Paragon of Sin

Transcendent! 

The Yin-Yang Essence Pill was a pill of black and white colors intermixing together in unique harmony, dancing beautifully as if they were one spiritually enlightened entity. Within this black and white was a nebulous river of esoteric runes that flowed, twisted, and throbbed animatedly within! Mortals would find these runes indistinct, almost invisible, but Ascended beings would realize they were fragments of genuine Mystic Runes. 

Cao Cuifen's eyes were abnormally bright. "Spirit!" She breathily said. The fragmented runes imbued within the transcendent-quality Yin-Yang Essence Pill originated from the Spirit-type Mystic Rune. A sign of a true transcendent product! 

She instinctively shifted her gaze towards the handsome, grinning visage of Wei Wuyin, her entire expression revealed indescribable levels of disbelief and amazement. Lucky? Very lucky? No, this was insanely lucky! This was a heaven-defying level of luck! 

What absurdity was this? A Mortal Sovereign Alchemist had succeeded in concocting a fifth-grade transcendent-quality alchemical product? But Cao Cuifen genuinely felt as if the heavens wanted him to succeed! How else would this be remotely possible?

It was true that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of recorded accounts of alchemists generating a transcendent-quality product despite their degree of skill being random and inconsistent. It was a phenomenon called Alchemic Transcendence, exceedingly rare to the utmost limits. It wasn't confirmed, but it was said that out of every three hundred trillion products concocted of a single grade, at least one sporadically undergoes this phenomenon. 

It was inexplicable, and many can't quite understand how or why it happens. Perhaps Saint Alchemists knew, but it was said that only Heavenly Saint Alchemists had an inkling as to the why, solely because they've reached a level where the fundamentals of the Mystic Dao, the Mystic Ascendant Realm, were grasped by them. 

Yet for it to happen here of all places, to decide the match of a contest against Tian Xiaolu with something on the line? Absolutely un-freaking-believable.

The emotional expressions that Tian Xiaolu had initially shown, revealing a face of extreme unwillingness, were completely warranted in Cao Cuifen's eyes and the eyes of everyone watching from the shadows! They felt pity. They felt genuine pity for Tian Xiaolu.

What a way to lose. 

What rubbed salt on the wound definitely was Wei Wuyin's skill being extremely below Tian Xiaolu by a large margin. Out of four products, he concocted two at the impure-qualities, an absurd disgrace, one at low-quality, and one insanely lucky transcendent! Tian Xiaolu had concocted an additional Yin-Yang Essence Pill and four of them were high-quality, with one being at the peak! 

Liu Suyin was equally as shaken in her heart, but unlike the others, she frowned slightly. Something didn't quite feel right. She was present at the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit and Wei Wuyin had used a proxy to blow the other Mortal Sovereign Alchemists out of the water! There was no way Luo Ning, that aged figure, was capable of exhibiting such nurturing without assistance. Even without an Alchemic Soul, Wei Wuyin's results should've been better, right?

When Wei Wuyin requested to be isolated, she originally thought it was to avoid the prying eyes of Cao Cuifen, and she was internally satisfied with his vigilance. She exuded harlot energy in her eyes. But now, Liu Suyin was skeptical if he was trying to keep secrets from her as well. 

The only other individual that reacted differently was Qingye Ying. She was engulfed by a bundle of hectic nerves at the beginning, racked with guilt at costing Wei Wuyin his chance to benefit while regretting being idiotic enough to lose her own, causing her to be unable to really think things through with clarity.

Her anxiety, however, was relieved. Alongside it, her thoughts grew clearer as she looked at the transcendent-quality Yin-Yang Essence Pill. She remembered when she came here, learning the truth about transcendent-quality products, and felt equally aggrieved that Wei Wuyin had experienced Alchemic Transcendence, a phenomenon that allowed him to gain the title of the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn, solidifying his image as an era-defining figure back them. 

However, this thought triggered a series of her own memories from the Everlore Starfield. Most importantly, the World-Light Refraction Elixir! Wei Wuyin had, in a few minutes, concocted all three quality grades of the product with relative ease, helping solidify his image even further. It was a monumental moment where Wei Wuyin showed off his prowess to the maximum.

Thinking about the Swift Dao Clashes of Alchemy, Wei Wuyin should've been able to decimate Tian Xiaolu. But the thought once again invoked her anxiety, bringing to the surface what she learned from the strand of Spiritual Awareness left behind by the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint and the Spiritual Jade containing the beginning portions of her legacy. 

She was an alchemist of the Alchemist Association, born and raised there, so she understood that alchemists were divided in their specializations. These specializations can be a single type of product, such as Pill, Paste, Pellet, and Elixir, or a single product, like the Yin-Yang Essence Pill. There was even a single category of a type, such as fire-attributed pills or recuperative elixirs. 

The Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint was one of the few Saint Alchemists of the World Beyond the Fold that specialized in all types, an undeniably rare breed. For example, even the King of Everlore was more renowned for his pills than anything else. That said, he did dabble in other product types, but his pills were undeniably heaven-defying. 

The Everlore Ascension Pill.

The Everlore Mortal Ascension Pill. 

The Ever-Rebirth Pill.

