Chapter 1,287.

Rhuger silently observed the lands ahead from his spot halfway up the solitary mountain. The snaking rivers suspended in the air kept the lands below in a state of perennial dusk, and Rhuger's own Dao of Darkness let him perfectly meld with the surroundings. Even the denizens born in the gloom would have a hard time discovering his presence so long as he remained unmoving.

The source of the pervasive darkness wasn't the waters themselves but rather the streaks of pitch-black mud dragged along their winding routes. Rhuger suspected the Darkness-attuned Spiritual Soil wasn't naturally formed. Judging by its profound ancient aura, the soil had been marked by a powerful treasure.

Following the rivers to their source wouldn't just take him closer to the Starfall Court. It might just lead him to a suitable opportunity. The situation may as well have been tailor-made for him. Had it been his father, he would have already rushed down the mountain, ripping apart anything that stood in his way. His big sister was no different. The capture of an evil entity had done nothing to temper her hunger for the Dao.

Why couldn't he be more like them?

Part of the reason he'd been stuck observing for three days was the distant radiance of the illusory city he came from. It had provided a much-needed breather after weeks of constant peril. That comforting light would move out of sight if he advanced any further. The dark creeping up the mountain slopes should have felt like a different kind of home. To Rhuger, the tendrils looked more like hands grabbing for his throat, ready to drag him to the afterlife.

Why couldn't he see it? Why couldn't he see the possibilities laid out before him? Why couldn't he find any light in the darkness? Others were focused on advancing their cultivation. Rhuger was held hostage by the knowledge that the reward for passing this region was coming face to face with another threat.

There was no telling how many such zones he'd have to cross to reach the distant pillar. Few would be as accommodating as the fields draped in the color of his Dao. The situation was an apt parable to cultivation. There was no hump to cross before reaching calm waters. The road of cultivation was a stormy sea without end, and Rhuger was becoming tired of rowing.

It was always the same. Rhuger understood that the others didn't relish the slaughter of the war or facing the malignant madness of the Imperial Graveyard. However, they had managed to use the flames of tribulation to temper themselves. Meanwhile, Rhuger felt every brush with death chip away at his sanity.

He'd lost count of how many times he'd sat alone in the darkness, hands shaking while the horrors of war replayed in his mind. Becoming nauseated from the smell of blood that refused to leave his fur. Rather than rising up like the true heroes of the Empire, Rhuger had been swept forward with the rest of the soldiers. He'd kept fighting, hoping to live up to the expectations brought by his talents. Or perhaps by the talents of his predecessor, Cervantes.

Now, there was no general ordering deployment, which would have relieved him of the burden of choice. He was alone in the darkness, with only the Heavens to witness his actions. Rhuger knew he stood at a crossroads. Forging ahead on his own volition would be an affirmation of his path. It would help against his inner turmoil. Perhaps it would let him see what his family saw when they gazed upon the world.

Another day passed before Rhuger slowly got to his feet. He descended the mountain, and darkness gave way to light. The city was becoming clearer. Rhuger could even see the inn he'd stopped at when passing through. He could finally breathe again. And yet, each step left his back slightly more hunched.

-----------

Stumbling onto Joanna in the middle of nowhere was no different than finding a needle in a haystack. Weeks went by without Zac's beacons activating or spotting another trialtaker. With any remnants of civilization removed from the Left Imperial Expanse, Zac had never felt as close to the boundless Cosmos.

Zac's excuse to Truga Ur gradually turned into the truth. His journey toward the pillars was becoming one of Dao-seeking, where his path was sharpened through exploration. His Draugr side spent almost all his time in meditation. He only emerged when Esmeralda encountered issues that required brute force.

While one side worked on theory, the other put it into practice. The distance Zac crossed each day grew shorter as he became increasingly engrossed by his journey of self-discovery. Crossing the Left Imperial Expanse was an epic struggle between man and nature. The beasts and deadly terrains demanded a quick and precise response.

