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Chapter 1,342.
🕑 Added 2025-02-26 20:24:18 +0000 UTCThe organizers made no effort to quell the clamor and reestablish the solemnity of the occasion. If anything, they welcomed it. Zac’s face scrunched with annoyance upon seeing concession stands appearing among the F-grade cultivators and Mortals at the back of the square. He’d been turned into an opening act, though he’d be a fool if he couldn’t notice there was something else going on.
The Transformation Docks were undergoing a metamorphosis that started with an enormous influx of Imperial Faith. The world beyond the spatial gate infused the Imperial Army’s ferocity, and Grand Dream primed the mix for a specific purpose with his speech. That energy was still being absorbed by the crowd. The efficacy had even gone up since the atmosphere changed.
The Mercurial Court had taken the opportunity to plant millions of seeds, and only they knew what kind of flowers would sprout in the future. Zac had his own problems to deal with before he could worry about hidden plots. Finding his challenger didn’t prove difficult. The perception-bending array brought Zac’s attention to an unfamiliar face on the ground without the need to leave his seat.
The challenger was holding up a token of the Tethered Court while fiercely glaring right back at Zac. He looked much the same as the hundred sealbearers gathered around Zac. His energetic aura put the Late Hegemon somewhere at five or six hundred years of age, which appeared to be the average of the native sealbearers.
There was absolutely no recollection of this Threadbinder of Ultom in Everit’s memories, and none of the other sealbearers offered any clues. The challenger also didn’t give Zac the impression he was a fellow trial taker. Frankly, he wasn’t strong enough to so confidently challenge the real Zac. Even so, the challenge wasn’t random. Had the Vigil’s nun arranged for someone to test him? Or was this another consequence of Everit’s prickly personality?
Zac could feel countless gazes turning to him, including the terrifying group on the stage. No one was striking him down where he stood, which actually helped calm Zac’s fraying nerves. His borrowed identity was withstanding the intense scrutiny. Astora Theomore also remained oblivious to the proceedings, which provided some additional comfort.
“I suggest you stop making a ruckus and scurry back to the Tethered Court. Otherwise, you’ll come to regret it,” Zac said while giving the challenger a baleful look.
Acting the part of Everit Draom had never come so easy. Safe or not, Zac was furious at being thrust into the spotlight. Everit would have hated it just as much, though for a different reason. Being picked among nearly two hundred sealbearers marked Everit as a bottom-of-the-barrel talent, and it happened in front of such a huge crowd.
“Time marches forward, and two rivers cannot occupy the same space. One will absorb the other,” a gentle reminder came from the stage. Meanwhile, four enormous holograms appeared above the altar. “Everit Draom, you may choose the trial of passage.”
Grand Dream had spoken, meaning there was no way to back down. Zac reluctantly got to his feet, wondering if his disaster-attracting ability was starting to outpace his other progress. This time, he didn’t even get what he came for before everything was turned into a mess.
At least it seemed like he’d get to walk away with the challenger’s Imperial Merit if he won. The Fate sealed inside his Tethered Token couldn’t match Zac’s significant accumulations, but it would boost his stockpiles by nearly a quarter.
Zac inspected the four holograms carefully. Each conveyed a vague impression and a basic set of rules. The first depicted two crossed blades, and it represented a simple duel. Zac almost picked that option without looking at the others. It was an opportunity to satisfy his deep-seated desire to plant his fist on that haughty challenger’s face.
The second trial was foreign to Zac. It was called a dreamshaping contest. From what he could make out, each side would nurture a dream provided by a mortal in the crowd. The contestants would enter the other’s creation, and the one who broke out first won. It would have been the perfect option for Janos.
Zac was confident in his ability to break out of a hastily erected dream. It was the shaping part that stumped him. The third hologram looked a bit like a whirlpool, and it represented a race through a transforming spatial maze. The final option was a crafting trial where the parties would compete by completing a tool embryo. The options confirmed the Mercurial Court didn’t solely judge candidates through power, though all options would benefit from a higher cultivation.
