Defiance of the Fall

Zac's grand prize for finishing the Flamebearer seal was [Void Emperor Apotheosis], the unified method meant to incorporate his whole path. It was the best outcome of the multiple directions Zac had considered taking his increasingly unwieldy cultivation. He hadn't even been convinced the idea was possible until Ultom showed him the way.

Calling [Void Emperor Apotheosis] a single technique was incorrect. It would be more accurate to call it a modular combination of his cultivation methods using the Void as a bridge. The most obvious benefit was the ability to practice multiple techniques simultaneously. The feature was a huge timesaver, and that was only the beginning.

Practicing multiple methods simultaneously created a synergistic effect. Soul, Body, and Heart formed a positive cycle of mutual encouragement that let Zac push himself further than when practicing one method at a time. This was a form of hidden benefit all top-tier methods had back in the day, something Zac only came to know of after meeting Instructor Rava.

The third and most ingenious feature was one Zac hadn't actually planned for. [Void Emperor Apotheosis] let Zac activate the pull of the Void during practice. It increased the amount of progress Zac could eke out from every session, narrowing the gap between him and natural talents like Vilari. The caveat was that the Void needed something to absorb, so it made his cultivation sessions more expensive.

The method's only major downside was that it required huge amounts of customization. [Void Emperor Apotheosis]'s current iteration was only made possible by modifying his Draugr bloodline techniques, the [Nine Reincarnations Manual], and the [Void Vajra Sublimation]. Some sections were redrawn from scratch with Ultom's help. Most additions came from external sources like [Stellar Dominion], the body tempering manual based on the Stellar Wanderers.

[Void Emperor Apotheosis] could already be used, though there hadn't been much time to explore its potential. Nevertheless, the final piece of the Flamebearer seal was only enough to set up a barely functional framework. Zac's Draugr side relied on general Draugr bloodline methods rather than the true methods tailored to his specific Bloodline. If Eoz's heritage still existed, it would be in the hands of the Abyssal Shores.

There was also a huge amount of general derivation to go. Zac still hadn't figured out the fifth layer of the [Void Vajra Sublimation], which now had to be further altered to incorporate the new features. Thankfully, his Life-attuned body tempering method already drew inspiration from the Void, so harmonizing it with [Void Emperor Apotheosis] wasn't that large a leap.

The [Nine Reincarnation Manual] would prove more challenging. It had no connection to the Void, and Zac didn't even own the technique's later layers. He'd also diverged from the intended path when creating two Soul Cores. Zac wasn't confident in solving that puzzle at his current level, no matter how much time he was given. It'd require a significant chunk of Ultom's light or for Zac to first reach greater heights.

Challenges aside, Zac had a general idea of how to solve issues of body and soul. That left the Heart, the third pillar of cultivation. Zac could use his Void State to bolster his Soul and Body, but practicing [Void Emperor Apotheosis] wouldn't strengthen his Heart. For that, Zac needed to incorporate a Heart Nurturing Sutra. The manual he'd picked out required specific conditions to be practiced, and Zac hoped they'd be realized today.

Zac flew into the air, stopping just shy of stepping onto the statue's hand. He was so close to the Natal Treasure's shadow that he could reach out and touch it. It only presented itself as a weak, translucent ripple distorting its surroundings. There were also no deep truths or intense energy fluctuations to warn of danger. Its power was invisible and intangible.

Floating before it was like facing a Dao far beyond your own. The grandeur of a complete Dao could make one lose faith in their own comprehension. The Natal Treasure assaulted Zac with a massive, collective will rather than Heavenly truths. It was the crystallization of a long-gone civilization's spirit, embodying their culture, beliefs, and motivations.

It made Zac recall his Dao Vision of the ancient protector, who Zac now realized was a Supremacy at the end of his life. Before sacrificing himself to protect his home world, he'd stepped out of his castle to face a sea of prostrating people. Zac felt he faced the same situation. The long-forgotten ancient race was reaching out across time, urging Zac to inherit their will.

