Chapter 1896: Chapter 1888: A Sword's Stance

"He actually did it!" Tianshi Ya was beyond shaken. Against all odds, Su Yi bravely dived headfirst against the Heavenly Sages' Tower, barreling towards Sovereign Darkmother, and encountering obstacle after obstacle, triumphantly descended upon her while simultaneously sealing off all her escape routes.

Left with no choice, she had begged for mercy, bawling her eyes out, and crying out injustice due to her past. She placed some of the blame on Su Yi's decision, seeking empathy and hesitation, yet it was all a ploy to lower his guard and deliver a devastating killing move. Su Yi coldly and calmly countered, ending her life.

Sovereign Darkmother showcased her devious nature at the end to those with the ability to observe, revealing bits of critical information as well.

The most shocking of all details revealed was that Su Yi's past life was not the Ephemeral Sword Sage but the Tyrant Sword Sage! A true-blue Cardinal Sage!

Amongst Supreme Sages, there were three statuses denoting abilities and achievements on the path of cultivation, not level of cultivation stage, and they were Superior Sages, Cardinal Sages, and Prime Sages.

A Superior Sage must create an unbreakable connection with the heavens.

A Cardinal Sage must seek the dao in all eight directions of the heavens.

A Prime Sage must attain enlightenment of the first spark of mysticism among the heavens.

To create.

To attain.

Tianshi Ya had only just learned of these differences from Suo Haoran while Su Yi fought against the odds to reach Sovereign Darkmother. This period was of the utmost importance to her as Suo Haoran imbued her with knowledge and understanding of the Resonant Soul Realm. At least, to the best of his ability.

She was also enlightened to an interesting fact regarding cultivation. While Superior, Cardinal, and Prime were not defined by any particular cultivation stage, acquiring the right to earn those titles typically corresponded with cultivation stages.

For example, while not all Superior Sages were Microheaven Envoys, all cultivators beyond the Microheaven Envoy Phase were Superior Sages. This logic held for certain specific stages as well. Suo Haoran explained that the titles also suggested talent and potential to aspire toward the great dao of eternity.

Su Yi's past life, for example, had met an impassable obstacle after becoming a Cardinal Sage; he was unable to assail the Daoseed Seeker Phase, failing a total of eight times while barely surviving each time. His relentless fervor to ascend was inspiring to any observer, yet it showcased that cultivation can be held back by numerous reasons, even if one was unyielding and ruthless to themselves.

Much like all the others, Suo Haoran was uncertain as to why Su Yi had failed time and time again in his past life, but Su Yi knew. And Su Yi had told others before of his issue, specifically Hong Xuannu and Chu Xing, who were aware of his identity.

And that issue was the foundation he had built during the Mortal and Mystic Ascendant Realm. In fact, it was those micro-imperfections that inevitably derailed every attempt at ascending, and this left him distraught but not enough to shatter his Heart of Cultivation as he searched the vast heavens and starry cosmos in an attempt to find a resolution to this problem. Shockingly, he had acquired the fortune to undo his imperfections and start anew.

An opportunity that went beyond just a single lifetime!

While Tianshi Ya was deeply amazed by Su Yi's valiant display, the time had come—the Dao Enforcers of the Utmost Purity Galaxy's Utmost Zenith Towers! They were blazing across the void without hiding a shred of their presence, descending on Su Yi with tyrannical auras.

The Suo Haoran next to her was an Incarnation. His true self had left to join his fellow enforcers. However, that Incarnation was less focused on Su Yi's matter; instead, his gaze was observing Wei Wuyin and Hong Xuannu. The unpredictable variable was still in play.

More importantly, the situation had developed in an odd direction. As the Dao Enforcers descended upon Su Yi, Yue Baoyue stood atop her Void Vessel protectively, glaring at the incoming Dao Enforcers with her arms spread wide. Her intent was clear: Don't touch Su Yi!

