In the Wu Central Lands, twenty thousand kilometers away from the Royal Capital.
A five hundred foot mountain stood tall and proud. Its surroundings were occupied by Common Growth Villages that excavated the insides of this mountain, creating mines for precious ore to help support their cultivation efforts and livelihood.
Within the depths of the earth, beneath this very mountain was a underground network that had been hewed and structured out with meticulous and exceptional methods. It led to a complex network of tunnels that extended for hundreds of miles. Within these tunnels were elaborately set Qi Arrays at key points, but the most prominent feature was the extensive layer of Spiritual Spells that lined the walls.
Even if an Astral Core Realm expert such as Wu Jiao or Qing Qi arrived, they would find it very difficult to determine the existence of this network of tunnels. And, if they entered, they would be met with continuous traps to delay or even kill.
This was the culmination of Wei Wuyin's weeks of tireless effort. Yet, whether fortunate or not, he didn't have to rely on this tunnel as the last lines of his defense. While the sheer amount of wealth invested in it was astonishing, the lack of danger to his life was a welcomed outcome. It was best to be prepared than to not.
Wealth could also be reclaimed or earned once again, but one's life was quite hard to reclaim once lost.
In this network of tunnels was a specifically crafted room suited for cultivation, rest, and acted as a connective point to all the spiritual spells and qi arrays set within these tunnels. This was the central hub, but it was not located at the central area of the tunnels. That was too easy to deduce.
It was spacious enough to accept ten Bai Lins, giving her much room to move.
Su Mei calmly guarded Ming Shufeng's unconscious body while Wei Wuyin was nearby. He had his eyes shut tight as he tried to sense the status of his avatar.
In the end, his plans worked out, despite his slight changes. While he hadn't expected all those events to unfold as they did, it inevitably gave him the chance he seeked. Wu Jiao's Astral Tribulation had disrupted Ming Shufeng's unique gown that seemed to hide her from even his spiritual and physical senses. It was quite profound, definitely exceeding the realm of a Qi Armament. Perhaps it was an ancient piece of garment forged by those Astral Core Realm cultivators. Regardless, with that, he would've never had the opportunity to seize her.
Now, he held the initiative.
"Lord Wei, she's waking up." Su Mei stated.
"Uuuggghhh…" The groans of a woman whose sea of consciousness was shaken into inactivity was quite noticeable and very odd, even worse than a drunk person waking up after a binge.
Wei Wuyin opened his eyes. He gave Su Mei a glance and she immediately understood his intent. Without needing to be told, she led Bai Lin away through a tunnel.
In a flash, the now-conscious Ming Shufeng and Wei Wuyin were the only two within this large room.
Wei Wuyin patiently waited for her to fully awake to her surroundings.
When Ming Shufeng awoke, she felt a light burn her eyes. When she looked up, she saw a perfect spherical orb containing light energies circulating at the ceiling. This reminded her of the sun, but it lacked a distinctive feeling of warmth and yang energies.
She used her hand to block out the light rays. "...Where am I?" Her words were hesitant as she tried to gather her memories. The last thing she recalled was her prophecy coming true. Astral Tribulation descended. If that was the case, then her latter half would've come true too. The False Gods of the Mortal Dao should be given a chance to ascend.
Wei Wuyin didn't know of this prophecy, but if she had spoken of it, he would be incredibly shocked. The events today were an absolute mess, yet she predicted the outcome. In the end, Wu Jiao's Astral Tribulation was overcome with the help of Fairy Blessed Spirit.
Perhaps she wouldn't or hadn't peeked into his fate, but in the end, Fairy Blessed Spirit would've likely interfered. It could've been after Qing Qi took action to save Long Chen or directly before. Only she would be able to reveal what she saw. In the end, Fairy Blessed Spirit gave an order for all Mortal Gods of notable talent to gather and they'd take an examination to a sect that transcends the Myriad Yore Continent.
"Astral Lightning shall descend, and the False Gods of the Mortal Dao shall ascend."
Was this not the perfect fit to her prophecy?
"You're safe," Wei Wuyin answered.
Ming Shufeng started. Her eyes whipped around to hone in on the voice and her heart trembled. A pair of silver eyes, an unearthly handsome visage that could capture the springtime bloom of a young maiden's heart, and exceptional presence that radiated endlessly outwards was what she saw.
"You're…!" She spoke softly in shock, but her hands were subtly moving. Her eyes dimmed and brightened intermittently, and while others wouldn't notice this light, Wei Wuyin was clearly aware. She was currently attempting to glimpse into her fate and find a path of survival if Wei Wuyin had ill-intentions.
In a moment, she realized a harsh fact. No matter how much she tried to glimpse into her or Wei Wuyin's fate or intentions, she couldn't get a clear answer. It wasn't as if he was protected, shielded from her senses, just that his fate wasn't here.
It was as if he should be elsewhere right now. And she, due to interacting with him, was unable to determine a single certainty. This was her first time coming across something like this, but not the first time her sight of fate was fooled or blocked, so she wasn't driven to confusion. Beneath the heavens and earth, there were countless means to hide oneself from those like her.
