“You’ve already cracked the seal?” Zac exclaimed while his human half asked Ventus to plot a new course.
“A few days ago. I didn’t want to distract you while you had your hands full,” Esmeralda said as she handed over Kator’s Spatial Ring.
“Isn’t it too easy? Didn’t Valsa’s ring take years?” Zac said.
“How’s that the same? I wasn’t even a Beast King back then. A few months are more than enough for that bratling’s stuff,” Esmeralda said. “According to our agreement, I’ve picked out two things I want.”
Zac didn’t bother asking what she’d kept for herself. Esmeralda had more than earned her share when she stepped in during the fight. Besides, she wouldn’t have taken something that could give Zac a power-up while relying on him to enter the Mercurial Court. That said, Zac couldn’t help but look up at the toad with suspicion after infusing his will into the ring.
“Did you take two or two-thirds?”
The number of items in Kator’s ring was only a fraction of what Zac carried around at any given moment. The neatly arranged stacks of treasure couldn’t compare to one of the mountains of resources he’d stockpiled. The ring’s space was also larger than the best of Zac’s Spatial Rings, making it seem even more empty.
“He was all business,” Esmeralda shrugged. “And while the quantity is lacking, it’s all good stuff.”
That part was true. The Miasma Crystals were all the equivalent of Late D-grade Cosmic Crystals. Crystals of that level rarely appeared naturally in Zecia. The few that were mined were monopolized by the powerful factions. Kator’s crystals were even superior to the standardized version. They were all engraved with arrays to improve their energy capacity and transfer speeds.
More useful was the tracker, which was clearly superior to the one Zac had been given. With it, he could discover the others in the network hours before they could find him. Zac turned to Esmeralda before activating it. “Have you checked the items for traps?”
“I have—couldn’t find anything,” Esmeralda said. “He didn’t strike me as the type who’d bother with such things.”
Zac had to agree. Kator was more like Yselio Tobrial than a deathsworn willing to do anything to further the White Sky Phalanx’s cause. Both reaver and princeling mostly saw their factions as tools to further their cultivation. Such people wouldn’t waste time worrying about what would happen after they died. Yselio would even hold onto his secrets to increase his chances of getting resurrected.
Kator had habitually lied during their journey, but Zac believed him when he claimed not to care whether the Primo or the rebels won. He’d simply adapt and grab as many resources in the upheaval as possible. He’d openly called himself selfish, and the ring didn’t hold a single item meant for his subordinates. The closest was a pile of untouched Cosmic Crystals, something Kator likely kept as a backup currency.
Zac used the tracker to confirm there were no undead near his and Esmeralda’s side before sending it over to his human side. There was still no response, which Zac figured was for the best. Ideally, the Undead Empire’s opposing camps would sort themselves out before he had to get involved. He’d rather collect more opportunities until finding Tavza’s crew.
The Cultivation Resources were all tailored to Kator’s needs. Zac inspected seven larger stockpiles, confirming they were all exquisite Natural Treasures. The unfamiliar herbs and minerals seemed related to Kator’s bone-tempering Bloodline Manual. Speaking of, there was actually an Inheritance Crystal containing the first six layers of [White Sky Discipline]—the White Sky Phalanx’s signature cultivation manual.
There was no way Zac could practice a bloodline manual of such a different species. It was still well worth studying. Reavers were unique in the sense that their souls were spread throughout their exterior bones. As such, the top-tier Izh’Rak Reaver Body Tempering Manual doubled as a Soul Nurturing Method. The [White Sky Discipline] held valuable insight into the connection between body and soul—just the kind of insights Zac needed for his [Thousand Axes Avatar].
Zac had long since reached his limits of the Eidolon [Thousand Lights Chapter]. Going any further required a Spectral’s incorporeal body. This fundamental incompatibility with the source material was why his work on reforming the method was progressing so slowly.
Next to the [White Sky Discipline], there was a small repository of high-quality insights covering everything from Technique to Formations and Killing Intent. The actual method for the Intent Formations that Izh’Rak Reavers seemed to like was unfortunately missing. There were even a few dissertations on the Void, no doubt Kator’s attempt to understand Zac’s abilities. While short and filled with educated guesses, they were definitely worth a deeper look.
As any warrior, Kator had prepared a good stockpile of Concoctions, Talismans, Arrays, things you’d need during a dangerous trial. Regrettably, that didn’t include Leveling Pills. Most of the concoctions were generally useless as they were designed to work with Izh’Rak Reaver physiology.
Most interesting was the collection of items that were stowed in customized high-grade containers. There were fourteen in total, many of them no doubt surpassing the rest of the ring in terms of value. One of them was the ancient cauldron Kator looted from the Polaris Vault. The second was a feather exuding intensely pure Death. It was an aura Zac would never forget.
It was a unique expression of Death belonging to the Primo, one that Zac felt when signing the writ of cooperation. The feather didn’t have any obvious use. Most likely, it was meant to act as a compass inside the Hollow Court, leading the expedition to the Primo’s treasure.
