"..." The atmosphere was stirred in a sauce of silence, disbelief, and still lingering exclamations suffused with surprise, amazement, and even interest.
After a few seconds of this atmosphere, Wei Wuyin reappeared in the spiritual network as a Spiritual Incarnation. This time, fully clothed; his bearing was carefree and neutral as if he hadn't just exposed himself to all those in the vicinity of the spiritual network's entry point.
A Spiritual Incarnation was a manifestation of one's spiritual strength, which inherently contained information regarding their physicality, mentality, personality, and innate aura. This information was collected at its purest state and formed into a type of avatar that perfectly reflected a cultivator's state via the network's arrays.
The stream of spiritual light, that deliberate delay between entry and arrival, was meant to offer a cultivator the ability to alter this state such as adding clothes or exuding a unique aura that might not originate from their spiritual strength, such as an alchemical aura that isn't innate to anyone except Alchemic Soul cultivators. However, adding this reflected one's status as an alchemist to all those who viewed your avatar.
Wei Wuyin was reasonably distracted by Cao Cuifen and Liu Suyin's exceptional bodies and the novel experience of entering the spiritual stream, and as such hadn't changed his avatar to reflect what he wished to show. After disappearing, Wei Wuyin swiftly sent his Second Mind to work, finding information regarding a Spiritual Network, and imprinting it into his primary mind.
He was no longer ignorant of the details of the Spiritual Network's functions and intricacies. This served as a great lesson for him. A lesson that will benefit him so much that it'll help him pave his way beyond the Sealed Regions.
But as there was a lesson here, there must have been a fault to learn from. Despite this, Wei Wuyin was not embarrassed or bothered by his accidental display of nudity. If there was an aspect of him he was most proud of as a man, it would be his physique and all things included in it.
"...!" When Wei Wuyin reappeared, there were all sorts of gazes on him, and then exclamations of shock swept through the crowd. After returning, Wei Wuyin had infused his Alchemic Stars of Mortal Spirituality into the avatar, including a strong, imposing alchemical aura. It was so strong that his mortal aura was almost entirely eclipsed.
"Dao Instructor?!" A middle-aged woman cried out as she saw the seven stars within each eye. A sign of a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist and thus a prestigious Dao Instructor of the academy.
Liu Suyin was stunned; Wei Wuyin's alchemical aura exceeded these other alchemists present, those without Alchemic Souls, yet there were some others here that had Alchemic Souls and they weren't nearly at the level of Wei Wuyin. Was it the Alchemic Stars? Or was it a reflection of his overbearing spiritual strength? However, she unintentionally thought about his exposed body and her thoughts were shadowed to the point she had to take a breath.
"Are you okay?" Cao Cuifen got closer to Wei Wuyin, her eyes failing to conceal her heated excitement, and tried her best to reveal a look of 'genuine' concern. Only then did Liu Suyin find reprieve, realizing that Wei Wuyin had arrived without clothes for a reason, and her attention focused.
The desire in this woman's eyes was so apparent that Wei Wuyin was a little taken aback. Perhaps it was due to her spiritual avatar having a more difficult time concealing her mental fluctuations than her real body, but Wei Wuyin could spot it a thousand miles away.
"I'm fine; I was distracted by the network's infusion stream. An accident, that's all." He didn't lie, but he also didn't dwell on all the bits of details. Fortunately, Liu Suyin and Cao Cuifen didn't think that Wei Wuyin had seen their complete bodies during the infusion process, largely because the infusion had protective safeguards.
Many wanted to take advantage of one's spiritual avatar, see what Wei Wuyin saw, and what type of expert would allow that? As such, the infusion stream was imbued with a raw source of spiritual power that could infect the senses and spirits of others, even shatter the spirit if they tried to 'view' anything. This would inevitably lead to even Ascended beings turning into cripples at best, suffering immediate death at worst.
The blinding light that Wei Wuyin experienced was that safeguard, and Wei Wuyin had been hit by it in full! But his Spirit Units were far too terrifyingly firm, absolutely unshakable, and had naturally defended against the assault. As a possessor of four Astral Souls, four thirteen-ringed Soul Idols, an evolved Divine Spirit that was King, and a normal Divine Spirit that was Ori, his Spiritual Strength was his greatest aspect without a shadow of a doubt.
"It's good as long as you're okay," Cao Cuifen joyfully smiled. The corner of Liu Suyin's lips twitched a little, irritation emerging in her heart for a reason she couldn't fathom.
