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Chapter 1,301.
🕑 Added 2024-11-08 19:55:36 +0000 UTCZac couldn’t believe it. How was it possible to encounter the Void again, within weeks of unsealing the Holy Relic?
It might have made some sense if what Zac detected through the transportation sphere matched the [Fuxi Mountain Gate]’s aura. The Earth Spirit hadn’t said it outright, but his gate was likely one of many. Roan had called it a [Fuxi Mountain Gate]. Zac couldn’t see the arrangement support the Primal Heaven and the Fifth Pillar alone.
Zac believed multiple bridges had been installed across the continent to act as loadbearing pillars. There should also be supportive formations to stabilize the connection, like the lower courts supporting the Left Imperial Palace. The Void present in the Muddy Patch Vein was too different to take that role.
There wasn’t so much as a whiff of Imperial Fate, nor did it seem connected to the First People. The Dipper Mine’s Void had its own flavor, an untamed aura resemblant of a Natural Treasure. Zac hoped so, at least. What would he do with another bridge? It wasn't like he could call on the Earth Spirit for his unlocking service.
A natural High-grade Void Treasure would be far more useful, whether for direct consumption or accelerating the mountain gate's recovery. The latter was especially attractive. Zac had investigated the Holy Relic a few more times over the past weeks, and each visit increased his impatience to rebuild the bridge.
Zac could already see multiple uses for the [Fuxi Mountain Gate]. For one, it could act like a bottomless Void Crystal after the connection to the Void Mountain was reestablished. It would also make for a decent hiding place in case of emergency. The treasure might even allow for an incredibly useful ability—allowing his bodies to instantly reach the other's side.
Despite its properties, the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] wasn't a Spatial Treasure—just like the transportation sphere before him. Consequently, it had no problem entering [Purity of the Void]. If Zac could enter the gate with one body while simultaneously storing it in his purification space, he could take the relic out on the other side.
Should that fail, there was still the option to ferry over Spatial rings using the mountain gate as a go-between, circumventing the dimensional restrictions of [Purity of the Void]. Being able to send over the Yphelion, which was with his human body, could be a lifesaver. It also enabled transferring mountains of resources at once instead of transferring items one by one.
There was even a small chance the First People's inheritance remained intact. The hundreds of heritages they sent into the Era or Order were the best of the best. Finding something suitable was unlikely, but Zac would welcome any opportunity to study the Void. Lacking the fundamentals was holding him back in so many departments.
Lord Engo, the B-grade Troll who guided Zac to the [Cosmic Forge] inheritance, had already warned him about relying on borrowed knowledge for his Cosmic Core. The trial might provide more of Ultom’s insights, but Zac didn’t even know what questions to ask. He needed a foundation to build on, whether for his Inner World or permanently imbuing his Skills and Techniques with the Void.
Batteries and item ferries were only conveniences compared to Zac’s thirst for knowledge, yet the inheritance wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when he laid his eyes upon the ancient gate. Zac had seen the key to surviving his future breakthroughs. His tribulations had reached unbearable levels, forcing him to rely on tricks or the System's assistance. Zac didn't even want to imagine the punishments his Inner World would face or how he'd defend his Dao.
There was no way he could take the full brunt of Heaven's wrath, and he couldn’t rely on the System bailing him out every time. Zac's only option was to steal the Kayar-Elu's Clan’s heritage while completing Leandra's mission. His mother's clan were masters of hiding from the Heavens. They'd even helped design Sanctuary, the Technocrat's holy land. Except, embracing the Dao of Technology meant making an enemy of the System when he already had his hands full with the Heavens.
Undergoing his tribulations inside the Void of Dao was a much better solution. Zac was currently limited to sending a mental tendril into the gate, but that was only because it was damaged and completely drained. Later, he'd be able to enter in person. Even if the Heavens followed him inside, it would be severely weakened by the Void Mountain.
These opportunities all remained out of reach. Neither repairing the gate nor restoring the bridge was currently possible. Zac couldn't use [Void Mountain]'s sigil to erase the hostile Dao without first entering the gate, and he couldn't interact with the floating rubble beyond the archway. The thing he could do was pour Void Energy into the platform built by the First People.
