Within a secluded realm without physical boundaries or horizon, standing proud between a sky of crystal clear liquid and a ground made from a sea of violet clouds, floated the treasured palace of Alekya.

Mighty and mysterious, it had been the subject of many speculations for hundreds of thousands of years by many groups across the Cosmos. Built by the hands of a young Powerhouse who would rise to the top of all known existence.

This entire realm was a Masterpiece, and the full extension of its properties and capabilities was only known by its creator.

Navin Lakar’s home, the home of his creations, the Krustali who served as his assistants and keepers of this realm, working in the different structures of the palace complex, and also the home of his family, the two disciples he had received only when he had reached the point of contesting for the pinnacle of the Heavens.

Inside the central palace, in a room on the first floor, two fellow Disciples, brother and sister not by blood but by upbringing, were watching different things.

Their Master had left the room saying he needed to confirm something in the Observatory, so they stayed in the room waiting for him.

The eldest disciple Arian Rohinel, wearing a black close-fitting shirt, violet satin pants, and black polished shoes; a silver necklace and a black ring were the only accessories visible. He sat on a wooden chair while watching the model of the chaotic Cosmos that his father had made. He sat down straddling the chair, his arms folded across the back of the chair as he intently stared at the representation of the current state of the Cosmos. Floating around him, multiple runes were forming, changing and breaking in ceaseless patterns as vortexes of energy covered his eyes.

The second disciple, Adeline Ragnild, wearing a sleeveless white vest and a multicolored skirt, was watching her brother while lying on her belly on a couch and supporting her chin with her hands as she softly hummed a song.

Arian was taking this opportunity to study the state of the Cosmos via the model that their father had created and, perhaps more importantly, learn more about the current state of their Master, since he hadn’t been much open about it.

Adeline was waiting patiently for him to finish, while thinking about the things they would need to do in these chaotic times. If she was honest to herself, she was excited about the battles to come. It would no longer be half-measures and peace-talking, now there would be war and the top dogs of the current Cosmos would vie for supremacy trying to be the rulers and guiding forces of the dawning new era.

And Adeline’s family would crush them all.

A smile extended on her lips as she noticed the radiance on her brother’s eyes diminished and he closed his eyes. She gave him a moment to catch his breath. The moment he straightened his back, she stood up with a swift and graceful motion like a hunting cat and strode towards him like an autumn leaf dancing in the wind.

Adeline stood behind Arian and wrapped her arms over his neck and shoulders, hands dropping in front of his chest. One of her hands touched the silver necklace hanging there, it was a gift from Selene, the Goddess of the Moons, a memory from their time together.

Selene, who had hundreds of different names and possessed influence across almost the entirety of the Cosmos, was a Major Goddess, a being of the Tenth Stage much older than their Master, Adeline called her ‘Auntie’ since the Goddess had sworn eternal friendship and kinship with Adeline’s father.

Yet that woman had also had casual flings with Arian, instead of looking for a partner of her own age and position. But it was their own decision, so Adeline didn’t bother making a ruckus about it. So long as Selene’s feelings were genuine or at least never harmed Arian, Adeline could tolerate her.

Of course, this was a thing of the past now.

Only their father had returned from the war in the Divine Realm, so Selene, Mahesh, Maya, Ela, Sefer, Varima, Anahita and so many others were all dead.

Uncles and aunts for Arian and Adeline, figures to admire and respect, great Powerhouses who commanded reverence, fear, and awe across all universes. Brothers and sisters to Navin Lakar, people who he could call true friends, loyal companions in the middle of a Cosmos that had mostly antagonized him on his way to Ascension.

All of the Divinities and Powerhouses, the thousands of entities of Ninth Stage and the few hundred that were of Tenth Stage, including barely a dozen or so who were half-step into the Eleventh Stage.

They were all gone.

Adeline herself had lost some friends of the Ninth Stage, and the death of her father’s friends also pained her, since she had grown looking at them as extended members of her family. She did not grieve them yet, she had known that this would happen and they had all chosen this path. To mourn for them would be a dishonor, they had achieved their objective, and thanks to Uncle Mahesh’s sacrifice they would all reincarnate eventually, perhaps even recover their memories.

Adeline would make sure that when they opened their eyes again, they did it on a new and free Cosmos. That was the only thing she could do for them. There would be time for properly mourn them when the Cataclysm issue was solved and the Cosmos stabilized completely.

Noticing she had been silently handling the necklace for more than a few seconds, Adeline let it go and leaned forward, resting her breasts over Arian’s head, wearing no bra, simply because she knew it would get him a little miffed.

Sure enough, with her Spiritual Sense she saw that his lips twisted slightly in a display of annoyance. She dedicated him a sweet and sultry smile, as he too was watching her with his own Spiritual Sense. He always told her not to do such things. Had been saying it for a few thousand years, serious older brother that he was. She had never stopped doing it, stubborn woman as she was.

Not that he was bothered by her presence or physical contact, and neither would he be abashed even if she stood naked in front of him, they had seen each other naked many times over millennia, and when looking at each other through Spiritual Sense there was little that clothing could hide. They were open to each other and shared enough trust that they didn’t repel the Spiritual Sense of the other.

If Adeline wished to see within his body, peer closely at him in lewd ways –which she had done, partly to annoy him– or if she wanted to take a look into his mind and soul, Arian would let her. But by the same token of trust, Adeline did not pry into his secrets.

