Gorgeous. Alluring. Beautiful.
The moment she arrived within view, she exuded a natural air of grace and elegance that could be felt by the mind and soul. Her limpid eyes that were as blue as the sky, as brilliant as the glimmer of the stars above, and magnificent as the vast ocean were her most attractive traits. They contained a devilish allure that infectiously sieged the heart, making one unable to forget, likely even on their deathbed.
This went for both men and women.
Her delicately full lips were pristine red, like the color of freshly cut roses. The softness held within those thick flesh seemed unimaginable, making one wish to touch them in any manner possible and never cease. Her figure seemed moulded by men, seeking to attract their every gaze with her curves. Her skin seemed moulded by women, lacking a hint of imperfection and utmost smoothness.
Her eyes, lips, thin set of eyebrows, slightly sharp nose, and jet-black hair that reached her back like a refined liquid onyx waterfall, was perfectly placed and structured. While she had a hint of make-up, it was minimal and only highlighted her natural beauty.
Astonished were all.
Garbed in a tri-colored robe, black, white and gold, she waltzed into view of everyone as if invisible a second before. Yet when she did appear, everyone couldn't help but notice her. Every step she took was accompanied by a silent throb of their hearts and spirits, very reminiscent to the Spirit in Every Step, but far more profound.
They had this faint impression that this woman before them seemed to disdain the earth she walked, the sky that sheltered her, and it seemed perfectly natural. The Myriad Yore Continent was a location that was far too lowly for her existence, and their hearts simply and unanimously accepted this.
Qing Qi and Wu Jiao were the only ones whose expressions weren't filled with curiosity, yet wildly different. Qing Qi had a forced smile and a tinge of helplessness while Wu Jiao contained respect, reverence, and a glimmer of fear. These experts at the Astral Core Realm, that could look down on the heaven and earth of the Myriad Yore Continent, had seemingly been cowed by a few words and the appearance of this beautiful woman.
Fairy Blessed Spirit ignored the various gazes that contained all sorts of emotions, some included even lust. Whether intentional or not, she arrived a few feet away from Wei Wuyin. But, her gaze was on Qing Qi, no, specifically, her gaze was on the veiled Qing Qiumu.
"Wood Yin Essence Physique, Innate Meridians of Nine Meadows, and a Violet Forestry Palace of the Psyche? This girl is blessed beyond measure!" As Fairy Blessed Spirit spoke, her lark-like voice was suffused with interest and surprise.
Qing Qi visibly sighed.
Wei Wuyin was watching this all, but as he inspected this woman called Fairy Blessed Spirit, he realized her innate spiritual aura was exceptional and attractive. If it wasn't for his strong spiritual sense, perhaps he'd have fallen into a state of blissfully complacency unable to extricate himself forever.
While this surprised him, he was more shocked by those three words she spoke. Wood Yin Essence Physique? Innate Meridians of Nine Meadows? A Violet Forestry Palace of the Psyche? From those names, they were clearly unique aspects of essence, body, and mind, and they all seemed geared towards wood. If so, then it was absolutely normal that Qing Qiumu kept giving him the feeling of the personification of mother nature, embodying the grand forest of the world.
Was she this special?
Even Long Chen seemed shocked by those words. He rubbed his unassuming black ring as he grimaced slightly. The ring sparked with briefly dim light once, but soon went quiet. Later, his expression relaxed as if he was told good news. This did not escape Wei Wuyin's senses and only confirmed to him that something was within that ring.
Wu Jiao floated downwards and his feet finally touched the ground. It seemed he was unwilling or unable to speak to this Fairy Blessed Spirit from a higher position. For those with keen eyes, this clearly demonstrated their differences.
"Elder Xiang, may I ask please know why you wish to spare this man?" He was referring to Wei Wuyin, as she had directly interfered earlier. As for her name, it seemed she was his Elder, and her real name was Xiang. This clearly showed that Fairy Blessed Spirit was a moniker like Saber Ascendant or the Helios Witch.
Elder Xiang didn't even turn her gaze as she kept inspecting Qing Qiumu. She used her index finger to softly pat her lips as she made a 'hmm' sound, clearly in thought. Despite this blatant act of ignoring Wu Jiao, he remained quiet and patient.
After a few moments, Elder Xiang waved her hand towards Wei Wuyin. This hand seemed to contain an inexplicable spiritual might that exceeded Wei Wuyin's understanding. Before he could even react, his body became clear and translucent, revealing his insides like an x-ray to all those viewing.
"Gasp!" A collective sucking of air resounded as Wei Wuyin's current state was clearly revealed before the crowd. Many exclaiming in shock and disbelief. Long Chen and Lin Ziyan simultaneously said, "How is that possible?!"
The insides of Wei Wuyin were not organs, meridians, and blood, but energy. That's right, pure energy. They formed faint shapes that were organs, meridians, and flowed like blood, even had the physical aura of them, but they were undoubtedly energy. This was only due to one possibility: the Wei Wuyin before them was an avatar!
