Paragon of Sin

Wei Wuyin accompanied Tuo Bihan for quite a while after the departure of the Prime Imperial Sages. The old man's attitude was quite carefree, and Wei Wuyin learned a little more about this legendary leader of an entire Extreme Mountain. Not only was he an Alchemic Emperor, but he was a high-level Architect and a Forger. He was a Creationist through and through, but he was also an existence that was exceptionally long-lived.

While he didn't specify his exact age, Wei Wuyin felt hints of his life aura and it seemed to be nearing or about thirteen hundred years. That was exceptionally old! At that age, a person can learn and develop many skills.

After a little bit of chatting, Tuo Bihan left. 

Wei Wuyin immediately retreated into his bedroom. The moment he arrived, he removed his clothes and jumped in his bed, covering himself with satin sheets and grabbing the feather-stuffed pillows. With a deep exclaim, he descended into sleep.

He was beyond tired currently, and that largely had to do with resisting the absolute monstrous pain that was being burnt alive until your eyelids melted into your skin. While it simply wasn't comparable to the experience when he was told about Hell, this was slightly different as it involved being scorched alive. 

Furthermore, there was so much he still had to do. Before this incident, he spent the last three months preparing his trump cards, studying the Dao of Alchemy, concocting all sorts of products for experimentation, and learning about the astral territory. 

Unfortunately, he still had things to do.

-----

A few days later, in Wei Wuyin's Alchemy Room.

"So this is Mana, hm?" Wei Wuyin softly muttered. In his hands were nine bottles, each containing a portion each, nine fluid ounces, of white liquid that shone with a resplendent light. By using the Earthly Nine Concoction Method, he was capable of producing nine portions of the Mana Instillment Dao Elixirs in a single session.

His eyebrows were slightly furrowed as he inspected the bottles. Every portion was low quality. He had an eighty percent belief in his success, and his refinement time was merely a day or so. While this was exceptional, he was dissatisfied with the end product. Fortunately, this was his first time actually concocting the product, so it was a given to have made a few mistakes. These mistakes might be minor, but they heavily affected the elixir's end result.

Only now did he truly understand why it was difficult to not just succeed, but produce high or peak-quality products. 

Despite that, the process had truly expanded his understanding of what mana was. Mana wasn't essence. It was more like the glue of the universe. It was everywhere, in everything, but the quality and quantity of it varied greatly. It was a highly compatible material that could bond with all forms of energy, including mental and spiritual energy.

When one reached the Sixth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, the False Reality Phase, a cultivator needs to sense and connect with a mana for the first time, and extract a very, very, very small amount to facilitate the cohesive bonding of yin and yang energies. This tiny bit of refined mana not only helped generate yin-yang energies, but enabled creation.

Before that stage, one's Metaphysical Qi was truly leaning towards ethereal in terms of how it interacted with the world, and this was due to the concentration of mana within. Only when they've reached that stage could it interact with the world and be stabilized for long periods of time.

Unfortunately, mana that was refined by the spirit deteriorated overtime when not controlled. Well, it wouldn't necessarily deteriorate, but dissipates back into the world's ambient mana. Like a smaller body of water being absorbed into a larger body of water. The world's mana attracted foreign mana, absorbed it, like a glob of sticky clay that caused the Qi to lose its ability to interact with the world.

This was the very core reason as to why Qi or things generated by creation lacked permanence, and required consistent sustaining to maintain itself.

It was this understanding that made him realize the significance of Qi Essence, or personally refined Mana. Mana generated by one's Natal Soul was highly dependent on its strength and compatibility, and Qi Essence enhanced these two attributes greatly. The greater these attributes, the more powerful the refined mana, and its resilience to the attractive force of the world's ambient mana while increasing its interactive abilities.

These differences were defined as Mortal States, from 1st through 9th. Those at lower Mortal States had weaker Natal Soul's strength, and the mana refined was subsequently weaker. Without a strong enough compatibility, it seemed initiating the Astral Tribulation was impossible; hence, only those at the 4th Mortal State had sufficient ability to summon it forth.

These revelations solidified his understanding of cultivation, and how important one's compatibility and Natal Soul's refinement strength was. No wonder the Zenith Mortal State was such a legendary state, it's possible that at that state, one's Mana would be infinitely close to legitimate permanence.

If he created a wisp of fire, it would continue to exist unless exhausted. If he generated water qi, it would maintain its existence and slowly integrate with the natural cycle of the world, becoming vapor, rain, etc. His aura would remain forever.

Just the thought had him salivating. This was the closest thing to immortality!

"If I'm going to use this Elixir to create a Mana Essence that can reach the Zenith Mortal State, it has to be the best. I'll only use four peak-quality elixirs. After all, I can't settle on my future." He continued the refinement process for several more days.

Fortunately, the sheer amount of materials he possessed was nearly limitless. In fact, even with his refinement speed, with the herbal techniques and cultivation methods used by the sect and world, he could theoretically be said to have an infinite amount. Therefore, he held nothing back.

