Paragon of Sin

Wei Wuyin's mind was throbbing as he delved into the exquisitely imperious sensation of this newfound power. It flowed through his body with a fresh presence that left Wei Wuyin in awe as time continued to pass.

The Time Vortex's energies spun and spun yet Wei Wuyin knew that, should he rescind his Draconic Transformation, the Time Vortex could no longer bring him the slightest harm. In fact, there was an innate obedience that it was emitting as if it was bowing to his presence without needing to exert any effort. It was a hard-to-describe feeling that made one feel like a King.

"This feels like Intent," Wei Wuyin said as he investigated this strange power with his senses. He initially likened it to Intent, a type of cultivated supernatural Will that could influence the state of energies and essence. "But not quite," he finished his thought with those three words.

Intent was a form of unique power that those who cultivated Spirits of Cultivation could manifest to influence their energies, initially. Awakened Intent, such as Fire Intent, could convert non-attributed energies formed alongside Spiritual Energy special qualities representing the traits of worldly fire—emissions of heat.

A cultivator was first exposed to this type of power by the Elemental Birth Phase, the Third Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, as the bare minimum to enter this phase was to grasp the principles of one of the four basic elements—Earth, Wind, Fire, or Water—and they combining that power with one's Heart of Qi to produce a copy of innate fire energies heavily resembling ambient fire energies of the world generated by naturally occurring flames.

At that point, a cultivator could produce Fire Qi, a type of false fire that can mimic genuine fire. But without Mana, the glue that allowed a type of cohesive interaction between all things, the fire could not spread or exist as the laws of Heaven would dictate. If not for a continuous fuel of qi, the fire would dispel into nothingness as if it didn't exist.

Due to this type of willpower, a cultivator has subtle control over pre-existing energy of their Intent. A Water Cultivator, with basic Water Intent, can execute through their qi to manipulate basic water energies and states of water as long as it adhered to their type of Intent, as long as it was within their strength to do so. For example, basic Water Intent could never exert any type of control over apex-level water energies of Transformative Water nor could they conjure this power with their Qi, Astral Force, or Mystic Power without an external method and medium.

Additionally, the strength and quality of one's intent affected the resulting power of the generated energy, further signifying its astonishing importance for cultivators.

This was Awakened Intent, and it could be applied to things beyond the natural elements such as Sword Energy, Aegis Energy, or Shadow Energy, and they granted respective powers that mimicked their Worldly counterparts accepted by the heavens. As such, Sword Qi was sharp and cutting while Shadow Energy was two-dimensional and indistinct.

When one ascends beyond that, they manifest the next level of Intent: the Heart of the World, World of the Intent! At that point, one's supernatural influence over energies wasn't limited to simply their innate energies, capable of affecting and converting ambient energies.

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A cultivator could take ambient water energies and convert that power, by a type of overbearing Will, to Sword Energies. This heavily resembled a Worldly Domain's conversion, but unlike a Worldly Domain that forcefully seizes the power of pre-existing energies and uses it to one's objective, World Heart Intent's conversion turns that energy into one's own, and only of that specific type.

It was a fearsome power that few could grasp in this world, yet those who did could topple and combat Worldly Domains without issue regardless of their cultivation base.

Wei Wuyin had once used Saber Heart Intent to convert all energies and Essence into a specific area to Saber Energy, then used it to launch a peerless saber strike that went far beyond his cultivation base's limits. Qu Xiaoying, the relentless Realmlord of the Devil War Realm, would be the first to attest to this in Hell.

So when Wei Wuyin felt the power within him surge with imperious authority, he found it felt similar to Intent. But if Intent was a type of personal power, then this type of Will was external, granted by an outside force, and it stemmed from his innermost soul.

It felt like an Imperial Decree from an Emperor, granting one the right to control a prefecture as a governor with complete impunity and capable of acting at their own discretion. There was no oversight, merely a type of authority-type will that bestowed him control.

"This is Minor Authority, huh?" The memories of the suave version of himself alongside the knowledge within the Palace of Eden reared its head in his mind as he came to a fantastical conclusion. If Awakened Intent can grant subtle control over certain energies that match one's Intent, then this Minor Authority grants control over an entire category of law, a portion of the heavens.

"You guys are so brazen; did you skip the Sprouting Phase?" Wei Wuyin questioned his Astral Souls. Seeds of Laws had different phases of development. It was divided into three phases as a seed: Conception, Nurturing, and Sprouting.

The Conception Phase meant either naturally or artificially forming a type of resonance with the Three Thousand Worlds of the Heavens. This can be done artificially through something like the Artificial or Genuine Edict of a Sage by a Heavenly Treasure, forming a resonance with the Three Thousand Worlds of the Heavens or naturally through various conditions.

These conditions were varied, said to exist in 3,000 ways, and even Mortal beings such as Long Chen and Jing Jiu had formulated a Seed of Law through their own fortune. Wei Wuyin used the Artificial Edict of the Sage manifested by the Endless Void Mirror, a Heavenly Treasure, to formulate his Seeds of Law—time and space.

However, neither was inferior to the other.

After the Conception Phase, a cultivator was automatically in the Nurturing Phase, and they needed to comprehend the profoundness of the laws' powers and influence while simultaneously infusing it with Soul Light from a Spirit of Cultivation, True Soul, or Heaven's Aura that matched its governed force.

This meant that King, an Omega Saber Soul, could never nurture a Seed of Time Law or Fire Law regardless of its might or power. The Seed of Law would forever stagnate at this level due to incompatibility, and while cultivators could siphon off its power, such as when Long Chen unleashed power far beyond his cultivation base at the end of his life, there weren't any further benefits.

