Paragon of Sin

"...!" Struck by a bout of disbelief, Wei Wuyin was utterly speechless. The triple solar stars of the starfield had suddenly become distant objects within his vision. His heart started to pound mercilessly and violently, causing even his ears to throb ceaselessly.

There was an ever-encroaching and suffocating spiritual pressure pressing against his body, breaching the atmospheric replication of his astral force with utter ease. He felt choked, his mind twisting, his blood and bones squashed by this forceful pressure.

He was currently experiencing the Spiritual Refinement of the Soul Pulse Rings! He swept his gaze around him instantly, noticing the extremely wide ring that encircled him that seemed to expand far beyond the distance of the starfield. Even with his far-seeing sweeping gaze, he still couldn't view the entirety of the cyan-colored ring.

He quickly realized that he was currently situated directly in the center of the Soul Pulse Ring, and his body subjected to its fearsome might without mercy. Fortunately, this level of power was only mildly uncomfortable allowing him time to think clearly.

The four Astral Souls of his were working in a coordinated effort, dispersing powerful spiritual strength outwards to resist. When he saw their current states, he couldn't help but be startled. The little time he had seemed to expand as he felt more comfortable about the situation.

When he recalled what had happened in a moment of spontaneity, he finally understood their plans and intentions.

"You four…" He couldn't help but reveal a wry smile, but it was suffused with a hint of pride at their calculated approach. If he had time to think about the circumstances, he might've launched a similar idea. Considering they were devised from his mind, their cunning and ingenuity originated from his own.

He calmed down, looking around as the fearsome spiritual pressure of the Soul Pulse Ring exerted its might onto him. Afterwards, he found that he was indeed outside the territory of the starfield. There was a blank space that numerous scholars referred to as the Dark Void Sea. If the starfield is centered around its solar stars, orbiting them with calculated and continuous rotation, then the Dark Void Sea was the area where a solar star's inherent orbit ended.

There was no innate gravity subjected in this area, so it lacked a sense of motion and any object beyond or in it could only linger about until it entered their innate gravity or traveled elsewhere.

The distance from the three solar stars and this area was in the tens of billions of miles away. The sheer distance was inconceivable to basic mortals, and many cultivators would find it impossible to reach this location. Even Realmlords might take centuries to go from the sun to here in the Dark Void's uniquely cold-like environment.

He had somehow shifted billions of miles in mere moments, transported here by the Manifested Spirit Energy of the Soul Pulse Rings.

"I see," he bitterly smiled. Currently within the first Soul Pulse Ring of his Astral Tribulation, he discovered their intent. The spiritual pressure aside, the four clearly intended to invoke a Soul-Pulse Manifestation Tribulation to a higher level, in a similar way as they did the Sky-World Lightning Tribulation.

During that tribulation, they shared their innate powers that fooled the tribulation into becoming four times as strong. This was definitely due to their unique circumstances, as they each had the 'same' soul origin but were 'independent' as well. They could share energies based on this principle, elevating each other's cultivation base.

This was something he learned very early on. After Eden and Kratos were born, King and Ori's innate energies were sent into them because their special states made its difficult for them to cultivate like them. It was only after the two became strong enough that they could externalize for longer periods and refine products themselves.

Ori had taken the lead, instigating the Soul-Pulse Manifestation Tribulation using their four connective energies, causing the tribulation to be four times as strong, perhaps even greater depending on the rubric used by the tribulation. Regardless, this would usually make their manifested Soul Idol form and Soul Rings stronger than normal. This was already heaven-defying!

A Soul Ring was an expression of spiritual strength and quality of spiritual energies, so it being reinforced meant these aspects were enhanced. To even delve a little further, spiritual strength was the combined strength of physical, mental, and essence quality inherent within the Astral Soul and Cultivator's body. This would've allowed Wei Wuyin's fleshy body, mental capabilities, and innate energies to rise to extreme levels.

If they went by this, then all four would take their time and accumulate a four times higher standard of Soul Idol of the same level. Working together, he would experience a base enhancement of sixteen times his Soul Idol Rings!

The idea was incredibly brilliant!

But they were extremely brazen, extremely unsatisfied! More manic and relentless than he'd ever conceived! They were scheming for a greater foundation, something beyond what they'd performed for the Second Astral Tribulation. But there was an issue.

The concept of the Soul-Pulse Manifestation Tribulation was set: Wei Wuyin had to travel through them. Of course, he merely needed to succeed the first, then he'd be propelled forward as long as he willingly continued the next tribulation. The size of the Soul Pulse Rings were reflections of its strength, the entire Manifested Spirit Energy gathered by laws of the tribulation.

