Defiance of the Fall

I got it , - Vai said with a wide smile , her hesitance over pilfering the treasures of the Mystic Realm long forgotten .

I think we need to leave this whole region if we want to find more of them . Do you want to— - Zac froze as he turned his gaze toward the endless expanse .

A vortex is about to open! - Vai exclaimed with a mix of elation and fear . - We need to get away from the opening! -

The vortex in this instance was a recurring weakness in the spatial barriers of this realm , and why the Ramsi Wall was considered a cultivation haven . For some reason , it always released a meteor shower packed with Spatial Energies . It was the reason the camelia could grow in this place at all , and the dense energies essentially turned the whole realm into something greater than a Peak-quality cultivation chamber for a while .

However , that burst of ambient energy also came with a melee between native beasts as they fought for the falling debris . Even powerful Beast Kings would come out from their caves—Zac and Vai needed to be gone before that . Luckily , they hadn’t forgotten their main purpose , and they’d continuously moved toward the next waystation following markings that had been left behind on the wall .

It still took them half a day to reach the tunnel , and Zac finally breathed out when they were safe behind the barrier . By this point , the vortex had almost completely formed and covered half the sky . The majestic scene took his breath away even after having seen marvels like the Twilight Ascent and the Void Star .

It’s starting , - Zac said .

Could we stay and watch for a little while? - Vai asked with puppy-like eyes . - It might be risky to open the gates right now in either case , and these waystations should have special cultivation chambers . We should be able— -

Sure , - Zac smiled . - I’m curious what a rare opportunity of the Void Gate looks like . -

51

RAMSI WALL

The event was about to start . There was no time to waste , so they hurried into a side tunnel Zac had never seen in other waystations . Zac could feel how the rock around them was infused with a mix of unique materials and arrays which both gave off an odd pressure—no doubt a measure to keep any tunneling beasts away . There was a line of reinforced doors , and Zac simply picked the closest one as it looked the fanciest .

Only Core Disciples can use those . . . - Vai hesitated , but she dropped the subject as Zac walked inside .

The cave was completely exposed to the outside , which allowed them to get a full sense of the marvelous scene in the sky . Zac had never witnessed anything like the emerging swirl . It wasn’t really a gate or a breach , it didn’t show anything from the dimension on the other side . Instead , it looked like millions of crystals had been dragged together and turned into a miniature model of a galaxy .

Of course , even if it was a miniature , it covered half the sky , and Zac guessed it was hundreds of miles across . It still hadn’t completely stabilized , though it was already exuding shocking amounts of energy and Dao . Most of it was space-related and thus not very useful to Zac , but Spiritual Void] was happily gobbling up huge chunks of energy .

The beasts that made the Ramsi Wall their home had already come out in full force , and a glance out the side showed the cliffside was completely covered with E-grade beasts . Meanwhile , thousands of Beast Kings were floating in the sky . Even then , there was an almost eerie silence , as not a single roar was heard .

It was a bit nerve-wracking to see one beast after another emerge all around them . But apart from the beast-repelling measures , the caves were also hidden by extremely potent illusion arrays . They hadn’t seen any of these caves on the way into the waystation , and none of the beasts appeared interested in getting close to their area . Thanks to this , they could enjoy the opportunity uninterrupted and with a perfect view .

This was the advantage of Core Disciples . The repelling measures were strongest in the middle , while the view of some of the caves was probably blocked by the massive Beast Kings in the sky .

No meteorite had been spat out from the anomaly so far , but Zac guessed it wasn’t far away . Something was building to a crescendo . At first , Zac mostly joined Vai out of curiosity , but the more he looked , the more he felt there was something about the still-growing swirl in the sky that called to him . It contained some sort of truth that resonated with him , but he couldn’t quite figure it out .

Hey , give me one of those flowers , - Zac suddenly said .

You want to gain a Spatial Dao? - Vai asked with confusion .

No , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - But I feel I can still gain something for my path from this place . -

Vai nodded and took out a jar for Zac , and after some hesitation , she took out another one for herself .

Just let the bud melt in your mouth like a candy , - Vai said as she plucked the pit and sat down .

Zac followed suit , and a mysterious energy soon spread through his body , traveling along the spiritual pathways he’d created with Thousand Lights Avatar] . Every moment , he felt himself growing closer to the mysteries of the cosmos , like he and the swirl in the sky were one and the same . Vai’s eyes had completely glazed over as she looked at the vortex with rapt attention . They sat in silence as the sky opened itself like a flower .

For five minutes , nothing changed except for the building anticipation that was only fanned on by the Stargazer Camelia] . But finally , with a ripple in the heart of the vortex , the first meteor broke into the Mystic Realm . It was like a radiant beacon of pure unadulterated space , and its splendor was only amplified by the shimmering backdrop of the vortex .

After the first , others followed , and soon thousands of shimmering meteorites made their way toward the Ramsi Wall . Most contained various facets of space , yet some of stood out with their own insights . Who knew how long these fragments had traveled in the vast beyond , gradually being instilled with the underpinning truths of the Heavens .

Together , they formed a marvelous system unlike anything Zac had seen before .

Even if the scene wasn’t as overwhelming as the solemn supremacy of Ultom , Zac was still filled with inspiration . Since his last epiphany , he’d spent most of his brainpower trying to figure out the intricacies and practical details of the Void Vajra Sublimation] . Even now , he wasn’t sure how to actually train with his experimental method .

The problem wasn’t that the direction from back then was wrong , but rather that he lacked in foundations .

There was too much about his bloodline he didn’t understand—how it worked , what the concept of the Void encompassed . For example , he pictured his Heart Cultivation as an extension of Void Zone] , where his heart would be shielded from outside manipulations . But he had no idea how Void Zone] worked , apart from the fact it used Void Energy .

Without that understanding , how could he create a proper method? This was one of the main things he wanted to gain a better grasp on before finding the next piece of the seal . The next part of the seal might be able to provide him with the answers he lacked , though it just as likely might not . The stronger his foundations were , the greater the chance of success .

And now , he was finally making some progress . As the bud of the Stargazer Camelia] melted in his mouth , it felt like his body was becoming one with the cosmos . His body was no longer mundane bone and muscles—it had become the starstuff that made up the firmament itself . Gazing at the swirling vortex , it felt like he was looking at the mysterious vortices in his cells .

Except they moved in the opposite direction .

There was a lesson there , and it wasn’t the only one . The arms of the vortex followed mysterious laws as well—laws whose echoes he could see in the star system in his soul . It even felt like the falling meteors created a unique formation that was constantly changing and evolving . Life and Death . Time and Space . They might belong to different peaks and embody different truths , but ultimately , they were part of the same tapestry ; the Grand Dao .

But what about the Void?

Space and the Void . The Heavens and the Void . The Void was a mirror , an inversion . The Void between the layers of reality was bereft of actual spacetime , a bizarre expression of the absolute absence of the Dao of Space . In the same vein , the pure concept of Void , whose shadow one could see in the unique heritage of Ultom , was the absolute absence of the Heavens , of the Dao itself .

That was how Void Zone] worked—it was an inversion of the Dao , of the building blocks of reality itself . How could he make use of this concept? He could instinctively tell there was absolutely no way to cultivate a Dao of the Void , it would be a paradox . At the same time , it wasn’t just an intangible concept . His bloodline proved it was real .

The exact truth of the matter was too complex , too hard to grasp . They might very well be some of the unsolvable mysteries of the Universe . However , he did gradually gain an idea on how to swap out Boundlessness with Void in the Body Tempering Method . For now , he wouldn’t need to understand everything . He should be able to use Void Energy as a crutch until he reached a higher stage where he had a better understanding of the universe .

Zac had long forgotten about the passage of time , forgotten about where he was and why he was here . There was only the swirl and the Void inversion of the Sutras in his mind . But as the flickering meteors flew closer , so did Zac eventually return to reality , where he found Vai intently staring at him from a few meters away .

What’s wrong? - Zac asked with confusion .

I—ah , nothing , - Vai said with rosy cheeks . - It’s just , you emitted very interesting energy signatures just now . Did you have an epiphany? -

Something like that , - Zac smiled . - What about you? -

I did! - Vai said with undisguised excitement , her eyes almost sparkling like the falling meteorites . - After centuries of being at an impasse , I actually made progress with my Dao! It’s a miracle! -

It’s the reward that comes with taking risks , - Zac nodded .

You don’t understand , - Vai said with a shake of her head as she looked at Zac with an inscrutable expression . - My momentum was gone and my path of cultivation was essentially severed . My fate decided . Even if I got to witness this place , I shouldn’t have been able to take such a big step forward . But since meeting you , it almost seems like fate has become malleable and everything is in flux . I don’t understand how this is , I have never read of a phenomenon like this . -

I mean , this is the first time you’ve left your cloister in quite a while , right? - Zac said . - It might just be the change of scenery . -

If that was enough , we would have been sent to these places whether we liked it or not . If risking your life was enough , all these bottlenecked warriors wouldn’t be stuck for the rest of their lives , - Vai said with a shake of her head . - I tried everything back then . I risked my life more than once inside environments designed to force inspiration . Only after decades of failure did I finally give up and change direction to research . Everything has its place , an order in the cosmos . But something about you is breaking convention . -

Zac was about to refute Vai’s words , but he stopped himself . Was there some truth to what she said? There was more than one sign that his unique constitution allowed him to break convention , giving him a unique type of freedom in the Multiverse . Could his condition also affect those around him , reforging their fates?

Was something like that possible? Vai might simply be overestimating his importance to her breakthrough . Even with what she said , it was still a fact that she’d spent over a thousand years researching and shoring up her foundations . With the recent encounters , she might simply have managed to transform all that hard work into newfound momentum .

Well , the universe is full of mysteries , - Zac said . - If you think I’m helping your cultivation , then you can help me find some nice things in return . -

You . Always thinking of treasure , - Vai huffed , though her small smile never faltered .

The vortex eventually started to close , which was the starting signal for a gruesome melee on the outside . The meteorites had almost reached the wall by this point , and the beasts desperately fought each other to snatch them up .

Your people cultivate in this chaos? - Zac asked with a shake of his head .

Normally , the warriors would join in on the battle for those meteors . They’re covered in mysterious markings containing secrets of space , and they can be refined into top-quality Spatial Tools , - Vai explained . - But those people are all Hegemons who can fly and grapple with the beasts . -

Hm , - Zac hummed , but the gristly scene doused any desire to join the struggle for those stones .

There were hundreds of Beast Kings in just this Sector of the wall , and they fought tens of thousands of meters into the air . He couldn’t join in on the chaos without the ability to fly . Even if he risked it all with Earthstrider] , the reward wasn’t worth it .

Alright , let’s go , - Zac said , and they headed deeper into the waystation .

This base was just like the previous one—they had to walk over fifty miles through a tunnel until they finally reached the base proper . They were luckier than in the primal garden this time at least . There was a third waystation somewhere on the Ramsi Wall , but they didn’t need to find it , as the connected realm here led them closer to the seal .

Like that , another month passed as the duo delved deeper into the secret worlds of the Void Gate , where every day was a challenge . If it wasn’t the powerful Beast Kings that could pop up out of nowhere , it was the environment itself . One of the Mystic Realms contained such a bone-chilling cold , that layers of ice continuously appeared over their bodies .

Stopping for even a second would mean death , and they constantly had to expend massive amounts of Cosmic Energy to warm their bodies . If the Void Gate hadn’t had the foresight to stock the waystations with unique spare robes that provided excellent insulation , Zac wasn’t sure they would have survived the journey .

While there were risks , there were also rewards , and both Zac’s and Vai’s Spatial Rings soon held unique treasures that would no doubt cause some waves on the outside . They still hadn’t found anything at the level of a unique Supreme-quality treasure , but they were still extremely High-quality items with limitless demand and no supply .

For instance , Zac got his hands on a mysterious block of milky-white ice that exuded such cold , Zac almost lost his hands stowing it away . He was even forced to store it in a separate Spatial Ring since it spread that blistering cold in the subspace of the Spatial Treasure . It wasn’t useful for his cultivation , but he figured it could be turned into a weapon if need be—if he threw out that thing in the middle of a hostile army , only a wasteland with frozen corpses would remain after a few seconds .

There were other gains than treasures as well . Thanks to the constant battles against Peak E-grade beasts and Beast Kings , Zac had long since reached level 146 . He was even getting pretty close to breaking open his next node . Not only that , but he was making great progress on his Evolutionary Stance .

The simulated threats of the Orom Wilderness ultimately couldn’t compare to the real thing . Fighting with Beast Kings or swarms of powerful Peak E-grade beasts was completely different than fighting against Early E-grade monsters while limited to 1 , 000 attribute points . Back then , he’d known in the back of his mind he could fall back on his Void Energy if need be , which led to lower stakes .

Here , he was thrown into real life-and-death battles whether he liked it or not , and it was at this edge that real progress was made . He’d already caught up to his Inexorable Stance which inevitably had seen more practice in the Orom World , and fighting these powerful beasts kept bringing new insights .

The more he fought , the more he also felt he was getting closer to an important answer . It was all connected ; his Daos , his path , and his stances . The movements of his combat stances contained the essence of his Dao and his understanding—couldn’t that be the foundation for his Cosmic Core?

The Apostate of Order had codified everything in existence into the fractals you saw in every aspect of cultivation . Why couldn’t he do the same with his techniques? If he could form an - Evolutionary Pattern - and an - Inexorable Pattern - , and then interweave and fuse the two with his understanding of duality , wouldn’t that be a core perfectly suited for him?

The idea was still in an early stage , but he really felt it was a worthwhile avenue to pursue . For the next part of the seal , he wanted to perfect at least the first layers of his Void Vajra Sublimation] . The final two opportunities would be used to find a path to Hegemony , and his recent insights seemed like a good place to start .

Zac wasn’t the only one who made progress . After two weeks and a few more near-death-encounters , Vai formed her first Dao Branch . It was only one branch , but it was still an extremely impressive feat . She succeeded in what most bottlenecked cultivators could only dream of—rebooting their cultivation after having lost their momentum . She’d also formed a pure Spatial Dao Branch , a path known to be notoriously difficult to cultivate .

Even two weeks later she was completely giddy , and any final reservations of hers were completely gone . Since then , they were like locusts , snatching anything they could get their hands on without in turn getting themselves killed . Even Vivi was having a grand time feasting on all sorts of exotic animals . Zac was happy to see her so spirited—this was exactly what Heda hoped for the plant to experience .

And all the while , they got closer to the next piece of the puzzle . They’d just reached a submerged Mystic Realm , and the pulse he’d been welcomed with was almost as strong as the one he felt when they first broke into the Void Star .

Almost there .

52

TANGLE

The underwater world they found themselves in reminded Zac a bit of Twilight Ocean , with some poignant differences . For one , the water was actually water , rather than a fusion of Life and Death . Secondly , the place was extremely sinister , where at least a third of the plants and beasts had poisonous attributes .

Seeing as the realm was a solid Middle D-grade Mystic Realm , even Zac found it hard to deal with some of the toxins that appeared out of nowhere . Some rocks turned out to be venomous shellfish that spat bullets of poison . There were near-invisible strings in the waters from dangerous jellyfish . And all the while , predators roamed the ocean for targets to feast on .

Somewhat ironically , the dangerous environment also helped keep them safe . Both the venomous and normal beasts knew all-too-well how perilous this realm was . In a place where everything could contain deadly toxins , you stuck to feeding on what you knew was safe . Thanks to that , most of the beasts didn’t go out of their way to attack them , and only struck when they felt threatened .

Unfortunately , the plant life didn’t share this wariness . There was no surface in this realm , with the whole area enclosed in a rocky wall similar to a subterranean lake . With the high energy density , the edges were covered in all kinds of plants , some reaching hundreds of meters . For example , there was a vast swathe of extremely toxic seaweed that blocked their path on the second day of their travels .

The forest generated a deadly domain that stretched for tens of miles , and they were forced to delve deeper into the Mystic Realm rather than skirt around the edge as they usually did . And even discounting the plants and the beasts , dangers still lurked in the toxic sea . There were even pockets of poisoned waters seemingly without a source .

Zac was in a constant feverish state while his body worked overtime to deal with the toxins . But as bad as he had it , Vai had it far worse . If not for the various talismans and treasures Leyara had provided , she wouldn’t have survived a day . Even then , they were forced to occasionally stop and rest to deal with the toxic buildup .

Any thought of pilfering treasures like before had long since been discarded . Unique toxic plants had a steady demand on the outside , but it wasn’t worth it . The more valuable a toxin was , the likelier it was that harvesting it would get them killed . If anything , they wanted to stay clear of anything that looked unique or valuable .

Despite the challenges , they made decent progress through the realm . But on the fifth day , something changed . A deep and sustained rumble made the whole ocean shake , and some of the powerful currents were turned into enormous maelstroms .

A breach? - Zac asked as he looked around with a frown .

I can’t sense any energy fluctuations , - Vai hesitated . - It shouldn’t be—WHAT IS THAT! -

Zac’s head snapped around , and his hair stood on end when he saw what shocked Vai so badly . It was a chaotic and all-consuming dark-green wave of putrefaction coming toward them , drowning everything as it covered the whole horizon . Where it had come from , Zac had no idea , but it didn’t matter .

What mattered was what would happen if they were swallowed up , and he had the misfortune to see it firsthand . A silvery fish had been knocked back in the chaos as its shoal desperately tried to swim away . It was swallowed by the green cloud but it immediately shot out again . A single mistake sealed its fate , and the Peak E-grade beast started rotting at a speed visible to the naked eye .

Seeing the scene , Zac wordlessly grabbed Vai as he fled through the waters with all the speed he could muster . He even activated his Dao Field with Spiritual Void] to cut through the resistance , giving him a small advantage . It barely allowed them to outpace the calamity , and even then , Zac wasn’t happy .

The earthquake was gaining in power rather than waning , which made Zac wonder if they’d only seen the tip of the iceberg . Vai clearly understood the problem as well , and she did everything in her power to figure out a solution , from scanning various missives to observing the surroundings .

Unfortunately , their fears were soon realized as a second poison tide rose from the left , soon joining the first one .

This is bad! - Vai cried . - This calamity will drown the whole realm . -

There is no way we’ll reach the waystations in time . - Zac frowned as he looked around . - Do you have any ideas? -

I-I— -

Stay calm , - Zac said as he pushed a wave of Life-attuned Dao through her body to help clear her head .

That’s—There are so many beasts that live here . If this is a recurring event , there have to be safe spots , - Vai said . - Should we follow some of the fishes , perhaps? -

Good enough . - Zac prayed this was indeed a recurring tide rather than something brought by the recent instability of the Void Star .

Those there , - Vai said , pointing to a shoal . - I’ve seen their kind all over , yet they don’t seem very powerful . They move in a straight direction as well . -

Alright , - Zac nodded and changed course , following in the wake of the fleeing beasts .

The minutes passed , and it started to feel more and more likely these beasts understood something about what was going on . Not only were they making a beeline in a certain direction , after an hour , two more shoals had fused with the one they followed .

Look to our right , - Vai whispered , prompting Zac to glance over .

