A mark, a dragon of azure hue, stepping upon the clouds, was emblazoned upon the shield. From within the ancient relic emanated a godlike aura, yet this very mark contained it, preventing the full force of its essence from escaping, forever imprisoning it within the shield’s confines. Wang Lin, lost in contemplation, raised his right hand and, with sudden purpose, touched the mark.

The moment his finger grazed the dragon’s likeness, a powerful force erupted, sending his hand reeling back with a resounding crack.

The azure shield trembled, the dragon mark blazing with intense light, culminating in a burst of pure energy that coalesced into a majestic Azure Dragon!

Ten measures in length, the dragon filled a large part of the palace with its serpentine form. Scales shimmering with iridescent beauty, it exuded an ancient majesty. With a thunderous roar, it opened its maw, lunging towards Wang Lin, intent on swallowing him whole.

“Vile beast!” Wang Lin’s eyes turned to ice. He swept his right hand through the air, conjuring a whirlwind that battered against the dragon. Swift as lightning, he seized the creature, preparing to crush it.

But in that instant, the dragon’s eyes glowed with a fierce light. Its form shimmered, and a wisp of azure energy detached itself, transforming into a smaller dragon doppelganger, aiming for Wang Lin’s brow.

Wang Lin scoffed. His brow was his most formidable defense, for within lay the potential of the third eye, surpassing even the physical might of a true god, to say nothing of the Heaven Defying Bead.

“Seeking death!” A fissure tore open on Wang Lin’s brow, revealing a crimson light that burned like a miniature sun. The opening widened into a dark void, exuding an irresistible force that engulfed the approaching dragon.

The azure dragon clone faltered, its eyes wide with terror. A desperate growl escaped its throat as it tried to retreat, but it was too late. As the third eye opened, the smaller dragon was consumed, leaving only the echo of its anguished roar resonating through the palace.

The dragon in Wang Lin’s grasp weakened, its light fading. With a final squeeze, it shattered into motes of azure, which then disappeared. In Wang Lin’s hand remained a fragment, no larger than a fingernail.

Etched upon the fragment was an image of the Azure Dragon, so lifelike that any mortal beholding it would be struck with awe.

Turning the fragment over in his hand, Wang Lin sensed a faint resonance with the Vermillion Bird mark residing within his brow.

“The Four Sacred Sects: Vermillion Bird, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, White Tiger… could this fragment belong to the Azure Dragon Sacred Sect?” He pondered, then stored the fragment within his pouch, his gaze returning to the azure shield.

Without the dragon mark, the godly aura swirled within the shield but was no longer actively contained. Frowning, Wang Lin examined it more closely, his eyes narrowing.

Where the mark had been, a vortex of azure energy spun lazily. Concealed by the mark before, the vortex was now revealed.

The vortex was weak, yet under Wang Lin’s scrutiny, a lingering will could be discerned within. This will was entwined with the godly aura, inexplicably bound together. To decipher the will, one would need to possess a godly essence, for no mere mortal could separate the two.

Whether a cultivator of the Third Step could achieve this, Wang Lin did not know. But he was certain that Floating Wind, with his limited power, could not. This was likely the reason the will had remained dormant for so long.

“To leave a will within this shield… it is strange indeed.” Wang Lin mused. Unless the will was banished, the godly aura could not be released, and the full power of the shield would remain untapped.

After a moment’s consideration, Wang Lin’s eyes hardened with determination. Without hesitation, he raised his right index finger, inhaling deeply. The god-star upon his brow pulsed and began to rotate, causing the power of a god to gather upon his fingertip. In a flash, he struck out, aiming directly for the vortex within the small hole on the shield’s side.

As his finger touched the vortex, the god-power concentrated upon it surged forth like a raging tide, colliding with the azure energy.

Instantly, the godly aura emanating from the shield shuddered and writhed, converging upon Wang Lin’s finger.

