Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1413: Service

“Is that all? Is that the highest you can offer? These are top-quality items, sir!” Emily banged her fist on the table.

In truth, what she yearned to do was seize the tightfisted technician by his lapels and rattle him until coins poured from his pockets. Regrettably, such an action would likely result in her expulsion from the peak. Moreover, confronting a Divine Monarch only worsened matters. She’d undoubtedly face a bolt of heavenly retribution the instant she gave in to the urge.

“Young lady, I’m no trader haggling for a superior bargain,” the glasses-wearing recluse calmly clarified. “I serve merely as a conduit, delivering your… donations to the sanctuary. The worth of your efforts is determined by the Heavens themselves. An excess or shortfall would disrupt the Law of Balance within our destiny.”

“Even so, under 5,000?” Emily remarked, struggling to contain her boiling irritation. “It’s scarcely sufficient to gain entry into your cloister.”

“The issue lies in your observations, though undocumented, not possessing the profundity required to yield significant concepts. Should you elevate your Dao to the subsequent level, your donation might be appraised much more generously,” the friar elaborated, eyeing the assortment of lethal devices and schematics scattered throughout the chamber. “Regarding these armaments, I’m afraid their utility is quite restricted.”

“So what should I do next?” Emily inquired, clenching her jaw tightly.

“Countless paths lead to holiness,” the friar replied with a maddening grin.

“If that’s the case, why am I completely penniless?” Emily shot back, her gaze suddenly brightening. “You mentioned my observations would gain more value, didn’t you? What about a loan? I sense I’m on the verge. Show me around your Heavenward Monastery, and I could reimburse you immediately.”

“What’s your view on that?” the recluse chuckled while rising from his seat. “Concentrate on ways to aid the Empire, rather than what rewards the Empire might grant. The virtuous way will guide you to your desires.”

“Of course, of course,” Emily grumbled as she gathered her tributes.

Shortly afterward, she traversed the opulent corridors once again, with their golden vaults and utter absence of openings to the outside. Emily fought to curb her irritation while inclining her head to the two strolling novices bearing their foolish, serene faces. Evidently, the authentic doctrines of the Imperial Faith were woven into the shifting designs of the Radiant Court’s vast shrines, yet how did that benefit her?

It seemed unjust. A chain of brushes with death and eliminating several rival Sealbearers had finally allowed her access to the Radiant Court. Yet, what rewards did she reap? Virtually none. Emily ground her teeth as she examined her Visitor Badge. Indeed. A mere visitor’s pass, unlike the Disciple Tokens or Court Member Insignias distributed in other courts.

[Imperial Merit: 3,741]

[Service: 6,233]

The meager count only solidified her resolve, and she recalled that this was merely a trial run. Accumulating five thousand Service points merely to exhibit her inventions and Daos wasn’t terrible, given it had required almost two months to gather the prior 1,200. However, it was evident she must alter her approach if she wished to avoid missing the remainder of the ordeal.

Emily’s mind wandered to the chart she’d sketched by merging fragments of knowledge from the Radiant Court’s peripheral archives and her exploration of the Inner Region—the sacred territory of the Left Imperial Expanse, centered on the Radiant Court.

The entire sacred peak accommodating the Radiant Court formed a colossal memory realm, dwarfing all else she’d encountered by magnitudes. At its base lay four settlements, midway up were six shrines and four cloisters, and crowning it all stood the majestic basilica. Following a month of scrutiny, Emily had opted to approach via the nearest entry.

No threats lurked there, yet opportunities were equally absent. She’d been astonished to discover the settlement contained scant Cosmic Energy. It sufficed just to maintain a Hegemon, rendering cultivation impossible. Predictably, the inhabitants were mostly mortals, compensating for their lack of power with fervent, unyielding devotion.

These mortals represented the Empire’s fiercest followers, gathered from across the Left Imperial Expanse. Their pure, ceaseless belief sustained the sacred peak, forging a symbiotic bond with the mighty Faith Cultivators who dwelled within.

Emily remained unclear on why mortal devotion proved so vital to the Templar Orders, but she was stunned to learn most residents had inhabited the settlements for millennia. Their belief alone extended their lifespans far beyond natural limits. Engaging with these peculiar believers might offer tremendous prospects for Faith Cultivators, though they offered Emily no advantage.

She’d lingered only briefly before climbing the Steps of Inquiry, which divided the mortal realm from the immortal one. The climb carried perils, yet readiness and fortune rendered it far simpler than her prior ordeals to reach this point.

The amenities improved vastly in the shrines. The surrounding energies were so rich they could intoxicate, and the practice chambers rendered the Ensolus Ruins from her homeland laughable by comparison. Even monumental prospects awaited in the cloisters and shrine interiors. Whispers suggested the Cathedral featured three basins, each surpassing the former.

