Dua bulan kemudian.
Wei Wuyin tidur lelap di sisi Bai Lin, nyaman terpeluk sayap hangatnya. Panas yang keluar dari bulu-bulu itu sangat menenangkan. Hanya ketika seseorang bersarang di antara bulu-bulu itu barulah mereka benar-benar bisa menikmati perasaan luar biasa seperti itu.
Pernapasan Bai Lin tenang, matanya tertutup dalam tidur yang damai. Pria dan binatang itu beristirahat di atas bola tanah yang melayang di ruang kosong void, duduk di atas induk segala harta karun.
Bahaya mengerikan dari Void Gelap, terutama di dalam ruang kosong void, sangat banyak, tapi keduanya sama sekali tidak terpengaruh oleh bahaya tersebut. Cangkang tanah yang menyimpan Terra-Mystic Ore berputar di lokasi yang sama. Lebih jauh lagi, Wei Wuyin memiliki Karmic Luck Value yang sangat besar, dia tidak percaya tinggal diam di tempat akan memprovokasi malapetaka yang bisa mengancam mereka.
Meski Dao Surgawi sering tertipu, tidak sepenuhnya bisa diandalkan, tapi soal menjaga orang-orang Terberkati mereka aman dari kekuatan duniawi tanpa variabel ekstrem, itu layak mendapat tepuk tangan. Mereka tidak menemukan satu pun peristiwa aneh sejak tiba.
Tak lama, sebuah sosok terbang lewat Void Gelap dan bergegas menuju bola tanah itu dengan tujuan. Sosok itu tiba di bola tanah, auranya penuh semangat. Hal itu membuat Bai Lin membuka matanya, memandang sosok itu lalu mendengus pelan. Dia menutup matanya lagi, acuh tak acuh.
Wei Wuyin terbangun oleh pendekatan aura itu, sedikit kekecewaan di antara alisnya. Bagi kultivator tingkatnya, apalagi dengan tingkat energi mentalnya, tidur adalah hal tidak relevan kecuali saat kelelahan mental yang parah. Namun, bermimpi itu menyegarkan.
Dalam mimpi, kau bisa jadi apa saja, lakukan segalanya atau siapa saja, dan punya akhir paling bahagia. Ganggu mimpi seperti itu, siapa pun akan sedikit frustrasi.
"Tuan Muda..." Wu Yu tak bisa ucapkan sepatah kata pun di bawah tatapan malas, mengantuk dari Wei Wuyin atau ketidakpedulian total dari Bai Lin. Makhluk yang hanyalah seekor bangau yang bisa dia remukkan dengan pikiran saja bahkan dalam bentuk spiritualnya telah tumbuh menjadi diri sendiri. Aura dan ukurannya bertambah, ukurannya berlipat ganda, dan aura lebih tak terbayang.
Ada perasaan bahaya saat dia mengunci tatapannya padanya, tapi sesaat saja, secepat tatapannya. Perasaan naluriah itu tidak diabaikannya. Dia benar-benar menganggap Bai Lin sebagai makhluk yang bisa mengancam nyawanya. Sebagai perbandingan, ketiga Ascended bahkan tidak menggelitik nalurinya meski dia dalam kondisi sangat lelah dan lemah.
Wei Wuyin menghela napas pelan, mengusap kantuk di matanya dan meregangkan otot-ototnya yang tertutup sisik segi enam. Bai Lin dengan taktis melepas sayapnya, memberi Wei Wuyin kebebasannya. Bangkit, dia berjalan ke arah Wu Yu.
"Lama sekali. Apa yang terjadi?" Dia tidak menyangka tugas Wu Yu butuh dua bulan. Lebih jauh, dia tidak menyangka Wu Yu akan terbang ke sini sendirian.
Wu Yu tersenyum pahit, "Aku lakukan seperti yang kau inginkan, tapi agak rumit. Aku harus ikut campur dalam konflik singkat antara Cabang Golden Life Pavilion." Ada sedikit emosi kecewa dalam nadanya. Bukan ditujukan ke Wei Wuyin, tapi ke orang lain.
"Ikut campur konflik?" Wei Wuyin terkejut.
