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Chapter 1,322.
🕑 Added 2025-01-10 20:40:26 +0000 UTC‘Most of the courtesans aren’t aware of their allegiance, and those who do are not responsible for assassinations,’ Ogras explained before Zac could ask.
‘I’d say. An assassin cultivating the Joy of Life would have a hard time advancing,’ Zac commented.
‘Only a few high-echelon members know the truth, and there should be a few Hidden Blades stationed here who aren’t part of the Joyful Gardens. The rest are working for the Hidden Blades without knowing, gathering intelligence from the guests,’ Ogras continued. ‘Take a look around. The atmosphere is almost surgically designed to loosen lips and expose hidden plots.’
‘And no one’s figured it out?’
‘Maybe? Who knows. If they can discover the truth, they’re smart enough to keep their mouths shut. Exposing the Hidden Blades is tantamount to treason. Besides, the Hidden Blades aren’t stupid. They don’t immediately act on intelligence. They cover their tracks and wait until their actions don’t lead back to the gardens.’
‘If not even the Garden Disciples know, how did you discover it so quickly? You didn’t send your shadows into restricted areas, right?’
‘I’m not crazy,” Ogras said, the helplessness in his tone completely absent on his face. ‘And I didn’t discover them. They found me. I got dragged away shortly after I visited the pavilions. Apparently, higher-level members can identify low-level grunts like my alter ego. That little tidbit was missing from my inherited memories.’
The connection to the Hollow Court was to be expected if the Joyful Gardens truly dealt with the Lower Planes. In addition, brothels had been hotbeds of intrigue and espionage since they were invented. Solely relying on friendships and favors to stay safe wasn’t sustainable. It would put you at the mercy of your protectors. Keeping damning secrets and evidence was an effective way to keep your allies honest.
There was one thing in Ogras’s story Zac found more dubious. ‘Why would they expose their presence to a lower-level operative like you?’
‘You hit the nail on the head. They have a time-sensitive issue and were anxious enough to take any help they could get—even if I wasn’t an ideal candidate. That ill-tempered woman told me that more than once,’ Ogras laughed.
Zac wasn’t mad that the demon had been conscripted the moment they appeared. On the contrary, it meant they had fate with the memory, improving the odds of reaping handsome returns. Of course, they needed to solve the problem first. ‘So, what’s got them in a tizzy?
‘Two disciples and their spirits have died in a short time. Different days, different locations. No witnesses, no clues.’
‘That’s it?’ Zac asked incredulously. This wasn’t Earth’s pre-integration era, where local murders would make the headlines. A few deaths here and there were expected in any sect. ‘Was there something special about their identities?’
‘The first was just one of the more promising Outer Disciples. The second was a high-ranking Inner Disciple with a decent chance of advancement. She was also the descendant of a high-ranking elder who passed away a few generations ago. Her family still has certain pull within the sect. The Hidden Blades might be scrambling from internal pressure to solve the case before Core Disciples started dropping,’ Ogras said, hesitating a moment.
‘Except, I got the feeling that the Hidden Blades didn’t care so much about her as the seven dead spirits.’
‘Seven?’
‘The first victim had contracted two and the second five.’
‘Dead Garden Spirits,’ Zac mused, recalling the attendant’s severe warning about harming the sect’s spirits. ‘To have contracted multiple spirits, they must have been members of the Forest division. These disciples are the ones with the strongest connection to the Nine Gardens if our theory is correct. It’s probably not a coincidence.’
Ogras understood what Zac meant. ‘The memory could be a case of strained diplomacy. I haven’t the faintest how Pillar-erecting, dimension-spanning bridges work, but the bond between the spirits and the Empire might factor into its endurance. If nothing else, motivated helpers work harder. On the other hand, if spirits start getting butchered while under the Empire’s protection…’
‘So we need to solve a murder to save interdimensional relations,’ Zac said, picturing what might have happened in the original timeline.
Perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that the memory domain was placed in the middle of a corrupted zone. They appeared in weak spots lacking Imperial Faith. The strained relations might have caused a backlash. If things went really south in the original timeline, the Garden Spirits might have turned on the Joyful Gardens and triggered a small war. An incident like that would harm the undertaking, even if the Garden’s Realmlord remained on board.
‘Do you figure it's sabotage? This is a good way for low-level operatives to cause a lot of harm,” Ogras said.
‘Not necessarily. The mess in Dipper Seven was caused by a series of coincidences with unexpected ramifications. We could be dealing with something as simple as a jilted lover or internal vendetta triggering an international incident.’
‘We’ll figure it out one way or another. On that topic, my contact asked about you and the elf,’ Ogras said. ‘I made a small adjustment to our original script. I shared your background and said you’re a trusted brother of mine.’
‘Oh?’
‘I figured they could use another helper since they’re so short-staffed, and I was right. My new boss instructed me to have you assist the investigation—without mentioning the Hollow Court or Hidden Blades, of course,’ Ogras said. ‘So you have an excuse if you’re caught poking around. Say I overheard some unsavory rumors, and we figured that exposing the culprit would lead to a sizeable reward.’
‘Perfect.’
Like in the previous memory, Zac used his veteran identity for his first entry. The odds of accidentally summoning a Wendimar Autarch again were low, but an establishment like the Joyful Gardens would certainly have a Bloodline Stele like the one in Black Zenith. Zac could reenter as a Wendimar if necessary, though Zac sensed his veteran persona might be more suitable for an undercover investigation.
‘I don’t think the murders will stay secret much longer anyhow,’ the demon added. ‘They can only keep the news suppressed so long. Since the investigation has stalled, they might release it intentionally, hoping the discussions will kick something loose.’
‘The perpetrator must be extremely crafty to elude the Hidden Blades this long,’ Zac said. ‘Let’s keep gathering information today before deciding on a plan.’
Patroso had kept them company through the hidden conversation, sharing tidbits and anecdotes that were both amusing and informative. Unfortunately, Patroso’s interest was slowly fading after confirming that all three were outsiders passing through the area. He would have already moved on to another table if not for Ventus occasionally refilling his glass with [Dusk Delight].
It was precisely for Patroso’s purpose-driven socializing that Zac wanted him to stay. Patroso didn’t have any issues with his cultivation, and he was visiting the Joyful Gardens to make connections. He’d vaguely implied he was up for a promotion, except the position was contested. He planned to make new friends that could strengthen his claim.
This was nothing unusual. Kalir Whitecrest, in the previous memory, had faced the same pressure. Nurturing a wide network was another way to contribute to your faction than having raw strength. For some roles, it was even better. It proved you weren’t an idiot outside cultivation, and the right connections could benefit the whole faction.
Treating his visit to the Joyful Gardens like a mission that could decide his future, Patroso had come prepared. He was extraordinarily up-to-date on current events and knew all the players. They’d already confirmed that the current memory domain took place roughly one hundred thousand years after the events in Dipper Seven.
The Margrave had already arrived and displayed his dominance. There was still unrest because of the energy storms created by the Imperial Road, but things were generally looking up. Zac didn’t believe it would last. Still, the relative calm added to the positive outlook in the Joyful Gardens, and many hoped to ride this wave to greater heights.
“Speaking of young heroes, we befriended a direct descendant of the Wendimar Clan on our way here,” Zac said upon noticing Patroso was about to excuse himself.
“Oh?” Patroso quickly sat back down, and the warmth in his eyes returned. “Is the young master visiting the Gardens?”
“He might. Unfortunately, we weren’t aware of this location at the time. He clearly enjoys meeting young talents,” Zac said.
“News of the Garden has a way of reaching the Empire’s talents one way or another. There’s still a chance he’ll come. If he does, I’ll have to rely on you brothers to introduce me,” Patroso said expectantly. “Did he mention why he’d come to the Freydrift Province?”
