Paragon of Sin

Chapter 1889: Chapter 1881: A Sword's Excellence

As that ninth breath was taken, inhaling prior, and exhaling after, an unforgettable scene unfolded with countless serving as witnesses. Waves of solidified and ephemeral space bellowed outwards, sending visible ripples for tens of trillions of miles. Flares of luminous light erupted incessantly, painting a portion of the galaxy a heavenly hue of flickering gold. Storming further and further out from the tribulation gate, chaos mana swirled violently out while growing thicker and bigger, touching the edges of the galactic zones' defenses in an ear-splitting screech.

An unfathomable force exuding the apex of mysticism descended upon this region of creation, heralding the arrival of a True Sage, an embodied representative of the will of Mysticism; the glorious aura that followed was unprecedentedly majestic, exemplifying cherishing of life, fearless before death, sword facing the world, and courage within the heart.

The area had long become the focal point of the galaxy, observed by all who could, and even those who couldn't; they all felt themselves mysteriously drawn to this peerless presence being born into the world, granted an indescribably generous welcome.

Suo Haoran's brows furrowed slightly, a contemplative darkness looming within his soulful gaze. On the other hand, Tianshi Ya was openly displaying her excitement and awe. While her status was extraordinary, both as a cultivator and in lineage, True Sages were not cabbages, and for every success, you can find tens of thousands of failures or millions of those who didn't have the qualifications throughout a lifetime over numerous years.

Mystic Overlords, those at the Ascended Saint Phase, were already sufficient to rule over galaxies, establish grand stellar regions stretching hundreds of thousands of starfields, and they were comparatively insignificant when True Sages entered the picture.

"A Ninth-tier True Sage right off the bat! Daoist Su's foundation is unrivaled! Extraordinary!" Tianshi Ya tugged at Suo Haoran's sleeves, her eyes gleaming with ambition and desire, hoping she could establish such pinnacle levels of cultivated foundation. The chasm-like difference between initial ascension and doing so later was not to be underestimated.

"No wonder he had the strength to rival those beyond the Mystic Ascendant Realm as a Mystic Overlord," Tianshi Ya commented emotionally.

However, while she was raving with praise, Suo Haoran's expression became increasingly cloudy, eventually turning full-blown gloomy and overcast. He said three words that caused Tianshi Ya's heart to skip a literal beat: "He's not finished."

Indeed!

Everyone was watching intently, not daring even to blink, yet the various phenomena from the Breathing Tribulation Gate weren't declining. No. It was increasing in intensity! RAPIDLY!!

The flares of golden heavenly light were flickering with greater frequency in the void. It wasn't long before those relying on spiritual sense felt blinded by the flashes of heavenly light. They were forced to recede their senses, fearing a backlash. At a certain point, even those relying on their Soul Perception to view the happenings surrounding Su Yi's tribulation gate felt discomfort.

Tianshi Ya's eyes teared up, and an excruciating pain stung her eyeballs, as if it was on the verge of exploding. She cried out, on the verge of clutching at her eyes. Suo Haoran calmly halted her, placed his entire palm over her eyes, infusing a cooling sensation from his resonant qi. All the light that had entered her gaze, to her Sea of Consciousness, penetrated her Mind's Eye, and bashed against her soul was extracted with surgical precision.

She felt relief immediately, almost crumbling to the ground if not for the strong arm wrapped around her waist. Even as a Mystic Overlord bolstered by a Microheaven Envoy who was simultaneously a Superior Sage, this was what she felt. One could only imagine the agony that others who used variant means of emulating Soul Perception felt.

Those Heavenly Saints, Mystic Overlords, and True Sages that used various spells to open their Soul Perceptions had created an opening by which the light could pierce their Mind's Eye, reach their soul, and subsequently suffer unimaginable consequences! Those who used spiritual sense were safe, given indirect protection by their weakness.

Wei Wuyin felt a tiny sting of pain too in his eyes; his Celestial Eyes of Spiritual Divinity were no different than any of those variant methods, yet his soul was sturdy to an abnormal degree, greater than some Supreme Sages. He kept observing.

"It's not over yet!" Wei Wuyin could feel his Stellar-Paragon Physique and Little Defiant react, slightly trembling as the Mystic Dao's unfathomable presence grew increasingly higher by the second. Moreover, it seemed to be affecting the heavens.

Not the Heavenly Daos.

The Heavens!

The Heavenly Realms of Laws, to be exact!

"Wha—what's happening?!" Tianshi Ya's curiosity overwhelmed her, and she asked urgently, clutching his hand with both of hers and pressing it harder on her eyes for greater relief.

