Surprise fiercely bombarded Wei Wuyin's thoughts, his silver eyes widening slightly in this distinctively unexpected shock. The Celestial Race was here? In the Void Voyage Sect? How?
The Celestial Race was one of the Titan Race's opponents in his section of the Battlefield. They existed as one of the three leading races of the Azure-Prime Galactic Zone, and they dominated an expansive territory. This was what he obtained from scouring Jing Jiu's memories, these basic bits of information about the galactic zone. They, too, had an Ascended Sovereign that dominated countless beings.
Jing Jiu was aware that there were three leading races in the Azure-Prime Galactic Zone. They were the Human Race, Titan Race, and Celestial Race; these races had variants of their races they called 'subraces', a prime example of a subrace was Beastmen that were descendants of humans, titans, and celestials intermixed with the bloodline of beasts.
These subraces were often widely considered as 'flawed mutants' and considered 'lesser' existences. Mostly due to the unnatural means to create these races, they were all but devolved into a race of beings deemed as slaves. Their difficulties in cultivation and their lack of success further this truth, highlighting crucial flaws in their genetic make-up.
It highly resembled the Elven Race of the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region and their overall situation. It seemed that without exceptional talent, breaking the shackles of this 'flawed mutant' state was extremely difficult, if not outright impossible. The only exception was receiving the support of an Alchemist, which is increasingly rare due to the hoops others must go through for them to experience success.
The Sacred Elven Queen was renowned for her high intelligence and talent by Wu Yu and the Everlore Starfield. She was the only elf that had experienced outstanding success, from the Desolate Dragnet Stellar Region to the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region.
To see a celestial here, Wei Wuyin's surprise was not unjustified. The Grand Cyclic Stellar Region might have remnants of the titan bloodline, such as Da Shan and her family, but that bloodline had been diluted through the intermixture of humans—the MAIN race of the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region.
It was important to note that amongst the 188 Earthly Saints and 244 Mortal Sovereign Alchemists, excluding himself, there were absolutely zero non-humans amongst them. They might have traces of titan bloodline, as rumored by the Titanic Hell-Crushing Queen's lineage, but they were mostly human. They weren't true hybrids.
Or they were like the Tang Clan, who transplanted the bloodline of beasts into themselves. They could be considered half-beastmen. Wei Wuyin was similar and so was the late Lian Yu. The True Dragon Transmutation Method was not the sole method that could pass along the bloodline of beasts into humans and create Beastmen.
Jing Jiu was exposed to some forces like the Tang Clan in the Azure-Prime Galactic Region, having some conflicts with them, and using powerful beasts' bloodlines to enhance one's strengths and talent wasn't rare. The issue was those who took it too far, birthing true Beastmen. It was an effective path as well, as the Tang Clan had the highest number of Demi-Mortal Lords throughout Aeternal Sky Starfield despite being one of the 'lesser' Noble Clans.
Unfortunately, the bloodline served to gate their progression as much as it did elevate their talents. Without the Essence Blood of a Fire Phoenix, they were unable to complete their Mystic Physique, and thus unable to withstand the Earthly Ascension. This was a commonly known issue with this type of path, something many without the confidence to reach certain heights might resort to.
All that aside, Wei Wuyin gave this lightly armored Celestial a look. He could feel that his cultivation base was outstandingly high, at the Mystic Ascendant Realm, the Second Stage—Soul of Mysticism Phase! He wasn't old; his life aura indicated roughly eight hundred years, but this was extremely common amongst newly Ascended beings, given the eight-hundred-year consumption, so this brought no surprise to Wei Wuyin.
"..." Liu Suyin briefly nodded to acknowledge the Celestial guard before her. Her expression was as indifferent as always.
The Celestial guard was clearly used to this, his eyes lifting shortly after to examine Wei Wuyin. His star pupils instantly shook! Wei Wuyin's visage reflected within them and his heart pounded with the thunderous booms of a thousand drums. The awe within his eyes was so evident that it felt as if one could pluck it from his gaze. He had never seen a male look like this!
