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Chapter 1,304
🕑 Added 2024-11-15 20:13:29 +0000 UTC“I do apologize about the deception. My offer was made with sincerity; I simply couldn’t expose the whole truth before confirming we’d found the Hidden Earth Abode. Its potential value is inestimable,” Kalir explained.
“I understand, though I hope you’ll be forthright going forward. The dangers we’re facing equally exceed what I expected, both here and on the outside,” Zac said. “And I’ll want a copy of the heritage before we leave.”
“The original has to go to the Margrave, but my aunt has prepared sets of blank jade slates. They’ll be able to copy imbued insights equivalent to a Middle Void Herald. The Wendimar Clan will have full access to the originals until we hand it over.”
Zac wanted to push for ‘his clan’ to keep the original for safekeeping but now wasn’t the time or place. His strength and contribution weren’t great enough to make such a demand. He’d either have to steal them or find another angle when they got closer.
“That’s acceptable. What’s the next step?”
“We’re planning on installing shunts around the seven gates to cut off the power source.”
Ogras’s earlier remark echoed in Zac’s mind, and he looked at the twisting gate with apprehension. The Whitecrest Clan was probably correct about everything except the source of Hidden Earth’s power-up. Rather than a Lower Plane, the old cultivator had grasped a corner of the Void. Zac was certain Kalir and his formations expert didn’t understand exactly what they were dealing with.
Some of the mistakes on the [Seven Leap Array] might very well be the limitations of a wandering cultivator crafting his own arrays. Others were his attempts to accommodate the antithesis of Dao.
“As you said, there is something unusual about these arrangements. I suspect the arrays are modified to accommodate the Dao of the unknown Lower Plane,” Zac said. “Will your seal work when it relies on such foreign concepts?”
“Our seal doesn’t directly interact with the Lower Planes,” Vitrus explained. “Young Master can see them as tuning forks that alter the gate’s frequency. The further it’s distorted, the less energy can be transmitted. When fully active, nothing will come through, as the gate points at a wholly different location.”
“Won’t it create a backlash?”
“We’ll only activate the shunts when all of them are installed to maintain balance and gradually lower the output to avoid a backlash,” Kalir explained. “That said, there are undeniable risks involved. The energy will have to go somewhere else then the Hidden Earth Abode will no longer siphon off most of it. The Dipper Mines are about to become extremely chaotic.”
Zac grimaced. “Outsiders will notice something is wrong. Won’t General Percival come running?”
“It’s unlikely he’ll enter the mines personally. A Celestial entering an already unstable mine will push it over the edge. It’s an unnecessary risk when he can wait for us at the only exit.”
‘This guy’s as nutty as you. Their plan is going to turn the whole mountain into a pressure cooker. No wonder there’s only a crater left,’ Ogras scoffed.
It was as though Kalir could hear Ogras’s complaint. A familiar gleam of madness appeared in his gaze. “I know what you’re thinking, but what choice do we have? Our glory is fading, and we’ll only turn our fates around by going a little crazy.”
Zac exhaled. “Isn’t that the truth? Let’s get this over with.”
A few minutes later, Zac felt the familiar surge of Void. “Be careful!”
Vitrus stopped his work to take out a set of array disks. The gate briefly froze in place before resuming its twisting as the hills outside unaligned. Throughout, the only Void Energy entering the building was a few tendrils seeping inside from the scar. No hidden engravings like those on the cave walls had appeared inside the [Seven Leap Array]. Zac relaxed, feeling more confident about Kalir’s plan—at least this aspect of it.
“There are no anomalies in the readings,” Vitrus confirmed.
“Thirteen minutes per revolution. Just how is the manor absorbing the energy without any sign? It’s like it vanishes,” Kalir hummed.
“We’ll find the answer among Hidden Earth’s recordings,” Zac shrugged.
“You’re right. Let’s keep going,” Kalir agreed.
It took Vitrus half an hour to install his tuning fork, and they stayed for two more revolutions to confirm the Hidden Earth Abode’s cycle didn't disturb anything. They left it inert and returned to the group waiting outside.
“To the next one,” Kalir said, pointing to a building jutting out of the wall a mile away.
Installing the next shunt was bound to be more dangerous than the first. Without a breach to create a safe path, they had to cross hidden traps like the one that claimed the first miner’s life. It was like the mountain was alive, and there was no telling exactly what would set it off. Spots could be safe one moment and deadly the next.
