Defiance of the Fall

For some , like Traprandar , Life manifested as a powerful light , a beacon that could both nurture and destroy . It was a force of nature like lightning or fire . It was the sun , sharing its blessing with the world but burning anything that came too close .

For others , Life represented Divinity—the bridge between mortality and the Heavens . It was the gift of the Cosmos and what connected almost all beings of the Multiverse . Thus , it represented the cohesiveness of the shared consciousness , where all was one and the one was all—one of the tenets of the Buddhist Sangha .

In Zac’s case , he saw Life as change , as boundless opportunity and possibility , resisting any and all restraints imposed upon it . Since his first vision of the Lifebringer , the celestial tree that outgrew its homeworld , he’d delved deeper and deeper into the truths of the transformative nature of Life . At first , change was represented through the changing cycles of nature when he worked on his Seed of Trees .

From there , it integrated the ability to break convention by adding the concepts of braving the harsh winds and finding Life through Death . At the same time , the Seed of Sanctuary added stability . It made his Dao impervious to the wills of external pressures , where Life derived from within could break the chains of fate and bring about endless possibilities .

Life represented progress , as materialized through his Evolutionary Stance . Only through a constant cycle of reinvention could perfection be grasped . However , his path was not one of passive discovery , of accepting whatever change came his way . Seizing and comprehending Life was to control Life . To control fate . Through his comprehension of Life , he would become the arbiter of his future .

That was his Path of Supremacy .

Suddenly , Zac’s pores opened wide , greedily absorbing the surrounding waters with such gusto that the whole cave shook . At the same time , the Bodhi Tree in his mind detached from its usual spot on one of the Divine Cores . It took position above his central core , like the Bodhi was becoming the Heavens of his inner world .

Hundreds of small streams of purified insights entered his Soul Aperture and were swallowed by the Bodhi , all while Zac staunchly held onto his path . The Dao Avatar kept growing in response , molding itself into Zac’s vision of the Dao of Life . Eventually , Zac’s Dao Field exploded out from his body as a massive apparition appeared above his head , stretching all the way to the pond’s surface over twenty meters above .

At first , the apparition mirrored the Dao Avatar’s appearance , but it gradually started to transform . It had become the Lifebringer , its branches stretching toward eternity , a realm unto its own . The next moment , it was the apocalyptic tree that was created from the volcanic eruption in the Twilight Ocean . The consecrated Bodhi Tree that once birthed the Prajñā Cherry] , the small sapling he had found in the Dead Zone .

Both avatar and apparition kept changing , reflecting both his sources of inspiration and the ever-changing nature of his comprehension .

A rumble spread through the world , reaching the very core of Zac’s being . His eyes shot open , and he was surprised to find himself standing in outer space . His surprise didn’t come from the fact that he overlooked a beautiful galaxy full of vibrant colors , but rather that he had been moved to Orom’s Tribulation Dimension without so much as a spatial ripple .

Unfortunately , this space was even more tightly sealed than the Orom World itself , and escape was all but impossible . Of course , the spatial restrictions didn’t apply to the Heavens , and Zac saw how an ominous black cloud started to spread through the emptiness of space shrouding the cosmos above his head . Zac frowned when the roiling darkness kept expanding to the point it stretched for dozens of kilometers in every direction .

It was large . Very large . During his last tribulation , he had been pretty out of it , but he was certain this Tribulation Cloud was larger than last time around . Its diameter was at least 30% wider , which Zac could only assume would translate into a harsher punishment . His fears were all-but-confirmed as he sensed the intangible presence hidden within , the boundless wrath of the Heavens .

It was out for blood .

59

CALAMITY

As expected , the punishment for evolving a Dao firmly outside the System’s purview came with a harsher challenge . The System wasn’t shouldering any part of the tribulation this time around . Each rumble was a primal call of destruction , with each purple flash hidden within the clouds containing condensed wrath for going against the natural order .

This was not a trial . It was a calamity .

The golden tree that had been conjured by his breakthrough shuddered from the pressure , and a pang of fear hit Zac as he looked up at the vast energies that had accumulated . He couldn’t stop the pang of primal fear from gripping his heart . After all , only 5% of people who directly shouldered a tribulation survived .

Even then , Zac’s heartbeat was steady and his gaze was calm . This time around , Zac wasn’t accidentally stumbling into a breakthrough . He’d prepared for this step for a long time . He wouldn’t be one of those who had their path cut short . He was here to crash through Heaven’s punishment in one go .

Five swirls beneath his feet continuously fed him with insights from the pond back in the Hallowed Pools] , fueling his aspiration as he reformed his Dao Field with the tree in the center . With his Dao on full display , it felt like this desolate pocket of space had become a lush forest full of verve . A clap of furious thunder greeted the arrival of Zac’s Dao , and the vast presence fully focused on him as the errant arcs of purple lightning started to gather .

This time , he wouldn’t swing at the lightning bolts like a lunatic . He’d done his research on how to best surpass a tribulation . There were some ways to deal with the lightning bolts , but directly attacking the lightning wasn’t one of them as far as Zac could tell . Perhaps if one was disgustingly powerful you could directly disperse the clouds , but Zac was far from that level .

What he did the last time during his bout of hubris was akin to pouring gasoline on the fire , only worsening the situation . In reality , there were two paths to go about the breakthrough—to hide from the Heavens or to defy the Heavens . These two terms were even older than the System itself . Which was no surprise , considering the boundless cultivators walked their path with at least one foot outside the System’s purview .

Hiding from the Heavens meant figuring out ways to weaken the tribulation or make it spread its focus . Some unorthodox cultivators set up sinister arrays where human sacrifices were performed to hide their fate or temporarily displace their Dao onto someone else , tricking the Heavens into targeting the innocent . What his mother did to Thea was exactly this—sacrificing an outsider to allow Kenzie to pass into the E-grade .

Some unique treasures and methods weren’t as sinister though .

The most famous faction who hid from the Heavens were no doubt the Technocrats , who supposedly perfected this technique . From what he’d gathered , they were able to weaken the tribulation by more than 70% , depending on their individual tech . There were even rumors of some sort of Technocrat Holy Land that was completely shielded from both the System and the Heavens .

That alone ignited another wave of wrath in Zac upon learning . His mother obviously had various means to cheat or weaken Kenzie’s tribulation lightning , yet she chose to use an unorthodox technique that killed Thea . It wasn’t an act of necessity—it was spite . Just the thought of it made Zac’s anger come bubbling again , but he quickly quenched it before refocusing on his breakthrough .

Zac couldn’t relax or get distracted . He had no plans of hiding from this tribulation .

The benefits of hiding from the Heavens were obvious . You’d survive where you would likely have fallen otherwise , carrying on with your life . The downside was pretty punishing as well , though . Your breakthrough could barely be considered successful , though Zac wasn’t too sure this applied to the Technocrats .

From what he’d heard , cheating a breakthrough this way was almost akin to forming a Half-Step Cultivator’s Core . While the reality wasn’t quite that bad , it was still a far cry from a true breakthrough . At best , you’d have to spend a huge amount of time and effort on shoring up the weak foundations left behind by the false breakthrough .

At worst , your cultivation journey had come to its end .

Few elites who stepped on the path of the boundless were willing to live with such a drawback , and they chose to believe in themselves and their ability to withstand the punishing bolts of lightning . That was the kind of conviction one needed to defy the Heavens . To stare into the eyes of death and not flinch .

For most , tribulation lightning was simply a calamity to be avoided at all costs , and they didn’t have the strength to seize the opportunity it presented . In fact , there were benefits to directly taking the lightning bolts of the old Heavens , benefits that not even the System could provide . His bloodline had simply allowed him to take far more advantage than most .

As long as warriors properly withstood the punishment of the Heavens , they could absorb small wisps of the Heavens themselves . For cultivators , it was an opportunity to marginally increase their affinities . Having the lightning pass through their Dao Fields also helped stabilize your Dao , saving you months of hard work .

Zac most likely wouldn’t be able to enjoy the former with his unique bloodline . He should have noticed some change after the previous tribulation if that was the case . But he did think he could benefit from the latter , which was a huge advantage for his upcoming fight . The less time he needed to consolidate , the more time he could spend on improving his techniques .

His ability to cleanse his body with tribulation lightning seemed to be a unique benefit of his bloodline though , and he hadn’t heard of anyone else benefiting in this manner . Last time , it was all thanks to his Void Heart] swallowing lightning and turning it into something usable that thoroughly cleansed his body and strengthened him . However , Zac believed he hadn’t unearthed the full potential of his bloodline .

Karz had been able to draw sustenance from pretty much anything . Zac bet that Karz would be able to swallow at least some tribulation lightning , even if it hadn’t been shown in the visions . The same was true for the mysterious man who had flown through the cosmos in his node-opening visions , swallowing stars like it was nothing .

Zac felt he should be able to do the same . As the first bolt of lightning congealed in the clouds , Zac steadied his mind . He had two goals today , apart from simply surviving . First , he wanted to stay conscious throughout the whole breakthrough so he could take full advantage of this opportunity . Secondly , he wanted to seize a bit of the lightning himself , performing an initial cleansing round to remove some of the muck that permeated his body .

The purple arcs of lightning lit up the whole cosmos , hatred and spite taken physical form . Even as Zac held onto his convictions , he couldn’t completely erase that initial primal fear . This was probably how the ancient cavemen of Earth felt as they hid from the crashing thunder , fearing the wrath of an almighty god .

Zac didn’t know why , but that thought somewhat calmed his nerves . Perhaps it was a connection of sorts . A shared experience from generation to generation , linking them across the long river of time . The cavemen had survived , and this storm , too , would pass .

The first bolt descended , and Zac took a steadying breath as he infused all the willpower and conviction into his Dao Field , which was now shrunk to its absolute minimum . It was so condensed that it barely covered the tall apparition , which had sunk to cover Zac’s whole body . He was practically hidden in the core of the Bodhi’s trunk , protected from the raging calamity outside .

This was the true way to withstand a tribulation , to anneal your Dao in Heaven’s Mandate .

Unfortunately , being prepared didn’t mean you were safe , and the whole world turned white as a pillar of lightning completely covered him and his Dao Field . The shimmering Bodhi was only able to stop the onslaught for half a second before it cracked , allowing the lightning to squeeze inside and target Zac .

It looked like the whole tree was burning , the golden sheen was supplanted by a blinding purple . Zac’s whole Dao Field was on the verge of collapse , but he staunchly held on , feeling his Dao being tempered . The only solution he’d come up with was to open the gates to Spiritual Void] , unleashing all of his Sealed Dao to strengthen his field .

As far as Zac could tell , this shouldn’t be considered a shortcut . It wasn’t some outside skill , it was simply his Dao and nothing else . He hoped this would allow his Dao Field to last longer , allowing it to be tempered even further than normal . Unfortunately , he wasn’t in any position to gauge the effect , as he was busy just withstanding the brunt of the attack .

His protective bubble was already breached , and Zac became filled with Heavenly wrath . His instincts screamed to give in , to push it away , to do anything to end this soul-rending pain . He’d been assaulted by all kinds of attacks before . Flames , acid , poison , and all forms of weapons . He had bled , he had been maimed , he had hovered at the border of death . Even his soul was once ripped apart . But never before had he encountered this kind of pain .

It was all-consuming and final , the ultimate retribution for stealing the Dao from Mother Nature . The tribulation was lightning yet not lightning . It was more akin to Oblivion in a sense , yet it wasn’t . If anything , the tribulation lightning rather felt like it contained the absolute absence of Dao , the absence of everything . Everything it touched would be destroyed , since the Dao was the basic building block of the universe .

It was a Void .

Zac knew he was screaming from the pain , but he couldn’t hear his cries over the crackling sounds of his soul frying . He was using his all to just stay afloat , to desperately try and complete the tasks he set for himself . His tattered mind pushed and pushed , trying to impose his will on the frantic lightning coursing through his body , trying to use it to singe the largest spots of impurities in an ultimate baptism .

Unfortunately , channeling the tribulation was completely out of his grasp , as the lightning had a will of its own , a will far more powerful than his own . His Void Heart] had already woken up and started to greedily swallow any bolts that came close . Its momentum was gradually increasing , prompting the tribulation to realize the danger just like last time .

Since he couldn’t channel the energy , Zac instead tried to keep it inside his body a little while longer before it escaped the Void Heart]’s hunger . It would ravage his insides even more , but he confirmed that while his cells were being destroyed , it took some of the impurities with it . It wasn’t quite as much as he’d hoped , but it was better than nothing .

He only managed to withhold the lightning for a second before it forced its way out , leaving Zac panting heavily , cracks covering his skin . His Dao Field was completely shredded , but Zac roused his spirit to reform it as he ate a cocktail of healing pills . Soothing waves spread through his body and mind , but it wouldn’t make much of a difference .

After all , the second wave was already descending .

The bolt slammed into his reformed Bodhi Tree , once more drowning it in purple destruction . The second lighting contained even more power , and Zac couldn’t maintain his field for more than an instant before the lightning poured into his body , transporting him to a world of agony .

There were no longer any thoughts in Zac’s mind of controlling or taking advantage . He only clung to survival as bleeding cracks opened up all across his body . His Soul Aperture wasn’t much better off , with the tranquil star system beset by a fierce calamity . The Cores were pelted by bolts , covering them in hairline cracks .

What felt like an eternity passed until the lightning finally left his body , and Zac wheezed as he looked up to the sky , his vision blurry and his mouth tasting metal . Just one more . One final strike and he’d be done with it . Even more impurities had been expunged , but the effect was actually worse than after the first bolt .

Was it because he was unable to affect the situation on his own? Or was it because there simply had been so many impurities in his body the first time around , that it was impossible to avoid?

There was no way to tell , and Zac’s only thoughts were now on staying awake . To maintain his Dao and hold onto his convictions . There was no turning back , and Zac took a steadying breath before roaring in defiance as the third bolt crashed into him . The Bodhi was reduced to splinters and his blood to ash , overwhelming all resistance .

His soul was lightning , his body was lightning . There was nothing else . Only pain and the color purple . He was just a leaf swept up in a hurricane bent on destruction . But he held on to that flickering sense of self , of the golden tree that could carry the weight of the Heavens themselves .

An instant was stretched to infinity . Eras turned as Zac was caught in purgatory , assaulted from every direction by voices that told him to give in . That he would still pass even if he let go . After all , he was the descendant of the Void Emperor , his lineage would keep him safe . Yet he held on , refusing to rely on that sort of crutch .

A million times he was urged to surrender , and a million times he said no .

Then the pain stopped . The change so sudden Zac wasn’t sure the impression was real , but the vibrant cosmos soon came into view , confirming the lightning had receded . The tearing agony had been imprinted into the core of his being and its shadow lingered , confusing Zac’s mind .

He’d made it .

Not only that , he remained conscious , albeit barely . The clouds slowly parted , their churning undulations filled with a sense of frustration and unwillingness . At the same time , the cosmos started to blur , and Zac found himself back in the bottom of the pond once more . This wasn’t teleportation , it was some sort of Space Melding , where two coordinates or two dimensions were fused into one .

Now wasn’t the time to think about that , and he focused on the storm of energy that entered his body , dragged into his mind by his glowing Dao Avatar . The divine tree was greedily drinking the rich water in the pond as it completed its transformation . Zac looked on , filled with an odd sense of discrepancy .

Not with the Dao itself , since it was gradually becoming more and more in tune with his path . It was rather an odd spatial phenomenon , where he felt the tree was rapidly growing even though it stayed the same size inside his aperture . Like that small avatar was the size of a mountain , yet it kept growing somehow .

His body was riddled with wounds , and his souls were covered in cracks . Yet he suppressed the pain after swallowing another set of pills , his mind fully occupied with observing his Dao Branch .

As the hours passed , the form of the tree didn’t change much . The most significant change was how the branches , which previously formed almost a circle that enclosed the trunk in a protective bubble , were being raised into the air . Soon enough , they all pointed to the sky , giving Zac the impression they were holding up the Heavens themselves .

From the branches , leafy vines hung down toward its roots , their lazy movements filled with whispers of Life . He couldn’t hear anything from inside his aperture , but he still felt like he could hear a soothing rustle from the Dao Avatar , and he felt like he was transported back to his courtyard in Port Atwood .

Safe , secure .

Eventually , the process stopped , and the tree returned to root itself on one of the Divine Cores . Zac finally let himself relax , knowing he had perfectly passed the tribulation . A quick estimate proved he still had a few hours on the chamber , so he swam out of the pond and sat down on its shore , no longer requiring such massive bursts of energy .

Zac needed to go over the state of his body , of his soul . However , there was one thing he needed to do before all that , and he quickly opened his Dao Screen .

Branch of the Kalpataru (Early) : All attributes +50 , Dexterity +300 , Endurance +800 , Vitality +2250 , Intelligence +50 , Wisdom +250 , Effectiveness of Vitality +25%

60

KALPATARU

Zac blankly looked at his new Dao Branch for a few moments before he finally remembered where he’d heard the term Kalpataru before . Seeing something he barely recognized was a bit of a surprise . He expected something simple along the lines of - Branch of the Consecrated Bodhi , ’ - Divine Tree , ’ or even - Branch of the Yggdrasil’ for his new Dao Branch .

Just like its predecessor , the name came from Buddhist scripture . With so many exalted monks living in the Life-attuned area , Zac had broadened his knowledge of the Buddhist Sangha quite a bit over the past years . One of the monks had mentioned the Kalpataru , a Divine Tree with the power of longevity , something closely linked to Life .

If consecrated properly , it could even grant one’s wishes , which was the domain of Creation . The tree was apparently a real thing and not a myth , but it was more akin to a natural treasure than a Spiritual Plant . It couldn’t be grown and it produced no seeds . It would appear out of nowhere , born from the Cosmos itself . It even had a will of its own , and if it wanted to leave , not even an Autarch could keep it .

It would just disappear , avoiding all restrictions as it moved to another part of the Multiverse .

Seeing how the name still followed a Buddhist heritage didn’t bother Zac . It was ultimately just a name , derived from Zac’s understanding of the universe . It didn’t mean the monks managed to subvert his path or infuse the teachings of Buddha into his Dao . He was simply cultivating Life through the imagery of a tree and the concept of change , making the name fitting enough .

What mattered was the content of his Dao , and he had never felt so in tune with his Life-attuned Dao as he did right now . He finally felt the Dao had become his own . Until now , it had been propped up by Dao Fruits and necessity . Now , it was remolded to perfectly fit his path , something that could be discerned through the change in attribute allocation .

Vitality was still the main attribute , followed by Endurance . However , seeing that the Dao Branch added 300 Dexterity was a welcome surprise . With his two classes and conflict-based Dao Branch , his Strength was running far ahead of his other attributes . It still wasn’t at the level where it caused him any trouble , but he ultimately wanted to aim for a more rounded build .

While he had gained a bunch of Dexterity , Zac had actually lost some Wisdom , while his Intelligence barely increased . It was an obvious shift of focus , where the points that should have gone into Wisdom had been allocated into Dexterity .

It was a welcome change , as far as Zac was concerned .

He’d needed the points in Wisdom back when his soul and its defenses were lacking . But now , his soul was becoming extremely powerful , to the point it was even sturdier than his body . He didn’t need the extra mental strength and protection provided by Wisdom , and he was better off gaining some speed instead .

