The Netherbeast, fused with the essence of the Celestial Weaver, *was* the very fabric of the Heavens themselves. Its aura and presence, if veiled from prying eyes, proved utterly undetectable to outsiders.

Beyond the confines of this ancient Dwelling-World, perhaps a subtle tremor might betray its existence. Yet, within these boundaries, detection was an impossibility! Did not even Lian Dao-Fei, with his heightened senses, fail to perceive the Celestial Weaver’s presence before being consumed? Such was the Netherbeast’s guile. Though it now lingered within the Cloud Sea Starfield, even the seasoned war-spirit, Zhan, remained blissfully ignorant.

The Four War Generals, with their assembled legions, fared no better. Though their divine senses stretched across the vast expanse of the Cloud Sea, the Netherbeast remained invisible, a phantom in their perceptions. Even the figure seated upon its back, the wayfarer Wang Lin himself, remained shrouded from their awareness. It was this very power that had allowed the Celestial Weaver to dwell in the Land of Summoned Souls for centuries, unseen and unsuspected.

Upon the Netherbeast’s back, Wang Lin’s true form sat in meditative slumber, while before him, his separated soul diligently reforged its shattered foundations. The echoes of this re-establishment reverberated through the cosmos, an energy signature impossible to completely conceal, and were detected by the War Generals and the assembled celestial cultivators scattered across the Cloud Sea.

Yet, despite their desperate probing, they could find no source for this cosmic disturbance. To their senses, the Netherbeast did not exist, the starfield remaining serenely empty.

Even Zhan, war-spirit, accompanying the envoys from the Ancient Immortal Domain, frowned in unease. He glanced towards the distant disturbance, but ultimately discovered nothing.

“This matter is… unusual,” the war-spirit murmured, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

Wang Lin, lost in his restoration, remained unaware. His true form slept, rapidly healing, while his separated soul focused solely on reconstituting its foundations. With the emergence of his true and false souls, Wang Lin’s separate soul raised its hand, slowly unfurling its fingers.

“The Third Essence of Falsehood… is Karma. An open palm, the seed of cause; a clenched fist, the fruit of consequence.” As the separate soul formed its fist, the Essence of Karma materialized from the void, gathering within his grasp and merging with his being.

Thereafter, the Essences of Slaughter and Restriction were drawn forth from the ethereal realm. Using the same method, he reunited them with his soul. The Seven Essences, now restored, began to circulate within his being, swirling in a dance of creation.

As they whirled, Wang Lin’s nascent spirit began to coalesce, shaped by the Essences themselves. Piece by piece, his form was restored to its pre-cataclysmic state.

The only difference: The fragment of the Celestial Weaver’s soul was gone.

As his separate soul achieved full recovery, Wang Lin’s true form opened its eyes, gazing upon the soul before him. After a long moment, the soul flickered and merged with his true self, becoming one amidst resounding crashes and booms.

Wang Lin’s gaze sharpened, and he moved with purpose. His body felt seamless. He looked to the stars.

“Having earned the right to contend, I must journey to the Five Planets! There, secrets fester, the last vestige of power concealed within this Dwelling-World!

“They harbor designs for another’s spoils, much like the Celestial Weaver before them… You prefer the shadows? Then I shall drag you into the light! You shall learn that this Dwelling-World belongs to none of you interlopers!

“With this last hidden force revealed, the true battle for the Third Soul shall begin!”

Wang Lin knew the Celestial Weaver was a thorn in his side, a seed of instability that must be excised, lest it birth unforeseen and fatal consequences. Now that that distraction was resolved, the next obstacle took form as the invaders from the Immortal Astral Continent.

Those outsiders were another thorn to be removed, dragged from the shadows into the radiant light!

This was a game, the game of champions. As Wang Lin understood it, it was a battle of who could claim the Third Soul first!

As Wang Lin pondered, the Netherbeast beneath him began to move, venturing deeper into the Cloud Sea Starfield. At Wang Lin’s silent command, the beast’s terrifying eyes snapped shut, and it turned towards the Kunxu.

But then, Wang Lin paused, glancing behind him. His gaze sharpened.

In the distance, more than a hundred streaks of light emerged, hurtling towards his location. The four figures at their lead bore aloft a massive gourd, its verdant aura swirling like a raging tempest.

Wang Lin, serene, continued his meditation atop the Netherbeast, ignoring the approaching figures.

“Wang Lin!” The approaching forces halted abruptly, and a startled voice rang out from the foremost group, led by four elders.

The speaker was the Azure Dragon War General.

His gaze fixed upon Wang Lin, then shifted to the beast beneath him, and a tremor passed through him.

