Defiance of the Fall

The Ghost Butler had provided a huge amount of help over the past years , so Zac acquiesced . But that still left two powerful prisoners who he didn’t want to keep but also couldn’t send back to the Undead Empire .

They had seen the unaffiliated undead of Earth , and while there technically wasn’t any law that said that the Undead needed to be part of the Undead Empire , it was still considered a betrayal to be unattached among a lot of the imperials . Letting them return could cause any number of issues even if they didn’t know about Zac’s hidden class .

Try to convince them to sign the same sort of contract as you , - Zac said . - For now , let no one disturb me until I call for you . -

Of course , - Triv nodded and flickered away .

Zac soon walked over to the death-attuned side of the Life-Death Array , and another wave of melancholy hit him as he looked upon the intricate fractals surrounding his prayer mat . Kenzie had long reached the inscription proficiency to make a complementary Life-attuned Array Disk , but the setup in his Cultivation Cave was still more efficient to use because of the resources that had gone into nurturing the cave into a cultivation paradise .

The array hummed to life as Zac sat down . He immediately felt the two streams of power , Dao and Mental Energy , enter the array pathways . Zac grit his teeth with determination as he shut out all errant thoughts . He had been hesitant for a few months now since he had reached a certain point . The point of his first Reincarnation .

However , every time he had started hitting against that final bottleneck he had gotten a sense of trepidation , like his life was in danger . Until now Zac hadn’t wanted to risk it and instead opted to wait and accumulate some more . But now his soul was alit with purpose , and he refused to back down any longer .

He would push through this time no matter what .

Chapter 668 : Cycle of Life and Death

One cycle after another passed as the Life-Death Array] did its thing , and some sweat started running down Zac's forehead by the time he reached the seventh cycle . He usually stopped infusing the array with his Dao by this point , but his urgency kept him going this time . There thankfully was a huge surplus of energy in his Spiritual Void] , especially since he hadn’t used the array at all over the past weeks .

His second Dao storage helped Zac tide over the cycle without much issue , but a headache made the veins on Zac’s throb as the eighth cycle started . Only an insignificant stream was released from the avatar of the Fragment of the Coffin by this point . Zac wasn’t satisfied with just that , and the scenes of Leandra appearance flashed over and over in his mind . The scene of Kenzie being taken away , of Thea floating up toward the lightning in the sky , the sense of utter helplessness .

A surge of Dao was squeezed out of the Dao Avatar as Zac took out several Soul Crystals , crushing a few of them before grabbing one in each hand . The crushed crystals turned into a dust cloud that looked like a nebula slowly drifting around him , steadily infusing his whole body with energy through his pores .

This was a method he had accidentally discovered a while back , but he never used his very limited number of Soul Crystals this way because of the low efficiency . It was actually possible to take in the energy from the cloud even while absorbing normally , giving his soul an extra boost that helped him forcibly extract some more Dao from the Coffin in his mind .

The effect of the Soul Crystal was limited , but it helped him tide over the eighth cycle , and a pure wave of death was returned after half an hour .

His soul had never contained a level of undeath as it did right now . Eight full cycles empowered by the Dao of the Coffin and D-Grade Miasma Crystals was over a hundred times more powerful compared to simply running the array as-is . Frigid drowsiness spread through his mind , and he just wanted to lie down and sleep .

Zac knew that it was just an effect of his soul being modified beyond what was safe , and stopping right now would probably lead to his soul getting harmed in unknowable ways . He forced himself to start the ninth cycle , ignoring his old rules of precaution .

Blood ran down Zac’s nose and his soul shuddered from the pain , but he staunchly continued to squeeze out all his potential as one Soul Crystal after another was expended . Finally , his soul was utterly drained , like a parched desert that hadn’t seen rain for centuries . But Zac kept pushing even then , and microscopic motes of destruction were suddenly squeezed out of his wrung-out soul .

It was the energy released from the Splinter of Oblivion , and Zac was surprised to see them since he had thought the energy had been perfectly blended into his soul . It looked like the fusion wasn’t perfect considering the motes had appeared , but Zac had no time to ponder on that as the purified energy of Oblivion entered the array .

Zac looked on with anticipation mixed with trepidation since he wasn’t sure what the result would be from adding yet another energy into the mix , especially one as powerful as this . The worry only grew as a shudder rocked the whole cultivation cave a few seconds later , and it soon felt like he was caught in the middle of an earthquake .

However , Zac staunchly refused to move , since doing so would waste all his efforts and even damage his soul . Half his soul was essentially inside the array by this point , and leaving now would result in a huge loss . The shakes only increased in intensity , and Zac could even hear Triv scream with horror in the distance .

A surge of energy suddenly slammed into Zac’s mind , a terrifying force that threatened to knock Zac unconscious . Zac didn’t understand what had happened to his mental energy as it passed through the array , but the amount and intensity were just terrifying . The hazy ball in his mind that represented his soul looked like it would explode any moment .

That wasn't the only problem . Zac felt himself rapidly turning into a zombie as deathly cold spread out throughout his body . Those small motes of oblivion had somehow supercharged the deathly energies in the array , which was extremely dangerous considering Zac barely held on as is . His heartbeat slowed down and the embrace of death beckoned him , but there was a core in the deepest recess of his mind that refused to give in .

Zac’s mind was a blur as he crawled toward the life-attuned side of his cave , his body only moving thanks to muscle memory as he was forced to use all his attention on keeping the creeping death at bay . He finally reached the prayer mat , and he desperately turned on the array after activating his Specialty Core .

His mind had felt stuffed full to the point of bursting a second ago , but the drain from the array immediately gave him a sense of relief . Furthermore , he was now in his Draugr form , and there was no risk of him zombifying any longer . Zac crawled up to a sitting position , but he didn’t give himself any opportunity to relax as he poured the power of the Bodhi into the array as well .

The same procedure repeated itself cycle after cycle , though Zac started to feel immense pressure even at the sixth circulation this time around . It wasn’t that he had smaller storage in his Bodhi Avatar , but rather that his soul was so wrung dry from being overextended once already .

Furthermore , the increasingly powerful clashes between life and death in his soul weren’t just purifying and strengthening his soul ; the collisions were so powerful that they were actually starting to hurt him .

This feeling of danger was exactly what had held him back until now . He hadn't really made any progress for months when using the array because it seemed like he would have to cause some severe damage to his mind . He had seen first-hand what a broken soul did to Alea , and he had felt it himself when he almost got killed by Vilari's predecessor . He wasn't willing to take that risk at the time .

But no one on Earth was as used as himself to pushing forward even when hurt , and he started to take out even more Soul Crystals to provide some more relief . His dwindling stash had almost run dry by this point , but Zac cared nothing for the expenditure as he kept going . The Soul Crystals were good , but their value was nothing compared to an evolved soul .

He had been stuck at the bottleneck for so long already , and Zac was adamant about breaking through today by hook or crook . Going through the first reincarnation would give him a huge boost before setting out , improving every aspect related to his soul .

Protection against Illusions , Mind Control , and even direct attacks . Greater stores of Mental Energy . Perhaps even better control of his Daos . Most importantly ; greater protection against the remnants in his mind , and perhaps even the first step in taking control of them .

The seventh cycle passed , as did the eight . His harried soul was on the verge of collapse by this point , and he had used more than twice the normal Mental Energy than it normally stored . Part of it came from the frantic consumption of Soul Crystals while part of his energy was inside the array , while some came from Spiritual Void] tiding him over when his Dao Avatar ran out of steam .

He somehow managed to squeeze out the last potential of his soul , and it resulted in a very familiar scene as last time . But it wasn’t motes of Oblivion that got extracted from the depths of his soul but rather simmering blobs of pure Creation . The scene gave Zac pause since the energy from the Shard of Creation entered his body rather than his soul .

Then it hit him . These motes of both Oblivion of Creation were not the result of the constant stream of energy being extracted and purified by his fractal cage . It was rather hidden impurities left from when the two remnants had ravaged his soul and left their crisscrossing scars behind .

In either case , the small sparks were the final piece of the puzzle that allowed him to complete the ninth and final infusion . Now he could only wait , and a growing sense of dread gripped his heart as the cultivation cave shook once more . He knew that he might have gone too far this time around .

There was no way that his current heedless method of breakthrough was the normal path of performing the first reincarnation . It was like he had jumped onto a rocket instead of walking normally . The chaotic clashes between life and death would have killed most people by now , and he was barely holding on as cracks covered his whole Soul .

Part of him screamed at him to stand up and run away , but his legs refused to move as his redrimmed eyes glared at the array pathways . The minutes passed , and the circuit was finally completed . The world shuddered and his vision turned dark , but the all-consuming pain stopped him from staying unconscious for more than a fraction of a second .

Zac spat out a mouthful of blood , but he didn’t care about the state of his body as he looked inward with horror gripping his heart . The clashes had reached an unprecedented state , and it looked like a cataclysmic war was taking place inside his head . A snap echoed out in his mind , followed by incessant shattering sounds that filled Zac with pain and dismay .

His soul had not just cracked , it had completely crumbled .

A vast cloud of crystals swirled about in Zac’s mind , like a million gemstones forming a miniature galaxy . Surrounding it were two nebulae , one black and one white , and they gave off a mysterious light that was reflected in the small crystals . Zac would be mesmerized by its beauty if it wasn’t for the fact that those small gemstones were broken pieces of his soul , and he desperately tried to figure out a way to salvage the situation .

Just a splintered soul had been difficult enough to heal , forcing him to head to the Zethaya Clan when looking for remedies for Alea . But what had just happened to his soul went far beyond a few tears , it was a complete disintegration . However , Zac’s panic and despair were suddenly swept away from one simple realization .

He was fine , even better than just a few minutes ago .

Zac had received various wounds to his soul before , ranging from small shocks to massive cracks that took a long time to heal . Those kinds of wounds always came with severe nausea , difficulty to think , and unconsciousness . Yet he was still perfectly lucid even now that his soul had lost its form .

The frantic clashes between life and death had ended the moment his soul cracked as well , and it looked like his mind had reached a state of equilibrium .

That didn’t mean he wasn't in danger , but Zac thought back to the text in his Soul Strengthening Manual . The Nine Reincarnations Manual] was incomplete and it lacked the comments and insights of predecessors that marked a high-quality inheritance , but there were still clues hidden in the somewhat sparse descriptions .

Steeped in the cycle of Life and Death , the soul enters the Samsara . Only by returning to the Origin can reincarnation take place . Give up on the past life to form the next , only through death can life grow . Use the past to set the foundation for the future .

The Eight Trigrams form a System unto itself , encompassing all . Towering above are the Four Emblems of Heaven and Earth . The Heavens are subject to the demarcation of Yin and Yang , the delimited Dao .

Supreme above all is the Primordial Chaos , a singular unity .

Zac had read that passage in the manual many times before , but only now did he actually understand how literal it was being . His soul needed to undergo a rebirth to reach the next stage , a reincarnation where weakness was shed and a soul with greater potential would form . Zac hadn't expected that meant his soul would turn to stardust though , as that usually meant instant death .

There was no time to waste as Zac suspected that his lucid state was only being propped up by the array considering the state of his Soul . Zac hurriedly started exerting pressure on the cloud of Soul Shards , and he was elated to see them following his command as they pushed together toward the center of his mind .

He needed to use the past to set the foundation for the future , meaning the Soul Shards couldn’t be discarded . They would be the core of his reincarnated soul . However , when he pushed together the cloud it just formed an uneven sphere that looked far worse than his previous soul . Zac frowned , immediately realizing he was missing something .

Inspiration suddenly struck and Zac's attention turned to the two clouds of extremely condensed Life-Death energies that surrounded the shards . He willed the clouds to start circling the crystals like a nebula surrounding a black hole . The two clouds quickly came into contact with each other , causing a new series of explosions to erupt .

Zac had initially planned on fusing the clouds into his soul , figuring that’s why they were left behind in his mind . However , he quickly changed course when he saw what was going on with the Soul Shards . The minuscule splinters were far more malleable than he had expected , and every collision forcibly pushed splinters together , fusing them into one .

The fused splinter was barely larger than just one of the original Soul Shards , meaning that it had almost twice as high a density of energy compared to the original pieces . Zac finally understood what was going on , and he egged on the two clouds to clash with each other more and more , causing the fusion to speed up .

The galaxy of gemstones kept shrinking as they were forcibly pushed together , and soon it was less than half the size of his original soul . However , there were still tens of thousands of splinters , so Zac kept pushing the Life-Death energies closer to keep the fusion going .

Zac finally understood the final passage as well . He had just assumed it to be some cultivation mumbo-jumbo to describe how powerful this method was , considering Yin and Yang was just below the Primordial Chaos . That might be true as well , but it definitely wasn’t the whole story .

Judging by the passage - Eight Trigrams form a stable system unto itself , encompassing all’ , the minimum requirement was to reduce the total number of remaining shards to eight . But to continue to fuse the Soul Shards even after that would result in a better reincarnation , with perfection being all shards fused into one new soul . Zac felt confident in reaching the minimum goal of eight , but was he really content with barely passing?

Definitely not . Only perfection would give him a foundation strong enough to accomplish his goals .

Chapter 669 : Grasping for Perfection

The will was there , but Zac soon realized that performing a perfect reincarnation would be easier said than done .

Things went quite smoothly in the beginning , with the soul shards almost effortlessly merging . But more and more force was required to keep the process going . It was almost like the extremely energy-dense shards had a mind of their own as they kept trying to fly away from the congealed ball in the middle of Zac’s mind .

Zac’s concentration was pushed to its limits as he kept moving the Life-Death energies around to set off explosions aimed at pushing any errant shards back into the fold . Losing a shard was akin to losing a piece of his soul , and he knew that could result in all kinds of weird afflictions down the road , ranging from lost memories to insanity .

Lose too many and the soul might even become unstable and fall apart , instantly killing him .

Worse yet , Zac felt his mind starting to become blurry as whatever kept his thoughts cohesive started wearing off , and he caught his mind drifting off on random tangents . A burst of pain shocked him awake as he used his go-to method to stay coherent ; stabbing himself in the leg . It allowed him to keep pushing the now-radiant shards together , leaving just 32 splinters behind .

But that didn’t change the fact that he was running out of Life-Death energy . Zac had already known that this might happen the moment he realized the purpose of the life-death clouds .

After all , he had already seen these clouds before .

Over the past months when he didn’t feel any improvement of his soul , there had been small clouds of life and death left behind after the cultivation session . Zac had figured the clouds were left behind because he didn’t manage to make any improvements , but Zac didn’t feel it was cause to worry because his Spiritual Void] had swallowed it all long before he started the next cycle .

But Zac now understood that those clouds were meant to be saved , to be accumulated . When you finally reached a large enough amount of fuel in your mind , the force would be strong enough to crack your soul and use the huge amount of clouds to begin the fusion process . However , Zac had completely bypassed that by going overboard with the help of Dao , Oblivion , and Creation entering the Array .

Of course , that also meant that Zac would never have been able to break through the normal way . If he hadn’t taken the risk today he would just have kept treading water as the clouds failed to accumulate , wondering why he never reached a point where he felt he could make a breakthrough . Thankfully , Zac was long used to doing things his own way .

He had run out of one type of fuel , but weren’t there others? He just needed to cause some explosions , right?

Zac immediately flashed over to the prayer mat in the middle , the nexus between life and death in his cultivation arrangement . He punched down at a certain array to his right , and massive waves of attuned energies stormed into the cavern , submerging him in what almost looked like black and gold liquid .

It was a special function that Kenzie had installed , a stopgap that would instantly crush and release the energy of over a hundred D-Grade attuned crystals and push them toward the center of the cave . It even removed the majority of the Cosmic Energy from the boost , leaving mostly just distilled Dao behind . It was meant to be used if he felt himself on the precipice of having a breakthrough in his Dao or something , giving the environment a massive temporary boost .

But the dreadful amounts of energies were extremely helpful in this situation as well , and Zac felt relief rather than worry as almost-lethal levels of attuned energies pushed into his body through his pores . Parts of it was gobbled up by Void Heart] , but his Spiritual Void] had entered a frenzied state from the upheavals around it .

It created a powerful suction that dragged more and more life-and-death-energies into his mind . Some of it was swallowed by the Hidden Node , but Zac managed to use a lot of it to unleash a chain of powerful explosions as well .

The extra surge of external Life-Death Energy gave him the push he needed , lowering the number of shards to just eight . They all looked like radiant pearls that reminded Zac of an early embryo , and Zac felt his mind clear once more now that his soul had stabilized . Zac wasn’t content with just this though , so he kept trying to force another fusion .

Unfortunately , the ambient energy was no longer dense enough to keep pushing the remaining shards together . The problem wasn’t lack of energy , but rather the fact that Zac’s body wasn’t able to absorb it quickly enough to keep the process going . Even his two Hidden Nodes could only swallow so much , and Zac had released far more energy in the cave than he could absorb in a short while .

He couldn’t do any absorbing on his own either considering he was just a mortal , which left his body in a state of equilibrium . The Soul Balls that formed the core of his reincarnated soul contained too much power on their own , and they naturally resisted the outside pressure . Just ambient energy wasn’t enough to keep going .

There was no mention of it in his cultivation manual , but Zac was certain that barely passing the first Reincarnation would mean limits on his future soul cultivation . Perhaps the first three reincarnations would be the ceiling , just like how picking a Common E-grade class would stop your cultivation progress at that grade .

Zac thought for a second before he grit his teeth and focused on his Spiritual Void] . A massive torrent of stored Dao was extracted from within , completely flooding his mind in gold and black . He had been pushed to his limits before when activating the array , but the real bottleneck then hadn’t been his Dao . It was rather his mental energy being drained beyond what was safe .

His Spiritual Void] wasn’t without limits , but he had noticed that he was able to slowly expand the storage over the past years by continuously pushing excess Dao inside and then waiting for the node to stabilize . It could hold a huge amount of energy by this point , even surpassing the total strength of his soul . Or at least his old soul .

There was still a decent amount of Dao Stored from before , and it had even been bolstered a second ago by the immense clouds of energy around him . But Zac now opened the floodgates , and it all came storming out . Bodhi and Coffin , Life and Death . But now there was also a third cloud ; a silvery cloud wrought from the Fragment of the Axe .

Zac was completely draining the Hidden Node , which meant that the Dao of his third Fragment was also released . Zac wasn’t worried though , as it was all in his plan . The two clouds of life and death churned and clashed , but the clashes turned into a chaotic inferno the moment Zac pushed the third Dao into the mix .

Fragment of the Axe represented Conflict on his Cultivation Path , and he had made some inroads into this concept over the past years . Part of the insights came from studying the Annihilation Sphere and Origin Mark , which he had decided to call his Pink Flash .

Life and death were in constant struggle , as was evidenced by the unceasing clashes in his cultivation cave . However , there was a natural balance in the clashes and they formed a clear line of demarcation . Zac had eventually found a way to turn the orderly conflict into a chaotic war by infusing his Fragment of the Axe into the mix .

