Within the nebula known as Cloudhaze Star, Wang Lin sat in lotus posture, his eyes gleaming with an inner light. Upon his twin palms rested the power of the Yellow Springs, and as he gazed upon the twin bones of Wang Yue, a transformation began. In that instant, they stirred as if brought to life, a shimmer of gold dancing across their surface, followed by an earth-shattering tremor.

This tremor was not localized, but resonated through the entire length of the Wang Yue bones. It was akin to a giant hand seizing the spine of a mortal, shaking it with relentless force, causing every vertebra to quiver. Such was the agony and convulsion of Wang Yue.

The whole of Cloudhaze Star shuddered violently, the very ground beneath Wang Lin’s seat threatening to swallow him whole. Yet, his form remained rooted, unyielding against the cataclysm.

Immense pain coursed through the body of Wang Yue, now manifested as Cloudhaze Star, but the abundance of Ascendant Fruit had dulled the agony, even transforming a fraction of it into a strange, frenzied excitement.

Crimson mists erupted from the countless tendrils of Cloudhaze Star, the shaking continuing unabated, punctuated by roars that echoed from the planet’s depths. The tendrils stretched forth with mad abandon, increasing their length tenfold. From the distant reaches of space, Cloudhaze Star resembled a colossal sea urchin, its spines reaching out into the void.

Within the heart of Cloudhaze Star, Wang Lin’s eyes shone brighter, an insatiable pull emanating from his arms. Like blades of celestial steel, they scraped against the bones of Wang Yue, severing them from the flesh that bound them.

The gargantuan Wang Yue writhed in torment. Cracks appeared in the land, and as its tendrils reached further into the cosmos, great chunks of earth were torn from its surface, drifting into the void. It was as if a great egg was cracking and peeling away.

With each fragment of earth that separated, an ancient aura emanated from the heart of the planet, as though a primordial beast, slumbering for eons, was awakening.

The tremors intensified, the crimson mist spewing forth in greater volumes, merging with the outer nebulae to form a thick cocoon.

Within Cloudhaze Star, the light in Wang Lin’s eyes grew blinding. The earth roiled with ever-greater ferocity, and a palpable sense of impending doom radiated from all around.

In that instant, Wang Lin rose with lightning speed, his gaze now imbued with the power of thunder. In a blink, he reached the fissure near the left Wang Yue bone, his hands gripping it with ferocious strength. Veins bulged on his face as he bellowed, “Arise!”

The roar was a thunderclap, expelling all impurities from his body and summoning forth immense power. His arms were laced with bulging veins, runes of arcane energy shimmering across their surface, glowing with the light of his immortal power.

His hands locked firmly upon the half of the Wang Yue bone. Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed with a touch of madness, but beneath the surface, a keen mind remained calm.

“Rise, I say!” he roared once more, yanking with all his might. The ground trembled with renewed force, and pained cries echoed from the depths, yet these were mingled with the euphoria of the Ascendant Fruit, leaving the colossal Wang Yue in a state of bewildered agony.

The planet shook ever harder as Wang Lin strained, his entire body taut with effort. With a mighty tug, he drew the bone a mere three inches.

Even the slightest movement was crucial! Wang Lin channeled all his immortal power, his hands locked on the bone, and unleashed his strength. With a resounding boom that echoed through the land, the gargantuan half of the Wang Yue bone was pulled forth.

Seven inches, ten inches, three feet, six feet, a fathom, ten fathoms…

A grinding sound, capable of shattering the very soul, filled the air. The half of Wang Yue bone was drawn out faster and faster with each passing moment.

Wang Lin’s face was now contorted with the strain, his immortal energy cycling frantically through his meridians. Were he not a late-stage Ascendant, his body would have surely been rent asunder.

Each cycle of energy amplified his strength, but time was fleeting, and with each breath, the danger grew tenfold. A crimson fury burned in Wang Lin’s eyes as he unleashed a shout that echoed like a primal scream.

His power burst forth like a mountain!

With a deafening rumble, Wang Lin, clutching the half of Wang Yue bone, shot out of the earth. Behind him, a spectral figure materialized – the Immortal Guard puppet. It hurtled toward the other Wang Yue bone on the right.

