As the Sea Serpent, a leviathan of the deep, lunged from the churning abyss towards the verdant isle, jaws agape to devour all in its path, a streak of pure gold, swift as a celestial decree, outstripped the desperate flight of even a Void Shatterer cultivator. It soared from the distant Celestial Bull Continent towards the shadowed lands of the Green Devil Continent, a messenger of fate bound for the very heart of the Dao Devil Sect. Such was its velocity, that the mountain gates of the sect would soon be within its reach.

The Sea Serpent, roaring with the fury of the ocean itself, plunged towards Wang Lin. Within the island’s earthen-hued barrier, the Grand Patriarch of the Dao Devil Sect lifted his gaze, his eyes piercing through the obscuring veil of his seclusion to witness the unfolding calamity above.

“That beast,” he muttered, his voice a rasping whisper, “is a legacy of the Ancestor. Even I would expend considerable effort, and risk failure, to slay it. Though Wang Lin felled Elder Feng, the Elder merely feigned Gold Core through burning his very life essence – a shadow of true power!

He may kill Feng, but conquering the Ancestor’s Sea Serpent is no simple task! With this delay, the Ancestor will surely receive word!” Despite his enforced confinement, the Grand Patriarch’s loathing for Wang Lin burned with an unholy fire, a desire to consume him utterly.

As he gnashed his teeth in silent fury, a tremor seized his right hand. He looked down, startled, to see a wisp of emerald vapor coalescing upon his palm. The vapor, a spectral emanation, instantly twisted into seven hunched figures, rushing like phantoms to engulf the Patriarch’s orifices, invading his very being.

The Patriarch’s body convulsed, his eyes snapping shut. But in an instant, they flew open once more, ablaze with wild elation. He erupted in laughter, a sound that shook the very foundations of his sanctuary.

“It is done! The Immortal Emperor has delivered his sacred edict! Three decrees, and one destined for the heart of the Dao Devil Sect… it is undoubtedly for me!” The Patriarch’s laughter echoed, barely concealing his barely restrained excitement.

“Wang Lin, you seek my death? You would shatter the legacy of the Dao Devil Sect? The Ancestor will soon be here, and with his arrival, your doom is sealed! And the Imperial Edict arrives swiftly. How will you strike me down with a Royal Envoy at hand?

To slay me is to defy the Edict itself, a crime of unimaginable magnitude!” In a twist of fate, the Grand Patriarch’s spirits soared.

Yet, beyond the earthen shield, the Sea Serpent, a tempest of scales and fury, thundered towards Wang Lin. Its colossal form exuded a crushing aura, enough to shatter the will of any beneath Gold Core, rendering them incapable of defiance!

The beast’s roar was a symphony of power, an echo of ancient magic that sent shivers down the spine and stirred the soul. Such was its dominion that it was a trial in and of itself!

Wang Lin, his face a mask of icy resolve, fixed his gaze upon the approaching leviathan. He had never encountered such a creature, nor felt such raw, untamed power emanating from its being.

The Serpent radiated the power of the Golden Core, shrouding the heavens. Once blue skies were now an ominous shadow, akin to a dark and cloudy sunset.

“A Gold Core beast…” Wang Lin’s eyes flashed, revealing a torrent of incandescent light. A burning hunger for battle ignited within him.

In that moment, his power exploded, unrestrained and absolute. It was the first time, since his claiming of the boon in the Green Devil Scorpion Shrine, that he had unleashed the full force of his being!

This was the unleashed essence of his Dao Ancient form, the full manifestation of his Void Shatterer cultivation. Save for his Soul Armor, this was Wang Lin at his most formidable peak in nearly three thousand years!

His white hair lengthened with startling speed, growing far beyond his height, cascading like a spectral waterfall. Contrasted with his pristine white robes, he stood cloaked in an ethereal chill.

As his hair swirled around him, Wang Lin raised his right hand, pointing it directly towards the oncoming beast!

“Midnight!”

The world itself seemed to convulse as the sky above transformed into a raging ocean, the waves thrashing with unbridled power. The heavens turned black as night.

Within that ravenous darkness, a resplendent sun burst forth, its light blinding. The Sea Serpent, engulfed in its presence, shuddered, its eyes widening in terror.

It felt a dread unlike anything it had ever encountered, a primal fear that evoked its most vulnerable moments, as if it were still a fledgling facing the wrath of the cosmos.

From that risen sun, Wang Lin appeared, a figure of radiant glory. He was the sun itself, and with each step, he emanated an unwavering force of will.

This resolute power, an unshakable belief, enveloped the Sea Serpent, causing it to tremble violently and wail in desperation. It dared not approach, but turned in frantic retreat.

Though possessed of Gold Core strength, it was now overwhelmed. Each step was another revelation that Wang Lin was the embodiment of death himself, an inevitable truth. With each desperate step, the fear increased. Despite that, the light of the sun was inescapable.

The glorious rays of the sun expanded further and further, collapsing the darkness that stood to protect the Sea Serpent. It was imminent; the beast would be torn apart!