It had resulted in him almost losing a limb from a massive explosion that ruined his whole cave the first time , but it was exactly that kind of force that he needed right now .

One terrifying explosion after another was set off in his mind as life , death , and conflict stirred up a war of unprecedented proportions . The eight spheres were caught in the heart of it like innocent bystanders dragged into someone else’s dispute . A massive shockwave suddenly dispersed the energies from his hidden node , causing Zac to see double .

What remained in his soul were four pristine spheres , each of them a masterpiece that radiated power .

Unfortunately , the eruption had pushed dispersed the three clouds , and losing all his Dao was a big roadblock to his goal of completing the reincarnation perfectly . It also looked like he was running out of time . The Soul Shards had been malleable at the start , but the spheres felt increasingly rigid , like balls of glass that were cooling down . He needed to speed up or he’d lose his window of opportunity .

Zac was full of reluctance , but two small chests appeared in front of him , one gold and one black .

His sister had collected hundreds of rare treasures over the past years , so how could still Zac be empty-handed after all this time? Inside the two boxes were two treasures , one of life and one of death , that matched even Kenzie’s nine final treasures in value . In fact , they had been given by Kenzie himself .

His sister had been consumed with gathering everything needed for her evolution , but that didn't mean she had forgotten about the rest of Port Atwood . Pretty much every core member of Zac’s faction had been given some sort of treasure that normally only scions of large clans would be able to enjoy . Unsurprisingly , Zac was the biggest beneficiary of Kenzie’s generosity .

Zac had saved the two treasures for when he had solved the issue of his Draugr Race bottleneck . They weren't Dao Treasures , but they contained both powerful and profound energies of life and death . The plan was to eat them the moment he had accumulated enough Inspiration to push his Fragment of the Bodhi and Coffin to the next level , which would hopefully satiate the requirements of his bloodline .

However , it looked like he had no choice but to make use of them early .

Of course , these treasures were ultimately not too difficult to get hold of as long as you had access to a few dozen auction sites and over 100 billion Nexus Coins lying around . They were far from the kind of peak treasures like the Eye of Har’Theriam] which only had demand but no supply .

His financial situation was completely different compared to before , and replacing them wouldn’t prove a big challenge . Certainly , that was only thanks to the System providing hundreds of thousands of teleportation destinations . Even Hegemons would find it nigh-impossible even if they somehow managed to gather one million D-grade nexus coins since they would still be locked to their local cluster of planets .

Still , Zac couldn’t help but feel a pinch as he swallowed the death-attuned treasure first . It was called Nightcast Lily] , and Zac ate it stem and all . A terrifying cold quickly spread through his body as inscrutable markings started to superimpose over his pathways , and Zac’s hand shook as he quickly swallowed the second treasure .

These natural treasures were proper D-grade items , which made them far more potent compared to items like the Fruit of Ascension who mainly got their grades thanks to its requirements on environment and usefulness . Even Peak E-grade cultivators would be careful when consuming one , and no one would be foolish enough to take two treasures of clashing attunements at the same time . No one except Zac , that is .

Life and death once more used his body as a battlefield , and Zac desperately pushed the rampant energies toward the space holding his soul . Cracks spread out across his body , and he was soon drenched in black ichor . But Zac was like a possessed person as he ignored the dangers , his mind set on forcing another fusion .

Soon the two energies entered his soul aperture , and his vision swam from the pain as small hairline cracks spread across the four Soul Spheres from the furious collisions between the energies of two D-grade treasures . The force required to decrease the number of crystals was clearly immense , and his soul could barely take the pressure . However , a wave of soul-wrenching pain was immediately followed by an unprecedented sense of clarity as four turned into two .

The new spheres were beautiful and radiant . It was like his mind housed two small moons , each of them worthy of being an elite mentalist’s soul judging by the power they contained . Zac could feel it . There had been a qualitative change when he decreased the number of Soul Spheres to four from eight , but the difference was far greater this time around .

It was like his soul was completely remolded into something far greater and far more durable , and the qualitative jump made him even more adamant about shooting for perfection . Problem was , most of the energies of the two treasures had been expended , and his body probably wouldn’t be able to take it if he ate two new ones . Not that he had them .

But there was one more trick he could use , though it came with some danger .

The passages in the manual , - The Heavens are subject to the demarcation of Yin and Yang , the delimited Dao . Supreme above all is the Primordial Chaos , a singular unity . ’ , had given him an idea for his final fusion and his eyes turned to the cage in his mind .

The two remnants were still locked in their eternal struggle , but they looked a lot better compared to their wretched state after being forcibly drained to generate a Chaos Pattern . They were continuously gaining energy through some unknown method , only part of which was extracted by the cage .

More importantly , it almost felt like being locked in a struggle with their nemesis forced the two remnants to continuously be refined , and extremely esoteric patterns had started to appear across their surfaces . Zac once had the idea to use those patterns as a basis to meditate on his Dao Fragments , but he had gained absolutely nothing .

It wasn’t a problem with his Bloodline this time , but the concepts hidden within those markings were just too esoteric . It was ultimately too early to use those things as a reference . He couldn’t even keep his mind safe without the help of his fractal cage , which was the biggest reason he was working on his soul in the first place . After all , there was no way for him to rely on the cages forever .

He had clearly sensed it by now . The two sets of fractals were extremely sturdy , but the remnants were slowly corroding them . They would break sooner or later unless Be’Zi and the System somehow replenished them . It was still in an early process , and Zac believed he had decades before they would break .

Though that grace period would most likely shorten from what he was about to do .

Zac’s mind shuddered as he pushed the two massive Soul Spheres closer to the anchor point of the sub-space prison , a nondescript part off to the side in his soul aperture . The movement went without issue , but Zac’s heart still beat like a drum as he pushed a large number of tendrils of mental energy into the hidden dimension housing the remnants .

The whole air around him ignited the next second as a torrent of energy came bursting out , filling his mind with unimaginable force . Black holes were replaced with sparkling stars around him as Creation vied for dominion against Oblivion . Zac almost felt like an almighty god as a thought could destroy anything around him , but he forcibly reined in his imagination .

He instead repeatedly wished for the rampant energies to create pressure on his two soul spheres . Oblivion and Creation , Yin and Yang , clashed in his mind , causing Zac to puke blood as deep cracks spread across the two spheres . One explosion after another rocked his whole soul aperture , but he arduously kept the two forces in check so that they didn’t completely destroy his soul .

Finally , his mind shuddered as ripples spread out from his glabella . The air itself started vibrating throughout the whole cave like someone had dropped a stone in a still pond . The delimited had become a singular unity , and his soul was made whole as the two cracked moons turned into one blazing sun .

A perfect reincarnation .

Chapter 670 : Alternative Paths

Zac breathed out in relief and elation , thinking everything was over . But a lot of things suddenly happened at once . The rampant energies of the remnants started to recede into the fractal prison as Zac felt two marks appear on his forehead , where each mark formed a vortex that could match even his Hidden Nodes in voracity .

A shocking suction made the space around Zac bend , and he looked on with distress as an enormous amount of attuned energies was dragged into his head . Zac had absorbed just a few percent of the energy he released before , but this much energy wasn't meant to be consumed . It was meant to be used as a boost to the environment when breaking through .

Yet these two marks cared nothing for that fact as they greedily swallowed everything they could .

That alone was alarming enough , but his eyes widened even further when a series of explosions erupted all around him . It was the array flags of his Life-Death array that had shot up into the air and self-detonated , releasing a huge amount of energy as well . It looked like the array had been saving a small part of the energy that cycled through its pathways , and it all came crashing back now .

Tremendous amounts of attuned mental energy blended with the miasmic and divine clouds as they entered Zac’s forehead . Zac himself didn’t control this process at all , but Zac actually wasn’t sure he wanted to stop it even if he could . Instead , he quickly looked inward to see what was going on . His evolved soul still looked like a white-hot sun that illuminated his mind with mysterious splendor , but it wasn’t hovering in an empty space any longer .

Instead , it looked like it was floating on top of a pond wrought from life and death . The body of - water’ was still both shallow and small , but it rapidly expanded as energy kept pouring in . It was like his mind could suddenly house an infinite amount of power , like his aperture was able to grow along with the ocean .

The process continued for hour after hour , until Zac finally felt a pressure in his mind . It looked like the space for his soul no longer could expand . Zac looked on at the situation with marvel . Before now , his soul had just been this diffuse blob that he could sense in his head , but now there was a defined space . Furthermore , everything was so clear and tangible . It almost felt like the core of his soul was a physical object , and he looked at his new internal space with marvel .

There were no set rules of how a soul should look from what Zac had gathered . Soul Cultivation didn’t follow a strict series of grades like cultivation either , where everyone had nodes to break open in the E-grade and a Cultivator Core to form and upgrade during the D-grade . It was rather dependent on the method , and two equally powerful souls could look completely different .

Zac’s soul had undergone a tremendous transformation as he had officially completed the first step of the Nine Reincarnations Manual] , and his soul was undeniably marked by the experience . It would be hard for him to swap to a different Soul Strengthening method by this point , but he wasn’t really intent on doing so as he felt it fit his path quite well .

Half of his spiritual world was now filled with a golden ocean , not surprisingly teeming with life-attuned energy . This energy wasn’t connected to him though , and he was unable to move or change it at all . It was the same with the second half of his internal space , which was now a pitch-black sea of death . The two bodies of water didn’t mix at all , but crashing waves rose to the sky where they met .

His perfected Soul Core was floating right in the middle between these two oceans , still shining in a pristine white . His avatar representing the Fragment of the Axe , and his Hidden Node Spiritual Void] , had taken its spot right on top of the core . It was now sitting on it like a marooned sailor on a small island . The other two apparitions had instead formed two smaller islands apart from his core , with the hanging coffin resting atop the death-attuned ocean and the bodhi tree atop the golden one .

The scene was beautiful and it resonated perfectly with his path , and Zac felt he could finally relax .

Things had gotten a bit dicey for a moment there , but everything went above expectation . Zac wanted nothing more than to explore his new soul , but first , he had to check in on the remnants . He could still feel the cage , and it still hid in a subspace in his improved aperture . Better yet , there wasn't too much of the remnants' energies left in his mind .

Some of the energy had blended with the two oceans , but his new core was unsullied . It could have been worse , but a lot of the energy had been dragged back into the cage , probably by the remnants themselves .

Forcing open the funnel in his fractal cage was a last-resort option Zac had figured out a year ago but never had reason to try out until now . It was a method he could use if his life was on the line , a way for him to borrow the power of the remnants in case everything else failed . For example , if he was able to release energy like this back during his fight with Adcarkas , then things might not have gotten so desperate .

The energy funnel had thankfully started mending itself in response to Zac breaking it open , almost immediately . The remnants in turn didn’t want to lose their arduously accumulated energy , prompting them to quickly drag most of the leftovers back into the prison instead of giving it up . Things worked out better than Zac could have hoped , but the strategy did come at a significant cost .

The luster of the protective fractals had been expended by a noticeable degree , and Zac guessed that he had lost at least a good five years of protection . Zac was hopeful that the gain in his soul strength would offset the loss this time , but if he used the same method in combat it would be a pure loss . Besides , forcing open the gates repeatedly might cause the prison to crumble altogether , so it definitely wasn’t something he could use unless he was absolutely pushed to the edge .

Seeing that everything was in order with his remnants Zac instead turned his attention to his body , and he couldn’t help but lament at his lack of preparations . He had managed to perform a perfect Reincarnation , but at what cost? His whole body was a mess , and Zac could feel that his soul was still pretty fragile .

His experience was a great example of the difference between a Manual and a Heritage . The manual was short-worded and obscure , sometimes intentionally as to make it harder for outsiders to glean information . But a Heritage also contained the experiences of the predecessors . If he had the Heritage for the Nine Reincarnations Manual] he would have known exactly what the reincarnation entailed .

The undertaking would still have been dangerous since he would always be unable to gather the Dao clouds . But he would have been able to prepare himself better , like getting his hands on safer treasures to help with the fusion . Still , there was no use crying over spilled milk . The gains far outweighed the costs as far as Zac was concerned .

Zac soon started to observe his evolved soul from a utilitarian standpoint though . He had spent a small fortune and risked his life to reach this stage , and he needed more than a nice view . Luckily , it didn’t take long for him to start digging out the changes from his evolution .

First of all , his new soul seemed extremely stable compared to his old one , no matter if you looked to the size or mass of it . Harming it would take a lot more force compared to before . Zac couldn’t be sure , but he suspected that his resistance against mental attacks was stronger right now compared to when he actively used Mental Fortress] before .

His raw defenses were most likely inferior compared to when he used Soul Guardian] on his old soul though , but that was to be expected from an E-grade Mental Defense Skill . His pool of Wisdom obviously provided the same degree of protection , but it was like the same attack now would need to destroy a big boulder instead of a fist-sized stone . The same amount of force would have a much smaller impact .

The second gain was how clear everything felt . When he observed his Dao Avatar it felt like they hid a lot more secrets compared to before , and hundreds of ideas flicked through his mind as he turned his attention to the pathways in his body . He didn’t feel smarter by any means , but it was like his mind had become more in tune with the Dao .

Concepts he had studied before that had felt obscure and inscrutable were now within reach . He felt full of inspiration , which was exactly what he needed for the next step of his plan . However , he first had to check something , and two thin streams of Dao emerged from his avatars .

It worked!

Zac’s looked on with desperate hope as the two streams moved together , but his abyssal eyes closed in dismay when the two strands touched for just a second before they disintegrated . It was a failure , after all . He had hoped that his evolved soul would help him improve his control over his Daos , but it was only partly a success .

He now found it absolutely possible to activate two Dao Fragments at once without straining himself . However , his control over them wasn’t any better than before , which essentially meant that Dao Braiding still was an impossible goal . After all , it was the control itself that was key , not being able to activate the fragments .

Kenzie had often tried to explain how she could fight so dynamically , and it always boiled down to her Dao . She was able to control her streams of Dao with pinpoint precision thanks to her own talents along with Jeeves' assistance . She could even attach it to streams of Cosmic Energy and form elemental skills from scratch . However , this type of handling required both talent and affinities , of which Zac had neither .

But Zac suddenly froze as he felt a flash of inspiration . Perhaps there was a unique path he could take .

Two thick streams of mental energy emerged from the core of his soul , and they moved around in his aperture like two flood dragons , twinning around each other as they moved . It was obviously Zac who did it , but his eyes lit up at the result . Wasn’t this Dao braiding , except that the energy currently lacked any Dao?

Instead of using his Dao as the guide and his Mental Energy as the fuel like normal cultivators , what if he did it the opposite way? Form the braid with streams of mental energy with the help of his unusually powerful soul , then Infuse the streams with Dao like they were some sort of cables . From there you could infuse your skills with the newly formed Dao Braid .

The moment the thought ignited , Zac was completely unable to let it go . If this truly was possible , then the biggest detriment of his abysmal affinities would be solved . Truthfully , Zac felt that having no affinities for Daos wasn’t that bad in terms of cultivation . He could still gain insights from battles , and he suspected that he would be able to keep improving as long as he kept getting his hands on treasures .

Meanwhile , those with low affinities would sooner or later find themselves hard-capped in their cultivation , where they wouldn’t improve their Dao Seeds or Dao Fragments no matter what .

However , his inability to manipulate his Dao was starting to become a problem . Braiding two Late-Stage Fragments and infusing them into a Skill was almost as powerful as infusing the skill with a Peak-Stage Fragment . Above that were Dao Arrays , something that talented E-grade cultivators could make use of .

As grades progressed , the cultivators utilized their Daos would keep improving , while Zac used the crudest method . It hadn't been a real problem so far , but it would become a bigger and bigger issue as he progressed . He already had to eke out more and more advantages to cancel out the increasing boost from cultivation manuals , and adding Dao manipulation to that would be extremely tough .

But Soul Cultivation might be his key to retain his advantages .

The minutes passed as Zac kept trying to form his backward-braid , but he was soon enough forced to stop before making any real headway . His vision had started to get blurred as his wounds made themselves reminded . He sighed and stopped the experiments , and simply ate a few healing pills before lying down on the ground .

But he could feel it . There was hope .

Zac got no opportunity to celebrate though as sleep took him the moment his head hit the ground . He had no idea if one hour or one year had passed when he finally woke up , but a quick check proved that the correct answer was actually three days . He should have known that reforming his soul would stress his mind , and immediately starting to perform a series of experiments was overdoing it .

His mind felt a lot better after the rest though , like it had somehow stabilized . Of course , the attuned oceans in his mind still raged like before , and Zac guessed they’d never calm down . Zac wanted to check things out some more , but he suddenly sensed a presence in the distance .

Triv , come in , - he said .

Young master , are you okay? - Triv hesitantly asked as it floated into the cultivation cave .

I’m fine , - Zac sighed as he turned his gaze toward the ghost . - I just- Uh? -

Zac forgot his word as Triv had started to vibrate as the ghost moved away .

Please , your eyes . You’re almost like Lady Vilari , - Triv croaked as his spiritual form shuddered .

Zac was surprised by the ghost’s reaction , and he concentrated a bit to properly restrain his aura . He was always containing a large part of it naturally , but it wasn’t hard even for Zac to hide even more of it . In fact , it went even smoother right now compared to before , which meant Zac had found yet another benefit of soul evolution .

That’s better , - Triv sighed . - Lady Vilari has been waiting outside for a few days on your command . -

Oh , right . Send her in , - Zac said , a bit embarrassed he had forgotten about his undead general .

Chapter 671 : Vilari

Vilari came in a moment later , her eyes shielded by a black silk scarf covered in aquamarine fractals , which also held her shoulder-long white hair back from her face . Her build was still the same as the angelic girl who almost killed him in the Battle of Fates , but her aura was completely different .

Two black streaks ran down her cheeks and continued down her neck . It was a bit reminiscent of runny mascara if not for the massive amount , but its origin was rather Zac himself . When his soul cracked from the mentalist’s attack back then , a surge of Annihilation had ruined Vilari’s eyes and cracked her soul in return .

Those streaks of black blood had marked her skin , and they now formed a mysterious pattern that Zac felt had some sort of relation with the Dao of Oblivion . It gave her an oppressive aura , and one of perpetual sorrow , which was a bit unfortunate as her true disposition wasn’t like that at all . She wasn’t a ray of sunshine , but neither was she a dark cloud .

Her mental cultivation had resulted in a calm and gentle personality , though that didn’t mean she flinched in the face of carnage . She wasn’t blind like one could have expected from her appearance either , as a version of her old eyes had been grown back in the ruined sockets . It wasn’t some unique ability of her predecessor’s bloodline , but rather thanks to Zac’s experimentation over the past years .

He had used Creation to conjure something out of nothing .

The energies of Oblivion and Creation were constantly released into his body , and he occasionally needed to purge as to not get impacted by the influence of the remnants again . However , Zac had felt it was a waste to simply use his Origin Mark on nothing . He had seen how it could heal his own body and create things where only his imagination was the limit , so why not use the mark on his corpses?

