The elders were instantly taken aback by Wei Wuyin's order. Was he trying to give these two the death sentence? This was their Grand Prince, and while the holder of it held little importance in their hearts, the title and what it represented did. After all, Long Chen was the only living survivor of the Grand Monarch Lineage.
They can't just let him go, have him fall to a horrific crushing death by the Auric Sea's unique gravitational properties. They hesitated, especially the three former Grand Imperial Sages. They deeply understood the grudge between Wei Wuyin and Long Chen, so they were even more hesitant.
But an elder amongst them, the female elder that had supported the first, just stopped. Her astral force receded and she stood off to the side obediently. She was Bei Ming, a Captain-class Knight of Enforcement. She was the very same woman that had shattered the execution blade on Qing Qiumu's neck at the last second after hearing there was a chance that she might be his wife.
Her decisive actions had saved Qing Qiumu's life, and she held an unequivocal degree of loyalty towards Wei Wuyin. It was only because of him that she had a healthy baby girl at home, lively and strong. She didn't hesitate for a single moment in executing his orders.
She was like a domino as it caused the elders to recall the individual who had given the order. The two male elders looked at each other, retracting their powers and allowing things to happen as they will. Wei Wuyin wasn't one to forgo responsibility for his actions, so they didn't hesitate to wash their hands of this. They even felt relieved at the lack of strenuous activity.
But the former Grand Imperial Sages held on, their eyes flashing with complex emotions. But it was only for a moment longer. Yao Zhen was the youngest but he also had a very calculative mind despite his brutish appearance.
He responded, "Yes, Ascendant Emperor Wei." He no longer referred to Wei Wuyin as Heavenly King or Junior. He was an existence beyond the Myriad Monarch Sect, and he deserved that level of respect from him and everyone else present. When he retracted his powers, there were only two forces holding the duo in place, shielding them from everything.
Long Chen and Lian Yu saw this. The former gritted his teeth and viciously stared at Wei Wuyin with extreme hatred. It was as if Wei Wuyin was slowly snipping at the ropes that held them against the cliff, his silver eyes watching them with a faint indifference. It was chilling.
Long Chen knew that it was Lian Yu causing this somehow, but he didn't know why. All he needed to do was let go of her and he would be fine. He wished he had Wu Yu by his side. He even tried to use his Imperial Heaven Aura to resist, the same aura that resisted chaos mana, but to no avail. His heart was sinking into a sea of despair. If the two other former Grand Imperial Sages were to let go, they would descend and be crushed into nothing.
He learned of the Auric Sea's powerful gravity from Ji Changkong and knew a Timelord had been utterly crushed before even touching the surface, turning into bloody mist and fleshy mush.
A Timelord!
Ji Changkong and Qin Rui were struggling with internal conflict. But the strain was horrible on them, causing them to lose at least twenty percent of their forces already without achieving much. They couldn't last much longer anyways. It was so horrible that Qin Rui couldn't even keep her spell to conceal herself and her yin aura active after the first moment.
Wei Wuyin was seemingly not in a rush, looking at Long Chen and Lian Yu with his silver gaze. This only served to cause their hearts to groan in pain, feeling helplessness engulf them. Ji Changkong gritted his teeth, his Sword and Saber Intent flaring wildly as he exhibited fearsome strength. He wrenched his hands towards himself, trying to pull them up, and he succeeded!
For about a foot, before they descended three feet down further. He shouted loudly, looking at Tuo Bihan who was only just looking at them coldly. It was only then that a sensation similar to a splash of cold water had smacked him in his face, bringing him to an apt realization. His actions were directly going against Wei Wuyin's will.
If it was anyone else, even Long Chen, he could ignore them, but not this man. At that moment, he finally gave up. He retracted his forces and relaxed himself, feeling unburdened. He turned to Wei Wuyin and clasped his hands, apologizing: "I ask for forgiveness for my actions. I merely wanted to see if I could overcome that mysterious force." After these words were speedily said, Ji Changkong remained silent.
