Paragon of Sin

Wei Wuyin spent the entire night wildly absorbing the Meadow Life Wood Essence into his Hearts of Qi. The birthing of an element was a delicate practice, and required a certain level of comprehensive ability.

While the Realm of Qi Condensation could be said as a Realm of Accumulation, it contained a high-level requirement for talent too. The condensation of qi requiring the four essential qualities was the first example of such. The creation of elemental qi was the second, and the infusion of Yin and Yang energies as well as its combination to the sixth phase, Yin-Yang Energy, was another.

When Wei Wuyin had revealed his Violet Lightning Qi and Steel Metal Qi, the only thoughts that the elders had in their minds was regarding his frightening talent. This was because they were high-level elemental essences that required a higher than average level of talent to birth. While one could use the essences to birth normal metal qi and lightning qi, actually birthing those specific qi-types were incredibly difficult.

The Meadow Life Wood Essence was the same. While it could be used to birth normal wood qi, birthing Meadow Life Wood Qi was a far more difficult endeavor.

However, if there was one thing Wei Wuyin had in spades, it was an unbelievably high-level of comprehensive ability.

The motes of light continued to enter his body until the stars faded and the sun rose from the east. He stayed in his cultivation posture throughout, processing the refined essence and its energy, all the way until the sun set to the west.

"Huuuuu! Haaaa!" He took a deep inhale and a powerful exhale and sent out a wad of turbid qi. This qi was smaller than he expected as the Meadow Life Wood Essence had far less impurities. In fact, the majority of the turbidity originated from the Essence of Heaven and Earth.

His eyes opened, revealing an emerald shimmer that contained an abundant amount of lifeforce. Beneath his skin, the faint glow of bright green traced his muscle fibers, veins, and arteries. The wood energy formulated by his new wood qi was already tempering his body, gaining a higher degree of flexibility, resilience to poison, and heightened regenerative prowess.

"A lucky chance indeed!" With his three elemental qi, his Yang Growth Phase cultivation base, and myriad of qi arts, he felt his strength had risen to a whole new level. Subconsciously, he looked at his arm and saw the number: 171.2. It wasn't written out normally, but in a unique numerical language only those with the Bloodline of Sin could understand.

"Will I receive more lucky chances? More importantly, will I be able to overcome this calamity now that my Karmic Luck exceeds 2.0?" The Black Skeleton once said that a rank two calamity required 1.5 to have a chance of survival and 2.0 to avoid with a chance to benefit.

What would a 171.2 do?

He pondered briefly before shaking his head, he'll see if he can bring this forward to the Sect Leader or Ancestral Elder. Hopefully, he avoids the Sin of Sloth and acts. He stood up, dusted himself off and steadied his breathing. Only when he familiarized himself with his newly enhanced body did he take off.

Woosh!

-----

In the Scarlet Solaris Sect, Xing Fu, Yan Zhu, Shu Yin, and Elder Bing had long since returned to the sect. Since Wei Wuyin's departure, two weeks had passed. While they searched for Wei Wuyin, they could not find him anywhere nor traces of his disappearance. There was a lot of speculation, including backlash leading to a quiet death. While uncommon, it was possible.

However, his disappearance or death didn't cause any huge waves. In much the same way as Tao Gui and He Long's deaths, many were just preparing to take his position. Unfortunately, until a year had passed without any response, Wei Wuyin would still be considered alive due to his missing status.

In the upper level of the Scarlet Solaris Mountain, Xing Fu was in her residence. She looked a little pale and her eyes had sunk a little. She seemed to have been crying, experienced a lack of sleep, and seemed to be a little malnourished.

She laid on her bed clutching her pillow. From time to time, she'd sob and groan. Lately, her mind had been racked with guilt and self-hatred. It was her pleading to her master, Elder Bing, that led Wei Wuyin to that mission. She didn't know what happened, but she learned that the Aqua Echo Sect had a little grudge against him.

To her, she believed they did something, and blamed herself because of it.

She was an ordinary-looking girl with no outstanding features. Even with make-up, she only reached the level of decently pretty. She couldn't compare to Yan Zhu's valiant beauty, Lang Yi's extraordinary sexiness, or Jiu Lang's holy beauty, but she was a girl. Like any girl, she had her crushes and likes. She had her dreams and desires.

Wei Wuyin was one of them. No, it'll be better to say he was the entirety of them. She was accepted by Elder Bing as a disciple because of her mother being a sworn sister to her, and this elevated her status, but her cultivation base was forcefully pushed to the Second Stage of Qi Condensation. She wasn't very talented.

In fact, she was a chess piece for Yan Zhu. However, she was excited to be that chess piece. Because of Wei Wuyin.

She had first met him three years ago when he was freshly made a core disciple. Before then, she had heard about this kid who went from an honorary disciple to a core disciple, exhibiting exceptional talent and intelligence.

At the time, she felt it was all just elevated nonsense. Until…

There was a public commotion between an inner disciple's harem. The harem members were picking on another harem member because she was favored by their man over them. That very man had watched in enjoyment as the young lady was tormented and beaten.

