Was He Yanglei dead?
'But that shouldn't be possible!' Tang Xingyun resolutely denied the possibility in her heart. Their families had hired cultivators to act as their Dharma Protectors, so its absolutely impossible for them to die! Especially in the training grounds of all places.
Yet, Wei Wuyin currently held a nearly complete Token of Elementus, lacking only hers. She didn't know what to think.
As for handing the token to Wei Wuyin? She wasn't willing to do so. It was Lin Ming's only chance at becoming a Chosen, gaining a superb status from nothing, and rising to levels beyond his birthright. If he didn't obtain that title, he would be relegated to a normal cultivator without any backing, forced to grind his way to the top with very limited opportunities.
Unaware of Tang Xingyun's thoughts, Wei Wuyin couldn't help but wonder why she was so reluctant. They had never met before, yet she contained a hostility and icy-chill towards him. He had never acted against her before, nor had he been to the Scorched Skies.
The Metal-Origin Dragon moved closer, bringing Wei Wuyin directly before the voidship. "Can we talk?" He asked. Tang Xingyun likely had another guardian, and he didn't feel the need to test his luck twice. Having already survived an existence beyond his current understanding, he didn't want to face one again.
Tang Xingyun coldly looked at Wei Wuyin. She too was fearless, just like He Yanglei. This meant she knew there was absolutely no danger to her life.
"What happened to He Yanglei?" She asked, her tone still containing that signature chill.
"He Yanglei? Is that his name?" Wei Wuyin curiously said, thinking for a moment. He openly answered, "I killed him, but someone brought him back to life and took him away. I don't know where they went."
"What!" Not expecting Wei Wuyin's words, Tang Xingyun was unable to process this in a short period of time. "You killed him?"
Wei Wuyin nodded. There was absolutely no reason to keep this a secret. In fact, it might improve his chances of avoiding offending whichever force this ordinary-looking girl belonged to. "If you're unwilling to negotiate, we can decide with a Holy Challenge."
The members of the Endless Ash Temple were alarmed by all these sudden developments. They were unable to determine the best course of action. Should they fight to protect their Holy Child? But if the Noxious Seas Holy Child was any indication, the likelihood of them all dying and unable to protect their Holy Child was far too high.
Should they allow their Holy Child to be challenged, dealing with the fallout later? If she won, they might receive some punishment, but if she lost…
Well, they could submit to the true Holy Child who gained the Divine Recognition of all Divinities. It was this possibility that caused them pause, unable to decide. After all, maybe this was all to decide which of them was the true Holy Child?
Tang Xingyun was brought out of her thoughts by Wei Wuyin's words. While she didn't fear death, she was simultaneously unwilling to had this token over to Wei Wuyin. She thought for a moment, "I can hand it to you, but…"
Wei Wuyin was elated at the first half of her sentence, but hearing that 'but' caused him to narrow his eyes slightly.
Tang Xingyun continued, "You have to defeat the Holy Son of Grandgale."
"Hm?" Confused, Wei Wuyin asked, "You mean the one I've already defeated?" Why did this woman want him to claim it from Lin Ming? Someone he defeated with absolute ease just a few minutes prior. What was the meaning of that?
"A year. In a year, if you can defeat him again, I'll give you the badge without any extra cost," Tang Xingyun declared. She knew that Lin Ming wasn't to be underestimated, and he was terrifyingly talented. He just needed time. As for Wei Wuyin, he was an entire stage above him, and seemed to be using some self-damaging methods to amplify his strength.
If Lin Ming was given more time, if this Wei Wuyin was brought to normal, she felt that Lin Ming had a high chance of becoming victorious.
Wei Wuyin was silent for a short while. In the end, he shook his head. "I can't agree to that."
Tang Xingyun sneered, "Scared?" She was clearly trying to prod Wei Wuyin's ego.
