Ezekiel. That was a name that Yan Zaizen would recall in the depths of his soul. How could he not? Ezekiel's soul was the first devoured by the Black Hole and later ignited his future path. He was the lynchpin of today.
Various emotions flitted through his eyes, but his expression remained calm and unconcerned. "What do you?" His tone carried a hint of indifference. Long ago, Yan Zaizen had helped Ezekiel in his war against a realm, and even saved his life after the twisted suicidal determination of his enemy.
Ezekiel landed. His silver wings folded, concealing their brilliance somewhat amidst the darkness of night. His gaze had never left Yan Zaizen's figure, a trace of uncertainty within.
Shin Xuanji stood there, his eyes solemn as he regarded this exchange. He didn't know who this foreign race male was. His heavenly might and vital energies remained in a state of near-eruption. In a blink, if required, he had no issues throwing down with this Ezekiel.
Ezekiel frowned and asked, "What happened to you?" The previous Yan Zaizen was an exceptional cultivator in the Heavenly Path, and had even cultivated the Soul Source Path and the Herculean Path to an acceptable level. He had developed a False Grand Dao with an upper-level Dao base.
Yet, the Yan Zaizen before him lacked a distinctive heavenly might, but he did possess a faint, heart-shaking Heavenly Aura. Furthermore, he couldn't sense any power of Laws emanating from his actions and soul movements. It was as if he comprehended no Heavenly Laws.
This caused his frown that was already rather deep to become deeper, nearly vertical.
Yan Zaizen calmly explained. He didn't have a reason to keep the truth from anyone. "My original body is in a predicament, unable to extricate itself." While he told the truth, there wasn't much detail behind it.
This caused Ezekiel to frown even more.
"How did you find me?" Yan Zaizen inquired. Ezekiel was all the way in another Heaven. He traversed that grand distance for him? To seek him for help? It seemed somewhat unbelievable. Why would Ezekiel need his help when he, on his own, was a formidable force that rivaled his earlier self and had a formidable set of allies.
Under his command, was there not millions of warriors intent to fight to their deaths? Did he not have a Heavenly Creation Realm expert? Why seek him of all people? Furthermore, he had long since paid him back and then some.
Ezekiel rubbed his chin as various contemplative lights flashed within his eyes. He was clearly deep in thought.
Yan Zaizen sighed inwardly. Despite Ezekiel being the unintentional reason for Pinaka's predicament, he held no issue with him at all. He wasn't one to place blame unfairly or even blame himself, so how could he? In fact, he had heart-felt admiration for him.
Ezekiel shook his head. "Your original body is unable to escape? How about I help you free yourself of that? In exchange, you help me." His offer caused Yan Zaizen's eyes to spark to life. This was an unexpected boon. If Ezekiel took action, there was a chance he could escape.
Not only did he have a powerful Heavenly cultivation base, but he was a Herculean. He had always planned to use the Herculean Power to save his body. How could he not accept this?
That being said, he was not like his younger self to agree to any request without much thought. Since he had already paid Ezekiel back, he owed him no obligation to accept without questions.
"If you want my help, you'll need to explain yourself clearly before I agree." Yan Zaizen said.
Shin Xuanji sent Yan Zaizen a soul transmission, "Junior Brother Zai, are you sure?" He knew Yan Zaizen's situation, but he didn't feel a good feeling from Ezekiel's arrival. In fact, he downright felt an immense threat loom over his heart that induced fear.
Yan Zaizen glanced at Shin Xuanji for a moment. He nodded, indicating that he knew what he was doing. However, looking at Shin Xuanji's primed powers, he could tell that Shin Xuanji was unusually tense.
"How about you return first?"
Shin Xuanji was taken aback. He revealed a faint trace of reluctance before Dao Light flashed in his eyes. His feet did not move. "I won't leave you." He owed Yan Zaizen too much, so he would not leave unless he wasn't needed.
Yan Zaizen faintly smiled. He turned towards Ezekiel with a calm, questioning look.
