Paragon of Sin

Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit's Inverted Stage.

After the devastating loss and untimely demise of Lu Wenhai, the Chosen of the Li Golden Palace, the overall situation within this evaluation began to develop a consistent direction of ongoing flow.

"Core Disciple of Abstruse Sword Sect. Age: 83. Cultivation Realm: Astral Core. Cultivation Stage: Three. Entity Level: Mortal, Lesser Realmlord." Originating from the All-Fury Starfield's(8th) Mystic-Tier Abstruse Sword Sect.

"Prime Disciple of Highlord Wayland. Age: 98. Cultivation Realm: Astral Core. Cultivation Stage: Three. Entity Level: Mortal, Lesser Realmlord." Originating from the lineage of a Highlord of the Treasured Light Starfield(12th).

"Core Disciple of Frigid Snow Palace. Age: 131. Cultivation Realm: Astral Core. Cultivation Stage: Fourth. Entity Level: Mortal, Greater Realmlord." Originating from the Gaia Prime Starfield's(10th) Mystic-Tier Frigid Snow Palace.

Those top-tier Chosen of the various forces did not step forward, setting the pace, establishing dominance, and making themselves known as many had expected after the first few showings. Instead, they sat back and observed those who had the courage and willpower to risk their lives and prove their talents. It could have been construed as these Chosen were all giving these lesser-known talents a chance to shine in the spotlight; unfortunately, the truth was a bitter pill—they were fodder.

"Prime Disciple of Venerable Lightseize. Age: 184. Cultivation Realm: Astral Core. Cultivation Stage: Fourth. Entity Level: Mortal, Transcendent Realmlord." Originating from the lineage of a Venerable of Beyond Light Starfield(9th).

The reason for this was simple. The initial requirements for Chosen were too egregiously high. Why? Because the Ever-Domain Pill's False Worldly Domain had consistently proven itself as being severely lacking. The World Armor or rawly used False Worldly Domain designed and believed to nullify the advantage of the Realm World Phase, elevating the overall talents of an era, was showing consistently underwhelming performances.

To put it simply, it kept failing against powerful entities, shattering and leaving few with their lives. To these prospective Chosen labeled as 'Core Disciple' or 'Inheritor' of their respective forces, they kept meeting failure. The lucky few realized the abnormality and summoned their courage to surrender before the crowd of elites was taken away, losing their chances of cultivating in these amazing grounds.

The regret in each of their eyes was extremely high.

The challenges slowed down to roughly three within any 24-hour timeframe, and as such, after an entire month, barely a hundred geniuses challenged the stage. Very few had any delusions left in their minds, fully knowing that they simply weren't qualified to enter the Main Hall. They, under their senior's orders, cultivated diligently.

The spiritual projections before them emitted such rich energies that a single day of dedicated cultivation here exceeded several weeks in most of their sect's greatest cultivation grounds. The disparity made quite a few disciples' lips curl with dissatisfaction while the Elders and Leaders could only helplessly smile inside their hearts.

The Everlore Association was simply that wealthy. It was ridiculous to compare, yet seeing the sneaky gazes of their juniors, clearly questioning whether they were getting the 'best' treatment in their sect despite all the promises of nurturing them wholeheartedly, they felt speechless and inadequate.

As for those elders themselves, the senior cultivators, the Starlords' of silver-rank forces, Venerables, and Highlords, some challenged the stage with confidence, carrying with them the pride of their past reputations as strong existences.

"3rd Runic Ascension; Venerable of Ascension. Age: low-5,000. Cultivation Realm: Mystic Ascendant. Cultivation Stage: Second. Entity Level: Ascended, Pinnacle Soul of Mysticism."

"Invalid Runic Ascension; Exalted of Demi-Ascension. Age: high-800. Cultivation Realm: Quasi-Mystic Ascendant. Cultivation Stage: First. Entity Level: Ascended, Lesser Soul of Mysticism."

A Mystic Star Phase expert at the edge of their lifespan decided to accept the challenge, simply to test the scaling system. She lost her life to the entity without being able to react immediately after the announcement finished.

Her valiant sacrifice allowed others to shockingly know that, while the Mystic Star Phase wasn't categorized at the Tenth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, they were considered Demi-Mystic Ascendant in terms of 'cultivation realm', and an Exalted of 'Demi-Ascension'. It was quite derogatory.

"3rd Runic Ascension; Highlord of Ascension. Age: low-12,000. Cultivation Realm: Mystic Ascendant. Cultivation Stage: Third. Entity Level: Ascended, Pinnacle Demi-Mortal Lord."

Without fail, they all died.

Not even able to cry out a surrender, they were severely lacking in comparison to Huang Xiaolong. There were even discussions taking place that, unlike they expected the younger generation's standards to be lowered, the older generation's standards were being elevated with each subsequent loss. Moreover, their status, position, or starfield wasn't taken into account.

Unfortunately, they had nowhere to cry to; their lives were no longer theirs, but in the hands of heaven, ready to push them into a proper afterlife. The sight of watching their idolized seniors and heroes die right before their eyes left an irreparable scar in the hearts of many youngsters, shattering the invincible image that these Ascended beings possessed in their minds.

An icy chill swept their souls with realization—the past era isn't that great. It was as if the Everlore Association, no, all the Earthly Saints deciding these standards were giving these young, developing minds the chance to expand the breadth of their horizons, telling them that the old generation was outdated!

This Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit's purpose was growing abundantly clear. The qualifications screening was brutal and enlightening, tapering the expectations of everyone, and slowly allowing them, from youths to old foxes, to see the writing on the wall.

The era was changing.

They will either fade into obscurity in their era, unlike before where these Core Disciples enjoyed countless resources and respect, or rise to shine brighter than ever, eventually holding the entire world in their hands.

