Paragon of Sin

"Divine King Han Xei?" Lin Ming's shambled mind perked, focusing heavily on this question. This was his so-called master, more elusive and mysterious than Wei Wuyin. Since he met Lin Xianxei, he had taken the path designed by Divine King Han Xei, from his cultivation method, arts, spells, and various inheritances. 

Zhang Ziyi was similarly interested in the Nine-Divine Elementus King's location. While she had merely used this as a segue to breaking the rumor, it didn't represent that she didn't wish to know. The True Element Sect had four Earthly Saints, and while Gong Lau belonged to the external clans, Han Yuhei and Han Xei were the pillars that allowed them to retain the World Sect title. The former had acted as their sole pillar for the last thousand years. 

No one knew where Han Xei was or why he vanished from the public eye. Early on, there was heavy speculation surrounding his disappearance. Han Xei striving for the Worldly Saint Phase was one, but this felt increasingly unlikely as the cultivation session went on for centuries. If that was the goal, chances were he had failed. 

"...Why?" Lin Xianxei hesitatingly asked. 

"Does it matter why? I asked you if you knew, not to tell me. You don't have to worry about breaking any Mythical Oaths of yours; I have no intention of forcing you to tell me." Wei Wuyin honestly explained his intent. 

Just if you knew!

It was a world of difference in questioning, and Lin Xianxei was dazed by this question. No one had ever said these things before! She was indeed boggled by oaths. This was why Han Yuhei wasn't interested in this inquisition. He was fully aware that she couldn't say anything either, so it was a waste of time. 

At the moment, he was just curious about Wu Yu's whereabouts and wondering when that ocular spell would be brought over. The domain-sealing formation was still active, and this caused him to feel some concern. His actions had already caused the True Element Sect to experience a drastic depletion of their wealth. 

"I do," Lin Xianxei admitted after pondering it over. She was Divine King Han Xei's disciple, so saying this might alleviate some of the Lin Clan's growing issues. And it did work a little. Zhang Ziyi's expression changed slightly as a result. The only reason the Lin Clan was experiencing any decent lifestyle was due to the Divine King Han Xei's backing.

"Good," Wei Wuyin smilingly remarked. 

KREE!!!

Bai Lin's aura began to rise rapidly. 

"What?!" Lin Xianxian was an Ascended being at the Soul of Mysticism Phase and wielded power that exceeded Mortal Limits, but when Bai Lin's aura permeated the world, she felt stifled to the maximum. She could barely breathe. When she did, it felt as if she was breathing scorching embers into her lungs. 

The Earthly Saints started. Unsurprisingly, they weren't that affected by Bai Lin's aura. They were in a constant Demi-Mystic State, so they resisting it wasn't an issue.

The mortals were also unaffected but by deliberate design. Bai Lin targeted Lin Xianxian, forcing her to be unable to act. 

"What is…?" Lin Xianxei was baffled. She turned to her mother, who had a strained look on her face. Suddenly, her thoughts and soul froze. She began to collapse powerlessly.

The Fixed Soul Spell!

Woosh!

Wei Wuyin moved with extreme swiftness. In a blink of an eye, he arrived beside Lin Xianxei and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her frozen, seemingly lifeless body into a bridal carry. 

Lin Ming just barely reacted at this moment. His thoughts were a little too slow, but he felt an instinctual sensation of danger. Wei Wuyin vanished before his very eyes, and Bai Lin unleashed her aura! He snapped his head towards Lin Xianxei, seeing Wei Wuyin lift her with ease. 

"Stop! Don't you touch her!" Lin Ming ferociously shouted, but his movements were too slow. He rushed forward to seize Lin Xianxei from the clutches of Wei Wuyin. But when he thought he touched her, he felt nothing as the visual image lowered in opacity, then vanished without warning.

An afterimage! 

Kree!

"I'll bring her back," Wei Wuyin was already on Bai Lin's back alongside Si De and Wen Mingna. Bai Lin unfurled her wings, and with graceful movements, she shot upwards at alarming speeds. In the blink of a mortal's eye, she vanished into the distance. 

Lin Ming stood there, hand outstretched, stunned by this development. He turned to the two Earthly Saints, who were also taken by surprise, "Stop him!" They were the leaders of the sect! Were they going to allow Wei Wuyin to take their Saintess and do heaven knows what to her? 

Han Yuhei and Zhang Ziyi exchanged glances. The former slowly floated upwards and took off towards Wei Wuyin at a leisurely pace. The latter looked at Lin Ming and Lin Xianxian, "If he wanted to do her harm, neither of you could stop him. That said, do try." 

Zhang Ziyi's dislike fully revealed itself at this moment. Seeing the exasperated Lin Ming and struggling Lin Xianxian, she revealed a grim smile: "This isn't over." She followed Han Yuhei. 

"..." A few minutes passed, and Lin Xianxian finally regained her breath, feeling relieved after this. She had never faced such terrifying suppression before. Lin Ming stood upright, white spear in hand, and he looked in the direction Wei Wuyin took off. He didn't follow because the Fire Phoenix was far beyond his means to face. He would only get in the way if the two Earthly Saints tried to save Lin Xianxei. 