“I’m afraid the Young Lord didn’t say. It was just that our earlier discussion made me think of him. He mentioned that his clan’s relationship with the Hollow Court is decent. Their ancestor has even met the Margrave in person,” Zac said.
“I’m sure it’s true. Clan Wendimar were among those rewarded for their service,” Patroso said, continuing with a hushed voice. “I hear one of their descendants unearthed a valuable relic, and the clan decided to offer it as a gift when the Margrave took office.”
“Something like that happened? Perhaps it was the Young Master we met,” Ogras suggested with a grin.
“Unlikely. The Wendimars have protected that descendant’s identity, but he would have to be a Void Herald by now. Perhaps your friend is hoping to repeat his senior’s accomplishment by traveling the continent,” Patroso smiled, nodding his head in approval. “The Ironblooded Patriarch showed great foresight by relocating their clan. I hear that tasks handed out by the courts directly are dangerous but exceedingly well compensated. If possible, you’d do well to maintain your connection with that Young Master.”
Namedropping his other identity bought a few more minutes of gossip and the answers Zac sought. Zac’s previous idea of improving the Wendimar’s fate had worked, but it was too early to see any drastic changes. They had relocated one of their legions to the Hollow Court’s sphere of influence, but their main backer was still the Indomitable Court. No Wendimars were officially operating in the region, but Zac wouldn’t trust Patroso’s word on that.
Patroso left soon after, walking over to another table to greet a young woman with a fierce aura. Seeing how deep regard Patroso showed her, she was likely one of his main targets for his plan. The three chose to leave. The lively atmosphere in the pavilion was surprisingly infectious, making it difficult to stay focused.
They already had a decent understanding of the situation. The only thing Patroso couldn’t answer was why the Joyful Garden’s disciples were all spirit contractors or where the spirits came from. He guessed it was because the garden’s main sutra required them, and they hadn’t discovered a way to simplify the Cultivation Manual.
“Should we take a look at the forest next?” Zac said with the lazy curiosity of a tourist.
Zac was already curious about the Unbounded Forest. He’d initially planned on waiting a day or two to not seem too eager or rouse suspicion. Zac gave up on that idea after learning about the two murdered disciples. They had a clear clue to follow and an excuse in case something went wrong, so they might as well keep looking.
They didn’t get far before being stopped again. It was another Inner Envoy, this one dressed in a deep-blue palace robe with golden waves. Patroso’s introduction wasn’t necessary this time. Streams looking like translucent rivers surrounded her. Focusing on them made Zac hear a melody that made him think of a happy creek in spring. She was an Inner Envoy of the Manor of Sound, and Zac was once more the recipient of an invitation—much to Ogras’s chagrin.
“It would be Mistress Mei’Er’s honor if Lord was willing to share his story and witness her performance in return,” the Envoy said, her clear voice a summer breeze.
Zac hesitated as he looked down at the blue token in her hand. After seeing so many impressive performances, he was curious about the skills of an Inner Disciple. However, he was more interested in the Unbounded Forest. And if he had to be used as someone’s cultivation furnace, going to the spirit contracting division seemed more productive.
“Can I ask why the idea of hearing Mei’Er’s performance would leave Lord so troubled?”
It wasn’t the Envoy who’d asked. Zac turned to another woman emerging from the golden dusk, shrouding a patch of tall bamboo. Like all the disciples of the Joyful Gardens, she was a devastating beauty. Her strength and mastery over the Dao added a poise that set her above the others, yet she somehow felt like a mortal as she walked through the grass on bare feet.
Floating by her side was a wooden zither that emitted the fluctuations of a Late D-grade Tool Spirit. Its owner was even stronger. She didn’t suppress her aura as strictly as Zac, instead allowing it to fuse with the surroundings. She was a genuine Peak Hegemon, possessing an Earthly Dao related to Life. However, Zac sensed it wasn’t a Pure Dao as his.
It was the main player of a mix Zac couldn’t immediately pinpoint. He suspected the Peak of Impetus was involved, but he couldn’t be sure. The ‘joy’ practiced by these courtesans seemed to actually be based on the Dao of Life, not the Dao of Emotions.
