The two figures on stage exuded unique bearings, dignified and focused; their expressions were solemn, invested, and reflected their lifetime of knowledge and experience. They brought to bear their utmost skills, conducting a myriad of transformations within their cauldrons without any external assistance. It was hard to pry one's eyes away.
Moreover, they were both breathtaking beauties of the highest echelons of their gender. One, a human; the other, an elf. The first had induced Wei Wuyin's change of expression, not expecting this woman to be here of all places.
Her hair was waist-length in length, full and flourishing, mystifyingly wavy, glistening with health, and a gorgeous sheen of navy blue color that softened in shade at the edges. The woman had a figure that wasn't too overbearing, being slender yet not skinny, fit yet not too muscular, voluptuous yet only in the perfect locations. But her figure wasn't solely enough to satisfy her birthright by the creator as a top-tier member of her species, gender, and race.
Her complexion was impeccable, smooth, and clear. A set of eyebrows that were big, bold, yet oddly refined complemented her light-blue eyes that contained an inextinguishable self-confidence and wit. Her nose, ears, and mouth felt as if they were delicately picked to suit her entirety. It was hard to find any imperfections or aspects that didn't belong, from head to toe this remained true.
It was none other than Tian Xiaolu!
Wei Wuyin never expected that the Blessed of the Tian Clan, the niece of Tian Muyang, and fellow Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, would be here in the World Between the Fold of all places, and she would be participating in an Alchemic Clash!
But she wasn't the only surprise! Wei Wuyin saw her opponent, and it brought him an equal amount of shock! Once again, he thought of his first impression of meeting this elf:
"Luscious, silky, warm golden-blonde hair adorned her head and reached mid-way to her back, paired perfectly with a set of bright golden eyes that seemed to contain unfathomable purity within. It was a purity that one could easily lose themselves in for days, and willingly do so for life. Her slim body had curves that seemed far too perfect, seemingly unreal even. With her ample breasts that seemed to be more than a handful for any man, she possessed an astonishing sexual appeal that was impossible to ignore.
Just these could cause many men to devolve into their most primal instincts."
Those words refreshed him, realizing that in his younger days, he was quite lustful with his descriptions.
The elf that was fully focused on her cauldron, mobilizing her pure alchemic force to the greatest extent, was the one and only Qingye Ying! The only one known as the Princess of Everlore! They had met in an alchemic clash where he gained the title of the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn, a play on the world's belief of him as the bringer of a new era, his Alchemic Emperor's title, and the organization that he spent years forming. It perfectly summed his existence at the time, and that moment played a heavy part in reinforcing his Heart of Cultivation.
It was a shocking coincidence to meet one, let alone both, and they were currently in a contest of skill, adaptability, and will, which was an unimaginable event. Wei Wuyin can scarcely believe it or reason it out, but here they were.
"You recognize her?" Liu Suyin, by his side, asked, her eyebrows wrinkled as those eyes of hers reflected Tian Xiaolu's perfect image of beauty, talent, and effort. It was difficult to grasp what she was thinking.
"I recognize them both," Wei Wuyin admitted. Then, shockingly, he looked at Liu Suyin and said questioningly: "You don't recognize the blue-haired one?" Wasn't she the Void Voyage Sect's Vice-Sect Master?
Liu Suyin blinked, giving the faraway Tian Xiaolu a piercing stare. She scoured her memory banks yet found nothing regarding this woman who possessed an outstanding, nation-toppling, envy-summoning appearance. Eventually, a full minute later, she shook her head. "I don't. Who is she?"
"She was introduced to me by Tian Muyang as Tian Xiaolu, a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist of the Imperial Clan." Wei Wuyin recalled that time, but then his heart remembered the Mortal Sovereign Alchemists in the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit. Did the Everlore Association not know her status, was she a secret or did they not expect her to arrive?
"Tian Xiaolu?!" Liu Suyin softly exclaimed, revealing a rich surprise that was unlike her typical indifference and flat expression. "That Tian Xiaolu?"
