Rare though they were, fragments of Void-Grade Artifacts lingered in the world, coveted by Shattered Nirvana Elders. Each mountain… held a whispered promise of such power. These treasures were rarely used, for their arcane crafting defied understanding, rendering them irreplaceable and irreparable. Should one be damaged, its might would diminish, a loss beyond measure.

Some spoke of Quasi-Void Nirvana Artifacts, but often these were mere illusions, artifacts still firmly within the Void realm, yet adorned with a pretentious title. A vanity sought by those wishing to appear closer to the true pinnacle of power.

For the common Shattered Nirvana cultivator, a Void-Grade Artifact was the apex, a prize worth any sacrifice. However, those who had ascended to the Late-Stage Great Circle of Shattered Nirvana held a different perspective. While Void-Grade Artifacts remained valuable, their years of struggle had inevitably led them to acquire such items, be it through conquest or patient searching.

Indeed, these ascendants yearned for something beyond the treasures of this realm. Their true desire was to transcend the second step of cultivation, to reach the mythical third step.

Yet, this third step remained shrouded in mist, a pathless expanse where the only certainty was the creeping dread of the Five Celestial Declines, each a trial that could wash them away into oblivion. For these near-immortal beings, the pursuit was no longer about power or cultivation, but about survival itself. Only by attaining the third step could they hope to defy the Celestial Declines, and escape the chilling embrace of death.

At this juncture, a cultivator from the Lower Realm, guided by fate, stumbled into the Alliance Star System. Though he had not reached the coveted third step, he had survived the fourth Celestial Decline!

The Five Celestial Declines were an inescapable trial for Shattered Nirvana cultivators. Each successful passage amplified one’s power beyond reckoning, but the trials were fraught with peril, promising annihilation for the unwary.

This particular cultivator had weathered the storm thanks to a unique treasure: a Nirvana-Grade Artifact. Later investigations would suggest its origins lay in the distant, forgotten past of the Ancient Era, but such relics were now vanishingly rare.

Yet, amidst the ruins of bygone ages, Shattered Nirvana Elders had discovered objects surpassing Void-Grade Artifacts, though still lesser than true Nirvana-Grade treasures: the Quasi-Nirvana Artifacts.

These Quasi-Nirvana artifacts were uncommon but far less infrequent compared to the true Nirvana grade Artifacts, their discovery was an exciting and fulfilling experience to many. Almost all were obtained by cultivators in the Late-Stage Great Circle of Shattered Nirvana.

Indeed, possession of a Quasi-Nirvana treasure had become a prerequisite for joining the ranks of the Alliance Elders!

Beyond their immense power, these artifacts could offer a measure of aid during the terrifying ordeal of the Celestial Declines.

Quasi-Nirvana Artifacts, too, were said to possess grades, though these distinctions were vague, usually adhering to the traditional tiers of lesser, intermediate, greater, and perfected, mirroring the categories of lesser artifacts. This vagueness stemmed from their ancient origin, the methods of their creation long lost to the present age.

“To absorb the killing intent of a cultivator, to conjure illusions, to unleash such power… this treasure in Wang Lin’s possession must be at least a Greater Quasi-Nirvana Artifact,” the village woman breathed, her eyes wide with trepidation. “Perhaps even a Perfected Quasi-Nirvana Artifact!”

While the three pondered, the roaring outside the hall grew louder, closer. Without hesitation, the black-clad figure leaped towards the two statues, emulating Wang Lin’s escape. Void Subreality and the village woman followed.

Meanwhile, on the second level of the Immortal Emperor’s Grotto, near its very heart, a flash of violet light heralded Wang Lin’s arrival.

“Shattered Nirvana cultivators… so difficult to kill,” he rasped. “Though Void Subreality is heavily wounded, he still survives! And with the village woman… besides, I am now…” Wang Lin coughed blood, his face drawn with exhaustion.

“But this Iron Sword Artifact… its power exceeds my expectations. If I could acquire all five iron swords from their scabbards and wield them together…” He shuddered. The price would be his very essence, drained in an instant.

He returned the iron sword to its scabbard and tucked it away in his storage bag. Swallowing several medicinal pills, he resumed his desperate flight without pause.

His previous feigned strength, bolstered by the heavy injury inflicted upon Void Subreality, had been enough to cow the black-clad figure and the village woman. Had they dared to attack, Wang Lin would surely have fallen.

There was no time for leisurely healing. He had to exploit his knowledge of the Immortal Emperor’s Grotto, gained from the map, to put as much distance as possible between himself and his pursuers.

