Wei Wuyin felt his mind swirl back through time, as vivid as his breath, as he immersed himself once again in those memories.
Shortly after Wei Wuyin had swept through his alternative version's memories, using his power to end his life in the most peaceful and gentlest manner possible, he had grasped the one hundred and twenty-eight years of lifetime memories through his Alchemic Eden Force. He had already experienced the first sixty years before, just before the River of Time Tribulation had fully taken hold and brought him to that uniquely isolated spacetime.
For him, this was his Temporal River Astral Tribulation, a result of his four Astral Souls provoking the greatest tribulation imaginable given the circumstances. Considering he was in a Time Vortex, he was swallowed by its central-most area containing the purest and most profound degree of time energies there in an instance—Isolated Time Energy. His Astral Souls, mostly Kratos, had tried to stop it but alas they failed despite their efforts.
For the scarred Wei Wuyin, this was his River of Time Earthly Gate Tribulation, initiated under similar circumstances but as an Ascended being, and thus caused them to unintentionally meet together. Fortunately, the rules of the tribulation greatly benefited him and equalized the battlefield.
The suave version of himself was merely targeted by the River of Time due to matching the requisites of the River of Time's Tribulation. According to his memories, after success in this tribulation, during one's lifetime, just a single time, they would face an alternative version of themselves to determine something called a 'Core Timeline'.
Even now, neither of them understood what that meant. It simply was another tribulation within a tribulation. Moreover, it wasn't meant for those beneath the Resonant Soul Realm, the cultivation realm beyond the Mystic Ascension Realm!
After Wei Wuyin had grasped those years, the River of Time began to quiver and shake, promptly alerting him of his expulsion. He didn't react much, already knowing from his suave counterpart's memories that this was the outcome. So he simply waited, but as he was sent hurtling back to his original world, the memories kept flooding through his mind, and he reached a certain point.
It could be encapsulated in a single file of memory that could, mentally, be pictured as being labeled as: "Magi." The compartmentalized information seemed to have been deliberately created by his alternative self. But he didn't feel any maliciousness within this action; in fact, he felt a warmth filled with hope and kind intentions.
This was purely based on the mental fluctuations that tainted this set of memories during its creation and condensing, causing Wei Wuyin to realize that this was a deliberate construct.
At the time, he didn't know why the suave version of himself would take such careful action, but when he delved into it to finally explore the secrets of what it meant, he re-entered his world and found himself enveloped by an impossibly horrific eradicating power! It felt as if the heavens were rejecting him, refusing to allow him to exist in this world!
Paradoxical Correction!
The intensity, the feeling, and the irresistible power were something that he had felt once before. It still caused him to experience cold shivers from time to time. Was there something wrong?! The last time he felt this was during the time he had likely 'accidentally' traversed through time using his Void Bloodline.
Was this due to visiting the River of Time?!
While his panic was fully justified, it was entirely inconsequential as the power only swam around him as if it were sinister sharks circulating about, determining if it was prey or not. The feeling was uncomfortable to sense, but he didn't feel as if he was about to be wiped off the face of the earth for violating the laws of the heavens.
Within this brief moment, likely can be condensed into a centisecond, Wei Wuyin felt a familiar, comforting force envelop him protectively, engulfing him whole, and providing a type of warmth to his soul. It was a wisp of Mortal Dao Aura!
Then, and only then, did Wei Wuyin realize that this was the process of succeeding in his Temporal River Astral Tribulation, successfully entering into the Temporal Eye Phase, becoming a Timelord, and was about to receive the benefits of that success. He calmed down instantly.
In truth, if Wei Wuyin's cultivation base and senses weren't so abnormally powerful, especially having experienced this type of god-like eradicating force once before, he would have never felt the power that resembled the force that fueled the Paradoxical Correction. Instead, he would've felt a sensation of intense reverence and a sense of worship towards time and the Astral Tribulations.
Wei Wuyin was curious how his tribulation would benefit him given that he completed the River of Time Tribulation, a type of tribulation meant for cultivators far beyond the Mortal Dao. In the Realm World Phase, his Worldly Domain could prematurely grasp mystic-graded Light Energies, Mana, and Ambient Energies. Moreover, his Domain Seed actively absorbed these types of energies to elevate its state.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that his Domain Seed was the pinnacle of a Domain Seed, the apex of the Mortal Dao, seizing the Mystic Dao by its edges and pulling it down. It was fascinating, and it allowed him to concoct transcendent-quality alchemical products without using the volatile Mystic-graded materials or forces like the Nirvanic Flames that could kill mortals if they consumed it.
