Defiance of the Fall

Yeah , your life looked really hard when you outspent Hegemons left and right , - Catheya snorted before her brows scrunched up . - Wait! Where did your money come from?! I discounted you being a Progenitor because of your wealth , but now you’re really one? What’s going on?! -

That’s what’s important now? - Zac asked , but Catheya was obviously in full calculation mode .

Alive and Dead… Annihilation… Aetherlord husband . - Catheya muttered .

Zac listened on with confusion , even he a bit curious what kind of crackpot theory she was cooking up . Unfortunately for her , she was doomed to miss the mark , considering she was lacking a few key pieces of information .

Ancestor walked the path of pure Death , and the aura your follower emitted… Master said it had a hint of Oblivion . She must have made a breakthrough , which allowed her to live until now . Her husband is an Aetherlord , a rare race blessed by unusual attunement to life , - Catheya said , her eyes boring into Zac’s . - You are a mix of life and death… Are you… Ancestor Be’Zi’s son? Are we related? -

You can call me Young Grand Ancestor , - Zac nodded , while also memorizing the key pieces of information she had unwittingly divulged .

Catheya snorted before her brows scrunched up . - No wait , master said you don’t even have a hint of the Sharva’Zi bloodline . And I don’t think you lied when you said you only met in a vision back in the tower . Don’t tell me you have even more big shots helping you out , giving you money? What are you , some sort of old monster-magnet? -

Her face was a tapestry of fluctuating expressions as she tried to go over the various pieces of information she had on him . Zac inwardly groaned since she was getting a bit close to the truth with the latest guess . Of course , the fact that it was a Technocrat powerhouse , and his mother to boot , was probably not something she’d ever get right . Thankfully , Catheya soon calmed down again .

I guess I won’t be able to figure it out unless you choose to tell me , - she eventually sighed before she solemnly looked into his eyes . - You need to make a decision here . -

Zac looked into Catheya’s eyes for a few seconds before he sighed and created a normal System-enforced mutual contract . It was straightforward enough , simply saying that they couldn’t divulge each other's hidden aces to any parties . Catheya immediately agreed to with a small smile , and Zac carried her out of the field of Vigorbloom Lilacs a moment later .

Before leaving the area he quickly harvested the patch of flowers . Yod had probably extracted most of their medicinal value to set the trap , but there might still be some pollen left . It would be a waste to leave behind . He took the array markers and the living cultivator’s body as well before carrying Catheya away .

There’s still the matter of payment , - Zac said after setting Catheya down in a cave some distance away from where they met Yod .

Well , what do you want? - Catheya asked . - There’s not much I have that I can give you . You’re way wealthier than I am . -

I want information , - Zac slowly said .

What kind? - Catheya countered .

I want you to teach me all you know about raising undead , upgrading and modifying skills , and bloodline evolutions , - Zac said .

Why don’t I just tell you the secrets of the Heavens themselves while I’m at it? - Catheya said with exasperation .

You know , Yod ran into one living cultivator , I bet there are more around , - Zac slowly said as he took out a few Vigorbloom Lilacs . - Perhaps they would be more amenable to helping out if the immobilized Draugr they found presented them with a bouquet . -

Fine , fine , - Catheya said with a glare . - I’ll teach you what I can , but I have restrictions I can’t break . Draugr Bloodline Methods are completely off-limits , but I can teach you a bit about skill evolutions and my necromancy knowledge . Gods , you're so weird . You're extremely powerful and disgustingly wealthy , but you're barely above a newborn in knowledge . -

Well , we all have our weaknesses , - Zac smiled .

Hah , right , - Catheya snorted before her eyes widened , and her volume increased as it looked like she had just received her biggest shock yet . - Wait! The amulet you bought , it's for you! You're a mortal! A Draugr mortal?! That's impossible! Absolutely impossible! -

No wonder you were ready to enrage a Monarch , it's for your cultivation . With your accumulations , breaking a node must be like dancing with death , - Catheya muttered . - I can't wrap my head around this . -

Then don't . Focus on building a curriculum for me instead , - Zac said with exasperation .

However , only after we leave this place . You haven’t really saved me yet , - Catheya said . - I am weakened by the environment , restricted by those cursed flowers . -

Alright , fair enough , - Zac agreed .

So you actually are a Draugr since you want manuals? You’re not just pretending? - Catheya asked as she looked him up and down curiously . - Or is the current you the fake? No , that’s not right either . I’ve seen you fight in both forms . -

Zac , Arcaz . I’m both , alright? - Zac grunted . - How it works is my business . -

So what do I call you? - she asked curiously .

Up to you , - Zac said after some thought , afraid to give up even more information by saying a specific name .

So mister Deviant Asura then , - Catheya said as a smile spread across her face . - You know , I think I get it now . You’ve channeled all your libido to one of your personas . That’s why you’re such a blockhead in your Draugr form and a deviant in the other . It’s a relief , I was starting to worry that I had really overestimated my charms . -

What deviant , - Zac groaned with annoyance and embarrassment . He thought Catheya had left Zecia before that moniker was coined , but it looked like he wasn’t so lucky . - That title is just something some jerk came up with based on some misunderstandings and exaggerations , probably a friend of someone I killed in the Base Town . Just call me Zac in this form and Arcaz in the other , okay? -

Fine . There were a lot of those little misunderstandings from what I heard though , - Catheya said with a pointed look . - And I do believe I remember you appearing from the Tower of Eternity in enough jewelry to make an imperial concubine jealous . -

I knew a bunch of people would be waiting outside because of the quest , and I got those items from a powerful cultivator in the Battle of Fates I mentioned . What was I supposed to do? Get myself killed because looking proper is more important? - Zac muttered .

Catheya snickered in response , but she thankfully dropped the subject . It looked like she had regained her humor now that her life wasn’t in immediate danger any longer .

Zac knew he was going out on a limb here , but he didn’t know what else to do . He couldn’t go around killing and silencing everyone , even friends , who found out about his Specialty Core . Being in a constant state of fear and paranoia was no way to live . Being cautious was important , but he couldn’t let his secrets define him . It was that kind of secrecy on his part that ultimately led to the death of Thea , though his mother was obviously more in the wrong .

Part of him still wanted to bring Catheya back to Earth to ensure that she couldn’t spread the news , but he knew that it would be nigh-impossible to enforce that . It wasn’t like Zac could stuff her in a coffin like Ogras did with Emma , and make it all the way to the teleporters before getting stopped . Catheya's master had definitely placed a marker on her for safety .

This was a gamble of sorts , the same one he took with Ogras four years ago . If things worked out , you could say he had another companion he could trust his back to , and one with access to the Undead Empire at that . If things went south , he would at least get some benefits from the disaster before fleeing .

He would probably have to adjust his plans for the trial though . Escaping a few months early in human form seemed to be the safest bet going forward .

You know , this makes me half your master , - Catheya suddenly said with a wide smile .

Zac was about to counter her point , but he got distracted as a screen suddenly appeared in front of him .

Monthly Contribution Ladder]

932 , 032 Uona Noz'Valadir

861 , 864 Ykrodas Havarok

682 , 248 Haldur

621 , 338 Dravzur Kuldas

598 , 654 Kataron Rissit

596 , 211 Aia Ouro

582 , 852 Drogrid Rotheart

572 , 973 Kerstin Agda

521 , 426 Kvistir

518 , 195 Alduz Venarun

…

224 , 338 Gembur Bloomroot

Chapter 713 : Young Monsters

So it’s a monthly ladder , - Catheya muttered , but Zac barely heard her as he read through the list . - I wonder if there are any benefits in being on it . -

What the hell , - Zac eventually blurted , far more interested in the top names than anything else . - How do those two have so many points? -

Every single person on the ladder was a real terror , but how could two people have over 800 , 000 Contribution Points? Even if they immediately formed a Middle-Stage Dao Branch after entering , they’d still need to accumulate another 300 , 000 points from somewhere . Just how many people had these two killed?

Or did they actually have one middle stage Dao Branch already , and evolved a second one? That way they’d have 750 , 000 Contribution points in total . Still , there was a long way between 750 , 000 and 932 , 032 points , which made Zac wonder just what kind of being she was . He did recognize four names in the top ten from his missives or through their surnames , but a full six of them were completely unknown .

That by itself indicated that this trial was uncommon . One or two supreme elites might appear from the outside for a Twilight Ascent , but six? Furthermore , one of the four names he recognized was Ykrodas Havarok , who obviously was an outsider as well .

The general power was beyond Zac’s expectations . Eighty people in the top 100 had over 250 , 000 Contribution Points , which meant that there might actually be eighty of them with middle-stage Dao Branches . That might not sound like a lot , but it was extremely hard to reach that point from what Zac had gathered .

It put extreme requirements on affinity in general , but more important was the time it took . Forming a Dao Branch by itself was extremely challenging , and many required thousands of years to reach that point . Even among those who had the talent to accomplish something like that , most simply stopped at an Early Branch or even Peak Dao Fragment before evolving .

Spending centuries on one’s Dao in the E-grade was only something you did if you were completely out of options , since doing so would rob you of your momentum . Zac doubted someone like a Havarok princeling would harm his future like that . This Ykrodas might be Zac’s age or even younger , which made his accomplishments even scarier .

Furthermore , the people on the list were just those who had formed multiple Life- or death-aspected Dao Branches . There were probably a large number of cultivators who were just as powerful as these rankers , who followed different paths . Some of the rankers might also hold secondary Daos like he and Catheya .

He had felt pretty confident after seeing his Contribution approach 50 , 000 the other day , but seeing this list was a harsh wake-up call . Even Yanub Mettleleaf should be pretty far off from being able to enter this group .

Uona… - Catheya slowly said .

Do you know that person? - Zac asked .

Not really . But she should be part of the Eternal Clan judging by her surname , - Catheya sighed . - And I think Aia Ouro is a pureblood Eidolon . -

Can you tell me about the Eternal Clan without breaking apart? - Zac asked curiously .

Sure , - Catheya shrugged . - Their situation is a bit special . You could say they form an independent enclave of the empire with their own territories and laws , and they’re not really protected by the commands . -

And the Primo simply accepts an independent force like that? - Zac asked .

Apart from the Primo , the Eternal Clan has the strongest cultivator . That affords them some special benefits , - Catheya explained . - What do you want to know? -

Are they really vampires? - Zac asked curiously .

Vampires? -

Bloodsuckers , - clarified . - The Nosferatu . -

Noz’Feratu? I think that’s one of their older branches , - Catheya nodded with some confusion . - And yes , - bloodsuckers’ is an apt description . They are pretty unique in that way . Drinking the blood of Cultivators is a form of cultivation for them . They can absorb some of their essences , making high-quality blood something like a mix of a Dao Treasure and Miasma Crystals . -

A bloodline talent? - Zac asked

Apparently not , - Catheya said with a shake of her head . - They sometimes enlist elites to bolster their ranks , and they gain this ability as well . Many have tried to figure out how it works , but no one has succeeded . The method is tightly controlled by their Clan . One thing is for sure , it’s a sinister method . Those who get drained essentially get crippled even if they survive . -

Isn’t that an unorthodox path? - Zac asked hesitantly . - Robbing the cultivation of others . -

It doesn’t look that way . The System doesn’t seem to mind , but that might be thanks to the Blood Progenitor rather than whether it’s unorthodox or not . It makes them an enemy of all living factions though , as they see Dreamers as food . That’s how they came to us . They were being pushed pretty hard in the early days of the System , by a coalition led by the Buddhist Sangha and sought refuge with us , - Catheya explained .

The Buddhist Sangha? - Zac asked curiously .

Nine Mountains , Eight Temples , Four Oceans , and One Paradise , - Catheya said , some dread evident in her eyes . - The Buddhist Sangha is one of the true peak factions in the Multiverse , eclipsing even the Undead Empire . -

What?! - Zac exclaimed with shock . - Why haven’t I heard of them then? -

They live far from the frontier , and they mostly keep to themselves , - Catheya said . - They cultivate the heart more than anything else , and they seldom leave their temples . But when they get angry , they really hold a grudge . Two of their Temples are still fighting with the Eternal Clan to this day . -

Two out of eight temples are as powerful as the Eternal Clan? And they have a bunch of other things as well? - Zac asked with some shock .

They’re a scary bunch , - Catheya nodded .

Zac wondered if that’s where Abbot Everlasting Peace had been taken by 84th Fatty . Perhaps his original form was part of one of those Buddhist factions on the other side of the Multiverse . It also made him think of himself , and his Fragment of the Bodhi . The Buddhist lands would probably be a pretty amazing place to look for opportunities for his nature-aspected half . His class was even named after Arcadia .

But for now , learning about the Eternal Clan was more pressing if there was a bunch of bloodsuckers stalking the Twilight Ocean , with one of them being absurdly powerful .

The Eternal Clan don’t eat the undead? - Zac asked .

They can , - Catheya grimaced . - But our ichor apparently tastes beyond appalling . Like rotten food for the living . They wouldn’t dare drink our blood in either case . It’s one of the core agreements for them to join our side . Anyway , you need to watch out for those people , not just Uona . I think they might be a bit like you . -

Like me? - Zac asked with confusion .

You're both living and dead . They are the opposite in a sense ; they’re not dead , but they are not technically living either . They have fused Miasma and their Blood Power into something unique , - Catheya said , making Zac’s eyes widen a bit . - I don’t think they’re as suppressed as others inside this place thanks to that . -

What cheat-like existences , - Zac muttered with disgust .

Like you’re one to talk , - Catheya snorted . - Well , there is some balance to it . Their numbers are thankfully pretty low all things considered . -

Zac wasn’t surprised considering there seemed to be a direct correlation between inborn power and the ability to pass that power on to the next generation .

What about the other races? I haven’t even seen any Reavers in Twilight Harbor I think? At least no pureblood ones , - Zac asked next . - The closest is the Venarun clan . -

You really don’t know anything about your heritage? - Catheya asked suspiciously . - The more I learn about you the weirder you get . I can’t divulge much about the Empire , but you could say that the four races were put in charge of four cardinal directions . The Reavers are focusing on other fronts while this Sector and Zecia are technically part of the Draugr Domains , though that’s naturally contested by the living . However , smaller clans sometimes send delegates to the frontier sectors to make some money . -

Zac understood . It looked like the closest Undead Kingdom was ruled by Draugr , allowing Catheya’s clan to move freely . Meanwhile , the Eidolon had to go through the Karabas Clan while some Reaver faction had secret deals with Venarun Clan .

Catheya wouldn’t be able to divulge much else about the empire , so Zac focused his attention on something else . - What do you think about what Yod said? Are we really destroying this realm? -

I haven’t heard of any such plans , but it’s not impossible , - Catheya eventually admitted . - This Mystic realm is really odd , and the controlling factions may have set their sights on it . Whatever is creating the Twilight Energy has to be something pretty unique . -

Then shouldn’t we stop the mission? - Zac eventually said . - I don’t want to be responsible for something like destroying the harbor . -

We’re just a small cog in the machine , - Catheya said . - I bet there are hundreds of squads like us if what Yod said was true . We’re just slightly influencing a few nodes . People have done much crazier things in the Twilight Ocean over the past eons without causing a stir . Besides , it’s not like we can stop . I have my contract , and so do you . -

Zac grimaced with annoyance , but he slowly nodded in agreement . It was true , with him and Catheya reuniting , he was still technically on the job . There was also the egg in his Spatial Ring that needed to be delivered no matter what . Only now , it felt even more likely he was carrying some sort of bomb .

It might be an exaggeration though . I doubt master would send me inside if what Yod said was completely true . Also , destroying the Mystic Realm would cut off one of the most important revenue streams of my clan , - Catheya comforted . - Now , please let me rest up for a while . I have a hard time rebuffing the Twilight Energy with this pollen inside me . -

Alright , - Zac agreed as he took out a Supreme Nexus Crystal and started absorbing the energy .

It took almost a full Day for Catheya to recover to the point that she could move again , and that was with Zac regularly flushing her body with his Fragment of the Coffin . Even then , it was just dealing with the restrictive properties of the Vigorbloom Lilacs . She was still heavily impacted by the atmosphere itself .

Apart from occasionally helping Catheya recover , he mostly focused on his own cultivation . Now that he had already been exposed , he might as well make use of the time to catch up , and he constantly sat with Supreme Nexus Crystals in his hands to fill up the empty Nodes in his body . Yod’s death had set the foundation for one level , and the day of resting filled it out completely and then some .

Catheya occasionally looked up with a weird expression , still clearly having some trouble reconciling the fact that a supposed Draugr was now happily sitting in the middle of dense life-attuned energies and absorbing Cosmic Energy .

Apart from the cultivation , he had made an interesting discovery about himself ; he looked better than before . He guessed it was a direct result of his Draugr race evolution since this was the first time he’d switched races or deactivating Million Faces] since then . It was a welcome addition for sure , but he was more interested in other benefits the Draugr evolution provided .

Unfortunately , it looked like the only other thing he gained from his odd situation was the additional layer of protection to his skin , rather than the improved pathways or energy reserves . Still , it was better than nothing , and it indicated that he might be able to find some synergy if he managed to train some constitution on his human side .

The two eventually got ready to leave , and Zac turned to his employer for directions .

So , do you have any idea of how to get out of here? - Zac said . - I’m guessing you don’t want to stay in this environment longer than necessary . -

Well , we were dragged further down than we were supposed to go , but it shouldn’t be an issue , - Catheya said as she took out a small astrolabe . - This thing should help us find the node , and from there we just need to keep going up . -

Alright , - Zac nodded as he got up to his feet .

Are you unable to change back into your undead form? - Catheya asked as she started walking in pace with Zac .

Why would I change now just to get assaulted by the surroundings like you? - Zac asked .

So you actually are affected by the environment , - Catheya muttered .

Are you trying to figure out my weaknesses? - Zac asked with a pointed glance .

No , I was just happy to hear the Heavens have eyes after all . Things started to feel a bit unfair , - Catheya muttered . - There are so many interesting places in the multiverse , and you can visit them all while I am relegated to a small corner . -

A small corner that’s big enough to traverse for hundreds of thousands of years , - Zac countered , but he understood her point .

The Undead Empire was one of the largest factions of the Multiverse from what he had gathered , but it was only so big compared to the endlessness of the Multiverse itself . There were probably numerous sections and dimensions where they had no presence at all , and going there as an undead was dangerous .

The astrolabe Catheya had prepared provided them with a general direction , but getting there was easier said than done with the unpredictable tunnels . One time they found themselves in a vast underwater lake , where Zac had to fight off a bunch of underwater dinosaurs , and they almost stumbled into the living pulse a few times as well . The two kept going for another four hours , at which point Catheya finally stopped .

I think it’s just ahead , - she said . - But there’s trouble . I can smell the lingering scent of the living . We might be too late . -

Are they still here? - Zac asked .