But the Soul Rings were too large, too far!

If they decided to evoke the largest tribulation possible, they had no idea how far it'd be! It wasn't unthinkable that it'd be beyond their traveling means, no matter how strong they were. So they calculated, they planned, they deviously devised an extremely risky plan that could lead to the complete and total severing of their cultivation path!

To have the Manifested Spirit Energy carry Wei Wuyin to the full tribulation! But he had to come in contact with the first ring at the exact, the 'EXACT', time that they simultaneously merged their Astral Tribulation in unity, making four times into sixteen times! Just a picosecond off, and the tribulation might expand far beyond their means of travel, leaving them with tears but no one to pity them.

That's why they hadn't informed Wei Wuyin. Each cultivator is typically given a single chance at an Astral Tribulation. Even if a crippled cultivator were to be revived, the best that could be done is a reforging of their foundation, allowing their future tribulations to be adjusted, but they could never undergo these tribulations again.

If he failed this one, there was no way for him to proceed on the steps of cultivation.

Its all over...

Knowing Wei Wuyin's innately careful nature, how could he agree to this clearly risky plan! He would've settled for a four times increase in Soul Idol Rings power for each one of them, why forge onwards for an unlikely possibility?

But they were unsatisfied with this, wanting to strive for the best. They didn't want an individual increase of four times minimum, they wanted SIXTEEN! How could the children tell their father they were about to bet the farm in hopes of winning a kingdom?!

Fortunately!

Wei Wuyin's wry smile turned into an amused grin, feeling a sense of pride at the moment. They took a risk he wouldn't, but they knew that he'd want to. And seeing the distance the first ring had traveled, he knew their worries and his own wouldn't have been unfounded. If he had missed the transport shuttle that was the expanding wave of Manifested Spirit Energy, he could only watch from the Yellow Rain Continent in despair.

"I won't say anything because your plan worked. But, now we're faced with an issue." Wei Wuyin's grin slowly faded as his expression revealed a serious pair of eyes.

"What?" Eden was the first to question. Clearly, it had been the mastermind of this bet against all, likely using his unique Alchemical Energies to merge their auras and trick the Astral Tribulation. Now that he thought about it, Wei Wuyin was certain almost all of this was only possible with Eden present.

Wei Wuyin sniffed lightly, "The first Soul Pulse Ring is already this size, this far. Let's put aside the extreme spiritual pressure we'll have to resist as we ascend each ring, even if it'll transport me to the next ring after success, what happens after?"

King, Ori, and Kratos, "..."

Eden, "Hmm."

Wei Wuyin's heart sank once more, a feeling that these little children had tunnel visioned their goal without thinking of the consequences! Even if you bet the farm, can you at least know how you'll rule the Kingdom after?!

HOW THE HELL WAS HE GETTING BACK?!

"Tch," King gave a disdainful tiss, its signature characteristic sound that did little to help any situation. It seemed he wasn't willing to expand any brain power on this. Clearly, it wasn't the brains of the operation.

"We'll figure something out. There's no place I can not go and no cage that can trap me!" Kratos casually spouted some nonsense. The confidence in his voice, however, was quite infectious. Even Wei Wuyin felt that this Draconic Void Soul of his might be able to accomplish the task for a second, but he realized his Bloodline Source was exhausted and his eyelids twitched endlessly.

You're useless right now!

"Lost! Lost! Lost! Yep, we're D-O-O-M-E-D! But at least we have each other!" Ori's optimistic and excited attitude didn't falter for a single moment, but the spelling out their doom was a little worrying. He wasn't sure if it was joking or simply...he didn't even know how to finish that thought. He hoped it was joking!

"..." Eden remained silent. Whether he had a plan or not, Wei Wuyin truly didn't know. But if he knew the truth, that Eden was stumped, he wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Wei Wuyin felt an extremely heavy headache start to pound, but he could do little to alleviate the issue. If they were still in the Dark Void or the Dark Void Sea after this, wouldn't they just die? He truly didn't know what to feel at the moment. On the bright side, he didn't feel as horrible and bleak as he did when he learned about the Calamities of Hell.

What was being lost and dying in the Dark Void in comparison to having one's soul rent into nothingness?! It truly seemed a little insignificant.

"Haha," he laughed heartily. All Wei Wuyin had to do at the moment was take one step at a time, since he was the father-figure of these four, he'll figure it out. It was his job to clean up their messes anyway, right? With this, he refocused his mind to the current task at hand: the Soul-Pulse Manifestation Tribulation.