Defiance of the Fall

Congratulations , - the three-meter tall devilkin said with an appreciative nod . - I saw your battles , you’re a tough one . Your early fight was kind of shitty , but you were impressive by the end . Are you self-taught? -

Uh , thanks I guess , - Zac wryly smiled . - Yeah , I just kept swinging until I got to this point . I am trying to refine my technique . -

Haha! A lot of us are wandering cultivators like yourself . But you know what? Those prudes over at the sword palace look down their noses at us , but we still win over 60% of the battles in the coliseum , - the man guffawed . - Technique isn’t everything . -

Zac nodded with a grin , agreeing to a certain degree . He had gotten quite far with just grit and pure force , though he knew that he had to refine his battle style if he wanted to reach further heights .

The Sword Palace the devil mentioned was another of the factions on the Bloodwind Planet . He didn’t know a lot about them , except that this world was just one of their training grounds . Those in their sect who favored flying swords often came here to temper their mental strength .

Here , your token , - the devil said and threw over a bronze token and an information crystal . - We have five levels of membership . Outer members can reach the third level at most , with the final two levels reserved for inner members . You completed the whole trial , so you can reach the second level as soon as you pass a trial period and generate enough contribution . -

How is that different from others? - Zac asked with confusion .

There are various ways to gain contribution . You can essentially buy the points if you have access to enough sought-after treasures and materials , - the devil shrugged . - Normal outer members will also have to complete actual tasks for the Coliseum to elevate their status . You can just buy your way there . You're a true gladiator , you've already proven yourself . -

What’s the difference between the levels? - Zac asked .

The second level gives access to better things to trade for , like some decent information heritages . Third level members can even have the elders give one-on-one pointers once every century , along with an even better selection of items to buy , - the gruff attendant explained .

Alright , thank you , - Zac nodded .

Oh , I guess you impressed some big shot in the Coliseum with your fight against the bloodstalker . You have been given two weeks with Big Boss’s Big Wall . -

Chapter 680 : Big Boss's Big Wall

The Big Boss what? - Zac asked with confusion .

The founder once tried to forge a huge axe , but he failed spectacularly and even blew up his forge along with most materials . He got so angry that he went on a rampage and hacked away at the core metal he was planning on using , - the devil snickered .

Ah? - Zac said with a confused smile , his image of powerful Monarchs somewhat ruined .

Well , the material was no longer suitable for crafting after that , but it was a unique C-grade metal sheet after all . It stored some of the Founder’s Dao insights . Looking at the scars he left behind can give some inspiration into the Dao , - the devil said . - I finally managed to form my Branch of the Axe after studying it for three months . Crazy expensive , but worth it . -

Zac’s eyes lit up in excitement . He hadn’t made much headway on improving his Dao over the past years , and this might be an opportunity to find some direction . Besides , he didn’t need to worry about accidentally breaking through to Peak Mastery for his Fragment of the Axe and losing a bunch of attribute points . With his odd constitution , he also needed to consume some Dao Treasure to power his breakthrough .

Where do I go? - Zac asked .

I’ll take you , - the devil shrugged as he led the way .

The two chatted a bit on the way , and Zac realized that the devil attendant , whose name was unpronounceable but went by Woz , was a Half-Step D-grade wandering cultivator who still hadn’t given up on breaking through . It was actually possible to take that step even with a defective core , but it was far more difficult than forming a core normally .

You needed to completely disintegrate your defective core and immediately form a new one . Fail , and you’d blow up from the rampant energies . Very few people had the guts to make that attempt . After all , if they really had the ambition to become a true Hegemon they normally wouldn’t form the Half-Step Core in the first place . Zac guessed that Woz had encountered some sort of opportunity soon after becoming a Half-Step cultivator , which made him change his mind and give it a go .

Woz was currently trying to accumulate experience and inspiration , and he had become an inner member of the Coliseum to get access to restricted resources . It meant he was giving up most of his freedom , but the Big Axe Coliseum restrained inner members a lot less compared to most clans and sects .

In his case , his employment would last a thousand years , but it would get renegotiated if he managed to break through . Managing to form a Dao Branch was a huge improvement for him , but he still didn’t feel confident since he had already failed to form his core once .

The raucous atmosphere of the arenas was soon replaced by a solemn silence , but the combative attunement in the air just kept getting more condensed until they reached a huge courtyard . A few Hegemon guards were standing by , but they had obviously been informed of Zac’s arrival as they let him and Woz through without a word .

There was not much happening in the courtyard . There were just roughly fifty cultivators and a massive slab of scarred metal .

What kind of axe was the founder trying to make? - Zac exclaimed as he looked at the enormous sheet .

It was over a hundred meters tall and three times as wide . It was like Zac was looking at a city wall rather than a block of metal meant to be turned into a weapon .

The Big Boss had a berserker state where he grew to three hundred meters , - the devil said . - The axe needed to match that size in its original form , and then it could simply be shrunk to match his normal size . It would be cheaper to make an axe based on his original size , but then the weapon would become a lot weaker when he grew . -

Zac nodded thoughtfully . It was true , he had noticed a similar issue in his undead form when his axe grew into a 3-meter bardiche . However , the difference there wasn’t too big compared to its original form , and it wasn’t causing a problem . But Billy probably lost some of his lethality with his huge club , though Bonker’s] true size might be larger than Zac realized .

So how does this work? - Zac asked as he looked at the fifty-odd cultivators sitting in meditation .

Those guys can’t hear us . The mats they are sitting on have isolation arrays , - Woz said . - You can walk freely back and forth until you find a scar that resonates with your Dao . Then simply take a seat on a free mat and see what you can gain . Someone will wake you up when your time is up . Oh , don’t bother anyone who is sitting in meditation , and don’t walk forward from the mat . -

I understand , - Zac nodded and stepped inside .

He didn’t know what made some big-shot donate two weeks in front of this wall , but he wouldn’t say no to this opportunity . Part of him screamed that this was all a conspiracy , but he forcibly stilled those thoughts . The Multiverse was ruthless , but not everything was a plot and not everyone was out to destroy him .

Passing all five trials in the first go wasn't that common , and it was possible that some elder simply wanted to give Zac a good impression of the faction . Perhaps it was that Ogre from before who had taken a liking to him , and Zac guessed that he could easily fork out the cost for two weeks if Woz had been able to study the scars for three full months .

Zac didn’t want to waste a minute of his allotted time , and he quickly walked over to the walkway behind the prayer mats . It was odd , some of the cultivators in front of him were warriors over ten meters tall , but Zac could still see the wall in its entirety as long as he stood on that road .

He slowly walked back and forth , and his eyes lit up as he looked at the wall . It had just looked like a broken mess from where he and Woz stood before , but now it felt like all the scars contained some clues to the Dao of the Axe . A few scars gave Zac an impression of furious momentum powerful enough to split the world in two , others an undeniable bloodlust that made his eyes water in pain .

Other tears seemed to be filled with the fundamental aspects of the Axe . There were Heaviness and Sharpness , the two Daos that he had fused to create the Fragment of the Axe . But there were also a few others . There were a few with hardness , one that Zac felt was related to steel . There were a few that made Zac think of the bloody swirls around Verun’s legs .

All in all , there were over fifty concepts that made up the Big Boss's understanding of the Dao from what Zac could tell . Some resonated with him , and others didn’t . Finally , Zac settled on one particular set of scars . It was two seemingly simple marks that formed an - X’ on the metal sheet . They weren’t as deep as some marks , and not as large as others .

But they gave Zac a mysterious feeling , and he felt like he was looking at two clashing armies when he looked at the scars . Luckily , there was no one sitting in front of that particular section of the wall , and Zac immediately sat down on the closest prayer mat .

The moment he sat down a wave of tranquility spread through his body , no doubt the effect of the prayer mat . Zac's mind was crystal clear , but at the same time suffused by the pervasive battle lust in the air . That was just what Zac wanted , and he let the killing intent permeate his whole being as he gazed at the axe scars .

The rest of the universe soon disappeared , and there were only the crossed lines on the metal sheet , or rather the two opposing armies locked in an endless conflict . It felt like the air around him was drenched in the Dao of the Axe , like he was sitting in a purified version of the Dao Chamber Kenzie had constructed for the Dao Funnel .

He soon took out Verun’s Bite] , but he simply held it in his hands for most of the time . Sometimes he slowly swung it in various directions as though he wanted to confirm something , but most of the time he was lost in thought . New impressions replaced the previous in an endless cycle , like an everchanging battlefield in his mind . He had long lost any concept of time , only stopping occasionally to take a fasting pill and go over the insights .

Brat , it’s time , - a powerful suddenly voice resonated in his mind , startling Zac awake .

Two weeks had passed that quickly?

Zac didn’t tarry , and he quickly got up on his feet after taking one last look at the two scars . He hadn’t broken through , but Zac was certain that he was right at the precipice of pushing his Fragment of the Axe to peak mastery . He just needed to incorporate what he had gained over the past two weeks into his own understanding , and then eat some treasure that could be used as fuel for the breakthrough .

He didn’t plan on staying in the Bloodwind World much longer , but he was pretty curious about the information heritages Woz mentioned . Besides , if trouble would come to find him in this place , it should have done so a long time ago , like when he was in the middle of his epiphany . So Zac made his way into the private areas only for Coliseum members , and he was soon surrounded by a sea of meatheads .

Humans were by no means rare , but they definitely didn’t belong to a majority in this place . If the Base Town had been a perfect cross-section of the Zecia Sector races , then this place clearly gravitated toward Devilkin , Ogres , Orcs , and certain beastkin . Part of the reason definitely was that these races leaned toward brutal weapons like axes , clubs , and various two-handed weapons .

But another reason was that the Bloodwind Planet was placed in what was called the Tribal Constellation where these races were more common . It wasn’t a force , but rather hundreds of forces spread out across an area even larger than the big empires . It was a pretty chaotic part of Zecia , but there were a few powerful C-grade tribes that kept things somewhat in order and helped gather the forces in case of outsider pressure .

Newcomer! I saw your fight! Big balls! - a clearly drunk minotaur Hegemon suddenly roared from his seat on a balcony of a large bar as Zac walked along the street .

Zac only laughed and waved as he moved on . There were actually quite a few people who recognized him as he walked , and he guessed that these people were all members who were currently taking a break in their cultivation . Most people took time-outs for a few months now and then to clear their heads and destress , and these meatheads probably watched some fights and got drunk .

Some just praised the last battle or his axe , while others invited him to join hunting parties . Zac politely declined the invitations as he kept going forward . He only stopped once to read a massive sign . He saw dozens more further down the line , and he guessed it contained some important information .

Big Axe Coliseum has entered an Alliance with the Divine Chalice , Blue Moon Mercenaries , and Celestial Constellation Formation Guild

Who are these factions? - Zac asked an orc who read the sign as well .

Don’t know about the last guys , but Divine Chalice is a faction of healers , - the Orc muttered , excitement written all over his face . - A lot of lasses , a lot of them… If Urbuk manages to form an adventurer party with a few… Springtime is finally coming to Urbuk . -

Zac thoughtfully nodded as he walked on . One faction of healers , an Array Master guild , and some mercenaries . It looked like the Big Axe Coliseum wanted to shore up its weaknesses . But the Coliseum had stood alone for over a Million years , why make the change now? Was it about the war the Ogre from before mentioned? Did they want to create more balanced war parties to increase their survivability?

For now , it wasn’t something that had any relation to Zac though . He would ask Calrin to look into the matter , but he had other things to deal with first . Zac soon enough reached the contribution exchange , a massive hall that almost looked like a gladiator arena . There were almost a hundred desks with attendants , and Zac walked over to one of the empty ones . It was manned by what Zac assumed was a female orc .

New guy? - the orc asked with a raised brow as he approached .

Yeah , just joined . Just figured I’d take a look , - Zac said .

That’s fine , but not much you can buy straight away . We’ve had problems with newcomers clearing out some precious resources and so on , - the Ogre shrugged .

I heard I can improve my level by selling things? - Zac asked as he started browsing a crystal .

Oh , a Gladiator? - the orc said with interest . - It was you who fought the bloodstalker? Can’t believe I had to work during that fight . Well , you still can’t become a second-level member for the first ten years , even if you reach the contribution needed . A century for the third level . Of course , if you get an elder to sponsor you , that's another matter . -

There were a huge amount of materials listed , tens of thousands of different resources meant for axe cultivators . Of course , he could only buy the basic things that he could already get through Calrin . But there were also quite a few items that were at the level of what Kenzie had planned on feeding Jeeves .

There were even rarer objects as well , but they all required level three membership or higher .

As for information , there were a lot of interesting intelligence crystals that piqued Zac’s interest . There was one in particular that contained information that Zac really wanted .

Primal Axes ; Picky bastards , Trusted Friends – How to evolve your toothy companion

It was written by a late Hegemon rather than a Monarch , but it was still pretty detailed all the way up to high D-grade according to the description . Unfortunately , he wouldn’t be able to get it for a whole decade . He would probably be able to get some elder to sponsor him if he divulged his real identity , but that would just open a can of worms .

Verun's Bite] had been strengthened a lot since drinking all that Dragon Blood , and Zac felt it wouldn't bottleneck him until he reached peak E-grade . He suspected that ten years would pass long before he got to that point . Apart from the missive detailing evolving his axe , there were more generalized guides geared toward Spirit Tools as well .

Zac wanted to get those as well in case they divulged something useful for Love’s Bond] . Of course , he didn't hold much hope in that regard . He hadn’t been making much headway with his second Spirit Tool , or rather any at all . He had come in contact with all kinds of treasures , but nothing seemed to have been of interest for Alea .

Take this as well , - the orc said as she handed him another crystal . - These are requests members have put out . If you can find some of the things people are looking for , you can quickly reach the higher levels of membership as soon as the trial period ends . You can also go to the mission hub . You’re a gladiator , so the Mission Points will be converted to Contribution points for you , making missions doubly rewarding . -

Alright , thank you , - Zac nodded as he exited the Contribution Exchange .

Zac would be able to easily complete a lot of the rare materials commission thanks to his almost unfettered access to all corners of the sector . Materials that were almost impossible to get on the Bloodwind planet might be readily available in another empire . The Big Boss’s Big Wall and a few other opportunities such as private Mystic Realms were only accessible through contribution points , and this was an easy way for Zac to turn Nexus Coins into contribution .

He stowed away the crystals as he left toward the closest Teleportation Array . Part of him wanted to head out and refine his technique , but he ultimately felt uncomfortable grinding when he had to hold back on everything from levels to Dao Epiphanies . So he would head back to Earth before moving toward his real target .

Are we really letting him go? - the heavily scarred human asked as he looked up at the huge Ogre who gazed at the human walking toward the teleportation array in the distance . - The Tsarun clan- -

Bah , who cares about those bastards? We’re not so strapped for cash we need their little rewards , - the Ogre snorted . - Besides , I never liked Zinvul Tsarun , that hoary old goat . He’d sell out this whole Sector if it just gave him a chance of breaking through . I’m more willing to bet on this little brat . -

He walks the path of war and carnage , and he is the Harbinger of the conflict . He will definitely find himself in the middle of the madness , chances are he will fall , - the man countered . - If that happens we’ll end up empty-handed . -

Perhaps , - the Ogre shrugged . - But perhaps not . He might also survive , becoming the next Eveningtide Asura . And then our gains will far overshadow some random bounty . The fact that such a little monster is an axe wielder is a heaven-sent opportunity for us . I told you he'd appear here sooner or later . Obfuscate the details of his visit . -

Already done , - the human nodded as his eyes gleamed with anticipation . - Well , his disguise is pretty decent and he seems aware of the threats facing him . It will be hard if not impossible for the Tsarun clan to track him down in the vast battlefields . If he really survives . . . -

Exactly , - the Ogre nodded before his brows furrowed with confusion . - However , I really thought he’d break through… He looked at the wall for two whole weeks while I personally empowered his prayer mat and improved his surroundings . I think he might be a bit of an idiot? -

Chapter 681 : Buyout

Zac appeared in his courtyard back on Earth , and a look outside showed that the environment was fast returning to normal thanks to Triv and the golem gardeners . His initial outing had taken just over a month , but he believed that the next one might take a lot longer . So before heading out there were some final matters to deal with .

First thing’s first , Zac looked inward and started to channel more and more energy into his hidden Specialty Core until he felt something change . There was no explosion or huge burst of energy , but his Specialty Core was suddenly back in plain view , which meant that the one-month timer had started . That was the earliest he could leave earth while using the array to hide his Duplicity Core .

The things he needed to do during this month were already planned out , and Zac sent out a series of messages through his Communication Crystal before he opened his status screen .

Name

Zachary Atwood

Level

101

Class

E-Epic] Edge of Arcadia

Race

D] Human - Void Emperor (Corrupted)

Alignment

Earth] Port Atwood - Planetary Lord

Titles

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

Limited Titles

Tower of Eternity Sector All-Star - 14th , Weight of Sin , Equanimity , Heart of Fire , Big Axe Gladiator

Dao

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

Core

E] Duplicity

Strength

4385 Increase : 105% . Efficiency : 228%]

Dexterity

2149 Increase : 75% . Efficiency : 187%]

Endurance

4167 Increase : 111% . Efficiency : 228%]

Vitality

3266 Increase : 99% . Efficiency : 228%]

Intelligence

960 Increase : 69% . Efficiency : 187%]

Wisdom

1844 Increase : 76% . Efficiency : 187%]

Luck

397 Increase : 91% . Efficiency : 197%]

Free Points

0

Nexus Coins

D] 1 000 000

His Limited Titles were finally filled as well , and Zac opened another screen to get a full overview .

Tower of Eternity Sector All-Star - 14th : Attain the 14th best all-time result in the Zecia Sector . Reward : Strength , Endurance , Vitality , Luck +6% . Effect of Strength , Endurance , Vitality +6% ]

Weight of Sin : Ascend Taboo Mountain Reward : Base Attributes +2%

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

Heart of Fire : Touch the Heart of Fire . Reward : Strength , Endurance , Vitality +4%

Big Axe Gladiator : Complete the trial of the Big Axe Coliseum . Reward : Strength , Dexterity +50 . Strength , Dexterity +6%

Zac nodded with satisfaction as he closed his screen . His attributes had increased by around 5% , most of them centered on his more useful stats . For example , his Strength had almost increased by 10% , which definitely was a noticeable boost . It wasn’t a transformative change , but it was a free boost that had only cost him a month . Not only that , he had both stabilized his soul and made inroads with his Dao , his path , and his new method to perform Dao braids .

After having confirmed the situation he immediately started walking over toward his first appointment , which was located at the Atwood Academy .

The whole campus had grown by over ten times since its inception , and it had almost turned into a city within a city with blocks of student housing , whole parks , and large courtyards where the professors stayed . There were almost a hundred thousand students enrolled by this point , of which roughly 20% were - exchange students’ from various subsidiary forces on earth .

It wasn’t much compared to the largest alliances on Earth , but Zac still focused on quality over quantity for his Academy . For those less talented there were the city guards , the army , or various enterprises of his that needed cultivators . For example , there were thousands of cultivators who worked in the mine , clearing out the wildlife as they dug deeper and deeper .