Wu Yu menjelaskan, "Saat aku tiba di New Everlore, aku menuju Domain Endless Prosperity lewat serangkaian Portal Void. Kan wilayah Aeternal Sky Starfield sangat luas dan aku tidak berani bepergian terbuka. Saat sampai, aku sadar ada konflik sipil berkelanjutan antara cabang-cabang Golden Life Pavilion.
"Konflik itu sepertinya melibatkan Cabang Pertama dan Ketiga menghadapi Cabang Utama dan Kedua, berjuang untuk hak pengendalian. Detailnya agak kabur, dan aku tidak bisa dapat gambaran penuh, tapi sebuah kompetisi diadakan oleh dua Earthly Saint Golden Life Pavilion. Termasuk bakat junior hingga kekuatan senior. Bahkan bisa mengundang ahli asing untuk berpartisipasi.
"Saat aku tiba, aku ditarik ke dalam. Mereka ingin aku bertarung mewakili kategori Soul of Mysticism. Bahkan memakai aku topeng dan memasyhurkan aku sebagai Envoy-mu. Jelas aku ditarik ke dalam skema untuk mewakilimu dan mereka tidak usaha menyembunyikannya."
Wei Wuyin menyela, "Kau menang?"
Wu Yu menyeringai, "Menang? Itu mungkin meremehkan hasilnya. Haha. Jangan khawatir, aku tidak memalukan namamu."
Wei Wuyin mengangguk. Akan sedikit memalukan menderita kekalahan tanpa hadir, meski lewat perantara.
"Bukan hanya aku. Ma Zheng milikmu bertindak. Aku belum pernah melihat makhluk sekuat itu. Dia hancurkan lawannya dengan cara yang membuat aku malu untuk Demi-Mortal Lord itu. Kalau kau lihat, kau akan mengerti.
"Kompetisi itu butuh waktu lama untuk selesai dan beres. Cabang Pertama dan Ketiga menderita kerugian besar di kompetisi junior, tapi mereka masih mendapat sedikit penyelamatan dengan memaksa keseimbangan lewat aturan kuno." Tatapan Wu Yu jadi aneh saat mengucapkan kalimat terakhir, memandang Wei Wuyin aneh.
Wei Wuyin merasa ada yang tidak beres. "Apa aturannya?"
Wu Yu tertawa canggung, "Aturan itu khusus diizinkan jika tim menang kategori Mystic Ascendant tapi kalah mayoritas. Pemenang akhir bisa ditentukan oleh All-Alchemic Clash."
"All-Alchemic Clash?" Wei Wuyin sadar dari mana ekspresi Wu Yu. Seolah mengulang pikirannya, Wu Yu lanjut: "Ya. Akan diselesaikan oleh Mortal Sovereign Alchemist dari kedua sisi. Reaksi Cabang Utama dan Kedua cukup nyata, bahkan terdistorsi jadi pemandangan jelek. Lucu. Apalagi, Cabang Pertama dan Ketiga menggunakan namamu. Ma Zheng itu cukup tidak tahu malu."
"..." Dia belum once menginjak Aeternal Sky Starfield, dan sudah ditarik ke dalam konflik sipil? Golden Life Pavilion seharusnya membuktikan diri ke padanya, bukan melibatkan dia dalam urusan ini.
"Apa tujuan semua ini?" Wei Wuyin merasa ini langkah aneh dari Ma Zheng. Mungkin ini urusan yang sudah lama akan datang, dan keberadaannya hanya mempercepat hal. Tapi dia tidak yakin apa tujuan semua ini. Untuk dapat hak memerintah Golden Life Pavilion? Terasa seperti ini akan memecah seluruh pavilion jadi dua.
Wu Yu cepat menjawab: "Kau akan kaget. Semua ini untuk mendapatkan harta karun unik!"
"Oh?" Ini mengejutkan! Dia kira ini upaya merebut hak memimpin atau memimpin Golden Life Pavilion, bukan untuk harta. Istilah harta tidak digunakan main-main di dunia kultivasi. Karena tidak hanya soal senjata sangat kuat atau alat luar biasa, tapi barang dengan cara tak terbayang.
Saat di Sekte Scarlet Solaris, semua mengira dia punya harta kultivasi karena kemajuannya cepat dan kemampuan bertarung tinggi. Tentu, itu hanya dikaitkan dengan kesempatan beruntung dari Dao Surgawi, kerja keras, dan bakat komprehensif.
"Apa yang istimewa dari harta itu?"
