The River of Time!!!
Wei Wuyin hadn't been able to react as a formless power froze him in a literal instant, so powerful that even the Heavenly Daos' usage of Present Time Energies to freeze the universe vastly paled when compared! This wasn't the Heavenly Daos using the power of time, but the manifestation of time ITSELF using its own power!
There was no comparison at all!
A frightening power that bore a resemblance to Paradoxical Correction formed, and it enveloped Wei Wuyin instantly. It was genuinely in an instant, as there was no time between its manifested existence and the progression of the world.
He was enveloped without being able to react, only capable of sensing through his soul, and solely due to the Minor Law of Time that formed a bridge of sorts between his soul and the heavens alerting him!
"Haaa…" An ancient, benevolent sigh echoed throughout the world.
Vrrrrr!
Suddenly, the Eye of Truth, Eye of Illusion, Eye of Immortality, and the Eye of Creation began to vibrate at such a frequency that even the dead could hear. The sound transcended time, space, life, and death and caused Wei Wuyin's silver eyes to erupt in a volcanic-like explosion of spiritual radiance!
The entire Time Vortex shook!
"You're quite the little troublemaker, huh?" A voice that instilled incomparable warmth and comfort resounded in the depths of Wei Wuyin's soul. The gentleness within sublimated his existence, and he felt himself grow lighter, freer.
The River of Time wanted to eradicate him! He didn't know why, but the voice was like a guardian's tightest hug, and the horror and terror of death were expunged by its presence.
In his state of suspension, the voice kept speaking to Wei Wuyin's soul. "First, you dare to look at the inner workings of the Heavenly Daos. Now, you impatiently find a way to link your Karma with my own? Far, far before you're ready. A brazen yet praiseworthy child, I must say."
Like an elder half-heartedly chiding a child with amusement, the voice echoed out. The River of Time that Wei Wuyin could not perceive, only slightly sense, began to recede its killing will with an unwillingness that snapped at his soul. Despite the receding will, the desire to annihilate was ever-present!
With the Minor Time Law achieved by fully awakening his Seed of Law, Wei Wuyin's soul had already deeply resonated with the Law of Time, including its manifestation—the River of Time. He could feel it due to its extremely close proximity! He also could feel that while the River of Time had stayed its hand, it wasn't going to leave!
His heart quivered. If the River of Time refused to free him, he would forever be trapped within the Time Vortex or likely placed under its power, regressing or progressing at such a rate that his existence would simply…vanish.
"Oh?" The ancient voice spoke out curiously, but it wasn't directed at Wei Wuyin. "You're hurt."
"This child is a little impatient; how about I repair your damage, and then we'll turn this into a forgettable event?" The ancient voice bargained, but there wasn't any hint of pleading, merely an earnest will filled with good intentions and a hope for unity. It was hard to say no.
"..."
Wei Wuyin could feel the River of Time quiver ever-so-slightly. His understanding of the River of Time, gained from two lives, from two different tribulations, had been overturned as it felt like a living entity! He had the urge to gulp, knowing his life was on the line.
He also knew that the ancient voice wanted him to be privy to this conversation. If not, he would've been frozen at this point in time despite having the Void Dragon Bloodline or Minor Authority of Time Law.
"See? Wasn't so bad." The ancient voice said with a wisp of a chuckle, filled with heart and acceptance. It truly was hard to find ill feelings from it.
Instantly, Wei Wuyin's flow of time resumed. He breathed heavily, cold sweat drenching his back and forehead, and his silver eyes illuminated his area of the Time Vortex with raw, forceful spiritual light. With a heavy shut of his eyelids, he restrained that radiance.
"Karmic Laws shouldn't be casually disregarded, little one. Ah, you're still a mortal." The ancient voice spoke profoundly, only to realize that Wei Wuyin was still too young to know what any of that meant.
"..." Wei Wuyin caught his breath. He could still feel his soul quivering from fear, but his will forced him to settle his thoughts and emotions, exerting tremendous strength to ask: "Why?!"
