Chapter 1271: True sovereignty begins with conquering the inner self Liam shuddered as complete darkness enveloped him. Not just his vision but everything else felt dark too as if he was submerged in nothingness. He couldn't even feel anything. It lasted for a few minutes, longer than he would have liked but eventually, the darkness dissipated. Actually, he was still engulfed in darkness but Liam found himself standing on a hard surface. "Luna?" He called out, but the little fox did not appear. He was also not able to access his spatial artifact or summon his system screen. He tried to churn his mana core and to his surprise, even that did not seem to exist. His expression changed and his brows furrowed. How could his mana core not exist? It was a part of his very existence and it changed without his notice? No. His mana core was still there. Probably his heart fruit was also intact. All of this could only mean that a part of him had been forcibly sealed. Something that only an existence far more powerful than him could accomplish. This realization sent a chill down Liam's spine. He was not just in a place of darkness; he was in a domain where his very essence had been tampered with, restrained in ways he couldn't fathom. It looked like he was indeed standing inside the Spire of Ascension. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. "Focus," he muttered to himself. Liam knew panicking wouldn't help. He had to analyze the situation logically. First, he assessed his surroundings. The darkness was so complete that it seemed to swallow even the faintest hint of light. But the fact that he was standing on something solid was a clue. This wasn't a void; it was a space created with a purpose. Liam took a few breaths and tried to adjust his mental state. He looked around trying to gauge where he was. He took a step forward when suddenly a path in front of him lit up. Liam paused. He hadn't planned to step inside the Spire just yet, circumstances had forced his hand and he had to use the token sooner than he wanted. Though everything happened in haste, he still had browsed through the information missives he had about the Spire of Ascension. This place was essentially a series of trials one after the other that one had to undergo. The Spire had many floors, with the difficult level higher in the upper floors. Liam was pretty sure that he was currently standing on one such floor. Knowing this, he tried to be cautious of his next move. He only had one shot inside the Spire. Just like everyone else, if he missed his shot, then he would be teleported out of the Spire immediately. Liam stood still for a moment before he took another step forward in the path that was lit up. As he stepped forward, the path illuminated further, stretching out into the enveloping darkness. It was as if his decision to move forward triggered the path to reveal itself, a guiding light in the shadowy expanse. Liam's mind raced, considering the possibilities. What form would his trial take? A battle? A puzzle? A test of will? The Spire was known for its unpredictability. There were several scenarios mentioned in the information packet but he hadn't gone through everything. Liam continued walking and the path too continued lighting up. So far he seemed to be on the right track. He turned back to see that the path behind him was already dark. He had a stinking feeling that if he tried to walk back, he might not find anything to land his feet on. Besides, there was no point in walking back. He continued moving forward silently when finally he saw something different. A road sign had popped up in front of him. [True sovereignty begins with conquering the inner self.] Liam stared at the sign for a few moments. It was just a simple sign and nothing else happened. He let out a breath before proceeding to walk on the path that lit up in front of him. [Ding! You have gained the title 'Spire of Ascension Trial Taker'] Spire of Ascension Trial Taker: Gain 1% boost to all your attributes Liam now understood what was happening. This place was probably like an entry test for everyone who wished to enter the Spire. He probably passed the test already but it looked like there was still some more left to achieve. What would happen if he continued walking down this path? Liam did not think too much and took another step forward. That was all that he needed to do. Take one step after another and move forward. This time he continued walking for almost an hour and still nothing popped out. Not even another road sign. He let out a sigh and kept walking. He couldn't really use mana to boost his speed. His attributes also did not seem to matter as at the moment he was simply walking like a mortal. He could maybe run? But when he increased his speed to a brisk pace, he noticed that he was about to step into the darkness and his gut feeling told him that this would be a mistake so he fell back to hisn casual leisurely walking pace. This continued on for some more time and his thoughts started to wander. He couldn't help but think back to the chaotic situation he had only narrowly escaped from. Now that he was in the presence of nothingness, his brain went over the event again in detail and Liam frowned as he realized the enormity of what had transpired. Faced with such an adversity he had acted extremely confident and bold but the truth was that he had put himself and the others in a very risky situation. The gamble with the teleportation token, the reliance on his own strength and strategies, it all seemed so audacious now in retrospect.