His first attempt had been on the nephew of Cervantes , the mutilated and bisected corpse of the leader werewolf . Zac wanted to see if he could regrow the missing half with a Pink Flash . Unfortunately , his experiment had ended up with the corpse turning into a mutilated blob of flesh and metal as Zac let his imagination run wild for a second , making him think of the Cyborg he fought .

The following experiments went better and better as he learned to properly focus and avoid distractions . However , there were still limitations to the skill . First of all , he could only use it on himself and on corpses so far . Using it on someone living caused a clash of wills between the two parties , and things got out of control .

Secondly , the limbs he restored were weaker compared to the original , though that was slowly improved over time . Finally , it couldn't create things Zac didn't understand . One instance of this was bloodlines hidden in the depths of cells . For example , he had created two eyes for Pika as well , but she had actually scooped them out of her own head after awakening , saying that the real ones were waiting for her .

Vilari’s bloodline was thankfully not directly related to her eyes . In fact , Zac wasn’t even certain that her old eyes looked like that scary eye that had filled his vision back then . His memories of the whole encounter were a bit blurry , and he only remembered those enormous eyes . It might just have been a skill of the mentalist , but it was now a permanent feature of Vilari .

The real reason for the scarf covering her eyes was rather that her soul had grown too much in strength too quickly , and she wasn’t able to control her latent bloodline . Her living predecessor probably practiced some specific bloodline method , but the Mentalist hadn’t left any cultivation manuals inside her Spatial Ring . Most likely she hadn’t brought things like that to Base Town at all , rather leaving them back with her clan .

So , his commander of the Einherjar was in a similar situation as Zac was before he awakened his bloodline . In fact , the Einherjar with previous bloodlines were all in this situation . Their bloodlines had been partly sealed upon awakening , and they had to work at unsealing them rather than awakening them .

It was possible that a proper Lich might be able to allow their Revenants to awaken with their bloodlines intact , but Zac definitely wasn’t at that stage with his homebrewed methods . Conversely , his Mark of Creation would probably kick up a storm among Liches if they found out he had such a heaven-defying method to restore corpses .

Lord Atwood , - Vilari said as she looked back and forth in the cave . - Such a nice place . A shame it was destroyed . -

It’s just surface damage , - Zac said with a wry smile . - It will be restored . I’m sorry about the wait . -

It was no problem . The atmosphere outside helped me make some progress of my own , - Vilari said .

That's good . How are you coming along? - Zac asked .

It’s slow but steady , - Vilari nodded . - I think it's best if I stay at my current stage for a few more years unless you need me to advance . Soul cultivation is a slow path . -

Zac understood what she meant . His recent break-through should be possible to complete while still in F-Grade , but it would probably take a longer time . Who knew , perhaps it was even possible to undergo a second reincarnation as well . The greater the foundation she built early on , the further she would be able to go on her path .

That’s fine . Follow your instincts , and let me know if there’s anything you need , - Zac said as he threw her a crystal . - These are my insights after undergoing my first Reincarnation , it should be helpful to you as well . There were some surprises . I hope you’ll aim for a perfect Reincarnation if you decide to stick with this method . -

Vilari was the only one apart from himself who cultivated the Nine Reincarnations Manual . Zac had paid a small fortune for a Natural Treasure that allowed him to engrave at least the first section onto a one-time Information Crystal even though his understanding was a bit rickety .

She wasn’t quite as suited as himself for the method , considering she didn’t really have any affinity or relation to the Life-attunement . But the Nine Reincarnations Manual] was still a top-tier Soul Strengthening Method , and it helped her strengthen her soul at a decent pace . In fact , her soul was already superior to Zac’s pre-reincarnation soul , but it still hadn’t reached its limits .

Whether that would lead to an easier reincarnation or a stronger end-product , Zac wasn’t sure . Honestly , it wasn’t for certain that she would stick with the current manual at all since she could easily swap to another method before she actually underwent the first reincarnation . Afterward , it might be a bit more complicated .

Still , the information was of great value to her , and Vilari gratefully nodded as she stowed away the crystal .

Let me look into your eyes , - Zac suddenly requested , giving Vilari a start .

Ah- Are you sure? - the small Revenant hesitantly said . - Your state after grinding your skills- -

That was before , - Zac coughed with some embarrassment . - I want to see the effects of completing the first reincarnation . -

Alright , - Vilari nodded as she undid the knot at the back of her head , exposing two almost reptilian eyes .

The eyes were fashioned after the massive eyes that Zac had seen when the Mentalist attacked him during the battle of fates , with white sclera and a blue vertical scar running through them in the middle . The only difference was that the blue back then was a lot deeper , whereas Vilari’s fractured pupils were the aquamarine of condensed Miasma .

Until today Zac had found himself on the losing end to Vilari’s gaze , even when activating Soul Guardian] or Indomitable] . His soul wasn’t actually hurt by the exchange like back during the tower climb , but it did make him slightly dizzy after just a few seconds . Which was shocking considering that Vilari was just peak F-Grade .

But this time was different . He felt some pressure and the oceans in his soul aperture started to churn a bit , but he was still able to maintain a completely lucid mind even without activating his mental defense skill . It was like the oceans acted as a buffer , and the core wasn’t affected at all by the latent pressure Vilari exerted . It was clear ; mental defense was once his weakness , but it had now turned into his strongest point .

I can’t see your soul , - Vilari exclaimed with surprise , confirming Zac’s hunch , and a smile spread across her face .

What’s with you? - Zac asked with confusion as he saw Vilari light up .

I’m just happy . I can finally look someone in the eyes without hurting them , - Vilari said with a smile .

Zac weakly smiled in return , once more feeling that the familial bonds of the Undead were a bit hard to get used to . He was essentially Vilari’s father as she carried his mark , and the awakening was performed with him as the - lifegiving source - . But Revenants turned this way were adults the moment they gained sapience , though they were still a bit wide-eyed even after two years of education .

So Vilari was his child , yet she was not . She was an adult , yet she was not , and Zac had some trouble adapting to it . Triv had just told him to see it as the same sort of relationship as the one he had with his Valkyries , which pretty much was true since the Einherjar were bound to him just like Triv was bound to the Undead Empire .

I’m sure you’ll be able to control your strength when we find a way to unseal your bloodline . It shouldn’t be long until we find a way , - Zac said . - And if you want , I have an opportunity for you . The Crown of Despair-Inheritance . There are some risks- -

I’m willing , - Vilari said without hesitation , eagerness written all over her face .

Okay , let’s go , - Zac nodded before he activated his Specialty Core to return back to his human form .

He had already kept Vilari waiting for three days , so they headed out without delay , leaving Triv to start repairs on the cave . The two teleported over to his compound and immediately walked over to the intricate hedge maze that also doubled as Brazla’s Energy Gathering Array .

Even more functions had been added over the past years ; it now also contained hidden bewilderment and trapping arrays that Kenzie had installed . Of course , the main reason for them being there was because Brazla had demanded it in return for divulging some of his knowledge .

Zac was in control of the array cores rather than Brazla though , and he effortlessly led Vilari through . The size of these additions around the Dao Repository had forced Zac to slightly move the inner wall , not that anyone in Port Atwood wanted to stay too close to the Dao Repository after it started stealing their ambient energy .

It’s you , - Brazla muttered , glancing down from his golden cloud when Zac walked inside with a curious Vilari in tow . - What do you want? -

I want to give the Crown of Despair to Vilari here , - Zac said . - Is it a problem that she’s a Revenant? -

Should be fine as long as it’s not a man , - Brazla shrugged and waved his hand , conjuring a portal in front of the statue .

Good luck , - Zac said as he turned to Vilari . - I’ll wait here . -

This inheritance is a bit special , - Brazla interjected . - The undead lass will be gone for at least a month , probably more . -

What? - Zac said with shock .

Most trials just took a few hours , and even his own inheritance had just lasted for a day . Meanwhile , the trial for the Crown of Despair would last for a whole month? What kind of treasures hid within that realm?

It’s not that the quality of the things left behind is higher . The owner had some… peculiar demands when constructing the inheritance realm , - Brazla snorted , clearly reading Zac's thoughts . - Also , it’s the only inheritance site I am completely unable to sneak inside , so I have no idea how it looks by now . That dour woman might have gone even more insane over the long years . -

Do you still want to go ahead with this? - Zac asked with some worry .

Even more . It sounds like a challenge where I can hone myself . We can’t shy away from some minor difficulties if we want to be able to assist you in the future , - Vilari said with a nod .

Fine . Good luck . And if it seems like you will die , just give up . There will always be other opportunities out there , - Zac said and looked on with worry as Vilari walked toward the teleporter .

And , young master? I am sorry about the mistress , - Vilari said as she disappeared in a flash .

The teleporter disappeared , taking Vilari with it . Zac gazed at the towering statue a few seconds , and he couldn’t help but feel a wave of dejection coming over him . The statue was holding her head in her hands and it radiated sorrow , and it made him glance toward the stalwart statue of the Blade Emperor .

Seeing him brought back a wave of unwelcome memories , and he wordlessly turned toward the exit . A snort echoed out from above , but Zac ignored it as he walked away .

Are you… Getting her back? - a hesitant voice asked just as Zac was about to leave , which made him stop in his tracks as he looked back up at the Tool Spirit .

It looked like Brazla's sullen demeanor was caused by missing Kenzie , and Zac guessed he shouldn’t be surprised . She was essentially his only friend in this place , visiting him occasionally to just play around . Perhaps Brazla was dreading being left alone in this world again since Zac was always occupied with his cultivation .

I’ll do my best , - Zac sighed . - Have you heard of Six Profundity Empire? Or Immemorial Realms? -

I haven’t heard of that empire , - Brazla said with a shake of his head . - But I have heard of Immemorial Realms from my master . It was something he had learned from a mysterious being passing through his sector . He stayed with my creator for a few weeks when he was young and gave some casual pointers on crafting .

Master always said it was thanks to this mysterious person’s profound knowledge he was considered the top among D-Grade craftsmen . It was thanks to him that even Monarchs came to his doorstep asking for help . Master always dreamed of meeting this mysterious master again , but he never got the chance . -

Zac’s brows rose with surprise . A few weeks of casual pointers completely transformed the fate of the original Brazla? Sounded like Brazla had a lucky encounter of his own . It might even be possible that that person was at B-grade to elicit such a change .

Master learned that Mystic Realms are the lowest rung among the hidden pockets of space . There are higher-tiered worlds as well . He mentioned Ancient Realms , Immemorial Realms , and Primal Heavens . I don’t know anything more than that though , - Brazla muttered .

Immemorial Realm… Higher-tiered Mystic Realm , - Zac mused .

It is some sort of cultivation paradise , I bet , - Brazla shrugged . - I guess it’s the kind of place those lofty beings need to enter continue their cultivation . I bet a place like this backwater sector simply doesn’t have the fundamental requirements to nurture a B-grade Cultivator . And there is no way such a place is unclaimed . Getting in would be nigh-impossible . -

You might be right , - Zac said with a sigh , knowing that his goal of finding Kenzie had just become even more difficult .

Leaving the Zecia Sector alone was a daunting task for someone who wasn’t even powerful enough to freely walk among the stars . Gaining access to some supreme cultivation paradise to free his sister sounded like an impossible task as things stood . But Zac simply took a deep breath and left .

One step at a time .

Vilari being gone for so long was out of Zac’s expectations , but it didn’t affect his original plans all that much . Zac sent a message to Calrin next , ordering a huge batch of provisions for his next outing before returning to his cultivation cave .

He spent the next week healing up , resting , and going over his plans . Zac had formed all kinds of hypotheses and goals over the past three years , and the improved clarity from his soul helped him perfect those steps even further . Only when he was completely certain he was back in prime condition did he continue with his objectives .

Zac activated his teleporter , appearing in a small empty building , a logger’s cabin that hadn’t seen any visitors for months . He stepped outside , finding himself in a small town , though not a person was in sight . It was a small deserted settlement that Zac had found while flying around on his leaf , looking for good grinding spots or any natural treasures left behind after the Integration .

Judging by the signs and remains , the place had once been a drop-off point for a cohort of human cultivators . However , they had long died due to their unfortunate placement . The town was situated at the edge of a series of towering mountains to one side and a vast coniferous forest to the other .

Both the mountains and the forest were simply crawling with powerful beasts , and there were no other towns for hundreds of miles . The cultivators had fought valiantly against the dangerous surroundings , unlocking a Nexus Crystal and all sorts of battlements . They had all died before managing to unlock the teleporter though , leaving the town unclaimed .

Zac had quickly killed all the alphas in the surroundings before claiming the city , which gave him a small outpost far away from prying eyes , with ample prey to use as target practice . However , Zac didn’t come here to just fight beasts , he had a specific goal in mind .

He walked over to the Nexus Crystal , putting his hands against its smooth surface .

Fuse Skills?]

Chapter 672 : Skill Fusions

Zac had gained his first skill upgrade quest at level 90 as expected , and another one at level 100 . Both of them provided him with one opportunity to freely fuse or upgrade one of his F-Grade skills , though the upgrade only allowed for upgrading Class-specific skills . The fusion could make use of external skills , but only if the first skill in the fusion was provided by the class . Secondly , only F-grade skills were useable in the fusion .

Zac had reached level 90 just two months after the events in the Mystic Realm , and he completed the quest in two weeks . Yet he had held off on accepting the reward based on a recommendation from Alyn . He would only get a few freebies , and he needed to make the most of it . Zac got two shots per class , which felt sorely lacking as he went through his long list of abilities .

There were many reasons to not immediately cash in the rewards . The System assisted in the upgrades , but the cultivator could actually nudge the process in certain directions as long as they had a clear understanding of the skill fractals and what they wanted to change . That was a big reason why Zac had worked so hard on shoring up his foundations over the past years , to give him a shot at creating skills suited for his cultivation path .

This was extra important for his Fetters of Desolation-class , where he had several skills that he rarely used or simply didn’t fit too well with his envisioned combat style . He wanted to turn the class more offensive while still maintaining some defensive capabilities , and he hoped he had found a way to do that . Right now the class combined Defense and Death , and Zac needed to turn that into War and Death .

He had gone over his options hundreds of times in his mind as he worked on his Soul Cultivation over the past years , and he had long reached a decision for both his classes . All four opportunities would be used for fusing skills , leaving the normal evolutions to his own hard work . The reason was simple ; fusing skills was a lot harder than simply upgrading one .

It took two different skill fractals and turned them into one , combining their effects to something new . It required a high understanding of fractals , the Dao , and the skills themselves to work , along with some sort of inspiration . An upgrade wasn’t easy by any means , but ultimately a lot more straightforward .

Fixing his Draugr skillset was important , but Zac wanted to work on his human side first . He figured that the fusions he had planned for his Edge of Arcadia-class were more straightforward , and the accumulated experience would hopefully help him when performing the more transformative fusions of his Draugr side .

Zac looked at the prompt from the Nexus Node in front of him and took a deep breath before choosing YES] and swiftly picking his first two skills to fuse . It was Deforestation] and Nature’s Punishment] . He was very happy with both skills , but they ultimately served a similar purpose in his skill set .

So , Zac had decided to fuse the two into one , creating one terrifying ultimate skill that would crush all opposition in one go . It was a combination of two of his Daos as well ; the Fragment of the Bodhi and the Fragment of the Axe , the essence of his Edge of Arcadia class and his cultivation path . Now with his burgeoning ability to braid two Daos into one attack , it held even greater potential .

Zac’s surroundings suddenly changed , and he found himself sitting in a vast cosmos , and his eyes lit up with expectation when he saw the familiar stars far in the distance . It looked a lot like when Yrial imparted his Dao onto him years ago , like he was staring into the Heavens themselves in this secret dimension .

Two streams of energy suddenly emerged from his body , turning into the fractals of his two skills , each of them as tall as Zac . Two streams emerged from his glabella next ; the familiar Dao clouds that were continuously released from his Dao Avatars . The streams were unsurprisingly those released by the Fragment of the Bodhi and Fragment of the Axe .

Two fractals crashed into each other the next moment , turning them into a cloud of stardust that swirled about . It was mesmerizing to look at , but Zac didn't forget himself as he staunchly focused on the direction he wanted to take the skill in . Pure power stemming from the endless force of nature itself , paired with the unstoppable momentum of an axe . The two would turn into a single attack that would cleave earth and end a war altogether .

A rippling force shuddered within the stardust , and Zac felt certain his general idea for the skill had been accepted by the System . The stardust created from the former two skills congealed into a brand new fractal , while energy from the distant stars poured in and gave it even greater strength . The result was a skill fractal far more detailed than those before , radiating unquestionable might .

Zac looked at it with awe , and he could quickly make some deductions thanks to his years of study into the patterns that the Apostate of Order brought to the cultivation world . First of all , the energy requirement and strength of his new skill should be around twelve times greater compared to the old ones .

One could almost liken a skill fractal to a perfectly crafted machine , and some patterns shared purpose across most skills . For example , there were the transformers that took normal Cosmic Energy and transformed it into whatever force was needed to conjure the skill .

There were also storage patterns that allowed the skill to compress and store Cosmic Energy until it was all released in one mighty blast . The more storage patterns a skill fractal contained , the more power would the skill be able to unleash . Of course , it also meant the skill would cost more to activate as well .

The number of storage patterns nestled into the skill fractal was a good indicator of what type of skill one was dealing with since massive finishers would obviously contain tens , perhaps hundreds , more of these types of mini-fractals compared to weaker repeatable skills like Chop] . It was this that gave Zac an idea of how powerful the skill would be without even using it .

Furthermore , Zac was elated to see that the transformative patterns had a decent balance between nature and axe , though it looked to be a sixty-forty balance in favor of his Dao of the Axe . It meant that it would be a primarily axe-based skill that borrowed the elements of nature , rather than a nature-skill with the cutting-ability of an axe .

A fifty-fifty split might have been optimal in terms of his path , but Zac knew he was still an axe-warrior first and foremost . Over the past years , he had managed to incorporate the Dao of the Axe far more into his fighting style than his other two Daos , which wasn’t a surprise as he fought with an axe . Getting a sixty-forty split was pretty good all things considered , and he might even be able to gain some inspiration in the future by studying the fractal .

The skill wasn’t completely formed just yet though as two streams of starlight washed over the skill , each one transforming the pattern a bit . Zac couldn’t put his finger on it , but the fractal looked a bit more perfect afterward . This was the benefit of the System doing the fusion rather than doing it yourself .

You might not have full control over the process , which meant that the skill might not be one hundred percent suited to your path . But the resulting skill fractal would be without flaws . A fusion-reward from an Epic Class would result in a Peak-quality E-Grade Skill without fail , which was especially important in Zac’s case .

After having studied skills for a long time he had already confirmed that while both Deforestation] and Nature’s Punishment] had amazing effects , they were ultimately High-quality skills . They were extremely close to peak quality , but there was still a short distance away . In comparison , Profane Seal] was a proper peak-quality skill since both its defenses and restraining prowess were top-tier for the grade , while even including a teleportation effect to close distances .

