Wu Yu stood firmly upon the Sky Destroyer's barrier, his figure cutting an image of an ever-present, unmoving guardian. After several dozen minutes had passed, the representatives of the greatest forces of the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region noticed the abnormal situation, noticing Wu Yu's presence and the irregular defensive formation.
"Grand Knight Wu Yu!"
They approached curiously and cautiously, observing the situation from a safe distance. The man that stood there was none other than the despotic and handsome Grand Knight of Neo-Dawn, and Wei Wuyin's faithful Alchemic Knight. The situation was clearly out of the ordinary.
Huoyan Liulan and Cardinal Song were together on the Inferno Solaris Church's Voidship. After the former had valiantly sided with Wei Wuyin, ready to fight against seemingly unbeatable odds, she went into a dazed stupor when the enemies vanished before her eyes. She was then persuaded to return, especially given that the situation was handled.
It felt strange to ready yourself for death and stand with your conscience, only for the deadly crisis to fizzle out into a non-issue by the one you sought to help. Still, her heart was taken aback by her choice to act in Wei Wuyin's interest. No, she wasn't acting for Wei Wuyin's sake but for Ma Zheng's.
After realizing her feelings, she was left to face the truth in her heart. The man she had a daughter with for future purposes and benefits had wormed his way into her heart, penetrating its depths, similarly to how he'd done in other ways. The thought caused the middle-aged woman to blush, gaining a sight of youthful spring beauty that had long since faded.
Seeing Wu Yu standing upon the Imperial Clan's Sky Destroyer, she couldn't help but feel her heart palpitate.
"Is he insane? Don't tell me Alchemic Sovereign Wei intends to act against the Imperial Clan. He's even preventing them from leaving! Or maybe…they're not waiting fearlessly for him?" Cardinal Song was just as confused as everyone else. The strength of a Sky Destroyer was peerless, and even Earthly Saints feared dealing with them.
They had something cultivator's didn't—potentially unlimited Mystic Energy. While every iota of a cultivator's energy was precious, requiring high amounts of time and meticulous refinement, the powers of a Sky Destroyer were as limited as its energy source—Mystic Essence Stones. In the entire Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, the undisputed organization with the highest number of Mystic Essence Stones, the one closest to the Supermassive Solar Star, was none other than the Tian Clan.
Unfortunately, the spectators were unable to realize that Wu Yu had seized control of the Sky Destroyer, trapping the Earthly Saints inside ruthlessly and standing guard against any escape attempt.
"He made a move against Trueborn, pushing them to the literal edge. We can only assume what happened to those Earthly Saints. They could all be dead for all we know," said the Titanic Hell-Crushing Queen to Da Shan. She couldn't help but feel that Wei Wuyin wasn't just an era-definer but a storm of endless, unpredictable changes. A mere mortal was overturning the entire world, and beings that had transcended Mortal Limits could only wait with bated breath for his move.
The little girl, who was, in fact, an old monster of epic strength, looked at the distracted giantess of a demonic titan, shaking her head slightly. Da Shan's eyes were focused on the hazy barrier shrouding the Born True Starfield, and she didn't care in the slightest about Wu Yu's presence. "Your little husband sure is courageous," the Titanic Hell-Crushing Queen commented sighingly.
"I wouldn't be with him if he wasn't," Da Shan instinctively responded. She had fallen for Wei Wuyin after they'd fought several times in her field of expertise, especially after he, as a human, ventured into the Extreme Demon Mountain several times. Then, he crushed her again and again until she was in his bed, getting other parts of her crushed while beneath him. To her, it was only normal that Wei Wuyin was the most outstanding existence in the world.
Wasn't that what every woman wanted her man to be? Da Shan wasn't any different. In fact, she expected it.
The Titanic Hell-Crushing Queen glanced at Da Shan. "Let's hope he doesn't bite off more than he can chew; the Imperial Clan isn't Trueborn." She looked toward the Born True Starfield and quietly added, "Not even close."