Zac didn’t head toward Alyn’s offices , but he rather turned toward one of the secluded mansions in the faculty residence district . A few minutes later he sat in a beautifully manicured courtyard and with an elderly monkeyman opposite him .

Lord Atwood , it has been a while . I am sorry about your loss , - Hekruv Vira sighed . - To walk the path of Cultivation is to suffer . Death is all too common . But I am glad to see that it hasn’t broken you . -

The 'official story' had already been spread by this point , that a powerful cultivator appeared on earth in search of the Dimensional Seed . After finding that it was gone , she had killed Kenzie and Thea out of frustration before leaving . Zac only survived because of his hidden means . Zac only nodded in response , and the two sat in silence for a few minutes until a series of quick steps approached .

I am sorry for the delay . You said you needed me? - Helo , the Gemling leader said as he walked into Hekruv Vira’s courtyard .

I wanted to talk to the two of you to let you know that I will be leaving Earth for a while , - Zac said . - This trip will probably be a lot longer than previous outings . A year if it’s short , a decade if it’s long . -

You are doing the right thing , - Hekruv said with a nod . - You are in your prime , spending your days here would be a waste of your potential and momentum . Look at me and the other old goats who you took in . Our momentum is all but gone , and reaching Hegemony the normal way is nigh-impossible . -

Zac nodded , and he actually felt a bit relieved at the fact the old powerhouses of the Mystic Realm were stuck in their cultivation . It was a bit too early for D-Grade cultivators to start sprouting up on Earth . But what Hekruv Vira said was true ; their cultivation had pretty much locked in at their current state , and simply changing their cultivation manuals wouldn’t do .

It was also a huge mental component to breaking through . The few members of the True Sky Faction who still had reaching Hegemony as their main goal in life had bought Teleportation Tokens from him . They wanted to set out onto a larger stage in search of opportunities just like most wandering cultivators . Those who stayed on Earth had essentially given up on forming a Cultivator’s Core and instead focused on academia and their legacy .

For example , Hekruv Vira had actually married an Ishiate of the nature-faction he met while traversing earth two years ago . They already had a child , which felt like a miracle to Zac considering their species were so different . Then again , how was the monkeyman’s situation any different than the hundreds of half-demon infants in Port Atwood?

Zac was all for it , since forming a family would strengthen their connection to Earth and his town , and it allowed him to leave Earth with fewer worries .

Is there anything we can do? - Helo asked .

Just help the officials keep things under control . Try to stop any large-scale wars that will weaken the base strength of Earth , - Zac said thoughtfully .

The three kept talking for a while later before Zac set off to his next destination . The meeting with the True Sky Faction and Clan Volor was partly a courtesy call , and also to show he was fine after the events that led to Thea’s death . He knew there were some rumors floating about already , and one of the things on his agenda was to travel around to make sure people knew he was alive and well .

His next destination took him to Thayer Consortia , another district that had essentially turned into a town on his own . The Thayer Consortia had kept growing over the past three years , partly fueled by the almost endless wealth they gained through his sister . It was like Calrin was on stimulants as he kept expanding the operations , and there were already three branches that had been opened on other worlds .

All three were on unimpressive E-grade planets , but they helped open new business channels and they were profitable from the get-go .

The fact that Smaug had somehow disappeared into thin air while Zac was occupied dealing with the Mystic Realm was a bit of a hit , but it ultimately hadn’t dampened his plans too much . Perhaps it was for the best since Smaug had proven himself wily and self-serving since the start , without weighing it up with good features like Ogras .

Zac had wanted to use Smaug as his representative in the Consortia , but perhaps it was for the best that the position had become vacant . He had made some inquiries into the Stumpbugle cooperation that Smaug got his license from , since Calrin believed they had to be the ones who helped him escape . Zac hadn’t found much though , and he could only confirm they were located somewhere in the sector .

Instead , he had hired a man named Vikram , a former Harvard Graduate who would likely have become a real business star if the world hadn't ended . Vikram was officially in charge of the expansion of Thayer Consortia to human towns across Earth , and unofficially in charge of making sure the Sky Gnomes weren’t fleecing him .

He was also the only Earthling currently under a contract with him , apart from the Valkyries . It wasn't Zac's idea , but rather Vikram's own , as a method to fast-track his career . It wasn't life-long though , but rather for 1000 years , and it posited that Zac needed to provide the means for him to gain that longevity . Of course , the contract also contained a slew of additional provisions to shore up the kind of Loopholes that Smaug probably had used .

So far Zac hadn’t found any reason to be worried , but you never could let your guard down . Zac didn’t immediately head over to Calrin , but he instead visited Vikram's offices first . The two went over Zac’s idea in detail over the next few hours , where the analyst helped Zac tweak and optimize the plan . Only then did the two head over to Calrin’s office , where a despondent Sky Gnome barely had the energy to greet them .

What’s with you? - Zac said as he sat down .

Do you really need to ask? - the Sky Gnome lamented , looking like he had lost the love of his life . - Your sister was such a divine spirit , full of grace and benevolence . -

Zac would have laughed out loud if not for the fact that Kenzie was officially dead . Zac knew that the Sky Gnome no doubt missed his sister's money-making capabilities far more than the person herself , but the sentiment was still appreciated .

How are things going? - Zac asked as he sat down , though he somewhat knew the answer .

We made a lot of enemies through your sister’s side business . She could stay hidden , but the transactions ultimately took place under our license . Now our income is negligible compared to before , and our enemies are putting the squeeze to us , - Calrin sighed . - Forget expansion , we might be forced to close our branches and get pushed back to the bottom again . -

Is there anything we can do to turn things around? - Zac asked with an impassive face .

Well , money , - Calrin shrugged . - We are bleeding right now , but so are our enemies because they undercut me on all my purchases . But with enough time I’ll be able to find new revenue streams that will tide us over until they give up . -

Zac slowly nodded , but nothing the Sky Gnome said was honestly a surprise . He had a full understanding of the financial state after his meeting with his liaison . What Calrin said was true , though things were not quite as bad as he let on . But Thayer Consortia would definitely be unable to continue their expansion if things continued , and probably even be relegated into a native business that didn’t spread outside the planet .

Well , I have a proposal , - Zac eventually said . - I am willing to inject capital into the business , but I want controlling share of Thayer Consortia . Vikram would be made vice manager and get access to the License . -

What! - Calrin exclaimed with shock . - You are trying to squeeze us out! Don’t look down at the value of a License . How do you value the infinite potential it represents? Not even your sister would be able to buy it . -

I value the License at 5 , 000 D-grade Nexus Coins . I am willing to invest 3 , 300 right now of which 250 would go directly to you , - Zac said , which made the Sky Gnome freeze in shock . - I would increase my stake to 51% by myself , and if Ogras’ shares get released , they would fall to me as well . -

The shares to the consortium were sanctioned by the System itself , and Ogras’ shares along with dividends were currently put in limbo . The System had various rules for this . Essentially , if Ogras didn’t come back within 100 years , then ownership would be relinquished to descendants . Since Ogras had none , at least no official ones , the ownership would revert back to Zac and Calrin .

If the demon had been a D-grade Hegemon instead , the timeframe would instead be a millennium . This was a ruleset that the System had enacted since people kept disappearing in the Multiverse . Some were lost in Mystic Realms , others entered wormholes and wound up in different parts of the universe .

Ownership of protected ventures ultimately required some sort of link to the business in question . For unprotected ventures , such as holding ownership of a city , there were no safety guidelines . Anyone could attack a town or world at any time , and if the defense failed , you’d lose your ownership . Of course , you could always reconquer your town or planet in case you came back .

Fi- Five thousand? D-grade? - Calrin muttered , his eyes almost going red instead of their deep azure . - What? How? -

Don’t worry about how , - Zac shrugged . - Five thousand is most likely a fraction of its value when you were at your peak , but those days are long gone . To return to that level on your own without my help? How long will that take? Can you even do it? With an infusion of over 3 , 000 D-grade Nexus Coins , you’ll be able to save eons of effort and immediately leapfrog to a larger stage . -

You should also know that I hold the building ordinance for a High-quality Trial , but I don’t plan on putting it on Earth . That structure by itself will transform the economy of the whole area , but you’d require my help to seize the opportunity there , - Zac said .

Zac wasn’t lying . The reward came from completing the Second Step of Sovereignty with an S-grade performance , and the quest reward was a Limited Trial . That was actually one of the reasons why he had decided to visit the popular Trial Locations in the Zecia Sector . He had wanted to see how they organized things to turn the trial into a profit center .

And Zac had seen first-hand the huge business opportunity that spots like the Havenfort Chasm represented . There was an endless stream of people wanting access to that opportunity . Zac had initially planned on simply putting the structure in his Academy for his members , but he was extremely happy now to have held back on receiving the reward .

He instead wanted to place it on a neighboring planet after the shroud was lifted . He just needed to jump a few dimensional layers and find an abandoned planet with a livable atmosphere . D-Grade planets were almost all taken , but E-grade planets were plentiful . The distance would be short enough for transportation to be cheap and effortless for Earthlings , but it would still be hard for outsiders to pinpoint Earth’s location .

The Sky Gnome got another round of shock after learning about the Limited Trial , and his face kept undergoing rapid changes .

Owning 44% of a massive venture is ultimately far preferable to owning 75% of a small local industry , - Zac added , seeing Calrin’s hesitance .

It is indeed , but it’s not about that . The consortium is the lifeline of our clan , and by giving you the majority stake we would lose our freedom , completely tying the fate of our family to your chariot , - Calrin exhaled .

Don't you think that ship has sailed already? - Zac smiled . - Boje Zethaya saw that ring of yours as well , and more and more Earthlings will start traveling the Sector over the coming decades . The peak factions might already know , so why not make a bet and swing big? -

Calrin sat frozen for over a minute , and Zac could almost hear gears rapidly turn in his head .

Ai , - Calrin eventually sighed , and Zac’s lips quirked upward . - I thought my good days would finally arrive when that demon bastard got sucked into that living Mystic Realm . But I guess that to live is to suffer . But how about 500 D-grade Nexus Coins for your friend? After all , there are some cranky elders I'd need to bribe , ah , I mean convince . -

Chapter 682 : Attendant

Things proceeded quickly from the moment Calrin had taken the bait , and Zac soon found himself as the main shareholder of the Mercantile License . There was a simple reason why Zac wanted majority stakes ; he needed to start planning for his cultivation early . Getting one million D-grade Nexus Coins was an almost unfathomable fortune to him right now , but would it be the same in a few hundred years as he was working on his Cultivator's Core?

Yrial had already said that nurturing a Mortal to become a powerhouse was expensive enough to bankrupt a clan , so he needed to become wealthier than normal clans . And what would be a better investment than buying a Mercantile Licence on the cheap? Thayer Consortium held the greatest control of the economy on Earth by now , and this move improved his control over the planet even further .

Calrin was more than happy to supply all sides of a war , but Zac could now essentially take out whole factions through business , quelling any uprisings before they even started . Besides , he was the main reason for the survival and expansion of the Consortium , so it stood to reason that he should be the one to reap the majority of the rewards .

With that dealt with , he stepped onto the teleporter , and he arrived in a vast subterranean hall a few moments later .

Warmaster , - a few Zhix guards bowed when they saw who it was that had appeared in their hive .

I’m here to see the Chainbreaker , - Zac said , and he was immediately led through a series of tunnels without any further question from the guards .

Is Ibtep here? - Zac asked , thinking he should say goodbye to his oldest Zhix friend as well .

The Breeder is working on new variants in the underworld , - the guard said , respect written all over their face .

Zac could only wryly smile and nod . If Rhubat , the Chainbreaker , held the most respect in the hearts of the Zhix population , then Ibtep was a close second . The liaison had returned heroically with the Elixir of Ascension , which helped the remaining Anointed deal with the drawbacks of their Elixir of Anointment . But that was not the only thing that garnered such respect .

The Zethaya had wanted to butter Zac up and offered the elixirs free of charge , which Ibtep gladly accepted without caring whether that put Zac in an awkward position . Instead , he had used the billions of Nexus Coins on a high-quality Beast Pouch and thousands of different insects , larvae , and other creepy crawlies .

He now bred billions of the things down in the depths , and he provided the Zhix population with everything from - delicious - grubs to enormous worms that were extremely efficient at digging tunnels for hives . The Zhix warriors hadn’t cared in the slightest that Ibtep used their money for his own venture . What were some intangible numbers on a status screen in comparison to tasty food?

The hobby had gone so far that it actually skewed Ibptep’s evolution . They had been a Seeker before , a class aimed at scouting , exploration , and knowledge . Zac didn’t know the exact name of Ibtep's new class , but it was mainly related to discovering , taming , and breeding beasts . So it still held some of its old features , but it had added husbandry to the mix , making it a proper hybrid class .

Zac soon reached the inner sanctum of the hive , and he was hit by a mist full of Cosmic Energy when the guard opened the gates to Rhubat's cultivation cave . Inside were a few braziers , with a pond fifty meters across in the middle . There was also some odd moss growing on the ceiling , and a single glance was all it took for Zac to understand it was a material at the same level as his Tree of Ascension] .

The place wasn’t quite at the level of his own cultivation cave , but it wasn’t too far off either .

Warmaster , it has been a while , - a rumbling voice echoed through the cave as Rhubat rose from the pond .

The Anointed looked quite different compared to before , now only reaching three meters in height . That didn’t mean they had been drastically weakened though , but rather the opposite . Rhubat's aura was extremely condensed , like they were a bomb on the verge of exploding . Since Ibtep had succeeded with their mission during the events of the Mystic Realm , a large number of the former Anointed had long passed into E-Grade .

The titanic Zhix had lost between 50% and 70% of their attributes to rid themselves of the chains that kept them in the F-Grade , but Rhubat was the sole exception . Rhubat's experiences in the Hidden Realm along with their latent potential had allowed them to retain almost 80% of their former strength even after taking the antidote , and Rhubat had regained that and much more after passing into the E-Grade .

Their whole appearance differed from the normal Zhix as well as white cracks covered their whole body . It was a result of his final attack that slew Adcarkas , and they bore the jagged scars like a badge of honor . Zac thought it looked pretty good , and it reminded him of kintsugi pottery .

Looks like you’re progressing smoothly , - Zac smiled .

The Zhix are finally learning to embrace the new chapter of our lives , - Rhubat nodded . - We have found a new methodology we like , and a lot of warriors are making impressive progress . A second revision will soon come out as well , improving it even further . -

Zac nodded , having already heard about it . The Zhix had initially completely disregarded things like cultivation manuals , and to some degree even skills . And while most had stopped considering Cosmic Energy as corruption , they still hadn’t quite acclimatized to their new reality . However , that was quickly changing as the Anointed and a large group of Zhix scholars had started creating a unique Cultivation Manual made by the Zhix for the Zhix .

It was still pretty rough , but over 90% of all Zhix warriors had still chosen to use it , displaying the characteristic unity of insectoid species .

It’s good to hear , - Zac said . - I came to tell you that I will be leaving Earth soon , possibly for years . -

I think that is the right choice , - Rhubat said . - I believe I still have much to gain here in our new world , but I can feel that I will need to leave for the stars within a few decades if I want to move forward . Go without worry , the Zhix will watch over our planet . The Zhix Hives all stand behind you , we know you are searching for power for the sake of us as much as for yourself . -

Zac didn’t stay long , and he left just five minutes later as Rhubat sunk back into the depths of his pool . Zac kept traveling back and forth making arrangements with his allies and inner circle , though he only told those he really trusted he'd be gone for over a year . Next , Zac spent the following weeks appearing across all corners of Earth , unleashing a storm of violence on the beast populations .

He had been lying low for too long , and the world needed to remember his might if he was to leave for a long time . It also allowed him to make some more inroads into the evolutionary combat technique he had made some inroads into during his battle with the bloodstalker . Unfortunately , he found that he wasn't making much progress when simply crushing the opposition .

It wasn't a surprise to him . Progress only happened when one was pushed to the limit , no matter if you talked about the wilds or cultivation . He would have to find some more powerful enemies if he wanted to perfect his new style .

Finally , after waging his one-man war for three full weeks , Zac got a message from Triv . There were energy fluctuations coming from the Dao Repository , meaning that his Revenant captain was finally coming out after almost two full months inside the inheritance trial . Zac quickly hurried back , just in time to see Vilari emerge from the array .

Zac breathed out in relief when he saw her unscathed . He had been worried that a trial lasting so long would be extremely deadly , but his revenant commander came out looking completely unscathed .

How did it go? - Zac asked . - She didn’t make things difficult because of your race , right? -

The Tool Spirit was right . Master said that it didn’t matter as sapience is all that’s needed to understand suffering , - Vilari answered with an airy voice .

Zac couldn't help but feel that the 'Crown of Despair' was a real downer after hearing that , but how Vilari referred to the mysterious mentalist piqued his interest .

Master? - Zac asked .

Master Ralz Carzood took me as an in-name disciple , - Vilari said with a nod . - She was very pleased with my performance and provided the maximum benefits the rules of the trial allowed . However , I would have to reach her main body for her to take me as a true disciple . -

Main body? - Zac asked with confusion before his eyes widened in surprise . - She’s actually alive? -

She said so , at least , - Vilari nodded . - She is a master of the soul , so I guess Master could still maintain a small connection even after having severed a small part for the inheritance . -

That’s amazing , - Zac said . - What’s your next step? -

I gained a new Soul Strengthening-method that I believe ultimately suits me better . It has a lower ceiling compared to young master’s , but I think it will be hard for me to perform more than one reincarnation with my lacking affinity into Life , - Vilari said . - I have already created a good foundation though , so I just need to keep working for a year or two , after which I will evolve to E-grade . -

Zac nodded , happy to hear that she had found a path suited for her . Her aura had changed as well . It was more stable , deeper in a sense . It almost felt like he was talking to an old monster rather than a junior cultivator , but Zac couldn’t put his finger on why . Her strength had definitely increased a bit , but not to the point for him to get that feeling . It was rather a sense of vicissitude that was the source .

Well , I'm glad you're back . Come with me , - Zac nodded as he sent a message into his communication crystal . - There is someone you should meet . -

The two walked over to his courtyard and sat down . They didn’t have to wait long until they could hear steps approaching . It was Joanna who had hurried over at his command . She entered the courtyard , but she immediately froze as her spear appeared in her hand when she spotted Vilari . It was hard to miss her with her strong deathly fluctuations and striking appearance .

Of course , she didn’t attack since Zac just sat there , and she instead looked over at him with confusion .

I thought it was high time the two of you met , - Zac said with a wry smile . - Joanna , meet Vilari , the commander of the Einherjar . Vilari , this is Joanna , commander of the Valkyries . I guess you could say the two of you hold the same position . -

It’s a pleasure to finally meet you , - Vilari said with a small smile as she nodded in Joanna’s direction .

You’ve made an army of Revenants? - Joanna exclaimed with wide eyes , but she still nodded back at the undead mentalist . - Where? How? Why? -

I’ve worked on it for a few years now , - Zac said . - Our world is changing into one of duality , and I’m kind of adapting . It would be a waste to have half the planet empty . -

Still… - Joanna said as he looked at Vilari with mixed emotions . - People will freak out . And what about when the shroud lifts and people find a bunch of undead on Earth? -

There are tens of thousands of cultivators who have become necromancers or have other death-related classes on Earth . Hiding a few true undead in the mix shouldn’t be too big of a deal , - Zac shrugged before he turned to Vilari .

