Paragon of Sin

The affair of ascending to the next stage was not a simple process completed in a single hour or day. The extraordinary process could take as little as several days to several years. This caused planet Rainbow Sky to become the focus of almost every Ascended being's attention, with a few idle or curious cultivators taking their Voidship to make their way over.

While the likelihood of failure was absurdly high, the slightest possibility that this unannounced and reckless Earthly Ascension attempt within the middle of the Everlore Domain might lead to success led to everyone's interest being drawn. Additionally, the aura bore incredible similarities to the Imperial Clan. To think that a member of the Imperial Clan would take this action in the Everlore Domain was intriguing and provoked both ill-intent and schadenfreude.

While the Everlore Association was a neutral force, this was by no means a neutral action. It was an announcement to many, brazen and forceful, treating the Everlore Domain as their backyard. If this was the case, then the undercurrents flowing through this event could lead to a greater development.

Within the Dark Void, a figure emerged hundreds of thousands of miles away from Rainbow Sky. They were garbed in dark-colored robes that concealed their figure, and their aura was indistinct and difficult to pinpoint. The figure's gaze was locked onto the area slightly above Rainbow Sky. The intensity within that gaze was overwhelming.

"Earthly Ascension?" Their voice contained a little bit of lingering fear. The figure had been tracking Wu Yu throughout the Everlore Domain in a quiet manner, inspecting for clues to discover if the Cultivation Method of its clan was leaked, and if so, by who and how. However, without the concealments, their cultivation base was merely at the Soul of Mysticism Phase, the Second Stage of the Mystic Ascendant Phase. From this Earthly Ascension phenomenon, this indicated that the cultivator he was tracking was likely a Demi-Mortal Lord.

If he had engaged such a cultivator, he would find it difficult to escape with his life, let alone interrogate the subject in a foreign Domain where he had little to no jurisdiction to act. Not only would he have failed, he might've been counter captured instead.

That linger fear rippled outwards and transformed into a calmness. Since this was the case, then it decided to observe from afar without interfering. That being said, the figure muttered to themselves: "Who could this person be? If they succeed…"

Suddenly, the figure's body shivered fiercely. Their heads snapped to a location, and their robes emanated a faint shadowy light that integrated into fixed space, and then they vanished like smoke in heavy wind.

"Insolent!" A calm, heavy, and forceful voice erupted throughout the Dark Void. A thunderous boom erupted that shook fixed space, causing countless ripples to extend for tens of thousands of miles.

"Ah!" A wail of pain resounded as the figure tumbled into reappearance with their robes tattered. No longer concealed in any manner, a slender male figure of average stature emerged. He was young in appearance, roughly in his mid-twenties, with a minorly handsome visage and an innately elegant disposition. Even though he was sent tumbling out, screaming in pain, he still seemed to contain a nobility entrenched into his bones.

An emerald-armored knight descended directly before the malefigue with frightening closeness, their speed was tremendous and their presence contained an unfathomable dominance that subjected others to their will. An Ever-Knight of the Evergod!

The young man didn't hesitate to pull out a badge, showing it towards the Ever-Knight in a slight panic. "I'm a member of the Tian Clan! Tian Muqiu, grandson of Tian-"

The Ever-Knight emitted a burst of icy-cold intent that caused Tian Muqiu's voice to seize mid-sentence. He faintly swallowed as he felt a pressure engulf his body, threatening to crush him into meat paste. While there were oaths in place to protect him, his action currently could be misconstrued as invading, and thus warranted his death.

This was why he was deeply afraid.

The Ever-Knight clenched his left hand in Tian Muqiu's direction causing the surrounding Dark Void to stagnate and even fixed space seemed to solidify to an outrageous degree. This caused Tian Muqiu's expression to drastically change, becoming as pale as snow. This was clearly a preemptive action to seal off all his paths of potential escape! Unless he had a spatial talisman forged by an Earthly Saint's power, breaching this sealed space would be extremely difficult.

Desperation enshrouded his heart, "Wa-wait! I can explain!" In normal cases, a member of the Tian Clan, the number one clan throughout the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, and ruler of the Aeternal Sky Starfield, would never cower before anyone, even an Earthly Saint of the Everlore Association. Now, however, he realized the situation was greatly disadvantageous, especially with that thief stealing their clan's cultivation method!

