"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard only great things. My name's Qing Qiumu."
The modest, gentle gesture from Qing Qiumu as she faintly bowed in proper etiquette left the large-bodied Wei Si flustered and smiling silly.
"Wei Si of Red Dove City," Wei Si's form of address was notably similar to how Wei Wuyin almost always introduced himself. The familiar feeling left Qing Qiumu amused and nostalgic. Despite not looking alike at all, there were definite signs of shared mannerisms and spoken accent.
"Will you not be taking your Alchemic Knights with you?" Cao Cuifen asked with a lifted brow. Wu Yu was an astonishing talent and a powerful source of strength for any outward expedition. While the other two were relatively lackluster, Wu Yu's strength was proven from day one among Earthly Saints.
Wei Wuyin silently shook his head by the helm of the ship as Yue Songli's hand was tightly interlocked with his own. She refused to let go. Her content and satisfaction was barely hidden behind a gorgeous smile and faintly blushing cheeks as her emotions were pouring through her glistening eyes and rising bodily warmth.
Cao Cuifen didn't bother with Yue Songli's clinging behavior. They had just arrived on the ship when Wei Wuyin outlined his plan to leave the Ancient Sealed Region soon. To be specific: within the next few minutes.
She saw those he was openly bringing along. Originally, she suspected that Wei Wuyin was going to bring his bevy of beautiful women with him to the outside for an adventure beyond while going to deal with the Blessed Yri Empire's situation. However, those present were not who she suspected.
Her eyes focused on an elderly man with a lackadaisical attitude leaning across the railing of the ship. On his back was a large item bandaged. It reminded her of a hunk of crudely formed steel. It felt larger than it seemed at the initial look. Moreover, her heartbeat grew slightly irregular after staring for a little while, startling her. He was Tuo Bihan and often acted as the Envoy of the Ascendant Emperor. He traveled extensively early on and had a lot of relations with various organizations.
Then, there was an elven girl that she had never seen but heard of during her research of Wei Wuyin's past escapades. She was saved by Wei Wuyin during his stay in the Myriad Monarch Sect. She was once renowned as a legendary cultivator with a trinity of wood-attributed talents.
Yue Songli was to be expected. Su Mei was widely known as Wei Wuyin's right hand and her winged steed was rumored to be as powerful as the Fire Phoenix.
There was a fiery redhead young man known as Shui Fengbao chatting away. The Ascendants called him a 'Prime' and was often referred to as a Prime Ascendant, a rare Chosen of the Neo-Dawn Ascendant Emperor. Standing beside him was a Celestial Race woman named Mae Min-Ji. She gazed at him with adoring eyes. She seemed like a young girl in the springtime of her youth despite her hundreds of years of age.
Shui Fengbao was talking to a middle-aged, blindfolded man with two empty quivers and no bow. When she saw him initially, there was an innate sense of anxiety swelling within her. It felt as if he was looking at her in ways that were impossible to describe. Only when Wei Wuyin fixed a loose strand of her hair so naturally, brushing upon her cheeks, and causing focus on him did the feeling disappear and never return.
Despite that, she felt as if there was something about him. She would bet the entire Ninestar Starfield that this man was going to do something utterly shocking in the future.
During that inexplicable moment, just before Wei Wuyin interfered, Yao Houyi's heart felt a deep sense of irritation and aggression when he 'looked' at Cao Cuifen. It vanished instantly upon Wei Wuyin's gesture. While he was still 'looking' at her, the feeling had disappeared as if some karmic tie of an unknown future was gently undone.
Wei Si was unexpected, but after learning that he was Wei Wuyin's cousin by familial lineage ties of adoption, she felt excited. She had heard that Wei Wuyin's family had all but vanished in the Myriad Yore Continent, and he didn't have any direct relatives. Perhaps some distant ones, but in some ways, all humans were distant relatives of each other.
The most unexpected one was Luo Ning, an Earthly Saint Alchemist and leader of the Hepta-Dawn Alchemic Corps. She was currently below deck in a private room concocting products.
However, none of these individuals, except Yue Songli and Luo Ning, were at the Mystic Ascendant Realm. Qing Qiumu seemed to be at the Foundation Establishment Stage even, her entire cultivation base was quite recently reset. If not for the fact that Wei Wuyin was absurdly strong despite being a mere mortal, she would be unable to settle herself.
