Defiance of the Fall

The ship gently sailed atop the clouds that stretched across the horizon. Dusk was approaching, painting the horizon in orange and pink. Hidden formations kept most of the wind at bay, and the only clear sign of their great velocity were the gaps in the clouds that occasionally flashed by. They provided a welcome change to the monotone view by showcasing an untamed expanse untouched by human hands.

The Void Herald had called it the edge of the Thousand Beasts Ridge. It was a region full of opportunities, according to the other passengers. Immense Dragon Veins and blessed lands gave birth to endless treasures, and many had discovered ruins full of hidden knowledge and paths to hidden realms.

Despite the riches, few cultivators dared travel beyond the outer perimeter. Even Void Heralds feared the beasts who had made the mountain ranges their domain. There were also plenty of death traps formed naturally by the Heavens. As such, a region surpassing the Blue Spring Sect's domain by thousands of times remained unclaimed for millions of years.

Even the Hur'Vaz Empire, the home of their old sect, couldn't be compared to the Thousand Beasts Ridge's size. Eight factions bordered the region, each so vast their homeland wouldn't be considered more than a remote province.

Karz had always been acutely aware of his humble origins, but he'd still underestimated how high the peaks could go. Reading the incomplete and mostly made-up missives back in the sect had left him ignorant of the fact that the Hur'Vaz Empire was just a small force on a satellite planet of a far-grander continent.

The only reason the Hur'Vaz Dynasty could claim themselves ruler of their little fiefdom was a tenuous connection to a real sect on the Grand Expanse Continent—The Serene Sea Sect they were currently headed for. It was the second-smallest of the factions bordering the Thousand Beasts Ridge, yet it represented a huge opportunity for himself and his 'young master.'

Another gap in the clouds whizzed by. Karz barely spared it a glance, having long lost his interest in observing the wilderness. His heart had been moved by the stories during their first weeks of travel, and he'd half-expected to encounter something amazing during their journey.

But how could there be unclaimed treasures on one of the public, regularly trafficked routes? The only break from the monotony was meeting the occasional vessel. Even that had grown boring. The vessels controlled by subsidiary factions kept a wide berth because of the overbearing sigil on the sides of their ship, and boarding the mercantile vessels usually left a sour taste in Karz's mouth.

The greatest commotion came when they encountered a young woman standing on the clouds with a spear in her hand. A Peak Void Herald, and such a young one, at that. There was apparently not a single one in the Serene Sea Sect, though there were rumors their elusive Sect Master might have reached that stage.

She must have come from an even loftier faction to wield such power at her age. The others believed she was out gaining experience. Luckily, her goal had been the ridge rather than their vessel. Their lofty guide hadn't even dared breathe as he provided direction, bowing deeply enough to touch the ground until she was out of sight.

There was always a greater mountain. It was comforting, in a way, since it meant he could keep climbing without causing any waves.

"Hey, what do you think about the old man's question?"

Karz turned over, finding Laondio sitting in his self-made chaos of messy notes and medicinal dregs. It was almost impressive how he managed to maintain the unkempt and dazed appearance of a scholar who had stayed too long within the archives during their journey.

"The greater purpose of cultivation?" Karz said as he began tidying up. "Who cares? Even if there is one, what does it have to do with me?"

"Junior Brother, you were a lot more likable when you pretended to be meek," Laondio laughed. "Then again, you wouldn't have accumulated the necessary resources without your feigned arrogance."

It was true. Collecting alchemical dregs and garbage eventually proved insufficient for his cultivation. As his affinities improved, they grew more discerning. But where would a rat born in a pile of refuse get their hands on expensive treasures? Completing Sect Tasks and trading with merit was just a way for the sect to secure cheap labor. You wouldn't amount to much even if you continuously risked your life. The good things were kept in the hands of the silver spoons while the have-nots fought over the scraps.

Karz found it more effective to orchestrate a series of enmities with the young masters of the sect, manufacturing justification to lift the treasures from bodies. It wasn't hard. Cultivators were the same everywhere, be it the Blue Spring Sect or the Grand Expanse Continent. Arrogant, bored, and trapped by convention. It was no wonder most factions were stagnant.

Some fools sought trouble simply because of his origin or unflattering nickname. Others could be made to lose all reason with a smile and a few words directed at the right girl. Playing with fire had almost cost Karz his life more than once, but it allowed him to gather enough materials to pursue power through other venues.

"There's nothing?" Laondio pressed.

"Not everyone is like you," Karz shrugged. "What's wrong with searching for power for power's sake?"

"Power for power's sake," Laondio sighed as he looked up at the stars. "Raindrops falling through the desolate, unknowing of their origin. The status quo isn't enough."

Karz had no idea what his companion was talking about, but he had long gotten used to the inscrutable comments and lofty ideals.

"You'll figure something out," Karz grunted as he got to his feet. "This won't work, though."