Combat remained Zac’s best option. He couldn’t shape dreams, and [Cosmic Forge] hadn’t reached the stage of actually crafting equipment. His only other option was the maze. However, the challenger was clearly a Spatial Cultivator. Zac wasn’t confident he could perform better than a Spatial Cultivator even if he relied on the Void. Not to mention, he definitely didn’t want to rely on his Void Emperor Bloodline before the Vigil and Astora Theomore.
Trial by Combat was also the fan favorite. Countless voices were clamoring for Zac to pick it, and he was happy to oblige. Fighting in a manner significantly different from Everit’s might raise questions, but this was something he had to face eventually. Zac planned on using Everit’s long training journey as an excuse. Encountering great enough opportunities to reforge one’s path wasn’t anything unheard of.
‘The race! Pick the race!’ Esmeralda urged just as Zac was about to make his decision. ‘I’ll run circles on that bastard. I’ll show him what happens to greedy fools who dare covet my things.’
Zac’s eyes lit up at the idea. Having Esmeralda deal with the challenge would make things easier, and it would avoid the risk of revealing his Bloodline in front of Astora and the nun. As for the shame of bringing on a ringer, Zac didn't care. He wasn’t a real elite of the empire, and his reputation was already in the dumps.
‘Are you sure? You’ll be exposed in front of all these people. I can just beat him up. I’m already in the mood to pummel a Spatial Cultivator after dealing with Kaltosa Lu,” Zac asked to confirm.
‘I was never one to skulk in the shadows. A skilled thief doesn’t fear the attention. They welcome the challenge,’ Esmeralda said while slapping her chest. ‘Besides, it doesn’t matter. That old thing on the stage noticed me the moment you were challenged. I might as well make an appearance now so that I can move in the open after we reach the court.’
Zac turned to the Dao Guardian who announced the challenge. “May I ask if there are any limitations on equipment? Or on external aid, such as talismans, contracted beasts, or berserking pills?”
“Any method within the bounds of your grade is permitted.”
“Then I choose the maze.”
The declaration only caused some dissatisfaction in the crowd since it was the second most interesting option. Watching a crafting competition would be much more boring in comparison. The sealbearers looked at Zac with surprise, especially those who knew Everit. They’d undoubtedly expected him to pick the combat trial.
Their confusion only grew when a small toad appeared on Zac’s head as he flew toward the altar. The hologram had already transformed into a churning sphere of Spatial Energy. It looked like it was only fifty meters across, but even Zac could tell the labyrinth was an enormous subspace of hundreds of overlapping layers.
The maze reminded Zac of their harrowing journey through the Imperial Graveyard. The few navigable paths couldn’t be considered safe, and the constant transformations meant a path could turn into a dead-end or death trap. Zac couldn’t keep up with the changes at all. Just looking at the churning spatial bubble was enough to make his head spin.
Esmeralda took the scene in stride, her eyes gleaming with supreme confidence. That was, until they reached the altar’s border and noticed the hidden temporal field. The maze was actually kept inside a temporal chamber, speeding up time ten to one, so the paths were actually rearranging themselves much faster than it looked.
That wasn’t so much a problem as their most recent confrontation with the Dao of Time. Esmeralda only woke up yesterday, and Zac wasn’t doing much better. Such a weak Temporal Dilation wouldn’t threaten his life, but it would certainly reopen the wounds he’d worked so hard to mend.
‘It’s ironic. A child visiting us from the future being afraid of time.’
The Supremacy’s message was followed by a wave of pure Time that poured into Zac before he could react. Esmeralda received the same treatment. No matter how quick the thief was on her feet, how could she avoid Grand Dream’s nearly perfected Dao of Time? It moved in its own timestream, arriving at its moment of conception.
First horrified, Zac quickly realized he wasn’t about to be ripped apart by an immense temporal backlash. Instead, he felt his body align with the Cosmos while countless temporal fractures that had eluded his notice were exposed and repaired. Realizing what was going on, Zac decisively transferred as much of the gentle Temporal Energy as he could to his other body. His Human side would recognize what was going on after the initial surprise.
The process only needed a few moments to finish. Zac hadn’t felt so good since he first suffered a temporal backlash while advancing to Middle D-grade. His vexing temporal jitters were long gone, but he clearly hadn’t been as well-adjusted as he thought. It was at that moment Grand Dream spoke again, reminding Zac what he’d been called—a child of the future.
