DefianceNovels

Chapter 1,019.

Added 2023-02-08 20:11:29 +0000 UTC

IMPORTANT CHANGE:

I generally try to avoid doing retroactive changes to the story, but sometimes you have just pull the trigger and change the past. I have decided to make some changes to chapter 981 (the chapter where Null first explains some rules of the Perennial Vastness), some of which have cascading effects.

For one, I am fixing (removing) the description of the Quarry. I had actually forgotten I had described the Quarry there when I properly plotted out the PV arc during my January editing days. So as some have noted, the description there doesn't match at all what actually transpired in the Quarry.

Secondly, I am changing the description and rules of the monthly Mana stipend mentioned in that chapter. Now, the passage reads as follows:

"Alright," Zac nodded. "And how do I get more points?"

"Well, first of all, you will get 500 Mana every month in the beginning, though that's only until you reach 10,000. After that, you will instead be charged 100 Mana a month. At 20,000, we charge 200, and so on."

"What? Why?" Zac said.

"It's not cheap to maintain the benefits provided by Mana, you know. The more you accumulate, the greater the benefits, but the higher the fee."

In other words, guests no longer get a monthly stipend of 100 Mana per echelon. Instead, someone with 100,000 Mana will have a monthly deduction of 1,000 Mana.

I felt the rules simply didn't makes sense. For one, they were way too generous considering how difficult it is to generate Mana from other sources.

Secondly, it puts a much higher pressure on the upper ends of the guests. They'll have to push themselves harder and harder the further they climb through the echelons, while fighting the Mana poisoning. I feel that is much more in line with how the System does things.

Note: these changes are not yet implemented on Patreon, but consider them canon going forward. I am still going through things to find places I need to adjust to accommodate this change.

-------------

All sound and light were muted in the depths of the pond. It was almost like time stood still, frozen by the intense cold from the depths. Catheya continuously dragged energy into her body from the frigid waters as she circulated [Frigid Doctrine of Zi]. Her ichor coursed through her veins, harmonizing and assimilating the pond's energies while the essence of the energies was dragged into the seed in her lower abdomen.

She had finally managed to reach the 100-meter ledge. Catheya still couldn't see the bottom of the Belsim pond, but she guessed she'd reached the halfway point. She'd be ready to start her core formation when she could reach that spot and stay there without being overwhelmed by the death and cold.

Of course, that final stretch was no joke. Catheya shuddered as another glacial tendril from below caressed her leg, leaving her calf frozen solid. But she wouldn't give in. She could tell there was something special about the depths. Perhaps an array or a natural formation? Either case, the depths felt like a bonfire of Dao when she circulated her manual. Not even the shallows of the Abyssal Lake emitted such intense power, though the Tears of Belsim didn't nurture her bloodline.

"You have an entry request."

'He's here?' Catheya asked as she slowly opened her eyes.

"An Ogras Azh'Rezak requests an audience," Winter answered.

A surge of annoyance flared in Catheya's chest, but she still started ascending the pond. Zac was already three days late to their date, and now his shadow came knocking instead? She knew they were all busy, but it still hurt.

She'd heard of how women back home ignored their partners as punishment for their transgressions. But how was that a punishment to Zac? He'd get engrossed by one of his projects in no time and soon forget he was being ignored. Infuriating. Besides, his drive and dedication were attributes she loved, so the situation was doubly frustrating.

A wave of frigid air greeted Catheya as she emerged from the pond, but the iceswept winds almost felt sweltering after spending the past five days in the depths. She channeled her Miasma to dry her clothes and hair as she accepted the request through her guide.

"What is it?" Catheya grunted as the demon stepped through the gate.

"What's with the long face?" the demon grinned before shuddering. "This place is the worst."

"Well, it wasn't made for you," Catheya said. "Where is he?"

"I found some clues to an item he needed for that hammer of his the other day," Ogras explained.

That cursed hammer. This wasn't the first date it had ruined over the past year.

"You or your goblin?" Catheya said with a roll of her eyes.

"What's the difference? We're both benefitting, aren't we?" Ogras snorted. "Or do you want to change our agreement?"

"Nevermind, I'm just a bit annoyed," Catheya sighed. "So you found some clues."

"The numbers indicated a Green Zone, so we feared it'd start a global quest if we waited. We've been narrowing it down for the past week," Ogras explained as he took out a bottle that seemed to contain liquid fire. He took a deep swig, and Catheya could see how the demon's life force almost seemed to have ignited. "That's better."

"So?"

"He needs your help. Can we go before my little spear turns into an icicle?"

"He clearly preferred your help," Catheya said, unable to fully keep out the resentment of his voice. "Why bother coming to me and ruin your good time?"

"Is that what you want me to convey?" Ogras countered with a raised brow.

"…No," Catheya sighed. "Where to?"

"Well… It's the Heavenly Cauldrons."

Catheya blanched before looking at the demon suspiciously. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"If a Green Zone can kill you, you're probably not ready for Hegemony."

"You know what I mean," Catheya glowered. "That place is my nemesis."

"That's why he needs your help. Opposites and all that," Ogras grinned.

"Fine," Catheya sighed as she mentally prepared herself for an absolutely dreadful day.

"What a devoted wife," the demon grinned as the teleportation array activated. "Entering the gates of hell for her beloved. Makes my heart swell."

Catheya would normally have started shooting icicles after the demon at this point, but she was busy placing talismans on her body to deal with the heat that radiated out of the gate. The two stepped through, and Catheya had to forcibly resist jumping back in. Waves of Fire and Life assaulted her and tried to burrow into her body. They stood atop scorched steppes covered with angrily shining moss.

Within that moss, small beetles scuttled about, making Catheya's skin crawl.

