Thunderous waves of shock struck the hearts and minds of a few scant observers. These observers were barely qualified to involve themselves as mere spectators, originally gathered together to restrain each other from acting as participants; they had been forced to work by the explosion of Long Shiya's Resonant Soul. Their unified effort diffused all danger toward the galaxy, reinforcing the Utmost-Heaven Guardian Array.
They were none other than the Dao Enforcers of the Zenith Towers.
Never had they expected that a death, a genuine death of a Resonant Soul Realm expert would unfold here, let alone one that resulted in the devastating detonation of their Resonant Soul that nearly overturned the galaxy's safety and celestial alignments. While Sovereign Darkmother and Sovereign Littlefather had died, this was tacitly allowed and faintly involved several contests between Zeniths, deliberately ensuring no reinforcements or escape could be achieved.
They insidiously dipped their hands in the pot, ensuring their deaths. This was a combined, deliberate, and purposeful effort from the shadows by seven Heaven-Saint Alchemists and several Supreme Sages, a few of whom were Superior Sages. Their deaths were unsurprising, regarded by the highest authority as 'purifying' the Alchemic Dao of the galaxy.
But Long Shiya was not part of any intricate or well-thought-out plan where they either manipulated, guided, or hindered the progression of a reincarnated Cardinal Sage in their little game. This entire smear campaign against the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor and the subsequent gathering of Supreme Sages was largely a foreign or non-core galactic organization's plan.
Out of all the Supreme Sages involved, very few were connected to the Zeniths themselves, such as Superior Duan, Palace Master of the Peerless Shadow Pavilion, who was disliked by almost all the Zeniths, seeing this clandestine force as a necessary force of the cultivation world and their own interests.
This crusade against the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor was almost exclusively executed by the Archanids, drawing strength from outside, clearly unwilling to allow the Zeniths to participate in any capacity. In the eyes of Supreme Sages, these top-tier alchemists of an entire galaxy thrived in a culture of playing the heavens like a game. They rarely considered others' interests, often divided between themselves, and dismissed others as inconsequential and irrelevant for their so-called 'fun'.
Superior Black Widow had even invoked a difficult-to-cultivate favor to force them to be excluded and not involve themselves so as to have far fewer variables. If not, there were bound to be Zeniths who wanted Wei Wuyin to triumph and Zeniths who wanted them to fail and while this might seem to be the same result they were exclusive in a freestyle bound to be Zeniths who wanted Wei Wuyin to triumph and Zeniths who wanted them to fail, and while this might seem to be the same result, they were exclusive in a freestyle game setting.
There was no way they would ever lean toward the failure or death of an officially recognized Heavenly Saint Alchemist of a genuine pedigree, possessed or not. The Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint was an alchemist etched into the Alchemic Dao after all!
Moreover, this wasn't even the end of it.
However, the subsequent results of this developing reality continuously generated unimaginable reactions. Within the Utmost Unity Mind-Realm, the Zeniths, Dao Enforcers, and a few privileged companions were observing several spiritual mirrors displaying events with agape expressions or eyes widened with awe.
Within one of the mirrors, they had just witnessed what others couldn't even observe: Wei Wuyin killing Sovereign Goliath Bird!!
While they couldn't observe the chaos with any clarity, only showing white static-like imagery, the fiery field of the absurd quantity of pellets and the clash prior to Long Shiya's Resonant Soul's abrupt detonation was something they had all witnessed first- hand through these spiritual mirrors.
It all started with Wei Wuyin's arrival. He had actually been outside the galaxy, a fact that even they weren't aware of. Then, he had somehow brought forth an unknown Supreme Sage, and their strength was not some unconsolidated, newly ascended Supreme Sage, yet their identity was entirely new. A fact that was so unbelievable that few would understand.
There was no hiding a Resonant Soul Realm ascension, so every successful Supreme Sage was dutifully recorded and given an almost full background check that was publicly available to be purchased by many information-distributing organizations across the Holy Void of Fortune. It wouldn't be wrong to say that every Resonant Soul Realm cultivator was well-known across the galactic cluster.
The only exceptions were those who ascended beyond the Mystic Ascendant Realm while enveloped in a Faux-Immortal Array, such as the Onestar Galaxy. At most, they would have to send physical entities inside to gather information, which was rarely ever successful enough to get complete details.
Rewinding on events...
WEIGH wei wuymanivou, ung uoviaration waɔ yivering suponuE SHIEL
"Who is that?!" Enforcer Bound-Spirit exclaimed upon seeing the new Supreme Sage. However, no one answered his question, not even Superior Shizi and Suo Haoran, especially the latter who often bought pricier information and trivial details on Supreme Sages. He was equally as taken aback, unable to find any idea who this was.
"A disguise," Suo Haoran confidently proclaimed. As someone erudite in Supreme Sage history, he was confident that this person was hiding their identity. This was enough to diffuse the growing confusion in a few of their hearts.