Zac closed the Status Screen and touched his token next , prompting a 9 , 715] to appear . Almost four thousand of the tally were leftover points from his earlier cultivation session , meaning he gained around 6 , 000 for forming the Dao Branch . The number of points gained from the breakthrough wasn’t the maximum possible , but it was clearly better than the average .

Some didn’t even gain 2 , 000 Contribution Points when forming a Dao Branch . This result was within Zac’s expectations as he’d already learned that Boundless Daos provided more Contribution Points in general . Daos within Heaven’s Path were more harmonized , while those who entered the boundless were more likely to be individualistic in nature .

Therefore , boundless breakthroughs had greater odds to include new insights for the Orom , which was why an unusually large part of the population of the Orom World walked the Boundless Path .

Zac stayed at the edge of the cultivation chamber until the time was up , using the immense energies to replenish his Spiritual Void] and further stabilize his newly-formed Dao Branch . In fact , he saw some benefit to his Divine Cores as well , where they absorbed some of the energy and concepts in the golden waters .

It proved his previous notion was correct . He needed to find attuned cultivation grounds to improve his cores . Unfortunately , this golden water didn’t seem too useful for his soul , but there were all kinds of Life-or-Death attuned materials out there . He just needed to find the right ones to save years of arduous cultivation .

While making full use of the cave , Zac also went over the state of his body . He had to admit , things were better than expected . After being subjected to that horrifying torture , especially from the third blast , he expected his body would almost be in a crippled state . He was surprised to find that the damage was actually quite superficial .

It didn’t make sense .

He’d felt how his body was essentially being erased by the tribulation lightning , yet he was mostly fine . Certainly , he was absolutely covered in small scars , from his skin to his organs and his soul , but these wounds didn’t contain any lingering energy or Dao . It was nothing compared to the stubborn damage left behind when he formed the Chaos Patterns .

Come to think of it , he was pretty much fine when waking up after his previous breakthrough as well . This was completely different from the norm . Even the staunchest elite spoke with hushed tones when discussing the tribulation lightning , and most were left bedridden for decades after withstanding them .

In his case , he felt he’d be back in full form in a day or two , even quicker if he made use of one of the healing arrays . He didn’t delude himself into thinking he was uniquely talented or anything . This was thanks to something else .

Void , - Zac muttered as he thought back to the bolts of lightning .

The purple lightning had been the absence of Dao taken form , an anti-Dao of sorts . How was this related to his Void Emperor bloodline? Was the Void it spoke of the Heavens themselves? Was that why his bloodline had taken such a leap forward last time his Void Heart] swallowed tribulation lightning?

But then , how did Void Beasts fit into the picture? Why was their energy so useful for his bloodline? And why didn’t that ancient aura his Void Energy emitted feel like the tribulation lightning at all if they shared an origin? Zac shook his head . These answers were too far out of his reach .

But it did make him even more eager to find out more about that ancient era . About Karz and the Limitless Empire . He really needed to get his hands on some sort of manual to go with his bloodline . Right now , he was fumbling along , using the Remnants and random encounters to push his bloodline forward .

How few of his impurities he managed to burn away proved how little control Zac had over his bloodline . Zac bet that if he had a proper manual instead of the absurdly simplistic Bloodline Resonance] , he would have been able to really take advantage of the tribulations . More importantly , there was probably a limit to how far he could improve himself using such an unreliable strategy as random encounters .

Just like how the Nine Reincarnations Manual] had started adding demands on comprehension at the third layer , he needed to better understand his bloodline if he wanted to keep evolving it . Perhaps , he would be able to search for some answers in the Million Gates Territory .

From what he’d heard , Mystic Realms and ancient detritus were sometimes spat out from those spatial rifts , containing remnants left behind by the Limitless Empire . Most of it was useless scraps , but some weren’t . The treasure that made the Void Priestess fight with her life on the line had appeared there .

Of course , Zac needed to get out of this place before he could start planning his next step .

Zac left the cultivation chamber the moment his token buzzed , afraid he’d get charged for another twelve hours if he loitered . From there , he returned to his cultivation cave , where he once more entered seclusion . This time , he didn’t spend any time on gaining levels or bathing in toxic mud .

Instead , he swapped between cultivating his soul and slowly integrating the Branch of the Kalpataru into his Evolutionary Stance . There were still eight months to the duel , and he wanted to spend as much time of that as possible in his undead form . To avoid getting bottlenecked later , he had to take the first steps with integrating his Life-attuned branch before that .

One week passed in this manner until he felt a thump in his chest . Zac was in the middle of a cultivation session for his soul , but he immediately cut it short . There was still an uncomfortable amount of impurities saturating his body , and the next few minutes were critical in allaying the situation .

The thud came from his Void Heart] , meaning it had finally finished processing the tribulation lightning . A moment later , it started to spit out one burst after another , each one filled with the promise of both pain and possibility . Last time , Zac hadn’t known what to expect , so he mostly let the tribulation lightning do its thing .

Now , he wanted to control the events and was elated to find it worked to some extent .

Thanks to Void Heart]’s purification , the previously uncontainable lightning was far more malleable , and Zac pushed it through his body on a crusade of purification . The lightning still hurt like hell , but the agony wasn’t even at the level of the first tribulation bolt . It allowed him to maintain his concentration as he used massive amounts of Mental Energy to drag the lightning toward the thousands of spots of accumulated toxins .

With every heartbeat , hundreds of oily spots and stubborn imperfections were singed clear , leaving behind pure cells without any blemishes . This time around , his cells didn’t greedily swallow any lightning , and his Force of the Void] remained locked at 50% capacity . It really looked like he had reached his limits for this Bloodline Talent , at least until the bloodline evolved .

That was fine with Zac , since it left him with more lightning to temper himself with . His mind was already drowned in a thunderous storm , and purple blasts hit his cores over and over . The numerous attuned cores had just made a full recovery two days ago , but they were already beset by another onslaught . Thankfully , Zac could tell that the bolts wouldn’t leave any lasting damage .

The previously mottled cores were fast regaining their luster as one bolt after another exploded against their surfaces . Not only that , but the energy they emitted started becoming increasingly condensed as the tribulation lightning left some of its essence behind , saving Zac even more time to reach the peak of the third reincarnation .

Unfortunately , nothing good lasts forever , and the bolts started to escape through his pores , dispersing into the environment . At the same time , both Purity of the Void] and Spiritual Void] absorbed the occasional arc of lightning , though they weren’t nearly as voracious as his cells had been the last time around .

The final arc of lightning escaped , leaving Zac covered in a new set of scars . Even if his scorched wounds looked a bit nasty , Zac felt great . It was almost felt like he’d been reborn , or at least returned to his prime condition . That oily feeling , like he hadn’t bathed for weeks , was finally gone .

The tribulation itself removed around 5% of his impurities at best , but this second baptism had removed at least 60% of the remaining impurities . That meant a third was still left behind , but there was still the second tribulation to deal with that . Seeing the result , Zac decided to not try to muck up his body any further .

He didn’t want any gunk remaining after his second tribulation . Not only would it hamper his energy circulation during his duel , but it was also high time he started to prepare for his next breakthrough—Hegemony . He didn’t want to stop at the Peak of E-grade for over a century before making his attempt at forming a Cultivator’s Core .

Soon enough , he would have spent ten years in the E-grade . While it wasn’t long , Zac was struggling to catch up with Leandra . Taking it slow and steady wouldn’t cut it . His initial plan had actually been to reach D-grade within 10 years , matching the one year it took to reach E-grade . Now , he knew that was insufficient to reach the accumulations he wanted .

His new deadline was twenty years at the most—the sooner the better . If he could push his Dao Branches to Middle proficiency within a few years , while also finding some inroads into properly forming a core that would work in his body , he would immediately crush his Perennial Vastness Token .

A few years was probably too short a time to reach the limits of the E-grade—Late-stage Branches and a thrice-reincarnated soul . But it ultimately didn’t matter . Those things weren’t something that couldn’t be accomplished after his breakthrough . They would simply make the process of forming his Cultivator’s Core easier , but he hoped he wouldn’t have to go that far to succeed with its formation .

Soon enough , another month had passed , and Zac had long adapted his Evolutionary Stance to make proper use of his new Dao Branch . The process was even smoother than he could have hoped for . It was like the two were meant for each other , effortlessly fusing into one . And they were .

Zac somewhat understood the reasoning behind Pavina’s suggestion to wait with his breakthrough , but only now did he witness just how spot-on her advice was . His technique paved the path for fusing his Dao and Path into one , removing the incongruities and forging everything into one coherent system . Well , almost coherent .

There was still one aspect that remained to be integrated for his triumvirate path to be perfected—the final Dao Branch .

By now , the foundations on his Draugr side were as stable as an impenetrable fortress , his accumulations even surpassing those that allowed him to form the Branch of the Kalpataru . It was with a steady heart Zac made his way toward the Blackink Mountain] , only making a short detour to pick up Empyrean Aegis] at the local Nexus Node .

The quest for this defense was to gain two Dao Branches , and he wanted to cash in on the reward before forming his Deathly Dao Branch since he didn’t know if it could affect the nature of the skill . Having imprinted the new skill fractal , which was placed on back of his head of all places , he swapped back to his Draugr form and set off .

A few days later , he reached the cultivation grounds where he rented a middle-grade cave to match his previous breakthrough . Soon enough , Zac sat ensconced in the depths of Death , pondering his Dao and the road that led him here .

Just like with Life , Death had many faces and expressions , something Zac had become all-too-familiar with since the integration . In a sense , it was central to every cultivator’s struggle as they fought to cheat death and gain eternal life . Death became the ultimate adversary , always waiting to end their path . Death also became a close friend , following them throughout their journey . Only by walking at the edge of Death would a warrior reach the peak .

For some , especially in the Undead Empire , Death was also synonymous with war . It was destruction , the act of vanquishing your foe . It was a core component in the struggle so central to both the Heavens and the System . If Zac had been born Draugr rather than accidentally gaining this second identity , he would most likely have taken this path as well . Death through conquest .

For others , Death represented control and hierarchy . Both liches and necromancers walked this path , where their Death became their tool to gain minions . Then there were the hexmasters , the shamans , the poison masters , and various different cultivators who infused Death into their path . For them , Death was power—a primal force few could withstand .

For Zac , Death was stillness . The end of change and dominion over fate . It was a bridge toward eternity . His finding the Dao of Death had been a circuitous journey , far more accidental than that of Life . However , as the years passed , he finally started to assimilate it into his own . His Draugr side was no longer a persona , a skill to be used or power to be exploited .

The Draugr was him as much as his human side , and his desire to delve deeper into this aspect of the cosmic truths was just as real as his connection to Life . It all started with the Seed of Hardness , once meant to become the Fragment of the Shield . Instead , it came to represent the inviolability and inexorability of Death .

Next , came the Seed of Rot , born out of necessity and a sense of imbalance . It now represented the transition from life to death , from movement to stillness . After all , just like his Branch of the Kalpataru , his Dao was not a Dao of passive acceptance , even if it was centered around stillness . This was also Pavina’s first impartment to him , her display in the arena that showed how Death could be proactive .

The vision of the cursed lotus had fused Hardness and Rot into something more aligned with his path . Death was the ultimate cage that all beings railed against , like someone entombed against their will . Sealed in its heart was everlasting nothingness .

To cultivate was to struggle against fate , but Death was the ultimate judge of that struggle . By controlling Death , he was not just the arbiter of his enemies’ fate , but also his own . As their chapters ended , his own road would grow wider , reaching toward that lofty peak . That was his Path of Supremacy .

The cave rumbled as the truths within began to resonate with what was engraved in Zac’s heart , and he opened his abyssal eyes to welcome Death into his soul . He felt the withered tree rise from its Miasmic Core , and heard a spectral rattle from the hanging coffin as the Dao Avatar moved toward a central position in his aperture .

It had begun .

61

CULMINATION

Leyara passed through the barrier shielding the outer hall and was immediately greeted by a vast silence . Her steps , her breath , the basic sound of existence was swallowed by the Void , leaving only a blanket silence . It wasn’t uncomfortable—rather the opposite—like returning to the womb . Even her thoughts were being muted into a susurrus .

Her master would chide her for giving in to the nothingness , so Leyara soundlessly put her hands together in the Emptiness Mudra and channeled her cultivation technique . Her hazy cognition congealed , turning immovable , a polished stone sitting in the middle of a river . While she was part of the Void , she was distinct from it . Refined by it .

She walked inside , space and distance feeling indistinct because of the lack of sound to accompany her actions . She held onto her seal as she moved . Hundreds of inky black crystals floated in the air around her , each one silently humming in tune with the chamber . Today , a squall of Drikvirs had come over from the gardens , most likely attracted by the Void Priestess’ Dao .

They were like silken bands of light , flickering in and out of this dimension as they danced around the Void Stones , their source lighting up the usually shrouded hall . A smile spread across Leyara’s face as she saw the naughty little critters , but she didn’t dare wave one over out of fear she’d lose her concentration .

She wasn’t in any mood to face the Tranquil Wall and recite scriptures so soon after returning . She turned her gaze away , heading toward the exit at the other end . There would be time to play with the animals that made the Void Monastery their home later .

Her master sat at the same place she did when Leyara left on her mission . The same place she had been sitting since long before Leyara’s great-grandmother was born . Leyara could barely sense her master’s presence even when standing right in front of her , she was so utterly in tune with the Void .

Perala Janodrok wore the same long white robes as always , its engraved hems spreading out like a lotus flower around her sitting position . Her features were made indistinct by a veil of darkness that shrouded her , but Leyara knew she was beautiful , extremely so . Why else would those old toads be so obsessed with her? There were more female Monarchs to court if you just wanted a diplomatic alliance .

Seeing her master’s lonesome back as she gazed at the hovering scar in front of her made Leyara’s heart clench with sorrow . How long would she sit here in solitude , missing out on the joys of life? To guard a promise so long forgotten?

Leyara hurriedly wiped away the sorrowful expression as her master turned in her direction , and a radiant smile bloomed on her face instead .

You’re back , - Perala smiled , waving her disciple to come closer .

The universe came crashing back with Perala’s voice , the white noise of reality suddenly so loud it was unbearable . But like a rising tide , the stillness returned the moment Perala was finished speaking . Her voice was the Void , and when it existed , the surrounding stillness could not . How would a river exist in the ocean?

You have made progress in your comprehension . -

Leyara opened her mouth with expectation , but only silence emerged from her throat , her words unable to take shape . Her face scrunched up with annoyance before she jumped into her master’s embrace .

It is still too early for you to break the Void , - Perala said with a shake of her head as she caressed Leyara’s head , her smile slowly fading . - Work hard . We are entering a turbulent age . -

I think I’m getting closer , ’ Leyara answered in her mind . - I felt something condense . ’

I’m sure , - Perala nodded as Leyara sat down in front of her . - How was it? -

Dalos performed the 81 rites , but there was no response . We traveled the planes for over a year , but there were no clues to the disturbance . If the anomalies are related to the Void Star itself , it is hidden well . Or at least beyond our capabilities to understand , ’ Leyara conveyed with a shake of her head . - The only sign of abnormalities was the unusual number of beasts . ’

Tides are forming? - Perala hummed , not looking too bothered .

Leyara shrugged in response , unsure . The number of beasts was a bit more than usual , but it was not yet at the level of a tide . And even if one emerged , what of it? They arrived every few centuries as the population strove to purify their bloodlines . It was a win-win situation , where the beasts rid themselves of weakness and the monastery’s subordinate factions gained some wealth and experience .

What about you? What did your heart say? - Perala asked .

Leyara hesitated to answer . She had felt something , but was afraid she’d imagined it .

Do not doubt your instincts , child . Your ability in this regard is unique , even surpassing what I am capable of , - Perala said .

It felt happy , ’ Leyara said . - Expectant . ’

Happy and expectant? - Perala slowly muttered , her eyes giving no clue what she was thinking . - I understand . How is your progress? -

I managed to form my second Dao Branch during the mission , ’ Leyara grinned .

Good , child . Your comprehension has always been at the forefront in this sector , - Perala smiled . - Unfortunately , you are a bit inexperienced in other aspects , and I cannot help but worry . I have set up a training session for you . To shore up your foundations and prepare yourself . You need to reach Hegemony within fifteen years . -

Fifteen years?’ Leyara repeated with confusion before her eyes widened in understanding . - We’re really joining?’

In some matters , we cannot maintain neutrality . This is one of them , - Perala nodded .

Have they discovered something?’ Leyara asked with a pang of worry .

From the looks of it . . . Our enemies are walking the unorthodox path . Not one or two factions , but the whole army , - Perala sighed . - The war will be brutal beyond compare . -

A dark sector!’ Leyara asked , shuddering with horror .

It might be a false alarm . We will find out more over the coming years , - Perala said . - What will be , will be . Go find Mravla , she will impart you with the art of command over the next year . -

Leyara nodded with a frown as she stood , any thought of playing around in the gardens forgotten as she hurried toward Mravla’s Cloister . The situation didn’t sound so grave from the rumors she’d heard . Just some scuffles in the lawless sector . But for her master to act , the situation must be extremely serious , and she wasn’t strong enough to protect anything as she was .

Perala saw her disciple exit the suppressive buffer before turning back toward the hovering scar .

First the Space Gate , now you . Is it connected? - Perala sighed as she grasped the ancient token hanging around her neck . - Million Gates . . . Is it really there? -

The bristled lizard released one last sorrowful wail as it helplessly watched the axe descend , but its lamentations were cut short as Zac’s strike cut through its thick skull and extinguished its soul with one practiced motion . A small sputter of energy entered his body as the local tyrant of the fifth band fell , leaving Zac panting and ravenously hungry after fighting for over an hour to take down this stubborn animal .

Still , the hunger barely registered as he eagerly opened his Quest Screen .

Desperation’s End (Class) : Extinguish one million souls . Reward : Desperation’s End Skill (1 , 000 , 000/1 , 000 , 000) COMPLETE]

It had taken more than four years , most of which had been spent ceaselessly fighting in the Wilderness , but he finally made it . One million souls had been extinguished , turning Zac into what could best be described as a walking calamity to the beasts that made this place their home .

Luckily , even the beasts in the first band qualified for the quest , allowing him to progress tens of thousands of kills a day toward the end as he acquainted himself with his latest Dao Branch . Over four months had passed since he returned to the Wilderness , and he started right at the beginning . For over twenty-two hours a day , he fought in an almost macabre dance with Death .

Zac had spent one month in the first band , getting used to his new Dao Branch . After that , he pushed forward , never stopping until he reached the middle reaches of the fifth band . He couldn’t go much farther though . Having a powerful technique wasn’t enough . Those who got this far generally had Late Dao Branches or higher .

Some even reached the next stage of the ladder , completely eclipsing his own accomplishments . Technique wasn’t enough , you needed a more powerful base to use it with , just like Pavina had said . You might be able to walk the whole Wilderness if you mastered the Conception Stage of technique , but only with the caveat that you were also a Monarch .

Improving his technique had nearly allowed Zac to make the impossible possible in the Wilderness , but it could only take him so far . Besides , the benefits were amplified here in the Wilderness where he was only fighting Middle E-grade beasts . He would find more of a challenge than just an attribute disadvantage if he entered the lawless sector of the fifth band , but he didn’t dare .