Either case, this Mei’Er was a lot stronger than what Zac expected of an Inner Disciple. If they were this strong, were the Core Disciples all Monarchs? It also meant their objective might be more difficult than he’d anticipated. The murderer had killed a high-ranked Inner Disciple without creating a wave. More likely than not, they were looking for a Monarch.
‘Why don’t you just go? You need to go with someone, or they’ll throw you out in a couple of hours. It might as well be an Inner Court Disciple. And this girl is extraordinary. Going with her might lead to valuable insights,’ Ogras leered, the last sentence laced with double meaning. ‘Speaking of, can it even be considered cheating if the deed is done with your human body?’
‘Fine, catch Ventus up to speed while I go with this girl. We’ll reconvene later,’ Zac said. ‘And I’ll forward your question to Catheya the next time I see her.’
“Two can play that game, friend,” Ogras snickered as he grabbed Ventus’s arm. “Come, let’s not ruin Young Master Atwood’s good thing.”
Zac was left alone with the courtesan and her Envoy, who looked as surprised as Zac about Mei’Er’s sudden appearance.
“Miss Mei’Er is mistaken. It would be my honor to listen you your performance,” Zac said.
“Lord Atwood’s acting could use some improvement,” Mei’Er laughed. “Regardless of the reason, Mei’Er is happy to have you accompany me.”
“Uh, right,” Zac said. “Where to?”
“This way, Lord,” the courtesan said, leading him to the bamboo forest she came from.
Their pace was leisurely. Still, Zac sensed they were moving great distances through hidden arrays. Soon, the sounds of the public pavilions disappeared. The Dao of Life grew increasingly profound, shutting out all other paths. Zac’s steps slowed as he looked around with suspicion.
“Is Lord Atwood worried I’ll try to eat you like sister Alteya?” Mei’Er asked with a slight smile upon seeing his hesitation.
“No. I was sensing the Dao. It was long since I sensed such pure Life,” Zac slowly said, inwardly wondering if he was still on the Left Imperial Expanse. The environment was starting to feel a lot like what you’d expect from a Life-attuned Lower Plane. “But to be clear, I am not looking to Dual Cultivate.”
“We pursue freedom of form and restrictions in our pursuits, and the union of man and woman is a fundamental expression of the Joy of Life. However, Dual Cultivation is a celebration that needs willing participants. A forced fruit will not taste sweet,” the courtesan explained as she caressed her instrument. “Truth be told, Mei’Er is currently focused on reaching greater mastery with the zither.”
“Is that why Lady Mei’Er approached me? Do you hope my Dao of Life will help you break through with your music? Is that even possible?” Zac asked.
Mei’Er laughed. “Lord Atwood is a Pure Lord brimming with Vigor who has practiced the Dao of Life to such great success. It’s rare to encounter a guest so suitable for pair cultivation. You would have been fending off Envoys left and right if not for the rules in place. I was afraid my invitation would be rejected, too, so I made a fool of myself by appearing in person. Come, we’re almost there.”
Zac followed along despite his misgivings. Rather than the courtesan, Zac was worried they were actually teleporting to one of the Nine Gardens. He wasn’t ready for an actual visit, and he didn’t want to find out if someone like the Threaded Hell’s Realmlord would notice his entrance. Thankfully, there was still a small difference between the Life in the Bamboo Forest and the incomplete Dao of a Lower Plane. More likely, the Joyful Gardens had created a large-scale array mimicking the environment.
They arrived at a small pavilion nestled among the bamboo shoots less than a minute later. Mei’Er led him to an open-air hall facing a small pond with golden water. Zac looked at it with surprise, certain the pond was a rare treasure. It wouldn’t do much for him at his current level, but it would have been a gamechanger for his Life-based cultivation if he encountered it a decade ago.
