The matters of the Sky Heart Galaxy, the galaxy with a cursed history and encased by a prohibition of the heavens themselves, had only just begun with Wei Wuyin's initial efforts. It was quite fortunate that Wei Wuyin could exert strength far surpassing a Mystic Overlord by virtue of his physical prowess and innate bloodline abilities, capable of dominating where others would most certainly fail if they tried to negotiate with the overlord beasts of the Sky Heart Galaxy.
Not even Sage Springfield had higher than a quarter of confidence at the thought of conquering or negotiating with these beastly forces. Without his Heavenly Treasures and Minor Authority of Wood Law, his strength would suffer a catastrophic decline. While the Heavenly War Spirit had vehemently warned against bringing an Enlightened Sage into the Sky Heart Galaxy and exerting advantage by geological limitations, in hindsight, if Wei Wuyin had done so, the fight would have been significantly less dangerous. However, in turn, it would also be increasingly difficult to kill.
Without the Laws' aura infused within his attacks, he couldn't eradicate the nigh-unkillable means of a Sage. For example, they had a type of mastery and depth of mystic power that was unfathomable to the common Ascended being, so initiating Temporal Reversion was as easy as breathing for them, and that was during combat, simply idle, they were difficult to slay.
Teng Jiangwen was confident that Wei Wuyin wouldn't have been able to slaughter him as he did, but he hadn't expected that Wei Wuyin could draw upon the Omega Saber Soul Light and Annihilation Laws to eviscerate his soul, claiming his life and obliterating his lifeforce. It was an irredeemable miscalculation that might have caused him to take drastically different actions, such as swearing an oath of servitude for numerous millennia in exchange for his life.
Yet thanks to Wei Wuyin's power despite the prohibition encasing this galaxy, Wei Wuyin's True Dragon Transformation bestowed him a seamless identity as a beast while his non-transformed state was flawlessly human. A true hybrid that could walk upon both paths equally, to the point that his Little Defiant had somehow drawn upon the Primordial Dao of beasts' aura and established a stellar belt.
This fact also greatly changed Wei Wuyin's perspective toward life in general, largely contributing to the ongoing and thriving platform of his empire's principles where all things were equal.
Wei Wuyin hadn't just become a hybrid of a human and a beast very early on but had quite literally absorbed the experiences and breadth of mind of a literal tree's psyche. He had lived through its memories and felt its emotions as it watched all sorts of tragedies and blessings, felt all sorts of desires such as growing closer to the star and moon above, and so much more.
He was a true hybrid of a human, beast, and plant. And like all those before him and all those after him, attaining the Idol of the Stellar Paragon, becoming one with your Solar Star and after cultivating the celestial-creation path of the Mortal Dao, Wei Wuyin understood what it meant to be a planet, a lunar satellite, a meteorite, a ray of light, space, the flow of time, a black hole, and a newly created realm...and most importantly-a Solar Star!
That level of inclusiveness alongside introspection granted one an indescribable perception of the world and viewpoint of all things. Because in some ways, the path Wei Wuyin had trekked thus far, allowed him to be all things.
All of this allowed a degree of association and understanding and approach that would have made it extremely and absurdly difficult for humanoid Sages to properly discuss with the beast rulers of the Sky Heart Galaxy, even if they had the strength to subjugate them. Because Wei Wuyin didn't see them as 'inferior' or 'superior' like others, he simply saw them as what they were and judged them on who they were.
Many days passed shortly after the initial efforts had been made, established, and agreed upon. Shockingly, those overlords of their respective beasts' lineages and races were not as long-winded and indecisive. They swiftly concluded discussions and laid out a very simple plan with benefits on both sides. Perhaps it was also because they recognized Wei Wuyin as a beast or the sincerity and forcefulness of his approach.
One of the most interesting developments was that the Almirajs who had suffered great losses recently had sought to establish an alchemist organization, wishing to delve into the depths of the Dao of Alchemy. Wei Wuyin didn't hesitate to agree. While it was a novel idea that he hadn't come across, a beast lineage cultivating the Dao of Alchemy, there were no obstacles to this attempt. In fact, the Almiraj and beasts, in general, can control energy, and mana, and had unreasonable physical perceptions that would give them an advantage due to the inherent detriments of tainting the concoction process with spiritual aura or screwing up due to the erratic fluctuation.
While they definitely would have their challenges, the Dao of Alchemy was not humanoid only.
This type of non-restrictiveness made him wonder if there were beasts who were Inheritors of Sin...
