Chapter 1,175.
Added 2023-12-22 21:46:07 +0000 UTCA/N: This is the last chapter of 2023, thank you everyone who have supported me and DotF over the past year. I believe 2024 will become the best one yet, so I'm clocking out to meet the upcoming arcs and all other fun stuff cooking with a fresh mind.
I hope to see you all when I return on Jan 8! Until then, Happy Holidays, fellow defiers!
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The third layer of his Body Tempering Method represented a major threshold, taking you into Minor Sublimation. The fourth layer further built on that reforged foundation. The original [Boundless Vajra Sublimation] said that the fourth to sixth layers represented the Shackles of Man, Earth, and Heavens, respectively.
The Shackle of Man represented one's past, distractions, and 'lowly pursuits.' Only by earnestly facing the Dao with a clear heart could one be reforged by the Dao into a pure Vajra. It also referred to the mortal flesh you were born with. The Minor Sublimation set you on a path forming an unmatched constitution, where flesh was not flesh but an endless fount of Life.
The Shackle of Earth referred to one's reliance on factions and the desire for political power. The boundless Cosmos would be closed off to anyone who'd sullied their heart with court intrigue. It also seemed to refer to the Lower Planes, but Zac didn't quite understand how and why. He had only scratched the surface of the Fifth Layer, and he hadn't even begun to redraw it.
The meaning behind the Shackle of Heaven was even more of a mystery, but Zac did know breaking it meant achieving Major Sublimation and reaching the next stage of Heart Cultivation. Zac wasn't too worried about it. The Sixth Layer could only be cultivated after forming an Inner World. He believed he'd better understand the method's intricacies by then.
Zac's reinterpreted version of the Fourth Layer would still break these chains, though the symbolism behind them had changed. To Zac, breaking the Shackle of Man referred to one of the central tenets guiding his path; taking control of his fate. By becoming a Void Vajra, he'd stand outside the schemes of the mundane world, pursuing the Dao and his goals.
Flames and the smoky haze of burning wood swirled around Zac as he transitioned from one step to the next. They formed matching patterns echoing the truths hidden within the movements, and those truths formed transient runes that reshaped the room's energy.
Zac's heart remained a tranquil lake as the minutes passed, and his muscles barely felt any strain when progressing into the more demanding positions. His body had already reached the apex of the fourth layer, and his constitution was further bolstered by his two bloodlines.
What made the biggest difference were the motes of Void Energy fused with his cells. They had made his body far more suited to practice the [Void Vajra Sublimation], helping him exert a greater pull on the surrounding Life-attuned into his body. Of course, that came with increased agony, though that was a small price to pay for speeding up his cultivation.
Even then, Zac felt his carefully maintained Void State ripple as his cells resisted the infusion with increasing insistence. The cactus spine had already pushed his body to the limits of the amount of Life-attuned force it could hold. Taking on any more was like trying to squeeze something into a suitcase already stuffed to the gills.
Something had to give, or he'd burst at the seams. Zac staunchly kept going, enduring the tearing pain of having millions of tiny cracks spread throughout his body. Breaking free from the Shackle of Man didn't come without a price—in a sense, it was discarding your mortality to become a being forged by the Dao. The first shackle would take you closer to the Innate Existences who naturally communed with the cosmos.
Each sutra came slower than the one before. Zac felt like he was being physically restrained by hundreds of real chains as he kept going. He struggled with everything he had, yet it wasn't enough. With just ten sutras short of finishing the circuit, Zac found himself unable to move so much as an inch.
His Draugr Hidden Nodes had already pushed him further than he could have gone on his own, but they could take no further. Zac's body shuddered under the strain, worsening the cracks covering his body. Oily sweat poured down his body, forming plumes of haze as it was vaporized by the raging inferno. The swirling flames gradually calmed down as the rhythmic cadence Zac had built up over the past hours waned.
It was at that moment a deep thud from Zac's chest reignited his stalled momentum. A primal force poured out of the Hidden Node and into his true heart, spreading to every inch of his body through his bloodstream. The refined Fiend Energy had been released right when Zac needed it most. It acted like gasoline to the fire as it entered the overstuffed hurricanes.
They shuddered and began spinning with unprecedented ferocity, pushing against the boundaries of their confined space. Zac felt like the raging storms were tearing him apart, but the agony brought new power. Zac staunchly held onto his Void State while his arms continued their measured circuit. The invisible chains holding him back groaned with complaint when the impossible was made possible.
Then, Zac heard a snapping sound, and the resistance lessened. A smattering followed the first, and Zac almost lost control. Part of it was the unfamiliar power coursing through his body, making familiar movements seem foreign. Most importantly, each shattered chain brought agony similar to forcing open a node.
Thankfully, he was almost there already. With a final stomp, the circuit closed, and the last shackle snapped. He was unbound, unburdened, and complete. Billions of hurricanes roared as the last barriers were broken through, and they rapidly expanded. A burning hurricane erupted in the sealed chamber with Zac as its eye. The immense amounts of ambient energy were all dragged into his body and became fuel for the eternal storm within.
Zac remained unmoving in his closing sutra, yet felt his form growing tall enough to touch the ten-meter ceiling before shrinking to the size of a Sky Gnome. Contraction and expansion followed each other, each cycle dragging more energy into his body. With each contraction, a large number of cells split. When the last mote of energy in his supreme-quality paste was siphoned off, the number of his cells had increased by fivefold without changing his stature. However, Zac believed he would break any conventional scale if he stepped onto it right now.
The process was over. Zac stayed in place for the next twenty minutes, savoring the changes in his body. The fourth layer was just a minor bottleneck compared to the previous breakthrough. That didn't mean the transformation wasn't noticeable. It almost seemed as though his cells had formed individual miniature worlds, creating a paradoxical scene where the hurricanes had grown a few times, despite the cells being concentrated to a fifth of their original size.
Boundless Life coursed through his veins, and Zac could tell he'd reached a point where he could regrow limbs without relying on any skills. The small cracks that had formed during his breakthrough were already closing on their own, leaving not a trace behind. Finally, Zac opened his Status Screen to inspect the changes.