A high-pitched chitter drew Zac’s attention. The sound came from a small, three-tailed monkey no larger than a tea kettle. Zac wasn’t sure what to make of the excited little animal. Its Dao was extremely pure and possibly deeper than his. Yet, it gave off no discernible aura of power, like an F-grade Cultivator could kill it with a slap. The monkey gave Zac a curious look before it bounced over to Mei’Er and landed on her shoulder.
“Is that your contracted spirit?”
“Most guests are surprised when they first see them,” Mei’Er smiled.
“It’s not really what I expected,” Zac admitted.
“We all have constraints placed on us as we advance through life. By our families and society. By ourselves. We lose our purity as our thoughts grow complex. We forget the simple joys of when we were children,” Mei’Er sighed as she patted the monkey’s belly. “The Garden Spirits help us remember. They help us remove our shackles and explore Life with an open heart.”
Zac forgot his follow-up question aimed at gathering information about the Nine Gardens. Something about Mei’Er’s explanation resonated with him. A truth that had eluded him for a long time stirred, briefly condensed, then slipped away. Zac inwardly cursed at the missed opportunity, but he soon regained his composure.
It wasn’t over.
A few words from Mei’Er almost gave Zac an epiphany into his own shackles—the Shackles of Earth in the fifth layer of the [Void Vajra Sublimation]. What would happen when he actually listened to her zither performance that embodied the concepts she mentioned?
Comments
Aaron Pennington
Can I just say that this Quantum Leap Arc is wonderful
DrSubterfuge
This sort of feels like a better version of the Tower of Eternity to me. The side quests are all grounded in the LIP and the history of the Limitless Empire. And they are stringing together an alternate history from multiple personas that I feel like is building to something with promise. That it is also a vehicle to shower Zac and co in cultivation resources and Void info is icing on the cake.
Lex Luther S
Hmmm
Porter
I understand what you're saying. It is certainly a different take, yet I don't agree myself. I really appreciate how the writer will change things up, and really go for it. I'm hoping that in Monarchy, the Inner World can really simplify things. Instead of going even more esoteric with descriptions of cultivation, the Void, skills, advancing.... it can be simplified into easily understood events in the Inner World.
John
Fo’real Jeff. If anyone wants immediate payoff and constant bombastic shit go watch TV. This is literally a fuckin book, and we’re all reading it at a 3 chapters a week pace. Wtf are you expecting if you’re being realistic and honest. Tik tok attention spans
Lex Luther S
We've already been told that the void emperor bloodline was never passed on to karz descendents. They certainly had unique constitutions related to the void emperor bloodline and the technocrats were even able to replicate some of the bloodlines abilities but they were horrid knockoffs falling woefully short of what the void emperor bloodline is capable of. I imagine these restrictions remain even with zacs void emperor bloodline being corrupted. But that doesn't mean his children won't benefit from zacs other half. His sindris bloodline. They're considered undying with how insane their constitutions and recovery is and we've seen first hand just how resilient and durable zacs body is compared to others. When some take months, zac takes a few days to weeks to heal up and it's most certainly not only thanks to his life attuned constitution. Take Iz. She's a full blown monster but not even she's as durable and sturdy as zac so imagine if zac and iz had kids. The tayn bloodline would inherent a massive boost in survivability from zacs sindris heritage.
Palmer Evans
I don’t understand Jeff’s hate for her either but it amuses me every time I see it lol. It just seems so randomly vehement
Lex Luther S
I don't doubt it will be until supremacy. Life and death can't coexist unless in the form of chaos and that is at the end of zacs paths. It just makes way to much sense that zac and arcaz can't reunite until chaos can be achieved and that won't happen until supremacy or at least the Peak of autarchy.
