Paragon of Sin

Since Ma Zheng entered after the Great Sea Oceanic Queen, the audience had increased considerably. Not only were the Earthly Saints present, the Demi-Mortal Lords, Alchemic Sovereigns, and even some of the talented Chosen and Chosen Knights had come to observe the situation. The atmosphere was quite subdued, solemnity marked the faces of most, while others were fearfully tense.

Those fearful were the two Earthly Saints who've made several futile attempts to save their love, the Great Sea Oceanic Queen, and Sun Li. Sun Li was accompanied by several Golden Life Pavilion members, and their hearts were rumbling with concern. Ma Zheng was not only a well-respected figure, but he had impacted many of their lives and pushed them to where they were now—successful.

If something happened to him…

However, the top-tier experts present such as the Soul Saint King and Boundless Martial High King didn't show any signs of the slightest intent to assist Ma Zheng or the Great Sea Oceanic Queen. While it wasn't their duty to risk their lives exploring the unknown for strangers, some couldn't help but secretly send them messages to assist.

Huoyan Liulan was one of the few who asked her grandfather, Pope Huoyan. However, she was admonished for her hasty, idiotic behavior, and promptly ignored afterward. She could only pout with indignation after Pope Huoyan focused his Spiritual Sense on her. She knew that any movement would immediately be halted, so she could only be obedient like a child before her grandfather. She sent Sun Li repeated requests to make an offer to others to move them. If more acted, there would be less chance of situations spiraling out of control and it'll fuel others' confidence.

Sun Li had sent zero offers to anyone, which was likely what they were all waiting for—a chance to profit. She had full confidence in Ma Zheng's abilities, and if he couldn't bring that stupid woman out of there, then she felt none of them could. After all, Ma Zheng was an Earthly Saint with a Nexus Spatial Mystic Soul, thirty-thousand years of experience, and a vast array of treasures accumulated over a long lifetime.

"It's been nearly two hours…" The Earthly Saint from the Star Sanctum who had asked Ma Zheng to act said with the heaviest of frowns, the worry in his eyes was so dense that it almost manifested into light. But, none of that concern was directed towards Ma Zheng.

"If you're so concerned about the time, ignite your Mystic Soul, rupture space, and go in yourself." The Boundless Martial High King said disdainfully. He truly felt contempt for these weak-willed Earthly Saints that could only ask others for help and then comment on how long it was taking. They hadn't exhausted all avenues of personal ability, so why speak? To him, they lost that right.

The Earthly Saint's expression changed instantly, becoming slightly unsightly. Despite his reaction, he didn't dare to retort with any words. He could only grit his teeth. The fixed space here was extremely odd, and it required either tremendous force or a high degree of Spatial Resonance or high-level Spatial Power to split it, entering fixed space. The two had tried to breach into fixed space but to no avail.

The Boundless Martial High King contemptuously said while sneering, "Pathetic."

"..."

"Oh?" Empress Xiaocheng's alluring eyes which could bewitch the souls of gods and devils alike looked down to the vast Dark Void below. A millisecond later, the Soul Saint King, Boundless Martial High King, and Rainbow World Starfield's(5th) Xia Jia all looked in the same direction. Then, after two full seconds, the other Earthly Saints turned their heads too. Huoyan Liulan heaved out a breath of incredible relief. If one paid extreme attention, they would discover that the Rainbow World Starfield's Xia Jia had looked a full three seconds before Empress Xiaocheng, but had returned her gaze without the slightest sign of change in her expression.

A comet of silvery light streaked across the Dark Void, coming towards them with two life signatures. The two Earthly Saints that were connected to the Great Sea Oceanic Queen had eyes that went wide with surprise, excitement, relief, and extreme elation.

"Seems luck is on your side," the Soul Saint King commented with a soft scoff. It seemed reckless idiots truly were the hardest to die.

"Not his," the Boundless Martial High King casually and disrespectfully pointed at the Eighth Sea Grand King, whose eyes were slowly building with the light of ill intentions and dissatisfaction. It would have been better for him if the Great Sea Oceanic Queen had lost her life. Unfortunately, they all knew that Earthly Saints were notoriously difficult to kill.

Well, that was the general belief for tens of thousands of years since the Aeternal Sky Divine Emperor's Earthly Ascension, but that slowly veered towards being slightly untrue as several Earthly Saints in the last decade have died.