Despite the doors that this opened toward theory, Wei Wuyin was satisfied with the result. Invisibly, his Imperial Law's aura gradually spread across the Sky Heart Galaxy.
-----
Minor Elysium, Captain Quarters.
"Hrng~" A soft, dreamy breath sounded. Within this quarter was a larger-than-king-sized bed that had two lying on its cushioned and delightfully conforming layer-a man and a woman. The woman was certainly beautiful to the heart, soul, and mind, slumbering quietly with a hint of a smile as her body was absent of any bedwear, her sensual body covered only by satin sheets that diffused a comforting cold.
Cao Cuifen slept like a satisfied log, not a single ounce of vigilance that cultivators would emanate while slumbering came from her body and soul. This was irregular, especially for one who survived the harshness of the Dark Stars Era. In her mind, as she was genuinely asleep, she felt safe in every way imaginable. With Wei Wuyin beside her, everything could be laid bare, and she didn't have the slightest belief that he would shatter it at all. Her head full of hair lay peacefully upon Wei Wuyin's chest, allowing her to drift off to the sound of his heartbeat and the sensation of his body's warmth.
Wei Wuyin watched the decorated ceiling of the captain's quarters that depicted a star map of the Treasured Vale Galaxy's Blessed Yri Empire. This was designed in a way where it would remind the captain of their home. Perhaps it was meant to fuel the desire to return home or to never forget where they came from. He didn't quite know which, but his gaze upon observing it held none of that homesickness.
"Will the Prohibition of Heaven help evade Su Mei's issues during her ascension? Or should she undergo her ascension in an unrestricted region? Perhaps there might be significant importance to where." Wei Wuyin considered various things relating to Su Mei's upcoming ascension.
He had only a single day left. Tomorrow.
Her Mystic Ascension would occur tomorrow beyond the shadow of a doubt. Even though he made ample preparations, there was a feeling in his heart, elusive as it was, that felt as if none of it would be relevant. Despite all of his efforts, all of the time he spent analyzing Su Mei, and all of his expanded horizons that extend far past common knowledge such as with the Heavenly Daos, The World, Magi, Spartans, exposure to Daos, Laws, and more, he still didn't know what in the hell Su Mei was facing.
And neither did she!
'What do I do?' Wei Wuyin softly inhaled and released a long exhale. A single decision that may or may not matter. He was bogged down by it. And while he could venture forth with confidence and hope, Su Mei's life was on the line. In that alternative lifetime, Su Mei's True Soul had been eviscerated, leaving only an untouched corpse. He didn't have things such as Laws or Temporal Reversion, so he didn't know if they would work somehow.
However, from what he felt before, the lingering sensation that it simply wouldn't work left him feeling increasingly antsy after every passing minute.
-----
After mulling the matter of location for several minutes, Wei Wuyin's eyes closed for a moment. When they reopened, a light of decisiveness flashed within them.
"Within."
He slowly rose as Cao Cuifen was seamlessly shifted onto the bed, her hands and body hugged and clenched around the remnant warmth of Wei Wuyin's body. She lightly breathed his scent and her shifting expression relaxed.
Wei Wuyin left the captain's quarters as a wave of his hand outfitted him in his Ascendant Emperor's martial-alchemist-ruler hybrid attire of a primarily grey design with light and dark silver trims. He had a crown with sixteen inlaid jewels and two larger crystals at the front and back of the crown, the front jewel resembled the Alchemic Stars of Mortal Spirituality while the back crystal was composed of crystallized Void Energy.
When he made it to the deck, he discovered a valiantly unforgettable Su Mei standing there, staring at the starry sky with an uplifted gaze. For a moment, Wei Wuyin's heart shuttered unnaturally. Within his eyes, he saw a young girl who had left her village to follow a young man to a great Sect. She was joyful and exuberant with smiles and excitement.
Then, he saw that smile slowly fade as she was surrounded by vague-faced women like her, with black hair and black eyes, all surrounding and pining for this man's attention, and their unfriendly gaze as they spoke behind her back with hushed whispers and thinly veiled looks of contempt and jealousy.
Then, the young girl was on her knees, gritting her teeth with red cheeks and tears in her eyes. Harsh kicks and soft, humiliating slaps with vicious intent came from every direction, all faces blank with black eyes and dark hair. They avoided her face with the kicks. They always avoided delivering any significant damage to her face, only delivering crisp, harmless slaps that rung in the ears.
