Paragon of Sin

The thrumming of the container was like a horn, extremely deep and full of bass. It reverberated throughout the desert causing the grains of sand to shift and slide, twist and rise, sink and soften. It was incredibly loud.

Initially, Da Shan had been a background character, insignificant to the eyes of those present, merely a curious blip on their otherwise great journey of cultivation and profit, yet at this moment, she became the central focus as the three near-triplets and the 76th Noble Prince turned her way, their eyes carrying various levels of shock, surprise, confusion, and uncertainty.

Their disbelief aside, Da Shan's actions were not being hindered as she poured an iota of highly refined Spiritual Energy. Faintly, a gigantic violet mountain flashed above her head, seemingly overtaking the horizon. It was extremely hazy, yet it felt as if the desert had a new monument for a moment to all those who were attracted by the sonorous noise.

Despite the Evercrown Ceremony currently being several hours in, this was the first time this noise was heard, signifying it as the first container opened throughout this vast world! Even Da Shan was taken aback by the seemingly thunderously deep and reverberating sound, her heart cursing slightly as this was bound to attract a lot of attention.

"What did she do?" Hung like meat with her arms bound, the dark yellow-eyed and yellow-haired woman of the trio ceased her squirming and resistance briefly as she asked with confusion written across her face. The blue-eyed woman squinted her beautiful eyes, trying to exert her Ocular Spiritual Spell, but the power restraining her kept that surge of spiritual power forcefully down. She grunted angrily, looking at the absent-minded 76th Noble Prince with a death glare.

The dark red-eyed woman, who was the calmest out of the trio, answered: "She accomplished the requirement for opening the container."

The dark yellow-eyed woman turned to her, her neck shaking slightly as the restraint made her movements difficult. "How?!" She strugglingly asked in a low voice. They had been informed by the woman with dark red eyes of the existence of the container including its requirement of two million Spirit Units, so she had rushed towards the others to group up and open it together in the hopes of it being an Alchemist. While they hadn't obtained any fragments of the Evercrown yet, the need for Alchemists was paramount for later. It was best to acquire a few earlier than later.

Their great fortune, however, had turned into horrible misfortune as the 76th Noble Prince was right there as they arrived. Someone who should've long aged out of the competition decades ago.

"..." The dark red-eyed woman frowned slightly, a faint light of calculation, consideration, and conniving flashed across her pupils.

Soon, the container began to lose its translucent shell, growing increasingly transparent.

"...!" The 76th Noble Prince and the triplets were all shaken by what was inside.

Da Shan was initially surprised, but then she smiled gently. The warmth within her golden eyes increased, giving off the grace of summer and the touch of spring as if it contained the gentlest period of both seasons. It perfectly reflected her state of heart.

A young girl was huddled in a fetal position, sleeping peacefully. Her breathing was steady, undisturbed by the booming sound from earlier, dressed in multicolored robes with seven distinct colors. There were seven golden cauldrons encapsulated by seven silver stars embroidered gorgeously on the backside of her robes.

The Hepta-Dawn Alchemic Corps!

She looked no more than four years old, being extremely tiny. Her skin was like caramelized porcelain intermixed, as a richly warm brown color accentuated her delicately thick eyebrows and short, waist-length black hair. Her cheeks still held signs of baby fat.

However, her innate aura was pulsating softly, gently, and subtly. This aura was noticed by all those present, containing rich alchemic and life energies that wafted outwards. Her life aura indicated that she was no older than five, possibly four. Her breath was incredibly nascent and pure.

"A little girl?" The triplets questioned in synchronized harmony, matching the tone of surprise and unexpected disbelief fueled by uncertainty.

"Mmhmm..." The sound of waking echoed in their ears as the young girl's fingers tugged at the air, her lips smacking lightly as her eyelashes fluttered apart, her own eyes adjusting to the newfound light cascading down toward her. The first thing her eyes reflected was the image of a violet-skinned giantess, her tall form causing the young girl's eyes to widen.

"Great Bi-big Sis?" The young girl stuttered, rising slowly as she fiddled with her robes using her tiny fingers.