The platform should be the key to stabilizing the treasure and entering in person. From there, he could work on the other problems while looking for the First People-inheritance in earnest. Except, each infusion of Void Energy was no different than creating an ocean by pouring buckets of water. A High-grade Void Treasure could be a shortcut to drastically speed up the process.
The only thing keeping Zac from teleporting deeper into the Muddy Patch Vein was the fear of being manipulated. Not even his extraordinary Luck could explain running into Void-related encounters over and over. It was like someone had carefully arranged a trial of breadcrumbs and dropped him at its start.
What was waiting for him at the other end?
It was too early to say whether Laondio only helped Karz for his own benefit. The fact remained that Karz disappeared with the System’s awakening, and his bloodline became a core component for its operations. Was the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] really the key to escaping Heaven’s watch and the System’s grasp, or was it the leash leading him to slaughter?
“Buddy, piss or get off the pot.”
Zac turned around and found himself faced with over a hundred miners wearing matching overalls. It looked like the sphere could only interact with five at a time, with Zac holding up one of the spots. Zac gave an apologetic smile and moved to the side to let the guild through. Still grappling with the implications, Zac inspected the rest of the transporters.
Only the Muddy Patch Vein and its neighboring sphere transmitted sporadic flickers of Void. The two also had more accessible nodes than the average, indicating they were at the center of the memory domain. It gave credence to Zac’s theory that an eruption of Void Energy had annihilated the Dipper Mountains.
Zac wasn’t sure what’d happen if he was faced with such a disaster. Having the Void Emperor Bloodline didn’t mean he was immune to Void Energy, just as a fire cultivator would succumb from flames powerful enough. Even so, Zac returned to the Muddy Patch Vein and picked a node at random. He was sucked into the sphere, entering a state similar to using [Abyssal Drive].
Moving hundreds of miles downward only took seconds. Zac emerged at an underground square with a smaller sphere placed at its center. There were a few buildings and cave entrances built along the walls, mostly temporary residences. Most were empty, while one had been turned into an unfamiliar guild’s temporary office.
The ambient energy and Dao was even thicker than on the surface, easily surpassing Zac’s cultivation cave back home. Even so, it wasn’t suitable for long-term cultivation. The energy was a chaotic mix of multiple affinities, and powerful fluctuations coming from the walls put pressure on Zac’s mind. Most Hegemons would have to return to the surface within weeks—days in the deepest nodes.
The occasional flicker of Void was even stronger inside the vein, and it still eluded his grasp. The signals came from every direction, like they had fused with the vein. Investigating the nearby corridors didn’t help, though the visit drove home just how dangerous mining in the Dipper Mines was.
The mine was completely different to the mostly safe operations back on Ensolus and Earth. It wouldn’t be wrong calling the tunnels the only safe spots in a sea of unstable energy. No matter where he infused his Soul, he was met by an impassable wall of Earthly Dao. It was no wonder the tunnels looked like they’d been through hell and back. Digging just about anywhere risked hitting a faultline.
Zac gave up on his search after three hours. He simply couldn’t pinpoint the origin of the signal. His best guess was the Void Treasure had perfectly hidden its presence, though a sliver of its aura had seeped into the Muddy Patch Vein. Zac returned to the surface with only a couple of E-grade minerals he ripped out of the wall.
Their value was only a fraction of the entrance fee. It didn’t matter to Zac. He only took them out of idle curiosity during his investigation. Zac found Ogras lounging at a bar with a view of both the mine entrance and tax office. A crusty-eyed Ventus emerged across the street an hour later. Needing privacy, they rented a manor for a month.
"I didn’t find much," Ogras said after they’d performed a sweep for hidden arrays. "There were a few open tasks for robberies and assassinations, nothing that sticks out. There are rumors of two guilds heading toward an all-out war over a juicy stretch. They’re among the strongest factions here, but not nearly strong enough to level the city."
"Dipper Seven has seen a steady uptick of outsiders and solo miners," Ventus said. "It can be explained by Dipper Seven's veins getting better and better, but there could be infiltrators among the newcomers.”
“Why are the veins improving?” Zac asked.
