The volley of nine arrows, as one, scattered into a tempest of deadly barbs, each carrying the force of a Celestial Venerable barely clinging to the seventh level of power. “You nine,” Wang Lin declared, his voice cutting through the wind, “possess strength enough to challenge the fourth layer.”

He stepped forward, the snow crunching beneath his boots. “Indeed, House Li’s foundation runs deep!”

His gaze then swept over the assembled ranks of the Li clan, hundreds strong. “And you three. One Transcendent Celestial Venerable of the tenth layer, and two of the seventh. Combined, you might approach the pinnacle of the tenth. But know this: Wang Lin has walked a path of peace, but should your arrows fly, I shall show no restraint.”

As his words echoed, three figures shimmered into existence from thin air. One, standing directly before Wang Lin, was an elder, his hair streaked with silver, the very Transcendent Celestial Venerable he had spoken of.

The elder’s eyes, sharp and wary, fixed upon Wang Lin. Surprise warred with apprehension, as if a long-held suspicion was now taking form.

“I desire no quarrel with House Li,” Wang Lin continued, his voice resonant, “for the relics of Li Guang aided me in my past.” He spoke of the bow, Li Guang’s Bow, which had guided him through countless perils in the Realm of the Caves.

“And so,” his voice boomed, “He who remains hidden, reveal yourself!” He lifted his gaze, and though his features were obscured by the shadows of his hood, twin suns of blinding gold erupted within his eyes.

This golden light radiated a pressure so immense it dwarfed even the celestial aura of the city. Every soul who witnessed it, from the Transcendent Celestial Venerable to the lowliest clansman, felt their spirit tremble.

The pressure solidified into a force of utter suppression. The golden light emanating from Wang Lin’s eyes became a weapon of pure will, a projection of the celestial sword, meant to crush all beneath it.

A deafening roar ripped through the air as the golden gaze washed over the assembled Li clan. Their bows, crafted of the finest materials, shattered in their hands, splintering into fragments.

Even the weapons of the nine Celestial Venerables trembled, then cracked and splintered, unable to withstand the oppressive weight of Wang Lin’s gaze.

Of the three elders, only the Transcendent Celestial Venerable’s bow remained whole, but its string, stretched taut for so long, disintegrated into fine dust.

And yet, this was but a prelude. As Wang Lin’s voice dropped to a menacing growl and the golden light intensified, the Li clan, their courage broken, dared not meet his eyes. They scattered, revealing a plain stone chamber nestled in the windswept distance.

Silence descended, broken only by the gasps of those who had witnessed the destruction of their bows. Fear, raw and primal, filled their eyes as they looked upon Wang Lin.

A chilling realization dawned upon the Celestial Venerables, a whisper of the true identity of the figure before them.

“The White-Haired Transcendent Celestial Venerable…” a voice, raspy and ancient, echoed from the stone chamber. The door creaked open, and from within emerged an old man, his hair as white as the driven snow.

He wore robes of pure gold, and despite the bitterness in his voice, he met Wang Lin’s golden gaze without flinching.

Wang Lin raised his hand and removed his hood, revealing a head of white hair, stark against the swirling snow. He met the old man’s gaze, his expression unreadable.

A collective gasp swept through the ranks of the Li clan as their eyes fell upon Wang Lin. For over a year, tales of the White-Haired Transcendent Celestial Venerable had swept across the Immortal Astral Continent. In Ancestral City, the stories were a storm, known to all who mattered.

House Li, one of the four Great Houses of Ancestral City, knew the name of Wang Lin well. They had never imagined they would stand before him, the strongest under the Great Celestial Venerables.

And even more chilling, they had dared to raise their bows against him.

“I seek recompense,” Wang Lin said, his voice like iron. His gaze was fixed upon the old man, a Transcendent Celestial Venerable who, Wang Lin estimated, had broken through the eleventh layer but failed at the twelfth, one of the thirteen.

“One House, with two Transcendent Celestial Venerables, and eleven Celestial Venerables…” Wang Lin mused, assessing the power of House Li and the implications for the other Great Houses of Ancestral City.

“The ancestral bow rack resonated, indicating the presence of our ancestor’s bow nearby. When Li Guang disappeared, the bow was lost. We dispatched two members of the Golden Generation to investigate,” the old man said, doing his best to avoid Wang Lin’s gaze. “Their actions were rash. I hope the White-Haired Transcendent Celestial Venerable will forgive them, but the bow is of great importance to House Li…” His voice trailed off, as the pressure from Wang Lin’s gaze intensified.

Wang Lin remained silent, his eyes unblinking.

“The rumors are true. Wang Lin, the strongest under the Great Celestial Venerables, they say he has soul armor to assist him. Never did I expect his mere gaze to weigh so heavily.” The old man sighed.

