1257 Chapter 1251: Origin of the Calamity
''Young Lord!'' Wu Yu Shouted.
The crushing maelstrom of energies, essence, and mana called forth by Mortal Annihilation was soul-shaking to bear witness to. It was a sight of immeasurable power, endless pursuit, and hectic destruction, an emulation of the Mortal Dao's fury and will!
Whether they were experienced veterans of the cultivation world or ignorant bystanders of humble origins, they were all awed by the colorfully dazzling clash of rampant brilliance that dominated the Dark Void!
The frenzied cultivation session instigated by the protective layer of silvery solar light was universally paused as the ongoing happenings in the world beyond their homes were stunning in comparison. Due to the presence of spatial energies and essence, the visually soul-stirring sight of churning vortexes of brilliant color and disastrous power could be seen from every area of the World Dawn-the Realm Region of the Neo-Dawn Starfield!
It was beautiful beyond words.
Amongst the countless observers in the heartfelt awe, there were a scant few relative to the population experiencing a drastically blood-shaking sensation. Quite literally!
Wu Yu's shout was meant to be followed by an attempt to assist Wei Wuyin in this unexpected development, yet he found himself vibrating as something within his blood began to tremble! The violet glow that had enveloped his body was swimming across his blood as if to search for something in particular. His mind went blank as he subconsciously recalled Wei Wuyin's previous words!
''The aura seemed to be trying to find something in your essence blood...''
''...no need to worry; the energy has no conscious will behind it and is a result of an external power with severe limitations.''
Fortunately, those previous words held true as the violet glow began to dissipate after finding absolutely nothing! Within the blink of an Ascended's eye, the violet glow of unfathomable power that vastly surpassed Wu Yu's current comprehension and cultivation base promptly left. To his surprise, he had forgotten about his desire to assist. After a jolt of realization, he hurriedly tried to find Wei Wuyin!
Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum!
Wei Wuyin's jet-black eyes rippled intensely; the violet rays of light began to resist Mortal Annihilation, protecting the Moonfall Lunar Queen's faint figure and exerting a type of aura that was causing his heart to fiercely race with the intensity of a billion stampeding rhinos. He couldn't feel his hands, arms, body, or head. Only the pounding of his heart resounded in his ears, verifying his continued existence as a living thing.
''EDEN!'' Kratos explosively roared.
''I know! I know!'' Eden replied urgently.
Instantly, Wei Wuyin's mental calm was returned as his jet-black eyes receded, regaining their radiantly silver color. He shook lightly; his body instantly executed the Void-Origin Unity Art as he retreated into the void seamlessly. The Void-Origin Unity Art wasn't simply an Environmental integration Art but a Movement Art as well.
Within a blink of an Ascended's eyes, Wei Wuyin was hundreds of thousands of miles away, reappearing as the violet glow intensified.
''What was that?'' Wei Wuyin asked without a tinge of fear in his heart or his Celestial Eyes. His wasn't about the temporary disturbance that occured to his mental state. It seemed to originate from Eden, but it affected his entire cultivation base and caused him to lose himself for a moment.
''A powerful Demon's Soul Aura!'' Eden's answer brought a spark of instant enlightenment to Wei Wuyin. At this point, he was long since familiar with eden's demonic properties, capable of cultivating demonic energies and essences without any discomfort. While it was one of the earliest mysteries of his cultivation path, a question that even his alternative self was unable to find out the answer to, it was something he was aware of.
The hierarchy of demons was similar to all living things, and meeting the aura of a greater lifeform would induce various changes to one's state. For humanoids, a sense of inferiority and suppression; for beasts, a sense of oppression and submission; for demons, a sense of corruption and dissonance. If Eden had expected this, he wouldn't have been affected due to its dual usage of the Mind Dao and Alchemic Dao. Unless that existence could surpass both!
Wei Wuyin's current attention was on the Moonfall Lunar Queen and the storm of Mortal Annihilation, leaving the analysis of what happened to his Second Mind to dissect.
''So this is your trump card? The origins of your confidence?'' Wei Wuyin softly muttered to himself. He had to admit, this was a terrifying surprise!
Suddenly, Wei Wuyin pulled with his right hand. A soft draconic roar accompanied a burst of Void Starforce as he yanked a figure out of the void!
Wu Yu!
''Stay.'' Wei Wuyin calmly ordered as his Minor Imperial Law exerted itself. Wu Yu was deeply stunned by the sudden change in location, his heart rampaging for a brief moment before he settled down upon sensing a comforting power, promptly nodding as he quietly moved behind Wei Wuyin. He had just rushed into the Mortal Annihilation maelstrom before he was brought away, his actions a sign of his unhesitating loyalty.
They both watched as the situation developed. The outbursts of scintillating violet light began to fight against Mortal Annihilation! The energies, essence, and mana of the Neo-Dawn Starfield, both Origin Dawn and World Dawn, were seemingly endless as a heavy, disastrous clash unfolded.
