Defiance of the Fall

Zac couldn’t believe it. How was it possible to encounter the Void again, within weeks of unsealing the Holy Relic?

It might have made some sense if what Zac detected through the transportation sphere matched the [Fuxi Mountain Gate]’s aura. The Earth Spirit hadn’t said it outright, but his gate was likely one of many. Roan had called it a mountain gate. Zac couldn’t see the arrangement support the Primal Heaven and the Fifth Pillar alone.

Zac believed multiple bridges had been installed across the continent to act as loadbearing pillars. There should also be supportive formations to stabilize the connection, like the lower courts supporting the Left Imperial Palace. The Void present in the Muddy Patch Vein was too different to take that role.

There wasn’t so much as a whiff of Imperial Fate, nor did it seem connected to the First People. The Dipper Mine’s Void had its own flavor, an untamed aura resemblant of a Natural Treasure. Zac hoped so, at least. What would he do with another bridge? It wasn't like he could call on the Earth Spirit for his unlocking service.

A natural High-grade Void Treasure would be far more useful, whether for direct consumption or accelerating the mountain gate's recovery. The latter was especially attractive. Zac had investigated the Holy Relic a few more times over the past weeks, and each visit increased his impatience to rebuild the bridge.

Zac could already see multiple uses for the [Fuxi Mountain Gate]. For one, it could act like a bottomless Void Crystal after the connection to the Void Mountain was reestablished. It would also make for a decent hiding place in case of emergency. The treasure might even allow for an incredibly useful ability—allowing his bodies to instantly reach the other's side.

Despite its properties, the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] wasn't a Spatial Treasure—just like the transportation sphere before him. Consequently, it had no problem entering [Purity of the Void]. If Zac could enter the gate with one body while simultaneously storing it in his purification space, he could take the relic out on the other side.

Should that fail, there was still the option to ferry over Spatial rings using the mountain gate as a go-between, circumventing the dimensional restrictions of [Purity of the Void]. Being able to send over the Yphelion, which was with his human body, could be a lifesaver. It also enabled transferring mountains of resources at once instead of transferring items one by one.

There was even a small chance the First People's inheritance remained intact. The hundreds of heritages they sent into the Era or Order were the best of the best. Finding something suitable was unlikely, but Zac would welcome any opportunity to study the Void. Lacking the fundamentals was holding him back in so many departments.

Batteries and item ferries were only conveniences compared to Zac’s thirst for knowledge, yet the inheritance wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when he laid his eyes upon the ancient gate. Zac had seen the key to surviving his future breakthroughs. His tribulations had reached unbearable levels, forcing him to rely on tricks or the System's assistance. Zac didn't even want to imagine the punishments his Inner World would face or how he'd defend his Dao.

There was no way he could take the full brunt of Heaven's wrath, and he couldn’t rely on the System bailing him out every time. Zac's only option was to steal the Kayar-Elu's Clan’s heritage while completing Leandra's mission. His mother's clan were masters of hiding from the Heavens. They'd even helped design Sanctuary, the Technocrat's holy land. Except, embracing the Dao of Technology meant making an enemy of the System when he already had his hands full with the Heavens.

Undergoing his tribulations inside the Void of Dao was a much better solution. Zac was currently limited to sending a mental tendril into the gate, but that was only because it was damaged and completely drained. Later, he'd be able to enter in person. Even if the Heavens followed him inside, it would be severely weakened by the Void Mountain.

These opportunities all remained out of reach. Neither repairing the gate nor restoring the bridge was currently possible. Zac couldn't use [Void Mountain]'s sigil to erase the hostile Dao without first entering the gate, and he couldn't interact with the floating rubble beyond the archway. The thing he could do was pour Void Energy into the platform built by the First People.

The platform should be the key to stabilizing the treasure and entering in person. From there, he could work on the other problems while looking for the First People-inheritance in earnest. Except, each infusion of Void Energy was no different than creating an ocean by pouring buckets of water. A High-grade Void Treasure could be a shortcut to drastically speed up the process.

The only thing keeping Zac from teleporting deeper into the Muddy Patch Vein was the fear of being manipulated. Not even his extraordinary Luck could explain running into Void-related encounters over and over. It was like someone had carefully arranged a trial of breadcrumbs and dropped him at its start.

What was waiting for him at the other end?

It was too early to say whether Laondio only helped Karz for his own benefit. The fact remained that Karz disappeared with the System’s awakening, and his bloodline became a core component for its operations. Was the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] really the key to escaping Heaven’s watch and the System’s grasp, or was it the leash leading him to slaughter?

“Buddy, piss or get off the pot.”

Zac turned around and found himself faced with over a hundred miners wearing matching overalls. It looked like the sphere could only interact with five at a time, with Zac holding up one of the spots. Zac gave an apologetic smile and moved to the side to let the guild through. Still grappling with the implications, Zac inspected the rest of the transporters.