What miffed him was her nonchalant flirting, as he was a serious man, despite being vastly popular with the ladies.

Still, she paid no mind to his annoyed expression, instead choosing to wink at him. If what Arian had seen while looking at their father and what he understood by studying this model of the Cosmos had put him on edge, all the more reason for her to distract him and help him relax a bit. Even if she had to annoy him to do so.

She had done far worse than this in the past, so this was actually a very superficial teasing. She didn’t fear violence from him, after all. Not because of her strength, although she was powerful in her own right, but because she knew as certainly as her own Dao that he would never raise his hand to hurt her.

Unless they were sparring, but that didn’t count, as that was training and she too would have to face him seriously if they wanted the training to have any meaning.

Very few people got to stand so close to either of them. Adeline wouldn’t display such comfortable playfulness and contact except with her closest friends and she would cut down anyone who tried to sneak on her; Arian would never let a random person get their hands over his neck so openly as he allowed Adeline to do, and would have swatted away any person who annoyed him.

But also, very few people would dare to stand so close to either of them. The auras and power that each of them possessed were intimidating to almost anyone under Stage Eight, even when restrained. Most people wouldn’t attempt to be so casual with them, because to disrespect a Powerhouse usually meant a severe punishment that could end in death or something worse.

Yet they were family and trusted each other unconditionally and unquestionably. Never doubting each other’s loyalty and love. That link between them was absolute and impossible to sever.

They were two of a kind. Inseparable companions walking eternity together, having only each other as a true peer and equal as they faced the Cosmos under the guidance of their Master.

Arian had been her protector and confidant as she grew up, and ever since she was strong enough to do it, Adeline had been his staunchest supporter and most powerful backer.

Now the pillar of their family was in danger, and while neither of them was sure of what they could do to help, they both agreed that they would not be kept in the dark. Even if they ultimately could only watch, they had to know.

Ignorance on this matter could not be allowed.

“So? Found out what Dad is up to?”

“I only have an educated guess.”

That was good enough, in Adeline’s opinion. Arian’s ‘educated guesses’ made in an hour could be more accurate than centuries of research made by other people.

She raised her hands and pinched her brother’s white jade-like cheeks, a surprisingly soft and smooth sensation on a skin that could brush off sorceries like water off a duck’s back and would require the strongest attacks below Divine to be able to wound. And in the rare case that he was wounded, he possessed a ridiculously high capacity for healing, to the point of being instant regeneration.

It was a funny thing, her brother’s reputation as a consummate sorcerer tended to make people forget that he was actually a Cultivator.

As their Master put it, Cultivation was ‘the use of magic through martial arts, thaumaturgy born from the comprehension of the Cosmos and realization of one’s true potential through the utilization of body, mind, and soul’. Put in other words, a Cultivator was both a mage and a martial artist, their techniques were the culmination of years of study not unlike the arcane research of magic but also the fruit of hard training like the most disciplined fighter.

Of course, there were specializations, like Body Cultivators, Sword Cultivators, Spirit Cultivators, Array Masters and so on. Yet that did not mean that they were ignorant about everything outside their specialization.

There were always some people who forgot that, like the idiots who thought that because the Flame Emperor was a specialist in fire arts he wouldn’t be an expert in magic arrays, and got roasted for their ignorance.

Adeline was one of the foremost Sword Cultivators of the Cosmos under the Divine Realm, but she was expert in handling all kind of weapons and possessed a multitude of techniques that she could use in any situation, including magic spells, alchemy, and runic arrays. She had earned a reputation as Spellblade Dancer due to being capable of making swords out of pretty much anything, including magic spells. The Timeless attribute of her body also gave her a privileged defensive power.

Likewise, Arian was feared for his grand workings of magic, the miracles and sorceries he could conjure; but few people kept in mind that he was also a Cultivator with a physical prowess that put to shame many spiritual weapons, Arian’s feats in unarmed combat had shaken entire worlds and possessed a wide arsenal of deadly techniques. The Chaoist Magic that he had developed was simply an application of the principles of Primordial Soul Profound Breath into Arcane workings.

They had both been trained in many ways of combat and had ample knowledge of many subjects and crafts. Their Master had given them a thorough education and honed their many talents. They simply became famous through their most notorious feats, that didn’t mean they were limited to that.

Hilarious situations like someone getting into close-quarters combat with Arian and getting surprised by being beaten to a pulp by a barrage of fists, or someone attacking Adeline from long-range or formations and being stupefied that she also had long-range attacks or that she could cast large spells.

Anyways, here she was, pinching her brother’s cheek.

Arian’s body was harder than many armors in her possession, yet Adeline was pinching him without feeling much resistance. She was fairly sure that he softened his body in order to let her pinch him at her leisure and to her heart’s content, but she wisely chose to not comment about it, lest he decided to stop letting her have her fun. She patted his sinewy arm, feeling the strong muscle under his smooth skin.

“Educate me then, wise man.”

Arian raised a finger and pointed at the model of the current Cosmos. He drew a circle and a Taiji Diagram emerged, slowly rotating clockwise over the model. Yin and Yang perfectly balanced in their endless cycle of mutual generation and mutual constriction.