It wasn’t a third cloud—not yet , anyway . The whole field of view had started to darken , and Zac guessed it wouldn’t be long before they only had one safe path remaining . His eyes thoughtfully turned back to the fishes who desperately swam in the only safe direction .

What if— - Vai hesitated with worry .

If it comes to that , we’ll figure something out , - Zac muttered . - Worse comes to worst , we’ll force open a spatial rift and escape . That usually works . -

That’s impossible! A chaotic tear is not something you can just—Wait , what do you mean usually? -

Up ahead , - Zac said , ignoring her last comment .

Their worst fears , that they would be surrounded by the toxic clouds , were thankfully not realized . There was finally a change in their surroundings—a volcano , by the looks of it . Seeing it made Zac’s eyes light up . Was this how the fish dealt with the situation? Simply stay within the protective layer of the magma which burned the toxins before they reached the depths?

At least the other beasts seemed to think so . Zac saw one pack of beasts after another dive into the caldera . Soon , it was their turn to enter , but Zac and Vai didn’t heedlessly follow the beasts . And it was lucky they hadn’t , as a tragic scene unfolded below .

It wasn’t a volcano they’d stumbled onto , at least not one in the traditional sense . There was something molten-looking below , but it looked more like quicksilver than magma . Not only that , it emitted a weirdly ominous aura , something that was only reinforced by the thousands of unmoving bodies that bobbed across the surface .

They’d all been covered in the quicksilver , making them look like gilded statues rather than carcasses , so Zac and Vai had no way to see how the beasts had died . They couldn’t even sense what kind of energies the quicksilver contained , it was somehow shielded or isolated .

Have you heard of something like this before? - Zac frowned .

No , but I . . . I think it’s alive , - Vai said . - It’s not a mixture , it’s either a sentient pool or innumerable miniature creatures . -

What! - Zac blurted as he gave the pond a second look , just in time to see the shoal of silvery fish shoot into the quicksilver .

The area around them shimmered , and Zac sensed powerful Dao-fluctuations that made him think of the ocean and crashing waves . The insights didn’t seem very deep , but the field around the shoal was amplified by the thousands of fish . Zac looked on with interest , realizing they used their Dao to contend with whatever the quicksilver was . And it seemed to work—a depression around the Dao Field appeared as the beasts pushed into the depths .

Even then , a steady stream of silvery , unmoving fish reached the surface . The beasts were dying by the hundreds over the next minute until there was nothing . All in all , almost two-thirds of the beasts had perished , but that also meant a third survived . Seeing as there were no more gilded fish getting pushed to the surface , there should be a safe spot somewhere in the depths .

Alright , looks safe enough , - Zad nodded as he started to descend toward the shimmering surface .

Safe? Most of them died! - Vai cried , though she still followed close behind .

Are you ready? - Zac asked when they floated right above the surface . - Don’t let the liquid touch you . Be ready to take out that thing of yours if it breaks through . -

Vai nodded , and they unleashed their Dao Fields , with Zac even using Spiritual Void] to boost his even further . Unsurprisingly , the power of Zac’s three boosted Dao Branches far eclipsed Vai’s newly evolved Dao , though her control was clearly better . She was able to create a field no more than two meters across , while Zac’s stretched for over twenty since he was simply unable to condense it any further .

That way , she formed an inner layer of defense in case his was breached . And thankfully , it worked just like it did for the fishes—far better even . They sank farther and farther , maintaining a constant watch of their surroundings . It really looked like the liquid was alive . All around them , tendrils tried to push through the superimposed Dao Fields to get to them , yet they were continuously rebuffed .

The quicksilver tendrils that stayed inside too long lost their luster and fell apart , and not one came even close to reaching Vai’s inner domain . It looked like Dao Branches were enough to keep this thing at bay , allowing them to focus on finding a safe spot .

After two minutes , they discovered a tunnel leading farther into the depths , and a few dozen beasts stuck at the ceiling of the path proved they were moving in the right direction . Deeper and deeper they went , swimming under a trail of unmoving animals . Eventually , the path bent upward again . Soon after , the quicksilver turned into pristine waters , though the tunnel kept going for a while longer .

Both immediately extinguished their auras upon emerging . His Danger Sense told him in no uncertain terms something terrible waited at the end of the tunnel . Then again , one didn’t need a massive pool of Luck to sense the discordant yet immense aura from up ahead . It seemed quite dangerous , but even then , they continued .

Beasts would keep coming from behind , and the path was easily big enough to accommodate Beast Kings . This wasn’t a place they could stay , so they carefully inched their way toward the mouth of the exit until they saw what they were dealing with . A quick glance indicated there were no toxic clouds around , proving they’d made the right decision coming here .

Even then , Zac almost wished they hadn’t .

Zac wondered if this was any better as he took in the chaotic mix of beasts crammed together in a hidden underwater basin . Most of the innumerable beasts were E-grade , but there were well over a hundred monolithic Beast Kings squeezed together as well .

Herbivores and predators , weak and strong . All silently shared the limited space . Suddenly , a three-meter piranha snapped up a smaller eel next to it with a lightning-quick motion , swallowing it in two big gulps . The moment it struck , the dormant auras of the Beast Kings rose , and the closest one effortlessly impaled the piranha with its tongue .

A gulp later , the piranha was gone and silence returned to the basin . There was an unwritten rule of cohabitation here—the moment someone acted up , those Beast Kings put a stop to it . It looked pretty weird , but Zac had an idea of why . The ambient energy was incredibly sparse , no doubt a result of so many beasts being crammed together .

If beasts started to fight and cause a ruckus , the energy might run out before the danger outside had passed . After all , even if a Beast King entered hibernation , it still required some ambient energy to survive .

Zac didn’t know why the Beast Kings didn’t just kick out all the weaker ones that competed for the limited resources , though perhaps they had some long-term considerations . If the toxic clouds outside killed everything in the realm , and the Beast Kings ate the rest of them in here , then the Mystic Realm would eventually become a wasteland with only a few solitary leaders roaming the depths .

And so , the Beast Kings became the guarantors for survival . Of course , Zac wasn’t very confident humans would be afforded that kind of protection .

A powerful aura appeared below them , and both Zac and Vai pushed themselves against the tunnel wall as they sealed their Cosmic Energy . A moment later , an enormous snake pushed through the silvery liquid , its head alone reaching over twenty meters . It was clearly another Beast King , and even if Zac was confident in dealing with it , there was no way he could do so without alerting the swarm just outside .

Zac’s heart beat like a drum as the enormous head came closer . Suddenly , the beast stopped , and a massive tongue flicked in the water as it looked back and forth . Vai was pressed into the wall right next to him , and he could feel how she barely managed to stop herself from shaking . The snake stayed like that for a few seconds , seemingly looking for something , but it thankfully moved away after a while .

Soon enough , the beast had pushed into the enormous tangle , leaving Zac and Vai to live another day . Even then , Zac felt his hair stand on end after the encounter .

A—I , - Vai whimpered before she clamped her mouth shut .

Shh , - Zac whispered as he pointed upward .

Vai looked up with confusion , and her following gasp was filled with relief . Most of their vision was blocked by the swarm , but they could somewhat see a weak shimmering light refracted through the surface of the water . There was actually a surface in this place , which might mean land and a safe harbor from this terrifying Gordian knot of underwater creatures .

They didn’t want to wait for another Beast King to show up , so they carefully made their way toward the surface , cautious to not create any ripples in the water or leak even a speck of energy . It was slow and extremely arduous , but their trek didn’t seem to garner any attention . A few of the nearby beasts glared at them suspiciously , but they restrained their bloodthirsty impulses out of fear of reprisal from the Beast Kings .

Soon enough , they were right at the edge , allowing them to breathe out in relief . Even if they were targeted at that point , they’d be able to make it out of the water quick enough . Better yet , Zac could already somewhat glean that there was ample space above water . But just as Zac was about to breach the surface , he felt a sharp pang of danger as he saw a blurry line descend toward them .

A golden laurel appeared above his head , along with Verun’s Bite] , and two golden bubbles appeared just in time to block out a sword strike that had come out of nowhere . There was someone who’d not only seen their approach but also tried to kill them . Unfortunately , that was the least of their worries .

The depths below churned as a response to the outburst of Cosmic Energy , and the sinister cultivator above had even thrown in a couple of cracked Nexus Crystals that leaked energy into the waters . One towering aura after another spread through the basin , and Zac sensed multiple Beast Kings lock onto them .

They were exposed .

53

PINCER

Zac and Vai were unscathed from the surprise strike that had come out of nowhere , but Zac could already sense the swarm below closing in on them .

Hold on! - Zac growled as he furiously pushed back toward the surface , the Cosmic Energy in his body churning as he readied a counter-attack .

Judging by the power of the sword strike , the ambusher was no doubt a Hegemon . But no matter how dangerous the situation above water was , they had no choice but to go up . Their position was locked on to by hundreds of powerful auras , of which at least a dozen belonged to Middle-stage Beast Kings . Even one of those ancient monstrosities was enough to threaten their lives—being pincered by ten of them was a death sentence .

They’d been pushed over a hundred meters into the depths by the force , but in an instant , they were again approaching the surface . This time , Zac unleashed a barrage of strikes in every direction as he swam , hoping to cause some chaos and confusion above with his fractal leaves .

However , the whole sky grew dark just as they were about to breach the surface , except for one enormous rune that contained an immense weight . Zac recognized the thing—it was a Seal Mountain similar to the one he saw the day he entered the Orom World . This one was obviously inferior to the Pseudo C-grade treasure back then , but it still unleashed a pressure far greater than a conventional gravity array .

Let me , - Vai whispered as she put her hand on Zac’s shoulder .

Zac nodded , and space bent from Vai activating her own movement skill . In the next moment , Zac found himself falling down , having appeared more than one hundred meters above the surface . The Seal Mountain slammed into the water , causing a huge indent . If there were any beasts that hadn’t woken up from the commotion before , they were definitely up now .

A cough from the side made Zac look over with worry . The teleportation was a reminder of just how hard it was to corner true Spatial Cultivators like Vai , but forcing her way through the domain of the Seal Mountain had come at a cost . Blood ran down her ears and nose , and her aura was a bit unstable .

The scene angered an already infuriated Zac even further , and his gaze swept the area to find the culprits that needed a good chop , while blasting the aura of a Half-Step D-grade cultivator . Suddenly appearing in the sky provided a perfect vantage of what was going on . There was a pocket of air that reached roughly three hundred meters above the water’s surface across the whole basin , but there was only one stretch of actual land ; a five hundred-meter-wide plateau located almost right above the tunnel they arrived in .

On the platform , Zac saw his targets . There were six , two of which emitted the auras of Hegemons while the other four were either elite E-grade or Half-Step cultivators . Zac breathed out in relief when he saw the bastards who’d attacked them . No wonder they relied on an ambush and then tried to use the beasts to finish the job . They weren’t that powerful a troupe .

However , their gear was a cause for concern .

Templars! - Vai exclaimed with relief , though Zac pretended not to hear her as he turned his eyes toward the waters , where an enormous face had already breached the surface .

Zac was mentally prepared to fight a desperate three-way battle , but he was surprised to see the ceiling of the whole basin lit up with powerful blue runes that drenched the whole underwater pocket in a hazy glimmer . Zac activated Earthstrider] to expel their falling momentum while moving away from the lights .

He was a bit confused about exactly what kind of array they were dealing with . He couldn’t feel any change or suppression , and his Danger Sense was quiet . But the enormous fish that reeked of toxicity hurriedly dipped beneath the surface again , where it stayed . The same was true for the rest of the beasts—ten huge forms had gathered around the platform , but not a single one dared to actually appear above the surface .

The scene was both unnerving and reassuring . Even if they were all aquatic lifeforms , they were ultimately Beast Kings . With their level of cultivation , they could even fly through the sky if they so wanted , though aquatic beasts generally were much weaker above water compared to their natural habitat . Yet they all stayed put , indicating those runes weren’t just there for show .

It might mean something terrifying was about to happen , but Zac leaned toward the possibility it was a defensive measure the Void Gate had put in place just for this kind of situation . He didn’t have time to ponder on the what or why . As long as it meant one less threat to worry about , he was content . It allowed him to fully focus on these supposed Templars below .

Just like Vai exclaimed , two of the warriors donned the traditional armors of the Void Gate , while the other four wore an assortment of gear that indicated their background as Wandering Cultivators . They looked just like unaffiliated members of a task squad similar to their own , though Zac felt the whole situation was off .

Why only six of them? And why were four Wandering Cultivators , including one of the Hegemons? He’d read the reports and seen how things worked firsthand—until the sudden betrayal of Uzu and Ilka , two-thirds of the losses in the squad had been Wandering Cultivators . Furthermore , why were they here of all places? There was no way a squad with this kind of composition would be sent to a realm as dangerous as this .

They were extremely suspicious , but even if they weren’t infiltrators , it was an undeniable fact that they’d struck first with the intent to kill . There was no way Zac would allow them to shrug that off , even if they turned out to be actual members of the Void Gate . Earthstrider] took them close to the platform in another step , and Zac threw a shrieking Vai toward the safest spot by the wall before charging the group of cultivators himself .

A huge fractal leaf formed across his axe the next moment before two clouds simultaneously shot out . The blue glimmer in the area was overwhelmed by gold and black as Rapturous Divide] descended on the group , each half of the opposite empowered by a Dao Branch and Zac’s furious vengeance .

Wait! We’re from the Void Gate too , - Vai shouted , but it was much too late for that .

The group hadn’t expected such a powerful opening gambit after sensing Zac’s aura belonged to a Half-Step cultivator , which was exactly why he’d unleashed it as though he’d been angered to the point he lost control . The spatial divide effortlessly ripped apart some of the erected defenses , and two of the weakest cultivators were instantly killed .

Unfortunately , things ended there as the two Hegemons worked together to deal with his strike . The unaffiliated Hegemon was the sword wielder , and he unleashed a rapid-fire-swing that reminded Zac of the Ocean Tide] skill he had in his Dao Repository back home . The swings weren’t overly powerful , but they were endless , and each attack exhausted some of the energy and momentum in Rapturous Divide] .

Meanwhile , the Templar Hegemon had already summoned the enormous seal back to his side . When it struck out toward the spatial divide , it was empowered by the power of the stars . A moment later , the skill was torn apart , allowing the two E-grade cultivators to breathe out in relief .

Even with them being prepared for an attack , they didn’t walk away from Rapturous Divide] completely unscathed . The clash left the surviving warriors with numerous scars when Zac’s skill collapsed , which was exactly what Zac hoped for . After feeling the power in that Seal Mountain , Zac knew he wouldn’t be able to kill the group in one attack , but it was enough to find answers .

Zac grimaced in disgust when he saw the odd pulsating veins appearing in the wounds of the living , and any lingering doubt was gone as a bloody tangle jumped out from one of the corpses . Its tendrils shot out in every direction , just like when Uzu died . But this time , Zac was in the best position , with four targets closer to the tangle than he .

Suddenly , the sword-wielding cultivator slapped the E-grade Templar next to him , and the poor man was pushed straight into the tangle . Zac didn’t think it was a matter of sudden change of allegiances like with Uzu and Ilka—the Hegemon was afraid of being infected and used the closest E-grade warrior as a sacrificial pawn .

With the tangle already having found a target , Zac heedlessly pushed forward in the wake of his attack as a primordial forest appeared all around him . A third of the trees were instantly ripped apart as they appeared beneath the waters , and the two Hegemons destroyed another chunk in their efforts to keep him away .

However , Zac stepped into one of the surviving trees before it was destroyed , and the next moment , he appeared right behind the two Hegemons , his axe already moving in for a kill . The Seal Wielder sluggishly turned around in surprise , but it was too late . Verun’s Bite] infused with two Dao Branches , and using three of its own skill fractals , cut right through the man’s armor and destroyed his cultivator’s Cosmic Core .

The strike was followed up by a swing at the man’s head , and Zac was surprised to see a hint of relief in the man’s eyes just before he died . He was obviously the stronger Hegemon , yet he’d fallen so easily . Had he intentionally let Zac kill him? There was no time to find out as a pang of danger made Zac shift his body .

An agonizing pain erupted in his chest as he was impaled by a sword . Zac hadn’t forgotten about the sword wielder , he’d used Vivi’s vines to target his head and heart to delay him . However , the madman had actually sacrificed one of his eyes to deliver a counter-strike of his own , and Zac groaned as the wound in his chest was flooded with a mix of rampant Sword Dao and poison .

By this point , the whole bloody tangle had crawled into the second Templar’s body . Thick , squirming veins covered every part of exposed skin , and his eyes gained a reddish tint as he roared like a beast .

It was like he’d swallowed a berserking treasure that made one lose his mind , to the point he seemed to have lost all rationality . Was this the result of having two curses in one body? Did they overload the host to give him a surge of power? If true , the invaders were extremely ruthless , even to their own people .

Thankfully , Zac didn’t need to worry about another tangle appearing on top of all his other problems . The Blood Curses were dangerous , but it wasn’t without limitations . He’d seen how nothing came forth from one of the two E-grade cultivators , and Zac realized what was going on— Rapturous Divide] had destroyed that man’s midriff .

The Blood Curse seemed to attach to people’s cores , so if you destroyed the area around the core , you also destroyed the core of the curse .

The sword wound was agonizing , but Zac’s Hidden Nodes were already hard at work dealing with the invading energies . Meanwhile , he swung his axe in a wide arc that forced the swordsman back , which removed the sword from his chest . A bestial howl echoed through the remains of the primal forest as Verun appeared .

Zac had his hands full with the Hegemon who was already swinging his sword with wild abandon , and he was worried about Vai . The Tool Spirit gleefully pounced on the Berserking Templar , and the man roared in return as he fought like a lunatic . Zac had thought it would be a one-sided slaughter , but he grimaced when he sensed a familiar energy fluctuation .

The Templar was heedlessly burning lifeforce to augment his power . He was just like the cyborg , sacrificing everything for a final blaze of glory .

Still , with all the tempering and priceless materials , Verun wasn’t to be outdone , and the primordial hyena was methodically breaking its target down . Unfortunately , that left the final E-grade warrior unattended . And between Vai , Zac , and Verun , the warrior unsurprisingly rushed toward Vai .

Watch out! - Zac screamed , but the brief lapse of concentration allowed the swordman to activate a skill .

Ten swords appeared around them , forming a perfect circle . Zac swore when he recognized the configuration—it was a cage just like Profane Seal] , and a D-grade skill at that . Even if it was probably just a Low or Middle-quality skill , it wasn’t something he could break in an instant . He turned his full attention on the Hegemon—killing his enemy would be quicker than dealing with his skill .

Zac could only pray that the lessons he’d tried to instill into Vai over the past months would be enough to keep her safe a while longer . He calmed the chaotic ripples in his heart and entered a perfect state of unity between his Dao and his technique to unleash a furious assault . The change threw the Hegemon off-balance and stopped him from activating any more skills .

Unfortunately , it looked like a few short sparring sessions and some adventuring was insufficient to completely undo millennia of tranquility and research , especially when met with this kind of brutal melee . Vai looked like her soul had left her body as the burly cultivator ruthlessly rushed toward her .

Just as he was about to catch her by the throat and claim a hostage , a glimmering belt of condensed space appeared around Vai , cutting the man in two . He could only look at Vai with shock as he collapsed . Even Zac was surprised— Ancestral Woods] was still active , and he’d barely noticed anything .

