Defiance of the Fall

And their platform was next .

There was only a vast emptiness to their left when they crossed the last bridge . The neighboring islands were all gone . It was lucky that they had decided to run diagonally across the islands in an attempt to reach a more western point of the mountain . Otherwise , they would have already been thrown to the void .

Part of Zac had even considered picking up his sister and make a run for it , but he knew he would only be harming himself if he did that . There were just so many barriers in the way as they crossed the islands , anything from walls they needed to punch through to gates that needed to be hacked .

There were even thousands of battlebots that still roamed the inner islands like the whole base hadn’t gone up in smokes , immediately attacking upon spotting his people . If Zac had left the others behind he would long have run out of energy by this point from the constant expenditure . That by itself was suicide since there was a hostile force waiting at the foot of the mountain .

The only lucky break , if you could call it that , was that they had only been attacked by one more Void Beast as they ran , and this one was roughly at the same level as the caterpillar from before . They had completely overwhelmed it with a furious assault before they set out again . There were a few times that a claw or an appendage appeared out of nowhere to snatch a few people though , but there wasn't much Zac could do about it .

It looked like the smarter Void Beasts were content with staying outside the islands , with the dumber ones falling through the protective film . After all , the whole Mystic Realm was crumbling . The Void Beasts only needed to wait for the last islands to crumble and gobble up everyone who was launched into the darkness .

Zac couldn't help but wonder about the fate of the True Sky Faction and the New World Government . The first islands that collapsed should have been roughly in the area where those factions resided . If the New World Government were still stuck at the outer sectors of the base they were definitely dead by now unless the spatial tunnels back to Earth still worked even in this environment .

It was a big blow to Earth to lose that many elites , but Zac didn't have the luxury of worrying about others . He had kept running ahead with rotating elite squads to pave the way ever since the weakness from using Hatchetman's Rage] . They cleared the corridors of automated sentries , laser traps , bugging walls , and all kinds of dangers .

These forays allowed the weaker of his followers to just focusing on keeping up , and the army usually caught up within minutes of Zac's elite units setting out . But Zac knew the truth . Every time the bulk of the army caught up , there were a few people missing . This had turned into a true death march , and some people simply dropped down on the ground with their reserves completely drained .

Zac knew it , the soldiers knew it , but no one spoke about the fallen people that formed a trail of suffering across the past five or so platforms . They could only look ahead , praying that they would be able to cross the final hurdle before it was too late . Zac was in full panic-mode by this point . It had been over an hour since the last set of islands collapsed .

It felt like the floor beneath his feet could collapse at any moment as he was launched into the void . This was the innermost section of the research base , and he had spotted multiple places that seemed to hold treasures , but he didn't even consider looking into it . Any leftover energy he had was used to clear any hurdles in front of them instead .

The others were of the same sentiment , and four Anointed next to him didn't need any prompt to slam into the Memorysteel wall in front of them with almost suicidal fervor . The whole area shock as they unleashed a frantic barrage , turning the wall into scraps in just seconds . Zac unhesitantly rushed straight through , and his eyes lit up at what waited on the other side .

There were no more corridors , just twisted memorysteel of a broken base that had formed a sharp and uneven square at the edge of the island . On the other side was a thirty-meter wide wire that led to their goal ; the 'Taboo Mountain' . As long as they ran up that bridge they would be safe , or at least not in immediate peril .

However , reality often didn’t live up to one's hopes and dreams , and Zac’s eyes widened in horror when he saw the bridge leading to salvation start to crumble just as they made it .

A wave of flames rolled down along the collapsing rubble , and his heart beat like a drum out of fear when he realized that those runic flames were even eating the protective film . The cultists weren’t just blowing up the path itself , they even targeted the protections that kept the islands safe . No wonder the other islands crumbled so quickly .

Break the bridge! - Zac roared as he flashed forward .

There was nothing else he could do . They had already missed their chance of crossing as part of the bridge had already been swallowed by the Void . The only thing they could do now was to cut off the rest before those flames reached them . The island they stood on was still connected to the mountain through neighboring islands , which would hopefully keep it from collapsing .

The anointed quickly caught up and assisted him , and a series of desperate attacks hammered down on the Memorysteel wire as the wall of flames crept closer . But the bridge finally broke off , allowing Zac’s group to breathe out in relief . The flames were all swallowed by the void just like the bridge itself , and the island didn't immediately fall apart like they had seen before .

The advance squad breathed out in relief , but they all knew that this only amounted to a stay of execution . They had lost their access to the mountain . Without the energy provided from the Taboo Mountain , the barrier would quickly start to weaken even without the interference of the Church of Everlasting Dao .

Running toward the next bridge was hopeless as well . The next bridge was a full two islands over , and they had to pass through complex memorysteel corridors while the cultists could run right over .

Besides , they were approaching the section of the previous Wasteland . A lot of those islands were fragmented or extremely small , and quite a few had already crumbled even without any outside interference . The protective film was clearly a lot weaker there compared to the rest of the islands , and going there was tantamount to suicide .

Zac's eyes turned to the army standing on the edge of the mountain , a towering fury burning in his chest . They were sneering and laughing at him like they were watching a great show as the protective film was slowly dissipating on their island . They might not be able to attack Zac or his people , but they clearly didn't feel that they needed to .

What do we do , Warmaster? - Rhubat frowned . - Can we build a new bridge? -

No , - Zac sighed .

We can! - Kenzie interjected as came running , accompanied by Joanna and a group of Valkyries . - I think this thing will work! -

Zac felt the flame of hope reigniting in his chest when he saw what she was holding ; the Spatial Drill . His eyes turned to the short stretch of darkness separating their island and the Memorysteel mountain . It was less than a hundred meters . Was this the true purpose of why the System wanted him to go back? He needed the Spatial Drill to save his people at this very juncture .

What is that? - Joanna asked as she curiously looked at the weird Technocrat Tool .

A Spatial Drill . It can create some sort of tunnels in space . It was this thing the Cartava Clan planned to use to escape this Mystic Realm , - Zac explained as he turned to his sister . - How long do you need? -

Just a few minutes , - she said . - It’s good to go , but it needs to dig a path through the Void . -

A few minutes , - Zac muttered as he looked up at the weakening barriers . - Do it . -

Kenzie nodded and walked over to the very edge of the island before she started tapping away at her console . The Anointed had heard their conversation and they formed a protective circle around her to let her work unabated .

More and more of his people streamed into the broken square , but they stopped in their tracks when they saw the vast chasm between the island and the mountain . A few of them simply slumped down on the ground with eyes devoid of hope , while others looked to Zac for salvation . They hadn’t heard the conversation between him and his sister , but they could clearly understand the severity of the situation .

Don’t give up! We will open a spatial tunnel to the other side , - Zac roared as she looked at the exhausted army . - I know you are tired , but there is a hostile army on the other side . We’ll need to take them out if we want to live . I’ll lead the charge , but I can't do it alone . I need the assistance of all of you . Prepare yourselves . -

Thousands of faces lit up when they heard they still had a shot at survival , and the whole square lit up as people frantically started absorbing energy from Nexus Crystals . They all knew who was waiting on the foot of the mountain . Many had even fought against the crazed cultists before . They knew they were in for a tough fight , and every extra morsel of Cosmic Energy might be the difference between life and death .

Everyone , eat a Springroot provided by our people , right now , - Joanna added from the side . - Anyone who hasn’t eaten one in one minute will be executed . If you see someone faking or exchanging it , immediately report it . -

The Valkyries reacted instantly , each of them taking out a Large bag of Springroot as they walked through the ranks . Everyone quickly ate the root without hesitation , more than used to this procedure . A commotion erupted as a Zhix suddenly tried to break off , but the warrior was cut down by his brethren before he could even take a step .

A similar scenario happened a moment later , when a human cultivator stealthily tried to swap out the provided root with something he had hidden in his sleeve . The moment he was exposed he tried to flee , only to get crushed by a close-by Anointed .

Zac had no idea when those two shapeshifters had snuck into his ranks , but he guessed it was sometime during the dash toward the end . Everyone had already been forced to eat a Springroot the moment they set out toward the first bridge , at which point a few cultists had been exposed as well according to his sister .

There had been no time to continuously test everyone as they ran for their lives though . Which had allowed a few of them to blend in with the others .

Seeing that everything was dealt with Zac sat down the next moment , gripping a D-Grade Nexus Crystal in each hand as a storm of Cosmic Energy entered his body . There was only so much he could replenish in a scant few minutes , and he estimated he was only 40% full by the time that Kenzie shouted .

Zac opened his eyes and saw a large vortex at the edge of the platform , seemingly fused to the exceedingly thin defensive film . The Spatial Drill was hovering in the air in front of it , constantly releasing a powerful beam into the hole . Kenzie had also pushed two odd spears into the ground on the sides of the vortex , and Zac guessed they were there to maintain the tunnel as soon as it was finished .

What’s going to happen next? - Zac asked as he walked over with Verun’s Bite] in his hands .

The drill should reach the other side in a minute or so , - Kenzie said . - At that time , space will be directly connected between our two sides . You can't let the cultists blow up the gate though . The drill is running on some weird spatial energy , and it only has fuel for this one attempt . -

I'll deal with it , - Zac nodded as his eyes turned to the cultists waiting on the other side .

They had clearly figured out that his people were up to something , and they were making preparations of their own . Zac's tightened his grip as he took a deep breath . He was exhausted but he could only forcibly rouse his body to meet the challenge .

It was time to exterminate these lunatics once and for all .

Chapter 630 : Foothold

Zac was ready for war , but the cultists were perhaps even more so . Not a single zealot had moved on toward the next bridge by the looks of it . They had instead taken defensive positions while one sun after another ignited and rose into the air like a fiery sentry . Not only that , the whole edge of the mountain was lit on fire , with flames reaching over twenty meters into the sky .

It looked like the Church of Everlasting Dao had figured out their plan , or at least didn’t want to take any risks .

Have anyone seen Ogras or Thea? - Zac asked as he surveyed the army .

He couldn't be certain about Thea , but Zac knew that Ogras was somewhere on the mountain . They had seen a huge eruption of shadows around twenty minutes ago , but it was swallowed by an even larger fire . The demon was probably trying to help them out , but Zac hadn't seen a hint of either him or Thea since they reached the square .

I've looked , but I haven't spotted them . But I'm sure they're fine , - Joanna said . - They might be waiting for an opportunity to strike . -

Zac solemnly nodded as he imprinted the defensive measures in his mind . Whoever entered first would find themselves right in the crosshairs of over a hundred attacks . Not only that , he could clearly sense that there was some sort of array at the edge of the mountain , but neither Cosmic Gaze] nor Primal Polyglot] could tell what it was .

That wasn't because the skills were too weak , but rather that he couldn't see the situation too clearly . The surface of Taboo Mountain was roughly 20 meters above their current platform , so he could only see the thick crust beneath . The only reason they could spot the army at all was thanks to the incline and the fact that the mountain was far enough .

Can you change where the other portal appears? Like on the other side of the mountain? - Zac hesitantly asked .

Even if he couldn't see everything , he could see enough . Even he wasn't certain he'd walk out unscathed from an all-out attack that the whole cultist army had prepared for almost five minutes .

No , - Kenzie sighed . - I can only drill a straight line . That’s why the Cartava Clan needed to get to a specific spot to escape this place . -

Alright , - Zac nodded with a somber expression . - I’ll go all-out from the start and try to create a safe zone right next to the exit . -

We will be right behind you , Warmaster , - Rhubat said . - We’ll secure this lifeline for our warriors no matter what . Here , take this . -

The enormous Anointed took out a small spike , though in the hands of Zac it would look like a proper spear . Zac took it in his free hand and turned it over curiously . It didn’t look like something from the System , but rather an ancient weapon from the Zhix homeworld . It was exceedingly beautifully crafted with dense scripts covering the long metal shaft , and its bladed spearpoint was made from some purple metal he had never seen before .

What’s this? - Zac asked with confusion .

It is Judgement] , the symbol of the crusade . Stab it into the ground , and we’ll do the rest . The ancestors will protect us . I hoped to save it for the final battle , but we’ll have to make do without it . -

This… - Zac hesitantly said as he looked at the spear in his hand .

It seemed like an artifact of extraordinary value . But that value , unfortunately , seemed to be largely cultural . There was something mysterious about the runes , but he couldn’t sense any spiritual fluctuations from it . This was a battle of life and death , and he wasn't sure he could trust some pre-integration weapon to save their hides .

Do not worry , Warmaster . I know what you are thinking , but the energy gathered in this weapon would easily kill those miscreations we’ve fought on the way here . It is simply sealed . It will take a second for it to awaken , which is why you need to activate it immediately . We’ll follow right behind you and take charge of the activation , - Rhubat explained .

Okay , - Zac slowly nodded as he looked at the spear .

He still couldn’t figure it out , but Zac guessed it was like the Sanskrit on the Mountain Everlasting Peace . It had been consecrated with Zhix conviction for over a thousand years , which might have created something magical . In either case , stabbing it into the ground wouldn't take any time , and if it didn't work he would simply have to figure something else out .

Is it offensive or defensive in nature? - Zac asked .

We do not know , - Vanexis said with a shrug next to Rhubat . - It has never been activated before . -

Great , - Zac wryly smiled as he looked at the elite soldiers standing behind him .

Billy stood with the group of elite Anointed that would enter right behind himself , and he had an unusually somber expression . The demons and Tal-Eladar were right behind them , and Emily stood in their ranks . Zac felt bad about pushing a teenager to the frontlines , but her totemic ability was just too useful . Thankfully she knew enough to not actually enter battle , but rather focus on buffing

This small elite squad would be responsible to take control of the edge of the mountain , after which the rest of Port Atwood's forces would enter .

Any second now , get ready , - Kenzie said , dragging Zac's eyes back to the portal . - And stay safe . -

I’ve defeated these guys so many times by now , - Zac smiled . - Nothing will go wrong . -

Everyone soon turned to the portal . Zac’s heart hammered as adrenaline coursed through his body , and the muscles in his legs were taut with tension .

NOW! - Kenzie shouted and Zac shot forward like a bullet straight toward the portal .

The four-meter tall vortex had looked like a window into the void before , but just after Kenzie exclaimed it transformed to instead show a fiery hellscape with hundreds of suns hovering in the sky . The Spatial Drill had directly connected two positions in contrast to teleportation arrays , and Zac found himself inside the inferno the moment he stepped through .

Scorching heat licked his face but Zac roared as he blasted his Dao Field based on Fragment of the Coffin and empowered it with his Spiritual Void] . It was like a concussion grenade had erupted right where he stood , pushing the golden flames away for over thirty meters around him .

Zac had managed to clear the area of flames the moment he appeared , but his Danger Sense was still going haywire . There was a dense script covering the ground , and the fractals had actually started to climb up his legs , the inscriptions looking like fiery snakes . The fractals felt like molten steel against his skin , and Zac found himself encumbered by greater and greater weight pressing him down .

It reminded him of the bindings Brazla used on him in the lava bath , and while it wasn't too bad for him just yet , it would be devastating for the normal soldiers . They would turn into sitting ducks unable to move by this level of restraints . Worse , those were just one of the preparations of the cultists . There were already hundreds of attacks soaring toward him , and cascading waterfalls of golden flames were descending from the suns in the sky .

Some of the suns were even falling toward him , the air itself incinerating from their descent .

Even Zac felt some fear at the shocking display , but he could only put his trust in the Anointed as he stabbed the spearhead into the ground before he took two rapid steps forward . A fractal blade attached to Verun’s Bite] grew fifty meters with each step , and it was like he was an apostle of nature as a storm of verdure erupted around him , from the leaves of Nature’s Barrier] to the forest of Hatchetman’s Spirit] .

By the time Zac had taken his two steps to create some distance from the portal , the edge of Chop] had gained the mysterious sets of fractals of life and death . A wave of darkness swept out , swallowing the first wave of attacks .

However , these were the elites of the incursion , and Zac frowned when he saw how quickly the energy of Rapturous Divide] was being expended . But it thankfully only needed to last for a fraction of a second before the opposing wave of energy rushed forward , causing the familiar friction of life and death .

Dozens of attacks , most of them based on the holy fire-heritage of the Church of Everlasting Dao , were ripped to shreds as the spatial delimitation appeared . It was quickly being whittled down , but Zac desperately pushed back by steadily infusing both the half-circles with their respective Daos . Infusing two Daos at once was usually impossible for him with his awful control , but he managed to force it for a second as he channeled Cosmic Energy into his next skill .

A loud thunder-like clap from behind almost made Zac lose his footing , but the omniscience of Hatchetman’s Spirit] let him proceed without worry . It was the advance group of Anointed who had surrounded Judgement] . They were led by Rhubat and Vanexis and all of them slapping their enormous hands against their chests in what somewhat looked like a haka .

Zac was worried for a second that their actions would prove fruitless , but he was thankfully proven wrong almost immediately . A wave rippled out from the spear embedded in the ground before it exploded with mysterious white light that spread like a wildfire . The golden fractals around it cracked and dimmed down as one spectral monolith after another rose from the ground .

Even the golden inscriptions that had reached all the way up to Zac's knees were subdued by the radiant glow of the Zhix heirloom , and it felt like a huge weight was literally lifted from his shoulders which allowed him to move freely . It didn't look like it was the Anointed who personally helped him , but rather that the spear itself was intelligent . For example , Zac’s fractal forest was completely unaffected as well , and Billy was completely drenched in the light as he rapidly grew into his Titanic form .

It was the monoliths rather than the light that was the source of a shocking pressure though , a pressure that exceeded anything Zac could have imagined from such an unassuming weapon . The pillars radiated an aura that even eclipsed the peak-grade talismans he had used when fighting for his life outside the Tower of Eternity . It proved that the spear was a real treasure , and most likely the most powerful item of the old Zhix world .

He still didn’t know exactly what the Anointed’s ace would do , but it did lessen the pressure Zac felt a bit as he started summoning the first axe of Deforestation] . The divide of Rapturous Divide] had only lasted for a few seconds before it was finally overpowered by the frenzied assault of the army .

Destroy the gate! - an infuriated roar echoed out from a soldier in the core of the cultist army , but how could Zac let that happen?

The source of the shout was definitely one of the leaders of the army judging by his outfit , but Zac could immediately tell that it wasn't the people he had fought back at the Undead Incursion . It wasn't the true leader , but Zac still sensed that he was at least at the same level as himself . That by itself usually meant a free kill for someone like Zac , but the bishop was clearly empowered by a War Array that far eclipsed what his Valkyries were able to conjure .

A huge sun shone above the bishop's head , and it was like the other suns empowered it , which in turn empowered the bishop himself . He radiated a fierce holy aura , and he had hundreds of soldiers backing him up . It was vastly different from fighting him in a one-on-one .

Whatever the Anointed were conjuring wasn't ready , but it wasn't like the cultists were going to wait around for them to finish . The huge glowing orbs were almost about upon him , and Zac couldn't let them get any closer . They were crammed full of chaotic energies by the looks of it , and if they slammed into the ground they might even be able to break off the edge of the mountain .