Vilari , take Joanna to your compound after this . It’s high time your two armies learn to work with each other , - Zac said . - The Einherjar is my dagger hidden in the dark though , so they can’t be exposed to anyone but the Valkyries . Unfortunately , you only have ten days to figure things out . After that , I’m leaving Earth for a long time . -

That caught both of their attention , and they waited for him to properly explain .

I am setting out soon in search of opportunities , - Zac said . - I will probably be gone a long time this time around . Vilari , I was thinking of bringing you along , are you interested? -

I am afraid I would drag you down , - Vilari hesitated .

I am going to a metropolis , so it should be somewhat safe . Bringing an attendant wouldn’t be out of the ordinary . However , the length of your stay would depend on what we encounter over there . You might spend just a few minutes , or perhaps over a year , - Zac explained .

It would be my honor , - Vilari said with a small smile .

Only her? - Joanna said with a frown . - How about I and a squad of Valkyries accompany you? We can’t match your strength , but we can match hers . -

No , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - Where I am going next , only the undead can follow . -

Zac had gone over his options many times over , and he had long decided . His first real outing would be Twilight Harbor .

It was technically possible for Joanna to come with him instead of Vilari , but Zac had decided to set out as a Draugr this time and hide his Specialty Core with the array . He hadn’t managed to get hold of a single piece of intelligence on the Twilight Harbor place so far , and he was afraid that it would look odd for a human and a Draugr to travel together .

Leaving the Zecia Sector to visit the grey zone was a huge risk , but one Zac had to take . First of all , it felt like such a place might hold opportunities for someone like him who walked both the path of Life and Death . His progress had stagnated a little over the past years and he needed something to kickstart it .

Besides , a place that even a pureblood Draugr like Catheya felt worthwhile to mention was probably even more special than she let on . After all , she had followed her peak C-Grade master as he traveled , and they had consciously made a stop there . Conversely , they only stopped in the Zecia Sector at all because her master needed to enter seclusion for a few years .

That was not the only reason to head there first . Zac also needed access to items for himself and his undead warriors . The chapters of the Undead Kingdom didn’t trade with the living factions of the Zecia Sector , at least not openly . That meant pretty much all the resources his Revenant followers used were foraged in the Dead Zones .

It was the same for himself . He needed something to push his undead Race to D-Grade , and the Twilight Harbor was his best bet . It also felt like a good place to widen his own skill repertoire . For example , he still didn’t even have a Movement Skill on his undead side . A commercial hub like the Twilight Harbor would definitely have a few repositories to peruse , and he might even find some good skills for his human side .

Part of him had wanted to immediately set out to the Million Gates Territory to search for Ogras now that he was confirmed alive , but it didn’t seem like a good idea . He was still too weak and inexperienced to travel a chaotic territory like that . A proper metropolis like the Twilight Harbor should be at least somewhat safe in comparison .

Besides , he didn’t even have a vessel to travel in that place full of chaotic spatial anomalies . Teleportation Arrays didn’t really work in that sector from what he had gathered , so he needed a proper Cosmic Vessel . His best bet was completing the Creator Shipyard-quest first and have Karunthel build him a vessel specifically suited to traverse a dangerous place like that .

He could probably buy a ship with his massive fortune by this point , but he had far more trust in the Creators than some local shipwrights . Furthermore , his sister was gone , and there would be no way for Zac to tell if the salesmen left some hidden dangers in a bought vessel . And why wouldn’t they leave some sort of marker if some unknown E-grade warrior appeared with endless wealth?

So , until that point , he’d work hard on gaining power so that he wouldn’t actually get himself killed the moment he entered that lawless territory . He at least needed the power to escape from D-Grade Hegemons , preferably even killing weaker ones . Luckily he had a decade to work on himself until that point unless Leandra was lying about the timelines .

Zac spent the next ten days resting up and waiting for the cooldown of his cloaking array to end . He tried to replicate his rudimentary Dao Braid a few hours every day as well , but progress was slow . It did work , but the activation was painfully slow . It was like his mental energy was turbid when he wasn’t in a heated state , and it took him almost five seconds to create a Dao Braid and infuse it into a skill .

Such a delay mid-battle would almost definitely create a huge opening . But Zac hoped that if he formed his crude braids over and over it would become an ingrained skill that would flow naturally when it had to be actually used .

Ten days soon passed and Vilari returned to his courtyard . Zac had talked with everyone he needed to talk to , and he had prepared everything that needed to be prepared . There was also nothing holding him back on earth any longer . In fact , part of him couldn’t wait to get away from Earth for a while .

So there was no reluctance in his gait as the two headed over to the Nexus Hub in the center of the island .

Chapter 683 : New Horizons

It felt extremely weird to stand suspended in space , but the discomfort was far overshadowed by the awe as Thea looked down upon the vast continent in the distance , its size breaking both comprehension and the laws of physics .

Just how big was that place? It was endless , and planets were nothing but small marbles that hovered around it . This was what she had dreamed about when listening to the explanations of the Tutorial pixies so long ago . Visiting mysterious faraway lands , walking paths that had never trod before . And now there was such a continent emitting an amazingly profound aura right in front of her .

If only the circumstances were a bit better .

Where is this? And why have you taken me here? - Thea asked as she turned to the purple-robed woman next to her .

Mothers-in-law were usually a nightmare , but Leandra Atwood clearly took the trope to another level . Telling her that she was not worthy of her precious son before zapping her with lightning and kidnapping her . Thea had spent almost two months locked in some weird tank , with only her thoughts and an infuriating AI for company .

Now she found herself out here , looking out at some alien world . Seeing it was truthfully a bit exhilarating , but it also felt like another kick to the chin . It was a confirmation of what she had come to realize over the past months ; her old life was gone .

She had railed at the AI , desperately tried to break out of the prison she had been put inside . She had cried and raged , angry at Zac , at his secretive family , angry at fate who seemingly kept toying with her . She even tried using her ultimate escape skill , only to find her Skill Fractals somehow locked .

Eventually , she had been wrung dry . She had simply let herself drift around in the viscous liquid for a month , her mind void of thought and direction . Now that she finally was free , part of her screamed at her to lash out , to strike at her captor with her ultimate skill . But a larger part of her was just a haze of helplessness and exhaustion .

This is the Goldblade Continent , named after the Goldblade Divine Monarch . A brutal place full of danger and opportunity , away from the meddling machinations of the cursed System , - Leandra said . - Your new home . -

Why did you take me here? - Thea sighed . - Why not just kill me and get it over with? -

Why would I kill you? Your - death’ proved a great motivational tool for my children , - Leandra said . - This is your reward . Thus , the law of balance is maintained and karmic entanglement avoided . Besides , odds are you will fall in this place , turning falsehood into truth . -

Law of balance my foot , Thea thought with exasperation .

How could sending her to a hostile continent be considered recompense for blasting her with tribulation lightning and faking her death?

You know , Zac and my family have probably realized I’m not actually dead , - Thea muttered in a feeble act of defiance , though she honestly wasn’t so sure . - I’ll eventually escape from this place or he’ll find me one way or another . Either way , your plan will fail . -

Your understanding is flawed , - Leandra said without raising a brow . - The heavens struck you down , you died as far as the System is concerned . It is the same for that little unstable Tool Spirit , it reopened your inheritance the day we left Earth . For them , you are well and truly dead . -

Thea looked at the staid woman floating next to her , realizing that she really didn’t have any secrets in front of her . Had this woman read her mind , or has she planted spies around her children since before the integration?

…Why? - Thea eventually asked , which contained all the questions that had rattled around in her head over the past months .

Why kidnap her? Why would Leandra trick her children into hating her?

I have lived for millions of years , - Leandra slowly said as she looked out across the vast continent .

It wasn’t what Thea had asked about , but it still made her eyes widen in shock . She knew that Zac’s mom was powerful after seeing that metal monstrosity , but to this point? A million years was approaching the limit of a Monarch from what she had gathered , unless the monarch was a temporal cultivator or had found some special treasures to prolong their life even further .

Leandra Atwood was actually someone who had reached even further , someone who eclipsed all the elites of the whole Zecia sector?

I have had over twenty Dao partners , the longest coupling lasting for three hundred thousand years . Do you know how that relationship ended? He tried to kill me for the materials in my body . He had been stuck at the peak of Monarchy so long , and he knew that I was about to step into Autarchy . It was his last chance to seize the opportunity for himself , - Leandra smiled .

Why are you telling me this? - Thea asked . - Are you afraid that I’d rob your son of his resources if I stayed on Earth? -

No . You aren’t qualified to rob my son with that paltry strength of yours , except his momentum . What I am saying is that your relationship was doomed from the start . I think you knew that as well . As it stands , the two of you are too different , - Leandra said before she turned back toward the endless continent .

His potential is limitless , and you are just an above-average talent of a backwater sector . You will not be able to follow him for long in your current state . You are already too far apart , and it will only get further away , - Leandra said .

A spark of anger flared up in Thea’s heart , but it was quickly extinguished . First of all , what was she going to do to this insanely powerful cultivator? That was just asking for a beating . Besides , she knew that her kidnapper was right .

She had been relentlessly training herself off for three years while Zac had been studying arrays and working on his soul , yet she wasn’t any closer to reaching his level of power . Soon , he would explode forward with momentum again , just like when he returned from the Tower of Eternity .

Even after all she had encountered , she barely made it to the start of the sixth floor . Even that was largely thanks to Zac sparing no expense in terms of Array Breakers , talismans , and pills to push her as far as possible . Yet he had made it to the ninth floor , a feat hundreds of times more difficult . And he had fought off half the sector the moment he got out , like an invincible god of war .

The corpse tree outside the Tower of Eternity was still imprinted in her mind , like a part of Zac she never understood . It was easy to forget that the slightly awkward guy she dated was known as the Deviant Asura , one of the most renowned youths of the Sector .

More importantly , neither of you held trust in the other . You never told him you’re not a pure human . You never told him of how you felt trapped on his little island . He never told you of me , nor did he tell you about the undead armies he nurtures in the shadows . You don’t know the truth of his power . Both of you had one foot out the door , - Leandra said . - You dying was the most beneficial conclusion of your Karma . Look for love when you've given up on the Dao . -

His what? - Thea blurted with shock , but she quickly calmed down again . He had already hidden the fact that he had a robot goddess for a mother , what did it matter now if he kept some revenants? - So , you’re telling me to just give up on my past and live on this faraway Continent? -

The situation here is far more brutal than integrated space . Murder for resources is as common as breathing , and everyone who rises to Hegemony here has walked a path far bloodier than what you can imagine . That is your opportunity . Enter this world , and be baptized and reborn through slaughter . That is your best chance to become a true pillar for your tribe . To walk in step with my son , - Leandra said .

Though I suspect… Even if you gain the power required to make it back , you two will long have forgotten about each other by that point . After all , the Dao is your foremost love . -

Thea gave her kidnapper another glare for good measure before she turned back to the continent . An enormous mountain larger than a planet stood in the core , and there were eighteen layers of clouds as large as nebulae swirling around it . There were vast forests so lush that it could be seen from space , endless oceans , and even topographies that she couldn't understand in the slightest .

She was not sure what to think . Her future had been stolen , forcibly replaced with what sounded like a hellish meatgrinder . From the sound of it , she would be lucky if she survived a year in this place , let alone long enough for her to return to her family . All those people she had grown up with , would she ever see them again?

Why did she feel so free?

One day I’ll make it out of this place , if just to prove you wrong . -

Minutes turned to hours and hours turned to days as Zac was shot through the Void out of the Zecia sector . Even the teleportation on his previous off-world sojourns had only taken up to thirty minutes before he reappeared , which made it all the more telling just how vast the distances he was dealing with were .

It was like traveling between two galaxies rather than between two star systems in a galaxy . Zac eventually let his mind drift since there wasn’t much else he could do . Vilari was probably somewhere close , but it was not like they could communicate mid-teleportation . There was nothing to look at either since teleporters moved you through some hidden dimensional layer .

But on the 12th day , the wait was finally over as darkness turned to light .

Welcome travelers , - a harsh voice said as Zac tried to orient himself . - Oh , Imperials? -

Zac frowned at the tone , but he relaxed when he looked up to see the source . It was a massive Corpselord , his jaws replaced by a maw that had to have been taken from some beast . The fact that he could form words at all was pretty impressive , so there was no point in reading into the tone . The second comment was more worrying .

Is that a problem? - Zac asked with a neutral voice as he helped an unsteady Vilari get back on her feet .

Haw haw! Hardly , - the Corpselord laughed . - Twilight Harbor welcomes all . In fact , you Imperials are an important income source for us . But be warned , the rules and hierarchies of the Empire do not hold sway here . No matter what title you have back home , you’re simply an honored guest in the Twilight Harbor . -

Hm , - Zac only said non-committally .

The Corpselord’s words were a relief , as it seemed quite normal that people from the Undead Empire came here for opportunities or other purposes . Zac being a Draugr shouldn’t stick out too much , though he wanted to see how things looked out on the streets before taking off the mask he wore to block his race .

Zac knew that the Corpselord’s words came with caveats as well ; power trumps all . His warning might be true for most guests , but Zac guessed that if some Empire Princeling came to this remote base , they could probably run rampant while the rulers had to grit their teeth and smile .

He had learned as much as he could about the Undead Empire over the past few years , causing Triv to suffer innumerable backlashes , and its hierarchy was quite simple . The local chapter of the Undead Empire in the Zecia sector was a peak force there , but it was ultimately just regarded as a Province . Its actual name was the Kavriel Province after the ruling clan , though most of the living didn’t bother with making such a distinction .

Undead Provinces could be weak or strong , but they were always led by a C-Grade force . The Undead Province in the Zecia sector was definitely on the weaker side , just like Zecia was one of the weaker C-Grade Sectors . However , true Undead Kingdoms always had B-Grade Cultivators at the top . One such kingdom could directly or indirectly control dozens , or perhaps even hundreds of C-Grade Sectors the size of Zecia .

Finally , lording over the large number of kingdoms were the Undead Heartlands , the true core of the Undead Empire . This was the cultivation mecca of all undead . Apparently , there were a number of unusually powerful Kingdoms inside the Heartlands , along with the core where the Undead Princes , and perhaps even the Primo , resided .

Catheya’s Clan was from one of these Heartland Kingdoms by the sounds of it , which made her identity quite elevated among the undead . However , Zac guessed that most - Imperials’ that visited Twilight Harbor actually came from one of the outer Kingdoms unless Twilight Harbor was situated close to some wormhole that somehow connected to the Heartlands .

The Corpselord actually seemed a bit relieved at Zac’s reaction , further proving Zac’s hypothesis of there being some unruly visitors from the empire . He took out two small tokens next and handed them over to Zac .

This is the Twilight Token . Seeing as you were invited by the Eldritch Archivals , they have already filled it with 1 months’ worth of occupancy fees . If you want to prolong your stay , you’ll have to go through them , - the guard added .

Thank you , - Zac said and threw the Guardian a couple of D-Grade Miasma Crystals as thanks .

His eyes lit up and he immediately stashed them away , which gave Zac some clues as well . The Corpselord guard was either a decently strong High E-Grade Cultivator or an average Peak E-Grade warrior . But his eyes lit up at a few D-grade crystals , proving that his economic situation wasn’t all that impressive .

This was actually not that big a surprise , as Zac had been shocked to learn that most cultivators in the multiverse were pretty poor , often downright broke . Zac had figured that most people would be trillionaires after accumulating their gains over decades , but the reality wasn’t so nice .

It all came down to the monopolization of resources and the high cost of living . If Zac wanted to make a few million Nexus Coins he would just kill a few thousand E-grade beasts and sell their bodies , alternatively kill one early D-grade beast . But what if all the forests were controlled by powerful clans , clans who charged exorbitant fees to enter the hunting grounds , and even more exorbitant fees to stay in their town for protection?

Everything of value was long divvied up and taken by the powerful factions , with wandering cultivators generally living a pretty wretched life . They had to pay through their nose for every step forward in their cultivation , often to the point that they had to indenture themselves to the local forces . All that money then went to the D- or C-Grade powerhouses on the top , who were essentially black holes when it came to money .

Ah , one tip , if the young master would be interested . I guess you are here for the Twilight Ascent . You should join the event through the Eldritch Archivals even if your power will allow you to do so by yourself . The Archivals have seeded slots with better starting positions , - the guard said .

Zac didn't even know who the Eldritch Archivals was , let alone the Twilight Ascent , but he still nodded in thanks as he led Vilari out from the teleportation house .

How are you doing? - Zac asked with a low voice , knowing that teleporters did a number on most people .

I’ll adjust in a minute , - Vilari said . - These Eldritch Archivals… -

We’ll deal with it as it comes , - Zac shrugged . - Let’s take a look at this place . -

Outside was a vast square full of people , but Zac wasn’t focused on that as he looked around in awe . He didn't exactly know what he had expected when thinking of the name Twilight Harbor , but it wasn't this .

Zac could only shake his head when thinking back to his conversation with Catheya all those years ago . She had made it sound like Twilight Harbor was just a little hamlet at a border sector , but the grandeur he witnessed was almost beyond his comprehension .

This was a true metropolis .

The Twilight Harbor was actually not placed on a planet from the looks of it , but rather a large number of gargantuan plateaus floating about in a cosmic cloud . Some of the plateaus were clearly earmarked for the undead , with miasmic clouds swirling around enormous spires that stretched tens of thousands of meters into the air . Conversely , some platforms were teeming with life , made for the living inhabitants .

In fact , one of the smaller plateaus just had a single huge tree planted , its canopy stretching across a distance measured in hundreds of miles . It was not quite at the level of the Lifebringer Tree he had seen in his Dao visions , but it was far beyond the Avar World Trees] whose seed Kenzie had used in her evolution attempt .

There were hundreds of plateaus altogether , with most of them having a clear alignment of either life and death , but there were a handful that seemed to house both . These platforms were as large as a dozen of the smaller ones , and they looked like proper continents with mountains , forests , and hundreds of cities strewn along its surface .

Amazingly , these platforms all formed a multi-layered sphere around a mysterious light that seemed to be radiating with life one moment , and the chill of death the next . Zac first thought it was an attuned sun , but it didn't look like it . It almost looked alive since it pulsed with what seemed like a heartbeat , and it continuously spewed out those energy-rich clouds that suffused the whole area .

The platforms all seemed to have a gravity of their own as he could see mountains pointing down toward him from a platform right above him , and there were platforms in the distance that stood at a 90-degree angle to properly bask in the radiance of the mysterious light source . It almost looked like the hundreds of platforms were the broken pieces of an impossibly large planet , and the anomaly was the world core that once held it all together .

Zac was almost frozen in place from the scene , and he couldn't believe how freely and seemingly effortlessly Life and Death comingled in this place . If he couldn't find any clues to dealing with Earth's dual affinities or his cultivation here , then he might as well give up .

Chapter 684 : Guide

It is quite a sight , - a sultry voice commented to Zac’s side , dragging him out of his reverie .