Even if sparring against those powerhouses who walked the path of slaughter would be far more efficient , he didn’t dare do so right now . The deadline of his duel was getting close , and he couldn’t allow himself to be maimed by someone and saddled with hard-to-cleanse invasive Daos .

It was time to head back .

Leaving wasn’t just a matter of ability . There wasn’t much of a purpose in going all out and forcing his way deeper into the Wilderness . While the animals here were extremely powerful , it was only in comparison to his limited state . Without the prison brand and Zac avoiding using his bloodline , he would be able to kill thousands of lizards like this without breaking a sweat .

Zac wasn’t really putting it all on the line here , and so he wasn’t actually finding any new truths in the heat of battle . Most of his gains were ultimately based on his desperate struggles in the Twilight Ocean . The Orom World had given him an opportunity to better understand what he learned and experienced since the integration , and then turn it into something useful .

But he had squeezed his accumulated inspiration to the limit already , and he could go no further down his road this way . Meaning the Orom World had reached its limits on what it could provide . It really was time to leave . Not just the Wilderness , but the Orom World itself .

Zac started making his way toward the closest teleportation exit as he pondered on his path . He had far surpassed the bare minimum Kaldor mentioned , but that didn’t mean he could expect an easy fight . He opened his Dao Screen to look at his Daos , hoping the lines of text would lead to some new epiphany .

Branch of the Pale Seal (Early) : All attributes +50 , Strength +300 , Endurance +2250 , Vitality +800 , Intelligence +50 , Wisdom +250 . Effectiveness of Endurance +25%

Zac had been just as befuddled when he saw his newest Dao Branch as when he formed the Branch of the Kalpataru . Thankfully , he had eventually figured out the origin of the name . The Seven Seals might not be commonly known , but the representation of the first four was famous even in popular culture—the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse .

As for the Pale Seal , it had to be referring to the fourth of the Seven Seals .

The fourth seal was aptly the one that released Death , who would plague the Earth with war and famine . At first , Zac had been a bit confused , since the imagery seemed a bit at odds with his Dao , until he understood there were two parts to the simile . The first component was naturally Death , the thing hidden inside the seal .

Secondly , it was the seal itself , just like how his Fragment of the Coffin worked—hardness containing rot . The seal was clearly sturdy beyond compare since it was able to restrain Death itself until it was released . This restraining power was central to his path and his technique . Finally , the Dao pointed toward the next stage of this peak—the seventh seal . When the seventh seal broke , even the Heavens would be silenced as the end of days arrived . The Apocalypse .

Oblivion .

The gain in attributes mirrored his Branch of the Kalpataru perfectly , which wasn’t much of a surprise considering the two were one-half of a whole . The difference was that his Life-attuned branch focused on Vitality and provided Dexterity to represent the changing nature in Evolutionary Stance , while the Branch of the Pale Seal provided Strength and focused Endurance .

This time , he’d lost a bit of Intelligence to reach this balanced state , but it wasn’t like Zac was using that attribute too much anyway .

Zac appeared in Samsara’s Edge two days later , and set course for Kaldor’s castle . Everything that needed to be dealt with had been accomplished . His impurities had been purified , his Daos and techniques were stable . Entering seclusion for the last three months wouldn’t bring any benefit .

It would only rob him of his momentum , so Zac chose to strike while the iron was hot . He would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid , but there was also a part of him that was burning with excitement . The opportunity to duel with a master at the precipice of confirming his Dao , to experience the vantage of a peak expert from an A-grade faction .

That kind of opportunity simply didn’t exist in the Zecia Sector .

So , it was with a somewhat tumultuous heart he stepped through the gates of the Izh’Rak Reaver’s castle .

You’re early , - Kaldor’s voice echoed out through the castle , and Zac could actually hear an unmistakable tinge of excitement to match his own .

It was time , - Zac said with a serious expression .

Interesting , interesting , - a gruff laugh followed as the gates slowly opened .

Out from the darkness , Kaldor walked , and it felt like the whole Orom World trembled from his mere presence . The prison brand was obviously unable to restrain the grandeur of this warrior’s path , and Zac felt like he had been punched in his gut by the unmasked aggression . This was a true warrior , one born through battle and hardships , there were no two ways about it .

Kaldor stood around two meters tall , just like Zac , but Kaldor’s real height should be between three and five meters . He was simply restrained by the spatial manipulations of the Orom . Come to think of it , Three Virtues was the only one whose size was different from the norm . Why hadn’t Zac reflected on that before? Was it yet another mental manipulation from the monk’s side?

Zac shook his head , returning his focus to his adversary . His build was slim , almost emaciated , but it emitted a supremely brutal pressure . Greatest’s blood-drenched aura was just a shadow of what Zac felt right now , and Zac’s own killing intent was nothing but a drop in the ocean . Kaldor’s build might be scrawny for a human , but Kaldor definitely didn’t look human .

After all , he was a skeleton .

More specifically , Kaldor looked like he wore full-body bone armor beneath a tattered vest and loose-fitting pants . However , those bones weren’t a Spirit Tool or forged equipment . They were Kaldor’s true exoskeleton , a unique feature of the Reavers . Not a single inch of his flesh was exposed , not even his eyes . Not that Izh’Rak Reavers had eyes in the same sense as humans did .

Three gemlike bones were embedded in his skull , one in the middle of his forehead and two almost at the edges of his face , forming a wide triangle that provided surround-vision from what he’d heard . In addition , there were just two small holes for a nose and a thin unmoving line for a mouth .

This odd appearance only scratched the surface of the Reavers . For example , while Reavers had flesh , they didn’t have organs . They had muscle and sinew . Supremely condensed muscles that turned them into unstoppable forces of nature .

They didn’t even have brains , as their consciousness was spread through their bones rather than in their head . Thousands upon thousands of small runes covered Kaldor’s skull and arms , and Zac knew that the same was true for his whole body . It wasn’t something Kaldor had done himself , but rather a natural progression of their bodies .

You could say that the warlike Reavers were all body cultivators , but they cultivated their bones rather than their flesh . They needed no Spirit Tools or defensive equipment . They were the equipment . Their bones surpassed almost anything at their grade in durability thanks to their unique body tempering arts , making them extremely difficult to kill .

The bones also gained various abilities as their ranks grew . At D-grade , for example , they finally awakened their Warbones , which Kaldor thankfully wouldn’t use in this duel . It was an inherent transformation ability that was a mix of skills like Vanguard of Undeath] and the activation of War Regalia , the energy-consuming equipment only Hegemons and higher could use .

Durable , powerful , and bloodthirsty . The war-hungry armies of the Izh’Rak Reavers were the scourge of the neighboring empires of the Undead Empire .

In a sense , the Izh’Rak Reavers seemed to be more in line with Zac’s own build than Draugr were , but he was still thankful he’d been implanted with Draugr genes over Reaver genes . He felt that the difference between a being that was something like a mix of insect and skeleton and a human was too great a bridge to pass .

Zac tried to figure out what kind of technique Kaldor used , but his lazy stance gave no indication of what to expect . This was the one thing Pavina refused to help with , and no one else seemed to know either . Perhaps they feared to spread Kaldor’s secrets , considering he held the right to kill people in the Orom World .

Well then , - Kaldor said as his mouth and nose disappeared , leaving a smooth surface without any weakness . - Show me why you’re worthy of the Path of Oblivion . -

62

PATH OF OBLIVION

Worthy of the Path of Oblivion? What does that mean? - Zac asked , but the only response he got was a deafening scream of danger and an alabaster fist ripping the air apart in its approach for Zac’s left temple .

Just a fraction of a second later , the crash of stone tiles breaking resounded , along with Kaldor lunging toward him , finally catching up . The fist seemed straightforward , but it exerted the pressure of a whole world collapsing in on him . Was it Kaldor’s technique or was it the inherent power of a warrior with a perfected inner world? Zac couldn’t tell .

Zac’s instincts kicked in , and he leaned into the punch as he pivoted , countering with an axe swing of his own as the chains on back his began their dance of death . But it almost felt like he’d been transported back to his first day in the Orom World where Travo Raso put him in his place .

His perfected movements were now as clumsy as when he first arrived , and time slowed to a crawl as the fist grew closer and closer . Zac believed he’d timed it perfectly , and confirmed that Kaldor restrained his aura down to 1 , 000 attribute points , yet his calculations were way off . His instincts told him that insisting on his current route would only end with his skull being cracked like an egg , when it should have led to an equal exchange of strikes that would have won him the bet .

He trusted his instincts .

Even if Death couldn’t be avoided forever , it could be delayed . He had been too impatient and geared up , hoping to end the fight in an instant in a surprise upset . Now , Zac had to make a small sacrifice to not be immediately taken out of commission . His muscles screamed in protest as he forcibly stopped his swing while changing his pivot to raise his arm to block .

A rapid clashing of chains pushed two of the links between Kaldor’s fist and Zac’s bicep as well , narrowly allowing him to divert the force even further . But suddenly , the sense of danger resurged with refound urgency . What should have been a light graze had somehow turned into a deadly assault , once more subverting Zac’s understanding .

Two chains slammed into the ground , pushing Zac backward over ten meters as he absorbed the force of Kaldor’s punch . A sheen of sweat lacquered his back , and he looked at the Reaver with surprise . Without any facial features , Zac couldn’t glean anything about Kaldor’s mood , giving Zac the impression he was fighting some sort of emotionless robot .

In a sense , it almost seemed like he was fighting a Technocrat for a moment there , considering he hadn’t sensed any emanations of Dao at all from that opening salvo . Kaldor somehow tricked Zac’s mind twice without using any of his insights to empower his strikes .

Not completely hopeless , - Kaldor grunted , his voice now muffled as though he were speaking into a can . - You want answers? Win the bet first . -

Zac wasted no more effort on talks or contemplation , and completely melded with his path . His new Dao Avatar radiated unquestionable finality as it released dense black tendrils of Pure Death . It no longer looked like the dead tree with a hanging coffin . Zac now understood that imagery had been partly a crutch , where he based his understanding of Death on his understanding of Life .

But now that he’d stepped onto the Path of Pure Death , the two conceptualizations had further diverged . The Dao Avatar appeared in the form of an Iron Maiden , with some differences from the grotesque medieval torture device . Instead of spikes , the insides were lined with chains , judging by the endless rattling of links heard from within .

Also , instead of a tormented face at the top , there was just a pitch-black halo , like a black hole leading into the abyss . Just like the Kalpataru’s vines rustling formed a song of unfettered life , the rustling chains of the Iron Maiden formed a tune of inescapable death . However , while their portents might seem dour , Zac felt a sense of comfort hearing them . It was stability , it was peace .

Just like the Branch of the Pale Seal had woken up , so had the miniature version of himself , the Dao Avatar for his Branch of the War Axe . No longer did it switch between his two races . It had solidly become Draugr as it wielded the axe of chains , giving off the aura of a grim reaper . Its strikes were death incarnate , repressing and unyielding .

The tendrils of death were immediately attracted by the display , forming a dour shroud that almost looked like the chains on the real Zac’s back . As his avatar moved , so did Zac , the aura around him shifting into one of utter inexorability . There was nothing else on his mind any longer , only the battle .

Another snort echoed out from within Kaldor’s skull as he shot forward , but Zac wouldn’t allow himself to be ambushed again . The chains formed an outer perimeter as over a million deaths showed the way . The short breather allowed Zac to figure out the truth . The situation had felt similar to when he was first bested by Travo Raso , but the circumstances weren’t the same .

Instead of vastly surpassing Zac’s skill level and fundamentals , the Reaver was rather using extremely intricate footwork that messed with Zac’s perception .

When it looked like Kaldor stepped to the right , he was actually moving left , and vice versa . The minute cues for momentum and intent that Zac’s instincts based themselves on turned into traps . Nothing was as it seemed , where slowing down could mean speeding up , or some other action altogether .

It was an extremely refined method that required not only exquisite control over your body , but also a meticulous understanding of the mind . You needed to perfectly grasp what drove an opponent’s actions to so perfectly trick the instincts that had been forged through thousands of battles . It was not something Zac could do at all , at least not against someone who had experience with life-and-death struggles .

Ultimately it didn’t matter . It was just another attempt to escape the inevitable .

There was no worth in analyzing the disconnect between the Izh’Rak Reaver’s gruff and straightforward persona with this kind of refined fighting style . He might be trying to teach through battle or it might be a natural expression of someone so far ahead on the road of cultivation . Zac only needed to focus on his own path—to restrain , to whittle down , to deliver death .

The rattling of links echoed through the courtyard as the four chains spun their web of death , their undulations restricting Kaldor’s options to advance . It wouldn’t help even if Kaldor’s techniques made him unpredictable , as long as Zac controlled all the avenues to choose from . However , a Monarch was not so easily contained , and Kaldor chose the most straightforward solution . To break the pattern and force open a path .

Kaldor shifted , placing him in a precarious position right among the chains , but Zac didn’t have time to seize any advantage before the Reaver unleashed an extremely precise combination of a punch and roundhouse kick . A shockwave rocked the surroundings as the chains became entangled in an unproductive mess .

Zac’s patterns weren’t airtight , but it had to have taken a terrifying ability to so utterly expose the weaknesses . However , just as Kaldor dealt with the chains , a gleaming edge was almost upon his head . It was Zac who made his move while Kaldor had his hands full , and his axehead radiated a deathly luster as it closed in on its target .

A thin forearm appeared out of nowhere as Kaldor twisted his torso , using his other leg as a pivot . Zac’s axe slammed into Kaldor’s arm , and a painful rebound shocked his own wrist while not so much as a mark was left behind on Kaldor’s bones . No one said anything after the exchange . They both knew this didn’t count as a hit .

Kaldor had been fully prepared to block the strike , and he used his forearm as a shield in place of an actual weapon . Even if the Reaver hadn’t said it outright , Zac was aware he had to land a true hit that the Monarch couldn’t avoid . After the initial exchange , Zac knew things wouldn’t be over so easily .

Zac was still a bit surprised to see that his Branch-infused swing didn’t push the Reaver off-balance , even if he was bent at a ninety degree angle and used only one leg for balance . The other leg was still in the middle of the previous kick , and Zac felt a pang of danger as the kick somehow gained momentum by transferring the force of Zac’s strike .

Death didn’t back down or cower , so force met with force as Zac stayed true to his path . The chains had already untangled thanks to Zac buying some time , and they resumed harassing the Reaver while Zac kept up his pressure . Kaldor wasn’t giving an inch either . He may as well of had three heads and six arms , continuously parrying swings or disrupting the chain formations .

It was an odd feeling , where Kaldor was simultaneously stronger and weaker compared to Pavina . He was stronger in his understanding of rhythm , of making the most of simple timing . His control was appallingly accurate , where Kaldor kept forcing advantages by manipulating Zac’s trajectories and strikes by almost unnoticeable degrees .

These small differences only cost Zac fractions of seconds , while they gave Kaldor the breathing room he needed to shift the rhythm and avoid being put on a defensive . However , his techniques were inferior to Pavina’s due to restricting himself to concepts limited at the level of fragments . After having battled Pavina so many times , Zac felt the attacks were almost simplistic after gaining some understanding of what Kaldor was doing .

This was the key to victory , and Zac took full advantage , using both his Dao Branches in his strikes and as a basis for his Inexorable Stance . Every attack he performed contained the inevitable nature of Death , every movement was like another layer of choking constriction that would eventually claim its prize .

Kaldor had already turned into an alabaster blur as he fended off chains and swings from every direction , though Zac could tell death was slowly creeping closer . In the beginning , Kaldor’s unpredictable nature repeatedly disrupted Zac’s rhythm , but the Reaver was increasingly moving in accordance with Zac’s own Dao .

Zac’s axe descended , and Kaldor once more avoided the strike with a hair’s breadth , no longer able to afford himself inches of leeway . Still , their battle had become akin to a chess game nearing its end . Even if there were still a few hundred moves that needed to be performed , the game should end in Zac’s favor unless he committed a blunder .

Fetters clanked , and the hollow calls of sharp metal colliding with bone formed a song of cessation as the two combatants moved toward the inevitable . Still , Zac didn’t dare let down his guard , and he entered a transcendent state where he was one with his path , not letting any emotions or distractions lead him astray .

Kaldor was aware of the conundrum , though no matter how he fought , he couldn’t break free , restrained by not only Zac’s technique , but more so by the rules of engagement . Zac had already reached the level required to contend in this duel when he defeated Olgoroth . Since then , he’d made some massive improvements , turning a life-and-death struggle into a passable trial just like he’d planned .

However , Zac suddenly got a sinking feeling as the refined technique of Kaldor got more rugged , more brutal , and a dense red haze seeped out from his body . Congealed killing intent . Luckily , Kaldor’s time was running out , and Zac’s work was reaching fruition . The Reaver had been pushed off-balance by a powerful swing , and the four chains lunged .

Both hands were temporarily bound just as Zac’s axe shot forward , aiming straight for the Reaver’s chest . The opening had finally presented itself after hundreds of exchanges . Death had come to collect . However , just as Zac was about to checkmate the Reaver in this meticulously planned game of his , Kaldor did the one thing that would prevent a victory .

He flipped the whole table .

The indistinct steam oozing out of the Reaver’s bones suddenly moved , transforming into an unrecognizable seal beneath Kaldor’s right foot just as he stomped down . Zac’s chains were completely disrupted and lost their grip , while Zac himself was once more flung away .

Good , good! - Kaldor growled , his form barely visible in the thickening mist . - You didn’t disappoint me . To think you managed to push me this far . But it’s not enough . Not enough! Show me your Path . Show me Carnage! -

Are you breaking the agreement? - Zac frowned as he steadied himself .

Breaking what? This is just killing intent , the mark of a warrior , - Kaldor laughed . - I never used a skill! How did I cheat? How! -

Zac looked at the skeleton with wide eyes , once more lamenting that most of the old monsters he’d encountered shared one common trait—shamelessness . Was that a core component required to reach the peak of cultivation , to blatantly twist the situation into one’s favor , forgoing any sense of dignity?

Certainly , it hadn’t been explicitly stated , but using the killing intent of a Peak Monarch was overstepping the bounds of the duel . That strike had been decidedly more deadly than anything that could be dished out with Peak Fragments . He had even felt huge pressure when using his Dao Branches .

It was the first time Zac had seen killing intent be weaponized to this degree . Zac himself had used it a few times before to suppress or even knock out weaker enemies , but that method was extremely crude compared to what Kaldor had done . The skeleton actually controlled the intent , then turned it into what looked like an array to amplify his power .

Are you going back on your word? - Zac repeated .

He immediately got his response as Kaldor rushed forward , his killing intent on full and unabashed display . Zac only hesitated for an instant before he moved to meet the charge . He didn’t know if Kaldor was losing control due to battle lust , as Reavers were reportedly wont to do , or if he wanted to push Zac a bit further to test him .

If it was the former , Zac could back off and return when Kaldor’s head had cooled down . Since Zac would have won with that final strike if not for the interruption , Kaldor would probably hand him the Remnant without complaint . However , if it was the latter , Zac felt giving up might cost him his chance to get the splinter . Kaldor had made it clear ; he had no love for cowards .

For now , Zac would keep going a bit longer since he hadn’t reached his limits . Kaldor no longer bothered to rely on finesse , and Zac’s instincts told him that had never been the skeleton’s true path . It was painfully obvious as the Reaver clawed at him with wild abandon , his fingers glowing red .

