"Kamu dapat kembali ke Dunia Eden. Pernyataan penutupan Expo Alkimia Neo-Dawn akan dimulai dalam satu jam," suara yang nyaman dari Tian Xiaocheng resonan di seluruh bintang ganda Neo-Dawn. Ribuan jiwa dihidupkan kembali, diskusi berkobar melingkar sebulan terakhir, dan aktivitasnya tak terhenti.
Alkimia Raja Suci Neo-Dawn, bukan, Santo Alkimia Neo-Dawn, telah mengungkapkan diri sebagai memiliki Jiwa Alkimia, sepenuhnya menghancurkan keyakinan konvensional setiap individu saat ia menampilkan tiga Jiwa Astral pada Fase Inti Bintang, kesembilan dan terakhir dari Alam Inti Astral! Jika bukan karena seluruh eksistensi Wei Wuyin didasarkan pada menembus konvensi berulang kali, kemustahilan dan kehinaan ini tidak akan mudah dicerna.
Dulu pernah mengguncangkan dunia, dua kali sudah mengejutkan, tapi ketiga kalinya sudah bisa diprediksi.
Sama saja, pengampuan Luo Ning adalah tanda bahwa masyarakat kultivasi sedang mengalami pertumbuhan pesat di Dao Alkimia untuk era yang akan datang. Wei Wuyin bertindak sama sebagai pertanda bahwa makhluk dengan tingkat Raja Everlore sudah di ambang peradaban. Semangat untuk masa depan terus tumbuh.
Meskipun reaksinya mungkin tidak membuong kegilaan liar, Wei Wuyin rasa keikhlasannya sepanjang Expo Alkimia Neo-Dawn tak tertandingi. Ia menonjol di antara semua pakar terkenal, terutama dari Raja Everlore, mendapatkan rasa terima kasih dari kuantiliun. Ia adalah tuan rumah yang baik, menampung jeda setiap sesi dan perjalanan ke sini, serta menyediakan lokasi yang mudah dipakai, memungkinkan interaksi puncak dan ekspansi horisontal tak terbatas.
Dunia sering tidak adil, dan kultivator bisa ada di sudut kecil sebuah planet seumur hidupnya, tak pernah bisa melakukan apa pun selain menatap langit dan bermimpi. Wei Wuyin telah menunjukkan banyak orang bahwa dunia ini luas dan memanusiakan tokoh legendaris. Meski masih ada bentuk penyembuhan, tak lagi buta dan mengacaukan.
Asosiasi Everlore menerima dampak tertinggi dari keyakinan ini, karena keagungan dan reputasi yang spektakuler yang dibangun oleh Raja Everlore kini tak terlihat begitu hebat lagi. Bahkan, Raja Everlore cukup egois dibanding Wei Wuyin.
Setelah semua, Raja Everlore adalah seorang alkimis tertinggi, namun Expo Alkimianya hanya disiapkan untuk orang kaya, bernuha, kuat, dan bangsawan dunia. Ia tak pernah memedulikan orang miskin, dan sama juga dengan kredo operasional Asosiasi Everlore.
Produk-produk mereka dilejatkan dalam harga, dan beberapa praktik mereka mencurigakan. Yang paling mencolok adalah Pil Ever-Domain yang kurang efektif dibanding Sharded God Domain Pill, produk yang secara harfiah satu tingkatan di bawah dan jauh lebih murah. Penjajaran domino untuk Asosiasi Everlore pun mulai jatuh, satu per satu.
Nama baru mulai tersebar - Hepta-Dawn Alchemic Corps.
Keunggulan mereka, keberadaan dua Santo Alkimia Bumi, runtuh seketika dari pengampuan Luo Ning dan Pengakuan Duniawi Sejati Wei Wuyin. Di samping itu, berbeda dengan Raja Everlore, Wei Wuyin sedang membangun wilayahnya dari nol, bertindak sebagai Kaisar Ascendant, sehingga ia adalah eksistensi yang akan bertahan!
Raja Everlore selalu terasa seperti tokoh yang tidak berakar, tapi Wei Wuyin telah menanamkan akar. Mereka sedang menghirup udara dari akar-akar itu!
"Aku seriusnya tidak ingin kembali," sekelompok remaja yang kebetulan duduk di tepi batu melontarkan kata-kata frustrasi.