Dreamers living among our people . I didn’t believe my master when he told me , - Zac said with a snort as he turned toward the source of the voice .

It was a Revenant , seemingly a human with a bit of demonic heritage . She didn’t have any horns , but her hands were a bit clawed and her skin had a thin pattern reminiscent of that of the Torrid Demons . She wore a tightfitting dress that looked more like an evening gown than a cultivator’s attire , but she did emit the aura of someone at early E-Grade .

He couldn’t tell whether she was a turned Revenant or if she was a natural-born undead of peak E-Grade warriors , but he guessed the latter was more common in an established place like this .

Is young master perchance an Imperial? - the Revenant asked , and her eyes lit up when Zac slightly nodded .

He had already decided to go under the guise as a random scion of an imperial Draugr-clan after hearing the introduction from the Corpselord guard earlier . It felt like the safest bet , considering he still didn't know if there were actual pureblood Draugr native to a place like this .

May I ask if young master requires a guide? I am a native to Twilight Harbor and know all the outs and inns . I can make myself available for as long as master needs , and I’m sure young Master will be satisfied by my… services . -

The Revenant was a professional guide , just as Zac assumed . It was a pretty common way for cultivators to make some extra money , especially among the weaker cultivators who were afraid to risk their lives in Mystic Realms or hunting grounds . A glance around the square showed that there were over a thousand teleportation stations just like the one he arrived in , and there was a small group of cultivators waiting outside all of them .

The voluptuous Revenant wasn’t the only one waiting outside the station where Zac appeared , there were actually six more undead guides . There were also 5 living ones ; three humans , a treant , and a beastkin . However , none of the living had approached Zac when he appeared , and Zac guessed there were unspoken rules at play here .

Ah , Triskatal is a decent bedwarmer , but her connections are lacking . Young master strikes me as a man with great purpose who has better things to do than to waste with a mere female . I have connections with two information houses , and I can provide far more detailed accounts of events and noteworthy persons in Twilight Harbor , - a Corpselord said as he donned a terrifying smile , though Zac guessed he was trying to look amiable .

The Revenant threw the competition infuriated glance , but she didn’t have time to for a rebuttal before another guide spoke up , detailing the perks of hiring them . It almost turned into a brawl , leading Zac to believe there was a surplus of guides compared to visitors . However , Zac’s curiosity was piqued as one of the guides stood silent .

It wasn’t that she was above competing with the others , she just lacked presence . She tried to speak up a few times , but she was quickly shot down , seemingly unable to shamelessly boast with such gusto . Of course , that wasn’t really why he was curious .

Ah , don’t mind that lass . She’s a novice , and she was fired by her last employer , - the Triskatal said when she noticed Zac’s look . - She actually has the nerve to charge 50 E-grade Nexus Coins a day as well , as though she is a senior guide . -

You are Draugr? - Zac asked , ignoring the comment .

Zac couldn’t stop some hesitation from seeping into his voice as he asked though , since she looked a bit different from himself or Catheya . Her eyes were black orbs just like his own , but they were matte and void of the abyssal feeling that Draugr eyes naturally possessed . She also had a few traits not normally associated with Draugr , such as slightly pointy ears and an odd vertical ridge in her forehead .

I wouldn’t dare , - the young girl said with a bow . - There happens to be some divine blood in my ancestry . But I am not part of the Draugr-clans living in Twilight Harbor . You can consider me a normal Revenant . -

Hmm , - Zac said .

He was quite relieved by her words . It had been a bit of a gamble to seal his Specialty Core in his undead state since he didn’t know what kind of reactions his Draugr heritage would create in a place like this . But between how common it seemed to be for - Imperials’ to come here , and the fact that there was actual Draugr-clans present , it looked like his appearance wouldn’t create any waves .

Part of him wanted to stay under the radar as he went about his businesses , but his experiences in Base Town and his subsequent experiences had imparted him with some valuable knowledge . Being too inconspicuous would only result in you getting discriminated against and losing out on important opportunities .

If anything , trying to lay low increased the odds of you getting in trouble with people with strong backgrounds , as no one would miss a dead wandering cultivator . Meanwhile , his Draugr appearance essentially made him a VIP by birthright , and people wouldn’t randomly move against him out of fear of whatever clan backed him . In fact , even the local clans would speak up for him if it came to it , as the nobility of the five races couldn’t be impugned .

Of course , the goal was to strike a balance . Going too far in posturing would just make you a target , like the Eveningtide Asura or Yrial .

A- I , I have information connections as well! - the half-blood Draugr hurriedly said when Zac didn’t speak up again . - My father is a fact-checker for a local intelligence merchant . I am up to date to all the latest events! -

Why were you fired by your last employer? - Vilari asked as she understood Zac was interested .

I don’t provide… those… kinds of services , - the girl said as her eyes darted toward the Revenant called Triskatal . - The employer thought it was implied because of the price . -

Good , I’ll hire you . Let’s start with one week and take it from there , - Zac nodded as he took off his mask , his appearance creating some waves among the congregated guides .

Pureblood , - one of the Revenants whispered with a mix of dejection and envy , and the other guides sighed and walked away .

They might have been willing to compete for the assignment before , but they gave up when they saw Zac’s abyssal eyes . The noble races tended to stay with their own , and a half-blood Draugr was obviously better than a normal Revenant .

I’m Nala . Thank you for giving me this opportunity . Where do young master wish to go? - Nala asked , clearly having some trouble looking into Zac’s eyes . Perhaps she felt a bit pressured by speaking with a proper pureblood Draugr .

I’m in no hurry , take us to some interesting places , - Zac said with a smile . - It’s not often I get to leave the clan . -

Ah , if young master wishes to relieve stress during his stay , I am always available to accompany you . I also have connections with various Flower Houses . Someone with your grand heritage would be welcomed with the utmost of service , - Triskatal hurriedly said as Zac started walking away .

A communication crystal flew up from between her breasts the next moment , making its way toward Zac . However , the crystal disintegrated as Vilari sent a spiritual wave at it , making the Revenant grimace .

That won’t be necessary , - Zac said as he walked away with Vilari silently walking in tow .

Zac emitted the aura of a Peak-E Grade warrior , but he was still just in the middle stages and his body was still solely powered by the black ichor sitting in his veins . Of course , Triv had actually divulged that there were compounds that could temporarily awaken one’s body , not only making amorous encounters but even pregnancy possible .

However , those kinds of zombie erection pills left behind quite a bit of pill poison , and indulging too much in them could even harm one’s foundations .

If the young master wishes to take in the sights of Twilight Harbor , how about a boat ride between the plateaus? - Nala ventured .

Sounds good , - Zac shrugged .

The Twilight Harbor uses special vessels that are powered by the Twilight Clouds between the islands . I have a vessel , - Nala said as she took out a decent-looking flying treasure . - I borrowed my family’s ship . It is a bit low-end , there are better ones for rent as well . -

This one is fine , as long as it flies , - Zac shrugged as he walked aboard .

Vilari gave the square a last look before she walked over and sat down next to Zac . Nala hurriedly jumped on as well , instructing the small vessel to lift off . The ship rose from the platform , and Zac realized it wasn't actually covered by a barrier . Even then , he definitely felt he was inside a proper atmosphere , making him believe the whole harbor was covered in a massive atmospheric bubble .

The mysterious clouds didn't seem to be able to reach the platforms though , but they rather formed what looked like rivers of stardust between the various islands . There were two separate types of rivers . One was the familiar cold aquamarine of Miasma , while the other was a much warmer yellow river .

It was clear that the rivers stemmed from the anomaly in the center of the Twilight Harbor , but Zac was interested to note that the anomaly was neither aquamarine nor yellow , nor a mix of them . It rather was rather a murky gold that rather leaned toward green , and it didn't change whether it emitted the feeling of life or death .

Nala steered the flying vessel to float on top of one of the miasmic rivers , Zac could feel that it actually helped the ship pick up speed . However , they only moved for a few thousand meters before the ship slowed down until it came to a crawl .

What’s wrong? - Zac asked .

I , ah , haven’t really given any tours so far , so I was trying to map out a good route , - Nala said with embarrassment .

That’s fine , that’s partly was why I hired you , - Zac laughed .

Zac wasn’t lying . Some things didn’t change even when comparing pre-integration Earth and the Multiverse . The guides in metropolises like this were very much like the tourist guides back home . They would take you to all kinds of stores where they had - connections - where their business partners waited to sell you low-quality items at a premium .

A greenhorn was more likely to bring him to proper establishments since she hadn’t had time to build that kind of seedy network , and with her Father’s connections , Zac believed she should have a good understanding of the comings and goings of this place .

How about this , take me to some place where I can sit down and enjoy some incense for an hour or two . I don’t want any of those kinds of services , just a calm environment for us to stabilize after a long teleportation , - Zac said , noting that Vilari’s aura was still a bit unstable .

Certainly! There is a highly reputable Incencary run by the Sharva’Zi Clan not far from here . It provides a great view of the Twilight Ocean as well . I believe it would be up to young master’s requirements , -

The Sharva’Zi family?! - Zac blurted with surprise , but he quickly reigned in himself . - Do you know if anyone of them are here? -

That is beyond me . Perhaps some have come for the Twilight Ascent , but the imperial clans usually only have a few branch members stationed here to run their businesses , - Nala said , clearly trying to avoid reading into Zac's reaction . - Most of those who work there are natives . -

Zac finally understood what had brought Catheya here while traveling with her master . It sounded like she had stopped by to look into their interests before moving on . Meeting Catheya was not something he had planned , but he also was a bit curious if she was here . He guessed it depended on whether her master had emerged from his seclusion back in the Zecia sector .

He had a completely different aura while undead and a new appearance with the help of Million Faces] to make him look more like a natural Draugr , and Catheya shouldn’t be able to recognize him even if they came face to face . He also had one simple thing working for him ; the fact that it was so ludicrous that someone could be both a Draugr and a Human that no one would even think of such a possibility .

But even then , there was no point in playing with fire .

I am here incognito under my master’s orders , and I don’t want to make my presence known . I think it’s best if we visit another establishment , - Zac slowly said .

Certainly , I know of many more such establishments , - Nala quickly nodded . - Millions of people have come here for the Twilight Ascent , and many are using temporary identities . After all , when there are benefits there will be competition , and no one wants to bring grudges back to their clans . -

Good , - Zac nodded .

The boat moved slowly toward a plateau two disks over , and it was clearly controlled by the undead . Occasionally , Nala would have the flying vessel fly over to another river heading in the right direction , and she rarely flew through the void itself . Zac first felt they were moving quite slowly along the energy rivers , but he soon realized that the speed was deceptive .

They passed a whole disk in just thirty minutes , and even the smallest disks were dozens of times larger than his island back home . The one they had passed was large as well , and he had seen whole mountain ranges flash by in minutes . That meant Nala's dingy flying treasure was actually flying more than ten times as fast as his own leaf , something that was hard to believe considering the guide's apparent economic situation along with her strength .

The leading clans have installed special arrays in Twilight Harbor , - Nala explained as she looked down on her flying treasure with some embarrassment . - This treasure is just average as young master guessed , but space is shrunk a hundred times along these Twilight rivers , allowing for easier travel between world disks . There are teleporters as well , but outsiders cannot use them . -

I’m surprised to see these kinds of arrangements in a frontier sector , - Vilari said to hide Zac’s ignorance .

It is because a lot of the factions here have powerful backings from elsewhere . Their economic background can’t be compared to normal local factions in a frontier sector . The Twilight Ocean is what truly makes it possible though since it unceasingly expels energy into the area , - Nala said and pointed to a glowing object beneath them .

How about you introduce this place to me? My master simply handed me a Teleportation Token and told me there would be opportunities in a place called Twilight Harbor , but he didn’t say much else , - Zac said . - What’s the Twilight Ocean? -

Ah , so it’s like that , - Nala said with surprise . - The sphere down there is the Twilight Ocean , or rather the entrance to it . It’s closed right now , but it is still discharging enormous amounts of Miasma and Cosmic Energy . That’s the whole basis of Twilight Harbor . -

Zac hummed in understanding , a bit surprised to hear that the star itself was the ocean . He had just assumed it was the nebulous clouds and the Twilight Rivers were the oceans , and the platforms the harbor .

Is that star why this place holds mixed races? -

Yes , - Nala said . - The Twilight Ocean expels both life- and death-attuned energies , and unless both sides are present to absorb it , then the atmosphere will slowly become imbalanced . -

What is the Twilight Ocean? - Zac asked curiously . - A mystic realm? Or an aberrant star? -

It is a supreme grade Mystic Realm from what I have heard , and the place where the Twilight Ascent is being held . The Twilight Lord founded this place , and his descendant is still officially in charge of the ocean , - Nala said before she lowered her voice . - Of course , many of the ancient clans have great influence in this place , with the current generation Twilight Lord mainly focusing on his cultivation . He hasn’t actually been seen for almost a thirty thousand years now , and many think he is preparing to assault Peak C-Grade . -

Zac was about to ask some more questions , but they had almost reached their destination by that point - one of the world disks that had to be the home of billions of cultivators .

Book 2 out on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited/Audible!

Unfortunately , there are still no more chapters this week!

However , Book 2 has finally dropped on Amazon , Kindle Unlimited , and as an audiobook on Audible! Get your DotF fix with some old-school Defiance of the Fall , this time professionally edited! Narration once more performed by Pavi Proczko .

Book Two starts with Zac visiting New Washington for the first time as 'Monk' , and immediately starts to unleash some carnage both in New Washington and Greenworth . The book also covers the Auction , the final Beast wave , Dead Zone arc , and all kinds of fun things until the start of the Hunt .

Even better , Book 1 is currently on sale in case you don't have Kindle Unlimited!

Links are up in the author's note .

Chapter 685 : Old Friend

Nala had taken them to a medium-sized disk with millions of elegant spires reaching toward the stars . There were also whole towns and enormous settlements erected on platforms between some of the larger spires , forming a multi-layered society that stretched thousands of meters into the air . It looked like a normal metropolis for people of mixed heritage , rather than something belonging to a singular force .

Interestingly enough , the disk had structures built both on the top and on bottom surfaces , and it had a far greater slant compared to most disks to allow both sides to be angled toward the Twilight Ocean . On the bottom , there were even more towers that were reminiscent of stalactites . There were some hanging cities as well , though Nala flew toward a particular tower that looked like a hanging garden basking in the radiance of Twilight .

This is Gaun’s Escape , a mixed disk controlled by a consortium of 12 Undead Factions , six local and six foreign . That’s a rule set by the Twilight Lord . Foreign factions are only allowed to control a third of the disks , but they can have control of up to half ownership on another third . That way the power balance between local and foreign is evenly divided , - Nala explained , after which she lowered her voice . - Of course , if it comes down to it , the foreign factions are more powerful , and there are many hidden alliances . -

Zac nodded , not being too surprised . There was the saying that even a dragon can’t suppress the local snake , but Zac didn’t feel it to be true . If those Imperial clans really wanted this place they would long have seized it , but the benefits likely didn’t match the costs .

I’ll wait outside , young master , - Nala said as she stopped in front of the grand entrance to the Incensary .

Come with us , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - How will you explain the situation in this place from out here . -

Ah , but this establishment , - Nala hesitated as she glanced at a plaque .

Zac looked over and he immediately understood what she was talking about . Just a balcony cost 100 E-grade Nexus Coins , and ordering some Spiritual Incense was even more . A short visit to this place would eclipse Nala's whole salary .

It looked like a Metropolis really had Metropolis prices .

I’ll pay of course , - Zac said as he walked inside .

His appearance caused some waves , and the regular waitress was immediately recalled as to let a head waiter lead Zac to a beautiful private balcony at the edge of the plateau . It was over a hundred square meters and furnished to look like a celestial garden full of white and black flowers Zac had never seen before . Zac and Vilari sat down at a table close to the edge , where they could overlook the Twilight Ocean and the ships sailing by on the hundreds of rivers .

Zac exchanged a few words with the waiter , and he came with a packet a minute later and carefully started a small fire on a stove in the middle of the table . An azure flame lit up from the brazier , and Zac felt a soothing sensation spread throughout his body as he was inundated in a herbal haze .

The undead had truly mastered the art of incense after being locked out of most other vices until later stages . The herb mixture he had ordered did not only smell amazing , but it also had impressive medical properties . It felt like his cells were covered in a soothing stream , allowing them to calm down and stabilize after the extremely long teleportation .

Nala didn’t seem as calm , and Zac had to exhort her to sit down at the table .

So , give me a rundown of the major factions in this place , - Zac said after having enjoyed the smoke and the view for a few minutes .

Yes , certainly . As I mentioned , The Twilight Lord is the supposed leader of Twilight Harbor , but he does not control a real faction . He has a few thousand - brothers’ as he calls it , various wandering cultivators who run errands for him . However , even the weakest of among them is an elite E-Grade cultivator .

But the actual controlling organ is the Twilight Council , an executive branch made up of thirteen native clans . They are in charge of security , tax collection , and so on , though they are officially under the Twilight Lord himself .

These thirteen clans are all C-Grade forces with 5 undead factions , 6 living factions , and two aberrant factions . The abberrants are the necromancy council and the Rox’At Elementals . The members of the Necromancer's Guild are technically living , but they naturally lean toward our side . The elementals are their own type of lifeforms and could be considered neutral .

How many C-Grade forces are in this place? - Zac asked with a small frown .

Around 50 , with the council members being the strongest . Of course , that’s just officially . There are both wandering Monarchs living here temporarily and hidden Monarchs among the foreign factions as well , - Nala explained .

We Imperials should be putting some pressure on the living even if we are outsiders . There should be a counterforce to our presence here , - Zac said . - Who is it? -

You’re exactly right , - Nala nodded . - There are two forces actually . One is the Radiant Temple , and the other is the Havarok Empire . Both are B-grade factions with their headquarters in more prosperous sections of the multiverse . Their presence here is actually a bit greater than the Undead Empire’s , but they are not of one mind and have some internal disagreements . -

But if the Empire makes a move , these two will band together to resist us , - Zac muttered , receiving an affirmative nod .

Just what’s so alluring about this place? - Zac eventually asked . - Why do these factions waste that sort of effort? -

Well , one reason is that Twilight Harbor has become a major trading hub of the frontier sectors . All sorts of interesting items pop up as The Boundless Heavens integrates the uncharted reaches , and many of them make their way here . It’s a convenient place for those above to extract the true treasures of these Sectors without having to travel all over the frontier , - Nala said . - The second reason is the Twilight Ocean . -

Isn’t it just another Mystic Realm Trial Ground? - Zac asked with confusion .

Well , it does present a good opportunity for people like the young master to temper themselves , along with the opportunity to gain a high-quality Limited Title , - Nala said . - But the Mystic Realm also has some rarely-seen properties that attract cultivators from far and wide . -

Does it have to do with how it expels both Miasma and Cosmic Energy? - Zac asked .

Just so , - Nala said as she looked down at the glowing orb . - Many believe that the Twilight Ocean was created by two enormous Mystic Realms colliding , one life-attuned and one death-attuned . It resulted in the twilight Ocean .

That by itself is a miracle , but more interestingly it created new energy ; Twilight Energy . It is a mix of life and death , - the guide continued .

