Defiance of the Fall

Was it even a choice?

48

ENTANGLED

No! - an exasperated scream echoed through the sealed chamber , prompting an avalanche of guards to come running .

Mistress? - the captain shouted with worry as she activated the dozens of arrays that sealed the whole planet , preventing even Autarchs from breaking in .

Space was seared as she unleashed her domain through the surroundings , but her demeanor soon softened as she turned to the young mistress with confusion . - Is something amiss? -

I’m sorry to startle you . The connection is getting bad again , - Iz sighed as she waved her hand at the blurry screen in front of her . - No point in staying here now . -

Please , wait! The impartment is not yet complete! - the captain urged with horror , seeing that her ward was attempting to leave her cultivation session early again . - I will call for Lord Valderak . He will have answers . -

Alright , - Iz muttered as she sunk further down into the shimmering liquid .

A few seconds later , scorching flames broke space apart as a densely inscribed golem stepped through the void .

Uncle , - Iz smiled from the pond .

Little girl , what’s wrong? I had almost fallen asleep when arrays suddenly covered the whole planet , - the golem sighed .

You guys keep overreacting every time I so much as yawn , - Iz muttered with a roll of her eyes .

Your grandfather worries , - Valderak smiled before he turned to the flickering screen . - Oh , the Divine Mirror is blocked again? -

It’s those stupid Remnants , - Iz frowned as she rose from the pool again . - I already missed the last one . I’m going in person this time . -

However , a gentle pressure stopped her from rising too far , and Iz once more sunk into the liquid as she glared at her uncle .

There is only a finite amount of Everflame Bloom remaining since the birth of the era , - Valderak said with a shake of his head . - Few can stomach its cost . More importantly , your grandfather once risked his life seizing it in the Endless Storm . You cannot discard it . -

I know , I’m sorry , - Iz sighed . - I just . . . I’ve been sitting here for years , absorbing this thing . Now , Mr . Bug is about to do something stupid again , and I can’t even watch it in the mirror . This isn’t life . I want excitement like he has . -

That brat sure knows how to attract trouble , - Valderak said with a bemused shake of his head . - I thought he was trapped inside that mutated Voidcatcher? Did he escape? -

He tried breaking out with those Remnants , but it failed , - Iz giggled . - You should have seen his face . But now it looks like there is another set in that stupid fish . -

His destiny has really become entangled with those things , - Valderak muttered . - No wonder , no wonder . . . -

I can still see what’s going on , but the reception will only get worse as Chaos creates ripples across the river of time , - Iz complained . - I should have been there for the last one . I don’t want to miss it again . -

How about this , - the golem said after looking at the shimmering mirror for a few seconds . - The interference of Chaos is still weak . By the looks of it , we have time . We’ll ask Master to divine it for us . If you’ve finished absorbing the primal essence of the Everflame Bloom by the time the brat gets his hands on the next set , I’ll take you there in person . -

And you won’t trick me into going to some trial or Mystic Realm this time? - Iz said with a raised brow .

No tricks , I promise . Work hard on your cultivation , - Valderak grinned . - This is an opportunity every fire cultivator in the universe would dream of . -

Alright . - Iz smiled as she sunk to the bottom of the pond , throwing a final look at the hazy image of the silly Draugr in the mirror . - I’m coming for you , Mr . Bug . -

Having made his decision , Zac wasted no time .

I want that splinter . I’ll take the challenge , - Zac said .

Brat , I think I have an idea of what you’re planning to do with that thing , but you should know it is as much a curse as an opportunity , - the Izh’Rak Reaver grunted . - Don’t sacrifice your future for some short-term benefits . -

I’m aware , - Zac nodded . - I still want to give it a try . -

Fine . The ignorant are truly fearless . Three years , - Kaldor snorted from within the mansion .

About that . . . Would it be alright if I came here to ask for pointers? - Zac ventured , feeling he would be a fool not to try to seize this opportunity .

Commander Kaldor was one of the most powerful warriors he had ever encountered , most likely even eclipsing Yrial . Even some offhanded guidance from this man would be worth its weight in gold .

What? You want me to help you defeat me? When has there ever been such a good thing? - Kaldor laughed . - Prove yourself before you ask me for any pointers . Now get out of here . -

A wave of extremely condensed Dao rippled out from the mansion , and Zac felt like he was looking into the maw of some Primordial Beast . He hurriedly scurried out of the way , exiting through the gate which closed behind him . Zac shook his head and started walking away , but he stopped when he sensed a small item flying toward him .

Zac caught the small token , at which point Kaldor’s voice echoed through his mind . - Go to Pavina . Learn to walk before you can run . -

A smile of anticipation spread across Zac’s face as he looked at the token . As far as he knew , the Silver Attendant Pavina hadn’t appeared in the coliseum since Zac saw her fight over a year ago . Even then , her dominating display of Pure Death still lingered in the back of his mind , and it had been a major source of inspiration as he worked on his skill quest and his Inexorable Stance in the Wilderness .

In fact , his Death-based fighting stance was a lot more mature compared to his living side . He’d already delved into the suffocating inexorability of death during the Twilight Ascent , and over the past year , he had infused a lot of lethality into the stance as well . If he hadn’t spent the last four months working on his Evolutionary Stance while collecting treasures , his human side would have been left far behind .

By the looks of it , that imbalance would only get worse over the next three years . Unfortunately , there was nothing to do about it . After all , failing in the duel against Kaldor didn’t only mean not getting his hand on the Remnant . It meant death unless he managed to flee . After all , Zac’s instincts told him that Kaldor wasn’t joking around when he said that failure would result in death .

But Zac wasn’t planning on escaping in either case . He had already passed the second band of the Wilderness with his less refined stance . If he pushed himself , he would already be able to make some headway into the third band in his undead form . Now , he simply needed to build on that foundation and conquer the next two bands .

Kaldor had given him three years to prepare , but Zac wanted to conquer the fourth band in two . That way , he had some leeway and time to polish his stance even further . After all , Kaldor only gave him a 50-50 shot even if he passed the fourth band . Obviously , Zac didn’t want to risk his life unless he absolutely had to .

Before heading to the Wilderness to continue grinding , Zac knew he could use some advice . Luckily , Kaldor had provided just the thing . Zac set course for Pavina’s cultivation cave , following the directions inside the token . There was clearly a connection between the two undead powerhouses , considering Pavina’s residence was only half a day’s journey away from Kaldor’s castle .

Furthermore , Pavina’s mansion looked almost identical .

The gates swung open as he got closer , and Zac once more took off the mask he generally wore in his Draugr form before he walked inside . He figured Pavina already knew about his race , or would know soon enough . A minute later , he stood in a hazy hall littered with discarded weapons , burning incense sticks , and large tapestries that looked like banners that had been through a few wars .

It almost seemed like the mansion had barely survived a brutal siege , with both walls and pillars covered in scars . However , while the interiors were nowhere near as orderly as the beautiful cave of Ubo , the Life Elemental , Zac felt there was more at play in this place than met the eye . There was truth hidden in the disorder , and every single scar on the walls was instilled with meaning .

In the midst of it all , the Silver Attendant Revenant sat on a prayer mat with a large unfurled scroll in her hands . She curiously looked at Zac as he walked over , giving special attention to his abyssal eyes . Even if there was no killing intent or malice in her stare , Zac suddenly felt as though he was trapped in a world of endless death .

The pressure was suffocating , forcing Zac to take a steadying breath as he stopped in place . He may as well have been sent to the deepest recesses of hell , but the feeling thankfully only lasted a moment before Pavina relented . Even then , Zac was shaken , feeling like he’d been exposed to something far greater than a Dao Domain .

Sorry , I am still getting used to the power of my inner world , - Pavina said with a small smile as the pressure disappeared . - You are the one who dared enter a life-death duel with Master? -

Zac wasn’t surprised to hear Pavina was Kaldor’s disciple . Master-disciple relationships were quite rare in this place due to the direct competition , but they weren’t unheard of . However , Zac was more shocked by the other piece of information she divulged .

You’ve become a Monarch? - Zac exclaimed with shock , remembering Pavina was just a Peak Hegemon back when she fought in the arena .

Normally , an ascension into Monarchy would be a grand event , especially for someone like Pavina who likely walked the Boundless Path of Pure Death . Boundless cultivators were beset by the Grand Minor Tribulation .

The name was a bit odd , but taking that step would summon the most powerful of the minor tribulations . There were two weaker stages as well , one upon reaching E-grade and one when becoming a Hegemon . By the point Zac became an E-grade cultivator , he was still cultivating the Heavenly Path without any real sense of direction , but he would have to withstand the old Heaven’s punishment upon trying to form his core .

Even cultivators walking Heaven’s Path would cause quite a scene when forming their inner world . It was an event somewhat similar to the Dao Apparitions in the Tower of Eternity , where their understanding of the Dao was put on display . Unfortunately , the Orom teleported people away when they broke through as a security measure , placing them in some different compartment of its body .

It robbed spectators of their chance to glean some truths into the Dao , but the Orom prioritized its safety over providing opportunities to its prisoners .

It was long overdue , - Pavina shrugged with a casual expression , but Zac saw a small smirk on her face before she returned to her neutral expression .

Still , it’s an amazing accomplishment , - Zac said , pushing down any sense of shame to properly butter up this recently ascended Monarch . - It’s one thing to do it in the empire where our people have all the facilities available . But to accomplish it in the Orom World takes another level of talent . -

It’s nothing much , just passable , - Pavina said with a studiously impassive face . Zac noticed the basic mat set out for him had been replaced by a much higher-quality one in an instant .

Zac wanted to roll his eyes upon confirming this seemingly cold master really had unleashed a bit of her newfound power to show off her breakthrough . But Zac also remembered how the Revenant warrior had manhandled that other Silver Attendant in the arena . He’d put up a valiant struggle , but Pavina was firmly in the driver’s seat from beginning to end , not taking a single hit .

She had stood out among Hegemons , even in this place .

What do you seek from me , child? - Pavina asked as Zac sat down .

Some advice , I guess , - Zac said as he organized his thoughts . He had clearly contacted her already , so he simply decided to jump straight into it . - Commander Kaldor said I need to conquer the fourth band to have a decent chance of surviving his challenge . I think it’s doable , but I want to avoid any pitfalls as I train over the next years . -

Well , let’s see what we’re working with first , - Pavina said as she stood .

Zac got right back on his feet with some surprise , mentally preparing himself for a tough challenge .

With or without weapons? - Zac asked .

I have heard of you , - Pavina said . - You are making rapid progress from what I am told , but you are not yet at a stage where you can showcase your prowess without your weapons of choice . -

Zac simply nodded and took out one of his training axes , wasting no time as he rushed forward . He swung his axe in a ruthless underhand arc as the chains of his coffin aimed to pincer and restrict Pavina’s movements . However , it was like Zac was trying to trap a cloud as she effortlessly weaved through the restrictions Zac set up as her finger moved toward his forehead .

Once more the feeling of inescapable death threatened to overwhelm him , and two chains slammed into the ground , pushing him back dozens of meters to avoid the strike . That simple movement had been too terrifying , making Zac move away on instinct . Pavina was a Silver Attendant , but he could sense she hadn’t used the equivalent of 1 , 000 attribute points when countering his opening salvo , and neither did she use the power of her inner world .

It was pure suppression through technique .

Still , the first swing had only been an attempt to get a sense of her strength , so Zac wasn’t deterred as he shot forward again . He was trying to perfect the Inexorable Stance , so he had to be unstoppable , intractable . An army of death that would never stop , that would inevitably quench all hope and life .

The air screamed , and he once more unleashed a barrage of strikes at the stationary Revenant . The swings of his axe aimed to kill , while his chains aimed to maim . All strikes were designed to force a response that would open up weaknesses or prevent Pavina from attacking , allowing him to control the momentum until he could launch a killing blow .

It was just a duel , but Zac didn’t hold anything back , confident that the Monarch wouldn’t succumb to his attacks . Zac wanted to showcase all he had to get the most incisive advice . But he had to admit there was also a part of him that wanted to prove himself , to trip up this powerful warrior who walked a similar path as he did .

However , no matter what he tried , he kept finding himself at a disadvantage . Her movements were minute but sublime , and Zac hadn’t even managed to push her off her prayer mat even after a full minute of trying everything in his repertoire . She simply avoided his attacks with pinpoint precision or deflected them with flicks of her hands that almost felt lazy .

The chains that were supposed to bind and restrict her somehow became fetters that kept getting in the way of Zac’s swings . Zac furiously pushed , but he couldn’t help feeling like a marionette that played out a stage fight that was directed by Pavina rather than himself .

That’s enough , - Pavina said as she suddenly took a step forward , her left hand redirecting Zac’s axe as her right stabbed right for his throat .

She stopped her attack right before her nails broke the skin , but Zac’s hair still stood on end as he jumped backward . Throughout the fight , she had never used her superior attribute pool , and neither had she used the two spikes that seemed to be her weapon of choice . She hadn’t utilized any of her Daos either , though every movement of hers was obviously in tune with the Dao and the truths of the cosmos .

And Pavina was just the disciple . He still had to fight her master , who no doubt was many times more skilled than she was . He still had a long way to go .

What are your Daos? - Pavina asked as they returned to the mats .

Zac hesitated before he decided to answer truthfully , considering his Daos weren’t some big secret . - Early Branch of the War Axe and Peak Fragment of the Coffin . -

Pure Death through coffin . Death and conflict , restriction and destruction . Nothing groundbreaking , but an interesting application , - Pavina nodded as she looked at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion . - It is a solid path , but why is your implementation so chaotic? Your bloodline is as pure as they come , yet you seem to have no heritage to fall back on? What are your elders planning , having you derive everything on your own? -

It’s a bit complicated , but I don’t have any masters or elders . I was born outside the empire , and I kind of got trapped here before getting the chance to visit , - Zac explained . - As you can tell , I’ve mostly cultivated on my own with the occasional feedback from outsiders . -

Huh , you’re not an imperial? - Pavina said with interest . - Well , I’ve heard that the empire occasionally stumbles on small tribes who were lost during the great migration . -

Do you have any instructions for me? - Zac said , eager to turn the discussion away from his unorthodox background .

At first I was worried I’d ruin some old ancestor’s plan by meddling with your training , infusing my understanding into your path , - Pavina said . - But if what you say is true , then I think I can help clear some things up . Master told me to help as much as I can . -

He did? - Zac said with surprise , remembering all-too-well how he was essentially thrown out of Kaldor’s castle .

Don’t let his demeanor fool you , - Pavina smiled . - Lord Kaldor has worked hard for millennia , teaching and helping the undead warriors in this place . Many even believe he can leave any time he wants but chooses to suppress his cultivation for our sake . -

Zac was surprised to hear that the brusque Izh’Rak Reaver spent so much effort on the undead cultivators who were caught by the Orom .

What should I do? - Zac asked , not wanting to waste the opportunity that Kaldor presented him . - I only have so much time , and progress will get harder and harder . Should I evolve my Dao Fragment before anything else? -

Not unless you need the Contribution Points to survive the first shuffle , - Pavina countered . - A breakthrough now would hurt you more than it would help . -

What? - Zac blurted . - Since when is evolving your Dao a bad thing? -

49

FORMATION AND INTEGRATION

Zac obviously understood it was bad to rush a Dao breakthrough with treasures , but that didn’t seem like what Pavina was referring to when saying that breaking through would be detrimental to him .

Do you know about the stages of combat technique? - Pavina asked .

Like forming a path or Dao Intent? - Zac ventured hesitantly .

Intent is somewhat related , as are most things when it comes to cultivation . However , it is ultimately somewhat different to what I am referring to . If you hadn’t formed a path , you wouldn’t have been accepted by the Orom . Now , you’ve started working on a combat technique unique to you . From the ground up , by the looks of it , - the Revenant Monarch ventured , getting an affirmative nod from Zac .

However , you have just started the journey . Most factions call the state you’re in the Formation Stage , though you have blurred the lines a bit . -

Formation Stage , - Zac muttered , the term not ringing any bells .

Truthfully , the vast majority of cultivators take a shortcut for this stage , - Pavina said , a small smile playing on her lips . - They choose to walk in the footsteps of their predecessors , learning the established techniques of their clans or sects before anything else . It is a central part of a proper heritage . -

Zac’s nodded in agreement . He’d read through the techniques of the Blade Emperor Heritage back home many times . Even if the methods and techniques listed there required a sword , Zac had still used them as reference many times when consolidating his foundations . By now , he had almost completely moved away from the concepts in that heritage through multiple iterations of his two stances .

In the Formation Stage , you gradually create a technique suited to your temperament , build , weapon of choice , Daos , and so on . Bit by bit , you incrementally improve your technique until you’ve reached the limit of what you can accomplish . At the peak of perfection , this technique allows you to utilize every fiber of your being to accomplish your goals , - Pavina explained . - After mastering this stage , you reach the next : integration . -

The now-familiar sense of deadly crisis filled his heart as Pavina lazily pointed her finger in Zac’s direction , and it felt like a spear of untold power was pointed straight at his soul .

You have great instincts , - Pavina nodded . - In the Integration Stage , your Dao and your technique become one as you directly instill the Heavenly truths you have gained into every action you take . At this stage , even those who follow a heritage have to reinvent the technique they learned growing up , adapting it to perfectly suit their path . This is an impassable barrier for most , even Hegemons , when they have to transition from being a follower to a pioneer .

Striking will be as effortless as taking a breath , but as powerful as a thunderclap . The difference between someone who has entered the Integration Stage and someone who hasn’t is almost as palpable as the difference between someone who has infused their skill with their Dao and someone who hasn’t . -

Zac’s eyes widened a bit in shock , since that was no small improvement . Of course , the description was a bit imprecise considering the various levels of Daos , but it was just an idea .

You said earlier that I have blurred the lines? - Zac hesitantly said . - What did you mean by that? -

In your case , you are forming a technique , where most of your inspiration comes from your Daos , - Pavina explained . - There’s not anything inherently wrong with that , but your foundations are lacking . It’s making you create inefficient movements and techniques . If you don’t shore up the foundations with combat theory , your technique will end up with too many exploitable flaws that will be difficult to fix without reforming the whole stance over and over . -

You’re saying I should improve my skills and technique first , and integrate my Dao later? - Zac asked with a thoughtful frown .

He had always thought his method was the way to go , where he slowly improved his combat style by drawing inspiration from his Daos and his path . But from how Pavina described it , he’d been putting the cart before the horse to some degree .

Have I been wasting my time? - Zac grimaced .

You’re just a child , so how much time could you possibly have wasted? - Pavina laughed . - You have created a decent foundation , and your style of self-discovery will aid you immensely down the road , where more orthodox cultivators will run into roadblocks . However , you are creating extra work for yourself . That might be fine on the outside , but here in the Orom World or against the deadline with my Master?

Right now , you are trying to integrate your Daos and path into your combat style , but your stances are still not mature enough to properly bear their weight . Especially not your Dao Branch . Every time you gain an epiphany or deepen your understanding of combat , you both need to alter your combat style and then figure out how to properly integrate your Dao into the equation .