''Young Lord...'' Wu Yu couldn't resist the urge to speak at this moment.
Wei Wuyin formed a hand-seal; the exuded radiance of Baby Defiant increased as Little Defiant began to reinforce it through their unfathomable link, increasing the protection of the Neo-Dawn Starfield and its citizens. However, this wasn't what Wu Yu wanted to speak about.
Wei Wuyin softly responded, ''I'm tracking it; as for the light's strength, it's far beyond my current means to handle, but it seems to only be able to exert a fragment of its true strength. In the face of Mortal Annihilation, however, it's all pointless.'' Since Eden had experienced its soul aura, Wei Wuyin had more or less gauged some of its strength, and it was beyond a Wordly Saint, so he could easily deduce that it was under certain limitations-whatever ''it'' was.
Wu Yu's eyes glinted brightly but remained silent and observing.
Mortal Annihilation! It wasn't considered a frightening power by Wang Yutian for no reason! Even a Wordly Saint feared this power, and this was a form of it that was amplified and assisted by the Mystic Dao! If Wei Wuyin was only as strong as the debonair version of himself at the Star Core Phase, he would only be able to run away embarrassingly, likely even forced to leave behind his entire starfield, but he wasn't that form of himself.
He was far, far, far stronger!
The violet light was struggling intensely against the rampant arrival of endless mortal and mystic energies, essence, and mana. The battle was fierce and deeply understated by how subtly it unfolded. To the outside world, only a sublime light show could be seen; only a very few saw the devastation of all three dimensional layers of space, and the area of these spaces was subjected to what could be equivalent to several full-force attacks of a Wordly Saint. The deceased and talented Xu You would likely be severely injured by this violet light!
Unfortunately, it faced Mortal Annihilation, which originated from the Mortal Intent of Little Defiant, not Baby Defiant, a mere extension of its greater form! Without exerting any energy itself, the power ravaged the violet light, grinding it down as its intensity that could rival Solar Stars gradually dwindled.
Idle with little to do, Wei Wuyin spoke to Wu Yu: ''Congratulations on forming your ninth Mystic Rune. It was only a matter of time, given your outstanding talent.''
''Hm?!'' Wu Yu was taken aback but then grinned confidently. The earlier unease he felt had completely dissipated. The degree of confidence that Wei Wuyin exuded was infectious. ''Thank you, Young Lord. I couldn't have done it without your assistance.''
Wei Wuyin nodded but went on to say: ''Given your talents, you'd have achieved at least this much if you had been born in a location like the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, even if I wasn't present.'' This was genuine praise, and Wu Yu could feel it. The Grand Knight also understood that while Wei Wuyin might be right, could he have formed his final Mystic Rune in such a short period without him?
Unlikely!
While they talked, the violet light began to retreat! It was foolish to fight against the near-limitless amount of power to start with. There's a reason why Mortal Annihilation was so terrifying to Ascended beings! It simply didn't end! While simulated Mortal Annihilations had limitations, such as the Alchemic Dao's requirement for Alchemic Spirit Remnants and the World-Bound Star Domain's range limit, as long as these things weren't broken, the power was impossible to resist.
Wei Wuyin noticed this and furrowed his brows. This was a good test of his World-Bound Star Domain's powers, so he was was slightly elated at the results. Considering taht the Endless Voyage Realm's descent was inevitable, it was good to know that he could protefct his starfield, including the Third Node, from their greedy clutches. This gave him the initiative!
All his hard work and life-and-death risk-taking were paying off major dividends, and he was happy to see it.
''Young Lord!'' Wu Yu called out.
Wei Wuyin's Celestial Eyes shone as he noticed a silhouette within the mass of colorful energies. The violet color was outlined and difficult to suppress. It resembled the mark on the Moonfall Lunar Queen's forehead from earlier, but now it was clear that there were multiple heads and serpent-like necks attached to a greater body. Unfortunately, this silhouette was human-sized, so Wei Wuyin was unable to get a clear image or count of its heads.
''Are you the origins of the All-Ending Stellar Calamity?'' Wei Wuyin wasn't an idiot who could not see the clues gathered together. The All-Ending Stellar Clamity likely had something to do with him, a deduction he determined from the prompt timing of the Eye of Truth's reveal of its existence. The Moonfall Lunar Queen, the Stellar Rain, the gathering of Solar Essence, and Baby Defiant's existence, he would be a fool not to connect all these pieces.
Did the Heavenly Daos predict that he would forge a World-Bound Star Domain?
He thoughtfully considered this. The Bloodline of Sin helped blind the Heavenly Daos, but considering that it still could give him fortuitous encounters of Karmic Luck, it had to be able to predict some of his actions and paths. This was true for the World's Trends as well.
Wei Wuyin felt like he was missing something important.
Something very important.
After a long while, he could only place it aside. The violet light and silhouette vanished.
