“By the stars, it is truly thee! I have sought thee for what feels like an eternity, truly thee!” The figure, adorned in a jester’s motley of colors, whirled around, his gaze sweeping across the assembled throng below before settling upon Wang Lin, hovering above.

“Where art thou hiding? Brother, which amongst these mortals is my benefactor?”

Wang Lin watched the erratic figure, his heart heavy. He saw no recognition in the other’s eyes, no flicker of shared memory. With a sigh, Wang Lin descended, landing softly before the man.

“Dao Fei… it is I,” Wang Lin spoke softly, using the younger man’s name.

“Dao Fei? You call me by that name? You must be daft, cur! Do you know to whom you speak? I am powerful, I tell you! Exceedingly so!” The garishly dressed youth puffed out his chest, glaring fiercely at Wang Lin.

“Hmm… could it be… could *you* be my benefactor?” The youth scratched his head, circling Wang Lin with a perplexed frown. A young man in simple blue robes, who had been clinging to the youth, released his hold and stood respectfully by, ever attentive.

“Well, if thou insists, then so be it. Now that introductions are complete, tell me, who is the scoundrel that did so ill to Little Flower’s grandsire? Was it him?” The jester’s finger shot out, pointing accusingly at the solemn Grand Tutor, who stood some distance away, his brow furrowed in displeasure.

From within the gilded halls of the Immortal Palace, a voice resonated, tinged with weariness and perhaps a hint of exasperation. “Dao Fei, cease this foolishness, or I shall confine you once more! This is the Ceremony of Ascension. Lo Gong’s defeat at the hands of thy benefactor bears no connection to the Grand Tutor! Withdraw at once!” It was the voice of the Immortal Emperor.

“Ah?” Dao Fei’s face creased with confusion, as if he was struggling to untangle a knot. He blinked, then seized the arm of the blue-robed youth beside him.

“Help me make sense of this. My mind is clouded… Little Flower’s grandsire was not harmed by the Grand Tutor? And this noble one… he challenged my benefactor? This is all quite perplexing… Pray, analyze the situation for me.”

The blue-robed youth winced. He glanced at Wang Lin, then back at Dao Fei, lowering his voice to a whisper. “My Lord, perhaps we should depart hence… Ah! I recall! We have a batch of elixirs brewing, and the alchemical fires must be tended! If we delay, the concoction shall be ruined, and you promised those very elixirs to Heavenly Venerate Hai Zi!”

“Elixirs? Yes, I am crafting elixirs!” Dao Fei blinked, as if awakening from a dream. He spun around, ready to leave, but then halted, whirling back to face the blue-robed youth.

“Nay! It is not so simple! Little Flower’s grandsire was indeed attacked! That much I remember! You… you… Hmph! Little Red! Cease your feigning of death! Unearth the villain who harmed Little Flower’s grandsire! I shall bestow a generous reward upon thee!”

Dao Fei brandished his fan with dramatic flair, shouting towards the distant figure of Xu Li Guo, who appeared to be playing possum.

Xu Li Guo’s eyes snapped open. He leaped to his feet with unnatural alacrity, a fawning expression plastered across his face. He hurried forward, mimicking the obsequious manner of a common constable, his gaze first settling upon the grim-faced Lo family elder, then shifting to Wang Lin.

But the moment his eyes met Wang Lin’s, Xu Li Guo’s entire body shuddered. It was a tremor that resonated from the deepest recesses of his soul. He stared at Wang Lin, dumbfounded, as if grappling with a waking dream, a sense of half-forgotten familiarity gnawing at his mind.

“Auspicious Calamity… Lord…” Xu Li Guo stammered, a flood of long-dormant memories threatening to surface. But then, Dao Fei seized him by the shoulders and shook him violently.

The sudden jolt snapped Xu Li Guo back to reality. His face paled, and he recoiled from Wang Lin, pointing a trembling finger.

“It is him! It is him! My Lord, *he* is the one who injured Little Flower’s grandsire!”

“Aha! So it was you!” Dao Fei roared, casting aside his fan. He lunged forward, grabbing Wang Lin by the throat with both hands, a menacing scowl twisting his features.

“I shall strangle thee! Strangle thee for this offense!”

Wang Lin closed his eyes, masking the sorrow in his gaze. He knew Dao Fei held no memories of the realm they had once shared.

“Dao Fei, enough!” The voice of the Immortal Emperor boomed from the Immortal Palace, laced with anger. As he spoke, the Emperor emerged from the grand hall. With a wave of his hand, Dao Fei, who was still strangling Wang Lin, was sent flying backward like a weightless leaf. The blue-robed youth and Xu Li Guo scrambled to catch up, unwilling to remain alone in the Emperor’s presence.

“Blackclad Guard, escort him from the palace grounds, and see that he does not return!” The Emperor scowled, his voice a low growl.

“Just you wait! I shall not forget thy transgression against Little Flower’s grandsire…” Dao Fei’s voice faded into the distance. When Wang Lin opened his eyes, the jester was gone, leaving only the lingering glow of the teleportation array.

“Since his return, Dao Fei has been thus, his memories flickering between clarity and oblivion. Perhaps, in a moment of lucidity, he shall recognize thee,” the Immortal Emperor sighed, his shoulders slumping. In that moment, he seemed less like a mighty Celestial Sovereign and more like a worried elder brother.

Wang Lin remained silent. He had come to the ancestral city only to see Dao Fei. Now that he had, even if the youth had lost his memories, he felt a measure of peace. A sense of departure settled upon him.

“The formal challenge is unnecessary. Wang Lin, you have ascended seventeen levels of the Celestial Ascensions Tower. Therefore, I hereby proclaim thee the forty-ninth Ascendant Celestial of the Immortal Clan!

