"Kneel and submit to this master's wishes. Be my disciple and learn the secrets to the Unrivaled Sovereign!"
The Ancestor's Will spoke. Its voice boomed in this dark plane. However, the book in Jasper's hand buzzed much louder and protected him from letting the voice shake Jasper's core.
"It's… fighting back."
Jasper looked at the book. It was unwilling.
They have the same sentiment. Jasper was unwilling as well.
That was when Jasper remembered the monk's words not to fight back the Ancestor's Will.
So, he should just kneel down and submit, right? This is a small compromise towards a better future.
Just a stepping stone!
...
However, why does it feel that's not how it is?
"Kneel and submit to this master's wishes!" the Ancestor's voice boomed once more, louder this time.
Each time, the book fought back.
"I see… You don't want me to submit as well."
The book vibrated in response.
Jasper didn't know this place nor what's happening but he could feel it. He could feel that this is a battle of will. Once one lowers their head to the other, one will become the sovereign and the other will become a disciple.
This is not just a matter of pride.
Jasper could feel it. It's a matter of destiny!
Submitting now means submitting forever.
To that sentiment, Jasper immediately replied.
"I'd rather die!"
His voice boomed greater than that of the Ancestor's. The book became calmer as it felt less pressure.
At this moment, Jasper remembered the monk's words.
He had already formed a Will.
Jasper has no idea what the hell it is but that must be the reason why he's able to fight back.
Cultivation strength has nothing to do with this plane.
It all comes down to one's willpower.
There's not much to think about it. Jasper held the book tighter and fought back. He didn't exactly know how but words just came out of his mouth as he felt it.
"I will never submit to anyone! Not to you nor the heaven!"
"Insolent brat!" the Ancestor's Will took one step backward, "How dare you go against me!? Submit now or you'll regret it later!"
Jasper winched. He was annoyed, and his voice got colder.
"I said I wouldn't, why are you still here?"
It was arrogance against order. The legs of the Ancestor's Will bent while Jasper was as stable as a mountain.
The book happily buzzed.
"Isn't it more natural for you to submit to me? No," Jasper raised his hands, "Worship me! I'll be God. In fact, I am God!"
Undefeatable arrogance! One that looks at everything from above!
The Ancestor's Will felt gravity pulling it and made it face flat on the ground.
In the outside world, the monk's face went pale.
"What has he done!?"
The Ancestor's Will was unable to take this defeat and disappeared.
The book then floated before Jasper and opened.
[Master, please accept this little one's aid in your road to conquest!]
Jasper nodded and was a little stupefied. He just said some words, and now the Ancestor's Will was gone.
[Thank you, Master! Please learn the secrets of this book through this maxim!]
Words entered Jasper's head just like when the monk stated the maxim earlier. This time, it was much longer.
< Stand above all. Become a Sovereign. >
< Enslave the darkness. >
< Lead the masses. >
< Teach the peerless. >
< Drink with the gods and marry all goddesses. >
< … >
Each sentence reverberated within Jasper's core. However, there was one last barrier he had yet to surmount.
"I want to know."
[Not yet, Master. The Creator will notice you.]
Jasper glanced at the book and saw a blinding light descend from nowhere.
< Defy… >
[Ahhhh, it's too late. The Creator is here! We will escape at once, Master!]
Squinting his eyes, Jasper noticed an angelic figure at the center of this blinding light.
"An equal?" An authoritative voice came out from the angelic figure.
"I have no equal."
The figure then lifted its hand, and an indescribable pressure fell into the plane of void.
Jasper's face immediately turned pale.
It felt like a being he shouldn't even gaze at was in front of him.
[Don't be provoked, Master! The Creator's Will has reached levels this dimension can't contain! Master will eventually reach the Creator, but not now. We will not submit, but we cannot fight yet! Please accept this book and we'll leave!]
Jasper knew that. If he were to enter a conflict with this figure, he felt like he would be blown into non-existence. Not just death.
Thus, he had to retreat.
I'll come back for you. Jasper raised his head and met the figure's eyes.
Anger rose from the figure.
"You dare look!"
Before another wave of pressure descend, the book entered Jasper's figure and they both submerged into the plane.
In a jolt, Jasper returned to his senses in the real world.
He looked at the book on his head, and its mystic feeling was gone.
Did he daydream?
Jasper then turned to look at the monk, who had a face of relief.
"You scared me there, Jasper. I told you not to fight with the Ancestor's Will and see how it got you!" the monk scolded Jasper as he fanned himself. His face was covered with cold sweat.
"What happened, mister?"
