stay awake as he reached for his spatial rings and robes . Just getting dressed felt like an almost insurmountable task , but by the time he was clothed again , he actually felt a lot better .

The six runes he saw at the end were definitely cause for concern , but Zac couldn't stifle his curiosity as he quickly opened his status screen . His body had been thoroughly cleansed and tempered , and he hoped that the encounter had pushed him to D-Grade race . However , confusion rather than elation marred his face after opening the status screen . His status had changed , but definitely not as he had expected .

E] Human - Void Emperor (Corrupted , Unawakened)

Chapter 577 : Corruption

Zac mutely looked at the revised line in his status screen for a few seconds . There was only one way to interpret the addition even though it didn't exactly match the intelligence he had gathered so far . His lava bath had purified his constitution to the point that his previously unknown Bloodline could be listed , even if it hadn’t completely awakened yet .

And he had to admit that it sounded pretty damn powerful .

Zac almost ate his Bloodline Marrow] then and there in hopes to properly awaken it , but he barely managed to restrain the impulse . First of all , his body was in a completely drained state after using the Berserking Pill] even if the lava bath had managed to expel most of the toxins . Eating a treasure in this condition was essentially the same as flushing them down the toilet .

But more importantly , the fact that the status screen termed his bloodline - corrupted’ gave him pause .

He had never heard of something like this before . Zac had bought a few general missives about bloodlines after realizing he might have one , but they didn’t cover anything like this . The unawakened line was just as described , but the mention of corruption had never been brought up at all .

The most basic way to explain a bloodline was to call it a genetic mutation brought on by an extremely powerful ancestor . After reaching a certain stage their bodies became vessels of their cultivation path , fundamentally affecting their genetics . The body of someone walking the path of fire would essentially turn into a being whose flesh could turn into flames at will . Even their convictions and beliefs were added into the bloodlines .

The rules of what was required to pass on a bloodline weren't exactly clear , but the general consensus was that one needed to reach middle C-Grade at the least for one's body to transform to the point that their cultivation path could be passed on . However , this actually happening was still extremely rare , which meant that there most likely were more requirements . Some posited that there was a requirement of affinity and understanding of the Dao , whereas others believed that great mental strength was required .

In either case , one needed to be beyond the norm for a bloodline to be born . It was also generally believed that the more powerful a cultivator became , the greater a bloodline they would leave behind . A C-Grade Monarch's bloodline would probably be the lowest rung , to the point that it disappeared after a few short generations . Only the most powerful beings could leave behind bloodlines that could stay on generation after generation .

The effect of bloodlines was extremely varied as well , ranging from giving huge boosts to controlling specific Daos or calling upon the strength of your body , whereas others were essentially useless . Some might even become detrimental to the descendants if the ancestor practiced some cruel and unorthodox path .

Bloodlines started unawakened , but they could be awakened through either cultivating a Body Tempering Manual or some specific Bloodline Manual . Of course , some treasures could get the job done as well , such as the Bloodline Marrow] . The average effect of the first awakening was generally set at around 15 to 25% provided the bloodline matched your path , and this boost could be anything from cultivation speed to power output in battle .

That meant that a mortal with a combat-oriented bloodline was almost equal to a cultivator without one , as one got a boost from their heritage while the other got a similar boost from their Cultivation Manual . Of course , having both would provide multiplicative boosts , which was the situation most cultivators longed for . Higher-quality bloodlines could even provide unique skills , and Zac considered the devouring ability of Void Heart] to belong to that category , even though he couldn't control it yet .

The line that said Corrupted on his status screen was actually the place that should display the rarity of the bloodline . Bloodlines shared the same rarity as classes , going from Common to Epic . Zac guessed there were even greater bloodlines as well , though that wasn’t something that a cheap missive in the Zecia sector would either cover or confirm .

Bloodline rarity was also fixed according to the manuals , and not something that either training or treasures could impact . A higher rarity generally meant a more powerful bloodline that could be awakened more times . Of course , a higher-rarity bloodline was a lot harder to improve as well , just like how it went with classes . Furthermore , the number of awakenings you could perform depended on your bloodline’s rarity to a large degree , but it could still be influenced by hard work and opportunities .

But what did corrupted mean? The line felt extremely ominous , to the point that Zac almost felt he was beset with an affliction rather than an opportunity . Nothing in the information missive had prepared him for that line , and he wasn't sure whether .

But Zac eventually decided to simply keep going . There were multiple possible explanations of why his bloodline was considered corrupted , with the most likely one being that it was affected by his Technocrat heritage . Perhaps the System immediately considered his body corrupted from that as a basis .

He had to admit there being a possibility of his condition being a result of his mother’s experiments as well . But even if that was the case , it still shouldn’t be something detrimental . Leandra should have been trying to make a powerful bloodline or modify an existing one to suit her needs better , which should mean that it wasn’t a detrimental constitution .

What was important was that it was useful and provided benefits , and Zac already felt that it was doing just that . For now , he only had only one Hidden Node doing some work , but Zac believed it might prove extremely useful in the future . He still remembered the vision of that mysterious man passing by a sun , stealing its essence for his own cultivation .

That was exactly what he needed ; an alternative method of cultivation that would help him move forward . Reaching the higher grades of Cultivation as a mortal was already akin to defying the heavens , he was also doing it with multiple high-rarity classes . Gaining the ability to break past bottlenecks might prove even more helpful than yet another power boost .

Zac could only put the matter aside for now , and he instead turned his attention to the state of his body . The tempering process had hurt to the point that he almost went insane , but it hadn't actually wounded him . The pain that he felt just a minute ago almost felt like a dream , and even the wounds from the battle with the golem had improved considerably . He still felt too tired to move at the moment , so he simply scrambled up to a sitting position for now .

It was a huge wake-up call for Zac to see the amount of impurities he had expelled during the tempering . He had thought himself almost in perfect condition based on looking at his interiors with his spiritual sight , but there was actually so much gunk left behind without him noticing . Almost every life-threatening encounter seemed to have left a hidden wound , and who knew if the tempering even got it all .

However , the most worrying part wasn’t the sequelae , but the small marks that had been expelled right at the end . Zac barely had a chance to study them before he was returned to the repository , but he did manage to sense familiar auras from a few of them . The first , and perhaps the most worrying , definitely came from Faceless 13 . The mark carried the same sinister aura as the spikes he still carried around in his Spatial Ring .

Zac couldn’t imagine having a hidden mark left behind by that man a good thing , no matter if it was meant to track or slowly kill him .

The second mark was made him think of Rasuliel Tsarun for some reason . He didn’t know how he had been marked by the Tsarun scion , but his eyes suddenly turned to the Spatial Ring on his finger . He had already swapped the ring he got from the Tsarun Disciple for the much superior ring he looted from the Mentalist , but perhaps he had been branded when stealing Rasuliel's ring .

That would also explain why he didn’t get a mark by taking the second ring , as he wasn’t actually the one who killed the mentalist or stole her ring . It was rather that squirrely thief who had tried to rob them while they both were out of commission .

The third mark , which was also the one that emitted the strongest energies , felt just like he cursed sword in his possession . He guessed that it was a hidden trap of using that accursed thing , a brand that would grow in power with every use . Nothing good could come from having that thing in his body , and he vowed to not use the sword again unless absolutely necessary .

Finally , there was one mark that was created with miasma , but Zac didn’t get much more than that .

The fact that the mark was wrought from miasma severely limited the number of suspects . Be’Zi , Catheya , Adriel , and perhaps Mhal were the main ones , though Be’Zi being the source felt like a long shot . Not because Zac implicitly trusted her , but rather that he didn’t feel confident that an opportunity created by the original Brazla would be able to extract something that she had planted on him . Case in point ; the miasmic cage in his mind were utterly unaffected by the tempering .

Be’Zi was definitely far stronger than Brazla ever was , sitting at B-Rank cultivation at the minimum . That was a full two-stage difference , which should simply be too much to deal with for an opportunity left behind .

The last two marks Zac couldn’t make heads or tails of , but that was perhaps because they were weaker than the first four . The other four marks were all far more intricate , which perhaps was what allowed Zac to recognize them . His best guess was that they were left by people in the Base Town .

In either case , it was better to have them gone than remaining , but the experience made him wonder what else was hidden in his body . Unfortunately , there was not much he could do about the situation at the moment . Most cultivators had elders to turn to , far more powerful cultivators who could blast most hidden threats by circulating their own energies through their descendants’ bodies .

Zac didn’t have that advantage , meaning he would have to rely on other opportunities to purge himself of hidden threats . He knew there were cleansing arrays out there , and it was perhaps about time something like that was added to his cultivation cave .

Are you done wallowing about? I can't have trash littering my floor , - the all-too-familiar voice of Brazla echoed out from above , prompting Zac to reluctantly get up on his feet with a grunt .

Thank you , - Zac said , though he didn't feel all that grateful to the Tool Spirit itself , but rather its creator . - Is there any way for me to get back to the lava pool for another round of refinement? -

Zac wasn't thinking about going there right now , but rather when reaching Peak E-Grade . He almost regretted partaking in such a good opportunity right now , as he probably would be saddled with another round of impurities by the time he was ready to form his Cultivation Core . He still remembered reading about Galvarion , the aquatic mortal who needed to spend over a century to remove all his impurities . Zac simply didn't have that kind of time .

He had made a huge splash in the Tower of Eternity , and there was also the issue of The Great Redeemer coming for revenge in a hundred years even if Zac managed to obscure Earth . Urgency pushed him forward , and his goal was to reach at least the middle stages of D-Grade before Earth got integrated for real .

At that level he should only have to worry about C-Grade Monarchs , and those kinds of people generally wouldn't come for a tiny D-Grade planet like Earth . There were only so many C-Grade cultivators in a remote sector like Zecia , and they were either in perpetual secluded cultivation or exploring the most dangerous corners of the sector in hopes of progressing their cultivation .

But cultivating with that speed would be hard even for a genius cultivator , let alone a mortal . But this lava pool might be one of the keys to speeding up the process .

Greedy little brat . Do you think such purification is something mundane that can be used as one wanted? It was only possible thanks to the Earthen Fire seed that my master found in the bottom of that volcano , and it has a finite source of power . It had already been nurtured for tens of millions of years by the time my creator found it on an uninhabited world , and he kept purifying it for dozens of millennia as he turned the whole mountain into his forge . It was so limited that my creator couldn't even bear to use it for his own cultivation , so it was eventually left to future generations , - Brazla said with a haughty voice .

So it was something that magical? - Zac said with disappointment , though he wasn’t too surprised .

Galau was the one who taught him about Pill Toxicity and how hard it was to get rid of it . If ridding your body of hidden threats was as easy as jumping into a pool of lava , then all volcanoes would have long become strategic resources of the multiverse .

Of course , why else would the System expend so much energy to cram my master's forge into a pocket dimension left in a corner of my body? - Brazla snorted .

Chapter 578 : Sacrifices

What? It was the System who created that trial? - Zac asked with confusion . - I thought it was Bra- ahem , your creator who put it there for his descendants? -

Are you stupid? - Brazla sneered . - My creator didn’t plan on being dead when his descendants would use the Towers of Myriad Dao . Why would there be restrictions and trials to visit the higher floors? It was the System that refitted my body a bit , perfecting the towers even further . Seems like a waste of effort to award the towers to someone like you if you ask the Great Brazla , but here we are . -

Zac was surprised to hear that the System was personally stepping in to modify its rewards , but he had to admit that he had never considered things from Brazla's perspective . Indeed , why would the original Brazla put forth such trials to access the skills? Most Dao Repositories were free to enter for the owning force , with the elders deciding who could get what skills . But Zac had to accomplish feats of strength to gain the same sort of access .

Furthermore , it was the same with Thea’s library . She would also have to pass some sort of trial to gain access to higher-tiered intelligence . So it turned out that the System was refitting these quest rewards , both improving them and making them serve as motivational- or training tools .

Besides , - Brazla said with a shake of his head , a hint of wistfulness flashing in his eyes . - That world is no more . Now that the final fragment was awakened , it will be lost forever , with the System taking the last energies . -

Then why couldn't you let me have it? - Zac muttered with some annoyance . - If the System was going to steal the rest anyways . -

Those were the rules that were put in place , - Brazla shrugged . - It doesn't really matter in either case . You would only have gained the same amount of time even if you waited until reaching middle E-Grade for real . I guess it was a bad matchup . If you focused on Agility or Intelligence you might have had a shot even without that treasure . That puppet was even dumber than you , after all . -

Zac felt a bit disappointed he couldn’t have his body forged inside the lava again , but he couldn’t complain . It was a free bonus that he didn't even know existed , and while it hadn’t directly improved his power it did solve a lot of hidden issues for him . Besides , there was still the real reward to go for . However , Zac wanted to take advantage of the Tool Spirit's uncharacteristic mood to see if he could get some information .

The tempering expelled something from my body I didn't know was there . Six marks , probably left by my enemies . Do you know what those are? -

I saw , you really shouldn't let yourself get branded like that . Most of them were tracking marks , and one was a curse , - Brazla snorted .

