As the echo of a chilling laughter faded, Wang Lin, his gaze sharpened by the Immortal’s Right Eye, beheld a sight beyond the veil of reality. A figure, seemingly treading upon the very fabric of the void, swiftly approached their location, closing the distance between realms with each purposeful stride.

“Bello!” Wang Lin’s eyes flashed with recognition and a hint of apprehension.

“A disciple of Azurefrost, bold indeed, to ensnare this ancient fiend with the shackles of forbidden arts!” Bello exclaimed, his voice resonating with ancient power as he drew near, his gaze immediately fixing upon Wang Lin, surprise etched upon his features. “You, too, have found your way to this forsaken place?” A sinister gleam flickered in Bello’s eyes.

Wang Wei, his own gaze hardening with icy resolve, released a cold snort and stepped forward. With a swift hand gesture, he conjured a torrential downpour, a shimmering curtain of enchanted rain that surged towards Bello with the force of a raging storm.

Simultaneously, Hu Juan, her movements lithe and purposeful, entered a nearby glyph-etched ward. Piercing the tip of her right finger, she painted a series of arcane symbols upon the empty air, each stroke imbued with potent magic. As the final sigil flickered into existence, it cast an eerie, ethereal glow, a beacon in the encroaching darkness.

In that instant, the entire sixth layer of the Immortal Emperor’s cavern seemed to awaken. The ancient wards and enchantments, dormant for centuries, stirred to life in a symphony of shimmering lights, their energies coalescing into a collective surge that ascended towards the sky, seeking to bind the ancient demon, Bello, in a prison of raw power.

The air thrummed with the energy of a thousand ancient spells, all converging under Hu Juan’s command, a radiant tapestry of mystic forces tightening around their quarry.

Bello, his expression unreadable, thrust both hands outward with a savage force. A vortex of chaotic energy erupted from within his being, spiraling towards the heavens, forming a maelstrom of demonic power that pushed back against the encroaching net of enchantments.

“I have no desire for senseless conflict with you two,” Bello bellowed, his voice amplified and distorted by the swirling energies that enveloped him. “You seek to rescue Azurefrost, while I seek the ancient demon, Tagar. Though our goals differ, there lies a thread of potential cooperation. Your strength alone may prove insufficient to unlock the seal upon Tagar’s prison. But with my aid, the chances of success would greatly increase!”

Wang Lin, still weakened from his earlier injuries, his face drawn and pale, swiftly consumed several restorative pills. He had no time for the slow process of absorption. His gaze remained fixed upon Bello, his vital energy coursing through his veins.

“Consider my offer,” Bello continued, his voice laced with an unsettling charm. “If we continue to fight, you will fail to rescue the Immortal Emperor, and I will fail to subdue Tagar. In the end, only he will benefit from our struggle!” The ancient demon’s words resonated with an almost hypnotic quality. Yet, in truth, Bello’s proposal stemmed from a deep-seated wariness of Wang Wei and Hu Juan. Their coordinated attacks, amplified by Hu Juan’s mastery of the cavern’s wards, had proven formidable. During his earlier ventures into the Immortal Emperor’s domain, Bello had encountered the cloud-touched duo on the fourth floor, in the burial pond.

Their clash had ended in a stalemate, but Hu Juan’s control over the local enchantments had held Bello captive for months. Now, he sought not renewed conflict, but an alliance, however tenuous.

Hu Juan glanced at Wang Wei, seeking his counsel. Wang Wei, his gaze unwavering, regarded Bello with cautious scrutiny. After a long moment, the icy glint in his eyes softened. He lowered his hand, the enchanted downpour dissipating into nothingness. “Agreed,” he stated simply.

Bello, inwardly relieved, descended to the ground, maintaining a careful distance from the cloud-touched pair. His gaze swept over the assembled group, finally settling upon Wang Lin. He chuckled, a strange and unsettling sound. “Young Wang Lin, I see your cultivation has advanced considerably since our last encounter. However, those wounds… unless they are tended swiftly, they will hinder your progress for years to come. Alas, I possess no healing potions, but perhaps I could repay a debt. I seem to have entered this place on your terms, it would not have happened had you not allowed me to. Name the one who harmed you, and I will tear them asunder, returning the favor of your generosity.”

Wang Lin’s expression remained impassive, his mind working with the speed and precision of a seasoned strategist. He was not blind to Bello’s veiled attempts at manipulation and probing, born of bewilderment at Wang Lin’s presence and uncertainty regarding his relationship with the cloud-touched duo. A slight smile played upon Wang Lin’s lips as he bowed respectfully. “Your generosity is most appreciated, Ancient Fiend. Should that wretch reveal himself, I shall be certain to point him out. But I trust that, when the time comes, you will not fail to uphold your promise?”

Bello’s eyes flickered with a brief flicker of unease. He laughed, a hearty sound that failed to mask the underlying tension, and deftly steered the conversation away from the treacherous topic.

The deceased Azurefrost was best left undisturbed for the moment. Wang Wei reached into his robes and withdrew a small pill encased in a pale green wax. His eyes held a flicker of wistful remembrance as he offered it to Wang Lin.

“This is a Azure Pill that my master gifted me long ago. Whether vital energy or immortal force, whatever the breath of this world, any wound inflicted by this realm shall be instantly healed by its touch. It is a rare elixir, of which I possess but a few. Choose wisely, for you may either consume it now, or save it for a future crisis.” As Wang Wei spoke, his gaze flicked towards Bello, a silent warning. Of these pills, he had only three, one with Hu Juan, the other two with him.

The sight of the green wax container sent a wave of avarice through Bello. He knew the Azure Pill, perhaps a little too well. During his ambush of Azurefrost in the past, the damage done by Qing Yi was too far gone, still the pill gave the immortal strength.

