"We'll be leaving for the White Abyss, the heart of the White Abyssal Galaxy tomorrow," Wei Wuyin announced to the relaxed bevy of beauties as they wore comfortable robes while receiving massages from the delicate and skilled hands of young women.
Yue Songli's robes were tied tightly around her waist, her bosom almost bursting out of her robes, as a young woman rubbed her shoulders with a faint blush and envious eyes that tried hard not to look down lest she further damaged her pride as a woman in the departments of looks and body.
Qing Qiumu's slender figure was laid down on a table as her legs were kneaded by two women, her chest pressed against the table They used a type of oil, causing her skin to glisten with a fantastic luster. She blinked as her eyes watched and her pointy ears listened to Wei Wuyin attentively.
Cao Cuifen and Liu Suyin sat in padded wicker chairs, drinking fruity juice with a bamboo straw, and they were like sisters with similar habits. The latter moved the lower half of her robes as if wanting to give Wei Wuyin a peek into her greatest pride. When she saw Wei Wuyin glancing over, she revealed a faint smile while sucking a little more on the bamboo straw.
"Will it be dangerous?" Yue Songli asked, her voice the very sound of anticipation. She was fearless; Wei Wuyin's existence made all the potential chaos feel as consequential as experiencing a gentle breeze. Moreover, she had received constant artistic inspiration from the events so far that she was yearning for more. The feeling of venturing out into the greater cosmic landscape left her fingers itching and her heart throbbing.
"Do we need to make any preparations?" Cao Cuifen asked while slurping, giving Liu Suyin a knowing side glance. Meanwhile, she tried to maintain the bearing of the 'oldest wife', being responsible and questioning while taking this seriously. The White Abyss was known as being perilous to an extreme and while it was holistically worshiped as a place of great fortune by the White Abyssal Galaxy's top-tier cultivators, she wasn't foolish enough to not delve a little deeper, learning that the amount of lives lost was billions of times greater than those who've obtained any fortune.
However, without fail, those who have escaped alive from the White Abyss' depths had all experienced great and unstoppable rises. Crimson Blade and Violet Sea were two prime examples of this! The former was often regarded as the strongest of the four Abyssal Overlords too while Violet Sea's powers were mystifying and unique.
While most knew that her violet water was inherent to her cultivation and grasp of the Law of Water, Water Heart Intent, and World Rune, something she had consistently shown off during her rise, her golden-colored power was still a great mystery to many. Some attributed it to a fragmented heavenly treasure she had refined while others had all sorts of weird ideas, such as half-possession. The truth was difficult to discern, but they knew she had great strength.
Wei Wuyin made sure he caught an eyeful of what was being offered and smiled, "As my wives, I'll handle your preparations. Simply be ready to fight or flee."
"Flee?" Yue Songli didn't believe Wei Wuyin for a single moment as she smiled. When has the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn ever fled from anything? Even the four Abyssal Overlords, true rulers of a galaxy, spoke respectfully and earnestly before him. Her heartfelt pride swelled at the thought.
She was of the mind that Wei Wuyin wouldn't dare let a single person push her to the lengths of fleeing. Not just her, but even Cao Cuifen didn't believe him. Danger? If Wei Wuyin thought it was remotely dangerous to him, unable to protect her body that he enjoyed regularly, there was no way he would dare bring her along. This was both a level of confidence and an established belief.
Wei Wuyin wryly smiled after sensing their mental fluctuations, and he would be unsure whether to laugh or sigh at their thoughts if he was reading them. Well, the thing he had to concede was that they were right; Wei Wuyin had lost far too much that he wouldn't directly place them in danger that was beyond his means to handle. However, there were always unexpected situations. The only thing that granted him the greatest confidence was that this was an Absolute Void Region. Not only was his home within an Absolute Void Region, but he had created one. He didn't fear any Absolute Void Region, especially as a hybrid with four Zenith Origin State Astral Souls.
Ming Shufeng was watching from the side too. She was bobbing up and down in a small pool alongside Su Mei. They were both wearing modest swimwear clothing beneath the water, and there was a faint hazy that required a spiritual sense to actively pierce through.