‘I have smoothed your flow of time but your debt remains. Be careful not to overindulge in the future.’
Zac’s mouth opened and closed, not sure what he should do. So it wasn’t that his seal had provided a perfect disguise. Those who’d seen through his origin had chosen not to act. It did make some sense. Grand Dream certainly had a hand in setting up the memory lanterns and trial. Why undo his own work? However, Zac still didn’t know how far-reaching their plans were and what they had in store for their lab rats from the future.
Grand Dream could sense Zac’s confusion and shared a few words of suggestion. ‘Why worry about the countless branches in the river? Follow your heart and pursue the future you desire. What will be will be.’
Zac took a calming breath and bowed toward the stage. The ancient Supremacy was right. Zac had grappled with theories and their implications since he appeared on the Left Imperial Expanse. It always boiled down to the same thing. It didn’t matter what the empire plotted. He’d had his own goals, so he’d let the chips fall where they may.
No one had noticed the exchange, and the bow could be seen as common courtesy. The challenger quickly followed suit so as not to come off as rude. His eyes gleamed with confidence as he turned back toward the maze. Two stable entrances had already appeared.
‘Are you ready?’ Zac asked.
‘That old mirage isn’t too bad. He just extracted a huge amount of excess timescape from me. I haven’t felt this good since I got mixed up with you,’ Esmeralda grinned. ‘I’ll let him keep some of his items even if they’re within reach.’
Zac smiled at seeing much of Esmeralda’s tension gone. Grand Dream hadn’t just solved the issue with the challenge. He’d bought Esmeralda years before her curse erupted, much like how Sendor and Lova had assisted during her cycle of rebirths. It wouldn’t solve her underlying issue, but it had greatly alleviated the immediate pressure.
The countless eyes on him no longer felt so piercing. With a backer like Grand Dream, there was no need to overthink every little action. Zac would follow his heart. First on the docket was to nab another round of merit.
---------------
Was this a dream? Tevrin couldn’t believe his luck. He’d thoroughly studied the information packet and performed his own research before accepting the mission. Tevrin only had one shot at seizing Destiny, and no amount of rewards could outweigh the Mercurial Court’s opportunities.
Luckily, Everit Draom truly was one of the most suitable targets to challenge. Everit held no evident connection to the Mercurial Court. He possessed no Daos connected to the Kingdoms of Continuum of Fantasy, and his abilities were generally geared toward tracking and combat. Tevrin had to pick someone, so why not make some extra money on the side?
The society elders had predicted that the Mercurial Court’s challenge wouldn’t involve something as crude as a normal duel. Leave that to the brutes of the Indomitable and Tethered Courts. It was precisely for that reason they’d decided to take the gamble and send him here. Tevrin’s Daos of Phantasmal Dreams and Ancient Realms made him more of a match to many of the chosen Realmsingers.
In contrast, Tevrin would become the Everit Draom of the Tethered Court if he dared show up. It was simply the society’s bad luck they'd only managed to get their hands on a Tethered Token. Tevrin’s heart had dropped upon seeing the crossed blades signifying a duel, only to soar upon hearing Everit’s choice. Defeating him in a direct confrontation would have required tremendous effort and no small amount of luck.
Was this an attempt to save face? Being challenged among hundreds of Sealbearers certainly wasn’t a good look. If so, Tevrin’s plan worked even better than he’d expected. Everything, from his words to seizing the first challenge, was designed to agitate Everit’s acerbic personality and shake his mental state. But was the man truly this pig-headed?
Tevrin didn’t recognize the diminutive toad on Everit’s head. It should be the reason for his confidence. But how could some tracking beast the inborn talents and assiduously nurtured skills of the Realmtreading Society? There was no trail to follow like when Everit tracked his criminals. Tevrin discarded any errant thoughts, and calming ripples steadied his heart. He wouldn’t allow complacency, no matter how optimistic the outlook.
The call came, and Tevrin surged into the maze. His [Six Direction Compass] pointed down a route that looked like a dead end, but he followed its path without hesitation. Real and illusory Space combined into a stable tunnel, and Tevrin threw out four spikes. They embedded themselves in the seams of space, exposing a hidden route.
