Beyond a cluster of weathered rocks, two figures emerged before Wang Lin, a man and a woman. The man, possessed of a noble countenance and an air of refined elegance, bore a serene smile as he regarded Wang Lin.

Behind him, the woman’s gaze was gentle, though laced with surprise, as if she had not anticipated Wang Lin’s arrival in this secluded place.

Recognizing them as the immortal couple of Yun, Wang Lin maintained a placid expression, yet his heart was filled with wary caution. His cultivation was at its nadir within this Immortal Emperor’s domain, and a single misstep could spell his doom.

Retreating a measured pace, drawing near the edge of a nearby ward, Wang Lin clasped his hands in a respectful bow. “Greetings, esteemed Yun immortals.” As he spoke, his gaze casually swept past the couple, noting the absence of Zhou Yi, a realization that deepened his unease.

“Ah, young friend, your mastery of the wards is truly profound! I seem to have underestimated you,” Wang Wei, the man, declared with a chuckle. Zhou Yi had divulged little of Wang Lin, and Wang Wei believed that the young man’s ability to navigate the intricate wards suggested a mastery that bordered on the sublime.

He also saw the signs of lingering injuries upon Wang Lin.

The Yun immortals were an enigma. They had entered this Immortal Emperor’s domain alongside everyone else, presumably drawn into the bottle realm, yet they had remained unseen until now, well after its collapse.

Unwilling to engage them in conversation, and mindful of Zhou Yi’s absence, Wang Lin harbored suspicion. With his strength diminished, he spoke with calm resolve as he continued to withdraw. “If you have no further business, esteemed elders, I shall take my leave.”

With that, Wang Lin turned and strode away, intending to bypass them and seek out the sanctuary of elixirs and potent medicines.

Wang Wei’s smile remained unwavering, yet he shook his head gently, offering no resistance. Only after Wang Lin disappeared within the maze of wards did he murmur, “The young fellow is intriguing.”

His companion, Hu Juan, chuckled. “His cautious nature is such that your presence sent him fleeing before we could even speak our minds.”

Wang Wei laughed heartily. “Nay, he fled not from me, but toward a destination of his own choosing. Observe how he traversed the wards with such seamless grace, never faltering, never triggering their defenses. Either he possesses an intimate knowledge of this place, or his mastery of wards far surpasses even my own expectations.”

Hu Juan gazed after Wang Lin, her brow furrowing slightly. “Considering his age, I am inclined to believe he is intimately acquainted with this place.”

Wang Wei turned to Hu Juan, a knowing smile upon his face. “Does his effortless passage through the wards prick your pride? Yet, I am in accord with your assessment. If he possesses such knowledge, it makes the matter all the more compelling.”

“Pride is a childish thing,” Hu Juan replied, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, her eyes twinkling like crescent moons.

Wang Wei chuckled, his gaze filled with wisdom. “We surmised that the Sword Spirit would not be alone, that a companion would accompany him. If I am not mistaken, that companion is none other than him.”

Hu Juan paused, considering his words, then smiled. “If you say so, then it shall be. And if that is true, then he is not our enemy.”

“Given his path, he seeks the Immortal Emperor’s cache of elixirs. Let us follow and observe. The Sword Spirit is there as well. Surely, some secret binds them,” Wang Wei said, smiling. With a fluid motion, he stepped forward.

Hu Juan regarded Wang Wei with gentle affection, trusting in his insights and calculations. She followed, her steps light and sure.

Wang Lin navigated the intricate wards of the sixth level, their complexity slowing his progress. Some wards he bypassed with ease, while others required careful analysis before he dared to proceed.

Seven days he spent circling the perimeter, finally nearing the store of medicines.

According to the jade map, the store lay within an alchemical forge, housing a hidden teleportation point. As he approached, Wang Lin proceeded with deliberate caution.

