Paragon of Sin

"Do you wish to continue?" 

Those five words resounded like thunder in Lin Ming's mind, his heart racing as the light whisperings of deadly crisis rang heavily in his thoughts, subtly giving him the urge to reject, to formulate a rebuke towards this newly elevated difficulty. While his inner pride had refused to allow him to consciously choose the easier path, a consequence that might have severe implications on his self-confidence and willpower, he also was fully aware of his limitations.

An entity at the Star Core Phase was far, far beyond his current strength. Even if he considered all his trump cards, every single desperation-type art, spell, maneuver, and method that he could deploy, he found himself unable to give himself a chance of victory. If it was an entity at the Temporal Eye Phase, while his chances might be low, it wasn't non-existent

He felt stuck, his throat sealed by words that he wanted to say, but his instincts begged him not to. 

While Lin Ming suffered internal conflicts regarding his answer, San Luoyang's voice remained silent, and Lin Xianxian noticed her daughter's restrictions. She reached out, touching Lin Xianxei's shoulder, wanting to free her daughter. Just as Lin Xianxian's hand touched Lin Xianxei's robe, a strong repulsive sensation emerged that threatened to repel that hand. 

Lin Xianxian's expression slightly changed as her mystic power began to act defensively against this power out of instinct, but her power hadn't circulated for long before the pressure instantly dissipated, like snow in heat. Lin Xianxei stumbled slightly, freed from the suppression. 

Her breathing was heavy and rapid as a light of helplessness and concern flickered in her eyes, observing Lin Ming's lone figure on the stage above. She tightly clenched her fists.

Lin Xianxian was relieved when the power halted its influence over Lin Xianxei but inwardly sighed soon after seeing her beloved daughter's reaction. It wasn't that serious. Lin Ming could simply surrender, right? It would be foolish to throw away his life here—no one would do such a thing. 

But that was exactly what Lin Xianxei was worried about; Lin Ming's pride and self-confidence were one of his greatest aspects, carrying a natural charm to challenge and act against the impossible. Over the years she observed him, his most attractive feature was his unwillingness to bend a knee, lower his head, and surrender due to circumstances. 

"Why is there a distinction?" Zhang Yin asked. She couldn't wrap her head around why the Everlore Association would openly establish this and announce those segregating conditions. While she didn't know the exact differences, she knew this meant accepting that one of these pills was wildly inferior in comparison to the other. 

"Are they acting against our Chosen?" The timing of this could be misunderstood as targeting them. As such, a few elders were concerned that this was specifically against their sect. Moreover, those who knew of the 'Archaic Chosen' name of Lin Ming were aware of the derogatory sentiment behind it, and as such, felt that Lin Ming was likely targeted due to his connection with us. After all, he was an insignificant mortal junior, it would be too much for those powerhouses to act against him. 

However, Lin Xianxian shook her head: "It's needed—that distinction. The two pills clearly can't be judged based on the same merit, but one is the cheaper, available, and less exclusive product while the other is an exclusive and superior product. The vast majority of Chosen here beneath the Gravity Emission Phase have taken the Ever-Domain Pill, while those who have succeeded thus far have taken the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill. 

"If the ongoing discussions about Chosen standards changed the setting based on how easy they achieved this or their age, the difficulty would rise, making it utterly impossible for those who took the Ever-Domain Pill to pass. This is the only acceptable method, especially with the summit's fluid changes of standards in effect. This was purely just unluckiness. A bad case of wrong timing." 

After Lin Xianxian finished her explanation, a few felt they understood a little better, and pitying gazes turned to Lin Ming. This might be an open admittance to being inferior by the Everlore Association, but it was also a play by those with a voice. They wanted to segregate the two, lending them a greater chance of their talents rising.

How embarrassing would it be if those three girls from earlier defined the minimum standards going forward? As they all belonged to vastly inferior forces, it would be absurdly difficult to justify lower standards to, let's say, a Noble Clan of the Aeternal Sky Starfield at a similar age. After all, the Noble Clan's Chosen would have been invested with more resources since birth, giving better environments, a higher degree of education, powerful armaments, and all sorts of arts, spells, and cultivation methods of greater quality and strength. All of these contributed to a cultivator's strength, not just a single pill.

The distinction allowed them to hit the reset button! The Everlore Association could only accept it, but it'll also serve as a stone that hit two birds! To hinder those with the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill from all passing, they elevated the standards to greater levels, simultaneously hitting the Ninestar Starfield and Wei Wuyin's allies. This was why the elders had felt they were being acted against.

"Won't this harm those who took the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill? Or even prevent them from entering entirely? Also, why the high entity level? How can a Gravity Emission junior face a Starlord?" Zhang Yang asked with a heavy frown. 

"It's only this high because Lin Ming represents a World Sect; they're using the first three women from before as the minimum baseline until they feel the need or obtain the justification to lower it. Long Chen could be considered at the peak of his range in terms of cultivation base, backing, and age, so his level is entirely reasonable. It's just impossible. Should he fail, die, or refuse to face it, the standard should be lowered for future challenges in the name of fairness. This is the benefit of fluid changes but also what I meant before—a base case of timing." Lin Xianxian heaved a sigh.

"But how is that fair?" Zhang Yin couldn't help but feel aggrieved for Lin Ming.

Lin Xianxian gave her a sidelong glance. She was still too immature. All those who died earlier suffered the same thing Lin Ming was currently subjected to—being a guinea pig for the summit. In fact, he was lucky to face this challenge, as no one would blame him for refusing to take it and throwing his life away. 

However, Lin Xianxian didn't know Lin Ming as Lin Xianxei did. While he might be overly arrogant and haughty like some geniuses, he had a stronger sense of pride and fighting spirit than most. After descending with the air of a hero, all eyes focused on him, and making that verbal promise, it was very unlikely that he could set it down and bow out! 

And she would be right.

Despite the whisperings of death in Lin Ming's mind, the turmoil of emotions, those grey eyes of his was growing brighter with an intense will. His entire life had forged him to become who he was today, and being in the spotlight, being a voice that determined the future of the next era, how could he ever choose to give that up?! 

While he's suffered losses before, he never was demoralized by them. There were always uncontrollable circumstances that caused him to lose out, such as Wei Wuyin's self-damaging methods or his enemies using numbers to force him to retreat. But this was entirely different. To walk away now, he would have to willingly give up all his pride and accept no longer being an impactful character in the upcoming era. He refused to allow that to happen! 

Clenching his spear that has accompanied him for decades, his mind was set. With a firm gaze, he stared at his goal: the Void Gate. 

"Ye-" 

As his words were about the form, the entire world underwent a silent change as a flowing surge swept it.