Paragon of Sin

"ARGH!"

The last sound from the leading Earthly Saint was unbearable to hear, filled with fear, horror, regret, helplessness, and unresolved confusion that lingered in the air. Unfortunately, the other thirty-seven Earthly Saints could only briefly hear its sound before the resulting explosion of the leading Earthly Saint's body sent them tumbling here and there, unable to control themselves as they violently crashed against the walls.

Some deviously used this explosive momentum to execute their strongest Mystic Art as they slammed against their cage. These were the most powerful, cunning, and swift-thinking experts among the group, yet they were swept with soul-crushing anguish as their powerful attacks capable of decimating planets vanished like a drop of water into a vast, unforgiving ocean.

Their complexions took an unhealthy shade of white, and while they were all concealed by masks and robes, it was surprisingly easy to sense the abject desperation diffusing from their bodies. They scrambled here and there like rats seeking an escape, executing Spatial and Spiritual Arts and utilizing exquisite treasures. Not even their talisman infused with Void Energy could function in this prison.

Was this their end?

Eventually, the stronger Earthly Saints took charge and began to communicate with the others. Soon, they gathered together to form a last-ditch effort to resist or preserve their lives against their enemies. They huddled together, their Mystic Auras flowing powerfully, and all vigilantly stared at the legion of Earthly Saints. 

Shockingly, however, after the dragon head helmet Armored Saint acted to slay their default leader, the ten thousand Earthly Saints stared at them quietly, coldly, and indifferently. They just…watched. The scene sent shivers down their souls, and their tens of thousands of years of cultivated confidence began to falter.

"..." An eerie silence descended as thirty-seven masked and jet-black-robed Earthly Saints faced a legion of ten thousand. 

The Legion Commander's eyes swept across these Earthly Saints with a judgmental gaze as if assessing their usefulness. Then, he reached out, and they all urged their Mystic Power for one final act of defiance. However, when the Legion Commander pulled his hand towards him, the remnants of the mangled flesh and bones of the recently-exploded Earthly Saint began to glow.

BOOSH!

An explosive burst erupted, and a ray of Spiritual Light of unfathomable density shot outwards like a raging comet, aiming to attack the walls! But an unfathomable suction force was unleashed from the Legion Commander's hand, and everything halted as a suppressive force from this unique world stunted any resistance. A spiritual howl of indescribable grievance resounded, and the light shot toward the Legion Commander at startling speed.

It was about forty centimeters in size, spherical in shape, and tethered to this sphere was a glowing, nigh-translucent figure of a humanoid being. This was a Mystic Core and a Soul! 

Zhan Dou, originally a mere soldier, now a Squad Leader, stood out, caught, and inspected the Mystic Core. If Guan Yu were here, he would recognize him as the indignant soldier who first stood out to challenge Wei Wuyin long ago on the fields of the Nexus Battlefield. 

He was now an Earthly Saint, his aura robust and thrumming with power. His every movement, however, seemed odd as afterimages of the past and present kept occurring around him. The Spirit of War gingerly removed a violet-colored talisman linked with the Mystic Core and Soul. "The talisman has been removed," Zhan Dou announced solemnly, exerting wisps of sealing power that encased the Mystic Core and its companion soul in a hardened shell. The talisman was then handed to the Legion Commander.

The expressions of the thirty-seven Earthly Saints distorted slightly. Talisman? What talisman? They felt as if an ominous air was permeating the world. At first, the idle Earthly Saints gave rise to thoughts of a future, such as being used as bargaining chips or imposed with Mythical Oaths to subdue them as cannon fodder or slaves, some believed that a Legion of Earthly Saints numbering ten thousand was impossible, and this was a mere illusion to startle them into a passive stance. However, after seeing that their original leader hadn't died completely, they felt increasingly unnerved.

Zhan Zheng, the Legion Commander, nodded lightly as he kept the talisman. The talisman infused into these Earthly Saints prevented them from dying peacefully. It would automatically initiate a self-detonation should their physical body be destroyed, their Mystic Soul suffer crippling damage, or if the talisman was removed by external forces. 

The self-detonation of an Earthly Saint was no joke, and even Worldly Saints wouldn't casually take such destructive power. Moreover, the greater their cultivation foundation, the stronger the self-detonation. There was a clear warning in the Legion Commander's memory that a 9th Runic Ascendant like Ma Zheng could take down an ordinary Worldly Saint. 

Fortunately, the years have given them ample time to study and prepare. The strike he unleashed not only destroyed the Earthly Saint's physical body, triggering the talisman, but also disabled the forced activation of its self-detonation. 

Zhan Dou had voluntarily chosen to be infused with Wei Wuyin's Minor Authority of Time's power at his quintessence, a brave and highly experimental decision, and had succeeded in producing Time Power of an Earthly Saint with traces of Minor Authority of Time. Wei Wuyin's Formless Divinity Soul Light had infused into all of their Existential Frameworks, and it bestowed them great affinity towards time energy, granting Zhan Dou this opportunity for transformation.

