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Invir parried the stab, pushing the spear into the ground. His retaliatory lunge turned into a stumble by legs betraying him from exhaustion. His arms burned, yet he managed to raise his blade, letting it sink into the chest of his enemy. Madness gleamed in the Krovath's eyes as he grabbed the hilt and dragged Invir closer.

The masked barbarian pulled a bone dagger from his belt as his lifeblood seeped out the wound. Invir saw his doom in the sharpened edge yet was unable to mount even a perfunctory resistance. Warmth followed cold as blood seeped down his throat. It mixed with the Korvath's blood and they fell onto the ground. The roars of war raged all around, with Lords and Heralds battling in the sky above.

How did it come to this? He'd joined the town guard for its steady pay and reputable enough status to court Dara. If he'd made sergeant, he could have afforded a house in the third district in just fifty years. Everything was in place, so why did he ignore Dara's pleas when the recruiters passed through town?

Greed. He'd seen the Lords flying in the sky, their lifespan counted in millennia. Making captain wasn't enough to come in contact with the mysterious truths and profound methods required to reach that step. He'd sacrificed happiness for the chance of power. Now, he'd die like a cockroach on the ground, his strength not even at the level of his old instructor back home. War was a sickness of the mind!

The fragments of Invir's life passed through Zac's mind in a flash, replaced with another in an unending stream. A hundred wars, a thousand lives, a million deaths. Some lives were heroic, others ignoble. The Eternal Crusade enshrined everything from F-grade cultivators who'd barely stepped onto the road of cultivation to Peak Hegemons with eons of experience.

There were as many causes as there were beings. Justice, wealth, revenge. Some experiences could become tales of valor and bravery, others tales of caution.

The memories of war and their origins stacked, forming mountains that overshadowed everything else. Each revolution tried to wash away Zac's path and replace it with its own. Zac desperately held onto a core of self. It grew harder and harder when facing a millennium of memories, and his own life became nothing but a footnote.

Finally, there was release. The last glimmering light in the towering crystal faded, and no more memories were added to the storm raging in his mind. Separating what was his and what was outside influence would have been impossible without his Void State. Even then, he'd come awfully close to having his life scattered among the ancient cultivators.

With the self extracted, tranquility returned, allowing the mountains of a thousand lifetimes to sink into the depths of Zac's mind. The encyclopedia of experiences added to the struggles Zac had endured to reach his current heights and the insights he'd gained into Conflict from his personal crusade.

A box appeared on the ground, and a storm was kicked up in the Halls of Heroes when Zac opened its lid. It was a Supreme-quality Dao treasure attuned to the Dao of Conflict—one of the treasures he'd bought from the Middle D-grade Limited Exchange. All the fuel he'd need to form an Earthly Dao of Conflict.

Zac could see the path forward, and he knew that an Earthly Dao would be a huge help in overcoming the dangers he'd face in the near future. And yet, his hand didn't move, no matter how much his body screamed at him to consume the treasure. He sighed in defeat and closed the lid, stowing the box before the enticing fluctuations could change his mind.

"You did the right thing."

"I failed in the end," Zac said, looking up at the enormous crystal with regret.

It had been just under a year since he advanced his Branch of the War Axe in the wake of his breakthrough into Middle Hegemony. Aiming for an Earthly Dao after such a short window could be considered greedy, but war was an incubator for the Dao of Conflict. He'd spent every day on the battlefield fighting for his life, finding the truths of Conflict at the edge of life and death.

His comprehension had gone through multiple cycles of broadening and sharpening, advancing far quicker than his Branches of Pale Seal and Kalpataru. It hadn't been enough. Forming an Earthly Dao was a huge step, where you created a Dao uniquely yours. Dao Fragments could be considered prefabricated snacks provided by the System, and Dao Branches dinners made by following a recipe.

An Earthly Dao was a dish of your invention, designed to perfectly suit your taste based on your understanding of ingredients, palate, and cooking technique. That was the true meaning of the slightly confusing name. It didn't have any connection with the Earthly Peak. The Earthly in Earthly Dao referred to the distinction between man and the Heavens.