Su Yi was surprised, staring at her slender back strangely. When had a woman ever used her own body and life to defend him so openly? But he was also confused, as were the seven Dao Enforcers that gathered around Yue Baoyue, which included Suo Haoran, Dongfang Yue, and Sovereign Maleficent-Chaos.

What was she doing?

Besides those three who represented the Zenith Creation Tower, Zenith Refinement Tower, and Zenith Containment Tower, the other four consisted of three men and a single woman.

The Dao Enforcer of the Zenith Extraction Tower was a tall, stalwart man with a lion-like beard of grey-silver color and a head of sleek blonde hair tied into a very long ponytail. He had an air of charismatic charm, seemingly capable of bewitching the heart with his pearly white smile filled with flawless teeth. He was garbed in scarlet robes with a golden trim, clashing well with his warm white skin, sporting a grand golden lion embroidered on his back. He resembled a king of a civilized jungle.

To the world he was known as the Lion-Soul Sovereign, with his preference to those of his equals to refer to him as Shizi. No one knew his true name. However, that was well-respected, and most called him Superior Shizi or Enforcer Shizi!

Out of the seven Dao Enforcers, Shizi and Suo Haoran were the only Superior Sages. They were also the longest tenured Supreme Sages in the employ of a current-generation Zenith.

The Dao Enforcer of the Zenith Growth Tower was a puggy man with short bronze hair, dressed in tawny robes with traces of the seven colors of the Alchemic Dao decorated throughout as artistically designed felines that were unusually animated, seemingly possessing their own spirituality. He carried a fat, grey, and white furred Maine Coon nestled between both of his arms, surveying the world with boredom. Its yellowish eyes contained great intelligence far surpassing any typical beast.

To the world, he was known as the Bound-Spirit Sovereign.

The Dao Enforcer of the Zenith Transformation World was an elderly woman with long, silver hair. She had no wrinkles, yet she exuded maturity and grace with perfect skin. She wore a lavender-colored handful with a large, golden belt. Her hair was tied with a grand noble flair, kept together by a seven-colored hairpin. Her indigo-colored eyes shone with an all-seeing light.

Not only was she an Exalted Worldly Saint Alchemist known as the Gem-Siren Alchemic Saint, but she was a reputable Oracle regarded as the World Prophetess Yan, or to the vast upper echelon of the galaxies as the Precious-Heart Sovereign. Her multitude of titles were earned at different stages of her life, yet they were all worthy of praise.

The last Dao Enforcer, who belonged to the Zenith Fusion Tower, was a dwarf, roughly three feet tall, yet his body was slender; if not for his overly mature face, he could easily be mistaken for a young child. He stood atop a giant violet and golden pearl roughly the size of two adults, glistening with abundant spirituality, while dressed in violet robes that had too much sleeve and hem length, yet he seemed entirely unbothered by this, as if he could grow into it.

He was known by all as the Hulking-Titan Sovereign!

Anyone who heard his name might suspect whether they were the same person…

All seven Dao Enforcers had arrived a few tens of thousands of miles from a comet that Su Yi was riding on, which had the Void Vessel of Yue Baoyue parked within. The comet was halted by their pressure, and escape via Void Vessel was impossible as the surrounding space and time were solidified to an extent where access to the Void was cut off.

Su Yi was surrounded in all directions. There was nowhere to run.

However, Yue Baoyue had bravely stood forward, refusing to allow them to bring harm to Su Yi with a defiant gaze that exuded pure, unyielding spirit! Despite facing not one or two Supreme Sages but seven! SEVEN!

Of the seven, two were Superior Sages, three had consolidated foundations, and three were without consolidated foundations. Despite that, they were Dao Enforcers of their respective Heavenly Saint Alchemists and certainly didn't lack in tools or armaments.

Superior Shizi laughed heartily, "What a courageous young woman! Any man would be lucky to have you, beyond any shadow of a doubt! Haha!" His free-spirited demeanor and handsome smile were enough to lower guards and feel an intuitive sense of respect and friendliness.