The labyrinth’s constantly shifting alignment would quickly undo any manmade alterations, and Tevrin’s tunnel barely lasted long enough to squeeze through the gap. Having to leave behind two of his Realmtreading Wedges was painful, even if Tevrin knew it was a worthy trade. Nothing mattered except making good time, and his shortcut had saved him nearly ten minutes.
Any Spatial Cultivator could see through the trial’s true nature. There were dozens of viable paths hidden in the complex spatial knot. Those at the edges were safer, with less spatial instability and slower transformations. However, the spatial compression was actually far greater at the borders. One would have to cross ten times the distance compared to going straight through the sphere.
Tevrin was taking a calculated risk, choosing a path brushing against the center. Even the peak geniuses would suffer before the terrifying maelstrom in the labyrinth’s core. Skirting it was enough to pose great danger, but Tevrin had made ample preparations for the day. It didn’t matter if it was overkill against someone like Everit Draom. At worst, it was a learning experience and an opportunity to showcase his skills.
Every crossroad was a riddle connected to the Dao of Space, requiring experience and intuition to solve. The [Six Direction Compass] crafted by the Realmtreading Society’s Ancestor was the perfect assistant. It greatly lessened Tevrin’s mental burden while increasing his speed. It even gave him the freedom to explore the marvelous Dao on display.
The further he went, the deeper Tevrin’s awe for the Mercurial Court grew. What a marvelous trial. Not only was the concept instilled into the spatial layers exquisite, hinting at a heritage far surpassing the society’s. The trial was actually a gift for the fated. The whole labyrinth was a blueprint, one only visible from the inside. The deeper Tevrin pushed, the clearer the picture became.
Alas, Tevrin soon had no energy to spare on the hidden pattern. The labyrinth soon grew excruciatingly complex and filled with nefarious traps. Every turn could lead you down a thousand different routes. Of them, nine hundred held false spaces, and ninety-nine led the wrong way. Only one route was true, and being a second too slow would turn the true path into another dead end.
The compass soon couldn’t deduce the route on its own. Tevrin used every ability in his repertoire and everything he’d learned during his centuries traversing the World Tree's myriad realms. There was no price too steep to take another step forward. Deep lacerations covered his body, but they couldn’t extinguish the fire burning in his heart.
Seizing destiny never came easy. Tevrin’s roared with defiance as he stabbed forward with his hand. A lance of condensed space crashed against a spatial barrier with enough power to dispatch a whole mountain peak to the Void. It wasn’t nearly enough to force a path. The collision only managed to create a series of ripples. They provided the critical clues Tevrin needed to continue.
The crude approach was quick and effective, but it drained significantly more energy than his other means. Tevrin was forced to rely on similar methods with increasing frequency. The slightest delay meant certain doom. The labyrinth became a hazy blur as his soul was wrung dry, and Tevrin increasingly leaned on instinct to lead him down the promised path.
Tevrin’s unyielding determination was finally awarded. The exit ahead. His crossing had felt like an eternity, but he knew he’d made great time. He’d made few mistakes, none of them major. He’d even overcome his limitations by tapping into his potential and desire to seize Destiny, surpassing what should be his best performance.
Preparation and force of will had coalesced into a time just shy of fifty minutes. Tevrin understood there were always higher mountains, but he couldn’t imagine more than a few dozen Sealbearers beating that record. Another hour might not be enough for Everit Draom to reach the end.
The final stretch proved blessedly calm, giving Tevrin the opportunity to pull himself together. Someone was already waiting outside to greet him, and he’d emerge victorious before countless witnesses. His feat would become a fable told in inns and tea houses, and he couldn’t do something to tarnish his or the society’s name.
Tevrin rallied the last of his reserves and forcibly teleported past the finishing point. He emerged in a burst of valor. The crowd wouldn’t know the maneuver left his vision spinning and his stomach ready to refund yesterday’s feast. They’d only remember his heroic expression as he seized destiny. It worked. Tevrin could feel the countless gazes, and the square was steeped in rapt silence.
Stabilizing his breath, Tevrin jumped into his prepared statement. “This day—"
“Took you long enough.”
Comments
Amani
Ohhh Tevrin was feeling himself.. love it, i had a smile the whole time ajajaja
Dan
It’s about time for another Carl chapter or two.
