Defiance of the Fall

Yrial’s weapon of choice was a large bladed wheel that flew around him like a satellite , and over half his attacks were pure elemental skills of either fire or ice . At some point , Yrial would become the Lord of Cycles , but he’d clearly not reached that point in this memory . There was a mysterious tempo to how his teacher swapped between using his two elements , and the Snake had a hard time dealing with the constant rotation between scorching and freezing attacks .

Eventually , the beast succumbed to Yrial’s unrelenting offensive , but Yrial was poisoned in return , with green splotches appearing on his face . Still , it was with a wide smile he formed a blade of crystalline ice and started to dig into the beast’s head .

The world shifted again , and Yrial was now sitting on a cliff of a snow-covered mountain , the harsh winds containing terrifying amounts of cold . Yrial’s body shook so bad he could barely control his limbs , but his eyes never left the small flame in his hand . It flickered precariously , but it never went out . It even looked like it was somehow absorbing the cold from the surroundings .

Like this , one scene replaced another in a constant stream of memories as hours turned to days , weeks , and eventually months . Desperate fights , journeys to desolate regions in search of answers , Yrial pursuing his path through meditation and painting . Progress was slow , and Yrial was met with one setback after another . Grievous wounds , dead ends of the Dao , hundreds of failed paintings . Falling victim to the capricious elements during his journeys , fleeing from pursuers—Zac even saw Yrial standing over a few newly-dug graves with hollow eyes , his hands covered in dirt and blood .

But he never wavered .

Yrial pressed on no matter the challenges , and any time he was pushed down , he dragged himself back to his feet . Years passed in this way as Yrial searched for opportunities and inspiration on the vast continent he lived on , where Zac got dragged between pivotal moments in time .

No matter if it was wild regions teeming with beasts or sprawling cities with ancient masters who could extinguish his life with a wave of their hands , he kept giving it all for a chance to form his cycle . It was eye-opening to see how hard he’d pushed himself on his journey . It was an important lesson—no one would accomplish anything without working hard . Talent was just an advantage , but you still needed to seize your future yourself .

Gradually , Yrial’s control of the elements went from impressive to sublime , the flames on his brush grew colder , and the paintings he created were getting closer to whatever he was searching for . Hundreds of shards in the apparition were reduced to fifty , and Zac saw the wheel starting to turn in Yrial’s hand . A year later , fifty had become twenty .

Zac had long lost track of time , having become engrossed with what he witnessed , his whole being consumed by the spiral Yrial risked everything for . His adventures might not have had the same kind of stakes as Zac’s own—there were no Autarchs or peak Monarchs messing with his path—but that didn’t mean there was no danger .

If anything , Yrial had been forced to undergo far more deadly trials than Zac in order to seize the opportunities and treasures he needed to progress . One day , in a particularly desperate battle against a sword-wielding Hegemon , something finally coalesced—fire turned into ice , and ice turned into fire .

Thus , the Lord of Cycles was born and the world crumbled .

18

THE NATURE OF DUALITY

As the world shattered upon Yrial forming his cyclic fiery ice , Zac once more found himself lying on a set of pillows inside the pergola , the tinkling chimes and rustling flowers welcoming him back to - reality’ . A quick mental check indicated that only a week had passed , even if it had felt like years .

It was no wonder Brazla had been forced to gather energy for a couple of days . That kind of temporal dilation had to come at a steep price . Furthermore , it left Zac in a weird muddled state , so he closed his eyes and started meditating .

Having seen the struggles of a future Monarch firsthand had been eye-opening , completely different from hearing or reading about it . Yrial was an extreme narcissist , and a bit of a conman according to the visions , since Yana was only one of many marks . There had been men and women alike who’d been conned out of their or their faction’s treasures to feed Yrial’s Path .

But no matter what flaws his personality had , Yrial’s Dao Heart was immutable .

Undoubtably a stark difference between what Zac had seen and the people he usually met . Perhaps only Joanna amongst his followers had that kind of unbreakable desire to pursue the path of cultivation . Most couldn’t compare . They might struggle when pushed , but they didn’t value their Dao over their life . For example , Catheya could be considered a talent even in a faction like the Undead Empire , but she didn’t have Yrial’s drive or conviction .

More importantly , Zac finally understood what Yrial meant by blueprint . The biggest struggle of his teacher wasn’t actually forming the core—it was designing it . Two opposing forces needed to be merged into a stable unity , where each half empowered rather than suppressed the other . It was clearly an incomparably difficult task , taking even a supreme talent like Yrial years of meditation and risking his life to accomplish .

In return , Yrial got something extremely potent . Zac couldn’t be certain since the vision ended before he got to that part , but he guessed this kind of core would be a lot more powerful than an average one . It was a bit like Dao Braiding or Dao Arrays ; the sum was greater than its parts .

Zac also better understood what Yrial meant when he didn’t hold the energy Zac managed to form in high regard . His teacher was right . That third scar that almost formed on the wheel was potent , but was it even something that could be turned into a Cosmic Core? It seemed more fitting as a blueprint for his next tier of Dao Braids than a stable source of energy—a braid that incorporated all three of his Daos .

That kind of use didn’t require the stability he’d seen in the swirling ball of fiery ice . If the trinity-braid erupted after a few seconds when infusing an attack , all the better . It was only more damage to his enemies . But if that solution wasn’t right , then what? Yrial’s method was impossible for him . The Dao control Yrial exhibited when painting or forming that apparition was lightyears beyond what he could accomplish .

A full day passed as Zac organized the torrent of memories that had been crammed into his head , and he eventually opened his eyes with a sigh . He might not be any closer to finding a solution than before the vision , but Zac was at least a lot more cognizant of the difficulties an Edgewalker would encounter when forming his core .

How about it , isn’t your teacher dashing? - Yrial grinned as he flicked a lock of his long hair .

It was eye-opening to see such an earnest pursuit of the Dao firsthand , - Zac nodded , not needing to lie to placate his master at all . - But what happened to Yana? -

Her father was furious , - Yrial sighed . - She was trapped in an energy-starved dungeon for ten years , and the lack of energy harmed her foundations . Her chances at Hegemony weren’t great before , but she was doted on by her elders . And between harming the Spiritual Flame and the imprisonment , her path was cut off . -

That’s . . . - Zac muttered with mixed emotions as he looked around at the pergola which was modeled after Yana’s backyard .

Resources are limited in this world , - Yrial said with equanimity . - Every treasure you seize means dozens of others will go hungry , having lost the opportunity to progress . Your path is paved with the crushed dreams and bones of others . That is the weight we have to carry as cultivators , and you’ll have to find some way to keep moving forward while not being tied down by the karmic debt you accrue .

In my case , I returned to make things right for that little flower a century later . Unfortunately , things took a bad turn . Yana was sacrificed in an attempt to enrage me and drag me out . They’d severely underestimated how much power I had gained since I stole the ember , and I exterminated her clan so she wouldn’t be lonely in the afterlife . After that , I could only keep progressing , so that her sacrifice and the sacrifice of all the others wouldn’t be in vain . -

That seems . . . a bit convenient , - Zac said as he looked down on his calloused hands , his thoughts turning to his own karmic debts .

One can only do their best and follow their heart , - Yrial said . - The moment your path is poisoned with doubt and guilt , your momentum will falter . Sincerity for the Dao and unflinchingly moving forward is even more important than talent or opportunity . Lack of talent can be overcome , and opportunities can be forced , but a lacking heart will stop you in your tracks .

Remember , until you reach the very peak , you are just a leaf struggling in the wind . You cannot bear the weight of the world . It’s not only bad for your cultivation , it’s foolish arrogance . Yana’s fate is pitiful , but I refuse to bear the full weight of her fate . Sometimes , things just fall apart . -

I understand , I think , - Zac sighed .

Yrial was right . Even if there were things he regretted since the Integration , both what he did and didn’t do , he couldn’t let himself get trapped in some sort of unwinnable argument of what-ifs . He’d done the best he could with the knowledge and options he was given at the time , but you can’t win them all .

It’s good that you understand , - Yrial nodded , his lazy expression gaining a serious air for once . - Even someone as disgusting as you won’t get far without a strong Dao Heart and sincerity toward your path . Only by having those can you be considered qualified to grasp for eternity . -

I’m trying , but I’m honestly more lost now than I was before , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - I feel like I’m stuck at the starting line after seeing the process of you forming your core . I haven’t even managed to create a flawed blueprint like those shattered shards of yours . But if I manage to take the first step , I might be able to keep working on it like you did . Can I ask how you arrived at that point? -

It was a shame , but the vision hadn’t shown how Yrial first came to follow his cyclic path . He was already working on it when he tricked that young girl out of the Spiritual Flames , so his inspiration must have arrived even earlier . How had he translated his path of fire and ice into a workable Cosmic Core?

Your path is far harder than mine , - Yrial said as he leaned back into the mound of pillows . - Mine was a natural conclusion of Heaven and Earth . -

What? - Zac blurted . The first statement was true , what with Chaos being a broken peak . But Zac had no idea what Yrial meant with the second half of his statement .

Have you learned about the various groupings of the Dao? The peaks? -

Somewhat , - Zac nodded .

You are pursuing the peak of Chaos , - Yrial said . - Whereas I am an elemental cultivator . Do you know the Terminus of my peak? -

Not really , - Zac said . Catheya had called it the peak of the elements and said elemental cultivators followed their respective elements to their conclusion . - I guess it’s the four elements? Or perhaps five? -

No , - Yrial said . - The name , and to some degree the nature , of the elemental peak is contended , with old teachings colliding with new . Those ugly monks call the peak Mahābhūta , the Great Element . It can both be seen as the basic building block of the universe , and it can also be the basis for inner enlightenment , the relinquishing of the material plane . It is the supreme combination of all Materia .

This was the path that the Apostate of Mercy perfected , though her deductions differed from the Sangha’s , much to their dismay , - Yrial continued with some glee . - Hers was the Dao of Heaven and Earth , where the Heaven was the spiritual Ether of Enlightenment and the Earth was the Mundane World . To be clear , her Heaven is not the System or the Dao itself , but rather a form of unblemished spirituality .

So , can you tell what defines this peak? -

Zac tried to guess what Yrial was digging at , but he eventually shook his head .

It is a path of Duality , - Yrial smiled . - Inner and outer world , Heavens and Earth , Yin and Yang . No matter what you want to call it , the peak has two facets . -

Isn’t it the same with my peak? - Zac countered . - With Creation and Oblivion? -

No , since they are true opposites , while the Elemental Daos are complementary opposites . It might seem similar , but it is very different . No peak is the same , which is why they are separated in the first place . Take the Peak of the Continuum . It is based on Time and Space , but those who follow both those paths are not Edgewalkers since Time and Space are not opposing concepts .

What I am trying to say is that every peak has its own challenges and opportunities , and the duality of Edgewalkers is generally thought of as part of the peak of Heaven and Earth . In my case , I fused Yin Flames and Yang Water and thus joined Heaven and Earth , - Yrial explained . - It is still extremely difficult to accomplish , especially in the lower grades . That’s why almost every cultivator only focuses on either the Earth-aspect or the Heaven-aspect of the peak .

Or if they focus on both expressions , it’s usually a holistic approach to one singular element , - Yrial added after some thought . - For example , fusing Heavenly Flames and Earthly Flames into True Flames . -

Zac didn’t know exactly what the separation of yin-yang meant when it came to the elements , but he guessed it was another way to look at various facets of the Dao .

But as I said , each peak is different . The past days I have tried to simulate a cycle based on my knowledge and the Daos you showcased , - Yrial said as the massive wheel appeared in the air behind the pergola , the disk still split in two . - But I am afraid I simply cannot find a solution . -

What do you mean? - Zac said with a sinking feeling . - It’s impossible? -

I didn’t say that , - Yrial rejected . - Never let anyone limit your pursuit . I am saying the techniques and methods I’ve learned might not be as useful as I’d initially hoped . However , this is simply a preliminary deduction from a soul wisp , and my understanding of your Daos is obviously lesser than your own . -

Then what should I do? - Zac frowned .

The methods I have might still provide you with some inspiration , just like how Cyclic Strike] showcased your limitations , - Yrial said . - Otherwise , the easiest solution would be to find a Chaos-based Heritage . That kind of heritage should contain some blueprints and techniques you can use as a basis for your own attempt at Hegemony . But such a thing should be extremely rare . I heard some rumors that there were ancient cultivators who had delved into that Dao , but I never met or even heard of any Chaos Cultivator during my lifetime . -

Zac nodded with a grimace , perhaps knowing even better than Yrial just how difficult that would be . A Chaos-based Heritage? If Qi’Sar’s words were to be believed , those things all stemmed from the previous Era . In other words , the only place you’d find them was inside an Eternal Heritage . Gaining access to such a place was even harder than meeting a Supremacy . Just going looking for one was out of the question .

Certainly , with Chaos being a broken peak with essentially no one cultivating it , these methods might not be very valuable . They might have been sold and disseminated from the peak factions controlling Chaos-based Eternal Heritages long ago . Unfortunately , that didn’t mean they would reach the frontier . If he wanted a shot at getting his hands on such a thing , he would probably have to visit the central regions of the Multiverse .

But if it was so easy to reach that place , everyone would have done so already .

His Perennial Vastness Token was currently his only link to a higher-grade environment . Now that he had a better understanding of the situation , he didn’t dare use it before he’d at least come up with a decent backup plan to forming his Cosmic Core . Catheya might have said anyone would leave that place with a Core , but she didn’t know the specifics of that place nor the difficulties Zac faced .

If he just went there blind with his unique situation , he might ruin his one shot at Hegemony .

Any other ideas? - Zac asked .

Nope , - Yrial grinned . - Figure it out yourself . -

Some teacher you are , - Zac muttered .

Now , don’t pout , - Yrial laughed , the pealing sound almost making Zac question some fundamental aspects of his being . - Since I don’t know , it’s better for me to stay quiet on the matter . What kind of teacher would I be if I sent you down the wrong path or limited your scope? Ultimately , it’s you who have set out on this unusual path , so you will have to look inward in search of answers .

My only advice is to not get too attached to anything . If your first idea fails , just drop it and start looking for other solutions . A few years lost are not wasted as long as you keep moving forward . Even if it doesn’t feel like it , you will be gradually getting closer to an answer , even if it’s just through a process of elimination , - Yrial said . - Even paths can be adjusted until you confirm them with an Arcane class or through confirming your Dao . -

Alright , then , - Zac sighed .

It was a disappointment that Yrial didn’t have any solutions . He would have to figure things out on his own . Thankfully , he was nearing the Peak of the E-grade , and his Soul Strengthening wasn’t that urgent . After he and his followers had set out into the Million Gates Territory , he would have time to fully turn his focus on researching stable Life-Death cores while his people steered the vessel .

Yrial’s final advice was also a valuable reminder . His path was unique , and he felt it had amazing potential as long as he could work out the kinks . Those motes of Chaos seemed to hold all the answers he looked for , the hidden truths of the Multiverse . But ultimately , was this path more important than his goals? To save Kenzie?

No .

If his path wouldn’t allow him to accomplish his goals , then it was the path that needed to be changed , not the goals . Life was Life , and Death was Death . That was what he’d proclaimed in his heart when his path collided with Alvod’s . However , if it was to protect those around him , Life didn’t need to be Life—it would be whatever he needed it to be .

Zac shook his head . There was no point in giving up before even starting . The Sector-wide war hadn’t even begun , and with how slowly things moved in the Multiverse , he would have years before needing to come to a decision . Only when he had truly exhausted his options would he start looking for alternatives .

So , do I as a disciple get double credits this time around as well? - Zac asked , focusing on the most important thing—the loot .

Of course , - Yrial said . - Same rules as last time . I start with 10 , 000 Credits which are doubled for being my disciple . After deductions , you are left with 16 , 000 . -

You’ve already deducted points? - Zac scowled . - Why? -

With your display before , how could I not remove some points? - Yrial said with a scathing look before glancing at the broken wheel that still hovered behind him . - That kind of barbarism is an affront to my Path of Cyclic Supremacy . Besides , the issue of your face remains . -

I’ll give you the former , but my features have definitely improved since I upgraded my Races to D-grade , - Zac countered , though he felt his voice lacking conviction .

How is going from a wretch to a cretin over a whole grade an improvement? - Yrial countered with a scrunched-up nose . - I will only deduct two thousand credits for your face this time , but you better figure something out for the next grade or I will not be so lenient . Hegemony can be considered the true start of cultivation , so my expectations on your performance will grow more stringent . -

And by performance , you mean appearance? - Zac sighed .

If not , then what else? - Yrial shrugged . - You’ve already abandoned my cyclic path . As your master , I have to teach you something , even if it’s just to not look like a Grao Howler while carrying the title of my disciple . Any problems? -

Zac had no idea what a Grao Howler was , but he could only assume it was some beast with an unflattering appearance . Even then , he could only grit his teeth and smile to avoid getting any more points deducted . - Sounds fair enough . -

I thought so , - Yrial smiled as a shimmering Information Crystal appeared . - Let me know what you decide to get . If you have any questions , I might answer if I’m in a good mood . -

Here we go again , - Zac sighed , his voice barely audible .

19

THE ORIOLE AND THE ORCHID

Zac inwardly grumbled , but kept his opinions to himself as he infused a wisp of energy into the Information Crystal . However , only a second passed before he looked up at his master with complaint in his eyes .

There’s a lot fewer items this time . -

I told you before , Brazla had me fill the Inheritance a certain number of times for each grade , with the F-grade needing the most items . While the quantity is lower , the quality of items is a lot higher on average . I wouldn’t say that anything here is earthshattering , but I would have killed for some of these things when I was your grade back then . -

That made sense . It was in the original Brazla’s interest to focus on the higher stages of the inheritances , while just handing out some decent baubles at the F-grade . After all , Brazla was a Peak Hegemon from what Zac had gathered . If he had a descendant that managed to pass this inheritance , they would be an elite worthy to nurture .

If someone passed the D-grade Inheritance , they would be a contender to become a future leader of Brazla’s clan .

Zac scanned the list of roughly 50 items carefully , but there were just too many items with names that didn’t explain their function . Worse yet , only a certain category of items had descriptions , each one more detailed than the last . - To begin with , I’ll take The Oriole and the Orchid . -

Excellent choice , - Yrial said , his smile seemingly illuminating the whole world as a large box appeared next to him . - It’s good to see that you at least have learned some manners since last time we met , buying another memento to remember your dear master by . -

Zac nodded with a strained smile , as though Yrial hadn’t just blackmailed him to buy another vanity item . Even then , there was some anticipation as his gaze turned to the box containing the statue of his master . Yrial waved his sleeves with excitement , and a lid opened to expose the alabaster statue within .

It was an expertly sculpted Yrial sitting in a meadow of extremely lifelike flowers , the whole piece hewn from one solid piece of spiritual rock . One of Yrial’s hands was outstretched , with a small bird perched on his index finger—almost indistinguishable from the real thing , as though the small bird could fly off at any moment . The statue itself emitted great tranquility , almost as if Zac was the one sitting among the flowers without a care in the world as he communed with nature .

This feeling was the true reason he chose this particular item , even if there were cheaper ones that would satisfy Yrial’s demand . According to the description , The Oriole and the Orchid had a very strong soul-nurturing effect after being placed in some sanctum of Yrial’s inner world for dozens of millennia .