"An Absolute Void Region isn't something to take lightly," Su Mei read their expressions, especially Qing Qiumu's utter lack of urgency and Liu Suyin's carelessness as she touched her Icy Edict Necklace trying to seduce Wei Wuyin. All four of these 'wives' of Wei Wuyin's had a bloated sense of confidence that was reasonably justified given Wei Wuyin's repeated displays of dominance, prestige, and power. However, this was certainly a hidden threat to have in their hearts. They needed their own vigilance.
Cao Cuifen turned to look at Su Mei.
Su Mei waded through the water as she slowly rose from the pool, lifting her body out on the edge. "An Absolute Void Region is an area that has been abandoned by the heavens and worldly forces; light, air, and warmth are absent, while the environment itself has a crushing pressure due to the unique state of its chaos mana. It's said the heavens have abandoned it and all forms of energies and essences have been stripped away."
Qing Qiumu's emerald eyes glowed, "That doesn't make sense; if energies and essences are stripped away, what about time and spatial energies that are almost always present? Moreover, there's constant mention of treasures with all sorts of mystical properties that escape the White Abyss. How can it be abandoned by the Ways of Mysticism?"
"Not even the Abyssal Overlords of this galaxy understand their own Absolute Void Region or why it does what it does, which makes it all the more dangerous and unpredictable. What we know about Absolute Void Regions, what the world often knows about it, runs contrary to every fact that exists in reality." Ming Shufeng voiced her thoughts on Absolute Void Regions as a wisp of frustration leaked from her eyes and breath. She had tried to divine information and couldn't glean anything that didn't contradict except that the White Abyss was the greatest treasure of the White Abyss...
Wei Wuyin nodded, both Su Mei, Qing Qiumu, and Ming Shufeng were right. The Heavenly War Spirit was also conflicted by this contradiction when she first brought up Absolute Void Regions after he created his own.
Ori then mentioned this: "I think crucial Laws are absent here, and the path of cultivation can not be supported because of this. But...the heavens are present and haven't left."
She had proudly mentioned that her Law of Origin was present within his Absolute Void Region. So what did that potentially mean exactly? While the path of cultivation was severed within, the Absolute Void Regions have very limited support from the heavens, laws, and the world itself!
At the very least, some of them do.
The White Abyss had a great secret to its origins, and its creation was likely similar to his own-artificial.
"Have you asked the drunkard?" Cao Cuifen asked. Young Master Shang came from the Blessed Yri Empire, so his knowledge of Absolute Void Regions should be greater.
Wei Wuyin responded with a nod, "His information is as incomplete as the rest. The Blessed Yri Empire and many other locations avoid Absolute Void Regions. Absolute Void Regions have their restrictions, but even World Emperors and Original Magistrates can survive for a while within. Additionally, each of you has reached the Origin State, so your Mana Dominance should afford you greater freedom."
To be exact, Young Master Shang had mentioned that no Absolute Void Region was the same. They were all also extremely unnatural and avoided by higher-level cultivators who cherished their lives, especially since these regions often housed creatures of unfathomable power and means.
For example...
Genesis Beasts!
Wei Wuyin knew that Genesis Beasts felt a level of comfort in Absolute Void Regions and they were like holy lands for beasts...
After reaching this musing thought, Wei Wuyin's silver eyes glinted.
Su Mei observed Wei Wuyin and her eyes glinted as well. After a little more discussion, Wei Wuyin told the others to finish up before going to the Minor Elysium to meet up with the rest. None of them objected to this as Liu Suyin tried to follow Wei Wuyin out but was stopped by Cao Cuifen. She glared at Liu Suyin, "He has things to do. And those things are not you."
After saying this, Liu Suyin pursed her lips and sat down. Su Mei, however, left as she donned a robe that covered her entirely. She arrived beside Wei Wuyin.
"Lord Wei..." She spoke but trailed off slightly.