Directly flying over wasn’t an option. Flying or rotating too much energy drew attention from the four floating arrays, which Vitrus called a [Cardinal Stoneseed Array]. The attention was much like the looming threat Zac felt when approaching the Centurion Lighthouse in the air. Anyone who insisted on an open approach would find themselves in their crosshairs.
Coming up with countermeasures claimed another five lives. Vitrus managed to figure out a rough pattern while his brother pressured the ground with his Inner World to slow emerging spikes. It was enough for some miners to jump out of the way and for Zac to save a few more. Just as the rotating mountains were about to align, Kalir called for the group to stop.
This time, Zac didn’t hold back. When the Void Energy was pulled toward the central manor, he claimed some for himself. He immediately made a surprising discovery. The energy was actually an unstable mix of roughly two parts Void Energy and one part Cosmic Energy attuned by the Inverse Peak. Opposite to his [Fuxi Mountain Gate], which was kept safe by a film of Faith Energy, Dao was hidden by the Void.
The Hidden Earth Energy was like a radioactive material with a short half-life. Even the unique environment of Zac’s body failed to keep the mix stable, and he wasn’t convinced it was the result of a failed fusion. Void and Inverse Dao were intricately woven together, and its decay was orderly like a controlled demolition. It was a tailormade energy that shouldn’t exist in nature, similar to the Technocrat plasma that powered their machines.
A hesitant shudder brought Zac out of his musings. [Purity of the Void] stirred, sending out a cleansing pulse through his body. It swept over the Hidden Earth Energy, and parts of the complex tangle were torn apart. The destabilization saved some parts of the Void Energy while hastening the decay of the rest.
Letting the energy decay on its own to get Void Energy was too wasteful, and the purifying pulses were too slow. Zac pushed what remained into [Purity of the Void] to speed up the process. Dense clouds of Inverse Dao were dragged out of the mix, leaving pure Void Energy behind.
The Void Emperor bloodline directly staked its claim on the pure product. Zac couldn’t completely suppress the instinct, so he quickly moved what remained into the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] sitting in his purification space. Not being able to control the external Void Energy didn’t matter. It was directly sucked into the drained platform.
Elated by the result, Zac only had one test left to perform. Waiting until the next surge, he pulled completely unrefined energy directly into the gate. The Hidden Earth Energy withered under the scorching heat of Imperial Faith. The foreign Dao was purged while the Void Energy was left alone.
The process was less efficient than relying on his bloodline, leaving only a third of the original Void Energy intact. It didn’t stop Zac from feeling a flush of triumph. He’d seen how the sea of imperial flames was whittling down the hostile Dao embedded in the gate’s many scars and hoped the Hidden Earth Energy would get the same treatment.
Personally refining some spill-off was fine, but there was simply no way Zac could rely on his Bloodline Talent to deal with the Void Treasure waiting in the central manor. It was at least a Late C-grade Treasure, holding more than enough juice to blow up Zac countless times over. Even a third of such a horrifying stockpile was more than Zac could supply over a decade of diligent infusions. It could even be enough to top off the platform in one go.
As for damaging the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] by throwing the unstable Void Treasure inside, Zac wasn’t the least worried. The gate had withstood the attacks of Supremacies. Even at its weakest, it should be more than capable of enduring a C-grade explosion—especially since it was designed with Void Energy in mind.
Zac calmed down and refocused as they drew closer to the second array manor. Confirming the unusual Void Energy of the Hidden Earth Abode worked was great news, but there were still many checkboxes to cover. There was the issue of actually moving the Void Treasure into the [Fuxi Mountain Gate], not to mention getting his hands on it.
Another miner had to die to get inside. While willing to help, Zac couldn’t begin to comprehend the concepts behind the hidden arrays. They were too esoteric, subverting something like the Dao of Bedrock with the Inverse Peak before twisting them on their head with the infusion of Void. Conferring with Esmeralda didn’t help.
While born in a Lower Plane, Esmeralda didn’t cultivate any Daos from the Inverse Peak. Neither had she heard of anything matching Zac’s description. Countless planes were hiding beneath the prime dimensions, and a huge number remained unexplored to this day. Some realms existed in such incomprehensible states that contact was deemed impossible.
