Paragon of Sin

"...What just happened?" Sun Li asked, baffled and astonished. Her gaze looked into the depths of the Ninestar Starfield, her facial expression slightly unsightly.

After being separated by Faye Liying's unexpected assault, the group quickly regathered together. 

"She betrayed us! That bitch—I knew there was something shady about her!" Lady Clearwind held nothing back as she insulted and cursed Faye Liying. She coughed slightly as glowing and enriched blood tainted her right palm. She was injured by Faye Liying, her rage was fueled by righteous and indignant emotions. 

Huoyan Liulan held Liao Shuyu's corpse tightly. It was enveloped by a dense layer of her mystic power, completely unharmed by Faye Liying's attack. Still, her expression was similarly unsightly. She glared at Ma Zheng. "She's Trueborn?" She instantly labeled her as an egregious traitor hidden amongst their midst, employed and trusted by Ma Zheng. 

Ma Zheng didn't take her enraged accusation with any merit. However, he didn't leap to her defense either. While it was extremely unlikely that Faye Liying would help them if she was a member of Trueborn, there was the slightest possibility that they didn't calculate their defeat or communicate properly. 

That or those talismans that Wei Wuyin discovered meant they were tasked with dying alongside them. If so, there was a possibility she was one. Yet he still found it hard to reason out, because she would've suffered too after there was a sequence of intense self-detonation of Earthly Saints. It just didn't line up. 

Han Yuhei's teeth were gritted so fiercely that his expression almost seemed as if he was snarling. He had kept his senses on Faye Liying since the beginning, feeling something was off about her, and yet when she actually made a move, he was unable to stop her. Once again, he felt a sense of weakness. If it was Wu Yu, Faye Liying would've never gotten far.

If it was Wu Yu…

The crunching sound of Han Yuhei's teeth and fists would've been bone-chilling if it wasn't for the Dark Void's environment. 

"She's not a member of Trueborn," Wei Wuyin pardoned Faye Liying with a few words. The others had varying expressions, but they didn't dismiss Wei Wuyin's declaration. Furthermore, he was the calmest out of them all. Despite Ma Zheng's unbothered expression, his eyes emitted a dense rage. He was likely more frustrated than anyone here, or at least matched with Han Yuhei. 

"If she's not, why would she escape? A double-agent of the Soul Saint King?" Lady Clearwind refused to simply accept Wei Wuyin's words and contested his statement. 

Wei Wuyin merely responded with: "The Soul Saint King sent us off himself." It dawned on everyone that they were indeed sent out by the Soul Saint King. Considering it was by his will, couldn't he just have kept the captives? It made little sense to burn a spy for no reason. 

"So stubborn and foolish," Ma Zheng softly spat under his breath. "She wanted to interrogate the Trueborn without killing them." When Ma Zheng spoke, it felt as if he was aware of something the others weren't, like her motive behind such an action. After all, she had just darted off and destroyed their trust in her without hesitation. The others were close to labeling her as a traitor and enemy. 

Wei Wuyin stayed silent for a long moment as he peered into the Ninestar Starfield. Afterward, he faintly smiled. "This works," Wei Wuyin commented with a nod. When he thought about it, it was best to not keep the captives in his custody or isolated somewhere. The Ninestar Starfield was fully on-guard and Trueborn would fail a second invasion attempt with Zhan Zheng there.

'The Soul Saint King and Ennea Hall Alchemic Saint should have the means to secure those captives until I fully comprehend Nirvanic Flame Intent.' Wei Wuyin didn't think Ori could swiftly absorb and extract the essence of Nirvanic Flame for him the others due to its complexity, so this might require a lot of time and effort. Who knew how long it would take? 

This wasn't expected, but it could be said to have worked out in his favor in the end.

WRRRRM!

A strange sound soon thundered out from the Ninestar Starfield as four Solar Stars of the Ninestar Starfield began to emit a brighter radiance. The others were attracted to the changes. All of their eyes flickered with spiritual light, varying in color and strength, as they unleashed their ocular spells. 

"He's sealing them?" Lady Clearwind pointed out inquisitively. The Soul Saint King had just sent the Earthly Saints of Trueborn into the Solar Stars. 

Wei Wuyin nodded. They were likely going to be suppressed by the Mystic Radiance Belt-equipped Solar Stars, preventing any form of self-detonation. Even if they did detonate, the power of a Solar Star with a Mystic Radiance Belt and a dedicated series of formations would halt any collateral damage.

It was good that Wei Wuyin warned him. But the situation didn't stop at that. They saw Faye Liying engulfed by bright white light, not resisting as she was drawn into a Solar Star by shackles of mystic power.

"He sealed her!" Lady Clearwind was shaken by the sudden comeuppance of the traitor. But why? 

Ma Zheng's expression darkened after seeing Faye Liying get sealed into a Solar Star. He turned his aged gaze towards Wei Wuyin, who met his gaze as if expecting it. Wei Wuyin replied with a sighing smile. He was aware that Ma Zheng and Faye Liying's relationship was a little deeper than he expected. He had vouched for her and trusted her to fight for him during the Golden Life Pavilion's competition. 

  "She'll be fine," Wei Wuyin reassured via transmission. That said, he did feel that Faye Liying's nature was unsuitable to be trusted or invested in. She acted without considering relationships or the consequences. Did she really think her actions would work out? Not just collapsing every bridge she made by outright betraying him, Ma Zheng, and the others. Even Huoyan Liuyan was self-aware that acting emotionally was a suicidal action.