This shadow of a treasure also gave off the paradoxical feeling that the race's survival was predestined and in line with the will of the Cosmos. Resisting it was no different than going against the Heavens. Esmeralda's assertion was spot on. Rejecting the lingering will by reaffirming his own convictions would greatly reinforce his Dao Heart.

"The imprint is the core of this realm," Esmeralda reminded from below. "Don't take it all. Leave a sliver or two for the ants. I'll set up an illusion to hide the theft until we're gone. It'll need some of the real deal to be convincing."

"No problem," Zac said.

He sent another note through [Purity of the Void], this one describing the situation in full. Two minutes later, he received the go-ahead. Zac stepped onto the hand and sat down. Holding onto his Void State wasn't enough to resist the subversive will. Zac's thoughts grew muddled, making it difficult to remember who he was and why he needed to struggle.

Every fiber of Zac's being instinctively fought back against the foreign beliefs even when his thoughts grew hazy. Personal goals clashed with the hopes of a long-gone race. Zac began rotating his energy and Daos too. It did nothing for the assault on his Heart, but it helped Zac hold onto his path and his sense of self.

When even that failed, the cold, smooth touch of his axe brought Zac back to the present. It was just in time to see a small spark in the air. When it faded, part of the ancient will was forever gone. The piece was no greater than a grain of sand in a sandbox, and it had taken Zac's everything to extinguish.

It would be a long day.

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He blankly looked at the sky. The golden rain sparked a vague recollection in his hazy mind. He'd seen a much greater sea of flames just like it. In the middle, there was a chalice holding a flame. His flame. The world beneath his feet trembled, urging him on. He was the Terminal Son of the—

Two rows of serrated fangs blocked the falling flames and scattered the thread he'd just caught. Even when thoughts failed, his body remembered what needed to be done. Muscles moved from ingrained memory, causing a shower of red. The severed head fell onto the ground, but his gaze didn't return to the falling flames.

His gaze was drawn to the thing in his hand. Its deadly beauty shut out all else. It was an axe. His axe. This time, it was real. It was [Verun's Bite], and he was Zachary Atwood. Recollection came flooding back. He was in the middle of a tide, and another beast was almost upon him. A murderous spear was even faster. It tore the creature apart, and Joanna emerged from the gory explosion.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Zac said, his mind mostly clear—for now.

"Focus on your cultivation. I'll stand guard," Joanna said.

"Don't," Zac said, looking at the blood-spattered axe in his hand. "Let the beasts come to me. The danger helps me focus."

"I'll be nearby," Joanna said before moving out of the way.

Zac wanted to smile with reassurance, but his face slackened as his thoughts grew muddled again. Where was this? Why was he here? What should he do next? The ground exploding right before him didn't provide an answer, nor did the pain of rocks pelting his face. However, the lightning-quick spike hidden among the shrapnel brought purpose. Its threat reminded Zac of why he'd endured so much over the past years, of the things he needed to accomplish. Of the people in his heart. ŘÀɴо𐌱Ɛṧ

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Two swings, one embodying Life and the other Conflict was Zac's answer. Two fused axelights became the rapturous beginning of Evolution's bloody engine. The spike wasn't cut apart. It was utterly destroyed and thrown into the annals of history. The edge continued into the ground, creating a deep scar that continued for more than a mile.

Lingering streaks of Life and Conflict kept colliding along the trench, bringing the end to thousands of smaller beasts that had advanced in their fallen leaders' wake. Zac looked at his creation and saw his path in the destruction. The scene was eventually erased by the next batch of beasts, and Zac's certainty faded with it.

Zac lost all conception of time and place. He went from battle to battle, cycling between clarity and confusion. A Heart couldn't exist without substance. The emptiness made him reach out for something—anything—to affirm his existence. He lost count of how many times he was led astray before the truth grasped in his right hand brought him back.

Suddenly, Zac's eyes became crystal clear. The outside influences still poured into his Heart from his other half, but they were torn apart by a squirming ball that had appeared in his chest. It wasn't made from any physical matter, nor did it hold Dao or Energy. Only Zac would be able to discern its presence, which didn't take away from the absolute truth of itsexistence.

