Paragon of Sin

Basking in his newfound power, Lin Ming felt the strange, foreign power invigorating his physical and spiritual senses. When he let loose a portion of this power, unfurled it out into the world, he felt a sense of total control within a small area. It was as if he was the god designated to this small portion of the world, its ruler and sovereign of the ages.

'Is this what Realmlords feel? Is this a Worldly Domain?'  Unfortunately, the World Realm was currently experiencing the Season of Emptiness, the ambient mana, energies, and astronomical forces were severely absent, suppressed, and restrained during this period. 

Standing up, he flexed his fingers and arms, feeling the strange power that was connected to him retract and expand at will. This power was utterly intoxicating! 

A soft, weak voice sounded out. "Did it work?" It originated from Tang Xingyun. She had suffered the consequences of the Engorging Foundation Evil Method first, so she similarly recovered her strength a little faster. Despite that, she felt her vision was blurry and a faint sensation of internal emptiness. This was clearly from the extraction of her soul.

There was a wisp of hope and excitement within her voice. If Lin Ming succeeded, if he formed a False Worldly Domain at his age, at his cultivation base, then despite the means to get there, it would illustrate to the world of his sparkling potential. 

In a way, he had been given a portion of their talent and foundation, amplifying his own. 

Lin Ming's grey eyes rippled with emotion, turning to see the weakened Tang Xingyun. A feeling of warm, gentle, and caring emotion was birthed in his heart as he restrained his new power, and walked towards her. He intended to hold her, to give her thanks in close proximity, but as he reached a few meters towards her, a wall of condensed air formed.

Smacking against it lightly, Lin Ming started. "What the hell?" This wall was just conjured out of nowhere, halting his advance!

Tang Xingyun was somewhat expectant when she saw Lin Ming approach, feeling as if her efforts were worth it. The emotions within Lin Ming's eyes revealed his deepest feelings. With a bitter yet happy smile, she comforted: "It's okay. I'm fine." 

She slowly took a few breaths and stood up, putting on a strong front as a sense of weakness engulfed her body. 

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Lin Ming frowned, realizing that he couldn't get closer to Tang Xingyun. He tightly clenched his fist, suppressing his pent-up emotions. "I succeeded, no, WE succeeded," nodding, he answered with a warm smile. 

Bai Yuxi was still concealed by a veil. Her eyes watched the two of them, but she could only sigh in relief with a tinge of bitterness. At this moment, Lin Ming still didn't know who she was. This was deliberate, so it's likely that Lin Ming was still under the assumption that she was Tang Xingyun. With a faintly weak smile, she stood up and left.

As she left, her footsteps lonely and swift, a voice sounded out behind her.

"Thank you! I know what all of you," Lin Ming looked at the recently deceased and collapsed corpse of Xiuyin, "that every last one of you had to sacrifice for this to happen. I know that, perhaps, it wasn't necessary in the end, but this has helped me far more than just claiming the final victory of this trial. I owe you all, and its a debt I'll work hard to repay. Even if I have to use my life to do so. So again, thank you." 

Lin Ming didn't just succeed in forming a False Worldly Domain at the Spatial Resonance Phase, an absolutely unprecedented event due to the extremely difficult requirements to achieve it, he also gained direct enlightenment towards the next three stages of the Astral Core Realm: Light Reflection Phase, Gravity Emission Phase, and Realm World Phase. The benefits of this were immeasurable.

Bai Yuxi didn't turn around, only aloofly nodding her head and walking out of the Main Hall. She soon vanished from everyone's sights, alongside those footsteps that didn't seem lonely any longer. In fact, it seemed to carry a sound of happiness. 

Tang Xingyun slowly walked to Xiuyin's corpse. With a gentle lift, she carried Xiuyin's corpse in her arms. Within her eyes were signs of wetness threatening to spill. She didn't think this risk would take Xiuyin's life. If she had known, would she still be willing to do it? 