He did not want to be caught in the crossfire of their aggression, justifiably killed due his efforts to track the thief. After all, he wasn't under orders of the Imperial Clan or given permission to do so. He just hadn't expected an Ever-Knight to arrive!

"Then, explain." A calm voice echoed through the Dark Void. Tian Muqiu's body shivered as he turned to see a grandly designed Voidship in the far off distance. With his senses, he easily discovered the source of the voice as a man that no one wouldn't be able to recognize!

San Luoyang!

Tian Muqiu glanced at the Ever-Knight who kept his spiritual sense trained on his body and aura, and he slowly calmed himself down with a faint breath. His ashen-pale complexion slowly regained its color. With a nod, he shot off towards the ship. The Ever-Knight stared at his departing figure, but then the emerald-colored armored existence vanished in a flicker of emerald light.

Tian Muqiu arrived above the ship's artificial atmospheric layer, bowing slightly in respectful greeting. While those of the Imperial Clan did not have to bow to anyone, especially a member of the main lineage such as himself, he had done so out of respect for San Luoyang's reputation.

San Luoyang was accompanied by two others, Mu Yura and a tall, chubby male with short hair. The male was none other than Shao Jing, the Echo-Burst Alchemic Sovereign, an Official Mortal Sovereign Alchemist and the creator of a unique concoction-assisting spell named the Echo-Burst Spiritual Spell. It minimized the influence of spiritual sense in the concocton process while maintaining awareness of the happenings within, lowering the possibility of a spiritual backlash during the process.

San Luoyang opened a location within the atmosphere, allowing Tian Muqiu to enter and land before the trio without hindrance. He carried himself properly. After calming himself down, he regained the prestigious image of the Imperial Clan.

Inwardly, however, Tian Muqiu was a rustling pile of crunchy leaves that was being stepped on with every passing second. His mind swirled as he considered why the Everlore Association would send San Luoyang, two other Mortal Sovereign Alchemists of great renown, and an Ever-Knight.

"Go on," San Luoyang urged. The indifference in his gaze was highly threatening despite no explicit intent.

Tian Muqiu didn't stall with any perfunctory details, outright stating: "The cultivator attempting their Earthly Ascension is not a registered member of the Imperial Clan. I've been tracking him, following him into the Everlore Domain territory a short while back."

San Luoyang frowned slightly. Mu Yura and Shao Jing were startled by this explanation. An Ascended being with the aura of the Imperial Clan wasn't a part of them? Yet they had the qualification to challenge their Earthly Ascension?! Who would believe that?!

While the explanation was short, it was riddled with enormous flaws. Most notably, there was no way a foreigner that practiced the Imperial Clan's signature cultivation method would be allowed to reach this level. They would've been snuffed out long, long ago.

Mu Yura sneered, "You're saying someone stole the Imperial Clan's signature Cultivation Method and reached this point without them knowing? Do you take us for fools or are you saying the Imperial Clan is incompetent?" Her disdain was heavy, clearly considering Tian Muqiu's attempt to separate themselves from this situation was a last-ditch attempt not to use this as justification for them to slaughter a potential talent.

Tian Muqiu understood how it looked. Even he hadn't reported it yet because he couldn't be certain before. His previous suspicion was that an armament refined by the Imperial Clan's cultivation method was being carried, refined within that person's body, and simulated its aura. This was why he hadn't reported this to the clan yet.

Now, there was no mistaking it.

However, Mu Yura's insulting words caused Tian Muqiu's expression to become cold. "Watch your mouth, Twilight Alchemic Sovereign." To call the Imperial Clan incompetent or even to suggest it, if it was anyone else, even a Demi-Mortal Lord, they'd be hunted down like degenerate dogs and slaughtered.

Mu Yura's disdainful smile froze, becoming slowly neutral.

San Luoyang coldly commented, "How courageous. Perhaps you are here as a scout of an invasion force? A breach of the established oaths?"

This caused a cold chill to touch Tian Muqiu's heart. He had to steady his nerves, reminding him that his life wasn't in his hands at the moment. But he didn't apologize, merely adorning a smile and replying with: "You jest, Tri-Vision Alchemic Sovereign. My search had inadvertently brought me into the Everlore Domain in pursuit of a possible thief. Please don't misunderstand my intentions, my grandfather might have a heart attack if he learned of this."

