"But you knew that already, right?" His tonal voice was uncharacteristically low, deep, and for the first time revealed a chilling air. Long Chen, however, didn't retreat nor deny those words. He simply met Wei Wuyin's gaze relentlessly and fearlessly.
The women were startled by Wei Wuyin's words and actions, even the Grand Imperial Sages were taken aback, looking at Long Chen curiously. He knew? If that was true, why make requests that would never be able to be fully fulfilled? Was it just for the image of trying? A manipulation?
Most of them revealed confusion, but Wu Baozhai was unsurprised. The moment she saw Wei Wuyin, she knew why he was here, why Long Chen asked for his presence and brought Qing Qiumu here. While most would think it was due to wanting Wei Wuyin's tactful permission or ensuring he didn't interfere with the orders, it was far deeper than that.
In the end, Long Chen remained silent.
Wei Wuyin scoffed.
While Long Chen definitely wasn't aware about the finer details, he had to have known that a newly ascended Realmlord would find it extremely difficult to forge a body, let alone a decent one in his first attempt. It would essentially be desiring an imperfect product from the get-go.
As for Lin Ziyan, if the best medical personnel was unable to better her condition, then the Alchemic Dao was her only alternative. As for the earthly treasure nonsense? She was thoroughly crippled, how would she refine these treasures? Would her fragile body be able to withstand such fierce energies and essences? A single incorrect thought in her mind and all the effort might be for naught, her life being ended then and there.
Na Xinyi?
There was absolutely no way Wu Yu hadn't told Long Chen about the Absolute Yin-Creation Pill or the Primal Yin Dark Pearl. After all, the incident happened while the former was directly in the latter's possession. But to Na Xinyi, the Primal Yin Dark Pearl was similarly useless to her. While she wasn't thoroughly crippled, the Primal Yin Dark Pearl was an Astral-level material, meaning it possessed the innate quality of the Astral Core Realm. Perhaps if she was in the Astral Core Realm with a complete Three-Point Yin Physique would she be able to cultivate with it or refine it for her use. But now?
Impossible.
With her cultivation still at the Qi Condensation Realm, it was merely a hopeful dream.
Even if the sect decided to devote all its attention to this task, they would need an Emperor Alchemist to concoct numerous seventh and eighth-grade Yin Nourishing alchemical products to achieve a similar effect, but how long would that take? The only Alchemic Emperor that was directly within the sect's control was Tuo Bihan, the other two were merely supported by the sect but remained external members.
They had no obligation to devote years or decades of their lives for such an objective with no benefit. And Tuo Bihan had no experience with Yin Nourishing alchemical products. Furthermore, he wasn't a woman nor had an Alchemic Astral Soul to compensate. It might take him his remaining lifespan just to concoct a semi-decent impure-grade product.
By that time, both Lin Ziyan and Na Xinyi would've long since returned to dust.
"Fine." Wei Wuyin shook his head slightly. "I'll complete your two requests, abiding by the rules of Three Orders. However, while I can help reconstruct a suitable body for Hong Ru and help Lin Ziyan fully recover, Na Xinyi's request can only be taken by the sect itself."
"...Why?" Long Chen finally spoke. It seemed from his expression that he knew Wei Wuyin would accept, and that he could accomplish his requests.
Wei Wuyun merely continued to shake his head, glancing at Na Xinyi, "While Lin Ziyan's condition can be resolved with Yin Nourishing products, Na Xinyi's Yin Physique requires the Absolute Yin-Creation Pill to completely restore it. If she wishes to stabilize her declining yin, then I can do that, the sect could do that, she could even do it, but if she wants to regain her physique and talent, isn't that asking for a little too much?"
A ninth-grade pill! Only a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist could concoct such a product and its value might exceed the Myriad Monarch's Astral Territory in terms of worth. Furthermore, was something such as that freely available? If Na Xinyi was his wife, he wouldn't hesitate, but she wasn't.
As for her declining yin, that was the result of her forceful extract of two Primal Yins. She still had the one tainted with Wei Wuyin's yang aura, a sign of her first time with him. It was only experiencing a decline after her body suffered such an extreme treatment. If she wanted to stabilize it, she could do so herself. All she had to do was close her other two Primal Yin locations to prevent them from affecting the remaining one. The only reason why it wasn't already done was because it'll result in her losing her unique Three-Point Yin Physique forever.