Wu Yu menggelengkan kepala, "Aku tidak tahu. Yang aku tahu hanya itu harta. Bahkan asal-usulnya disembunyikan, dan aku coba garap dari mulut mereka, tapi mulut mereka rapat sekali. Ma Zheng bilang kalau kau datang, dia tidak keberatan memberitahu kau."
"Mereka tidak mengharapkan aku datang?" Wei Wuyin bingung. Mereka pakai namanya, tapi apa yang Wu Yu katakan tadi menyarankan Ma Zheng tidak mengandalkannya. Apakah ada mainan lain? Apakah kompetisi ini bahkan penting?
Wu Yu tersenyum melihat ekspresi Wei Wuyin yang berpikir, "Aku juga mikir begitu. Sepertinya ini smokescreen yang disempurnakan. Sangat kuat juga karena cabang-cabang Golden Life Pavilion sangat fokus pada urusan ini. Sepertinya Ma Zheng tidak sebatas itu."
Wu Yu lanjut menjelaskan detail kompetisi, memberitahu dia All-Alchemic Clash belum untuk saat ini. Tiga tahun, toh. Ini memberi dia banyak waktu untuk memutuskan apakah mau ikut. Tapi kompetisi ini mungkin jauh dari vital untuk plot akhir Ma Zheng.
"Nih, semua material dan lebih. Ma Zheng tidak pelit pasokan." Wu Yu menyerahkan cincin spasial berisi material bergred astral, cukup mengisi dunia kecil. Beragam dan luas. Dia terkejut sejenak. Jumlah sumber daya di sini melebihi Elementus Cache. Ada material yang bahkan tidak dia kenal.
Ma Zheng dengan senang hati menyuplai Wei Wuyin sumber daya. Khususnya material untuk Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill. Niatnya sangat jelas. Kemungkinan jumlah kekayaan ini tidak signifikan bagi Golden Life Pavilion secara keseluruhan. Keinginan untuk mendapatkan dukungan penuh Golden Life Pavilion semakin besar.
"Mungkin aku harus ikut, jika hanya untuk memperkuat posisi Ma Zheng. Mungkin membantu rencananya," Wei Wuyin merenung. Saat pikiran itu terbentuk di benaknya, dia mengerutkan alis. Bagaimana kalau rencana Ma Zheng justru agar dia datang? Tidak... seharusnya tidak.
Kedatangan Wu Yu lewat Void Gelap tidak sengaja. Dia lebih suka pakai Void Portal Wei Wuyin, tapi Klan Bing menyadarinya entah bagaimana. Mereka menuntut jawaban, jadi dia lari pakai Void Portal Golden Life Pavilion, sampai di Treasured Light Starfield dan menempuh jalan ke sini. Tapi dia meyakinkan Wei Wuyin tidak ada bukti kejahatan atau identitasnya bocor. Mereka mencurigai dia berdasarkan kekuatannya, tidak lebih.
Mendengar ini, ekspresi Wei Wuyin jadi muram. Klan Bing sekarang punya kecurigaan.
Terlepas dari itu, Wu Yu sekarang di sini. Dia bisa serahkan Terra-Mystic Ore ke posesisinya. Tanpa gunung di bahunya, dia bebas bepergian sesuka hati.
"Mau ke mana?" Wu Yu tak tahan bertanya. Mungkin dia mau ke Aeternal Sky Starfield?
"Awalnya aku mau, tapi..."
Wei Wuyin memandang lengan kanannya. Enam hari lalu, dia merasa chukan familiar itu.
Karmic Luck Value: 15.138,1 → 14.220,5.
First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.
Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.
Third Calamity: Suppressed - 43 Years.
Two months later.
Wei Wuyin lazily slept on Bai Lin's side, comfortably wrapped around her warm wing. The heat emitted from those feathers of hers was incredibly soothing. Only when one was nestled between them would they be able to truly enjoy such a fantastic feeling.
Bai Lin's breathing was steady, and her eyes were closed in a calm sleep. The man and beast rested atop an earthen sphere that floated within the void-blank space, sitting upon the motherlode of treasures.
The horrific dangers of the Dark Void, especially within the void-blank space, was numerous, but the two were completely unfazed by such dangers. The earthen shell that kept the Terra-Mystic Ore rotated in the same location. Furthermore, Wei Wuyin had an absurd amount of Karmic Luck Value, he didn't believe that staying mostly stationary would provoke any calamities that could threaten them.
