Paragon Of Sin

Chapter 494 - 490: Outsidersʼ Thoughts

In Sky Zephyr City, two figures played a board game with continuous moving pieces. It was the young woman and an old man from beyond, their looks and auras were rather ordinary.

”Why do you think heʼll come?” The young woman asked as she shifted a piece with her delicate fingers, her brows furrowed as she contemplated her next move. When the piece landed, the old man shook his head.

”I just do,” the old man answered as he showed no mercy, shifting his piece and ending the game, ”Checkmate.”

”...” The young woman gawked in silence, inspecting the board for a solid minute before sighing to herself. Her eyes flitted with a bitter light as she glanced at the old man. She said with dissatisfaction and a pout, ”If he comes, heʼs an idiot.”

”Why?” The old man asked, calmly reorganizing the pieces to restart the game. He wanted to hear her thoughts. Since meeting Wei Wuyin, experiencing what it meant to be young, cunning, intelligent, and perceptive, he hoped to see some of these traits in the young woman.

”Isnʼt it obvious? This Holy Son of Grandgale didnʼt set this meeting up to conduct any form of discussion about the future of this land. There isnʼt much to discuss. With the birth of Holy Children throughout the continent, the end of the Season of Devils, the Holy Children lost the majority of their power and influence.

”This is a discussion on how to deal with him, the strongest obstacle, so he would definitely not come. If he did, wouldnʼt he just fall into the hands of the others?” The young woman explained with a faint smile of confidence.

But the old man looked at her and sighed, ”If it was only that simple; If only he was that simple.” His sigh contained a wisp of disappointment, causing the young woman to pout.

”What do you mean? Am I wrong?” She questioned aggressively. This was the most direct explanation as to why he shouldnʼt arrive. This was a trial, but the other two Holy Children werenʼt here for it. They sought to gain the greatest benefit out of their circumstance.

The old man finished resetting the board, ”Youʼre not.”

”...What?” Confused, she demanded clarity with her eyes. The old man was contradicting himself, no? If she wasnʼt wrong, then if he came, he was an idiot, no?

The old man calmly said, ”Your move.” But after noticing the glare in the young womanʼs eyes, unwilling to proceed with their somewhat competitive game, he gave off another sigh, looking into the distance. ”Youʼve explained why not, can you explain why he should? What would he do if he did?”

”...” This question stumped her. If it was foolish to come, why consider the alternative? She didnʼt understand. If putting your hand over a fire burns your hand, then why consider why you should put your hand on a fire?! There should be only reasons why you shouldnʼt!

”Thinking about things from all angles, considering the worldly circumstances, those things are important. Letʼs put it in simpler terms, what if he sought an alternative? To negotiate with the other two before this Holy Son of Grandgale? Offer them benefits? Couldnʼt he gain an advantage?” The old man asked.

”Wouldnʼt work,” the young woman said swiftly and confidently. ”Thereʼs no way the Holy Son of Grandgale would give him the chance, unless heʼs the idiot. Furthermore, this is definitely not going to happen. That ʼgirlʼ is incredibly stubborn, and sheʼs already decided who to support.” The girl she mentioned caused the young woman to twist her lips into a frown.

The old man smiled, ”Ignorance is cause for caution, not dissuasion.” Those words caused the young womanʼs heart to pound, feeling as if it contained a profound essence sheʼd never understood before. But she couldnʼt quite grasp it.

”I guess we should just wait and see what he does,” the old man decided that explaining it would be too troublesome. She might even consider it illogical with her fixated thinking of Wei Wuyinʼs current position.

”No! Explain!” The young woman was irritated at the cryptic words and profound wisdom. She felt somewhat insulted, feeling a little lacking in intelligence. What was so great about this Holy Son of Tri-Elementus? Sure, he had heaven-defying talent! Sure, he had outrageously good-looks! Sure, his spiritual strength is unfathomable! But…

What was she trying to say again?

Whatever! She wanted an explanation!

The old man shook his head, ”Think simple, and consider. Youʼll find the answer.” He truly didnʼt want to explain, trying to urge her to think of alternatives. She kept thinking of Wei Wuyin entering a passive position, forced to wait for his eventual fate. Most might be forced into that position if this was the world of mortals, but they were cultivators. The act of cultivation was an act of defiance against fate, against the normalities of reality.

The young woman clenched her slender fingers, finding the old man irritating. ”Fine! Letʼs see if he comes or not! See if heʼs an idiot or not! See if youʼre right or I am!” With a huff, she moved a piece. But in her anger, that hasty action would inevitably lead to her loss.

”Donʼt have to wait for long,” the old man said.

-----

He Yanglei stood at the front of his Voidship, overlooking the masses. Those gawking humans and sharp-eared creatures. Those eyes of his contained an apathetic and dismissive gleam. It was as if everything he saw was beneath him, those below were ants, no, less than ants in his eyes.

”Pathetic,” he spat.

A skinny old man with sharp eyes that seemed to demand compensation for existing in his view from everyone, including the world, was standing beside him. The old man was entirely unbothered by He Yangleiʼs attitude.

”You should dispose of that token,” the old man suggested.

He Yanglei turned, realizing the skinny old man had revealed himself. ”Why?” He asked, his expression remained indifferent. He withdrew the Token of Elementus, also known as the Badge of Divinity, and inspected it with a faint smile.

”You should know why,” the skinny old man plainly said. The badge was a key item in the trial, and they werenʼt here for the trial. If they hindered the trial or completed it somehow, it would cause all sorts of issues to occur.

”The True Element Sect, hm? They want to choose their Chosen in such an archaic trial. I heard the trial was established in the hometown of the Nine-Divine Elementus King, I wonder if its true.” He Yanglei amusingly said.

”Whether its true or not, if you hinder the trial, the True Element Sect will demand an explanation. What you gained from this trial will be far, far less than what you lose.” The skinny old man warned after hearing the faint trace of disrespect in He Yangleiʼs tone. The Nine-Divine Elementus King wasnʼt a figure he could speak about so casually. He thought for a moment and solemnly added, ”You might not even keep your life.”

After saying that, he vanished.

He Yanglei froze for a moment. He clenched his fist around the token, feeling a wisp of frustration in his heart. But after a while, he relaxed. ”I have a Seed of Law, so my future isnʼt any less promising than this whatever King.” After saying those words, he scoffed as they met an Envoy of the Sky Zephyr Temple.

-----

On the other Voidship, an ordinary looking girl with hair was short and wavy, styled in a curly bob cut, with side-swept bangs partially covering her forehead, was at the front of the ship, observing the Sky Zephyr Temple that hovered in the sky. Her eyes were calm, cold even, yet there was a faint trace of remembrance in her eyes. Those eyes became softer.

A voice resounded behind her, its origins unclear, but its tone was feminine with a tinge of haughtiness. ”You shouldnʼt have any other ideas, Tang Xingyun.” Those words prompted that soft eyes to resume its cold, distant feeling.

The young woman by the name of Tang Xingyun remained silent, not responding. But the voice was unwilling to do the same, reminding: ”Be mindful of your status. Heʼs not and will never be worthy of you.”

Tang Xingyunʼs eyes became colder, but she remained silent. Only time will decide if heʼs worthy or not, no one else.