Paragon Of Sin

'Three minutes?' Yue Baoyue's heart throbbed intensely.

Su Yi inhaled and exhaled. He didn't respond verbally, only readied himself mentally. Gently, he reached out to grab Yue Baoyue's small, warm palm. The action startled her, and with words in his eyes, he conveyed the meaning: "I'm here." It signified safety and certainly, calming her throbbing heart immediately.

A single gesture was enough to allow a charming smile to blossom beautifully on her lips. She felt as if the wall that invisibly and silently separated this warmth had been bulldozed entirely. Was this the amalgamation of all her feelings realized? Together in both calamity and fortune? For the first time, her idle, flimsy thoughts of their future felt far more solid than before.

The sweetness of rising, mutual love.

Wei Wuyin's existence was attention-grabbing on a galactic scale. Upon entering the Dark Void, numerous powerful senses and perceptions landed on his body, yet it was almost as if the turbulent surges of spiritual strength were as gentle as a windy breeze on a summer day, unfazed by it all.

'This step is not the first, second, or third. You've laid the foundation, set contingencies, and moved pieces to their proper places. Push forward without hesitation, Saber Ascendant.' Wei Wuyin ran through everything established by both minds as he hyped himself, simultaneously allowing his heart to gain an unfathomable calm and superior confidence.

'Let's begin the show,' Wei Wuyin's starry eyes glowed intensely, triggering a manifestation of the Alchemic Dao via the Phenomenon Manifestation ability of the Alchemic Stars.

Worldly Awakening of a True Saint!

If the attention of the galaxy hadn't been entirely focused on him prior, then as he unleashed this phenomenon without restraint, inducing a rising occurrence of spiritual waves on par with a genuine Worldly Awakening of a True Saint, the rest of those eyes couldn't help but shift over.

The foreigner was announcing himself on the eve of the last few minutes of the seven-day declaration! The various supreme existences were counting down the seconds since the declaration and its eventual conclusion, calculating using various means to gauge the exact time when the declaration would have ended. They did so only because they feared that Wei Wuyin would abuse his advantageous position with Su Yi in his possession to acquire everything first, leaving nothing behind.

None of them wanted that outcome.

'First act.'

"World-Saint Neo-Dawn, what is the meaning of this?" A voice thundered across the void, questioning Wei Wuyin's intentions with a hint of curiosity, uncertainty, and tyrannical pressure. However, the voice didn't interfere with the manifestation. In the Utmost Purity Galaxy, alchemical phenomenons were sacred and treasured as eventful wonders, welcoming the growth of the Alchemic Dao, and served as celebrations to the galaxy as a whole.

This was a matter of tradition and universally understood rules.

It was also why when the manifestation expanded rapidly, extending across a quarter of the Armored Boon Stellar Region, exceeding almost anything naturally produced without relying on the Alchemic Stars' effect, Suo Haoran had no choice but to voice an inquiry.

Shockingly, the phenomenon was gathering worldly aspects far beyond what was normally expected, granting the inhabitants of that part of the stellar region with unimaginable blessings, and under the effect of this phenomenon was none other than the Original Dawn Palace.

Su Yi was in this palace.

Disbelief surged in the souls of those observing, the exhaustion of Utmost Purity Mist and Alchemic Power to unleash such a substantial phenomenon was unimaginable, and even the Seven Utmost Towers might bless a region, a small planetary region or two, with this type of artificially yet immensely beneficial experience once every few thousand of years, in hopes of birthing new outstanding talents.

Wei Wuyin moved like a sun-blotting shadow, exiting outside of the phenomenon. He slowly said, "The worldly phenomenon will last for seven minutes. In three minutes, the Void Formation within my Original Dawn Palace will be fully powered," just as those words pulsed outwards, from within the phenomenon's worldly spiritual awakening, an intense fluctuation of Void Energy pulsed with an oscillating sound, sending waves upon waves of ambient spatial and time energy into disarray.

"..."

Wei Wuyin didn't stop here, "When it's fully activated, Daoist Su will be sent elsewhere. Furthermore, I will bind his aura with my quintessential spiritual aura, so any divination of his location will first have to go through me."