Name Zachary Atwood
Level 171
Class [D-Arcane] Evolutionary Precursor
Race [D] Human - Void Emperor (Corrupted)
Alignment [Zecia] Atwood Empire – Baron of Conquest
Titles [...] Arcane Ascension, Pathbound Core, Peakmender, Destined, Cosmic Introduction
Limited Titles Tower of Eternity Sector All-Star - 14th, Equanimity, Big Axe Gladiator, The Final Twilight - 1st, Gates of Rebirth, Void Road
Dao Branch of the War Axe - Late, Branch of the Kalpataru - Late, Branch of the Pale Seal - Late
Core [D] Evolutionary Core
Strength 124,477 [Increase: 219%. Efficiency: 451%]
Dexterity 59,560 [Increase: 171%. Efficiency: 300%]
Endurance 74,239 [Increase: 193%. Efficiency: 472%]
Vitality 77,573 [Increase: 206%. Efficiency: 470%]
Intelligence 12,250 [Increase: 150%. Efficiency: 300%]
Wisdom 20,707 [Increase: 152%. Efficiency: 315%]
Luck 1,363 [Increase: 184%. Efficiency: 393%]
Free Points 0
Nexus Coins [D] 19 348 395
[Life] Void Vajra Sublimation (Fourth Layer): Base Attributes +300. Vitality +3250. Endurance +550. All Attributes +10% Vitality +25%. Effect of Vitality +15%.
Zac nodded in satisfaction. His Life-attuned constitution had finally caught up to his Draugr bloodline, and the fourth layer provided a sizeable chunk of attributes. The strong skew toward Vitality actually allowed the attribute to surpass Endurance after all this time. There were no twists or mysteries like with his Void Emperor Bloodline, which felt very welcome after these past days.
The only surprise was that unyielding resistance when he tried to cross the threshold on his own. He'd expected to almost seamlessly step into the next stage. The Fiend Crystals had sidestepped the issue today, and he had more fallbacks in case they proved insufficient. However, it was important to keep in mind for the future. He couldn't allow himself to grow lax just because his triple constitutions made Body Tempering far easier.
The last flickering flames in the braziers went out, dragging Zac out of his thoughts. A glance confirmed the array was still in working order. It had simply run out of energy during his breakthrough. He closed the screen and got dressed before moving to the normal cultivation chamber.
Streams of Life- and Conflict-attuned energy swirled inside. Someone had even placed a number of matching plants along the walls, creating a similar feeling to his [Apex Jungle]. Zac took a deep breath as he sat down with a Divine Crystal in Each hand. His upgraded constitution was clearly able to hold far more Life, and his cells needed to be topped up. Life-attuned Beast Crystals would have provided much better nourishment, but Zac wanted to give [Void Heart] a breather after the refinement.
Zac's mind wasn't really on cultivation, though. His body would recover on its own soon enough. Meanwhile, Zac felt it was time to finally turn his attention to one of the items that had stayed hidden inside [Purity of the Void] since his Draugr half returned to the frontlines; the ancient tome called [Foreign Gods].
The purification sphere had proven quite useful for long-term storage, especially after Zac realized he could suppress the space to drastically weaken the corrosive Void Energy inside. Not that it was necessary when it came to high-grade items like the [Court Cycle Token] and the [Centurion Beacon]. They were made from incredibly durable materials that effortlessly endured Zac's bloodline. The thick tome was no different than the metallic objects despite being made from ancient hide. It silently floated in the hidden space, waiting to share its secrets.
Zac had no plans of taking it out. There still was a small chance he was being observed. More importantly, he was afraid the book would release more sinister energy when flipping the pages. He was better off perusing its contents while it stayed in the Purification Sphere, where he could crank up the Hidden Node in case something went wrong.
A mental nudge opened the cover, exposing a page written in majestic letters of the Limitless Empire's script.
'On the 15,323th year of the Seventh Hexagram Order, the Foreign Gods were discovered hiding in the cracks of reality.
After twenty years of study, the Starfall Court determined the origin of the corroded realm that had given them birth. It was the fragment of a Stellar Wanderer, one of its three races of Ancient Arcana. The glory of the Ancient Arcana is largely upheld by the Eternal's mark through the river of time, reducing these gentle giants to obscurity.
However, the might of these beings born from the eddies of our Grand Kalpa cannot be overstated. Towering over the Primordial Fiendgods of our age, wielding the strength to tear apart the Chaos Apostles from the Era of Disorder with a simple tug. They were suppressed by the Terminus from birth, forever wandering the cosmos in search of a higher Heaven.'
Zac briefly paused, and not just because of the many unfamiliar terms. A deep groan, like the shifting of ancient wood, rang in his ears, and Zac realized his nose was actually bleeding golden drops. The power imparted within these words was immense. The person who wrote [Foreign Gods], or at least its introduction, couldn't possibly be someone stationed on the Sixth Centurion Lighthouse.
He was far too powerful, quite possibly a genuine Supremacy under the Limitless Empire's Banner. How could the fortress have fallen so such a state if the author was there the day it was attacked? He would have annihilated the enemies with a flick of his fingers. Zac shook his head to clear his mind of the overwhelming pressure and read on.
'Sediments of undying will have mixed with Fallen Dao, giving birth to the Foreign Gods. Cruel, bloodthirsty, and vengeful, these miscreations are a blight and a mockery of the vaunted existences they were molded from. However, while only wielding a shadow of the true Wanderer's might, they possess several desirable characteristics.
These constructs made from corrosion are neither living nor dead, forever locked in a tormented existence. They also showcase the incredible resilience of their source, requiring the work of multiple Imperial Preceptors to disperse. One of the Elder Gods even survived the strike of a Blade Cardinal passing through.
Cruelty and drive can be wiped. Purpose can introduced. Order can quell the Corruption. It would be a blessing for these pitiful existences and an act of positive Karma with the Lost Era if the Foreign Gods were given purpose beyond base instincts born from the Fallen Dao. The Empire will light a torch in the darkness for the Foreign Gods, just as we do for the Cosmos. With the authority of the Starfall Court, I establish the Centurion Project. May they act the lighthouse and guide the path toward the zenith.