“It’s the road project you mentioned,” Ventus said. “It seems construction fifty thousand years realigned the energy flow, pushing huge amounts to the surface. Certain adjustments a few decades ago are believed to have triggered the Dipper Mountain’s second awakening.”
“So the Dipper Mountains is one of the winners from the Empire’s undertaking—for now,” Zac said, adding the caveat upon seeing Ogras’s amused expression.
The Imperial Road could also explain how a Void Treasure appeared in the mine. The immense forces of a Primal Heaven’s energy being rerouted could have ripped open a pathway to some unusual dimension or even directly birthed the treasure.
“Yes, well. The calamity should be connected to the rising energy one way or another,” the numerologist continued. “Most clues point toward the two newest veins. Their yield is extraordinary. The local magistrate is over the moon. If we follow the theory of a priceless treasure appearing, it’ll likely be there.”
"You’re talking about the Muddy Patch Vein and Darkstone Vein?” Zac asked, getting a nod of confirmation. “You’re right. They’re in the center of the memory domain, and what I sensed is down there.”
“You already found it?” Ogras asked. “So we’re done here?”
“No. I can’t pinpoint its location. The environment is too chaotic, and it would take months searching tunnel by tunnel. I was hoping you’d discovered something that can narrow the search. What about the war? Is it over mining rights in those veins?”
“It is. Specifically over a newly-erected node. It was placed unusually close to the Paverman Guild’s claim, and the Redroad Miners are using the node to dig toward it from the opposite direction.”
“That shouldn’t be it,” Zac said. “We only have access to a quarter of the nodes at the surface layers. The nodes in the depths are well out of reach.”
“There’s not as much action near the surface,” Ogras said. “Order is unusually good in those hot streaks. Quite a few thieves have lost their heads already.”
"There was something in the reports…” Ventus muttered. “Right! The expansion application!"
"What's that?" Zac asked.
"A guild has applied to excavate a new section of the Muddy Patch Vein. It's actually quite close to the surface, but that whole area has been restricted because its highly unstable energies. Until recently."
“Even more unstable than the rest of the underground?” Zac shuddered.
“It’s that bad down there?” Ogras asked. “Then it's a gamble. Open it up and they could find valuable resources. But if they’re too eager, they could get swept up in the storm’s aftershocks.”
"Yes, the latter is quite normal, especially in the new energy-rich veins," Ventus said. "But when you strike it rich… The guilds have unearthed everything from ancient ruins to incredible Natural Treasures. And by shouldering the risk, the guild gets a much higher cut of the reward. The expansion is slated to start in nine days. Both timing and location fit with what we’ve gathered."
"That means we have time," Ogras said. "Should we check out the area? If a treasure is the cause of misfortune, we'll even be helping these poor souls avoid unnecessary bloodshed by taking it off their hands."
"How noble of you," Ventus scoffed.
“Maybe it's better if the two of you stay here. I have a decent idea what we’re dealing with. The opportunity is useless to you, but it’s very important to my cultivation,” Zac said.
“Shouldn’t it be faster if we look for it together?” Ventus said.
“It’s not that simple. I fear I might trigger the calamity, or part of it when we unearth it. I can’t guarantee my safety, let alone yours,” Zac said, sending some additional context to Ogras.
'Imagine the Memorysteel Mountain, except at a scale big enough to swallow the whole region.'
There were too many too unknown variables, making it impossible to confidently say he could prevent history from repeating itself. Beyond safety, it was a matter of secrecy. It was already bad enough that the Undead Empire knew about his connection to the Void. Adding Ventus to that list was like arming a bomb that could go off any time.
“Can you get to it yourself?” Ogras asked.
“That’s—” Zac hesitated.
Frankly, he wasn’t sure. His attempts at digging new routes hadn’t gone great. He’d played it safe cutting into calmer sections, yet he’d almost collapsed a tunnel. The energies trapped within the walls were extremely unpredictable, following no rules Zac understood. And if the Void Treasure was inside a claimed section, would he even get the chance to dig it out?
“How about this? We’ll come with you and check out the area. If there’s a route, we’ll find it. You can do the extraction yourself after we’ve evacuated,” Ogras said.
“There’s another option. Have the Serpico Guild lead you to the treasure,” Ventus suggested.
