Chapter 1716: The Vast, The Pure, and the Utmost (2)
Chapter 1716: The Vast, The Pure, and the Utmost (2)
While Wei Wuyin had the requisite and advanced knowledge of piloting by scouring the memories of others, it couldn't be forgotten that Wei Wuyin himself was not only exceptionally young, only giving the illusion of great knowledge and experience by his acquisition of memories, but inexperienced in so many matters. To emphasize this detail, he hadn't discovered his passion for piloting a voidship personally or the exciting thrill of dynamic maneuvering and adaptive navigation.
As his tri-status as the founder of the Ascendants, the Ascendant Emperor, and a prominent Alchemist, he had never taken it upon himself to pilot a skyship, voidship, or another void vessel himself. Instead, he relied on Bai Lin's slender back, his Infinite Void Wings, or Void Portals to carry himself from point A to point B.
It was as if Wei Wuyin was a teen who had only known the backseat of a vehicle or horseback his entire life and was suddenly introduced to high-speed racing. While Wei Wuyin was developing his new interest while approaching the distant and aesthetically pleasing Utmost Purity Galaxy, White Sky kept acting as a guide by informing those on board the finer details of the Utmost Purity Galaxy and its seven galactic zones.
She delved into the topic of control and ownership, including dominant rulers. The Utmost Purity Galaxy was territorial but highly competitive and civilized. While somewhat pretentious, their way of acting was very like nobles staring at wars from afar from the safety of horseback, seeing the inevitable outcome.
Fights for territory were completed through wars of wealth, auctions with hefty, ridiculous bids, or deeply complex and often devastating to the Heart of Cultivation Alchemic Clashes, or the most popular game of the entire galaxy that was highly celebrated throughout the world and largely popularized its usage in this portion of the Dark Void called Mystics. It was an ancient, prideful game that Creationists, Heavenly Seers, Oracles, Fortune Tellers, and high-level cultivators participated in. It was formerly known as Heaven, but due to certain developments, its name was changed.
Entire territories and an unsettling amount of wealth and resources were hinged on these three games that were treated as the lifeblood of the Utmost Purity Galaxy's civilization. Additionally, Dao Discussions of Alchemy were often used as tools to outright discredit or invalidate entire lineages, eradicating them from history, or crushing an Alchemist's will.
White Sky tried her best to paint a picture, and at times, her eyes glistened with a deathly pale horror that could shake the soul, yet she shook herself free from those memories and gave it her best. She had said earlier that the Utmost Purity Galaxy was rife with incessant and furious competition, and after hearing her explanations, it was hard not to feel as if she was downplaying the savagery of the Alchemic Dao, especially when it was weaponized.
The Utmost Purity Galaxy only had a few genuine wars involving full-blown factions with alliances and violence within the galaxy itself over the last million or so years. The four Sages had only heard rumors or bits of developmental news explaining the beginning, end result, and any interesting tidbits between, not understanding the true depths of events like bystanders reading the printed news on a Spiritual Jade. Only Sage Oasis River had experience with the Utmost Purity Galaxy, and she rarely explained much more than the results of her shopping and the losses they repeatedly suffered.
"Within the Utmost Purity Galaxy, the Alchemic Dao reigns supreme. But there are a few rules that must be known before you enter. Firstly, and most importantly, killing an Alchemist of any status who possesses an Alchemic Spirit of Cultivation is a violation of natural law and is punishable by horrific death. This, however, does not affect another Alchemist with an Alchemic Spirit of Cultivation or during an Alchemic Clash.
"To clarify, many Dao Clashes often end in the death of an Alchemist due to the wagers placed, the exceedingly difficult stress of the event, or the dangers it involves. Sometimes, they would directly undergo Cultivation Deviation and die then and there. These are called Life & Death Dao Clashes.
"They're far more frequent than you think." White Sky slightly shuddered, her petite body shivering as her eyes grew increasingly distant with horrifying memories. She added with clenched teeth, "Life & Death Dao Clashes are not like ordinary Alchemic Clashes, and they involve Dao Protectors. Moreover, they're not limited to Alchemic Clashes. All Creationists have the right to initiate a Dao Clash in their respective fields such as Forgers competition to create a Heavenly Treasure or Mystic-graded armaments against others."