Continuous improvements are a given on the road of cultivation . But if you first reach a point where you master your weapons and yourself , you will waste less time infusing your insights and reiterating , - Pavina patiently concluded . - Simply put , you know too little of basic combat theory to efficiently integrate your Dao . You need to learn to walk before you can run . -

Pavina’s words perfectly echoed what Kaldor said before he threw Zac out of his castle . Had the Izh’Rak Reaver actually spotted this weakness? Had Kaldor watched his fights in the arena , perhaps? Until now , Zac had held some reservations to what this newly minted Monarch was saying , but his instincts now told him what she said was mostly correct .

And this basic truth wasn’t something that would change because of his zero affinities or dual classes .

You could liken forming a stance to building a house . Right now , he was essentially ripping parts off from ceiling down to foundation every time he found some issue , which caused a ripple effect of issues cropping up . Pavina wanted him to first lay a solid foundation so that any future improvements would require less invasive adjustments .

This was both good news and bad news . The bad was that he seemed to have wasted some time over the past years . The good news was that he had still made enough progress to shock most Hegemons , even while following his imperfect training methodology . If he adapted his learning style , he might make even quicker gains going forward , which was great news , considering how much he had on his plate .

In particular , your control of those chains of yours is atrocious , - Pavina added , dragging Zac out from his thoughts .

I used a shield in the F-grade , - Zac wryly smiled . - I swapped over to this for various reasons . -

An armament box is preferable to a shield for an offensively geared warrior like yourself , - Pavina nodded . - But your understanding of how to use it is laughably shallow . -

Armament box? - Zac asked with confusion . - The coffin? -

Armaments or Weapon Boxes are an interesting but slightly uncommon subdivision of weaponry , - Pavina explained . - They take many shapes , but they can most easily be likened to mother-daughter arrays . The box is the mother , and what it releases are the daughters . In your case , it’s a coffin and chains . But it can be anything from a sheath and flying swords to a hive and millions of poisonous insects . -

Zac knew of the concept , and had even encountered it a few times . But like Pavina said , it wasn’t that common a method , mostly because they had high demands on the user . Shooting out a thousand flying swords from a jumbo sheath had the potential to unleash terrifying waves of destruction , but that was only if you could properly control and empower them .

Not only did it require far more energy to keep going than a singular weapon , but it also put greater demands on your soul . Furthermore , while more units might mean more theoretical power , the risk of inadvertently creating an opening due to the complexity increased . This had become painfully apparent in his fight with Pavina , where the chains ultimately caused more trouble than they helped .

Can you teach me? - Zac asked with some hope .

I am hesitant to directly teach you any techniques , - Pavina rejected . - Your cultivation method is one of self-discovery , and me influencing your path will do you no good . I can help you point out the weaknesses in your basic combat theory through dueling , but you will have to find the solutions yourself . -

Zac nodded . He was somewhat disappointed , but that might be for the best . However , there was one part he didn’t quite get . - How does holding back my breakthrough factor into this? -

Breaking through right now will not aid you in the short-term . If anything , the small boost of strength the prison brand will allow you to keep will become a crutch as you strive to improve yourself , hindering progress , - the Revenant said . - But also , it is theoretically easier to step into the Integration Stage the lower your Daos are .

The moment your foundation is set and you have had some initial success with integrating your Dao , then you can form your second Dao Branch . Infusing the new insights into your technique will be far easier than forming your Dao Branch first and then infusing . It might save you months , years even . Besides , following the standard path , your Dao Branch will likely be better in tune with your desired outcome . -

Zac felt immensely lucky he had stumbled onto this opportunity . He had consulted over two dozen cultivators in this place over the past years , but no one , not even Travo Raso , had been nearly as helpful as Pavina had . Not since taking Yrial as a master had he received such incisive guidance on how to improve and climb out of the pitfalls he inadvertently jumped into .

Incidentally , if you complete the Formation Stage and have initial success with your integration , you should be able to pass the fourth band of the Wilderness , - Pavina said .

There should be stages after integration? - Zac asked curiously , considering integration only seemed to take you so far .

Of course , - Pavina nodded . - After integration comes conception , where the perfect fusion of technique and Dao gives birth to something greater than the sum of its parts . It will allow you to bring forth might that rivals that of skills with a simple swing of your blade . Add Miasma to the equation . . . and few will be your match . -

How many bands would someone that mastered the Conception Stage walk? - Zac asked curiously .

Mastered the Conception Stage? - Pavina snorted with disdain . - Even an Early Monarch would be able to walk freely in the Wilderness . -

What! - Zac exclaimed . - That powerful? Then it’s the peak of technique? -

Not at all , - Pavina said . - It’s enough to become a foundation when confirming your Dao , but it is not the end . The next stage after conception is the Domain of Worldly Laws , but it requires an extremely deep understanding of the Dao . -

Worldly laws . . . - Zac muttered . - So all Divine Monarchs have mastered the Conception Stage? -

There are innumerable too many paths to power . Altogether , I’d say that less than 1% of all Divine Monarchs have mastered the Conception Stage , - Pavina smiled . - For example , mages generally don’t train in this way . It’s mostly infighters who follow this path , and many of us don’t even put that much weight into integrating our Dao with our technique . -

But if it provides that much power . . . - Zac hesitated .

It’s a matter of time invested compared to what you get in return , - Pavina explained . - You should have realized this while traveling the Orom World . Elevating technique doesn’t come easy to most people , while you appear to be decently talented in this regard . Most are better off working on other methods to improve themselves . Bloodlines and constitutions , domains and intent . Body Refinement , Soul Cultivation , Earthly and Heavenly Harmonization , and Mystical Calculation . These are just a few . Many clans , sects , and factions have their own unique abilities that will help their members on the road of cultivation . -

Zac recognized some of the methods Pavina listed , but not all . The list almost felt overwhelming , considering it proved there were so many ways he could still improve in his current grade .

Supportive professions and methods such as formations , divination , poison mastery , trapping , beast mastery are others . Your utilization of a supportive armament could be considered such a path , - the Revenant added . - So just a few of all Monarchs focus on perfecting technique . But all Divine Monarchs have inherently entered the Integration Stage based on their understanding of the Dao alone . -

So many methods , - Zac muttered with dismay .

It’s not like you’re supposed to study them all . As I said , there are many roads to power . What are you going to do? Cut yourself into pieces so you can walk them all? - Pavina snorted . - Even if you’re supremely talented , you have to discard some and focus on those that bring the most value for the time invested .

For example , what if you grew another arm? In theory , it’s another limb to hit your enemies with , so shouldn’t you grow it? What about five arms? One hundred? Cultivation isn’t just about adding new tools to your belt , - the Revenant explained .

But the Heaven's Chosen have more layers of advantages compared to normal people , - Zac said .

Of course . Otherwise , they wouldn’t be chosen . Background , talent , opportunity . It all plays a factor in how many unique advantages you can accumulate into one path . But an understanding of one’s self is the most important in reaching the greatest heights . Too many geniuses find themselves stuck too early .

They consider themselves the proud sons of the Nine Heavens and integrate one grand heritage or concept after another into their path . Eventually , their baggage becomes too heavy , and their cores or inner worlds fail to contain it all , - Pavina smiled . - Then again , those who don’t take risks will never stand out from the masses . And out of hundreds of trillions of geniuses who risk it all , a Supremacy might be born . -

Zac slowly nodded as he took a deep breath to clear his mind . The A-grade was too far away for him to even consider , and his thoughts turned to his options for getting stronger over the next three years .

It was also just like Pavina said . Cultivation wasn’t just about adding new tools to his belt . He had so many things to work on , from his soul cultivation , to Daos , to his technique . He’d die an old man in the E-grade if he strove to perfect every single facet , so there wasn’t a need to add anything more at this point .

What do you recommend I do? - Zac eventually asked after having digested Pavina’s teachings . - Return to the second band , and fight without instilling my Daos and technique? -

If you feel that perfecting your combat technique is the best way to spend your time , then you need to first shore up your foundations . Let me ask you , have you upgraded your mastery skill? - Pavina asked .

Uh . . . - Zac coughed , having pretty much forgotten about those skills .

I thought so . Felt too talented for the basic courses , eh? - Pavina grinned . - I could sense that you have Axe Mastery] at least , which probably is why your axework is far superior to the control of your chains . Go evolve your Axe Mastery] and then buy Armament Mastery] if you have an available slot . Come back when both are Middle E-grade Proficiency . I’ll spar with you again at that point . -

Thank you so much , - Zac said as he stood , sensing the session was over .

Those small suggestions can’t be considered anything much , - Pavina laughed . - You’d get the same advice in any sect or clan . -

Still , it was helpful to me , - Zac said . - I’ll remember the favor . -

From there , he left , heading for Samsara’s Edge . Five days later , he emerged from the Contribution Store with a skill crystal containing Armament Mastery] . He hesitated , but eventually went into one of the empty houses to learn the skill . The reason for his hesitation was that Armament Mastery] actually took up the same spot as the Peak proficiency Bulwark Mastery] , forcing him to give up on the old skill to learn the new .

Zac shook off the hesitation and rebranded the skill . He’d already made his decision long ago , and all of his shield-based skills except Vanguard of Undeath] were gone . That skill would eventually make the transition as well , as soon as he decided on exactly how he wanted to reform it . He had held off until now , as the way he fought using Inexorable Stance kept changing .

Hopefully , he would find the answer for that issue as he progressed toward the Integration Stage .

A wave of nostalgia hit him as the familiar guiding lights appeared in his vision as he activated the new skill , this time pathing trajectories for the chains of his replacement coffin . It was just like when he learned the basics of swinging his hatchet back on Demon Island , lost and alone in a forest crawling with Barghest , Gwyllgi , and Imps .

Zac only played with the skill for a few minutes before teleporting to the Wilderness , choosing to enter the first band . His meeting had been a wake-up call . It was time to build the foundation that would take him all the way to Divine Monarchy and beyond .

50

TECHNIQUE

The chains of Chainbox] , the working name of Zac’s spare coffin , caused the whole ravine to be drowned in a raucous rattling which was continuously reinforced and multiplicated by the iron-rich cliffs to his sides . The clamor was almost at the level of a mental attack by this point , which Zac barely noticed as he focused on perfecting his control over his armament .

Fifty meters away , a harried mountain rat with metal plating desperately tried to break out from its besiegement , the four chains of Chainbox] causing an inescapable net around the bison-sized critter . A few of the clashing sounds of metal against metal came from the links slamming into the damaged scales , but most of the sounds actually came from the chains colliding with each other .

Looking back at his fight with Pavina month ago , Zac almost wanted to dig a ditch and hide in it out of shame . He’d been so full of vigor , feeling like he was inching closer and closer to the true meaning of inexorability , a restrictive stance that embodied Death and Conflict . But all the while he had used his chains , a major component of restricting and seizing the momentum , like a flailing orangutang .

It also made him want to apologize to Alea for wasting such a precious resource . Unfortunately , she was still in a passive state as she hung from his neck . Even now , years later , Zac had no idea what was going on . For all he knew , she was still absorbing the massive amounts of energies she swallowed from Uona , along with the purifier ball she ate just as they entered the Void .

It was also possible she’d completed the absorption but her evolution was restricted by the Orom . Zac could probably break the seal on the necklace with his Void Energy , but he didn’t dare in case it would hurt Alea’s progress . He would have to wait and find out when he got out of here . For now , Chainbox] would have to do .

He’d always considered the chains to be a flexible addition to his repertoire ; within a limit . He could control their force and direction , which pretty much made him consider them as mobile spears he could stab into his enemies . If the target was weakened enough that Zac believed the chains would hold , he could bind them .

But that was barely scratching the surface .

Over the past month , he had gone through innumerable variations with his chains as he walked through the early reaches of the first band . He had exclusively focused on mastering his armament as he evolved his newly acquired mastery skill , and he only used his axe when out of options . Over the last three days , he’d only been forced to do so four times .

It didn’t seem like much considering he was fighting the weakest of all the beasts in the Wilderness , but Zac knew it was a huge accomplishment . After all , he didn’t use his Daos , and neither did he use any skills . He simply followed the various concepts hidden inside Armament Mastery] to take out beasts with twice his attributes . He’d soaked up the teachings like a sponge , rapidly turning them into something practical and deadly .

Zac was first worried he would have to scrap the Inexorable Stance altogether to fix its underlying issues , but that wasn’t the case . He simply put aside the concepts of Death and Conflict for a moment , and instead focused on the underlying theory . Trajectories , movements , pathing , tempo , momentum .

One by one , these concepts were rehauled as Armament Mastery] went from Early to High mastery , and Zac was shocked to see how much his lethality improved . The first few days , every single beast managed to break out from the proverbial cage of chains , only to increasingly find themselves helpless against Zac’s techniques .

He had also used the Peak proficiency Axe Mastery] a bit between fights to give himself a refresher course to see if he’d missed something . Looking at it with a fresh set of eyes after having worked on a technique of his own , he was both embarrassed and delighted to see how many insights were hidden in the seemingly simple swings .

It wasn’t just about the Dao of the Axe , and neither were the ever-flowing set of attacks empty receptacles to be filled with his Daos to reach the Integration Stage . It was like every marked-out trajectory contained a lesson on everything from tactics to momentum , if you knew to listen . They were unsullied by outside concepts , unblemished by biases or the influence of classes or anything else .

The rat screeched with helpless frustration as it swirled and lashed its tail at one of the chains that slithered around it like a snake . The collision pushed the chain away , slamming it into a second . However , with a small mental nudge from Zac , this transfer of momentum allowed him to alter the trajectory of the second chain .

The chain that had previously stopped the rat from escaping took a sharp turn . With the boost of speed from the rat’s attack , it shot forward , piercing straight into the eye of the beast as it completed its swipe . It was almost like the rat had given the push then delivered itself to be slaughtered . Although the truth wasn’t so simple .

Zac felt the minute influx of energy as he replayed the battle in his mind . The chains were not separate entities , they were one . There was always cause and effect , where even the enemy was becoming a part of the method . This method of control was the greatest takeaway over the past month , and it was what had skyrocketed his efficiency with his chains .

The chains were only so nimble , but a simple collision could change everything . It could allow a sharp turn , block strikes by shifting a part of the chain into position , and create a general pressure through constant changes and variations . Before , Zac had almost only focused on the end-point of the chains . Now , the whole length was fast becoming an instrument to be manipulated .

There were an endless number of patterns that could spring from simple collisions between the four chains he used . Different types of collisions caused different effects , and you could create a chain reaction that became harder and harder to anticipate for the target . And all this could be further manipulated by Zac infusing energy into the chains , retracting , extending , turning , and empowering them .

This ability bordered into the techniques of some types of mages , who created inescapable nets of death by planning dozens of steps ahead like in a chess game . Zac had no goal to take this theory to its limits though , and he was happy if he could smoothly generate two-step attacks like the one that killed the steel rat . Any more than that , and the patterns would become too complex for him to manage .

After all , his axework was ultimately the main driving force in his combat style , and he had no interest in changing that up . As long as he had the mental capability and energy reserves to add something to his combat stance to make it more lethal , why not? Especially when the chains tied into his Dao and his skills .

Zac soon enough found another target to hunt , this time a group of three stocky lizards that could very well have been dinosaurs , considering their three-meter length . His hair danced from the wind the four chains kicked up as they shot forward , instantly putting the three animals on the defensive . The clattering of chains once more echoed through the mountainous regions , intermingled with the angry roars of the beasts .

Fighting and restraining three beasts was far more difficult , but Zac had become a lot more skilled in restraining without actually binding someone . The moment one of the beasts tried to break away , one of its brethren stumbled into him , tripped up by a sneaky chain or trying to avoid a strike at their vitals .

Meanwhile , the third one was forced to move so its body became a barrier when the beast got ready to rush out again . This was the kind of restriction he aimed for , and he wasn’t even using his Daos to accomplish it . If he wanted , Zac could have pushed Armament Mastery] to Peak mastery in a few days , but he wanted to completely digest every piece of information .

The goal during this outing wasn’t simply to maximize his lethality and push deeper into the Wilderness . It was to accomplish his goals with the smallest possible investment , just like how Pavina created wonders with her minute movements . The fights over the past month made Zac truly appreciate what Kaldor and Pavina meant by saying he needed to learn to walk before he could run .

Apart from leaving hidden flaws in his technique , he had been wasting so much energy and effort by trying to solve every little thing through his understanding of the Dao . Revisiting the mastery skills made him realize he was dreadfully inefficient in this manner . Some things did not need a fancy solution .

His fight with Adcarkas had been eye-opening , where for the first time , he saw true integration of Dao into movements . But it had also saddled him with bad habits . In a sense , it was like taking a helicopter to your next-door neighbor to borrow a cup of sugar . It technically worked , but it was way too much work .

Zac had ample stores of both Miasma and Mental Energy to bear this kind of inefficiency , though this wasn’t just about energy conservation . It was more about time management . The more he could accomplish with small actions during a fight , the bigger the time window he would have to unleash his skills or killing blows .

One beast after another fell , leaving Zac the last man standing . It was time . He could feel the buildup in the skill fractal in his chest , and Zac rushed toward the hidden site he’d prepared .

Over the last few days , he had been essentially walking in a circle in the mountain range . In the middle of the circle , he prepared a cultivation cave where he could reach Peak mastery of Armament Mastery] in peace . Soon enough , he reached the secluded cave , and he activated the set of arrays he arranged beforehand .

The cave was sealed , and the chance of any beast finding this place in the next couple of weeks was extremely small , let alone the few hours he needed to undergo the vision . After lighting up three sticks of incense , Zac sat down on his prayer mat , no longer holding back the breakthrough .

A moment later , his vision changed , and Zac saw an elderly man walking up a lush mountain with a weave basket on his back . Out of the forest , six masked men jumped out , clearly full of ill intent . Just as they were about to decapitate the old man , the lid to the basket rose and a large wooden hand emerged , blocking their advance .

The hand wasn’t something born from nature like the hand of Arcadia’s Judgment] . It was rather meticulously carved and painted to almost look like the real thing . After the hand , a lanky figure emerged from the basket , stepping out in front of the old man . It was a six-armed demon , where two hands held stakes and another two hammers .

The demon flew forward with such speed , it almost looked like teleportation , driving a stake through the head of one of the assailants , its jab dreadfully quick . Two of the masked attackers tried to circumvent the demon , but Zac was surprised to see them suddenly falling down as their bodies were cleanly cut apart . Only then did Zac notice the dozens of nigh-invisible strings that ran from the basket to the demon .

After a few seconds , all the attackers were dead , and the demon separated into thirty smaller parcels that flew back into the basket as the old man continued on his journey .

The next scene depicted a warrior with a scarred marble statue on his back . Embedded in it were eight weapons , each one unique of a distinct design . One by one they were dragged out and flew off to fight the cultivator’s enemies , the blades working together as smoothly as a professional hunting party .

One such scene replaced the next , and Zac’s horizons kept getting wider as he saw one odd method replace another . There were puppeteers , insect controllers , armorers , array masters , and all kinds of unique fighting styles . Mages who had somehow pre-stored spells in a backpack , poison masters who unleashed unholy mixtures upon their surroundings , there seemed to be no limit to what was possible with armaments .

