As each soul departed from Wang Lin’s side, each offered a solemn bow before turning towards the cavern’s maw, embarking on their own solitary quest for dreams yet realized.

Thirteen, kneeling in the void before Wang Lin, bowed deeply. Raising his head, his eyes shone with resolute fire. “Master, Thirteen departs. Though memories may slumber, I vow, the kindness of your teachings shall never fade. Even should I be reborn, this debt will I not forget!” Each word was a hammered nail, his resolve unbreakable, a force so potent it might yet pierce the veil of memory’s seal. This inherent loyalty, this bond between master and student, was the core of his being.

After Thirteen came Situ Nan. Ever the jovial rogue, Situ Nan chuckled as he transformed into a streak of vibrant color, heading towards the cavern’s entrance. A familiar wine gourd materialized in his hand, flung backward, arcing gracefully towards Wang Lin who caught it with practiced ease.

“This life I loved the drink, who knows what the next holds? Keep this gourd, find me, and return it! Hahaha! This old rogue *must* be reborn a prince! A prince, I say! That’s what I must be!” Situ Nan’s laughter echoed, fading into the distance beyond the cavern’s threshold.

Whether fate would grant his wish, birthing him into royalty upon the Celestial Continent, Xuan Luo could not say, nor could Wang Lin truly know.

“May his desires be fulfilled…” Wang Lin muttered, a wry amusement tugging at his lips. He held a strange premonition that Situ Nan’s destiny might not unfold quite as he imagined.

Last to leave was Li Qianmei. Her gaze met Wang Lin’s, soft and full of unspoken understanding. Without superfluous words, she simply spoke, then turned towards the cavern’s entrance.

“I will await you… Should you not find me, I shall wait in the cycle of rebirth, again and again…” Her voice was a gentle caress, yet within it resonated an unyielding determination, a mirror reflecting the very essence of her character. This was Li Qianmei, who, once a choice was made, embraced it without regret.

Within the star-strewn void, beyond the cavern’s mouth, only Wang Lin and Xuan Luo remained.

“They have all passed through. I must now unleash my power against the laws of Xian罡. When do you intend to enter?” Xuan Luo asked, his gaze steady upon Wang Lin.

Wang Lin’s eyes flickered, his gaze fixed on the cavern’s gateway. “Elder, would you be able to send more souls to be reborn upon the Celestial Continent?”

“It matters not. I had anticipated hundreds, perhaps thousands. A mere score will scarcely tax my strength. As long as your additions are not excessive, there is no impediment,” Xuan Luo replied, a hint of a smile playing upon his lips.

“Then grant me five more days, I beseech you. I have others to guide towards rebirth!” A flicker of cold resolve flashed within Wang Lin’s eyes, his voice even.

Some were spared until now because Wang Lin had feared overtaxing Xuan Luo’s powers. Furthermore, their transgressions were not directly against him, or non-existent entirely. But to ensure the future peace of the Cave World, these that lingered on the precipice between life and death, Wang Lin would change his mind, hearing Xuan Luo’s words.

Offering a deep bow towards Xuan Luo, Wang Lin turned and strode into the star-filled expanse. His figure twisted, dissolving into nothingness, only to reappear at the edge of the Great Array, between the inner and outer realms. This new array, fashioned by Wang Lin himself in years past, held no secrets from him. He moved through it with swift confidence, and in less than half an incense stick’s time, he emerged into the ancient celestial realm of the outer world!

“The Five Venerables of the Ancient Star Realm… The Palm Sovereign is sealed away. Dream Dao Sovereign has fled to the Immortal World. That leaves three: Mystical Xi, Void God, and Nine Heavens. These three are a festering wound upon the future. Now, while they are weak, I shall hunt them down and send them all to be reborn!” Wang Lin’s face was a mask of chilling resolve. His cultivation, honed through the mysteries of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams within the Cave World, had reached the very pinnacle of Void Prying. His understanding of the Ancient Dao was near perfection. At this moment, Wang Lin’s strength rivaled even those in the late stages of Void Mystic. Combined with his Seven Essences and Ancient Dao powers, the remaining wounded Venerables were no match. As his formidable spiritual sense swept outwards, his eyes blazed with fierce light, and he took a single step, vanishing from sight.

Far to the east of the Ancient Star Realm lay a crescent-shaped cultivation star. It was an irregular mass, starved of spiritual energy, a desolate wasteland where even the beasts of prey were few and far between. Yellow sands covered the landscape, and eternal night reigned. Its fragmented nature made it barren, devoid of vegetation. Only countless fragments of stone drifted in the heavens, circling aimlessly.

