He hadn’t gained any Kill Energy from the clash , but Zac knew the man was in trouble . Even if he managed to retain his consciousness , he’d been flung directly into the storm . Zac had been in that exact situation right upon entering the Calamity three days ago and understood firsthand just how deadly that situation was . Zac had even infused the man with a good chunk of his Dao of Conflict to turn him into a lightning rod for the environment .
The pugilist would be lucky if he survived long enough to find land through the chaos , and that wasn’t counting the numerous boulders and smaller shrapnel-like rubble mixed into the storm .
Thirty minutes passed , and the chaos just grew worse . Zac didn’t need to bleed himself to create a field of protection . If anything , he was forced to keep up field repairs of his battered body to avoid bleeding out . There’d been a dozen near-death encounters , mostly from shrapnel with nigh-undodgeable speed . The block of metal he used to anchor himself had already been turned into Swiss cheese by the unrelenting barrage , and he would have been grievously wounded if not for his Void Energy and Abyssal Phase] .
He wasn’t the only one facing hardships . Finally , the island couldn’t take it anymore . A deep groan reached the very core of Zac’s body before a huge crack appeared just one hundred meters away from him . The whole island had been split apart , and Zac desperately leaped to the other side upon realizing his half had started falling toward the abyss .
Zac was exhausted , but there wasn’t much to do but swallow a Soldier Pill and forge on . At least it shouldn’t be that long before he reached the end of the island . Even inside the storm , he’d kept a decent pace , and the guidance beam indicated he was getting close to the teleporter .
Another peak came crashing from the sky , forcing Zac to call upon his skeletal guardians again . The shockwave passed , but Zac looked up with shock as he saw his hands turned into corkscrews . In a similarly surreal fashion , a nearby boulder sprouted wings and flew away , singing a song of liberation .
Zac shook his head , and both hands and boulder returned to normal . He looked at the fallen peak with surprise . It hadn’t been Creation Energy that twisted its surroundings . There had rather been a powerful spiritual fluctuation baked into the shockwave just now . It had even managed to overwhelm his incredible mental protection , putting him in a dreamlike state .
Even now , a powerful spiritual fluctuation emanated from the peak , and the source wasn’t a skill . Rather , it seemed like there was an incredible Soul-attuned treasure in that piece of debris , which was further proven by the gathering of Fate around it . Zac hesitated , then ran toward the miniature mountain .
The situation was dire , but his soul all at once felt like an arid desert . Whatever hid within that mountain was the rain needed to make him whole . Its fluctuations weren’t quite at the level of the Calamity Core] , but it had to be one of the best Natural Treasures in this deathtrap .
A few jumps later , Zac stood inside a huge cave , and his heart shuddered at the lingering aura . It was incredibly condensed , still releasing mental ripples that almost scattered Zac’s thoughts . More importantly , it was an aura Zac recognized . It was the Late-stage Beast King that had scanned him after breaking through .
This had to be its den , which meant the small flower in the shimmering pond was one of its cultivation treasures . It looked a bit worse from the wear after having been thrown from the sky , and most of its pond was gone . But it still exuded incredible waves of Spiritual Energy , and Zac had to activate both a soul-warding talisman and Indomitable] to withstand its aura .
Zac didn’t believe this was a hallucinogenic plant . It was most likely a side effect of the powerful spiritual fluctuations it emitted . Going by the hunger in Zac’s body , it was most likely an incredible tonic for his soul , something he could use after his recent breakthrough . Half a day had passed since he broke through , and he’d only managed to repair some of the damage caused by his brutish breakthrough .
He could only eat so many Soul Mending Pills before they lost their efficacy , but this could be the key to rapidly recovering to an optimal state . Zac braved the mental fluctuations and harvested the flower . He put it inside a jade box and added a number of Soul Crystals along with some pond water upon seeing the flower lose its spirituality . Even then , Zac judged it wouldn’t retain its effects for more than an hour or two before it was relegated to a normal Peak-quality item .
Zac was about to put the box away , but a deep voice boomed through the chamber .
So , someone beat us to the punch . -
Zac swirled around and almost felt his vision had been inverted for a moment . He was standing inside a small mountain looking upon a sturdy man , yet it felt like the man was the mountain while Zac stood on the ground . He had an immense aura , towering yet calm like an ancient peak . Even the storm was pushed away from the cave mouth by his presence , though Zac guessed that was a result of his huge accumulation of Mana .
Null wouldn’t divulge the levels of guests in Red Zones , but Zac estimated this this cultivator was at least a proper seventh-echelon guest .
Even the three companions to his sides were no slouches . Each emitted an aura rivaling those of the strongest warriors he’d dueled in Vastness City . Zac inwardly sighed and cursed his greed . He wanted to avoid trouble , but a moment of weakness led him straight into a viper’s nest .
It only took one look to know there was no talking his way out of this one .
30
GREED
The group of four made no move to attack , and the two sides wordlessly looked at each other .
You are the Draugr who has been making waves over the past month . - The leader of the new arrivals smiled , his eyes turning to the box in Zac’s hand . - That thing . . . -
Is mine , - Zac cut him off .
Ownership is dependent on strength , - one of the mountain man’s companions said , and Zac’s eyes narrowed upon sensing powerful spiritual fluctuations emanating from him .
A Mentalist . No wonder the group had hurried over .
The Soulhaze Lily] is of great use to my friend here , as you’ve no doubt guessed already , - the mountain man said . - How about this? Two factions guard the trial’s exit , along with the solo adventurers who have formed a temporary coalition . A lone cultivator returning , such as yourself , is bound to be robbed of their Spatial Rings the moment you’re sensed . If you donate the lily and allow me to scan your Spatial Tools for the Calamity Core] , I will personally lead you out of this place . I swear on my Dao , I will not take anything else . -
Or maybe I just join the solo adventurers , - Zac shrugged .
Don’t try to play us for a fool , - the lone woman in the group , a warrior wielding two identical shortswords , laughed . - Every arrival since the global event began has been logged . We know you’re not one of them . What group would let you join without checking you for the core? -
And therefore , I must have the item? - Zac countered . - It’s might still be out there , probably in one of these falling mountains . -
He wasn’t really hoping to sway the group with his words , but these people were giving out critical information left and right . Why stop talking before he absolutely had to? He’d guessed these four were slightly sheltered elites of some powerful faction in the Multiverse from their appearance , and their demeanor and language only reinforced that theory .
Of course , that didn’t mean these people were weak . They might be lacking in life-and-death experiences compared to someone like himself , but the same could be said to be true for Iz Tayn .
That might be the case , and you’re surely not the only one who was tempering themselves in this realm when the mission was released , - the leader said , a small frown forming when faced with Zac’s stubbornness . - You may be an innocent bystander in all this . But the Heavens are never fair . The others will not be as generous as I am . I’m certain the coffin on your back is your main weapon . Why risk losing your companion for a treasure that doesn’t seem aligned with your path? -