Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 1218: Impartments

The streak of light was joined by a swirl of utmost darkness entering Zac's Draugr avatar, pushing his soul to its limits. It took Zac over ten minutes to gather his wits, and that was just from accommodating the impartment. Digesting it would take far longer, possibly his whole life. He'd only managed to scratch the surface of what was held within, yet what he'd found left him in awe."This should prove useful whatever direction you choose."

A'Zu's comment could be considered the understatement of a century. The repository of information that had taken up a corner of his mind was more valuable than a complete Heritage in Zac's eyes. There were no skills, manuals, or techniques inside, nor were there any actual insights into their Dao. There was something even better. The two marks contained a terrifying amount of data.

Just the reports and calculations from a mind-boggling number of experiments would put the Void Gate's nuns to shame. They were also filled with notations, conclusions, and unconfirmed directions of thought. In addition, there were mountains of common re

"The second gift is a helping hand. We can see the shadow of a great suppression on your spirit. You are currently facing a great threat on the outside."

"My situation on the outside is a bit tricky," Zac coughed. "I'm currently trapped between four Autarchs fighting over me."

"Aren't you popular?" A'Zu said, his brow slightly raised.

"Well, one side wants to enslave me while—"

"Stop. The circumstance does not matter," A'Zu said. "We do not wish to have our sanctuary tainted by the woes of the outside. Like you, we'll follow our path to the end. We'll imbue your spirit with a thread of our power. It should be enough to deal with the threat you face. How you use it is up to you."

Zac felt a weight lifted off his shoulders upon seeing the Aetherlord's calm expression. In terms of long-term value, a wisp of B-grade power was nothing compared to the library. However, it was exactly what he needed right now. There were a lot of moving parts on the outside, and there was no guarantee that calling on the System could solve his problems.

Autarchs were ultimately beings who'd formed a ladder to the Heavens, giving them some ability to resist it. The System wouldn't come in full force for his Glimpses of Chaos like during his talk with Sendor. Exposing the entity within the bell would definitely do the trick, but that would take a moment. Between the bell, Vilari, and his crew aboard the Yphelion, there was a risk someone would be harmed or captured before he could have the System and the old Heavens swoop in and deal with things.

The absolute power of the two Autarchs before him could remove the risk entirely if he played his cards right. He wasn't the same person as the one who stood before these two Autarchs last time. For one, he could better gauge their strength than before. They were far more powerful than the Autarchs who'd snuck into Zurbor.

If Zac had to guess, he'd say A'Zu and Be'Zi were fourth or fifth-step Autarchs. It might not sound like much compared to Peak Autarchs at the Eighth Step like Iz's guardian or the mythological Ninth-step Autarchs that almost only existed as a theory. Even then, it made them bigshots within the grade. Only one percent of all Autarchs managed to advance beyond the first step.

B-grade factions neighboring the frontiers, like the Radiant Temple and Havarok Dynasty, would generally only have First-step Autarchs, with the leader simply being someone with deeper foundations or stronger equipment. The strength of the married couple before him would be a huge deal even in the Multiverse Heartlands. Be'Zi could become one of the leaders of the Zi branch of the Abyssal Shores if she returned, and Sharva'Zi's status would skyrocket.

"The third gift is connected with the second. You'll receive both upon leaving," A'Zu continued. "It's the thing we originally promised—a glimpse of true Oblivion and Creation unsullied by that ancient madness."

"A Dao Impartment will damage your foundations. It's a waste of such a precious gift since we walk a different path. I even got a piece from the Primordials already."

A'Zu's outer eyes rapidly blinked in a way that Zac, for some reason, felt mocking. "You might have your own ideas for the Peak, but you need to learn to walk before you can run. No matter how you arrange things in the end, you have to begin with the basic building blocks."

"The accord cannot be broken. It was spoken with the Heavens as a witness," Be'Zi added.

"You don't need to worry about us. Our difference in level is great, and neither of us has left an impartment before. We'll fully recover in a few millennia, and we're mostly forgotten by the world. Our wisps will take you to the Grand Dao before bringing you back," the Aetherlord said, settling the matter.

"I won't waste the opportunity," Zac said with determination.

"Good," Be'Zi said, taking out an item. "The final gift we leave represents our gratitude for going far beyond our expectations and our aspirations for your future. In accordance, it is the most valuable by far."

Most valuable? Zac gulped, looking at the nondescript item in Be'Zi's hand with a mix of expectation and confusion. That thing was more valuable than two Dao Impartments, a lifetime's worth of experience, and a killing blow of a Mid-stage Autarch?

"What is it?" Zac couldn't help but ask as he looked at the mottled key in Be'Zi's hand.

It looked like something used to lock up an old toolshed rather than a supreme treasure. It appeared crudely made and disfigured, having been bent and scratched up after extended use. It didn't emit a speck of energy, either, to give a hint of its purpose.

"[Chaos Cipher]," Be'Zi said. "A relic from a bygone time."

"Chaos cipher…" Zac said, his eyes gradually widening in alarm. "Don't tell me it's related to an Eternal Heritage?"

"Yes and no," Be'Zi said, drawing a confused look from Zac.

"You should be aware we're currently in the Era of Order since you know of Eternal Heritages," A'Zu said, continuing after Zac nodded in affirmation. "Order has brought structure. A hierarchy of established factions controls all integrated space, and society gravitates toward the order of Empires. The torch of cultivation is passed on through familial bonds, and a delicate balance is enforced.

"The Era of Order could be considered a reaction to the previous one, which is commonly referred to as the Primordial Era. Primordial Chaos forming the lynchpin of reality led to a very different environment. Factions neither grew as large nor as enduring as what we've witnessed in our time. Those seeking the Dao more often resembled Wandering Cultivators.

"They traveled alone or in small groups of like-minded people. The weak walked the earth, and the strong traveled beyond the stars. They were generally referred to as Demonic Cultivators. Mind you, they were not intrinsically evil. They followed their inner voice, ignoring the law of man or the Heavens.

"This chaotic environment wasn't necessarily worse than the road of cultivation we have today. Fewer reached the peak because they relied on nothing but their hands and determination to seize a corner of the Heavens. However, those who did were generally stronger than the cultivators of today. Of course, our generation also has the System, so it's impossible to make a perfect comparison."

What A'Zu described lined up with Iz's description of progenitors. The few who managed to rise to B-grade and higher often wield greater power than normal while having stronger Dao Hearts. They had built their path through greater effort since they didn't have any elders or ready-made Heritage to fall back on.

"The downside of the Primordial Era's environment was the limited culture of inheritance. You may not be aware, but Eternal Heritages can be separated into two categories. True Eternal Heritages are likely those you've heard of. Places of ultimate power that surpass the Dao, allowing it to survive Era after Era."

"The [Chaos Cipher] is not related to one of them," Zac concluded.

"No," A'Zu sighed. "Not a single faction of today has the resources and strength necessary to erect a True Eternal Heritage. The Limitless Empire was the only one that possessed the qualifications, but they created the System instead. So, how could the solitary cultivators of the previous era accomplish something like that? As far as we know, there are no True Eternal Heritages left from the Primordial Era."

"That brings us to the second category of Eternal Heritages. They're called Cataclysmic Heritages, and the [Chaos Chipher] we're bequeathing you will provide access to one called the [Waking Nautilus]."