Only the Muddy Patch Vein and its neighboring sphere transmitted sporadic flickers of Void. The two also had more accessible nodes than the average, indicating they were at the center of the memory domain. It gave credence to Zac’s theory that an eruption of Void Energy had annihilated the Dipper Mountains.

Zac wasn’t sure what’d happen if he was faced with such a disaster. Having the Void Emperor Bloodline didn’t mean he was immune to Void Energy, just as a fire cultivator would succumb from powerful enough flames. Even so, Zac returned to the Muddy Patch Vein and picked a node at random. He was sucked into the sphere, entering a state similar to using [Abyssal Drive].

Moving hundreds of miles downward only took seconds. Zac emerged at an underground square with a smaller sphere placed at its center. There were a few buildings and cave entrances built along the walls, mostly temporary residences. Most were empty, while one had been turned into an unfamiliar guild’s temporary office.

The ambient energy and Dao was even thicker than on the surface, easily surpassing Zac’s cultivation cave back home. Even so, it wasn’t suitable for long-term cultivation. The energy was a chaotic mix of multiple affinities, and powerful fluctuations coming from the walls put pressure on Zac’s mind. Most Hegemons would have to return to the surface within weeks—days in the deepest nodes.

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The occasional flicker of Void was even stronger inside the vein, and it still eluded his grasp. The signals came from every direction, like they had fused with the vein. Investigating the nearby corridors didn’t help, though the visit drove home just how dangerous mining in the Dipper Mines was.

The mine was completely different to the mostly safe operations back on Ensolus and Earth. It wouldn’t be wrong calling the tunnels the only safe spots in a sea of unstable energy. No matter where he infused his Soul, he was met by an impassable wall of Earthly Dao. It was no wonder the tunnels looked like they’d been through hell and back. Digging just about anywhere risked hitting a faultline.

Zac gave up on his search after three hours. He simply couldn’t pinpoint the origin of the signal. His best guess was the Void Treasure had perfectly hidden its presence, though a sliver of its aura had seeped into the Muddy Patch Vein. Zac returned to the surface with only a couple of E-grade minerals he ripped out of the wall.

Their value was only a fraction of the entrance fee. It didn’t matter to Zac. He only took them out of idle curiosity during his investigation. Zac found Ogras lounging at a bar with a view of both the mine entrance and tax office. A crusty-eyed Ventus emerged across the street an hour later. Needing privacy, they rented a manor for a month.

"I didn’t find much," Ogras said after they’d performed a sweep for hidden arrays. "There were a few open tasks for robberies and assassinations, nothing that sticks out. There are rumors of two guilds heading toward an all-out war over a juicy stretch. They’re among the strongest factions here, but not nearly strong enough to level the city."

"Dipper Seven has seen a steady uptick of outsiders and solo miners," Ventus said. "It can be explained by Dipper Seven's veins getting better and better, but there could be infiltrators among the newcomers.”

“Why are the veins improving?” Zac asked.

“It’s the road project you mentioned,” Ventus said. “It seems construction fifty thousand years realigned the energy flow, pushing huge amounts to the surface. Certain adjustments a few decades ago are believed to have triggered the Dipper Mountain’s second awakening.”

“So the Dipper Mountains is one of the winners from the Empire’s undertaking—for now,” Zac said, adding the caveat upon seeing Ogras’s amused expression.

The Imperial Road could also explain how a Void Treasure appeared in the mine. The immense forces of a Primal Heaven’s energy being rerouted could have ripped open a pathway to some unusual dimension or even directly birthed the treasure.

“Yes, well. The calamity should be connected to the rising energy one way or another,” the numerologist continued. “Most clues point toward the two newest veins. Their yield is extraordinary. The local magistrate is over the moon. If we follow the theory of a priceless treasure appearing, it’ll likely be there.”

"You’re talking about the Muddy Patch Vein and Darkstone Vein?” Zac asked, getting a nod of confirmation. “You’re right. They’re in the center of the memory domain, and what I sensed is down there.”

“You already found it?” Ogras asked. “So we’re done here?”

“No. I can’t pinpoint its location. The environment is too chaotic, and it would take months searching tunnel by tunnel. I was hoping you’d discovered something that can narrow the search. What about the war? Is it over mining rights in those veins?”

“It is. Specifically over a newly-erected node. It was placed unusually close to the Paverman Guild’s claim, and the Redroad Miners are using the node to dig toward it from the opposite direction.”

“That shouldn’t be it,” Zac said. “We only have access to a quarter of the nodes at the surface layers. The nodes in the depths are well out of reach.”

“There’s not as much action near the surface,” Ogras said. “Order is unusually good in those hot streaks. Quite a few thieves have lost their heads already.”

"There was something in the reports…” Ventus muttered. “Right! The expansion application!"

"What's that?" Zac asked.