The stars are falling, unknowing of their origin. We are running out of time. The pillars will hold up the vault of Heaven, and the Foreign Gods shall become their eternal guardians.
Zac's vision was already swimming by that point, but he pressed beyond the introduction in search of answers. Finally, he found what he was looking for a mention of the beacon. Zac endured the deafening roar as he skimmed the next page before decisively cutting the connection with his Hidden Node. He took a shuddering breath and swallowed a Soul Nurturing pill to alleviate the splitting headache.
The book resembled the [Book of Duality], where each word was imbued with powerful meaning and endless layers of truth. However, there was something wrong with the pages beyond the first. Only the introduction was protected by the unbending Faith of the author. The rest seemed penned by the same hand, yet their truths had been tainted by the Corruption.
[Purity of the Void] had only managed to cleanse the actual tainted energy that seeped out of the pages. The source was still there, its grade or nature resisting his Hidden Node's efforts of purification. The problem wasn't unbridgeable, but he would have to go through the book bit by bit while monitoring his mental state.
Zac's first session brought many new questions, but it thankfully provided some much-needed answers. The Limitless Empire had really found these "Foreign Gods" in what seemed like the Lost Plane. Or more likely, a higher-grade fragment than the one the Ra'Lashar Goblins stumbled onto. The whole Ra'Lashar kingdom would have been wiped off the map by a single Foreign God, let alone one of the 'Elder Gods' mentioned.
Despite their factions being diametrical opposites, the Limitless Empire had actually chosen the same route as the goblins—to seize control of the entities born from ancient taint. Of course, the Limitless Empire was far better equipped to deal with the mental Corruption with their Faith Energy. The Corruption was powerful, but Zac couldn't see it stand up to the Imperial Faith of the Limitless Empire in its heyday.
Most importantly, he found a brief introduction to the [Centurion Beacon]. It was more accurate to call it a tracker, as it wasn't the actual beacon that would let him unleash the Foreign Gods on the Kan'Tanu. Zac had already suspected something of the sort after getting his new quest. The quest told him to find a breach in the Eternal Storm, and the tracker was the key to locating it.
In other words, he had to follow its guidance to find the real [Centurion Beacon] inside the breach. Lighting it up should technically let him summon the refined Foreign Gods from wherever they were being stored. And provided they actually were still around, which didn't seem clear, considering the fortress seemed to have run into some of their former test subjects at the end.
Zac was also curious about the author and the things he mentioned in the foreword. What was a Grand Kalpa, and who was the Eternal to leave such an impression? They must have been the Lost Era's leading figure. And someone who stood out among their peers by the looks of it. In fact, it almost seemed as though the cultivators of the Lost Era were decisively stronger than the peak existences of the later Eras.
Was that what the author indicated at the end? 'Stars are falling, unknowing of their origin.' It almost matched the cryptic words Laondio muttered in Zac's Bloodline Vision to a tee. Were they saying that each time the Dao collapsed, it was left a little weaker?
And if the Stellar Wanderers were born in the 'eddies of the Grand Kalpa,' did the author mean the Lost Plane was the actual first Era, not just the oldest known Eternal Heritage?
Zac's mind churned as he felt himself drawing closer to monumental secrets buried in an ancient past. He almost dove back into the tome despite feeling like he'd taken a long bath in tainted lake water. Luckily, a light chime provided a much-needed distraction. Someone had rang the bell of his residence.
"What's wrong?" Zac asked as he opened the door.
"Everything's fine," the Valkyrie said and handed over an information crystal. "The Administrators said you asked for some information, and they've finished compiling it."
"Oh, it's done already?" Zac said with excitement, temporarily shelving the mysteries of [Foreign Gods].
It was the complete tally of the current Middle D-grade Limited Exchange. With his breakthrough around the corner and a mountain of merit, Zac needed to decide whether to splurge in the Early D-grade shop or save his money for the higher-graded store. After all, the resource scarcity in Zecia grew exponentially more noticeable at every stage of Hegemony.
Zac briefly scanned its contents as he returned to his cultivation chamber, suddenly stopping in his tracks as he reached the middle. His lips twitched as he glanced at the ceiling, or rather at the System hiding in the sky. It couldn't wait any longer for another bite?
The items were a Splinter of Oblivion and a Shard of Creation, each prized at a very reasonable 250,000 merit. Their descriptions were foreboding enough to be left alone, calling them cursed and possessed by undying will that would corrode one's rationality. That may have explained why they were left alone until now if not for the annotation indicating they'd been added just four days ago. Right after he left the tower.
It felt like such an obvious bait, making Zac inclined to reject the notion out of principle. However, various threads began to weave together into a plan. The beacon, the Foreign Gods, the [Epiclesis Bell], and now the remnants and the chance at Atavism. Perhaps there was a way to deal with all these matters in one fell swoop. Zac would have to get a whole lot stronger before enacting such a dangerous scheme. He also needed capable helpers and some scapegoats to pave the path and shoulder the fallout.
Luckily, he knew just the people.
Comments
The System: Ah my favoured child I offer you this beneficent gift for I love you Zac: *paranoia intensifies*
David Giles
2024-02-29 23:33:54 +0000 UTCJust a thought but am I the only one that sort of gets a weird feeling that the Draugr are the ‘Foreign Gods’ or at least their remnants “Sediments of undying will have mixed with Fallen Dao, giving birth to the Foreign Gods. Cruel, bloodthirsty, and vengeful, these miscreations are a blight and a mockery of the vaunted existences they were molded from. However, while only wielding a shadow of the true Wanderer's might, they possess several desirable characteristics. These constructs made from corrosion are neither living nor dead, forever locked in a tormented existence. They also showcase the incredible resilience of their source, requiring the work of multiple Imperial Preceptors to disperse. One of the Elder Gods even survived the strike of a Blade Cardinal passing through.”
2024-01-22 20:31:37 +0000 UTCgimme that sweet sweet crack
RGrocks
2024-01-08 20:34:49 +0000 UTCWHERES THE CRACK?!
Sebin Paul
2024-01-08 20:32:54 +0000 UTCHold steadfast dear benefactors for we are experiencing an unexpected tribulation.