In the end, he finally concocted four peak quality elixirs. It took a while, and even with his advantages, it was an incredibly difficult process. That being said, he had ninety-three other elixirs, most of which were high quality. In relation to quality, there were only three: low, high, and peak. These defined its lack of impurities and overall effectiveness. 

The four elixirs were releasing luminous light. They were like four crystal oceans as their light enveloped the surroundings, changing the hue of the world. It was quite beautiful. He took a moment to appreciate this gorgeous display while simultaneously feeling a wisp of pride in his heart. This had officially solidified his ability as an Alchemic Emperor!

"Alright, time to-" just as he was about to refine the four elixirs one at a time, his three Natal Souls—Draconic Blood Spirit, Divine Elemental Spirit, and Divine Saber Spirit—left his body with a woosh!

He nearly lost consciousness at the speed of their departure which influenced his sea of consciousness. Luckily, Alchemic Eden Spirit remained behind, stabilizing his quaking sea of consciousness and disturbed dantian. 

Before he could regain a semblance of self, his three spirits had already taken what they wanted and returned. He couldn't even blink before they were done! 

The moment they re-entered his body, the impact sent him tumbling backwards and directly into the embrace of unconsciousness. They were like playful children finding treasure and returning home in haste, not caring about tracking in mud or damaging their home. Only the Alchemic Eden Spirit remained to safeguard Wei Wuyin as the three spirits devoured their portions like ravenous wolves.

Wei Wuyin remained unconscious for several hours. The forceful shock had thoroughly knocked him out. By the time he did awaken with a groggy moan, he felt completely different.

Slowly rising, he felt a forceful, foreign strength within his fleshy body, beyond anything he was familiar with. 

"This…?!" He was dumbstruck as he inspected his physical state. He observed the four of his spirits' forms were now clearly defined, far more than ever before. 

The Divine Elemental Spirit was like a spherical world of elements surrounded by a sky of pure white. 

This world was true and vivid, as if he could enter it with a thought and be immersed in the fire, water, and wind or step upon the ice, wood, earth, or metal within. The lightning and magma seemed extremely dangerous as they seared and devastated anything they touched. 

The Divine Saber Spirit looked exactly like Element in his mind's eye. It radiated a ferocious aura filled with peerless dominance and arrogance. He felt as if all things in the world were considered inferior beneath its edge!

The Alchemic Eden Spirit was a picture perfect copy of the Tree of Eden's original appearance. Its roots looked thick and lively as it was deeply embedded into his sea of consciousness. It was sending light into his sea of consciousness's foundation, suffusing it with various alchemical and mental energies.

While his flesh and blood heart had thoroughly transformed. It was enlarged by nearly two times and had a faint layer of fleshy scales that extended even throughout his arteries and veins. Each beat wasn't a pound but a soft roar of a true dragon! The Divine Mark of Myth seemed to have changed as well, upgrading to another level!

It was previously at the Mortal Myth, Second Grade, but now it reached the third grade! He was rendered completely speechless for a moment.

So this was possible too?

According to the True Dragon Transmutation only the blood essence of a dragon and lifeforce could refine the mark, but it seemed there was another method as well. It was the upgrade of his Draconic Blood Spirit! Considering the Spirit was the Mark of Myth, this made some sense.

"This! Am I cultivating or are you guys?!" He felt a sense of helplessness as he regarded the four. They had each refined the Mana Instillment Dao Elixir and formulated a far stronger Mana Essence than normal. Afterward, they merged the Qi Essence with the Mana Essence, formulating a single Zenith Essence, and realizing it was their limit, they directly absorbed it!

This was the basis of assailing the Ninth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, the Qi Essence Phase! 

Wei Wuyin's expression, however, wasn't one of elation, but vigilance. Ever since they've seemingly gained an abnormal degree of hyper awareness and sentience, including their ability to act on their own through externalizing, they've been cultivating themselves. This started from the time he was absorbing the Astral Dipper Foundation Pill to perhaps even his condensation of Elemental Qi. It was like he was merely their home.

He felt completely odd because he understood this wasn't the case for others. Their Natal Souls adhered to their will and desire and lacked any form of independence or intelligence.

In the end, he could only sigh. Fortunately, they couldn't externalize for long, or else they might just leave on their own. He couldn't help but feel a wisp of uncertainty.

'Why are these Natal Souls of mines like this? Is it because of the Externalize Heart Method I devised?' His thoughts were a storm of questions and confusion, and he couldn't pinpoint the change. Could it be due to his Bloodline of Sin? While that seemed like the most likely reason, in his heart, he felt it wasn't the right one. As for why he felt that? He wasn't really sure.

Regardless, he ascended to the Qi Essence Phase was Zenith Mortal State Natal Souls.

After settling his thoughts, he decided to check and see how many days he was unconscious for, but when he discovered the answer, his eyes bulged in disbelief!