"Yeah, not great," Ogras commented as he followed Catheya's gaze. "They're only by the teleporter, though. I think they like the spatial energy."

"Where to?" Catheya said, already feeling her skin heat up.

The talismans lit up one after another and started releasing the stockpiled Miasma, and a ring on her finger began releasing an icy mist. Unfortunately, her preparations could only do so much when faced with a fully attuned environment. She was only one person, and it was impossible to push away the pervasive Dao around her completely. It was like trying to hide a stench with perfume. It just resulted in a different type of stinky scent.

"This way, young miss," the insufferable demon said with a bow. How did he manage to make a bow sarcastic?

The two didn't exchange many words as they set out across the steppes, passing a series of golden rivers and pools of magma. Thankfully, Zac was inside a large volcano she could see far in the distance. It wouldn't take more than an hour or two to get there.

"Any news from your goblin friend?" Catheya eventually asked.

"He says a surge is forming," Ogras grinned. "Right now, the energy levels across most realms are decreasing slightly, but that's because it's accumulating."

"When?" Catheya asked.

"Two years, maybe. It'll depend on the realms. Some might only need a final push to produce a material."

"Will you two be able to figure it out in time?" Catheya asked curiously.

This was their shot. Zac was just too much of a machine, and they couldn't keep up unless he visited realms suited for their strength. Neither did either feel comfortable relying too heavily on him for Mana. So the two had decided to team up, using [Perennial Transformations] as a foundation. They had already managed to trigger and finish two local quests, though they'd only gained 1,000 Mana each this way.

However, it was relatively risk-free and only took them a couple of days. The problem was it was quite difficult to meet the requirements of that Numerologist Zac knew. His scheme was essentially to abuse hidden rules of the Perennial Vastness and create artificial fate through proximity and timing. Arrive early or too late, and you wouldn't trigger a personal quest. Either no quest would trigger or a global one if the treasure was valuable enough.

It was quite ingenious but also very difficult to perfect. Luckily, Ogras had that mysterious spectral goblin for help. In return, she provided manpower through the Undead Empire. She was also more powerful than the demon, so they had agreed to split the bounties 50-50. Still, it was shocking how much the man had grown since they met in the Tower of Eternity. She wouldn't have had a leg to stand on if she hadn't been sent to the Abyssal Shores.

Especially when you considered that flag... Catheya shuddered at the memory. She knew a thing or two about souls and reanimation, and that thing wasn't natural.

The two kept a steady pace, though Catheya felt her focus start to waver at the constant onslaught of hostile Dao and energy. Thankfully, they'd reached the volcano, and Catheya gritted her teeth upon seeing a familiar figure step out from a hidden tunnel.

"You!" Catheya growled as she stomped over. "Two days late, and then you drag me to this purgatory? What did I do to deserve this?

"I'm sorry. Look, I'm suffering with you!" Zac said as he quickly transformed into his Draugr form. Immediately, his face collapsed into a pained visage, and he hunched over while grasping his chest. "Ow ow, the heat!"

A smile crept up Catheya's face, but she pushed it down and roused her annoyance as she poked him in his side. "Jerk, like I don't know your body tempering method translates into resistance to this exact environment."

"I'm sorry, really," Zac smiled. "You look very pretty today."

"I'm a sweaty mess," Catheya huffed, partly mollified. "Well, what do you need me to freeze here? The sooner we can leave, the better."

"Come," Zac said, grasping her hand as he led her inside.

"How did your cultivation session go?"

"Not bad," Catheya said as she released a content sigh. For some reason, the heat was lower inside the volcano than outside. "I think my seed will be finished in four years."

"That's great," Zac smiled. "Guess we're both ahead of schedule."

"This is the fourth, right?" Catheya asked.

"Well, we'll see," Zac smiled.

The two continued further into the mountain, and the tunnel grew darker as the heat grew more sparse. Catheya soon realized it wasn't the mountain. Zac had installed cooling arrays in the tunnel, and she felt some sweetness in her chest. He'd probably known she would be hot and miserable by the time she arrived and made some preparations. Twenty minutes later, there was finally a change in the path. A weak golden light lit up the tunnel in the distance, and Catheya inwardly braced herself. They were about to reach the molten core.

Then, there was nothing: no life, no fire, no heat. But neither was there any death or cold. There was just nothing, like she had stepped out of Heaven's purview. It was both disconcerting and liberating, and it almost felt like she couldn't tell where she ended and the air began.

Catheya looked at Zac with confusion, but he only smiled as he led her toward the light. They turned around a bend and found themselves in a room filled with a soft glow. A thick rug covered the ground, a low table where a bottle of chilled wine stood waiting, and lots of pillows. There were no lights or candles, but then none were needed.

The cave simply ended at the opposite side, exposing the room to a breathtaking vista. It was a vast sea of fire releasing innumerable bubbles of life-giving light. The lights slowly rose toward the sky but collapsed just before they reached the volcano's mouth. It created a beautiful and ever-changing ambiance that filled the area.

"What— How?" Catheya whispered as she looked around with confusion. There were no holy beacons, no arrays. She couldn't sense any energy fluctuations at all. Or rather, she could, but they disappeared right outside the cave. It was like she was standing inside a raging fire, yet the flames somehow missed her. Was it a separate dimension? But there should still be hints of Dao if so.

"I've been thinking about what you said that day. How you felt like an outsider," Zac explained. "So I built this. A way to enjoy the view without relying on flooding the environment with Miasma."

Catheya wordlessly looked at him, her vision swimming.