Vai must have slowly charged that skill since the moment they appeared above the waters for something so powerful to suddenly appear like that . She’d even noticed Zac’s strategy to aim for the core , allowing her to destroy the bloody tangle . It was a huge weight off his shoulders , and it allowed him to fight the increasingly desperate swordsman without any worries .

From there , the battle concluded soon enough . Verun ripped apart the crazy Templar , Blood Curse and all , while Zac methodically whittled down the Hegemon without giving him a chance to turn the tides . With everything dealt with , Zac looted all the corpses before walking over to Vai who stared down at the corpse with hollow eyes .

Not bad , - Zac said , which dragged Vai out of her trance-like state .

I-I know I look a bit weak and timid . I always get bossed around because of it , - Vai said with a weak smile . - I figured I would use it to my advantage . -

Smart , - Zac nodded , but he frowned when he saw how her hands were still shaking . - Are you okay? -

He’s the first one . . . I killed , - Vai said , unable to turn away from the body . - He might have been forced because of those Blood Curses , yet I— -

It was you or them . Such is the law of cultivation , - Zac sighed .

That only makes it worse , - Vai said with sorrow . - Zecia is already so hectic , and it will only get worse . So many people will die . -

That’s why people like me need people like you , - Zac said after some thought . - If you can figure out a way to deal with these curses , we might be able to free and save a lot of people from a similar fate . -

That’s right! - Vai said , her downcast expression lighting up . - If I can study these— -

Well , not right now , - Zac coughed as he pointedly looked at the sky , where the shimmering runes had started to fade . - I think we need to figure out a solution before those beasts come crawling over . -

Solution? - Vai muttered with confusion before her gaze followed his , at which point they widened in horror .

These guys must have had some solution if they dared attack us , - Zac said as he scanned the wall .

Those scripts were definitely created by the Chapter of Emptiness , - Vai muttered . - There should be a cloister here . -

The researcher took out an array disk that emitted soundless pulses . Zac walked over to ask what she was doing , but he was surprised to suddenly feel all sounds disappear except for those coming from his own body .

What’s that? - Zac asked curiously .

Vai looked at Zac with surprise for a second before she pointed at the wall . Zac followed her finger , and he nodded in understanding when a part of the wall had started to become transparent . It made sense—if the Void Gate had bothered to set up a massive array that covered the whole basin , they would definitely have prepared some emergency cave in case someone found themselves stuck here .

Behind me , - Zac whispered , and Vai wordlessly nodded as they entered the hidden pathway that closed behind them .

Thankfully , there weren’t any more infiltrators hiding within the inner chamber , which proved to be quite roomy . There was a large common area , cultivation chambers , laboratories , and even a couple of small fields with plants growing . Most of it had recently been riffled through judging by some clues , indicating the group they just fought had definitely known about this place .

Most likely , they’d stayed on the platform for the sole purpose of making sure no one else would reach this place . Unfortunately for them , they’d bitten off more than they could chew , and this place had instead turned into a sanctuary for him and Vai . As far as doomsday bunkers went , this was pretty nice . And between the enraged beasts and the toxic clouds , it was highly unlikely anyone would show up before the danger passed .

I’ll see if there are any records of what’s going on in this Mystic Realm , - Vai ventured .

Between the poisons and the beasts , I’d say we’re stuck here for a while , - Zac sighed as he spread some ointment on the still-bleeding wound on his chest . - Well , I guess we could use the break . -

Of course , Zac had no plans of simply wasting his time . The next piece of the Left Imperial Seal was probably two or three realms away , and it was high time he started preparing for when he reached it . He’d originally planned on locating the seal before entering seclusion , but this worked as well .

The bout of inspiration from the Ramsi Wall helped deepen his understanding of the Void , but that wasn’t enough . Zac felt there were a lot of uncertainties that needed to be ironed out before he subjected himself to the unimaginable burst of mechanical knowledge of the universe . He needed some practical understanding of both the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] and the direction he wanted to take it in .

It was time to do some research of his own .

54

SUBLIMATION

It didn’t look like there were any dangers , but Zac still had Vai perform a second , more thorough scan of the hidden chambers while he used his various senses . Only when they confirmed there really weren’t any hidden traps did Zac relax , though he still installed a couple of defensive and restrictive arrays at the only entrance .

After that was dealt with , Zac sat down and went over the items in the infiltrators’ Spatial Rings while Vai headed into the laboratories . It didn’t take him long to find similar parchments with the Left Imperial Seal printed onto them . Zac sighed as he looked down at the nigh-identical copies . These invaders were looking for the same Remnants as he .

But how did they find out about it? Did they simply stumble onto it by chance after passing through the Space Gate , or was there something bigger at play here? These people unfortunately didn’t have an answer to shed a light on the situation , even if some of them were actual invaders rather than Zecia traitors .

He did , however , manage to piece together what was going on with these invaders , mostly thanks to a journal the Templar Hegemon left behind .

I found it! - Vai exclaimed as she emerged from the laboratory , holding a dusty Information Crystal . - It’s all explained here . We are inside the Undrusian Sea , and the event outside is indeed normal , as far as all-consuming clouds of death go . They call it the Undrusian Spring , and it’s created by an annual tidal wave that passes through the whole realm and extracts enormous amounts of toxins from the plant life . Not even Hegemons will be able to survive it without ample preparation . -

I guess that counts as good news , - Zac grunted . - Does it say how long it would last? -

Usually , around a month , - Vai said . - By how quickly it moved , it should have encompassed the whole realm by now . -

One month? - Zac nodded . - It’s not too bad , as long as those beasts outside don’t keep us trapped in here after the clouds have parted . I doubt anyone will be able to make it to this place . -

I think you’re right . There are eight more similar volcanoes throughout the realm according to this , including ones closer to the waystations , - Vai added . - No one should come here even if they knew about these safe havens . -

Well , at least that’s a relief , - Zac nodded as he looked around . - It’s weird how vibrant the energy is here compared to the energy-starved environment outside . Is this a secret research station or something? -

I-It might be? - Vai said . - I found some research notes , but I haven’t gone over them yet . Perhaps they studied the poisons in this realm to invent antidotes . -

Or just to invent poisons , - Zac countered .

They wouldn’t! - Vai insisted . - The Void Gate doesn’t use such sinister methods to battle . I’m sure they’re doing it to protect lives . -

Zac only nodded with a small smile . He personally leaned toward a theory where even the most orthodox forces had some clandestine operations that the general population would frown upon . The Tsarun were pretty extreme in this regard , but Zac doubted any force kept everything aboveboard .

Vai clearly understood the implication of Zac’s smile and huffed in annoyance . - You know , a lot of powerful medicines have toxic components added—panaceas and toxins are just two sides of the same coin . The Thousand Mile Death embodies this truth . -

The what? - Zac asked with confusion .

The Matriarch of the Zethaya Clan . She is both the most powerful Alchemist and poison mistress of the Zecia Sector . -

Oh , - Zac hummed . - Sounds pretty scary . Well , I guess it doesn’t matter what this place was used for as long as we’re safe here . -

I guess you’re right , - Vai sighed as she glanced at the items strewn around Zac . - Those people . . . Were they real Templars? -

They were , - Zac nodded . - Only the sword-wielding Hegemon was an actual invader , while the others were natives . The Hegemon Templar was named Unsur Kalca . He was approached almost two years ago , and he accepted the Blood Curse for a chance to restart his stalled cultivation . -

A Templar of that level betrayed the Void Gate? - Vai asked with sorrow in her eyes .

He regretted it almost immediately , - Zac said as he handed a densely scribbled notebook to Vai . - He couldn’t find a way to get rid of the compulsions , but he tried to find out as much as possible about the Blood Curse and the invaders as a form of repentance , it’s all stored here . -

There was a lot of information in the journal , from all agents he’d uncovered to how they moved between realms in the Void Star . The invaders had long since invented array breakers that could forcibly activate the gates without any command tokens , and there was even one of them in the invader Hegemon’s Spatial Ring .

Unfortunately , it turned out that most of the arrays and tools the invaders used needed the curse’s unique energy signature to activate .

There was also a lot of information about the Blood Curses themselves . For example , Hegemons needed to willingly accept the Blood Curses , at least the common ones seen among these infiltrators . However , Unsur had heard the other Hegemon mention in passing that there were - Chosen’ among the Tan’Kanu with far more powerful curses , which might have the ability to forcibly possess Hegemons .

As for the E-grade cultivators , Unsur was unclear . He’d noted the agents tried to convert people if possible , proving there most likely was a chance of failure even with E-grade cultivators . In exchange , if a curse failed to properly fuse with a warrior , it would become a hostile parasite that did all in its power to torture and kill its host .

This was true for the host-jumping they’d seen in battle . Either the curses would attack the enemy , or it would strengthen an ally in pursuit of mutual destruction . In either case , it would make large-scale battles extremely dangerous . It was a bit like fighting with the Undead Empire , where every time an ally fell , you’d soon be fighting against them as an enemy .

Zac had his Hidden Nodes so he didn’t need to worry about either possession or the torture mentioned , but most warriors didn’t have methods of dealing with those curses . If the peak factions didn’t find a way to counter the threat of the Blood Curses , then Zecia was in deep trouble .

There was a lot more information as well , covering everything from Kan’Tanu society , popular heritages , Unsur’s analysis of their plans , and so on . The most terrifying part was how the Blood Curses forced the users to comply . It was like a mix of carrot and stick . The moment the curse fused with you , it started to produce odd energies that strengthened your body .

The moment you acted against the will of the Kan’Tanu , it stopped , and you were almost instantly assaulted by terrifying withdrawal . One’s body would feel like it was on fire while one’s soul was being cut into a million pieces . The moment you stopped resisting , the pain instantly went away . Most people stopped resisting altogether after a few such bouts of torture .

Reading the vivid explanations Zac could only imagine how much suffering Unsur had endured to compile and hide the journal for years . No wonder there was relief in his eyes when he died .

As for why the group found themselves here , they were on their way back to what Unsur called a Stellar Ladder . It was the tunnel that had formed between the Void Star and the Million Gates Territory , and it wasn’t very far from here . They hadn’t planned on visiting this particular realm though . A mix of shifting realms and powerful squads of Templar executioners forced them to take an experimental route .

The notes stopped when they reached this Mystic Realm , but the two could piece together the rest from there .

Poor man , - Vai sighed . - One moment of weakness leading to a lifetime of suffering . I hope he understood his notes would help fight the invaders . -

I think he did , - Zac nodded .

My soul is a bit wounded , I need to rest for a bit , - Vai said with a low voice as she stood and walked toward one of the cultivation caves .

Zac looked at the receding back of the little researcher . He could tell a lot of weight had been added to her shoulders after the recent encounter . The damage to her soul after forcibly teleporting them was probably the least of her worries , with the betrayals and the blood on her hands being a bigger weight on her mind . Unfortunately , there wasn’t much Zac could do to help her at this stage . She would have to find answers from within to move forward from this point .

And Zac had his own issues to deal with . The wound that had pierced his lung healed up a couple of hours later , mostly thanks to Zac using a chunk of the Kill Energy to restore his body with Surging Vitality] . Even then , there was enough energy left over for him to break open the next node , a process Zac had essentially perfected by now . It would still take him a week to get rid of the Hegemon’s latent Dao and heal the node , but he didn’t need to be in perfect condition to start working on his Body Tempering Method .

The Boundless Vajra Sublimation] was both extremely complex and extremely simple . It essentially consisted of three main components : Life , Body , and Heart . Life referred to absorbing Life-attuned treasures and stimulating the essence of every living being to elicit an improvement . The method also came with a set of specific patterns that one needed to cover your body in for the method to work .

The first layer only required you to pick one of three foundational patterns and its derivates depending on your direction , whereas the following layers required you to make alterations based on your Dao . That meant only the first layer could be cultivated without having either a pure or mixed-meaning Dao of Life .

Body referred to a set of movements that would stimulate the potential of one’s cells , and expedite the infusion of the Life-attuned treasures . The Body Tempering Manual was quite flexible when it came to what type of Life-attuned treasures one used , and the same flexibility was extended to the Body section of the method .

You could use the movements in various gravity arrays or special environments to speed up the process , though it worked fine on its own . The method mentioned that training inside something called - Golden Arhat Flames’ was the most efficient , but Zac had no access to something like that .

Finally , there was Heart , which was a set of Buddhist Sutras . In total , 81 incantations would be repeated in various ways while he absorbed the Life-attuned energies through his skin .

These Sutras were the glue of the method , the connection between one’s body and the inexhaustible life of the Boundless Heavens . It was also here the true essence of the method was hidden . After all , if you could just gain an attuned constitution by smearing your body in Life-attuned treasures and doing some yoga , then everyone would have an attuned constitution already .

It was these 81 Sutras he wanted to swap out with 81 expressions of the Void . During his epiphany , he’d already somewhat understood how that should be done . The Sutras were designed to temporarily realign your very essence to be in tune with the Heavens , which would in turn allow for a mysterious infusion of Life into the core of your being .

Together , the patterns , the movements , and the Sutras formed an interlocking system that made this all possible . Zac simply needed to figure out how to use his Force of the Void to mimic the effect of the Sutras and allow for the energies to be absorbed .

The first layer of the Body Tempering Manual was possible to complete at F-grade . As such , it didn’t require very expensive materials , and Zac had literal mountains of top-quality materials available in his Spatial Ring . In fact , he’d brought enough materials to push the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] to the peak of the second layer .

The process , like most Body Tempering Methods , was agonizing , yet the rewards were enough for countless people to willingly torture themselves . Each layer would not only improve Zac’s inherent ability to recover from all kinds of wounds and ward off toxins , but it would also provide actual attributes . With the method being a top-quality technique of the Buddhist Sangha , the gain was bound to be impressive .

In other words , while reaching a state of balance for his path was the most important reason for cultivating the method , there were many other reasons to go for it as well . Zac was full of anticipation as he prepared to make the first practical inroads to cultivating the method . He'd planned for this moment for months , and everything he needed was neatly arranged in front of him seconds after stepping into one of the open rooms in the hidden station .

It would have been preferable to use a cultivation chamber , but it felt too risky if he and Vai secluded themselves at the same time . Besides , while he had quite a few secrets on his body , the Soul Cultivation and Body Tempering couldn’t be considered something he needed to keep secret at any cost .

Next , an engraved brush appeared in Zac’s hand , and it flew over to a bucket of Life-attuned paste . It was an inscriptionist’s tool that could be controlled with one’s soul , and the perfect instrument to paint the array needed for the method . His Dao control might be atrocious , but thankfully that kind of control wasn’t required here .

Furthermore , being a mortal had one unique advantage—Zac had ample experience drawing pathways . And with the first layer of Boundless Vajra Sublimation] being designed for the F-grade , the patterns weren’t overly complex . Even then , he wasn’t used to these particular patterns even if he’d gone over them over a hundred times , and it took almost an hour to draw the pattern across his body .

The result was Zac looking like a tribal warrior with intricate golden tattoos from his forehead all the way to his soles . Even his buttocks were painted , though he quickly covered himself up with a simple kilt in case Vai emerged early . The initial preparations were complete , and Zac already felt a hazy warmth spread across his body .

Not only that , but he could somewhat sense that energy was circulating through the temporary pathways on his skin , which should mean he hadn’t made any mistakes . None of the Life-attuned energies were actually entering his body though , and some of the efficacy in the paste had already been lost .

There was no time to waste , so Zac started performing the required movements . At this stage , Zac simply wanted to get a better understanding of the first two components . As long as he could perfect these movements , he would know these parts of the method weren’t the issue when he started experimenting down the road .

And it was a good thing he did . The movements were surprisingly hard to complete , even if they were meant for F-grade cultivators . First of all , they required extreme precision and control of every single muscle in his body . Both movement and tempo had to be exactly right . If he hadn’t already reached the Integration Stage with his techniques , he would probably be stuck at this introductory stage for weeks .

Not only that , but the paste was creating problems as well . The moment Zac got a stance right , the warmth from the Life-attuned paste went from soothing to agonizing , and Zac almost felt like he was being branded by a cattle iron . The pain in turn made him stumble , forcing him to start over from scratch .

Ultimately , Zac was greatly overqualified no matter if you talked level or pain resistance , and he grew accustomed to the pain as he practiced the movements over and over . Half a day and two more paste applications later , he could complete the whole set without any issues , even though the pain only got worse the further on he got .

Of course , even if Zac used High-quality materials and completed the movements without issue , he still hadn’t managed to drag any of the energy into his body . It all just evaporated after torturing him for a while , not even giving his Void Heart] a taste .

The issue was obviously that he’d skipped the Sutras , but that still left him with a sense of want . He’d been tortured by a pain that almost reached the level of the Bone-Forging Dust] for half a day , and there was not a speck of Life added to his body . Zac had planned on waiting a bit longer , but he couldn’t resist the temptation .

There was still some time before the latest layer of paste lost its efficacy , so he started things up again . This time , he also released some Void Energy into his body as he tried to enter a Void-like mental state , where his heart was a black hole that sucked in all life around him . Instead of fusing with all creation , he would consume all creation .

The only result was a sharp pain in his mind followed by a thud as he slammed into the ground headfirst , his vision swimming from an intense bout of vertigo .

That figures , - Zac muttered as he slowly crawled to his feet .

Nothing good ever came easy .

55

REPETITION AND REINFORCEMENT

Anything? - Leyara asked . Judging by the thunderous expression on Pretty’s face , it didn’t look good .

Nothing , - Pretty snorted as she wiped blood from her hands with a rag . - These people are no better than warslaves , even the native Kan’Tanu . They barely know about the purpose of their own tasks , let alone other missions deep in the Million Gates Territory or overarching plans . -

The poor people of that Sector , - Leyara said with a sorrowful head shake .

You need to harden your resolve , - Pretty said as she looked up at the fractured sky . - Things will get worse before it gets better . The more we learn about these invaders , the more serious it gets . We need answers to prepare ourselves . -

Well , the technicians are finally making some progress . They will open a temporary gate to the next step of the Stellar Ladder within the next few days , - Leyara said .

And you’re still not going to tell me what’s going on? - Pretty glowered . - I can tell—you know something about all this . Why this weird place of yours is connected to the Million Gates Territory . Why your master refuses to shut it off even after the Kan’Tanu infiltrated your domain . What these signs mean . -

In Pretty’s hand , a bloodied parchment appeared , showcasing the distorted seals of the Left Imperial Palace and its nine Outer Courts . The sigils that were the source of Leyara’s current headache—perhaps the source of the whole war .

Some things are not for us to alter , - Leyara said with a weak smile . - We can only keep vigil and let the chips fall where they may . To put our fingers on the scale would not necessarily make things better , but they would make them more complicated . -

Whatever , if you don’t want to tell me , fine . I’ll figure it out sooner or later , - Pretty muttered as she walked toward the edge of the realm , no doubt to once more hound the poor nuns working on the odd barrier .

Leyara released an exhausted sigh as she looked up at the sky . It wasn’t the first time Pretty had pushed for answers , and it wouldn’t be the last . But even if Leyara wanted to provide the answers , who could she ask? Her master had only divulged a few select pieces of the convoluted web just before they set off , and that alone was enough to subvert her understanding of the universe .