Lex Luther S
2024-01-08 20:29:57 +0000 UTCMy F5 key's about to get pregnant from how much I'm going to pound it!
Mike Naka
2024-01-08 19:26:05 +0000 UTCTwilight was my favorite as well. Great pace, loot, and battles. Followed by uour first look at monarchs in battle and the dude breaking through.My least favorite was probably perennial vastness. Idk why, it was still good. But I just wanted it to end.
Robert C
2024-01-08 19:04:26 +0000 UTCToday's the day, need to replace my F5 key for some reason...
Jonas Lemke
2024-01-08 16:23:07 +0000 UTCTime to start stretching out the F5 muscles! 😤
Sirloki
2024-01-08 16:08:00 +0000 UTCToday is the day! TFD will finally emerge from his Dao Chamber. However, much like the common groundhog, if he hasn't broken through, he'll return to seclusion and we'll have 6 more days of winter (without chapters).
xlinkedx
2024-01-08 15:01:13 +0000 UTC*Patreon crashes*
Jett
2024-01-08 14:15:24 +0000 UTCI want to say thanks for the great work! However, the patreon site is horrible, so I wonder if there are ePubs/PDFS available? And/or if this is even allowed?
2024-01-08 13:27:37 +0000 UTCAhhh, fellow benefactors, welcome back. The heavens are stirring and Fate is rising; may this minor tribulation help strengthen thy Dao heart against all and should you find yourself lacking, lord Buddha is all encompassing and will accept all who wish to join.
Lex Luther S
2024-01-08 12:51:12 +0000 UTCAlmost time
Kahn Thorpe
2024-01-08 07:14:41 +0000 UTCThe Tower was fun.
D Lynn Frazier
2024-01-07 11:33:29 +0000 UTCYeah, that's why I said that everyone "knows" the hero won't die, but KNOWS the hero is going to get out. And in regards to giving other characters time to change, this story has given us multiple examples of timey-whimey shenanigans, amd even other characters getting locked away. So like I said, while it was by far my least favorite arc, admittedly most likely due to my own prejudice with prison arcs, it was still well done.
Darthnarciss
2024-01-05 22:52:59 +0000 UTCIts a cultivation technique that solidifies his spirit body, allowing for faster energy transfer, Dao transfer and eventually a back-up Soul. Should his soul every be destroyed. Which ended up being necessary with the second body. I think thousand lights would only make things harder on node opening. As it solidifies his spiritual body, and the nodes are part of his spiritual body he is trying to break open. Though a top tier cultivation system likely doesn't have a weakness like that.
Michael Sheetz
2024-01-05 17:29:15 +0000 UTCIt depends on if his node just auto filters into the void aspect of his Dao or not. If it does then I don't think he will have any problem making a Void of Conflict. However if he plans on studying these voids in order to incorporate them into his stances then I would imagine no void of conflict. As that would then be 6 Dao/Voids he needs to study. The only reason for the Void of Life and Void of Death was so that he could make a core in the first place. So unless a Void of Conflict becomes necessary, I don't see him going for it. Also Zac's whole path is about conflict, I don't really know how he would incorporate the void of conflict into his system. Especially his stances. And it seem a little antithetical to his entire outlook
Michael Sheetz
2024-01-05 17:26:08 +0000 UTCSpeaking of void daos do you think zac will get a conflict void?
Jett
2024-01-05 16:14:38 +0000 UTCI honestly forgot what thousand lights does besides the extra body glitch what does it do again?
Jett
2024-01-05 16:11:14 +0000 UTCThats fair but you gotta make some time for character growth and after he gets out we get to see all the other characters and how they’ve changed. Plus the hero randomly dying isn’t really a possibility anyway i think the only time he has a chance of real dying not just getting nerfed or something are the main arks like ultom or the research base or twilight ocean
Jett
2024-01-05 16:09:47 +0000 UTCJust 2 more days
Jett
2024-01-05 16:04:22 +0000 UTCBig fan of Twilight Ocean, the Void Star, and the Treasure Hunt. The one I liked the least hands down, was the Orom's World. I detest prison arcs. No matter how well they are done, and admittedly oroms world was well done, they always come across as artificial nerfing, and ruin my suspension of disbelief as while everyone "knows" the hero won't die, everyone KNOWS the hero will either escape or get busted free. In addition, in most series they are used to get the MC, or side characters, to actually buckle down and level and prep, but Zac is all about leveling and prepping.
Darthnarciss
2024-01-05 14:02:30 +0000 UTCOut of curiosity, as we fast approach the glorious return, what were your guys' most favorite and least favorite arcs so far in the story? For me I didn't really enjoy the Texhnocrat base arc that wrapped up the war for earth. But I LOVED the Twilight Ocean arc a lot. ToE is probably a close second.
The Grand Moose
2024-01-05 12:24:27 +0000 UTCSome Food for Thought during this break Could Zac have used THOUSAND LIGHTS AVATAR to open his NODES? Zac was already wrapping his nodes in mental energy during his node breakings... and since Thousand Lights Avatar is just a more advanced version of that...why couldn't he wrap his nodes in them to decrease the fallout. Of course, this would break the system, because breaking nodes would no longer be dangerous.
Jacob
2024-01-04 23:19:44 +0000 UTCSure, it's 977.
Markus
2024-01-04 01:40:25 +0000 UTCSoon, my friend. Soon.
Michael Fannon
2024-01-02 23:12:41 +0000 UTCCan anyone tell me in which chapter book 11 ends ?
Aris T.
2024-01-02 22:38:46 +0000 UTCIs it Jan 8th yet??
xlinkedx
2024-01-01 13:17:32 +0000 UTCWell, zac is a fresh Eonic seed hegemon. Obviously he's not gonna be able to stack up against other Eonic seeds that have not only had proper heritages but have been in hegemony for decades when he's not even a year into hegemony. Certainly we'll see him eventually surpass those Eonic seeds but it'll be a while.
Lex Luther S
2023-12-29 02:45:28 +0000 UTCI hope TFD and all of you DEFIERS have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year’s.