Is that really possible?! - Zac asked , barely able to contain his excitement .

Perhaps only the Monarchs know how it is possible , - Nala said . - But the Twilight Energy can’t leave the Mystic Realm . The moment it escapes the spatial tunnel it splits up to normal energy , which is what enriches this area . The energy is then funneled to the various platforms through the Twilight Rivers . -

The Twilight Energy has given birth to various treasures that are useful for both the living and undead , - the guide explained . - Most notable are the Twilight Fruits . -

What’s their effect? - Zac asked curiously .

They are used as an ancillary product for pill- and incense-making . They contain the odd reconciliatory effect of Twilight Energy , and they are extremely useful in helping fuse incompatible materials , - Nala said . - They can both make impossible recipes possible , or increase the success rate of recipes with high failure rates . They are a favorite among Alchemists in the inner sectors . -

Zac’s eyes widened when he heard about the properties of Twilight Fruits . Having that kind of effect was amazing , and he could understand how it was so sought-after . It might not matter much for random healing pills , but supreme pills often had extremely high failure rates . Add to that the cost of materials , and you could save a fortune by using these fruits .

What grade are the fruits? - Zac asked .

The Twilight Ocean has been grade restricted by The Boundless Heavens , and the Twilight Fruits match the grade . And the grade of the fruit has to match the grade of the pill . The most precious fruits are therefore the C-Grade Twilight Fruits , but they rarely appear on the market , - Nala said .

What does an E-Grade Twilight Fruit go for? - Zac asked .

Around 100 E-grade Nexus Coins after a Twilight Ascent , - Nala said , and Zac’s interest was quickly extinguished . - But the price can rise to almost 300 if it has been long since the last opening . -

It was a lot of money , but it would barely make a dent in Zac’s finances . Nala seemed to understand his thoughts and she quickly continued .

The use of E-Grade Fruits is limited because there is no lack of D-Grade Alchemists who can concoct even difficult E-Grade pills with high success rate . The value of D-Grade fruits is exponentially higher . However , there is another reason to pluck the fruits , - she added .

What? - Zac asked curiously .

The council and the large mercantile unions all want to make sure that as many fruits as possible are extracted on every opening . So , they have something called the - Fate-Plucking Ladder’ . The more fruits you pluck the higher your placement . As is customary , there are also extremely valuable rewards for those who perform well , - the guide explained .

Can you kill others for fruits inside the Mystic Realm? - Zac asked .

Yes , there are no limitations except the grades . Weaker cultivators usually stay closer to the entrance . There are fewer fruits and other treasures , but the odds of running into a powerhouse is a lot lower , - Nala said . - In fact , I have prepared a crystal here with the information my father has prepared as part of my services . -

Oh? - Zac said as he accepted the information crystal .

He briefly scanned the crystal and saw that it contained all kinds of tips and tricks for the Twilight Ascent , and he felt that her somewhat high price might actually be pretty cheap when it came down to it . There were even old ladders provided , and Zas a bit surprised to see that you needed to gather over ten thousand fruits to make it into the top ten of the E-Grade ladder .

That by itself was over a D-grade Nexus Coin , a massive fortune for most E-Grade warriors . Of course , those who managed to gather that many fruits were definitely extremely powerful cultivators at the peak of E-Grade , just one step away from evolving . For them , the real reward would probably be the items from the event itself .

Vilari and Nala sat in silence as Zac perused the crystal , but he didn’t manage to get far before he frowned and quickly put on his mask again .

I’m sad . I heard an old friend had come to this corner of the universe , yet he chose to go to this place instead of visiting me , - an all-too-familiar voice suddenly emerged from the entrance to the balcony , causing Zac’s hair to stand on end as he looked up from the crystal .

It looked like some things really couldn’t be avoided .

Zac looked over toward the door to his balcony , and it truly was Catheya Sharva’Zi who had appeared out of nowhere , with Varo silently standing behind her . This time she was also accompanied by a female Revenant that looked bulkier than most Corpselords . She even had a foot on Billy , and Zac suspected that she might actually be a turned pureblood Titan .

The muscular cultivator was definitely not in the D-Grade , but she should be at the very precipice with great accumulations . Even Zac didn’t feel confident in a contest of pure strength against her , though that was just one of his advantages .

That wasn’t the only surprise as both Catheya’s and Varo’s auras had taken a drastic turn . They might not be at the peak of E-Grade , but they had to be at High E-grade from what he could tell . Zac could only inwardly lament at the difference it made to have a C-grade master . He had no doubt prepared some sort of course for his disciple to rapidly push her and her follower through the early stages of the grade .

After all , that was how most elites did it from how Zac understood things . Levels were easy to gain in the early grades and they helped increase survivability in Mystic Realms . So people rushed through levels to gain the class quests and attributes , then slowing down to work on their Daos and cultivation path .

The only detriment to that tactic was that some lost their momentum while working on their Dao , but elite cultivators had enough discipline for that to not become a real issue .

Nala , could you give us a moment , - Zac said as he looked over at his guide .

Nala already seemed to want to shrink through the floor upon being stared at by Catheya and her followers . She quickly nodded and scurried out of the balcony , only stopping to give a deep bow toward Catheya before hurrying out . Catheya only glanced at her as she waited for Nala to leave the area .

Only then did Catheya walk forward and sat down . She did give Vilari a curious glance , but she soon turned her focus to Zac .

I expected to find a human named Zac Piker resting here , yet I’ve run into two undead . Tell me , who are you? - Catheya said with a slight smile as looked Zac up and down , but there was a dangerous glint in her pitch-black eyes . - And don’t play dumb . The dust left off from the token is still all over you . -

Zac sighed as he took off his mask , exposing his abyssal eyes and a finely sculpted pearl-white face . It had almost perfect proportions , a mix of masculinity and grace . Zac had aimed for - warrior elf' when he crafted his current face with Million Faces] , forming a more believable appearance with the help of Triv . He was also almost a decimeter taller than his real stature , which was the limit he could change without feeling it affect his combat strength .

It turned out that Zac’s normal appearance was simply too ugly to pass off as a proper pureblood Draugr , even after having pushed his human race to D-Grade and enjoying the slight natural boost to his appearance . Real Draugr wasn’t really at the level of Vampires in the movies , but they definitely wouldn’t be described as - average-looking . -

Zac had eventually landed on a particular look that was distinct from his human face . He was completely clean-shaven since Draugr apparently didn't have beards , and he had changed his hair color to slightly dark grey which was held back in a warrior's knot . It made him slightly different compared to the bright silver of Be'Zi and Catheya .

His transformation skill physically altered his bone structure and skin , so there was no risk for his real appearance to be exposed . At most , someone might figure out his appearance was modified without spotting the original . And Zac had practiced giving himself this particular face hundreds of times to make it his own .

He felt confident that not even the members of Port Atwood would be able to pick him out looking like this , let alone Catheya .

I suppose you are Catheya Sharva’Zi , the one who assisted my Junior Brother? - Zac said with a sigh . - We should have guessed you branded the token . -

In fact , Zac had seen it as a distinct possibility that they would do something exactly like that , which was why he had changed his appearance and come up with a lie in advance . Of course , he had also believed that if he was marked , he would have been visited by some of Catheya’s followers rather than Catheya herself .

There was always a small chance of Catheya actually being here , but he figured that someone like her wouldn’t visit the same place in a frontier sector twice . But he should have guessed she would pop up here after learning about the Twilight Ascent .

Meeting her as his undead persona would complicate things , but there was not much to do about it . He needed to come to Twilight Harbor as an undead because he needed resources , and it was definitely the right call after seeing how segregated the Twilight Harbor was .

Pureblood , - the Titan Revenant muttered with surprise before she glanced speculatively at her master .

Who are you? I can’t recognize your aura at all . There’s no way you’re part of those half-blood clans in the Zecia sector , - Catheya said with a frown . - But I don’t remember any heritage from back home giving off the same scent as you either . -

Well , I’m not part of the Empire , so I’m not surprised , - Zac smiled , but he was surprised at how strong a reaction Catheya and her followers had . - And you can call me Arcaz Black . -

Impossible! - Catheya spat . - You’re a true pureblood , nothing like these unattached half-blood clans . How do you not have the mark of the Primo?! -

Zac knew he would have been exposed in no time if he pretended to be part of the Undead Empire since his knowledge was just at surface level . He figured it wouldn't be a big deal considering there were Draugr-clans native to the Twilight Harbor . But it looked like there was a stark difference between pure-blood and half-blood clans .

In either case , there was no stopping now , so Zac could just brush it aside .

Well , my background is a bit complicated , I see no reason to go into detail . What brings you here? - Zac shrugged .

Where is Zac Piker? - Catheya asked in return .

Busy cultivating I assume , - Zac said , trying to appear laid-back .

Well , that’s a disappointment , but it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing anyway , - Catheya muttered thoughtfully before she looked at Zac with a spurious smile .

So , why shouldn’t I turn you over to some enforcers of the Empire? - Catheya asked with a smile . - A pureblood Draugr of unknown heritage running around without any connection to his roots . Who knows what kind of trouble that might bring? -

Chapter 686 : Lies and Propositions

Turn me in? - Zac smiled , though he inwardly didn’t feel as confident .

He had already confirmed with Triv that not being attached wasn’t a crime , but that was just the official ruleset . Zac wouldn’t be surprised if some hardliners within the Empire wanted to eradicate everyone who didn’t pledge allegiance to their God Emperor the Primo .

Zac tried to gauge whether Catheya was serious or just probing him in search of information , but he didn't get anything from her smiling facade . Varo , her staid attendant , didn't provide any guidance either as his face was as wooden as when they met in the Base Town . Only the Titan displayed open hostility , but Zac felt it was more of a character trait than a testament to her true feelings .

It looked like he would have to channel his inner Ogras for a bit , and if that failed he could always book it with his escape talisman .

Are you sure that’s in your best interest? - Zac shrugged with a lazy expression . - Are you really willing to become the sinner of your clan? In fact , I think you’ll become my most ardent protector . -

Ardent protector? The sinner of my clan? - Catheya said , her glistening smile widening . - How bombastic . Perhaps I should just drag you back to the clan to let the elders decide your fate? That way I won’t be responsible for the fall-out . -

Don’t you think it’s odd I dared come to this remote place alone , even with my complicated background? - Zac sighed . - I knew there was a risk using your token , so I made some preparations of my own . If something happens to me or Vilari here , a few very damaging information missives will find their way to various intelligence houses and clans . -

Missives? - Catheya repeated with a raised brow .

Missives detailing an illicit affair between an Aetherlord and a Draugr Autarch from the Heartlands . Giving up on the commandments for love and pursuit of their boundless path , - Zac laughed . - I don't know if Mistress Be'Zi's actions can be considered illegal , but I am sure the facts can be used against Clan Sharva'Zi by competing factions . -

And you would just be willing to throw my ancestor under the bus? - Catheya snorted as the brows of the Titan furrowed . - Are you not afraid you'd become an exile? -

She casts such a long shadow , I'm sure she wouldn't mind me using her name to protect myself , - Zac shrugged .

The situation had been tense ever since Catheya entered the balcony , but it was like the temperature dropped over twenty degrees as the group said steeped in silence . What he was doing was a calculated gamble based on what little he knew of the Undead Empire . They all followed Heaven’s Path as far as Zac could tell , and someone becoming an unorthodox cultivator was probably not as simple as just changing path .

He was betting that Be’Zi had somehow managed to cut her connection to the Primo and the Empire , allowing her to take a path of her own .

Alright , alright . No need to get so tense over a little joke . After all , aren’t we all friends? - Catheya said with a helpless sigh , like she was trying to entertain an unappreciative audience . - We are connected , that’s why I gave your… junior brother , the token . -

In fact , I think I understand things a bit better now , - Catheya added as she pointedly looked at the markings on Vilari's face .

Zac inwardly breathed out in relief , feeling he had passed the first hurdle . However , he was still primed for an ambush , ready to conjure a massive Annihilation Sphere at moment's notice . The energy had been expended upon his first Reincarnation , but he had already accumulated a decent stockpile of energy . He was confident that he would be able to blast these people to kingdom come if needed .

Well , I guess I don't understand the humor of Imperials , - Zac shrugged . - You came looking for my Junior Brother . Why? -

Well , most of it was curiosity . I heard some interesting things before I left the Zecia Sector , - Catheya coughed , which caused the Titan to snicker . - I also came here to give him a proposition if his strength matched the requirements . But I feel you might be an even better fit . -

A proposition? - Zac frowned , but he quickly understood what was going on . - The Twilight Ascent? -

Just so . I am looking for a few skilled members to join me in exploring the Twilight Ocean , - Catheya said . - I think you'd fit the bill perfectly . -

Zac was a bit thrown off by how quickly Catheya went from threatening him to extending an olive branch , but he soon found his bearings again . Exploring the Twilight Ocean was already something he had set his sights on , but he hadn’t planned on teaming up with others . Especially not people who might be a threat to him .

Why would I want to do that? - Zac asked skeptically .

Well , first of all , I can give you a spot through my clan , allowing you to skip that time-consuming tournament to win a spot . I think that would be preferable to you as well , since the bigshots are actually scanning those participants for all kinds of things . I guess you want to stay incognito since you technically aren’t on either our side or the side of the living , no? - Catheya smiled .

Not being part of the Empire doesn’t mean I’m not on the side of the unliving . And what interest do you have in the Twilight Ascent? I don’t believe that the disciple of a C-Grade Monarch is so hard up for cash that she needs to go risk her life for some Twilight Fruits , - Zac asked .

Well , those fruits are something with constant demand and no steady supply , making them something useful to have . But I am more interested in something else . The real treasures can be found in the depths of the Twilight Ocean . There are all kinds of valuables there . Some of them are so rare they’d even result in a bidding war between Hegemons , - Catheya explained .

Zac's interest was immediately piqued . The rewards for the Fate-Plucking Ladder were pretty good , but Zac wasn't sure if spending years desperately trying to get a good position was worth the time investment . But someone like Catheya probably knew the real scoop that couldn't be found in Nala's crystal , the hidden benefits that made even wealthy scions such as her interested in taking the plunge .

I am aiming for one particular natural treasure ; Life-Death Pearls . They are treasures that can’t be taken outside , but they can allow you to save years of meditation into Daos related to Life and Death , making them especially valuable to us undead , - Catheya explained .

So it's a Dao treasure? - Zac asked .

Well not quite , - Catheya said . - It's more like a Dao Impartment . You have greater control over the inspiration you'd gain . -

Zac was barely able to keep his face impassive when he heard about their effect , and he was lucky his heart didn’t beat in his current form . Life-Death Pearls , weren’t they essentially specially tailored Dao Treasures for him? With his progress having come to a stand-still since Earth ran out of Origin Dao , these were exactly the kind of items he needed .

However , nothing ever came for free , and it was suspicious that Catheya was looking for helpers to farm these pearls . Why share if you could keep them for yourself? There was definitely something going on .

Since we're fated I can let you in on a secret only known to the peak factions , - Catheya added with a mysterious smile , clearly well aware that she had him on the hook . - The Twilight Ascent’s internal quest for a Limited Title is random , but it is always related to one of four categories ; Dao , Slaughter , Treasure , Exploration . This time it will be related to Dao , which makes the pearls doubly valuable . -

Why would you need my assistance? You already have helpers , - Zac asked , forcibly restraining himself from jumping onboard blindly . - What’s the catch? -

Well , for one there are dangerous beasts in the depths of the Twilight Descent . Secondly , there are the other trial takers to worry about , and you need some allies to make sure you don’t get overrun , - Catheya shrugged . - But more importantly , there are some unique restrictions in place in the Twilight Ocean , and I need some capable helpers to deal with it . -

Oh? -

Twilight Energy is not natural , it's a fusion of life and death . Absorbing it is like drinking tainted water , - Catheya explained .

Why not just block it out and live on Miasma Crystals? - Zac asked skeptically .

It is pervasive , and for some reason invasive to boot . Keeping it away for any stretch of time is nigh-impossible , it keeps finding ways back as though it was alive . It also grows stronger the further you travel , - Catheya sighed . - Thankfully , my master has provided me with something to help weaken the effect . But that treasure is too difficult to activate alone , so I need to assemble a small group of elites . Each person will run the shielding array for a few hours before we switch . -

Why not switch between the three of you? - Zac asked as he glanced at Catheya's two companions .

We need multiple different Daos to cycle through the array . Too few , and the environment will adapt , - Varo spoke up to explain .

That's pretty weird , - Zac muttered .

The world is full of weird unexplainable things , - Catheya shrugged in response . - My master estimates that it would take us three months to reach the location of the pearls , provided nothing goes wrong . After that , you'd be free to look for opportunities of your own . -

What’s in it for me? - Zac asked with a raised brow . - What’s the split? And why shouldn’t I just go alone now that I know about the pearls and the quest? -

The Titan glared at Zac like she wanted to rip him apart , but Catheya only smiled as she patted her follower’s arm .

You’re free to walk away , - Catheya smiled . - But there are usually less than 100 pearls per trial . Without any special methods of locating them , you could swim back and forth for decades without any results . Besides , even if you reached the depths but you would probably be pretty weakened by the environment . What if you met a group like mine , where we have a handful of members who are not weakened by the restrictions? -

Zac ignored the thinly veiled threat and instead tried to sort out the information . It was a shame that Catheya didn’t arrive an hour later , after he’d been able to learn more about the trial . But provided she was telling the truth , going in a small elite group might be the best way to get his hands on the better items inside .

Of course , he could always go at it himself and pray that his high Luck would pull through for him again .

Going with us , you have a good chance at getting your hands on a good number of fruits . Our side will take the first ten fruits , after which we will split the remainder equally , - Catheya continued when she saw Zac hesitate . - A handful of these fruits will give you a leg-up on the rest of the trial , no matter what your plans are .

You can go alone , but with your current strength , you wouldn’t make it past the middle reaches of the ocean , - the hulking revenant added with a raised brow . - The best treasures would be out of reach for you . -

How do you figure? - Zac asked .

I can tell that you are somewhere between Middle and High E-grade , with extremely deep accumulations . But you are also definitely young , even younger than me . I doubt you have any Dao Branches yet? What if you meet a level 150 elite from one of the three Empires , one who’s wielding a Middle-Stage Dao Branch? Can you deal with that alone? - Catheya asked .

Zac wanted to say yes , but he inwardly knew the truth . It was impossible , at least unless he managed to hit them with an Annihilation Sphere . An Early-Stage Dao Branch was more powerful and provided more attributes than all three of his Daos combined . A Middle-Stage would absolutely steamroll him even if he had an attribute superiority .

Not to mention that someone sitting on such Dao insights in the E-grade definitely had a slew of other advantages .

That’s why people like us need to team up if we want to enter the inner reaches . There is safety in numbers , - Catheya said .

Zac was full of hesitation , but he eventually made a decision . He’d go along with Catheya for now . If things seemed suspicious he’d make a run for it , no matter if it was in ten minutes or after they had entered the trial . But first , there were some benefits to eke out .

Well , I can join your group , but you’ll have to provide me with three things in addition to the deal you proposed , - Zac slowly said .

