A low growl escaped his throat, his right hand trembling slightly. He was, after all, gravely wounded. Though he had recovered somewhat, and the elixirs of the Thunder God Temple had suppressed the lingering pain, allowing him to momentarily reach his peak, the casting of this lightning incantation still strained him.

Gritting his teeth through the growl, he brought his right hand down with sudden force. Instantly, the descending bolt of celestial lightning, crackling with furious energy, transformed into an unimaginable display of heavenly might and crashed down.

War Skyfire’s face darkened. His hands moved swiftly, weaving an intricate series of hand seals. He then spat forth a mouthful of vital essence onto his wooden sword. The blade hummed to life, radiating a dense aura of sword qi. With a deafening shriek, it shot skyward, directly confronting the descending thunder.

The two forces met, unleashing a cataclysmic boom that echoed across the very heavens. The lightning shattered in a brilliant explosion, and even the wooden sword was forced back. The remaining strands of raw energy filled the air, so dense they caused the surrounding rocks to shatter and crumble into dust.

War Skyfire staggered, retreating several steps. His face was ashen, but his gaze remained fixed on Shen Gonghu, smoldering with dark anger. He had been provoked, and battle-lust now burned bright in his eyes.

Shen Gonghu fared no better. He stumbled back, stopping only when he reached the edge of the Lightning Pool. A trickle of blood ran down his chin. But his eyes blazed as he stared at War Skyfire, and he roared with laughter. “I’ve long held contempt for you, you simpering weakling! Today’s battle proves you do possess some skill, after all!”

Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed with interest. He had witnessed the battle with keen observation. The clash of powers at the Yang Solidification realm had given him a moment of enlightenment. Either of these two combatants’ mystic arts were far beyond what he could currently withstand.

However, he had also noticed certain flaws. Shen Gonghu’s lightning incantation seemed incomplete. The unleashed might of the summoned thunder should have been even more devastating.

Wang Lin had, after all, gazed upon the edge of the Third Step. When he first entered the Inner Ring of the Lightning Pool, he had even glimpsed, however faintly, the rules governing lightning. Now, with this newfound perspective, he could see imperfections in Shen Gonghu’s Thunder-based sorcery. It was akin to a man who, though knowing nothing of swordplay, could point out flaws in a master’s technique after having read numerous texts on the art.

Though he could see and point out the flaws, he had yet to reach the level where he could wield such power himself.

Wang Lin found himself in this very situation. His eyes flashed, and he said, in a level tone, “Shen Gonghu, your mystic art possesses the *威* (Wei – authority, might) of lightning, but lacks its *魂* (Hun – soul, essence). Though your Dao Heart merges with it, it is not enough. Your very beliefs lack the strength of lightning.”

Shen Gonghu started, his eyes widening. He had heard these words before. The Lord of the Thunder God Temple, and elders of his clan had spoken similarly. Yet, hearing it from Wang Lin now sent a jolt of electric energy through him. He hastily said, “Please, Divine Reverend, enlighten me.”

Even War Skyfire, standing at a distance, was startled. He was growing increasingly convinced of his own wild and improbable hypothesis. Shen Gonghu’s problem was one that haunted him as well.

The elders of the War Clan had merely told him that he must find his own understanding, for such things could not be taught. They, too, were groping in the darkness, unsure whether their own intuitions were true or false. How could they guide their juniors?

If they were right, all would be well. But what if they were wrong…?

After all, no one knew if the path they tread brought them closer to the true Dao, or led them astray. For they could not see the Third Step.

Wang Lin, however, was different. He had seen the Third Step, and thus he knew the direction one must take. Others were afraid to speak, lest they be wrong, or were unsure of their words.

But Wang Lin knew he was right!

The scene was utterly bizarre. Shen Gonghu and War Skyfire, who moments before were ready to tear each other apart, had now, by unspoken agreement, abandoned their duel, and now watched Wang Lin.

Their gazes were different, however. Shen Gonghu looked up to him with blind reverence. War Skyfire’s gaze held a certain amount of doubt.

Wang Lin did not elaborate. Such matters could not be explained too clearly. One either understood through a fleeting glimpse, or the understanding would forever elude them.

After a pause, Wang Lin raised his right hand and casually formed a small ball of lightning. To Shen Gonghu and War Skyfire, its power seemed insignificant.

But then, both men gasped. Wang Lin focused his gaze upon the spark of lightning in his palm. His eyes began to glow with an otherworldly light. With a flick of his wrist, the lightning dissipated, leaving behind only the faintest, almost imperceptible glimmer!

The glimmer could not last. In the briefest instant, it flickered and vanished. Wang Lin closed his eyes, concealing the exhaustion in his gaze. Had the situation not been so perilous, he would not have deigned to engage in such a display of arcane showmanship.

“Do you understand?” he asked softly, his eyes still closed.

“The source… Return to the source…” Shen Gonghu’s eyes flashed with sudden understanding. He trembled with excitement, and without hesitation, he bowed deeply to Wang Lin. The reverence in his eyes had deepened into something close to worship.

His mind was now clear, as if a veil had been torn away. In that moment, Shen Gonghu was as if enlightened! He whirled around to face War Skyfire, a fierce light burning in his eyes. “Let us fight again!” he said.

War Skyfire felt a chill run down his spine. His belief in his own theory regarding Wang Lin had reached its peak. All doubts had vanished. He took several steps back and bowed deeply to Wang Lin, saying respectfully, “Junior War Skyfire, I did not realize Senior was present. I apologize for my previous impudence. I shall take my leave at once!”