Jeff McCulley
A. No one said that Janos had to be the one to actually bring her out, just that he would get her out. I’m pretty sure that’s why his eyes are fixed on Great Dream. B. I don’t see anyone saying that any farmers were the princess and roan? Like, even remotely? Her profession and interests do, however, seem to align very well with those two, should she get “out” here and rather immediately need protection or a sponsor for the remainder of the Trial.
Jeff McCulley
Thanks. I wondered if I had that backwards.
Jeff McCulley
What’s interesting is how you place “what people say” over “what TFD writes as actually happening”. Zac is an unreliable narrator. This is established in spades. You don’t like a point, you say “ignore it”. Uh huh. I didn’t even remotely say that Zack would overcome his paranoia. I literally said that it’s a plot device. I’m not arguing with you. You have your perspective, I have another. I’m not even sure it will be relevant to the storyline. We’ll see how it turns out.
Lex Luther S
Bro, your whole logic is flawed. Again, do you really think zac, as paranoid as he is, would risk flaunting his status as a holy son? He has NO faith nor mark to show he's a holy son beyond what the chalice of empyrean flamer did to him. And don't bring up that ship. A ship BILLIONS of years old and just awoken from an impossibly long dream obviously isn't in the best condition, and zac also had a whole SLEUTH of seal bearers as well More than enough to, at least in passing, prove he's a true follower of the empire. As for Grand Dream, do you really think it was last minute he joined? Bro, he's the literal supremacy in charge of the mercurial court, and you will not convince me otherwise that he wasn't supposed to show up. Besides, the little princess has likely never shown herself while I imagine grand dream has, at the least when he took over; not only that, but that xephos guy also knew zac was a specter from the future so obviously he wouldn't say all he knew. Seriously, to think the little princess has any right to be upset over what a supremacy in charge of one of the outer courts wants to do is likely impossible for her anyways as might will always trump right. The only one even slightly willing to do that could only be a descendent of the true emperor of the limitless empire, Laondio and it's unknown if he has any offspring.
Owen Stevens
I suspect the reason zac has no affinity with the dao, is because he has very high affinity for the void of dao. In the future, he may be able to directly cultivate void in the same way others cultivate dao. But who knows.
Lex Luther S
I'm talking about when they all meet up. It's clear. Head to the outter courts and then make your way to the Left imperial palace, the outer shell housing Ultom. With rhubat traveling along with the insectoid princess, he'll definitely make good time and by then, zac and all his followers will be together as well, meaning ibtep will see rhubat standing by the princess and hear his thoughts only to easily deny him, even, as I said, stating that she only offers chains in the end. Hell, it'd be pretty interesting to see them fight it out as zac and arcaz hold off the princess. Or maybe she won't even get a chance to act as there's no telling what Wal'Zo has in store for when the flamebearers and their followers reach ultom.
Lex Luther S
Let's be honest, no way is janos bringing out his wife until he's at least a divine monarch. It might not even be possible until hes built his own latter to heaven. Ignoring the restrictions that literally creating new life would bring about, janos is most certainly held back by his cultivation grade. Afterall, the era of order is heavily based on the law of balance so there must be a tradeoff for allowing his wife to walk out of the illusionary world. Probably along the lines of zac paying with longevity to use creation energy and heal wounds. And janos did propose the issue of what happens when the shadows of the past want to leave their dream. Nothing good indeed. As for the illusion he was trapped in, that more or less was probably just a random world created. Even if not, It really feels like a stretch to say those 2 farmers were the princess and roan.
Lex Luther S
It hasn't been an issue so far, with characters being waysided or left behind. Sure a few were barely mentioned and forgotten like sap Trang but it's pretty obvious that even with half a chapter dedicated to one of zacs followers, it's pretty easy to deduce at least a little of what they've been through. Which tells just how good TFD writing is. Its also pretty obvious they're the future leaders of the Atwood empire. I doubt all of them will reach supremacy, but at the very least, most will reach autarchy. After all, we've been shown plenty that even with the overwhelming strength zac has, he's not infallible and he himself has stated his purpose for moving forward is the people around him. As for Zac becoming a cultivator, it's probably not possible. Maybe when he reaches supremacy and fully flushes out his path of chaos as well as the void, but until then, shoring up his weaknesses through his cultivation has and will continue to be his best option.
