A frigid air, sharp as a winter’s wind, permeated the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. As it spread, a palpable aura of menace gripped all who stood near. Eyes, like burning embers, snapped towards the eastern teleportation array. Within its swirling energies, a figure began to materialize, its form solidifying with each passing moment.

The silhouette was lean and tall, appearing to be a man in his early thirties. Garbed in robes of pristine white, they lacked any sense of ethereal grace, instead radiating an unsettling aura of the grave. The man’s eyes, particularly, held a chilling arrogance, burning with a potent and undisguised bloodlust.

With a final surge of light from the array, the figure strode forth. His arrival seemed to amplify the scent of blood, filling the air with its oppressive weight.

“A gathering of refuse!”

The man’s voice, though calm in its delivery, crashed upon the assembled like a thunderclap, echoing across the hallowed grounds before the Thunder Immortal Temple. The surrounding cultivators, each a luminary within the Roaring Heavens Starfield, bristled at the insult, their gazes turning hostile towards the white-robed newcomer.

Wang Lin remained impassive, his gaze steady. The man’s cultivation matched his own, at the initial stage of Soul Transformation. Yet, there was something undeniably peculiar about him, an unnerving quality that resonated deep within Wang Lin.

He was certain he had never encountered this individual before. As he pondered this, the white-robed youth’s eyes flashed, piercing through the crowd to lock onto Wang Lin.

A predatory glint ignited in his eyes, and he licked his lips, offering Wang Lin a chilling, predatory smile.

Wang Lin returned the gaze without flinching, his expression serene and unreadable.

Their eyes met, seemingly bridging the distance between them. Such a meeting was more than just a visual exchange for cultivators; it was a clash of divine senses, a silent battle waged between their very souls.

Like two honed blades, their spiritual senses danced and parried in the void, an exchange that unfolded in the blink of an eye. Both men broke the contact as quickly as it had begun.

A spark of interest flickered in the white-robed youth’s eyes. The brief psychic skirmish had revealed that his opponent was not easily dominated; in fact, he had sensed the unsettling possibility of his own spirit being pierced and unraveled. Wang Lin remained calm, but he sensed an unnatural energy roiling within the other man’s spiritual domain, despite their similar cultivation levels.

The subtlety of the exchange was lost on most of the assembled cultivators, noticed by only four. The first was a man from the northern reaches of the Roaring Heavens, seemingly middle-aged, with a clean-shaven face. His most peculiar feature was his right hand, which bore six fingers, an extra digit sprouting from his thumb. Another hail from the north, a child, with a head that looked too big for his frail body, but most of the other people kept their distance from him.

A simpleton smile plastered on his face, the child’s gaze briefly swept over Wang Lin before settling on the white-robed youth, his idiotic grin widening further.

The third observer hailed from the western realms. Dressed in azure robes, he possessed a handsome visage, his eyes sharp and intelligent. He fixed his gaze upon Wang Lin, a thoughtful frown etched upon his face.

The final observer was none other than Nangong Han, standing close beside Wang Lin.

Just then, crimson light bled across the horizon, and dense clouds swirled and gathered with unnatural speed. In the air above the crowd, the clouds coalesced into the form of an elderly man. His hair was snow-white, his demeanor exuding the air of an immortal sage. As he materialized, sparks of lightning crackled beneath his feet, making him seem as if he tread upon raw power.

“I am the guide of the Thunder Immortal Temple. Are you the one who extinguished the other challengers in the eastern region?” The old man’s voice boomed with authority, radiating a potent energy that washed over the surrounding area. The strength of his vital force marked him as at least a mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivator. His eyes locked onto the white-robed youth, his tone tinged with veiled disapproval.

“Indeed.” The white-robed youth responded, his voice unwavering.

“What is your name, and from which clan do you hail?” the old man demanded, his expression inscrutable.

“From the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence Star! I am Xu Ting, come to experience the mortal world!” As he spoke, the white-robed youth’s gaze flicked to Wang Lin, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

The declaration, especially the mention of the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence Star, resonated like a deafening peal of thunder among the gathered cultivators. Faces blanched, and some even staggered back, their eyes wide with horror.

While the Xiang family might hold greater power, it was the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence Star that possessed the most chilling renown. The Xu surname was synonymous with wanton slaughter. Each generation of the Xu clan sent forth a member to wreak havoc upon the world, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. Any who dared to cross their path faced annihilation, their very planets scoured clean. The Xu clan’s notoriety had been forged in the fires of countless bloody storms.

“No wonder this man dared to antagonize over a hundred cultivation clans…”

“An Emissary of the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence… If one encounters him in the Immortal Sealing Trials, death is all but certain!”

“Alas, the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence has always been ruthless. If the situation becomes dire, I will simply forfeit!”

A murmur of fear and apprehension rippled through the crowd. The name of the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence evoked images of terror and bloodshed, sending a shiver down every spine.

The Thunder Immortal Temple guide frowned slightly but maintained his composure. “In three days, at noon, the battle for the 108 Titles of Thunder Immortals shall commence. Tokens and lodging arrangements will be distributed shortly.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled cultivators. “Among you, is there one named Xu Mu?”

