And Zhou Ru, who had become a disciple of Liu Mei? Surely, there was some hidden intent there. Liu Mei, that woman was too cunning for her own good…”

Silence reigned for a long while as the complicated emotions stirred by the sight of Liu Mei were suppressed. Wang Lin withdrew his upward gaze, feeling the boundless power within him surge and churn. “The pinnacle of Void Nirvana!” His eyes gleamed. Now was not the time for speculation. Trapped within the Immortal Emperor’s dwelling, he needed to address the present challenges.

“All within this world operates by rules, be it the heavens, the earth, the five elements, or everything else. All contain their own inherent laws. To fully grasp each and every one of these laws would consume eons. Human strength is finite, and one might spend an entire lifetime without achieving complete understanding.” Wang Lin’s eyes flickered, and he fell into contemplation.

“Therefore, the Nirvana Scryers and even the Shattered Nirvana elders I’ve encountered each possess a single, deeply understood, and controlled rule. For example, Yan Leizi mastered the rule of fire.”

Lost in thought, a flash of lightning erupted from Wang Lin’s right eye, spreading outwards in a vast arc. With a thunderous roar, the light solidified into a brilliant sphere of lightning.

Within the lightning sphere was a hazy phantom, an exact replica of the Ancient Thunder Dragon’s spirit dwelling within Wang Lin. It seemed conjured from nothingness and fused itself into the heart of the electric sphere.

Looking at the orb, Wang Lin saw its form subtly shifting. Yet, unlike other objects viewed through his unique sight, it did not dissolve into mere lines. It became translucent, but ultimately, no true rule revealed itself.

“The Ancient Thunder Dragon I obtained years ago was only a fragment; the other half vanished into that abyss. Thus, the power of lightning is incomplete, and the rules it contains are imperfect.”

After a moment, Wang Lin clenched his right hand. The lightning sphere burst apart, scattering into countless arcs of electric energy. At that instant, the fire in his left eye blazed with renewed intensity, bursting forth in a torrent that transformed the air before him into a sea of flames, within which the silhouette of the Vermillion Bird flickered.

As Wang Lin focused his gaze, the Vermillion Bird dissolved into transparency, and the endless fire transmuted into a web of crimson lines, laid bare for his eyes to behold.

“Based on my understanding of the Dao and the teachings I have received, to reach Nirvana, one must completely master one or more rules, using that rule to draw upon the power of heaven and earth, ensuring the inexhaustible flow of vital energy within.”

“The strength of a Nirvana cultivator is also intimately linked to the rules they wield.”

Wang Lin waved his hand, dispelling the sea of fire as his eyes returned to normal. “The rules I understand best are lightning and fire. But the art of fire is newly acquired, and I am not yet familiar with it. Further comprehension is required before I can use it to break through to Void Nirvana.”

“However, such a breakthrough would lack the power of lightning. Even reaching Nirvana would be a diminished achievement. If I could fuse lightning and fire and use that combined force to reach Nirvana, the power would undoubtedly be far greater.”

Lost in thought, Wang Lin vanished into the depths of the broken ground, piercing the wall to arrive beside his true self, who sat in meditation.

The silver-clad woman remained on guard, her expression unchanging upon seeing Wang Lin’s avatar. Ignoring her, Wang Lin stepped forward, merging with his true form.

Moments later, the meditating Wang Lin slowly opened his eyes. The murderous aura that had clung to him receded, leaving behind his usual demeanor. With a glint in his eyes, he rose to his feet.

“The Vermillion Bird I saw in the starry sky with the aid of the Celestial Defier was identical to the totem on my body. There must be a connection…” Wang Lin stepped out of the shattered opening. The silver-clad woman silently followed, her gaze occasionally lingering on Wang Lin’s back, a fleeting hint of confusion in her eyes. As soon as they emerged, Wang Lin abruptly stepped back, uttering a soft exclamation.

A glimmer of dark light shot out from the depths below, so swift it became a streak, heading straight for Wang Lin. Before he could fully retreat, it was upon him. It was the Star Compassion Beast, its black fur slightly disheveled, but its eyes still sparkling with intelligence!

The adorable creature latched onto Wang Lin’s robes, as if swinging on a rope, emitting a series of clear, joyful cries.

After several swings, the Star Compassion Beast used the momentum to leap onto Wang Lin’s shoulder. It rubbed its face with its paws, as if cleaning itself, before pressing its moist nose against his neck, sniffing repeatedly.

The Star Compassion Beast was drawn to the aura of the Ancient God. During the reign of the Ancient Gods, the Star Compassion Beast was one of the few spirit beasts favored by them, a fact contained within the memories Wang Lin had inherited.

To the Star Compassion Beast, the aura of an Ancient God was a supreme tonic. Prolonged proximity to an Ancient God could greatly shorten its long maturation period and subtly trigger a transformation.

