Paragon of Sin

Wei Wuyin was startled. He had never expected Tuo Bihan to say those words. "What do you mean?"

Tuo Bihan calmly took several breaths and looked towards Wei Wuyin, "All the Elder level figures have sworn a Spirit Oath of absolute loyalty to the Grand Monarch and all Inheritors of the lineage. Most wouldn't put much importance onto this=this Spirit Oath, after all the last Grand Monarch existed nearly eight hundred years ago. No one is expecting a Grand Monarch to ascend, but the Spirit Oath is still absolute."

"What?!" Wei Wuyin was taken aback. A Spirit Oath?

"It's not just that. All of us, myself included, have sworn on this same oath to continue that tradition. If, no, when Long Chen reveals his identity, we'll all be his most loyal subordinates. While we have some freedom, such as us not having to support an Inheritor, provide him with resources, or kneel before his ascension, there's very little wiggle room." Tuo Bihan's lips were twitching, not from anger, but helplessness in this matter.

The moment Long Chen announces his identity, they would all have this Spirit Oath in effect. This was because Long Chen wasn't an 'Inheritor'.

"Long Chen will automatically take the mantle as the Grand Monarch because he's the only living member of that Lineage. This is the rule set forth by the Founder himself. You should leave." Considering Long Chen's relationship with Wei Wuyin, it was best that he left before a conflict erupts. Tuo Bihan finally realized the actual truth of Wei Wuyin's hesitancy stemmed from. It was completely and utterly warranted.

"...You're not going to kill me?" Wei Wuyin's subsequent reaction sent Tuo Bihan into a stupor. He hadn't expected such a calm aura, and then such a direct question.

"Why would...I…?" Tuo Bihan was struck with realization in the midst of his words. If Long Chen was destined to be the Grand Monarch, and they had enmity that would force only one of them to stand on the same sky, it would be cataclysmic. It would be a battle between the King of Everlore and Grand Monarch Wu Yu. It would not be an exaggeration to say only one would survive.

Furthermore, it was unlikely to be Grand Monarch Wu Yu.

Killing Wei Wuyin should be his next thought. If only to preserve the Myriad Monarch Sect's future.

Tuo Bihan hadn't thought about it, and his first instinct was to have Wei Wuyin segregate himself from the sect. "No. Do you see these weary bones? I'm too old to kill anyone." He bitterly smiled, but no one on the starfield would believe him.

Wei Wuyin gently smiled, "You think that I'm staying with the Myriad Monarch Sect because of coincidence? I'm doing so freely. I could've long since left, struck out on my own, and cultivated in silence as I reached a strength unrivaled by all. I won't be pushed out of wherever I call home by anyone, ever again."

Tuo Bihan's heart shook. A trace of warmth surged in his heart. Wei Wuyin had merely been in the sect for five years, but he already considered this location home. He was brought back to his younger days when he first entered the sect and proclaimed it as his home. His emotions nearly got the better of him, his eyes slightly wet from nostalgia.

"Then, what do you intend to do?"

"I'll first remove your Spirit Oath." Wei Wuyin declared with the utmost casualness, "When I do, old man...will you be my ally and join the Ascendants?"

"What? My Spirit Oath?" Tuo Bihan was confused. Wei Wuyin didn't respond and waited. This was a critical moment that Tuo Bihan would have to decide for himself.

One of the issues Wei Wuyin had with his faction was time. None of his current subordinates, Zuhei, Su Mei, or Ying could cultivate at his speed. Even with the support of pills, elixirs, and pastes, they required time to refine these products and turn them into their own strength. While his Astral Souls could refine three thousand Astral Sea Pills in a month or two, they would require decades or a century to do the same. Moreover, they still had to comprehend the next stage.

This wasn't a difference in talent. His Astral Souls cultivated themselves, refining everything with the utmost swiftness and carelessness. He didn't have to take the normal route of digesting, channeling, refining, directing, and extrapolating the most effects from each product. It was almost instant.

He realized that the pace that he walks will never be rivaled by his subordinates, but he was similarly restricted himself. While his Astral Souls cultivate themselves, he had to personally comprehend the mysteries of the next phase and then assail the next tribulation. For example, even after ten months, he hadn't comprehended the full essence of the Soul Idol. Because of this, his Astral Souls couldn't assail the next stage.

