Wang Lin gazed upon the stony husk, a thing that resembled a petrified fruit. Though its interior remained utterly invisible to the naked eye, he sensed, with an undeniable certainty, the presence of another self within.

Indeed, closing his eyes brought a strange disorientation, a wavering between the sensation of being outside the husk and the unsettling notion of being trapped within. It was as though he sat cross-legged within that cold shell, dimly perceiving his true form standing guard outside.

He had experienced this uncanny sensation before, but never with such vivid and unnerving clarity.

“What is this…?” Wang Lin murmured, his eyes clouded with bewilderment. Beside him, the Mosquito King, its proboscis gently caressing him, emitted soft, joyful clicks.

The beast’s form had shrunk considerably, now wreathed in a hazy mist that threatened to dissipate at any moment. Yet, despite its fragile appearance, a potent life force thrummed within it.

The Mosquito’s transformation caught Wang Lin’s attention. He hesitated, then raised his right hand, pressing it against the creature’s body. His fingers encountered only emptiness, a sensation of touching nothingness.

Despite the lack of physical contact, the Mosquito King radiated contentment, its posture radiating a sense of profound satisfaction simply from being near its master.

Their bond, forged over countless years, transcended mere obedience. As Wang Lin’s hand passed through the beast’s ephemeral form, he reached out with his spirit, intertwining his consciousness with its own.

A cascade of memories flooded Wang Lin’s mind: the Mosquito King’s experiences after being forcibly separated, the scenes of its relentless transformations. This was not a soul-searching violation, but a gentle transfer of memory, a thing they had done before, causing no harm due to their shared history spanning over two millennia.

He witnessed the creature’s desperate evolution, its insatiable hunger driving it to devour nine of its brethren, all in the singular pursuit of finding him.

He saw the Mosquito King splinter into ten thousand fragments, scattering across the void until they located his dormant or perished form. He felt its piercing, desolate cry as it, bearing himself and Li Muwan, plunged into the depths of the nothingness, ultimately arriving here.

All of it, Wang Lin saw.

After an age of silent contemplation, his heart brimming with gratitude, Wang Lin looked upon the joyful Mosquito King, upon the tiny proboscis that continued to nuzzle him with affection. He gently patted its body.

“You have suffered much…”

The soft pats, the gentle gaze, the simple words, sent the Mosquito King into a frenzy of delight. Ripples of joy emanated from its core, the culmination of a lifetime’s devotion.

Such loyalty, Wang Lin had never witnessed in any other beast. This creature was unique, unyielding. From the days when Wang Lin was a mere mortal, to their separation across the stars, to this moment within the void, the Mosquito King had proven its willingness to lay down its life.

Wang Lin was not one to forget kindness. He, in turn, would do anything for this beast. For it was no longer a mere pet, but a kin.

Still patting the Mosquito King, Wang Lin’s gaze returned to the fruit-like stone husk.

According to the Mosquito King’s memories, this object resembled its ancestor’s birthplace. “What could this husk be?” Wang Lin wondered. He strode closer, reaching out to touch its surface. But the moment his hand drew near, a surge of repulsive energy erupted from the husk, violently forcing his hand away, denying him both contact and deeper inquiry.

He tried again from different angles, but the repulsive force remained unyielding. With a sigh, Wang Lin abandoned his initial impulse to awaken the dormant self within. He sensed that this was a matter of destiny.

This blessing lay in the form of the other self trapped within the husk, an entity that was clearly developing. Perhaps in time, it would shatter its stony prison and emerge with terrifying power.

This power, he suspected, would be born of the Immortal Astral Laws, for this self, like the Mosquito King’s ancestors, had been forged in that celestial fire.

To force its emergence now would be a waste. Furthermore, Wang Lin understood that his own reawakening, the restoration of his full cultivation, was somehow tied to the existence of the other self.

Their connection was such that the other self’s growth seemed to be drawing his own strength forward. A strange phenomenon, beyond simple explanation.

Wang Lin stood in silence for a long while. During his time in the Cave World, he had studied ancient texts on geomancy, and he vaguely remembered that the current situation seemed to be similar to some geomantic principles.

“Geomancy emphasizes the importance of the burial site,” he thought. “Could I consider this stone husk to be the most noble burial ground in the world, with the emergence of the other self being akin to a burial here? In this way, I can gradually obtain nourishment through the growth of the other self…”

“I used to think that these principles were nonsense, but what is happening now is very similar.” Wang Lin pondered as he slowly retreated, looking at the stone husk. He abandoned his plan to break it open or to make the other self come out.

