Paragon of Sin

Wei Wuyin found himself on a stage, vast and sturdy. 'They sent me to the proving stage?' He amusedly thought, finding this type of welcome quite interesting. He was given an invitation, so why would he be sent here? It didn't take long before he lifted his eyes to see the inverted cultivators above. They stared at him in shock and wonder at the new arrival, and when he lifted his face, the better view took the breaths of many young women away. 

An unearthly countenance elevated by a bearing of unrestrained exceptionalism pushed him into ungodly levels of handsomeness, the eyes of many widening to their limits in shock and outright disbelief. Those silver eyes seemed to carry the profound truths of the world, its myriad of dreaming illusions, the essence of creation, and a gaze that felt as if it could peer beyond their physical exterior, piercing into vulnerable souls. 

Wei Wuyin's demeanor was transcendent while clad in his white robes, emanating the scent of the Alchemic Dao, stimulating their spirits. The desire to get close originated from their minds, bodies, spirits, and instincts. It was the instincts of a cultivator! 

The faintest smile surfaced on his face as he found a familiar figure hidden amongst the crowd. When this smile formed, the breaths of many grew still, and countless young maidens were finding their hearts rampaging, their groins slightly moistening, and their eyes locked onto his figure. 

Ming Yuling had seen Wei Wuyin before in the War Devil Realm, but even she was once again starstruck by his appearance. If before he was obscenely handsome, enough to place him amongst the top Immortal Heroes Ranking off looks alone, now he was on a whole other level! It was like comparing night to day, absolutely absurd! 

Wei Wuyin soon turned away, eliciting some unintentional cries of mournful loss, and analyzed the Void Gate. From his reports, this Void Gate led to the Main Hall, and the two obelisks beside it were conjurers of Entities, Incarnations meant to challenge talents for their rights to enter.

He still couldn't fathom that this would be how the Everlore Association would approach his welcome. Did they want him to fight? Was this their obvious plot to kill him? It felt a little low-tier. Moreover, the information out there clearly states his lack of an Alchemic Soul, and while false, it suggests that he wasn't without ability. 

However, he soon received an explanation from the voice of the stage, San Luoyang. 

"Junior Wei," San Luoyang didn't use any title, a clear sign of disrespect, but evidence of his intentions. He continued, "Due to receiving the invitation of a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, you should've been granted direct access to the Main Hall; however, your absence from the initial call of invitation, a call that was answered by EVERY officiated Mortal Sovereign Alchemist in the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, your invitation has since been revoked."

Wei Wuyin listened carefully alongside those above on the inverted stage. They soon found out who this young man riding an avian creature was! Their hearts underwent a renewed set of heavy thumping again, not due to his looks, but his grand reputation and elusive existence thus far. Since his name spread, he's become a household name throughout the stellar region. There were countless speculations and discussions about him, with some receiving reports that felt skeptical, such as his immortal-like looks. 

Which was just proven right!

However, he was as mysterious as the heavens' will, with no one being able to locate him or find anything but secondhand information from those originating from his starfield. Some even began to disbelieve his existence, thinking of him as a hoax crafted by the Golden Life Pavilion for certain purposes. There were whispers here and there but nothing verifiable. 

"Since you emerged, your reputation has skyrocketed to the heavens, shattering the conventions of the great Alchemic Dao, and affecting the state of affairs throughout the stellar regions." When San Luoyang said this, Wei Wuyin felt an urge to laugh. The 'conventions' of the Alchemic Dao were a jab at his non-Alchemic Soul cultivation base entering the Mortal Sovereign Alchemist ranks. 

Since history has been documented in the stellar region, never has there been someone without an Alchemic Soul attaining this illustrious title, unless they had a Mystic Ascendant Realm cultivation base. The King of Everlore had broken that as well, rumored to have become a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist with an Alchemic Soul at the Qi Condensation Realm! 

"In the name of fairness as a member of this era's younger generation, you'll be tested like the rest to regain your qualifications to enter the Main Hall. Unlike the others, as an Alchemist, we will allow you to challenge using the Alchemic Dao." San Luoyang finally openly stated their goal, not just him, but the goal of every peak-tier existence in the Main Hall, excluding his allies. 

To test his ability as an Alchemist! 

"And what, may I ask, is this challenge exactly?" Wei Wuyin asked, unable to conceal his interest in this show. 

As if waiting for that question, San Luoyang immediately responded: "Junior Wei will be given a product concoction method of the low-tier, ninth-grade devised by the Everlore Association, unknown to all others. As long as you can successfully concoct this product, you'll have passed the challenge."

"And the time limit?" Wei Wuyin's brows lifted. The typical time for a successful concoction of a ninth-grade product was extremely long, even the Ma Clan's vast resources and Mortal Sovereign Alchemists took months to complete the concoction of Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pills. 

"Due to the special circumstances of the situation, the time limit of the challenge will be uncapped. However, you're only allowed five failures before the challenge is considered a failure itself. As for the Preliminary Discussions, they will be placed on hold until success or failure has been determined.." San Luoyang explained, shocking the Main Hall and the proving grounds audience. 

Inside the Main Hall, Han Yuhei was stunned, looking at San Luoyang as if he was crazy. "Are you insane? Five attempts? Isn't that too low? And do you intend to keep the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit on pause for a decade or longer?" Han Yuhei knew that concoction times were typically lowered by the cooperation of lower-ranked alchemists assisting other higher-ranked alchemists. Not a single Mortal Sovereign Alchemist here didn't have a horde of Emperor Alchemists assisting them at all times, yet concocting a ninth-grade pill was still an obscenely time-consuming endeavor.