The Vigil , the Flamebearers , and the eternal destiny .

It was too much . Even war with ruthless , unorthodox cultivators seemed preferable to this pressure that threatened to suffocate her . She was just a spoiled scion of the Void Gate . She wasn’t ready to carry this burden .

The minutes passed , and Leyara eventually steadied her resolve . Her master and a long line of predecessors had worked so hard and for so long .

The Void Gate had given her everything , and she couldn’t fail them now . She donned a neutral expression as she joined Pretty and the others as they worked on the portable gate . Pretty stood to the side , her contrite face making a smile tug at the corner of Leyara’s mouth .

. . . I’m sorry . I know you would have helped if you could , - Pretty sighed as she looked over . - I’m just worried about Average . About everything . -

It’s okay , - Leyara smiled .

What about this one? - Pretty asked . - The invaders were trying to break in as well , so they shouldn’t have access to it either . Why is it important? -

Well , they might have access to the other side . More importantly , this should be a recent addition to the corridor , - Leyara said . - According to our readings , it should not only contain large amounts of ambient energy , but it is likely a supersized Mystic Realm rather than the smaller fragments we’ve passed lately . It has become a critical chokepoint because of its position in the corridor , and only a few smaller realms can squeeze in around it . If we can control this domain , our control over who comes and goes will greatly improve . -

We could set up a fortress , - Pretty said as her eyes lit up . - As long as we patrol the neighboring worlds , no one should be able to sneak into Zecia . We could even reverse the tides , mounting proper attacks on the invaders reaching the heart of the Million Gates Territory! -

Leyara nodded in agreement , though it pained her not being able to tell the truth . There was one more reason they targeted this place . It hadn’t been dragged into the Void Star by accident—it had been brought here by the mounting storm of fate . Now , they could only keep watch as the direction of the era unfolded .

It had been so evident in Zac’s mind when he was showered in the hazy light of the Left Imperial Seal . The Void Energy his bloodline produced held no Dao , yet it encompassed the whole universe . That was why it could mimic any one of his skills without compatibility clashes on either his human or Draugr sides .

Using that unique feature , he should be able to mimic the effect of the Sutras just like he mimicked the activation of his skills . The Sutras were like a tuning fork , temporarily adjusting the frequency of his body . Though perhaps it was more apt to liken them to the process of forging a weapon . The steel needed to be heated up before it could be molded .

Now that the profound understanding of the Left Imperial Palace had long since left him , he was left fumbling in the dark . What was once clear now seemed almost endlessly complex . Even then , Zac wasn’t the least bit worried as he closed his eyes to steady his mind . This was just a first attempt without any real direction . His work had only started .

Finding the solution was a process of discovery and elimination . Every time Zac failed , he would gain a small nugget of understanding , and the path toward the truth would become more apparent . This month was only meant to deepen his foundations . Actually creating the Void Vajra Sublimation] could only happen with the help of the next piece of the seal .

Zac spent the next couple of minutes going over the sensations just before he keeled over . His biggest worry was that the pain had been a rejection of the method by his bloodline . After going over his experience , it didn’t seem like it . It was instead an issue of control and harmony . He was supposed to copy a tuning fork , yet he’d essentially released a foghorn in the form of a deluge of Void Energy .

It'd utterly ruined the interlocking system that made up the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] , resulting in a minor backlash to his mind . Luckily , a backlash of this level couldn’t harm his evolved soul in the slightest , allowing him to experiment with impunity . And with him and Vai locked in here for the time being , he had all the time he needed .

Over the next three days , Zac experimented , trying all kinds of things with his Void Energy to see how it affected the method . Problem was , with Void Energy being essentially traceless and invisible , it was impossible to see how it responded to his various experiments . Instead , he could only observe the effect of the Life-attuned energy and measure success and failure by how powerful the backlash was .

His first experiments centered on mirroring the paste array on his body , but that didn’t seem to work . He also tried various methods , such as inverting the pattern or using the other ones provided by the technique . Next , Zac tried using Void Zone] , but that simply disrupted the whole process , as did infusing Void Energy into the paste itself .

This time , Zac filled his whole body with Void Energy . He was trying to essentially form small whirlpools all across his body to turn himself into a proverbial Void . The result was an unmitigated disaster . A stabbing pain made him groan , and he blacked out for an instant , finding himself on the ground .

A few shuffling steps and a door opened . - Is everything alr—WHAT! -

Zac’s vision was still swimming from the powerful backlash , but he could still make out three copies of a furiously blushing Vai at the door . She seemed to be caught between wanting to run away and come over to help , resulting in her being frozen in place .

It’s me , - Zac groaned as he shook his head , turning the triplets into a singular researcher . He’d returned to his original appearance to practice the method , and he was afraid she’d mistake him for a stranger , especially with all the paste covering his body .

That’s—That’s not— - Vai stuttered .

At first , Zac didn’t understand why she was reacting so strongly , but he soon realized what kind of scene Vai had walked into . Not only was he almost entirely naked and covered in goop , but his training kilt had shifted to expose his butt when he toppled over . Zac quickly forced down his vertigo and scrambled to his feet , trying to hide the embarrassment .

Sorry about that . I tried to figure something out , - Zac coughed as he donned a simple robe . - When did you come out? -

J-Just now , - Vai said , her gaze finally turning back to Zac after he was fully dressed .

How are you feeling? - Zac asked as he took out a bottle of water .

I’m better . What are you doing? Is it Body Tempering? I haven’t seen you do that before , - Vai asked , curiosity overcoming embarrassment .

Zac first planned on making something up , but he turned toward the researcher thoughtfully . Even after forming a Dao Branch , she wasn’t much of a fighter . But in this department , Vai was no doubt his superior . Perhaps she had some ideas that could streamline his experiments .

Not yet , but I am trying to change a Body Tempering Manual I stumbled across , - Zac said .

Why do you want to change it? - Vai asked . - Do you want to upgrade it? That’s an enormous undertaking . -

No , it’s a High-quality method , but it doesn’t suit me , - Zac explained .

Most manuals are created through trial and error over generation after generation of practitioners , - Vai said . - Changing things up , at least as a low-grade cultivator , is likely to result in something worse . -

Humor me , - Zac smiled . - I’m trying to swap out one part of the technique , but now I’m just doing things randomly hoping I’ll stumble onto the correct answer . -

Are you willing to show me the method? - Vai asked , her face lighting up with academic exuberance . - There’s only so much I can do without understanding what I’m dealing with . I can swear a confidentiality agreement . -

I wouldn’t mind , but it’s locked in my head , - Zac grunted . - Anytime I try to copy it or divulge its details , my brain blanks out and I can’t remember anything . But I can tell you it’s a Buddhist method . I want to replace a certain part of the technique with something suited to my bloodline . -

I knew you had a bloodline , - Vai exclaimed with a victorious smile . - You’re so weird ; it makes sense you had to have some inherited advantages . But why didn’t the Void Gate know you? If any clan in Salosar managed to awaken such a powerful bloodline , they’d immediately get recruited . -

Only I have it , - Zac said . - I’m sorry , I can’t tell you much more . It will only bring you trouble . Do you have any ideas? -

Well . . . I’m no expert on Buddhist methods or even Body Tempering in general . But everything has a purpose . If you only want to change one part of the method to suit you , you need to properly understand what it does and how it connects to the other parts . -

Zac nodded in agreement . So far , he was on board .

Have you ever cultivated the actual method? - Vai asked .

No , - Zac said with a shake of his head . - I fear I will be stuck if I do . -

I think you will have to if you want to get to the bottom of things . Theoretical understanding can never match up to practical experience . And if you’re worried about going down the wrong path , you can use this , - Vai said , taking out a vial from her Spatial Ring .

What’s that? - Zac asked curiously as he looked at the shimmering mixture within .

It’s a resetter , - Vai said . - This particular concoction is a proprietary blend of the Void Gate— Void Slate] . -

A what? -

A resetter , - Vai repeated . - If you drink this before and after a cultivation session , your gains will only be temporary . We use them when performing limited trials . Typically , if we want to change a cultivation method , we’d simply hire ten thousand warriors and give them slightly different manuals . That way , we can study the impact of our changes . But that’s not always possible .

Sometimes , the method is secret and cannot be shared , or only a select group has enough talent to train in it . For those trials , we use resetters . We have the research subject try out various things and measure the effect as we gradually refine the result . -

That’s amazing , - Zac said as he took the vial . - This is exactly what I need . But does it work on Heart Cultivation as well? -

Heart Cultivation? - Vai exclaimed with surprise before her eyes widened in understanding . - Oh , right . The Buddhist Sangha . Well , no . Heart Cultivation is intangible , even more so than Soul Cultivation . There is nothing for Void Slate] to expunge . But as long as you have a strong mental state , you should be able to rid yourself of the effect by stabilizing your heart after each session . -

Is that safe? - Zac hesitated .

Well , the heart is elusive , - Vai said . - A small crack can break a dam . But from what I understand , Heart Cultivation is based on the repetition and reinforcement of one’s belief . If you take some time to reclaim your footing afterward , you should be able to remove any lingering effects . But you should know just how powerful the Buddist Sangha is ; you will be taking a risk if you do this . -

Repetition and reinforcement , - Zac hummed . - You’re pretty clever . Are you interested in joining my force instead of staying with the Void Gate? Maybe I should just kidnap you? -

Wh-What! - Vai stuttered with shock as she took multiple steps away . - I-I can’t! My wows , my niece . I-I— -

I’m just joking , - Zac laughed . - I mean , you’d always be welcome to join if you really wanted . -

Scoundrel , - Vai huffed before she smiled . - Even if I’ve had a lot of fun the past days and experienced marvels I never thought I’d get to see firsthand , I cannot leave . It’s not a compulsion , mind you . The Void Gate is an important part of me . It’s where I grew up , where my sister and her children are buried . Where little Lara is . It’s home . -

Vai’s smile was so warm it made Zac a bit homesick . Not only for Earth , but also for a simpler time . A time when his father was still a steady pillar of his life , where his sister was just an unruly teenager finding her path in life . When his every decision didn’t have massive implications for not only himself , but billions of people .

I get the feeling , - Zac said .

I—Ah . . . I’m sorry . Are you okay? - Vai asked with worry when she saw Zac’s change in demeanor .

I’m fine , - Zac sighed . - Just a bit nostalgic . Well , I’ll try this thing out . Thank you for the tip . -

Wait , take this as well , - Vai said , handing him a High-quality Information Crystal . - These are notes for an experiment we conducted a few centuries ago . It was to investigate a possible direction for a Cultivation Manual . The project was ultimately a failure , but the notes might provide some idea on how to approach your problem . -

Oh? - Zac said with interest as he accepted the crystal . - Thank you . -

I won’t disturb you while you figure things out , - Vai said . - I’ll be on the other side getting acquainted with my Dao . I haven’t had a chance for some quiet meditation for months . But just call me if you need me . -

Thank you , - Zac nodded . - And if you need to , I don’t know , talk about all you’ve been through lately , I’m here for you . -

Vai slightly smiled in response , then left Zac to his own devices . Zac’s eyes turned to the two items in his hands with a thoughtful look . Should he do it? Did he really dare cultivate the original version of the Boundless Vajra Sublimation]? Ultimately , the resetter wasn’t a protection against the real danger—the pathbreaking nature of the Buddhist Sangha .

He couldn’t help but recall the smiling face of Three Virtues as he agonized over his choices . Was this part of his schemes? That Zac would be forced to dip his feet in the water if he wanted to extract the benefits from the technique . This was exactly what he’d wanted to avoid and why he’d held off practicing until now .

Zac eventually steeled his resolve . Forging ahead didn’t just mean throwing yourself against powerful foes . It meant having conviction in yourself and your path . If his path couldn’t even survive a clash against an F-grade layer of a Buddhist Body Tempering manual , then his path wasn’t worth holding onto .

Of course , that didn’t mean he would just jump into it blindly . Zac first infused consciousness into the Information Crystal . The mountain of data that greeted him almost made him throw the crystal away in disgust , but he could only stifle the sense of boredom and go over it . Only ten hours later did he put the crystal away with a sigh .

He had to hand it to the nuns of the Void Gate—they took their job seriously .

56

ONE’S PATH

Zac spent the next day studying the methodology behind the research project Vai had shared with him .

The scrapped project was based around a Cultivation Manual called Emberstar Patterns] , an interesting technique that an elder of the Void Gate had gotten her hands on when exploring an ancient Mystic Realm . It was a pure fire-based method , but the way it infused one’s nodes with fiery energies that resembled stars was relatively novel .

The Void Gate wanted to see if the old manual could be retooled and turned into a space-fire mixed-meaning manual to suit their heritage better . Except infusing a Dao from a different peak into a pure fire manual was easier said than done . Vai’s nunnery had spent years dismantling the method and coming up with different paths that might work—just like how he was doing now with his Void Energy .

From there , they’d started their experiments , where they swapped out certain aspects of the method and let dozens of youths practice with it . The changes were designed to create different pathways in the cultivators to improve the compatibility with Space-attuned skills and classes . The first trial resulted in deviations that would have killed the cultivators if they hadn’t been monitored .

They weren’t discouraged , and kept changing the method , piece by piece , fractal by fractal , in their search for a perfect equilibrium . Unfortunately , the research team never found a solution that worked . The original manual was evaluated as High-quality D-grade , but the best they could create was a Low-quality E-grade manual that incorporated both Daos .

Emberstar Patterns] simply didn’t allow itself to be altered like they wanted . The moment they added too much foreign Dao , the underpinning theories that made the technique possible fell apart . Even then , it was very illuminating how they worked . It was a systematic process of elimination where they slightly altered the method bit-by-bit , following specific patterns that were designed to ensure they didn’t accidentally miss a working solution .

It was this kind of scientific method Zac needed to adopt if he wanted to make any real progress . Right now , he was testing random things in hopes he stumbled onto the answer . That might be fine if he had years to waste , but he only had a month to make as much progress as possible .

He needed to get organized , and the first step was collecting data .

The plan was solid , as far as crazy ventures went . Even then , Zac was so nervous when applying a fresh set of arrays across his body that he made more mistakes than when he tried the first time . The concept of Heart Cultivation was simply too nerve-wracking . He could essentially be hypnotizing himself to subvert his worldview without even noticing .

The array was eventually applied , but Zac still spent another twenty minutes stabilizing his heart and mind by meditating to confirm his own stance , conviction , and path . After that , Zac opened his eyes and took a swig of Void Slate] before starting up the movements .

Aum , - Zac said as his hands slammed together , and both a spiritual and physical ripple passed through the room .

No longer was he stuck practicing inside a claustrophobic cave at the bottom of a toxic ocean . Zac felt like he was standing atop a mountain peak , and a star-spangled sky showered him with the wisdom of the cosmos . Never before had he so clearly understood what the monks meant when they said all was one , and this feeling only intensified as he continued toward the sublimation of his body .

As he thought , the Sutras brought purpose and meaning to an otherwise hollow exercise . The movements were suddenly not just a precise set of stances . They became expressions of life , where each pose aligned his body with the Heavens . And when one truly became all , it was just a natural course of events when the Life-attuned energies in the paste entered his body and fused with him .

The pain grew an order of magnitude more intense , yet it didn’t seem so bad . Suffering was transient , while enlightenment was forever . Nothing else mattered ; only the Dao and the boundless potential of Life was worth focusing on . Zac continued with his tribute to Life , to Creation . Eighty-one ripples were reinforced by three Heavenly Cycles , and the fusion was complete . Movement turned to tranquility , and the paste on his body fell off , now just a dry mud void of purpose .

Zac looked at the room he stood in , filled with a sense of contentedness and wholeness he hadn’t felt in a long time . But Zac’s brows suddenly scrunched together as Void Zone] blasted out from his body , cutting him off from the Dao around him and the Heavens above . The sharp reversion severed the connection he felt to the universe , and Zac drew a shuddering breath before swallowing the second dose of Void Slate] .

No wonder the Buddhist Sangha had such a double-edged reputation .

He hadn’t felt anything amiss after completing the practice session . He was still Zac . It rather felt like he’d come down from an epiphany , where he enjoyed the lingering sense of clarity . He hadn’t felt his path subverted at all . Zac simply thought he’d gained a greater understanding of the Dao .

In hindsight , he realized just how much his perception had changed , how the Sutras slightly altered his perception . Priorities had been realigned . Until now , the leading star on his path had always been his various goals , from saving Kenzie to securing a place in the universe for himself and those he held dear . Gaining power and delving deeper into the mysteries of the universe was a gift and a marvel , but it was ultimately a means to an end .

Yet in that moment , when he was chanting the Sutras and moving in accordance with the Dao of Life itself , he’d felt—why bother? As long as he understood the true meaning of Life , everything was possible . All could be accomplished so long as he severed his Mortal Heart and focused on the Dao . Certainly , that was both a common and effective method of progressing , but it wasn’t for him .

Even worse , for a moment , there’d been a terrifying indifference hiding within that sense of vast interconnectedness , a mental state where all was Heavenly destiny . If Kenzie was taken , she was taken . Perhaps that was for the best . In a similar vein , Earth’s fate was up to the Heavens and not something he should meddle in .

If those around him died , it was just their time to enter the wheel of reincarnation . He should simply say a prayer and wish them luck on their journey . Thankfully , his true beliefs returned to him the moment he stopped practicing , and his nullification zone forcibly cut his connection to the technique .

Zac spent the better part of the next day stabilizing his mind , returning to a sense of normalcy . Over the first hours , a small cloud of golden haze was released from his pores as Void Slate] expelled the small amount of Life-attunement he accrued during his session . The process left him with a small amount of toxins , but Zac could tell it would only take an hour or two for Purity of the Void] to remove them . Vai had really provided him with a top-tier concoction for it to have so few side effects .

Only when he was confident he had wholly regained his sense of self did he dare delve deeper and analyze the experience . The first takeaway was that the Sangha’s reputation wasn’t just for show , and he was filled with a sense of respect for those elites who dared practice proper Buddhist methods as a form of tempering .

Secondly , Void Energy was surprisingly effective at resetting his mental state . Even then , it didn’t change much . It was a valuable safety net now that he was experimenting with the original method , but he would still need to reform the manual from scratch . If Zac only wanted to get his hands on the surface benefits of Body Tempering , he could probably just practice a couple of layers and forcibly suppress any mental changes with Void Zone] .

But that wasn’t what he was looking for . He wanted to properly fuse his human side with Life , not just form his Cosmic Core . The real goal was to reach a state of equilibrium that he planned on maintaining indefinitely , where his Draugr and Human were in balance—a state where Death empowered Life and vice versa through Quantum Gate] .

Perhaps even until he could fuse his two sides into one . And for that , he needed to practice the method wholeheartedly and not just grab for immediate gains like flat attributes and regenerative abilities . As for finding a solution , he was left with mixed emotions .

Zac had gained more understanding of what the Heart Sutras accomplished in this one session compared to going over his memories for months . Yet most of what it accomplished was drive home just how complicated Heart Cultivation was . If anything , he felt further away from a solution now than he ever did before .