Tracking marks? Are heading for earth now because of me? - Zac exclaimed . - Is it a Karmic Link? -

Karmic Link? Don’t get blinded by that one Karmic Cultivator who wants this desolate rock for some reason . Those methods are beyond rare . Isn’t his family famous through this whole sector because of their extremely rare ability to touch upon that Dao? - Brazla snorted . - Even then , a small mark like those that got expelled isn’t enough for something as great as intergalactic tracking . Perhaps if it was a supreme existence placing the mark . But why would someone like that turn his gaze toward you , or even this whole sector for that matter? -

Then what is it? - Zac asked .

The trees and bushes around my square- -

I’ll have someone beautify and prune the forest around you , - Zac sighed without pause .

I can’t tell you about the curse , but the others are minor markers that would stay dormant until triggered , - the Tool Spirit said as a satisfied grin spread across his face .

Triggered? How? - Zac asked .

The better ones could trigger upon entering an array covering a set area , usually a town . The worse ones would require a direct scan of your body specifically . It would essentially make it harder for you to stay hidden while traveling . Intelligence houses are notorious for placing such things on their clients if they think they can get away with it , but anyone with a portable array can do the same . Those runes are easily destroyed by purification methods though , so they are generally useless against the wealthy , - Brazla shrugged .

Zac sighed in relief , realizing it wasn't as bad as he had previously feared . The looming threat of The Great Redeemer had really made him a bit paranoid about the dangers of the multiverse . But it was worth remembering that the plan of Voridis A'Heliophos was thousands of years in the making , and it still seemed easier said than done to find even Earth after all that effort .

It was a weight off his shoulders , and it allowed him to properly focus on the task at hand . As for plotting revenge for some random tracking mark , it wasn't really worth his time and effort . He had enough enemies as it was .

I want to see the E-Grade skills , - Zac said as he slowly got to his feet .

Brazla shrugged with disinterest and a set of stairs leading to a previously inaccessible section appeared to Zac’s left . He looked over to see if Brazla was planning on joining him , but the tool spirit had already disappeared . It felt a bit like Brazla was depressed after visiting the lava world . It might have brought back memories of his creator , and the volcano was perhaps even Brazla's own birthplace .

Zac didn’t mind the peace and quiet as he made his way toward the next floor . However , he actually had to stop and take a breath after just a couple of steps , his hands shaking with exhaustion . The lava bath had managed to cleanse him of the remnants of the Rageroot Oak Seed] , but he was still completely wrung dry . He felt hungover , sick , and voraciously hungry at the same time .

He was really craving a proper dinner full of E-Grade meat , but he wasn’t sure he would be able to hold it down at the moment . He ate a couple of fasting pills instead , which somewhat relieved his symptoms and allowed him to walk up the rest of the stairs .

So he soon found himself in an austere chamber illuminated by only natural light . Gone were the opulent displays of the first floor , replaced with a display of pure craftsmanship . There were painstakingly engraved pictures covering the wall , and a quick look indicated that they were probably scenes out of the original Brazla's life .

It piqued Zac's curiosity , but he was ultimately more interested in the fourteen crystals that hovered in a semicircle on the other side of the room .

There were not a lot of crystals compared to the first floor , but Zac already knew that each and every one of them was a peak-quality skill hand-picked by Brazla himself , with the purpose of creating a foundation for his family . He could only pray that there was at least one or two that he could make use of .

Zac walked past the crystals one by one , touching a plaque in front of them to receive a stream of information about the skill stored within . After having gone through the whole set he couldn’t help but nod in appreciation at Brazla’s foresight when preparing this set of skills .

There was an endless number of paths to take in cultivation , just like the name of the Dao Repository indicated . That meant that the odds of being a perfect match to a skill you randomly picked up was pretty slim though . The first floor of the Dao Repository was a reflection of this , as the skills placed there were extremely varied , to the point that Zac barely had gained anything from it .

But seeing the selection on the second floor Zac realized that the original Brazla probably had a purpose of arranging things like this . The first floor was available to anyone who had just set out on the path of cultivation . A new level one cultivator would be able to unlock a huge array of classes with the help of that set of skills .

That was how most people in the Tutorial started their cultivation journey according to Thea . They were given a choice of skill after completing the first mini-mission , and that skill would become their main method of survival until reaching level 25 . If someone picked Fireball] and used it during the month-long Tutorial , then they would probably be able to choose some sort of mage class upon reaching level 25 .

However , cultivators who had reached E-Grade would generally set in their own ways , with the more talented ones already having started forming their cultivation path . The Celestial Craftsman understood this fact and had therefore focused on skills that would be helpful for a wide array of people .

Six of the fourteen skills were heavily related to the six base attributes , without possessing a connection to a specific Dao . They also seemed to be following the concept of greatness from simplicity , which not only made them powerful but also easy to fuse with other skills down the line .

For example , the Dexterity-based skill was an offensive skill simply called Soaring Ocean] , but it wasn't actually a water-based skill . It was rather a bit reminiscent of how Ogras fought with his shadow spears .

It was a speed-based attack that made use of a rapid series of strikes rather than one strong attack . The weapon could seemingly be almost anything from the looks of it , from hands to bladed weapons to even things like Ogras' shadows . The true power of the skill came from the fact that each consecutive strike would increase your speed by a bit , and your momentum would keep growing endlessly as long as you kept attacking .

Eventually , your speed would be far beyond your normal limits , and with increased speed came improved lethality . The enemy would be drowned in an endless sea of attacks until they succumbed .

It was a bit like a berserking skill though . If you pushed your speed too far your body would start to get hurt as well .

Meanwhile , both Endurance and Wisdom were defensive skills , while Vitality was a self-recuperating ability . Intelligence was surprisingly not a spell , but that was perhaps because most spells leaned toward a specific attunement . It instead was a mind-boosting spell that put your mind into overdrive , essentially slowing down the world around you .

That would allow you to use your other spells even faster and from the sound of it , to the point that you would become a spell turret wreaking havoc on the battlefield . Zac was initially pretty interested in that skill even if it was meant for mages , but it clearly stated that it put high requirements on both calculating speed and affinities , so he would be completely unable to use it for things like rapid-fire Chop] .

As for the rest of the prepared skills , they were mainly ancillary skills that would come in handy for most adventurers .

The first one that piqued Zac’s interest was actually an upgraded version of Thousand Faces] , aptly named Million Faces] . It worked similarly to the F-Graded skill , but it both gave a greater influence on modifications .

With this skill he would be able to completely change his build if need be , and even be able to pass off as other humanoid races to a cursory glance . But most importantly , it allowed you to curtail and modify your aura to some degree . It could both bolster the aura you emitted , fooling others into thinking you were stronger than you were , or weaken it to make others underestimate you .

It would even be able to slightly change the - flavor’ of your aura , which was even better . Your aura was like a fingerprint , and Zac could essentially identify anyone he knew in the base was just by sensing their aura . There were a few exceptions to that though , namely Billy and Kenzie .

Kenzie had help from her AI to completely mask her aura , while Billy could do so himself for some reason . Ogras was hard to spot as well , but that was because his shadows helped mute his aura a bit . Zac still could recognize the flavor as long as they were close enough .

The other ancillary skills were similarly impressive and Zac felt like a child in a candy store as he looked at the varying options . However , his luck had finally caught up with him , as he , unfortunately , had spotted several clashes with his current skills . He only had so many slots for skills , and more than half of them were already used up .

If he wanted to learn these new skills , then he would have to sacrifice a few of his old ones .

Chapter 579 : Void

Zac still hadn’t fully gripped what he could and couldn’t do with his future skill upgrades and skill fusions , so he couldn’t help but worry about making a colossal mistake by removing some of his class skills to get a quick power-up . However , some choices weren’t very hard to make , the first being his shapeshifting skill .

The upgraded version unsurprisingly commandeered the same skill slot as Thousand Faces] , and it was the first pick of Zac . A familiar screen appeared in front of him the next moment .

Learning the skill Million Faces will result in the permanent loss of the skill Thousand Faces . Proceed?]

Following that was a simple YES/NO] prompt .

Zac touched the - YES’ , prompting a stream of energy to enter his body . It made its way to his throat , and a stabbing pain spread across his neck as one skill fractal branded itself on top of the old one , supplanting its spot .

The discomfort was thankfully just at the level of redrawing one’s pathways , and Zac had ample experience with that after breaking open a bunch of nodes . The pain soon abated , and the transfer was complete . He opened his skill screen and Thousand Faces was gone as expected , replaced with a new line .

Million Faces - Proficiency : - . A million Faces , A million lives . Become an untraceable stream in the fabric of reality . Upgradeable

The prompt earlier was something that Alyn had already told him about , and Zac knew that he would only get it once like some sort of tutorial . There wouldn’t be any warnings in case of skill clashes again , except when getting a new skill through one of his classes .

The skill was the same as the new one in the sense that it didn’t have any proficiency , but its fractal was far more intricate compared to the old one . However , Zac saw the base pattern was pretty much the same , just with greater details and a couple of additions .

Zac also needed to add the skill in his undead form , but he would have to wait for an hour before he could swap over again .

In the meantime , there were more skills to learn as a human . The second one that Zac immediately learned was Primal Polyglot] , a skill that was a superior E-Grade alternative to Book of Babel] . Zac had already learned that multiple skills had similar functions as Book of Babel] , but the better ones provided additional benefits as well .

This skill was one such example .

Primal Polyglot] provided the same feature of breaking down language barriers , but it went one step further . It provided the user with an almost instinctual understanding of - Dao-based’ language according to the description . This applied to a lot of things , most notably inscriptions , formations , and even pathways .

The skill wouldn’t allow him to understand any fractal he saw at a glance , but it would help him get a sense of what he was dealing with based on the fundamental characteristics of the fractal . The same went for inscriptions and even some written languages . It would help Zac with everything from deducing arrays to spotting hidden dangers , and it seemed like a skill that could go hand in hand with his Cosmic Gaze] .

Primal Polyglot - Proficiency : - . To comprehend the Language of the Dao is to comprehend the universe

Zac hoped that this skill would not only help him catch up with cultivators who had properly learned to decipher fractals and pathways since they were young , but perhaps even bridge some of the gaps of having no Dao Affinities .

Another skill that he considered replacing was True Strike] . The one that occupied the same slot was Surging Vitality] , the skill unsurprisingly related to the Vitality attribute . The skill he got from the duplicitous demon during his tower climb had proven useful in a couple of battles , but it wasn’t a critical addition in his human form .

His Edge of Arcadia-class rather excelled in large-scale battles , and True Strike] couldn’t help much there .

More importantly , its effect had proven somewhat limited on enemies with ample combat experience , such as Void’s Disciple . They seemed able to intuit it was a feint with their honed battle instincts , making it a waste of an effort . Replacing it with a skill that could boost his healing abilities drastically seemed like a worthy trade .

However , he held off on it for now , opting to wait to see whether he could add the skill in his Draugr class instead . His undead side was still superior for recuperation as it didn’t require his organs to function , and there was no skill occupying that specific slot in his second set of pathways .

The only issue was the fit on his undead side . The original Brazla had planned for a lot , but preparing for undead descendants wasn’t one of his contingencies . Only the ancillary skills on the first floor had fit his Draugr side at all , and Zac wasn’t sure he would fare any better this time around . But it was worth the try if it meant he could keep another skill .

Having gone through the options he eventually sat down to rest , waiting for the cooldown of his Specialty Core end . During that time he kept absorbing Cosmic Energy from E-Grade Nexus Crystals . It didn’t really help him with his cultivation , but some of it was swallowed by the core to be converted to Miasma . He had been completely drained when he swapped over , and this way he wouldn’t be hit by a severe state of weakness when turning undead again .

It was a bit stressful to stay outside the Mystic Realm this long , but he didn't have much of a choice . He needed to learn every skill that could be useful right now , and he was in a pretty wretched state in any case . He had joked about crawling back to the Mystic Realm if need be , but he might actually have been forced to do so if he didn't rest up while waiting for his Specialty Core Cooldown .

Some of his weakened state could be traced to dozens of internal wounds he accumulated during his rampage , but most of it no doubt was an effect of the Rageroot Oak Seed] .

Zac had really underestimated that seed , no matter if you were talking about the influence it had on his mind or the side-effects of using it . Most of the toxins had been removed during the tempering , but he still felt almost like he had one foot in the grave . He didn't even dare to imagine what kind of state he would be in if he hadn't enjoyed the cleansing magma immediately after . More importantly , Zac understood that he never could use that item in front of people he couldn't trust 100% as he would be utterly vulnerable afterward .

An hour quickly passed and Zac reluctantly got back to his feet . One new skill after another was added to Zac's repertoire before he finally swapped to his Draugr form and went another round . The final tally was six skills in his human form and three skills in his Draugr side . His fears were unfortunately realized when it turned out that only the ancillary skills could be added to his undead side , which forced him to give up on True Strike] .

A top-tier E-Grade healing skill simply trumped the utility that the misdirection skill provided .

Seeing that he was done with everything he exited the Repository , almost thankful that Brazla was nowhere in sight . Waves of exhaustion crashed against his mind , but he still made a last-minute decision to head over to the Thayer Consortia .

He had a lot of outstanding orders with the Sky Gnome at the moment , most of them for quite rare items . It felt prudent to check things out himself in case he needed to ask follow-up questions to whatever Calrin had managed to acquire .