Inside the Sky Destroyer, the scenery was incomparably solemn, enveloped in an air of tension and rising emotions.
Kong Yi stared at Wu Yu from below. He calmly shouted: "What you're doing is directly going against the Imperial Clan. Do you understand the weight of your actions? Of your Alchemic Sovereign's actions?" While he seemed calm, his heart was rousing with anger. This was his Sky Destroyer, and he had lost control of it. In a way, this was a sign of his incompetence. Furthermore, he couldn't grasp how it was done.
Wu Yu had been talked to by those below for quite a while, but besides the first time, he hadn't responded even, when asked the same question. But this time, his eyes lit, and he glanced downwards curiously.
Seeing this responsiveness, Kong Yi continued with a tinge of solemnness: "The Empress of the Aeternal Sky Starfield is being held captive by you and your Alchemic Sovereign while you're actively threatening to harm the life of Xun Yicao, an Alchemic Sovereign who has been loyal to our Imperial Clan for thousands of years, who offered irrefutable and incalculable amounts of merit to the current regime of the strongest clan in the world. If the world knew of these humiliating actions, our Divine Emperor's only response would be a swift, ferocious retaliation.
"This would be our only response. Do you understand that? However, if you concede your method of taking over the Sky Destroyer, I'll advocate for leniency to the Divine Emperor, and we'll openly accept it as simply youthful arrogance and confidence. I'm sure the Divine Emperor will understand a lapse in judgment from high-rise emotions." Kong Yi patiently explained the situation with eloquently put words, and Xun Yicao's brightened considerably with hope. Out of them all, he was the most panicked.
Fortunately, the Imperial Clan was backing him, so he didn't need to fear Wei Wuyin. As for the thirty Earthly Saints that vanished? They were likely temporarily sealed, but that's that. Earthly Saints were notoriously difficult to kill, and if they had been killed, the preceding event would have likely been far more explosive.
Wu Yu's brow lifted slightly. After a little while, he faintly smiled and said: "I don't know if you're being purposefully ignorant or simply outrageously overconfident." Those words caused the crew on board to have astonished and disbelieving expressions. The Divine Emperor's name was brought into the conversation and the Grand Knight of Neo-Dawn simply fearlessly shrugged it off with a smile?
While the representatives outside could not hear Kong Yi's side of the conversation, they all felt the spiritually transmitted message of Wu Yu, and they were still equally amazed! Because wasn't this the same as challenging the Sky Destroyer and those on board?
The Empress!
The Empress of the Aeternal Sky Starfield, the Empress of the Imperial Clan, the wife of the strongest cultivator of the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, was on that ship! It seemed Wei Wuyin was going to act against the Imperial Clan! How could they not be startled into disbelief?
"But why?" Cardinal Song could not grasp why Wei Wuyin would try to take on the Imperial Clan at the nascent stages of his development. Wasn't this too premature? It didn't seem likely.
Tian Muyang's brows were deeply furrowed, nearly vertical, and his gaze never left Empress Xiaocheng. She had been absurdly calm throughout, patiently waiting for something. Was it Wei Wuyin?
Tian Lingyu surreptitiously sent Tian Muyang a transmission, "Do you think the Empress will turn over Xun Yicao to Wei Wuyin to appease him?" Tian Muyang also thought that what she said was possible. Wei Wuyin had just displayed heaven-shaking means, and he outright stole a Sky Destroyer from under their noses. If they fought against him, who knew if he could take all their Sky Destroyers?
Wei Wuyin could self-detonate them all, taking all the crew and even the Sky Monarch piloting it with them. That would severely weaken the Imperial Clan's might. Moreover, Trueborn had an expert that could utilize Mystic Heart Intent, a power they thought solely belonged to the Divine Emperor up to this point. Furthermore, that figure might either be getting killed or negotiating with Wei Wuyin at this moment! Regardless of which, it wasn't a good sign for the Imperial Clan.
Why?
