Paragon of Sin

Chirp~! Chirp~!

Radiantly glorious solar light cascaded down upon Red Dove City's Wu Clan's elder compound as swirling red dust morphed magically into singing birds, well-maintained buildings, freshly cut grass, clean air, and the fragrant aroma of a flower garden cultivating peonies, orchids, and azaleas.

As the solar rays graced his youthful face, the warmth replicated to the exact specifications of that day entrenched itself into his memories, the immersion became less of a memory, teetering on surrealism, before collapsing into abject and indistinguishable reality. Before long, nothing felt false to the senses—physical, spiritual, or instinctual.

"Little Wei!"

Wei Wuyin rushed out of the door with hurried yet steady steps.

"Yes, Father!" With a voice laced with youthful obedience and filial piety, Wei Wuyin settled his beating heart as his mind immersed itself into this new reality. He was immediately welcomed by the nostalgic sight of his father, mother, older brother, and two other strangers—a man and a woman.

The man was rather elderly with a hunched back, a long beard of clean white hair, supported by a wooden cane with vine-like patterns circling it entirely, dressed in grey and dark blue robes. He exuded a sagely aura that instilled a first impression of intelligence, experience, and great wisdom. With an outward age ranging within the seventies, he embodied that impression in its entirety. However, with eyes barely revealed by thinly opened eyelids, it was difficult to discern his gaze or thoughts.

The woman was upright and proper in posture, slightly above average height, taller than Wei Wuyin's mother by a few centimeters, slender as a willowy tree, and dressed in an elegant set of grey and green robes. The woman's lightly pale face was exceedingly beautiful with dark hair, yet in comparison to Wei Wuyin's mother, her beauty paled in comparison by a few noticeable features. The most notable was the cold dignity that she exuded. With a mere glance at her figure, anyone could see the haughtiness born from genuine achievements within her stance, pink-painted lips, and glimmering golden eyes. This made her difficult to approach.

They glanced his way. For a split second, all eyes were on him as his little legs brought him to the initial quintet of this calamity. Wei Wuyin acted appropriately, bowing diligently to the two as he arrived.

"Oh?" The elderly man exclaimed softly as he gently caressed his long beard. It was difficult to tell if he was interested or offended given how obscure his facial features were. "What an interesting young boy," the elderly man commented in a voice drenched with age.

"My youngest is still learning proper etiquette. Please forgive my inadequacies, Minister Long." Wei Wuyin's father had apologized humbly, placing the blame firmly upon himself for not instructing Wei Wuyin on how to respond to his calls in a timely manner.

"No worries," the elderly man waved it away without a smile or frown. He was Minister Long, the Minister Herald of the Wu Country. He was tasked with acting as the master of ceremonies regarding rituals of all types, including those that brought about fortune, rain, and longevity. He was prestigiously high in authority and ranking, so seeing him within Red Dove City was extraordinarily rare and unprecedented given its size and relevance to the country.

The Minister Herald's cultivation was said to be supreme. According to the Wu Country's title designation, he was an official Mortal God of the state. A cultivator that wielded the power of Creation and possessed indescribable means that defied the common sense of typical mortals. To those of Red Dove City, this was as equally as mind-boggling as it was godly, but in terms of cultivation base, he was only at the Sixth Stage of Qi Condensation Cultivator at the False Reality Phase.

"How about we continue our previous conversation?" Minister Long asked.

"O-of course!" Wei Wuyin's father was unable to conceal his excitement or anxiousness, causing him to uncharacteristically stumble over his words. This was unlike his father's usual demeanor which projected strength, reliability, and leadership. This naturally reinforced the importance of the two individuals in Wei Wuyin's heart. This was instinctual and unable to be easily avoided despite Wei Wuyin's knowledge of this conjured reality.

8%.

Wei Wuyin's father turned to the gorgeous woman standing beside the minister and cautiously asked: "Is what you say true, Sage Xiaotian? Can my wife's affliction be healed?"

The beautifully stunning woman indifferently blinked, giving the sparkly-eyed and hopeful mother of two a fruitive look. There was disinterest in her gaze, exerting a mysterious and omnipotent feeling as if even the largest issues of life could be solved by her divine presence. It was an unforgettable sight to witness.