Why Yrial had some sort of sanctum with statues of himself wasn’t something Zac felt required deeper digging . He was simply interested in its ability to hopefully speed up his Soul Strengthening .

In fact , there were a few more vanity items Zac was eyeing , from ornaments to paintings , and a scroll of poems detailing Yrial’s beauty . He remembered what happened when he gave away the painting the last time around ; a bunch of people formed Dao Seeds over the next week . Its effect was even better than most of the Dao Treasures in Yrial’s credit store , yet it cost the same or even less .

In other words , the vanity items were actually among those with the greatest value , as long as you could get over the aesthetics . For example , the lock of hair was still for sale , an item that could almost be considered a C-grade material . However , before spending any more credits , Zac first wanted some advice .

Unfortunately , a lot of the items available are not suitable for you , - Yrial sighed . - I didn’t expect someone with such a different path to pass my inheritance . This includes the two supreme items , Bowl of the Raging Seas] and Infernal Mote] . They are extremely potent Core-strengtheners for those following in my path . For you , they are just shiny baubles . -

I guessed as much , - Zac sighed . - What can I use? -

First of all , you should buy the Book of Duality] , - Yrial said . - It’s only 1 , 000 credits because it’s a normal book that you can copy , but its value isn’t ordinary—in a sense , it’s almost as valuable as the two Supreme treasures . I only managed to get my hands on it toward the end of my journey , but if I had it when I was still in E-grade , I would have avoided a lot of pitfalls . -

Zac looked at the book Yrial mentioned . There were actually five copies of the Book of Duality] in the heritage , and they were cheap . This indicated they weren’t extraordinary , so Zac had passed them by during his cursory scan . However , his interest was piqued by Yrial’s description and he quickly bought it .

A moment later , Zac held an actual leatherbound book , reading the short message on the first page .

I am Kalo , and my path has taken me to the edge of the Heavens and Earth . In this book , I have left my gathered knowledge and insights on duality . May they assist you in the pursuit of the Terminus .

If Zac hadn’t just gotten a better description of the elemental peak , he might have thought this book related to Creation and Oblivion because it mentioned the Terminus , but he now knew that was unlikely . Zac flipped through the pages , and as expected , they were filled with various diagrams and arrays related to the elements , accompanied by mysterious letters that each seemed to contain thousands of words and meanings .

Such was a common way to convey a lot of information in a short space , but it required the one who wrote it to have a true understanding of what they were writing . In other words , Yrial could probably copy the text , but if Zac tried to do the same , they would lose all their meaning . Zac almost got lost in the words as he read a random page , so he shook his head to clear it before stowing the book .

Zac didn’t really understand what he’d just read , but he understood why Yrial wanted him to get the tome . An encyclopedia containing a powerful Edgewalker’s insights into the specific difficulties of cultivating duality would surely be useful , no matter how different Kalo’s actual path was to his own .

Who is Kalo? Where is this thing from? - Zac asked curiously .

Some ancient faction far from the frontier , - Yrial said . - For a while , I hoped to visit their land for a chance to continue my path , or at least get a copy of the book that hadn’t lost so much of its original meaning . This thing is probably just a copy of a copy . Unfortunately , I never found any more information about Kalo or their origins . Still , the book helped me understand my path better even as a Monarch . I doubt whoever wrote it was someone simple . Perhaps you can find some inspiration within and use it to stake out your own path . -

It will be a great source to reference , - Zac nodded . - I also need some escape treasure , preferably a reusable one . -

With your penchant for getting yourself in trouble , that’s probably a good idea , - Yrial snorted . - The most powerful ones are the Panopticon Seal] and the Flashfire Flourish] . I think the latter is better suited for you . -

Zac wasn’t surprised Yrial mentioned those two , even if their names didn’t expose being escape treasures . They both cost over 8 , 000 credits , making them some of the most expensive items in the Inheritance—there was no way they could be simple .

What kind of items are they? -

The Panopticon Seal] is an ancient treasure I think once might have been a clan-defining treasure for an ancient formation clan . It contains a terrifyingly complex array that can utterly seal space for over a mile in every direction almost instantly . As long as you hold onto the seal , you will be able to escape through a path only you can see . Meanwhile , everyone else will be frozen in place , no matter if it’s one or one hundred enemies .

The Flashfire Flourish] is a fire-based escape treasure I found shortly after becoming a Hegemon . It will turn you into a streak of flames and launch you through space , while sending out hundreds of decoys in every direction . -

Why do you think I should get the second item then? - Zac frowned . - If the Flashfire Flourish] is based on the Dao of Fire , can I even use it? -

The seal is extremely powerful , being able to seal space with such success that even Late Hegemons will find themselves stuck for a minute or two . However , it is best used in conjunction with other escape measures . It sounds to me that escape is one of your weaker suits , with your path being one of constantly forging ahead . What will you do after the Hegemon breaks free? Don’t think some random escape talisman can save you from a motivated D-grade cultivator .

Meanwhile , the Flashfire Flourish] will shift you to a neighboring dimensional layer , while also making it harder to find you . That feature obviously doesn’t work inside Mystic Realms , but it will still take you extremely far in an instant . As for the fire-based aspect , it’s mostly fine . -

Mostly? - Zac said with a raised brow .

Well , with you not having an affinity with fire , it will probably hurt like hell to use the item , - Yrial snickered . - But better a little pain than death , right? With your constitution , you should be fine . -

Just pain . . . no damage to my cultivation or anything like that? - Zac thoughtfully asked .

I didn’t say that . Both items are Supreme escape treasures . Apart from being a pain to charge , activating them will damage your foundations . I was left weakened for weeks before recovering . Such is the law of balance . -

It almost sounds like they’re meant to be used together , - Zac ventured . - One to seal the enemy , and one to run away . -

That’s how I did things when out of options , - Yrial nodded .

So how about— -

Forget it . -

They were locked in a wordless struggle for a few moments , but Zac eventually relented with a sigh . - Alright , I’ll take the Flashfire Flourish] . -

It might not be exactly suited for him , but it was the kind of treasure he needed—something akin to Thea’s escape skill or the item the cultist leader used after their battle in the Dead Zone . Meanwhile , the Panopticon Seal] sounded a bit too similar to his Pillar of Desolation] to make it worth 8 , 750 points , even if it was a powerful item .

He would simply have to find another way to restrain his pursuers while activating the Flashfire Flourish] in the future .

Good choice , - Yrial said , his smile widening as a box appeared in his hands . - I didn’t want to influence your choice , but I actually modified the flourish one day when I was beset with an epiphany . Now , it’s even better than when I used it . You’ll be the envy of the cultivation world—it took me quite some effort to instill my charm and aesthetics into this item . -

Better how? What did you do? - Zac asked with a sinking feeling as he heard the ambiguous words .

First , leave a drop of blood and bind it , - Yrial urged as he took a small red wand from the box , prompting Zac to reluctantly comply .

Perfect , - Yrial smiled . - Don’t worry , I won’t waste the actual escape charge . I’m just a bit curious how it will turn out with you as the controller . -

How what will turn— - Zac asked , but he didn’t get any further as a fiery steam shot out from the wand , passing right by his head .

Zac scrambled out of the way with alarm as he covered his head , but he breathed in relief when the fire wasn’t followed by an explosion . However , Zac’s expression sunk with dismay as he turned around , wholeheartedly feeling that Yrial’s modifications were far worse than a simple bomb .

The blue sky and the field of flowers in the pocket dimension had lost their luster in the face of the almost blinding spectacle the Flashfire Flourish] had left behind . However , it wasn’t some sort of combat-related apparition , or a maze-like array meant to confuse the enemy .

It was rather an image of Zac’s face left as a ten-meter hologram floating in the air .

However , while it was him , it also wasn’t . The eyes sparkled like stars with a tearful expression that spoke of both reluctance and love . There was a slight blush on his cheeks and rosy lips locked in a small pout , with his usual buzz cut replaced by a wavy cascade of chestnut-colored hair . Surrounding his face was a swirling sea of fiery and icy flowers , illuminated by rays of light . Finally , beneath the spectacle was one line written by glittering stardust .

Parting with a dear companion is always a sweet sorrow .

It’s not quite the same when you’re using it , - Yrial sighed with a shake of his head . - At least it fixed your hair . -

This . . . what . . . - Zac stuttered , finding himself lost for words .

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing . The failed effemination of his face . His ambiguous expression , and the even more ambiguous words . In what universe was this a suitable function to add to an escape treasure? The only way it could be useful was if the scene was so unexpected and surreal that his pursuers found themselves shocked enough to lose track of him .

Ah , don’t worry , - Yrial sagely nodded . - It’s designed to use whatever face you’re currently wearing . No need to worry in case you’re using a disguise . -

Like that’s my concern right now!’ Zac wanted to roar , worrying that his already strained reputation would take another hit if he was ever discovered using this cursed escape wand .

Not only that , but this is only one of five different memorable scenes I engraved into the Flashfire Flourish] . It’s impossible to be certain , but I think it might be one of the most stylish escape items in your Sector . -

It’s quite something , - Zac said through grit teeth as he turned away from the still-glimmering apparition . - But I worry these superfluous additions might weaken its main function . I think it would be better to restore the item to its original state . -

Well , it does cost a bit more energy , but it is negligible compared to the expenditure for the actual escape , - Yrial explained . - And I refuse to ruin this piece of art , even if it will be sullied by your face . I suggest you start thinking on how to improve your features , allowing you to leave behind an even more mesmerizing scene that will linger in the hearts of your pursuers forever . -

Alright , well , I guess that’s fine then , - Zac sighed with a sense of defeat .

With this purchase , you still have 5 , 500 Credits , - Yrial smiled . - Do you want any more advice? -

In the end , Zac purchased a non-attuned Natural Treasure that would help strengthen any prototype core , which would speed up the process after he’d found a proper core blueprint to work from . It only cost 1 , 500 Credits , making it a steal . For the final 4 , 000 points , Zac got another unique treasure called Hanamon’s Awakening] .

It was yet another Node Opening treasure , one that Zac hoped would help him out with his Draugr Eoz heritage . Unfortunately , it could only help open nodes he’d already located , and it only worked with constitution-based Hidden Nodes , which was why it was so much cheaper than the Eye of Har’Theriam] he got last time .

It was a bit of a gamble , but there wasn’t much else he wanted from the Inheritance . Race-boosting pills weren’t a thing in the D-grade since once’s race was connected to one’s Cosmic Core at that stage . Every time you upgraded your core , your longevity and attribute cap would increase . Finally , when you perfected your core , you’d officially reach C-grade race .

Looks like you got your money’s worth , - Yrial nodded after Zac stowed away the final item . - But remember , treasures can only help you remove some roadblocks on your path . Cultivation ultimately comes from within . -

I know , - Zac nodded .

Now , is there anything else you want to ask of your beautiful and benevolent master? - Yrial smiled . - Remember , it will probably be a while before we see each other again . -

Actually , there are a few things , - Zac said , relieved that Yrial still had the energy to chat . - First of all , I was hoping you could help me upgrade your transformation skill . Secondly , I was wondering if you had ever heard of the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] . -

20

UPGRADES

One thing at a time . I’ve been asleep for most of the time since we met last , but I have some preliminary ideas for the transformation skill , - Yrial said . - I just need to see how the pathways of the core have changed during its upgrade . I even have some ideas to improve the aesthet— -

No , wait , - Zac urgently interjected . - You can’t add any effect to the skill! It will expose me mid-battle . -

I guess you’re right , - Yrial sighed , though not without some reluctance . - Alright , let’s see what we’re working with here . -

He pushed a finger against Zac’s chest and closed his eyes . Only five minutes later did he open them again with a thoughtful look .

Is there a problem? - Zac asked .

How could something like this stump your exalted master? - Yrial harrumphed . - But the patterns are growing quite complex , requiring an understanding of the Daos infused into your Spy Core . I can somewhat circumvent it for now , but I doubt I will be able to form a D-grade version of the skill . After this , you’re on your own . -

That’s no problem . I need to start forming skills myself soon anyway . -

Yes , that’s one department you’ve fallen behind , - Yrial nodded . - By the time I evolved , I had already created six skills . -

Six? - Zac blurted , feeling that one or two was already quite good .

There’s no need for you to go that far , - Yrial shrugged . - I didn’t have as many opportunities as you when starting out , so I had a similar problem as you did with your Draugr class . I had a rare E-grade class that didn’t quite incorporate my ideas , so I needed to form skills that better represented my Path of Cyclic Supremacy . Otherwise , I would have been stuck with a pendulum-oriented class in D-grade . -

Pendulum? - Zac said , but he immediately realized what Yrial was talking about .

In the visions , Yrial was constantly swapping between cold and hot when fighting , a bit like how Ilvere often shifted between light and heavy when using that boulder-like weapon of his . Somehow , that seemed to have a greater effect than constantly using either one of the elements .

It is a viable path , but it doesn’t provide the level of amplification as a true fusion of elements , - Yrial explained . - There is a section about it in the book you bought . In a sense , it keeps the elements separate , and the absence of a fusion becomes the third element . Perhaps it’s worth it for you to look into . -

Zac thoughtfully nodded in agreement . That kind of system didn’t seem too bad . He wasn’t swapping between life and death currently when fighting , but his core comprehension when clashing against Alvod’s path had been that Life was Life , Death was Death , forever separate , and always in conflict . Perhaps that kind of system could be useful for a base that he retooled for his purposes .

Well , here we are , - Yrial smiled as he handed over a crystal . - The skill isn’t naturally upgradeable , so you will have to refine the paths yourself . -

That’s fine , - Zac said . - Thank you . -

He’d already gained some experience in this regard inside the Orom World , with his human side already having reforged Piercing Gaze] into Cosmic Gaze] . Doing something similar with Beauty Yrial’s Great Transformation Skill] shouldn’t be too difficult as long as he had the blueprint and was careful .

After all , he had long realized his pathways had a much greater ability to recover compared to most people’s . Some pathway adjustments that would require a cultivator to rest for a month were dealt with in a couple of days , speeding up the process significantly . If that was thanks to his high attributes or his unique constitution , Zac had no idea . Probably a little bit of both .

Now , what’s this about a Buddhist technique? - Yrial said .

Zac stowed away the transformation skill as he recounted his meetings with Three Virtues , the technique , and his guesses about his path .

Scheming baldies , - Yrial snorted . - I’ve been on the short end of that stick myself . However , I have to say his words are not without merit , and the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] is a well-known Body Tempering Technique . Your undead side currently has an attunement that your human side lacks . For normal people , that would make your cultivation slanted concerning the Dao , but I’m not too sure that aspect matters to you . However , it might affect your cultivation in other ways . -

Like an imperfect fusion of life and death , - Zac ventured , receiving an affirmative nod .

If your goal is to fuse , or even just stabilize , your two sides , a perfect balance might be required . The Dao of Chaos is a miracle—a Dao that shouldn’t exist , a paradox . There should be extremely stringent requirements for it to form , where a single missing component will make the transformation impossible . -

What about the pathbreaking effect of Buddhism? Or any other traps hidden in the method? - Zac asked .

Pathbreaking only works on the weak of heart , - Yrial snorted . - If you’re so useless that you become a monk from practicing their techniques , you don’t have the qualifications to continue your path . I would be more concerned as to why the Buddhist Sangha is helping you . They are not some benevolent samaritans—they are incredibly pragmatic with their cause and effect . If they provide you with these kinds of resources , they are expecting something in return . -

Do you think it’s a brainwashing technique , turning me into a vessel for possession or something similar? - Zac asked , remembering the pitiful end for his old enemy , Inevitability .

That , I doubt , - Yrial said . - They cultivate the heart and the self . Possession would break their path . They rarely forcibly convert people either , unless their targets have accrued immense Karmic Sin . Personally , I believe that would hurt their path otherwise . Theirs is a supreme belief of Buddha’s Path . If they need to use trickery for conversion , that would mean their path is not perfect , and it would harm their cultivation and the Sangha itself .

They would rather use the apparent perfection of their techniques to leave small nuggets of doubts in your heart , nuggets that would form a trail leading straight into the embrace of Buddha . That would reaffirm their path , strengthening the Sangha . -

Can you scan the technique for me? - Zac ventured .

No way . I’m just an aged soul wisp . Getting in contact with a complete Buddhist Heritage would probably destroy me . Besides , just because it’s not a faulty technique , it doesn’t mean they haven’t made precautions to prevent the spread of their secrets , - Yrial said . - Try infusing the method into an empty crystal . -

Zac took out a spare crystal from his ring , but a frown spread across his face . Nothing happened when he tried to engrave the words in his mind .

You see? - Yrial smiled . - You will have to make the decision yourself , weighing risk and reward is a core component of being a cultivator . Do your research before making your choice , and then act on it decisively . But while you have time , don’t dally too long if you want to keep your momentum . I can tell you that undoing Body Tempering can be difficult , impossible even . Even if you stop in the middle , you might find yourself stuck with an incomplete constitution . -

I’ll try to do some more research before deciding , - Zac said .

Zac spent the next few hours inside the trial inheritance . Most of the time was Yrial regaling him about his exploits of the past , while Zac occasionally inserted some question that had plagued him over the past years . Yrial answered some , ignored those that would affect his path , and pretended he wasn’t clueless about others .

For example , when Zac asked whether he’d ever heard of a Tayn Clan , Yrial haughtily answered that he couldn’t keep track of every little faction in the frontier . Neither did Yrial know too much about the Perennial Vastness of the Perennial Vastness Token] . He’d only briefly heard of it , and by that point , he was already a Monarch and uninterested since it didn’t pertain to him . Thus , Yrial had even less information than what Zac had gathered from the elites in the Orom World .

Time is running out , - Yrial sighed as he looked out across the field of flowers . - I know you are loath to leave your dear master , but I need rest . -

When can I come back? -

The trial is meant for someone approaching Peak Hegemony , but you might be able to brute force your way into the trial quicker than that . But no earlier than reaching Late Hegemony , - Yrial said . - As for time , it doesn’t matter . My soul wasn’t damaged this time around like after the impartment . -

Late Hegemony , - Zac said . - Alright , I’ll see you soon . Thank you for all your help today . You’ve really helped me figure some things out . -

Have fun with your war , - Yrial grinned . - I joined a big one once . There was a lot of loot to be pilfered , both from allies and foes , and ample opportunities to be seized . Just try not to die . -

Sage advice , - Zac laughed as the world started to twist .

The last thing he saw was Yrial turning his head toward the left across the field of flowers with an inscrutable look in his eyes , in the very direction Yana had come from in the vision .

A flash of light later , Zac appeared in the hall of the Tower of Myriad Dao , and he shot a complex look at the towering statue behind him . His second go at the Lord of Cycles Inheritance had been a bit of a mixed bag . It had been nice to see his master again , but he hadn’t quite accomplished all of his goals , the biggest one being a solution on how to form his Cosmic Core .

However , he’d gained some nice items , along with the resources needed to start his own research in earnest , and he had a few ideas already on where to start . And with his transformation skill soon to be upgraded to E-grade , he would once more be able to use both his classes in battle .

As for the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] , Zac was leaning toward using the body-tempering aspect of the technique while forgoing the Heart Cultivation chapters . If that was even possible . However , he first wanted to do some investigation , preferably by getting his hands on a couple of similar manuals to contrast and compare .