Entah ini orang pertama atau tidak, kata-kata itu mulai menggema melintasi bintang-bintang dan realm nyata Neo-Dawn. Mereka menggema dari hati jutaan, lalu miliar, lalu triliun jiwa, menginfeksi tanpa henti.
Bukan hanya Neo-Dawn Starfield yang menjadi rumah dari bintang solar terbesar diketahui, tapi lingkungan alami juga bersifat muda; siap dibentuk sesuai keinginkan; ruang luas dengan kurangnya penduduk yang signifikan, dilindungi oleh puluhan Santo Bumi, dan dipimpin oleh seorang yang benar-benar Santo Alkimia Duniawi dengan potensi tak terbatas!
Fakta ada sebuah asosiasi bernama Defiant Creation Association yang fokus memelihara Creator dari tiga tipe - Alkimis, Forger, dan Arsitek - sudah sangat menggiurkan bagi banyak orang. Masa depan di sini cerah. Sementara, bagaimana dengan kampung halaman mereka?
Kembali keperjuangan, berusaha cukup untuk makan, berusaha menyewakan sepotong tanah rendah yang kecil untuk tinggal? Beberapa dari Starfield yang mereka miliki terdesak, kurang bintang dengan Sabuk Cahaya Mistis. Beberapa berasal dari Realm Dunia Isolasi, bekerja keras untuk sekadar bertahan hidup. Jika bukan karena pengumuman Wei Wuyin, termasuk aksiannya memastikan setiap orang menyadari Expo Alkimia dengan mengirimkan utusan dan menegakkan alert tertentu dari kekuatan puncak agar tidak menyakitinya, mereka mungkin hidup dan mati tanpa pernah melihat keemasan sejati.
Bagaimana dengan orang-orang yang diberi lahan dan rumah cukup untuk keluarga mereka bisa ingin kembali?
Namun ada ketakutan di hati meski pemikirannya. Ketakutan bahwa ingin tinggal itu seperti lintuk-lintik, berusaha menyedot dari Neo-Dawn Starfield tanpa izin, dan mereka akan dipaksa kembali. Meskipun mereka tidak ingin pergi, bagaimana mereka bisa menolak?
Wei Wuyin mungkin bersikap ramah, tapi ia juga seseorang yang menguasai kekuatan yang menakutkan. Mereka adalah sekadar binatang, dalam sekejap pikiran, mereka akan dikirim ke kehidupan berikutnya, dan tak seorang pun berani mengumbar suara protes. Mereka bahkan bisa dicekikik.
Jadi ketika infeksi itu terus tumbuh, warga biasa hanya bisa masuk ke Dunia Eden dengan patuh dan muram. Mereka kembali ke dunia yang menakjubkan dan menakjubkan itu. Para naga pun disambut dengan senyum, mengingat bantuan yang diberikan setiap saat. Tujuh keberadaan itu pun akhirnya memperhatikan pandangan mereka, membalas dengan senyum dan pengakuan yang mengguncapkan mereka.
Seorang pria tua dari Realm Kondensasi Qi yang terjebak di Tahap Kelima, Fase Pertumbuhan Yang, selama hampir dua ratus tahun, yang baru saja melakukan beberapa kemajuan signifikan dan memasuki Fase Esensi Qi, tidak bisa kuat menahan diri saat melihat naga yang menyapa.
Ia mendayung sekaku di langit, lalu melanjutkan perjalanannya.
"Kakek? Kenapa kakek menangis?" Seorang gadis kecil mengekor kain pria tua itu. Gadis ini bahkan bukan cucunya. Hanya seorang gadis kecil yang akhirnya dia temui pada masa awal. Ia mendekat karena dia merasa sendirian, memutuskan sepihak untuk memanggilnya 'Kakek'. Ia lebih tinggi kultivasinyanya, jauh lebih muda juga, dan kepolosannya menyentuh hatinya.
"Menangis?" Pria tua itu menggosok matanya untuk menemukan air mata. Tiba-tiba, seolah dipicu, gelombang emosi yang tertekanpun meledak. Lama sekali ia telah memberhentikan jalannya kultivasi. Ia mengalami ratusan tingkat penghinaan tak terucapkan akibat kurangnya bakatnya, diabaikan oleh begitu banyak orang, dan tak pernah punya sarana untuk menemukan istri yang indah yang sering diharapkan dalam hidupnya lama karena kemampuannya yang rendah dan dukungannya yang minim.
