Chapter 88 - 87: Enlist
While those beside Mei Yang, the beautiful Helios Witch, nearly buckled at the knees by her light and heavenly voice, Wei Wuyin's reaction was somewhat different—A frown. His past with Mei Yang was brief yet impactful, and for a moment, he had desired to rescue Mei Mei from her clutches and kill her on the spot.
It was this woman's deliberate words that led to his inevitable conflict with the Scarlet Solaris Sect. While the matter would've been revealed at some point, and thus he would've been hunted regardless of any action on her part, it still left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Normally, he would stay far away and avoid this mischievous woman with utter indifference, but his curiosity was piqued by the gathering of strong auras and individuals. The three forces gathering had cultivators that, at the minimum, were at the Fourth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. They were all Elder-level figures of the greatest sects in Wu Country.
This had to be a monumental gathering with an ultimate purpose, enough to spur at least two of the Five Great Sects into action. After a brief spell of consideration, he decided to sate his own curiosity.
Kree!
Bai Lin immediately understood and changed course. Her actions and speed drew the gazes of the gathered elites. They lifted their eyes to observe a variant crane arriving, many of their expressions forming a faint frown. This was especially so for the dark-skinned, white-haired, frosty middle-aged man at the lead of misfit-dressed cultivators and the young woman with a sharp aura that seemed to wish to bleed the very air.
Mei Yang revealed a dazzling smile, youthful and vibrant. Her appearance seemed more like the gorgeous young lady from a high-ranking family than a figure that could cause trepidation and horror in the hearts of others—A Godlord!
Bai Lin arrived in epic fashion, her eyes releasing faint glimmers of golden light and an impressive presence. When she landed nearby, her wings caused the wind to whip into a fierce gust. Even those elite cultivators were affected, unable to ignore such a large beast arriving.
The chilly-eyed middle-aged man's eyes narrowed as he spoke, his words glacial yet natural, "Who are you?" His words caused the others behind him to put up their guards. They knew that this leader of theirs was typically hot-headed despite his chilly-exterior, typically killing before questioning. Therefore, this new arrival must be someone respectful.
Currently, Wei Wuyin's aura and cultivation was thoroughly concealed, but his eyes and physical presence was overwhelming to the various senses. This was especially for those with honed sensory abilities far exceeding the norm, such as Mortal Gods and Godlords.
It wasn't simply that group that lifted their guards. Those sword cultivators all had their hands on their hilts, ready to reveal to the world their sharpness and tenacious will. They looked like a ferocious bunch, unlike the Immortal Sword Wielders in legends.
Mei Yang intervened, "Jian Daiyu, Dong Fa, this is Wei Wuyin." Her introduction was brief, obviously directed to the two leaders of the group. She maintained her smile amidst their sharp looks, seeking an explanation. With elegant and light steps, she approached Wei Wuyin.
Getting off Bai Lin, Wei Wuyin was rendered shocked. It wasn't because of their auras, impressive cultivation bases, or Mei Yang's casual introduction, but Jian Daiyu. She was gorgeous. Extraordinarily gorgeous. His heart was immediately sent aflutter. Her looks were delicate, sharp, yet impeccable in both symmetry and structure.
Everything about her, from her cherry lips to her sleek black hair that fell down her back, faintly flowing with the wind, was to his complete and utter liking.
He was rendered into a state of disbelief and shock when he visually witnessed her appearance.
Mei Yang arrived a few meters away, "It seems your little departure did you well." When she last saw Wei Wuyin, he had just ascended the Seventh Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, Sublime Qi Phase, and revealed extraordinary ability. With his astonishing talent revealed, the distraught and weakened Scarlet Solaris Sect could only watch in despair as he left.
(Author's Note: At the time of his double ascension{Chapter 58}, he was bereft of Eighth Phase Level Qi or Spiritual Qi, so she and everyone else remained ignorant of his true cultivation base. The Sublime Ascension Phenomena was the only visible indicator.)
She hadn't taken action then because it wasn't her place, nor her business. She had merely arrived there as a Guest Elder to stabilise the Scarlet Solaris Sect's fate and simply wanted to see chaos erupt, not embroil herself in it. Wei Wuyin's abrupt escape even startled her, but made things interesting as she watched Wu Chen and his parents toil in agony knowing that Wu Chen's inevitable demise or crippling was to occur with each passing day.
If they could, she didn't believe that they wouldn't pay any price to see him dead.
Wei Wuyin didn't respond, merely brushing off her comment like dust. His gaze lingered on Jian Daiyu for a moment before he looked towards Mei Yang. Towards this woman, he had utterly no fear in his heart.
Unlike when they last saw each other, his cultivation base had been fully consolidated, his body brimming with Spiritually-Infused Qi or Spiritual Qi. Furthermore, he had two Spirits of Qi to derive from, both Divine-Type Spirits with exceptional spiritual strength. His other two Hearts of Qi were merely at the Sixth Phase, but they could not be underestimated.