Wei Wuyin decided to focus on other things. The crowd was all staring at him, but he ignored it as he gave them a show of a smile, no apology whatsoever, and began to scour for the viewing point. Within the Spiritual Network, there was a specific viewing point that could project the myriad of changes and permutations through a special formation to the viewers within, revealing the efforts of the two combatants on the platform.
Right now, the coliseum wasn't used to scatter blood and wage a war of life and death but hosted two nation-toppling beautiful women that were fully focused on their concoctions. Cao Cuifen followed along, her eyes imperceptibly glancing at Wei Wuyin's lower body from time to time.
Fortunately, only a very, very small portion of attendants in the spiritual network bore witness, and they were those that had to stay at the edges of the entry point. As a Dao Instructor and Mortal Sovereign Alchemist, Wei Wuyin was allowed to weave through without being stopped or questioned. Moreover, those who subconsciously followed him deeper had stopped after a while, their expressions strange, returning back to where they were before.
When Wei Wuyin found a small crystal floating amongst a group of individuals, he knew this was a viewing point that projected the scenery of the clash. He was about to make his way over, but Cao Cuifen hurriedly interjected. "Not here, Dao Instructor Wei."
"Not here?" Wei Wuyin was taken aback.
Cao Cuifen nodded, "this is only the outer area of the Spiritual Network, the viewing crystal functions, clarity, and immersion levels won't be enough to satisfy you." While she said this, she gave an urgent look in the hopes for Wei Wuyin to continue deeper into the network. It was clear from her expression that this area could be considered the 'worst' seats.
Seeing how this wasn't the best viewing point, he decided to let Cao Cuifen lead the way.
°The status of these Dao Instructors really is crazy high in the academy,° Wei Wuyin thought as fresh faces gave him reverential looks filled with respect and courtesy. Those who he had initially met were unqualified to go deeper, left behind, and unable to spread the word of his 'incident'. For now, at least.
He soon realized why Cao Cuifen decided to come with him and why she was unwilling to settle on the viewing point. They were all linked by a thread of spiritual light, thin and barely perceptible, but it allowed her to follow along into the depths of the spiritual network. Despite being a Dao Instructor's assistant, she didn't have the status or authority, just like the others behind them.
,m As they went deeper, he felt that his avatar was thoroughly scanned by several external powers briefly. Then, they each departed as if successfully verifying his qualifications to go further.
Cao Cuifen's excitement grew as she saw those of equivalent status and cultivation look on with envy, a light of pride in her eyes. If the Sealed Regions knew that a 'genuine' Ascended being was so happy riding the coattails of a mortal, they would be deeply shaken.
"Why is this clash happening?" Wei Wuyin asked, unable to suppress his curiosity. He would never have guessed that the Princess of Everlore—Qingye Ying, and Tian Muyang's Blessed niece—Tian Xiaolu, would be in the World Between the Fold of all places, clashing in a battle of the Alchemic Dao.
Liu Suyin was also interested in why the Sky Zenith Alchemic Saint of the Sealed Region's disciple was facing an elf, which was largely considered an 'inferior' race with limited potential. Moreover, this clash invited so much attention that the academy's curriculum practices of volunteering for experience were delayed.
Just from a glance at the countless spiritual avatars present, it was clear that far too many were invested in this clash's outcome. But why exactly?
Cao Cuifen's eyes brightened with an invigorated light. She explained: "I guess I'll have to start from the beginning since many outside of the academy don't know. That elf you saw clashing with the human, she has an Alchemic Soul, and her name is Qingye Ying; she's the in-name disciple of the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint.
"She arrived almost a decade ago, overturning the entire academy after she entered through the Void Gate of Excellence, a trial set up by the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint nearly five thousand years ago. No one has ever arrived through the gate before, but it was inscribed in the Laws of Myriad Transformations that whoever passes through that gate, be it male or female, human or beast, demon or spirit, will be allowed to become the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint's legacy disciple and receive their inheritance. Something left untouched in the last five thousand years.
"Unfortunately, no one knew where the other side of the gate went or how to get there, so the opportunity was truly left to those who were fated for it." Cao Cuifen said, a little depressed. As an Alchemist, how could she not harbor desires for the legacy inheritance of an Alchemic Saint?
Wei Wuyin swiftly scoured his knowledge of the academy from the Palace of Eden but was unable to find any information about the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint, but he had a sneaky suspicion that it might be the Myriad Transformations All-Alchemist that was renowned in the Everlore Starfield shortly after the King of Everlore's departure, forming an extremely healthy culture for alchemists.