Zac looked at Ventus suspiciously. "The guild? Why would they allow a stranger on such an important mission? Are they hiring cannon fodder?"
"They might be, but that’s not what I was thinking. There are other ways to join as an outsider. I could use my identity as a wandering scribe, saying I'm interested in the process. If they say no, I’ll insinuate they're trying to hide their returns from the Empire. There’s nothing like the threat of being branded traitor to get things done."
"Be careful, or your curiosity might get you burned,” Ogras said with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. While the demon didn’t know the full story, he understood that what happened on the Memorysteel mountain was connected to some of Zac’s deepest secrets. “Your idea would work just as well with the young master of a Founding Family out on an adventure. Especially if an official introduces him.”
The plan was the best one yet, though it meant entering with the guild's elite excavation unit. If he could extract the treasure without them noticing, he could easily hide it by circumventing the mine’s restrictions on Spatial Tools. Snatching the Void Treasure instead of letting it destabilize might even be enough to instantly drain the Memory Domain of energy.
“I like it, but we’d have to extend our stay by over a week. Let’s take a look first,” Zac said.
They’d already spent eighty-three days on the Left Imperial Expanse. Nine more would push past the three-month mark. It would take at least four more months to reach the Hollow Court's pillar. That estimate didn't include detours to visit memories or excavating treasures on the outside. Every delay increased the odds of something going wrong. For instance, Esmeralda would reach the Mercurial Court in just two months.
And yet, Zac couldn't simply back down. Finding the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] buried in the battlefield, having the Earth Spirit unseal it, and stumbling onto a mysterious Void Treasure hidden beneath the Dipper Mountains. Each step was a connecting link building a chain to the Void. Whether fate or someone's design, Zac needed to follow the thread to its end. He couldn’t give up on the opportunity because of possible threats and unknown implications.
The three directly set out, and sneaking down to the yet-unearthed section proved easier than expected. The region could only be sectioned off by the Serpico Guild three days before the expansion, and there were dozens of curious miners filling the corridors. Betting on an expansion’s outcome was apparently a popular pastime in Dipper Seven, and many of the onlookers were trying to glean clues from the powerful energies still pulsating through the walls.
Half a day later, Ogras sighed and removed his hand from a wall. “It got torn apart. Buddy, I think it’s impossible. I have no idea how those miners are planning on getting through this minefield.”
Zac turned to Ventus who shook his head in defeat. The Dipper Mountain had effortlessly foiled his attempts at calculating a path.
“I guess it’s time we got to know the Serpico Guild.”
Comments
David Ballantyne
It seems construction fifty thousand years realigned the energy flow - years ago
NiceTryMate
Definitely, he will make it farther inside when he’s ready to enter! I am imagining the calamity zone found in perennial vastness, only dialed up to Autarch level energies and dao.
Jeff McCulley
Of course there are still supreme fate bound void treasures. A. A significant portion of the multiverse is still as yet unexplored. Especially the Endkess Storm. B. Factions like the Void Gate (and their parent faction) collect the ones discovered. Not to mention the factions who find them, have no use for them, and still stash them away in their vaults just because.
Jeff McCulley
Just a friendly reminder? It’s been noted that a Sealbearer with an identity brand can just pass as a native to a memory realm, unless they blow their cover. What if there’s one in here with Zac, Ogras and Ventus? Not someone the three know, of course. Though it’s pretty obvious Zac doesn’t trust Ventus yet.
Lex Luther S
I doubt it. Karz was most certainly a supremacy by this point and even C grade items wouldn't have the energy or spirituality to help advance his bloodline. Besides, as we've seen, there are stark differences with Karz void emperor bloodline and zacs corrupted Void Emperor bloodline. The corruption in zacs attunes it to the void in a way not even Karzs' could. As for supreme void treasures, who says there's none left? It's been BILLIONS of years since the limitless empire and Karz fell and that's plenty of time for great treasures of the void to crop up.