Karz was talking about the pile of notes he'd stacked and ordered. As always, he'd taken a peek to see if there was anything useful for his cultivation. This time, Laondio was researching a purification formation where you'd install a pillar in your backyard.

As for the medicinal dregs, they were already tucked away in his Cosmos Sack. They wouldn't help much, but it was better than nothing. Besides, Laondio didn't let propriety limit his experiments, and the Void Herald's inner world was seemingly bottomless when it came to Laondio's needs. These scraps were much better than what he used back then.

"Oh? You've finally read the books I lent you?" Laondio said with interest.

"Just enough to not get myself killed around you," Karz grunted. "This thing is much more effective than normal purification arrays, but that's because it's just pushing the taint away. Whoever dares put that thing in their courtyard would have their throats slit in the middle of the night. Unless it's the Sect Master, I guess."The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the N(o)vᴇl(ꜰ)ire.nᴇt

Laondio looked taken aback at the conclusion. "Ah, you're right. I got too caught up in the theory, forgetting to consider the application. Perhaps if I strengthened it to cover the whole sect."

"That'll start a war," Karz laughed. "Even if it didn't, wouldn't you just surround your home with corruption, destroying your cultivation grounds and polluting the Earth? Maybe if you built one large enough to cover the Cosmos."

"Maybe you're onto something," Laondio grinned.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Whatever," Karz said. "I'm going to cultivate."

"Junior brother, I hope you one day can find a real answer. Even if it's one in conflict with my vision," Laondio said. "Until then, I'm happy to have you by my side."

"What if I'm just using you for power's sake?"

Laondio just laughed. "What if I'm just using you?"

Karz scoffed before emptying his glass and walking away. It was simple, really. If their ambitions ever put them against each other, they'd have to see who had the bigger fist. Of course, Karz refused to believe the cosmos wasn't big enough for the two of them. At least, he hoped it wasn't because he'd rather go against a whole sect than that outwardly harmless scholar.

It was clear that Laondio carried great secrets, secrets possibly surpassing his bloodline. Laondio maintained his lead no matter how much Karz improved his cultivation speed despite spending most of his time on various projects. There was also that uncanny way that reality bent to Laondio's will. Everything just worked out, like he was being swept forth by predestination.

Could a man really be that beloved by the Heavens?

Karz sometimes felt like he was living a dream, one where he wasn't even the protagonist. It was Laondio, who repeatedly overturned convention without anyone asking why and how. How could he invent pill formulas that awed even the Serene Sea Sect with their ancient history? Why did his detractors disappear one after another? How could he see through almost any item, method, or technique?

It seemed as though only Karz could see these discrepancies while the rest of the world just went with the flow. And Laondio didn't even seem to care about his bubble of immutability being exposed. If anything, he seemed happy to have a confidant, though it was a topic they never broached. Just like they never discussed why Karz's Heavenly Root had improved by two grades between his admission to the Blue Spring Sect and their visit to the Hur'Vaz Academy.

The world was cold, and Laondio's warm treatment sometimes made Karz feel like a pig being raised for the slaughter. Still, it was undeniable that Laondio had been instrumental in his rise. He would have died a few times over if not for Laondio helping him from the shadows. And how many times had Laondio just so happened to mention he'd heard rumors of a promising treasure ground, or that he'd found some scribbles that invariably led Karz to treasures he needed to advance?

Even the rare opportunity to leave their homeworld for greater heights was largely thanks to Laondio. Karz's official strength wasn't enough to contend for a real slot when the Serene Emissary visited the Hur'Vaz Academy. The only way he'd gain the Void Herald's attention was if he exposed some of his bloodline.

Karz knew he'd reached an impasse and had seriously considered taking the risk. Laondio effortlessly side-stepped the issue by passing a special trial, directly becoming the Sect Master's direct disciple. From there, he'd appointed Karz as his Sword Attendant, allowing him to tag along to the Grand Expanse Continent.

The role didn't come with any benefits, but what did that matter? He could make his own fortune so long as he had the right stage. The same held for Laondio's intentions. The garbage piles atop the incineration platforms would always be part of him, reminding him that one couldn't be picky where the food came from. What mattered was that it'd let you survive and fight another day.

It was a fool's dream to hope for any semblance of control. Civilization and the rule of law were made from thin, brittle lacquer. The slightest shock to the system would turn gentlemen into beasts and sages into devils. He'd keep going, keep surviving, until the day he was the king of the jungle. At that point, he could consider matters like the 'greater purpose of cultivation.'

Karz sealed his room before taking out the wooden gourd he'd bought for a pittance the other day. He wondered what the trader would think if he knew the old thing hid a natal seed bursting with Nature's Dao. It had eluded even the appraiser's discerning gaze, but nothing could escape the limitless hunger of his blood.