"Child, step aside." Enforcer Precious-Heart firmly demanded. Her voice was pleasant yet powerful, like the authoritative tone of a noblewoman that bore no room for disagreement or a mother scolding her rebellious young. Yue Baoyue's expression subtly changed, but she remained unmoved and even spread her arm out further, refusing to budge.

"Daoist Su, are you going to hide behind a woman?" Enforcer Hulking-Titan asked indifferently. It was clear from his attitude that he didn't care, only wanting to keep the situation simple.

"And what if he does?!" Yue Baoyue shouted strongly, her eyes glaring at the dwarf defiantly.

Su Yi slightly shook his head at this display, feeling a warmth suffuse his entire heart and mind. He didn't outright push her aside, diminishing her efforts, and added mockingly, "Well, it seems I have that ability. Do you?"

"..." Enforcer Hulking-Titan scoffed dismissively. However, his internal anger was palpable. Yue Baoyue was acting like a disrespectful, petulant child. If not for the circumstances at play, he would have acted, damaging her foundation to an irredeemable state, ruining her future in alchemy and general cultivation.

"Daoist Su, you should know why we're here." Suo Haoran chimed in with a calm, leveled demeanor.

Su Yi turned to him, nodding: "I do."

Enforcer Maleficent-Chaos slowly brought out an Alchemic Edict. It erupted in seven-colored resplendent light into the surroundings for thousands of miles, releasing a deluge of tyrannical aura bearing the presence of all seven Zeniths. This was the highest degree of Alchemic Edict! All under its light was forced to look upon its extraordinary glory!

Su Yi, as an Alchemist, has attained the recognition of the Alchemic Dao and could read the Alchemic Edict. When he read its contents, his eyes narrowed sharply.

Yue Baoyue squinted her eyes, and when she read it, her eyes widened uncontrollably as her fingers trembled and her knees became weak.

"NO!" Yue Baoyue drew upon her strength to remain standing, showcasing that unyielding spirit. She screamed again: "NO!"

Enforcer Maleficent-Chaos was indifferent to her cries, only holding the edict aloft as she concisely announced: "For the action of killing two Heavenly Saint Alchemists, Su Yi will forfeit his secrets of reincarnation or be given the Death Sentence. Should he decide to surrender the secrets of reincarnation, his sentence will be reduced to a ten million years of servitude of the Utmost Purity Galaxy's Utmost Zenith Towers by an Oath of the Spirit, Oath of the Heavens, and Oath of the Mythical!"

This was not just a commanding edict, but a reckoning!

Su Yi had killed two Heavenly Saint Alchemists, and while they were irrelevant in the eyes of the Zeniths, this didn't mean that the galaxy hadn't suffered or that his life could simply go on without consequence. They had given him a leash to work with, allowing him to acquire his revenge without interference.

But actions…they have consequences!

Regardless, Su Yi could not go unpunished. If the Prosperous Ruin Galaxy thought that the Utmost Purity Galaxy's alchemists could be killed by a True Sage without issue, then their reputation and image would be tarnished until the Utmost Purity Galaxy no longer existed in this world!

Fortunately for those on Su Yi's side, albeit to a minor degree, they still prioritized his secrets and gave him a door to escape. Several others called for his immediate public execution, and so it was recorded throughout history with some embellishments. They can then move on with their lives.

Just like that.

Su Yi breathed out steadily, his heart unshaken, and his spirit as bright as ever.

Seeing this, Suo Haoran warned, "Daoist Su, I suggest you agree to these conditions. Your death will not benefit anyone."

Superior Shizi loudly sighed with a shrug, "Daoist Su, understand that as long as you have breath, your destiny can always be changed. If your existence is eradicated, there will be nothing else to be done."

Both the Superior Sages gave kind warnings in their own way. But to them, this was an inevitable development. The game was over, and Su Yi's reckoning had arrived. He had no escape. They had long since taken every conceivable precaution.

Yue Baoyue's eyes grew wet. "We can talk about this! Negotiate! This is unfair!" In her heart, an Alchemic Edict was impossible to resist. The entire galaxy was backing it. If Su Yi decided to refuse, his only option was to fight the entire Utmost Purity Galaxy.