Zac could only keep pulling miners to safety whenever he felt the Void stirring. Despite repeated failures, the Serpico Guild looked at Zac like a guardian angel by the time they’d modified the final [Seven Leap Array]. Almost a day had passed since entering the Hidden Earth Abode, and the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] felt much sturdier after having feasted on nearly one hundred Void surges.
Only Ivar and twelve of his strongest miners were left alive. Kalir must have run out of captives in the original timeline, forcing the trio to use themselves to test dangers. A trickle of sweat ran down Zac’s back as he oversaw Vitrus making final adjustments. They’d activate the tuning forks after the next surge. The original timeline should have progressed roughly the same, excepting the greater death toll. Whatever went wrong could very well have happened in the next step.
Kalir was equally worried as he stared at the [Cardinal Stoneseed Array]. “If you notice something—”
“I’ll shout,” Zac assured.
‘Shout? Just run.’ Ogras urged from the shadows.
The surge came and went, and Vitrus activated the array. No dangerous fluctuations or backlashes arrived, and the guardian satellites remained silent. Zac held his breath until confirming ambient energy wasn’t recovering slower than before. By the time the next surge arrived, the energy hadn’t fully replenished.
No one dared to move over the next hour as the ambient energy thinned. Every so often, the floating mountains would creak, and the [Cardinal Stoneseed Array] hummed precariously like they looked for an unseen threat. Zac’s real worry was the Void Treasure. Zac could feel its aura become strained. The Hidden Earth Abode had kept it stable through punctual infusions of Void Energy, and the [Seven Leaps Array] powered the hidden Void Gathering Arrays.
The treasure was increasingly forced to fend for itself against the hostile surroundings. Thankfully, it didn’t exhibit the unstable fluctuations of a treasure about to go supernova—for now. Zac would have to act when it did, Whitecrest and Law-imbued defensive array be damned.
“Halfway through and no signs of abnormalities,” Vitrus said when two hours had passed, a prideful smile appearing on his face. The ambient energy was already lower than the rest of the Dipper Mines. “The [Cardinal Stoneseed Array] cannot maintain its functions at this level. They’ve already dropped one stage and will keep growing weaker as their internal storage is exhausted. It’s a success.”
Zac glared at the Array Master while Ogras sputtered with anger from the shadows. How had that fool survived long enough to become a Monarch while throwing out death flags like that? As expected, it only took minutes before Kalir took out an embossed mirror with a frown. Seeing Zac’s look, he sighed.
“My informants have noticed movement in Central Command. The surge reached the Dipper Mountains twenty minutes ago, and they seem to already have figured out its source. Major Endrar—a late Void Herald—is on his way to Dipper Seven. He’s one of General Percival’s henchmen.”
The General not coming in person made no difference. The Dipper Mountains were only so large, and an Autarch like General Percival could reach any corner within a minute or two. Zac didn’t care since they’d expected as much, and he didn’t expect to be around for the aftermath. He’d only start to worry if they actually entered the mine.
However, Kalir’s next sentence threw Zac for a loop. “I’ve also received word that Young Master’s elders are closing in, including Pervata Wendimar,” the Whitecrest scion said, his expressionless face speaking volumes.
‘What the hell?’ Ogras blurted. ‘Didn’t that unreliable fool of an elf say the Wendimars were busy tearing down the wilderness? How did your ‘ancestor’ find out and get here so quickly?’
Zac’s mind was a mess. Pervata Wendimar was a presumed Late-stage Autarch, much stronger than General Percival. He was also of the clan’s direct line and Zac’s so-called uncle. That was not a family reunion he’d like to see. Not to mention, could the memory domain even withstand the sudden descent of an unplanned Autarch?
‘I took out the Clan Leader token to intimidate Kalir. Could they actually have sensed it?’ Zac said.
‘Well, that’d explain it.’
“I felt the situation was thorny, so I sent out a call for aid before we entered the mines,” Zac explained to Kalir.
“If that’s all, why did they order Dipper Seven to be sealed?” Kalir said with a barbed smile. “General Percival is an upstart, but he’s also part of the military faction. I hope you’re not—”
‘Well, that’s not good,’ the demon groaned. ‘Say you ran away!’
“Would uncle have acted so overbearingly if that were our plan? They could have stayed hidden until we emerged,” Zac sighed. “I fear he’s here to bring me back. I may have left my post without proper authorization.”
“You deserted?” Kalir said with shock and suspicion.
