All-Ending Stellar Calamity!
"..." The name inspired mind-chilling despair, especially in those who existed, subsisted, and thrived within the body of the Dark Void, the Stellar Region. When mentioned, it felt absolute, unchangeable, and the will of the heavens.
Wei Wuyin was bombarded by these feelings as the Eye of Truth thrummed actively, his Celestial Eyes gazing upon the World's Trend, grasping the elusive and enigmatic undercurrents of the world. The information he glimpsed upon and the feeling it encapsulated was similar to the arrival of the Star-Devourer—the Tiangou!
The world's trend has shifted, flowing toward inevitable destruction.
Why hadn't he felt it before? Seen it before?
Why?
"..." Minutes passed, and Wei Wuyin was still gliding across the Dark Void at the edge of All-Fury Starfield's Void-Blank Border. He lingered with a dark, gloomy, and thoughtful expression. Seeing Wei Wuyin remain silent, especially after knowing that its words had seeped into his mind, the voice perfectly timed his next words:
"While the descent of the Endless Void Realm is pressing, we can not stop our mission. We must find an escape and free ourselves from this cage. It is our duty as cultivators to pursue life, not allow ourselves to die. We must become unchained of all fetters to become true cultivators." The voice was passionate and firm, containing a steel-like resolve that was impossible to distort. It was backed by faith in themselves and their truth, thereby containing a high charismatic appeal.
"This calamity will end us all…unless…" the voice's alluring words were inspiring and urgent, and it was hard to resist the temptation to escape the 'cage' and become a true cultivator. Sometimes the simplest of words backed by the greatest of truths was sufficient to overturn the staunchest of hearts.
Unfortunately…
"Unless we work together? Unless we find the last node, break the Sealing Array, and escape?" Wei Wuyin interrupted as his eyes regained their serenity and confidence. "Where did you hear about this calamity? The Grand Seer of the Golden Gate Pavilion?"
"...The greatest Heavenly Seer in the Sealed Regions. They've never been wrong, not once." The voice's reply was firm and backed by tempered confidence. Wei Wuyin knew that the Golden Gate Pavilion was supported by a terrifying Heavenly Seer. While he never got a chance to meet them in his alternative life as the Void Voyage Sect's Sect Master, he had learned that the entity behind them was unfathomable.
"Oh? Then, where's the third node?" Wei Wuyin grinned, folding his arms against his chest, and stared at the All-Fury Starfield with amusement.
"..."
Wei Wuyin knew the difference between being wrong and being unable to scry for specific information, but it was hard for him not to throw this jab at the 'greatest Heavenly Seer' when it was openly offered. "How do you know this All-Ending Stellar Calamity isn't a direct result of destroying the third node?"
"..."
"You probably received word that the two were separate things, huh? Well, it makes sense." Wei Wuyin was actively making overt conclusions, and the reason was obvious: he was fishing! Moreover, he was getting his answers! It couldn't be described as direct answers, but through the omnidirectional Transmission Spell the voice was using, Wei Wuyin could sense an ever-present, omnipresent Spiritual Aura. It was deliberately done to make it more difficult for him to find the original Spiritual Aura, exceedingly ingenious but also inherently flawed.
Wei Wuyin could grasp the faint mental energy fluctuations being continuously sent through the Spiritual Aura, and his acute comprehension of Mental Energies made him capable of detecting if his guesses were on-point or off-base. But this wasn't all for simply fishing for answers, but to verify his own conclusion!
'I'm the cause.' This was Wei Wuyin's belief, and it was backed by ample evidence. His knowledge of the World's Trends, the Heavenly Daos, the timing of changes through his numerous past experiences, and his comprehension of Calamities all coalesced into that theory.
'My Soul Idol Astral Tribulation was shortly followed by the change in the World's Trend. The world's awareness of information changed and reacted to the mentally conscious decisions and environmental changes caused by the Tiangou, and it extrapolated that the starfield would be threatened as it approached. The closer she got to her destination, the greater the certainty. Only when I learned of this calamity did the World's Trend change. From the world's perspective, it must believe that I'll cause this so-called All-Ending Stellar Calamity, but only after I've learned about it. I wonder why.
If my guess is correct, then the Heavenly Daos must be planning this All-Ending Stellar Calamity, and the world is a step late on what it's planning. The 'World'...' Wei Wuyin's thoughts flowed naturally, and he settled on the being that resembled himself—the World Avatar.
