Paragon of Sin

"..." Lin Xianxei's captivating smile was brought down by a somber sigh. Lin Ming's question had struck a chord in her heart. She could only close her eyes slowly, lifting her chin as she began to breathe in the sweetly fragrant air of the courtyard. 

"..." Lin Xianxei's silent response had answered Lin Ming's question. He slowly clenched his fists as he thought of that extraordinary figure that had been his goal for the past two decades. How could that man allow Lin Xianxei to be placed on house arrest, letting her suffer for an entire year in the Traceless Regret Valley without a response?

Lin Xianxei's eyes opened as she felt the resentment tainting the fragrant air in the surroundings. She turned to Lin Ming, "Don't blame Master; he is plagued by his own issues. When he decides, he'll make his move." Lin Xianxei was clearly more aware of Divine King Han Xei's circumstances than Lin Ming, but she rarely spoke of it.

Lin Ming nodded in understanding, revealing a smile of acceptance. But his heart was besieged by all sorts of suspicions and questions. Still, he was more troubled by the recent news outside of the sect. The legendary Wu Yu of the Myriad Monarch Sect had reemerged, becoming an Earthly Saint and tethered to none other than Wei Wuyin. 

That dastardly cheater had continuously been the topic of discussion. It reminded him of his time in the Everlore Starfield when it was still referred to as the Tri-Vision Starfield. A youngster had entered the Myriad Monarch Sect, performing feat after feat that slowly structured a legend that turned him into a household name spoken in almost every medium. 

It didn't take long for that figure to drive the majority of the cultivation populace to worship his existence, treating him as an up-and-coming genius that would define a new era. Even while he was in the Elemental Heaven Pavilion, Wei Wuyin was a subject of far too much discussion.

The controversy of his ranking as an official Alchemic King, his success in refining an eighth-grade alchemical product before the age of fifty, the Grand Spirit Trials where geniuses throughout the starfield fought to claim that very product. And yet, in the end, he had become the ultimate victor as he went uncontested in during his challenge match. 

To him, it all felt like it was a venue to elevate his reputation and nothing more. His battle with Zuhei had only accentuated his might as an Alchemist, demonstrating one of the greatest talents throughout the entire Starfield. It was as if he was telling the world about his ability to nurture talent. 

No one wanted to be eliminated from consideration. Of course, he went unchallenged, winning not only his own product but the massive wagers established by the four hegemons. It didn't end as it segwayed into an All-Alchemic Clash with the most outstanding alchemic talent of the Alchemist Association. 

Not only did Qingye Ying lose, but the defeat was also extremely thorough. A youngster revealed his heaven-defying talent against a genuine Alchemic Astral Soul Alchemist, coined with the name of the Princess of Everlore, and conquered her without mercy in her field of specialty. The birth of the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn was then and there. 

The events that later happened in the War Devil Realm, his subsequent defeat as a Holy Son, and everything else coursed through every fiber of his Sea of Consciousness, viciously tainting his memories and haunting him to this day. 

When he took in the sight of this gorgeous, amazing, and intelligent woman before him, remembering why she had to suffer this fate, that she didn't deserve any of this, and how she was freed from the Traceless Regret Valley, his clenched fist tightened so much that his bones creaked. 

"Are you okay?" Lin Xianxei asked in concern. She had always been able to read Lin Ming accurately, and she could feel the festering hatred in his heart and the vexation in his eyes. 

Lin Ming tried to remain calm, focusing his eyes to meet Lin Xianxei's. It was only those eyes that soothed his troubled heart, giving him a hefty reminder of why he was cultivating and why he needed strength. If it weren't for this woman, he would likely be dead in an alley somewhere. But he had traversed endless miles to reach heights, see sights, and experience events that could only be described as stories in the Myriad Yore Continent. 

She had changed his entire life. 

Yet he couldn't help but ask with a dry throat, "Can't we just tell the truth?" Every day he had to hear about Lin Xianxei's engagement with Wei Wuyin. The elders of the Lin Clan warned him, begged him to get lost, while the others pushed him to visit with amicable smiles that hid unkind intentions. The worse was that those shady elders were helping him grow, changing the dynamic of the sect.

He should've been halted by those elders, seen as a threat that needed to be removed, while the Lin Clan could've used their nominal leadership position to secure his safety in the sect and Chosen position with what little power they had. This was how Lin Xianxei and himself discussed the situation, how it should've happened!

But the inverse occurred instead. Those elders fed him resources, gave him proper instructions, and highlighted every feat he did in the shadows while openly denouncing him. All of this relied on him visiting Lin Xianxei. All because of those rumors that had been started by god-knows-who.

Lin Xianxei frowned slightly, inevitably releasing a sigh of resignation. She understood what Lin Ming's thoughts were. Wei Wuyin had claimed victory against Lin Ming, hurting his pride, halting his steps, and was establishing a grand legacy. Every mention was a direct comparison in his mind. 

Just the thought of Wei Wuyin being with Lin Xianxei made him want to vomit out his innards. 

