46 Entering the Immortal Layer

"The Mandate of Balance! One of the Supreme Artefacts of Heaven."

Astrallis placed his hand on the scintillating obelisk flashing in indiscernible colours. To his surprise, his hand went straight through it, a tingling sensation spread around his arm and up into his consciousness and then into his Soul-Being.

The artefact suddenly fractured into countless particles which spread around Astrallis shrouding him in an ethereal lustre, innumerable nomological insights of the Mandate of Balance were contained within the lights. The lights began to integrate inside of Astrallis Soul-Being before moving into his body in the physical realm.

Astrallis raised his eyebrows when he noticed how the Mandate of Heaven was able to influence time and space, for all time and space around Astrallis was currently in stasis. Immovable and rigid.

The glittering lights began to appear on Astrallis form in the physical realm, while at the same time his physical features started to have changes. His body grew a few inches, while the lines on his face became harder and more piercing; signs of maturity spread around across his face.

It was as if Astrallis had aged by a couple of years…

The old man stared at Astrallis, praise apparent in his eyes, "Boy, for the Mandate of Balance to accept you, it shows the light of providence and destiny shine upon you."

"Alas, one must remember, to gain something one must lose something as well. You have obtained the Artifact, but you have lost life-span as a result."

"Although, it seems even Heaven can be selfish. It allowed for your ownership of the Artefact, but in return, it only took a couple of years of your life," the old man chuckled in disbelief as his body vanished leaving behind a fading incorporeal form.

The lights glittering on Astrallis body eventually began to agglomerate upon Astrallis forehead finally changing into a shining golden obelisk tattoo. The tattoo only added to the beauty of the art upon Astrallis body already; the noble air emanating from him became more refined. It was as if his very presence in the Universe had been accepted by the Heavens.

Once the formation of the obelisk tattoo on Astrallis head was complete, the stationary space and time around him shattered, and the physical realm became active again.

Although to Astrallis it felt as if he had been in the illusionary realm formed by that old man for an indefinite period, to Eversnow not even a moment had gone by.

She was still staring at the broad and straight back of Astrallis, her eyes glistening with worry. Suddenly Astrallis began to move, his feet firmly moving forward across the spear.

Astrallis placed his sword to his side, almost dragging it behind him. He cut a striking image for all to see.

A man shooting into the sky, sword in hand, innumerable enemies ahead. It was a moment that bards would praise for countless years.

The Elysian Soldiers seeing Astrallis advance towards them shot out waves of killing-intent towards him.

As the first wave hit Astrallis, the golden tattoo on his head shone with a bright light and streaks of light shifted to his soul consciousness and formed a barrier. The barrier encompassed his Soul-Being in the glorious golden light.

At this time the first wave of killing-intent entered his consciousness and shot towards his Soul-Being, the barrier as if provoked also began to retaliate by emanating its own waves of golden light as well. The two opposing waves of light crashed into each other inside Astrallis consciousness, the Golden light shot straight through the red tide exterminating it one movement.

Noticing this, determination spread across Astrallis' face, and his steady walk became a bounding sprint as he shot through the waves towards the soldiers.

The spear entered the first row of Elysian Soldiers they moved towards Astrallis, multiple different weapons piercing towards him.

With a grunt Astrallis swung his sword out in one movement, emerald sword-intent emanated from the sword and shot off towards the soldiers. The emerald light pierced through the entire first row of the Elysian Soldiers, their bodies instantly dissected and turned into disappearing light.

Astrallis tall figure burst through the lights that once made up the bodies of the first wave and moved towards the second.

A red wave many kilometres wide roared towards Astrallis tall figure, the impetus of the wave itself had no effect on Astrallis bodied which had been improved because of the activation of the Rampage of Felicity.

The tattoo sensing the wave began to shine with even brighter light and formed a light shield in front of Astrallis. The shield emanated the power of the soul, and with the shield in front of himself, Astrallis smashed through the red-wave. Wherever Astrallis moved through in the wave, the killing-intent was eliminated by shield formed by the Mandate of Balance upon Astrallis' forehead.

The crashing currents within the wave smashed into Astrallis advancing form, creaking his bones and splintering his skin. Blood began to leak out from his ruptured skin.

Feeling the pain, a victorious smile spread across Astrallis face, "Excellent, these are only superficial wounds. Let's see what the rest of these Elysian Soldiers can do."

Once Astrallis finally exited through the second-wave, the wave immediately disappeared.

He readied himself for the second wave of soldiers, but to his surprise, only a single form appeared before him.

The figure held a long double-handed greatsword even longer than the figures entire body. The man before Astrallis was covered in bright silver armour, the only thing visible to Astrallis was the entirely white eyes that were akin to death itself.

"Only a single person… This is different," Astrallis raised his sword towards the man, and with a shout, he charged towards him.

The great-sword wielding man responded and dashed towards Astrallis; after-images were left in the wake of the two. Their speed akin to that of a Minting Path Realm cultivator, three realms above that of Astrallis' World Wandering Realm cultivation base.

With the sundering of space, the two swords made contact. Green and silver sword-intent exploded out from the point of contact around them lighting up the sky.

The speed of the duo instantly stopped, great waves of power shot out from the two as their swords continuously ground against one another. Astrallis stared straight into the dead-eyes before him.

The two stayed in the same position for a few moments as they powered against each other. Sword intent versus sword intent. Eventually, the dead-eyes before Astrallis begun to rotate and a feeling of death started to impose upon his consciousness.

"Hmph," with a snort of disdain Astarllis thrust his obsidian wings towards the figure and pierced into the man's flanks before he could respond.

"I thought we were going to honour our pride as Swordsman. Looks like the dead of the Nine Layers Ascension truly have no consciousness."

With a final thrust of his obsidian wings, Astrallis tore through the man's body, to the surprise of Astrallis this time the man did not splinter into countless lights.

The man's body burst out with blood at the point of dissection, his entrails and body parts falling out in the process.

At this time a voice entered Astrallis ears, "My head, cut off my head, it's the only way…please."

Astrallis knowing it was the man before him who had spoken, he decided to comply. He swung his Emerald Sword across the man's neck. The man's head flew into the sky, Astrallis watched the helmet-clad head and caught it with his hands.

He gazed into the dead eyes of the decapitated man, but this time the eyes showed life. As well as thankfulness.

"Thank you lad, I've been stuck inside these layers and controlled by Heavens ever since I failed my ascension innumerable years ago. You have finally released me," The silver-armoured man's voice entered Astrallis consciousness.

Astrallis stood in the void, his black wings spread out behind him with a head in his hand. To everyone spectating this moment, he was akin to an angel banished from heaven, expelled because of his nature.

And with those last words, the man's body finally splintered into light and integrated with the Heavens.

A pensive look appeared across Astrallis' matured face as he gentled floated down onto the spear again flying beneath him.

Eversnow jumped with excitement as she looked at the elegant figure before her that seemingly integrated with the Heavenly Laws akin to some elusive balance.

A small portal opened up before the spear, and through the entrance, a dreamy area full of clouds appeared inside.

The spear shot through the portal and disappeared before the eyes of the Universe.

Grandmother Anemone looked on jubilation on her face, "Good! With this Astrallis will be able to acquire a hint of Immortal Qi, it will make his breakthrough into the Immortal much easier."