Paragon of Sin

While inverted, each individual present was an excellent cultivator, and as such the stage above their heads were fully within their senses. To them, it mattered not whether they were looking upwards or not. That said, the bulk of these cultivators were stunned by the figure's abrupt movements. 

This was an opportunity to cultivate absurdly pure and enriched energies provided by the Everlore Association, and the rare materials forging these spiritual constructs contained traces of profound power that perfectly matched their respective sects. While some cultivators took divergent paths from their centralized cultivation method, there was still pure astral and mystic essence for general refinement. These essences could be converted to strengthen their Astral Cores, expand their Worldly Domain, or elevate their Spiritual Strength. 

Why rush? 

It's only been an hour! And they all have months to enjoy this generous treatment. Still, their attention was heavily focused on the stage due to San Luoyang's words. An entity would challenge them, and if slayed, they'd earn qualifications to enter the Main Hall with the Earthly Saints and Mortal Sovereign Alchemists. Every last one of these figures were astonishing existences of premium statuses and incredible means, so discussing with them was bound to have boundless benefits to one's future cultivation.

Some understood, others sneered and ridiculed. "Do they really think the Everlore Association would make an easy test? How foolish," an Ascended from a mystic-tier force shook his head with pity. 

"Let them test the waters. At least this will give us a sense of difficulty and power from these entities." Another elder Ascended from that force commented while rubbing their chin, their eyes gleaming with spiritual light. Since San Luoyang warned them, then of course this meant their lives were genuinely in danger should they attempt to gain qualifications!

Lin Xianxian's eyebrows furrowed slightly. After hearing the details of this opportunity, she realized that the Everlore Association had made ample preparations to receive all these cultivators, and was fully aware that some filtering would need to be performed. However, she was more focused on the words spoken by San Luoyang. There were precious benefits beyond the Void Gate! 

The figure soon spun naturally in midair, landing feet first on the stage. When they lifted their gaze, they were greeted by the sight of inverted cultivators seemingly standing on the ceiling. There were outlined boxes that designated each organization. 

When those pure, clear black eyes lifted upwards, it was revealed to be a woman! Her skin was as smooth as jade, with peach lips, and her long, sleek, straight-laced hair as dark as night, with a rich, healthy sheen that exuded exceptional vitality. Her aura exuded a naturally valiant air, not a single aspect of her was overly girly or feminine. She stood upright and stable, like a warrior of the night, holding the sky upon her shoulders. 

She was unmistakably a beauty, but in a way that inspired awe and admiration, not fanatical lust and desire! At her right hip was a scabbard holding a saber with a black hilt. It exuded a faint aura of sharpness.

When Lin Ming saw her face, his pupils shrunk with realization. He exclaimed softly, "Su Mei!" 

A name that he hadn't heard in a very, very long time. For years, in fact. But today, he instantly recognized her as the woman that stood by Wei Wuyin's side during the Grand Spirit Trials! She, alongside the wolf that he had defeated, had launched a disastrous slaughter of the contestants, thinning the herd with decisive swiftness. 

"Su Mei?" Lin Xianxian was taken aback by Lin Ming's exclamation. "You know her?" The girl before them was a mortal cultivator, but her aura felt extremely obscure, even to her. 

Lin Xianxei had spent time in the Everlore Starfield, but she had never really attached importance to Wei Wuyin until he revealed the possibility of being a competitor for Lin Ming. There was a time that she thought about eliminating him, but she then reconsidered. The 'her' at the time felt that Lin Ming needed a good foil for growth; Furthermore, he was merely an Alchemist, so he couldn't threaten Lin Ming much when their cultivation base was the exact same.

In the end, Wei Wuyin had claimed the Chosen title alongside Lin Ming, awakening Elemental Heart Intent, and granted a special exception. That said, she wasn't very aware of his subordinates. 

Lin Ming, however, was. He nodded as he stared at Su Mei. "She's Wei Wuyin's right-hand." After defeating Zuhei, he had done some cursory information gathering of Wei Wuyin, and learned that a woman with black eyes and hair was his foremost envoy, acting on his behalf, and dealing with various matters. She was a well-known existence by many, a harbinger of good things or devastating news. 

"What?!" An Elder of the True Element Sect, the Demi-Mortal Lord with an amicable smile, was shocked by Lin Ming's words. He wasn't the only one. The others were startled by this discovery, giving Su Mei a more serious degree of importance.

However, those from the Everlore Domain had vastly different expressions! The youngsters were gloomy, their eyes reflecting as if they were observing a great enemy of theirs, while the elders and leaders of silver-rank, gold-rank, and mystic-tier forces were all suffused with a serious light.

"It's her!" A Sect Master of a lesser mystic-tier force, only having a Soul of Mysticism Phase cultivation base, shouted in a way unbefitting of his status. He wasn't the only one as exclamations were heard everywhere. They all originated from forces within the Everlore Domain. 

Lin Xianxian realized this phenomenon, baffled by the commotion a single mortal woman was bringing to various forces. What had she done?

Suddenly, a surge of air coursed throughout the stage. Her robes and hair fluttered with the flow of wind. Su Mei realized her cultivation base, foundation, and clothing was being analyzed by a strange spiritual sense. It wasn't invasive, but it was quite thorough. She didn't resist. 

After a brief period of this inspective power, San Luoyang's voice resounded throughout the area. "Chosen of the Solitary Saber Sect. Age: 52. Cultivation Realm: Astral Core. Cultivation Stage: Ninth. Entity Level: Mortal, Transcendent Starlord." In a loud, announcing voice, every detail of Su Mei was heard, yet this did little to ease the stressed expressions of the various geniuses of the Everlore Domain, only elevating it.

