Paragon of Sin

Chapter 1645 1638: Magi (4)

A premature end.

Before he was able to get out any additional questions, concerns, or reckless curiosity, perhaps even reading the noticeable changes in the lips, eyes, and body language, Fuxi ended the guidance with only the briefest warning. HD didn't feel dissatisfied, however. From the very beginning, Wei Wuyin had known that Fuxi's guidance was not information about the ancient and long-gone past, but the journey and the benefits that were brought about, leading him through the Rite of Passage that was his heritage. The process was subtle yet mysteriously wondrous as his True Soul, Soul, and Sea of Consciousness were expanded continuously.

Every action, scene, and thought on this ancient path of history tempered all three aspects. Without any additional effort on his part, he had already succeeded and acquired the right to be known as a Magi. The suddenness of it all left one with a mouthful of sweet warmth. From Wei Si, and his own experience with Rites of Passage, such as the Rite of the Sinner, he understood that these rites possessed deadly implications and had a ruthlessness to them, no different or difficult from cultivation itself.

Wei Si was sent out as an ignorant child to hunt and kill a Magi without any additional tools besides the primary mission and his innately strong body. Despite that, his cultivation remained pathetically low and he had almost died without his uncle happening upon him on that fateful day. It was genuinely brutal.

Meanwhile, the Rite of the Sinner was exceedingly vicious, and in both rites, if Wei Wuyin had not had his advantages, and had proven that he couldn't overcome his sins, he would have fallen into an eternal conclusion of existential annihilation. A terrifying fate.

Fuxi assisted Wei Wuyin invisibly. Furthermore, his extracted memories from the suave version of himself had been returned. He now knew that Fuxi had indeed met and interacted with that version of himself, given an almost word-for-word explanation of events, but their reactions and questions were fundamentally different with that version of himself believing that Magi and Creation were one and the same without any differentiation.

He never asked any relevant, eye-opening, to-the-heart-piercing questions. It was clear that both Wei Wuyins had significant differences from each other, not only in their breadth of spirit, and capacity of knowledge but the ability to read emotions and courage to question a divinity without fear. Suave Wei Wuyin had a heart of anxiety and uncertainty towards Fuxi and this boggled his mind!

That version also never underwent the original Rite of Magi alone, but he knew of its details. There were only three types of rites and each came with an insane trial and tribulation. Without a certain lineage method passed down by the Magi, passing the initial trial was utterly impossible. Fuxi had to interfere.

Wei Wuyin, however, felt that he could have overcome the rite and its three trials and tribulations, and this was born from his developed confidence gained from the continuous leaps in cultivation and feats of overcoming that which was Impossible. But after thinking about it, he decided not to cement this mentality and belief in his heart. If Fuxi had believed he could overcome the Rite of Passage, he wouldn't have intervened. So he decided to not dwell on whether he could or could not have.

Wei Wuyin found himself in pure darkness. He felt floaty and free. This darkness would last until he arrived at the proving ground to receive his inheritance. After all, this was all part of his soul's inner world. The foundation of his inheritance lay within his soul after all. The suave version of himself didn't need to wait as Fuxi brought him directly to the inheritance and instructed him on a few details. It seemed that Fuxi was substituting his presence with these memories, clearly having left after Wei Wuyin had flipped the script and was asking heart-seeking questions that were increasingly harder to skate around with a warm smile.

"I believe we would have succeeded," Kratos grumpily spat.

"Yeh! Yeh! Yeh!" Ori audibly agreed.

"Tch," King gave its opinion. From the tone, while it was confident in itself and, of course, its family, there was a tinge of annoyance at the prospect of failure. Fuxi didn't trust them to succeed alone. In its vocabulary, 'impossible' didn't exist.

"You would have failed," Eden reasonably voiced, causing the three spirits to become oddly silent within an instant. "It's not a matter of 'how to succeed' but 'how to not fail', and we didn't even have the right tools to do that. How could we not fail?"

The Rite of Passage for the Magi needed a specific lineage cultivation method and a very specific Mental Incarnation to have a chance to succeed, and they lacked those. They had no avenue to learn them as well. They had no way to even begin the race, so how could they possibly win?

When Fuxi said he wasn't special, he certainly wasn't kidding; The King of Everlore must have met him too, experienced this exact situation, and learned of the same story. Who knows the sheer quantity of Magi that was guided by him because they lacked that specific method and mental incantation?

He recalled Fuxi's explanation within suave Wei Wuyin's memories regarding after the Rite of Passage was overcome. It was quite detailed.

