A tremor ran through Xu Liguo’s frame. He stared, unblinking, at Wang Lin. Visions, shimmering like heat haze, flooded his mind, and tears welled in his eyes.

He remembered Wang Lin, recalled being forged into a demonic thrall under his will.

He remembered millennia of servitude, his very being subservient, the biting commands of his star-cursed master.

His recollection surged, complete and overwhelming, as the moment of his reincarnation before leaving the Cave World blazed into consciousness.

“M-Master!” Xu Liguo stammered, his eyes widening in startled joy. He scrambled forward, past the madman, shoving aside Liu Jinbiao, who, with a smug grin, was about to greet their Lord.

Staggering Liu Jinbiao back several paces, Xu Liguo planted himself in the vacated space, his face shifting from elation to an ingrained obsequiousness.

“Master, little Xu is finally reunited! Years have passed, yet every night, in my dreams, I see your glorious face, longing to be at your side.

Master…my loyalty to you is unyielding, untouched by the passage of ages, untainted by past lives. You are my master, now and forever! Through countless rebirths, I shall remain yours!

Master, do not abandon me! Let me follow you, even into the deepest abyss, the hottest fires! I, Xu Liguo, will not flinch!

Master, though our paths crossed late, my service is destined to be the longest! Some may have been fortunate enough to find favor sooner, but none can compare to my unwavering devotion! Master, I have found you at last!” As he spoke, Xu Liguo squeezed his eyes, forcing out a few shimmering tears, while Liu Jinbiao watched, dumbfounded.

Even amidst this impassioned declaration, Xu Liguo shot a venomous glare at Liu Jinbiao, a silent promise that he, Xu Liguo, was destined to be the Master’s favored servant!

*Bah! No one knows this star-cursed one better than I! While you, little Jinbiao, were still swindling peasants, I was at his side. You dare to compete for his affection? This Xu is not to be trifled with! Jinbiao’s arrogance must be crushed!*

The venomous stare sent a shiver down Liu Jinbiao’s spine. The specter of Xu Liguo’s past dominance still haunted him. He hesitated, about to retort, when a fierce screech pierced the air.

The miniature sea dragon, no thicker than a finger, that had been perched on Liu Jinbiao’s shoulder, had heard Xu Liguo’s name and now glared at him with furious eyes, snapping and hissing.

Xu Liguo recoiled, startled by the outburst.

Liu Jinbiao’s face broke into a triumphant grin. Had Wang Lin not been present, he would have roared with laughter.

“Ha! My foresight has saved me! With this sea dragon at my side, try and intimidate me now, Xu Liguo!” He patted the dragon’s back, his eyes brimming with challenge as he met Xu Liguo’s furious gaze.

Wang Lin, however, ignored their petty squabble. His gaze was fixed on the madman, who stood speechless, struck dumb by Xu Liguo’s words.

The madman had forgotten all about his grudge against Wang Lin. He stared at Xu Liguo, his face crumpling, as if on the verge of tears.

“Xiao Hong… Xiao Hong, what are you saying? Am I not your master? How can he be your master? Who is your master? Tell me!” He grabbed Xu Liguo’s arm, desperation etched on his face.

Xu Liguo, recalling their past, saw the madman in a new light, his eyes hardening. The same cold calculation that had once driven him and Liu Jinbiao to bleed the weak in the Cave World now flickered within him.

“Release me! This Xu has only one master, and that is this… this aura-wreathed, wise, and powerful being!” He glanced nervously at Wang Lin, inwardly cursing his slip of the tongue. *Too long away from the Master’s side, and my words betray me!*

“Begone! Do not pester this Xu any longer!” He wrenched himself free, took a step back, and puffed out his chest, a mask of unwavering loyalty.

The madman’s face contorted with pain, his eyes reddening. He turned to Wang Lin and roared,

“It is you! You hurt Xiao Hua’s grandfather and stole my Xiao Hong! My Xiao Hong! You…” The madman lunged at Wang Lin, trying to strangle him.

Wang Lin gazed at the raging figure with a complex expression, then sighed.

“Madman…I came to the Ancestral City for this reunion…if you cannot remember me, then let the events of the Cave World be just a dream… Madman… I am leaving.” Wang Lin closed his eyes, allowing the madman to clutch at his throat. After a moment, a wave of gentle force emanated from his body, pushing the madman back several paces.

Wang Lin opened his eyes, turned, and strode towards the plains beyond the city.

Xu Liguo and Liu Jinbiao scrambled to follow, heedless of the madman. As they walked, their eyes locked in a silent battle, Liu Jinbiao radiating smugness, Xu Liguo simmering with barely concealed rage. For on Liu Jinbiao’s shoulder, the sea dragon snarled, its eyes fixed on Xu Liguo.

