"HAHAHA!" He Yanglei's maniacally triumphant laughter thundered through the air. Since the beginning, he hoped for the trio to make a killing move against him, not torture him for so frustratingly long. When he saw their pointless curiosity toward Lian Yu's death, he deliberately pushed his antagonization to the limits of his capability.
Now!
It was his turn to torture.
The latent power bestowed to him to protect his life and soul by his Clan Leader, He Bojing, had been activated! The feeling of strength far beyond his limits flowed through him as his injuries began to rapidly heal, his complexion regaining a rosy tint, and his eyes shining with lively light.
The trio of women were blown away. They each erected their Astral Wards just prior to being attacked, a sign of their remarkable reflexes and instincts. They gathered together, skidding across the grass to a stop, eyeing the pulsing, raging watery power emitted by He Yanglei.
Na Xinyi and Wu Baozhai silently observed He Yanglei's situation. They didn't speak, but Lin Ziyan was smart enough to realize her error, and she apologized: "I'm sorry. I couldn't control myself. This is all my fault."
Her words were laden with guilt. However, the two women didn't harp on the situation. "It's fine, Sister Ziyan." Wu Baozhai didn't pay it any mind, knowing that amongst the three of them, Lin Ziyan was certainly the most emotionally attached among them. Her relationship with Lian Yu was greater than theirs.
Over the years in the Myriad Monarch Sect, Wu Baozhai had always felt strange around Long Chen due to their 'forced' experience while Na Xinyi had never fully accepted Long Chen, further exacerbated by Wei Wuyin's promise and continuous displays of greatness. It was different for Lian Yu and Lin Ziyan; the two were unyieldingly loyal to Long Chen, and so their relationship was much closer.
It was only when Wei Wuyin challenged Lin Ziyan's core belief of why she chose Long Chen that her thoughts skewed. This was verified by their kiss, as she learned of his four Spirits of Cultivation, indicating that in accordance with Ming Shufeng's prophecy, Wei Wuyin was always her destined one-not Long Chen.
Since then, she never regretted choosing Wei Wuyin. Just like Ming Shufeng said, she met someone outstanding to the world that would bring her happiness and satisfaction. Because of this, she felt a sense of guilt toward Lian Yu. There were even thoughts that, if she had convinced Lian Yu to come along, she would've still been alive. After hearing that Lian Yu's last words were that she loved Wei Wuyin, that guilt had exploded madly.
If only she had interfered and brought her along! Long Chen was a walking disaster and his actions always led to their suffering, from Qing Qiumu nearly being executed, herself suffering through a thorough crippling and torture, Hong Ru's bodily demise, and now Lian Yu's true death. All of it could be traced back to Long Chen's inability and fault!
If only!
She should've tried HARDER!
Maybe...
Just maybe...
As He Yanglei's aura ramped upwards, causing the grass to fly around, trees to bend, and the winds to roar, the three women stood against it without much difficulty. As for those unfortunate spectators, they were wildly screaming in a frenzied panic. The power exceeded the range of Mortal Limits, and they were sent flying for miles or outright critically wounded by its aura alone.
A lone cultivator nearby was caught unaware. While they hadn't been killed instantly, their skin was peeled off by the aura, and blood poured out of seven orifices. When they landed on the grass, the grass grew, wrapping around their limbs, and proceeded to pull them silently into the ground. Their muffled screams were concealed by the raging storm of watery power.
"..." Wu Baozhai and Na Xinyi glanced at each other. The feelings in both of their eyes were mostly the same. As they both understood Lin Ziyan's feelings to a certain extent, how could they possibly scold her? They weren't so insensitive.
Na Xinyi shrugged casually, changing the topic: "This bastard is feeling himself a little too much." The trio could see He Yanglei levitating five feet off the ground, barely resisting the World Pressure preventing flight, being surrounded by rays of watery aquamarine-colored light. He seemed to be relishing in the power, locking down on the trio with a Spiritual Aura.
It wasn't his Spiritual Aura, but an external Spiritual Aura originating from a tattoo placed on his glabella. It was shaped in a rectangular-shaped curtain of water that was animatedly falling endlessly like a waterfall.
Soon, the watery curtain and the raging power began to condense into a figure as He Yanglei was gently brought to the ground, healed and lively. "Ancestor!" He cried out excitedly to He Bojing.
The Earthly Saint was dressed in a similar aquamarine-colored set of robes, sporting the He Clan's clan symbol. His regal, imposing bearing was faultless, and he stood presently with his arms folded behind his back, quietly observing the Everworld's environment. His eyes effused a light of calculation and thought.
"It's only been a few hours?" He remarked dumbfoundedly, his expression changing slightly. This was only the Everworld Venture-the first stage of the Chosen King Competition, and it served to filter out the unworthy and unlucky. It was a trash filter, to put it bluntly.
Seeing the situation, he swept his gaze across the world. He instantly caught sight of the trio, and immediately his eyes brightened. "Extreme Yin Empress? Eternal Monarch Saintess?" He called out the two titles of the women. Wu Baozhai's title was unimaginative, simple really, but since she wasn't on the top ten list, the effort put into naming her was minimal.
After the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit, Wu Baozhai's reputation experienced a skyrocketing rise, and even Earthly Saints paid attention to her and her origins. Especially the rumors that she was Wu Yu's bloodline descendant. It was hard not to make that connection given they cultivated the same method and bore the same familial surname name.