Shafan Knight
2023-12-27 05:02:07 +0000 UTCMy choice for scapegoats would be the Imperials. Either them or two of the three spoiled little princelings we just ran across,
Jeff McCulley
2023-12-26 22:23:14 +0000 UTCThe Zhix declared holy war (crusade?) on the Kan’tanu. In order to better integrate them into the Empire, there is a unit of Zhix in each combat unit.
Jeff McCulley
2023-12-26 22:18:49 +0000 UTCMight as well do a two for one by getting some bonus merit by going all in with the shard and splinter in the middle of Kan’Tanu territory. At least his grandfather is making up for his inability to make treasures like him. Maybe he can find another worldfort to bring out this glimpse of chaos and whatever else this matching set creates.
Hms
2023-12-26 21:03:02 +0000 UTCA scene showed Ibtep listening to a psychic communication when they went to get the cure for the annointed, feels like they should be used more just for this potential.
Salvo
2023-12-26 00:55:55 +0000 UTC15 chapters
jason m
2023-12-25 19:48:05 +0000 UTCIt does, it’s updated almost immediately after chapter releases
Surgebinder
2023-12-25 15:49:48 +0000 UTCThe Wiki used to not have the patreon ch info updated on it. Does it now?
The Grand Moose
2023-12-25 01:54:19 +0000 UTCArc’Eoz
Luke Scheffe
2023-12-24 23:03:15 +0000 UTCThe remnants will join their lingering wills together to form minds that will likely be weakened forms of the original minds of the innate existences that they were once part of. As those things were insane even before being shattered, the main change will likely be them becoming intelligent enough to use actual tactics when trying to take control.
Luke Scheffe
2023-12-24 22:59:26 +0000 UTCThat's what makes the wiki so great. It's usually kept up to date with the patreon as well.
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-24 21:04:53 +0000 UTCThey mostly kill beasts on Pangea and keep to their hives. Some moved to the undead continent and are working in the underground. Ibtep and Rhubat did become seal bearers. Ibtep is the Zhix that originally left with Zac and told him of the dominators. Rhubat is an anointed introduce around book 6. He's not the original anointed Zac met in like book 2. That's Nonette and they retired from cultivation after reaching E Grade. This war has done wonders for them though. Zac got them an insectoid cultivation manual and they have a new war to dedicate themselves too. So most of them are shooting towards peak E Grade.
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-24 21:03:56 +0000 UTCSo so excited for the direction Zac is going. We’ve got Void emperor bloodline, eoz bloodline, body/heart cultivation, 2 different techniques/stances, soul cultivation, spirit body cultivation (that’s about to get an upgrade to resonate with conflict). Then he’s got his three daos but is about to get 2 voids as well. Then we have the splinters, that are about to get an upgrade. Once he has this system of his going he is absolutely eonic seed material. Just did a relisten of twilight harbor and comparing where he was then to where he was at the end of E grade is NUTS. He would have stomped Uona with mid dif at worst by the time he broke through. And seeing how the D grade is looking for him I’m imagining the same level of improvement by the end of D grade. So so hype! Thank you for a great story all year round, can’t wait for more in 2024!
Michael Sheetz
2023-12-24 21:03:46 +0000 UTCWhat exactly is atavism?
Dawid
2023-12-24 20:57:34 +0000 UTCI’m just relistening to older books and wondering what ever happened to the zhix?
Dawid
2023-12-24 20:56:47 +0000 UTCI wasn’t, but now I absolutely am! Thank you for the head-canon
Michael Sheetz
2023-12-24 20:54:57 +0000 UTCI assumed An’Azol etc were named like that because there are more than one Azol branch
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-24 19:07:52 +0000 UTCTFTC
John
2023-12-24 15:01:00 +0000 UTCI wish TFD would pin an up to date or close to version of Zach's status at the top of the feed. I hate trying to remember something and having to dig
The Grand Moose
2023-12-24 10:40:31 +0000 UTCHappy holidays defiers❄️✨ I am dying with laughter tho… that ended just screams bat shit crazy plans… our boy final taking the reigns of chaos😅😂😂 normally it was just unintentional but now he’s looking to do it on purpose, i can’t imagine the shit storm in-store for those outside factions next year💀💀
Kirin
2023-12-24 06:09:11 +0000 UTCI don't think there's a single author I know of that updates more quickly than TFD
Chase C
2023-12-24 04:35:59 +0000 UTCYup
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-23 23:37:04 +0000 UTCFrom air bender?
jazz
2023-12-23 23:36:06 +0000 UTCjazz
2023-12-23 23:34:06 +0000 UTCThe branch of Eoz either fell before they took on such names after their ancestor guardians passing or there's a record of it somewhere in the Abyssal shore. We likely won't see what it is till zac officially visits the shores which will be a long time from now; should there be no add on like the other 2 upper tier bloodlines then it's likely zac will just have Eoz or might be given one by the current leader of tve Abyssal shores.
Lex Luther S
2023-12-23 23:26:25 +0000 UTCHappy Holidays and speculation time. The Dao may be getting weaker if nobody has ever pierced the Terminus or the Dao is getting weaker by Eternal Herritage after Eternal Herritage being created and those Heritages being not part of the Dao in the process when the Era ends. Some Eternal Herritage may be relatively weak like the Technokrat one. Were it's basically just information and a few bloodline Talents being send across the shifting of Era's (May even help the Dao in the new Era to reach it's Zenith quicker.[if all went well]) But a big Herritage, like Ultum or the heart of the (undead) Empire Likely have an Imense amount of Dao and Energy stored inside of them that doesn't get to be part of the current Era and thus weakening the current Era. and there are a few more Heritages in that level, the first heaven has one too, and so does likely the Shanga. if Ultum or the lost plane is really from the first Era and about to Collapse there may be an Immense influx of Dao, possibile into Zecia.
Han Pol
2023-12-23 20:55:52 +0000 UTCThis has been bugging me for a while, when Arcaz finally comes out as a son of Eoz what will his last name be? We have An'Azol and Ul'Mez what does the branch of Eoz use?
Michael Dugan
2023-12-23 20:47:40 +0000 UTCAm I the only one that imagines Zac performing the dancing dragon whenever he cultivates his body?
