Chapter 1718: The Vast, The Pure, and the Utmost (4)
Chapter 1718: The Vast, The Pure, and the Utmost (4)
The Dao Enforcer stayed as a silent observer throughout Wei Wuyin's series of questions, only listening intently to the situation. While the explanation mattered little to them, they still remained attentive and dutiful, sending snippets of transmissions as reports detailing all developments. Their actions did not go unnoticed.
Wei Wuyin studied the Alchemic Edict for a little while before sending it back with a swish of his left sleeve. Then, he couldn't help but internally self-mock his lack of thorough inspection of White Sky. While he understood that he hadn't taken it a step further and inspected her physical body out of a subconscious aversion due to her child-like body—especially in such a sensitive region—a problem that wouldn't have existed if she was a soulless corpse, it still reminded him that it was best to dispel those thoughts lest they hinder or expose him to great dangers later.
The Dao Enforcer retrieved the Alchemic Edict. After ensuring it hadn't been tampered with or had its Utmost Purity Mist reduced by any acts of theft, they furled the edict and allowed it to hover above their right shoulder like a gentle beacon of supreme authority. They hadn't issued any orders to the vessels aiming their offensive formations toward the Minor Elysium nor lowered their guard against a potential escape attempt. They only afforded Wei Wuyin a modicum of respect warranted by galactic law and his grand identity as a possessor of the Alchemic Stars of Transcendent Purity.
White Sky had largely calmed down as her blushing complexion remained. She didn't dare to take out the White Heaven Jewel given its current location.
"Will you be escorting us?" Wei Wuyin asked the Dao Enforcer.
The Dao Enforcer nodded directly.
Then, Wei Wuyin gestured for him to do so. The Dao Enforcer didn't hesitate. The dozens of vessels projected Spiritual chains that latched onto the side of Minor Elysium and Hidden Wind, enveloping them like a boa constrictor, sending disruptive waves of spiritual energy and hindering all except the atmospheric, life-sustaining formations.
Wei Wuyin glanced at Pakhet. Pakhet pointed her finger several times at those cultivating on board, and they were enshrouded by a hazy golden mist that blocked all those waves. Wei Wuyin was quite satisfied by her intuitive understanding of his desires with minimal communication. The Dao Enforcer's aura started to seethe with activity, but after seeing Pakhet aim her mystic power toward those on board, their intensity lowered slightly. The vessels had already been on the verge of unleashing their attacks, only halted by the lack of orders.
Who could have possibly imagined that entering the Utmost Purity Galaxy would be met with such a strange event? Especially this hostile welcome? Even if they offended Azureriver, an Alchemic Edict was not something that could be used for personal grudges and losses. So not even Wei Wuyin had expected this development even if they had some powerful, incredible means of instantaneous communication and power to decipher their identities while predicting their arrival.
It couldn't elicit the issuing of an Alchemic Edict. Minor Elysium and Hidden Wind began to be pulled along. Since White Sky was a prisoner, they were her 'associates in crime' until further clarification by the appropriate authorities, so they too would be treated the same until then. It was also why Wei Wuyin could exert his authority as a possessor of the Alchemic Stars of Transcendent Purity because he was already involved and not a bystander. The only reason their cultivation bases weren't sealed was only due to their willingness to surrender and the discretion of the Dao Enforcer.
"..." Wei Wuyin's brows furrowed.
Meanwhile, Nepri couldn't help but ask:
"World-Saint White Sky, were you aware of this Swift Dao Clash?"
It was strange that this unfolded and she was largely ignorant of the outcome. However, Nepri was unaware that White Sky had left with Sage Springfield urgently and then was kept inside Wei Wuyin's void ring without being able to do anything else but talk to the similarly sealed Overlord Tigerheart. As for trying to escape? She didn't even think about it. Wei Wuyin had spared her once, but damaging his treasures to try to escape in a foreign galaxy was all but a death sentence she wouldn't agree to.
White Sky thoughtfully said with a voice rife with frustration,
"I was aware of an Alchemic Clash occurring between my Sea & Sky Institute and the Soothing Jade Institute, but I didn't know before I departed the galaxy that it would be a Swift Dao Clash or the items wagered."
"How could you not know?" Nepit found this fact ludicrous.
White Sky pouted, her cheeks puffing up cutely,
"Azure Sea must have agreed to it. She usually handles those matters. She rarely loses too. Something must have happened that changed the situation, and she was willing to hastily wager our lineage rights and concoction method."
"Why would she accept such a hefty wager without your agreement? I heard that World-Saint Azure Sea is only a Junior Worldly Saint Alchemist, an entire rank beneath you, so how could she make such a critical decision without your knowledge?" Nepit didn't relent on the incoherence of the situation.