As such, the first month was filled with these Chosen, Saintesses, and Heroes cultivating and receiving instructions, while observing the failures, analyzing the few successes, and readying themselves.

Yet that didn't solve the weighing issue of the Ever-Domain Pill's False Worldly Domain. It was like an external tool, and therefore had various instability issues, and was nowhere near as strong as the Neo-Dawn Eclipse. Many seniors were heavily regretting not doing everything they could to seize a pill for their younger generation.

Many Chosen beneath the Realm World Phase were sweating bullets. A dreadful fear swept their hearts, hence the praying hope that the failures of these lesser forces will force the Everlore Association to lower the standards of entities, granting them increased odds of success.

Within the True Element Sect's section, the three Chosen and various prospective Chosen were solemnly cultivating. They circulated their cultivation methods as they wholeheartedly absorbed the elemental energies from their sect's symbol. The symbol floating above them, increasing their strength, felt as if a sign of inspiration and purpose.

Lin Xianxian, on the other hand, wasn't cultivating. She looked at the inverted stage with a glint in her golden-colored eyes. This glint carried various emotions, including a little hesitation. She glanced at her daughter, a frown forming.

"Xianxei, you-" She began a spiritual transmission, but Lin Xianxei looked towards her and sent her own, disrupting her slowly emotion-charged message.

"I know, Mother. I know." Lin Xianxei wasn't a fool; the stage was too difficult to complete. As for Su Mei, Xue Yifei, Wu Baozhai, and Na Xinyi, they were all abnormal freaks of the utmost, and they all had one thing in common: Wei Wuyin.

There was a reason why Chosen at or above the Realm World Phase hadn't challenged the inverted stage yet—they refused to be the opening fodder. And they were all older, their entities were bound to be many, many times more challenging than the others. It was extremely unlikely that they would get the softened cushion of reaching beyond their prime.

The Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit was meant to devise Chosen standards worthy enough to exceed previous expectations, likely succeeding in the Chosen King Competition of the King of Everlore, a title yet to be claimed despite the thousands of years and dozens of times it was held.

They, like their seniors, were outdated. Their ages were too high, their cultivation realms were too low, and the younger generation will have a much greater foundation and strength going forward using the Ever-Domain Pill or Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill. Regardless if it was cultivation strength, speed of cultivation progression, or speed of refinement, the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill's effects have shown heaven-defying changes to these categories.

Ma Luling, the Ma Clan's prospective Chosen, took five years—FIVE YEARS—to go from the Soul Idol Phase to the Gravity Emission Phase, and she was barely fifty. She would have fifty years of a False Worldly Domain's benefits, especially the refinement speed before she ever reached the Realm World Phase.

It was one hell of a jumpstart.

This stage wasn't for them, and it was mind-numbingly frustrating. Not even Lu Wenhai or the Prime Disciple of a genuine Ascended was capable of reaching the Sixth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, the Gravity Emission Phase, before a hundred. Despite having three years left, it was almost impossible for Lu Wenhai to accomplish that feat.

The Chosen title had an age limit of five hundred years, solely because it was recommended to attempt to ascend at this age at maximum. It was to ensure some breathing room in case of failure. They then would have some time to refine life force increasing products, if they have the means, to try a second attempt at the Mystic Star Phase. While extremely pricey as a Mystic Ascendant, even a Mystic Star Phase cultivator, needs hundreds of times more life force to accumulate the same value as a mortal's year.

While less than 1% got the chance to reattempt their challenge, it was still better to hold out hope.

But this age limit was now a fatal rope on their necks, threatening to tug if they overstep their might. The vast majority of Realm World Phase challengers were over two hundred years old.

Lin Xianxian and Lin Xianxei knew that if the latter decided to challenge the stage, her life might very well be forfeited to a Soul of Mysticism level entity.

Suddenly, San Luoyang's voice resounded after a month and two weeks passed, and for the last three days, not a single individual attempted the challenge.

"To all invited on the Immortal Saintess Rankings and Immortal Hero Ranking, in fifteen days, you may enter the Void Gate without further screening. Cultivate well." San Luoyang's voice was like cold heavenly water in the blazing depths of hell. The splash brought surprise and indescribable relief!

Those on the Immortal Rankings weren't there due to their combat strength, but backing, talents, and looks. It was very superficial. There was a reason why none of them, except the Dragonborn Saintess and Extreme Yin Saintess, dared to face the challenge for the last month and a half. While there was some overlap here and there, this was coincidental, with very few Chosen being in the Immortal Rankings.

Lin Xianxian revealed a relieved smile, her worries dissipating into smoke. It was likely the Earthly Saints merely wanted to give the Saintesses and Heroes a chance to display their worth, but seeing them refuse to step up, they decided to push them through.

Lin Ming heaved a sigh of relief too. He greatly feared that his Lin Xianxei would die if she tried to challenge the stage, but he didn't know how to tell her to sit back without hurting her feelings.

"It's almost time," Lin Ming reminded himself.

-----

In a place far, far away from the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit, there was a tiny-sized rogue planet that hurtled through the Dark Void's Void-Blank Space between the Ninestar Starfield and Star Sanctum Starfield, their eastern neighbor.

The dead husk of a planet would expand and contract rhythmically. Within its depths where its planetary core once was, a figure of handsome visage and a regal demeanor was quietly cultivating with slow, steady breaths. Each inhale coincided with the planet's contraction and each exhale with its expansion.

After a strong, powerful exhale that caused the rogue planet to expand to its limits, the figure opened its eyes to reveal a starry expanse.

BOOM!

The rogue planet exploded and the figure was revealed to the Dark Void. With a grin, the figure inspected his hands that effused out white specks of light.

"Incredible."