Paragon of Sin

Everyone's expressions drastically changed! The former Soul Rising Saint had given up without fighting! One must know, they outnumbered the Soul Saint King by six times, and they all felt the weakening of his aura after the strange Earthly Saint of Wei Wuyin had taken action! But she had surrendered. 

Her eyes were lowered, and she allowed herself to be sealed by the Soul Saint King's mystic power. She was as weak and useless as those masked Earthly Saints at this point. With her beside him, including the Reversion Substitution using Earthly Saint, he now had two in his control.

The others were now met with a choice. 

They looked at Wei Wuyin, who had a frown defining his entire expression. Their minds were circulating heavily. It was best to surrender and allow nature to take its natural course. They'll suffer some financial losses, but Trueborn would've still suffered some heavy losses to their infrastructure with these masked Earthly Saints in captivity, and Yue Songli was safe.

The goals they were tasked with have been completed.

Moreover, they all knew this was the most likely outcome. With none of them dead from the battle, this was the best outcome.

Suddenly, Huoyan Liulan followed with the corpse of the masked Earthly Saint. She had surrendered too! As the granddaughter of the ruler of the Hexaflame Starfield, she knew her safety was guaranteed. Furthermore, she would profit immensely from all this. 

Two Earthly Saints surrendered!

The Soul Saint King gave Huoyan Liulan a brief glance with some depth to it. He already felt a headache from this woman. However, he sealed her nonetheless. 

Their actions perplexed Wei Wuyin. Did they think he wouldn't fight the Soul Saint King or simply that he was his match? Moreover, what if he was a member of Trueborn? Their actions were…surprising…

"Have Pavilion Master Ma come later," Sun Li said to Wei Wuyin before she, too, flew towards the Soul Saint King! Left and right, these Earthly Saints surrendered! 

Their original advantage of six to one had been dropped to three to one. 

Wei Wuyin found Han Yuhei, who merely smiled and flew closer. His choice was obvious, if Wei Wuyin would resist, so would he! He had long since decided to become his Alchemic Knight to the best of his ability. Stating his stance here was an unforeseen yet miraculous opportunity to establish his baseline of loyalty. 

Lady Clearwind was a little anxious. Wu Yu had left, and if he was here, she would be more confident in standing with Wei Wuyin. As an 8th Runic Ascendant, he was a powerful Earthly Saint. He wouldn't yield before the Soul Saint King without a fight in her eyes. 

However, she was the least secure one here. The Soul Saint King might want nothing more than to get rid of her, dissecting her starfield for its resources and turning twenty-two into twenty-one. She was deeply conflicted.

Wei Wuyin wryly smiled, "At least let me try." He couldn't help but lightly chuckle at their actions after Soul Saint King declared his attitude. If they resist, he would kill. If they didn't, they would be dealt with peacefully. How domineering! 

However, he didn't fault their choices. After all, the Soul Saint King was a part of the Ninestar Sainthall—he wasn't a single entity as it seemed here. He could definitely summon the eight remaining Soul Monarchs, they might be on their way right now. Moreover, who knew what other hidden strength they possess or the ire of the Ennea Hall Alchemic Saint they might receive for this. 

Their initial objective was completed already. They fought and defeated Trueborn's Earthly Saints, securing Yue Songli's safety, and captured those attackers. They didn't sign up to be an enemy with the Ninestar Sainthall. Lady Clearwind was clear of this too, as a ruler of her Starfield, her actions could be construed as an act of war, breaching a few rules.

The fact she was conflicted was a sign of her unyielding will. Wei Wuyin could tell why Wu Yu fancied her. 

In truth, Wei Wuyin hoped War Commander Zhan Zheng's leveling of the playing field, his line-up of six Earthly Saints, an army of a 1,000 Ascended, and his highly-built imaginary reputation would be enough to force the Soul Saint King to reconsider his position. If anything, he might act and force everyone into a fight.

However, it seemed the Soul Saint King's prestige wasn't so insignificant nor was his intelligence or patience after receiving Wei Wuyin's disrespectful attitude. He still firstly sliced off Wei Wuyin's strength, showing his actual strength.

This was why he couldn't help but chuckle at it all. In the end, he heaved a sigh. 

This sigh was Lady Clearwind's sign to surrender. Directing a heavy and solemn gaze towards Wei Wuyin, she flew towards the Soul Saint King and allowed herself to be sealed away. Her handling was far more heavy-handed than the others, her seales fortified with extra effort. She felt unimaginable discomfort as she openly glared at the Soul Saint King.

The others' seals were merely perfunctory. They could, with some effort, break out of their shackles. But hers was as harsh and cemented as the masked Earthly Saints. 

Kree.

