Paragon of Sin

RUMBLE!!

The vast blank canvas of darkness, illuminated by five Absolute-sized Solar Stars of True Solar Light composed of thirty-three intrinsically profound energies and essences was briefly shaken by a vigorous tremble throughout. The current area was without any starry borders or visual links to the Dark Void's star-filled skies. It was an area of stable space with boundaries that stretched for billions of miles.

This was the special location by which the Chosen King Competition was placed within. It was egregiously vast. From here, realms such as the Stellar Nest, the Endless Voyage Realm, the Sealed Region, and others could be felt. The Ascendants and a few Chosen instantly recognized the harmonious mortal and mystic aura of the Neo-Dawn Defiant Star, Baby Defiant!

Despite not seeing it, it could be felt! This included the Sealing Array of the Sealed Regions and the Spatial Vortex of the Endless Voyage Realm. The feeling was quite suffocating. Despite this, they all executed their respective cultivation methods and focused solely on cultivation. If troubles occurred or this realm was to collapse, they wholeheartedly believed that their Ascendant Emperor would single-handedly uphold the heavens.

There was no need to hesitate or feel fear.

This level of trust was unprecedented, but Wei Wuyin's decades of fame and heaven-defying feats justified every iota of it. If he wasn't concerned, they surely didn't have the right to be! Even if he was concerned, they simply had to listen to his orders and shoulder it all if they could!

Seeing the Ascendants cultivator, the Chosen were mostly composed of keen cultivators who understood how to seize incoming opportunities. If not for that, they would never be able to enjoy their current successes. While a few were extremely slow in realization or overwhelmed by fear from the gigantic Solar Stars surrounding them, most hurriedly began to emulate the others and executed their cultivation methods, and circulated their cultivation bases. Throughout the world, cocoons of light formed around their bodies.

Some were of a single color amongst the thirty-three ones seen on the surface of the stars, and others were multicolored.

The cocoons of light were growing increasingly larger by the second. Within the first few breaths of time, Wu Baozhai's cocoon was already five miles in radius. Whenever two cocoons almost touched, they were gently pushed away until both sides could occupy the area safely until roughly five hundred feet of distance between them remained.

Most of the regular Ascendants had four to five colored cocoons that were between two miles and three. They were in a concentrated state of cultivation after preparing thoroughly, and their absorption rates were incredible. Clearly, none of their cultivation methods were ordinary.

Na Xinyi's cocoon was among the top five largest, roughly six and a half miles in radius. She exuded a wisp of Divine Origin, Supreme Yin, and Extreme Yin, summoning forth over twenty-eight colors to her. She was attracting both the Yin-centric energies and Yang-centric energies like a lightning rod. Despite hers not being the largest, she was the second highest in quantity of varied energies.

San Yongli's cocoon was seven miles in radius and she summoned sixteen different colors. However, her cocoon size fluctuated oddly. It went from seven to nine erratically. Moreover, the sixteen colors shifted. If it was counted based on the sheer varied quantity she was drawing over as a whole, she would be number one, but sixteen seemed to be the Temporal Reincarnator's limit.

Tian Yinwu was the number one in size and varied lights, spanning nine miles and all thirty-three colors. The array was still functioning, drawing additional strength to supplement his cultivation and talents. It was hard to determine his exact strength.

Wei Wuyin was distracted by the Heavenly Daos' developing aura. When he felt Tian Yinwu's exertion of control of the array, further strengthening his cultivation efforts, Wei Wuyin once again realized that his duties were not done. He tapped into his link with the array, acting as a scalpel, and establishing connections with each Ascendant. Within a blink of an eye, all of the Ascendants' cocoons increased by three and a half miles consistently.

The benefit of being a hammer was that Wei Wuyin could withstand greater strain than a scalpel. The assistance that Tian Yinwu could provide to certain individuals while trying to maximize his gains was considerably less. Additionally, Wei Wuyin didn't need to cultivate personally, further allowing him to not divide his attention.

The four Astral Souls were primed to make a move, but they stayed their hands as they felt the Heavenly Daos' aura too.

"This space is interconnected between many different realms. Was the Heavenly Daos preparing something to breach through after Tian Yinwu's plans succeeded?" Wei Wuyin considered as he drew upon his knowledge of the Heavenly Daos' habits and machinations. Just as he was about to inspect the world-

RUMBLE!

Wei Wuyin's eyes darted to a different area. He felt a familiar mark of his from there! The Stellar Nest!

Within the Stellar Nest, the chilled transparent surface filled with mist and darkness was no longer being violently rammed into by a scaled existence. They were particularly vicious, causing the cracks that had manifested earlier to expand and extend across greater degrees of the surface.

Wei Wuyin frowned. Was the All-Ending Stellar Calamity about to unfold? Was the feeling he had correct? That he was directly responsible for it? The thought didn't bring about fear and he grinned amusingly. Within his silver eyes executing his Celestial Eyes of Spiritual Divinity was a flash of noticeable excitement. He was tempted to assist.

However, he pressed that feeling back as it wasn't time yet. Suddenly, Baby Defiant's radiance retracted, no longer sending Solar Light outwards. The various formations on the Defiant Dawn and World Dawn activated, providing soulful, non-solar-based radiance. This prevented the entire starfield from being plunged into a sudden darkness and terrifying its citizens.

When it did, the rumbling abruptly ceased.

"Be still for now," using the Minor Laws of Imperial and Space, Wei Wuyin transmitted this mental transmission. With the imprint, he could bypass the Sealing Array's restrictive aura as it was unleashing its overbearing inspection, preventing every exertion of power except the act of cultivation.