Wu Jiao's heart shook. How was this possible? He had kept his senses on Wei Wuyin since the beginning and he knew he felt his Spirits of Qi. Yet, what he saw lacked any substance or resemblance to Spirits of Qi. In fact, he could see wads of mist that seemed to emulate Spirits of Qi, but a single close look could deem them as false. Before, however, the Spirits of Qi was most certainly real, this was the truth!
How could...an avatar...emulate a person with such detail? How did Wei Wuyin swap out himself with a clone and when?
Wei Wuyin saw that his trick had been exposed and gave a wry smile. In the end, how else could he be truly fearless before an expert such as Wu Jiao unless...well, he wasn't really here.
Wu Jiao's eyes became sharp after a brief flash of disbelief. "How?"
"When you were trying to delay for time, so was he. He created a shell of himself. When you were distracted by the volatile energies of those other avatars around the city, he had expanded it to encapsulate his body. Earlier, using that Qi Art, he inserted his energy and his true self in microseconds of its expansion, disguising his entry and your senses." Elder Xiang answered instead, her voice was calm and without a hint of praise. While requiring the utmost timing and planning, considering how Wu Jiao went on a long lecture, anyone with a brain and some skills could figure out a way to trick him into an escape.
She attributed this to Wu Jiao's idiocy and need to be superior. He was outsmarted while trying to outsmart others. He didn't even notice when Wei Wuyin escaped.
Wei Wuyin was shocked. While this was indeed an avatar of him, he felt his actions were seamless and smooth, without a single flaw. He had left, delayed, and escaped. At the moment, his real body and the others were sealed away behind numerous prepared concealment formations.
However, could this woman be able to find him? This made him feel insecure, but helpless. Her senses were exceptional.
Wu Jiao wanted to bash Wei Wuyin's avatar into bits and try to go after him, but Elder Xiang interfered. "You don't need to." After that, she walked forward in the sky as if on solid steps and arrived before Qing Qi and Qing Qiumu.
Qing Qi's expression twitched. Her eyes were trying to hide his turbulent emotions.
Elder Xiang looked Qing Qiumu up and down with an inspecting and judgmental gaze. Even Qing Qiumu felt naked before this gaze. Fortunately, it came from a woman.
"She's already over twenty, so much time wasted. How come you haven't sent her to the sect already?" Her words carried a hint of displeasure, as if she disliked that such a talent was being wasted on this lowly continent.
Qing Qi's expression changed into a picture of ugliness and a hint of helplessness, "It's...she has yet to decide to go, Fairy Blessed Spirit. Otherwise, I would have done so long ago." These words were the truth, but the formless pressure of Elder Xiang truly battered his heart. He didn't know what she would do, and an increasingly bad feeling welled in his heart.
"Oh? Why?" Fairy Blessed Spirit directly asked.
Qing Qi felt cold sweat wet his back like rain. An unfathomable amount of pressure was mounting in his shoulders. He didn't dare answer casually.
"She was unwilling to leave him," he turned towards Long Chen and pointed out with his finger, as if blaming a culprit. He truly seemed like a child pushing the blame onto others, unwilling to accept an ounce of accusation or fault. The way he pointed at Long Chen was truly unbefitting of an Astral Core Realm powerhouse that could dominate the continent.
Long Chen grew startled. He wasn't sure of the exact contents of their conversation, but he also knew Qing Qiumu was incredibly talented. They had known each other for nearly ten years and have faced many difficult and dangerous challenges together. He had always felt she was holding back. Was it because of this sect? Was he the reason?
When his eyes fell on Qing Qiumu beneath that veil, he felt as if she was avoiding his gaze.
"Oh? He's not worthy of her. How could you allow that?" Her words were spoken in a matter-of-fact, as if there was no need to question her words. Long Chen was not Qing Qiumu's equal.
Qing Qi had a helpless expression on his face. How could he not know this? But what can he do when he had raised such a strong-willed woman! Curse him for being a good and nurturing parent! A fact he should be proud of, but she wanted to settle for this insignificant human in this tiny continent. Although he has proven himself as a great cultivator in his own right as a great man, he still didn't feel this Long Chen was worthy of his daughter for a second.
One of the main issues was his penchant for trying to gather other women. While he had at least thirty wives and three hundred concubines, how could he not be hypocritical when it was his most precious and talented daughter? She deserved to be in a purely monogamous relationship because she was his daughter!
Why did she need to share a man's bed and heart with others?
Her innate gifts were incredible and beyond this small continent. She would exceed him and reach incredible heights. However, because she fell for this lowly cultivator of humble origins, her cultivation base was still at the sixth stage of Qi Condensation, and was still falling behind.
Long Chen's expression changed. But he wasn't the only one. Lin Ziyan and Wu Baozhai(Imperial Princess) expressions changed too. It was one with righteous anger as if they were just insulted somehow.
Wei Wuyin clearly noticed this and was shocked. Wu Baozhai was also with Long Chen? Well, considering he had a relationship with her brother, Wu Chen, it made sense. Furthermore, Ji Menghua, the Ji Clan's Patriarch, had taken discrete action in supporting and protecting Wu Chen during the skirmish. Considering this, it seemed she was on their side.
"Tch. Three top tier beauties. How lucky! Is this a manifestation of his luck?" Wei Wuyin felt like cursing at someone.
