Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

"Refine the Heavenly Spark?" Yan Zaizen was taken aback by that declaration. He immediately followed up, his tone suspicious and unsure, "You want me to become a Heavenly God?" These words caused his Dao to pulsate slightly.

He had already refined a trace of Heavenly Will, infusing it into his Dao Seed, a nascent form of his Dao Heart. Therefore, reclaiming the source of its origin made his Heavenly Dao Seed throb.

Ezekiel gave Yan Zaizen a deep look before chuckling, a tinge of coldness within. "Of course not. I intend to become the Heavenly God, reclaiming my family's legacy!" His words contained nail-biting determination that could shake the soul.

Yan Zaizen frowned. "...Then?"

"When one wants to claim Heaven's Spark, there's feedback during the process that can shatter the Dao of the refiner. In fact, its highly unlikely for the first person to refine it to survive. Only a False Grand Dao, a Dao that contains a trace of True Origin, can withstand that process.

"The refinement process can best be described as removing the former cultivator's Dao Will. Besides myself, only you are reliable enough in my eyes." Ezekiel's explanation didn't tame Yan Zaizen's worries.

"You want me to refine the Heavenly Spark, resist the feedback, then give you it?" He felt a bit like this was a ludicrous proposal. Why wouldn't he just claim the Heavenly Spark himself, refine it himself? It was odd to think Ezekiel wouldn't understand the allure.

However, Ezekiel didn't experience an iota of change to his expression when questioned. He merely stated, "When you become Heavenly God, you can never leave that Heaven until death."

When those words were said, Yan Zaizen stilled. His amber-gold eyes blazed with luminescent light as he stared at Ezekiel deeply. Then, he started to laugh. Yes, laugh! It was loud and suffused with a boisterous energy.

Ezekiel still wasn't disturbed by Yan Zaizen's reaction. Shin Xuanji felt this entire incident made little sense. How could that be enough to allow someone to refuse to become a literal God within their world? However, Shin Xuanji didn't know Yan Zaizen.

In truth, Yan Zaizen's Dao was based heavily on personal freedom. In fact, it was the basis of his every desire; he wished to control his own fate, go where he wishes, when he wishes, without any form of restriction.

How could he accept tethering himself to this location. While the 27th Heaven was massive, and by no means lacked variety, a cage was a cage no matter its size. Ezekiel had clashed with Yan Zaizen's False Grand Dao, unlike Shin Xuanji who only clashed with his Heavenly Dao Seed. The aura and its intrinsic quality wasn't something Shin Xuanji understood.

Even though he had his Bestowed Dao, it wasn't his False Grand Dao with his very True Origin infused within. It was far more telling in his truest and most complete self. Similar to how he knew Ezekiel would never do something without complete and utter confidence, nor trust a woman fully again, he knew about Yan Zaizen's infinite desire for freedom.

Wasn't his dream to always venture to unknown lands and seek new sights? He wanted to explore everything! This was the desire etched into his heart.

Ezekiel smirked. "You done?"

Yan Zaizen laughter was still resounding and echoing beneath the night sky. Only after those words did he slowly lower his volume gradually until he only had a grin on his face. "A Sovereign's Dao greatest trait is their insatiable desire, no?"

Ezekiel's smirk widened, and he nodded. Indeed!

Shaking his head, Yan Zaizen agreed! "Fine. However, I have a few conditions!" There was no reason to refuse, but he had to cross off several things on his list.

Ezekiel expected no less from Yan Zaizen. If he was in the same position, he too would negotiate with benefits for himself. Just saving his original body wasn't enough. After all, Yan Zaizen definitely had several plans to achieve that, otherwise his clone wouldn't be so at ease.

"First condition: The True Spirit Path must be officialized and integrated into the Heavenly Law of Soul within this heaven!" This was his first and foremost priority. However, he didn't expect Ezekiel to still, his smirk lowering and his eyes flashing with mysterious light, a hint of uncertainty within.

Ezekiel asked in a voice darker than the night sky, "Do you understand the consequence of doing that?" These words were splashing all sorts of solemn and heaviness within every syllable.

Yan Zaizen wasn't an idiot. He had long since understood what this meant, and it would descend the Heaven into a state of chaos. This had to do with the characteristics of an Artificial Soul. Regardless of what heaven, this path was strictly unable to be accepted into the Heavenly Law.

