Paragon of Sin

The last few days for the Ancient Sealed Regions were rife with change and era-defining events. Earlier, foreigners from the world beyond invaded in full force and brought forth tremendous chaos, death, and destruction as they plundered viciously.

The invasion led to the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region's top force, the Tian Clan's Aeternal Sky Starfield, being attacked by a host of powerful cultivators. Tian Taizong, a figure who hadn't made a move in twenty thousand years, had come out with indomitable and invincible momentum. With his strength that far surpassed the former apex standard of the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region at the Worldly Saint Phase, he trounced the invaders dominantly.

Then, at the height of his dominance, the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor descended riding his Fire Phoenix, soaring blazingly across the dark void, and without much effort, defeated that dazzling legend with unquestionable strength. With a short few sentences, he defeated Tian Taizong, suppressed the invaders, and conquered the entire world, declaring the arrival of a new era!

While more occurred, the next largest event was by far the assault and assimilation of the Born True Starfield which was heavily attributed to the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor's unseen might, gaining unprecedented prestige and worship. Countless citizens were relaying this news through various outlets of information, purposely propelled by several forces, and throughout the newly named Neo-Dawn Stellar Region was the coming of a prosperous era!

They called out the name.

They offered tribute to the name.

They wholeheartedly accepted this change.

In subtle ways was this change validated and verified. In idle conversation discussing the former Grand Cyclic Stellar Region or any other location, the term used most naturally was: "Neo-Dawn Stellar Region." As if driven by an invisible force, places like the Twin Beacon Stellar Region were referred to as the Northern Territories, and the Twin Beacon Stellar Region and Desolate Dragnet Stellar Region were called Twin Beacon Territory and Desolate Dragnet Territory.

It was as if an invisible force was changing the conscious awareness of these places within the minds of the common citizen. As news spread of various forces relenting to the Ascendants' oversight as they discussed the proposals of the Neo-Dawn Empire, these changes grew increasingly pronounced.

Meanwhile, the foreign invaders were not all hiding within the Twin Beacon Territory initially, but they were all soon discovered and ordered to relocate by the Ascendants by the decree of the Ascendant Empress. This included the Chosen talents who participated in the Chosen King Competition and the Evil Sentinels that remained.

The fall of the Unchained Heart Sect and the beginnings of the Born True Starfield's assimilation into Neo-Dawn Empire's Neo-Dawn Stellar Region occurred two whole days ago. Even now, the mortal citizens of the Born True Starfield were continuously spreading cheer and excitement at being integrated as very little resistance existed. By Xue Yifei's astute directions, the situation was bound to conclude in a few months. This might seem like a long time, but it was remarkably short given the lifespan of cultivators.

When your oppressors have been destroyed by an empire with a solidly astounding reputation, not too forceful and not too violent, it was bound to be like soothing light bathing upon the soul, extremely welcomed! Why resist? Moreover, like wildfire, the type of civilization forged by the Neo-Dawn Starfield was widely spread and further weakened any desire to resist. The only bad news was for bigots who thought demonkind and elves were unworthy to share the same podium as them.

But who cared about them?

Meanwhile, Wei Wuyin floated in the Dark Void of the Ninestar Starfield without any Worldly Domain or atmospheric formation of a Voidship with his eyes closed. As a hybrid, Wei Wuyin's every breath absorbed vast amounts of chaos mana, otherwise known as the hazardous and lethal Chill of the Dark Void, and converted it into nourishment in a similar manner as plants convert sunlight into sugar.

To exist within the void as a mortal was unbelievable without a Worldly Domain, and many had mistaken Wei Wuyin as an Ascended being in the past due to this quality of his. Some unknowingly missed this detail when interacting with him solely due to his sheer presence and exceptional reputation.

After Eden made an unexpectedly sudden breakthrough, touching upon greater powers that originate from the Mind Dao, Wei Wuyin spent time adjusting his condition in the Dark Void as Eden assessed the changes. In a way, he was currently in a type of secluded cultivation. Furthermore, it wasn't a single path of cultivation that was growing.

From early on, all the way to when he slayed Xun Yicao after declaring his death date, Wei Wuyin experienced subtle elevations in the sublimation of his Minor Authority of the Imperial Law. It was growing stronger. At this moment, he could feel the growth.

As his hold of his territory and the citizens' worship and thoughts towards him was heightened, so did the strength that he could exert within the territory, the greater degree of awareness he had over the citizens, and he could intimately connect with those who devoted themselves to the Neo-Dawn Empire-to him. It was like they were all units of strength for his Imperial Law, and the larger his territory, the greater their devotion, worship, and belief within his image as an Emperor grew, and so did his Authority of the Imperial Law.

"I'm at a fork in my path," Wei Wuyin thought as he carefully considered the situation. The issue was the type of sublimation and growth. When he acted against Xun Yicao that day in a fiercely tyrannical and absolute fashion, the sublime advancement of his Imperial Law was notably different than it was today. The rate was...lesser but purer.