An Earthly Dao was a complete, man-made Dao. It was the very first step of the journey that would end with becoming a Seal or a Throne, where your personal Dao rewrote reality. Zac hadn't quite reached that point, feeling his comprehension lacked something to qualify as a signature dish.

The issue was his lack of time. A few more years of battle or a few decades of digesting and refining his experiences would have done the trick. Zac didn't have that luxury, and he didn't want to fill in the gaps by relying on treasures. He'd hoped the Eternal Crusade would provide the answer. Understanding and deconstructing the experience of others could help him better understand his path.

It had worked. His understanding of Conflict had taken another step forward. Unfortunately, he'd realized he wasn't ready to crystallize an Earthly Dao just as he stood at the threshold. The things he remembered were not fully his yet, and the fractured memories had left a few blanks that caused imperfections.

Borrowing concepts that he didn't fully understand to add the Void into his core had worked out well. Doing the same with his Dao would be no different than poisoning his path. Dao was the lynchpin of cultivation, and Conflict stood in the center of his path. Any weakness would ripple into every aspect of his cultivation, creating cracks in his foundations that would be extremely difficult to fix.

"It would have been nice having an Earthly Dao before setting out."

"Which makes it all the more important you didn't take it," Rava said. "A moment of weakness will lead to a lifetime of regret."

"Did you know it wouldn't be enough?"

"You're wrong. It was enough—you just need more time. My reservations came from your age. You're but a child who has lived for a moment. How can you take in millennia of experience so easily? Now that you've survived without losing yourself, you only need to give it time to internalize."

"Time is exactly what I don't have," Zac said with a shake of his head. "Those memories… they were real, weren't they?"

"They were."

"Why were there so many unrelated memories? Most of them weren't battle or training. And so many low-grade cultivators?"

"The experiences come from the collapsing souls of fallen soldiers. The memories that survived were those that had the greatest impact—good or bad. Love, camaraderie, happiness. Setbacks, betrayal, regrets. These core memories formed their paths and shaped their future. Conflict does not exist in a vacuum—there is always a causality, even if it doesn't make sense to an outsider."

"The order went around and reaped the souls of the departed?"

"It is more accurate to say we presented a choice, and they were volunteered," Rava said as she looked at the crystal, where lights had begun to ignite. "For many, being forgotten is more terrifying than death. Through the Eternal Crusade, they have a chance to live on forever in the memories of others."

Zac grunted and got to his feet. It was disappointing not to form an Earthly Dao. Even then, he didn't regret spending his last merit on the Eternal Crusade. Rava was right in that his age was working against him. A thousand years' worth of memories had suddenly been crammed into his head. Most templars who used the relic were already a few thousand years old, and their minds were already used to dealing with such a wealth of memories.

He almost felt like machines were whirring in the back of his mind, extracting the insights hidden in the stream of memories and adding them to his own experiences. He would not break through before they sat out, but he should do so before reaching the Foreign gods. At least, he hoped so, just like how he prayed [Void Heart] would finish its refinement sooner rather than later.

His heart had benefitted greatly in addition to the boost to his insight into the Dao of Conflict. The Eternal Crusade was one of the special training devices placed in the Hall of Heroes, which had first required passing a series of other feats. Surviving it added a last round of tempering to round out his boot camp.

"Do you regret not focusing on your other branches? Your odds of success were far greater if you chose the Altar of Revival instead."

"I have another plan for them. Besides, it wouldn't have made much of a difference," Zac said. "Late or Peak—it's still Dao branches, even if I boost the concepts with Dao Braids and other methods. It can't bridge the qualitative difference of possessing an Earthly Dao."

"Are you leaving?"

"For now," Zac nodded. "I'll leave my elites in your care."

"I'll fulfill my end of the agreement," Rava said. "On that note, I have a mission for you."

"Is it related to the pillar?" Zac frowned. "I already—"

"Do not worry, Voidwalker. I'm not asking you to revive our order or strike down our enemies," Rava said with some helplessness. "You and the others are planning on desecrating the remnants of our empire and pillaging our treasures."