Meanwhile , over 90% of those who fused skills on their own ended up with a skill with a lower quality compared to the source skills . For example , turning two High-quality F-grade skills into one Medium-quality E-grade skill . It would be a huge loss if Zac wasted the potential in his two signature skills that way .

Certainly , it was possible to maintain the quality of one’s skill , but it required tremendous insight and talent . To improve the quality like what was happening right now most likely required some great fortuitous encounter , like an epiphany or special treasures that could aid in the process .

The skill was finally complete , and it turned into a streak of light that entered his body , and Zac waited with rapt attention for it to stabilize . A wide smile spread on his face the next moment as it settled in the position of Nature’s Punishment] . This was exactly what he was hoping for because that came with a special benefit .

He could get the Endurance-based defensive skill in the Dao Repository now .

Nature’s Barrier] was all but useless by now , leaving Zac without any real defensive options . Between his huge pool of Endurance and his Dao Fragments he was definitely hard to kill , but he needed a skill that actually took advantage of his strengths and pushed his defenses to the next level . He had already shored up his weaknesses on his mental side with Spiritual Guardian] and evolving his soul , and this was the next step .

It wasn’t time to worry about that though , and Zac pushed away any errant thoughts as he wanted to imprint the feeling and memorize every single change that had taken place in his body since he started the fusion process . Obviously , it wasn’t as magical when doing the same thing yourself , but it could provide some guidance .

Zac soon enough he found himself back in front of the Nexus Node , but he sat in meditative silence for a few minutes to imprint everything . Only then did he open his Skill Screen .

E] Arcadia's Judgement - Proficiency : Early . Only judgment awaits those who encroach on the mandate of Arcadia . Upgradeable .

Zac nodded in satisfaction before he sat down and studied the fractal for another 30 minutes . Only when he felt he had imprinted the whole thing in his mind did he stand up and step onto his flying treasure . There were still a few skills to fuse , but he first wanted to see the effect of the first fusion first-hand so that he could get a better understanding of the result .

Half an hour later he stood overlooking a vast valley from the vantage of his leaf . Thousands of beasts milled about within , some sleeping while others fought for sport . The stench of blood and death was palpable , and incessant roars full of power reached him even though he was hundreds of meters into the air .

This was a perfect spot for his experiment .

Zac soon landed at the mouth of the valley , making no attempt to mask his aura . His arrival was immediately noticed as thousands of weird beasts turned their attention toward him . They were Truzkirs , a beast that once lived on the Zhix homeworld .

Back there they were a small nuisance looking like a mix of some type of warrior ants and scorpions . Nowadays they had turned into a real threat to the surroundings , as they voraciously devoured everything around their lairs and multiplied quickly . They were both very small for spiritual beasts and agile to boot , which in conjunction with their endless numbers made it a pain to hunt them for normal people .

This particular hive was slated for eradication since it had grown too big , and there was a real risk of a beast tide if nothing was done .

The clattering screeches were almost deafening as a tide of Truzkirs rushed toward him , completely uncaring that his aura was hundreds of times stronger than theirs . Zac wasted no time and immediately started to infuse his new skill fractal with Cosmic Energy , and a slight frown emerged when it only stopped after two seconds and gobbling up 25% of his total reserves .

That was a huge amount considering his attribute pool , and it would cost him most of his void energy from Force of the Void] , but that was ultimately a good thing in his book . His Void pool had already increased to 27% over the past years , which meant he wouldn’t completely be drained . Besides , the more energy it consumed , the greater the force the skill would exert .

Zac felt a tremendous weight assail him the next moment as an enormous hand appeared above his head . It looked a bit like the old wooden hand of Nature’s Punishment] , but it was over ten times larger ; a mountain of bark , vines , and wood covered in glaring red runes . It was like Zac had borrowed the hand of a young treant before , but now the patriarch had showed up .

And it didn’t come alone as a massive primal axe was held in its hand . The axe was wrought from wood and stone , and it felt like it was a natural product of mother nature itself . The insect tide was almost upon him by this point , and Zac didn’t want to let them surround him . Zac’s hand swung down , and he felt his bones creak and groan from the tremendous weight his skill exerted on him .

The hand in the sky mirrored his action , just like Deforestation] did . The enormous axe fell , and it sounded like two mountains were ground against each other as arcadia unleashed its judgment . It felt like the whole planet would get cleaved in two as the axe slammed into the ground , digging over twenty meters into the valley . Thousands of beasts were instantly crushed and ground to dust as a scar over five hundred meters long was formed .

The wound on the earth radiated an undeniable might , and the whole valley shook from the force . The vibrations turned into a full-blown earthquake , but it only lasted for a second before the whole valley veritably exploded in a chaotic jumble of broken flesh and stone .

The hidden hive beneath the ground had been destroyed in an instant and the whole area had been transformed from a valley into a deep pit that radiated an immense aura of slaughter . The whole atmosphere had transformed as well as it held the weight of a mountain . The occasional Truzkir still screeched in pain and fear , but almost all of them had been annihilated by one single strike . The few remaining beasts would easily be dispatched if Zac was inclined , since the lingering pressure had rendered them completely unable to move .

Zac looked down at the destruction for a few minutes , feeling that he really had delivered judgment on this whole valley . The direct force unleashed from the enormous stone axe matched and even eclipsed the third swing of Deforestation] , while the scope of the secondary eruption was a lot larger than any of the punishments from Nature’s Punishment] . Power and scope ; Arcadia’s Judgement] had both .

And this was just Early Proficiency .

His goal was accomplished , and there was no point in him lingering any longer . The next day was spent performing one fusion after another , and Zac gained a lot of inspiration and comprehension every time . Zac also realized that he had worried about nothing as every single fusion lived up to his expectations , even the two for his Draugr side . Then again , the great outcome might be thanks to him slowing down and gaining a deeper understanding of fractals and skills .

Zac visited the Towers of Myriad Dao once more after everything was dealt with to pick up his new defensive skill as well . He had hoped Vilari would surprise him and Brazla , but she was still embroiled in the trial . Zac could only leave for now , and he found himself in front of the Nexus Hub a few minutes later . With his skill fusions dealt with , nothing was holding him back any longer .

The next part of his plan would take place off-world .

Chapter 673 : Departure

There was just one thing Zac needed to do before he left Earth . He looked down at the crystal in his hands , and a tumultuous wave of emotions hit him once again . He hated the thought of using something given to him by that woman , but what choice did he have? If he ever wanted a chance at taking charge of his own destiny or reuniting with his sister , then he couldn’t stay in Port Atwood .

He needed the Array , at least for now .

Zac took a deep breath before he pushed it against his stomach with some lingering fear . Trusting Leandra felt pretty foolish , but he relied on the fact that she wouldn’t bother laying some trap with the array . She didn’t even care about murdering Thea right in front of him . If she wanted to implant him with something nefarious , she would probably just cut him right open while talking about the importance of her undertaking .

He infused some energy into the crystal , and it quickly turned into a liquid that streamed into his body and formed a mysterious pattern on his Duplicity Core . It wasn’t like Yrial’s skill that was overlaid like a sphere , but it had rather fused with the Specialty Core itself . There was still no change though , but that was because Zac hadn’t activated the array yet .

Another stream of Cosmic Energy entered the array , and Zac felt his connection to the core immediately weaken . A few seconds later it was like both the core and the mysterious array had simply disappeared . Zac could still feel his core , but it was somehow distant , like it had been moved to a different dimension .

Activating Yrial's transformation skill yielded no result , but Zac could somewhat sense that he would still be able to force the race change if he pushed a lot harder . Of course , doing so would waste a month , so he let it be . He scanned himself over and over for the next hour , but he really couldn’t sense the smallest hint of the Specialty Core ever being there . The spot it took up had even been replaced with perfectly normal energy pathways .

That meant that even if someone managed to break through Greatest’s bangle , it still shouldn’t yield any result . Zac changed his appearance next , turning into a middle-aged human with some distinct features that set him apart from Zac's own appearance .

With that out of the way Zac teleported over to the Nexus Hub , and he was gone from Earth a moment later without leaving a trace .

Guides! Guides to pass the gauntlet! Seize a better score and a better future with this great investment , - a furry gnome hollered from his spot on top of a few boxes as he waved a shimmering crystal in his hands .

Zac smiled and shook his head as he kept walking down the bustling street , heading straight for the grand castle in the distance . He wasn’t the only one , as people emerged from the ten teleportation rooms every minute or so , resulting in a steady stream of people heading toward the same place . An enormous ship that had to be over a thousand meters long was slowly making its way through the atmosphere as well , and hundreds of smaller vessels followed in its path .

A large number of shops lined the main street , but Zac knew that the wares inside paled compared to the impressive treasures in the windows of the stores . Havenfort Base] was both an opportunity and a tourist trap , and it all centered around the castle in the distance .

Inside the castle was the Havenfort Chasm , a massive hole of seemingly endless depths . It was created when a Monarch self-destructed out of despair over losing his loved one , though some rumors argued that he did it out of vengeance in an attempt to take out the perpetrators behind the lover’s death .

As for the opportunity , it was a mostly safe trial that provided a Limited Title . The deeper you managed to walk into the depths of the chasm , the better the title would be . Simple enough .

One of the greatest benefits of Zac's huge number of teleportation locations was access to thousands of different trials that existed all over the Zecia Sector . It would allow Zac to easily fill up his empty slots before setting out toward deadlier challenges . He had already confirmed that Titles didn’t impact attribute limits , which was one of the reasons so many believed that Titles were small bloodline evolutions provided by the System .

Zac had thousands of open trials to choose from all across the Sector , though over 95% of them were low-graded trials that only provided flat attributes . There were all kinds of trials , and it had taken some time for Zac to find those who were suited for him . Some trials provided pretty great rewards , but Zac had to give up on them anyway . For example , there was a trial called The Riddlemaster’s Maze] which took an average of twenty years to complete .

Other trials were unsuitable for him to undergo for other reasons . Certain locations were only open once every few decades , others took a long time to reach even with teleportation access . A lot of trials were also skewed in favor of certain paths , races , or Daos , whereas even more had other sorts of restrictions .

Trials limiting attributes were obviously the worst for Zac , since that wouldn’t let him take full advantage of how monstrous his attribute pool was for his current level . Certainly , with his high Efficiency he’d do better than most , but his advantages would partly be nullified by people’s cultivation manuals .

Instead , Zac had focused his attention on level-restrained trials and dynamic trials . Level-restrained trials had certain cut-off points , and if Zac found one close to his own level he was almost certain to steamroll it . Dynamic trials automatically adjusted the difficulty based the difficulty on your level or attribute pool depending on what it wanted to test .

For example , the Trial inside the castle in the distance was a dynamic trial based on level , which was perfect for Zac .

Unfortunately , the rewards for these kinds of trials were only better than average . It wasn't anything surprising . With a low risk of death and such easy availability , the rewards could only be so good .

The best Limited Titles came from unexplored Mystic Realms where people braved unknown dangers . The second-best titles came from Grade-restricted trials , of which the Tower of Eternity could be considered one of the most famous examples .

All other trials were a notch below , and their rewards differed from case to case . Zac had asked Alyn why the grade trials were the most rewarding , and it turned out the most commonly held belief was that the System wanted to encourage pushing each grade to the limits . Only after you reached the peak of a grade and deepened your foundations did you have the qualifications to go for the best rewards in that grade .

Zac obviously wouldn’t waste his time and limited opportunities in going to those kinds of trials at level 101 . He would first go for a set of decent Titles to fill up his empty slots so that he was as powerful as possible before setting out for his more dangerous adventures . It was obviously a unique advantage afforded to him thanks to his training quest , whereas the other trial takers usually had to make do what was available in their surroundings .

Some of those who arrived in this place had gotten a Teleportation Token as a reward for some quest , and it was no secret that the System often dropped tokens in the depths of Mystic Realms as rewards for reaching that far . Others came here through the Space Gate Guild , though that option was only available to the wealthier scions .

The Space Gate Guild was actually a guild that specialized at gaining access to a large number of locations , mainly targeting hubs and opportunities such as the Havenfort Base] . These people’s jobs was simply to take the elite to places they normally didn’t have access to themselves .

This business was extremely lucrative , as the guild charged roughly 10 times the standard fare to take a person to a certain location , and just as much to return . However , there were a lot of restrictions to this trade . First of all , you needed to get access to the valuable Arrays , and that was extremely hard .

Not only did you need to complete some quests in the area where you wanted to gain an array , but you also needed to be granted access by the owner . That was easier said than done too , since a Lord couldn’t give those out as he wished . The first requirement was for the target to reach the System’s requirement to be worthy of the connection . Secondly , the Lord could only form a certain number of connections each year for otherworlders .

Zac himself would be able to give access to Earth to 100 people a year according to Abby , though that still wasn’t possible while the shroud was active .

Furthermore , why would someone controlling a great opportunity like the Havenfort Base] give that access away for free? The Space Gate Guild no doubt had to pay through the nose for every connection to this place they formed .

Travel itself was fraught with problems as well . First , a Guide , as the workers for the Guild were called , could only take on one mission every three months . The System blocked any more than that . Furthermore , they could only take one guest , which was a dealbreaker for many young scions , as they were afraid of traveling without bodyguards . Worst of all , they weren’t even allowed to operate through the Mercantile System .

So , it was clearly a business that skirted at the edge of what the System deemed acceptable , but it was nevertheless a pretty common way for the elites of the Zecia sector to get around .

The final method to get here was by Cosmic Vessels . This option was only used by locals . There were quite a few clans and Sects that operated spacefaring lines , operating massive vessels that took people between planets and opportunities .

That option was the least convenient though , as travel through that method took a lot of time , and it was generally restricted to the local cluster of planets . Still , the lucky few who lived on the capital world of a kingdom could sometimes jump onto a vessel , and spend a decade or two touring the local planets , gaining experience and opportunities on the way . Luckily , Zac could skip all that hassle thanks to his unique access .

Truthfully , while the Limited Title one could gain from this place was upper-tier , it wasn’t the best choice among the Title-opportunities Zac had researched over the past three years . But the story of Mandar Havenfort had refused to leave the back of his mind since he decided to fill up his Limited Slots .

Zac still had trouble processing with had happened back home , sometimes waking up in the middle of the night full of rage or despair , his whole body slick with acrid sweat . How would one come to terms with something like what he had experienced? His mother sacrificing his girlfriend to save his sister . It was like one of those ethical riddles with no right answer , and he found himself repeating the events over and over .

So Zac came here in search of not only a title , but for something more . He still didn’t know exactly what . This trial would tax not only the strength of his body , but the fortitude of his mind , and Zac hoped to find some sort of answers in the depths of the chasm .

The whole planet the chasm was placed on had been turned into a desolate rock after the Havenfort Monarch blew himself up , and wild energies still ravaged the outside . The thick barriers protecting the town no doubt cost a bundle to keep operational , so the town only housed the bare essentials ; a wide variety of establishments where trial-takers could waste their money . The actual metropolis where the massive Cosmic Vessels stopped was on another planet , with ferries taking the trial-takers here .

Zac soon reached the square in front of the castle , and he unhurriedly entered a grand building outside the castle gates . There was a line of warriors emitting decent auras to his left , and three cultivators radiating the aura of Hegemons to the right . The hegemons got personal and immediate service , whereas the E-grade cultivators had to stand in line .

He didn't really mind , but he was rather amused about how it all felt like he was on a vacation to a theme park or something , with concession stands and ticket booths . The desk itself was blurred , and Zac realized they used an isolation array for some reason .

One person , - Zac said when he eventually reached the front .

Certainly! Do you have a Heaven-bestowed token in your possession? - the gnome clerk asked .

No , - Zac said with a shake of his head .

One ticket is E-Grade 10 , 000 Nexus coins , - the goblin smiled . - The estimated waiting time is currently sixteen months . -

What? - Zac blurted , losing his equanimity for the first time .

The price was pretty steep , ten billion Nexus Coins , but Zac knew about that already . In his mind it was definitely worth it , considering that it would provide a Title . The same went for most cultivators . If they had the money , purchasing a Limited Title was one of the most efficient ways to strengthen yourself since it had no drawbacks .

The real problem was the waiting time . He didn’t have time to wait over a year , and he definitely didn’t want to do so in this price-gouging little town .

The Havenfort Chasm is a unique marvel of the whole Reputtin Domain . A lot of elites come from all over , even from other parts of the Zecia Sector to test their mettle against the pressure below . However , the Heavens themselves have limited the number of trial takers . Naturally , this has caused a line to form , - the fuzzy gnome said , and Zac inwardly groaned when he saw the pointed look she gave next .

Were all gnomes the same?

I don’t have time to wait that long . How much to… expedite… the process? - Zac sighed .

Now and then a trial taker backs out for one reason or another . It would be a shame to allow precious slots to go unused , so we have a few people standing by . Of course , this comes with the slight premium of an additional 40 , 000 surcharge , - the gnome said , her smile wide enough to brighten up the room .

Zac understood what she was saying all-too-well ; want to cut the line? Well , pay up!

Fine , - Zac snorted and transferred the funds , along with a few dozen D-Grade Nexus Crystals . - A little something for your troubles . -

This way , young master . I’m sure an opportunity will show itself anytime soon . A few hours at the latest , - the gnome said as the crystals disappeared in a blur .

A hidden door opened to the side , and the gnome indicated for Zac to enter . No wonder the gnomes had people buy tickets in private , the VIPs were actually led right inside the castle while the others had to wait outside the gates for over a year .

I’m sure , - Zac snorted as he walked through . - Otherwise , I might come back for my crystals and try my luck at a different gate . -

The hidden gate led to an opulent room full of artwork depicting the history of the Havenfort Monarch , but Zac wasn’t interested immediately stepped onto the Teleportation Array that activated automatically . The next moment he found himself in front of a gate , and there was a large plaque detailing a few hints about the trial next to it .

Most of it wasn’t news to Zac . The trial put everyone in a dimension of their own , or at least hid the other participants from sight . The task was exceedingly simple as well ; you only needed to walk down a spiraling path cut into the edge of the chasm , trying to get as far as possible .

Every so often you would reach a marker that acted as a checkpoint for the trial . It both held a teleportation array to leave , and it denoted the level of your limited title . You could try going further , but you had to turn back if you found yourself starting to lose to the pressure . Safety wasn’t guaranteed , and there were people every day who fell down the chasm and died after overestimating their capabilities .

There were 5 levels in total , with most people reaching the second layer from what Zac had gathered . The thing that prevented most people from going further was the mental pressure , and now that Zac had arrived to this place he understood why .

It turned out that mental defensive skills and similar items didn’t work in this trial , which wasn’t mentioned in the information missive at all . It might even have been omitted by design , as exposing that would scare away a lot of meathead trial takers who never worked on their spirit . Zac actually felt like he benefitted from this though , and it was an opportunity for him to test his recently evolved soul .

Zac pushed open the gate , and walking inside put him face to face to an impossibly large chasm hundreds of times larger than the castle he had entered .

Chapter 674 : Equanimity

On the other side of the door was a small balcony overlooking the enormous crater left behind after the Havenfort Monarch . Zac had been prepared for the hole to be big after reading about it in the missive , but even then he wasn’t mentally prepared to the staggering scene .

