Paragon of Sin

With the Development Stage concluded, the Elimination Stage officially commenced. The Saint Cyclic Alchemic Clash was a fairly new concept that tested the abilities of Alchemist's ability to nurture instead of create, generating a sense of novelty. The clash's ongoing discussions these past few years had already inspired a wave of new age alchemists that believed this type of clash was greater than the typical Alchemic Clash. 

While the Alchemic Clashes challenged and contested two alchemists against each other based solely on skill, this type of challenge was less binary, and highly reflected an alchemist's ability to produce Alchemic Knights. That said, it was with envious, desirous, and selfish hearts that many wished for this type of Alchemic Clash to become the new standard. 

The reason was quite obvious. 

The Elimination Stage was solely designed to remove the riffraff remaining of the Chosen Knights, bringing the 245 Chosen Knights to an easily manageable number of eighteen. What was special about these eighteen Chosen Knights was that they weren't selected by their cultivation stage, age, or combat strength, but all three with Earthly Saints deciding their overall score.

During the Development Stage's forty-two month period, the Earthly Saints had kept busy by fulfilling their duties as judges, diligently formulating a rubric and scoring system for Chosen Knights. Empress Xiaocheng was a leading proponent of devising this system, contributing significantly to its successful creation. 

Wu Yu had also invested his opinion, especially since he was one of the strongest official Alchemic Knights in today's day and age. While some Earthly Saints had been Alchemic Knights in their younger days, they've outlived their Alchemist by now. 

A depressing reality of devoting your focus to the Alchemic Dao, consuming essential cultivation time in concoction and study, neglecting their own cultivation bases and leading to significantly lower lifespans. Moreover, their continuous exhaustion and recovery of energies damaged their bodies, reducing their lifespan by another portion. 

Those particular Earthly Saints were heavily invested in this scoring system. 

The entire system was highly intricate, carrying two parts: Static and Fluid. They both scaled on a points system of one through five, totaling a score of ten. The Static Scoring was out of the Earthly Saint's control, reflecting the standards of Chosen. While there were many nuances such as age versus cultivation, the Static Scoring system was the unquestionable fair without much input from judges. The Fluid Scoring, however, was based solely on the judge's decision on overall performance. 

There was application of skills, combat strength, gender, cultivation method grade, mastery of arts and spells, comprehension of Intents, etc. These were decided after each battle by every judge, then averaged out to a final score, rounded down. This made it extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, to receive a perfect score. 

Maybe one day, if this competition becomes popular in society, then an unrivaled talent might arise that claims that right. 

With the three Chosen Knights of Wei Wuyin, San Luoyang, and Xun Yicao given an outright exception to the Chosen Stage, they had nothing else to do until it was over. And the competition of over two hundred Chosen Knights was going to be rather long, thrilling for sure, but unquestionably a long stage. 

According to expectations, it would likely last a total of five months. When the fighting officially began, a rule was immediately created: Bestowing an additional point. Out of the thirty-two Yang Growth Phase cultivators, four of them made breakthroughs during the fights or after their fights, typically a loss.

They were awarded an additional point to the Static Scoring System for in-battle comprehension achievement. Even now, the system was growing to account for the unexpected. 

When Du Ling learned that his cultivation base was miles ahead of the rest, he was ecstatic. He spent the months with his children, proudly watching the matches excitedly while giving pointers to Du Ming, Du Ping, and his other family members. He had even given their servants a few pointers. 

He had always felt a divide due to his sub-standard cultivation base and talents in comparison to his children. At times, they might try urging him to cultivate but to no success. It was merely a difficult process that he was unfit for. However, that all changed thanks to Wei Wuyin, and he transformed from a simpleton of cultivation to an astonishing guru. 

Wei Wuyin allowed Du Ling to spend time with his family, occasionally coming along, causing his sons to refer to him as 'Uncle', a strange title that he'd never thought he would hear. Ever. A strange, heart-warming emotion infected his soul, causing him to dote on these sons of Du Ling. 