Zac countered with a swing of his own , but even death was rebuffed by the insatiable will contained in Kaldor’s attack . Zac was pushed back a step , then immediately adapted and lunged for another strike . With unprecedented focus , Zac restarted his stance , calming his mind . Death couldn’t be impatient , it couldn’t be swayed by outside events .

It was steady , intractable . And if it failed , it was only a temporary defeat . Death would win out in the end—no one could escape . But it quickly started to feel like Zac was trying to contain an enraged Barghest with a prison made of twigs . Kaldor’s punches were simpler compared to before , but they contained an indomitability that broke Zac’s Dao .

The Reaver’s strikes ignored everything as they went in for a kill . Technically , it should have meant leaving his body with numerous openings , but Kaldor kept unleashing those red arrays with his fists , feet , knees , and elbows in a furious barrage .

Every time their attacks collided , Zac was practically rebuffed by an army of battle-hardened veterans , where their wills had been turned into a power of faith . Zac tried to regain control , only to repeatedly find his technique unable to withstand this kind of power . It was undying , everlasting , a true manifestation of the Dao of Conflict .

The strikes put Zac under a kind of pressure he hadn’t felt since entering the Orom World , where every strike of Kaldor’s carried the threat of death . The whole courtyard was drowned in it , pushing Zac’s nerves to a breaking point . Even Zac’s vision started to blur , like he was being dragged down into Kaldor’s madness .

No matter what the Reaver was planning , one thing was clear . The killing intent was all-too-real , and every single strike was aimed at Zac’s vitals with the intent to kill . If one of those array-empowered strikes was allowed to hit his body without its force dispersed , his Duplicity Core wouldn’t be able to fake his death and save him .

Zac briefly considered giving up on his chains , fully concentrating on his axework to focus his strength . However , he rejected the idea , choosing to trust what he had built over these past four years . Part of him wanted to discard it all now that he finally encountered something that cleanly suppressed his Inexorable Stance . When real stakes were at play .

But his path wasn’t a lie . It had led him through insurmountable odds , and it would take him through this as well . The clamoring calls of the illusory war hidden in Kaldor’s bloodlust faded away as Zac’s abyssal eyes stared straight into Kaldor’s soul . He advanced again , and something shifted as his soul and body melded into one , where his path filled his very essence with enduring purpose .

He was Inexorable .

63

HARMONY

Not once since stepping into the Integration Stage over half a year ago had Zac felt this in tune with his creation , where he and his Dao were on track for becoming one and the same . The Inexorable Stance was no longer just an extension of his will , it melded with his whole body . He’d turned into an immovable fixture in the midst of Kaldor’s madness , an island of death that the warriors born from the Reaver’s killing intent couldn’t breach .

At first , Zac wondered if he had somehow leapfrogged a whole level and stepped into the Conception Stage , but he was overestimating himself . Even Monarchs who had studied their Daos and techniques for eons were hard-pressed to ever reach that level of technique , and it was much too early for Zac to take that step .

Neither was his state the result of deepening his foundations in the Integration Stage . Zac could tell he’d still only just begun his work on his integration . The mysterious sense of unity came from somewhere else , from something Pavina hadn’t prepared him for—his soul .

More specifically , it was thanks to the skeletal framework he set up for the Thousand Lights Avatar] .

His own movements and that of his Dao Avatars were almost in sync as Zac fended off the mad assault of his skeletal adversary . When he swung his training axe , so did the avatar swing his chained axe of death . When Zac manipulated the chain formation erected with Chainbox] , so did the black tendrils from his Branch of the Pale Seal dance in his Soul Aperture .

With Zac being the target of an unprecedented wave of killing intent and pressure , he had been pushed to the limits to make the most of his technique . The fluctuations and concepts generated by his Dao Avatars had grown stronger than ever and were further empowered by Zac opening his Spiritual Void] . Unknowingly , this power had then spread into the thin strands of Mental Energy Zac started drawing along his skeleton .

That was the first and easiest step of the Thousand Lights Avatar]—to set up a framework to build upon as he progressed . The method suggested the original user , the Eidolon , to form it based on their favorite appearance . Since Zac wasn’t an amorphous wraith , he’d chosen to form the frame based on his skeletal structure .

From there , he would gradually fill out his body , from copying pathways to flesh and muscle until his body was filled by a secondary soul of sorts . This initial step hadn’t taken too much work , allowing him to mostly complete it while resting . Most of the work came from engraving a set of patterns that prevented the Mental Energy from immediately dispersing .

The initial step might have been straightforward , but it hadn’t brought him any benefits either . Zac had tried to make use of his nascent avatar in the Wilderness , both by instilling it with Dao and trying to use it to push his Mental Energy into his skills quicker . Neither really worked . It was more efficient to infuse his muscles with his Dao if he wanted to empower his body , and the pathways were much-too-thin to carry the required amount of Mental Energy to bolster a skill with a Dao Branch .

Now , this weak framework had become some sort of bridge , improving the harmony between himself and his Dao Avatar . It blurred the lines between corporeal and spiritual , where it all moved toward a singular unity . It was still far from perfect , but it made his stance more natural , putting not only his mind but his whole body in the right state .

Zac had no idea this kind of thing was possible . Pavina didn’t cultivate her soul at all , apart from using some sort of warrior method that passively strengthened its defenses over time . Thus , she had never mentioned that soul and technique could empower each other . If anything , those who had powerful souls and thus high control rather focused on intent , where cultivators integrated their path with their weapons or spells rather than their technique .

This was great news for Zac , who hadn’t been able to make a lot of use of his extraordinary soul except for withstanding the Remnants and performing his crude version of Dao Braiding . The former was a stopgap to avoid going insane , and the latter was nothing special . His braiding was even worse than what some F-grade talents could perform .

The Remnants were providing a powerful hidden ace while also helping cultivate his soul , but Zac was ultimately receiving somewhat limited returns from cultivating his soul even if it was the most time-consuming aspect of his path . He had previously hoped on making use of his soul cultivation to form axe intent or some technique-based intents like Evolutionary Intent .

Zac figured that between the crystallization of his path , his rapidly improving technique , and his powerful soul , he might be able to add intent to his repertoire , but he had been utterly incapable of forming even a wisp of intent . Unfortunately , it looked like intent required affinity that would allow him to better control the insights in his Daos .

The failure had made him uncertain about persisting with his soul cultivation beyond what was necessary for the Remnants , since those years would be better spent on exploring Mystic Realms , battling to hone his Dao and techniques or refining his skills . Even some side-professions seemed more efficient for his goal of catching up to his mother and saving Kenzie before it was too late .

However , his current state showed him a new direction .

It was still just a shadow of a path , but it brimmed with possibility . To fuse his soul and link it with his Dao Avatars , essentially a fusion between Man and Heaven . This would be a system of his own creation , something that took advantage of both his refined soul and talent for improving his technique .

A wailing scream of danger dragged Zac out of his thoughts , but it was too late . He’d messed up , allowing himself to be consumed by his discovery in a fight that allowed for no distractions . A fist hidden behind a glaring-red array was closing in on his heart , and it was too late to dodge . Zac could only minimize the damage , and he furiously spun his torso as his chains pulled the attack off-mark .

Zac’s vision turned white with pain from having a part of his lungs and ribcage disintegrated as Kaldor’s fist grazed his torso . If he had been just a heartbeat slower , Kaldor’s attack would have hit him square in his chest , destroying his heart and most likely shattering his whole upper torso .

There was no longer any doubt in Zac’s mind about the veracity behind the intent within Kaldor’s punches . The killing intent was real , and if Zac slipped up , he would get himself killed . The wound in his side dripped with ichor , but his powerful durability was thankfully coming in handy as the bleeding stopped almost immediately without even using a skill .

Still , Zac wouldn’t be able to keep going much longer . It wasn’t the wound . This was nothing compared to some things he’d been through . The real problem was that Kaldor was still ramping up . With every clash , Kaldor’s momentum increased , and the dense haze of bloodlust grew thicker .

Zac was struggling to regain control of the fight , but even with his latest breakthrough , he’d only gone from being the weaker side to barely hanging on . It didn’t matter if Kaldor was only relying on insights at the level of Peak Fragments . The condensed bloodlust more than made up for the lacking foundation . If things kept going , there was only one outcome .

Death .

Over and over , Zac rallied , putting everything he learned to use . His whole body was becoming one with his Dao Branches , and every movement was in accordance with his path . Yet a second wound soon joined the first , and then a third . The only thing Zac had gained from taking those terrifying punches was a short breather , but Kaldor soon snatched back this advantage with his unrelenting assault .

Pain racked Zac’s body , the whole world a hazy red as Zac desperately held on , but those three shimmering aquamarine lights from Kaldor’s skull started to look like the light at the end of the tunnel . The suppression was complete and suffocating , with Zac barely clinging on to life through his mastery of death .

It was time to disengage .

Kaldor had gone far beyond the agreement of the duel , and Zac had already gained an epiphany in the heat of battle . If Zac kept pushing it , he would eventually fail to turn these deadly strikes into glancing blows . There was no point in persisting in this sham of a trial .

However , just as Zac was about to step back , even sacrificing Chainbox] to delay Kaldor if needed , he felt a terrifying energy congeal right behind his head . He was forced to lunge forward to avoid a huge red brand that appeared in the air , the first time those arrays didn’t form attached to Kaldor’s limbs .

The brand erupted , ripping space apart before releasing a tumultuous shockwave . If Zac had retreated into that thing , his head would have been blown right off . The scene thoroughly infuriated Zac . The dark swirls of Oblivion gathered in his mind as he readied himself to fight fire with fire .

But it took time forming even the smallest of Annihilation Spheres , and the detonation had pushed Zac right into Kaldor’s waiting arms . Zac desperately swung his axe to force the Reaver into the defensive , but another large array appeared like a shield while a killing strike continued toward Zac unimpeded . There was just no time , and Zac went with the only solution he could think of .

The red haze dispersed within a meter and a half from Zac , and Kaldor’s two arrays sputtered and died out . The churning Daos in Kaldor’s body had been muted as well according to Zac’s Cosmic Gaze] , and the skeleton stopped in his tracks .

Zac saw his opportunity , and he immediately gave up on activating Abyssal Phase] with Void Energy . Instead , he slightly altered the trajectory of his axe , passing right through the spot once guarded by the sanguine barrier . At the same time , Zac used all four chains to delay Kaldor from resetting his punch , which was no longer powered by his killing intent .

One attack sped up while one slowed down .

Crackling sounds echoed out as fetters snapped , but they were joined by a blissful clang as Zac’s axehead slammed straight into Kaldor’s chest , prompting sparks to fly . The strike contained everything Zac had to give , but the exoskeleton was just too hard . Not even a scratch was left on its alabaster surface , yet it almost felt like Zac’s wrist would snap from the rebound .

Zac didn’t fight the powerful counterforce and instead used it , along with Kaldor’s delayed punch , to create a ten-meter distance between them . Kaldor didn’t move after the exchange , and the red haze around him slowly dissipated as the two combatants stared at each other in silence . One silent and brooding , the other panting and covered in wounds and black ichor .

It’s my victory , - both concluded .

Your victory? Have you lost your mind? - Zac swore , losing all decorum as another wave of anger raged in his chest . - There’s a limit to how shameless you can be . -

The Reaver was already cheating by using extremely refined Arrays in this duel , both empowering his strikes and using them like actual skills . Even then , Zac had completed his task and landed a hit , only to hear he lost? Had Kaldor ever planned to give him the splinter? Or had he become obsessed with it , wanting to keep it for his own?

You have guts , kid , talking to me like that , - Kaldor snorted as the last of the red haze reentered his bones . - This is obviously my victory , with you using that weird skill . -

What skill? - Zac countered . - I never used a skill . It’s my Draugr bloodline , and you never said anything about those . -

Little bastard , you think you’re the first Draugr I’ve met? Since when did your kind have that kind of Bloodline Talent? -

Go visit the Abyssal Shores if you’re curious . - Zac shrugged as he ate a healing pill , still angry with the shameless Reaver even if he had calmed down .

Don’t you think I know you’re some sort of aboriginal outside the empire’s purview , brat? - Kaldor laughed . - But fine . It might not have been a skill . So , what did you do? If I was at your grade , my Dao would have been completely suppressed , cut off from the Heavens themselves . -

Zac only shrugged in response without any intention of explaining what he did . - Since it’s not a skill , why not honor your part of the bargain before anything else? Where is the splinter? -

Kaldor had given in , but Zac still felt cheated . Even if the Izh’Rak Reaver lacked any facial expressions , Zac could tell Kaldor was quite pleased even after having lost . It really looked like Kaldor had been going overboard to dig into Zac’s secrets rather than going mad , and he’d succeeded .

That final blast right behind Zac’s head was probably meticulously planned rather than an unfortunate coincidence , a gambit to force Zac into showcasing any secret techniques he had .

Still , Zac didn’t dare complain as he activated the five seals he’d formed with his Late-mastery Undying Mark] , the healing skill he’d gotten ample experience using over the past few years . The situation was unfair , but there was ultimately nothing he could do about it at the moment .

Kaldor was so far beyond himself , no matter if you talked strength or standing , so complaining would do him no good . Furthermore , Zac was asking the Reaver to hand over a priceless treasure , which meant breaking the rules of the Orom World . For now , Zac could only pray that him showing off one of his Bloodline Talents wouldn’t cause any issues down the road , and thank the lucky stars he didn’t need to use the far-more-conspicuous Force of the Void] .

Now , don’t look so glum , - Kaldor laughed , clearly understanding Zac’s misgivings . - Well , this can be considered my bad . I’ve been bored the past few millennia and got a bit too excited . How about this? In addition to that accursed item , I’ll provide something else . Ask me one question , and I’ll do my best to answer without holding back . -

Zac’s heart shuddered , surprise written across his face . This was a precious opportunity , even if Zac didn’t feel it matched up to being exploited like this . Pavina hadn’t divulged too much about Kaldor’s origins over the past years , but he’d managed to piece together a few things . First of all , Kaldor was from a faction of equal standing to the Umbri’Zi Clan , though it was more of an army than a clan .

Secondly , Kaldor arrived in the Orom World as an Early Monarch , meaning the skeleton had at least some real standing even before he was caught . Why the Orom had actually dared swallow him was unclear , and perhaps only Kaldor himself knew the answer . In either case , Kaldor should possess a lot of information , no matter if it was on cultivation , the Undead Empire , or the wider world .

He needed to make this question count .

What’s the real reason members of the Undead Empire can’t cultivate the Path of Pure Death? - Zac asked .

This was the most pertinent question he could think of , where Kaldor also had a decent chance of knowing the answer . Asking about cultivation wasn’t too urgent since he didn’t have any pressing issues in that regard . The only exception was how to form a core in his unique situation , but why would Kaldor have an answer to that? Besides , he would be able to meet Yrial soon enough , someone who walked a path of duality who was probably more experienced in this regard .

Zac wanted to find out more about the Six Profundity Empire and the origin of Leandra’s faction , but it wasn’t that urgent either . Even if he got the answers he was looking for , he was way too weak to do anything about it . He did , however , need to know more about the weird rule of the Undead Empire .

His identity was already sensitive considering not only his actions in the Twilight Harbor , but also because of him being an Edgewalker . If there were some hidden issues with walking the Path of Pure Death or Oblivion in addition to all that , he needed to know . It would be critical for his future relationship with the Undead Empire , whether he would ultimately dare go there or not .

Brat , are you trying to get me killed? - Kaldor muttered , and Zac looked on with confusion as the Reaver took out a bottle of a white mixture that he started covering his head with . - Do you know how the Undead Empire was founded? - Kaldor asked , covering his neck and chest following his head .

The ancient undead factions banded together to find refuge during the Dark Ages , - Zac said , not understanding why the skeleton was oiling himself up . - You eventually found the Heartlands and settled down . -

Our ancestors found no Heartlands , - Kaldor snorted as he steadied himself . - We found what’s now called the Heart of the Empire . -

The Heart of the Empire? - Zac repeated , drawing a complete blank . Catheya never mentioned that before , and neither was it mentioned in any of the missives he read in the Twilight Harbor .

I doubt you’ve heard of it , considering it’s the core of our power , - Kaldor sighed as cracks suddenly appeared all over his body . - After all , it’s an Eternal Heritage holding the key to Death . -

64

HEART OF THE EMPIRE

Zac mutely looked on with amazement as deep cracks spread across the Izh’Rak Reaver’s bones . It was definitely the work of the Undead Empire’s commandments , a punishment for divulging the secrets to an outsider . Zac knew just how sturdy the exoskeleton of Reavers were , and Kaldor was at the Peak of Monarchy . Even then , the restriction that bound all imperials managed to cause such damage for uttering a few sentences . Just how overbearing was the Primo?

Was it perhaps related to the Heart of the Empire?

Zac had always wondered what the Undead Empire had to fall back on in order to survive to this day . After all , they were making enemies left and right with their eternal crusade , even against peak factions like the Buddhist Sangha . Certainly , the Undead Empire was a terrifying existence , and Zac suspected they had at least a dozen Supremacies .

Still , was that really enough to fight in every direction , contending against multiple factions at once? At first , Zac believed it was related to the Primo and the mysterious Founders . If the Primo was a powerhouse at the Peak of the A-grade or perhaps even something beyond that , it might be enough to prevent the empire from being completely overrun .

However , since finding out about the existence of Eternal Heritages from Qi’Sar , Zac had floated the possibility of the empire controlling some ancient relic that kept them , or at least the Heartlands , safe . From the sounds of it , that might be the case . What all this had to do with Pure Death wasn’t clear , but Zac guessed the Reaver was getting there .

The white concoction Kaldor smeared across his body had come alive , and it burrowed into the cracks . Just a few seconds later it solidified , seemingly repairing the damage altogether . Zac looked on with mixed emotions , inwardly vowing to never make this troublesome species an enemy for real .

Even if he managed to crack those disgustingly sturdy bones , they actually had concoctions that could mend the damage in an instant?

Spare shavings , - Kaldor explained when he saw Zac’s look . - A pain to make , literally , but I’ve had a lot of free time . Anyway , the ancestors found the heart and managed to gain limited control over it . It was the emanations of the heart that birthed the Heartlands , and it is still upholding it to this day . -

Zac’s eyes widened in surprise , partly because of what Kaldor said , but mostly because of what could be discerned between the lines . Limited control? The Primo and the Undead Princes were unable to take full control of this Eternal Heritage , even after billions of years? It almost sounded like they were using it in an unintended manner , just siphoning some of its leftover energy to terraform the surroundings .

The possibility almost beggared comprehension . Just becoming a Monarch was akin to becoming a god , where you carried a literal world in your body . You could live for a million years at the peak of the grade , surpassing Earth’s civilization dozens of times over , and you controlled vast powers .

Above that were Autarchs , and then the mysterious Supremacies who were so exalted , Zac still had no idea what kind of existences they were . The only information he’d manage to come across was that they could change the laws of the Heavens all across the empires they controlled , remolding the Dao in their image .

But even these kinds of beings were unable to properly control an Eternal Heritage erected in a bygone era? Just who created it and what kind of stage had they reached? Just what were the limits of cultivation? Perhaps he’d be able to find the answers someday , but for now , Zac took a steadying breath and refocused on his question .

What does the Heart of the Empire have to do with my question? - Zac prompted .