Thankfully his skill had already been fully infused by this point , and Zac immediately swung his arm as the enormous hatchet above his head mirrored his movement . He didn’t target the leader , but rather a dense cluster of incoming attacks . It felt a bit of a waste to waste the first swing of Deforestation] on blowing up attacks instead of taking out a part of the army , but he didn't have a lot of options .

A wave of unmatched sharpness rippled out , and a series of coruscating explosions almost blinded him as a large number of the glowing suns were ripped apart . It almost looked like a meteor shower as burning pieces of molten stone rained down on the ground but the leaves of Nature's Barrier] were powerful enough to divert the fallout before they incinerated from the heat .

The sky was unfortunately still littered with incoming attacks . Zac felt a bit unwilling , but he could only prepare to activate his second swing in order to clean out another set of suns .

However , he quickly stopped when he realized that his backup was already on the move .

Chapter 631 : Judgement

The darkness of the Void was completely pushed away from the skyline littered with fiery spheres and the fires that raged all around Zac . He was about to make his move , but a massive foot flashed right past Zac as an earth-shattering roar caused the ground to shudder . It was Billy who was already swinging his grotesque club like a baseball player , the knobbly skull at its top aimed straight for the descending suns .

The air itself shattered like a broken mirror as Billy unleashed some sort of earthquake-like skill , but that wasn't the end of it . Enormous spikes shot out of the ground , each of them stabbing at or blocking another sun . Billy had somehow managed to take control of the Memorysteel itself , and one sun after another exploded in specular fashion .

The explosions were earth-shattering , and Zac's eyes widened in shock when they swallowed Billy whole . However , the giant quickly shot out of the flames , golden flames licking his whole body . Burns covered his whole body , but he seemed mostly fine . His hair had been singed completely clean , including his eyebrows , and Zac's mouth quirked up when he saw that he had gained a brother monk .

Billy was ultimately just one person , and there were still a huge number of attacks threatening to blow them all to kingdom come . But the shadows of the large spikes unexpectedly detached from the Memorysteel and stabbed into the air , extinguishing one sun after another . An azure tornado swept forward out of nowhere as well , rippling through a series of the attacks that the cultists had launched toward the spatial gate .

It was obviously Ogras and Thea who had appeared , but Zac couldn’t actually pinpoint their position . He guessed they were stuck on the other side of the cultist army , which was just fine considering that it forced the enemy to constantly split their attention .

Still , even with Ogras and Thea joining the fray , it wasn’t enough . There were over a thousand elites from the Church of Everlasting Dao present , and they had spent five minutes filling the glowing orbs in the sky with immense amounts of energy . Their preparations wouldn’t be stopped with one attack or two .

However , a ghastly white spear suddenly shot past Billy’s head to pierce a close-by sun with enough force to actually cause a spatial tear . The crack in space swallowed most of the subsequent explosion before both the spear and the sun were gone in a puff . Zac's eyes lit up , realizing that the Anointed’s preparations were done , and they had made their move as well .

He didn't really want to waste his second swing of Deforestation] on the scorching suns , especially when he wasn't even sure it would work considering Infernal Axe was partly fire-based . Seeing the Anointed helping out was a relief , but he was extremely confused as he couldn't see anything with the vision granted by Hatchetman's Spirit] . That spear had appeared seemingly out of nowhere .

He turned back to see what was going on , and his eyes widened in confusion when he saw the drastic change that had taken place right under his nose .

Who were these people?

It felt like he was looking at two realities at once . Hatchetman’s Spirit] told him that there were only the monoliths , the small group of Anointed , and the vanguard of the elite army behind him . But his actual eyes were telling a different story as they saw one fierce warrior after another appear atop the pillars .

Each of them was at least four meters tall and radiated an appalling amount of killing intent , something that was only possible after a huge amount of bloodshed . One warrior , in particular , was just shocking . It was at least seven meters tall , dwarfing even the living Anointed . It held a small spear that looked just like Judgement] that Zac stabbed into the ground , and the air twisted around it the warrior pointed the spear forward .

The hulking Anointed in the front was clearly the leader , and the spectral warriors behind it immediately threw out a barrage of attacks . They almost blotted out the sky as they slammed into the suns , the attacks , and even toward the standing army . Glimmering golden shields erupted in front of the whole zealot army , but even they looked a bit shellshocked by the enormous force contained in the attacks .

The whole sky rumbled for an instant , and Zac could only stare in wonder as the preparations of the Church of Everlasting Dao were ripped apart in an instant .

Each spear almost contained as much power as a swing from Zac himself , and they could easily destabilize one or two suns which quickly extinguished the remaining ones . The cultists found themselves under tremendous pressure as well as cracks kept spreading across the barriers from the powerful attacks .

The soldiers were true elites though , and they didn’t panic or break ranks , but rather kept infusing their shields with more and more power . The bishop also swung a censer in his hand , and the sun above him instantaneously doubled its luminescence . It clearly had a huge effect on the army as the faltering barriers quickly recovered , and new suns started forming in the sky .

The titanic spectral Anointed in the front seemed almost alive as it glared at the bishop with death in its eyes . It threw out the copy of Judgement] the next moment , aiming straight for the huge sun that emboldened the cultist forces . Zac had his vision blur from the tremendous conviction stored in that attack . It felt like the spear held enough force to pierce the whole mountain , let alone a puny sun .

Seal! - the bishop roared when he saw the incoming attack , and an enormous sigil wrought in gold suddenly appeared , held aloft by four golden giants .

The twenty-meter tall giants looked harried and tortured , and fetters bound their limbs to the sigil as they hoisted it in front of them . Zac couldn’t tell whether the giants were real or something created with Cosmic Energy . Perhaps they were even corpses that had been turned into treasures . But they radiated an immense pressure , and Zac couldn’t even look into their eye sockets where white-hot runic flames burned .

The sigil was all-too-familiar as well , a perfect copy of the one he had broken over at the cultist incursion . Where it had come from , Zac had no idea , but it was continuously being empowered by the whole cultist army judging by the energy streams he could discern with Cosmic Gaze] .

Zac froze in place as he looked at the spectacle . The Church of Everlasting Dao really had some cards up their sleeve . It was a lucky break that the Anointed managed to force this enormous thing out early-on since Zac felt that he would have been forced to use a lot of effort to break it apart by himself . He could only hope that the effect of the Anointed's ultimate strike lived up to the pressure it emitted .

The enormous sigil had appeared right between the two opposing factions , and the spectral Anointed’s spear slammed straight into the core . It was like the world froze when the two forces met , and a painful headache almost made Zac topple over as odd hymns echoed in his mind . Others weren’t any better off , with the demon and Tal-Eladar elites toppling over before they even had a chance to launch their first salvo .

The Anointed and zealots were hunkered over as well , but they were a bit better off . Even the dozens of spectral Zhix seemed to barely be able to maintain their form , but they didn't seem content to just dissipate . The ghastly squad shot forward , each of them slowly losing their forms as they approached not the sigil but the giants holding it .

Soon they were just streams of immense conviction , and one hole after another was punched into their bodies as the ghosts sacrificed themselves to take down the enemy . It was just the kind of crazed determination one could expect from the ancient leaders of the Zhix , and Zac immediately seized the opportunity to help out . He had held off on his second strike long enough .

A cascading wave of flames rippled forward and slammed into one of the flanks of the army . He didn't dare to attack the giants or the sigil , afraid that his strike would also harm the efforts of the Anointed , but he saw an opportunity to cause some real damage to the army itself . A sea of shadows suddenly swept toward the second flank as well , and the cultist army found themselves beset from behind .

The sea of shadows turned into a churning storm of shadow spears , and it was like a hurricane that kept picking up momentum . Zac's eyes lit up when he realized that Ogras was using Soaring Ocean] , the Dexterity-based E-grade skill available in his Dao Repository . More and more spikes kept appearing , and the cultist army was soon beset by thousands of stabs in the blink of an eye .

Each of the stabs didn't contain a lot of power , but the barrage was unceasing and ever-growing , creating constant pressure on the army . Together with the inferno that Zac had ignited on the other side , the soldiers were no longer able to reinforce the massive sigil in the heart of the army .

As expected , the fires in the eyes of the golden giants visibly dimmed soon after Zac's and Ogras' strikes landed , and small cracks spread across the sigil . But things weren’t over just yet . The sigil quickly regained its luster , and Zac started to feel a sense of trepidation .

Attack! - the bishop roared from the other side of the sigil , and flames lit up over the heads of almost half the army before they shot into the enormous golden runes .

The giants shuddered before they visibly started shrinking like they were being drained of all their moisture . They were turned into desiccated husks in an instant , all their energy absorbed by the sigil as it suddenly hovered in the air by its own power . The spectral spear of the titanic Zhix exploded , causing one final scar on the golden surface before it disappeared .

The crack quickly spread across the whole surface of the golden rune , but Zac wasn't sure it was a good thing when he saw some weird energy start pouring out from the cracks . It was like space itself crumbled in front of the sigil as tears started to spread toward him and the portal . These weren’t spatial tears though , but something else entirely .

There wasn’t the void of space inside the cracks , but rather terrifying white-hot flames that made Zac’s very soul shudder from just looking at them . That wasn’t the only thing ; the portal behind him actually started twisting from the pressure released from the cracks that slowly crept toward them .

He definitely couldn’t let this continue , so he immediately unleashed the final swing of Deforestation] , imbuing the strike with everything he had . A wave of darkness rolled forward , and one radiant light after another was forcibly closed as the grey clouds of desolation flooded into the cracks . It looked like two wrongs did make a right in this case , as the terrifying cracks were actually destroyed by his strongest attack .

However , even Zac's final strike proved insufficient to completely quash the incoming attack . Zac tried to figure out what punishment would be best to use , but the Zhix made their move first . There were just six of the spectral Anointed remaining , including the leader . The others had already sacrificed themselves , and it looked like the last group was about to do the same .

Even the monoliths that towered among the tress of Hatchetman's Spirit] rose into the sky , and ghosts and graves melded into a huge wave that followed right behind the wave of desolation . The whole area was quickly drenched in silver radiance , but Zac still felt enormous blasts of chaotic energies being forcibly suppressed inside the light . The explosions grew more and more sparse over the following seconds , Zac slowly felt his Danger Sense calm down as the silver light dissipated .

The Anointed behind him bowed deeply toward the chaos , their faces full of admiration . A tremendous explosion erupted the next moment , and the sigil cracked in two as the husks of the giants were ripped apart . A chorus of groans and wails could be heard even through the clamor of the pieces of the rune slammed onto the Memorysteel floor , and Zac knew their opportunity had arrived .

Attack , - Zac growled with a low volume as he shot forward , a swirl of leaves forming a barrier around him as he pushed through the errant energies .

The golden barrier was down , and the cultists were suffering from the backlash . This was the optimal time to launch a swift and decisive counter-strike . A massive skill like Nature’s Punishment] might force the warriors out of their muddled state from the massive energy fluctuations , so Zac personally rushed forward to deal with the head of the snake .

A wave of warmth spread through his body , proof that Emily had appeared as well to conjure her totem .

More and more soldiers of his army poured out behind him through the portal , each of them rushing forward behind a vanguard of Anointed . It quickly turned into a multi-race army of elites , and it kept getting reinforced as people flooded through the spatial tunnel . They looked exhausted , but determination burned in their eyes as they rushed into the haze .

The fury of almost getting lost in the void burned in their veins , and they were ready to unleash the stress accumulated over the past hours on the Church of Everlasting Dao .

Chapter 632 : Asura

A swarm of Drones shot out through the portal above the heads of the soldiers as well , though Zac could still see that Kenzie hadn’t passed through the portal . They didn’t follow the charging army but rather formed what looked like a protective array . Layers of barriers appeared the next moment , protecting the spatial tunnel from any errant attacks .

It allowed Zac to focus on the task at hand , and he shot forward , aiming straight for the most energy-dense spot according to Cosmic Gaze] since the previous attacks had turned any visibility to zero . A squad of lizardmen soldiers suddenly appeared to his left , but they didn’t even have the chance to react before they were bisected by a fractal edge that ripped through them like they were made from dry wood .

It wasn’t Zac himself , but rather the special edge he could summon with Chop] . As for himself , his back was already lit up with a lustrous halo as he took another step with Loamwalker] , appearing right in front of his target . Or so he thought .

Zac expected to appear in front of the bishop , but he instead found himself face-to-face with a three-meter tall Asura with six arms . One arm held a cudgel , another a spear . Two held burning censers and the last two were empty-handed . It radiated an oppressive aura as four burning halos behind its back lit up the surroundings . Dense scriptures were visible inside the flames , and Zac found himself drifting off after trying to discern their meaning .

He quickly snapped back to reality , just in time to avoid a lance of flames that shot out from one of the Asura’s hands . An extremely forceful attack with the cudgel quickly followed , but Zac had already adapted by this point and met fire with fire as he swung Verun’s Bite] at an upward angle . A scorching wind slammed into his face when the weapons clashed , and he felt a stab of pain in his arm when a foreign Dao tried to burrow its way into his body .

The wave of heat was extremely painful as well , forcing him to close his eyes for a moment as to not get blinded . The power of the divine avatar was pretty impressive , but he was obviously no slouch himself . His upward swing had forced the Asura off its feet and thrown it a few meters back . It was already working on its next attack though , as two plumes of golden smoke spread out around him from the censers .

Zac had no idea where this oppressive creature had come from , but he could only assume it was some sort of transformation of the bishop . In fact , after having clashed once with the divine being he realized it was expending lifeforce at a crazy pace , far more than the Anointed ever did . He guessed that this transformation was an ultimate suicide attack that only the elites of the church could use .

Not only that , but the Asura was also clearly imbued by a War Array since Zac could see streams of energy enter his body from the still-shining sun above . He wanted to attack the support squad , but he couldn’t actually figure out who was powering the sun . He had heard of War Arrays with masking abilities before , but this was the first time Zac encountered one .

Killing the soldiers who empowered their leader with a War Array was such an obvious tactic , so a lot of people had worked on solutions to the issue . One such method was to obfuscate the source of the boost , just like now . It helped keep the supporting soldiers safe , but it had clear disadvantages as well . First of all , it only worked in large-scale battles where the Array Masters could blend in with other soldiers . Secondly , the range was generally limited .

Zac thought of ignoring the Asura and instead target the normal soldiers , but he eventually gave up on the idea . The bishop was radiating impressive power , and he would be able to cause a lot of destruction of his own if Zac wasn’t there to stop him . The bishop was probably more than willing to adopt a scorched-earth-tactic , but Zac was a lot less willing to sacrifice his people .

The censers in the Asura’s hands had already been activated , and more and more of the golden dust spewed out in the surroundings . Zac knew he couldn't let the bishop continue unchecked , so he disappeared from his position as he activated his movement skill . Zac appeared behind the Asura almost instantaneously , and a powerful swing empowered by Conformation of Supremacy] shot straight toward the halos that kept burning life-force .

A pained wail shocked suddenly his mind , forcing Zac to quickly cancel his attack . It was Verun that was actually harmed by the fierce heat . Something empowered by that much lifeforce could even harm his Spirit Tool it would seem , so Zac could only find another method to deal with his enemy . The Asura turned into a blur before he had the chance to launch a second attack though .

The golden diety pivoted with almost impossible speed , and the unencumbered hands made some unknown seals . Zac felt some danger the next moment , and he barely had time to jump back before one of the halos released a massive conflagration that swallowed the Asura and the ten meters surrounding it . It was the golden dust in the air that had ignited in spectacular fashion .

The flames were extremely intense , to the point that Zac couldn’t see anything inside . He knew that even he would get badly burnt by those flames , so he could only stand guard outside the flame pillar , waiting to see what happened with the Asura . After all , he hadn’t gained any Cosmic Energy , not that Zac believed the bishop would blow himself up the first thing he did .

As expected , the bladed head of a spear shot out from the conflagration with enough force to disperse the flames . Zac angled his head to avoid the stab , but he still felt a burning sensation on his throat as the spear radiated a terrifying heat . This much wasn’t enough to stop Zac in his tracks though , and he took a step forward while taking advantage of the outstretched spear .

Verun’s Bite] keened as he ferociously swung at the Asura’s chest just below the outstretched left arm holding the spear . The cultist tried to intercept the strike with its cudgel , but Zac caught the bishop's arm in a vise-like grip with his free hand as he continued the swing . Just as he was about to create a massive wound another arm turned to a blur , and one of the two censers appeared to block his edge .

The ceremonial tool was destroyed in an instant , and the whole hand holding it was cut-off at the elbow . Zac was , unfortunately , unable to keep his momentum going , as the censer exploded after being destroyed , releasing a huge cloud of that extremely combustible golden dust .

As expected , a halo lit up the next moment , and Zac stepped back to avoid a second inferno . However , his eyes widened when he realized that one of the free hands had grabbed his robes by the lapels , lifting him just as he was about to activate Loamwalker] . The whole world turned white as a searing pain threatened to swallow him whole , but Zac forcibly suppressed the agony as he swung his axe in a ruthless downward arc .

He felt molten metal beneath his feet a moment later , and he desperately rushed out of the conflagration . The flames dissipated only a few seconds later , exposing an Asura that now was missing two hands standing knee-deep in molten Memorysteel . The bishop seemed utterly undeterred though as he rushed forward to engage in another melee .

The screams and clamor of battle echoed all around him , meaning that the battle had turned into a frantic melee just like his own situation . Visibility was still very limited as the Asura had actually managed to set the Memorysteel around him on fire , but he could see blazing suns slamming into the Anointed’s sigils , causing massive shockwaves . The ground beneath them was thankfully pretty thick , but Zac still couldn’t help but worry that their war would destroy the whole section of the mountain , sending them into the abyss .

The quicker he finished the battle the better . But Zac didn’t use any of his aces even when knowing that . He had already managed to confirm that the true leader of the Church of Everlasting Dao was missing . This man was pretty powerful , but he was ultimately just slightly stronger than the other bishops they had fought .

The leader he had encountered in the Dead Zone wasn’t there , and Zac guessed that part of the cultists had already set off toward the Dimensional Seed . There was also the True Sky Faction , The Lunar Tribe , Void Beasts , and god knows what else to worry about . He couldn’t burn through all his ultimates the moment he set foot on the mountain .

Thankfully it didn’t seem like it would come to that anyway . Zac and the Asura kept fighting in a brutal melee , where the Asura tried to ensnare and incinerate Zac while Zac kept whittling the cultist down with ruthless efficiency .

A thump echoed out as the arm holding the large spear was fell onto the ground , and the Asura was covered in wounds and golden blood by this point . Zac was working quickly and methodically to dismantle him , but he was once more forced back as the Asura started swinging his censer like a lasso before unleashing a massive wave of flames .

Zac sighed in annoyance as he backed away again , his eyes scanning for a weakness in the sea of flames . He hadn’t managed to unleash a killing blow , but not for a lack of trying . It felt like the Asura’s Danger Sense could rival his own , as every time he was about to launch a lethal strike one of the four halos erupted , forcing Zac to back away .