“If Father is the only thing keeping this distorted Cosmos from falling into complete destruction, then that means he is withstanding the weight of the Cataclysm on him. My guess is that he is using not only his true body and that second body, which I’m sure he used the Tabula Rasa as the main material to create, but also the four Nirmitas for this purpose. Otherwise, there would be no need to use only four, nor to construct them using the Four Guardians Formation.”

He spoke with an unhurried tone, eyes still focused on the model of the Cosmos. It hadn’t escaped Adeline’s notice that their father was using four Nirmitas representing the Four Guardian Beasts.

Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Red Phoenix, and Black Tortoise. Four spirits representing four basic elements, four balancing forces of the cosmos in many models and traditions of Cultivation, including Primordial Soul Profound Breath.

Though her father used a slight variation with his Avatars formed with that formation: Golden Heavenly Dragon, Winged White Tiger, Iridescent Phoenix, and Obscure Warrior Tortoise.

Adeline’s eyes narrowed as she considered the implications of there being a need to use this specific formation.

“How so?”

“First, Taiji. Master’s true body is in the Divine Realm –or what remains of it– and must remain immobile. His new body, created from his Tabula Rasa, is a body isolated from outside influence, it will be outside wandering. Together, they share the burden of the forces and principles of the Cosmos using as principal sympathetic link the remains of the stars of the Divine Realm. Different bodies with the same soul working towards the same objective. Yin and Yang, static and active, balancing each other while working together towards a purpose. But you know him, he likes to be thorough in his preparations, so he is also using a second layer on this. Besides, you know how our Cultivation Art works.”

Adeline knew, of course. So she understood what he meant immediately.

Primordial Soul Profound Breath was a Cultivation Art that emulated the origin and evolution of the Cosmos in a very special way, a twofold path of harmony.

Internally, it would follow the origin and transformations of the Cosmos from a singularity to the myriad of things in existence, while at the same time moving counter it on the exterior, pursuing manifested techniques that went towards the original simplicity.

At her father’s level, one would possess an internal universe of countless manifestations of forms within oneself while being able to wield the powers of the Primordial Chaos and the formless Original Nothingness.

“He’s using a counterbalance too.”

Adeline couldn’t prevent her voice from gaining an edge. She could already see where this was heading, and she did not like it.

Arian drew another circle, a new Taiji Diagram showing Yin and Yang, but this one was inversed and rotated counterclockwise. It floated under the clockwise Taiji Diagram.

“His body in the ruins of the Divine Realm is the single island of life in the middle of that dead realm, and it’s also a core of Chaos in the middle of that twisted order that’s a still and dead plane. While his new body is an island of unblemished order in a chaotic Cosmos, an artificial life in the middle of the thriving worlds that are experiencing an explosive boost in their new state of no restrictions due to the absence of anyone above Stage Nine.”

With a wave of his hand, the four figures of Phoenix, Dragon, Tiger, and Tortoise appeared, and above each of them a miniature figure representing their Master’s Nirmitas.

He continued with a frustrated voice.

“Then the finishing touch, four Nirmitas to explore the Cosmos and go around fixing it so that the burden will lessen. Each representing a guardian spirit, as further stabilizers. He has spent the past week doing such, and has mostly succeeded. There’s probably no one else in the Cosmos right now that’s capable of that.”

“I was wondering why he didn’t contact me nor you during this past week. He took it as his responsibility as the only surviving Deity. But by taking all of that burden by himself…”

“He is putting his own life in danger, Addie. He is not sealing the Cataclysm, he is guiding it. He’s trying to turn that destruction into a force to propel the advance of the entire Cosmos, he is betting his life on it. A slight mistake would shatter him beyond reincarnation, but if he succeeds…”

If he succeeded, then the damage to the Cosmos would be minimized and the Cataclysm would not only grant freedom to all worlds, it would make the Cosmos evolve. And not only that, having passed that crucible, he would advance even further in his comprehension of the Cosmos, achieving a breakthrough in his Cultivation. Adeline finished Arian’s sentence.

“He would reach Transcendence.”

He nodded, confirming her words. Said movement also moved her chest and she giggled, just to tease him. He poked her ribs with a finger.

“This is serious, Addie.”

“Come on, Ari. He will succeed, and you know it. He’s taking this seriously, that’s why he put so many layers as countermeasures. There are no longer any beings anywhere close to his level, so no one can harm him. He might not be able to fight right now, but that’s where you and I enter. Let him focus on his delicate and complicated plan, we will handle the rowdy bunch in the Cosmos. Don’t worry so much.”

She was as nervous about this as him, but she could put a smiling face more easily than Arian.

He was too serious when it came to matters like this, it was even a bit cute to see him all worried when he should know by now that their Master wouldn’t take unnecessary risks and would not throw away his life. The risk was real and serious, but worrying would not solve anything. What they had to do was to lessen their father’s burden.

And that meant kicking the ass of any who went out of line.

In the current Cosmos, Adeline and Arian were unbeatable in single combat. While Adeline couldn’t claim that she would emerge victorious if she faced multiple Eighth Stage opponents, Arian could.

She was certain there was no one under the Ninth Stage capable of fighting Arian, even if many of them attacked him at the same time, they would at most fight him to a draw, and wouldn’t be guaranteed survival of all their group.

She playfully tapped his chest and smiled.

“Come on, let’s take a walk. It’d be better than staying here waiting for Dad to come back from whatever he is doing in the Observatory.”

“He is probably using it to take another look at the state of the Cosmos, combining the vision from the Observatory to his vantage point from the Divine Realm, unifying perspectives to refine his control.”