"Is he like Lin Ziyan's Blessed?" She thought in her mind as she slowly backed up, hitting a wall and realizing she had nowhere to go. Her heart started to become tumultuous. Those who were Blessed were shielded by the heavens from her gaze. She could only manipulate those around them, seeking a path of certainty. She was quite adept at this, but it wasn't always reliable.
At least where they were concerned. Unlike other matters, a Blessed's fate and opportunities were determined by their own choices. They were beloved children given true free will, guidance, and protection by the heavens. They often lived bright lives, and unless their choices led to their downfall, they would become exceptional within their corner of the world; this was their destiny.
If Wei Wuyin heard this, he would be deeply shocked. After all, it was his choice to free Na Xinyi, the Three-Point Yin Physique captive that led to Long Chen meeting her, they forming a relationship, and him swearing to end his life. In the end of his alternative future, his life was undoubtedly ended due to this.
It was his choice.
It was his mercy.
Even still, after knowing all that, he wouldn't regret it. Regardless of what, he had to stick to his principles and maintain a clear heart. If he allowed himself to descend into the muck, would he still be himself when he left?
Himself; this wasn't something he was willing to lose.
After acclimating to her circumstances, Ming Shufeng smartly settled down and calmly regarded Wei Wuyin. For now, she needed to probe his intentions. Considering her vital yin was still intact and her clothes weren't removed, she felt her own purity was safe. The lack of lust and honest-to-god beyond handsomeness this man had likely meant he had no lack of women desiring his bed. Furthermore, he hadn't sealed her cultivation base or taken her storage ring, so he likely didn't have any ill-intentions.
"What do you want?" Her ocean blue eyes fixated on Wei Wuyin.
"Do you remember me?" Wei Wuyin asked instead of answering.
Ming Shufeng knit her brows in a struggle to recall. Wei Wuyin was exceptional, and he wasn't a figure she'd forget. Right?
In truth, the Wei Wuyin from eleven years ago and now had some stark differences to them. First was definitely their presence. The Wei Wuyin before had a more riled up, ready to go-type presence. It was meek in comparison to the current Wei Wuyin who was like a calm, vast ocean.
Their looks were also similar in features yet different in quality. The benefits of grand natural looks further accentuated by Alchemical, True Dragon Blood, Elemental, Saber energies bolstered by a Spiritual Aura of four top-tier Spirits of Qi was unfathomable. It was mostly these traits that further made his attractive looks, from his piercing gaze that exuded boundless masculinity to chiseled features, or his tall and muscular form to become greatly enhanced.
If he was dressed in proper wear, he could seem like an Immortal descending to the Mortal World.
So her not figuring out the connection wasn't her fault. After all, she met Wei Wuyin for a mere two minutes at most in her life of likely decades. Who knows how many men she had met thus far, and how many have appearances that were similar or even better than twenty-six year old Wei Wuyin?
Wei Wuyin figured as much, so he didn't fault her for coming up with no answer. "Golden Milk City, Surabhi Emporium. About eleven years ago. You made a Spirit Oath with me." When he said this, he lifted his palm and ice qi started to gather.
Soon, Absolute Frost Ice Qi appeared. The temperature of the room dropped instantly by several dozen degrees.
"You!" It took a second, but she soon recalled with a trembling gaze suffused with disbelief and uncertainty. She saw Wei Wuyin's death when he refined the Absolute Frost Ice Essence! It was horrifically gruesome and he instantly turned into an ice sculpture in the midst of wailing screams of regret and pain. His life was sealed in a matter of moments.
Wei Wuyin nodded. "I've won our bet." As he said this, he felt a spark of some sort.
It was like a connection of his Divine Spirit of Saber Qi and something else. It seemed to tether himself to some force, some mysterious law of the world. It was the first time since he had ever felt this way after completing a Spirit Oath.
And from Ming Shufeng's expression, that was unsightly and somewhat contorted, she seemed to have felt something similar. Her expression paled after this sensation rummaged through her soul.
"Is this the power of a Spirit Oath? What governs this? It doesn't seem like the Heavenly Daos' aura...I wonder if that's…" He felt like this feeling alluded to a greater mystery regarding the truths of cultivation, yet he couldn't grasp it. It seemed his knowledge of things in general were just too little and limited. How unfortunate.
While he wallowed in the woes of ignorance, Ming Shufeng was cursing in her heart. Unlike others, she cultivated a Heart of Qi that could never be repaired or remade, a Fate Heart of Qi. It allowed her to glimpse into the heavenly daos and its trends, even manipulate present trends to bring about outcomes of future trends. If it shattered due to a Spirit Oath, she would forever lose her connection to the intoxicating Heavenly Daos and the lines of fate.
She bit her soft lips. Recalling the contents of the oath calmed her down. At least Wei Wuyin couldn't take her purity or force her to hurt herself, so she could accept it, albeit begrudgingly. "What do you want?" She asked again, this time she knew she'd get an answer. After all, for today, for one day, she had to listen to Wei Wuyin.
And those were the words he wanted to hear, words that contained willingness. Taking a deep breath, his silver eyes met her blue ones.
"I don't want much really. I just want you to...see what Hell has to offer."