The bishop was on his last legs though . One of the halos had already extinguished after just one minute of heated exchanges , and the remaining three were a lot dimmer compared to before . Each wave of flames was powerful enough to harm Zac , so they were definitely powered by a pretty significant amount of the bishop’s remaining life-force . A couple of waves more and he might not even be able to keep standing .

Zac shot forward again , and he caught a lucky break when the Asura stumbled forward due to exhaustion and blood loss . Zac immediately pounced on the opening , but he realized something was wrong when he saw a ruthless gleam in the Asusa's golden eyes .

Glory to Heaven! - the Asura roared with an otherworldly tone that sounded like a chorus rather than one singular voice , and his arms wrapped around Zac's body in a burst of speed .

Over a hundred screams echoed out from all over the battlefield the next moment , and the sun above their head turned almost blindingly radiant . The halos behind the bishop's back turned horizontal as they rapidly started expanding , and the sun above their head started falling apart as the halos gobbled up the chaotic energies . Zac immediately tried to get out of the bearhug , his struggles only turning more violent as his Danger Sense kept growing in volume .

He was caught in an extremely tight embrace , but he was still able to move his right arm somewhat . It allowed him to unleash a furious barrage at the midriff of the asura , and he suddenly felt a surge of Cosmic Energy enter his body as the bishop was hacked in two . However , Zac's eyes widened in shock when the death of the cultist leader had no impact on the halos growing above their heads .

Retreat! - Zac roared in case any of his soldiers were in the vicinity as he untangled himself from the corpse of the bishop .

However , he personally stayed behind as his Specialty Core activated . Transforming in the middle of a battlefield was a risky move , but he couldn’t deal with the current situation in his human form . If the bishop’s final attack was allowed to go off , it might collapse the whole section of the mountain . It was instilled with all the remaining life-force of the asura , along with what Zac suspected the life-force of the hundred soldiers who just screamed with pain .

Some fractal leaves wouldn’t cut it against something like that ; he needed to bring out his big guns .

He was making a bet ; that his transformation would be quicker than the final attack of the Bishop . The three remaining halos kept expanding , and Zac couldn’t help but panic as he saw them expanding toward where battles still raged . But the transformation finally completed , and Zac instantly stomped down on the ground . The fortifications of Profane Seal] sprung up the next moment , sealing the growing halos inside .

Fifteen spectral chains started slamming into the radiant flames , but the halos were just too full of power . The chains couldn’t even get near them , let alone damage them . Still , Zac kept infusing more and more Miasma into the skill to keep the lashing going . He hoped that every slam would weaken the halos a bit , which would make it easier to contain the final eruption .

As for Zac himself , he saw no reason to stay inside the cage . The chains of Loves Bond] wound themselves around a Memorysteel cliff next to the closest gate , and Zac threw himself out through a small opening in the door he created . The Miasmic gate closed behind him , just in time before an apocalyptic explosion erupted inside .

Cracks spread across the gates and the towers of Profane Seal] , and the dome in the sky fluctuated wildly from the pressure . It looked like he tried to contain a sun . Zac infused more and more Miasma into the skill , but he knew that it was just a matter of time before it fell apart .

Just five seconds later the miasmic cage crumbled , and a sea of fire so dense that it had essentially turned into a liquid rolled toward him . Zac's skill had absorbed most of the kinetic force of the blast , but much of the raw energies remained . Zac could only grit his teeth and conjure Immutable Bulwark] and expand it as much as he could .

The skill turned into an indomitable wall that towered twenty meters into the sky . But his Seed of Sanctuary had unfortunately been used to create the Fragment of the Bodhi , meaning that he was no longer able to turn it into a huge protective dome-like before . A series of earthen walls suddenly appeared to the sides of his barrier though as one Anointed after another appeared .

A scorched and bloodied Billy also appeared before he slammed his club into the ground , which caused a series of jagged metal spikes to block off part of the heat . Finally , a towering wall of shadows rose behind Zac , making it harder for anyone to spot Zac's transformation . Their help was enough to create a long enough wall to contain the flames , and they raged just for half a minute before they finally ran out of steam .

The sounds of battle were growing more and more sparse as well , and Zac even heard the sound of hundreds of drones flying about , blasting the ground with their powerful lasers . If Kenzie had gone through the portal their people had mostly reached the mountain already , and with the bishop gone and the remaining cultists exhausted , things would be settled soon enough .

The question was what he should do next , and his eyes turned toward the huge metal sphere hanging in the sky .

Chapter 633 : The Gift of Life

Ibtep took a deep breath before activating the teleportation array . They had spent the last two days traveling from hive to hive to better prepare for their mission . Zachary Atwood’s warnings had made Ibtep worry that their preparations weren’t enough , so they had gone ahead and collected another ten billion Nexus Coins just in case .

Of course , this also put Ibtep under even greater pressure , as more and more Zhix knew of their goal . Ibtep didn’t know whether they would even dare return if they failed . Ibtep would definitely get hanged by their antennae as a warning to young warriors , their precious larvae farm scorched to the ground .

But Ibtep was ready . They had gone through all the wise teachings of Nonet's predecessor and their backpack bulged with preparations meant to tackle every scenario . They had even brought their tastiest grubbies this time , each of them full of flavor and energy . Even a vaunted otherworlder should be impressed by such fine specimen , no?

Ibtep touched their hand against the large Nexus Hub , their heart beating with a mix of fear and excitement . As far as Ibtep knew , they would be the first Zhix to ever set out from their home planet . Who knew , perhaps songs would even be written about this journey in the future? A screen appeared , and they unhesitantly pressed the button that would activate the teleportation to a place called - Zerathar’ .

The talisman in their hand started buzzing , and the Nexus Hub emitted a deep pulse that somehow swallowed Ibtep’s surroundings . The grand structure housing the crystal disappeared , as did the doorway to the outside . Remaining was only darkness . The dark only lasted for an instant though as an energy pillar of unimaginable power shot out of the crystal , stretching out into eternity .

Ibtep’s mouth widened into an - o’ . The Seeker in their heart wanted to properly study the marvel , but they hurriedly jumped into the pillar in case it only lasted for a short while . Ibtep found themselves hurtling through the darkness , shot through who knows how great a distance . It felt extremely novel at first , but even Ibtep started to get bored after ten minutes had passed .

Just how far was this place?

Their wait was soon over though as the darkness was finally replaced with a flash of light , and Ibtep found themself in a beautiful garden . Ibtep was immediately transfixed as they looked around . Not only was the Corruption , no Cosmic Energy , of unmatched density in this stretch of paradise , but even the sky was different than anything Ibtep had seen before .

Rivers of light ran flowed across the firmament , showering the plants and the ground in a warm light . Ibtep could actually see some fishes jumping about in the river , somehow ignoring the laws of gravity . Even some of the plants seemed to be able to float in the air , forming small pockets of greenery bobbing about .

Calls of various critters echoed across the gardens , but they created a beautiful melody rather than a discordant cacophony . Ibtep couldn’t be sure , but they actually felt it was by design . Ibtep stood transfixed in place , a storm of emotions wafting over them . This was it , what their somewhat surly brethren disregarded in favor of normalcy and tradition . The sense of adventure , the beckoning call of the unknown .

Ibtep was doubly happy to have taken on this mission . How would they ever encountered such a marvelous place otherwise? It wasn't just like soup for the soul , but Ibtep even realized they had actually gained a level just from breathing in the aromatic atmosphere . Granted , some of the boost came from the unique properties of their Seeker-class , where visiting new places gave a boost .

But Ibtep had never gained energy anywhere close compared to what they gained just now just by standing around for a few seconds .

Move , you’re in the way , - a gruff voice echoed out from behind , prompting Ibtep to jump up in a scare .

A large humanoid with six arms glared at Ibtep as he passed , but he didn’t do anything further as they left along a cobblestone path . Each step took the cultivator hundreds of meters , and he was gone in an instant . Ibtep breathed out in relief , realizing they had forgotten themselves . Zachary Atwood had warned about the dangers of this place , and an example had presented itself so quickly .

The six-armed warrior was powerful , shockingly so . Ibtep’s antennae had been completely overwhelmed when the man passed by , and they could only guess that the man was in the peak of E-grade at the least , or likely even higher . It was shocking . A random chance encounter in this place had put them face to face with a being more powerful even than the greatest Anointed or Zachary Atwood himself .

A sudden cough drew Ibtep’s attention , and only then did they realized that there was another person close-by . It was a human , and she looked at Ibtep with a slightly crooked smile , seemingly hesitant whether she should talk with them .

Hello , I am Ibtep . May I ask the directions to the Zethaya Hive? - Ibtep asked as they walked up to her .

The Zethaya clan? This whole building is part of the Zethaya Pill House , Zerathar Branch… - the guard hesitantly said as she looked Ibtep up and down .

Ibtep knew that look all-too-well . She was no doubt hoping for a bribe . Ibtep grimaced in reluctance , but they still decided to follow their guts . First impressions were important .

Thank you , my friend . For your troubles , - Ibtep said as they placed one of their finer larvae in the human’s hand .

The guard’s eyes were wide with shock as she looked down at the squirming critter in her hand , and Ibtep inwardly groaned , realizing they might have overtipped this time . Not only were these little critters delectable , but they might even be extremely rare in this part of the universe . Ibtep needed to remember Zachary Atwood’s warnings . It was dangerous to show off one’s wealth in a place like this .

Ah… I . . Thank you? - the guard said as she gingerly held the larvae . She found her bearings soon enough though and indicated the same road that the six-armed man earlier walked . - The main lobby is just down this road . Seeing as young master came through the private teleporter , a personal liaison will help you during your visit . -

Ibtep nodded in thanks before walking down the path , their eyes curiously peering back and forth . Normally they would have stayed behind and asked the helpful human all the questions that had appeared in their mind , but now was not the time . The mission came first .

Only after a few minutes did Ibtep actually understand what the guard meant about this place being part of the pill house . They weren’t actually outside , but rather inside a building of enormous proportions . The rivers in the sky , and the sky itself , were artificial , like carvings of hive-artisans . This place gave a lot warmer feeling than the dour interiors of the base Lord Atwood and the Anointed were exploring though .

But it begged the question ; were all otherworlder houses this big? Did they have claustrophobia , the odd condition Ibtep learned about from Emily?

Ibtep eventually reached another part of the massive structure , this one a large hall full of people . Thousands of people , some of them radiating almost blinding power . Even the weakest of them seemed to be in the middle E-Grade , but many were far stronger . Ibtep could immediately sense at least twenty who most likely had reached the next step on the road of cultivation ; D-grade .

The scene quickly subdued Ibtep's excitement , and some worry crept into their heart . Anyone in this hall could kill them with a wave of their arm , was this mission even possible to complete?

Young Master , welcome to the Zethaya Pill House , - a man suddenly said , the sudden sound causing Ibtep to jump a few meters in fright . - Ah , my apologies . May I ask what requirements Young Master have today? -

Ibtep turned around and saw a middle-aged male human standing in front of them . He had a short black beard and wore a set of wide robes that made Ibtep think of the acolytes who served the Anointed and prepared the rites of the hives .

This man was far more powerful than the clerics of the Zhix though , and Ibtep guessed him to be in the late stages of E-grade . However , he didn’t emit the same type of oppressive pressure as Lord Atwood or the three great Anointed , but rather a soothing aura that made Ibtep think of the moss gardens back home .

I was sent by Zac Piker , - Ibtep said as they took out the second token Lord Atwood had provided . - He sent me here because we require the aid of a skilled alchemist .

Zac Piker… - the man muttered like he was tasting the name in his mouth as he accepted the token with both hands . His eyes suddenly widened in shock as his eyes turned to Ibtep . - AH? It’s him? -

The man had been very courteous before , but Ibtep almost felt like a warlord being led through a conquered hive as the man suddenly ushered them through the large building as a wide smile donned his face . The liaison kept introducing the various facets of the Zethaya hive , and what sort of services they offered on the different floors .

May I ask how Lord Piker is doing? He disappeared from the Tower of Eternity quite suddenly from what I heard , - the man suddenly asked as they entered a secluded hall with a dense earthy smell .

My lord regrets he cannot come in person . He evolved some time ago and is now focusing on consolidating his cultivation by taking control of a Mystic Realm , - Ibtep dutifully said .

Oh? - the middle-aged man thoughtfully nodded as he led Ibtep into a secluded room with a view of the garden with the flying rivers . - As expected of a hero reaching the ninth floor of the Tower of Eternity . His progress is rapid . May I ask what brought you here today? We’ll do our best to fulfill Lord Piker's request . -

Ibtep’s mouth widened in a grin , feeling that knowing a big shot really had its benefits . Now , Ibtep could only pray that these people could find a solution to the plight of the Anointed . They quickly took out the urn holding the Elixir of Anointment and placed it on the table , and the man curiously looked at it .

This is…? - the middle-aged man asked with confusion .

This is the Elixir of Anointment . It is a tonic that will cause a warrior to grow to over twice their normal size and gain massive power for their grade . However , it will make the user unable to cultivate and unable to break through to even E-grade , - Ibtep sighed . - There are over a thousand warriors who have taken this elixir on our home planet , and Lord Piker has sent me here with two goals in mind . -

Technically it wasn’t Zachary Atwood who had sent them , but Ibtep didn’t believe that he would mind Ibtep using his name in a way like this .

An Army Serum , - the middle-aged man hummed . - What is Lord Piker's wish? -

First of all , find a way for those who underwent the Rite of Anointment to keep progressing on the path of cultivation . And if possible , improve this elixir to remove its demerits , - Ibtep said , their heart beating quickly as they looked at the middle-aged man with hope in their eyes .

I understand , - the man nodded as he took out a token and infused it with energy . - I have called one of our resident Master Alchemists to take a look at the serum you’ve brought . He’ll be able to give a preliminary estimation . -

An old man entered the room a bit later , and Ibtep immediately found themself almost unable to breathe from the shocking pressure the man emitted . However , just as quickly as the pressure came , it suddenly disappeared , allowing Ibtep to breathe out in relief .

Master Wamon , - the liaison said with a bow . - A friend of young master Boje requires assistance , Lord Piker of the 9th floor . He has sent his acquaintance here to seek our help . -

The brows of the old man named Wamon rose , and he slowly nodded in understanding as he looked at the urn on the table with a curious glimmer in his eyes .

Have you encountered any problems so far? an aged voice suddenly emerged in Ibtep's head as their antennae vibrated uncomfortably . This little insectoid is just a child , but the main branch has deemed that little lunatic as a Tier 2 personage . We cannot bear the burden if we create a grudge with such an unlucky star .

I ushered the messenger straight here , he should only have talked with the guard at the teleporter , the voice of the liaison answered .

What was going on? Were these two talking with their minds? And why were their words completely exposed as though they were talking out loud? Ibtep couldn't imagine they were aware of them listening in , and they made sure to keep their face impassive . One of the orders of Lord Atwood was to sound out the situation on the outside , and wasn't this the perfect opportunity?

The two kept talking in secret as the old man opened the urn and caused a few drops of the elixir to float in the air . Ibtep couldn't be sure , but they guessed that the old Alchemist was observing the compound .

It's a very novel Army Serum , but it seems to be bound to your particular genealogy , - the old man eventually said after ten minutes . - There is much room for improvement , but the second request… I’m afraid that the Zethaya Clan will be unable to help you , - the old Alchemist said .

What you have here is what’s something generally called an Army Serum in the Zecia sector . These kinds of elixirs help forces quickly nurture a large number of low-grade warriors with strong offensive powers . But these serums always have huge drawbacks , the most common being the one you mentioned ; not being able to break through , - Wamon said . - There are Army Serums that will allow one to break through to E-Grade , but those are strictly controlled by C-Grade forces . For us to evolve this serum to such a level… Would require the grand elders of the Zethaya Clan , and it would have geopolitical implications . I’m afraid that’s far beyond this little branch . -

So there is no hope? - Ibtep sighed , their antennae drooping with disappointment .

We might not be able to help you improve this formula , but we can help you with the other request , - Wamon smiled .

Oh? -

We can create an - antidote’ based on this elixir , one that would allow your people to cultivate and break through again . However , you should understand that this type of antidote isn’t perfect . Those who take it are unlikely to become proper Cultivators , and reaching D-Grade is highly unlikely . Most importantly ; most of the power they gained from taking this serum will be stripped away when taking the antidote , - the old man said . - But it will allow them to break through . -

Yes , please . Do that , - Ibtep quickly nodded . - How much does an antidote cost? -

This is a small matter , the clan would be upset if they learned we charged the friend of Lord Piker for something like this . We will analyze this compound and prepare ten thousand doses free of charge , - the alchemist said . - Incidentally , young master Boje wanted to present some small gifts to Lord Piker in case he appeared in this branch , but we do not know what he requires . Would young master Ibtep perhaps know what he desires? -

Ibtep forcibly stilled their fast-beating heart before thinking back to their interactions with Lord Atwood since the time they first met . This was important , and a way for Ibtep to both make use of months of observation while also giving back to Zac! So , what did Zac desire? Zachary Atwood was mostly busy killing things all over the planet , so that should be his biggest interest . Unfortunately , there were no good gifts to give in that regard .

But he had shown a predilection for something else .

The first time Zac set out from his island out he came back with Emily , the one he called his mascot and who now lived in his private compound . The second time he came back with almost a hundred young females , all of them beautiful according to human standards . The third time he came back with his kin and two more young females . There was also the one called Thea Marshall , along with the odd alien Verana Tir’Emarel .

Lately , his speed of collecting females had decreased , but that was understandable considering how busy he was . Besides , perhaps his requirements were increasing as his powers grew?

Ibtep had spent a lot of time learning about human culture , and this behavior was clearly out of the norm considering the standard human coupling was a monogamic pairing . It was a unique desire of Zachary Atwood . This was perfect . Zachary Atwood had given the Zhix the gift of life , the continuation of their culture through arranging this meeting . This way Ibtep could give the gift of life right back .

Lord Piker likes younger females , - Ibtep said , making the two humans freeze . - The hundreds he has are not good enough . If you can get the word out that the Lord is looking for better ones to take his seed , I am sure he will be most grateful . -

Chapter 634 : Seals

The last remnants of the bishop’s suicidal attack eventually dissipated , which allowed Zac and the others to deactivate their defensive skills . With the bishop down the battle was all but over , and there were two options to Zac at the moment ; go with his army for a while or immediately set off toward the top of the mountain .

Ah , why do you smell weird? - Billy suddenly said as he stepped closer to Zac , dragging him out of his musings .

Might be because the guy I fought smelled? - Zac smiled as he activated his Specialty Core once more .

Haha! Just like Billy when Billy was fighting the ratlight . Billy made Nigel puke once by standing ten meters away . But Billy will not puke even if you smell like a corpse , - Billy laughed , but he suddenly gave a start . - Ah? You smell normal again? -

Crazy world , different smells , - Zac shrugged , prompting Billy to sagely nod in agreement .