It doesn’t seem like it , but it’s impossible to tell for sure with all the interference in the atmosphere , - Catheya said . - But I bet they moved on after installing some measure to block ours . Of course , the visitors may be normal trial takers as well , people who have entered the caverns in look for valuables . -

So , what’s the plan? - Zac asked as he tried to sense whether any people

I should be able to quickly notice if the arrays works or not , - Catheya slowly said . - If it’s been blocked , we simply move on . We’re not some deathsworn , no need to force it . -

Good , - Zac said as he took out Verun’s Bite] and slowly approached the mouth of the tunnel .

The insides were massive , with a ceiling height of over a hundred meters . The cave was the largest one they had entered yet , and it almost looked like they entered a forest with how lush the precipitation was . There were clear signs of a large number of plants having been harvested as well , proving Catheya’s guess to be right . Thankfully , Zac couldn’t spot any people staying behind .

Catheya soon crept up next to him , holding a Miasma Crystal in her hand to somewhat combat the extremely dense energies inside the cave . This was similar to the area around the mothertree . Something was clearly generating life force here as well , but space was enclosed , trapping most of it inside .

Zac sensed a few weak fluctuations from Catheya , and she slowly nodded in confirmation that she couldn’t find anyone . The two wordlessly entered the forest and proceeded with hurried steps until they reached the core .

There , a large boulder sat slightly embedded into the ground . It was roughly fifteen meters tall and almost thirty meters wide . That by itself wasn’t too interesting , but it was covered in esoteric patterns that gave Zac the hint of life . It wasn’t something that cultivators had added though , but rather something natural like the patterns on the Stele of Conflict he had witnessed in his tower climb .

Another point was that the stone didn’t seem to be the same material as the endless tunnels they had walked through until now . The stone in front of them was a unique deep yellow bordering on orange , while the stones in the tunnels were more of a garden-variety bedrock .

Had someone placed it here?

Zac tried to put it into his Cosmos Sack , but it didn’t budge . He tried to push it a bit next , but the only thing that happened was Catheya smacking his hand with an exasperated - tsk’ before she started probing the stone . Several ice crystals flew around it as she made similar seals like when she worked the spike they used to kill the mothertree .

It’s changed , - Catheya sighed . - I’m not sure what’s been done , but my preparations won’t work any longer . -

I could just break the stone? - Zac ventured , glancing at the '10 , 000' hovering above it .

I wouldn’t do that if I were you , - a laugh reached them from behind , prompting both Zac and Catheya to swirl around in shock .

They suddenly found themselves in front of a group of six cultivators , not one of them looking weak . They were living cultivators of human heritage , though they didn’t look exactly like any of the humans on Earth . Their hair was dark with a slight purplish tint , as were their irises . Their skin was olive , though it was a bit hard to tell with the extensive tattoos that covered their faces and arms .

Havarok! Run! - Catheya whispered with urgency , and Zac wholly agreed .

Chapter 714 : Unplugged

Zac knew he couldn't rely on Catheya at the moment . She had expelled enough pollen to move around freely , but there was still some left to restrict her abilities . Combined with her wounds and the environmental suppression , she was all but useless at the moment .

He wasn’t confident in dealing with five Havarok Imperials even if going all-out . The leader was the biggest issue . His aura beneath that of Yanub Mettleleaf back on Cork Island , but it was definitely above Zac's own . Also , in contrast to the slightly naïve treeman , this man gave Zac the impression of a veteran of a hundred battles with stable and congealed killing intent .

Thankfully there was no way that Ykrodas Havarok , the second-place holder on the ladder , was part of this group , or any other of the rankers for that matter . They were most likely just some secondary squad who had been sent here to deal with the rock behind them . Zac immediately grabbed Catheya as he acted Loamwalker] , rushing around the rock to escape in the opposite direction of the squad .

It’s no use escaping , - the man snorted as a shimmering dome enclosed the area five hundred meters around them .

Zac reached the barrier , and he could immediately sense that it would take a while for him to break through it without laying a siege . Both he and Catheya instantly threw out a general Array Breaker of their own , but Zac swore when he saw them fail to find a chink in the armor .

It's futile . After the chaos all along the Living Pulse , we figured that someone would arrive here sooner or later , - the leader continued , and Zac sighed as he turned around , The Havarok soldiers had followed them at a leisurely pace , and they now stood right between himself and the yellow rock . - I have turned this whole area into a sealed domain . If some general Array Breakers from the frontier could destroy our imperial arrays , wouldn't it be a huge joke? But I didn’t expect the group to look like yours . A human and a Draugr? -

Zac understood the man’s confusion . Mixed parties of both the living and undead were definitely uncommon , though not unheard of . But such a party wouldn’t head to a place like the Living pulse . At least not unless they had some hidden objectives .

It was obvious that this group was here on a mission just like they were . Even worse , it looked like they had opposing objectives . Zac couldn’t wait to be done with this mission and disappear into the ocean like some random trial taker . He had no interest in making the Havorak Empire into an enemy .

You’ve betrayed the living and led this person here? - another member of the group asked as she glared at Zac . - Do you know the ramifications of what you are trying to do? Who you’re trying to help? -

Zac sighed as he looked at her , as she actually reminded Zac a bit of Thea . She had similar features , and she even wore three thin swords over her back . One stark difference was the face tattoos , looking like a spider web of red fractals . He had read about the Havarok Empire before , and it was much more militant in nature than the Radiant Temple or even the Undead Empire .

They weren’t like the Radiant Temple who didn’t much care about their domain as long as they kept producing resources and talented seedlings . The Havarok Empire was one cohesive unit where strength trumped all , even birthright to a certain degree .

The tattoos were a designation of sorts , telling a story of their exploits . Apparently , they weren't completely cosmetic either , but the patterns rather formed proper arrays . Zac had almost gotten his hands on a similar method in the Tower of Eternity , but he ultimately gave up on that method .

I think this is all a misunderstanding , - Zac said with a light smile , though he didn’t relax in the slightest . - We are just allies of circumstance . A series of unfortunate events brought both of us beneath the surface , and we decided to team up to find a way out of this place . -

Well , it’s a possibility you are telling the truth , though my guts say you’re lying , - the man smiled . - But it is clear that you are not beyond redemption . Your class is related to nature , which means you’re not a traitor of life . A local guide , I assume? To help these Draugr abominations with their goals . But you should know , whatever she’s paying you , it’s not enough . They want to destroy your home . -

So , what do you propose? - Zac eventually asked with a small frown .

You should have known better than to intermingle with an Imperial . The Draugr clans have destroyed thousands of worlds within the Havarok Empire alone , afflicting trillions with the curse of undeath . Some punishment is due , but I’m not unreasonable . I don’t think you’re part of this struggle . Hand her over , and you can leave after paying a ransom , - the man said . - 90% should do . I will also give back half if you join us as a guide for three months . -

Collecting ransom was a pretty rare concept , at least in the frontiers . But it did work to a certain degree . After all , robbery of Nexus Coins was impossible , and extortionists would lose the money and even get fined if they didn't honor their part of the agreement by killing or robbing the victim afterward .

In the frontier , people were pretty poor so robbers would just target Cosmos Sacks and Spatial Rings instead in search of loot . Zac guessed the concept of ransom was more common in the Havorak Empire , where there were stricter rules and people had bigger wallets . The problem was , what did he mean by 90%? Were they actually expecting him to show his status screen?

That definitely couldn't happen since he was sitting on over 900 , 000 D-grade Nexus Coins .

I accept , - Zac nodded with a fearful look as he took a few steps away from Catheya , causing her to look over with an open mouth . - I have 300 , 00 E-grade nexus coins on me , how about I- -

Zac didn’t get any further before a massive hand appeared out of nowhere , radiating a terrifying might . There hadn’t been any fluctuations from either him or Catheya , which allowed him to catch the group unaware . They barely had time to look up before an enormous primal axe was upon them .

The stone edge was emitting a terrifyingly sharp gleam as it was infused with his recently upgraded Fragment of the Axe . If possible , he would have preferred to form one of his basic Dao Braids , but Zac was afraid that even the slightest delay would give these people the chance to turn things around .

No! - the man roared as barriers sprung up above them , but how could hastily erected shields match up to a finisher conjured by almost a quarter of Zac’s energy reserves?

Another in the group was more decisive and immediately crushed an escape talisman . However , it was clearly not a supreme escape treasure as the swirls of wind from the talisman didn’t even get the chance to swallow him up before Zac’s attack landed .

Four massive surges of energy entered his body as cultivators were turned to mush the moment the enormous axe slammed into the ground . The whole cave heaved and shook as a scar almost five hundred meters long cut both the mystic stone and half the forest in two , and frantic winds full of extremely sharp force ripped the remaining flora to shreds .

One cultivator actually possessed an Earth-escape skill , and he had quickly sunk into the ground to avoid most of the skill . Unfortunately for him , this was Arcadia’s Judgement] , and the axe swing was just the first half .

The whole cave floor shuddered for a second before a tremendous shockwave spread out , which was followed by the whole cave breaking apart . Zac felt another stream of energy enter his body a moment later , but Zac still rushed forward with finality in his eyes as a fractal forest sprung up to replace the destroyed one .

He suddenly disappeared as the ground beneath his feet cracked , and he appeared in an empty spot a hundred meters away a moment later . Verun's Bite] already radiated a sanguine luster that lit up half the cave , and the air howled as the edge cut through the air . It looked like he was aiming at nothing , but space suddenly flickered as a wretched-looking man appeared out of nowhere .

The final Havarok warrior had lost both an arm and a leg , and it looked like he would topple from a gust of wind . His aura was erratic , but he still managed to generate a undulating ball of chaotic power in his remaining hand as an intricate talisman appeared above his head . The rampant energies didn't even phase Zac , and he only slightly angled his torso as he continued his swing . He felt a sixth and final surge of energy while a chunk of his torso was blasted to smithereens .

The pain was blinding , and Zac fell over with a groan . His defensive skill was no match by the final blast of a dying warrior , but at least he got the last of them in one go . There would be no one to spread the news of what happened here . There was no time to rest though as the shakes from his finisher didn’t stop after even a few seconds . In fact , they grew more intense as the seconds passed .

It’s the living pulse! - Catheya screamed with dismay . - It’s being rerouted! -

Uh , - Zac grunted and spat out a mouthful of blood as he saw one geyser after another sprout up from the cracks he had caused . - Well , find a way out of here . -

What the hell! Do I look like a Geomancer to you?! - she huffed as Zac looted the corpse next to him with shaky hands , but she still conjured a series of ice crystals and closed her eyes .

Zac guessed she was using some sort of scouting ability to find a way out . Zac was focused on something else though ; booty . He had been forced to burn his whole Force of the Void]-reserves to take these guys out before they had a chance to react , and he still had another hole blasted in his body . He needed some sort of compensation for his suffering .

The largest scar in the ground was fast filling up with water , and the ground was still heaving ominously . Still , Zac ate one of his peak healing pills as he shuffled forward , and the chains of Love’s Bond] shot into the waters while Zac dug through the meaty pulp on the ground until he fished out a couple of Cosmos Sacks , a few Spirit Tools and a Spatial ring . The chains rose out from the water a moment later , dragging up another corpse .

It was the cultivator who had used an earth-escape skill . He was the only body that retained a semblance of its original form apart from the leader's . Both corpses looked gruesome , but they might be salvageable with the help of his Mark of Creation and some Corpselord methods . They were probably too maimed to become Revenants , but it was high time for Zac to learn the method to create the second common form of the undead .

Hurry! - Catheya shouted as she started running in the opposite direction where they came from . - I found the path they came from . Hopefully , it leads to the surface! -

Alright , - Zac grunted as started running to catch up . Each step felt like getting stabbed , but it was better than getting swallowed by the Living Pulse .

Zac soon caught up with Catheya with the help of Loamwalker] , but the two only managed to get a few hundred meters inside before a shocking torrent of densely life-attuned waters burst through the ground , shooting rocks in all directions like a cluster bomb . The two jumped into the tunnel Catheya had chosen , and she hurriedly tried to erect an ice wall to keep the deluge away .

Unsurprisingly , it only withstood the pressure for a second before the ice was completely eroded .

The two kept up their frantic escape while trying to erect various roadblocks for the water . Catheya erected walls while he threw out everything from boulders to submersibles to block up the path . Still , the Living Pulse was undeniable , and it kept crashing through all barriers in its pursuit .

Catheya was clearly having trouble keeping up even when using some sort of frostblink ability , and Zac eventually had Love’s Bond] pick her up , which allowed her to focus on forming barriers without having to worry about running .

Zac eventually reached a wide chute that led straight up while also having multiple paths to choose from , and he quickly climbed up rather than continue down one of the other tunnels . Just a few seconds later the Life Pulse blasted into the area , but it was thankfully diverted through the three of the tunnels rather than continuing upward .

The two stopped at a terrace after climbing over two hundred meters , and they sat down to recuperate while watching the waters below . The Living Pulse was readjusting , and the cave kept shaking for over ten minutes until the situation stabilized .

Thank you , - Catheya eventually said .

No problem , - Zac shrugged . - Was better than being slowed down by your shuffling . -

Not that , - Catheya said with a roll of her eyes . - For not giving me up . Would have made your life a lot easier . -

Oh , that . It's not like I could show them how much money I have , - Zac said with a wry smile . - Besides , I need you to guide me to the Life-Death Pearls . -

Right , - Catheya snorted . - Still , thank you . -

Well , no problem , - Zac smiled .

The two rested up for a while longer , where Catheya focused on resetting her arm and expelling the last pollen in her body .

Meanwhile , Zac used some of his kill energy on Surging Vitality] to close the gristly wound on his side before focusing on his Nodes . The remaining energy was enough to gain two levels , though that was only thanks to him already having opened the nodes in his undead form . After the energy was expended , Zac took out a Supreme-Grade Nexus Crystal and continued to fill up the remaining nodes .

Even with the physical wound being fixed , it would still take a while for Purity of the Void] to remove the lingering Dao from the Havarok leader . He had actually left a mark as well , but Zac thankfully noticed it and crushed it with a continuous stream of mental energy .

It took him another ten hours to completely expel the foreign Dao , at which point Zac had also managed to activate the partially filled third node . At that point , he was level 105 in his human form , compared to level 109 as a Draugr .

Zac gave it some thought , and he allocated the 30 Free points into Strength , just like he did with the previous 10 . Survivability was important , but the previous battle had proven that a strong offense was a viable type of defense as well .

You fused the two big skills you used in the Base Town into one , - Catheya eventually commented when Zac opened his eyes .

Yeah , - Zac nodded .

There was no point in denying it . Catheya had watched his battles outside the Tower of Eternity from the first row . She would have to be completely oblivious to not understand where Arcadia’s Judgement] came from .

I don’t understand how it just appeared out of nowhere though . I didn’t sense a thing until it was there , - Catheya said as her black eyes peered into Zac’s , like she was trying to dig out his secrets hiding within his body . - The more I see the less I understand . Can you sell me the method? -

It’s impossible for you , - Zac said with a shake of his head before he started lying through his teeth . - It's a trick on the senses . -

So natural endowment . A natal illusory Specialty Core perhaps? Is it related to your weird body? - Catheya asked , but she held up her hands upon seeing Zac’s glare . - Alright , alright . -

Zac didn’t know if such a Specialty Core actually existed , but he was more than happy to let Catheya believe her guess to be wrong . Especially since it meant getting even further from the truth in regards to his double races .

Still , such an ability is extremely handy if used right , - she muttered . - There has to be a drawback for balance though . -

Zac didn’t really feel there was one , but he agreed that there probably should be one if not for his mother’s meddling . For example , the Specialty Core called Overdrive empowered attacks almost as much as a berserking skill or a Cultivation Manual , but you overdrafted your body by using it . Meanwhile , he only needed to absorb some energy to refill his reserves .

Or perhaps he simply didn't know the price of his action , and fate would sooner or later come to collect .

Chapter 715 : Ripples

A ripple spread through the web , and a small smile spread across Alvod’s face . It looked Va Tapek’s little disciple really did deliver . He had been worried there for a bit since he felt the node condensing . Luckily , the node was broken apart before the change was irrevocable .

Not that Catheya Sharva’Zi’s role was critical to his designs . It was not like his path toward Eternity was so fragile that it couldn’t take a few mishaps . It was only one conduit out of hundreds , most of which had been in place for eons . But the more lines that were added , the closer to perfection his tapestry would get . The fallout of this particular node wasn’t as good as the constructed route , but it was good enough .

If anything , things were going above expectation . He should have guessed . Destruction always came easier than conservation , and change was part of the heavenly law . The real question was what the local natives had planned for the final step . They wouldn't roll over at the core of their foundation being extracted and stolen , especially not by an outsider .

Alvod waited with anticipation , and a shimmering drop suddenly appeared in front of him . It was dark green in color , though it sometimes felt it was golden or black . It hovered in the air , its very existence impacting reality around it . Death was not death . Life was not life . It was the cyclic harmony of twilight and daybreak , the eternal evening tides .

A small bead of Primal Dao . Truth condensed into the purest form the base dimensions could take without unraveling . Something that only formed naturally in the exalted domains , the cultivation havens that someone like him would never gain access to .

The Heavens had been gated off , and the ancient factions held the keys . You would either have to pursue the broken peaks or bend the knee for a chance to drink at the fountain of truth . But Alvod wasn’t willing . His Path was within the purview of the Heavens , but he would never surrender his freedom .

Even his old friends thought his actions in the Havarok Empire were a matter of vengeance . They thought he had fled here and entered the Twilight Ocean like a rat scurrying for safety . It couldn’t be further from the truth .

Reociv Havarok was a full-bodied bastard who deserved to die for what he did to Tola , but would Alvod really have risked everything if not for the item that had fallen into the princeling's possession? The item which now formed the core of the tapestry of life and death . Alvod had found half of the core before coming to power back in Zecia , and he had spent four hundred thousand years looking for its other half .

Yet that bastard had swooped in and accidentally got his hands on it just as Alvod was on the precipice of success . It was Alvod who brought that Immemorial Realm to the surface at the cost of most of his fortune . Yet that man had gotten his hands on the item without even understanding what he was dealing with?

He had no choice . If Reociv was allowed to bring that item back to his ancestors , they’d soon realize its true nature .

Tens of thousands of runes emerged from the tapestry and they formed layers after layers of seals and protections around the bead of truth . This realm was too lowly for it to contain a bead of pure Primal Dao for long . It would get tainted in no time , reduced to its baser components .

The sealed bead was soon interred into the tapestry , which caused shuddering waves to spread out through the patterns . The bead eventually joined the others in the core , and Alvod’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he saw that the beacon was three-quarters full . His cells screamed with desire as he looked at the Primal Dao , but he forced himself to look away . He knew that his chances were slim even if he managed to fill the chalice to the brim .

He needed to be patient . Just two more years .

Hear ye , hear ye , - the ever-suffering grand marshal of the Kingdom of Billy sighed , still not fully understanding the nomenclature of his new overlords . - King Billy , Lord of Bonk Mountain has in his infinite wisdom sent out a divine decree , so listen well! The Divine Kingdom of Bonk Mountain requires more Dao Stones to be sourced for the conflict with the others! Every household will need to contribute 3 Dao Stones . -

The gathered Smallboys , or rather Gnivelings as they were called before King Billy’s grand impartment , listened on as their large ears shook with worry .