Some things will just harm you if you know . Suffice to say , the Path of Pure Death is inextricably linked to the heart . If the general ban wasn’t imposed , the source of our power would be weakened , diluted . Only a scant few can be allowed to walk the path of purity , and it is not only a matter of talent—there’s also temperament and providence . If the wrong person reaches the peak . . . The consequences could be disastrous . - Kaldor sighed as a few more cracks appeared across his body .

Zac slowly nodded . Hearing the explanation , the first thing he came to think of was Be’Zi . Was this why she had severed her Karma with the empire? She wanted to delve into Pure Death and Oblivion , but she wasn’t qualified? Or did she have the qualifications , but broke some rules when wanting to transition Pure Death into Oblivion?

And why would the Dao , the fundamental truths of the universe , be linked to an old ruin? How were they connected? There was something odd going on at the peak . From the various pieces of intelligence Zac had gathered , there seemed to be some sort of limitations to the Dao as you approached the Terminus .

It was almost like the truths became a finite resource , where each peak could only house so many cultivators . Zac was about to ask some clarifying questions , but the Reaver shut him down before Zac had the chance .

Brat , just join the empire if you want to know more . With your bloodline , you’d get a hero’s welcome . Ow , ow , my bones! - Kaldor complained . - If you can control these cursed Remnants , you should be able to find a backer within your kin who can let you undergo the examination . Our races are always eager to find members on the outside . -

Why’s that? - Zac asked with interest .

So many fell during the Dark Ages . Others were lost as we searched for safe harbor , - Kaldor grunted . - All our heritages are incomplete , except for the bloodsuckers who joined later . Finding someone like you might mean your race can reclaim something they lost , though the odds are minuscule . You can use that as a bargaining chip . -

Zac nodded pensively as he thought back to his vision of Eoz , the founding Draugr . He had no idea what the names of the various branches of Draugr were , except for the other two mentioned in his vision and Zi , the ancestor of Catheya’s Clan . What if Eoz was a lost heritage? With his ancestor being the third to break out of the Abyssal Lake , Zac figured the bloodline had to be quite strong .

That alone might be even more valuable than his identity as an Edgewalker . If not for the Undead Empire as a whole , then at least for the Abyssal Shores . With this knowledge , he felt far better prepared for potentially joining the Undead Empire in the future , though he would have to digest what he’d found out first .

So , the splinter? - Zac said .

Take it , - Kaldor grunted as he pointed toward an empty spot in the courtyard .

The next moment , the ground rumbled as an opening appeared , from which a pedestal rose . On top of it rested a glass casing covered in intricate engravings . Four pitch-black runes slowly rotated around the box . These illusory runes were somewhat similar to the ones Be’Zi had erected in his soul , though they weren’t nearly as refined .

If Zac had to guess , it was Kaldor himself who added the outer array to add a second layer of protection to the cage . Even then , it wasn’t perfect . Zac could vaguely sense the Remnant floating in the middle of the cage , and the two splinters in his mind stirred . However , the caged splinter was in some sort of sealed state , with only some weak tendrils of Oblivion leaking from its casing .

Good riddance , - Kaldor muttered as he looked at the Splinter of Oblivion . - That energy is quite interesting , but it is ultimately no good . Be careful with this thing . -

I know , - Zac sighed as he mentally started to prepare himself .

He didn’t know what to expect when absorbing the third set , but he couldn’t imagine it would be a comfortable experience . Thankfully , he’d evolved his soul since last , which would hopefully allow him to make the trek to the bamboo forest after this without causing a scene .

I’m not just talking about its mental influence , - Kaldor said , dragging Zac out of his thoughts . - Do you know why there’s only one set of these things in the Orom World , even when this big bastard has been alive for almost forty million years? Surely , it would encounter more of them as it swallowed millions and millions of poor souls . After all , there aren’t just one or two of them out there . -

Zac remembered the vision of when that godlike existence destroyed the Heart of Oblivion and Spark of Creation . Going by the apocalyptic scene , there were at least a few thousand Remnants scattered across the Multiverse . It really was a bit odd that Orom only had one set , considering this was the second time he stumbled into a pair in a couple of years .

The Orom discards the other ones it finds? - Zac ventured after some thought .

Exactly . Spits them right out before running away , - Kaldor laughed .

One is an eternal curse , two is a calamity . . . - Zac muttered .

What’s that? - Kaldor asked before he shrugged . - No , I’m talking about something else . These things alter fate . -

Alter fate? - Zac repeated with confusion .

The creature that was split into these shards was a unique existence born during the rebirth of the era . It was only the equivalent of Peak Autarch , but its control over the Dao was greater than most Supremacies . The only reason it didn’t reach that stage was because of an obsession that held it back , forever trapping it at the threshold . -

What does that have to do about fate-altering? - Zac frowned .

Its obsession was too powerful , and it alters reality even in its pseudo-dead state . These Remnants want to be reforged into one . My guess is , the more of these things you collect , the more you’ll find yourself on a collision course with more Remnants . Whether you like it or not . -

The Remnants are somehow altering events? Altering my decisions? - Zac asked .

No idea how it actually works , - Kaldor said as he scratched the spots on his skull he just repaired . - It can be considered an opportunity . Who knows , this phenomenon might be what brought you to me and Pavina , eh? But it might also be a calamity , where you’re dragged to a place of no return . More importantly , are you willing to be a puppet , to be manipulated based on some ancient bastard? Or do you want to be in control of your fate and your path? -

Zac wordlessly gazed at the shimmering splinter as he went over the Reaver’s words . It was true , he’d repeatedly felt like a puppet when it came to these Remnants , of how he felt the System was essentially forcing him down a path .

Hearing this , he might have been unfair toward the System . Perhaps it was the Remnants themselves who kept pulling him toward their brethren , with the System simply cheering them on . But it didn’t really matter . As Kaldor said , it was ultimately an issue of his fate not being in his own hands . It didn’t matter so much who was manipulating him—what mattered was that he needed to break free .

Is there anything I can do? -

Who knows , - Kaldor said . - I only heard about these things in passing before I got trapped in this place . But I figure there should be some solutions . The ancient will hidden inside these things is hard to deal with , but the power of the crystals themselves is not that impressive . Perhaps you can extract what you need and discard the rest when you get strong enough? -

Zac slowly nodded in agreement as he walked toward the sealed crystal hovering in its cage . The closer he got , the more the Remnants in his mental prison stirred , but they seemed a bit confused , unclear on what was going on . The same thing was happening to the sealed splinter , where its black luster flickered ominously , but it didn’t lash out at all .

You have just over three months , - Kaldor said just as Zac was about to pick up the cage .

What? - Zac said with confusion , stopping in his tracks .

As I said , you had three years to take this thing . Soon after , it had to be returned to be resealed , - Kaldor grinned . - Since you came three months early , you have just over three months to play around with this thing before it goes back to the repository in Liberty Point . -

What happens if I don’t return it? -

Someone like me will be sent to retrieve it . Someone who’s not bound by the rules of a duel , - Kaldor said pointedly .

And if I consume it? - Zac hesitated .

Same deal , but your corpse will be retrieved instead , - Kaldor laughed . - So , you better be sure about what you’re doing . -

Cold sweat ran down Zac’s back as he looked at the splinter in front of him , and he inwardly cursed Kaldor for being so vague . If he really waited until the last day , wouldn’t he be screwed? It would take him weeks to reach Three Virtues’ bamboo forest and get the shard , more than enough time to be tracked down by an Emerald Badge .

After fighting Kaldor , who had restrained his Daos to the level of Peak Dao Fragments , Zac was even less confident in making it out of a battle like this alive . Certainly , Kaldor was most likely one of the most powerful Emerald Badges around , but even the weaker ones had unique strength like Kaldor’s killing intent .

Thank you for the warning , - Zac said . - How do I take this thing away? Can I put it in a Spatial Ring? -

Sure , - Kaldor nodded . - But it will taint the pocket space . It shouldn’t be a problem for a year or two , but the ring would eventually destabilize and blow you up . -

Zac breathed in relief , but his heart still beat like a drum as he placed his hand against the glass casing , trying to imprint the seals to memory . The runes on the class box were distinct from both Kaldor’s addition and Be’Zi’s gift , more in line with the seals the System had added to the prison in his mind . Perhaps their design would be one of the clues to figuring a way out of this mess in the future .

A wave of unfettered desire slammed against the cage in his mind , but it quickly calmed as Zac put the cage into his Cosmos Sack . He infused his senses into the bag , and he immediately understood what Kaldor meant . Kaldor’s protective runes didn’t make it into the bag , and a black haze had started to spread from the glass box in the subspace , causing some ominous ripples in the fabric of reality .

Thankfully , Zac didn’t have any important items in this native bag , and he didn’t care if it broke down . As long as it could withstand the influence until he fetched the shard as well , he was content .

Having gotten what he’d come for , Zac saw no reason to linger in the Reaver’s mansion . He wasn’t sure what to think of Kaldor . The old Monarch had been extremely shameless and forced his hand , but he’d also provided great assistance . Perhaps , it was only thanks to this Izh’Rak Reaver he was safe and sound after setting off his Annihilation Sphere years ago .

Still , no matter how many benefits Kaldor provided , it ultimately felt like Kaldor had his own plans , where he once more had become an unwitting pawn in some greater scheme . The sooner he could get away from this place , the better .

So , where are you off to now , brat? - Kaldor asked curiously as Zac got ready to leave .

I’ll visit Pavina and thank her for helping me survive today’s battle , - Zac answered after some consideration .

That little traitor , - Kaldor snorted , though he clearly wasn’t upset . - And then? -

Kaldor’s expression was lazy , though Zac understood there were hidden implications within the question .

After that? - Zac hesitated . - I’ll stay in the area for now . -

Hm , - Kaldor nodded . - If you ever get out of here , are you planning on joining the Undead Empire? -

I’m not against it , but I haven’t made any decisions , - Zac said . - From what I’ve gathered , the situation seems a bit messy . -

All powerful factions are messy , - Kaldor laughed . - That’s how things are when great benefits are at stake . Not even the baldies of the Buddhist Sangha are any different . Where there is cultivation and the pursuit of Eternity , there will be intrigue and backstabbing . But you should know , you will always be incomplete until you return to your origin . -

My origin? - Zac frowned . - The Abyssal Lake? -

Exactly , - Kaldor said . - Without returning to your origin , you will never unlock your true potential . But when you do , you will be able to look down on the world . Such is the benefit of a divine race . Goals that are just flights of fancy for base creatures like Revenants or humans will be well within your reach . -

Zac furrowed his brows , not commenting on the proclamation .

Off you go then , brat , - Kaldor added . - Remember , you have three months before that thing has to be returned . Not even I can help you after that . -

Thank you , - Zac said as he left for Pavina’s mansion . - For everything . -

I wonder , what will you choose? - Kaldor muttered as he sensed the young Edgewalker disappear among the trees before his gaze turned in another direction . - And why did you have me go to these lengths? -

65

WORDS SPOKEN FROM THE HEART

A day later , Zac reached Pavina’s mansion , and he found his teacher sitting with an axe similar to Zac’s own in hand .

You won , - Pavina said , placing the axe to her side . - I’m quite the teacher . -

Yes , you’re quite something , - Zac smiled .

How did it go? - Pavina asked .

Zac recounted the whole battle , including how Kaldor started cheating the moment he was about to lose . There was a decent chance the Reaver acted with a hidden purpose rather than being consumed by bloodlust , whether it was to push Zac to find a breakthrough or to sound out any hidden strength . Which one was less obvious , and trying to glean anything from Pavina’s inscrutable expression , didn’t help at all .

She simply nodded like Kaldor’s shamelessness was a matter of course . Neither did she try to dig into what kind of bloodline technique Zac had used to turn things around . Zac wasn’t willing to divulge that secret either , since it was obviously different from what normal Draugr possessed . He did however want to see if Pavina could shed any light on his most recent find , whether his idea had potential .

He recounted what happened when he started using the framework for Thousand Lights Avatar] .

Soul and technique , - Pavina muttered . - Interesting . It sounds a bit like the later phase of the Integration Stage , yet distinct somehow . -

Do you think it’s feasible to fuse your soul into one’s technique this way? - Zac asked .

I don’t see why not . Your soul is the bridge between the Grand Dao and yourself . If you can really spread your soul , and not just Mental Energy , throughout your body as you mentioned , it should be helpful . It might not only strengthen your technique , but also increase the pace you improve it . -

Are there any problems? - Zac probed , noticing the Revenant wasn’t looking too enthused even if she praised the method .

Time , - Pavina said without hesitation . - You’re young , but you should have already started realizing the time and effort required to walk toward the peak . Every step forward is a tremendous undertaking , be it from skills , Dao , levels , or other aspects of your path . The soul is famously demanding in this aspect , and what you’re proposing is to not only cultivate the soul . It is also to form a spiritual avatar and mold it with your stances .

I don’t see a scenario where too many would bother with something like this , apart from a cultivator who has a class based on this kind of fusion between the soul and physical attacks , - Pavina concluded . - Even if it can strengthen you , the time cost in proportion to improvement is both risky and limited from what I can tell . -

So , it’s a bad idea? - Zac grimaced .

I didn’t say that , - Pavina said with a shake of her head . - I said it wasn’t advisable for most people . But most people do not have your talent for fusing path and technique . The capability to cultivate their soul is quite rare for most races , and I have never met anyone who dared to walk both these time-consuming routes . But you can only go so far following convention .

No Autarch had reached their level by being reasonable and measured . Their conviction in their path is unbreakable , no matter how crazy it might seem to others . I am simply urging you to confirm whether this method is something that resonates with you and your path . If it does , try it out . The worst that can happen is you fail and possibly get stuck in some bottleneck . But even then , you’ve been true to yourself , and all journeys must end somewhere . That is the fate of a cultivator . -

Zac agreed . It was just like Pavina said . Time was becoming more and more precious as he grew stronger , even if his longevity kept improving . He was already running late for his planned breakthrough into Hegemony , and the more he added to his plate , the more baggage he would have to carry down the road .

There was thankfully still time to figure all this out . As long as his plan succeeded , he would be back on Earth soon enough , and he could finally take a breather and collect himself . His foundations had never been as solid as they were right now , and he could afford a breather where he properly planned out his next steps .

The two kept talking for another hour , but it was eventually time to go . The splinter was calling him from within his Cosmos Sack , and he was eager to get the shard as well before something went awry . Three Virtues seemed to know much more than he let on and Zac feared the more time he gave the shifty monk to prepare , the worse a position Zac would find himself in . However , before he left , he was beset with indecision , his heart caught between paranoia and goodwill .

Should he tell her?

This was something he’d been struggling over since Pavina had taken him under her wing , putting him back on the right track with his cultivation . Exposing his escape plans might ruin everything , even if Pavina herself wasn’t planning on ratting him out . The Orom was generally oblivious to the Orom World , but who knew what it actually picked up through the prison brands?

But could he really just disappear from this prison , leaving behind those who had given him so much?

He couldn’t , his conscience wouldn’t allow it .

In the next few months , I’ll— -

Some things need not be spoken , - Pavina interrupted as she glanced toward the sky .

Zac was surprised , but he immediately rephrased what he was going to say . Turns out he’d been worrying about nothing , where Pavina already had a decent idea of what was going on . He should have expected it , considering that Kaldor had already figured out he was the source of the previous blast of Oblivion that failed to break himself out .

. . . I’ll , go into seclusion . I generally stay close to the border of Life and Death . I’d be more comfortable if you guarded the area . -

Pavina nodded with a smile . - Go on with your cultivation . No need to worry about me . What will be , will be . -

Zac said his goodbyes , wondering if he would ever see this mentor of his again .

He seems confident , - Pavina commented as Zac left .

Little bastard . I was the one who gave him that cursed item and the one who received the backlash for his previous attempt , - Kaldor swore as he stepped out from the shadows . - Where was my invitation? -

That’s what you get for going so hard on my little disciple , - Pavina smiled . - He seems to remember both goodwill and grudges , weighing them against each other . -

Kaldor only snorted in response before his aura changed to a more serious demeanor . - Gather the others . This is it . It’s time to complete our mission . -

Should we really heap this responsibility on the child and not even tell him? - Pavina hesitated . - Can he carry this burden alone? -

Perhaps not , but he’s not the only one making their moves . Fate is congregating , almost by a scary degree . Even the big guy seems to sense something amiss . It has sped up considerably , - Kaldor grunted . - But its futile . It’s swallowed too many of the baldies . Fate is inescapable . -

The Sangha , - Pavina grimaced . - If it comes to blows , I fear , even with master to protect us . . . -

Don’t worry , - Kaldor said with a shake of his head . - Our goals are different . -

What about the child? - Pavina asked . - We’re just going to let such a talent disappear? -

Don’t worry , I tested him , - Kaldor said . - I divulged some core secrets of the empire , and I only received some surface damage . He’s already one step through the door , he just doesn’t know it . -

Having delivered the warning to Pavina , Zac felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders . Better yet , even after a week had passed as he returned to Samsara’s Edge , there still hadn’t been any issues cropping up . Therefore , he didn’t immediately head toward the secluded bamboo forest in the heart of the Life-attuned Zone . First , he visited Heda’s farm .

In many ways , the Arborist had helped him as much as Pavina , and if Zac didn’t offer her this hint as well , he’d feel bad about it forever . After all , he couldn’t be certain that the seed Heda asked him to throw out was actually an escape measure of hers . It might simply be her way to send out something of hers into the Multiverse , a heritage of sorts .

Heda only smiled and patted his head when he told her where she should go for the next months , not giving him any indication at all whether she intended to follow his advice or not . He still stayed behind for a while , and the Arborist checked up on Haro , the Heavenrender Seed left in Zac’s Worldring .

You can put Vivi inside now , - Heda concluded . - She will help nurture the seed , and curtail its inherent destructive tendencies . -

Zac was elated , and took out the spatial tube from his Cosmos Sack and put it into the Low-quality Worldring . The huge vine hidden within the tube emerged , a giant that spanned over a hundred meters . Its massive stalk dwarfed the small seed hovering above a series of arrays , yet Vivi didn’t get too close .

It gingerly waved its vines around the seed , almost looking afraid to inadvertently hit it . The movements weren’t threatening , but rather protective as she formed a defensive perimeter around Haro . Heda had already explained it was quite common , but it was still odd for Zac to see a plant with motherly instincts , especially considering the two plants were different species .

Even with the big vine appearing in the ring , Heda’s arrangements weren’t harmed at all . The desolate farmlands the ring originally came with had been completely transformed since Zac purchased the seed , with Heda having set up multiple arrays to automate pretty much everything needed to nurture the Heavenrender Vine .

The only thing he needed to do was allow a small , but constant drain of Dao and Mental Energy into the array . That way , the seed would be imprinted with his spirit , sort of like the undead he raised . That would make it much easier to form a contract as he had with Vivi . Without it , Heda wasn’t confident he’d manage to accomplish the task .

Taming an adult Heavenrender Vine was pretty much impossible , they were far too bloodthirsty . They’d even attack an Autarch rather than submit , fighting until their last breath . Only by nurturing a seed did you have a chance , but these things were simply too hard to get . Only mature C-grade plants nurtured a seed , and they might only give birth to a dozen or two over their nigh-eternal lifespans .

