Paragon Of Sin

"..." Wu Yu was baffled. The killing intent of three Mystic Ascendants were not to be underestimated. The spiritual power infused within was terrifyingly harsh, permeating for tens of thousands of miles with frightening intensity. The fixed space of the Dark Void quivered in response. 

The three's killing intent were unified in goal and objective, honed onto a single figure which amplified its effects. Wu Yu furrowed his brows. He didn't understand the animosity at first, but after considering the concealed formations of the Voidships and celestial rogue of a planet, he realized that he had stumbled upon a secret. A secret where three Ascended were willing to kill to keep. 

However, he glanced at the three. They didn't take immediate action. 'A warning?' He clearly understood it was their direct warning against remaining here, urging him to escape. He knew why they didn't immediately take action. They were all similarly staged cultivators, at the Soul of Mysticism Phase, so from this distance, any assault would lead to him dodging or running away with suspicions in his heart.

Unfortunately, Wu Yu wasn't certain about the situation, so he couldn't leave nor was he the type to be dissuaded away by cultivators of the same level. Where was Wei Wuyin? Was he captured by these individuals? Why was he sent here? If he left and Wei Wuyin was taken away and imprisoned, he would suffer an unimaginable loss. 

After losing the King of Everlore's support, his cultivation path had come to an almost immediate end during his third mystic ascension, nearly losing his body and life as a result. After learning that that little boy named Han Yuhei had reached the Earthly Saint stage after all this time, he was incredibly bitter in his heart. 

It would be an outright fool's decision to abandon Wei Wuyin. He was his golden ticket to greater levels, his golden thigh to tightly hug, thick and delicious. 

Wu Yu's heart was the definition of serene in the face of the three Ascended's fierce spiritual auras. Almost entirely unconcerned, he thought: 'That Void Portal certainly belonged to Wei Wuyin. He used something similar on my planet, bringing alongside the Chill of the Dark Void with him, if I recall correctly. He even incorporated the Imperial Heaven Aura within to make sure I'd recognize it. It seems his cultivation has truly reached far greater levels in such a short period of time. It is probably true that he has a connection with the Void Voyage Sect. That Celestial Jade Key he wears on his neck...'

The very same thought Venerable Higheater had was shared by Wu Yu after gaining an awareness of the Aeternal Sky Starfield's affairs. The Celestial Jade Key was the Chosen Candidate's token of qualification for the Void Voyage Sect. 

When the three Ascended realized their simultaneous unleashing of killing intent didn't prompt Wu Yu's immediate retreat, their expressions darkened considerably. They were vexed, feeling as if they were forced by Wu Yu. They exchanged glances with each other, and a string of swift spiritual transmissions were performed. 

"If he stays to inspect long enough, there's a chance he notices the Terra-Mystic Mine." - Venerable Bluecloud.

"We should kill him. Only the dead can keep secrets. If he belongs to the Treasured Light Starfield, sends word back, he could bring over a High-Lord to investigate." - Venerable Slayingsword. 

"..." - Venerable Kun Yiming.

"We can invite him to take in a portion for himself. Killing an Ascended is a difficult matter, even with the three of us. If he escapes, we'll be dealing with further issues and unknown variables down the line. He could be from the Void Voyage Sect of the Aeternal Sky Starfield." - Venerable Bluecloud. 

"Absolutely not! While difficult, its not impossible to kill him. At least, capturing him would be possible. We have three combat-type Voidships, and four Mystic Star subordinates. Together, they can hold him down and prevent his escape as long as we're willing to pay the cost. I refuse to share a portion of this with another!" - Venerable Slayingsword.

"...We act. Ready our men." Venerable Kun Yiming seemed to be the tie-breaker of two trains of thoughts. One that pursued peace and caution, the other that wanted silence and violence. They were both reasonable, but Venerable Kun Yiming knew the consequences of news traveling out. 

There was no turning back, especially since they hadn't even begun to mine the planet yet. How disgusting would it be if they were pushed off this treasure trove? Unable to taste a single profit? She knew her stomach would be twisting uncontrollably for centuries. 

Venerable Bluecloud thought for a moment, and then the light in his eyes solidified with a fierce resolve. While he wanted to pursue peace, he understood the consequences of news leaking out. If he was going to be outvoted here, then he'll act with his full effort and strength.

Venerable Slayingsword's eyes brightened with blazing excitement. It's been far too long since he fought against an Ascended for real, a very rare occurrence in any starfield. A faint sword aura flared around him. 

They sent orders to their Voidships who were reading their formations to engage in battle. 