The chasm was endlessly vast , possibly having a diameter that eclipsed Zac’s whole island . As for the depth , it was even greater . Zac fought off his vertigo and walked over to the edge of the balcony , but he immediately regretted peering down . There were protective barriers preventing anyone from falling into the chasm , but Zac fell back and had to sit down even with those measures in place .

It was endless .

It felt like the chasm reached all the way into the abyss itself . Had the whole planet been pierced through when the C-grade cultivator fell? It almost seemed like it . Zac couldn’t imagine the force that would be required to create a crater like this . And this was even after the Monarch allegedly controlled the eruption and directed most of his force toward the Heavens , which explained why the chasm was almost perfectly circular .

Zac shuddered at the thought of someone like this targeting Earth .

His mental state soon calmed down though , and his gaze turned to the right . The balcony led to a pathway , thankfully five meters wide , that seemed to stretch along the edge of the tube-formed crater down into the depths . On a second look , there were hundreds of similar balconies as his own , each of them leading down a path of their own .

Judging by the incline and circumference of the crater , Zac guessed that each checkpoint might be one single loop around the chasm . He couldn’t spot a single trial taker though , but Zac figured that was because there was some force or array preventing people from seeing and helping each other .

There was a barrier blocking access to the pathway , and Zac figured that there was someone already using the current path . But since he was teleported to this specific balcony , he guessed that the one currently on his path had almost finished his or her run . So , Zac took out one of his prayer mats and sat down , slowly steadying his mind .

As expected , it only took two hours before a soothing bell woke Zac up from his meditation as the shield dissipated . Zac saw no point in loitering about , and he took a steadying breath before he stepped onto the path . However , he only took a single step before he stopped as a quest prompt had appeared in front of him .

Depths of Despair (Limited , Trial) : Descend into the chasm . Reward : Havenfort Chasm Limited Title . (0/5)

Zac read the description , but there wasn’t much to go by . The (0/5) in progress no doubt referred to the five checkpoints on this trial . The situation was straightforward enough and he started walking down the pathway .

He walked for a few minutes , and the only sounds in the area were his steps and the occasional moaning echoes created by wind swirling around in the chasm itself . There was definitely an odd energy suffusing this place , which Zac hadn’t noticed before . He did feel a heaviness on his body , but it was barely noticeable at this point .

Not only that , Zac did feel slightly dour , but he honestly wasn’t sure whether that could be blamed on the trial . The surroundings were dark , the atmosphere was oppressive , and he wasn’t in the best state of mind himself . It would be weird if he felt exuberant at a place like this . Still , there was a mental component to the trial , so he didn’t relax his focus .

The minutes soon turned into four hours as Zac progressed further and further down the chasm , and the pressure eventually turned palpable . However , the first checkpoint was still nowhere in sight , and Zac decided to speed things up a bit . Unfortunately , it turned out that his movement skill was blocked . Perhaps he shouldn’t be surprised , as there were all kinds of odd movement skills .

What if someone started moving through the ground itself shooting straight down toward the final checkpoint?

Zac also noticed that the suppression turned a lot more powerful if he sped up , and he was eventually forced to slow down to a brisk walk . No wonder the missive he bought said that the trial was expected to take up to ten days . You needed to slowly and gradually make your way down .

There was not much to do except walk in silence , and Zac’s thoughts eventually started wandering . Zac tried to focus on the future , to plan out his next steps , but his thoughts kept returning to those he had lost . His father , Alea , Ogras and Billy… Thea . Some were dead , others lost where he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to meet them again .

After all , the Million Gates Territory was vast , almost as big as the whole Allbright Empire . Finding a hidden realm in that place would be like searching for a needle in a galactic haystack . And if the existence of the Dimensional Seed became widely spread , that was even worse . How would Ogras and Billy survive when Hegemons and perhaps even Monarchs made their move?

The sea in his mind was growing erratic , and the clean line between life and death became blurred as dozens of whirlpools erupted . Even the island in the middle , the very core of his being , was assailed by powerful waves that crashed into it . The small ocean had turned into a mirror of his mental state , and it didn’t look good .

An errant thought was all that it had taken for it to spiral out of control , and Zac realized that he might not even make it past the first checkpoint unless he started to take things seriously . A trial that blocked mental defense skills would test one’s soul , but also one’s willpower and focus .

The trial thankfully wasn’t timed , so he stopped for a moment and took a few deep breaths as he tried to enter a meditative state . With the pervasive pressure in the air Zac was unable to completely turn off his mind , but the chaos in his mind slowly calmed down as he forcibly focused on the task at hand .

After a few more minutes his soul sea had returned to the previous state with a clean line of demarcation . Zac took a deep breath and continued down the endless chasm . His body could barely feel the effect of the trial’s physical pressure , but he was shocked at how fragile his mental state was .

Zac didn't let his thoughts stray any longer , and he kept a constant vigil as he pushed forward . He soon passed by the first checkpoint , but he didn’t even stop and catch his breath as he continued further down . There was a qualitative change in the pressure at the second layer , but Zac wouldn't give in at all . The second checkpoint arrived just a day later , and two days later the third , which meant he had gained a better title than most trial takers .

By this point the pressure was immense , and Zac was unable to think about anything but moving forward . Right foot , left foot , rinse and repeat . The slightest loss of control could be extremely dangerous , to the point that his soul would get hurt . The pressure on his body was bearable by its innate power alone , but he knew that he was in trouble in regards to his mind .

He was moving forward on pure willpower by this point , but his soul wouldn't be able to go much further . He had just passed the third checkpoint , but the pressure was more than twice what it was after the second . It was no wonder that most warriors only managed to reach the second stop . Even with a reincarnated soul , he was no mentalist , and he knew that his willpower wasn't as strong as some warriors who had tempered themselves for centuries .

Yet he felt it was too early to give up now . Eventually , he had taken three days on the third layer . He was like a zombie by this point as he stumbled forward , his eyes red from strain and veins covering his forehead . It felt like the harder he tried to fight the pressure , the stronger it got . It was like an annoyance that just increased in severity the more you focused on it .

Eventually , it came to a tipping point , where Zac simply couldn’t keep going as he was . The pressure was too great , and his whole mind aperture vibrated ominously from the invisible pressure . The two oceans were extremely chaotic even when he desperately tried to impose order , which was a telling sign of his mental state .

Zac stood in place , looking down at the depths with mixed emotions . Should he give in? This was ultimately not a life-death situation for him . Passing just three checkpoints would give him a pretty bad title , but there was no point in risking cracking his soul for a slightly better one . He could always go for another trial instead .

Zac didn’t immediately leave though , but rather looked down at the chasm with reluctance . He had come here in search of more than just a title , yet he had gained nothing . He walked up the path for a bit , but only to the point that his mind wasn't shaking any longer . He sat down and slowly relinquished his strict control over his emotions .

A thousand thoughts immediately flashed through his mind and his mind shook from the onslaught , but it soon calmed down as Zac started to impose order to the chaos . He didn't let his mind run haywire , but he also didn't shut any thought down . He slowly started to go over everything he had encountered and done over the past months , trying to find some closure .

Zac soon realized that he had fallen into the same state as he did soon after the Integration .

One trauma after another had kept accumulating back then , each one turning into a scab that had numbed his soul . Eventually , he had almost turned into a utilitarian killing machine who could weigh lives against benefits without blinking an eye . The first months after the Mystic Realm had been a confusing blur when he suddenly didn’t have anyone to unleash his bloodlust on .

Only when he stopped running did he realize what he had turned into . It had taken a long , long time for him to regain a sense of his humanity , and Thea had been a huge part of that process . Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he had jumped into the same pitfall the moment tragedy struck , where he got completely consumed with his cultivation and plans to reap resources .

But there had to be a balance .

It was true that the Multiverse followed the law of the jungle , and being soft would cause more harm than good . But losing one’s humanity on the path to power , discarding all attachments as though they were weaknesses , would strip away the core of your being until you were only a ball of violence striving for power .

Zac kept going over everything , but he was suddenly startled awake when he realized that the pressure on his soul had lessened by a significant degree . He slowly got up and resumed his descent , time turning into a blur as he was now more focused on his inward journey . The pressure kept increasing , but the waves in his mind were actually slowly growing weaker . It was like the suppression on his mind forced him to confront some things he had kept at bay for so long .

One step after another took him deeper and deeper into the abyss . It felt like his mind was being honed in a completely different way than when he cultivated it with his Soul Strengthening Manual . He was making a spiritual journey , where his willpower was sharpened through processing years of pent-up trauma . That wasn’t to say that he was reveling in his suffering .

There were no two ways about it , he had gone through some messed up things over the past years . Friends and family had fallen , and his hands were completely drenched by blood by this point . Pushing everything down wasn’t the right way to deal with it , and tears Zac had started pouring down his cheeks at some unknown time .

The fourth checkpoint suddenly lit up the path around him , but Zac didn't care in the slightest as he kept walking . The pressure was getting pretty extreme by this point , and he was steadily losing Cosmic energy to just walk forward . Black swirls of unidentifiable energies occasionally passed Zac by as they danced at the depths of the chasm .

But a smile started to emerge on his face even as the pressure threatened to crush his mind entirely .

Memories kept coming back , but they were no longer all of self-loathing and doubt . He remembered the happy times , the intimate moments between just him and Thea . He no longer focused on the fact that he had failed to reach his father in time , or how Leandra had muddied the issue of paternity . He remembered those thirty years before where Robert Atwood had raised him and Kenzie alone .

He was being baptized by his own experiences , and he felt like he was in a trance . Each step was a herculean task by this point , but at the same time it felt like it was someone else's struggle . He didn't know if hours or years had passed as he was swept up by the past , but suddenly the pressure disappeared .

The world shifted and his soul shuddered , and then there was just tranquility .

Zac knew he had somehow passed the trial , but he still didn't open his eyes as he was immersed in his current feeling . But eventually , he opened his eyes and looked , only to realize that he actually had reached the bottom of the chasm . Zac's heart thumped for a second , but he soon quashed any errant thoughts .

It was clear he wasn't the first one , since he was looking at a vast graveyard . Or perhaps it was more correct to say it was a shrine , with thousands upon thousands of small memorial items left below . There were headstones , statues depicting all kinds of races , small trinkets like rings or necklaces , all kinds of items left on the ground . Zac wasn’t surprised at the scene after going through the trial , and he walked for half an hour until he found a spot .

He first took out a thin wooden sword and stabbed it into the ground . It was the training sword Thea often had used while practicing in his courtyard . He took out his axe and carved - Thea’ on the hilt before he stood and watched the sword for over half an hour .

Only then did he keep walking for a while , at which point he found another spot . He took out a framed picture and a boulder pedestal from his spatial ring , and carefully put the picture down on it . It was a picture of Himself , Kenzie , and Robert . He looked at his family for a few minutes more until he walked toward an illuminated spot in the center of the graveyard .

Zac stepped onto a teleporter a while later , and he immediately appeared in an opulent chamber . Right in front of him was a large plaque with just two lines written .

The night is the mother of the day

Chaos is neighbor with order

The words were simple , but every stroke was full of meaning . Whoever wrote it was definitely a high-grade cultivator , as it echoed with a Dao far beyond his own . Zac looked at the line for a few seconds until he turned to a meditating gnome he had spotted sitting to the side . She looked cute and fuzzy like a plush toy just as the other natives he had met , but there was an unfathomable power hidden within her diminutive frame .

Zac was surprised to sense an aura almost as powerful as that of Greatest’s as she opened her eyes and looked back at him . This was a real hegemon , probably at the late stages or even at peak D-grade , and Zac couldn’t help but tense up a bit .

Congratulations , trial-taker , - the gnome said . - It has been a while since someone reached the bottom , which requires you to hold on to your mortal heart . Those who discard all sentiments in the pursuit of power will reach the fifth checkpoint at best . Only the trees which can bend to the wind will survive the harshest storms . Our ancestor , Mandar Havenfort , never bent in his life and he only realized this truth when it was too late . -

Elder , - Zac slightly bowed before he asked curiously . - Why don’t you advertise the truth about the trial , that there’s a second way to complete it? -

Our Grand Elder won’t allow it , - the gnome said with some helplessness . - He said that catharsis is something that should be chanced upon on the journey of life , not something actively sought for benefits . It was he who wrote those words . -

Zac nodded in agreement and left the building soon after taking another look at the sign . The hidden powerhouse seemed benign , but it was still uncomfortable to be alone in a room with a being that could eradicate him with a slap . There wasn’t anything else keeping him on this planet , and he immediately started walking toward the Teleportation Hub as he opened his status screen .

Equanimity : Reach the floor of the Havenfort Chasm . Reward : Base Attributes +2% . Wisdom , Endurance +2%

Zac looked at the title with surprise . The Trial was supposed to give 0 . 5% to Endurance and Wisdom along with flat attributes for the first four checkpoints , and then 1% for the final level . But it looked like the whole title had changed by reaching the foot of the chasm , turning it into a far superior title that provided a boost to all base attributes .

The title was a far cry from the titles provided from ordeals such as the Tower of Eternity , but there was also very little danger involved . In fact , any titles providing over 5% to any base attribute in the E-grade came with a real risk of death , and they also weren’t publicly open like the Havenfort Chasm] .

With his two previous Limited Titles , Zac now had three of his slots filled up , which would be the limit for most . That obviously wasn’t the case for him , so Zac gave it some thought before he stepped onto the teleporter heading toward the next trial .

Chapter 675 : Bloodwind

The second trial went without any surprises , and Zac added another title to his growing repertoire after suffering inside a volcano for three weeks . Zac would probably have been able to reach the core of the volcano in two , but he had decided to move slowly as he digested what he had gone through in the chasm .

The second title only gave Strength , Vitality , and Endurance , but it did provide 4% to all three , which was even more valuable compared to the previous title in Zac’s book . He had considered swapping out his Weight of Sin-title as well , but he eventually decided to skip it .

Getting a marginally better title wouldn’t make much difference , and Zac felt it more worthwhile to move on to the next step of his plan . That meant there was just one final slot to fill , and Zac had saved the hardest one for last . He was currently in the darkness of mid-teleportation , but he soon found himself on top of a teleportation array in the middle of a desolate wasteland .

Zac looked around with wonder , feeling his heartbeat speed up while adrenaline coursed through his body . It almost felt like he was standing on the middle of a battlefield since the air was rife with killing intent . However , Zac knew it wasn’t someone targeting him , but rather a result of endless battles .

The planet he had decided to visit was called the Bloodwind World , and it was one of the greatest worlds made available to him by the System . The planet itself was at the very peak of D-Grade , and it was apparently hundreds of times larger than Earth even after the integration . The history of the planet was extremely rough though .

The Bloodwind Planet was once considered a cultivator’s haven , and a lot of factions wanted to make it their own . One bloody war after another erupted on its surface , an endless slaughter that lasted for tens of thousands of years . It was just like the vision Zac saw for that bloody lotus , but here there was no supreme treasure to swallow all killing intent and foul air .

It eventually got to the point that the very attunement of the planet changed , and the Cosmic Energy was now suffused with bloodlust . Cultivators with weaker mental strength would slowly go mad in an environment like this , turning into bloodthirsty maniacs . It was almost like the effect of the Miasma has on people living at the edge of the Dead Zone , but there was no escape here .

The change to the planet made most factions lose interest , as it was impossible to house a clan in a world like this . It was no problem to the upper echelons to a clan to survive here , but the younger generations would all turn insane . But one man’s trash is another man’s treasure , and some factions and organizations jumped at the opportunity to set up shop in this corrupted world .

And Zac’s purpose of coming to this place was to visit one of these factions ; the Big Axe Coliseum . In fact , this world was his absolute first choice when it came to Limited Titles , but he had left it for last to improve his attributes first .

The Big Axe Coliseum was both a battle-arena where cultivators could pit themselves against other cultivators or ruthless beasts collected across the sector , and a loose organization for Axe cultivators . Loose Organizations were different than Sects or Clans in the sense that there very few restrictions when joining such a faction . In return , they didn’t nurture their members or provide any benefits without payment .

Still , there were a lot of benefits to joining this kind of organization . Most of these organizations had merit systems just like Port Atwood and they held all kinds of items , some of which very hard to get your hands on through normal channels .

The treasure vault wasn’t that big a deal to Zac though since he had the benefits of hundreds of thousands of Teleportation connections . What was scarce in one part of the Zecia sector , might be attainable in other parts . That was how he and Kenzie managed to collect so many rare treasures in just three years . For most cultivators that would be simply impossible .

Zac was more interested in the information that this organization held . The Big Axe Coliseum was reportedly founded by a proper C-grade Axe Warrior , and while the founder was long dead it was still a proper C-grade faction with at least one Monarch ruling from the shadows . There were also thousands of D-grade Hegemons who were members of the organization , and Zac felt he might be able to make some unexpected gains if he joined the organization .

The Big Axe Coliseum probably had one of the most complete heritages when it came to cultivating with the axe , be it classes , skills , or upgrade methods for Spirit Tools . Even better , the test to become an outer member of the Big Axe Coliseum was a Limited Title-Trial which gave both fixed and increased Strength and Dexterity if you passed .

It was among the best of what an E-Grade open trial could provide , though it only provided it in two of the attributes . Zac immediately set out , a bit surprised at the fact there were no people around him in an extremely popular place like this . Millions of people in the sector reportedly came to the Coliseum , and not just Axe Cultivators . Yet , the teleporter took him to an empty tundra , with only a sign pointing the direction of the Coliseum .

It was completely different compared to the bustling scene outside the Havenfort Chasm , but it didn’t matter to Zac as he started to make his way toward the coliseum . Part of him wanted to take out his Flying Treasure , but he ultimately decided against it since a lot of worlds had restrictions regarding things like that . Flying was usually considered a privilege of Hegemons , and not something that piddling E-grade cultivators should do .

The surroundings were pretty desolate , with rock formations and the occasional twisted tree the only break in the dour surroundings . The lack of people was starting to get to him a bit , but he kept moving forward until he suddenly sensed a presence not far away .

Ah , a human? - a deep guttural voice exclaimed with surprise . - It’s not often we get your kind in this part of the Sector . Haha , like the taste of the air? -

Zac turned around and spotted a huge ogre reaching over twelve meters into the air . He was sitting with his back against a large rock a few dozen meters away , and there was a smell of blood and alcohol around him . His head was adorned with six short horns , and his bare round chest was covered in fractal tattoos . His legs seemed pretty stocky , and his arms were of such grotesque proportions that he would make Billy look scrawny in comparison .

Where had this guy come from? Zac was certain that he had looked at that rock just a moment ago , but at that time there hadn’t been anyone there . Still , Zac didn’t worry too much since he clearly wore the token of a member of the Big Axe Coliseum attached to his belt .

More importantly , while his appearance was pretty scary , his aura was not . Zac estimated his strength to be somewhere in the early E-grade , a common level of greeters .

