Paragon of Sin

Lin Xianxei, Lin Ming, and the unconscious Bai Yuxi, were situated on their Voidship looking out towards the myriad planets that littered their eyes. They came in all shapes and sizes, beautiful and gloomy, sparkling or dim, yet their eyes reflected not the appreciation of this gorgeous sight, but a sense of loss.

Lin Xianxei sighed, "We're fucked." She had never been one to use coarse language, but this was the perfect situation to do so.

Why?

BECAUSE WEI WUYIN WASN'T THERE!

After they left, they turned around to arrive at the Everlore Association's planet named Third Sky, a planet ruled by the San Clan of the Everlore Association within the Everlore Domain. They hosted the recruitment of all the new talented inhabitants there, and sent off the others to the three Domains of their choice via a few large-sized Void Gates.

But when she arrived, asked about the whereabouts of Wei Wuyin, the only response those of the San Clan gave her was that there was no one amongst the populace of trillions with that name, cultivation level, and age range. It didn't stop there, of course!

As the Little Saintess of the True Element Sect, she had some persuasion power, so the San Clan delved further into the mystery. After a little bit of digging, it was discovered that several individuals had written the name 'Wei Wuyin' as one of their two connections.

But further investigation suggested that Wei Wuyin wasn't registered himself, but the group still met. When they interrogated a Qi Condensation Realm woman that had yet to leave, whose name was Mei Yang, they learned that Wei Wuyin wasn't present throughout the event. Others also corroborated this statement.

A cultivator like Mei Yang wasn't able to lie to them, so they accepted this after another verification from a woman by the name of Qin Rui, an Astral Core Realm cultivator, and the answer remained the same. As for where he went or how he vanished, they had no idea!

With the destruction of the starfield, there was no longer any evidence to pursue!

Still, they discovered another fascinating fact in their investigations. Prior to the World-Shifting Net's appearance, all the beasts and beastmen vanished without warning. Lin Ming was confused by this specific targeting, but Lin Xianxei was aware of the Everlore Association's preferences. 

Someone very powerful must've taken action knowing that the Everlore Association was going to leave all those with beast bloodlines to die. Initially, they thought Wei Wuyin was taken, but they learned he was human, not a beastman from Qin Rui. After all, beastmen can only cultivate using their hearts, not their dantians, but Wei Wuyin had a Spirit of Cultivation in his dantian from an early age.

But the possibility that whoever took action also brought Wei Wuyin away was possible. The only question was: Who?

Unable to find the answer, they were left facing a brick wall without any tools. This left them standing on their Voidship staring blankly at the gorgeous scenery. 

"Even if we continued searching, it's unlikely he's alive, right? Whoever took him must be unimaginably powerful." Lin Ming rationalized, feeling a surge of cooling relief in his heart. Without Wei Wuyin present, he felt confident in tiding any difficulties or obstacles in his future.

Lin Xianxei frowned, glancing at Bai Yuxi. "The Elementus Cache was likely their target." With a sigh, she leaned against the railing and showed off her exquisite curves. Lin Ming caught a glimpse and felt stunned. He had forgotten that his Senior Sister was a beauty for a moment.

He turned away, concealing his thoughts and asked: "It's not that much of an issue, right? Even if we don't have the Elementus Cache and the Enlightening Soul Pulse Elixir, we can commission it, right? You once told me this starfield has Mortal Sovereign Alchemists, even those that exceeded the Mystic-rank. We can then settle any debt right then."

Lin Xianxei gave Lin Ming a sidelong glance, her eyes staying on him for a moment before looking away. "Do you really think ninth-grade products grow on trees? That the Tang Clan is harmless? That the True Element Sect's situation is easily solvable?!"

"No. I'm not naïve, but you said-"

"I know what I said!" Lin Xianxei rose her voice, her frustration leaking from her every breath. Lin Ming started. He remained silent as he waited for Lin Xianxei to calm.

It took a while before her chest, that kept rising and falling in an alluring fashion, settled with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry...You just don't know."

"Then tell me. I'm here now. I'm facing this world with you, so don't leave out vital details." Lin Ming urged. He only learned about the sixteen forces from the information orb left by Tang Xingyun. Lin Xianxei had kept so many details vague this entire time. It was such that he wasn't certain of her cultivation level or the highest cultivation in the starfield. He only knew snippets of the whole picture.

Lin Xianxei turned to Lin Ming, looked him into the eye, and stared. The two faced off without a single blink, with Lin Ming revealing a fierce resolve. Even though they were in a situation, when has he not been in one? No matter the obstacle, he refuses to give up or surrender to fate. If someone tells him that the shield was unbreakable, then he'll melt it down!