Wei Wuyin sounded like a firm parent who had taken candy from their baby's mouth, punishing them for being bad. When there was no response, Wei Wuyin nodded and turned the lights back on. Little Defiant's effusion of enriched solar light and essence resumed.

The cracks on the surface of that strange ground only grew thicker and longer. In truth, Wei Wuyin was a little overbearing at this moment. After all, Tian Yinwu's suggestion was crazed to an extreme. Wei Wuyin hadn't siphoned energy from the Stellar Nest, but directly from the existence beneath it. Moreover, due to his imprint, it couldn't resist without ruining thousands of years of effort. Its anger was warranted entirely.

In its eyes, Wei Wuyin's aura at that time was no different than the Sealing Array itself. Of course, that was furthest from the truth.

"It's just a little bit of energy. You don't have to do so much," Wei Wuyin commented lightly.

BOOM!!!

A sound like a thunderous explosion erupted. Fortunately, the lack of proper molecular movement in this unique environment made the transmission of thunderous sound waves impossible, so not even Tian Yinwu noticed. They were all consumed by the desire for cultivation and the rate of continuous improvement.

The accumulation of Karmic Luck finally erupted. A comet of mysterious clear light blitzed through the strange space, piercing through from outside. It was as large as a tiny-sized planet with a blazing trailing tail. Wei Wuyin's eyes brightened considerably as he felt the Heavenly Daos' continuous impulse-sending efforts to tell him how exceptional this thing might be.

The speed it was moving could exceed Earthly Saints, yet Wei Wuyin didn't have to chase like a normal Blessed would, trying to gain this opportunity by using all sorts of means. With a soft breath, he executed his Draconic Void Force infused with Minor Laws of Space and Time and yanked his right arm, starting as a claw into a tightened fist.

Within a flash, the comet dissipated as it traveled into nothingness. A clear smoke surfaced from the fingers of Wei Wuyin's enclosed fist.

"What's this..." Wei Wuyin opened his palm and his eyes constricted slightly. Within his palm was a tiny object no larger than a baby's fist. It was throbbing faintly like a beating heart. The shape was odd, and hard to describe, but resembled an uncut diamond with extreme clarity.

"IS THAT?!" The Heavenly War Spirit immediately recognized it.

Wei Wuyin had an idea as well!

"Where did this come from?!" The Heavenly War Spirit was entirely unaware of Wei Wuyin's Blessed status and his profit of Karmic Luck from eradicating a hoard of sinners most perfectly and completely, supplementing their souls to prevent an unnatural dissipation that went against the Heavenly Daos' Commandments. Therefore, her shock was genuine as it seemed as if Wei Wuyin had just pulled something from afar out of sheer randomness.

Wei Wuyin thoughtfully replied, "This space is connected to more than just the Sealed Regions and the Endless Voyage Realm. It might be connected to areas linked with the Battlefield itself." Since the Battlefield was linked to the Azure-Prime Galactic Region which has multiple ways to interact with it, there might be all sorts of strange connections considering the Battlefield was not limited to just the Azure-Prime Galactic Region.

This could have, theoretically, come from literally anywhere in the vast Dark Void.

"Is it natural or artificial?" Wei Wuyin asked as he eyed the faintly throbbing crystal.

"..." The Heavenly War Spirit inspected the crystal for a moment and then made a judgment: "Natural."

Wei Wuyin's expression grew dignified. To think that this was the blessing of the Heavenly Daos! It was none other than the World-Defying Celestial Heart!

[Item]: World-Defying Celestial Heart.

[Exchange Rate]: 8,000,000 War Souls.

[Availability]: Champion.

[Description]: Can be refined by Soul Light. A second chance at life in the face of death.

The description on the Champion's List was succinct, yet the implication was unimaginable. Moreover, the cost was unfathomably high! Greater than the War Talisman and the Heavenly War Spirit combined! It was essentially a second life!

"Let's cultivate!" Kratos grumbled in a roar.

"Tch," King echoed.

"We shouldn't wait too long," Eden sagely advised.

"Don't waste Little Defiant's efforts. Don't waste, don't waste!" Ori urged.

Wei Wuyin realized that he had spent too much time inspecting the World-Defying Celestial Heart. Despite only two or three seconds having passed, the five Solar Stars had shrunk by a noticeable three percent. These cultivators were all talented maniacs with talents long since amplified by the Alchemic Dao.

"Okay, okay. Have fun," Wei Wuyin smilingly said as his four Astral Souls externalized! They began to circulate their own intrinsically innate method for cultivation. He hadn't had to rely on his limitations on talent or absorption rate for their cultivation. It was why they could rapidly refine products at an insane speed.

Within a blink of an eye, four eighteen-mile radius cocoons formed. Wei Wuyin laughed spiritedly. Then, he shot upwards and cleared enough space for himself. Sitting cross-legged, he began to circulate his Stellar-Paragon Physique! Dantian! Meridians! Sea of Consciousness! It's not as if they were the only ones that could cultivate!

Within a blink of an eye, a thirty-three-mile radius cocoon of thirty-three colors formed around him!!! The Stellar-Paragon Physique wasn't something they could rival! Wei Wuyin was a terrifying, heaven-defying cultivator himself!

Just like this, the five Solar Stars began to rapidly shrink.

[Author's Note: To those who haven't made the connection yet! The World-Defying Celestial Heart and the Soul-Defying Celestial Heart of CEDS(Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies) have a strong connection! ^_^ To those who know. They know.]