Wang Lin held the painter’s brush, his eyelids descending in a slow, deliberate blink. A long moment stretched, thick with unspoken intent, before his eyes snapped open. His right hand, guided by unseen forces, traced ancient characters upon the parchment, each stroke a whisper of forgotten power. Slowly, a sensation bloomed within him, a faint echo of the immortal who once sat in this very spot.

As his spirit delved deeper into the act of writing, a disquieting urgency began to fester. It was a mingling of bewilderment and unease, the very atmosphere of the room still permeated by a lingering sense of loss. Abruptly, Wang Lin’s hand froze, suspended in mid-air. He lifted his gaze, peering out the second-story window. “The immortal had just completed this artwork,” he murmured, “yet his confusion only deepened. Something, or someone, must have come to visit after he penned these words.” Laying down the brush, Wang Lin continued to gaze out into the twilight.

He had gleaned some inkling of the truth. Now, his eyes returned to the parchment resting on the low table. With a flick of his wrist, the paper burst into flames, consumed by a hungry fire.

Once the ashes were scattered, Wang Lin retrieved his jade ruler and descended from the second floor. There, he found Li Yuan carefully removing a painting from the first floor, storing it within his enchanted pouch.

Wang Lin hesitated, his voice resonating with newfound gravitas. “Brother Li, that painting must be guarded with utmost care. Do not allow it to fall into the wrong hands, for it could unleash unimaginable calamity!” Li Yuan nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Might there not be other treasures or jade scrolls hidden within this secluded space, Brother Xu? Will you not search further?” Li Yuan inquired. “You may search, Brother Li,” Wang Lin replied with a shake of his head. After witnessing the words written upon the parchment, the collapse of the immortal realms had become even more enigmatic to him.

Especially after seeing the second valley, Wang Lin sensed that even if remnants remained, they would be few and far between. The most vital treasure had already been secured: the beast bones. These, clearly, were the very broken artifact that the immortal had spoken of, still in the throes of ritualistic forging.

“Very well, I shall search whilst setting up the collapse restrictions. I will also seek a means of egress from this place; if none can be found, it will take some time to forge a connection,” Li Yuan declared, bowing respectfully to Wang Lin. He glanced at the upper floor, but did not ascend. Instead, he strode out of the temple and into the distance.

Wang Lin settled cross-legged outside the temple, withdrawing the nine beast bones from his pouch. Slowly, methodically, he began to study them. Time crept by, and a month elapsed.

During that month, Li Yuan’s discoveries were meager. Eventually, he ceased his search. However, he had managed to acquire the eight short swords that had once assailed Wang Lin. Using a method unknown to Wang Lin, he had mastered their use. This revelation surprised Wang Lin, yet when he considered Li Yuan’s affinity for restrictions, understanding dawned.

Throughout the month, Li Yuan had identified every point of instability within the pocket dimension and laid his restrictions upon them. The zeal with which Li Yuan plotted the downfall of the Blood Ancestor was more intense than even Wang Lin’s.

The very thought that he might participate in the slaying of an immortal, bolstered by the power of his own restrictions, caused his breath to quicken. Though astute, Li Yuan possessed a blind faith in the efficacy of his own enchantments.

He had also considered the possibility of the Blood Ancestor’s survival, and resolved to remain a silent benefactor, offering aid from the shadows without directly involving himself. Once the restrictions were in place, he would separate from Wang Lin, for the stakes were far too high. Offering even clandestine assistance was the greatest extent of his generosity.

One day, Li Yuan returned to the temple, his face grave. He gazed upon Wang Lin, a complex swirl of emotions swirling within his eyes. With a sigh, he flicked his wrist, sending a crystal-like sphere of restrictions floating before Wang Lin.

“Brother Xu, using the Heaven-Rending Restriction, I have placed one thousand four hundred and sixty-five points of collapse within this pocket dimension. A mere whisper of your Immortal Power into this sphere shall detonate every restriction, causing this realm to utterly unravel in a single instant!” Wang Lin accepted the sphere, and swept it with his divine sense, confirming its potency. He clasped his hands in a gesture of gratitude. “I thank you.”

Li Yuan’s expression dimmed slightly. He hesitated, before saying: “Brother Xu, if you truly wish to evade the Blood Ancestor, I have a method. However, it would require you to remain hidden within a secluded cave, never venturing out… until the Blood Ancestor has forgotten his hatred.”

Wang Lin smiled faintly. “I appreciate your kindness, Brother Li. Should the time come when I am unable to contend with the Blood Ancestor, I will be forced to impose upon your generosity.”

Li Yuan pondered for a long moment, before retrieving a jade scroll from his pouch and handing it to Wang Lin. “Brother Xu, this scroll contains the essence of my Li family’s Shattering Restrictions. Though I cannot impart the Core Restriction without access to the ancestral shrine, studying these principles will aid your understanding of restrictions. Within, there are also several techniques for concealing your aura!” Wang Lin accepted the scroll in silence, nodding his understanding.

Li Yuan sighed, forming a hand seal. A teleportation array shimmered into existence before him, unstable and on the verge of collapse.

“Brother Xu, this array can only be activated three times. You… must be prudent and cautious!” Li Yuan glanced at Wang Lin one last time before stepping into the array. Without looking back, he whispered, “Had I no attachments, I would stay and witness a Nirvana Soul cultivator undone by the restrictions of my Li family!

Farewell, Brother Xu!” His sigh lingered in the air as his form flickered and vanished within the array.

Wang Lin lifted his head, his eyes hardening into sharp, glittering chips of ice. He muttered, “Blood Ancestor… Yao Xixue… Even with the Blood Soul Pills, can you emerge unscathed from the forces of utter annihilation in this collapsing pocket dimension? I, Wang Lin, shall wager everything on your ability to be reborn in full!”

Within Wang Lin’s pouch lay a smaller pouch belonging to Yao Xixue, one that remained stubbornly sealed. He could only reinforce the enchantment placed upon it, preventing the aura contained within from spreading too far.

Aside from this pouch, and the Blood Soul Pills, Wang Lin had possessed one genuine elixir. But he had expended it in the battle against the Scattered Demons in the Demon Spirit Land. He knew that there were most likely real pills in the pouch, but was not able to open it. “Such miraculous concoctions cannot be common, even for the Blood Ancestor. Considering his many years of life, he likely possesses no more than one or two.”

A chilling smile twisted Wang Lin’s lips. He retrieved the enchanted sphere that held Yao Xixue imprisoned from his own pouch. He had no interest in further interrogation. With a flick of his wrist, the sphere shot off, slamming into the distant mountain range.

His preparations complete, Wang Lin stepped forward, entering the teleportation array. The array flared, and Wang Lin vanished with it. “Blood Ancestor… since you refuse to leave Wang Lin in peace, then I shall attempt to slay an immortal, just as Li Yuan suggested!”