"Uh—"

"Any relics related to the empire and its orders can be traded in for glory. There is no upper limit."

"Thank you. I'll see what I can do," Zac said.

He had no reason to decline such a win-win task. Rava got to reclaim some lost artifacts of her people, and Zac got a chance to replenish his exhausted merit pool. The things left by the Limitless Empire that had survived until today were often powerful. That didn't mean they were useful for him or his subordinates.

Instead of letting unidentifiable and unusable relics collect dust in the Atwood Empire's treasury, they could be directly converted into opportunities with Rava. Three weeks had given him the chance to drastically strengthen his foundations while gaining a full five levels. And yet, he and the others had only scratched the surface of what the temples had to offer.

"And thank you for all your help over the past weeks. I'll hopefully be back in a few months."

"Be careful. History is repeating itself, gathering momentum for the Zenith."

Zac left the Ensolus Ruins and returned to his compound. The boot camp had officially ended a few hours ago, with the rest of the sealbearers having returned already. Three weeks in templar training had taken the years of bitter struggle and sharpened it into strength and purpose. There was so much to do and so much potential to excavate. Unfortunately, they'd run out of time.

There were three days away from the start of the mission, and everyone needed to rest and prepare. The very first step of their plan was to break through the Wall of Resolution, and the Imperial Graveyard would be filled with danger. Going in physically and mentally exhausted was suicide.

The others had all retreated to their homes and were no doubt in a deep sleep after having been deprived of rest for weeks. Zac was no different, though his rest was interrupted too soon when an alarm went off. He reluctantly roused himself and lit a small fire in his courtyard.

Twenty minutes later, the flame shuddered. An ember leaped into the air, causing space to shudder. The floating flame expanded, consuming space and distance to form a steady gate. Zac mutely looked at the spectacle, not knowing what to say as he took a step back to avoid the blazing heat. Iz never failed to impress, forming a direct tunnel instead of using a Teleportation Array.

"You made it," Zac smiled as his Draugr half went up to greet Catheya.

"Buddy!" Kruta grinned, his face flushed red as he rushed forward. "I've missed that face of yours!"

"Ah?" Zac said, his exhausted mind suddenly wide awake.

A blazing flame erupted atop Kruta's head as he unleashed a herculean punch. Zac raised his hand to block, surprised to find himself pushed back a few steps. He was even more surprised by the cascade of Conflict-imbued flames that swept over him. There was no time to ask about the transformation. An enormous blade covered in spiritual flame descended on him. Axe met blade, and the collision would have leveled his manor if not for the defensive arrays that sprung into action.

"Use your words!"

A frigid chill swept through the compound, leaving a layer of frost while extinguishing the remaining flames. Zac waved his hand to disperse the dense mist formed by the collision of opposing elements. He smiled sheepishly at Catheya before getting a proper look at his attacker.

The most attention-grabbing thing was the Ancestral Spirit standing behind Kruta. He was far larger and corporeal than before, almost looking like he was made from flesh and blood. However, the spirit had seen a drastic transformation, where it was made from extremely fierce flames instead of an unattuned spiritual energy.

Kruta's physical transformation wasn't nearly as obvious. The burly orc had gained a slight reddish tint, otherwise looking mostly the same as before. His transformation came from the flames that still burned atop his head. It had spread across his body, forming a semi-opaque armor that seemed to fulfill the same function as his spiritual network.

"Welcome to Earth, Little Candle."

"Evil star!" Kruta said, his eyes wide with indignation.

"What's wrong?" Zac asked, a helpless smile tugging at his lips. Zac obviously knew some of it. He still remembered the kind of training Ogras had been put through. How could the attention of one of the top elders of the Tayns be any less hair-raising?

"You, what kind of friend are you?! Do you know how I've suffered to come to your aid? Do you know how close to death I've come from having my fate tested on a daily basis? I'm surprised I don't already know the ancestors on a first-name basis. Two weeks ago, I thought I was free. I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I could smell the grass after years of nothing but ash and blood! And you leave me behind?! Come, let Kruta give you one good punch!"