Just these three pills break conventions set by the heavens to the limits.

The Seven World Wonders of Everlore, detailing seven theoretical products, four of which were pills. A sign of his level of prestigious knowledge of pill concoction, while the other three were one of each other type. 

So she felt that Wei Wuyin might specialize in elixirs, even fortunate enough to specialize in light-attributed elixirs. In her mind, regardless of his specialties, Wei Wuyin should give Tian Xiaolu a decent challenge! 

But…reality would suggest that it wasn't even close. Instinctively, she sighed with relief that Wei Wuyin's abnormal Alchemic Talent proved her earlier words—just Alchemic Talent couldn't bring you far in the Alchemic Dao! A cultivator must fully exert their Alchemic Talent by using an Alchemic Soul, otherwise, they'll be left behind by those who had them!

Wei Wuyin's cultivation path might bring him power, but it would leave him helpless while facing true cultivators of the Alchemic Dao.

However, after calming down, and staring at Wei Wuyin's grinning and triumphant face for a long time, Qingye Ying was unsure of her thoughts. Wei Wuyin had a spontaneous Alchemic Transcendence in their Alchemic Clash, and now he had one again?! Anyone would find this unbelievable. What were the chances of a one in a three hundred trillion chance occurring twice on the same person?

Qingye Ying couldn't even do the math! It was just too ridiculous!

So she was naturally suspicious. Wei Wuyin's earlier words about keeping his process hidden also sparked her internal meter of suspicions, nearly setting it ablaze! Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice…I refuse! Her golden eyes stared pointedly at Wei Wuyin.

But her mind struggled intensely with the possibility. How could it not? The only possible explanation for this happening twice was that Wei Wuyin had purposefully concocted a transcendent product! As a Mortal! Furthermore, the first time was an eighth-grade product!!

What she knew from the initial legacy was that, except non-Alchemic Soul Earthly Saint alchemists, almost no other alchemist had the means to freely concoct transcendent-quality products without abundant external support. Why? Because transcendent-quality products involved fragments of Mystic Runes! Mystic Runes were manifestations of Mystic Intent and Earthly Saints possessed Awakened Mystic Intent!

And only Alchemic Soul alchemists at the Earthly Saint Phase had the slightest of slight chances at concocting transcendent seventh-grade or higher products at will! Even with external support of the highest grade, others would find it extremely, abnormally, nearly impossibly difficult to concoct.

Yet this silver-eyed man…

Qingye Ying's eyes narrowed sharply, completely forgetting the debt of gratitude she wished to repay for a moment as her thoughts clouded with this possibility. Unfortunately, she had no evidence! Unlikely didn't mean impossible! Moreover, she didn't have evidence that what Wei Wuyin concocted that day was even a transcendent-quality product!

There were no Ascended beings to bear witness! It could've been a divergent concoction! A modified product generated by a complete accident—a mutation of materials due to unseen qualities within them. This was the most likely possibility, and almost everyone who heard that story would think the same! 

If a group of ants decided to believe a drop of pink liquid was the fallen tear of a god, went out and told monkeys that it was the tear of a god, but those monkeys knew that it could've just been the juice of a strawberry by their description, one can imagine that the monkey will just think its juice! After all, the ants were simply too insignificant, their worldview extremely narrow.

To the inhabitants of the Everlore Starfield, Wei Wuyin declaring something as transcendent had very little relevance to the eyes of truly powerful alchemists, especially if they understood how difficult it was to accomplish! 

Far, far away, in the City of Endless, Liu Yinlan received news of Wei Wuyin's victory against Tian Xiaolu. Her current expression was marvelous, infused with shock, disbelief, amazement, and solemnity. "What heaven-defying luck…" After a long, long while, those were the only four words she could say.

Wei Wuyin finally stopped laughing, hurriedly putting away the transcendent Yin-Yang Essence Pill with the utmost care. It was as if he was scared others would steal it! A few disdainful gazes from the shadows were sent his way. "I've won, so that means we can begin?" Turning towards Tian Xiaolu, Wei Wuyin's eyes glinted with the brilliant light of anticipation. 

Tian Xiaolu had to take a long breath before finally calming herself down. Losing in this manner as an alchemist was the worst feeling imaginable. But she decided to accept it. Accept it and move on. Regardless of the outcome, she still benefited as long as Qingye Ying didn't refuse to share the cauldron. 

Without her, all her goals were just dead in the water. So this outcome, while a little frustrating, worked out in her favor and reinforced her belief that if she had faced Wei Wuyin in an Alchemic Clash the first time they met, she would've demolished him entirely. 

"Let's go," Tian Xiaolu invited Qingye Ying and Wei Wuyin back in. Her gaze on Liu Suyin and Cao Cuifen spoke volumes. She was clearly not going to let them in! This was strictly for the legacy.

As the trio entered the palace with the most minimalistic decor, Wei Wuyin sent an apologetic look toward Liu Suyin, and the various formations went into full force. The three might learn the secrets held within the cauldron, and everyone watching from the shadows was excited! This was a chance! As long as they seized it properly, how many Alchemic Sovereigns might gain the means to reach the Alchemic Saint level?!