Shui Qing’s visage remained an impassive mask, his gaze never settling upon the Blood God Child, but fixed instead upon the spectral, multi-丈 monstrosity that clawed at the air above him. A glint of icy resolve hardened his eyes.

His right eye pulsed with crimson light, radiating an intense, bloody aura and a palpable thirst for carnage.

With a single, deliberate stride, Shui Qing shattered the stillness. The swirling black mist coalescing upon his right hand swelled, ballooning into a three-丈 behemoth of shadows that hurtled toward the Blood God Child.

The Blood God Child, his features twisted into a grotesque mask of fury, extended a finger towards the ancient lamp. His movement was mirrored by the spectral beast tethered to him, its colossal, gnarled claws aimed at the same artifact.

The ancient lamp burned with an eternal flame. Wang Lin, a silent observer in the distance, had been captivated by its presence from the moment it appeared. He clearly discerned the ethereal form of a woman struggling within the lamp’s heart, as if her silent sorrow fueled the flickering fire that permeated the star-strewn void.

The Blood God Child’s gesture unleashed a torrent of energy, causing the lamp’s flame to erupt in a blinding inferno. From the heart of the blaze, a spectral ancient demon materialized, its form a near-perfect echo of the creature clinging to the Blood God Child. Yet, the raw, unimaginable power radiating from it dwarfed the Blood God Child’s familiar, akin to the dim flicker of a firefly compared to the radiant glory of the moon. “The true form,” Wang Lin murmured, his mind racing to comprehend the truth. The demon within the lamp was the ancient entity’s true self, while the creature intertwined with the Blood God Child and Yao Yun were mere fragments, extensions of its will.

“Demon Flame Devour!” The Blood God Child roared, his voice a ragged shriek. In answer, the flame upon the ancient lamp exploded outward, and the true form of the ancient demon charged forth, a primal bellow tearing through the silence.

In that instant, a wave of overwhelming demonic energy surged outward, blanketing not just their immediate vicinity, but the entirety of the Southern Domain of Luo Tian.

A sense of ancient, primeval power awakened beneath the star-dusted sky. Within the Southern Domain, countless cultivators felt their inner energies waver and tremble. On the inhabited worlds, savage beasts, as if seized by a frenzy of delight, eagerly absorbed the demonic energy.

The ancient demon, wreathed in flames, lashed out with its enormous claw, aiming to crush Shui Qing. Its touch carried a force beyond mere laws, a presence that nullified all rules in its path. The flames that danced around it were an unyielding blaze, burning for millennia, capable of consuming all creation.

Shui Qing’s eyes narrowed, his face a mask of grim determination. As he advanced, he hurled the sphere of darkness from his right hand. Simultaneously, his right eye flashed crimson, and without hesitation, he unleashed the Extremity.

A lightning bolt, redder than blood, erupted from his eye, tearing through the fabric of reality. As the Extremity manifested, the dust of the cosmos recoiled, and every living thing trembled in fear. The dense demonic energy that had permeated the area shattered and dissolved before the unrelenting cold of the Extremity, as if it were nothing.

The crimson lightning, imbued with a lifetime of slaughter, formed an Extremity storm, hurtling towards the demon atop the ancient lamp with impossible speed.

A flicker of astonishment crossed the demon’s ancient features, but it did not falter. It seized the Extremity with its right claw.

A deafening cacophony of destruction echoed through the void.

The demon’s claw instantly crumbled. The Extremity surged into its body, causing it to disintegrate. This disintegration was not confined to the claw, but spread rapidly through the demon’s form. In a mere breath, the demon’s colossal body shattered completely.

Yet, as the demon crumbled, the flame upon the ancient lamp burned with renewed fury, coalescing once more into the demon’s spectral form. Although somewhat dimmer than before, a crimson light pulsed on its brow. Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that this red light contained a trace of the Extremity’s power.

“All the original divine abilities of this world were taught by my ancient demon kin. Only this power, imbued with a trace of celestial Dao, was beyond our grasp. But now… it is mine!” A voice echoed, ancient and weary. The demon, reborn from the flame, gazed with baleful light, and the crimson light at its brow erupted forth as a bolt of lightning, searing towards Shui Qing.

However, the moment the red lightning appeared, it shattered against Shui Qing’s gaze, creating a shockwave that rippled outwards.