Wu Yu's left brow trembled. They were about to attack? He could feel the formations being primed on the Voidships and seething auras from their bodies. They weren't even hiding it. 

Wu Yu swept his amused glance at the three, faintly chuckling to himself. He had already deactivated his Grand Transformation, being at his base state, but even though he had exhausted quite a bit of mystic energy while strategically outrunning his pursuers, he was a Monarch of the Grand Lineage—when have they ever feared cultivators of the same level?

'Could this be a test?' After witnessing the three's auras, Wu Yu had his suspicions. After experiencing Wei Wuyin's means and methods in the Everlore Starfield, and later the shaking of the entire world in a new starfield with just a few letters, he was quite cautious towards Wei Wuyin. The words he said before, capable of taking everything he bestowed to him away if he found him unsatisfactory, still echoed in his heart at times. 

If this was some sort of test designed to find out his relative worth to nurture, then wasn't this ideal? 

With a calm gait, he made a series of steps forward and sent out a spiritual pulse carrying a wide-range transmission. There was only one word within: "Surrender."

The expressions of the three Venerables changed, feeling the oppressive spiritual power within Wu Yu's words. Their hearts quivered. There was a creeping seed of fear in their minds, planted and festering. 

He was strong!

Venerable Slayingsword was a Sword Cultivator, yet he was the youngest out of the three, the most inexperienced. When he felt the overwhelming pulse sweep through the world, thoughts of retreating emerged in his heart. His Mystic Soul was cowed, his energies slowing down their circulation, and his battle spirit receding into his bones. An overwhelming feeling of defeat engulfed him.

Venerable Kun Yiming took a step back. She was readying herself to retreat, seeing every step of Wu Yu in the Dark Void as a cascade of danger that echoed ceaselessly. Her beauty was marred by fear. 

CLAP!

Venerable Bluecloud violently clapped his hands, sending out an explosive burst of spiritual power. There was a soothing, gentle force to it that impacted Venerable Kun Yiming.and Venerable Slayingsword's bodies. They instantly trembled intensely for a brief moment.

When they regained their sense of self and awareness, cold sweat was dripping from their backs and foreheads. 

Venerable Slayingsword heavily gulped, looking at the still distant Wu Yu whose steps barely took him a few feet further. He had felt his body, mind, and spirit concede without a single thought.

"You were all affected by his Spiritual Spell. Be wary, this man has terrifying spiritual power with a pervasive aura." Venerable Bluecloud said, exuding a multi-blue light that encapsulated the two. It was a spiritual ward mustered by his strongest spiritual power with his most intricate spell—the Sky-Shielding Spirit.

Wu Yu noticed this. 'He's a spirit-type cultivator.' A faint smile on his face. Cultivators like this specialized in spiritual spells, utilizing their spiritual strength in complicated and impressive ways. While their Spirit Units might not match their opponent, their usage of each individual Spirit Unit exceeded others, bringing out their greatest strength. 

Facing those of equivalent spiritual strength, their spells would absolutely devastate their opponents. Their adeptness at affecting the body, mind, and spirit, including the senses of all three, were dangerous.

Seeing themselves protected by Venerable Bluecloud's spell, their hearts eased and their eyes flared with a battle spirit that had been reignited. Their will to kill resurged! 

Venerable Slayingsword touched his spatial ring, bringing out a sheath that was quite curved. As he placed his hand on its hilt, touching the base, which was a spherical bottom, the Sword Intent from his eyes emanated ferociously outwards. It was incredibly sharp, absolutely lethal. 

With a low-shout, he pulled out his weapon to reveal a pulwar-type sword. Its curve was exquisite, its length exceeded three meters, and its edge was deadly. 

SHIING!

Wu Yu's eyes became serious. Sword Cultivators were always existences that required caution against. And that sword was definitely not simple, its design and length was something he hadn't seen before. 

Venerable Kun Yiming spread her arms apart, and a pair of silver-colored wings seemingly forged from flexible steel was conjured onto her back. Another mystic-grade armament! 

Venerable Bluecloud sat in a lotus position, a multi-blue cloud manifested beneath him. It was roughly ten meters in width and five meters in height, and solid enough to carry him. He formed a strange hand-seal, his eyes becoming entirely blue, from his sclera to his pupils. 

"Go!" Venerable Kun Yiming acted first. Her speed was swift as she transformed into silver streaks of light, becoming thousands of identical clones as she blitzed across the distance of tens of thousands of meters in a matter of moments. 

Wu Yu's eyes widened slightly. With a step back, he shifted a thousand meters, then his eyes flared with spiritual light as he observed the thousands of streaks of light. His expression changed as he was unable to determine which was the real one at a single glance.

