1951 Chapter 1943: Ambitious
As eyes illuminated with an array of emotions, ranging from abject surprise, solemn contemplation, or rapturous determination, Su Yi's heart pounded furiously in his chest as one of the few who had heard this enticing offer for the first time! The Galactic Battlefield!
Thoughts rose unbidden within his mind, surging forth with thunderous memories of the past. In his past life, his storied history involved struggling on the fringe of battle on the Battlefield, seeking opportunities amidst death, blood, and war. It was incomparably tragic, losing many of his allies young, their lives ended by a simple swing of a sword, a poke of a flying arrow, or a crushing of their skulls by a devastating mace. Vividly, he was reminded of those blood-red tainted days.
However, that was only the Stellar Battlefield! There, Starlords of the Mortal Realms roamed as the primary soldiers, fraught with dangers at all sides, led by the command of Ascendants who have yet to fully gain the recognition of that great dao of unfathomability, limiting their cultivation bases to the Demi-Mortal Lord at most!
As he was recalling the devastation and brutality of that battlefield, a man of short stature, copper-like skin, with a thin goatee, and a pair of eyes emulating his Alchemic Stars of Transcendent Purity asked a question that loomed in the hearts of a few others: "The Galactic Battlefield? Not the Ascendant Battlefield?"
He was a renowned Grand Worldly Saint Alchemist who was listed on the Seven Rising Outer-Heavens Ranking within the Thriving Prohibition Galaxy-World-Saint Misty Steps! An external ranking for top-tier alchemic talents with a chance to become genuine Heavenly Saint Alchemists, similar to Tianshi Ya and Yue Baoyue. That said, the ranking had a significantly lower chance of a true promotion. The Thriving Prohibition Galaxy's native alchemic talents hadn't attained a genuine Heavenly Saint Alchemist in nearly one hundred and twelve thousand years, at least by the Utmost Purity Galaxy's standards.
Most were forced to divert their path, treading away from a pure Alchemic Soul and pursuing the orthodox path of a cultivator. Fortunately, Alchemic Souls embodied transformation at its core principles, so it was the easiest and among the few Spirits of Cultivation that could be changed without severe consequences. Perhaps it was a mercy for those unresolved to continue down this difficult path by the Alchemic Dao or the heavens themselves; it was hard to say.
Su Yi's eyes shone brightly. Known by almost everyone present, the Battlefields of War & Order were divided into three battlefields-the Stellar Battlefield, the Ascendant Battlefield, and the Galactic Battlefield, further divided by three stages of Inner, Outer, and Nexus.
The Inner categories of the Battlefield were restricted to regions, often to a single galaxy or Stellar Region. They had, shockingly, the smallest and largest populations of participants, depending on the type of battlefield and the celestial region in question. The stronger the galaxy, the lower the population. The weaker the galaxy, the greater the population.
The Outer category of the Battlefield was initially restricted to societal connections regarding cultivation, a multi-celestial region field of war. It held the inverse to be true for population size relative to strength.
The Nexus category of the Battlefield involved all-ALL!!!
It was difficult to define all in this instance, but even those beyond the galactic cluster were present, originating from other thriving galactic clusters. And it was the most dangerous battlefield, often resulting in deaths of the greatest impact scale, differing from average fodder, involving the greatest elites of an entire generation. A grinder of life and talent.
And if strength was an issue, a prison until the end of your days
Wei Wuyin silently peered into the thoughts of those knowledgeable, verifying the knowledge gathered by his various channels of information. When he initially entered the battlefield, he had more or less surmised that the Heavenly Daos never intended him to take the battlefield, especially since his cultivation base was so low at the time, likely existing as the only non-Starlord or greater cultivation throughout the battlefield.
He was likely meant to rely on his Mortal Sovereign Alchemist level of alchemy to contribute differently, likely for an extended period of time far exceeding his original time. At his level back then, he would have done exceptionally well. However, who was he? As an Exploitative Blessed, he had to try to claim it all!
And he had!
The Battlefield was a leveled stage, escalating in bloody intensity, potential for rewards, and incomparably brutal dangers filled with restrictions and suppression. It resembled the Heavenly Realm of War, hence why he was so familiar during his campaign across the heavens. When he joined back then, he had joined the lowest level of the Battlefield: the Inner Stellar Battlefield.
When he had acquired enough War Souls, he was 'invited' directly to the Nexus Stellar Battlefield, a location reserved for the repeaters and warmongers of greater talent for
war.
The rest of the story was well known.
As for the Outer Stellar Battlefield, for those in his situation, there were three instances where he could have entered: One, with an army from the Inner Battlefield that had acquired enough War Souls, usually requiring each living Soldier to acquire 10 War Souls, and a Commander that has acquired 100 War Souls. It required a Commander to make that decision after requirements were met, something a mere soldier designated to follow orders couldn't decide.