But more importantly , he needed to see if the Sky Gnome could find out anything about corrupted bloodlines or the Void Emperor Bloodline . Hopefully , he would be able to get his hand on some missive explaining the situation before he was locked inside the Mystic Realm . That would allow him to side-step a potential mistake down the line .

Each step felt like a workout , but he soon enough arrived at the Thayer Consortia , surprising Calrin who was busy at work fielding the hundreds of work orders for everything from defensive talismans to cultivation resources to use in case they got stuck inside the research base .

Lord Atwood , don’t you look . . . Eh… - Calrin coughed , seemingly unable to come up with a compliment that wasn’t a blatant lie . - There's no need for you to come yourself next time . Those spear maidens of yours can bring the things you require next time . -

I was in the neighborhood . Have you found what I asked for? - Zac sighed as he collapsed into the closest chair .

I have . It's only the box though , - Calrin said , a slight blush tinting his round cheeks . - I’m afraid that the rest were out of our grasp , even at a premium . -

Zac had tried getting his hands on all kinds of items that could provide immediate power-ups , the most pressing being E-Grade Dao Treasures . He hadn’t eaten a single one since reaching E-Grade , which meant that he would get the full benefit if he managed to secure one .

There was a decent chance that a high-quality Dao Treasure would propel him all the way to gaining a High Mastery Dao Fragment , which was why Zac had wanted to get one even if he had to pay ten times what they were worth . He was even ready to sell off most of his treasure stockpile if the Sky Gnome could make it happen . But it looked like money couldn’t just solve everything .

Zac also expended some efforts to figure out what the Spatial Artifact in the Mystic Realm was in case he needed to prepare something to snatch it . Void’s Disciple had divulged the name but neither Brazla nor Calrin could find anything out at all . Of course , Zac didn’t dare to outright ask around about a - Dimensional Seed’ .

This treasure was something that the Church of Everlasting Dao went all-out to obtain , to the point that they gave up all their other objectives . If someone suddenly started inquiring about such an item to the intelligence-gathering houses , trouble might soon follow . Certainly , most such establishments prided themselves on their discretion , but that was just up to a point .

So they could only gather missives on spatial and dimensional treasures in general , hoping that one of them would detail what a Dimensional Seed was . But so far there wasn’t much .

Oh! That reminds me , - Calrin said as he took out a crystal . - This one didn’t have any information on the Dimensional Seed , but it did actually have some information about the Ferric Worldeater] . -

Oh , really? - Zac asked with surprise .

There is a faction called the Void Monastery led by a peak figure of the Zecia sector , the Void Priestess . They are in control of a unique spatial anomaly the Void Star , and according to rumors there have been sightings of Ferric Voidwyrms] drifting in the void around it . The name sounded familiar , so I started looking into it . Apparently Ferric Voidwyrms] are the larvae-form of a Ferric Worldeater] - , Calrin said .

This was great news to Zac , and the excitement dispelled some of the exhaustion .

The Ferric Worldeater] was one of the materials that Karunthel required to upgrade the shipyard . Zac already knew about the first two items , and it was just a matter of time before he could get his hands on them . The last two were trickier . But Zac believed he might be able to find out some more about the fourth item Daemonic Manastone] through Ogras .

Since it had the name Daemonic , it might perhaps be related to the Demonic hordes . There were only two pure demonic factions in the whole Zecia sector , with the Azh’Kir’Khat Horde being the stronger of the two . There were certainly more demonkin spread across the sector just like humans , but Azh’Kir’Khat was his best bet .

That left only the worldeaters , but there hadn’t been much to go by . They were surprisingly hard to gather intelligence on , even after having such an ominous name . But it looked like the Sky Gnome had come through for him once more .

Better yet , Zac actually had an in with this particular force .

They are still quite dangerous even in their larvae form , but they will only evolve to their true state if they manage to devour a World Core . The better the World Core , the greater the potential of the critter . If it manages to gobble up a C-Grade World Core , then the thing would eventually become unstoppable in a remote sector such as ours , - Calrin said with some fear in his eyes .

What kind of faction is the Void Monastery? - Zac asked .

He knew that they were religious in nature based on the terminology , but he never had a chance to ask about it when he met Leyara in the Base Town . His curiosity had grown since getting the Void Heart]-node , and now it felt as though they were connected by fate .

The Void Monastery might hold not only the solution to finishing Karunthel's quest , but it might even hold the key to his new bloodline .

Chapter 580 : Gate

It wasn't such a stretch to think that a faction that all seemed Centered around the 'Void' was related to his constitution . Someone called the Void Priestess living by the Void Star lording over a faction called the Void Monastery was a bit too on the nose for it all to be a complete coincidence .

Then again , there were no doubt quite a few heritages containing the word - Void’ , just like there was an endless number of ones having the name Heavenly , Primordial , Divine , or Origin . These words conveyed a sense of profundity and vastness , a sense that was rarely justified . The only reason he had held back researching Leyara’s heritage until now was the shocking cost of buying intelligence on a powerful C-Grade faction .

But looking into it was worth the expense now , especially considering the Ferric Worldeaters] .

I can certainly buy the missive… - the Sky Gnome said , though he looked a bit troubled . - But… Ah… Our operational funds are currently a bit… -

How much? - Zac asked , understanding what the Sky Gnome was getting at .

Two point five billion , - Calrin coughed , looking disgusted even if it wasn’t his own money .

Just send the report to the Mystic Realm before it closes . I’m especially curious whether they have a Void-related bloodline , - Zac sighed as he transferred the funds . - Also , see if you can find out anything about abnormal bloodlines . Mutated , corrupted , and unique bloodlines . -

Mutated - ? Calrin muttered before he quickly nodded . - I haven’t heard of anything like it , but I will make some discreet inquiries . -

Great . Also , prepare for a flash sale of our stockpile of resources in case we need to flee in the future . I’m running a bit low on money , - Zac added after some thought .

Not to make Young Master's day worse , but the box came at a certain premium as well , - the Sky Gnome said with a weak smile .

The box in question wasn't a treasure , but rather a treasure box that would hopefully house and isolate the Dimensional Seed when he managed to snag it .

It cost 775 million nexus coins even though it wasn’t even a Spirit Tool , and Zac felt almost physically ill when he had to fork out such an exorbitant sum for an empty box . The reason for the price was the same as with Everlasting] , the shield that had become a component of Love’s Bond] . The locker was almost exclusively made from some sort of Treasure Jade that was one of the best materials around for storing treasures .

Part of the cost also came from the meticulous arrays that covered both its inner and outer surfaces , inscriptions meant to boost the effectiveness of the materials even further . It might be a bit overkill , but Zac wouldn’t take any chances with an item that was so valuable that both the Dominators and the cultists would stop at nothing to get it .

Thank you , - Zac said as he put away the box in his Spatial Ring . - If you manage to get your hands on anything else , send it directly into the Mystic Realm . I doubt I will exit again before the Mystic Realm closes . -

Certainly… And good luck , - Calrin said . - Remember , wealth is important , but surviving even more-so . My instincts are telling me that this treasure might cause more harm than good . -

I actually feel the same way , - Zac grunted . - But someone is going to get it , and that someone might as well be me . -

Zac made his way to the teleporter , and he could breathe out in relief when he passed through the tunnel to the Mystic Realm . Everything pointed toward the pathway lasting a few more days , but it had still been in the back of Zac’s head the whole time he spent outside . He didn’t know what he’d do if he actually was closed out early by some freak accident .

Zac immediately made his way toward his temporary compound , as the exhaustion from using the Rageroot Oak Seed] was only growing in severity . His surroundings were soon just a blur , and he simply fell down on the grass the moment he had entered his protective arrays , immediately entering a dreamless slumber . He had no idea how long he had slept when he finally roused himself , but the realization that he wasn't alone shocked him wide awake .

I wish I had one of my cameras with me , - a leering voice reached Zac’s ears just as Verun's Bite] appeared in his hands , causing him to sigh in exasperation and turn to Ogras who was sitting by a table not far away .

Wasn’t it you who told me that entering others’ arrays was the height of rudeness? - Zac muttered as he took out a bottle of water from his spatial ring .

He still felt drained even after having slept , but he didn't really feel weakened any longer . It felt like he would be ready to go again as long as he got something to eat .

Well , that rule's for strangers , not good comrades . So , care to tell me what you’ve been up to? You look like you’ve been swallowed and spat out by a Govidar Mawbeast , - Ogras asked as he took a swig of wine .

Your home planet sounds like a real nightmare going by all these monsters you’ve described , - Zac snorted . - If you must know , I broke open the second floor of the Dao Repository , unlocking the skills within . -

WHAT? - Ogras exclaimed , immediately jumping to his feet .

How is that possible?! You shouldn’t be that powerful! - the demon said , his eyes a chaotic mix of confusion , glee , and jealousy .

I have my ways , - Zac said with a smile as he took out a massive slab of meat .

Zac rarely felt hungry any longer , but he felt like his stomach was about to implode right now . He tore into the meat like a ravenous beast , and he only stopped when he had eaten over ten kilos of E-Grade beast meat . He didn't understand the physics of it , but he didn't question it either as every bite felt like quenching rain in the parched desert that was his body .

So? - Ogras eventually asked , posture leaning forward .

How about a pretty please? - Zac smiled .

I’d rather get cut apart by those spatial storms , - Ogras spat .

I’m kidding , - Zac snorted . - You can bring up to five of the evolved Demons . Oh , and bring Verana . -

Why bother with her? - Ogras asked with confusion .

The charges in the crystals are limited , but not to the point that we can't spare a couple of slots . It's all to improve our upcoming odds , - Zac shrugged .

Well , those beasts have been proven useful lately , - Ogras thoughtfully nodded . - Might not hurt to keep them happy . -

What do you mean? - Zac asked as he looked at his watch , and he was shocked to find out that he had slept for 30 straight hours .

Now you realize? - Ogras laughed . - The beastmasters were getting anxious that no one really was overly interested in cooperating with them , so they volunteered to expand our maps . It turns out that their beasts can actually smell or somehow sense the spatial traps . Guess that's another thing you have in common with them . -

Zac ignored the jab , but he understood what the demon was getting at . He was able to easily identify the hidden traps thanks to his Danger Sense , but others weren't as lucky . They had to tread carefully all the time , as moving too quickly could result in suddenly getting bisected by a hidden spatial tear . The scientists were working on some means to identify the tears ahead of time , but progress was slow for now .

However , these beastmasters actually could keep a decent pace thanks to their companions . That would not only decrease the risk of getting hurt but also rapidly speed up the progress they were making . They might prove integral to dealing with the inner parts of the Mystic Realm , as Zac could only imagine that the spatial anomalies would get even worse in there .

Have a beastmaster join every scouting unit . Take three Tal-Eladar to the repository instead , - Zac eventually said . - Up to 3 skills per person . -

How about five for your good buddy? - Ogras asked . - I did just die helping you . -

Fine , but I honestly doubt that you can even benefit from that many . I only took six different skills myself , and that’s for two classes , - Zac said with a roll of his eyes . - So , what else happened while I slept? -

Nothin spec- oh , speak of the devil . Your little spear maiden is waiting outside . She might know more , - Ogras said before he was swallowed by the shadows .

Deal with the scouting parties before you leave! - Zac shouted with a roll of his eyes before he walked out to get Joanna .

Joanna understood what he was looking for , so she immediately started updating Zac of what had transpired while he was out of commission . Nothing urgent had happened , apart from their people learning new things by the hour . Their internal map had rapidly expanded , but the most important realization might be that the Cosmic Energy seemed to grow denser the further inside the Mystic Realm you moved .

There were already murmurs of people wanting to move further into the base , to turn some of the massive warehouses into advance camps . Zac wasn't too surprised , as the ambient Cosmic Energy in the biospheres was pretty dismal , especially for the people of Port Atwood who were accustomed to living on top of a Nexus Vein .

This area right here was the safest thanks to the meter-thick door that only Tier-3 access could open , but every cultivator felt as though they were being stifled by the lacking ambient energy .

The difference was already measurable in the abandoned halls , and people believed that the inner sections of the Mystic Realm to be even better . However , moving to the core of the Mystic Realm was easier said than done , as they had discovered a troubling phenomenon . There didn’t seem to be pathways leading further inside the Mystic Realm .

After they exited the massive door they could walk for roughly an hour toward the center of the Mystic Realm . But at that point one could only turn left or right , forgoing exploring the inner reaches . This was partly because most of the corridors simply stopped , while the few remaining ones were all guarded by endless spatial barriers .

They had already termed the sector they explored the - Outer Band’ , endless corridors , and Service Tunnels , and their current goal was to find a way to reach further inside .

Are you really okay? - Joanna asked with worry after having delivered the status update . - No one has seen you for almost two days , some people even believed you to have getting hurt by a spatial storm . -

I’m just a bit exhausted . I had to go all out to upgrade the Dao Repository , - Zac said with a tired sigh . - What about your mission? Did you make it? -

Yes! We reached the end of the map , - Joanna nodded .

Most of the activities had been focused on dealing expanding their map while improving their understanding of this place . However , Joanna had put together a small squad of elites where she had teamed up with Thea and Billy to follow the map to see where the Cartava Clan wanted to lead them . It was a test for his group of closest allies . It was a test for himself of sorts as well , to see if he could let go and let others handle important tasks .