Zac awkwardly scratched his chin, like he so often did. "I know it's just a small room and not really what you meant. I just thought you'd like—"

His words grew indistinct and were then stopped as she pressed her lips against his. She soon felt those strong arms enclose her and was filled with contentment.

"I love it," Catheya whispered. "I can't believe you sealed the Heavens for me."

-------------

Til'Siri's hearts rattled as she stood at attention by the teleportation array. She felt like she was part of history, about to catch a glimpse of the birth of the Era.

"Be careful what you say," Til'Siri once more reminded her irascible companion. "The Primordial was born in a more brutal era."

"I know, I know," Emberstorm shrugged. "Though if you ask me, it's a waste of time. This old thing is as ancient as the Era itself. I bet she won't even get accepted by Ultom, no matter how loved by the Heavens she is."

"Even if it turns out she can't enter, she'll still be the leader of our operations here," Til'Siri countered, hiding the smile that tugged at her lips. "Besides, the ancestors wouldn't have awoken one of the four remaining Primordials if they weren't confident she'd be able to participate."

"Whatever," Emberstorm muttered. "Bunch of dusty things that don't understand this Era, if you ask me. They were strong, alright, but they were just supersized barbarians without skills or technique."

"Well, no one asked," Til'Siri spat. "Now be quiet, or you'll get us both killed."

An hour passed until the array finally lit up. Til'Siri smoothed her dress, prompting a derisive snort from the insectoid.

Then, she stepped through, and Til'Siri could barely prevent her ardent expression from collapsing. The Primordial was short and round to the point she was almost a circle. However, she was all muscle and asymmetrical bones, giving off an intensely deadly aura. Her face was flat and unexpressive, completely lacking the graceful features commonly associated with a perfect Atavism. Simply put, she was ugly, incredibly so, with the exception of her eyes. They glowed with purple splendor, and Til'Siri felt like she was looking at the Dao itself.

"We greet the esteemed Primordial!" Til'Siri said with a deep bow, and she inwardly sneered upon seeing that Emberstorm didn't follow suit.

It looked like her goading had worked.

"So you're the one they dug out of that deep abyss? The one who's supposed to lead us without having merit or qualifications?" Emberstorm said. "If you want to lead me, you'll have to endure my attack."

The stout creature wordlessly looked at Emberstorm for a second before slowly reaching out her hand. Emberstorm snorted as flames lit up across his body, and a deafening drone made the air crackle. But a frown appeared on his face as the hand kept getting closer. Til'Siri shook her head, feeling her senses were being messed with. It didn't seem the Primordial's hand was growing, but rather that the universe shrunk to accommodate her will.

Emberstorm tried to create some distance, but the hand was intractable. A storm of scorching flames erupted on Emberstorm's body, but they were snuffed like a weak candle as the hand closed around him. The Primordial hadn't even given him a chance to launch an attack before attacking herself.

"Wait—" Emberstorm screamed, his anger finally turning into fear. But it was too late.

The arm pulled back, and the Primordial put her whole hand into her oversized mouth. Til'Siri shook as she stood rooted in place, sweat pouring down her back as she found the horrifying creature locking eyes with hers as she slowly started to chew. A few ghastly crunches were followed by a gulp. Like that, one of the rising stars of the Starbeast Swarm had been turned into a snack.

"He dared challenge the natural order without understanding his or my strength," the creature said. "That is unacceptable."

Til'Siri could only nod, afraid she'd be targeted next.

"This System has made you all weak and irresolute," the Primordial continued. "It gives a veneer of order when the only truth is power. I will not kill you today. But you will replace the schemes in your heart with strength if you wish to follow me."

"Y-yes," Til'Siri shuddered, knowing her plot had been seen through.

Til'Siri knew there was no scheming against this ancestor. Looking into her eyes put her under even greater pressure than meeting her ancestor. Til'Siri should have known better after learning of her origins. About a unique creature who had reached the limits of the broken Heaven of that primordial Era. Someone who had slaughtered Supremacies and bathed in their blood.

Someone with the strength and determination to give up her spot at the peak and seal her reincarnation in the river of time, all for a chance to push beyond the limits of the Dao when the Heavens had recovered.

"What about the matter?"

"The local faction is called the Kan'Tanu. They do not have the means to stabilize the Space Gate forcibly, and they are still organizing their armies," Til'Siri hurriedly said, feeling she'd been given a new lease on life. "On your command, I've petitioned the elders to help. Array Masters will arrive in two months with the required materials. Their preliminary report is that it will take another two months at most to finish the process."

"Good. Today's universe is too wretched, and the Heavens are spread too thin. I will have to rekindle my memories with blood instead of Dao. Constantly relying on my bloodline is too tiring."

"What does Mistress want to do until then?"

"We continue into the Million Gates," the Primordial said. "The cosmos is pointing me toward the first key."

Til'Siri nodded, trying to quell her jealousy. Born from the Dao itself in the chaotic cauldron of a nascent Era, blessed by the cosmos in a way you'd never see today. Having the Heavens whisper its secrets into your ear, pointing you down the correct path.

How were others to compete with a lifeform like this?

Comments

Soooo many great lines in this chapter! "He'd get engrossed by one of his projects in no time and soon forget he was being ignored. Infuriating." 😆 🤣

Paul Hoskins

2023-03-29 17:43:05 +0000 UTC

I take it back Zack and Cat are cute as fuk

2023-02-27 05:18:43 +0000 UTC

WOOT!! Loved it!

Mike

2023-02-14 08:39:55 +0000 UTC

The two were discussing her being brought in specifically for Ultom, and heading out to get keys for it. They might not even be part of the war arc, as it felt like the Star Beast Alliance is more focused on Ultom

Ormond S

2023-02-11 00:55:28 +0000 UTC

Fascinating. The Primordial almost feels like Zach’s antithesis. Specifically in regards to his bloodline and Void abilities. Someone beloved by the Dao and the heavens, vs the ultimate Defier of them, one who both possess no affinities and cultivates power that is its void.