“Of course not. I took an early leave to find my Dao and a new path for my clan,” Zac said. “As you said, stubbornly holding onto old ideals won’t change anything. We need to go a little crazy to overturn our fates.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
“Wh—” Zac barely had time to activate [Empyrean Aegis] to shield him, Ogras, and Kalir before a tremendous blast of energy them away like a ragdoll.
The defensive skill narrowly managed to withstand an attack imbued with the weight of an inner world. Zac was extremely happy he’d upgraded the skill to Late D-grade in preparation for the mission, though he wasn’t sure if it would matter. It had only survived because they weren’t the target.
Zac grabbed a shellshocked Kalir by the neck as he sped toward the exit. A desolate wail accompanied a spatially charged eruption that left countless cracks across [Empyrean Aegis]’s wooden wheel. Vatra, an Early Monarch excelling at defense, slumped to his knees with a huge hole in his chest. Ivar Serpico stood behind him, radiating an erratic aura wavering between Early and Middle Monarchy while his right arm was covered in cracks.
The sudden outburst had awakened the Hidden Earth Abode’s true defenses. The weakened [Cardinal Stoneseed Array] lashed out like starving beasts seeing their final opportunity to secure a meal. A terrifying sandstorm holding destructive powers resembling the Four Desolates rushed toward the Guild Master.
Ivar roared with laughter, surrounded by a spatial storm. He made a grasping motion, and Zac’s eyes bulged as the fallen Monarch’s crumbling Inner World was pulled into the small cave. The Guild Master threw it toward the incoming attack. The force was almost at the level of a Monarch’s self-detonation.
Zac had absolutely no plan to observe the fallout. Whoever won, they’d die. The cave was less than ten miles across, not nearly large enough to find a safe spot. He was too slow. The walls writhed and rearranged themselves, sealing the only exit. [Void Mountain]’s phasing ability was useless against a physical barrier, and a desperate swing only left a shallow scar on the surface.
‘How is this possible? How could he hide his presence so perfectly?’ Ogras said with shock.
There was no time to worry about secrets being exposed. Zac activated [Void Zone] while fleeing toward the closest intact [Seven Leap Array]. It was that or the central manor, and the latter was surrounded by the deadly curtain. Zac barely had time to step inside before a complex fortress of interlocking shields sprung up around the building.
‘Please save the Young Master.’
Zac looked at Vitrus with shock as the Formation Master’s aura rose to new heights. He stood between Zac and Ivar like a final bastion while the whole cave was filled with countless white sigils. They linked into countless complex formations that joined the fray just as the collapsing Inner World and sandstorm collided. Realizing he wasn’t Ivar’s match, Vitrus had decided to pour gasoline on the fire.
An opaque dome added a final layer of protection. It wasn’t enough to fully isolate out the earthshattering explosion outside. Zac felt like his soul had been punched and darkness took him.
Comments
Douglas Davis
You keep saying this is impossible or that is impossible, while seemingly ignoring that Zac has been doing the impossible since day 1 of this series.
John
Your point 3, alongside TFD’s expressed desire to not make Zac’s path exponentially quicker as he rises through the grades are the biggest issues I have with my belief. But all the others can, in my opinion, be waved away with the power of Ultom. You said Zac’s understanding of the Void is lacking and without an unorthodox method he’s too young to reach Monarchy. But so far Ultom has been chalk full of void treasures, now a void cultivator and void themes. Void is also arguably one of the most unorthodox methods out there and he’s the Void Emperor. The opponents Zac is going to face in this arc will be the top tier of his grade from the entirety of the multiverse, and as we know Zac commonly grows through insight from life or death battles so he’s not lacking there. As for energy, wouldn’t this continent Zac’s on be considered a primal heaven or something close or past it? Outside of tailor made environments like the perennial vastness where you have some heavenly assistants helping out (Sendor and co) wouldn’t this be the richest environment to ascend in? And hell Zac is beginning to feel like he’s being guided by an unseen hand already so maybe he does have a heavenly assistant, The System, Karz, Laondio. Don’t forget Ultom wanted Zac, and the system helped Zac quickly gain power by setting up the War arc. I feel like Zac has everything he’ll need to ascend in Ultom, he just needs to find it all and we need to learn about it
jsw
That's the reference. Book 1, chapter 34.
Jeff McCulley
Zac exits the mine Pervata shouting, at the head of a crowd of Wendimars: “Where did you get that token? It’s been missing for two million years!” Zac, cocking an eyebrow: “Where do you *think* I got it from…Uncle?” Wendimar clan elders all freeze. Pervata: “Oh.”