Once transformed, even during the era of the Ancient Gods, the Star Compassion Beast could become a valuable ally. However, this transformation was arduous, requiring prolonged absorption of the Ancient God’s aura.

Recalling Tu Si’s memories of the Star Compassion Beast’s transformed state, Wang Lin’s expression grew peculiar. Looking at the small creature on his shoulder, his expression became even more conflicted. “In Tu Si’s memories, any Ancient God who possessed a Star Compassion Beast was fiercely protective, treating it like a treasured possession. They would not tolerate anyone harming it, and some would even fly into a rage if outsiders merely touched it.”

The creature, reveling in the aura emanating from Wang Lin, sat upon his shoulder, its bright eyes filled with delight.

Wang Lin reached out and plucked the Star Compassion Beast from his shoulder. The creature seemed displeased, clinging tightly to Wang Lin’s clothing and growling softly, clearly reluctant to leave its perch.

Holding the Star Compassion Beast before him, Wang Lin carefully examined it. He had first seen it centuries ago, during his visit to Tian Yun Xing, and had felt an affection for it then. He never imagined that the Star Compassion Beast would willingly come to his side after all this time.

The creature was exquisitely formed, its bright eyes meeting his own. Man and beast stared at each other for a long moment. The small beast grew restless, and a smile appeared on Wang Lin’s face. He released his hold, and the Star Compassion Beast immediately scrambled back onto his shoulder, settling down lazily, sniffing the air contentedly.

Ignoring the creature, Wang Lin turned to leave, intending to use the jade map to continue exploring the Immortal Emperor’s dwelling.

But the moment he stepped forward, the Star Compassion Beast abruptly raised its head, its bright eyes shining, and darted away, crying to Wang Lin as it plunged back into the pit. Wang Lin’s eyes flickered. He glanced at the pit, and after a moment’s thought, followed the Star Compassion Beast downwards.

“The Star Compassion Beast is drawn to the aura of the Ancient Gods. Does that mean that something related to the Ancient Gods lies beneath the Burial Pond?” As Wang Lin descended, the image of the crimson tendon that had bound the Holy Ancestor Qiu Yao of the Fu Clan flashed through his mind.

The pit seemed bottomless. Despite Wang Lin’s continued descent, he saw no end. Only an increasingly intense chill emanated from below, permeating the pit walls and gradually forming a layer of icy mist.

It was as if he was descending into an endless abyss. Wang Lin maintained a calm expression, but his mind was alert and cautious. The Star Compassion Beast, clearly familiar with the area, had long vanished from sight.

The deeper he went, the greater the cold. Even his breath formed a visible dragon of air as it spread outwards. The pit walls were now covered in thick layers of ice, forming jagged, sharp blades that stretched outwards in concentric rings.

Wang Lin slowed his descent. After an unknown amount of time, a dark light emerged from below. The Star Compassion Beast landed on one of the ice blades, and upon seeing Wang Lin, it leaped onto his shoulder.

A wave of cold emanated from the Star Compassion Beast, but Wang Lin paid it no heed. His eyes were fixed on the darkness below.

Just as the Star Compassion Beast had approached, he had caught a glimpse of something in the depths, a gaze that seemed to pierce through all obstacles and fall upon him.

Wang Lin stared into the abyss, unmoving. After a long while, the energy within him stirred, and two pillars of flame burst from his eyes, expanding outwards in a sea of fire, illuminating the darkness below. Wang Lin, his doubts driving him, hurtled downwards.

As he descended, the ice formations became increasingly dense. After half an incense stick’s worth of time, Wang Lin reached the bottom of the pit. From this vantage point, he could see everything. The area below was a realm of ice, with vast glaciers encircling the area in grotesque shapes.

Within each block of ice was a lifelike corpse, frozen at the moment of death. These bodies, preserved in their final agonies, filled the silent pit, raising a chill in the heart.

These ice-encased corpses, however, did not startle Wang Lin. What truly shocked him was the sight that lay beyond the glaciers that circled the area. He saw objects that seemed to be sealed in the very center. In particular, he spotted the source of the gaze from above!

Peering through the gaps in the ice formations, Wang Lin’s pupils constricted.

In the very center of the pit’s bottom was a colossal figure, hundreds of feet in height!

It was not just anything. It was a head! The head of an Ancient God! The head was encased in ice, but its expression was clear to see, especially its eyes, which were not closed, but wide with pain and rage. The gaze that Wang Lin had felt from above emanated from the head’s wide eyes.

Though countless millennia had passed, though the Ancient God was long dead, though no Ancient God power remained, and even though the mark between its brows was gone, leaving only the shattered remnants of eight stars, its dying gaze remained vivid, striking awe into the hearts of all who beheld it!