A primal dread coiled within Greed Wolf, raising the hackles upon his skin. Not even in the clutches of the Yun Xian Daoist pair, Wang Lin and Hu Juan, had he felt such a stark, immediate brush with oblivion.

The spectral finger, vast and ethereal, resembled nothing less than the will of the Heavens made manifest. It exuded a power that seemed to supersede the very fabric of existence, a self-contained law unto itself.

This was no mere Daoist concept grasped by a common cultivator. Nay, it dwarfed such notions a thousandfold, surpassing the understanding of one’s own path on a level that defied comprehension!

Though Greed Wolf’s cultivation had peaked only at the Yin Void stage, his insight was formidable. He consorted with those who had stepped into the Second Stage of cultivation, privy to their hidden lore.

In that instant, he recognized the terrifying Dao contained within the colossal digit.

The gesture appeared deceptively simple: a fingertip extended with casual ease, like a mortal man idly pointing ahead.

But to Wang Lin, the touch ignited a primal instinct, constricting his pupils. He felt as though his very soul yearned to escape its corporeal prison, to embrace the beckoning finger.

Greed Wolf, being closer, felt the impact a hundred times more acutely. Without hesitation, he stumbled backward, disappearing into the landscape tapestry that hung behind him.

In that fleeting moment, the mountains and rivers of the tapestry reformed around him, the starlit void vanished, replaced by this new world. Yet even within this painted realm, the ancient god’s finger pressed down inexorably, as if it had always existed there.

A sharp crack echoed from the tapestry. A web of fissures spread across its surface as the painted world vanished into stardust. Greed Wolf coughed up a mouthful of his lifeblood, stumbling backward, each step accompanied by another crimson expulsion. He was grievously wounded.

The ancient god’s finger showed no sign of abatement, continuing its relentless pursuit.

A flicker ignited in Wang Lin’s eyes as he observed the landscape tapestry, cracked but seemingly still imbued with potent magic. As he saw the divine finger pursuing Greed Wolf, he clenched his jaw, transferring the Bone of Hope Moon to the Celestial Guard. With a burst of speed, he became a blur of motion, as if teleporting towards the tapestry.

Greed Wolf, focused solely on survival, barely noticed Wang Lin’s avaricious grab.

The projected finger of the ancient god hesitated, then slowly reoriented itself, seeming to fix its sights upon Wang Lin.

A chill washed over Wang Lin, yet he did not falter. With unwavering determination, he extended his right hand and unleashed every ounce of his celestial power, roaring, “Bind!”

His target was not the ancient god’s finger, but Greed Wolf himself!

Greed Wolf’s eyes burned with fury as his body momentarily locked up. He cursed inwardly, knowing that even a fraction of a second’s pause would draw the god’s attention.

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Lin snatched the landscape tapestry, stowing it within his storage pouch. Then, without a moment to spare, he retreated.

His heart hammered against his ribs, knowing the danger was far from over. He sped towards the Celestial Guard.

The Celestial Guard construct fled, carrying the burden of Hope Moon, but the looming mass of Hope Moon and the relentless finger of the ancient god proved too swift for it.

Greed Wolf, his face ashen, knew his time was running out. As the divine finger closed, he slapped his storage pouch, summoning a golden crown. It resembled the regalia of a mortal emperor, adorned with five massive gems representing the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

He placed the crown upon his brow. In an instant, a blinding golden light enveloped him, coalescing into a towering spectral figure garbed in dragon robes. An aura of imperial majesty emanated from the figure, filling the heavens.

“To awaken this Immortal Emperor’s Crown, I have slain nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine mortal kings, claiming their souls to empower it!” Greed Wolf roared. “Let us see if you, you monstrous finger, can withstand its power!”

The ancient god’s finger made contact.

A thunderous sound shook the very foundations of the world, reverberating across the void.

The ancient god’s finger recoiled, unchanged.

Greed Wolf, however, paled further, his golden aura collapsing. The souls of the slaughtered emperors dissipated into nothingness. Even the crown was blasted from his head. Miraculously, however, the Imperial Crown remained intact after withstanding the force of the ancient god’s finger.

A wave of raw power surged through Greed Wolf, and his flesh shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors. He was flung backward like a shooting star, hurtling into the depths of the void, his fate unknown.

Horror gripped Wang Lin as the ancient god’s finger turned towards him. He had not hesitated after its attack on Greed Wolf, and he constantly tried to move at an extreme pace. Then, the spectral finger appeared behind him.

The familiar, suffocating presence of the ancient god enveloped him.

The finger was coming.

Its target was not the Celestial Guard, but Wang Lin!

His very soul recoiled. The finger was too fast, almost upon him. In a moment of desperate inspiration, Wang Lin slammed his hand against the Celestial Guard’s frame, drawing forth the accumulated aura of slaughter contained within.

In that instant, a million strands of killing intent erupted, forming intricate Brand of Life seals to defend against the ancient god’s finger!