Zac scratched his chin under the unrelenting glare of his orcish friend. "I'm sorry about that. I figured you wouldn't mind after becoming a disciple of one of their elders."

"Ai, it was Little Ca—Kruta's—fault for being greedy," Kruta exhaled. "I knew that grabbing the seal back then would send a tribulation my way. I didn't understand how much I would have to suffer before I even got to the trial."

"Your aura is a lot stronger," Zac offered.

"I am!" Kruta said, his harrowed expression giving way to almost childish glee. "I never expected to surpass the ancestors. Coming close would have been enough to become a member of the tribal council, get a nice world tent and enough wives to keep Kruta busy. Now? There's no limit! And hog duty for all who crossed me!"

"Well, I'm glad you're here," Zac smiled, not wanting to know what hog duty entailed.

"So, your wife updated me on your plans. When's the skeleton coming?"

"In a couple of days."

"Can he be trusted?"

"Not in the slightest."

"I'll give you this. I never have to worry about lacking excitement with you around," Kruta said as he curiously looked around. "Now, will you please offer Kruta something to drink? Something icy-cold and refreshing!"

Comments

NeverNaught

First. I hope TFD doesn't count bromance towards a harem total b/c I like Catheya and she's losing best *girl* position by my count. They only spent part of an arc together and already have nick names for each other for crying out loud.

Jason Bradford

I’m still laughing 🤣🤣🤣

Ryan Pepp

Thank you for the chapter!

Orims

Little Candle! I want to see from his perspective just swole Zac became, he already saw how insane he was in perennial vastnes but I wonder what difference is now after all those battles and training.

Darnell Maxwell

When's the skeleton coming?" "In a couple of days." "Can he be trusted?" "Not in the slightest." I don't know why, but I love this piece of dialogue.

Jeff McCulley

"Any relics related to the empire and its orders can be traded in for glory. There is no upper limit." Heh. Well, now we know what Zac will do with the LIP when he can’t keep it. That should be worth a pretty penny in merit. ;)

Anonymous

The band is getting back together and after all their power up's. I'm getting excited, so bets on how many die?

Jeff McCulley

And… "Use your words!” Uh, what? I’m lost on this one.

Tyler

Catheya telling the Meatheads not to just punch each other to say hello.

Danny

hahaha oh man he even think of him self as littel candel to funny realy i can t stop laughing !!!

Lex Luther S

Seems we'll be setting off on a great cliffhanger Friday. Can't wait.

Chase C

I don't expect any major character deaths. TFD definitely doesn't share George RR Martin's philosophy on story writing. I could see a minor character or two dying, though.

Kharas

So off to stick it to the Kan´Tanu for real! Lets see what kind of crazy plan he have cooked up next.. It should be his best so far as he have said himself.. Lets hope it includes lots of loot and enough dead Kan`tanu to fill the void star from top bottom :) And I really hope that Kator fucks up in a massive way and bite the bullet before even entering the Pillar.. That would be just well deserved for his arrogance :p

Andrew

Thank you!

NeverNaught

I got it before the notification even showed up, been ages since I got first.

BelligerentGnu

Really hate that nickname. On the plus side, very excited for the mission and the destruction of the Kan'tanu.

Scott Mingo

I just assumed he'd either eat it, or somehow take it over. Maybe turn it into his Inner World. 😆

Scott Mingo

He just asked for something icy cold and refreshing. While standing near Catheya. Have you learned NOTHING, Little Candle?

Darnell Maxwell

I'm surprised Zac doesn't double down on domain skills that disrupt the flow of cosmic energy in his opponents. The only skill in either of his classes that I think does this is Empyrean Aegis. I say this because he should have 2 or 3 times the attributes of even someone like Iz Tayn. But he doesn't get to experience that difference in strength because Eonic seeds all have cultivation manuals that significantly boost their stats. Aa well as there attacks and so on. But if he got a domain skill that stopped them from rotating their manuals, wouldn't it allow him to overpower Eonic seeds? Especially the ones he'll be fighting in the Ultom trial. Or am I missing something?