Ormond S

2023-02-11 00:51:42 +0000 UTC

She’s introduced in ch 835

David Guevara

2023-02-10 14:24:30 +0000 UTC

Nice chapter. The Primordial seems terrifying, on a whole new level. Hopefully it can only interefere and oppose zac so much.

2023-02-09 21:33:44 +0000 UTC

f5f5f5f5f5f5, ups sorry wrong chat

Indy

2023-02-09 17:50:28 +0000 UTC

She's most certainly an enemy given her alignment to the star beast alliance. Though im quite certain her species was talked about by Iz dao guardian, though if memory serves right, she was some winged thing whose wingspan would cover an entire world upon maturity.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-09 17:12:46 +0000 UTC

I pretty sure she was the girl that was traveling inside the Orom. But she’s definitely not a friend

David Guevara

2023-02-09 16:55:49 +0000 UTC

She was mentioned in chapter 899 as one of the people sent by the Starbeast Alliance.

Kartikey Sharma

2023-02-09 16:55:29 +0000 UTC

I think she is the women being carried around by Orom. So neutral, although they are probably a competing faction in the inheritance coming up after PV

Zaionar

2023-02-09 16:52:25 +0000 UTC

Can someone remind me who Til'Siri is, is she a friend of enemy of Zach?

David Stifter

2023-02-09 16:24:50 +0000 UTC

real smooth

Thenais

2023-02-09 15:45:56 +0000 UTC

I have a theory as to how the systems is "balancing the books" in regards to the law of balance with Zac. Rather not call it yet but hopefully TFD is going to use this as a major plot point down the line.

NeverNaught

2023-02-09 14:31:43 +0000 UTC

I just assumed he just created the room etc as a smokescreen then used voidzone. Basically only needed to hide that it was coming from him

Henry Wartemberg

2023-02-09 11:08:00 +0000 UTC

Til'Siri isn't that strong. She was intimitated by Iz (chapter 835) despite being D-grade to Iz's E-grade. Early D grade, and over 600 years old - I'm betting Zac could defeat her with his current strength.

Random Information

2023-02-09 10:55:02 +0000 UTC

It's a good chapter, I just feel like we should have had one between this one and the last one. Its nice to see Zac and Cat actually get together.

Kangaroo

2023-02-09 10:31:37 +0000 UTC

Yeah, it's a bit worrisome after this thing shows up during a chapter where zac is being sweet AND just as he decides to move on😨😨. I'm vehemently hoping TFD doesn't kill her off because, unlike Thea, she's an interesting character with some actual substance and their time together and the advancement of their relationship was earned in a way Theas wasn't, kinda just happened despite little build up for it.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-09 10:07:08 +0000 UTC

4 months real time is 40 months Pv time, so 3 years and 4 months.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-09 10:02:30 +0000 UTC

Every 10 years in VP is 1 in the main dimension. About the omnitool 'After the hammer had been replenished, Zac would have to infuse Daos from all seventeen peaks into the tool. By that point, it would be fully stabilized'. My point is that seeing Zac infuse a duo from the first peak he visited on the imperial spire would have made more sense than just skipping to he can make some sort of void zone. Of course we do not need to see all 17 zones, never said we should. But seeing the first part of a technique or plot point is good. It would be a bit laking if for the body and soul technique we only got the scene where he perfects it. Or JF could not have mentioned the spire at all and just done a time skip after their first date and instead done a part chapter on something else. My point stands that the jump from half way up the spire to start working on the omnitool to him using it was not smooth and felt jaring. It would be like finding a method to resurrect Alea one chapter and then she is out and about the next one.

Kangaroo

2023-02-09 09:50:13 +0000 UTC

Hes absorbed the surrounding Daos using the hammer (now that he has 3 peak powers restored) so yea an array type sinario

Tyler S.

2023-02-09 09:08:19 +0000 UTC

I love Cat, and hope she doesn't die. That said I will be surprised if a major character doesn't die during the war.

Dols1618

2023-02-09 08:34:23 +0000 UTC

maybe using an array? Because I dont recall him upgrading is Bloodline or skills/nodes

Jenozie

2023-02-09 07:58:28 +0000 UTC

I dont think there are "game breaking" problems yet. The system made a personal opportunity into an event where many people can improve themselves and limited it below 100 in age. So using conflict to maximise potential, seems right up the systems directives. As for the old monster we have seen, that the system can be bypassed to some degree, but not completely and only at a cost. So my guess would be that said old monster will have to devote resources/time to stave of the system, or maybe if it uses to much power during the event the system becomes directly involved (maybe late or peak D-grade level at most). And as for an out-universe perspective I have to say that strong oponents make for a better story (most of the time). There are many possibilities from forcing it to use power in such a way the system takes notice, to the old monsters followers (being forced maybe) betray it when an oppertunity presents itself or many other ideas.

Jenozie

2023-02-09 07:54:56 +0000 UTC

Their was a character from the generation of the limitless emperor time that flat out said that he wanted the inheritance for Zac (his friend descendent) but the System intervened and made it a competition. Then we get this disappointing plot hole where a side can have an old monster of old (same case with the character mentioned before that wanted the inheritance for Zac) yet the system stops one but not the other. This is my biggest issue with the whole novel. The system is shown to follow BALANCE yet it's unfair to Zac on so many things lately that it's not even funny.