He wove spells of awareness around him, probing the wards, sensing any nearby presence. The forge was small, with a withered garden adjacent to it. Wang Lin hesitated as he drew near to the garden’s edge, his eyes fixed on the forge. He sensed that the wards here differed subtly from those depicted on the map.

Throughout the previous five levels, the map had proven unfailingly accurate. Only here did it betray inconsistency, suggesting that the wards had been tampered with.

His expression darkened. After a moment of consideration, he focused on the altered wards, and after much study, saw hints of a pattern. Yet the more he discovered, the more concerned he became.

The modifications seemed to be built upon the original wards, a series of subtle additions. What baffled him was the seamless way in which these additions were fused with the existing framework.

The art of wards was a realm of endless permutations. Each practitioner’s personality, experiences, and understanding influenced their work. Though two wards might appear identical, an expert would discern unique details in each.

The ward before him defied comprehension, challenging Wang Lin’s very understanding of the craft.

“Such a perfect fusion… even with my understanding and the knowledge of the Annihilation Ward, I cannot fathom how anyone could so flawlessly alter another’s ward,” he mused. Perhaps it could be done with the wards of a novice, but this was the Immortal Emperor’s domain, where the wards were unmatched in complexity.

If such a master existed, then the wards of the Immortal Emperor’s domain would be mere child’s play, and traversing the nine levels would be but a simple stroll. Wang Lin sucked in a breath, shaken by the idea. Resisting such a conclusion, he scrutinized the wards once more, finding each viewing more alarming than the last. The word “perfect” did not come close to describing the situation.

It was as though a single entity had designed and perfected these wards over the course of ages.

“Could it be…” A sudden spark ignited in Wang Lin’s mind, and his eyes widened.

“Could the architect of the entire Immortal Emperor’s domain and the one who now subtly alters these wards be the same person?” Wang Lin gasped. This answer explained everything, yet it was preposterous.

Wang Lin stared at the wards, sensing the presence of a vast web, its weaver unknown.

The first image to surface in Wang Lin’s mind was that of the Yun immortals!

After a moment of reflection, Wang Lin found that he could not abandon the effort. The elixirs were crucial to his survival. His eyes gleaming, Wang Lin began his calculations.

The wards were complex, designed to repel intruders. Wang Lin seated himself cross-legged and focused on the wards. He scanned every change, looking for a path to a solution.

Three days he spent in this position, his eyes growing bloodshot. In his mind, the wards shifted endlessly as he searched for the correct path.

On the fourth day, Wang Lin rose, his bloodshot eyes fixed ahead. He did not hesitate and passed through the ward to the door of the forge. He took one step, then three more without pausing.

On the fifth step, Wang Lin hesitated. According to his calculations, the fifth step was the most difficult to resolve. There seemed to be no right answer.

“Fifth step,” Wang Lin said and, after a long pause, smiled faintly.

“There is no fifth step.” He took the fifth step in the air and jumped to the next space. That was the sixth step.

Wang Lin looked around, and seeing that he hadn’t triggered the wards, he was relieved. He moved to the door of the forge.

As he reached for the door, Wang Lin’s expression suddenly changed, and he leaped back. As he did, the door flew open, and a beam of light shot toward him at lightning speed. But after recognizing Wang Lin, it cried out in surprise.

The light scattered and reformed into the figure of Zhou Yi.

When Wang Lin saw Zhou Yi, he stopped moving backward. He released the magic he was about to use. He didn’t speak first but looked at the opened door of the forge. The inside and outside of the door felt like two different dimensions that his spells couldn’t penetrate. That explained why Zhou Yi hadn’t sensed him and why he hadn’t sensed Zhou Yi.

“I knew you would get here,” Zhou Yi said, looking at Wang Lin with a smile. It was faint but mixed with melancholy.

In Wang Lin’s eyes, Zhou Yi had changed greatly. More importantly, Wang Lin detected an energy within Zhou Yi that felt similar to the void tribulation treasure.