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-23 18:46:12 +0000 UTCHe better not waste it on Vilari's safety. The system always cheaps out when promising that. In the arc we don't talk about it gave him a questline to get out the mystic realm safely. Only for it to try and get Zac to let Kenzie die. Which I would have been fine with but that's a different story. Then when he bargained for safety from that fish in the Twilight Chasm. Not only did the fish survive, but the attack almost killed Zac too! And finally when he summoned the pattern to escape the eel. Not only did the systems greed cause Zac to be epat out in front of Iz, it then didn't try to save him again! It just suggested that he use a chaos mote with his bangle! The system would at best teleport the bell to him and be like. Try using the a few motes to runaway or distract the bell. Anyway have fun, I got a glimpse to analyze.
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-23 18:29:02 +0000 UTCHe might be able to bargain for multiple things with the glimpse but yeah safe to say Valari’s safety would be first on that list. I fully expect Atavism to be a fuck though, the sort of trial that no normal person would be able to pass in the time limit he was given, which would probably put him in a bad position to bargain from.
DrSubterfuge
2023-12-23 18:15:57 +0000 UTCHappy holidays and tftc
Jett
2023-12-23 17:59:48 +0000 UTCYeah probably
Jett
2023-12-23 17:58:30 +0000 UTCAnd then there’s the promised rewards he gets once he has five of each creation and oblivion gems.
Daniel Hamilton
2023-12-23 17:29:18 +0000 UTCThen there’s a certain karma cultivator, who has a bounty on him With the reward being to erase his karma connections if I remember, right
Daniel Hamilton
2023-12-23 17:27:44 +0000 UTCThere's a reason "Deviant" fits him so well🤣
Lex Luther S
2023-12-23 16:40:41 +0000 UTCWell he is missing the last 4 sections of his soul training method so the system will likely award him the 6th layer unless zac bargins for the system to keep vilari safe as the bell shatters instead amd given how zac operates, he'd likely do just that.
Lex Luther S
2023-12-23 16:38:23 +0000 UTCHappy holidays looking forward to next year.
Tom Whatley
2023-12-23 14:57:13 +0000 UTCHe's not middle grade yet, so he had to have someone that is look at the moddle grade list and copy it down, so he could decide if he wanted to burn his money now on whatever, or get just enough to push him to middle grade now while making sure he still had enough to get the item(s) he wanted. In this case, he'll need to hit middle grade, with at least 500,000 pts remaining to be able to buy the shard/splinter.
Darthnarciss
2023-12-23 14:31:33 +0000 UTCWow, what a great setup for the break! Some intrigue and tantalizing mysteries about the past, a grand plan nascently forming while Zac gets ready... thanks for the chapter!
Thaabit Rivertree
2023-12-23 13:36:02 +0000 UTCI believe 2024 will become the best one yet. Oh boys !
Thenais
2023-12-23 07:32:51 +0000 UTCHappy holidays! Thanks for an amazing story! Looking forward to next year! This just keeps getting better!!
Shawn Treants
2023-12-23 07:18:34 +0000 UTCTechnocrats ?
Thenais
2023-12-23 07:15:58 +0000 UTCAwesome chapter! Enjoy your holiday break, well earned.
DuskinReview
2023-12-23 06:50:58 +0000 UTCIt might be a natural "birthed by the heavens" type deal in response to the Terminus. We don't know enough yet. I personally doubt it was really "started" considering that it was held by an orphan living in a literal garbage pile. He probably didn't inherit it since it can only be held by one person an era, and he definitely didn't start it himself.
austin kutz
2023-12-23 06:13:51 +0000 UTCThe bald bastard are just irritating acting high and mighty, and they are just as selfish and greedy as the older factions. And their main contender is looking like a big dipshit can’t wait for the son of chaos to bring them down a peg 😮💨
M💬
2023-12-23 04:57:20 +0000 UTCThank you FD, and happy holidays! 🎄🎁
StuBee3
2023-12-23 04:16:00 +0000 UTCHappy holidays 🎉. Thanks for the gripping chapter. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.
Sanc Asura
2023-12-23 03:40:23 +0000 UTCYou’re assuming they’ll be any witnesses left to tell the tail
Zachary Blevins
2023-12-23 03:17:54 +0000 UTCIt’s what happens when you’re dumb enough to collect multiple shards and not go insane or something to that effect if I remember correctly
Zachary Blevins
2023-12-23 03:11:58 +0000 UTCHappy Holidays. Thanks for a great story.
Chloe
2023-12-23 03:11:06 +0000 UTCYeah, we haven’t blowed up a planet in a while
Zachary Blevins
2023-12-23 03:10:01 +0000 UTCWell, he is going to be the second defier so I would say all of them in the end Ha ha ha ha Iz said it best she saw a glimpse of the unstoppable madman who wants ruled over the previous skies !! Or something like that best description in the book so far I thought Yeah, I really don’t like them damn bald bastards either they’ve definitely got it coming and that was before they kidnapped his ex-girlfriend.
Zachary Blevins
2023-12-23 03:07:52 +0000 UTCThe bastard is starting to get a bit devious in his old age Starting to really earn his nickname Hope you have a merry Christmas and happy holidays and I look forward to next year
Zachary Blevins
2023-12-23 02:54:38 +0000 UTCI think the atavisms will be the entities that lure in the bell. The scapegoats… trickier to understand their role—for the chaos (literally) he will unleash? Then definitely the technocrats. Or maybe he doesn’t want to do the ritual himself and needs someone else to do it…so he’ll scam someone into stealing the technique from him or something.
Stephen Taylor
2023-12-23 02:34:51 +0000 UTCNot possible. Zac would run out of life force and die before he could create what was needed with creation energy; besides, it's not Life that draws the bell but providence and creation energy from a broken cursed shard won't be able to do that. Now, forging a glimpse of chaos might be a storm of fate the entity can't resist and it might be one of the ways zac plans to draw the bell. Add in his own providence and some monarchs from the alliance and that bell is as good as dead.
Lex Luther S
2023-12-23 02:01:26 +0000 UTCIt's Providence... being cut. The creation energy does feed on providence as well as vitality. But is that enough?
