Paragon of Sin

Wei Wuyin sat quietly in a chair. He was outside a room, in a long hall, still within the Verdant Way Hall. In front of him was a closed door to another room and within that room was Elder Zhao. Wei Wuyin looked towards the door and saw the small sign that said: Yan Yuwei.

After several minutes, Elder Zhao exited the room and beckoned for him to follow. He had a smile on his face, as if he had just been rewarded greatly. Indeed he had. Bringing an alchemic talent such as Wei Wuyin here lets him see great gains.

"You'll be going to the Verdant Pill Dao Hall, no longer will you be an herbal boy, but a true alchemist!" Elder Zhao seemed excited, which made Wei Wuyin excited. He only understood a little bit of what alchemy was and what it meant to be an alchemist. However, Elder Zhao praised it heavily, so it meant it had to be good.

When his talent for alchemical energies was determined, it had nearly caused Elder Ming and Elder Zhao to have a heart attack. Supposedly, there had only been three people who had such alchemic talent, and one of them was the Young Master of the Eden Earth Sect, so there was no way for him to practice it.

After all, he knew how valuable and the horrific truth of that this power had.

As for the second, it was someone who had found out in the same manner as Wei Wuyin, but he disappeared soon after. In truth, Elder Zhao had held back that the second discovery committed suicide immediately upon finding out.

After all, it was the same as being an enslaved cripple. An Alchemic Heart made cultivation mostly pointless, and one's life would be determined by another. Your entire existence would be to benefit another!

What's worse, he didn't have a choice in the matter, so he took his own life. The courage to do so was rather respectable. As for Wei Wuyin, because he currently didn't understand pretty much anything about cultivation or the world, he didn't care.

This gave them a very rare opportunity to birth a genius alchemist loyal to the Eden Earth Sect. With a few methods, they could have him devote his life and limitless alchemic potential to the sect. This was why Wei Wuyin was sent directly to the Verdant Pill Dao Hall, the number one hall for alchemy.

There, he will learn the core legacies of the sect, be given the most instructive path, and be led to the top of his potential.

A few days later, Wei Wuyin was seated on a prayer mat with crossed legs. In front of him was a middle-aged man dressed in green and rainbow robes and who regarded himself as the Vice-Hall Master of the Verdant Pill Dao Hall, Jian Ying.

In truth, the past few days were a blur. That was because he had once again lost his memories. This moment, this very moment, was when he awoke anew.

"...So, your potential won't be affected. Concentrate, and let the True Alchemic Mat take over. Understood?" Jiu Ying had a warm smile on his face, obviously revealing a patient and loving appearance to bring about a good impression. After all, they didn't want Wei Wuyin to commit suicide.

Wei Wuyin saw that warm smile and because of it, like a newborn child, he nodded without argument.

"Good." Jiu Ying smiled and left, leaving Wei Wuyin in this large, dull grey room with just a colorful prayer mat beneath him.

The mat started to release a droning sound that echoed endlessly in his ears and heart. He felt the world shift in a way that was indescribable. It felt wondrous and free, yet controlled and forceful.

He looked at his arm. He realized he was naked, his head cocked as he analyzed it. The arm had traces of rainbow light flowing through his blood vessels and flesh. He looked downwards and saw bits of light, like fast moving ants, travel towards from the edges of the mat and enter his body.

He felt an unprecedented sensation of freedom. He didn't feel like he was sitting, but he was flying in the sky like the legendary roc of legend!

It wasn't long before his body released a sound of decompression, and he felt his body, specifically, his meridians awaken once more. The lights entered his mind, and he felt a sensation of serenity.

In his imagination, he saw a saber, locked behind ethereal chains of his own creation. It was sealed, but it trembled heavily, trying to free itself and return. He felt that it was two in one, and an incredible sense of familiarity emerged in his thoughts.

A silhouette formed beside the chained saber. It looked human and revealed powerful and calm eyes.

"Is that...me?" He questioned himself, but no answer was given. He didn't know how 'he' looked. When he thought about that, he tried to inspect himself in this space and realized he was mist. He had no physical form like the saber or the figure, but a bundle of nascent mind energy birth anew.

The saber trembled, and he turned his attention. A mist, much like himself, was at its tip. When he saw that, his heart pounded in fear. The mist was being eaten! Devoured by the saber!

Was that his fate?

He didn't want that fate!