Lex Luther S
No, in the real flow of time, it would be 5 minutes with a 10:1 ratio. He passed through in 50 minutes though as the maze was in a time bubble of 10:1
M💬
I might sound like a broken record at this point but…… it seems the seal bearers are most likely going to be the Elite of Zac’s faction, best of the best. My thing is I hope the other characters are not just left to the wayside, I don’t need to see how they got stronger but at least they should be strong enough to show that they might not be the cream of the crop but could hold their ground. For instance, Tamira is the only other Valkyrie we know off and my head Cannon is she is Joana’s second in command, she has to have some kind of merit. Also, it’s been bugging me what does the pillar do for the limitless empire does it bring them back from the past or washes away the sins of making the system. Are they going to be the main antagonist of the series?…… Do you think Zac becomes a cultivator at all? personally I don’t see it the only way he becomes a cultivator is when he reach the peak and becomes a full immortal being (just a side note) I know this comment doesn’t relate to your comment I just needed to get this out it’s been bugging me…….
Shurjin
My boy Tevrin.... so much disrespect lol 😆 🤣 😂
Jeff McCulley
“Preparation and force of will had coalesced into a time just shy of fifty minutes” I’m not seeing anything that indicates Tevrin was a Time cultivator. The maze was sped up 10:1 internally, so if he thought he was in there fifty, he was actually in there…almost 500 minutes? So, 8 1/3 hours?
Jeff McCulley
I’m not sure why you expect Ibtep to set Rhubat straight, when he should be at an entirely different Court. And if the Tethered Court is for “brutes”…that’s definitely not Ibtep.
Jeff McCulley
I am looking forward to Janos putting on a show here. I don’t know if he’ll get challenged—why not challenge a scholar sitting in the very back row?—but there’s this: “Those chosen by Destiny shall be given an opportunity to see through the illusion and seize an opportunity from the shores of enlightenment.” Zac was surprised to see Janos here, but aside from determination, I am pretty sure that Janos is about as fated with the Mercurial Court as Zac is with the Left Imperial Palace or Ultom. A. He fell into a “trap” in the Ensolus Ruins. Which, in all actuality, was not only a city of the Limitless Empire…but actually a Templar training base. As an aside, I expect we may find out that Rava and that base have more of a connection with the L.I.P. than we’ve seen thus far. B. His wife is a botanist…who works with farmers. Two of the notable figures of this arc are the Earth Templars—farmers—and Astora Theomore, who has a strong affinity with Nature. My only question would be what Janos does the rest of the Trial when he gets Um’Ha out of the dream…but I’m not sure even he knows that. C. He actually got his Mercurial Court fragment there. Yep, in an Imperial city, in a Templar Base. In a dream not far distant from those of the Trial. That’s no coincidence. D. Pretty sure that Janos ignited a Mercurial Court halo. At least for getting that Academy not to blow up, if not for refocusing the genius researcher. Maybe two? In any case, he’s perfectly suited to be here. Ogras, Janos and Emily are probably the most fated of Zac’s followers here, because of how they seized their seals. Well, Joanna too, but she definitely forged her own path. Admittedly, maybe some of the others had similar stories that we simply haven’t heard.
Jeff McCulley
I’m kind of curious how it got maneuvered so there is both a Magistrate and an Imperial Army guy in the mix, to clash with one another. Maybe the merchant is to be the quartermaster?