Of course , it was simply Zac having returned to his human form again . His actions might have been spotted even with Ogras’ shadow wall , but everyone was busy fighting their own battles . Most people would probably guess that he had used some death-attuned talisman from the Undead Incursion if they even realized the skills were wrought with Miasma .

That wasn’t an accident . Zac had already let his Valkyries spread rumors about him finding all kinds of death-attuned treasures when taking out the Lich King . He knew that his excuses weren’t perfect and that people would sooner put two and two together about the identity of Mr . Black . This way he would hopefully be able to create some misdirection though , which was only helped by the fact of how outlandish the truth was .

The Anointed next to him were obviously not as easily tricked due to their extremely sharp senses , but they didn’t comment on the situation either .

A scream in the distance reminded Zac of the situation , and he could only table the matter for now . He still had some energy left in the tank , and while this battle was a rare opportunity for his people to improve through battle , he didn’t want his elites to die at a place like this .

Let’s finish things up before deciding our next step , - Zac said , and the Anointed nodded in agreement .

Zac immediately set off , and the remaining pockets of fierily resisting zealots were cut apart in seconds wherever he appeared . Explosions quickly started to rock the area as the cultists realized that it was over and decided to blow themselves up . His people were thankfully already used to the crazed conviction of the Church of Everlasting Dao , so very few soldiers were killed from those final blasts .

It took just ten minutes until the battle was over , with not a single cultist remaining . Zac had tried to capture a few to question them about the whereabouts of their leaders , but they simply blew themselves up without hesitation the moment he got close .

The battle had been pitched even with the advantage of Zac providing aid . The cultists were not only higher leveled than most , but they had better heritages as well . Their skills more powerful and they were also better trained . If it wasn’t for the large number of Anointed steamrolling everything and smashing their cooperation , the losses would have been way worse .

But even with the advantages of Zac himself brought along with the activation of Judgment] , over three hundred elites had fallen in the battle . His people were simply too tired after the mad dash to the mountain . They had lost at least two hundred soldiers who ran out of energy , and many of those who made it were just hanging on by a thread . They weren’t in any condition to fight , and many were killed even if they stayed in the back .

Everyone , rest up for an hour , - Zac said as he looked across the harried army . - I know you’re tired , but we need to gather those Spatial Seals if we want to get out of this place . -

The soldiers’ faces relaxed from relief when they heard that they could finally rest , and most plonked down on the ground where they stood , not caring whether they were sitting right next to a corpse or a patch of burning metal . Everyone quickly closed their eyes and started absorbing energy from Nexus Crystals .

The ambient energy wasn’t actually bad on the mountain ; on the contrary , it even eclipsed the energy back on his island . It looked like all the Cosmic Energy of the Mystic Realm had been gathered in one spot , which benefitted the survivors greatly .

Zac was about to sit down and rest as well , but he sensed a familiar aura approaching . His heart lurched for a bit , but he quickly found his bearings before turning around with a smile .

Hey , - Thea smiled .

Zac was about to answer , but he forgot himself and his smile froze when he saw Thea’s state . She had thick dark circles under her eyes , to the point that it almost looked like she had two black eyes . Her hands and face were covered in burns , and her aura was fluctuating worryingly .

One of her arms was limply hanging to her side , and her battlesuit was drenched in blood . It was no wonder he had only seen Thea releasing a single attack at the beginning of the battle . She had clearly pushed herself beyond her limits even before he arrived . After all , she was still in the F-Grade and didn’t have the benefits of the energy reserves that reaching E-grade brought through the easily-gained levels .

Zac’s hurriedly flashed over and grabbed her by her waist before he flashed away again . A few quick steps took them to a secluded spot behind a Memorysteel cliff , and he carefully set her down on one of his cultivation mats .

Are you okay? - he said with worry as he quickly took out a couple of Soul Crystals and healing pills .

Her physical wounds didn’t seem too bad , though Zac knew she didn’t have his neigh-unkillable constitution . Her unstable aura was a lot worse , as it usually meant her soul was wounded or overdrafted .

I’ll be fine , I’m just a bit wrung dry , - Thea sighed as she gratefully accepted the Soul Crystals .

Just rest up , we’ll talk later , - Zac said as he sat down next to her .

Zac himself was in a much better state than Thea . His energy reserves were running a bit low , but physically he was fine apart from some burns and minor wounds . He would be back to full strength in just a few hours . As for Thea , he wasn’t so sure . He feared it might take weeks , even months for her to get back to perfect condition .

He didn’t want to disturb her at this moment , so the two sat next to each other in silence and focused on recuperation . Of course , Zac wasn’t in as wretched a state as Thea , so he took the time to take stock of the situation while absorbing Cosmic Energy .

The first thing he noticed was that a brand had appeared on the top of his right hand , shining with a grey light as it emitted spatial fluctuations . His first reaction was that the Asura had left some sort of dangerous mark on him at the end , but he quickly discarded that thought . It was clear that the - flavor' for the rune on his hand was completely different compared to the heritage of the Church of Everlasting Dao .

Besides , he noticed that Thea had an identical mark on her hand , and he quickly realized what was going on . He had gained a Spatial Seal sometime during the battle . However , he couldn’t remember seeing that seal on the bishop’s hand . So either he got it from one of the soldiers he killed afterward , or it could somehow be hidden .

However , considering how bloodthirsty the System was , Zac doubted that it would let people obfuscate the fact that they were in possession of a ticket out of this place .

It was a relief to see that both he and Thea were safe for the moment , and that relief only increased when he opened his quest screen . His quest had actually increased to (738/3000) in progression , meaning that this battle had actually progressed his quest by almost 25% . It proved that it shouldn’t be too hard to complete the quest .

The Zealots might have reached the mountain pretty early considering how soon they managed to start collapsing bridges , but they seemed to have focused on taking out the competition rather than gathering Seals from the way it looked . Even then a majority of them owned a seal from the looks of it .

Only after fifty minutes did Thea stir , prompting Zac to look over .

I thought we lost you guys for a second there , - Thea said with a weak smile .

Well , if it’s one thing I’m good at , it’s staying alive , - Zac laughed . - I’m glad you’re okay as well . About before… -

I’m sorry , I shouldn’t have done that when things were so chaotic , - Thea said , her eyes flickering .

No , I’m glad you did , - Zac said as he put his hand on hers .

Her mouth quirked upward a bit as her lithe fingers entwined with his .

Shameless couple , - a teasing snort suddenly emerged from the shadows .

You again , - Thea muttered before she turned to Zac . - If he was half as strong as he is annoying , he would have routed those cultists by himself . -

I hate to be the bearer of bad news , but there isn’t really time for you to take a romantic time-out , - the demon said , ignoring Thea’s jab .

What’s going on? - Zac asked with a frown as he got up with a grunt .

Your sister and the scientists have made some measurements . This place will last three more days at the most . The seed is continuously accumulating energy inside that globe in the sky . The dimension won’t be able to take it any longer than that , - Ogras said . - As for whether the treasure is already ripe for the plucking or not , who’s to say? -

Three days , - Zac frowned as he looked up at the massive moon hovering above the mountain peak .

We tried ascending the mountain before , - Thea said as she followed his gaze . - There is a weird pressure that increases the further up we go . Most people won’t make it past the halfway point . I’d say you need the strength of an E-Grade warrior to reach the peak . -

It will probably take half a day to reach the Seed from our position , perhaps even more if there are complications inside the sphere , - Ogras added .

I’ll stay with our people… For now , - Zac said without hesitation . - We’ll follow the same general plan as before . We’ll circulate the mountain to look for the Dominators while harvesting Seals . -

What? Why? - Ogras exclaimed with confusion . - There’s no guarantee that the one to first to reach the Dimensional Seed will get it , but it won’t hurt our chances . That insect bastard is probably up there as well by now . The same goes for that leader of the cultist lunatics . The real stage of this Mystic Realm isn't on this desolate mountain , it's up there . -

Zac waved his hand , and his quest appeared in front of them the next moment .

Benevolent shepherd , - Ogras muttered before his eyes lit up . - You’re thinking that the Ruthless Heavens wants you to stay down here for a bit? -

Exactly , - Zac nodded . - If the System only wanted me to lead our people here , then it wouldn’t add the requirement to get three thousand seals . I think there is something important left to do down here . It's not like I have to keep completing the quests , but my main goal ultimately isn't the Dimensional Seed . It's dealing with the threats to earth before the three days are up . -

Alright . . . What about the other natives? - Ogras asked .

Ignore them if we can . They all have their strengths , especially the Lunar Tribe . They’ll be a pain in the ass to deal with here , but we can slowly deal with them after we exit this place , - Zac slowly said .

What if there are too few of these seals? - Thea asked as she looked down at her hand . - We didn’t really have the time to scout around too much when we dealt with that squad of cultists , but they aren’t exactly littering the ground . -

If there are too few seals to go around , we’ll target the Lunar Tribe , - Zac slowly said . - They have already proven hostile to our faction , and I’m guessing that they will hold the most seals anyway . Honestly , I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ll target the Cartava survivors and Gemlings for their seals . We might be able to reap all the rewards after they have exhausted themselves . -

Nothing like harvesting some ill-gotten gains , - Ogras grinned with a ruthless gleam in his eyes .

How’s your condition? - Zac asked , changing the subject as he inspected the demon . - It didn’t work? -

Zac wasn’t asking without reason . The demon had clearly changed since they last met , but not necessarily for the better . Ogras had essentially turned monochrome by this point , the last red tint of his patterned skin gone . Had that serum perhaps accelerated the transformation into a shadow creature?

I’m just dandy , - Ogras grinned . - In fact , never felt better . That bastard is thoroughly subdued , at least for now . -

Good , - Zac nodded as he stood up . - Let’s go talk with the others . We'll take our people for one final push before we climb the mountain . -

Chapter 635 : Bad Omens

Hekruv Vira sighed as he looked out at the remaining droplets of light that lit up the void like fireflies at the end of their flight . Another one had just winked out , no doubt because of the energy finally running out . They had built a hundred arks just in case , but now just three remained .

One could argue that the losses didn’t quite match up to the numbers , considering the remaining arks only survived did thanks to powerhouses infusing them with their power . But it could also be seen as an abject failure in the sense that their old , weak , and sometimes young , had all been sacrificed while the powerful saved themselves .

A shudder wracked the whole lifeboat , and the passengers didn’t dare breathe as they looked at the barriers keeping the void at bay . They had held again , but everyone knew it was just a matter of time . Hekruv glanced at the enormous sphere above the mountain before his eyes turned to the pulse that rippled out toward eternity .

One thing good about that shockingly powerful treasure awakening was that most of the Void Beasts were forced away or downright killed by the spatial fluctuations that grew more and more intense .

The downside was obviously that their arks were caught in this subdimension , unable to find any rifts in space to escape through . Those fluctuations had crushed them all , and Hekruv wouldn’t be surprised if the energy emanations would have great repercussions even on the surface dimensions .

But this was no time to worry about the outside world . They first needed to grasp their final shot at survival . Their vessels were meant to escape through the edges of the mystic realm , but now they had almost reached the core .

Just a little bit more .

What is this interference?! - Voridis roared with fury as his Cosmic Vessel once more was thrown out from the hidden dimension , small cracks covering its hull .

He was so close that he could taste it . The swirls of fate suffused the whole region . A few more jumps and he would be able to pinpoint the planet .

Master , the ship will not survive another jump according to the readings , - a wet , slightly gurgling voice said . - The spatial fluctuations are too powerful . -

Voridis looked at the wretched state of his - disciple’ with a frown . It was extremely lucky that he reached Seed 7 before reaching the main target , the world inhabited by Zachary Atwood . Some things could only be discovered by experimentation , and there were clearly some issues with his original plan .

The fulcrum’s soul was supposed to be a conduit , but the forces ripped it apart much too quickly , quickly turning it all into a chaotic mix of discordant wills and Karma . It made the bridge between the fate of the world and Voridis too fragile , and he had only managed to get a taste of it before the connection was cut .

Voridis had barely managed to salvage a small piece of the rapidly dissipating energies as the world died , but that morsel was utterly insufficient to allow him to form a world of his own . He had instead used it to perform a series of tests with the help of his new little follower , Vasidas Medhin .

It was lucky that Voridis didn't follow his first instinct to extract his soul and discard him as he originally meant to when planning this whole undertaking . He had come to realize that such an action might have led to unexpected troubles . After all , his whole plan was only made possible by utilizing the Dao of Karma to form a master-disciple bond with his beacons .

Most things could be circumvented , but it was often easier to just follow the Dao . Killing his disciple would sever karma , but doing so might actually break his connections to his other beacons .

Luckily , the dynamics of discipleship was not something that was etched in stone . Wasn’t allowing your follower to enjoy the effects of your experiments a way to nurture your successor? If Vasidas happened to have some adverse reactions that showcased the faults of the experiments , wouldn’t that be the best for everyone involved so that the master could correct his wrongs?

A stroke-like shudder wracked Vasidas which brought Voridis out of his musings . The young man's demeanor had changed , and Vasidas hatefully stared at his master like he wanted nothing more than to rip him apart and eat his flesh .

It looked like the fulcrum's remnants had appeared again .

Just how do you keep appearing? - Voridis muttered with a mix of curiosity and exasperation . - You should have been annihilated by the storm of Fate . -

He waved his hand the next moment and suppressed the remnant soul , allowing his disciple to regain his mental faculties . Voridis didn't believe that such an issue would prove a problem for himself , considering the vast difference in power between himself and Zachary Atwood , but he had still perfected the filtering system to make sure too much remnant wills didn't enter his world .

Some corruption was bound to appear when subverting fate , but as long as he held the supreme will , it should be slowly salvageable . He would break through and immediately eat his prepared longevity medicine . The additional eons of lifespan would be enough to figure out his next step .

Have the golems start repairs , - Voridis muttered . - I'll take the opportunity to make some more calculations . I might be able to reach the planet in a single jump based on the accumulated Karma in this region . Hopefully , the spatial turbulence will calm down by the time I'm done . If not , we'll have to simply break through . -

I'll arrange it , - Vasidas quickly said and shuffled toward the warehouse housing the repair golems .

Voridis took a deep breath as he gazed out in the beyond . The heavens were shifting , and he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of urgency .

Galau sighed as he put down the damaged piece of armor before making some notations in his ledger . What was it with pirates and fake inscriptions? Every fake rune he encountered felt like a loss of wealth , like he had been tricked somehow .

Why so glum? - a laughing voice asked . - Being a junior quartermaster isn’t quite the same as becoming a merchant , but it should beat being tortured to death for information? -

Galau looked up to see his new friend of circumstance . His purple hair had been cut into a mohawk that was made into a thick braid that reached down to his neck . Galau couldn't understand why he had done something that weird . Not that it looked bad , but it was a very popular hairstyle among the pirates .

Was Average trying to get himself killed on the chaotic battlefields?

I just thought about the unpredictability of fate . How different my life would be if I didn't sit down at that table , - Galau wryly smiled as he put down the ledger keeping track of the spoils of the Muscle Brigade .

This family and their shitty naming sense .

Well , that guy seems to have that effect , - Average grimaced as he sat down on the table . - None of us would be in this scary hellhole if not for him . I would have completed my hunt and returned victoriously , and you would have gone back to your clan to live the rest of your life in obscurity . -

Galau glared at the annoying teenager , but he quickly retracted his ire . Average might still be F-Grade while Galau had broken through , but the combat strength of the two was miles apart . He had learned that all-too-well during the obligatory sparring sessions of the Muscle Brigade .

In fact , I heard from fath- I mean the general , that he might be the reason we’re out here in this desolate sector , - Average added , seemingly not having noticed the scathing look .

What? - Galau asked with confusion . - What does Zachary Atwood have to do with our brigade? -

The Stele of Conflict , - Average said with some fear in his eyes . - That thing is a treasure far exceeding this whole sector . Even its shadow has great repercussions . -

What does that have to do with us? - Galau asked with mounting worry .

He had barely survived his return from the Tower of Eternity and the subsequent escape from his clan . The elders hadn’t wanted to take any chances with scary forces like the Tsarun and Heliophos Clans in the mix , so they planned to simply hand him over and wash their hands clean of the whole situation .

If not for the Peak family he would probably be dead by now . Pretty Peak had honored her agreement , and she sent people to fake his death before sending him far away from his clan . He hadn’t expected for her to send him to the Eternal Legion though , and now just two months later he found himself stuck deep in the unclaimed territories outside the borders of the Allbright Empire .

Galau was now called Gubao , named so by Pretty Peak herself , a junior quartermaster under the logistics department of the Muscle Brigade . It was far from his original goal , but it honestly wasn’t all bad . These war-hungry lunatics kept fighting with pirates and alien life-forms at any chance given , and weird and valuable resources kept flooding through the logistics department in turn .

He had learned more over the past month compared to a whole year in the Base Town . Besides , his assignment was quite safe , and he never left the warship as it sailed through the Million Gates Territory in search of the Empire’s enemies .

Haven't you heard? We’re heading further inside the Million Gates Territory than the Eternal Legion has been for centuries , - Average said with building excitement . - We'll reach a wormhole that should take us deep into the heart of the territory in a month . No support system , no safety nets . Just pure chaos and a million roads to power . -

WHAT?! - Galau screamed as he took a step back , feeling that he had almost been physically assaulted . - Wha… Why? -

I told you . The Stele of Conflict Appeared . The Emperor believes that it was a sign that war is coming . And the first clues have already appeared , - Average shrugged .

Clues? - Galau frowned . - And it's in the middle of the spatial anomalies? -

Exactly! - Average said . - We’re at the forefront of history . Weird spatial fluctuations have been sensed all over the Zecia sector over the past weeks , and they are just increasing in power . The anomalies are particularly powerful in the Million Gates Territory , which isn’t surprising considering how unstable the dimensions are here . -

Galau took a deep breath as he pushed down the mounting panic in his heart . He had already escaped death a few times now , and he knew that he needed to retain his mental faculties if he was to survive this next calamity .

What are we looking for? -

We don’t know , but the timing is too coincidental . The fluctuations are so powerful that some teleportations have failed mid-activation , and Mystic Realms are popping up like mushrooms after rain . We are here to investigate if these changes are manmade , - Average explained .

What does that mean? - Galau asked . This was way beyond his knowledge .

The Emperor fears that a Space Gate is forming , and it’s what causing the anomalies , - Average whispered after making sure no one else was around .

Galau's eyes widened to saucers as he quickly realized the implications . He didn't know much about conflicts between the powerful , let alone wars between sectors . But he did know one thing . The reason that wars between different sectors were so rare was the exorbitant cost of teleportation .

It might not be too much for a C-Grade Monarch to visit a neighboring Sector , though the cost without a token was still quite prohibitive . But to teleport billions of warriors across the vast emptiness of space , and to maintain logistical lines for millennia in a sector-wide war? Impossible . Even the wealthiest Monarchs would become bankrupt before the war even started .

But things changed completely if a Space Gate appeared . It was like a door connecting two points in space , and walking through it didn't cost a dime . Creating one was completely impossible , at least for the factions living in frontier Sectors .