The third treasure was surprisingly a carefully sealed bottle of emerald water holding shocking levels of Life. Taking out the sealed bottle made his Eoz constitution tremble like it had encountered its natural enemy. If he’d been a normal Draugr, the sensation would’ve been far worse. Looking at the other items, Zac had a feeling it was something Kator’s superiors had prepared against Tavza.
The Azol bloodline was the incarnation of the Abyssal Lake. Pouring this Celestial Water into her domain would trigger a war. It was almost a shame that Kator had enough sense to hold back on using it during their fight. The surprise of his anti-Draugr ace failing spectacularly might have given Zac an opening to end the death match sooner.
The next item was a glass sphere holding bone-chilling smoke. Without knowing why, Zac judged it was a counter to Iz Tayn’s empyrean flames. The item was a contingency in case Zac teamed up with the Tayn Clan during the trial. While it didn’t seem strong enough to kill someone like Iz, it might have created an opening to escape.
Three more items were similarly tailor-made counters to dangerous adversaries inside the trial—a Vajra, a bloodied sword with a snapped edge, and an ancient bone reeking of Death. Zac found the pitch-black Vajra the most interesting. It held some of the Karmic Dharma you’d expect from a Buddhist tool, except it was subverted.
This narrative has been purloined without the author’s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Zac sensed the transformation of the Inverse Peak, along with a heavy helping of Pure Death. It was like the Undead Empire had raised a powerful Arhat who’d realigned his Dharmic Treasure. Taking it out, Zac felt isolated from the world. The intense spirituality of the Left Imperial Expanse was suddenly not as intrusive.
Shielding the Dao wasn’t its main purpose. Zac was certain the Death-attuned Vajra was a Fatewarding Treasure, one specifically designed to resist the Buddhist Sangha’s Karmic meddling. Zac understood why Kator kept it sealed instead of carrying it on his person. A droning chant filled Zac’s mind the moment he took it out.
While the words were distorted and indecipherable, the cadence was similar to any Buddhist Sutra. However, the sutra was filled with a boundless fury that tried to turn Zac into an unthinking vehicle of destruction. It was an indiscriminate rage targeting all of the cosmos, one that wanted to tear down the Heavens.
The Vajra held the chant of a true Asura, a fallen monk who only promised salvation after all existence was burned to the ground. It was the opposite of the orthodox Buddhist Dharma, which usually held malevolent plots hidden behind gentle smiles and comforting words. Zac stowed it away after listening for a minute.
The Vajra could potentially be used as an accelerant to his Heart Cultivation, though Zac feared the chants would subtly influence his Dao Heart. It was better kept stowed away until he ran into some monks—something Zac believed was inevitable in this trial. Long-term, the Vajra’s resentment might be cleansed and turned into a Fatewarding Treasure. Zac could use a replacement for his [Lucky Beads], which saw half its beads sacrificed to summon the [Epiclesis Bell].
If the Vajra was a safeguard against Sacred Insight, the presumed Buddhist Flamebearer, then the sword was a protection against whoever the Seven Heavens sent to replace Yselio. Zac could feel a hint of Imperial Qi in the blood covering the blade, and it was like absorbing it had turned the sword into a taboo weapon holding the power of regicide. It could potentially work against Imperial Faith to a lesser extent.
The bone shard had to come from an existence similar to the Primordial who led the Starbeasts. He’d never seen that revived monstrosity first-hand, but the bone emitted a similar aura as Antuka. Zac sincerely hoped he wouldn’t have to use it, as it’d make for a perfect supplement to Verun if he could wipe off the sinister Curse engraved onto it.
The weapons surpassed anything Zac had managed to prepare, and they weren’t the end of Kator’s generosity. The final treasures weren’t more single-use weapons. Kator had anticipated the trial providing an opportunity to step into Peak Hegemony and prepared accordingly. There were five Supreme Peak D-grade Treasures altogether, all at the level of what went into Zac’s Core Nucleus.
Three were useless to Zac as they were connected to the Peaks of Impetus, Taiji, and the Inverse Peak. Zac guessed there’d also been a Temporal Treasure which now was in Esmeralda’s possession. The two Supreme Treasures for Death and Conflict could either be used for his next breakthrough or his Tool Spirits.
Even better was a mysterious cube covered in markings that didn’t match the Apostate of Order’s cultivation System. It should still be of this Era. Zac couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it held. His senses and spiritual tendrils failed to create an accurate representation. It felt like a piece of the Big Bang had been trapped inside the cube.
Having just used a similar treasure, Zac was almost certain it was a Peak D-grade core refining treasure. Zac was in no hurry to use it. His core would need to stabilize before using such items again. That was why he’d saved the treasure he bought in the Limited Exchange instead of directly pushing his core to High Quality.
Judging by the cube’s intense fluctuations, Zac might be better off saving it until Peak D-grade. The final breakthrough of Hegemony was more intense and dangerous than the other three core formations combined. Zac’s core was bound to take a hit even if he advanced under optimal conditions.
