San Luoyang's facial expression was the furthest from being calm and settled, his eyelids were heavily drooping, and his pupils emanated a dark, particular light. When the others inspected him, they discovered the emission of a negative aura. Despite being protected by four Earthly Saints, Wu Yu escaping into the distance, and an Ever-Knight who ignited their Mystic Soul following, his mental state was not great.
The Earthly Saints thought it was due to the situation of Wu Yu's announcement or the accusation of the Rainbow Sky's deliberate destruction, but San Luoyang's heart and mind were besieged by an unease that disturbed him deeply. It was Wu Yu's existence.
It was the meaning of his existence.
Others might be awed by the flood of events, but soon they'll recall these events and discover a series of facts that were unable to be forgotten. Firstly, Wu Yu is a foreign Earthly Saint who has no Mythical Oath restrictions to him. This would devastate the balance of the word, something that threatened every force due to the sheer unstoppable power that Earthly Saints possessed.
Just a casual attack destroyed Rainbow Sky in a matter of three seconds, burnt to a cinder, every life lost without any chance of saving. This was why Earthly Saints were prohibited from fighting and especially entering other territories. However, Wu Yu bypassed their borders due to ascending inside the Everlore Domain.
Without those oaths in place, not only were Mortal Sovereign Alchemists in danger, but the various mystic-tier forces no longer had peace of mind. Some of the sixteen forces, and especially the twenty-two starfields, had oaths to guard their interests and territories. Some of them did not have an Earthly Saint to protect them.
Secondly, and most distressing, Wu Yu had fought two Ever-Knights as a NEWLY ASCENDED Earthly Saint and semi-killed one, forcing the other to ignite their Mystic Soul to save that Ever-Knight and chase after him. The events had happened so fast that few had processed this yet, blinded by the awe and mystery that was Wei Wuyin, especially his announcement.
Thirdly, and most disgustingly, Wu Yu's appearance here and the purposeful destruction of Rainbow Sky, added with Wu Yu's initially vengeful roar of emotional rage and then an unsettling calmness and indifference, suggested two things: Wu Yu was initially unaware that Wei Wuyin wasn't on Rainbow Sky when it was destroyed due to the Earthly Ascension and later learned that he wasn't killed, proceeding to announce the so-called All-Alchemic Clash Royale.
These events were certainly recorded through various mediums, and those intelligent will definitely delve into this topic like hungry worms on a decaying corpse. Out of these three, San Luoyang was most affected by Wu Yu's battle prowess and allegiance. The era of the Everlore Starfield during the King of Everlore's early years was religiously followed. It wouldn't take long for others to determine Wu Yu's origins as the only Mystic Ascendant that died.
In some circles, Wu Yu was a joke. He had stayed in a backwater location, leaving the King of Everlore's entourage, and later failed his Third Ascension in a befitting fashion. Most would kill to be in his position, yet he threw it away and suffered the consequences soon after. Hilarious.
But now? Those ancient jokes will resurface and instead become a legend to his name, and the beginning of his feats will be dominating two Ever-Knights of the Everlore Association. Their reputation will be hit from three angles.
Shao Jing looked at the four Earthly Saints who had various spiritual lights emitting from their eyes. They were clearly following the chase of Wu Yu and the tangerine-eyed Ever-Knight closely. Their expressions were vividly shifting.
Suddenly, a tall, muscular, and handsome male Earthly Saint turned to San Luoyang and suggested: "Grand Secretariat San, you should call back your Ever-Knight." His expression was increasingly odd, including the others.
San Luoyang's expression fell, using his ocular spell to its maximal limits, but the two Earthly Saints were already far outside his visual range, and their movements were extremely swift, disguised further by a sea of Mystic Runes that turbulently moved. Unable to tell what was happening, he didn't know how to respond.
"Oh!" A middle-aged man with lively eyes, dressed in loose aquamarine robes tied by an exquisite silver belt with the azure character 'He' etched on its buckle, exclaimed slightly. This was none other than the He Clan's Earthly Saint, and his voice was as soothing as rushing water, yet as vigorous as a waterfall.
