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Chapter 1,294.
🕑 Added 2024-10-23 18:06:34 +0000 UTCZac's first thought was he'd been dropped off inside a mirage drawing inspiration from his memories. However, Zac's heart told him that the startled duo wasn't the work of an illusion. The faded forest of Tam's memory had given way to a world shrouded in darkness. The region had an unmistakably ominous atmosphere, though Zac would take implied threat over the overt danger of the Nature-attuned storm.
It didn't match anything from Tom's scattered memories or any information he'd gathered elsewhere. It almost felt like he'd arrived in the Grey World, the Lower Plane that some of Ogras' heritage was based on. Everything was cast from shadows, from the ground to the sparse growth dotting the rocky geography.
Their source seemed to be the dense clouds high in the sky. They were clearly out of the norm, not lacking in might compared to the Nature-attuned storm. Thankfully, they kept most of it to themselves. Instead of ravaging the lands, they released a sparse trickle of anthracite rain.
The environment was redrawn wherever a raindrop fell. Brushes or saplings would appear out of nowhere, and the shape of outcroppings could drastically change. Each drop contained enough strength to match one of Zac's skills and a lofty piece of Taiji's Dao. It, thankfully, wasn't very difficult to avoid getting hit. Less than five drops would fall within his Soul Sense at any given moment.
It was exactly the kind of place Zac would expect to run into Ogras, and he quickly exchanged the customary questions through telepathy to confirm his identity. The generally suspicious demon was surprisingly ready to accept Zac's sudden appearance. He grinned and put away his spear.
"Finally, someone useful. I'm tired of carrying all the weight around here."
The comment made Ventus lower his makeshift shield. He turned to Ogras with the expression of a spurned lover. "Carrying all the weight? This is all thanks to me! I said we'd find what you needed here. I never claimed it would be a treasure."
"Telling a shadow cultivator they'll find something good inside a shaderealm? What's next? I'll encounter a powerful enemy somewhere in this trial?" Ogras leered.
Zac wasn't convinced their meeting was thanks to Ventus's Numerology, either. There was no mistaking the absolute confusion in the elf's eyes when he appeared. More likely, the reunion was thanks to Roan. The Earth Child had said the Sylphid would guide him, and Zac had been too preoccupied with other matters to ask where. He'd simply assumed it was to the Hollow Court since it flew in its general direction.
"It's nice to see you two. Let's change location before we catch up. Last time I popped out of a memory, I almost got eaten by a Monarch," Zac said.
"That sounds about right," Ogras laughed before giving Ventus a less friendly look. "Well, elf. Rattle those beads of yours and find a safe spot out of this netherblasted rain."
Ventus rolled his eyes and adjusted the abacus's arrangement. "This way."
Zac glanced at the unusual Spirit Tool as they moved out. It wasn't the same one the Radiant Temple Numerologist used when they first met in the Twilight Ocean. The old abacus had been beautifully crafted with stone beads had looked like stars. Its replacement was a clear step down, at least from an aesthetic perspective.
It was simple and less attuned to Ventus's Dao, being made from solid wood that didn't emit any particular Dao. The beads had been covered in small arrays to make up for the material's lacking affinity with the Dao of Stars. The only thing that stood out was its air of antiquity.
"It's a loan from my, eh, sponsors," Ventus explained upon seeing Zac's glance. "It's made from a monastery's floorboards. The lingering aura makes it safer to perform calculations on this continent."
"Hm," Zac grunted, understanding that the elf had shared the information to underscore his value.
Zac didn't have time to temper the Numerologist's worries. A shimmer of light lit up the gloom when Tam's memory lantern emerged from Zac's chest. It didn't transform into a bust of the veteran. Instead, it turned into an unstable flux of images. One moment, it was a veteran's badge; the next, it became a copy of the Fertile Earth Seal currently in Zac's ring.
Finally, it took the shape of a simple gravestone and stayed that way until dispersing into streams of faith that seeped into the ground. The effect was much stronger than Terea's, to the point the surrounding gloom was briefly pushed back. Thankfully, there were no surprises about the most important part. One sliver entered Zac's hand to fill up the second slot of his Flamebearer identity seal.
