"How unexpected!" Tuo Bihan blurted out thoughtlessly, wearing his true emotions on his sleeves. After a series of enviable reunions, astonishing revelations, and discoveries of past sins, they had returned to the small Voidship provided by the Golden Life Pavilion at the outskirts of the Vermilion Domain.
Hong Ru and Xiao Bing had gladly decided to stay within the Vermilion Graveyard to cultivate together; before taking his leave, Wei Wuyin gave them spatial rings, which left Tuo Bihan extremely curious after seeing how riled their expressions became. Moreover, the way they looked at Wei Wuyin as he smilingly gifted them was fiercely stimulating to witness. Tuo Bihan did not doubt that if it wasn't for Wei Wuyin's own decision, they might have already extracted his yang essence in all sorts of ways.
As for the Tang Clan and the insurgency within the Vermilion Domain, it fizzled out instantly after Wei Wuyin intervened. It wasn't much of an intervention as Tang Baibai had directly given the orders to stay their hands and await further orders. And these orders were none other than the takeover of the Tang Clan!
Tuo Bihan couldn't help but recall the conclusion of such sudden events; Wei Wuyin had taken the reins and decided to remove the Seventh Matriarch from her position without any room for debate. Moreover, he hadn't directly erased her position, so she was still classified as the Seventh Matriarch as she stepped down, allowing her sister to take over her seat but as an Interim Matriarch until various discussions took place.
The main objective of this coup d'état was to supplant the current leadership, 'officially' erasing the title of the Seventh Matriarch and Tang Baibai taking the title after the sordid past and the truth of Tang Heihei's sins were exposed. This would inadvertently free Tian Yinwu from his engagement while also vilifying Tang Heihei's direct lineage. Then, Tang Xingyun might either be relegated to a Yin Cauldron with little status, killed off, or imprisoned for her mother's crimes. Either way, she would suffer an irrevocable fall from grace.
At least until Lin Ming matured into his future as the True Elemental Emperor, thereby saving her. Maybe.
However, the process of erasing a 'living' Matriarch was more convoluted than a 'dead' Matriarch, and this was what Wei Wuyin orchestrated. Tang Baibai would be removed, but an extended process would be performed to delay the eventual erasure. By doing this, Wei Wuyin had not only secured Tang Heihei's life, but Tang Baibai's objective was more or less completed, so those who assisted her wouldn't cause her trouble as long as their plan was in the process of being completed, and Tang Xingyun would be in a blurry grey area of being Tian Yinwu's fiancée and not.
As for the Tang Clan members part of Tang Heihei's loyalist camp, at least those still alive, which wasn't as much as anyone could've expected, they were evacuating and being exiled until their fates were decided by the new Vermilion Lineage Council alongside Tang Baibai. They were essentially being removed from their luxurious lives and cushy locations, sent off, and spared.
Their fate?
They'll be Bai Lin's most dedicated servants.
Tang Heihei grimly and glumly stood at the edge of the Voidship as she stared at the calm Vermilion Domain. It was hard for emotions not to leak. Unfortunately, her daughter had more or less caused the downfall of her reign, and this wouldn't change unless the rulers of the Aeternal Sky Starfield changed in the next hour.
She couldn't help but feel extremely bitter that her life's work was reduced to dust by her own blood for such a ridiculous reason, and from both sides too. Her entire life collapsed, and after seeing how little of her faithfully devoted and cultivated subordinates remained, she knew that this was her only choice. The sole reason they had resisted for so long despite the traitors and unexpected assault was mostly due to the Volcanic Fist True King's assistance, and even then, her infuriating twin was dominating them in a lopsided match.
It was a hard pill to swallow; her fall was all but determined, and she would've been killed off for the sins of her past and her daughter's reckless decision. Was this what they meant when people said karma exists? Her long-thought-deceased sister returned from the dead as a stronger cultivator. Then, she was plotted against from all angles, while her daughter would likely experience the Liu Clan's Earthly Saint treatment for the rest of her mortal life or be executed and forgotten in the corner of history.
Her entire legacy would be reviled by countless living souls, and she would be a lesson learned of greed, ambition, shamelessness, and idiocy for others.
"Haaa…" She sighed emotionally. If it wasn't for Wei Wuyin…
Her heart sped up slightly when she thought up to here, recalling Wei Wuyin's rescue and how he grabbed her waist and saved her from certain death. How could it not?
Tuo Bihan glanced at the former Tang Matriarch. "Little Boss, why intervene?" Similar to early Wu Yu's attitude, Tuo Bihan was free-spirited in having questions and voicing them. He didn't have the same obediently silent aura as others, curiosity as heavy as a planet. It wasn't an unwarranted question either because the act of intervening had minimal benefits in the eyes of an ordinary spectator.