Da Shan pouted slightly with a tinge of helplessness in her heart. She walked toward the young girl. The transparent container freely allowed her to enter without offering any hindrance. "Bei Yinyin, what are you doing here?" She gently held the girl's hand with one hand and rubbed her cheeks with the other. Her large hand was extremely noticeable beside the small face of the young girl, but Da Shan was extremely gentle.

"O-oh?" The young girl immediately realized she was caught red-handed. She placed an easily readable expression of being exposed as she held out her hands, her eyes shifted erratically as she tried to come up with an excuse, stumbling with her words as she did. Her bright eyes exuded great intelligence.

Da Shan could only sigh softly in her heart.

Bei Yinyin...

It was likely...

"Oh? A child?" A voice broke Da Shan's accusatory thoughts, her eyes narrowing dangerously, but as she was mindful of Bei Yinyin, she hurriedly hid her thoughts and expression away as she smiled. The young girl was busy trying to come up with an excuse that wouldn't get her in trouble, so she missed the shocking change.

"That little girl has the aura of incredibly pure alchemical energies! She possesses an Alchemic Spirit, likely cultivating Life Energy as her core energy. I can't believe it! She's so young, but to be in that container, could she be a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist?!" The dark red-eyed woman exclaimed aloud in shock as if trying to get her thoughts out and all her conclusions.

The eyes of the other two women instantly changed as they realized the implications of this. A four or five-year-old young Mortal Sovereign Alchemist? This wasn't just insane, this was heaven-defying! Just her age alone would put all other Alchemists to shame!

Additionally, she cultivated Life Energy? What? Was she an Alchemic Sage?

This was a profession that was well-regarded yet extremely, extremely, extremely rare in the World Beyond. It required skilled Alchemists to cultivate Life Energy. Typically, like alchemical energies, life energy was independently cultivated for Medicinal Sages, which were like the healers of the mortal world. However, there was a unique profession where a cultivator chose to become an Alchemist who took the path of a Medicinal Sage, compounding both into an exceptional profession of healing and recovery.

But most never cultivated their Spirits of Cultivation with both of these properties, typically cultivating normally while using Alchemical Energy and Life Energy conversion methods to retain their strength. However, the little girl was someone who possessed an Alchemic Life Soul. She undeniably possessed the best foundation for an Alchemic Sage.

Moreover, she might be a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist!

The 76th Noble Prince's eyes sparkled endlessly. As he heard the dark red-eyed woman's words, the greed in his eyes intensified for a brief moment, but then it calmed down almost instantly. Normally, he would seize this little girl and cultivate her as his greatest trump card to secure his life if he was ever injured, but how could he have cultivated to this point and not realize the abnormality of it all?

Seeing the 76th Noble Prince not act instantly, the dark red-eyed woman cursed in her heart.

"I..." Bei Yinyin finally conjured an excuse after a few seconds. "I snuck into Big Sister's ring. She didn't notice. Not at all!" She unhesitatingly pinned the blame on her big sister's negligence, Bei Weiwei, without blinking her big, bright eyes.

In some rocky region, the Fourth Commander of the Ascendants sneezed, her blade sliding across a human's neck, sending their head flying. "Hm?"

Da Shan couldn't hold back a genuine smile. "Yeah, you're like a shadow that could sneak anywhere unnoticed, huh?" When she said that, emphasizing the word 'shadow', the young girl's expression changed drastically. She was so easily readable that it was too hilarious and equally as cute.

Da Shan stood up and she looked around, her golden eyes scanning the area. If Bei Yinyin was here, 'it' should be right here too. "Let's go." She reached out and Bei Yinyin grabbed her hand instinctively, her big, bright eyes looking at the desert. "So pretty! Great Big Sis, can I take some home?" She pointed at the sand with a pleading expression.

The 76th Noble Prince noticed Da Shan's actions, his senses scanning the area as well. This entire event was far too abnormal. Who was this little girl and this Titan-Demon hybrid? The latter could conjure spiritual energy with two million Spirit Units? The former was an Alchemic Sage likely at the Mortal Sovereign Alchemist level? Why were they here? His earlier dismissive attitude was thrown out of the window.

With a step, he appeared before the two in a hazy flicker, solidifying strangely until he blocked their way.

Da Shan's brows furrowed.