Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 1139: The Dragon's Tail

Zac opened his eyes back in the ancient war fortress. He couldn't believe how well his meeting had gone. His goal was to help the Acheron Company, yet ended with him making significant gains. Certainly, Zac understood the Endemire Sage's gift was an investment rather than an act of benevolence. The pail was already there when Zac entered the room, which meant the impartment was premeditated and unrelated to the military operation.

The old man's word choice was really apt. He'd been served a cup of Karma without proper explanation. The Endemire Sage forcibly tied him and his granddaughter together during an event that heavily revolved around fate. Who knew what kind of ramifications that could have?

Unfortunately for the Endemire Sage, his plan was bound to fail since Zac's body would never form Karmic Bonds after entering Hegemony. He'd still help Inda if they ran into each other during the trial, but Zac sincerely doubted Karma would pull them closer because of the gift.

Zac was more worried about his new enemy and their plot. He would never have guessed that the Tobrial Dynasty would cooperate with a Technocrat faction. The Seven Heavens may have deserted the Limitless Empire, but there should still be bad blood with the Selvari.

Furthermore, these Technocrats weren't simple. Not just anyone could infiltrate an alliance base and replace a group of high-ranking officers without notice. There was no way they belonged to one of the unaffiliated Technocrat organizations in the Million Gates Territory. They should have come from one of Sanctuary's powerful factions. Could it be Firmament's Edge?

Zac hadn't thought of the name in a long time, but he hadn't forgotten about their search for the Digital Nexus. Had he accidentally exposed his connection to the Kayar'Elu during the war, prompting the Technocrats to work with the Seventh Heaven to sound him out? Or was it all just a coincidence? He prayed it was the latter since he had repeatedly used Void Energy during the last battle.

Were Firmament's Edge already here, waiting for him?

He needed to get back to fighting condition sooner rather than later, and the first step was dealing with his foot. Unfortunately, the time constraints didn't give him many options. Accessible treasures required over a month to regrow a limb, and Zac was too stingy to use War Merit on the top-quality treasures in the Limited Exchange.

Relying on his body's natural recovery would be even slower unless he constantly channeled [Surging Rebirth]. Zac looked down at the stump with reluctance, but he knew there was only one option. He'd have to return to that tainted well.

Zac took out a shimmering Longevity Pearl, overruling a strong wave of subconscious rejection as he channeled most of his remaining Creation Energy. His ear and left foot rapidly regrew, though Zac ignored all his scrapes and bruises. Pills and his Void Vajra Constitution were enough to deal with those.

"That energy…"

Zac opened his eyes and saw Ra'Klid looking at him with longing and confusion.

"It's Creation."

"I can't believe you've already transcended the Dao of Life," Ra'Klid muttered as his brows furrowed. "The Mother of Life… Is our path limited?"

"I haven't actually cultivated Creation. It's one of my aces, but it's from an external source," Zac explained after realizing what the demon was worried about. "And I wouldn't call Creation the mother or evolution of Life. It might be the conventional interpretation, and I used to share that belief. Now, I rather feel they're two sides of the same coin. Nothing says that you and the Mavai can't take the Dao of Life to the very end."

The easiest way to understand the Dao was to see it as seventeen pyramids or mountains. At the top, you'd find the unified expression of that peak, such as the Dao of Chaos. This Dao could then be further split into myriad facets, where some were considered higher than others. This interpretation was mostly correct, and it didn't help most cultivators to delve any deeper.

A profound Dao like the Dao of Creation was undeniably far greater in scope and depth than the shallow truths that could become Dao Seeds. However, did Life really need to be subordinate to Creation? If so, how could the Undead Empire rise to the top while actively shunning Oblivion? And how could the Dao of Death inside the Abyssal Lake encompass all creation?

Zac had pondered the Daos of Oblivion and Creation at great length while working on his new aces. His conclusion was that these Daos could only truly exist in a vacuum. Not the vacuum of space but of purpose and direction. They were a lot like the [Myriad Paths Water] he'd just consumed. They'd either disappear or transform into something else the moment they came in contact with the world.

This was likely why the Spark of Creation remained stuck at the threshold until the day it was destroyed. Its desire for Creation ironically made it impossible to ever grasp it. This paradox was why so few cultivators transitioned to Creation or Oblivion, whether it was as pure or mixed-meaning Daos. Who didn't have desires and goals that drove their cultivation? Even an earnest pursuit of the Dao was a form of desire.

In contrast, Life was affected by a will, a purpose. It couldn't exist as a clean slate since it was a vehicle for progress. Similarly, Death was a form of causality. It would never appear without context.