Because of this pill, the battle ended with little to show for.

“He gives him a pill like that, a sign of a strong friendship. They must have more.” Although he did not know if it was true, there was no fight in him at the moment. Bello pulled his gaze from the pill.

Taking the pill, Wang Lin deposited it in his storage sack. With Hu Juan leading the way, the group advanced toward the central black fog that engulfed the heart of the sixth layer.

Zhou Yi continued to float next to him, Wang Lin was at his weakest, “Someone must keep guard” Zhou Yi naturally would not fail to keep watch.

Soon, the central black fog came into view. Bello stared into the darkness, a seething hatred in his eyes. Had his scheme succeeded, the ancient demon, Tagar, would never have gained the upper hand.

“Though perhaps it is not entirely ill-fated,” he mused. “Azurefrost was never one to be underestimated. Tagar, I suspect, has yet to achieve his goals. Or else he would have departed from this place long ago.”

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Having entered the palace, Wang Lin looked towards the floor, a massive stone tablet stood before him. The stone tablet was around two long, without words, only a palm print.
“The three chambers beyond are where my venerable master secludes himself. We know not what transformations might await us within. For the sake of a smoother passage, it would behoove us to await the arrival of others.” Wang Wei spoke calmly, his gaze drifting towards the distant figure of the ancient demon, Bei Luo.

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed. He still struggled to fathom the intentions of the Daoist pair. They seemed strangely unhurried to venture forth, preferring to tarry for reinforcements.

And Bei Luo, the ancient demon, offered no protest, as if harboring the same thought.

“Fret not over their motives. Concentrate on your healing. Their ways are peculiar, a truth I perceived long ago, yet they harbor no ill will towards us.” Zhou Yi, as a spirit bound to a sword, drifted near, conveying his thoughts through a private telepathic link.

Wang Lin lowered his head, a glint flickering in his eyes. He settled into a meditative pose, eschewing the cyan wax pellet, opting instead for other elixirs he had acquired. He carefully examined them before consuming them one by one, then closed his eyes.

Though he sought to mend his wounds, he dared not relinquish his consciousness. To do so would invite disaster in this treacherous place, even if it meant slowing his recovery.

Time ebbed away, and seven days passed. Wang Wei and Hu Juan had long since assumed their own meditative stances, as had the ancient demon, Bei Luo.

Wang Lin expelled a deep breath, the taint of his injuries lessened, yet lingering beneath the surface. Fortunately, his stores of medicine were ample. He selected more, inspected them meticulously, and swallowed them down.

His consciousness, however, remained vigilant, ever watchful, particularly towards the entrance. He awaited a specific arrival: Xu Kongzi. In Wang Lin’s reckoning, Xu Kongzi and his companions would be among the first to reach this sixth hall.

Time flowed with a deceptive eternity within the grand hall, threatening to lull one into oblivious forgetfulness. Wang Lin’s wounds steadily mended under the relentless assault of potent elixirs. On the twenty-seventh day of their vigil, something stirred.

Close to midday, Wang Wei and Hu Juan simultaneously snapped their eyes open, directing their attention towards the entrance. Bei Luo, with his ancient demonic senses, had already anticipated them, his gaze already locked on the entryway.

A tremor rippled through Wang Lin’s consciousness. He opened his eyes, a strange light illuminating them, and followed their gazes.

Slowly, deliberately, a figure emerged from the darkness beyond the threshold. It was a woman, wreathed in a swirling vortex of snowflakes. They danced around her like living spirits, their movements ethereal and mesmerizing.

“It is her!” Wang Lin lowered his gaze. The first arrival to this sixth hall was not Xu Kongzi or his cohorts, but the pink-clad woman suspected to be a scion of the Kun Xu Sect.

Her expression was serene as she entered the hall, her beautiful eyes sweeping across the scene. They lingered for a moment on Wang Lin before she silently chose a secluded corner and settled down. Scarcely a moment later, Wang Lin’s senses vibrated again, alerting him to a new presence. Three figures stood framed in the doorway!

Xu Kongzi, the rustic beauty, and the man cloaked in shadows!

Their entrance immediately drew the attention of everyone in the hall. Xu Kongzi’s eyes locked onto Wang Lin, and a murderous intent blazed within him.

As Xu Kongzi saw him, Wang Lin, in turn, met his gaze. A cold light flashed in his eyes as he spoke, his voice calm yet laced with steel, “Ancient Demon, that one… is the man who wounded me!”

As the words left Wang Lin’s lips, Wang Wei and Hu Juan’s eyes narrowed on Xu Kongzi. Bei Luo, the ancient demon, regarded Xu Kongzi with a knowing, unsettling smile.

Zhou Yi’s eyes flashed with killing intent, and he subtly drifted forward, narrowing the distance between himself and Xu Kongzi. If given the opportunity, he would strike with the newly mastered Unquenchable Spirit Sense, unleashing terrifying power to avenge Wang Lin.

The sudden shift in the atmosphere caused Xu Kongzi to gasp, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His heart pounded within his chest. He had not anticipated that, in the span of a few months, Wang Lin could command such support.

The Daoist pair and the bald, enigmatic individual… even in his prime, he would have approached them with caution. Now, weakened from his injuries, his primordial spirit halved, his cultivation diminished from Great Perfection to Fragmented Nirvana, he felt utterly vulnerable.

He dared not make a single movement, nor retreat. The combined gazes of the hall held him captive. A single misstep could unleash a devastating, coordinated attack.

“I am Xu Kongzi, an elder of the Cultivation Alliance of the Alliance Star System, junior disciple of the Grand Elder, Chong Xuanzi. Fellow Daoists, what is the meaning of this?” Xu Kongzi forced an air of composure, even resorting to invoke the name of the Cultivation Alliance.