His exclamation drew Mu Yura and Shao Jing's attention. They, too, were unable to grasp the details of an Earthly Saint's chase. They weren't Demi-Mortal Lords, so they barely saw anything after the first few seconds of their disappearance. The disparity of power between those at the Soul of Mysticism Phase, the Second Stage of the Mystic Ascendant Realm, and the Earthly Saint Phase, the Fourth Stage of the Mystic Ascendant Realm, was exceptionally vast.
Mu Yura inquired, "What happened?" Despite being surrounded by Earthly Saints, she held a proud, dignified bearing that told the story of her personal belief in her status. A Mortal Sovereign Alchemist of the Everlore Association wasn't any less prestigious than an Earthly Saint.
"He's gone," the He Clan's Earthly Saint, He Bojing, announced with a slight frown. This gave everyone a jolt.
"The Ever-Knight?" Shao Jing subconsciously thought the tangerine-eyed Ever-Knight met the same fate as his partner, not realizing his own lack of confidence was bleeding through.
"No. The Grand Knight of Neo-Dawn vanished. He concealed himself using an exceptional spell. That Ever-Knight was sealed by a World Prison and was delayed by a second. They should be returning soon." A female Earthly Saint with a tall stature, gorgeous looks and platinum blonde hair accentuated by her lime-green eyes, and a reserved disposition explained more thoroughly. She was Yu Shishi, a member of the Yu Clan of the Eight Noble Clans of the Aeternal Sky Starfield.
She was the sole Earthly Saint of the Yu Clan and was considered unrivaled in the field of talisman crafting, the Yu Clan's specialty.
"Escaped?" Mu Yura was shocked, but San Luoyang inwardly groaned.
SUUUUUZZZZZZZZZ!
Without warning, a rippling bubble emerged over the entire Everlore Domain in an instant. It was crystalline, fluttering with three colors of black, grey, and gold, representing earth, sky, and heaven. The Everlore Association's Earth-Sky-Heaven Mystic Array!
This array was divided into three multi-linked formations, the Earthly Core Formation, Sky Shell Formation, and Heaven Annihilation Formation. The bubble was currently the Sky Shell Formation!
"..." San Luoyang and the others inspected the bubble in faint awe, and the tall, muscular Earthly Saint had a glint of aggressiveness within his gaze. It seemed he sought to test its defensive prowess from his challenging glare. However, he swiftly kept his emotions at bay.
The bubble distorted and shifted like a true water bubble, bringing it a strange feeling. How was this bubble supposed to represent the sky? Regardless, the tangerine-eyed Ever-Knight soon returned three seconds later and descended on the boat while sweeping the four Earthly Saints with a steely gaze.
"Report," San Luoyang requested.
The tangerine-eyed Ever-Knight ignored the four Earthly Saints, turning to San Luoyang and reporting: "The criminal is still within the territory, and all Mystic Intent not allowed by the Earth-Sky-Heaven Mystic Array will be suppressed until his capture."
"..." The four Earthly Saints had varying expressions. The tall, muscular Earthly Saint summoned his Mystic Runes, revealing his two sets, a 2nd Runic Ascendant, and frowned slightly. Then, a burst of power erupted from beside him, and his Mystic Runes trembled as if subjected to an intense earthquake and collapsed into bits of mystic light.
He coughed heavily as his eyes went bloodshot, glaring at the Ever-Knight. This man was the Chen Clan's sole Earthly Saint, Chen Yibo. The Chen Clan was also one of the Eight Noble Clans that had fought alongside the Imperial Clan during their ascent, forging their home in the Aeternal Sky Starfield.
They specialized in Martial Arts that used physical energies, forging their bodies into literal weapons that could rival defensive armaments in durability.
The other Earthly Saints gave him a brief glance, but their eyes flickered with various lights of different emotions. After a while, they settled down and seemingly relaxed.
Yu Shishi turned to He Bojing, saying: "King Aquaguise, when will you release the Bing Clan's Highlord Frostwind?" Highlord Frostwind was also called Bing Tian.