While they wouldn't even try without establishing the best possible foundation, it still made him realize his cultivation base still relied on himself.

As for how long it'll take him to ascend to the Realmlord level, he had no idea. He might be peerlessly strong, but he wasn't naive to think that pellets that contained raw power were an adequate substitute for the mysteries and benefits of cultivation. The best example of this: Wu Jiao had used his recently acquired Sky Pressure to restrict his pellets from activating back in the Myriad Yore Continent.

If a legitimate Realmlord was before him, besides suiciding via pellet detonation in hopes of killing his enemy, he likely wouldn't even be able to stop them from restricting his action, snatching his pellets, or directly killing him.

As for the Ascendants, while he officially registered the organization in the Myriad Monarch Sect, he intended to have two separate units. The first would be his private subordinates such as Zuhei, Su Mei, and Ying, and the second will include his faction within the Myriad Monarch Sect to handle external and casual matters. Tuo Bihan will definitely be the leader of the second unit.

Tuo Bihan wasn't ignorant and he realized Wei Wuyin's intentions. "If you're asking me to set myself against the Myriad Monarch Sect, I won't. I'm too old for such things." He was unwilling to side with Wei Wuyin and then go against others in the sect.

Wei Wuyin shook his head, saying: "After I remove your Spirit Oath, I don't want you to fight against the Myriad Monarch Sect. I need a Realmlord. I need someone who could ensure my safety and the safety of others. As for entering into conflict with him, that might happen one day, and if it does, that'll be personally handled by myself and him. I'm certain with his pride, he wouldn't involve the sect."

Wei Wuyin didn't believe that he would fail the Second Calamity, but since his deadline had inevitably moved forward, he had a lot less time to establish a foundation. If he still had over thirty years, what would he need a Realmlord for?

But, by some ungodly design, if he died, his soul perishing in Hell, he needed someone to take care of those who he cared for. He needed to ensure that the Myriad Monarch Sect would remain standing for a thousand or two thousand years.

"What do you say?"

Tuo Bihan didn't know what to say. He was old, lacked lifeforce, and his potential was essentially exhausted. He hoped that Wei Wuyin would reveal exceptional ability and concoct a path for him to take that sought life and prosperity. But this was followed by an offer.

"Okay, little boss." He was too old to be indecisive. As long as he believed that Wei Wuyin understood his intentions to never betray or fight against the Myriad Monarch Sect, then he was willing.

"Good." Wei Wuyin casually flipped his palm, causing a jade box the size of his palm to appear. "In here is a vial of Spirit Cleansing Elixir, an eight-grade, high-tier elixir. As long as you're below the Realmlord level, this will clean your Spirit of all oaths. Furthermore, it'll purify your spiritual energies."

"..." Tuo Bihan froze. He had forgotten about this elixir! Because of how Spirit Oaths were, even if he took this, no one would know that he wasn't compelled to follow his oaths under the threat of death. He would be a truly free man without any restrictions.

"From now on, you're a member of the Ascendants." Wei Wuyin announced causing Tuo Bihan to experience a moment of surrealism. He didn't understand why, but he felt as if he was engulfed in some heavenly force at this moment. It was as if he was tied to Wei Wuyin at this moment.

"Don't worry, I don't need you to swear an oath. As for your Astral Tribulation...have you heard of the Spiritual World Ascension Elixir and the Spatial World Ascension Elixir?" Wei Wuyin's eyes brightened. They were eighth-grade products, high-tier, and peak-tier respectively, that can post-increase the number of Soul Idol rings and level of Spatial Resonance. They could be taken a limited amount of times, up to three, but they could increase rings and ripples to the ninth level.

Tuo Bihan's eyes widened. These were elixirs with a certain failure rate to all those below a certain cultivation level. This was because they required an absurdly high level of mana control that only Realmlords and those above could have. They hadn't shown up since the King of Everlore era, having collected endless dust since.

He knew of these elixirs, but it shouldn't be possible for Wei Wuyin to concoct them...right?