Bai Lin let loose a faint clarion cry, her golden eyes felt a tinge of disdain towards these Earthly Saints. While there were intricacies and layers that she hadn't fully understood, she knew the significance of surrendering without a fight. 

How pathetic. 

Wei Wuyin caressed Bai Lin, mentally sending: "They aren't my actual strength. This reminds me once again that my own cultivated forces, not bound by obligation and a sense of inferiority, will always be the most reliable." He had long since known that temporary strength was just that—temporary. 

The fact that his goals were fulfilled was enough. However, he looked at the sealed masked Earthly Saint in the Soul Saint King's possession. Whether it was his Void Bloodline or the War Commander's senses, that Earthly Saint would've been his.

With a shake of his head, he pointed towards the Earthly Saint. "All these Trueborn scum belong to me; hand him over and I'll let this matter go." Wei Wuyin still had to project strength, so he did.

Moreover, every last Trueborn life was a possible burst of Karmic Luck. He could already feel through his Bloodline of Sin that some of them were drenched in sin. They would definitely give him a hefty amount of Karmic Luck. Moreover, he couldn't rely on the Soul Saint King on killing these Earthly Saints or permanently imprisoning them, so he had to do so himself. 

He refused to return any of strength to Trueborn. The feeling of them being his greatest obstacle was still there, seething within his heart. He had to eliminate them for now especially since this move was very overt of his inclination towards the organization. 

The Soul Saint King's eyes sharply narrowed, releasing an imposing aura. "Hand over all those who dared to target my Domain and subordinates, they'll be brought to justice by the Ninestar Sainthall's laws. Same as you." It seemed that the Soul Saint King wasn't intending to leave anyone free, including Wei Wuyin!

"Bring me to justice?" Wei Wuyin innocently pointed at himself, blinking a few times, seemingly genuinely confused that the Soul Saint King wanted to bring him in. 

The Soul Saint King's patience was incredibly wearing thin, his Mystic Aura began to accumulate. He was primed to take action! He didn't want to argue with a mortal youth, even if they had two Earthly Saints under them. It was best to wrap all this up quickly. He might even be able to gain answers as to Wei Wuyin's origins, whether it was actually connected to the King of Everlore. Of course, if he was, then he wouldn't suffer any punishment. 

Han Yuhei, the sole living Earthly Saint by his side, also matched Soul Saint King's rising Mystic Aura. It was clear that he was ready to fight against the Soul Saint King at a moment's notice. 

"Well, I-" Just as Wei Wuyin was about to speak, the meter of the Soul Saint King's patience had run out. With a step, his figure grew ethereal as he vanished. Han Yuhei's nine-colored eyes shrunk instantly as he exploded with mystic power as he rushed forward.

"-don't thi-" Wei Wuyin was still mid-sentence when several bright explosions erupted here and there! 

"-nk you ha-" Wei Wuyin finally stopped. His silver eyes shrunk instantly as a hand was reaching towards his face, exuding extreme power. It was enveloped in unfathomably powerful light energies that scorched his corneas. If it wasn't for his Eye of Immortality, he would've been instantly blinded! 

At this exact moment, another hand was clasped tightly around the arm holding the light-effusing hand! The grip was extremely solid! Unmoving! But as Wei Wuyin's eyes followed the owner of that light-effusing hand, he discovered a pair of lime-green eyes and a familiar face.

Soon, the entire scene was grasped by his spiritual senses. 

Han Yuhei's throat was violently grasped to the side, held by the Soul Saint King's other arm, and the Guardian of the Elements was dangling powerlessly to the side! He seemed barely conscious. As for the hand that had stopped the Soul Saint King's other hand, it belonged to none other than a heavily armored figure. The Legion Commander! Zhan Zheng! 

He had come in clutch, stopping the Soul Saint King's swift assault that exceeded Wei Wuyin's and Bai Lin's reactions!

Aghast, Wei Wuyin was finally exposed to the might of the truly elite Earthly Saint! It was far, far, far, no…FAR beyond his ability! 

The Soul Saint King gave Zhan Zheng a side-eye, a wisp of shock in his gaze. "You have some streng-"

Wei Wuyin didn't even hesitate or bother listening to the Soul Saint King, using the last remaining bits of his void force to run! He conjured a Void Portal around him, sending him far, far away to the furthest limits he could! 

The Soul Saint King's pupils contracted slightly. 

Fled?

Escaped? 

However, the Soul Saint King's eyes instantly fixed on Wei Wuyin and Bai Lin's figure that was hundreds of thousands of miles away, soaring away through the Dark Void while trying to escape beyond the borders of the Ninestar Starfield! 

WOOSH!

A meteoritic fist smashed towards the Soul Saint King's face!