Paragon of Sin

KREE!

Bai Lin's Nirvanic Flames flared out, enveloping her in a fiery aura, and her eyes fixated forcefully on Xun Yicao with unsettling levels of killing intent. She prompted the numerous Earthly Saints of the Unchained Heart Sect to erupt with their Mystic Aura in preparation while the target of her killing intent shivered uncontrollably. 

Kong Yi's eyes erupted with Spiritual Light as his Mystic Aura exploded outward and enveloped Xun Yicao. With deft control and pristine efficiency, the Voidship acted and began to beat a retreat in reverse. In the blink of a mortal's eye, tens of miles had been traversed. At the same time, the Voidship's offensive and defensive formations whirled into being, sending shivers down almost everyone's spines.

It sounded like a War Machine of endless death and destruction, a shrieking whirl of metal and chaos! 

Xun Yicao's eyes reflected his deeply unsettled state, trembling with signs of tearing at the edges. His hands and fingers quivered, and his teeth shivered. To outsiders, Xun Yicao's embarrassing state was due to the Fire Phoenix's astonishing rage at its owner being threatened; however, the reality was that Wei Wuyin, this silver-eyed youth, was all that occupied his mind, including the endless echoing of his words declaring his death date—today! 

Even the soothing protection of his greatest Alchemic Knight, Kong Yi, the eldest of one of the strongest Sky Monarchs, brought him no comfort or confidence! 

"Lord Xun!" Kong Yi sent a spiritual outburst to Xun Yicao's Sea of Consciousness in the hopes of dragging him out of his fear, but only a brief moment of clarity emerged before it was drowned by trembling terror, his eyes wide open as he stared ahead. 

Tian Lingyu was terrified; was the Fire Phoenix's killing intent so great that it had made Xun Yicao catatonic? She hadn't felt anything but a little glacial chill at the back of her neck, and that was purely her body's response to sensing killing intent, but this…this was something else. 

Kong Yi looked to the Empress, "His mind is in a state of turbulent and incessant chaos. Is it a Bloodline Ability of the Fire Phoenix?" As Xun Yicao's Alchemic Knight, he was responsible for his safety and health. How could this happen while he stood next to him? 

"..." Empress Xiaocheng's lovely trimmed brows furrowed deeply. Wei Wuyin had just openly threatened the Imperial Clan's Grand Alchemic Sovereign before the witness of most of the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region's elite powers, and his Fire Phoenix had launched some inscrutable mental assault against him. 

It was an unspoken yet inviolable rule that the Imperial Clan could not be threatened or insulted.

And Wei Wuyin had just broken that rule! While Xun Yicao's earlier words were despicable, it was hard to ignore with their face and reputation on the line before so many witnesses.

This was overboard! It left her with no choice. She could already feel the heat from everyone's curious gazes, the eyes that contained their feeling of heartfelt respect and reverence. She might have ordered Wei Wuyin's capture if the situation wasn't so volatile. Moreover, Trueborn could mistake that as an attempt to save Wei Wuyin and challenge an Imperial Order of hers, which could precisely be what Wei Wuyin desired. The two behemoths fighting it out due to their arrogance and love of face. 

Empress Xiaocheng refused to be a pawn in someone else's game, and while she could decide to ignore Wei Wuyin's insult, apologize for Xun Yicao's reprehensible attitude, and firmly protect Wei Wuyin with the Divine Emperor's authority bestowed to her, she felt that the Oathless Calamity that was Wei Wuyin had gone too far in a situation where no hope was present.

She relaxed her facial expression, her eyes exuding graceful serenity and control, and her breathtaking beauty and poise on full display. "Alchemic Sovereign Wei," she replied, acknowledging his previous call to her, but continued with a slightly indifferent and growingly distant tone: "From henceforth, the Imperial Clan will not interfere with your feud with the Unchained Heart Sect." 

"..." Stating the Imperial Clan's official position was like a domino falling, and the rest swiftly followed suit wordlessly. Without the Imperial Clan's support, given how even space was sealed, how Wei Wuyin was surrounded by thirty Earthly Saints, how the Born True Starfield was right there, how they could be chased down and killed by a single Earthly Saint, how they simply had no real power to change events…they could only retreat without offering any support. 

"Fourteen." 

The leading Earthly Saint counting down couldn't hide the smugness in his eyes, amused by all this. If the Imperial Clan interfered, it would be a little difficult, but after Xun Yicao's blistering scolding and then the Fire Phoenix's actions of intimidation, there was nothing left to worry about! As for Wu Yu and the Armored Saint, they had tightly sealed space so that not even a worm could squeeze through without noticing and they could easily send Earthly Saints to intercept them or use tools to delay them.

That said, he still felt strange looking at Wei Wuyin by himself, unbothered by the developing situation, but he reaffirmed his will to deal with this matter and readied to strike ruthlessly.

The masked negotiator was witnessing this all from the protection of the array, and their hands were clenched so hard that their nails dug into their skin, drawing blood, and they watched as Wei Wuyin stood alone in the Dark Void. Something just didn't feel right.

What was it?

Wait…

"U-uh…" They stuttered as they realized something! Wei Wuyin! He! He was surviving in the Dark Void without a shred of energy or World Pressure exuding from him! He was existing on the same level as an Ascended being! And he wasn't just surviving, he was flying!!!

Chaos Mana was notoriously difficult to control, and only Earthly Saints with Mana-type Mystic Rune or a unique spell could properly fly in the Dark Void without using any power! This discovery sent a shock throughout the masked negotiator's body. This shouldn't be possible for a mere mortal!

While the masked negotiator debated whether to speak or not or if this justified any vigilance, Wei Wuyin watched as the Sky Destroyer fiercely retreated while preparing for battle. The domino toppling began; the fleet of mixed Voidships followed the Imperial Clan's actions. They were wiping their hands clean! 

However, while the vast majority left without a word, a select few stayed! And they caused Wei Wuyin to feel shocked, intrigued and amused all at once.

"...Eleven."