"A guild has applied to excavate a new section of the Muddy Patch Vein. It's actually quite close to the surface, but that whole area has been restricted because of its highly unstable energies. Until recently."

“Even more unstable than the rest of the underground?” Zac shuddered.

“It’s that bad down there?” Ogras asked. “Then it's a gamble. Open it up and they could find valuable resources. But if they’re too eager, they could get swept up in the storm’s aftershocks.”

"Yes, the latter is quite normal, especially in the new energy-rich veins," Ventus said. "But when you strike it rich… The guilds have unearthed everything from ancient ruins to incredible Natural Treasures. And by shouldering the risk, the guild gets a much higher cut of the reward. The expansion is slated to start in nine days. Both timing and location fit with what we’ve gathered."

"That means we have time," Ogras said. "Should we check out the area? If a treasure is the cause of misfortune, we'll even be helping these poor souls avoid unnecessary bloodshed by taking it off their hands."

"How noble of you," Ventus scoffed.

“Maybe it's better if the two of you stay here. I have a decent idea what we’re dealing with. The opportunity is useless to you, but it’s very important to my cultivation,” Zac said.

“Shouldn’t it be faster if we look for it together?” Ventus said.

“It’s not that simple. I fear I might trigger the calamity, or part of it when we unearth it. I can’t guarantee my safety, let alone yours,” Zac said, sending some additional context to Ogras.

'Imagine the Memorysteel Mountain, except at a scale big enough to swallow the whole region.'

There were too many too unknown variables, making it impossible to confidently say he could prevent history from repeating itself. Beyond safety, it was a matter of secrecy. It was already bad enough that the Undead Empire knew about his connection to the Void. Adding Ventus to that list was like arming a bomb that could go off any time.

“Can you get to it yourself?” Ogras asked.

“That’s—” Zac hesitated.

Frankly, he wasn’t sure. His attempts at digging new routes hadn’t gone great. He’d played it safe cutting into calmer sections, yet he’d almost collapsed a tunnel. The energies trapped within the walls were extremely unpredictable, following no rules Zac understood. And if the Void Treasure was inside a claimed section, would he even get the chance to dig it out?

“How about this? We’ll come with you and check out the area. If there’s a route, we’ll find it. You can do the extraction yourself after we’ve evacuated,” Ogras said.

“There’s another option. Have the Serpico Guild lead you to the treasure,” Ventus suggested.

Zac looked at Ventus suspiciously. "The guild? Why would they allow a stranger on such an important mission? Are they hiring cannon fodder?"

"They might be, but that’s not what I was thinking. There are other ways to join as an outsider. I could use my identity as a wandering scribe, saying I'm interested in the process. If they say no, I’ll insinuate they're trying to hide their returns from the Empire. There’s nothing like the threat of being branded traitor to get things done."

"Be careful, or your curiosity might get you burned,” Ogras said with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. While the demon didn’t know the full story, he understood that what happened on the Memorysteel mountain was connected to some of Zac’s deepest secrets. “Your idea would work just as well with the young master of a Founding Family out on an adventure. Especially if an official introduces him.”

The plan was the best one yet, though it meant entering with the guild's elite excavation unit. If he could extract the treasure without them noticing, he could easily hide it by circumventing the mine’s restrictions on Spatial Tools. Snatching the Void Treasure instead of letting it destabilize might even be enough to instantly drain the Memory Domain of energy.

“I like it, but we’d have to extend our stay by over a week. Let’s take a look first,” Zac said.

They’d already spent eighty-three days on the Left Imperial Expanse. Nine more would push past the three-month mark. It would take at least four more months to reach the Hollow Court's pillar. That estimate didn't include detours to visit memories or excavating treasures on the outside. Every delay increased the odds of something going wrong. For instance, Esmeralda would reach the Mercurial Court in just two months.

And yet, Zac couldn't simply back down. Finding the [Fuxi Mountain Gate] buried in the battlefield, having the Earth Spirit unseal it, and stumbling onto a mysterious Void Treasure hidden beneath the Dipper Mountains. Each step was a connecting link building a chain to the Void. Whether by fate or someone's design, Zac needed to follow the thread to its end. He couldn’t give up on the opportunity because of possible threats and unknown implications.

The three directly set out, and sneaking down to the yet-unearthed section proved easier than expected. The region could only be sectioned off by the Serpico Guild three days before the expansion, and there were dozens of curious miners filling the corridors. Betting on an expansion’s outcome was apparently a popular pastime in Dipper Seven, and many of the onlookers were trying to glean clues from the powerful energies still pulsating through the walls.

Half a day later, Ogras sighed and removed his hand from a wall. “It got torn apart. Buddy, I think it’s impossible. I have no idea how those miners are planning on getting through this minefield.”

Zac turned to Ventus who shook his head in defeat. The Dipper Mountain had effortlessly foiled his attempts at calculating a path.

“I guess it’s time we got to know the Serpico Guild.”