She moved her lips, tugging on the hearts of everyone present, "From what I can tell, it is indeed possible."

Wei Wuyin's older brother was about to move, anxiety and desperation rushed directly to his brain as the urge to kneel and beg was about to flourish into this reality.

"..."

Wei Wuyin slyly bumped into his older brother, nearly causing him to stumble forward, bringing away his attention for a brief moment. Wei Wuyin took a quick step and hurriedly clasped his hands, bowing deeply to Sage Xiaotian and Minister Long, "If you can help my mother, no matter whether it is a mountain of blades and fire or a world of endless darkness, I'll rush forward without hesitation for any request even if it cost me my life." Wei Wuyin's words were well articulated and earnest with his heart fully involved.

He felt his soul sink deeper into the depths of this dimension's influence. Without his Celestial Eyes, he was unable to see that a tenth of his soul had been coated in red dust. However, neither Wei Wuyin nor the others within him acted against this. They accepted every grain of dust that adhered to his soul.

The act of kneeling to strangers was a critical taboo that his brother had taught him throughout his years to never do. If his brother had done so right then and there, the future of his Saber Intent would never come to fruition. It was that unyielding willpower that allowed him to take care of and train Wei Wuyin after their parents' disappearance despite the struggles they faced.

While the act of interfering might seem insignificant, perhaps even appropriate to do so given their situation, his brother kneeling before him had the potential to collapse his own Saber Intent, and likely sever his cultivation with King right then and there. The cost was merely coating his soul deeper into the red dust. That was an acceptable trade-off. However, this subtly reminded Wei Wuyin that Hell's design was meant to collapse one's quintessential being into nothingness and cleanse them entirely of their former self.

This outcome would normally be inconsequential to others undergoing this calamity given its goal of cleansing, but to him, who was still living, it was paramount to avoid destructive events to his cultivation and will at all costs.

Seeing him bow, Wei Wuyin's brother went silent as faint wetness surged within his eyes. However, the tears were not shed nor did they fall. Instead, a steady light of strength and pride within his eyes flashed. For a young boy to display such strength and determination was moving, especially since it belonged to his younger brother.

Even Sage Xiaotian's expression changed slightly as Wei Wuyin's tone contained the most genuine feelings that she had ever heard, causing her indifferent expression to distort very briefly. Even she hadn't expected that.

"Hoh! Hoh! Seems like you may have to take back your comment, Fellow Wu. Your youngest has the heart of a lion and knows proper etiquette. A good seedling." Minister Long commented with the shadow of a smile on his face.

"Thank you, Minister Long!" Wei Wuyin's father was quick to respond, and a surge of pride swelled within his heart.

"Well, while the youngest has the heart to take full responsibility, our objective here isn't going to be easy to shoulder," Minister Long warned with good intentions, reminding Wei Wuyin's father of certain things.

'Right. For Minister Long to be here, alongside a Divine Medicinal Sage meant that his purpose was not simple and likely had heavy stipulations. But what would he want in return for helping us? A small clan in a small city?' Wei Wuyin thought, and while his focus was immersed further into this world, his soul was coated up to 13%.

However, a portion of his thoughts was focused on something else entirely: 'Hell has laws and implications, and while it could create this reality, everything else has to coincide with the heavens' laws. Whatever the solution for mother's memory affliction, it should work in reality.'

That was right! A solution including the cause.

Will the fourth calamity provide this?

He yearned for an answer.

"Of course, Minister Long. I wouldn't allow my sons to take any responsibility in this matter unless necessary," Wei Wuyin's father said as he turned to his two sons, a glint within his eyes, "but if they had to shoulder it, for their mother, I'm sure they would fight dragons and slay gods."

"Ghosts, devils, gods, and dragons!" Both Wei Wuyin and Wei Wuyin's brother straightened their spines, puffed out their chest, and proudly declared with strong, loud voices. With a hand over his heart and his other hand behind his back, keeping his spine straight, both folded into tight fists, Wei Wuyin hadn't done this salute in nearly a hundred years.

The unseen red dust spiraled faster—17%.

"How boastful! Haha! Good! Good!" Minister Long was taken aback, his emotions and opinion changing rapidly as he saw two good seedlings. While their words might be insulting given this was a country that used the title of Mortal Gods, in his eyes, this was a good attitude for a cultivator to possess, even better for a loyal soldier.

