Paragon of Sin

The Terra-Mystic Ore became a dazzling piece of rock with indescribable colors! Wei Wuyin had never perceived these colors before, finding them impossible to place, absolutely incapable of describing! They were beyond mortal perception, beyond mortal limits of visual means!

Flitting within the rock like perpetual, never-ending cosmic comets flowing through it were strange, exotic runes. He had seen runes like these before! His eyes focused heavily on these runes, trying to catch a complete glimpse of them, but their speed was explosively fast, far too difficult to catch.

He tried to execute his Celestial Eyes alongside the Alchemic Stars, but found them conflicting, with only one of them taking precedence. Unable to proceed in this manner, he no longer tried to catch a thorough glimpse of the runes, simply inspecting the ore's peculiarities.

Earlier, when he approached the celestial rogue that contained the Terra-Mystic Mine and its precious ore, he had activated the Alchemic Stars in an attempt to verify his assumption that the ore and earth were separate entities, one mystic and one mortal. If so, he could transmute earth to wind, instantly separating the ore from the earth.

The plan worked, but he discovered something very interesting! Before his Alchemic Stars of Mortal Spirituality, the Intent of the Alchemic Dao, he realized he could visibly see the differences between them! The Alchemic Stars was an ability gifted to him after successfully concocting the Everlore Ascension Pill, but he hadn't felt it was very useful.

While it could perceive Alchemic Spirit Remnants, he hadn't discovered other abilities. He thought it wasn't very useful, as not all Intent was beneficial. Even while he concocted products, it served no use that he could see. He didn't understand why the Alchemic Dao would bestow such a gift to Mortal Sovereign Alchemists.

As for Alchemic Spirit Remnants, he was aware of its existence even before the Alchemic Stars manifested. There have been numerous Evil Cultivators and Alchemists who've extracted the remnant efficacy of alchemical products from cultivators, either to cultivate themselves or concoct strange products.

He didn't need to observe it to extract it at his skill-level. But after thinking about it, the Alchemic Stars had allowed him to perceive Su Mei's shattered world and react. If it wasn't for that, he would've been forced to look at a still image of Su Mei as she died.

The Alchemic Stars of Mortal Spirituality was an ocular-type Intent, and the first one he'd ever seen or perceived. Unable to spare the time on wild experiments, he hoped to find answers in more advanced civilizations or the thick tome he had obtained from the Alchemic Association.

Unfortunately, the latter was uneventful and the former had yet to fully manifest itself. While he was certain the Everlore Association or one of the many forces with Mortal Sovereign Alchemists might have detailed information, he was unable to acquire it at this moment. After all, even Wang Yutian said Mortal Sovereign Alchemists were terrifying, and he felt it had to do with this strange Intent.

After noticing this unique power of the Alchemic Stars, he gradually realized that he might've held a piece to the puzzle that was transcendent-quality products.

"When I unintentionally concocted the transcendent-quality World-Light Refraction Elixir, I hypothesized that my Zenith Origin State had inadvertently interacted and introduced an unknown element during the concoction process. This caused the quality to elevate. However, after a lot of testing, I came to a few conclusions and realizations.

"Firstly, whatever happened wasn't a million to one chance. I've concocted tens of millions of products since my Sky Ruler Astral Tribulation, from pellets, pills, elixirs, and vats of paste, not a single one of them is of that quality. This meant the probability of it happening was infinitesimally small. It was just a happy accident that it came out transcendent-quality.

"Secondly, the transcendent-quality has something to do with this mystic intent or perhaps even tainted mana with its qualities. But I'm still a mortal, I'm unable to even perceive it. Until now, of course." Wei Wuyin grabbed the ore with his left hand. While it seemed different in his eyes, in his hand it felt like an ordinary piece of ore.

"Lastly, Zenith Origin State is critical. My personalized mana has a special quality that can attract, even introduce mystic intent or mystic-graded mana into my concoction process." The ability to do so was why he had the outrageous thought that he could normalize the concoction of transcendent-quality products. It was just an idle thought, but his astral souls believed in his outrageous idea, in him!

He now had two objects of mysticism, the Terra-Mystic Ore and Mystic Origin Liquid. They were both mystic-graded materials, and they both embodied two different states of matter and purpose. The Terra-Mystic Ore was used to forge tools and objects, which meant it contained Mystic Intent and Mystic Essence.

The Mystic Origin Liquid was used for cultivators to comprehend Mystic Intent or act as a means to artificially halt an Ascension, mostly regarding the Third Ascension, the tribulation to enter the Demi-Mortal Lord Phase, the Third Stage of the Mystic Ascendant Realm.

They had two interesting qualities and effects. Most notably, the Mystic Origin Liquid. While naming doesn't strictly suggest a connection, he felt that Mystic Origin Liquid was actually condensed mystic-graded mana in liquid state. And when he saw it in Wu Yu's hand, and finally obtained it in his own hands, he knew it was true!

Mana was often in liquid form when condensed, even the Spiritual Mana used to concoct the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill was uniquely refined mana made through man-made means. There were all sorts of liquid mana materials in the cultivation world, both artificial and natural.