Jeff McCulley
Umm…nope? A. If Grand Dream were supposed to be there, Xiphos would have been babbling on about that, instead of a mere Hegemon Princess. B. You are relying on Zac’s understanding of the Title, which is clearly flawed. And Rava’s explanation of the “benefits”, which was clearly an attempt to discourage Zac’s avarice. We have seen again and again that status means everything in the Limitless Empire. Zac thinks he doesn’t have anything to identify himself as the Holy Son—that’s another flawed assumption. Joanna is the obvious example. She’s the Terminal Disciple of Indra Eyler. She uses no “identities” but that.,She has nothing to prove it. She simply is—and everyone here knows and accepts it, even if it can make no logical sense to them. Even Eyler herself didn’t question the veracity of the claim, just told her to come and prove herself. When she knew full well she hadn’t chosen any such disciple. And that position has given Joanna status and authority here. Again, with no “ID”. Or Imperial Faith. Similarly, the Earth Son knew exactly who Zac was. He didn’t care that Zac didn’t have any Imperial Faith. Not a whit. Even more so, Xiphos (and most probably his guardian) recognized Zac for exactly who he was—even though Zac was his other self at the time. And Zac pretended his only connection to a Templar Order was a brief encounter with the Earth—and assumed Xiphos bought it. While Xiphos knew the Empyrean connection all along. Xiphos has actually *met* the Earth Son. Oh, and even when Zac switched to Everit’s identity, Xiphos still knew who he was. Lastly, the reaction of the Ship Spirit of the Pernumia Ino tells us everything about Zac’s status. He didn’t have the ID, the Ship Spirit simply recognized him. And he not only was willing to take any orders and answer any questions, he totally ignored Zac’s subordinates from that point on. Perhaps a B grade ship, recognizing the Holy Son’s authority over it. The only “difficulties” are Zac’s hubris, his paranoia. It’s a plot device to keep everything from being clear sailing. He *thinks* he’s got clear sailing because he’s got Grand Dream behind him. Wrong. He’s basically got *everyone* in an Imperial position “behind” him. Within certain limitations. Probably including that magistrate up on the stage that he was so worried about.
Dro
ಠ_ಠ https://tinyurl.com/mr25e5nv
Jeff McCulley
His newborn son would, of course, be Baby Grand.
Jeff McCulley
Ah. So you prefer the one half named for a concert piano?
Jeff McCulley
A. Tue, Arcaz is headed to the Anoma Court next. That said, he can just pass the token to his other self. B. I expect both to see significant powerups before they finish with their current Courts. And Kaltosa Lu had specific counters to Arcaz/Zac.
Tartlet
Thanks I hate it
Lex Luther S
Doubt it given Ibtep will set rhubat straight, as what the insectoid princess is offering is nothing but nice comfy chains. Zac offers true freedom no matter what. Just have loyalty to him and his people and he will do the same. And zac has never torn off one of rhubats' arms and eaten it, even demanding he regrows it so she can consume it a few more times; so he's got that in his favor.
Lex Luther S
I'm quite certain Grand Dream was supposed to come along regardless. This is the literal opening ceremony of the Mercurial Court and with the seeds of potential spread to the millions of citizens in attendance, it's quite obvious it was planned from the start. As for Zac status as a holy son of the empyrean chalice, I wish people would stop brining it up like it's relevant for zac right now. As we've seen, the title gives no special treatment and it's even been stated it would be detrimental to bring it up given zac has nothing to confirm his identity nor imperial faith. The titles only use is the grip it placed on zacs destiny and a connection to some authority Iz grandma has been aiming for, but unable to attain since it's still tainted by the will of the empyrean chalice.
Lex Luther S
Probably best to avoid that court. The insectoid princess is there and while zac will likely have a better chance at fighting her, after Kaltosa Lu showed us that these geniuses on Iz tyans level that they have unfathomable means, skills and abilities and I don't doubt the little princess does as well. At the very least, zac still has a few breakthroughs to go through to be able to truly match these other flamebearers. Besides, arcaz will most likely head towards the anima court next, if given the chance given the treasure vilari has to get ahold of for Jalach.
Ben Sheahan
I want to see if Zac/Atwood Empire can get anything from the insectoid Flamebarer who claimed Rhubat and his Hive.
Jeff McCulley
Wait…this guy has a token for the Tethered Court? Had? Lol. Zac just got a freebie, and can go help Rhubat (and Bubbur) after he’s done here.
Jeff McCulley
Grand Dream rarely hears from his kid brother, who mastered the Daos of Water and Illusion. He goes by the Dao name of Wet Dream.
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Jeff McCulley
Heh. Zac thinks that Astora has here eyes closed because she’s cultivating. Lol. She has her eyes closed because she knows/has been told who he really is, and doesn’t want to stare! Er, be distracted. ;) Either that, or she’s pissed that Grand Dream came along because of Zac—when he wasn’t supposed to. It was supposed to be HER show. B. I’m taking a wild guess that as the Holy Son of the Empyrean Chalice, Zac is the third or fourth ranking person present.