"Ketika akhirnya terasa diakui untuk pertama kalinya dalam hidupnya, betapa pun tidak bisa tidak terkenuh?
"Mungkin itu hanya dalam imajinasinya, tapi tak penting.
Apa yang dirasakannya adalah yang paling penting.
"Ia adalah salah satu dari banyak orang, yang dilupakan yang biasanya akan mati tak berdosa dalam sejarah, tidak bahagia dalam hidup, dan menyesal saat mati. Mereka tak bisa lakukan lebih dari hidup di dunia terpencil mereka, berjuang, dan mati dalam hidup tak berkesan, singa terabaikan.
"Aksi kecil Wei Wuyin membawanya ke sini telah menunjukkan mereka dunia yang benar-benar baru! Ia menggugah perspektif mereka dengan cara yang tak terbayangkan.
"Setelah sejam, kuantiliun kembali ke Dunia Eden, siap mendengar perkataan penutupan Expo Alkimia Neo-Dawn. Sayangnya, hanya sedikit yang merasa bahagia. Karena berarti akhir dari peristiwa terbesar seluruh hidup mereka. Mereka telah bertemu orang yang mungkin takkan pernah bertemu, membuat teman di sepanjang jalan, makan, berbincang, dan berdiskusi dengan starfield yang jauh, mengalami hal-hal yang hanya ada dalam mimpi, dan memperoleh keuntungan yang bisa membuat generasi sebelumnya menghiruk.
"Saat Tian Xiaocheng naik ke panggung, kerumunan yang ramai perlahan menjadi sunyi. Suasana serius yang lahir itu tak terlewatkan, bahkan Tian Xiaocheng merasakannya. Akhir daripada sesuatu yang istimewa selalu ada unsur kenyesaran.
"Terima kasih semua telah hadir. Adalah kehormatanku telah menjadi host, melihat kalian berkembang dan merasakan kebahagiaanmu pada setiap bagian yang mengguncangkan langit. Sungguh, terima kasih." Tian Xiaocheng awalnya datang dengan tanggung rasa, tapi akhirnya menyukainya. Sulit untuk menggambarkan perasaannya kini.
"Atas nama Santo Alkimia Neo-Dawn," katanya sambil mengingat tokoh yang melampaui langit itu, dan hatinya tak kuat tidak gemetar saat melihat eksistensi yang begitu menakutkan yang ia jadikan sekarang, lalu dilanjutkan: "Aku ingin berkata-"
"Tetap."
Sorak Tian Xiaocheng terputus saat sebuah suara lembut resona di seluruh Dunia Eden. Ribuan kepala teronggok dalam kemushadilan dan kejutan. Itu suara Wei Wuyin!
"Kalian telah merasakan sesuatu yang tak terlupakan bersamaku, menyaksikan pertumbuhan-ku menuju sesuatu yang hampir layak memperoleh gelar Kaisar Ascendant Neo-Dawn, menegakkan ekspektasi rakyu. Dan dari ekspektasi itu, kudengar keinginanmu untuk hidup bersamaku, untuk merasakan puncak dan lorotan perjalanan yang baru saja dimulai bersama.
"Jadi tetap- semua yang ingin tetap tinggal di Neo-Dawn Starfield dan membuat tempat ini rumah keluarga mu, jika kamu menginginkan, kamu hanya perlu berkata."
"..." Dunia Eden sunyi.
"Terlalu besar untuk aku sendiri menikmatinya, haha." Wei Wuyin tertawa riang. "Tian Xiaocheng, tak perlu pernyataan penutupan. Ini bukan akhir, tapi permulaan."
"Setelah itu, suaranya memudar.
"You may re-enter the World of Eden. The closing statement of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo will begin in an hour," the pleasant sounding voice of Tian Xiaocheng resounded throughout the Neo-Dawn Starfield's dual-dawns. Countless souls were enlivened, discussions had been rampant the last month, and activity was virtually endless.
The Neo-Dawn Alchemic Sovereign, no, the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint, had revealed himself as having an Alchemic Soul, completely shattering the conventional beliefs of every last individual as he displayed three Astral Souls at the Star Core Phase, the ninth and final stage of the Astral Core Realm! If it wasn't for the fact that Wei Wuyin's entire existence had been founded by breaking conventions time and time again, the shock and disbelief wouldn't have been digested so easily.