Took your time , - Brazla snorted as he appeared . - Those little battle-slaves of yours have kept bothering me while you underwent the trial . -

They’re not slaves , they’re my elite soldiers , - Zac sighed . - What did they want? -

How should I know? - Brazla shrugged with disinterest .

Alright , thank you for your work the past week , - Zac nodded before turning toward the exit , not wanting to spend his limited free time being berated by an unstable Tool Spirit .

Wait , - Brazla said just as Zac was about to leave .

You should think of what to do with the other inheritances , - the Tool Spirit said . - Right now , I’m not fulfilling my purpose , which is like having a fly buzz around my head . The shady demon and the dumb brute are gone from what I gather , as is your sister . With your woman dying , that means only you and your undead progeny are occupying the inheritances . -

Zac looked at the statue of the Blade Emperor for a few seconds before turning back to Brazla .

Well , like you said . You’re eternal . I’m in no hurry ; no need to waste your gifts on the undeserving , - Zac shrugged . - I’ll still have my people keep a lookout for potential candidates . -

I don’t care much about the others , but you need to find a suitable candidate for the Celestial Artisan , - Brazla said with uncommon seriousness in his eyes .

Zac could understand the sentiment . Something probably went wrong for the original Brazla , with his Dao Repository becoming a System Reward rather than a resource for his descendants or disciples . His inheritance was different than the others in that way . The others added the trials and rewards as payment for Brazla’s services , while the Celestial Artisan’s inheritance probably was a genuine one .

Unfortunately , there was simply no one in his surroundings who deserved this reward . No standout craftsman had yet to appear on Earth , and the Gemlings had their own path of craftsmanship .

I’ll do my best , but I might have to recruit someone from off-world , - Zac said .

As long as you understand , - Brazla nodded . - Now , off you go . -

Zac snorted before he flashed away , leaving the Dao Repository behind . A scan of the surroundings indicated no Valkyries were waiting around , meaning whatever message they had couldn’t be too important . Zac started toward his compound rather than Port Atwood . However , he didn’t stop when he reached his manor , but rather continued until he reached the sea .

Lord Atwood , it has been a while , - the Creator liaison said as Zac entered the shipyard reception , its emotions impossible to tell from the featureless face where apertures were replaced by a single fractal .

Brat , not bad , - a booming laugh echoed through the hallway as Karunthel , still using his enormous spider legs , ambled into the room . - Already a Baron . -

Just lucky , I guess , - Zac smiled , not bothering to ask why the golem foreman knew something like that .

So , are you here about the upgrade? - Karunthel said with excitement . - About time . It’s a bit embarrassing to be the foreman of this toyshop . -

Kind of , - Zac said . - I know where the Worldeaters are , and I’m heading off-world soon to go get one . Now that it’s drawing closer , I wanted to check with you how long it would take to build the reward , and if there was anything I could do to improve the quality of the vessel . -

Oh? Our wares are not good enough for your tastes , brat? - Karunthel sniggered , though it was clear he didn’t take it to heart . - What’s the problem? -

I’m heading into a chaotic strip of space teeming with invaders and pirates , I could use every advantage I can get . -

This was his biggest worry . An Early D-grade Cosmic Vessel had seemed impressive when he first saw the quest , but now with the war brewing and the general danger of the Million Gates Territory , it might not be enough to safely traverse the Million Gates Territory—especially not if he and his followers were planning on racking up some contribution through battle .

Certainly , some of the vessels of pirates and bounty hunters in the Million Gates Territory could barely be considered D-grade from what Zac had gathered . However , others were quite powerful . There were even Technocrats and unorthodox cultivators using taboo methods in the area .

Brat , don’t forget ; we are the Iliex , - Karunthel snorted . - Our Early D-grade wares are at least at the level of Middle D-grade when put in the perspective of this backwater region . -

I understand that , - Zac said . - But still . . . -

Well , let me check , - Karunthel shrugged , then froze in place . He moved a couple of minutes later , and it almost looked like he’d rebooted . - Huh . -

What? - Zac asked .

Well , I’m not allowed to build you anything better than an Early D-grade vessel , - Karunthel said .

Then it’s impossible , - Zac sighed .

I’m not finished , - the huge golem-spider said . - I’m not allowed to build one according to the quest , but I can create a specialized Cosmic Vessel . One that’s barely flightworthy in its current state but easily upgradeable . A framework , if you will . -

Absolutely , - Zac said , his eyes lighting up . - Let’s go with that . -

Hold on , - Karunthel . - While this method is permissible , the actual upgrade would be outside the agreement of the System-awarded quest . First of all , the maximum output of an Early D-grade Shipyard is Middle D-grade vessels , and only once per century . Secondly , with the limitations set in place on a System-run store like this , you would have to provide the materials yourself rather than use our channels . -

That’s no problem , - Zac said as he handed over an Information Crystal , then poured out a mountain of resources around him . They were a sample of all the Peak-quality materials and items he’d kept for himself rather than handing them over to Calrin , while the crystal was his semi-accurate tally of items he’d already given the Sky Gnome .

It would obviously have been better if the System didn’t limit the Creators , but such were the rules . Licensed Stores added through the Town System had all kinds of rules and regulations they had to follow . In return , they got the System’s protection and access to new markets . Meanwhile , unlicensed stores weren’t related to the System at all .

They had no limitations and no protections except whatever muscle they could muster . The Thayer Consortia had lost all their unlicensed stores centuries ago the moment the Tsarun Clan turned their gaze toward their little business . In that sense , if the Creators had actually made their way to Earth on their own and set up a shipyard , they would have been able to do business however they wanted .

They could even have sold B-grade vessels if they so desired , and the System wouldn’t care .

I guess your adventures were quite lucrative , - Karunthel hummed as he scanned the piles of materials , occasionally prodding them with his metallic spider legs . - The value of this trove is counted in C-grade Nexus Coins . Of course , so are decent Cosmic Vessels . -

I have recorded the materials , - Rahm added from the side . - Give us a few minutes while we will run simulations on viable frames . -

Zac nodded and started stowing the materials , his heart already beating with anticipation . How could one not get excited over the prospect of a personal spaceship?

21

THE FINAL FRONTIER

You look like a fledgling apprentice about to get his first batch of materials , - Karunthel grinned upon seeing Zac’s excitement .

Of course , - Zac said with a wide smile . - We used to say that space is the final frontier . How can I not get excited at the idea of exploring it in a personal ship? -

The final frontier? - the spider-golem hummed . - I like that . Of course , I’m not sure how true that is what with the outer— -

Ahem , - Rahm interjected , dashing Zac’s hopes of learning of some more restricted knowledge .

If need be , I can get almost any quantities of any readily available material in the Sector , - Zac added as he got back to the topic . - Rare treasures might be a bit tricky with the time constraints . -

Understood , - Rahm nodded . - Does young master have any specific requests? -

First of all , the ship needs to have strong protection against spatial turbulence because I will regularly pass through spatial storms and wormholes , - Zac said . - And since I will be hunting invaders , features that can enable me to ambush enemies would be great . Finally , the ability to escape from pursuit . -

Brat , that’s a lot , - Karunthel snorted . - If a ship excels at everything , it will no longer be Middle D-grade . -

Whatever you can come up with , - Zac smiled .

Well , you have picked up quite a few good things , - Karunthel said . - We should be able to make some decent alloys with it , though the attunements are a bit . . . We’ll have to check our database . -

A moment later , Rahm and Karunthel walked to the backdoor of the office while Zac stayed behind , praying they had some blueprints that would work with his somewhat one-sided stockpile of pilfered materials . It wasn’t that his materials were bad , but most crafts had pretty stringent requirements . There was no guarantee that the Creator’s heritage would mesh well with his items , considering a lot of the raw materials were either Life or Death-attuned .

Most of the D-grade items in his possession were ultimately from the rings he looted in the Void , and they had all presumably belonged to Hegemons native to the Twilight Harbor . Therefore , over a third of the materials had one of the two attunements or some sort of mixed affinity , including more than half of the Peak-quality items .

Finally , after what felt like an eternity , the two emerged again , and Zac almost shot up from the sofa .

While your materials are decent , not too many of them are useful for creating Cosmic Vessels , - Karunthel said . - We did find a few alloys in our databases that would work . However , after filtering out all the designs that don’t fit within the scope of the quest , the shipyard’s level , your materials and requirements , there are only three viable options left . -

Are you kidding? - Zac said . - Three is great . I was worried there would be none . -

How could that be? - Karunthel guffawed . - That would be an affront to our name . Do you know how many designs we have accumulated over the eons? Neither do I , but it’s a lot . And most designs come in different variations depending on the desired attunement and equipment . With the materials you have collected , your vessel will either have to have a slight Death-attunement or Life-attunement . -

Slight attunement? - Zac asked curiously .

Your quest does not allow for an attuned vessel , - Rahm explained . - Therefore , the base framework will have to be unattuned . From there , we will upgrade the vessel by adding attuned alloys , arrays , and systems , thus upgrading the vessel to Middle D-grade . -

Can the vessel be both? Life and Death-attuned , that is? - Zac ventured .

Not possible , - Karunthel said . - You want me to build a Chaos Engine , brat? That’s the stuff of legends . We can isolate certain sections and flood them with whatever element you want , but we cannot integrate both Life and Death into the framework of the vessel . The two elements would clash , causing all kinds of issues we have no way of solving . -

Alright , - Zac nodded , disappointed but not very surprised .

He’d hoped to see if the Creators had some method to fuse Life and Death , but it looked like he was overthinking things . Even if their faction had solutions , it probably wouldn’t be a readily available Middle D-grade design .

The first option is a scout-class vessel spanning 300 meters , - Rahm continued as a screen appeared in front of Zac . - Its speed is the greatest among the three , and it has serviceable anti-detection technology , which can help with both ambushing and escapes . However , its shielding and weaponry are the worst of the three . -

Zac looked at the sleek silver ship with golden lines and runes covering its surface , its design somewhat resembling a catamaran built for speed . Apart from the image , there was also a list of features of specifications , including everything from arrays to cargo hold and personnel capacity .

From the description , it looked like its defensive arrays weren’t meant for battle , but rather to withstand any odd environments the crew explored . Therefore , its shields were effective against sustained environmental damage , but they could only take a limited number of direct hits from enemy attacks . It also didn’t have much in the way of fighting back , though its scanning equipment and drones seemed very impressive .

The second one is my recommendation , - Karunthel eagerly continued as a second screen appeared . - A somewhat unknown variant on a popular destroyer model . -

Zac looked at the design , and he felt a palpable pressure from the imposing pitch-black monstrosity . This ship looked a lot like a normal boat , except a heavily fortified metal castle was placed on its stern .

Strong shields , strong weapons ; a mobile fortress , - the foreman laughed . - No need to run from your enemies if you can just blow them up . Unfortunately , we can’t bring our more advanced weaponry to the frontier , but even these old designs pack quite a punch . -

Karunthel wasn’t joking around . If the description was to be believed , the destroyer had no less than six weapons platforms , ranging from a literal Deathray meant to destroy or at least incapacitate ships . Even if the targets survived , they might get forcibly converted into zombies . There were dozens of array towers , unmanned attack drones , and even a planetary bombardment system .

Even its bow was a massive blade empowered with some sort of array , allowing the owner to run straight into their enemies . The shields were powerful as well and should have no problem withstanding the spatial turbulence in the Million Gates Sector .

What’s the catch? - Zac said , his eyes gleaming .

Of the three , it’s the slowest and least maneuverable , - Rahm said . - The scouting vessel has various escape protocols , while no such things are installed on this vessel . Any decent scanner will also pick up its powerful energy signature . -

Can I install escape protocols and cloaking technology later? - Zac asked .

We are already pushing the limits by offering you these designs , - Karunthel said . - We will not be able to make any further adjustments except for repairs . Besides , all these systems and arrays are working together in a delicate balance . If you start replacing parts , you’ll quickly run into various issues . Pushing through spatial tears and shifting dimensions is no joke . If you muck about without knowing what you’re doing , you might find yourself disintegrated when you make a jump . -

Oh alright , - Zac said with a shudder , scrapping any idea of cramming the ship full of addons after getting his hands on it .

You should be careful about hiring outside mechanics as well , - Karunthel said . - If they’re useless , they’ll probably end up getting you killed . If they are any good , they’ll notice the vessel is not from around these parts . Cosmic Vessels are too complicated to hide their origins like the simple ships we’ve built for you thus far . At least for me and the other craftsmen sent here . -

I’ll be careful , - Zac nodded . - What about the third model? -

The final option is a journeyman-class cruiser , - Rahm said , showcasing the third vessel .

This one was shaped like a hollow pyramid , where the tip was the front . Halfway up , a large viewing deck could be seen , while there were multiple slots for weaponry . Jutting from the hollowed bottom , three large pillars stuck out , presumably the motor this model used .

Sorry , journeyman? - Zac asked as he read through the specs .

The previous vessels were targeted at or specially designed for factions setting up a proper armada , from small fighters to planet sized command-ships , - Karunthel explained . - Thus , these models are more specialized in nature . Journeyman ships are normally sold to powerful Wandering Cultivators or as private vessels for elites . They are all-rounders that you generally don’t see in large-scale wars . -

Jack of all trades , master of none , - Zac muttered .

Exactly , - Karunthel said . - This model is quite flexible . We can make it either Life or Death-attuned , and the modular design gives you some freedom to prioritize which aspects you want the ship to focus on . For example , you can swap out turrets for more energy storage and shield-generators , and so on . On the other two vessels , the design is mostly set . -

Zac looked at the specs for a long time , unable to immediately decide which he wanted . Each held strong points , but the situation in the Million Gates Territory was simply too unpredictable .

No need to make your choice right now , - Karunthel added . - There is a lot of work to be done , and we can start by putting together the components used in all three models . Think it over so you have an answer by the time you return with the Worldeater . That way , we can begin manufacturing the moment the shipyard is upgraded . -

This is a list of the required materials and labor cost for each respective vessel upgrade , - Rahm added as he handed Zac an Information Crystal .

Alright , - Zac said , grimacing upon seeing that all of the vessels were priced in the millions of D-grade Nexus Coins , even after the rebate from getting the basic framework from his quest .

No wonder most D-grade cultivators were locked to their planet or planet cluster . A single vessel cost more than raising dozens of Hegemons in the Zecia Sector . For example , Zac knew that Ogras’ grandpa’s net worth , including his gear , was only counted in the low thousands of D-grade Nexus Coins .

However , Karunthel’s words made him think of something . - Will the size of the shipyard increase after getting an upgrade? -

Of course , - Karunthel nodded and turned to his second-in-command . - What kind of platform will we get? -

A D-grade Shipyard in this situation will roughly take up 52 . 2 times the area , - Rahm said . - With your requirements for privacy and camouflage , it would increase to 57 . 8 . -

Almost sixty times larger? - Zac exclaimed as he glanced at the massive warehouse outside the window . That thing was bigger than any building he’d seen pre-Integration , and they wanted something more than fifty times that size? It would swallow up the whole coastline of his island .

The production platforms for Cosmic Vessels are quite complex , - Karunthel shrugged . - We need to set up everything from foundries to array furnaces , tempering lakes , and the actual construction lines . -

You will be able to move the compound freely within your domain upon the upgrade , - Rahm added . - And it’s no longer water-locked . With Port Atwood having become a capital , you can place us on any island in the archipelago . However , placing the foundry on a Death-attuned island will accrue a steep conversion charge since we do not use that kind of energy . -

Alright , no problem , - Zac quickly nodded . - I’ll check what’s available . I might have to put you guys on the ocean floor if you need even more space in the future . -

That won’t be necessary , - Karunthel laughed . - C-grade shipyards and higher are strategic resources involving many secrets of the Iliex . Those platforms are almost exclusively kept inside the inner worlds of our Master Craftsmen or inside private realms . If you actually manage to upgrade the shipyard again , we’ll just transform the island you gave us to a private residence . -

Oh , right , - Zac nodded . - And how long will it take for you to put together the vessel? -

The Boundless Heavens will be helping out with the quest , so not too long . Two months outside our temporal arrays at the most , - Karunthel said . - Oh , one more thing . Get a Worldeater with a strong soul . The stronger the soul , the better the vessel will be . -

The Worldeater’s soul will be used for the vessel? - Zac asked with a slight frown .

Between the cursed sword he snatched in the Tower of Eternity and Love’s Bond] , he knew all-too-well the complications that came with the fusion of souls and items . Even if it had worked out for Alea so far , the path was fraught with issues , and it went against the natural order . So infusing a soul into his Cosmic Vessel didn’t seem like a very good idea .

Don’t worry , we won’t use some dumb animal as a Tool Spirit , - Karunthel laughed , clearly understanding Zac’s concerns . - But it will be a component for one of the central arrays . A strong soul will mean the quality of the core is higher , which will allow for smoother energy transfer . That will improve everything from shield durability to speed . -

Then it’s enough if I just get the core? - Zac asked .

Nope , - Karunthel said . - The Boundless Heavens wants you to catch a live one , so that’s what you’ll have to do . -

I’ll get the beast as quickly as possible . I’m heading out within a couple of days , - Zac said , but just before he stepped out of the reception hall , he turned back . - Have you ever heard of a powerful faction of fire cultivators called the Tayns? -

That’s . . . not something we can discuss , - Karunthel exclaimed , so shocked by the name that he actually took a step back . - But you need to be careful . Some things are better left alone , alright? -

Yea , I’ll see you later then , - Zac said and walked out .

The two Iliax looked at their customer as he disappeared among the trees in the distance .

Crazy brat , don’t tell me he’s mixed up with those maniacs? - Karunthel muttered . - Is this why . - ?

Doubtful , - Rahm said . - Mohzius Tayn has guarded his wife’s throne for millions of years , rarely stepping out , and his disciples are busy causing havoc elsewhere . More importantly , these models . . . It breaks convention . What happened in that meeting? -

I argued for an upgrade , - Karunthel grinned .

Is it worth it? Is he worth it? -

I guess? - Karunthel nodded after some thought .

Can we even build them? - Rahm asked . - The restrictions— -

They will be temporarily lifted , - Karunthel lazily said . - And the components that are out of my league will be transported . -

Rahm’s normally wooden aura fluctuated from shock . - Reslam will forcibly expand our authority? What did you agree to for him to pay such a price? -

A section-head isn’t powerful enough for this , - Karunthel snorted . - And Reslam wouldn’t do me any favors no matter what price I paid , not after I raided his stockpile . This is an order from higher up . For some reason , the leaders really want a certain type of scanner on this brat’s ship . -

A specialized scanner? - Rahm muttered . - Should we tell him? -

We can’t , strictest orders , - Karunthel said , and Rahm stared at his foreman for clarification .

Don’t look at me like that . I like the brat as much as you , - Karunthel said . - That’s why I bartered for them to upgrade his options if they wanted me to do this . Considering how easily they agreed , they must be looking for something extremely important . The price to make the Boundless Heavens look the other way will be hundreds of times greater than the cost of the vessel itself .