We have been fishing for stones every week for the past four months , - one of the Smallboys said as he stepped forward . - We appreciate what King Billy has done to protect us in this new environment… but the stones are becoming scarce . We lost Lorom just two weeks ago . -

A few voices of agreement rippled through the crowd , causing Hanos’ brows to scrunch up . The Marshall nervously glanced toward the mountain , but he steeled his heart as he felt a tendril poke him between the shoulder blades . Hanos somewhat liked his new master , but he liked living even more .

What do you know! - Hanos roared . - King Billy is who keeps us safe through his communion with the holy spirit . King Billy is the one who protects us from the badlands , tirelessly swinging the holy scepter for our salvation! But do you think such a sacrifice comes cheap? Do you think King Billy’s miracles can be created out of thin air? He needs more resources! No more complaints , set out right this instant! -

Some of the Gnivelings muttered and waved their oversized ears at the towering mountain , but most simply went to prepare their gear for excavating the Dao Rocks from beneath the ocean bed .

Good , just three more villages , ’ a gleeful voice echoed in his mind .

What about King Billy? What if he finds out?’ Hanos cried in his mind - I don’t want to be bonked . ’

I’ll deal with that . Besides , the great king has other things to worry about right now . ’

Two weeks of fervent collection , but it was finally time . Ogras looked at the pile of Dao Stones with anticipation shimmering in his eyes . Over two years of arduous cultivation , and one year of planning . He was finally ready to leave that insufferable giant’s shadow .

Who would have expected a netherblasted Dimensional Seed to gain sapience? And who would have expected it to form such an intimate connection with that brute , when there were far more dashing candidates so close by? Was it because Billy saved these big-eared bastards while Ogras secured the treasures of the newly incorporated realm? Or was it simply because simpletons flocked together?

Things hadn’t been too bad in the beginning . Those Th’Zaroth Hivebeasts weren’t joking around , but they provided ample opportunities to hone one’s combat skills . With the air being teeming with the Dao , each day was a revelation . Be it skills , Daos , or even levels , everything came smoothly in this place . Even evolving skills was accomplished as naturally as breathing since you were in a constant state of inspiration .

Two months of slaughter , and the two of them had finally managed to kill the Hive queen and seize the enormous meteor that contained her hive . It had not only provided them with a Nexus Node , but also a large amount of food as the warrior ants were actually quite delicious .

But from there , things started to go awry .

It turned out that the Earth’s Nexus Nodes weren’t the only ones Ogras was locked out of . He was even unable to become the master of a desolate rock in a hidden realm . Instead , he was forced to once more don the mantle of the helpful advisor , steering Billy in the right direction . But he couldn’t understand why such a simple mind was so hard to control .

If anything , his experiences over the past three years had ingrained him with a deep respect for that bespectacled human that usually followed Billy’s side . Nigel was his name? How did he manage to get anything done with this bastard holding the reins?

It was time to change his approach . He had tried so hard to get the brute to do the heavy lifting , but he was adamant about holding the fort rather than sending the troops to the depths of this ever-growing realm . And if he couldn’t get others to pave the way , he would simply have to do the job himself . He could feel it . It was beckoning to him deep in the darkness . Something related to his path .

Something with the ability to reforge his fate .

Besides , it was now or never . It was clear that the pocket realm they lived inside was stabilizing . For over two years it had frantically moved about and swallowed one realm after another , but the sky seldom changed color any longer . Eventually , the Dimensional Seed would find some spot it liked and settle down .

And when that happened , it was just a matter of time before this place was discovered , before an entrance was drilled open and greedy bastards came swarming in . All these Hidden Realms collected , each of them most likely never touched by other men . Each of them full of unique treasures and opportunities .

He needed to snatch them all before the outsiders arrived .

Behind you! - Bubbur roared , and Galau whirled around as his large two-hand sword drew a ruthless arc .

A desiccated head jumped out of the pirate’s sleeve to bite down on the edge , but it shrieked and started to break apart when the corrosive acid smeared on the blade touched its mouth . It instinctively released its bite , which allowed Galau to finish the swing and cut both the guardian head and the pirate apart .

Galau sighed and looked around , relieved to see that things were finally calming down across the hidden base . These situations could spiral out of control at moment's notice . Normally , that would have been a problem for the soldiers , but all hands were fighting hands in the Muscle Brigade , even his own .

A burning meteor suddenly slammed into the protective dome on the sky , and Galau hurriedly shot out a hook from his belt before he was dragged out into the void again . He wasn’t really phased about the environmental array being broken though , since something like this happened weekly .

And the source of the chaos was often the same .

Boss , watch out! - a man screamed . - You’ll break the base before we’ve looted it . -

Sorry , sorry! - a rough voice laughed as Greatest Peak flew through the new entrance he had created . - This captain was pretty strong , I got a bit excited . -

Galau sighed as he looked at the burning crater . The pirate captain’s gear was definitely unsalvageable at this point . Again .

Money brat! Stop moping around and get to counting , - Bubbur said as he threw over two Cosmos Sacks .

It’s Quartermaster Gobao , - Galau said as he took out his inspection table before he started scanning the contents of the sacks .

Most items were simply categorized in the back of his mind , while a few were taken out to be properly scanned .

You mean Shartermaster? - another brigadier who came to turn in the haul sniggered , prompting a few roars of laughter .

That was almost two years ago! And I was out on my mind on that hexbrew we found the day before! - Galau said with grit teeth before he shot a baleful glare at the laughing pirate hunters . - Go on , keep laughing . We’ll see who gets their salary paid with Nexus Coins and Spatial Fragments , and who gets paid in unsellable scrap . -

I’ll call you whatever you want the moment you can beat me , - Bubbur laughed . - Now hurry up , boss has that glint in his eyes . -

Galau groaned , but he still sped up as he looked through the Cosmos Sacks one by one in search of hidden markers . It was a common practice between these space brigands . They’d leave a concealed treasure or two among their hoarded loot , in case it was stolen . That way they could always find the loot again if stolen .

Others would turn into beacons warning anyone in the vicinity , making it impossible to sneak up on unsuspecting targets . He was making fast progress , but he got a sinking feeling as he saw Greatest walk over with the fires of war burning in his eyes .

Wait , boss! - Galau entreated . - Just a few more minutes! -

You know the rules , - Greatest said as he flashed forward , his fist ripping through the air with enough force to bend space itself .

Galau inwardly cried as he scrambled away , and he could only look on with despair as one Cosmos Sack after another was swallowed by the void caused by the swing . The most effective method to make sure you weren’t being tracked was to destroy everything .

This Heavencursed family .

Why did the pirate captain have to possess that taboo technology , which resulted in an epic clash between the Boss and a machine swarm outside the meteor? Now the madness of the fight had already claimed Greatest Peak , and anything that delayed him fighting another worthy adversary would be destroyed , even if it was a mountain of wealth .

Let’s go , Shartermaster , - Bubbur said with a wry smile . - There’s still the young boss . If we hurry you might be able to find some good things . -

Galau’s eyes lit up and he immediately jumped onto Bubbur’s Raider .

The Raiders were something they had looted two years ago after one of the tougher fights of the Muscle Brigade , and they had helped them adapt to this chaotic place tremendously . The Raiders were small four-meter vessels that almost looked like umbrellas .

They only housed five people , they could barely turn , and they had no weaponry . But they had two very desirable features that had made them a fan-favorite among the brigadiers . First , they were extremely quick , cutting through the chaotic spatial waves like butter . Secondly , the front of the vessel , the umbrella , was both an extremely sturdy shield and an efficient Array Breaker .

Now , every time the Muscle Brigade found a target to interrogate , or rather rob , over a hundred Raiders shot out from the mothership like small meteors , each one manned by five bloodthirsty meatheads . Those who owned Raiders almost always reached the criminals , or rather prey , faster than the others .

Galau shook his head as Bubbur escorted him to the satellite base that Average was in charge of taking down . It was an intelligence post , but Galau didn’t hold much hope that they would find what they were looking for this time either .

They had arrived over three years ago in the central region of the Million Gates Territory , and they had eventually managed to confirm that a Space Gate really was forming somewhere . However , Million Gates Territory was just too vast . More to the point , space was too chaotic , making any attempt at navigation nigh impossible .

So even after searching for two full years , they hadn’t come any closer to figuring out where the gate actually was . For all they knew , it might have already stabilized , and an endless army was gathering at their gates without the Zecia sector knowing . Hopefully , that wasn’t the case though .

It appeared like the invaders didn’t have it too easy . The odd Spatial Ripples that was the source of the disaster were still ongoing , though they only affected the Million Gates Territory these days from what he’d heard . Forming a Space Gate between sectors through such turbulence should be impossible , or at least prohibitively expensive , for frontier forces according to the boss , so they were most likely waiting for things to settle down .

Blood and a few corpses littered the halls as Bubbur crashed his Raider through the closest wall of the satellite base , but it looked like most of the defenses were the mechanized troops sold by the heretics hiding at the outer rims of the Million Gates Territory .

The cultivator in Galau despised these things , but the businessman in him almost salivated at the prospective earnings these taboo tools represented . He had seen just how money these items could bring in while visiting one of the Leviathans to trade and stock up on items . Unfortunately , these things were all slated for destruction now that the Muscle Brigade had its hands on them .

Galau found Average in the command room , and the young man nodded at Galau as he pointed at a small pile of Spatial Treasures . Three years of fighting pirates had completely reforged the youth , turning him into a capable warrior brimming with killing intent . However , the years in the heart of the Million Gates Territory had left their mark on Average , and he looked more like a pirate than pirate hunter by this point .

Then again , that could be said about himself as well , and Galau shook his head as he looked down at his scarred hands .

Anything interesting? - Galau asked as he started scanning the Spatial Rings .

I found it . I finally found it . -

Chapter 716 : Relegation

There was no telling if there were some hidden downsides to his unique ability , but so far the only one seemed to be how hard it was to upgrade his Bloodline . He still held on to the Cardinal Kernel] because of the events on the Memorysteel Mountain . He wanted to upgrade his bloodline to E-grade , but the moment probably needed to be right .

First of all , some random patch of seabed or cultivation cave wouldn't do . Just the awakening had eaten half the treasures in the mountain , there was no telling what the second awakening would require . He didn't want to waste the kernel by activating the process , only to find there wasn't enough fuel to power the whole evolution . Secondly , he needed to find a safe place , since he had been knocked clean out the last time .

What if some cultivators cropped up because of the chaos and decided to get some easy contribution points?

I can't , and don't want to , go into detail on this ability , - Zac eventually said to Catheya . - This mental trick is part of the agreement , so keep it to yourself , alright? -

If possible , he would have preferred using his Annihilation Sphere to take those people out rather than using Force of the Void] . That way , Cahteya’s memories would be erased as well . Unfortunately , he had no way to use the skill as an area attack that could target all six cultivators . He might have been able to take out the leader , but then the others would have escaped or retaliated .

Or perhaps the leader would have managed to avoid the strike like he almost avoided Arcadia's Judgement] at which point Zac would be screwed since he would have lost the element of surprise .

I know , I’m not an ingrate , - Catheya snorted before she looked at him accusingly . - You know , it’s a bit depressing to travel with you . At first , I thought we were roughly at the same level , but now I’m finding that you weren’t even exerting yourself before . How are people like me even supposed to get a shot when there are monsters like you walking around? -

There is ultimately balance in the universe , - Zac snorted . - Things are not as simple as they look . -

I know , - Catheya nodded . - Heavy is the crown . I think it’s the same with my ancestor . She should have the qualifications to become a real tycoon back home by now , but she’s still maintaining her distance as her clan is falling apart . Who knows what kind of troubles she has encountered on her road to power . -

Falling apart? - Zac asked with a frown . - Is your clan in trouble? -

Not trouble like extinction , but trouble nonetheless , - Catheya sighed . - We are facing relegation . -

What? Relegation? - Zac asked as he looked at Catheya in confusion .

I once told you that conflict within the Empire is disallowed , but that doesn’t mean there isn’t competition . Strength is ultimately the most important thing . Our clan has been in a steady decline for a long time , and we’re risking being downgraded from a Middle-tier clan to an Entry-level clan , - Catheya said . - We will lose large parts of our domains , which means even fewer cultivation resources . It’ll probably exacerbate the decline even further . -

And that is why you wanted me to send a message to Be’Zi , - Zac surmised .

Exactly . I wanted her to tell her that Re’Zar Sharva’Zi is approaching his end . His chances at forming another step are bleak according to my father . He will leave on his final journey in fifty generations or so , and there is currently no one to take his place , - Catheya said . - We have managed to keep the news sealed for now , but it’s just a matter of time . -

Who’s Re’Zar? - Zac asked .

Ancestor’s lineal great-grandson , - Catheya said . - And our only Autarch . -

What’s these steps you talked about? - Zac asked . - Is it related to the B-grade? -

Yes , - Catheya nodded . - Gaining Autarchy is to form a ladder to Heaven , and the more steps you form the greater the foundation you build for this ladder . Each step adds not only power , but a large amount of longevity . Our ancestor is a One-Step Autarch , the lowest level . He’s already used too many longevity medicines , and a breakthrough is his only chance now . -

Zac slowly nodded in understanding . It looked like having an Autarch , even if one at the lowest rung , was enough to be considered a Middle-tier clan in the Heartlands . That probably meant a low-tier clan had Divine Monarchs and powerful accumulations , and forces beneath that weren’t even considered proper clans .

Zac also felt that probably meant that a peak-stage Clan in the Undead Empire might not even have A-grade cultivators going by the grading of Clan Sharva’Zi , or at least not too many of them .

Ancestor Be’Zi was an above-average Two-step Autarch when she left , - Catheya added . - For her to still be alive… She has to have reached the later stages of Autarchy , or perhaps even higher . If she returns , we’d not only avoid relegation , we’d instantly be promoted . -

No wonder Catheya was so eager to find her ancestor . It was really a matter of heaven or hell for her clan whether she returned . A clan falling from grace always led to a feeding frenzy , and Zac doubted that the commandments could completely protect against something like that . It was essentially heavenly law .

So steps are a bit like Cosmic Cores? A bottleneck? - Zac asked .

I can feel that I'm not allowed to discuss it , - Catheya said . - Autarchs are the main power of any empire since those above rarely make a move . Knowledge is controlled . -

Well , keep your secrets then , - Zac smiled .

Like I have a choice , - Catheya said with a roll of her eyes . - But I can tell you that everyone who reaches that stage has once been Heaven’s Chosen or something even greater , yet less than one percent ever go beyond three steps . You could say that cultivators at that height live in defiance of the Heavens , even when walking Heaven’s Path . Every step is met with resistance . -

Well , I guess that's still far off from us , - Zac shrugged as he thought things over .

Catheya’s request was pretty simple ; convey a short update of the situation of Clan Sharva’Zi . But Zac wasn’t sure if he could . He might be sent back to the underground cave and Be’Zi if he found the second Splinter of Oblivion , but that might very well have been a one-off thing that the System arranged for him .

I might be able to relay your message . The question is , what can you provide in return? - Zac said after a while .

I’ll hold nothing back when teaching you all the insights and corpse-raising methods my master has imparted , - Catheya said . - You can even keep the information crystals . -

That’s part of the previous deal , - Zac snorted . - Do you have any other information from your clan that can be useful for me? -

To be clear , I can only teach you things my master has imparted me with . I can’t divulge any of Clan Sharva’Zi’s methods , same as with any descendant you meet , - Catheya said .

Your master is not part of the clan? - Zac asked with interest .

Only partly , - Catheya said with a shake of her head . - Master Va Tapek an old friend of the third Supreme Elder of Clan Sharva’Zi . He joined us as an exterior elder , but he’s not very restrained . I’ve gained most of my methods from him rather than the clan , and he never restricted me from teaching others . -

It really looked like Clan Sharva’Zi was in decline . Catheya’s master wasn’t even a Divine Monarch from what Zac had heard , yet the clan couldn’t demand much of anything from the sounds of it . Also , there there was still one question that puzzled Zac quite a bit .

Why you? - Zac asked with confusion . - Why would a high-tier Monarch take you under his wing and take you all over the frontier? They don't usually do that , right? -

You should have already seen it ; we are both Ice Warriors , - Catheya explained before she deflated a bit . - Also… I happen to be the descendant of the third Supreme Elder . His youngest daughter , in fact . -

So , your Master is kind of doing his buddy a favor by taking on? - Zac guessed , getting a glare in return .

I might not be some dual-race indestructible weirdo , but I have my strong points as well . My Ice affinities are among the top three in my generation in the clan . I have at least five Hidden Nodes , and I natally opened one of them , - Catheya said with a haughty demeanor . - And a powerful father is a talent as well , proves I have strong genes . -

Natally what? - Zac asked , ignoring the latter part . - You mentioned that word before as well . -

How do you know so little when you obviously have so powerful backing? - Catheya muttered with exasperation . - It means I opened one of my hidden nodes upon birth . I could use some of its effects while in F-grade , while it was completely unlocked the moment I evolved . -

Something like that’s possible? - Zac exclaimed . - Which one did you open? -

Zac hoped to gain some insight into the hidden nodes of the Draugr , in case there were still some lurking in his body . His three hidden nodes were all connected to his Void Emperor-bloodline and seemed to form a closed system , but that didn’t mean there weren’t more of them to open .

I guess it’s fair you know some after what you’ve displayed to save me , - Catheya said after some hesitation . - It's a special hidden node related to my nose . -

Your nose? - Zac repeated with a blank look .

It’s very sharp , - Catheya added .

A very sharp nose , - Zac sagely nodded . - Impressive . -

It’s a natural scouting ability that can help me with everything from finding treasures to spotting hidden enemies . It allowed me to sense your Draugr heritage all back in the Base Town! Well , whatever . A brute like you wouldn’t understand a good thing if it hit you in the face , - she huffed .

I can try sending a message , but your master’s scattered methods aren’t enough considering they are part of our earlier agreement . I want a top-grade treasure as well , - Zac said . - One equivalent to the things the top 1 , 000 combatants could get from the Fate Plucking-trial . -

If I had anything like that , I would have already used it on myself , - Catheya said with exasperation .

There are still almost three years to go in this place , right? - Zac smiled . - Between killing off people and exploring the depths , you should get your hands on one . If you hand one over to me before the trial ends , then I’ll try to send a message when I return . -

Why must I find it myself? - Catheya frowned . - Do you think you can just pick those things up from the ground? Only a handful are excavated every Ascent , and seldom by people like me . My master can get one in short order after we leave though . -

No deal , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - This is non-negotiable . Lucky for you this is a double trial . Your odds are a lot better than normal . -

Things had already progressed to this point . There was no way he’d stay along a second longer than needed in the Twilight Harbor . Between Catheya discovering his true form and Alea wanting to eat the Twilight Fruits , he had pretty much given up on the Fate-Plucking Ladder unless something changed .

It was better to leave the trial a few months early and slink away before anything could happen . After that , he’d have around ninety years to sound out whether Catheya betrayed his secrets and what the Undead Empire’s response would be .

