Chapter 322: Convergence of Fate (1/2)

Considering the circumstances Zac still felt it was extremely lucky that he went back to the monastery in time. If they went by their original plan to simply study Salvation’s belongings inside the Mystic Realm outpost they would have entered a state of false security while The Great Redeemer was bearing down on them. However, that still left the issue of actually destroying the black pillar.

The old man suddenly produced a small fruit knife from his sleeve, and the next moment the golden ribbons in the air started to flutter wildly. The golden light from the monks all poured into the knife, filling it with a massive amount of the unfamiliar power.

Both the monks and the Abbot himself looked extremely drained after, and a few of the younger ones even looked ready to keel over from the expenditure. The amount that the Abbot personally infused was just shocking, and Zac felt it was even more energy than what his [Infernal Axe] contained.

“Master imparted me with a skill that allowed me to condense the will of us all into an item. It contains our hope for this planet and its people. Bring it next to the item and the rest will become apparent,” Abbot Everlasting Peace explained. “The other three ties can be severed the same way as the last one.”

Zac looked down at the small knife that the old monk gifted him, and if it wasn’t for the special sight temporarily given him he would never have guessed it contained such massive power. It truly was a simple fruit knife without a single fractal, but if he figured out a way to turn the energy into a weapon he might even be able to kill one of the Dominators with it.

“This one truly wished he could do more, but the result of the last battle was largely due to this mountain, and it’s power is not endless,” the Abbot sighed. “This is the limit of what this penniless monk can do. I am truly ashamed.”

“Don't be. This gift is perfect,” Zac said as he stowed away the knife. “Without this item all our efforts might have been for nothing.”

“This old man also spent the past month to divine the fate of this planet. I believe it might be of importance to benefactor,” the old monk added. “The fate many forces on Earth have converged on the very same hidden realm that benefactor has connections to. This old monk believe-”

“That is sufficient,” the child suddenly interjected, cutting the old man short. “Exposing heaven’s secrets does not come without a price. You are yet not strong enough to divulge more than that without permanent ramifications.”

“That’s enough,” Zac hurriedly agreed, not wanting to turn the old man crippled. “I will look into it.”

The news came like lightning out of the blue. The hidden realm likely referred to the mystic realm. But how could any other forces have connections to that realm? And which forces?

It also begged the question of what made people so interested in that place. It was truly a very odd Mystic Realm, but the energy inside wasn't amazing enough to indicate there being some supreme treasure inside. And even if there was something of great value inside, how would he even go about seizing it for himself?

The forces staying on Earth weren’t the only ones he would have to fight with if he entered the fray inside. There was also the natives who were far too strong to contend with for the current Zac. If one added the Dominators and the stronger Incursions into the mix the whole thing turned into a deathtrap.

“We must leave now, I should not stay in this sector for much longer,” Lord 84th said before turning to Zac. “If fate wills it, you two will meet again.”

The floating child Buddhist pointed at the mountain next, and it quickly phased out of existence. Zac looked at the empty space with wide eyes before turning back toward the mysterious expert. But not only were Lord 84th and the Abbot gone, but so were all the other monks.

”I recommend you keeping my identity to yourself to avoid any ties of Karma between your planet and me,” Lord 84th voice echoed in his mind.

Zac didn’t even have time to react to the disappearances before finding himself standing in the middle of his courtyard, looking around with confusion. It almost felt as though everything had been a dream, but when he opened the teleportation screen he saw that Mount Everlasting Peace was gone from the list.

A thought suddenly struck him, and he opened up the Dao Ladder to see if it had changed. Abbot Everlasting Peace was gone as he suspected, putting him in the first position. Better yet, the change actually wasn’t only good for his vanity, but it brought real benefits. When Zac opened his status screen he noticed that he had gotten his first Limited Title.

[Frontrunner [Limited]: Maintain the first position on all three ladders in world. Reward: Effect of Attributes +5%.]

From the wording it seemed like he would hold the title for as long as he held the first position, which meant the title was secure at least in the short run. The only way someone would pass him at the moment was if he got stalled because he aimed for high-rarity classes, allowing others to evolve much quicker than him.

The additional Attribute effect pushed the efficiency to 140%. It was a huge difference compared to normal cultivators, and it made his overtuned attributes even crazier. The effect would easily nullify any boost wrought by cultivation manuals when he encountered experts from the multiverse in the future.

It was still somewhat of an empty feeling to receive these gains as he only got them because the abbot left Earth rather than through his own effort. But Zac shook his head to snap out of it. Now was not the time to get picky about the power-ups. He hurriedly left his courtyard and teleported over to Mystic Island. Every second that the karmic link persisted was a threat to those around him.

Soon enough he reached the core of the island and found Ogras standing some distance from the spatial cracks with a large chest by his side. The chest was wide open and housed dozens of metallic stakes full of fractals, likely the array flags needed to stabilize a path to the Mystic Realm.

The demon immediately noticed Zac’s arrival and gave him a questioning look.

“Making sure your money gets used properly?” Ogras jested when he saw Zac hurry over.

“I wish I had that much free time,” Zac sighed before retelling his experience with the Abbot, though he didn't mention the identity of Lord 84th as instructed.

“I have never heard of such a thing, but he sounds extremely powerful. Cultivation through rebirth,” Ogras mumbled before throwing Zac a weird look. “How odd that a baby planet not only birthed a monster like you but a second oddity like that old monk. I can’t remember a single person from my planet ever gaining insight into the Dao of Karma, yet that old goat did it within a month of getting integrated.”

Zac nodded in agreement. Stranger yet, it felt like the Abbot wasn’t the only one. Salvation would be completely unstoppable on Earth unless Zac was there to thwart him, showcasing a power far beyond what was normal for his level. And there was Billy with his superhuman power and the primordial aura he emitted when he changed form. And those were only the ones he knew of.

Perhaps there were even more oddities that simply matured a bit slower and couldn't be found on the ladder yet.

“So what do you think about what the prophecy?” Zac asked.