Zac looked at the addition with interest. It didn't emit the aura he'd expected. Terea's identity was a mix of her path and the aura of the Left Imperial Palace. Zac had never questioned this aspect. He was a Flamebearer with a seal of the Left Imperial Palace—of course it would emit that aura. Tam's seal did not.
Its flavor was a mix of what Tam's lantern conveyed and the holiness of the transformed Roan. Hidden beneath, Zac could vaguely sense the vast presence of the Left Imperial Expanse. It was like the identity represented both Tam and Roan. Was it the result of Zac rewriting history?
There was no way to tell how Tam would have acted in the new timeline. Terea's apparition had looked more powerful thanks to Zac expediting her breakthrough. Would Tam have returned to his post as a simple guardsman? Zac didn't think so. Tam had been like a boat adrift at sea. Saving the Earth Child might have rekindled his fire.
He could have used the token to join the Order of Fertile Earth, which would explain the intense faith radiating from the brand.
"You never do things the normal way, huh?"
Zac smiled at the demon's contorted face full of unspoken questions. "I guess."
"All I got after working myself to the bone for that bastard was a derisive snort," Ogras complained while waving his Skybreaker Seal.
"If it's any consolation, I'm not sure if this is a good thing," Zac offered.
"I'm sorry to interject," Ventus said, pointing at a large tree ahead. "There should be a sanctuary beneath its roots."
Ogras sent out a shadow to confirm the Numerologist's deduction before moving all three into a surprisingly large space twenty meters underground. It looked like the roots had grown around a large boulder. Later, the stone had somehow disappeared, creating a hollow that made for a great hideout.
"Give me a moment," Zac said before moving to a corner.
Zac could tell the two were full of questions, but he needed to sort things out while the memories were fresh. His new Dao insights had expanded his understanding of Life and Death, taking them beyond the lifecycle one saw in nature. Life could give birth to anything, even memories. Consequently, Death could take them away.
The life and death of the memory realm was only an example hinting at a greater truth. The concepts of Evolution and Inexorability could be elevated to encompass all creation. Those at the peak could explain everything beneath the Heavens with their Dao. It was the road of Authority.
Even so, relaxing his narrow focus was a double-edged sword. A broad Dao would become a weak Dao if its increased scope didn't also add to its depth. Zac felt the everchanging worlds hiding inside his Dao Apparitions and compared it to the Transcender's ultimate attack. Zac had to admit, the world he'd seen was more lifelike than what existed in his mind.
This was a direction he needed to explore further. Zac was still nowhere near ready to upgrade his Daos. The epiphany was but the first step toward clarity. Then again, the first step was often the hardest. Zac was extremely satisfied with the harvest from his second memory lantern, even if it hadn't provided direct benefits like Terea's treasures or the Zenith Elixir.
The only cloud on the horizon was the memory's ominous end. It went beyond the Earth Spirit's uncomfortable level of insight. What happened inside Tam's memory broke the rules Zac thought governed the trial. The world in the original timeline had critical differences that didn't originate from Zac.
It was the original Roan's death that turned the area into blessed ground, which in turn gathered the necessary Faith Energy for his transformation. The tribulation wasn't a part of the simulation. It descended because of the temporal paradox, and Zac had become an unwitting tool for it all. He wasn't convinced the ramifications were limited to changing the "world's memory."
Zac felt like a puppet being moved across the Left Imperial Expanse, and he couldn't tell who was pulling the strings. Thankfully, he didn't need to grapple with these issues by himself.
"All done?" Ogras asked when Zac walked over.
"For now," Zac nodded.
"I see that you've already stepped into Late Hegemony, Lord Atwood. Your constant efforts bring the rest of us to shame," Ventus said with an obsequious smile. "I pray my deductions served you well?"
"It's good to see you, too. And they did," Zac said with a raised brow.