… I’ll try , but you have to understand that you're asking the impossible from me , - Catheya entreated . - Please , this is a matter of life and death for my clan . Isn't there anything else I can do for you? On the outside or in here? -

Hearing the last part gave Zac another idea and he quickly made a decision .

There is one other thing , - he slowly said . - I am looking for two particular spots in this Trial , and they should be around the middle reaches . Find the exact location of those two places , and I’ll try to convey the message . -

That’s it? - Catheya asked skeptically . - Just the location of the two spots? -

That’s it , - Zac said . - Deal? -

Absolutely , - Catheya quickly nodded . - Do you have a description? -

Zac immediately described the two locations of the two remnants as best as he could remember them from the vision back in the Mystic Realm , along with the hints he had gathered so far . He figured he could have Catheya find those two places while he checked out the Chasm and got rid of the brand this Va Tapek had left in his body .

Never heard of those two places , and they're not in the private missives of my clan . But I should definitely be able to find them within the year , - Catheya nodded . - What’s special about them? -

Don’t enter those places , - Zac said . - Only trouble waits in there . -

No wonder you’re looking for them then , - Catheya laughed . - Trouble seems to follow you wherever you go . Do you know that your home sector is currently in isolation because of you? We barely got out . -

What? What did I do? - Zac asked with confusion .

Because of the thing you summoned in the Tower of Eternity , - Catheya said . - Apparently , that stele is some weird artifact older than the System itself . Wherever it appears , conflict will appear . The higher-ups are afraid that just its apparition will cause spread chaos across the frontier after you summoned it , so Zecia has been quarantined . No ships in or out . Of course , it’s impossible to keep completely sealed , especially when the Heavens thrive on conflict . -

No wonder , - Zac sighed , remembering how that huge ogre at the Big Axe Coliseum had mentioned that war was coming .

Was it all his fault? He quickly shook his head . It couldn’t be , he was just a small fry who could barely impact the fate of a single planet . If anything , it was on the System . It was the System that conjured that apparition , not he . And since the System wanted a conflict in Zecia , it would accomplish it one way or another .

That alone was barely a comfort as he thought of the chaos and loss of life that a Sector-wide war would bring . Unfortunately , he was still just a nobody . He wouldn’t be able to impact the situation as he was right now . He could only push himself to get stronger , and once he reached the top , he’d be able to prevent things like this from going out of control .

The two sat in silence and continued to recuperate and cultivate for a few more hours , but eventually , it was time to go . They had completed their task as best as they could , and Catheya still hadn’t sensed any of her followers coming down to look for her . She was anxious to get back to the surface , and Zac was eager to go get the Life-Death Fruits .

They simply picked the tunnel at the top of the chute they had rested in and followed whatever path had the least ambient life-attunement energies . Their efforts paid off over the next hours as they kept ascending until the energy was barely marked by the Living Pulse .

We should be coming in on the surface by now , - Catheya said .

Alright . Give me a second , - Zac said , making Catheya look over with confusion .

Zac jogged over to a secluded section out of Catheya’s sight and erected an illusion array around him before he closed his eyes as he let waves of Cosmic Energy spread through his body . He kept this going for over a minute until he finally activated his Duplicity Core . A wave of Miasma spread through his body , and he was back in his Arcaz personality a few seconds later . It was the best he could do to obfuscate the exact details of his transformation for the moment .

So weird . Is the Twilight Energy even affecting you at all? - Catheya said with a shake of her head when Zac returned , and he only smiled in response as he passed her by on the way to the exit .

They were almost at the crest , and both of them readied themselves for battle just in case . The waters above them were mostly neutral in flavor , but it was still a stretch that passed right above the Living Pulse , and there would definitely be numerous cultivators passing . Two Draugr would definitely stick out if discovered , and they were pretty lucky they hadn't run into a single group since taking out the Havarok squad .

Truthfully , his actions beneath the surface might have worked in their favor in unexpected ways . The upheavals he caused might have been felt all the way to the surface , and who’d dare venture into some tunnels that could come crashing down on you at moment’s notice? The last stretch was too narrow to pass through , but they were so far from the Living Pulse by this point that Zac simply cut it apart , creating a tunnel to leave through .

Two signals! - Catheya exclaimed with glee the moment they emerged from the underground . - It should be Varo and Qirai! -

Chapter 717 : Radiant Temple

Two signals were better than nothing , but it also meant that yet another one of their squad was down for the count . Only a month had passed , yet they were approaching the average 50% casualty rate for the Twilight Ascent . This trial was bound to be a bloody chapter in the history of the Twilight Harbor .

Where do the signals from? - Zac asked as he scanned the surroundings for enemies .

Half a day away , toward where the Living Pulse will emerge , - Catheya said as she started to move in that direction . - They must have figured I’d appear somewhere close to the outlet . -

Zac nodded and followed suit , and they started to make way through the dense underbrush of the ocean . Luckily , the area was full of seaweed growing over two meters wide and fifty meters tall , providing them with ample cover as long as they hid their energy signatures . That along with Catheya's node-empowered nose , they didn't encounter any trouble until they reached the spot .

It was a nondescript part of a ridge that ran along the direction of the living pulse , with neither any entrances nor cracks to show for it . Catheya was still sure it was the right spot , and she walked over and knocked with a certain pattern on the stone . A door appeared out of nowhere a few seconds later , and Qirai peered outside .

It’s good that you’re fine , - Qirai said with relief before she shot a glare at Zac . - You’re still around? -

Still around , - Zac smiled as he looked the Titan up and down . - You look worse for the wear . -

It was true , the Titan looked like she had been through a few tribulations to match Zac’s own . Qirai sported a nasty burn on her left cheek , and it looked like it stretched down beneath her clothes all the way to her left hand . Her aura was also a bit unstable , and Zac guessed her soul was slightly wounded .

Are you alright? What’s going on? - Catheya asked with worry . - And where’s Varo? -

Varo’s inside , sealed , - Qirai sighed . - He’s hurt pretty bad . -

Who did it? Sharpo? - Catheya asked as they stepped inside the hideout , a hint of killing intent leaking from her body .

No . She’s either dead or escaped , - Qirai said with a shake of her head as she sealed the door behind them . - You think she was the traitor? -

Probably not . We got dragged beneath the surface , - Catheya said . - We met Yod there . If not for Mr . Black here , I would be dead . -

Oh? - Qirai exclaimed with surprise , her previously hostile gaze making a drastic turn . - Thank you . -

Nothing to it . I got caught in his trap as well , after all , - Zac smiled .

Take me to Varo , - Catheya urged . - I'll see what I can do . -

There were just two rooms in the dugout , with Varo being in the inner one . He was lying in a coffin that reminded Zac a lot of the one he had gotten for Alea back then . His state was in even worse shape than expected , with extensive burns covering his body . His left arm essentially looked like a scorched twig , and Zac wasn’t sure that was something that could be restored with healing pills , no matter how good they were .

Not only that , but there was a blistering heat coming from within Varo's body , no doubt from some fire-aspected Dao hidden inside the assassin's body . Zac figured the two must have met an incredibly powerful fire-based cultivator , considering he could cause such extensive damage even inside an ocean that should weaken his or her attacks a bit .

Who did this? - Catheya asked again , the room temperature decreasing by a noticeable margin .

After the ship broke apart , the two of us and the ghost found ourselves next to the Living Pulse without a ship , - Qirai sighed . - Sharpo wanted to split up , but how could we let her just slink away? She might have been the traitor . We caught her and started making our way here . We figured that you’d appear around these parts one way or another as long as you survived getting dragged away by the stream .

But this section is ultimately controlled by the living , and no one who has made it this far already is a weakling , - Qirai continued with a grimace . - We got ambushed by a trio from the Kalvan Clan but managed to kill one and chase the other two away . We weren’t as lucky when we ran into a group from the Radiant Temple . -

The Radiant Temple? Not one of their Subsidiaries? - Catheya exclaimed with surprise . - How - ?

Zac knew what she wanted to ask . The Radiant Empire was different than The Undead Empire in that it was a relatively small force . Certainly , they had billions and billions of members , but that was still nothing compared to the endless citizens of the Undead Empire or even the Havarok Empire .

The Radiant Temple rather ruled over tens of thousands of subsidiary clans , empires , and sects than having direct control . They only set up Subsidiary offices called Temples of Radiance in the subsidiary sectors , though it was more apt to call them tax collection agencies . Altogether , they controlled an area over fifty times the size of the Zecia sector , but those who were actually part of the Temple were vanishingly small in number compared to the actual number of cultivators within their domain .

The Radiant Temple used those subsidiary sectors for two things ; generating resources through taxes and treasure collection , and to scout for talents . Most peak talents of the subsidiary factions were absorbed into the Temple , while the elders of the subsidiary faction got a hefty reward in return . That way they maintained control , while also got talented seedlings sent to them from left and right .

That also meant the true members of the Radiant Temple were the best of the best in not only a B-grade Empire , but also dozens of subsidiary Sectors . The Havarok squad they met could have been anything from some lowly clan to just soldiers in the Havarok Army , but members of the Radiant Temple were all the real deal .

How were Qirai and Varo still alive if these kinds of people came for them?

It was luckily just a scouting party of three members , two of which were employed locals , - Qirai said . - It was the real members who unleashed an attack that destroyed everything when we needed to flee . It was like a supernova that went off . I managed to block out most of it , but I think Sharpo got swallowed entirely . Varo is as… You can see . -

Catheya nodded heavily as she took out a stopper and poured its contents over Varo’s body , causing them to emit sizzling sounds . After that , she placed an ice-blue gem on his chest , and the fiery energy coming from his body was quickly getting suppressed .

He’ll heal , but he’ll be out for a while . Even then , he might have to make a transition , - Catheya sighed before she turned to Zac . - Do you have any means to help? -

The transition Catheya mentioned was either to shed his mortal coil to become a specter or become a Corpselord . Both came with demerits though . Few cultivator’s classes skillsets were meant to be used as ghosts , and you’d lose a chunk of your power that way . Reaching Hegemony would become a lot harder as well .

Meanwhile , adding outsiders’ body parts to your own unavoidably created some issues with affinities and rejection .

I have some good pills I Bought from the Karabas Pill house , but that’s about it . My only healing skill is the one I got at your place , - Zac said with a shake of his head .

Truthfully , Zac did believe that it might be possible to use his Mark of Creation to fix Varo’s arm . The Revenant was in a coma , and his will shouldn’t impact the process of creation unless he woke up . But Zac had already exposed two of his major secrets in just a few days , and he definitely wouldn't expose the third just to speed up Varo's recuperation .

Also , the Creation Energy was his personal ace that could both save his life or destroy an enemy .

Alright , - Catheya sighed as she turned to Qirai . - We can’t stay here , especially not after the chaos we caused beneath the surface . Furthermore , more and more of the living will appear over the coming days , passing through toward the depths . -

So what’s next? - Zac asked .

We have lost three members of our party , and one is taken out of commission . The casualty rate is over 50% , allowing me to cancel the operation . There is one more node we should have visited originally , but we’ll skip it . If anything , we’ve already performed above expectation . We have completed more than half of our assigned task , - Catheya said .

So , the peals? - Zac said as a smile spread across his face .

Right , greedy fellow , - Catheya smiled with a shake of her head . - The pearls . Do you have any spare vessels we can use? -

Soon enough the group set out on the vessel that Zac had found in the Spatial ring of the leader of the Havorak group . It was made from a large spiraled shell , and it could thankfully be powered by anyone as long as it was fueled by Nexus Crystals . Varo had saved the purification array when the vessel sunk , and Zac was once more put in the awkward situation where his soul tempering was put on hold .

There was not much to do about the situation though as they had entered the middle reaches of the ocean .

The Twilight Energy had already gone from an uncomfortable annoyance to real suppression for Catheya and Qirai , and both needed a proper environment to focus on recuperation . It wasn’t the end of the world though , as it looked like Zac would ultimately save two weeks by skipping the final target on the side mission .

Instead , they were shooting straight toward the Life-Death Pearls with Qirai on the wheel while Catheya and Zac used the purification array for eight hours each in turn . Qirai would use it for four hours , after which they let it be turned off for the final four . The past weeks had been pretty boring while maintaining the array , but this time Zac was immersed in swallowing up all the knowledge Catheya had to offer .

First , they covered the basic knowledge of fractals and how they related to skills and arrays . A lot of what Catheya knew about the subject leaned toward Miasma and Ice , but the rules were still generally applicable . The most important was the large number of solutions , methods , and practical examples of upgrading skill fractals that Catheya provided .

Upgrading skills was actually a pretty straightforward subject if you simply wanted the same skill but stronger . The process was sort of a mini-test by the System , where you had to prove at least a basic understanding of the runes to succeed . It was essentially the same thing as redrawing pathways , but you had to figure out the new pattern yourself based on your knowledge and the general rules that the Apostate of Order had set up .

Of course , if you diligently followed a Heritage , your predecessors had already performed the heavy lifting for you . Everyone still needed to make some personal modifications though . Pathways were like a thumbprint ; each one unique and based on one's body . If you completely followed the patterns of others , you were bound to end up with a skill that only partially matched your pathways .

Furthermore , the greater your understanding of the Dao and your skills were , the more you could do with the upgrade .

Skill fractals were somewhat rigid in most cases , where you couldn’t just redraw them as you wanted like you could do with pathways . But if you cut off a skill fractal from your path network you could temporarily extract it from your body , at which point the fractal would turn malleable for a limited duration .

That way you could perform the changes you needed to perform to take the skill from F-grade to E-grade . The arrays that Zac had purchased back in the Twilight Harbor helped with this exact process , both providing suggestions and prolonging the duration that the skill fractal could stay out of the body without taking too much damage .

A skilled hand could use that window of time to also make changes to make the skill better fit your needs and pathways . That meant you could walk away with a skill that was not only a grade higher , but you could even get a skill that was higher quality and better suited to your path . But conversely , if you lacked proficiency and understanding , you could mess up so much that the skill was degraded to a lower-quality skill .

Or even destroy the skill fractal altogether .

Seeing as more than half of Zac’s skills already were peak quality thanks to getting an Epic class at F-grade , it also meant that there was pretty only one way to go ; down . So , the most important thing for him was to gain an understanding of the process and gain enough proficiency that he could evolve the skill to the point that he could evolve them without them going from peak to high quality .

Zac had already read through a lot of materials on the subject , but it was still eye-opening to get access to the knowledge of a High-grade Monarch . A lot of the information he had gathered until this point was broad and only scratched the surface , but Catheya had given him a set of crystals that covered tens of thousands of different patterns , and how to properly upgrade them without losing efficacy on the upgrade .

After just three weeks Zac had already managed to form preliminary schematics for most of his skills , barring the more complex skill fractals between his two classes . There were no guarantees , but he felt like he was ready to start putting theory to practice as soon as he had upgraded his Daos and gained some better understanding .

Next was the general knowledge of necromancy . Zac already knew some parts , but he still learned a lot over the following two weeks . For example , Zac had assumed that all turned cultivators restarted at level one because of his experience , but that wasn’t actually the case . Revenants naturally lost around one grade upon being turned , but that could be reduced by - locking - some of the energy inside the body quickly after killing them .

Conversely , you could actually make the bodies lose even more if you wanted to retrain the follower from the ground up . For example , getting the level-kill titles were a lot easier for low-leveled cultivators . The easiest way to do this was to place drainage arrays on the corpse that worked a lot like the one that almost killed Catheya before . Unfortunately , progress on this front wasn't quite as smooth as it was for his skill upgrades .

I know I called you a meathead , but this is ridiculous! - Catheya said one day as she looked at Zac’s - array’ , which more looked like a series of squiggly lines . - How are you this bad at energy control? You’re a pureblood! -

You know my situation , - Zac sighed as he shook the Stone of Hope] in front of Catheya .

Oh , right , - Catheya said as she thought things over . - Well , I guess you technically don't need to make these arrays yourself . But you would be reliant on an array master to properly perform the arts . But if you get to that point , you might as well hand over the whole process to a subordinate , you know? -

Yeah , I guess , - Zac sighed . - Let's go back to the skill fractals . -

The lessons kept going for another week , at which point Zac felt the vessel slow down . A minute later Qirai entered the study he and Catheya used .

We're almost there . I think we should go the final bit on foot , - the Titan said .

How is Varo? - Catheya asked .

Still unconscious , - Qirai said with a grimace .

Alright , - Catheya said , looking a bit downcast before she turned to Zac . - You can't carry him in that coffin of yours , right? -

Not if you want him to ever come out again , - Zac wryly smiled .

Alright . Well , we can't leave him here . Qirai , you'll fashion the casket into a backpack like Mr . Black's . Make it so that it's quickly detachable in case of battle , - Catheya said . - We'll bring him with us that way . Harvesting the Pearls will take a week or two . Hopefully , he'll wake up in time . -

Chapter 718 : Hollowtongue Mountains

So this is the place? - Zac asked as he dragged his axe out of the head of the corpse .

They were currently at a depth of over three thousand meters , gazing at a submerged mountain range . It reminded Zac a bit of Earth back home , in the sense that it looked like this particular mountain had been dropped in the middle of nowhere through randomization . The seabed he stood on was made from the same golden-green sand as the rest of the Twilight Ocean , but the mountain in front of them was wrought from some completely different material .

It was neither the white or golden often synonymous with life , and neither did it have the murky hues of death . It was rather a deep blue , and Zac didn’t feel like the area leaned toward either life or death . Yet it was undeniable that the energy in the area was the strongest they had encountered so far , like there was a Nexus Vein hiding beneath the mountain in front of them .

This could be both a good and a bad thing . Good in the sense that it probably meant there were a lot of valuable things growing in this place , a chance to pocket some valuables . Bad in the sense that the mountain was huge , and missing it was pretty hard . They had already spotted three parties in short order , one of which had tried to take them out only to find themselves outmatched .

It wasn’t really thanks to Catheya or Qirai , though they had fought valiantly . It was he who had singlehandedly taken out more than half of the other group in a furious offense . Even in these conditions , he was completely fine , though he started to suspect that his cheat-like advantage had a best-before date .

His death-attuned ocean was fast filling up with the truths hidden in the Twilight Energy . In three months or so it’d reach saturation , perhaps even sooner if he kept going further toward the heart of the Twilight Ocean .

There was still the life-attuned half of his mind that had barely gained any improvements so far , but it was obvious that he would reach a limit long before the trial was over unless he stayed a Draugr the whole time . But for now , the situation gave him a huge advantage against the other competitors in the Mystic Realm .

Elites who would normally put up a tough fight got steamrolled as they could barely exhibit half of their strength .

What’s the matter with you? - Catheya sighed as she looked down at the corpses strewn around Zac , though Qirai looked a lot more appreciative .

The titan nodded with respect toward Zac as she handed her mistress the corpse of the cultivator she took out . Her demeanor in general had taken a complete turn since he and Catheya had returned from the underworld . Catheya had briefly gone over the events , though they had obviously been severely modified to protect his hidden identity .

