The Six-Fingered Cultivator recoiled in horror, thunder echoing around him as he stumbled backward. He retreated with desperate haste, but in that very instant, Wang Lin rose to his feet, taking a single step forward.

As his feet touched the ground, crackling lightning erupted beneath them, a jarring sound that amplified Wang Lin’s imposing aura. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance, overtaking the retreating Six-Fingered Cultivator.

With two fingers forming a sword, he thrust forward. Immediately, bolts of lightning surged from all directions, converging upon the Six-Fingered Cultivator. As celestial thunder rained down in torrents, the cultivator paled, his hands forming intricate seals in a desperate attempt to defend himself. But Wang Lin’s singular strike absorbed all the surrounding thunder, compressing it into a single, devastating bolt, a weapon reminiscent of the eternal sky thunder of ancient times.

It shattered all resistance, piercing the Six-Fingered Cultivator’s defenses and plunging into his body. A tempest of raging thunder tore through him, rending flesh and obliterating his very soul. With a final, agonizing cry, the Six-Fingered Cultivator’s vital essence spilled forth, and he collapsed into utter annihilation.

A golden rune flashed, merging into the Seal of Immortality, absorbing the cultivator’s essence and returning to its master, brimming with newfound power.

All this transpired in a heartbeat, almost simultaneous with the Six-Fingered Cultivator’s treacherous assault. Now, Wang Lin stood, pale of face, the seal on his brow slowly contracting, his third eye receding into a thin line. He turned, fixing his gaze upon Nangong Han, who had materialized a mere ten paces away.

“You, too, wish to face me in battle?”

Nangong Han’s expression was somber, carefully scrutinizing Wang Lin. After a long moment, he burst into laughter, shaking his head. “I am no match for you. In truth, I emerged to aid you in dealing with that assassin.”

Wang Lin turned his gaze away, assuming a meditative posture, drawing in the surrounding energies. At that moment, a tempest of wind and cloud gathered above, suffused with prismatic light. The light descended, splitting into three beams, enveloping Wang Lin, Nangong Han, and Shen Gonghu. Shen Gonghu shuddered, vanishing completely within the colorful radiance.

Wang Lin and Nangong Han, however, found themselves caught in the pull of the celestial light, drawn upward toward the heavens.

This time, Wang Lin did not lose consciousness. He witnessed the very fabric of the sky tear open, revealing a rift through which his body was forcibly pulled.

A momentary blur, and then clarity returned, revealing a vast expanse of blue stone spread across the ground, and a multitude of cultivators surrounding him.

Staggering slightly, Wang Lin landed from the sky, Nangong Han falling beside him in near-perfect synchronicity.

And there, amidst the crowd, stood the Six-Fingered Cultivator, his gaze burning with malice as he glared at Wang Lin.

Yan Leizi, his face adorned with a serene smile, rose to his feet. “I, of the Thunder Immortal Palace, shall ordain one hundred and eight Immortals!” With a sweeping gesture, the very air within the Thunder Immortal Palace trembled, and a chorus of celestial melodies echoed throughout the realm.

The music was ethereal, heavenly in its beauty.

Amidst the melodies, a sea of auspicious clouds coalesced, swirling about, and a rich aura of immortality permeated the air, transforming the scene into a veritable paradise.

Several celestial cranes danced in the sky, their cries piercing the heart with delight.

From afar, the Thunder Immortal Palace, with its countless celestial halls, appeared to be an indistinguishable extension of the true Immortal Realm.

The surrounding cultivators, guided by their clan elders, rose to their feet, a vast, unbroken multitude.

Even the venerable masters seated upon the prayer cushions stood, their expressions solemn. And around the periphery, emissaries of the Thunder Immortal Palace took their places, their faces etched with reverence.

At that very instant, the events unfolding within the Thunder Immortal Palace were broadcast across the entire Luo Tian Starfield, using the Palace’s unique transmission methods.

Each cultivation star, each cultivation clan, every cultivator turned their gaze toward the heavens, where transmission stones provided by the Thunder Immortal Palace projected the grand spectacle of the Immortal Ordainment.

These transmission stones, offered freely by the Thunder Immortal Palace, served not only to broadcast sound, but also to conjure a visual representation of the scene. Their purpose extended beyond the Immortal Ordainment itself, encompassing the grand mobilization for the impending war against the Alliance.

Across the Luo Tian Starfield, the vast majority of cultivators witnessed the glorious spectacle of the Immortal Ordainment through the images projected from these transmission stones.

The Thunder Immortal Palace stood at the heart of the Luo Tian Starfield, the convergence point of the four cardinal regions. Outside the boundaries of the Palace’s domain, a palpable tension filled the air in all four directions.

To the east, a vast army of cultivators had gathered, a countless throng numbering in the tens of thousands. Clad in diverse attire, representing a multitude of cultivation clans, they stood in silent anticipation, their gazes fixed upon the horizon.

At their head stood a warrior encased in crimson armor, his white hair flowing freely, his expression impassive. In his hand, he held a transmission stone, from which the spectacle of the Immortal Ordainment streamed forth, displayed across the stars.

The scene to the south mirrored that of the east, where thousands of cultivators sat cross-legged in the void, gazing at the heavens under the leadership of an old man wielding a horsetail whisk.

Similar armies stood ready in the west and the north.