While the Heavenly Daos were fooled on a regular basis, not being entirely reliable, but when it came to keeping their Blessed safe from the worldly forces without extreme variables, it could be praised with applause. They hadn't come across a single abnormal event since arriving.
Soon, a figure flew through the Dark Void and raced towards the earth sphere with purpose. The figure arrived at the earthen sphere, its aura vigorous. This prompted Bai Lin to open its eyes, regarding the figure and then giving a slight snort. She closed her eyes, unconcerned.
Wei Wuyin was awakened by the aura's approach, a hint of dissatisfaction between his brows. For cultivators of his level, especially with his level of mental energies, sleep was an irrelevant act except during times of severe mental exhaustion. However, it was relaxing to dream.
In your dreams, you could be anything, do everything or anyone, and have the happiest of endings. To have such dreams disturbed, anyone would be a little frustrated.
"Young Lord…" Wu Yu was unable to say a single thing at the lazily, sleepy glare he received from Wei Wuyin or the utter disregard from Bai Lin. That creature that was just a mere crane he could squash with a thought even in his spiritual form had truly grown into its own. Her aura and size had grown, doubled for the latter, and more unfathomable for the former.
There was a feeling of danger when she locked her gaze on him, but it was as brief as her glance. This instinctual feeling wasn't dismissed by him. He truly regarded Bai Lin as a being that could threaten his life. In comparison, the three Ascended hadn't even tickled his instincts despite his severely exhausted and weakened state.
Wei Wuyin softly sighed, wiping off the sleep in his eyes and stretching his muscles that were covered in hexagonal scales. Bai Lin tactfully removed her wing, giving Wei Wuyin his freedom. Rising, he walked towards Wu Yu.
"Took you long enough. What happened?" He didn't expect that Wu Yu's tasks would take him two months. Furthermore, he didn't expect Wu Yu would fly here by himself.
Wu Yu had a bitter smile, "I did as you wanted, but it was a little complicated. I had to participate in a brief conflict between the Golden Life Pavilion Branches." There was a hint of disgruntled emotion within his tone. It wasn't directed at Wei Wuyin, but another.
"Participate in a conflict?" Wei Wuyin was taken aback.
Wu Yu explained, "When I arrived at New Everlore, I made my way to the Endless Prosperity Domain through a series of Void Portals. After all, the territory of the Aeternal Sky Starfield is massive and I wouldn't dare travel openly. When I did, I realized there was an ongoing civil conflict between the branches of the Golden Life Pavilion.
"The conflict seemed to have the First and Third Branches facing the Main and Second Branches, fighting for some controlling rights. The details are quite iffy, and I wasn't able to gather the full picture, but a competition was held by the two Earthly Saints of the Golden Life Pavilion. It included the junior talents to the senior powerhouses. They could even invite foreign experts to participate.
"When I arrived, I had been pulled into it. They wanted me to fight to represent the Soul of Mysticism category. They even put me in a disguise and heralded me as your Envoy. I was clearly pulled into a scheme to represent you and they didn't try to hide it."
Wei Wuyin interjected, "You won?"
Wu Yu grinned, "Win? That might be understating the outcome. Haha. Don't worry, I didn't bring shame to your name."
Wei Wuyin nodded. It would be a little humiliating to suffer a loss without being present, even if it was through a proxy.
"It wasn't just me. That Ma Zheng of yours acted. I've never seen such a powerful being before. He devastated his opponent in such a manner that I felt embarrassed for that Demi-Mortal Lord. If you saw it, you'd understand.
"The competition took a long time to complete and settle. The First and Third Branches suffered considerable losses in the junior competitions, but they still eked out some salvation by forcing a stalemate through some archaic rule." Wu Yu's gaze became strange as he said the last sentence, looking at Wei Wuyin oddly.
Wei Wuyin felt something was off. "What was the rule?"
Wu Yu awkwardly laughed, "The rule is specifically allowed in the case of a team winning the Mystic Ascendant category but losing the majority. The final victor can be determined by an All-Alchemic Clash."