Because while they watched this all unfold, Tian Muyang, an Earthly Saint, was unable to figure out how Wei Wuyin had done any of it. How his Fire Phoenix had nearly unlimited power and could drive a massive Starfield-wide Array to the brink, how thirty Earthly Saints vanished without a trace, or how their Sky Destroyer was seized! He had no answers!
Not one!
How can you fight an enemy whose limits and means you have no idea of? Fortunately, Tian Muyang had no intentions of making an enemy out of the Saintmaker. He could only hope the Imperial Clan held the same feelings.
"..." Empress Xiaocheng remained silent.
"Oh?" Wu Yu was about to speak more, but he halted as he looked at the Born True Starfield's Unchained World Aegis Array's protective barrier started to visibly recede. It was deactivating!
Attention zoomed towards the Born True Starfield as a man and a beast flew out, entirely unharmed, filled with energy, carrying the joint image of an immortal myth, streaking toward them without any tension or haste. The very sight carried heavy meaning!
Trueborn…
…had lost.
As for what that 'lost' entitled, be it a negotiation with them on the backfoot or the death of their Leader, they had unquestionably suffered defeat. The clandestine organization that took control of four starfields with indescribable swiftness and then established a new dominating power, who revealed themselves as likely only weaker than the Imperial Clan with thirty Earthly Saints, had lost to a mere mortal!
Wu Yu nodded; this was his Alchemist, and he felt proud that he had made the correct decision that day to follow him. Given Long Chen's disposition, given how short of a time it's been, it would've been impossible for him to reach this level of dominance, degree of reputation, or possess such tremendous strength.
Wei Wuyin might not be the Grand Monarch that could dominate with their strength, but he was certainly an Ascendant Emperor capable of ushering and producing countless changes with his momentum.
Two decades.
That's all it took.
Empress Xiaocheng watched Wei Wuyin's approach while Xun Yicao continuously calmed himself by relying on the name and image of the Divine Emperor. He was of the Imperial Clan, and any harm to himself will be harming the Imperial Clan's interests and face! Additionally, Kong Yi was beside him.
Wei Wuyin stopped where the representatives' Voidships were spatially anchored; he stood upright like a heaven-supporting pillar, his arms behind his back and his silver eyes sweeping across the fleet of Voidships whose original intentions were to place shackles on his person, forcing him to fall in line, all so that they could rest easy.
Some even feared that Wei Wuyin would go hostile, glancing at Wu Yu with gulping sounds. If Wu Yu acted against them, only a few could safely protect them from his wrath. But their fears were pointless as Wei Wuyin clasped his hands and slightly bowed.
"To all those who've stood for me today, I leave you with this promise: I'll never forget it." His solemn, earnest spoken words caused Cardinal Song and the rest to feel shocked. Then, he lifted himself and swept his gaze across everyone once again, "To those who've come as neutral parties, I will respect your decision from now until the end of my life."
"..."
"..."
"Heh." The Titanic Hell-Crushing Queen sneered, thinking that Wei Wuyin was extremely vengeful. Was this not saying that from now until his death, there would never be a deeper relationship between them outside of typical business?! With one move, they've ruined all their prospects with him. Well, given their intentions coming here, it made sense to firmly establish that stance.
This was why others wanted Mythical Oaths placed on him, to force equality of treatment without favoritism, as other Alchemist Associations had to swear. If Wei Wuyin became the next King of Everlore or remotely close in the future, weren't they forever screwed?!
Then, Wei Wuyin no longer bothered with them, and Bai Lin flew towards the sealed Sky Destroyer. Wu Yu greeted him as 'Young Lord' respectfully, and Wei Wuyin replied with a hint of a smile. He landed atop the Sky Destroyer, ignoring the gazes of those below him.
Only after Wu Yu and Wei Wuyin exchanged a few updates on the situation did the latter finally look down, spotting Xun Yicao, and as he did, his eyes became ferociously glacial. It was time to end this waste of Alchemic Talent.
With the Sky Destroyer's Array, there were many ways it could be done. Just as he was about to give Wu Yu an order, a voice resounded with an imperialistic tone of authority.
"Wait!"