Chen Yangzi was not alone. Carried on his back, unconscious with shallow breathing, was a tall, young woman with an egregiously vixen-like body and a gorgeously pale expression riddled with signs of weakness and exhaustion. It was Bai Yuxi, the granddaughter of the Guardian of the Elements!
At the moment, Chen Yangzi's state was abnormal. He cautiously looked around, his eyes seemingly locating anyone who directed a strange gaze his way, as if he was trying to gauge their emotional responses to his existence. It was only after determining that most of the focus was on Bai Yuxi, not him, that he felt relief.
He grumbled indistinctly under his breath, his expression rife with melancholy. But what was extremely shocking was that Chen Yangzi hadn't just been eliminated during the competition earlier, he had been crushed by Lin Ming's aura, half-crippled, and expelled from the Wall of Bitterness! Strangely, however, not only was he completely fine, but he had taken Bai Yuxi out of the Wall of Bitterness!
If anyone could hear his grumbles, they would hear: "I hope you rest well, Junior Sister." His words seemed to stir something as the vixen-like figure on his back squirmed, Bai Yuxi's eyelashes fluttering as she opened her gaze to a hazy, indistinct back, neck, and hair. For a split second, she saw the backside of a familiar figure, one that she had met on a long-destroyed continent in a different world.
Her consciousness didn't last long as she slumped back to sleep, feeling safe and secure on this strong, firm back.
Almost immediately, as Chen Yangzi found a spot to rest and recuperate, the gazes of several figures hidden under Environmental Integration found him. They were none other than the Prime Ascendants!Yao Huoyi and Shui Fengbao!
"There's something strange about him," Shui Fengbao said as the light of radiant, all-seeing, all-exposing flames swayed within his pupils. He often lacked subtlety, so he outright revealed his suspicions. Unfortunately, those words were far too broad for anyone besides those who sensed what he had to fully understand.
"..." Yao Huoyi nodded faintly, validating Shui Fengbao's statement. Earlier, he had sensed the events inside the Wall of Bitterness, including the great fight that occurred, and he also sensed Chen Yangzi's aura quivering on the edge, disappearing, and then reappearing without any indication or fluctuations of power prior. It was as if he hadn't been on the edge of death earlier.
Moreover, he felt that Chen Yangzi's aura had been pushed out by the Everpath Voyage's protective formations. But now he had succeeded in the Black Path of Bitterness.
"Should we seize him?" Shui Fengbao was exuding curiosity to the brim, outright asking if they should capture Chen Yangzi for interrogation and inspection. It was clear that Chen Yangzi was an oddity.
Yao Huoyi stared thoughtfully at Chen Yangzi as he recovered through cultivation. His cultivation base was ordinary amongst the Chosen present, almost average, yet he had caught both of their notice. Eventually, he gently shook his head. They didn't have any great operation that could be threatened by an abnormal variable.
"Ah fine!" Shui Fengbao said dismissively, the fires in his eyes doused with a thought. The two began to have a strange conversation, with Shui Fengbao asking endless questions while Yao Huoyi nodded or shook his head in response. While the two talked, Chen Yangzi's eyes opened a small slit, a faint glint flickered from it, before they subtly closed.
The competition of the Everpath Voyage continued underway as Chosen began to challenge themselves, seeking to outdo the others, establish themselves, and reach a level where their parents, ancestors, sect, organization, or lovers would be proud. Some sought to beat out the records of past Heroes and Saintesses, others wanted to overcome their previous record, while a few were in confrontation with each other, seeking to end their blood feuds at opportune moments.
The Everpath Voyage had always been used in this manner with few harboring the idea of completing the path to the end, an insidiously difficult task to complete given that the higher walls' difficulties were something Ascended beings might not be able to overcome easily. How could they, as mere mortals, do the same?
After several days, filled with a cycle of recuperation and challenge, a Chosen of the eighteen Stellar Regions finally exited the Green Path of Bitterness. It was a Starlord!
The Ascendants all perked up as they double-checked their bets. A few cursed openly that their chosen winner was already out, having been expelled earlier, simply given up after reaching their limits, or outright died to other contestants striving for a higher wall. The Everpath Voyage was not a playground, and death was a real and tangible reality for many of these Chosen. A reality that quite a few were forced to experience despite being unwilling.
On this day, the focus was entirely on the Blue Path of Bitterness's entrance and exit. This was a path with difficulties at the Mystic Star Phase level, with even Empress Xiaocheng having only reached the 71st Path, stopping at the second to last wall. Who will conquer the Green Path and challenge the Blue Path first?!