Still , the fact that Zac had not only saved Qirai’s master a few times , but also singlehandedly taken out a powerful squad in an adverse situation , was all she needed to open up . They hadn’t spoken much on the way here considering Zac had been busy with his studies and Qirai with steering the vessel and keeping a lookout for enemies , but she had often came by offering some liquor during their free time .

Almost two months I’ve spent teaching you the basics of internment and necromancy . What’s the first rule? - Catheya continued as she stowed away Qirai’s and her own corpse .

Don’t destroy the heads , - Zac said with a roll of his eyes . - There were seven of them , and they were pretty strong . Not much of a choice . If you always worry more about their bodies than taking enemies out as quickly and cleanly as possible , you’ll sooner or later get yourself killed . -

Well , I guess you’re right in a sense . And to answer your question ; yes , this should be the place , - Catheya nodded as she turned toward the sapphire-hued peaks . - This is the Hollowtongue Mountains , and the pearls are supposed to be hidden in a valley here . -

Hollowtongue? Pretty weird name , - Zac muttered . - And how hidden can the valley be in the middle of an ocean? Can’t we just swim up to the surface and look around? -

First of all , that’d make us a target for others staying within this mountain range . Secondly , this whole mountain is a natural formation . You can’t enter it from above , you need to go through one of the formation eyes , - Catheya explained .

What happens if you try to cheat? - Zac asked curiously as he tried to find any clues of the formation she was talking about .

If you’re lucky , you’ll just get trapped or thrown out . If unlucky , you’ll be led to a death zone , - Qirai said as she scratched her stomach lazily . - It’s the same with a lot of places like this . Unless you have the means to see through the natural formation or the power to force your way through , you better avoid messing around . -

Passing through by skill is absolutely impossible considering your talent for arrays , - Catheya added with a wink . - Also , natural formations contain the power of nature itself , they are much harder to break open than a manufactured array . -

So your map was essentially just to lead us to a well-known mountain range? - Zac asked with a raised brow . - I’ve even read about this place in my public information packet . -

Well , first of all , the pearls appear at different spots , if they appear at all during a trial . Knowing they could be found in these mountains is a huge advantage . There are hundreds of places like this out there , along with endless stretches of nothingness , - Catheya said . - Secondly , I will be able to find the general direction we need to move in . For now , let's go inside . Our battle might have drawn some attention . -

Zac took out his information packet to brush up as they swam toward one of the valleys that apparently acted as an entrance to the mountain range , but there wasn’t really much to go by . Nala’s package didn’t contain anything about this place , but another missive had a short excerpt .

The Hollowtongue Mountains were named after a specific beast that lived in large numbers in the caverns and trenches below the surface . They had tongues with stingers that contained extremely condensed Twilight Energy , which was essentially a poison to humans and the undead alike . It also mentioned that the whole place was a huge confusion array just like Catheya said , and that it was almost useless to simply trust your eyes .

Furthermore , the mountain range was subtly rearranged between each trial , so preparing maps beforehand was futile . Everything was up to chance unless you had some means to traverse the mountain range , which it thankfully looked like Catheya had .

The deal still holds . We’ll harvest pearls for a week before we leave . Remember , the pearls start losing efficacy after a month , and it will take a while to absorb each . You’ll probably want to find a secluded spot as quickly as possible , - Catheya said as she took out an astrolabe that looked a lot like the one she used to find her way in the tunnels a few months back .

What about me? - Zac asked as he looked up at astrolabe . - You have that thing , but how will I get out of here afterward if it's a big confusion array? What if I’m stuck in here for three full years? I have other things on my plate . -

We had a few simple spare compasses , - Catheya slowly said with an odd expression . - But it turns out we sort of lost them when Varo was attacked . -

The compasses aren’t very rare though , - Qirai quickly said when she saw Zac eye Catheya’s astrolabe . - We’ll probably stumble into some people on the way , and we can pick up a compass from them . In fact , these people we fought might have one . -

Even without , it’s not too difficult to leave , - Catheya added with a smile . - You just need to stay in the valleys rather than mountain tops and travel toward what looks like the exit . You’ll run into a few dead ends , but you’ll be out within a week or two . -

That’s fine then , - Zac nodded as he started scanning the Cosmos Sacks of the fallen ambushers .

Unfortunately , there wasn’t anything like that in the four sacks he rummaged through . He did however gain over 80 Twilight Fruits in one go . It really started to become clear that killing was the most efficient method of harvesting these things . He had only gotten his hands on 30 or so through his own efforts while gaining more than ten times that number through kills .

In fact , the early and middle reaches were probably starting to get cleaned out by this point . If you wanted to harvest more the normal way , you’d have to enter the inner reaches where fewer cultivators roamed .

He was out of luck in his haul , but Catheya fared better , perhaps since she had targeted the leader . She threw over a wooden compass toward Zac with a smile . - Here you go . Now you don’t need to look at me with such scary eyes . This thing is not as nice as mine , but it is easy to use . If you reach a crossing , the markers will point along the energy flow . If you want to leave , go in the opposite direction . -

Great , - Zac smiled as he fiddled with the compass a bit before he stowed it away .

The group entered the mountain range , and they didn’t even get the chance to move for more than a few minutes before a school of piranha-like fish shot toward them from what looked like a crystal beehive . Catheya tried to freeze them all , but they actually bit their way through the ice block .

Zac immediately activated Deathmark] , shrouding the area in a corrosive haze to take care of the frenzied beasts but he was shocked to find the little things scuttling through the black waters barely affected . They were barely phased as they swam straight toward their group , though a few wraiths appeared and took out a good chunk of them in a few wide swings .

Persistent bastards , - Qirai grunted as she released a mighty punch that contracted space itself .

Hundreds of piranhas were instantly crushed , and the rest were slowly whittled down over the next minute . Eventually , the whole area was filled with thousands of mangled carcasses . The toothy beats weren’t very strong , but they possessed durability that far exceeded expectations . Their bite was quite powerful as well , and even Zac had a few marks that bled some ichor .

It was the same with Qirai , while Catheya didn’t even dare to get bit by the things . She had enclosed herself in a frosty barrier while sending out icicles from within .

Are these the Hollowtongues? - Zac asked he held the frenzied little fish in his hand , trying to see inside its maw .

No , - Catheya said with a shake of her head as she swam over to the beehive . - Just some local wildlife . You should prepare yourself . We have mostly traveled inside a submersible over the past months . The beasts we’ll encounter from here on out will be far more powerful compared to the ones who lived by the shores of the starting continent . -

She formed an icy blade and cut the whole thing off from the mountain wall it was attached to , prompting Zac to look over curiously .

These guys don't seem very palatable , but I could smell some roe from inside . It seems pretty delicious , - Catheya explained .

I didn't take you for a foodie , - Zac commented .

What's the use of great longevity if you don't fill the years with interesting things? - Catheya laughed . - It wasn't that long since I gained the ability to eat , there are all kinds of things I haven't had the opportunity to try out yet . -

With Qirai carrying the still-unconscious Varo on her back , the trio continued , and Zac quickly became completely lost . The natural formation was clearly messing with his senses , and it felt like the mountains were completely foreign to him when looking back . It was lucky he had found the compass in such a timely manner .

Catheya didn’t seem to be thrown by the formation though , and they only occasionally stopped for her to find the direction with her astrolabe . They did also have to hide or detour a few times to avoid nearby groups . It wasn’t really that they were afraid , but they were all far more interested in the Life-Death Pearls at the moment .

There would be plenty of time for looting and pillaging after they had made their Dao breakthroughs .

The state of the mountain range also filled them with some urgency . They passed spiritual trees now and then , including those which grew Twilight Fruits , but they had all been plucked clean . Some cultivators had probably rushed this place and plucked the whole mountain range clean of any easy-to-harvest treasures .

The Life-Death pearls were supposedly in a very hard-to-find spot , but no one wanted to take any detours after seeing how they were a bit late to the party already . Eventually , Catheya turned and started swimming up along a mountain peak .

Follow close , we'll pass through the formation here , - Catheya explained as she turned to Zac . - Can you connect us? -

I thought we weren't supposed to climb the peaks? - Zac asked as he sent out two chains toward both Catheya and Qirai .

We have to if we want to reach the valley , - Catheya said as she looked at Zac and Qirai . - Just let me drag you two from here on out . Don't elongate the chains , and don't expel Miasma . The formation will test you , and if you expend any energy or unleash a skill you will put us in danger . -

Zac nodded , and he soon felt the pull as Catheya pushed herself forward by doing a classic breaststroke rather than pushing herself forward with Miasma . Suddenly , she simply disappeared , making it look like the chain of Love's Bond] was cut off two meters ahead . Zac first considered trying to catch up , but he eventually stilled his nerves and stayed his hand .

After a while the chain turned , and his brows rose when he found himself heading straight toward a sharp piece of rock jutting out from the mountain wall . He gritted his teeth and braced himself , but the spike disappeared as he passed right through it . Things continued like this with one scene replacing another , and Zac found himself ramming into everything from illusory thorny bushes to large predatory beasts .

But after half an hour it all stopped , and Zac spotted Catheya floating right ahead , standing at the entrance of a valley as she played with the chain of Love's Bond] . Was this another illusion? Zac looked around for a good minute before he felt he could confirm that this was all real .

He sighed in relief as he swam over , his nerves pretty frayed after being assaulted by an endless series of illusions for so long . His Danger Sense and powerful soul had ultimately told him that the things he saw were fake , but that knowledge didn't help much when you stared into the maw of a twenty-meter piranha .

We made it , - Catheya said with a smile as she saw Zac's approach .

Only cost us half the crew , - Qirai muttered with a sardonic grin as she caught up as well .

Well , the core members are still around at least , - Catheya sighed before turned to Zac with a spurious smile . - I wasn't sure you'd be able to sit still for this one . A lone wolf putting his life in the hands of someone else? It's been hard on you . -

Well , I figured I was sturdy enough to take a hit or two in case the visions were real , - Zac snorted . - So this is the place? No wonder you said it was safe . You'd need some dumb luck to find this valley without the directions . -

The valley was surrounded by peaks , and the only thing here were dozens of things that looked a lot like oysters spread out with a few hundred meters between them . Each of them was well over a meter wide , making Zac wonder just how big these Life-Death Pearls actually were .

It's secluded , but I doubt we’re the only group looking for this place . There is no time to waste , - Catheya said .

So how do we harvest these things? - Zac asked . - I searched high and low for information back in the Twilight Harbor , but I couldn’t find anything specific . -

It’s not too difficult , - Catheya said as she led the group toward the closest oyster . - These things continuously feed on the ambient truths of the Twilight Ocean . You need to cut off its head and then quickly infuse it with your Dao . This will trick it that it's evolving rather than dying , and it will condense all its insights into a pearl that is somewhat similar in function to a Beast Core . -

Can you infuse it with any Dao? Like my Axe Dao? - Zac asked curiously . - And are there any differences to the quality of the pearls depending on the Dao you use? -

No . Your Dao is just there to trigger the process . The only benefit of a powerful Dao is that the pearl formation becomes a bit quicker , - Catheya said with a shake of her head . - And the Daos you use have to be related to Life or Death for these plants to be tricked . No one has managed to find any other Dao-type that works . Mixed-meaning Daos from different branches are fine as long as Life and Death take a major role , but nothing else . -

Chapter 719 : Mixed Meanings

Mixed Dao works , huh , - Zac muttered as he looked out across the valley .

His vision had been broadened quite a bit over the past 40-odd days he had been under the tutelage of Catheya . The focus had been on skills and necromancy , but everything was interconnected when it came to cultivation . Catheya simply had a much broader vantage coming from a powerful clan in a massive empire , in addition to having a Monarch to personally guide her . The basic understanding that formed the foundation of her lessons contained as much new information as the lessons themselves .

They had touched upon the system of Daos a bit as well when talking about upgrading skills . The last time he got some sort of rundown into how Daos were interrelated was all the way back when he met Anzonil during the hunt . He had gathered a few more missives since then , but they were just things that were publicly shared in a frontier sector . They were nothing compared to the information crystals Catheya got from her master .

The biggest shock was that Chaos actually wasn’t the sole Supreme Dao .

That simple fact had completely thrown his worldview for a spin . As Zac understood it before , Creation and Oblivion were the peak Daos , with the unattainable Chaos on the top . This was the pure path he thought , with other all Daos subservient . The Dao of Chaos was definitely a top-tier Dao , but it was just one of many peaks . There were others just like it .

For example , the Dao of Axe was not part of either Life or Death it turned out . Zac had thought it a branch of Oblivion , but it was rather part of the - Truths of Conflict - -grouping along with other weapon Daos . Space and Time belonged to their own groupings as well , as did the elements .

Furthermore , his particular path leading toward Chaos wasn’t part of the System’s domain . Zac had already guessed as much from the Aetherlord’s talk about broken peaks , that reaching the absolute peak of Creation and Oblivion wasn’t possible within Heaven’s Path . Zac previously thought this created some problems for the Undead Empire , which was so heavily steeped in Death while still being part of the System . After all , Death was a subordinate of Oblivion .

But it turned out that it wasn’t as big a drawback as one could expect . For one , the elemental paths including the Dao of Ice were within Heaven’s Path , and so were the other two great heritages of the Undead Empire . Furthermore , it was also possible to infuse concepts of one Dao Group into another , where you made one the leader .

These kinds of Daos were generally called mixed-meaning Daos , and they were different from the fusions that Zac had completed until now . First of all , Dao seeds weren't true Daos of any particular branch , but rather simple concepts that could be added into pretty much any Dao . A real mixed-meaning Dao would appear if he did something like fuse his Fragment of the Bodhi and Fragment of the Coffin into one Dao Branch .

Catheya didn't say it outright , but it sounded like this was the path she was walking down . She would take her Dao of Death and Dao of Ice , and fuse the two into the - Branch of Deathly Ice’ or something similar , where her ice insights were the primary . There was an endless number of possible combinations , such as Branch of the Deathblade which was a common fusion of the Fragment of the Sword and various Death-attuned Daos .

For a while , Zac had been confused a bit about why people would - limit - themselves with these kinds of Daos rather than pursuing one or multiple pure paths such as himself . After all , there was a clear line from the lowest Dao Sead all the way to the Supreme Dao of Chaos when going down his path .

Certainly , reaching those heights was beyond difficult , but cultivators should have dreams , right?

But it turned out that walking a mixed-meaning path had one clear benefit . As long as one of the Dao components were covered by the System you'd be within the System's purview , which shielded you from the wrath of the original Heavens . Zac was currently walking away from Heaven’s Path with his cultivation leading toward Chaos , which put him in the crosshairs for some nasty punishments . This would be a problem that haunted him through all his breakthroughs , unless he changed his plans for his path .

For example , he had found that he was currently at a crossroads with two of his Daos . He could take the Fragment of the Bodhi either toward the Branches of Life or the Branches of Nature as things stood . The Branches of Nature were within Heaven’s Path , while Life was not . He could even change his path toward the Buddhist Sangha if he wanted .

The same was true with Coffin . He could either push it toward Death or Nature due to its features of rot and decay . There were no doubt other directions he could take the Dao Fragment as well , though he didn’t have any clear path in mind at the moment . In either case , he wasn’t technically on the Boundless Path just yet , which was why Triv was so confused as to why he had attracted tribulation while still early E-grade . It was the next step on his path that would properly place him onto the Boundless Path , for better or worse .

All this knowledge didn’t really change Zac’s plans since he still had the intention to move toward Oblivion and Creation , but it was important to remember how flexible the Grand Dao was . The Dao was not a series of narrow corridors leading toward the same exit , it was an endless sea of truth where you picked what resonated with you to form your path .

It was simply that some parts of the oceans were uncharted territory , whereas others had already been secured by those that came before . Part of the Dao had been integrated into the System from day one , fueled by the understanding of Emperor Limitless and his followers . Actually , this all tied back to the Apostates as well .

It was widely believed that each of the Apostates had mastered a Supreme Dao and brought it into the System’s purview . The Apostate of Order had obviously mastered the Dao of Order , but the others weren’t as obvious . The Beast Progenitor was believed to have added the Dao of Nature , which covered everything from beasts to plants to the seasons themselves .

The Apostate of Mercy was actually the one who perfected the Elemental Daos . Before then the Daos had still been part of the System , but it had been an incomplete heritage . The Apostate of Greed was surprisingly the one who finally brought the Dao of Space into the fold , which made the Mercantile System possible , while also letting the System perform the randomizations and perfected teleportations .

The only question mark was the First Defier . It was unclear which Dao he helped perfect , if any . His appearance was ultimately so long ago that it was impossible to really confirm anything , especially considering his reign had been extremely short-lived by all accounts . Some said ten thousand years , others a millennium . A few even claimed he reached the peak within a century .

Catheya had no idea which was the truth , but she was ultimately just a member of the young generation . There were tons of things that she didn’t know . For example , some still held to the belief that Chaos was the Original Dao , which was why it was impossible to master . Only by placing all the other peaks under the control of the System would there be a chance at grasping it without being reduced to nothingness .

Not that things like that mattered . He hadn’t even pushed all his Fragments to the Peak yet , though this excursion would hopefully remedy that .

So these things are actually plants? - Zac asked skeptically as he looked at the large oyster fifty meters away from them .

It’s a bit of a hybrid , I think , - Catheya shrugged . - The lines are a bit blurred on some beings . Just look at the treants . In either case , observe . -

She threw out a supreme Miasma Crystal the next moment , and then an icicle that cracked it . A large haze of Miasma spread out , and the oyster started to shake a bit as it started to rise from the ground . Only then did Zac realize that it was actually attached to a thick thorned stem , and it was this stem that was rising from the ground to get closer to the dense deathly energies .

Catheya shot a blade of ice toward the Life-Death plant the moment it had stopped moving upward , which caused the area to explode with activity . A dozen blade-like stalks sprung up from the ground as the - oyster’ started to descend toward the ground . However , Catheya was too quick , and with a flash of ice she had passed the sharp stalks and appeared right next to the plant , and it was cut off in one swift swipe .

The sharp stalks started to flail about erratically , exhibiting power strong enough to take out middle E-grade cultivators with their thrashing . A series of ice barriers sprung up with Catheya as the core , and she ignored the stalks as she placed her hands on the severed stem holding the oyster . A storm of deathly energies burrowed into the plant next as she infused it with her Deathly Dao .

Help me deal with the stalks , please? - Catheya asked , and Zac started to sever them while Qirai gripped them and ripped them apart .

Soon enough the two stood in front of Catheya who kept infusing the oyster with her Dao . By this point , the oyster had actually started to absorb large amounts of Twilight Energy from the surroundings , which Zac guessed was the cue that the process of forming the pearl had begun .

So that’s it? - Zac asked as he looked at the oyster .

That’s it , - Catheya smiled . - The process will take a few hours , and you can’t stop feeding it your Dao during that time . Harvesting is simple enough . When the pearl has formed , just crack it open and place the pearl in a sealed box . -

There’s only three of us here , - Zac said as he looked around . - How about we split up to speed things up? -

Qirai’s brows slightly furrowed since that differed from the original plan , but Catheya nodded in agreement . - Remember , we are gathering for four though , so everyone will have to chip in a bit . -

That’s fine , - Zac nodded .