''End.'' Wei Wuyin's eyes resumed their jet-black darkness and recalled the power of Mortal Annihilation via Mortal Intent! With a heavy breath, the Mortal Annihilation began to disperse, and the gathered energies acted under some profound power to return from whence they came. Then, Baby Defiant began to resupply the expended energies and essence through the Minor Law of Origin.
Typically, the Mortal Dao would replenish the expended energies and essence, but this was a World-Bound Star Domain's Mortal Annihilation, so he had to pay the cost to repair the damage inflicted and the loss of energies and essence. If he could not do so, the Mortal Dao would inflict a harsh backlash, perhaps even claiming the Solar Star to recoup losses, World-Bound or not.
This was the cost and disadvantage of using Mortal Annihilation. Wei Wuyin could only mitigate it due to Little Defiant's vast energies and the Minor Law of Origin, capable of fulfilling this cost swiftly.
''Fortunately, others won't carelessly use this power against me because of this,'' Wei Wuyin considered as he spotted a body floating in the Dark Void, ravaged and clothes in stripes of clothing. It was once a beautiful woman. Now, it was a half-deceased fleshy body.
Wu Yu's eyes narrowed. Wei Wuyin didn't hesitate to fly toward the body, arriving after a few seconds.
''She's alive,'' Wu Yu immediately noticed as he followed.
''...'' Wei Wuyin was internally taken aback that the Moonfall Lunar Queen was still alive! But he didn't care.
Forming his palm into a saber, Wei Wuyin swiped across her slender neck! A once beautiful head was sent flying; a wisp of Originfire enveloped it, bringing about genuine hell-raising pain before her death!
''Claim,'' Wei Wuyin began to evoke the Spoils of War aspect of the Law of War! A lot of mysteries would be solved if he took the time to explore them after she became a Soldier of War. But that wasn't his goal; he had other ways to discover the truth.
''NO.'' The corpse of the Moonfall Lunar Queen unleashed a soul-quaking roar that seemed to originate from the depths of the endless abyss, dripping with eerily calm malice and seething rage.
Wu Yu's eyes widened; something unexpected happened--the Moonfall Lunar Queen's soul vanished, claimed by a burst of violet power, and it shuttled through chaotic space at lightspeed.
''Haha!'' Wei Wuyin chuckled amusingly. ''If I want to kill someone, not even gods can stop me!''
SHIIING!
From within Wei Wuyin's body, the Minor Laws of Saber, Annihilation, Imperial, Space, Time, and Origin began thrumming! He was about to take action! Within his Profound Saber Meridian, Element howled! Wei Wuyin's aura reached an ungodly level for a mere mortal!
Wu Yu's heart shook! What type of power was this?! How could a Starlord be this powerful?!
But then, a wisp of violet light emerged before him with a sharp flicker. It came from seemingly nowhere!
Wei Wuyin immediately stopped; his eyes brightened, and he reached out, grabbing the wisp of violet light. After seeing what it was, his aura instantly receded, and he smiled brightly. The Law of War within the Nexus War Flag was retracted as well, no longer laying claim to the Moonfall Lunar Queen's soul.
''While gods can't stp me, bribes are very effective.'' Wei Wuyin shamelessly said, nearly causing Wu Yu, who was almost shaking to his core, to tumble to the side.
''...'' Three violet lights flashed before Wei Wuyin immediately afterwards, and he laughed heartily. ''We can let bygones be bygones. It was a small matter anyways.'' He didn't hesitate to snatch all three light, and Baby Defiant's blockage of Chaotic Space ended, allowing the soul of the Moonfall Lunar Queen to escape.
The only thing that remained was a decapitated corpse. Wei Wuyin waited a while before reaching out to the Originfire-engulfed head, bringing it into his Saint Ring, and sending the headless corpse to Wu Yu. ''Let Tuo Bihan use that blade of his to absorb the remnants of her cultivation base; I've sealed it, but it won't last long.''
Wu Yu grabbed the headless body unhesitatingly, still stumped by what just happened. He realized that the decapitated corpse's Mystic Core and Innate Energies were perfectly preserved, while her Mystic Soul was destroyed. This was deliberately done before her head was removed!
She was effectively a dead person! The Moonfall Lunar Queen, even if her soul was taken away, would be no different than a remnant soul without a consicousness. Even if she began anew, it would be no different than experiencing the elusive concept of reincarnation without your memories. The only benefit would be that her new consciousness' foundation was an Ascended being would be set and unchanged.
Wei Wuyin still didn't let her go!
Was this all planned?
''...'' Wu Yu watched Wei Wuyin's tall back as he looked elsewhere into the distance. This young mortal who once was extremely weak had fully matured! The limits of his power and means were something Wu Yu couldn't imagine. The more he stayed by Wei Wuyin's side, the more unfathomable he became.
Wei Wuyin turned to Wu Yu, and the smiling grin on his face even caused Wu Yu to grow extremely dazed. ''I found it.''
Wu Yu was unaware, but Wei Wuyin had just obtained the most critical piece of information that would allow him to exploit the All-Ending Stellar Calamity!
Fort-odd days later...
The eve of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo was here!