It’s not bad . It feels like I’m standing on a battlefield , - Zac smiled . - Is this really the Bloodwind World? How come there are no people? -

Not bad? Haha , good! - the Ogre laughed . - Some feel pressured and fearful . They are no warriors . Others lose themselves in the fervor . They are nothing but animals . As for why there are no people , you’re standing inside an array . -

I am? - Zac blurted as he looked around without spotting anything amiss .

You’re too weak to notice it . Don’t worry , it’s just an illusion array . Some weaklings who come to this planet lose their minds from the atmosphere , and immediately attack anyone in the vicinity . This way we avoid a mess at the teleporters . Of course , I can tell that you’re barely affected at all . You have potential . Do you use the axe? - the Ogre asked curiously .

Zac thought it over for a second before he took out Rakan'sRoar] , a brutal axe which was made from a singular serrated tooth . The handle was made from a pristine white bone as well , except for a red gemstone that was embedded at the bottom along with some leather for a grip . He immediately infused the axe Fragment of the Axe as he showcased it to the ogre .

He had come here to take the test , so there was no point in hiding .

High Fragment Axe , not bad , - the gigantic cultivator nodded . - Primal series axe , and it seems to have been fed well . It's emitting a pretty fierce aura . -

You're familiar with the Primal series? - Zac asked with some interest .

The Primal Series was the name for the equipment group that Verun’s Bite] , Billy’s Bonker] , and Rakan's Roar] belonged to . It wasn’t that uncommon thanks to the System often rewarding low- and medium-quality Spirit Tools of the Primal Series upon completion of quests .

Zac was honestly a bit unsure whether Verun's Bite] could still be considered a part of the Primal Series though . It had undergone multiple transformations since he got it , from the mysterious stone that he still couldn't identify after three years , to swallowing all that dragon's blood . Both its aura and appearances were very different from before .

However , Zac was worried that his main axe might still be recognized if scrutinized while traveling outside . Thankfully he had already acquired a similar but visually different spare long ago . Rakan's Roar] was a far cry from Verun's Bite] , and it didn't even have its spirit awakened . But it felt familiar to use , and it worked well enough for a simple showcase such as this .

Well , it is a pretty common reward from the Boundless Heavens , but I might not have been able to tell if I didn’t use one myself , - the Ogre grinned , and Zac’s eyes widened when the huge humanoid produced a somewhat similar axe as his own , though his was a double-edged war axe . - I got this one a long time ago after performing well in a sanctioned war . -

Zac nodded in understanding . The System thrived on conflict , and very seldom limited it . Most of the time it didn’t involve itself at all . Two sides would fight and one side would fall , and to the victors went the spoils . However , sometimes the System provided extra incentives , which usually blew up the conflict to the next level .

It turned the war into a sanctioned event where participants could gain war credits . It made the war doubly profitable , and even outsiders flocked to join in on the carnage . In fact , that was exactly what happened in Zac’s case during the beast waves with the contribution store .

I used this guy for a few years , - the massive Ogre grinned . - But nurturing these guys is a pain in the ass . They just get pickier and pickier . I eventually gave it up and entered the path of Blood and Steel . -

He took out another massive axe the next moment , and Zac immediately found himself under an immense pressure . It was like the air itself bent around the weapon , and Zac felt like he was drowning in a sea of blood the moment the weapon’s aura was unleashed . Even Verun was startled awake inside his Spatial Ring , but the roars in Zac's mind were those of a prey trying to scare off a much-greater predator .

Zac immediately realized that he had severely underestimated the power of the ogre in front of him . He was using some sort of skill to mask his true power . Zac himself wasn’t confident he’d be able to wield such a powerful weapon , and it was definitely impossible for an early E-grade cultivator .

Still , he wasn’t too worried about being attacked . It felt more likely that this was a test , and Zac soon straightened his back as he calmed the churning waves in his soul ocean . It was like the axe amplified the murderous atmosphere many times over , making it feel like Zac had eaten a berserking treasure . If this was before stabilizing his evolved soul he might have lost himself for a moment , but now he only felt some mental oppression .

Not bad , most E-grade brats fall on their asses after I take out Bloodforge] . Are we walking the same path , human? - the Ogre asked with interest .

Anyone coming to join the Big Axe Coliseum was an axe-warrior , but there were thousands of different paths related to the axe . Zac wasn’t exactly sure what Blood and Steel entailed , but the aura of the weapon made Zac think of a gladiator reveling in battle . It also wasn’t impossible that the Ogre in front of him had forged the weapon himself , considering he walked the path of Steel .

Zac looked at the huge warrior deep in thought . Zac still wasn’t able to tell his exact strength , but it definitely was in the D-grade or higher since he could wield such a powerful weapon . If Zac had to guess , then this big brute was probably part of the upper echelons of the Big Axe Coliseum . Was this axe master actually looking for a disciple?

It would explain why such a powerful guy was lazing about this close to the teleporter ; he was looking for potential candidates . Zac’s thoughts whirred for a moment . Should he give it a try? As Yrial had said , there was nothing unusual about taking multiple masters , and this guy definitely knew all kinds of helpful tricks .

This was just a chance encounter so Zac wouldn’t expect anything more than an in-name discipleship where the cultivator in front of him gave some small pointers to clear his confusions . In fact , if the Ogre was too enthusiastic , then it would probably be cause for suspicion .

As for himself , Zac believed he was an unmatched candidate when it came to potential . But their paths were ultimately different , and that was sometimes even more important to cultivators when searching for disciples . So Zac decided to just be upfront and see what the Ogre thought .

No , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - I follow the Path of Conflict . -

Hm , a shame , - the Ogre sighed with some disappointment in his eyes , and Zac immediately understood he had lost his chance for some tutelage . - Conflict is a difficult path , but it is not a bad decision for your generation . -

For my generation? - Zac asked with confusion .

The Multiverse was beyond ancient and essentially unchanging . There wasn’t really any difference between generations in the path of cultivation . It was simply some that started out earlier than others . So , it was a bit odd to hear that his direction of Axe-cultivation was especially suited for a certain generation .

War is coming to Zecia , - the Ogre grinned . - You will get ample opportunities to hone your path over the next centuries . -

What? - Zac blurted , but the Ogre was suddenly gone like he had never been there to begin with .

Zac looked back and forth , but there was no sign of the cultivator anywhere . The Ogre had probably nudged the array to hide him after talking with Zac for a bit , so Zac could only shrug his shoulders and continue on .

However , Zac made mental note to look into what the Ogre talked about . It sounded like he was talking about the whole Sector , which had to mean something extremely big was brewing beneath the surface . Was one of the peak factions planning on conquering the whole Sector? Things like that sometimes happened when a faction gained a leader at the level of the Eveningtide Asura . Or was it an even rarer event ; a war between Sectors?

In either case , it was a huge deal that would impact everyone , from the cultivators on Earth to the bigshots in the established factions .

Chapter 676 : Zanda

Boje’s back was slick with sweat as he hurried down the vast hallways . Being summoned by the Supreme Ancestor could only mean one of two things . You had either made such huge contributions to the clan that the Matriarch actually ended her perennial cultivation to commend and reward you , or that you had screwed up by such epic proportions that it might implicate your entire branch .

Of course , Boje knew he hadn’t accomplished any grand feats as of late . Furthermore , his father walked next to him , and his pallid face was ample evidence which of the two scenarios was more likely . The steely demeanor of the two deacons leading the way did not give indications to the contrary either , causing the group to move through the Zethaya Headquarters in oppressive silence .

From what Boje had heard , the last time Zanda Zethaya left her seclusion was over ten thousand years ago . A few select elders were responsible for supplying the endless materials required for her experiments into the Dao of Alchemy , but not even his great grandfather had spoken to her for millennia from what he had heard . Let alone he , a piddling member of the younger generation .

The group soon reached the gate to the hidden realm and passed through , and Boje could barely breathe from how immense the energies were on the other side . Unfortunately , he had no chance to take in the grandeur of the Everseed Gardens , the heart of the Zethaya Clan's Alchemy foundation . Countless priceless herbs grew under the constant care of intricate arrays and watchful Deacons , but both Boje and his father's attention were trained on the walled-off area far in the distance .

The Matriarch's private quarters .

The distance was too far for an early E-grade cultivator like him , so his father lifted him with his spiritual force . The world around him turned to a blur , but it still took twenty minutes before they reached a set of gates . The energy was even denser here , and Boje felt himself quickly losing grip of reality .

A surge of his father’s Cosmic Energy traveled through his body to expel the power , waking him up . Boje hurriedly closed his pores as to not get himself accidentally killed before taking a steadying breath .

Remember , mind your manners , - his father urged him as the gates slowly swung open by themselves , and Boje’s heart sunk when he saw the trepidation in his eyes .

This was his father , a proper Late-stage Hegemon whose alchemical skills would make him an honored guest in most places in the Zecia sector . Yet here he was like a scared child . There was no escape , and Boje nodded and walked inside while . He kept his eyes peeled to the ground , afraid to look at anything he wasn't supposed to . Finally , he sensed a presence in front of him , and he immediately stopped in his tracks .

Boje Zethaya of the 1 , 837th generation greets the matriarch , - Boje said as he bowed deeply , and he remained unmoving out of a mix of reverence and fear .

In front of him was Zanda Zethaya , the direct descendant of the founding patriarch of the Zethaya Clan and likely the foremost Alchemy Expert of the Zecia sector . She was once the 3rd Clan Leader , but now maintained the identity of Supreme Ancestor , delegating the running of the clan to the younger generations .

She had taken a thriving but unimpressive faction and pushed it straight to the peak of the sector roughly eight hundred thousand years ago , and she had made sure it never lost its glory in the time after . Anyone in the sector could understand the reverence people held for her , but the ones who knew the reason to fear her were a lot fewer in number .

The terror rather came from her second identity ; Thousand Mile Death , one of the deadliest poison masters in the sector . It wasn’t a real secret , but it was also not something that you spoke openly about because of the sinister reputation of poison wielders . After all , almost all of them belonged to the unorthodox path .

Zanda was one of the greatest geniuses of the sector in the past million years , and most put her shoulder to shoulder with peak experts like the Void Priestess and just below the Eveningtide Asura . Some even believed she would’ve had the potential to reach even further if she hadn’t chosen a hybrid path .

Rise , child , - a soothing voice drifted over , and Boje hesitantly stood up and glanced at the legendary figure he would normally have no business meeting .

She looked just like the paintings , like a young woman in her twenties exuding infinite charm . She sat on a swirling cloud of pure medicinal essence , and the only tool on her was the large unadorned wooden spoon on her lap . Next to her was a small Alchemy Cauldron , a perfect copy of the far larger one behind her back .

It was golden and reached almost fifty meters into the sky , an enormous monstrosity that hummed with the Dao of Nature . It was covered in dozens of pictures of the wild , or was it just inscriptions? Boje had a hard time telling , and it felt like the cauldron's surface kept shifting as he looked at it .

It was the Cloudsoar Cauldron , the defining treasure of the Zethaya Clan , an ancient relic dating all the way back to the Limitless Empire . Much of the Zethaya heritage was derived from the mysterious runes covering its surface , and not even a peak C-Grade Monarch would have an easy time breaking through the defensive shields it could summon .

If he could just meditate in front of that cauldron for a few days , then he would no doubt make enormous strides on his Dao . . .

Tell me about your encounter with the one calling himself Zac Piker , - Zanda Zethaya suddenly said , which was like a bucket of cold water that brought Boje back to reality .

Sweat once more started poured down Boje’s back . It was just like he feared ; this was related to that lunatic and the events in the Tower of Eternity . He had waited , steeped in anxiety for three long years . The elders’ response to his handling of the situation had been excruciatingly ambiguous , to the point that Boje had even wished to be punished so he could get on with his life .

But now that he stood here in front of this celestial being , any such thought was replaced with abject dread .

It’s my fault , - Boje cried fell on his knees , slamming his forehead into the ground with enough force to bloody himself .

The instructions from his father and grandmother were clear ; if things started to go sideways , pray and beg like your life depended on it . Because it did . And not only his but his whole family’s life was hanging by a thread . He could only hope to elicit some sympathy for the younger generation from the ancient matriarch .

Calm down , - Zanda laughed . - Do I have such a bad reputation among the younger generations? After all , I am essentially your great aunt . Come , sit . -

N-No , not at all , - he hurriedly said , but he inwardly cried from fear .

Who didn’t know how this smiling - great aunt’ once annihilated a whole Pill House , from lowest clerk to the Branch Director himself? She waved her sleeves and fifty million people were dead a minute later , including hundreds of D-Grade hegemons . It happened eighty thousand years ago , but the memory was still all-too-fresh in the clan’s collective memory .

And that was just one of a hundred bloody tales that detailed her exploits during her long tenure as the peak powerhouse of the Zethaya clan .

Still , there was nothing to do but to sit down and give the same exhaustive report he had done upon returning from the Tower of Eternity . He hid nothing , knowing that his only road to survival was complete honesty . The matriarch occasionally added some questions of her own , often about the Deviant Asura's beliefs and motivations .

That only served to worry Boje even more , as it seemed she tried to sound out his character . Whether he would come back in a hundred thousand years and wash their clan in blood like the Eveningtide Asura did with so many factions . The Zethaya Clan had escaped that calamity unscathed , and their rise to prominence was partly made possible due to the power vacuum the Eveningtide Asura left behind . But what if Zanda Zethaya decided he had brought a similar calamity to their door?

However , it didn't feel like this was what worried the Supreme Elder . But at the same time , it felt like there was something else at play . She didn't look completely satisfied with the answers , and she even had him repeat some parts .

I- - Boje stuttered , trying to think of anything else to say . - If the Supreme elder could point me in the right direction , I might be able to remember some additional details…? -

Zanda sighed as she knocked the meter-long spoon in her hand against the small cauldron next to her . A clear clang echoed out , completely emptying Boje’s mind as the enormous cauldron behind her started to hum . Another tap from the spoon brought Boje back to reality , and he felt his mind cleansed and stabilized . He hadn’t felt this relaxed since before that unlucky star crashed into his life and turned his fate sideways .

Billowing clouds black gas suddenly started spewing out from the humongous cauldron . Boje’s heart once more clenched , but he quickly calmed down when he saw that it wasn’t a poisonous mist or a failed concoction . It rather looked like the black cloud was a piece of the vast sky , with stars and nebulae swirling about inside .

The Stele of Conflict has appeared , and the heavens have shifted . The ancient factions are gathering their strength while outside forces are eyeing our riches . We tried to fight it , but it has been sanctioned by the Heavens . War is coming to the Zecia sector , and no one is safe , - Zanda said as she looked at the sky .

The Zethaya Clan is a peak faction with vast connections , surely we . . . - Boje said by instinct .

Child , do not be mistaken . Alliances , friendships , even external elders . It’s all hollow strength , not something that can be relied on when an era turns . This is doubly true for a force like ours . Our wealth has long surpassed our strength . One misstep and we'll be lost in the river of time , - Zanda said with a shake of her head .

I'm sorry . This descendant is useless and doesn't understand how this relates to Lord Piker . He is just at the E-Grade and cannot impact the fate of the large factions , - Boje hesitantly said .

War is the motor of progress , and a convergence of fate of this scale will last centuries , perhaps millennia . Zac Piker is the first harbinger of change . It might prove lethal to underestimate his role and importance in this mess , - Zanda muttered . - The strong will prosper , and the weak will become fertilizer . -

Boje's looked at the sky with a mix of apprehension and excitement . There were already talks of this being the era of heroes . Zac Piker was the star who shone the brightest at the moment , but there were many more who stood out .

He had witnessed the strength of the young miss of the Peak Family and the Void Priestess' terminal disciple . There was also Prince Reoluv and that mysterious Draugr . All four of them had reached the eighth floor of the Tower of Eternity , something that should be an extremely rare event . The Draugr even reached the last level of the eighth floor , falling just one level short of the Deviant Asura .

And these were just the people Boje encountered in the Tower of Eternity .

There were also rumors of eonic geniuses appearing in many of the ancient factions , though these individuals were fiercely guarded and hidden from public view . The Zecia Sector was really heading into a golden age . Those who survived would no doubt make enormous progress .

But what was this about war? Boje was more connected than most , but hadn’t heard anything .

Well , it is still early , - Zanda said as the cloud was swallowed back into the cauldron . - We still have some time to make arrangements . Prepare yourself . I am opening the Primal World for the young generation in one month . One hundred slots will be awarded . -

Boje looked at his ancestor with shock when he heard the news . If the Skysoar Cauldron was the defining treasure , then the Primal World was the defining Mystic Realm in their possession . It contained an ancient piece of a peak C-Grade continent , a pocket of land that eclipsed any of the continents in the sector .

The realm had been refined and improved for over a million years , and the amount of resources that had gone into it would bankrupt most C-grade factions . Cultivating there was apparently like having a direct connection to the Heavens itself , and it was usually reserved for the elders and peak talents on the precipice of reaching hegemony or monarchy . To open it and expend its riches on the younger generations was unprecedented .

Boje will strive to live up to the ancestor's expectations , - Boje said , and he hesitated for a few seconds before he decided to give it a shot . The ancestor was even opening the Primal World for the young generations , and she didn’t seem upset with him . If he could learn a thing or two from the ancestor . . . - With war coming , I am thinking of studying the art of poison . Is th- -

My heritage does not suit you , - Zanda cut Boje off with a shake of her head , immediately dashing his hopes . - You have passable talents , but you do not have the heart to walk the Path of Poison . But you can consider walking the road of life instead of the road of death . I think it might suit you . Besides , you have formed a weak thread of Karma with the Little Deviant Asura , and this might be your road to strengthen it . -

Boje was disappointed to be shot down , but not overly so . He knew his talents well , and he knew that the Matriarch hadn’t taken a disciple for over two hundred thousand years . It was a long shot to begin with . Still , the fact that the ancestor said he was suited to become a healer was a boon by itself . Those few words alone would open a few doors for him . It might even allow him to get access to one of their better heritages .

His mind was already churning as he went over the matriarch’s words while making his way outside , but he was stopped just about as he was to exit through the gates .

One more thing , - Zanda said from behind , making Boje stop in his tracks and look back inquiringly . - What do you think is best? Young flowers or mature aunties? -

Ah? - Boje stuttered , his mind going blank from the unexpected question .

Zanda laughed as she waved her sleeve , and the familiar scene of the uncategorized insectoid meeting with the Zerathar representatives appeared . That encounter had become a legendary piece of gossip by now , known by essentially all peak factions of the sector .

That scene where he held that Tsarun brat's head was somewhat dashing , and who would make a better Dao Partner to the next Eveningtide Asura than me? He is still a bit young and tender right now , but a few centuries steeped in bloodshed should do the trick . I only need to help him quash those deviant interests first . -

Chapter 677 : Big Axe Coliseum

It took Zac another hour of walking before he finally spotted the Coliseum . In fact , he had seen it long ago , but he had assumed it was a mountain range judging by its size . He didn’t immediately head over , but first looked at the building in awe . It was simply massive , far eclipsing the enormous containment building that held the Dimensional Seed .