The chants hadn’t formed any mysterious patterns that mirrored or added to the array on his skin . He still didn’t understand what happened or how it happened . When he uttered each chant , his perception had shifted , and what his heart believed became true . It was a terrifying subversion of reality that almost upended his previous understanding of cultivation .

He wasn’t even sure where to go from here , so Zac eventually chose to stretch his legs and see if perhaps Vai had any ideas . Luckily , Vai hadn’t retreated into one of the cultivation caves yet . Zac found her perusing various documents inside one of the laboratories .

How was it? - Vai asked with interest as Zac walked over . - How do you feel? -

It’s hard to say . Just some chants somehow altered the way I saw the world for a moment , and that belief impacted reality . I don’t understand where that came from . -

It’s probably all connected , - Vai said . - You could try the chants without the movements or the paste . I bet the effect won’t be nearly as pronounced . They probably form a coherent system where each part enkindles the others . -

Zac nodded in agreement . - You’re right . I simply don’t understand how it’s all related , so I’m having a hard time figuring out where to go from here . -

Research is a long-term commitment , - Vai smiled . - Don’t rush for immediate gains . Take your time and deepen your understanding first . Take some breaks to reflect on what you’ve experienced . After that , you can start thinking about how to proceed . -

Zac released a pent-up breath . Vai was right , of course . He was being too impatient , wanting immediate and measurable progress . Even if he was on a deadline , there was no point in rushing . He’d already learned a lot of small details over the past days , things that weren’t mentioned in his implanted memories . If he kept working at it , he would eventually get there .

After all , he was different from the researchers who tried to reform Emberstar Patterns] . There were many things he didn’t understand , but there was one thing he knew with utmost certainty . At the end of the path , a functioning Body Tempering Manual waited . The lights empowered by the Left Imperial Palace and Ultom had shown him that much .

This month was just meant to find and remove the barricades leading there .

I’ve thought on your matter over the past week , - Vai said . - Heart Cultivation is exceedingly rare , at least in the Zecia Sector . But I once read a study that mentioned picturing a certain image can help . Perhaps you can use that? First , figure out what change each chant brings , and then conceptualize that kind of change from your viewpoint? Something that rings true with your path . -

Rings true with my path . . . - Zac muttered , remembering the odd trial Three Virtues had him undergo back in the Orom World .

He’d been shown everything from thousands of ancient tomes or rows of monks silently reciting Sutras in those visions , and everything had looked identical if you looked at it conventionally . Even then , some things were simply true while the others were false . To this day , Zac didn’t quite understand why he’d known these things , but they were undeniably true .

Do you remember if picturing anything , in particular , is better? Like is it objects , or perhaps patterns like fractals? -

Anything that suits you , I guess? - Vai hesitated . - I don’t really know , sorry . -

That’s okay . You’ve helped me plenty already , - Zac smiled . - It’s even making me feel bad . Here , pick something you like . -

A dozen boxes appeared in front of him the next moment , each one containing one of the top-tier treasures he’d picked up during the years he spent off-world . Each one was significantly more valuable than anything they’d found during their time in the Void Star and would cause some waves if put on auction almost anywhere in Zecia .

This—This . . . What is this! - Vai exclaimed as she looked with wide eyes at the array of treasures .

Just some things I picked up while adventuring , - Zac smiled . - Most of these things are pretty useful for making a push for Hegemony . Take one as a small thank you for helping me with this . You can’t imagine how valuable your insight is . -

I cannot accept this , - Vai urgently said , almost looking afraid as she gazed at the priceless treasures . - Hegemony , is—is . I don’t . . . -

If you don’t , I’ll feel bad and won’t be able to concentrate on my cultivation , - Zac sighed with a sorrowful expression . - And even if you don’t need these things , what about your little niece? She should be looking toward the next stage by now , no? What if she lacked one little treasure to take that step . . . -

That’s— - Vai whispered , visibly distraught by the hypothetical scenario . - I’ll take the Kastron Root] then . It helps strengthen one’s corporeity before breaking through , to better withstand the process . With your terrifying constitution , it should be useless . -

Zac was about to answer , but a powerful ripple slammed into his mind . One moment , he’d been teasing Vai , the next he was swept up by the unfathomable depths of the Left Imperial Palace . Every cell in his body screamed in both fear and longing , and it felt so , so close . The Undrusian Ocean was forgotten , as was Heart Cultivation and the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] .

It all amounted to nothing in front of the ancient monolith he saw in his mind's eye .

The vision faded without him being brought into the Ultom Courtyard , and Zac found himself back in his body . He shot to his feet as he wildly looked around , trying to understand what just happened .

Ah—I’m sorry! I won’t take it! - Vai urgently said as she scrambled back , shocked by Zac’s explosion of movement .

The scared cry startled Zac enough to clear his head , and he apologetically looked at the little researcher as he retracted his billowing aura . - No , I’m sorry . Something unexpected just happened , and I lost my composure . -

Is everything alright now? - Vai asked .

I don’t know . . . - Zac muttered . - Something changed , and I’m not sure if it’s good or bad . -

Is it the Heart Cultivation? - Vai stammered . - I’m sorry , I shouldn’t have urged you to take that risk . I— -

No , - Zac smiled as he threw over the previously unnamed root Vai wanted , storing the other treasures . - My heart is just fine . Here , take this thing before I forget . -

Alright , - Vai nodded as she carefully stowed away the jade box . - Thank you for this . I’ll give it back if my niece doesn’t need it . -

Sure , - Zac grinned , knowing he’d never take it back .

With that , Zac returned to his training room , a scowl covering his face . He stared at the cave wall like he wanted to peek through the bedrock and spy on what was going on . Why had he suddenly received a pulse out of nowhere? Not only that , but it was more potent than the one he felt when stepping into this Mystic Realm .

Was the piece of rubble he aimed for on the move? Or had it been claimed by someone else? If so , what would that entail? Could he snatch it back? Would he still get an epiphany if he got it that way? The spacious cave turned suffocating as their hidden sanctuary was twisted into a prison . Anxiety gnawed at him , and even hours later , he found it hard to focus on his Heart Cultivation .

He’d been too confident in the piece of rubble after seeing Kuru Cera being turned into motes of ash from a simple ripple , satisfied that the seal’s lethality would be enough until he reached it . The question was whether it was all too late , even if someone had managed to contain it somehow . Could the situation be salvaged? Zac wasn’t sure , but his eyes turned to the hidden entrance to the cave .

Surely , the Beast Kings would have fallen asleep by now?

57

THE UNYIELDING RIVER OF FATE

You thought you could subvert the unyielding river of fate? Chaos might be able to hide you from the Heavens , but not from me . Twice now , you have fled from me . There will not be a third . -

Behind Iz , six radiant wings fluttered , their gentle movements incinerating the very fabric of the unstable Mystic Realm . Not only that , but the Five Pillars of Absolution] formed a circle around her two captives , illuminating the area with her Dao and conviction .

What do you have to say? - Iz asked , her eyes searching for clues in their faces .

I—Ah , it sounds perfect? - a wretched-looking cultist said with an eager nod . - Perfectly befitting the celestial poise of your Eminence . -

No feedback? Nothing bad? - Iz asked , expressionless .

Mistress , you are perfect , like a radian— - the man didn’t get any further as smoke suddenly filled his mouth .

An instant later , the empyrean flames swallowed him whole , not even leaving ashes behind . The disgusting parasite didn’t get a chance to escape either , with the cleansing fires purging it from the world .

What about you? - Iz asked as she turned to the other man .

I . . . ah? What? - the Hegemon stammered , his face covered in sweat as he looked at the spot where his companion once kneeled .

How does it look? -

The man hesitated for a second before he grit his teeth and spoke up . - What my colleague said was true , but he missed an important aspect that your Eminence might have overlooked . -

Oh? - Iz asked curiously .

This poor one has never seen anything that could compare to the beauty and profound power your Eminence exudes , but it does look a bit odd how you are hovering just above the ground . I would suggest either making sure both are in the air when you trap your target , or that you increase your elevation slightly . That way , your Eminence can also look down on them , as you should , - the man said , looking at her with hope in his eyes .

Elevation? How about this? - Iz said as she rose a few meters into the air .

Perfect , - the man hurriedly nodded .

Thank you . If fate wills it , you can return to your people , - Iz said as the pillars dissipated .

Thank you , thank you , - the cultist said with a deep bow , confusion turning into relief upon seeing that the Templars made no move to intervene . - I will not disturb the rest of your Eminence any further . -

With that , the Hegemon flashed away , disappearing among the endless clouds . Iz nodded as she deactivated her skills , feeling she was one step closer to her imagined outcome .

This . . . That man was a captain of the infiltrators , - a hesitant voice said as the leading Templar walked up to her side . - Him being allowed to return will be detrimental to this Sector . -

I promised , so he is fated to live , - Iz shrugged .

This . . . is problematic , - the captain said after a pause .

Are you questioning the decisions of the young miss? - the five-legged boulder growled as flames covered the sky . - The members of the Vigil have truly grown audacious here on the untamed frontier . -

Iz looked on with some helplessness at her ward’s umpteenth eruption over the last month . How was she supposed to adventure with this overprotective guardian constantly at her side? Back then , Iz had felt a fresh gust of freedom upon learning that the inner regions of this curious anomaly had become too unstable to house Peak Hegemons , let alone Monarchs .

Who could have guessed Kvalk actually had a skill that would allow him to detach a hand and turn it into a clone? Iz couldn’t wait for when they found Mr . Bug . She could picture it—her ward would try to restrain their actions , and she had seen multiple examples of how that turned out when that man was involved . Freedom and adventure were just around the corner .

For now , she would have to play peacemaker , which was a novel feeling on its own . These people didn’t know her background , only that she was someone important who the Void Priestess had tasked them to guide . Iz hadn’t realized how differently people looked at her and treated her when they weren’t saddled with the knowledge she was a Tayn .

One straggler will not change the course of destiny , even if he has some providence , - Iz said after some thought . - Him reporting my presence here might even help curtail the advances of these unorthodox infiltrators . More importantly , a calamity has entered your Void Star . The wheels of chaos have already been set in motion . -

If Mistress Tayn could enlighten us about the nature of this calamity , we might be able to provide better assistance , - the captain hesitated . - We cannot interfere with some things , but we are happy to help in other matters . -

It is not my place to tell you , - Iz said with a shake of her head . - With him involved , who knows how fate will swing . I don’t want to drag the Vigil into this accidentally . Let’s just head to the next realm . -

Of course , - the captain nodded . - I should tell you—we have already entered the inner half of the Void Star . With the damage caused by the invaders and some other events , we will not be able to take any more shortcuts . Not only that , our maps aren’t as reliable as before , so finding our way might prove difficult . -

The Terminal Disciple of the Void Priestess and some of our elites should be close by , - the leading nun added . - She might be able to help with your quest . -

Perhaps , if we run out of options , - Iz said , turning to the horizon with a smile . - But we are close ; I can feel it . -

If you say so , young miss , - the captain said , and the group set out again .

However , the golem held her back , prompting Iz to look at her guardian confusedly .

Young miss , I need to remind you of your task , - Kvalk said when the others were out of earshot . - Meeting up with your friend is fine , but this journey is contingent on your promise to Lord Mohzius . Having passed the first watershed is proof Ultom has deemed you worthy , and you can no longer back down . There is a high chance you will be pitted against that acquaintance of yours—for real . -

Iz sighed as she opened her Quest Screen .

Flamebearer of Ultom , - Iz muttered . - This is a bit troublesome . -

The path flickered as the array deactivated . Zac stumbled back into the hidden cave , his face a green mask of pain and nausea . Over the past couple of days , the anxiety over the sudden pulse had become too much . Zac eventually opted to see if he could forge a path through the toxins with the help of Void Zone] and his constitution , just like he had in the depths of the Twilight Chasm .

The good news was that the beasts outside had long since returned to their slumbering state , where they conserved their energy wrapped together in a ball of horror . The bad news was that he had severely underestimated the Undrusian Spring .

Ai! - Vai screamed as she rushed forward .

Don’t touch me ; I’m toxic , - Zac said with a hoarse voice as he stumbled to one of the rooms they didn’t use . - I’ll be fine in a bit . -

Zac couldn’t believe how virulent the waters still were . Not even his Draugr Constitution was a match , and the toxins had flooded his body far quicker than his Hidden Nodes could purify them . Not even Void Zone] was of any help since most of the poisons were actual compounds rather than an energy . It weakened them by blocking out the Dao , but that wasn’t enough for him to withstand the onslaught .

Thankfully , he realized the danger pretty quickly and had jumped back into the quicksilver in time . But there was no doubt about it—no matter how anxious he was about the sudden ripple , there was nothing he could do .

Ten hours later , Purity of the Void] had finally cleansed a good deal of the poisons that had snuck into his body , while Void Heart] had turned another chunk into pure energy while leaving large amounts of toxins in his blood . Thanks to Purity of the Void] , Zac rarely had to exsanguinate his blood any longer , but this time there were simply too many toxins .

Zac cut open his arm with his axe and let a pool of acrid blood form next to him , which caused Vai , who had anxiously waited in the distance , to scream with horror .

What are you doing! - Vai screamed as she scrambled over , a vat of cauterizing salve already in her hands .

Oh , sorry , - Zac smiled as he incinerated the blood with a talisman . - I forgot you were there . -

W-What are you doing? - Vai stuttered . - Don’t give up on life . The toxins are painful , but you should recover in a week or two . -

The toxins? - Zac laughed . - I’ve removed them already . It wasn’t as bad as I first thought . -

What? There’s no way , I saw you , - Vai exclaimed as she looked at the burned patch on the ground . - The Udrusian Spring is not a blood poison . And you are already recovered? How is this possible? -

You should have realized I’m pretty resilient by now , - Zac shrugged .

Is it the same as what protected you from the Blood Curse? - Vai asked curiously . - Is it your bloodline? -

It’s rude to look into other people’s secrets , - Zac snorted as he poked Vai’s forehead .

Fine , - Vai muttered . - It was just academic curiosity . -

Well , we won’t be leaving this place early , that’s for sure , - Zac grunted .

I still don’t understand why you did all this , - Vai said .

Just getting the lay of the land , - Zac smiled .

There was no simple way to explain the gnawing anxiety after that additional pulse . Even if he was making decent progress on his Void Vajra Sublimation] , it was hard to concentrate when he didn’t know what was going on . With every sign pointing toward the invaders looking for the Remnants , a sudden change didn’t feel like a good thing .

Still , his short outing proved there was nothing to do about it . There was a reason not even the venomous Beast Kings dared traverse the Undrusian Sea right now . So even if Zac was reluctant , he could only nicely stay put and keep working on his research . At least the short outing allowed him to put the matter aside . If he hadn’t gone out , he would have constantly been worrying whether he was making a mistake not leaving early to find the next piece of the seal .

The days passed as Zac continuously cycled between cultivating the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] for inspiration and meditating on his own direction for Heart Cultivation . The more he experimented , the more he believed he was on the right track . The solution to swapping out the Heart Sutras had to be forming authentic expressions of the Void with Void Energy .

It was a combination of forming the right truths in his heart and mirroring them with his Void Energy . That should elicit the same harmonization the original version used , allowing for his body to properly integrate the Life-attuned energies before his Hidden Nodes gobbled them up .

The problem was—what was true? Struggle as he might , he couldn’t create anything that filled him with the sort of certainty he’d felt when going through Three Virtue’s mental gauntlet . Still , he was rapidly deepening his understanding of both Heart Cultivation and the method in general , which would be immensely helpful down the road .

Not only that , but Zac even got to enjoy some of the benefits that made the Sangha’s methods so desirable for elites—the Heart Tempering . Repeatedly rejecting a boundless heart was a form of cultivation on its own , and Zac felt his convictions gradually grow more solid . After just a couple of days of practice , he no longer needed to use Void Zone] to reset his mental state and heart after each practice .

This was also a great hint of what was to come and another reason to keep the Heart-aspect intact in the Void Vajra Sublimation] . After taking on the previous set of Remnants , he realized that a strong soul wasn’t enough to ward off their subtle influence . With this additional form of cultivation , he would shore up his final weakness and hopefully pass the Atavism that A’Zu and Be’Zi had warned him about .

The only downside with the repeated practice was losing purified Creation Energy every time he experimented . Just like some of the purified motes of Oblivion nurtured his soul , so did crumbs of Creation enter his cells . Unfortunately , when he was cultivating the Boundless Varja Sublimation] , these motes were swept up , which meant they also got expelled by the Void Slate]-concoction .

Then again , that could be seen as good news since it proved the Creation Energy could indeed help boost the speed of Body Tempering , something that was extremely important considering he was behind schedule on that front . The quicker he could push his constitution to something that matched his Draugr body , the faster he could head to the Perennial Vastness and work on his Cosmic Core .

Like this , Zac completely lost track of time as he dug deeper and deeper into the secrets of the Void and the Boundless Vajra Sublimation] . But finally , a deep rumble that shook the whole hidden cave dragged him out of his reverie . Zac left his room , just in time to see Vai emerge from her seclusion .

These vibrations . . . - Vai muttered . - It must have started . -

I guess that’s it , then , - Zac grunted as he wiped the paste from his body . - Get ready to head out . -

What! - Vai exclaimed . - You read the reports . After the Undrusian Spring , a lot of treasures have been born or evolved thanks to all that released energy . -

You’re only making my argument stronger , - Zac commented and received an annoyed wave in return .

There will be a melee of millions of energy-starved beasts outside , - Vai said with a roll of her eyes . - We should wait for them to fight it out and claim their prizes before heading out . We won’t even make it to the waystation if we go out now . -

Zac was reluctant , but he knew Vai was right . - Alright . One more day . That should be more than enough time for the beasts to tire themselves out . -

Vai looked like she wanted to barter for more time , but she eventually gave up on the idea . Instead , she headed to the laboratory . She didn’t squeeze in some more time for research , but started cleaning the place and putting everything back in order . Zac wasn’t quite so dutiful and returned to the room he’d spent the last month inside .

With time running out , he didn’t experiment with the Void Vajra Sublimation] any longer . He’d already reached an impasse , where he simply couldn’t figure out how to form the 81 Truths of the Void . Practicing the method any longer wouldn’t bring him any closer , and it would only increase the risk of getting entrapped by the Sutras .

At least he was mostly sure of the direction he needed to take . Forming arrays with Void Energy to match those he painted on his body was a dead end . Vai’s solution was far better ; he needed to create representations of the Void with Void Energy and instill them with his conviction that they were true .

It was just like his insights related to the Dao of Conflict he gained under the Stele of Conflict . Purpose was the key—it could change everything . It could make true false , and false true . To take this step , he either needed to gain an epiphany or set aside years , perhaps decades , to find an answer .

But just because he didn’t experiment any further with his Body Tempering Method , didn’t mean he would just laze about . Instead , he started up his Soul Cultivation for the first time in a while . There was no time to set up one of the extravagant arrangements , but his goal wasn’t to maximize his gains .

Zac always felt refreshed and clear-minded after cultivating his soul , and he believed it would help stabilize his condition after the past month’s experiments . Zac soon got lost in the mysterious transformations and trajectories of Life and Death in his mind until the better part of a day had passed . After that , he simply closed his eyes and took the first proper nap in weeks .

