Paragon of Sin

While Wei Wuyin recuperated, the three forces instilled their entire focus on nurturing a group of young elites that could clinch victory, reigning supreme in the Grand Spirit Trials. The news of this couldn't be hidden as the Demonic Abyss Mountain, Sacred Light Palace, and San Clan had heard about it and the wagers within.

While the information about Wei Wuyin and the Alchemist Association was kept confidential, the three items being given to the winner had poked their curiosity and interest. They were even said to send witnesses to this trial, watching the events unfold as a winner was inevitably declared. News of this event spread like a contagious virus that couldn't be stopped as people ceaselessly transmitted it with no regard. Before long, everyone, their mothers, and the infants listening to the adults talk knew.

It had been a very long time since the forces had gathered together and tested the mettle of their young genius elites in a healthy and competitive environment. This competition gained an immense amount of hype. There was even a list of those who would participate, and numerous betting stations had been established by the Golden Coin Pavilion, the number one merchant force in the starfield.

The Golden Coin Pavilion was similar to the Alchemist Association in its neutrality, being stationed in all five Astral Territories and dealt with the trading of numerous rare and precious materials used for cultivation, alchemy, or forging. They sold armaments, tools, alchemic products, and more with a rightful and fair attitude. Their reputation was exceptional.

With their stellar reputation that upheld fairness and a belief in stable business, they were allowed to entrench themselves in all the Astral Territories. While they had to pay a small fee for all sales conducted on that territory to these hegemons, it was pennies compared to the amount they earned.

If the Alchemist Association could be considered the richest and most influential force outside of the five hegemonic forces, then the Golden Coin Pavilion was the second. They often worked hand to hand to distribute products and make profits. Their relationship was quite good.

During the second month of preparation, four month before the Grand Spirit Trials official start, the numerous forces that existed in various territories were already seeing if they could introduce themselves into this competition. Even if they couldn't win, they could hone their juniors with this competition and see how they fared against two of the five hegemonic forces.

The requests were endless, enough to drown the Myriad Monarch Sect, Elemental Heaven Pavilion, and Alchemist Association. Of course the Elemental Heaven Pavilion and Alchemist Association had pushed all decisions in regards to this to the Myriad Monarch Sect. Many believed they would be unwilling to accept this, as more competition would be disadvantageous to claiming the prize, but they were startled by the Myriad Monarch Sect's declaration:

All at or beneath the age of three hundred can freely participate.

Entry Fee: First Stage, Astral Core Realm - 1 Astral Stone.

Second Stage, Astral Core Realm - 3 Astral Stones.

Third Stage, Astral Core Realm - 10 Astral Stones.

Be warned; your life is not guaranteed.

This notice caused an uproar! A single astral stone was equivalent to a single low-grade, low-tier, seventh-grade Astral Dipper Fountain Pill. This could be considered the lowest seventh-grade pill available, but even still, it was outrageously expensive for normal cultivators. Furthermore, astral stones were only available on planets and required decades to form.

If they wanted to pay in essence stones, it was ten million, which was even more outrageous! It was this moment that most people realized once more that they were poor compared to these elite sects. More, while the limit was three hundred years of age, those below the Astral Core Realm weren't allowed. Even if they were, they wouldn't have a chance.

This left many downcast. The average age for Astral Core Realm cultivators were about three hundred years, so only the most outstanding geniuses and talents could qualify to participate. If numerous geniuses decided to involve themselves in this, the competition would be uncharacteristically fierce!

This declaration wasn't met with just sad cries of the majority, but the blazing passion of the incredible minority. This minority were those talented geniuses who wanted to vy for the top prize. There was only one winner, so second and third place would receive nothing in this competition. It was a contest for the confident.

The Sacred Light Palace and Demonic Abyss Mountain had announced their participation in the third month! Furthermore, they would be adding to the victory prize, not causing their status to lose out to the Elemental Heaven Pavilion or Myriad Monarch Sect.

The Sacred Light Palace offered a drop of Sacred Essence Liquid. It was said that Sacred Essence Liquid can, when consumed, can improve the quality of one's meridians and dantian, allowing the time to or talent in absorbing cultivation resources or alchemical products to increase by five times. This might seem small, but if it took one five months to thoroughly absorb a sixth-grade pill, then it'll only take a month. Then, they could absorb five times that number with the same amount of time as they could've before.

The benefits didn't lose out to the other three. In fact, it had more long-reaching benefits.

The Demonic Abyss Mountain had thrown their hats into it, but they offered an unhatched egg to a Baleful-Gale Star Hawk. It was a beast with the innate potential to develop and grow into a Star Beast with strength rivaling a Third Stage Astral Core Realm cultivator without any support. According to history records, if nurtured appropriately, its flight speed can rival Realmlords, or even Timelords!

They were better mounts than even Pegasus, with their bloodline potential already unlocked at birth. The Demonic Abyss Mountain's Abyss Master, a figure that rivaled the Grand Monarch Wu Yu, Divine King Han Xei, and Sacred Elven Queen, had used one as a mount. There was a story that it had once shattered a planet with its violent wind bloodline powers.