It was the perfect opportunity to revisit his Inexorable and Evolutionary Stances. Zac had worked hard on incorporating the insights from his Earthly Daos while crossing the Imperial Graveyard. With the Dao unbelievably clear on the trial ground, it only took a week to finish the job. It was the perfect time to start his search for the next stage.

It had always been theoretically possible to advance his Technique to Late Integration without first upgrading his Daos. Except, discovering the correct movements with only Dao Branches required centuries, possibly millennia, of effort and no small amount of luck. There was no point unless you'd reached a bottleneck on your Dao.

Achieving Late Integration was a daunting task, even with Earthly Daos illuminating the way. However, the circumstances were perfect. The past years of constant struggle had given him the experience he needed, and the Left Imperial Expanse was one big Cultivation Cave. There were no distractions to his pursuit, and he was constantly thrown new challenges to test his theories.

Every few days, Zac stopped to rest. Beyond a few hours of sleep, he practiced a round of [Void Vajra Sublimation] before setting out again. Esmeralda didn't cultivate at all. She only focused on reaching the pillar as quickly as possible. The trial wasn't timed, but there was truth to the adage early bird gets the worm.

There was no sign of the Left Imperial Palace, meaning the other Flamebearers were likely heading for the lower courts, too. There was no way to tell if one of them had picked the Mercurial Court. Zac would prefer to avoid a direct conflict if possible. With Esmeralda's terrifying speed and ability to rush straight through most danger zones, they had a decent shot at getting to the lower court first.

If everything panned out, they'd snatch the treasure before the competition even arrived. Everything was going according to plan, but Zac still felt his companion's anxiety growing by the day. It wasn't simply the fear of someone beating them to the punch. Zac spent most of his time in her pouch with his back against her belly, and he could occasionally feel flickers of time.

While still weak, they were getting stronger and more frequent. Esmeralda's curse was gathering strength. Short term, it could be considered a blessing. The curse was accelerating her growth, which would unlock more of her skills and bloodline. Long-term, it was a death sentence, and he was the reason for its premature resurgence.

Esmeralda's plight wasn't the only reason why Zac wanted to wrap things up with the Mercurial Court as quickly as possible. It would also free up Zac to head for the Anima Court. Of his sealbearers, Vilari was the one he was the most worried about. She had told him that the situation was under control, that getting the Pasho'Har Bell was a challenge she needed to face for her Dao.

Zac wasn't willing to sit on the sidelines. The entity that had forced Vilari to do its bidding was incredibly dangerous, and they couldn't expect it to honor its promises. Not to mention, the item Vilari had been tasked to retrieve was impressive enough that it could match the defining treasures of the lower courts.

The competition for it was bound to be fierce. Some trialtakers might be targeting it specifically. The outside world held clues to the Primo's treasure, and there was a decent chance the same went for the other courts.

So Zac remained silent whenever Esmeralda ignored the pull of fate for the sake of speed, even if each missed opportunity felt like a stab to his gut. Worse, the call from hidden treasures came with increasing frequency. The continent's spirituality deepened the closer he drew to the lower courts.

The energy density had already surpassed what was possible on the frontier. Esmeralda likened it to what you'd see in Ancient Realms, and the ancient Dao was even clearer. It was already enough to sustain a Monarch's cultivation without the need for external resources. Such an environment was bound to birth even more Natural Treasures.

The dangers increased accordingly. Zac's efforts inside the Perennial Vastness became his greatest protection. He'd overcome complex threats of every single Dao Peak, giving him instincts brought by experience. Adding his extraordinary strength, his human side managed to maintain an impressive pace even when taking time for cultivation.

The growing spirituality didn't mean progress would become impossible for those lacking Zac's raw power. It was becoming increasingly clear that there were certain rules to the regions meshed together into a miniature continent. There were streaks of blessed ground crisscrossing the landscape like great rivers. Invariably, there'd also be shallows that most trialtakers could cross.