As she felt the world sinking further and further into an inescapable darkness of pain and suffering, a strong hand reached out, covered in a silvery glow, and within it was a chill that wasn't too cold to her. There was no hesitation in her eyes as she lunged toward that hand. Only when she touched it...only then...did she feel that warmth. Only when she lost it, did she realize how much...just how much she needed it.
When she held onto it again, blessed by fate itself, she refused to let go under any and every circumstance. Slowly, her damaged body healed and her body emanated a soft light. The light exuded an overpowering sensation as it engulfed that glowing hand protectively.
Just like it had saved her, all she wanted was to...
At this point, Wei Wuyin's mind regained itself as a pair of pure, limpid black eyes turned toward him. While she rarely smiled with her lips, and her expression was always strong, whenever Wei Wuyin saw those eyes reflecting his image flawlessly, he could see the big, hearty smile they held.
"Have you decided, Lord Wei?" Su Mei asked.
"..." Wei Wuyin stared at her unblinkingly for an indescribably long moment. Su Mei, however, never once turned away or revealed any impatience. She quietly observed and waited. Contentment within her heart and mind. Despite her upcoming ascension, despite Wei Wuyin's incessant reminder of the potential cataclysmic dangers, she didn't feel any anxiety.
After that long moment, Wei Wuyin broke out of his thoughts and walked toward Su Mei. For the first time since that day, he reached out his hand toward her. She was taken aback for only a brief moment before her heart pounded furiously and she reached out in turn. Wei Wuyin grabbed her hand into his, staring into those unprecedentedly pure and unfathomably mysterious black eyes of hers.
Wei Wuyin said with a firm voice, "I feel that I will regret it if I don't say it now."
"..." Su Mei's stoic expression faintly faltered.
"When you ascend, no-right now, I want you to become my wife. What...do you think? Do you want to?" Wei Wuyin felt an emotion he hadn't felt from Yue Songli, Cao Cuifen, or the others. All of them relied on him, body and soul, but... the rock that steadied him since they left the Scarlet Solaris Sect had always been and will always be...her.
The desire to protect him was earnest and heartfelt.
Su Mei's eyes slowly widened as it dawned on her. Her breathing which was normally as steady as a dead sea and as calm as the eye of a storm was slowly becoming faster, heavier, and her cheeks faintly revealed an uncharacteristically panicked blush. However, her feelings had been one she had long since come to terms with. And while she wasn't the type to imagine this day in her dreams or yearn for it every day, the thought of receiving those very words was always there.
So her answer was as decisive and prepared as her willingness to follow Wei Wuyin anywhere, even if it meant battling the very heavens or wielding their blades against divinities.
"Yes," was her only answer and the only answer that was needed.
Wei Wuyin's silver eyes brightened with unexpected yet incredible excitement. He felt a heavy mountain on his heart crumbled and he felt much lighter. For the first time, he embraced Su Mei tightly as if wanting to melt her into himself.
"..." She in turn only buried herself and clenched her fingers around his white robes. Her eyes grew wet with tears. While Wei Wuyin was happy, for the first time, she felt true anxiety because, in her eyes, Wei Wuyin was genuinely scared of losing her.
"I won't ever lose you, Su Mei. I promise." Wei Wuyin's words flowed out from his soul to comfort her anxious mind.
"..." She released a soft sound of understanding while her head was buried in his chest.
Many hours later.
The two floated upon an asteroid within the Sky Heart Galaxy, where the Prohibition of Heaven was the strongest. It was so strong that an Enlightened Sage would instantly die from the resulting backlash of violating its restriction at this specific location beyond the shadow of a doubt.
"Ready?" Wei Wuyin asked.
Su Mei nodded, "I'm ready." After a minute, Su Mei's body began to emanate a dense call of the Mystic Dao, drawing upon its attention as an aura that was assailing into its domain erupted from her. The Mystic Dao responded to her like all the others-Prove Thyself of Worth.
A test of your understanding and familiarity with the Mystic Dao would begin with a Trial of Ascension. A hazy gate emerged in the Void before her.
It was time. And as she took her first step toward the door, within Wei Wuyin's senses, the sound of a worldly chime echoed out like thunder, melodious and divine as the world froze.
It was here!
-----
[Author's Note: Hm... On the eve of an upcoming calamity. I don't know how I feel about that. What do ya'll think?]
Erdiul's Note: I think BIG RED FLAG (Happy as fuck over Su Mei becoming a wife before all the other gold diggers though, god bless) Top 2 Female Characters in the novel as the first two wives. Coincidence? I think not! At least Kevin knows what's up.

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