The comprehensive set of instructions to move the Atwood Empire's battlefronts to the Imperial Graveyard's edge had made their life a lot easier. Without them, Zac would have been forced to rely on the Undead Empire for passage. Having learned of Kator's plot and the Autarchs hiding inside the Epiclesis Bell, it might have saved all their lives.
"Then, our agreement?" the elf asked.
"You're welcome to travel with us as long as you want. I'll do my best to keep you safe while you're with me," Zac promised.
Zac would have invited Ventus even if it wasn't part of their deal. The Numerologist might not be as useful as Esmeralda, but having his calculations was certainly better than facing the continent's dangers blind. Ventus wasn't someone Zac would have to babysit, either. They'd fought to a draw during the Twilight Ascent, and the elf performed extremely well in the Perennial Vastness.
Ventus was currently at Middle Hegemony, and he would have received focused nurturing after becoming a sealbearer. He wouldn't drag him and Ogras down in a fight, though the elf's aura felt somewhat hollow. It was likely the result of peering into Heaven's secrets.
"Your current state? Backlash?" Zac asked to confirm.
"It is. I'm gradually recovering. It's a slow process. I'm unlikely to get back to perfect condition during the trial."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Certain Natural Treasures and springs can alleviate the backlash, but they're extremely rare," Ventus sighed. "Borrowing from the Heavens to perform calculations breaks the Cosmic Laws. You'd need something at the same level to undo the harm."
Law-imbued soul-nurturing treasures? Forget it. Zac had only found one Law-imbued item since the trial began, and the copper vein couldn't do anything for Ventus. Law-imbued treasures could only be found by chance. And if they actually found one, Zac believed they were better used on himself than on Ventus. Since he was unwilling to promise anything related to recovery, Zac changed the subject.
"How did the two of you meet without any trackers?"
"The guy just popped out right behind me a few weeks back," Ogras shrugged. "Been carrying this deadweight since."
"You might not have died without me, but you definitely would have been in a sorrier state," Ventus argued. "Not to mention poorer."
"Did you calculate which lantern to pick?" Zac asked.
"Not quite. I entered the trial with only two pieces of my seal. Those in a similar situation were sent to a communal memory for a final opportunity," Ventus sighed.
"What kind of opportunity?"
"We failed in proving ourselves during the intersector war, so we were sent to another one for a final opportunity. We became part of the vanguard that conquered the Left Imperial Expanse. It was quite dangerous, but not without certain advantages. So long as we showcased our talents and took on the right missions, we could control what part of the mainland we'd get sent to," the elf explained.
"After two years of struggle and calculations, I left for the Left Imperial Expanse in a way that had the greatest odds of making our paths cross."
"What, two years? It's barely been two months here," Zac exclaimed. "And how did you get ahead of me if you only appeared on the main continent a few weeks ago? Are there teleporters I don't know about?"
"Not to my knowledge," Ventus said. "There's certainly a decent amount of randomness involved—how lucky you are and what memory you picked upon entry. However, you Flamebearers might have started closer to the middle because you lack affinity with any of the lower courts."
"That'd explain how I keep running into people."
"We have to be careful. I believe the System limits how close to the courts trial takers may spawn, but we're not necessarily at the front of the pack," the elf cautioned.
"So what? That's an opportunity now that we have this brute on our side!" Ogras laughed. "The odds of running into another Flamebearer should be low. More likely, we'll stumble onto one of the many rich young masters who've been thrown onto this continent. They will all be saddled with wealth we couldn't dream of getting back home."
Zac could see the greedy flames smoldering in the demon's eyes. "We can't underestimate anyone. I almost got my ass handed to me by a Skybreaker last week."
"How's that possible? Did you run into a sibling of that crazy Primordial or something?" Ogras couldn't believe his ears, while Ventus looked like he'd just realized the ship he boarded was full of leaks. Zac shared his battle with the mysterious Imperials that forced him to flee into the storm.
"You," Ogras pointed at Ventus. "Get to work. Calculate his origins."
