Prime Originator

Inside the dark void of space that is Darlene's sea of consciousness, there was nothing around her other than her soul core. 

Darlene searched around for the source of the voice before eventually fixing her attention on the bright spot of her soul core. 

"Was it you? Who are you?" she asked.

However, the bright spot did not respond, only flickering ever brightly and illuminating the dark space with its luminescent starlight. 

"Was it just my imagination?" Darlene frowned.

The lack of response made her doubt herself, but at the same time, she was also certain that it shouldn't be possible for her to hear anything unless it was through telepathy.

"It shouldn't be…" she muttered before saying, "If you don't plan on responding, then don't bother me again; I need to cultivate."

Shortly after saying that, Darlene paid no further attention to the unknown voice. 

She didn't understand much about the soul; thus, there was no point wasting precious time to figure out something she knew little to nothing.

Since she was in the middle of cultivation, she should focus on that.

She allowed herself to drift around her soul core freely as she raised her perception to the zenith and sensed the strong laws of space in her sea of consciousness.

In the past, comprehending the Spatial Law was like sailing through the vast stormy sea without any heading. 

But now that she was next to her soul core, brimming with spatial elements, the Spatial Law couldn't be clearer as if it was laid out with step-by-step instructions on how to understand it.

'Was it supposed to be this easy?' Darlene doubted. 

Nevertheless, her doubts didn't stop her from studying Spatial Law and trying to comprehend it. 

Spatial Law was generally divided into five main levels of comprehension; Distortion, Void Fracture, Teleportation, Gravity Control, and finally, Infinity.

With each higher level of comprehension, one becomes closer to grasping the quintessence of the Spatial Law.

"Distortion… What I have been using was only the surface of it, and yet I am already starting to understand Void Fracture…" Darlene mused. 

But even if she understood the next level of law comprehension, it wouldn't immediately raise her cultivation to the Seeking Insight-stage Transcendent, not unless she completely comprehended the first level.

"Once I understand 100% comprehend Distortion, I will immediately step into Seeking Insight-stage Transcendent…"

Nevertheless, the subsequent steps after that would only become more difficult and longer to comprehend. 

The third level of Teleportation was the realm of Paragons, and the fourth level of Gravity Control was the realm of Celestials.

By knowing this, Darlene could grasp how difficult the fourth level of Gravity Control truly was.

After all, the Paragon Realm was just a single stage within the Transcendent Realm, yet it is enough to master the third level. 

On the other hand, it requires the entire Celestial Realm to master the fourth level of Gravity Control.

And the final level, Infinity, Darlene did not know how long it would take a person to grasp—if it could ever be grasped in the person's lifetime. 

"Infinity… Only True Divinities can achieve this level… Mortals can't reach it…" Darlene muttered to herself before doubt filled her heart. "But how do I know all this?"

The knowledge seemed to just appear in her mind when she thought of it.

The discovery baffled her. 

'Where is all this knowledge coming from?' she wondered.

She felt uneasiness sprouting in her heart due to something she did not understand.

Nevertheless, Darlene's Spatial Law comprehension grew at a remarkable rate, passing the level of a Mid Preliminary Accession-level Transcendent. 

However, her Spatial Law comprehension wasn't the only thing that improved within the dark void of space. 

"Huh?" 

The increasing luminosity of her soul core's bright spot interrupted her cultivation and drew her attention before she noticed the bright spot had grown bigger on her soul core.

"What is this thing, really? Why is it getting bigger? Is this change a good thing or a bad thing?" Darlene could not help but worry. 

Even so, she did not feel any malice or danger from the bright spot—rather, she felt a bit of intimacy to it.

"Hello again," the foreign voice suddenly transmitted its message. 

"I-it really was you?!" Darlene stared at the bright spot with alarm. "Why didn't you respond before?"

This time, she was confident that the unknown voice transmitting its thoughts to her was coming from the bright spot on her soul core.

"My apologies, I was exhausted and forced to enter hibernation last time. But now that we have grown a fair bit stronger, we can finally hold a proper conversation," the bright spot explained.