He wanted to say more, but all his power could barely form a single word.
"Why? Hm." The ancient voice made a thoughtful sound. Wei Wuyin was confident that this existence that he felt was none other than Fuxi, the same being that saved him once before, wouldn't answer. But much to his surprise, he received a response!
"Normally, your actions wouldn't have caused such a tremendous reaction from the little river. But, you tried to gain knowledge beyond your means using Paradoxical Linking— sharing knowledge between Nebulous Timelines. You might not understand now, but in doing so, you have infected the little river with karma it was unwilling to possess, forming ties it refused to hold.
"In the simplest explanation, you implicated the little river by your careless actions. Isn't it normal for it to be mad?" At the end was a hearty chuckle, and Wei Wuyin found himself unable to disagree. He understood some things, especially when they related to Karmic Ties.
The Bloodline of Sin and Karmic Luck Value related to Karmic Fortune and Calamity. The River of Time wanted to kill him because the alternative version of himself had shared information using its power as its foundation! He understood that much.
He didn't blame the River of Time; he had no right or power to!
"You understand. Quite intelligent, little one." The ancient voice said smilingly. "Let me take this away; You'll learn of it when it's right, not a moment sooner or later."
Wei Wuyin felt the memory file of Magi left behind by his suave variant dissipate into nothing. It was gone! However, he didn't feel forlorn by this lack of knowledge, only relief that he was still breathing.
The River of Time was an existence that vastly exceeded what his own Karmic Luck Value could warn against. He imagined he would need an absurdly high value before the Heavenly Daos' would take action to save him or warn him, such as when it sent a Blessed through time…
Through time…
He couldn't help but recall the Black Skeleton's words when the Temporal Reincarnator's phenomenon occurred: "You can kill the reincarnated, taking their karmic luck value and the piece of damaged Heavenly Dao for yourself or allow them to live!"
The last bit, did the Heavenly Daos simultaneously damage itself and the River of Time to send back the Temporal Reincarnator? If so, did the Temporal Reincarnator's existence grant him an escape from death? He wasn't certain, but the River of Time seemed to refuse to back down despite Fuxi's arrival.
"This will be the last time we meet before you've performed your Rite of Passage, little one. Don't take too many risks or too heavy shortcuts." After saying this, the voice vanished, and the presence that Wei Wuyin felt from the depths of his soul disappeared just as quickly.
He heaved a heavy, very heavy sigh as his body began to float within the Time Vortex. Wei Wuyin couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed yet also…oddly at ease. Perhaps his horizons were simply too broad, his Heart of Cultivation too firm, but he wasn't too shaken by all this.
He took it all in stride, already thinking about other things now that he knew his life wasn't in any immediate danger. Digesting everything that happened, Wei Wuyin swore to be more careful.
"Yes," Eden echoed.
"Tch." King acted as King acted.
"..." Kratos was silent, uncharacteristically so, yet Wei Wuyin could feel its emotions were the most chaotic of the four. The River of Time was a part of the Void Dao, and Kratos might be a Void Dragon Spirit but the innate superiority the River of Time held over it was there.
"Is he gone? Like, gone gone?" Ori shyly asked.
Wei Wuyin warmly smiled, replying: "Yeah."
"Gone gone gone?" Ori sought another confirmation.
Wei Wuyin chuckled softly, "He's gone gone gone." After feeling the wave of relief Ori released, Wei Wuyin closed his eyes and rested. He felt tired. Extremely tired.
He decided to rest here for a bit. Afterward, he'll set a lethal trap.
While they hadn't done anything to him yet in this timeline, he refused to give them the slightest chance. Especially not that bitch.
-----
Back to the present.
Wei Wuyin rested in his wicker chair as he fiddled with his Saint Ring, his thoughts seemingly preoccupied with something else. He had just gotten word of Du Ling's victorious efforts, and the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit was coming to its conclusion. There would still be certain benefits that the Everlore Association had planned to give to the Chosen, Immortal Saintesses, and Immortal Heroes, but they were relatively inconsequential to him.