Justin
could he be aged in this trial? The trial seems to revolve around time? Probably not of course but /shrug hah
Hartmann
Ilvere mentioned his grandmother not returning from a hunt. Ogras told a story about him being the last of his immediate family aside from his grandfather and a grand aunt who left and became a wandering warrior but we never had a confirmation about her fate.
Jeff McCulley
I don’t think there’ll be much civil war once Arcaz gets the doodad to the Primo. Getting there, of course, may or may not be a problem.
Lex Luther S
No he will not get a protospace either. As Zac mentioned that is a defeat in a sense and severely limits the size of one's inner world and as we know, the larger the inner world, the stronger the monarch so there's no way someone like zac would be ok with that
Lex Luther S
He will not reach peak hegemony this arc. It has been stated multiple times that only those using unorthodox means can do so. Even a perfected blue print via ultoms insight can't change the fact zac won't be going for peak hegemony for years, especially without the war to help him gain the energy he needs for lvls.
Lex Luther S
He will not reach monarchy this arc. For one, zacs understanding of the void is way to lacking to even begin crafting his inner world. For 2. It has been stated that Peak hegemony is impossible under 100 years of age unless one takes unorthodox routes. Zac is around 60 so he still has many years ahead of him to reach that point. For 3. Ignoring all that, it took zac months to form his core so I imagine it'll take years, maybe even a decade or so, to form his inner world, especially with foundations as deep as his. For 4. Zac was worrying about the energy requirements for reaching the peak of late hegemony so no way he's capable of standing the cost of reaching monarchy at his current wealth. But I will say it would be interesting to see the scenario play out with the whitecrests and Wendimars joining hands thereby escaping the fate of their decline though it's best zac doesn't meet that late stage autarch as questions will come on why he has the family head seal etc etc.
Mateo Lopez
If I’m thinking of the right scenario. It wasn’t Ogras who was talking about their Great Aunt. It was another demon (whose name is alluding me). But I remember the conversation going along the lines of “She found a great opportunity in the wilderness. It allowed her to gain in power but it also came with greater risk. She continued going out until one day she never returned.” Then Zac agreed with said Demon. With Zac contemplating on how dangerous and unfair the multiverse is. Again I can’t remember the name of said demon, I am fairly certain it wasn’t Ogras though.
Mateo Lopez
I definitely think that he’ll get a protospace at the end of all this. With his understanding of the void getting stronger and his Daos. I believe Zac will be able to survive long enough to complete the Sanctuary mission with his Half-step monarchy power.
Omiso
Great Uncle, not aunt, he was rescued by Ogras along with 2 branches of their family that are friendly to him and are now on Earth, recovering and integrating into Earth's population. We might learn more when we get an Ilvere POV.
Lex Luther S
Well zac likely always knew they'd scheme against him. As for any other undead seal bearers, other than tavza and her subordinates, any other undead can be considered hostile, especially if it's more reavers. Besides, kator seems to have been the most talented of the reavers under 100 years of age so any other reaver is gonna be woefully inadequate to take the current zac on, especially with him finally finding the right path towards Late integration stage and finally adding hints of creation to his techniques. The only ones with hope to have a chance is the Eonic seeds from the neighboring A grade force and any Eonic seed from the blood clan and eidolons. Which I personally hope he clashes with an Eonic eidolon. He could really use a few supreme treasures for his soul.
SandreX
I bet Arcaz will be quite happy to fight in civil war on Draugr's side and ruin plans of bloodsuckers, wannabe ghosts and bags of bones :d
SandreX
I think he most likely will get enough understanding on void for him to finally perfect his core. Also like all other arks, he will have some time to properly integrate void into his skills and fighting style so when relatively small time skip ends we will have new Zac, much more OP
SandreX
Definitely no, he will become peak hegemon for sure, but monarchy will happen when he does his "mother's" mission.
Jeff McCulley
Just ran across this, rereading. When Zac is talking to Brigadier Toss at the Kavriel Province. ““And I’ll work hard to become a thorn in the side for you and the White Sky Phalanx if I find you people scheming against me,” Zac countered. Well, he definitely found them scheming against him. Pretty sure when he runs across the remaining White Sky sealbearers here in the LIE, it won’t go well for them.