"No way!" Ventus shook his hands with fear. "If he's connected with the continent's fate like Lord Atwood said, it'd be no different than spying on the hidden rules of the trial. The backlash will reduce me into a pile of ash."
"Useless," Ogras spat. "You think he might be part of the Heavens?"
"I don't think so." Zac shook his head. "His faith was very different to the Imperial Qi I saw on Yselio Tobrial. I'm more inclined to believe they were part of the real Limitless Empire."
"You mean some holdouts who've stayed hidden until now?" Ogras slowly nodded in thought.
Ventus interjected before Zac could put forth his theory about the Pesvati Rift. "That's not possible. The Limitless Empire was completely eradicated back then."
"How can you be so sure?" Ogras scoffed. "Just look at this place. Those madmen turned this whole continent into an array disk, and I hear there are seven more like it. I can't even imagine how large the empire was at the height of its glory. You're telling me not a single one survived the purge? Just look at the Imperial Families of today. Didn't they come out stronger than ever?"
"It's not that simple," Ventus said. "The Limitless Empire's fall after the System's birth wasn't a simple war of vengeance. They were punished by the Cosmos. Emperor Limitless created something that shouldn't exist. As a result, the river of fate flooded his cities and drowned his people. The Karmic backlash targeted every single citizen.
"My master said that great taboos surround the Limitless Empire to this day," the elf continued with fear on his face. "Don't you think there's been people hoping to resurrect the Limitless Empire? How do you think it was in the earliest days of the System? Wouldn't anyone have raised their banner after the Dark Ages ended?"
"These attempts all failed because of the backlash?" Zac surmised.
"Exactly," Ventus said. "The name is like a magnet for misfortune. Any attempt at revivification is doomed to fail, and the System is either powerless or unwilling to intercede. The Imperial Heavens survived precisely because they completely severed ties with the Limitless Empire."
Ventus's explanation made a lot of sense. Like he said, you only needed to consider the matter logically. One million years was a long time, especially for the universe to be drained of spirituality. Even so, multiple Draugr Supremacies survived the Dark Ages, and they used their Heavenly Territories to shield generations of descendants. Except for some losses to their heritage, the Draugr Race emerged on the other end in one piece.
Draugr might have been better positioned to survive the tribulation than most. Still, they were by no means the only survivors. The Technocrats managed to weather the storm, too. There was no reasonable explanation for not one of the Limitless Empire's colonies or leaders surviving the Dark Ages.
The common narrative was that the empire's upper echelon, including the emperor himself, was absorbed by the System. With their borders suddenly unguarded, the empire became an unguarded treasure trove. Wouldn't there at least have been one Supremacy sent out on a mission or stationed far away from the front lines?
It was possible that all Supremacies marked by Imperial Fate were consumed, no matter their location. Still, did not one of them hide inside an Eternal Heritage? They were built to provide asylum during an Era's collapse. Surely, they could elude a cosmic backlash. Like Ventus argued, there had to be more reasons why only ruins remained of such a great empire.
Suddenly, multiple pieces of information coalesced into a theory that refused to go away. Rekindling faith, rewriting history, and ancient taboos. Could this be what the ritual was for—to wash away the sin of its existence?
Was the Limitless Empire trying to emerge from the annals of history?
Comments
David Ballantyne
Is Skybreaker a term we should know? Zac trots it old like we should, but I only recall it being used mistakenly instead of Skystriker in recent chapters.
David Ballantyne
It didn't match anything from Tom's scattered memories - Tam's
Lex Luther S
It also point to that if banishing Karz from the comic destiny was all it took to ensure he wasn't targeted by the cosmic backlash, then why couldn't he do it to others? Simply taking an elite group and a supremacy and banishing them from the cosmic destiny would allow then to survive and they'll then enter hiding awaiting the day Laondios plans come into motion. All the while raising one generation after another.
Dan
Yes. Like literally one line. Haha.