Furthermore , the moment a seed was born , it was immediately flung into the cosmos , often by the vine tearing a hole in space itself . With the seed barely emitting any energy signature , it would just look like a small piece of space debris . Finding one was a matter of luck , which was why they were so exorbitantly expensive on the outside .

When it was time to leave , Zac made a beeline for the heart of the zone after reminding Heda to stay close over the next few months . Ultimately , he didn’t choose to warn Ubo or any of the other cultivators living around Samsara’s Edge that he’d gotten to know over the past years .

He couldn’t save everyone . For one , there were no guarantees to his plan , and the more people he let know , the greater the odds of betrayal . He had his goals and people who relied on him back home—far stronger connections than those he had made here out of necessity . If he could , he would properly damage the Orom on his way out , but that was the extent of what he could do .

Zac reached the bamboo forest a week later and stopped at the edge like last time .

Enter , ’ the voice of Three Virtues echoed in his mind , and Zac saw a path in front of him .

Zac walked inside , reaching the small tranquil temple hidden in the depths . This time , there were over thirty monks sitting in silent meditation on the platform by the river . A muted susurrus of harmonized voices drifted over , but Zac couldn’t make out any individual words . Still , there was an intangible phenomenon gathering throughout the area , like some mysterious power was brewing .

The scene reminded Zac of the monks at the Temple of Everlasting Peace by the last time he visited . They’d joined together to summon Lord 84th back then . Was this the same thing? The thought made Zac wary as he looked for the dwarven monk . The timing was too suspect .

If Three Virtues was really planning something with the help of his acolytes , it had to be related to Zac and his mission . But how?

Amitabha , Almsgiver , - a voice drifted out from the main hall where Zac had vaguely spotted a powerful statue before . - It has been two years . -

I have accomplished the task your eminence gave me the first time I visited , - Zac said , his gaze moving away from the monks by the river . Even after Zac spoke up , they hadn’t so much as looked over in his direction . They were completely occupied with their meditation . - I’m here to pick up . . . that thing . -

No rush , no rush , - Three Virtues answered , still not appearing . - As Almsgiver blesses us with his presence , fate shift and the clouds part . Benefactor would do us a great honor if he visited this poor monk’s temple to celebrate the completion for the statue of our guardian deity . -

Zac hesitated as he looked at the main hall , remembering all-too-well the fearful emanations that had come from the statue within the first time he visited . This time around , he couldn’t sense a thing , and Zac wasn’t sure whether that was a good or bad thing . But , what could he do? He needed the shard , so he would have to play along .

For now .

His nerves were still stretched taut as he entered the temple , ready to flash away at any hint of danger with the help of Earthstrider] . He was even ready to take out the Splinter of Oblivion if need be , no matter if his danger sense was completely silent . But no obvious threats were waiting for him as he crossed the threshold .

The hall was mostly empty , unless you counted the beautifully drawn paintings covering the walls . They depicted various devas and Boddhisatva’s imparting their blessings , but Zac didn’t dare look too closely even if they didn’t emit any energy fluctuations . He knew layers and layers Buddhist doctrine and impartments were infused in these kinds of imagery , and looking to closely could impact one’s path if not careful .

On the other side of the entrance , Zac spotted the monk sitting on a mat in front of a five-meter tall statue . The gilded man depicted wasn’t anyone Zac recognized . In fact , he barely looked like a Bhottisavha at all , but rather a regal warrior who held a sword with a pommel that resembled a dragon .

He did have the familiar halo behind his back though , and now that Zac was this close , he sensed a vague hint of faith energy surrounding the statue .

Sāgara , - Three Virtues smiled . - The chosen protector of this poor monk’s temple . -

Is he real? - Zac couldn’t help but ask , curiosity overcoming his purpose of coming .

Over the past years , Zac had heard and read many tales surrounding Buddha and the Buddhist Sanga . Of mystical realms , powerful warriors , and godlike beings he’d never seen or heard of elsewhere . However , these stories seemed distant and hazy , just like mythology back on Earth .

There was no anchor to the Multiverse in the stories , no mention of other forces or beings like the Primo . Were these celestial beings the monks consecrated actual cultivators or were they concepts of the path?

What is real? What is false? - Three Virtues smiled . - If a kingdom’s throne is empty , is it not a kingdom? -

Uh , - Zac hesitated .

Come , sit , - Three Virtues said as he pointed to the mat next to him before lighting two sticks of incense in front of the statue .

Is there something wrong? - Zac asked , feeling like he was being set up for another scam . - I was just planning on helping you getting rid of that thing . I don’t want to take up any of your time and that of your disciple-brothers . -

It is our delight to welcome a Benefactor back to the temple , - Three Virtues laughed . - Let me ask you , Almsgiver . This unrepentant beast has trapped cultivators of all backgrounds for millions of years . Do you think the Orom deserves punishment? -

I’m just an E-grade cultivator , - Zac hesitated . - Why do you ask me? -

Words spoken from the heart contain the power to change the world . -

If that was true , I’d be long gone from this place , - Zac muttered , but he saw that the smiling monk was still waiting for an answer .

Zac didn’t know if this was some kind of test and whether there was a correct answer , so he simply chose to answer from his heart . Zac gathered his thoughts as he looked at the imposing sword-wielding deity .

If speaking from a cosmic perspective , I would have to say no , - Zac said . - What the Orom is doing is ultimately not that different from other cultivators . It is snatching resources to increase its strength , cutting off the path of others to advance its own . From all what I’ve seen since I stepped on the road of cultivation , that is the Heavenly Law . Evolution .

I have walked through mountains of corpses to get where I am , and I am still nothing but an E-grade cultivator . By the time I reach the same level as the Orom , I would possibly have killed even more than he . Yet I don’t consider myself evil , deserving of punishment . We all knew the risks when we started challenging the Heavens to gain power and longevity . To think the Orom to be deserving of punishment because of this would make me a hypocrite . -

Amitabha , a vast heart is immeasurable . Benevolence is a divine path , - Three Virtues nodded . - Yet , I sense Almsgiver is not done . -

Zac slowly nodded . - While I don’t think it is inherently deserving in the grand scheme of things , it is still deserving of punishment from my perspective . It has robbed me of years I could have spent with my loved ones , of my momentum , of friends , and who knows what else . I am not an enlightened being , my heart cannot encompass all beings like you monks . If given the opportunity , I’ll retaliate against my captor . -

Silence echoed in the hall after Zac’s proclamation , and it almost looked like the head of the deity had grown more sinister as the swirling clouds of incense gathered around it .

To the side , the smile of Three Virtues grew wider .

66

TRUE AND FALSE

After having spoken his piece , Zac felt an odd premonition he couldn’t decipher . As though something had changed , yet everything was the same . The temple , the monk , and the statue—it was all as before . Yet Zac felt out of . . . phase , for lack of a better term .

A benevolent heart is important , but indiscriminate compassion can bring more suffering than good . Expunging Mara is a great merit , though this poor monk believes no fate is beyond redemption , - Three Virtues said , and it was like his words clicked reality back into place .

Balance is required , I believe Almsgiver understands that fundamental truth quite well . -

Zac slowly nodded , though he honestly wasn’t quite certain what point the monk was trying to make .

Almsgiver has helped this poor temple resist the blight of Oblivion , a meritorious deed in line with the Dharma , - Three Virtues continued . - In fact , Almsgiver gives this poor monk the impression of a budding arhat , full of life and possibility . With Almsgiver having such harmonious relation to the Dharma , has Almsgiver ever considered ordination? -

No one can say what the future holds , - Zac said , afraid to give a straightforward rejection at this stage , even if he had no intentions of shaving his head and donning a kasaya . - What will be , will be . -

With a massive faction like the Buddhist Sangha , there were many layers of membership , and things weren’t as black and white as it was with the Undead Empire . With the undead , you were either a member , where the commandments bound you , or you were an outsider , no matter if you were another undead or a dreamer .

With the Buddhist Sangha , the lines were blurred . Most notably , anyone could visit most of the Buddhist cultivation grounds , though the mysterious paradise and three of the four oceans were always closed to outsiders . The properly ordained monks who permanently resided on the mountains were just a small minority of the total population of the Sangha .

The vast majority could almost be considered loose cultivators , and they followed Buddha’s teachings to varying degrees . Some were fully committed , becoming self-ordained monks and sometimes running monasteries or temples on the outside . Others were empires with a Buddhist heritage , where many cultivators followed adjoining paths .

There were even people who simply visited the holy lands to make use of the high-quality cultivation environment . The monks didn’t seem to mind at all , and even shared a lot of techniques with the public . Even unorthodox cultivators carrying tremendous amounts of fell Karma were allowed inside , much to the annoyance of their pursuers .

Conflict was banned in most regions of the Sangha , but there was danger of another kind . As that necromancer had once said , the monks were natural pathbreakers , and that effect was no doubt amplified manifold in the Buddhist Heartlands . Those who visited with impure motives might find their path subverted in short order , some to the point they lost all sense of self .

They became beings without emotions or desires , giving up on everything except the sutras and the Heavenly Dao . Visiting the Sangha required an extremely sturdy Dao Heart , but that danger was actually a source of attraction to some elite cultivators . Those who managed to hold onto their path might eventually walk away with a tempered heart and a path even sturdier than before .

That fact enticed countless geniuses who’d been stuck at a threshold . For them , the gamble of losing one’s identity or breaking their limitations was well worth taking . The temples were probably happy with the arrangement as well , having a steady stream of great talents being sucked into their path .

While all these types of visitors could be considered followers of the Sangha , they ultimately weren’t a true part of it . Like Catheya had said , there were Nine Mountains , Eight Temples , Four Oceans , and One Paradise . These chapters were predominant powers unto themselves , and could all be considered A-grade factions .

The way they went about things was a bit different , but most of the Mountains and Temples also had vast arrays of subordinate monasteries and factions , who could be considered outer disciples of the Sangha . To be ordained was to officially join either one of the main branches or their subordinate factions .

Trillions of people in the world would jump at the opportunity to officially join the Buddhist Sangha , even if it was for one of the lower temples . However , that path was not for Zac , no matter what the names of his Dao Branches were .

Amitabha , as long as Almsgiver lives true to his heart , he will always be welcomed with open arms , - Three Virtues said . - Come , let us close this chapter of Karma . -

Zac’s eyes lit up , relieved to see the monk wasn’t planning on reneging on his offer or throwing a wrench into Zac’s plans . However , the relief lasted less than a minute , because he saw something amiss in front of him .

The rear structure where Three Virtues kept his Shard of Creation had completely transformed since the last time Zac was here , where it had gained a golden sheen . More importantly , its insides were absolutely flooded with Creation Energy , along with countless runes that contained vast amounts of Buddhist spirituality .

The scripts were slowly floating around in the middle of the soup of Creation , and Zac felt his mind shudder just from glancing at the ever-churning mixture .

Unfortunately , this poor monk has failed to properly contain the energy released by the shard over the past few years , - Three Virtues sighed . - I’m ashamed , I’m ashamed . This one could only contain it to a small area , lest it harms any innocent bystander . -

Zac looked at the golden temple , his body shuddering from the intense fluctuations of Creation . The shards in his mind were already acting out , their reaction far stronger compared to the response of the splinters when he picked up his third copy at Kaldor’s castle . Eventually , his gaze shifted back toward the still-smiling monk , Zac’s eyes filled with unspoken reproach .

Amitabha , heart is all , - the monk said . - With an immovable heart , nothing can bar your path . -

I’m guessing the glass casing sealing shard is in the middle of the temple? And I just have to go inside and get it out? - Zac sighed , getting an affirmative nod after each question .

Zac only grunted in response as he stepped forward , not even bothering to complain . He couldn’t compete with this level of thick-skinned behavior . Three Virtues was obviously more than capable of dealing with some run-off Creation , even more so than Kaldor judging by the tens of thousands of monastic runes that danced through the stockpiled energy like they’d become one .

Not a drop of energy was able to leave the temple , proving how powerful the containment was . There was no telling how the monk set this thing up , but his intentions were clear . Three Virtues wanted him to undergo whatever trial he’d prepared .

Zac had two options as he saw it . The first was to take the plunge , betting on the fact that Three Virtues wasn’t actually out to hurt him . Secondly , he could turn around and leave , giving up on the opportunity . The former option was more dangerous , while the latter came with strings attached . Was the Splinter of Oblivion alone enough to break out? How would he get his hands on a shard before the imbalance caused problems? And would Three Virtues even let him back down at this stage?

Ultimately , Zac chose the former . He didn’t trust Three Virtues as far as he could throw him , but Zac did trust in his ability to deal with Creation Energy . After all , while the accumulated energy was a bit shocking to look at from the outside , he’d been forced to endure much worse after swallowing the second shard .

If there indeed were a trap hidden inside the runes , Zac believed he would be able to singe his body clear when forming the Glimpse of Chaos . Of course , there was the implicit comfort when dealing with someone like Three Virtues . The monk was probably an Autarch when he split himself into all those incarnations , and even the incarnations were approaching the threshold of Autarchy by the looks of it .

Would someone like this really bother concocting some convoluted scheme? Doubtful . They’d either just kill him outright or tell him what to do . The monk obviously had hidden motives for his actions , and Zac guessed they were rather targeted at something else than at Zac himself .

Zac stepped inside , readying himself for an onslaught of Creation , but was relieved to find that the Creation Energy wasn’t nearly as wild as what he’d endured back in the Twilight Ocean . However , the moment he let down his guard , he was beset by a wave of agony as his arms turned into huge golden wings .

He urgently tried to turn his arms back to normal , and was shocked when it didn’t work at all . He didn’t understand what was going on . Zac had encountered situations like these dozens of times , but the more he tried to revert the changes , the more Creation Energy his body absorbed .

Amitabha , heart is all , ’ the voice of Three Virtues once more echoed in his mind .

The monk’s voice was like a bell dispersing some of Zac’s anxiety , and he somewhat understood what was going on . Zac quelled the burgeoning panic and stilled his heart . Soon enough , he closed his eyes and shut out everything except the steady beats from his chest . His panic abated , and when he opened his eyes again , he found that his arms had returned to normal .

He didn’t know how , but the monk had changed the nature of the Creation Energy , making it respond to one’s mental state instead of one’s desires . Having gotten the Creation Energy under control , Zac took another step into the temple , but the moment his foot hit the ground , his surroundings changed .

Zac found himself in a vast temple instead of the small rear building of Three Virtues’ temple . He wasn’t alone either—there were hundreds of monks sitting in prayer , each one chanting scriptures .

Illusion Array?

That was Zac’s first instinct , but his usual tricks for breaking out didn’t work at all . It really felt like he was here , with not a single weakness in the facade . Another wave of panic threatened to rise to the surface , stopping Zac in his tracks to still his heart again . There was no telling if his real body would suffer the consequences if he spiraled out of control in this illusion .

There had to be a trick to this . A purpose behind the monk’s arrangements .

Time passed as he properly took in the surroundings . The smell of incense and old parchment , the sounds of crackling scrolls , and hundreds of voices joining into an indistinct chant . The symmetry of it all and the stable tranquility of the ambiance . Eventually , Zac could feel it .

The monks were monks , but they also weren’t . Each one was chanting a scripture of their own , and the truths hidden within their words were them as much as their corporeal form . Not one chant was the same . Though they all had one thing in common—they were false . They didn’t contain the truth , at least not the one he needed .

Having come to a conclusion , Zac set out , walking among the straight lines of unmoving monks . Eventually , his gaze stopped at a specific one . The acolyte looked the same as the others—his appearance almost a carbon copy of the monks he’d met back on Earth . His sutra didn’t sound different than the others either , but it was different somehow .

Heart . . . - Zac muttered as he looked down on the monk who was seemingly oblivious to his presence .

He hesitated for a few moments before he walked over . - Hey , can you hear me? -

There was no response , with the monk continuing his chant unabated . Not knowing what to do , Zac simply chose to pat the man’s shoulder , prompting his surroundings to change . He was back in the temple drowned in Creation , and he saw that some parts of his body had transformed while he was trapped .

Zac closed his eyes to steady his heart , and his body was back to normal in no time . There was one difference compared to before though—there was now a line of Buddhist scripture floating around his body .

Was it the sutra he heard in the vision or one of the runes that danced around him? In either case , Zac didn’t want it . It felt like an uninvited guest , and he was afraid it’d sneak into his body if he wasn’t careful , harming his path . He pushed his consciousness against the swirling characters , and they floated away .

In the next moment , he found himself back in the temple , and he had to once more find the monk who resonated with his heart . Soon enough , an identical swirl danced around Zac’s left hand , allowing him to take another step into the temple . It looked like he was stuck with this thing , at least until he left this trial .

Zac’s vision shifted , and he was now in the courtyard of a monastery . In front of him was a vast wall with thousands of plaques , each one inscribed with a short prayer . Zac didn’t spot a plaque that resonated with him , and tried taking one at random to see if it would allow him to get back to the temple .

It worked , but the second set of characters he’d summoned clashed with the first , resulting in both of them flying away . Zac swore with annoyance , a feeling that was further intensified when he realized he’d somehow been transported back to the entrance of the temple . He glanced back , and saw Three Virtues still standing outside with the same smile on his face .

Zac grunted with exasperation , but quickly regretted it when he found himself breathing a burst of flames . He calmed his mind and resumed his journey , effortlessly gathering the first snippet . He was soon transported to the prayer wall again , where he took some time until he finally found the one that resonated with his heart . Zac couldn’t pinpoint exactly why this specific tablet was the right one—he just knew it was .

As expected , the second line perfectly fused with the first this time around , allowing Zac to take another step into the temple . A mountain library filled with ancient scrolls unfurled before him , each one containing densely written sutras . It took Zac over ten minutes before he found the one that was his , and two lines dancing around him turned into three .

Like this , Zac continued forward , each step taking him one step closer to his goal—the shimmering crystal locked inside a glass cage on the other side of the building . Each step placed him in a new world , where he had to find truth among falsehoods . With each success , the yarn of swirling scripture around his body grew denser , more complete , but Zac still couldn’t quite figure out what kind of sutra it was .

Each success not only added to the scripture he was building , it also increased the difficulty of his next vision . Passing the fifteenth iteration , which required him to pick the correct pebble in a stone garden , took him half a day . There were four different stones that all felt fitting , and he was locked from indecision for hours until picking the right one .

Half a month later , Zac was sent back to the start just as he was about to reach the glass case . For the first time in days , he lost control , going through a tumultuous procession of transformations before he managed to calm his mind . He hurriedly made his way back , passing one trial after another .

Even after almost making it to the end , Zac couldn’t quite understand what he was doing . But for some reason , he was becoming a lot better at discerning what was true and what was false . The scroll that took him ten minutes to find the first time around was discovered in just three minutes after having reached the depths of the temple .

More importantly , the Creation Energy barely had any effect on him by this point . Small ripples still spread across his skin when he let his mind stray , but there weren’t any big mutations like in the beginning . Was this good or was it bad? Zac couldn’t tell , even as he entered a deeper state of tranquility .

Was it something sinister like hypnosis , of the emptying of one’s sensations? Or was this some sort of cultivation of the heart? Should he fight it or embrace it? It could be the key to dealing with the whispers of the Remnants , though he was hesitant to let this new sensation take hold . Especially knowing the dangers of the Sangha .

But he also realized he found himself incapable of reaching the deeper parts of the temple without entering this state .