It continued for tens of kilometers , a fortress of epic proportions . The majority of the structure was no doubt private sections meant for the inner members of the Coliseum and their families , though any stage meant to have Hegemons fighting would have to be pretty huge .

The main gates were not far from where Zac arrived , a hundred-meter-tall entrance with two massive axes forming an arch . Zac started walking toward it , but he soon stopped again as the world shifted . The desolate surroundings were suddenly replaced with a scene even more bustling than the Havenfort Town .

He realized that he was standing on a street over a hundred meters wide , and thousands of warriors were streaming back and forth toward the coliseum . Furthermore , Zac spotted more streets and entrances just like this one further away , making him realize that the traffic in this place was just insane . It wasn’t surprising though .

The Bloodwind Planet was simply enormous , and tens of billions of people lived here even with the harsh environment . Furthermore , it was no doubt the most prosperous planet in its local cluster thanks to the Big Axe Coliseum and a few other notable factions , and the planet was definitely the main hub for all stellar lines traveling the local cluster .

Zac turned around curiously , but the only thing he saw was a blurry desert , though warriors kept appearing one by one . Some passed him by and walked into the main building , whereas others headed for a series of side-structures that emitted strong spatial fluctuations . Those were probably the local portals that took the members to various hunting grounds of the planet .

Part of Zac wanted to jump into one of the teleporters and start a slaughter of his own , but he ultimately held himself back . First of all , you needed to buy access or become a member of the coliseum before you could use the local teleporters . Secondly , he wasn’t in a position where he could freely gain a bunch of levels .

There wasn’t even any money to be made from heading out , not that he needed it . It had been a big shock to realize that a vast majority of all beast carcasses were mostly worthless . Zac had always equalized hunting beasts with big money after his grind-fests back on Earth , but you could easily buy an early D-grade carcass for 50 million F-grade nexus coins or so .

Only a few extremely rare beasts were worth any real money , for example beasts who had extremely pure bloodlines that made them far stronger than normal beasts of their grade . However , those kinds of beasts were as rare as valuable herbs , and fighting them was like fighting a peak genius cultivator .

It was no wonder the prices were so low though ; the Multiverse definitely didn’t lack high-grade beasts . There were reportedly millions and millions of D-grade beasts on this planet alone , all of them more powerful than normal because of the unique environment . Perhaps he’d test his mettle against the wilds of this world another time . But for now , he had a trial to take .

Zac entered the coliseum , and he saw that there were three paths to take , one for each purpose of visiting . The largest gate was for spectators who had come to witness the matches and perhaps do some betting , with the second biggest being for warriors who came to enter the ring . Fighting against other cultivators or ferocious beasts was a dangerous but effective way to cultivate .

There was never any lack of warriors willing to risk their lives for breakthroughs , especially when it could also mean wealth and fame .

The third corridor was for actual members of the Big Axe Coliseum , and that was where Zac headed . He was curious about the place , but he figured he could look around after he became an outer member . Zac only got fifty meters in before he was stopped by a guard though .

Members only , buddy , - a gruff devil-humanoid with a bulky build said as he glanced at the lapel of Zac’s robes .

I’ve come to apply , - Zac said .

Oh? Outer or inner member? - the attendant asked .

Outer , - Zac said and released some of his aura .

High E-grade? Could be a good fight… - the man thoughtfully muttered and took out a token . - Here . The fee is 10 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins . You’ll get the money back if you pass . -

And if I fail? - Zac smiled as he transferred the money , surprised at how generous the Coliseum was compared to the two previous spots .

Then you’re dead and we keep the money , - the man grinned . - Fourth door to the right . Don’t worry , the Heavens will arrange your enemies , it will be absolutely fair . -

Zac soon found himself in a resting room as he waited for the coliseum to set things up . If one fought in the Big Axe Coliseum the normal way , you’d have to expose some of your strength to get paired with the right level of opponents , but it was different for the Limited Trial . The System wouldn’t allow any cheating since it was handing out Limited Titles , so it teleported beasts into the arena from what Zac had heard .

The Big Axe Coliseum only needed to pay for the activation of the trial and transportation fees .

It was a win-win for the coliseum . If the contender won , they’d gain a new member . If he or she lost , they’d still make money on the down payment , tickets , betting , and perhaps salvaging rare beast carcasses . The Trials were especially popular as the beasts teleported here were often ones they’d rarely see . Furthermore , the System essentially guaranteed a satisfying fight .

Normally , Zac would have a huge advantage in this type of trial thanks to his massive pool of Efficiency , but he had read that the System actually based the opponents on true strength in this particular trial since it wanted to test for skills with the axe . That wasn’t a detriment in Zac’s book through , but rather a boon . After all , it wasn’t easy to find opponents matching your strength exactly .

However , Zac immediately found himself in a conundrum as he pressed his hand against a crystal hovering in the middle of the room . He needed to leave his Spatial Ring behind , along with any hidden weapons . He could only keep his robes and main weapon . Zac hesitated for a bit , but he eventually took out Verun’s Bite] instead of Rakan’s Roar] . Staying undercover was important , but completing the trial even more so .

His main axe looked pretty different from the time he visited the Tower of Eternity , and he didn't even have his more defining skills like Nature's Punishment] or Chop] any longer . It should be enough .

He also needed to choose a name or moniker . He didn’t want to use his real name for obvious reasons , but neither was he comfortable giving himself a Dao Name like - The Life-Death Primarch - or - Arcadian Master - . He eventually settled on Arcaz , a handle he had used in some online games back before the integration .

Zac thankfully didn’t need to wait for long for his trial to start . The platform flashed to life after just an hour , and Zac found himself standing in the middle of a massive arena a moment later . The roars of tens of thousands of people made the atmosphere rife with bloodlust . Zac couldn’t see any specific faces when he looked up at the stands though ; it was all a bit of a haze .

He guessed the coliseum used some sort of array to obscure the features for some reason .

Give a warm welcome to Arcaz , our latest trial taker . The Heavens tells us his power is at the peak of the E-grade , so we will hopefully have five exciting battles to look forward to! - a gruff voice echoed out across the arena , which was met by another wave of roars .

There was no time for Zac to ponder about the construction of the arena as hundreds of flashing lights illuminated his surroundings . He immediately realized his first fight was a horde battle , which suited his class perfectly . A moment later the enemy combatants had been teleported in , and Zac saw they were some sort of two-headed devil-rabbits with long rakish claws on their front legs .

Oh! Our prospective member finds himself faced against 108 Twinruin Hoppers] . Anyone who has spent some time in the Twinruin Gorge no doubt has some fond memories of these aggressive bastards! Hard Carapaces , nimble legs , and endless aggression . Will our trial-taker fall at the entrance test like a fool? Will he emerge victorious , and if so how quickly?! Place your bets! -

Zac wryly smiled at being used to make money this blatantly , but the commentator at least provided some clues . This was just the first trial of five though , and Zac didn’t plan on forming some sort of special strategy . If he couldn’t simply crush this trial , then he could forget about completing all five battles .

A storm of Cosmic Energy streamed into an intricate fractal on his hand , but no fractal edge formed after activating the skill that took the spot where Chop] once was housed . Instead , a large swirl of emerald energies suddenly surrounded Verun’s Bite] , and Zac unleashed a swing in the direction of the most concentrated clump of Twinruin Hoppers] .

It was like he unleashed a storm with his swing , but that storm quickly congealed into a dozen two-meter wide leaves that radiated not only an immense amount of life force , but also an overbearing sharpness . The leaves were long , thin , and slightly curved like the blades of a scimitar , and they swirled around as they shot into the pack of beasts .

A few of the hoppers jumped forward with their sharp legs , both their heads trying to bite into the leaves and rip them apart . Others used the large claws on their front legs o swipe back at them with enough force to make the air scream .

But it was all futile .

Those who bit into the leaves were instantly killed as the upper halves of their heads were lobbed clean off , their bodies crashing down onto the arena floor with wet thuds . One storm of leaves after another shot out , and only a gorefest was left behind a moment later . The so-called hard carapaces couldn't survive a second against Zac's new E-grade skill , though he did empower the leaves with the Fragment of the Bodhi .

A small pang of danger warned him of an imminent attack from behind , but Zac wasn’t worried in the slightest . His free hand shot out as he rapidly turned around , and he caught the last hopper by one of its throats . Zac instantly crushed its throat before he slammed down the stocky beast onto the ground .

The second head yowled in pain and rage , and it desperately clawed at Zac as it tried to get up . But the emerald swirl around Verun's Bite] moved to the front of the axe edge and instantly congealed into a singular thin leaf that looked as real as a physical one . A moment later the whole hopper was sliced in two , its blood disappearing into a deep scar in the ground .

Oh my god! Six seconds to clear the first wave! Haha! A big thank you to our friend Arcaz , you just made us a lot of money! But will he be able to clear the second trial? Let’s find out! -

Zac sat down and took a breath as the hundred corpses were teleported away . He wasn’t exhausted in the slightest , but he rather wanted to go over the result of his new skill Nature’s Edge] . He had already tested the skill back on Earth , but these Twinruin Hoppers] were a lot stronger than the animal packs back home .

They had all been at upper-middle E-grade in power , yet they were cut apart without providing much resistance at all . This was exactly what Zac had wanted to see , and he was extremely relieved to see that his fusion of Chop] and Nature’s Barrier] to have worked out just as he hoped .

Part of him had hesitated about fusing two of his - basic - skills , wasting the opportunity . For example , he had considered fusing Hatchetman's Spirit] with Forester's Constitution] to form an amazing domain skill , but he ultimately didn't feel that would bring much to the table . Loamwalker] was a skill he was keen on bringing into the E-grade as well , but he decided that an E-Grade equivalent of Chop] was of the highest priority .

It was the bread and butter of his class , the very foundation of his fighting style .

He did have Conformation of Supremacy] , but that was ultimately a skill that didn’t really conform to his path , and it also worked better as a medium-power attack aimed at singular enemies or small packs . Meanwhile , Nature’s Edge] was a perfect fusion between Nature and Axe , using the form of Nature’s Barrier] and the function of Chop] .

Losing his only real defensive skill was a bit of a shame , but Nature’s Barrier] had long lost its ability to protect him . Besides , the reason he dared to complete this fusion was thanks to creating Arcadia’s Judgement] . It had freed up the Skill Slot where Deforestation] formerly was , which allowed him to learn the defensive skill he had waiting for him in the Dao Repository .

Unfortunately , the battle had been too short to gain any new insight into his skill , but he saw that he would get more opportunities as new golden lights appeared around him .

Oh? 36 Twinruin Rocklings] this time? Will all the fights set our challenger against the beasts of the gorge? Would that mean we might have a chance to see a fight between a cultivator and a Twinruin Tyrant] today? And perhaps the true terror of the Twinruin gorge? - the announcer mused , which caused a huge ruckus to erupt . - Who knows? In either case , place your bets! -

The rocklings looked like mottled eight-legged boulders , and he felt they reminded him of those spiderling bots he fought in the Mystic Realm . These guys were a lot stubbier though , and Zac wondered if they were even mobile .

The ground suddenly started to shake as one sharp stalagmite after another sprung up with amazing power , which forced Zac to dance around in an ungraceful manner . Zac considered activating Hatchetman’s Spirit] for a moment , but he eventually decided against it . He wanted to take this opportunity to get acquainted with his new skill . Besides , he didn’t want to show too many of his cards in a public setting like this in case someone figured out his identity .

Zac once more activated Nature’s Edge] and a cascade of leaves shot out toward the slow-moving targets . However , Zac frowned when the attacks only resulted in shallow scars appearing across the bodies of the golemoid beasts . They had clearly activated some sort of bloodline talent that boosted their defenses tremendously , and the skill by itself simply wasn’t strong enough to get through .

Another gust of leaves shot out a moment later , but this time the leaves almost looked like they were made of metal as they had gained a slight silvery sheen . Zac looked on with interest as the leaves cut into the rocklings with their incredible sharpness , and the ground rumbled as the beast collapsed one by one .

Only three of the rocklings managed to survive the onslaught , but Zac flashed forward with Loamwalker] and cut them to pieces in short order . One of them forcibly exploded upon its death , turning itself into a shrapnel bomb , but Zac had plenty of kill energy to use Surging Vitality] with , and the shallow wounds started wriggling as they rapidly healed up .

He hadn’t had much use for his healing skill over the past years , but it had still moved to Late Mastery thanks to his increased understanding of skills in general . The upgrade mostly improved the skill's ability to heal tougher wounds , such as injuries caused by Dao-empowered attacks .

Of course , the healing capabilities of such wounds were still pretty limited and cost a huge amount of energy , but it was still pretty impressive for a skill that someone like Brazla had managed to get his hands on .

Two rounds down , and we haven’t been able to see the depths of our challenger’s prowess! - the announcer exclaimed . - But the Heavens never gives out anything for free , especially not Titles! Let’s see what it has planned for our friend Arcaz next! -

Chapter 678 : Tyrant

Zac didn’t mind the announcer’s tone since he understood that the man was just playing things up to elicit more bets . He was more interested in the results of the last battles . The effect of his two Dao Fragments on his new skill was pretty interesting . The Fragment of the Bodhi increased the number of leaves , and Zac felt that they also contained more energy , which would make them harder to destroy .

Meanwhile , adding the Fragment of the Axe actually decreased the number of leaves compared to no Dao-infusion at all , but it did instead drastically increase the lethality of the individual leaves . That left the Fragment of the Coffin , but Zac wasn’t too certain he would be able to infuse that skill with his third Dao Fragment .

Besides , Zac wanted to avoid using that Dao in his human form if possible . It was something Zac had decided upon over the past years as he had arduously worked on incorporating his Path into the way he fought . He initially tried to incorporate everything he had envisioned , the trinity of life , death , and conflict , but it quickly became apparent that it was simply too huge a task .

So Zac came up with a plan . His first step would be to better mix Bodhi and Axe , Life and War , in his human form , while focusing on Coffin and Axe in his undead form . It was based on the creation of his Bronze- and pink flashes , or rather his Annihilation Sphere and Origin Mark . One half of him would delve into the depths of life through conflict , while the other into death and conflict .

That was why he had focused on only creating skills that followed these fusions . Both Nature's Edge] and Arcadia's Judgement] followed this rule , as did his two new skills for his Fetters of Desolation-class .

The second step would then be trying to somehow fuse these two battle styles into one coherent system that could fit across both his classes , using his Dao of the Axe as the bridge . It would be the equivalent of creating the Chaos pattern in the Tower of Eternity . Of course , that was a long road ahead , and it might not even turn out as he envisioned right now .

The first step was simply shoring up his understanding and his foundations , but he still hadn’t reached the point of how Adcarkas somehow merged with his Dao . Zac had made some inroads , but cultivation was an endless path of self-discovery . Three years simply wasn’t enough , at least not when cultivating in absolute safety as he had .

Zac was soon dragged out of his thoughts as a golden light appeared in front of him . This time there were just five beasts . They looked like huge creepy alien kangaroos with two sturdy legs keeping them upright and one ten-meter-long tail . They had no sharp claws though , and neither did they have any large fangs .

It made Zac a bit leery , as it made them seem like magical beasts , which often meant they were more powerful than common beasts .

Oh! Twinruin Battlecaller] quintuplets! These mentally linked beasts are quite a handful , and the larger the pack the greater the danger . Meeting quintuplets is both a blessing and a curse! A blessing because you’ve got to see a rare marvel of nature , a curse because it means you’ll probably die! A real terror of a challenge this time , and the last hurdle for membership! Place your bets! -

There were still three battles to be had , but that was just for the best version of the title . Zac could bow out after this fight and still become an outer member of the Big Axe Coliseum . Keep going , and you might get a better title along with a reputation . Fail , and you’d die since the battles were to the death . Zac was obviously aiming for a perfect run since he still hadn't been pushed very hard .

He also tried to understand what kind of beast a Battlecaller was , but neither their appearance nor the announcer’s description made it very clear . Then again , Zac guessed that it didn’t really matter , and he immediately shot forward . He wanted to end this quickly , so a splendid halo appeared behind his back . A simple yet powerful axe hovered in its center , and Verun’s Bite] was imbued with a huge force .

Oh my god! Our contestant has borrowed the image of the Heavenfall Autarch's cleaver! Is this a testament to his ambition? To follow in the path of the father of axes? - the announcer screamed , his voice an octave shriller compared to before .

Zac only snorted . He had already learned that the axe-man in his vision was a real person ; the Heavenfall Autarch . He wasn’t from the Zecia sector , and he died tens of millions of years ago . Yet he still held fame all across the multiverse thanks to one of his fights being used to impart the Dao . That was something quite a few aimed for .

After all , true immortality was just a myth from what Zac had gathered , but being accepted by the System was a way to live on forever in the hearts of cultivators . There were even rumors of some sort of rewards to the descendants of Dao Teachers like the Heavenfall Autarch , as though the System were paying them licensing fees .

The distance between himself and the beasts was quickly shrinking , but the air suddenly started to vibrate before Zac found himself on a massive battlefield , frenzied cultists all around him . The fury of battle coursed through his veins , and his heart beat in sync with the drums of war . The war against the Church of Everlasting Dao had reached a fever pitch , but Zac only snorted as he flashed forward and swung at empty air .

It turned out the battlecallers were illusionists . They used the unusual attunement of the planet itself to deliver insidious and almost unnoticeable mental attacks . But how could Zac completely fall into confusion after evolving his soul? He still couldn’t completely block out the illusion even with his defenses , but he could still somewhat discern the truth like a superimposed reality .

The empty air was actually the closest battlecaller , whose sharp tail was already piercing toward Zac’s heart . Zac had sidestepped the attack and flashed forward with the help of his movement skill , and he was aiming to destroy the heart of the beast in return . However , found his axe impeded by a powerful barrier that didn’t even crack when attacked by Conformation of Supremacy] .

That was saying something , considering that he had already reached Middle Mastery for the skill , which had kicked its offensive power up a notch . Add to that the increased power of his axe , and the barrier had to be something else to not even crack .

Oh! What powerful mental defenses! The contestant can even withstand a five-layered mental attack! - the announcer screamed , though his voice sounded muted and far in the distance . - But will it be enough?! The Battlecallers are not dreaded just for their mental attacks! -

Zac soon found that the announcer wasn’t speaking out of turn as the five battlecallers encircled him . They were an extremely tricky enemy . They combined powerful illusions , sturdy arrays , and powerful tails into a full combat system . Furthermore , their cooperation was so perfect that Zac suspected they were rather one entity than just mentally linked .

Another wave of dizziness hit him , but it was like his mind held multiple layers . Only the surface layer of his mind was steeped in the madness of the battlecaller’s abilities , whereas the core of his soul maintained perfect clarity . Verun’s Bite] cut through the air in a ruthless arc , aiming straight at an incoming tail .

Their bodies might be guarded by a fierce shield , but would they really be able to maintain such strong defenses around their long tails? The battlecaller desperately retracted its tail by pivoting with almost impossible speed , but it still got a deep gash as Zac’s swing left a huge scar in the arena .