Ming Shufeng's mind was rapidly absorbing all this information as she immediately asked, "What if a Forger or Architect wishes to clash with an Alchemist or vice versa to the death?"
White Sky lightly breathed and gave a slightly bitter smile, "That's what the game of Mystics exists for. Not just for Alchemists to fight against each other, but other professions, or pure cultivators that haven't adopted any auxiliary cultivation can challenge anyone else. Similarly, this is within the boundary of Dao Clashes."
"You're saying cultivators hinge their entire lives on these games?" Ming Shufeng was stunned. Was there something so unreasonable?
"Don't think of it as a simple game," White Sky chastised.
Nepri coughed lightly, adding: "The game of Mystics involves actual lives. Brutal wars unfold between millions, sometimes billions, and constant tests of intelligence, will, foresight, perception, the judgment of fortune, character, and timing are placed on players."
Ming Shufeng became solemn. Brutal wars of potentially billions? And those tests? She knew that Heavenly Seers used the game of Mystics to cultivate at times, and she had only practiced small-scale Mystics with only a few real-life examples. She hadn't experienced games on the level or depth that Su Nianzu or Jia Yang had. There were millions of lives within a World Realm, and their entire fate often centered around the events and experiences of a few existences.
Wei Wuyin had long since felt the connection between Mystics and Blessed alongside the Heavenly Daos. It was this very reason why Heavenly Seers used it for cultivation and insight into the Heavenly Daos, emulating its nature and designs. Often unfair. Often apathetic.
As they talked, Wei Wuyin had finally reached the edge of the boundary, the outskirts of the border of the Utmost Purity Galaxy. Surrounding the Utmost Purity Galaxy were fleets of surveilling Void Vessels that numbered in the hundreds of thousands. They were still roughly two or so million miles away from the thin layer of the Utmost Purity Galaxy when an invisible force swept across them, exuding a strong, alerting sound to each of their Spiritual Senses. It was incredibly annoying, grating to the mind.
If this sound was heard by Void Creatures, especially those that liked to hide within the Void, they would be exposed then and there. Wei Wuyin didn't try to use his Void Portals because the Void was monitored as well. He had even Void Portal a considerable distance away to not be incorrectly perceived as an invasive entity or a Void Creature.
As for his eyes, they fully displayed the four-pointed star-shaped pupils of the Alchemic Stars of Transcendent Purity, concealing the depths and nature of his silvery irises that defined the status of a Magi. After the great theft on a galactic scale, Wei Wuyin had kept his Alchemic Stars active without a single pause.
White Sky was initially shaken by Wei Wuyin's Alchemic Stars, but she internally reasoned that he was an ancient expert of great strength and considerable age, so she kept her heart intact. However, this no doubt revealed the depths of his Alchemic Dao, fully justifying the Neo-Dawn Alchemical Lineage outrageous effects those Seers had divined.
Seeing as they were now at the border, White Sky readied herself to take point. She wasn't ignorant that Wei Wuyin had spared her and her Dao Protector due to her connections and status with the Utmost Purity Galaxy. She was his entry, and she had zero problems with that. After all, she was still breathing, and that was a heavenly blessing already.
She took out a jade tablet. It contained the unique color of Growth for the Alchemic Dao, and read: "Sea & Sky Institute," in bold, beautiful writing that exuded a boundless vitality. She was a Senior Worldly Saint Alchemist, so of course she had her own organization.
When she inserted her spiritual energy into the tablet, rich alchemic light shone with the intensity of a lighthouse, allowing the Minor Elysium to stand out. Immediately, a fleet of seven Void Vessels soared toward them in unison in a flying 'V' formation. At the lead was a slightly larger, more impressive ship. Shockingly, each ship was similarly V-shaped with propulsion formations at the back of the legs, underneath, and above. At the tip, there was a circular opening that pulsed with dim fiery radiance as if ready to fire a beam of concentrated energy.
They were all larger than the Minor Elysium by a significant amount, each capable of housing hundreds of thousands, and from the life auras that each Sage and Wei Wuyin's Celestial Eyes could gather, there were hundreds of thousands of active life signs and in the bottom of the tip was an opening to a mobile Secret Realm that housed millions.