Abdullah Binateag

2023-02-09 06:15:53 +0000 UTC

Pro timeskip complaining about timeskip 🤒

Thenais

2023-02-09 04:26:36 +0000 UTC

Don't you dare, Catheya is best girl and will survive it all

2023-02-09 04:18:52 +0000 UTC

The top realms with the best treasures are gated by echelon.

Taylor

2023-02-09 03:37:39 +0000 UTC

I hope that meatball isn't a foreshadow to Catheya's death

Taylor

2023-02-09 03:35:56 +0000 UTC

Yes

Mitchell Robert Guza

2023-02-09 03:11:17 +0000 UTC

Is Til'Siri the "young miss" from the Starbeast alliance .... the one who had been travelling with Orom

MrrC

2023-02-09 02:26:42 +0000 UTC

Plus 4 months of real space time is 4 years in PV. Zac will get out just in time for the war to start and get hucked right into the thick of it as soon as he gets back. With new skills and classes to work with and try.

2023-02-09 01:34:48 +0000 UTC

We won’t see this enemy until the war. They’re coming from the other side of the gates.

Dan

2023-02-09 01:33:59 +0000 UTC

It's not like he's forgotten about the omnitool, this chapter was great. A beautiful romantic scene with Catheya and foreshadowing a great enemy once he leaves the Perennial Vastness.

EnigmaticOne

2023-02-09 01:16:02 +0000 UTC

I'm not sure what I'm more shocked by: Zac being actually really romantic or Zac now having to ability to create void zones to this degree.

Michael Fannon

2023-02-09 01:06:35 +0000 UTC

Love this chapter.

EnigmaticOne

2023-02-08 23:45:56 +0000 UTC

Sorry to say it plain and simple: really great story!! Time arc today was also well done, though I need a sec. to realize the jump :-) but I m also clearly looking forward do a meeting of the primordial and zac ;-) and maybe iz too

IlI architrue IlI

2023-02-08 23:45:27 +0000 UTC

It is likely kalpataru

Timothy Dana

2023-02-08 23:38:02 +0000 UTC

I can picture zac just hacking away constantly beating this thing around like a baseball in their fight and can't stop smirking at the thought 😆🤣🤣

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 23:01:12 +0000 UTC

Ultom wasn't really zacs opportunity, though. Zac becoming the first flame bearer set everything into motion certainly, but Ultom was always meant to be a competition and proving themselves worthy, Iz becoming a Flamebearer all but verifies this. The only thing the system did was change how the inheritance was to proceed by tying it to the war and taking the last piece till it deems right to release it.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 22:58:38 +0000 UTC

Binds with the duo?? What??? Explain to me how seeing zac visit 17 peaks helps us or progresses the story or plot in any meaningful way?? Especially given each peak would need a ch to flush it out well enough Besides seeing zac acquiring the last treasure for the tool, the others can be talked about in passing; especially given he's just repairing the Omni-tool as of now; though I think you expect to much of TFD, there's only so much one can do to explain a technique without falling all over oneself and the laws of their creation until a plot hole of massive proportions opens up so they'd feel it'd be better to explain around it or make it vague instead. Also, TFD has been long setting up big cultivation timeskips involving zac as we can't and shouldn't see every single step he takes on a path spanning Eons. Did we really lose anything not seeing zac reach the 2nd layer of his body tempering technique or cultivating his soul to the limits? No we didn't!! And the fact we didn't lose out on anything shows just how strong TFD writing and world building is, and I feel as long as we see the initial process and then future breakthroughs with some build up, then we'll not be left wanting or hollowed like so many other novels have left us. Besides, this is zac, you know he'll have to go through hell to master these techniques.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 22:49:42 +0000 UTC

Thanks for the chapter. With an Axe Til.

Joshua Little

2023-02-08 22:45:35 +0000 UTC

I think you mean that Zac has to fight an angry meatball. Sure, it’s a super powerful angry meatball, but my point stands.

CringeWorthyStudios

2023-02-08 22:42:47 +0000 UTC

To clarify I was moaning about authors in the cultivation genre routinely using meditation time skips to progress the story instead of using something interesting. JF has so far used such time skips quite well in my opinion. Various skill and soul cultivation time skips in both Twilight ocean and Orom where smooth. With good and well explained logic as to why cultivating or repetitive training in that unique place for a few months strengthened Zac. Thus enhancing rather than ditracting from the story. I think this chapter is probably the only time skip that breaks the immersion and I literally just finished re reading the whole series before this chapter.

Kangaroo

2023-02-08 22:36:59 +0000 UTC

What encourages people to advance is literally unchanged: higher echelons is what is required to build your core better. It still manipulates the environment to your advantage, and that was the main reason for gaining mana to begin with.

Luke Scheffe

2023-02-08 22:35:34 +0000 UTC

I also feel like I am missing some details about the Omnitool. I figure the details are things that will be better explained the first time he uses it for plot-relevant purposes. I do disagree, however, with the idea that massive meditation time skips means cultivation is easy -- Zac is an absolute freak, but he can only take those meditation time skips because he threw several metric tons of money and treasure at loads of smart people to keep things running and keep his cultivation chamber safe and intact.

CUI13

2023-02-08 22:26:30 +0000 UTC

The PV arc started on ch 978; we are currently 41 chapters into this arc, which is around half of the ToE arc capping at 86 from my count. That would mean 45 more chapters of PV, and that seems about right length wise. About 9 chapters per item on zacs to do list along with 10 or so more for core formation and scenes at key points involving the undead empire, that 7th prince or whatever and the primordial and it'd be perfect. Also, quickys? Really🤨🤨 Try again on that one, and time skips like that are some of the best, small increments of time skips ranging from a month to a year works wonders on expediting the story while the benign stuff is said in passing; we don't need to see zac visit every peak for his omnitool but seeing him complete the last one for the first cycle? Obviously that would be more interesting.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 22:21:00 +0000 UTC

This feels like a chapter is missing, no scene of infusing the omnitool.