"Your cultivation has yet to reach a proper plateau. I still have products left for the Ascendants to strive for the best possible foundation before you all ascend." Wei Wuyin understood Su Mei's desire and answered honestly.
"..." Su Mei walked beside him and her frown was surprisingly deep. "That's not it," she said. "Not entirely."
"Oh?" Wei Wuyin stopped and looked at Su Mei. The valiant young woman of pure black eyes and short-length hair garbed in spa robes cut an interesting figure in his eyes.
"I feel...something within me. Something that is telling me that..." Her words grew softer and softer as her confidence lowered with each syllable uttered, but Wei Wuyin waited for her to muster her feelings and sort out her thoughts. And indeed she did, as reliably as Su Mei was, she lifted her limpid gaze and met Wei Wuyin's eyes, "My Mystic Ascension is not permitted."
Wei Wuyin's expression remained unchanged, unsurprised, and this caused Su Mei to be taken aback slightly.
"Do you wish to ascend? Continue on this path?" Wei Wuyin suddenly asked.
Su Mei's heart felt a spark of light and warmth, slowly her resolve from all those years ago was reignited, and her thoughts of a single word that would defy all those who dared to hold her back were uttered throughout her Sea of Consciousness: "We."
She swore to follow Wei Wuyin anywhere.
To Hell.
To Heavens.
To the vast cosmos.
Whether it be to wage war, to enjoy life, or to die with a smile and a saber in hand.
Together.
She nodded firmly, "I do."
"I permit you to ascend," Wei Wuyin uttered five words that were as undeniable as an Imperial Edict. "And only I have the right to tell you otherwise. Do you understand me?"
"..." That warmth, that light, surged throughout her entire soul. She wasn't the type to cry or show her emotions easily, whether it was now or later, this would always be who she was, and that made her stare at Wei Wuyin with a steady, unflinching gaze. "I do."
"We're in this together," Wei Wuyin grinned with a bright exuberance. "Aren't we?"
"We are!" Su Mei said with the strength of her chest.
"Good. I'll make sure you never forget it. So you make sure I'll never forget that either," Wei Wuyin said before walking away, leaving a standing Su Mei whose eyes never left his figure even after he escaped her visual range.
When Wei Wuyin returned to his alchemic chamber, his fists clenched violently alongside his teeth as memories of Su Mei's death flashed across his mind, all belonging to debonair Wei Wuyin, that alternate timeline of himself. Whether it was the scarred or suave versions of himself, they had both lost Su Mei due to their negligence or incompetence.
Why was Wei Wuyin willing to take risks time and time again?
It wasn't just for survival. Perhaps it was in the beginning, but now...he refused to be weak and lose those he loved once again. Not to anyone.
Even if the Heavenly Daos wanted to kill any of them, it would have to face his saber first!
But now, Su Mei could sense it. This meant she was likely on the verge of serendipitous enlightenment due to her rapid cultivation and she could feel her time coming, including whatever was aiming for her life. The Mystic Dao was going to pull her into its domain, and the Mortal Dao would push her out of its domain. Unlike Wei Wuyin who experienced no such rejection, another benefit of the Stellar-Paragon Physique's harmonity between Daos.
"Will the Everlore Mortal Ascension Pill be enough like before?" Ori asked anxiously. However, her question only exacerbated the concern that Wei Wuyin kept within the depths of his heart. He would only have one chance. He refused to lose Su Mei because of a miscalculation and overreliance on a single product, despite it being the strongest motivator for him to continuously challenge higher heights of the Alchemic Dao.
"After the White Abyss, we'll do it. Make sure everything is ready," Wei Wuyin stated firmly.
"Understood," Eden responded. The plan for Little Defiant and therefore their last gamble as mortal existences would have much on the line. Eden refused to allow for the slightest error.
"Understood," the Second Mind repeated.
"We won't lose her. We won't lose anyone," King said.
"..." Ori was uncharacteristically silent at this juncture while Kratos growled deeply.
After a single day, the group and Abyssal Overlords met on the Minor Elysium. The Abyssal Overlords were not alone!
