Chapter 279: Chapter 160: The Dark Gate Appears
"Whew... Now this is a true place for cultivation!"
After passing through the Half-Plane Gate into the Source Energy Half-Plane and feeling the abundant Sequence Essence, Zorn couldn’t help but sigh.
"Lord Zorn, your cultivation time is unlimited. If you wish to continue training when your time is nearly up, you can simply apply to the Divine Kingdom again."
The steward’s words still lingered in his ears.
’Basically, as long as there’s no war in the outside world, I can cultivate here indefinitely.’
’It really pays to be a genius contracted by the Divine Kingdom.’
After finding a suitable spot within the Source Energy Half-Plane, Zorn set down his Magical Cottage and floated cross-legged before it.
He flipped his hand, produced a Magic Ring Spirit Fruit, and consumed it. Once it was digested, Zorn began his journey of secluded cultivation.
Upper Rank Level Transcendents, the Holy Crown, and the Legendary Realm.
All required a massive amount of time to cultivate and raise one’s Sequence Level.
It was even more necessary to wait for the vast scrolls of epic, legendary, and mythical Chapters to unfold, upon which they would inscribe their own Immortal Sacred Mark and deepen their foundations.
Zorn knew that in just a few years’ time,
the great Chapter of the Legendary tide would slowly unfold upon the Star Dust Plateau, lasting for decades, perhaps even centuries.
This period would be the perfect time to advance to the Holy Crown, or even to the Legendary Realm.
Furthermore, over the next few hundred years, the entire Land of the Star Realm would see successive waves of these Chapter-like tides, some great and some small.
As he sat in cultivation, the main trajectory of the world’s path gradually emerged in Zorn’s mind.
’It’s been almost ten years since I left the Holy Relic World and started cultivating in the Star Realm.’
’According to the information from Calos over in the Otan Grelle Steam Spirit Kingdom,’
’about two years ago, the Demon Creatures finally managed to open the Cosmic Ancient Ruins.’
’After the Demon Creatures opened it, the other major powers—such as the Jade Realm, the Secret Wilderness, and the Twilight Ancient Temple—also invested some of their strength to probe and enter those mysterious Cosmic Ancient Ruins.’
’Although it’s unclear if the Calamity Court Realm has made any preparations or investments in this area,’
’but... the Otan Grelle Steam Spirit Kingdom is under the protection of the Calamity Court.’
’What’s more, the Otan Grelle Steam Empire is currently entrenched in the Holy Relic World’s Northern Border Region.’
’At the very least, the Calamity Court is qualified to have a foothold in the Holy Relic World.’
’Right now, the Demon Realm holds an advantage as the Pioneer,’
’but as time passes and others learn of the benefits inside, they will continuously pour in manpower and resources to seize an advantageous position.’
’And then...’
At this thought, Zorn lightly clenched his fist.
’it will be time to make sacrifices through my Cosmic Altar Projection.’
’Once the sacrifices begin, my Sequence’s upper limit will enter a state of infinite growth.’
Although that time had not yet come, Zorn could already clearly picture the magnificent spectacle of countless powerful factions scrambling to offer sacrifices.
Taking a deep breath, Zorn suppressed the slight agitation in his heart.
He knew all too well how terrifying this grand plan was.
Collecting taxes from the gods of the Star Realm was no small matter.
’A Legendary Level of 25 is the limit for a Legendary Sequence.’
’To expand the Sequence’s level cap further, one needs to consume Cosmic Essence to push the limit.’
’A Legendary Sequence can also be upgraded infinitely, as long as there’s enough Cosmic Essence.’
’With a continuous investment of Cosmic Essence, even a Legendary Sequence can reach Level 30, Level 35, or even the terrifying Level 40.’
’Similarly, a Divine Level of 30 is the upper limit for an Upper Rank God.’
’Upper Rank Gods also need Cosmic Essence to break through their level cap.’
’By the same token, they can also upgrade infinitely, as long as there’s enough Cosmic Essence.’
’Cosmic Essence is the key to expanding one’s level cap.’
’This is true for any Sequence.’
’But a limit is just a limit, and I’m currently nowhere near hitting that ceiling.’
’I still need to accumulate my own Sequence Essence.’