Don’t overextend yourself , - the Titan Revenant growled . - It’s not like you’re irreplaceable . -

She’s welcome to say no , but something is telling me that I'm not as replaceable as she says . Otherwise , she wouldn't be looking for some random stranger like me or my Junior Brother to assist her , - Zac grinned

Catheya neither confirmed nor denied Zac’s guess , but he felt he was onto something . The Twilight Ascent was a System-sanctioned trial , which meant that the realm was most likely slightly adjusted to create a better testing ground . From his quick scan of the crystal , Zac had already confirmed that the trial was grade-restricted , but he guessed that elites had some sort of advantage .

Perhaps Attribute Efficiency helped reduce the restrictive properties Catheya mentioned , allowing them to fight more efficiently in the depths? Or perhaps she was looking for outsiders since the elites in the Twilight Harbor might hold hidden alliances of their own .

Remember , you are still here as a guest of Eldritch Archivals , and you would need to prolong your stay through them , - Varo added , clearly to put some pressure on him . - Without mistress's blessing , you would be forced to leave the Twilight Harbor before the event even started . -

That leads me to my first requirement . Seeing as you want to employ me , you will have to provide me with basic amenities along with taking care of the costs to prolong my stay , - Zac said .

That is no problem , - Catheya agreed without hesitation .

Secondly , I want to choose three of your E-Grade skills from the VIP-Section of the Eldritch Archivals . Free of Charge , - Zac said .

Zac had already learned of the true nature of the Eldritch Archivals after covertly probing Nala . It was actually one of the top five public Dao Repositories in the Twilight Harbor , among the undead forces that is . It was no doubt one of Clan Sharva'Zi's main businesses in the harbor , considering it was their token Catheya had provided him with .

Audacious! The VIP-Section only holds high-quality skills and greater! They’re almost priceless , - the Titan roared .

They’re still ultimately just E-Grade skills . They can’t be considered priceless , - Zac snorted .

One . I can give you three skills in total , but only one can be from the inner sanctums . You can also pick two of the best skills of the normal high-end section , - Catheya slowly said . - Not even I have a free reign of the skills in the sanctum . All of them are single-use inheritance crystals to guarantee originality . I can’t just hand them out left and right , I need to pay with family contribution points . -

Zac was inwardly elated to hear he could actually get his hands on one of the top-tier skills of what was either a B-grade force or at least a peak C-grade Clan . He wasn’t surprised to hear the skills were single-use inheritance crystals though . After all , who would want to pay an arm and a leg for a skill if the Skill Repository kept selling them as quickly as they could replicate them?

Inheritance Crystals were something he had learned about from Calrin not long ago after he started preparing for his skill fusion . The most common skill crystals were the small ones that someone , or the System , had imprinted with a copy of the skill fractal . It usually worked 1 to 3 times , after which it broke apart .

More than a few cultivators created these crystals as a side-income , though copied skills almost invariably lost some of their quality compared to when they were provided by the System itself or if they were self-created .

Second most common were the crystals Zac had in his Dao Repository . These much larger skill crystals could be used continuously , as long as the crystals were allowed to slowly recuperate and slowly absorb energy after every use . Both these crystals had one thing in common though ; with enough time and effort , you could create an endless number of these skill crystals .

It was different for Inheritance Crystals though . To create an inheritance crystal you needed to physically take your Skill Fractal and infuse it into a crystal while splitting off a part of your soul , the part containing all your insights and comprehensions of the skill . In other words , you would lose the skill forever , and you would even ruin the skill slot in your body .

These crystals provided various benefits compared to normal skill crystals . First of all , you were pretty much guaranteed originality . It was like you inherited the skill from a predecessor , and no one else would be able to buy it . These crystals weren’t transcribed as well , so there was no loss in quality like with the other two types of crystals .

Furthermore , the skill came with a lot of insights from the get-go . If your comprehension was good , you might even be able to push it to Middle Proficiency instantly .

The downside was obviously the huge cost of creating them . They would essentially cripple a cultivator , and apparently , it wasn’t possible to create them on your deathbed when your soul was weakened and your memories of the skill were blurry . It required you to do it yourself when you were at your peak .

There was one more method to acquire them though , and this was the most common method of gathering them . There was an extremely small chance of an inheritance crystal forming inside the body of a corpse . So massive factions would continuously gain a few inheritance crystals as the previous generations departed , but the demand always far outstripped the supply .

For Zac to get his hands on such a rare commodity was an unexpected gain , but he understood he couldn’t push it much further judging by the look on Catheya’s face . Still , there was one more thing that he desperately needed , something he wasn't confident that his Draugr heritage was enough to provide .

Third , there should be some top-tier auctions taking place before the Twilight Ascent . I want access . -

There is one next week , - Catheya smiled . - I was planning on going , so how about we make an outing out of it . So , do we have an agreement? -

Happy to work together . -

Chapter 687 : Pursuit of Eternity

Exquisite chimes danced in the air and echoed with the hints of the grand Dao as Va Tapek walked into the vast hall that doubled as an observation deck . He was met with a refreshing gust medicinal aroma after taking just one step inside . Va briefly scanned the hall , seeing there were four Perennial Braziers burning , each of them releasing smoke of a different color .

Va Tapek took a deep breath , and felt his cells opening , greedily swallowing the dense medicinal and spiritual energy that suffused the air . Ylavian Bloodroot , Gelosan , dried bones of Abyssal Dominators . And those were just a few of the dozens of valuable materials that had been turned into incense for an empty hall .

Of course , materials like these wouldn’t be enough to improve the cultivation of an advanced Monarch such as himself , but most E-Grade warriors would explode after just taking a whiff of this mist . Even if they survived , they would probably become lunatics , their minds broken by the extremely dense Dao markings hidden in the scent .

I’m jealous . I knew that becoming an Earl was a lucrative venture , but I didn’t expect it to be at this level , - Va snorted as he looked at the closest brazier . - Burning a mountain of Nexus Coins every second even when you’re just here as a spectral projection . Don’t you have some disciples or descendants to waste all these treasures on? -

Well , I have to maintain appearances , - a masculine laugh echoed through the hall as the form of a cultivator congealed on top of a mat close to the enormous floor-to-ceiling window on the opposite side of the hall . - Besides , it is not like the Sharva’Zi Clan has been mistreating you these years . Come , sit . -

Va Tapek only rolled his eyes as he teleported over to the other side of the hall , his movement causing a series of abstruse runes to appear among the medicinal clouds . He looked over to his benefactor , or rather the projection of him . Whether his real body still existed , not even Va Tapek knew .

The projection looked a lot like how Va Tapek remembered his old friend though . Chiseled features that spoke of indomitability and conviction . His robes hung loose and exposed a densely muscled torso covered in scars , and he sat in an unrestrained manner as usual . He still radiated that same haughty yet slightly lonely aura of a peak wandering cultivator who had emerged at the top after innumerable bloody encounters .

But there were some differences as well .

Most notably , his skin had taken on a slight greenish tint , like gold mixed with black . A second look proved that it was actually two sets of extremely minute runes that covered his skin , each of them smaller than a dot . One of the patterns held the secrets of Death , and the other seemed to be speaking to the heart of Life .

Va Tapek’s aquamarine eyes turned to the star that took up most of the vision of the enormous windows in front of them ; the Twilight Ocean . They were slowly becoming one .

If you wanted to discard your Human ancestry , why not just come over to our side? I’m sure we’d be able to find a Blessed Land for you to awaken without giving up on your past , - Va Tapek said as he sat down .

Bah , what’s so good about being undead? - the man snorted . - Besides , if I did that , how would I be able to complete my plan? Speaking of , how did things go? -

It took me some time , but I found it . The Zecia sector has changed a bit since you hid this thing , - Va Tapek said as he took out a box from his spatial ring .

Great! - the man said , his eyes lighting up . - I was afraid it would have managed to break out after all these years . You didn't get spotted , did you? -

Shouldn't have , - Va Tapek said with a shake of his head . - I was required to check in with the local Province , but I pretended to have an epiphany to not get entangled . I left a clone there in seclusion while my main body searched for the item . By the way , things are getting a bit heated over there . -

I heard . Who would have thought that someone would conjure the Stele of Conflict in a frontier sector? - the man laughed . - It’s fine . Some bloodshed will cut the chaff and help purify the heritages . Did you arrange someone to assist me in marking the leyline? -

Hm , - Va Tapek just said as he took out a bottle of liquor . - It is done . -

Oh? How certain are you? Where did you find the helper? - the man asked with interest .

It’s my disciple . She already has two passable followers , and she is currently in the process of hiring a few more , - Va Tapek said as an indulgent smile spread across his face .

Your disciple? Isn’t she an Imperial? Will she really complete the task? - the man asked with a frown as the huge anomaly outside shuddered .

She doesn’t know the purpose of why I sent her . She thinks she is fulfilling a task for the undead factions . You just need to provide the path she has to follow , - Va Tapek explained . - I’d appreciate it if you gave her one of the less precipitous paths though . -

Of course . But even then , there will be dangers , and not just from the natives , - the man said with a pointed look . - You know my situation , I can’t intervene as I wish . Just creating these paths and divulging the treasures is pushing it . -

Know your situation? Va Tapek thought with some exasperation . How is that possible? I’ve never heard of anyone doing what you've done , what you're about to do .

It's fine . Little Catheya has been a bit too carefree lately . She needs to take some risks if she wants to reach the next step , - Va Tapek said with a sigh . - Besides , you’re the one who’s truly in Danger . Your plan is crazy , even for you . Both the local clans and the empires will try to stop you . Others will try to seize the opportunity for themselves . -

That’s what makes things so exciting , - the man laughed before he gave Va Tapek an inscrutable look . - What about you? Having last-minute doubts? -

Always , - Va Tapek snorted as he got back on his feet . - But it’s worth it . Where else will an outsider such as myself be able to witness someone defending their Dao while building the first step to eternity? -

He looked at the celestial anomaly in the distance once more and he couldn’t help but smile with excitement . These kinds of chaotic events were rare . Those who survived would definitely have gained something .

Besides , the frontier is growing a bit boring . Perhaps the reemergence of the Eveningtide Asura will shake things up a bit . -

A boisterous laugh echoed through the hall as Va Tapek left .

Can we trust him? - Qirai asked with a frown as they entered the private areas of the Eldritch Archivals . - There’s something off about him . -

What do you think , Varo? - Catheya smiled as she turned to her assistant .

He’s dangerous… Very dangerous , - Varo said after some thought . - But as long as our interests align , it should be fine . If we want to kill him… All-out and without hesitation . -

That guy? Dangerous? - Qirai snorted . - He is a pureblood , but his aura wasn’t anything special . One smash and he’s done for . -

Hopefully it won’t come to that . The Twilight Ocean is big enough for everyone to drink their fill , - Catheya laughed , but she inwardly felt that Varo’s estimate was more incisive .

The group soon entered her private courtyard , and Varo activated a series of protective measures . Her branch might be the ones in control of the interests in Twilight Harbor , but there were definitely spies in the mix . No one would have expected that a place in a frontier sector would be so lucrative , rivaling even some of the core businesses back home .

Greedy eyes were definitely eyeing their wealth , and Catheya couldn’t let anything happen . Her performance in the Tower of Eternity should elevate her status from a second-seed to first seed talent within the clan , perhaps even as soon as she returned .

But she was still lacking the accomplishments to cement her status as a talent to nurture . She believed that her performance in the Twilight Ascent could be the ticket to gain the top treatment among the Draugr youth .

And this mysterious Draugr might even be the key to becoming a Heaven’s Chosen , someone wholeheartedly nurtured by the Empire . She couldn’t explain why , but she trusted her instincts .

It’s odd , - Catheya muttered .

He felt like Zac Piker , yet not , - Varo said , understanding his mistress’ thoughts all too well .

Exactly , - Catheya agreed .

Was it a human in a disguise? - Qirai asked curiously . - I couldn’t tell . -

Possibly , - Catheya nodded thoughtfully . - I couldn’t sense anything off with his bloodline , and mimicking a Draugr is no easy feat . However , there were some points of suspicion . Also , his smell is off . Zac Piker was a pureblood human who carried the scent of Draug , while Arcaz is a Draugr with a lingering stench of humanity . -

You and your smells , - Qirai muttered . - Perhaps it was that Deviant Asura who was a Draugr disguising as a human? That little attendant of his was very pretty , in a damaged kind of way . Perhaps that's why he asked for young females? -

My nose is seldom wrong , - Catheya said . - And Zac Piker was definitely not undead . His skills , Dao , and energy teemed with life . He'd kill himself holding those kinds of energy inside his body . Well , we know where he lives now . I'll ask master to scan him to make sure .

The important thing is whether he can help us complete master's task . Arcaz has definitely cultivated his soul , and he seems to have the multipliers of either a peak second seed or even a first-seed cultivator . You’ve seen the list of requirements master gave me . He’s the fourth candidate fulfilling them all after three months of searching , and the most promising one at that . -

In regards to his demands… - Varo probed .

Fulfill them , - Catheya said with a lazy wave . - It will cost a large chunk of my contribution points , but our gains will far surpass the cost as long as this mission is successful . -

Even if he turns out to be a Dreamer? - Qirai asked hesitantly .

It does not matter . He might be Zac Piker , a human with a connection to my Ancestor . He might be Arcaz , a pureblood Draugr with an attendant marked by the same primal type of destruction that Zac Piker released in the Base Town , - Catheya smiled . - In either case , it’s a promising investment . If the Matriarch ever returns , I think this connection might be enough to transform our fates . -

I’ll arrange everything , - Varo nodded and started sending a few messages with a communication crystal .

What do you want to do about the other candidates? - Qirai asked .

Two more should do it if Arcaz is as useful as I feel he is , but it’s best to get three , - Catheya mused . - What about the letters I sent out? -

Ravan has accepted . A few have expressed interest but most haven’t put forth any clear commitments . They seem to be holding out for greater benefits . Troker has declined , - Varo said .

What , why? - Catheya asked with a frown .

Troker was her first choice for a group member until this Arcaz appeared . He was a powerful mentalist , and they had worked together before when she visited this place last time . He had both powerful scouting capabilities and his spiritual Domain Skill could lessen the effect of the suppression of the Twilight Energy .

Someone from the Eternal Clan has hired him as a guide , - Varo said . - They seem to have agreed to take him to the Heartlands afterward . We can’t compete with their offer with our current resources . -

Ah , those bloodsuckers are here? - Catheya exclaimed with some shock . - I thought most of them were busy warring against the Buddhist Sangha all the way over by the Cosmic River? -

The eternal clan had few members , just a few percent of the Draugr population , but they wholeheartedly nurtured each and every member . The average strength among their youths was at the second tier , and the degree of supreme talents that appeared in their ranks were far greater than most Draugr clans .

There was not much to be done about it . Their ancestors required less than half the cultivation resources compared to the Draugr ancestors for some reason , which meant that they had massive reserves to spend on their young . The reason for this advantage was a secret those bloodsuckers guarded with their lives , much to the annoyance of the other Divine Races .

Supposedly , one of the branches returned to the Heartlands to attend some family event and learned about the opening of the Twilight Ocean . A few youths decided to come here for a quick adventure before returning , - Varo said .

Like hell they are , - Qirai snorted with anger . - Those crafty bastards would never do anything just for the fun of it . -

There are more reports , - Varo added . - There are rumors of Heaven’s Chosen among from the Radiant temple having arrived . I have not found any clues about movement from the Havarok Empire , but if two of them are moving… -

Catheya nodded with a sigh . If the Eternal Clan was coming , then they were planning something . The Eternal Clan and the real peak factions among the Draugr had never cared about this remote sector , which was what allowed a mid-tier family like the Sharva’Zi Clan to quietly reap the rewards . Now one bigshot after another was coming for some frontier trial?

What had her master gotten them mixed up in?

The droplet drifted through the hidden pockets of space . It was completely unassuming , and not even the most intrepid scanning array would spot anything special about it . Yet it moved with mind-bending speed , surpassing most C-grade Cosmic Vessels as it made its way toward its destination .

Inside , a small world was hidden .

We’ll arrive in one month , which gives us ample time to prepare , - the steward said as he refilled the goblet for the young girl gazing at the cosmos flitting by outside .

What a desolate place . It feels like the Heavens have forgotten this wretched corner of space . Is there really someone who will reach Autarchy here? - Uona asked . - Is it even possible? -

One shouldn’t completely discard these small frontier sectors . Their average power and heritage are quite wretched , but with enough numbers and time , some terrifying beings will be born here . For example , the Bloodmoon Autarch . -

Lord Bloodmoon had the help of our family though , - Uona countered .

By the time he joined our family as an Elder he had already set his foundation and confirmed his Dao . He would likely reach the same height without us , it might just have taken a few hundred thousand years longer , - the old man smiled . - Besides , one family or another of the Eternal Clan was bound to pick him up with his talents . We were just lucky to form a connection first . -

Well , there will always be aberrations , - Uona muttered .

It is precisely such an aberration that has appeared , - the old man said . - He is known as the Twilight Lord now , but he was once known as the Eveningtide Asura . -

It’s that guy? - Uona exclaimed , her eyes lighting up . - I thought he was dead . I have read the reports , I can’t believe Lord Eveningtide survived all that . For one of the Dreamers , he’s pretty amazing . Killing a Havarok Prince and even destroying one of their Immemorial Realms? Crazy . -

He must have been pushed to the brink , but that led him to a fortuitous encounter . He found that the Mystic Realm we are heading toward was actually two opposing Daorealms that had fused together and survived . He has somehow managed to merge with the resulting anomaly , and has slowly gathered momentum to form the steps to eternity , - the man said .

That’s possible? - Uona said with surprise .

Everything’s possible , child , - the old man smiled .

Do we really need to make a move against that guy and steal his opportunity though? Seems a bit low-class , - Uona said with some reluctance .

You know how rare the opportunities to form those steps are , - the old man sighed . - Even the peak clans need to accumulate for eons to make an attempt . So , any time an opportunity like this appears , we can’t be picky . Gaining a second Autarch of our own bloodline , even if he ends up a One-Step Autarch , will elevate our branch to a whole new level within the clan . -

Well , all that’s is Grampa Nether’s problem . I just need to go inside that trial and kill some people , right? -

Yes , but don’t get careless . Everyone in the know is trying to keep the information under wraps , but the truth always leaks out . These kinds of events always turn into a bloody affair . The natives from the frontier sectors shouldn’t be a threat , but the Empires of the living will definitely get involved . -

Chapter 688 : Stocking Up

They probed our souls with some sort of treasure , - Vilari muttered a few moments after the trio had left the balcony . - I wasn’t able to block it out . -

They did? - Zac exclaimed . - I didn’t notice anything . -

Young master’s soul is strong , but you ultimately aren’t a Soul Cultivator , - Vilari said with a slight smile .

What’s your take on the situation? - Zac asked .

Her soul was stable throughout . I think she was mostly truthful in her words , - Vilari slowly said . - The large one was threatening , but it would be the small one you would have to worry about . I sensed wild fluctuations in his soul every time you were disrespectful to the Draugr . -

A real mess , - Zac sighed . - Well , no point in staying here . Are you feeling better? -

Much better , thank you , - Vilari nodded .