“See? He’s got that covered. Now focus on a new subject, we have to make plans too.”

He let out a sigh. Yeah, Arian still hadn’t accepted her proposed course of action, had he?

“Addie, you can’t be serious with your idea of going around fighting the other communities in the Cosmos, it would be seen as launching a conquest. Father won’t approve.”

“Hey, I’m not saying we go around beating them all and force them to submission, but they have to know who’s the current Sovereign of the Cosmos. He won’t be a tyrant, but they still will have to fall in line.”

Arian grabbed her hands with his own and turned around to look her directly with his own eyes. Gorgeous heliotrope eyes locked into her emerald eyes.

“Listen to me, we can’t throw the first punch here. Father doesn’t want to rule the Cosmos; he is aiming for Transcendence. Besides, you and I can’t face the entire Cosmos alone. It is pointless to antagonize so many people, we don’t need anything from them either.”

She hummed considering his words. He was right, but he was also missing the point. Adeline wasn’t aiming to rule the Cosmos either, but she wanted to bring a reform to it.

For too long there had been rotten people in positions of power oppressing the different worlds. Her father had granted freedom to the Cosmos from the restriction and oppression of the Divine Realm. It would be up to his disciples, Arian and Adeline, to do the same to the worlds beneath it.

“We won’t throw the first punch, Ari. They will, what I’m telling you is that we need to be prepared. They won’t take kindly to Dad’s new position. And when they notice that he is wounded? They will try to take him down, as it’s the only opportunity they will ever have to do it. Once he recovers he will be invincible.”

“Once he recovers he will focus on Transcendence. There’s no point in antagonizing him, they would know that.”

“You are expecting far too much decency and common sense from those bastards. You know they aren’t that way. Besides, most of them don’t even believe Transcendence is possible.”

He frowned but silently conceded the point. That was one of the points of the war, their Master’s pursue of Transcendence while the majority of the other Powerhouses called him a madman. Idiots who played to the rhythm of their Sovereign ignoring the limitations forced upon them by their leader, while others were willing accomplices that knew the truth and still decided to keep the Cosmos under their thumbs.

The different groups that held control of the worlds under the Divine Realm were full of ambitious people too. They would not let the chance to seize control of the previous domains of the Deities pass them by. Arian and Adeline wouldn’t even be their main targets, the different groups would attack each other and wreak havoc.

War was inevitable, Adeline was sure. And even if Arian didn’t like it nor did he look forward to participating, he surely knew that too.

She leaned forward, her eyes still locked on his, unblinking. Merely centimeters away from his face.

At that moment, only the two of them existed, the room was empty, the space beyond it was nonexistent. Two people looking at each other’s soul.

“If I march to war, will you come with me?”

It was an unfair question to ask, she knew that. She shouldn’t make him choose nor ask him to participate in a conflict, even in a hypothetical scenario. But the sharp light in his gaze, deprived of any hesitation in his answer, was worth taking the risk of making the question. It made her heart beat with joy even if she knew he was getting angry at her for questioning his determination.

She waited for a moment, for an eternity. Wanting to hear the words that would make her soul dance in delight.

“You already know that, Adeline. If you raise your Sword on the battlefield, then my Abyss will follow. Your enemy is my enemy, and if you march to battle I will stand by your side. Now and forever. This does not change.”

As he spoke, he used no magic, no special power. He did not move his Qi and called upon no arcane energy. Yet the sheer force in his words made the space around them tremble and Adeline shivered in delectation.

It was not an oath sworn through any ritual nor a vow enforced with mystic energies. No, this was pure willpower, absolute certainty in the truth of the words uttered. So unshakeable that they might as well be part of the fundamental laws of the Cosmos.

Now and forever. Simple words that were not spoken simply, with implications that only a high tier practitioner would fully understand. His word would stand and stay true beyond eternity.

Even some of the prophets and zealots of the Gods wouldn’t speak with the same unwavering force that rang in his words. He would support her and stand by her side even if the entirety of the Cosmos were to be her enemy. Walking side by side and forging a path together no matter what obstacles lay ahead.

She knew this truth with every fiber of her being. There was nothing else to say.

Adeline would ask nothing more from him.

She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips too fast for him to dodge, before turning around and walking back to the couch.

She turned around smiling as Arian frowned in reproach for her nonchalant response to his serious words. She winked at him and laughed as he sighed while shaking his head.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door before it was pushed open and a woman entered.

She appeared to be in her early thirties, she had crimson hair with golden streaks tied on a ponytail and wearing a beautiful white dress decorated with golden trees shedding scarlet leaves.

“Amy!”

Adeline’s expression brightened even more as she walked over to the woman with open arms. Amelia Krustal, the Queen of the Krustali and the first of their race, created by Adeline’s Master directly, while the rest had been ‘born’ from her. She was the one voice that held command over the hive mind of the Krustali.

Amy’s love and adoration for their father was perhaps the only one that surpassed Arian and Adeline’s own love for him. She was his Steward, meaning that she was the one in charge of Alekya in his absence, the one with the most administrative authority among his servants and occasionally served as his messenger and representative to different groups across the Cosmos.

She was also Arian and Adeline’s childminder and governess, their nanny who had been with them ever since they were children, and had stubbornly refused to let anyone else take the job.

“I missed you too, little princess.”