A pang of danger cut through the illusions assailing Zac's mind as a second , then a third tail short forward , taking advantage of the extremely minute opening . Zac was barely able to dodge the second stab by pivoting his torso , but he simply wasn’t quick enough to avoid the third one . A huge force slammed into his back , and Zac was lunged forward as the wind was knocked out of his lungs .

Only a shallow wound was left on his back even if the stab contained enough power to easily pierce through his body . It was all thanks to his new skill , Innate Ward] . Just like the other skills from Brazla’s depository , it was a simple skill but with a strong direct effect . It formed a second layer of protection right beneath the skin , its power based on one’s Endurance .

It was simple and unadorned , but that also meant that the skill fractal fit with most classes . It was the same with Zac , who had no problem using the skill to over 85% of its full potential even when his human side was a Strength-Vitality class .

Another wave of illusion hit him as he righted his body , but Zac didn’t even try to push it away as he resumed his battle . In fact , he welcomed the illusion . Between his evolved soul , the unique attunement in the atmosphere , and the illusion , he felt himself making tremendous progress on his efforts to integrate War into his combat style .

This battle alone was more effective than months of secluded cultivation , and Zac felt his technique subtly change . The swings became more forceful , more intractable . It was like his axe was a unit of seasoned warriors , piercing into enemy ranks . They always found a weakness in the enemies’ lines , mistakes rife for exploitation . When it appeared , the soldiers struck without remorse , as there was no mercy in war .

Zac rushed toward the closest battlecaller , barely avoiding two piercing tails as Verun’s Bite] keened with battle lust . Zac leaped forward but suddenly disappeared as he activated Loamwalker] mid-air to appear in front of another of his foes . The axe ripped through the air in an upward trajectory that seemed to change every second . The teeth on its axehead caused whistling sounds to spread through the arena , but for some reason , it sounded like the trumpets of heralding a charge .

Conformation of Supremacy] empowered the swing to a new height , fully taking advantage of Zac’s massive reserves of Strength as he slammed into the defensive barrier of the battlecaller . The first swing wasn't enough , but the second swing immediately followed the first , and it was enough to finally crack the shield . The axe bit into flesh and blood rained down on him , but that only spurred Zac on even further as he completely bisected the large beast with a third and final swing .

The four remaining Battlecallers screeched in pain , but Zac moved on them like a tide of cavalry , seizing the victorious momentum to win the war . It was clear the beasts were mutually empowering each other , and with the first one down there was an obvious weakness in their War Array . The second beast fell to just one swing even after the four desperately tried to gore Zac to death .

His movement was turning more and more inscrutable as one beast after another fell as his path and Loamwalker] slowly fused as well . Zac felt himself on the precipice of something , but he suddenly found himself without opponents to test it on . The quintuplets were lying in ten large pieces around him , the blood staining the arena .

The heat of battle quickly died down , and Zac quickly lost the feeling . He swore in annoyance , but he knew it wasn’t the end of the world . He was right at the threshold , and it wouldn’t take him long to take that final step .

Zac sat down and closed his eyes to go over the battle in his mind . He heard that the announcer was shouting something , but he was more focused on his inward journey .

It wasn’t like he suddenly gained a boost in attributes out of nowhere , but it was rather that his will , his Dao , and his body moved as one . It probably wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he might only use 60 to 70% of his attributes normally , with the rest of it wasted on inefficiencies and inability to draw on his full potential .

But finding a combat style that resonated with the truths of the Heavens would remove some of these inefficiencies , which was a pure power-up with no demerits .

A massive roar suddenly echoed through the arena , and Zac frowned as he opened his eyes . There was , unfortunately , no time for him to absorb the lessons of the last battle , because the next enemy had already appeared . This time , the target was a hulking beast reaching over eight meters in the air . It looked like a mix of a bull and a tiger , with two gristly horns that radiated terrifying sharpness . The air itself crackled at their tips , and that was only one of its weapons .

The beast almost seemed to be bred for war , with a thick hide that almost looked like plating covering its body . It didn’t even have any eyes , nose , or ears , removing those weaknesses from its head . Instead , it was just one massive jaw filled with three rows of sharp teeth . Its legs ended in sharp claws rather than hoofs , and even its tail ripped through the air with enough speed to cause small sonic booms .

It's really a Twinruin Tyrant]! Generally considered one of the nastiest critters below the D-grade , these hulking beasts are tools bred for carnage . Powerful defenses! Deadly claws! Powerful bloodline talents! These bastards have it all . Is this the end of the line? Is our friend Arcaz getting too greedy by staying behind? Place your bets! -

The beast roared with bloodlust , but another roar of similar intensity echoed out in Zac's mind . It was actually Verun who seemed extremely keen at battling the massive beast . Zac gave it a thought , and he felt why not? Verun had been stuck in his axe for three years , and sending it out shouldn't really be a problem .

The primal dragon-hyena appeared next to Zac the next moment , its legs shaking from restrained battle lust as swirls of blood danced around its paws .

What! Such a corporeal Tool Spirit! Amazing! The resources that have gone into this axe are nothing to scoff at! - the Announcer exclaimed , but he paused when some people started boo on the stands . - Are you angry? Think this is cheating? Too bad! The Tool Spirit of an axe is naturally part of an axe warrior’s strength . No refunds for bets! -

Zac smiled a bit as he turned to Verun , which growled as it kept the tyrant in its sights .

Have fun , - Zac only said and sat down and instead focused on his insights

What confidence , daring to ignore the presence of a tyrant! I think we’re in for a treat! - the announcer hollered , and the hecklers were soon drowned out by cheers .

Verun roared with bloodlust as he shot forward , shooting straight toward the Twinruin Tyrant] with mad abandon . The tyrant tried to bite down on Verun’s throat with its oversized jaw , but the dragon hyena was extremely nimble , effortlessly dodging the bite while returning a ruthless swipe in return .

Three deep gashes appeared on the tyrant’s throat , and three streams of blood were extracted , each of them floating toward a gleeful Verun . Seeing a Tool Spirit feeding on its blood made the boar delirious with rage , and its muscles rippled as it started emitting a fearful aura .

Zac was initially barely paying attention as he was fully focused on his experiences from the battle before , but he was soon mesmerized by the carnage a few hundred meters away . Claws , bites , tackles , swipes . Feints and full-on aggression . Blood , dust , roars . The two beasts fought with everything they had in a primal war of supremacy .

Wounds accumulated on the Tyrant’s body as the energy radiated from Verun steadily weakened . Yet neither backed down . In fact , the fervor of the battle only increased in intensity . Four sanguine rivers swirled around Verun , each of them rife with cutting intent . Meanwhile , black crackling lightning appeared on the horns of the Tyrant , and it soon covered the whole beast’s body .

Their energies surged .

The rivers were like cutting edges of an axe , and any time they drew blood they were empowered in an endless cycle of carnage . Meanwhile , the crackling bolts caused Verun to take damage every time they clashed , and any errant bolt was powerful enough to cause huge scars across the arena . Even Zac was forced to move even further away unless he wanted to eat those attacks head-on .

Finally , the Tyrant slipped up due to blood loss and exhaustion , and Verun seized the opportunity . It bit down on the tyrant's muscular throat , and with a tremendous tug it ripped out half the bull's neck to bathe itself in a cascade of blood . The Tyrant took a shaky step as it tried to gore Verun with its horns in one final act of defiance , but it fell on the ground with a thump .

Hundreds of liters of blood were dragged out from the bull’s body , and it joined blood on the ground as it turned into a storm around Verun . The Tool Spirit raised its head toward the sky , and unleashed a roar with such force that the air trembled . It was full of bloodlust , pride , and victory .

Chapter 679 : Terror of the Twinruins

The whole stadium was silent for a few seconds before it erupted in raucous cheers .

Zac gazed at his Tool Spirit with rapt attention until the bloodstorm swallowed Verun whole . It was back in his axe a moment later , the first fractal on his handle dimmed down .

Amazing! What a Tool Spirit! Even I am getting a bit tempted to get my hands on a beastcrafted axe . Who would have any regrets when walking into battle with a companion like that?! - the announcer screamed . - Of course , we know that any such tricks won’t work for the final round . -

Zac snorted , but he knew that what the announcer said was true , and he cracked his neck as he readied himself . This final stage was why the rewards for the Trial were so good , why it could provide both flat and increased attributes . Until now , the battles could only be considered a warmup . After all , the final battle had special rules , rules enforced by the System .

No consumable items , no skills .

Just your body , your weapon , and your Dao . It was a real test of one’s fighting capabilities , where external things were blocked . Every cultivator in the world could get skills for free from the System , but that didn’t make you a warrior . Talent and comprehension were both needed to become a true gladiator of the Big Axe Coliseum .

To get anywhere on the road of cultivation , really .

The minutes passed as Zac prepared himself . This would definitely be his hardest challenge so far . He didn’t fear death since the remnants were just like his Specialty Core , considered a part of his body . But he wasn’t sure that his actual skills were up to snuff . He had cultivated for less than five years , and his general fighting style had been to rely on his superior attribute pool .

He had chosen this test as a challenge for himself , an opportunity to hone his path and hopefully make a breakthrough in the heat of battle . A golden shimmer finally appeared in the arena , and Zac frowned when he saw a humanoid standing in front of him . The final challenger was actually a cultivator?

It happened! The Heavens really brought out a Twinruin Bloodstalker] from the depths! We only get to see these terrifying beasts when they leave their nests for their baptism of blood . This one is an adolescent , just shy of having formed its core! These beasts are the perfect killing machines , and even Monarchs would think twice before entering their nests! - the Announcer shouted , and the excitement in his voice didn’t seem feigned . - This is what we have been waiting for! The deathmatch of the year! -

Zac listened to the announcer with rapt attention . It was actually a beast? Humanoid beasts were extremely rare . They normally moved away from the heritage of the Beast Progenitor to instead become integrated as cultivators over the eons . In fact , the last humanoid beasts he had encountered were the imps back during the Demon Incursion .

Humanoid beasts often had superior affinities to most normal beasts since their bodies were made for cultivation . It was often a bestial bloodthirst that overpowered any burgeoning sapience that kept them as beasts though . From what Zac understood it was almost impossible for them to reach Atavism , the process where high-grade beasts could keep their bestial path but also take humanoid form and embark on the path of cultivation .

But the few who did manage to transform were all terrifying powerhouses that small sectors like Zecia couldn’t contain .

The Twinruin Bloodstalker] was roughly the same height as Zac , and it looked a lot like a beastkin with fur covering its whole body . Its proportions were pretty similar to a lanky human’s , except slightly longer arms and a sturdy tail that was reptilian rather than simian in shape . Its hands were larger than normal too , and it had long sharp claws whose sharpness Zac could feel even from a distance .

Its feet reminded Zac of the Torrid Demon’s though its claws were longer and more distinct . Its face was the only part without any fur , and it looked pretty terrifying . Its skin was pitch-black like its fur , except two red orbs for eyes that screamed of malice . It had no nose , but a wide mouth full of sharp teeth .

The beast looked in Zac’s direction and immediately released a roar as its aura started climbing . It was extremely condensed , and its killing intent even put Zac’s own to shame , especially now that it had been weakened after three years of inactivity .

But that didn’t mean Zac wasn’t up to the challenge , and he rushed forward with his axe at the ready . The ground cracked beneath the bloodstalker’s feet as its thin form turned into a blur , and it was upon Zac before he knew what happened .

Danger screamed as four sharp claws ripped through the air , aiming straight at Zac’s throat . Zac narrowly dodged as he countered with a quick and furious swing with his axe , but he didn’t even get the chance to land the hit before a thick tail slammed into his thigh with enough force to make him lose his balance . The bloodstalker used the counterforce of the collision to reverse its spinning momentum , and another swipe aimed for Zac’s eyes just as he managed to stabilize his form .

Zac growled as he intercepted the swipe with his free hand . A burning pain erupted in his arm as two deep lacerations appeared , but he ignored the hurt as he thrust forward , aiming to push the beast off its balance to land a killing blow . However , the beast’s tail actually slammed into the ground and acted like a pillar that kept the beast upright .

A high knee appeared out of nowhere before Zac had a chance to react , and Zac realized that it actually used its tail as only support while spinning mid-air . The beast tried to keep him in place with a vise-like grip , but Zac forcibly lifted his right arm with a roar . A painful attack slammed into his shoulder , where his head had been half a second ago .

It hurt like hell , but Zac knew he had finally found an opportunity as the beast was mid-air while he was primed to attack .

A murderous edge infused with the Fragment of the Axe cut down , aiming to disembowel the beast in one quick go . The beast screeched and a dangerous aura started to leak from its body . It was definitely some sort of murder-related Dao at a level that matched Zac's own , but Zac wouldn’t stop from something like that .

Axe met flesh and the ground shook an instant later as the bloodstalker was slammed into the ground .

Normally that would be the end of the battle , but Zac frowned when he saw that the beast was pretty much fine . It had managed to block Zac's swing with its forearm and almost looked like it bounced off from the ground as it backed away a few steps . It looked like a thick metallic bone hid right beneath its furred skin , and it had to be extremely durable to block out Zac’s attack like that .

The beast's hand shook a bit from the impact , but it mostly seemed infuriated rather than hurt from the counter . Zac sighed , but he had known that the final challenge wouldn’t be so easily overcome . He knew he’d be able to end everything with an Annihilation-sphere , but that wasn’t why he was here . This was a real challenge where he would be pushed to the limits .

The wound hadn't weakened the bloodstalker at all . It rather looked like it possessed some sort of inherent berserking bloodline where the wound had turned its killing intent and aura even more congealed . It shot forward , its claws aiming to rip Zac’s midsection open and Zac answered with a cruel strike of with his own .

Just activating his Dao was not enough against this target . Zac did not only continuously activate Fragment of the Bodhi to allow his body to endure the extremely forceful strikes , but every single swing was imbued with the Fragment of the Axe . But the beast was just too nimble . It almost felt like it reacted before Zac's attacks even begun , like they were following some sort of choreographed dance without Zac knowing .

Zac fought with everything he had , and his aura slowly transformed as he followed his instincts to incorporate his Dao Insights into his combat style once more . However , even as he desperately fought for his life his mind kept turning back to the brutal melee between Verun and the Twinruin Tyrant] . That battle between two apex predators wouldn’t have been out of place out in the forests of the Bloodwind Planet , or anywhere else in the desolate wilderness .

Wasn’t nature ultimately the source of the most ruthless wars of all?

Endless living creatures fought not only with each other for survival , but also against the elements themselves . Any weakness would be destroyed and discarded , replaced by something new . As the seasons passed those suited for survival would thrive , while everything full of imperfections would be left by the wayside .

This was the fusion he was looking for , the fusion between nature and war .

Zac moved as though he was possessed as one inspiration after another washed over him , and he found that his fighting style slowly transform . His swings had previously contained the desperate echoes of a war between armies , but now it started to become reminiscent of another battle . The battle of the seasons , of evolution , of survival in the wild .

Weaknesses and imperfections were slowly cut away , replaced by swings and strikes that better took advantage of his attribute pool . The dinosaurs might have been the largest and most powerful beasts that walked Earth before the integration , but they definitely weren’t the most perfect . They had all fallen while other animals flourished .

It was the same with his brutish fighting style . His wide swings full of killing intent might contain a world-ending force , but what good were they when they couldn’t even strike the bloodstalker? His attacks got more and more in tune with his envisioned path . Imperfections were discarded without a second thought as Zac kept trying new approaches .

Sometimes it worked and the bloodstalker received a new wound , other times it failed and Zac was wounded instead . His fighting style was like the everchanging seasons , but with every revolution , the overall number of weaknesses shrunk , and his attacks started to change as well .

His swings got quicker , more ruthless . If there were no openings to vital organs , then he’d attack something else . Anything that could push the fight in his favor . There was no such thing as honor in the wild , and neither was there any in the way Zac fought . This wasn’t a boxing match , this was life and death .

His path was gradually fusing with his body , and the bloodstalker started to lose ground . All the small improvements stacked on top of each other until disadvantage was transformed into a small advantage for Zac . The bloodstalker was desperately fighting back , the large number of shallow wounds doing nothing to slow it down .

But while it had amazing instincts and attributes that were a match to Zac , it didn’t show any indication of making any improvements throughout the battle .

Blood and tufts of fur soon covered the ground as the wounds accumulated across the beast’s body . The same was true for Zac , but he was willing to take a few hits if he could deliver in kind . He had always been ruthless to himself , and this wasn’t any different .

The bloodstalker suddenly twisted as it once more tried to lash Zac with a tail full of momentum . But Zac moved as though by instinct , narrowly ducking while stomping down at the foot that the beast used to pivot . His leg was infused with the Fragment of the Bodhi , and it was like a huge tree slammed down on the bloodstalker’s ankle . A loud crack was quickly followed by a huge bang as cracks spread on the ground .

The beast’s foot was broken , and the pain seemed to have cut through the bloodlust as it shuddered in agony . There was no mercy in the wild , and Zac immediately pounced . His whole being felt aligned with his path , and Verun’s Bite] started radiating a supreme might of the untamed wilds as it ripped through the air . The bloodstalker sensed the danger and tried to dodge while countering with a kick , but the axe was upon it before it had a chance to move out of the way .

Bone was split and dark blood flowed like a fountain as protective bone and arm were cleanly cut off , and the gleaming axehead continued into the torso of the beast . The whole arena echoed with the deep thud , and a massive explosion erupted as a twenty-meter deep scar cut into the ground behind the bloodstalker .

The beast fell onto the ground , completely unmoving .

A storm of Cosmic Energy entered his body , but Zac stood unmoving as he imprinted his current feeling into his body . Mind , body , Dao . It had all converged into a singular entity , and two streams had been braided into a strike of unmatched might . It was the first time he had managed to infuse an attack with his reverse Dao-braid . He had succeeded in forming the twinned energy before while practicing , but never quickly enough for it to be usable in battle .

But now it had all crystallized somehow , though Zac honestly wasn’t sure whether he’d be able to replicate the deed unless he was pushed like he was in this fight . In either case , he had confirmed that his theories were correct and that this was a viable way to cultivate . His braid was as crude as they came , but it did work .

It might display less than half of the boost compared to the intricate braids Kenzie managed to create with her own Dao Fragments , but Zac was just on his first Reincarnation . He would probably be able to create proper braids by the time he evolved his soul the next time , and even Dao Arrays wasn’t an impossible goal .

He heard roars from the arena , and the announcer kept harping on something , but Zac was occupied by the experiences of the battle . He had long managed to incorporate some of the insights from the Fragment of the Axe into his fighting style , but this was the first time he was touching upon a true fusion of concepts .

It was still rudimentary , and he felt that his Axe-insights still stood for over 90% of his actions , but it was definitely a move in the right direction . He had set the foundations , now he just needed to polish his techniques through battle .

He stood completely transfixed , and he only opened his eyes after feeling his body being teleported . He had been sent back to the same waiting room as before . His items were waiting right next to him , and he picked them up before leaving . Outside the room , another devilish axe cultivator waited , and Zac felt he should either be an early hegemon or a strong peak E-grade cultivator .