Wang Lin, each time he unleashed the art of Scattered Soldiers, felt an overwhelming respect for Bai Fan’s celestial genius. To conceive such a divine ability, imprisoning the souls of the vanquished, denying them the cycle of reincarnation and preventing their dissipation into the very fabric of the cosmos!

Such a spell was a defiance of the Heavenly Mandate, subtly usurping the will of the heavens. Now, as the wraith of Voidsky erupted, its malevolence shook the heavens and earth. The headless horrors seemed insignificant in comparison. Voidsky, consumed by hatred in his final, agonising moments of the First Heavenly Tribulation, his spirit that of a peak Shattered Nirvana cultivator, was a force of terrible potency! He plunged into the fray against the headless ones, and bolstered by countless vengeful spectres, the tide turned in an instant.

Yet the price Wang Lin paid was heavy. Bai Fan’s immortal arts, especially Scattered Soldiers, devoured the scant celestial essence within him. Were it not for the remnants of Xuanbao, his spirit essence replenishing his reserves, Wang Lin would have long since exhausted his power.

Even with Xuanbao’s spectral aid, Wang Lin’s celestial energy dwindled with each incantation. If he failed to find another source of immortal essence, the divine powers of Bai Fan would soon be beyond his reach. Only the lesser wind spells would remain, their might diminished without the celestial force to fuel them.

In the distance, Heavencraft frowned, astonished that Wang Lin still possessed such reserves. A chilling glint appeared in his eyes as he raised his right hand, weaving another arcane sign.

The swirling, primordial chaos around him churned with renewed fury. From within its depths, a colossal serpent’s head lunged forth, scales as black as night and crowned with horns. Intricate markings adorned its serpentine form, radiating a terrifying malevolence.

Its glacial eyes locked onto Wang Lin, and with a deafening roar, it surged towards him.

But this was not the only monstrosity spawned by Heavencraft’s sorcery. From the southern edge of the chaos, another horror emerged. A black Qilin, its body half-rotted, emanating a miasma of decay. Yet its eyes burned with a dark light, and it charged at Wang Lin, a mournful cry echoing through the void.

Trailing behind the Qilin, five more headless figures emerged from the chaotic abyss, as though the source of all life and death birthed an endless legion.

These five spectral warriors surrounded Voidsky, assailing him with relentless attacks.

Wang Lin’s gaze narrowed. He considered summoning the two scattered souls of Heavencraft from the depths of the Eighteen Hells, but an immediate thought, fixing his stare on the distant Heavencraft, caused him to smile coldly.

Heavencraft’s strategy, manifesting these beasts one after the other, was intended to bait him into unleashing those very souls! Whether his suspicion was valid, Wang Lin was unwilling to reveal his trump cards before Heavencraft’s true form.

The black serpent hurtled towards him, its fetid breath washing over him. Wang Lin closed his eyes. The Dull Armor covering his body blazed crimson, unleashing the White Vermillion. The fiery bird erupted from the armor, soaring towards the serpent, its piercing cry echoing through the cosmic void.

Heavencraft’s eyes flared, a smirk forming on his lips. He had awaited this very moment – not just the souls, but the Vermillion! As the bird materialized, Heavencraft launched himself forward, covering the distance to Wang Lin in a single stride. Ignoring Wang Lin entirely, he reached out with his right hand, grasping for the White Vermillion. “I, Heavencraft, possess the Four Celestial Spirits, lacking only the Vermillion. To complete the set would be a most pleasing acquisition!”

The White Vermillion shrieked, erupting in a torrent of flame, but Heavencraft’s hand pierced through the inferno, reaching for the bird. The serpent, locked in battle with the Vermillion, slithered away, once again setting its course towards Wang Lin.

Its gaping maw threatened to devour him.

Despite his pallid face, Wang Lin’s eyes betrayed no fear. A vortex erupted on his brow, and his weakened spirit essence emerged. The spirit of the Ancient Thunder Dragon manifested with a deafening roar!

“Summon!”

With that utterance, Wang Lin’s spirit withered further. But as the spectral dragon howled, the serpent that lunged towards him cried out in agony. Countless arcs of lightning erupted within its dark form. Terror filled its eyes, and it abandoned its attack, attempting to retreat.

At that very moment, the chaos hundreds of leagues from Wang Lin began to churn violently, followed by a thunderous roar.

Even Heavencraft was momentarily taken aback. In an instant, a barrage of celestial lightning shattered through the chaotic void, striking the serpent without mercy.

Not a single bolt, but a relentless storm of divine thunder enveloped the black serpent, even briefly engulfing Heavencraft himself.

