In the hallowed realm of cultivation, where strength reigned supreme, Wang Lin’s power appeared meager, warranting the disregard of three gatekeepers. Observing this, the surrounding cultivators of various sects harbored their own judgments.

Wang Lin, unperturbed, surveyed the scene, then silently departed, seeking a secluded subterranean cavern to meditate.

Lu Wenran sneered inwardly, his gaze lingering upon Wang Lin’s retreating form.

“For the sake of the Great Soul Sect, I abandoned my sect and transformed myself into a rogue cultivator within the Pill Sea, drawing the attention of the Green Devil Continent. For millennia I persisted, ensuring that the Green Devil Continent would not suspect our Ancestor’s plan to invade the Celestial Bull Continent. Yet, despite my deeds, the Ancestor has not granted me the complete Art of Multi-Illusions. What right does this man possess to receive it?”

Amidst his scornful thoughts, Lu Wenran abruptly found Wang Lin, whom he had been scrutinizing, turning to meet his gaze.

Lu Wenran maintained his composure, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he nodded to Wang Lin.

Wang Lin, his eyes holding profound meaning, glanced at Lu Wenran before selecting a cavern and vanishing within.

Among the trio, Yan Luan possessed the greatest understanding of Wang Lin’s formidable nature. She had discerned a hidden tension between Elder Lu and Wang Lin but remained silent, feigning ignorance.

After some discourse, the three elders invited Lu Wenran and his companions to the grand hall, making no mention of Wang Lin, who was deemed unworthy and far inferior to the others.

The six traversed towards the distant hall, their laughter echoing, Lu Wenran seemingly having forgotten Wang Lin’s existence.

As the six departed, the surrounding cultivators dispersed, and the entire Celestial Meadow became enshrouded in arrays and enchantments, fully activated upon the arrival of the Great Soul Sect.

With the activation of these enchantments, the meadow resounded as a colossal wall of energy, spanning ten thousand miles, manifested, connecting the sky and the earth, its influence spreading far beyond.

Simultaneously, in the Celestial Bull Continent, the remaining six Celestial Bull Hollows welcomed the arrival of guardians from the Great Soul Sect and the Returning-to-One Sect, fully activating each hollow.

When all seven Celestial Bull Hollows were opened, similar walls of energy appeared at each location.

These seven walls, upon their emergence, collided, merging into a massive barrier safeguarding the Celestial Bull Scroll and the Pill Sea.

This barrier, fortified by over one hundred thousand cultivators, possessed a thickness of ten thousand miles, proving insurmountable for ordinary cultivators, even for those of the venerable Qingniu Ancestor’s caliber.

Its impenetrability stemmed not only from the arrays and enchantments but also from the power of the Celestial Bull Soul.

For the first time since their creation, the seven Celestial Bull Hollows fully realized their vital purpose.

In addition to the seven hollows, seventy-two terrestrial hollows were guarded by members of the Great Soul Sect, the Returning-to-One Sect, and other minor sects, constantly stimulating the land, channeling celestial energy into the seven hollows, and reinforcing the unified gateway.

These were merely defensive measures, for the Great Soul Sect, after years of preparation, had also assembled a force of assassins.

Within the subterranean palace complex of the Celestial Meadow, countless caverns served as dwellings for the sect members. As time passed, a sense of oppression descended upon them, each aware that a great battle was imminent.

The Green Devil Continent, to breach the barrier formed by the Celestial Bull Hollows, would need to simultaneously destroy all seven, necessitating the dispatch of a vast force to besiege each one.

The Celestial Meadow, now serene, would soon be overrun by the countless legions of the Green Devil Continent.

Yan Luan, along with Xu Dongde and Lu Wenran, chose to seclude themselves, maintaining their peak cultivation. However, they retreated to the palaces, befitting their esteemed status as the final guardians of the hollow.

Among the nearly ten thousand cultivators, four possessed the early-stage Sky Tribulation cultivation. Despite originating from minor sects or being rogue cultivators, they were invited to the palaces as forces capable of swaying the tide of battle.

Time flowed onward, Wang Lin sat serenely within his humble cavern, surrounded by others, including an elder meditating within a nearby dwelling. While the elder, unaware of Wang Lin’s restored power, remained unfamiliar to him, Wang Lin recognized the elder from their encounter within the Celestial Meadow. The elder’s cultivation had not yet reached the Sky Tribulation stage, preventing him from entering the palace and confining him to the outer caverns.

Had Wang Lin desired, he could have occupied a palace, but he preferred the tranquility of his cavern, where he could remain undisturbed.

Meditating, he slowly inhaled and exhaled, his divine sense spreading outwards, refining the Blue Umbrella and Soul-Guiding Return arts.

