## The Shattered Stars of the Ancient Fiend

A torrent of demonic energy erupted from within Taga’s eyes, unleashed in the instant his demonic stars shattered. This vile tide spread with terrifying speed, engulfing the entirety of Qinglin’s Sea of Consciousness, forming a colossal vortex that swept outwards from Taga’s form.

The desolate sands of the seabed trembled, drawn by the vortex in a slow, unsettling dance. Even Wang Lin’s robes were tugged by the unseen force, snapping in the chaotic winds. Yet, his snow-white hair remained undisturbed, his tranquil gaze fixed upon the ancient fiend Taga.

Wang Lin had not intervened in Taga’s self-destructive act. Qinglin, with the combined power of Wang Jie, Hu Juan, Qing Shuang, and Zhou Yi, had bestowed upon him an unparalleled opportunity.

A fortune such as this, Wang Lin could never have imagined. He treasured it dearly, knowing he must refine it through battle, for each insight gained would amplify its benefits!

Such chances were fleeting, as rare as starlight in the deep abyss. The measure of his enlightenment depended on his comprehension of the Dao and the whims of fate. Thus, he would not allow this battle to end prematurely. The stronger Taga became, the more desperately he fought, the greater Wang Lin’s insights would be.

Now, with three stars shattered, Taga’s immense form began to shrink amidst the raging demonic energy. In the blink of an eye, he was reduced to a mere hundred yards tall, yet with this diminishment came a stark solidification, as if he were carved from obsidian itself.

“I, Taga, have devoured the Ancient Demon Bellow and consumed three of my own kin! I have ignited myself with the fires of demon and monster, and forged my own Grand Art from the four primal Demonic Passions: Wrath, Sorrow, Jealousy, and Greed!” Taga’s body levitated, wreathed in swirling darkness, his voice a mournful howl that echoed through the heavens and earth.

“Demonic Heavenly Dao: The Finger of Four Desires!” Taga’s eyes blazed with a fierce light, brimming with an incandescent rage that quickly morphed into profound sorrow. This, in turn, twisted into a frenzied jealousy before finally solidifying into a ravenous greed that sought to devour all under the heavens.

These four emotions flickered within Taga’s gaze in rapid succession. He raised his right hand, and as it ascended, four distinct streams of demonic energy spewed forth from his eyes, each hurtling towards his hand. They coiled around it, and then, with a terrible intensity, Taga extended his forefinger, aiming it towards Wang Lin!

The four streams of demonic energy surged into the tip of his finger, coalescing into a horrifying black light that did not immediately strike Wang Lin, but instead gathered at the fingertip, poised like a viper. As it coalesced, the black light threatened to tear apart the fabric of reality, causing Wang Lin’s illusory desert to buckle and twist, unable to withstand its immense pressure.

Taga’s eyes burned crimson, and with a mighty step, he raised his left hand towards the sky, roaring, “Heavenly Dao possesses Wrath, and thus the defiant shall feel Heaven’s Fury! My Demonic Nine Desires Finger draws upon this Celestial Ire, to oppose Heaven’s will with Heaven’s Rage!”

At these words, the illusory skies above crackled with thunderous energy. In an instant, crimson streaks formed across the heavens, converging upon the black light that emanated from Taga’s finger.

The crimson essence merged with the black, amplifying its power exponentially. A faint aura began to engulf the heavens themselves! “Heavenly Dao possesses Sorrow, a yearning for self-cultivation! I absorb Heaven’s Woe, to perfect my Demonic Art!” Taga bellowed, and streams of azure energy manifested from the skies, rushing towards the finger of black light.

“Heaven is envious of talent, thus those who aspire to the highest realms are cursed with Heaven’s Jealousy!”

“And the Heavenly Dao possesses a greed without measure, coveting the shifting rules of the world, desiring to claim all of creation! I, Taga, offer my very life to transform these four Celestial Passions: Wrath, Sorrow, Jealousy, and Greed, into the Four Desires Finger of my Demonic Clan! It shall shatter all barriers, slay gods, destroy demons, and butcher the Heavenly Dao itself!”

With a final roar, Taga lunged forward, his forefinger a beacon of terrifying blackness, aimed directly at Wang Lin!

In the space above Wang Lin, the power of Heavenly Dao manifested, forming four swirling vortexes that descended from the sky, each as tall as mountains, converging upon him from the four cardinal directions!

“Indeed, the Grand Art of an Ancient Fiend is formidable!” Wang Lin murmured, his eyes gleaming with an eerie light. With a wave of his right hand, a torrent of water manifested around him, coalescing into a vast, rushing river.

Though seemingly small, each drop of water that comprised this river was a world unto itself, a rain-swept domain where torrents fell like endless waterfalls.