Dan
I think it’s more likely that Emperor Limitless intends to shift the fate of the Limitless Empire onto Zac or someone like him. Someone that has a similar origin and ability. The Void will ultimately be what saves Zac. A last FUCK you from Karz, the man whose existence was erased. L
Lex Luther S
Emperor limitless already possess the sin though. With even the most benign citizens being affected, there's no way the very center of the empire, emperor limitless, wasn't hit the hardest. My guess is the trial is a way to wash away the accumulated since of the limitless empire and the emperor. And through someway, Laondio will use that washed away sin to bring himself into the current era. My guess is being reincarnated as I doubt even he could drag himself from the past to the present.
Porter
You think time travel is impossible? Even with all this faith energy, the combined power of these memory lanterns? What if at the end, there is a giant memory lantern a flame bearer can step into, to change the Multiverse's memory? Isnt that just a large scale version of what is already happening?
Omiso
It was mentioned briefly during their trip through the Imperial graveyard.
hachetnif
There has obviously ben people behind the scenes, manipulating events to accomplish something in this trial. For sure it's about the Limitless empire. We also know it's about rekindling fate But it doesn't say what fate it could be the fate of the limitless emperor and his path, or it could be fate of the Empire Or literally as insane as rekindling all fate to erase Everything from the past As a unlikely as that could be, but the Limitless empire did make the system and is still messing with everything Well all accounts say that they're dead. Overall we do not have enough information
Austin Barton
Yes but time shenanigans.
Mateo Lopez
I just had a thought! What if this whole ritual to change the memory or whatever, is instead to shift all the blame onto the Limitless Emperor himself. So his people in hiding have a chance to reemerge and fall into line behind Zac. Since he is the Holy Son of the Limitless Empire. That said I believe we will finally face to face so to say with Zac and Laondio . At the apex of this arc with the Emperor finally getting washed away for his alleged sins
M💬
My theory is that there is a very high chance that Zac destroys the continent, or kicks starts the process. What if before the trial ends the system gives out a final quest to wipe out the remaining cultist with the Atwood empire being the leading force , since most of the stronger forces fled. Giving the people left behind a way to make names for themselves like Ilvere…. The continent being destroyed should release quality ambient energy which the system can use to combine Zecia and Zubor sectors without using its own energy, which might upgrade the sector. Edit: the titans Zac released from the imperial graveyard at similar to Daluo immortal titans you see in the cultivation genre
WESTON FRENCH
When did Ogras get his third piece of the sky breaker seal?
Chris Balcerek
It's explicitly stated a couple chapters back that it is the sindris clan and their monstrous bloodline, which could be sendris or void, most likely void. Good thought though I went back to check
Jeff McCulley
“It looked like the roots had grown around a large boulder. Later, the stone had somehow disappeared…” Huh. A boulder. That somehow disappeared. Umm, why do I get the impression that that might have been…an egg? Heaven forbid that whatever hatched comes back for a visit, eh?
Lex Luther S
Laondio said "my friend" when zac was in the tribulation throne so I'm convinced the falling out was faked. They likely actually fought and karz allowed himself to be injured and through an agreement, Laondio banished karz from the cosmic destiny, erasing his name and most of his existence except to those absurdly powerful like sendor and even he doesn't seem to know the name "karz". The biggest issue is why? Why go through all this and even have karz marry and sire children with a leading clan of the selvari? Why betray them at the final moment? Why allow a true drop of his void emperor essence blood to be taken? There's so many layers to this onion I can't even fathom where it ends or how TFD is going to tie it up.
Lex Luther S
I'm on the 9th audio book and I can confirm there is plenty of snorting here.
Lex Luther S
Well, it's important to remember that ventus' fate was so precarious because daos like fate and numerology were barely half as effective in such a trial of fate like this. Meaning his strength would become limited. And as mentioned, zac is literally an Eonic seed with ventus very life in his hands. Without zac, ventus is fated to die as he's seen his river of fate dry to a trickle and even attaching himself to zacs chariot only gives him a shot at living. Also, hearing the insane exploits of Zachary Atwood and arcaz Umbri'Zi throughout the war would temper almost anyone's attitude. Bet even those Havarok princelings wouldn't dare call for zacs head or try to attack him.
