In the vast expanse of the starfields, a silent, shimmering mist billowed, concealing within its ethereal depths untold perils. This was the fifth realm of the Cloud Sea, where upon scattered continents, nearly four in ten were domains claimed by fifth-tier sects.

To those dwelling in realms of the first through fourth tiers, these fifth-tier sects were beings beyond mortal reach. Should a disciple of such a sect venture into a lower realm, they would be met with reverent welcome.

Yet now, within this fifth-tier starfield, the tranquil mist-sea was rent asunder by a piercing shriek, a streak of brilliant light tearing through the veil. Within this rainbow arc soared a draconic spirit beast, upon its noble head stood a cultivator of imposing presence.

Behind this initial herald, the star-mist churned with increased fury, monstrous beasts with eyes wide in terror scattering in all directions as a succession of luminous trails blazed across the heavens.

Nor did this spectacle cease. In the span of a single incense stick burning, no fewer than scores of these dazzling streaks, carrying spirit beasts of diverse forms each bearing a cultivator upon its back, broke through the star-mist and raced across the fifth-tier realm.

None of these interlopers belonged to this starfield. They hailed from the sixth tier, their arrival sending tremors of unease and excitement throughout the realm.

And this was not a solitary occurrence. In more than half a dozen locations within the fifth-tier realm, similar scenes unfolded. The cultivators upon the spirit beasts, their faces etched with grim determination, barely concealed a frenzy of avarice and excitement.

These invaders from the sixth-tier realms shared a single, unwavering goal: a desolate continent within the fifth-tier, known only as the Wildlands!

In the northern reaches of the Wildlands, where Wang Lin resided, the earth trembled and a distant, thunderous din echoed through the air, as if colossal objects were repeatedly slamming into the ground. The mist seethed and surged forward, encroaching upon the land.

Avian beasts, shrieking in alarm, fled through the vaporous tendrils, desperately seeking escape. Upon the ground, countless monstrous creatures scattered, driven by an instinctual fear of the echoing thunder within the mist.

Moments later, from within the obscuring fog emerged a gargantuan shape, hundreds of feet tall. As it drew closer, its form solidified, revealing itself as a colossal, black-furred ape!

In its wake, a horde of bovine beasts with crimson, maddened eyes charged relentlessly, churning the mist and raising clouds of dust that billowed across the landscape.

Surrounding these charging bulls were seven other distinct species of monstrous creatures, their ranks intermingled, forming a vast, living wave. Like a savage tide, they pursued the fleeing black ape with unwavering persistence.

From the skies, winged horrors joined the chase, adding their aerial assault to the relentless pursuit. Any who witnessed this spectacle would feel a chill crawl down their spine. Even cultivators of immense power would find their pupils constricting in alarm. The sheer numbers of these beasts were staggering, and among them were fifth-tier monstrosities unleashing salvos of arcane energy, all directed at the fleeing black ape.

Yet, the ape was agile, its hide thick and resilient. Dodging what it could, it endured the blows that landed, suffering little apparent harm.

The black ape’s footfalls shook the earth, the deafening rumble the very sound of its desperate flight! Before it lay a deep ravine. With a mighty stomp that seemed to shatter the ground, the ape launched itself across the chasm, landing on the precipice of a mountain.

With its meteoric strides, it crested the peak in mere breaths. Above, a flock of hawk-like beasts swirled, descending upon the ape with savage intent.

Before they could reach their prey, the ape swung its massive arms, obliterating the creatures in explosions of blood, as if no beast could hinder its progress. It crashed upon the mountaintop, where a nest of woven branches, several dozen feet in diameter, lay nestled. Roaring its defiance, the ape slammed its massive hand into the nest.

With a deafening crash, the nest splintered and collapsed, scattering debris in all directions, revealing a small, crimson plant growing amidst the wreckage.

Undaunted, the ape ripped the plant from the earth, tearing a chunk of bedrock from the mountain with it. Raising its head in a joyous bellow, the ape turned and fled once more.

Behind it, the avian beasts screamed in fury, a thousand strong, joining the monstrous horde in its relentless pursuit!

As the ape ran, it crushed the rock in its grasp, revealing the crimson plant, which it tossed over its shoulder. The figure seated upon the ape’s shoulder, Wang Lin, snatched the plant and, after a brief inspection, stored it away.

With a gentle pat, Wang Lin urged his mount onward. The ape roared again, its voice filled with a strange joy, and its pace quickened further.

