Deep within the core of an Edge structure, the Guardian Spirit was reporting to the Void Emperor. This time, the Void Emperor even came in direct visual link, which showed how important this was for him.
The Guardian Spirit floated before the image, its energy form subdued.
After reporting everything that happened, the Guardian Spirit said, "Master, when he finally spoke, his willforce surged instinctively. I felt it clearly… it was comparable to the willforce of our sect elders."
During the battle with the Demon Emperor, the Guardian Spirit had been unable to estimate Adrian's willforce. He had expended it all in a single instant, leaving nothing behind to measure. But in this event, when his resolve manifested openly, the Spirit could sense it.
Hearing this, the Void Emperor fell silent; even for him, this report was startling.
The elders of the Void Sect were Astral-stage beings, existences that had lived for millions, some even billions of years. Their willforce was terrifying, not because of their cultivation alone, but because it had been tempered through endless cycles of experience they had gone through. Companionship, parenthood, betrayal, war, survival, and the constant proximity to life and death events.
Willforce was the energy of the mind itself, intent, resolve, and consciousness. And it was not something one could train easily. It grew only through experience, suffering, and perseverance across ages.
Yet now, Adrian, absurdly young by universal standards, already possessed willforce comparable to the elders. That realization alone was terrifying.
Then the Void Emperor laughed softly, "No wonder a Prime Arcane Concept chose him. I initially thought it was fortune. But with willforce like that… there are clearly deeper factors at play."
The Guardian Spirit hesitated, "But Master, despite all this, he is walking the wrong path. His ideals will only shackle him."
The Void Emperor nodded slowly. He understood this better than anyone.
In his early years, he, too, had wished to bring his family and companions along his cultivation journey. But talent was not something that could be shared. As his own cultivation rose higher and higher, those without comparable aptitude were left behind. Eventually, he had no choice but to walk alone. Even Shiva couldn't do anything with this.
Only after reaching great heights could he send resources back, supporting those close to him from afar. This was the reality of cultivation, and no one could change it.
He had seen cultivators try to ascend alongside spouses, parents, even children. But most often it ended in tragedy.
And here, Adrian's ambition went far beyond that, and his belief in it was frighteningly absolute.
Adrian did not even know Willforce existed before. He had no conscious perception of it, no method to control or suppress it. And yet, when he spoke of his ideals, his willforce erupted unconsciously. That only happened when one's resolve reached an extreme, unyielding peak.
"He didn't even realize what he was doing," the Guardian Spirit added quietly. "The surge was instinctive.. As though his entire being rejected my words without thought."
The Void Emperor's projection pulsed.
This showed the Void Emperor how strong Adrian's conviction was, carved into the core of his being.
Conviction like that couldn't be argued away with logic. It couldn't be dismantled through warnings or threats.
After a long silence, the Void Emperor finally spoke, "Since his will is this firm, we must show him, slowly, that the path he has chosen is flawed. We must show him that the path he walks cannot succeed as he believes."
The Guardian Spirit bowed slightly, "But Master, how do we do that? He refuses to join the sect alone. His intention is clear, he will only walk forward if his people can follow. I have analysed those closest to him. They possess talent, but none of them are top-tier geniuses. Even if he waits for them to qualify, it would take thousands of years. And if he continues with this mindset, every future step will slow him further."
After a pause, the Spirit ventured another thought, "Master… perhaps if his people were placed in danger, Adrian would be forced to grow stronger alone. This has happened before. When his planet was endangered, he was forced to grow stronger with only a few companions."
The Void Emperor's gaze hardened, "No. That is unacceptable."
"Danger can force growth, yes," the Void Emperor continued, "But if we orchestrate danger ourselves and he uncovers the truth in the future, we would be nurturing a calamity that could destroy us. Remember his potential. One day, he may rival me… or surpass me."
The Guardian Spirit absorbed this in silence. Few beings in the universe warranted such caution from its master.
Then the Void Emperor's expression shifted slightly, "But what if the danger is not of our making? What if it is… natural?"
The Guardian Spirit immediately understood what he meant, "Master… are you referring to the Andromeda Galaxy?"
The Andromeda Galaxy was the closest galactic neighbour of the Milky Way Galaxy, and it was already approaching the Milky Way Galaxy for an inevitable merger. Two spirals of billions of stars, drawn together by gravity across the void. In universal terms, the collision was imminent, mere millions of years away. For mortal civilizations, it would be apocalyptic.
"Yes," the Void Emperor replied, "I had planned to send an elder to divert its trajectory. But what if we send Adrian?"
The Spirit's energy flickered thoughtfully, "Master, you wish to use it as a trial?"
"Exactly."
The Guardian Spirit processed this, threads of understanding weaving together, "What kind of trial, Master?"
"If he believes so firmly in his path, then let him prove it. Let him establish himself in the Andromeda Galaxy." The Void Emperor's eyes gleamed, "But not just himself as an individual, he must establish his people there as well. Not as followers protected by his shadow, but as contributors capable of standing on their own. There must be collective progress. If his people cannot grow, adapt, and take root beside him, then his path collapses under its own weight. If he succeeds, then regardless of qualifications, we will allow all of them to join the Void Sect as outer disciples."
The Guardian Spirit was stunned.
The Origin Empire numbered in the billions. Allowing all of them entry, even as outer disciples, was unprecedented. The Void Sect maintained standards cultivated over eons. Entry required talent, comprehension, and unwavering dedication. To bypass this for billions…
But as the implications settled, the Guardian Spirit understood.
This was a test designed never to be passed.
Andromeda held countless Minor sects, which had beings who had cultivated for millions of years, with as high as its sect leaders at Peak Rule Stage. Some held technologies beyond the Milky Way's comprehension. And unlike the demon war, where Adrian could leverage his overwhelming personal strength, this trial demanded collective achievement.
It would expose the impossibility of Adrian's ideal without direct interference. His people lacked the experience to establish themselves in an entirely new galaxy, to survive among sects that had refined their paths for millions of years, to compete economically, culturally, and spiritually without relying solely on Adrian's strength.
And through that failure, reality would crush his ideal.
When reality proves the impossibility, he will adapt. And when he does, his conviction will evolve into something even more formidable, tempered by truth rather than blind idealism.
The Guardian Spirit bowed deeply, "A brilliant plan, Master. I will execute it, and since this danger is natural, we remain uninvolved."
The Void Emperor nodded and ended the visual link.
He rose slowly from his throne and gazed out across the endless expanse of his galaxy. Stars burned in their trillions, each one a testament to the universe's vastness. Civilizations rose and fell, cultivators ascended and perished, and through it all, the strong walked alone.
Not for a moment did he believe Adrian could pass such a test.
He hoped, sincerely, that failure would make the young anomaly understand reality. Adrian possessed the talent to reach heights few could imagine. But talent meant nothing if shackled by impossible ideals. Better to learn this lesson now, whilst the cost remained bearable.
And when the time came, he would still protect the Milky Way, as he had promised Shiva long ago.
What the Void Emperor did not realise was that, in this moment, he was unleashing a storm upon the Andromeda Galaxy.
And he would only understand the consequences when it was already far too late.