Paragon of Sin

The Main Hall instantly drowned in a wave of hushed silence, a result of formless, invisible, yet wildly aggressive pressure emanating from the wills of these great figures. Wu Yu's words and loyal gesture elicited their animosity, shock, and focus.

To the entire Main Hall, Wu Yu was declaring that despite having been publicly acknowledged as a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, Wei Wuyin, a mere mortal, a junior, an unranked entity was superior to the Mortal Sovereign Alchemists, Earthly Saints, grand Forgers, and skilled Architects sitting on these thrones.

A twenty-percent increase in the size of this newly created throne compared to the Earthly Saints' reflected that without the slightest mistake! A direct, unmistakable, and vicious slap to these powerhouses' pride and worth!

Wei Wuyin, for the briefest of moments, stilled after seeing Wu Yu proudly present his creation. A smug, near-indistinguishable grin was hidden behind his calm, dutiful expression, fully aware of his actions and what they represented. Fortunately, after a heavy inward sigh, he relaxed.

"It should be bigger," Bai Lin commented with much disapproval in her tone. It was as if she wanted to see the world burn, but also that Wei Wuyin deserved a larger monument dedicated to his importance, enough to reflect how much he mattered in her heart.

Just as Wei Wuyin was about to decline, order Wu Yu to adjust the size of the throne to match those of the Mortal Sovereign Alchemists, a play to diffuse this highly offensive action, a scathing voice infused with the vicissitudes of age resounded.

"Outrageous! Do you truly treat the rest of us as inferior to you, little child?! Do you have no sense of self-awareness? Has your mind been muddled by minor successes and the protection of thugs?! Lost all its sense of respect?" This voice belonged to a male elder with white eyebrows, a ponytail of grey hair, and dressed in a violet-colored alchemist robe. With a round face and a harsh pair of eyes, he criticized Wei Wuyin without holding anything back. Many felt satisfied by the scolding remarks, having similar thoughts after seeing the enlarged throne.

Wei Wuyin's silver eyes narrowed, the words he was about to speak were held back, and he turned his focus onto this elder. The man sat on a throne representing his status as a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist. Wei Wuyin recognized him from his studies of the stellar region's elite figures, many having publicly shared images of their visages.

The elder went by the name of Lavender Pill Alchemic Sovereign, also called Xun Yicao, and while his name and title lacked originality, he was regarded as a Grand-tier Mortal Sovereign Alchemist of the Imperial Clan; his status and reputation were not low at all, ranked in the top five Mortal Sovereign Alchemists throughout the entire stellar region.

His cultivation base was not low either, reaching the Demi-Mortal Lord Phase despite devoting the most of his life to the Alchemic Dao, an investment that requires centuries and millennia of studies, trial, and error, and often contributed to extremely low battle prowess and cultivation level.

Facing the berating of this elder, Wei Wuyin remained completely calm. Bai Lin, however, was on the brink of total flaring; even the temperature of the Main Hall began to rise as her golden eyes gradually increased in radiance. A wisp of her bestial aura leaked out, revealing the slightest insight into the depths of her newfound powers, and it caused the expressions of every Ascended to instantly change!

There was no exception. Even Wu Yu's expression shifted from a fierce glare at Xun Yicao's aged figure to a shaken one. The heat emanating from Bai Lin was causing his instincts to flare wildly with a sensation of danger. Xun Yicao was about to speak more, but he felt as if a monstrous beast had set its eyes upon him, and his scalp grew abnormally numb as sweat began to accumulate on his wrinkled back.

"The Fire Phoenix is stronger than before." Tian Muyang's eyes flickered intensely. There were countless reports of the Fire Phoenix's combat strength gained from the Tang Clan's battle with it, but they were all firmly assured that the Fire Phoenix's strength was at best at the Demi-Mortal Lord level! But the aura she was emitting felt dangerous to him!

Huoyan Liulan had silently arrived before Wei Wuyin's party arrived, floating beside her grandfather—Pope Huoyan, and occupying a throne that was once empty. When she felt Bai Lin's rising aura, her expression underwent a drastic shift. Was it because of the golden feather? Was this Fire Phoenix now at a strength rivaling an Earthly Saint? If so, the implications were massive!

The Tang Clan and its Matriarch were among the enormous crowd as well, and each of their Ascendeds' eyes glowed radiantly after sensing the distinct power from Bai Lin. Their bodies were growling with desire, seeking a solution to their deficiency—Fire Phoenix Essence Blood!