R. Maxwell Steele
2023-12-23 01:57:07 +0000 UTCI wonder if via creation he can create the result of sacrifice without the sacrifice? Like the energy/signal that it would release, he creates it. But first he will need to upgrade his soul. No way he can handle double atavism without the key form of protection.
R. Maxwell Steele
2023-12-23 01:55:04 +0000 UTCAtavism is higher state of consciousness than the lingering will of the remnants. So instead of fighting them with lingering will. He will have to fight the with a will that is more true. I think it's safe to say the combination of 5 will be more powerful than the sun it's parts, emergent properties will form a mind of its own. But he's not dealing with 1 atavism. He's dealing with 2. 1 for creation and 1 for oblivion. The creation burns his vitality and his providence/fate for fuel but at least he can feel it. The oblivion burns his mind/personality/memories and potentially his soul itself but oblivion acts in a more subtle way that is harder to sense so you can lose yourself bit by bit and the loses are only noticable when you focus on them. So if he's going to let atavism take hold, he's going to have to pay a large price from his own being. Then he's going to have to wrestle against true will from both. The main advantage thus far is Be'zi's runes and that holding both types of remnants makes them weaken eachother. He is closing in being their match. But will that drive them out of him, or will he finally absorb the truth and comprehend their D grade nature? Last will atavistic versions of remnants be C grade entities? Then he gets new runes from Be'zi and Husband and then return to the status quo holding pattern of them being trapped and him just milking them for power as he goes?
R. Maxwell Steele
2023-12-23 01:47:13 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas and Happy New Year mate. Thanks for the chapter.
Joshua Little
2023-12-23 01:15:12 +0000 UTCbe’zi only recite this, so they don’t even know exactly. But “revert to the state of an ancestor” really implies the ‘immortal will’ inside will manifest or restore to a previous form. Kiaju fight! Or become a shard of chaos!
Salvo
2023-12-23 00:52:41 +0000 UTCI didn't mean the Buddhists, I meant the clan that manipulates karma to fuck other people over
austin kutz
2023-12-23 00:16:10 +0000 UTC“How could the fortress have fallen so such a state if the author was there the day it was attacked?” maybe i’m overthinking it but shouldn’t that be “to such a state”?
Mike
2023-12-23 00:10:51 +0000 UTCSo, he uses the remnants and atavism to summon the bell, and the foreign gods to wreck it.
Luke Scheffe
2023-12-23 00:08:36 +0000 UTCI think he is trying to decide if he wants to spend his points now or once he reaches middle D grade, so he is looking at what he can buy once he breaks through
Bryn Thomas
2023-12-23 00:07:02 +0000 UTCIt kinda gives the “separate people now” game away if he summons chaos without both bodies present, doesn’t it?
Telewyn
2023-12-22 23:54:48 +0000 UTCi didnt understand at the end, the list he got was added to his parameters or was about what he would found once he got o midde hegemony?
keyra knightley
2023-12-22 23:42:01 +0000 UTCBeware the Terminus
2023-12-22 23:41:47 +0000 UTCWhat is Atavism again?
Nicolas Coons
2023-12-22 23:39:20 +0000 UTCThey might also think that no one would be dumb enough to get more
Nicolas Coons
2023-12-22 23:38:25 +0000 UTCThese are the last iirc
Nigel Murray
2023-12-22 23:32:20 +0000 UTCSystem be like: Boiii, it is time.
SandreX
2023-12-22 23:31:36 +0000 UTCI think is time for Ykrodas to relive that traumatic experience he had back in the Twilight Ascent. I bet Arcaz will be the one to form the Glimpse of Chaos this time as well.
Omiso
2023-12-22 23:24:07 +0000 UTCgod damn, this is setting up an absolutely electric climax in the near future, to many things long in the making, and some less long, but still I am ready to see what happens.
Nikolai Beckel
2023-12-22 23:22:28 +0000 UTCFinally going to complete the Atavism goal. Tired of seeing Zac so underpowered compared to not even top tier youngsters. (Tayn level not included). Hopefully the next arc can see Zac step out from under the shadows of being a baby cultivator a bit more and embrace his inner old monster to actually be the schemer instead of the victim of stronger schemes. HAPPY NEW YEAR
The Tallest Tree
2023-12-22 23:20:54 +0000 UTCOk we need to make a count of how many times Terminus has cropped up in the recent chapters.
Chris Fey
2023-12-22 23:11:21 +0000 UTCWho else thinks that the Void Emperors bloodline was started by whomever made the terminus seals?
Andrew P
2023-12-22 23:11:12 +0000 UTCI think I’ve put the threads together, I kind of wish I hadn’t now. Your post got it started
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-22 23:10:00 +0000 UTCI'm convinced, Zac will write the Book of Pain, how to use agony as the divine catalyst to break through your limits into transcendence. How suffering teaches you the secrets of the different Daos and Laws. To toil in torment to reach greatness. A true flagellant, that will be his life's greatest work. Also Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
Omiso
2023-12-22 23:04:20 +0000 UTC🤷🏿♂️ what’s the worst that can happen
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-22 22:59:43 +0000 UTCTFTC!!!
2023-12-22 22:59:24 +0000 UTCAnd after that he seemingly gets an additional “creation” from both Be’Zi and Aether guy
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-22 22:57:40 +0000 UTCOh noooooooo. The horroooooor. He can't hurt Theya.😒 Whatever would we do if she died in the process.
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-22 22:55:54 +0000 UTCGood point. The little chaos thing is a known quantity to the factions with research arms
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-22 22:53:56 +0000 UTCHave a Merry Christmas and a great New Years!
1FantasyFanatic
2023-12-22 22:52:56 +0000 UTCNo merit, but he should still be due a system reward (so basically the same)
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-22 22:52:40 +0000 UTCThe bell is attracted to providence. He doesn't need to sacrifice people. All he needs to do is stand in the center of the ritual and go, "ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM,ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM, ULTOM!" And boom, that bell will come running.