Wait.
Did this mean Wu Baozhai lost her virginity to Long Chen and was concealing it?! This immediately made him realize that possibility! How interesting. Scandal, scandal!
Cough.
Anyways.
Elder Xiang didn't even bother to look at Long Chen. "He cultivated the flawed Haven Heart Qi Method? How trash. He doesn't even know the level of difficulties he'll face to reach the Astral Core Realm because of it or how limited his future is. How laughable." Fairy Blessed Spirit remarked with a sprinkle of mocking. It was clear that she regarded Long Chen as nothing.
While his feats were impressive to others, his circumstances and actions were absolutely nothing to her.
Long Chen clenched his fist, with sufficient force to produce crackling sounds from his knuckles. He hated the word 'trash' the most, his past wounds emerging as he struggled to remain calm. If he had the strength, he would kill this woman who belittled him.
"What difficulties?" Wei Wuyin suddenly blurted out. He was curious about what difficulties there were. After all, he had four spirits. Two of which were unique, bloodline spirit and a mind spirit. He had his own reservations about his future. If it made it unable for him to reach the Realm of Sages, how sad would it be?
All his plans, even if he obtained the seer and got the information he needed would all be for naught.
Fairy Blessed Spirit was somewhat startled, and seemingly recalling something, she looked at Wei Wuyin and said, "You cultivate Dual Spirits too. I nearly forgot."
"What?!" Lin Ziyan and Long Chen were immediately taken aback. Especially Lin Ziyan. She had spent a portion of her life trying to find her destiny: A man with dual spirits, and now two were here on the fated day?
Long Chen was surprised for an entirely different reason. He had undergone countless struggles, finding the missing portions of the Haven Heart Qi Method in an ancient ruin after a fierce battle of life and death amongst peers all those years ago, and even then, if it wasn't for the ring on his finger and its secrets, he would've failed.
That was because the Haven Heart Qi Method was insidiously difficult to cultivate and truly had countless difficulties. If it wasn't for 'it' informing him of how beneficial it could be should he succeed in overcoming these difficulties, he wouldn't dare venture forward.
Wei Wuyin realized that Long Chen was more surprised by his revelation than desirous of knowing the difficulties ahead of him, as if he already knew and accepted it.
Qing Qi was the one who answered Wei Wuyin's inquisition, "The Astral Core Realm requires the formation of a core that synchronizes with the world. It's difficult to have two cores in perfect balance within one body, if not impossible. It'll be like having two celestial bodies in very, very close proximity.
"Also, a spirit that has been split isn't perfect, and while connected, they grow stronger and independent from each other, losing their compatibility even more. Unfortunately, this means you must fuse them as one before you can ascend, but the difficulty to do so makes it a hundred times harder to do.
Unless you decide to ascend at the 4th Mortal State, the chances of succeeding, which were probably one to a million to begin with, decreases greatly as you rise in states. Because of this, either you accept the lowest foundation, you stay in the Qi Condensation Realm for life, or you abandon one of your Natal Souls. If you abandon one of your Natal Souls, you'll never have a complete Astral Core, so the consequences are obvious. There are no other known choices." His words were spoken in a very monotone cadence. It made his entire words echo with a desolate aura.
Lin Ziyan gawked in horror, obviously unaware of this despite her spreading this method around like a plague.
Wei Wuyin frowned slightly.
This was because he didn't fear co-existence, and he didn't segregate his spirits. The issue here was likely the developmental disadvantage a Natal Soul has with half a spirit. He didn't have any of that.
However, that didn't mean his road would be easy. He still had two unique spirits, and he still didn't know what the next realm would represent with those two.
Elder Xiang didn't bother with them. Instead, she turned towards Qing Qiumu and felt reluctant in allowing this girl's talent to continue being wasted in this insignificant land. Not only that, she turned to see the little girl at the ninth phase. She was outstandingly talented, but rash in her cultivation, ascending too quickly.
Luckily, she still had an opportunity to start anew. After all, she was still young and possessed her primal yin, there were methods. Wu Jiao was far less knowledgeable and resourceful than her, so he was ignorant of many things. For example, how to restart one's cultivation to eliminate the issue of insufficient Mortal State.
At the age of ten, she was the best candidate for this.
"I'll initiate the examination for candidates to enter the sect. Qing Qiumu, this little girl, and...him, I'll let them take the examination to enter. This should solve the problem, no? If he fails, then it's only right that she abandons him before the cruelty of the world strips him of his life." Elder Xiang calmly stated. The last 'him' was directed towards Long Chen.
"What?!" Both Qing Qi and Wu Jiao started simultaneously, as if they never expected this.
"In three months, I want all cultivators at the sixth phase or higher cultivators who are one hundred years or younger to gather at this location. I'll take them all with me. Until then, you are not to kill anyone within these parameters. This insignificant continent has wasted enough of its talents. I trust that you know what to do.
"As for these two, they'll be coming with me." As she gave her heavenly decree-like orders, she wrapped Qing Qiumu and the young girl in her astral force and they vanished from the crowd's senses in a literal blink.
"..."