Once was world-shaking, twice was shocking, but the third time was expected.
In much the same way, Luo Ning's ascension was a sign that the cultivation society was experiencing rapid growth in the Alchemic Dao for the coming era, Wei Wuyin's actions were similarly a sign that beings of the King of Everlore's level were on the horizon. The hype for the future grew.
While their reactions might not be froth-inducing and crazed to absurdity, Wei Wuyin's generosity throughout the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo was unparalleled. He stood out from all the other renowned experts, especially from the King of Everlore, garnering the gratitude of quintillions. He was an excellent host, accommodating the breaks between each segment and the trip here, and he provided a venue that was easily used, allowing for peak interaction and endless horizon expansions.
The world was often unfair, and cultivators could exist in a small corner of a planet their entire lives, never being able to do anything more than look to the sky and dream. Wei Wuyin had shown many that the world was wide and humanized those legendary figures. While they still had a type of worship, it wasn't as blind and ignorantly held anymore.
The Everlore Association experienced the most significant backlash from this belief, as the glory and prodigious reputation that was built by the King of Everlore no longer seemed as great. In fact, the King of Everlore was relatively selfish compared to Wei Wuyin.
After all, the King of Everlore was a wealthy alchemist of the highest level, yet his Alchemic Expo had only been reserved for the wealthy, talented, strong, and highborn figures of the world. He never paid the little guy any mind, and the same stayed true for the Everlore Association's operational creed.
Their products were inflated in value, and some of their practices were questionable. The most notable was the Ever-Domain Pill which was less effective than a Sharded God Domain Pill, a product literally an entire grade lesser and considerably cheaper. The dominoes that had been set up for the Everlore Association proceeded to tip over, one by one.
A new name began to spread-Hepta-Dawn Alchemic Corps.
The advantage they had, the existence of two Earthly Saint Alchemists, collapsed instantly from Luo Ning's ascension and Wei Wuyin's True Worldly Recognition. Moreover, unlike the King of Everlore, Wei Wuyin was establishing his own territory from nothing, acting as the Ascendant Emperor, so he was an existence that was set to stay!
The King of Everlore had always felt like an elusive figure without any roots, but Wei Wuyin had established roots. They were currently breathing the air of his roots!
"If only we didn't have to go back," a random teenager said as they kicked a rock in frustration.
Whether this was the first person or not, those words began to echo throughout the Neo-Dawn Starfield's celestial bodies and numerous realms. They echoed from the hearts of millions, then billions, and then trillions, infecting them without any sign of stopping!
Not only was the Neo-Dawn Starfield home to the largest Solar Star in the known world, but the natural environment was also nascent; ripe for shaping in any way one could wish; space was ample with a severe lack of population, protected by dozens upon dozens of Earthly Saints, and led by a genuine Worldly Saint Alchemist with seemingly unlimited potential!
Just the fact that there was an association called the Defiant Creation Association that focused on fostering Creationists of all three types-Alchemists, Forgers, and Architects-was endlessly alluring to many. The future here was promising. In comparison, what of their homes?
Return to their struggles, trying to earn enough to feed their family, trying to rent a piddling piece of lowly land to settle? Some of the Starfields they belonged to were depressing, lacking stars with Mystic Radiance Belts. Some belonged to isolated World Realms, working day and night to barely feed themselves. If not for Wei Wuyin's announcement, including his actions of ensuring each person was aware of the Alchemic Expo by sending out messengers and enforcing certain alerts from peak powers lest they offend him, they may have lived and died without ever seeing the real starry void.
How could these individuals who were given land and homes sufficient to house their families ever want to go back?
But there was that fear in their hearts despite their thoughts. The fear that trying to stay was like being a leech, trying to siphon from the Neo-Dawn Starfield without permission, and they would be forcefully sent back. While they might not want to leave, how could they possibly resist?
Wei Wuyin might be generous, but he was also someone who wielded terrifying forces. They were mere mortals, a single thought, and they'd be sent off to their next lives, and not a single person would dare to utter a whisper in retaliation. They might even be ridiculed.
