Paragon of Sin

"..." The woman's words contrasted with her voice, giving one a strange feeling that swelled within their hearts. The fact that she had likely caused someone to howl out the most ghastly type of howl one might hear in their lives, and a Soldier of War no less, was downright terrifying.

Step. Ste-

"Wait," Wei Wuyin held out a hand towards the direction of the woman's voice. This caused her steps to halt, recede, and slowly settle itself on the ground. She had actually stopped moving forward and stood where she was, waiting just as Wei Wuyin said. This event caused Guan Yu, who had full visual capabilities, to gawk with confusion. 

Wei Wuyin didn't bother with this, only asking, "What do you think of the Nexus Battlefield?" He didn't know the origins, race, or appearance of this soldier, but Wei Wuyin's goal wasn't to engage in battle with every encounter. It would defeat the point. And if he just went around defeating, or trying to defeat, everyone until they submitted to his might, that would be somewhat troublesome and time consuming. 

They were soldiers, not brutes or barbarians sent to slaughter without focus or purpose. It just wasn't a sustainable approach to the situation in his eyes. And some figures might rather break than bend, and Wei Wuyin wasn't willing to kill all those who refused to submit. Even if he could. 

The female voice was silent for a moment, yet the floral fragrance grew even stronger as she stood close by. While Wei Wuyin was unable to see her, he could still gauge the amount of distance between them through his other physical senses. The woman should be approximately twenty-one meters away, which was an extremely easy distance to cover for those with their strength, even in this restrained environment. 

"A perfect place to enjoy the sight of death and pain," she answered obediently. Guan Yu felt cold shivers down his spine once again. He felt an unbearable urge to lunge forward and bring an end to this woman's life and twisted words. However, Wei Wuyin was stronger than him, and facing two against one will make this much easier. It was best if he served as support while Wei Wuyin took the leading role, so he waited. 

Yet his mindset was still focused on collecting War Souls from the deceased corpses of other Soldiers of War. Despite Wei Wuyin's words and revealed intentions, even if he was aware about the War Spirit's Soul Exchange, he didn't expect Wei Wuyin to use it. No, he couldn't expect Wei Wuyin had the means to effectively use it.

Ultimately, it was designed for Commanders of Units, not footsoldiers like them who fought by the orders of others. 

It was best to collect War Souls and obtain a hefty exchange of resources after, carving a more prominent path in their own homes instead of some far-off otherworldly battlefield and risk their lives in a ludicrously reckless plan. 

"What's your thoughts about the Obelisk of War?" Wei Wuyin asked. 

"...Impossible. Is there anything else you want to know, handsome?" The woman's voice was charming, capable of inducing arousal in the hearts of men. She just smelled nice and her voice was the epitome of attractive. 

Wei Wuyin faintly smiled in reply. He didn't think this woman would launch a compliment in the Nexus Battlefield, especially considering her killing intent had never faltered since they met. In fact, it seemed to grow thicker and thicker by the passing second. 

When he smelled the floral fragrance, he realized that this was a disguise to hide the extremely prominent killing intent within the air. He didn't know why such a method was deployed, or why this floral fragrance was being used, but he remained on-guard. 

Guan Yu seemed to have noticed something, hastily covering his nose. "This floral fragrance! It's-" He shouted out, but his words were interrupted by the discovery of his quivering hand holding the bident. He was shocked to realize that even his vision was becoming blurry. With a strange tone, he called out: "Poison?!" 

However, he was still a Soldier of War with a profound cultivation, so he hastily did what anyone else would do in this situation. He looked at the woman before him, gripped his bident tighter, and…turned around! Hand on nose, he ran away without the slightest hesitation.

Strategic retreat!

He was quite fast; within a few seconds, he was already several dozen meters away despite this strenuous environment. 

Wei Wuyin stayed where he was, and the woman seemed to have moved for a moment when Guan Yu fled, almost as if she was going to pursue, enjoying the eventual chase and hunt. However, Wei Wuyin had remained perfectly still without a single action despite Guan Yu's exclamation. She decidedly stood on the spot, eyeing Wei Wuyin.

After running a fair distance away, Guan Yu turned around and started to slowly expel the poison that had built up within his body using his physical energies. He was terrified to discover that he was being poisoned without his knowledge. He didn't flee, but got out of range of the poison's area-of-effect. Since he was already poisoned, he was at a disadvantage from the beginning of the battle, and this poison clearly had the ability to accumulate over time. 

All that woman had to do was defend and chase until he eventually succumbed. It would be extraordinarily difficult to accept such a death. He much rather rush to the edge of the Nexus Battlefield and escape if the situation forced his hand. He wondered if the owner of that howl was chased down like prey. 

Wei Wuyin stood where he was. He continued his questioning, not bothered by Guan Yu's words or retreat: "I intend to observe the Obelisk of War. Do you want to join me?" 

