Paragon of Sin

"..." Liu Suyin silently gazed at the door of Tian Xiaolu's minimalistic palace, her eyes as indifferent as ever, yet the light within those pupils seemingly devoid of emotions was rich in thought. 

"Worried about him?" Cao Cuifen eased closer to Liu Suyun in a natural manner, her eyes containing a faintly teasing smile as she spoke. "Or maybe, you're thinking about the things that make him exceptional? Hm?" Her words garnered the slightest reaction as Liu Suyin's eyelashes fluttered. But after a long while, the Vice-Sect Master of the Void Voyage Sect didn't respond.

By now, Wei Wuyin was a topic of investigation and discussion. Those who were watching and even those who weren't were investigating Wei Wuyin's origins, age, past feats, and future potential. Unfortunately, they could only find a few things.

Firstly, Wei Wuyin was a soul of the Sealed Regions. The reason why 'soul' was the term used was that Wei Wuyin's soul was unaffected by the Sealing Array of the Sealed Regions, effectively marking him as a natural-born existence there.

Secondly, as evidenced by him wearing a Celestial Jade Key of the City of Endless around his neck, he was a member of the Void Voyage Sect—a Destined.

Thirdly, and lastly, Wei Wuyin had invoked the Endless Spatial Bridge, obtaining the blessing of the Law of Space, and becoming a True Destined Voyager. It was even reported that the bridge had undergone some strange changes than what was mentioned in recorded history.

So Cao Cuifen's words of Wei Wuyin being exceptional weren't exaggerated. Not only did he call forth the Endless Spatial Bridge, but also triggered an abnormal change, he was a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist at the Realm World Phase, beneath the age of a hundred, and without an Alchemic Soul. 

If the word 'talented' was a person, it might feel awkward if Wei Wuyin was described as such. 

"..." Liu Suyin didn't respond. It was extremely difficult to know what she was thinking. 

-----

Inside the palace, the trio went upstairs and was brought to a large room with reinforced walls, a table meant for practicing alchemy, and windowless. There were soft light-emitting crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling, dim and barely noticeable. It was difficult to even see with one's eyes.

The air was rich in an alchemical aura that lingered, including refined mystic essence. Wei Wuyin could barely feel it thanks to his unique cultivation base, and Qingye Ying could feel it thanks to her alchemical energies reacting slightly in response to it. Despite being a mortal, an Alchemic Soul can just barely interact with things beyond the Mortal Dao. 

"..." Qingye Ying was stunned into a daze by this room absent of any real substance. Was this Tian Xiaolu's alchemy chamber? So barren… 

Wei Wuyin couldn't help but think that Tian Xiaolu took minimalism to an extreme. Besides the table, there was nothing at all. In comparison to his alchemy chamber that was filled to the brim with shelves of books, scrolls, and spiritual jade crystals, both being a suitable location to practice alchemy and study the Alchemic Dao. 

But to each their own. 

Tian Xiaolu briefly inspected Qingye Ying and Wei Wuyin's expressions. It was clear that she cared about others' thoughts of her rooms despite them being as barren as a desert. So when she saw Qingye Ying's absent-minded expression filled with disbelief and awkwardness, her heart slightly dropped. This was everyone's typical response when she brought them here.

But when she saw Wei Wuyin inspecting the area, intrigued by the crystals, the painting of the wall, and the table's placement and shape, a feeling of satisfaction emerged in her heart, evolving to happiness when Wei Wuyin said: "The air of serenity and pureness here is well-designed."

Words she always wanted to hear yet never received. Moreover, she could sense the sincerity within his words, far from those who fake their praise, saying things awkwardly for the sake of saying it. Unbeknownst to Wei Wuyin, his casual words had touched Tian Xiaolu's heart; he simply believed that everyone's style had benefits, and he didn't mind giving his thoughts on them.

In fact, he realized that his own alchemy chamber was too cluttered with unnecessary distractions. The bookshelves, pillars of light containing spiritual jades of his recorded thoughts, and the vibrant lights all took away from the concoction. He decided to establish two rooms in the future, a study and a concoction chamber, likely linking the two by a corridor where he could prepare himself mentally for both—self-reflective study and concoction. 