"I suggest you make another request," Wei Wuyin said as he rose from his throne, his expression a little bored. At first, he intended to simply stand by and allow the sect to perform these requests of his, which would result in a slow and incomplete job, but then he thought of the Blessed Reincarnator. Since this unique individual existed, they had always been floating within his mind.
So he wanted to see if his actions would lead to any different effects down the line on Long Chen, results that might throw the Blessed Reincarnator for a loop. After all, it wasn't just him who was a target but every Blessed. With their foreknowledge of events, who knows what type of moves they'll make to seize their opportunities. He didn't wish to become a victim.
Therefore, he decided to change his actions and help Long Chen thoroughly, hoping that this might bring some minor change down the line that could be capitalized on. Of course, this was merely an attempt, and helping cost him very little personally, so he didn't mind.
He looked at Tuo Bihan, "Let's go. Take Lin Ziyan with us." He momentarily glanced at Zen, "Consider my actions a part of the sect, officiate the usage of the Three Orders. As for Hong Ru's body, I'll deliver a set of suitable alchemical products and the respective method to recreate one for her within the week."
When he said those words, he looked down and noticed that Qing Qiumu and the rest were startled, uncertain as to why Wei Wuyin had suddenly decided to help. This was especially so for Long Chen, who expected to use all sorts of manipulation tactics and a few other means to get Wei Wuyin to help. After all, whether he wanted to admit it or not, Wei Wuyin was a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist. He had never thought it would simply be an acceptance.
When Lin Ziyan's body became surrounded in faint silver light, Long Chen reacted. "What are you planning to do with her?!" A hint of anxiety lingered within every syllable.
Wei Wuyin similarly became surrounded by Tuo Bihan's spatial force, not even bothering to look at Long Chen. "I'll send her back in a few days." With that, he ignored everything else and vanished alongside Tuo Bihan and Lin Ziyan.
Witnessing their abrupt departure, many were left speechless.
It took a long while before Zen regained her bearings, and looked to Long Chen. "Will you change your order?" Her question was laced with a little frustration. Today she came to a distinct realization that the sect had been thoroughly hijacked by Wei Wuyin. A youth no older than fifty years old had sat in the Grand Throne and casually decided the state of things for the sect that brokered no refusal. If this wasn't a true Grand Prince, she truly didn't know what was.
In her mind, it surely wasn't Long Chen. A wisp of dissatisfaction emerged in her heart. They had both come to the sect at the exact same time, with the exact same cultivation base, and yet in a decade their two positions were so vastly different it was mind-boggling. While Long Chen faintly had the cultivation advantage, could he truly match up to Wei Wuyin's one centimeter-sized Astral Core?
It brought not only her but the other Grand Imperial Sages thoughts to what Wei Wuyin had said before: "What is the meaning of the titles Grand Prince or Grand Monarch if you're not above all in your generation?"
Is it even possible for Long Chen to ever be above Wei Wuyin?
Long Chen took a deep breath. Regardless, he had accomplished his desire. He didn't believe that Wei Wuyin would go against his word as he was an extremely prideful individual. It's certain that Lin Ziyan will make a full recovery. As for Hong Ru, there were eighth-grade alchemical products that could be used together to create a suitable body for her, he knew this already.
A heavy boulder had been lifted from his shoulders, and an uprising of happiness emerged in his heart. With these two tasks leaving his to-do list, he could fully focus on his own cultivation and surpass everyone in his generation, including Wei Wuyin.
"Yes, I wish to change my third request. The allocation of Gateway Spots…" Long Chen decided to change his request so easily that he hadn't even looked or asked for Na Xinyi's opinion. He wasn't aware of her current emotional state that was ever-shifting.
There were wisps of disappointment, frustration, and sadness within those dull grey eyes that had once snatched the colors of the world away. Her hands were tightly clenched into fists beneath her sleeves, trembling with every passing second.
A touch on her shoulder jolted Na Xinyi out of the abyss of emotions, causing her to lift up and see Lian Yu's gorgeous countenance. She had a pitiful look in her eyes, one that stoked the negative emotions within Na Xinyi's heart to an even greater level. But the next words spiritually transmitted to her were piercing and fierce, leaving her unable to respond.
"You should've listened."
Would things really be different if she wholeheartedly gave herself to Long Chen? Or was this simply the truth of her eventual fate, left behind and considered less important? She didn't know, but her heart felt as if it was wrenched into a thousand pieces by those words.