“Mortal emperors pay attention to the dragon veins. If the ancestors are buried in the dragon veins, their descendants will surely be rich and noble… Now that I have buried my other self here, let’s see what kind of creation will come about in the future…” With a flicker in his eyes, Wang Lin turned around without hesitation and headed straight to the void. With a cheer, the Mosquito King followed closely behind Wang Lin, and then rushed forward to lift Wang Lin up, carrying him at an extremely fast speed and disappearing into the void.

Roaring forward, Wang Lin glanced back at the direction where his other self was. A bright light appeared in his eyes. Compared to the nonsense of geomancy, Wang Lin was more looking forward to the growth of this other self. Moreover, the connection between him and this other self was extremely clear and could not be severed. In this way, once this other self completely grew up and walked out of this stone husk, Wang Lin believed that the world would change greatly!
Unbeknownst to him within the ethereal void, a cataclysm unfolded upon the Immortal Astral Continent. The instant his blood was carried by the mosquito beast to the arcing platform, and that blood transformed into a stony shell, a third grand upheaval, unseen for countless millennia – perhaps since the very birth of the continent – shook the foundations of all existence.

This momentous shift sent tremors across the land. Mighty warriors emerged from secluded meditation, and venerable sects, their elders and patriarchs, cast their gazes skyward, a collective unease settling upon them. Whispers of divine senses surged, stirring the very fabric of the heavens and earth.

Even the celestial Nine Suns, the most esteemed of the Nine Great Celestials, took notice. A rare spectacle unfolded – the Nine Suns appeared together in unison.

None who witnessed this event would ever forget it. In years to come, it would become an enigma, a mystery pondered by countless souls.

“When the Immortal Ancestor was born, the heavens revealed three aspects, the Golden Sky and the Black Earth being one!” “When the Ancient Ancestor arose, he possessed nine virtues, Silver Eyes being but one!”

These were tales, whispered amongst those of significant power, though unheard by common cultivators. Those of great cultivation, or belonging to mighty sects, knew of such lore.

On this fateful day, in the direction of the Immortal Clan, above the Immortal Emperor’s City, the nominal seat of power in the Central Prefecture of the Immortal Netherworld, the sky warped, birthing a colossal vortex. It roared, consuming all in its path as it expanded outwards.

Faster than any flight, the vortex engulfed the thirty-seven provinces of the Central Prefecture in an instant, transforming into a sky of purest gold!

As the golden light spilled forth, the earth beneath was strangely draped in shadow, mirroring the appearance of the Golden Sky and Black Earth, a phenomenon that heralded the coming of the Immortal Ancestor.

Within the vortex, a blurred specter coalesced. Though indistinct, it wore robes of gold and a towering crown, standing amidst the swirling chaos as if it stood between the heavens and earth, wreathed in celestial energy.

To all who beheld it, a name rose unbidden in their minds, a name that stirred both fear and reverence:

The Immortal Ancestor!

Long absent, vanished into the void, this was the first time his spectral form had graced the Immortal Astral Continent. It spurred the Immortal Clan to a frenzy.

Every Grand Celestial of the Immortal Clan appeared and bowed towards the heavens.

Simultaneously, over the thirty-six counties of the Ancient Kingdom, a second, ebony vortex opened, vying for dominance.

From its depths, a terrifying, overbearing aura erupted, enshrouding the world, driving the subjects of the Ancient Kingdom to their knees in devout worship.

Xuan Luo, secluded in his chambers, along with the four Grand Celestials of the other two lineages, emerged, transfixed, their faces etched with disbelief as they stared at the gargantuan vortex.

Unlike the Immortal Clan, no form materialized within. Instead, a pair of eyes emerged, silver and incandescent, fixed upon the Immortal Clan, filling the sky with their silvery gaze.

The entire Immortal Astral Continent seemed to seethe with energy. Nine suns blazed, casting their light across the vast lands, emanating a power that caused all living things to tremble.

Yet, this was not merely awe-inspiring, but perplexing. For at the very moment the specters of the Immortal Ancestor and Ancient Ancestor manifested – between the lands of the Immortal Clan and the Ancient Kingdom – a third immense vortex ripped open the sky!

Its appearance ignited a wave of disbelief, shock, and horror across the Immortal Astral Continent.

“This… this is impossible! Amidst the illusory descent of the Immortal Ancestor and Ancient Ancestor… how can there be a third vortex?!”

“What does this mean – that a third vortex could appear beneath those of the Ancestors?!”

“Does it not suggest that something within this third vortex rivals the Ancestors themselves?!”