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Lex Luther S
It's likely only using the void mountain as a supporting structure. Whatever is allowing the left imperial expanse to win against the river of time is so beyond anything even a supremacy could do. This may be approaching the territory of true eternity and the void mountain may be busted but it feels like it falls behind true eternity.
Matthew Hay
Interesting, the implication would be more significant empire-related participation in the trial as the trial continues? Assuming all sides are helping it in the past like Zac is. Perhaps this was their concern w/ the monks figuring things out, seeing the karmic relation between memories and current participants.
Lex Luther S
That's just not possible. The first defier is the 3rd apostle of the system, and that happened billions of years ago. Now, if you're saying his soul is the reincarnated soul of the first defier after going through samsara, then that's actually an interesting line of thought and may even describe how zac clawed his way back from the dead as a newborn. The first defiers last embers of latent will may be what allowed newborn zac to pull through. Might also explain why he's so beloved by the heavens and chaos itself. But ultimately, The First Defier and Zachary Atwood are different beings with different paths. The only commonality being they're both defiers.
Shivam
I mean Laondio is said to be genius even in Karz's vision , maybe a bit eccentric but atleast with Karz they should be able to figure out that creation of system would cause immense amount of karmic backlash
Ron Whitlatch
He does seem to have plans in motion...
Lucas Gulick
See but why would Karz sacrifice himself? I think it makes sense for Karz to be the system (forced) and for the Emperor to have been TFD embedding his mind into it to cheat his longevity before resurrecting later on. Idk, in some ways I still feel like we're all back in the technocrat artificial space on earth going through the first Karz vision. We still don't know for sure who emperor limitless was.
Austin Barton
All these time shenanigans are leading me back to my original theory at the start of the series. Zac is the first defier. No one knows his name no one knows what he did just that he was the first and that he changed the universe. Zac is currently removing the karmic backlash unintentionally that’s a big thing which is allowing some factions of the limitless empire to be found or are re-emerging due to Zac’s time shenanigans in these memories. Oh and he’s mortal aka a defier.
Amithyst Stonewall
It's my theory that Karz is "the first Defier". Everything about it marches up. Apostate all added something to the System, no one knows what the first gave or any details about them just that they existed. Karz added his consciousness to give the System a mind for maybe some sort of attempt psudo-godhood, no one knows him because details of him were erased.
PapaJohn
I assume you’re referencing the big one… you know… the one that made the system?
Lucas Gulick
My recollection is that it's more of a layered multiverse, if it ranged from -10 to 10 some set within that would be better and some other set would be worse. You can't make a -3 into a positive 7. That may have just been how I interpreted it
PapaJohn
That makes a frankly stupid amount of sense. But that would imply that Laondio knew the backlash would follow the creation of the system… and all the fucked shit that happened after.
Jeff McCulley
I’m not sure the System moves regions. Remember the description of the borders of Zecia, whichever direction you left, you only went one way? I think the System would simply change the *connections*.
Jeff McCulley
Without rereading, I was assuming the ritual involving the nine candles igniting the chalice.
Jeff McCulley
A little late, but from Ch. 1,272: “Even more surprising was that the continent was winning the clash of powers. A mysterious force kept it rooted in place, preventing it from being swept away.” Okay…because the Left Imperial Expanse is anchored by the Void Mountain. Not so?
Jeff McCulley
I noticed that, too. However, he’s nervous and scared, his life dangling by a thread…and Zac is hardly the callow young cultivator Ventus bumped into years ago. It’s kinda like when Kruta first met Iz. He certainly wasn’t himself, because he was terrified. We’ll see if he regains his confidence.
Jeff McCulley
Huh. What if… what if… Emir’s last name is actually Wendimar? If Emir and Insik are actually members of a Wendimar Clan that they recall as having escaped eons ago.., …but in reality, only came into existence as ripples spread through time from Zac changing Terea Wendimar’s Fate?
MacMahon Wenzl
Yeah, that meet-up will be hilarious.