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Lin Xianxian looked in that direction as well, her expression incredibly ashen. "I don't think he'll hurt her," she said. Whether it was to comfort herself or Lin Ming, she didn't really know. 

Lin Ming clutched the shaft of his spear tightly. He didn't understand Wei Wuyin. Moreover, he still felt baffled as to why Lin Xianxei would release that rumor herself, and the words of the Grand Seer kept flashing in his mind without end. His Senior Sister was the ignition that restarted his life. He was but a young man with a chip on his shoulder, tired of being so weak and helpless all the time, accepting the filth of the world, and she came along and helped him forge his own path, gain true strength, and see sights he had only dreamed of.

She was his light.

"He better not," Lin Ming's tone was chilly to the apex. 

Lin Xianxian heavily sighed, looking at Lin Ming with a wisp of complex emotions. "You really do love her, don't you?" 

"..." Lin Ming only tightened his grip in response. 

Lin Xianxian nodded her head slightly, "Don't blame her for the rumor, okay? She did this with your interests in mind."

"...Why does Grand Elder Zhang hate you?" Lin Ming decided to change the topic, not wanting to dwell on that. The lingering words of the Grand Seer kept searing his brain with all sorts of thoughts. He just couldn't think about those things right now. 

"...Hate me?" Lin Xianxian straightened her posture, revealing her exceptional curves. She looked to the sky, her golden eyes rippling with all sorts of emotions. "She doesn't hate me—she hates the Lin Clan. Her faction consists of the remnants of the Jade Element Sect, the losers and those who suffered the greatest losses in the civil war of our Domain because of our decision to merge." 

The Lin Clan had tried to game the Mythical Oaths, breaking their connection with those parasites by merging with the Divine King Han Xei. While they merged, their plans were seen through and resisted. A civil war of terrifying proportions was waged, and the newly-created True Element Sect lost. 

The Lin Clan was forced to remain as leaders of the sect to keep their oaths alive, to protect the interests of those external clans and forces.

"She lost everything during this. They were forced to stay together with the Lin Clan or be exterminated to the last. She was merely a little Astral Core Realm cultivator at the time, but she lost her status, her entire family, and her freedom. She lost everything. All because we regretted making a decision that her family, the Zhang Clan, had vehemently pleaded against.

"Unfortunately, we didn't listen then, and they paid the price. The Lin Clan was relatively untouched during the war, both sides needing them to be alive for the oaths to be in effect. So we suffered very little. Our top experts were sealed away in the Traceless Regret Valley, but theirs were slaughtered, not even given proper burials." Lin Xianxian closed her eyes. 

Zhang Ziyi's hatred was justified. It fueled her to become an Earthly Saint, regaining some dignity for the broken remnants of the Jade Element Sect. She wanted them to suffer. 

"..." 

-----

In the lower Sky Layer, Bai Lin glided while having a mental conversation with Si De. Wei Wuyin held Lin Xianxei in his arms, his hand placed on her head. 

Wen Mingna watched with interest. What was Wei Wuyin doing? Trying to enter her Sea of Consciousness? Even if he did, he wouldn't gain anything. The concept of trying to search memories had always been a desire among cultivators, but even Evil Cultivators couldn't do so. Not even an Ascended being could inspect the memories and thoughts of a mortal. 

While the Sea of Consciousness might seem simple, it was an extremely complex existence that was exceptionally profound. It didn't just contain their memories, but their insights, every last thought they've ever had, every dream, imaginary thought, and that's not even considering the depth that memories possessed. 

There were some who cultivated unique Mental Cultivation Methods, their mental energies reaching absolutely terrifying levels of power, and their understanding of the Sea of Consciousness was far more thorough, yet they still failed to do so with any substantial success. 

It was easier to reverse time than to inspect memories.

Wen Mingna's thoughts were right; the act of entering another's mind was insidiously difficult, a harrowing experience with all sorts of complications that could arise. Whether it was the mind's natural resistance towards intruders or the cultivators' innately stronger minds, it was too difficult.

It was only because of Eden, a combination of the Alchemic Dao and Mind Dao, that Wei Wuyin could do this. The Alchemic Dao embodied the seven aspects—Extraction, Growth, Containment, Refinement, Creation, Transformation, and Fusion—and was capable of harmless integration with very little resistance from every type of energy, making the most volatile energy source docile. Furthermore, his Alchemic Energies purity rivaled Mystic Ascendants.

Wei Wuyin searched through Lin Xianxei's memories. Since Eden warned him about searching an Ascended being's mind, he had already settled on searching Lin Xianxei's. He didn't know her, and he didn't care about the invasion of privacy. She was a clue to finding Divine King Han Xei and finding a solution to his eyes, beauty be damned.

'Oh...wait, what? That's interesting!' As he delved into her memories, observing from birth to the present, his mind was incredibly shaken. He avoided incredibly complex thoughts, like cultivation insights, focusing on memories related to Divine King Han Xei. 

'Wait…is this?'

Wei Wuyin delved deeper into a particular memory.