Kangaroo

2023-02-08 22:12:19 +0000 UTC

Did I miss a chapter, we skipped the scene of how the omnitool binds with the duo. Honesty don't get why people are moaning about it being 'too slow'. The long series of adventures is what makes both the world and the cultivation path so believable. Too many cultivation stories just tell you about a super technique and then the mc just keeps acing one after another. It makes the story fast but hollow. How difficult can cultivation be if you go to say D grade in three years or have massive meditation time skips.

Kangaroo

2023-02-08 22:07:33 +0000 UTC

I think the system is already pushing the Law of balance considering that it took Zac's opportunity and shared it with the greater cosmos. I also think the less you interact with the system the less it can interfere with you, without cost anyway.

NeverNaught

2023-02-08 21:58:56 +0000 UTC

Zactheya!

Bender

2023-02-08 21:56:58 +0000 UTC

Mostly its about the 500 free mana. Almost everyone would be encouraged to have a slow start as opposed to the rare few who would need to act like Zac and go from nothing to ninety. I could see a lot of people using the Keys of Accession a lot more in this scenario.

NeverNaught

2023-02-08 21:54:01 +0000 UTC

And you still get mana poisoning with low amounts of mana, so the more time you waster in PV the worse off you are

Lucas Gulick

2023-02-08 21:51:47 +0000 UTC

I wonder if TFD is giving all all the people who keep crying for quicker progression what they want but doing in such a way as to give them literature whiplash. I wonder how many timeskips it would take for people to start complaining that things are going too fast. Also for those asking to quicken the progression. (now know as quickys) PV should be at lest as long the ToE arc plus some. ToE was for the F grade. You could see PV as being both for E and D grades. Zac still need to finish his check list for E grade and make a badass core considering how much importance was mentioned that having a good start made the D grade easier. Also Zac's a crafter now so that needs some dedicated chapters.

NeverNaught

2023-02-08 21:44:37 +0000 UTC

Because the accumulation of mana helps with the core formation, from what I remember.

Morningfrost

2023-02-08 21:37:07 +0000 UTC

She should be D-grade for the system to consider her. Maybe she is even considered level one (early F grade) since she used the power of her bloodline to elevate herself, comes from before the system and was reanimated/wake-up only recently.

Gabriel F

2023-02-08 21:29:45 +0000 UTC

Now I've got this image of Zac having to do a strange dance and then shout "u can't touch this" to make the Omnitool work.

Random Information

2023-02-08 21:22:17 +0000 UTC

TFD world building second to none. This story really took off once Zac left Earth and the sky was the limit.

Mason W

2023-02-08 21:21:17 +0000 UTC

lol that thing fits the rules to be less then 100 years old? (chapter 899) Til’Siri is a talented D-grade elite and seems completely outclassed. it will be interesting how powerful this primordial is compared to system cultivators. Maybe like an early C-grade?

Manuel

2023-02-08 21:19:58 +0000 UTC

The heritage he just got like 2-3 chapters ago

Russell Widger

2023-02-08 21:10:59 +0000 UTC

As powerful as that thing is, there’s no way the system won’t try to fuck with it. This treasure is supposed to be for those of the younger generation.

Aaron Schwartz

2023-02-08 21:08:04 +0000 UTC

Are you talking about Wal'Zo from ch 918? He's more than likely the latent will left behind to govern Ultom as that eternal heritage is special even among others. Also, my guess is that sapling actually births treasures but needs to collect time to bring them about; why billions of years could pass without it growing. As to how it'd do that and the time to bring those treasures to fruition is beyond me. As to how they talked well the Supremacy can obviously move about so conversation shouldn't be too hard.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 21:06:16 +0000 UTC

So the new rules for mana change damn near most of PV. So much rewrite. What exactly encourages people to move out of the first echelon? A good strategy now would be to stay in the first echelon spending mana like Zac did on the core stress test simulation. keep mana poisoning as low as possible by burning it going to green and orange zone's looking for treasures, scouting out areas, forming alliances with other guests, and if not setting up surveillance arrays (PV could easily disallow) doing some other shenanigans. Also why a free 500 mana to force people into the 2nd echelon? Seems plot related.

NeverNaught

2023-02-08 21:05:59 +0000 UTC

Until I figure out which hammer they are talking about, I will assume it is MC Hammer.

Obran

2023-02-08 21:05:55 +0000 UTC

I'm guessing that she's pretty confused on how Zac keeps appearing and disappearing all the time. A bit like this very powerful Undead guy ...

Random Information

2023-02-08 21:05:38 +0000 UTC

Let’s see how much your ancient dao matters in the face of the void

James Faulkner

2023-02-08 20:59:12 +0000 UTC

She will be washed off in his wake like the has been she is🤷🏻‍♂️

Orims

2023-02-08 20:53:10 +0000 UTC

I honestly want to know about that tree sapling who grows so slow in billions of years, that is interesting

Stefan Muntean

2023-02-08 20:52:41 +0000 UTC

I can't wait to see how their fight will play out; a former Supremacies reincarnation once again taking the stage while literally having the heavens whisper in her ears to zac, the deviant Asura and the incarnate of chaos itself........ yeah, I'll put it all in on mister chaos incarnate winning as his chaos is not so easily denied🤣🤣🤣

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 20:52:07 +0000 UTC

Also, doesn't she sound like a cultivator delicacy? Like a stinky cheese?