Adeline gave her a tight hug and received a kiss on the cheek. Amelia was the woman who had watched them grow up, the closest Arian and Adeline had to a mother-figure or an older sister.

“Where were you? We have been here for hours.”

“I was busy. Your father went to the Observatory and is deep in meditation now, in case you are wondering. And I could ask you the same, little girl. Why didn’t you visit me in this few hundred years?”

Adeline found her cheek being pinched as Amy reprimanded her. Adeline had been roaming the Cosmos without coming back to Alekya for centuries. She still gave occasional calls, though.

“I was busy!”

Adeline defensively said but Amelia gave her a disbelieving look, clearly not believing that Adeline hadn’t had time to visit. She was the only one among the Krustali who would interact in such casual and even a bit authoritative manner to Adeline and Arian.

She was unique among their kind in that respect too.

“Whatever, My Lord is back and you two are safe. That’s all that matters. Reports from the Observatory say the Cosmos is in a mess, though.”

Amelia said the last part in a nonchalant way. Adeline knew that for Amelia the rest of the Cosmos might as well be dust, she didn’t hold much regard for it beyond that her beloved Lord was trying to unveil its mysteries. She was perfectly happy in Alekya and held no ambitions towards outside matters.

Amelia turned to Arian and gave him a kiss on the cheek in the same manner as she did to Adeline.

“Did everything go well in the Nether Plane?”

“Yeah. No problem there.”

“Good. I am glad to finally see you again, children.”

She dedicated them a loving smile for five whole seconds, then she faltered. Her expression changed, Adeline noticed sadness and pain in Amelia’s eyes.

“Now please, be honest with me. What is My Lord’s condition? I am not an expert as you two, but it’s clear to me that he is wounded.”

It seemed that their father was not fooling anyone in the house with his act of ‘everything is fine’.

Explaining to Amelia the state of his Master had been much harder than explaining it to Adeline.

Not because she did not understand, but rather because of her reaction to the information.

Arian saw the raw pain in his former nanny as her face contorted when she learned the delicate state that her creator was in. Amy had never been good at hiding her emotions, she liked to say that she was a crystal clear person, and now that put in evidence the disarray of emotions in her.

Slight tremblor in her fingers, lower lip moving up and down without making any sound, eyes moving back and forth. She was scared and full of worry.

Yet neither he nor Adeline had the heart to refuse her the knowledge of their father’s state. Because she loved him just as much as them, so they would not hide the truth from her.

The only thing that calmed her, was Adeline’s reminder that she had to trust their Master’s skill. Amy was unflinching in her loyalty and trust, and Arian had then come up with explanations about how likely his father was to succeed.

If he was honest, the odds of his father’s success were very high. But that didn’t mean Arian liked the risk. His father was in a very delicate position, but also a very special possibility had opened for him.

Adeline and Amy were now happily catching up and talking about the things that had happened during the past couple of centuries after Arian had finished explaining what his father was doing to keep the Cataclysm at bay.

But there was one thing that Arian had stayed silent about. For the knowledge of that piece of information would make Adeline throw a fit of rage and would break Amelia’s heart, effectively sending both to his father’s location to try to dissuade him from doing it.

Both of them would rather have the entirety of the Cosmos turn into ashes than lose him.

But Arian knew his father and mentor. He was not a man who would hesitate in front of a challenge nor someone who would run from responsibility. Both of which were put in front of him right now.

No, his Master would carry on, unflinching and unwavering to either victory or obliteration. He had let Arian know, let him gaze at the inside of his Nirmita and later at his second body without hiding anything, because he knew that Arian would understand.

He also knew that Arian would not stop him, even if it pained him.

The final piece of information: Exactly how his Master pretended to reach the Twelfth Stage of Cultivation, the actual method, not the vague ‘he will gain comprehension from this’ explanation that Arian had told Adeline.

It was simple to reach that conclusion once one had the necessary information, but it would take a madman to actually attempt such a method.

Primordial Soul Profound Breath, the art that his father had completed as the culmination of the work of his lifetime, was a supreme art that granted the practitioner vast powers due to studying and comprehending profound principles of the Cosmos.

Not only did it emulate the evolution of the Cosmos, but it also emulated it in reverse. Pursuing the cause from the effects and reaching the conclusion from the origin, walking both paths at the same time to create a balance between the manifested and the obscured, the noumenon and the phenomenon.

There lay the secret uniqueness of Primordial Soul Profound Breath.

They started with a Cultivation Core forged from Primordial Chaos, the first gift received from their Master, and something only possible to do because he already had access to such energies at the moment of passing on his Legacy to them, then through their practice and comprehension of the Cosmos, they made it grow and evolve into an inner universe as they progressed in their Path and advanced through the different Stages of Cultivation.

Opposite to the course of their inner universe, the techniques they used started as being able to wield a multitude of elements and manifested the countless things in Nature while steadily becoming simpler yet more profound, returning to the original simplicity of the beginning of the universe.

Then came the issue of how to advance further than the limits of the Cosmos.

From the Original Nothingness of the Obscurity to the Primordial Chaos and the Supreme Unity, the Singularity dividing into the Duality of Yin-Yang which then further separated into the Four Phases and their interactions gave birth to all the countless things in the Cosmos.

That was the Daoist theory of the origin and evolution of the universe. A tradition very ancient and something that many groups of Cultivators had known and studied.