I guess some scary bastard has made a deal with the Chapter of Creation to implant this thing . With the brat mentioning the Tayns , they seem like a strong contender . Not even the Allfather would dare say no to them . Of course , it could be someone else looking for something in this area , and we’re the only ones around who can help . -

This . . . This is not our way , - Rahm slowly said . - What if he’s harmed as a result? -

Whatever those bigshots are looking for , it’s out there whether we install the scanner or not . Hopefully , the improved design will help him survive whatever lurks in the dark . -

The final frontier . . . - Rahm muttered . - Just what are they expecting to find in this desolate corner of space? -

22

THE FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE

Zac’s Communication Crystal had already started vibrating while looking over the Cosmic Vessels , and he was surprised to find it was Vilari who tried to contact him . Looked like the Mentalist had finally returned to Earth after spending over five years on Ensolus .

A few minutes later , Vilari appeared in his courtyard , accompanied by Joanna .

Both of you? - Zac asked with surprise .

Rhuger and Ilvere can deal with things on Ensolus for the time being , - Vilari said . - With the restrictions of the Incursion gone , we have begun the upgrade all the facilities . Soon enough , both our forts and resource gathering facilities will be impregnable against factions at the level of the Mavai Hordes and the Raun Spectrals . -

With the addition of teleporters , we can move freely across the continent as well , allowing for both reinforcements and evacuation if needed , - Joanna added .

Well , welcome back to Earth , both of you , - Zac smiled . - How does it feel? -

A lot has changed . I read the reports , but it’s another thing to see it with my own eyes , - Vilari nodded .

I’ve been back a few times , but it’s still hard to believe how quickly things change between each visit , - Joanna sighed .

It will slow down soon enough , - Zac said . - We’re still adapting to the Multiverse . -

How did the inheritance go? - Joanna asked with some longing in her eyes .

Zac felt it really was a shame , just now realizing Joanna would have been a great candidate to undergo the Blade Emperor’s Inheritance , even if she used a spear . Having heard the whole story about Irei and his wives from Thea , Zac believed sincerity was more important than weapon of choice . In this regard , Joanna excelled , having already pushed her Spirit Tool spear to E-grade .

Unfortunately , even if the Blade Emperor Inheritance would open up in a few more years , it didn’t matter . The inheritances started at the F-grade , for better or worse . Zac still made a mental note of making sure with Brazla before handing the spot over to someone else . It was a bit inconvenient to be restricted to only selecting F-grade cultivators . By this point , everyone he knew had already entered the E-grade .

What , is there something wrong? - Joanna asked with a frown .

Oh , no , it’s nothing , - Zac said as he was dragged out from his thoughts . - The inheritance was okay . My path has diverged a bit from the Lord of Cycles though , so I didn’t quite get everything I’d hoped from the encounter . -

As we find our paths , outside help is bound to become less and less helpful , - Vilari nodded .

Yeah , I guess that’s true for everyone , - Zac agreed . - More importantly , I’m heading off-world again in a couple of days . -

So soon? - Joanna said with a small furrow in her brows . - You’ve barely been back for a month . -

Hopefully , it shouldn’t take too long . Less than a year , - Zac said as he shared the Quest Screen for Items for Karunthel] . - I need to get that Worldeater or whatever . From there , it won’t take too long before we can set course for the Million Gates Territory . I just came back from a meeting with the Creators . -

We can come with to the Million Gates Territory? - Joanna said with gleaming eyes .

You’ll have to , whether you want to or not . - Zac laughed . - I need some capable people to help me steer that thing . -

How many can go? How is the environment? - Vilari asked , and Zac recounted the specs he’d seen in the office before .

These vessels . . . are far beyond the norm in the Million Gates Territory , in the whole Sector , in fact , - Vilari said . - Few can build Cosmic Vessels of this quality . Only Monarchs and the wealthiest Hegemons will be able to take out something comparable . We might need to disguise it somehow . -

What , really? I know they’re good , but they’re that good? - Zac exclaimed , a bit reluctant to make his spaceship look all grubby the moment he got his hands on it .

It’s true , - Joanna nodded . - We looked into buying a ship before you returned , and what you describe is on another level entirely . The problem is related to the materials , apparently . You need to know the method of producing unique alloys that can withstand both attacks , spatial turbulence , and the pressure of the universe when phasing between dimensions . -

Without those kinds of recipes and the skill to forge the alloys , you would have to build the whole vessel out of High-grade materials . That might improve the quality , but the cost would increase one hundredfold , - Joanna said . - Add to that the skill required to infuse hundreds of High-quality arrays into the ship . . . -

Can the Creators mass-produce Cosmic Vessels at this level? - Vilari asked . - If we could put these for sale . . . -

These models are unique , with some parts being a quest reward of mine , and others using materials that don’t exist in the Zecia Sector , - Zac said , but his heart was still beating with excitement . - However , they’ll still be able to mass-produce simpler models once their factory is up and running . -

Simpler models will definitely sell better , - Joanna said with a smile . - I think you’ve struck it rich . -

Zac’s smile widened , remembering Ogras’ exaggerated reaction when he first got his hand on the Iliex Shipyard . It looked like the true value of a Creator Shipyard was about to appear . And with perfect timing . Not only could High-quality vessels help with the war efforts against the invaders , but they would provide an important revenue source for his empire .

After all , him accidentally stumbling into piles of treasure wasn’t a sustainable source of materials and wealth for himself and his followers .

Well , that’s something for later , - Joanna said . - Do you need any of us to go with you to fetch that animal for your quest? -

Not this time , - Zac said . - I’m planning on sneaking inside among the mercenaries , getting the beast , and leaving . With too many people , things might get complicated . Of course , I am hoping I can simply purchase the thing instead of needing to head too deep into the Void Gate’s territory . -

Alright , - Vilari said . - We’ll continue the integration of Ensolus . There’s a lot of work to be done now that the Incursion officially is over . With your permission , I’d like to transfer a few million citizens to this world . -

Million? - Zac said with confusion . - Do we even have millions of people to spare on Earth? -

All our facilities on Earth , from mines to spiritual fields and workshops , are fully manned since long ago . The salary and benefits of your employees are known far and wide , and we are flooded with applications every day , - Joanna explained . - Getting a million volunteers wouldn’t take long . -

The number of applications has only increased now that the general population has been able to glimpse your Contribution Store , - Vilari added . - And with the new contribution algorithm , few apart from the elites and employees will be able to accrue enough contribution to get anything worthwhile . -

It was true . Before , anyone who wasn’t actively slacking off would slowly gather contribution points in Port Atwood . With the new system , you would have to work for it . Even then , it was a pretty generous system . After all , in most factions , only the core members would have access . For example , in Clan Azh’Rezak , only members of the actual clan could get access to the Clan’s resources .

The millions of citizens who simply lived within their domain would have to rely on themselves while paying even higher taxes .

Aren’t the natives of Ensolus enough to fill the positions? - Zac asked .

We want to bring all the races over to better integrate the populations , - Vilari said . - If we keep the two worlds isolated from each other except a small number at the top , Ensolus will remain a colony looking for ways to break out . -

Makes sense , - Zac agreed as he considered the proposal . - But if we start bringing people over en-masse , the cat’s out of the bag—that the Atwood Empire has both undead and living citizens . -

I am aware , - Vilari nodded . - That’s why we need your go-ahead first . -

How have things gone so far in that department? - Zac asked . - How did the soldiers react upon seeing the Einherjar? -

Things went better than expected , honestly—we were prepared to quell a riot if need be . There were some grumblings in the start , especially among the elites who were harried by the Undead Empire for weeks . Though most people understand your undead and the Undead Empire are not the same , - Joanna said .

I feel the newly integrated are not as inherently averse to our kin as what I saw on the streets of Twilight Harbor , - Vilari thoughtfully added . - They might consider us unnatural and weird , but there are so many unnatural and weird things happening to them since the Integration . Thanks to that , our impact is lessened , and there aren’t eons of bad blood ingrained into our bones . -

Perfect , - Zac nodded . - Well , I guess it’s about time anyway . We can’t hide a part of our population over on Elysium forever . I’m planning on rearranging the Spirit Vein to turn a section of Port Atwood into a Death-attuned district . That way , the living and undead can live in the same city and start the integration for real . -

If I may suggest an alternative , - Vilari said as she took out the purification array most people used on the Ensolus Continent . - As you’ve seen , living and undead are living quite well on Ensolus , so long as we have these arrays . If possible , I would think it even better to strive for this kind of environment in Port Atwood , where life and death are one , rather than separate . -

Zac remembered his conversation with Vilari back in the Twilight Harbor , about how the harbor wasn’t much different from the Zecia Sector . The undead had their zones and their stores , while the living had theirs . Even the shared world disks had clear lines between life and death , and comingling was ultimately limited as a result .

The plan he suggested was ultimately the same , even if the stigma of consorting with the - other side’ might not be as poignant here .

Have you noticed any side effects of staying in that kind of environment? - Zac asked .

Not that we can tell , as long as the purifiers work , - Vilari said . - The real issue is that we honestly don’t know how this mixture is formed . We haven’t been able to recreate it back on Earth just yet . -

Your plan isn’t bad , but I think it’s a bit premature to flood Port Atwood with this kind of unstable energy , - Zac rejected . - We can revisit the topic when we can reliably recreate the environment , or even a better one in the future . I’ll allocate more resources to research this and provide some Life-Death treasures I’ve picked up lately . Until then , the districts will have to do . -

It wasn’t just a worry about the health of his citizens that made him say no . He honestly doubted the plan was feasible in the short run—who understood the difficulties involved with fusing Life and Death better than he?

Of course , - Vilari nodded , though Zac could tell she was a bit disappointed .

I haven’t forgotten what you said , - Zac added . - I’ll do my best to make your vision come true . But we have to take it one step at a time . For now , keep the Earth and Ensolus separated—anyone you hire to head over will sign on for a year at the least . Meanwhile , have the city planners start drawing up the expansion of Port Atwood , but don’t draw any Miasma yet . As soon as I return , we’ll make things public . -

We’ll handle it , don’t worry , - Joanna assured . - On a related topic , I have a message from the Stargazer . After analyzing the Sector , she wanted to recommend the Kaldran Strait for the Atwood Empire . -

The no-man’s-land between the Kavriel Province and the Human Empires? - Zac hesitated . - I mean , it makes sense with our attunement , but that place is a constant warzone . Even if it’s far from the frontlines of the Million Gates Territory , that place will never see any calm . -

The Kaldran Straits are enormous , - Joanna said . - It’s risky , but Abby thinks it’s the best place for a Life-Death attuned world . With the Miasmic domain of the Kavriel Province providing energy for one direction , and the counterforce from Zecia itself , it should push the ambient energy of your planets to the next level . There are also many scattered worlds without any affiliations or powerful leaders , making future expansion easy . -

There should be parts of the strait that are far from the established battlefronts , - Vilari added . - As long as we pick a dimensional layer that’s not part of the known routes , the odds of anyone running into us by accident should be quite low . -

We can start looking into it , but we need the Cosmic Vessels first , - Zac agreed . - Let’s focus on the short-term issues first . -

When are you leaving? - Joanna asked .

As soon as I have everything I need . Come with me to Calrin’s . I might need your help with something , - Zac said as he stood up . - Or is there anything else? -

No , that’s it . I’ll start preparing for the expansion and recruitment , - Vilari said .

You have the best understanding of our people , - Zac said . - If you will , could you start working on a shortlist of candidates to bring into the Million Gates Territory? Apart from warriors , we need medics , array controllers , and so on . That excursion will probably take years , so only people who can handle that kind of pressure . -

I’ll look into it , - Vilari nodded .

From there , things proceeded quickly as Zac planned his next course of action . Seeing Yrial’s journey toward Hegemony , and later hearing his embellished tales , had imparted a few important lessons that weren’t related to forming one’s core ; how to stay alive in the Multiverse . Wanting to leave nothing to chance , Zac ordered one report after another on the situation on the Salosar Cluster .

Soon enough , a proper plan took shape . Zac had everything he needed , including the High-quality modulator Calrin had gotten his hands on . However , he would have to wait another ten days before he set out again . It wasn’t that he needed more time to prepare , but rather that things over at Salosar weren’t ready .

Having found himself with a few days of free time , Zac teleported to his cultivation cave with Triv to upgrade it with a few of his recently gathered treasures and arrays . It quickly became apparent that his private forest wasn’t the only place Triv fiddled with . Apart from being completely repaired since his Soul Reincarnation , every single facet had been refined and elevated .

You’ve worked hard , - Zac smiled . - I can’t believe the energies have reached this level . -

It wasn’t at the level of the unique environments in the Orom World like the Blackink Mountain , but the energy was still dense enough for a haze to cover the subterranean forest in this central cave . The only thing missing was that the energy was somewhat hollow now that there was no Origin Energy left—it had the meat , but it lacked the insights that marked top-tier cultivation environments .

Admittedly , the mountain did most of the work , - Triv smiled . - With these purification arrays young master has brought , I will be able to improve the cave even further . -

They toured the three sections of his cave for the next several hours , where Zac showcased the various resources he’d gathered , and Triv offered suggestions on how to incorporate them . Ultimately , the cave was reinforced with another two layers of defensive arrays , along with the purification arrays he bought in the Orom World .

Next , they planted some of the High-quality Life-and-Death treasures he’d gathered . They’d siphon some of the ambient energy , but the aura they’d exude would improve the quality of what remained . Since Zac couldn’t cultivate anyway , losing some density wasn’t a big deal . Meanwhile , any added insights in the area , and their clashes with their opposing elements , might help him gain some inspiration for the formation of his core .

It would take a while for the herbs , trees , mushrooms , and other materials to take root and start transforming the environment , but Zac was heading out soon in either case . Triv would take care of things while he visited the Void Gate .

The following couple of days Zac spent on Beauty Yrial’s Great Transformation Skill] . Reforging a skill manually was a bit of a chore , even if your body was unusually adaptable . The biggest issue was that any mistake in either planning or execution could damage the fractal , just like when upgrading a skill the normal way .

Thankfully , Yrial had set up an extremely simple plan for him , where the skill would reach E-grade after 18 sessions with some rest in-between . Each session , he would add or alter a specific set of pathways , ensuring the skill would be usable and stable throughout the process . That was the benefit of having a Monarch for a teacher—Yrial’s natural understanding of patterns far surpassed his own .

Even if he didn’t cultivate the Daos that were the basis for the Specialty Core , he understood enough how to interact with it .

Zac also continued his Soul Cultivation , and even started analyzing the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] during his downtime . With such a packed schedule , the ten days went by in a flash . Zac’s eyes opened after a long bout of meditation . It was finally time .

First Salosar—then outer space .

23

SALOSAR SEVEN

Zac stepped out from the teleporter of Salosar Seven , one of the twenty-two official subordinate worlds of the Salosar Cluster , donning a temporary face . With him was Joanna , who was decked out in the liveries of the Space Gate Guild . They found themselves in a gallery inside an enormous hollow tower , the scene almost a bit reminiscent of the Havenfort Chasm , though the scale obviously was much smaller .

Behind them was a stone wall , and their sides were blocked by some sort of obfuscation array . However , the arrays weren’t completely opaque , and they could see small spatial ripples constantly appear all around them in other , presumably identical , rooms . That left only the front , which led to the edge of the gallery , which wasn’t blocked .

Joanna bowed at Zac and activated the teleporter again , disappearing before she could be questioned or inspected by the nearby guard who stood outside the only exit to the room . Zac walked over , making no attempt to hide his aura , which exuded the energy of an Early Hegemon thanks to his modulator .

The thing worked just as Calrin advertised , but it was pretty demanding to keep running . He would only be able to use the modulator for around two hours before running low on Cosmic Energy , but that was more than enough for his purposes . As for masquerading as a Half-Step Hegemon , that was much easier , and he could do that for a full day as long as he wasn’t forced to expend a bunch of energy in battle .

Welcome , Lord Hegemon . It’s my honor to receive your excellence , - the Middle E-grade guard bowed as he imprinted Zac’s aura onto a crystal . - May I ask what brought the esteemed lord to Salosar Seven? -

Just taking a look , - Zac said . - I heard there might be some opportunities here with an unusual beast tide . -

That’s true , - the guard quickly nodded and took out an Information Crystal . - Any Hegemons joining the mission would become esteemed guests of the Void Gate . There is a specially-erected recruitment station in the Larnak Sector of Salosar Prime , all the information you need is in this crystal . I am sorry , but we also require Lord Hegemon to fill in some details at the entry station behind me . -

Why? - Zac frowned . - My clan’s reports on Salosar didn’t mention anything like this . I don’t like my details getting spread left and right . -

It’s a new security measure the council has set in place for those arriving from out-of-system , - the guard said with another quick bow . - With the Void Gate opening its proverbial gates , many spies have tried entering their domain to cause harm or steal resources . Those who are not part of the local factions will have to fill in a short statement . But Lord Hegemon does not need to worry—these are handled with utmost secrecy , and not a wisp of information will reach any third party or information house . -

Zac nodded with a displeased grunt before grabbing the Information Crystal . From there , he headed over to one of the hundreds of disks at the edge of the walk surrounding the central chasm of the tower , his aura gradually receding into his body .

Truthfully , Zac already knew about these procedures thanks to Calrin , and they’d already prepared a background for him as a newly-ascended Hegemon from the Allbright Empire . The disguise wouldn’t hold up to close scrutiny , but he’d spent almost five D-grade Nexus Coins on tokens , Clan Seals , and other items to verify his identity . It was extremely unlikely these early screenings would spot anything amiss .

A few moments later , Zac expressionlessly stepped out into the hollow core of the tower , gently floating down toward the bottom hundreds of meters below . It wasn’t that he figured out some way to fly to perfect his disguise as a Hegemon , but there was simply a gravity array in the center . People were floating down all around him until they reached the bottom platform .

As Zac looked around , it was almost as if it rained people , while there was a constant stream of people disappearing into the outgoing arrays at the lower floors . It wasn’t too surprising . Salosar Seven might not sound too impressive due to its numbering , but Salosar Two through Five were mostly closed-off worlds where the powerful clans and factions of the cluster resided .

Thus , Salosar Six through Eight were popular destinations for those seeking entertainment or commerce , and also the worlds where middling families and the more successful Wandering Cultivators stayed . The other worlds weren’t as well-off , with eleven and beyond being E-grade worlds .

Those planets , along with the unofficial worlds without a Salosar name , were mostly feeder worlds whose purpose was to produce the everyday resources the residents of the upper worlds required . Apparently , there were arrays as large as countries on those planets , where the ambient energy of vast swathes of land was dragged into the spiritual fields , workshops , or whatever else the families needed the energy for .

It left the rest of the planets extremely energy-starved , and just reaching E-grade required you to work in the facilities that stole all the energy . Learning about the situation was a stark reminder of why it was so important to nurture Earth into a proper faction that could stand on its own .

In fact , a few of the Salosar feeder-planets had once been newly-integrated worlds that didn’t amount to much . Either they failed during the Integration to one of Salosar’s local factions , or they weren’t powerful enough to avoid that kind of fate during the Assimilation . Obviously , almost no newly-integrated planet would be able to resist any established factions nearby , but there were some fail-safes in place .

Normally , the world would get some sort of trial to see if they’d properly acclimatized after a century , and if they performed well enough , the local invaders would be barred from forcibly seizing all land and resources . If not , the unlucky planets would end up as feeder worlds , while the more fortunate would only get levied with heavy taxation to whatever local power whose sphere of influence they’d appeared inside .

Such was the fate of the powerless in the Multiverse .