Sometime later , a shuffling woke him up , and he found Vai entering his compartment .

Why do you keep a statue of a man next to you when you sleep? Who’s that? - Vai asked as she looked at the alabaster monument to Yrial’s beauty skeptically .

It’s my teacher , - Zac coughed as he stowed the statue with some embarrassment . - He’s a bit eccentric , but the statue has unique effects that speed up my cultivation and stabilizes my mind . -

Vai fidgeted at the doorway , turning to the large crystal . - I’ve never seen such a big Mind’s Eye Agate] . It must be worth a fortune . Can you really get this many treasures from adventuring? -

If you’re foolhardy enough , - Zac said with a wry smile . - Is it time? -

A day has passed , - Vai nodded .

Alright , perfect , - Zac said . - Let’s set out . I’m curious to see how things have changed outside . -

58

WEIGHT

Zac and Vai had spent a month preparing for this exact moment , so there was nothing else to do . They left only a single clue behind—a Communication Crystal Vai recorded , containing a warning about the infiltrators and pieces of the intelligence gathered by the Templar Hegemon . Zac doubted it would reach the right hands in time to make a difference , but he wouldn’t begrudge Vai’s attempts to help her people avoid unnecessary deaths .

The two donned their aura-hiding measures as they stepped onto the platform . They only got a couple of steps before they stopped , with Vai’s face alternating between green and white . There was an overwhelming stench of blood in the basin , and hundreds of maimed carcasses floated on the water’s surface .

Zac wasn’t surprised . The beasts had crammed together out of necessity and survival over the past month . But with an array of opportunities waiting outside , the beasts had rekindled their ferocious nature the moment the danger passed .

Eventually , Zac had to lift the reluctant Vai with Vivi’s vines and drag her into the sanguine waters , where he was immediately beset by a pang of danger the moment they passed through the oily film of putrid blood . Verun’s Bite] had already appeared in his hands , and the ferocious crablike creature that tried to ambush him was cleanly cut in two .

The Peak E-grade beast had hung from the cliff as it fed on the carcasses of the fallen , and it wasn’t alone . There were thousands of beasts feasting on the remains of yesterday’s melee . Even then , Zac wasn’t worried as he sunk even deeper . These beasts were so weak , they’d completely given up on the opportunities outside and had instead settled for at least filling their stomachs . There was no way they could pose a threat to them .

They entered the tunnel they originally came from , where the wall of shimmering quicksilver greeted them . If anything , Vai appeared relieved to enter the strange compound , while Zac was far more ambivalent . He remembered all-too-well what waited on the other side the last time he swam through this path .

His heartbeat sped up as they pushed through the final film and emerged in the volcano’s cauldron , but there were no toxins in sight . Instead , they were greeted by a refreshing aura that reminded Zac of the herbal atmosphere inside the Zethaya Pill House .

Two sides of the same coin , huh , - Zac muttered as he looked around .

I told you , - Vai said triumphantly . - There is no way the Void Gate would deal in poisons . -

Alright , alright , - Zac smiled . - Get your bowl out . We don’t only have beasts to worry about any longer . If we ran into one group of infiltrators , there are bound to be more . -

Vai nodded , and they started to swim in the general direction the waystation should be . The Undrusian Spring had knocked them slightly off course , but the realm wasn’t too big , and Vai soon found the signal leading toward their destination .

Swimming through the Undrusian Sea in the wake of the seasonal purge was an eerie experience . It simultaneously felt like a world filled with and void of life , and they barely saw any beasts over the next two days . The few who survived the purge and the following gauntlet had seemingly hidden deeply to recuperate and absorb whatever treasures they’d gotten their hands on .

Meanwhile , the previously dangerous plant life wasn’t nearly as poisonous since the tide had drained them of their toxic compounds . This made the Undrusian Sea the safest region they’d traversed over the past few Mystic Realms . But nothing good ever lasts forever .

Stop , - Vai whispered , and Zac quickly hid behind a boulder and erected a set of arrays .

It’d been their standard method of survival when passing through realms full of existences who could easily kill them . - Stop’ meant to hide and assess , while - back’ meant to run for your life .

What’s wrong? - Zac asked after the isolation array activated .

Three Hegemons and over fifty E-grade cultivators , - Vai said as she looked at the bowl . - The party looks almost as strong as the one led by Captain Kastella . They’re on the move , but aren’t moving in this direction . What should we do? -

Let’s just wait , - Zac said .

What if they’re Templars? -

Can you tell with your treasure? - Zac asked .

No . . . - Vai sighed .

Then we can’t easily approach them . Neither of us has any good stealth or observation skills . We’d be exposed before we could figure out which side they belong to . If they’re Templars , that’s fine , but I’m not sure I could deal with such a large party , - Zac said , and Vai could only agree .

They stayed in their makeshift hideout for an hour , at which point the group was finally out of the range of Vai’s bowl . They waited for another hour before moving out again , just in case there were hidden scouts roaming about . Like that , they continued another day until they found the waystation .

Zac stalled as he studied the tunnel from their hidden vantage . Should they enter? Apart from that first group , Vai also discovered three smaller ones over the past day . Not only that , but it looked like all of them came from this waystation . Who knew what waited inside? A whole army full of cursed cultivators?

Eventually , they opted to wait , and it was lucky too . Just ten minutes later , another group emerged from the tunnel , this squad consisting of six members . Zac held onto his axe tightly , but the team thankfully swam away , hurrying toward the other side of the Undrusian Sea .

Zac waited for another five minutes , at which point he couldn’t take it any longer . - Let’s go before anyone else arrives . Stay behind me just in case . -

Vai nodded , and the two rushed into the waystation . Moments later , both breathed out in relief upon seeing the place was empty . They still made a beeline for the gate room , but their haste proved futile as they sensed a familiar spatial fluctuation upon entering .

It’s activating! - Vai panicked , and Zac dragged her to a corner out of sight from the spatial gate and activated an isolation array .

A few seconds later , one warrior after another passed through , none of them wearing the equipment of the Void Gate . Altogether , eighteen cultivators entered , two of which were Hegemons . At first , Zac thought they would make it , but his heart froze when he one of the warriors scanned the room with shimmering eyes on the way out .

He only stopped for a fraction of a second upon looking at their corner , but that was all Zac needed to know the truth ; they were spotted .

There wasn’t any time for hesitation as Zac flashed forward after whispering - bubble , ’ and his axe had embedded itself into the head of one of the two Hegemons before the scout even had a chance to raise a warning . His ambush was followed by a burst of carnage from Nature’s Edge] . At this proximity , each warrior was almost instantly hit by over a dozen fractal leaves infused with two branches and empowered by both Spiritual Void] and Adamance of Eoz] .

Even if the warriors realized they were under attack and managed to erect some early defenses , there was no way for these ordinary E-grade cultivators to survive such a strike . Even a basic attack like the upgraded version of Chop] contained an almost incomprehensible power level when leveraged by all of Zac’s unique advantages .

Only two E-grade cultivators survived by having the foresight to back away rather than defend , but they might have been better off dying . It was almost impossible to perfectly avoid getting hit by the leaves in this enclosed space , and the two infiltrators who backed away were no exception . They slumped to the ground , alive , but grievously wounded .

Zac felt like he was being stabbed all over as more than ten tendrils of Blood Curses burrowed into his body , unleashing a ferocious assault from within . The surviving Hegemon was shocked to see his whole squad annihilated out of nowhere , but his first instinct was neither fight nor flight . Before anything , the Hegemon took out a talisman and pressed it against his chest .

Only then did the Hegemon breathe out in relief before he looked at Zac with a sneer . Zac pretended to be overcome by the Blood Curses as he hunched over with a grimace , but the reality was actually the opposite . Void Heart] had already woken up , and each beat ripped off a piece of the curses and swallowed them . Soon enough , they would be torn apart entirely and turned into cultivation fodder .

The Hegemon’s sneer turned into shock as Zac tackled him to the ground with enough force to cause the whole room to shake . He managed to pierce Zac’s side with his sword , and a soul-wrenching pain wracked Zac as he felt the blade grind against his spine . But before he could cause any more damage , Verun had already bit into the leader’s forehead , cutting his head in two .

Initially , Zac planned to target the man’s Cosmic Core to destroy his Blood Curse , but at the last minute , he changed his mind . Zac snatched the black-inked talisman from the man’s chest and placed it on his own as he backed away a bit . Just as he infused some of his energy into the talisman , the bloody tangle burst out from the man’s stomach .

The thing lunged at Zac as though it was a real living being , but Zac looked on with interest when the tendrils stopped half a meter away from him . They never continued past that point and instead spread all around him , searching for another target . A smile spread out across Zac’s face upon seeing one of the two survivors being targeted instead , and he looked appreciatively at the talisman on his chest .

He wasn’t happy the dying men’s woes had taken a turn for the worse , but rather that his suspicions had been correct . The Hegemon had been entirely too calm for someone standing next to a pressure cooker filled with ten Blood Curses . The curses weren’t as indiscriminate in their search for a new host as they earlier believed—some people , likely those with enough status or wealth , had the tools to ward them off .

There was no point in letting the stragglers suffer any longer , and Zac flashed over and finished the job , leaving the chamber a bloody mess . As he looked at the destruction , he couldn’t help but feel some annoyance . Between his recently-adopted habit of going for the head and the gristly exit of the Blood Curses , it would turn into a chore to turn these invaders into Revenants .

Since sending back the batch of procured bodies from Twilight Harbor , the Einherjar had seen no significant growth . Certainly , some native undead children were born , but they were essentially feral little devils until they gained sapience . It would be decades before the native undead citizens could step into society either as non-combat or combat classes .

He'd hoped this war would provide an opportunity to bolster his ranks surreptitiously . After all , who would notice if a few hundred thousand bodies went missing in a war involving trillions? But seeing the maimed corpses , Zac wondered if it was even possible without wasting Creation Energy to fix the wounds . That might be worth it for some elites , but definitely not for random foot soldiers . It was time to raise some Liches who could create proper Corpselords .

With all the infiltrators dealt with , Zac turned to Vai , who’d ensconced herself in the spatial bubble she used to survive the destruction of the cortex .

Stay inside a bit longer , - Zac said as he hurried across the room and stowed all the bodies and equipment .

The next moment , a torrent of churning waters washed the whole room clean , including Zac himself . There was inevitably some damage to the walls and floor from his fractal leaves , but it was better than leaving piles of bodies and mountains of clues behind . Next , Zac spread some karma-breaking dust over the spot where everyone had died , after which he used a Vacuum Treasure to drag everything in the room into a Cosmos Sack .

Alright , - Zac nodded . - Let’s go before anyone else arrives . -

Vai nodded and deactivated her defensive treasure , but she didn’t immediately head over to activate the doors to the neighboring Mystic Realms . She looked at where most of the infiltrators had been killed just a few seconds ago .

You—Do they weigh on you? The eighteen lives cut short just now . -

Is this about that guy who ambushed you? - Zac asked , getting a noncommittal shrug in response .

Honestly? Not really , - Zac eventually said after some thought . - If I let that affect me , I would have gotten myself killed long ago . This is the reality of cultivation for most people . The moment you go against the Heavens in pursuit of power , you enter a social contract where it’s kill or be killed . Only those at the very peak have the luxury of benevolence . -

I know that , - Vai said as she checked the array for damage . - I’m not sure if that makes things better . -

I know , - Zac sighed . - I don’t really have any answers for you . Things kept happening when I started cultivating . The moment I had the breathing room to stop and reflect on what was going on , there were already thousands and thousands of corpses in my wake . Since then , it’s only gotten worse . The old me would probably not recognize what I’ve become . -

Zac found Vai was staring at him with an inscrutable expression , and he calmly returned that stare . - Even then , I don’t regret anything . I’ve done what I had to do to protect myself and those important to me . If anything , I’d be willing to go even further . I guess you have to ask yourself how far you’re willing to go to stay alive . To protect the Void Gate . To accomplish your goals . Because I fear this upcoming war will test all of our limits . -

Vai didn’t immediately answer , and they stood in silence , unmoving , until she nodded . - . . . Thank you . There are two connections . Should I open both? -

One at a time , - Zac said . - There might be more of them on the other side . -

Vai nodded , and space split apart as the gate opened and displayed an empty room . Zac stepped through and was met with a weaker pulse in response . The next Mystic Realm was thankfully not only empty , but also closer to the seal . Even then , Zac felt it was strange .

The pulse was more potent than the one he got when stepping into the Undrusian Sea , but it still wasn’t at the level of the random burst he received beneath the surface . Zac had hoped he would get a better picture of the situation with the seal after entering another Mystic Realm , but it looked like he would just have to keep going .

Having found the correct place , no time was wasted as they rushed out of the waystation before they ran into any more infiltrators . The entrance to the station was hidden in a complex mountain range that Vai said contained a slew of natural spatial formations , making it easy to avoid being spotted until they’d created some distance .

When they stopped to orient themselves , Zac had to admit this place looked pretty odd even by Mystic Realm standards . Vai even called it a failed realm since it hadn’t quite managed to reach a stable state , and the dimensional layer was surprisingly thin . Zac could actually create small spatial tears with his bare hands if he infused them with his Daos , something that would be impossible on Earth or another ordinary world .

At the same time , it was a bit too energy-dense to become a random piece of rubble in the Void , so it ended up in this lifeless state . With a black sky and an almost complete lack of oxygen , it felt like a mountain hurtling through space . It wasn’t exactly a random meteor , though . For one , the sky was fractured like a broken mirror .

Vai found the realm fascinating , but Zac wasn’t as enthused . The pulse proved he was still in contention for the next piece of the seal , and he couldn’t wait to set out again . Everything was ready , only the piece of the seal was missing . It didn’t matter how many infiltrator squads they encountered on the way . He’d go to war if he had to .

Then again , fighting against some hostile invaders to get his hands on the next part of the seal was easy . The problem was the other choices that might have to be made . Seeing just how dangerous things had gotten lately , Zac couldn’t help but glance at his companion . It wasn’t just a matter of danger either . The Void Gate was clearly connected to the Left Imperial Palace somehow .

For his goals , for his path , just how much was he willing to sacrifice?

59

HIDDEN POCKETS

After having encountered two parties of infiltrators in such a short span , Zac and Vai’s nerves were on edge as they made their way through the mountain . Luckily , the lifeless mountains of the failed realms were filled with deep crags and confusing natural formations , while the stone itself contained a chaotic mix of energies which helped hide their presence . It provided them with secluded pathways as they made their way forward , and its value quickly became apparent .

Over the next day , Vai discovered not one but seven parties in the distance , each heading in the same direction—toward the waystation they just left . Seven , while not many , wasn’t few either , especially when you considered Zac and Vai kept to the edge of the realm .

Who knew how many parties there were in total , counting those who cut straight through the middle of this failed realm rather than followed the edges? A hundred? Even more? Not only that , but the parties were getting bigger , with two having over a hundred members . Seeing such bustling activity , Vai had a theory—they were getting close to the path the invaders used to infiltrate the Void Star .

Seeing the activity left Zac confused . How could the Void Gate allow these people to act so wantonly? Even if Hegemons didn’t grow on trees , there had to be more than enough Templars to go around . Why hadn’t they sent a proper army down to the depths of the Void Star? Why not cut the problem off at the roots?

These smaller realms had inherent limits where too large skirmishes or too powerful warriors could cause spatial instability or even collapse , but roving groups of elite Templars could do a lot of damage to hamper the progress of the infiltrators . Vai seemed quite confused as well , leaving Zac with only one theory .

The infiltrators had managed to cause enough trouble to cut off this entire region of the Void Star .

The situation was extremely worrying , even if they hadn’t run into anyone overly powerful . Not only did the situation put their escape route in jeopardy , it might mean there were enemy bases with actual arrays and traps set up in the area . Zac could probably deal with a scouting party if it came down to it , but a whole base was asking too much .

Vai understood the issue all-too-well , and her eyes almost never left her bowl . She continuously infused it with Dao to broaden its reach , and if not for Zac providing her with Soul Crystals to recover Mental Energy , she would have quickly toppled over .

The days passed like this , where they continuously stayed on edge as they passed one party after another . More than once , they were forced to backtrack and find a proper hiding spot to avoid colliding with parties . Zac felt doubly lucky he had Vai by his side in this kind of environment . Zac would have long since been exposed without her help , just like how that dour scout had outsmarted him before .

And that was especially true on the third day as her head suddenly snapped up from the bowl , gazing toward the edge of the realm . Zac frowned as nothing was there—only an actual edge where this patch of the mountain simply ended .

There’s a manmade spatial pocket there , - Vai whispered . - It’s definitely created by the Void Gate . We might finally have found some allies! -

Spatial Pocket? Like an illusion array? - Zac asked .

Its function is similar , but it’s a more powerful version . You cannot see through it with any observation skills since it’s not an actual illusion . The only way to find it is to know the signature or have an extremely deep understanding of the Dao of Space , - Vai explained .

Zac nodded , not completely understanding how it worked .

Can we enter and see if anyone’s there? - Vai asked with big puppy-dog eyes .

Sure , - Zac said after thinking it over . - If you know how to get inside . -

No problem , - Vai said and took out an array disk . - Little Lara gave me a master key that should give us access . -

Your niece is . . . - Zac coughed , and simply followed her to an empty patch of land .

Zac was just about to ask how it worked , but their surroundings shuddered , and they found themselves standing in the middle of a campsite that was almost a hundred meters across .

This , - Zac muttered as he looked around with surprise , and his eyes honed in on a silver arch standing at the edge of the realm . Was that a hidden Space Gate?

This is really ours! - Vai said with excitement . - Some of our Array Masters have been here . -

Is that a gate? - Zac asked curiously as he pointed at the silvery doorway .

A portable one , - Vai nodded as they walked over toward it . - Usually , we don’t use them because they’re so expensive to make . This one even seems to have a lot of extra features added . I wonder what’s different about it . -

Can you see when it was placed here? - Zac asked , having a theory .

What would happen if a new pathway was suddenly opened? Could that be the source of the previous pulse? The Void Gate might just have done him a huge favor and set him up with a shortcut to where he needed to go . That would explain the reason the pulse had gotten stronger , and it was a far preferable theory to the piece of the seal being taken or on the move .

It should be pretty recent , a few weeks at the maximum judging by the residual energy , - Vai said after taking some measurements .

Zac breathed out in relief , a weight lifting from his shoulders . It really looked like there was a lot of merit to his theory . If true , then this was a lucky break of monumental proportions . Especially considering how crowded their route was getting . Even if he was willing to fight the infiltrators for the seal , this way was a lot better .

Who knew how many infiltrators he would have been forced to fight if he followed the original route toward the next waystation . Of course , this all hinged on his theory being right , that this indeed was a shortcut .

Can you activate it? - Zac asked , which dragged Vai out of her thoughts .