Two, enter directly via accessing through the correct formation and by exchanging the appropriate cost, bringing your army directly to the battlefield.
Wei Wuyin had entered as a sole participant, an extreme abnormality that was noted by the presiding overseer at the time, Captain Zun Maja, a member of the Titan Race. He had remarked at the time that the 'sentry' must have selected him after he had the cost of admission and the ability to bear it, which was a Seed of War of Long Chen.
Wei Wuyin was aware that this was the machinations of the Heavenly Daos, never having met a sentry of any kind, and was bestowed the Mark of War under the deliberate discretion of the Heavenly Daos.
He had paid for an entire army at the time, so he was already unprepared, and it was for the Inner Stellar Battlefield, where only those of the Onestar Galaxy fought each other in brutal combat.
Three, and lastly, as a soldier, self-promote. By exchanging 100 War Souls, as a soldier, they could be promoted directly to a Commander, and then enter the Outer Stellar Battlefield as a soldier. A roundabout way to eliminate the lack of decision that soldiers have, a cycle of regression of status to enter larger, more dangerous battlefields.
Few took the last path, however.
And obviously, entering the Nexus Battlefield required the acquisition of 1,000 War Souls as a soldier, regardless of the Inner or Outer. The vast majority in the Nexus Battlefield arrived there from the Outer Battlefield, all seeking to observe the Obelisk of War! At least, among the Stellar Battlefield.
For the Ascendant Battlefield and Galactic Battlefield, the rewards were far greater, and the number of War Souls needed was stupendously higher!
Normally, World-Saint Misty Steps speaking out of turn with a question would have been rebuked, but Ancient Zenith had no issue with it as she patiently explained to the new arrival, as she had done before: "Yes. The Galactic Battlefield."
She swept her gaze across a portion of the attendants, clarifying: "I have the Marks of War and tributes prepared, all to enter the Inner region. I hope the Combatants will usher their group far under their lead, potentially entering the Nexus Galactic Battlefield, and meeting up with everyone else, the main Combatants."
"Does that mean we'll be clashing with members of our galaxies?" Another Worldly Saint Alchemist inquired. The Inner Region was limited to certain celestial regions. This was one of the few questions that were asked by the Alchemists of the Utmost Purity Galaxy. Even Tianshi Ya chimed in.
Shockingly, none of the future Combatants, whether they were like Su Yi or Suo Haoran, asked any questions. They were observant, thoughtful, and mentally planning for the future. It was clear they had long since accepted the task! What was on their minds wasn't 'if they will' but 'who they will bring!'
Su Yi's thoughts were quite straightforward: 'For Combatants, this might be extremely dangerous, to the point of potentially losing your life, but the Battlefield's benefits are worthwhile! While the suppression was terrifying to experience, the ease of refinement of treasures, energies, essence, or products was enhanced under its effects. What would take one a year to refine could be reduced to less than a single day with the assistance of that force.
'While only marginal gains would be shown while there, upon leaving the suppression, the results were bound to manifest in ways that could defy every expectation!'
'If it were easy to enter or to pay for the unreasonably expensive tribute, countless cultivators would enter without hesitation. And for Resonant Soul Realm cultivators or True Sages, especially those who've yet to cultivate their True Souls enough, or lack a True Soul Cultivation Method, the galactic-tier War Souls were heavenly materials for cultivation, and the Battlefield had True Soul Cultivation Methods! It was an incomparable opportunity that no one who has reached this level could ever forfeit!
'However,' he glanced at the alchemists all throwing out questions, 'For the Alchemist Unit, the brutality is even greater...fighting for them is different, and they likely didn't wish to clash with other alchemists of the Utmost Purity Galaxy's ancient lineages. Most importantly, those bloodthirsty alchemists that have become almost native to the Battlefield.'
Wei Wuyin was unaware of this due to his past avoidance of the alchemist side of the Battlefield, but the Creationist side was just as, if not even more, brutal than the bloody Battlefield where soldiers died in droves. The rules over there were rightfully horrific and aggressively vicious.
Ancient Zenith patiently answered each question, clarifying any doubts. However, some of the Utmost Purity Galaxy's Alchemists were still hesitant. After all, they would be clashing with other Utmost Purity Galaxy alchemists, even former members on the Seven Rising Heavens Rankings that have failed or simply refused to give up on attaining the achievements of Ancient Zenith, becoming a Resonant Soul Realm Alchemic Soul cultivator!!
Wei Wuyin, however, had expected this division of battlefields. He glanced at Su Yi.
This time, he would require a proxy to maximize his gains on both sides.
And this white robed Reborn Reincarnator was perfect.