At the same time, the entangled will was severed, sending a voice of immense authority echoing through Wang Lin’s mind. “I am the Azure Dragon Sacred Emperor, besieged in the Rain Immortal Realm! He who saves me shall be crowned the first among the Azure Dragon lineage! He who carries news of me back to the Azure Dragon Sacred Sect shall be granted a favor by the Four Sacred Sects.”

“My power wanes, and I fear I cannot endure for long. I implore whoever finds this will to hasten to my aid!”

Wang Lin recoiled. Before he could fully comprehend what he had heard, the will within the azure shield vanished. The godly aura exploded forth in a torrent.

Unrestrained, the long-suppressed aura surged outward, creating a tempestuous storm. Wang Lin’s expression shifted as he seized the shield, his form blurring as he teleported from the palace into the starry expanse.

The moment he appeared, the godly aura was unleashed. So dense and powerful was the force that even Wang Lin himself was shaken.

The endless surge of energy materialized into a colossal apparition, an ethereal god-like figure that loomed over the heavens. Above its brow, a swirling constellation of stars obscured its true power!

As for the shield, originally palm-sized, it rapidly expanded under the azure light, growing to several measures in an instant, and continuing to enlarge!

With each expansion, a wave of immense power swept outward. The shield transformed from a dainty trinket into a crude, formidable bulwark, eventually reaching hundreds of measures in size. An unimaginable pressure descended upon all beneath it.

Far off, the Three Dust Brothers, having sensed the disturbance, approached rapidly. Gazing upon the scene, their eyes widened with renewed astonishment. Wang Lin had become something truly extraordinary in their eyes. “What manner of magic item is this?”

“It takes the form of a shield, suggesting a defensive purpose, but its size is unprecedented! And look at the spirit it manifests – a being that almost touches the heavens! I have never encountered anything like it!”

“Our friend Wang must have only just acquired this treasure and is now attempting to master it!” The Three Dust Brothers muttered amongst themselves, conveniently bending the truth to their understanding.

Further away, the cultivators residing on Water Spirit Star were abruptly awakened from their meditations by a tremor of their very souls. Lacking sufficient power, they could only sense an unimaginable weight pressing upon the world, paralyzing them with fear. Any movement, they believed, would invite the sky to fall and crush them.

The girl Shui Ling, who had been seated in meditation, admired a pair of bells before her. Suddenly, she felt the oppressive weight of the heavens descend. A soothing blue light emanated from her chest, enveloping her and providing a measure of protection.

Despite the light, Ling’er still felt uneasy. Frowning, she arose and peered out the window, a sight of utter disbelief causing her mouth to fall open.

In the distance, a colossal figure knelt, its form so vast that it nearly touched the sky. Had it stood fully, a single footstep would likely shatter Water Spirit Star.

Big Head and the others appeared, their faces frozen in awe. Lei Ji, trembling with reverence, gazed upon the shield and the giant image, clearly remembering something. In the ancestral domain on Giant Devil Star stood a sacred totem with similar imagery to the giant before them.

Floating Wind, the first to detect the anomaly, floated in the air, his expression a complex mix of emotions as he beheld the enormous shield held by Wang Lin. He had claimed the shield years ago, a spoil of war in a fight with an enemy. After studying the shield, Floating Wind realized the shield was likely connected to the Four Sacred Sects.

He rarely showed it. He only revealed it previously to save himself. He could break the Azure Dragon seal on the shield, but he could not remove a vortex.

But now, Wang Lin had unlocked the vortex. Floating Wind could not help but feel unease at the abilities of Wang Lin. “This Wang Lin is not to be trifled with. To follow him might not be such an insult to the prestige of Floating Wind.”

Wang Lin’s gaze remained fixed upon the shield, which continued to grow, reaching nearly three hundred measures in size.

Up close, the shield looked like a crude, yet formidable, wall. The true relic of a god.

As the shield grew, so too did the godly apparition behind it, eventually dwarfing everything on Water Spirit Star.

Then, the shield ceased to expand with a hum. The giant apparition slowly lowered its head, obscuring the sky. The spinning stars above its brow slowed and then stopped altogether. In that moment, Wang Lin’s eyes blazed with shock and elation, for he recognized something.