Paragon Of Sin

"What was that?!" Yue Songli touched her right ear. She had just felt a strange transmission of words within her head. It was extremely intrusive and shocking. As an Ascended, no, as a cultivator, she communicated using spiritual transmissions, which were received and inspected with her spiritual sense before being translated into comprehensive words, carrying a person's aura and tone. 

However, she had never felt a mental transmission before. It was strange, as if someone was within her thoughts, echoing to her in another voice. It made her feel insecure. Furthermore, the voice, tone, emotion, and other distinct qualities of a true voice was as consistent as if she had just heard it with her ears. Just abundantly more clear. 

She recognized the voice too. It belonged to Wei Wuyin! This silver-eyed, outrageously handsome, unsettlingly perceptive young mortal man that seemed to be as indecipherable as an impossible cipher. However, for some reason, she felt that unburied hope flow into her eyes. 

Wei Wuyin had just sent out a mental force burst to traverse throughout the entire complex. He was unable to sense Bai Lin's exact location through the formations, so he was left with no choice but this alternative. 

KREEEEEE!

A fierce rocketing clarion cry shook the entire complex. Wei Wuyin's eyes lit with a distinct brilliance. The doubledoors opened, but the usual guards were distracted and left baffled by the three events. The doors opening, the mental outburst, and the clarion cry. 

Confused, the two Light Reflection Phase experts that were designated to wait for Yue Songli's methods to run its course before grabbing the drained corpse, turned to see the inside of the room. Their expressions and reactions were incredibly slow, and they first saw Wei Wuyin standing there at the entrance, unharmed and unshackled. 

They caught a glimpse of the gorgeous Yue Songli, further staggering their reactions. However, before the half-masked guards could even speak out a series of questions or sounds, a ray of piercing light arrived at their foreheads. 

PSUUSH!

The saber light pierced through their skulls, painting the wall behind them in their brain fluids and sanguine liquid. The two crumpled like ragdolls without knowing how they died. Two thuds resounded.

Wei Wuyin walked forward, exiting the room as he inspected the two's bodies and spatial rings. After finding nothing of help, he slightly frowned. But he did discover a few cultivation methods and arts that were quite blunt, such as: "Yin Siphon Evil Method." 

A sinister dual cultivation method of the evil variety. There were other methods included, including self-harming arts that could wildly increase one's power at the cost of things like lifeforce, essence blood, or yin energies. All of which was stolen from others, sealed through a variety of methods, then used for these arts. 

He couldn't help but recall the Evil Cultivator back in the Myriad Yore Continent—Phantom Rogue of Evernight. He had stolen and kept Spirits of Cultivation of others, galvanized their unique energies to fight against the Mortal Star Formation Tribulation, the first astral tribulation. 

His efforts brought him great power, but he failed to survive in the end. 

'The methods of Evil Cultivators...' While he knew this organization practiced evil methods, practiced a variety of plundering, he now verified something beyond a doubt: this was an organized association that thrived on Evil Methods. The memories of that young-looking cultivator were mostly lacking regarding knowledge of this organization, just its existence and his dealing with trading certain characters.

This included exotic beasts and women. However, the city officials themselves were highly suspicious. The young-looking cultivator was aware that certain figures, men and women of a certain cultivation, practicing certain methods, would vanish from their captive dungeons and be explained away with resisting arrest or suiciding themselves if someone came along to seek answers.

Due to his attractiveness, the young-looking cultivator thought he belonged to the Immortal Hero Ranking, and thought about reporting it to the city officials. This was why he was disappointed, and so were the guards. There was an underground bounty for those on the Immortal Hero Ranking. 

In fact, he learned from those same memories that the Immortal Hero Ranking figures were heavily targeted, many disappearing or dying unexplained deaths. If this organization was responsible, it wasn't anything ordinary, that's for sure. 

As for why the Immortal Saintess Ranking wasn't targeted, that was because the women were often Chosen, their beauty outstanding, but their backing were almost always impressive with far too many connections or raving fans. Furthermore, beautiful women were difficult targets to disappear without a commotion following. There were too many people jumping at the bits to gain the favor. If they went missing, the number of suitors that would react in full throttle wasn't small. 

But the Immortal Hero Ranking listings were usually the result of age, talent, and appearance. And this was usually the result of them cultivating certain Yang-attributed Cultivation Methods. 

Wei Wuyin didn't have time to delve into why the Golden Gate Pavilion set listing parameters in such a way, perhaps the issue was that it was fair between men and women without distinctions. So the benefits of being their dual cultivation partner was attributed heavily, including their personal potential. Who knew? 

