Noah immediately came up with alternatives. Heaven and Earth might be indestructible in their current form, but there were other paths that could lead into the universe.
His gaze went to the void as his body transformed into a sharp gust of energy that dived deep into the darkness. Space worked on multiple dimensions, so there could be paths outside Heaven and Earth's domain inside that blackness, but Noah soon found himself in front of a familiar wall.
The journey through the void barely lasted a few seconds. Noah didn't even escape the range of his companions' senses when he found a white layer standing in front of him.
Heaven and Earth had pushed everything touched by their influence inside the sky, so journeying through the void could offer a potential path toward the universe. The travel wouldn't be easy, and only rank 9 existences would be able to survive it, but the rulers had considered that option.
The sky was slightly different in that location, but it retained its incredible level. Noah's understanding of space also allowed him to understand that the unusual features only came from the specific space-time array of the area.
Exploring the other areas of the void became useless at that point. Noah knew that Heaven and Earth didn't limit themselves to a single place. The sky existed all around the higher plane and in every separate dimension. The rulers had locked any path that could lead to the universe.
A feeling of defeat expanded in Noah's mind. He was lost and without ideas. His instincts and destructive thoughts were in the same situation. His organization had won, but the victory didn't arrive.
'Victory isn't victory,' Noah thought as he recalled Alabatia's words.
Everything began to make sense. The last dots finally connected and showed the big picture to Noah. Many privileged cultivators had warned him throughout his journey, but he had never understood what they meant until now.
Noah couldn't blame himself. Heaven and Earth had put the tenth rank in front of him. Even the best plans and preparations in the world couldn't do anything against that.
Heaven and Earth had practically cheated. The final battle had always been rigged. Noah's organization could have fought multiple times better, but the outcome would have been the same. The sky would have still shown its rank 10 form sooner or later.
Noah could only reunite with his companions at that point. His gaze ran through them, but he only saw the same sense of defeat that had taken control of his mind.
Even the arrogant Eternal Snake couldn't muster the strength to speak. The creature had reappeared after enduring Heaven and Earth's last attack, but the sight of the rank 10 sky had killed any confidence it had.
The situation was honestly worse for the Eternal Snake. The creature was a magical beast to its core, so it felt instinctive inferiority before the new sky. Its very species made it aware of the defeat.
"Don't be too hard on yourselves," Caesar announced while stepping farther away from his underlings. "You have exceeded Heaven and Earth's expectations. You have pushed your power farther than any other rebel. Take pride in your achievement and wither in peace."
"What's your endgame?" Noah asked. "How do you fit in Heaven and Earth's grand scheme?"
Caesar laughed and spread his arms. Crystals came out of his figure before returning under his skin. A faint trace of Heaven and Earth power flowed through his body, but that also disappeared quickly.
"An avatar," Noah commented.
"Indeed," Caesar exclaimed. "Heaven and Earth will become the strongest type of rank 10 existence in the universe, and I'll be their avatar. Once they take over the paths, I'll be able to envelop the universe in my fate. I'll be infinite and eternal."
"I bet Heaven and Earth had plans for the others too," Noah stated.
"Not everyone," Caesar explained without bothering to glance at his companions. "Only a few loyal experts were aware of the big picture."
"And Heaven and Earth are asking them to decide now," Noah continued. "I guess the offer stands for my organization too."
"Correct," Caesar confirmed. "You can join the sky if you wish, but not as part of Heaven and Earth. Your worlds aren't necessary anymore. You'll turn into partially mindless avatars, but you'll be alive."
The Eternal Snake snorted when it heard those words, but it didn't attack. The magical beast turned to fly toward one of the best lands it could find and settled on it. The creature wouldn't join Heaven and Earth, but its interest in the rebellion had vanished.
The event only intensified the sense of defeat in the experts' minds. Many decided to go back to the inscriptions to rest or isolate themselves. Their thoughts were messy since both options would lead to their demise.
Noah glanced at the group of privileged cultivators behind Caesar. Marcella showed confidence, but her companions appeared conflicted. Decumia kept her head lowered while the weaker experts studied each other, hoping to find answers in their allies' faces.
Caesar didn't specify what the privileged cultivators would become, but their expressions revealed a lot. Heaven and Earth were probably ready to cast them away if they didn't choose to become mere servants. It seemed that only Marcella had received a valuable offer.
"What's the matter with you?" Marcella asked when she noticed Decumia's behavior. "You knew what this goal involved."
"Yes," Decumia responded while finally lifting her head. "I thought I could be happy as long as I could spread my chaos through the universe."
"You can still get that chance," Marcella explained. "Hurry up before it's too late."
Marcella wasn't talking about Heaven and Earth. She was worried that Noah and the others would vent their frustration on her companions. Decumia would die if she didn't accept the rulers' offer.
"I have doubts," Decumia admitted.
"We won as planned," Marcella snorted.
"Divine Architect should have survived," Decumia responded. "That was part of the plan."
"Our opponents surpassed our expectations," Marcella declared. "That doesn't change the outcome."
"They have surpassed them once," Decumia whispered before turning toward her underlings.
The few surviving privileged cultivators were extremely confused. Only a couple of them knew about Heaven and Earth's plan, but Noah's ambition had given birth to reasonable doubts and desires.
The privileged cultivators didn't know what to think anymore. They had seen the true core of the journey, but the scenery hinted at its defeat. Noah almost felt like a natural ally due to his mindset, but Heaven and Earth had defeated him.
Noah lost interest in Caesar and the privileged cultivators during that conversation. He had a complete vision of the situation, but he lacked answers. The many lifeforms on the new lands in the higher plane eventually attracted his attention, and he found himself inspecting them while his mind wandered.
It felt nostalgic to see environments rich in life. Noah's landmass had recreated that scenery, but he knew it was artificial. Instead, the Mortal Lands and planes stuffed inside the sky offered a natural and harmonious scene that triggered many valuable memories.
Millennia had passed since the events of the Mortal Lands. Noah couldn't even count them, but they felt to belong to a different life, a life where the white sky wasn't part of his problems.
The living beings roaming through those lands were mostly unaware of Heaven and Earth's victory. Many even lacked the intellect or cultivation level to realize that a rank 10 structure stood around them. Their innocence was almost heartwarming and forced a sigh out of Noah's mouth.
'The sky must contain its pressure or lack it altogether,' Noah thought as he brought his attention back to the sky. 'None of those lands would survive its presence otherwise.'
Noah approached the sky to touch it again. His senses didn't lie to him. He didn't have the power to pierce that material. The entirety of the rank 9 existences in the higher plane wouldn't hurt it even if they decided to work together.
A faint, almost imperceptible thought eventually appeared in Noah's mind. The idea immediately vanished, but Noah didn't miss it. His gaze promptly went back to the various lands, and countless calculations happened.
'Maybe,' Noah thought, and as power filled his figure and generated a massive slash that crashed on the sky.
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