The pallor of Fan Shanlu’s face was stark as she ignored Wang Lin’s words. Her body swayed precariously before she sank into a cross-legged position. Hands forming intricate mudras upon her knees, she closed her eyes in meditation. An ethereal, seven-hued glow emanated from her, especially from her brow, where a vortex of blinding, iridescent light swirled. Within the vortex, a chilling frost radiated outwards, alongside the colors.

As the icy aura washed over the massive vessel, frost blossomed across the deck with a chorus of cracks and whispers of white rime. Wang Lin, his eyes narrowing, retreated a few paces. At that moment, Fan Shanlu’s complexion flushed with an abrupt surge of color, and she coughed up a mouthful of crimson blood. Upon contact with the deck, the blood transmuted into a scattering of ruby-red ice crystals that spread like a macabre mosaic.

Then, the vortex on her brow widened, spinning faster. Wang Lin’s eyes flared with sudden understanding. He saw within the spiraling light, a face! It was almost identical to Fan Shanlu’s, an unearthly beauty that stole one’s breath. Yet, as this face materialized, Fan Shanlu’s features contorted in agony, her veins throbbing, twisting her beauty into a grotesque mask. With a snap of her eyes open, the vortex imploded, collapsing inwards, dragging the other face into the depths of her skull.

A piercing shriek tore from her throat as blood trickled from the corners of her mouth. Her hands again formed the meditative seal as she retreated back into a trance. This bizarre tableau etched itself into Wang Lin’s mind, filling him with a profound unease. He thought he glimpsed a thread of understanding, but certainty eluded him. Silently, Wang Lin unfurled his divine sense, engulfing the grand vessel. In an instant, every detail of the ship was imprinted upon his mind.

The ship was immense, riddled with strange and powerful enchantments that even Wang Lin found arcane. As his divine sense probed, he realized, with a jolt, that the entire vessel was constructed of layered enchantments, even the deck beneath his feet. This ship was a gargantuan, moving fortress of interwoven magic.

The outer layers of protective light were extensions of these core enchantments, meticulously interwoven. To shatter them would be a feat of immense difficulty. He sensed the epicenter of the vessel’s power near the mast. His divine sense brushed against the ghastly visage upon the sail. The face seemed to awaken. Its eyes swiveled to meet his, piercing his soul.

Though all was silent around him, he heard roars, cries, and taunts within his heart. The cacophony made him take a step backwards.

“Forbidden Ages, Forbidden Life and Death, Forbidden Ancient Soul, Forbidden Ruin… This vessel possesses these four great enchantments, and others I have never encountered…”

“If I had time, and could master and understand these enchantments, I would become a master of Forbidden Sorcery,” Wang Lin murmured, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. His understanding of enchantment was already considerable, yet within the Caves of Immortals, the enchantments he had found were incomplete. To force their completion would be a wasteful, directionless endeavor.

But now, the ship offered a multitude of paths. To master them could lead to a breakthrough in Forbidden Sorcery. As Wang Lin studied the enchantments, the inky blackness beyond the ship suddenly exploded with seven-colored light, banishing the darkness. The Seven-Colored Immortal was approaching.

“This ship… it seems familiar…” The Seven-Colored Immortal stood outside the vessel, studying it with an expression of remembrance. But as he tried to remember, he could not recall ever seeing the vessel.

“I no longer have my memories, many things are lost to me.” The Seven-Colored Immortal paused, shaking his head. Then he raised his right hand and waved it forward. A thunderous roar echoed outwards! Inside the vessel, the deck shook violently. The sounds of the outside approached. Wang Lin turned to look at the outside world. Through the layers of protective light, he could see the Seven-Colored Immortal, the colors around him, and his serene, unmoving face.

Another roar echoed outwards, and the outermost protective layer shattered. Under the pressure, the vessel was pushed away dozens of feet.

“The vessel’s enchantments are strong, but only a fraction are activated right now… With this paltry power, it cannot prevent the Seven-Colored Immortal from entering…” Wang Lin’s eyes flashed. He was in mortal danger. The Seven-Colored Immortal might not kill him, but he would take the bow of Li Guang. Wang Lin could not let that happen. It was his greatest safeguard between the powers around him. He would not relinquish his fate to others. “This Soul-Demon Vessel, even in its prime, could stave him off for dozens of hours.” From behind, a cold voice arose, interrupting his thoughts. Fan Shanlu’s eyes opened.