Mateo Lopez
I’m guessing whatever calamity destroyed the Dipper Mountains, has to be Karz. If this was a unique opportunity to advance the void in his bloodline. It would make sense that in all this time nothing else has popped back up for Zac to eat. So through some time shenanigans the L.I.E, is allowing Zac to complete his understanding of the void. A process that I don’t think would have been impossible to complete without the L.I.E. But would have taken an extremely long time. Seeing as they are in the same era as the first Void emperor. It would make sense that there are no more supreme fate bound void treasures. Ergo the need for these time shenanigans
Jeff McCulley
Yes. And as I said, they both said he was better suited to explore than they were, that he’d go much deeper than they did.
Jeff McCulley
I would expect that Kayer Elu’s inner worlds are where they regularly store their machine body and self.
Jeff McCulley
Fortunately, this is an imaginary mountain someone ELSE already blew up!
Jeff McCulley
I think you’re reading it wrong. It wasn’t a matter of color, it was a matter of scale. He was saying that Zac’s fortune is an order of magnitude greater than the other sealbearers. And sucks everything into it. Including swallowing mere suns.
Edgar Segura
That makes sense especially when you consider the conversation about how there can only ever be one void emperor per era.
Scott Mingo
No Zac, that's a bad Zac! Stop eating the mountains!
NiceTryMate
Not speaking of the information he was imparted, but rather the Chaos cipher, a key he was given to get into “The Waking Nautilus”, a cataclysmic chaos inheritance. Autarchs struggled to explore the place, so no way he is able to find things from there as he is.
SandreX
What is black hole? It's colapse of space-time. What I'm trying to say is that he is outside of entire fate river and just by interacting with real world upsets the flow. I believe that is the reason others see him as black hole
NiceTryMate
Haven’t Zac created his own fate through the void road? It makes very much sense that his fate looks void-like, instead of something that conforms with Cosmic destiny.
Jeff McCulley
Just going to note here. Kator had a huge Spatial Ring, and left lots of roomin it because he was planning to bring lots of stuff OUT of the Trial. Because this is where the goodies are. Thankfully, Zac has that much more space now.
Jeff McCulley
In short, his internal Void Zone needs to be restocked after he pillaged it fixing his core
Jeff McCulley
@NiceTryMate, I think you misunderstood. They both said Zac would be a better fit for that knowledge than they were.
Jeff McCulley
“First thought”, sure. But Ventus made clear he’s reading the echoes of whatever actually happened
Jeff McCulley
Iz’s minder said that if the Flamebearers have fate like a star, Zac’s is like a black hole. Or words to that effect. I think you’re off on this one.
NiceTryMate
@MacMahon, Be’Zi struggled in the outer reaches as an Autarch. Zac would be vaporized if he went there during Hegemony.
Henry Wartemberg
His void zone percentage capacity still needs growth
Harley Shockley
As always when people say “bloodline evolution”, Zac has currently evolved his bloodline to the max. What he is trying to do is regain the previous strength of his bloodline. Perhaps even beyond that. It requires a lot of high grade treasures, all of which is being enhanced and converted into void to strengthen his bloodline over time.
NiceTryMate
He is definitely talking about Vi (Vy?), the researcher that got her momentum rekindled after meeting Zac
NiceTryMate
Zac using the fuxi gate to transport one of his bodies would give rise to an infinite recursion, kinda like looking in a mirror in an elevator with three mirrored walls. The body inside the gate would see himself in the purity node, seeing himself seeing himself…… Would his inner world also be able to transport himself, or would that actually give rise to a paradox?
Hartmann
In what way has mind-controlled Leyara profited from Zac?
SandreX
More I think about, more convinced I get that the "prophecy" mentioned by "imperial" guy that Zac fought few chapters ago is about Iz. She is probably the best contender for Empyrean throne which her grandmother holds and is heavily influenced by Laondio. Also she is the most talented cultivator that we have seen so far, as if heavens themselves cader to her similar to Limitless Emperor and I suspect the only reason she can't fully manifest same ability is because of self doubt or lack of true conviction. Just think how insane Landio was back then to think about cleaning the taint from whole multiverse? Guy had ridiculous belief in himself to the point that fate itself twisted. I believe Iz has potential to have same ability if she finds that drive. As for Zac, he (other than being MC :d) feel more like outsider, someone who doesn't belong to current order... As if he simply doesn't have any fate, no place in the river, like Kator said he walks on shores and dips whenever he wishes. That might explain how everything gets messy when he is there. He is the butterfly effect, he upsets the flow and often that crashes the system, but on the good side those who follow him benefit form incredibly maliable fate left in his wake. Example is that nun fro void gate, forgot her name.
