The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2478: Time for the hunt

Cain could not shake the feeling that there was something meaningful behind this level of bloodshed.

The wars between the Realms were too coordinated, too widespread to be mere coincidence. The Fifth pressured the Sixth. The Sixth clashed with the Seventh. The Seventh invaded the Eighth. And all of it had begun long before the Ancestors’ Tomb opened.

It felt orchestrated.

Deliberate.

But answers would not come easily, and Cain had never been one to stall because of uncertainty. He simply shrugged and continued analyzing the information he had extracted from Jasmir’s mind.

”The Immortal Nirvana Kingdom has only begun its initial infiltration phase,” he muttered to himself. ”Their agents are here to gather intelligence—measure the Eternal Soul Kingdom’s defenses, map their power structure, and most importantly...”

His eyes sharpened.

”...locate the fragments of the Sacred Treasure.”

That was the true objective.

A cold light flickered in his scarlet pupils.

”Most of the fragments have already been collected thanks to Aerion. There were seven in total, and six are now gathered in one place.”

That was knowledge the Immortal Nirvana Kingdom would have paid an immense price to obtain.

Cain had acquired it with a single calculated use of the Power of Chaos.

Unfortunately, knowing where they were did not make them accessible.

”They’re with Shakra.”

Even now, Cain could vividly recall the overwhelming soul aura of the imposing figure who had attempted to save Aerion.

”It makes sense,” Cain murmured. ”There’s no safer place than in the hands of the most powerful being in the Realm.”

As for the final fragment—the one Aerion had brought to the Dark Blood Realm—

”That one is with me.”

Cain’s gaze drifted toward his spatial ring.

An idea began forming.

At first it was faint—an abstract possibility—but as he examined the situation from different angles, the outline of a plan grew clearer. A dangerous plan.

The scheming light in his eyes intensified.

If successful, it would grant him access not only to additional fragments of the Sacred Treasure but also to a vast quantity of Ancestor Drops.

Cain had never discarded a plan simply because it was dangerous. To him, danger and opportunity were inseparable. One birthed the other.

But he also understood something equally important:

Without sufficient power and preparation, charging into danger was not bravery.

It was stupidity.

”I need to grow stronger,” he said quietly, clenching his fists.

He began assessing his current assets.

Three paths offered rapid growth.

The Path of the Asura.

Apollo’s Speed.

The Power of Karma.

Of the three, the most advanced was Karma.

He could already use it to temporarily seal the movements of a Late Alpha-Omega Overgod and distort their perception, obscuring his presence by muddying the karmic threads forming between them. There was still vast room for improvement, but the progress was undeniable.

Next came Apollo’s Speed.

Through relentless effort, Cain had already forged the first Hollow Star. He had used unconventional methods to accomplish it—techniques no orthodox cultivator would attempt—but he was confident in its potential.

It would surpass the others.

It had to.

Because Cain did not intend to seal treasures within it.

He intended to seal Royal Blutlinie.

Living beings.

A Royal Blutlinie would provide far greater ignition energy than any treasure of the same rank. Of course, sealing a living Alpha-Omega Overgod into a Hollow Star would be exponentially more difficult.

But Cain had never shied away from difficulty.

”The only thing missing to ignite the first Radiant Star,” he murmured, ”is fuel.”

His gaze shifted toward Jasmir’s frozen figure.

She could serve as fuel.

But Cain shook his head.

No.

For the first ignition, he wanted a Peak Alpha-Omega Overgod.

”That way, the second ignition can be someone standing at the Limit of the Third Realm,” he continued thoughtfully. ”And the final one...”

A flash of thrill crossed his eyes as his thoughts ventured further, but he forced himself back to the present.

There was still the Path of the Asura.

Of the three, it was both his greatest weapon—and his greatest risk.

Thanks to his deep understanding of the Asura Form and its variations with the Primordial Body’s World Strength and the Neo-Demon Body’s Astral Black Holes, he had unlocked the ability to trigger a Fourth Realm evolution.

The problem was not activation.

It was survival.

Despite his overwhelming battle power, Cain was still only an Early Alpha-Omega Overgod. His heart was extraordinary—locked in a perpetual Third Realm Asura Form—but even that was insufficient to withstand the crushing pressure of a Fourth Realm manifestation.

”I have a magnificent sword,” Cain muttered with a faint frown, ”but my arms lack the strength to lift it.”

The frustration lingered for only a moment.

He already knew the solution.

”It’s time to hunt.”

A slow smile spread across his face.

”Through the hunt, I will temper the Power of Karma. I will find a Peak Alpha-Omega Overgod to ignite my first Radiant Star. And with the Ancestor Drops of those I kill, I will strengthen my cultivation—enhance my heart’s endurance—and draw closer to triggering the Fourth Realm Asura Form without dying.”

Everything aligned.

His path was clear.

Cain turned his attention back to Jasmir.

Without hesitation, he drove his hand into her chest and ripped out her heart. Scarlet flames erupted instantly, engulfing the organ. The flesh disintegrated, the blood evaporated, and only a single luminous droplet remained suspended above his palm.

An Ancestor Drop.

But Cain did not stop there.

He intensified the flames, refining the drop further—burning away every trace of impurity, every remnant of instability, until what remained was flawless.

Only when he was satisfied did he press the purified Ancestor Drop against his chest.

It sank into him, merging with the Perfect Ancestor Drop embedded within his heart.

Cain inhaled sharply.

Power surged through his veins.

His smile widened as he felt the subtle yet undeniable growth in his strength.

Afterward, he opened his mouth and drew in the remaining vitality and energy from Jasmir’s corpse, consuming it entirely.

Silence returned to the depths of the lake.

Cain turned his gaze toward the horizon.

He already had his next target in mind.