The Tang Clan Matriarch's eyes beneath her veil were glinting with dangerous, greedy, and frustrated light.

Tang Xingyun's countenance grew ashen, feeling an intense aura that resembled Earthly Saint's unfathomableness. Had the Fire Phoenix evolved?! If so, then wouldn't it be impossible for them to obtain its essence blood? After all, Fire Phoenixes were renowned for their ability to escape capture.

Wei Wuyin caressed her feathers to soothe her emotions, causing the growing radiance to diminish rapidly, and Bai Lin's aura to recede. It was a little frustrating that one of his trump cards was leaked here, but he didn't blame Bai Lin for it. She hadn't grown accustomed to her newfound strength yet, and her rage was on his behalf.

He could argue with this elder, give him a verbal slap to the face, or even threaten him, but he decided against it. Those feelings of this blunt elder were reflective of everyone else's, and if he acted out of frustration and short-sighted satisfaction, sitting on this throne, then he'd be disrespecting every last extraordinary figure here. While likely very satisfying, it would be a little childish.

"Alchemic Sovereign Xun, your words have given me clarity of mind. I do not need a throne; Wu Yu, it's yours. Of course, if anyone thinks you're unworthy of it, I'll let you decide how to handle it." Wei Wuyin cupped his fists towards Xun Yicao in a respectful manner before Bai Lin plunged downwards.

"..." The gazes of those seated on their thrones moved to Wu Yu who chuckled heartily without the slightest fear, before firmly placing his tushy on the throne. Sensing all the gazes on his body, he simply said: "Anyone with a problem, my hands are a little itchy today; I haven't claimed the life of another Earthly Saint in a while. Haha!"

Domineering!

Aggressive!

Yet extremely straightforward!

If you have any problems, fight! This was the way a former Grand Monarch of the Martial Dao acts! As for challenging Wu Yu? As an 8th Runic Ascendant, while newly ascended, he had trounced an Ever-Knight, an existence already amongst the middle of the peak in strength, and most were aware that they weren't his match. Mythical Oaths aside, challenging would be the same as 'courting death', so if Wu Yu killed them, he would be well within his rights.

As for Xun Yicao, his expression was distorted with anger. How could he accept being inferior in status to Wu Yu, a mere Alchemic Knight of a mortal? However, he wasn't idiotic enough to send his Alchemic Knights to their deaths. He remained silent but expressed his dissatisfaction in his pouted lips and frown.

There was a particularly vicious gaze that Wu Yu felt, noticing it belonged to an Earthly Saint with tangerine-colored eyes. He had a very basic dressing, not too opulent or too raggedy, simply a standard robe colored grey. Yet his eyes were particularly fierce, fixated on Wu Yu.

"Oh?" Wu Yu recognized this Earthly Saint's aura. It was the tangerine-eyed Earthly Saint that ignited their Mystic Soul! One of the Ever-Knights! Clearly, they were here to represent the strength of the Everlore Association in the Preliminary Discussions.

He replied to that glare with a smirk, dismissing this tangerine-eyed Earthly Saint. Instead, he found Lady Clearwind, who gave him a strange look bereft of anger or insult, simply wonder and amazement. How tyrannical was this? Her interest was instantly piqued—a truth as clear as day from the look in her eyes.

"Grand Secretariat San, begin preparations for the upcoming clash," Evergod's voice once again resounded as he left the task to San Luoyang to handle. San Luoyang's emotions were quite turbulent as he witnessed Wu Yu's arrogant actions, but he could only hold in his thoughts as he was given his orders. There was quite a lot to handle, so he immediately began.

Bai Lin flew towards the center platform, the same platform that contained all the successful challengers. When Wei Wuyin's eyes swept the area, warmth and delight surged through his beating heart, coursing through his veins, and entering into his brain. With a light jump, he leaped off Bai Lin and gracefully landed.

Before he could speak out a single word, a soft body landed in his embrace, hugging him tightly as if wanting to melt into his flesh and blood.

Ba-dum! Ba-dum! Ba-dum!

Wei Wuyin's dragon heart pounded intensely, and each throb was like an explosive roar of a dragon, yet this only made the figure whose head was pressed against his chest tighten their arms around him.

A near-weeping voice, muffled by his chest and clothes, came from this figure: "I missed you!"

Wei Wuyin looked down at the beautiful Xue Yifei in his embrace and hugged her slender, perfect waist. He pressed his mouth against her forehead, giving it the gentlest of kisses, and quietly whispered into her ear: "I missed you too."