At the apex of this crescent moon of a star, where even the sands floated in the air, the ground was black and riddled with cracks. In the very heart of those fissures, an old man sat cross-legged, his face ashen. His eyes were closed as he desperately tried to heal, but dark blood trickled from the corners of his lips, splattering on the ground with faint thuds.

Like wisps of smoke, faint energies seeped from the dying star, drawn to the old man’s nostrils, aiding his recovery. This was none other than Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign, wounded near death by Blue Dream! He had been crippled by Blue Dream, who severed his incense flame and wounded his mind. He had clung to existence until now, sustained by the last embers of his life force, seeking to restore his incense flame by drawing upon the death energies of this desolate star. All was silent, the world shrouded in darkness. But then, the old man’s eyes snapped open, his pupils constricting. At the same moment, a blinding light exploded across the inky sky, bathing the land in its radiant glow. From within that light, a young man in white emerged, his white hair flowing, his face cold and devoid of warmth. Wang Lin’s sudden arrival sent a shockwave through Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign’s heart, and without hesitation, he transformed into a streak of colored light, diving into the nearest fissure, plunging into the depths of the earth.

Wang Lin remained motionless, his right hand rising and tearing downwards. As he tore, the void before him thundered, and a colossal rift appeared, hurtling towards the earth. It struck with overwhelming force, and the entire cultivation star shuddered violently. The ground cracked open, the fissures racing outwards in all directions.

Thunderous echoes filled the air, and the earth split apart so quickly that in moments, Wang Lin could see Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign fleeing desperately through the subterranean depths! The Demon Sovereign was on the verge of utter collapse. He felt the earth above being ripped asunder by an unimaginable force and the cold gaze of Wang Lin boring into his back. “Wang Lin! Must you drive me to utter annihilation?! We have no such deep-seated hatred! Spare me this once, and I swear I will never set foot within the realm again!” Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign’s scalp crawled with dread. He was utterly terrified, and the terror spawned by Wang Lin’s might exceeded any he had ever known. Wang Lin had somehow grown even stronger than before, and in so short a time!

“Fear not. I do not intend to slay you, but merely to send you towards rebirth!” Wang Lin spoke, his left hand rising and mirroring the motion of his right, his hands tearing at the earth.

“If you seek to kill me, then kill me! What is this talk of sending me to be reborn?!” Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign shrieked. Desperate, he wove hand seals, throwing his entire remaining power into defense. Myriad magical treasures appeared, all of them attempting to block the overwhelming power barreling towards him.

The heavens roared, the earth shattered, and cracks in the cultivation star grew exponentially. In the blink of an eye, the entire crescent-shaped world was utterly split apart. The collapsing energies surged outwards like a tidal wave, engulfing the void and racing in all directions. Caught within the shockwave, Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign’s defenses shattered. His magical treasures exploded into fragments, and he coughed blood, struggling to escape. But Wang Lin’s figure appeared before him, silently and without warning. His right hand rose and rested upon the Demon Sovereign’s brow.

“Indeed, I will be sending you to be reborn. Not to kill you.” Wang Lin’s voice was even. These were the last words Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign ever heard. As Wang Lin’s palm made contact, the Demon Sovereign’s mind went blank. Wang Lin then sealed his soul within his storage space. Sealing the wounded Nine Heavens Demon Sovereign was easy, taking only several breaths from start to finish. His task completed, Wang Lin turned his gaze westward, where he could feel Mystical Xi, healing from his wounds. Mystical Xi’s sanctuary was a cultivation star brimming with spiritual energy. From afar, it seemed a water world with nothing but tiny islands dotting it. The planet’s seas were not colored blue, but golden; they rose in tides, shimmering and sparkling under the light. Various sea beasts prowled the waters, shadowy beasts of immense sizes prowling the depths. Deep within the sea, Mystical Xi sat cross-legged in pitch darkness, surrounded by piles of stark white bones, most of them those of beasts. As Mystical Xi healed, roars echoing from the depths.

“Wang Lin, Blue Dream, curse you both forever!” Mystical Xi spat, his eyes bloodshot. Badly wounded in battle with Blue Dream, his cultivation had plummeted to the Sky Prying stage and wouldn’t be restored to peak for a century. He could only heal and try to accelerate the process. Lifting his right hand, Mystical Xi grabbed a hundred-foot serpent out of the sea in front of him and bit into its weak spot as the serpent trembled and was too scared to resist. Then, with a mighty breath, the serpent was reduced to bones as its essences were ripped apart and the remains tossed aside. Suddenly, his expression changed and he threw his head back. As the golden ocean began to twist, Wang Lin appeared in white robes and white hair. With electric intensity, his eyes penetrated the sea’s depths. “Mystical Xi, I have come to send you to rebirth!”