Tian Muqiu's expression changed slightly, looking at He Bojing subconsciously after hearing that name. While he was still shaken by the Aeternal Sky Scripture in Wu Yu's possession, he knew what he should reveal and what he shouldn't.
He Bojing gave Yu Shishi a faint smile, "I'm just giving her some punishment for intruding into my territory without permission, causing a hectic mess. I didn't think the Yu Clan was so concerned about the Bing Clan's affairs. If I knew, I would have informed you."
Yu Shishi seemed unbothered by this answer, merely giving an indifferent sweep of her eyes towards Tian Muqiu. She calmly replied, "Oh, I see. And here I thought you were trying to obtain your 177th Concubine. In that case, then I await news of her safe release after proper punishment."
He Bojing's expression was similarly undisturbed, giving a faint smile and looking away. This exchange was brief, but the others felt the spiked bards layered in their words.
Tian Muqiu frowned, giving He Bojing a glance. Highlord Frostwind was a member of the Bing Clan, and she was one of the five Highlords present there. For the last few months, there had been no news of her. But it was common for Ascended beings to cultivate for decades at a time, so a few years was nothing.
Considering the Bing Clan's relations with the Imperial Clan, he would have to report this.
"Her and her clan members' punishment still has some time remaining, but since Queen Yu has spoken, I'll settle this matter. When I return, I'll release them." He Bojing seemed unaffected, but no one knew what was going on in his heart.
Yu Shishi nodded, giving a soft thanks for the consideration.
Chen Yibo sat down cross-legged, repairing his damaged Mystic Intent from its crumbled state. How terrifying was this suppression? A lingering fear remained in his heart.
Meanwhile, Wu Yu was hidden within a lunar satellite's earthen layer of the Everlore Domain, concealing his aura with his strongest effort. He was feeling extremely horrible after feeling the suppression of his newly awakened Mystic Intent. It felt as if he was being squashed by a giant club weighing hundreds of thousands of tons. While his Mystic Runes hadn't collapsed, they trembled ceaselessly as they fueled his concealments.
This was a massive difference between the 2nd Runic Ascendant Chen Yibo and his 8th Runic Ascendant state; his Mystic Intent was sturdier and stronger. He knew that this was merely the surface benefits of his foundation, likely his 8th Runic Ascendant state granted special abilities such as the Spatial Resonance Phase's spatial ripples.
Hidden away and without any way to escape, he could only continue cultivating in hopes of remaining undiscovered and, if discovered, strong enough to escape. He still had 70% of the World Genesis Elixir remaining, and he felt confident in reaching the 2nd Stage of the Blood Origin Method. Regardless, he had to consolidate his cultivation base.
Further away, Wei Wuyin and Wen Mingna observed the bubble that trapped them within. Wei Wuyin's frown was deep, realizing that the Everlore Association had no intent on allowing Wu Yu to escape. He never thought they would, but this only gathered the concern in his thoughts.
Wen Mingna's eyes once again emanated a glossy golden light, but it soon receded as she breathed out softly. "There's a scrying-guard formation within this array. I can't find him. I'm so-"
Wei Wuyin grabbed her hand, causing Wen Mingna to jolt slightly. "There's no need to apologize to me, ever." He 'looked' at Wen Mingna with a smiling expression, attempting to comfort her. "We need to leave the array's influence. If we do, I'm roughly 80% confident in bringing Wu Yu out as well."
Wen Mingna was startled. If a mortal had told her that they could leave the Earth-Sky-Heaven Mystic Array, she would've thought them delusional, but since Wei Wuyin said so, then she felt that it was doable.
"What do you need?" Wen Mingna didn't question how, merely what was needed.
Wei Wuyin felt that unhesitant trust in him, not doubting him in the slightest. "Just one question: Does this array seal the Void?"
Abruptly, Kratos roared within Wei Wuyin's flesh and blood heart as if answering the question on Wen Mingna's behalf: "THERE'S NO WORLD I CAN NOT REACH AND NO CAGE I CAN NOT ESCAPE!"
