Paragon of Sin

A world ruled by beasts is sure to be savage and harsh, right? Young Master Shang continued as he drank, staring at the starry stretches of the immeasurably vast world. Well, you'll be right. For some, it's downright hell on earth. For others, it's paradise. But even that paradise is relative to hell's vicious conditions.

Wei Wuyin took a swig too. He knew that Young Master Shang was unclear about the truths of Hell's brutality and viciousness, so his comparison wasn't meant to be taken literally, but doing so made him chuckle. Just the Second and Third Calamities were enough to shatter minds and souls to complete eradication, and when describing these conditions to Wei Wuyin who had triumphantly survived a world of hellfire and soul-severing swords...

It was amusing, to say nothing else.

"Why paradise? Beasts aren't all unintelligent existences, and while their standards and way of logic might differ from the norm, they have notions of enslavement and concepts of monarchies. When I visited, I found a few locations where humans lived normally-on the surface. However, beneath that normality was a world of sinister death and flowing blood. I think it'll be best for you to experience it yourself."

Wei Wuyin softly grunted in agreement. "What you describe is no different than normal societies anyhow," shaking his head, the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor was entirely unsurprised by the Heavenly War Spirit or Young Master Shang's accounts of the Sky Heart Galaxy.

After talking for a little while, Young Master Shang spoke a little about his Treasured Vale Galaxy's conditions and the Blessed Yri Empire's fundamental laws and principles by which they operated. While he didn't explain everything, he did describe the galaxy as 'really strong'. He slyly warned that Wei Wuyin should be respectful after and that being low-key was best until they figured out the situation.

In truth, Wei Wuyin was already aware that the Blessed Yri Empire's opinions on his existence were already antagonistic to an extent, and Young Master Shang's plan to convince him to back off was filled with somewhat good intentions. Any normal cultivator who heard of these circumstances would retreat and hope that they wouldn't have trouble descending upon them.

Unfortunately, Wei Wuyin was someone that dared to exploit the heavens or challenge Hell itself as a mere freaking mortal.

Eventually, Wei Wuyin was alone as Young Master Shang returned to rest. The drunken young master was already aware that this gliding across the Void-Blank Space was a mere formality and only when Wei Wuyin decided to execute another Void Portal Creation would they find themselves in the Sky Heart Galaxy.

Kratos was currently in a state of deep cultivation, attempting to completely enter and consolidate its First Level of the Mark of Mystic Myth. It was a situation that was causing his Stellar-Paragon Physique to work overtime to withstand, especially given his current status as a Mortal. Due to this, he couldn't use his Draconic Void Bloodline Energy to execute Void Portal Creation: Galactic Range and would have to use his Draconic Void Starforce only instead.

He preferred not to.

Suddenly, Wei Wuyin's eyes shone with a mad intensity.

"We're ready!" Eden announced.

Ori was giggling excitedly. "Ready! Ready! Ready!"

"Tch," King added.

Wei Wuyin was taken aback. He intended to put their plan into motion after leaving the White Abyssal Galaxy, but Kratos' current situation forced him to delay, and he wasn't against it given the leap that Kratos dared to take.

"No! No! Too long!" Ori tried to explain, but her excitement and urging left her speaking incomprehensible words.

Eden came to save the day, "As our cultivation progresses, so do our needs, and while our refinement times have always been swift and ease of refinement at the pinnacle given that we do so directly without the unnecessary process of funneling it through you, the amount that Kratos had consumed was not small nor was it low-quality. To put it simply, we've estimated the length of time to fully convert the entire portion of that White Abyss into its cultivation, but just the small portion he's currently refining could take several years. The entire thing may take a century or two."

"..." Wei Wuyin was caught completely off-guard. He had so many questions floating in his mind.

"Tch," King urged Eden to explain more and to be concise.

"Okay, okay." Eden could only try its best. The only reason Wei Wuyin was surprised here was that Kratos was so bad at explaining things and said more nonsense than Ori sometimes while seeming entirely ignorant of its own powers besides being able to escape and enter any place at any time, a rather annoying habit exacerbated by its True Dragon-level arrogance.

Slowly, the Alchemic Eden Astral Soul began to gather its thoughts and tried to simplify it to its limits. In the end, whether out of frustration or a realization, it replied with: "Kratos is being reckless."

Upon hearing that, Wei Wuyin felt a click in his mind like thunder. What was 'reckless' exactly? For others, it could be courting death, causing trouble, or being stupid, but for the four Astral Souls, Solar Star, Nascent Saber Soul, and the young Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor, this term was best to describe as attempting to do something utterly heaven-defyingly mad!

It was all three!

"I see," Wei Wuyin commented lightly. "Will the plan be affected by its absence?"

"Absence? Kratos will be THERE! We need to do this FOR Kratos! For his RECKLESSNESS!" Ori giggled louder. Only then was Wei Wuyin enlightened, connecting the dots of what they wished to do.

Reckless indeed!

Nodding inwardly with a calm understanding, Wei Wuyin sent his senses into his Mind's Eye to view the Defiant-sized Solar Star, Little Defiant!

The World-Bound Star Domain possessed a Star Soul that was incredibly advanced. Whether it was Element or Little Defiant, they both were far more intelligent, self-aware, and emotional than commonly known. Every single time Wei Wuyin beckoned for Little Defiant's assistance, the feelings of warmth and protective love permeated from its soul as well as its readiness to fight off stars for countless years for him, if needed.

