“By the stars, who dares summon the Celestial Gate at such an hour?!” a voice cried, laced with disbelief.

“This… this defies comprehension! It… it cannot be!” another stammered, his words choked with awe and a hint of fear.

“I have weathered countless battles, yet never have I witnessed such a spectacle. It is… unprecedented,” a grizzled veteran declared, his voice heavy with disbelief.

A wave of murmurs rippled through the battlefield as the sudden emergence of the Celestial Gate brought the conflict to a standstill. Mortals from both realms, their animosity momentarily forgotten, exchanged bewildered glances, each searching for the one responsible for this impossible event.

But their search proved fruitless. No culprit could be found.

Even as their hushed whispers filled the void, the Celestial Gate, now a stark presence against the star-strewn sky, pulsed with an ever-increasing aura. The raw power emanating from it swelled, forging an invisible tide that swept across the battlefield, scattering the combatants like leaves before a storm.

Lord Zhou Jin, his face ashen, staggered backward, the overwhelming pressure from the Gate crushing his very spirit. “Such power… What manner of Essence is this?! This Celestial Gate far surpasses anything I encountered in my youth…”

Beside him, the enigmatic man in azure robes remained rooted to the spot, his eyes glinting with cold curiosity. He stared at the Gate as its form solidified, its growing presence failing to sway his determination.

Swiftly, the Celestial Gate became a tangible reality, a colossal edifice piercing the heavens, its radiant light banishing the shadows and bathing the cosmos in its ethereal glow. The light resonated with a majestic aura, stirring an irresistible urge to kneel and offer homage. Weakened, some among the multitude of onlookers succumbed, prostrating themselves before the Gate.

Then came the thunder. A tempest of lightning erupted around the Celestial Gate, its deafening roar shaking the very fabric of existence.

“The Essence of Lightning…” the azure-clad man whispered, his gaze sharpening.

But even as the words left his lips, a raging inferno engulfed the Gate, its crimson flames vying for dominance against the electric storm.

“The Essence of Fire!” he snarled, his composure faltering.

An intangible force, beyond comprehension, then began to coalesce around the Gate. This power, a siren’s call to the depths of one’s soul, formed a fleeting symbol – a spectral sigil that defied perception.

‘Twas the Mark of Causality. To glimpse it clearly was to be ensnared within its intricate web, where hope faded and oblivion reigned.

“This… this is the Great Dao of Causality! Three Essences! It cannot be! Three perfected Essences summoned the Celestial Gate. Such a thing has never been heard! Who could possess such might?!” The azure-robed man’s eyes widened, his face contorted with a mixture of dread and fascination.

Equally astounded was Lord Nanyun, his venerable countenance betraying his inner turmoil. He riveted his gaze upon the Gate, a maelstrom of emotions raging within his heart.

“Truly, three Essences! How could any soul resist the allure of the Third Step, yet possess the insight and fortune to master three Essences? The one who shatters this Gate, though only at the Initial Void Nirvana, would possess the strength to slay an Early Void Spirit Grandee…”

Situ Nan, Lord Longpan, Lord Lufu, and countless others stood transfixed, reeling from the twin shocks delivered by the Gate’s sudden appearance. Blessing or curse? None could say.

“That aura… it bears a striking resemblance to my sworn brother…” A spark of exhilaration flickered in Situ Nan’s eyes, a dangerous hope stirring within his soul.

Unbeknownst to them, within the boundless void, Wang Lin was oblivious to the uproar he had caused. The distant echoes of the Celestial Gate’s arrival were but a faint murmur in his ears.

“The Essence of Life and Death!” he proclaimed, seated in lotus position, his hands raised in a gesture of creation.

The void shuddered as a fourth Essence, the vibrant symbol of Life and Death, materialized around him.

“My left hand embodies life…” he declared, his voice imbued with divine authority, each word resonating with the force of natural law. A wisp of white mist swirled above his left hand, taking the form of a luminous mark. This sigil pulsed with the boundless vitality of existence, a reflection of the very heavens themselves.

“My right hand embodies death…” As the words left his lips, a cloud of black mist enveloped his right hand, exuding an aura of profound decay, a stark contrast to the life-affirming power held within his left. It was the power of the earth.

“I, Wang Lin, am the embodiment of Life and Death!” With a surge of will, Wang Lin brought his hands together. As his palms met, a beam of black and white light pierced the void, engulfing all within its radiant embrace.

“The Seal of Life and Death!”