“What *manner* of beast is *this*?!” He did not recognize the Netherbeast, did not understand that it was the Dao of Heaven itself. For in the ancient days, only the Seven-Colored Immortal Venerate had seen the true form of the Heavens, which remained as a cloud of fog in the minds of those who remembered it. The Vermillion Bird, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger Generals, likewise, experienced a jolt of alarm, their eyes glued to Wang Lin and his mount.

Their shock stemmed from the fact that their senses had been stretched, always alert, and yet they had detected *nothing*. Had they not seen him with their own eyes, they would not have believed that Wang Lin was here.

Even now, as they probed with their senses, they still perceived only an empty starfield, as if Wang Lin and his beast were mere phantoms, illusions without substance.

How could this not frighten them?

The four exchanged glances, each acknowledging the others’ bewilderment and unease.

Even more alarmed was Zhan, the war-spirit, who trailed behind the envoy. His pupils contracted, and though he sensed no danger emanating from Wang Lin, he felt a chilling dread rising from the beast, a prickling of hairs that spoke of a terrible threat.
“By what right do you summon Wang, speak!” Wang Lin’s countenance remained serene, his gaze sweeping across the hundred or so immortals before him. Amongst them, the lesser were unworthy of consideration; only the Four Great War Generals held any interest for Wang Lin.

His survey complete, Wang Lin noted the immense gourd floating above the War Generals. It radiated an ethereal aura, a clear sign of its extraordinary nature.

“It has been long since our last encounter, esteemed Wang. What brings you to these lands?” the Azure Dragon General inquired, his voice measured, concealing the tremor within as his eyes flickered with intrigue.

“Kun Xu!” Wang Lin declared without preamble. With these words, the Nether Beast beneath him stirred, gliding silently forward.

He had no time for this gathering. The Four War Generals, even the enigmatic Old Devil Zhan, were insufficient to deter Wang Lin. Yet, while he sought passage, others held different intentions.

The Four War Generals exchanged glances, their attention then focusing on the Nether Beast. A strange gleam sparked in their eyes.

“Why such haste, esteemed Wang? We have long held an accord. Our descent here has not troubled your Immortal Realm, nor have we slain any within the Realm of Caves. Your hurried departure suggests pressing matters,” the Azure Dragon General stated, materializing before Wang Lin.

Wang Lin frowned, his gaze chilling as it bore into the General. After a long moment, he uttered a cold demand: “Yield passage!”

“Pray, do not be angered, esteemed Wang. We harbor no malice. Yet, this beast beneath you is peculiar, capable of evading all divine sense. From whence did you obtain such a creature?” the White Tiger General inquired with a slight smile, stepping to Wang Lin’s right.

Simultaneously, the Black Tortoise General moved to Wang Lin’s left. The Vermillion Bird General hesitated, then sealed the path behind him.

In concert, the hundred-odd ancient immortals closed in, encircling Wang Lin and the Nether Beast.

“Esteemed Wang, we have honored our agreements. Let us not descend to animosity, or misfortune may befall your Immortal Realm,” the Black Tortoise General purred, his words laced with subtle menace.

Wang Lin observed the enveloping ranks of immortals, his expression unchanged.

“You wield the bow and arrows of Li Guang. We desire no conflict. Simply reveal the origin of this beast,” the Azure Dragon General pressed, his gaze fixed on the Nether Beast, his avarice barely concealed.

“Doubtless, even Daoist Zhan would be interested in such a creature’s provenance,” the Black Tortoise General added, glancing toward a solitary figure cloaked in a Daoist robe, floating at the rear of the formation.

Old Devil Zhan, his countenance etched with age and cunning, offered a slow smile. He perceived the Generals’ ploy to leverage his presence, and he was indeed intrigued by the Nether Beast. With a moment’s deliberation, he nodded.

“Zhan finds this beast of interest. If Wang Lin is willing to part with it, I shall grant him a boon.”

“Why waste the arrows of Li Guang on a mere beast, esteemed Wang? How many remain, after all? Tell us, where did you acquire it? Or perhaps, lend it to this old one. I shall immediately grant you passage. Even if you refuse, we are friends, and I would not hinder you. But know that our agreements may fray, and few cultivators remain within the Realm of Caves,” the Azure Dragon General purred, his smile unctuous.

“Instead of seeking the Third Soul, you dare provoke Wang! It seems the pain you suffered was insufficient. Very well, today, you shall suffer anew, a pain that will sink into your very bones!” Wang Lin declared, rising from the back of the Nether Beast. With a sweep of his left hand, an immense Heaven-Cleaving Axe materialized with a thunderous roar.