Stephen Taylor
I don’t love how Ventus is portrayed as obsequious. It does not match how he was originally introduced as a mystic who saw around all sorts of corners and obstacles.
Craig
We demand more snorting!
Lucas Gulick
Plausible, but it doesn't account for emperor limitless. I'd fully believe that the two of them are fighting some sort of conflict for control of the system. We also haven't heard mention of the apostles(?) in a while, I forget who all of them were, but they could be some sort of weapons they're using against each other. Idk, we'll have to wait and see what TFD reveals
Shivam
I am betting this is why Karz's identity was pushed out of river of fate. If Karz was part of imperial fate or even related to it in any form or even have karma with the empire , his Bloodline may also have been hit with a karmic backlash and system which is based on Karz's bloodline may have failed to establish itself altogether , maybe the system would have even collapsed
Shivam
Eh, I think Karz might be incharge of the system. We know Karz was very selfish and highly ambitious. Why would he make himself the fodder for System's ascension without any gain. I am betting the system is being controlled by Karz's soul in background.
Tartlet
I was thinking along these lines except that laondio and Katz did the banishing on purpose together and he went to the technocrats so they could make Zac, then later Karz and Laondio pin all this shit on Zac, then sweep back in and pick up where they left off.
D
What ritual?
Lucas Gulick
From how the system has been described before, offering a 10% power bump to supremacies is implausible. The reason why the system gives titles like that at low level is cause their cheap improvements, after the title is initially granted its up to the cultivator to gather energy to support the title. Plus raw stats seem to be getting less and less important, Dao, skills, and other attributes seem to be the defining difference in higher levels. I also think you're underestimating the devotion a lot of cultivators have to their factions, on the frontier practically everyone is a wandering cultivator but in more mature sectors you get folks like Taim who care little for their own advancement in comparison to serving a greater purpose. All that being said, I don't disagree that control over the system would let him forge a huge army. Just that he wouldn't get the crem de la crem
Luke Scheffe
He wouldn’t need to work to get an army. That’s what the system is for. All he needs to get half of integrated space to do what he wants is to threaten to retract the system’s benefits. All he needs to get the other half to fall in line is to offer additional benefits for compliance. 10% bonus stats as a sign on bonus and even supremacies will bend the knee.
Dominic Fox
I wonder if the limitless emperors plan for this rewriting of reality’s memory was to pass on the cosmic sin onto someone else so he’d be able to return without the backlash. Maybe the original plan was to make that martyr Karz. Maybe Karz himself banished his own identity from the rivers of time and fate to stop himself being used by Laondio, Only to then use the sindris clan to create a child who could be used as a martyr in his place so he could usurp whatever laondio created for himself. It’s not like Karz has to be a good person and laodio a bad one. Maybe they are as bad as each other.
Jeff McCulley
Zac: Did you do my sister? Ogras: Er, ummm….
Jeff McCulley
1,272 to now?
FriendorFo
Ogras’s comment about the “derisive snort” had me giggling. Not sure if anyone else frequents r/litrpg but people hate on the derisive snort line all the time. Love that seemingly tongue-in-cheek reference
Jeff McCulley
I kinda suspect that these Imperials from the Endless Storm, wherever they came from, are simply hoping for the Left Imperial Expanse to rise so that they can repopulate it. Maybe only one tiny corner of the plan. And they clearly don’t have the slightest clue who Zac really is, aside from a slight whiff.
Hartmann
Zac has an absolute freedom to do as he pleases due the void. He is likely the only one who can rebuild the Limitless Empire
Lucas Gulick
Moving an entire region is probably outside the systems abilities, at least to pull off with any kind of efficiency. Emperor limitless would be in charge of the system in theory, heck he may be the system rn. So depriving the traitors of energy seems plausible
Dominic Fox
So had Zac not rejected the imperial destiny during the last arc he’d have been hit by a cosmic backlash that would have destroyed him and everything he’d built.