In addition, zones holding the Lost Plane's corruption grew more frequent. They grew like tumors both in the shallows and the treasure streaks, occasionally creating shortcuts through otherwise impassable terrain. The trialtakers could essentially choose their adventure—straight or winding path, taking risks, or staying safe.

Esmeralda moved straight like an arrow, rarely deviating from her intended route. Zac's journey toward the Hollow Court was mostly the same, often smashing straight through regions that would force most trialtakers to take the long way around.

Zac estimated half the participants had the necessary strength to reach the lower courts if this pattern remained steady, though it would take years for the weaker ones. Those unable to make it would mostly be the locals who'd accidentally stumbled onto a seal. Any outsider sent to Zecia to participate should be able to make it, barring mistakes or freak accidents.

It wasn't just the spirituality that grew stronger as the pillars drew closer. Memory lanterns fell from the sky with increased frequency, and their quality improved. Zac occasionally stopped to inspect the better ones. They all had their own flavor of emotions and characteristics that made up the lantern's core. From that, you could into what kind of person the light represented.

Some shone brightly, transmitting duty and honor. Others were marked by fear or regret. It wasn't that uncommon to encounter memory lanterns that radiated bloodlust or hatred. That didn't mean they were evil. The strong emotions only signified what drove the owner. The bloodlust could have come from someone who'd lost their loved ones, setting them on a path of vengeance.

A few lanterns emitted the unmistakable aura of treasures in addition to clues to their identity. Zac ignored the temptations, holding off on getting a second identity. None of the lanterns were as radiant as Terea Wendimar's, and he hadn't felt any signals matching the lower courts. Since the lanterns were getting better, Zac could afford to wait a little longer.

Finally, Zac's found what he'd been looking for.

Zac was making his way through a zone transformed by Ultom. As usual, he'd taken out the Holy Relic to absorb some corruption. His purification space was still much smaller than in the Centurion Base, but it was enough to accumulate some insights. Each visit provided enough inspiration to sweep away one or two of the roadblocks he'd encountered.

It wasn't another treasure Zac spotted at the dead zone's edge, nor was it a suitable memory lantern. In fact, lanterns didn't fall on zones claimed by the First Era. He'd discovered two cultivators observing an intense storm raging beyond the dead zone, likely deliberating whether they should find another way forward.

The only people out and about were trialtakers, which meant Zac might get the answers he needed. The duo wasn't part of any faction Zac recognized. Zac wasn't sure they were even from the same place. One of them was an unfamiliar humanoid race. His skin was deep blue, and he naturally released a soothing aura that made Zac think of the sea.

The other one was a pure human dressed a lot like a Technocrat, though he lacked any gadgets or machines. Zac wasn't sure if a Technocrat would manage to sneak into the trial. The Sindris Clan wasn't planning on participating in the trial from what he'd gathered, at least not personally. Most likely, he was a Technocrat follower or a normal cultivator from the Eternal Storm.

Zac always kept his aura under wraps while traveling, and he'd completely hidden his presence with [Void Zone] the moment he spotted the two trialtakers. Even so, Zac realized it wasn't enough. The two hadn't moved since they came into view, but something about them seemed off. He slowly put the Holy Relic back in its space before rushing forth.

A domain of intense Life sprouted inside the corruption. The trees from [Apex Jungle] fiercely rejected the ancient taint seeping out of the ground while trapping the duo in its formation. He'd even used some Void Energy to speed up the skill activation, hiding his actions with [Void Mountain]. The two hadn't expected a large domain skill to appear so abruptly, but no one who'd reached this point was useless.

The blue cultivator turned into an azure river that tore through Zac's jungle with incredible speed. An army of sea creatures emerged from its waters, repelling the axelights and vines that tried to tie him down. He was rapidly losing momentum, but his aim wasn't to break out of Zac's cage. He was racing toward the sole Memory Lantern floating at the storm's edge—they both were.