’At the Upper Rank Level, I need to use Spiritual Essence and Fighting Essence to raise my Level.’
’I just need to digest this Sequence Essence and convert it into the Essences I need.’
’With normal digestion, it will take me a few years to advance to Level 15.’
’The crucial thing right now is the growth of my Rune Magic Ring.’
Taking a deep breath, Zorn immersed his mind in the Tree of Calamity Magic Ring.
Using the Calamity Rune Traits as a foundation, Zorn continuously comprehended, absorbed, and rapidly mastered their wondrous Profound Meanings, gradually condensing them into his own Calamity Rune Magic Ring.
Countless familiar Rune Profound Meanings swirled through his mind.
Zorn was completely engrossed.
...
Time flew by as Zorn cultivated in seclusion.
A little over a year into Zorn’s training, a small-scale military conflict erupted once again between the Calamity Court Divine Kingdom and the Evil God World.
This time, there were no large numbers of Holy Crown Level experts participating.
Only Upper Rank Level masters like Zorn took part in the battle.
This kind of opportunity to earn battle merits only came around once every year or two, sometimes even three or four.
Naturally, Zorn wasn’t going to miss it.
In this battle, Zorn earned a little over three hundred thousand battle merits.
And this time, Zorn officially crossed swords with a master from the Evil God World.
Their destructive power was completely on the Holy Crown Level.
They were significantly stronger than the Ancient God Messenger Zorn had fought before.
Facing an opponent at the Holy Crown Level, even when Zorn unleashed his full arsenal of conventional techniques, he was still suppressed by the Titan Blade Master for a long time.
Unlike advancing from Middle Rank to Upper Rank, which was roughly equivalent to a two-level power jump,
advancing from the Upper Rank Level to Holy Crown was different.
It meant one’s Sequence reached its absolute pinnacle, forging a crown from an Immortal Sacred Mark.
The original Extraordinary Sequence would fuse with the Immortal Sacred Mark, undergo a complete metamorphosis, and reach an entirely new level.
The Sequence Spiritual Ability would directly transform into the Power of the Holy Crown, and its base might would increase tenfold.
Moreover, the base for a Holy Crown’s Rune Magic Ring was fifty rings.
A Holy Crown expert who had been cultivating for some time would have a Rune Magic Ring of seventy or eighty rings, sometimes even over a hundred.
Zorn estimated that the Titan Blade Master, with his Holy Crown Level strength, had been cultivating for at least two or three hundred years.
He possessed an 80-ring Rune Magic Ring.
He was definitively at the Holy Crown Level.
Zorn had to unleash all three of his Ancient God Curses and rely on his 30-ring Rune Magic Ring just to barely withstand the opponent’s assault.
Fortunately, a master from the Calamity Court Divine Kingdom arrived and came to his aid.
This gave Zorn the extra time he needed to accumulate more battle merits.
Within the Calamity Court Divine Kingdom, there was no shortage of Upper Rank Level masters who struggled to break through to the Holy Crown Level.
At the Upper Rank Level, the Calamity Court Divine Kingdom undoubtedly had the upper hand.
If the Evil God World dared to engage in large-scale open warfare, it would surely be annihilated by the Calamity Court Divine Kingdom.
The problem, however, was that they focused on defense.
Breaching their lines would require a slow war of attrition.
After this battle, both sides once again ceased hostilities.
Zorn returned once more to the Half-plane Source Pool to continue his steady cultivation.
He focused on raising his Sequence Level while also strengthening his Rune Magic Ring.
Before he knew it, another year had flown by.
...
Death, Calamity, destruction, aberration, and endless wailing and damnation.
Numerous Calamity Traits permeated and bloomed within the Tree of the Magic Ring.
The place was just like Purgatory, filled with countless negative and calamitous traits.
However!
This was precisely the kind of environment Zorn loved most.
Immersed in the halo of death and damnation radiating from the Tree of Calamity Magic Ring, Zorn’s mind felt an unprecedented sense of peace and serenity.
Although the difficulty of comprehending the Rune Magic Ring increased the further one progressed,
Zorn’s Calamity Divine Kingdom and Tree of Calamity Magic Ring were absorbing the very source of the Cosmic Demon Pool.
