Paragon of Sin

The truth? 

The eyes of everyone fixed onto Wei Wuyin's unearthly countenance, and those silver eyes of his reflected an indescribable emotion. It was as if he was utterly exhausted and had also accepted something unthinkable. It wasn't malicious, but it felt relaxed.

Qing Qiumu and Wu Baozhai once more exchanged looks, this was the first time that'd ever seen Wei Wuyin exude such a strange feeling. Unable to determine its origins, they waited as well. 

"The truth?" Long Chen questioned. After figuring out that Lian Yu's final words were meant for him, that it was a misunderstanding because of specific circumstances, his mood had considerably proven. However, the killing intent in his heart remained unabated. 

"The truth," Wei Wuyin faintly nodded. He lightly touched Huang Boqing's shoulder. A surge of power entered his brain and flared, causing his vision to turn black. He went unconscious, his body becoming incredibly slack and powerless. With a soft thud, he face-planted the browning grey dirt. 

Wei Wuyin spoke in an unhurried fashion as he stared at Long Chen, "Today, I will kill you." 

With a casual step, he slowly made his way towards Long Chen. The entire spectating crowd paused, their hearts pounded at those words. It lacked any form of killing intent, utterly lacking in a vicious gravity, and even the atmosphere hadn't grown tense. It was as if it was spoken in the most casual, most direct manner without any power. Yet they all felt their hearts seized.

Qing Qiumu's heart stilled, skipping several normal heartbeats. She tried to speak yet found her words caught in her throat. This was the situation she wanted to avoid, a fight between Long Chen and Wei Wuyin. These were most definitely the two most influential men in her entire life. The former had acted as a travel companion as they cultivated through their younger years. The latter saved her life twice, and felt like a kindred soul that comforted her every thought. 

Wu Baozhai's pupils shrunk. There was a thundering boom in her head as she felt her world begin to collapse. For some reason, she wasn't expecting Wei Wuyin to ever say those words. But why? Why now? As if on instinct, she turned to Long Chen and a raging fear emerged in her heart. She wanted to shout, to scream for Long Chen to run, yet her heart fought against this action.

She was always astute, extremely aware of individual's personalities, their intent, and desires. This allowed her to thrive as a Commander, as the Grand Princess of the Myriad Monarch Sect, and as a member of a genuine member of a Royal Family. 

She knew what the 'truth' Wei Wuyin wanted to say. 

Long Chen was taken aback, observing the reactions of everyone in the background and these two beauties in his view. However, he smirked after a little bit of thinking. Did Wei Wuyin think he was scared of him? After reaching the 1st Grand Transformation, the amount of trump cards and means he now possessed exceeded mortal imagination! 

From the beginning, Long Chen never intended to allow Wei Wuyin to live past today. This was why he trekked this distance, why he tracked him here. If it wasn't for Wu Baozhai and the other members of the Myriad Monarch Sect, he would've already removed Wei Wuyin's head from his shoulders. Then, all the issues plaguing his heart would finally vanish.

With a mocking scoff and a powerful swish of his sword inducing terrifying winds, he replied: "Today, I will kill you." It was as if he was throwing back Wei Wuyin's words against him, a moment that might inspire sheer amusement after he held Wei Wuyin's head in his hand. 

Step.

Wei Wuyin took one step further, slowly but surely nearing. He proceeded to speak the truth: "When I first saw you that day, I thought about my death. A death that would not come, but my death nevertheless. In it, you towered over me as your sword swung towards my neck, beheading me and bringing an end to my life. 

"I didn't understand at the time why I would die by your hands. Really, there were many things I didn't understand, yet the two things I never felt towards you throughout these many years, even when told that you'll be a threat to me, was hatred and fear."

Step.

"How could I? You were insignificant to me at the time. You were not the greatest concern in my life. I faced heaven's wrath, survived Hell, viewed the yellow springs, and escaped my fate. What was a Long Chen before that? So, when we entered the Myriad Monarch Sect, and this is the completely honest truth: I never once thought of you of my own accord.

"I never once acted against you with ill-intent. I never felt the need to. You live your life, I'll live mine. Yet your fate intertwined with mine, and your companions, they all left you. Not because of me, but because of you. Because you blamed all your issues on others yet never realized the truth, the truth regarding the outcome of your own failings." 

Step.

"..." Long Chen's expression twisted, glaring at Wei Wuyin with eyes suffused with boundless killing intent. If looks could kill, Wei Wuyin would've died long ago, eviscerated in body and soul.

Step.

Wei Wuyin continued, "I could go on, point out all your mistakes. I could explain to you why you didn't deserve any of these women, and that when actual competition was interwoven into your life and they were given a choice: you were not theirs. But you wouldn't understand, you wouldn't dare to let yourself see this truth."

At this point, Wei Wuyin had stepped past the two frozen women of outstanding beauty. Their eyes followed Wei Wuyin as he did, but his words weren't wrong. 

Long Chen's sword released a ferocious hum as the Imperial Heaven Aura within him exploded outwards, ravaging the surroundings and tainting the sky above in a faint golden hue with endless dazzling stars. Those eyes of his narrowed to an extremely dangerous limit. 