Some of the techniques were only tenuously related to his coffin-and-chains-combination , but they did display how one should fight using the mother-daughter weapon type . Most of the cultivators he saw had their armament as main weapon , while some used it like Zac to reinforce or complement their main attack .

Out of all the visions , the one Zac felt most familiar with depicted a reptilian man using two tulwars as main weapons . On his back , a beautiful set of steel wings hung , where the largest feathers at the edge could detach and be controlled . They were razor-sharp , like small knives that cut through the air , tormenting the reptilian’s enemies from the flanks while he unleashed a storm of carnage with his swords .

Zac awoke , but didn’t immediately move out . Instead , he sat in his cave , ruminating over his Inexorable Stance . What should it look like? Even now , he wasn’t thinking in conceptual terms like the inevitability of death , but in simpler terms .

What kind of technique should he strive for? What kind of footwork? What roles should the chains ultimately have? What kind of strikes should he use with his axe? Should he battle head-on or adapt a style of quick strikes before creating distance? Had he gone wrong anywhere with what he’d built so far , focusing on Dao more than on himself?

Ten days passed when Zac finally opened his eyes again , and he exited his cave . A beast lumbered in the distance , but he didn’t bother with it , instead making a beeline in the direction of the second band with the help of Abyssal Phase] . Two days later , he found a target at the edge of the second band—a two-meter-tall macaque surrounded by arcs of lightning .

It was one of the rulers of the first zone of the Wilderness , a perfect sparring partner to put his latest theories to the test . The primate immediately engaged , and a wave of lightning shot toward Zac . He used one of his chains to soak up the lightning and disperse it into the ground while the other three continued toward the beast .

This time , Zac went forward as well , and the arcs of blue lightning were reflected in his axehead as he swung his weapon in a seemingly straightforward arc . While it wasn’t imbued with the concepts of death or his Branch of the War Axe which Zac had infused into the Inexorable Stance before , it still managed to leave a deep wound in the primate’s chest . It was like his swing was invisible to the hulking monkey .

The effect wasn’t thanks to superior attributes or the Dao , but rather due to the smart usage of his chains . While one chain dealt with the lightning , the other three targeted the beast . Through constant collisions with each other , the ground , and the animal’s razor-sharp claws , they formed a confusing tangle that could deliver a strike from seemingly any direction .

This alone forced the beast to spread its awareness , not only targeting the undead warrior in front of it . Finally , a snap from two chains colliding right by the animal’s right ear , followed by a swipe against its right haunches , provided a short window of opportunity where the left side of its chest was wide open .

The monkey instantly realized its mistake , but it was too late . It only managed to generate a lightning field to protect itself , and Zac’s powerful strike still managed to leave a grievous wound almost unopposed . After delivering such a strike , it was just a matter of time before the primate fell .

He’d managed to reach the edge of the first band without using any skills or Daos . Of course , this accomplishment was not just thanks to Armament Mastery] . Most of his strength ultimately came from the past two years of refining his technique , even if his method had been a bit inefficient .

The kind of trickery with sounds and feints that deceived the macaque would be less useful against a hardened veteran , but it was a proof of concept that he could create a very similar effect to his old Inexorable Stance without even infusing any of his Daos into his technique . It was akin to creating a restrictive formation with the help of the constantly moving chains .

As long as he integrated his Dao insights into his current stance , it should reach a completely new level of power . Zac shook his head , ignoring the tempting voices in the back of his head . Instead , he left the Wilderness , heading for the skill-upgrading chambers in Samsara’s Edge .

It was time to enter phase two of his training .

51

MASTERY

Zac appeared in the teleporter of Samsara’s Edge with a flash of light , and settled inside one of the empty buildings as took out an information crystal . It was a short missive on mastery skills , something he picked up for 150 Purchase Points when buying the Armament Mastery] skill . Even now , he hadn’t actually read it , afraid that its contents would influence his training right when he was at the beginning of learning .

Now that he’d reached Peak mastery , he didn’t have those reservations any longer , so he curiously read through the materials . Most of the missive was a list of different categories of mastery skills , along with examples . There were a lot more types of mastery skills than he expected . They included not only weaponry , but also all kinds of arcane specialties and crafts .

The latter , unfortunately , only worked for non-combat classes , dashing Zac’s hopes of an easily-acquired skill like alchemy or blacksmithing .

The most relevant part of the missive related to upgrades , and it was quite straightforward . The consensus was that the mastery skills weren’t technically true skills . They didn’t contain the essence behind the teachings , and it was more accurate to consider them daughter arrays to the System . Therefore , the only step needed to upgrade the skills was to increase the detail of the pathways , and he already knew how to do that .

However , the missive also included an extremely interesting snippet of information , something which confirmed a suspicion of his . Mastery skills had two empty sockets , where one was recommended to leave a pattern representing one’s Daos . That meant , he could leave two marks of his Dao Branch in Axe Mastery] , and the impartments would be slightly adjusted to suit his flavor of axe usage .

The same could be said for his armament mastery , but that was where Zac became a bit hesitant . He hadn’t spent much time as a human lately , and his Evolutionary Stance had fallen even further behind . However , he couldn’t help but wonder if the addition of an armament wouldn’t help elevate that stance as well .

He had the skill already , and the ability to make something of it . Using a coffin and chains might not be the optimal route for his human side , but the vision from Armament Mastery] had shown that only one’s imagination limited what kind of armaments could be created . Perhaps something like vines?

Would it be a mistake , locking the mastery skill to his Fragment of the Coffin? Should he avoid attunement altogether or should he balance the skill fractal out with the Fragment of the Bodhi? Part of him wanted to return to Pavina and confer with her on this matter . But he didn’t , his hesitation about divulging his duality keeping him at an impasse .

Ultimately , he decided to add his Life-based Dao to the skill fractal . He’d constantly been going over his stances this past month , and the more he thought about it , the more sense it made to mirror his two sides . He had ultimately returned to the basics , but some things wouldn’t change with his path .

One stance represented change and breaking fate , the other stillness and inevitability . One side was Death , the other Life . Evolution and Inexorability , these two represented polar opposites that would grow over time , until they reached the highest domain .

Zac felt his two sides needed to stay aligned , even if their core values were each other’s opposites . Like yin and yang . For while the two stances were currently separate , Zac had the notion of fusing the two into one supreme path through conflict down the road .

Having arrived at this conclusion , Zac immediately set out , filled with motivation as he entered the facilities at the edge of the city . He booked an unattuned cultivation chamber , which was a higher-quality version of the Fractal Framework Array] . Unfortunately , there were no attuned Life-Death chambers in this place , so Zac would have to do it on his own .

Zac took out two attuned natural treasures just in case he needed some liquid inspiration , though Zac didn’t think it would be required . The array hummed to life , and he infused the skill fractal of Armament Mastery] into a large crystal in the center of the room . At the same time , he felt a soothing stream of pure Mental Energy seep into his soul while his thoughts became as clear as crystal , proof of the high quality of the chamber .

Things progressed as expected over the next few hours . The basic patterns of the skill fractal were as simple as they came , barely at the level of a low-quality skill . Most of the effort was spent adding two Dao arrays to the skill fractal . The patterns were a simplified manifestation of his Daos , their appearance based on the two Dao Avatars in his Soul Aperture .

The two trees , one radiant and the other withered with the coffin hanging from its only branch , were now residing on one of the outer cores each . The axe avatar that looked like himself had once more taken its place on the main core , and its eyes were closed in meditation .

Eventually , the upgrade process was complete , and Zac eagerly returned the skill fractal into his pathways before opening his Skill Screen .

E] Armament Mastery (Bodhi & Coffin) – Proficiency : Early . The seed is planted as you strive for mastery . Upgradeable .

The skill was still upgradeable , though Zac read in the missive that D-grade was the last stage of the skill . After that , you would have to search for answers yourself , which Zac figured was fair enough . A Monarch really should be at the stage where they knew what to do . The two Daos he instilled into the skill were listed as well , proving his infusion had worked .

Zac’s next step made him hesitate , but he ultimately chose to leave the chamber and transform into his human form elsewhere , before renting another upgrade chamber .

This time , he was planning on upgrading Axe Mastery] , but he was apprehensive on how to form the patterns for his Dao Branch . It felt weird trying to draw a small version of himself , like how his Dao Avatar looked . Ultimately , Zac created two different patterns , each one looking like one of the two axes his avatar used as he swapped between forms .

The upgrade went without any surprises , and he returned to his temporary home in the city . Full of curiosity , he activated Axe Mastery] , and saw the familiar trajectories appear in the living room . Zac started following the guidance , but a frown appeared on his face after a couple of minutes .

The proposed trajectories were identical to when he used the Peak mastery F-grade skill . Nothing new was shown . Zac thought it over before he infused the fractal with his Branch of the War Axe , and he nodded in satisfaction when they changed . Exactly how the strikes differed were a bit hard to pinpoint , but as he went through the motions , they felt extremely comfortable .

That didn’t mean the old trajectories were bad or anything . It was like the difference between wearing a nice-fitting suit and a tailored one . But having taken a shortcut into the Integration Stage once already , Zac could tell this wasn’t the same thing . While there were echoes of his Dao behind the small alterations , the swings were still just normal techniques .

The more he followed the patterns , the clearer it became . The mastery skill showed a shadow of the Integration Stage , where pure technique had started getting influenced by Heavenly truths . Even if there was just a hint of it inside the swings , Zac was ecstatic , as he instantly detected a few mistakes he’d committed with his old integration of the Evolutionary Stance .

Zac believed that as long as he managed to grasp these differences and the underlying reasons behind them , he would not only have an easier time integrating his Daos in the future , but also understand his Dao better . He tried imbuing his other two Daos Fragments into the skill fractal , but unsurprisingly , he was met with resistance before it failed . He’d branded the fractals with his Daos , and the others wouldn’t work anymore .

He kept experimenting with the two skills for two days until he returned to the Wilderness in his undead form , this time starting from the second band .

Zac was no longer solely focusing on the chains as he began his latest assault on the wildlife , but was rather integrating what he learned over the last month into his reformed Inexorable Stance . It mostly went fine , but he found himself unable to completely utilize all the tricks he picked up from Armament Mastery] .

There were simply too many variables to control . Himself and his axe , along with the constantly moving chains . That alone was hard enough to keep track of . Add to that one or multiple enemies , most of which wouldn’t react as one hoped . Thankfully , there was ample room for improvement .

The more he fought , the more the lessons from Armament Mastery] were elevated from being a mastered ability into instinct that required no thought . One day , the complex movements would hopefully become second nature to him , so that he could solely focus on his axe and his enemy .

The days passed as he moved across the second band of the Wilderness . He didn’t move past the midpoint , content in fighting the earlier parts . This time around , he occasionally swapped over to his human side to reference the teachings hidden inside the E-grade Axe Mastery] . Unsurprisingly , it was also this skill that first reached middle proficiency after just two weeks .

It had roughly been eight years since the integration by now , and he reached Peak proficiency of the F-grade Axe Mastery] during the first year , inside the Tower of Eternity . Since then , he had continued improving his axework on his own , and had already discovered most of the lessons in the upgraded version of the mastery skill through battle .

Some discoveries allowed him to advance his techniques , but reaching middle mastery was mostly about gaining a deeper understanding of many things he was already doing by instinct . After having reached middle mastery of Axe Mastery] he focused more on his other mastery skill .

Of course , Zac’s true goal wasn’t to evolve these skills . It was to improve his techniques , so most of his time was spent in combat or meditation where he inched closer to perfection . Because of that , it took another two months before he reached middle mastery of Armament Mastery] and managed to infuse the concepts into his Inexorable Stance .

A lot of time had passed already since accepting the quest , but Zac wasn’t stressed at all about not having returned to the third band . He knew just how much he had improved over these four months . He would be able to push deep , deep into the third band by the time he returned , perhaps even conquer the whole thing . But for now , he left the Wilderness to visit his new teacher .

You’re back , - Pavina nodded when Zac returned to her mansion . - Close to four months . Not too long , not too short . Interesting . Come , show me what you’ve learned . -

Zac shot forward , the chains of Chainbox] forming a strangling tangle of cold hard metal while he rushed straight for the Revenant herself . Pavina smiled as she looked around , and started to clash with the chains to force her momentum on her surroundings .

However , Zac was like the surging tides as he unleashed a ceaseless barrage of strikes . Every time Pavina flicked one of the chains , another one came to the rescue by offsetting the momentum she created . Even then , Zac found himself overwhelmed , even if Pavina only used techniques equivalent to the Formation Stage .

Still , he managed to hold on for almost twenty seconds before he found a finger pointed against his heart as she broke through his defenses , forcing an opening when he tried to land a strike with his axe .

Continue , - Pavina said as she took a step back , and the two resumed their duel without missing a beat .

Last time , their sparring session didn’t even last two minutes . But this time , they fought for half an hour . Even though Zac gradually improved as he got used to fighting a person rather than a bunch of beasts , Pavina managed to land a strike at his vitals almost fifty times .

Not too bad , - Pavina nodded when they stopped . - While four months is too short to make any real progress with your armament , they are no longer an active hindrance , at least . Rest an hour , then we duel again . -

Zac nodded in thanks . Her comment wasn’t the real teaching , it was the duel itself . Every time she tapped his vitals , she’d pointed out a glaring weakness in his stance . He closed his eyes and replayed the fight in his mind , going over every single moment in search of solutions . Just like she said the last time , he would have to find the answers himself .

Soon enough , Zac stood and started to slowly swing his axe as the chains drew graceful arcs through the air . In his mind , he once more saw Pavina’s hand heading for his heart , and he shifted his weight while the chains moved to intercept . However , he soon stopped with a shake of his head and reset his position , trying something else .

His first response would have solved the attack if it was static , but it wasn’t like Pavina wouldn’t adapt and change her attack if he directly tried to block . Over and over , he replayed that first hit , not only going over his measures , but how the Revenant would respond . Eventually , he found a solution as he managed to force a situation of mutual destruction , where his chains would have pierced her gut if she went through with the strike .

From there , Zac would have seized the momentum , where he could strike her down with his axe before she could attack again . In this manner , Zac went through the whole battle one exchange after another , trying various things to solve the most glaring issues Pavina had pointed out . The Revenant Monarch didn’t offer any further advice . She had closed her eyes in meditation while Zac entered an almost magical state where he knew no exhaustion .

Eventually , he found solutions for all the strikes Pavina unleashed , though they were still just theories that needed to be tested and confirmed . He stopped swinging his weapon and turned to Pavina , who eventually opened her eyes and leveled an even stare at him .

I’m sorry , how long was I doing this? - Zac coughed , realizing he’d completely lost track of time .

Three , - Pavina sighed .

Three hours? - Zac muttered . - It actually felt like long— -

Three weeks , you lunatic , - Pavina said with a roll of her eyes . - What kind of person overshoots their one-hour deadline by over five hundred hours! -

What? - Zac exclaimed as he looked around .

I must be a more talented teacher than I thought with how I managed to inspire an epiphany , - Pavina smiled , clearly not as annoyed as she pretended . - Well , luckily I wasn’t in a hurry . Come , let’s see if your bout of inspiration bore any fruit . -

They battled again , and while he was still essentially toyed with , Zac managed to stretch the time between hits by another fifteen seconds .

Not bad . It seems this path is right for you , - Pavina nodded . - Go ahead , figure out the kinks somewhere else . Come back when you’ve reached High mastery with the two skills . -

When can I start properly integrating my Dao again? - Zac asked before he left .

After you’ve reached Peak mastery of the two skills and consolidated what you’ve learned , - Pavina said without hesitation . - Now , go . -

Alright , thank you again . I’ll see you in a few months , - Zac smiled .

Bring something to drink the next time , will you? - Pavina said . - Common courtesy . -

Of course , - Zac hurriedly nodded as he took out a couple of barrels from his stock . It was lucky that more than half of the Spatial Rings he’d snatched in the Void contained liquor , with how thirsty all the residents of the Orom World were . Otherwise , he would have run out long ago .

Zac exited the mansion , leaving the Revenant standing by her meditation spot , her eyes fixed on Zac’s receding back .

Absolute monster . . . - Pavina muttered with shock evident in her eyes . - What kind of progress is this? Is this the Heritage of Draug? But why is his spirituality so faint? -

52

VIVI

With the flaws in his training method corrected , Zac returned to the routine where he rotated between wanton slaughter in the Wilderness , duels in the arena , and short periods of secluded cultivation . Part of him wanted to rush toward the peak with the two E-grade mastery skills and conquer the third band , but he reined himself in .

The first month after his second duel with Pavina he made good progress , as he gradually patched up the mistakes she’d pointed out . This time , it took a bit longer , since he wasn’t able to enter that marvelous state he enjoyed after they met . However , problems arrived when he completed the fixes and strove to move forward with the new teachings in the Middle proficiency mastery skills .

Zac was continuously beset with the impression he was missing something , like something was holding him back . At first , the feeling was just a small annoyance , like a fly buzzing around his head . Zac figured it was simply due to it becoming harder and harder to incorporate the techniques .

After reaching Middle mastery , the trajectories and strikes the skills showcased became even more sublime . They didn’t only exact extreme requirements on force and momentum , there was also something ethereal about them that defied being easily grasped . Like every swing contained thousands of variations , and every time he performed the attacks , Zac sensed something different .

Sometimes , the sensation left him with more questions than answers , and he often found himself stuck at an impasse . However , while the difficulty was ramping up , he did ultimately make steady progress . The feeling of mismatch , of his stance being incomplete , seemed to stem from something else .

Eventually , that notion became so palpable he chose to return to Pavina before evolving his mastery skills to Late proficiency . Unfortunately , she didn’t have any easy solutions , even after fighting for half an hour .

How odd , - Pavina muttered when they finished their sparring session . - I cannot discern what the source of your hesitation is . There are still weaknesses in your stance , but that is to be expected . I don’t get the sense of lacking you mention . -

Should I just ignore it? - Zac asked hesitantly . - Is it just in my head? -

No , - Pavina said . - You should trust your instincts in cases like this . Me not understanding the issue doesn’t mean it’s not there . I am just an outsider , and cultivation is ultimately a personal journey . You are still ahead of schedule . I suggest you slow down and search for answers before moving forward . You might have missed something . -

Alright . . . -

Zac returned to the Wilderness , trying to find the answer to his problems through battle , but the more he fought the more he found himself at an impasse . Had he reached the limits of his comprehension? No , Zac still felt there was room for improvement without infusing his Daos . Eventually , he chose to swap over to his human side and work on his Evolutionary Stance to clear his head for a few days .

Most of his training in the past two years had been related to foundational techniques rather than the deathly aspect of his other stance , and these teachings had to be integrated into his Life-attuned stance sooner or later . Having already gone over everything once , Zac figured it would be even quicker the second time around . Besides , Zac figured it might spark some inspiration that would solve his predicament .

Zac decided to stop breaking through levels as well . He’d found that the damage to his pathways , foundations , and soul after forcibly breaking open the nodes in his head was slowing the derivation of his techniques . Since he didn’t need the Contribution Points from the levels , he stopped at level 139 just to make sure this wasn’t the problem . It was just one level short of Yrial’s requirement , and he still had over two years to spare .