*Blast it all! This Xu only has one pair of eyes, but that damned Liu Jinbiao and his ugly serpent have two! I must devise a plan…or my standing will be lost.*

As the three figures receded into the distance, the madman stood outside the city gates, staring after them, muttering to himself.

“Xiao Hong… Xiao Hong… why did you leave? That cursed scoundrel! He dared to steal my Xiao Hong! I will tell my brother! No, I will tell my master!

My master is powerful… but why do I… The madman suddenly stopped, his head snapping up. He stared into the distance at the receding figure clad in white.
A tremor seized the madman’s form as the echoes of “King’s Teachings… King’s Teachings…” reverberated within him. As if a seal, long-dormant within the labyrinth of his mind, began to loosen its grip. Memories, like fragments of a shattered mirror, threatened to coalesce.

“The Realm of Caverns… King’s Teachings… Emptiness… Awakening…” The madman’s body shook with increasing intensity. A mental thunderclap ripped through him, and a vision, vivid and disorienting, flooded his senses.

In the fleeting scene, he saw himself rescuing the very man before him. Together, they plunged into a shared dream, a realm where he tirelessly sought the mark branded upon his arm!

Instinctively, he raised his arm. He gazed upon the once-unblemished skin and beheld a palm print, slowly surfacing, as though a hand had gripped him for an eternity.

Tears welled in his unseeing eyes, tracing paths down his weathered face to kiss the snow-laden ground. Faintly, echoes of remembrance stirred within him!

He recalled encountering a corpse in the Realm of Caverns, a lifeless husk that he had resurrected with his own blood.

He remembered that resurrected being, Wang Lin, who had shown him unwavering kindness…

He remembered the hazy dream-realm…

More vividly, he recalled awakening again, only to find his brother standing over him. After that, a murky fog had descended, sealing away his memories. It was as if his brother had woven some potent spell upon him!

Only fragmented impressions remained: the cold, calculating glint in his brother’s eyes, a gaze that instilled fear and dread, driving him to seek the protection of Wang Lin.

He remembered!

“Wang Lin… Wang… Wang Lin!! Master!!” The madman cried out, his voice cracking with emotion.

The anguished cry reverberated through the heavens, reaching Wang Lin’s ears from afar. The words, “Master,” and “Wang Lin,” pulsed with a significance that sent tremors through his soul. He whirled around, heart pounding in his chest.

As he turned, his pupils contracted in disbelief. Emerging from behind the madman, just beyond the city gates, was a swirling vortex of gold. From its depths stepped a figure of regal bearing!

Clad in imperial robes, crowned with a diadem of shimmering gold, stood the Immortal Sovereign himself. His gaze was gentle, his hand reaching out to rest upon the madman’s shoulder.

The moment the Sovereign’s hand made contact, a veil of confusion descended upon the madman’s eyes. The palm print on his arm faded into nothingness.

“Wang Lin, you seek to depart, but I cannot permit it,” the Immortal Sovereign declared, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. “Dao Fei’s memories stir. I must take him to the Ancestral Immortal’s secluded sanctuary beneath the Imperial Palace. There, perhaps, he can recover completely.” With a fleeting smile, the Sovereign, accompanied by the bewildered madman, stepped back into the golden vortex and vanished.

The snow continued to fall, obscuring any trace of what had occurred. Wang Lin stood transfixed, witnessing the events unfold. After a moment of profound contemplation, his eyes blazed with newfound resolve!

“The Ancestral Immortal’s sanctuary again! And he speaks of it being beneath the Imperial Palace! His intentions are clear: he wants me to come!” Wang Lin’s face hardened as he glared at the Ancestral City.

“The madman’s cries… a sign of awakened memories. It seems this entire scenario has been orchestrated by the Immortal Sovereign himself. Using the madman as bait, he intends to prevent me from leaving, forcing me into the Imperial Tombs…”

“First, the titles and rewards, offered only to those who descend into the Tombs. When I refused, the assassination attempt in the long street followed. It is certain that the Sovereign orchestrated the street battle to capture me, but it failed. Then, my massacre of the would-be assassins summoned Jiu Di, which the Sovereign used as an excuse to stay his hand…”

“And so, he concocted this new scheme, using the madman to lure me to the Tombs!”

“The Ancestral Immortal’s sanctuary… the Imperial Tombs… what secrets lie hidden within? Why does the Immortal Sovereign insist on my presence there? Should I go, or should I not?” Wang Lin pondered in silence, until his eyes met the heavens, and a glimmer of defiance sparked in his core!

Some paths, though fraught with peril, must be walked.

Wang Lin inhaled deeply. With a wave of his hand, he gathered Xu Li Guo, Liu Jin Biao, and the Sea Dragon into his storage realm. Alone, he turned towards the storm-swept Ancestral City, intent to challenge the Tomb!