There were definitely over a hundred people watching like it was a show, but not Wei Wuyin. He leapt down from his variant eagle and directly crippled the main offender. Then, he took that young woman in.

She had seen many cultivators before, talented, high status, and all the core disciples were selfish and intent on killing each other or others for benefit. However, Wei Wuyin didn't exhibit any of that. He felt warm and familiar. Whenever she thought of that moment, she wondered if she, as an average-looking girl, would also receive such treatment if she was mistreated unjustly.

Perhaps not even Yan Zhu would interfere.

That moment had been seared into her brain and she couldn't get him out of her mind since. However, she didn't have the status nor was the faction she had been a part of, Yan Zhu's faction, an ally to Wei Wuyin's faction. This made interacting with him quite difficult as all sorts of politics would interfere.

Then, she became a core disciple!

It was a dream come true. It was a chance to make her dreams a reality! The only issue was...how could she come into contact with him? A heavenly way opened up as the mission requesting elite disciples to participate arrived.

Yan Zhu showed initiative and the rest of the story is history.

Alas!

She stuffed her face in her pillow as she reveled in her self-hatred. If something truly did happen to Wei Wuyin because of her…

Knock! Knock!

She lifted her head up to see the door.

"Are you in?" A familiar voice sounded behind the door. It was Elder Bing.

"Yes. Come in," she sheepishly replied with very little energy. Her mood was down-right horrible.

Elder Bing entered and saw Xing Fu's impoverished state. Her expression couldn't help but feel a little pain despite her chilly exterior. "Have you eaten?" Like a caring mother, she walked up and caressed Xing Fu's hair.

"..." Xing Fu didn't answer.

"Haaaa. I know that boy was all you had on your mind, but you still need to focus on yourself. Your talent isn't the same as everyone else, so to ensure you keep your spot, you need to work harder to cultivate. You can't let a boy, who only knew you existed a few weeks ago, hinder your progress." Elder Bing softly berated while advising.

A caring heart was infused into those words, but even she felt it was a pity. Wei Wuyin had birthed two high-level elemental qi-types and reached the Fifth Phase in his mid-twenties. Even if Xing Fu became a concubine to him, she'd already be far-reaching her potential and worth.

"..." Xing Fu still didn't respond.

Elder Bing warily sighed. This little girl.

Just as she was about to use all sorts of methods to get Xing Fu back on track, she received a message from her transmission crystal. She retrieved it and read its contents with her spiritual sense.

"This?! He's back!" She couldn't help but say in shock.

However, those words were like heavenly heart-nourishing nectar to Xing Fu as her eyes brightened. Was he back?!

-----

Wei Wuyin entered the Scarlet Solaris Sect's mountain entrance. It's been a while since he trekked here by foot, but it wasn't that difficult or long. He even took a slower pace to familiarize himself with wood qi and elemental wood qi arts.

As preparations for his Heart of Elemental Qi, he had taken arts relating to metal, lightning, wood, ice, and magma from the sect. Therefore, he was quite prepared. The wood qi arts he liked best was definitely the Earthly Wood Heal Art and Siphoning Weed Art.

The former could heal injuries of one's self and others, both internal and external, but it required either reaching the Fifth Stage of Qi Condensation or birthing a wood qi with lifeforce energy inherently generated within. As he had reached both, its effectiveness was quite amazing.

The latter was capable of rapidly absorbing wood energy to refine wood qi for immediate usage. It was exceptionally useful in battle if combined with offensive and defensive wood arts in a forest or other green areas. It could also be used in conjunction with Earthly Wood Heal to heal injuries without consuming one's combat strength.

"Ice and magma…" The last two elemental qi were quite interesting. While ice qi shouldn't be too difficult, magma energy was only located in one area within the Wu Country. He would need to take a trip there.

Just as he arrived, a squeal from a crane sounded in the skies. Wei Wuyin looked up and noticed it was his own, and riding it was Du Ling. Du Ling was grinning from ear to ear as he landed next to Wei Wuyin at the base of the mountain. The surrounding crowd was in awe at seeing the rather large crane plummet down like an immortal beast.

When it landed, its head reached towards Wei Wuyin where he gently gave it a few rubs. A sound of excitement and pleasure resounded from it, giving Wei Wuyin a warm smile.

Du Ling landed near him, "Master, I'm happy that you've returned."

"Likewise," Wei Wuyin echoed his sentiment. During his isolation, he was left alone with his thoughts, and outside of cultivation, he realized that there were many things in this world that he left uncherished. He felt that he needed to enjoy life a little more.

He pushed his right arm forward towards Du Ling's face, prompting a confused look.

"Do you see anything?" Wei Wuyin was curious if the tattoos were visible to others. His right arm from fingers to shoulder was covered in tattoos. Du Ling looked at Wei Wuyin's arm intently, even squinting, but all he saw was a well-defined musculature and impeccable skin quality.

"No? Should I?" Du Ling asked, confused.

Wei Wuyin shook his head, "Guess not. Let's go home." He leapt onto the crane's back and primed it for flight. Du Ling hurriedly followed along and they took flight.