SHIING!

A sword howl resounded!

Wu Yu's mind felt a pressing danger incoming. A sharp feeling pressed against his neck and he hastily slammed his fist thunderously forward. A sword light at speeds even faster than Kun Yiming arrived before him, as if it was deliberately slamming against his fist, the two collided and his sleeves were sliced apart. 

Wu Yu didn't even flinch as his left hand was lacerated by the sword energy. He stepped forward this time, flickering towards one of the approaching clones of Kun Yiming. When he arrived, Kun Yiming's eyes widened in surprise as she hurriedly sent a fist forward in haste.

Wu Yu lanced his fist towards her with no mercy. It pierced through her fist, then impacted her face amidst her shocked expression, causing her skull to explode violently in a mess of blood, bone, and brain matter. However, upon seeing his attack go through, his expression changed as he felt over a thousand piercing lights pummel his broad back at the same time.

With a stuffy cough, he spat out a bit of shining blood and was sent barreling forward. His body became like a loose bag of sand as he spun and twisted chaotically through the Dark Void. The figure of Kun Yiming that was punched and seemingly killed earlier vanished into multi-blue light, taking the form of a blue cloud that spun and dissipated! 

SHIING!

The assault hadn't stopped! 

Venerable Slayingsword had taken this opportunity to follow-up on Kun Yiming and Bluecloud's joint deception and assault, using his curved blade to slice heavily towards Wu Yu. His entire body was engulfed by sword energies with intense Sword Intent as he shot towards Wu Yu's barreling form, getting closer. There was an indescribable power within that Intent, distinctively beyond Mortal Limits of normal Sword Intent.

Kun Yiming was mixed within thousands of clones that surrounded Wu Yu, following after him, and seemingly ready to support Slayingsword at the ready. Despite their hasty team-up, their actions were synced and well-executed. 

Bluecloud had a faint smile on his face as a long streak of sword energy bore down upon Wu Yu. If this connected, it would be lucky if he wasn't sliced in two. 

Wu Yu's aura was chaotic. Those eyes of his reflected the scene of endless stars, observing the sword energies that sought to claim his life. As it approached, he withdrew a book. A faint smirk formed on his lips. 

Venerable Bluecloud's eyes became unusually focused, tiny like needlepoints. He hurriedly sent out blue-colored spiritual light that pierced through the void at astonishing speeds like arrows, aiming not towards Wu Yu, but the attacking Venerable Slayingsword!

Venerable Slayingsword felt a wave of deadly crisis bombard his senses almost instantly. A fear pressed heavily against his heart as he tried to recall his sword energies that could split apart an entire planet, yet it was too late. He felt death was near.

Kun Yiming reacted instantly. She accelerated towards Venerable Slayingsword, her thousands of clones transforming into needles that violently shot towards Wu Yu. Her real form was revealed, but her speed was far, far greater than before!

Wu Yu noticed this, his expression unsightly as he twisted his body with finesse and ease, realigning himself and executing a movement art. With a shadowy flicker, he moved tens of thousands of miles away in a single breath. 

The needles pierced where he was, missing him entirely. The blue spiritual light swirled around Venerable Slayingsword protectively and Kun Yiming had arrived next to him, grabbing his shoulder and flying back to Bluecloud.

In what could be described as a blink of a mortal eye, an earth-shattering exchange of tactics, danger, and narrow escapes occurred. The entire Dark Void was an utter mess as streaks of silver light, blue ripples, and sword marks lingered on fixed space for hundreds of thousands of miles. 

Wu Yu had regained his position, observing the trio with eyes filled with an indescribable darkness. Tricky deceptions, sneak attacks, and a well-timed lethal finisher. These three weren't ordinary Mystic Ascendants. 

Even his own plan of action was seen through and reacted swiftly, the Myriad Monarch Canon, his own Mystic-grade armament, was in his hand. After deliberately to falling prey to their tactics for a decisive opportunity, he wasn't able to finish the greatest threat of the trio or deal any damage.

He wiped the blood off his lips, his eyes terrifying to behold. 

Woosh!

Woosh!

Woosh!

Three Voidships moved into position, surrounding Wu Yu in a triangle formation, their cannons on the ship were blazing with various lights with fully primed states. All aimed towards a single figure. 

"Enough of this." Wu Yu's expression was dignified, severely dignified, and his aura started to actively seethe for the first time. At his glabella, a faint mystical glow that resembled endless solar stars in the night sky was born!

When the trio saw this, their eyes widened in shock, surprise, and fear!