He cast an envious glance at Shen Gonghu, as he now understood why someone as arrogant as Shen Gonghu would attach himself to another. “Congratulations, Brother Shen!” War Skyfire said, his voice laced with just a hint of resentment.

Shen Gonghu said nothing, only looked coldly at War Skyfire.

War Skyfire remained unconcerned, and only laughed, “Brother Shen, I have received the summons of the Thunder God Temple. From now on, we shall both be Envoys of the Thunder God Temple! Farewell!” He bowed once more to Wang Lin, then turned and departed without another word.
Shen Gonghu offered no resistance, but a chilling glint sparked in his eyes, like frost on a winter moon. “What manner of thing is this ‘Summoning Decree’?” Wang Lin asked, his voice as calm as a still pond.

Shen Gonghu whirled around, his face a mask of reverence. “The Summoning Decree is an edict from the Thunder Immortal Hall itself. It is bestowed upon those deemed worthy as potential Emissaries of the Hall.”

“Three months before each opening of the Thunder Immortal Hall, a reshuffling of Emissary ranks occurs. Any vacancies are filled through trials of strength amongst the candidates. With Zhan Konglie’s cultivation, he is almost assured victory this time, barring some unforeseen calamity!”

Wang Lin nodded slightly, offering no further words, and closed his eyes once more, continuing to draw the thunderous energy into his body, transmuting it into vital Yuan force.

A glint of excitement flickered in Shen Gonghu’s eyes. He had gained some small insight just moments before, and immediately settled cross-legged within the thunderous pool, resuming his own cultivation.

Time flowed onward, like a river eroding stone, and eight years passed in the blink of an eye. Adding to the two years prior, a decade had slipped away. Under the aegis of Wang Lin’s Thunder Dao Arts, the Yuan force within his body gradually stabilized, his Primordial Spirit reaching a state of saturation, unable to absorb even the smallest sliver more.

Wang Lin understood the reason. His cultivation was insufficient. Only upon reaching the Second Step could he continue absorbing the power. The most pressing matter was to transcend his current limitations.

He rose to his feet, gazing upon the surrounding lightning. Ten years of communion with the thunder had granted him a deeper understanding of its essence, as if he could perceive its very source, though the vision remained shrouded in a veil of obscurity.

With a silent step, Wang Lin departed, leaving the inner circle of the Thunder Pool behind, and heading towards its outer reaches.

Shen Gonghu had been sent away by Wang Lin three years prior. Although the man harbored deep reverence for him, Wang Lin felt a persistent unease in his presence. Before departing, Shen Gonghu left a jade slip bearing a message.

With a deafening roar, the Silver Horned Thunder Beast descended. Wang Lin mounted its back, transforming into a bolt of pure lightning, leaving the Thunder Pool behind. His Immortal Guard puppet became a shadow, merging into the darkness behind Wang Lin.

Enhanced by a decade of consuming thunderous power, the Thunder Beast’s speed was astonishing. It pierced through the shattered layers of rock surrounding the pool, and vanished into the profound depths of the starry sky.

Wang Lin was aware of the changes occurring within the Celestial Jewel. The souls of Li Muwan and Wang Ping remained within, unharmed. In fact, they seemed more vibrant than ever before.

“The Thunder Immortal Realm in twenty years is a destination I cannot ignore. However, for now, I must seek a secluded place to raise my cultivation. Furthermore, the anomaly within the Celestial Jewel suggests it no longer requires the Five Elements. What, then, does it now crave?” Wang Lin pondered, astride the back of the Thunder Beast.

The Celestial Jewel was now divided into Yin and Yang, yet they remained separate, refusing to merge, a mystery that troubled Wang Lin.

“Sun and Moon… Yin and Yang…” Wang Lin murmured. The Thunder Beast, a streak of pure light, hurtled through the star-strewn void. After an indeterminate time, Wang Lin reached into his storage bag and retrieved a jade slip.

This was the star chart left by Shen Gonghu, detailing the southern region of the Luo Tian Starfield. Many locations were described within, ensuring Wang Lin would not lose his way.

Before him lay what was known as the desolate lands of the Luo Tian Starfield. The planets here were mostly abandoned, devoid of any remarkable qualities, and rarely visited by cultivators of great power.

However, these worlds were not entirely without inhabitants. Mortals dwelt upon them, and even a few low-level cultivation families clung to existence.

“Twenty years to prepare for the Thunder Immortal Realm. Furthermore, I must revise some of my divine abilities and spells. Many of them no longer align with the vision of the Third Step that I have glimpsed. Continuing to wield them in their current form would lead me astray. In particular, the countless souls of resentment needed to fuel the Daoist Yellow Springs must be gathered at an accelerated pace. And within this Luo Tian Starfield, it is time I claimed a cultivation star for myself!”

Lost in thought, Wang Lin’s eyes flashed. In the distance, he spotted a desolate planet. Yet, life thrived upon it, populated by countless mortals. He chose it because it reminded him… of the Vermillion Bird Planet!

He felt a pang of homesickness…

Wang Lin leapt from the Thunder Beast’s back. The creature whined, transforming reluctantly into the Divine Chariot, and disappearing into Wang Lin’s storage bag.

Just as he was about to descend upon the planet, Wang Lin’s expression shifted. From within his storage bag, the Immortal Sword pulsed with an intense energy, emanating both an aura of immense power and the ancient intent of the sword.

“Curse this sword intent! Your Grandpa Xu has finally conquered you! From this day forward, *I* am the true sword spirit! I am powerful! So very powerful!”

Xu Liguo was reborn. Tomorrow would be most interesting indeed.