"..."

What in the heavens was happening? At this point, most gathered what Wei Wuyin's intentions were, but they couldn't quite understand. As for obtaining Su Yi's secrets, given Wei Wuyin's oath, Su Yi would have to willingly offer it, and if he had, then he might as well give it to everyone else for a substantial arm and a leg-like price, especially since this man here was a foreigner!

Unfortunately, how could they understand that Su Yi feared that they would do everything in their power to rip the secrets from him after learning that they simply could not understand it? They might try to circumvent this with various soul-parasitic or soul-extraction spells and arts that were classified as Dark Arts or Evil Arts. They would ruin him beyond a shadow of a doubt at the slightest chance of seizing these secrets after realizing the truth. And if they caused him lasting harm, they would certainly kill him in his weakened state in the name of 'pulling out bad roots'.

This was what he believed.

In actuality, Su Yi was entirely correct!

Wei Wuyin's expression was lofty and cunning, waiting as the observing crowd digested his words. They understood the implications. They could profane the Alchemic Dao by destroying the phenomenon, a taboo of the highest in the Utmost Purity Galaxy, or helplessly watch as Su Yi left, began a hunt, and then first have to bulldoze the foreigner before finding his location!

What a troublesome series of conundrums!

Suo Haoran was solemnly silent.

A female voice echoed across the void, "Are you trying to go against the will of the Utmost Purity Galaxy? Do you think you're enough?"

Shockingly, as the voice thundered across the stars, exerting turbulence of space for quintillions of miles, in the far, far distance, the Zenith Containment Tower, a genuine Mystic-Heaven treasure, one of seven, illuminated the starry sky for all to see. It emulated the presence of a heaven-blinding solar star, releasing pressure from the heavens aimed solely toward that solitary figure—Wei Wuyin.

Wei Wuyin's glabella throbbed; a Worldly Pressure unfolded gently across his body, creating a visual spectacle as a clear light crashed heavily against a gold and tawny light. The Worldly Pressure contained abundant Soul Light, releasing soft-colored prismatic light throughout laced with the aura of Laws. It was not the slightest bit inferior to the Heavenly Force!

Suo Haoran's brows furrowed slightly. What a roundabout way to emulate Heavenly Force.

Wei Wuyin was undaunted as a colorful clash unfolded a few tens of thousands of miles from him. The other seven galactic zones, excluding the Refining Skies Galactic Zone, slowly activated their Mystic-Heaven Utmost Towers in unity.

He indifferently gazed at the various zones—Extracting Divinity, Growing Immortality, Infinite Containment, Containing Creation, Refining Skies, Transforming Worlds, and Fusing Souls. These seven galactic zones were the very core foundation of the Utmost Purity Galaxy, and they held the greatest authority over its Alchemic Dao.

"On both fronts—No," Wei Wuyin, to the belief of everyone, answered with an honest response. Even the thrumming towers grew a little sluggish, stifling some of their threatening momentum. However, after saying that, he refused to elaborate. It didn't seem as if he was stepping down either.

A masculine voice resounded, imbued with a kind, gentle, and elderly tone like a wise old grandfather speaking lovingly to their grandchildren with unconditional love and care: "Then, pray tell, what are your intentions?" The voice originated from the Fusing Souls Galactic Zone, backed by the fluctuations of pure alchemic power laced with gentle heavenly rays of dancing light.

A Heavenly Alchemic Saint!

Wei Wuyin stood there silently. While his body gradually unleashed pulsations of Worldly Pressure that were unsettlingly powerful, the Zenith Towers released their Heavenly Force to clash against it. Wei Wuyin's eyebrows didn't even twitch.

They weren't actively trying to attack, but this was quite clearly a probing attempt, while simultaneously mounting a united front to declare their intentions. They refused to accept such outrageous tyranny in their galaxy!

Only twenty-two seconds passed since the Void Energy fluctuations had begun, and countless individuals were using their Soul Perceptions and Spirtiual Sense, and from the rising fluctuations and oscillating auras, it was abundantly clear that this Imperial Law-possessing cultivator didn't lie— in three minutes, Su Yi will be sent away.