Yet when Han Yuhei questioned San Luoyang, none of the throne sitting figures revealed the slightest trace of surprise at these conditions. It was evident that they had agreed on these exact circumstances should Wei Wuyin arrive! 

"And if I should fail?" Wei Wuyin curiously asked. 

"Then, you will be denied entry into the Preliminary Discussions and Finalized Decision for Chosen Standards." 

Wei Wuyin gave off a soft 'hm' of surprise. "Sounds interesting, but a little underwhelming," he stated with a shake of his head. 

Underwhelming? 

Interesting?

In truth, the vast majority of experts had heavy doubts as to the veracity of Wei Wuyin's skills in the Alchemic Dao, especially after sensing his dense mortal aura signifying his existence as a non-Ascended being. 

San Luoyang's indifferent expression finally showed some change as a slight frown formed. 'Underwhelming?' He, too, felt that Wei Wuyin was treating this too lightly. As such, he sent his voice over once again: "Do you believe it's too easy for you?" 

"Easy? No, just a little disappointing. How about this: we spice this challenge up, make it a bet?" Wei Wuyin countered with an offer. 

"A bet?" San Luoyang was taken aback alongside everyone else.

Su Mei couldn't help but resist the urge to laugh. The last bet Wei Wuyin performed allowed him to claim the Alchemic Association in the Everlore Starfield. Furthermore, she knew greater than anyone how incredible Wei Wuyin's concoction speed and success rates were. 

A low-tier, ninth-grade pill? 

It was a little too easy. 

"A simple bet, really. If I can prove that I'm a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, then…" Wei Wuyin lifted his eyes upwards, seeing the numerous talents gazing at him with various emotions and feelings, "...let's abolish this proving stage segment of the summit. Everyone here can enter the Main Hall, join in on the discussion, have their voices ripple into the upcoming era, and everyone outside can do so as well. All the youths under five hundred years old shall also receive the same treatment as successful challengers. All provided by the Everlore Association, of course."

"..." The Main Hall and proving stage went utterly silent. 

Wu Yu glanced downwards and saw the golden mats exuding diluted Astralis Essence into the bodies of these youths. If the Everlore Association had to exhaust equivalent resources for each junior, they would suffer unimaginable losses. 

San Luoyang also glanced downwards. He was about to refuse Wei Wuyin's ludicrous wager when his eyes flickered with a faint spiritual light. He had received a message from Evergod himself, and so he relayed the message: 

"And if you fail to do so?" 

"If I can't prove I'm a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, then I'll give the Everlore Association the complete concoction method of the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill," Wei Wuyin declared.

"What?!" The Main Hall's throne-sitting figure finally revealed some stunned expressions. The development went far beyond their predictions. The era-defining product was being wagered ahead of the All-Alchemic Clash Royale! 

Even the proving stage crowd went into an uproar. Wei Wuyin was risking this priceless concoction method for their entry? Most felt unquestionably moved by the gesture, but they felt that the Everlore Association definitely wouldn't accept it. After all, since Wei Wuyin could wager this concoction method, then he was confident in winning!

But was there a need for the Everlore Association to accept? 

Yet San Luoyang's next words overturned their beliefs, seemingly lured by the bait. "Then, we'll accept this bet. However, we'll change-"

"You accept this wager?" Wei Wuyin interrupted. 

"Yes, if you can-"

"If I prove myself a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, then it'll be considered my victory?" Wei Wuyin interrupted, again. 

"..." San Luoyang felt stifled by Wei Wuyin's continuous interruptions. Eventually, after restraining his growing impatience, he answered: "Yes, if you can prove yourself a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist. If not, then you'll-" 

"Okay," Wei Wuyin clapped his hands together, completely interrupting San Luoyang once more. The sound echoed throughout the proving stage. Bai Lin unfurled her wings, revealing her majestic form to the world before she soared upwards and flew towards the Void Gate! The entire audience was stunned!

It's not like there hadn't been cultivators who tried to bypass their entity to rush the Void Gate, but the Void Gate would release a blast of spatial power that repelled all challengers without fail! 

WOOSH!

Shockingly, Bai Lin wasn't fast but the Void Gate, as if hindered by some unfathomable power, did not release an ounce of spatial power as she approached. In an instant, before the eyes of everyone present, Wei Wuyin vanished into the Void Gate.

In the Main Hall, the young elites had shocked expressions as Wei Wuyin arrived on Bai Lin. Without waiting for them to process the information, Wei Wuyin lifted his eyes in San Luoyang's direction upwards as if knowing his location long ago! There wasn't a split second used to search. 

"Well then," Wei Wuyin said as his silver eyes began to undergo a fantastical change! 

"...!" The Earthly Saints and Creationists were all shaken after seeing this change. Within Wei Wuyin's eyes, seven-colored stars were born in each! They signified the seven aspects of alchemy, the recognition of the Alchemic Dao, and a type of unique Will solely bestowed upon Alchemists who've grasped the Mortal Dao and Alchemic Dao in a type of extreme unity! Only the genuine, the authentic, and the rightfully proven Alchemists had these stars!

The Alchemic Stars of Mortal Spirituality! 

Wei Wuyin stared straight into the eyes of the dazed San Luoyang, a clear grin on his expression.