By that time , he should be able to push a couple of levels with pills again .

Zac could only pray that these measures were enough . If this didn’t work , would he have to cultivate his soul or something , in the hopes that greater mental prowess would help him deduce the stances quicker? After all , Zac felt he was improving a lot faster since arriving at the Orom World compared to before . It might be the environment , though it might also be his soul evolution that had sped up his progress .

Or would he be forced to integrate his Daos on an imperfect foundation , just so he would survive the duel? It should work , but Zac was reluctant to do so now that he had finally found the path .

He quickly got absorbed with the cultivation of the Evolutionary Stance , and days turned to weeks . It was as Zac hoped . With already having gone through this once , he made rapid progress retooling his Life-based technique . More importantly , as he stayed in his human form , the feeling of incompleteness grew fainter and fainter .

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on by that point . It was the imbalance between stances that caused trouble .

The two stances represented the two branches of his cultivation path , and they were ultimately part of one system . What Zac hadn’t expected was that they were so interconnected , that he became hard-pressed to progress one side if the other lagged behind . There was no logical reason behind it , as far as he could tell . Zac supposed it was either a mental block because his path required equilibrium or there might be some other underlying theories that were beyond him .

Ultimately , the reason didn’t matter . He’d found the cause and the solution—he just needed to simultaneously put in some effort on his human side . Another two weeks passed , and Zac finished integrating the techniques equivalent to Peak F-grade of the mastery skills . However , when he started infusing Armament Mastery] with the Fragment of the Bodhi , he ran into some issues .

As expected , using Coffinbox] was extremely uncomfortable in his human form . It had already been a noticeable issue when he trained the unattuned techniques , but it became worse after his attacks started containing a hint of Life . The trajectories still appeared when activating the skill , but everything felt wrong .

Chains had become indelibly interlinked with his concept of Death , from the hanging coffin to Love’s Bond] and the restrictive nature of Inexorable Stance . Even worse , he believed the issue would only worsen when Love’s Bond] woke up , considering it was infused with Oblivion by now .

Soon enough , Zac found the experience unbearable , and he left the Wilderness to seek counsel . He didn’t head to Pavina though , but rather someone else .

Don’t you have the solution for this already? - Ubo asked with confusion when Zac visited the elemental to confer with him .

It would be weird to ask Pavina about this issue , so he sought out a Life-based Monarch instead . Besides , Zac needed to send a message to Three Virtues that he was dealing with Kaldor and the splinter , to make sure the shifty monk didn’t do something with the Shard of Creation .

I do? - Zac said .

Just go visit Heda . She has tens of thousands of different types of plants , and she’s one of the five most skilled Arborists in the Orom World , - Ubo said . - Among us who walk the path of Life , she is surpassed by none . -

Right , - Zac slowly said , his heart full of reluctance .

Are you worried about her condition? - Ubo laughed . - People have gone much further off the conventional path in search of power , both in the Orom World and outside . Her fusion is nothing special , and she is still firmly in control of her soul . -

Alright , I’ll visit her , - Zac agreed .

No hurry , - Ubo said as Zac got ready to leave . - Stay for a few days . I can sense you have worked too hard lately . You need to stop and unburden your mind . Incidentally , I wanted to test the efficacy of my latest restoration array on fleshy beings . -

Zac was a bit reluctant , but ultimately agreed to stay for a week inside Ubo’s mountain . The elemental was a terrific host , and the array it had Zac sit inside was almost as powerful as the one he used to heal when he first arrived . The only issue was how talkative Ubo was . There didn’t seem to be an end to the marvelous feats he’d accomplished , both before and after being caught by the Orom .

Zac even wondered if the elemental had him stay just so it had someone to brag to , with how he’d become a captive audience inside the array . But the array did work wonders , so he let his drained body get restored as he - ooh’ and - aah’-ed at the right places during Ubo’s retelling of his heroic exploits .

A week later , Zac emerged , relaxed and exhausted at the same time . The Arborist’s cultivation farm wasn’t too far from where he first encountered her , but it was quite some distance from Ubo’s mountain . Close to two weeks passed to reach her neck of the woods , and the Life-attuned forest gradually transitioned from the individualistic chaos to vast fields covered in top-quality farming arrays .

While Ubo’s cultivation cave was meticulously crafted , it completely lost to Heda’s domain in acreage . From the looks of it , each field only grew one type of plant , but there were small differences between them all . Perhaps Heda was letting the Dao of Life coerce mutations of various species in the hopes of discovering something useful .

It took him over two hours walking through the enormous fields until he finally spotted a small farmhouse . Heda was already waiting outside , smiling at him with the fleshy half of her face as Zac got closer .

I have waited a long time , - Heda nodded as she looked at Zac . - I was about to go catch you . -

No need for any catching , - Zac said . - I was caught up with my cultivation . My first relegation will take place in a few months . -

You will survive , - Heda said without hesitation .

I should be fine by now , - Zac agreed . - I am here for something else . -

Oh? - Heda said curiously , and Zac shuddered inwardly as a few roots across her face pulsated .

I heard from Ubo you are skilled with living weapons? Like vines? - Zac ventured .

Of course , - Heda said , and Zac’s eyes widened in alarm as he saw a thick purple vine emerge from her neck before retreating into her body . - There are many cultivators who use plant-based lifeforms in battle , but most cultivate Nature . Do you want to implant yourself? I have a few promising experi— -

No! - Zac hurriedly said as he took a step back . - Just something I can carry with me . -

Oh , - Heda said , the disappointment evident on her face . - Well , come in . -

They entered her farmstead , which was surprisingly small . Heda was carrying out a huge number of experiments judging by the fields , so he would have expected laboratories or factories to process all those plants . But there was only a simple cottage surrounded by a beautiful garden .

My laboratories are underground , - Heda explained , seemingly understanding what Zac was thinking as he looked around . - I’m sorry I cannot offer a tour . The saplings down there can be altered by the slightest change in aura , making the data unreliable . -

Some other time , then , - Zac smiled .

Sitting down at an unadorned wooden table overlooking the garden outside , Zac explained his predicament . He also showed her Chainbox] to give her a better notion of what kind of plant he was looking for .

There are an endless number of plants like that , - Heda shrugged . - Show me your dance again . -

Zac eagerly got back on his feet and started swinging , using the Evolutionary Stance against an imagined foe .

Lifeless , but better , - Heda nodded . - More boring than your old dance , but probably the right solution . -

I’m shoring up my foundations before reintegrating Life into the equation , - Zac smiled .

Heda was obviously not cultivating technique like he or Pavina . The Arborist had rather been interested in his display of Life manifested as the Bodhi Tree , by the looks of it .

I cannot think of any plant in my garden that perfectly suits your path , - Heda said after some thought . - Although , that is usually the case . Living Weapons are best nurtured from a seedling , doused in your Dao from birth to maturity . That way , it will be perfectly in tune with you . -

Oh , I see , - Zac said with disappointment .

But I have something that might work for now? - Heda said as a half-smile spread across her face .

I cannot have anything growing inside me , - Zac resolutely said .

He refused to have a parasite in his body like Heda . He didn’t want to continuously fight for his soul like the Arborist , or like Ogras , for that matter . But there was also a practical reason for his resistance . Would a parasite plant even survive when he swapped into his Draugr race and flooded his body with Miasma?

No , something else , - Heda said before flashing away .

Two minutes later , she returned with a metal tube . Attached to it was some sort of cling vine roughly half a meter tall . There were small thorns hidden amongst its heart-shaped leaves , and it had a purple flower at its crown . It appeared harmless enough , making Zac wonder if it was really a Living Weapon .

More importantly , it looked like it was dying . Its leaves were shriveled and more than half were brown instead of green , and its stem was wrinkly like it was dried out .

This is Vivi , - Heda explained as she caressed one of the flowers . - She was one of my earliest experiments since being trapped in this world . She was both a great success and a great failure . -

She seems a bit sick , - Zac said , confused .

Not sick . Dying , - Heda sighed . - My skills were lacking at the time , and I was unable to overcome the limits of her origin . Thus , Vivi never managed to become a Plant Queen . Today , I would have managed to do it . But it is much too late , the window has passed . Now , she only has a century or two left to live . But she does enjoy eating corpses , so why don’t you take her out for some bloodshed in her final days? -

Uhh . . . - Zac hesitated as he looked at the wilting vine .

Before you say no , you should know that she is as powerful as a Late-stage High-quality E-grade Spirit Tool , even in this weakened state . If you feed her well and regularly infuse her with some Mental Energy , she can match Peak Tools for a while . She will not slow you down . -

A new sense of appreciation for the plant came over Zac . Even weakened , this diminutive thing was so powerful? Just how dangerous had it been at its prime? No wonder Heda called it a great success .

How would it work? - Zac asked . - I don’t have any plant-based or pet-based skills . -

Since you don’t want to swallow her core , you will have to imprint her , - Heda said . - Thankfully , she is just an E-grade plant , so her consciousness is hazy . And with her advanced age , she is quite docile . Buy Link of Demeter] from the Contribution Store . If that slot is taken , you can also use Nature’s bond] or Herbal Harmonization] . They will work as well , but are Nature-aspected rather than Life-aspected . -

How much would this plant cost? - Zac asked , knowing the Orom wouldn’t allow her to give it away .

Between the spatial tube and Vivi herself , - Heda slowly said before she closed her eyes . - 2 , 500 Purchase Points . That’s the lowest price I am allowed to set . -

Zac wasn’t too flush with Purchase Points , but 2 , 500 was a steal for a weapon at the equivalent of a Late E-Grade Spirit Tool . Heda was giving him a deep , deep discount here , even if you factored in the plant’s short , remaining lifespan .

I’ll take her , - Zac said . - But what did you mean by spatial tube? -

Vivi does not have spatial skills of her own , and her real body is over five hundred meters long , - Heda smiled as she stroked the leaves of the vine , prompting it to completely retreat into the tube . - Most of her body is hidden inside here . Her maximum reach with her vines is three kilometers , but they will gradually lose force after five hundred meters . Of course , don’t worry if they’re damaged . As long as you feed her Cosmic Energy , they’ll regrow very quickly . -

To showcase what she was talking about , she had two vines shoot out through the window , and they ripped through the air until Zac could barely see their ends . A moment later , they were retracted again , leaving turbulent winds in their wake . The vines had been as thick as ropes , and didn’t have any hint of decay or weakness .

Even Zac felt a bit pressured by the aura they exuded .

Amazing , - Zac whispered , knowing a Living Weapon would fill the role of Chainbox] without missing a step . If anything , Vivi was far superior .

Do you know why I wanted to meet you? - Heda asked as she handed him the tube .

Because of my usage of the Dao of Life? - Zac hesitated .

No . That wasn’t very impressive , - Heda said , making Zac grimace with embarrassment . - I wanted you to come because you are rootless in this world . You do not belong , and I don’t believe you will be here in a decade or two . -

That’s . . . Why do you say that? -

It’s hard to explain . It’s a gift of my cohabitant , - Heda shrugged and took out a small glass container . - I have a request . -

What’s that? -

When you leave the Orom , please break this glass and throw it away . - Heda smiled .

Zac took the small glass container , where a shimmering seed was hidden inside .

That’s it? - Zac asked . - Just , throw it anywhere , even the Void? -

It doesn’t matter . -

Zac gave the seed a curious look , wondering if it was some escape measure of the Arborist . He considered the risks of doing as she asked , but he felt it wouldn’t be too risky to just throw it out before teleporting away . She had no reason to hurt him , and his reservations about her were mostly related to her grim appearance .

I’ll do it , if I ever manage to leave this place , - Zac eventually agreed .

Good enough , - Heda nodded .

With the help of the Arborist , Zac fashioned the tube into a back protector that ran along his spine . According to Heda , not even a Middle Hegemon would be able to break it with a full-powered swing . And if it broken , it simply meant the true body of Vivi would be released . If that happened , he would have to get a new spatial container that could nurture Life .

Even better , he could store the spatial tube in a Spatial Ring , so long as Vivi was completely retracted . The only caveat was that he had to take her out at least once a month to feed her Cosmic Energy and some corpses .

When her time is up and she can fight no longer , plant her somewhere nice , please , - Heda said as Zac tried moving around with the pipe along his back . - I have placed a seal on her that will last a month . Imprint her before that . -

The tube fit perfectly , and he didn’t even notice it was there . It did look a bit odd , since the purple flower stuck out from the top of the tube , making it look like he was carrying a very thin vase rather than a sheath . He thanked Heda again before leaving , eager to get the taming method before the critter broke free and went on a rampage .

With this , the final roadblock to the Integration Stage and forming his last two Dao Branches had been dealt with , and Zac couldn’t wait to return to the Wilderness . He may have run into some speedbumps , but his goal was still the same .

Within a year and a half , he wanted to gain the power required to duel the Izh’Rak Reaver .

53

SHADEWAR

The swarm of elemental constructs was being whittled down as the ravenous army of cursed shadows pushed forward . Hidden among the glaciers , Ogras’ eyes shimmered as he looked for the leader of these wretched things . Finally , he spotted it—a patch of frigid Dao more condensed than its surroundings .

The world turned monochrome as he phased into the Grey World , and he crossed the chaotic battlefield , ignoring the shadow puppets around him . In the Grey World , his army looked different . Rather than the intangible forms that methodically decimated the ice beasts in the real world , they maintained their real forms here .

Wretched goblins whose eyes and mouths were covered with talismans emanating purple flames , their whole spectral bodies covered in runes .

Alas , ’ a sorrowful sigh echoed out in his mind .

Ogras ignored it as usual . He had bigger fish to fry than dealing with some maudlin Warlock .

Besides , the sneaky bastard had no one to blame but himself . If not for K’Rav’s schemes , would Ogras have bothered gathering thousands of errant souls of his citizens , forcibly binding them to his new flag? Well , he probably would have , but he would have been more polite about it . After all , he needed someone to house and enslave the malignant Qriz’Ur entities .

Such was the climb to the peak . Eat or be eaten . The Warlock had tried possessing him at the critical moment of crafting the flag . He’d used misdirection , the brand on his arm , and the ancient arts of his civilization as bait to lure Ogras down a path of no return . Ogras , in turn , schemed against the Warlock since the moment he popped up unannounced .

Even then , he only survived by a hair .

Reaching the first stage of the Spiritlock Physique] had not only given him a great boost to his Shadow Affinities and attributes , but it also gave him an inherited ability of the Ka’Zur Plainswalker that was once his familiar . The ability to split his consciousness and send off part of his mind on a journey through the shadows without anyone noticing .

He could even swap positions with this doppelganger at any time , making him even harder to kill . But Ogras had not once let the Goblin Warlock get a hint of this ability , even though he used it almost constantly since successfully cultivating Rasata’s Body Tempering Technique . With his doppelganger , he’d scoured the huge tower for helpful , hidden knowledge .

A lot of places were sealed , but the tower was extremely old . Some places had deteriorated to the point that a shadow could squeeze through a crack . Ogras had found whole repositories left behind by the masters of the fallen goblin empire , things K’Rav never wanted him to discover . It was thanks to two techniques in particular , that he managed to break through the goblin’s schemes .

First , it was a Soul Strengthening Method unlike anything Ogras had ever seen before called Delirigoria] . Its benefits to the soul were almost nonexistent , but it was quick to train and provided one unique benefit . It turned one’s Soul Aperture into a virulent wasteland for any foreign entity , making your body and mind naturally resistant to attempts at possession .

The method was crafted by one of the councilors of the Ra’Lashar Kingdom because way too many of their citizens went mad from the Qriz’Ul twisting their minds . Unfortunately , the method was only finished by the end of the war , and Ogras’ research indicated that K’Rav had fallen even before the method was completed and announced .

The second method was a technique with the unfortunate name Bagaboom] . While its name was dumb even for an insane goblin scientist , it proved to be exactly what Ogras needed . A single-use offensive sigil formed in one’s mind . It took Ogras a full year of constantly infusing Mental Energy into this hidden brand in his Soul Aperture , but it was a lifesaver when K’Rav finally made his move .

Thanks to these two defenses , K’Rav had the tables turned on him , forcing the goblin ghost to give up on his attempt of possession , even if his soul was far superior to Ogras’ . Unfortunately , it wasn’t a perfect victory , and that old bastard managed to survive by turning himself into the Tool Spirit of his flag .

Preferably , Ogras wanted to erase that bastard to avoid any danger down the road , but the ghost had perfectly planned its contingency . If he killed K’Rav , the flag would turn into a fancy ornament . Reforming the flag was impossible . The two had spent over a year on its formation , and all those efforts were just the finishing touches upon an almost completed weapon . Even if Ogras had the skills to start over from scratch , it would probably take decades , centuries even , to create something like this .

It was a weapon invented for the war with the Qriz’Ul , and its birth required not only the fell Karma accumulated by the whole kingdom . It also required the unique arrays Ogras was forced to leave behind when the tower crumbled as a final act of revenge from K’Rav . Thus , the spectral goblin would keep growing stronger as new shades were crammed into the flag .

Even worse , the Warlock kept complaining in the back of his mind , a broken record railing against his unjust treatment , as though his attempt at possession was fair play . K’Rav’s soul was simply too powerful , and Ogras was unable to shut out his quibbling . Sometimes , Ogras wondered if the trade-off was worth it . The sounds of heated battle behind him immediately answered his question .

Of course it was .

K’Rav could complain all day as long as he provided the strength needed for Ogras to keep pushing onward . The Shadewar Flag] was a terrifying treasure , way more powerful than his old Clan’s defining treasure , the Spear of Ar’Amak] . And that was while the flag was still in its infant state .

The army of spectral goblins had proven extremely useful , no matter if it was for large-scale combat like now or forming War Arrays from within the safety of the flag itself . He’d also managed to kill a Beast King by overwhelming it with these almost unkillable little buggers , allowing him to land a killing blow without even being in danger .

Besides , the fact that K’Rav kept scheming had its benefits . That meant the game was still going and some pieces weren’t expended . It was a looming threat , but one that could bring unexpected benefits . When the tower collapsed , most of the knowledge of the Ra’Lashar was lost , except for the things Ogras managed to memorize and that which was locked in the Tool Spirit’s mind .

There was some core knowledge that hadn’t been written down or perhaps intentionally erased by K’Rav or some of the other leaders . For example , the brand that was still on his arm was supposed to bring him benefits , considering it was a reward from a quest of the Ruthless Heavens .

However , it had only become a weakness for the Warlock to exploit , almost costing Ogras his life . Even now , its benefits were out of his reach . Unfortunately , Ogras currently had no way to extract that intelligence from the ensconced Tool Spirit . But as long as the game kept going , an opportunity would eventually present itself .

For now , Ogras was content maintaining the status quo . He’d spent far more time in the ruins of the Ra’Lashar Kingdom than he planned . While the odds of anything as valuable appearing in the other corners of the Mystic Realm were low , Ogras still wanted to explore as much as possible before outsiders came pouring in .

The monochrome surroundings were infused with blue and white as Ogras left the Grey World just a few meters away from the concentrated spot of icy Dao , and a lance of darkness shot forward with monstrous momentum . The wall of ice surrounding the Ice Spirit was utterly destroyed , forcing it to flee through the glacier .