At this moment, the Immortal Ordainment of the Thunder Immortal Palace commanded the undivided attention of the entire Luo Tian Starfield!

Within the Thunder Immortal Palace, a celestial crane soared into view, bearing a scroll of yellow silk within its beak. It released its hold above Yan Leizi, and the silk unfurled, drifting down into his waiting hands.

He unfurled the silk, revealing a scroll radiating an intense aura of immortality, a celestial treasure in its own right!

“Among you, one hundred and ten stand, though two were destined to be turned away. Yet, in recognition of the trials you have endured, and the mercy granted by the Dao, a glimmer of life amidst annihilation, the strongest shall be ordained as Chief and Deputy Thunder Immortals, with the remaining one hundred and eight to become the Thirty-Six Celestial Fiends and the Seventy-Two Terrestrial Fiends!”

Yan Leizi paused, his gaze sweeping across the multitude of cultivators upon the blue stone, and then declared, “Xu Mu, step forward!”

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed. He flew forward, clasping his hands in a respectful salute. “I am here!”
Lord Yan Lei Zi, his face etched with grave importance, intoned, “By the authority of the Three Realms, and the Trial of the Razor’s Edge, Xu Mu, I pronounce thee, Scion of the Celestial Thunder! A Thunder Immortal of the First Order, bearing the authority of the Luo Tian Starfield! Lead three thousand warriors, as the vanguard of our forces!”

As he spoke, the Lord of Thunder made a gesture, and in his hand materialized a golden brush, radiant with celestial light. With a flourish, he inscribed upon a scroll of golden silk a single line:

“Xu Mu: Thunder Immortal, First Order”

The ink was barely dry when the six characters blazed with golden fire. Rumbles of thunder erupted from within, as if a caged beast were unleashed. The inscription seemed to pierce through the silk, bursting forth to coalesce into a magnificent tiger of pure lightning!

Ten yards in length, the electric beast roared to the heavens, then charged towards Wang Lin. Yet, just a yard before him, it swiftly diminished, transforming into a three-inch banner. Upon its silken surface, the phantom of the mighty tiger shimmered, forever present.

“Receive now the Celestial Banner of the Heavenly Tiger! With it, command the three thousand warriors of Luo Tian, and forge your own dominion!”

Lord Yan Lei Zi’s voice boomed like thunder, shaking the very firmament.

Wang Lin accepted the banner, drew a deep breath, and bowed his head. “By your command!”

At that moment, the visage of Wang Lin was broadcast through transmission stones to every corner of the Luo Tian Starfield. A storm of whispers and murmurs swept across the land.

“He is Xu Mu!”

“The Devilish Prodigy, Xu Mu! Now a Thunder Immortal of the First Order!”

“He transcends the Hundred and Eight Immortals! His power must be staggering, a being unlike any other!”

Upon Ran Yun, a cultivator of ethereal beauty paused in her meditation. She had barely registered the celestial ceremony, but now her eyes widened. She stared at the image of Wang Lin, a flicker of recognition in her gaze. He was familiar, a face she had seen somewhere before.

And she was not alone. Across Ran Yun, all cultivators stood transfixed, their minds reeling. The image of Wang Lin crashed upon their thoughts like a tidal wave.

Upon Qing Ling, the multitude of cultivators gazed at the sky, their elders gasping in shock.

“Old friend…!”

At the peak of Heng Yun Mountain, Xie Qing awoke from his trance, gazing at the heavens with fiery emotion. He inhaled deeply, whispering, “Master!”

On a remote cultivation planet, Yao Bing Yun sat upon the highest peak of ice, gazing skyward, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

“I never imagined… he would become a Thunder Immortal…”

In the Northern Reaches of Luo Tian, upon a half-forsaken star, an acrid stench perpetually hung in the air. Yet, the inhabitants could not discern its source. Within a hidden valley, the fiend, Tan Lang, looked up at the sky, his eyes burning with cold fury.

“He has risen to such heights within this very Starfield!”

At that moment, throughout the Luo Tian Starfield, all who knew Wang Lin were rooted to the spot, their eyes fixed on the heavens, a mixture of awe and dread in their hearts.

Within the Thunder Immortal Palace, Lord Yan Lei Zi thundered, “Xu Ting, step forward!”

Xu Ting drew a ragged breath, stepping forward to kneel in deference.

“I pronounce thee, Thunder Immortal of the Second Order! Lead two thousand warriors, as the second vanguard of Luo Tian!”

Though resentment gnawed at his soul, Xu Ting had no choice but to submit. After a moment of bitter silence, he bowed his head. “By your command!”

One by one, the Hundred and Eight Immortals were summoned, their ranks filled, each receiving a spirit banner and claiming their station.

“First and Second Thunder Immortals, Thirty-Six Celestial Guardians, enter the Ascendant Pool!” With a flourish, Lord Yan Lei Zi dispelled the golden silk. The celestial clouds above roiled and churned, coalescing into a radiant pool of celestial waters, slowly descending from the heavens.

Within, azure currents surged with a power that resonated deep within the soul.

“Enter the Pool of Thunder, cast off your mortal will, and allow the Heavenly Essence to infuse your immortality! Become true Immortals, eternal and undying!” Lord Yan Lei Zi’s voice echoed through the cosmos.