Chapter 2071: Chapter 46: The True Pioneer

"The Heart Light Body requires a sufficiently steadfast will to achieve itself."

"Besides burning life, the Aether True Body also requires burning battle intent, passion, and soul. When I fought the Ashen King, he was far stronger than his usual silent, exhausted self because he had a reason to burn."

"The Light-element Furnace is the same; it needs a pure ’will’ to penetrate space-time, initially reflecting the lingering thoughts of the Heavenly Father—his love and regret for us, wanting to shelter us with faith."

"And afterwards, countless Fae who voluntarily chose death to integrate into the Light-element Furnace."

"Isn’t the True Aether Furnace of Steep Ridge Fortress the same? Generations of Dukes of Steep Ridge’s tyranny and ambition have become its fuel. Infinite energy only requires will as a price, already the greatest miracle created by the Star God."

[... Is that so]

The Fairy Queen turned her head, gazing at the Silver Sea, murmuring: [I see... for the Heavenly Father, who possesses infinite universes, boundless space-times, and endless energy, what we possess, create, are insignificant]

[Only indomitable will and faith, endless ’dreams,’ are the keys to starting the Perpetual Motion Machine...]

"Indeed." Ian also mused thoughtfully: "Perhaps, the reason the Perpetual Motion Machine ’Infinite Tide’ requires the Whole Terra’s wise life to vote is indeed to ignite the first ’fire’ with that gathered vast collective will."

"But unlike the Infinite Tide, which is directly connected to the Great Aether Circulation and possesses infinite endurance, both the Light-element Furnace and True Aether Furnace need to burn dreams, soul, willpower, and faith."

"To compare these two creations to a Perpetual Motion Machine, their holders must at least possess [eternal steadfast faith]..."

"..."

Wait.

Ian suddenly closed his mouth.

He suddenly remembered Teacher Hiliad’s proposal of the Five Grand Extremes Realm.

Transcendent soul, sublimated body, pinnacle of skills.

Infinite energy, and...

"Eternal faith..." he whispered, then widened his eyes: "It’s immortality! Further enhanced immortality!"

"Transcending time-space, capable of extending across infinite parallel universes and manifesting upon any individual meeting its faith requirements, is ’immortal essence’!"

"But this is just foundational, for mere immortality is merely fuel; to break through to the Sixth Echelon, one must not only have immortality but also consolidate the Aether imprinted with immortal essence, making it stronger, capable of penetrating and linking other infinite parallel space-times, forming a true ’Infinite Loop’..."

That’s it, that’s it. In this instant, Ian looked back at the past, gazed at the ’Eternal Path,’ finally understanding that Kerraith’s path did have a part that was correct, but he erred further!

If immortality chooses individuals that meet its criteria as its ’successors,’ forming ’Chosen Ones’... then, what could be more suitable than ’oneself in parallel space-time’ fulfilling this requirement as ’one’s chosen entity’?!

Just as Kerraith’s Eternal Path, the true pathway of immortality is to spread one’s immortal essence towards the ’self’ in infinite parallel space-time!

In this way... if immortality has grown strong enough to forge oneself in parallel space-time into a ring, an infinite ring...

Then... like Ian’s current Light-element Furnace—relying on the power passed on by immortality, even if it’s a trivial trace, still can gather into ’infinite energy,’ ’engine of perpetual motion’ under infinite circulation!

But Kerraith went astray, only using immortality to pave the way, self-possessing oneself. This is also a kind of infinite, perched upon a single timeline as an ’Infinite Reincarnation’. But it’s only that; he merely lives forever, inhabiting infinite resources, unable to truly achieve ’the infinite self’!

Yet the right path Ian perceived is the ’Infinite Holder’ who expands across infinite parallel space-time!

"I finally found the missing step in the Arcane Pathway!"

Laughing loudly, Ian couldn’t help but laugh, for now, the sixth echelon of the Sublimation Path, the final step of the fifth stage of Arcane finally unfolded its door to him, Ian Silverpeak!

That’s not all.

The ’Star of Guidance’ on his forehead was heating up.

Raising a hand and touching his ’Heartlight Body,’ Ian blinked as he regained his senses.

’Swarm,’ ’Spirit Disaster,’ ’Arcane,’ ’Perpetuity,’ ’Star Extinguishment,’ ’Azure Star,’ ’Ashes’... seven stars, seven pathways shining like a crown, or a halo.

With dawning realization, he murmured: "This is my ring... I’ve already stepped onto the path."

"But it’s not enough."

"I need to light up all the stars... and several more stars unforeseen by the Guiding Star to complete it."

Raising his head, Ian gazed at the Light-element Furnace.

——If the ’Star of Guidance’ represents the ’immortality collective’ of Ian’s gathered immortal essence, representing the ’eternal faith’ in its incomplete form.

——Then, alongside the Light-element Furnace representing ’infinite energy’ as an incomplete body, what would it be?

At this moment, his Pioneer of Iron can represent ’sublimated body,’ ’Heart of Terra and Supreme Spirit Arms’ can represent ’pinnacle of skills,’ while the Soul of the Star God can represent ’transcendent soul’... he has already gathered all the realms of extremes, theoretically fulfilling all conditions of the Sixth Echelon!

So, if now, he merges, resonates with the Light-element Furnace... what will the result be?!

Half-step to Sixth Echelon, or...

Ian restrained his surging excitement, intending to use [Foresight View] to observe the future represented by this choice.

But it was precisely at this moment.

[Prophet] suddenly found the colors brought by Foresight View receding like the tide.

[Foresight View] had failed; he could not see the future, perceive possibilities, or foresee whether his next actions would be beneficial or not.

Here lies the limit.

"So it is..." The Prophet was stunned, then frowned deeply.

Finally, he relaxed, softly whispering to himself: "This is the limit."

’Ian’s’ limit.

In the past, all Ian’s limits stopped here.

Not to say Ian never reached the Light-element Furnace or received the Fairy Queen’s invitation and assistance.

But never so early.

No Ian could, at this time, possess such power, entailing tremendous possibilities to change the future.

Indeed.

No matter the pathway, timeline.

Ian now, Ian today.

[Ian Silverpeak], the strongest, quickest, and most perfect Ian in this moment.

Thus, none can guide his path forward.

——He is no longer the Prophet.

In this moment, Ian felt his legs endlessly heavy.

He wished to step but struggled to lift his leg—the pathway once sturdy, seemingly indestructible and foreseeable as ’correct,’ the shortcut called ’Prophet’ vanished.

From this point forward, what he could step on was only the quagmire named ’unknown.’

So finally.

Finally.

"Finally, I cannot see."

No longer [Prophet].

[Pioneer] breathed a sigh of relief.

As if casting off burdens, as if shedding shackles, Ian revealed a sincerely delighted, immensely hopeful smile.

Like a bird escaping the cage of fate, flying towards the remote horizon’s edge, towards Above the Sky.

He is no longer the [Prophet].

Hence, he becomes the [Pioneer].

Sincerely stepping forward.

Ian steps forward.

He reaches out with ease to touch the ’Silver Sea.’

Tangibly, touches the ’unknown future.’