For several minutes, she just held the cold, warmthless body in her arms, memories arising from the depths of her mind. With quivering lips, she clutched her arms into a tight hug, unwilling to let Xiuyin go. 

Unfortunately, that petite girl had already left.

"..." Lin Ming didn't wallow in his new power any longer, feeling impressed by his future. He clasped his hands and gave a deep bow to Xiuyin's corpse that was held by Tang Xingyun. His gesture conveyed all his feelings of respect and thankfulness. He swore that, if he reached the peak of cultivation, the entire world would know Xiuyin's name. If she had family or friends, they would know no suffering. 

He swore this.

Outside of the Sky Zephyr Temple, Wei Wuyin was observing everything with his Celestial Eyes with an indifferent gaze. 'So they somehow established a False Worldly Domain by sacrificing three targets with untainted souls and bodies. That's quite interesting. This gives me an idea.' Wei Wuyin's eyes brightened, his dull grey eyes flickered into its radiant silver.

Within that silver color were seven stars in each eye. They represented the Alchemic Stars of Mortal Spirituality, the sign of an Mortal Sovereign Alchemist who had gained the recognition of the Alchemic and Mortal Daos. It was the mark of one who touched upon the limits of the Mortal Limits of Alchemy!

After a brief period, the stars and silver radiance faded, resuming his normal dull grey. Despite his Sea of Consciousness suffering damage, it couldn't stop him from having bits of enlightenment and comprehension. 'If I use these thirty-one materials, I should be able to replicate the same event. A pill that gives others a False Worldly Domain? If given to those earlier, they would have far more benefits.'

After a rough calculation and simulation, he had found a possible recipe, his first ever original alchemic recipe, that might bestow others with a False Worldly Domain and all the benefits of comprehension, without sacrificing others! 'The Soul Ash of Divine Jade is absolutely crucial to replace the soul fragments needed for the process.'

To replace the soul energy of others, the Soul Ash of Divine Jade, this malleable material born from the failed Soul Impartation of the Heavens, must be used. He had no intentions of using real souls, especially knowing that doing so without someone's consent was against the vague, biased rules of the Heavenly Daos. 

To add a form of stability and connectivity, Spiritual Mana, a man-made material used to refine Natal and Astral Souls to elevate their Mortal States or as a material to create Mana Essence, enabling the Zenith Mortal State, could be used. He had earned a drop of it from the Grand Spirit Trials, but the caches had a few more drops in each.

If he used unrefined lifeforce, infused it into a Spatial Jade Crystal alongside another material, and increased its qualities to a certain limit, this could act as a substitute spatial force. With the Mark of Eden's nigh-endless reserves of lifeforce, it was possible!

Furthermore, these details might elevate the entire process, strengthening one's unity with their False Worldly Domain and its resulting powers.

In a way, if his idea worked out, he might…

He might…

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Wei Wuyin's eyes brightened once more, to an inconceivable degree! 'I might be able to produce a genuine Worldly Domain for cultivators at the Soul Idol Phase!' As for why the Soul Idol Phase, a Worldly Domain needed a certain degree of Spiritual Strength to control. 

This, however, was secondary to the enlightenment derived from it. Establishing a False or True Worldly Domain meant having higher levels of Spatial Resonance and Primary Light would be a certainty, and doing so meant they would have it a thousand times, maybe even ten thousand times, easier to comprehend the next four stages. This wasn't a matter of talent, but an absolute cheat! 

The raging excitement caused his fingers to twist and curl. In the end, he clenched his hands into tight fists. While he had no idea if his idea was original, if it was devised and accomplished in some other way, this was his first product that he'd ever conceived!

And it was likely a ninth-grade pill! 

Was this how the King of Everlore felt when he devised his numerous products? When he created a legacy that lasted for several millennia and was still thriving with such resounding strength? Just the thought of the possibility sent his heart into a spiral of turbulent emotions, and he hadn't even concocted it yet!