It was the law of the jungle , which could both be considered extremely unfair and fair , depending on how you looked at it . Zac didn’t wish for this kind of exploitative hierarchy for his own budding empire , though neither did he have any interest in bringing about social change to the Zecia Sector . He wasn’t some savior , and neither did he have any problem appreciating the splendor of Salosar Seven , even if he knew how this world was supported .

The air was clean , the energy dense , and the scenery was beautiful . The structures of Salosar Seven were mostly erected with some sort of purple stone with opalescent streaks that lit up when the sun hit them .

They would stay luminescent even after sunset , making for a beautiful and mysterious atmosphere in the evenings . Along with the nearby inland oceans with paradisial archipelagos , Salosar Seven had become a popular destination for those who needed a break in their cultivation and wanted to spend some time relaxing .

There was still a large commercial Sector , but it was geared toward entertainment compared to its brethren . Of course , it wasn’t for the bars or the brothels that Zac had come , and he started to orient himself following the map Calrin provided .

Noticing Zac standing in place as though he were lost , a few people approached him , but they quickly backed away after a shake of his head . Seeing the guides looking for work , Zac felt a pang of regret thinking back to Nala , the half-blood Draugr who’d guided him in Twilight Harbor .

He had no idea what happened to her when the whole harbor exploded , but her odds of survival weren’t great . Zac could only hope that Nala’s father , the Information House fact-checker , had sensed something amiss through his work and moved the family to the outer edges of the harbor at least .

Salosar had imposed a temporary no-fly rule for everyone except the city-issued ships , so Zac hired a ferryman . Normally , these kinds of limitations would only be seen in the capitals of C-grade worlds , with Hegemons otherwise refusing to comply . But the Void Priestess was simply too powerful , and no one wanted to draw her ire at this critical time .

Zac spent 20 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins to check in at a premium cultivation cave , paying a month in advance . However , he didn’t spend more than a few minutes inside before leaving , setting out in the wider city by foot . An hour later , he walked the streets appearing completely different , having taken a cue out of Yrial’s playbook to change his appearance inside unmonitored corners , stores , or alleyways a few times .

With that , he headed toward his real destination . He was probably overdoing it with the counter-espionage , but there were reasons to be wary . For one , interplanetary travel wasn’t that common in the frontier , and any unknown Hegemon popping up out of nowhere would raise some eyebrows even in a flourishing place like Salosar .

It might seem like there was a constant stream of people exiting the tower , but Zac knew that over 99% were locals from the Salosar Cluster . Just a fraction were foreigners , and of those , the powerful would be marked for further investigation . After all , information was both wealth and power in the Multiverse , and there were a lot of businesses who made a point of knowing about everyone and everything that went on in their local sphere .

Even arriving incognito wouldn’t help , since the information houses would start matching you and your aura against possible candidates in their tallies . If there were none , you’d suddenly become even more suspicious since you were not only a stranger , but also trying to hide who you were . That’s why Zac chose to go with the somewhat cumbersome method of buying an identity .

No matter if it was needed or not , Zac felt it was good practice—being rigorous about security couldn’t hurt . In the visions , Yrial always followed certain procedures when visiting or leaving a new settlement , no matter if he had reason to believe he would be targeted or not . After all , some threats were unknowable , and having his true identity exposed wasn’t the only risk Zac faced .

Just by appearing in Salosar alone , he might already have gained a target on his back by some enterprising thieves or assassins .

Zac made two jumps with the public teleporters , a luxury few worlds in the Zecia Sector enjoyed . They weren’t connected to the System’s network to facilitate teleportation , which meant anyone could freely use them . In return , they needed to be set up by skilled Formation Masters who had delved into the Dao of Space . Even then , they seldom had the range surpassing that of a planet .

In Salosar’s case , the arrays were massive disks that could fit thousands of people , and they activated every time enough money was contributed . Sometimes , it could take hours , but if you had the money and didn’t want to wait , you could activate the array early .

By the time Zac reached a residential district on another continent , his expensive robes had been transformed into decent but inexpensive leather armor , and he released the aura of an Early E-grade warrior as he took in the surroundings . It was an interesting contrast to Port Atwood , where both had their strong points .

Salosar was a flourishing planet , with dense energies and a high quality of living . There was constant foot traffic on the streets even in these somewhat remote corners of the planet , with most people emitting the aura of Peak F-grade . Of course , their levels weren’t a surprise .

Peak F-grade was , by far , the most common level on most D-grade worlds . Nexus Crystals and Leveling Pills weren’t too expensive , and most people would pick non-combat classes that slowly pushed their level to the Peak of F-grade in a decade or two .

Without Origin Dao to cram the Dao down your throat , the vast majority would be forever stuck at the most fundamental bottleneck of cultivation . The difference between these normal citizens was that the ones with money and a decent constitution could evolve their race and live for 300 to 500 years .

The few who reached E-grade were either decently talented or had the money to splurge on a Dao Treasure or two to force a breakthrough . So even though Zac was emitting the energy signature of an unassuming Early E-grade warrior who would barely be considered a cultivator , he still caught quite a few people throwing him jealous or longing looks .

Zac continued for another hour before he reached a quiet neighborhood where most buildings had decent-sized courtyards or gardens surrounding their mansions . Following the map in his Information Crystal , he soon reached a manor consisting of five buildings with a walled-in garden of 20 thousand square meters or so .

It was a good-sized plot of land which would be considered massive in any city before the Integration . Even then , it was nothing compared to the mansions in the more affluent Sectors that were cities unto their own . This was the kind of building a family with an E-grade cultivator and some foundations could afford , and it usually housed around five generations of a family .

Zac sent a wisp of Cosmic Energy into an array to announce his arrival , and the gate slowly swung up to showcase a young girl no more than six years old . She curiously looked up at Zac , confused and rapidly blinking her large eyes as though she were trying to remember who he was .

I don’t know you , - the child eventually stated .

No , you don’t . I have come for the skychime you’re selling , - Zac said .

Oh! Come in , - she said .

Zac obliged , and the child arduously closed the gate behind them . However , they didn’t get the chance to take more than a couple of steps before Zac sensed a vague pressure from the little girl .

Not another step , - she said , her aura rapidly climbing from nothing to past the limits of the E-grade .

This child was a genuine Hegemon .

Now , who are you , for real this time? - the young girl asked with a dangerous glint in her eyes .

I’m a friend of Calrin’s . He should have told you I’m coming , - Zac smiled as he took out the token that would confirm his identity , not shocked at all by the scene . - Are you Triski? -

So you’re the one that thrifty bastard sent , - she muttered as her skin started to change . - I was expecting one of our own . -

The next moment , it wasn’t a small human child who stood in front of him , but rather an adult Sky Gnome . This was her true identity—a local information merchant . Or thief , depending on how slow business was . Calrin managed to connect with Triski through some old channels of his clan a year after Zac left for Twilight Harbor , and she was the main source of the information the Thayer Consortia had gathered on the Void Gate , Salosar , and its subordinate planets .

Well , it wasn’t convenient , - Zac shrugged . - Do you have the report we ordered? -

Here , - Triski said as she threw over an Information Crystal . - Ship manifest of the Lucent Dive . In total , there are 308 Half-Step D-grade Cultivators and 32 Early Hegemons onboard , almost all of them coming from Ymrid . -

Zac nodded in thanks as he scanned the contents . Ymrid was one of the closest major D-grade worlds and the nexus of a cluster of planets much like Salosar . It was close enough that even large commercial vessels could travel the distance within a year if they spent enough energy , meaning there was a lot of travel between the two clusters .

There is also a vessel coming in from Karbron in two weeks in case this one won’t do , and it’s a big one . Should be almost a thousand Half-Step Hegemons on that one and tens of thousands of E-grade cultivators , but I haven’t gotten my hands on their manifest yet . -

Two minutes later , Zac sighed with a shake of his head .

Well , you can stay here if you want , - Triski shrugged and pointed at a building . - There is a cultivation cave beneath that structure . I’ll have the next manifest soon enough . -

Zac thanked the Sky Gnome again and entered the building , spending the next few days going over the reports and gossip Triski supplied him , for a fee . Finally , the gnome got her hands on the second manifest , and Zac’s eyes lit up when he saw that his chosen strategy would work .

Gaun Sorom , - Zac said .

Alright , - Triski smiled . - Do you want him to disappear? -

No , I have something else in mind . -

24

GAUN SOROM

Vilari walked down the clattering corridors , ignoring the insect warriors just as they ignored her . With a small mental nudge , she was functionally invisible to their gaze . It was a shame her power was too low to allow for this kind of measure in the outer world—that way , she would have been able to walk alongside her father without causing him undue trouble .

Sometimes , she wondered , was being undead a blessing or a curse?

Admittedly , gaining sapience from the depths of death was a gift . Without Zachary’s impartment , she would never have existed , and she would never have seen the marvels of the universe or touched upon the truths of the Heavens . But this was ultimately a world of the living—she was the aberration , no matter what the Undead Empire believed .

Was she bound to be relegated to a small corner of this vast world while her friends explored the vast beyond?

Or had she become greedy? She was not even ten years old , yet she’d seen more than most Hegemons in this remote Sector of the Multiverse . Traveling to another Sector—that was something which eluded even most Monarchs .

She knew where these feelings stemmed from—the look of impatience in her father’s eyes . The expectation when he spoke of Salosar and the Million Gates Territory . Compared to most Earthlings and her subordinates , he’d become a true citizen of the Multiverse , someone who looked at the vaunted sky with hunger rather than fear .

Lord Atwood wasn’t long for this place . Even if Earth was his home , it would only be the location where he would rest for a while before setting out again . At most , he would leave a clone here in the future , while his true self sailed farther and farther away . She was happy for him , but it also made her a bit lost .

Where did that leave her?

No matter if it was his cultivation speed or the Life-attuned destinations he wanted to visit , she wouldn’t be able to keep up with him forever . Even a couple of decades was stretching it—she could sense that the time required to complete the next layer of Paean of Anguish] would take her the better part of the next century .

Certainly , the stress and negative emotions this sort of situation brought forth were extremely conducive to the Soul Strengthening Technique she got from her master , but she would much rather solve the root of her turbulent emotions . The solution was right there , but it was complex in its simplicity .

She needed to find her own purpose .

Vilari needed to find something more than just being a hanger-on swept up in the fate of Zachary Atwood , the Deviant Asura . This was also what her father wanted for her , but she didn’t even know where to start looking for something like that . Finding that spark which drove someone to greatness in a world where most muddled along in a dream-like state . Who wouldn’t want to find something like that?

Facilitating the unification of undead and living within her father’s empire was a worthwhile goal , but that couldn’t be considered a purpose . It was a task that would be dealt with soon enough . But what else was there? She enjoyed cultivation , but she didn’t have the same burning drive as Joanna .

Being born under the protective umbrella of her father , she’d never been forced to awaken that all-consuming hunger that raged in the Valkyrie’s heart . Of course , that kind of obsession wasn’t the only path to power—for many , they would even become fetters . However , you needed something that kept you going when months turned to years , and the Dao became your only true companion across the long , lonely eons .

Neither did the Undead Empire attract Vilari , in contrast to the desirous Raun Spectrals . Visiting their domain would be interesting , but it wasn’t something she was ready to risk her life for .

Well , she had time . Ilvere often joked how she was not even a teenager yet , and it was true in a sense . Had she been born a human , she wouldn’t even start cultivating for another 7 years or so . Being too consumed with finding one’s purpose might make her focus on the distant future so much that she missed the available paths right in front of her .

For now , she was happy enough furthering her father’s goals , which apparently included dealing with rebellious ants and their attempts at possession .

Vilari tapped her foot , prompting a chasm into the depths of the hive to open up . However , her surroundings fluctuated as she unleashed bursts of Mental Energy , allowing her to gently descend by bouncing between the walls , rather than helplessly falling into the gastric acid below . A few minutes later , Vilari stepped into the inner sanctum of the Ayn hive , where her target was sitting in silent meditation .

Seeing that her entrance had gone unnoticed , Vilari let out a small cough , prompting the young girl to swirl around in shock .

Who are you! This is a restricted area , - Lily exclaimed with wide eyes . - What—This energy . . . The rumors are true! There are zombies hidden within Port Atwood! -

So there are , though we prefer to be called Revenants , - Vilari smiled . - My name is Vilari Blackwood , and I have been sent here by Lord Atwood . What shall I call you? -

If you’re really sent by Lord Atwood , you should already know my name , - Lily frowned as she slightly repositioned herself to guard the small pillar behind her—the core of the adolescent Hivequeen .

There is no need for games , child , - Vilari said with a shake of her head . - We have known about your situation for some time now . I was sent to confirm the details . Just going by the mental fluctuations , I have a decent idea , but I hope you can clarify some things for me . How far has your fusion gone? -

Lily’s eyes widened in alarm , and the whole chamber shook as powerful mental fluctuations started radiating from both the beastmaster and the Hivequeen’s Core . Vilari smiled as a massive eye appeared in the air above her , its emotionless stare crushing the duo’s assault before it could begin .

Cracks spread across the small pillar , and blood started running down Lily’s nose and ears as she rolled around on the floor screaming .

One last try , - Vilari said . - The lord feels regretful about how things ended for this poor girl , and he wanted me to solve this situation without bloodshed if possible . I don’t carry those limiting emotions . If you can’t convince me that you’re not a threat to Lord Atwood or his subjects , I will incinerate your soul before he returns . -

If you kill me , she dies as well , - Lily said as she crawled to her feet , the cadence of her voice changed .

Then that would be her fate . She wouldn’t be the first to fall in the service of the Atwood Empire , and she won’t be the last , - Vilari said with equanimity . - But you still have a way out . Relinquish control of the girl and form a proper contract . Your children will become warriors for the Atwood Empire , and you will be provided the resources to continue your growth . -

Join that man? He killed my mother , killed thousands of our children , - Lily growled . - All that suffering—for nothing? -

Suffering is Heavenly Law , - Vilari said . - Your hive was transported here by the Heavens , and the situation only allowed for one victor . The lord has already been magnanimous to let you live on after your mother’s attack—I doubt your mother would have been so benevolent . But our patience is running thin . Now , make your choice . -

Having some stranger killed just to achieve his plan didn’t sit right with Zac , at least not with a target like Gaun Sorom . If it had been an unorthodox cultivator who’d committed numerous atrocities , it would be a different story , but Gaun Sorom was just a normal Wandering Cultivator who fit Zac’s requirements .

Gaun had been active for over 500 years in this neighborhood of the Zecia Sector , though he originated in some place called the Tumbling Sky Cluster , named after the local overlord—the Tumbling Sky Sect . He’d been staying in Karbron over the past 10 years and chosen now to head to Salosar and join the fight against the beast tide .

Little was known about his combat style , as he preferred to look for opportunities alone in the wilderness , but his weapon of choice was an axe . Add to that , he was primarily human with only a small hint of orc in his heritage . There were some small discrepancies , but Gaun ticked off most of Zac’s checkboxes for his main plan—to borrow a local’s identity for the beast tide .

Zac had some backup plans , no matter if his meeting with Triski fell through or if there were no suitable targets , but this one held the best odds of him coming and going without causing any waves . He wasn’t in any mood for another cataclysmic event like the Twilight Harbor . Zac just wanted the Ferric Worldeater so he could get his ship . Unfortunately , over the past days as he waited for Triski to get the second manifest , Zac started to wonder if that was a fool’s hope .

Fate was gathering .

It was still nothing compared to what he felt when that burning golem attacked the Orom , but he could somewhat feel that something was slowly building . Seeing as the beast tide was the only big thing going on in the area , it was a reasonable assumption it was the source . Things were not as simple as they seemed , and he was afraid he’d get dragged into something big if he contacted Leyara Lioress .

Do you have any idea on how to get a private face-to-face with him without anyone noticing , including himself? - Zac asked .

The next batch of mercenaries will be ferried over to Salsoar Prime five days after Gaun arrives on this planet , - Triski said . - I can try to arrange something depending on where he’ll end up staying , but it will cost some money in bribes . -

Zac only snorted and transferred 3 D-grade Nexus Coins , which almost made Triski’s eyes pop out of her head . - I expect there’ll be no hindrances? -

Of course! - Triski eagerly nodded . - With this kind of money , there will be no problems even if you kill him on an open street . -

Three days later , a hooded Zac waited at a servant’s gate outside a walled-in forest protected by a barrier that shimmered like starlight . Inside were hundreds of mansions for rent , targeted at visiting guests of a certain dignity . Soon enough , the gate soundlessly swung open , and Zac stepped inside .

The pattern , - the young woman whispered as she handed over a small parchment and a token . Zac looked it over before nodding , and it spontaneously combusted a moment later .

With that , the servant girl scurried away , eager to be far away from whatever would happen next . Zac only shook his head with a smile before making the adjustments on a nearby teleportation array , finalizing the process by socketing the array with the key .

With a flash , his surroundings changed , and Zac found himself in the middle of a secluded courtyard .

The pattern was actually the solution to the supposedly personalized array . When new guests checked in at this particular resort , they would be able to modify a certain part of the barrier , almost like setting a pin-code , so that not even the residence employees would be able to teleport inside . Yet there were clearly backdoors built into the system , backdoors that would open for whoever had enough cash .

If Yrial had shown him some of the dangers lurking in the dark for Wandering Cultivators , then Triski broadened his knowledge even further . You could never trust the means and motives of outsiders—you needed to depend on yourself . And clearly , Gaun was quite conscious of this universal truth .

Dozens of roots appeared from the ground , all of them trying to ensnare Zac and seal his movements . Meanwhile , a hooded being shot toward him with a snarl , the ferocious axe in his hands already shuddering with what seemed to be two braided Peak Fragments . Zac inwardly smiled , feeling that Gaun’s aura was just the right strength—around half of his own .

That way , Zac would be able to impersonate the Wandering Cultivator while hiding a good chunk of his true power .

Zac subtly shifted his position with a couple of seemingly simple steps , utilizing his understanding of armaments to avoid the roots gunning for him . Simultaneously , a spare axe appeared in his hand , and Zac prepared to crush Gaun’s assault head-on to end the fight early .

However , a scream of danger made him urgently scramble out of the way , but the roots which had appeared to be a simple restrictive array suddenly lit up with esoteric patterns while their speed more than doubled . The incoming figure of Gaun was dissipating as well—it was an extremely lifelike illusion .

The real Gaun was already behind Zac , the edge of the cultivator’s axe falling toward his skull . It was quick , efficient , and ruthless—showcasing the strength and experience of someone who’d walked the rivers and lakes for the better half of a millennium .

No longer underestimating the Wandering Cultivator , Zac flooded the fractal on the back of his head with Cosmic Energy , the Branch of the Kalpataru , and a small amount of Void Energy . In an instant , a laurel crown of golden leaves appeared on Zac’s head while the whole courtyard turned golden .

The ground was gold , the sky was gold—the world was drowned in empyrean splendor . Two pillars , each one studded with a thick stele and inscrutable characters , had appeared as well . Though it was clear to anyone with eyes they listed some sort of supreme edicts .

The scene was magical , almost making Zac believe he’d been transported to some sort of celestial court , but it didn’t change the fact that Gaun’s axe was almost upon him . However , Zac wasn’t worried in the slightest , as his own axe ripped through the roots around him rather than moving to intercept .