The shock of discovering the ball left Zac unbalanced, causing it to flicker and almost disappear. Zac quickly steadied himself. His opportunity had arrived, and he couldn't blow it now. Zac poured his emotions into the ball, causing it to shake and distort. Gradually, it morphed into the very item that had repeatedly brought Zac back to the right path—an axe. It didn't look like [Verun's Bite], though, nor did it resemble [Death's Duality].

It was the axe that had started it all, the simple woodcutter hatchet he'd grasped when the world changed. Zac's memories of those days grew clearer as its details filled in. Soon, the hatchet was no different than a physical object. Zac's conviction had influenced reality, conjuring an idol of his will.

Throughout the process, Zac had never paused his slaughter. If anything, it had grown more intense as he reaffirmed his heart. Zac had just killed a rampaging bull and looked around for his next target. There was none. He was standing on a mound of desiccated carcasses the size of a landfill. Haro's vines formed a dense network through the butchered beasts, and their link conveyed sleepy contentment.

There were still plenty of enemies in the distance, but Zac's role in the beast subjugation was over. The bulk of the tide was dealt with, and the leaders were slain. A few Monarchs were already wrapping things up in the distance. Joanna had sent out her posse to deal with any stragglers in the area and was waiting nearby. Zac shed the gobs of blood covering him from head to toe and flew over.

"You seem different, somehow. Harmonious in a violent way," Joanna said with excitement. "Did you do it?"

"I did," Zac smiled, looking at a small hatchet hovering around him. As real as it was, Joanna couldn't see it. At most, very powerful Heart Cultivators would sense its presence. "I've formed my first Warbringer Idol."

Zac had a few requirements for his Heart Tempering Sutra. First, it had to be compatible with his other cultivation. It couldn't incorporate any movements that would interfere with the stances of his body-tempering manuals, nor could it demand too much of his Soul. Second, it couldn't be one that relied on long bouts of secluded meditation. Third, it needed to be connected to the Dao of Conflict.

The second requirement, in particular, had disqualified most of the methods left in the Order of the Empyrean Chalice's repository. Of those that remained, the [Warbringer Dharma] was the best option. Its cultivation speed was only mediocre, but it did have a sought-after feature among warriors.

The [Warbringer Dharma] gained significant boosts after overcoming Life- and Death ordeals, especially battles. It was perfect for a templar fighting on the frontlines and even better for Zac, who went from one disaster to another. Despite its evident upside, the heart tempering sutra was rarely practiced for one simple reason—the high barrier of entry.

The [Warbringer Dharma] didn't have any demands on specific constitution, class, or affinities. You were good to go so long as you had at least one Dao of Conflict. The problem was that it required a stroke of inspiration to get going. You'd be stuck at the starting point until you formed a Warbringer Idol.

A Warbringer Idol wasn't something you could work towards. The manual only explained what to do when the opportunity arrived. Considering the heart-tempering sutra's nature, most practitioners conjured one after a path-affirming life-and-death battle. However, there were records of templars forming one in seclusion. One even did so in the middle of a meal.

The vast majority ended up spending centuries waiting for a sign without anything to show for it, wasting their prime cultivation years. Less than two percent of templar candidates managed to form one within 300 years. Not wanting to leave their cultivation up to chance, most opted for techniques with guaranteed returns.

Rava believed the risk was worth it, even if waiting for an idol precluded you from practicing other Heart Tempering Manuals. Zac was of the same mind. He was extremely young for his cultivation level, and his Dao Heart had already reached the minimum threshold for a templar through accumulated experiences. It wouldn't be too late swapping methods in a century or two if he failed in forming a Warbringer Idol.

Rava had easily refitted it to suit modern cultivation and Zac's path, excepting the Void. Ultom helped modify it further while linking it up with the [Void Emperor Apotheosis]. Zac's ambitions didn't end there. There was an important reason he'd picked a Conflict-based sutra. His goal was to fuse the [Warbringer Dharma] with the [Thousand Axes Chapter].