MacMahon Wenzl

Imagine Fridays clif hanger

Amani

Things are progressing quickly, can’t wait for the action..

secretchicken

just recently Sap Trang died. i don't remember how many other characters died, but i think someone will die in the trial, i just hope it's not someone like kruta.

Russell Widger

Blow a hole in the wall of the Imperial Graveyard with a glimpse of chaos, unleash the old gods on the Kan'Tanu and ride the carnage right out of the sector and into the left imperial palace

Erik Halberg

Absolutely not Carl. We need his occasional POVs complaining about how insane the boss is and how Carl is now unwillingly a Heaven's Chosen

Owen Kaz

It's gonna be the arrival of skeleton man and then them heading off. 110%

Anonymous

It really feels like stats have lost meaning in this series, as it’s pretty much just a xianxia cultivation now and the litrpg element is just there to track interesting titles and his increasing luck. But as we get no real comparisons to stats of other people it’s pretty much pointless at this stage.

SmokeJam

1. He would need to find an adequate skill, which can be considered quite difficult, Empyrean Aegis is a skill developed over the grades and purely class-owned, while it works beautifully in tandem with his Daos. His Draugr sides domain skill, the pillars, just doesn't have that option integrated and it wouldn't work properly anyways, considering it already works on miasma, an antagonist to cosmic energy and the idea behind his class is a different one. Beyond all that, the fractal would need to fit an empty slot, I don't know if and how many Zac has left. 2. Daos are the real meat behind any skills. He might be able to cheat somewhat with his Void Bloodline, but a stronger Dao will always overpower a weaker one and it is the baseline for domain skill strength. While skills give versability, only the Dao gives the actually proper punch. Stats do help, but aren't even that important anymore when you touch on higher concepts than just physical strength.

ClaySavage

I’m listening to the audiobook that just came out today. And in the book they just mentioned that the azol girl is a collector of the limitless, empires relics and has whole bunch of heritages of theirs. They’re talking about how useful she’ll be in the left imperial palace. Wait tell Zac and her be come real buddy buddy after the trial. He goes to the lake with her. She gives him limitless, empire goods to give to the imperial tutor.

Jeff McCulley

If you say so. I suppose that’s how you’d talk to a two year old (which they aren’t), and really throws a “wtf?” monkey wrench into the flow.

ClaySavage

I’m listening to the audiobook that just came out today. And in the book they just mentioned that the azol girl is a collector of the limitless, empires relics and has whole bunch of heritages of theirs. They’re talking about how useful she’ll be in the left imperial palace. Wait tell Zac and her be come real buddy buddy after the trial. He goes to the lake with her. She gives him limitless, empire goods to give to the imperial tutor. Also, the void gate priestess, collects limitless empire relics.

Salvo

Kruta surpassed his own ancestors? This is pretty huge detail, as according to Ogras in the tower of eternity, ancestor worship never lets you surpass them. Good we are getting the info dump on earthly Dao being a unique individual design and the foreshadowing for Zac to form it are there. Kator has 3 Earthly Daos, people need to remember that going into the inevitable fight. Now, time to build that chaos drive!

ClaySavage

This is making me think of way back in the tower when people were bidding crazy for the urn or pot from the limitless empire. That’s when the nun void gate disciple won the relic. There’s probably a lot of people who contend for and collect limitless Empire relics.

Jeff McCulley

Before we get there, I’m gonna say this. I know that Tavza got worried, but I she was wrong about Kator’s motivations for shutting her out of the expedition last chapter. I think Kator wants to make some kind of overture to Zac without any witnesses around. Make a deal of some sort. Of course, if he’s dumb enough to try to snag Zac’s seal, well, then Tavza’s back in charge of the whole expedition after all.

Salvo

It has a dual meaning. Kruta’s path involves ancestor worship; you’d burn a candle at a memorial shrine. Yes, it clearly is outclassed by stars, but he took the heat and made a path of his own. A brave act to ask a supreme rank for a ride across the universe as well as disciple rights.