"I had a foolish thought that your will is stronger than that of the Ancestor's Will and you have overwhelmed it. But seeing you get rejected, it seemed that I was wrong. This is why I said you shouldn't resist the Ancestor's Will," the monk's expression turned into that of disappointed, "Now, we have to try again. Give me the book back."
'Huh? Is he not aware of the figure the book called the Creator?' Jasper thought and returned the book.
"What's this?" the monk tilted his head as he inspected the book, "Why has it turned into a normal book?"
He opened the book and all the pages were blank. The title on the cover was also gone along with the mystical feeling from it. It really has turned into a normal blank book.
"What's happening?" the monk scratched his bald head before standing up with a serious expression, "Wait here, I'll contact the Ancestor… the original one. This is the first time I've encountered this problem."
Jasper nodded, and the monk walked out of the campsite and into the woods.
[Master, please leave at once.]
A familiar voice entered his head.
"... it's the book's voice from earlier."
[Yes, Master, I've integrated myself with you. That man you call the Ancestor will have a suspicion about what happened here. The clone will return and will definitely get rid of you once he receives the orders. I know this because I've been with the Ancestor for almost a century.]
There's no reason not to trust the book. It had accompanied him in the plane of void.
Thus, Jasper stood up and left with all his force.
"The clone mentioned that he's at the fourth stage of the Body Tempering Realm. What should I do?"
[Don't worry, I have a few options here, Master.]
The book then informed Jasper of the possible actions they could take. One of them is the riskiest yet the most rewarding.
"Let's go with that."
[My trust is all yours, Master.]
"Love that attitude! You'll not be disappointed!" Jasper confidently said, making the
[It's my pride to have you as my new master!]
'This book is overdramatic,' Jasper internally chuckled. He doesn't hate it at all.
Moments later, back at the campsite, the monk returned with a heavy expression. He contacted the original body, and what was said to him shook him to the core.
— That kid forcefully took the system —
I can't believe it. I know that the kid has developed his will but I can't believe it was strong enough to take a portion of the system for himself!
However, what made the monk's face paler was when he saw that the campsite was empty.
"That shit! How does he know?" the monk slightly panicked, "Fuck! I'll get you for going against my goodwill!"
Thus, he contacted the original body again.
"Hey, give me a cultivation of at least the Qi Refining Realm! The boy escaped!"
…
It has already turned dark, and the moon and stars lit up the night sky of the forest.
The supercontinent Nirvania is divided into seven sections, corresponding to the seven old continents.
The area they were in were at the boundary of New Asia and New Australia. Each boundary has mountain ranges that even Mount Everest in history pales in comparison.
When the Ancestor pulled the continents using the ley lines, the land forcibly collided, creating the strongest earthquake humanity has ever experienced and along with it, creating towering mountain ranges. They are walls between these sections, separating the old continents and countries.
These are known as Continental Boundaries. Thus, the area where Jasper runs into, while vast, is still limited as there are walls of mountains that reach more than five kilometers tall.
Another thing about these giant mountain ranges is that they are mostly untouched by humans. Thus, wild beasts made these their territories.
Jasper went deeper into the boundary and into the mountain ranges.
He was a non-cultivator, so the steepness of the ground was getting to him, but he didn't stop.
While he was on the run, the book was leaving him with useful information. Included in their plan was to for the book to leave momentarily.
"Jasper!"
His skin shivered as the kind and calm monk revealed a terrifying voice filled with killing intent. It came from the nearby valley, and it seemed that the monk had yet to find him.
That confirms the book's words. The monk was out there to kill him!
Jasper was about to ignore the monk's shout when he saw a huge black log-like object from afar.
In the nearby valley, the monk's spirit sense was exploring the place within a ten-meter range. This range was getting larger as the Ancestor provided him more and more cultivation power.
Fifth stage of the Body Tempering Realm!
Sixth stage!
Seventh…
First stage of the Qi Refining Realm!
With this much power, the monk could expand his spirit sense to about a kilometer range.
When he was about to ask for more cultivation power, he heard a shout.
"Help!"
It was distant but the monk knew that voice and pinpointed its location. As a clone of the Ancestor, the monk revealed a skill belonging that of a century old monster.
Spirit sense that was usually spread out thinned and was elongated, making it like a laser than a lightbulb. In his spirit vision, he saw a teenager facing a pitch-black snake towering over the trees.
Without warning, the snake snapped and bit at the teenager. The teenager tried to escape, but in front of this beast, he was powerless. Fangs pierced through his chest, and then he was swallowed whole without resistance.