He also retrieved the Forbidden Compass, discreetly activating its enchantments upon the Celestial Meadow, undetected even by Lu Wenran.

As time passed, silence descended upon the palace complex and its surrounding caverns, save for the sound of breathing.

Wang Lin abruptly opened his eyes, and the compass before him vibrated, a green line appearing on the map of the Celestial Meadow.
A verdant tapestry, woven from countless shimmering emerald motes, thickened and grew!

“They come!” Wang Lin, his eyes gleaming with resolve as he regarded his compass, steeled himself. He would fulfill his three promises to the Great Soul Sect, then depart the Tianniu Continent, bound for the Eastern Lands, towards the ancient Dao Kingdom!

Even as Wang Lin sensed the approach of the Green Devil Continent’s warriors, within the depths of the grand palace, Lü Wenran’s eyes snapped open, a chill radiating from them.

“Brothers and sisters of the Dao, the armies of the Green Devil Continent draw near!” His voice echoed through the vast underground domain.

The soft whispers of meditation ceased instantly. Within their individual chambers, every cultivator opened their eyes.

From their opulent palaces, including Yan Jie and Xu Dongde, the Void Tribulant cultivators also sensed the encroaching presence. In silent agreement, a palpable aura of murderous intent filled the air.

Upon the boundless Jitian Plains, the wind howled a fierce song as ten thousand warriors from the Green Devil Continent descended in a single, monstrous wave. Their numbers blotted out the midday sun, casting the land in an unnatural gloom.

Spearheading the vast host, six figures flew with unparalleled speed, streaks of vibrant light piercing the sky.

Four were men and two women, all clad in extravagant raiment, their presence commanding respect. Their cultivation was the envy of the Green Devil Continent. Foremost among them were two wizened elders, whose bodies radiated the aura of mid-stage Void Tribulant masters – the most formidable warriors within the invading force.

The remaining four were powerful figures in their own right, each a master of the early Void Tribulant stage.

The six flew at the van, the ten thousand behind them a roaring tide engulfing the Jitian Plains. Battle-lust hung thick in the air, an oppressive cloud that darkened the heavens and spread in all directions.

“Brother Zhang, shall we join forces and test the might of this Tianniu Seven Aperture Array? What say you?” The foremost of the Void Tribulant elders smiled, glancing at his companion.

“An excellent suggestion, Brother Zhao! It is said that this array can summon the very soul of the Tianniu. Let us see what form this celestial beast takes!” The second elder chuckled, his expression placid. Having reached such a level of cultivation, they had seen much, and the specter of death held little sway. To them, this invasion was merely a game.

Such a mindset set them above Lü Wenran, yet still far below the heights of Rainbow Immortal Venerate. Though their cultivation may have been similar, they lacked his inherent strength and unwavering composure.

As they spoke, both elders raised their right hands, forming a hand seal and pointing it toward the Jitian Plains. At their gesture, the heavens roared, and layers of cloud coalesced into a colossal titan, a thousand feet tall, which strode forth with earth-shaking steps.

Above, a dark light shimmered as if a tear had rent the very fabric of the sky. From this rift, three black swords emerged, radiating an overwhelming aura of malice. At their presence, the verdant grasses of the plains withered and died, their life essence swiftly drained away.

With a furious shriek, the three swords flew forth, joining the titan in its relentless advance.

But even as the swords and titan bore down upon them, a sudden surge of mist erupted from the very earth of the Jitian Plains. The mist, thick and black, spread across the land, shrouding most of the plains in an oppressive darkness. As it swirled and roiled, it continued to expand.

A guttural bellow, a sound like the muffled roar of a bull, thundered from within the mist. In an instant, the dense fog coalesced into the form of the Tianniu, a behemoth of shadows, which unleashed a deafening roar upon the advancing titan and blades!

With the final note of the roar, the mist-formed Tianniu exploded outwards, its power unleashing a tidal wave of fog that engulfed the Green Devil Continent’s army!

Simultaneously, within the deep earth, in the heart of the grand palace, Lü Wenran’s face was etched with grim determination.

“All Void Tribulant brothers and sisters, follow me! We shall strike forth! Within this mist array, our energies are boundless, capable of drawing upon the very essence of the heavens!” At his command, seven streaks of light burst forth from the palace, Lü Wenran leading the charge as they shot through the earth and vanished within the swirling mist.

Above, the rolling fog enveloped the Green Devil Continent’s warriors in a swirling darkness. From the depths of the underground palace, nearly ten thousand cultivators emerged as one.

The battle had begun!

Wang Lin was among them, his face impassive, blending into the mist of the Jitian Plains. To the invaders, the fog was a hindrance, obscuring their senses and disrupting their connection to the heavens. But to the warriors of the Tianniu Continent, it was a boon, seeping into their bodies like a potent elixir!

(To be continued…)