"…Why do everyone keep thinking I'm afraid? Do I look scared? Whatever," Wei Wuyin mumbled to himself. "No, it's because I don't have time to waste on your childish hope. You have two choices, you can set a price, hopefully a reasonable one, or we'll decide by Holy Challenge."
If he waited for Lin Ming to grow, he would truly be a fool. Not because he was terrified, but he didn't have time to waste. But this did reveal why Tang Xingyun was reluctant. If he obtained the last token, he would complete the trial and obtain access to the core of this World Realm. There would be no way for Lin Ming to make a comeback.
"…"
Tang Xingyun didn't respond.
Wei Wuyin sighed, "Then a Holy Challenge it is. If you don't surrender, I'll have to kill you too." Just as he said those words, his Nine Dragons of Origins simultaneously roared in excitement, wanting to delve back into the slaughter once more. Their World Pressure was exuded at full force!
The Metal-Origin Dragon shot towards the voidship with an open maw, intending to take a fierce bit out of its hull. But before it got a chance, a barrier of air condensed around the voidship and halted its advance. With a harsh thud, the Metal-Origin Dragon's body heavily slammed into this air wall.
Wei Wuyin was thrown back, the tail of the Metal-Origin Dragon whipped and absorbed him into its body, absorbing the rebounding force and enshrouding him in elemental origin force that comprised its body. With a sharp twist, it scaled the air wall and regained a sense of stability.
Wei Wuyin was shuttled through its white body and brought back to its head. Startled, he inspected the air wall and noted it was established by powers that his Celestial Eyes couldn't observe.
Mystic Ascendant Powers!
With a heavy sigh, he was left helpless.
The other eight dragons tried to break into the air wall that engulfed the entire shield like an impregnable sphere. They breathed out various elemental breaths but achieved nothing of any note. Their sharp claws scratched at it, but not even a single distortion was left on its surface.
With this sphere of air protecting the voidship, he could only peer inside with a frustrated light in his silver eyes. He had thought that those guardians were only supposed to act if they were in fatal danger, not interfere at will. How was this a training exercise?
He could only stay a few hundred meters away from Tang Xingyun, unable to approach for a Holy Challenge. He didn't dare try to Spatial Shift inside and activate the token's challenge function. If the Mystic Ascendant wanted him to stay outside, he could only oblige with his current strength.
"If you want to obtain the token, you'll have to wait one year." A domineering female voice was sent directly into Wei Wuyin's mind. It sent his Sea of Consciousness into a violent rumble, nearly causing him to lose consciousness! How terrifying was this?!
Unable to resist, he could only accept such unreasonable conditions. But that's how the cultivation world functioned, the strongest fist set whatever arbitrary rules they desired. He was forced to accept.
"One year. I hope you keep your word," is what Wei Wuyin replied with, but his mind was still trembling from the woman's voice. This was one of the situations he wanted to avoid the most.
After a year, the Season of Regression will have ended, and his advantage over Realmlords and Timelords will diminish by a considerable degree. He wouldn't be able to kill them as easily as he has now, and they would be far more formidable.
With a fierce glint in his eyes, he turned towards the Sky Zephyr Temple. He couldn't be certain if they would stay loyal to Lin Ming after hearing he had another shot, becoming obstacles to his objective. With a burst of killing intent, his Nine Dragons of Origin roared, twisting their bodies towards the temple floating in the sky.
BOOM!
But another wall of air emerged around the temple, preventing entry once more. With clenched fists, Wei Wuyin didn't even speak. With a wave of his hand, the nine dragons departed the scene before everyone's eyes.
He wasn't able to act any longer, so what's the point in staying?
Back on the voidship, Tang Xingyun's eyes became soft and gentle. "Thank you." She didn't believe she could achieve victory against Wei Wuyin, and even if she did, it wouldn't accomplish anything. She would be the legitimate Chosen, not Lin Ming. Her family would never allow such a thing, so she didn't dare do so.
"…" The voice of that woman did not reply to her words.