Alright , let's go , - Zac grunted as he stood up . - The place Catheya is putting us up in doesn't sound too bad . -

The two left the incensary a moment later and found a subdued Nala waiting outside . He needed to consider his next step , and he had Nala take them to the high-quality hotel on a disk partly owned by Clan Sharva'Zi . There was no point in avoiding that place now that he had already been spotted , and it truly was a luxurious place .

The hotel was actually a vast forest , where each room was a mansion surrounded by wilderness . The forests were not the deathly and seemingly haunted forestry of the Dead Zone back on Earth either , but rather beautiful trees with silvery leaves and white trunks . There were also similarly-colored bushes that made up some of the undergrowth , and they grew what looked like metallic pinecones which sounded like chimes when they were rustled by the wind .

They didn't have to slog through the forest , but an attendant rather handed them unique teleportation tokens that took them to a small square outside the walled courtyard leading to his mansion . He sent the attendant away after having him provide Nala with a token as well . He sent Nala away as well , though asked her to come back in twelve hours before he and Vilari went inside the mansion .

Catheya suddenly appearing had put him a bit on the spot even if he had prepared a bit beforehand . He had been forced to make some decisions quickly , but he felt things worked out for the best . The deal she offered was really fair as far as he could tell . Catheya's party would get the first three Life-Death Pearls they found as payment for providing the path and method to push away the restriction of the Twilight Ocean .

After the first three , the group would draw lots and then distribute the following pearls thereafter . Furthermore , the group would consist of 8 members at most . Seeing as there were up to 100 pearls to gather , which usually grew in the same area according to Catheya , he might get his hands on more than ten Life-Death Pearls . These kinds of items generally lost their efficacy after a few uses , so it would probably be more than enough for him .

Still , the mission would mean traveling with both Catheya and strangers for months . Not only were there risks of betrayal , but also of his real identity being exposed . It didn't look like Catheya managed to find anything out during their meeting , but that didn't mean she bought his spiel hook , line , and sinker .

Thankfully , they had only come to a verbal agreement , and Zac would only have to sign a proper contract before getting the VIP-skill .

Before then , he needed to figure out his plan . One of the main goals for this trip had been to find some basic methods and treasures for himself and the Einherjar . The second goal was to search for opportunities to strengthen himself . The return of Leandra had driven home just how weak he was , and visiting this magical metropolis only reinforced that realization .

But joining Catheya to visit the depths of the Twilight Ocean… Was perhaps more than he had bargained for . The lethality in there was definitely high , but the risk of exposure weighed even heavier on his shoulders . Going at it alone was no doubt a much safer option , as he could stay closer to the entrance if he found the challenge too great .

However , Zac soon found his resolve . The whole reason to set out was to get stronger , and those pearls seemed almost tailor-made to push at least two of his Dao Fragments to the next level . With his odd constitution progressing in Dao would require rarer and rarer treasures , so he couldn’t just back away when an opportunity presented itself .

Still , going in blind and dumb was out of the question . There were still two months before the Twilight Ascent started , and he needed to make the most of it . Catheya had thankfully set aside a slot for him , which allowed him to avoid the qualifier which seemed like a huge timesink . A quick scan of the crystal Nala provided mentioned the qualifier .

There was no lack of E-Grade cultivators in a place like this . In fact , they could be counted in the billions . The qualifiers lasted one hundred rounds where you would be matched with random warriors , and each victory awarded one point . Finally , the ten million people with the highest points would get to enter the Twilight Ascent , along with the one million seeded warriors .

Each warrior would fight five battles a day , with one day of rest in between every fight-day . That meant it would take forty days to just get a spot . He didn’t have time for that , he needed to focus on his cultivation instead .

The question was what he should do with Vilari .

Are you interested in the Twilight Ascent? - Zac asked as he turned to his follower who had sat silently as Zac mulled things over .

No , - Vilari said after some thought . - It would require me to break through within two months , and it is simply too short a time . I am not ready to harm my foundations for this trial , and I feel that I would be a hindrance to you even if I evolved . -

Alright , - Zac nodded . - But staying in this place after I leave . . . -

How about you send me back before you enter the Trial? I can bring any items you procure back for Port Atwood , - Vilari ventured . - It will give me time to shore up my foundations before you return . -

Sounds good , - Zac nodded , and the two went over everything they had encountered so far and set up a plan for the coming two months .

He might have decided to tie himself to Catheya’s chariot , but her umbrella of protection would also allow him to act with less restraint over the next months . This was a huge opportunity for him and Port Atwood . His pockets were filled with money and there were so many things to spend it on . He didn’t have access to any place as flourishing as Twilight Harbor back home . In fact , he wasn’t sure if one even existed .

Vilari had a far better understanding of not only his undead forces , but even his living ones after spending ten days with Joanna . She helped him put together a shopping list , after which Zac started reading the information missive on the Twilight Ocean with greater scrutiny .

He had been at a disadvantage during the negotiations just now since he didn’t really understand all the details of the Twilight Ascent , and he needed to shore up that weakness before he ran into Catheya again .

After reading the whole missive twice he could conclude that Catheya had essentially spoken the truth . The Life-Death Pearls were well-documented high-quality treasures of the Twilight Ocean , and they were just as rare as she indicated , perhaps even more so . Finding them was largely dependent on dumb luck according to the missive .

Of course , that didn’t mean Catheya was lying about her plan . The Twilight Ocean had been around for millions of years , and it opened up once every thousand years or so . That meant that the ancient factions had sent their members into the Mystic Realm thousands of times . There was no way they hadn’t figured out some hidden methods that weren’t detailed in the public missives .

Zac had also found out why Catheya wanted to enlist his help . He was pretty confident in his strength , but it was suspicious that she was ready to fork out so many resources just to get him to join her party . Part of it was definitely his connection to her Ancestor , but Zac had found that he did have some unique benefits in the Mystic Realm .

Catheya had mentioned an array to weaken the pervasive pressure inside the Twilight Ocean , but she hadn’t completely explained what a detriment it was . She had made it sound like the only reason people didn’t go to the depths was the risk of running into enemies , but that wasn’t the case at all .

Most of the people simply wouldn’t survive in the depths of the Mystic Realm .

Rather than a restriction , it would be more apt to call the invasive energy a poison . The undead were poisoned by the life-attributed components in the atmosphere , and the living the opposite . Everyone was able to filter out the unwanted parts to some degree , but they were ultimately weakened by the environment .

There were thankfully various ways to counter this effect . First of all , there were the pills that helped filter Twilight Energy . There were also arrays and some skills that could weaken it . But ultimately , the deciding factor on how deep you could go was your own body . The Twilight Ocean was a System-controlled Mystic Realm , and as such , it had probably been modified for it to have its current effect .

The higher level you had , the more the Twilight Energy tried to burrow into your body , essentially turning the whole thing into a level-based trial . That meant people with greater accomplishments would get further . Even better , soul strength helped as well . It didn’t really mean all Mentalists had an advantage though since their bodies were usually weaker than normal cultivators and therefore less resistant to the corrosion of the Twilight Ocean .

But Zac was probably the perfect member for them . He couldn’t be certain , but between his high Efficiency and unusually powerful soul , he should be among the best at resisting the poison . Meanwhile , he wasn’t so powerful that they felt him capable of taking them all out .

What Catheya didn’t know was that Zac probably was in an even better position than she assumed . The weird muddled energies of the Twilight Ocean might be a troublesome poison to her , but to him , it was just food for his Void Heart] . Furthermore , if the accumulated life-attuned energies ever got too much , he could simply swap races . It was like he was entering the Mystic Realm with cheat codes .

There was only one caveat to this though ; this advantage wasn't as pronounced compared to other elites who could resist the effect almost as well as he did . So the kind of elites Catheya mentioned , running around with Dao Branches and high Efficiency , would still be a big threat to him .

Still , that risk wasn't enough to dampen Zac's excitement . The Life-Death Pearls was just one of the innumerable valuables that waited in the Twilight Ocean . He'd definitely regret it if he didn't go , so it was with extreme vigor he and Vilari set out the next day .

Which is the best pill house in this place? - immediately asked when they found Nala already waiting outside their courtyard .

The Karabas Clan , - Nala said without hesitation . - They are just a local faction of Spectrals , but rumors are they are backed by an Imperial Eidolon-clan . Their heritage in the Dao of Alchemy is extremely deep , and their wares have low toxicity . -

Hm , - Zac nodded . - Take me there . -

There wasn’t actually any rush in buying pills or other necessities , but Zac wanted to fill his Spatial Treasures with necessary items as quickly as humanly possible . You never knew if Catheya’s master or one of her elders would suddenly appear , forcing him to immediately activate his escape bracelet .

The trip took three hours even with the spatial manipulation that ran along the Twilight Rivers , but they eventually reached a death-attuned platform with a decent position to the Twilight Ocean . This one was actually covered by a dense haze , making it impossible to guess at its interiors .

The miasmic wall was pretty unwelcoming , but Zac simply indicated Nala to shoot straight through , and a vast metropolis soon appeared on the other side . There were tens of thousands of crystalline towers covering the surface , and they made Zac think of the onyx pillars that surrounded the Splinter of Oblivion during the hunt .

Did ghosts prefer to stay inside these types of crystals rather than proper houses?

There was one building that looked different though , a twenty-kilometer wide complex that was surrounded by medicinal clouds rather than a miasmic haze .

Young Master , I cannot enter this place , so I will wait outside , - Nala said as she landed . - This time , I think young master's attendant . . . -

That's fine , you two stay here , - Zac nodded as he got off the small vessel , and a dense deathly aura started to swirl around him .

It was just like how Catheya and her Titan follower acted , using a small hint of their aura to act as some sort of proof of their standing . Most people could glean all kinds of things from the aura , most importantly how condensed it was .

For example , Cethaya and her follower’s auras were almost as powerful as each other , but Catheya’s was far more condensed . That meant that Catheya was at a lower level than her follower , yet had the same combat strength . What did this signify? That she was an elite , that she had powerful backing . It was pretty easy to mask this phenomenon , but very hard to mimic .

Catheya gave a clear aura of an elite , but even the Draugr scion’s aura was a lot less condensed than Zac’s when he didn’t mask it . It was almost like space around him congealed with his Dao as he stepped off the vessel , and Nala released an audible gasp from behind . He appeared in front of a huge arch a second later , where a ghost already waited for him .

She looked like a beautiful Revenant , her form far more corporeal and defined than Triv's or any of the other ghosts that had appeared on Earth .

Does Young Master have a Membership Token? - the ghost asked .

I just arrived in this Sector , - Zac said with a small shake of his head , trying to emulate the aura of someone with a formidable background .

Of course , - the attendant smiled as a black crystalline token appeared out of nowhere . - Please accept this Token , it will make Young Master’s future purchasing experiences easier . -

Zac nodded and took the token before he entered the luxurious complex that even eclipsed the Big Axe Coliseum . Just like that , he was a VIP customer , simply by flashing his face . He had come a long way since having to force his way through the commoner's entrance over at the Zethaya Pill House .

Zac was met by an enthusiastic clerk and immediately taken to a private room . There was a lot of undead wandering around looking at displays or perusing the store’s inventory recorded on crystals , but being a pureblood Draugr clearly had its advantages .

My name is Yilian . What can we assist young master with today? - the clerk , another spectral who took the form of some elf-like humanoid , asked as she handed one of the inventory crystals to Zac .

I am partaking in the Twilight Ascent and wanted to see if your store has some items that could be of use , - Zac said .

Our stock definitely can’t match that of the grand establishments of the Heartlands , but it is at the level of a Kingdom’s medium-tier establishments , housing up to Peak D-Graded pills and compounds thanks to a certain patronage , - Yilian smiled , clearly with some pride .

Zac slightly nodded , actually a bit surprised . To boast a stock that could match a B-grade Kingdom's mid-tier Pill House was quite a statement for a shop in a remote sector like this . Zac had already asked Nala to make sure , but the Sector housing the Twilight Harbor , the Zervereth Sector , was just C-Grade . It seemed a lot more powerful than Zecia , but it was ultimately just a slightly more bustling frontier sector .

Zac doubted the Zethaya Clan would dare to make such a proclamation and compare itself to stores in a B-Grade Human Empire , and it made him look at the inventory crystal with even greater enthusiasm . Of course , he tried to play it cool at the surface as he scanned the endless rows of products .

Perhaps you could make some suggestions , - Zac eventually said after a few minutes . - I am bringing a few followers , so I need a few sets of Healing , Soul-mending , soldier pills , and perhaps berserking pills . Top quality , of course . -

Zac obviously wasn’t bringing any followers , but would a vaunted pure-blood Draugr hailing from a proper Kingdom need to buy his pills in a store here? Wouldn’t his clan provide? So , he rather made a fib about followers . He needed a large number of pills in either case since there was no telling when he would get access to buy items for his undead side after leaving the Twilight Harbor anyways .

The Twilight Ascent is a Heaven-controlled event , and the E-Grade Ascent has a limit of quasi D-Grade pills , - the clerk said . - Our top pill line is called the Dawn-series , and it is available both as Peak E-Grade pill and quasi D-Grade . The line has everything you require , except berserking pills . We currently sell special kits at discounted prices if the young master is interested . -

Zac blankly looked at the attendant for a few seconds , trying to hide his confusion . Quasi D-grade? What the hell was that?

Chapter 689 : The Value of Money

The general meaning of a Pseudo D-grade pill was somewhat self-explanatory , but Zac had never heard of any such terminology for pills before . Was it pills designed for Half-Step Hegemons or just extra good pills for E-grade cultivators? He had already confirmed that Half-Step cultivators wouldn't be able to join the trial , so it should be the latter .

Asking would immediately ruin his façade though , and Zac could only look on as the screen in front of him changed , turning to the - Dawn’ pill series the attendant mentioned . Zac almost felt like he was online shopping as he read the description that boasted huge savings compared to buying single pills . There were three kits to choose from , and reading the descriptions was pretty eye-opening .

The smaller kit included eight different types of pills and the medium one eleven . The eight basic pills were two types of healing pills based on the type of injury , one soul mending pill , two types of antidotes , a soldier pill and a soul restoration pill , and something called Dawn Life-Shield] .

The medium kit added one more type of antidote , two premium healing pills , one for the body and one for the soul . All three were the kind you’d save as a last resort , and not something you’d use to speed up recuperation judging by the description . The peak package actually only included twelve different pills , adding a pill called Dawn Awakening] .

The pills were the same in both the Peak E-grade and Pseudo D-grade kits with only their grade differing , and after reading things through he started to get an idea of what was going on . Pseudo D-grade actually seemed to be the same thing as low-grade D-grade Pills in the Zecia sector .

Zac wasn’t exactly clear why it was termed differently here , but guessed it might be the same as how Zecia fuddled the grades for their factions , making things sound more impressive than they actually were .

What is the Dawn Life-Shield]? - Zac asked after having glanced at the products .

It is a pill especially designed for the Twilight Ocean , but it also shows decent use when exploring the living territories , - the clerk immediately explained . - It helps weaken the corrosive effect of Twilight Energy . The Quasi D-Grade version naturally has a far greater protective effect . -

Will it work even in the heart of the ocean? - Zac asked a bit dubiously .

Unfortunately , that’s impossible , - Yilian sighed . - The inner reaches of the Twilight Ocean ultimately rely on your own methods . The E-Grade pill is completely ineffective that far inside , and the Quasi D-Grade pill only lessens the strain by 5% . However , those five percent can be the difference between life and death! -

Hmm… And the Dawn Awakening]? - Zac continued .

It’s a proprietary pill that allows cultivators to make the most out of the treasures in the depths of the Twilight Ocean , - the clerk said . - The pill is actually made from herbs from the Twilight Ocean itself , and the supply is limited . We believe it will be sold out before long , so if young mast- -

And what does it do? - Zac asked with a raised brow .

Ah , my apologies , - the specter said with a bow . - I simply get a bit excited when talking about such a great item . Its effect is simple but exquisite ; harmonization . There are many unique supreme items in the depths of the Twilight Ocean that cannot be taken outside , forcing you to imbibe them during the trial . The Dawn Awakening] allows you to temporarily harmonize with the Twilight Ocean , which in turn will help you to gain more from these supreme treasures . -

Zac’s brow’s rose when he heard the description , and the ghost attendant quickly continued when she saw his interest .

It’s a must-have item for those planning on exploring the deeper parts of the Mystic Realm . It can be the difference between a fate-changing breakthrough and getting stuck at the precipice , - Yilian exhorted . - The only downside of the Dawn Awakening]-pill is that it can only be used once , so it’s best saved until the perfect opportunity presents itself . -

Zac nodded in understanding , and he felt that it really was a must-have pill if it worked as advertised . He didn't immediately place his order though , but first read through the kits once more . Each kit included two pills of the cheaper variants , and one each of the top-quality ones . Each one of the pills that helped against the Twilight Energy worked for 1 hour , and you could only eat one each day , meaning they were only meant to be used during fights or other critical situations .

I’ll take one big Quasi D-Grade , three middle Quasi D-Grade , and five hundred small peak e-grade packages , - Zac said . - However , for the small kits , I want the Dawn Life-Guard] exchanged for Dawn Life-Ward] . -

The Dawn Life-Ward] was almost the same type of pill as the one included in the normal kits , but they were instead a general pill that the Undead used in life-attuned environments . It was useless against Twilight Energy , but it worked a lot better under normal situations , which was exactly what Zac needed since he was planning on bringing those pills back home .

The clerk’s eyes lit up , as this was a pretty big order . It obviously couldn’t match the purchasing power of a Hegemon , but those kinds of customers didn’t appear every day , even in a place like this . And even if they did come , it wasn’t the turn of someone like Yilian to serve them and get the commission .

The lifeward pill can absolutely be exchanged . One High-quality Pseudo D-Grade Kit is priced at 2 D-Grade Nexus Coins . The middle comes to 1 . 1 D-grade Nexus Coins each for a total of 3 . 3 . The five hundred lower kits come to 3 D-Grade Nexus Coins . For a purchase of this magnitude , I can give a fifteen percent discount , and we’ll round down to 7 D-grade Nexus Coins , - the clerk smiled . - Is there anything else Young Master requires? -

Zac froze for a moment when he heard the price . So expensive?

He had gained a pretty decent understanding of general prices over the past years , and the quoted prices were not just a little more expensive compared to what similar items should cost in establishments like the Zethaya Pill house . They were in the range of between ten and one hundred times more expensive going by the peak quality pills .

This single purchase would not only have completely bankrupted him if not for Leandra’s bestowment , he wouldn’t actually be able to stomach it at all . The biggest culprit was obviously the Pseudo D-grade pills , where one big kit cost more than 300 peak E-grade kits . It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it , but he also didn’t like the feeling of getting taken for a ride .

These prices… Are quite steep , - Zac slowly said as he looked at the attendant with a frown .

Ah , my apologies , - the attendant said with some embarrassment . - I can assure you that we are not trying to overcharge our valued customers . I am sure young master have heard a thing or two about frontier sectors such as our Zervereth . It is true , prices are normally significantly lower in small C-grade sectors , but the Twilight Ocean is different . Because our connection to the higher realms is much closer due to the wormholes .