StuBee3

Loved this chapter! 😎

M💬

I don’t understand the hate behind supremacies doing what they want, not referring to the earlier comment just what I have seen a lot. If I was at the peak of my power I would bully some juniors just for the fun of it. People who reach supremacy all have one thing in common which is not being okay in the head lol.

jsw

Is there really a difference between *acting* and *being* two years old?

Jeff McCulley

Well, yes, there is. Especially cognitively. Especially in this case, where they’re acting like unruly teenagers (not two year olds)—whom you would deal with in a completely different way.

Jeffrey Worrall

I'm pretty sure the plan is to trick the entity hiding in the Epiclesis Bell to come to the wall of the Imperial Graveyard, where Zac and maybe an Undead Monarch or 2 will attack it causing the entity inside to be exposed to the Heavens and System. The Heavens and System will go absolutely apeshit when the find the entity and will send a tribulation storm that will destroy a portion of the wall along with the entity and probably quite a few Kan Tanu but hopefully not Vilari. Btw you are right that he is planning on absorbing the final shard and splinter as well but I don't think he is planning to do that to break into the Graveyard, that is just another trump card to be played when needed.

Swaggernaut77

Kator is a gigachad and an awesome character. I hope Zac has a moment where he could fall and kator surprises him by saving him.

Salvo

Sorry, as a person how spars I can’t condone his punching bag behavior

Scott Mingo

I dunno, Catheya started out stronger than Kruta, and her teacher was at least as powerful as Tayn. She's also presumably been honing her ice against that same flame for that past two weeks.

FriendorFo

It would certainly be refreshing to see an unexpected ulterior motive to Kators maneuvering. Really would rather it not be the obvious play of him attempting to hamstring/assassinate Zac. So yea, perhaps as you said a loyalty swap, or maybe even an eventual self sacrifice for the “greater Undead good” for (insert reason/apocalyptic event here)

Coldfire142

lol, loved it.

RWS

Wasn't Leyara Lioress and the Void Monastery always trying to collect artifacts from the Limitless Empire? That would be another area to loot!!! Especially since they aren't talking with the Atwood empire anymore. This week has been nothing but 'banger chapters'. I wonder when Zac finally looks at Kator again, whether he will realize that Kator was the one who betrayed him to the seventh heaven's prince. Bring on the next chapter already......luckily I have book 12 to listen to, while I wait.

Thenais

Iz is looking for blood while kator is delivering himself on a silver plate. Prime fate-testing material

Salvo

I think Kator’s goal is to be a flamebearer, which would happen over Arcaz’s dead body. It’s nice to know there are a few others out there, so he may choose frenemies. But that would mean no miracle bone chew toy for Verun! Why are you gonna starve best boi like that!

darkkingrayley

As sad as it might be Catheya dying would be a huge story development for Zac. It might be the thing that takes his Dao of Death to a whole new level. Then again I thought that might happen with Thea, but I'm not sure Zac really remembers her much anymore. I'm wondering how that's gonna play out.

Johnny_B

Knowing Zac, he will somehow end up only looting the princess' underwear 🤣

Thenais

Funny how the brain works. I read too fast « kruta’s underwear is black, baby » thx to johnny_b

Mateo Lopez

I love the idea that the first Earthly Dao Zac is gonna get is for conflict/axe. Not only will it help in contend with the other Eonic seed. I believe it’s gonna help tremendously during Atavism.

Jeff McCulley

Zac thinks that he and his people have three days to relax and prepare before Kator shows up. That pretty much guarantees that Thea pops in. Rest? Hah! I wonder if that’ll be Thursday’s chappy, or if she’ll be Friday’s cliffy? Her and Everlasting Peace have to make it back home for the reunion, not off in the Graveyard, right? Er……right?

Jeff McCulley

Pretty sure that Kator’s only goal is to be the head of the White Sky Phalanx. And if he’s smart enough, Zac can help him do that…in the long run. And I think that Kator is taking a “long run” view, because a Peak Hegemon or a Monarch ain’t gonna do it.