Wei Wuyin's mother was teary-eyed, her beauty casting an unforgettable image as she was choked by oncoming tears barely kept at bay. She went to hug Wei Wuyin and Wei Wuyin's brother in a tight hug. She often forgot them, and the fact this occurred, she knew they suffered with each event, so for them to love her so deeply was enough to bring out emotions exceeding her current iteration.

Feeling that warmth once again, Wei Wuyin indulged. Especially the scent. It was unnaturally calming—24%.

"Alright! Alright! Before I begin to bawl my old eyes out, damaging my image, let me tell you what I need the Wu Clan to do. Come, let's have a proper discussion while Sage Xiaotian diagnoses your lovely wife's situation." He gestured for Wei Wuyin to follow after exchanging a fleeting glance with Sage Xiaotian.

The two left almost immediately as Wei Wuyin's father hurried after him.

"..." Sage Xiaotian stared at Wei Wuyin briefly. There was a strange glint within her gaze, but his mother and brother were too invested in their emotional bonding moment to pay too much attention. However, Wei Wuyin noticed every detail. In fact, it seemed as if his senses were unable to not notice it—26%.

A strange doubt surged in his thought as the hope in his heart suffered slight damage. Fortunately, it was extremely minor as the four finally got to official matters and the two young boys were told to stand aside as Sage Xiaotian began to display a variety of magical spells and techniques that exceeded their understanding.

One had to know that Wei Wuyin's knowledge of cultivation was extensive. Not only had he cultivated to a mortal apex, but he also had a Second Mind that devoured and digested knowledge obsessively, organizing and curating every piece of it in the most concise, useful, and relevant knowledge that was stored and ready for him to access. To add, during his stint within the Void Wyrm back then, he had obtained an obscene amount of cultivation knowledge from many, many souls left behind by the war against the Demonic Sovereign within the Endless Purgatory.

His hunting spree then was still paying dividends, largely contributing to his recently displayed powers in the various galaxies. Unfortunately, most of its benefits could only be genuinely reaped during wartime or within the Onestar Galaxy.

However, the spells that Sage Xiaotian was openly executing far exceeded his knowledge. It was esoteric and far beyond the limitations of the Myriad Yore Continent. This was something that Hell couldn't fake. These were genuine Medicinal Sage Spells that could decipher the origin of his mother's affliction!

Moreover, there was no need to lie to deceased souls!

As Wei Wuyin's soul released heart-like thumps in anticipation, the red dust further swirled around him, adhering to more of him—29%.

"I see," Sage Xiaotian pouted her lips slightly and halted her spells. She had completed her examination. Wei Wuyin's mother blinked curiously, unable to fathom anything that was done to her, but she similarly trusted Medicinal Sages like most societies trusted their healers—completely.

"Is there a way?" Wei Wuyin's brother asked anxiously.

"A way? Yes. There is a way, but it isn't very easy. No. It isn't inexpensive," Sage Xiaotian corrected herself, causing the hope within the two young boy's hearts to blossom. Wei Wuyin stayed quiet and observant. He committed every spell executed to memory, especially the hand-seals and flow of qi. Even without his Celestial Eyes, his knowledge of Mortal Dao cultivation could be said to be unmatched and unrivaled. Since it utilized qi, it was easier to grasp with a mere glance. It wouldn't be difficult to execute them later.

"Whatever the price, if we can't pay it now, I—no, us brothers and my father will obtain it." Wei Wuyin's brother declared staunchly as he briefly glanced at Wei Wuyin and inserted him into this debt. Wei Wuyin nodded without hesitation.

"Ha," Sage Xiaotian sighed softly.

"Can you tell us what's happening to my mother? I must know. I have to," Wei Wuyin's little voice resounded—35%.

Sage Xiaotian looked to Wei Wuyin and after seeing both boys' eyes exert strong feelings, including their mother's supporting gaze that was tainted by the pride of her two boys, she relented. "It's best for you to know then. After all, it's hereditary, and you, little one, should carry the trait."

Her eyes seemed to bore into Wei Wuyin's silvery irises, observing how those dark pupils contracted slightly.

'Hereditary?'

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Erdiul's Note: Possibly more coming today, not sure though. Something about a stockpile being prepared.

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