The wisps of Paradoxical and Isolated Time Energies were infused by Heaven's Aura. In fact, the Spirit Cultivation Path as a whole, every step from the Foundation Establishment Realm to beyond, was granted by an authority of the heavens.

When King and Ori tossed the Seed of Time Law in their path, they were directly refined by Heaven's Essence of Time, essentially completing the Nurturing Process in one go. A risky yet godly idea that contained unimaginable benefits should it succeed.

When the nurturing process was completed, the Seed of Law would enter its Sprouting Phase, and lawful power would enrich a person's cultivation. This power could allow cultivators to perform many things; in fact, Jing Jiu's memories once mentioned that the Seed of Law was a requirement to the Heavenly Saint or Ascended Saint, but he didn't know which.

Thanks to the alternative version of Wei Wuyin's memories, he knew which.

It was both!

There were three crucial requirements for the Heavenly Saint Phase of the Mystic Ascendant Realm that needed to be obtained before a Worldly Saint could even think of facing their Sixth Ascension of the Mystic Ascendant Realm.

Firstly, World Heart Intent.

Upon entering the stage, one's World Heart Intent would contain the essence of the Mystic Dao, evolving to Mystic Heart Intent!

Secondly, A Spirit of Cultivation at the Origin State and thus possess the domineering power of Mana Dominance.

Jing Jiu had strived for two hundred years to cultivate the Forsaken Zenith, Unto Origin Method to obtain his Origin State, coming up short just before the Heavenly Daos had orchestrated him obtaining the last piece needed. A sad reality.

Lastly, a Seed of Law at the Nurturing Phase!

The Seed of Law's Nurturing Phase could be measured from 1% to 99%, at 100%, it enters the Sprouting Phase. For the Heavenly Saint Phase, a 9% Nurturing State must be reached. It was a pity for the cultivation world that Artificial Seeds of Law were incapable of reaching even 1%.

According to the memories of his other self, the Seed of Law helped form a bridge between Soul and the Mystic Dao. This bridge's strength was relative to the state of the Seed of Law.

As for the requirements for Ascended Sovereigns, their requirements weren't too different from Heavenly Sovereigns, merely to a higher degree.

Firstly, a Mystic Idol.

Similar to Astral Idols, these formed after a Heavenly Saint had thoroughly refined their physiques to the utmost limits of the Mystic Dao. A long, arduous path that required a certain degree of quality, resources, and fortune to achieve.

Secondly, A 5th or Higher Origin State Mystic Soul.

Thirdly, a Seed of Law at the 81% Nurturing State.

Wei Wuyin's thoughts were swirling rapidly as he thought about the hidden requirements, but those that weren't 'entirely' needed due to the Alchemic Dao. The first that came to mind was Soul Light; fortunately, certain Alchemical Products can generate Soul Light artificially or methods that can forcefully condense it.

Next, a high-level Cultivation Method.

According to Guan Yu, some cultivated physiques can't condense Astral Idols, unable to reach the apex of the Mystic Dao. This likely holds for Mystic Idols as well.

The most brutal obstacle was certainly the resources needed to grow one's Origin State, especially considering how difficult one's Soul State was to change upon reaching it. If the Natal Soul was anything to go by, then it was disgustingly difficult. The King of Everlore's ninth-grade Everlore Ascension Pill allowed this elevation, but that was a ninth-grade product for a Qi Condensation Realm's power.

One can only imagine the grade of product needed for a Mystic Soul's State.

Mystic-Heaven? Mystic-Soul?!

"..." Wei Wuyin could only heave an inward sigh as those two product grades were typically meant for the Resonant Soul Realm or the very peak of the Mystic Ascendant Realm.

Cultivation was difficult.

Wei Wuyin not only leaping beyond the Sprouting Phase but entering obtaining the power of Minor Authority was heaven-defying, especially as a mere mortal!

This was why Wei Wuyin was stunned, and from the silent reactions of his Astral Souls, they genuinely didn't think that he would form a Minor Authority of Time Law also known as the Minor Law of Time.

"I knew." Kratos bragged with overflowing ego.

"As if!" All three Astral Souls responded with fierce rejection. None of them expected this, only aiming to elevate the nurturing of the Seed of Law.

"Hmph." Kratos silently roared back, slinking away while stewing in its own pride. Regardless if it knew or not, it still was a heavy contributor to this outcome, no?

Wei Wuyin couldn't help but smile, still floating in the Time Vortex. In the end, Wei Wuyin calculated his gains from this River of Time Astral Tribulation, and it was hard to contain his happiness.

With this move, including all their other moves that defied conventional approach, aside from the requirement for a refined physique, Wei Wuyin saw a straight path from the Soul of Mysticism Phase all the way to the Ascended Saint Phase!

A path to becoming what those from the World Beyond the Fold called Mystic Overlord! A true powerhouse.

His silver eyes blazed with rousing excitement. The efforts of his Astral Souls since his first Astral Tribulation were finally revealing themselves.

After a long, long while, he finally calmed his roiling emotional state as he decided to explore the depths of the Minor Time Law as he directed his attention to the bundle of memories containing all the details of what 'Magi' was and everything involving it.

The memory was like a sealed file, and once unsealed, it could never be revealed. Wei Wuyin decided to open it!

Without any hesitation, he interacted with it using his Alchemic Eden Force, slowly opening it. A gushing ray of unknown power erupted!

Suddenly, the Time Vortex grew still!

Wei Wuyin's silver eyes widened to their limits! He suddenly felt as if a grand power had set its sight on him, resembling heaven itself! As someone who had just grasped the Minor Law of Time, he instinctively understood what had targeted him!

The River of Time!!!