Jacob continued his journey towards the unknown while following the direction of the legendary key.
However, most of Jacob's focus was on the information that he received from Autarch after he possessed the barbarian's body.
It turned out that the Path of Legend was opened over seven months ago for all the lesser galaxies. Since almost all the high-ranking figures of the lesser galaxies belonged to the three absolute factions, their loyal subordinates informed the higher-ups in the Middle Galaxies using secret methods privy to these factions.
Jacob wasn't surprised that the absolute factions existed in the middle galaxies. He already knew that these three factions represented the main forces of the zodiac plains, so their roots were extremely deep.
But what surprised Jacob was that the three absolute factions were even more terrifying in the middle galaxies, and unlike the roughnecks in the lesser galaxies, they were extremely united.
The barbarian and his two companions also belonged to the middle galaxies, and they came here by earning a slot in the entourage of Zodiac Universal Bank through some extremely fierce selection back in the middle galaxies.
Furthermore, they weren't the only ones, and they only represent the Zodiac Universal Bank of the middle galaxy of Gemini. There was also another entourage of eleven galaxies belonging to the Universal Zodiac Bank, and they were all competing with each other and other powers to acquire the Cosmic Vestiges for the descendants of Legendary Kings! According to the barbarian's memories, Legendary Kings were known as 'Galaxy Kings' in the lesser galaxies, and they were the highest esteemed figures of the middle galaxies, each controlling tens of planets! Yes, planets!
The middle galaxies or legendary/middle plains were entirely different from the lesser plains and extremely mystical. This revelation shocked Jacob, and he looked forward to stepping into this place and witnessing it himself.
Anyhow, the people from the middle galaxies could come to this place because a group of Legendary Kings from each faction performed some secret ceremony and opened a path for them. The exact method was only known to them and a well-guarded secret.
The Spiritual Star Tracker was also given to their groups to seek out legendary keys because it was the easiest way to track down cosmic vestiges and held a unique advantage over those who didn't have one, just as Jacob earlier conjectured.
What advantage they held was only known to the leaders of these teams, and people like the barbarian were only here to earn the merits and favor of these scions of these powers.
They were also under a powerful contract known as the 'Zodiac Soul Contract.' To ensure they won't betray those scions or hide any information.
That's why they were given those Spiritual Star Trackers, which were normally in the hands of these powers. They can also track Legendary Vestiges in the middle galaxies.
Since Jacob knew about the ranks of these legendary vestiges, he knew these trackers worked on any rank of legendary vestige. This answered another question about how those middle galaxies seek out legendary vestiges.
Furthermore, the barbarian and orcs seemed to have no idea about the legendary vestige ranks. They only knew that the twelve legendary vestiges that the Legendary Kings' descendants wanted were slightly special and superior to the legendary vestiges found in the middle galaxies.
After all, using the merits earned here, they can exchange an ordinary legendary vestige, especially if they find the locations of legendary keys. They can even claim multiple legendary vestiges from Legendary Kings with enough merits.
That's what motivates these people to risk their lives for those scions and fight each other to earn merits. As for taking these twelve legendary vestiges for themselves, they didn't even think about it since they would earn a Legendary King as their enemy, and they can't do it even if they want with the zodiac soul contracts in place.
The people of lesser galaxies were ordered to either kill or enslave them if they held some value. Only those with absolute loyalty could join their groups and have any chance of entering the middle galaxies.
The attitude of the middle galaxies towards the lesser galaxies was extremely disdainful. They all consider them farm animals, which they could raise or put down as they wished.
Jacob didn't feel anything about it because he knew that for people in power, the ordinary people were nothing, and any threat would be nipped in the bud. He had experienced it personally.
There was even more shocking information about the legendary plains, which would be useful once he entered the middle galaxies.
For now, Jacob knew he had to focus on acquiring the legendary vestige of Taurus first before moving on to collect the other vestiges. He was also relieved to know that no one had acquired any legendary vestige yet, as those people from the lesser galaxies were scattered in the path of legend, and it was extremely hard to search for them.
But this didn't mean everyone had a similar mindset as him. Some loyalists were in possession of legendary keys, and once they found their masters, they would hand them over without any resistance. People like him, with their own goals, were scant, and he didn't know if they had acquired any legendary keys and were able to hold on to them like him.
Nonetheless, Jacob's goal for now was the Legendary Vestige of Taurus. As he went deep into the forest, the surrounding scenery started to change.
At this point, Jacob slowed down because he saw the trees ahead were completely different from his surroundings. They were dark, and there wasn't any light passing through them as if those trees absorbed any trace of light, and the path ahead was pitch black!
Jacob mused that it was probably another wonder of the Path of Legend and the legendary key was also pointed in that dark forest direction. He didn't feel any danger from it, but he was still careful as he slowly entered the pitch-black darkness and vanished!