Furthermore, by calculating the time, only seven minutes were since the declaration was made. The lingering traces of Imperial Law cementing this was evident as it waned, reaching completion. They were all observing thoroughly, gathering these factors, and their hearts began to experience turmoil as one of the largest Worldly Awakening of a True Saint was unleashed. It was like a sacred umbrella guarding the Original Dawn Palace.

The most frustrating fact was that Wei Wuyin was openly declaring his intentions! While they would have certainly figured all this out without his words, especially given their strength, this did little to diminish how infuriating such a move was.

"Do you think we will let you off? Daoist Su is an inhabitant of the Utmost Purity Galaxy. Unless he agreed to be your Imperial Protector or Alchemic Knight, but I'd imagine not."

The voice came from a distant solar star-like existence from the distance. This was the second of the two Supreme Sages within the Primal Peerless Pavilion!

It was clear she intended to give Su Yi a way out with those subtle suggestions. However, how could the others not understand what she was intending to do? If Su Yi agreed to either choice, he would share in the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor's Imperial Fortune or receive the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint's Alchemical Fortune, either identity, and either choice was enough to propel him to safety to some degree.

However, given the responsibilities and status of either identity, those who knew of the proud and unfettered Su Yi knew he'd rather die than choose either, especially since the foreigner would gain a type of control over him and his secrets.

Was that it?

Could World-Saint Neo-Dawn be using this to put pressure on Su Yi to agree to his requests?! The intensity of the Heavenly Force of the towers began to increase.

Wei Wuyin calmly answered the unsaid question: "I will not accept Su Yi as my Alchemic Knight or a member of my empire."

Flabbergasted.

Uncertain.

Confused.

These feelings were coursing through almost everyone's hearts.

"Then why?" A scholarly voice that seemed to contain the vocal frequency of questioning the heavens with every syllable originated from the Refining Skies Galactic Zone and its respective tower. Once again, pure alchemical power accompanied it.

"Or are you merely stalling?" A vicious voice spat, belonging expectedly to the Elephant-Tigress Sovereign. She was a supreme sovereigness and Dao Enforcer of the Refining Skies Galactic Zone's Zenith Refinement Tower. When she spoke, despite being injured and weakened, the galaxy was forced to listen. The accusation placed an unseen pressure on everyone's hearts.

If Su Yi escaped, who among those who caused his damnation could sleep or eat in peace? While it seemed as if they desired Su Yi's secrets, some of them, wished for nothing more than for Su Yi to die.

When the Elephant-Tigress Sovereign spoke, she caused the auric presence of the Seers of the Night's Sovereign Knight, the Zenith Creation Tower's Dao Enforcer—Suo Haoran, and the far-away Shadow Veil to be directly exposed to the world. She was urging them to speak out.

However, to her shock, the Golden Night Sovereign and Shadow Veil's Sovereign Knight were indifferent and

abnormally silent. Meanwhile, Suo Haoran's expression was visibly strange. Since they were in the same location, she could see that herself.

Suo Haoran glanced at Shadow Veil's Sovereign Knight's location and Golden Night Sovereign's pale countenance that was apathetic to these events, and his eyes glowed with a brief shine of realization. He wryly smiled and then asked: "World-Saint Neo-Dawn, are you intent on protecting Su Yi to your own detriment?"

Wei Wuyin's starry gaze shifted to Suo Haoran's location, "Protect?" He shook his head, and his actions of ignoring the Zenith Refinement Tower caused its Heavenly Force to intensify, but Wei Wuyin seemed unaffected as he continued: "I'm simply conducting a transaction."

He then brought out an object. It was a golden hourglass with grains of sand within.

The Sands of Time!

Surprisingly, unlike the three grains when Su Yi showcased it all those days ago, this one had eight grains! It pulsed with an extraordinary temporal aura.

"I received payment matching the wager and then some. It was a little too much to refuse. I'm merely informing you all as a courtesy," Wei Wuyin straightforwardly responded, causing a widespread silence to fall. The eight grains were a clear sign that Su Yi had indeed paid more than expected!

Courtesy?!

A murderous intent flared.