Young Master Shang was listlessly looking out into the starry skies, sighing in an inexplicable manner, drinking large sips of his flagon as if trying to drown away his sorrows.
"A soul bond to oneHeart drowned with love, ever distantA sip drowns my mind."
He seemed desolate. This was shortly after seeing Yue Songli and then Wei Wuyin holding her hand and the raw, unbroken feelings of yearning and satisfaction at the mere action. Anyone who saw this could tell that this devastating beauty was captured entirely with no hope for other men. In those eyes of hers, only Wei Wuyin was capable of granting her happiness and freedom. The freedom to pursue happiness.
The one-armed elderly man ignored his young master's antics as he piloted the ship. The pristinely white ship wasn't moving too fast or too slow, simply traversing toward the starry skies as Baby Defiant grew smaller and smaller to the eye.
"Do you trust them enough? I'm still unsure." Cao Cuifen sent via spiritual transmission. She was unaware that the one-armed elderly man could easily decipher the contents of her transmission when used with only spiritual power.
Wei Wuyin didn't bother using transmissions to conceal any conversation, "If they wanted to act against me, they would have done so already. While I don't trust them, you can trust me." His words instilled a glint in the Prime Ascendants' eyes. Young Master Shang looked over and then heaved a heavy sigh after seeing Yue Songli, her face and body was simply too much for the male soul to bear.
Cao Cuifen was naturally intelligent and keen minded; it didn't take long for her to realize that Wei Wuyin's actions of openly responding meant that those on this ship were fully aware of her side of the conversation. At the very least, the one-armed elderly man who seemed like the bodyguard of the white-robed Young Master Shang was.
The truth of the matter was that each of the Prime Ascendants had deciphered her transmission almost by instinct. It was almost as if she was shouting into Wei Wuyin's ear in an enclosed classroom. How could they not?
This was simply the difference in cultivation knowledge and application of Spiritual Strength, Spiritual Sense, and Spiritual Aura. Each of them cultivated their own passive Ocular Spells that were continuously feeding them information, especially Yao Huoyi.
Cao Cuifen had the highest cultivation out of everyone from the Ancient Sealed Region, but she was certainly the weakest despite her Ascended being existential status in terms of quality of cultivated methods, arts, and spells, but also understanding of the greater principles of cultivation. Her forte was the Alchemic Dao, however. In regards to her specialization, only Luo Ning would be able to match her.
Wei Wuyin kept Zuhei and a few others in his Saint Ring. They were cultivating or just didn't need to be out. He was contemplating when he should put Qing Qiumu inside. He needed to be delicate, however. She didn't need to be placed in any confined space for now after what she went through.
She needed freedom and fresh scenes. She needed serenity and for the deep-seated notion that she was safe with him instilled within her. Wei Wuyin didn't want Qing Qiumu to develop any mental illnesses from her captivity.
Fortunately, she seemed to be fine. But that wasn't always the case. Shortly before he went to receive Su Mei, he woke her up for a little while to formally invite her to travel the stars with him. When she woke up and he hadn't been in line of sight for a split second, she began to shiver uncontrollably and her eyes grew listless and drained. He had to lift her in a bridal carry and hold her for two hours, her head resting on his chest, before she calmed down.
Now, she currently had a Void Image anchored to her soul, and she would always see and be able to interact with him in some form. This was a temporary solution, however.
No one could truly understand what she went through. What she went through...
Wei Wuyin swore to never let that happen to her again in his lifetime.
The one-armed elderly man suddenly spoke, "We're near the border. The ship can freely exit or enter this isolated world as long as it isn't actively hindered. That said, it would be best if you assisted in the departure."
Wei Wuyin nodded as he interacted with the Endless Void Mirror. While he could Void Portal outside, even shorten their trip considerably by expending copious amounts of Draconic Void Force, he didn't intend to do so. He wanted to take the scenic route. Or at the very least, give him some time.
Why?
"After we leave, I'm going to go into a brief period of secluded cultivation for a bit, so I'll leave the simple matters to you." Wei Wuyin announced, but Cao Cuifen nodded. She felt greatly honored being entrusted with this. Meanwhile, Su Mei blinked.
"Seclusion?" Young Master Shang's head turned with interest. It seemed he enjoyed topics of cultivation.
Wei Wuyin didn't explain. But it was time for him to make the first leap of risk on this journey.
Using a Neo-Dawn Vortex-Zone...and concocting some products!