As planned , the attack was stopped just a few decimeters from his head , with a shimmering golden barrier having appeared to block the strike .

The shield rippled a bit , holding against the mighty swing of a Half-Step Hegemon who’d infused their weapon with two Dao Fragments , proving that being classified as a Peak-quality skill wasn’t just for show . The barrier even nullified the shockwave that would normally turn the interiors of the courtyard to shreds , though that also spared Gaun from any counterforce .

Just as the Wandering Cultivator was about to launch a follow-up strike , he groaned and stumbled with shock evident in his eyes .

This was the true form of Empyrean Aegis] , the new defensive skill Zac had received at level 125 . The first part was the basic ability of any proper defensive skill—a barrier . The golden barriers of Zac’s skill would both activate automatically or on command , and he could currently have two of them active at one time . The only slightly unusual feature was that it seemed to be based on a mix of both his Vitality and Endurance , rather than just Endurance .

The second half of the skill was a bit more unique—the whole area drowned in gold had become part of a powerful defensive domain . If Gaun had simply stood unmoving , the skill wouldn’t have affected him at all . But the moment one started rotating Cosmic Energy , they would get pushed down by a terrifying pressure while their energy circulation was disrupted .

It was like the Heavens themselves were punishing any action against Zac , becoming his personal protector .

The effect was even better than Zac expected . He had only tried the skill while restricted before , and it was great news that it contained such an obvious effect even on Half-Step Hegemons . With Gaun almost falling over , the skill should be able to affect even true Hegemons to some degree . It might only provide a small delay before they crashed through the interference , but a small delay could change the tides of a battle .

The skill represented an interesting facet of the Dao of Life—the facet many equated with divinity . Life was the fount of all beings , so going against its will was to go against the universe itself . The concept didn’t exactly mesh with Zac’s own comprehension of the Dao , but that didn’t really matter . If anything , it shored up a weakness in his own understanding .

Zac wanted to seize the opportunity the skill provided , so he stepped forward . Except an amulet around Gaun’s neck cracked and conjured a barrier . The defensive treasure appeared to be Early D-grade , but its quality was extremely low as to allow for a Half-Step Hegemon to activate it .

I just want to talk , - Zac urged , but Gaun wasn’t listening .

Zac could understand the sentiment—how could the man trust someone sneaking into his courtyard at night? Zac needed to defeat him first . That would both prove he wasn’t after his wealth or his head , and allow him to negotiate from a position of power .

Another swarm of roots crashed through the ground as Gaun scrambled to his feet , but they didn’t target Zac . Instead , they tried to take down the two pillars who the cultivator , correctly , assumed was the source of the restrictive domain . The roots were ferocious , and small cracks started to appear on the pillars .

Zac didn’t care . They were more durable than they looked , and were actively being repaired by his Dao Branch . They would last long enough for him to accomplish his goal—and the air screamed as his axe slammed into Gaun’s barrier . Just the first swing was enough to cause small cracks , and a second one was following right on the first’s heels .

Wha— - Gaun grunted as he stumbled again , but Zac noticed how it was a feint—the man’s hand was already moving toward the Cosmos Sack on his waist .

Zac snorted and unleashed his Spiritual Void] , its boost allowing him to immediately crash through the faltering barrier . With an inscrutable step infused with his Evolutionary Stance , he passed through the chaotic energies , appearing right in front of the Wandering Cultivator . The thing Gaun took out was an escape talisman rather than an offensive treasure , choosing survival over mutual destruction .

He was too slow—Vivi’s vines had already rushed forward the moment the barrier cracked , and Gaun found himself bound by Branch-infused vines , making any attempt at teleportation impossible .

Now , are you ready to talk? - Zac smiled as he placed the edge of his axe against Gaun’s throat .

Uh , nice to meet you , - Gaun said with a reluctant smile . - How can I be of service? -

25

INTO THE VOID

Pretty Peak walked down the engraved hallways , her foul mood not improved at all by the chance of seeing the insides of the newly-built and exceedingly expensive War Fortress .

Just what was going on?

Months spent on pushing deeper into the Million Gates Territory , only to be called back before she could even begin her search . The only reason she didn’t seek out that damned commander , was that she was pretty sure it wasn’t he who ordered her vessel back—it had to be from someone in her family . But why would her elders send her back just as she was approaching the area where her cousin and uncle delved? It was her father who told her to join the scouting vessel and look for clues .

Soon enough , she reached the inner chambers she’d been instructed to report to , and Pretty cracked her neck before equipping her bracers . There was only one person who could rescind the orders of Strongest Peak , and if he was inside this room , then she was about to be attacked .

The doors swung open , and a cascading wave of killing intent pushed Pretty back a few steps before she managed to regain her footing . She activated Unflinching] , and the world turned red as sanguine runes appeared over her bare arms . Space bulged inward as she unleashed a punch , forcing the killing intent aside as she rushed into the room .

However , just as she entered , a pang of danger warned her that she wasn’t out of the woods just yet . Space cracked as a projectile flew at her , but she didn’t flinch . Her hand turned into a claw and she swiped at the incoming projectile , creating four gashes in space that collided with the attack .

She hadn’t used a skill—the swipe was infused with the Branch of the Headsman and her frustration , and it barely managed to break through the thin film of energy surrounding the apple that had been flung in her direction .

Not bad , lass , - a rumbling laugh echoed through the hallway . - Have you decided on a name? -

Not yet , - Pretty sighed as she deactivated her battle stance .

As expected , it was her grandfather who had called for her , though she froze in surprise upon seeing a familiar yet foreign figure sitting next to him , playing with a nasty-looking scimitar—her grandmother . Not only that , her aura was extremely condensed , which could only mean one thing—she’d finally become a Monarch .

Was this why she’d been recalled? Because Kantaja Peak had finally left seclusion after 1 , 800 years?

Hello , child , - she smiled . - It’s nice to finally get to meet you . -

Greetings , grandmother , - Pretty said , bowing deeply . - Congratul— -

She didn’t get any further as a white blur shot up between the mats , aimed right at her forehead . There had been no energy fluctuation and no warning from her Danger Sense , and even Pretty found herself frazzled as her bow turned into a swirl that barely allowed her to move the bracer on her left hand to block .

A sharp twang echoed out as Pretty was launched into the air , slamming into the ceiling above . Her organs shifted , and she could only push through the pain as she launched off the ceiling and landed in a combat position , ready to take on any follow-up attacks . There was thankfully none forthcoming , but Pretty obviously wouldn’t relax in front of her grandpa .

Or her grandmother , for that matter , considering her reputation was even worse .

The sixth generation seems promising , - Kantaja nodded before she turned to her husband . - But they’re still a bit soft . Have you given up on your child-rearing plan? Or is it my three useless sons who aren’t following the precepts? -

Well , a little bit of both , I guess? - Ultimate laughed . - I was bored , so I tried a few new things . In either case , the war will help toughen them up . -

Pretty couldn’t help but feel some annoyance at the discussion as she extracted the projectile—a strand of hair—from her bracer . Her father had essentially tortured her since she was two , including throwing her into a wild Mystic Realm before she even started cultivating . How was that being soft? She could only swallow any complaints , lest the Kantaja showed her why she was known as the Knuckle Butcher , one of the most feared assassins in the Allbright Empire .

Most assassins used stealth and planning to execute their plan , but Kantaja instead sent a letter to the target that she’d kill them within the year , and then she bulldozed all the resistance the target erected . If they fled , she searched for their location by uprooting any holdings of theirs like a walking hurricane . Unsurprisingly , most of her assassinations ended with thousands of dead and massive structural damages .

The only reason she hadn’t been caught was a mix of shamelessness and Ultimate Peak’s influence . Whenever Kantaja killed people , she put up her hair in a certain braid and called herself Tankaja instead of Kantaja , insisting that the assassin was a completely different person . With the Peak Family backing her , no one ever dared call her on her claims .

Thankfully , Kantaja only targeted unorthodox cultivators and those who were suspected of having dealings with the enemies of the Allbright Empire , which was why the imperial clan mostly looked the other way . Even then , Pretty had heard rumors that her grandmother entering terminal seclusion wasn’t just because she was getting close to forming an inner world .

She’d been a bit too overbearing while searching for some answer to her Path of Butchery , and even the Peak Family started to find it hard to bear the weight of her actions . Pretty wondered what kind of reaction her emergence as a new Monarch would elicit back in the Empyrean Sector . Most likely , they were praying that she’d get herself killed in the war .

Not even Pretty dared imagine what kind of trouble her grandmother would kick up now that she ascended to C-grade , though it was a relief to see a fourth Monarch having appeared in the clan in addition to grandfather , granduncle , and her father . Each one was a strategic resource , and they would need every bit of power they could get in the upcoming war .

How are things in the Million Gates Territory? - Ultimate Peak asked . - Killed any of those bastards yet? -

More than I expected . The Landing has been erected , - Pretty sighed . - The number of invaders has increased tenfold over the past year , and some have even been spotted in the sixth band . Almost all of the scouting units are led by Hegemons now . -

Sixth band , still some time then , - Kantaja muttered as she stabbed the scimitar into the ground a few times . - It’s too far . I was hoping there would be some people nearby . -

Is this why you asked me to return? - Pretty hesitated . - I still haven’t found any clues of Average or Uncle Greatest . -

Your uncle returned a month ago , - Ultimate said . - He is currently in stasis . -

What! - Pretty exclaimed , but her shock quickly turned to pain as another strand of hair pierced straight through her gut , prompting a fountain of blood to splatter across the floor .

Never lose your vigilance , you little runt , - Kantaja laughed .

Thank you for the lesson , - Pretty coughed as she ate a Healing Pill . - Is my cousin fine? -

The fate of Average is still unknown , though his Life Candle is still burning strong , - Ultimate said with a shake of his head . - Greatest encountered something while hunting for leaders of these Kan’Tanu invaders . They had set up camp at an uncharted world for some unknown reason . While Average launched a raid on the surface , something suddenly emitted an extremely powerful energy .

Our vessel , along with most of my son’s squad , were instantly annihilated as cracks in reality spread for millions of miles . Hearing the description , it is most likely the source of those powerful fluctuations we could sense all the way in the Red Sector back then . Greatest managed to save some of his subordinates by opening a path back from the Void , but by the time he emerged , the planet was gone . -

If the planet was destroyed , then Average . . . - Pretty hesitated .

It wasn’t destroyed from what Greatest could tell , - Ultimate said . - It disappeared . -

The whole planet was moved? -

No , - Ultimate said . - That planet was too big , not even a Late Monarch would be able to take it away . Besides , the energy was different to anything they’d encountered from the invaders so far . -

But little Great said he did somewhat recognize it , - Kantaja added . - He believed it was related to the Limitless Empire . -

And you just so happen to know someone with insight into that matter , - Ultimate added . - Someone whose master just so happens to be the most powerful Spatial Cultivator in the Zecia Sector who can make sense of this mess . We need to get to the bottom of this . For one , it’s our best chance to find Average . Furthermore , if there are powerful relics appearing in the depths of the Million Gates Territory , they can’t be allowed to fall into the hands of the invaders . -

Grandfather wants me to go to the Void Gate? - Pretty Peak asked .

She didn’t ask why they didn’t go in person—there was no need . Ultimate had killed no less than five promising Void Templars on one of his Rampages at the edge of the Zecia Sector . Each one had been a prospect for Monarchy , and if not for the Allbright Emperor interceding , the Void Priestess might have hunted him down over a hundred thousand years ago .

How about Clever? Clever Peak doesn’t sound too bad? - Ultimate grinned . - Your flight to the teleporter at Chaos Landing leaves tomorrow . The Space Gate Guild will ferry you over . It’s good timing as well . Something odd is going on over there—try to figure out what . Back when the Void Gate appeared in the Zecia Sector , there were rumors they had connections to some outside force . Now , millions of years have passed and people have mostly forgotten , but it might be relevant now . -

Something odd is going on in the Void Gate as well? - Pretty asked with surprise .

Lots of that going around since I emerged , - Kantaja smiled . - Looks like I broke through at just the right time . -

Don’t worry , I’m not interested in your life or your possessions , - Zac said as he slowly removed his axe from Gaun’s throat .

He didn’t release Vivi’s bindings , since that would allow the Wandering Cultivator to escape . Zac also erected a series of arrays around them , making sure the proprietor of this place wouldn’t be able to spy on the conversation . Of course , this wasn’t his only assurance . Triski had been paid handsomely to keep the Peak E-grade proprietor company during this meeting , to make sure he didn’t have a sudden change of heart .

If you’re friendly , why appear in my courtyard in the middle of the night? - Galau sneered with discontent , but Zac was relieved to see he stowed the escape talisman . - Thought you were an assassin . Could’ve just sent a letter . -

There’s someone who’d be willing to go through all this trouble just to assassinate you? - Zac asked with a raised brow .

Someone as handsome as me is bound to make an enemy or two , - Gaun shrugged . - While I always act aboveboard , sometimes the competition for resources gets heated . Now , may I ask who you are and what kind of business you have? -

My name isn’t important , - Zac smiled . - And I’ll make it brief . We want your identity . Name your price . -

My identity? Why should I believe that? I’m just a Wandering Cultivator , my identity is worth noth— - Gaun snorted , but suddenly froze as his confusion turned to hesitation . - You’re an outsider? -

It seems you understand the situation , - Zac nodded . - We can make it worth your time . -

I don’t want to know why you want the identity of a known person in this cluster , but it cannot possibly bode well for me , - Gaun slowly said . - This is the Void Gate we’re talking about . If you or whatever organization behind you cause havoc under my name , how will I eke out a living? And what’s to stop you people from silencing me? -

If my boss wanted you dead , they would have sent an assassin instead of me , - Zac shrugged . - We’re not some sinister cabal . A certain individual simply wants us to enter the territory of the Void Gate and look around . I can tell you this much , it’s not some simple beast tide they’re dealing with . You might be better off not going in either case . -

No need to tell me more , - Gaun exhorted . - The less I know the better . -

So , you agree? -

On a few conditions , - Gaun said . - First of all , you need to take me away from the Void Gate’s sphere of influence , even if you’re saying you won’t cause any trouble . It shouldn’t be too hard since you’re an outsider , right? -

Zac only smiled as he took out a box full of Teleportation Tokens , prompting Gaun’s eyes to turn to a needlepoint as he drew a sharp breath . Zac could understand what Gaun was thinking—only someone with an extremely powerful background could take out so many different tokens .

Truthfully , less than a third were actual Teleportation Tokens . The rest were the Fate Tokens he’d collected inside the Orom World . They emitted almost an identical sort of energy , so Zac had thrown them in with his leftover tokens to make himself and his fake boss appear more impressive .

We can send you to all kinds of places . No C-grade continents though . Your identity isn’t worth that much , - Zac said .

A-Alright , - Gaun said , a bit shaken by the scene . - Secondly , I want fift—one hundred D-grade Nexus Coins to get myself set up and replace my Lifewarding Treasure . -

That thing can’t have cost more than one or two D-grade Nexus Coins , - Zac snorted . - It wouldn’t be able to block more than one strike of an Early Hegemon . -

Still , you should know the difficulties of being an outsider on a new world , money will be needed for all kinds of— -

25 D-grade Nexus Coins , not one more , - Zac countered .

Ai . . . Fine , - Gaun sighed , but Zac could see how his eyes were practically radiating from the sudden windfall .

25 D-grade Nexus Coins might not be much for a Hegemon from an established faction , but for a Wandering Cultivator in the Zecia Sector? It was no doubt way more than Gaun had ever held at one time—most Wandering Cultivators were flat broke . Even if they occasionally made decent money exploring Mystic Realms or the wilderness on larger planets , they would be forced to spend it all on cultivation resources and various fees to the local overlords soon enough , making it nigh impossible to accumulate a fortune .

Seeing as they’d reached an accord , Zac took out his prepared contract , only adding the two rewards to the settlement . It was quite simple . Gaun would get the rewards , and in return , he wouldn’t be allowed to use his own identity or return to this area of Zecia for the next five years . In addition , there was a clause of confidentiality from both sides .

Honestly , it wouldn’t be impossible for Gaun to break this contract , although it would require the help of a decently powerful Hegemon . And Gaun would hopefully not dare do something like that since it might anger some unknown force who would know where to find him .

Why does it feel like I’m selling myself? - Gaun sighed as he imprinted his energy onto the contract .

Consider it a testament to your reputation that someone wants your identity , - Zac smiled as he handed Gaun a cloak with the same kind of function as his own attention-averting treasure . - Now , come with me . I need to learn some things that are not covered in the missives . -

The Wandering Cultivator wordlessly nodded , and they teleported back to the side gate , where Zac led Gaun to a mansion he’d rented . There , Zac spent the better part of a day going over Gaun’s background , mannerisms , and contacts in the area , to ensure his disguise wouldn’t be exposed the moment he stepped onto the recruitment station .

Finally , Zac had everything he needed , and they sat in front of each other in the courtyard . However , Gaun had now taken on another face . His skill was much worse than Million Faces] , but it was good enough for a quick trip to the teleportation station . Meanwhile , Zac looked almost exactly like Gaun had before . Gazing into the mirror , Zac couldn’t help but marvel at his own handiwork .

His previous attempts at subterfuge varied from unsuccessful to downright disasters . This time around , Zac felt he might actually have a shot .

26

MISSION COMPOUND

So creepy , - Gaun muttered as he looked at Zac testing various expressions with his disguise .

Well , it’s your face , - Zac laughed .

Having spent the past day in what could almost be considered a bonding session , the two had gotten a bit closer , even if Gaun had been the only one providing information . The Wandering Cultivator occasionally tried to pry into Zac’s background a few times , but he’d mostly kept his thoughts to himself .

Luckily , Gaun had almost been the perfect target for infiltration . He didn’t know anyone in the Salosar Cluster , apart from some surface-level-connections to people at his level . It was the same with Karbron as well . Just like the missive said , he’d only been there for ten years . What the missive didn’t mention was his spending most of those years recuperating from wounds he’d gotten after losing the struggle for a treasure in the wild .

He did mention a few of his acquaintances that might appear in the area because of the beast tide , but it would take another two years at the least before the first ships from the Tumbling Sky Cluster reached Salosar . By then , he should be long gone .

Alright , it’s time to go , - Zac said . - Do you have any preferred area of the Zecia Sector you wish to teleport to , or do you want me to send you to a random D-grade world? -

I want to be sent as close to the Allbright Empire as possible , just not the Red Sector , - Gaun said without hesitation , clearly prepared for the question .

Zac looked at the Wandering Cultivator with surprise . The fact Gaun wanted to travel to the Allbright Empire wasn’t too surprising since it was one of the most flourishing parts of the Sector . Only a few factions , like the Dravorak Dynasty , were slightly more powerful , but the Allbright Empire was considered more accommodating to Wandering Cultivators .

However , the fact he specifically mentioned the Red Sector , the area of the Allbright Empire which bordered the edge of Zecia and the Million Gates Territory , indicated he was aware of what was going on over there . Someone like Gaun was unlikely to know about the war already , considering how much Zac had spent on that kind of intelligence , even if some murmurs had started to spread .

Zac knew all kinds of details , but that was only because he got an early warning on the Bloodwind World and spent dozens of D-grade Nexus Coins on intelligence reports . It was obviously impossible for a Wandering Cultivator to do the same .

