Paragon of Sin

"You may re-enter the World of Eden. The closing statement of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo will begin in an hour," the pleasant sounding voice of Tian Xiaocheng resounded throughout the Neo-Dawn Starfield's dual-dawns. Countless souls were enlivened, discussions had been rampant the last month, and activity was virtually endless.

The Neo-Dawn Alchemic Sovereign, no, the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint, had revealed himself as having an Alchemic Soul, completely shattering the conventional beliefs of every last individual as he displayed three Astral Souls at the Star Core Phase, the ninth and final stage of the Astral Core Realm! If it wasn't for the fact that Wei Wuyin's entire existence had been founded by breaking conventions time and time again, the shock and disbelief wouldn't have been digested so easily.

Once was world-shaking, twice was shocking, but the third time was expected.

In much the same way, Luo Ning's ascension was a sign that the cultivation society was experiencing rapid growth in the Alchemic Dao for the coming era, Wei Wuyin's actions were similarly a sign that beings of the King of Everlore's level were on the horizon. The hype for the future grew.

While their reactions might not be froth-inducing and crazed to absurdity, Wei Wuyin's generosity throughout the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo was unparalleled. He stood out from all the other renowned experts, especially from the King of Everlore, garnering the gratitude of quintillions. He was an excellent host, accommodating the breaks between each segment and the trip here, and he provided a venue that was easily used, allowing for peak interaction and endless horizon expansions.

The world was often unfair, and cultivators could exist in a small corner of a planet their entire lives, never being able to do anything more than look to the sky and dream. Wei Wuyin had shown many that the world was wide and humanized those legendary figures. While they still had a type of worship, it wasn't as blind and ignorantly held anymore.

The Everlore Association experienced the most significant backlash from this belief, as the glory and prodigious reputation that was built by the King of Everlore no longer seemed as great. In fact, the King of Everlore was relatively selfish compared to Wei Wuyin.

After all, the King of Everlore was a wealthy alchemist of the highest level, yet his Alchemic Expo had only been reserved for the wealthy, talented, strong, and highborn figures of the world. He never paid the little guy any mind, and the same stayed true for the Everlore Association's operational creed.

Their products were inflated in value, and some of their practices were questionable. The most notable was the Ever-Domain Pill which was less effective than a Sharded God Domain Pill, a product literally an entire grade lesser and considerably cheaper. The dominoes that had been set up for the Everlore Association proceeded to tip over, one by one.

A new name began to spread-Hepta-Dawn Alchemic Corps.

The advantage they had, the existence of two Earthly Saint Alchemists, collapsed instantly from Luo Ning's ascension and Wei Wuyin's True Worldly Recognition. Moreover, unlike the King of Everlore, Wei Wuyin was establishing his own territory from nothing, acting as the Ascendant Emperor, so he was an existence that was set to stay!

The King of Everlore had always felt like an elusive figure without any roots, but Wei Wuyin had established roots. They were currently breathing the air of his roots!

"If only we didn't have to go back," a random teenager said as they kicked a rock in frustration.

Whether this was the first person or not, those words began to echo throughout the Neo-Dawn Starfield's celestial bodies and numerous realms. They echoed from the hearts of millions, then billions, and then trillions, infecting them without any sign of stopping!

Not only was the Neo-Dawn Starfield home to the largest Solar Star in the known world, but the natural environment was also nascent; ripe for shaping in any way one could wish; space was ample with a severe lack of population, protected by dozens upon dozens of Earthly Saints, and led by a genuine Worldly Saint Alchemist with seemingly unlimited potential!

Just the fact that there was an association called the Defiant Creation Association that focused on fostering Creationists of all three types-Alchemists, Forgers, and Architects-was endlessly alluring to many. The future here was promising. In comparison, what of their homes?

Return to their struggles, trying to earn enough to feed their family, trying to rent a piddling piece of lowly land to settle? Some of the Starfields they belonged to were depressing, lacking stars with Mystic Radiance Belts. Some belonged to isolated World Realms, working day and night to barely feed themselves. If not for Wei Wuyin's announcement, including his actions of ensuring each person was aware of the Alchemic Expo by sending out messengers and enforcing certain alerts from peak powers lest they offend him, they may have lived and died without ever seeing the real starry void.

How could these individuals who were given land and homes sufficient to house their families ever want to go back?

But there was that fear in their hearts despite their thoughts. The fear that trying to stay was like being a leech, trying to siphon from the Neo-Dawn Starfield without permission, and they would be forcefully sent back. While they might not want to leave, how could they possibly resist?