Kiwilord

2023-02-08 20:51:21 +0000 UTC

I still want to hear more about the POV from 50+ chapters ago, the ancient being who received a tree/sapling from the Limitless Emperor. He seemed like he was not only from before the Era, but was a part of the Limitless Empire and the creations of the System/Heavens itself.

Brian Block

2023-02-08 20:49:44 +0000 UTC

She said in a few months, but given that zacs been all over, they're likely having trouble keeping up with him.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 20:48:52 +0000 UTC

Ok, I change my mind MORE POWER UPS MORE. Zacs is going to have ti fight a fucking former Supremacy that reached the limits when the heavens were still frayed and broken only to then kill herself and seal her reincarnation all for a chance to reach beyond the heavens. Ahh yes, she's also guided by the cosmos ITSELF. Wtf, even Iz isn't this broken😱😱 Though maybe we'll see them team up to take this creature down; would be interesting indeed, though I worry about that blood to be spilled; seems Zecia is going to have an even rougher go at it. Also; I love this moment between zac and catheya, was so sweet, but seeing as how the space was devoid of Dao and energy harmful to her, is there a way zac could forge an item that keeps the bad dao and energy away from the undead? If so, then this would be a game changer that would have the whole empires backing. Also also only FOUR MONTHS?????? FUCK an early start to the war; this isn't going to bode well for zecia at all.

Lex Luther S

2023-02-08 20:44:16 +0000 UTC

Good stuff on the changes, makes a bit more sense :) And DW, as clean as patreon releases are, this isnt final "book" material as far as i take it. The rough outlines and plot sure, specifics, no. Keep the good work im loving this arc :)

Radzig

2023-02-08 20:43:29 +0000 UTC

We'll, now we know what is going to kill Cat

Kiwilord

2023-02-08 20:41:00 +0000 UTC

I feel a little time skip a

Cole child-phillips

2023-02-08 20:39:44 +0000 UTC

i would love if the imperial princess was from zacs pov just a random group of idiots he killed on the side in a redzone XD. Like bam oneshoted and move on ^^

Indy

2023-02-08 20:37:39 +0000 UTC

My boy Zac sealing the heavens for his girl

RenegadeSoul

2023-02-08 20:36:16 +0000 UTC

Sounds like he set up some sort of small, permanent void zone.

Merc715

2023-02-08 20:32:41 +0000 UTC

First, I love Zac trying to be a good boyfriend; they both deserve some time before returning to the meat grinder that will be Orthom. Also, our angry meatball will learn that her heavenly guidance will do jack shit to the avatar of chaos.

Orims

2023-02-08 20:32:24 +0000 UTC

Well he does have a hammer, a man and a hammer can deny the heaven you know 😀

Stefan Muntean

2023-02-08 20:32:14 +0000 UTC

Wait....wait! What about that imperial Princess from first heaven who was planning to act against Zac in 3 months? Yesterday i was thinking about it...new adversary...another young master🤭 and now you show us a real powerful enemy, a nemesis from beyond time it self! Pretty cool! But you did started a story thread with that first heaven blabla

Stefan Muntean

2023-02-08 20:29:08 +0000 UTC

"seed" hehe

Indy

2023-02-08 20:24:56 +0000 UTC

Greatful for the small time jumps. Love the progress on multiple fronts. Can't wait for more.

Steven McNeeley

2023-02-08 20:24:05 +0000 UTC

What did Zac do? And how?

Random Information

2023-02-08 20:22:45 +0000 UTC

For a second there I thought there had been a massive time jump when she said a year! Good to see the romance continues though

Thomas Todd

2023-02-08 20:18:31 +0000 UTC

Lol, all good. TFTC!

Naotsugu97

2023-02-08 20:17:25 +0000 UTC

Yeehaw

richter

2023-02-08 20:13:55 +0000 UTC

Thanks

2023-02-08 20:13:05 +0000 UTC

Thanks TFD

One Pump Chump

2023-02-08 20:11:59 +0000 UTC

first

Jeff Taylor

2023-02-08 20:11:48 +0000 UTC

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Chapter 1,019.

Comments

Soooo many great lines in this chapter! "He'd get engrossed by one of his projects in no time and soon forget he was being ignored. Infuriating." 😆 🤣

I take it back Zack and Cat are cute as fuk

WOOT!! Loved it!

The two were discussing her being brought in specifically for Ultom, and heading out to get keys for it. They might not even be part of the war arc, as it felt like the Star Beast Alliance is more focused on Ultom

Fascinating. The Primordial almost feels like Zach’s antithesis. Specifically in regards to his bloodline and Void abilities. Someone beloved by the Dao and the heavens, vs the ultimate Defier of them, one who both possess no affinities and cultivates power that is its void.

She’s introduced in ch 835

Nice chapter. The Primordial seems terrifying, on a whole new level. Hopefully it can only interefere and oppose zac so much.

f5f5f5f5f5f5, ups sorry wrong chat

She's most certainly an enemy given her alignment to the star beast alliance. Though im quite certain her species was talked about by Iz dao guardian, though if memory serves right, she was some winged thing whose wingspan would cover an entire world upon maturity.

I pretty sure she was the girl that was traveling inside the Orom. But she’s definitely not a friend

She was mentioned in chapter 899 as one of the people sent by the Starbeast Alliance.

I think she is the women being carried around by Orom. So neutral, although they are probably a competing faction in the inheritance coming up after PV

Can someone remind me who Til'Siri is, is she a friend of enemy of Zach?

real smooth

I have a theory as to how the systems is "balancing the books" in regards to the law of balance with Zac. Rather not call it yet but hopefully TFD is going to use this as a major plot point down the line.