Some even threw their hands up and felt like wailing, seeming to give up in frustration. A young woman of outstanding beauty and talent was open-mouthed, her eyes lost, as she muttered out the words: "She's only fifty-two…?" There was a despondent quiver of devastation in her voice. If one knew she was just over two hundred years of age, yet only at the Sixth Stage, and lost unquestionably to Su Mei by a single saber only a few years ago when they were on the same level, they would understand her distraught feelings.

As a Chosen of a mystic-tier force, how could she be so vastly inferior?! At first, she had soothed herself with the age disparity, as many had assumed given Su Mei's cultivation base, but when the voice spoke out in an absolute manner, it shattered all their disillusioned thoughts. A reality was revealed that they simply could not accept. 

"Fifty-two?" Lin Xianxei was startled. To reach the Ninth Stage at fifty-two years old was the definition of talented. Her mother, however, was shaken by another detail: "She has to slay a transcendent Starlord?!" 

Long ago, there was an archaic scale that differentiated cultivators in stages, they were: Lesser, Greater, Pinnacle, and Transcendent. This was soon outdated due to how difficult it was to properly define what this meant, even relative to combat strength. There were too many nuances to consider, too much variety of combat, ranging from physical, spiritual, and forces, especially as standards were elevated with time.

So for this system to be used here, she had an idea as to what these entities were! 

"Do you wish to continue your challenge?" San Luoyang's voice resounded again, posing Su Mei with a question. The question felt ludicrous to everyone who heard it. She was merely fifty-two years old, even if her comprehensive talent was heaven-defying, gaining insight all the way to the Star Core Phase, she hadn't had nearly enough time to elevate her foundation to the Transcendent level!

"Yes." Without the slightest hesitation, she gave her answer. 

There was no further response as the black obelisk began to spew out gray smoke from every rune. A few of the runes soon gained life, flying out of the obelisk and integrating into the lump of gray smoke. Soon, after a series of twists, a humanoid figure was conjured, gaining shape and color. A tall, fit female figure with a half-faced balaclava formed. 

Its skin was gray and her eyes were replaced with esoteric runes. It gave off a powerful aura! A genuine Starlord's power! 

"Is that…?!" Amazed, the experts present observed the strange entity with spiritual light flowing through their pupils. This was an Incarnation! However, it seemed a little strange. 

The Incarnation didn't waste time, directly unfurling their Worldly Domain! A dark-blue Worldly Domain expanded, reaching 80,000 kilometers! Instantly, the entire world fell under its control. Su Mei included. 

"EIGHTY THOUSAND KILOMETERS?!" The various Realmords and Timelords present were wide-eyed! Wasn't this too freaking insane?! A Worldly Domain was reflective of one's total cultivation foundation, so for it to reach eighty thousand kilometers at the Starlord level was absolutely fucking absurd by anyone's standards! 

How could a young Starlord hope to contend against that? Most elite Starlords might not reach that level in their entire lifetime! Even Chosen that reached the Starlord level might reach eighty to hundred kilometers at first, needing countless years to further cultivate their Worldly Domain, especially to that level.

A weight of despair pressed against the hearts of the younger generation, their minds completely shaken by the standard for these entities! Moreover, they were supposed to be slayed? How ridiculous was that? If the same standard was applied to Realm World Phase and Temporal Eye Phase, how could they hope to exceed this? 

But they didn't have time to ponder the disparity. The Incarnation's dark-blue Worldly Domain began to exert a tremendous Worldly Pressure upon Su Mei, causing the stage beneath her to ripple slightly. A lone girl, her black hair fluttering against the raging pressure, with her pure black eyes staring ahead reflecting utmost calmness.

She stepped forward, her Saber Intent flared in her eyes as darklight flickered around her left hand. She clasped her hand against her hilt, and the Incarnation pushed outwards with their astral force, unleashing a torrential storm of power! It barreled forward with thunderous booms, capable of slaughtering millions. Many of the Starlords present felt they would die before this attack! While those at the Mystic Star Phase were extremely solemn!

Shiing!

The saber escaped its scabbard by an inch, revealing its sharp edge, and jet-black blade. With another step, the light around her fingers faded.

Then…

Clink.

The saber returned to the scabbard. 

Then, she walked forward without a single sense of urgency, in the same pace as her two steps. The torrential storm of starforce scattered like wisps of smoke before reaching her, and she kept going, passing the incarnation that had their hand held out, its eyes exuding runic light, and then she arrived before the Void Gate. A heart-racing strangeness enveloped this entire scene as the eighty thousand kilometer-sized Worldly Domain seemed to be ineffective against this woman! 

As for the Incarnation, they hadn't moved an inch since Su Mei took her second step! 

Su Mei didn't look back, entering the active Void Gate, and vanishing within. 

"What?!" A single word summed up the questions of all the youths. Lin Ming was equally baffled, his eyes filled with endless questions. When he looked towards Lin Xianxei for answers, he saw her expression was abnormally pale, alongside the Sect Master and every other Ascended being! 

It was as if they had just seen a ghost!

The Incarnation stood there, like a statue. 

Then, a lopsided slump of its head could be seen. Only the keen noted this shift, and only when it kept gradually increasing until finally…its weight got the better of it.

Thud!

With a heavy thud, the head of the Incarnation fell off its torso, its runic eyes fading away. 

It…was BEHEADED?!

"CLOSE YOUR EYES!" Lin Xianxei panicked, clasping her hands over Lin Ming's eyes. 

SHIING!!!

Without warning, a black-colored saber light enveloped the entire world!