Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1386: Excellent Luck

Zac enjoyed the sudden quiet. The frantic energies within him settled, much like an engine slowing to a stop. Only a tiny fraction of the ancient Killing Intent had been refined and absorbed, yet the remainder showed no sign of departing. It had made itself at home, drifting like a lazy koi in a garden pond. Now that it no longer triggered his primal survival instincts, Zac didn’t mind its presence.

There was a high chance it would become volatile again later, but Zac wasn't particularly concerned. He had long ago grown used to harboring lethal energies. This stream of Killing Intent was far less troublesome than the unstable Remnants, and the advantages it provided were already obvious.

The way the intent resonated with his technique granted him flashes of insight that sharpened his tactical choices. It felt similar to the false confidence produced by certain berserking states, but this mental clarity was genuine. While the Remnants allowed for devastating physical strikes, this was a more nuanced buff—and exactly what Zac required.

External methods like the Remnants were temporary, but knowledge was something he owned forever. The realizations he had gathered stayed with him, merging quietly with his own combat history. It felt as though he had gained the experience of two battles in the time of one, and this improved internalization meant his Dao of War and his techniques would evolve much faster. And that was merely a bonus compared to the primary gain.

He needed more time to understand how this spiritual attunement functioned and how to sustain it once the external Killing Intent was exhausted. Fortunately, unless the energy evaporated on its own, he likely had enough to last for years. Given that it had persisted since before the Dark Ages, Zac doubted it would vanish anytime soon.

A strategy was already forming in Zac’s mind. Rather than adopting complex methods like Kator’s Intent Arrays, he would direct his Killing Intent inward to forge his spirit. This blunt, direct path felt more natural to him than sketching intricate diagrams or binding the energy to specific skills.

It didn't matter if internalizing his intent meant he couldn't project it as effectively. The pressure exerted by releasing one's intent was becoming less relevant at his level anyway. His current rivals were Early Monarchs or Heaven’s Chosen nearing the peak of Hegemony. None of them would have a will so weak that they’d be shaken by a mere burst of Killing Intent.

“You’re a complete madman!”

Zac opened his eyes to find Idiche staring at him with a look of pure revulsion. To be fair, he looked the part. The falling rain had only managed to carve streaks through the thick layers of filth on his skin. The grime was so heavy it looked like he’d applied it on purpose. Zac hadn't looked this disheveled even after days of nonstop frontline warfare.

“What kind of lawkeeper radiates such a foul aura? What kind of lawkeeper grins like a psychopath while bathing in blood? Just admit it—you’re a convict who murdered your pursuers and stole their badges,” Idiche said, gesturing to the sky in frustration. “Just my luck to be stuck with such a shady partner.”

“Shady?” Zac stammered, pushing himself up.

As he rose, he forced out waves of miasma that stripped the dirt from his body. With a sharp shudder, the remaining blood was flung away. His clothing was even simpler to clean; with a flick of his will, the illusory fabric returned to its pristine state. Though his burns and gashes remained and a bloody aura still clung to him, he no longer resembled a crazed hermit.

Feeling more like himself, Zac pointed a finger at her. “You’re the one who fell asleep at the helm and crashed us into the island. You’re the one who stole that egg and started the blood feud I had to end.”

“That wasn't me, don't be silly. I can't be blamed for what my body does while I’m unconscious,” Idiche replied with a smirk. “And if I did throw the egg, I’m sure there was a perfectly good reason. Perhaps it was to show my waking self what you're really like.”

Zac sighed and let it go. “I suppose it worked out. I lost control of some inherited Killing Intent, and that fight helped me rein it back in.”

“Inherited Killing Intent? Were you cursed by a gang of thugs?” Idiche asked with newfound interest. “I can see why. I’ve never seen anyone fight with such brutality. You outsiders are terrifying.”

“It wasn't thugs, and it’s not a hex. It was a legacy from the Empire’s martyrs,” Zac said, meeting Idiche’s gaze firmly. “The sort of people who did the dirty work so others could live in safety.”

Idiche’s eyes went wide, and she actually gave a small bow. “I apologize. I didn't realize.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Zac said, waving it off. Just then, a startled cry echoed from the Shrine of Kanba.

Zac asked as Esmeralda peered out from the shrine’s mud pool, her eyes wide with shock.

Esmeralda grumbled.

Zac quickly explained the situation while Idiche stood by in awkward silence.

Esmeralda warned.

Zac nodded in agreement.

He had been thinking the same thing as the adrenaline faded. The amount of refined Killing Intent currently inside him should be sufficient to realign the spirits of both his Draugr and Human forms. Once that was done, it would be much easier to construct a method to temper his final state. The process was even giving him new perspectives on his Dao of Defiant War.