The earth continued to tremble under its heavy strides. In the distance, the black ape bounded across the landscape, leaving behind a cloud of dust that mingled with the mist. The howls of the monstrous horde echoed in its wake, an army of fangs and claws hungry for vengeance. Few cultivators within the Wildlands would dare provoke the beasts in such a way, let alone brazenly steal their herbs. A single beast might pose little threat, but tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, were a force to be reckoned with, capable of overwhelming even the most powerful individuals!

In the distance, a group of cultivators, also hailing from a fifth-tier sect, stared in stunned silence, their mouths agape, unable to utter a single word.

Cautious and circumspect, the group of seven had ventured into the Wildlands, fearing to attract the attention of too many beasts. Their meager harvest paled in comparison to the black ape’s audacious plunder.

The ape continued its flight, leaping and bounding across the land, clearing hundreds of feet with each stride. Reaching the peak of a steep, sword-like mountain, the ape scrambled to the summit and casually plucked a handful of flowers that resembled wisps of mist from the mountainside.

Just then, a screech tore through the sky as a fifth-tier avian beast, nearly fifty feet in wingspan, burst from the mist, hurtling directly towards the ape. Its speed was breathtaking, closing the distance to mere yards in the blink of an eye!

Wang Lin remained unfazed, as if oblivious to the danger. The ape, however, narrowed its eyes. Clinging to the mountainside with one hand, the ape swung its massive body around the peak. Its right foot connected with the dive bombing monster sending it reeling backwards in a spray of blood. Using its momentum to propel it forward, the ape did not engage in direct combat but instead escaped down the mountain, with more beasts than ever in pursuit.

Meanwhile, in a shadowed ravine, Shi Luo Xing sat in meditation, his eyes closed, face pale, and with dried blood upon his lips. His dark hair fell about his face, revealing a look of disarray.

Eerie wails echoed about the valley, rising and falling in a macabre symphony, punctuated by the dull thuds of unseen impacts. After a time, four figures staggered into view, their footsteps unsteady. Reaching a point a mere ten feet from Shi Luo Xing, one of them coughed up a mouthful of crimson. “Master…the third one is dead. We…cannot break through…” The four were young men, their white robes stained with crimson. Shi Luo Xing remained silent, his eyes still closed, his expression reflecting profound sorrow.

The valley where he and his disciples had sought refuge was filled with a dense, swirling mist, populated by tormented spirits that uttered piercing screams. Beyond the mists, eight colossal skulls floated in the air, crackling with emerald lightning, their connection forming a sinister barrier.

The array was a twisted work of art, drawing upon the countless souls that had perished within the Wildlands for millennia. These souls manifested as tangible specters, fusing with the array to create a formidable, supernatural defense.

These souls were of little value to alchemists who needed living souls to make elixirs. These dead souls were from the last moments of life, clinging to the world as a vengeful spite to the world.

Perched upon one of the eight skulls was an old crone, her skin withered and clinging to her bones. Her expression was grotesque, like that of a ghoul. Any who beheld her would surely be chilled to the bone. Her eyes, when they opened, glimmered with an unholy light, radiating a malevolent aura. “Shi, you’ve lost nearly all nineteen of your disciples. Why sacrifice these last few? If you surrender the item, this old hag will leave immediately.”

The woman’s words echoed in the valley, a sonic reminder of the stakes at play. The four remaining young men looked at each other with trepidation.

“Shi Luo Xing, for an object, you send your disciples to their deaths? Though your cultivation is high, you’ve been poisoned by the Five Venom Sect. Attempting to channel your power will result in your death. Think carefully.”

Shi Luo Xing’s face twitched as he slowly opened his eyes, but his face betrayed the bitterness of the trap he had found himself in. As the master disciple of the sixth-tier sect, the Verdant Purity Sect, his cultivation had reached the peak of Pure Nirvana. He had led his disciples to find a relic rumored to be here.

The search had been a stroke of luck, and the item had come to his hands, but his luck had run out. His movements were revealed, and so too was the object he had sought. He had been pursued this far, his disciples hunted by a shadowy figure who dogged them from step to step. He had attempted to use his power to fight them off, but the poisons were too powerful, and he could only attempt to heal himself in this valley.

He had failed to clear the toxins before the hag from the Five Venom Sect had found him. His messages had gone out for rescue from his sect, but their help would come too late.

“Shi, even when your Verdant Purity Sect comes to your aid, it will be in vain! I know that the Soul Yue Sect, the Tao Abiding Hall, the Hidden Path Faction, the Demon Congregation Path, will be waiting for you!”