Certainly, there was more at play than comprehension difficulty regarding the Undead Empire. Zac suspected the ban on cultivating Pure Death or Oblivion was related to the commandments. The notion was born when he created [Adaptive Symbiosis], where his bond with Haro was formed through and reinforced by the Dao of Life. The commandments could very well work the same way.

Perhaps those who cultivated Pure Death or Oblivion could ignore the commandments, or possibly even influence those under its bindings. The commandments were the Primo's tool to control his empire, and he wasn't a benevolent ruler based on his eternal war. Such an old monster wouldn't cede his authority without good reason.

"I was worried I'd wasted my opportunity for a moment," Ra'Klid said with a crooked smile. "But you're right. Life is boundless; how could its potential possibly be anything but? There is no reason for the Mavai to abandon their past. It's the key to our future."

Zac nodded in agreement. As expected, Ra'Klid had enough affinity with the Starfall Court to gain inspiration when claiming the seals. By the sounds of it, he chose the same path as Rhubat, using the inspiration to create a cultivation system for their race. In other words, Ra'Klid gaining a seal didn't just mean Zac getting another elite. The whole Mavai Tribe would benefit.

"Reignender of Ultom," Ra'Klid continued. "I finally caught onto the dragon's tail. I can't believe the mysteries contained within that light. No wonder the ancient tribes are offering up such generous bounties. And there's more to this, no?"

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"I'll explain everything when we get out of here," Zac said, "Until then, be careful if you encounter more seals. Only approach if you can feel a connection to it. They'll disintegrate you otherwise, sealholder or not."

"We can't collect them for others?"

"I haven't found any methods, and I doubt there are any," Zac said. "This thing is heavily based on fate. I don't think it's random that you happened to be—"

Zac stopped mid-sentence, suddenly flashing forward and punching. It looked like he hit empty air, but Zac felt his fist connect with something. A small shockwave erupted as a thin figure appeared. It was a humanoid alien, a Half-Step Hegemon judging by her aura. Of course, having just experienced an ambush from the imperial death squad, Zac took no chances.

The assassin crashed into a nearby wall with incredible force, and the wall came out ahead. Zac heard bones crack, but there was not a mark left on the wall. As expected, these structures were made from incredibly durable material. Damaging them would be easier said than done, and digging a path into the tower was out of the question.

The wretched form suddenly shattered, but Zac was already on the move. He'd moved to another patch of empty space, and the target found her throat grabbed and limbs sealed by Vivi's embrace. Her skill had left no trace or ripple of energy, but it had failed to hide from Zac's powerful Soul Sense. He'd seen her creep closer during their conversation and only made his move when she was in range.

"Alliance! Alliance," the alien croaked in a desperate voice.

"Then why are you skulking around us instead of announcing yourself?" Zac countered.

"This place has no rules," she cried. "We have no way to complete the mission, and these buildings hold ancient treasures! People have gone mad. I just wanted to skirt around you to avoid trouble. Please, I just want to leave in one piece."

Zac grunted in understanding but made no move to release her. She would have attacked the second she saw an opening, even if she were telling the truth. The System frowned upon betrayal during the war, but competition for resources and opportunities was its core tenet. This realm was likely lawless, just like she said.

"I wouldn't hurt any member of the alliance. Answer my questions, and I'll send you on your way. How long have you been in here?"

"Thank you, thank you! I've been stuck here for six hours."

"How many pathways have you encountered?"

"Only one," she cried. "Just twenty minutes after arriving. I should have taken it. Now, who knows if I'll get the chance? Death is around every corner."

Zac slowly nodded, inwardly doubting she was as distraught as she let on. After all, she dared move alone, going so far as to approach strangers this close to the tower. Furthermore, the assassin was wounded, and the wounds came from battle rather than turbulent space. Perhaps she'd successfully ambushed a couple of people already.

They probably looked like easy targets. He and Ra'Klid looked like they'd just fought a grizzly bear and lost, and Ra'Klid's E-grade cultivation was easy to discern. Meanwhile, his cultivation was very difficult to gauge when he contained his aura unless they were significantly stronger. His utter lack of natural affinity made him appear weaker than he was.

He asked a few more questions, and her story corroborated everything from Dossin's briefing. A channel had opened in front of the assassin's unit, and they'd all been ordered inside. Even if stable, the pathway wasn't completely safe. Half had died during the crossing, most of them E-grade cultivators, while the rest were killed inside. The assassin had only survived by relying on stealth.

"Why not head to one of the camps if you're so scared?" Zac asked.