However, such gifts usually had a hidden cost. He was still waiting for a status report from the Crushing Hell, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being a pawn. The Limitless Empire was in many ways more frightening than the Buddhist Sangha, and Zac knew all too well how insidious the Sangha could be. If he wasn’t careful, he might find himself transformed into another Eternal Avenger.

Then again, this was a familiar tightrope. He was becoming a specialist at taking what he could from the powerful without selling his soul in the process.

Esmeralda added, before climbing out to take her usual spot on Zac’s head.

“We’re here now, and I think we’ve all noticed something is wrong,” Zac said. “Did you two see that vision of Sevona dying?”

“I did,” Idiche replied, her expression turning serious as Esmeralda nodded. “This hunt is completely different. Usually, they aren't this dark. They’re festive events where the kingdom’s best gather. The nature of the beasts and the prizes typically reflected the personality of that generation’s Sevona.”

Esmeralda scowled at the ground, ancient runes flickering in her pupils. “The rain is losing its influence. Depending on what’s happening at the center of the island, there might be a total collapse before the hunt concludes. And that’s not even accounting for outside interference.”

“Do you think Sevona lived in the same place as those invaders? Could the invaders be former citizens of her kingdom?” Idiche questioned.

“Maybe, maybe not... that rot has spread to many worlds,” Zac noted. “But the infiltrators are definitely planning to exploit the corruption.”

“Hurry up and loot those beasts before we move out. The drops might give us a hint,” Idiche prompted. “This hunt is a mess, and we shouldn’t stay out in the open. The other participants have likely woken up by now.”

Zac smiled as he turned toward the fallen monsters, momentarily setting aside his worries about the trial. In the chaos, he’d forgotten the point of the hunt. He also realized why the corpses looked better than they should; the three Peak Beast Kings no longer radiated the intense corruption they had shown during the fight, and the lesser drakes were no longer charred or shredded. They had been restored so the illusory rewards could be harvested.

Zac approached with high hopes. Unless the hunt’s difficulty had been drastically scaled up, this pack of Unvai Drakes was likely at the top of the island's food chain. Together, they were nearly a match for a Beast Emperor, especially with their Ancestral Sacrifice.

In the previous hunt, killing strong beasts didn't always mean better loot. Great treasures could come from E-grade mobs or be found in the dirt. Still, there was usually a link between danger and reward. With twenty Late and Peak D-grade drakes carrying draconic blood, there had to be something worthwhile.

Zac touched the nearest drake, and the island’s mechanics took over. The creature vanished in a shimmer of illusory light, leaving behind a foul cloud of corruption. Zac brushed the mist away, and the rain neutralized it. However, once the glow faded, there was nothing—not even a scrap of loot.

Frowning, he moved to the next one. Same result. The third drake did leave something behind, but it only made Zac annoyed: a cracked clay bowl that wouldn't even qualify as F-grade when new. Broken mortal pottery for a Late D-grade drake? Even if the loot was randomized, this was ridiculous.

Zac’s mood soured with every attempt. Time after time, he got nothing or garbage. Even after half the drakes were gone, he hadn't found a single item of value.

“Want me to try? Maybe they need a woman’s touch,” Idiche teased. “Or at least someone who isn't cursed with terrible luck.”

“My luck is fine, thanks. There’s clearly something wrong with these beasts,” Zac grumbled, struggling to understand how his massive Luck stat could produce such poor results.

Esmeralda looked equally stunned. “Who are you? What have you done with the real Zac?”

“I refuse to believe I’m coming away empty-handed,” Zac muttered, continuing his rounds.

Finally, his luck turned. Instead of just corruption, the next drake dropped a crystal saturated with the Lost Plane’s energy. It looked identical to the raw crystal Idiche had taken from the outsider, but this one was even more densely packed with tainted power.

Just like Idiche’s crystal, the balance of enlightenment to corruption was much worse than the refined Ultom Crystals meant for the [Courtyard Compass]. That didn't bother Zac. It still offered far more enlightenment than the lake water had, and the level of taint wasn't enough to threaten him. It was the perfect prize to take from this trial.

While there was plenty of free enlightenment in the Left Imperial Expanse, Zac would have to rely on his own wits once he returned to the outside world. Each Corrupted Crystal was a potential shortcut through a bottleneck in his skills or cultivation. The more he gathered now, the better his transition to monarchy would be.

“These things again?” Idiche said, her face falling. “So I have to risk my life against shapeshifting monsters and I don't even get real loot?”

“If the other beasts are the same, we still have the lodge,” Zac said, hiding his satisfaction. If everyone else thought the crystals were trash, it would be easier for him to claim them. “Give me a moment to finish up.”

