How could the likeness of mortal man force the yield of an ancient god! As the power of the ancient god surged through his very being, Wang Lin straightened, his gaze like lightning, and met the eyes of the statue a second time!

A thunderous tremor resonated through his mind, shaking him to his core. Yet, amidst the trembling, Wang Lin’s eyes blazed with unyielding defiance.

“There exists naught in this realm that can subjugate an ancient god! Neither celestial law, nor worldly rule, nor you shall prevail!” The ancient god star upon Wang Lin’s brow spun with furious speed. A series of explosive cracks echoed from within his body, for though he did not assume the true form of an ancient god, his flesh, under this relentless pressure, began to surge and strengthen with unnatural speed.

His formidable physique, now teeming with the power of the ancient god, held him upright like a mountain, emanating an aura of indomitable will that challenged the very heavens, a stark defiance against the oppressive power emanating from the statue.

Silent ripples echoed through the hall, coalescing into a tempest that swept through the grand chamber, forcing Wang Lin to stagger backward.

With a guttural roar, Wang Lin fought to halt his retreat, his eyes fixed upon the statue. A disquieting feeling crept over him, a sense that the sculpted figure had awakened, now regarding him with an icy gaze.

“ROAR!”

Wang Lin threw back his head, unleashing an ancient god’s roar that shook the heavens and sent all creatures scurrying in fear. None dared stand before such power!

The roar reverberated outwards, causing the caverns surrounding the hall to crumble and collapse as if unable to withstand the sound itself. Driven by this roar, Wang Lin raised his foot and slammed it down upon the ground.

Though seemingly simple, this step was wrought with immense difficulty. Under the weight of the incomprehensible pressure and suffocating aura, retreat was the only logical path. But to retreat was to surrender. Should he fail to resist and succumb to this constant backward drift, then utter defeat was assured.

An ancient god would defy the heavens, challenge the very fabric of existence. To yield before a mere statue would render Wang Lin unworthy of the title.

As he took that step, Wang Lin felt a terrible cracking within his body. This single stride was a direct confrontation with the statue’s oppressive force, offering no respite.

And yet, this was the path ordained by the ancient god’s legacy residing within him!

To retreat ten steps, a hundred steps, was to shrink away from the challenge. To merely stand one’s ground, while not yielding, was to embrace mediocrity. Such a path would lead to nothing more than a life of conformity. But to step forward was to rebel, to defy!

With this step, the statue’s oppressive power exploded in intensity, as if countless mountains were crashing down upon Wang Lin, forbidding any resistance.

A sharp hiss erupted as blood sprayed from the pores of Wang Lin’s back, yet his body remained unwavering, and he took another step.

“I, Wang Lin, am a rebel of destiny! I dare defy the heavens, challenge fate itself! Shall I yield here, now?” With this step, Wang Lin surged against the tide, and the heavens themselves seemed to react with even greater force. “He who hears of rebellion shall perish before sunset!” A rebel cultivates a rebellious heart, giving rise to unyielding conviction. What is there to fear? Only death!”

Under this unimaginable strain, blood gushed from Wang Lin’s body, turning him into a crimson figure. Yet, he threw back his head and laughed, a sound filled with the indomitable spirit of one who stands alone against the world!

In that instant, clarity surged through Wang Lin. All disordered thoughts were cast aside, leaving only the essence of defiance.

When he first embraced rebellion in the Demon Spirit Land, when he achieved the Ascendant stage, now, in this same realm, the spirit of rebellion that had been sealed by worldly concerns, by the trials of Luo Tian, by the very depths of his own heart, had bloomed once more! It was as if destiny itself had orchestrated this moment!

With a renewed burst of laughter, Wang Lin took yet another step. The moment his third foot landed upon the floor, the oppressive power within the hall vanished as if it had never existed. Beneath the statue, the white-robed woman watched Wang Lin, her expression a mask of complex emotions. Only Wang Lin’s echoing laughter remained, resonant and profound, slowly fading into silence.

From the moment he laid eyes upon the statue, he had guessed the identity of the figure it represented. The likeness shared a faint resemblance to Qing Shuang within the Immortal Tower. And who else could wield such formidable power, even through a mere sculpture, but one individual?

“The Immortal Emperor Qing Lin!” Wang Lin’s back was soaked with sweat. He had never felt such imminent danger. Had it not been for the power of the ancient god coursing through him, he would have surely perished on the spot.

A cold glint entered Wang Lin’s eyes as he turned to face the white-robed woman. “You have passed the trial,” she said softly, lowering her head. “Who are you?” Wang Lin asked calmly. “I am Han Yan, one of the Immortal Emperor’s eight concubines,” the woman replied, lifting her head to gaze at the statue, her eyes filled with tenderness and longing.