Eventually , he chose to go with the flow , while holding onto his core principles in the depths of his soul . He also started rotating his outer cores based on the concepts in the Nine Reincarnations Manual] , which seemed to bring clarity to the emptiness . Eventually , Zac found himself back in the same village that had thrown him back to the starting point before .

This time , he was staring at a little boy who was helping grind ink for his father who was selling talismans in a small stall . It had taken Zac five days of walking through the streets , observing the fates of the mortals in this medieval village , but he was sure he was right this time . There was truth in every movement of the child .

In the grating sound as the dark-purple ink was being ground , in his steadfast expression , in how the stacks of talismans next to him were arranged . Zac walked over , but before he had a chance to speak , the little boy looked up and peered right into his eyes .

He was no longer a small boy in a small mountain village , even if his shape hadn’t changed at all . He had become a primordial deva , filled with boundless power . There was infinite potential brewing inside him . Potential for creation . Potential for destruction . It held the truths of the Six Paths , the truth of eternity .

Golden . Boundless , - the boy said and the world crumbled .

67

SUBLIMATION

As the world collapsed and the small mountain village was reduced to nothingness , Zac found himself standing atop a boundless ocean beneath a golden sky . There was not a wave or a ripple , yet Zac couldn’t see what hid below .

However , he could feel it .

There was harmony . Tranquility . A sense of belonging . As long as he sunk into it , he would be part of it . Part of the unity , where all was one . The moment that thought struck him , he felt a tremendous attraction from beneath as distant chants carried across the waters . All was one , and heart was all .

Zac’s path had crystallized , and his heart had grown extremely sturdy after going through innumerable life-and-death struggles . But even he felt it difficult to resist the pull . To just close his eyes and meld with the oneness . It would not only grant strength , it would also free him from all suffering . It was almost like the ocean wanted to swallow him .

That sudden spark of cognizance startled something wide awake in the core of his being , and the tranquility of the boundless ocean no longer had the means to affect him . His heart beat and his soul roared while his cells opened wide with hunger . The sky rumbled , and swirling nothingness consumed the gold as it covered the Heavens .

It didn’t contain the wrath of the old Heavens or the indifference of the new . It contained hunger . An infinite hunger that surpassed the bounds of reality itself . If entering the ocean would mean him becoming one with all , the Void entailed being one with nothing .

Ripples appeared on the ocean , and founts started to rise toward the sky , the water clearly trying to resist the pull but failing . Zac looked back and forth , his role seeming like that of an observer , even if he knew he was the source of the churning void above .

Or rather , his bloodline was .

The world once more crumbled , and Zac looked around to see what he’d encounter next . He was surprised to find himself standing outside the temple with a glass case in his hands , staring into the surprised visage of Three Virtues as a golden scroll floated in the air . Zac was still in a transcendent state , and he closed his eyes to get a better feel of the situation .

After a few minutes , he confirmed this was all real . It wasn’t yet another layer of illusions to tempt his heart or trick his mind . He still couldn’t tell why he knew what he knew . He only knew that it was true . However , he did feel that this sense of certainty was slowly leaving his body .

It wasn’t because he was beset by a new round of illusion , the state of enlightenment he’d encountered was merely temporary—some sort of impartment left inside the temple by the monk . Perhaps the monk wanted to show him a path or even give him a taste of the benefits of cultivating the heart .

Even then , Zac felt no desire as the last vestiges of clarity left his body . That kind of path would probably allow him to deal with the lingering consciousness in the Remnants , where an immovable heart would be able to resist all temptations and see through all falsehoods . But he’d already staked out his path , and he was confident in his own abilities .

As for the final vision , Zac believed it was the true trial for the shard . The natural pull of the Buddhist Sangha . Succeed , and his foundations would further stabilize . Fail , and he would probably have become further linked to the Dharma , perhaps to the point he lost part of his self . However , his bloodline had thrown a wrench in the trial , being offended by the ocean’s influence . It had even gone so far as to forcibly swallow some of the boundless ocean , prompting the trial to end early .

It looked like not even Buddha could subdue the Void Emperor .

Why? - Zac asked as he opened his eyes , feeling his mental state having returned to normal .

Amitabha , Almsgiver , - Three Virtues smiled . - The Dharma is the greatest of all joys , the highest of all delights . Cessation of desire conquers all suffering , and it is the road to enlightenment . -

Cessation , - Zac muttered before shaking his head with a smile , - is not for me . I am much too greedy . How long have I been inside? -

No more than an hour , - Three Virtues said , and Zac felt he could discern some helplessness in the monk’s eyes for some reason .

Zac wasn’t too surprised that so little time had passed during the trial . Most likely , the illusions themselves hadn’t lasted more than a few seconds each . Most of the time had come from the steps in between and gathering his wits outside the temple .

What is this? - Zac asked as he looked at the golden scroll hovering in front of him .

He recognized its aura quite clearly . The scripture he’d collected had not disappeared after he left . Instead , it formed an actual sutra by the looks of it , though Zac wasn’t able to tell whether the scroll was real or illusory . It was only partly unfurled , allowing Zac to see dozens of lines of text along with the image of a golden cultivator covered in an unfamiliar set of pathways .

The aura emanating from the scroll was somewhat familiar , giving off an undeniable hint of Life and Creation , but there was much more to it . Part of it reminded him of his own class , of the lofty temple of Arcadia that appeared when he activated Rapturous Divide] . Unsurprisingly , another part reminded him of the power of Buddha .

It is truly astounding , Almsgiver . We must be fated , after all , - Three Virtues said with obviously feigned surprise . - This poor monk desperately recited the sutras in front of this pagoda for years , hoping to contain the energies within . To think that Almsgiver managed to rearrange the fractured teachings of Buddha into the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] . -

Zac was rendered speechless by the level of shamelessness . The monk was clearly trying to force a Karmic link between himself and the Sangha , both by showcasing the value of Heart Cultivation and now throwing in a technique . However , Zac had to admit he was intrigued , both by the energy signature and by the name .

Varja sublimation? - Zac asked . - A Body Tempering Manual? -

Body tempering was quite widely used among some chapters of the Buddhist Sangha , and there were monks as durable as Izh’Rak Reavers . In fact , Zac had actually seen a corner of their most wide-spread Body Tempering Technique back on Earth already—the Diamond Sutra] . However , he had never heard of this Boundless Vajra Sublimation] before .

Just so , - Three Virtues nodded . - A foundational method to temper one’s flesh into one possessing boundless life . It quashes imperfections and elevates the divine , setting the stage for greater things in the future . It has unsurpassed compatibility and can be transitioned into a myriad of advanced techniques . It was created in the earliest era , and numerous great Dharma Guardians of the Sangha started with this method . A blessing , a blessing of the Heavens! -

Why are you doing this? - Zac asked , obviously not buying the spiel .

By illuminating the path for others , you also illuminate your own , - Three Virtues smiled .

I cannot accept this , - Zac said . - As I said , my path is not the search of nirvana . This thing might end up hurting my cultivation . -

Almsgiver need not worry . Not only have the warrior monks and arhats used this method with great success . Numerous friends of the Sangha have exchanged great merit for this technique , before transitioning it into other Body Tempering Techniques without any relation to us . -

Zac had to admit he was tempted after hearing the monk’s exhortations , but he still had a lot of reservations .

Almsgiver , there is a difference between a living being and a being of Life , - the monk added , giving Zac a start . The monk’s smiling visage turned serious as he looked deep into Zac’s eyes . - Almsgiver , are you truly in balance? -

Zac looked at the small monk , once more beset by the uncomfortable feeling of having all his secrets exposed . He’d even activated his protective array around his Duplicity Core before coming here , but it was probably much too late to change anything . Of course , Zac understood what the monk was digging at .

His trinity of Life , Death , and Conflict wasn’t in a true state of balance , depending on how you looked at it . His Daos were in perfect tune with his path thanks to his hard work in the Orom World , but could the same be said about his races? His Death-side was represented by a Draugr , a race born from the Abyssal Lake , one of the purest representations of Death in the Multiverse . It cultivated Miasma since birth , essentially meaning it had a natal Death-attuned Physique .

Meanwhile , his other side was human . That was it . A bog-standard race of the Multiverse , where his unique point was that he would get whatever benefits his other side got . However , it was not , like Three Virtues called it , a being of Life . His human side didn’t use Divine Energy to match the Miasma of his Draugr side , but simple unattuned energy .

Technically , this Boundless Vajra Sublimation] could be the key to addressing this imbalance , but it brought up many questions . First and foremost—did he really need it? Would a Life-attuned constitution on his human side even benefit him? Did every part of his cultivation need to be mirrored in this way?

Ultimately , the trinity was based on Dao , not body .

Secondly , could he even cultivate this thing? What effect would it have on his bloodline? Would it result in a clash like the one in his vision , where the void assaulted the boundless nature of Buddhism?

Finally , and perhaps most importantly , did he even dare cultivate this thing even if he wanted to? Growing up , he’d been taught not to look a gifted horse in the mouth , but the opposite was true out in the Multiverse . Three Virtues wouldn’t just give away a precious Body Tempering Manual without purpose , no matter what flowery words he spouted .

At best , it would force him to continue cultivating some Buddhist techniques , binding him tighter to the Buddhist Sangha . But what if there were more sinister concepts hidden within the Boundless Vajra Sublimation]? What if he ended up an empty vessel the moment he completed his physique? After all , brainwashing was the forte of these monks .

I need to consider this , - Zac said . - Can I store this thing somehow? -

If you determine your course with force or speed , you will miss the path to enlightenment , - Three Virtues nodded . - However , this poor monk has to insist Almsgiver learn the contents by heart before leaving . Almsgiver has seized this opportunity through fate and good merits , but we cannot let a complete copy of the sutra be released into the world . -

Did the monk expect Zac to give in to temptation and train this technique after learning all the benefits it could provide? Zac had to admit , it was a pretty good plan . Even then , Zac went ahead and grabbed the hovering scroll , much to the monk’s delight . The next moment , he felt a massive surge of information cramming into his brain—hundreds of books’ worth of text .

There were postures you could train in , scriptures that sped up the process , tens of thousands of treasures that could aid in the formation of a Golden Vajra Physique . There were even chapters on Heart Cultivation and alternative methods to train , such as tattoos and clones . It was a veritable treasure trove of knowledge , and it was with great reluctance Zac sealed that knowledge in a corner of his mind before he turned to the happily smiling monk .

Well , it’s time for me to head out , - Zac said . - Thank you for all your help . I’ll remember the benevolence of your eminence . -

Almsgiver is too kind . But if this one can give one final suggestion? -

What’s that? - Zac asked .

Almsgiver has no need to rush . Providence is accumulating , but it has yet not reached a crescendo . The time when fate is most malleable will arrive very soon . - Three Virtues smiled .

Zac slowly nodded in thanks before leaving the small temple , the droning sounds of the still-meditating monks traveling with him through the bamboo forest . Only when the decorated bamboo poles gave way to the vibrant steppes outside did he dare relax . He’d done it . He’d secured the means of escape .

However , Zac was a bit lost , having expected he needed to absorb the Remnants the moment he seized them . Zac had even wagered that was the ultimate goal of Three Virtues—to force the appearance of a Glimpse of Chaos right by his temple . This guess was obviously wrong , but the odd encounter in the temple didn’t make things any clearer .

It was too annoying dealing with Karmic experts .

The only thing Zac could be certain of was that every action of Three Virtues had a purpose , from the short chat in front of the statue of Sāgara to displaying the benefits of Heart Cultivation . But it could be anything from advancing the monk’s plans in the Orom World to something thousands of years in the future .

The only clue Zac had was the monk’s final recommendation . He clearly wanted Zac to wait a bit before absorbing the Remnants . It was the one thing where he was completely candid . And even that simple suggestion felt like a mindbender after the mentally exhausting visit . Was it a real suggestion or was it reverse psychology?

Should he just go ahead and absorb those things immediately? Would doing so sabotage his attempt by making his move early?

As Zac made his way toward his small island , he ultimately chose to wait a bit . He was dealing with an Autarch , and it wasn’t like he was trying to slip out unnoticed . Forming a Glimpse of Chaos was a real spectacle , and he risked drawing both the attention and ire of the Orom before he could teleport away . If fate really was congregating for some reason , such as the monks preparing some scheme , it would provide a good cover .

Two months . Zac decided he’d give it two months , leaving roughly four weeks to spare before the Remnants had to be returned . If nothing happened by then , he’d leave and not look back .

Zac didn’t bother returning to Samsara’s Edge . He was all out of Purchase Points , having bought the Hollow Core] in addition to the Heavenrender Vine Seed , something that was only possible through his multiple breakthroughs . Even then , he’d been forced to take a pretty big loss .

Even after forming two Boundless Dao Branches , forcibly elevating his levels , soul , and then improving his Integration Stage , he’d been lacking some points . Only by selling off a mountain of resources for 8 , 000 Purchase Points was he able to afford the second Supreme treasure . It pained him , but trading a bunch of expensive , yet common on the outside , materials for a unique treasure was definitely worth it .

Soon enough , Zac was back in his hidden cultivation chamber , and he took out the first of the two glass boxes . Kaldor’s protective runes were gone , and tendrils of darkness left painful cracks on Zac’s arms . As expected , it released a continuous amount of Oblivion Energy , though this one felt raw and wild compared to what was released from the prison in his mind .

Zac didn’t try to break open the casing , instead setting it at the heart of a formation at the right side of the cave , letting the Oblivion Energy fuse with the Miasma that was dragged from the Death-attuned zone . Next , he did the same thing with the shard , turning his cultivation cave into something unique , something containing hints of both Creation and Oblivion .

The two Remnants stirred upon being placed in such close proximity , but the seals on the casings were something else , preventing the Remnants from awakening altogether .

This was the best Zac solution could think of , where he could make use of the marvelous cultivation cave and the Remnants until his deadline . The energy released through the runic funnel in his mind was pure , but the amount was also quite limited . Far less compared to what was released from this newly acquired set .

Like this , weeks passed , where Zac silently practiced the Nine Reincarnations Manual] , mentally preparing himself for the ordeal of forming a Glimpse of Chaos . There were no disturbances , but as the days passed , he actually felt a strange sense building . It wasn’t his soul getting stronger , though using the Remnants was definitely effective in empowering the attunement of the outer cores .

It was just like Three Virtues said . It was like a storm was gathering , a hurricane of fate . The feeling was similar to his danger sense , making him believe it was related to his latest boost in Luck . It was a welcome new ability , and it was about time he gained something new from the attribute . After all , his Effective Luck had almost doubled since entering the Twilight Ocean .

Then one day , the storm arrived .

The arrays in the cave sputtered and failed as the orbs illuminating the chamber dimmed , prompting Zac’s eyes to shoot open with glee . There was still a week until his planned escape , a month before the deadline for the Remnants . But just as the monk indicated , an opportunity had presented itself prematurely .

The Orom World had entered a dark state .

Whether it was a sign from above or a direct consequence of Three Virtues’ schemes , Zac didn’t know , and ultimately , it didn’t matter . The Orom might have encountered some outside threat forcing it to reroute all its power from the Orom World to itself rather than quelling an internal insurgency . In either case , it meant the big bastard had run into trouble .

The thought alone prompted a smile to appear on Zac’s face , the schadenfreude far outweighing the disappointment of his Soul Strengthening session ending early . The more pressing the issues the Orom had to deal with , the more he would be able to accomplish in the dark .

As expected , Zac felt a wave of weakness spread through his body as his prison brand flickered , and just moving became a chore . He could still circulate a trickle of energy , but it was barely enough to maintain basic bodily functions . Thankfully , activating Void Zone] and covering himself in Void Energy counteracted the effect enough for him to move freely . Enough to accomplish his tasks .

He turned into a blur as he swept through the cave like a hurricane , stowing away the few items he hadn’t already secured , most notably his cultivation arrays , Mind’s Eye Agate] , and the twinned Realm Spirits . Finally , he grabbed the two glass casings , ignoring their anger at being so close together , before rushing to the surface of the island .

Only to be met by a sky set on fire .

68

GATHERING STORM

Far different from the descriptions of the Orom World going dark , it had instead been turned into a conflagration of flames that elicited a primal fear in Zac’s heart . They reminded Zac of the apocalyptic force he saw when forming his Seeds of Hardness and Sanctuary . When that ancient protector had sacrificed himself to protect his world against the end of a universe .

That kind of judgment had descended on the Orom World . There were no Heavens , there was no Law of Space . The Dao itself was being incinerated by the inferno above .

Thankfully , something was holding it back , either the Orom or the originator of the attack himself , preventing the brunt of the terrifying energy from descending . Zac wasn’t sure even Kaldor would survive if those flames lashed out on the cultivators below . Just looking at the roiling tongues of fire left scorch marks on his body , forcing him to avert his gaze . Enduring them would extinguish him in an instant , and no Void Zone] or other preparations would do him any good .

At first , he figured it was the monks making their move , but he immediately shot down that idea . This couldn’t possibly be the work of a Monarch , meaning it should come from the outside . Perhaps a true Boddhisatva had tracked down the Orom to punish it with cleansing fire , but Zac didn’t sense the echoes of the Buddhist Sangha in the flames . They were pure and unrelenting , like the primal fires that could both birth and extinguish an era .

Even if the flames didn’t originate from within the Orom World , there were still people ready to take advantage of the chaos . Zac didn’t even get the chance to take in the scene before eruptions of unbridled power appeared in multiple directions . To his left , coruscating waves of Divinity rippled in every direction , and Zac looked on with mute incomprehension as a towering golden deity rose into the air .

It appeared in the direction of the bamboo forest , and if there had been any doubt before about Three Virtues’ involvement , it was gone now . After all , it was the avatar of Sāgara who had been conjured , the statue he’d seen just a few months ago . The avatar had to be tens of thousands of meters tall , yet it somehow seemed greater .

Space and scale couldn’t properly do it justice—as though the deity were the size of the cosmos itself . Zac only dared shoot occasional glances in its direction , as his heart was being moved from witnessing its splendor . If Zac wasn’t careful , he’d become a warrior of the Dharma with all of his emotions expunged .

The enormous avatar put its hands together in a mudra , and Zac vaguely heard the chanting of sutras even from this great distance . Millions and millions of lotus flowers were born in the sky , almost shrouding the fiery inferno above . However , the delicate white flowers didn’t seem to have any intention of contending with the flames above .

Instead , they were nurtured by it , growing just like normal flowers under the sun . Together , they danced in a nonexistent wind , the petals setting up some sort of array that filled Zac with dread . The scene was mesmerizing , and Zac suddenly felt his vision shifting , finding himself standing inside a vast temple where each lotus flower had been transformed into a golden statue .

The next moment the vision was gone , but Zac wondered if the monks had somehow connected this space with an actual temple somewhere in the Multiverse . Just what were they planning?

The monks weren’t the only ones who had made their move . A pitch-black tower had appeared to Zac’s right , and looking at it felt like looking at the true face of Death . Even the roiling flames above were somewhat dampened by the darkness the structure radiated , though Zac could tell the tower didn’t dare grow too tall to avoid drawing the ire from what was above .

Zac could even sense powerful fluctuations further in the distance in almost every direction of the Orom World , but it was too far away for him to see what was going on . One thing was for sure though—the seal of the prison brand was obviously not as absolute as the Orom thought , for these kinds of things to appear out of nowhere .

Things had clearly been brewing beneath the surface since long before Zac arrived .