Most people would have a hard time keeping up , but Ogras wasn’t most people . The shadowlance speared the air , stabbing into the ancient ice and causing hairline cracks to spread deep into the mountain with almost instantaneous speed . The attack didn’t harm the spirit , but it created innumerable small mirrors through the ice .

A skill fractal flashed and the Dao rippled , and fake became real while real became fake .

A storm of shadows turned the frozen sheet into shreds around him as Ogras swapped places with one of his mirror images , appearing right in front of the Spirit . He could kill it then and there , but that wasn’t why he made the detour . Two crude talismans flew out , and Ogras rapidly started performing seals with his hands .

The Spirit desperately struggled against the talisman , and Ogras was instantly covered in a layer of frost . However , he persevered . Eventually , a shimmering shard of ice hovered in the air , two talismans tightly wrapped around it . Ogras smiled with glee , his first true spirit capture a success .

This technique was part of the Spiritlock Physique] , an improved version of the method most of the goblins had used to capture spirits . Mastering this method was integral if he wanted to proceed to the next stage of his physique , since the smallest error in the seal would mean death or madness when sealing more spirits in his body down the road .

Any young acolyte back home would be able to catch a little Ice Spirit who had yet formed a true consciousness , ’ K’Rav snorted in his mind .

Yet I am standing here today , while they all became devilfood . - Ogras grinned . - Perhaps your acolytes should have studied moderation instead of capturing spirits . -

Greatness always comes at a risk and a cost , ’ the Warlock snickered in response . - I know of the one whose shadow you’re chasing . I saw him the short moment we shared a mind . You’ll have to work harder than this if you want to achieve your goals . ’

No need for a wretched Tool Spirit to worry about my matters , - Ogas snorted as he stowed away the sealed spirit .

He didn’t have any plans of integrating this thing into his body . First of all , what K’Rav said was true . This spirit wasn’t some supreme creature , and Ogras needed top-quality spirits to get the most out of his physique . It would be easier to integrate low-quality spirits , but Rasata had posited that would lead to a weak foundation , where you would get stuck long before reaching the peak of the method .

True to the goblin kingdom’s core mentality , the Spiritlock Technique] could offer greatness so long as you were willing to take the risk . The deadlier the abominations you gobbled up , the greater the effect .

Besides , with his unique race , he had no choice but to exclusively look for shadow-based creatures to infuse . Unfortunately , those things were both extremely rare and hard to spot , creeping within the seams of reality . Perhaps that bastard who called himself the Umbra had more creatures in stock , provided Ogras ever got out of this place and managed to return to Earth .

He had ultimately caught this little spirit because it was very rare , and rare meant valuable .

Ogras took a step forward , melding with a mirror image of himself . Something as marvelous as this didn’t even require the activation of a skill thanks to fusing the Peak Fragment of Mirage with his Doppelganger ability , and he soon stood atop the glacier once more . Having lost their source of power and spirituality , the ice creatures turned into unmoving statues , leaving the shades without an enemy to unleash their frustration and rage upon .

A grin spread across Ogras’ mouth as he snickered , the sound amplified by the towering cliffs around him . He swung his flag , returning his unwilling followers into the cursed maelstrom inside . From there , he flashed a few times , rushing through the frozen world with amazing speed .

The days blended together in this lifeless vista , but Ogras kept going deeper , his eyes constantly scanning the horizon . Suddenly , he stopped , his eyes wide with excitement . The notes were true!

In the distance , he finally saw what he sought . A mysterious glimmer , this one different from the constant and almost blinding radiance of sun-blasted ice . A moment later , the glimmer was gone , and Ogras found himself trapped in a bubble of light . Explosions erupted in every direction as ice was melted or ripped apart .

But Ogras wasn’t worried . He was elated . The notes said this would happen .

He was trapped and would have to survive the attack . Despite being aware of this , he still tried to get out of the fifty-meter-wide trap . A barrier barred his escape , and his body became covered in wounds from the piercing lights as he failed to enter the Grey World . He was forced to weave back and forth , avoiding the blue streaks hidden among the other lights as he took out a crystal and a parchment .

The information crystal exploded , and Ogras grimaced as he started scribbling down his findings . His memories were already fading . His preparations proved completely ineffectual , but he staunchly held onto the scene of that glimmer as he frantically wrote while narrowly avoiding death .

He’d lost the trail twice already . Hopefully , he’d be able to leave behind some additional information this time . A minute later , Ogras looked around with confusion before his eyes turned to the parchment in his hand . A troubled frown marred his face .

It happened again .

A few minutes were lost , and he was surrounded by destruction . Ogras pushed down his misgivings as he ate a healing pill before heading in the direction the notes indicated . A snicker echoed in his mind , which Ogras ignored . He knew what K’Rav was getting at .

Perhaps , he really had gone mad during his visit to the goblin tower or from practicing taboo methods . Why else would he be following notes he left himself while in a state of delirium? Ogras had no idea what the hell he was talking about in his writings . Natural phenomena and illusory glimmers in the sky . . . But he’d already decided to follow the clues .

If the notes could be trusted , it might be a unique treasure hidden in this glacier that would help him perfect his path . If the notes were false , what did it matter? It would mean he’d gone crazy in this place , so he might as well follow the clues until he lost the last vestiges of his sanity .

Ogras kept going deeper into the endless world of ice , his thoughts occupied by the Dao . Reality and illusion become one , truths and falsehoods interwoven into an indecipherable patchwork . Being everywhere and nowhere , a surveyor from the shadows who controlled life , death , and fate itself .

The Path of the Illusory Shade .

Little Chain defeated Olgoroth two weeks ago , I should have guessed you would arrive sooner or later , - Traprandar said with a small smile as he played with a golden hoop that never left his hand .

That’s unrelated . - Zac shrugged , though his brows furrowed like he was annoyed .

Annoyed that the masked undead warrior managed to defeat a Bronze Attendant before him .

Is it now? - Traprandar pointedly smiled at the four vines that wound themselves around Zac’s arms and midriff in a hug .

Zac had made some waves in the coliseum twenty months ago when he appeared with the spatial tube on his back , suddenly wielding four powerful vines in combat . Luckily , Link of Demeter] used up a free spot in his pathways on the right side of his back , which allowed him to easily form a connection with Vivi .

He hadn’t been met with any resistance at all , only a vague sense of hunger and excitement that only increased after he killed the first beast in the Wilderness . Buying the skill had completely emptied his last savings though . He even had to push his levels to 140 just to afford it and get the loose change needed to use the teleporters .

Thankfully , his intermittent sessions of Soul Strengthening provided impressive amounts of Contribution Points , and making a few breakthroughs with his skills helped as well . In the end , he passed the three-year evaluation with over 40 , 000 Contribution Points , and just enough points to enact his plan in the arena .

It was a far cry from the record-holder’s 118 , 000 points , but still well beyond the norm for his grade . Besides , Zac would easily have passed 50 , 000 if he hadn’t focused most of his time on reforming his two stances . However , not everyone was so lucky as to effortlessly pass the first relegation .

Travo Raso , the Temple Fixer and Zac’s first friend in this prison , was one of those who didn’t make it .

54

RAISING THE STAKES

The three-year shuffle for new arrivals was quite straightforward . It worked just like the normal relegations , where Zac’s prison brand flashed a month before the deadline . In his case , it emitted a soothing blue glimmer , indicating he was above the cut-off . The less fortunate ones would instead be shown a glaring red , providing them with one final warning and opportunity .

The early warning was designed to squeeze out a burst of inspiration through desperation , and a sense of unease among those who were just scraping by . No one was allowed to relax . Only those such as Zac himself who performed far beyond the average could ignore the pressure , though even Zac with his massive pool of Contribution Points had felt a bit unnerved .

He couldn’t even imagine what was going through the minds of those who were barely hanging on .

When the relegation finally arrived , their prison brands flashed again , unsurprisingly the same color in Zac’s case . However , a moment later , Zac felt vibrations from his Cosmos Sack . Twelve of Zac’s collected tokens had suddenly been marked by a rune that looked like a broken ladder . The token belonging to Travo Raso , the Radiant Temple fixer , had been one of them .

Even to this day , the brands were visible on the tokens , their owners’ failures acting as a warning to others . If the tokens cracked , it meant their owners had died in the hellish environment of the second-string cultivators .

Three had already cracked in the year since the relegation .

It was a stark reminder that this was not some cultivation haven , but a heartless cage . It made Zac even more desperate to get his hands on the Remnants and leave this depressing place . This oversized fish was playing with people’s lives and using them as Dao Batteries . If Zac could , he would rip open the false sky above his head , drowning it with the Dao of Chaos .

But before he could do that , some steps had to be completed . First of all , he needed to perfect his two stances . Four months ago , Zac finally reached Peak proficiency of his two mastery skills . The skills hadn’t provided any visions this time around , but rather taken his techniques even closer to the Dao , showing the way in a sense .

After another two months of work , he finished incorporating the lessons into the Inexorable Stance . The process was quite smooth , considering he was inching toward the very same concepts and theories he used to form the two stances . In a sense , he was returning to the origin , this time armed with a wealth of experience and a rebuilt foundation .

During a ferocious battle in the deeper parts of the fourth band , he managed to take that final step , reintegrating the Daos of Coffin and War Axe into his Inexorable Stance . Reaching this point was both faster and slower than he expected considering his initial burst of rapid progress . Slower in the sense that his two-year deadline had already passed by three months . Faster in the sense he’d worked on both his stances , not just the one .

His Evolutionary Stance was still lacking something though , and even after two months of grinding , he hadn’t managed to enter the Integration Stage . He’d infused the Daos over and over , the concepts of a technique as ever-changing as life itself . Of overcoming fate and breaking through all shackles .

But every time , the result felt off , like he hadn’t completely grasped the essence .

The first step of the Integration Stage was the most important . It was the first building block of something greater . If he got it wrong , he would find himself in a similar situation in the future , where he would have to tear down his stance and rebuild it . But considering his Daos and technique were so interconnected , that would probably mean his future Life-attuned Dao Branch would become crooked as well .

That was a problem far more difficult to allay , and something that could cause a tremendous headache when forming one’s Cultivator’s Core or Inner World .

Still , Zac was right on the cusp of breaking through the thin film holding him back . He’d decided to alter his plans a bit , aiming for a breakthrough in the arena when pitted against a skillful enemy . After all , pitched battle was how a good half of his epiphanies were born , and it matched the fate-breaking aspect of his stance .

If he could make some Purchase Points at the same time , all the better .

Luckily , Zac had spent years on this particular money-making scheme . Zac’s two personas were already the source of a lot of rumors and comparisons , considering they were both E-grade and wielded axes . With Zac’s human side suddenly copying the chains by adding Vivi to his repertoire , speculation had veritably exploded .

Unsurprisingly , there was a good chunk of people convinced Zac and - Mr . Chains’ were the same person , though Zac hadn’t heard anyone use the term Edgewalker . They figured he was some sort of twinned being born through circumstance . For example , where the human side survived while his undead persona awakened . It sounded pretty unbelievable , but Zac had to admit the truth was even more far-fetched .

Another camp consisted of the people who believed the two youngsters were connected since before the Orom , and these were the rumors Zac tried to encourage . Thanks to some - accidentally leaked’ snippets of information from Zac , his two identities were essentially rivals since birth through a grudge inherited from their masters .

Both walked similar paths , eager to prove their superiority .

Traprandar happened to be one of the people who leaned toward this theory , and this was part of Zac’s calculations when targeting the man . First , he’d played out a scenario where Mr . Chains was slowly pulling ahead thanks to coming under the tutelage of Pavina , the Worldlock Monarch .

Zac’s human side had displayed a series of desperate battles in the arena where he struggled to keep up , but had been slowly left in the dust over the past two years . In reality , this was a mix of Zac holding back his strength and the simple fact that the Evolutionary Stance had somewhat lagged behind .

Next , Zac targeted Olgoroth . He was an overbearing Corpselord who had a similar combat style as the Evolutionary Stance , though his technique obviously wasn’t based on Life . It did however contain the elements of ferociously breaking the shackles of fate . In Olgoroth’s case , his low birthright and pushing forward , constantly changing and improving .

This served three purposes . First , the Corpselord was a perfect opponent to hone his path and shore up his foundation after reaching the Integration Stage with the Inexorable Stance . Zac’s path was based on inevitability and restraints , so fighting someone like Olgoroth was far more valuable than fighting almost any other type of warrior .

Secondly , Olgoroth and Traprandar hated each other , and Traprandar had defeated Olgoroth three times in a row over the past twenty years . It made the Corpselord irritable and easy to instigate into betting big against Mr . Chains , who walked a similar path of restrictions as Traprandar . At the same time , it shouldn’t make Traprandar too worried even if he started suspecting that Zac and Mr . Chains were one and the same .

Finally , together with the backgrounds Zac had crafted for his two identities , it also set the stage for entrapping Traprandar for one final payout . As long as Zac could play the part of someone who was in over his head and refused to give in to his nemesis who was getting ahead .

Healthy competition is good in this place , but your actions are bordering obsession . Don’t get lost in someone else’s path , - Trapandar snickered as he looked at the vines on Zac’s body . - Little Chains’ path is more suited for such a tool , and his skill in using them is ahead of yours . -

Will you accept or not? - Zac said , his face darkening .

I might , - the Traprandar smiled . - But you should understand my predicament . If I win , it’s a matter of course . I’m a late Hegemon and Bronze Attendant . Beating up a brat is more embarrassing than impressive . If I happen to lose , my reputation is ruined like a certain Corpselord’s . -

As Traprandar said the final sentence , he glanced in the direction of the stands with a taunting smile , where an absolutely infuriated Olgoroth glared back .

It’s easy to talk big , bastard! - Olgoroth roared . - You’re just afraid you’ll lose to the weaker of the two , proving I am superior . -

Zac was flush with excitement at the exchange , especially when Traprandar’s expression shifted . Clearly , Traprandar was interested , but he was trying to raise the stakes .

It was just what Zac had been praying for , but he maintained an annoyed demeanor as he waved his token . - That guy bet 10 , 000 Purchase Points . I’ll bet 18 , 308 points . When I defeat you , I’ll have defeated that bastard by proxy as well . -

Look who’s come up in the world . I remember when you only gave up 50 points in the beginning , - Trapandar smiled , but Zac could feel the hesitation in his eyes .

Had Zac messed up , being too greedy with such a large bet?

The small bets Traprandar mentioned came from Zac’s first year in the Orom World , before Pavina had righted the ship , so to speak . Zac had lost fifty-eight consecutive fights between eight visits to the arena back then , earning him the nickname , Pocket Money , since he always bet a handful of Purchase Points to get someone to spar with him .

But that eventually changed with him winning some duels in both his forms , though his human form was still not at the level where he should have the guts to challenge Traprandar .

Zac knew that this was a critical moment , where Traprandar might smell something amiss . 18 , 000 Purchase Points wasn’t anything to scoff at , even for a Late Hegemon . The fact that Zac could put out such a sum might seem suspicious , even if it had been four years since he arrived .

I guess I can teach you a trick or two for such a generous fee , - Traprandar eventually said , having chosen greed over precaution .

Zac had caught the fish , now he just needed to reel it in . He jumped down to the empty arena with a scowl and pressed his token against the Arena Array , depositing the 18 , 308 Purchase Points . A flash of hesitation and regret appeared on his face , but he smoothed over the expression as though it was a mistake . In reality , Zac had practiced it for weeks since duplicity didn’t come as naturally to him as for certain demons .

Still , part of the worry was real . The specific number 18 , 308 , was meant to indicate it was Zac’s total , and it wasn’t that far from the truth . He had just over 21 , 000 points after betting 10 , 000 Purchase Points against Olgoroth a few weeks back , a bet he only managed to put forward thanks to reaching the Integration Stage and saving for twenty months .

His plan hinged on Traprandar believing Zac’s actions were bluster from an inexperienced E-grade youth caught in a pissing contest with his rival . Years of small investments , all for one big payout . If he succeeded , he would suddenly have over 40 , 000 Purchase Points , allowing him to afford one of the top-tier treasures that had been out of his reach since arriving in this place .

Traprandar jumped down from the waiting area and pressed his bronze token against the array as well , prompting the stands to explode with excitement . 18 , 000 Purchase Points was not too much for some of the spectators , but it was still an uncommonly large bet . Besides , they carried a unique implication since an E-grade cultivator had put forth the bet .

It should be Zac’s entire savings , the resources meant to generate the Contribution Points needed to survive . Lose them , and he might have sentenced himself to death . For Traprandar , his reputation was at stake , something that was even more important than life and death for some .

Losing against an E-grade warrior who arrived just a few years ago as a Bronze Attendant? A warrior who wasn’t even the strongest in his cohort? It would be too embarrassing .

With Traprandar having infused the points , there was no turning back for either of them , and Zac immediately discarded his fake demeanor . He jumped up on the arena with a calm expression as a copy of Verun’s Bite] appeared in his hand , an axe Zac commissioned when starting to work on his Evolutionary Stance in earnest .

Traprandar instantly noticed Zac’s change and a flash of coldness appeared in his eyes . Zac wasn’t bothered ; it was intentional . He wasn’t planning on using trickery in this fight . It needed to be a head-on melee where both fought with everything they had . That was how he would seize the opportunity for a breakthrough .

So , it was a ruse , after all , - Traprandar slowly said as his aura rose . - How? You and Little Chains worked together? Or are you really one? Is it truly possible? -

Does it matter? - Zac said with a small smile as his own aura condensed beyond what he’d ever displayed before . - Give it your all . -

Hmph , - the man snorted as a second golden ring appeared in his other hand , the other half of his twinned weapon .

The arena’s barrier activated and enclosed them , and both sprung to action at the same time . Zac utilized Earthstrider] to close the distance . But Traprandar chose to backpedal as one shining light after another emerged from his body , and the whole arena was drenched in a golden sheen as they rose toward the ceiling .

Traprandar wasn’t a Pure Life cultivator , rather focusing on a mixed-meaning Dao based on Stars and Life , possibly with a hint of fire mixed within . He didn’t have any skills in numerology like the cultivators of the Radiant Temple as far as Zac could tell , but there was some sort of light-based concepts hidden in the Dao of Stars .

Zac didn’t unleash his own domain to match the one his enemy was erecting , afraid it would be destroyed before he could make full use of it . Thankfully , the arena was only so big , and Zac eventually caught up to the warrior who couldn’t use movement skills while releasing his domain .

Even then , Traprandar had already managed to unleash over two dozen lights , and they formed an array that put Zac’s body under great strain , while also containing a slightly hallucinogenic effect . The latter was thankfully mostly nullified through his powerful soul . Zac catching up meant no more stars could be released , stopping the domain from gaining any more power .

Even before Zac had the chance to unleash an attack of his own , the warrior disappeared in a blinding flash of light that made Zac’s eyes burn . A pang of danger warned him even before he could regain his vision , though he’d already dug one of Vivi’s vines into the ground earlier , allowing him to instantly drag himself out of harm’s way .