You are known as the White Haired One, and thou hast also acquired the White Haired Spirit from the Celestial Lion beast. Therefore, I bestow upon thee the title White Haired Ascendant Celestial!

All Ascendant Celestials of the Immortal Clan are granted the singular privilege of entering the Ancestral Immortal’s Secluded Domain for contemplation. There, thou shalt find immense fortune, laying a foundation for your future ascension to the rank of Grand Celestial!

Even within the Ancestral Immortal’s Secluded Domain, your cultivation shall undoubtedly increase significantly. This opportunity is exceedingly rare. Even those of the Imperial line are granted such a boon only thrice in their lifetimes. Those not of the Imperial line are granted such an opportunity only when they become Ascendant Celestials!

This is a momentous occasion. Wang Lin, there have been misunderstandings between us. It is my wish that these differences be cast aside. Within the Ancestral Immortal’s Secluded Domain, contemplate deeply, so that you may strive to become the sixth Yang of the Immortal Clan!

Become a cornerstone of the Immortal Clan and restore the Ancestral Immortals to their former glory!” The Immortal Emperor’s tone was sincere, his gaze locked on Wang Lin before drifting towards the receding glow of the teleportation array.

“I have only this one younger brother,” The Emperor lamented quietly.
“Journey to the Weeping Glades of the Ascended Ancestor,” the Immortal Emperor declared, his gaze warm upon Wang Lin. “I shall bid Dao Fei also venture there. Perhaps Qixu will find his memories stirred amidst those hallowed grounds. When first I discovered him, a woman was at his side. She, too, has awakened, and now communes with the essence of that sacred place.”

Wang Lin clasped his fist to his palm in a respectful bow. “My gratitude, Immortal Emperor. My purpose here was solely for the investiture. That ceremony concluded, the time has come for my departure. Should I return to the Ancestral City, then perhaps I shall visit the Weeping Glades.” He declined the offered reward, a hint of defiance flickering in his eyes.

The Immortal Emperor, though silent for a moment, nodded slowly, offering no further persuasion.

Thus, the Investiture Ceremony drew to a close beneath the resolute gaze of the midday sun. One by one, the assembled cultivators departed from the plaza before the Immortal Dao Palace, each bowing with deference. Wang Lin, likewise, left the imperial palace, rejecting the Emperor’s offer of lodging within its gilded walls. He walked alone, his footsteps echoing in the grand halls, and departed via the teleportation array.

He did not linger at the Li Estate, but instead returned, with Hailong and Liu Jinbiao in tow, to his room within the Eastern District inn.

“I have seen him… Though memory has forsaken him, he seems content. And that, perhaps, is enough,” Wang Lin murmured, standing by the window, watching as twilight painted the sky. He had stood thus for what felt like an age.

“The time for departure is at hand… Very well, I shall take Xu Liguo with me, and leave this Ancestral Heart of the Immortal Clan… To the realm of the… Ancient Clan!” A sigh escaped his lips, tinged with weariness. He had endured much within this immortal realm, achieving a position of power and cultivation, yet it all seemed a trifle in the face of a lost friend’s amnesia.

“Perhaps I have misjudged the Immortal Emperor…” Wang Lin pondered, recalling the Investiture Ceremony. He could find no logical reason for his distrust, save for a primal instinct.

“Regardless, I cannot venture to those Weeping Glades. Whether my suspicion is justified or not, caution and vigilance must not be swayed by mere words.” As he contemplated this, the sky outside darkened, and snowflakes began to fall. They danced like raven’s feathers in the lamplight, flitting between the brightness and the encroaching shadows.

The snow fell silently, inexorably. Then, as the storm intensified, a soft knocking echoed upon the door of Wang Lin’s room.

The sound was unhurried, gentle.

“Heavenly Venerate Haizi,” Wang Lin acknowledged, turning as the door eased open. Haizi stood there, a smile gracing her lips, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. A dusting of unmelted snow adorned her tresses, lending a strange and ethereal beauty to the already stunning woman.

“Having come to the Ancestral City, why did you not visit Emperor’s Peak…? The crimson leaves may be gone, but the snow is now upon it. Wang Lin, I come by order of my Shifu, inviting you to Emperor’s Peak.”

“With the Great Heavenly Venerate Jiudi’s invitation, how could I refuse?” Wang Lin replied, a faint smile playing on his own lips.

Veiled by the swirling snow, the moon hid its face. The streets, rapidly emptying as the storm worsened, were now nearly deserted. Wang Lin and Haizi stepped into the blizzard, leaving four sets of footprints in their wake, soon to be erased by the relentless snowfall.

“Aside from designated locations, the Ancestral City, due to its enchantments, does not permit unrestricted teleportation. Not far ahead lies one of the Emperor’s Peak teleportation arrays. We shall arrive at our destination quickly.”

She studied Wang Lin, her gaze keen. “I sense a yearning for departure within you. When do you intend to leave?”

“As soon as I descend from Emperor’s Peak…” Wang Lin replied, his voice calm, each footstep crunching upon the accumulating snow.

Silence enveloped them, broken only by the whisper of the falling snow. Even the wind seemed to have fled. They walked along a long, darkened street, the houses on either side devoid of light, casting an eerie and unsettling shadow upon the scene. It was as if even the snow itself carried a hidden, deadly intent.

Wang Lin’s stride faltered. A flicker of cold calculation flashed in his eyes, and a prickling sense of peril washed over him. Haizi, too, sensed the change. Her expression hardened as she stopped, her eyes darting nervously, searching their surroundings.

“There’s a fluctuation of sealing magic…”

“No one knew that I was coming to see you!” Haizi declared, her voice laced with urgency.

Wang Lin did not speak, but the icy edge in his gaze deepened.

The snow fell faster, fiercer…