Wei Wuyin might be generous, but he was also someone who wielded terrifying forces. They were mere mortals, a single thought, and they'd be sent off to their next lives, and not a single person would dare to utter a whisper in retaliation. They might even be ridiculed.

So while the infection grew, the common man could only enter the World of Eden obediently and sullenly. They found themselves once again in the breathtaking and wondrous world that was the World of Eden. The dragons were a welcomed sight as they smiled, remembering the assistance rendered at every turn. Those seven existences would miraculously notice their gazes, returning them with looks of joy and acknowledgment that shook them to their core.

A Qi Condensation Realm elderly man who had been stuck at the Fifth Stage, the Yang Growth Phase, for nearly two hundred years, only to have recently made consecutive breakthroughs and entered the Qi Essence Phase, couldn't help but stumble slightly after seeing a dragon notice him.

It lingered as it waved its claw in greeting and then went on its way.

"Grandpa? Why are you crying?" A young girl tugged at the elderly man's robes. This girl wasn't even his granddaughter. Merely a little girl that he had shockingly befriended in the early days. She had approached him because he was too lonely, one-sidedly deciding to call him 'Grandpa'. She was of higher cultivation than him, considerably younger too, and her innocence had moved him.

"Crying?" The elderly man wiped his eyes to find them wet. Suddenly, as if triggered, a wave of suppressed emotions surged forth. He had long since given up on the path of cultivation. He had suffered untold levels of indirect humiliation from his lack of talent, being ignored by so many, and never having the means to find a beautiful wife often hoped for in his long life due to his severe lack of ability and backing.

When he felt acknowledged for the first time in his life, how could he not be touched?

It was almost as if that existence who governed this entire world, the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint, had looked his way, smiled, waved, and said: "I see you."

It might have all been in his imagination, but none of that mattered.

What he felt was the only thing that mattered.

He was but one of many, the forgotten that would typically die nameless in history, unhappy in life, and regretful in death. They could not do more than live in their isolated worlds, struggle, and die an uneventful life, short and ignored.

Wei Wuyin's small act of bringing them here had shown them an entirely new world of possibility! It revitalized their perspectives in once unimaginable ways.

After an hour, quintillions had re-entered the World of Eden, ready to hear the closing remarks of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo. Unfortunately, only a few felt happy about this. Because it meant the end of the greatest event of their entire lives. They had met people they likely never could otherwise, made friends along the way, ate, talked, and discussed with those living starfields away, experienced things they thought only existed in their dreams, and obtained gains that could make the past generation spew blood in anger.

When Tian Xiaocheng took center stage, the rowdy crowd slowly went silent. The somber mood birthed was hard to ignore, and even Tian Xiaocheng felt it. The ending of something special was always bittersweet.

"Thank you all for coming. It is my honor to have been your host, seen your growth and felt your joy at each heaven-shaking segment. Truly, thank you." Tian Xiaocheng had first entered this unwillingly but eventually ended up liking it. It was hard to describe her current feelings.

"On behalf of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint," she said, thinking of that heaven-defying figure, and her heart couldn't help but tremble at the sheer terrifying existence he had become so quickly before she continued: "I would like t-"

"Stay."

Tian Xiaocheng's words were interrupted as a voice softly resounded throughout the entire World of Eden. It caused countless heads to lift in shock and disbelief. That was Wei Wuyin's voice!

"You've all experienced something unforgettable with me, witnessed my growth into what could barely be worthy enough to obtain the title of the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn, upholding the people's expectations. And of those expectations, I can see your desire to live alongside me, to experience the highs and lows of our journey that has just begun together.

"So stay-all those who want to stay in the Neo-Dawn Starfield and make this place your home, to make this your family's home, I say: If you wish to, you simply have to speak."

"..." The World of Eden went silent.

"It's too big for me alone to enjoy anyways, haha." Wei Wuyin chuckled heartily. "Tian Xiaocheng, there's no need for a closing statement. This isn't an end, but a beginning."

After saying that, his voice faded away.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Countless souls looked at each other, their eyes displaying their bewilderment and astonishment.

Stay?

Just speak?

The elderly man's eyes widened slowly, looking at the dragons soaring across the skies, gazing upon the world with inviting expressions.

He gulped a wad of saliva loudly. The wholesome reverberated throughout the entire World of Eden somehow, seemingly causing many to feel a type of lingering, increasingly rising desire within their chests.

"St-ay...Stay! STAY! I WANT TO STAY!!!" From the top of his lungs, he shouted with his soul!