After this heaven-defying transformation, Wei Wuyin could be genuinely considered a Mortal Saint Alchemist, capable of freely concocting transcendent-quality products at will without any external help or materials. In the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, when it came to concocting transcendent products, he was unmatched.
Now, he faced a far stronger tribulation that was only considered easy due to how weak his other selves were.
Wei Wuyin recalled the specifics of the Temporal Eye Astral Tribulation. When completed, it was said that time energy will refine the Mind's Eye, and this would inevitably affect the Sea of Consciousness, which will reflect the world through one's eyes.
These time energies could be considered as Past and Future Time Energy, lacking the three other types—Present, Isolated, and Paradoxical. Much like how the Spatial Resonance Phase was concentrated on Fixed-type Spatial Energy and Realm World Phase was Stable-type Spatial Energy, the Temporal Eye Phase was limited to those two, setting the foundations of a few abilities.
The power of Temporal Dissonance manipulated Past and Future Energies; it can cause an enemy to perceive the past or future sequences of temporal events, unable to react to an attack or react far too swiftly, disturbing their momentum or causing others to forcefully exhaust their power without the user unleashing a single attack.
This distorting power made them typically invincible to those at the Realm World Phase and below. If one couldn't resist this power, they would be struck without being able to defend or exhaust themselves against ultimate attacks that were never unleashed.
Soon, the time energies of the Time Vortex seemed to seethe wildly, drawn to him by the Mortal Dao Aura as if beckoned by a gentle God, surging towards him without the slightest resistance. He readily accepted it as he placed that Magi memory file aside.
Without his will, the Mortal Dao Aura sliced at his glabella, opening a scar-like gate to his Sea of Consciousness. The time energies were varied, including Present Energies, and they were filtered and refined by the Mortal Dao Aura's protective layer, and then entered his Sea of Consciousness.
His four Astral Souls were releasing scintillating spiritual light as they resonated with this power. Shockingly, the time energies didn't immediately rush toward his Mind's Eye, the sole gateway to his innermost self and soul, slowly being pulled by his Astral Souls.
They were all cooperating as they split the work effort. Wei Wuyin could feel the seriousness of their attitudes, completely composed and silent as they toiled fiercely to drag along each ray of temporal light. When he inspected his Astral Souls, he felt that they were acting like strongmen pulling a freighter on flatland without wheels, struggling with all their might.
And they brought these energies to themselves, absorbed them, and began to refine them as the glimmer of temporal light shone across their Astral Cores. He delved further into Eden's Astral Core, realizing that the Domain Seed was like a ravenous little monster, devouring the time energies without restraint. However, Eden was careful and split off what it had taken, leaving about 70% to the Domain Seed and 30% to the Astral Core, hence the shine of temporal light.
This method was taken by the other Astral Souls too. Wei Wuyin warmly smiled, reminding himself once again that while he had his own path of cultivation, when it came to these tribulations and their benefits, this was their show. He no longer minded being ignorant of their actions, even finding it curious.
But what Wei Wuyin didn't know was that his Astral Souls were devouring the quintessential energies of the Time Vortex, a byproduct of a Heavenly Treasure that only those at the peak of the Mystic Ascendant Realm could create. The temporal light was mystic-graded time energies in its purest and densest form.
Even in the vast World Beyond the Fold, one would be hard-pressed to find a greater grade of time energy.
Moreover, his Seed of Time Law was thrumming as it worked to impart them with the tiniest of authority over time, allowing this to happen!
Kratos was the mastermind behind this alarming risk. It was even greater than provoking the World! The World conjured a single avatar that nearly killed them with a half-stretched finger. While there wasn't a terrifying existence to face, the act was equally as mighty!
However, this was solely their independent action, seizing benefits from opportunity. The benefits of the Temporal Eye Phase hadn't even begun yet!
This process lasted a full three hours, completely saturating the four Astral Cores in rich temporal light, causing his body to glisten with it as well. At the moment, he was perfectly camouflaged with the Time Vortex. After having their fill, the Astral Souls no longer drew the time energies their way, allowing it to follow its natural course and enter his Mind's Eye through his Sea of Consciousness.