But what came next?

Upon reaching the pinnacle of multiplication and prosperity into a Cosmos thriving with life and endless forms, what’s next? Reaching that state in his inner simulation of the Cosmos, Arian’s Master had reached the Eleventh Stage of Cultivation.

Counter practiced, it would go from the myriad things of nature towards the simplicity of the original Chaos. That was the manifested Cultivation of his Master.

What was needed to advance from there?

How to reach Transcendence, that Realm Beyond Divine that no one had reached before in the known history of the Cosmos? Upon reaching the pinnacle, where to go? How to break free of the bindings and boundaries? How to break through the limits of all known existence?

His Master had come to a conclusion, and it was as brilliant as utterly insane and dangerous.

Collapse. Cataclysm. Obliteration.

Taking the high principle of ‘Return to Simplicity’ one step forward; a Return to Nothingness.

To transcend the known perfection and become truly Eternal, surviving even the obliteration of the Cosmos.

His Inner Cosmos would reach a collapse and experience a Cataclysm far more thorough than the one the real Cosmos outside was experimenting right now. He would need to make it survive through that extermination into the Nothingness to be reborn again thanks to an Eternal Will.

That would then manifest as him achieving true comprehension about Obliteration and Annihilation, manifesting the power of the original Nothingness in his Cultivation.

Once he did, he would achieve a perfect alignment of Inner Cosmos and Manifested Dao. The balance would not create absence; it would achieve the state of Limitlessness.

Thus, he would reach Transcendence.

However, to produce a Cataclysm within oneself was tantamount to experience the collapse and utter destruction of the entire universe by oneself. To welcome the forces of the extermination of Heaven and Earth into one’s body and soul and expect to not only survive, but to take the reins of them.

It would also mean that he would be sacrificing his entire cultivation base for this, failure would mean absolute death. No sane person would take such risk, it would be suicide.

And yet…

If someone had an actual chance of succeeding in this madness of impossible odds, it was Navin Lakar.

An extremely dangerous move, a deadly bet, but one that he was equipped to win. His current position as Sovereign of the Cosmos, his connection with the Laws and Forces of the Cosmos while meditating in the middle of the collapsed Divine Realm and taking the reins of a Cosmic Cataclysm. All things that could relate to the state he was pursuing; he would build a path beyond apotheosis out of the most extreme conditions of existence.

It was awe-inspiring and terrifying, both visionary wisdom and insanity at the same time. But it was a path that Arian and Adeline would have to eventually walk to reach Transcendence.

At that point, it would probably not require such great risk, having already a point of reference in their Master. He would be the pioneer and trailblazer for the unknown path ahead.

Just like before, he would share his comprehension and insight with them, so they would inherit a safer and tested method, benefit from his teachings and learn from his experience.

Receiving and enjoying the fruits of his hard work and sacrifice, the disciples would benefit from the Master’s effort.

Arian’s father liked to say that he had benefitted greatly from each debate with them, that in teaching he had rediscovered and learned a lot. He always praised their research and findings, and said he also further perfected his arts with the insights they shared with him, even when they were both walking different Paths than him.

Perhaps he was right, perhaps he was exaggerating. But to Arian, there was simply no way that the insights obtained by the two of them during less than twelve thousand years could compare to their teacher’s comprehension of a million years. Even if he called them prodigies.

Arian had looked at his Master’s eyes and saw no fear, no reproach, and no regrets. He would advance ever forward and would help them do the same with his usual loving and carefree smile.

Arian could only accept this. His Master’s actions would also save the entirety of the Cosmos and grant it real and lasting freedom, propelling it to a new era without the ancient restrictions of the past.

So he had remained silent about that last bit of knowledge. Arian had hidden the most disquieting piece of information from his most beloved person, because he knew that this knowledge would shake Adeline and she would try to stop their Master. Neither thing could be permitted in the current situation, the battles to come ahead would need her sharp and in top form, without hesitation or fear, and his Master would likewise need to be focused and unwavering, even if her words wouldn’t make him falter, ignoring them would wound him deeply. In such a delicate state, an emotional wound could be even worse than a physical one.

So he was silent, wondering what her reaction would be in the future when she inevitably found out. Would she forgive his pretentiousness and accept his view that he had done what he felt was necessary?

Would she consider this a breach of their trust?

He knew her enough to know that the answer would be a fit of rage, but he trusted that it would pass. Because as much as he was aware of the fact that she loved him with her life, she knew perfectly well that he too loved her above all else.

A single fact that would not change, in this ever-changing Cosmos. No matter the circumstances nor the time.

Now and forever. The old words spoken through the years, centuries and millennia that they had known each other. He would not forget nor betray those words.

But was he truly doing the right thing? Hiding this important information from her? He thought he did, yet it also pained him.

He might have to receive a few nasty slashes from her sword, though. His adoptive sister’s wrath was a thing to behold with awe and fear, even if she wouldn’t aim for his life.

On the nearby table, Adeline and Amelia were discussing some abstract changes on the current Cosmos.

“So it’s just like My Lord said before, the practice of any system and art will be made easier.”

“Right. Now that there’s no constraint by a bunch of Deities, the Laws are ‘free’, in a manner of speaking. Dad is keeping hold of them all so they won’t break everything, but it’s now easier to approach them and comprehend them. The Principles of the Cosmos are eager for someone to take hold of them.”