Zac eventually retracted his will from the Spatial Ring with a satisfied smile. Kator truly lived up to his status as the leader of the Undead Empire’s expedition. His ring offered a little bit of everything, helping with both the trial and Zac’s cultivation.
“Sorry about the wait,” Zac said on the other side, noticing Ventus’s thoughtful expression as he gazed into the distance. “Did you discover something?”
“Do you remember what I said about signs of former glory?” Ventus asked.
“You’ve found the leads to a memory domain?”
“I’ve found the potential of one,” Ventus said, pointing slightly away from the Hollow Court’s Pillar. “There is a very strong drain of providence in that direction. It has distorted the natural flow of the surrounding regions. A significant event must have taken place.”
Zac looked into the distance. His human side was halfway to their destination, and Esmeralda was even closer to the Mercurial pillar. It was about time they started to look for information about the Outer Courts and suitable lanterns in earnest. A stable memory domain like Black Zenith would also be a good place to upgrade a few of his simpler skills.
“How far?”
“A week or thereabout. The signal is not very far off-course, so we shouldn’t be delayed more than a day.”
“Let’s go.”
Each team resumed their journey, neither side encountering any surprises over the next week. Zac spent most of his time getting used to his breakthroughs and finalizing blueprints for a few skills. The Polaris Vault’s ancient cauldron proved quite useful in that regard. The old treasure was chock-full of the Lost Plane’s corruption after being stuck next to a breach for so long, providing Zac with a readily available source of mobile insights. He simply needed to keep the item inside his purification space for a few hours to fill it up with inspiration.
Once more, it was Zac’s human side that eventually stopped to investigate an opportunity while Esmeralda maintained her breakneck pace toward the glowing pillar. The two had followed the Numerologist’s trail to an enormous crater trapping a mist so dense it could have been mistaken for a deep-blue lake.
Flying across the crater would take at least five days, not that Zac would if it could be avoided. The mist perfectly isolated whatever went on below, but Zac recognized a death trap when he saw one. It was a shame, considering the crater held an unusual number of lanterns, just as Ventus predicted. Lording over everything was an unusually shaped memory domain close to the crater’s center.
It was positioned more than ten miles into the air, and distance alone wasn’t enough to explain its odd shape. The domain couldn’t be more than a couple of miles across, a fraction of the enormous battlefield Zac visited last. The domain stood on a pyramid obscured by climbing mist. Whether it was a mountain, a megastructure, or part of the memory was impossible to tell from a distance.
“What do you think?”
Ventus looked at the almost vertical drop before them. “It’s too uniform to be a naturally formed valley. It’s like something took a big bite out of the continent. See these ridges? They’re marks left from an intense eruption of energy holding profound Dao.”
“This place is big enough to hold a provincial capital. Doesn’t it kind of look like part of a city?” Zac said, pointing at the mostly obscured memory domain. “Can you deduce what happened?”
“No. Time has erased most pertinent clues, and I feel there’s more to it. It’s as though something is intentionally clouding my judgment,” Ventus said, fiddling with his long hair while in thought. “If I had to guess, I’d say the Inverse Peak is involved.”
Zac also felt there was something recognizable about the crater’s wall. The seemingly random scars and shapes contained truths—truths just out of reach. The familiarity could certainly stem from the Daos of the Earthly Peak that made Kator’s path so difficult to pin down. Could someone have opened an unstable breach to the Lower Planes, triggering a massive explosion?
“Looking at the domain’s position, it could have come after the crater,” Ventus offered. “It’ll be difficult to get any clear answers without visiting the past.”
Zac glanced at the still-silent shadow cocoon in thought. “Let’s follow the rim for a day or two. We can look for lanterns while investigating the mist. It gives me a bad feeling.”
“Good.”
The two spent the next day communing with the local lanterns, looking for standouts or fated connections. None so far held the aura of the Hollow or any other courts. The azure mist remained silent during their increasingly long flyovers. Nothing came out, and nothing entered. Even the lanterns avoided it, floating at least a mile over its surface.
Soon enough, they reached a point where continuing would bring them further from the domain. Just as Zac deliberated whether one of them should scout ahead, the egg on his back finally stirred. Zac and Ventus created some distance as the shakes grew stronger. Defying expectations, the burgeoning energies didn’t result in an explosion of shadows.
Instead, the shell-like layer shrunk inward, taking on the vague shape of a man. Moments later, the cocoon and all leaking energies had been absorbed by Ogras.
“Did I miss anything?” Ogras said with a confident grin as he sauntered over.
“Did you miss something?” Ventus echoed with a hollow laugh while a strained smile appeared on Zac’s face.
“Well, nothing too exciting,” Zac said, ignoring the Numerologist’s incredulous look. “It turns out the little croc did have a guardian.”
“They usually do,” Ogras laughed as he took in the surroundings. “I’d say I’m sorry I missed it, but I get the feeling this place will provide more than enough excitement.”