A quick scan had indicated that the valley held over a hundred oysters , which was better than the average trial . There were more pearls than he would be able to use even if the group consisted of seven members . Now that just four members were remaining , he would probably have to discard most of them in either case . Might as well feed some to Varo , so that he might gain something even while in a coma .

The trio soon spread out , and Zac walked toward a random Life-Death Plant some ways away from the other two . Zac didn’t bother with coming up with some new method , and he simply threw out a crystal as well before cracking it with a pebble . He activated his movement skill as the oyster rose toward the energy , and the world suddenly stopped . A moment later he appeared right before the stem .

The weird creature didn’t even have a chance to react before Verun’s Bite] had ripped right through the stem . The ground heaved a bit as the root system below started to rampage from having its head cut off , but the plant never had the chance to extend its weapon-like stalks this time around . Just three of them managed to emerge from the ground , but they were effortlessly cut apart as Zac started to infuse the head with the Fragment of the Coffin .

The dying Life-Death Plant greedily absorbed the energies Zac provided , and Twilight Energy started to surge toward the oyster as well . The swirl of energy was more condensed in his case though , and Zac guessed it was because his Dao Fragment was higher compared to Catheya’s . Zac wasn’t certain , but he guessed that her Ice-attuned Dao was either High or Peak mastery , while her Death-attuned Dao was at the middle stages .

The process continued for two more hours , at which point a ripple spread out from the oyster . The ripple was rife with meaning , and Zac knew the pearl had been born . The extremely enticing Dao Fluctuation made Zac’s thoughts turn to dozens of avenues for his cultivation , but he pushed down the burgeoning bout of inspiration as he hurried over and urgently ripped apart the shells .

Inside was a shimmering dark-green pearl no larger than the pearls that you’d find on a necklace back on Earth . He looked at it with greed , and he was a bit surprised to find he wasn’t the only one . The coffin on his back shuddered a bit , and he felt an intangible nudge of hunger in his mind , even stronger compared to when Love’s Bond] indicated its desire for Twilight Fruits .

So you want these things as well? - Zac muttered . - Well , wait until we have finished gathering them . -

That Alea wanted these pearls wasn't too surprising after her interest in the Twilight Fruits , and Zac was more than happy to provide . There were more than enough pearls to go around , so it was with gusto Zac stowed the pearl into a jade box he had prepared . The ripples disappeared just a few seconds after the lid was sealed , and Zac found his mind clear once more .

Zac wanted to immediately harvest another pearl , but he first rested for half an hour as he absorbed two Soul Crystals . The process wasn’t as taxing as an all-out fight , but it was more taxing than running the purification array . Half an hour of rest was enough , and Zac soon shot toward the next oyster .

Half a minute later , Zac was already infusing the next oyster with his Dao . However , this time infused the fallen plant with the Fragment of the bodhi , though he first made sure that he was performing his experiment out of sight of the other two . Catheya had said that the inspiration came from the plant itself , but he figured his Dao might influence the pearls at least to some extent considering the amount he poured into the thing .

Two hours later a second pearl was formed , and Zac curiously opened the oyster . A small smile spread across his face as he saw that this particular pearl indeed veered a bit more toward a golden hue compared to the darker pearl he harvested before . It also emanated ripples that were slightly more in tune with life than death , which was exactly what he was looking for . Any little advantage was needed with his weird constitution .

The days passed , and the trio worked without rest as one oyster after another was harvested . Thanks to splitting up it took them just above five days to pick the place clean .

You were quite the farmer , - Catheya laughed as the three gathered . - It almost felt like your eyes were shining when you harvested these things . How many did you manage to harvest? -

Fifty-four , - Zac smiled . - What about you two? -

As I expected , - Catheya nodded . - I got 36 , Qirai actually got 34 . Altogether it's 124 , and 31 pearls each according to our agreement . -

I have a proposition , - Zac said , drawing an interested glance from Catheya . - I am willing to buy every pearl you don't need . Ten D-grade Nexus Coin each . -

Are you planning on selling them? - Catheya asked with a raised brow . - They'll only last a month or so , even when sealed . -

I have other uses for them , - Zac shrugged .

Qirai clearly looked interested in making the deal , almost to the point of salivating , and Catheya slowly nodded as well . - How about we keep 15 pearls each , and sell the rest to you? That way we have a few extra in case we absorb them quicker than expected . How does that sound? -

Perfect , - Zac said and transferred 480 D-Grade Nexus Coins .

Your means once again leave me in both awe and despair , - Catheya smiled . - Well , things turned out a bit hectic than I anticipated , but overall the mission was a success . What are your plans now? -

I’ll find someplace to seclude myself for a while , - Zac said . - This trial is a bit more dangerous than I expected , so I'll need to make some breakthroughs before continuing alone . -

He had wanted to do this for a while now , and not only for the pearls he had finally got his hands on . The small hidden wounds in his body from his first node-breaking rally were pretty much fixed after these three long months , which meant he would be able to complete his second round of node-breaking . Zac didn’t know how long he had before his immunity or accumulated toxicity became a problem , but he felt he should be able to gain at least a handful of levels in this round .

So between a few levels and potential Dao Breakthroughs , the power boost he stood to gain was tremendous . And that was something he desperately needed considering where he was heading next .

Chapter 720 : Seclusion

Alright , - Catheya nodded , not looking surprised in the slightest that Zac would head off on his way now that the pearls were collected . - I’ll take you out of this place before we find our own paths . -

The descent from the mountain was just as nerve-wracking as the ascent , but thirty minutes later they stood in a secluded spot down by the foot of a mountain , covered by five-meter tall corals and Catheya’s arrays in case any group of trial takers was lurking nearby .

Remember to come look for me before this thing is over , - Catheya said as she handed Zac a crystal and a sack of herbs . - This is a method to gain even more from the pearls than just eating them as is . And try to not do anything crazy after this , alright? No causing trouble that will cause ripples on the outside . -

Of course , - Zac smiled . - I’m not crazy . -

Well , you seem to have a penchant for trouble , - Catheya said with a pointed look , which made Zac scratch his chin with some embarrassment .

Well , I’ll be careful . I will find you in a year or so unless I’ve found some opportunity that’ll delay me , - Zac promised .

I’ll look for the places you wanted , - Catheya nodded in return .

Zac swam away a moment later , heading for one of the pathways away from their current spot . A look back showed that Catheya and Qirai soon started moving toward another . There was no time to lose considering the pearls only lasted so long , but he had to find a good spot to seclude himself . Zac made good time as he swam through the valleys , and he didn’t stop for three hours as he made his way forward with the help of his compass .

However , Zac didn't head back in the direction they came from , but rather the opposite . He was planning on passing straight through the mountain range on the way to the inner parts of the ocean , finding a cultivation cave on the way . Eventually , he found what he was looking for ; a small crack in the rock which released air bubbles .

Zac hid in a dense patch of bushes as he activated his movement skill . Two seconds later the world shifted into one of death and he flashed forward toward the crack . The intangible form of Abyssal Phase] had its benefits , and he effortlessly squeezed through the path that normally wouldn’t even fit his hand .

The tunnel kept going for thousands of meters into the depths without widening , but just as Zac started to consider turning back , he found himself in a large cave that was mostly filled with air . The place was roughly one hundred meters across and a bit reminiscent of his cultivation cave back home , except the land was on a ledge five meters above the waters .

The Twilight Ocean formed a small subterranean river that just passed by below the ledge and left through another crack on the other side . The walls and ceiling were covered with the same sort of moss that had dried out the tunnels beneath the Living Pulse . There was also a lone mysterious flower that grew on the edge of the ledge ; and Zac could soon match it with Palvae Granulosa] , a medicinal plant used in top-quality race-upgrading medicinal baths .

It was a peak E-grade plant , and each one of its 20-some leaves was worth upwards of 5 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins . It wasn’t a bad haul , though not something that mattered all-too-much to Zac . It did spread a nice aroma in the small cave though , and Zac decided to leave it for now .

First thing first ; he needed to turn this place into a cultivation cave . He swam beneath the waters again swiftly sealed both the inlet and outlet to the river both with arrays and by physically filling them with stones . It would turn the fresh water in the small river stagnant in a few months , but it didn’t really matter .

Zac secondly added a layer of isolation arrays to the cave . He was over a thousand meters below the valley , but there were perhaps more tunnels in the mountain above . This way he was completely shut off from the rest of the world , and he would be able to work on his cultivation in peace .

He cleared out a patch of moss and placed down his new prayer mat before he took out two boxes . One of them held the death-attuned pearls he had purchased from Catheya and Qirai , and the other held the Death-attuned pearls he generated with the help of the Fragment of the Coffin . The coffin on his back was veritably vibrating by this point , Zac took out one pearl from each box .

It thankfully didn’t look like Love's Bond] cared about what it was fed as it opened its casket by a small degree . Zac threw one purchased pearl after another inside until he had thrown a full thirty of them into the shrouded insides . That was three times more than what most cultivators managed to absorb , and he realized was lucky that he had purchased a set of spares .

The lid snapped shut after swallowing the thirtieth pearl , and Zac sensed that the coffin had entered some sort of hibernation on his back . He would probably be able to use it in a pinch , but he preferred not to disturb Alea . Instead , he focused on the second box as he took out a set of tools . He essentially had gathered base items for over twenty professions over his years of fighting , including a few alchemy sets , he took out a large pestle from one of these sets before he poured ten pearls into it in one go .

Zac was almost dragged into a bout of inspiration from the sounds as the small pearls clashed together in the bowl , and the air was beset by such pure Dao fluctuations that he could discern small runes appearing and disappearing in turn . However , they suddenly disappeared as a set of runes lit up along the pestle’s rim . It was an isolation array that would trap the medicinal properties of the items being processed , and it helped Zac snap back to reality as he started to work the materials .

He followed the instructions in Catheya’s crystal , quickly grinding the pearls and a few dried herbs into a fine dust . However , he looked down at the compound with hesitation when he was done , and he eventually added ten more pearls . Twenty pearls was overkill , potentially harmful for most cultivators , but his body had always been greedy . He didn’t want to sit down and refine another brew mid-epiphany because he made a too small a dose .

The next step said to simply pour the compound in a liquid of your choice , but Zac had the capability to be a bit extravagant at this point . He took out a Dao Fruit and turned it into a mush that he mixed with the powder and added some water , turning it into a proper Dao Smoothie .

The brew looked like a blueberry shake filled with gold flakes that swirled around inside , and it both smelled and looked delectable . Wasting no time , Zac downed the brew straight from the pestle as to not let any of the efficacy escape . He immediately closed his eyes , and he focused on the Dao Avatar in his mind .

He had thought long and hard on the route he should take with his Fragment of the Coffin over the past years , and he had made tons of revisions over the last half year he had spent in his Draugr form . Half of the origin of his Dao Fragment origin was Hardness , something that probably was once meant to become the Fragment of the Shield for his Undying Bulwark-class .

That didn’t mean the insights he had gathered were useless though , and that they couldn’t remain as a part of his path . He just needed to find a way to properly incorporate the concept into his path , and he felt like he had found the answer during his battle with Yanub Mettleleaf .

Death was the ultimate barrier that most cultivators dreamed of breaking past on their road to Eternity . But fight as they might , it was immutable and intractable , fiercely guarding the great beyond . It trapped the living in their slowly decaying bodies , and together with time turned everyone to dust .

It was inescapable , like unbreakable chains wrapping around the targets .

Zac barely had time to set the course before he was whisked away as a miraculous wave of understanding shot into his soul . It felt like the crude concoction he had just brewed had formed a clear line of communication with the Heavens themselves , and he sensed something vast and unending . It was just like when he glimpsed the corner of the Dao of Heaviness all those years ago , though what flickered in front of him now was on a far grander scale .

Thousands and thousands of insights had been melded together to form a coherent whole that far surpassed what Zac could grasp . Each part beckoned to him , tantalized him like nymphs luring him into deeper waters . He knew that he could follow the calls and meld with the nearby insights , and he would emerge stronger for it .

But that would be to passively take whatever you were given , and that was not his path . He needed to be the one in the driver’s seat and his mind searched for the truth that he hoped existed , the part of the Dao of Death he wanted to incorporate into his Fragment of the coffin . He imagined the coffin-lid closing , creating a world of its own .

There was just the inside and the outside . The world outside the coffin would eventually move on no matter who had been interred , while the insides of the coffin would become a sealed world of its own , one where the outside world held no sway or influence . It was a world of silence and gradual decay , left forever to its own devices .

Zac held onto his truth , and it gradually matured and filled out as the Heavens themselves filled in the blanks . Things that had felt obscure and inscrutable before had become as clear as day thanks to the concoction that had expanded his mind to the size of the cosmos . Time passed , who knows for how long , but Zac eventually woke up and became cognizant of his surroundings again .

He was surprised to see that the cave had turned into a realm of utter death , with all the moss in the hidden cave having been reduced to various states of decay . The only thing unscathed was the spiritual flower , which rather seemed to have grown a few inches and gained a couple of new leaves .

A glance at an array showed that he had actually been out of it for seventeen full days , which shocked Zac wide awake . It was a lot longer than he had expected , but his gains weren’t small either . Some of the efficacy would have been lost from the remaining pearls by this point , but there was not much he could do about it .

Luckily he had already considered this issue and he had only harvested pearls with the Fragment of the Bodhi by the end , which should have helped keep the freshness to some degree . But before using them he needed to stabilize his mind a bit , so Zac started to absorb energy from some Soul Crystals as he opened his status screen with anticipation .

Fragment of the Coffin (Peak) : All attributes +40 , Endurance +1110 , Vitality +650 , Intelligence +60 , Wisdom +150 . Effectiveness of Endurance +20% .

There were no real increases to any attributes except Endurance and Vitality from upgrading the Dao Fragment , but Zac wasn’t surprised with the result at all . His insights delved into the sealed world of the Coffin , and to some degree the gradual decay in this hidden domain . The aspect of the seal increased the Endurance of the coffin , and both Decay and Regeneration were linked to Vitality .

He hoped that this evolution would help consolidate the aspect of Hardness better with his path , while also increasing corrosive effect against anything caught within his domain . Most notably , it would hopefully empower the restrictive ability of skills like Blighted Cut] and Profane Seal] . He had already prepared the materials to help with a self-guided skill upgrade , but Zac was still leery about taking that step with his defining skills .

Zac knew the clock was ticking , but he still spent a few more hours consolidating his gains and restored his drained mind . Only when he felt like he was back in top shape did he transform to his human form and mixed a second Dao Smoothie . A moment later he found himself part of the grand cosmos again .

Unfortunately , he felt the effect wasn’t as strong this time around , but he still gained insights and inspiration left and right . For his Fragment of the Bodhi , he knew the path to take as well , though that insight honestly wasn’t quite as clear compared to his first one . It was unavoidable , he hadn’t experienced much in his human form after setting the course . Meanwhile , he had lived as a Draugr in the Twilight Harbor and the Twilight Ocean for half a year now , encountering all kinds of tribulations .

During the years he had stayed back on Earth he had mostly pondered on the resilience aspect of the Fragment of the Bodhi or the Dao of Life in general . The ability to keep standing in the face of adversity . However , he felt the insights he had gained in the battle against the Twinruin Bloodstalker was more to his taste , the idea of the ruthless jungle where lives rose and fell like the tides .

His visions brought him back to the windswept badlands , where the consecrated Bodhi had created a kingdom of verdure within its canopy , where life was shielded from the harsh environment outside . However , even in such a paradise were there no such thing as peace . Space was limited , and stalks of grass vied for supremacy against bushels and small trees .

As the decades passed species came and went , where the weak were culled to give space to the strong . Life was everchanging , and so were all its creations . The great Bodhi could only set the stage , but the plants within would decide the outcome and the future . Zac witnessed the seasons pass , but a frown slowly spread across his face .

Something was lacking .

The vision was rife with meaning , but it also felt hollow , imperfect . He sensed he could breakthrough right now if he so desired by borrowing a bit from the vast tapestry of Life , but he couldn't guarantee that the result would be perfectly aligned with his path that way . Perhaps it was because of his lacking foundation , perhaps it was because of the reduced efficacy of the second batch of Life-Death Pills .

He felt himself heading toward a precipice , and he knew he had to make a decision . The next moment he forcibly dragged himself out of the epiphany as a huge vortex erupted in his soul . This wasn’t the vortex of his Soul Strengthening Method , but rather the vortex hidden inside his Dao Avatar .

It was Spiritual Void] that had finally been released from its shackles , and it greedily swallowed all the lingering medicinal efficacy of his smoothie . Zac noticed that another 11 days had passed , and the remaining pearls were close to going bad . Love’s Bond] was still in a state of fugue , so it looked like Alea had eaten her fill just like when Verun got its hands on some nice resources .

He didn’t want to waste the remaining pearls , and he prepared a third and final smoothie , though he didn’t waste one of his few remaining Dao treasures on this one . He had actually found three of them from his numerous battles inside the trial so he wasn’t out quite just yet , but this smoothie wasn’t for the Fragment of the Bodhi .

A surge of mysterious energies entered his mind as Zac swallowed the concoction , but and it was all swallowed by Spiritual Void] . The node was already filled with his Mental Energy by this point , so he guessed that this extra energy would go toward pushing the Hidden Node toward an evolution .

The process was slow , and Zac slowly went over the result of his initial session . It was a bit of a let-down that he had not quite managed to get where he wanted to go with this session . But the final Dao Fragment was right at the precipice , just missing the final puzzle piece that would turn an incomplete picture into something perfect .

And Zac wasn't too worried . His cultivation path was one forged through combat , and he knew he would have ample chances to fight in his human form soon enough . There were plenty of targets to go around in this place .

Chapter 721 : Runebinder

Zac spent the next few hours stabilizing his mind and getting back to perfect condition . The final snippet to evolve Bodhi still eluded him , and he eventually gave up . He knew all-too-well the Dao couldn’t be forced , especially not for him . Sitting around pondering was all-but-useless with his affinities .

But he did eventually realize what was responsible for the sense of wrongness in his epiphany . It was related to the source of his vision .

The scene of the fighting species beneath the Bodhi tree was just like how he conceptualized how he should fight in his human form . But his Evolutionary Stance was not just Bodhi , it also contained his understanding of the axe . It wasn't pure , like the Dao of Life he needed to move toward . Meanwhile , the vision he had created for the Fragment of the Coffin was both a proper concept of its own and a link to his Inexorable Stance .

But he knew he had at least formed a proper framework . The part of his epiphany that worked was based on change . Conversely , his insight into his Death-attuned fragment represented finality . Life and death ; Creation and Oblivion .

His Dao progress had come to a stop , but there were more things to work on . Zac had already spent close to a month in seclusion , but he wasn’t done there . First , he spent three days filling up his still-empty nodes on his Human side , pushing his level to 109 with the help of a stack of Supreme Nexus Crystals and the energy that his Void Heart] kept spitting out as it purified the Twilight Energy .

Only then did he swap back to his undead form and took out another set of Aethergate Pills] .