The fact that Joanna seemed fine was ample proof that he hadn’t misplaced his trust .

We mostly followed the path , while also making sure we had a back-up route in case of ambush . But there was nothing untoward through the path . At the end , there was an enormous gate , a lot bigger than the one leading into this biosphere . We , unfortunately , couldn’t open it , which is why we returned . We figured that one of you two siblings might be able to open it with Tier-4 clearance? - Joanna explained .

A gate? - Zac mused . - Did you knock? -

Well… Billy tried to break it open , - Joanna said with a grimace . - We almost got ourselves killed then and there . The corridor came alive and tried to stab us . -

Sounds like Billy , alright , - Zac snorted . - It's good that you're okay . Guess it's good to know what happens when you try to force these things open . Did you find out anything else? -

No , - Joanna sighed . - But the door is in the inner edge of the Outer Band . I think it's your best bet at reaching further inside of the base . -

Good , - Zac said with some excitement as he stood up . - I’ll check it out myself . -

What credentials did Billy get? - Zac asked as he suddenly thought of something .

Nothing , - Joanna said with a shake of her head . - I did manage to get a Tier 3 Clearance though . -

Could it be… - Zac mused . - Bloodlines? -

Excuse me? - Joanna asked with confusion .

Nothing , - Zac said as he passed through his arrays . - Are you rested enough to set out again? It would be best to bring someone who has already traveled that path . -

We’re coming with , - a familiar voice reached Zac's ears just as he exited his compound , and Zac looked over at Billy and Thea who seemed to have been standing in wait for some time .

Chapter 581 : Hunger

What’s with you lately? - Zac asked as he looked over at Thea with confusion . - I can’t go five meters without you popping out of nowhere . -

Do you not want me around? - Thea asked with a frown .

No , I appreciate your company , - Zac sighed . - You just seem… Angry . Is everything okay? -

Well , I am a bit annoyed that you apparently went ahead and put a sector-wide bulls-eye on our planet when you went off-planet , - Thea said with a glare , but she soon deflated . - But I’m angrier with myself . The Inheritance… Was a wake-up call . I’ve been playing it too safe , never going all out to push myself further .

Yet I’ve been complaining about the fact that the disparity in power between us just keeps growing . I already wasted my time while you did all the hard work , and I need to grasp every opportunity that I can now . I can feel it . If I don’t increase my momentum , I might not even make it past E-Grade . My class rarity won’t allow it . -

Zac looked at Thea with wide eyes . He wasn't sure if he had ever heard her speak that much in one go , and Zac also noticed that Joanna had moved far away at some unknown time . It looked like she had already thought things over , and what she said made sense . You could never relent on the path of cultivation . He had gathered a huge advantage during his time in the F-Grade , but he needed to keep at it if he wanted to stay relevant .

His titles and attributes would slowly lose their value as others gained more powerful cultivation manuals and improved their Dao Control . According to his sister , the ability to braid two Dao Seeds into one attack essentially had the same effect as boosting both seeds one stage . The sum became greater than its parts .

He could only imagine that Dao Arrays were even more powerful , and he would be left in the dust unless he came up with his own strengths . It was good that Thea also had come to understand this fundamental truth . That insight alone might be worth more than anything else she gained from that Inheritance .

Well , that’s fine… But don’t overextend yourself , - Zac eventually said as he scratched his chin . - I only act like I do because I have layers and layers of defensive measures . I’m not really someone to take after . -

No , I’ve seen how you fight , - Thea snorted . - I’m more interested in taking after your guts than your battle techniques . -

I’m sure you’d make an excellent axe-warrior , - Zac smiled before he turned to Billy who was standing not far away with a contrite look . - What’s wrong with you? -

Billy made a mistake , - Billy sighed with a blush . - Billy is so smart , but for some reason the door was harder . -

Well , it’s bad luck you didn’t get any credentials to open it the normal way , - Zac said , though he wasn’t so sure .

The more he thought about it , the more sense it made . If Billy’s titanic bloodline came from this place , then it made sense that he wouldn’t be able to move about freely . What kind of security system would hand out clearance to research subjects?

If he really was correct on this , then it might even explain why he didn’t get any credentials either , and why Ogras got one so effortlessly . He already knew that clan Azh’Rezak didn’t possess any hereditary bloodlines , and Ogras hadn’t acquired a synthetic one either unless his fusion with a shadow creature could count .

The only hole in the theory was the fact that Kenzie got access while he didn’t , unless he considered the very real possibility that Kenzie wasn’t the only child that Leandra experimented on . She gave Jeeves to Kenzie , but she might have infused him with a bloodline instead for two separate experiments .

Stupid door realized Billy was too powerful , tried to keep Billy away . But we’ll see , - Billy muttered , but he shrank back a bit after getting an even look from Thea .

Don’t thwonk any more doors , - she said simply said , but Billy still nodded hurriedly in agreement .

Well , let’s go , - Zac shrugged as they set out .

I’m coming as well! - a youthful voice shouted , and Zac grimaced when he saw Emily run toward them .

What happened to your face? - Zac asked with a frown , noticing the new scar that just barely missed her eye .

My face? What about your head? Have you become addicted to being bald? - Emily said with a glare . - No scouting parties dared to take me with them because of you , so I’ve been fighting on Mystic Island to gain levels . Come on , let me come with you . I swear I’ll be careful . And look , this! -

Cosmic Energy in her body suddenly surged as a five-meter-tall Totem Pole appeared in front of her .

I’ve reached level 50 already , and this is my new skill , - she said with a proud smile . - Not bad right? -

It looks good , but what does it- - Zac muttered , but he stopped when he felt the Cosmic Energy churn in the area .

Not only that , but it almost felt like he had turned into a cultivator as the Cosmic Energy seemed to be actively burrowing into his body .

That’s not all! - Emily smiled as a fiery axe appeared in her hand .

She didn’t use the buffing skill on Zac though , but rather threw it straight at the Totem Pole . This led to a startling transformation as the Totem almost grew twice in size while its design changed . If the earlier version looked like something that a bit like something you could find in Incan ruins to worship one’s ancestors , then the new one was something made to worship a sun god .

Fiery energies radiated from the pillar , and a large flame radiated at its top .

My Strength has increased , - Thea exclaimed with surprise , while Billy almost drooled as he looked at the Totem Pole .

It buffs everyone in an area this way? - Zac said with surprise , but he suddenly noticed something different compared to getting directly buffed by the axe .

It only gave half of the amount it normally did .

Still , a 5% area boost was huge if this thing was placed on a battlefield , and that number might even grow as the skill’s proficiency increased . Coupled with the increased energy restoration it could even turn the tides of a war .

I don’t get any buff when using it like this . But I can even detonate this thing in case an enemy tries to take it down , - Emily whispered so that only Zac could hear . - Its explosion should hurt anyone that’s not crazy durable like you . -

Alright , you can come with us , - Zac eventually nodded . - Let's go see what's on the other side of that door . -

It looked like Emily's face was about to split in two judging by her grin , but she quickly composed herself after getting stared down .

This is a serious mission . No messing around , - Zac said . - And if things look dangerous on that other side of the door you need to back down immediately while I try to keep you safe . Understand? -

I understand , - Emily quickly nodded with a serious expression . - You can count on me . I'm not some kid any longer . -

She put her hands to her hips and pushed out her chest to underscore her point , but the power-pose didn't really inspire a lot of confidence . She still looked like a cosplaying child due to the combination of her oversized furs and diminutive frame . Even Thea could barely contain her smile , whereas Billy openly snickered .

Where’s the demon? - Thea suddenly asked as she looked around . - That guy is like bad weather , always appearing to ruin a good day . -

He’s busy elsewhere , - Zac smiled . - It’s just us . -

Zac considered bringing some more people , but these three and Joanna were enough . The rest would need to stay and guard the fort while he was away . Getting to the end of the map would take the better part of a day even if they didn’t take any detours , so they immediately set out as to not waste any time .

However , they only managed to get to the security door before Zac had to stop the group .

Wait , - Zac said as he took out a massive slab of grilled meat , digging into it like a voracious animal .

What? You're hungry? - Emily asked with confusion . - You had grease on your face when you left your compound as well . Are you a pig or something? -

Thea looked on with confusion as well , whereas Billy's reaction was much more straightforward . He sat down himself and produced an even bigger slab of meat , happily joining Zac for a travel snack .

I was forced to use a Berserking Item yesterday , - Zac sighed after he had devoured another few kilos of meat . - It turns out that it left my body starving for nutrients . We might need to take a few extra pitstops . -

Should we cancel this mission? - Thea asked , and Joanna seemed to agree . - Someone told me that I shouldn’t overextend myself earlier , I think that advice can apply to you as well . -

I’m fine , - Zac said . - I’m already a lot better than I was yesterday . I’m sure I’ll be back to normal by the time we reach that gate you mentioned . -

It was true . Between his sleep and the E-Grade meat he felt a lot better . He was still feeling a bit drained , but he would be able to fight just fine , especially if he had time to digest some more energy-dense food over the following hours . Thea and Joanna eventually relented and they set off again , though this time with a slightly slower speed to allow Zac to recuperate and restore his reserves .

His new skill , Surging Vitality] unfortunately didn't work at all against something like this either . The nourishing storm that swept through his body helped with the countless small wounds left from his battle with the Golem Blacksmith , but they weren't the real problem right now .

Emily also tried imbuing him with her Earthen axe that improved Endurance and Vitality , but it didn't really help either , so Zac simply kept walking while almost constantly nibbling on something or another . The endless identical tunnels quickly turned into a blur , but having Emily and Billy around kept the atmosphere light . They quickly reached the inner part of the outer band , at which point they veered east .

They actually did pass a few corridors leading further inside , but they were blocked by spatial storms without exception . Not only that , the spatial tears were placed a lot more densely in these traps , and Zac's danger sense seemed to think these pathways were a lot more dangerous than the first one he encountered .

He wasn't really confident in breaking through a normal spatial blockade , let alone these empowered versions .

It’s a bit odd , - Thea eventually said after Zac had backed away from the third pathway that might lead out of the Outer Ring . - Have you looked at the layout on the other side of these storms? I'm not actually sure they are leading to the inner reaches . These corridors seem to end in large empty rooms . There might not actually be any physical path leading further inside , which seems like a crazy design choice . -

Ogras and I guessed that these corridors might be an enormous array or something , forming massive fractals . Perhaps they wanted that stuff separate from the inner sections , - Zac said , though he agreed with Thea’s sentiment . - Those rooms on the other side might be teleportation rooms as well . The Technocrats have real teleporters that don't use Cosmic Energy . I saw something like that in the Tower of Eternity . -

Of course , Zac wasn't really sure he would dare to use one of the ancient teleporters left behind by his mother's family . The research base had been abandoned for god knows how long , and it was now infected by a powerful Spatial Treasure . Using an unknown teleporter sounded like a surefire way to get ripped apart by spatial anomalies .

Do you think it’s worth for me to go to the Tower of Eternity as well? - Thea suddenly asked , dragging Zac out of his thoughts .

Absolutely , - Zac said without hesitation . - My power almost doubled over there . It was the only reason I could take down the Undead Incursion in one go . Why , have you got your hands on a token? -

Both Billy and I have , we have been thinking about going as soon as this Mystic Realm is dealt with , - Thea said , and Zac noticed some hesitation on her face . - I think I owe you an apology . I was furious when you disappeared . But I only considered things from my perspective . It was unfair of me to demand of you to risk your life before you felt confident in success . -

Well , my sister seems to believe I have problems communicating clearly , so I think I’m partly to blame as well , - Zac said with a wry smile .

The two kept moving forward where Zac detailed most of his experiences in the Base Town and Tower of Eternity , sharing the lessons he learned the hard way . Thea in turn tried to teach him how to braid Daos to empower skills even further , though things quickly became a bit embarrassing as Zac couldn’t even finish the first step .

So I guess I haven’t completely fallen behind , - Thea said with a small smile when Zac eventually had to give up .

Zac only laughed in response as he went back to surveying the surroundings . It felt nice , almost when the two traveled together during the Hunt . A lot of the pressures of command could be put aside for a while , allowing Zac to just be himself . However , the journey eventually had to end .

It took them thirteen hours to reach their target ; an enormous gate that reached over thirty meters into the air . In fact , even the tunnels were extra supersized the last kilometer or so , meaning that this area probably was more spacious than the usual tunnels even before the spatial expansion began .

That fact alone made Zac believe they had finally reached something of value after running around in empty hallways for almost a week . Zac's heart beat rapidly as he walked up to the console to the side . His axe was already in his hand , while the others prepared themselves in case of battle .

Here I go , - Zac muttered as he activated the gate mechanism .

Chapter 582 : Conformation of Supremacy

The group released a collective sigh of relief when the gates slid open without issue , giving them a first look at what waited for them on the other side . It was definitely a change of pace , and the group walked inside curiously . It looked like they had entered actually a glasshouse in the middle of a forest .