The Legion Commander had the unique ability to use any of his Soldiers' powers and could therefore infuse profound Present Time Power into his Mystic Power to freeze the talisman while it was activating. He secured the Mystic Core and Soul without any detonation. 

The Legion Commander marveled at Wei Wuyin's unearthly talents, especially given that he was a mere mortal who had grasped a Minor Authority of a Law. And while he was the one who thought of this use, it was only possible thanks to their owner's astonishing feats beneath the age of a hundred.

"What do you want?!" A voice resounded from the thirty-seven Earthly Saints as another one of the black-robed figures took the lead, seemingly elected after a high-speed debate, and he bravely stepped forth and questioned the Legion's intent.

Zhan Zheng's eyes flashed beneath his helmet, ignoring their desperate question. Wei Wuyin could personally slay this cultivator and acquire an Earthly Saint, so his Legion would certainly grow. Also, if he decided to negotiate using them or have them act as hostages, that could be done as well. In truth, only a few of these Earthly Saints barely met his standards. 

Without further delay, he lifted his right hand and crushed the talisman violently. A wave of Present Time Power surged outwards, bursting and spreading until the entire world was filled with it, and the Earthly Saints all conjured dense wards to defend, but the power merely swept through their protection, unaffected and unhindered by their defenses, and entered the talismans.

Instantly, all the talismans were affected and frozen by Present Time Power, targeted based on their deeply-concealed spiritual fluctuations. They wouldn't be able to activate unless the power was dispersed, and given that these Earthly Saints couldn't even sense the talisman's presence in the first place, this was highly unlikely. They wouldn't do so even if they could.

Zhan Zheng then pushed his fist outwards, "Kill." A single order, spoken as casually as if ordering from a restaurant, and the Legion roared! 

Their united roar shattered mystic wards and mental barriers, and ten thousand rushed forward with startling momentum. The despair of the thirty-seven was indescribable as they felt the invincible power of the Legion of War barrel towards them! 

-----

"...!" The entire world was dumbfounded into a state of stifled silence. Those who were prepared to die, those who had fled far away, and those who were still lamenting the future fall of an era-defining genius had bulging eyes, dropped jaws, and deeply shaken souls. 

The thirty Earthly Saints' auras had all vanished! 

But they couldn't even process it all as Wei Wuyin's words echoed throughout the Dark Void, the spiritual fluctuations of his voice carrying the tone of the absolute champion of this war, and the content of his words, if true, would make it true!

Earthly Saints? GONE!

Check. 

Void Gates? Shut down!

Check. 

Shadow Eggs? Conquered!! 

Check.

They couldn't verify the last two, but considering how confident Wei Wuyin seemed, how the thirty Earthly Saints had inexplicably vanished without any prior indication, then it was hard not to believe it! This was momentum! This was heaven-defying forcefulness that made others believe every word that was spoken! Perhaps their abject shock greatly contributed to their easily convinced minds, but it mattered not!

Tian Lingyu's breathing was exceptionally heavy as her chest rose and fell; she didn't know what to do with her fingers as they quivered uncontrollably. The image that Wei Wuyin cut, one of an invincible figure resembling a fallen Immortal, left her mind reeling as an indescribable feeling stimulated her body.

Tian Muyang's reaction wasn't as intense, but it wasn't light either. "I knew it!" He growled in a low, deep voice. There was a deep regret swelling within his heart, cursing the Mythical Oaths that bound him, but after recalling Wei Wuyin's understanding look thrown his way, his body involuntarily relaxed. 

"..." Empress Xiaocheng.

Kree!

Bai Lin flew by, instantly taking her rightful place as Wei Wuyin's partner in the sky as she placed him firmly on her back. Wei Wuyin laughed amusingly as he was swept by her and perfectly positioned. She, too, wanted to bask in the splendid world-shaking limelight. 

Then, Wei Wuyin gazed at the Born True Starfield with an intrigued gleam in his eyes. "You probably have a lot of questions, but this should be enough to answer at least one of them." 

Wei Wuyin waved his hand as a Spiritual Projection Obelisk was summoned from his Saint Ring. It proceeded to unleash a high-pitch sound, and then numerous screens projected outwards, all extremely massive in size, and they showed images upon images.

"That is?!" The representatives instantly recognized the sight of the Shadow Eggs. Not only were the Shadow Eggs shown, but their concealment was also dispersed, and their locations could be pinpointed based on the Solar Star patterns and sizes in the distance. 

The Titanic Hell-Crushing Queen's eyes bulged even larger than earlier. "Are these all the Shadow Eggs of Trueborn?! Did Alchemic Sovereign Wei…?!" She no longer used the title 'little husband' as respect had unnoticeably ballooned in her heart and a tinge of deep-seated exceptional fear. 

An Earthly Saint had great visual perception, and she noticed that one of the Shadow Eggs' positions had the Pentastar Cluster's unique constellation in the background. Her eyes darted toward it alongside Empress Xiaocheng, Tian Muyang, Tian Lingyu, Huoyan Liulan, Kong Yi, and the other Earthly Saints present.

They instantly saw the exposed Shadow Egg. 

They instantly saw cloaked figures had taken it over. 

They instantly knew…