Even more baffling was that Gaun specifically wanted to avoid the Red Sector , even though the big factions over there were screaming for manpower for everything from building War Fortresses to joining Mercenary Squads . Gaun was obviously not afraid of danger since he’d been planning on joining the beast tide , so why shy away from that?

You know about the changes in Zecia? - Zac ventured to make sure .

I was lucky enough to learn a thing or two while I recuperated . I’ve worked as a private guard for one of the Void Gate's outer researchers the past couple of years , - Gaun nodded . - I know war is coming . A big one . -

If you know , why not the Red Sector? - Zac asked , not able to quell his curiosity . - That would allow you to join the war effort earlier , which will have all kinds of benefits . -

How can there be such a good thing? - Gaun snorted . - I’m not sure you understand the plight of a Wandering Cultivator . I barely have the resources to work on my cultivation , let alone the resources needed to travel deep into that weird chaotic area and hunt for opportunities . Even if I manage to join a crew , what role would I get as a stranger in a chaotic place like that? -

Zac understood the problem . The answer wasn’t hard to guess—those people would end up as meat shields .

It’s better to spend the next few years in the Allbright Empire , seeking opportunities to join established factions as a captain or some sort of bodyguard to their young . With war coming , the requirements for recruitment should have gone down in the other Sectors of the empire as well . It should be possible to sign decent temporary contracts .

The local factions are likely to still be among the first to be dragged into whatever’s going on , and I will get my opportunities sooner or later . And even if I’m still an outsider , I stand better chances of surviving as part of a large organized force compared to some frontier Mercenary Squad . -

Zac looked at Gaun with interest , a bit surprised by how quickly and meticulously he formed a plan after seeing the Teleportation Tokens . This kind of shrewd thinking was nothing like the short description in the missive , which rather portrayed the axe wielder as some sort of gruff barbarian that was hard to reason with .

Gaun’s plan even showed a possible path for the Atwood Empire . Why not do the same as Gaun , though from the opposite side? If Zac could snag a couple of experienced Half-Step Hegemons with a good reputation , he could vastly improve the foundations of his army . His army’s resources were unsurpassed for their level , they merely lacked hardened veterans who could act as the core of individual squads .

Meanwhile , some Half-Step Hegemons wouldn’t be powerful enough to usurp his position or cause any havoc on Earth .

Interesting . It looks as though our reports misjudged you . I’ll send you to the Lucent Dream Sector of the Allbright Empire . It’s almost as far from the Red Sector as you can get , so it should suit your plan , - Zac smiled .

Really? You’ll really send me to a proper empire? - Gaun exclaimed , his eyes wide . However , his excitement turned to suspicion . - What’s the catch? -

No catch , - Zac said . - Except you will have to figure out your background on your own . And the planet you’ll arrive at is just Early D-grade . -

He had just the thing—Galau’s token to his hometown . After being tricked by Catheya in Twilight Harbor , Zac had already confirmed with both Heda and Pavina that his remaining tokens were free from any tracking measures . More than half contained rudimentary measures , but those had been easily resolved by the two Monarchs , even if they were restrained .

Meanwhile , Zac already had access to no less than 100 teleportation locations in the Lucent Dream Sector of the Allbright Empire , so he no longer had use for the token . Zac was happy to send Gaun there . He wouldn’t be hard to track down later , and he’d make a good informant .

Triski proved just how useful local contacts could be , and it was about time he and Calrin started setting up a proper network , turning the lies about his organization’s reach into reality .

I’ll just say I got a token from a quest and decided to shed my past , - Gaun shrugged . - It’s common enough . Such a flaky background will bar me from any higher positions , but it’s not like I’d get those in either case . As for the grade of the world , it doesn’t matter . I hear the planets are a lot closer in the established empires compared to the rest of Zecia . It shouldn’t be impossible to get proper citizenship and travel after contributing to the war efforts . -

Alright then , let’s go , - Zac nodded as his face changed to a random template .

They made their way toward the very same tower Zac arrived inside , where Zac pretended he was an attendant who kept Gaun company . Soon enough , the tower loomed in the distance , and Zac surreptitiously took out an Information Crystal .

If you find that the opportunities in the Allbright Empire are not up to your expectations , you can try contacting us through this method , - Zac said . - It’s not my place to promise anything , but we are always on the lookout for people who can help us in various ways . -

And I guess you still won’t tell me who - you’ are? - Gaun asked .

No , - Zac smiled .

Gaun nodded , taking the Information Crystal containing a method to send a message to the Thayer Consortia through a series of proxies . He didn’t immediately resume their walk toward the teleportation station though , but rather leaned in a bit closer .

I have a feud , with a true Hegemon . He calls himself Ulavo , but it’s an alias he uses when traveling . His true identity is an outer elder of the Tumbling Sky Sect , though I don’t know his name , - Gaun whispered . - He uses his Ulavo identity to do things that would reflect poorly on an orthodox sect . I accidentally found out about it when I saw him kill one of his own sect nephews over a treasure . I hear he might be joining this event . . . Be careful . -

Why didn’t you mention that before? -

I was afraid you’d rescind your offer , - Gaun coughed as he scratched his chin with some embarrassment . - This is a huge opportunity for me . But since you treated me with sincerity , I ought to do the same . -

Well , it’s no problem , - Zac shrugged . - If this Ulavo tries anything , he’ll just become another casualty in the beast tide . -

Zac wasn’t surprised Gaun had some enemies—who didn’t after a couple decades of cultivation? He’d already expected as much after learning about his reason for moving to Karbron . And Gaun’s suspicions were true—there was an Ulavo on the manifest of the very same ship Gaun arrived on , though they traveled in different class compartments .

Seeing as it was some random outer elder of a small local Sect , Zac didn’t care . The Tumbling Sky Sect was just another D-grade force semi-attached to the Void Gate like Salosar . Someone like that didn’t have nearly the kind of pull needed to cause any waves in this place , and neither did he have the strength to pose any threat to him .

Zac followed Gaun to the teleportation array to personally witness Gaun use his token and flash away . After having confirmed Gaun had really left , Zac returned to his courtyard where he spent the next few days listening for any news of Gaun managing to betray him . However , Zac felt it unlikely .

It was just like Gaun said—moving to the Allbright Empire was a huge opportunity for him , and forcibly breaking the contract would definitely cost many times more than the reward he could get for selling the information that some unknown being had bought his identity . Gaun returning to the Tumbling Sky Cluster was even less likely , if his enmity with Ulavo was to be believed .

As expected , there weren’t any issues when Zac set out five days later , joining a stream of Wandering Cultivators who were ferried over to Salosar Prime by locals in exchange for a nominal fee . Together with tens of thousands of others who intended to answer the Void Gate’s call , Zac made his way toward the city-sized recruitment station .

Soon enough , an enormous shimmering barrier loomed in the distance , obscuring what was going on inside . Outside , a physical wall had been erected , which appeared to be guarded by real members of the Void Gate .

With the Void Gate being a monastic faction , their members were mainly divided into two groups—templars and devotees . The Void Templars were a highly trained army geared toward the same type of warrior classes most factions used , though they had their own heritage and subclasses . It was this faction who most commonly left the domains of the Void Gate , seeking experience through battle all over the Sector .

The monks and nuns of the devotees were more diverse according to what Zac had gathered , but the details were quite sparse since they rarely left the monasteries . However , the devotees who traveled with the Templar armies as spiritual support often had non-combat classes such as Healers or supportive classes like Array Masters or Augmenters .

The hundreds of entrances to the recruitment station were unsurprisingly manned by squads of Templars , each one at the Peak of E-grade with very impressive accumulations for a common soldier . In front of every entrance , a large scroll hovered in the air , and it was the first time Zac had seen such large-scale use of System-backed contracts .

Zac had recently gained access to a slew of new features thanks to his nobility being upgraded , but he knew he wouldn’t be able to copy this type of method .

Welcome . You need to sign a Confidentiality Clause to enter the building and learn the details of the mission , - the young Templar said as Zac approached , his face an impassive mask as he pointed at the contract hovering in the air .

His demeanor didn’t contain a shred of the cordiality Zac received upon first arriving at Salosar Seven , even if Zac currently exuded the aura of a Half-Step Hegemon . Then again , the young warrior had probably said the same thing thousands of times the past months , so his bored demeanor wasn’t a surprise .

More importantly , this was the difference proper backing did—even if Zac hadn’t entered through the entrances meant for unattached cultivators , he would still have easily been pegged as one by the gear he was currently wearing to impersonate Gaun .

I understand , - Zac said and infused a wisp of Cosmic Energy onto the contract after confirming the terms were the same as to what was described in the missives .

Thankfully , the contract and its clauses were identical to the one he’d gotten through a missive , making things easy . The contract simply said Zac could not divulge anything he learned inside the recruitment station for the next five years . In return , he’d be able to get some nominal resources that wouldn’t amount to much for anyone beyond Early E-grade .

The remuneration was just there to make it a binding contract in the eyes of the System , where a quid-pro-quo was demanded . The real payout would come from the actual beast tide rather than this particular contract . And while the reward wasn’t very impressive , the counter-party to the contract was .

The Starfall Monarch .

The Starfall Monarch , or Keon Dakess as was his real name , was one of the most powerful Templars of the Void Gate . Altogether , it was estimated the Void Gate had just over ten Monarchs , with the Void Priestess being by far the strongest one . The others were nothing to scoff at , and the few who made an appearance in the outer world had performed impressive feats that left a lasting mark .

And since Keon Dakess was the other party to the contract , it meant he was probably somewhere inside the enormous recruitment station—it was no wonder everyone was on their best behavior . Unfortunately , there wasn’t much else to be gleaned from the contract . It didn’t have any other clauses except the non-disclosure agreement , and the only hints of what was going on were listed on large plaques between the entrances .

Essentially , they were recruiting everyone from Middle E-grade and up , including supportive non-combat classes . The recruits would be able to choose missions based on the Void Gate’s estimate of enemies , timeframe , and danger . However , the Void Gate took no responsibility in cases the challenge would prove harder than expected .

Their only accommodation was the promise that all units and all missions would consist of at least half their own people , which hopefully meant they weren’t planning on using the outsiders as cannon fodder in some sort of human wave tactics against the tide .

Since nothing was out of place , Zac signed the contract and picked up the goodie bag with the resources provided . However , he immediately dropped it off at another table as he headed farther inside , just like most of the warriors above High E-grade did . Zac didn’t think the items had been tampered with , but he simply did not need the items .

A small sign said that all resources returned would be provided to young cultivators who studied at the Void Gate’s public schools throughout the area . Zac had already heard of those places before . They were simple schools that taught anyone willing to listen to the basics of cultivation . They also had things like gathering arrays and gravity arrays to help set a foundation .

Not only that , but all students who visited would be provided food and a small stipend , which was a big attraction to the less fortunate . Therefore , these schools almost acted as orphanages for children who were down on their luck for one reason or another .

Part of the motive behind these establishments was simply to help the less fortunate , but there was a practical reason behind it as well . It was a cheap method to look for diamonds in the rough , and the Void Gate often recruited from these public schools . Secondly , it was to breed positive Karma .

Karma was elusive and intangible , but it was an absolutely real concept in the Multiverse . And even if you didn’t believe the universe would reward you for good deeds , there was still the System to consider . With the Void Gate helping it with its prime directive—raising warriors—the System would help out in various ways in return .

It could be things like the talents getting more attention and better quests , Mystic Realms finding their way to their domains , to lessening the severity of the manmade tribulations the System liked to launch at established factions . Thus , these kinds of schools were quite widespread in the Multiverse . A small fraction of the students got recruited by a proper faction , while most learned the skills to get a job .

The final group became Wandering Cultivators , unwilling to give up on their path for a more mundane life . In a sense , they chose to go against fate just like a Defier . Many of these Wandering Cultivators might have the basic foundations to be defined as a cultivator by the System—but so what? Most cultivators didn’t make it past the F-grade , especially not those without any connections or opportunities .

Seeing the table and the large piles of offerings left by the Wandering Cultivators , many of whom had attended the very schools they now donated to , Zac was filled with an indescribable emotion . The struggle and irreconciliation that the table represented resonated with Zac to his very core . However , he didn’t get the chance to see if this feeling would lead to something more as someone stepped in between him and the donations .

Is there something amiss? -

27

TASKS

Zac was startled awake from his almost trance-like state , surprised to find a diminutive nun standing in front of him with a scowl on her face . She was mostly human , but just like Gaun , she seemed to have some sort of alien blood in her heritage , with small ridges forming on her head where a demon would have grown horns .

However , her skin was without the scale-like pattern of demons and her hands and feet looked human . All in all , she reminded Zac of Zakarith a bit with her short stature and large eyes , though the little merchant demoness back on Port Atwood would never dare look at him with such a fierce expression . Then again , Zakarith wasn’t a Peak E-grade cultivator like this nun .

I’m sorry , miss? - Zac asked hesitantly .

Is there something wrong? You have been eyeing the donations for a while now , - the nun said , and there was no mistaking what she was insinuating from her tone .

Do I look that bad off? - Zac wryly smiled , showcasing the slightly oversized canines of his newly acquired orcish heritage .

Then what were you doing? - she said with suspicion .

I was just thinking back to those days , - Zac lied since he honestly didn’t quite know himself why he’d stopped .

He felt he had touched upon some sort of inspiration or understanding , but it had already slipped through his fingers . However , it was an important reminder that the Dao was everywhere—it wasn’t only discovered in the heat of battle . The Dao wasn’t just a tool of war , it was everything . The more he experienced the more he would get in contact with it .

Time is truly unrelenting . In the blink of an eye , centuries have passed and new generations are standing where I once stood , - Zac continued with a sigh since the nun’s scowl hadn’t eased up . - The cycle continues . -

A—I see , - the nun said , looking a bit embarrassed . - I thought—nevermind . -

I doubt you’d see any Wandering Cultivators steal from the hands of those children , - Zac said as he pointedly looked at the small pile of Cosmos Sacks that had been placed on the table next to the gift bags . - No one understands the need and the desire better than us . Hopefully , one day a child will truly break the fetters of fate , proving our path is not a lie . -

Thank you for your guidance , - the young nun said with a small bow , her expression softening . - This is the first time I’ve gone outside since . . . I appreciate the viewpoint . Please , come inside . -

Zac nodded slightly before walking toward the shimmering barrier that ran right behind the gate . Being an official member of the Void Gate , she could be considered an elite of the younger generation of Zecia , even if she wasn’t at the level of the peak talents . She’d probably heard all kinds of things about Wandering Cultivators since growing up , and it was no surprise she was suspicious . Thankfully , she wasn’t some sort of overbearing elitist who refused to back down . It would have been pretty annoying to make an enemy the moment he arrived .

The surroundings twisted as Zac stepped through the shrouding array , and he found himself on a massive street that was at least a hundred meters wide . There was a constant stream of cultivators entering to his left and right , tens of thousands of warriors who all would be considered top experts back on Earth . Judging by the crowds outside , this scene would probably continue for over a day , where the number of mercenaries in this batch alone would be counted in the hundreds of thousands .

On the opposite side of the street waited a series of newly built restaurants , hotels , and training squares . There were even a couple of bars , where Zac could hear the occasional raucous laughter .

Never seen a recruitment station like this , - Zac muttered .

The Void Gate will not force anyone willing to help us out to take certain tasks . Therefore , it takes some time to gather enough people for some missions , - the nun who’d led him inside explained . - With the need for secrecy , all outsiders will have to stay within this area before we take you into the Void Gate’s domain . -

Zac finally understood why he had to wait five days to enter this place . It was probably at capacity due to manning a previous batch of missions .

Earlier was my mistake , so don’t hesitate to ask me anything , - the nun said . - What level and type of mission are you planning on joining? -

Before I answer , can I ask something? - Zac countered , getting an earnest nod in return . - Apart from the mission rewards , will we be allowed to keep the beasts and their materials for ourselves? -

You want the beast carcasses? They’re not very—ahem , yes . You can keep them . Usually , - the nun nodded . - If you kill or capture it , then it’s yours . For the things you don’t need yourself , you can sell them at resource depots . I should tell you though , most of the beasts we’re dealing with are not worth a lot .

Even if you fill your Cosmic Bags to the brim , their value will be far worse than the compensation of the Void Gate . However , there are a few species that are considered strategic resources of ours . Taking them or their bodies out of our domain is disallowed .

In return , we will pay very well in case you encounter these rare beasts , - the nun continued as she took out a small tome . - Their features are in this booklet , make sure you memorize them . This version has more detailed descriptions and images compared to the ones you can pick up at the mission hub—a small apology for casting aspersions . -

Thank you , - Zac smiled . - So some of the species have bounties apart from the missions? -

You could say so , - the nun nodded . - While most animals are barely serviceable for sustenance , capturing a few of these valuable specimens can be far more lucrative than completing a difficult mission . -

That’s amazing , - Zac whistled , but he looked at the nun suspiciously . - Then I guess they’re dangerous? -

All of them have pure bloodlines , - the nun said . - However , the real reason for their high bounty is their scarcity . -

Zac nodded before turning his attention toward the small book . Each page only had a couple of illustrations , but each image contained a book’s worth of information when infusing his Mental Energy into them . For example , a simple image of a flower contained the details of a whole family of herbs , thousands of them neatly arranged in an easy-to-search manner .

It was essentially an encyclopedia on the local flora and fauna , a pretty nifty gift to get right off the bat .

It didn’t take him long to find detailed descriptions of both Ferric Worldeaters] and Ferric Voidwyrms] , the larvae-stage of the species . Seeing the vivid images and detailed descriptions , it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders—there really were Worldeaters inside the Void Gate .

According to the missive , the Voidwyrms were between two to ten meters large and up to a Peak E-grade . Becoming a Beast King turned them into Worldeaters , where the smallest specimen would reach one hundred meters . Luckily , Zac had already prepared a Beast Pouch that would be able to fit a beast up to a thousand meters . Any larger than that would be an issue . Of course , Worldeaters exceeding a mile in length would also be too powerful for him to deal with , so it was a moot point .

As for their affinities , they normally had insights into gravity . However , a few of them actually managed to grasp the Dao of Space , and it was obviously one of these rare talents that he needed to get if he wanted to get the best Cosmic Vessel possible . Unfortunately , spatial Worldeaters were considered a strategic resource with a sizeable bounty .

Zac wouldn’t be surprised if the Void Gate wanted them for the same reason as he—as core components for spatial arrays . He would have to look into the possibility of smuggling one out later . If it was impossible , he would have to settle for a normal one . For now , it was great news getting confirmation on his target . However , the more Zac read in the missive , the weirder he felt the situation .

There are a lot of wild herbs and other materials with bounties here as well , but where would we even run into wild herbs? - Zac frowned . - Are we not fighting close to any settlements? Just where is this beast tide located? -

Beast Tides were only called as such when a horde of monsters set their gazes on a city , either due to some powerful alpha or as a tribulation sent by the System . In other words , a beat tide was a siege , where you whittled down the innumerable monsters through using ranged attacks or raiding their lines .

In such a situation , there obviously wouldn’t be any opportunities to pick spiritual herbs—those only grew deep in the wilderness or inside wild Mystic Realms . Even if you pushed the tide back , you’d only find the cultivated surroundings of the cities . As such , the bounties in the encyclopedia read more like a hunt or exploratory trip into an unclaimed Mystic Realm .