This river swirled around Wang Lin, rapidly compressing as the four Celestial Vortexes approached. As the water was squeezed smaller and smaller, the river was reduced to a single, resplendent drop!

This single drop of water resembled a perfect crystal, shimmering with otherworldly light. It was the epitome of his Rain Summoning technique, yet not the limit of Wang Lin’s current abilities. Just as his Wind Calling had surpassed Bai Fan’s, transforming into thirteen black dragons, so too would this single drop undergo a further transformation.

Thunderous booms resonated from within the drop, and in an instant, it was compressed yet again, exploding into a cloud of invisible mist!

Though unseen, the presence of this mist could be felt, a chilling aura that permeated the air. With another wave of Wang Lin’s hand, the formless mist exploded outwards, centered upon his body, transforming into four slender blades of azure light that hummed with raw power.

These blades hurtled towards the encroaching vortexes, colliding with cataclysmic force. The vortexes shattered, unleashing a shockwave that shook the heavens and the earth. The desert landscape was ripped away, revealing the black ocean that lay beneath!

Wang Lin drifted upon the dark waters, tracing an arc with his right hand. Remnant mist coalesced once more, forming four more slender azure blades before him.

His expression remained calm, unperturbed. Wang Lin squeezed his right hand into a fist, shattering the four blades into eight. This cycle of destruction and reformation continued, and in the blink of an eye, one hundred and twenty-eight azure blades appeared before him. With a single gesture, he unleashed them upon the ancient fiend Taga!

All of this flowed seamlessly, effortless on Wang Lin’s part, yet to Taga, it was a horrifying spectacle. He could not comprehend how his Four Desires Grand Art had been so easily undone!

Seeing the swarm of azure blades hurtling towards him, Taga recoiled, harnessing the remaining demonic energy from his shattered stars. With a desperate roar, he weaved incantations with his hands, his eyes burning with unhinged madness.

“With the Soul of an Ancient Fiend, I summon the Demonic Dao Glyphs!” Taga’s hands trembled in a bizarre fashion, and with each shudder, a wave of black energy rippled forth. Before him, thousands upon thousands of black ripples manifested, surging towards the swarm of azure blades.

The blades shuddered and vibrated under the onslaught of ripples, and one by one, they were pierced, their trajectories reversed, now flying back towards Wang Lin.

Taga retreated, his hands trembling even more violently, but the madness in his eyes intensified. These Demonic Dao Glyphs consumed his very soul, a power he would never unleash except as an absolute last resort!

Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed with interest. He stepped forward, plunging directly into the onslaught of rippling energy. From above, one would see the black ripples undulating across the surface of the ocean, a terrifying and mesmerizing sight.

Within the heart of the ripples, Wang Lin could feel the full brunt of their attack. These glyphs were designed to assault the soul, capable of inflicting grievous wounds. A weaker spirit would collapse instantly.

“If you had achieved Nine Stars, the power of your Demonic Soul Glyphs might have posed a challenge, but as you are now…” Wang Lin shook his head. He took another step, placing his foot perfectly in the space between two ripples. He moved effortlessly, untouched by the glyphs as if he were made of air.

“The Embodiment of Laws… Qinglin actually enlightened you on the laws themselves!” Taga backed away, his eyes wide with disbelief. But before he could retreat far, Wang Lin stepped forward again, casually extending his right hand. “Freeze.”

With this single word, the laws of the universe descended, and Taga found himself frozen in mid-air, as if shackled to the sky.

Wang Lin approached, gently tapping Taga between the eyes. A deafening boom echoed outwards, and a torrent of demonic energy erupted from Taga’s back, forming a roiling cloud of darkness that was swept away by the wind.

Taga screamed as he was thrown backwards, his body still held fast by the power of the decree, unable to move or even circulate his demonic energy. “Shatter the Stars!” Wang Lin whispered, moving with the fiend. His hand became a blade, striking out in a measured rhythm, and with each strike, a surge of demonic energy burst forth from Taga’s body.

“Shatter them now!” Again and again, Wang Lin struck, seven times in total. With each strike, Taga was flung back further, only to be caught by Wang Lin and struck once more.

After seven strikes, almost all of Taga’s demonic energy had been extinguished. Terror filled his eyes, mixed with a burning resentment. The five remaining demonic stars within his pupils exploded in that instant!

A smile touched Wang Lin’s lips. He retracted his striking hand, drifting backwards like a cloud. His measured actions were to ensure the ancient fiend would shatter his stars, unleashing his full potential. Only then could Wang Lin’s own enlightenment be completed.

As the last remnants of Taga’s Demonic Star Points collapsed, an aura of unimaginable power erupted from his body, dwarfing everything that had come before. With a roar, he moved, easily breaking free from the constraints of the law.

“You have forced my hand! Even if I must die, I shall drag you down with me! Nine Star Ancient Fiend Grand Art: Violet Calamity!”