Well, if one really thought about it, she wanted to prevent Wei Wuyin from killing the captives, so this actually worked out in her favor, unaware that Wei Wuyin had no intention to kill them yet. He wondered if she was satisfied knowing that she pulled off her desired goal. 

Ma Zheng, however, didn't feel exactly as Wei Wuyin thought. There was a calm, lethal glint flickering in his eyes as he stared at the Solar Star that swallowed Faye Liying. 

"..." After the sealing was completed, the others just stood where they were, unsure what to do. Sun Li and Lady Clearwind were wondering if they would take another shot at recapturing the captives. After all, that strange Earthly Saint had fought so hard to keep them, likely giving up its life.

If this was a few minutes ago, Wei Wuyin might risk it. But now that the situation had changed, learning about the Nexus War Flag's unique feature of conversion, the dangerous talismans, and saddled with the problem of storing these captives, he felt relieved. 

Wei Wuyin rolled his right arm's sleeves up and gave the Bloodline of Sin tattoo a look.

Karmic Luck Value: 44,834.2.

First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.

Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.

Third Calamity: Suppressed - 15 Years.

He rolled his sleeves forward, covering his arm. His expression had eased a little. "The mission is completed. All of you will be rewarded as promised; you can claim it through the Golden Life Pavilion. If you have a request for eighth or ninth-grade products, you can send it to Old Ma." 

Lady Clearwind gave Ma Zheng a look, who nodded in agreement. She was a little shaken by how Wei Wuyin was giving up here. He felt as if he was on a warpath against Trueborn, but he was now willing to let the Soul Saint King keep the captives after refusing to do so before? He was so adamant against it that he directly faced the Soul Saint King fearlessly. 

Was that strange Earthly Saint actually dead? Did they lose? Was Faye Liying's traitorous actions the final straw? She felt unwilling, even if Faye Liying was sealed for 10,000 years. She felt they should do more. They could do more.

"The Summit is beginning soon. It's about time to return to your groups," Wei Wuyin suggested as he gave the Ninestar Starfield its final glance. His suggestion was directed towards Sun Li, Lady Clearwind, and Huoyan Liulan. The trio of middle-ages beauties caught his intentions and left together. 

Lady Clearwind pouted in dissatisfaction before leaving, giving Wei Wuyin a look. She was unable to leave it be, sending spiritually: "If you want to retrieve them, count me in." She was a fiery firecracker, unwilling to suffer a loss. 

Wei Wuyin couldn't resist the urge to smile as he nodded in reply. No wonder Wu Yu fancied this woman. Despite being hurt, sealed, and released, she was willing to risk her life again, refusing to be on the losing end. Considering Wu Yu's nature, it matched quite well. 

Thinking of Wu Yu, that Grand Knight of his definitely wouldn't be willing to accept this if he was in her position. That said, he would be included in all the information, so his thoughts definitely wouldn't be different from Wei Wuyin. 

Soon, only Wei Wuyin, Ma Zheng, Han Yuhei, Bai Lin, and the unconscious Zhang Ziyi remained in the void-blank space at the edge of the Ninestar Starfield. They waited. A few minutes later, a figure delicately clutching a corpse appeared before them. It was Huoyan Liulan! 

She looked at them with emotionless eyes. 

Wei Wuyin didn't delay, directly offering: "Your Phoenix Feather, how much do you want for it?" 

Huoyan Liulan's eyes glinted with a strange light. She coldly replied, "It's priceless." Afterwhich, she intended to leave. The Phoenix Feather belonged to an ancient phoenix that had strength beyond the Earthly Saint Phase. While it was a mere feather, it contained wisps of its remnant power. It was a trump card that couldn't be replaced. 

Wei Wuyin hastily stopped her, "Everything has a price." Bai Lin's eyes blazed with a fiery might. That feather was endlessly alluring to her, belonging to a Fire Phoenix at the Third Stage of Nirvanic Rebirth Realm. Her bloodline seethed at the thought of consuming it. 

"Everything has a price?" Huoyan Liulan stopped her departure, turning around and staring at Wei Wuyin. She was unwilling to lose her trump card, so she coldly said: "My price? Then," she lifted Liao Shuyu's corpse a little higher, "bring her back. That's the price." 

"..." Wei Wuyin went silent for a long moment.

Huoyan Liulan sneered, "I guess everything has a price, but not everyone can afford it." While her request was outrageously ridiculous, she still sounded righteous. 

Han Yuhei's eyes narrowed. He knew why Wei Wuyin wanted the feather, but she was being unreasonable. She even mocked Wei Wuyin. It seemed she still contained some animosity despite her words before stating that she didn't consider Liao Shuyu as her real aunt. 

Ma Zheng inwardly shook his head. Why were these women just ignoring Wei Wuyin's means? She could ask for anything in return for a feather that was a finite item. Clearly, the power within wasn't without limits. Why not trade it for something useful to your cultivation path? If only for goodwill establishment. 

However, what Wei Wuyin said next shook them all to the core. "That's a reasonable price. I can afford it. So, shall we make the trade?" With a faint smile, Wei Wuyin readily agreed and Bai Lin's eyes sparkled with joy. She would get that feather!