Jeff McCulley
I’m sure that Esmeralda would sell him a copy?
Jeff McCulley
Zac’s got wood?
Jeff McCulley
They did all the other challenges, and everyone else went home!
Jeff McCulley
“Next”?
Ron Whitlatch
Another ancient existence that could find interest in zac
Indy
without that attitude you will never get fated ;)
Kenneth B
That was awesome
Sirloki
No, he was fated just not for what he was hoping for!
Sirloki
I'm pretty sure there's a line forming on the left
Sirloki
Tevrin, Tevrin, you poor unlucky soul. You have become another stepping stone on the path of the Deviant Asura. Rejoice in having served a purpose greater than your skills would otherwise allow! 😤
NiceTryMate
Well, he doesn’t really know how to control the void outside his bloodline abilities, and some void tendrils from his core. When it comes to dao control, he is a mess. I imagine a dreamscape is akin to dao arrays.
John
So do you think Zac’s just standing there waiting for Tevrin with Esmeralda waving glibly? Or maybe he’s sitting on stage drinking tea? Hell, maybe Esmeralda did more than just get Zac through lickity split, maybe she also subtly fucked with Tevrin and he’s actually been in the maze for hours. The absolute silence that meets his exit leads me in that kinda direction lol
Owen Stevens
I can't wait to see Zac's team. I have a feeling his Everit persona will crack and show his considerate side. Zac is fairly thoughtful for a cultivator after all. It's why he's the most wanted man 😏 despite his deviant streak.
MacMahon Wenzl
I bet Zac could actually compete in the Dreamscape trial, he would either make a Dream of pure Void or Chaos and escape the other person's Dream with either Void or Chaos. It would be just as completely onesided.
Jeff McCulley
“The crowd was quiet”. I half wonder if the crowd left to get snacks while they were waiting, after Zac showed up.
Jeff McCulley
I’m sure that Zac wouldn’t mind taking Merit from more than one.
Jeff McCulley
Magnificent chapter. Thank you!
Taylor Greenwell
Honestly, I would have liked to see Zac utterly dominate his ass in combat. Some ass kicking is seriously overdue.
Omiso
The challenge itself was interesting, not everything has to be a fight, plus Esmeralda got the chance to shine. Will Zac only have to defeat one challenger?
carson
An entire society dedicated to studying spatial realms couldn't get a single token to the Mercurial court....and it never occurred to him that he might not be fated?
Omiso
"World Tree's myriad realms" Yggdrasil is that you?
Tom C
Just another chump who has eyes but cannot see Mount Tai TFTC!
Andrew
Thank you!
Lex Luther S
Ohhh, what a chapter. Well, esmeralda got to show off her chops and what grand chops they were indeed, lol. Welp, this chapter shows that, at the very least, the supremacies in charge of their respective courts know of the general layout and plan for the LIE and Ultom and it's subsidiary courts so seeing zac shouldn't be anything more than "So the time has come, huh?" Moment, which is probably why the Grand Dream helped stabilize zac and esmeraldas time; which in and of itself, made getting called out more than worth it. They won't be using time chambers anytime soon but just the fact they were stabilized and the few micro wounds left on zac discovered and in the process of healing is a big boon. Still, gotta feel a little bad for this Tevrin guy. He thought he was winning big only to be hit up side the head by the one and only GREAT esmeralda lol. And the ending is just PERFECT, with him even using a skill that caused him to miss zac and esmeralda standing there, thanks to his swimming vision, all to look "cool and heroic" only for zac to poor a whole bucket of dao ice water. Truly can't wait for Fridays chapter as it's gonna be a BANGER indeed.
DrSubterfuge
smh couldn't even intuit the proper course of the blueprint on the fly
Lizy Flore
Bahahaha I love this 😂
Alexander Dupree
Aww too bad hope you got some good info on the blueprint. Good luck next time.
Hartmann
Just as Zac is sitting down the next challenge for him will come.
Kaladorph
I was expecting them to just pull him out when Zach finished just to interrupt his side of the story and be more mean to the little shit.
James Getgood
hahahaha another dream shattered
Monk
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