"Shall we begin?" Wei Wuyin calmly asked Tian Xiaolu and Qingye Ying. This broke Qingye Ying out of her disbelief at how Wei Wuyin could say this place had an air of serenity when it was lacking almost everything. It felt more creepy than serene! But, she collected herself and looked at Tian Xiaolu.

The heaven-blessed beauty nodded in response, taking out the ring specifically designed to keep the Pure Excellence Cauldron within. 

"There's a misconception that cauldrons can be forged at the mystic-grade using mystic-graded materials," Tian Xiaolu said as she interfaced with the ring, breaking the seals per the method given to her by the three judges. Each seal broken caused a spurt of mystic light to surge, so thick that all three mortals present could see it! 

She continued, "but that's not true." Another seal broke, causing a burst of explosive light that caused their robes to flutter as if they were in a tempest. The exquisite curves of Qingye Ying and Tian Xiaolu were shown off a little more here, and their hair danced beautifully. A sight that would entice any heart. 

"Only cauldrons that evolve from continuous successful concoctions of mystic-graded products can be considered 'true' mystic cauldrons, blessed by the Alchemic Dao. The others aren't even worth the dust it generates in inactivity." Tian Xiaolu reached the last seal, the tempest grew stronger and the room was inundated by mystic light! 

Wei Wuyin recalled his All-Elemental Eclipse Cauldron that had elevated in grade after each successful product generated Utmost Purity Mist. Originally, it was named the Nine Element Eclipse Cauldron and of a lesser grade. Slowly but surely, it elevated until it reached the absolute pinnacle of the astral-grade. Moreover, with his continuous successes with ninth-grade transcendent products, not only was his Utmost Purity Mist changing, but the cauldron seemed on the verge of a transformation. 

All alchemists were fully aware that a cauldron with Utmost Purity Mist was far better than one without. While it was possible to forge a mystic-graded cauldron with the right materials, it would lack Utmost Purity Mist and an innate connection to the Alchemic Dao. 

"My master once told me that the difficulty of evolving a cauldron to mystic-grade was unimaginably difficult, nearly impossible. She wasn't able to do it." Tian Xiaolu said as the tempest kept growing, her voice grew dignified and expectant. 

"The vast majority of mystic-graded cauldrons in the World Beyond the Fold are said to be forged at the mystic-level. From what I was told," Qingye Ying chimed in, her eyes mystified by the beauty of the mystic light whooshing throughout the room. She continued after a brief pause, "there are only eighteen true Mystic Cauldrons in the world that most of the inhabitants of the World Between the Fold originate from."

Wei Wuyin's eyes reflected the mystic light's brilliance as he digested their words. He knew that Qingye Ying wasn't talking about the entire Azure-Prime Galactic Zone, but the Stellar Cluster that the Sealed Region resides in. A place with multiple interlinked Stellar Regions, much like the Sealed Regions were. 

It seems the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint might've actually talked to her! And this was also caught by Tian Xiaolu, who briefly glanced over with interest blaring within her gorgeous eyes. Suddenly, the last seal collapsed entirely and a thunderous explosion of sound erupted! 

For a moment, Wei Wuyin felt his body lifted in the air as if there was no gravity, no sense of weight at all, and his entire body was tingling! Eden's roots trembled intensely within his Sea of Consciousness, the thirteen soul rings around its Astral Form thrummed with spiritual light. 

At the center of the room, a translucent cauldron with seven different colored stars dancing beautifully upon its surface emerged! Wei Wuyin's Celestial Eyes were pushed to their limits, but it was overtaken as his eyes began to change! 

Without his will, the Alchemic Stars of Spiritual Transcendence manifested! A nucleus of mystical origins formed with the seven stars dancing in the same manner as the cauldron. If one looked closely, it was exact in speed, orbiting path, and level of brilliance! 

Wei Wuyin instantly felt a connection! The cauldron…was the nucleus! The seven stars representing the seven aspects of the Alchemic Dao surrounded it beautifully, and perfect harmony was formed. 

The translucent outer shell looked like frosted glass, but one could tell that the materials were metallic. There was a unique purity to it, but also it felt tainted by the seven stars. This type of tainted feeling also felt pure, making one feel extremely confused by their feelings. 