Instantly, he was vigilant. While the Extreme Yin Empress didn't have a terrifying backing, her talent was exceptionally high, almost as great as her beauty. Wu Baozhai, on the other hand, most certainly had connections with the Grand Knight Wu Yu, especially since the planet and sect moved to the Neo-Dawn Starfield early on, and her talent was one-of-a-kind as well. If Wu Yu was any indication, she was going to be a terror when she matured, and the Eternal Monarch Sect was led was going to be exceptional.
The trio saw the apprehension on He Bojing's face.
Na Xinyi knew that when he looked her way, he saw only her own shadow. It brought caution, uncertainty, and hesitancy. In that one moment, she received validation that her efforts over the years had paid off handsomely.
Wu Baozhai knew that when he looked her way, he saw Wu Yu, the Eternal Monarch Sect, the Neo-Dawn Starfield, and her shadow. This brought fear and restraint. In that one moment, she was satisfied.
Neither of them was content with being unrecognized for their efforts, serving as mere foils to Long Chen's achievements. When they thought about Wei Wuyin, they realized that he deeply understood them on a level that Long Chen never did.
It was just a brief look, a small moment, yet it verified their decades of efforts.
As for Lin Ziyan, she was an unknown. And this brought her indescribable peace because Wei Wuyin's enemies wouldn't come for her like Long Chen's enemies had. She was happy to remain in the shadows until Wei Wuyin had fully grown to his own, capable of ensuring that the entire world wouldn't dare to move against him.
"What did you do?" He Bojing turned to He Yanglei and questioned. This descendant of his had offended these women somehow, and their lingering killing intent was still present in the air and their gazes.
"I..." He Yanglei was taken aback. He hurriedly tried to give a reason as to why they acted against him.
But while they were about to have a typical conversation, perhaps deliberately distorted with information to turn He Bojing against the trio, Lin Ziyan rubbed her right wrist. It was a golden bracelet, ordinary and dull, but when she stroked its surface, various Mystic Runes manifested on its surface.
"Huh?" He Bojing turned to Lin Ziyan.
His pupils shrunk to their limits.
WOOSH!!!
A beam of condensed Mystic Power roared! He Bojing tried to hold his hands out, exerting his Incarnation's power to defend, but was met with an irresistible, incredible power. His eyes bulged out as his body crystallized within the beam's flow. Before he could react, his hands began to see fissures and cracks. Then!
BOOM!
IT EXPLODED!
Instantly, the Earthly Saint's avatar...was destroyed!!
Moreover, while the sound was thunderous, the effects of the surroundings were shockingly minimal. Even the wind wasn't twisted into a frenzy, not even a little bit. The beam seemed to have accurate control, dispersing three feet behind He Bojing's Incarnation with frightening swiftness, causing no damage to the surroundings.
The fragments of its Mystic Power brushed against He Yanglei's rosy face, causing a slight itch on his cheek. He subconsciously scratched it. He stammered as the situation had yet to process fully in his mind.
"...!" Both Na Xinyi and Wu Baozhai were thunderstruck, their eyes widening. What in the heavens was that?!
"Did you think you're the only one with backing?" Lin Ziyan brightly smiled. Wei Wuyin had given her tools that could make Ascended beings quiver in fear, all for the sake of protecting her. She lightly rubbed the bracelet, sensing the warmth of his feelings. Moreover, this wasn't even the best one.
The Mystic Runes on the bracelet dimmed before vanishing.
"Y-you...YOU!" He Yanglei's rosy complexion began to pale considerably.
WOOSH!
He ran away!
Flee!
Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum!
Just as the trio was about to give chase, a roaring light pierced through the sky, slamming against He Yanglei's frantic figure. He screamed in panic, terror ravaged his very soul. Was this how he was going to die?!?!
"That's...?!" Wu Baozhai, Na Xinyi, and Lin Ziyan were startled. The multicolored light pierced through the strange atmosphere of the Everworld, enveloping He Yanglei whole, and then it vanished! And He Yanglei along with it!
"..." The trio was stupefied, looking at the sky with endless questions and boundless shock.
What just happened?!
In another area of Everworld, a figure lifted its head to the sky, seeing the ray of light sundering the sky, landing on a distant figure, and then vanishing. The sight of Stellar Transit Light was incredibly strange.
"What are you planning for them?" The figure glanced at their right arm. After a short while, the figure kept trudging along his grassy path.
San Luoyang sat cross-legged in a strange subspace of the Everworld, acting as overseer using the Ever-Key. His eyes glinted as he observed the Stellar Transit Light pierce into the Everworld.
"Did they take action?" He thoughtfully said before sighing to himself. Instead, he moved his gaze away and the image of San Yongli was being showcased on a 3D projection of Everworld. He thought for a second and then touched the Ever-Key with his right index finger. A burst of light was emitted.
The Temporal Reincarnator lifted her head to notice a strange tree a few miles away exuding a unique aura. When she executed her Ocular Spell, a few fruits could be seen hanging from its slender branches.
"Worldgreen Fruit!" Her eyes brightened considerably as she rushed toward the tree excitedly. A heavenly treasure of a fruit that could considerably increase one's affinity to World Pressure and nurture one's Worldly Domain!
"..." San Luoyang's expression was guiltless as he acted from the shadows. In fact, he smiled proudly. The Everworld had dangers, acting as a preliminary filter, but it had some unimaginable opportunities that not even the natives or the Tri-Sentinels could freely take.
"You have to make it to the third stage," San Luoyang whispered as he thought about the stage that no Chosen in the history of the eighteen regions has ever reached!