San Luoyang's eyes narrowed. After a long while, he ignored the subtle threat of his grandfather, and moved on. "Then, who is this cultivator?" He didn't dwell on the inconsistencies of that story.

Tian Muqiu plainly stated: "I'm unsure. I was close to finding them, but they slipped my tail and escaped with haste. I had only found them due to the disturbance here. If it wasn't for that, I might've already returned home."

"Is that so?" San Luoyang lowered his gaze contemplatively. After a long while, he revealed a faint smile, "Then you won't mind staying with us until you've completed your task. Maybe this cultivator might reveal some details, hm?" While he seemed to be asking, Tian Muqiu knew he had no choice in the matter.

He was detained. Furthermore, his grandfather will likely have to expend a tremendous amount of effort and resources to reclaim him. Who knows how the Everlore Association might take advantage of this situation? He could only nod, keeping a calm facade.

"Good. We'll send word to the Imperial Clan to have someone escort you back, so you don't have any accidents after this is concluded." San Luoyang turned away, looking at Rainbow Sky with a dark gaze. If this person wasn't a member of the Imperial Clan, then who were they? Could they be a thief?

Wei Wuyin and Wen Mingna had returned to the surface of Rainbow Sky, Bai Lin was nowhere to be seen. She had hidden away to the best of her ability at Wei Wuyin's behest. This situation will definitely attract Ascended beings, likely even Earthly Saints. If they discovered Bai Lin, the situation would become extremely complicated.

Wen Mingna understood the dangers of Wei Wuyin being discovered by powerful beings, so she was performing swift divinations regarding certain details. However, she discovered nothing. This wasn't truly nothing, as the absence of evidence was evidence of certain details. For example, the involvement of far too many Ascended beings mucking with her sight.

"There's likely more than one Earthly Saint existence nearby," she warned.

Wei Wuyin nodded silently. He had just escaped this situation earlier, but now he had landed himself in it once again, and this time in a location with an indeterminate attitude towards himself. He didn't think for a single second that the Everlore Association would accept him with open arms, peaceful intentions, and happy smiles.

Unfortunately, his past plans collapsed without any opportunity to be deployed. If Wei Wuyin knew that Wu Yu's cultivation advancement was far more complicated than that, he wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Wei Wuyin was making calculations and considerations, trying to determine how to proceed if Wu Yu failed or succeeded in his attempt. His furrowed brow was almost vertical from all the thinking.

Suddenly, Wei Wuyin felt a soft sensation on his shoulder. He turned and sensed Wen Mingna lightly touching it, giving him a calm look. He felt her hand shiver slightly, revealing her true feelings.

"What is it?" Wei Wuyin asked.

"..." Wen Mingna's eyes were suffused with a glossy golden glow that gave her a heavenly feeling as if she could glimpse into the secrets that the world carried. With a lift of her head towards the sky, she slowly said: "There's so much turmoil."

Just as she said those foreboding words, a thunderous roar erupted that resembled the call of an emperor! It was heavy, forceful, imperialistic, domineering, and outright terrifying! The senses of all mortals were honed to this sound, and their knees grew abnormally weak. Most of them kneeled without warning. Others struggled fruitlessly to resist but were forced to their knees all the same.

Wei Wuyin and Wen Mingna were amongst the uncommon few that were unharmed, unaffected by the tremendous pressure that emanated outwards following this terrifying roar. The pressure weaved around them as if it had eyes, unable or unwilling to go near them.

On the Voidship nearby, San Luoyang and Tian Muqiu's expression experienced drastic changes.

Tian Muqiu's expression was the most exaggerated as his eyes bulged to their limits and his mouth opened with disbelief leaking out profusely in the sounds of intermittent stutters! It was only after a series of embarrassing sounds that he exclaimed with extreme shock, "Roar of the Earthly Monarch!"

His Mystic Soul twisted and wreathed within his dantian. It released a series of strange spiritual howls.

THUD!

Tian Muqiu heavily fell onto one knee, and his head lowered in obedience towards the direction of Wu Yu's Earthly Ascension! With this posture, it seemed as if he was respectfully greeting his monarch!

This caused San Luoyang to bawk out, "They succeeded?!"