Give me a minute , - Vai nodded . - It has a few inscriptions I haven’t seen in this context , perhaps to stop traitors from activating it? I somewhat recognize the method ; I just need to think things over for a bit , so I don’t accidentally trigger it to self-destruct or something . -

Take your time , - Zac said and stepped aside to let her work on the gate . - How safe is this spot? Can people simply stumble into it? -

Impossible , - Vai smiled as she pointed between the two edges of the hidden encampment . - Those two sides are a connected space . If someone walks into one of the walls , they will appear on the other side of us as though they teleported . For the one on the outside , they won’t notice anything since the width of this area is essentially zero . -

That’s amazing , - Zac muttered . - How big can you make these bubbles? Can you hide a whole planet inside one? -

Well , I think you technically can , - Vai said after some thought . - But it gets more difficult the more stable the space is . You’ve seen how fragile it is in this realm , which makes any manipulation a lot easier . You should understand that we’re not currently sanding in a lower dimension like how it works with Mystic Realms or Spatial Treasures . We’re hidden inside the same layer of space we entered from .

A Spatial Pocket placed in the main dimension would require an enormous source of energy . I’d venture this small pocket is drawing large amounts of energy from this whole mountain range . To hide a whole planet would be an enormous undertaking . It would be cheaper to simply find and move the planet into a Mystic Realm than doing something like this . -

Alright , - Zac sighed .

Seeing such an amazing solution , the first thing Zac thought of was Earth and potentially hiding the whole thing with this kind of array . Though it looked like he would have to find some other method to hide the planet from the universe in 90 years .

The hours passed as Zac rested up while Vai went over the Control Array . She’d been exhausted by the time they found this place , but seeing the unique design invigorated her . Of course , the fact that Zac crushed a couple of Soul Crystals and taken out the Mind’s Eye Agate] helped both her focus and recuperation .

Zac also explored the campsite in search of clues , but there wasn’t much to go by . The camp was clearly meant as a temporary rest stop , though it was a bit curious the tents were all left behind . Even then , the only thing of interest was that the ground in one of the tents was covered in blood . There was even a slightly ominous aura here , which made Zac wonder just what transpired . Execution? Torture?

Since there was nothing else to this place , Zac soon went back to Vai’s side to watch her work .

I’ve figured it out , - Vai said with a slight flush on her cheeks . - I wonder who made this—it might even be someone from the Void Monastery itself . The methods aren’t extremely complex , but it combines so many theories and concepts from various subordinate convents . It has essentially combined five different arrays and methods into one . -

Zac could see how excited she was , but he couldn’t wait to hear the verdict , so he coughed a bit before she went off on a tangent .

Ah , don’t worry , I can activate it , - Vai added .

Great , - Zac said . - Let’s do it . -

Do you think our people , ah , my people , are on the other side? - Vai asked hopefully .

Maybe . . . Though this place might have been set up by some elites who are heading deep into enemy territory . If weeks have passed since this camp was set up , they might have moved on already . -

Right , - Vai said , her eyes dimming a bit .

Don’t worry . I think what I’m looking for is in the next realm . After that , we’ll immediately start looking for the members of the Void Gate , alright? - Zac said , which made the little researcher perk up again .

Until recently , Zac hadn’t been sure what to do after getting his hands on the second piece . He’d caught onto its tail by chance , and there were no guarantees he’d find another piece even if he spent another year inside the Void Star . By the looks of things , they’d reached the deepest parts of the Void Star , and there had never been any conflicting signals that said he could head in two different directions .

And with how the region was suddenly crawling with infiltrators , every additional day they stayed behind might lead to a disaster . For now , Zac felt the best solution was to start looking for a way out the moment he picked up the second piece of the seal . If he happened to stumble onto another signal on the way out , great . If not , he would have to search other regions for clues , just like these infiltrators were doing now .

As far as he could tell , the piece of rubble Zac got had appeared somewhat recently . And with the infiltrators knowing about them as well , there was one extremely promising region—The Million Gates Territory . That place was a hotbed of weird spatial anomalies . It wouldn’t be a surprise if a path leading to the Left Imperial Palace appeared somewhere around there .

It was likely from that region the Void Star had swallowed up some pieces of rubble , either by accident or design . Using a Creator Cosmic Vessel to search the Million Gates Territory while looking for Ogras and Billy , and racking up war contributions would kill three birds with one stone .

A minute later , the gate hummed to life , but both Zac and Vai frowned when they didn’t see anything on the other side of the gate . It was just an opalescent wall that released slight spatial fluctuations .

Does it work? - Zac hesitated as he looked at the opaque screen .

I-I think so? - Vai said .

A spear appeared in Zac’s hand , and he stabbed it inside the spatial gate to make sure . A moment later , he took it back , and it looked perfectly fine . If the Void had been on the other side , the spear would have been almost destroyed by an attempt like that .

Alright , - Zac nodded . - Let me scout— -

He didn’t get any further as both the screen and the whole spatial bubble shuddered ominously , making Zac look around with alarm .

It’s running out of energy! This failed realm cannot sustain it! - Vai said with shock . - It will collapse soon . -

Go! - Zac shouted .

The next moment , he appeared in a different world , and his heart lurched when he found himself falling . It turned out they’d been dropped off in the air just like when they first entered the Void Star . Thankfully , it was only a couple of hundred meters above ground this time , and there were no dangerous birds in sight .

The ground quickly drew closer , but Zac managed to catch a glimpse of a seemingly boundless forest before he crashed through a couple of tree crowns . A powerful pulse from the Left Imperial Palace greeted him when he landed with a thud , and a smile spread across his face . It was a success , and he’d even been able to sense what direction to go .

However , his smile gradually faded as he looked around with confusion . Vai landed next to him , and she didn’t share his initial ebullience at all . Instead , she was confused and frazzled .

This is wrong , - Vai exclaimed as she took out her bowl and almost put her whole face inside it . - This is all wrong! Why were we sent out here? Where is the other half of the array? Without it , we can’t return . Wh—Hello? Are you alright? -

Zac knew Vai was talking to him , and he understood that them being thrown out like this wasn’t great . However , Zac didn’t immediately answer as his mind churned . First of all , the next piece of the seal was definitely located in this realm judging by the power of the pulse . But that wasn’t what filled him with uncertainty .

Why did this place feel so familiar?

He was almost positive he’d never been here before , yet it filled him with an odd sense of déjà vu . Was it because the surroundings looked like a common forest you might see back on Earth , a refreshing break after all kinds of alien environments he’d traversed the past months? Or was it simply the pieces of the seal harmonizing with each other?

Sorry , - Zac said . - It’s probably nothing . I’m guessing that’s not how those gates are supposed to work? -

No , - Vai sighed . - Another one should be placed on the other side after passing through . That way , the gate is stabilized . -

Well , it might be because the other side was to energy-starved , - Zac mused . - No wonder they left their camp behind . They probably had to jump through like we did . -

What should we do now? - Vai asked with worry as her gaze flitted between the bowl and the forest .

She’d clearly hoped to run into her people , but Zac was relieved that wasn’t the case . With the seal being so close , he didn’t need any further complications . And on the bright side , this place seemed quite harmless . The energy was even denser than Earth , but there weren’t the telltale incessant calls of the wild that often indicated a danger zone .

Can you see anything? - Zac asked . - Either man or beast . -

No , - Vai sighed . - I don’t understand how it would come to this . . . -

Well , they might have been dropped off elsewhere . Or moved further inside , - Zac shrugged . - We might as well move out if we want to figure out what’s happened . -

You don’t want to find my people , - Vai said—a statement rather than a question .

Not until I accomplish what I came here for , - Zac smiled . - I doubt they’d let me run off on my own . But after I’ve accomplished my goal , it’s probably a good idea to find the Templars who set up this gate . They might be our best bet on getting out of here . -

What will you do if the ones we’re looking for are after the same thing as you? - Vai asked .

Then I’ll probably knock them out and steal it , - Zac said after some thought . - Can’t have that thing falling into the wrong hands , you know? -

Wrong hands? - Vai said with confusion .

Anyone’s but mine , - Zac nodded .

You . . . ! Shameless , - Vai exclaimed , shaking her head and smiling a moment later . - Fine , let’s go . Do you know the way? -

Follow me . -

For the first ten minutes , they didn’t encounter a single threat . The only beasts were some F-grade critters scuttling about in the tree crowns or between the bushels . They came in all shapes and sizes , though they had one thing in common ; all of them seemed absolutely terrified of him and Vai .

At first , Zac didn’t understand what brought on that kind of powerful reaction . Most F-grade beasts were pretty stupid and aggressive , and he would have expected to get the occasional attack . Finally , there was a change as Vai spotted six Peak E-grade signatures in her bowl , and they were even heading straight toward them .

For the first time , Vai couldn’t give a clear answer whether they were dealing with beasts or cultivators , so Zac simply had Vai stand behind him as he waited for their new friends . Thirty seconds later , six hulking humanoid figures came rushing out of the forest , all of them covered in thick black fur and reeking of bloodlust .

No wonder the critters in the forest were so terrified upon seeing humans . There were actual humanoid beasts in this place .

60

SECOND PIECE

Zac looked down at the bloody carcasses with interest . It wasn’t often you ran into humanoid beasts , and these were the first ones he’d seen since the Twinruin Bloodstalker he fought in the Big Axe Coliseum . These guys seemed to have a deeper bloodline than the bloodstalker , but ultimately , they were only E-grade beasts .

They looked like black-furred yeti with builds almost a match to Billy’s , but that didn’t affect their impressive speed . Their primary attack method was their long claws , but Zac sensed an odd discrepancy between the group . Three of them emitted vague hints of nature-aspected Dao , while the other three leaned toward earth . This was a divergence from common beasts , where a whole race generally learned the same Dao .

Were these guys perhaps moving toward Atavism and becoming actual cultivators? It was doubtful ; their bestial nature was far too pronounced .

Do you recognize them? - Zac asked the researcher , who shook her head .

I never heard of humanoid beasts inside the Void Star , - Vai said .

Well , let’s hope there aren’t too many Beast Kings amongst these guys . Those things might be pretty dangerous . -

They performed a cursory inspection of the beasts , but there didn’t seem to be anything of value on their bodies . Zac still stowed them away , much to the confusion of Vai . He figured that while their claws or meat might be worthless , the bodies could serve a purpose . Could humanoid beasts be turned into Revenants?

He knew it was impossible with beasts . You had to use their parts for Corpselords , though mixing flesh of cultivators and beasts would generally cause severe rejection . You’d have to be an incredibly skilled Lich to get away with those modifications , unless you were okay with the Corpselord having a limited future .

The alternative to body repurposing was to turn them into undead beasts and enter contracts with them . Apparently , more than a few clans in the Undead Empire went this route since you could consider it a branch of Soul Cultivation . However , beast taming wasn’t very popular among the Divine Races since they had their own heritages .

All those rules and restrictions might not apply to a humanoid beast . Except they were so rare , the subject had never come up when he traveled with Catheya . If he could turn these durable guys into proper soldiers , he would have a terrifying army to add to his repertoire for the upcoming war .

Therefore , Zac was quite careful with the bodies they encountered over the following days , and there was more than one . At first , Zac had been worried it would be hard to find more of them , but that worry turned out to be unfounded . They were all over the forest , and were beyond aggressive .

Anytime the beasts spotted them , there was no hesitation . They immediately went in for the kill , and didn’t care in the slightest when their companions got killed . Zac’s only options were complete annihilation or escape , and if not for his idea , he would quickly have started to avoid them altogether . They were too big of a nuisance and a constant cause of headache during their journey .

Other than that , the forest was relatively safe . There was the occasional plant that looked a bit dangerous , but it was nothing compared to the realms they passed over the past months . The real problem was how large this place was .

After ten days had passed , Zac started to feel like he was stuck in an illusion array . The forest was without end . Compared to the previous Mystic Realms , they would have long since reached the other side with how fast they were moving .

I didn’t even know we had such big Mystic Realms in the Void Star , - Vai agreed when Zac inquired . - Generally , realms of this size have too powerful spatial properties , and it creates problems in the star . -

It might be a recent addition , - Zac said . - And it might be why the infiltrators can enter the Void Star . Is it possible to manually detach a realm from the Void Star? -

Zac felt this whole invasion was above his paygrade , but if he could stop the invaders from using the Void Star as a springboard , he was willing to give it a go if an opportunity presented itself . Not only would it help keep a lot of people safe , but it might even give him some contribution points for the war .

Ah , I’m not sure . . . - Vai hesitated . - I’ve heard the Monarchs are powerful enough to move the realms with the help of certain treasures manually , but that method is impossible for us . If this place collapsed , it might cause a strong enough spatial ripple to cut the connection with the Million Gates Territory . -

So , blow it up? - Zac nodded . - Sounds like a plan . -

B-Blow it up? - Vai stuttered . - How would you blow up a whole Mystic Realm? -

Well , it’s just an idea . But in my experience , things are more liable to blow up than people think , - Zac shrugged .

That-That’s crazy , - Vai said with wide eyes . - Actions have repercussions . Who knows how our karma will be affected by destroying a world? -

With how big this place is , we have time to brainstorm something better , - Zac smiled .

Finally , after four weeks of constant travel , the topography changed . According to Vai , it seemed as though this realm was a Chimeral Realm , as she called it—the combination of multiple dimensional fragments . The mountain range that stretched out across the horizon had come from another world .

Hearing the explanation made Zac think of the System , but this was a natural occurrence that sometimes happened when a powerful realm was surrounded by smaller satellites . Eventually , the main domain gobbled the smaller ones up , adding them to their bulk . Vai was still confused , as the topography somewhat messed with her understanding of the process .

She tried to explain the interrelation between space , geography , and leylines , but Zac quickly grew bored and confused . How this place had been created wasn’t as important as the fact that he felt a weak but continuous signal since he stepped onto the mountain , just like when he’d closed in on the first piece on Hako Lake .

The second piece of the seal shouldn’t be more than a week’s travel away .

They still hadn’t encountered the squad from the Void Gate , or any other cultivators for that matter , but Zac knew this place wasn’t completely unpopulated . They’d spotted a few marks that were likely left from cultivators killing those beasts . For instance , Vai had found a boulder that had been pierced straight through , along with the skeleton of one of those beasts .

Someone had ambushed the thing by striking straight through the rock , either with a spear or arrow , proving the two weren’t alone . And with them closing in on the seal , Zac had Vai continuously keep track with the bowl again while he carried her into the mountains . Even then , the only enemies they encountered were more of those beasts .

Zac couldn’t believe how many of them there were . He’d killed close to a thousand through their month-long trek through the forest , but it quickly became apparent those roving packs were just the few who’d gone off on their own . In an hour’s worth of travel across the mountain range , Zac added another 200 humanoid beasts to his growing pile of corpses .

Going by how many yetis they ran across , the mountain range had to be their home base . There must be tens of millions of them if they’d spread out through the whole region . And so far , the weakest ones he’d encountered were Middle E-grade , which probably meant they naturally reached E-grade upon reaching adulthood .

Not any random place could support such a vast population , yet Zac couldn’t sense anything special about the mountain . If anything , the energy density was worse than in the forest . So why did they stay here? Were there riches underground?

With so many yetis in the vicinity , Zac and Vai soon found it hard to progress as freely as before . The cliffs carried even the smallest of sounds far and wide , and every battle attracted all the beasts in the area . If they kept going like this , they’d never reach the seal . It wasn’t just a matter of dealing with the beasts either , it also risked warning other parties of their presence .

They carefully changed their tactic to avoid the yetis as best they could , utilizing stealth to creep forward , even if Zac burned with impatience . With the help of Vivi’s vines , they climbed farther and farther into the heart of the mountain , generally avoiding the paths on the ground altogether .

A few more days passed until they saw a massive crater in the distance . Zac’s heart thumped since he recognized its odd shape—it seemed to be almost completely spherical . In contrast to the small cave holding the piece of rubble , this thing was a few miles across . It might look a bit different , but there was no doubt in Zac’s mind .

After months , they’d finally reached the second piece of the seal .

That’s odd , - Vai muttered as she followed Zac’s gaze . - Never seen a valley like that before . It doesn’t seem like a natural formation . -

Let’s go , - Zac said as he started moving again , advancing even more deliberately to make sure they weren’t discovered .

Twenty minutes later , they found a good spot to investigate what was going on at the bottom of the valley , and Zac’s brows furrowed with incomprehension . He didn’t know what he expected , but it wasn’t an ancient temple with tens of thousands of yeti sitting in silent meditation outside .

The valley wasn’t perfectly spherical either—there was a tiled square outside the temple that had somehow avoided getting disintegrated . It was on this square the yeti were sitting .

Are they praying? - Vai whispered with shock . - Have they actually formed a society? And what’s that temple? I don’t recognize it at all . Do you know? -

Zac didn’t immediately answer , trying to understand the situation better first . There were no two ways about it—the next seal was inside the temple . The scene was a bit confusing , though . After seeing the spherical cave with the piece of rubble , it was clear as day to Zac that the whole valley had been disintegrated by one of those terrifying pulses . The layer of dust on the ground was proof of this .

So how had the temple and the square survived? Was it a part of the Left Imperial Palace? It shouldn’t be—even if the place were mostly in ruins , the design wasn’t all that similar to either the small pagoda in the Ultom Court or the Left Imperial Palace .

I’m not quite sure either , but I know the item I need is inside , - Zac said .

I wonder why the yetis are staying outside , - Vai mused .

If they enter , they’ll turn to ash . See the pile of dust at the temple gates? Those are probably former yetis , - Zac sighed .

What! - Vai said with fear . - Then how will we enter? -

I’m sorry , but you’ll have to wait outside , - Zac said , and he held up a hand when he saw Vai looked ready to argue . - There’s nothing I can do . From what I can tell , everyone who hasn’t been chosen will be annihilated when getting close . Do you remember that scout , Kuru? He turned to dust right in front of my eyes when I picked up the last piece . -

. . . Alright then , - Vai reluctantly acquiesced . - I didn’t expect to be stopped at the goal line , but I’m not ready to die to study those ruins . . . What will you do? -

Seems straightforward enough , - Zac shrugged . - I’ll just rush straight through the beasts and enter the gate . If they dare follow , they’ll be in for a world of hurt . -

But what if you— - Vai couldn’t finish her sentence .

If it turns out I’ve overestimated my fate and get myself killed , you’ll have to leave without me . Try to find your people . Luckily , this realm doesn’t seem too dangerous apart from these mountains . -

I . . . Alright , - Vai acceded . - But I’m sure you’ll be fine . -

Well , I am pretty lucky , all things considered , - Zac smiled .

For the next hour , they looked around until they found a good hiding spot not too far away from the valley , where they set up a series of illusion arrays . It was a cave that was both hard to reach and hard to spot from the ground , and the likelihood of the yetis climbing up here was almost nil according to what they’d seen so far .

Zac spent the next hour stabilizing his state and going over everything . There were always things that could go sideways , but he felt he’d prepared as much as possible . As long as Zac seized the epiphany , he had something to steer it toward . He’d even gone over his Daos and the direction he wanted to take them , just in case the nature of the second epiphany was different .

I’m going . Here , take this , - Zac said and threw over a Cosmos Sack .

What’s this? - Vai asked .

Offensive Talismans , Escape Talismans , provisions , and various things you need when adventuring . There is also an Information Crystal on how to get in touch with my people if I get myself killed , - Zac smiled . - I’m sorry I dragged you to such a dangerous place to complete my mission . -

Don’t say such inauspicious things , - Vai pouted . - Just go get that item . I’ll be right here . -

Alright , I’m off . - And Zac flashed away .