With this discovery, he had a thought. A fascinatingly powerful thought! His Zenith Origin State Astral Souls were abnormalities that had leapt the barrier of cultivation conventions, directly evolving from their Zenith Mortal States. As for the Zenith Origin State? It must belong to those in the Mystic Ascendant Realm!

He had asked Wu Yu about other states of Astral Souls long ago during his discussions with him, but even Wu Yu was ignorant of it despite reaching the Soul of Mysticism Phase, the Second Stage of the Mystic Ascendant Realm! If so, Wei Wuyin felt it was only a state one could reach while in the Mystic Ascendant Realm, but not an automatically developed trait upon Ascension, just like the various levels of Mortal States.

With this theory in mind, he believed in his chances of successfully concocting transcendent-quality products now! In truth, he felt a slithering feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to concoct Mystic-Rank products prior to the Mystic Ascendant Realm. Just maybe, of course.

Lacking any mystic-tier concoction methods, he couldn't even test out this thought, so he shelved it. One should walk before they decide to fly.

Wei Wuyin interacted with his four Astral Souls, invoking their unique Zenith Origin State mana control. He deeply inspected the two objects, both the Terra-Mystic Ore and the Mystic Origin Liquid. With an unwavering gaze, the chaos mana in the environment trembled, but was kept out by his physical aura.

"Come on." Wei Wuyin pressed harder, trying to raise a reaction from the objects. He directly expelled a breath of his personally refined mana, sending it engulfing the ore. With his adroit control over mana, he churned it.

The ore's strange runes seemed to be faintly affected. But his eyes widened as he noticed the ore observing his mana, and the speed of those runes that were like high-speed comets of the cosmos had risen considerably. Unable to follow their trails anymore, he halted to observe.

After an hour of this accelerated state, the ore calmed down, seemingly exhausting whatever fuel his refined mana had given it. "Curious," this type of reaction was almost chemical. He didn't expect it.

He tried a few other experimental actions. Even trying to crush it! But he discovered that his strongest might was unable to even distort its shape by a millimeter, quickly realizing one of the many reasons why it was so difficult to mine!

He smelt it with elemental origin fire, tried to use alchemic force to refine it, and even tried to eat it like Bai Lin but to no avail. His teeth couldn't even dent it, and it was completely indigestible. While he might have the bloodline of a True Dragon, the ability to refine raw materials through his stomach was not an ability he gained. Unfortunately...

Turning to the Mystic Origin Liquid, all six drops in that small vial, he saw tiny, very tiny runes floating within, but their colors were just as indistinguishable and the runes were unable to be seen, clouded by a ceaseless series of ripples that masked it. It was as if it was deliberately blocking his vision.

Wei Wuyin pondered on this subject. Was he unworthy? Was the speed of movement and ripples just manifestations meant to prevent him from observing the qualities of mysticism prematurely? Was it detrimental?

He halted his experiments for a long, long while. He decided to meditate on this. If this was detrimental to his cultivation, then there might be severe consequences in doing this as a mere mortal.

Nine days later.

With a soft breath, he steeled his heart. After considerable consideration, he decided to push through.

"About time," Kratos commented. Its tone was filled with relief at Wei Wuyin's decision.

"I knew he'd decide to do it! I knew it! I knew it!" Ori excitedly shouted. She had been forced to remain silent because while they had their own paths, this was Wei Wuyin's cultivation path. They couldn't directly interfere. At least, that's what Eden told them.

"Fearless," Eden said this one word and went silent.

"Tch," King felt this was pointless. If problems arise, just end it. Wasn't it that simple?

However, despite their comments and thoughts, they were all in joint agreement that this type of risk was Wei Wuyin's to decide. They always took risks on their paths, nearly killing themselves and Wei Wuyin a few times, but comprehension was solely for Wei Wuyin. They respected that, just like Wei Wuyin who respected and trusted their world-shaking, life-threatening decisions.

Wei Wuyin solemnly stared at the Mystic Origin Liquid, then at the Terra-Mystic Ore. His eyes looked deeply at both, inspecting them both. And then...

Eureka!

A light exploded violently in his mind. He finally figured it out! He stored the Mystic Origin Liquid in his robes, staring at the ore with an abundantly bright gaze suffused with joy.

"I think I found the key! The key to transcendent-quality!" Wei Wuyin exclaimed.

"What? You did? What is it? What is it?!" Ori immediately asked, its curiosity as boundless as its raging excitement!

"...!" Eden was connected to Wei Wuyin's mind, so he realized the comprehension, and it shook slightly within his Sea of Consciousness.

"..." Kratos and King remained silent, but the fast-paced, explosive heart-throbs were unable to be hidden!

Wei Wuyin faintly smiled, "It's not a what..."

A strange rippling fluctuation started to emit in the Dark Void. It was extremely erratic, as if a gigantic mountain was smashed into a vast ocean, creating incredible waves!

"KREE!"

Wei Wuyin lifted his gaze to observe the fluctuations, his smile turned into a grin.. "It's a who."