The finger descended, and the Brand of Life seals shattered like brittle paper, regardless of the killing intent they bore. All were obliterated by the unimaginable force.

Wang Lin’s face was drained of color, but his eyes did not betray fear. He retreated with the Celestial Guard, slamming his storage pouch again and summoning the Second Celestial Guard to stand before him.

The ancient god’s finger slammed into the Second Celestial Guard, which instantly began to break down.

The construct’s flesh crumbled and disintegrated at an accelerating rate.

Having crushed the Second Celestial Guard, the ancient god’s finger pressed down, stopping mere feet from Wang Lin’s body. Wang Lin was assaulted by the feeling of his bones being crushed and broken. The presence of death stifled his ability to breathe.
With a furious roar, Wang Lin’s essence withered, and from within him, a sliver of the Celestial Lord’s sword-energy broke free. In the instant the Ancient God’s finger descended, the sliver lashed out, striking the digit with explosive force.

The Celestial Lord’s power, though diminished, possessed a certain potency. The Ancient God’s finger faltered momentarily, yet its inexorable descent continued, now aimed squarely at Wang Lin’s chest.

A searing pain erupted, originating from Wang Lin’s breast and instantly engulfing his entire being. In a fleeting moment, Wang Lin’s mortal coil crumbled.

Flesh turned to dust, bone marrow dissolved into nothingness. The Ancient God’s touch had obliterated Wang Lin’s physical form, but it did not cease its pursuit, pressing down with merciless intent upon his very soul. It was clear the monstrous Wang Yue sought utter annihilation.

In that very instant, a forgotten sensation stirred within Wang Lin, harking back to the day he consumed half of an ancient Thunder Dragon. His soul had been unable to separate from his flesh, as though a barrier confined it.

No matter how fiercely he struggled, this membrane refused to yield, shackling his spirit and denying him the use of certain arcane arts. He was bound.

But now, with the Ancient God’s finger upon him, the destruction of his flesh shattered that very membrane!

Wang Lin’s spirit blazed with crackling energy, coalescing into the form of an ancient Thunder Dragon, which unleashed a deafening roar toward the descending finger.

As the roar echoed across the void, countless orbs of lightning manifested around it, hurtling toward the Ancient God’s digit in a frenzied assault.

Seizing this momentary reprieve, Wang Lin’s spirit-dragon, clutching at the storage bag which had been cocooned within his dying flesh, surged forward with a speed dwarfing his former self. With the imprisoned Immortal Guard and the half-moon bone clutched tight, he fled without hesitation.

As he fled, a bitter taste filled Wang Lin’s soul. But then, ahead in the starry expanse, he spied the very crown that Greed had displayed, now adrift and silently circling in the void.

With a surge of inspiration, Wang Lin reached out with his will, drawing the crown to him before continuing his desperate flight.

The Ancient God’s finger dissipated slowly, and the massive Wang Yue gazed after the retreating figure, its alien eyes reflecting a deep contemplation. A glance at the great cauldron lashed to its tendrils, then, after a moment’s hesitation, the behemoth surged forward once more in pursuit.

Sensing the distant pursuit of Wang Yue, Wang Lin cursed.

He now knew his brashness was a mistake. He had never imagined Greed would appear, nor that he would stir the Wang Yue from its slumber.

Had things proceeded according to his plan, he would not find himself so desperately fleeing.

The cost of this venture was steep. The Seven Star Sword Array lay in ruins, the Ban-Flag shattered, a precious fragment of Celestial Lord’s sword-energy lost, and his mortal form destroyed, leaving only his spirit.

Yet the rewards were significant: the Un-God was free, the half-moon bone secured, the Soul-Extraction Stone, the Mountain and River Scroll, and finally, the Crown!

Uncertain if he had gained more than he had lost, Wang Lin sighed inwardly and pressed on. Behind him, Wang Yue steadily approached, each thrust of its massive form traversing vast distances.

Were he still bound to flesh, he would surely be overtaken, but now, unbound and free as a spirit, his speed was manifold.

Propelled by the warp, Wang Lin’s spirit melded into the Star Compass, bearing the Immortal Guard and the half-moon bone, and fled with impossible velocity.

Wang Lin knew he could not withstand another touch of the Ancient God, and to be cornered by Wang Yue would spell certain doom!

His spirit infused with the Star Compass, his speed was nearing the improbable, and with this, he was able to establish a tenuous stalemate with Wang Yue, holding it at bay, though escape was not yet in sight.

Yet, this unnatural flight took a heavy toll upon Wang Lin’s spirit. Already wounded, his current injuries were now worsening, his spiritual energy dimming.

He traversed the Northern Domain of Luo Tian and entered the Southern Domain!

With each passing moment, Wang Lin’s spirit weakened, nearing its breaking point. Wang Yue, too, began to slow, and as they neared the boundary between the domains, it shuddered to a halt, issuing a low rumble of frustration, but daring not to cross!