“Even with less than three-tenths of its enchantments activated, it is not as it was. But it can delay him… for three days,” Fan Shanlu said, a cold glint in her eyes as she stared at the Seven-Colored Immortal. A complex hatred twisted her features. “You are not Fan Shanlu!” Wang Lin exclaimed after a long silence.

The woman’s eyes turned from the scene outside and focused on Wang Lin. After a long silence, a glint of appreciation filled them, and she nodded.

“No surprise that my sister chose you as her partner. I am not Fan Shanlu. I am her sister, Fan Shanmeng!” Wang Lin narrowed his eyes, studying her intently, but said nothing.

“My identity should be known to you through my sister. I am the consort of the Seven-Colored Immortal.” As she spoke, she raised her right hand. She wove a hand seal and waved it toward the vessel’s protective light. Rainbow light erupted from her hand, flowing towards the light.

As they connected, a vast aura bloomed. The outer protective light grew thicker, blocking the chaos outside, so that it could hardly be heard.

“Since you are allied with my sister and me, I will not deceive you. In the past, the Way-Ancient Great Celestial One, Dao Yi, and the Ancient Country’s Great Celestial Xuan Luo appeared near the Seven Dao Sect. They possessed peerless powers. These men are legends. They fought over a fragment of storage that had flown from the Taikoo God Realm.

The Seven Dao Sect and I had no way to participate in this affair and were sure to gain nothing from it, but in the end, through some fluke, or perhaps even now, I still have not discovered how, the fragment was broken, but with the two Way-Ancient, Nine Sun Celestial, Dao Yi and Xuan Luo, how could they not realize that a shard was missing?

That missing piece fell into the hands of the Seven-Colored Immortal, and for that, I saw the heart of the man. To conceal the aura of this shard, I relinquished all my cultivation power to suppress him, so that we could quickly return to the Seven Dao Sect.

But on the way, he betrayed me. I had no way to defend myself. Under his plot, I lost all my cultivation. He took me in order to suppress the shard, and he annihilated my body and soul. He wanted to silence me, afraid that the news would spread. He also wanted to use my cultivation to open that shard. That shard had originated from the Taikoo God Realm. It would be very difficult to open.

But I did not die. I am a core disciple of the Great Origin Gate. I have a soul shard with my teacher. My teacher used the power of the Grand Reincarnation Art to reincarnate me to life.

In that Seven Dao Sect, there were people loyal to me. My sister was also there. I used my teacher’s power to tell my sister everything. That is how the battle in the immortal cave began!” The woman slowly began to tell of the past.

“I knew that he must have abandoned the shard and taken what was inside. He knew that he had drawn Way-Ancient Nirvana, sealing the gates of the Seven Dao Sect. But I would never let him succeed. I told the news to Lian Dao Fei, who had always had an eye for my beauty, leading him to the Seven Dao Sect! Under my sister’s contact, his concubines betrayed him, causing the division of the disciples in the Seven Dao Sect! That is how the world inside the world began!” The woman paused in her speech and looked at Wang Lin.

Wang Lin looked calm, not showing the slightest disturbance. He had already guessed at most of the story, and only believed some of her words. However, many parts of her words skipped over important points. Although the story was mostly complete, there were still some discrepancies. “What is the Taikoo God Realm?” Wang Lin silently asked.

“In the Immortal-Gang Continent, there is a tale. The Taikoo God Realm has opened nine times. Every time it opens, the one who obtains the final fortune will become a Great Celestial… Until now, it has opened nine times, and indeed, there are nine suns. The tenth time it opens, perhaps the tenth sun will appear… As for what the Taikoo God Realm is, I do not know.”

“You just said that the current Seven-Colored Immortal is very different from the Seven-Colored Immortal from the past. I need an answer for this.” Wang Lin’s eyes sparkled as he glanced at the figure that continued to destroy the outer protective layers. “He is not whole!” The woman suddenly said.

“I do not know how he received the help of Li Guang, killing Way-Ancient Nirvana, but I know that when Lian Dao Fei broke into the caves using the method I told him, a great battle occurred!

This battle was shortly after Way-Ancient Nirvana died. The Seven-Colored Immortal was wounded and in seclusion. He was studying what he had obtained from the shard. I only learned later that one of the items he had obtained from the shard was… a Celestial Dao Heart!”