“Hmph, My Lord should just take them all to himself, he would bring a prosperous era to the Cosmos then as a glorious Supreme Sovereign.”

Arian saw Adeline chuckle in approval. She probably thought the same as Amy, but she also knew their father’s reasons.

“I know, right? He should just rule the whole Cosmos and live comfortably here, but you know how he is. He has this idea of giving freedom to all and guiding the Chaos into a force of positive change instead of being a destructive force. He also seems to want a new generation of Powerhouses to rise, they will take hold of the reins of the Cosmos and share the burden of giving order to existence, and that way the Cataclysm will be fully solved.”

“What a complicated matter. Those people are hardly worthy of the effort your father is making. So until some capable people rise to the positions, he is stuck holding the Cataclysm at bay?”

“That’s the gist of it. Right, Arian?”

Emerald eyes turned to him, followed shortly by Amelia’s own soft violet eyes. Both women expected his response, knowing well that despite being staring at the model of the Cosmos he had been listening to their conversation. They had been talking in the same room as him, after all, so with their senses, it was obvious.

He showed them a thin smile and replied.

“Yes, but the process will be faster than what we might think. There was a multitude of restrictions in the worlds with Systems, but now those Systems that remain will only provide boosts thanks to the support of the World’s Radix while Paths will be made easier to access and the mysteries of the Cosmos will be easier to comprehend in the worlds that practice Cultivation. Similar things will happen to the worlds that practice magic and pursue Arcane ways, and even the martial worlds will see that their bodies will be less constrained during training. So there should be plenty of Ascenders in the next hundred years.”

Amelia put a finger over her lips with a pensive expression and then asked another question.

“But that also means our enemies will benefit, right?”

Amy’s question made Adeline show a feral grin. She was surely anticipating the battles to come. She always had that lust for battle in her, the thrill of a hard-earned victory was one of the greatest pleasures for her.

Her voice was slightly shivering in excited anticipation.

“Yeah, and they will try to use their newfound powers to take control of many regions and war against each other too. I expect they will grow quite a bit stronger, otherwise, the battles will be boring.”

Arian raised a finger to lecture her. It wouldn’t do to have her taking unnecessary risks simply for the sake of a good fight. Besides, they shouldn’t get involved in wars that had nothing to do with them.

“We will have our battles, but can’t participate in all. We won’t go around searching conflict either. Father surely has a plan, we will move out soon and handle some things. Also, don’t forget that this riddance from the shackles in Cultivation applies to all beings, that includes spirits, monsters, beasts, and demons.”

Adeline reclined on her chair. Her reply came with a smug smile.

“All the more reason for there to be a good fight. I kept the lower worlds safe, now we can focus on the stage that concerns us: The Higher Worlds.”

Adeline’s grin grew as her sharp Aura flowed in excitement.

“Pereastra, Katabria, the Wilderness, the Witenagemot, the Fae Realm, the Fallen Court, the Dark Sects, the Scions of the Old Gods, the Asuras, the Kere Penthaka, the Mekhanas, and all the other groups full of people who want to make a claim to the bountiful treasure that is the Cosmos in this new era. The big players will move, thinking that the Cosmos is in for the taking and we have to be ready to respond in kind. We will show them that it is already taken.”

Arian let out a short laugh at that. As if she was ever not ready for a fight. This was her way to tell him to not get himself busy in other matters that could distract him.

“Right. We also have allies in many worlds, many people will likely come asking for favors and calling on old deals. We will be busy for a long time.”

Arian’s words seemed to make Amelia think of something else. Her face turned deadly serious for a moment before she relaxed her expression.

“Arian, you held the contracts for the past couple of centuries. Do you think the Corps will avoid conflict? Or that the other groups will let them be in peace? They will inevitably make war with others, so we will have to support them. And things will only escalate from there.”

Arian took a moment to consider this matter. There was a very real possibility that the Corps, as Amelia referred collectively to the seven groups that had contracts of servitude with their father, would be the subject to attacks from other influences. They each lived in different worlds and had their own allies and enemies.

Of course, those contracts varied and were of different nature, but a very basic thing was that if they were in danger then Arian’s Master would intercede to help them.

“What if they draw from My Lord’s power during their battles? Would that distract him or weaken him? He is in a delicate state where he needs all his power, right?”

Amelia’s voice had a dangerous edge to it. Even though Adeline’s face remained in a complacent smile, there was no hiding the sharp light in her eyes as she considered this.

There was a need to calm them both, even if he knew they wouldn’t do something crazy like attack his father’s vassals, it was better to let them know there was no need to worry.

“No. Even if they call on him for power, which they rarely do, it will not drain him nor weaken him in any significant way. Father’s body is wounded, but the amount of energy that he has access right now is perhaps larger than before the war. There’s no danger there.”

Arian spoke with a serene voice and the two women relaxed a bit. They could see that he spoke the truth, after all.

Arian’s attention was drawn to the model of the previous state of the Cosmos, that pyramidal state with the Divine Realm at the top.

His Master would not implant a new Seal of the Cosmos, he would grant true freedom to the Cosmos and all Practitioners. And for that, he must take this risk, even if there was an exceptional reward in case of success.

“Nevertheless, in the worst-case scenario, we can shelter them here. Though that’s to remain the last resource, since they won’t abandon their own domains so easily.”