"...You might have looks, but you aren't very bright." The woman's comment was filled with a peculiar tone. She was thrown off-guard by Wei Wuyin twice already, unsure how to react to any of this. Typically, her prey would be stunned by her appearance, attracted by her voice, enjoying her fragrance and linger about half-heartedly. Especially the men. When they eventually discovered the situation, just like Guan Yu, they ran or tried to hectically kill her off. 

Yet Wei Wuyin had his eyes closed, and despite learning the fragrance was poisonous, he remained. 

"Are you blind?" She asked curiously. 

Wei Wuyin didn't answer her, "Your skills are quite interesting. Will this poisonous air affect the Spirits of War?" 

"..." The woman was flabbergasted by Wei Wuyin's insistence. She stayed silent for twenty full seconds as the floral fragrance grew thicker and thicker. However, after a while, the thickness of the fragrance and intensity of its smell seemed to reach a limit. 

Wei Wuyin lifted his hand and waved his finger in the air, feeling the condensed particulates that were floating about. "It can't?" Wei Wuyin asked, realizing this degree of poisonous air was quite weak. Considering each Spirit of War was at the Ascended level, then this might not affect them. It was still within Mortal Limits.

"It shouldn't," the woman smilingly said, amused by Wei Wuyin's reaction. While her poisonous air might not affect Ascended beings, be it manifestations or real, it was more than enough to affect all mortal beings. Wei Wuyin's cool and confident facade was bound to collapse soon. Just thinking about such a handsome face, so confident in themselves, start to deteriorate with fear and terror was causing her body to feel stimulated.

What type of horrific expression such a handsome will make at its end? She was intending to make this last for a long time. 

However, after two minutes, her expression started to change. Wei Wuyin was still using his fingers to dance in the air, as if he was poking and prodding her poison with deep interest. As for breathing, her poison didn't need to be breathed it. It adhered to spiritual energies within one's body. 

"You're right," Wei Wuyin commented on the poison. Then added, "Was it you or the one you killed that called forth their Astral Idol?" He had just learned what this was, and this woman's poison carried traces of aura, and it wasn't consistent with what he felt earlier. However, he wasn't certain of an Astral Idol would drastically change a person's aura. 

The woman scoffed, yet her voice became increasingly shaky and unconfident, "As if I need my Astral Idol for such a small prey. But, handsome, what about you? How are you unaffected by my Myriad Gravebound Fragrance?"

"Myriad Gravebound Fragrance? Unaffected?" Wei Wuyin spoke softly to himself, clenching his fist fiercely. There was bits of seven-colored light shimmering within his palm. "I'm not unaffected; It just never stayed in my body long enough to build up." 

"Ah?" The woman cried softly in surprise, uncertain what that meant. Her poison wasn't something a person can expel easily. When she saw the seven-colored light, her expression changed drastically. 

Wei Wuyin opened his palm, revealing a spherical object of just a few inches in circumference. It was a white pellet. With a bright smile, he said excitedly: "So this is Jing Jiu's chance!" 

Thinking about his arrival, the predetermined timeline of the teleportation, the meeting of someone who was deeply aware of the situation of the Battlefield, and now the meeting of this particular woman, Wei Wuyin was skeptical. However, he decided to think about this in a different viewpoint.

If Jing Jiu's fortuitous event was to arrive here, observe the Obelisk of War, then he either needed to kill and obtain the required tools to do so or gain their alliance. The Nexus Battlefield was degraded in state, making it impossible for mere mortals to complete the trial by themselves. It had devolved to Soldiers of War killing each other for a chance to escape. No matter how talented a mortal was, facing 10,000 Ascended is just outright impossible, so this made sense.

He was aware that he had to use enough pellets to devastate a small-sized starfield to kill Cai Liuyang. And Considering there were bound to be at least ten Demi-Mortal Lords if the fielding of units were consistent with the original Battlefield, perhaps even an terrifyingly stronger one leading the legion itself, then it was just not a remotely realistic plan. 

But if Jing Jiu was set by the Heavenly Daos to have this opportunity, then that meant it was possible for mortals. The Heavenly Daos tend to orchestrate events in advance, so when a Blessed arrived, it was up to them to take advantage with their current strength. 

This Myriad Gravestone Poison! 

The War Spirit's Soul Exchange!

These were two crucial pieces of opportunity. He even felt that this woman and Guan Yu likely were marked for death, supposed to be killed and looted by the War Blessed himself and obtain either information about the Soul Exchange and Myriad Gravestone Poison. For one, this woman and Guan Yu gave him sinful vibes, especially the woman. If his theory was correct, these two were deliberately placed in Jing Jiu's eventual path so he could reap their lives and obtain further Karmic Luck.

This was their misfortune of having Karmic Sin.

Perhaps there was more waiting to be discovered, gathered until all the pieces fell perfectly in place. 

But Wei Wuyin didn't need it! He wasn't Jing Jiu!

He had originally thought his objective was to gather the geniuses of the entire Nexus Battlefield and fight against the 10,000 Spirits of War Legion, but that wasn't very time efficient or practical. When he conceived the possibility of a War Soul Exchange, he realized then that his thoughts was going down an impractical path.

"This by itself is more than enough!" He held the white pellet excitedly.