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-22 22:52:00 +0000 UTCHe has 4, originals, twilight ocean, orom, perennial vastness
SpitEoll
2023-12-22 22:48:23 +0000 UTCI wonder who he's gonna setup? There's the clan of that bitch with the crown. There's the asshole empire whose ship he got on. The asshole empire filled with zombies. And the asshole empire filled with bald guys that pretend they're not an asshole empire. In a perfect world Zac would find a way to screw them all over plus the Kantanu. We can save pissing off the brats from the heartlands for Ultom. Oh don't worry pricks from the fifth heaven. We haven't forgotten you. You're entire clan still needs to pay for Vivi😡😠🤬
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-22 22:48:23 +0000 UTCZac : "there are all those things that are complicated to get or resolve, I should just reunite them together and see what happens"
SpitEoll
2023-12-22 22:47:10 +0000 UTCHA! The system isn't even being subtle anymore! That's fuckin hilarious! I wonder if he'll get any merit for summoning a choas pattern. I doubt it. Most likely he'll just get merit for what he does with it but still. A guy can dream.
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-22 22:45:03 +0000 UTCMy issue with the store is all the undead know he had used the oblivion shard in the twilight ascent. Someone is about to buy them before Zac can. It’s the rule of roadkill!
Salvo
2023-12-22 22:44:07 +0000 UTCInteresting. This was a very meaty Chapter; from zac shattering the chains of man to learning my thought of zac only being able to train the 6th method after forming an inner world. To learning the information of the foreign gods to the system throwing yet another shard and splinter at him to zac coming up with an INSANE plan to shatter everything troubling him in one fell SWOOP. Grasping and overcoming the Atavism of those damned cursed objects, somehow summoning that cursed bell though I really don't see zac doing something as twisted as sacrafice unless he drags that damned primordial there and the bell comes for her, maybe using the chaos the system and heavens shower down upon that shattered bell to force the breach open while covering his and Co's. Entry. There are so many ways this can go wrong and yet zac will walk that tight rope to achieve his goals; his path; his insane rise TO SUPREMACY. As for the suckers to be dragged into these scheme.... I feel it'll likely be the Technocrats and given he needs some scapegoats, it's very much likely them. I truly can't wait ti see how 2024 turns out and truly await the next ch on Jan 8
Lex Luther S
2023-12-22 22:43:29 +0000 UTCThis will be the last set. Set 1 Tower of eternity/treasure hunt, set 2 in twilight Ocean, set 3 in oorom world, set 4 in PV, and set 5 in contribution store
Jonas Lemke
2023-12-22 22:36:51 +0000 UTCZac purified his soul after the Throne baptism and it helped condense them saving him years of effort but he still has to cultivate the method. With the amount of merit he has, he'd likely be able to get a hold of some great Middle D grade treasures for his soul after breaking through to the Middle D grade and getting access to that contribution Shop; added with the moss crystal he has, he'd likely reach the limit if he can find another opportunity to purge the impurities he'll build up from such a souk treasure splurge.
Lex Luther S
2023-12-22 22:32:50 +0000 UTCWhich will go very wrong as they have Thea....
2023-12-22 22:31:46 +0000 UTCOkay Zac is about to truly outdo himself in earning his nicknames as a trouble maker and Little Chaos.
Henry Wartemberg
2023-12-22 22:31:45 +0000 UTCThanks for a great story, happy holidays.
Omy Sadat
2023-12-22 22:29:20 +0000 UTCSee you next year.
ouroboros
2023-12-22 22:28:06 +0000 UTCYou've never seen me pack a suitcase. The only thing that gives are the laws of physics trying to stop me from putting more shit in my suitcase. I cultivate the dao of space and refuse to run out!
Darnell Maxwell
2023-12-22 22:27:44 +0000 UTCHe'll need those remnants to fight the primordial. And it seems like the system is getting impatient for that conflict
FarStryder
2023-12-22 22:27:36 +0000 UTCAre these the last set of remnants he needs to get to 5 or each? I can’t remember if he already has 4 or if it’s 3
Ben
2023-12-22 22:24:33 +0000 UTCHappy lootmas TFD
Tyler S.
2023-12-22 22:23:25 +0000 UTCTftc! Happy holidays!
Berry McCockiner
2023-12-22 22:20:55 +0000 UTCTftc!
brennon Petersen
2023-12-22 22:19:29 +0000 UTCAll of those together sound like a recipe for him to actually blow up zecia this time instead of something smaller.
Salohcin
2023-12-22 22:11:54 +0000 UTCOh God more remnants, some random planet is gonna wiped from existence
Lucas Gulick
2023-12-22 22:11:43 +0000 UTCNo wonder the cultivators are greedy scheming bastards.. The whole damn system is the biggest greedy scheming bastard of them all. "ohh you got some merit... well.. woops what do you know.. I suddenly found these shards that you need, added them just when you can afford it, and mark them as dangerous goods so only you buy them..." If he dont buy them its just a matter about time before the system throws them at him when he least need it. So Zacs plan is to evolve his soul again(or have he already dealt with this?), lure a shitton of Kan´Tanu to a deserted spot, summon the bell and then use the resulting explosion to both break the bell, the Kan´tanu and hopefully get meatball out of the way as well... Or do you think the scapegoats are the technocrats? Either way, its gonna be interesting to follow. A merry christmas to you all. May you have good food and great gifts.. and may your new years eve be free from Zacs main hobby (random explosions that is).
Kharas
2023-12-22 22:09:30 +0000 UTCEnjoy the break and Happy Holidays ... looking forward to 2024 and glad to have Definace of the Fall included.
2023-12-22 22:09:18 +0000 UTCProbably those karma bastards or maybe just some random Kantanu
austin kutz
2023-12-22 22:07:21 +0000 UTCEnjoy your break TFD! Well-deserved!
Michael Flattery
2023-12-22 21:59:35 +0000 UTCGreat way to finish 2023!
Jason Bradford
2023-12-22 21:58:13 +0000 UTCRIP Zac's scapegoats
gotag
2023-12-22 21:57:21 +0000 UTCHave a happy Christmas!
alexander kelley
2023-12-22 21:49:53 +0000 UTCTftc!
BlunderNinja
2023-12-22 21:47:34 +0000 UTCUh oh
Lampshade Sr.
2023-12-22 21:47:32 +0000 UTCTftc
William Keith
2023-12-22 21:47:27 +0000 UTC