The gate led them into a room over one hundred meters across , and it appeared to be some sort of holding room or stable for beasts , with metallic troughs and dozens of reinforced stalls . They could also spot all sorts of advanced equipment in a series of adjoining rooms , which was only possible because both the inner and outer walls were made from some transparent material .

Outside the building was an enormous forest completely different from the artificial biospheres they had arrived in . It felt wild and genuine , like something they might find on Earth if you discounted the fact that most of the foliage was either white , silver , or purple . The place was huge as well , and Zac could even spot a few mountains in the distance . Zac couldn't be sure from where he stood , but he guessed that it would take hours to traverse the whole thing even if he kept a high pace .

However , it didn't take long to realize that this massive forest was still just another part of the research base as the familiar lines ran across the sky as the enormous alloy wall stretched into the distance . There was one odd addition though ; nine orbs in the sky that reminded Zac of the moon . Four of them seemed broken , but the other five radiated a silver glow .

The transparent building they found themselves in was installed like an extension of the wall , with the gate they passed through on one side and a large barn door at the opposite .

The glasshouse was just enormous , but Zac figured it probably that it was only a few hundred square meters before the spatial expansion began . Furthermore , going by the current size of the stalls , the animals that were housed here should be around the size of a rhinoceros , which wasn't that big for a multiverse-beast .

I think it's a satellite base to perform field experiments , - Thea eventually said as she looked across the building . - The original owners of this place were studying something inside this forest , and this place was used to take measurements . -

Zac slowly nodded in agreement , feeling there was a lot of merit to that theory . It looked like there was room for about a dozen animals at a time going by the number of stalls , whereas the forest outside was large enough to sustain a whole ecosystem .

Ah! - Billy suddenly exclaimed from another room , and Zac's swirled toward him with wide eyes , fearing that the giant had triggered another trap .

Zac breathed out in relief though when he saw that Billy had actually managed to open the gates by pressing a large button on one of the closest consoles .

Be careful , - Zac quickly exhorted . - We have no idea what these things do . One of them might trigger an alarm and make the building attack us . -

Billy quickly nodded and stepped away .

Still , it was good news to know that even someone without any clearance could open the door without assistance . As long as Zac placed a squad at this place in the future they would be able to come and go as they pleased without having to rely on himself or Kenzie .

Why would the Cartava Clan lead us here? - Zac muttered as he looked over the consoles .

Most of them seemed to be out of order or at least turned off . There were no new messages like another signpost either , leaving Zac a bit confused .

This place definitely leads further inside the Mystic Realm than what we have accessed until now , - Thea answered as she nodded to their left . - Look , we’re right at the edge of the Outer Band , but the forest continues for god knows how further in . -

Let’s check it out , - Zac said after some thought . - Not much anyone of us can gain from these machines anyway . -

Might have been a good idea to bring something more than a bunch of muscleheads , - Joanna muttered from the side , and Zac could only wryly smile .

True , his expedition squad was a bit lopsided , with the three strongest humans along with a teenage shaman and a Valkyrie guide . Billy’s disposition spoke for itself , and both Zac and Thea were only focused on getting stronger , to put it nicely . More accurately , they were both fighting idiots .

Billy was more than willing to get out of the boring stables and he pushed open the barn doors with a grunt . The group walked outside , but they stopped after only a few meters , realizing the glasshouse had disappeared . More importantly , Zac felt a sense of impending doom , like he would die if he didn't get out of the way .

The only reason that he didn't start running was that the feeling was distinctly different from his Danger Sense , like it was a cheap mimicry of the real thing .

Illusion array , - Thea muttered as she looked around with some trepidation . - Do you feel the weird sensation of dread as well? -

It might be something to keep beasts away , - Emily ventured . - Like bug repellant . -

Probably , - Thea nodded before she looked into the sky with a slight frown . - The ambient energy is so dense in here , and there is some attunement in it as well . -

Zac needed a bit longer to properly sense the Cosmic Energy , but he could immediately see what she was meaning with the help of Cosmic Gaze] . The whole forest was shrouded in a silvery haze after he activated his ocular skill , and it seemed to radiate down from the moons like light summer rain .

Should we head toward the closest mountain? The closest one isn't too far , and we might be able to spot other exits that way , - Thea ventured . - It's either that or keep to the wall . -

Let's go to the mountain , - Zac eventually said . - The wall looks the same far into the horizon . We will probably learn more if we head a bit further in . -

They immediately set out , this time led by Zac who was using his natural affinity with the forest that came from Forester's Constitution] . There were occasional calls of beasts that reverberated through the forest , and Zac tried to keep them away from any potentially dangerous spot . It was worth remembering that this place wasn't like Earth or the Tower of Eternity , and Zac couldn't help but feel some pressure as he walked through the woods .

There were no limits here , so the beasts could even be D-Grade for all they knew .

The fact that the strongest cultivators were just High E-Grade indicated that the beasts weren't that powerful , and neither did the howls contain that kind of power . But they couldn't be certain . So Zac's senses were pushed to their limits as he kept a vigil of the surroundings , and the others looked back and forth as they snuck through dense parts of the undergrowth .

However , they only had time to advance for fifteen minutes before Zac sensed a hint of killing intent to their left . He looked over with a frown as he hadn't seen any actual threat , but Thea reacted even quicker as her sword both left and entered its sheath before Zac even had time to summon Verun’s Bite] . A thin sapphire blade shot out from her weapon , appearing to be a wind blade infused with some Dao .

The wind blade contained extremely sharp energy along with a hint of that mysterious force that Brazla called Sword Intent . A muffled thud sounded out the next moment , and the group hurried over to see what had been the source of the killing intent .

It turned out to be a wolf with luxuriant white fur , with a grey marking in its forehead the only exception . It was about as large as a cow , and seemingly just at the bottleneck of the E-Grade judging by the pressure the carcass emitted .

Won't be too bad if the beasts are just at this level , - Zac muttered . - But there could be stronger ones out there as well . Maybe we should- -

We can't back down from seeing just one F-grade beast , - Thea interjected . - We'll never reach the core of this Mystic Realm then . But we need to be careful , if there is one wolf there are definitely more . -

Billy isn't afraid of any stupid dogs , - Billy muttered as he gripped his club even tighter .

Let's keep going then , - Zac said as stowed away the carcass before spreading some corpse-removing powder across the grass to remove the scent of blood .

The group kept going , moving in a circuitous path toward the mountain ahead . Zac kept his eyes peeled for more wolves , but there were no odd energy movements in the air , nor were there any bloodthirsty howls of a pack on the prowl . A couple of minutes later they started to relax again as they closed in on the mountain .

However , Zac's eyes widened in shock when hundreds of wolves materialized out of what looked like moonlight , each of them emitting an aura of an E-Grade beast . Not only that , but Zac could tell with one glance that they weren't some average mutts . They should come from some powerful bloodline , as even the weakest E-Grade wolves easily eclipsed the pressure that the Fiend Wolf of the Beast Tides emitted .

He even sensed a few auras that were a match to his own .

Run! - Zac unhesitantly shouted , but he froze upon turning around .

They were surrounded .

More and more wolves kept appearing out of thin air and there were thousands of them encircling their small group before they had a chance to react . Zac didn't know if there were even more of them on the way , but he knew that dealing with just these ones would be difficult enough . They needed to get back to the glasshouse before they were overrun .

None of the wolves had made their move yet , but Zac wasn't above drawing first blood as a massive fractal blade appeared , stretching over a hundred meters and cutting dozens of trees apart from its aura alone . It shimmered in gold and black , and Zac launched two series of swings at the wolves who blocked their retreat .

Two wolves , each of them radiating an extremely condensed aura , were ready for the attack though . The marks in their foreheads lit up as the two clouds of Rapturous Divide] shot toward their rearguard , and the thousands of wolves immediately released a unified howl . A huge moon appeared above them the next instant , and it drenched the whole battlefield in a silver radiance . The light contained an immense pressure as well , and it immediately forced Emily to her knees .

The others were able to stand it , though Joanna was visibly pale from the effort .

More importantly , Zac frowned when he sensed the energies of his strike being continuously whittled down . He tried to counteract the effect by using his recently improved command of his Dao , but it felt like he was trying to hold back the tide with his bare hands . By the time the two energies of Rapturous Divide] reached the wolves they were all but hollowed-out .

The familiar scene of the paradisial divide still appeared , but it almost felt like an illusion . A few dozen wolves were cut apart in an instant before one of the larger wolves literally bit the image with enough force to rip it apart , but there were more than enough beasts to fill up holes in the ranks .

The two wolves who towered above the others howled again , and the previously orderly encirclement rippled as over a hundred wolves started rushing toward them .

STAY AWAY FROM BILLY'S FRIENDS! - Billy roared as his body started growing , but the growth actually stopped when he reached just four meters .

His physique had transformed though , his muscles turning inhumanly defined as a golden set of runes spread across his frame like a wildfire . Zac was mostly focused on the incoming wolves , but he could swear that the giant even gained at least twenty additional muscles that humans simply lacked . Even Billy's eyes radiated an immense primordial aura as the air exploded around him , and he was among the E-Grade wolves before Zac had a chance to make his next move .

A coruscating shockwave erupted where billy appeared , and five wolves were turned into paste before he had even swung his club . What followed was a tremendous horizontal swing that caused sixteen wolves to implode , and the whole area shook and heaved as the titan remolded the area with his fury .

However , these wolves were far from ordinary prey , and a squad led by a grizzled alpha moved to intercept Billy's advance , and a wave of silver light actually managed to stop the giant's attack . It looked like the energy of his attack was whittled down just like Zac's was just a few seconds ago .

Five wolves appeared out of silver light next to Billy the next moment , but it was as though the giant had eyes in his neck as the series of muscles in his shins generated a furious and instantaneous momentum , which allowed him to spin his club in a 360-degree arc , killing three and maiming another two .

Help him carve a way out . I'll protect our backs , - Zac said as he exploded into action as well as a series of fractal blades shot out to hopefully cause some damage to the incoming beasts .

However , the incessant moonlight from above was still causing trouble , and the fractal blades couldn't even guarantee a single kill before they were drained and broke apart . It was like the environment itself was fighting against them , and the animals kept getting closer to the exposed backs of his squad . Thea and Joanna were already desperately pushing forward and Emily's form was in constant motion as she sent out one buff or minor axe strike after another .

Zac frowned as he saw the incoming tide , and his eyes darted at the two leaders who still kept their position on top of a rock in the center of the pack like generals overseeing their army . His wide-scale attacks were restrained by whatever that moon above was doing , so he would need to get closer if he wanted to kill them . But doing so would likely result in the death of at least one person in his squad .

The fighting only started a few seconds ago , but everyone but Emily already sported wounds . If they also had to deal with the wolves coming from behind they would be overrun in seconds . He needed to thin out the herd a bit before he dealt with the leaders . Using Deforestation] or Nature's Punishment] felt extremely risky as well as long as the moon remained , so he needed to come up with another solution .

A huge amount of energy surged toward an intricate fractal at the lower end of his spine , and it quickly started to radiate a shocking amount of power .

There hadn't even been a chance to test the skill out , but Zac saw no option but to active Conformation of Supremacy] .

Chapter 583 : Overrun

A shockwave erupted from Zac’s body , causing the closest wolves to be thrown away as their bodies twisted and deformed . Zac wasn’t focused on that though , but rather the three-meter halo that had appeared behind him . It was a circle that shone in silver , though the silver of a honed blade rather than the moonlight that drowned out the area .

It was covered in dense scripts , but the true core of the skill was the image in the middle of the halo .

It was the deceptively unadorned axe that Zac had witnessed in his very first Dao Vision , the weapon of the axe-man who had singlehandedly caused the death of both the divine faction and most likely a whole world . The axe looked almost exactly the same as how Zac remembered it when it was stabbed into the ground next to the endless chasm , and the image infused the halo with an almost blinding sharpness .

Supremacy , - Zac muttered as he started running forward , each step causing cracks to spread for dozens of meters .

His momentum was rapidly growing as his spectral forest rose around him , giving him perfect vantage of the incoming wolves . He realized that there were as many invisible wolves approaching as visible ones , but he didn’t worry . The heaviness and sharpness of the halo behind him coursed through his body , and it was ready to be released at moment's notice .

Zac swung Verun’s Bite] toward the closest clump of wolves when they were just twenty meters away , and pained yowls cut through the incessant roars of the vast wolf pack . The mournful cries were immediately cut short though as a dozen E-Grade wolves were flung away like they were pieces of trash , their bodies mangled almost beyond recognition . The ground itself was crushed and split apart as well , forming a deep chasm that stretched almost fifty meters before the power in Zac's swing lost its strength .

That was just the beginning though , as one swing after another started reaping the lives of the vanguard of the wolves , to the point that his killing speed surpassed that of the other three combined . Waves of moonlight drowned him both from above and from the wolves themselves , but this new skill wasn't as easily worn down as Chop] . The halo was connected to Zac himself and almost impervious to the effect while the strikes were instantaneous , not allowing for the slightest weakening before the damage was already done .

His targets weren’t cleanly bisected as they would have been from Rapturous Divide] or the final swing of Blighted Cut] , but they rather looked like they had been cut and bludgeoned simultaneously . Wherever Zac turned his attention a wave of carnage would soon follow as long as the halo behind his back remained .