The tempest soon subsided as the cauldron levitated of its own power, gliding upon the ambient mana of the world, spinning around extremely slowly. Shockingly, it was as if the ambient mana of the world refused to let it touch the ground or any surface as if afraid it'll dirty it. The scene was breathtaking.

"The Pure Excellence Cauldron is a low-level Mystic Cauldron, but it's far better than high-level cauldrons forged using mystic-graded materials." Qingye Ying commented, following Tian Xiaolu's line of explanation. 

Immersed in its beauty and magnificence, Tian Xiaolu's eyes were fixated on the cauldron floating before her. Instinctively, Tian Xiaolu reached out to touch it, to possess it, but as her soft hands neared, it retreated an equal distance. 

"..." 

Wei Wuyin and Qingye Ying noticed this, their expressions slightly changing. Tian Xiaolu, however, refused to give up. But, she tried a different approach. She mustered her alchemic force and enveloped her hand in its seven-colored light, reaching out again.

The cauldron retreated! 

Tian Xiaolu frowned; she tapped into her powers to a greater degree, enveloping her entire body in alchemic force, and approached. In her mind, the Pure Excellence Cauldron refused to be touched by impure things. Unfortunately, for every step she took, the cauldron retreated an equal amount. It was unwilling to let her approach it or touch it!

With a dark expression, Tian Xiaolu calmed down. She turned to Qingye Ying. She expected that this might occur, especially since certain objects forged in a manner like the Pure Excellence Cauldron have their own will. Her frown deepened as she saw Wei Wuyin blocking his eyes with his hands.

What's with him? 

If she knew that Wei Wuyin was panicking because his Alchemic Stars of Spiritual Transcendence were exerting themselves to the maximum and he couldn't control it, she wouldn't just be slightly startled. Wei Wuyin couldn't suppress it! He didn't know what to do, especially after going to great lengths to hide his ability thus far. 

While there might be some holes and suspicions here and there, it was merely that! No concrete evidence. If the evolved Alchemic Stars were revealed…

Qingye Ying, however, was too entranced by the Pure Excellence Cauldron to notice Wei Wuyin's plight. She stepped forward to grasp the cauldron.

BUT!

It retreated.

She learned from Tian Xiaolu, her alchemic force enveloping her, and she tried again.

It retreated! It didn't allow her to come remotely close. 

Stunned, Qingye Ying looked at Tian Xiaolu. The latter's brows quivered in thought and she said, "Perhaps it needs a key to accept ownership?" While she said this, she thought that Qingye Ying was the key to the inheritance. She still might be, but if they can't touch the cauldron, how could they get the inheritance legacy left within?

"..." Qingye Ying's eyes lit with brilliance. She reached into her robes, pausing slightly as she eyed Wei Wuyin, and seeing him looking away, she nodded to herself. At least he caught on quick, and she undid her upper robes until she was only in her white brassiere. There was no heavy padding on her undergarments, yet their shape, form, size, and softness were excellent. 

At the center of her chest, below her collar bone yet above her breasts, were two characters that read: "Myriad Transformations." She formed a handseal and the two characters glowed, releasing a grand aura that exuded great dignity and authority.

Tian Xiaolu's eyes brightened considerably. She was also shocked that Qingye Ying's body was so incredible, from the curves of her hips to her ample breasts. She could invoke entire wars with that body. Even she felt slightly heated, and her orientation was as straight as they came. 

Qingye Ying took a step forward! 

The Pure Excellence Cauldron seemed to tremble slightly before the light. The two girls were excited by this. Tian Xiaolu knew she made the right decision and Qingye Ying was excited that the cauldron accepted her. 

She reached out once again.

The cauldron spun a little faster.

She neared it until her fingertips were a mere inch away. A satisfied smile formed on her beautiful face. And then…

WOOSH!

The cauldron vanished. When it reappeared, it was at the far corner of the room, extremely far away from Qingye Ying and Tian Xiaolu. 

"..." 

Did it just spatial shift away? The two were flabbergasted to the extreme! 

"Unworthy!" A feminine voice, soft and dignified like a young princess of a grand dynasty, resounded throughout the entire room.