-----

The ancient, gentle, and wise voice echoed within his soul's inner world.

"The Magi are a lineage renowned for their knowledge. They are heavily regarded as the vast universe's first scholars. And after their Rite of Passage came the Dao Acknowledgement of Enlightenment, the Dao Acknowledgement of Scholarly Virtue, and the Dao Acknowledgement of Sagely Execution. These three trials were tests and determinants of your place within the Magi hierarchy.

"Do you know of the Creationist Daos?" Fuxi asked.

Suave Wei Wuyin's eyes brightened as his anxiety lessened slightly,

"Who doesn't? The Dao of Design, Dao of Forging, and the Dao of Alchemy!"

When Fuxi heard of those three, he released a hearty laughter.

"That's both incorrect and correct! The Creationist Daos were originally the Dao of Design, Dao of Forging, the Dao of Concoction, the Dao of Evolution, the Dao of Inscription, and the Dao of Arrangement. Six, not three."

Suave Wei Wuyin's brows furrowed,

"The Dao of Concoction is the Dao of Alchemy?"

However, Fuxi was even greatly amused, as if finding that despite likely receiving this question countless times, he would never not be amused by it. 𝔣𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖜𝔢𝔟𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖊𝔩.𝖈𝖔𝔪

"The Dao of Alchemy is seven Daos merged. The first of its kind. My most proudest creation. Although, I only helped it start. What it became is something even out of my expectations. It perfected the Creationist path."

"The Daos of Concoction, Evolution, Inscription, and Arrangement were merged with the Dao of Alchemy?" Suave Wei Wuyin asked with shock, adding: "And three others?"

"Merged and replaced," Fuxi added with a proud nod.

"But it also elevated the Dao of Design and Dao of Forging, taking parts of the Dao of Evolution, Dao of Inscription, Dao of Arrangement, and Dao of Concoction was shared to the other two Daos, hence why they are so vast in their overarching categories while the Dao of Alchemy became something entirely new, with new three becoming the old nine. Something...with potential that rivaled this universe."

"Limitless?" Suave Wei Wuyin was flabbergasted as the familiar saying echoed in his soul:

"The Dao of Alchemy is limitless."

"The method used was extraordinary in that there was not the slightest imbalance in the order of this universe afterward. In fact, the universe was elevated in quality. Let's not dwell too heavily on that, however. This is about your next step on this path. As you said before, there were three existing Daos that Creationists follow-Dao of Design, Dao of Forging, and Dao of Alchemy.

"Your next task will have you attempt to obtain an acknowledgment from one of these Daos of your choice. Then, pass or fail, you'll innately unlock and receive the next stage of your Celestial Eyes of Spiritual Divinity and your lineage's Cultivation Method. Do be mindful, however, that each acknowledgment is as difficult as cultivation, especially since it's limited to mortals.

"You'll test three parameters: your innate affinity, your developed attainments, and then a final test to verify your attainments as practical and understood. After all, without being able to execute your ideas into the world, what good are they?"

"...I see," Suave Wei Wuyin was confident in his talent with the Alchemic Dao, with his Alchemic Talents being absurdly high, so he would certainly succeed during that trial! He simply had to deal with the other two Daos, striving for a higher placement in this unknown hierarchy Fuxi mentioned.

Fuxi remained quiet for a long time as suave Wei Wuyin digested all this information and readied himself. Only after a long time when Wei Wuyin seemed to have settled his thoughts did he finally speak in a timely manner,

"Little One, I recommend that when you're given a choice, select Commoner. You'll avoid taking the test, and won't be subjected to the failing classification of Servant."

"What?"

Fuxi patiently explained,

"There are three primary status selections of difficulty: Magi Commoner, Magi Noble, and Magi Royalty. It's largely based on the mortal imperial system and determines your placement in the hierarchy of Magi, and it wasn't meant for those like you: Those not raised by the Magi, lacking their Cultivation Method? Mental Incantation, and Inheritance. But upon failing the Dao Acknowledgement of any category, you'll be automatically given Magi Servant. Your initial placement isn't too important. You'll be able to rise slowly with effort as a Magi Commoner, although your lineage Cultivation Method might be a little incomplete and low-level, it won't define you."

"..."

Wei Wuyin had always been prideful, but he respected Fuxi and believed in him. So he didn't argue given the kind intentions laced within those words.

-----

Wei Wuyin opened his eyes to see pure darkness still, the silvery radiance emanating from his irises was incessantly fluctuating.

"That version of me chose Magi Commoner and...he failed in all three acknowledgments, becoming a Magi Servant..."