1447 Chapter 1441: CKC, The Wish
When the sky-quaking announcement came, reactions were unbelievably varied with eye-popping, jaw-dropping, and mind-swirling responses. Many gazes turned to the lifeless, warmth-fading body of Xue Yifei lying there. They had just been wondering one second ago about how or why Xue Yifei lost her life, but then His Majesty had ultimately declared her victorious against all her extraordinary peers.
How?
Why?
What happened?
Numerous questions rose unbidden within their hearts and minds. Not for a single second did any of the Ascendants, from top to bottom, believe that Xue Yifei had won due to her status as Wei Wuyin's concubine. The sheer thought had never occurred to them, unlike to the minds of the Chosen of the Sealed Regions and the World Beyond, and even Yi Yun, who was deeply astonished, thinking that the competition itself was rigged!
"What was the point of this if…" Yi Xuehan didn't finish her softly spoken, aggrieved words, but the implied continuation called into question the entirety of the Evercrown.
Rigged from the beginning!
The winner was determined long ago!
Unfortunately, those who had doubts regarding the fairness of the competition were unable to vent out any of them or obtain answers. Yi Yun seethed. The image of Qiao Shulin emerged in his heart, mind, and soul, followed by despondent rage. The feeling of being useless, having been unable to participate from start to finish, was wholeheartedly suppressed as the seeded idea that the competition was merely a game to Wei Wuyin, determined from the start, made him unable to breathe properly.
The Ascendants were wildly different; they felt a turmoil of emotions and feelings: sadness, acceptance, joy, relief, desire for strength, satisfaction, renewal of will, and exhaustion of the mind, body, and spirit. The fight for the Evercrown was intense, and all of them got the honor of participating, almost all of them, barring a hybrid elf, enjoyed the process of the Chosen King Competition, especially fighting those from beyond their region.
It was exciting, and it was as His Majesty promised. An opportunity to see their potential limits and test their mettle against each other without holding anything back. Each of them was reinforced with the idea that, under Wei Wuyin's nurturing alongside hard-working ethics and extreme dedication to cultivation, they could touch upon truly unfathomable strength. The strength that Na Xinyi displayed, the strength that Yao Houyi displayed, the strength that Su Mei displayed, and what all of them displayed.
They no longer saw Mystic Ascendants as obstacles to their paths, or being of a higher standard but as mere stepping stones to overcome during cultivation.
San Yongli slowly escaped Tian Yinwu's grasp after the black hole's gravitational force had been stopped after Wei Wuyin's announcement. She faintly blushed, trying to hold in her own fluttering heart, as she looked toward Wen Mingna. She could sense Xue Yifei's lifeless body.
Tian Yinwu frowned slightly. Within his eyes seemed to be a myriad of thoughts and considerations as he politely allowed San Yongli to leave his embrace. There was no awkwardness in his movements, seemingly having hugged that slender waist of the white-haired beauty a few times before.
"How did she win?" San Yongli turned to Wen Mingna and asked. Her cultivation base was too low, and she was deeply exhausted and suffered varying levels of injuries internally, so she couldn't properly process many things during the fight. Was this pre-determined?
Her question caused the others to turn to Wen Mingna, all except Tian Yinwu. Wen Mingna didn't find this uncomfortable, despite the venomous gaze of Yi Yun pointed toward her as if seeking out verification that all of this was rigged and validated his belief that, regardless of his actions, the wish was never in his grasp.
Unfortunately for him, Wen Mingna was not so kind as to consider his feelings. "Through a degree of intelligence and foresight that one could only marvel at. It's no wonder that Wei Wuyin," Wen Mingna held back calling him by her typical referred title, "selected her out of quintillions of exceptionally young women as his concubine." She praised endlessly, smiling beautifully enough to substitute an applause.
"What do you mean? She's dead." Yi Xuehan pointed out, miffed by Wen Mingna's statement. She pointed at Xue Yifei's lifeless body.
Wen Mingna didn't deny that, nodding in agreement: "She died for the Evercrown. But she wasn't always planning to do so, but she possessed the will and resolve to make such a sacrifice, wagering it all."
"...!" They couldn't understand her words. Yi Xuehan opened her mouth, a wisp of disgruntled light within her gaze, recalling distinctly why she hated Heavenly Seers. They were always so cryptic!
And unfortunately for her, Wen Mingna wasn't like typical Heavenly Seers. She began explaining in swift detail, "Some of you may recall that Xue Yifei had obtained the Aspect of Containment, the piece of the Evercrown earlier, and that's what led her to win. She used the unique properties of the Aspect of Containment, and 'contained' an incredible treasure long since refined and connected to her heart. At the end of the competition, instead of using the mechanism to prevent others from touching it for a brief period, likely enough for her to use her strength to claim it at a critical moment, she reversed its effects, and sent her heart to the Evercrown."
While she didn't delve into too much detail on the exact process, her explanation was easy enough to understand for San Yongli. It was as if the last phrase was enough to make all of what happened make sense.