The Three Purities Pool purged all worldly contaminants. It ranked as the prime aspiration for veteran sealbearers, erasing every trace of Earthly Taint—including innate flaws otherwise irremovable. Emily stood to gain as well, with the pool dispelling Pill Toxins, battle aftereffects, soul blemishes, and even Heart Demons.

The subsequent pools excelled further. The Primordial Pool delved into one’s core being to rouse dormant lineages. Ordinary folk might revive their mightiest ancestral trait, regardless of eons or generations past. Emily felt less drawn to it. She lacked knowledge of her heritage, and no assurance existed that it would align with her journey.

The most alluring was the Four Desolates Pool. If the Tribulation Throne granting Zac an imperfect Cosmic Attainment served as a forerunner, the Four Desolates Pool embodied the perfected version. It could bestow Middle-grade Cosmic Attainment upon even the lowliest cultivator. With fortune, High-grade was attainable.

Emily had set the Four Desolates Pool as her primary target, unable to discern how her role in the Radiant Court aided Zac. A immersion in those Law-infused depths would instantly forge an Eonic Seed. Titles aside, one’s affinities would soar exponentially. It would shatter barriers, forging a direct route to Monarchy and further.

One could only fantasize.

Forgetting the funds needed for the basilica entry; after two months of practice, Emily retained just a safety margin. She’d expended Imperial Merit freely to enhance herself. It wasn’t squandered, as prime resources in the Radiant Court demanded Service exclusively, with no conversion between currencies. Already, two veteran sealbearers had been banished for unauthorized bartering.

The straightforward solution was diligent labor to amass riches. Sadly, Emily soon grasped that virtually every Service source hinged on faith. No challenges offered prizes like those in the Ensolus Ruins, nor bonuses for milestones. The miserly lot didn’t even grant a welcome point.

The simplest method involved kneeling in prayer. A portion of the devotion from lauding the Old Emperor’s name credited to one’s ledger. Predictably, skeptics like Emily drew a blank. The templars grudgingly permitted hall access for merit, but reserved the finest for their own. The hermits in the cloisters offered no such leniency.

Emily refused to yield. The ordeal centered on refining one’s history, and the Radiant Court followed suit. She had already discerned the Radiant Court’s core role. It oversaw crafting the memory lanterns preserving souls across the ages. This duty Emily had supported by penetrating the Sun-worshipping sect.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She hadn’t uncovered fresh avenues to advance that aim, but the Radiant Court handled multiple responsibilities. She believed it primarily contained the Heavenly Judgment as the Fifth Pillar’s Grand Array activated. Emily had stumbled upon this by chance.

One occasion, she spotted hermits exiting their secluded cloister. They soared to the Temple of Dawn, erecting lightning conductors resembling those energizing the tribulation throne. Days passed, then a barrage of tribulations descended. For an instant, reality seemed suspended.

The bolts were captured by the rods, channeling potent streams of Imperial Faith. It surged toward the Heavenly Clouds, where Emily glimpsed an intricate golden array before two rods burst. The aerial construct disintegrated prematurely, and the rods vanished soon after.

Observing the dozen immobilized lightning strikes ignited a minor revelation in her Dao, inspiring her to present her War Machines and Daos. She wasn’t presumptuous enough to believe her gadgets truly aided the Limitless Empire, yet she possessed an edge absent even among the Radiant Court’s saints.

The Radiant Court emphasized the Peak of Faith and the Heavenly Peak. Emily lacked ties to the first, but her seasonal path’s Lightning linked to the Heavenly Peak. Additionally, the Heavenly Peak lingered unfinished currently, let alone in the Empire’s prime.

Certain revelations she shared might revolutionize these inventive hermits, aiding their inventions’ completion. The notion held promise, though she’d anticipated over 5,000 Service for her contributions. Even advancing the pertinent Earthly Dao to Middle Stage fell short of affording the Four Desolates Pool.

Emily had searched extensively and reached an inevitable verdict. She must descend the peak, depart the Radiant Court, and perform deeds in the adjacent sacred territories. The myriad memory realms nearby harbored fate’s strands awaiting severance, and not every resolution demanded faith.

Emily suspected her efforts would yield Service over Imperial Merit now bearing the Radiant Court’s Visitor Badge. Several other sealbearers shared this notion and had already exited. Lacking time or tolerance to await their comeback, Emily resolved to proceed. Should the scheme falter as envisioned, it still offered a chance to replenish Imperial Merit.

Traveling down on foot would consume days. Fortunately, the templars had erected faith portals, and Emily willingly spent 20 Service for direct transport to the Steps of Inquiry. She was startled to find company. A trio lingered at the stair’s base. They felt off, as though not belonging to the ancient times.

Emily recognized the group couldn’t detect her due to a peak-wide array. Nonetheless, she slipped behind a colossal statue flanking the stairs’ terminus and deployed a sound-enhancing device.