"Haaaa...Okay. I'll tell you then." Lin Xianxei couldn't help but be moved by Lin Ming's willpower. It reminded her why she gave him the token in the first place. Because he was unwilling to surrender in the face of any adversity, yet he had a heart of gold that knew how to repay kindness and enmity with a clear conscience. 

"Where should we start?" She turned to face the Aeternal Sky Starfield's only sun.

And Lin Ming said, "What about there. Why is the Solar Star here surrounded by a white ring? What is it?" He had always been curious, but there never felt like the right time to ask.

Lin Xianxei nodded, "I guess starting from there is perfect. That's called a Mystic Radiance Belt. You should know that Solar Stars exude a unique energy that permeates the entire starfield, enables life, growth, and an outpour of special material. We cultivators call this energy—Essence. It is one of our four vital energies, alongside mental, physical, and obviously, spiritual, and it allows us to cultivate. This essence is filtered through different mediums, having different qualities as a result.

"Let's see...Essence typically has two forms, pure and converted. The purest form of Essence is just simply Essence, but when it is filtered through the Chill of the Dark Void, entering the atmospheric filters we call Sky Layers for planets, it becomes Astral Essence. This is still Pure Essence. Flat Continental Earths don't have the means to filter Astral Essence, so its diluted further until it becomes Qi Essence. Not the exact same Qi Essence we conjure ourselves during the Qi Essence Phase, but extremely similar. 

"These pure-type Essences integrate with the plant life, terrain, natural environment, and based on the balance of energies and such, naturally produce materials we use for cultivation. This essence can even be condensed by other celestial bodies, purified by the World's Core, be it planet, flat continental earth, even lunar satellites and make essences stones.

"When essence is intermixed with a natural occurring will of the environment, unique essence materials can form. This is what we cultivators call a converted-type Essence. There's ranks and grades, with Mortal-rank materials having Qi-grade and Astral-grade. We even produce our own Qi Essence, forming the basis of our Spirit of Cultivation's body.

"When we mention unique Natal Souls or Astral Souls, they refer to the container of our Spirits of Cultivation formed by our Qi Essence, elevated to Astral Essence. Even a Astral Fire Soul is composed of converted-type Fire Essence or Astral Sword Soul is composed of converted-type Sword Essence.

"The Mystic Radiance Belt elevates this pure-type Essence into Mystic Essence, infusing it with traces of Mystic Intent. As for normal essence, it only has Mortal Intent.

"The Mystic Radiance Belt filters all essence exuding from our Aeternal Sky Solar Star and basks the entire starfield in its nourishing energies. This can improve cultivator's physique, innate talent, and even give birth to strange, otherworldly bloodlines! 

"Even with the Mystic Radiance Belt, however, Qi Essence Stones and Astral Essence Stones still exist in most environments, but there's a slight chance that the amalgamation of Mystic Essence will form a Mystic Essence Stone that carries Mystic Intent. These are extremely valuable for those who wish to Ascend, absolutely priceless. There could even be a Mystic-Grade Essence Mines or Comets. Furthermore, it allows the birth of Mystic-Rank materials such as herbs, strange liquids, and such." Lin Xianxei marveled at the grandness of the belt, her eyes sparking with boundless reverence.

Lin Ming digested this information. So the Mystic Radiance Belt elevates the Starfield's ambient essence to beyond Mortal-rank, thereby increasing the quality of materials and cultivators? This was what he gathered from that long, detailed explanation.

It was also what he understood the purpose of having more than one Solar Star was. According to Lin Xianxei from before, multiple Solar Stars can elevate the growth and level of resources and suitable cultivation environments. There was even a time she mentioned a Starfield having seven Solar Stars!

"But how is it created?" Lin Ming followed up.

"Long ago, about twenty thousand years ago, Ascended spent centuries refining it. Half of them even gave up their lives to build it. It's the greatest formation we know of." The history of the Mystic Radiance Belt was never altered, showing the immense respect every passing era had for those heroes that gave them a better future. 

"...Is it that difficult to create?" Lin Ming felt utter disbelief, his eyes shining with a similar glimmer. The thought of having three of them like his starfield made him brighten. 

"Not only is it difficult and dangerous! It requires a natural Solar Star that is filled with Elemental Origin Energy, only birthed during the creation of a Stellar Region. It's…" Lin Xianxei halted her words, remembering the missing individual that comprehended Element Heart Intent.

Noticing her mood falling, Lin Ming asked: "What about alchemists?"