"That's suicidal," she lightly said with deep emotions. "If it failed…"
Wen Mingna smiled a sly smile, "If it failed." But it hadn't! It was a simple plan that no one expected, because besides Wei Wuyin, and eventually Su Mei, no one had touched the Evercrown. Who would've thought it was tampered with from the beginning? Who could have thought that Xue Yifei would dare do such a thing?
Yi Yun was stunned. "But how did she know? It had to have been inside information!" The thought that Xue Yifei knew about the details and contents of the Evercrown furthered that she had colluded with Wei Wuyin. It wasn't even considered how dangerous this was, and how if they had collided, why take such drastic risks? Moreover, barely anyone could even discern what had happened, and even some of the Ascendants were clueless, why not use a simpler method?
"You should stop trying to find excuses for your ineptitude, Daoist Yi. It only comes off as unseemly and pathetic and will lead you down a path of a total lack of introspection and clarity of the situation. A warning: I've seen a few like you who've ventured this path foolishly, and their endings have never been good." Wen Mingna warned, her smile never fading.
"...!" Yi Yun reeled. His heart was pounding, frustration still building in his chest, stifled and uncomfortable. "YOU!" His eyes exuded a bestial rage as he seemed ready to bite off a piece of Wen Mingna's delicate flesh.
"Enough," San Yongli said. She knew that Wei Wuyin had no reason to put on a show like this that lacked any type of fairness. She had personally participated in his Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo and somewhat understood his proud personality. He would never directly affect the fairness of his competition. He hadn't even tampered with the gifts and blessings from his Expo.
Xue Yifei had won, fair and square.
Yi Yun's expression changed drastically, the image of Qiao Shulin kept pulsating to life within his mind. A maddening feeling swelled within his chest. However, Yi Xuehan gently laid her hand on his shoulder. It was somewhat cold, and it somehow calmed his heart, allowing him to take a deep, steady breath. He turned to see that beautiful countenance and felt his heart relaxed inexplicably.
He turned to Wen Mingna and lowered his head, "I'm sorry for getting riled up just now. I lost myself for a moment."
Wen Mingna didn't respond, merely kept her unbothered smile on her enchanting face. From her eyes, she could see Yi Yun's shadow grow a luminous gold, growing dimmer as his emotions were placated. Eventually, it faded entirely, returning his shadow to normal, seemingly having completed its goal. Was this how the Heavenly Daos granted assistance?
She studied the intricately profound interaction. If she could replicate this, could she one day direct someone's thoughts naturally in a certain direction? Stimulate emotions? Suffocate them? Potentially, she could instill a sensation of insurmountable deadly crisis that could force someone to flee without hesitation or risk their lives in what could be a hopeless endeavor due to a firm belief otherwise.
The concepts flowed through her mind as they congregated with her newly forged Cultivation Method, growing increasingly complete.
"I have to go," Tian Yinwu abruptly said. He gave San Yongli a look, handing her Xiao Yanyue, before vanishing like a dissipating apparition.
The sight didn't surprise San Yongli. Tian Yinwu was always up to something but he was as reliable as a heaven-holding pillar. The only time he failed was during a time he couldn't have possibly helped. This took a long time for her to reconcile after returning.
When San Yongli recalled her past life and subsequent death, she bitterly clenched her fists.
RUMBLE!
The sky shook intensely as the black hole faded away from above, the rays of light were no longer affected as brilliance and beauty returned to the vast lands of the Evercrown Ceremony.
From the sky, a slit formed of silvery light. It was profoundly radiant and inexplicably enchanting, bringing forth everyone's gaze upwards without exception. From the silvery brilliance, a silhouette emerged with an imposingly dignified and incomparable demeanor.
The hearts of countless stopped for a brief moment as the figure's visage grew clear, revealing an unearthly, indescribably handsome, flawlessly masculine face with a pair of silver eyes that contained the paramount of exceptionalism and might. Within those eyes of his a faint light of gentleness, warmth, and internally felt unforgettable pride.
The spines of the Ascendants straightened subconsciously.
The Chosen from the Sealed Region gasped heavily.
The Chosen from the World Beyond was shaken to the core.
This was…him?
Without being told by anyone, they all knew. They knew that this individual was none other than the owner of that majestic voice, the force behind the drastically dramatic changes of the current iteration of the Chosen King Competition—Wei Wuyin!
The Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn!
With a single step, silence fell. He descended from the sky, landing slowly, gently, majestically, and gracefully next to Xue Yifei's lifeless body. Despite her lack of a heartbeat, her countenance was as exquisite as a fabled sleeping beauty. If one looked closely, taking away simply their senses, she truly befitted such a title.
"You've done well," Wei Wuyin had only spoken three words yet countless hearts raced intensely.
How?
Why?
What happened?
Whoosh!
Su Mei was like a flash of dark light. She was absurdly fast that few could react. She arrived by Wei Wuyin's side, the Evercrown in her hand, tainted with heart blood that countless could see. It was then that those keen-minded felt as if some pieces connected. Yet the idea of doing such a thing…was…
Su Mei offered the Evercrown to Wei Wuyin. She had lost, but there was not the slightest dissatisfaction in her heart. To her, Xue Yifei had earned it.