The idea was to form a Conflict-attuned spiritual body that would be automatically tempered from battle. Unfortunately, that project remained a theory. He still hadn't figured out how to rework the Eidolon-based [Thousand Lights Chapter], let alone how to fuse the two. He'd need another round of Ultom's insight to figure out that mess.

"Any insights you're able to share?" Joanna asked.

Zac wasn't the only one who'd picked up the [Warbringer Dharma]. Intentional Heart Cultivation was exceedingly rare on the frontier, and none of his followers owned a sutra before he opened up the training grounds. There was no downside to knowing the method, so Joanna and a few others had memorized the first layer before leaving.

"I'm afraid not," Zac sighed. "One moment, it was simply there."

"I'll get it if I get it," Joanna shrugged, not overly concerned. "How did you find me? This place is enormous."

Zac didn't get the chance to answer before a tremendous pressure descended on him, locking him in place. The source was a Middle Monarch who'd descended from the sky. His armor was similar to the first general he encountered, except its design was more exquisite. His profoundly dangerous aura far surpassed any Middle Monarch Zac encountered during the intersector war.

This wasn't an enemy Zac could deal with even by pulling out all stops, and he stared at Zac with overt hostility.

"Who are you?"

Zac's mind was a mess from the sudden inquisition. Should he proudly announce himself as a Wendimar and demand some respect? Or was it his borrowed identity that was the problem? He shouldn't have done anything to warrant such hostility since arriving. He hadn't harmed a single cultivator. If anything, he'd saved quite a few while searching for Joanna.

The general's next words provided context, but they also added to Zac's confusion. "What is your relationship to the Order of the Empyrean Chalice? Be warned, I'll strike you down where you stand if I catch a hint of deception."

Zac hadn't expected to hear that name. The imperial soldiers here were clearly not connected to the templars. The same should be true for the general. He was different from the C-grade saints Zac had seen during the pilgrimage trials. The only reason the general could possibly be questioning Zac was the item in his hand. It was a golden chain, from which hung a circle that emitted intense Imperial Faith.

Was it some sort of tracker? If so, what had it discovered? Zac had never spotted any marks of Faith on his body, even after being marked their Holy Son. Was it the [Warbringer Dharma]? No, it wasn't a method exclusive to the Empyrean Chalice. Then—

Zac inwardly swore, finally recalling a seemingly insignificant part of his Heart Cultivation. A few times, he'd homed in on the Memory Lanterns in the sky. It had made him recall the vision when he was conferred the title of a Holy Son. Zac had felt a response from the Imperial Faith hidden throughout the world at that moment.

"Greetings, general. I'm a member of Clan Wendimar," Zac slowly said. "May I ask why my relationship with the Empyrean Chalice is brought into question?"

It didn't matter how the general had caught onto his tail. What mattered was why it was such a big deal. There was no lack of people who'd trained under the templars or had worked with them for missions. More importantly, such Karmic ties should be seen as a good thing. The situation was extremely odd.

"Answer my question," the general said, showing no deference to Zac's status or inclination to answer his question.

"Why are you treating us like criminals? Know your place."

Zac's heart lurched as he glanced in Joanna's direction, seeing her point her spear straight toward the general's face. This wasn't the time or place for her overprotective instincts.

"Your identity is above reproach. His is not, even if his claim of being part of the Ironblooded checks out. It wouldn't be the first time a traitor appeared within the founding families," the general said.

"Traitors?" Joanna said, looking even more outraged. "Explain yourself right now!"

The general hesitated a moment before answering. "Twelve days ago, the Mindful Vista Monastery was razed to the ground. Unknown assailants murdered the defenders and stole the three holy relics. I was tasked with their recovery."

"This beast tide appeared just as we were about to track down one of the relics. Just as I thought our enemy had escaped, this man appeared. Four times, something on his person triggered a powerful response from the rosary. Explain to me what would trigger such a reaction beyond a holy relic."

Joanna looked taken aback while Zac blankly stared at the general. Zac couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd actually become some terrorist's scapegoat because of his breakthrough. How could there be such a coincidence? Esmeralda may have warned of bad luck, but he couldn't have imagined it'd screw him over this bad.

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