At this question, the cultivators from the western and northern realms, excluding those from the southern, tensed, their expressions shifting. The name “Xu Mu” held a weight comparable to that of the Xu clan of Eastern Imminence! Many even suspected that Xu Mu was secretly affiliated with the dreaded Xu clan!

Wang Lin hesitated for a moment, then raised his head and spoke calmly, “I am Xu Mu.”

The reaction was immediate. While the expressions of those from the southern region remained complex, the gazes of the western and northern cultivators solidified, their eyes narrowed.

“Xu Mu, the Demon Daoist! I did not expect him to participate in the Title Contention!”

“Xu Mu, Xu Ting… I wonder if there is a connection between the two.”

“Xu Mu survived the Yao family’s relentless pursuit and managed to arrive here… He is no ordinary man!”
“So, it is he… Xu Mu!” The six-fingered monk’s eyes glinted with a frigid light as he scrutinized Wang Lin.

Even the large-headed child, whose face usually held a vacant, foolish grin, paused, his smile faltering. His gaze fixed upon Wang Lin, and then, with a disturbing deliberation, the smile returned.

And there was the exceedingly handsome youth clad in azure robes. Upon hearing the name Xu Mu, he seemed to transform, drawing himself up like a newly forged blade unsheathed. An aura of deadly focus emanated from him, locking onto Wang Lin with unwavering intensity.

“Xu Mu! The Xu Mu who has ensnared the thoughts of my cousin, Zifeng!” A flicker of murderous intent danced within the blue-robed youth’s eyes.

“Follow me. The Lord of the殿 summons you!” The usher of the Thunder Immortal殿 glanced at Wang Lin, a rare and almost unsettlingly amiable smile gracing his lips. He then blurred into motion, flying swiftly into the distance.

Wang Lin hesitated for a moment, paying no heed to the gazes of the surrounding cultivators. With a single stride, he ascended into the air and followed.

The aged attendant of the Thunder Immortal殿 did not hasten his pace. As he flew, the clouds ahead parted before him, and Wang Lin followed with measured calm, his expression serene, offering not a single question along the way.

The old man’s eyes gleamed with approval. “The Thunder Immortal殿 is vast. The area you saw earlier was but the Outer Halls. I now lead you to the Inner Sanctum, the true heart of our power!”

Wang Lin inclined his head, his gaze drawn ahead. As the billowing clouds slipped past, he beheld a panorama of magnificent, solemn palace structures.

They were numerous yet scattered, stretched across the landscape in a way that defied the eye’s attempt to encompass them. The imperial city of mortals paled in pitiful comparison.

A dense and potent aura of immortality permeated the air, akin to the heavens themselves. Wang Lin’s gaze narrowed; the palaces were clearly no ordinary constructions. Indeed, the palpable celestial energy seemed to emanate directly from their very stones.

“The Thunder Immortal殿 comprises one thousand, three hundred, and seventy-two Grand Halls. Each was brought from the Immortal Realm of Thunder by successive Lords of the殿!” The elder stated, pride coloring his tone.

Wang Lin nodded, bestowing a compliment. “The Thunder Immortal殿 is rightly hailed as the foremost of all the 羅天星域 殿!” Such flattery was harmless, a courtesy Wang Lin had long since mastered during his millennium of cultivation.

The old man chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Friend Xu, your future achievements are certain to be great. Within these halls, a place surely awaits you!”

Wang Lin responded with a smile and easy conversation, but his gaze scanned the distance. He noted the ethereal mists that swirled around many parts of the Thunder Immortal殿, within which danced slivers of silver light – the essence of thunder and lightning.

The entire realm of Thunder was layered with countless enchantments. Even during their flight here, Wang Lin had perceived numerous magical barriers. Were it not for his reliance upon the Thunder Immortal殿 elder, these defenses alone would have been sufficient to halt all who dared to trespass.

As they continued onward, they gradually reached the very heart of the Thunder Immortal殿 Inner Sanctum. There, they came upon a massive plaza paved with slabs of jade-green stone, across which constant lightning flickered and writhed. The plaza was vast, stretching for perhaps a thousand zhang, resembling a pool of pure, raw thunder. As they drew near, the lightning upon the plaza surged upwards, forming what looked like a gaping maw, hungering to devour them both.

The elder laughed heartily, reaching into his storage pouch and withdrawing a handful of small, crimson fruit. He tossed them into the ravenous maw.

A guttural growl echoed from the churning lightning. The red fruits vanished in an instant, their juices absorbed into the raging energy, appeasing it so that it subsided, no longer obstructing their path.

“昇仙果!” Wang Lin recognized the fruits. “Ascension Fruits!”

“They seem familiar to you, perhaps? Ha ha! Here, we contain a fragmented spirit of the Thunder Guardian, a beast that guards the very gates of the Immortal Realm of Thunder. Within that realm, all who seek passage must offer a bounty of Ascension Fruits to sate the beast’s hunger. Otherwise, the creature refuses to yield! The previous Lord of the 殿, by employing immense power across countless years, succeeded in wresting a fragment of that Thunder Guardian’s essence. He placed it here, making it one of the guardian beasts of our Thunder Immortal殿!”