Another Possibility (12)

Death was an abyss on life's road that could never be avoided. Perhaps science and certain ascension arts could let one leap across it briefly, but this abyss was infinitely long, boundlessly wide, and unfathomably deep. Unless one flew eternally, straight toward the High Heavens, everyone would eventually meet the end of their fall.

In the past, Teacher Hilliard might have been one of those powerful beings capable of crossing this abyss called the "Abyss of Death." The more Ian studied the notes his teacher had left behind, the more certain he became of it. Though he appeared to be merely a knight, Teacher Hilliard's research into the Ascension Path had reached a realm that most people in the world—even most powerful beings—could never imagine.

The changes from the First Energy Level to the Fifth Energy Level, the ascension and transformation of the spirit, the fusion and conversion of flesh and true aether—Primordial Aether—until at last the Aether True Form and ultimate ascension... these were experiences that even Fifth Energy Level powerhouses found difficult to set down clearly in writing.

Yet Hilliard could not only describe them in plain language, but on that foundation, he could further propose the concept of the "Extreme Domain."

The essence of the Extreme Domain was simply a "domain" that did not exist. We all know that the natural evolution of living beings is absolutely imperfect. Even Magic Beasts are no exception. These beasts that gained extraordinary power for various reasons may once have been intelligent creatures, only to degenerate for various reasons—this degeneration itself represented their imperfection, and every species had its own flaws.

Weak flesh, declining souls, shallow Origin Matter, flaws in technique... and lastly, a lack of conviction.

Every living being innately possessed several of these five defects. At the very least,