The water cultivator was a step faster. He reached out and grabbed the light, immediately winking out of existence. Zac arrived from the closest tree a breath later. He couldn't find a trace of the man's presence, so Zac turned his attention to the man left behind. Zac's burgeoning aura and icy stare were enough for the Technocrat to fall to his knees.

"Mercy! There's no grudge between us. I swear on my Dao I have no designs on the Hollow Courts. I beg young master to let me ransom my freedom!"

"I'll let you go if you answer my questions truthfully," Zac said after dragging the man back to the center of [Apex Jungle]. "Who are you, and what's your name?"

"I'm Insik, my Lord. I'm a wandering cultivator from the Meyra Cluster. Lord likely knows it as the Eternal Storm."

"I guessed as much. You look like a Technocrat."

"Absolutely not!" Insik said, and he actually looked ready to fight. Another glare was enough to quash those thoughts. "Lord might not be aware, but the Technocrats are only a small faction in the Eternal Storm. More than 99% of the population are much like you System Cultivators."

"Hm," Zac said, not really caring whether the captive was a Technocrat or not. "What'll happen to your companion? How long will he be gone? Will he appear here?"

"He might emerge tomorrow. He might stay for weeks. He's unlikely to appear before us. Moving in the dreams moves you in reality. The dreams can take you quite far if you're determined. One of our companions never emerged. We don't know if he died inside or if he was sent out far away. I have trackers for both if you want," Insik quickly said.

The captive seemed to have no issue selling out his companions to save his hide.

"There were three of you?" Zac said with suspicion. "How did three of you manage to meet up in such a large place?"

"We finished the preliminaries together, so we were taken to the same place three weeks ago."

Zac was curious about the preliminary trial, but other matters that took precedence. "Your companion's seal was clearly filled out already. What will happen when he completes another memory?"

"Each part holds a borrowed identity. Getting a new one randomly replaces one of the old."

"You can't decide which ones to keep?" Zac frowned.

"Not to our knowledge." Insik shook his head with regret. "I lost my best identity last time."

Zac followed up with a few control questions, and the answers generally matched Zac's experience. The interrogation also exposed that there was another memory domain only a few days away. It was a town more prosperous than Black Zenith, by the sound of it. Insik's group hadn't even been allowed to visit the upper districts with their identities.

The city was in the wrong direction, though. Visiting it would delay his journey by at least ten days, not counting the time it'd take to excavate any potential opportunities. Zac tabled the matter and focused on excavating intelligence. The trio had taken a very different route than he, which provided valuable insights.

They'd focused on the lanterns solely for their rewards. They picked weaker lanterns, which allowed them to mostly ignore the setting. By snatching all valuables before escaping, they created a significant divergence that rapidly drained the memory. They didn't care if their brand was filled up with low-quality identities since they had no intention of entering the lower courts.

That approach wasn't an option for Zac. He'd already hit the jackpot with Terea Wendimar, and he wasn't willing to risk having her identity replaced just to loot a random memory lantern. It was also clear that the difference between brands wasn't limited to the identities they held. Zac's incomplete brand with only Terea's mark emitted a much stronger aura than Insik's completed Skybreaker Seal.

It might mean nothing, but Zac suspected it could have an impact during the later stages of the trial. The only way to guarantee an optimal lineup of disguises was to not fill up any slots with disposable lanterns.

Zac had more questions for the stranger, such as his suspicious origins. However, Zac stopped talking midsentence. [Verun's Bite] was already a blur, heading straight for the captive's head. The eager cooperation hadn't been enough to lower Zac's guard, and he struck without warning when he sensed something amiss.

The attack was motivated by pure instinct rather than a tangible threat. Insik wasn't rotating any energy, nor did he make any suspicious movement. And yet, Zac suddenly felt he presented a tremendous threat. As quick as Zac was, he wasn't fast enough. A golden line split Insik's face apart, and an olive-toned hand emerged from the prisoner's forehead to block Zac's strike.

Skin and bone met and not a drop of blood was spilled.