Each swing of his axe contained not only his own strength , but it also contained a fragment of the boundless conviction and power of the original wielder of the simple woodman's axe . The blood of the wolves was already dying the whole area red , and a shocking stream of Cosmic Energy was entering Zac's body from the kill .

There were simply too many wolves to stop them all from reaching the Thea and the others , so he could only focus on the most powerful-looking squads . The others would be able to deal with the peak F-Grade wolves and their recently evolved brothers , but only Zac could kill the ones who were approaching middle E-Grade quickly enough .

Five packs was enough to almost open up his next node , and Zac was forced to trap the rest as to not break a node in the middle of the battle . It almost looked like he formed a sanguine cloud that rotated around him as he flashed back and forth among the trees , each jump with Loamwalker] resulting in the death of even more wolves .

These elite wolves weren't dumb brutes that simply took Zac's attacks lying , and his whole body was covered in wounds caused by razor-sharp claws and hundreds of energy-attacks that they could launch from their foreheads . Their bodies were extremely sturdy as well , and if it wasn't for the added sharpness of his swings , he would eventually have been overrun by their sheer numbers .

It was all thanks to his recently acquired skill ; Conformation of Supremacy] , the skill in the Dao Repository that was linked to the Strength Attribute . It didn't conjure a massive weapon like Deforestation] or any fantastical sights like Rapturous Divide] . It simply infused his normal swings with the power of the object depicted in the avatar .

The axe-man in his Dao Vision had almost split a whole world apart with a swing of his axe , but Zac obviously couldn't quite reach that level with his swings . But it still produced an effect far beyond the destruction he could cause with his most similar skill ; Unholy Strike] , while also having a slew of other benefits .

First of all , Conformation of Supremacy] didn't need to be charged for every attack like the skill he got from Mhal required . The halo did dim down a bit after every attack , but Zac could push more Cosmic Energy into it to reignite its power . The effect also wasn't limited to an increase in physical strength , but it rather imbued his swings with a mysterious energy based on the avatar , almost like it gained an additional Dao Seed .

The only downsides to the skill were the high energy consumption and the fact that the skill could be considered a mid-range attack at best since it didn't actually launch any projectiles . The damage caused by Zac's swings were rather just an outburst of the force contained in his attacks .

It had been a pretty big disappointment to see that the Endurance-based defensive skill clashed with Deforestation] , forcing him to give up on getting a new defensive skill now that Nature’s Barrier] was lagging behind . However , the fact that the Strength-based skill didn’t clash with a single one of his skills felt like a huge windfall . It was the third skill he had picked up , and his only regret was that he couldn’t get it in his Draugr side as well .

The skill was simple and direct , just how Zac liked it . He was only was able to infuse it with his Fragment of the Axe at the moment , but some Dao limitations weren’t that uncommon with early proficiency skills .

The fact that the picture within the halo looked just like the axe in his Dao Vision obviously wasn’t a coincidence , but the skill actually had no connection to that axe-wielding master at all . Conformation of Supremacy] was rather a blank slate , where you could create your own avatar of supremacy .

The image was interchangeable , and it could be different every time the skill was activated . However , the better the image resonated with your current intent , the more power it would provide , albeit at a higher energy-consumption .

Zac chose the image based on that Dao Vision as it still held a huge position in his heart , and his thoughts often wandered back to the scene of that man's battle against the celestials and the gates of heaven . He had witnessed even more shocking sights and even more powerful beings since then , for example the Grand Protector who defended his world against the death of a universe . But the axe-man was the first true supreme being Zac had seen , a testament of what was possible in this new world .

There was probably no avatar that was as defining of Zac's cultivation path as that lone axe , making it the optimal choice for an avatar . Choosing other avatars might bring out all kinds of interesting effects , but he needed every advantage he could eke out at the moment .

Another horizontal swing resulted in a wave of destruction rippling outward , but a solid silver crescent flew out to intercept the attack . It was one of the leading wolves who had launched some sort of attack from its forehead , and Zac glanced at it with a frown . He tried another few attacks , but the wolves had caught on by now as they spread out .

Conformation of Supremacy] was able to boost the power of his attacks by a great degree , but its range was limited to around fifty meters , and it weakened the further away from Zac the strike was . He was forced to keep running back and forth , but each swing only managed to take out a couple of wolves after they started to adapt .

He was still keeping a decent pace , and the Cosmic Energy gathered in his body was starting to reach almost uncomfortable levels , but he knew that the situation wasn't really sustainable . Each swing empowered by his new skill cost a decent chunk of Cosmic Energy , even more than a dozen Chop]'s . That was fine when he killed over twenty powerful wolves with one strike , but he was killing fewer than five with each attack right now .

Zac appeared next to another elite wolf , and it bit straight at his throat the moment he appeared . Zac was ready for the attack thanks to Hatchetman's Spirit] though , and he simply pivoted his body a bit as Verun's Bite] fell , cutting both its spine and lungs apart as a heavy wave of sharpness swallowed another three wolves before they had time to jump away .

Another surge of energy entered his body , and he was starting to feel bloated . However , his mind wasn't on slowing down his killing , but rather the opposite . He needed to change the current situation somehow . The moon in the sky was able to whittle down any long-range attacks from the looks of it , forcing both him and the others into a melee against the beasts .

The moon itself was hundreds of meters in the air , and there was no way for Zac to break it apart . He tried flashing toward the two leaders in an attempt to take them out , but two massive lunar crescents forced him into a defensive stance as the other wolves heedlessly started rushing toward the others .

He could only scramble back to protect the rear of the others , unable to leave as much as a flesh wound on the two alphas .

Zac growled in annoyance as he crushed the head of the closest wolf , and he was even considering taking out the cursed blade to deal with the moon above him . The curse that he just had managed to expel was a troubling hidden threat , but he didn't have a lot of options at the moment . He tried shooting a few fractal blades toward the sky , but the pressure that the moon emitted was clearly stronger the closer the blades got .

A sigh escaped his lips as he took out the rotting sword , but he froze when a sudden thud echoed out from his chest . The closest wolves staggered backward with bleeding ears , but Zac wasn't all that much better off as he stumbled to his knees . Another thud caused a wave of weakness to spread across his body , and he sensed how his accumulated energy was rapidly being stolen .

The Void Heart] had finally woken up , and it was hungry .

The wolves clearly saw an opportunity when Zac fell down on his knees , but a sapphire sheen cut apart the two closest nearby wolves as Thea suddenly appeared next to him .

Are you okay? - she shouted as she desperately fended off the elite wolves that were going in for the kill .

A wave of destruction rippled out to clear the area as Zac swung his axe from a kneeling position , but another heartbeat made him lose his balance causing him to fall over . Even worse , he sensed that the hidden node was still voraciously hungry , and Zac was afraid that it would start feasting on his own Cosmic Energy if he didn't quickly kill some more beasts .

Can you create an opening on the big ones? I might be able to take one out then , - Thea whispered as she helped Zac to his feet .

Zac wordlessly nodded as he looked at the two wolves in the distance . Creating an opening didn't only mean to occupy the two big bastards , but it meant also dealing with a huge number of the more powerful that was barring the path . He looked down at the tattered sword for a second , but he decidedly put it away .

The white arc that the sword produced was extremely powerful , but it wasn't that fast . He was afraid that the moonlight would have whittled it down before it even had a chance to pick up its pace , which would place a curse on him for nothing . More importantly , the cursed sword was considered an external tool , and kills with the weapon wouldn't count as his kills . Normally that wouldn't matter , but his hidden node was screaming for sustenance . Deforestation] was also a risky move , and something he wanted to save for later if possible .

Finally , there was only one thing that he could think of , and Love’s Bond] slithered across his body as it fastened itself to his back . He hadn’t expected to waste any of the long-cooldown skills of his Spirit Tool at this juncture , but he saw no better option . He had one remaining card that might work even in these conditions , and it might even be able to destroy the foundations of the moon itself .

He needed to activate Fate's Obduracy] .

Chapter 584 : Storm Surge

The offensive skill of his Spirit Tool was extremely powerful , and it even had the unique feature of becoming stronger by being damaged . The moon would only assist him by forcing the chains to break and split apart like a hydra , and kills by his bound weapon obviously counted as his own . It was an attack of massive proportions as well , to the point that it might even destabilize the moon in the sky , killing two birds with one stone .

It was clear that the two leaders didn’t conjure the enormous moon by themselves . It was continuously bolstered by hundreds of streams of energy coming from the whole pack . The moon had already grown a bit dimmer from the mounting death tally , and Zac hoped there would be a critical point where the skill failed .

The two fractal lines on the lid lit up as the four chains of Love's Bond] shot forward , and an eerie rattling sound echoed across the area as the fractals turned into two new chains wrought by pure darkness . A discordant sizzling sound immediately entered Zac's ears as the moonlight started to break them apart , but Zac breathed out in relief when he saw that two chains turned into four as a result . Waves of silver light erupted from the wolves as well , and they slammed into the incoming chains to dispel the attack . But the result was simply even more chains .

The last time Zac used this skill he had focused it all on a small clump of targets , but this time he spread the net wide . Most of the chains flew in the direction of the leaders to clear out all the beasts that were in the way , while the remainder turned in a parabolic ark in the opposite direction to assist his beleaguered squad . Billy was fighting valiantly , but his chest rose and fell like two bellows as sweat streamed down his face .

He was maintaining a speed that even Zac would have trouble matching , and Zac guessed it was the skill he had learned in the Inheritance . There was no way that such a powerful technique didn’t have a downside though , and Zac guessed that its energy consumption was immense . Billy was still not even peak F-Grade , and he wouldn’t be able to keep going indefinitely .

One wolf after another was gored by the chains , and the two leaders finally lost their patience as they roared in anger , each of them swiping at the chains from their position . A series of lunar blades shot out from their claws , and the air itself was ripped apart as they flew forward .

The chains of Fate’s Obduracy] was no match from the combined attacks of what no doubt were two middle E-Grade beasts with powerful bloodlines . But that was just what Zac hoped to see as the chains rapidly multiplied , instantly turning into a sea of links that caused havoc across the battlefield .

A terrifying surge of Cosmic Energy soared into his body , almost immediately eclipsing what Zac could bear . But the Void Heart] had turned into a black hole , unceasingly swallowing more and more pure Cosmic Energy . It was the exact opposite of how it usually worked which was a bit concerning , but Zac figured that it was better than releasing it out into the atmosphere .

Over two hundred E-Grade wolves had died from one single attack , and it was still going strong . This was no doubt Zac’s largest harvest ever , and it had significantly lessened the pressure of the moon above . One of the leaders seemed to have entered a state of madness after witnessing the sea of corpses , and it could no longer hold back as it jumped forward , releasing a frenzied barrage of attacks on the chains of Love’s Bond] .

Its whole body shone with lunar light , and the extremely durable links were like dried wood in front of its all-out offensive . The chains kept splitting and rejoining the fight , but they were steadily pushed back . Zac tried to cause as much damage to the wolf as possible , but he only managed to cause some minor wounds .

However , that was fine with Zac as he intentionally retreated the chains further and further back , and he had soon created a distance of hundreds of meters between the two alpha wolves . The second leader seemed a lot more coolheaded , and it roared a warning to its companion . Only then did the leader seem to cool down a bit , but Zac had already achieved his purpose .

The wolves in the way were dead , and the leader was alone . It was just in time as well as the see chains had reached a breaking-point after taking on the whole wolf pack for half a minute , and all but four chains shattered and dissipated in an instant . It left a slightly wounded and disoriented wolf among a sea of corpses .

However , the Chains didn’t even have time to completely dispel before another form appeared right above the alpha wolf . It was Thea , and both her palms were pointed straight at the back of the wolf’s head as terrifying energies surged around her body . The wolf was in a frenzied state , but its reactions were on point .

It immediately lit up with lunar light as it tried to jump away , but four chains had unknowingly snaked around its legs , rooting it in place . It was the true chains of Love's Bond] , and Zac had snuck them next to the wolf among the skill he launched . The chains cracked in an instant from the pressure that the wolf emitted , but a fraction of a second was all that was needed .

A beam of pure energy that made Zac’s hair stand on end slammed into the back of the alpha wolf's head before it had a chance to dodge , and Zac almost lost his footing as the beam passed straight through the skull and slammed into the ground with barely any loss of power . It was the very same skill that Thea had tried using against Inevitability during the hunt , but this time it was not only far more powerful , but it was also performed point-blank .

However , Thea wasn’t unscathed either , and her eyes rolled up in her head as she fell down on the ground after releasing the beam of destruction .

The concentrated power was perhaps only matched by Zac’s final strike of Blighted Cut] , but it took everything of Thea to launch it . The other alpha wolf howled with rage and jumped off from the rock as well , but Zac's reaction was even quicker . He appeared next to the unmoving form of Thea and scooped her up before a barrage of attacks had a chance to kill her .

Such speed would have been impossible a second ago , but the combination of Zac’s widespread killing and Thea assassinating one of the leaders was enough to break the moon lording in the sky . It dissipated into a cloud of chaotic energies that slowly started to dissipate .

The remaining wolves were utterly infuriated by seeing their leader getting killed , but they still maintained their distance . Zac wasn’t clear whether it was because they hadn’t received any orders from the infuriated alpha , or if it was because of the hundreds of corpses that surrounded Zac’s position .