His luck seemed to hold; Zac found two more crystals from the Late D-grade drakes. Better yet, the two Peak D-grade Beast Kings he’d saved for last each yielded a crystal. These were humming with power, far exceeding what [Purity of the Void] could handle in a single session. Their Dead Dao was also more advanced, which likely meant the enlightenment was of a higher tier.

“As I thought, these aren't illusions,” Zac noted when his [Mercurial Sack] spat the crystals back out.

The items had entered normally but were rejected seconds later, proving they were nearly perfect illusions that required the sack’s power to become permanent. Zac moved the Corrupted Crystals into Kaltosa Lu’s reinforced Cosmos Sack instead. The corruption was contained within the crystals, but he wasn't going to risk mixing them with his other gear.

“So, any thoughts on our next move?”

“I’ve been looking into that while you were busy,” Esmeralda said. “The corruption has blurred the rules. Normally, the island’s formation would follow the same logic as Citadel, barring some local variations.”

“That’s the Omnipresence Cipher,” Idiche chimed in, surprised by the sharp looks she received from her teammates. “What? That’s what it’s called.”

“Why is this the first time I’m hearing that name?” Zac asked slowly.

“I only know it because my master mentioned it. It isn't relevant until you reach the rank of Inner Disciple. Outer Disciples don't have the knowledge or cultivation level to study the cipher, whether it’s for their own growth or to change their fate,” Idiche explained. “Inner Disciples are allowed to glimpse the mystery. True Disciples are expected to help complete it.”

Idiche watched the illusory fog drifting through the trees. “I’ve heard that contributing to the cipher is incredibly rewarding.”

“It’s unfinished?” Zac whispered, looking at Esmeralda. “Like the Perennial Vastness?”

“The concept is similar,” Esmeralda agreed. “But they aren't trying to complete a Dao. They’re trying to fix that old man’s machine.”

Zac suspected the same. He hadn't heard the word Omnipresence since arriving at the Mercurial Shores, but it made sense that it was central to the court’s goals. If not, Janos wouldn't have triggered two halos by saving Kadel, who later became Grand Dream.

A grand, fate-defying project like the Omnipresence Chamber, utilizing the unique traits of the Stellar Wanderers, would obviously face massive hurdles. The court’s best minds had likely been working on those problems for ages. Zac had a feeling they never quite succeeded in the original timeline.

They likely ran out of time and took shortcuts. That might explain why timelines were merging around the Peregrine Ocean and why Ultom’s rot had infected the Omnipresence Chamber. If the Hollow Court missions were about stabilizing bridges to lower realms, then the Mercurial Court’s tasks involved trialtakers refining the tech that governed history itself.

“I don't know what you two are whispering about, but I have a lead,” Idiche said. “I think there was another reason I lured that specific pack here. I saw a tunnel and lava pools in my dreams. I think they were guarding the path we need, and fighting them in their lair would have been suicide.”

“Better than wandering blindly,” Zac said. “Where did you see them?”

“Over there, I think?” Idiche said, pointing toward a nearby mountain peak.

“Fine. We’ll follow their tracks. It shouldn't be too difficult,” Zac said.

“I wish you’d stop saying things like that. It always invites trouble,” Esmeralda sighed, burying herself deeper in Zac’s silver hair.

“I—” Zac stopped himself when Idiche gave him a look that suggested she’d bite him if he kept tempting fate.

The group left the beach, with Zac in the lead. He tensed up the moment they stepped past the tree line. The local energy levels had surged. It was mostly Dream Energy, with corruption bubbling up from below, though Zac also detected a faint trace of the Temporal Dao. That small amount of Time-based power couldn't hurt him, especially with Grand Dream’s help. The real danger was the overwhelming power of Fantasy.

If he wasn't careful, his consciousness would drift. That wouldn't be a crisis at home, but on an island full of formations, it was a death sentence. Furthermore, getting lost in the illusions could give the whispers of the Lost Plane a way into his mind.

It wasn't enough to make Zac lose his way yet, but they had only just started. The environment wasn't the only threat. The mist swirled, and a fallen log suddenly shattered as a herd of crazed deer burst through. Their antlers were a stunning jade green, but their eyes were black pits of insanity.

Snarling and radiating pure aggression, the beasts lunged at Zac. The Killing Intent that had just settled began to race again, and Zac’s heart hammered with excitement. These weren't just rabid Beast Kings to him; the pack of eight looked like walking piles of enlightenment. They hadn't even gone a hundred meters before a second group arrived to challenge them. Their journey to the lodge was going to be anything but boring.