A cool sensation erupted from between his brow. It felt extremely comfortable, and he could simply enjoy this. After tribulations ended, the resulting benefits were never discomforting, only giving one pleasure and ecstasy, causing cultivation and its continuous successes extremely addictive—like a drug.
"Now!" An unexpected roar of four different voices broke Wei Wuyin out of his thoughts as he felt his Astral Souls make another move. They connected, jointly forming lines of Spiritual Light that vibrated. The sound resembled the Law of Time Seed's thrumming but at a different frequency.
Wei Wuyin's eyes explosively widened as he felt the Seed of Time Law that was tethered to Kratos and his fleshy heart move. The lines of Spiritual Light twisted around the Seed of Time Law and began to aggressively push it, stretching it abnormally, and it traversed through his body, pulled by Eden at his Sea of Consciousness, and then thrown into his Mind's Eye.
He could've sworn he heard Ori's voice as it hurtled toward his Mind's Eye.
It was…
"Yeet!"
While it might have been his imagination…surely, it was his imagination.
Then, at the exact time it entered his Mind's Eye, a familiar aura of the River of Time began to manifest all around Wei Wuyin, and that strange heavenly power of Paradoxical Correction was drawn his way, carrying with it that River of Time's aura of Isolated and Paradoxical Energies! The same energies that allowed him to meet two of Wei Wuyins!
It was for the briefest of moments, barely enough for him to perceive. In fact, by the time he felt it, the aura was no longer existing! The River of Time was leaving behind the slightest trace of Isolated and Paradoxical Time Energies within his Temporal Eye. If it succeeded, what type of amazing benefits will he possess?
Could he perceive alternative versions of time? Could he isolate a person's perception? Could he…
There were so many possible possibilities!
If it were to be compared on a scale of tangible benefits, then likely no other tribulation would come close in terms of practical usage. Not even his minor control over mystic-graded forces! In theory, anyway.
But the two wisps of these time energies were ruthlessly devoured by the Seed of Time Law, intercepted in such a perfectly calculated manner that it snagged it like an experienced fisherman. If Wei Wuyin didn't know better, this was always their plan!
ROAR!
Kratos' roar was downright tyrannical.
"Tch." King took immediate action. He instantly used his Omega Saber Soul Light to flow through the lines of Spiritual Light, and then Ori supported him from behind, reinforcing King's power with her infinitely compatible power, and they pulled until the Seed of Time Law was dragged out of his Mind's Eye. It rapidly zipped until it returned to his heart, whereby Kratos unleashed another roar that re-tethered the seed.
"Did you guys…?"
"Just wait!" Eden shouted uncharacteristically. There was a heavy tone of manic insanity within its voice. Wei Wuyin instantly went silent, realizing the show wasn't over yet!
The Seed of Time Law was dark grayish and it kept thrumming ceaselessly by Kratos.
Wei Wuyin expected something amazing to happen! Something fantastical! Something heaven-defying!
But…
The Seed of Time Law simply cracked. Then, it shattered apart and vanished in what could be likened to the gentlest whimper of a cowardly mouse.
"..."
"..."
"..."
There was a long, long silence. Did it fail?
Wei Wuyin was baffled.
"Wow," Ori said in a dazed, awed voice. There was none of that typical hyper-excitement.
"Incredible," King said as well, its tone not far from Ori's. There was just a pure and simple type of awe within as if adding anything else would be a violation of a worldly law.
"Breathtaking." Eden was next.
Only Kratos was different.
"ROAR!"
"~ROAR!"
"!ROAR~"
It was a type of strange roar that felt as if it came from the distant past, from the close future, and occurred from everything everywhere all at once.
Wei Wuyin's heart pounded violently as he felt a heated rush of unknown power surge through his heart.
He looked at his two hands; there was a type of invisible power coursing through his blood and innate energies, a type of force that was unable to be resisted by all that it governed. It invoked a degree of prodigious and inviolable might—Authority.
Wei Wuyin's Temporal Eye fully solidified at this moment, and as it did, five rays of abundant power flowed.
There was Past Time Energy.
There was Future Time Energy.
There was Present Time Energy.
There was Isolated Time Energy.
There was Paradoxical Time Energy.
All five types of time energy flowed, especially the last two, far greater than the small wisps that the tribulation had Bestowed. Far, far greater.