When the disguised Supreme Sage was plotted against by three Supreme Sages, sealed by a Soul-Sigil Chained Pearl, Enforcer Maleficent-Chaos scoffed with disdain. "Not a very useful Dao Protector," her words contained an intent to sting. That Supreme Sage was sealed far too easily.
Now, her so-called alchemist was by his lonesome facing an unknown threat against Supreme Sage-level cultivators. A pathetic display.
"They're making their move!" Zenith Transforming Worlds shouted as the images were slowed down as Heaven-Saint Thunderhaven, Superior Duan, and Superior Yujin, alongside a near-crippled Long Shiya, used this opportunity to strike at Wei Wuyin.
What followed verified many of their thoughts. Wei Wuyin's original body seemed to possess only Mystic Power, not Resonant Qi of the Heavens. He was a Mystic Ascendant Realm cultivator, and at most, he operated under two separate cultivation systems: his original cultivation and the possessed body. This aligned perfectly with his usage of Heavenly Treasures and usage of Mystic Force. It was the only reasonable conclusion, after all.
However, Wei Wuyin's Ascension Art was nigh-instantaneous and powerful despite his cultivation base; the song of the Mystic Dao also verified that the original body's cultivation base was a bona-fide candidate as a Dao of Virtue. An unimaginable discovery!
Not only was the person an unprecedented talent in the Alchemic Dao, but he also had gained the elusive and extremely selective approval of the Mystic Dao! What insanity!
What happened next, however, had shaken them to their core. Dongfang Yue was tense to an extreme. Her physical body was held back while her Mental Incarnation could only watch events unfold from the Utmost Unity Mind-Realm. While she wanted to help, there was little she could do.
BOOM!
When the explosion hit, all of them were caught off guard. As Supreme Sages, however, and with the time given to them by the previously activated Utmost-Heaven Guardian Array, they could react. All seven acted, and even Dongfang Yue was among them, struggling with sweat on their brows, and a few suffered a few minor injuries to their cultivated foundations from overexertion, especially Dongfang Yue, who had no resonant qi to speak of.
The detonation of a Resonant Soul was not to be underestimated. But rarely did it happen without warning, if not ever. If not for Superior Shizi's preemptive activation of the Utmost-Heaven Guardian Array to subtly assist those scheming against Wei Wuyin, the result would have been galactically devastating.
Whether this was their plan or not, the effect led to the abrupt death of three Superior Sages. Only when the Keeper of Time made an unexpected appearance, sweeping away the chaos, did the spiritual mirrors reveal clear images. They easily found the half- corpse of the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor, surrounded by fragments of Heavenly Treasures.
Dongfang Yue's response was in shock. But just as she tried to soar toward Wei Wuyin, the Heavenly Force of three Zenith Towers forced her physical body to stay in place. Her roars of anger were frightening, yet her strength was continuously depleted. She could only watch helplessly as void vessels departed under the guise of an investigation.
"You all! We can't allow him to die!" Dongfang Yue shouted in fury within the Mind- Realm.
"Calm down, Enforcer Elephant-Tigress. They wouldn't think of harming his body," Superior Shizi said with confidence. They wanted the Jiaolong bloodline, after all.
"WHAT IN THE EVER LIVING FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" She shouted thunderously, gesturing toward a mirror that was zoomed out, showcasing the galaxy formation and Dominion formation. Including their intuitive understanding that a Supreme Sage was wiped out of their temporal reality. "THEY KILLED SUPERIOR DUAN AND HEAVEN-SAINT THUNDERHAVEN, YOU DUMB FUCK!!"
Her voice boomed in the Utmost Unity Mind-Realm with inclusiveness. She only erupted in curses, barely calming down as she saw the various expressions on each of the Zeniths and Supreme Sages present. They, too, hadn't expected that result.
Suo Kai-Ming spoke out, "The Arachnid can not be trusted. They clearly schemed against all three Superior Sages, causing two deaths, and Superior Yujin's Resonant Soul was being carried off by Su Yi. Inadvertently, the chaos led to the temporal erasure of that Supreme Sage by the Keeper of Time."
With a single move, four Sages, no-five Supreme Sages were dealt with. Even Superior Yushi lost an Avatar to Wei Wuyin. Setting aside Wei Wuyin's outrageous strength, this was an unexpected event.
Excluding those two false Heavenly Saint Alchemists, when was the last time a Superior Sage was killed? Genuinely killed? While unconsolidated Supreme Sages met their demise due to their idiocy of power exploration more often than not, such as Void Exploration, Superior Sages were an entirely different breed of power and experience.
The atmosphere grew almost unbearably tense. This situation was growing far outside of their expectations.
"Should we intervene?" Tianshi Ya whispered to Suo Haoran, which caused her to receive a stern stare from the Superior Sage. She realized her mistake and stayed silent, lowering her head. Suo Haoran sighed in his heart.
"That Neo-Dawn bastard isn't so easily killed or captured," shockingly, Enforcer Maleficent-Chaos spat vengefully. Her words brought confusion to many. Why was she saying this? Was it because a real Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor would have to expose himself, showing off his true trump cards?