Rainbow lights emerged in this space, drawing towards him and ignoring the chained saber. He looked at the rainbow lights and felt like he could be saved, without hesitation, he leapt towards the mist with everything.

"Hhhhhhaaaaaa!" Awakening from his mind's eye, he inhaled deeply in a moment of relishing being alive.

When he did, he noticed his senses had changed. His body contained a unique rainbow energy, a rainbow core and qi. There was an indistinguishable object surrounded by the rainbow core, and it seemed attuned to his body, mind, essence, and soul.

"You've done it! You're amazing!" Jiu Ying was in-front of him, smiling gladly while spouting endless praise.

Wei Wuyin had given birth to an Alchemic Heart of Qi, raising to the Second Stage of Qi Condensation, External Flow Phase, in the matter of months. At first, he thought it would take years, but his talent was truly fascinating.

Wei Wuyin smiled, he survived! He wouldn't be devoured by that saber. He could live!

As he thought this, a deep, unfathomable emotion appeared in his heart. He was free!

However, just as he thought this, his expression turned blank. In his mind's eye, Wei Wuyin's true 'self' roared with panic, using its all to pull the 'Wei Wuyin' from before towards him.

The 'Wei Wuyin' from before, the one who met the crane, arrived at the Eden Earth Sect, couldn't resist the pull of its mind and entered their mind's eyes, and later was devoured by the true Wei Wuyin.

The moment it was pulled into the mind's eye, the true Wei Wuyin had taken temporary control of his body to completely merge his meridians and physical essence using the Haven Heart Qi Method. Since his catastrophic incident, his flesh and meridians had changed greatly, no longer being the same, and primed for another execution of the method.

As for mind? The mist was a nascent form of a mind, he didn't need to split. After waiting so long, he found this opportunity and directly attempted to seize control.

Of course, he could only take over for a few months, and not actively. He could only drive his body towards a certain direction, and practice the Haven Heart Qi Method instinctively.

Despite that very limited control, because of his Elemental Saber Life Securing Art, he had changed the substructural composition of his meridians and physical essence, so it was far easier than he thought.

With a new essence and matter, a fresh mind, all he needed was his soul. Due to his newly devised method, he didn't need to sever his spirit, but draw upon his soul directly once more. He had created a third spirit!

As he devoured the mist that was the 'new' Wei Wuyin, he was connected briefly with his Alchemic Heart of Qi. Alchemical energy was rainbow colored, and embodied seven traits: Extraction, Growth, Containment, Refinement, Creation, Transformation, and Fusion.

While these were its seven traits, many were rather broad in their abilities. For example, transformation and creation both included recovery and production of new things, such as cells.

With his everything, he connected his Alchemic Heart of Qi with his two other Hearts of Qi. It was just this action that he could do before the chains restraining his mental image grew stricter, making him once more sealed within his own mind's eye.

As he was sealed, a mist formed from within his Mind's Eye by some unknown force, as it had done hundreds of times already, producing a new 'mind'. Wei Wuyin became helpless seeing this, unsure of what or how this was even happening.

He didn't understand why he was sealed or why his mind's eye kept producing fresh minds. At first, he thought it was damage to his brain, but that had long since been healed. It was far more complex than just that. However, he knew that, as long as he continued devouring those newly produced minds, he wouldn't be replaced.

He was afraid, deeply afraid that one of those new minds would become the new him, which was why he devoured them without question before they could fully develop. Unfortunately, he had to time it right, otherwise…

He stayed in his mind's eye, watching as the fresh mind grew, filled with knowledge and sometimes even a distinctive trace of personality. When he felt it might become a threat, he would go all out to draw it in, wiping its slate clean.

The only benefit was that all its knowledge and memories would become 'his' and so he hadn't missed anything in his life.

However, when he recalled the calamity trial, all those horrific, mind-crushing memories, his heart nearly shattered into a thousand pieces. Those memories were vivid, and if he faced any of those as himself, perhaps he would've immediately failed the trial. With his fragile soul, death was a certainty.

He got immensely lucky.

While chained by these unknown shackles within his Mind's Eye, he continued to look at the growth of his new mind, unable to tell what was happening on the outside.

He didn't have a good grasp of time, but he could tell the knowledge portion of this new mind was growing rapidly. He was about to devour it, but he hesitated. If it was growing at such a rapid rate, then that meant he was learning, being taught.