"That?" Wei Wuyin didn't expect that. Was Tian Xiaolu special?
Liu Suyin soon settled down, explaining: "I've never seen her before, but I know of the name. She's the disciple of one of the Alchemic Saints in the Sealed Regions, the only disciple she has taken since that figure became an Alchemic Saint."
"What?! Which Alchemic Saint? The Sky Zenith Alchemic Saint?" Wei Wuyin would be lying if he said he wasn't shocked by her words, but only for a moment. She was a Blessed after all, so this type of fortune was to be expected.
"Yes." Liu Suyin nodded.
The Sky Zenith Alchemic Saint was rumored to have been the disciple of the King of Everlore, an unverified rumor, and she was known for following the King of Everlore's exact path, cultivating an Alchemic Soul, and entering the Mystic Ascendant Realm despite the absurdly high difficulty to do so.
To explain the difficulty of this, one can simply look at the throne-sitting Mortal Sovereign Alchemists of the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit—not a single one cultivated an Alchemic Soul. They were all at the Mystic Ascendant Realms, and the only Alchemic Soul cultivators amongst Ascended that attended the event, only the 'false' Ascended at the Mystic Star Phase had them.
Liu Suyin curiously glanced at Tian Xiaolu's competitor. She immediately realized it was a female elf. She was the first elf she'd seen in the World Between the Fold, giving her a burst of shocking surprise. Indeed, the Elven Race's population wasn't suitable to become Destined or Seekers because it was largely considered an 'inferior' race, unable to ascend, and was mostly enslaved in the outside world.
They, alongside beastmen and two other races, were met with this gruesome fate of inferiority, restricted by shackles of their origins that even the Ascended Sovereigns never addressed or attempted to rectify. Even in the Sealed Regions, they were inflicted with this issue, labeled as inferior, and protected by the goodwill of the Everlore Association.
Similar to the Devil War Realm's Alchemic Culture, the Elven Race was spared from such a humiliating fate in the Sealed Regions thanks to outstanding alchemists laying them the bricks of their freedom and safety. Their inability to ascend limited their rights to having rights, lacking the strength to uphold their racial honor in a world as vicious and dominating as a cultivation society.
"She is?" Liu Suyin asked. At this point, Wei Wuyin was searching for a row of seats to sit in. The entire place was immensely crowded. Cao Cuifen was shocked after hearing their exchange. She was aware of some things, but she didn't know that Tian Xiaolu was a disciple of an Alchemic Saint of the Sealed Regions. No wonder…
When she saw Wei Wuyin looking about, she immediately realized he was searching for a seat. She hurriedly spoke, "Lord Alchemic Sovereign, your seating arrangements is there." She pointed at a luxuriously large rectangular box that protruded out of the seats, with a large screen of reinforced half-silvered glass facing the platform.
The reflective surface was one-way, with those inside capable of perceiving outside without any issue. There were many boxes scattered throughout the coliseum, having the best angles and locations. Truly deluxe.
"Let's go then," Wei Wuyin said. The trio walked through the seated crowd, eliciting a few responses, and the typical shocked reactions. Wei Wuyin was intrigued by a few cultivators looking at the sky, their eyes flashing with spiritual light. Were they not watching the stage? Or was this a spiritual spell that enabled a greater viewing experience?
They made haste, entering the box through the side door and the diagonal step ladder. Wei Wuyin felt an urge to roll his eyes. Was flying disallowed? Even a little? Can one not levitate?
While going, Wei Wuyin was curious about one thing: "Why do you call me 'Lord' and Alchemic Sovereign? Why not Dao Instructor?" He asked Cao Cuifen. Since all Mortal Sovereign Alchemists were Dao Instructors and she was an assistant of Dao Instructors, shouldn't she refer to him as one?
But she embarrassingly replied, blushing slightly: "Lord Alchemic Sovereign, you haven't told me your name…" Her bashful appearance was quite stimulating to the mind.
"..." Liu Suyin.
"..." Wei Wuyin.