The Ravenous Edge True King, the World Prison True Queen, True Element Sect's Gong Lau, Nansi Yuangu of the Nansi Clan, and former Pavilion Master Sheng Jizi—Earthly Saints who have fallen in the last decade. This number exceeded the number of deaths of Earthly Saints in the last three thousand years.

The feeling that their lives were no longer as hardy as before caused many to feel extremely cautious.

Ma Zheng held the Great Sea Oceanic Queen in a bundle of gentle Mystic Power, protecting her in an airtight shield. The two lovesick Earthly Saints had flown towards him, pleading with him to see her condition, but Ma Zheng refused them outright, only assuring them that she wouldn't die. How could he allow them to inspect her state?

Empress Xiaocheng took the initiative to ask what everyone else wanted to ask, "Pavilion Master Ma, can you tell us about the event that caused this?" Everyone's eyes brightened as they awaited a response. What type of power caused this? It didn't seem like a Supernova yet it felt eerily similar and profoundly more powerful.

Now, fixed space was suffering all sorts of sudden changes, making it difficult to traverse through it or interact with their Spatial Power.

Ma Zheng kept a calm expression in the face of the inquiring gazes, and he flatly said: "I have no idea what caused it. I barely got a chance to explore it." After saying this, confusing everyone present, Ma Zheng didn't explain and only shook his head. He wouldn't tell them about the creature that even Wei Wuyin feared despite having two Earthly Saints of high tier at his side, nor would he elaborate and explain that he was saved by Wei Wuyin.

"But what I do know is that the fixed space has filled with high-level Chaotic Spatial Energies, distorting the area. That's it." This was what he learned from his brief time, and it wasn't information that was important. They likely all found some clues of this after he ruptured space before, and he was just confirming it.

While traversing fixed space was easy, traveling across chaotic space was as difficult as a mortal traveling the arctic without any clothes, compass, food, or assistance of any kind. It was like entering into an area where everything was as the name suggested: chaotic.

The expressions of many changed. While cultivators grasped Fixed and Stable Spatial Energies and comprehensive insights at the Mortal Dao, Chaotic Space was disgustingly difficult to grasp for cultivators. It was the final piece needed to grasp the Spatial-type Mystic Rune, and even then, it was purely at the lowest level of comprehension.

If one pushed this insight and type of power to a certain limit, merging the three forms of space to establish a strong resonance, one could formulate a Seed of Law in the right circumstances.

The reason why the two lovestruck Earthly Saints couldn't breach space like the Great Sea Oceanic Queen or Ma Zheng was largely because their Spatial Power was repelled by Chaotic Spatial Energies empowered by remnants of Heavenly Mana.

"..." The Ascended beings present all contemplated the possibilities for this change, and greed suffused many of their gazes. What treasure could create such an event? The only thing that stopped most from exploring was the unconscious Great Sea Oceanic Queen. She was a cautionary tale of entering unprepared.

Still, the high-level Chaotic Spatial Energies itself was a valuable resource for cultivation. If they could study it, couldn't they grasp a higher form of Spatial Power? Their hearts roared with the pursuit of further power, even thinking of gathering this energy for talismans, pellets, or armaments that could threaten Earthly Saints.

The Alchemic Sovereigns were already stealthily negotiating for future expeditions into the area to extract some of this high-level Chaotic Spatial Energy. In the world of cultivation, cultivators cultivate using the vastness of the entire world, and as such everything within it can be used to further their path toward greater heights.

Suddenly, Evergod's voice resounded throughout the area. "The Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit has been delayed enough. We will resume the competition in thirty minutes." This was an irrefutable announcement. The summit was already at a heated point, so it had to continue. If they delayed it further, who knew what would happen?

"Right," the Soul Saint King had no objections towards this. He wanted this summit over so he could focus on recovery, and had no intentions to explore. He'll leave that to the ambitious Soul Monarchs by his side. They'll find something and offer it to him anyway.

The others soon agreed as well. They gave one last look at the strange space outside the Aeternal Sky Starfield and then shot back towards the Everlore Domain.

On a Voidship of the True Element Sect, Lin Ming was observing the unfathomable figures as his heart pounded. While he couldn't hear their conversations, his instincts told him that there were great benefits to be had from whatever just happened. Moreover, even the voice that originated from his Aegis of the Elements was uncharacteristically quiet, but he could feel its riled emotions.