"We? You speak as if our growth and fates are intertwined," Darlene frowned before asking, "Just who are you? No, what are you?"

"I am a fragment of Empyrean Infinite Void, the one who touched upon the Infinity and become everlasting since the primordial age of beginning. But you can also say that I am you, yet at the same time, you are not me—at least not yet."

"Empyrean Infinite Void? An Empyrean God? Why does my soul core have a fragment of Empyrean Infinite Void, someone who existed in the so-called primordial age of beginning? And what do you mean not yet? What will happen to me?"

Darlene's heart was shaken by the bright spot claiming to be a fragment of an Empyrean God.

Even if it was just a fragment, does she even stand a chance at resisting its will?

"The great war between gods and devils during the primordial age of beginning was one of unparalleled destruction; all life was nearly destroyed as a result of it," the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment spoke. 

"However, True Divinities are beings who have achieved the everlasting. Even if the great war destroyed their bodies, their imperishable soul will never truly die."

"But you're just a fragment?" Darlene frowned with doubt.

"Yes, that is true," the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment admitted before saying, "Imperishable souls can be shattered again and again, but they will never truly disappear from existence—so long as Primal Chao persists."

"Thus, you don't need to be surprised about everyone possessing a dormant fragment of gods or devils in them. Also, god souls have shattered into far too many fragments that the gods cannot revive unless someone purposely gathers all their soul fragments."

"Thus, you do not need to worry about accepting my power. In fact, possessing a powerful fragment like me is a good opportunity for you. Do you not desire power?" the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment asked. 

"I do, but at what cost does your power come with? And what kind of power can you give?" Darlene questioned the fragment with a strong sense of distrust. 

"Since I am a fragment of Empyrean Infinite Void, I possess some of Empyrean Infinite Void's memories and law comprehension. Therefore, if you accept me and allow us to become one entity formally, you will have access to Empyrean Infinite Void's comprehension and memories."

"This will grant you the ability to demonstrate spatial power well beyond your level of cultivation—but of course, there are consequences for this, so you should not attempt it often," the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment explained. 

However, it seemed to have left out the most crucial information that Darlene was concerned about, causing her to frown. 

"What is the price for this power? What will it cost me?" she asked again. 

"There is no price. Since we share the same soul source to exist at the moment of your birth, I, the Empyrean Infinite Void's soul fragment, can be considered a type of latent potential that you have yet to awaken," the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment stated. 

"You should understand that not everyone gets the chance to awaken their god fragment this early. It is only possible because I am the fragment of an Empyrean Goddess, a being who stands even above the likes of True Gods and Heavenly Gods."

"But, well, if I really need to mention a price—it will be your personality. By accepting me, there's a chance that you will succumb to the Empyrean Infinite Void's vast memories, twisting your personality to become like Empyrean Infinite Void herself."

"However, if you have a strong will, then Empyrean Infinite Void's memories will have little-to-no effect on you," the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment stated.

After listening to the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment's explanation, Darlene noticed its voice had grown increasingly weak and tired over time as if talking took a toll on it. 

Nevertheless, she did not immediately accept the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment but fell into silent contemplation.

It was true that she felt no malice nor danger from the fragment, but there was no telling what it was actually thinking.

How much of its words were true, she wouldn't know.

"How do I accept your power anyway?" Darlene asked out of curiosity.

"Since I have already awakened thanks to your growth, half the step has already been completed. The only thing stopping the Empyrean Infinite Void's law comprehension and memories that I contain from flowing into you—is the feeling of rejection you have within your heart."

"So long as you have this feeling of rejection towards me, I cannot freely share the Empyrean Infinite Void's law comprehension and memories with you," the Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment patiently stated.

After speaking so much, Darlene began to have a clearer picture of the situation. 

In other words, whether she accepts the Empyrean Infinite Void's law comprehension and memories or not was ultimately her choice to make.

The Empyrean Infinite Void Fragment cannot force her; she was in control.