Far purer.

However, this sublimation was fragile but far greater in volume and faster in development. If the Imperial Law could be likened to a tree after being nourished into its sapling from a sprout, then the quality of the two was like the difference between tainted and untainted water. While the former could potentially allow the sapling to grow into a mature tree, it'll certainly suffer in the long run in terms of growth and stability.

"What's happening?" Wei Wuyin's alternative self knew of Laws but not much beyond the Sprouting Stage and Minor Authority. After all, the Azure-Prime Galactic Region's top-tier information was certainly not at that level. Even Heavenly Saints only needed the Nourishing Stage Seed of Law. That version of him had never birthed a law. The path they took was unfathomably different in terms of quality and depth.

"Your Imperial Law was born from supreme individualism and self-confidence while you're currently gathering power from the myriad faith of your subjects and your land to heighten your individualism and establish your dominant identity. Neither direction is exactly inferior as they all have their advantages and disadvantages. You've sensed these qualities quite keenly, haven't you?" The Heavenly War Spirit answered with a grim tone. She then continued, "After the Sprouting stage, your Law doesn't stop growing. If you liken it to a tree, you can consider your Law as a Sapling trying to grow into a mature tree, and you'll still need to provide its direction and nourishment.

"The other laws are similar in that regard; for example, the Law of War is quite clear on how it can be developed. You can take the path of a Soldier, a Commander, or a Champion. Of course, that's not all the paths that could be taken, but they're the most traversed and easiest." The Heavenly War Spirit was far more knowledgeable regarding the depth of the Law of War for obvious reasons, and she explained how each path had its advantages and disadvantages, and there wasn't any particular issue with either path that was chosen.

"The Imperial Law...there's those like Tian Taizong or Wu Yu."

"Oh? What's the difference between them?" Wei Wuyin had an idea, but having it verified by the Heavenly War Spirit would validate his understanding or bring it into question.

"Your Alchemic Knight originally followed the path Tian Taizong has taken, the imperialistic reign over others, but that changed after his bodily destruction and rebirth. Moreover, the change was notably different than your path. In truth, I'm not familiar with the exact terms or how many. I just can tell that they're different based on the Imperial Heaven Aura they've cultivated. I do know that there's reign over others and reign over territory.

"After all, the most bloody wars are often borne from the fierce clash of these two. You're deriving nourishment from both." After detailing her thoughts on the subject, Wei Wuyin felt his theories had been validated to an extent.

"I'm deriving from both, but why do they feel impure? Is it because I'm not at the helm of this?" Wei Wuyin considered this possibility as, while he was the face and name circulating throughout the world, there were others openly handling matters such as Xue Yifei. Was taking a backseat the cause of this impurity?

"No, no. That isn't it," the Heavenly War Spirit staunchly refused that possibility, "what ruler directly handles their own organization or structuring of territory or citizens? Perhaps, you might gain a tad bit more nourishment being active and at the forefront of your empire's efforts, but the quality definitely wouldn't change." Her confident words were backed by her knowledge of Laws, and while she wasn't too knowledgeable on the Imperial Law, she knew enough.

"Hm," musing the difference between now and the 'Xun Yicao incident' and his comprehension while conceiving his Seed of Imperial Law, Wei Wuyin felt that these two paths were not suitable for him. "Wait. No. That's not right..." He thought about Mei Mei and her desires and then thought of his first instinctual thought when he saw the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region for the first time.

"Oh!" Wei Wuyin's eyes opened as spiritual light was unleashed.

"King!" He called out.

"Tch," King replied. Wei Wuyin could feel its dissatisfaction, and it wasn't directed at him!

"Use the two forces nourishing the Imperial Law and sharpen your saber's edge instead. Can you do that?" It was hard to describe in words his intentions, even harder to understand but King seemingly understood!

"Tch!" The flow of strength entering his Imperial Law to nourish it was slowly redirected toward his Saber Law.

"Leave only the force bearing the quality and purity of Xun Yicao. I have a plan," Wei Wuyin's eyes shone with the intensity of a thousand solar stars. King wasn't very adept at directing these forces, and Wei Wuyin himself tried but failed to do so, but it was slowly working as his Saber Law was slowly being sharpened by the reign of others and the reign of territory forces.

Once again, Wei Wuyin realized that his Spirits of Cultivation could achieve feats that he couldn't, such as alter their tribulations or interact with the Seeds of Law they've developed to a higher degree. However, he wasn't too bothered by it. After all, they were on this cultivation path together.

Turning his gaze toward the Neo-Dawn Starfield, his pupils reflected Mei Mei's sleeping visage and a faint smile of contentment. He felt oddly relaxed.

He sent a transmission to Wu Yu.

It was time to deal with Liu Yinlan.