A shift, subtle yet profound, rippled across the countenance of the Celestial Fortune Teller. A furrow creased his brow. The entirety of the Immortal Emperor’s hidden domain had been woven into the tapestry of his calculations. He understood, perhaps better than any other, that beneath its simple facade lay the intricate design of Qing Lin, the Immortal Emperor of ages past. In venturing here, he had unwittingly become a piece in Qing Lin’s grand game. The very thought of indirectly pitting his wits against the departed Emperor stirred within him, a tempest in the otherwise unyielding sea of his ancient heart.

Who would prevail? The unfathomable Immortal Emperor with his foresight beyond mortal ken, or Tian Yunzi, whose intellect pierced the veils of destiny? The answer remained shrouded, yet this opportunity was beyond measure. Should he succeed, his very soul would ascend, imbued with the confidence and momentum gained by outmaneuvering the immortal Qing Lin. The old wounds of past failures would heal, and he would rise even further. Even in defeat, such a contest held treasures beyond imagining. The echoes of this millennia-spanning battle would resonate within him, revealing secrets he desperately sought. For this chance, Tian Yunzi would sacrifice all. What were the ancient demons, the demonic Pagoda, or the alliance of cultivators compared to the thirst of his heart? Even should the heavens themselves weep a crimson tide of chaos, it would not deter him. Others sought the Emperor’s flesh, his immortal arts, the key to the legendary third step. But Tian Yunzi’s ambition bordered on madness; he coveted not power, but a contest, a battle of intellect with the Immortal Emperor Qing Lin. “You sought to seal away the ancient demon, planting the seeds for its future usurpation,” he mused, “But I shall unravel all of it. The demon is but a tool, a pawn in my game against you, Qing Lin.” The true depths of Tian Yunzi’s plans remained hidden, save perhaps to Ling Tianhou.

Yet within the Emperor’s domain, Wang Lin’s first awakening of the Vermillion Bird bloodline caught Tian Yunzi unawares, casting a shadow of doubt, the first of many on his meticulous calculations.

The second cause of unease arose when the ancient demon, Ta Jia, followed his counsel, ensnaring the others with illusionary blossoms, driving them to unknowingly aid in the shattering of the Emperor’s first layer of defense.

But the unforeseen second awakening of Wang Lin’s Vermillion Bird bloodline shattered his preordained path and sent chaos reverberating through the threads of fate.

The sudden darkening of the skies further darkened Tian Yunzi’s mood. He inhaled deeply, acknowledging the need for direct intervention.

His eyes snapped shut, and in that instant, a spectrum of colors erupted from within him. Amidst the iridescent rainbow, a touch of somber gray emerged, granting him eight hues in total. As these colors pulsated, eight distinct figures, each adorned in garments of a corresponding shade, detached from Tian Yunzi and dispersed, bearing down upon Wang Lin, the Immortal Daoist Couple, and the assembled cultivators. Three others hurtled towards the fracturing sky.

Simultaneously, Hua Fei, wreathed in starlight, saw her ethereal glow exploded outward. The nine orbs surrounding her flickered with diminished light, but her expression remained serene.

Ta Jia, the ancient demon, glanced at the heavens, his gaze darkening with apprehension. With a sweep of his hand, he conjured his massive blade. He was to not face Hua Fei, but instead, the blade unleashed a tempestuous arc of dark energy that slashed into the sky.

Hua Fei smiled, recognizing the fulfillment of Qing Lin’s ancient prophecy. “One bearing the name Wang shall save me. As the celestial realm crumbles, so shall my awakening come to pass!”

The wave of dark energy soared to meet her. Her fading form then was at the place before the sword came. She took a deep breath, as the nine orbs collided with the dark energy wave. The sound echoed, and Hua Fei retreated backward. Ta Jia’s eyes flashed with murder, and his body leaped into the sky.

Meanwhile, Wang Lin found himself beset by a sudden peril. Void Incarnate lunged, his assault unstoppable, his glacial prison crumbling before the onslaught. Void Incarnate, eyes alight with madness, drew nearer.

Closest to Wang Lin was the gray-clad avatar of Tian Yunzi, his gaze icy and devoid of mercy. Two more avatars followed close behind.

Four mighty beings, each wielding immense power, converged upon Wang Lin, whose pupils contracted as he hastily retreated.

Then, with a deafening roar, the sky shattered. The fragments scattered, and a torrent of crimson fire surged through the rend in reality, the very fabric of the world began to unrave.

As those fiery tongues spewed forth, the heartrending cry of the Vermillion Bird resounded throughout the land. Yet Wang Lin, overwhelmed by immediate danger, had no time to look up. Instead, he felt a familiar presence.

This ancient power was what he first discovered sitting atop a mountain cliff, looking at the moon at Shuiling Star. It was also his very first divine ability – the power of the first light! In the face of Void Incarnate and three Tian Yunzi avatars, Wang Lin gave up all hope of retreat. His body stopped backing away as his eyes went wild. The laws of the very universe seemed to respond to him and gathered around him.

Wang Lin was totally in trance with the universe. Everything around him faded away. The only thing left in his mind was when he was looking at the moon – the power to fight back! Tian Yunzi had his eyes go wide, as the other two avatars shuddered.

“This is…” the gray-clad avatar said.

Void Incarnate had no idea what was happening. He might have looked to be real, but he was only an illusion of the soul. Even his organs were just illusions. His rotten body only signified that the soul was destroyed as well.

Lost and frenzied, he charged toward Wang Lin, with his body devoured by the insane desire to devour Wang Lin.

But as he drew near within a few dozen paces, Wang Lin vanished from his sight. In his place, darkness fell upon all! Even the fire was gone. It was as if Wang Lin was no longer in the demon realm, but was in another independent universe.

Not only was everything black, but there was also the sounds of waves. Tian Yunzi’s Avatars felt as if they were in the black of night as well. Even with their powers, they could not find Wang Lin at all.

Everything was so quiet that the waves were scary! They could only see the vast sea in front of them. The waves slowly rose and fell.

The sea breeze brought with it the smell of sea. It felt as if everything was real! Void Incarnate roared out into the night. Now that he could not find Wang Lin, his mind went more and more crazy.

The gray-clad Tian Yunzi looked forward and felt a sense of surprise like never before. He seemed to know what was going on, and felt as his heart was beating really hard.

All of a sudden, the sea glowed red. The gray-clad Tian Yunzi’s eyes showed fear that he never showed before. He could tell that this was that power from before! He quickly tried to get out of this place.

On the horizon, the red glow went brighter and brighter. It was as if everyone was becoming the sky.

Even the insane Void Incarnate froze.

“The powers of the universe!!!”

Wang Lin’s powers have long surpassed that old man and now stands at a distance of the very pinnacle. How strong is his powers when he uses his divine ability that works only when the powers of the universe show up!