Wei Wuyin didn't even look at him. He only stared at Lian Yu, his eyes focused on her bountiful chest. Her clothes were tugging at her figure causing all her curves and exceptional assets to be clearly revealed. It was true that Long Chen had a type: ample-breasted and exquisitely beautiful.
But that was not what was on his mind. He kept descending alongside them, his focus as unmoving as his gaze.
Qin Rui was the only one left. She wanted to give out an order for support, but she knew that it was useless. She felt even more helpless than Ji Changkong. She looked at the figure casually descending alongside Long Chen and Lian Yu, her expression twisted from the strain. Why was this happening? How come this was impossibly difficult?!
She knew with her expenditure of astral force, she would be drained in less than a minute. With a shout, she held on. She wasn't going to follow this order! She won't just let them die on the whim of Wei Wuyin! She held on and everyone only watched her. Their gazes of idle behavior infuriated her to no end.
Those beautiful eyes of hers looked at Tuo Bihan, and there was even a little pleading light within as she felt her strength continuously wane. But Tuo Bihan had furrowed brows, his gaze looking only at the descending trio at that moment.
She felt aggrieved! She gritted her teeth, deciding to go all-out! She tapped into her innermost powers, and then pulled! Pulled! PULLED!
She brought both her hands forth and lifted them up, all her astral force being used to drag the two upwards. Her action was extremely impressive. Those of lower cultivation bases squinted and retreated in shock, feeling her immense power. Was this a Gravity Emission Phase expert's strength?!
That was a power that could easily crush continents and move small planets! But alas…
After her greatest effort, she pulled the two up by two feet, causing the two to reveal a trace of hope, but that was all. Her strongest power only lifted them by two feet. Drained, her expression slacked as she started to lose control over her body and consciousness.
Tuo Bihan arrived beside her, grabbing her delicate body into his embrace and holding her as she slunk off into unconsciousness. She had overexerted her cultivation base, draining all the innate physical, mental, and essence energies stored within her. She must've lost years of natural cultivation with that single action.
Tuo Bihan sighed, his grey beard flowing freely as he observed the angelic expression of peace on her face. This girl was always so stubborn in everything she did.
That was the final rope of support for the duo as all the external astral force holding them and covering them had left, leaving them vulnerable. Long Chen gritted his teeth, ignoring Wei Wuyin as he used his two arms to grab Lian Yu's hand and used his astral force to resist their descent. Her arm was unreasonably outstretched like a rubberband. Fortunately, her water-based cultivation base made her quite flexible.
Lian Yu looked at Long Chen's contorted expression, knowing that she was the reason for this. She despaired. She was thinking about severing her limb, saving Long Chen from the effort, but an intense desire to live swelled within her.
She clutched harder, holding out hope and believing in Long Chen. If anyone can overturn this situation, it was him.
Wei Wuyin and Long Chen both saw her expression and thought different things. Long Chen thought about how he couldn't let go, no matter what. While Wei Wuyin was quietly remembering a scene long ago, before he inherited the Bloodline of Sin.
There was a woman that had seduced him, having the same desiring expression to survive after her sect was destroyed, hunted down to the last. She had the same hopeful expression while kneeling naked before him, her gaze lively as she saw the figure of a man enter their room. While that hope was later severed by his saber, being sent to the afterlife, he was reminded of that one moment.
Wei Wuyin couldn't help but sigh. He said, "Let her go."
"NEVER!" Long Chen shouted through his clenched teeth, staring into Lian Yu's eyes. He kept pumping our astral force, preventing even Wei Wuyin from getting close.
Lian Yu's eyes brightened an extreme amount, nearly as brilliant as the stars in the sky. It reflected immense love and devotion. She clenched her hand around Long Chen's harder than ever before.
"…" Wei Wuyin calmly observed this scene, shaking his head slightly.
This odd scene was just being observed by everyone present. They were uncertain what was happening, but they all had their hearts in their throats. Were these two figures going to fall into their deaths?
Qing Qiumu was speechless. She didn't know what to do. She had almost felt a desire to throw herself at them, but she knew it was useless. She was a measly Sky Ruler. Three former Grand Imperial Sages couldn't accomplish much, so how could she? She bit her lips heavily, nearly drawing blood.