He thrust his hands outward, unleashing the intertwined energies of Life and Death. They spun together, forming the Seal of Life and Death, a potent symbol that spiraled around him, merging with the other three Essences.

This, then, was Wang Lin’s fifth and most formidable art: the Seal of Life and Death!

With a single breath, the Seal could usher in an era of rebirth or extinguish entire realms. Its power was beyond reckoning.

The very instant this fourth Essence manifested around Wang Lin, another thunderous rumble echoed across the Kunxu Star Region, centered on the Celestial Gate looming above Suzaku Star. The pressure from the Gate intensified, forcing even more cultivators to their knees, their bodies trembling in submission.

As the Gate’s power swelled, strands of black and white energy began to emanate from it, swirling and intertwining. This spectral dance created what the onlookers perceived to be a fourth Essence!

It was Lord Zhou Jin who broke first. He staggered backward, his eyes wide with unadulterated terror. The horror etched upon his face mirrored the devastation within his soul.
“Four Sources of Power? In all the realms beyond, none have ever drawn upon four to beckon the Celestial Gate. Impossible! Utterly impossible!” The azure-clad warrior paled, three Sources having already astonished him. He’d secretly deemed it the limit, yet here stood proof of a fourth.

“Four Sources… a chariot fit for the heavens! Should four Sources shatter the Celestial Gate, even a mid-stage Void Spirit cultivator would find themselves outmatched. Who… who is this being?!”

Who possessed such divine fortune, such patience, such profound understanding? Should such a prodigy hail from within our realm, they must be slain without delay, lest they become an insurmountable threat!

“Four… it must be their limit. A Celestial Gate drawn by four Sources will possess a fortitude not easily overcome. Even with such power, they may still be denied passage!”

But then, the Gate shuddered anew, its oppressive aura surging forth in a violent eruption. The unleashed power formed a tempest, sweeping countless cultivators in a chaotic retreat.

Upon the Gate, a fifth Source of Power manifested!

This fifth Source, a phantom of reality, blurred the very fabric of the Celestial Gate. As if in response, a second, ethereal gate materialized behind the first, twin portals looming in the void, indistinguishable from one another at a glance.

“Five Sources! This… this…” The azure warrior’s countenance shattered. He stumbled back dozens of paces, pointing at the Gate, eyes wide with unprecedented dread.

“Five Sources! Five Sources of Power! Should this one fail to breach the Gate, so be it. But if they succeed, the power unleashed by five Sources will be enough to contend with a late-stage Void Spirit!”

The hearts of every surrounding cultivator trembled uncontrollably, each wave of the Gate’s pressure driving them back.

Nan Yunzi’s eyes glinted. He knew not who summoned the Gate, but recognized this as a celestial opportunity.

“Kun Xu warriors, avert your gaze from the Gate! Press the attack!” Nan Yunzi roared, his voice resonating within the minds of thousands of realm-bound cultivators, jolting them from their daze. He surged forward, directly towards the azure warrior stunned by the Celestial Gate.

Situ Nan, Long Panzi, and Lu Fuzi followed close behind, joining the renewed, frantic clash against the realm-beyond warriors. Behind them, thousands of realm-within cultivators charged forth, unleashing a storm of blood and steel!

But from the distant stars, a chilling snort echoed. A violet mist materialized, moving with impossible speed, reaching the battlefield in an instant. It slammed into Nan Yunzi, who had been battling the azure warrior. With a deafening roar, Nan Yunzi, already wounded, coughed up blood, and was flung back towards Vermilion Bird Star.

“Ancient Five Supremes! Retreat to Vermilion Bird Star, prepare the defenses!”

As his words echoed, the violet mist swept across Situ Nan, Long Panzi, and Lu Fuzi. Lu Fuzi spewed blood, his body collapsing, his weakened spirit fleeing for safety.

Situ Nan blazed with golden light, drawing upon a treasure gifted by Qing Shuang. The treasure, a jade talisman, shattered, forcing Situ Nan to cough up blood as he retreated.

Long Panzi’s form flickered, almost transparent. Regaining his senses, he swept Situ Nan and Lu Fuzi’s spirit into his sleeve, and teleported them to Vermilion Bird Star.

Under Nan Yunzi’s command, thousands of cultivators retreated without hesitation, converging upon Vermilion Bird Star from all sides.

The violet mist settled in the void, dispersing to reveal an aged warrior. His expression commanded respect, and he cast a chilling gaze upon the Celestial Gate, his pupils contracting almost imperceptibly.