Was this what those scholars and authors meant by the countenance of an immortal fairy often detailed in literature? No, that's not right. This man with exceedingly attractive silver eyes lacked a feminine beauty from top to bottom, the embodiment of genuine masculine handsomeness!
Liu Suyin frowned slightly, a sight that was unnaturally caught by the Celestial guard, and his body shivered instantly. When something abnormal caught one's senses, it was easy to bring them back to reality. He hurriedly looked away, focusing on Liu Suyin.
She lukewarmly introduced: "This is Wei Wuyin; he's a Destined."
"A Destined?" The Celestial was taken aback, looking at Wei Wuyin and finally noticing the Celestial Jade Key hanging from his neck. However, he was stunned immediately. Destined never came through the front door. They underwent a series of tests to be inducted into the Void Voyage Sect. When had the Elders, Vice-Sect Master, or even the Sect Master herself decided to bring one here personally?
They were considered 'Destined' because the keys were scattered without purpose or explanation. These keys would then fall into the hands of those with the ability to grasp the fortune within them, and then after obtaining some achievements, they found the Void Gates that were built by the Void Voyage Sect throughout the world and enter the trial grounds.
While Wei Wuyin was unimaginably handsome, his age young, and his demeanor outstanding, this went against the policy of the Void Voyage Sect. All that aside, Wei Wuyin did possess a Celestial Jade Key, and that granted him the qualifications to be a 'Destined'. Still, the Celestial guard was at a loss.
Because his duties prevented him from allowing anyone not 'officially' recognized by the sect into the city. Despite facing the Vice-Sect Master, his gaze remained dutiful. "Vice-Sect Master, I can not permit this man to enter the City of Endless. He might bear the mark of a potential Destined, but he has not been tested by the Trial of the Three Voyages."
Wei Wuyin's interest was piqued. City of Endless? Trial of the Three Voyages? Also, the Vice-Sect Master doesn't have the right to freely bring anyone in? How strict. He amusingly looked at Liu Suyin, wondering what her play was.
Liu Suyin still wore her same indifferent expression, unchanging, and she merely said: "He's a special exception; I'll be bringing him to participate in the Trial of the Three Voyages to officially recognize him as a Destined."
The Celestial guard's eyebrow rose. 'A special exception?' "By what virtue?" The Celestial guard's tone was quite interrogative and severe. Wei Wuyin was curious how this guard had the right to question the Vice-Sect Master in such a way. Was this matter so serious?
What Wei Wuyin didn't know was that this Celestial guard was the sole guard of the Void Voyage Sect's sole external Gate—the External Gate of Voyages. This Gate was more symbolic than official. Typically, only envoys such as those who ventured to the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region on official duty would return through here, an extreme rarity.
He could question her on this matter because he was the highest authority here, his authority was no lesser than hers in the jurisdiction of the External Gate of Voyages.
Wei Wuyin would normally be frustrated if someone tried to force him to participate in a trial against his will, but the Karmic Luck deduction of over 3,000 allowed him to comfortably follow the flow until he found a turning point to seize greater fortune.
He had to look out for chances like the Battlefield now, where his gains would be unquestionably higher if he took a different path than the Heavenly Daos intended. Entering as a Soldier of War instead of a Wartime Alchemist had certainly changed his perspective on risk versus reward.
Liu Suyin was silent for a moment. Then, she sent a spiritual transmission to the Celestial guard. The Celestial guard's expression abruptly changed, giving Wei Wuyin a closer look suffused with the light of unexpected amazement. This caused Wei Wuyin to grow interested. By what virtue was he exempted from standard procedures?
The Celestial guard nodded, "You may enter. However, I'll have to report this, so please do be swift in delivering him to the trial grounds, Vice-Sect Master." His tone grew respectful once again, seemingly having accepted Liu Suyin's explanation.