So while the infection grew, the common man could only enter the World of Eden obediently and sullenly. They found themselves once again in the breathtaking and wondrous world that was the World of Eden. The dragons were a welcomed sight as they smiled, remembering the assistance rendered at every turn. Those seven existences would miraculously notice their gazes, returning them with looks of joy and acknowledgment that shook them to their core.
A Qi Condensation Realm elderly man who had been stuck at the Fifth Stage, the Yang Growth Phase, for nearly two hundred years, only to have recently made consecutive breakthroughs and entered the Qi Essence Phase, couldn't help but stumble slightly after seeing a dragon notice him.
It lingered as it waved its claw in greeting and then went on its way.
"Grandpa? Why are you crying?" A young girl tugged at the elderly man's robes. This girl wasn't even his granddaughter. Merely a little girl that he had shockingly befriended in the early days. She had approached him because he was too lonely, one-sidedly deciding to call him 'Grandpa'. She was of higher cultivation than him, considerably younger too, and her innocence had moved him.
"Crying?" The elderly man wiped his eyes to find them wet. Suddenly, as if triggered, a wave of suppressed emotions surged forth. He had long since given up on the path of cultivation. He had suffered untold levels of indirect humiliation from his lack of talent, being ignored by so many, and never having the means to find a beautiful wife often hoped for in his long life due to his severe lack of ability and backing.
When he felt acknowledged for the first time in his life, how could he not be touched?
It was almost as if that existence who governed this entire world, the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint, had looked his way, smiled, waved, and said: "I see you."
It might have all been in his imagination, but none of that mattered.
What he felt was the only thing that mattered.
He was but one of many, the forgotten that would typically die nameless in history, unhappy in life, and regretful in death. They could not do more than live in their isolated worlds, struggle, and die an uneventful life, short and ignored.
Wei Wuyin's small act of bringing them here had shown them an entirely new world of possibility! It revitalized their perspectives in once unimaginable ways.
After an hour, quintillions had re-entered the World of Eden, ready to hear the closing remarks of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Expo. Unfortunately, only a few felt happy about this. Because it meant the end of the greatest event of their entire lives. They had met people they likely never could otherwise, made friends along the way, ate, talked, and discussed with those living starfields away, experienced things they thought only existed in their dreams, and obtained gains that could make the past generation spew blood in anger.
When Tian Xiaocheng took center stage, the rowdy crowd slowly went silent. The somber mood birthed was hard to ignore, and even Tian Xiaocheng felt it. The ending of something special was always bittersweet.
"Thank you all for coming. It is my honor to have been your host, seen your growth and felt your joy at each heaven-shaking segment. Truly, thank you." Tian Xiaocheng had first entered this unwillingly but eventually ended up liking it. It was hard to describe her current feelings.
"On behalf of the Neo-Dawn Alchemic Saint," she said, thinking of that heaven-defying figure, and her heart couldn't help but tremble at the sheer terrifying existence he had become so quickly before she continued: "I would like t-"
"Stay."
Tian Xiaocheng's words were interrupted as a voice softly resounded throughout the entire World of Eden. It caused countless heads to lift in shock and disbelief. That was Wei Wuyin's voice!
"You've all experienced something unforgettable with me, witnessed my growth into what could barely be worthy enough to obtain the title of the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn, upholding the people's expectations. And of those expectations, I can see your desire to live alongside me, to experience the highs and lows of our journey that has just begun together.
"So stay-all those who want to stay in the Neo-Dawn Starfield and make this place your home, to make this your family's home, I say: If you wish to, you simply have to speak."
"..." The World of Eden went silent.
"It's too big for me alone to enjoy anyways, haha." Wei Wuyin chuckled heartily. "Tian Xiaocheng, there's no need for a closing statement. This isn't an end, but a beginning."
After saying that, his voice faded away.
"..."
"..."
Countless souls looked at each other, their eyes displaying their bewilderment and astonishment.
Stay?
Just speak?
The elderly man's eyes widened slowly, looking at the dragons soaring across the skies, gazing upon the world with inviting expressions.
He gulped a wad of saliva loudly. The wholesome reverberated throughout the entire World of Eden somehow, seemingly causing many to feel a type of lingering, increasingly rising desire within their chests.
"St-ay...Stay! STAY! I WANT TO STAY!!!" From the top of his lungs, he shouted with his soul!
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