However , they could appear on their own .

Space was malleable , something that was all-too-apparent in a chaotic area like the Million Gates Territory . It was technically possible for a powerful enough wormhole to appear , creating a connection between two different sectors . From there you just needed to stabilize it , and you suddenly had a Space Gate that would likely last for tens of thousands of years until it broke apart .

Stabilizing such a wormhole was extremely expensive , but something that a couple of C-Grade powers could stomach if it allowed them to plunder a whole sector . The Zecia Sector .

And the most likely place for such a wormhole to appear is here , where the spatial barriers are weakened , - Galau said with shock .

Exactly , which means the Albright Empire would be thrust to the frontlines , - Average agreed . - We might be powerful , but we can’t withstand the force of a whole hostile sector . So we must get to the bottom of what’s going on and take proper precautions . -

All because that guy summoned that plaque - ? Galau muttered .

I mean it's not like Zachary Atwood is related to the weird ripples that are destabilizing the Void to the point that a Space Gate might appear , - Average snorted . - But him summoning that Stele is still a pretty bad omen , right? -

Chapter 636 : Shortage

The soldiers were still exhausted after the mad dash over the last hours and subsequent battle , but no one complained when Zac gave the order to set out . Some had already got their hands on a seal through the battle , but it was mostly the Anointed , demons , and Tal-Eladar who were safe by this point thanks to their higher killing efficiency .

Everyone understood the situation ; if they didn’t start hunting for Spatial Seals they’d be dead in a few days .

Did you get your seals from the mountain or killing? - Zac asked Thea as they walked at the front of the army , keeping a brisk pace .

We found them somewhat quickly some ways up the mountain , - Thea answered . - I don’t think they spawn at the foot . The cultists took a long route between the bridges , and they even sent squads of a few hundred up the mountain for two hours at a time while the others worked on destroying the islands . -

Wouldn’t be surprised that the further up the mountain you go , the more seals will appear , - Ogras added from the side . - Especially since the lunatics almost picked the lower layers clean . -

Alright , - Zac said as he changed course , leading the army up the mountain as they walked around it .

The goal was to essentially travel to the opposite side of the mountain in search of the traitor Zhix , but there was no point to stay at the foot . Not only would it mean missing out on extracting seals , but it would also increase the time it would take to reach the area controlled by the gemlings . In fact , with how big the mountain was , it would take way too much time that way . The foot was extremely wide , and only by taking the shortest route would they get there in time to deal with the traitor before the realm collapsed .

Did you find anything else? - Zac asked as they made their way up the mountain .

The Memorysteel mountain had a lot of normal-looking features , like cliffs , ravines , and steep mountain walls . But it also had a distinctly spiraled form , and they made their way up one of the major spirals .

We only spent half an hour exploring before those lunatics started blowing up islands . We rushed toward them the moment we realized what they were up to , - Ogras slowly said . - But we did learn some things . These seals only last for a short while . If no one snatches them within a minute or so they would disappear , and it wouldn't reappear even after we waited for a few more minutes . Things might get chaotic . -

Shit , - Zac sighed and Thea nodded in agreement .

Both of them had clearly come to the same conclusion ; it would be impossible to impose any sort of order on who got the seals . Zac and the other leaders had already discussed setting up an order by lottery for the general population , and Kenzie had even prepared everything in her tablets . But how would it be possible to enforce something like that when the seals appeared and disappeared at random?

They were strapped for time as is , so they couldn't wait around god knows how long for every Spatial Seal . It would go to whoever was closest , and if multiple people found themselves equidistant to a Seal , problems were bound to occur . After all , those seals were the difference between life and death , and who knew how people would act when pushed to the limits .

There , - Ogras suddenly pointed toward a crack in the Memorysteel a few hundred meters away . - We both found our seals in a cave that looked a lot like that . I think they migh- -

Zac grabbed his sister who walked just behind them with her head in her tablet and flashed away before the demon had a chance to even finish his sentence . Of course , he was heading straight for the cave mouth .

Hey! - Kenzie exclaimed as she glared at him with annoyance , but Zac didn’t stop moving .

People might be thinking he was playing favorites , and he definitely was . But Zac didn’t care . They all would be dead already if not for his sister , and he wouldn’t be able to completely focus on the task at hand until her safety was secured . A few steps with Loamwalker] later he reached the entrance , but they only reached a few meters inside before they stopped from surprise .

The cave didn’t exactly look like he had expected .

It was actually a small plot of land , with around a hundred trees sitting on a patch of soil . Of course , the trees were definitely not in their natural habitat . The crowns of the larger trees were broken or pressed right into the roof of the cave , and over a dozen trees had simply fallen over . Their root systems were ripped apart , and it seemed like only a small part of the soil had been moved to this place . The rest might have remained on one of the islands or stuck somewhere else on the mountain .

It looks like a piece of a biodome that has been preserved , - Kenzie said with interest as she looked around .

Zac was a bit surprised that whole sections had survived getting pulled into the mountain like this . But for now , he was more interested in finding a Spatial Seal for his sister . And it didn’t take long before he could spot a slight fluctuation with Cosmic Gaze] .

Come , - Zac said and flashed forward , arriving in front of a normal-looking rock in the middle of the transplanted forest .

The fluctuations were slowly getting stronger , and suddenly there was a small shimmering brand on it , identical to the one on Zac’s hand .

Why did it appear on this specific stone? - Kenzie muttered as she hunched down next to Zac . - It seems to be a completely normal rock , there were millions just like this in the Lunar Forest . -

Try taking it for now , - Zac urged with some anxiety . - Every Seal we miss means one person dying . -

Kenzie nodded and gingerly touched the rock , but both were surprised when nothing happened .

You need to crush it , - Ogras said from behind as he suddenly appeared , and Kenzie quickly followed his instructions as the seal was already flickering like it was about to dissipate .

The stone turned to gravel after Kenzie exerted some pressure on it , and the seal immediately jumped onto her hand . Zac felt a wave of relief as he stood up again , only now having the peace of mind to analyze the situation .

Did you encounter more places like this? With proper patches of land from the base? - Zac asked .

There are some , - Ogras nodded . - Both intact Technocrat rooms and patches of dirt like this one . I’m a bit surprised this cave is fine though . The cultists seemed intent to torch everything since they deemed this place cursed . After taking any Spatial Seals , that is . Guess they missed this one . -

Do you think it’s possible to leave some people here and let them farm the seed one by one? - Zac ventured . - Or do you think that they won't regrow? -

Hard to say , - Ogras shrugged .

I don’t think new ones will regrow . The energy readings in this place are a lot lower compared to before I took it . It’s like the seal was formed by remnant Spatial Energy left in these trees or the soil . I guess the seals are not stable , so they will jump back and forth in the area until someone picks it up . These trees will definitely not regenerate new Spatial Energy though , so there shouldn’t be any more seals appearing in this place , - Kenzie said . - Besides , the Spatial Energy might drift away to other parts of the mountain . -

So if we find spots with higher Spatial Energy we’ll probably find Spatial Seals? - Zac mused .

I'm not able to actually see it , - Kenzie said , and Zac sighed when he realized that it was the same for him . He only spotted the seal when it was actually starting to form .

With how many we need , we’re probably better off spreading along the whole mountain instead , - Ogras said . - The stronger will form a line and trawl the mountain further up , and the weaker ones will stay at the lower layers . That way the strong warriors won’t take the easy-to-snatch seals . -

Some might hide away as soon as they find a seal if we spread out though , - Kenzie hesitantly ventured . - A lot of people are shellshocked . If they find a seal in a hidden cave like this , they might just sit down and wait out the time until the mystic realm falls apart . -

Can you monitor things with your drones? - Zac asked .

Sure , - Kenzie said after some thought as started walking back toward the army . - A bit big-brothery , but whatever . -

It was a bit ruthless to force people to keep going , but they still had a lot of enemies in this place . He both needed more hands to fight , and it wasn't like there was any guarantee that staying behind was any safer than going with the group .

Zac quickly explained Ogras' findings and their plan to the leaders of the respective factions , and everyone in the army was soon informed of the situation . The weaker warriors and the few non-combat cultivators looked especially relieved upon hearing that they wouldn't have to compete with the powerhouses for Spatial Seals .

The group kept ascending for another two hours , at which point the pressure from the mountain was starting to cause some issues for the weaker people . Zac was obviously not even slowed down this far down the mountain , but after walking around for a while he had to say that Thea's earlier estimation might actually be a bit optimistic .

He doubted most people would even make it halfway up the mountain .

Zac was almost certain that it was the System that had arranged the pervasive pressure that covered the mountain . It had created extremely precise layers where the pressure was pretty much identical . Each band was extremely wide , and with the incline , you needed to climb roughly an hour before reaching the next segment .

Of course , Zac would be able to go a lot faster than that , though he would probably be slowed down closer to the peak .

The moment you stepped into the next band , the pressure drastically and instantly increased . Furthermore , the pressure seemed to be somewhat exponential . They had entered the first band after ascending for roughly 10 minutes , and Zac estimated it required around 30 Strength to forcibly endure . Of course , you could use spells , Dao , or other means to block out the pressure if you weren't a Strength-based cultivator .

The second band seemed to require 70 Strength to nullify , and the third roughly 120 . It wasn't too hard to see that there were exactly 18 layers to the mountain , provided that each layer was equally high . If the difficulty kept increasing at this pace , you'd need the equivalent of 600 Strength to withstand the pressure at the halfway point .

And that was just withstanding it . To actually travel with that kind of weight on your shoulders would quickly drain and exhaust most people . Zac guessed that most people would be forced to stay in the third and fourth layers , with just a few entering the fifth to ninth layers to search for Seals . Going higher than that would quickly exhaust your energy , and only a handful would be able to reach the peak .

Zac wasn't too worried for himself . Even a pressure equivalent of 2000 Strength at the peak would only slow him down a bit , but he hoped that this was just a test arranged by the System that wouldn't follow into the sphere in the sky . He really didn't want to fight Void's Disciple while carrying this kind of weight on his shoulders .

The long train of Port Atwood's soldiers soon turned into a wide human chain that moved further and further up the mountain . It took a few hours for everyone to find their suitable altitude , at which point they stopped ascending and instead only moved clockwise around the mountain .

Zac kept constant watch as well , but he had to admit it was slim pickings for seals even after they spread themselves out like this . His quest barely updated once per minute , and most of those who gained seals were those the furthest up at the chain . This obviously didn’t go unnoticed among people , and people tried to forcibly endure the higher layers in hopes of finding a Seal .

But the pressure was simply too pervasive . Anyone who walked further up than they could handle quickly found themselves unable to keep up with the high pace of the group , and falling behind meant they definitely wouldn’t get their hands on a seal .

Zac and the elites who had already gotten their seals walked in step with the army , partly to keep order and partly to explore the large number of caves they encountered . Almost all of the caves at the first four layers were unfortunately looted and burned to a crisp already , but it was clear that the Church of Everlasting Dao had only performed cursory sweeps further up than that .

They had already found some loot from a dozen caves , but they had also found themselves face-to-face with hundreds of battlebots hiding like spiders in a few others .

It looked like the cultists had set out in blitzes where they rushed the first six layers or so , snatching the easy-to-spot seals at the highest layers while ransacking the lower ones . Large swathes above the fifth layers were completely untouched though , and some caves that required some time to cut open the entrance were ignored as well .

Still , it was an undeniable issue that the weaker soldiers were getting too few Seals . As things stood after six hours , the strongest warriors would all be safe as long as they kept going for a day or so , but not even a week would be enough for the weaker cultivators . The cultists had been too thorough , and they had an almost 15-hour headstart on Zac's group .

They had probably cleaned out the lower layers of at least a third of the mountain , and those easily-attained seals had already fallen into the hands of his own elites by now . The other factions who had made it to the mountain were probably frantically looting the lower layers as well , leaving just those impossible-to-attain Seals behind .

It really looked like they would have to fight and kill for Seals no matter if you were talking about completing his quest or finding a path of survival for his people .

Chapter 637 : Treasure Mountain

There was not much Zac could do to help his people , apart from urging them forward toward parts of the mountain that were hopefully not picked clean . He did consider turning the around more than one time , instead heading in the direction of the Lunar Tribe . There was no way the cultists had picked the lower layers clean in that direction .

But Zac quickly gave up on that idea . Not only were the Lunar Tribe in that direction , but also the Cartava Clan and presumably the second Cultist group considering they had already infiltrated the werewolves . Forcing their way through that direction would result in massive losses , when they could instead hurry toward the opposite side of the mountain where the traitor Zhix hopefully waited .

If they still hadn't found enough seals after dealing with the Zhix problem , they could consider their next move .

It was not only bad news all around though . While the weaker people in the army suffered under the immense pressure of an uncertain future , the elites were actually having impressive gains . The middle layers were a lot more intact compared to the lower ones , probably because the cultists didn’t have time to properly loot .

The plan of the Church of Everlasting Dao was no doubt to blow up every single island before turning toward the riches on the peaks , but Zac and his people had cut that strategy short . So that left those in Zac's army who already had a Spatial Seal with ample opportunities to line their pockets .

Zac became more and more sure that the System had a hand in forming the mountain as the hours passed . There were not only clear delimitations of the layers , but the rewards were similarly spread out . Even discounting the cultists’ locust-like approach , the upper parts of the mountain clearly held better things .

The caves held all kinds of valuables , most of which seemed untouched even by the natives . Zac was currently standing in a cave on the 11th layer , and the pressure was strong enough to turn a mortal into mush . But the neatly lined-up bushes in front of him were completely unruffled in such an environment , and their leaves somehow rustled by themselves , creating a bell-like tolling that was amplified in the cave .

He had no idea what these bushes , or their small yellow berries , were , but they were obviously something that was intentionally grown judging by how uniform the rows were . Zac sighed in disappointment that he didn’t possess a Herbalist Bag , a type of Spatial Tool where you could store plants without killing them , but taking the bushes as is was still a good harvest .

Both his affinity to nature through Forester’s Constitution] and his very cells told him that these berries were something good , and even the leaves seemed to contain quite a bit of energy . Perhaps they could be used in medicinal baths or as feed for spiritual beasts , so Zac immediately went to work .

For the first time in a while , Zac used his axe as a lumbering tool rather than a tool for slaughter , and one bushel after another entered his Spatial Ring . He definitely wasn’t lacking space , so Zac swept through the whole cave like a locust , leaving not even the energy-rich soil behind .

Zac exited a moment later , and after confirming there were no issues with the army started looking for the next cave to hit . There were the occasional deserters who needed to be whipped into shape in the beginning , but the Zhix were more than happy to take on that role . They saw that sort of behavior as the highest form of dishonor , and after they had dragged a few cowardly cultivators by their feet back to the army , almost no one dared to sneak away any longer .

Zac’s eyes scanned the surroundings as he jogged back and forth between the 11th and the 9th layers , and his eyes lit up when he spotted a burst of nature-attuned energies spreading out like a plume a few hundred meters ahead . There were definitely more spiritual plants in that direction . He knew that such an eruption would have been spotted by others though , so he immediately started running forward , each step moving him almost a hundred meters even across the uneven terrain .

But he swore in annoyance when the shadows congealed right at the cave mouth just as he was about to reach the cave .

Too late this time , - Ogras snickered with a grin that almost split his face apart , seemingly taking more pleasure in beating Zac to the cave than getting the treasures within .

Zac could only shake his head and set off again , not wanting to waste a single second just standing around . Especially if that second was watching the demon 'ooh' and 'aah' over the rare herbs . Zac and the other leaders had quickly decided to turn whole caves into first-come-first-serve among Seal Holders , and he wasn't an exception to the rule .

Part of the motivation was to avoid any fighting for resources hidden inside the caves , but the main reason for it was simply to reward people for repeatedly risking their lives in the Mystic Realm . And some people were walking away with pretty massive gains from the looks of it . People were scurrying back and forth among the Memorycliffs with almost manic fervor .

It wasn’t really a loss for Zac to let people take everything they could . There were only so many caves he had time to loot personally , and it was unlikely he would have time to return to these sections later . Better it was used to motivate and power up his people than for it to get lost to the Void in a few days .

The fact that the System didn’t provide any rewards for its area quest wasn’t as surprising any longer . Zac had initially thought it was punishing people for entering a Technocrat Lab . But it had rather dragged all the realm’s riches into the mountain , turning it into a real treasure trove .

The competition to find and reach the caves was fierce , but Zac was powerful enough to freely walk among the higher layers . So his competition was just Ogras and a handful of other elites . He was still keeping a pretty decent distance from the peak though , never going past the 12th layer . Part of the reason was that he was actually losing Cosmic Energy just walking around starting on the 11th layer , and part of it was to quickly be able to help out his people if some problems cropped up .

After all , some people had actually died in the caves after being overeager , and dangerous situations kept popping up one after one .

Most caves and crags were safe , but some held battlebots that started blasting the moment anyone entered . Others held intact technocrat rooms , many of which had the standard defenses . One unlucky cultivator from the Marshall Alliance had actually been completely incinerated by a light beam just like the one the base used to keep the Collector at bay .

There were also stressed-out beasts who had been moved all the way here from different biospheres , hiding in their caves in fright . There were even some plants that were almost as lethal as the Rageroot Oak . So it had almost turned into a lottery what you could find inside the caves by this point , and the Atwood Elites were quickly turning into gambling addicts .

Thankfully the people who had been brought to this place were ultimately professionals , and deaths were pretty rare . Anyone who had survived the integration until this point had multiple ways to stay alive , including methods to scout ahead or determine threats to their lives . If things seemed too dangerous , they could always pass on it and head for the next one .

Kenzie was fast becoming the elite’s best friend , happily sending one of her endless drones into the caves in return for 25% of the loot . A few other scouts provided similar services , but they obviously weren’t able to spread themselves out like Kenzie could with her drone swarm .

Of course , this feeding frenzy was completely separate from those still hunting seals . Those who still looked for seals could enter all caves to take a look , and seal holders would immediately signal if they spotted a seal . Mostly there was no one close enough to snatch it in time because of the distances involved , but it had saved a few people .

Zac soon found another point of interest ; an actual sliding glass door embedded in a sheer cliff wall . It most likely meant it was a piece of a room rather than a biosphere on the other side , but he couldn't see the situation inside because of some sort of smoke . Zac readied himself in case its defenses still worked and walked over to it .

The door didn’t open by itself though , perhaps because the terminal was missing , and Zac was forced to force the sliding door open .

A dense wave of some sort of medicinal aroma hit him almost like a punch the moment a crack opened in the door , and he stopped in his tracks with some worry . But he quickly breathed out in relief after realizing that his cells greedily swallowed the energy in the air . It didn’t seem to be poison , but Zac felt it wasn’t attuned energy either .

He quickly walked inside after marking the door with a Z , making sure others knew it was claimed . Zac immediately closed the doors behind him to not let any of the medicine escape , and a small torrent soon appeared around him as his body greedily absorbed everything it could . Zac couldn’t be sure , but he believed that he had reached a bloodline lab since it felt like every cell in his body was slowly improving thanks to the haze .