“Enough delaying. We’ve lingered three days. Who can predict the next sealbearer’s arrival?” the evident commander stated with clear vexation. “Test it now, that’s a command.”

The youth cast an eager glance at the woman, but she fixedly stared at the earth. He scoffed and faced the stairs. After a moment’s gathering, his foot touched the initial step. The examination commenced, and Emily swiftly perceived they’d overlooked the concealed mechanism.

“WHO ARE YOU?”

The thunderous query emanated from a distant statue. It resonated potently enough to jolt Emily’s soul, though she wasn’t the target. Yet, solely those near the stairs caught the words.

“I am Mesin Dinsur of the Radiant Temple,” the sealbearer declared with a blank visage as he stepped upward.

“WHY ARE YOU HERE?”

A flow of Imperial Faith invaded Mesin’s form upon his silence. Verdant vapor expelled from his orifices moments later, and he gasped raggedly before responding.

“I was commanded by Master Terfin.”

Emily affirmed silently, memorizing the commander’s features.

Emily had long known the Havorak Empire and Radiant Temple served a higher entity. It was anticipated, given Ultom exceeded B-grade forces’ grasp. Local B-grade rulers were conscripted due to nearness and karmic ties to the Zecia Sector. Noting the disparity between Mesin and Master Terfin, the latter might hail from that dominant group.

“ARE YOU LOYAL TO THE EMPIRE?”

“No.”

Emily exhaled, aware the examination ended abruptly. The commander, having dispatched his subordinate, reached the same insight and faced consequences from the probe. A fierce aura burst from his torso, yet an immense wave of Imperial Faith quelled it. He and the woman were yanked to the stairs, instantly bereft of awareness.

“WHO ARE YOU?”

“I am Jon Terfin of the Phusudor Republic.”

“I am Inda Endemire of the Allbright Empire.”

“What in the world? It’s her?” Emily exclaimed, dashing down the stairs as the questioning persisted.

“ARE YOU LOYAL TO THE EMPIRE?”

Emily materialized before Inda prior to her reply. Fortunately, her descent went unquestioned. Emily pressed her left palm to the woman’s brow and sighed in relief as the Imperial Merit transferred successfully.

Emily bellowed via mental transmission as Inda’s glazed eyes sharpened.

“Y-yes,” Inda uttered, scanning about in bewilderment and dread. “Yes, I am.”

Twenty minutes on, Emily occupied her modest cabin, facing a hesitant Inda across the surface.

“Why glare at me as though I harmed your pet? I rescued you!” Emily derided. “Idiots charging ahead blindly. Meddling cost me a thousand merit, you realize?”

“You also compelled me to reveal confidential details. I’ll face interrogation upon departure. Do you believe the Phusudor Republic will ignore it? Or the Grand Unity Hall, come to that?”

“I was eager to learn about the villains who doomed Zecia, alright? Sharing the intel was the minimum repayment,” Emily replied with a casual lift of shoulders. “Better than being hauled to cells like your allies.”

Inda Endemire had joined the Radiant Temple as an outer disciple after claiming a Soultaker Seal in the conflict. Both the temple and Havarok Dynasty belonged to a alliance spearheaded by the Phusudor Republic. The republic, a pinnacle B-grade entity, followed a Taoist lineage not ruled by one clan.

Rather, leading houses governed for about 50,000 years before yielding power. Commoners and lesser groups viewed it as organic dynastic shifts. Both Emily and Zac had guessed the supreme overseer beyond the Phusudor Republic was the Seven Heavens, or some elite Human Dynasty.

They’d erred. Though elite human groups inevitably interacted with the Seven Imperial Clans, the paramount authority was a sect named the Grand Unity Hall. Inda possessed limited knowledge, as her overseer was merely a republic scion who’d secured transit via the Kan’Tanu Sect.

Evidently, the Grand Unity Hall birthed the “Hundred Schools of Thought” in Taoism. The Phusudor Republic was but one subordinate faction. Though not an ultimate apex like the Buddhist Sangha or Seven Heavens, the branches of Confucianism, Legalism, and Daoism each boasted a Supremacy. It also wielded influence tied to the Peak of Order, granting edges in this Age.

Rumors held the Grand Unity Hall profited immensely from the Limitless Empire’s collapse. The sect emerged post-Dark Ages, yet numerous legacies linked back to the Limitless Empire. Despite their stature, Emily viewed them unfavorably. Those reprobates shared blame for Zecia’s downfall.

The Grand Unity Hall stooped to acquiring scores of seals from the Kan’Tanu Cult, supplying frontier-unavailable premium resources to the zealots. Though elite combatants remained superior on the cult side, their aid exacerbated the crisis. Cult leaders empowered by the Grand Unity Hall escalated Monarch losses in the Zecia Alliance. Lacking sufficient peak warriors, the coalition ultimately dissolved.

The Grand Unity Hall hadn’t come for Ultom contention. Many of their heritages