But if that was the case , where the Void Gate needed people to explore some recently-discovered subdimension , there was no need to lie . Mystic Realms popped up left and right , especially so in the past decade , according to Calrin . Something about the spatial turbulence of the invaders made all kinds of hidden realms appear .

I cannot divulge the details , but the Void Gate essentially controls an unusual number of Mystic Realms . Due to some unforeseen events , these Mystic Realms are now being invaded , meaning we are fighting on hundreds of battlefronts in very varied situations , - the nun sighed .

Mystic Realms can be invaded? How could a bunch of beasts sneak inside if you control the entrances? - Zac asked with a raised brow , not even needing to feign ignorance .

It’s complicated . You will find more details as you peruse the recruitment stations inside , - the nun said with a small bow . - However , I recommend you not overthink some things—the Void Gate values their secrets . -

Alright , thank you , young miss , - Zac nodded . - This booklet might be a lifesaver . -

It’s nothing , - the nun smiled . - I am Vai Salas . You can ask for me at the administrative building if you need assistance . Of course , I’m setting out on a mission soon as well . -

Thank you , - Zac nodded . - I’m Gaun Sorom . -

With that , Zac blended with the stream of mercenaries , following the signs past the rows of restaurants and temporary residences , until he reached a square with twenty-five rows of hovering signs , each one somewhat resembling the System’s Quest Screens . Close by , a Templar was handing out booklets that looked a lot like the one he just got , and Zac picked one up before he curiously walked over to check the closest screen .

Task #208]

Rebuff horde of Ka’Sotrov Shades . Task includes performing a sweep for hidden nests .

Estimated Duration : 5 months .

Mission Level : High E-grade .

Danger : High .

Reward : 1 , 000 – 10 , 000 E-grade Nexus Coins dependent on the state of facilities and personal contribution .

Prioritized Recruitment : Mentalists , Geomancers

Localized Rare materials : Ka’Sotrov Godstone , Lunar Creeproots , Fekrian Jade , Fluatide .

Slots : 408/1 , 250]

Following that was a description of the shades , including their appearance and common skills . The Ka’Sotrov Shades were one of the intangible beasts mentioned in Calrin’s missives , and just like the Sky Gnome had guessed , they weren’t undead . They were special rocks that utilized some sort of spiritual projections sounding like the ultimate version of Thousand Lights Avatar] .

Zac wouldn’t be surprised if they one day managed to transform into beings akin to Ubo back in the Orom World . For now , they were a highly aggressive pest who moved by having their spectral projections carry their physical bodies around until they found fertile soil . At that point , they hid their true bodies deep underground , where they started siphoning off the energy from the surroundings .

Meanwhile , their projections killed and destroyed everything that competed with them for resources . Having appeared in a Mystic Realm used as a garden for herbs , they had become a calamity that threatened to destroy a yield of high-value crops .

Excuse me , how do you define high risk? - Zac asked the Templar handing out booklets .

30% casualty rate for warriors at the mission level . The details are listed in the brochure you’re holding , - the Templar said .

Thank you , - Zac said , walking away .

Zac browsed the screen as he scanned his two booklets . The second one he just picked up lacked a lot of detail on all the species in the Void Gate . It mostly focused on the strategic resources , and Zac guessed most mercenaries would simply have to take anything else they picked up to a store to get them valued .

The public booklet did however contain a lot of general information geared at outsiders , including the risk assessment . Just like the Templar said , High Danger meant a 30% casualty rate , where casualty was defined as losing combat ability for over three years . Simply put , death or grievous wounds .

Furthermore , that estimate was based on their average Templar strength . Wandering Cultivators , whose equipment was worse and whose heritage was incomplete , probably ran an even higher risk in these missions . Apart from high danger missions , there were low , moderate , and extreme danger . Finally , there was a separate set of safe missions with an expected casualty rate of 0% .

Looking around the square , it quickly became apparent that safe missions were exclusively non-combat tasks—it was mostly grunt-work , to be honest . There were things like extracting as many minerals as possible from a mine before the enemy beasts arrived , or assisting the local smithies in the massive foundries .

None of the quests were actually for craftsmen though , and Zac guessed the Void Gate either hired them through other channels or had enough skilled workers on their own .

The pay for those missions was just 1% of the generous sum the hard missions provided , and the odds of finding one of the bounty materials were apparently very low . Conversely—the few impossible tasks could pay out almost half a D-grade Nexus Coin for three months of work for a Half-Step D-grade Hegemon .

That was extremely generous judging by the discussions among the other Wandering Cultivators , especially considering you’d make decent money from Beast Cores and harvesting other items . Seeing the excitement on their faces , Zac realized he likely overpaid Gaun . The Wandering Cultivator would probably have been happy with a tenth of what he was offered considering these rewards .

However , you could repeatedly earn money in this place—nothing was stopping you from taking multiple quests in a row provided you survived . Some had long since completed their first , and sometimes even second , task . Some were recuperating in the superior facilities of the Void Gate , while others had already set out again .

Of course , quite a few had already fallen in search of wealth . An extreme danger mission had a lethality rate surpassing 50% , so only those with nothing to lose would take on a mission like that . Unfortunately , you couldn’t just keep it safe and take on missions of lower grades . Some Hegemons might be tempted to take a bunch of E-grade extermination quests to earn money quickly and easily , but the Void Gate had put a stop to that .

The reason was clear just by looking around—the Void Gate lacked people for the higher-grade missions . Zac saw how one cultivator after another infused a wisp of energy into the lower-grade tasks , prompting the slots to rapidly fill up . Meanwhile , the only ones who read the D-grade missions seemed to be curious onlookers .

Even after walking around for over an hour , Zac only saw one Hegemon come over and choose a quest—and it was a low danger mission . The only exception to the rule was where higher-grade cultivators could join low-grade missions that had failed to fill its slot in a certain amount of time . However , if not even the lower-grade cultivators wanted the quest , it was probably one of the worse ones .

Conversely , anyone could sign up for a mission up to one grade above their own , which meant Zac could choose an Early D-grade quest if he wanted . That was perfect for him since he wanted to hunt an Early D-grade Beast King . It was probably added to provide the elites with a greater challenge , and to fill up the D-grade missions faster with the help of large numbers of Half-Step cultivators .

Soon enough , Zac found not one but two missions with good potential . The first was task #385 , a Half-Step mission with a medium danger assessment . It was a proper beast tide mission where you needed to protect a settlement for a minimum of 3 months . Included in the list of beasts were the Voidwyrms , and the quest mentioned there were multiple Beast Kings in the tide .

The second quest was task #1 , 032 , a high danger Early D-grade quest . The group was tasked to guard a group of nun acolytes who needed to investigate a spatial anomaly that attracted beasts . Zac guessed it was some sort of treasure that had attracted a beast tide .

Just like the other task , Voidwyrms were mentioned , and with it being a proper D-grade mission with a higher danger assessment , the odds of running into proper Worldeaters were a lot higher . However , while task #385 called for over 5 , 000 cultivators , task #1 , 032 needed only 50 . Not only that , but it specifically noted it would test the strength of every Half-Step cultivator who applied .

Zac had only seen that kind of comment on a handful of missions , and all of them seemed like tasks of strategic importance which couldn’t fail . The odds of getting exposed in such a small unit were a lot higher , not to mention the risk of true danger . After all , if Beast Kings could appear in Half-Step missions , then Middle-stage Beast Kings might appear in task #1 , 032 .

There would be squad captains present to deal with that kind of threat , but wars were always unpredictable . Zac was confident in dealing with most Early Beast Kings by now , but the Middle-Stage was another thing altogether . They’d properly benefited from the huge boost of attributes a higher grade provided , and their energy reserves were reportedly five to ten times that of an early-stage beast .

Furthermore , the simple fact the beasts had progressed to Middle D-grade meant their bloodline was out of the norm—just like with cultivators , more than 99% of beasts were forever stuck at the start of the grade , their cores unable to progress . Thus , their combat ability would be higher than the average beasts as well , and Zac wasn’t confident he’d be able to deal with these kinds of things even if he unleashed an Annihilation Sphere .

Even then , Zac hesitated only for a couple of minutes before picking task #1 , 032 , becoming the 37th member to apply . No matter if it was for the search of Ogras in the Million Gates Territory , the Sector-wide war , or Zac’s plans beyond , he would need the best vessel he could get his hands on .

It was time to go big or go home .

28

EXAMINATION

Having infused a wisp of his aura into the task screen , Zac walked over to a nearby kiosk manned by an acolyte . It was the location where you picked up a mission token so the captains could contact you when it was time to go .

Task #1 , 032? High danger D-grade mission? - the acolyte said when Zac infused his aura into a tablet , glancing at Zac with some surprise .

That’s right , - Zac nodded with a terse expression .

Understood , - the acolyte said , his expression becoming slightly more respectful . - Name , affiliation , and origin? -

Gaun Sorom , unaffiliated , Tumbling Sky Cluster . -

The acolyte jotted the details down before handing Zac a token . - The tests to join special missions are held inside the administrative building . If you haven’t completed them within 24 hours , your reservation will be annulled and you will lose the chance to take on any other missions . -

What about the contract? - Zac asked .

It will be presented to you after passing the test , - the acolyte explained .

Alright , thank you , - Zac nodded before he fastened the token to his belt and walked away .

His face had stayed impassive throughout the exchange , but his heart had started beating a bit quicker after being asked his name . He’d stayed close by to observe other cultivators picking up tokens , but the acolytes hadn’t inquired about their identities . It looked like his strength wasn’t the only thing that would be investigated when taking on these special missions .

His preparations would be put to the test even earlier than expected .

Even then , Zac didn’t rush toward the administrative building in hopes of getting accepted before they found out more . If anything , he wanted to wait a bit to give the Void Gate a chance to investigate . If it worked out , then great . If not , he would have to go back to plan B—to shed his disguise and come forward as Zachary Atwood , the Deviant Asura , and ask for Leyara .

Honestly , he wanted to avoid that if possible .

It wasn’t just a matter of avoiding being targeted by assassins aiming the Tsarun Clans’ bounty either . With the knowledge of the invaders becoming more widespread , a couple of troubling rumors had started to flourish—where some people believed he was responsible for the upcoming war .

They believed his summoning of the Stele of Conflict set into motion a series of events that led to the invaders appearing , and that he was the focal point of this war . And if the war was a tribulation the System had set up for the Deviant Asura , then killing him might cancel the invasion before it started .

Zac wondered the same thing since Catheya mentioned Zecia had been put on lockdown , but he ultimately chose to not carry the burden of the invasion . This was clearly the System wanting to create some chaos in the hopes powerful warriors would be forged in the heat of battle . It had done things like this since the day it was created , following its core protocols of expansion and empowerment .

To think a single F-grade cultivator was the cause of a massive event like this was laughable . He might have been some sort of catalyst , but the System would no doubt have found a pretext to stir up a war one way or another , even if he hadn’t conjured the Stele of Conflict . Neither did he believe this war was designed as some sort of challenge tailored to him—the System didn’t need to cause such a massive event for that .

By meddling with fate , it could drag him into some other conflict while pushing him in the direction of the next set of Remnants , or setting the Atwood Empire on a collision course with another local faction .

Thankfully , it seemed like most people had come to the same conclusion—that this was just a tribulation conjured by the System , aimed at a Sector that had seen relative peace for almost a million years . However , that seed of doubt could prove lethal . For example , what if the Starfall Monarch felt that killing him had a 1% chance of averting a war that would reap trillions of lives?

Wasn’t it worth killing him , just in case?

At best , the Starfall Monarch would become the hero who saved Zecia . At worst , he’d kill a random E-grade cultivator with no affiliation to the Void Gate . If Zac was presented with that kind of scenario , to kill one random stranger to potentially save Earth , he honestly wasn’t sure what he’d do . And neither was it something Leyara Lioress would be able to stop in case things went south .

Unless his back was pressed against the wall , he’d try to stay under the radar until he wasn’t completely helpless in the face of Monarchs . For now , Zac walked the recruitment station with a solemn but unworried demeanor , occasionally striking up short conversations with other Wandering Cultivators to exchange snippets of information .

In reality , his senses were on full alert , and he was ready to activate the Flashfire Flourish] hidden within his robes at a moment’s notice .

Nothing untoward happened after an hour passed , and Zac continued to another section of the station . It was a square even larger than the one holding the missions , but there were no hovering screens .

Instead , there were thousands of makeshift stalls set up , and the sound of thousands of Wandering Cultivators haggling for dear life was almost deafening .

Two Frigid Core Tempering Pills] for sale! They are Low-quality , but they were concocted by Ya’vo Haosar of Salsoar Two , so they are low in pill toxicity! The seal is intact for anyone to inspect! - an Early Hegemon shouted , sounding like a random hawker . - I only trade for Earth-aspected Core Tempering pills or Natural Treasures of a similar grade! -

Core Tempering pills were one of the most basic pills used to nurture a Cosmic Core . They were essentially the race-boosting pills of the D-grade , except just pills weren’t enough to make a core stronger . Since the pill was given a Frigid prefix , Zac guessed the Alchemist had added some sort of cold-attributed herbs to the recipe .

Doing so required a certain amount of skill , considering adding a single ingredient could cause a chain reaction during the concoction process , ruining the medicinal efficacy altogether . As for the seals , they were essentially a stamp of authenticity that contained a bit of the Alchemist’s aura , which was quite popular with higher-grade pills .

Still , Zac wasn’t interested in some basic Core Tempering pills . He had whole chests full of higher-quality wares in the Spatial Rings he left back home . The same was true for most things the cultivators were trying to pawn off , but one particular stall caught Zac’s attention .

What’s this? - Zac asked curiously , even though he had a pretty good idea .

Good eye! - the brutish-looking warrior who ran the stall said . - It’s a core of a unique beast inside the Void Gate—a Celestial Skybeast . -

A Celestial Skybeast? - Zac whistled . - Never heard of it . More importantly , you’ve completed a mission? And you can just sell the wares like this? -

Of course! - the man nodded . - The Celestial Skybeasts are rare and powerful creatures , but their cores aren’t a restricted material . Most people sold their materials to the depots for a pretty penny , but I wanted to take mine back to benefit my fellow brothers . -

Zac nodded in enthusiastic agreement , though he inwardly sneered . What Celestial Skybeast? This was obviously the core of a Half-Step Void Beast , an item most likely worthless to anyone but him . The Resource Depots of the Void Gate probably weren’t willing to pay much for something that contained such chaotic energies , so the man was hoping to scam someone by making use of the fact Void Beasts were so rare .

What does it do? - Zac asked , deciding to play along . - If it’s just another Beast Core . . . -

Not at all , - the man hurriedly said before leaning over with a hushed tone . - Just sense the energy within . Odd , right? Unlike anything else you’ve seen before , no? Don’t you find it weird that these unique beasts appear in the Void Gate and nowhere else , while all the Templars have bodies seemingly forged from steel? -

You think it can temper bodies? - Zac muttered . - Impossible . -

Nothing’s impossible in this world , - the man said . - I know it sounds crazy to cultivate using the chaotic energies of a Beast Core , but there is something different about the Celestial Skybeasts . You can’t tell now since the Templars are just standing around , but when you join the missions , you’ll understand the truth of my words . -

Zac pretended to be slightly moved as he inspected the Void Core a bit closer , inwardly applauding the man’s performance . He was a warrior judging by his aura , but he would be able to give Calrin a run for his money . Obviously , Zac didn’t believe his words . The only chance of the Templars using these cores was if they all had a similar constitution as himself .

However , he didn’t get that sense at all from the Void Gate warriors in the area , and neither were there any hints of that kind of bloodline or constitution in any missive . From the looks of it , the - void’ in Void Gate rather referred to space , compared to whatever weird anti-Dao he and the Void Beasts were instilled with .

The only reason he didn’t completely discard the warrior’s ramblings was the connection between the Void Priestess and the Limitless Empire . There was actually a very slim chance the man had inadvertently caught onto a huge secret when concocting this sales pitch . Honestly , it didn’t matter . For now , Zac just wanted to buy the core .

This , I don’t know , - Zac hesitated . - It might be true , but a treasure is worthless if you don’t have the method to use it . -

Alas , that is true , - the warrior nodded . - But you can always submerge it into a common herbal vat and let its energies slowly enter your body . The effect would be worse than using the method of the Templars , but— -

And poison myself while you run off with the money? - Zac interrupted with a snort . - However , I am willing to buy it for study , how about 100 E-grade Nexus Coins? That’s already a lot better than an average Beast Core . -

How can you compare this unique treasure with those useless baubles! - the man almost roared , his face turning red with indignation .

Just calling it as I see it , - Zac shrugged .

Even an Elemental Core will bring in over 300 coins! - the warrior said . - This thing is a unique marvel of the Sector , with only a few being allowed outside of the Void Gate . 2 , 000 coins , and not a single one less . -

Zac rolled his eyes and turned to leave .

Alright , alright , - the warrior urged . - Since we’re kindred spirits , and I can tell you’re on the precipice of breaking through , I will sell this at a loss . 1 , 500 E-grade Nexus Coins . -

Like this , a similar scene to the other stalls appeared , where Zac and the warrior almost came to blows as they shouted their offers . Eventually , they settled at 580 E-grade Nexus Coins , and as Zac walked away , he believed they both felt they’d tricked the other party . The warrior had probably gotten an explanation at the supply depot , that Void Cores were essentially useless , and anything he got for it would be a victory .

Still , Zac was extremely happy with the purchase , considering 580 E-grade Nexus Coins was nothing to him . The core only contained a fraction of the energy trapped inside the weird organ Zac bought at the Twilight Harbor Auction , but it was still the best item available to quickly restore his Void Energy in a pinch .

As Zac walked the stalls , he found and purchased another three Void Cores , proving the first one wasn’t a coincidence . After surreptitiously asking , it became clear that only two of the sellers had taken part in the same mission . In other words , Void Beasts were appearing at multiple spots inside the Void Gate .

Was there really some sort of connection , or was it an inevitability when you controlled as many Mystic Realms as Vai Salas implied? Was the beast tide led by Void Beasts? No , that couldn’t be right—no matter if you looked at the mission descriptions or the materials for sale , there couldn’t be too many Void Beasts .

Furthermore , it didn’t mesh with what he’d learned about these weird creatures . After the events inside the research base , he’d made some inquiries . Void Beasts weren’t nearly as common as one might think . They didn’t pop up around normal Mystic Realms , and they couldn’t be found inside chaotic places like the Million Gates Territory .

The best working theory Zac found was that there were layers to the Void . Normally , people would only enter the surface of the Void when teleporting , and it was at the surface layers where most Mystic Realms could be found . Meanwhile , Void Beasts possibly lived deeper , only emerging when searching for beings to feed on .

It made sense . Zac wouldn’t be surprised if his mother’s family had the capabilities to hide their facilities even deeper inside the Void , pushing it to a layer one normally wouldn’t reach .

Apart from the Void Cores , there wasn’t anything that piqued Zac’s interest . Even then , he stayed on for an hour , browsing the wares and making a couple of purchases with pretend excitement in case someone was spying on him . A gathering of this many Wandering Cultivators was a rare chance to trade without auction houses or consortiums taking a large cut , so a lot of people took the opportunity to unload their wares or shop at a discount .