Death gripped the Sea Serpent as its entire body began to tremble with dread. Agony now threatened to render the beast incapable of fighting.

That searing pain, unbearable even for its mighty form and gold-core power, was too much to handle, and the beast howled with an unholy mix of desperation, doom, and fear. The pain threatened to make the beast black out.

“Submit, or become void!” A voice, imbued with immense conviction and authority, echoed through the realm, a moment before the Sea Serpent was torn asunder, as death was but an inch away.

The Sea Serpent struggled, its eyes now forced open, blinded by the light. Wang Lin was walking towards the beast, bringing the sun’s glorious light along with him. A new feeling threatened to consume the monster; that of acceptance.
“Great Celestial…” The Sea Dragon beheld the figure behind Wang Lin and mistook it for a second sun, a tenth blazing star in the firmament of the Immortal Astral Continent!

Beneath that blinding light stood a presence of immense power, a bastion of unshakeable will – the Great Celestial himself!

Though the Sea Dragon’s master, the Old Ancestor of the Dao Demon Sect, was but a Celestial, Wang Lin’s aura resonated with the power of a Great Celestial. This illusion, this impossible truth, shook the dragon to its core. It was a creature of immense pride, one that would sooner embrace death than submit to another. Yet, trembling from its very essence, it cast aside its defiance and bowed its mighty head in utter supplication.

“I yield!” The moment these words echoed in the ether, the mark of its former master, embedded deep within its spirit, shattered into fragments. A celestial beast of this caliber, a Gold Venerate, could not be controlled through mere sorcery. Only a force of unimaginable might could compel its allegiance.

Indeed, such a creature could only be truly enslaved by a Great Celestial. Others could only hope for a partnership of equals, a relationship similar to the one it shared with the Old Ancestor.

Yet, in this instant of surrender, a wisp of verdant soul-essence shimmered forth from the Sea Dragon’s brow, soaring towards Wang Lin and settling gently into his outstretched hand.

This essence, which even its former master could never claim, was now freely given to Wang Lin, a testament to the dragon’s awe and understanding.

To hold this essence was to hold dominion over the dragon’s life and death!

As the essence found its place in Wang Lin’s grasp, the encroaching darkness that had veiled the world vanished. The illusory sea, the phantom sun, all faded, returning the scene to its original state. The earth remained a scarred testament to the Dao Demon Sect, the sky a boundless canvas of azure.

But within the earthen-hued barrier, the Sect Master of the Dao Demon Sect witnessed this transformation, his eyes wide with disbelief. A shudder ran through him.

“He… impossible! This Sea Dragon is the Old Ancestor’s! It… it has submitted to Wang Lin?!” Terror gripped the Sect Master, fear crawling from his very bones. His shock stemmed not only from the dragon’s submission but also from the Residual Night Arts unleashed by Wang Lin, fueled by his unleashed power!

“Belief Arts! It was Belief Arts!” He had hoped the dragon would buy him time, but in a matter of breaths, fate had turned against him. Wang Lin had wielded Belief Arts, and the dragon had chosen to yield!

An abyss of dread consumed the Sect Master. Without hesitation, he bit his tongue, spewing a torrent of blood. This blood transformed into a crimson mist, permeating the earthen barrier, desperately fortifying its defenses.

“He must not get in! I am no match for him! He must not get in! Time! I need time! The Old Ancestor will arrive soon, and the Imperial Edict even sooner! Time, I need time!” The Sect Master, bordering on madness, chanted arcane words and wove intricate seals, channeling them into the shimmering barrier that protected the island.

Even as the barrier pulsed and strengthened, Wang Lin stepped forward. The Sea Dragon, filled with reverence, followed close behind.

Wang Lin approached the barrier, his fist clenched tight. Without uttering a word, he unleashed a devastating blow, his eyes burning with chilling resolve.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

The barrier, reinforced by the Sect Master’s desperate efforts, offered only fleeting resistance before shattering into a thousand fragments. The force of the blow ravaged the island, reducing buildings to rubble, revealing the Sect Master, kneeling in despair, his spirit nearly extinguished.

Wang Lin gazed upon him, his expression devoid of emotion. Without pause, he advanced, ready to deliver a final blow. The Sect Master, driven to the brink, retreated, weaving frantic spells to defend himself. But his efforts were in vain. He coughed up blood, his face etched with anguish, as he staggered back from the assault.

“Wang Lin! You dare strike me down?! The Old Ancestor of my Dao Demon Sect is a Celestial! If you kill me, you shall face a fate worse than death!”

Wang Lin remained silent. He stepped forward, raising his fist for another strike.

Suddenly, a golden light appeared in the distance, hurtling towards them with incredible speed, engulfing the heavens in its radiant glow! Within that light stood a figure clad in golden armor!

“An Imperial Envoy! An Imperial Envoy! The Imperial Edict has arrived! Wang Lin, how dare you strike me down! Do you defy the Emperor’s will?!” Hope surged through the Sect Master, replacing his despair with manic excitement.