"Who's the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint?" Shockingly, it was Liu Suyin who asked this question. Wei Wuyin didn't expect that even she didn't know.
"Right! You're not natives of the City of Guardians." Cao Cuifen remarked before saying: "The Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint comes from the World Beyond the Fold; she's a prestigious figure who was, at the time, a world-renowned Worldly Saint Alchemist. She had stayed in the academy for a brief spell, expounding on the foundation of the Academy's Alchemic Dao legacies with the Principal of the Academy. Uhm, there are rumors that they're biological relatives."
"She?" Wei Wuyin quietly mused. All the records suggested that the Myriad Transformations All-Alchemist was a male, not a female. This was an undeniable point too as there were pictures and spiritual recordings of him. Moreover, it was said he died. So perhaps…they weren't the same. But, they definitely had a connection considering this Gate of Excellence bore similarities to the Myriad Tower of Excellence and the Void Gate within, especially the requirements to enter that seemed like prerequisites to take a trial.
Liu Suyin was born in the Sealed Regions and raised in the Void Voyage Sect whose primary goals focused on protecting and securing nodes in the Sealed Regions, so she was largely ignorant of figures and details of the World Beyond the Fold.
"So why is the elf clashing with Tian Xiaolu?" Liu Suyin asked.
Cao Cuifen regained her train of thought, "Tian Xiaolu, the human, is a Dao Instructor of the Academy that is challenging Qingye Ying for the legacy inheritance's treasure. More specifically, the Pure Excellence Cauldron—it's said that the legacy is contained within. She won against dozens of other renowned Dao Instructors in a Swift Dao Clash and claimed an unquestionable victory each time, earning the right."
"Swift Dao Clash?" Wei Wuyin's interest was piqued. He hadn't heard of that before.
"A Swift Dao Clash is when two or more Creationists battle it out using three days to concoct the same product, find some flaws in methods and offer improvements, or forge a specific armament or talisman. Typically, for alchemists, it uses a rule of four-grades lesser. So Mortal Sovereign Alchemists use three days to concoct fifth-grade products to their greatest limits. The winner produces the better product. It's generally won by the narrowest of margins, making it extremely intense." Cao Cuifen had opened Wei Wuyin's eyes to a new type of contest, rapid and efficient.
Wei Wuyin asked, "Would the Cauldron be contestable if Qingye Ying didn't become an in-name disciple?"
"Huh?" Cao Cuifen felt odd hearing the question, but she answered nevertheless: "The Pure Excellence Cauldron is a sign of true discipleship and said to contain the legacy of the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint; according to the rules left behind, the in-name disciple must prove themselves the best Alchemic Soul of their generation amongst those in the academy to possess it. If not, it will go to the capable, so no—without Qingye Ying, the Pure Excellence Cauldron would still be gathering pitiful dust."
Liu Suyin didn't find this strange or unfair. It was another trial for Qingye Ying to prove herself, and considering the status of the Myriad Transformations Alchemic Saint, there were bound to be many layers after.
"..." However, Wei Wuyin's eyes glinted with profound light. Qingye Ying was destined to lose here. After all, Tian Xiaolu was a Blessed with an absurd amount of Karmic Luck. How could this not be a heavenly-designed opportunity?
Wait.
"What if it's a tie?" Wei Wuyin suddenly asked.
"A tie?" Cao Cuifen reeled slightly, startled by the question as it had never occurred to her that something like that could or would happen. It was extremely, extremely difficult to reach a tie in an All-Alchemic Clash due to how it was structured, but not impossible.
She recalled all the details she knew and then hesitatingly said, "Uh, they'll both have the cauldron and perceive the legacy? If only until one proves themselves better than the other. But that should be unlikely.."
"..." If Wei Wuyin was to find a fated disciple, during the trial, he would've left a critical 'key' to the true inheritance to the in-name disciple, only leaving a surface-level inheritance for those who obtained it first. Why? Because this would serve as motivation for the disciple in question to continue pursuing greatness amidst defeat. Perhaps this was just his way of thinking, but the added fuel and setback would certainly cause those destined for success despite failure to come back stronger than ever before.
If so…if he had to predict the Heavenly Daos' intentions…
Finally, the trio entered the depths where dozens of supremely rich alchemical auras were present, including those that emitted a scholarly and refined aura, and the hardened aura of forged metal, as if being tempered incessantly by flames.
Cao Cuifen's eyes lit up. They were in the furthest depths! The Dao Center! Her excitement was bubbling at this point and she fidgeted with her fingers.
"WHAT?!"
Just as they arrived, several surprised gasps of unimaginable shock resounded!