Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 1203: Training Regimen

There really was a Holy Relic hidden in this remote training facility, and it seemed even stronger than Zac expected. Could it be part of a contingency where the templars hid their greatest relics, planning for a resurrection when the Dao recovered? But if that were the case, why did it have such an ominous name?He'd pictured something like the three guardian weapons, not a 'Seed of the Apocalypse.' Then again, its name didn't matter. There seemed to be many restrictions surrounding it, but it could be another lifeline in case their Foreign Gods gambit didn't pan out.

"I suggest you give up. The seed holds enough destruction to reshape the Heavens. Are you worthy of wielding such power? Do you think it comes without a price?" Rava said, her voice full of reproach. "That said, the appearance of our Terminal Son is the first criterion of its manifestation. I will not stand in the way of destiny, but I suggest you forget about the matter until you Confirm your Dao. Before that, you'll likely end up a puppet to its will."

"Confirm my Dao?" Zac sighed, realizing his desire to solve the Kan'Tanu threat had gotten the better of him.

Rava's comment about puppets and will made the Seed of the Apocalypse sound like the Heart of Oblivion and its archnemesis. Zac was worried about combining five measly splinters of those ancient entities. How was he supposed to wield a complete item and use it to take out the Kan'Tanu armies across Zecia?

And honestly, he shouldn't have to. Zecia would have to pick up the slack if he managed to unleash the Foreign Gods. If they couldn't even do that, then Zecia was bound to collapse anyway. Would the System bother to protect Zecia after such a shameful display? More likely, it would open the gates wide open to let outsiders

It was a stark contrast to the templars, who all seemed to have tempered all aspects of their cultivation. Even the weakest templars who failed to appear on a single ladder would need rock-solid foundations to pass all the trials. It was a very different approach from what you saw today, where cultivators focused on their strong points and shored up their weaknesses with skills, equipment, or even banding up with Dao Partners.

"Cultivation is different today," Zac offered.

"The Imperial Tutor has not changed the nature of cultivation. Its teachings and unfathomable methods may have raised the cosmos to a level of unprecedented prosperity. However, its assistance seems to have made some of you forget the inviolable truths discovered by your predecessors.

"A tripod cannot hold up the Heavens when it's missing a leg, and the path of an elite cannot rely on outside strength. It will leave a gap in their armor that an enemy will eventually discover. The Era is approaching its Zenith with unexpected speed. The struggle and suffering you've seen is just a prelude. Most of your followers will perish no matter what you do, but a few might get to see the conclusion if you begin your preparations early."

Rava's cynical evaluation felt suffocating. Was she right? Was the struggle for the fifth pillar the start of the war over the Era's direction? That struggle had felt like a distant concept when he first heard of it in the Perennial Vastness. Zac had subconsciously expected to be long dead by that point.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Rava said. "Let me be clear, punishment for failing to live up to my expectations was not an empty threat. A Holy Son, especially, cannot be found wanting. I'll make sure of that."