We both get a large number of esteemed visitors such as young master , and there is regular trade going on between Twilight Harbor and the Empire . As such , prices have almost reached the same level as in the higher-grade Kingdoms . If the young master is interested in bargain shopping , you would have to travel to other parts of the Sector , or perhaps even another Sector altogether . -

Zac slowly digested the new information , and he couldn’t help but feel like a country bumpkin . At least the attendant had got the wrong idea , and looked up to him rather than looked down on him . He had always guessed that things would be more expensive in the more flourishing parts of the Multiverse , just like how it was back on Earth before the integration . But he had never expected the difference to be this massive .

He almost wanted to slap himself for not buying a mountain of resources before coming to this place , but it was too late for regret now .

Hm , a shame . I was looking forward to making some bargains , - Zac shrugged . - Well , it doesn’t matter . -

I understand the feeling , - Yilian said with a knowing smile . - Young master is not the first one to be met with this surprise . It is possible to enlist the Space Gate Guild to take you to the opposite side of the Sector , where prices are roughly 40% of here . But truthfully , there is not much of interest over there , and the volumes you’d need to purchase to make up for the transportation fees and import tariffs . . . -

Perhaps if I get the time . I am thinking of nurturing a small squad for adventuring after this trial . After all , there should be ample supply of bodies inside the Twilight Ascent . Let’s look at your leveling resources as well , - Zac said , and Yilian’s smile grew even wider .

Zac emerged from the Pill shop an hour later with Yilian passionately leading him all the way , a mountain of resources added to his Cosmos Sack . Altogether he had spent over 80 D-grade Nexus Coins , of which half was for himself and the other half was for the Einherjar . It was a shocking sum , and a harsh wake-up call just how poor he was before his bestowment .

He had bought thousands of standard-quality leveling pills that would allow all his followers to sweep through the first sets of levels at the E-Grade . Zac had also bought ten sets of top-quality Race Upgrade pills along with tens of tons of cheap compounds meant to be used in Medicinal baths . The pills were mainly meant for his elites back home , but also for himself in case nothing better cropped up at the auction in a few days .

His followers were nowhere to be found when Zac exited , but the spectral attendant led him to a small garden where he found Vilari enjoying some high-quality incense , no doubt a small complimentary gesture after he started dropping some serious money in their establishment . The Mentalist stood up with a smile after he appeared and they immediately set off .

I want to look at some spare weaponry as well today , - Zac said to Nala as they passed through the haze hiding the plateau , and she immediately set out toward another plateau .

By the way , can you explain the prices of things? - Zac asked his guide as she steered the vessel through the void , which prompted her to look over with confusion .

Young master seldom leaves the Clan and rarely purchases things himself . The prices of items are a bit unclear , especially in a foreign sector such as this , - Vilari added .

Oh , I see! - Nala quickly nodded .

Prices have essentially standardized over the long eons , and they only really move if there is some unexpected shortage . Items are generally graded between Low and Peak quality . A low-quality material generally costs between 1 to 5 Nexus Coins of matching grade per unit . So a low E-grade metal might cost 5 E-grade Nexus Coins per kilogram , - Nala said . - Whereas herbs might cost the same per stalk . The unit depends on what kind of item it is . -

A processed item of a similar grade generally costs twice their raw components with some sort of minimum fee , - Nala added . - The difference is a remuneration for the craftsman and to allow for some chance of failure . -

Zac nodded , but he was inwardly shocked . It really was a huge difference between The Twilight Harbor and back home . He remembered how he felt like a tycoon after slaughtering beasts for a few days back on Earth , making over a hundred million Nexus Coins from kill rewards alone . Here , that only amounted to a handful of low-quality pills .

No wonder most cultivators were broke .

From there it’s very straightforward . Middle-grade items are ten times as expensive as low-grade , and the same goes for high and Peak-quality items . This means that a peak E-grade pill costs a thousand times as much as low E-grade pills , generally somewhere around 5 , 000 to 10 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins .

Above that are Pseudo D-grade pills , the grade that I guess young master generally uses . Those are pills partly made from D-grade materials , but are still consumable by E-grade cultivators . These are around ten times more expensive than peak E-grade items , but the span is a lot higher there , - Nala said .

Why? - Vilari asked after seeing Zac’s blank look .

Some Pseudo D-grade pills might contain 2% D-grade materials , and others 20% , - Nala explained . - Higher-grade materials are generally dangerous to imbibe , so it requires a far more skilled alchemist to put 20% D-grade materials into a pill while keeping it absorbable for E-grade warriors . Those alchemists would naturally charge a higher fee . -

So , a Pseudo D-grade pill can cost anywhere between 50 , 000 to 500 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins . The risk of getting tricked when buying these kinds of items is the highest , where a common item is marketed as something full of expensive materials . Of course , the Karabas Pill House wouldn't stoop this low , - Nala explained . - The lower grades are mostly standardized , and there are no pseudo-D-grade raw materials . They are either E-grade or D-grade . -

Anything else? - Vilari asked .

Um . . . - Naha hesitated , seemingly unsure what would be pertinent information . - The efficacy increase per quality stage is roughly a factor of two . So a Middle-quality pill is twice as good as a Low-quality at ten times the price . The span is naturally a lot greater among the Pseudo D-grade pills . -

Zac nodded as though that was a matter of course , but he inwardly swore at the usurious pricing practices . He just paid a thousand times extra for items that were less than ten times as good as low-quality goods? Then again , eating a healing pill with eight times the efficacy was priceless when it was the difference between life and death .

Furthermore , this is just how pricing work for readily available products . When it comes to unique natural treasures with effects that can’t be replicated by cheaper means the price can go anywhere . I have heard of unique E-grade treasures costing as much as Peak D-grade Pills , - Nala continued with some longing in her eyes . - Some items like that will likely appear on the grand auctions before the Twilight Ascent . -

Zac made a mental calculation , and he could confirm that the prices Yilian had given him were more than fair if the pills lived up to the quality the Karabas Pill House was known for . However , he no longer felt like a financial tyrant , though his resources were still shocking for someone at his level . He also realized that the cash infusion might only last him to the middle stages of Hegemony or thereabouts .

That was a future worry though , and it wasn’t all bad . Prices had gone up , but that also meant the value of anything he’d find in the Twilight Ocean would go up as well . If he managed to get his hands on a few once-in-a-century supreme treasures he’d make enough money to actually make some Hegemons green with envy .

The group eventually landed on another disk , and Zac emerged from a blacksmith clan’s storefront three hours later with a small mountain of weapons for his followers . Zac had managed to loot quite a bit from the Undead Incursion , but they didn’t suit all his people .

Furthermore , the smithy actually belonged to the local Elementals . They catered to both the unliving and the alive so Zac also managed to get an upgraded set of gear for the Valkyries . The new spears he had bought obviously couldn’t match the Spirit Tool that Joanna used , but among non-spiritual E-Grade weapons , they were extremely high-quality .

The following days continued in much the same manner , and Zac shored up on everything he or Earth lacked .

He hadn’t initially planned on buying this much , but the level of Twilight Harbor far surpassed what he expected since it had connections to multiple proper B-Grade forces . He had even been forced to buy a few new Spatial Rings since the one he got from Vilari’s predecessor was filled to the brim , and he didn’t want to walk around with Ten Cosmos Sacks attached to his belt since that would ruin his image of a noble Draugr .

Zac also followed up on Calrin’s sage advice and stocked up on huge quantities of materials that were scarce in the Zecia Sector . For example , he bought fifty thousand Soul Crystals in one go , even though they each cost 10 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins . It was a huge expenditure , but Zac knew he would probably be able to make a profit even at this price point back home if he ever put them for sale .

His inquiries into Soul Crystals had also exposed something extremely unexpected . Crystals in general were actually not graded in Twilight Harbor , but rather simply called Low , Medium , High , and Supreme-quality Nexus Crystals or Attuned Crystals . High-quality crystals were the same as D-grade crystals back in the Zecia sector , and the Low-quality the same as standard F-grade Nexus Crystals .

The low-quality Nexus crystals were just at twice the price in Twilight Harbor compared to Zecia , clocking in at 100 Nexus Coins each . The Medium Quality crystals cost 10 000 , and the high-quality crystals cost 1 E-grade Nexus Crystal each . Above that were the Supreme Crystals , which didn’t seem to have any equivalent in the Zecia Sector .

They cost 1 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins each , and they were mainly used by Peak E-grade cultivators and Half-step cultivators . Early-stage hegemons generally used them as well to recuperate lost energy , but the crystals used by greater Hegemons weren’t actually Nexus Crystals at all .

They were rather using something called Cosmic Crystals , which were clearly a far superior natural energy crystal . Their pricing was the same as Nexus Crystals , though they were priced in D- and C-grade Nexus Coins instead . However , only Low and Medium-quality Cosmic Crystals were publicly available . The two higher grades were aimed at Monarchs , and they were essentially strategic resources of the biggest clans .

Cosmic Crystals were probably what was called C-grade Nexus Crystals in the Zecia sector , but Calrin could not even get his hands on low-grade ones there . Perhaps they’d pop up on auctions on D-grade worlds now and then , but you definitely couldn’t purchase them in stores .

Even Zac would explode if he tried to absorb energy from a Low-grade Cosmic Crystal since they required users to have a Cultivator’s Core with their vast energy storage capabilities . But Zac had still bought ten low-quality Cosmic Crystals and one Medium-quality even if he couldn’t use them at the moment .

There was no telling when he’d have direct access to them in the future , so Zac figured might as well keep a few around . He also bought a large store of Supreme Crystals , both attuned and unattuned .

Things finally calmed down after five days , at which point Nala seemed to finally have become inundated to Zac’s shocking reserves of wealth . She had accompanied him for one of his smaller purchases , but that visit to an incensary alone had run up a tab of over 50 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins , which almost made Nala faint .

Where to today , young master? - Nala asked as she picked up him and Vilari on the sixth day .

Hmm… - Zac mused . - I have bought most of what I need for now . I guess it’s time to visit the Eldritch Archivals . -

Chapter 690 : Inheritance Crystal

The little flying vessel immediately shot toward the disk where the Dao Repository was housed . Zac’s shopping spree had not only shored up on things that his little planet sorely needed , but it had also given Zac a decent understanding of Twilight Harbor as a whole . The past days had doubled as a crash course that you simply couldn’t get from reading a missive .

He had seen tens of thousands of warriors who , just like him , were stocking up and preparing for the Twilight Ascent . He had even seen quite a few Hegemons making their final purchases , as it turned out that this generation's Twilight Ascent was a - Double Grade-event - . That thankfully didn't mean Zac would have to compete with a bunch of Hegemons , but rather that they had their own Trial simultaneously .

Usually , the Twilight Ascent was an E-grade trial , with it occasionally being swapped out by a D-grade version for Hegemons . Even rarer was the Monarch event , which only took place once every 250 , 000 years or so . The last one took place just 20 , 000 years ago , and it was the last time the Twilight Lord had been seen in public . Many believed he had entered and gained some big opportunity that would allow him to take the next step .

Finally , there was the Double-Grade-Event which was even rarer than the Monarch Event . The prevalent guess was that the Mystic Realm had an overabundance of energy and treasure , which resulted in two Trials in parallel dimensions instead of one . Each time such an event had taken place historically , it had resulted in both amazing treasures being discovered and mass casualties .

It was no surprise the atmosphere in Twilight Harbor was absolutely electrified .

Vilari had mostly tagged along during the past days for the experience , though she had made a few purchases meant for her cultivation . One of them was a Soul-Boosting array they found in the store of the Array Clan where Zac made a few custom orders of his own . It would help speed her cultivation up now that she was swapping away from the Nine Reincarnations Manual .

His total spending over the past days had reached over 15 , 000 D-grade nexus coins , which was simply a monstrous amount of money even for E-grade cultivators in Twilight Harbor . But that investment would completely transform every aspect of his forces , from defenses , to cultivation standards , to depth of heritage .

He would definitely have a few Hegemons among his followers in a century or two unless they were all pigs in disguise .

Most importantly , he had prepared a slew of materials meant to improve almost every facet of his own cultivation . The items he had bought were mostly things readily available . They were still the best of the best though , which was saying something with the exponential costs of high-quality products .

He doubted even Catheya could enjoy the kind of resources he had prepared for himself unless her master was a lot more generous compared to how most clans operated . Even then , some of these items were simply back-ups meant to be used in case he had to flee quickly or if he didn’t find the things he needed in the auction in a few days .

The auction would probably have amazing things but there were other factors to consider when bidding . This time there might even be Late-Stage Monarchs present , and offending them with only a fake clan as backup was suicidal . He had already discarded any thought of getting the peak items , but he should be able to snatch a couple of useful things as long as he was willing to overpay a bit .

Any further than that was risking his and Vilari’s lives . He had avoided any ambushes so far thanks to his pure Draugr heritage , but he knew that he would have to avoid the spotlight for a while after his massive spending spree . After all , while order was pretty good in the Twilight Harbor , there was no lack of desperate people either .

That was fine with Zac though . The auction was tomorrow , and he’d enter seclusion for a while after it was over . But first up was the skills , and Nala landed her flying vessel in front of a building that looked like a supersized gothic cathedral with thousands of enormous miasmic fractals floating in the air .

Young master , we’ve been expecting you , - a ghost attendant said as Zac walked toward the entrance with Vilari in tow . - We’ve been given instructions from the mistress to help you out to the best of our abilities . First , let me add a hundred years to your Token . -

Zac nodded in thanks , and his three-week visa suddenly turned into a century-long entitlement . He didn’t know if adding a whole century was to showcase the company’s resources or if it was just an expression of goodwill . In either case , he wouldn’t turn down something like this .

Most continents charged by the week to outsiders , and the fee to stay a hundred years without joining a force had to be exorbitant . As for buying a plot of land and becoming a native , that didn’t require just wealth , but also deep connections .

I am here to pick out a skill from the VIP section as well , - Zac said .

Certainly , - the attendant nodded . - However , there is the matter of the contract… Also , young master’s attendant cannot follow into the inner sanctum . -

I know , - Zac said as he glanced at Vilari .

The Mentalist didn’t seem to mind . She rather seemed to be looking forward to perusing the skills in the public section .

See if you find any skills you like and I'll buy them for you , - Zac said as he walked away , led by another attendant toward the area where the supreme skills were kept .

Mister Arcaz Black , I presume? Welcome , - an elderly Draugr smiled when Zac reached the tightly-secured inner sanctum . - I am Revault Sharva’Zi . The young mistress told me about your arrival . Please , peruse this contract at your leisure . After signing , I will take you to the Inheritance crystals . -

This old man was clearly a Hegemon , yet he had to call Catheya the 'young mistress' . Zac guessed that Revault was a branch member native to the Twilight Harbor , rather than someone sent here from the heartlands . Zac perfunctorily greeted the Draugr and took the crystal before he started scanning its contents . There was nothing unexpected in the list of clauses for what essentially looked like an employment contract .

The distribution of pearls was clearly stated , and Zac’s only obligation was to help fight in case of ambushes or attacks , and to help run the purity array for his allotted time . The contract would mostly end after they were done harvesting pearls , but there was an additional clause barring clashes among the members of the group for the duration of the Twilight Ascent .

There were also provisions that Zac could freely attack anyone attacking him and so on , though that was already guaranteed through the Apostate of Order .

There is no clause barring Catheya from attacking me? Just for me attacking her or the others? - Zac said with a raised brow .

Truthfully , there is not much use in putting such a clause into the contract due to her master being powerful enough to break it , - Revault said . - That’s is why multiple clauses are worded as though Mistress Catheya or other members are under no contractual obligation at all . The same goes for the other members of the party . -

Zac slowly nodded and read through the contract once more . It was true . Zac was essentially freed from any obligation at the first whiff of betrayal , but he would not be able to preemptively attack the others unless he was ready to withstand a contract backlash . He eventually infused some energy into the crystal , which prompted a System-screen to appear .

This way , - Revault smiled after Zac had confirmed his employment , and they passed through a series of extremely powerful arrays to reach an underground vault .

The room was pretty simple , and the only thing was a series of light pillars with a crystal hovering inside each one . In front of the pillars was a plaque , probably describing the skill .

There were only twenty or so Inheritance Crystals , but that by itself was a show of wealth considering there was always demand but never enough supply . For clan Sharva’Zi to be able to put a dozen top-tier skills in a remote region like the Twilight Harbor was impressive , since this place was obviously just one remote branch among hundreds of others .

Zac walked from crystal to crystal , reading the descriptions carefully . Every skill sounded extremely powerful , but they also often had strict requirements to bring the most out of them . Thankfully , the Eldritch Archivals were a lot more professional when it came to descriptions compared to Brazla . He was currently looking at a green hovering crystal with red runes covering it .

Endless Repose . Peak E-Grade , Upgradeable . Vitality , Dexterity , Spear-related Daos , Poison-related Daos . Creates a storm of poisonous spear tips with extreme penetrating power that can break past even High E-Grade defensive skills . Each stab creates a restrictive force equivalent to a Middle-grade Restrictive Skill and administers poison . Can be refitted to work with other sharp weaponry such as needles , thorns , and claws

Zas read the description with interest , but he soon shook his head and moved on . The minutes passed as Zac walked from pillar to pillar in search of the most suitable skill . Almost every skill felt enticing to some degree , and it took a while to narrow it down to two skills .

Deathlock . Peak E-grade , Upgradeable . Strength , Endurance , Vitality , Death-related Daos , Restrictive-related Daos . Creates a number of Abyssal Graves that binds and locks down enemies . Also creates an absolute domain that disables up to High-Grade Movement Skills . The Skill at Peak mastery can even restrain weak Hegemons if infused with suitable peak Dao Fragment

Abyssal Phase . High E-Grade , Upgradeable . No attribute affinity , Death-related Daos . Transforms the user into an abyssal wraith . During transformation , the user is nigh-invulnerable , nigh-invisible , and extremely hard to detect . Peak-quality movement speed boost

One peak skill aimed at restraining , and one high movement skill . The efficacy of Deathlock] spoke for itself , it was a restraining skill that matched extremely well with his attributes , and it could even be empowered by his Fragment of the Coffin . It was a perfect complement to his class , allowing him to completely lock down the enemies inside Profane Seal] , for example , and then finish them with Blighted Cut] .

He had initially considered getting a massive wide-scale finisher like Arcadia's Judgement] , but Zac had eventually decided against it . That was simply not the type of archetype his Undead class had . It was more about stacking advantages in his favor with restrictions , domains , and corrosion . He was intractable and inevitable like death itself , like a precise and ruthless army who slowly whittled down the enemy while taking minimum losses themselves .

Eventually , the enemy would be worn out , at which point Zac would end them in one swift stroke .

The second skill Zac considered also provided extreme benefits . It was not only an amazing movement skill , but it even provided multiple additional benefits . It almost seemed like a perfect skill from the description . The best movement skills were generally Dexterity-based , which was a problem for his Strength-focused classes , yet this one had no such affinity at all .

Furthermore , it provided a slew of other benefits . Nigh-invulnerability and invisibility? Zac could almost imagine turning into an abyssal wraith after he had trapped his enemies inside his cage , avoiding any harm while his enemies fell one by one . It is also purely death-based , with suited with his Dao , and he could fuse it further at the D-grade . There was only one thing that didn't quite add up .