But the air was almost vibrating by the incessant howls that came from every direction . There was a ruthless bloodlust in them , to the point that it was palpable . Their combined fury had essentially become a mental attack that caused even Zac to feel some shudders in his mind . And if he was in that state , then there was no need to explain the state of the others .

Thea woke up after just a second , but her face was pallid and her hands were shaking badly .

Billy! I need you to help the others! Take them and run back where we came from! I’ll hold the rest off and lead them away from you . Can you do it? - Zac said as he started launching a barrage of fractal blades at the wolves .

Without the moon protecting them Chop] once more had a decent lethality , but that was just to a certain point . They still had only killed off less than 30 percent of the whole pack , and each fractal blade only managed to kill a few of beasts before they lost their strength . Cutting through powerful E-Grade beasts took a lot of energy , and Chop] could only contain so much being an F-Grade skill .

These wolves were still a lot sturdier than most things Zac had encountered in the Tower of Eternity , and it probably wasn’t a coincidence .

In fact , they reminded Zac more of Verun than any wolves he had seen thus far . They weren't similar in appearance , but rather the primal aura they emitted . Zac could only guess that it wasn’t a coincidence that these beasts were brought here . They were most likely former subjects for experimentation just like the groups of cultivators stuck in the research base .

Billy will save them! Then Billy will come back and save you too! - the giant shouted before he gently scooped up an unconscious Emily in his free arm .

The teenager had constantly infused the others , including Zac , with buffs while also providing Cosmic Energy through her dance . But all of them were peak fighters with a lot of titles while Emily was just level 50 . She had already overtaxed herself to the point she fell unconscious , with Joanna standing vigil over her .

Joanna herself wasn’t much better of as she was barely keeping upright with the help of her spear . Billy simply picked her up by the lapel of her battlesuit and threw her across one of his shoulders . Billy was about to do the same with Thea as well , but she shook her head as she steadied her steps .

I can walk by myself , - Thea said before she turned to Zac . - I’m sorry . I keep letting you down . -

What are you talking about , things would have been a lot worse if you didn’t take out the big guy , - Zac said . - Don’t worry , I’ll be fine now that the moon is gone . This might be an opportunity for me . You’ve already got your levels . I’ll join you guys a bit later . -

That kill pushed me all the way to level 75 . Next time I won’t be a burden , - Thea said , and she led Billy away .

A group of wolves suddenly appeared out of nowhere to intercept them , but a blinding blue flash lit up the surroundings before they simply fell apart . Thea stumbled as blood poured down her ears , and she looked like she was teetering on the brink of collapse . However , she somehow managed to steady herself and start running , allowing Zac to finally breathe out in relief .

Unfortunately , the relief was short-lived as over a hundred of the wolves split off from the main pack while the elites kept Zac busy . Thea was barely standing by this point , and Billy was carrying Joanna and Emily . There was no way they’d be able to fend off such a squad .

Zac growled in annoyance as he activated Hatchetman’s Rage] , and sharp pain spread across his body . He initially didn’t want to use this skill while still dealing with some lingering effects of using the Rageroot Oak Seed] . However , he was out of options and he needed to kill a lot of wolves quickly .

The fractal edge attached to his axe grew over 100 meters and gained a golden sheen . Rapturous Divide] had finally come off cooldown from his first attempt , and now was as good as time as any to use it . However , he didn’t shoot launch his massive fractal edge at the hundreds of wolves that went for Billy , but rather toward the elites that were blocking his path .

His new skill was powerful , but the hides of these wolves were far too durable , and it wouldn’t be able to take out all of them in one go .

That was not to say that he had abandoned his allies . Massive amounts of Cosmic Energy was already surging into his left forearm as he launched two swings toward the elite wolves with enough speed to turn his arm into a blur . The wolves shot out a barrage of crescent moons to stop the clouds , but Rapturous Divide] wasn’t possible to stop that way .

The alpha moved to intercept as well , but it was too slow . The hulking wolves were first covered in a layer of gold which was immediately followed by the darkness of the abyss . Zac didn’t bother looking at the result , confident in the fact that most of the wolves should die from that attack . He instead activated Loamwalker] flashing right past the spatial divide .

He was more worried about the pack of wolves that were rapidly closing in on his allies . They thankfully didn’t get far before a massive hand appeared in the air above them , and most of them were pushed down on their stomachs from the terrifying pressure it emitted thanks to Hatchetman’s Rage] and the Fragment of the Bodhi .

It was finally Zac's who restrained the wolves , rather than the other side around .

A shocking amount of water spilled out the fractal the next moment , drowning the whole area in water . A lot of wolves were crushed to death by the endless deluge while the survivors were swept up in a tsunami that started leveling this whole sector of the forest .

The water punishment wasn’t as deadly as the wooden one , but it was able to cause more widespread chaos . He had essentially poured half a lake on top of the leader of the Underworld Golem Incursion , and this time there was no lava to immediately turn the endless amount of water into steam .

A mighty howl reverberated through the air , and Zac frowned when he knew that the Alpha Wolf had made his move . This was only further evidenced by the fact that the whole area was drowned in a cold white luster . It was almost like the world had become monochrome , and Zac quickly turned back toward the alpha just in time to see an enormous beam shoot past him , aiming straight for the array in the sky .

Zac wanted to stop it , but there was no time . The speed of the beam was almost instantaneous , and it slammed into the emerald array the next moment . Zac’s grunted and staggered a step backward as the array cracked . Even the hand was pierced by the light , and Zac was forced to immediately discard the skill .

Billy and Thea had already managed to flee by this point , but Zac knew his job was not over as he turned toward the remaining leader and the hundreds of wolves who were still standing .

Chapter 585 : Alpha

The burning embers of Hatchetman's Rage] kept Zac standing through the frenetic absorption from his Void Heart] as scores of wolves were drowned or crushed by Nature's Punishment] before the manmade calamity was ended prematurely . Each thump from the Hidden Node caused a bout of dizziness , but Zac forced his mind to focus as he gazed at the remaining wolves .

As for the wolves that had been swept away by the tsunami , he didn't really care . Almost half of them had died judging by the streams of energy that still entered his body , and the survivors shouldn't be in any state to cause any more trouble . Billy and Thea were long out of sight , and Zac felt a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulder . He just needed to keep these rabid bastards at bay for a bit longer before he could retreat as well .

However , he would only escape if he really ran out of options , especially after having activated Hatchetman’s Rage] . He really didn’t want to stop while his Void Heart] still absorbed energy . Something important was definitely happening inside the Node , and Zac didn't want to ruin it at this juncture .

It might be evolving , or it might be fusing it with the extremely pure Dao Energy of the Tribulation lightning to create something amazing .

Besides , Zac still had some cards up his sleeve , though the same could obviously be said about the Alpha . A gibbous moon had appeared a hundred meters above its head , and it was no doubt the source of the earlier beam . The moon was different than the earlier one though , as a single look with Cosmic Gaze] indicated that it didn't draw any energy from the other wolves . Zac didn't feel any restrictions either , which hopefully meant that the moon wouldn't be able to whittle down his large-scale attacks .

The new moon might have been lacking some functionality , but it clearly had some other abilities to make up for it . Its luster gradually increased in intensity as the alpha howled , and Zac guessed that another beam was incoming . His mind raced as he tried to think of a solution . The last attack was just too fast , and he wasn’t confident in countering its speed . The second skill of Love's Bond] would no doubt be able to block it , but he had already wasted one of his aces for this fight .

It took a lot of resources and time to light up the two fractals of Fate's Obduracy] after using it against the cultists , and he wasn't sure he'd be able to restore the skill again before he met his real enemies . He couldn't waste limited skills like his bronze spark or Death's Embrace] against these wolves , as it was just a chance encounter with the wildlife .

Thankfully there were some other options available now that the whole battlefield wasn't locked down .

Zac's arm strained as a massive axe appeared above his head , and the first swing of Deforestation] was launched the moment that the second pulse of the moon shot toward him . The wave of destruction and the beam of lunar light clashed in the air between the two , and Zac’s brows scrunched when he actually couldn’t cut through the moonlight .

It was rather the beam that crushed his cutting wave , though it lost almost all its strength doing so . The rest was quickly dispersed by a swing of Zac’s axe . The moon itself dimmed considerably as well , and it shrunk from a gibbous moon to a half-moon . That no doubt meant that the conjuration had more charges in store . But so did Zac .

The Infernal Axe appeared while the shockwaves of the first clash had yet to ebb , and Zac immediately launched it toward the wolf pack . If the Axe of Felling barely fell short , then the second swing should get the trick done . Better yet , it appeared as though the moon needed a few more seconds to charge up its next attack . It gave Zac time to create some wholesale slaughter in the meantime .

A rippling wave of flames crashed toward the wolves , and there finally was a primal fear deep within their eyes . Not even the drowned shrubbery in the surroundings was spared as they were incinerated the moment the Infernal Axe crossed their path .

The alpha was obviously far smarter than a regular beast , and it seemed to understand that its pack was in a bad spot . It released another keening howl into the sky , and the scores of wolves around it quickly followed suit as their bodies started to radiate lunar light .

Zac’s brows first scrunched at the scene , but his confusion was quickly replaced with shock as the howling wolves turned into pure light that was swallowed by the moon . Each infusion increased its luster by a noticeable degree , clearly cutting down on the time the skill needed to attack again . Zac couldn't believe what he was seeing .

Not only had the wolves activated what essentially was a War Array before , but they were even able to coordinate some sort of sacrificial skill now . The half-moon released a blinding wave of light the next moment , this time a widespread radiance that was a match to the incoming wildfire in width .

Fiery gouts and white flashes turned the battlefield into a blinding hellscape , and Zac was forced to close his eyes from the intensity . However , Hatchetman’s Spirit] was still active , allowing him to narrowly dodge a series of errant blasts of chaotic energies . A large number of the wolves weren't as lucky , and yet another dense stream of Cosmic Energy was gobbled up by the Hidden Node .

The last round of energy seemed to finally have satiated the Void Heart] though , and Zac could finally breathe out in relief as the incessant beating stopped . However , the fact that the node didn't seem to demand any more energy wouldn't stop Zac from releasing the final axe . The last alpha wolf was looking a bit worse for the wear , and it couldn't have too much energy left after unleashing these powerful attacks .

If Zac could kill it along with a last batch of elites then he would get a round of energy just for himself , and it would definitely be enough for him to gain another level . Perhaps even two levels depending on how much the alpha provided . That would put him at level 85 , and it wasn't completely unheard of to gain some sort of class quest at that point . Most got their second quests at level 90 , but it wasn't an iron-clad rule .

The ominous Axe of Desolation took shape above his head even before the chaotic energies of the battlefield had abated , and his arm strained as he begun the third and final swing . However , an extremely scary stream of almost impossibly condensed energies was suddenly spat out of the Void Heart] , and it started to rampage through Zac's body as though it was looking for something .

It felt like a stream of lava was burrowing through his body , and Zac was completely unable to maintain the skill because of the pain . A small gust of the ashen desolation shot out toward the wolves , but it was a far cry from the true power of the final swing of Deforestation] . The alpha wolf quickly noticed Zac's wretched state as he was lying on the ground spasming , and its eyes lit up as the remaining crescent moon actually shot straight toward him like a projectile .

I think I need some help buddy , - Zac croaked as he looked at the army of remaining wolves .

An infuriated howl immediately answered in his mind , and Verun appeared next to him in all its splendor . Its eyes were immediately trained on the incoming crescent , and bloodlust shone in its eyes . It released another mighty roar , this time for real rather than in Zac’s head , and the forest shook from the power it contained .

The red streaks across Verun's hide shone with a sanguine luster as its mane danced in the wind . Swirls of blood floated around its paws , and Zac felt as though he was looking at a sea of death when gazing at the streams . The crescent was almost upon them , but Zac didn't worry even if he was barely able to remain conscious . His Tool Spirit emitted a haughty confidence even in front of the incoming attack .

Verun actually sent out a crescent of its own the next moment , a massive arc of condensed blood . It clashed with the Crescent Moon the next moment , but there was no explosion or shockwave . The blood was liquid , and it actually swallowed the moon whole as it continued its trajectory . The blood crescent quickly destabilized though , exploding into cascading streams of silvery blood that maimed any wolf it hit .

The Tool Spirit was clearly the one with the advantage , but Verun actually seemed enraged that it didn't manage to hit the alpha wolf with its attack . It turned into a stream of sanguine energy as it flashed forward , heading straight for the core of the pack . A few wolves tried to block Verun's path , but they were quickly turned into dried husks that fell to the ground , causing Zac to be beset by another wave of Cosmic Energy .

A bloodthirsty aura exploded out from the alpha once more as it ran toward the Tool Spirit , and its eyes had turned into two silver moons .

A storm of red and silver erupted in middle of the pack as the two beasts fought for supremacy . Zac himself wanted to help , but he was in no state to even move . He could only make himself as inconspicuous as possible as he hid behind the carcasses of a couple of wolves , spectating the battle from his hidden spot .