Most of the interiors of the room were shrouded in the fog , but there seemed to be at least some Base Power remaining judging by flickering lights in the ceiling . Zac started walking inside , but he stopped after just a second upon realizing that the whole room was flooded to his ankles . He took out an Illumination crystal and bent down , and he immediately saw that it wasn’t water he was standing in .

The liquid was a bit viscous and had a slight greenish tint , and it didn’t take long to realize that it was the source of the thick haze . There were still some medicinal properties remaining , but it was like a medicinal bath by the end of usage . This place probably held some vats before that had cracked when the world shifted .

Zac sighed in disappointment as he looked around . Who knew how much of the medicinal properties were wasted when the liquid started leaking . The compound was clearly not stable , and getting exposed to air seemed to make it dissipate .

At least he knew what was going on , and he activated Hatchetman’s Spirit] after some thought . Visibility was simply too bad because of the fog . A small spiritual forest rose in the mists , and Zac suddenly had a perfect view of the laboratory .

There were no tables with experiments in this place , and neither were there any side-rooms like in the lab he visited before . There still some things of interest though . First of all , was a large pod that could easily fit Zac inside . It stood in the middle of the room , and Zac realized it was filled with liquid when he got close .

However , the liquid inside had a shimmering emerald hue , and its medicinal properties were clearly completely intact in contrast to the stuff on the floor . It almost felt like Zac’s cells were drooling with hunger even though the pod had great sealing capabilities , and he could barely stop himself from forcing a way inside .

Next to the pod were a series of consoles that probably were meant to control and observe the pod . They were slightly submerged like everything else , but they were still working . However , the screens did flicker ominously like they could break down at moment's notice . Zac glanced at the displays , but they were just showcasing dense lines of information he couldn't make heads or tails of .

Finally , two thick tubes were connected to the pod , and they ran to the edge of the room . One of them was connected to a large vat , but it was unfortunately broken . It looked like just part of the lab had been transferred here since the massive container was essentially cut off at the middle .

It was no doubt that the liquid on the ground came from this broken container .

The other tube didn’t extend into a vat , but instead into some sort of machine . Zac couldn’t tell its purpose , partly because of incompetence and partly because the machine was cut-off at the middle just like the large vat . But it all somewhat looked like a dialysis machine since half of a tube ran from the machine to the top of the broken container .

The medicinal liquid would move from the vat into the pod , and the user would absorb the medicinal properties in there . The exhausted liquid would go through the other tube into the machine , where the liquid presumably was infused with more treasures or whatever the medicinal effect came from . This formed a cycle that would keep going as long as one had the materials to run the machine .

The cycle was obviously broken with both vat and infuser being broken , but Zac’s eyes turned to the pod in the middle . It held one last dose of the medicine . The question in Zac's mind was what purpose the pod served . Did it improve the efficacy of the drug , or did it just contain it?

He didn't know if he needed to harvest the whole thing or if he could just siphon out the liquid . His instincts leaned toward the former since Leviala had talked about Bloodline Vats . Just drinking the mixtures in this place didn't seem to be enough , they needed to be stimulated somehow to bring out their effect .

The problem was that he didn't know if he was able to do it without ruining the vat , and Kenzie was a long way down the mountain . Zac looked the pod up and down for almost a minute , trying to figure out a way to cut it out from the ground , but an ominous beeping from the console made him freeze .

An extremely dense cloud of medicinal aroma blasted him a moment later as the hatch on the pod opened , and Zac's eyes widened in horror as he saw a storm of medicinal energy dissipate into the atmosphere .

Zac didn't hesitate even a second before he scrambled into the pod and closed the hatch behind him .

Chapter 638 : Perfection

Zac initially felt reckless for jumping in without thinking things through , but he had pretty much confirmed that the medicinal properties of the liquid were good for him by this point . Seeing as the console was malfunctioning and that the pod was starting up , this might be the last opportunity for him to properly absorb the energy within .

The glaring beeping of the consoles simply disappeared the moment Zac closed the hatch from within . It wasn’t only the console , but it was like he had been cut off from the rest of the universe , placed in a small world of his own . The pod had activated the moment the hatch opened , and it was emitting some sort of low-frequency white noise on top of its excellent isolating capabilities .

The low hum didn’t only help him shut out his surroundings , but even his mind was quickly calmed as he sank into the viscous liquid . It was like the extreme stress from the past days was just blown away , replaced with soothing tranquility . This feeling alone almost made it worth jumping into the pod , as Zac realized he had desperately needed destress .

It wasn’t like he was being hypnotized though . He was in full control of his faculties , and he was constantly observing everything that was going on . The first thing he noticed was that he actually didn’t need to breathe inside the liquid . He was somehow getting oxygen by osmosis of the skin or something similar .

Unfortunately , the amount of medicine his body took in from the liquid around him barely trumped what he gained from walking around in the mist outside . Did he need some sort of method to actually absorb it , like a Body Tempering Manual? If that was the case , then he was out of luck .

But a series of lights suddenly lit up within the pod , showering Zac in a warm yellow glow from both above and below . It was like the liquid came alive a second later as torrential streams of medicinal power entered his pores , spreading through his whole body . But Zac frowned as his body was filling up more and more . A small amount of it entered his cells just like the energy in the mist , but most of it was sort of meandering around .

Even worse , a few seconds later the energy started to move out of his body . It felt like the force had tried to do something as it moved about , but it couldn’t do it alone . A sudden heartbeat caused a ripple to go through the emerald liquid around him as the Void Heart] woke up . The escaping energy froze in its tracks , but it didn’t actually enter his Hidden Node . It just froze like a deer in headlights , neither advancing or retreating .

More and more energy kept pouring in , and his hidden node kept a steady beat to keep the energy inside his body . It was a relief to see that the valuable serum wasn’t wasted , but Zac was quickly starting to feel bloated after just half a minute . The liquid in the pod was still a shimmering green , and Zac understood that if he didn’t do something with the energy soon he would have to leave the pod before he exploded .

The issue was that he didn’t know how to use the accumulated energy to awaken his bloodline . The information he had gathered on the subject until now was somewhat sparse . Hereditary bloodlines could emerge in different ways . Some underwent the first awakening in life-threatening situations like a mid-combat epiphany , whereas others were born with it already awakened .

The less talented or those with hard-to-awaken bloodlines could use Body Tempering Manuals as well , and there were treasures and arrays that could help as well . But none of the missives actually broached how to actually use those treasures or arrays , and it clearly wasn’t enough to float around in the treasure-water around him .

Zac could only think of one solution at the moment , and he decided to fight fire with fire . A small box appeared in his hand , and he quickly shoved its contents into his mouth and quickly swallow .

It was the Blood Nucleus] , the most valuable treasure he had acquired in the Tower of Eternity that didn’t go into the creation of Love’s Bond] . The small rock-like item he had just swallowed was valued at a whopping 20 Billion Nexus Coins , almost rivaling the Pathfinder Oracle Eye that kicked up a storm among the elite scions of the Zecia sector .

It was a risk to swallow a treasure when he was already over capacity of energy in his body , but he felt this was his best opportunity to awaken his bloodline . The odds of finding another intact pod like this felt iffy , especially considering this pod was probably an elite-variant compared to the things the Gemlings had access to in the outer layers .

He needed to take the shot .

A burning surge of power entered his heart a second later , his real heart and not his hidden node . Every beat spread the power of the Blood Nucleus] through his body , from his thick aortic arteries all the way down to his minuscule capillaries . It felt like he had formed a second energy pathway for a moment , with the new one covering every single inch of his body .

The fierce power in the blood soon entered his cells , and it was like they opened their maws like voracious beasts and quickly started absorbing the medicinal energy trapped in his body . In just seconds the feeling of being overstuffed was replaced with a sense of starvations as his body screamed for more . It was a hunger that reached all the way to the soul , endless greed that made Zac's eyes slowly turn red with want .

Almost invisible ripples were released from his body the next moment , and the liquid in the pod started to rapidly lose its color . Soon it was completely transparent , even more so than the leaked liquid on the ground .

Zac was focused inward , though he could barely concentrate over an all-consuming pain that had erupted across his body . The medicinal energy along with the force hidden in the Blood Nucleus] acted like some sort of accelerant for his cells , and the cells split and died over and over . It was like Zac was killed and reborn in an endless cycle , each rebirth taking him a bit closer to perfection .

But the process was slowly tapering down .

It felt he was on the cusp of success , but Zac just needed a push to take him all the way . The problem was that he was out of bloodline treasures . Even worse , the feeling of completion was slowly getting weaker , like he had been building a momentum with the pod and the Blood Nucleus] , but that momentum was fading away , amounting to nothing .

He hesitated for a second , but he eventually took out a Vial full of some mysterious liquid . It was something he had found in the Cosmos Sack of the Second Elder of the Cartava Clan . Normally he would have waited to let Calrin or his Sister analyze the thing , but his instincts told him a huge chance would slip out of his fingers if he didn’t awaken his bloodline at this moment .

Perhaps it was like when one formed one’s Cultivator’s Core . The first attempt was the easiest , but it became exponentially harder the next time if you failed . If he failed to rouse his bloodline at this moment , it might be far harder to awaken it in the future . He was already behind schedule in a sense , since the first awakening was normally done in the F-Grade .

More to the point , the hunger that reached his core told him that he needed more . He needed to feed .

So Zac pushed away the pain and put the vial to his mouth with shaky hands . He uncorked the stopper with his teeth next as to not let the liquid mix with the waters in the pod . A burning heat filled his mouth , but Zac could soon recognize the feeling it emitted and he swallowed the contents of the vial in one go . It wasn’t a Bloodline Serum , but it was rather some sort of Race-boosting Serum .

It wasn’t perfect , but Race and Bloodline should be interrelated considering they shared a row on the status screen . A burning warmth spread throughout his body , and Zac’s eyes lit up when he felt it was helping both with the hunger and the process of improving his cells . However , while it was effective it was like feeding a whale with a single shrimp . It definitely wasn’t enough .

Zac gritted his teeth and one vial after another was emptied , turning into a fiery inferno in his stomach . He was somewhat guessing that he was currently downing a stockpile that was meant for a whole clan , but now wasn’t the time to worry about expenditure . But it was weird . It almost felt like the more he swallowed the more energy-deprived his cells were .

It was like he was trying to feed a million little baby chicks that all screamed for sustenance , and the screams just got more and more piercing the more he fed them . For a moment he started wondering if he was doing something akin to when he poisoned his body with Cosmic Water , but he soon discarded that notion .

This was definitely something different . His body was slowly being refined , with imperfections removed and more in line with his bloodline . And he already had strong suspicions that his bloodline was related to absorption based on his Hidden Nodes . Each time his cells were reborn , they were able to swallow more energy before they split apart . That alone felt like proof that Zac was heading in the right direction .

As long as he ate enough he would become perfect .

The bottom of the pod was soon littered with vials , and the white liquid had turned into a weird brown sludge . Part of it was because of Zac’s body expelling large amounts of impurities , both through his pores and through Zac cutting open some wounds to bleed them out . Not everything he fished out of his Spatial Rings or Cosmos Sack was suitable for the situation .

Some were healing serums , and others were materials that Zac suspected to be raw ingredients meant for blacksmithing or something else . But it almost felt like anything that contained non-poisonous energy was happily swallowed by his cells . Of course , that meant that his Void Heart] first had to make the energies extractable , and Zac only had so much blood he could exsanguinate to rid himself of dangerous impurities .

He was shocked at how much energy his body had swallowed . It was like every cell in his body was turning into Nodes , a vast subdimension seemingly capable of storing an untold amount of energy . But even after gobbling up almost everything in the Cartava Clan’s Cosmos Sacks that seemed beneficial , it still wasn’t enough .

Zac was delirious with hunger still , and he eventually took out the intricate box housing his spiritual Four Gates Pill] . He had held onto this magical node-opening pill for so long , but it looked it was time to take a chance . His body was screaming for more , and this should be the most energy-dense item in his possession .

A huge pulse rippled out from his body as a golden warmth erupted like a sun in his stomach , causing the mists outside the pod to churn with even greater ferocity . The power hidden in that unassuming pill was simply shocking , and it shot toward a Node in his arm . However , another thump from Void Heart] stopped the medicinal force in its tracks , and it was instead ripped apart and absorbed by the greedy cells all over his body .

It was like his cells had gained a golden hue , and Zac’s eyes were turning bloodshot as he kept going , feeling he was getting ever closer to perfection . Everything was soon turning muddled , except one undeniable truth that shone in the darkness of Zac’s mind ; he needed more . Pills , Crystals , Raw Materials . Everything became yet another sacrificial tribute to the altar of his Bloodline .

Just as his absorption increased , so did the chaotic ripples that spread out of his body . Zac was quickly loosing grip on reality , and it felt like he was being controlled by a hidden hand as he bit into a branch from the bush with yellow berries he harvested just a few minutes ago .

But finally , there was a change . It was like everything suddenly clicked into place , and Zac slowly started to push away the clouds muddling his mind . Sweat poured down his back as he realized what he had just done . What was that? That insatiable hunger just now had almost turned him insane . His mouth was full of the taste of iron from the countless wounds he had gained from chowing down on everything from lumps of metal to whole plants .

There was no time to cleanse his stomach from what was no doubt an extremely dangerous mix of treasures though , as his voracious feast had yielded results . Something was changing in his body , and his body erupted with a foreign and terrifying power . The medicinal pod was turned to scrap metal from the explosion , but the clouds in the lab were still swallowed into his body rather than pushed away .

Zac tried to get to his feet , but he was shocked to realize that was completely unable to move . He lay frozen in place as the whole room was drained of every morsel of energy , but he could still see his surroundings . And it was with mounting horror he saw an enormous vortex emerge from his body .

The whole mountain wall was ripped apart and swallowed a second later , exposing him to the outside .

Zac felt a wave of pleasure entering him as the Memorysteel was disintegrated into its base elements and turned into nourishment , and the flame of hunger woke up again . He was rapidly losing grip , but he could still see the familiar faces appearing some distance away . He wanted to tell the shocked spectators to run , but his mouth didn't work .

The world around soon turned hazy apart from glowing blobs of sustenance , and they were all inexorably dragged toward the vortex behind his back . The more he absorbed the better he would be , and when all existence was swallowed he would become the Heavens themselves .

He had become the Void .

Chapter 639 : To Eat

Carl rushed into the cave with glee , not forgetting to flip off that god-damn demoness who had stolen two caves right in front of him over the last hours by using her earth-attuned movement skills to get ahead . It felt like his legs were about to buckle under him up here at the tenth layer , and all his organs hurt like he was getting constantly punched . But the lower layers were just too cramped .

He’d be lucky to get one cave every two to three hours at the seventh layer , and few of them held any life-changing opportunities . Up here there were just around a hundred people to compete with , which wasn’t too bad considering how wide each layer was . Still , there were a few who had the same idea as himself ; run right at the edge of the ninth layer , while scanning for opportunities in the tenth .

That way you would avoid the terrifying increase in pressure from passing the halfway point most of the time , while still enjoying the benefits that came from the upper half of the mountain . The items from there were clearly better , and Carl had made more money over the past ten hours compared to the past six months .

Not only that , he had gotten his hands on some rare treasures , which couldn’t really be measured in Nexus Coins . They would allow him to trade for similarly rare items he needed for his cultivation .

He was extremely lucky to have broken through mid-battle against those deranged lizard people , pushing his Seed of Lightness to High stage . It seemed that this particular seed was extra effective at combatting this pressure as well , since Logan had similar attributes and a High Seed , but he was still unable to properly hunt any higher than the 8th layer .

Carl quickly activated Energy Trace] , and breathed out when there was nothing that could match his own energy signature in the cave . Of course , that didn’t mean it was safe , but his odds were pretty good since there was a distinct medicinal smell coming from within . It was doubtful any of those killer machines were hiding inside .

A high base salary , clear advancement opportunities , and access to unique encounters . That was how he was suckered into the employ of the world’s scariest boss and conscripted to enter this hellhole . But he had to admit ; Void Beasts , werewolves , and collapsing space islands could definitely be classified as - unique encounters’ . Carl bet Zachary Atwood loved every moment of it .

A shame he had to drag the rest of them into the madness though .

Carl had somehow made it all this way in one piece , and he breathed out in relief when he saw a small tree with six delectable-looking fruits standing in the cave . This was definitely good news ; the fewer of something , the better it probably was . A singular tree with just a handful of fruits? Jackpot .

Another win for the good guys .

A massive and sudden explosion coming from somewhere above threw Carl off his feet , and he immediately got a bad feeling . What trouble had his crazy boss attracted this time? He knew he would soon be called to arms for some insane battle he had neither the desire nor qualifications to participate in , but at least he could die with six delicious-looking fruits in his belly .

Carl scrambled back to his feet and rushed toward the tree , but a primordial scream of exasperation erupted from his chest when he saw his final reward being somehow drained and turned into sand in front of his very eyes . What the hell was going on?!

Was it that white-haired succubus who kept appearing around him? Had she done this somehow? Did those demons have a complaint department? He doubted it . It would probably be some trial-by-combat thing where he would swiftly and publicly get his ass handed to him .

But no , this had the mark of his boss all over him . First an explosion then this?

Are you planning on hiding in here? - a teasing voice drifted into the cave from the outside , making Carl’s hair stand on end . - Want me to call the insect enforcers for a motivational speech? -

Shit , - Carl muttered and started running out , donning the practiced determined expression of a career hero . - Where are the enemies?! -

It’s the Lord , - the demoness said , but it wasn’t like her explanation was necessary .

Of course it is , - Carl muttered , his practiced warrior-face quickly becoming strained .

It looked like the end of the world one layer above their current location . A massive crater hundreds of meters across had appeared out of nowhere , like a terrifying giant had taken a bite out of the Memorysteel .

But of course , there was no mythological creature who had decided he needed more iron in his diet before moving on . It was something much more terrifying ; it was their boss who was up to something again .

He hovered in the sky , arms and legs spread wide like some sort of lunatic possessed by a creature of the night . He was even emitting an extremely eerie deep humming sound , but that might be the thing behind his back . A huge vortex slowly rotated like a halo , and it somehow looked even darker than the Void outside the mountain .

It was like everything could be sucked inside , and Carl even felt his mind shudder as he looked into it , like his soul was about to be ripped out of his body . Streams of Memorysteel were dragged from the mountain , entering the terrifying vortex that seemed completely insatiable . Even the energy in the atmosphere was being drained , and Carl had already seen what Lord Atwood did to his poor treasure tree .

Who knew how many treasures had been turned into trash by this point?

But at least it didn’t look like their boss was going to gobble them up as well . That shifty sidekick of his stood much closer to the boss and he was fine , as was the golden-haired giant . The boss did swallow quite a few of those drones his sister owned , but he seemed mostly focused on draining the Memorysteel and its hidden riches .

Looks like he’s trying to eat the mountain , - the demoness commented when it looked like they were safe and didn’t need to ready themselves for battle .