"Never! I can't!" she said with fear. "I'd like to help the war effort, but I want to live even more! They don't let anyone out, and the leaders use us as expendable array breakers to test the doors. I don't think they're even trying to reach the tower. They're just having unaffiliated people break into buildings that look promising."

"Anything else?" Zac asked.

"No, that's all I know," she cried. "Please…"

"OK. Safe travels."

Her eyes lit up but then bulged with shock and despair as her neck snapped. A swing destroyed the Heart Curse bursting from her chest, and silence returned to the street.

"She should be ours. Spy?"

"If not before, then now," Zac said. "She might have been implanted in here. It's an effective way to get helpers in a sealed environment when the stakes are so high."

"I think she was telling the truth despite the curse."

"For the most part," Zac agreed.

"The steppes are burning, yet these fools are digging for steelsoil instead of escaping to the mountains," the demon muttered as he looked at the sky. "What should we do? Try to find a channel and escape?"

Zac fully agreed with the Mavai Chieftain's assessment. It was hard to say what would happen first—the rampaging fortress blowing up or the whole dimension collapsing. Either scenario was exceedingly dangerous, yet Zac had no thoughts of finding a path out.ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɴovel(ꜰ)ɪre.nᴇt

"I need to give it a try," Zac said, pointing at the storm surrounding the main tower. "There might still be a way to turn things around. And I have to keep looking for opportunities. Things will only grow more dangerous as the war progresses. Our little empire's footing is still far from stable."

"Then join a camp? I spotted one up ahead. With your strength, you can just seize command if they try anything. Could be useful with some helping hands."

"No," Zac said without hesitation. "I think my chances are better if I go at it alone. Besides, I don't trust that our men are really ours after what happened outside."

"I—" Ra'Klid hesitated. "I'm afraid I'll drag you down."

Zac nodded. There was no point in ignoring reality. The demon had potential, especially now that he was a sealbearer. However, Ra'Klid joining the next step was no different than throwing his life away. At the same time, Zac couldn't babysit the demon until they stumbled onto a pathway.

"You'll have to be careful," Zac said, handing Ra'Klid a command token that might help if he ran into a Dravorak unit. "Don't trust anyone. If you can't find an exit, hide inside one of the fortified buildings. That way, you have a better chance of surviving."

Ra'Klid shuddered, but his eyes soon calmed down as a smile spread across his face. "This is the price of power. Don't worry about me, Lord. We both have tribulations we must face and paths we must take. I know what I need to do."

A familiar item appeared in his hand. It was the Temporal Chamber most of his elites had bought. Ra'Klid was already over 60 years old and in the E-grade when the Integration occurred. He'd spent over a decade shoring up his foundations, and getting the seal was the last piece of the puzzle.

"Good idea," Zac said as he handed over a set of Life-attuned treasures useful for Core Formation. "Do you need me to stand guard?"

"No, I feel I need to face this alone. I have relied on you or the tribal elders long enough," Ra'Klid said as a grin spread across his face. "I hope the Lord can help me with something else. If you could help me pick a building with good providence? Lord Azh'Rezak told us at great length about your golden hand during our travels."

Zac laughed and looked around for a bit. "Come with me."

The two didn't walk for long before Zac found a good candidate. The house was in good condition, with its protective engravings active and intact. More importantly, he could feel a weak pull of fate within.

"There should be an opportunity in this building, but it'll depend on you whether you can get it. Don't overdo it. Focus on breaking through first."

Ra'Klid frowned as he inspected the door. "The spy said the restrictions are very powerful. It's almost impossible to open the ones that are this intact and trying will trigger a deadly response."

"Let me try something. Stay back, and be ready to run."

Zac slowly walked closer to the door, the [Court Cycle Token] already in his hand. This was a good chance to test his theory. The door opening wouldn't guarantee the token would work inside the tower, but it meant his plan was worth trying. If not, he'd have to figure something else out.

The door soundlessly slid open before Zac even reached it, and Zac exhaled in relief. However, he felt a vague sense of threat as powerful energies coursed through the arrays. Were the defenses realizing something was wrong with the token?

"It won't last long," Zac said.

"Golden hand, indeed," Ra'Klid laughed as he flashed inside. "Safe travels, my lord."

"See you on the outside."

Zac backed away, and the door closed. He waited a minute to confirm the defensive arrays had calmed down before turning toward the tower. It held a fatal attraction, holding far more ripples of fate than the rest of the fortress combined.

Everything was in place, and nothing was holding him back. It was time to see if this tower was as generous as its F-grade brother.