Lex Luther S
Bro no way you're complaining about the LIP arcs side adventures. TFD can't just drop zac off and then immediately skip to zac arriving at the lower courts. We need a metric FUCK ton of context and info from how the trial is working to the set-up and plans of the memory domains to the many many power ups zac and Co. are currently experiencing. That's literally not something you can skip past. In my opinion, the mini adventures of the LIP are some of the best content to come out because it brings out the best parts of these kinds of novels. The adventures. The loot. The people and connections. It's all just such PEAK writing. Like seriously, not every chapter needs to progress the plot in some way or form. It's best to accept that this novel has many more years ahead of it and there will be plenty of chapters and even arcs where it's just zac and Co. resting and relaxing before the next turd comes flying in at their fan.
John
Do you think it’s possible for any of Zac’s truly special aspects to transfer to his offspring? If Zac starts extending his line would we have abunch of little Void Princes and speciality core users running around?
John
I don’t know exactly why, and I’m confused why people dogpile her. What objective observations can you tie into those views to validate them? I agree that Catheya isn’t like head over heels in love with Zac, I could even buy their relationship being closer to something of a political arrangement. But to just call her a gold digger? Iz wouldn’t be interested in Zac if he wasn’t special. She would look at a normal non special Zac as unfated and not waste another second of thought.
John
Yeah something tells me Zac won’t be personally visiting every single court. If getting to just one court from midway between two takes so long both in verse and for us it would bog down the story. I’m also hoping everything kind of goes off the rails after the Hollow Court
John
That would align with one of Catheya’s stated dreams. She once mentioned to Zac how limiting it can feel to be tied to Miasma when the majority of the multiverse isn’t aligned that way. I always assumed she’d eventually learn some domain expansion type ability that solves the issue but using Zac’s inner world as a temporary solution seems smart
John
That’s kind of a fair point considering how intentional the last few arcs have been. There were clear goals leading up to LIP, namely to do everything needed in order to get into the LIP. I guess you should consider everything happening in the LIP arc as maybe similar to the Perennial Vastness or Orom World. Arcs where the main purpose of Zac’s journey is to wander, explore, learn and grow. Arcs where we won’t immediately see the overarching vision. Myself, I’m basically looking at the LIP as one giant hyperbolic time chamber training arc. Every one of these mini stories are chances for Zac to accelerate his growth immensely, and in ways so great and personalized to him that there would be no real equivalent in the outside world. Said another way, it’s a really interesting excuse for the author to accelerate Zac’s growth in power and eventually his importance to the wider story when he leaves.
John
Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Chapters are typically released during the second half of the day North Eastern Standard time
Palmer Evans
I’m enjoying this more than some other arcs tbh. Also, DotF is at its best when you get to the epic fight scenes and 3-4 months of detailed storytelling comes together for some of the most gripping and epic moments in fantasy history. Ultom will have huge moments like that so I’m enjoying these chapters knowing that what’s coming will be amazing
pizzadahuttt
Monday Wednesday fridays
Alexandre Bergeron
That is a valid argument. I don’t know, I just think I enjoy the story more when you can feel progression and plot development instead of side stories that are not really tied to the main plot.
Kangaroo
The best part of defiance of the fall is how fleshed out everything is. It actually makes it feel like being op requires time and effort. Plenty of other stories that that have opmcs with only a few chapters lead up between break throughs and big plot points.
Damian Menendez
Whats up my fellow Epic Fantasy Lovers! New here, and was wondering if his release schedule is every two days?
Chewbacchus
Edit suggestion: (them in a tizzy?《'》) missing mark
Chewbacchus
Edit suggestion: <‘I’m not crazy,(”)->《'》 Ogras>
Alexandre Bergeron
Maybe I am alone in this regard but I am not a fan of the whole LIP arc. I find myself skimming more and more and even skipping entire paragraphs. To me, this feels like a bunch of side quests strung together. The story doesn’t progress and we’re stuck with small sub-stories with caracters that don’t have any substance that are just there to provide a shallow plot for 2-3 Chapters. Honestly, the last 3 months of DotF could have been condensed in 4-5 chapters IMO.
Borbino the great
I mean even in the past she’s talked about living in his inner world if he advances before her which he definitely will I think and I see no reason why he wouldn’t want to balance his path out I think he might be forced into dating the fire to counteract the ice
Tommy
Uh-oh. Zac the Monster is gonna experience an epiphany and ‘accidentally’ absorb all the local energy like a vacuum cleaner 😂 TFTC!
