Apotheosis

Zen sat in the dark cave. The lid above opened once again, allowing a ray of light to pierce through from above.

"Come up!"

a strange voice whispered from the entrance of the cave.

Zen, who sat cross legged, turned a deaf ear to the voice.

Phew!

An invisible force drew Zen up from the bottom of the cave and he fell into the palace with a thud.

Pushing himself to his feet, he found Natasha standing not far off. He smiled at her and said, "We meet again."

Zen's fearlessness upset Natasha to her core.

Athemar and Goran had arrived at the Vastness Mountain too soon. Time was running out.

Barnaby had been practicing on the Other Shore. Natasha had forced him to leave it for now to join her.

"Barnaby, we need your help. But don't kill him," Natasha called out.

A tall, thick man appeared from behind Natasha.

He was dressed in a white robe, with eyes drawn on it. The eyes seemed embedded in the robe and were unnervingly real.

"Don't worry, Lady Natasha. He is just a young man in the Lust World," Barnaby said with a slight smirk.

She wanted to remind him of what had happened to Arjun, but given his cultivation base and strength, she thought he should have no difficulty in dealing with Zen.

Zen tensed up with caution when he saw Barnaby.

Arjun, one of the best warriors at the Chaotic Source Realm, had been very powerful in Zen's eyes. But he was unable to figure out Barnaby's real strength. He figured Barnaby was probably as strong as Athemar.

Barnaby smiled nicely as he walked up to Zen, which was very disconcerting. "Once a creature is born, it will have its memory. But it's only a dream. Just relax. This can be very easy."

As he spoke, seven eyes on his white robe snapped open. They didn't look like eyes on a robe anymore; they looked real.

Zen looked into them and a trance immediately overtook him.

"Oh no! Don't look into the eyes!"

Zen's heart seized as he closed his eyes as fast as he could.

When they were closed,

y Sword Hall.

He had a pair of bright piercing eyes. It was none other than Winchell of the Origin Mountain.

Gathin laughed grimly when he saw Winchell. "Oh? The Origin Mountain wants to get involved too?" he asked, sniggering.

Winchell cupped his hands to Gethin and said, "Goran is my best friend. I have to stand by his side and help if I am needed."

"It's not enough. It's far from enough for the three of you to do anything here," said Gethin, shaking his head.

Although Winchell was not a Oneness Governor, he was almost as strong as Athemar and Goran. But they were far from being able to contend with Gethin, even if they worked together. Moreover, there were countless masters in the Vastness Mountain. The two leaders of the intelligence agency, for example, were not weak.

"Is it enough if I join them?"

an old voice asked.

A stooping old woman came in from the door of the Mighty Sword Hall, clutching a thin walking stick.

"Grandma, slow down," Dorothy said, holding the old woman by her arm as she walked her in slowly.

When Gethin saw the old woman, the corners of his eyes twitched.

Gethin had decided that nothing and no one would stand in his way of getting the Truth Enlightenment. However, the old woman's arrival had startled him to be sure. This was going to be a tough situation.