Wang Lin’s face paled, a force of unimaginable magnitude erupting from the fray, centered upon Zhi Jian. A tremor ran through him, forcing him back, a mouthful of blood rising to stain his lips before erupting forth, splattering upon the ground as he staggered several paces.

As for Luo Su, he too coughed forth crimson, forced back a dozen feet, his eyes locked on Wang Lin, burning with a potent, murderous intent.

Yan Leizi, the arbiter, cleaved the two apart, showing favor to neither. Yet, Wang Lin’s spilled blood ignited a flicker of impossible power within the eyes of Qing Shui! “He is not one you are permitted to slay. You lack the right!” The utterance was a decree; the heavens themselves seemed to shift and darken. A chilling aura, laced with terrifying might, descended upon them all. The ancient ones, perched upon their cushions, felt the shift, their expressions betraying shock. For the first time, they sensed the true depth of Qing Shui’s power! Not only they, but every cultivator present felt their blood run cold!

“Hold!” Yan Leizi roared, rising to his feet, but his warning came too late. Luo Su felt an irresistible force surge into him, the world flashing crimson before his eyes, as if a bolt of scarlet lightning had pierced him. Then came the sound, the agonizing crack of his very soul shattering! Unimaginable pain consumed him, rending him from within. The scarlet lightning tore through Luo Su’s primordial spirit, leaving it utterly defenseless. His soul collapsed, its fragments recoiling back into his physical form, causing his flesh to erupt in a bloody mist. He strained to see his executioner, but his body only managed a partial turn before his eyes dimmed, and he collapsed upon the ground, life extinguished! A red light emanated from Luo Su’s corpse, gathering the shattered remnants of his soul and returning to Qing Shui, who regained a touch of color in his face.

Silence fell, a stunned silence. The sudden, violent act left every cultivator gasping for breath, minds reeling at the unbelievable scene before them! “Qing Shui!” Yan Leizi roared, his face contorted with fury, his eyes fixed on the icy immortal.

“You made Xu Mu spill blood. I, in turn, have taken a life,” Qing Shui stated, his voice calm and devoid of remorse.

“I showed no favoritism! Qing Shui, your actions demand explanation. If one is not forthcoming, I shall abandon the sealing ceremony and face you in battle!” Yan Leizi declared, his voice a low growl.

“A mere miscalculation. If you seek battle, then let us fight!” Qing Shui’s right eye flashed red. Since absorbing the Heavenly Tribulation, his power was returning, and with it, the cold, uncompromising nature of his past.

Murder, for no reason beyond the simple fact that he would protect his own! He could never repay his master’s kindness, though his master’s words had been in jest, now Qing Shui took them to heart. Xu Mu was his junior brother, and under his protection, none would dare harm him! Furthermore, he saw the murderous intent in Luo Su’s eyes, and such a viper must be struck down! Wang Lin stood silently, gazing at Qing Shui, and spoke with utmost respect. “Thank you… Senior Brother!”

Those simple words shattered the silence, unleashing a torrent of whispers. “Senior Brother?! Is Xu Mu actually Senior Brother to Qing Shui?”

“This is impossible! Qing Shui’s master was the Immortal Emperor Bai Fan… does this mean Xu Mu… is a disciple of Bai Fan?”

“No wonder Xu Mu has been so arrogant! He is protected by the Immortal Qing Shui! Without him, Xu Mu would be nothing!”

Xu Ting’s face darkened. He licked his lips, his eyes fixed on Wang Lin, his mind racing. In the end, he cast a wary glance at Qing Shui and made his decision.

The Six-Fingered cultivator and the large-headed child were both stunned, their brows furrowed as they considered the implications.

Xi Zifeng’s mouth hung open, disbelief and a hint of joy mingled with sorrow in her eyes. “My station is too low… there can never be anything between us…”

“The Master is a disciple of the Immortal Emperor Bai Fan! Junior Brother to Immortal Qing Shui!” Shen Gong Hu gasped, his adoration for Wang Lin reaching a fever pitch, surpassing even his previous devotion. With each new revelation, his fervor burned brighter, an eternal flame! Zhan Konglie stared blankly, his resolve hardening. Nangong Han could only smile wryly, thinking to himself, “If Xu Mu is the junior brother of Immortal Qing Shui, I must be sure to cultivate his friendship. It could be of great benefit to me in the future.”

Even the ancient cultivators upon their cushions were visibly shaken by this revelation, with only Fang Xue Shenzi sneering coldly.

The murmurs reached Yan Leizi’s ears. He observed Qing Shui for a long moment, then laughed heartily. “If it was but a miscalculation of the Immortal’s, then let us put this matter to rest. I only hope that the Immortal Qing Shui will remember the difficulty these cultivators face in their training and make no further ‘miscalculations’.”

Qing Shui closed his eyes, offering neither agreement nor denial.

Yan Leizi sighed inwardly. Qing Shui was the one he had personally summoned by breaking the seal. Although his powers were yet to fully recover, he was certain that the immortal possessed a hidden power, a power that was not the extremis, yet one that made Yan Leizi wary. He truly did not wish to damage their relationship over such a trivial matter.

And most importantly, even the esteemed one, the one who had taken the Moon Beast as a disciple, had advised Yan Leizi not to provoke Qing Shui. Even Bai Fan had offered him gifts and titles to appease him.

*”Luo Su was too proud, so he died, a pity that his skills of soul cultivation were wasted.”* Yan Leizi cast his gaze upon Wang Lin, thinking, *”Xu Mu must have a powerful treasure that protects his soul, likely a gift from Qing Shui.”*

“Xu Mu, acceptable!” Yan Leizi declared, his voice steady.

With Luo Su gone, the first trial was once again overseen by another. Perhaps intimidated by what they had seen, of the three hundred and twenty-five participants who remained, one hundred and ninety-six were accepted, while the others vanished within the teleportation array, banished from this place.

“The second trial, the trial of Earth!” Yan Leizi raised his right hand, performing an incantation and pressing down upon the Thunder Pool Plaza.

A ghostly finger formed in his hand, plunging down onto the plaza. At the moment of its impact, the entire thousand-foot plaza vibrated, the sound of thunder reverberating madly. Countless azure lightning bolts crackled and danced, transforming the plaza into a true sea of lightning.

These bolts weaved and writhed like silver serpents, so numerous that they coalesced into a single, concentrated point, then scattered outwards, revealing a three-foot square of empty space at the very center of the plaza.

“Hold fast for fifteen breaths. Those who endure shall pass, and those who fail shall be disqualified!”

From within the lightning-wreathed pool, a roar echoed forth. A spectral thunder-spirit formed from the swirling lightning, pacing just outside the three-foot safe zone, exuding an oppressive aura.

All eyes turned to Wang Lin. He had been the focus of the first trial, and now most of the cultivators present were eager to see how long he would last. Even the most powerful and ancient cultivators watched him with interest.

“The power of the thunder-spirit is not something that ordinary men can withstand. Xu Mu will likely last twenty breaths at most. Even the disciples of the Thunder Immortal Palace, who specialize in lightning magic, rarely last longer than twenty breaths against the power of this spirit!”

“I know that this thunder-pool is one of the challenges of the Thunder Immortal Palace, one to test the titles. The disciples are split into four levels, with 20 breaths for level four, and 80 breaths for level one. If you can last over a hundred, then you are a inner hall disciple! I wonder how long Xu Mu can last, perhaps this can show the truth!”

“This trial measures true strength. Xu Mu won’t stand a chance! I am more curious about Xu Ting!”

The cultivators whispered amongst themselves.