On.
Each.
Vessel.
They were traveling worlds!
"These are the V-7th World Series Void Vessels with combat modifications made by the Burning Voyage Pavilion, a top-tier Forger Organization that specializes in Void Vessel creation. For example, Easy Spring was a Tri-61st Personal Series." White Sky explained as they were given a warning to power down Minor Elysium's defenses. The Burning Voyage Pavilion was a dominant organization in developing Void Vessels, and even supplied vessels that were used in galactic surveillance and protection. This greatly highlighted their influence, wealth, and ability.
She added while Wei Wuyin and Imentet depowered their ships without a fuss, "The V-7th World Series allows for large crews that could be deployed and repeatedly swapped out. It takes roughly a few hundred thousand competent cultivators to properly function the Void Vessel, and that's exhausting."
Wei Wuyin nodded as the four Sages did nothing to hide those vibrant, earth-shaking auras. They were immediately identified, including Overlord Tigerheart who was a Mystic Overlord! It was clear that they made preparations as the various formations and arrays were primed, including the fact that a few other vessels in the distance had begun turning their way, slowly approaching while similarly readying themselves.
"Why the extreme vigilance?" Imentet asked. This was an abnormal response in her mind.
White Sky almost rolled her eyes to the point they almost disappeared, "What did you expect? Four foreign Sages arriving at the boundary?"
Wei Wuyin blinked and then looked at her strangely. When the void vessels didn't give further orders while there were dozens of others beginning to approach, there was a strange atmosphere forming.
White Sky tried placating the others' worries, "It's fine. After they've grown comfortable, they'll verify my identity, and then I'll be able to smoothly allow us to enter. I'll bring you to my Institute in the Growth Zone, and give you a top-tier welcome to the Utmost Purity Galaxy for sure." She was supremely confident as she giggled at their expressions.
Overlord Tigerheart frowned slightly.
The four Sages then looked into the distant galaxy and discovered the aura of a Sage blazing towards them at rapid speeds.
Then, the Sages turned to White Sky.
"No worries, no worries. Your presence is a little shocking, that's all. Give it some time." She calmly reassured them with a smile.
"Uhm," Ming Shufeng pointed at the distant lights. "What is that?"
Pakhet looked over, and she saw a gigantic Void Vessel barreling towards their direction surrounded by a dozen smaller Void Vessels. They were similarly V-shaped in design, but of significantly higher quality. Her left eyebrow lifted. Those ships were forged using peak Mystic-World materials; Sages would find it difficult to damage them.
"It'll all be sorted out after they settle down and stop being so cowardly," White Sky said, but her voice wasn't exactly as confident as before.
"Shouldn't you communicate with them to clarify our identities and their purpose?" Nepit said coldly. Was she trying to set them up? This little witch. If so, despite being severely injured, it would take no more than a breath to kill her.
"I…I," White Sky stuttered as she tried to communicate for a fifth time through the tablet. She followed procedure perfectly, even announcing the identities of those on board, including Wei Wuyin's Alchemist title, and she was quite thorough with her transmission. Moreover, they simply told her to stand by, and each inquiring question was met with that response. She gulped slightly.
By now, there were nearly fifty vessels surrounding them with their weapons trained on them. She couldn't fathom what was happening. She asked, "Did you guys commit a crime or something?"
Wei Wuyin blinked a few times in thought. Crimes? He killed Enlightened Sage Springfield and World Prophetess Bai, and they fought Exalted World-Saint Azureriver for great fortune. But who would know? At least, for the recent scuffle for fortune, they were leagues ahead of those ships on returning or sending back a Spiritual Transmission, which would take a few days to weeks. They'll likely need a few decades to a century to even come back here without Void Portals.
Meanwhile, the Sage finally arrived with a tyrannical aura while fully armored from head to toe, wielding a great halberd! He pulled out a seven-colored scroll and unfolded it like a flowing river, unleashing a geyser of alchemical light and fragrance into the void. It was utterly divine to smell and alluring to see.
"Senior World-Saint White Sky of Sea & Sky Institute, this is an Alchemic Edict for your ARREST!"
Simultaneously, everyone looked at White Sky.
Nepit sneered, "What crime did you commit?"