Liu Suyin nodded; she proceeded through the External Gate of Voyages. Wei Wuyin leisurely followed behind, giving the Celestial guard one last look. The Void Voyage Sect…what are you?
Wei Wuyin soon entered the gate, and instantly was washed by a rush of activity.
Zoosh! Zoosh! Zoosh!
High above, Skyships zipped and zoomed past in a regulated flow of traffic. Wei Wuyin could faintly discern markers of roads in the sky, indicating different rules of speed and allowed directions. At first sight, it might seem like chaos, but as one absorbed the movements, one would swiftly find order amidst the flow.
The two walked into a square that led to many roads. There were numerous cultivators of all ages traversing to and fro, minding their own business. They didn't stop to respectfully greet their Vice-Sect Master. Some even glanced her way and moved about their day after openly appreciating her beauty. Brazen yet admirable.
He received far more gazes from others than Liu Suyin. Numerous women went full-stop, dazedly looking his way, most blushing, others gossiping amongst their friends, giggling in their corners, or staring with blatant lust. Their words were clearly heard with Wei Wuyin's draconic hearing and felt by his senses. The gazes on his crouch was searing.
Wei Wuyin, however, was far too enthralled by the novelty of this city to be distracted. The buildings all had a sleek, metal-stone mixed design, likely of granite or some material similar. The metal served as the foundation while the stone was layered over, giving it that exceptional look. He was usually used to seeing brick and stone building designs from the Myriad Yore Continent to the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region.
When he glanced at the casual inhabitants, he found they were mixed with Humans and Celestials. There was a notable absence of Titans, but a healthy mixture of those two races was everywhere.
They walked for hours, traversing tens of miles by foot. It was clear that flying was prohibited, with the ambient mana having stricter limitations than the War Devil Realm.
Wei Wuyin used this opportunity as a plus, soaking in all of this city's culture and freshness. This world seemed entirely segregated from the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, an isolated location with its own systems of life. There were restaurants, cheap and expensive, and they used a common currency.
They were essence crystals, refined from essence stones and purified and altered through a series of unique formations. These essence crystals were rhombus-shaped with esoteric runes etched on their surfaces. He could tell they could be used for cultivation and other purposes, even for meal preparation.
When he peeked into some of the restaurants with his Celestial Eyes, he saw noodles with esoteric runes etched on every strand of noodle, slurped and enjoyed by the masses. These runes would be digested and naturally converted into energy through these runes, roughly equivalent to consuming an Essence Pill, the most basic alchemical product that went from first to ninth-grade.
The common food, like a bowl of enriched noodles, had the same value as a fifth-grade alchemical product. They might have been created by Alchemists. He was also amazed to discover that the average cultivation bases of the citizens of this city were remarkably high, with the vast majority having reached the Astral Core Realm, and their ages were exceedingly young.
When they finally found a landing pad, boarding one of the many passenger-exclusive Skyships, the duo traveled through luxurious districts, and Wei Wuyin saw young cultivators as young as fifteen at the World Sea Phase, the first stage of the Astral Core Realm, simply playing around.
Most importantly, Wei Wuyin shifted in his seat with a hearty sigh. The seats on these Skyships were incredibly comfortable! Not to mention the sheer interior of these ships carried good ambiance and lighting, they felt like mini-rooms of luxury. The two sat together, facing each other, and served food that was covered by esoteric runes.
There was fruit, bread, meat, and water. When he discovered that the water was abnormally pure, containing the richest, purest, and smoothest water energies he'd seen, he downed it all in a single gulp. It was delicious too!
All these things resembled Jing Jiu's memories, but experiencing them himself was a novel feeling that felt exceedingly fresh. He looked outside the twelve-inch window at the side, watching the zooming Skyships and walking cultivators of two races socializing.
Wei Wuyin's silver eyes flickered with a dignified light.
