Paragon of Sin

Across the vast expanse of the Dark Void, numerous experts and organizations set off toward the most radiant star in their entire world. The hearts and thoughts of nearly everyone began to be filled with a mixture of curiosity, caution, dread, confusion, anticipation, and expectations as they grew closer. The few exceptions felt elation or bewilderment. 

Regardless of who they were or what they felt, they all knew the world was going to change once again!

-----

Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, Born True Starfield. 

Before a shadowy oval-shaped mirror in a dark hall, a violet-robed figure stood silently observing the situation. There was an air of tension surrounding them. 

"Has the Grand Sage's powers waned? Or is this the prelude to the All-Ending Stellar Calamity?" The figure muttered as the mirror showed a radiant star that was about ten times larger than the Aeternal Sky Star. Moreover, it exuded a type of harmonized solar essence that felt like the genuine article to the Aeternal Sky Star's Mystic Radiance Belt. If the latter was compared to the former, it was like a transcendent ninth-grade product to an authentic mystic-grade product. 

They didn't hesitate to withdraw a golden talisman that oozed a heavenly aura. With a slight exertion of strength, the talisman shattered into dust. The golden dust sparkled with spirituality and, at their right, began to gather into the form of a figure.

When it finished, a figure resembling a human construct made of golden sand manifested. 

The Grand Seer! 

The sand outlined her figure, the golden dust she had for eyes opened, and she gazed at the violet-robed figure for a moment. Then, she turned toward the shadowy oval mirror to observe the radiant star. 

"..." 

"..."

The two were silent for a long moment. The air of tension grew thicker and more stifling. 

"I don't know." The Grand Seer answered the unspoken question. 

"How useless," this was the second time that the violet-robed figure had deemed the Golden Gate Pavilion, the greatest organization of Heavenly Seers in the Sealed Regions, useless! Moreover, the respect in his voice had more or less vanished.

The Grand Seer frowned slightly. She didn't respond. Why? Because they were unaware of this! At the very least, she had never been notified by the Grand Sage of its existence or its eventual appearance. This was mind-boggling, so she was genuinely uncertain and lacked the confidence to defend the organization.

Instead, she merely closed her eyes. She was communicating with her main body, who, from her perception, was on the move. She, too, was traveling across the expanse of the Dark Void and nearing the unknown variable. It was likely a mission given to her by the Grand Sage. Only after this incarnation established a link through time and space did she verify her purpose, and she received no answer as to why a star had emerged. 

"You said you'd be able to determine within a year the descent of the Endless Void Realm's forces." While the violet-robed figure didn't outright say it, they were questioning if the Golden Gate Pavilion could still do certain things.

"We can. We will," the Grand Seer coldly stated. It was only then that her confidence reemerged. Perhaps she already knew the exact date yet refused to tell the violet-robed figure at the moment, which was also what the violet-robed figure concluded. Their aura grew threatening.

A wisp of Mystic Heart Intent unsettled the hall, and the golden dust body of the Grand Sage began to crumble. The hall trembled, reflecting the anger and frustration within their heart. 

"..." The crumbling of the Grand Seer's Incarnation didn't cause the slightest change in her expression. Despite that, it didn't mean she wasn't angry at the petulant display of disrespect the violet-robed figure was performing.  "If you're so concerned, then investigate yourself." 

"...!" The violet-robed figure's will erupted, and the Grand Seer crumbled instantly. The rage in the air was palpable. "You dare mock me?" Those words were extremely cold, utterly glacial in essence and tone. The Grand Seer had retaliated by rubbing salt on his wounds, reminding him of his losses at the hands of the silver-eyed mortal devil and the forceful oaths sworn.

The Grand Seer's golden dust lost all spirituality. The violet-robed figure caressed the oval mirror's surface. The mirror rippled as spiritual light danced at their fingertips. "Fine." 

-----

Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, Rainbow World Starfield.

There were seven titanic-sized planets orbiting a single Solar Star; the seven planets each possessed colorful-hued atmospheres of different colors, from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, while the lone Solar Star was white. At the edges of the starfield, a faint rainbow veil encapsulated the whole region. From afar, it was unquestionably a beautiful sight to see.

The sole Earthly Saint of the Rainbow World Starfield, Xia Jia, and leader of the Rainbow World Alliance, observed the recent addition to the sky from the edge of her starfield. Through the rainbow veil, the star's brilliance couldn't be concealed as it breached through and gave her a feeling of warmth and comfort.

"Has it finally started?" Xia Jia muttered to herself. She was a Blessed! In fact, she wasn't simply a Blessed; she was the oldest living Blessed within the entire Sealed Regions! While her physical appearance barely seemed to surpass sixteen, she was certainly not as she appeared!

She observed the numerous streaks of light in the distance, all converging toward the radiant star. After briefly narrowing her eyes, she took a step forward and transformed into a rainbow. 

-----

Border of Aeternal Sky Starfield, Void-Blank Space. 

The Imperial Clan was on the move! However, they didn't use their physical bodies, but the legendary Sky Destroyers! Unlike most Voidships, the gigantic-sized Voidships weren't just rivaling the terrifying power of Earthly Saints, but their speed was capable of doing so as well! Moreover, under the instructions of a skilled Sky Monarch, they could outrun or chase down Earthly Saints!