I just assumed he just created the room etc as a smokescreen then used voidzone. Basically only needed to hide that it was coming from him

Til'Siri isn't that strong. She was intimitated by Iz (chapter 835) despite being D-grade to Iz's E-grade. Early D grade, and over 600 years old - I'm betting Zac could defeat her with his current strength.

It's a good chapter, I just feel like we should have had one between this one and the last one. Its nice to see Zac and Cat actually get together.

4 months real time is 40 months Pv time, so 3 years and 4 months.

Hes absorbed the surrounding Daos using the hammer (now that he has 3 peak powers restored) so yea an array type sinario

I love Cat, and hope she doesn't die. That said I will be surprised if a major character doesn't die during the war.

maybe using an array? Because I dont recall him upgrading is Bloodline or skills/nodes

Pro timeskip complaining about timeskip 🤒

Don't you dare, Catheya is best girl and will survive it all

The top realms with the best treasures are gated by echelon.

I hope that meatball isn't a foreshadow to Catheya's death

Yes

Is Til'Siri the "young miss" from the Starbeast alliance .... the one who had been travelling with Orom

Plus 4 months of real space time is 4 years in PV. Zac will get out just in time for the war to start and get hucked right into the thick of it as soon as he gets back. With new skills and classes to work with and try.

We won’t see this enemy until the war. They’re coming from the other side of the gates.

It's not like he's forgotten about the omnitool, this chapter was great. A beautiful romantic scene with Catheya and foreshadowing a great enemy once he leaves the Perennial Vastness.

I'm not sure what I'm more shocked by: Zac being actually really romantic or Zac now having to ability to create void zones to this degree.

Love this chapter.

Sorry to say it plain and simple: really great story!! Time arc today was also well done, though I need a sec. to realize the jump :-) but I m also clearly looking forward do a meeting of the primordial and zac ;-) and maybe iz too

It is likely kalpataru

I can picture zac just hacking away constantly beating this thing around like a baseball in their fight and can't stop smirking at the thought 😆🤣🤣

Thanks for the chapter. With an Axe Til.

I think you mean that Zac has to fight an *angry meatball*. Sure, it’s a super powerful angry meatball, but my point stands.

What encourages people to advance is literally unchanged: higher echelons is what is required to build your core better. It still manipulates the environment to your advantage, and that was the main reason for gaining mana to begin with.

This feels like a chapter is missing, no scene of infusing the omnitool.

I think the system is already pushing the Law of balance considering that it took Zac's opportunity and shared it with the greater cosmos. I also think the less you interact with the system the less it can interfere with you, without cost anyway.

Zactheya!

Mostly its about the 500 free mana. Almost everyone would be encouraged to have a slow start as opposed to the rare few who would need to act like Zac and go from nothing to ninety. I could see a lot of people using the Keys of Accession a lot more in this scenario.

And you still get mana poisoning with low amounts of mana, so the more time you waster in PV the worse off you are

Because the accumulation of mana helps with the core formation, from what I remember.

She should be D-grade for the system to consider her. Maybe she is even considered level one (early F grade) since she used the power of her bloodline to elevate herself, comes from before the system and was reanimated/wake-up only recently.

Now I've got this image of Zac having to do a strange dance and then shout "u can't touch this" to make the Omnitool work.

TFD world building second to none. This story really took off once Zac left Earth and the sky was the limit.

lol that thing fits the rules to be less then 100 years old? (chapter 899) Til’Siri is a talented D-grade elite and seems completely outclassed. it will be interesting how powerful this primordial is compared to system cultivators. Maybe like an early C-grade?

The heritage he just got like 2-3 chapters ago

As powerful as that thing is, there’s no way the system won’t try to fuck with it. This treasure is supposed to be for those of the younger generation.

Until I figure out which hammer they are talking about, I will assume it is MC Hammer.

I'm guessing that she's pretty confused on how Zac keeps appearing and disappearing all the time. A bit like this very powerful Undead guy ...

Let’s see how much your ancient dao matters in the face of the void

She will be washed off in his wake like the has been she is🤷🏻‍♂️

I honestly want to know about that tree sapling who grows so slow in billions of years, that is interesting

Also, doesn't she sound like a cultivator delicacy? Like a stinky cheese?

I still want to hear more about the POV from 50+ chapters ago, the ancient being who received a tree/sapling from the Limitless Emperor. He seemed like he was not only from before the Era, but was a part of the Limitless Empire and the creations of the System/Heavens itself.

She said in a few months, but given that zacs been all over, they're likely having trouble keeping up with him.

Good stuff on the changes, makes a bit more sense :) And DW, as clean as patreon releases are, this isnt final "book" material as far as i take it. The rough outlines and plot sure, specifics, no. Keep the good work im loving this arc :)

We'll, now we know what is going to kill Cat

I feel a little time skip a

i would love if the imperial princess was from zacs pov just a random group of idiots he killed on the side in a redzone XD. Like bam oneshoted and move on ^^

My boy Zac sealing the heavens for his girl

Sounds like he set up some sort of small, permanent void zone.

First, I love Zac trying to be a good boyfriend; they both deserve some time before returning to the meat grinder that will be Orthom. Also, our angry meatball will learn that her heavenly guidance will do jack shit to the avatar of chaos.

Well he does have a hammer, a man and a hammer can deny the heaven you know 😀

"seed" hehe

Greatful for the small time jumps. Love the progress on multiple fronts. Can't wait for more.

What did Zac do? And how?

For a second there I thought there had been a massive time jump when she said a year! Good to see the romance continues though

Lol, all good. TFTC!

Yeehaw

Thanks

Thanks TFD

first

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I think you mean that Zac has to fight an angry meatball. Sure, it’s a super powerful angry meatball, but my point stands.