He appeared hundreds of meters away after having activated Earthstrider] , and with a few more steps , he’d crossed half a mountain . He didn’t bother using Vivi’s vines now that he was alone , and instead occasionally used the mountain walls to reset his movement skill as he blazed a path through the sky . It was quite costly to use his movement skill in this manner , but he couldn’t wait for a second longer .

Like this , the mountain range turned into a blur until he found himself at the valley’s edge . He pushed out , and four steps to the air allowed him to reach the edge of the yetis in almost an instant . Another step took him deep into their ranks , but he failed to take his sixth and final step as a tremendous bloody aura prevented him from activating the skill again .

Zac had expected as much , and he slammed into the middle of the pack like a meteor . A swarm of fractal leaves ripped apart the closest beast as he rushed forward . No longer did he care about maintaining the state of their bodies . He was only thinking of efficiency , of getting to the temple as quickly as possible .

He entered his Evolutionary Stance , and suddenly he was an apex predator in a flock of sheep . Two enormous waves of Dao and killing intent formed a spatial divide that stretched almost two hundred meters . Yetis died by the hundreds as Zac carved a bloody path , and for the first time since entering this realm , he saw some of them run away with fear .

That didn’t hold for the Beast Kings and their followers , though . They’d formed a defensive line in front of the temple . Judging by the energy churning through their bodies , they had been planning a response for a while now . The result was immediate , and Zac frowned when thousands of spikes blotted out the sky . At the same time , even more spikes formed a circle around him , and it felt like he had been entered the maw of a terrifying beast .

The only relief was that no spikes popped up through the ground , but the Beast Kings had essentially created a deadly dome that was closing in on him . Zac was shocked at the scene . Since when were beasts this quick-witted and coordinated? Going by the slightly different auras in the spikes , this was a combination attack where the Beast Kings conjured roughly a hundred spikes each .

It was shocking to think they were so clever . Or had they known he was coming and prepared this trap? It was still impressive , but not as much as naturally forming battle formations . When had he been exposed? When they spied on the valley before? Even earlier? Or was he not the first one to try and seize the thing inside the temple?

Zac grunted with annoyance as he infused Arcadian Crusade] with energy . So much for simply rushing through this pack . If he ever found out someone else had raised the awareness of these yeti , they would be in for the beating of a lifetime .

61

ANOTHER CYCLE

The enormous spikes had blotted out his surroundings in no time , forming an almost perfect half-sphere . The scene reminded Zac of the chamber that contained the Dimensional Seed back in the Mystic Realm . Back then , the spikes had been pointed at the dimensional treasure . Now they were pointed at him , and the cage was shrinking . Fast .

The fifty-meter spikes appeared to be wrought from the same rusty stone as the surroundings , but they were covered with black veins similar to obsidian . Those veins contained a terrifying amount of energy , and it felt as though thousands of Nature’s Punishment] were being unleashed at once .

Not only that , but the array of stalactites had formed some sort of barrier . Even if he managed to squeeze between the spikes , he would also have to deal with the fence . Zac glanced at the black-furred humanoids who’d run away from him earlier . He could barely discern some of them outside the ambush , and their eyes were filled with cold hatred as they silently stared back at him .

So much for fleeing in fear of his prowess . They just didn’t want to be caught inside the trap that was rapidly closing in on him . There were also hundreds of yetis left inside who were caught between a rock and a hard place . The Beast Kings had to be hell-bent on killing him since the attack would result in mass casualties among their own .

Even Zac felt tremendous pressure when he looked up at the spectacle . This was why he always rushed into a melee with Beast Kings and Hegemons . Giving them time to make use of their vast stores of energy and D-grade skills would always put him at a disadvantage . He could tell Empyrean Aegis] would only be able to withstand a couple of hits before breaking apart , and Void Zone] wasn’t very effective against corporeal attacks .

He had to dodge—or rather , pass right through it .

Luckily , his slaughter had created some breathing room , especially with the remaining beasts escaping from the trap . And with the tremendous waves of energy the thousands of spikes were emitting , there was no way either Vai or anyone else would be able to discern what he was up to inside the trap . As such , a plan formed in his mind , and he flashed forward to the edge of the encirclement .

A hand emitting an archaic aura appeared out of nowhere , wielding a wooden axe covered in the markings of paradise . It was Arcadia’s Judgement] activated with Void Energy , which saved Zac a precious second . The cage had already halved in size in a short moment , and if not for his cheat , he wouldn’t have had time to conjure the skill before getting skewered . And even if activated with Void Energy , the skill still gained the boost from Arcadian Crusade] .

The enormous axe slammed down on the spikes barring his path , and the collision shook the whole valley and agitated the layer of ash on the ground . The veins of the spikes shimmered as their energy surged , but the spikes only lasted a moment in the face of Zac’s empowered strike .

With all the layered powers Zac had added to his most potent attack , the swing felt like a harbinger of the apocalypse as it destroyed everything in its path . Still , the spikes crumbled easier than Zac expected , though a sudden pang of danger forced Zac to scramble to the side . A whistling scream almost blew out his eardrum as a fist-sized shard narrowly missed his head .

Zac grimaced when he realized it wasn’t just an errant shard shot in his direction by the clash . The spikes were exploding like cluster bombs along the veinlike patterns , unleashing innumerable projectiles on the surroundings . His attack had started a chain reaction as more and more spikes exploded , and the trapped beasts were already dying by the dozens .

Nature’s Edge] couldn’t compare to this kind of mayhem , whether you considered the number of projectiles or their velocity . Another shard whizzed past him like a blur right on the heels of the previous one , and Zac shuddered when he felt just how much energy it contained . A golden laurel appeared on his head as he desperately fended off dozens of splinters with his axe , and the defensive skill narrowly allowed him to block four spikes that slammed into him from behind .

The golden barrier of Empyrean Aegis] saved him from being gored , but it couldn’t completely dispel the force contained in the shards after the explosions . Zac found himself pushed in the direction of his own skill . At first , he was afraid he would find himself attacked by the second stage of Arcadia’s Judgement] , but he was surprised to see the second shockwave completely blocked and nullified by the tiles .

Only now did he realize that not so much as a mark had been left on them since the battle started , no matter if it was from his attacks or the projectiles that slammed into the ground with the force of an E-grade elite’s attack .

A sharp pain dragged him out of his thoughts as a shard managed to pierce through his barrier . One of the steles of Empyrean Aegis] had already crumbled , and the cascading explosions around him were only getting worse . Zac ignored the dangers as he rushed straight into the path he’d opened , trying to cover as much ground as possible .

He was constantly blasted with sharp projectiles , each one containing enough force to slam him into the ground or push him off course . But Zac was adamant about getting through this gauntlet . Verun’s Bite] roared as Zac parried as many projectiles as he could , and he threw out whole stacks of offensive talismans with his other hand to avert some more .

Long patches of Vivi’s vines were being ripped asunder as the plant formed thick nets to lessen the burden on Empyrean Aegis] . Even if he was rapidly expending energy , there was simply too much shrapnel being unleashed by the Beast Kings . He couldn’t possibly block it all , even if he moved as efficiently as he could following Evolutionary Stance .

One piece of rock after another broke through the barrier , leaving him with deep wounds and infusions of chaotic energy . Zac would have to eat even more strikes than this if he wanted to reach the barrier outside . But no matter how dangerous his plan was , it was nothing compared to the meatgrinder behind him . If he waited around until all the spikes exploded , not even scraps of him would remain .

Each step was a battle , but he finally believed he’d advanced far enough . Ancient trees sprouted atop the tiles all around him , though most were ripped apart the moment they appeared . Zac didn’t care—he only needed the effect of Ancestral Woods] for a short moment .

Hundreds of scenes entered his mind , and Zac breathed out in relief . He hadn’t miscalculated the distance in all the chaos—he was just two hundred meters away from the barrier meant to trap him in this hellscape . The shield looked extremely sturdy , and it didn’t so much as shudder after getting hit by hundreds of shards every second . Breaking through it by force would probably take a while .

Unfortunately for them , Zac had other means . If Vai had seen the trees of Ancestral Woods] , she would have realized they truly lived up to their name today as they emitted an unusually primordial aura . Zac had activated the skill with Void Energy , which allowed for a unique advantage with this particular skill .

He’d already confirmed that Void Energy worked differently and could simply ignore most types of seals . He had used that fact to kill the cultists back in the Mystic Realm , but Ancestral Woods] provided a different kind of use—escape . The forest covered quite a big area , so a few of them appeared outside the barrier .

The Beast Kings understood something was wrong and moved to destroy them , but they weren’t quick enough . Zac had already emerged from one like a bloody specter , with an axe in hand keening for vengeance . Zac could tell Verun wanted to come out and fight these Yeti Kings , but he held the Tool Spirit back as he rushed forward .

Behind him , the rumble grew louder as the cage descended into utter chaos , and the cries from the trapped yeti had already been cut short . His heart shuddered as he pictured himself being stuck inside that grinder , and quickly turned that fear into speed . The gate to the temple was only a few hundred meters away , with only a single Beast King barring his path .

Bastards , - Zac growled as the muscles in his right arm bunched up , and the golden runes on his face suddenly shone brighter as he closed in on the five-meter-tall humanoid Beast King .

Zac unleashed a herculean swing at the incoming swipe , and the clash kicked up an enormous cloud of dust from the piles accumulated around the entrance . Zac was pushed back a step and worsened some of his wounds , while the five-meter Yeti King was thrown over twenty meters away with a severed arm and a deep wound in its chest , showing just how terrifying Zac’s Strength was for an E-grade cultivator .

His arm hurt , but there was no time to think . Zac regained his footing and leapt forward , flying straight toward the arched gate before the other Beast Kings could catch up . Even if things had gotten a bit hectic , he knew all-too-well how dangerous this was , and he wasn’t thinking about the yeti outside .

An instant later , he passed through the gate and landed inside the temple’s courtyard , his heart beating like a drum as his eyes were trained on a small prayer hall inside . It was from there the signal came , and the response was immediate . A powerful pulse rippled out from within the ruin , and Zac urgently activated Void Zone] and covered his whole body with Void Energy .

Zac still didn’t really know if that was what saved him last time , but it was better to be safe than sorry . It was also because of this pulse he hadn’t dared let Verun out . Last time , all his belongings survived . In contrast , anything he didn’t touch had been destroyed , such as the Spatial Treasure and gear of the scout .

The pulse passed through him until it reached the edge of the courtyard , where it simply stopped . Zac stood frozen in place before he breathed out in relief . It looked like he’d been accepted . A second later , a furious burst of energy drew his attention , and Zac turned around to see an enraged group of Yeti Kings stomping outside .

Even if Zac had survived , they didn’t dare take as much as one step inside the courtyard , proving they knew just how dangerous this place was . Still , it was a bit distracting to have them scowl at him and cause a scene . Luckily , there was a simple solution since the stone gate remained intact .

You guys should probably leave if you don’t want to get killed , - Zac muttered as he closed the doors . - Things will only get worse from here on out . -

Zac wanted to rush inside and get the second part of the seal , but his body was a mess . He hadn’t expected to be pushed this far by the beasts outside , so he reluctantly spent the next hour at the edge of the courtyard , restoring his body and energy while recovering from Arcadian Crusade]’s backlash . It would be a colossal waste to squander the opportunity because of exhaustion .

After ten minutes , the commotion outside died down , giving Zac some peace and quiet . Even better , the temple seemed content to wait around , in contrast to the rubble that had essentially attacked him like a heat-seeking missile . After what felt like an eternity , Zac got back on his feet and walked toward the prayer hall with a mix of trepidation and anticipation .

Now that he stood within the temple and things had calmed down , he could feel an intense sense of antiquity emanating from the dilapidated ruins . There was also a sense of undying conviction ingrained into the very foundations he walked on . But it didn’t carry the aggressive aura of the Left Imperial Palace , the kind of fierceness that dared to go against the Heavens themselves .

It was solemn , and Zac felt it was somehow focused on a singular task . Suddenly , Zac stopped and turned his head , but only an empty courtyard met his confused gaze . For a moment , Zac had felt like he saw someone in the corner of his eye , silently watching him . Just as he thought he imagined things , another shape appeared , walking right past him toward the prayer hall .

The moment he saw the body , Zac found himself collapsing to the ground , and he was unable to so much as lift his head in front of its worldending aura . Thankfully , the immense pressure disappeared as quickly as it arrived , and by the time Zac looked up , the figure was gone . Were these imprints left by mighty people back when this place was still in use? Who could leave such powerful impressions as though he were in the presence of a deity?

Supremacies . Not even the powerful Autarch he’d met had exuded that kind of divinity , and these were merely lingering impressions in a dilapidated ruin .

The odd encounter didn’t scare Zac off . Instead , his anticipation grew as he ascended the seven steps of the temple and walked inside . If this little temple was visited by a Supremacy once upon a time , there might actually be more treasures than just a second piece of the rubble .

Unfortunately , there weren’t any piles of treasure waiting for him as he entered the prayer hall . Instead , it was simple and unadorned . The room was essentially empty except for a white altar and eight faded scrolls hanging behind it . The rock from which the altar was made was highly weathered , and if there had ever been any inscriptions on it , they were long gone . The same was true for the scrolls .

They might have been made from some High-grade paper once upon a time , but they had long lost their spirituality . Only one of the eight was still intact , while the others had broken off completely . But even the best-preserved scroll was chapped and cracked to the point it was impossible to make out what had once been written on it .

The signal didn’t come from the altar , nor did it come from any of the tapestries . Instead , it came from a statuette standing on the edge of the altar . It was roughly a twenty-centimeter-tall stone figurine , presumably depicting a man pointing toward the sky . Zac couldn’t be sure since it was also highly eroded , and the raised arm had been broken off at its elbow .

The statue didn’t look like an original part of the decoration . Contrasting the figurine and the rest of the ruins , it felt like someone had just placed it there after this place had already been abandoned . It was clearly ancient , but it didn’t share the same focused aura as the rest of the temple .

It didn’t emit a smidgeon of energy . Just like with the piece of rubble last time , Zac wouldn’t have given it a second glance if not for the strong signal it emitted . The statue also had three white lines covering its otherwise dark-grey surface , proving it was the item he’d come for . The scene was odd , prompting Zac to stop just inside the prayer hall entrance .

The piece of rubble had looked like something that had been knocked off from the Left Imperial Palace , a piece of debris in the true sense of the word . That obviously wasn’t the case with this figurine . It had been placed here by someone rather than having randomly appeared in this valley through a wormhole .

The difference seemed to carry some significance , some hidden implications he lacked the facts to decipher . Had it been placed here by the figure he glimpsed outside? Zac stood frozen in thought until he eventually released a pent-up breath and walked forward . The answers would come to him sooner or later . Or perhaps they wouldn’t . Zac was okay with that as well , even if he was curious .

Any stray thoughts were swept away the moment he came within ten meters of the statue . No longer did it seem like a harmless piece of antiquity . Instead , Zac was drowned by a towering aura so powerful , he was almost pushed to his knees again .

Hatred . Irreconciliation . Frustration . Longing .

A confusing mix of emotions barraged Zac’s mind , and he felt like a leaf swept up in a furious hurricane . No matter if it was his strengthened soul or his recent inroads into Heart Cultivation , they were far insufficient to deal with the sentiments contained within the small statuette . This was a hatred that had turned into a force of nature , holding the power to destroy everything .

The only reason his soul hadn’t instantly shattered was that the anger wasn’t directed at him—it was directed at the Heavens themselves . If anything , it felt like the statue was angry for him , or rather , for all beings . Just latent hatred was enough to drench Zac in sweat , and he wavered on how to proceed .

Zac grit his teeth and took another step forward . He didn’t know why this seal was different from the previous one . He also didn’t understand why he was almost pushed away by the statuette when he couldn’t avoid the piece of rubble even after trying . Zac only knew his opportunity was within arm’s reach , and some lingering resentment wouldn’t stop him now .

One step , two steps . Zac pushed forward , subduing the primal voice in his mind that urged him to run away from this pressure . After what felt like an eternity , he found himself right in front of the altar , his whole body covered in blood . It wasn’t from his wounds reopening but rather an effect of walking through this palpable anger .

Zac was eternally thankful the domain hadn’t grown any stronger as he got closer . He was already teetering on the edge of collapse as he touched the figurine with a shaking hand . At first , there was no response , but then Zac heard something .

A sigh .

Another cycle , another Flamebearer . Will you break the chains or become another link? -

62

VOID VAJRA SUBLIMATION

The voice carried a sense of exhaustion and helplessness , like the speaker had been forced to observe a Sisyphean undertaking for an eternity . It came from everywhere at once , heard with his ears , soul , and heart . Someone speaking in this secluded place almost made Zac’s heart leap out of his throat , but he never got a chance to pinpoint the voice’s origin .

The two sentences had become the catalyst for a series of changes . The figurine released a massive pulse before crumbling into a pile of dark-grey dust on the altar . Zac was thankfully unscathed by the burst , but he found reality slow to a crawl as the small planets in his soul ground to a halt . Just like last time , three shimmering lines appeared in his aperture , their radiant light seemingly containing all the answers in the universe .

Zac’s mind had been thrown into chaos by the ominous message , and various theories were cropping up like weeds . The familiar scene in his Soul Aperture brought him back to the present , and Zac forcibly quelled the confusion as he focused on the task at hand . With everything except his thoughts frozen , he couldn’t do anything about the mysterious messenger even if he wanted . So , he might as well grasp the opportunity before worrying about cycles and chains .

Actually , it wasn’t hard to put the matter aside . The moment the lights appeared in his mind , nothing else mattered . They were showering him with so many insights and impressions , it was nigh impossible to concentrate on anything else .

As planned , Zac focused his attention on the Void Vajra Sublimation] and the 81 expressions of the Void he’d envisioned so as not to waste even a mote of Ultom’s wisdom . Months of meditation and experimentation led to this moment , and he almost felt like a student waiting for a verdict from their adviser .

Had he found a viable direction after the last piece of the seal illuminated the way forward , or had he traversed down a blind alley in his search for a solution? Was that perhaps why he’d found himself at an impasse back in the cave under the Undrusian Sea , where there was an invisible wall that stopped him from progressing with his experiments any further?

The sweet suffering of having his brain filled with a million new ideas started anew , but this time they were built upon far sturdier foundations . He didn’t just start where the previous epiphany had left off . Having a real and practical understanding of the original Body Tempering Method and the effects of Heart Cultivation allowed him to go much further than the intangible conceptualization of last time .

Something was building inside Zac , something earthshattering as it diverged from conventional cultivation based on the Dao . His inspiration brought him further and further into the Void , where his answer waited , a solution that wouldn’t force him to accede to the Sangha’s worldview .

But it was too complex . To understand the Void was to understand all Dao , which was something Zac wasn’t sure even Supremacies were able to accomplish . Even if he only needed a simplified method , the truths that Ultom showed him were too absolute , too overpowering that they threatened to damage his psyche and push his path off course .

Zac held on as he endlessly iterated , pushing the limits of what his Soul and 3000-odd Intelligence could withstand . For the first time since the Integration , he felt a bit regretful that he’d essentially discarded the attribute that most improved one’s computational speed . Then again , Zac wasn’t so sure those kinds of boosts were applicable in this kind of situation .