Jeff McCulley
Not only that, but if the Left Imperial Expanse rises in the Zecia Quadrant…either the System will move the Quadrant to the Heartlands, or the core systems who have been draining it’s Dao will be cut off.
Lucas Gulick
Nahhh, emperor limitless has been prepping for this a long time I bet he has some method of slapping down trouble makers. Or alternatively, he'll use opposition as fuel for a new war engine
Omiso
wrong! No one did war like the Limitless Empire, if they were to rise up again every technocrat in the multiverse and every faction that had been wronged by them in the past will make an alliance to drown them back into the river of time. It would make for more interesting times to live in but would definitely bring more problems to Zac.
ClaySavage
Definitely an interesting theory. My biggest question is were Kars and laondio friends and working together or did they really have a falling out? This is somewhat shrouded in mystery with kars‘s name being taboo. Now, if you look at that interesting theory, you proposed where Laondio was reincarnated on Zack‘s planet or at the end of this trial he would instantly know what zach bloodline was. I mean, think about it they rose through the ranks together kind of like brothers until the falling out. Would Laondio see Zac like his best friend son or the second coming of his enemy.
Andrew
Thank you!
Lucas Gulick
Zecia might become the heart of the new limitless empire, that would sure be an answer to a lot of Zac's problems
Lucas Gulick
Oooooh
Lex Luther S
It's hard to tell. What is the true purpose of the system? Unless we can answer this, it's not really possible to say if he's dangerous or helpful. Certainly many won't be happy with his return. Ignoring the fact he's likely the strongest cultivator to have ever lived, he most certainly made a backdoor into the system and there's no telling what he can do with such access. But we only care if he's dangerous to our boy zac, his empire and those empires that may be a lifeline like the abyssal shores and the tyans empyrean quadrant. My thought is that Laondio will somehow reincarnate right in zacs empire and will aid zac into turning the Atwood empire into the next limitless empire. Different names but ultimately the same, to finalize whatever goal he made the system for.
Mason W
I still maintain the emperor hatched a scheme to return with the “system”. This story is about old things trying to live forever, no way limitless didnt plan this all out once he flipped on the system.
M💬
Do you think the limitless empire coming back will be good for the multiverse or is Laondio it bad? Personally I want to see what the supremacy move are going to be because it doesn’t seem they know his full scheme.
M💬
I say this because of Ventus divination’s , if I remember correctly old man rivers was known for his divination skill or something of the sort
Lex Luther S
Holy shit what a chapter. Zac taking the first step to advancing his daos. Meeting up with ogras and ventus. The coming adventures are gonna be interesting. Even more insane is learning about why the Limitless empire truly fell and if zacs theory is right, then this trial will ignite the flame of destiny and use the remaining imperial faith to wash away the sin of creating the system, thereby allowing the limitless empires rebirth. His mother said the dark ages are keeping some scary existence trapped in the past but what if washing away the sin of the systems birth allows Laondio to be reborn? She already said he's effectively immortal because he's the fulcrum that set the current eras path into motion and while bringing Laondio in all his glory might not be possible, sending enough for a reincarnation to be born should be well with in this insane plans capabilities. Fuck Friday can't get here soon enough.
Seamus Harley
Isn't old man river a time cultivator not numerology
Alexander Dupree
Well well well! I like it. This is both obvious and out of left field. The Empire is literally dodging a heavenly tribulation using time shenanigans exactly like Zac did when advancing to fight Kator.
MacMahon Wenzl
I like how they have a "secret handshake" where they ask each other the first things they said to each other to confirm their identities
PapaJohn
Holy cow we’re already like 50 chapters or something into this arc and it still feels like it’s still just starting😂😂 I love it!
Timothy Dana
:)
Mason W
I need to go count over the last 200 chapters how many start with “Zac”
Mateo Lopez
Oooh it’s getting spicy in here!!
M💬
So will Ventus be the old man Rivers for Zac’s era. Although we do not know much about old man rivers, Ventus gives a similar vibes unless I’m blowing smoke up my ass .
King Eater
Thanks for writing!