Shui Qing, his face unchanged, raised his right hand and spoke calmly, “Xu Mu, bear witness. Of my master’s six divine techniques, this is the fourth: Mountain Collapse!”

The ancient demon, manifesting from the lamp, recoiled. Its immense form seized the Blood God Child, and in an instant, plunged into the Blood God Child’s body. Agonized cries tore from the Blood God Child’s throat.

Veins bulged on his face, and he writhed in pain, as if his very being were being torn asunder. His crimson hair writhed and lengthened. Twin, spectral horns burst from his skull. A green light washed over him, transforming him into a grotesque parody of a cultivator, a veritable ancient demon. His eyes became vacant save for an alien, demonic light. He howled and lunged toward Shui Qing.

Shui Qing tensed, the crimson light pulsing in his right eye. But then, his expression changed. He snapped his head upwards. Wang Lin followed suit, sensing a primordial presence descending from the heavens. It was not overpowering, but to Wang Lin, it felt as though a mere thought could obliterate him, reduce him to his base elements.

“This… This is the Third Step!” Wang Lin exclaimed, his face paling.

Even the Blood God Child, lost in his monstrous frenzy, paused, his eyes widening as he looked towards the sky.

“Enough…” A calm voice echoed from the heavens. A figure formed of starlight appeared between Shui Qing and the Blood God Child.

As the ethereal form materialized, it casually struck out at the Blood God Child. The Blood God Child coughed up blood, and the ancient demon that had possessed him was ejected with shocking force. The disembodied demon stared at the star-born figure in disbelief.

“Ancient Demon, I care not that you use the Yao family to regain your demon form. But if you incite a bloodbath in Luo Tian, hindering our entry into the Alliance, I will extinguish your immortal demon flame!”

The figure’s voice was calm, yet imbued with a breathtaking power. Wang Lin felt as though he were reliving the sensation of his mortal self beholding a cultivator for the first time a thousand years ago: overwhelming, unbelievable power. There was no possibility of resistance, no chance for defiance.

“Shui Qing Immortal Lord, the Immortal Realm is shattered. This is the Luo Tian Starfield!” The figure turned to Shui Qing. The very sight of the figure felt like a divine torment. It exerted no direct force, yet thunder rumbled around Shui Qing, as if the heavens themselves were bowing before its presence.

Shui Qing, remaining frigid, stared at the figure in silence for a long moment. Then he grunted and looked away.

The star-formed figure, its features blurred and indistinguishable, spread its arms, its body dissolving into countless crystalline sparks that permeated the surroundings.

Wang Lin watched, his pupils shrinking, as the shattered void repaired itself, returning to its former state. More than that, the crystalline light spread throughout the Southern Domain, reversing all the destruction caused by the battle.

Even the beasts that had absorbed demonic energy on various worlds found the energy purged from their bodies.

“If the two of you dare to act again, I will slay you both,” the figure declared, its voice remaining calm. The crystalline light vanished as if nothing had occurred.

The last sentence was suffused with a bone-chilling killing intent, so potent that it could extinguish the stars themselves.

The Blood God Child retrieved the ancient lamp. Without glancing at Shui Qing, he vanished into the fabric of reality.

Only Shui Qing and Wang Lin remained in the star-strewn void. Wang Lin’s heart still pounded in his chest. The awe remained, and it was a memory that he would never forget.

The figure was without a doubt a Third Step cultivator. Its appearance had been understated, but the terror had resonated deep within his soul.

It felt as though a single thought from the figure could obliterate the starfield or shatter the Southern Domain. Wang Lin closed his eyes and forced the awe to fade. Then he bowed to Shui Qing and said, “Thank you, senior, for saving my life. I will never forget this debt.”

Shui Qing stared into the distance, a wistful look in his eyes, as if recalling the past. The reverie ended and he glanced at Wang Lin. “There is no need for thanks. I do not know how you learned the Summoning the Winds, but since you have, you are a distant disciple of my master. I, Shui Qing, have no attachments in the Luo Tian Starfield. Meeting you must be my master’s arrangement in the shadows…”

“Your body has yet to cultivate celestial essence. Without the Ascension Pool, you cannot condense it. Among the 108 Immortals of the Thunder Immortal Temple, the 36 Celestial Generals are afforded a chance to enter the Ascension Pool. You should try to fight for a spot.”