Seamus Harley
As Michael said above his bodies can be disconnected and while I get that he is 1 mind 2 body situation, I am unsure as too how long it will be before they fuse. I get catheya is not exactly the best love partner by modern sensebilities, as a Dao companion, I think she fits. At some point I believe that Zac will want to revive the Eoz branch of the draugr out of some sense of duty to Eoz or for other reasons and I don't see why that couldn't begin with Catheya. The relationship doesn't need to be one where they buy a house and settle down but one where they find companionship in between long bouts of cultivation and adventures.
MacMahon Wenzl
I like how this is all life based stuff. It just makes it all that more exciting knowing that at some point Zac is going to cause chaos and have to whip out his other Daos. I wonder how they will react when he has to do something crazy and use his Dao of Death.
Sean
“Slow burning” ;) I see what you did there
zukerburg
I don't see the author keeping his bodies separate for that long iam pretty sure he's gonna fuse back together when forming his inner world at the very least I am pretty sure he'll have to fuse back together when he steps into the conception stage of his techniques
zukerburg
No shot of that happening Zac is still one person and will more than likely fuse back into one body when stepping into monarchy I do hope he eventually dumps catheya and gets with iz at some point
M💬
I think Jeff’s hate for Cateya is very intense for lack of a better word and I think Zac and Cateya are compatible. Also, apart from beauty, Iz character is a little bland “and no I don’t hate or dislike Iz” she is having a good character development at the moment but she is just less animated, and her upbringing does not help. ………. For instance the previous Iz would not care about subordinates if they died, she would say they were not fated but after her encounter with Zac we can see she is showing a bit more compassion. I also don’t think Cateya relationship is a sham. If she is a gold digger so is Ogras because they both rely on Zac .
Chris
I kinda would like to see our boi get some here, just to loosen the shoulders you know? Get that smile on him. We all want to see him get right around Iz, but that's a slow burning thing
Michael
His bodies can be disconnected by powerful enough forces. So he theoretically could spend millennia or longer isolated from his other half. If Zac and Iz get isolated for a thousand years, do you think he would remain monogamous?
David Bona
Thx chapi
David Bona
weird cut of thogh 👍
David Bona
Fun chap.
Gaige Bradley
And go for Iz
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Joshua Little
Ogras called him that in front of her.
SandreX
Author goes for trinity so I believe it will be his Soul or spirit body.
Jeff McCulley
“Fit too well together”?!!! ROTFLzMAO! They don’t fit together worth Jack s***. The only reason they’re together is A. Catheya decided to put out when she figured out how important Zac is, B. Zac continually thinks with the wrong head, and C. Catheya is doing everything she can to protect her spot. Even she knows it’s a lie the relationship is a sham, and Zac is just too blind to see it. And if you think about it, especially since you just did a reread, you’ll know exactly why.
SandreX
I wouldn't go as far as Supremacy, but I believe that will happen during autarchy. Remember Iz mentioned earth chains? I think Zac will use both earth chains and heavenly ladder to become autarch. Soo before that he might be split. Aaand *fiery demon butterfly*
Jeff McCulley
Well…Rhubat is a Chainbreaker.
Jeff McCulley
Not really. He’s one person, not two. He’s never going to be anything but monogamous as that one person. AND…he makes bad choices in partners. Every single time. It’s who he is. Just needs to dump Catheya.
jsw
Catheya made her view on this topic very clear in chapter 1,206.
SmokeJam
Is it intentional that she calls him Lord Atwood? I thought they are in a memory domain and he runs around as some veteran persona, shouldn't he have that guys name then?
Dev Rez
Hopefully
Jake
I dont see it happening at least not for a looooong time. I like the mutual respect thing they got going on too myself
Lucas Gulick
Are you thinking he'll gain a new conflict based body at Monarch? I think at C grade he'll either combine again or split further apart, but I'm leaning towards guessing him combining again. We're still at least two or three major arcs away from Monarchy and I figure by that point it'll be well timed to bring them together.