Wei Wuyin didn't mind this side of him; Tuo Bihan had always been quite honest with his words and actively inquisitive. He couldn't help but warmly smile when he recalled their relationship in the Myriad Monarch Sect.
"The reason?" Wei Wuyin eyed Tuo Bihan, who repeatedly nodded his head without the slightest shame. "Because living servants are more useful than dead enemies."
"..." Tang Heihei.
Tuo Bihan's eyes widened slightly, and then he frowned while in contemplation. If one heard this single sentence, they might take it at face value, accepting it as truth, but Wei Wuyin was never a figure that could be taken so simply. It took a while before Tuo Bihan's eyes were brightly lit with the light of realization.
"I see!"
"..." Tang Heihei.
Wei Wuyin grinned. He soon caught sight of an incoming Voidship. It was the Volcanic Fist True King's maroon-colored vessel that carried the last vestiges of Tang Heihei's loyalists, including her husband. They anchored near, communicating as they shared an atmosphere.
"What about Xing'er?" Soon, the grandson of the Volcanic Fist True King and Husband of Tang Heihei, Huoshan Yun, strode over. He was middle-aged, slender-built, and quite handsome, his red hair was tied into a ponytail, and his eyes blazed with a fiery light. While he was unaware of Tang Xingyun's infidelity, he was concerned about how she'd fare given the takeover and the likelihood of Tang Heihei losing her position as the Seventh Matriarch.
He couldn't help but be concerned as a father. Since this entire event had happened without any interference from others, it was clear that the attitude of the Imperial Clan was more-or-less indifferent toward their lineage.
"She'll be fine," the Volcanic Fist True King calmly stated. He was an Earthly Saint, and while he might not be a part of the true elites like Wu Yu, the Soul Saint King, or the Boundless Martial High King, or even a part of the upper-class such as Starfield Leaders or the Ever-Knights, he was still an Earthly Saint, so he had the dignity of one. Tang Xingyun was his great granddaughter-in-law, and as long as he was breathing well, the Imperial Clan should give him face.
"Alchemic Sovereign Wei!" The Volcanic Fist True King brightly greeted the silver-eyed era-defining, extremely talented, disgustingly wealthy youth of this generation. The others followed suit, respectfully greeting without the slightest sign of discomfort while bowing to a mortal.
The Volcanic Fist True King had a hidden, throbbing excitement pounding within his chest. How many elites, even among the ranks of Earthly Saints, wanted to receive Wei Wuyin's favor? From what he'd shown thus far, he had the potential to become the next Alchemic Saint! Moreover, his title of Saintmaker was spreading further as Wu Yu, Ma Zheng, the Armored Saint, and Bai Lin were used as ample evidence supporting his capabilities.
Especially Bai Lin—the ancient Fire Phoenix thought to be extinct showed a level of power that was absolutely terrifying! By her lonesome, she besieged a multi-starfield-sized array to near collapse. This was a feat that brought indescribable fear to everyone's hearts, especially given his status as an Oathless Calamity. There were rumors of a coalition forming to establish a preventive group in case Wei Wuyin decided to attack other starfields, but he didn't think such a thing would be reliable and would only elicit offense and traitors informing on others for a chance to seek Wei Wuyin's favor.
"It's good that most of you are fire-attributed cultivators; it'll make serving Bai Lin easier to adjust to. You won't instantly be burnt to a smoldering husk when she feels the sudden urge to torture any of you." Wei Wuyin nodded to himself, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. The fact he used 'when' and not 'if' was heart-chilling.
"..." Everyone.
The heart-palpitating sounds of painful screams echoed out in the Original Dawn Palace…
Several hours later…
Endless Prosperity Realm, Golden Council's Meeting Room.
"You're finally here," Ma Zheng smilingly said after seeing the figure arrive suddenly, sitting perfectly composed in his designated chair.
Wei Wuyin finally decided to handle the Evil Blessed's situation after sending the Tang Clan's remnants to his newly established Original Dawn Palace within the Absolute Void Region, formerly known as the Desolate Dragnet Stellar Region. The environment was extremely hazardous, so much so that even Earthly Saints wouldn't dare venture into it carelessly. However, it served as the best protection because of this quality. Not even Spiritual Sense could effectively search the area.
Given Bai Lin's constitution as a Genesis Beast, she cultivated faster and felt more comfortable within the Absolute Void Region than anywhere else.
Wei Wuyin nodded to Ma Zheng and the other Incarnations of the Golden Council, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Before returning, he visited Yue Songli in the Ninestar Starfield. But after going through several Void Gates, he was told that she was in secluded cultivation digesting a Mystic-Earth-graded pill gifted to her by the Ennea-Hall Alchemic Saint. After verifying the truth of this statement, he decided against disturbing her. However, while there, he sensed a familiar aura.