Under the cataclysmic assault, the serpent dissolved in a shower of shattered scales. Heavencraft’s eyes flashed with killing intent. He had not expected Wang Lin to wield such powers even now.

His right hand continued its trajectory, grasping the White Vermillion firmly. Simultaneously, Heavencraft flicked his wrist, his left hand unleashing a devastating strike upon Wang Lin.

“Nothing can save you!”

From afar, the six elders of the Vermillion Bird Sacred Sect roared in anguish, desperate to come to his aid. But the ancient demon, Tugar, was too powerful. Even with the addition of the fire giant, they were steadily pushed back. Three elders had already coughed up blood, their faces grim. They were gravely wounded.

They were too far, unable to reach him in time! Heavencraft’s blow was a killing strike. As it descended, Wang Lin’s right eye flashed, the Azure Shield materializing once more. But even as it intercepted the blow, it shattered with an explosive force, bisecting itself and returning to Wang Lin’s eye.

With the meager respite afforded by the shield, Wang Lin’s right hand reached into the void, ignoring his grievous wounds. A rift opened before him, and the God-Slaying Spear materialized in his grasp. He thrust it forward, meeting Heavencraft’s hand.

An explosive sound echoed as the spear shattered, dissolving into shimmering fragments. It was not the spear’s weakness, but the fact that it was formed from Wang Lin’s depleted energy. Under Heavencraft’s attack, it shattered instantly.

Heavencraft’s right hand went numb, and the killing intent in his eyes intensified. Only now did he realize how difficult it was to end Wang Lin’s life! But he was determined to slay him!

Despite the spear’s destruction, Wang Lin had gained a momentary advantage. Madness flickered in his eyes as he roared, “You want to kill me? You’ll pay the price!”

As he bellowed, a third eye opened on Wang Lin’s brow, fixing its gaze upon Heavencraft. The two, former master and student, clashed in a deadly battle, the second time since the Heavencraft Star! One sought to kill, the other to survive. They were utterly irreconcilable.

The instant the third eye opened, it unleashed a blinding crimson light. The scarce power of its origin erupted forth, enveloping Heavencraft’s hand, spreading across his entire being.

Even the formidable Heavencraft shuddered, exclaiming, “Origin!” His body began to rapidly disintegrate, and behind him, thousands of phantom selves materialized, writhing as if to struggle free. They emitted a chorus of angry screams.

A fragile balance was disrupted by the power of Origin. As Heavencraft hesitated, one of the gravely wounded elders of the Vermillion Bird Sacred Sect, driven by a desperate resolve, smiled bitterly. Their mission was to protect Wang Lin. To let him perish before their eyes would mean the death of the Vermillion Bird Sacred Sect’s hope.

Those not of the Vermillion Bird Sacred Sect could never comprehend the ages of accumulated grief and resentment they bore. The elder triggered his own destruction, his spirit detonating within! A self-immolation by a Shattered Nirvana cultivator was a devastating, earth-shattering force. The elder sacrificed everything, his very name unknown to Wang Lin, to safeguard the Vermillion Bird Sacred Sect’s hope!

A cataclysmic explosion tore the elder’s body asunder, his spirit forming an unimaginable shockwave. Heavencraft’s eyes glinted, his right hand striking his brow. Three seals appeared, and with a tearing sound, he ripped open one of them. In that instant, Heavencraft’s power surged explosively, the overwhelming aura creating a storm that both deflected the third eye’s Origin force and shielded him from the shockwave of the elder’s self-destruction.

Seizing the opportunity afforded by the shattered cultivator’s sacrifice, Wang Lin retreated, finally gaining distance from Heavencraft. Heavencraft’s silver hair flowed, and his aged visage began to rejuvenate, now resembling a man in his fifties.

The power emanating from him caused those around him to gasp. Even Tugar, the ancient demon, narrowed his eyes.

“It has been nearly twenty thousand years since I last unlocked the first seal… Wang Lin, that you have forced me to unleash the full might of the First Heavenly Tribulation, makes you a disciple I have not begrudged!”

At that very moment, beyond the dust clouds of the Spirit-Demon Continent, an army of over ten thousand cultivators hurtled through the void. Leading them was a white-robed elder, radiating an immortal aura. Behind him were nearly a hundred immortals.

They were the remnants of the Fallen Rain Immortal Realm. The white-robed elder was a senior immortal to Qing Yi, and ranked next to Senior Chongxuan within the Alliance’s Council of Elders!

In another direction, a spectral figure traversed the void, its pace seemingly slow, but in actuality, impossibly swift. It was the spirit of the Vermillion Bird Sacred Emperor!

And two more individuals approached the Starfield of the Spirit-Demon Continent. An old man of the Realm of Kunxu, and… Mu Bingmei!