Most of his concentration was still aimed at the situation inside his body though , and he was starting to worry when he saw that the stream actually had glommed onto his Axe Mastery] skill fractal . That skill wasn't all that important to him any longer , so losing it wouldn't be the end of the world . But if that odd stream of energy could destroy one skill , then it could destroy another .

A massive outburst of power forced Zac out of spiritual sight though , just in time to see Verun bite down on the alpha wolf's neck with its oversized maw . Both combatants sported a series of wounds , but the wolf was clearly worse off . Not one of the other beasts helped their leader though , and they just stood rooted in place as Verun started fling his head back and forth until it managed to rip off most of the wolf's neck .

Blood poured out of the dying alpha wolf like a fountain , but it was quickly absorbed by Verun as the Tool Spirit roared victoriously toward the sky . Zac was completely inundated with Cosmic Energy as well a second later , to the point that he almost forgot the pain he was in . He was about to force himself back on his feet in case the wolf pack went berserk , but his eyes widened when he saw that the sea of wolves lay down on the ground in an act of submission , their heads pointing toward Verun .

Zac couldn’t believe what he was seeing . Had these wolves actually accepted Verun as the new alpha after it killed the old one? A few of the more powerful wolves seemed to share Zac’s skepticism though , and they jumped the Tool Spirit as one . However , Verun had turned the far more powerful alpha wolf into a bloody mess , so how could these upstarts match its might?

They were ruthlessly slaughtered in seconds , and soon there was not a single wolf who dared to lifts its head . Zac hesitated for a second before he started to make his way toward Verun who still proudly stood on the hill overlooking its new subjects . His movement was immediately discovered , and dozens of wolves seemed ready to pounce .

However , a snarl from Verun stopped them in their tracks , but Zac could see that they barely were able to restrain themselves . The instinct of these animals was extremely strong , to the point that their muscles shuddered as they kept themselves at bay . Zac knew that just a hasty movement would be enough to set them off , no matter how much Verun ordered against it .

It was a shame as thoughts of domestication had entered his mind when he saw the situation unfold . Who would say no to a powerful pack of E-Grade wolves who could do their bidding? Having them would be far more effective than the Barghest who had essentially turned into training fodder for the young cultivators of Port Atwood .

His only hope was that the wolves were overly excited from the battle and all the blood , and that they would be easier to domesticate after things calmed down .

Good Job , - Zac smiled as he patted the Tool Spirit , not caring at all about his hand being drenched in blood of the alpha wolf . - Do you think you can keep these guys under contr- -

He didn’t get any further though as the sound of a tremendous heartbeat rippled out from his body . Verun yowled in surprise and took a step back , and the nearest wolves seemed to have been physically impacted from it as blood started pouring out of their mouths and ears .

Zac himself was shocked to see that the terrifying stream of energy of before was just the first half , and second part had just been expelled from the Hidden Node . He was barely standing upright with the original force in his body , and he felt the same sort of despair now as when he saw the Tribulation Lightning coming for him .

This was too much for him to handle .

Protect me , - Zac only had time to say before his Hidden Node beat again , causing the two streams to join up and slam into his soul .

Chapter 586 : Delayed Gratification

The Bodhi had stood like a beacon in the arid badlands for centuries , its vitality in a constant struggle against the desolation around it . With each turn of the seasons it was buffeted by the anguish of a dying world , but the onslaught only served to temper the purity of its conviction . The inscriptions on the golden leaves contained deeper truths every year , and its intention was clear ; to bring life to this sea of suffering .

Another century passed before a wind picked up pace among the lifeless glaciers in the far east , and it met no resistance by the flat steppes as it pushed forward . The leaves of the Bodhi was once again dancing with delight from the ethereal caress , and a song of nature echoed throughout the badlands . The proclamation of the Holy Sangha was hidden among the leaves , constantly consecrating its surroundings .

The world had been on the brink of death for untold ages , but life always finds a way . A stalk of grass pushed through parched dirt , heralding the new era .

A hundred hooded beings walked forward between the Fallen Hills , each step bringing forth the rattling of chains and clattering of bones . The sun was high in the sky , blasting an uncomfortable warmth that was rapidly dispelling the soothing haze . Now and then a protector would emerge from his grave and charge at the procession , but their oath kept them bound them to their graves . They finally reached their target , the Nameless Mountain .

The hooded beings knelt in obeisance , keeping in check their desire to gaze upon the Holy Coffin . The coffin in question was the only interment on the whole mountain , as nothing could encroach on its domain . One day the black coffin had simply appeared there , and to this day no one had been able to figure out its origin . They didn’t even know who , or what was inside .

But they knew it was powerful , akin to a god .

A thud echoed out from the coffin , a thud that made the whole clergy shake with excitement . The coffin had answered their call , meaning that their plight was over . A small crack opened in the chained-up coffin , and an endless tide of darkness and pestilence surged toward the sky to meet the punishing rays of the sun .

The whole world was covered in darkness a second later , and the land was once more at peace . The clergymen once more performed the rites of obeisance before they rose to their feet . The junior acolyte finally couldn’t help himself as they started making their way out of the holy hills , and the skeleton snuck a glance at the peak of the mountain .

The coffin silently hung from its chains from the branch of a pitch-black tree , behind it a faltering sun ; That was the last thing the novice Necromancer ever saw .

Zac finally remembered himself after being awash in the two visions , but his spiritual journey wasn't over there . He was shown one scene after another , not all of them from his own memories .

Many of the visions were all-too-familiar , each bringing with them a painful memory . They showcased his struggles and desperate battles , from the barghest who had found his campsite to the wolves who had surrendered just seconds ago . There were also visions of strange lands , of weird objects containing terrifying amounts of wild energies . They all beckoned to Zac , urging him to conquer the opposition and claim them as his price .

The visions were so quick that they almost turned to a blur , but he did notice one odd detail . In every single scene there was one constant ; the Stele of Conflict he had conjured during his climb . Sometimes it was placed right next to the action , and other times it was discretely placed in the background .

But it was always there .

Zac tried to make sense of the scenes , but something was just out of his grasp . He was instead swept up by the heat of the battles he witnessed , and it almost felt like he had eaten another berserking treasure as he saw one scene of bloodshed after another . Something was growing inside him . Each kill was another building block , each battle setting the foundation . He was building a bridge toward the Heavens with the corpses of his enemies .

The scenes were suddenly ripped apart by a shocking flash of blue lightning , throwing him into one final vision .

A cracked dome floated in space , an impossibly large structure broken and scorched beyond repair . An infant’s cry echoed out toward the vast beyond , but it was overpowered by the roar of an endless sea of lightning . It should have ended then and there , but a hand pushed through Heaven’s Wrath and brought him away , ignoring the sizzling sounds of molten flesh and metal .

Darkness .

Only a then did Zac find himself back in his own body , and he took a ragged breath as he opened his eyes . Most of the wolves were gone , but a few new carcasses were strewn around him as Verun stood in vigil next to him . The streams of blood around its feet were mostly gone by this point though , meaning that the Tool Spirit was running out of time .

However , Zac sensed that he would be able to keep Verun around for a few minutes longer as long as it didn't need to expend a bunch of energy fighting . Seeing that he was safe for the moment Zac breathed out in relief before his mind turned to the scenes he had just witnessed . The last thing he remembered was the stream of power rushing straight for his mind , and then he was swept up in a series of visions .

He was curious about his status screen , but the state of his body took precedence . Zac had seen how his skill was attacked earlier by the initial stream of energy , and he definitely felt that something was different compared to before , prompting him to turn his sight inward . The moment he activated his spiritual sight Zac realized that drastic changes had taken place , though he couldn’t understand what the significance of the change was .

First of all , all three Skill Fractals that came with a Dao Vision had changed , not only Axe Mastery] . The other two skills , Forester’s Constitution] and Bulwark Mastery] were transformed as well . Their fractals had looked like an axe , a tree , and a shield respectively , but they had now looked like abstract skill fractals just like all the others .

Intuition fueled by Primal Polyglot] told Zac that it wasn’t an upgrade , but neither was it a devolution . The change probably came from the second difference that Zac spotted a second later . He could make out three objects in the middle of his soul .

His soul had looked like a slightly murky glass ball in his mind until now , with scars and lines crossing its surface . The cage for the remnants was hidden in a subspace of its own so it wasn't directly visible , but now actual objects were moving about in his mind .

In the absolute middle of his mind Zac actually saw himself , or a rather a small spiritual avatar in his likeness . He was holding Verun’s Bite] in his hand and he kept swinging it as he dodged and pivoted in place . It looked like the small spirit-copy was fighting an endless number of invisible enemies , and the constant battle was generating some sort of power that Zac could sense hidden within the avatar .

Pure streams of the Dao from the surroundings were steadily entering the avatar's body as well , like his miniature self was a black hole .

The energies didn’t come from his soul though , but rather the two other objects that were slowly orbiting his avatar . The first of them was the chained coffin hovering from the branch of a dead tree with a dying sun serving as its backdrop . The scene looked almost exactly like his vision earlier , and half of the energy that his avatar was absorbing was the deathly haze that escaped from within the coffin .

The final addition was unsurprisingly the Bodhi Tree that he had witnessed in two Dao Visions by now . Its canopy formed an almost perfect circle , and the leaves continuously radiated golden energy that slowly drifted toward avatar Zac . The energies of the two apparitions continuously clashed as they formed a black-and-gold nebula that swiveled around the avatar until they were swallowed .

It was obviously his three Dao Fragments given form , and Zac started to understand what was going on as he looked upon the scene . This was an actual embryonic representation of his cultivation path where the - core - of his Daos had moved from Skill fractals to his Soul . It seemed a lot more logical compared to before , though he didn’t know if there were any real benefits of the change .

The odd thing was that neither Ogras nor anyone else on Port Atwood had never mentioned anything like this . Zac had even asked if problems could arise when upgrading the skills or his Daos , but Ogras seemed to be of the understanding that it didn’t matter . The fractal would upgrade to a better form that could keep housing the Dao according to the demon .

The first reason for the change Zac could think of was the fact that he had taken the first steps toward a proper path worthy of an Arcane Class . It wouldn’t be too surprising if Ogras didn’t know about that change , as Arcane classes simply didn’t exist on his homeworld . Zac figured that the change could only be good if that was the case .

There might be hidden benefits of changing things up this way or even hidden pitfalls of keeping one’s Daos inside the Skill fractals .

However , what confused Zac a bit was where those energies were going . All three apparitions were steadily generating pure Dao , but it was all swallowed by the avatar . Zac tried to magnify the scene as much as he could until he suddenly froze in shock . He didn't hesitate this time as he took out what looked like a piece of coal , and he crammed it into his mouth like he was starving .

A prickling sensation spread through his body the next moment , like every cell in his body was undergoing some sort of acupuncture . A comfortable heat was also starting to accumulate in his spine . He was neither undergoing another round of tempering or acupuncture though , but he had rather eaten the Bloodline Marrow] because of what he sensed inside his avatar .

It was his second Hidden Node , nestled in the head of his spiritual avatar .

Zac had spotted this node a few times by now , but the latest burst of energy had almost completely opened it . He could feel that it was just on the verge of breaking open , but the burst from before wasn't quite enough to get the job done , causing it to slowly close again . The Dao Energies were trying to keep it open , but it was a losing battle .

He had saved the marrow all this time in hopes of using it to awaken his bloodline , but he couldn't give up on this opportunity . Breaking open Hidden Nodes were far more difficult than nurturing one's bloodline , and if his marrow could take him the final stretch it would definitely be worth it . Zac thought of eating the spiritual Four Gates Pill] as well , but he soon decided against it .

There was nothing that actually indicated that the pill would be able to help with Hidden Nodes , and his body was already chock-full of Cosmic Energy thanks to Verun's onslaught . Besides , he had already decided to eat it before reaching the core for a burst of levels in case he still hadn't gained enough power-ups by then .

This was no time to get distracted though , and he stopped the energy from the marrow from burrowing into his bones , instead directing it toward his mind . He guessed that the Bloodline Marrow] was trying to activate his bloodline , but he didn't change his mind as he staunchly pushed all of the energy into his spiritual avatar instead .

More and more power was crammed into the node hidden within his spiritual self until a ripple spread out from his glabella . It was his second Hidden Node that had properly been broken open , and Zac felt his mental energy surge and spread out like never before . For a moment he felt connected with everything in the universe , where he was one with the Dao . But he lost the fantastical feeling as soon as he gained it , and Zac's mind was once again whisked away to yet another vision .

He was once more sitting next to his mysterious ancestor , hurtling through the vast space on top of a meteor .

Chapter 587 : Pathstrider

It almost felt like Zac had never left the solitary rock hurtling through the boundless expanse . He felt the heat of the drained sun on his back , and the surface of the meteor was still illuminated by its rays . He soon realized that the meteor wasn't as simple as it seemed though as space and time seemed to bend to its will . It kept running into one energy-dense object after another at a rapid pace , the vast distances of outer space made inconsequential .

Everything from stars to mysterious meteors was sucked dry by the cultivator , turning him into a wandering calamity . But the world suddenly shuddered as the meteor was forced to a stop in the middle of nowhere , and Zac spotted a man standing in the void . He radiated terrifying killing intent , and he looked at the unmoving man on top of the meteor with greed in his eyes .