It originated from the Zenith Creation Tower. "Cease your interference in our matters. We've entertained you, foreigner, for far too long!" It was none other than Tianshi Zaoxuan! The Zenith Creation Alchemic Saint!

"I agree. You've exhausted the supply of our patience," the feminine voice from the Infinite Containment Galactic Zone's Zenith Containment Tower that was certainly its Dao Enforcer said with a harsh, hostile voice.

Wei Wuyin lifted a single brow, "So?"

"..."

With a single step, Wei Wuyin's Worldly Pressure unleashed in a torrential burst, sending out all of his Spiritual Strength in his base form, causing all the mounting Heavenly Force to disperse for a few moments. Then, his starry eyes flashed with an imperialistic dominance that was unmatched across the stars, flawless and paragonic. "I might not be able to fight all of you, but after seeing the Mythical Punishment befall your so-called ally and you all abstained from taking any assisting action on the verge of a tower's demise, I'm at least certain that the first to step out will definitely die alongside me, and potentially the second.

"Since you're all against me, the question is simply this: Who will take that first step?"

"..."

By this point, an entire minute had passed.

"ENOUGH!" An explosive voice dominated the starry sky.

The Zenith Extraction Tower was pushed to its limits, on the verge of unleashing a devastating galactic attack piloted by its Dao Enforcer. Wei Wuyin eyed the tower, and then he scoffed. He grabbed his saber's hilt.

As he did, four different Laws were galvanized to their fullest extent, pushing forth the Law of Time, Law of Space, Law of Annihilation, and Law of Imperial! All minor! All mutated!

"Make your move," Wei Wuyin challenged. In the Dark Void, he stood before an alchemic phenomenon while releasing Worldly Pressure that felt unlike anything they've ever felt. It could resist the pressure from the heavens, Heavenly Force!

"Stop," the Zenith Creation Alchemic Saint—Tianshi Zaoxuan —interfered. "World-Saint Neo-Dawn, you should know that Su Yi is wanted by us for many reasons. We simply can't let him leave without some light questioning at the very least.

While you can preserve his life if you hand him over and watch over him, sending him away while guarding him from us will only harm yourself and his life. Please do understand us."

It was almost as if he made a complete 180 in tone, shifting from forceful to amicable at the drop of an old fox's hat. It almost gave others whiplash. Was this a sign that Tianshi Zaoxuan knew that this foreigner could back up his words?!

Or was he just threatening to detonate those Heavenly Treasures of his?!

Wei Wuyin turned his gaze toward the Containing Creation Galactic Zone and shrugged. "What will understanding do?"

At this point, a silence befell the entire galaxy.

Time ticked on.

Two minutes.

Two minutes and thirty seconds.

And then…

THREE MINUTES!

They were all cunning. Given that Wei Wuyin had verbalized the extent of his support, they realized the hole in his dealings with Su Yi. He was only going to send him away and then protect him from divination. What about just following the trajectory? Or preventing the transportation directly?

They were Supreme Sages with Mystic-Heaven treasures and various scrying spiritual spells. What need was there for them to resort to conflict? Even those enraged cooled down after this was sent to them by Shadow Veil's information envoys for a small price!

From the shadows, Shadow Veil was actually profiting by wading through the meaning behind Wei Wuyin's words!

How opportunistic!

In the various zones, those who could pay attention couldn't help but ask themselves: "Was this why Tianshi Zaoxuan's tone shifted faster than the wind?!"

Then, the Void Formation activated. They sensed Su Yi's aura shift above the Original Dawn Palace alongside Yue Baoyue, and then in a fraction of a fraction of a picosecond, their auras vanished.

Within that span of time, nearly a hundred different barriers and spells were unleashed to prevent any type of Void Shift, Spatial Shift, and even Temporal Shift through the Flow of Time, gliding across the edges of paradoxical to escape!

And despite that…

NONE OF THEM COULD CATCH A SINGLE WISP OF THEIR SCENT!

"..."

Wei Wuyin shook his head. Perhaps if he didn't have time to build up his Draconic Void Mystic Force, they could stop his Void Shift, but after doing so? They were shit out of luck.

'Act One, Scene 1—finished. Let's begin scene two.' Wei Wuyin