The chaotic scene had thrown Zac off-balance , but he quickly gathered his wits . So what if things were chaotic? Wasn’t that exactly what this moment required? It almost felt like the whole world had gone mad as a result of his desire , the desire to drown the Orom World with Chaos .

Now , it was time to leave his own mark on the tapestry .

There was a good chance the Orom would enact an even harsher lockdown now that things were spiraling out of control , so Zac didn’t dare waste any more time . He took out one of his semi-finished teleportation arrays and urgently spent the next few minutes fixing the final engravings while fearfully glancing at the sky in case something changed .

Thankfully , things were still gearing up , giving Zac enough breathing room to finalize his preparations . He only left one final inscription unfinished on the array before taking it out of harm’s way , placing it on the shores on the other side of the lake . He knew all-too-well what came next , and he felt some lingering fear as his gaze turned to the two glass boxes lying on the ground . He couldn’t have his escape pod destroyed by a wave of Oblivion .

Cracks had already started to appear on the two glass canisters—the trapped Remnants were waking up . With the Orom draining the environment of its ambient energy , the glass cages had lost their main source of power . With Zac also maintaining Void Zone] they were barely holding on against the burst of energy coming from within .

With the boxes in such close proximity , the slumbering Remnants had truly become aware of each other . They were furiously trying to break free to attack their nemesis , and parts of the arrays were whittled down with every clash . Still , Zac estimated it would take a few more minutes before the seals succumbed , and Zac didn’t have that kind of time .

After being hidden inside his Spatial Ring for years , Verun’s Bite] finally made its appearance . A furious howl filled with anger and liberation was released as Zac completely unleashed the stored energy in his Spiritual Void] , and the whole lake churned in response as Zac swung his companion for the first time in too long .

Eight streams of Mental Energy entwined into a sturdy rope before entering the axe . Half of them were infused with the unstoppable potential for destruction of the Branch of the War Axe , and the other half with the undeniable force of the Branch of the Kalpataru . The golden markings across the Spirit Tool lit up with golden luster as the weapon was flooded with the Dao , but the sheen was almost drowned in a sanguine brilliance released from the runes on the handle .

The axe fell , and the world grew quiet before an earth-shattering shockwave leveled all the trees on the whole island . However , Zac’s eyes became wide as saucers when his mighty swing empowered by his bloodline and his Dao didn’t so much as leave a mark on the glass casing holding the Splinter of Oblivion .

Zac had visualized a scene of the cage shattering like brittle ice in the face of his fury , but reality wasn’t quite so satisfying . However , Zac wasn’t discouraged . There was a good chance these glass casings were made from some extraordinary materials , but he thankfully had a backup plan .

He was about to stow away his axe , but a wave of reluctance filled his heart while a similar sentiment was conveyed from the Tool Spirit . Instead , he hung it through a loop on his belt while forming two new streams in his mind—once more a combination of Life and Conflict . But this time , the streams didn’t enter his hands or his weapon , but rather the two unique pathways on his shoulders .

Activating the modified skill fractals for Cyclic Strike] had an immediate effect as the purified Creation Energy spread throughout his body eagerly started to gather . His body was chock-full of energy from both Remnants by this point , all in preparation for this very day . A glistening rune appeared between his hands , where endless possibilities resided inside its depths .

This was the second time Zac had unleashed an Origin Mark since forming the Branch of the Kalpataru , and he was still mesmerized by the Dao Branch’s effect on the skill . Before , the mark was a completely foreign object created by circumstance , but he could feel a tendril of his own presence inside it now .

He wouldn’t go so far as to say he had control , but it definitely wouldn’t blow up by surprise any longer . More importantly , he felt he would soon be able to further mold the mark , turning it into something greater than a ball of unfettered Creation . For now , he believed that a normal mid-powered mark should do the trick .

Zac pushed the ball of Creation against the glass , and he smiled when the sealed Remnant inside went insane upon feeling its antithesis encroaching on its domain . The glass might be extremely sturdy , but the energy generated by the Remnants was inexhaustible , and the array was already worn down . Besides , it relied on the trapped Remnant being in a sleeping state , which was no longer the case .

At the same time , Creation seeped into the esoteric runes on the glass casing’s surface , twisting them with its mad desire for change . The formation resisted , but it simply had no energy to draw from , and was fast losing ground . Just the occasional fractal pattern that broke apart or shifted , but that was enough to cause a cascading ripple of change across the array .

Soon enough , a crack echoed out , and Zac was almost blasted off the island by a tremendous burst of Oblivion . Sharp shards of glass had embedded themselves in his body , and a good chunk of the island was simply erased , but Zac ignored the pain as he kept breaking the cage apart . He was almost there .

For the umpteenth time in the past weeks , he tried to initiate a negotiation with the System , but even if he heard a slight pressure that might indicate the System’s presence , he got no response . Zac didn’t know if the System was calling his bluff , knowing Zac couldn’t just skip the formation of another glimpse .

A more likely scenario was that the events in the Twilight Chasm were unique , where a creature that shouldn’t exist had been nurtured in an E-grade trial . The huge snake had broken the balance of the Trial , and the System intervening could be seen as an attempt to restore order . Normally , it wouldn’t have become an issue since no trial-taker should have been able to survive in that depth .

Alvod had probably paid the appropriate price to make the System look the other way , maintaining the Law of Balance . Until Zac arrived . Thus , an anomaly had occurred , forcing the System’s hand . Outside of grade-restricted trials , there were no such rules of conduct—this place might as well be the Wild West .

Even then , Zac didn’t give up . He might be able to seize something at the last moment .

The temperature in the Orom World was steadily rising , though that was probably the least of the prisoner’s worries . The Buddhist chants kept growing louder , and Zac felt his mind under assault as he saw glimpses of that mysterious temple over and over . Meanwhile , golden scripts had started to dance around the innumerable lotus flowers in the sky in a display of both might and beauty .

Zac doubted the tremendous waves of faith targeted him specifically , though he couldn’t be sure about the prisoners in general . Was a mass conversion about to take place in the Orom World? To bring half a million top geniuses into the fold of the Dharma? Even for a peak faction like Buddhist Sangha , it had to be considered a decent win .

Thankfully , it turned out that Void Zone] was quite effective at muting the attraction of the Buddhist Chants , though it was only a temporary repose . He was simply too weak to stave off the mental influence permanently , but it wasn’t like he planned on staying behind for too long anyway . The Creation from outside and the Oblivion from inside had finally caused enough damage , and the powerful array on the glass cage couldn’t maintain its functions any longer .

Leaking cracks turned into a gaping hole as the High-grade glass broke apart , and Zac’s hand pushed through the shards to grab the splinter . At this moment , the Remnants in his mind fully awoke , having confirmed another of their brethren waited outside . This time the roles were reversed , with the splinters trying to break out while the shards hampered their efforts .

The sutras were completely silenced , and the world had grown oppressively silent as Zac held the Splinter of Oblivion . In reality , it was the Remnant that had crushed all sound , annihilated fate , leaving only nothingness in Zac’s surroundings . The sense of nihility seemed to stretch toward eternity as the world slowed , and then there was only darkness as the third Splinter of Oblivion entered Zac’s body .

Iz marveled at the beauty of her surroundings from her vantage inside her uncle’s eye . She’d grown up playing on his body , but the opportunities for her to see the true essence of his flames were rare .

All Daos had their strong points and weaknesses , but her grandpa had said it all converged toward the peak . When you completely grasped a Dao , it was whatever you needed it to be . Your truth would become equal to the will of the Heavens , and Valderak was right at that threshold . His flames surpassed both time and space , becoming a supreme law as he unleashed his might .

The Void itself was incinerated as flames stretched across the horizon , and even the nearby stars dimmed in obeisance . In the middle of it all , a big fish furiously thrashed , but it was locked in place by the Sixteen Pillars of Anguish . The mutated Voidcatcher was unleashing tremendous ripples of space , though it was ultimately just a second-step Primordial Beast .

No matter if it was raw strength , heritage , or Dao , her uncle was far superior . The big fish might as well have been a Hegemon . To the Primordial Golem known across the Multiverse as the Empyrean Mountain , it made no difference . Even then , it struggled , desperately trying to break open the dimensional layer .

Serves you right for eluding us for over a year , - Iz muttered before she turned to her uncle standing next to her . - You won’t burn the people inside , right? -

My flames are not targeted at the captives , so it should be fine , - Valderak’s avatar answered with a shrug . - If people still die , they simply aren’t fated . But don’t worry , your little friend will be fine . -

Iz turned toward the fifty-meter-tall glass pane that was her uncle’s eye .

What friend? He’s . . . - Iz’s voice died down as her brows furrowed .

Just what was he? Even now , she couldn’t put her finger on it . There was just something about him , something novel . But what? He wasn’t too powerful , though Iz guessed he should be one of the strongest people at his grade in this desolate corner of space . Even among the ancient factions , he could be considered a rare talent in terms of raw strength .

Except , she’d met many people like that already during the outings her uncle and grandpa had tricked her to participate in , and she was always filled with annoyance when dealing with those people . Yet she found herself using the Divine Mirror almost every day for a few hours , even when Mr . Bug just sat in silent meditation .

At first , it was curiosity about the one who dared to curse at her , but it somehow became a hobby she enjoyed far more than any of the arrays her guardians had prepared . Even that Neural Network of the Technocrats or the Heavenly Realm of the ancient imperials became boring over time . But watching that guy bathe in fateblighted refuse or getting beat up by low-grade beasts never grew stale .

In a way , he was the antithesis of herself . He was a blank slate , with no backing and no idea what he was doing . But he was also free .

Have you decided what you will do when you meet him? - her uncle asked curiously .

Well . . . - Iz hesitated . - First , I’ll beat him up a bit for calling me crazy . After that , we’ll see . Perhaps I’ll have him take me to some trial? I want to experience his ability to cause all this chaos firsthand . I don’t want to go back too quickly now that grandpa finally allowed me to leave . Who knows when I’ll get to travel again after this? -

Master worries for you , - Valderak sighed . - He fears the fate of your parents will repeat itself . -

Iz nodded , a pang of sorrow filling her heart at recalling the sealed form of her mother . Even with her grandpa’s efforts , it would be tens of thousands of years before Eruz Tayn could wake up . The battle had been too intense back then , and not even her grandmother had been able to directly retrieve her soul from the past .

Of course , a few thousand years was nothing compared to the two million years her mother had been sealed already , most of which Iz had spent gestating inside Eruz’s womb . Her grandfather had waited so long and worked so hard to piece her soul together by scouring billions of temporal fractures in the past . Even then , there was no coming back for her father .

Their enemies had made sure of that .

Grandma killed all those people millions of years ago already . She even incinerated a whole universe , fraying the Heavens themselves . Who’d dare target me? And what would be the point? Just to anger my elders again? - Iz muttered .

Never underestimate the lengths people will go in pursuit of the peak . The old enemies are gone , but new ones will crop up so long as the Tayns control a corner of the sky , - Valderak urged .

Alright , alright , - Iz agreed , having heard the same warning so many times before .

It looked like Valderak was about to continue , but he suddenly stopped and turned toward the Voidcatcher . - Oh? -

What’s wrong? - Iz asked with worry , trying to discern what changed .

Fate is gathering , and I sense fluctuations at the threshold of Autarchy inside the Orom’s inner world , - the golem said with some interest . - The Sangha and the unliving are making a move . More importantly , there was a weak burst of Oblivion just now . -

What? He’s starting? We made it in time! - Iz exclaimed , her mouth curving upward .

Just like inside that Life-Death trial of his , things were coming to a boiling point . This time , she wouldn’t miss it .

Wait , do you think we’re part of the storm of fate he accumulated? - Iz asked curiously .

It’s hard to say where the line between coincidence and fate lies , - Valderak said . - But he is undoubtedly the fulcrum . -

Iz’s brows furrowed with displeasure . - This stupid fish keeps buckling and I can’t see anything . Can you send me in? -

Absolutely not! - Valderak said without hesitation . - The energies within are getting too chaotic . Don’t worry , we have some time . I’ll toast this bastard a bit more and make it spit out the boy . -

Iz reluctantly nodded , and a tragic wail echoed through the cosmos .

69

MOUNTING THREAT

The lightning-scorched tower had finally crumbled , unable to withstand time and the madness of its master . In the rubble , she sat , her heart burning with hatred and her hands covered in ash . Hatred against what , she no longer remembered . The ashes of whom , she could no longer recall . She’d given it all up for power .

Yet now , only emptiness remained .

Zac barely had time to digest the miserable scene before he was whisked away to another , witnessing outbursts of madness and despair . It was just like his previous encounters , with one worrying difference—it all felt so real . Before , the scenes had been visceral , nearly to the point they could leave a mark on his mind . But now , they’d become so much more .

His soul was far superior compared to when he last absorbed a Remnant , yet he found himself struggling to hold on to his sanity as the Splinter of Oblivion unleashed its manic obsession . The parasitic consciousness hidden within the crystal had come out in full force , and doubts kept invading Zac’s path .

He’d seen his absorbing these things as a necessary evil , a risky gamble to more quickly gain power . But what if he’d already unknowingly fallen to the ploy of the Remnants , blindly grasping for more when his true self should have long realized something was wrong? The moment he learned of the third set , he’d not even hesitated when risking his life to seize them . Even when he already held the means of escape through the Perennial Vastness Token .

Why?

He had always known he was a pawn in someone’s game , be it the System’s or the Remnants themselves . Yet he never questioned their end game , and just figured he’d ride it out and walk away a stronger man . Why? Was that how a resource was used? No , it was squeezed of all its benefits and discarded before the master went looking for the next useful idiot to exploit .

Doubts , hesitation , and regrets kept rising to the surface , even rehashing his failures during the earliest months of the integration . Knowing that it was the result of absorbing the Remnant didn’t help either . If anything , it added another layer of torture . Zac was aware he was being tricked into this state , yet he couldn’t break it , which only further fed into the insecurities he’d gained from being peppered by the visions .

Trying to logically dispel his doubts was fruitless . He wasn’t dealing with something that could be reasoned with . Reiterating the fact there was nothing he could have done for his father—that he returned as quickly as possible to Greenworth did nothing to allay the guilt . The misery threatened to consume him , drown him .

Soon enough , Zac barely registered the incessant visions , stuck in his own private hell instead . If only he could quench these thoughts . Extinguish everything .

The thought cut through his distress like a knife , with warning bells immediately going off . The unwelcome thought had properly woken him up , and he realized just how dangerous a situation he’d been in . He was standing right at the precipice . If he gave in to that feeling , Oblivion—or rather that ancient consciousness—would consume him .

The situation was bad , but Zac still didn’t try to remember and regain that tranquil state he enjoyed during Three Virtues’ trial , where nothing could affect him . Neither did he break open his self-imposed seal on the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] to recite the heart-calming sutras it contained .

That was not his path .

Instead , he focused on his goals rather than his failures , holding onto the vision of Thea being lifted into the air by his mother , of Kenzie being whisked away . The focus wasn’t that he couldn’t protect them—how could he against someone like Leandra Kayar-Elu? Instead , he focused on how his sister needed to be rescued and Thea needed to be avenged .

He focused on Earth being like a small raft about to be flung into a raging ocean as the Zecia Sector was on the verge of being embroiled in war . Of Ogras and Billy stuck in some pocket of space , their fate unknown after having risked their lives to save his sister and Earth . There were so many people he owed , so many things he needed to accomplish . He refused to get pushed down by his mistakes or bogged down by hesitation . He would keep moving forward , and some fractured spirit from a bygone era would never be able to change that fact .

Neither would he drink the poisonous waters of the Dharma to quench his thirst . He had faith he would be able to accomplish his goals without their aid . Eventually , Zac took a shuddering breath as he opened his eyes . He was back in his own body , and time was starting up again .

That was way too close .

Zac had been overconfident . Believing that after surviving the Calamity A’Zu warned of and then performing a perfect reincarnation , absorbing the third set of Remnants would proceed without a snag . But if one could survive the Remnants just by cultivating one’s soul , then why did everyone in the visions succumb sooner or later?

It had become painfully clear that a powerful soul wasn’t enough to deal with the madness hidden within the Splinter of Oblivion . Its energy couldn’t just pollute his soul—its attack on Zac’s heart was just as formidable , and harder to both notice and defend against .

The distant Buddhist chants resumed as Zac exited his special state , the air veritably vibrating with Dharmic power . However , it was drowned out by the railing madness from within . Zac had passed the first hurdle , and the splinter was already on a rampage . It found his mind , and his Soul Aperture was being drowned in Oblivion .

The Divine Cores in his mind had been put on a defensive , barely holding on with the protection of his Branch of the Kalpataru . Meanwhile , his Branch of the Pale Seal was infiltrating the waves of annihilation , channeling some of the rampaging energy into his Miasmic Cores . Zac knew this was an opportunity for cultivation , but the surroundings were crazy enough as it were .

His powerful soul might have failed in protecting his heart , but its benefits soon became apparent as layer after layer sealed the rampaging splinter within , barely letting a trickle of energy escape . It furiously slammed against the cage Zac erected , but even if it managed to break the innermost layers , there were almost a dozen more it had to deal with to escape .

The war inside his Remnant prison had entered a fever pitch as well , but Zac wasn’t worried . The sealing fractals were in pristine condition thanks to the System fixing them the last time around , and it wasn’t like it would need to withstand the clashes for long .

Seeing that the situation was as stable as it could be when dealing with ancient madness in a world literally set on fire , Zac breathed out in relief as his gaze turned toward the second glass box . However , he froze with understanding . Something else was different with this round . He didn’t get to meet Be’Zi during his spiritual journey .

Had she blocked him from coming over again , tired of getting her cultivation interrupted every few years? Or was it the System that felt there was no need to align their fate any longer since the quest for five sets of Remnants had already been agreed upon?

A wave of searing pain derailed his thoughts , and Zac was aghast at the thought of embers from the ferocious flames in the sky falling down on him . Thankfully , Zac realized it wasn’t the flames that had attacked him , even if the situation was a bit thorny .

The brand on his arm had awakened and it was unleashing sinister energies into his body . Like a spiritual acid instilled with a purpose , and Zac felt both his cells and pathways being destroyed at a rapid pace . Did it realize he was about to break out? Had it sensed Zac freed one of the Remnants?

While Zac was annoyed at the interruption , his Void Zone] was already weakening the brand , and his Void Heart] had begun its feast on the invading energy . It was a shame his natural poison resistance wasn’t quite as good in his human form , but that didn’t mean he was out of options .

He opened a small hole in the barriers trapping the Splinter of Oblivion in his Soul Aperture , and a storm of Oblivion Energy was immediately spat out by the enraged Remnant . Another layer of small cracks spread across the empty space of his soul , and Zac felt his mind turn a bit numb .

This was the first time he had a free splinter raging in his body , with the previous two sets being instantly thrown behind bars . He could tell that using the Remnant’s energy would work just fine . In fact , the splinter would love it . After all , using its wild energies had a price different from the shard—where the shard damaged his body and lifeforce , the splinter damaged his soul and mind .

In a way , it was even scarier to use than Creation Energy , even if its price wasn’t as readily apparent . You could recover some of the longevity you’d lost , but recovering broken pieces of your mind—memories , emotions , and convictions—that was a far trickier subject . He wasn’t sure there would even be any warning signs . Eventually , he’d just stare around in confusion like all those people in the visions .