Using a Living Weapon was surprisingly easy , it turned out . The vine gave Zac full control over her - limbs’ as his consciousness spread into hers , allowing him to use the vines just like he would the chains of Chainbox] .

The air screamed as the bladed ring ripped space asunder , narrowly passing Zac by , and leaving a wall of searing light in its wake . It would stay up for the duration of the fight , a part of Traprandar’s restrictive heritage . Zac tried to hit the spinning ring with a quick jab of his axe , but the weapon disappeared in a flash of light before he could connect , instantly returned to its owner .

Zac barely had time to adjust before a rain of golden drops shot his way . The four vines he used rapidly expanded and grew into a Bodhi-infused wall that blocked the attacks , but they were riddled with holes in an instant before falling apart . Zac didn’t care since they had served their purpose , and emerged at their side to unleash a series of bladed leaves with Nature’s Edge] .

Even if the vines were cut off a hundred times over , Vivi would just heal or grow new ones in an instant without even feeling a pinch .

It was one of the differences between chains and vines that had taken some getting used to , where the vines were—to some extent—used as discardable weapons . It allowed for some all-out attacks unheeding of taking damage yourself , which suited the offensive style of Zac’s Evolutionary Stance . The downside was that the vines weren’t as sturdy as the chains , making some maneuvers impossible .

A blinding flash of light forced Zac to close his eyes , but his powerful soul allowed him to know what was going on . Traprandar had appeared right in front of him as Zac focused on the bladed leaves flying toward the other side of the cage , one of the bladed rings already falling toward his neck .

The arena shuddered as axe and wheel met each other in the first true clash of the battle .

You planned and schemed , but it won’t matter . I will take those points of yours , - Traprandar grinned as he unleashed a rapid series of swings that seemed to come from everywhere , suffocating Zac .

Meanwhile , Zac felt the light around him congeal , and he was surprised to find the air itself slowly turning into some sort of crystalline prison without a single ripple of energy as a clue . This wasn’t a skill Zac had seen Traprandar use before , and moving was getting harder and harder .

Zac wasn’t worried though—he was elated . The more restraints Traprandar had that Zac could break , the better . The moment he managed to break all the shackles Traprandar could erect , his Evolutionary Stance would take that next step .

55

TRANSITION

Space was rapidly freezing over , and Trapandar furiously swung his ring blades to keep Zac in place . The warrior was using his signature skill already . Every time the two clashed , a band of light was added to Zac’s body , hampering his movements . The chakram seemed simple at the surface , but in Traprandar’s hand , they formed a never-ending dance that reminded Zac of the sun and the moon .

However , while Traprandar was continuously swinging them , it felt like Zac was the one being moved .

Zac was a small planet stuck in the orbit of the Hegemon’s sun , unable to break free of its pull . Together with the weird crystallization of Zac’s surroundings , he knew something needed to change . He could imagine all-too-well what would happen if he got trapped inside a crystal when fighting a warrior who used light as a weapon .

Zac roared as his aura surged , and the skill fractal on his hand was flooded with Cosmic Energy . The next moment , the whole arena was drowned in a tempest of emerald leaves , and the crystalline cage broke apart before it had a chance to fully form . Zac had become the eye of the storm , and nothing could contain him as he activated the upgraded version of Nature’s Edge] .

Reaching Late mastery added a unique feature , just like when Chop] reached Peak mastery . This time , it didn’t add a persistent controllable blade . It instead allowed Zac to unleash a torrent of destruction , hundreds of leaves in every direction . Activated in the heart of an army would cause untold bloodshed , but it could also be used to break out of a siege , like now .

Crackling echoed as Zac forcibly broke the shimmering restraints that had been left on his body . Meanwhile , the ring-wielding warrior was forced to back away from the onslaught of razor-sharp leaves . Still , he effortlessly avoided the avalanche of attacks , parrying the few which couldn’t be dodged . But suddenly , through the storm , a vine hidden among the leaves flashed with extreme speed and seized Traprandar’s ankle .

The Hegemon swore as one of the bladed wheels slammed down to cut it off , but another barbed vine shot straight for his jugular at the same time . Traprandar’s weapons could cut apart the vines in a swing or two , and he would quickly be able to get free . But the barbs were sharp enough to leave lethal wounds if left unattended , forcing Traprandar to target the one going in for the kill .

Thankfully , that small delay was all Zac needed .

He’d broken or whittled down all the restraints , allowing him to catch up to his vines and Traprandar both . His axe drew a majestic upward arc , slamming the second chakram out of the way before Traprandar could use it to free himself . The Hegemon was too powerful to be restrained by a vine attached to his leg , but it allowed Zac to stop his teleportation ability by invading him with his Dao .

Traprandar understood this conundrum perfectly well , and his efforts were targeted to remove this vine . The struggle over latched-on vine became a central aspect of the battle , while the two tried to find openings to land blows . Traprandar used his restrictive abilities , while Zac relied on technique and his vines , where Vivi’s appendages were constantly forcing Traprandar to focus his attention elsewhere .

The techniques were similar to how Zac used the chains in his Inexorable Stance , but there was a difference in flavor . The chains restricted the enemy’s options and movements by threatening damage , but less than 10% of their moves actually clashed with the enemies . Instead , the chains constantly moved around them , putting the warriors under constant pressure .

The moment the enemy slipped up , the links would pounce , leaving festering wounds behind or sealing them long enough for Zac to go in for the kill .

The way Zac used Vivi’s vines was more ferocious . The vines were constantly assaulting Traprandar . It wasn’t a threat of damage if the enemy didn’t take a step back or restrain themselves . Zac was doing everything in his power to make sure clashes took place . If the enemy backed away , the vines pursued . If the enemy countered , Zac aimed for maximum engagement to break open their defenses and whittle them down . To make this possible , new vines were constantly growing out of the tube on his back to replace the ones Traprandar ripped apart .

However , Traprandar was a Late Hegemon who’d survived innumerable struggles . He wasn’t phased in the least by Zac’s never-ending offensive , and he slowly eked out enough of an advantage to let him activate a skill that conjured seven mirrors in the sky . Zac had seen this skill before , and would have to watch out for deadly beams of light shooting out from those mobile turrets .

The stars above , the floating mirrors , the chakrams that performed their stellar transformations , and Traprandar’s ability to constrain and whittle down . It formed a nigh-perfect cage , but Zac’s goal had always been to force Traprandar to take the match seriously rather than to end things quickly . This was an opportunity that the creatures in the Wilderness couldn’t provide .

Zac pushed his technique to the limit as he strove to keep the warrior in a pitched melee . The swirling storm of leaves were still filling the arena , providing a layer of protection in addition to being sharp enough to cut through steel . They flickered about in a seemingly random pattern , but Zac knew their movements weren’t random .

They were instilled with the Fragment of Bodhi , and they created ever-changing formations based on his Evolutionary Stance that both targeted the mirrors , while also blocking the blasts they released . The scene was reminiscent of Nature’s Protection] , the defensive skill that had gone into the fusion of Nature’s Edge] .

Zac hadn’t expected the skill to gain this ability at Late mastery since he essentially sacrificed the defensive skill in order to upgrade the otherwise un-upgradeable Chop] . But it was definitely a welcome addition , where it shored up the weak defenses of the class . Together with the added sturdiness stemming from Adamance of Eoz] , the leaves were extremely hard to damage , let alone destroy .

Besides , the skill had only reached Late mastery so far . Zac couldn’t wait to see what the System would add when he managed to evolve the skill to the peak . As long as Empyrean Aegis] was as impressive as it sounded , the defenses on his human side might even match that of his Draugr form .

Traprandar , in turn , constantly tried to push Zac off-balance by showing new tricks and changing up the tempo . The Bronze Attendant hadn’t taken his techniques to the Integration Stage , but that didn’t mean he was at a disadvantage in direct conflict . He still had millennia of experience and higher-stage Daos compared to Zac .

Besides , his abilities were easier to use while in a pitched battle . The air sizzled as Zac narrowly dodged another beam that ripped through the air , leaving a depression in space where his left leg was just a moment ago . Even with their impressive durability , the leaves were slowly being whittled down .

Zac guessed the mirrors were a continuously running skill like his Deathmark] , while the storm of leaves was a single-summon-ability that Zac was unable to replenish . The cooldown was quite short before he could resummon another storm , but he would still be exposed to attacks for an extended duration if nothing changed .

A deep thud like the knell of a bronze bell echoed through the arena as Zac furiously punched one of the bladed rings with his free hand , pushing it and its wielder back . He felt the weight of the restrictive band tightening around him but ignored it . A burning gash opened from another blast as he unleashed a series of swings so quick his arm turned to a blur .

Almost twenty blades shot out in quick succession before Zac once more lunged at Traprandar . Except , the moment Zac was about to reach him , the Hegemon exploded , throwing Zac dozens of meters away . Some minor burns covered his face and body , and a wave of blinding light passed straight through his body to enter his mind .

A soul attack .

Luckily , Traprandar had severely underestimated his mental defenses , which would stand on its own even against an elite Mentalist by now . Zac still knew he was in a precarious situation , and furiously swung his axe in an upward arc , cutting a beam of light apart before intercepting a downward swing of a bladed ring .

Zac was thrown back into the ground with a groan . His vines had already repositioned themselves , lifting him back to his feet as he desperately fought to regain his momentum . Unfortunately , a small error could have devastating consequences , and Traprandar had completely seized the advantage of his surprise skill . Thankfully , his gambit had destroyed most of the mirrors in the sky , drastically lessening the pressure from above .

Even with five of Traprandar’s mirrors being destroyed , Zac found himself at a hopeless disadvantage . He tried everything he’d learned over the past years , unleashing one ruthless and unpredictable swing after another while the vines kept an unrelenting tempo . But Traprandar was like an iron tower who refused to give up his control of the momentum .

It felt like the Hegemon was everywhere at once . Two wheels he used were in his hands one second , only to suddenly soar through the arena , taking unpredictable turns before striking at Zac out of nowhere . The starlight shone from above , and Zac saw that small crystals had started to grow across the floor . Sooner or later , they would become a problem as they started to refract light .

Even then , Zac didn’t activate Arcadian Crusade] , even if it would give him the power to recapture the pace . He fought on , taking three hits for every strike he managed to land on Traprandar . Unfortunately , the Hegemon’s defensive abilities didn’t only rely on his restrictive fighting style , he also had the ability to form circular runes of light with a mere thought .

They weren’t too durable , but every time Zac hit one , it released a blinding flash and a shockwave that pushed back his weapon . By the time Zac gathered his strength again , Traprandar had already moved out of harm’s way . One minute after another passed , and Zac was turning into a gory mess . He had a decent chunk of Cosmic Energy remaining at least , but that was mostly because he didn’t get many opportunities to use it .

Traprandar was only sporting a few shallow wounds , and he was still in prime fighting condition by the looks of it . He’d used up a lot of Cosmic Energy to maintain this advantage though . His overbearing fighting style was effective , but it relied on multiple skills to work . Tiring him out wasn’t an option though .

That wasn’t Zac’s goal with this fight . While Traprandar was restricted down to the same attribute pool when fighting with a normal citizen , he still had a Cultivator’s Core . He probably had ten times the amount of Cosmic Energy as Zac even in his downgraded state . But Zac still fought on without an inkling to surrender . He could feel how he was getting closer , how the answers hid here in the midst of desperate struggle .

Unknowingly , Zac’s perception started to change as he ferociously threw himself against Traprandar’s techniques to break out from the siege . Each bleeding gash was a lesson , each blistering welt a burst of inspiration . His swings no longer adhered to a fluid and ever-changing technique aimed at unrelenting offense . They gradually morphed into strikes from a Primordial Beast that fought for supremacy .

Every swing was a life , a death , and a reincarnation .

An endless cycle of rebirth Zac pushed forward . There was no such thing as defeat , there was only an endless series of new beginnings . His vines were no longer a supportive Armament aimed at forcing openings and pressure through constant harassment . They were his pack , nibbling at the flanks of their enemy . If they survived , they would feast . If they lost , they would die . Such was the law of the jungle . Such was the law of the Heavens .

The golden bands restraining his body shattered quicker and quicker , and the intricate cage of lines left in the wake of the flying chakrams were destroyed faster than they were created . How could light possibly hamper the endless pursuit of evolution , when the nurturing rays of the sun were part of life? It was bound to be taken , extracted , and used for his own gain as Zac reinvented himself .

The beams of destruction descending from the sky no longer seemed threatening . Such was life . Heavenly calamities came and went , and what emerged from the ashes would be stronger than what came before . Even those who fell would only be momentarily gone . Through the cycle of evolution , they would be reborn to fight again .

Forever .

Zac’s aura soared as an intangible ripple spread out from his body , a ripple denoting that Man and Dao had become one .

You too? It’s not possible! - Traprandar roared as he redoubled his efforts , worry evident in his eyes .

Cracks appeared across the Hegemon’s skin , allowing a golden sheen to escape through his body . His aura surged , most likely from having activated some sort of berserking skill . A new set of mirrors appeared in the sky , these ones covered in golden sigils that thrummed with power . However , they didn’t point toward Zac , but rather each other as they formed a circle .

Zac woke up from his magical state , and a rush of elation filled him . He’d done it . This time , there was no sense of imperfection as he returned his Evolutionary Stance to its original glory—a far superior version compared to the old . However , now was not the time to inspect his gains .

Traprandar was going all out to protect his reputation and his points .

A set of white and golden fractals covered Zac’s skin as he activated Arcadian Crusade] , almost mirroring the shining cracks now marring Traprandar’s face . A ferocious momentum built up inside him , and his mind was awash with bloodlust . But Zac wouldn’t start flailing his weapons like a madman just from the mental manipulations of a berserking skill any longer .

He had integrated the Dao itself into his Evolutionary Stance , which wasn’t just something akin to learning a new skill . It was understanding of the Heavenly Truths and letting them permeate the core of his very being . Skills like Arcadian Crusade] reduced the weak-willed into berserking madmen who only followed their instincts to fight , but those instincts had already been elevated into pure technique in Zac’s case .

With an unprecedented surge of momentum , Zac pounced like a pack of wolves closing in on its prey . Traprandar was trying to fight back best as he could , but his berserking skill proved utterly insufficient . His defenses crumbled and his restraints broke , finding himself submerged in the sea of Zac’s violence . A series of wounds to match Zac’s own covered his body in an instant .

Yet Traprandar didn’t give in , clearly preparing something since the energy in his body had been churning like crazy for a while . The light in the sky was growing stronger , as though a sun was being born in the center of the mirrors . Suddenly , reality inverted as the space between the mirrors became the mirror , while the mirrors became anchoring runes .

From the other side of the crystal pane , a terrifying entity gazed down upon Zac . It looked like an eye surrounded by a churning swirl of mysterious runes and golden hoops , almost reminiscent of a biblical seraph as comprehended by the mortal gaze . Although Zac had just turned the tide , he was still beset by a sense of primal dread gazing up at that creature .

There was no path but forward , and Zac continued to suppress Traprandar even as he felt something terrifying brewing above . Traprandar was trying to delay and entrap him , but he was finally forced to teleport away with a nasty wound that ran all the way from his shoulder down to his gut . If it had been just an inch deeper , the arrays of the arena would have kicked in and ended the match .

Still , managing to push the Hegemon into an unmitigated retreat was exactly what Zac needed . Eight thick streams of Mental Energy twinned into a sturdy rope before he infused them with four streams of Bodhi and four streams of Coffin . The summoned entity was already emerging from the mirror , but two celestial domains rose to meet its descent .

Zac initially hadn’t wanted to use Rapturous Divide] in the arena , fearing it would fan the rumor mill seeing a fusion of Life and Death like that . But the thing in the sky put him under too much pressure , and he saw no alternative but to go all out . There was Arcadia’s Judgment] as well , but he wouldn’t be able to launch it in time without using Void Energy to fuel the skill , which wasn’t something he could display in an arena battle like this .

The hymns of Arcadia clashed with the deafening silence of the Abyss . The unpassable chasm between the two formed just in time . Five massive halos had appeared behind the summoned creature , and they condensed into a terrifying beam aimed straight at Zac . The two forces clashed , and even the barriers that sealed the arena shuddered from the intensity of the attacks as Zac was pushed to his knees .

Space cried and twisted under the weight of two forces trying to consume each other , and Zac got a sinking feeling , immediately making his preparations . The creature was too powerful . Even with Adamance of Eoz] and his robust infusion of a Dao Braid , the temple of Arcadia was fast crumbling under the pressure . The Abyssal chasm wasn’t much better off , and it looked like it was collapsing unto itself .

The stalemate lasted for another two seconds , but Zac suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood as his attack failed , while the terrifying being still hovered in the sky . Its eye had lost its glimmer , seemingly unable to unleash another scorching ray like the one that took out his attack . But it still had over half of its golden hoops intact , and they were now falling toward Zac like a Heavenly Judgment .

However , they didn’t get too far before space cracked again as a runic wooden hand emerged , holding an axe that exuded unquestionable might . The creature had already exerted all of its power , and it was effortlessly split in two before the axe continued its descent .

Meanwhile , a shocked Traprandar had collapsed on the other side of the arena while waiting for his ultimate attack to finish Zac off .

Zac was drenched in blood , his mind a bit woozy . But still he smiled , even though the golden hoops filled with deadly power were falling much faster than the axe of his ultimate strike . A forest sprung up around him the next moment , and he melded into the tree just before thousands of shimmering lights ripped his surroundings to shreds . A moment later , a gong echoed out as a protective bubble enclosed him—just in time to block out a massive shockwave that rocked the whole arena .

He had won .

56

BARGAIN HUNTING

As the dust settled , Zac was greeted by a deafening silence , even after the isolating array had been deactivated . Traprandar was arduously getting back to his feet , his right hand limply hanging to the side . A new wound , this one almost cutting the arm clean off , had been added to the other ones—the result of Arcadia’s Judgment] finding its target .

Between Traprandar’s wounds , the pressure from the huge hand , and Zac’s omniscience through Ancestral Woods] , the Hegemon had been unable to dodge . As usual , the Arena Array sprung to action the moment Traprandar’s wounds passed a critical level , and Zac’s skill was dispersed before the Hegemon died .

Suddenly , a raucous laugh broke the silence , and Zac looked over to see Olgoroth laughing so hard , tears were streaming down his face .

They got you . They got you! - he howled with glee . - My loss was worth it . Definitely worth it . -

Traprandar scowled at the Corpselord before turning his fiery gaze at Zac , who could only return a wry smile as he ate a healing pill and activated Surging Vitality] . Part of him felt bad about scamming these two Hegemons out of their Purchase Points , which meant they would be less prepared for the next relegation . But Zac had already made sure they weren’t some sort of saints . They weren’t like Pavina or Kaldor who helped others in this prison or anything .

Then again , it ultimately didn’t matter .

This was how the Multiverse worked , where people fought tooth and nail for resources . So many had already died as a direct result of his pursuit of power , so what was some robbing? Resources would only grow scarcer as he continued down this path , where every single C-grade treasure would be hotly contested . A B-grade treasure was enough to start a war that would shock empires to their core . Getting weak-hearted meant death and the end of his aspirations .