Jeff McCulley

He’s saying that his eventual ceiling now surpasses that of his ancestors. As a Hegemon, he hasn’t even caught up with his granny yet.

Jeff McCulley

Pretty sure that was a cue for Ogras to pop in. He’s always got a tasty “vat” handy. Seriously. I understand how they fit in their rings, but how do people even with their ridiculous stats drink a whole damn vat?

Jeff McCulley

It’s setting him up to be Big Candle. (At least, to everyone but his Master.) That better?

Jeff McCulley

It’s been a while since Zac has had a good looting arc, that chapter in the fortress. Closing on fifty chapters now, too long! The man’s gonna be broke!

Jeff McCulley

Sure, but he desperately needs to upgrade all of his daos, one way or another.

Jeff McCulley

Still Thea and Everlasting Peace to go. And I’m wondering if he’ll run into Smaug somewhere, in some wretched state? Getting Vilari back would complete the set. I’m kinda wondering if Zac collects more Zecia(/Zacia) folk from the broken remnants, like Average, Pretty and Ykrodas Havarok, but that’s another story. Along with Leyara. Of course, Ventus Kalavan and Inda, the Endemire Sage’s granddaughter are pretty much inevitable. Sigh. Looks like the Endemire Sage…kicked the bucket.

Jeff McCulley

“Five more levels” should put Zac at 193, right? I’m guessing that Zac will reach 200 before Kator breaks through to Monarchy. Zac won’t need anyone to step in for him. Maybe doesn’t already.

Michael

I have a feeling that atavism will spark a life/death upgrade as well. So he’ll just upgrade all 3 in one go

Lex Luther S

Well, given the war fort the Endemire sage was in charge of fell and given the old man's age and cultivation base of early monarch, it's easy to surmise that he fell with his fort. Yeah, no way Leyara joins as she's the next void priestess though maybe once the pillars decent is finished and gone from zecia, there may no longer be a need for the void gate in zecia unless they're told to stay and watch over the growing calamity known as Zachary Atwood. But her joining his faction is easily dismissed.

Terror

I think that it was kind of confirmed that Kator is not planning on killing Zac because he knows that the empire is pretty much serving him up on a plate for Zac to hate and he also knows Zac has a mission from the primo and a lot of other undead factions have plans for him. so, I think Kator would try to make a deal rather than be antagonistic.

Mateo Lopez

I agree. I’m hoping it goes straight to the Earthly daos of oblivion and creation

Chase C

After the explanation of what an Earthly Dao is in comparison to Fragments and Branches, I don't think that's likely at all. It sounds like Zac will have to take a much more active role in designing his Life/Death Earthly Daos - maybe almost like how Hegemons design their cosmic cores. I think relying on atavism to jump straight to that stage would be an extremely poor for choice for his path.

ouroboros

Get this man a cultivator beer, star! 🍻

Kharas

Yee, Its really gonna be interesting to see where Zecia ends up after all this. 2 Months left before they lose the war, so even if Zac wins the war for them with the Foreign Gods the damage to the established factions must be absolutely massive. So how many of the people we "know" are still alive, and how much of the sector is even worth "owning" at the moment. Unless the Foreign Gods turn out to be a perfect WMTD (Weapon of Mass Targeted Destruction... Unlike Zac who is just a PMDL... A Person of Mass Destruction and Looting), then killing the Kan´Tanu will leave even more damage behind. The Kan´Tanu might have taken out every single Monarch in the sector, but I doubt it so taking control of it is still something out in the far future for Zac. Ahh well.. With the time line for the LIP (Left Imperial Palace), I guess we will have to wait until after that for our MALEB!! (Moment of Awesome Looting and Empire Building!)

Mateo Lopez

Oh you make a good point. Zac did have to use the Endless Crusade to even get close to an Earthly Dao of Conflict. Perhaps he’ll need something equivalent to the trial

Blake Noyes

That still feels too early for me. He hasn’t actually gotten to pure life and death yet

Hms

Wonder whats going on with Joanna. Been a while with no update. Glad to see the dynamic duo back together for some added comedy and entertainment.

Joshua Little

Thanks for the chapter.