Of course he is . -

The meteor hurtled through the vast cosmos once more , taking Zac and the mysterious predecessor on their journey . Zac didn’t know whether this scene was taking place before or after the previous two visions , but it was clear that it wasn’t directly connected in time with them .

The part of space looked completely different as Zac looked around , and there were no suns or stars no matter where he looked . Instead , there were endless rivers of lightning streaking across the darkness like elemental dragons . Zac's first instinct was that they were the tribulation lightning or something wrought by the system , but he quickly discarded that thought . While these lightning rivers were vast beyond comprehension , they didn't have any sense of a will like the purple Tribulation Lightning did .

They were just pure energy .

Some of them just looked like thin streaks , but going by the shockingly large beam right next to them they were most likely just extremely far away . There were massive continents with their own atmospheres far in the distance , using the endlessly wide lightning river as a source of warmth and energy . As for the ancestor , he seemed to be studying it for inspiration .

Small streams of lightning swirled about in his hands , but he seemed to be having problems . The small beams seemed powerful enough to turn a hegemon into ash , but the mysterious man’s control over them seemed somewhat lacking . The arcs were wild and untamed , and it looked like he was trying to impose order on them .

Time passed and the hooded man eventually waved and dissipated the small lightning bolts . He didn’t seem ready to give up though , but rather made a pulling motion toward the endlessly vast river of lightning , and a small thread of extremely pure lightning was dragged out from its depths .

Just like with the sun , the mysterious man took the lightning into his body , and crackling arcs powerful enough to turn Zac to nothingness lit up the surroundings for a while until the chaos subsided . It looked like it had been quite arduous for the man to absorbed the high-grade lightning , but he eventually stirred and once more summoned the small arcs in his hands .

Zac didn’t understand what he was up to , but he realized something . Weren’t the bolts moving a bit smoother compared to before?

The two kept soaring through the lightning-infested part of the cosmos and the man kept up a cycle of rest , absorption , and experimentation , slowly improving his control over the small arcs . But a sudden thump made the vision just freeze before it slowly distorted .

Zac’s own heart beat an extra time out of worry , as this looked very different from when the visions upon opening his hidden nodes ended . Space shuddered like it tried to resist what was happening , but it soon cracked into a million pieces like a mirror .

To eat was to live .

The taste of the ten-legged critter was rancid and it gave him the runs , but Karz looked at it like it was a treasure . He pushed his thumb into the soft spot right beneath its head , and it stopped moving after a short frantic struggle . Karz took a deep breath and started munching away , only occasionally stopping to keep himself from throwing up .

Energy-rich critters like these were rare , and he couldn’t waste a speck of it if he wanted a chance to ever get out of this place . Karz sat under the cover of what probably was once some sort of vessel as he gazed up at the sky , the only sound of him forcibly biting through the shell and sinewy meat .

One day he would get up there .

A huge mountain floated in the sky , surrounded by an everchanging shroud of mysterious ether . Sometimes grand vessels would emerge from it for a few seconds before they turned into streaks of light . Just looking at it made every part of Karz’s body twitch with hunger for some reason , like it held the most delicious things in the world .

Old Vek said it was a sect , a place where important people went to become stronger . Karz didn’t understand the allure at first , but apparently , your life got better the stronger you were . You didn’t have to eat things that almost made you puke or that made you see terrifying visions at night , and you didn’t have to fear getting swept up in the refinement light like Old Vek finally was a year ago .

In fact , the treasure land he and the others scavenged for sustenance was actually just a garbage pile according to Old Vek , and everything he ate was just discarded scraps . So , Karz needed to eat to get stronger , so that one day he could live up there . His stomach was cramping up from the poisonous beetle , but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the first ones he ate .

More importantly , that odd warmth spread all over his body , the warmth that Old Vek believed to be related to those in the sky . The ability to cultivate . Neither of them could know for sure , but it looked like not everyone had that gift since no one else in this garbage mountain ever seemed to understand what he was talking about .

The bug was a good first catch of the day , but he couldn’t stop here . Today was the great cleanse , and nothing new would arrive for days . He scurried between the already searched mounds as he rushed toward the center . It was a risk , but the competition wasn’t as fierce in there since the cleanse could always start early .

A weak shimmering suddenly caught his eye , and Karz’s eyes lit up as he rushed forward . It was definitely a cultivator stone , this one shining in an alluring red . It was broken and had lost almost all of its light , but it was still better than most things that could be found in this place .

Karz quickly took out a bowl and pestle from his backpack , and he quickly started hitting the crystal , turning it into red crystalline sand . A wave of heat spread in the area , and Karz quickly took off his shirt , knowing that the effect would soon dissipate . His thin torso was covered in sores and scars , but Karz wasn’t worried . Most people died from illness after getting these kinds of sores , but Karz got better extremely fast .

Old Vek had always believed it was because he had a blessed body , one meant for cultivation . What were some mortal afflictions to such a marvelous thing? Karz poured a bit of refiltered oil into the bowl , turning the sand into a paste that he spread all over his body . Smearing the compound into his wound hurt extremely bad , but Karz gritted his teeth as he covered his whole body in a thin layer .

A small flame of heat swept through his limbs after a few minutes , and the compound eventually dried and turned into clay that fell off his body . Karz nodded in satisfaction and put on his clothes again and resumed his search . He soon found another treasure whose energy was absorbed as well , and he kept going from mound to mound , using over a dozen methods to absorb all kinds of things , each method perfected after tens of painful experiments .

Karz didn’t know if the garbage piles were getting better or if he was getting luckier , but he was finding more and more good things as of late . One day of scavenging almost provided as much loot as a whole week before . Part of it was definitely because his body was becoming stronger from the constant absorption , but strength was almost only useful in this place when used to fight off competitors .

And when running for one’s life .

A fluctuation in the air told Karz it was time to go , and he sped back toward the edge of the garbage-filled platform as quickly as his feet could carry him . He spotted both treasures and critters on his way back , but he followed Old Vek’s old scavenger rules and ignored them all .

He finally reached the edge of the platform and jumped off , his lungs working like bellows by this point . However , he didn’t immediately return to his burrow , but he rather stayed for a few minutes until the weird signs on the platform lit up , and the whole garbage heap turned into a sea of mesmerizing fire .

This was the power of the - Cultivators’ . They were not only able to make the garbage appear out of nowhere , but they were also able to incinerate kilometers of it in an instant . In a few days , there would only be ash left behind , which would be collected by the stonemen and used where the Cultivators grew their high-quality food .

Karz looked at the spectacle for a while longer before he started his trek back . The trip took an hour until he reached the inconspicuous stones in the middle of the forest , and he made three rounds to make sure no one had come close . Only then did he open the hidden hatch beneath one of the smaller stones and crawled inside .

The world turned pitch-black as Karz closed the entrance to his sanctuary . He grasped around in the darkness for a few seconds until he found what he was looking for , a small crystal ball with a small crack on its bottom . It was the greatest item that Old Vek had found over his long 40 years of scavenging , and he had bequeathed it to Karz when he saw his potential .

Karz concentrated for a few seconds , and the ball suddenly lit up . It provided even more warmth and red light today , no doubt thanks to the cultivator stone he found before . Old Vek had said that only those who could make the ball light up had a chance to be accepted in the sect , but the more light it gave off the better ones’ chances were .

The light right now was barely enough to illuminate the small shell , a far cry from the burning sun that Karz imagined himself releasing when he one day finally climbed up to that mountain . But it was also a lot better compared to just a few months ago .

The more he ate , the more perfect he would become .

Chapter 640 : Force of the Void

Zac woke up with a start and was greeted by a throbbing pain all over his body . His skull had become two sizes too small , and it felt like his mouth was full of gravel . He coughed and got up on his feet , realizing he was not in the pod or even the lab any longer . He vaguely remembered the cave and the pod exploding , but everything was still a hazy blur .

Are you okay? How do you feel? - his sister’s voice reached from some distance , and Zac turned his bleary eyes toward the source .

He saw almost fifty people standing on a cliff peering down at him , with expressions varying from confusion to fear . Zac didn’t understand why they were over a hundred meters above him , so he looked around , only to realize he was standing in an enormous hole . He made a quick scan of his body , and nothing seemed to be wrong , except for a sense of weakness .

I’m fine . Just a bit hungry , - Zac shouted back up as he took out one of his spatial flasks . - And thirsty . -

How the hell is that possible? Eating half the mountain wasn’t enough? - Ogras spat as he appeared next to him in a flash of shadows ,

Wh- - Zac said as he looked around again , and the memories suddenly came rushing back .

The feeling of a monstrous hunger , of how an enormous vortex had appeared behind his back . How the whole mountain was being absorbed until everything turned black .

I’m sorry . I had a breakthrough , - Zac muttered . - Didn’t expect that to happen though . -

You need to get your mood swings under control , - Ogras snorted . - Murdery , hungry… It all ends in a huge mess . I better pray you never get raunchy while I’m in the vicinity . -

Zac could only weakly smile in response . - I’ll try some meditation . Is anyone hurt? -

Everyone is fine , and it doesn’t look like your antics attracted any of our enemies . Then again , who in their right mind would run toward a world-eating vortex? - Ogras said before he turned to Kenzie who was floating down the cliffside along with some of the Valkyries .

It’s good you’re fine , - Kenzie breathed in relief as she landed . - Can you move? The protective film was weakened over this side of the mountain . We probably want to get out of here before any Void Beasts realize it . -

I can move just fine , - Zac said . - I will have to bother one of the Anointed to carry me while I consolidate my breakthrough though . Shame I can't keep looting the caves . -

It's not just you , - Joanna said with a wry smile . - That black hole of yours picked the whole mountain clean . The caves are drained all the way down to the first layer . -

What?! - Zac exclaimed , his mind blank with incomprehension that turned to stupefaction as Joanna explained what had happened .

He had already swallowed a terrifying amount of treasures in his frenzied feast inside the pod , but it sounded like that was just the appetizer . The question was , where did all the energy go? He didn’t feel all that much stronger , and he almost felt drained of energy rather than overstuffed . Zac remembered his cells greedily swallowing everything they could get their hands on , but was his body really voracious to the point that he could swallow enough treasures to nurture a whole elite army without leaving any trace?

Well , at least some good came of you hogging all the valuables , - Ogras shrugged , making Zac look over with interest . - Whatever you did pulled a lot of Spatial Energy from the depths of the mountain . Our people gained over fifteen hundred seals in ten minutes . -

What? - Zac exclaimed .

He quickly opened his quest screen , and it was just as Ogras had said . His quest had already disappeared , meaning he had completed it while being possessed . However , the quest didn't need him to provide everyone with a seal , so there were probably people still without .

How many are still in need of Seals? - Zac asked .

Around a thousand , - Kenzie said . - Pretty much everyone should be able to get one before the time limit unless something unexpected happens . -

Like someone draining the rest of the mountain like a god damn Devourer Rat King , - Ogras muttered , drawing an angry look from Kenzie and a couple of Valkyries .

What do you want to do? - Kenzie asked as she turned back to Zac .

Let’s move , - Zac said , pushing away the exhaustion . - I’ll go with you a while longer . -

He actually needed to rest , but he couldn’t put everyone out like that if the protective film in this area had been weakened because of him . The group immediately set off , and they kept an even greater speed than before . Part of it was because of the looming threat of a Void Beast invasion , and part of it was simply because all the caves in the area had apparently been sucked clean of both Seals and treasures .

Zac himself borrowed the shoulder of an Anointed again , and one massive slab of meat after another went down his gullet as he started inspecting his situation while trying to make sense of what had just happened .

The situation was quite odd . He had been completely swept up by that limitless hunger , and his mind was spotty at best . He had never read that anything that weird would happen when unlocking one's bloodline . He had also been shown two separate visions , which was pretty odd as well . He had an idea as to why , but his hopes were immediately dashed when he realized that the third Hidden Node in his spine wasn’t actually opened .

He had figured that the first vision , the one with the ancestor on the meteor , was a vision of his node , while the second vision was one brought forward from his bloodline awakening . But that didn’t seem to be the case , and Zac thoughtfully went over what he had witnessed .

When thinking of it , both the visions seemed to show the same thing , though the setting was vastly different . One was a great powerhouse , and one was a mortal who hadn’t even embarked on the road on cultivation . But they were doing the same thing in the vision , and the implication made Zac’s heart gallop from excitement .

They were absorbing energy to improve their affinities .

The mysterious predecessor had endured the bolts of lightning to slowly increase his control of the element . Meanwhile , the youth named Karz was eating everything from bugs to smearing his body in broken Nexus Crystals , slowly improving his affinity . At least that was Zac’s takeaway of the vision , considering how similar the small crystal ball toward the end was to the item Alyn used to test the talent of students .

Something like continuously improving one’s affinities was absolutely heaven-defying . Certainly , some rare treasures could help cultivators with things like that , and you would normally increase your affinities a bit when you evolved and leveled up . But to continuously improve one’s Dao Affinities just by doing things like absorbing Attuned Crystals was unheard of .

It would also explain why he had such a shitty constitution . His body simply had no affinities , which should technically be impossible . But yet he could connect to the Dao . Perhaps it was because he hadn’t awakened his bloodline yet . Now that he had , he might be able to turn himself from trash into a genius .

He might even be able to cultivate .

Zac immediately looked inward and started to manipulate his Dao a bit as he circulated it through his body . He had swallowed a mountain of treasures , so his affinities should have improved quite a bit going by the situation of Karz . A single broken Nexus Crystal had a measurable effect that early in cultivation , so surely Zac should have made large strides .

But there was absolutely no effect . Nothing at all .

He was still just as clumsy as before , and his Dao Fragments resisted any attempts at creating a Dao Braid . Zac frowned a second before he took out a Divine crystal and started absorbing it , which only caused his frown to grow deeper .

The second vision , in particular , had been extremely vivid , and Zac had felt everything Karz did as the youth absorbed the scraps on the trash mountain . Zac could even remember the rotten taste of the weird bugs he forcibly ate . The energies of the Divine Crystal spread out through Zac's body and nourished it , but his cells definitely didn’t swallow and fuse with the energy like Karz’s body did with the remnant fire-attuned energies .

What the hell , - Zac muttered , causing the large Zhix to freeze and look over .

Is everything alright , Warmaster? - the Anointed hesitantly asked .

Oh , sorry , it’s nothing , - Zac said as before he opened his status screen to see how things looked .

Name

Zachary Atwood

Level

88

Class

E-Epic] Edge of Arcadia

Race

D] Human – Void Emperor (Corrupted)

Alignment

Earth] Port Atwood - Lord

Titles

Born for Carnage , Ultimate Reaper , Luck of the Draw , Giantsbane , Disciple of David , Overpowered , Slayer of Leviathans , Adventurer , Demon Slayer I , Full of Class , Rarified Being , Trailblazer , Child of Dao , The Big 500 , Planetary Aegis , One Against Many , Butcher , Progenitor Noblesse , Duplicity Core , Apex Hunter , Heaven's Chosen , Scion of Dao , Omnidextrous , Eastern Trigram Hunt - 1st , Tyrannic Force , Achievement Hunter , The First Step , Promising Specialist , Tower of Eternity - 8th Floor , Heaven's Triumvirate , Fated , Peak Power , Monarch-Select , Frontrunner , Pathstrider

Limited Titles

Tower of Eternity Sector All-Star - 14th

Dao

Fragment of the Axe - High , Fragment of the Coffin - Middle , Fragment of the Bodhi - Middle

Core

E] Duplicity

Strength

2957 Increase : 91% . Efficiency : 228%]

Dexterity

1403 Increase : 65% . Efficiency : 187%]

Endurance

2408 Increase : 99% . Efficiency : 218%]

Vitality

1693 Increase : 89% . Efficiency : 218%]

Intelligence

642 Increase : 65% . Efficiency : 187%]

Wisdom

1131 Increase : 70% . Efficiency : 187%]

Luck

359 Increase : 91% . Efficiency : 197%]

Free Points

30

Nexus Coins

F] 1 839 804 598

Zac blankly looked at the status screen for a few seconds , not sure what to think about the situation . There were both good news and bad news from the looks of it . The good news was that not only had he gained three levels somehow , but he had also boosted his race to D-Grade while simultaneously awakening his bloodline .

It looked like swallowing half a mountain had some benefits , after all .

A small point of regret was that he didn't get the Title for awakening a bloodline . It had been mentioned in the missives , but he was too slow . You needed to awaken it before turning 16 for the good title , and before evolving for the normal one . But more importantly , the ominous - Corrupted - -designation remaining next to his bloodline . He had hoped that the corruption was something like the bloodline would be harder to awaken , but it looked like he wasn’t so lucky .

Zac gave another mental command , and an entirely new screen popped up a moment later .

Bloodline

F - Corrupted] Void Emperor

Talent

Force of the Void - 18%

Bloodline Nodes

E]Void Heart , E] Spiritual Void

It was the Bloodline Screen that became available upon activating his bloodline , just like the Dao Screen or Skill Screen . Zac hadn’t read anything about - bloodline nodes’ being added to the screen , but he wasn’t too surprised either . It was probably simply not something that the basic missives he’d bought covered . The fact that they were graded was a bit odd , but Zac had no way to get to the bottom of that either .

The line called - talent’ in his case didn’t necessarily explain all the benefits of a bloodline , but it showcased the main part . Common talents were things such as - Combat Boost – Fire’ or - Increased Energy Absorption’ . One bloodline could have multiple talents , but that was a lot less common from what Zac understood . It was more likely that new talents would awaken as one evolved on the bloodline itself .

The number of talents wasn’t really indicative of a bloodline’s quality though . There were no doubt supreme bloodlines who pushed a singular talent to the very limits , turning it disgustingly powerful .

In Zac’s case , it said Force of the Void] , something that sounded like a combat-oriented talent to Zac . That really didn’t seem to match with his visions at all . The Void Emperor-bloodline should clearly be an almost cheat-like cultivation-related bloodline from what he was shown . This added with his inability to improve his affinity with the Divine Crystal made Zac think of a troubling possibility .

Was this the effect of the corruption? Had he lost the ability to improve his affinities?

It was a shame that he didn’t have the time to properly test things out right now , but he wasn't ready to give up just yet . Zac once more started looking inward , testing one thing after another to get a sense of what was going on . But nothing seemed to point toward increased talent in any of the Daos .

But he finally found something else . It somehow felt like the energy in his body was moving faster . Zac tried to figure out if that was related to affinities , but he could quickly pinpoint that it was made possible by something else . His pathways had become thicker compared to before awakening his bloodline .

It was very minute , like a thin string having been swapped out by a slightly thicker string , but it was definitely there . His pathways , including his skill fractals , had been somewhat widened . But even such a minute increase had allowed Cosmic Energy to more freely flow through his body . The talent screen said eighteen percent , and that number seemed to somewhat match what he was experiencing right now .

Was this really it? Zac couldn’t help but feel shortchanged and confused . It didn’t make sense . This type of talent wasn’t anything uncommon , and it presented itself as - Increased Energy Absorption’ or - Increased Energy Circulation’ . Why was his Talent named something completely different when it provided the same effect? But was hard to focus on the issue at all when thinking of what he had lost .