The odd sense of damage and weakness was all gone by now , which should allow him to go for a few levels . A surge of energy entered his body as he swallowed one of the pills , but he frowned and threw one more pill into his mouth as he felt the lacking energy that shot toward his node . The damage was gone and the accumulated Pill Toxicity was within what was acceptable , but he was starting to build up an immunity to the Aethergate Pills] .

Thankfully he had a backup plan , and he eventually swapped to his human form after having broken open two nodes with Aethergate Pills] . One pill had almost opened three nodes the first time around , but these two nodes alone had forced him to take seven pills . The supreme leveling pills weren’t usable in his human form , but that was fine by Zac as he took out another inlaid box .

Inside were the best leveling pills that the attendant could get her hands on , and Zac felt a powerful surge in his body after swallowing the shimmering amber-colored pill . The pills were not as potent as the Aethergate Pills] , but they had a greater effect when considering the immunity he had built up toward those specific pills .

He once more entered the slow but steady cycle of gaining levels and filling nodes with Supreme Crystals , but Zac sighed and stopped after he had forced open five nodes in total . The result wasn’t as good as back in the Twilight Harbor , but the damage to his body was almost at the same level since each node was harder to break open than the one before . Besides , both his immunity and accumulated Pill Toxicity would become a problem if he went any further .

His Purity of the Void] was fast at work , but much of its efforts went into expelling the invasive energies from his body , leaving most of the accumulated Pill Toxicity untouched . Zac couldn’t be sure , but he probably wouldn't be able to gain any levels this way again inside the Twilight Ocean unless he found some opportunity that cleansed his body like the lava bath did .

Until then , he would have to do things the old-fashioned way .

The Chainbreaking Pills] were still waiting to be tested , as was the Stone of Hope] . Hopefully , he’d get the opportunity to try those things as soon as the imperceptible damage to his foundation had healed . For now , Zac spent another week filling up his levels with the help of Supreme Miasma Crystals on his undead side until both sides were maxed out .

Name

Zachary Atwood

Level

114

Class

E-Epic] Fetters of Desolation

Race

D] Draugr - 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 , Monarch-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 - Peak , Fragment of the Coffin - Peak , Fragment of the Bodhi - High

Core

E] Duplicity

Strength

7599 Increase : 105% . Efficiency : 238%]

Dexterity

3406 Increase : 75% . Efficiency : 187%]

Endurance

6019 Increase : 96% . Efficiency : 238%]

Vitality

4558 Increase : 84% . Efficiency : 228%]

Intelligence

1345 Increase : 69% . Efficiency : 187%]

Wisdom

2545 Increase : 76% . Efficiency : 187%]

Luck

435 Increase : 91% . Efficiency : 197%]

Free Points

140

Nexus Coins

D] 938 235

Zac looked at the numbers with satisfaction . Just over half a year had passed since the events with his mother , but his attributes had essentially increased by 60% since then . Add to that the increased combat prowess of forming his two combat stances , his improved Daos , and his Dao Braiding , and his combat power was pretty much doubled .

Even Heaven’s Chosen would probably be shocked if they heard of such a cultivation speed , and they might even form a heart demon if they learned it was a Mortal who made such strides .

Dao and levels were dealt with , but there were even more things that Zac wanted to try now that he was alone . Zac allocated his free points into an even split between Strength , and Wisdom before he took out a number of array flags . The added Wisdom was to make up for the fact that his latest Dao improvements barely provided any points into Wisdom , and to hopefully help facilitate what he was about to do next .

It was time to upgrade the first of his skills .

His mind still held some lingering inspiration after swallowing the Life-Death Pearls , and his understanding of the Dao had taken a step forward . He wanted to use this wave of momentum to make his first manual skill upgrade . He knew there were some risks involved , but he would have to take that step sooner or later . The experience would also allow him to get a practical understanding of the process , and show him where he needed to improve further .

As for the skill he had decided to evolve , it was Indomitable] . Mentalists were a lot more common in this place compared to back in Zecia . Now that he was heading toward the depths of the sector , he wanted to strengthen his Mental Defenses even if his soul was stronger than most people’s . An F-grade Skill ultimately wasn’t enough to block out a Peak E-grade Mentalist’s attack , and he couldn’t trust a series of fortuitous encounters to save him every time he ran into someone like Vilari’s predecessor .

At the same time , it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Indomitable] lost a bit of its efficacy when reaching E-grade due to Zac’s lack of experience in upgrading skills . It shouldn’t be one of the most straightforward evolutions as well since Zac didn’t want to change a single thing with the skill except its grade . It would be much more complicated to upgrade Vanguard of Undeath] for example , where he wanted to remove the requirement of a shield to activate the skill .

Zac lit a set of incense as he sat down in the middle of the E-grade Fractal Framework Array] . Evolving or modifying a skill could be done in two ways . The first way was to do everything by hand , following one’s own intuition and understanding of a skill . The second way was to use some sort of prepared tools to help facilitate the process .

The former method was mainly used if you were an extreme talent , or if you had gotten your hands on some sort of treasure that provided you with an epiphany . The latter was the method used by more than 99% of all cultivators though , and any sect or clan would have specific array chambers for that very purpose .

Zac knew his limitations all-too-well . Freestyling it with his zero affinities and clumsy energy control was essentially to ask for trouble . That’s why he had paid a premium to get the best portable arrays that money could buy . Success still depended on Zac and his understanding though , so this was essentially a final exam of his studies with Catheya .

The array hummed to life as Zac sat down in the middle of it and closed his eyes . He focused on the skill fractal in his mind , and he took a steadying breath before he made his move . His soul shuddered as the connectors between the skill fractal and his pathways were all severed in an instant , after which he surrounded the skill with dense layers of Mental Energy .

This was the first step of a skill evolution , the severing needed to make the patterns malleable . He carefully moved the fractal out of his body and infused it onto an empty disk right in front of him . The disk lit up , and a perfect copy of the skill fractal appeared with aquamarine luster as a hologram above it . Meanwhile , Zac felt a steady drain on his mind as a continuous infusion of Mental Energy was required to keep the fractal stable .

The circular fractal that made up Indomitable] contained tens of thousands of miniature patterns that formed a cohesive whole , and Zac marveled as he looked at the design . It was like he was gazing at the patterns on a seashell , but thousands of times more complex . Some truths were hidden in those fractals , like how mathematical formulas hid within the spiral patterns of the shells .

His mind started to wander , perhaps still a bit affected by the Life-Death Pearls , and Zac hurriedly focused his mind . He had already made a plan in his mind based on his years of study along with Catheya’s teachings , and he started to send out tendrils of Mental Energy to manipulate the hologram . Meanwhile , he sensed many streams of energy entering the disk that held his actual Skill Fractal .

This was a bit like those surgery robots on Earth , where Zac would modify the enlarged hologram as the array made the actual changes to the skill fractal . It did increase the energy expenditure in return for lowering the difficulty , and Zac was more than willing to pay that price .

What Zac needed to accomplish in this process was both easy and difficult . He didn’t need to change any functions , so he simply needed to increase the density of patterns in the skill to allow it to exhibit greater strength . It was just like how engineers fit more and more transistors on microchips back on Earth to increase their computing power .

That would turn the skill into an Early E-grade skill , after which the System once more would take charge of the modifications on the pattern when the skill upgraded to middle proficiency and so on . Then again , the better the foundation Zac created , the more functions the System would be able to add . It wouldn’t fix any mistakes of his though . Imperfections by his own making would have to be resolved by himself .

Zac started the process by redrawing one section of the circular pattern , an area that housed the patterns designed to store energy . These were usually the safest ones to upgrade in the start , and they often helped stabilize the rest of the progress . There were thousands of such interlocked patterns on his skill fractal , and Zac quickly got to work .

One F-grade storage pattern was turned into nine interlocking ones , where one E-grade core was surrounded by eight supporters . The first transformation took a bit of time , but each change went quicker and quicker until he managed to replace a pattern in just over a second . Rushing the work wasn’t optimal , but there was a time limit on this process .

He needed to form the evolved skill fractal and reattach it to his pathways before he ran out of steam . Otherwise , he’d cripple the fractal or even lose it altogether .

The skill fractal kept changing over the next hours , though most of the modifications Zac performed were so fine that they wouldn't even be recognizable from the distance . He quickly realized that having a plan was all well and good , but some issues could only be discovered when in the heat of it . Certain sections upgraded just fine , but small problems kept cropping up when his schematics didn’t hold up in the real world .

Sometimes it was his instincts that indicated something was wrong . That wasn’t just a blind gut feeling , but rather a dissonance between his Dao understanding and the patterns in front of him . Other times it was his array that was helping him out by pointing out imbalances , feedback loops , or energy leakages through the fractals .

By themselves , most of these small imperfections wouldn’t be a problem , but they could quickly snowball into something serious that would be nigh-impossible to fix without reworking the whole fractal . This was thankfully where the huge number of practical examples Catheya had shared came in handy , as many of the issues he encountered were well documented . He just needed to slightly modify the skill fractal to accommodate these changes , and the array stopped beeping ominously .

Sometimes he kept going on some section for a while even after the array stopped any warnings . A workable and a perfect pattern were two completely different things , after all . Zac kept adjusting the patterns and adjusting the balance between things like defensive runes and Dao-infusion runes until he reached a perfect state .

As to what perfection was , it was hard to say . It was once more came back to his gut , like how you could get a completely different impression from two different paintings which looked pretty similar on the surface .

Zac’s vision was starting to become blurry as he slogged on . Even with his unusual amount of mental energy , he was starting to feel hard-pressed to keep up his focus . He tried to lessen the strain with the help of Soul Crystals , but it was only prolonging the inevitable . He was forced to work faster and faster until he almost completely relied on the Array to make suggestions that were decent rather than perfect .

A new skill fractal without any obvious fault was eventually born . It looked 90% like the original pattern , but Zac had been forced to add two small sections to the skill fractal that glommed onto its sides . A series of imperfections along with the need to adjust the pattern to his E-grade pathways had forced him to add new sections to retain all the functionality . It looked a bit ugly and it wasn’t perfect , it would get the job done .

The only downside he could spot was that it would take slightly longer to activate the stronger state of the mental defense skill , and that it would cost slightly more to run .

He had spent too much time getting each part just right in the beginning , leaving too much work to be done by the end . Zac pressed his hand against the disk holding the actual fractal , and he felt the new-and-improved skill fractal enter his body and move to its previous position . He arduously reattached the fractal through hundreds of small pathways , and he eventually felt his Miasma smoothly running through it without issue .

A breath of relief escaped from Zac’s lips just as the array powered down . It was a success , and he quickly opened his Skill Screen to take a look at the result .

E] Indomitable - Proficiency : Early . The will of the underworld is intractable , undeterred by the screams of the bound . Upgradeable .

As expected , the result was the same skill as before , except that it was now E-grade . However , Zac noted with some interest that the flavor text had changed from the upgrade . The old text said - A vanguard of undeath moves forth , undeterred by the whispers of those who wish to impede the crusade . ’

Zac guessed that the flavor text was changed to represent how it now was fitted with his Fetters of Desolation-class . The adjustments weren't enough to turn it into a new skill though , which was fine by him . Fusing the skill had also come with another advantage ; he had gained a new title .

Runebinder : Manually evolve a skill while in E-grade . Reward : Base Attributes +50

Zac had already looked into the matter , and he was pretty relieved when he saw the result . There were various levels of the title , with the worst one being Runebreaker . You’d get that skill if you messed up so badly the skill was degraded to the point to be relegated to a lower tier . There was also Runemaster , the version where you evolved a skill and it actually became stronger than before , like turning a High-quality skill into a peak-quality one .

Runebinder was right in between , meaning that he had lost some efficacy when adding his modifications , but not to the point that the skill went from a Peak-Quality skill to a High-quality skill . That was actually above expectation for his first try . He just needed to incorporate what he had learned and figure out solutions to the things that confused him during the process , after which he could keep evolving some of the simpler skills .

In addition to the rune-series of titles , there was an even better version where you created a skill from scratch . If you managed to create a peak-quality skill on your own before reaching D-grade , you’d reportedly get a top-tier title . Zac had to set aside any thoughts of getting that title for now though . He wasn’t confident in even creating a low-quality skill at the moment , let alone a peak-quality one .

In a perfect world , he would keep upgrading every single one of his skills before setting out , but he felt like the moment had passed . He might have dared to upgrade a few more of the simple ones if his mind had still been in a state of elevated clarity . Unfortunately , the energies were completely processed by now , and he was back to his normal non-enlightened self .

Besides , he still didn’t feel confident in evolving skills like Profane Seal] even if he had the liquid courage of the Dao Smoothies . Not only was it a finisher with many interlocking parts which made the pattern far more complex compared to Indomitable] , but it also contained more than ten times the number of patterns to modify .

Zac would have to make some major sacrifices in efficacy if he wanted to upgrade the skill with his current accomplishments . But his goal was accomplished , and it was time to set out . His Soul Sea had been even further augmented during his month-long seclusion , and he needed to set out before it was too late .

It was time to set course for the Twilight Chasm .

Chapter 722 : Marked for Death

Zac glanced at the lonesome plant some distance away , and he eventually decided to let it live out its life . It had accompanied him for over a month in this place , and it had even been marked by his Dao . It felt like a waste to harvest it , and Zac instead turned to the large coffin leaning against the wall .

Love's Bond] hadn’t changed outwardly over the past month , but it felt more corporeal in some way that he couldn’t really explain . He walked over to see if it was done absorbing the pearls , and it shuddered when he placed his hand against the lid . Zac’s eyes widened as two of the chains extended from the holes on the side of their own accord , each of them gently caressing him before they were retracted once more .

Almost . . .

It was just a whisper in his mind and he felt the connection break immediately after , but it made Zac’s heart shudder . It was undeniable ; it was Alea’s voice . As for the meaning , he understood it after inspecting the Spirit Tool . It looked like Love’s Bond] was on the verge of some sort of evolution .

He still wasn't completely certain , but he believed that the Spirit Tool was still just Peak Quality F-grade , where it still could keep up with him with some difficulty . Then again , he had seen how the chains weren't really powerful enough to restrain warriors like Yanub Mettleleaf , and he wasn't too sure its skills would much good against the enemies he faced nowadays .

A proper evolution would let Love's Bond] explode with power , but more importantly , such an evolution might actually help heal Alea's soul . Tool Spirits' grades were based on the grade of the Spirit Tool , so upgrading Love's Bond] would essentially mean a Soul Awakening for the Poison Mistress unless there were some hidden restrictions Zac didn't know about .

For now , she was still in a dormant state , though the Spirit Tool had finished its absorption . He equipped the coffin on his back again , filled with a renewed sense of motivation . He didn’t have anything else to feed her at the moment , but the place where he was heading supposedly had the greatest number of hidden treasures .

Zac had gone back and forth on whether he should head straight to the Twilight Chasm and get rid of the weird egg , or if he should first travel the inner reaches for a bit in search of opportunities . Eventually , he had decided to go straight for the Chasm . First of all , the hidden brand felt like a sword hanging over his head , and he was extremely eager to get rid of it .

Secondly , it was a matter of being able to deal with the energies inside the chasm . He could feel that Void Heart] was approaching its limits in being able to deal with the Twilight Energy this far into the trial , and he needed his soul oceans to pick up some of the slack . If he waited too long , the oceans would already have been filled , and he would have lost part of what made him so resilient against the Twilight Energy .

Finally , it was a matter of caution when it came to the remnants . Things had gotten out of hand when he absorbed the Shard of Creation , and he was afraid something similar would happen again when he took on the second set . He might even be forced to leave the Twilight Ascent early , which would be a death sentence if the egg was still in his Spatial Ring .

He didn't want to wait a moment longer , and he soon shot through the narrow cracks after clearing the blockages to let water once more flow through the cave . Zac didn’t immediately return to his corporeal form upon exiting the nondescript crack though , but he kept speeding away from where he emerged . He didn’t know why , but he had felt a tinge of danger the moment he exited even if he didn’t see anything amiss .

It was like the pressure of a looming threat , and Zac figured it was because there were cultivators nearby . Spotting him was extremely difficult in his intangible form , but he trusted his instincts in not reappearing right in front of the crack , and he only transformed after having moved thousands of meters away .

However , his carefulness soon proved futile . He only had time to swim for five minutes before he sensed a number of auras bearing down on him , and he frowned when he realized they seemed to be targeting him specifically . A moment later a group of four cultivators appeared in front of him , all of them clearly part of the same faction judging by their attire .

Zac’s initial instinct was to escape , but he soon realized that these people’s auras weren’t too oppressive , and he instead adapted a wait-and-see approach .

Finally , you appeared! We were starting to worry you had died in there! - the girl who looked like the leader said with annoyance . - You might have avoided our trap , but we've hunted far wilier prey than you . -

Zac frowned as he looked up at the group of four , inwardly wondering what the hell she was talking about . What trap? It sounded like they had spotted him entering the crack in the mountain . Had they set something up right outside to catch him unaware when he emerged? Too bad for them his high Luck made a mockery of most such preparations .

Who are you? What do you want? - Zac asked as he tried to get a read on the group .

The girl in the lead emitted an aura of a peak E-grade cultivator with decent accumulations , and the rest were not far behind . However , Zac’s attributes were already starting to reach a state where he could match those at the peak E-grade , except the old bottlenecked elites and the Heaven’s Chosen .

They might think they had the advantage since Zac's aura was at the same level as their leader's , but their effective combat strength should be halved this far into the trial grounds . They might see him as an easy target considering they called him prey , but they were in for a surprise .

What do we want? Money , of course , - the leader laughed as she projected an image showing Zac’s face as his voice echoed out . The voice recording was from when he bought the Stone of Hope] . - Did you think you could spend almost fifty thousand D-grade Nexus Coins and not cause any waves? You might have a Dao Guard outside , but that won’t save you here . -

Zac’s expression sunk when he saw the image , but he ultimately wasn’t too surprised . The events at the auction had spread far and wide , and he wasn’t surprised some people had discovered his - real- name and face . His Arcaz Black-identity had no doubt been added to some information missive listing good candidates to rob during the trial .

This is just perfect , - Zac said as Verun's Bite] appeared in his hand . - I needed some targets to test a few things out . -

The leader sneered and was about to retort , but her eyes widened when Zac suddenly was right in front of her , teleported forward by the initiator of Profane Seal] . They had clearly been ready for battle though , and they instantly spread out the moment Zac made his move . Lucky for him , their thoughts were still on attack than escape , allowing the cage to trap them without issue .

This class didn't have any skill to take them all out in an instant like he did with the Havarok squad , so Zac had instead decided to target the leader with a blitz . The second fractal on Verun's Bite] had already lit up , indicating that its cutting force had temporarily been boosted by a great degree , and the area was awash with sanguine luster as Zac swung the axe at the leader .

A wall of ice appeared to block his strike , but it was cut apart thanks to the terrifying sharpness of a peak mastery Fragment of the Axe . A dozen ice flowers appeared behind the broken wall , but Zac’s attack was inexorable as it wove between them like a specter . Try as she might , she wouldn't be able to delay the inevitable . The odd movement didn't look fast , but it had passed through the second layer of defenses in an instant , striking straight at the ice-mage herself .