Jeff McCulley
Read up one post, Douglas. I think some factions could have found a way to seal a monarch down to Hegemon level to get into the trial.
John
So the next few chapters are going to be Zac waking up, fighting a middle ish monarch, winning, looting, putting the Whitecrest Consortia in the Wendimars debt thus forging an alliance that translates into both clans pulling back from their respective declines, and maybe meeting a late stage Autarch. And y’all don’t think he’ll reach Monarch in this arc, pffft
John
I think the crumbling inner world bit was about Ivars victim, not Ivar himself
jsw
Totally off topic - did we ever find out what happened to Ogras' great-aunt, the wandering warrior?
Douglas Davis
I would think that would be evident in the name "Limitless".
Douglas Davis
Seal bearers can't be monarchs, unless you think he advanced that far after getting sucked into the trial.
Dalton Service
Last time he watched that one guy grab a memory lantern he just disappeared.
Henry Wartemberg
Nah roan was the memory lantern of that ex soldier. But we can include Wendimar as well. The station exploded and he/she slipped out in a spatial crack
Jeff McCulley
Even worse, being under the Dao of Earth, it’s the inverted Dao.
Jeff McCulley
Zac exits the mine Pervata shouting, at the head of a crowd of Wendimars: “Where did you get that token? It’s been missing for two million years!” Zac, cocking an eyebrow: “Where do you *think* I got it from…Uncle?” Wendimar clan elders all freeze. Pervata: “Oh.”
Jeff McCulley
This is the third memory domain? Black Zenith, Roan, Dipper Mountains. 3/3!
Jeff McCulley
Random? All this Dipper Mountain mini arc, the only question has been “who”, not “what”.
Lex Luther S
Yeah. I'm not expecting it but the day it does happen will be nice.
Jeff McCulley
Considering this one was a bit on the late side Friday, I’m not hoping for anything before Sunday—if even then.
Jeff McCulley
True, Luke. However, the Draugr are(/were) down to two stagnated Supremacies, and are (/were) considered in decline. More importantly, the Wendimar are weaker NOW than they were at the start of the Empire, thus conveying “decline”.
Michael
This might be the wrong story for you then. You realize Zac is the embodiment of Chaos right?
Jeff McCulley
Does not say it’s the patriarch.
Kazith
The dao of cliff is strong this week. 😑
DrSubterfuge
We already knew that this expedition was a failure of such catastrophic proportions that it ruined the entire area. We also already knew that the guild leader wasn't totally on board with his (somewhat disreputable, it turns out) guild being used for this operation. And wouldn't you know, the protagonist giving a speech about how you sometimes have to do crazy shit to change your fate didn't just happen in a vacuum and the guild leader heard it, too. This doesn't seem random at all to me.
Omiso
How so? We know from previous lanterns the left imperial palace is a massive project of the empire, We also know there are forces fighting against it (the technocrats and the local races for instance), Roan (the Earth spirit) confirmed the 9 courts weren't enough and that other means were used to assist the construction of the left imperial palace (namely the void through the use of Fuxi Mountain Gates). Since the Void was used in the continent it makes sense a void cultivator was drawn to that place. Is it so random that one of the forces opposed to the empire to sneak in a spy to sabotage their great undertaking, or could Ivar be a partial void cultivator himself who is trying to make a breakthrough, it wouldn't be the first time an cunning cultivator takes advantage of two arrogant young masters looking for treasure.
TKO
Yeah, been thinking the same. Karz could slowly absorb atuned energy and increase his affinitys to ultimately become master of all 17 peaks. And Laondio was maby stronger. But how could one be even stronger than that? Maby Laondio was a freak Luck cultivator? And could subvert destiny through that?
Silent Consent
I don’t like it when random stuff happens that flips things on his head. It’s fine if it’s not random, but this is crazy random.
Silent Consent
They were loosing people left and right trying to force life back into their clan. Obviously no matter who is in charge you’re not much of a clan if everyone dies off. Besides they are not in complete decline yet, things are just going badly.
MacMahon Wenzl
Hmm, now I'm imaging a situation where Ogras learns about Karz and that Karz is apart of the system and is like "your telling me your grandfather is the heavens itself, that's makes no sense... actually, you know what, that makes a lot of sense now..."