Ezekiel had finished thinking and said, "I found you after sensing the Compass's fluctuations. I tracked its spatial signature here." So that's it. Yan Zaizen clicked his tongue inwardly. Like before, Ezekiel had ways to locate this Compass of his. No wonder.
"Have you ever heard of Heaven's Claim?" Ezekiel finally got to the center of his arrival, his true purpose?
Heaven's Claim?
Both Yan Zaizen and Shin Xuanji revealed confused and pondering gazes. Observing their ignorance, Ezekiel explained: "After several tens of thousands of years, the Thirty-Three Heavens undergo a simultaneous event called Heaven's Claim.
"At this time, the Heavenly Gods control of their respective Heavens will weaken and even cease at a certain point. They would be at their weakest state, and it is an opportunity for others to claim their right to rule the Heavens, claim Heaven's Spark, become the Heavenly Daos.
"As you know, my father was the previous Heavenly God of this Heaven. However, he lost his throne. It was due to the previous Heaven's Claim that it was possible." Yan Zaizen and Shin Xuanji was battered with this new information, their hearts throbbing slightly. They were possessors of the Sovereign's Dao, and possessed an innate desire to rule over all. And what was a Heavenly God? What was the Heavenly Daos?
They were the undisputed strongest existence within the Heavens, while the Heavenly Daos were the Will of this Heaven. It can outlaw, allow, or perform all sorts of magical things with a mere whim.
If Yan Zaizen gained control of the Heavenly Daos, he could integrate Pinaka's Path into the Heavenly Soul Laws, allowing him to find a way to convert her spiritual form into a soul that could be given a fleshy, living body!
This was one of his main goals, and he knew that he would have to face the Heavenly God or Gods to achieve it. None of them wanted flawed laws within the Origin Source of their Heaven, so he had an uphill battle.
His gaze became stern, his breathing hastened somewhat, but his mind remained clear. Shin Xuanji had a similar reaction, various thoughts entered his mind as Dao Light erupted from his eyes.
Ezekiel softly nodded. Those with a Sovereign's Dao, no matter the reason, should desire to reach the peak of their world. What was the Heavenly Daos? It was the peak of this world!
Yan Zaizen was still the calmer of the two and drove the conversation, so he asked: "Why so you need my help?"
Ezekiel glanced at Yan Zaizen, a trace of helplessness in his eyes. "Regardless of the weakened or restricted ability to draw upon their Heaven's power, a Heavenly God is still a Heavenly God. Their previous strength, Dao, and intelligence can not be underestimated. After all, they had already taken over the throne from another.
"I need your original body for two reasons, its…" Ezekiel glanced at Shin Xuanji. He was unsure if Yan Zaizen had already revealed all his secrets to the man that stood beside him.
In truth, the Black Hole was definitely his most closely regarded secret. The only reason Ezekiel knew of it was due to his unfortunate encounter with it. It essentially killed him once. No one knew of it outside of Ezekiel and
Pinaka.
One awakened it, the other helped him understand it.
That being said, he didn't have any secrets between those he trusted. Therefore, he signaled for Ezekiel to continue. Shin Xuanji realized they were talking about secrets and prepared himself to leave or seal himself off for a moment, but Yan Zaizen's actions spoke volumes. To think he trusted him so much?
Ezekiel nodded, "Your devouring abilities can render all instances of soul lethal. The Extreme Rebirth Heavenly God has an exceptionally powerful Soul expert that I nor any of my allies can not deal with. I need you to neutralize or kill him."
Soul cultivators were fearsome, whether they were of the Heavenly Path or Soul Source Path.
Yan Zaizen understood this. No wonder he ignored his previous question while immediately offering to free his true body.
"The second reason?" Yan Zaizen asked.
Ezekiel went silent for a moment. His gaze hardened and revealed an unprecedented seriousness. "I need you to help me ascend the throne, to become the next Heavenly God."
"...what?" Yan Zaizen was confused. Wasn't helping him with the first request the same as the second?
Ezekiel seemed to understand Yan Zaizen's thoughts and clarified. "This is something only those at the False Grand Dao can do. I need you to withstand the refinement of Heaven's Spark…the True Origin of the 27th Heaven."
"..."