"That must be why they believe her departure was deliberate," Pakhet added.
"I gave her full authority to decide all matters regarding the institute before I left, okay?! She's also my senior in terms of experience and age, and she founded the institute and the foundation of our jointly shared lineage." White Sky had said before she brought the White Heaven Jewel because she thought the upcoming and abrupt journey with Sage Springfield was likely going to involve great dangers, so Nepit could only accept that White Sky would give full decision-making to her partner to not stall in case something happened.
White Sky didn't expect that they would return so quickly either. The resources that Sage Springfield had consumed to utilize the Star Bridge owned by the Incandescent Star Palace were hefty and one-way. The Star Bridge is a powerful interconnected array that uses Stellar Transit Light to transport cultivators on a galactic scale or send them outside the galaxy.
If all things went as planned, it would have taken them decades or centuries to return to the Utmost Purity Galaxy using normal travel expectations, unless they had a ship like the Minor Elysium. The Easy Spring wasn't even close to being as capable.
White Sky looked toward Wei Wuyin. She was hopeful, but she didn't know how Wei Wuyin was planning to handle this matter or if he could as a foreigner. She noticed that Wei Wuyin had a furrowed brow that was gradually sinking by the passing minute. Her heart pounded with worry.
"Is everything okay?" She asked with a gentle tone.
Only then was everyone noticing that Wei Wuyin's eyes were gloomy and progressively becoming darker, especially his complexion.
"World-Saint Neo-Dawn?" Nepri asked as well.
Wei Wuyin bared his teeth suddenly, frustration marred his unearthly handsome countenance. Pakhet's internal energies began to stir on instinct. Was Wei Wuyin planning to fight? If so, then so be it. Her eyes flashed with rowdy, primed fighting spirit that could ignite the hearts of any hot-blooded warrior.
"So…" Wei Wuyin spat,
"...slow!"
"..." White Sky.
"..." Nepri.
"..." Nepit.
"..." Imentet.
"..." Luo Ning.
"..." Pakhet.
Wei Wuyin's frustration was mounting as the tether and the void vessels carrying them were moving at roughly a few hundred miles an hour. At this incredibly slow pace, it would take them an entire year just to get to the boundary of Utmost Purity Mist. To the boundary!
What about reaching the Growth Zone? Years?! Decades?!
None of the Sages had any issue with this pace, but Wei Wuyin? He had only issues! He had barely turned a hundred years old recently, and he was constantly followed by the dreaded Calamities of Hell! As a True Void Dragon, how could he accept such a slow, snail-like speed?
"Dao Enforcer!" Wei Wuyin shouted. The Dao Enforcer was at the lead, flying toward the boundary with a steady pace, seemingly keeping his Spiritual Sense upon the Minor Elysium and Hidden Wind with utmost caution. They already noticed that one of the four Sages was seemingly getting ready for something, and they had instructed the vessels to fire at the slightest sign of abnormal movement.
They turned back, silently observing Wei Wuyin. But the unearthly handsome young man wasn't looking at them but toward a distant location. Noticing this, their heart shook.
"I'll be taking us to the Growth Zone directly," Wei Wuyin announced.
"If you take action, I'll kill you first; then, I'll settle your death by exchanging a few products with the Tower."
Without waiting for a response after giving off that domineering declaration, Wei Wuyin snapped his fingers, unleashing a burst of terrifyingly powerful Spiritual Strength.
The spiritual chains shattered into crumbling dust that sparkled with faint traces of spiritual light. The void vessels seemed ready to take action, but they all suddenly depowered without exception. After that, Wei Wuyin interfaced with his mutated Minor Spatial Law, and with a press of his palm, the Minor Elysium and Hidden Wind were enveloped in a dazzling rainbow light.
BOOM!!!
The two ships became two beams of Stellar Transit Light, perfectly mimicking the aura of the light used by Sage Springfield. They blasted forward and vanished, leaving a spatial trail of beautiful rainbow radiance in their wake. The light easily entered the boundary.
"..." The crew of the void vessels.
"..." The Dao Enforcer.
They were stunned, but then, as if they were forgotten and suddenly remembered, the Dao Enforcer's eyes widened as the Law of Space enveloped them. Just as they were about to resist with all their might out of instinct, their cultivation base, soul, Sea of Consciousness, and body froze. With the Fixed Soul Spell, the Dao Enforcer could only stare blankly as another beam of Stellar Transit Light brought them away along with the Alchemic Edict.
In the far-off distance, the Enlightened Sage-level Dao Enforcer overseeing the situation felt intense shivers down their spine.
Who is this Alchemist?!