He was supposed to have a bloodline where he could improve his affinities through absorption but instead was given something that improved his Cosmic Energy-circulation . The latter was obviously better than nothing , but a far cry from the ability to become a cultivator . After all , the utility of such a talent felt a bit limited considering it was just one of the many natural advantages of cultivators .

Increased circulation didn’t really mean increased combat power . After all , a fractal edge from Chop] only took a fraction of his Cosmic Energy to activate , and the ability to push more energy into the skill fractal wouldn’t do much .

The boost would help with some things though . Higher-power skills took longer to activate , and being able to force Cosmic Energy into the fractals quicker would give him an edge in battle . It would also allow him to absorb energies faster , which might prove to have amazing synergy with his Void Heart] down the road .

Of course , there was still the possibility that he had completely misunderstood the situation . Furthermore , it might be possible to heal or fix his corrupted bloodline in the future , and the road to becoming a cultivator suddenly felt a lot more tangible compared to before . Zac wanted to go through what else he could do with his new pathways until that happened , but the Anointed suddenly stopped in their tracks , and Zac soon felt a pressure bearing down on him from above .

Something was trying to push through the spatial film .

Chapter 641 : From the Void

Zac still hadn’t recovered to his perfect state , but there was no helping it . There was a sense of foreboding in his heart as he saw the thick film slowly bulge inward , and he quickly put his free points into Dexterity before he closed his status screen . Only then did he jump down from the Anointed’s shoulder and ran over to the leaders who all stood gazing toward the sky .

His inadvertent actions before had weakened the spatial barriers in this area , but they were still quite thick compared to the ones on the islands . Any Void Creature that managed to force its way through a barrier this powerful was probably stronger than the two they had fought off until now , most likely even a proper D-Grade being .

That wasn’t something they could handle even if the beast was suppressed by space . His eyes quickly scanned his people , trying to figure out what they could do . Killing such a beast was impossible , but he might be able to lure it in the opposite direction long enough until it was finally killed off by the hostile environment .

Have people rush toward the lowest layer , then move away from this place , - Zac slowly said .

Wait , something is wrong , - Kenzie said as she looked down at her terminal . - I’m picking up Technocrat signals . -

What? - Zac exclaimed . - Have the creators of this place returned? -

Perhaps , - Kenzie muttered , and Zac noticed a hint of excitement on her face .

Zac knew all-too-well what his sister was thinking of , but he didn’t share the sentiment . Zac wasn’t as thrilled at the prospect of meeting the family , especially not in a pressed situation like they found themselves in now . Their mother might solve the situation with a wave of her hands , but she might also just kill everyone before taking him and his sister away . Or it might be his mother’s enemies .

However , both Zac and Kenzie soon realized that their guess was way off when the presumptive Technocrat vessels suddenly became visible as though they appeared out of thin air . There was no way that a peak Technocrat faction would be responsible for building the weird bulky ships that tried to push through the film in the sky .

There were three of them , and Zac and the others were actually able to see them even when they were still outside in the Void . All three of them looked different , like they had been soldered together by random components scavenged from the base . But the shields that surrounded the metal hulls looked extremely powerful , and even Zac wasn’t confident in breaking through those layers . Then again , their main goal was no doubt to keep the Void at bay .

Unfortunately , it looked like one of the ships was at the end of its ropes . Its shields were extremely weak , like they had turned down its energy consumption to the bare minimum . Zac guessed that the vessel was running out of fuel , and they chose to focus what they had left on breaking through the film .

What should we do? - Joanna asked as the other elites turned to Zac for a decision .

Let’s wait a bit , - Zac slowly said . - I think this should be the True Sky Faction . -

Kenzie nodded in agreement . It was the only thing that made sense . It looked like the native faction with the most Datamancers had managed to build some sort of vessels that could traverse the Void by putting together different pieces of technology from the base . That was the only way he could explain why the vessels looked so different , and it also explained why they appeared here .

They were no doubt the first victims to the zealots' scheme , but they had managed to find one final path to survival through these ships . There only being three of them meant that the Church of Everlasting Dao probably managed to kill tens of thousands of people through their schemes though .

They’re sitting ducks right now . I bet they’re screwed if we break the shields holding off the Void . If we want to strike now’s the best chance , - Ogras muttered , and a few others nodded in agreement .

The True Sky Faction is probably the faction that poses the least threat to us , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - And those vessels shouldn’t be able to hold more than 60 to 80 people each . Besides , they might even hold earthlings considering they had an alliance with the New World Government . -

All the more reason to blow them up , - Ogras muttered , but he didn’t press the issue further .

Get ready for battle just in case , - Zac said as he cracked his neck .

However , a sudden change made Zac’s eyes widen in horror , and he quickly changed his orders as he roared at the top of his lungs . - EVERYONE BENEATH E-GRADE , RUN! -

What had changed his tune so quickly was the appearance of an all-too-familiar tentacle that quickly grabbed the vessel with the weakened shield just as it was about to break through to the barrier to the Memorysteel mountain . The shields protecting the vessel immediately started to flicker , and a moment of weakness was apparently all it took .

The second the barrier was down the vessel simply disappeared , like it was swallowed by the void .

Aaah- - Billy exclaimed with wide eyes to the side , and Zac could only agree .

It was hard to say what looked more horrifying ; the monstrous tentacle of the Collector or the fact that it somehow made the whole vessel suddenly wink out of existence .

The other two ships didn’t have any obvious response apart from releasing even more energy as they tried to force the way through the film that was now pushed tens of meters toward the mountain . But Zac honestly didn’t hold out much hope for them . As expected , both of them were soon grabbed by a tentacle each .

What should we do? What that thing?! - Kenzie gasped with wide eyes from the side .

It’s the Collector , - Zac sighed as he gazed at the situation above . - Get away from this place . I’ll try to help them . -

He didn’t know whether the True Sky Faction were enemies or friends , but he knew that he couldn’t leave them to the Collector with a clean conscience . The scene of the torsos stuck to its main body still haunted Zac’s dreams , and he wouldn’t wish a fate like that even upon his worst enemies .

Kenzie nodded and flickered away , following the stream of soldiers who desperately ran away from this area . Zac looked around and saw Thea in the distance , and he nodded at her before she set off as well . The pressure at even the middle layers had caused her wounds to reopen , and rather than forcing it she had decided to stay at the lower layers to keep things organized .

That was a lucky break that put her out of harm's way . The protective film was the weakest close to the area where Zac rampaged , and the True Sky Faction had chosen to break through right in front of them . Perhaps it was even premeditated , in hopes of eliciting help from Zac and his army .

The tentacles emitted a shocking pressure , and hundreds of people had blood running down their noses just from being in its presence . The shields on the two vessels were luckily a lot stronger compared to the fist one , and they held even though the eerie hands sewn onto the tentacles tried to claw their way through .

The ships eventually managed to push their noses through the defensive film though , and Zac was surprised to see that the thick shields only appeared in the void . He immediately realized that this was the opportunity they needed , and his response was immediate . Two black chains shot upward with extreme force , while another two dug into the hard Memorysteel beneath .

The durable fetters of Love’s Bond] dug themselves into the hull , and Zac immediately started to pull .

Help me out , - Zac grunted when he saw he wasn't doing much headway on his own , and Billy and the Zhix immediately started pulling on the ships .

It was a tough struggle even with all their combined power , but the ships slowly started to enter the atmosphere . The question was whether they would be fast enough , as the shields on the two remaining vessels were rapidly depleting because of the Collector’s constant attacks . Even worse , a third tentacle suddenly appeared , punching straight through the barrier as it aimed toward Zac .

Had it recognized him?

Zac was unable to flee because he was connected to the chains , but he wasn't alone in facing the Collector this time . There were still a few hundred elites staying behind , and they together should be able to keep the arm busy . Zac knew he wouldn’t be able to cut the tentacle with Chop] , but perhaps he could push it back a bit with the force of a barrage .

But he barely had time to activate the skill before five thick murderous fractal edges appeared in front of Verun’s Bite] .

What the hell just happened? It was almost like the fractal edges had exploded into being , rather than him conjuring them by pushing Cosmic Energy into the skill fractal . This wasn’t a matter of being 18% faster , this was a whole new tier of speed . It wouldn’t even take a second to conjure a full set of fractal edges before , but now it was essentially instantaneous . And without him moving any Cosmic Energy at all , they had simply appeared .

Not only that , but the edges even emitted a mysterious ancient aura , though Zac could confirm they didn't seem to contain any more power compared to before . Now was not the time to ponder about this weird change though , and he immediately launched the set of fractal edges at the Collector .

His arm was a blur thanks to his ungodly pool of Dexterity , and it looked like the weird situation with his skill wasn’t a one-time thing . The moment he finished the fifth swing another set of fractal edges simply appeared with a shudder , and Zac didn’t even need to pause as he kept launching blade after blade .

It almost looked like a mental illusion as an endless series of blades caused a band in the sky until they slammed into the tentacle with tremendous force . Of course , the Collector's tentacle wasn't even wounded after Zac imbued the fractal edges with the Fragment of the Axe .

It’s indestructible , just keep it away! - Zac shouted as he kept attacking , and the air was immediately lit up with an endless number of attacks .

Some launched concussive attacks like Zac while others formed shields . Those who could do neither threw powerful talismans at the tentacle and together it turned the whole area chaotic . But the Collector was simply too powerful . It endured the endless series of attacks as it slowly made its way forward , only losing some of its attached hands in its struggle .

They thankfully managed to slow it down at least , and the skips were soon enough a few meters inside the protective hull , exposing thick doors to the inner space . Both the doors opened the moment they were inside the barrier , and a flood of refugees came tumbling down .

The tentacles trying to drag the vessels back into the Void reacted instantaneously , and one person after another were snatched up and dragged away . But over a hundred people of over ten different races managed to survive , and they all started to create some distance as they attacked the tentacles that tried to snatch them up .

Seeing that they had accomplished their goal there was no point to stay behind , and Zac dislodged his chains from the vessels the moment people stopped falling out of it . The ships were quickly pushed out by the spatial film , and they disappeared one by one .

Retreat! - Zac shouted , and the army quickly started running north while pushing down toward the lower layers to increase their speed .

Zac himself shored up the rear , and he had essentially turned into a turret thanks to his newfound ability to conjure fractal blades instantaneously . Chop] alone wasn’t enough , and he had to flash forward to physically slam the tentacles away just as they were about to snatch up one of his people .

The Collector was smart though , and it immediately realized that he was the biggest hindrance to increasing its collection . All three tentacles suddenly gained a massive boost in speed as they shot forward , turning into three eldritch spears aimed straight at him .

Zac had expected something like this to happen though , and he had an idea .

The tentacles had enough speed to break through the sound barrier , but a massive fist suddenly appeared out of nowhere , snatching all three tentacles up in its grip . It was Nature’s Punishment] , but the hand was a bit larger and darker than before . Just like his fractal blades , it had been somehow changed , and it now carried a hint of antiquity to it .

More importantly , summoning the hand had been instantaneous and without any Cosmic Energy infusion into the skill fractal , which was almost absurd for such a powerful skill . However , he felt a sense of hollowness the moment he activated the skill , and he thoughtfully looked down at the fractal as he ran away while the wooden hand kept the tentacles locked in a vise .

The wooden fist only managed to delay the tentacles two seconds before it was crushed , but that was enough to create a massive gap between himself and the breach . It looked like the Collector still wasn't willing to go all-out , but it was clear that the beast was annoyed . The three tentacles slammed into the mountain a few times before they slithered back toward the void , causing huge chunks of Memorysteel to fly all over .

Zac breathed out in relief when he saw that they were safe , and he instead turned his gaze inward .

The short battle had allowed him to realize that he had severely underestimated his bloodline , and one piece of the puzzle after another came together in his mind . He had been too preoccupied with what he had lost , to the point that he hadn’t properly bothered to understand what he had gained . In fact , now that the haze in his mind had lifted , he wasn’t even sure that the increased thickness of his pathways was due to his bloodline .

It might rather simply be a natural result of pushing his Race to D-Grade . After all , the D-Grade was where you gained a massive pool of Cosmic Energy from your Cultivator’s Core , and one’s pathways needed to be able to endure those volumes . Or it might just be a secondary boost from awakening his bloodline .

But the real prize was clearly something else , something much greater hidden in the depths of his body .

Chapter 642 : Infighting and Finishers

Zac quickly pieced together the puzzle of his Bloodline Talent as he ran behind the Anointed and the demons in their mad dash away from the section with a weakened spatial barrier . The battle just now had given him a crash-course on the effect of Force of the Void] ; it appeared to be some sort of energy reserve hidden in the Void , one that allowed for instantaneous attacks .

It somewhat answered one of the big question marks in his mind . He had absorbed thousands of tons of Memorysteel along with the energy from a huge number of treasure caves , yet there was relatively little to show for it . Now Zac was rather suspecting that all that energy went into setting up this hidden pocket in his body .

At least he suspected that it was a hidden pocket . He still didn't have perfect control over his new bloodline , but it didn't feel like the energy was inside his body . He should have sensed it if that was the case , more than just the slight sense of hollowness after activating Nature's Punishment] .

That feeling was also a clear indication that this effect was limited . Zac guessed that this hidden energy source had a certain amount of energy reserves , and he would go back to normal Cosmic Energy consumption after that reserve was exhausted . He wasn't exactly sure how to refill that source though . His body was still full of energy since he hadn't wasted any of his own during the battle , but he didn't feel any drain or absorption at all where the Force of the Void] was restocked .

Did it perhaps need some specific energy source to be refilled? It shouldn't be , since the skills he activated felt pretty much the same as before , except for the ancient aura that his skills emitted .

Another possibility was that it wasn't an actual energy pocket , but rather him connecting to the energy of the Void . The sense of hollowness would then be exhaustion from forming the bridge to the other realm . He was still fuzzy about how it actually worked , but what was more important right now was what kind of benefits it could provide .

And it was huge .

The more he thought about it the more excited Zac became . Instantaneous skill activation was massive , especially at higher grades . He had tried to improve his battle techniques lately after his disappointing battle with Void’s Disciple , though the events in the Mystic Realm had generally taken precedence .

However , he remembered one short exposition on battle-theory he had bought through Calrin . It was written by a D-grade pugilist , and Zac had hoped it would give him insights into dealing with Void’s Disciple . The D-Grade hegemon hadn't covered how to deal with pugilists , but he had still provided a lot of insight . The master essentially divided his fighting style into two types of actions ; infighting and finishers .

He argued that F-Grade battles were just children launching finishers at each other , with no skill or technique . But such a battle-style wouldn’t work as people rose through the ranks . People at D-grade would be able to move miles in an instant and launch a dozen attacks in the blink of an eye . They were also a lot more sensitive to Cosmic Energy , and would usually be able to sense skill activations and instantaneously react . Massive skills that required preparation and charging would create lethal openings if you activated them without thought .

Infighting and cheap skills weren’t meant to break through the defenses and kill your enemies , but rather to whittle them down and tire them out so that you could create an opening . Only then would you unleash your ultimate skills . Overwhelm the opposition , seize the rhythm , finish them in one move . That the optimal combat tactic according to the pugilist .

Zac could easily understand the theory . For example , at lower levels his skill Deforestation] was pretty overpowering , causing wide swathes of destruction . However , a skill like that would quickly lose its efficacy at higher levels , and not only because of limited energy .

Someone at late or peak E-Grade wouldn’t just stand around and watch that wave of destruction come washing over them . Someone that powerful would be able to move hundreds of meters in a second even without a movement skill , and they would simply move out of the way . Or rather , they might launch a counter-strike during the short instant when Zac gathered the energy to summon the enormous axes .

Doing something like that at F-Grade was nigh-impossible , but a peak E-Grade warrior definitely had the skill and insight to launch a quick precision strike that could disrupt the skill activation .

This theory of infighting and finishers pretty much held true for most combat classes , not just melee fighters such as himself . First , get the upper hand one way or another , force them into a passive state , and finally finish them off . There were of course a million ways to create an opening . Take the Second Elder of the Cartava Clan , for example .

He first restrained Zac with an array , then hid his true move by conjuring ten clones . He had seized the rhythm and made it impossible for Zac to counter while he prepared his finisher while hidden underground . Zac had thankfully been able to ruin the schemes with sheer force and some shamelessness , but he wouldn't always be so lucky in the future .

But his bloodline seemed to turn that simple system on his head .

Even an energy-hungry skill like Nature’s Punishment] had been activated without warning in an instant . There were not even any energy traces in his body from the activation , the hand had just suddenly appeared out of the crack in space . It had grabbed the three tentacles almost before Zac had finished his mental command .

What if that had been a pitched melee-battle? Zac and his enemy could be standing in a lock with their weapons , only for the poor bastard to be smashed by a five-meter fist out of nowhere . A bloodline talent like this opened a whole new world of possibilities for him . It might even be more valuable than becoming a cultivator provided he learned to make the most of this ability .

Certainly , there were some limitations to the talent . Zac guessed that he could draw an amount equivalent to 18% of his normal Cosmic Energy stores , based on the number in the bloodline panel . That would track with his experiences as well . Chop] barely cost any cosmic energy at all , but Nature's Punishment] cost him around 8 to 9% of his Cosmic Energy by this point .

Another fractal blade appeared out of nowhere , confirming that the ability remained even with the sense of hollowness . He conjured and discarded a dozen edges in rapid succession , at which point he could confirm that the sense of emptiness got a bit stronger . Figuring out how to remove that feeling would require some time and experimentation though .

There were a lot of other questions that needed to be solved as well , but Zac sighed when he saw that reality was quickly catching up to him . He had been running for over ten minutes by now , and it was clear that the Collector had given up by this point . The others had realized the same thing , but that didn’t mean the situation was resolved .

There was still the issue of the strangers who had escaped from the two vessels . They had all rushed in the same direction as the people of Port Atwood , and they currently found themselves surrounded by his army . They didn’t try to break out though , but rather just stood their ground in somber silence .

Zac wasn’t too surprised the natives seemed fine with being surrounded considering that they had actively chosen to run together with his people . Perhaps it was because he saved them , or perhaps because they wanted to look for sanctuary . After all , there were just over one hundred left of them , and they probably had no idea about the situation on the mountain .

A furry beastkin turned toward Zac as he approached , and Zac realized that he was actually a monkeyman with silver fur . He reminded Zac of the almost human-like Stone Monkey Ogras had thrown through the incursion , but the cultivator in front of him was obviously a lot stronger . However , his late E-grade aura was quite weak and unstable , and he was missing large spots of furs where nasty burns could be seen .

He wasn’t the only one , most of the more powerful warriors seemed to sport these kinds of wounds . The injuries were at least a day old , so it looked like these people had been in pitched battle even before reaching the Memorysteel mountain . Zac couldn’t sense any Dao from the wounds though , no matter if he used Cosmic Gaze] or Primal Polyglot] for clues .