“House Li was wrong in its presumption. The White-Haired Transcendent Celestial Venerable has surely come to Imperial City for the ceremony of investiture. Rest in House Li in the meantime. Let our people accompany and protect you, and since the Ancestor’s bow aided you, then you are no stranger to us. Our Arrow Gallery has many records left by our ancestor; feel free to study them. As recompense, what say you, White-Haired Transcendent Celestial Venerable?” The old man bowed, lowering himself to a humble position.

The Li Clan, for all of their pride, knew that the only appropriate response was reverence. For they stood before the strongest under the Great Celestial Venerables!
A being of such stature, that the Great Celestial Sovereign himself sought to acquire him as an ally! The Li Clan, a mere house, though one of the Four Great Houses of the Ancestral City, and possessing strength exceeding most sects, remained fragile and insignificant before Wang Lin’s might.

Should they dare to harm Wang Lin, the Great Celestial Sovereign would intervene. Yet, if Wang Lin were to slay them, the matter would likely vanish into the mists… such was the vast chasm of power upon the Immortal Continent. The late Underworld Dao Sovereign, though rarely venturing beyond the Imperial Palace, was met with bows and reverence wherever he went.

Even the Four Great Houses bowed with respect before the Underworld Dao Sovereign, for he was hailed as the future Sixth Sun!

Now, Wang Lin utterly eclipsed the Underworld Dao Sovereign. Had the Li Clan known the bow resided with Wang Lin, they would have feigned ignorance, never daring to demand its return.

“The Arrow Pavilion?” Wang Lin’s gaze sharpened. The Li Clan’s deference was as he expected. He saw past the old man’s respect, glimpsing the hunger for his ancestor’s bow. Unable to seize it by force, they opted for respectful supplication, hoping Wang Lin might return the weapon.

“This bow…” Wang Lin raised his right hand. With a flicker of light, the Li Guang Bow materialized, radiating an ancient aura. The old man’s eyes flashed with a suppressed surge of excitement.

He had seen this bow long ago, wielded by Li Guang himself. Now, he beheld it again, in the hands of an outsider.

The Li Clan members stood silent, gazing at the bow. Some had witnessed it in their youth, while many others had only heard tales of its legendary power.

“This bow… I have use for it still. Once my affairs are settled, I shall return it here.” Wang Lin spoke slowly, then with a wave of his hand, the bow vanished into his body.

The elder of the Li Clan sighed inwardly, but felt no despair. The man had made a promise, and a being of his stature need not have done so. It showed he truly intended to return it. He would think of this as a loan, given with grace.

And perhaps most importantly, it was he who had found the Bow. He had no right to just simply ask for it back after countless years. He asked himself, If he was in Wang Lin’s position, he may not have given such a generous promise.

Wang Lin did not refuse their invitation to stay within the Li Clan. Knowing that Xu Liguo resided in the Ancestral City, he felt no urgency to restore his past life’s memories. He remained in the Li Clan, studying the Li Family’s archery within the Arrow Pavilion.

Liu Jinbiao rejoiced. With Wang Lin as his master, he received the treatment of a honored guest within the Li Clan. He was overjoyed.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. On the afternoon of the third day, as snow continued to fall, the very air above the Li Clan shimmered with ripples. As these ripples expanded, a potent pressure descended upon the estate.

This oppressive force compelled all within the Li Clan to emerge and gaze at the heavens.

Within the shimmering ripples, a figure descended, clad in a jade robe, his expression haughty. He held a scroll of parchment in his hand, looking down upon the gathered members of the Li Clan.

“Where is Jiang Lin? Humbly receive the Emperor’s Edict!”

“Read on,” Wang Lin’s icy voice echoed from within the depths of the Li Clan, from within the Arrow Pavilion.

“You…” The jade-robed messenger paused. He bore the Immortal Emperor’s Edict. It was as if the Emperor himself had descended, and yet, Wang Lin would not even show his face.

Hesitating, the jade-robed man scoffed inwardly, but dared not reveal his disrespect. Unfurling the parchment, he began to read.

Wang Lin paid little attention to the specific wording, noting only that the Immortal Emperor’s Edict declared that a Conferment Ceremony would be held at dawn in seven days within the Imperial Palace’s Immortal Dao Hall!

Wang Lin had heard tales of this ceremony during his time in the Purple Sun Sect. Each Ascendant Celestial was to be personally conferred by the current Immortal Emperor. It was a formality, but also a symbol of recognition.

During the Conferment, a challenge was often made. However, this tradition was largely ignored, as Ascendant Celestials had already been acknowledged by the Celestial Ancestor’s Nethersoul. Few dared to needlessly antagonize such power.

The jade-robed messenger, having completed his task and receiving no acknowledgment from Wang Lin, grew even more displeased. Leaving the Emperor’s Edict behind, he turned and swiftly departed.

“This Conferment Ceremony… what machinations will that Lian Daozhen weave…? Perhaps I shall see that madman there…” Wang Lin murmured. He had scanned the Eastern City with his divine sense, but Lian Daofei was nowhere to be found.