Drawing a deep breath, Wang Lin weaved through the numerous restrictions of the grotto’s second level, swiftly reaching several key points marked on his map. There, his suspicions were confirmed: someone had bypassed these guardians and entered the lower levels. Dragging his weary body, he pressed on towards the fog-shrouded heart of the second level, the entrance to the third. The first six levels of the grotto shared a similar layout, and Wang Lin, though slowed, was soon approaching the heart of the second level and the entrance to the third.

In the meantime, the black-clad figure, the village woman, and the gravely wounded Void Subreality had arrived on the second level. Unlike his arrogant display on the first level, Void Subreality advanced cautiously, feeling out the poisonous wards rather than forcing his way through. This provided Wang Lin with enough time.

Within the grand hall of the second level, there were no statues, only nine stone candelabras. Wang Lin calmed his frantic heart and examined them carefully, his brow furrowing.

Then, his gaze fixed on the ground around the candelabras. Faint traces of movement, some deep, some shallow, betrayed that they had been shifted multiple times, leaving a trail of misleading clues.

With a flash of insight, Wang Lin crouched down to examine them more closely. His eyes sharpened. On the candelabras, he detected a trace of sword energy.

It was unremarkable, easily dismissed as the residual energy of someone trying to damage the stone, but to Wang Lin, it held profound significance.

“Senior Zhou Yi’s sword energy…” he murmured. “He left his sword energy here, having already entered the third level. But why?”

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed. He had recovered a sliver of his vital energy during his desperate flight. With a flick of his right hand, he ignited the nine candelabras.

The flames flared, engulfing Wang Lin and whisking him away to the third level.

The act of shifting the candelabras had been a mere distraction, the marks on the ground intentionally misleading, intended to draw attention away from the need to light the candelabras.

Time flowed onward, and two months passed for Wang Lin within the Immortal Emperor’s Grotto. He used little moments during those two months to heal, while using the remaining time to travel from one floor to the next.

The restrictions within the grotto grew stronger with each descending level. Sometimes, even with his mastery of restrictions and the map provided by the jade slip, Wang Lin had to invest time and energy to traverse a single level.

Even more time was consumed by the palaces at the center of each level. These palaces were akin to enigmatic labyrinths, requiring intense focus to uncover the entrances to the lower levels. If that were all, it might have been bearable, but the map also mentioned several storage spaces filled with treasures on each level below the fourth. Wang Lin was determined to search each of these storage spaces, and to his dismay, others had already raided most of them. However, Wang Lin made his way through untouched storage spaces that were also available, and proceeded to transfer the contents of those storage spaces into his storage bag. Wang Lin became excited as he thought about the rewards that he had received through the past two months.

Even Wang Lin was surprised at the items in each of the storage spaces. For example, Wang Lin possessed enough Immortal Jade within his storage bag to found a sect and supply his disciples with energy for thousands of years.

The storage spaces possessed other treasures, and Wang Lin started to think of them as Emperor Qing Shuang’s storage lockers. He started to wonder why Emperor Qing Shuang had prepared these storage lockers, what was his goal?

Emperor Qing Shuang’s purpose was unknown to Wang Lin, but he was more than happy to take the items that were within those storage lockers, and so he spent his time in a joyous mood. Wang Lin was even more ecstatic when he found out that the jade slip stated that the sixth level possessed two storage spaces that served as transfer locations.

One of those storage spaces possessed immortal pills and medicines that dated back to before the collapse of the Immortal World. For Wang Lin, such pills and medicines were more valuable than treasures.

For the past two months, Wang Lin’s cultivation has been stagnating. The wounds on his body were healing thanks to his Ancient God physique, but his vital energy and his withering primordial spirit that resulted from his use of the iron sword was not healing quickly. Wang Lin could solve those issues with immortal pills and medicines, but he had nearly consumed all of his pills and medicines, and it was too dangerous within this grotto to stay in one place for an extended amount of time.

On this day, a beam of light emanated from the border of the sixth level, and Wang Lin came out of it. He was in the center of several pavilions that were inside a privately constructed garden. In front of Wang Lin were artificial mountains, and a river weaved throughout the garden from afar, and the sound of flowing water was relaxing to the mind.

“This is the sixth level!” Wang Lin inhaled, and then proceeded to integrate his current location with the map from the jade slip. A few moments later, he was able to determine his location.

Wang Lin moved towards his right, and a look of determination was on his face.

“I must obtain those medicines!” Wang Lin was quick as he moved throughout the level, and he had managed to evade several restrictions. However, Wang Lin suddenly stopped and stared at the space in front of him.

“Someone is here.” Wang Lin sensed traces of other people as he journeyed from the second to the fifth levels. However, he had never encountered those people, and today was the first day he encountered a person below the second level!

“Little friend, you actually made it here, not simple.” A voice with surprise was spoken from afar.