Defiance of the Fall

The prospect of forming a High-quality Cosmic Core right out the gate felt increasingly distant the more details he added to his plan . The glossed-over sections from when he first put together the step-by-step method hid hard-to-solve issues when put under a magnifying glass . At the same time , he didn’t have any Cultivation Manual that would refine his core , leaving him with no choice but to add more treasures in the future to push it from Middle to Peak-quality .

His Cosmic Core needed to be ready for that .

Today , he could add twenty-eight layers to his practice axes , just six short of a second Cosmic Cycle . But those axes had maxed out their potential . There was no way they’d ever manage to withstand completing the cycle . As for adding a third and a fourth? Forget about it .

The same thing could be said for his Cosmic Core . It wasn’t enough for him to form a Middle-quality Cosmic Core . He needed to do it in a way where he ended up with a stable product whose potential wasn’t exhausted . If not , he would be in serious trouble . Hegemony wasn’t like the E-grade . The stage couldn’t be brute forced , even if you had pills and treasures at your beck and call .

Some unique items could help mitigate the problems with a messy core . However , there was a reason most Hegemons , including cultivators , were stuck at the threshold of the grade . They’d formed subpar cores with troublesome or even irreparable issues , solidifying having reached the end of their cultivation journey . The few that managed to push a bit further were generally stuck at Middle Hegemony .

There were only four bottlenecks in the D-grade , but each was an insurmountable mountain if you didn’t come prepared . Cosmic Forge] was his key to avoiding such a fate . The better he understood the techniques , and the more memories of the inheritance he unlocked , the more time and effort he’d save down the road .

Zac spent another two months working on his crafting techniques and formation plan until he found a suitable mission . It would take him into the depths of a Life-attuned Red Zone , one he had detailed information on , courtesy of Valsa—a perfect opportunity to finish his hammer .

The Red Zone , though not an aquatic world , was called Endless Cerulean . It was a jungle , where the vast majority of the foliage was in different hues of blue . The world had five suns , all radiating powerful fluctuations of Life . There were always at least two in the sky , creating an environment of growth without rest .

There were two dangers in Endless Cerulean , one of which was naturally the denizens of the jungle . The rife amounts of Divine Energy put both plants and beasts in a state of forced progress , which often led to unpredictable mutations and unstable mental states . Just as important , most beasts were starved .

The unique environment forced advancement , and ambient energy alone wasn’t enough to fuel the process when you reached a certain point . Endless Cerulean was vast and full of life , yet starvation was one of the most common reasons for flora and fauna dying . Of course , they were soon turned to fertilizer , and something new sprung up to take their place .

If you wanted to live , you had to eat . And to eat , you had to fight . One day in , Zac had already been forced to kill dozens of desperate beasts . Using his aura to scare away attackers was completely useless . Hunger and pain drove most animals mad , and the only thing he did by showing off his strength was to attract more predators .

The second danger of Endless Cerulean was related to the first . It came from the suns in the sky , the source of the energy and starvation . Each sun acted as a gathering array , releasing vast amounts of Divine Energy . And while there were generally only two or three in the sky , the five suns didn’t have the same orbits .

Occasionally , four or even five suns would be up simultaneously , at which point the environment would grow unbearable . Those already struggling wouldn’t be able to take the incredible influx of energy and die from Life Poisoning . Those who could endure would still have the effect of forced growth multiplied at the cost of longevity , resulting in a mad struggle for sustenance .

Every time five suns shone in the sky , roughly once every ten days , a huge purge would occur in Endless Cerulean . The weak would be culled while the strong feasted . During those times , cultivators had to be extremely careful of the beasts and the overflowing energy . If not careful , you’d also get hit by Life Poisoning , resulting in mutations or deviations . Obviously , Life cultivators were better at withstanding the effects .