An existence born of pure white-gold light stood before them, radiant and majestic.
Behind it, glowing white wings spread wide and above its head, a spinning pillar of white-gold radiance illuminated everything nearby.
This ethereal being turned to Alexander and asked if he was ready.
It spoke of the Primordial Crucible and acknowledged Alexander as one of the few worthy climbers of the Infinite Cosmic Tower!
Behind Alexander, the figures of Payadar and other members of the Universal Coalition followed, their eyes filled with awe and shock as they gazed at the radiant entity of pure light.
Meanwhile, the entities still shackled in the Tao Prisons looked ahead with fervent eyes.
This was not the first time they had witnessed such a being. Over the years, countless entities had been locked away, and though time passed…some of them remained powerful enough to comprehend and begin assimilating the three Grand Taos required to leave the prisons.
They had broken free of their prisons when beings of light had appeared before them, yet none had ever spoken the words that this entity now uttered to Alexander — declaring someone a worthy climber.
As the members of the Universal Coalition approached, the being of light cast its gaze upon them, its voice cold and unwavering as it echoed out.
[The five of you are fortunate to have been locked in the same room as a worthy climber, but you will not be entering the Primordial Crucible. You may, however, proceed through the Primordial Passageways. If luck remains on your side, you might ascend higher across the Infinite Cosmic Tower. But know this, none who ride on the coattails of another may enter the challenges of the Primordial Crucible.]
WAA!
Every word from the luminous entity struck Payadar and the others like a hammer.
Their expressions darkened, some filled with frustration and others with barely contained anger.
Yet, the moment they entertained the thought of questioning this decree, they felt a pulse of danger ripple through their Universes, forcing them to hold their thoughts.
Alexander glanced back at Payadar and the others, his gaze calm and resolute as he nodded toward Payadar who had waves of destructive energy swirling around him.
“Thank you for introducing me to the Coalition and the Ascension Tower Raids. If we meet again in the future, or if you ever need my assistance, just let me know.”
Every entity had its own path, its own destiny.
Alexander no longer allowed himself to be weighed down by others more than necessary. For his own peace, he could not afford to grow too attached to every entity he encountered.
The memories of millions of beings he had obtained had taught him that attachments could become weights, dragging one further down. When the time came to let go, it was often best to do so.
Now was such a moment.
Payadar gave a subtle nod, as did Virorraph-7 of the Galaxatron Cluster and the others, though some members of the Universal Coalition shook their heads in frustration.
The being of light, growing impatient, waved its hand as the five members of the Universal Coalition instantly vanished.
Another light engulfed Alexander as he, too, disappeared and was transported to another location.
A storm of radiant light surrounded Alexander, and by the time his senses adjusted, information about his surroundings was already being picked up by the Peacemaker and the Investigator.
He found himself in a realm made entirely of incandescent white-gold light, countless chains of varying sizes that were forged of the same radiant material lay across the pristine ground while burning with brilliance.
Above him, the skies were filled with hazy golden clouds that veiled all senses, even those of the Peacemaker and the Investigator, preventing them from perceiving what lay beyond.
But Alexander was not alone.
Far ahead, entities wrapped in chains slowly trudged along the ground, each step seemingly burdened by an immense weight.
There were dozens of them nearby, and even the Peacemaker and Investigator could not pierce the veil beyond them.
Beside him, the entity of light appeared once again, its gaze vibrating with radiant authority as its voice echoed beside him.
[The Primordial Crucible is composed of multiple trials, But for those who are truly worthy, passing through them will be effortless. The ultimate goal here is to gain even a shred of understanding of the Primordial Cosmic Tao — a Tao that existed at the very beginning, when the Infinite Cosmic Tower was forged into existence. If you can grasp even a fraction of this Tao, you will be recognized as a powerhouse worthy of climbing the Infinite Cosmic Tower and earning the distinction of Ascender.”
Alexander listened intently, his gaze steady and unbothered!
[The first crucible,] the entity continued, [is one of Weight. The chains you see here are forged from the remnant authority of the Primordial Cosmic Tao. Each chain is tremendously heavy, yet each carries a fragment of that authority. The more chains you bear, the heavier the burden will be, and the harder it will be to move through this region. But the more chains you carry, the more shreds of the Primordial Cosmic Tao’s authority you will claim. If you can endure the weight and cross this Crucible of Weight, the remnant authorities you gather will be yours. The more pieces you possess, the greater your chance of piecing them together and grasping the Primordial Cosmic Tao.”
The entity’s radiant eyes locked onto Alexander as it asked. [So, worthy climber… how many chains will you dare to carry on your back?]
…!
How many chains?
Without hesitation, Alexander knelt down, his hands already moving to grasp multiple chains.
He began to wrap them over his hands and back, his expression unwavering as he silently bore the weight.
The pressure built up around him as a tremendous force pressed down, but he showed no sign of stopping.
With each chain, the burden grew heavier, and yet Alexander pressed on, his gaze steady and glorious as his Enneagram began to buzz!