Yet Wei Wuyin remained entirely unaffected as the torrent of wind was pushed aside by an invisible power. He kept stepping forward at the exact same pace as before. 

"Given gifts by the heavens and failing to hold onto it, blaming others for your failures. I must say: I'm truly happy that those beside you can have the freedom to make their own choice, to be given another opportunity not manipulated by something beyond their comprehension."

"..." Amongst everyone present, only Long Chen understood Wei Wuyin's last words. When they heard it, a sound in their minds tuned it out. This wasn't the Heavenly Daos, but Wei Wuyin's own actions. He laced his words with Eden Force that concealed his words to others.

Long Chen's aura reached an absolute peak. That smirk of his transformed into a frown and then into a vicious smile. The killing intent and desire to slaughter had leaked outwards the surroundings, shifting the sky's golden hue to a sanguine tint. 

"You're pathetic," Long Chen countered. "You're simply a liar that's trying to salvage your face. Not have any ill-intent towards me? Do you think I'm a child? That I'm stupid?! From the beginning, you've acted against me! Your Extreme Creation Mountain acted against me! Your stooges acted towards me! Tried to kill me and those I cared about!!

"And you, you manipulated each and everyone one of them! Everyone I loved! You definitely caused Lin Ziyan to change! She loved me more than her own life, yet when she came back from you, she left me for you? And Na Xinyi hated you! Yet she, for some ungodly reason, decided to be your wife? YOU RAPED HER! Do you think anyone will believe that?! That she'll leave me for you?" 

Long Chen huffed and puffed, exposing a closely guarded secret that only a few knew. Furthermore, this accusation was levied with immense emotion behind it. A few cultivators turned to Wei Wuyin and the looks they gave were strange. It wasn't with disgust. It wasn't with shock. It was with curiosity.

Qing Qiumu and Wu Baozhai paled when those words were said. They were more aware of Na Xinyi's thoughts and viewpoint than others. They knew more of the story, and it wasn't so simple! In fact, this complexity was why Na Xinyi would choose Wei Wuyin.

After all, he saved her life when she was captured and marked for a horrific death. He betrayed his sect by honoring his promise; he gave her a choice at living life. In the cultivation world, this was extremely rare. This was especially so in the face of great benefits and allure that a Three-Point Yin Physique held to male cultivators. Even they were shocked when they heard the truth of what happened, and their intense emotions towards Wei Wuyin was only lessened as a result.

A normal cultivator would've used Na Xinyi like a dual cultivation slave, extracting her usefulness before burying her ravaged and lifeless body in some unmarked hole or burning it to ash.

Wei Wuyin was unfazed. Although his actions inevitably led to his decapitating death by Long Chen's hands in that alternate timeline he was shown by the Black Skeleton, his heart contained no regret for his choice. Because of Na Xinyi, Long Chen sneakily entered his sect when they were being attacked by the Elven Race, and found him and Jiu Lang. 

He protected Jiu Lang instead of retreating, possessing a Heart of Scarlet Qi at the time. He was met with the cold edge of Long Chen's blade in utter defeat. If he didn't figure out that this event only occurred because he decided to act in accordance with his own principles and morals, staying true to his word even if it meant turning against him, and that calamity wouldn't have happened, then he would be an idiot. The Black Skeleton wouldn't have interfered and his life might've been different.

"You continue to lay blame elsewhere." Was Wei Wuyin's only reply. 

"Enough!" Long Chen refused to accept Wei Wuyin's words as the truth. Everything that has happened since they arrived in the Myriad Yore Continent, he felt as if Wei Wuyin was behind each and every event to varying degrees. From the conflict with the Ji Clan to the Huangfu Clan, and perhaps even Lin Ziyan's crippling and Qing Qiumu's execution!

He faintly felt that it was all an orchestrated plot by Wei Wuyin. Why else would the Huangfu Clan, a clan linked heavily to Tuo Bihan and the Extreme Creation Mountain, decide to act against him? Why else would Lin Ziyan be crippled, not killed? Why else would, at the last second, a woman indebted to Wei Wuyin saved Qing Qiumu as the blade neared her neck! 

IT WAS ALL SUSPICIOUS!

That's right. 

Long Chen looked at Wei Wuyin with a look of grand realization. If he considered it from that point of view, then it all made sense! All the obstacles, all the struggles, all the numerous disasters they faced were all orchestrated by Wei Wuyin to systematically ruin his reputation, to take away his women!! 

"When I finally kill you, all of these issues will be resolved. They'll all realize the truth, the real truth and come back!" He spoke gruesomely with a tainted tone. He hadn't descended into madness, but delusions had stricken his heart.

Wei Wuyin halted his steps, being quite close to Long Chen. He calmly ordered: "You two are not to interfere. No matter what." When he spoke out, everyone thought it was meant for Qing Qiumu and Wu Baozhai. Even they felt it was, but in truth, two figures that were concealed directly behind Long Chen turned to look at Wei Wuyin.

One of them was ready to use a translucent spear, and the other seemed ready to thrust out a palm of her soft hand. They looked at Wei Wuyin, seeing the decisive authority emitted from his eyes. With reluctant nods, they vanished.

Long Chen was unaware of the two that were ready to claim his life.