It was difficult to properly articulate how Little Defiant's conscious desire to protect Wei Wuyin with tender love allowed their perfect coexistence. However, just imagining the consequences of having a Defiant-sized Solar Star in one Mind's Eye without any additional protections or Controlling Domain Methods commonly deployed by other cultivators was enough to realize that Little Defiant and Wei Wuyin's relationship was special on an unfathomable level.

Observing Little Defiant, Wei Wuyin used his Mental Incarnation to raise his hand toward it, gently asking: "Are you ready?"

"..."

It began to release numerous solar flares that could eradicate small starfields. There was some anxiety within, this was abundantly clear, but within the depths of its Star Soul was a pulsating madness on par with Wei Wuyin and his Astral Souls. At the same time, Wei Wuyin's gaze suffused with a distinct madness that was nearly tapping into the extreme depths of insanity.

This madness slowly was subdued by rationality and his Heart of Cultivation, reinforcing his will and using it as fuel to empower himself.

"Hehe!" Ori's giggle fell into madness as well!

"Tch. Always forward," King declared, no-DEMANDED!

...

Eden didn't speak any words, but the throbbing roots of its Astral Soul's manifestation were indicative of its feelings that were no less intense than the others.

Wei Wuyin jumped onto the railing with his spine straight, his robes fluttering without wind, and his silvery gaze piercing across the vast cosmos, seemingly entering a world that existed in a different dimensional layer.

The four Astral Souls had long since made ample preparations, so Kratos wasn't needed. In fact, they had gathered sufficient strength to act as long as someone guided their intent, even if all four of them were in deep seclusion. Wei Wuyin was the fulcrum of this venture, they simply needed to stabilize themselves.

Wei Wuyin channeled his Stellar-Paragon Physique to its extreme limits, tapping into the wisp of Mortal Dao blessing that was deeply entrenched within it.

"I apologize ahead of time," Wei Wuyin was about to unleash all of their stored strength to pierce through the Void! His Celestial Eyes were targeting a single location!

Kratos had once said that no place could prison it and that there was no place it could not enter! It had once boldly declared taking the initiative and attacking Hell itself before! As well as simply leaving! While it was likely just babbling nonsense of a True Dragon's pride, the fact that Kratos had the inkling of desiring to do so was a sign that potentially in the future...it very well may be able to!

The unique Void Space that served as the basis of Star Ascension, the birthplace of all Solar Stars! The location of every Star Core Astral Tribulation-the Samsara of Stars!

When Wei Wuyin had assailed the Mortal Star Formation Tribulation, Ori and King's Stars that had challenged them and blessed them with a greater understanding of their paths, slowly guiding them to the outcome of reaching that stage, the very peak of the Astral Core Realm and forming their very own star, was born in this very place!

Gathering an enormous amount of Draconic Void Starforce supported by Omega Saber Starforce, Alpha Origin Starforce, and Alchemic Eden Starforce, Wei Wuyin was about to leap forward! He was going to enter the Samsara of Stars! By force!

However, as he took a single step forward, treating the chaos mana of the Void-Blank Space as a stepping stone, the Mortal Dao blessing within Wei Wuyin's body thrummed. Halting his steps, Wei Wuyin's eyes widened as a sliver of a crack appeared before him within the fabric of space.

Wei Wuyin felt a unique aura emanating from within. The crack began to widen just enough to fit his body.

Suddenly, he heard a voice that was difficult to distinguish in terms of tone, gender, or quality, as hazy and indistinct as a dense, colorless fog, yet its intent was as clear as Little Defiant's radiant brilliance.

"Lord of Stars..."

Three words and Wei Wuyin's mind swirled with the force of a raging tempest.

It wasn't talking to him!

It wasn't meant for him!!

Little Defiant's will had coincided perfectly with his own, and its intent to enter the Samsara of Stars had been received and met with acceptance...by the Mortal Dao! The crack within the Void enlarged enough to fit Wei Wuyin's body exactly. In fact, it seemed the Mortal Dao was...waiting for Little Defiant!

...

Wei Wuyin, King, Eden, and Ori. They were all surprised!

The Lord of Stars! This was a title that none of them had expected to hear, from the Mortal Dao nonetheless!

Wei Wuyin felt Little Defiant's urges, and he could only smile excitedly as he didn't hesitate any longer. He leapt right in! The crack disappeared the instant his body vanished within.

Samsara of Stars.

Wei Wuyin found himself once again in this strange Void. It was fundamentally different from fixed, stable, or chaotic spaces, and it felt on a higher level of creation and purpose. Given that it served as the natural birthplace of all Solar Stars made by the Mortal Dao's Star Ascension, including the resting place and recycling center of Starlord's Star Cores upon death, Wei Wuyin was still astonished.

Floating in the depths of this space, there was only emptiness. The actual space likely rivaled the entirety of the Mortal Dao's territory! That could be the entire universe!

"Let's begin!" Wei Wuyin announced.

Little Defiant began to move! To leave Wei Wuyin's Mind's Eye for the first time since its birth!

[Author's Note: Title callback?! Everything's relevant! XD -Chapter 1219.]