Green wisps were slowly extracted, each providing greater benefits than the circle of medicinal dregs he drew around himself. It took only two hours for his body to reach satiety. He'd ideally continue with a different element, but Karz was running woefully short of fuel despite his best efforts to supplement his reserves along the way. He occasionally struck gold, but few merchants would sell wares of unknown providence and value.

He turned his gaze inward, finding the nine sigils silently floating within the mysterious mist. Most were ethereal, barely casting a shadow. Only one stood out from the others, a five-colored rune resembling a lotus flower. It was the first sigil to form after he reached Golden Core, and the only to undergo an evolution in the thirty years since.

It wasn't a coincidence. The Blue Spring Sect's most famous arts were the Tidal Resurgence Mantra and the Steelstar Compendium. As such, most treasures that entered their gates contained the spirit of the Grand Materia. Adding the alchemical flames left inside wooden alchemical dregs, and you had four out of the five elements.

The only one that came close was Nature's Sigil. Not because of the gourd, but because it was an inescapable part of medicinal herbs.

Karz observed the sigils a few minutes before summoning the strongest. A surge of searing heat spread through his body as patches of skin reddened. A ferocious aura joined the searing heat, and dark patterns resembling scales gave texture to the angry red. Karz glanced into a mirror, seeing the unique pattern on his forehead.

It was a mix of the two sigils forming something beyond the sum of its parts. It was only one of a vast number of possible combinations, though the one he most often used when facing danger. Part of it was because the manuals he cultivated meshed well with his transformation. However, it was mostly a natural consequence of Nature and Grand Materia being the strongest sigils in his collection.

He could maintain this state for ten minutes if needed, but Karz wasn't planning on working on his control today. A third sigil was called, and white markings appeared upon the scale-like formations as the patterns grew more orderly. Karz felt his body move toward a state of equilibrium where his will aligned with the Era.

The transformation only got halfway before disorder appeared among the scales. A bulbous growth appeared on his arm, and Karz quickly retracted his will from the runes. A small pop painted the nearby wall with blood and pus. Soon after, Karz's skin was back to normal, and the rune on his forehead had retreated into his mind.

Karz shook his head and spread ointment on his wound before taking out his worn-out notebook. He drew the final state of the rune with pinpoint precision, along with the resulting fault line on his arm. Finally, Karz jotted down his thoughts and new theories. Altogether, they only made up a few lines, far from the pages of insights he gleefully scribbled in the beginning.

Progress with his third integration was woefully slow, but there was no point in getting impatient. They'd reach their destination in a few months, where resources and knowledge overflowed. He'd absorb it all, taking him closer to his goal. He might even manage to form a few new seals, depending on what resources he could get his hands on.

During one of his lectures, the Void Herald had explained that the Heavens were split into Seventeen Kingdoms, and Karz suspected each sigil represented one. The Kingdom of Order stood at its center. And while it wasn't necessarily the strongest, it acted as the lynchpin of the Heavens. That was why Karz staunchly tried to integrate the corresponding sigil into all his experiments, despite it being his least-condensed rune.

He could already see the road leading to the very end. The day he reached seventeen integrations to form the Ultimate Truth, he'd truly become limitless and break the shackles of mortality and fate. Until then, he was happy being just Karz, the humble sword attendant none would spare a second thought.

The experiment ended early, leaving him with most of the energy in his Heavenly Reservoir intact. His head throbbed after forcing the third integration, yet he still took out a bundle of cheap herbs. Karz drew upon the runes again, though this time only the rune of the Grand Materia. And instead of evolving his body, he poured meaning into the dry stalks.

The process was tedious and time-consuming but necessary for his goals. Thirty infusions could turn a worthless stalk into a 500-year-old herb, while one hundred infusions birthed a true millennial herb. He'd been forced to sell a few to the traveling merchants they encountered, and those blackhearted profiteers took advantage of their remote location to rob him blind.

Most were stowed away. They could be sold for at least ten times the price when they arrived, and would set him up without relying on Laondio or anyone else. Ultimately, cultivation was a solitary path where you were locked in an eternal struggle against fate and the Heavens. You were bound to be disappointed if you put your trust in someone else.

Karz eventually reached his limits, with his Heavenly Reservoir as dry as a desert. One millennial herb with a fiery aura and a 500-year stalk with a steely sheen was added to the pile. Karz got to his feet and took an unsteady step toward the crude gathering formation in the inner chamber. It would take a few days to recover and replenish his reserves.

It was the Heavenly Cycle, an equal exchange where he benefitted without adding to the innate sin of cultivation. The Heavens themselves were assisting him on his road to the peak. He sat down on the mat, hearing a few haunting notes from the deck above. Laondio had taken out his self-invented instrument again.

Karz enjoyed the unfamiliar melody for a few minutes, feeling it resonated with something deeper.

"Why does it matter if the raindrop doesn't know its origin?" Karz muttered as he sealed his ears. "What matters is whether it can grow into a boundless ocean."