"…" A few dozen seconds later.
Long Chen's astral force was near depletion. He could only last longer because the difficulty seemed to change depending on one's cultivation base. While depletion was at the same rate, he had merged Astral Souls so he had a much larger Astral Core than others, as well as density and foundation.
But he could only hold out for three seconds more. After that, he'll fall whether he lets go of Lian Yu or not. He grunted as he tried to pull Lian Yu into his embrace, but this only caused her already stretched arm to stretch further. It was amazing she hadn't lost her arm. It was nearly two times longer than before.
Wei Wuyin knew this had to do with her physique and cultivation method, and she could easily regain her arm's normal length
Then, it came.
Long Chen lost his last drop of astral force. He could no longer sustain flight and his eyes betrayed his panic. He cried out as he fell with Lian Yu. His weakness caused him to lose his grip, causing his hand to let go of Lian Yu, but she held on to his slack hand.
When she felt Long Chen's grip loosen, unable to hold on, her expression changed. But then a strong arm held onto her slender waist, and another clutched at Long Chen's robes like they were carrying a bag of garbage. His limp figure was far too weak, and the gravity kept him from moving. So he was truly like a puppet without strings, his four limbs and head were pointed downwards while holstered from his belt.
Her shock was immense as she followed that strong arm to find Wei Wuyin holding onto her waist, keeping them afloat.
This startled everyone.
Wei Wuyin's silver eyes and face were extremely close to Lian Yu's. If he leaned two inches forward, they would be touching lips. She could feel his warm breath in her face, which was shockingly fragrant and alluring to smell. Even her meridians and Astral Soul quivered with desire, feeling extremely awkward.
Ji Changkong shouted out in abhorrent shock, "Impossible!"
Wei Wuyin kept his eyes focused on Lian Yu's water-like ripples, staying silent as they floated casually without any issue.
Three Gravity Emission Phase experts acted in concerted effort to stop their descent, to bring them back, but a measly Soul Idol Phase expert halted them so casually? Ji Changkong, Yao Zhen, Bei Ming, and the other elders and disciples were thunderstruck by what they witnessed. This was even more so for the other audience several dozen miles away.
After several tens of seconds, Wei Wuyin finally moved and looked towards the Auric Sea's surface. He ignored Lian Yu's thumping heart that was racing without restraint. A slight frown emerged on his face, giving Long Chen a glance.
"You're truly fortunate to obtain these women. Every single one is extraordinary in their own way." As he murmured this under his breath, he looked at Lian Yu and smiled faintly.
He suddenly said, "You should be fine now. Circulate your astral force." After he said that, his figure ascended until it was back to ten thousand feet high, and he let her go. Lian Yu instantly panicked, wrapped her non-stretched arm around his neck and pulled him closer, not wanting to fall out of fear.
Wei Wuyin coolly threatened, "If you don't let go, I'm going to kiss you." His words were uttered with the straightest face, and Long Chen's extremely exhausted body quivered. Lian Yu was startled, inspecting Wei Wuyin's face. She was shocked to realize that he truly held unearthly handsome looks, possessing a demeanor that seemed beyond mortals.
Her heart started to flutter slightly. She struggled for a moment before seeking verification, "…I-I won't fall?"
"As long as you don't want to. Keep your astral force circulated, empower your wind energies to stay afloat." Wei Wuyin instructed. She hesitated, thinking that maybe Wei Wuyin wanted her to fall to her death, but she still trusted him for some reason, and didn't want to be kissed and cause their situation to turn awkward.
She removed her arm and circulated her forces as instructed, floating with her own power. Her expression drastically changed.
How?!
Wei Wuyin didn't bother answering, tossing Long Chen's body into her embrace like a bag of rocks.
Ignoring his fate, Wei Wuyin looked at the Auric Sea. He called out to Tuo Bihan, "I'll be back." After he said that, he ignored everyone's reaction, only giving Qing Qiumu and Da Shan a faint smile to reassure them. He then started to descend.