The entire ranking was shrouded in a gloomy shadow.

"Hey!" Yue Songli called out from inside the room.

Wei Wuyin snapped out of his thoughts and turned, seeing her exquisite figure and pink eyes observing him. "The door's open," he said.

Yue Songli bit her lower lip anxiously, her barefoot right leg moved slightly. As she lifted her painted toes upwards, she paused and her leg froze, shivering a little. 

Wei Wuyin saw the hesitation in her eyes and body language. With his Celestial Eyes, he once again inspected her room, including the walls. "Are you restricted by a formation to leave?" He couldn't see all the formations, so he wasn't aware if there was. He had to be cautious. If there were formations that would activate upon her attempting to leave, then he might be in danger.

KREEEE!!!

BOOOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!!! 

BOOSH! KREEEEE! SUUUUUUUUBOOOOOSH!!!

The sounds of fighting and Bai Lin's rampage resounded. She was active. Wei Wuyin's spiritual sense was sent outwards, and his senses were immediately immersed in scarlet-golden flames that were flooding the halls. 

His expression changed. With haste, he retreated back to the room. The nirvanic flames were like a raging tsunami! It came from around the corner at a mind-boggling speed. Wei Wuyin arrived before Yue Songli, much to her surprise, and her eyes noted the nirvanic flames incoming. Her heart raced.

She felt lethal danger. A heat had already crept on her delicate skin, singed by its temperature. A wisp of horror emerged in her eyes. She wanted to retreat in fear, find a place of safety, but Wei Wuyin was faster. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she felt the room spin. 

WOOOOSH!

The nirvanic flames burnt the two corpses into ash, burned the ash into nothing, and then rushed into the room to engulf the two. 

Yue Songli exclaimed in a soft, panicked scream as she saw the flames arrive before her. But a gentle warmth wrapped her body, her head pressed against a strong, firm chest by a steady hand. Despite her fear, her emotions settled down. She went absentminded as the scent of a man blasted into her nostrils. 

"..."

'The flames? It's not...burning me?' Yue Songli could see flames at the corner of her eyes, flowing across the chest of the young man, engulfing them whole, and her room was enveloped in its raging power. When the hand relented its hold on her head and waist, she freed herself to observe the handsome visage of the man who held a faint smile at close proximity. 

Wei Wuyin looked away, observing the flames, "I almost forgot." 

He had almost forgotten about Bai Lin's Nirvanic Flames. The instructions he gave her was to not harm the structure, those with his aura, and those captives. Her Nirvanic Flames were deeply connected to her existence, and she could distinguish as she wished. If she wanted, she could have her flames emit life-infused flames or death-inducing flames at will, to choose who was subjected to either.

If he hadn't reacted, he would be courting burnt ash right about now, not a heaven-shaking beauty. Especially since Yue Songli's powers were restrained. 

Yue Songli was still somewhat absentminded. She had never had a man embrace her so fiercely before, and she couldn't fathom how they were standing inside flames that didn't burn them. In fact, she felt her body being infused with wisps of life energies. It wasn't powerful enough to extend her lifespan, but she could use it to heal injuries. 

The dual events left her speechless. 

Before she could even react, a hand grabbed hers.

"Let's go!" Wei Wuyin said. He was on a clock. He needed to find what he was looking for before the Ascended and Bai Lin engaged in further battle, likely destroying the structure from inside out. While Bai Lin's flames weren't melting the structure deliberately, she might not be able to choose freely in a few moments.

He didn't have time for Yue Songli's mental struggle to choose freedom at the cost of risking herself. He'd choose for her. With that, he pulled her forward, and then flew through the raging flames. 

Yue Songli was brought along. There was no formation that activated to prevent her escape. The door was all it was, and beyond a certain limit of the room, she was unable to exert her strength without the formations retaliating. But with the door open, with the guards dealt with, there were no other restrictions present that would stop her from walking out. At least, the ones externally. The ones in her heart were still there. 

But that strong hand that brought her along by her own, braving the flames that she felt fearful of with a smile and utmost confidence, left those internal struggles buried, replacing her long suppressed hope. As for that hope? It was now within her heart as a source of light. 

'Am I...really going to be free? After hundreds of years? Am I finally...Am I finally...'

When she passed the doors, exiting into the outside, her eyes grew misty until tears fell.. The image of the tall, dark-haired, firm back figure of the man bringing her away admist scarlet-goldem flames was etched into her memories forever.