He faced and defeated this avatar in his Realm World Astral Tribulation. This 'World' must be the existence that the Eye of Truth was perceiving, an Unseen Divinity. Wei Wuyin, after all this time, finally pieced this together. It was hard not to see it after coming to this realization, but only after grasping a greater understanding of these intelligent beings of unimaginable power did it come easier to him.
But his theory left the only tangible possibility: the Heavenly Daos' future intentions were to have him bring an end to the Sealed Regions! He didn't know how or why or when, but the Heavenly Daos must have been working their strings across the world, making everything fall into place before consuming sufficient amounts of Karmic Luck for him to obtain a fortuitous encounter. This was the first time Wei Wuyin had predicted a Karmic Luck Event prematurely.
Now, he was at a crossroads.
Stop this All-Ending Stellar Calamity.
Cause this All-Ending Stellar Calamity.
The first option would allow him to maintain all his current plans for the Sealed Regions, using them as he originally intended, excavating all its secrets, and preparing for the eventual and unavoidable future.
The second option might allow him to exploit an absurdly massive fortuitous encounter, obtaining unimaginably high benefits. The potential gains might eclipse the entire Sealed Region's worth, especially considering the scope and stakes.
Wei Wuyin glanced at his Bloodline of Sin tattoo for a long moment. There was also a third possibility.
To benefit from the beginning of the All-Ending Stellar Calamity, then prematurely ending it, and save the Sealed Regions in the process—exploit the situation.
Take it all.
However, as an Exploitative Blessed, he knew that opportunities could easily become deadly, so threading that needle to carefully secure all those benefits while protecting what he wished to protect would be a strenuous task requiring preparation, intelligence, foresight, and strength.
As he grew stronger and stronger, the Heavenly Daos could no longer properly assess the fortuitous encounters that could benefit him. While it might be blind to his Bloodline of Sin and some of his tremendous powers, the strength that he'd revealed, the things seen by the 'World' must be within its view and knowledge. If so, then his Nexus War Flag, the ten thousand Earthly Saints, the absurdly high amount of material wealth, and everything else he'd revealed was known. If so, then the situation, as an Exploitative Blessed, will definitely require all these things and more to properly exploit.
It had been a while since the Heavenly Daos had plotted a way for him to profit, especially since the last time required him to be sent to the World Beyond the Fold. There was likely no legacy befitting him, no rogue planet lingering in the world containing peerlessly valuable materials, or a cultivator that could benefit him by giving him the direction that he didn't have access to already.
As his Karmic Luck continued to rise, so did the Heavenly Daos' influence to benefit him relative to his revealed status, potential, and strength.
Wei Wuyin's grin faded, his eyes growing increasingly icy. "You asked me if I wanted you to stop your mission? I've decided on my answer."
"Regardless of which event happens, your chances of survival will be even less than ours. Know that." The voice tried to remind Wei Wuyin that the threat of the Endless Void Realm and the All-Ending Stellar Calamity were both capable of turning all his plans and life to dust. The Endless Void Realm will certainly not spare him, especially given how abnormal he is.
Wei Wuyin's eyes shone with pitying light, "You're completely wrong about that. Why would they do anything but kneel and beg me to open a higher path forward with gleeful smiles? I can easily become the next King of Everlore of the Sealed Regions. Know that." He spat right back at him, revealing his greatest advantage in the cultivation world.
"...?!" The voice didn't speak, but Wei Wuyin could feel the "WHAT?!" through its Spiritual Aura.
"Now, to answer your question: If I can use you, control you, benefit from you, then you can survive and continue to live a rat's life pursuing your elusive cheese. If I can't, then I'd rather kill you myself and rid my world of your stench. I don't need you to complete your so-called mission, simply lower your head or give me a reason to take it." Wei Wuyin coldly stated. "So there are only two paths—choose."
"..."
"..."
"Do you really think we fear you? That you can eradicate us?" The voice spoke with an imposing tone, no longer having any hint of amicability. It had become completely hostile!
Kree!
Bai Lin readied for battle!
"Please, oh please, give me the chance to show you that I can," Wei Wuyin pleaded with a blistering cold voice, exuding waves of killing intent. Trueborn was one of the main threats to the Sealed Region's stability, and they had shattered the second node over half a century sooner than he anticipated. The experiences of his other self were too divergent from now, so he had to adapt to survive all these changes.
"..."
"..."
Right now, not only was Wei Wuyin at a crossroads that might determine the future of the Sealed Regions, but the leader of Trueborn was at a crossroads to determine Trueborn's future!