Before they could inquire, Dongfang Yue could no longer hold back, her panic reaching a crescendo! "He's not possessed!" The Soul of Mysticism Phase Wei Wuyin was unlikely to survive that existential-threatening explosion. If not for being far enough away and having copious amounts of Heavenly Treasures, he would have certainly died in her eyes.
After all, WEI WUYIN WAS ONLY A MYSTIC ASCENDANT!
"Hm?" Her three-word sentence elicited several gazes rife with confusion.
Before they could process her claim, the Supreme Sages had already exposed themselves, encircling Wei Wuyin, and they placed numerous seals on him. Enforcer Maleficent-Chaos was in utter shock. That's it? The man who dared to threaten her, dared to observe her body with thinly-veiled covetous intentions without fear, and dared to seek out fights without pause and extort her financially was...captured...just like that?
"Huh," Superior Shizi released a scoffing laugh.
Suo Haoran deeply frowned.
But just as everyone had their own reactions, the necklace on Wei Wuyin's sealed body exuded a sharp light, and then-BOOM!
Returning to the present.
"After faking his injuries, he lured those scheming against him out under the assumption of their own explosion. Then, he created a field of spiritual and visual disruption from the fire element that can burn chaos mana to fuel itself, separating each Supreme Sage, before targeting the weakest of the six. Killing her with guerrilla tactics and a decisive strike. How insane..." Superior Shizi detailed the events to the Zeniths, explaining the immaculate strategy in Wei Wuyin's first kill.
This was the first Supreme Sage in their eyes that Wei Wuyin had genuinely killed! Long Shiya's bodily destruction was more often to occur than death for Resonant Soul Realm cultivators. Fortunately, they had the tools to observe these events, even through the fiery storm.
When Wei Wuyin aggressively tossed Sovereign Goliath Bird's severed head over, they were stunned. The taunt was epic and bone-chilling, declaring openly that his hunt had only just begun. Five remained of six.
Superior Black Widow's facial expression was remarkably cloudy with grim, barely contained anger. However, she was a Superior Sage, so her heart and mind were unshakeable when it came to clarity. She had inspected the head thoroughly, finding no trap within. Even then, she didn't toss the head into any of her available storage dimensions. She instead threw the head back into the fire, allowing it to begin burning into ash.
"Emperor Wei," Palace Master Talisman Star calmly spoke out into the fiery field, "Your actions are-
"You're next," Wei Wuyin's voice sounded like a ghost from Hell, coming from every direction as if it were the Void itself speaking. Even pinpointing the temporal signature was difficult. Was it spoken just now or a few seconds ago? Perhaps a few seconds later?
But this verified one thing: Wei Wuyin had no intention to negotiate. And as such, his expression grew increasingly darker.
He began to withdraw peak 3,000 Mystic-World grade talismans to serve as array flags, immediately isolating himself from the others in a reinforced barrier that expanded outwards from himself for ten thousand miles with Void-Disrupting and Spatial- Restricting effects. Within an instant, he affixed his position, ready to defend or attack. His actions elicited no insults despite his selfishness.
"The Talismanic Aegis of the Three-Thousand Worlds Array! Even I'd have an issue breaching this. Tch," Superior Di spat out with a little anger. The coward immediately erected his greatest turtle shell.
The others distanced themselves from him, staying together while making ample
preparations. They were waiting for the fiery field to dissipate, unwilling to act in their enemy's favored terrain.
Suddenly, a horrific, deathly shriek echoed out from within the ten thousand miles barrier. The barrier remained strong, but when they looked into it, they discovered two figures within.
How?
HOW?!
The barrier expanded outward from himself! So Wei Wuyin couldn't possibly have been inside it!
"You-wait! I can offer-" Palace Master Talisman Star was justifiably afraid as Wei Wuyin had somehow appeared before him, bypassing every restrictive formation he had established to prevent this exact situation. Before he could react, as most of his power and strength was infused within the array, leaving him vulnerable to an extreme, a saber
howl resounded.
The exchange was disgustingly brief, seemingly with Wei Wuyin having stored up significant power beforehand. The saber sliced into his neck, sending his head flying without mercy. A surge of six Major Authorities, led by the Annihilation Law, surged forth as a golden saber lingered excitedly nearby to claim what remained.
It seemed the Law of Annihilation was perfect for existential erasure, drawing the authority power from the heavens themselves.
With a wave of his hand, he held the severed head of Palace Master Talisman Star aloft,
brandishing it before the gawking four Supreme Sages left, staring at them through the still-established barrier.
"Superior Black Widow, Superior Yanzi, Superior Di, Palace Master Shattered Star,
Palace Master Talisman Star, and Sovereign Goliath Bird.
"Four left."
His gaze focused on the tall, willowy figure of Palace Master Shattered Star.
"You're next."
Erdiul's Note: Boogie man Wei Wuyin. Bro really thought he could hide inside an array
against a void dragon.