Forged in the image of an ancient god, the Immortal Guard, having reached the realm of Yin Void, far surpassed Wang Lin’s strength. It reached the bone in a blur, grasping it with both hands and pulling with a force that sent tremors echoing through the land.

A cacophony of thunder rolled across the planet as the Immortal Guard, wreathed in gold and crimson light, wrenched the Wang Yue bone free, following in Wang Lin’s wake and surging upward.

Wang Lin and the Immortal Guard, one before the other, grasped the massive Wang Yue bones, tearing through the earth towards the surface.

Their speed was unparalleled, Wang Lin pouring every ounce of his being into the endeavor. Though the initial pull was slow, once momentum was achieved, their velocity became unstoppable.

The earth trembled, Wang Yue’s cries grew louder, and the crimson mist from its tendrils grew ever denser. Driven to the brink of agony, Wang Yue was rapidly evolving towards its third form.
The Ascending Fruit, though a boon, proved a torturous delay, blurring the line between sensation and agony, preventing Wang Yue from discerning the source of his excruciating pain.

His form was immense, ancient, stirred from slumber, a creature of such scale that the Fruit’s power bloomed unchecked.

As the earth groaned, Wang Lin burst forth, madness gleaming in his eyes. With a savage yank, he wrenched the bone of Wang Yue from the depths.

A thunderous crack resonated across the land, shaking the very foundations of the world. The sound of the Moon-Beast’s bone grinding against the earth was enough to shatter minds and torment souls.

This shard of bone was a titan’s relic, stretching for countless leagues, a range of mountains imbued with the golden fire of ancient power. Like a great gold-fire dragon in the distance!

Far too large for any mortal pouch, Wang Lin bore the bone upon his shoulders, each step a defiance of gravity, of fate itself, heading to the heavens.

Beside this behemoth, Wang Lin was a mere speck, an insignificant shadow easily overlooked.

But then, the earth shuddered again. A celestial warden emerged, likewise burdened by another segment of the Moon-Beast’s bone, following Wang Lin like a faithful shade.

*Boom!*

Wang Lin’s eyes burned crimson, his celestial energy stretched to its breaking point, leaking from his form in agonizing pulses. Yet, compared to the prize within his grasp, this pain was nothing. The complete bone of Wang Yue was worth any sacrifice.

He knew he must flee swiftly. Hesitation meant failure, perhaps even death.

He harbored no illusions that the Moon-Beast would forgive the theft of its own bone. To be swallowed whole by such a being was a fate worse than oblivion!

The tendrils of the wounded beast, dulled by the Ascending Fruit, still reached, still grasped with sluggish determination. The size of the bone only meant even slowed down, they could grab it.

With grim resolve, Wang Lin struck his storage pouch and produced the forbidden banner. A pang of regret pierced his heart, but now was not the time for sentiment. He bit back a curse, performed a hand seal, and unleashed the banner’s power.

The banner shuddered as if in mortal agony. For centuries, it had been his companion, and with each passing year it gained a semblance of sentience.

A whisper of despair mingled with a spark of defiance. The banner disintegrated, its ancient seals unraveling into a storm of black energy. The stream of black energy flowed with weak flames, like a shooting star. It rushed towards the tendrils that constricted the Moon-Beast’s bone.

The banner gave up on its current state to unleash the most terrifying burst of power. A single, powerful seal imbued with soul.

The soul, bound to Wang Lin by fate, sacrificed itself for his survival.

This colossal seal, infused with the banner’s spirit, unleashed an unbearable force, impacting the tendrils with a paralyzing jolt, slowing their advance for a mere instant.

Wang Yue was too mighty. Even such a sacrifice could not sever the bond, only delay it for the briefest of moments!

Wang Lin cursed under his breath. Using that single moment of delay, he gave another heave and ripped the bone upward. He then hefted the bone up over his shoulder, and charged to the cloudy skies.

The celestial warden was similarly ensnared, but with the effects of the banner, the celestial warden followed close behind Wang Lin! One man and one construct charged headlong towards the swirling clouds. Beyond that mist lay the vast emptiness of the cosmos!

But then, the earth convulsed with unprecedented force. A chasm tore open, a gaping maw revealing the abyss below. From within, a roar erupted, a sound that shattered the very fabric of existence.

Wang Lin stumbled, his celestial energy scattered like dust in the wind. He coughed up blood, his face ashen, but he could not stop.