Wei Wuyin didn't directly take the Evercrown. Instead, he brought out a pellet, the Earth Reversal Pellet. The pellet was recognized universally by every Ascendant and Chosen from both worlds. This was an indescribably precious life-saving treasure that was a thing of legend! With a soft pinch, it transformed into dust as he sprinkled it over her body. A powerful Temporal Reversion took effect. Everyone could see the Evercrown slowly trembling within Su Mei's hand.
Then, they saw it.
The entire situation reversed itself. They saw how the heart blood and bits of flesh regathered at the Evercrown, slowly reversing the explosive force that was initiated on it. They could see Xue Yifei initiating a type of self-detonation of the heart.
Then, the heart entered the Aspect of Containment's gem of the Evercrown. The gem's color was easily identifiable. The heart was then sealed within after a nearly imperceptible fluctuation. It was only because everyone was solely focused on it that they noticed it!
Then, Xue Yifei's body lifted upwards as a strong fluctuation of vitality emerged that could rival dragons. Her hazel eyes with blue flecks regained their intelligent light, igniting vibrantly as Xue Yifei's was revived!
An incomparably deep breath was taken as she felt the remnant temporal energy flow through her body.
"I…" Xue Yifei was briefly confused as she stared at Wei Wuyin. "Did I…?" But she was quick-witted and understood the situation. Either she had failed and Wei Wuyin had brought her back to life, solely to save face as she was his concubine, or she had won, and this was her bitterly earned reward after all her efforts thus far. The competition was endlessly fierce and she had to struggle mentally and physically to survive it all.
"You won." Wei Wuyin's voice was incomparably soft, the pride in his eyes reflected his feelings at this very moment.
"I…won?" Xue Yifei's eyes widened slightly. "I won," she repeated. Then, with a bright smile intermixed with relief and unsurpassed elation, she once again said: "I won." It was as if speaking it three times had cemented it into reality. It was unable to be changed.
Wei Wuyin couldn't help but chuckle. What a cute response that was! Even she doubted it. The urge to hug her right now had to be suppressed with all his strength.
Xue Yifei looked at him. She, too, had to resist that same urge. Her eyes roamed as she realized that countless were watching. Taking another deep breath, she calmed her riled emotional state.
"As the winner, you're allowed a single 'reasonable' wish. Do you want to think about it?" Wei Wuyin offered, giving her time to consider her wish, but this was his attempt to dissuade her from saying what he expected her to say! Why?
Because Xue Yifei was the most troublesome wish!!
And when he saw the hazel eyes of her lift, directly meeting his own, he couldn't help but bitterly smile in his heart, but that bitterness was filled with cultivated emotions that were sweet and warm.
"I know my wish."
Xue Yifei's words cause breaths to halt immediately. What would the Dragonborn Saintess wish for? A few thought they knew, and even Na Xinyi felt her heart pounding as she lightly bit her lips from afar. What else?
Xue Yifei was a concubine! She was certainly going to wish for her status to be elevated to the proper Neo-Dawn Ascendant Empress! Many would bet their entire life on it! Some even assumed that she would wish to be segregated from Wei Wuyin, their thoughts outright delusional, but the possibility existed! Perhaps she wanted to regain her freedom and marry a proper companion!
"Go on then," Wei Wuyin said.
Xue Yifei gazed intently at Wei Wuyin. There was a silence that was so pervasive that everyone could hear their heartbeats and the heartbeats of
their neighbors!
What would her wish be?!
"I wish…" Xue Yifei started, shifting her gaze to Su Mei, the far-off, panting Wu Baozhai, then to the exhausted Na Xinyi, then the near-dead An Sisters, the blindfolded Yao Houyi, the ashen Shui Fengbao, profusely bleeding Hong Chunhua, and the other of remaining Ascendants, "for you, the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn, the ruler of the Neo-Dawn Starfield, to consider…the reasonable wishes of everyone who fought bravely for the Evercrown from start to finish of the timer."
"..."
"..."
"..."
WHAT?!
Su Mei's grip around the Evercrown tightened. Her gaze was firmly on Xue Yifei, shock, and astonishment ravaging those pure black eyes of hers.
Wu Baozhai's hands trembled, causing her halberd to shake uncontrollably. Her heart was pounding like an incessant thunderous storm.
Even Hong Chunhua was taken aback, her devastated body holding onto itself just barely nearly collapsed.
Yao Houyi lowered his head thoughtfully.
Shui Fengbao's eyes widened in disbelief. Can she do that?! Why would she do that?!
Wei Wuyin, however, smiled amusingly as if expecting this from the very beginning! "Consider?" He asked.
To which Xue Yifei replied firmly, "Consider." Her gaze fixed on Wei Wuyin's unblinkingly to the end.
"Then, consider I will. The extent to which I'll consider their wishes, it'll be determined by me, no?" Wei Wuyin lifted his brow.
"Of course," Xue Yifei answered without skipping a beat.
"If that is your wish." Wei Wuyin slightly nodded, and then he inclined his head to the sky. What was a reasonable wish? This…was a reasonable wish…
It was also a hellishly troublesome wish! And only Xue Yifei would make such a wish…
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