Lucas Gulick
This mini arc is really exciting, Zac and Ogras should have lots of fun playing murder mystery
Seamus Harley
I kind of just assume that during the Ultom arc human Zac will end up becoming a dao companion with Iz while Arcaz is with Catheya
Andrew
Thank you!
Lex Luther S
Well, not that extreme, but zac should definitely be more open to another dao partner. My theory is that he won't be able to bring his bodies back together until supremacy and that'll be millions of years from now. More than enough time for zacs human half to plant a few seeds into a certain fiery butterfly. And by then, once he combines both bodies, he'll have a chaos constitution, while I even think being able to split his two halves could become a skill of his at supremacy.
Lex Luther S
Yeah, but he was a fighter. While I don't doubt she has a good combat strength, it is woefully short of someone like zac. And that guy was using the heart curses to do that; not his sound, while she doesn't have such an abomination in her.
Lex Luther S
I have a feeling Ibtep will be integral into bringing Rhubat back to Zacs side. What that insect princess is offering is no different from the chains the dominators once offered. Certainly nice comfy chains that will let them reach great heights, but chains nonetheless. Of course, to ensure ibtep doesn't get annihilated when doing so, zac will have to be around, or at least an ally strong enough to hold her back and carl just so happens to be heading to the court of ibtep along with a certain fiery butterfly. Makes me genuinely excited for when the two main missions of zac and arcaz is done with and the other plots can come into play
Lex Luther S
Facts. Her and zac just fit too well together and it genuinely feels like TFD has long set up for Zac and iz to get together. Besides, zac also met catheya in the tower of eternity for their first meeting, same as with Iz so it actually tracks pretty well
StuBee3
Fun chapter! Thanks 😎
Andrew P
This arc is an endless series of wonderous opportunities for Zac. Looking forward to seeing what conflicts happen
SandreX
And to make it worse, his human side is overflowing with vitality... He should be hopping from bed to bed like Male Lions :d
Tyler S.
Love how this LIE is progressing and cant wait to see Zaz at the end, wonder what side characters we will be privy to later. Hope Rubat is doing well with the monster hag.
Palmer Evans
Human body difference being brought up officially now. Feels like room for Zac and Iz is being made
Omiso
Mei’Er Zither Melody and Zac's Axe dance might make and interesting combination, they might lure the killer with Zac's Dao of Reborn Life going full swing. Also Zac should be more cautions of sound cultivators, without his Purity of the Void and Immutability of Eoz Quol, the Kan'Tannu Lipless Hegemon, would have turn him into a puppet back in the Void Star.
Lex Luther S
Fucking A bro. Very interesting with the hidden blades and them even recruiting ogras and co. Into helping solve the murders. AND I KNEW IT. Zac is definitely a unique one with his insane vitality and life attuned constitution; so much so that hed literally be fending off beauties legt right and center lol. Though I'm more curious about this performance of the zither zac is about to receive. Just a small anecdote about how we forget the joys and younger days of our lives as we age was able to help zac reach a near epiphany. If he listens and embraces her performance, he may very well have a true epiphany that will save months or years of work on the 5th layer of his void vajra sublimation. And she wanted to hear his story too so here's hoping he gets to talk some about his journey, even if it's modified to fit his current role. Something also tells me that this young lady is actually the next target and zac will get to flex his muscles in saving her. AND IM WITH OGRAS. His human side can't be shackled like this man. Arcaz gets some action but human zac is left out to dry. Even with him being one soul two bodies, his human side effectively gets no release while his undead does and there needs to be some rectification for this injustice. Even if it's just him being open to finding another dao partner for his human half, which I'm most certain catheya won't object to. Anyways, here's to Mondays chapter getting here nice and quickly.
Shup Idot
Awesome thanks
Lucas Gulick
First maybe!
