Chapter 28: The Final Meridian

"How strong is my physical density right now?"

Theo pondered.

He’d initially thought his progress with the Parasite class was impressive. Even a blue-destined prodigy might struggle to match his rapid accumulation of skills.

But absorbing the passive aura of the third-tier vault had thoroughly humbled his expectations of what was possible.

Young Theo shelved his pride.

Sitting on a fallen log near the eastern forest gate, he closed his eyes.

The dark, iridescent threads of his new spider-silk jacket radiated a steady comfort against the cool evening wind.

Primordial Abyssal Meridians... activate!

Tonight, he would attempt to completely stabilize his Flawless Abyssal Physique before the expedition formally began!

Unnoticed, the three moons climbed to their zenith.

...

A few miles away, at the inner sect staging camp.

"The final meridian... cleared."

Liana opened her eyes, the crimson energy swirling around her lashes glimmering faintly in the tent.

From the moment she had touched the testing stone until now, barely a week had passed, yet she had already pushed her Body Cleansing realm to the absolute peak.

In her previous life, it had taken her a full three months of bloody combat to reach this density.

Her progress in cultivation was now several times faster.

But more importantly...

Her combat prowess had improved by more than tenfold!

At present, she could wield the lethal Annihilation sword arts at their perfected level with her current, unburdened physique.

Her battle experience was unrivaled... not just in this sect, but across all the Nine Domains.

Moreover, she bore the tyrannical power of a Supreme Sovereign within her. Though she couldn’t yet control its full, world-shaking magnitude, even the faintest wisp of its aura was enough to serve as a lethal trump card against anyone in the outer sect.

"The wilderness trials... I should be able to handle any unforeseen variables now."

"If I can obtain the Thunder’s Marrow hidden in the ruins, I’ll have achieved perfection in the foundational realm."

"And then there’s that janitor..."

A glimmer of anticipation flickered in Liana’s eyes.

Without a doubt, she would claim the top spot in this expedition’s rankings.

Once she did, the sect resources would make her even stronger.

In the foundational realms alone, across all the Nine Domains, past or present, she dared declare herself peerless.

...

Time flowed on.

The suns rose, the moons set.

The diligent young Theo was already up, bustling about a small campfire early in the morning near the gathering point.

"Since Vespera threw in this jacket yesterday, I’ll make today’s breakfast a bit more lavish before the marching starts."

"Speaking of which, upgrading to the Flawless Abyssal Physique has significantly improved my control over my own kinetic energy. I can actually chop these hard-shell nuts without pulverizing the meat inside."

Theo stirred the skewered beast meat as he mused.

Indeed.

Last night, he had completely stabilized his physique.

The inner sect manuals always claimed that consolidating a structural breakthrough was the hardest part of cultivation, yet he had never encountered anything resembling a bottleneck.

Every bit of progress had come as naturally as water flowing downhill, swallowed effortlessly by his abyssal network.

After preparing breakfast, he ate lightly and headed toward the main staging area as usual, ready to keep a low profile and harvest some passive genetic traits from the wilderness.

"Janitor Theo, here again today?"

The same sect steward was standing by the wagons, handling the registration procedures for the departing inner disciples.

Theo’s daily visits to the supply depot had left the older man uneasy.

Surely this kid wasn’t planning to follow the elite combat squads into the death zones?

"Just passing by," Theo replied with a bright smile, only for his expression to freeze the next instant.

He had just activated his Destiny’s Eye.

[Name: Garrick]

[Age: 17]

[Structure: Titan Physique]

[Realm: Body Cleansing, Peak Stage]

[Destiny: Pitch Black]

[Evaluation: A foolish pawn, utterly arrogant.]

[Recent Fate: While securing the perimeter of the camp tonight, he will trigger Elder Silas’s hidden array, implanted by Malakor, and die from having his blood-essence violently devoured.]

[Name: Kaelen]

[Age: 18]

[Structure: None]

[Realm: Body Cleansing, Late Stage]

[Destiny: Pitch Black]

[Evaluation: A face in the crowd, utterly unremarkable.]

[Recent Fate: While securing the perimeter, he will be caught in Malakor’s array and die from having his blood-essence devoured.]

...

These two were no exceptions.

Theo swept his gaze across the crowd of inner disciples clad in Blood-Iron Peak robes—a sea of pitch black. Every single disciple assigned to the vanguard patrol had a dark destiny.

Every single one of them would die.

And their deaths would follow the exact same, gruesome script.

"Malakor’s blood array?"

Theo’s brow furrowed deeply.

After a moment’s thought, he suddenly stepped in front of the heavily armed group of inner disciples.

"Senior brothers, a moment please..."

Garrick sneered, resting a massive iron club on his shoulder. "What do you want, janitor? Get out of our way before I crush your ribs."

"I actually found a massive patch of highly venomous Shadow-Weeds near the northern perimeter," Theo lied smoothly, pointing in the exact opposite direction of Malakor’s designated patrol route. "Since I’m just an outer sect laborer, I’m terrified of going near it. But you guys are elites. If you clear it out, the sect elders will surely reward you with thousands of merit points."

"Thousands of merit points?" Garrick’s eyes lit up with greed.

"Since you’re all heading out to secure the perimeter anyway, why not enjoy the glory? Take the northern route... help me secure the camp."

Ten minutes later.

Theo had gained a mountain of pending investment returns.

Over a thousand system credits, plus a handful of minor agility and strength buffs passively absorbed from the changing fates.

Well, he’d successfully talked all those doomed vanguard disciples into heading to the northern ridge instead of the southern valley.

The northern ridge was filled with annoying, loud alarm-birds, but it was completely devoid of hidden blood-magic arrays.

Naturally, it was a perfectly safe place.

The moment they heard they could harvest rare weeds for free merit points, the group of arrogant elites was overjoyed.

Such easy glory!

They were practically ready to call Theo their lucky mascot on the spot!

Judging by their enthusiasm, they wouldn’t be leaving the northern ridge until they’d thoroughly scoured every inch of dirt.

"Malakor’s little blood-harvesting cult... doesn’t seem to be very adaptable."

"Doesn’t sound like a proper mastermind faction..."

Theo withdrew his gaze and headed for the treeline.

This wilderness wasn’t governed by sect laws.

Overthinking Malakor’s revenge plot was pointless... only true, adaptable strength mattered.