Empyrean Aegis

*Become as unshakable as the pillars of life.*

## Summary

Empyrean Aegis is a peak-quality E-Grade skill that Zac received for his level 125 skill quest for his Edge of Arcadia class. He gained and completed the skill quest while in the Orom World. It is both a domain and a defensive skill. It creates a number of golden pillars depending on proficiency, two to five, with each pillar providing more protection or allowing the protection of another person. The domain suppresses the use of skills by enemies.

Empyrean Aegis has synergy with Arcadia's Judgement in that it will ward people from its effects. And it helps Earthstrider function better in restrictive domains. The skill can be activated with Void Energy.

## **Skill Quest**

Empyrean Aegis (Class): Form one major and one supporting Dao Branch. Reward: Empyrean Aegis skill. (1/2) **Chapter 801**

Zac blankly looked at his new Dao Branch for a few moments before he finally remembered where he'd heard the term *Kalpataru* before. **Chapter 823**

So it was with a steady heart Zac made his way toward the **[Blackink Mountain]**, only making a short detour to pick up **[Empyrean Aegis]** at the local Nexus Node. **Chapter 823**

## Skill Location

**Back of Head**

No longer underestimating the Wandering Cultivator, Zac flooded into the fractal on the back of his head with Cosmic Energy, the Branch of the Kalpataru, and a small amount of Void Energy. In an instant, a laurel crown of golden leaves appeared on Zac's head while the whole courtyard turned golden.

## Skill Window

[E] Empyrean Aegis - Proficiency: Middle. Become as unshakeable as the pillars of life. Upgradeable. **Chapter 898**

## Early Proficiency

* The ground was gold, the sky was gold - the world was drowned in empyrean splendor. Two pillars, each one studded with a thick stele with inscrutable characters had appeared as well, but it was clear to anyone with eyes they listed some sort of supreme edicts. **Chapter 859**
* As planned, the attack was stopped just a few decimeters from his head, with a shimmering golden barrier having appeared to block out the strike. **Chapter 859**
* The barrier even nullified the shockwave that would normally turn the interiors of the courtyard to shreds, though that also spared Gaun from any counterforce. **Chapter 859**
* The golden barriers of Zac's skill would both activate automatically or on command, and he could currently have two of them active at one time. The only slightly unusual feature of the feature was that it seemed to be based on a mix of both his Vitality and Endurance, rather than just Endurance. **Chapter 859**
* The second half of the skill was a bit more unique - the whole area drowned in gold had become part of a powerful defensive domain. ... But the moment he started rotating Cosmic Energy, he would suddenly get pushed down by a terrifying pressure while their energy circulation would be disrupted. **Chapter 859**

## Middle Proficiency

* In fact, most of his skills were evolving, proving just how powerful the altar was. That was not to say it was all thanks to this temple. Many of his skills were long overdue for an upgrade, ... After having been through two tremendous epiphanies and getting blessed by the altar, they were all bursting forth at once. **Chapter 897**
* Zac urgently activated **[Empyrean Aegis]**, and two golden bubbles appeared, one around himself and one around what Zac hoped was the real Ogras. At the same time, three pillars rose behind his back, indicating the durability of the skill had gone up another tier. It was just in time, as the grotesque avatar unleashed a tremendous wail that tore apart space itself. **Chapter 903**
* Three pillars rose from the ground behind him, and the three people in his group were each enclosed by one barrier. It was one of the features of the skill reaching Middle Proficiency. With three pillars rather than two, his defensive skill would either turn more durable, or he could protect a third person. **Chapter 909**

## Peak Proficiency

* By this point, almost all of his skills were already pushed to E-grade Peak Mastery, **Chapter 978**
* Five golden pillars were erected in his wake, right in the middle of the rock, while a golden wreath appeared on Zac's head. The five pillars were completely straight, with ancient steles fastened to them. Yet they seemed like the fingers of an empyrean God digging out from the ground to protect him. **Chapter 1,009**
* Reaching *Peak Mastery* of the defensive skill had fundamentally changed how it worked. It was no longer a defensive domain centered around the area close to the pillars. It was now two domains connected through some unknowable means. The laurel on Zac's head transmitted the energy of the pillars to his direct surroundings, and any damage was diverted and transmitted back to the pillars. If he had stayed close to the pillars, the two domains would have superimposed, increasing the suppression and defense by almost half. ... The distance the skill worked was incredible. During his experiments back on Earth, Zac managed to keep the skill active with the pillars on one side of his island while he stood on the other. **Chapter 1,009**

## Synergy

* An unmistakable resonance in the golden barrier around him indicated a synergy between his two skills - those shielded by **[Empyrean Aegis]** were exempt from **[Arcadia's Judgement]**. **Chapter 903**
* He jumped off the edge, each step taking him hundreds of meters with **[Loamwalker]** [*sic*]. The environment severely suppressed his movement skill the last time he was caught in the madness. But with the help of the defensive domain awarded by **[Empyrean Aegis]**, he could move almost half the distance of the skill's original capability. **Chapter 1,009**

## Commentary

* The System wasn’t holding back against this time around, demanding two Dao Branches to complete his quest. **Chapter 801**
* If he hadn’t been given this kind of skill from the quest, he would have been forced to somehow turn his domain skill into a more defensively oriented one. **Chapter 801**
* The shield rippled a bit, but it held against a mighty swing of a Half-Step Hegemon who had infused their weapon with two Dao Fragments, proving that being classified as a Peak-quality skill wasn't just for show. **Chapter 859**
* The skill represented an interesting facet of the Dao of Life - the facet many equated with divinity. Life was the fount of all beings, so going against its will was to go against the universe itself. The concept didn't exactly mesh with Zac's own comprehension of the Dao, but that didn't really matter. If anything, it shored up a weakness in his own understanding. **Chapter 859**
* For example, his Peak-quality **[Empyrean Aegis]** had barely managed to protect him from the Sword Intent Uzu had sealed in his weapon. **Chapter 879**
* In a heated battle like this, the node increased the durability of his Cosmic Energy by over 20%, which allowed **[Empyrean Aegis]** to withstand that treasure sword. **Chapter 880**
* He could tell **[Empyrean Aegis]** would only be able to withstand a couple of hits before breaking apart, ... **Chapter 896**
* The scream was deafening, and not even his recently upgraded defensive skill could completely block out its effects. **Chapter 903**
* Simultaneously, a golden laurel appeared on his head, as a good chunk of the Kan'Tanu army was showered in golden splendor. It was the restrictive domain of **[Empyrean Aegis]** pushed to its limits, which interrupted hundreds of cultivators from unleashing their skills. **Chapter 914**
* Two different hues of gold clashed for supremacy in the area as the ball of utmost flames slammed into his hastily-erected barrier. The fireball burned its way straight through with a sizzling sound, leaving Zac gobsmacked. **Chapter 917**
* A barrier glimmering with mottled gold and empowered by Void Energy enclosed him, just before an enormous shockwave threw him thousands of meters away until he crashed into the side of the crater. **Chapter 923**