Suo Haoran couldn't help but find this side of her cute, yet he couldn't find it in himself to appreciate this moment. Su Yi's situation was developing rapidly, and this was something he hadn't predicted.

It's not possible, right?

Within Wei Wuyin's mind, the Heavenly War Spirit was raving with mind-tossing astonishment. "H-he! This Su Yi is manifesting a genuine Heaven Gate!"

The Heaven Gate birthed during the Heavenly Saint Phase, the fifth stage of the Mystic Ascendant Realm, was a metaphysical replica to connect with the Heavenly Realms of Law, and then extract a scant portion of its radiance within oneself, enriching one's connection to the various laws, and allowing one to execute attacks with faint traces of the Aura of Law that those with Seeds of Laws or Minor Authority of Laws relied on to achieve heaven-defying feats.

This created the chasm-like difference in power and understanding between those at the Worldly Saint Phase and Heavenly Saint Phase, yet doing so had many difficult-to-obtain requirements.

Firstly, Mystic Heart Intent.

Secondly, an Origin State Spirit of Cultivation. Jing Jiu, the Blessed within the Battlefield, tried to cultivate a unique method known as Forsaken Zenith, Unto Origin to achieve it.

Lastly, a Seed of Law at the Nurturing Phase. This wasn't the original requirement, but a byproduct of the advancement of a cultivation society with time and study, as establishing a Heaven Gate with a Seed of Law was far easier than doing so without.

With these qualities, entering the Heavenly Saint Phase was as easy as breathing. Success was guaranteed.

However, the original third requirement was communion with the Heavenly Realms via an Edict of Revolving Heaven, the lesser form of an Edict of the Sage. Unlike the Edict of the Sage, which, alongside the advancement of society, had become a part of a Heavenly Saint's repertoire, the Edict of Revolving Heaven was simply a way to cultivate a minor link with the Heavenly Realms, and it needed Mystic Heart Intent and the Origin State.

By doing so, they were emulating the Mystic Dao, acting as a representative of its will to glimpse into the essence of the heavens, and thereby finding the characteristics of a Heaven Gate. They would then build a metaphysical replica of a Heaven Gate within their Sea of Consciousness with the assistance of the Fifth Tribulation Gate, the Heaven Tribulation Gate.

At this moment, the Mystic Dao was acting itself; it was creating a Heaven Gate, not in its Sea of Consciousness, but into reality!

A Heaven Gate connected to the Heavenly Realms!

This was unprecedented!

This was unimaginable!!

THIS WAS INSANE!!!

Why?!

How?!?!

Only Supreme Sages, those who've fully comprehended the Mystic Ascendant Realm after their ascension, understood the truth. They knew the 'why'. They knew the 'how'. They knew what this meant!

"The tenth-tier!" Suo Haoran solemnly answered.

The Heavenly Breath!

Pakhet, during her ascension, had dared to rely on her Major Authority to take a breath from the heavens, and even then, it was only an attempt, allowing her to enter a state between the ninth and tenth-tier. This was a result of her inferior foundation, which was unable to be easily solved without extensive resources and time. However, even Su Yi was taken aback by her presence.

The Heavenly Breath of an Enlightened Sage was exactly this embryonic, half-taken breath. It was not outside the norm. In fact, it was well within the range of normal. She was only at the apex of 'normal', a devilishly monstrous talent!

But to take this breath at the True Sage Phase was unprecedented! It transcended the apex of normal! It felt…impossible!

"TENTH-TIER?!" Tianshi Ya screeched in disbelief. Was this real?!

Just as those words left her lips, Suo Haoran's expression changed as he hurriedly reinforced the ward around their flat earthen platform.

"HUUUUUUUUU!!!!!"

"HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"

An inhale.

And an exhale.

Golden light erupted, tainting the entire galaxy in a hue of gold for a single second.

And then, all vanished.

Every phenomenon receded or disappeared, leaving behind a single figure wielding a sword.

He was garbed in white.

He was upright and steady.

He resembled a peerless sword, exuding the grand majesty of mysticism.

"So this is what it means to be a True Sage."

Every syllable seemed to commune with the heavens and world, stirring the chaos mana throughout the region.

Su Yi's eyes shifted, blooming with an unrivaled light of sharpness and profound spirit. Within his dark pupils, like the reflection of a sword's edge, the vivid image of the Sovereign Darkmother manifested. Her eyes were wide. Her spirit was anxious. Her mind was fearful.

"It's time for me to end this chapter of our lives, you conniving witch." Su Yi's words spread across the Dark Void without any spiritual power, naturally carried by the world to the ears of others. Within which were the untold implications of deep history between them.