These forces were going all out, invigorating the masses even more as betting stations were wild with activity and individuals were seeking ways to obtain recordings of the event. It was only when the Myriad Monarch Sect stated they'll be doing a large-scale transmission of events to various and specific locations, charging a small fee as they did so, did the masses truly explode.

With four of the five hegemonic forces participating, numerous genius disciples of subordinate forces, obscure clans, and independent experts having the qualification to enter at will, the event was sure to be greater than anything prior during the Tri-Vision Era. This was shaping up to be the grandest event of this century!

-----

In the Elemental Heaven Pavilion, in one of their disciple residences, there was a handsome young man with grey eyes, short-black hair and a nine-colored dot between his brows. This mark emitted an air of elemental forces. He was brandishing a white spear, moving through the world like the wind, stabbing out like lightning, and with the stability of earth. He seemed to merge with the world and its qualities as he did so.

"Ha!" When he unleashed a piercing thrust, the void slightly shook. On his forehead was beads of sweat, his body trembling slightly from his cultivation of arts. Standing ramrod straight, his back seemed like a pillar that could uphold the world.

Beside him was a scarlet-haired woman flickered into existence abruptly. Her expression was hidden beneath her veil. "You're participating in this Grand Spirit Trials?" She asked, and from her silky and attractive voice, one could hear a faint smile within.

The young man took a deep breath, exhaling out a breath of turbid air as he felt lighter. He turned to the young woman with a slight smile, "Why should I, Senior Sister Lin? Master left me with enough resources."

The young woman reminded, "You shouldn't call him Master yet, you haven't obtained his official recognition. As for me, I'm not your Senior Sister just yet." While she said those words, she seemed to be quite careless with it and unbothered as if she was merely teasing the young man. Indeed she was and the young man knew it.

He laughed and revealed a dazzling set of white teeth, "I've birth high-level Intents for three advanced elements and developed Elemental Origin Intent. I have already obtained three fragments for his disciple token. I just need to obtain the others within that Gateway above the Auric Sea, and I'll be your Junior Brother soon enough. Then you'll have to take care of me."

The scarlet-haired woman shook her head. "Lin Ming, you still have to overcome the trial. Master's realm isn't ordinary. You'll learn more there, but there are those of exceptionally high cultivation within that pose a serious threat. Obtaining the fragments and opening the Gateway are not the same, and it'll be dangerous. Furthermore, you'll be on your own." Her words were tinged with a bit of worry.

The young boy named Lin Ming's face grew serious. He knew that overconfidence often met with unexpected failure, so he reined it in. He had to take this matter seriously. "I'll give it my all. I promise."

Seeing the determined expression, the scarlet-haired woman released a breath of relief internally. She had confidence in this little boy that grew from nothing, obtaining the first fragment from her and then having obtained the other two with his own efforts. To her, he truly was worthy enough to become that man's disciple.

"You should participate in the Grand Spirit Trials," she said.

"Hm? Why? Is there something special about it?" He grew curious why she mentioned this twice. He didn't need cultivation resources, having a sufficient enough amount from the two legacy caches he obtained alongside the fragments. He was waiting for the fated day the Gateway opened. Then, he would enter there using the fragments power to explore and obtain the other fragments.

"You don't know this, but the Gateway has been discovered by this branch and the sect called the Myriad Monarch Sect. When the day the Gateway opens, they intend to send others through it to explore. The Grand Spirit Trials are to select those with the qualifications as the restriction prevented those without permission from entering unless they are beneath three hundred years of age," She explained.

"What?! That's suicide!" The Gateway led to a realm that was mystical and dangerous. Sending those beneath three hundred years of age was practically suicide. After all, they would at most be at the Third Stage of the Astral Core Realm in his opinion. If it was during the King of Everlore Era, the elite geniuses then wouldn't have any fear.

Not only would they be at the Fourth or Fifth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, their foundations would at least be at the seventh-ring Soul Idol and seventh-ripple Spatial Resonance. These were the elite genius standard of that era, but now...having a five-ring Soul Idol was considered monstrous.

The scarlet-haired woman didn't answer. She too felt the same way, but it wasn't her responsibility to inform them of this danger. They weren't her geniuses nor were they her people.

"The rewards aren't too bad. Even where I come from, an eighth-grade Spatial Spirit Pill isn't easy to acquire. Also, you can enter properly with your sect members. Consider this as a way to hone yourself," she advised once more.

He frowned. He didn't think this starfield was nothing more than a stepping stone to the path of the grander Dao. The geniuses here were not at his level, especially those below three hundred years old. But seeing how insistent his Senior Sister was, he nodded. "Okay, I'll use this to earn my way in properly. At least I can protect certain people this way without coming off as suspicious."

His declaration elicited a nod from the scarlet-haired woman. She vanished abruptly, leaving Lin Ming to resume his cultivation.