Andrew
Thank you!
Shivam
So it would interesting if Zac can get a cultivation heritage inheritance from first people. Like void cultivator version of F-grade, E-grade, Core formation , Inner world formation. If he can get these types of cultivation insights , forming a void based inner world would be much easier for him
MacMahon Wenzl
My first thought was that when Ventus saw the "deaths" of everyone he was actually just seeing Zac's future destruction.
MacMahon Wenzl
We still have the Cataclysmic Chaos herratige. He could get a few of things from there.
Henry Wartemberg
Carl would have known to start running then and there
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Jeff McCulley
Noped?
Jeff McCulley
I figure he’ll find way to supercharge those last two treasures refining his core, the way he did the Heavenmend Crystal.
Jeff McCulley
“Not much to do with it”, sure. Knows exactly what it is? Also sure.
Jeff McCulley
Oops! I just posted the same above! Three months was the designation quest deadline, presumably for sealbearers to complete their seals. And for people to become sealbearers.
Jeff McCulley
I think he still needs full regalia? Alea and Verun upgraded?
Jeff McCulley
As another possible diversion…any bets that Zac steps out to change his identity…and finds a totally awesome memory lantern waiting for him? They do have nine days to wait, after all!
Jeff McCulley
“They’d already spent eighty-three days on the Left Imperial Expanse. Nine more would push past the three-month mark.” It’s nice to have a time stamp. Assuming that time is flowing at an equal rate outside, that means the three month deadline for Designation Quests is just about up, so any last minute sealbearers (or partial sealbearers) presumably) will be arriving. I’m guessing there’s a reason TFD gave us the timestamp at this particular mark.
Andrew P
I imagine he'll refine his core with law tribulations prior to monarchy as well, which will make him monstorously efficient in the c grade.
Michael
Seems like we’re gearing up for a bloodline evolution and another mountain consumed by the void. Hopefully Zac will be on par with the other flamebearers after this.
MacMahon Wenzl
He probably just didn't put much weight into it. He probably thought "yeah, through progressing ill learn more" but didn't think about the fact that he would be the nail and the trial would be the like a hammer driving him through a steel beam.
Michael
Tbf Wal’Zo doesn’t have anything to do with the LE or the outer courts, he is supposed to only be associated with Ultom itself
MacMahon Wenzl
'Imagine the Memorysteel Mountain, except at a scale big enough to swallow the whole region.' I can just hear Ogras responding with "Oi, Nala"
Luke Scheffe
That’s assuming that time is progressing outside.
Jeff McCulley
Zac got a huge infodump from A’Zu and Be’Zi. It would hardly be surprising if he got another on the Void here. Then another on the Technocrats for he Cord when he visits Sanctuary. Matter of fact, that one seems relatively inevitable, given the concept of computer downloads.
Hartmann
If we are approaching three months in trail time it would be time for a look outside. Wasn't there a three months deadline on the Intersector war mentioned by Ilvere?
D
Firstest
Jeff McCulley
“Zac couldn’t believe it. How was it possible to encounter the Void again, within weeks of unsealing the Holy Relic?” Wal’Zo literally told Zac he’d learn everything he needed to know about the Void inside the Trial. Along with his continued insistence that he’s not going for the whole thing…does Zac not remember that conversation?
Lex Luther S
Interesting. And we finally get more look into zacs future breakthroughs. As I thought, monarchy is going to be a rough uphill battle and his study of the void for monarchy would take decades which is why I'm convinced he won't reach monarchy for another 50 years at least. But that zac is going to be a monster beyond reason. I can hardly imagine how broken a zac ready to breakthrough to monarchy will be; full understanding of his daos respective voids to maybe even Peak Integration stage to a full understanding of his path even beyond what he currently knows. Even rarified monsters like Iz would have to be cautious of such a monsters. Truly can't wait for Mondays chapter to see where delving into the depths goes.
Dominic Fox
Firster
The Lost Pages
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