If he devoured it now, he would lose the ability to grow. He would have to start over. Should he risk it? Thinking about it for a bit, gritting his teeth, he became decisive!

He will risk it!

The Eden Earth Sect was one of, if not, the top alchemist sect in the Xin Country, and that's saying something considering the innumerable legacies and alchemists in its territory.

While the previous him didn't understand the implication of an Alchemic Heart of Qi, how could he not? They wanted to enslave him, make him a tool to craft high-level pills, elixirs, pastes, and pellets for them. If he learned their methods, his alchemic talent would rise to its limits!

Unlike others, he had two other Hearts of Qi and Sixth Phase cultivation base, he didn't fear them. The moment he recovered, he would leave! Therefore, he decided to take the risk of being replaced despite his fears.

He watched the mist grow firmer and firmer, his mind anxious at the rate of its growth. Hopefully, it's just knowledge and skill, not memories and personality development. Fortunately, the sect only wanted a puppet, so they didn't care about his personality. As long as he wasn't suicidal, that was already a blessing!

Ohn!

Oh?

Wei Wuyin felt strange. His body was changing. He frowned as he also felt a tingle. This was familiar to him, it was the loss of karmic luck!

A lucky chance!

As he thought of this, he hoped this version of him could grasp it completely! Unfortunately, he didn't know if it was a tiny or large chance, but it's been a while since his last one in who knows how many years!

Come on!

Zroom!

A sound erupted within his mind's eye space, the mist rapidly started to transform into something else.

What?!

No!!

Wei Wuyin panicked. With his true 'self' sealed, if his mind's eye gave birth to another complete mind, it could become completely independent to himself, and if he was unsealed, he could develop multiple personality disorder, or even worse! It could try devouring him and succeed!

He couldn't allow that to happen, he absolutely couldn't! The risk from before went on for far too long, he had to take action.

With a soundless roar, his mental image transformed into a silhouette of himself and grasped towards the transforming mist. It was pulled towards him, but it was incredibly difficult. He felt this 'self' was becoming more and more tangible, growing outside of his control.

He opened his mouth and roared with his entire mental being, the space quivered as waves of oscillating energy emerged from his mouth. They started to flow towards Wei Wuyin.

"You! You want to devour me?!" A voice, one that didn't seem like 'his', echoed from the mist.

What?!

His eyes flashed as he came to a realization. His expression became frightened, and true horror emerged in his heart.

Someone was trying to invade his mind?! He was in the process of being 'possessed!'

This was way outside of his expectations, but it only fueled his desire even further. If this person entered his mind, he would no longer be 'him' in any sense of the word!

He sucked in, drawing upon the full strength of both his minds! The transforming mist screamed, shouted, cursed, and was pulled in slowly. It fought vigorously, but it couldn't pull away. Its shape became more distinct, however. It was a tree!

When Wei Wuyin saw this, he nearly had his mind collapsed with shock. Wasn't this the Tree of Eden?!

What the fuck!

As he retained the memories of his previous selves, he knew this was the exact shape of the Tree of Eden, the headquarters of the Eden Earth Sect.

"You agreed to allow me to take over you, you agreed! Why, or even how, are you even doing this?!" The Tree of Eden spoke, its voice filled with the same horror that suffused Wei Wuyin's heart. After all, 'Wei Wuyin' had not only agreed, but allowed him to directly claim his mind.

The Tree of Eden was flabbergasted. How could he be trying to devour him? His mind was already his?!?!

It made absolutely zero fucking sense to it.

"No! Please! I'm sorry for tricking you, but don't, don't kill me!" The Tree of Eden begged upon seeing his situation, but Wei Wuyin didn't care. In fact, the Tree of Eden should be able to, with a thought, abolish Wei Wuyin's mental strength like it was nothing. The issue lay in that it took over a mist of 'Wei Wuyin' giving over complete control somehow. In the same way Wei Wuyin devoured the other 'minds' of his, the Tree of Eden was unable to break whatever mysterious force that allowed it.

It couldn't fight back, and the fact it could even resist for this brief time, showed how incredibly strong it was. Yet, it was useless.

Die!

Wei Wuyin's eyes turned cold. In fact, a sense of deadly crisis emerged in his heart when he heard the Tree of Eden's words. He knew his ignorant self had foolishly been tricked by this old fox of a tree and gave up his mind!

He directly pulled the Tree of Eden into the tip of his saber that was his true mind and devoured it ruthlessly!