It wasn't just the True Spirit Path. All artificial soul-based Paths were blocked from entering the Heavenly Laws of Soul. This was heavily due to the ability known as Soul Transition. It was a characteristic that allowed souls to change their state of existence, for souls to become phantasms, wraiths, evil ghosts, or even spirits. Also, its how these types of changed souls can be reverted upon destruction into normal souls for reincarnation purposes.

The issue with allowing artificial souls or spirits into the Heavenly Daos, enabling their integration as a Heavenly Law could be described in two words: Infinite Souls.

Yes.

Infinite Souls.

If you can create an artificial soul, which was so easy that even those in the Qi Essence Realm could produce, meant you can transition it into a true soul. A legitimate soul was an integral aspect of life, and it formed a cycle that was regulated and equal. If an abrupt introduction of new souls were integrated into that cycle, the distribution of energy, rate of rebirth, and various other Samsara-type matters would be overloaded.

This introduction wouldn't be a few thousand or ten thousand souls introduced, but an infinite amount! Because it wouldn't stop. Souls, true souls, were powerful states of existence that contained an Existential Power.

Yan Zaizen knew this. Yet, he had long since promised Pinaka to do this. It was her only way to become human.

Ezekiel saw Yan Zaizen's determined gaze, unyielding in his condition. However, he couldn't hope to agree. The result would be the 27th Heaven's continuous expenditure of its True Origin Source energy until its eventual and inevitable collapse.

How can he agree? How could he possibly agree to that?! No Heavenly God would.

"I can't." Ezekiel plainly stated, his tone flat and indifferent. This wasn't a bottomline, it was sinking the ship. There was no bottomline here. Even if it was just one person, it wasn't possible.

"What if it was for one person? One spirit?" Yan Zaizen mulled it over and inquired.

Ezekiel's eyes remained cold. He shook his head, "The new Heavenly Dao of the Heavenly God would determine what it outlaws and allows, as well as integrates, at their ascension. It won't change until the Heavenly God dies and is replaced, or at the next Heaven's Claim. That could be tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years later. It's not possible."

Yan Zaizen quietly lowered his head. It was a long while before he lifted his head and said, "Second condition. I made a promise to allow a Path into the Heavenly Origin."

Ezekiel frowned. These requests weren't things he expected from Yan Zaizen. "What Path?" As long as it didn't relate to artificial souls, he had no issue with integrating it. In fact, the Heavenly Origin was a greater ask than integrating it into the Heavenly Laws, but artificial souls was just too much of a danger.

Entering the Path's True Origin into the Heavenly Origin meant it would have the eternal support of Heaven's True Origin Power, empowering the Path and correcting a lot of deficiencies within. Furthermore, it couldn't be outlawed by any Heavenly God in the future, even in other heavens.

"The Sirius Path of Heavenly Monarch Xiha." Back then, Yan Zaizen had promised Xiha to infuse his Path into the 27th Heaven's Heavenly Origin in the Trial of Earthly Beginning and Heavenly End. This was a promise he had made, so he would keep it!

Moreover, Xiha was the reason why he obtained a False Grand Dao in the beginning. In hindsight, no wonder he gave him that egg. Only those who have a False Grand Dao had a chance of becoming a Heavenly God. In that way, he could tell Xiha had made ample preparations for this.

Even after death, he was unwilling to let his Path die with his clan. How admirable.

"Last condition!" Yan Zaizen declared. "I'll need your help in the future. I need an unconditional agreement to accept!" This was his last condition, an eternal and undeniable favor. If Ezekiel becomes Heavenly God, the things he could accomplish would likely exceed his imagination.

Ezekiel stayed silent for a period before saying, "You can not ask me to do anything that would lead to the destruction of the 27th Heaven! As long as it doesn't touch that bottomline, then I agree."

He still hadn't given up on the first condition. Regardless of how difficult, he would do it! He had to. Even Ezekiel didn't bother mentioning the first condition. As a possessor of the Sovereign's Dao, he knew that Yan Zaizen wouldn't give up on this volatile objective. Furthermore, he was certain Yan Zaizen still wouldn't try to become a Heavenly God. This was the beauty of False Grand Daos, a person's truest self was revealed within.

Yan Zaizen nodded, "then let's get my original body." He covered himself in vital energies as his body lifted into flight.

Shin Xuanji had been relegated to a spectator, but he had no qualms with it. He was merely a witness in this, nothing more. Therefore, he merely took flight also, prepared to leave.

Ezekiel felt a tinge of relief in his heart. If he had Yan Zaizen, and his weird devouring power, his goal would be far, far easier.