Jeff McCulley
That’s pretty easy. Remember the two “real” Imperials? One said he couldn’t deal with the Sangha “in his current form”. It would hardly be a surprise if elite factions—especiallly actual Imperials—found a way around the restriction. Remember Chapter 1,269, when Kator’s minion found a way to grab a seal, despite being thousands of years old? Same concept.
Jeff McCulley
It occurs to me to wonder. When one is experiencing a memory lantern…does it create a temporary memory realm? Remember, Zac was actually in the Pangonian Wilds. So…was there a memory realm erected? One that anyone in the immediate area could have strolled into? Perhaps…surrounded by a foreboding “no trespassing” fog? Hmm.
Krispy sock
Been waiting for that extra chapter for a while.. be nice about now!
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Ron Whitlatch
Along side definitely wouldn't mean the same place and at the same time right? Their lives are counted in millennia and millions i would think side trips happened often. Especially with karz's requirements
Ron Whitlatch
It was the patriarch no? I think you would a supremacy on top. Or a peak level at least
Scott Mingo
With the cracks on his arm and a crumbling inner world, I'm thinking he's the original cause of the explosion. A failed Monarch, planning to use the Abode to try to fix his problems.
Andrew
Thank you!
Luke Scheffe
There is no faction alive that doesn’t consider late stage autarchs valuable.
Henry Wartemberg
It wouldn’t be a Zac excursion without at least 1 mass explosion or implosion. That’s 2/2 in memory domains.
Frederik
they had a multitude of supremacies so an autarch isnt that impressive
Martinus Chrisjan
Can't see how a seal bearer is at middle monarch level.
MacMahon Wenzl
This is just a perfect setup for Zac to now walk away with everything instead of just some parts of it.
Omiso
I was thinking he was a technocrat spy but it would be awesome if he was a seal bearer, that means its time to see what the other groups are up to.
Jeff McCulley
I’m not completely sure that’s “Ivar”, and not a sealbearer just pretending.
Jeff McCulley
Finally, an earth shattering kaboom!. Marvin the Martian would be so very happy! Hey…this series needs a character named “Marvin”, doesn’t it?
Chemistrywarrior
Karz and the Empore were in the same sect, and most likely were progressing along side of each other.
Omiso
I imagine Ivar was laughing his ass off as the Wendimars and the Whitecrest were plotting keeping the attention away from him. Still it was a mistake to allow Zac to get close to anything volatile this whole thing can only end in an explosion. I'm not sure the elders will even get a chance to intervene.
Gaige Bradley
The windimar clan elders coming? Man I can't wait for Monday.
Lex Luther S
Ohhh boy. Seems not only will zac get a new treasure to help heal up they fuxi mountain gate, but he's also likely to walk away with the whole inheritance of this hidden earth cultivator. If he can find out how to add the void to his skills, even proper Early stage monarchs would have to put their life on the line to fight him and it'll be his biggest Ace against the other flamebearers and monsters of the trial. An ace that will see him take the W. It's rather funny with the Wendimar clan coming over, too. Oopsie Daisy on that one, lol. I'm more interested in who Ivar is. His ability to hide his cultivation is at an incredible level, and it makes me think he's either part of or at least a hidden subordinate of the selvari. That's the only explanation on how he was able to so well hide his strength; it also tracks that the selvari would want to sabotage these mountains given their considered a strategic resource And I'm convinced his rampage was the reason the whole mountain went kaput. With one of the monarchs dead and the other being a formations master, him bringing them down wouldn't be so difficult giving him free reign to fuck with the entrance and cause the cooker pressure to blow. But zac and ogras are throwing a wrench in this plan, with him protecting kalir and entering that Seven leap array. Makes me very excited for Mondays chapter...... or, dare I hope? An extra chapter this weekend? He did say he'd drop an extra chapter every now and then and it'd be nice with such a climax coming about.
Hartmann
How overpowered was the Limitless Empire that the Wendimar Clan with a Late-Stage Autarch was considered in decline?
The Lost Pages
Superb chapter. Can't wait for Zac to get hungry...
Rid
Hidden monarchs and autarchs on the move- I can’t wait for next week!
MacMahon Wenzl
I do wonder is this unknown cultivator from the past was Karz. He's unknown, quite powerful, vindictive, going around absorbing powerful treasures to progress themselves, and is tapping into the void to try and gain power. What if it's like a C-grade Karz or even B-grade.
Qybalt
Once more into the breach
Justin
YESS
Tommy
Let’s gooooo! TFTC