With a wistful sigh, she waved her jade hand, and the floor of the hall rumbled. One by one, the stone tiles began to tremble and rise into the air. As if guided by an unseen force, the tiles arranged themselves into a peculiar formation between Wang Lin and the white-robed woman. Where the tiles had been, a vision of the starry cosmos was revealed. Countless nebulae filled the darkness, punctuated by the glimmering light of distant stars.

Even more astonishing, the stars were not static, but moved slowly, their patterns shifting over time. Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. “This Demon Spirit Land is an Immortal Mansion, drifting through the cosmos in a unique manner. What you see is not illusion, but reality…” “Step into this teleportation array, and you shall enter the Sealed Lands. Should you possess the means to open it, you may enter the true Immortal Mansion.” “Is the Immortal Emperor Qing Lin secluded within this Mansion?” Wang Lin turned his gaze from the starry floor to the tile array above.

The white-robed woman paused, her eyes fixed upon the statue of the Immortal Emperor. After a long silence, she spoke softly, “When he returned, he was already wounded… and was beset by two outsiders upon his journey. He then opened the Immortal Mansion to heal within.”
The entrance was never meant to be, a secret kept by design. Yet, a splinter of access remained, whispered to exist. Should these four hidden thresholds be breached in unison, a true passage would materialize within the lands of the Demon Spirits, a path to the recluse’s secluded domain.

“You wield the Binding Arts, you carry the Corpse of Azure Frost, and bear the name of Wang. I shall not hinder you… nor shall I deny your companions their way. They shall emerge at your will, beyond the gate.” The woman in white spoke, a sigh escaping her lips as she turned towards the depths of the grand hall. Her form, as perceived by Wang Lin, was etched with solitude and a profound melancholy.

“Wang… what is the meaning of this name?” Wang Lin swiftly inquired.

“Should destiny allow, you shall know…” Her voice, soft and fading, was swallowed by the encroaching darkness.

“With your profound cultivation, why not join me on this journey!” Wang Lin called out, his gaze fixed on the receding figure.

The woman, half-immersed in the shadows, paused. A bitter expression marred her face, hidden from Wang Lin. “I cannot… go.” With those words, she dissolved completely into the darkness, vanishing without a trace.

Deeper within the hall, beyond Wang Lin’s perception, the woman reappeared. The same sorrow clung to her face as she walked, a faint white light emanating from her form, yet so intertwined with the darkness that it remained unseen.

In a flash, the white light intensified, engulfing her until she transformed. A patch of verdant green bloomed around her feet, swiftly climbing to consume her entire being. With a final shimmer, the woman was gone. In her place stood a flower of unparalleled beauty, its petals unfurling in the heart of the hall.

“The Flower Consort is no more… only a vestige remains, a trapped Flower Sprite… a Flower Sprite bound to this grotto.” The blossom, though radiant, carried an aura of profound sorrow, a secret blooming unseen in the eternal darkness.

Lost in thought, Wang Lin stared at the portal above, then stepped within.

Just before crossing the threshold, his gaze lingered on the darkness in the distance, as if glimpsing something unseen. Then, he entered the portal. Light flashed and consumed him, transporting him to a new location.

He found himself in a spectral realm, a vast array etched into the ground. At its center lay a block of obsidian stone.

Cautiously observing his surroundings, Wang Lin ventured into the array, approaching the stone. After a moment of consideration, he reached into his storage pouch and withdrew the Celestial Abode Key. The key dissolved into wisps of verdant smoke, seeping into the stone.

Instantly, the array blazed with light. Runes floated from the design, enveloping the surroundings. The array had come alive, slowly beginning to rotate.

As the array spun, a subtle connection formed between it and Wang Lin’s mind. His vision blurred, then cleared, revealing the entirety of the fourth grotto. It was as if the grotto was now an extension of his will, a canvas of possibility. With a mere thought, he could breach any barrier, control all within… save for the Grand Hall. He saw Situ Nan, and the flower-covered remains of Floating Wind and his companions.

With a flick of his thoughts, Floating Wind, the Three Dusts, Big Head, and Reggie vanished. In the distance, Situ Nan, brows furrowed, remained vigilant, his eyes glinting with suspicion ever since Wang Lin had entered the hall.

Suddenly, Situ Nan stiffened. He felt a familiar divine sense brush past him. “Wang Lin!”

Situ Nan disappeared, reappearing instantly within the array. “The grotto is now fully open. Reggie, your cultivation is insufficient; remain here until our return!” Wang Lin’s voice echoed. The array beneath them pulsed with power.

At that same instant, within the land of the Demon Spirits, a monumental transformation began.