There were three! 

Yang Chaoyue was at the helm of a Sky Destroyer, Tian Muyang and Tian Lingyu were piloting another, and the eldest Sky Monarch was piloting the last one with Empress Xiaocheng beside him. 

Empress Xiaocheng stared at the radiant star that basked the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region in its radiance despite being so absurdly far away. Her expression was solemn, but within the depths of her gorgeous eyes was a developing desire! 

-----

Heptasage Pillar Stellar Region. 

Wei Wuyin's Celestial Eyes indifferently observed the Dark Void. The presence of Earthly Saints was evident. They were all moving at exceedingly fast speeds, and there wasn't much time until they arrived. The star had brought about all sorts of attention. 

Was he careless? 

No!

When he first returned, he instantly noticed the Absolute Void Layer's collapse. However, knowing the size of Little Defiant, there was no feasible way for him to bring it out of his Mind's Eye into the Sealed Regions! There was no reason to re-establish the layer. Moreover, even if he wanted to, he simply didn't have enough condensed Chaos Mana to do so! 

He neglected it and let it be, focusing on Little Defiant's situation instead. But he could never have expected that, neither with his current knowledge nor his other self's memories, Little Defiant would birth a smaller copy of itself! It not only created a smaller replica, but it also had the same principles as a World-Bound Star Domain!

It was too sudden, too unexpected, and too unfathomable! 

In the end, he couldn't help but bitterly smile in his heart. While Little Defiant's ability was heaven-defying and worth celebrating, the dated reveal of his territory had leaped forward by quite a bit. 

"Young Lord!" Wei Wuyin received a transmission from Wu Yu, whose voice was quite urgent. It was a probing message, seeking orders on what to do. 

Wei Wuyin's thoughts were by no means slow, so he swiftly began to consider various options he had. 

As a World-Bound Star Domain, Wei Wuyin could exhaust some of his strength to move— 

"Baby Defiant!" Ori hurriedly pitched a name. 

Wei Wuyin didn't have time to argue, so he decided to mentally differentiate them by these names. 

—to move Baby Defiant to a World Realm capable of fitting it. However, Baby Defiant was too large, so the options available were limited. 

Another option was to use Void Crystallization or return it to his Mind's Eye—if at all possible—and depart with no one the wiser. The issue was the thorough investigations by the Earthly Saint upon such a miraculous change will undoubtedly reveal the one reason why he stationed himself here—the Third Node. 

He couldn't allow those who came to investigate to brazenly inspect this space, especially after Trueborn had revealed the truth of the Sealed Regions in recent years, especially to the upper-echelon members. They might not understand the full implications of its destruction, but they would certainly yearn for some type of ignorant longing for freedom upon learning of their caged status. The prospects of a greater world might lure those too blinded by their greed as well. 

Within his Mind's Eye, Little Defiant's blazing surface was slightly subdued and calm, as if trying to hide. Wei Wuyin's interest was piqued as he smiled with a gentle warmth in his heart.

"It's not your fault," Wei Wuyin softly communicated. His situation wasn't anyone's fault. It was a series of unexpected events and factors that couldn't have possibly been predicted. "Actually, this suits my plans." 

Seeing Little Defiant's dejection, including how intelligent and aware it seemed, Wei Wuyin no longer decided to think of this as a problem. Instead, it was an opportunity! A heaven-sent opportunity!

With a wave of his right hand, his nude body, which had lost every shred of clothes from the blistering heat of the Alpha and Omega Stars and becoming a singularity, was replaced. He donned a set of exquisitely white robes with silver-colored vambraces. The attire was a mixture of his martial combat outfit and alchemist robes, perfectly exuding a balanced look of both professions. At his waist, a saber appeared in its jet-black scabbard decorated with eighteen dragons, and a faint saber howl permeated the immediate space.

He grasped with his right hand, and a tiny flag manifested! The Nexus War Flag! With a burst of soul light, the tiny flag grew until it reached ten thousand meters in height! The enlarged flag only had one thing written front and back in silver with a jet-black background. It said: 

Neo-Dawn!

Wei Wuyin's four Astral Souls grew abnormally active; their newly promoted Spiritual Strength gathered together and channeled into Wei Wuyin's voice as he stood before Baby Defiant. With a voice empowered by Spiritual Strength, Wei Wuyin stomped his foot as he accessed the Minor Space Law and declared:

"Today, the Heptasage Pillar Stellar Region will be no more; from henceforth, by my name, I, Wei Wuyin, the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor, have declared this territory as the Neo-Dawn Starfield!" 

His voice spread across all layers of space, entering every Secret Realm, World Realm, and every area in the Sealed Regions! There was no one, no infant, no adult, no beast, and no ghost that hadn't heard this declaration! 

He lifted the Nexus War Flag! A brilliant light swept the entire stellar region as he slammed its bottom down!

BOOSH!

81 Earthly Saints, all fully armored, all exuding unfathomable auras, manifested before him and Baby Defiant! At the lead was none other than Legion Commander Zhan Zheng! The dragon-head helmet-wearing commander exuded the strongest aura! 

Wei Wuyin only sent Wu Yu a three-worded message: "Commence the exodus."