Arian glanced at Amy when he said the words and she begrudgingly nodded. She would be the one in charge of accommodating them in such a case; even if she didn’t like the idea of letting others staying for a long time in Alekya, they were the direct contractors of her Lord and if this could save him trouble then she would comply.

In total, the contractors were seventy-seven people from different worlds, arranged in seven ‘groups’, though there were two among them that held personal and direct contract by themselves. They each possessed their own abilities, circumstances, and goals that had led them to enter the service of their Master.

That also meant that they each had their own enemies. Even if they had a contract with a Powerhouse, that didn’t mean they could go around relying on him for everything.

Adeline was right that many of the members of the Corps would be entering conflicts with other groups. Arian saw his sister shrug nonchalantly.

“We’ll see about it when the time comes. The important thing is that there will be war, Ari.”

Arian inclined his head slightly, conceding the point. That much was inevitable and he had never said otherwise, his only objection was Adeline’s attitude of readily looking for it. She had always been someone who liked to be on the offensive, as evidenced by her Way of the Sword.

There was a soft sound, like an alarm and Adeline’s Spatial Ring flashed slightly. Frowning, she pulled out a crystal rectangle and inserted a bit of Qi into it.

“A message from Thessei already?”

Adeline mused as she made a projection appear in front of her and read a message.

“Hey, Ari, look at this. Gaerel says there’s been a strange prophecy that all Oracles of the Higher Worlds had at the same time. It seems like he didn’t get the info before because he was being besieged.”

A prophecy for all Oracles? That’s strange.

Arian stood to check on what that prophecy was when he saw Amelia suddenly inhale a sharp breath and stand up while glancing at the outside.

There was a soft hum in the air as the dimensional barrier was thinned to enable crossing. Arian expanded his senses and felt Adeline do the same, covering the palace with their own Spiritual Sense.

Arian chuckled softly.

“Well, seems like Father is thinking and moving ahead of us.”

“That’s the usual way, isn’t it?”

Adeline’s reply was met with a nod of approval by Amelia as if that was the most natural way of things. It kind of was, Arian had to admit.

They walked out of the room to meet the cause of the disturbance.

In the central plaza of Alekya, in front of the Pool of Complements, a pool of extremely dense black and white Qi currents that rotated in the shape of Yin and Yang, space was vibrating softly.

A soft violet mist emerged and drew symbols in the empty space in front of the pool. With a flash of light, figures emerged from each of the symbols, Arian recognized them all, he had carried those symbols for the past three centuries.

They were the contractors of his father, entities bound to his service by willing oath.

It took only a second, and the entirety of them manifested in the plaza. They weren’t actually there, Arian noted, they were being projected, a piece of their consciousness summoned to that location by his Master and then given a construct to manifest and operate.

There they stood, under seven different standards, the vassals under service of Navin Lakar, the group collectively known in the Higher Worlds as the Seven Aspects of Chaos.

The Illusory Phantom Corp, also known as the Spirit Troupe. They lived in a realm known as the Land of Dream. Fourteen spirits of different affinities and natures. They stood with varying expressions on their faces; excitement, serenity, eagerness, and cool-headedness practically radiating from them. They wore colorful attires and carried with them weapons and musical instruments.

The Roving Blades. Seven master fighters, enlightened of martial arts with outstanding skill. They roamed the Cosmos by themselves, always pursuing higher attainments in their own arts of combat. Always ready for battle, these people were dedicated to the pursuit of the highest attainment in martial skill and prowess.

The Voyager Beasts, nine powerful and rare Piasts from different races. All possessors of extraordinary abilities. Fierce beasts with an avid desire for new experiences that continuously traveled to different worlds.

The Keeper of the Beyond, unofficial head of the group. Unique in nature and power, he stood tall and strong at the center of them all. The only one among them who was at the Eighth Stage of Cultivation. He was also the one with the most eldritch nature among them, one of the earliest vassals of Arian’s father.

The Perennial Circle, which were a group of sorcerers, engineers, crafters and weapon makers. 33 people from various races, prodigious inventors of a great number of disciplines. Each carrying multiple tools with them.

The Fathomless Sanctuary. Twelve saints and scholars, pursuers of wisdom that wielded powers that put to shame many ancient immortals, they solemnly awaited the presence of their venerated Lord.

The Scarlet Empress, standing proud and alone. She was the pillar of her empire, which she rescued from doom and catastrophe thanks to the pact made with the Sovereign of Chaos. Beautiful and cunning, with an Aura of majesty and charming mystery surrounding her. She was one of the strongest of the group, being at the peak of Seventh Stage.

Dream, Battle, Fierceness, Mystery, Creativity, Solemnity, Dominion. The seven banners of the Seven Aspects of Chaos flew high and the Auras of the contractors filled the plaza as the manifested their presence, calling for their Lord.

The seventy-seven contractors of the Conqueror of Chaos stood in attendance, only communicating with each other through telepathic messages as they did not dare perturb the atmosphere with banal sounds.

Then their ruler appeared in front of them, emerging out of space without any ripple. He was simply already there.

As one, in a smooth motion that one would expect to have been rehearsed multiple times, they all knelt before their Sovereign.

Navin Lakar welcomed his sworn vassals with a serene smile. Yet the sharp light in his father’s blue eyes told Arian that he was angry. An astral storm was brewing and roaring behind those shining sapphire-like eyes.

It seemed that Adeline would have her wish granted after all.

They were marching off to war.