And if they were pushed to their limits, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Utmost Purity Galaxy could utilize all the great powers of the Holy Void of Fortune!

The only escape would be leaving for the Vast Beyond that existed beyond the galactic cluster's limits. Not only was that unimaginably far, but the dangers of the Vast Beyond were unpredictable, and even Cardinal Sages didn't dare to lightly tread that path. Many have perished in the attempt, never to return.

"Stop being naive, child. Daoist Su has killed not one but two Heavenly Saint Alchemists, severely injuring two others, and slaughtering his way through the galaxy as if it were his. These were the negotiated terms, placed to the highest accepted standard of compromise." Enforcer Precious-Heart said with a firm stare at Yue Baoyue, finding her childish attitude ridiculous, yet was kind enough to explain.

"..." Yue Baoyue didn't know what to do. What could she do? Panicked, she tried to think of a way out.

Su Yi's hand touched her shoulder lightly. She turned to see him smiling warmly, confidently, and righteously. There was no impurity within that smile. Her heart eased a little. "Su Yi…" she called out his full name, disregarding any naming etiquette.

Su Yi shook his head, reassuring her silently. Then, he gently moved her to the side. As he did, in a location far away, the woman who had met Su Mei and the others not too long ago was playfully swirling two miniaturized orbs containing what seemed to be tens of thousands of starfields on each. She frowned as she glanced at her left arm.

"Not enough Karmic Luck Value? What a pity," she said with disappointment evident in her voice. Su Yi's Karmic Luck Value was unable to orchestrate conditions to benefit him, not due to any exhaustion but simply an insufficient supply. "If he were an Empyrean, this wouldn't be so difficult to resolve. I guess that means I can't harvest him."

She thought about her Incarnation that she had sent. It had to constantly resist a grinding force originating from the galaxy, preventing her from entering with her true body or exerting an Incarnation's true strength, and trying to breach with her True Body would only automatically activate the galactic array of a greater galaxy. That would be problematic, alerting far too many.

She wanted him out of the galaxy's protection. She just didn't expect that he would ruthlessly violate the ruling galactic party's rules. She opened her mouth and tossed an orb into it. With a hearty crunch, she chewed on the orb with great relish.

And at the same time, Wei Wuyin frowned as he glanced at the world as a whole. The Heavenly Daos were seething, yet they seemed unable to accumulate enough strength to interfere. It was like a looming dragon.

It was clear that he wasn't the only one who felt it as both Suo Haoran and Superior Shizi briefly glanced at the writhing void that was invisible to all beneath the Superior Sage level. Witnessing this, the two exchanged a glance and then focused on Su Yi.

The young swordsman who resembled an unfettered sword immortal stood upright and firm, his spine like a heaven-holding pillar, and his eyes as bright and vast as the boundless cosmos.

"I told you that I'd bring you to great battles. Will you join me for this one, old friend?" The Sword of the Transient Realm emitted a hum, responding as if it were a real soul. In fact, the faint image of a young, exceptionally handsome man flashed across the surface of the blade with an invigorated smile.

Fighting seven Dao Enforcers? Fighting a Greater Galaxy?

MAY OUR EDGE BE SHARP! MAY OUR ENEMY'S NECK BE SOFT!

A soft voice echoed within Su Yi's soul, responding with clear intention to follow him wherever this path may take them. Even if it meant death. Su Yi couldn't resist the urge to grin triumphantly. With friends from two lives standing by his side, what was there to fear in battle?

He'd already died once.

There was nothing to fear!

"NO!" Yue Baoyue's heart nearly collapsed. She sent a burst of spiritual strength outward, and then she looked beyond the Dao Enforcers. She was unable to see him, but she knew he was watching.

"Please, take Su Yi away from here! I'll do anything! ANYTHING!!" Yue Baoyue cried out pleadingly. And the target of her plea?

Wei Wuyin heaved a sigh.

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Erdiul's Note: ???? Who tf she think she is? Ain't no way bruh. If WW actually simps again, I might actually....

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