Luo Ning spent her time diligently studying and fully grasping all that Wei Wuyin left to her, striving to become a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist. As a Mystic Ascendant Realm cultivator with an Alchemic Soul, she possessed the essential requirements to do so. It was clear to those throne-sitting figures that she might become a legitimate Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, but they felt that it was a little unfortunate due to her limited remaining lifespan. 

Regardless, she would have etched her name in the history books should she succeed.

Wei Wuyin had no doubts that she would succeed, especially since she concocted ninth-grade products. Albeit, that was under his instructions, so she hadn't received the recognition of the Alchemic Dao yet. When she feels confident enough to concoct by herself, that'll be her opportunity to reach newfound heights. 

Wei Wuyin didn't rush her. He wanted her to carefully select which ninth-grade product that she wanted to concoct. When she was ready, he would give her some last-minute pointers and wish her the best from the side. Only when she becomes a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist can his next stage of plans start. 

With his cultivation foundation at a maximum limit, Wei Wuyin's Astral Souls expressed their well-intended concern of delaying his advancement. 

Karmic Luck Value: 44,834.2.

First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.

Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.

Third Calamity: Suppressed - 11 Years.

He only had eleven years left before the Third Calamity. Given the rate at which this summit was going, chances were that it might last for longer than the assumed five years, since almost four had been reached, yet the Preliminary Discussions of Chosen Standards hadn't finished, instead being replaced by a different method of choosing who had the right to set these standards. 

Given that this was simply the first segment of the planned summit, this left him feeling stressed. Given his rate of growth with the Echoing Stars of the Vastness Pills, he felt certain that he could reach the Star Core Phase prior to challenging the Third Calamity. While he would still be a Mortal, he would be at the pinnacle of the Mortal Dao. 

Every advantage was welcomed.

"Young Lord, is there something wrong?" Wu Yu soon noticed Wei Wuyin's knitted brows and turbulent thoughts while the Elimination Stage was ongoing. 

They communicated spiritually. "I can't stay any longer," Wei Wuyin admitted. He was fully aware that his next astral tribulation would certainly be pushed to its limits by his Astral Souls, and given how much of an advantage to cultivation he gained from their efforts, he trusted their cultivation process, but this would involve an unimaginable phenomenon. 

He couldn't attempt his ascension here. 

Wu Yu frowned slightly. While he didn't know Wei Wuyin's exact dilemma, he could sense the urgency of the matter. That said, leaving the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit would cause waves of reactions with curious hearts and minds. But who gave a fuck? 

"Shall we leave?" In the end, this summit was laughable when Du Ling walked out, displaying a vast disparity towards Wei Wuyin and the others. After all, Wu Yu was fully aware of what went down in that dome, and Wei Wuyin's casual instructions to an inferior Alchemist had produced Du Ling to this extent. 

Chosen Standards? 

None of it can match Wei Wuyin's future.

Outdated at conception—irrelevant. 

Wei Wuyin inevitably heaved a heavy sigh. He swept his gaze across the Main Hall. There were so many that he wished to see, only capable of leaving behind spiritual transmissions, but the Main Hall wasn't a good setting for their reunion. He slowly nodded, agreeing that leaving was the best. He couldn't delay his cultivation due to the summit. There were far more pressing matters on the horizon. 

Wu Yu stood up from his throne, prompting the other Earthly Saints and supreme Creationist to instantly react. This Grand Knight of Neo-Dawn was a figure they were all cautious towards. They didn't know what he would do. 

While the Mythical Oaths regarding being ganged up on were active, there were no other Mythical Oaths restricting Wu Yu's actions. He could freely slaughter, merely having to deal with the joint retaliation of the stellar region. 

"My Young Lord will be taking his leave of the summit." The declaration was followed by Wu Yu's immediate action, unleashing a gentle wave of mystic power to envelop Wei Wuyin completely. Without waiting for anyone or giving a proper explanation, he utilized Spatial Shift, piercing through the spatial folds of the Main Hall, departing instantly! 

"..." 

What?

-----

Within the subspace, when Wu Yu left, the silver-robed woman's body vanished as well. The expressions of those within the subspace, barring the enigmatic Grand Seer, underwent slight changes.