Still , that didn’t do much to alleviate the mixed emotions Zac felt as he walked down from the arena and accepted his Purchase Points . He’d sworn he wouldn’t lose his mortal heart after descending the Havenfort Chasm , but it was getting harder and harder to live up to that promise .

Was his pang of remorse proof he still had a conscience or was it just him trying to convince himself he was the same person as the one before the integration?

Little Pocket? No , ah , Zac Piker , was it? - a hesitant voice emerged from the path leading out of the arena .

It was Yurul , the gladiator he met the first time coming here . They’d met a few times since she had almost been a fixture in this place over the past decade , trying to find some sort of answer through these duels . However , this time her demeanor was a bit different from normal , and she looked at him with a queer gaze .

I am entering seclusion , - Zac smiled . - I might not be back for a while . -

Oh , alright , - Yurul nodded , before the tension in her face smoothed out .

It looked like she’d decided to not inquire about his real situation . Still , she took out a token from her Cosmos Sack , something she had never done before . - I have a twin sister on the outside . She was a young acolyte of the Everseal Tribunal of the Yr’Koloq Sector bordering the frontier . If you ever get out . . . If possible . . . Could you tell her what happened to me? -

If I ever get the chance , - Zac nodded with a smile , taking the token and donning a hood as he left the arena .

His display of power along with the rumors of his unique situation would probably start a wave of discussion , something he had no interest in dealing with . He’d never heard of the Everseal Tribunal or the Yr’Koloq Sector , but if he stumbled upon the place in the future , he’d do Yurul the small favor of sending her sister the token since Yurul was the one who taught him the method to seize Purchase Points in this place .

But he didn’t want to get bogged down with too many Karmic Links , so he hurriedly left for Samsara’s Edge before anyone else caught up with him . He had accomplished the most important milestone before the duel with Kaldor , where he had properly entered the Integration Realm . Zac already knew he would be able to pass the fourth band with the strength and techniques he’d accumulated , but there was still eight months before the deadline .

Part of him wanted to go through the duel as soon as possible so he could finally return to Earth , but he had to be careful . Even with his current level , the Izh’Rak Reaver said Zac only had a 50% chance of survival . That was definitely too low for comfort when fighting against a battle-crazed Peak Monarch who supposedly could confirm his Dao any time he wanted .

Thankfully , there were some things he could still do to better those odds . The most obvious step was to elevate his two Dao Fragments to branches . Even if he couldn’t enjoy the attribute boost in this place , the breakthroughs would lend greater strengths to both his stances and his attacks . Kaldor had promised to keep his comprehension at the stage of Peak Fragments , so gaining another two Dao Branches would become a big advantage .

However , he needed some time to consolidate his gains before that . And just as it happened , Zac had a few more ideas on how to make the most of his next months . So , Zac didn’t immediately head toward his teachers or his cultivation caves , but rather toward the Contribution Store . Now that he was flush with cash , it was time to make some purchases .

The reason he took the risk and bet his whole fortune against the two Hegemons was that he didn’t want to leave the Orom World without picking up at least one of the unique treasures this huge bastard had snatched up over the eons . And there were a lot of them that collected dust in the Contribution Stores .

These were all items that would cause a storm in the outside world because of their unique benefits , but their cost-to-benefit ratio was too inefficient for most people in the Orom World . Some benefits and powerups didn’t provide Contribution Points , making people unwilling to stomach the high price tag . Others might provide benefits , but they were slow to materialize , making them a viable option only if you were already safe from the relegation .

An example of the latter was affinity-boosting treasures . They were extremely costly on the outside , especially those usable in the D-grade . But they were not as useful in the Orom World where you needed quick gains to survive the continuous relegation . So what if the benefits of higher affinities would slowly accumulate over a lifetime? In the Orom World , you needed to get stronger right now .

Welcome , young master , - the store clerk nodded as Zac entered the store .

Only one other disk was occupied , the Orom World having completely returned to its usual pace after the excitement of the new arrivals had abated . Zac scanned the list of items , and breathed out in relief that all of the items he had his eyes on were still available . Three particular items piqued Zac’s interest more than the others .

The first option item was an item the registry called the Hollow Core] . It was a semi-natural treasure reportedly formed from the core of a unique being and then reforged through some unknown natural calamity . It had been turned into an extremely sturdy container , perfect for building one’s Cultivator’s Core .

The Hollow Core] exuded some sort of pressure that would forcibly contain rampant energies as you built up the core , allowing pretty much anyone with the prerequisite Dao Stages to form at least a medium-quality Cultivator’s Core . Even a cultivator could make use of it to improve their chances of success , and the stability it provided might allow a cultivator to push their core to the next tier .

However , it had one big drawback in this place . Using the treasure to form a Cultivator’s Core would drastically lessen the Contribution Points gained from the breakthrough .

When inquiring why that was , Zac found that the restrictive array of the Hollow Core] was so unique , the prison brand didn’t manage to access the inspiration and insights from within . Certainly , if the Orom really wanted , it could probably improve the brand to gain access . But why bother exerting that kind of effort for some random unique item?

With a price tag of 32 , 000 Contribution Points , few E-grade cultivators could afford it . The few who could probably didn’t need it . They were most likely great talents who would be able to form high-quality Cultivator’s Cores , and the additional benefits the Hollow Core] provided couldn’t cover the cost of both the treasure and the loss of points from their breakthrough .

Still , it could potentially be a great asset to Zac who didn’t have the benefits of cultivation manuals or natural affinities , and who wasn’t planning on breaking through inside the Orom World in either case . He could use all the advantages he could get to form something that could withstand his path .

The second treasure was a single seed of something called the Heavenrender Vine . It was an item suggested by Heda to replace Vivi when she eventually passed on . Zac had long since overcome the unsettled feeling of socializing with someone whose soul was in constant jeopardy of being consumed , and Zac had visited the Arborist regularly over the past twenty months .

Not only did she possess a wealth of knowledge regarding the path of Life , but dueling against her thousands of plant species was an immense assistance in integrating the vines into his fighting style . After all , he only had Armament Mastery] on his undead side , and he sometimes hit roadblocks in translating the lessons .

Heda never held back when sharing her knowledge . She’d treated him with utmost sincerity since day one , in contrast to Ubo who mostly seemed to have invited Zac out of boredom , and then after that because of Zac’s connection to Three Virtues . Zac wanted to reciprocate the treatment , so he had surreptitiously asked about infusing the old vine with Creation Energy to restore her condition or forcibly allow her to breakthrough .

Unfortunately , Heda said it was no use .

No matter if you talked about plants of cultivators , all were born with the shackles of mortality , including cultivators . Certainly , some were less restrained than others , but everyone had a natural limit to their accomplishments . Less than one in ten thousand E-grade cultivators possessed the prerequisites to step into Hegemony naturally , and even fewer succeeded .

There was a small window of opportunity where you could break these shackles , using a mixture of momentum and opportunity to subvert your destiny . But if you missed that chance , you were essentially locked in . Not only would your body resist the evolution , but even the very core of your being resisted going any further .

Vivi had lived a long life , even for a Spirit Plant , and to forcibly prolong her life would bring more suffering than happiness , and neither Zac nor Heda wanted that . This was something all powerhouses of the Multiverse had to come to terms with sooner or later . There was only so much you could do even with all your strength and fortune . Not even Autarchs could subvert the basic law of aging .

That was why elders seldom got attached to the younger generations of their clans . Thousands of generations would rise and fall during their lifetime , and getting too invested would only lead to heartbreak , sometimes even Heart Demons hampering their own pursuit of the Dao .

Besides , Zac figured that his Creation Energy was more likely to drain what little lifespan the vine had remaining than recoup it . While Heda clearly had a special attachment to this vine , even she said Zac was better off focusing on a successor . To spend a century or two on purifying a high-potential seed with his Dao .

The Heavenrender Vine was a terrifying plant species that was almost unstoppable when fully grown . Its name came from the fact that it was extremely aggressive , and that it seemingly had no limits on how big it could grow . Some vines had conquered whole planets , forming vast , single-organism forests on its surface where all living things were prey .

The item in the store was classified as a Supreme-quality D-grade item , but it only cost 43 , 000 Contribution Points . The reason was simple—it didn’t really serve any purpose inside the Orom World . Nurturing and raising a Heavenrender Vine could bankrupt a Hegemon , and doing so wouldn’t award any Contribution Points .

In fact , the listing specifically said that Heavenrender Vines were a banned species that you weren’t allowed to grow in the Orom World . You were only allowed to buy the seed for study . For Zac , it could become a great asset down the road , and the vine would naturally enter the C-grade so long as Zac could afford to nurture it .

Heda even said there were B-grade vines out in the Multiverse , but anything beyond early C-grade would require unique fortuitous encounters .

The biggest risk with this purchase was that there was no guarantee he’d always use vines as he had over the past years . He’d discussed his use of armaments at length with Pavina , and Zac realized his attitude to his skills and tools was a bit rigid .

Nothing is constant , - the Revenant had said one day when Zac voiced his concerns . - Things change as the seasons pass . Not everything needs to be carried to the end . Being sentimental can be useful when braving the eons of lonesome struggle that is the road of cultivation . It reminds you why you are fighting , why you refuse to give in .

But do not let the things you carry become things that chain you down . It is a given that you will not use all the skills you acquire for all eternity . That does not mean they are useless now or that it is a waste of time learning them . They helped you during a period of your life , allowing you to reach the next stage of your path .

One day , you might realize the chains are no longer needed for you to accomplish your goals . Will you still carry them because of a decision you made as a child? -

It was a worthwhile reminder . Zac had unintentionally reached a point where his Spirit Tools had become his companions . Where he was absolutely unwilling to give them up . He hadn’t even considered swapping out Verun’s Bite] to some axe with greater potential . Zac would rather search for the fortuitous encounters required for Verun to accompany him to the end .

There wasn’t anything wrong with this mindset . The longer you nurtured a weapon , the more in tune with you and your path the weapon would become . Someone who constantly swapped out their weapons would be hard-pressed to reach that kind of natural cooperation as Zac had with his axe . Though while this was true for his axe , it didn’t need to be the same with everything else .

Just like Pavina said , if the vines didn’t work out , he could always stop using them . Pavina could accomplish more with a single finger than he could with all the tools in his repertoire . He didn’t need to be worried that he wouldn’t be able to display all the facets of his stances with his axe alone in the future .

Besides , he still hadn’t forgotten his longstanding promise to Alea . The goal was still to resurrect her , which carried a decent risk of destroying Love’s Bond] . Even if the weapon survived , Zac wouldn’t have the same attachment to it afterward .

But even if he got the Heavenrender Vine and it turned out to be superfluous in the future , he could still have great use for it . As long as he managed to elevate it to middle C-grade , it would become an existence that few in Zecia would dare mess with . It had the potential to become Earth’s ultimate guardian in case Zac needed to leave home for prolonged durations when searching for his sister .

Finally , there was a treasure called the Stone of Celestial Void] . From the looks of it , this was some sort of unique treasure born in the Void itself . It contained almost an incomprehensible amount of energy , enough to outright kill over a hundred Hegemons . Furthermore , it was said to hold some mysterious insights that were impossible to identify .

This was something he was eyeing for his bloodline . The amount of energy his Void Emperor bloodline had required to reach E-grade was almost unreal . Considering the biggest divide between E and D-grades was the immense energy reserves of Hegemons , Zac didn’t dare to think of how many resources it would cost to push his bloodline to the next stage .

The Stone of Celestial Void] contained the potential to be the spark that allowed him to ignite his bloodline and begin the breakthrough , like when he somehow siphoned all the valuables in the depths of the Twilight Chasm .

The stone cost 56 , 000 Purchase Points , which was slightly above the 49 , 699 he currently possessed between winning the duel and getting almost 9 , 000 Contribution Points for reaching the Integration Stage . But as long as he formed his next two branches , he would most likely be able to afford it .

Apart from that , there were dozens of items of similar quality . While those didn’t seem as useful for his own cultivation , some were definitely more valuable on the outside . There was always the option of taking the most valuable item and exchanging it for something even better than these three things on the outside .

Zac stood frozen in hesitation for almost twenty minutes , but he eventually emerged completely broke from the store , now with a small wooden band on his finger . Inside , a small seed hovered above a vast field of spiritual soil , the space spanning a couple of square miles . The Contribution Store was pretty generous , throwing in a miniature realm where he could store and nurture plants .

He ultimately chose the seed since it felt like the Heavenrender Vine was the option with the best odds of paying great dividends .

The Hollow Core] seemed pretty amazing , but he wasn’t certain it would work together with his Specialty Core that already formed a shell around the spot where his future Cultivator’s Core would be . Besides , he had the Perennial Vastness Token . He’d asked around , and while he couldn’t find anyone who had been there , he managed to pick up a few rumors .

From what he could gather , the method used in the Perennial Vastness Realm was unique , and it mainly relied on items gathered inside that unique realm . He had even sacrificed a Spatial Ring to confirm this by visiting Three Virtues . While the details were unclear , it was a trial and an opportunity wrapped into one , and the better you performed the better your core would become .

Zac couldn’t be certain , but there was a decent chance of outside tools like the Hollow Core] proving useless , or at least inferior to native alternatives , in that place . The re-sell value of the Hollow Core] was probably the lowest out of all the items as well , as it wasn’t that impressive to guarantee an ascent into D-grade . Those stuck at the bottleneck would surely pay anything for such an item , but E-grade cultivators didn’t have nearly enough money .

As for the use of Stone of Celestial Void] , it was just too big a risk . The Contribution Shop refused to take it out for him to inspect , so he couldn’t confirm its usefulness for his bloodline . Besides , it was simply too expensive , and choosing the stone wouldn’t allow him to complete the next part of his plan .

Forming Dao Branches meant a powerup , but it also meant something else in his case—he was about to get zapped with tribulation lightning . Twice . While it was deadly , it was also an opportunity . Last time , it had purified his body , ridding him of impurities , some of them so stubborn that Purity of the Void] couldn’t get the job done . After these tribulations and the one when reaching D-grade , it might be centuries before he was presented with this opportunity again .

It was time to gunk up his body .

57

GUNKING UP

Zac had prepared for this step since he accepted Kaldor’s challenge , and with his latest spending spree , he had everything he needed to make the most out of his upcoming tribulations . He made a beeline for his cultivation cave upon leaving the Contribution Store , and arrived at the small island in the no-man’s-land between Life and Death a few days later .

Years had passed since he leveled the local plant life during his second reincarnation , but the vegetation had long since regrown thanks to the dense ambient energy . There were no signs of any habitation , but Zac’s surroundings shifted after he entered a dense patch of undergrowth and activated an array disk .

A latch appeared on the ground , and Zac opened it before jumping down . Behind him , the illusory arrays sprung back to life , hiding the entrance from any passer-by . Farther and farther down Zac went , until he reached a cave two hundred meters beneath the surface . The air shimmered as he passed through a checkpoint , and was immediately assaulted by ferocious waves of stockpiled energies .

Almost three years ago Zac had looked into creating this place to restart his Soul Strengthening cultivation , since he figured he might as well work on his soul while he digested all he’d learned in the Wilderness . Building such a place on top of the island felt too exposed for a permanent residence , so Zac decided to dig .

To Zac’s surprise , he stumbled into this place by chance . The cave was clearly man-made , but it had taken advantage of the energy veins of the neighboring zones to create a natural gathering formation . It was far superior to the one Triv had erected inside his cultivation cave back home , and even more efficient than the gathering array he purchased in the Contribution Store . Thankfully , there was no cultivator around , and the signs indicated it had been abandoned for a long , long time .

It looked like Zac wasn’t the first Life-Death cultivator trapped in the Orom World . Zac didn’t know who his predecessor was , since there were no messages or heritages left behind , but it saved Zac a lot of effort . He only needed to do some minor alterations to make the energy flow better suit his cultivation method , erect a couple of arrays , and he was done .

A prayer mat was left in the center of the cave , and Zac was immediately inundated in the struggle between Life and Death as he walked toward it . He’d already planned out how to extract as many benefits as possible from the tribulations , and leveling pills was just part of it .

He could do the same with his soul .

However , Zac didn’t start up the cultivation method yet , first slotting five Life-attuned Cosmic Crystals into an array , followed by five Miasma Crystals of similar rank . The powerful energies sealed inside the crystal joined the ambient energy , pushing the environment to the next level .

The expenditure was beyond exorbitant , with each of the crystals being worth hundreds of D-grade Nexus Coins , but they would last him over a month . More importantly , they allowed Zac to push the quality of his cultivation environment to a similar level as the hidden cave he found at the bottom of the Twilight Chasm .

Next , Zac released some Void Energy to take out his Mind’s Eye Agate] before slotting it in a groove just behind the prayer mat . Farther from his prayer mat , he installed an array disk the size of a barrel lid . On it , Zac placed an intricately engraved chest .

Inside was the black and golden spiral-formed crystal of the twin-souled Realm Spirit , and they greedily started to absorb the energies in the cave the moment they were sealed . Even then , Zac saw how much weaker the lights were , and he felt some regret as he placed his hands against the smooth crystal . A weak nudge responded , proving that the spirits were still alive .

If he didn’t do something soon , they’d perish . He had tried all kinds of things since he first took them out a few years back , from sealing to nurturing , but he couldn’t replicate Qi’Sar’s array at all . They definitely wouldn’t last the full ten years the old Realm Spirit mentioned . He would be lucky if they survived more than a year .

Occasionally letting them feast like this seemed to help a bit , but they would stop absorbing the energies in a day or two , unable to continuously draw sustenance from the ambient energy . They were like plants dragged out of the soil , and anything he tried was just a temporary relief . Hopefully , he’d return to Earth in time .

If not , it was simply not fated . Perhaps the spirits would turn into some useful treasure upon their death .

Finally done with his preparations , Zac returned to his prayer mat and took out two of the bottles he’d bought . Zac left them alone for now , and withdrew the densely inscribed array disk for his Soul Strengthening Manual .

The cultivation methods of the first two reincarnations were simple enough . Zac had essentially been able to zone out and let the array do its thing , but those days were over . The third method of the Nine Reincarnations Manual] required not only active participation , but also an actual understanding of Life and Death .

Five streams of Mental Energy were dragged out from Zac’s soul as he activated the array . Four came from his Life-attuned cores and one from his central core . Joining them was a stream of insight coming from the Bodhi Tree in his Soul Aperture . Zac had long realized that using his human side to cultivate Death didn’t help him at the current stage of his method , so he’d swapped over to circulating Life when human since that was what he was more accustomed to .

The continuous drain of energy would keep going for almost an hour , but Zac would be busy during that time . The outer cores of his soul sped up as Zac imposed his will on them , and their trajectories grew more and more inscrutable . Of course , Zac was extremely familiar with what the patterns entailed . They represented his Daos of Life and Death .

Their movements drew two separate pathways in the hidden space of his soul . One of Life , and one of Death . The cores were often precariously close to colliding , but they never actually touched . However , a great tension was building through the pathways , almost as if he was watching two armies simulating a war .