"The stars fall where they fall; it is our responsibility to use this to our benefit. Have the elders allowed you into the Paramount Jade Realm?" Lin Xianxei tried to change the subject while highlighting the benefits of her association with this rumor. After all, she was in the Traceless Regret Valley, and she still had night terrors from her experience to this day. She had even wanted to end her own life at times. 

And that was after three weeks. She experienced an entire year in that unbearable hell, and her psyche was close to shattering entirely.

"They have," a voice resounded behind Lin Ming. A tall, slender woman with a bombastic figure walked into the courtyard, accompanied by Si De. She bore a strong resemblance to Lin Xianxei, from her fair skin to her golden irises that glistened in the solar light. Her thin brows were slightly furrowed, her eyes focused on Lin Ming's figure. She was Lin Xianxian, Lin Xianxei's gorgeous mother.

"Sect Master!" Lin Ming called out in surprise. 

"..." Lin Xianxian only gave him a look, bypassing him as she arrived before her daughter. Her eyes carried a wisp of complex emotion. "Leave us," she waved her hand towards the grey-eyed youth. 

"Mother," Lin Xianxei frowned. 

"Leave," Lin Xianxian epeated, her tone unquestionable. Lin Ming could only look towards Lin Xianxei and see the helplessness in her eyes. When Lin Xianxei gestured for him to listen, he nodded and bowed respectfully.

"Yes, Sect Master." His steps left the courtyard as Si De followed along, escorting him out. 

The mother and daughter were soon left alone. 

"You haven't told him?" Lin Xianxian asked.

Lin Xianxei looked towards the courtyard's entrance, as if ensuring that Lin Ming was gone, and she softly sighed. She answered: "No, I haven't." 

Lin Xianxian shook her head, "You know the feelings that boy has for you. If he learns that you were the one who started this rumor…" 

"He won't," Lin Xianxei's voice turned firm, "not unless you tell him."

"I won't, but there are other ways to learn these things. After all, there's no way those rumors would've been given any credibility unless they came from me or...you. The others understand this. They fear you throwing all your dignity away to be that man's woman, bringing them down with you. That said, that boy is greatly benefiting from your move just as you predicted. But a jealous man is often unpredictable," Lin Xianxian warned. 

"..." Lin Xianxei fully understood all this. But if she hadn't had Si De send word to her mother to use Wei Wuyin's mysterious existence and potential, she wouldn't have lasted in that hell for more than a decade. Her right arm abruptly began to shake. She tightly grabbed it with her left hand, her eyes closed tight as she repressed those memories, and only then did the shaking cease.

Lin Xianxian could see the lingering trauma that was inflicted on her daughter. Shattered Elements and True Origin Factions didn't pull any punches on that punishment. They wanted her to hurt, and she did. 

However, her daughter's plan had begun to look a little unstable. Wei Wuyin's timeline of growth exploded. If before he was just unrealized potential, the existence of Wu Yu made him an undeniable independent power. Wu Yu's lack of restrictive oaths and show of astonishing strength had changed the entire situation. 

If it wasn't for that, why would Lin Ming feel so insecure? Wei Wuiyin went from being a young talent that could be moved on a chessboard to a player with one Alchemic Knight! In a way, if Divine King Han Xei revealed himself, this would've been Lin Ming's situation with his backing, especially since Han Yuhei's relationship with his cousin was said to be extremely close. 

The mother and daughter duo could only hope that the uncertain intentions of the Everlore Association were enough to keep Wei Wuyin in hiding, not addressing the engagement or their relationship.

Fortunately, this drove those parasites and bitter rebels to pray that Lin Ming's existence could drive a wedge between Lin Xianxei and Wei Wuyin. If Wei Wuyin was displeased by this, even if the rumor turned out to be true, clearly they fully intended to throw Lin Ming under the bus like an unwanted pet. 

There was an awkward silence between the two. They were treading thin ice with this move, all for the sake of Lin Ming's benefit. Lin Xianxian broke the silence, saying: "I know you can handle Lin Ming, but I'm more worried about Wei Wuyin. What if he-"

Lin Xianxei interrupted her mother, "It won't come to that. After Lin Ming enters the Paramount Jade Realm, he'll obtain the last legacy left behind by Master. If he does, then everything will fall into place. As for Wei Wuyin, he's clearly dealing with so many things, why would he come here or care about a senseless rumor?" 

"...I hope so." Lin Xianxian felt a sense of unease when discussing this. Was it going to go so smoothly? But a strong desire to have the rumor substantiate into reality couldn't help but emerge in her heart. The current Wei Wuyin would offer greater certainty unlike the risky bet that was Lin Ming.

BOOM!

Abruptly, a thunderous boom erupted in the sky. Those on this side of Origin simultaneously looked up, including Lin Xianxei, Lin Xianxian, Si De, and Lin Ming. Their eyes reflected a scarlet-golden light of a gigantic winged creature, majestic and mighty! 

KREE!!!