"An All-Alchemic Clash?" Wei Wuyin realized where Wu Yu's expression stemmed from. As if to echo his thoughts, Wu Yu continued: "Yes. It'll be settled by the Mortal Sovereign Alchemists of the two sides. The reaction of the Main and Second Branch was quite vivid, even distorted into ugly sights. It was amusing. After all, the First and Third Branch had used your name. That Ma Zheng is quite shameless."
"…" He hadn't even set foot on the Aeternal Sky Starfield, and he was being drawn into some civil conflict? The Golden Life Pavilion was to prove themselves to him, not embroil him in these troubles.
"What's the purpose of all this?" Wei Wuyin felt this was such an odd move on Ma Zheng's part. Perhaps it was a matter that was a long time coming, and his existence had only accelerated things. However, he wasn't sure what all this was for. To obtain ruling rights to the Golden Life Pavilion? Feels like this would splinter the entire pavilion into two.
Wu Yu was swift in his reply: "You'll be quite surprised. It's all to obtain a unique treasure!"
"Oh?" Now this was surprising! He had thought it was an attempt to seize the rights to rule or take leadership of the Golden Life Pavilion, not for a treasure. The term treasure wasn't used lightly in the cultivation world. Because it didn't relate to just some absurdly powerful weapon or exceptional tool, but an item of unfathomable means.
While in the Scarlet Solaris Sect, everyone had assumed that he was in possession of a cultivation treasure due to his rapid advancements and high battle prowess. Of course, it was only attributed to his lucky chances from the Heavenly Daos, hard work, and comprehensive talent.
"What's special about this treasure?"
Wu Yu shook his head, "I don't know. All I know is that its a treasure. Even its origins are concealed, and I tried to pry it from their lips, but they were tightly sealed on the matter. Ma Zheng did say that if you arrived, he'd have no issue informing you."
"They're not expecting me to arrive?" Wei Wuyin was confused. They used his name, but what Wu Yu had just said suggested that Ma Zheng wasn't relying on him. Was there another play involved? Was this competition even important?
Wu Yu smiled at seeing Wei Wuyin's thoughtful expression, "I thought the same. It seems to be a perfectly performed smokescreen. An incredibly powerful one too as the Golden Life Pavilion branches are deeply focused on this matter. It seems that Ma Zheng isn't so simple."
Wu Yu proceeded to explain the details of the competition, informing him that the All-Alchemic Clash wasn't for some time. Three years, in fact. This gave him plenty of time to decide if he wanted to participate. However, this competition was likely far from vital for Ma Zheng's final plot.
"Here, all the materials and even more. Ma Zheng didn't skimp on the supply." Wu Yu handed him a spatial ring filled with astral-graded materials, enough to fill a small world realm. It was varied and vast. He was startled for a moment. The amount of resources here exceeded the Elementus Cache. There were some materials he didn't even recognize.
Ma Zheng had happily supplied Wei Wuyin resources. This especially included materials meant for the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill. His intentions were abundantly clear. Likely this amount of wealth was insignificant to the Golden Life Pavilion as a whole. The desire to obtain the full support of the Golden Life Pavilion was growing.
"Maybe I should participate, if only to strengthen Ma Zheng's position. It might help his plans along," Wei Wuyin contemplated. The moment this thought formed in his mind, he furrowed his brows. What if Ma Zheng's plan was for him to arrive? No…it shouldn't be.
Wu Yu's arrival through the Dark Void hadn't been deliberately done. He would've preferred using Wei Wuyin's Void Portal, but the Bing Clan had noticed him somehow. They were demanding answers, so he absconded away using the Golden Life Pavilion's Void Portal, reaching the Treasured Light Starfield and made his way over. However, he assured Wei Wuyin that there was no evidence of his crime or identity being leaked. They were suspecting him based on his strength, nothing more.
When Wei Wuyin heard this, his expression became sullen. The Bing Clan now had suspicions.
Regardless, Wu Yu was now here. He could leave the Terra-Mystic Ore in his possession. Without this mountain on his shoulders, he was free to travel as he willed.
"Where will you be going?" Wu Yu couldn't help but ask. Could he be venturing to the Aeternal Sky Starfield?
"At first, I was going to, but…"
Wei Wuyin looked at his right arm. Six days ago, he received that familiar sting.
Karmic Luck Value: 15,138.1 → 14,220.5.
First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.
Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.
Third Calamity: Suppressed - 43 Years.
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