This simulation wasn’t autonomous . It required constant input from Zac as he visualized the trajectories and what they meant . A single slip-up would noticeably reduce the effect of the cycle , and resting for just a minute could ruin it altogether . Zac glanced at one of the pill bottles with hesitation , then ultimately chose to wait .

Fifty-five minutes passed as Zac continuously pushed the cores through countless revolutions of Life and Death . Finally , a torrent of Life-empowered energy came crashing back from the array , and Zac uncorked one of the bottles and poured out a pill into his hand . The small pill was shockingly powerful , emitting such immense fluctuations , it almost managed to hypnotize him .

He still wasn’t sure this would work , but he threw the golden bead into his mouth before it made him lose control over the trajectories in his mind . The pill melted before he even had a chance to swallow , and a moment later , a sandstorm of golden grains entered his Soul Aperture .

It was the medicinal efficacy of the pill he’d just ingested , the Divine Elevation Pellet] . It could tenuously be considered a soul-nurturing pill , but it wasn’t something designed for Mentalists . In fact , no self-respecting Mentalist would willingly use this pill , even though its name was quite impressive .

It was a unique pill of the Orom World , sold by some unknown Emerald Badge from what Zac had gathered . Its use was simple , forcibly empowering souls with Life , providing the user with Contribution Points and a somewhat stronger soul . On the surface , it sounded great for any cultivator walking the path of Life . A soul more in tune with their Dao , without using any Soul Strengthening Method at that . What’s not to like?

The problem was that the pill contained a large amount of impurities , meaning it provided short-term benefits while potentially causing big issues down the road . It was a pill born from the desperation of this prison , where it was better to sacrifice some of your potential than being culled . It would buy the warriors some time , giving them a chance to turn things around .

Obviously , things rarely worked out for these people , but it was still a pill that had a steady demand in Samsara’s Edge . Unsurprisingly , there were quite a few similar pills on the market , for various attunements . Of course , the second bottle Zac had prepared was the same , but for his undead side .

Zac was taking a calculated risk here . Adding impurities to his soul at this stage might interfere with his Dao breakthroughs , but he dared use these pills since he’d suppressed his cultivation for so long . He was right at the cusp for both the Daos , and even if he met resistance , he could simply eat an additional Dao Fruit to crash through the barrier .

The ferocious sandstorm instinctively sought to join the returning surge of Mental Energy , but Zac held half of it back , instead pushing it into the four Divine Cores . Meanwhile , he guided empowered torrent toward another spot of his soul . A small golden globe that was barely visible next to the far larger outer cores .

The ninth outer core .

This little pellet had been formed the first time he activated the cultivation method , but it had been even smaller back then . Every time he practiced the Nine Reincarnations Manual] since , the new core had grown a little as it was flooded with energy from the other cores . By now , it was roughly a tenth the size of the original cores , and Zac estimated it would take around fifteen years of daily cultivation to fully form it by normal means .

It wasn’t a lot , but it also wasn’t little .

Especially when considering he would need nine cores of Life and Death to reach the maximum number of cores . And that was just the first half of the method . Going by his observations , there had to be a subsequent period of strengthening his cores after they were all fully formed . Altogether , Zac figured the third reincarnation would require a century of focused cultivation .

A century wasn’t too much , even for an E-grade cultivator , but it showed why so few bothered with Soul Strengthening . By Zac’s estimates , the third reincarnation he was working on was equivalent to the second half of the E-grade in terms of stage . To spend a hundred years in the E-grade , where you spent almost eighteen hours a day on soul cultivation , was unacceptable to most people .

It wouldn’t leave enough time for all the other parts of cultivation , which meant it would either ruin your momentum or leave you with glaring weaknesses . Only a soul cultivator would feel this trade-off worthwhile—well , soul cultivators and Zac . Even then , the Mentalists would probably be able to speed up the progress compared to someone like Zac , who didn’t have a unique soul or any special affinities in that regard .

His only strength seemed to be that his soul had unlimited potential , and it didn’t get stuck in bottlenecks , just like his body . Most people couldn’t cultivate Soul Strengthening Methods even if they wanted , considering their souls would simply stop improving . Their souls would strengthen as their realms increased , but that was the extent of it .

But Zac was unwilling to spend a whole century on the third reincarnation , no matter how useful an empowered soul was . Luckily , he found some ways to shorten that duration . First of all , there were the two splinters who continuously fed his soul with high-grade energy . Secondly , he realized that the stronger the outer cores were , the quicker each revolution would be .

And the quickest way to improve the outer core was to snatch various opportunities . He had seen just how much time he saved on the second reincarnation by visiting the Twilight Ocean . Without the unique environment and all the lucky encounters in that place , he still would not have passed the second reincarnation , even if he’d circulated the method every single day .

Even the life-and-death struggles had honed his mind and shored up his foundations . Secluded cultivation simply couldn’t compare .

This didn’t change with the third reincarnation . He’d already consumed some resources he found in Aia Ouro’s Spatial Crystal , along with some treasures in his Spatial Rings . These treasures had helped him not only grow his main core but also condense the attuned energies in his outer cores .

He would have to keep looking for materials to speed up the process , be it pills , natural treasures , or unique cultivation grounds .

Hours passed as three more rotations were finished , where Zac ate another pellet after every single revolution . The fifth Divine Core had enjoyed shocking improvements , though Zac could sense he would only be able to use these pills for another cultivation session before they lost their efficacy . Even now , a good chunk of the golden mist was expunged by his body before it even reached his Soul Aperture .

Furthermore , his Divine Cores all sported a series of dark-gray spots now , the impurities that had been hidden in the golden storm . Another hour passed and Zac took a fifth pill as the energy from the fifth revolution returned . He was hoping he could change what was about to happen next by controlling the medicinal energy , but he ran into a dead-end .

Zac could only look on with some disappointment as the stream of Life-attuned energies dissipated into a haze , failing to reach the fifth core .

As the cores moved through his Soul Aperture , the energies were gradually returned to the four outer cores . That , unfortunately , didn’t do anything to strengthen them though . It only put them in an excitable state , just like how the seas had started raging in the previous reincarnation . Even then , Zac had to continue , completing one revolution after another where most of the energy was lost to the Void .

Otherwise , he wouldn’t be able to start up the second half of his method . Zac still couldn’t quite comprehend the exact reason for this limitation . If possible , he would have preferred to focus all nine revolutions in rapidly building up the missing outer cores , but he was restricted by the number of cores he completed .

Four fully-formed cores meant he would be able to infuse the fifth core four times and no more .

Each additional core would allow the trajectories of the outer cores to grow more complex , which in turn would improve his soul in all kinds of ways , including how many energy infusions he could complete . If he had only managed to form one or two outer cores of each attunement , he would have been forced to spend twice as much time on the third reincarnation . At the very least .

The more outer cores he formed , the quicker the next formation would become . For example , the ninth and final core should only take half the time the fifth did , considering it would be infused eight times per cycle . Besides , putting the outer cores in an excitable state didn’t come without its benefits , so Zac let nature take its course as he finished all nine cycles .

By the time the ninth revolution was complete , the Divine Cores moved almost twice as fast as their opposites , and the Miasmic Cores were greatly restrained .

Having finished the first half of the cultivation session , Zac swapped over to his Draugr form and began the work on the second set of revolutions . Just like in his human form , he took a pill each time for the first four revolutions . This one was exactly the same as the Divine Elevation Pellet] , though it was called Ruin’s Gift] and forcibly expanded souls with the taint of Death .

Thankfully , Zac was able to form the fifth Miasmic Core simultaneously as the Divine Core , cutting the time spent in half . Once more , four sets of empowered streams of Mental Energy nurtured the growing core before the whole set of Miasmic Cores became more and more frantic , their movements no longer as suppressed .

Zac looked at his middle core silently hovering in the heart of it all . As the outer cores had grown more excitable , small motes had started to fall toward the central core , landing on its surface like a thin layer of snow . However , with only four sets of outer cores , the conflict still couldn’t reach a level that also refined the main core , so it simply grew without getting more condensed .

This process would continue for over an hour until the outer cores left their empowered state . With both sets finished , Zac no longer needed to provide any input . The outer cores were like wind-up toys , moving on their own now that Zac had staked and infused energy for the better part of a day .

He could even move around a bit , though too much would shorten the duration his soul got nurtured . Zac stayed put for now , and took out a third pill bottle and swallowed two pills inside . A ferocious surge of energy barged into his mind , and the small motes of snow were swept up by a blizzard that engulfed his central core .

A burst of synthetic progress was added to his unattuned core . Just like the other two pills , Zac intentionally chose a pill that provided huge benefits but contained large amount of pill toxins . Unfortunately , Zac found that the unattuned pill wasn’t as effective as the two attuned ones . He’d feared as much , considering the large amount of resources like this he’d consumed not long ago .

Still , it was better than nothing , and Zac figured it might save him a month or two of hard work . Soon enough , his mind returned to its normal state , signifying that the session was over . Even then , Zac sat unmoving for almost twenty minutes , not immediately continuing his training plan .

He was only delaying the inevitable and had already made his choice . With great reluctance , he swapped out his prayer mat with a large barrel . Next , he took out a large stone urn sealed with a dense layer of talismans . He took a deep breath before ripping off the talismans . This uncorked the container and allowed him to gradually fill the barrel with its contents .

Zac thought he’d been mentally prepared , but quickly realized his folly . His hair stood on end , his eyes watered , and he was hit by a wave of nausea that almost knocked him out . This was unlike anything Zac had encountered before and beyond his scope of comprehension .

The gray viscous mixture smelled like an embattled porta-potty three days into a festival where nothing but eggs and hot sauce was served .

The stench was so overbearing , it could be considered both a mental and physical attack wrapped into a single odor . Plugging his nose and sealing his pores had done nothing to alleviate the horror . The stench almost seemed sentient and refused to be denied .

Yet Zac kept pouring . The road of cultivation was full of tribulations , and this was just the latest one . Even then , Zac felt this one might be even more difficult to overcome than the Heavenly Lightning .

58

CELESTIAL CLAY

The stone urn was a Spatial Treasure , and Zac resealed it when the barrel was three-quarters full . For better or worse , there was a lot more of the gray mud stored in the vat , and he had to save it for future endeavors . The stench had spread through the whole cave , the environmental arrays utterly incapable of stemming the unceasing emanations .

Zac wasn’t any better off after withstanding the initial wave of nausea . His nose , his very being , refused to acclimate to the stench . The hexbrew was something mentioned by Heda , but even she had been unable to recommend it when Zac asked about items with powerful effects but large drawbacks .

The bubbling gray mud was called Celestial Clay] , in what might be one of the most egregious cases of overselling something Zac had ever encountered . It could be considered a natural treasure , something that was nearly impossible to create . It did , however , have a small chance of forming in tainted lands marked by extreme blights , war , or natural disasters . In other words , places with extremely fell Karma .

But just like the sign at the Havenfort Chasm said , - Night is the mother of the day . ’ Something divine could really be born out of this horrifying product . The Celestial Clay] was one of the rare items that could boost one’s inherent Luck and was even more effective than most Attribute Fruits .

Fruits providing Luck were hot commodities , and Zac hadn’t been able to get his hands on any even if a few had popped up in the Contribution Store . Everyone could use a bit of Luck in this prison , since it could be the difference between finding inspiration and being relegated . However , while all the Luck-boosting fruits had been sold the first day the store was refilled , the Celestial Clay] remained in stock since the previous cycle .

If it was just the smell , most cultivators would simply grit their teeth and jump right in before secluding themselves until the stench abated . But there was an issue with how the clay was formed . Being born in all that fell Karma , it unsurprisingly contained extremely hard-to-cleanse impurities that spread through one’s whole body .

That might just be a thorny problem that could slowly be alleviated for a powerful faction on the outside . Then again , those kinds of factions would probably find other means to fill out their Luck . In the Orom World , where you couldn’t spare the time to slowly purify your body , it was almost a death sentence . What good was extra Luck when the impurities were enough to risk your future breakthroughs?

Only two groups of people would dare use Celestial Clay] . Someone like Zac , with the unique abilities to cleanse impurities , or people absolutely out of options . Most in the latter group would rather spend their last Purchase Points on things like the Cultivation Chambers or Dao Treasures .

Zac fought to quell his full-body dry heaves as he dressed down to his underwear before sinking into the mud , letting the sludge rise all the way to his neck . A shudder went through his body , before he finally dipped his head beneath as well . Thus , he was fully submerged in the profane compound .

Some things were not as bad as they smelled , but the Celestial Clay] was definitely not one of them . As the weird gunk entered his pores , his whole body felt like it had become an olfactory organ , completely inundating him in the malodor . Zac had to forcibly grip his knees to keep himself from flying out of the vat , ruining the opportunity .

After being taken from its pool of origination , the Celestial Clay] wouldn’t last more than twelve hours outside of a sealed environment . Even sealed , it couldn’t last more than a millennium or two , a stark contrast to most items that could last for eons inside a Spatial Tool . Most believed the Heavenly Secrets locked in the goop couldn’t be permanently contained , and it would escape sooner or later .

Zac could only endure and thank the Heavens there was no one around to see or smell what he was doing . He could imagine the comments if someone like Ogras or Emily had seen this cultivation method . He wouldn’t hear the end of it .

But he didn’t have many other options .

The rules of his duel with Kaldor were clear . It was a straightforward melee without the use of skills or his Remnants . That left him with few ways to improve his odds in the short run . Dao and Technique were the big two . Boosting his Luck was one of the best alternative solutions to garner an advantage he’d come up with .

He had room to gain around 20 raw points in Luck since he had only filled up around half of his ceiling with Attribute Fruits for both F and E-grade . With all his titles , that would boost his Effective Luck by nearly 100 points , and it was an improvement completely unrestrained by the prison brand . That might be what would clinch victory against a tough opponent like Kaldor .

Luckily , the Celestial Clay] wasn’t grade-restricted like the Attribute Fruits . Four rounds of cultivating like this , one bath a week , should be enough to hit the limit . He wished there was more he could do , but there were only so many ways to improve . With the rules for the duel like they were , his bloodline was essentially useless , not that he had any way to improve it further at this point .

If the Contribution Store had more treasures that could open up more Draugr nodes , that would be one thing , but he was out of luck there . He considered treasures meant to improve constitutions , but nurturing constitutions with an awakened bloodline was essentially impossible .

Apart from his soul and the Celestial Clay] , Zac only had one final solution . He was planning on breaking through a couple of levels , since every level gained did slightly improve the speed with which he could circulate the energy in his body . Other than that , he would simply have to continue to train , pushing his Integration Stage techniques even further .

Since the clay would retain its efficacy for half a day , Zac desperately struggled to enter a meditative state to escape the stench . Interestingly enough , his connection to his two Dao Fragments always felt much clearer after running the latest method of the Nine Reincarnations Manual] .

There was something about observing and running those mysterious patterns with his cores that strengthened his bond to those Daos , and today was no exception .

He hoped to break through the first of the two Dao Branches in a month , making this his final opportunity to revise and go over all his insights . The hours passed , and Zac arduously managed to forget the vile mud he was ensconced inside . Eventually , he heard a crackling sound , which meant the clay had dried into a brittle , solid mass that was fast falling apart .

Zac was filled with relief as pushed through the flakes of dried Celestial Clay] , crawling out as though it was a barrel full of snakes . He threw the barrel into a Spatial Ring before setting up another array . For the next few hours , Zac was trapped inside a storm of water , spiritual leaves , and coarse sponges that scrubbed him all over thousands of times . Meanwhile , the cave was slowly being aired out by the environmental array , the stench finally giving way now that it was without a source .

Even then , Zac didn’t feel completely clean when he emerged , even if every particle of clay had been removed from his skin . Perhaps he wouldn’t feel clean for months after that experience . However , his mood visibly improved when he noticed that his Luck had improved by 16 points from this one session , meaning one bath provided a full 8 raw Luck .

That was essentially the equivalent of a Peak Luck Fruit at less than a percent of the cost .

With that ordeal out of the way , Zac spent the next week in seclusion alternating between opening a node with a node-breaking pill and cultivating his soul . As Zac expected , the Soul Strengthening pills he prepared mostly lost their efficacy after three sessions , but Zac estimated he saved almost two years of progress .

Of course , in normal situations it might have taken a decade to gradually rid his body of all the impurities , making the method useless for Mentalists . Eventually , it was time for another cursed bath , and this process repeated twice more until the day his breakthrough arrived . By now , his body was absolutely permeated by impurities—from his soul to nodes and cells .

But the progress wasn’t bad . A greatly enhanced soul and two new levels , for both his races . It could have been more , but Zac didn’t want any lingering damage to his body when dealing with the tribulation lightning . He’d pulled out all the stops , from using the disgusting Chainbreaking Pills] to Supreme-quality node-breaking pills , leaving almost no damage behind .

Most importantly , he’d gained a full 51 points in Luck . When adding all the points his Attribute Fruits provided thus far , Zac had actually surpassed the limits of a normal cultivator . For example , even with his background and unique bloodline , he had been unable to gain any more than 25 points in Strength from Attribute Fruits .

Some races could slightly surpass these limits for specific stats . But 25 per grade was a hard cap on Luck , no matter your origin . Most couldn’t even get that . However , Zac managed to gain 27 raw points in Luck per grade , pushing his Luck all the way to 591 Points .

Zac had no idea what allowed this attribute to surpass the normal limits . It might be related to the Fated titles he got , where a stronger fate might allow for greater leeway . Or it might be something else entirely . In fact , Zac wasn’t even sure if he reached his limits since he had run out of Celestial Clay] .

But that was just as well , considering it felt like he was covered in a film of oil from all the impurities in his body . If not for the upcoming tribulation and his Hidden Node , he would essentially be crippled by this point . The feeling was extremely uncomfortable , and he was afraid that staying like that for too long would directly hamper his mental state . Perhaps , it would even affect his ability to absorb the Dao .

Zac finally left his month-long seclusion and headed toward the Hallowed Pools] , the cultivation ground that matched the Blackink Mountain] in function . His breakthroughs had provided an impressive influx of Purchase Points , and he sprung for one of the Middle-grade chambers for half a day .

This cultivation cave was a golden pond hidden in a cave underground , where the walls were studded with Divine Crystals . Zac felt like he was looking at a primordial soup as he stared at the shimmering waters , the origin of Life . He’d developed a small phobia against submerging himself in cultivation liquid thanks to that wretched mud , but there was barely any hesitation as he swam to the depths of the pond .

The moment he entered the waters , Zac was almost forcibly dragged into his breakthrough prematurely . He held onto his sanity as he reached the bottom of the pond where a small array was engraved . He was pushing it renting a cave meant for Hegemons , but he was confident in maintaining his own vision of Life .

For years now , he’d delayed his breakthrough as he condensed and perfected his path and his stances . At this point , he could see the route he wanted to take so clearly , it might as well be real . Over the past month , he’d spent every waking moment pondering his path , confirming that the truths he seized during his endless battles were in tune with his path .

The last time he upgraded his Life-attuned Dao was after the battle with Ventus , the Radiant Temple Numerologist . Since then , he had encountered and experienced so much . In fact , he witnessed so many expressions of Life since he started cultivating , from the various facets of the human experience to the more conceptual meanings of Life .