As a result, not only did Zorn’s rate of comprehension not slow down, it actually showed signs of increasing.
The only problem was,
Zorn was about to run out of resources.
Cultivating with resources versus without were two completely different things.
「On this day.」
Zorn was fully focused on absorbing Sequence Essence and converting it into his own Spiritual Essence and Fighting Essence.
His supply of Magic Ring Spirit Fruits had already run out three months ago.
Since there was no war raging in the outside world, Zorn simply continued his cultivation of both his Level and his Forbidden Curses.
He might as well freeload off the Level-up resources provided by the Divine Kingdom while he could.
After all, he wouldn’t have such an opportunity once he advanced to the Holy Crown Level.
"Zorn, something important has come up! Get out here, quick!"
As Zorn cultivated, the voice of Holy Crown Female Blade Master Lady Reya echoed directly into the Half-plane Source Pool, transmitted through some kind of ritual.
His cultivation abruptly interrupted, Zorn pulled himself out of his state of absorbing and digesting Sequence Essence.
He frowned slightly.
Under normal circumstances, Lady Reya would not have interrupted his cultivation so casually.
For Lady Reya to come personally and go so far as to interrupt him, Zorn realized something extremely important must have happened.
He immediately rose and walked outside.
He pushed open the door of his cottage. In the wide passage outside, Holy Crown Female Blade Master Reya was waiting with a grim expression.
Seeing Zorn emerge, she said curtly,
"Pack your things. We’ll talk on the way."
Hearing this, Zorn’s heart skipped a beat.
’So... it’s finally here?’
After all!
This was the very reason he had chosen the Fedor Material Plane World Group.
They left the Half-plane Source Pool Floating Island Group and arrived at the periphery, where Mr. Kano, the Cosmic Wanderer in the Cosmic Demon Pattern Plant Armor who had escorted them before, was waiting.
When the two arrived, Mr. Kano the Cosmic Wanderer wasted no words. He immediately activated his Cosmic Travel Ability, carrying them swiftly through the Star Realm.
Their direction of travel was straight toward Fedor’s Dark Gate.
As they traveled, Reya looked at Zorn and spoke in a steady voice.
"You must be wondering why I suddenly interrupted your cultivation."
"I am a little confused. Did something important happen?"
Zorn asked, a puzzled look on his face.
"You should know about the Dark Cosmic Gate incident involving our Calamity Court Divine Kingdom, right?"
"Yes, I know!"
Zorn nodded.
"It was the work of that shameless Jade Realm. They caused our Calamity Court to suffer heavy losses. We will definitely get revenge for this in the future!"
Ever since his time in the Holy Relic World, Zorn had clashed with the people of the Jade Realm on numerous occasions.
During the conflicts between their Spirit Realms, they had become mortal enemies.
The hatred only grew with time.
Naturally, Zorn would not let the Jade Realm off the hook.
What’s more!
If the Jade Realm’s massive Jade Magic Ring Tree were to be corrupted by the Evil Spirit Calamity, it would bring him an enormous harvest.
A High Level Tree of the Magic Ring was basically an "Evil God Experience Pack."
In the future, it would be nearly impossible for Zorn to level up slowly through accumulation alone.
Only by shattering the Trees of the Magic Ring belonging to powerful factions and absorbing the massive amounts of Faith within could he hope to reach the highest Levels.
"We can talk about revenge later,"
Holy Crown Female Blade Master Reya said grimly.
"Entering the Dark Cosmic Realm is extremely important."
"The Jade Realm destroyed our gateway to the Dark Cosmic Realm, and we lost our chance for a large-scale entry."
"But this time, a Dark Gate with a fairly high capacity limit has appeared not far from our Fedor Plane World Group."
"This is a crucial opportunity for us to enter the Dark Cosmic Realm."
"And that... is why I’ve summoned all of you top-tier Upper Rank Level Transcendents!"
Hearing this, Zorn’s racing thoughts calmed completely.
’The Dark Gate... it’s really here!’
Although he was overjoyed, his expression remained impassive.
The Dark Gate had already opened. This meant that the tide of a brand-new Dark Cosmos Chapter had officially arrived!
The opportunity for an Evil Spirit Wizard to inscribe his Immortal Sacred Mark upon the tide of a new era had come once again!