While he couldn't say with confidence that he was invincible amongst Godlords, he was definitely top-tier. The only issue was his lack of appropriate Spiritual Spells and Qi Arts at that level, and this could lead to a gap between top-tier and invincible.
However, Mei Yang was similarly a newly ascended Godlord, with less than a decade under her belt. He didn't lose his courageous heart when considering his chances, perhaps it was possible to even kill her in a single exchange—like Gu Futu; the God in headlights.
He owed her for saving Mei Mei when he couldn't, so he set this faint intent to murder aside. "Why did you call for me?" His tone was inquisitive but indifferent.
Mei Yang didn't let Wei Wuyin's attitude dampen her smile or mood. She responded with a teasing tone, "Don't you think its fate that we've met again?" Her implication and forward presentation of herself could cause many men to stumble with desires beneath her skirt.
"..." His eyes remained disinterested. While she was a star-like beauty, he saw a glimpse of her true personality back in the Scarlet Solaris Sect. He had no interest in women who loved chaos and directly schemed for it. It went against his own principles.
"You're no fun," she sweetly stuck her tongue out, completely not acting her age. Wei Wuyin's heart shivered when he realized this woman's name as a Mortal God had been present for at least three centuries. With the average lifespan of five hundred years for Mortal Gods, this meant she was fairly old.
"Fine." Surprisingly, she became less silly and more serious. "You're a peak Mortal God, and I wouldn't mind having a little assurance in this mission. I called you over to enlist your help, what do you think?"
It was a mere coincidence that they met, so he had very little concern about her overall motives. Otherwise, he would have the suspicion that this had all been orchestrated to lure him in and kill him for Wu Chen.
With a light frown, he asked: "You gathered nearly a hundred elite Elder-level figures, with eight early-Mortal Gods, two peak-Mortal Gods, and a Godlord?" The peak-Mortal Gods were Jian Daiyu and Dong Fa, the leaders of the Sky Sword Sect members and the mix-matched cultivator group. They had cultivation bases at the Seventh Stage of the Qi Condensation and could be considered top-tier Sect Master-level characters in Wu Country.
Mei Yang's brows lifted slightly. Wei Wuyin's spiritual sense was exceptional. However, remembering his exceptional talent, she accepted it. "Yes. It's a pretty big job. You want in?"
In truth, Wei Wuyin was interested even before he landed. "Benefits?" As an Lord Alchemist, an Alchemist that can concoct sixth-grade products suitable for Seventh to Ninth Stage experts of the Qi Condensation Realm, monetary wealth was a simple matter of selling a few products. His true issue was rare materials to concoct high-level products, lack of Qi Arts, Spiritual Spells, and Qi Armaments.
Mei Yang realized that Wei Wuyin was already willing to agree and she explained, "In the Yuhei Country, a group of Evil Cultivators had migrated here and have been committing all sorts of atrocities. They've amassed all sorts of things with their heinous activities, and we're capitalizing on their weakened state to eradicate them while simultaneously cleaning the Myriad Yore Continent of its filth." Her words may sound vicious, but she said them with a bright smile.
"So, murder and plunder?" Wei Wuyin bluntly stated.
Mei Yang dazzling chuckled, "Yep!"
Wei Wuyin didn't know if the cultivators were legitimately of Evil Cultivators, but the fact they've been targeted by two of the Five Great Sects meant, in the event of their demise, they would be deemed as such to all of history. Wasn't it the same for the Violet Moon Sect?
Their members were now slaves or dead, while their sect name was dragged through the mud. All of this convenient 'blaming' was merely for the surface, to justify their intentions.
"Tell me the truth," his eyes narrowed as he faced Mei Yang.
Mei Yang was momentarily shocked, but regathered his mind. Right, Wei Wuyin wasn't some brainless youth that would jump to action. He was known to be intelligent and cautious in his actions. She took a soft breath, "Alright then. The Yuhei Country's former Imperial Clan Ancestor died from old age while the older and younger generation were pathetic and useless. They rode on the dragon's lap until it died. Now, they were pushed off their throne and replaced.
"Three years ago, they were nearly eradicated, but a few core members and elites were capable of leaving and hid away. We've recently discovered that they were located in the Sky Sword Domain. Before they left, they brought nearly all of their clan's stockpiled resources and wealth away." Mei Yang's tone was tinged with a dark and greedy reverb.
Wei Wuyin nodded. This made more sense. He had even heard about that during his seeking of information about the world, so he knew she was telling the truth. This was something he had little issue doing, capitalizing on the weakness of others.
The stockpiled resources of an Imperial Clan would be totally mind-boggling, as they had a cultivator beyond the Qi Condensation Realm at the helm and controlled the majority of wealth in the country. He was not above greed. In fact, greed has driven many of his actions and allowed him to reach his current level, so why would he be?
"You in?" Mei Yang asked, but from the glint in Wei Wuyin's eyes, she already knew the answer.
"I'm in."