The wagers were divided into three stages: Realmlord, Timelord, and Starlord. This was merely a sideshow for the Ascendants. As individuals came pouring out of the Green Path, some rallied, others cursed, and a few snorted coldly. Particularly, when Ma Luling entered the Blue Path, envious gazes all turned to the Fourth Commander as she had notably won! Bei Weiwei's eyes were bright and her usually icy-cold, glacially ever-present expression melted away with an excited smile. She was clearly pleased.
The Ma Clan's young Chosen wasn't a popular pick, as many had chosen a few of the Imperial Clan's Chosen, with more than a few betting on Tian Jianghan, but he was absent, leading to many losing their bets without contest. Hong Chunhua had won the Realmlord section, picking an obscure-looking middle-aged woman who exuded an illusory aura. She wasn't beautiful, merely an average-looking woman with a hint of a mature charm, someone that you would not notice in a common crowd, but she had exited the Green Path first.
She instantly attracted many gazes. Speculation wildly flew. People soon found out and exposed her background, showcasing the information that she was a member of the Ninestar Sainthall. Supposedly, she was the descendant of an Earthly Saint. But few knew that she was Yue Songli's first disciple after her return.
Hong Chunhua had inadvertently discovered this fact while performing a mission for His Majesty. She used that inside knowledge to blast the competition, especially knowing that Yue Songli was certainly Wei Wuyin's lover. Since the Valkyrie, Prime Ascendants, and Ascendants were excluded from the wager, she had slyly cheated by using someone whose treatment was not inferior to some of the Ascendants. Wei Wuyin was partial to the women he courted, and if Yue Songli asked for anything, not even the heavens could prevent her from obtaining it.
Moreover, Hong Chunhua knew that Wei Wuyin was trying to make up for the fact that he'd been far too busy recently, with the creation of his Starfield and the operation against The Serpent, especially since he hadn't found the time to meet her despite the constant requests from her end. Why else would she be sent on a mission there if not for that? When she recalled Yue Songli's expression of indifference as if she wasn't frustrated by the sight of her, including the sly comment of Wei Wuyin having the 'time of his life' with other women, she couldn't help but grin.
When others learned of this fact, the Ascendants wanted to cry but no tears came out as they lost ample resources out of ignorance and unfair advantage. If they knew Yue Songli's disciple was participating, not a single one of them would bet on anyone else. Or at the very least, she would've been stricken from the betting list like the others.
Seeing how cavalier the Ascendants were acting towards the Everpath Voyage that had devastated generations of Chosen, a usually tense environment rife with solemnity, there was no small number of complaints. However, the Ascendant's previous showing of great strength made it difficult for anyone to openly voice their dissatisfaction. Also, they had the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn behind them!
As for the Ascendants, to them, the Everpath Voyage wasn't their true stage. The first two stages were merely platforms which Wei Wuyin used to spur them on, so it was difficult for them to take it seriously when it was a cultivator versus environment setting at its heart. None of the Ascendants felt they would contend against each other during this stage, so they didn't feel any pressure, nor strong competitors.
The Chosen of the eighteen regions not connected to Wei Wuyin weren't just a little inferior. The difference inspired no fighting will in the Ascendants.
More importantly, they were all cultivated by Wei Wuyin, the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint, and doing anything less than revealing that the past standards of the old era were outdated and unable to generate any fear was the only way to do him justice!
However, they all knew that the next stage was going to be where the true fight began.
The fight where they'll face true Chosen.
It took several days before a Timelord exited the Green Path. Many were shocked that a few Realmlords had succeeded in conquering the Green Path before a single Timelord had, giving them the realization that those Timelords were almost all exclusively older generation cultivators that couldn't quite reach the Starlord level while the Realmlords were almost all outstanding young talents that enjoyed the outrageous benefits of Neo-Dawn products. The disparity displayed further revealed the difference between eras.
The late Qiao Shulin was once in that category.
The winner for Timelords was guessed by no one, some extremely old Timelord that neared 500 years of age. This both comforted and dissatisfied the Ascendants. At the very least, they hadn't lost. But they also hadn't won. Only Hong Chunhua and Bei Weiwei won their share, walking away with fat pockets and sly smiles.
"ATTENTION!" The Commanders all shouted. The Ascendants had inadvertently reacted in salute, their postures upright, their spines firm, and their eyes focused and emotionless. Suddenly, a few figures rushed toward the Blue Path.
"..."
The Ascendants suddenly realized what had happened. The Commanders had gone ahead! They caused them to delay using their soul-instilled memory of countless training sessions! The bastards!
A whirlwind of raging wind blasted forth as the others rushed toward the Blue Path. The sight was indescribably epic! Thousands of terrifying auras clashed as they vanished one by one, each trying their best to enter first.
The Blue Path required the strength of the Mystic Star Phase!
But that wasn't their goal!
The White Path of Bitterness! The END PATH!
Who'll be first?!?!