"Right…My name's Wei Wuyin." After introducing himself, she now referred to him as Dao Instructor Wei with a bright smile. Wei Wuyin took her advice, keeping his Alchemic Stars active as they walked into the box. When he arrived inside, he found that the box was empty with drinks, food, and two beautiful human women attendants that were present yet silent.
They gave accommodating smiles to Wei Wuyin, respectfully greeting him as Lord Alchemic Sovereign. He realized this was the social norm.
"An empty box?" He expected other Dao Instructors. But Cao Cuifen hurriedly explained: "It's a private box, but-" she pointed above the stage, a thick, rhombus-shaped crystal spun softly, exuding spiritual light that cascaded downwards, "-you can connect with a spiritual network of Dao Instructors that can view the concoctions and discuss amongst yourselves, even comment on the event, errors, speculations of the outcome, and praise. You noticed there are cultivators with spiritual light emitting from their eyes, they have the right to view the event and listen in on the Dao Instructors."
The curiosity that Wei Wuyin held in his heart was answered.
After finding a comfortable seat, Liu Suyin followed without seeking permission, while Cao Cuifen was standing awkwardly. Wei Wuyin faintly smiled, "Do you have anywhere to go?" She was only tasked with informing those waiting for the acceptance of students' free services of the delay, and then she was left to her own devices. She acted as an escort and brought them here, but she likely didn't have the right to enter the spiritual network without accompanying someone.
Cao Cuifen softly shook her head, "Dao Instructor Wei, I-"
"Then sit, enter with us." After saying that, Wei Wuyin grasped the means to access the network. Liu Suyin waited for Wei Wuyin, and when he entered, so did she, following his spiritual light that was infused with the half-silvered glass using hers. Cao Cuifen happily smiled, sitting beside Wei Wuyin, and entering as well.
WHOOSH!
Wei Wuyin felt as if his entire spiritual strength was sucked into the glass, slowly jacked in as his mind vibrated intensely, and he felt himself surf through an endless stream of spiritual light. As he traversed further along the light, he found himself gaining a humanoid form that resembled his mental incarnations.
Beside him, two gorgeous, exquisitely nude bodies of women were forming too. They were Liu Suyin and Cao Cuifen. Their shape formed first, revealing all their most detailed curves, sensitive areas, and even the size of the areolas, and then the clothes that they were wearing formed next. Their spiritual strength seemed to be occupied with readying themselves, their eyes shut.
Wei Wuyin wasn't used to this experience. He had missed the Golden Auction before, and so was ignorant of this type of projection, and so he got distracted by their salivating transformations. A brilliant show, he must say.
An outburst of flashing spiritual light temporarily blinded him as he felt his spiritual incarnation stop moving.
"GASP!"
"Oh my heavens!!"
"You disgusting perve-oh my…It can be like that?!"
Wei Wuyin was met with all sorts of exclamations of shock, his 'eyes' burning. Due to his ignorance, he hadn't expected the sharp flash that overwhelmed his spiritual senses. No wonder the two girls had their 'eyes' tightly shut. When he finally regained his senses, he discovered himself surrounded by a crowd of individuals, all spiritual incarnations of themselves, all cyan-colored.
"Dao Instructor Wei!" A familiar voice cried out in shock. Taken aback, Wei Wuyin found Cao Cuifeng staring disbelievingly at his lower groin. His first thought was she was being overly obvious about what she wanted.
He soon discovered Liu Suyin, whose eyes were no longer apathetic, and despite her cyan-colored skin and complexion, there were signs of a shocked blush on her face, granting her a unique allure.
Suddenly, Wei Wuyin felt eyes all on him. A series of gasps, exclamations, and strange stares besieged him.
With his mind as fast as he was, he immediately recalled the two girls forming clothes with their eyes closed. With a deep breath, he looked down and, yes, saw 'little Wuyin' hanging out proudly. And shockingly, it was a flag at half-mast.
"Shit." Wei Wuyin abruptly vanished!