For an instant , it looked like zac hit a crystal statue instead of a cultivator as she transformed through some means , but she was soon returned to flesh and blood as she was launched through the waters from the impact . Huge jagged wounds covered her body , and her aura was already unsteady from his initial attack . She managed to survive the ambush though , and she desperately fended off four spectral chains as she popped a healing pill .

Still , a wound like that wasn’t something you’d recover from in a minute or two , and she had gone from the biggest threat to the weakest one in the bunch .

A deep crack spread on one of the towers of Profane Seal] as a bulky warrior punched it as a black mountain hovered above his head , but he didn’t manage to break out before Zac had a chance to release his other attacks . First came Fields of Despair] , followed by Deathmark] , Vanguard of Undeath] , and Profane Exponents] . Waves after waves of suppression and death spread through the cage , though multiple beacons of life lit up to ward against Zac’s layered domains .

However , Zac had not one but five domains active ; three from his skills , his taunting aura making any action difficult , and finally a massive Dao Field from his recently evolved Fragment of the Coffin , which in turn was boosted almost a whole tier by Spiritual Void] . Perhaps if they had some sort of War Array they’d be able to rip apart his domains like that terrifying treeman , but it didn’t look that way .

Break out! - the leader shouted as she looked around with trepidation . She had already felt the brunt of his might , and she clearly wanted nothing more to do with him . But how could Zac let them come and go as they pleased?

He immediately swam toward the man who seemed to possess the greatest pure offensive force , but the two others moved to intercept and give their ally time to break the cage . One of them appeared in a flash , and she stabbed forward , forming a lance of condensed lightning . The coffin pygmy behind Zac’s back conjured a large barrier just in time before the crackling spear of light slammed into him .

The lightning was relentless though , and while its main force was blocked , some tendrils still found their way around the barrier and through the cracks in Zac's armor . He felt his body getting scorched as he was inundated by a series of powerful lightning bolts . However , Zac’s effective Endurance had actually passed 15 , 000 if he added in the boost from Vanguard of Undeath] . It would take a lot more than a secondary blast to impede his path .

The lightning rogue seemed about to launch another attack , but she quickly had to flash away as a ruthless axe almost cut her head clean off . It was a spectral warrior from Deathmark] who had made a silent entrance , and three more had already appeared close to others and forced them to split their attention .

The earth-aspected warrior had already received a first deathmark since he chose to forcibly block its strike by petrifying his arm , and his face had turned beet-red in pain because of the corrosive storm that flooded him through the mark . The others rather chose to dodge than to block , the far smarter option of the two .

Seeing that the target had turned into an arc of lightning to escape the axe , the wraith instead turned its attention to the final warrior who had stopped some distance away . He was currently forming an intricate fiery array that screamed of might , but his progress was stalled as he was forced to conjure barriers to block out both a number of spectral chains from Profane Seal] along with the ghosts .

Zac was fast turning into an army of one as the chains of Love's Bond] also joined the melee , and Fields of Despair] provided him with nigh-omniscience inside the cage . It allowed him to be everywhere with his chains , wraiths , and attacks , keeping constant and unrelenting pressure on all four cultivators at once .

Their initial goal had been to escape his cage , but their efforts had quickly been reduced to a passive state of defending against a ceaseless assault from every direction .

The fire-aspected Array Master was constantly being interrupted in his work , but he was still desperately setting up what looked to be a massive attack . He needed to go , so Zac barreled toward him instead of chasing the lightning user . The Array Master erected a huge blockade to bar his path , but the barrier didn’t even get a chance to show its might before a blue fire started to eat through it like a corrosive acid . A huge jagged scar appeared in front of Zac’s bardiche from activating Gorehew] as he closed the last distance .

A massive spike suddenly appeared out of the void , and it looked extremely reminiscent of the earth punishment of Nature’s Punishment] . It naturally came from the earthen warrior who had almost managed to destroy Profane Seal] before . He had already destroyed the axe-wraiths harassing him while taking on another mark , and he now aimed to cause a breach in Zac’s cage with a massive finisher .

However , just as the spike was about to slam into the cracked tower , a pitch-black haze swallowed it whole , and a wail echoed out as the lightning rogue suddenly found herself impaled on its sharp tip , her blood forming a crackling cloud at the opposite side of the cage .

The scream caused a slight distraction in the fire-attuned Array Master , and Zac’s five-meter jagged edge empowered with the Fragment of the Axe ripped right through the final barrier before it continued into the body of the man . A fiery rune appeared to protect him , but it was dim and weak , perhaps from Zac’s domains , perhaps because of the Mystic Realm . It just exhausted a small part of Zac’s force before Gorehew] pushed through and ripped his body into pieces .

Zac didn’t stop there as he instantly turned into a puff through a bloodline-activated Abyssal Phase] , and the Earth Warrior found himself decapitated before he even had a chance to see who struck him . Zac was only easing his suffering though , as he was slowly dying from the two marks of Deathmark] .

A third surge of energy entered his body almost at the same time as the earth warrior died . The chains of Profane Seal] had caught the rogue the moment she was unexpectedly stabbed through Zac's usage of Profane Exponents] .

Like most lightning cultivators , her forte was speed , and the moment she was caught a group of axe wraiths had finished her off . They might not have been a match to her outside the Trial , but since Zac wasn't suppressed in here , then neither were his summons . That left only the half-crippled leader , who desperately struggled to escape .

A storm of ice spread through the whole arena as she unleashed everything she had in an effort to destroy the cage before it was too late . She was clearly pushing herself as the wounds across her body worsened . Unfortunately for her , the whole area was suffused in the corrosion of Deathmark] , and over half of the ice shards were reduced to nothing before they could even hit anything .

The rest found their efficacy lowered because of the other restrictions , and many even veered away from hitting the walls , instead turning toward Zac because of the taunting effect of Vanguard of Undeath] . Still , Zac felt that he would only be able to maintain his cage a bit longer . This was after all a peak E-grade warrior beating on an F-grade skill .

If not for his recently evolved Dao Fragment it would long have fallen apart between her and the Earth warrior's attacks . Zac once more activated Abyssal Phase] with his bloodline and flashed over , but he suddenly felt a sharp pain as he was dragged back into his corporeal form with a few wounds .

It was the ice mage who had unleashed some a second even deadlier storm within twenty meters around her , and it contained enough force to disturb space itself .

I’ll pay! Just let me leave , - she entreated with despair as she looked at the three unmoving bodies floating behind Zac .

I’m a guy who spent tens of thousands of D-grade coins , remember? - Zac snorted . - What need do I have of your ransom? -

You’ll regret this! - she screamed with madness in her eyes as she shot toward the wall of Profane Seal] .

The inner storm around her was like a mobile meatgrinder , and it ripped apart the cage in less than a second . However , that small delay had allowed Zac to catch up , and four powerful chains braved the storm and gripped the cultivator tight . Her body emitted sizzling sounds as the corrosion of Blighted Cut] empowered by his upgraded Fragment of the Coffin rapidly corroded her body , and she screamed in pain as she fiercely struggled to get free .

Unfortunately for her , she was well and truly stuck , and Zac didn’t waste any time as he activated the finishing function of the skill . Three extremely sharp cuts ripped the leader’s body apart , but just before she died a weird crystal appeared in her hands .

It looked like a firework had gone off inside the red haze of her blood . Zac quickly dodged a shimmering projectile , but he swore with surprise when it suddenly changed trajectory and shot right toward him . A barrier from Profane Exponents] appeared to block , but the light actually flew around it like it was a living thing .

Finally , the light entered Zac’s body as thousands of small crystals shot out and soared across the mountain range , and Zac barely managed to catch one before it flew away . The bloody waters soon cleared , and he saw the head of the leader drift some distance away , her face locked in a twisted visage of reluctance and hatred .

Shit . -

He had a pretty good idea of what she had done just before losing her life , and infusing some energy into the crystal he caught confirmed it . She had used some sort of Tracking Array , or a Revenge Array as it was sometimes called . It was all-too-common for people to meet their end in Mystic Realms , and most would want to drag their killer with them down to hell as a final act of defiance . This array had marked him , while the shards could be used to find the mark .

Luckily , the message was short and succinct and didn't contain any of his secrets . The Elementalist had mostly focused on his wealth . The only mention of his skills was that he used chains and a cage . Zac understood her reasoning all too well . Justice wouldn’t move many of the cultivators hiding in this mountain range , but wealth would . And if she made him out to sound like a Heaven's Chosen , who would dare attack him?

Time was of the essence , and Zac looked inward to find the brand with Spiritual Anchor] . Thankfully it hadn't managed to blend with his pathways just yet , and he quickly moved to seal it with a layer of Mental Energy and his Dao . He was about to destroy it , but he suddenly stopped as he had an idea .

He would be able to remove the mark easily enough , but did he really need to? He was still a good distance from the depths of the Mystic Realm , and there shouldn’t be too many peak warriors staying in this area by this point . If there were people ready to kill him for his wealth , why not rob them of theirs?

Chapter 723 : Into the Abyss

Are we really doing this? - Kurtz frowned as he looked at the small crystal encased in layers of his Mental Energy . - We saw the fallout ourselves at the auction . He has the protection of a Monarch outside . Besides , you have heard the rumors . Something odd is going on this trial , and a character like this might be involved in the upheavals . -

Our options are limited , - Havan sighed . - We have reached an impasse , treading water for three centuries . The offers from the established factions have already dried up . We can’t give up our freedom for a chance at Hegemony any longer even if we wanted . -

Kurtz and Fathela sighed as well . It was true . They had been so full of vigor two hundred years ago , waving off the invitations of clans and sects alike . They had reached the peak of E-grade in just 30 years and already gained renown in the circles of wandering cultivators , what need was there for them to sell their souls? For the next 50 years things were fine , and the trio of childhood friends kept making improvements to shore up their foundations even further .

Then their progress simply stopped .

How Kurtz wished he could go back in time and shake some sense into his younger self . There was no shame in joining an established force , to take part in the wisdom of the predecessors . Now they were impossibly stuck at the bottleneck , feeling their momentum drying up .

It wasn't inconceivable they'd find the opportunity to take the next step inside the Twilight Ascent , but it was ultimately a long shot . Even if they found the opportunity , it might not be enough for all three . But the opportunity in front of them was different .

This Arcaz Black does definitely have a terrifying background… He spent over 50 , 000 D-grade Nexus Coins on that auction . Even if we just get that necklace and nothing else , we can reforge our fate by selling it to the Veilplume Monarch after things have died down , - Havan said . - I think we can get ten thousand D-grade Nexus Coins from her , more than enough for us to make an earnest attempt at Hegemony . -

And who knows what else he has in his Spatial Ring , - Fathela added , indicating his stance on the matter . - And I don’t think this will kill our dream , but rather the opposite . We need power to get to that place . -

Kurtz took a deep breath , but he soon steeled his resolve . What Fathela said was true . Killing a noble Draugr might cause trouble , limiting their chances at making it to the Heartlands . But what about now? Not even the local tyrants were extending invitations at the moment , let alone any of the factions with their roots in the Undead Empire .

Alright , - Kurtz eventually said as he took out three vials . - If we do this , we need to go all out . -

You old goat , you still had these? - Havan blurted , but his eyes shone with delight . - With this , our chances are even greater . -

The three immediately turned thought to action and set out through the labyrinthian gullies and canyons of Hollowtongue Mountains . They knew the general direction of the target , but reaching him would still require some effort . As expected , it took almost four hours and a lot of doubling back to close in on him , and that was only because he hadn’t moved since they set out .

The spot they had reached was a secluded valley , and it had been quite a chore to find a path leading inside . Their target sat on a rock five hundred meters away with a large coffin on his back and a brutal axe in his right hand . His long silver-grey hair swayed in the waters as he calmly looked at Kurtz and his companions' approach .

His features were pristine , and Kurtz could feel a palpable pressure on his soul from all this distance . This was a true pureblood , perhaps even someone from the original line from how the very core of his being felt subdued by his mere gaze . Arcaz Black was nothing like the diluted bloodlines of the local factions .

Kurz soon enough snapped out of the reverie as he started to analyze the man as an enemy combatant . The choice of weapon seemed a bit odd to Kurtz , and not in line with what he expected from a Draugr noble . Perhaps if it was an Izh'Rak Reaver with their predilection toward physical carnage .

Besides , beastcrafted weaponry wasn’t too popular among their kind since they always held a hint of life . It was possible to transform the Tool Spirits into deathly beast spirits , but the exorbitant cost didn’t justify the benefit . Why all the hassle when you could create a natural death-attuned Tool Spirit by crafting using the right materials from the start? Was it perhaps a quirk of the obscenely wealthy?

A value of 500-750 soon appeared over the Draugr’s head , which was a bit of a surprise . It was too low for a Dao Branch from what they had gathered , but too high for a Peak Fragment . Did he possess two Death-attuned fragments and was working on fusing them into a singular branch? That would mean he most likely had yet another Dao though since pure death needed to be mixed with something else .

'Triple Fragments?' Fathela's voice echoed out in his mind , echoing his own guess .

It would put them at a small disadvantage , but three fragments were not necessarily that much stronger than their own dualities . They also had numbers and teamwork on their side . If they met a few years later , they might have delivered themselves for slaughter . But as long as the young master didn’t possess a proper branch , Kurtz felt they still had a good chance to walk away victorious .

Arcaz Black , - Kurtz greeted as he scanned the secluded valley .

Judging from what they had learned about the Hollowtongue Mountains so far , there should only be one entrance and exit to a valley like this , unless there was some hidden passage that the Draugr Lordling had found . Arcaz Black was definitely not a fool though . Him coming here and not moving for six hours was definitely not him thinking he was in the clear .

It was an invitation .

Kurtz wasn’t surprised , and neither were Havan or Fathela . It was extremely suspicious that the mark had lingered for a full week as it made its way through the mountains . There was no way they were the first party to follow the call . Even if Arcaz Black didn’t notice anything amiss at first , he should have figured something out soon enough and removed the tracking brand .

So it’s just the three of you? - the young Draugr said as his eyes moved back and forth between their squad .

Kurtz felt a shudder as those abyssal orbs . He felt a sense of primordial fear , but also a sense of longing . Those eyes were not only a gate to the endless abyss , they were also windows to the promised land . The world where Monarchy was just considered the middle-point of cultivation . Where nigh-eternal Autarchs erected divine domains for their followers to gain insights into the Dao .

Where the latent will of the Primo connected the mortal realms with the Heavens themselves .

We apologize for the impudence , - Havan sighed as he took out Trailblazer] , the ancient Spirit Tool they had found in a Trove 200 years ago . - For our dreams , we must sin . Your death has the power to transform our fates . -

Many have tried to steal my fate , - Arcaz grunted as he stood up , the collisions of the chains connected to his coffin echoing through the valley . - None have succeeded so far . -

There was nothing else to be said , and the three immediately made their move , centuries of fighting together allowing them to work in perfect harmony . Fathela became the eye of a poisonous storm as he activated his Shroud of Azuza] while Havan’s sword domain spread to cover half the valley . As for Kurtz , he quickly conjured the four markers of Mindworld] , superimposing his restrictive domain on top of Havan’s offensive one .

However , Kurtz barely had time to realize something was wrong before Arcaz Black appeared right in front of him . Primal fear surged through his veins as a terrifyingly condensed aura was released from the Draugr Lord . But hundreds of near-death experiences had honed Kurtz’s reaction . The moment the young lord appeared , Kurtz was already phasing 300 meters away with Voidgate] .

Fathela and Havan didn’t run from their target though , but they rather pushed forward as Kurtz sent out eighteen array clones from his body , each of them indistinguishable from his real self on the surface . But the clones barely had the chance to move away from his position before a massive construction sprung up around them .

Gates , walls , and miasmic towers . There was even a restrictive rune above in the sky that made Kurtz sink toward the surface . This was a proper fortress , and Kurtz frowned as he looked around at the intricate detail of the skill . This was a true peak skill , not something that people in Twilight Harbor would have access to . It was a testament to the difference of heritage between them and this young lord .

Don’t panic , we knew about this skill from the beacon , ’ Fathela’s voice exhorted through the mental link . - And it should still be unevolved from the looks of it . ’

Kurtz agreed as he took in the skill . The restrictive rune that had appeared over their heads was exquisite , but it ultimately lacked the spirituality of an E-grade skill . It would probably be able to put even middle E-grade warriors under pressure , but it was just a minor inconvenience to them .

Four spectral chains shot out from the ramparts , but Kurtz simply had them disoriented and shuttling back and forth in search of the true target . In an instant he had managed to lure twelve of the chains , lessening the pressure of the two front-line fighters by a large degree .

However , he barely had time to set things up before a miasmic haze followed by a cascading wave of darkness spread out , filling the whole cage . Next , a Dao Field put them under far greater pressure than the restrictive rune above their head , and it was only partly countered by their own auras .

Had their guesses been wrong? The pressure they felt clearly surpassed that of a Peak Fragment , yet it wasn't at the level of a Dao Branch . A braided Domain? Was such a thing even possible?

The Dao Field put them under pressure , but the pervasive darkness was even more troublesome ; it was a corrosive shroud just like Fathela’s Shroud of Azuza] , and a constant strain to deal with . He kept the shroud at bay through activating Soulwall] , prompting a barrier wrought from Miasma and Mental energy to appear around him . The drain he felt from keeping the skill active was pretty high , but definitely manageable .

An eruption of force caused the ground to shake , and Kurtz could see that Havan had launched his opening salvo . He and the Draugr Lord stood locked in place as the aquamarine edge from Havan’s Swordwail] was locked in place by a massive jagged edge . The lordling actually used a skill like Gorehew]?

It far differed in quality from the other exquisite skills Kurtz had seen so far . It really looked like the Trial had arrived a bit early for the young Lord . Some of his skills were clearly still unevolved , so he must have chosen to buy some temporary skills from a local repository instead of rushing his cultivation .

Fathela was already shooting forward , a lance of putrefaction gathering on his hand . Kurtz focused his mind as he activated Mindworld] , trying to drag the young Draugr into a realm of delusions . However , it felt like his mental energy was dropped into a vast ocean when he tried to find the man’s consciousness .

Was this some odd mental skill? No! It had to be some unique soul tempering method . Kurtz infused more energy into the skill , digging deeper toward the recesses of the man’s mind . But he soon found himself at an impasse . The weird ocean had already robbed his skill of most of his momentum , and then he finally reached a vast net . It felt like the fractal net stretched from horizon to horizon , vast and free of blemish .

Peak tier E-grade Mental Defense .

His mental resilience is too great , ’ Kurtz swore through their mental link . - I won’t be able to force him into my mind world in short order . ’

Switch to harassment if mind-bending fails , ’ Havan said as he applied more pressure .

Fathela reacted instantaneously as well , changing his goal from killing to maiming . It was lucky as well as it looked like the Draugr was completely impervious to the illusions he was assailed with . Two chains pierced toward Fathela with pinpoint precision as the Draugr suddenly exploded with power , shrugging off Havan with pure force alone .