A legion of bestial humanoids, numbering in the thousands, might seem a paltry force in tale. Yet, to witness them surge forth from the swirling mists, their shrieks slicing the air, was to be struck with a primal terror.

Their grotesque visages, inhuman speed, and appalling forms coalesced into a wave of oppressive might that crashed upon them.

Compared to this horde, Wang Lin and the mere score of his companions were as specks of dust adrift on a storm-tossed sea, poised to be swallowed whole.

These fiends were diverse in power. The strongest among them approached the Third Calamity of Celestial Decay, while even the weakest possessed the strength of a Nirvana Shatterer at its apex.

Individually, they would have been of little consequence, but massed in such numbers and amplified by their uncanny swiftness, they presented a daunting challenge. Daunting, yet not insurmountable, for no weakling stood amongst this company. As the monsters descended, each warrior unleashed their arcane powers and summoned forth enchanted artifacts, unleashing a cacophony of earth-shattering attacks.

Wang Lin, his face a mask of serenity, raised a hand. Myriad sword-qi spiraled around his fingertips, then erupted in a blinding storm. It swept across the land, a tempest of blades that engulfed all who dared approach, shredding them in its heart.

But as each beast perished, its form was suddenly wreathed in crimson light, a frantic, final pulse. Though torn asunder by the sword-storm, each detonated with cataclysmic force, a deafening roar that drowned all other sound, echoing through the infinite expanse of mist.

The destruction wrought by Wang Lin accounted for dozens. As they detonated in unison, their power equaled a full-force strike from a cultivator in the Fifth Calamity of Celestial Decay. Wang Lin’s eyes flashed, and as the wave of destruction crashed towards him, a surge of pure white light burst forth from his being. It solidified into a towering, radiant form that manifested behind him!

This luminous entity, blinding in its intensity, shielded him. At the moment of impact, the clash was a sound that ripped the very fabric of reality. The radiant figure buckled, but did not break. Instead, its light intensified, reflecting the totality of the destructive force back upon its origin, scouring the surrounding area.

The second wave of charging beasts, caught in this reflected blast, met a swift and agonizing end, their shattered forms contributing to an even greater, cascading explosion. Centered upon Wang Lin, it unleashed a tempest of pure annihilation.

As the ever-intensifying wave of self-destruction washed over Wang Lin, his countenance remained placid, the luminous figure around him growing ever brighter. This blinding radiance served to conceal a flicker of something hidden deep within his eyes, obscuring his true thoughts from prying eyes.

Wang Lin’s spirit trembled. Not all of the beasts were granted the opportunity to self-destruct before their demise. Some fell before they could trigger their final act. Whenever this occurred, a tendril of pure, white energy rushed into his body. This was not the power of the Ancient Gods, but raw life-force itself.

This vitality flowed through him, becoming fuel for his rapid healing, surpassing even the benefit gained from devouring other cultivators. Licking his lips, Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed. In a single stride, he leapt from his designated platform, plunging headlong into the heart of the monstrous horde.

Nearby, his companions struggled to hold their ground, some failing to evade the self-destructive blasts. They were thrown back, coughing blood, only to be surrounded by the remaining fiends. Before they could mount a defense, the monsters detonated, unleashing another barrage of destructive force that erased them from existence.

Easiest among them was the white-clad woman. Her composure never wavered, and she appeared to need no incantations nor arcane methods. As the monsters drew near her, their bodies blackened from within, blood streamed from every orifice, and they retreated in shrieking agony.

Wang Lin, a wraith of speed, became the first among the twenty-five to surge forth into the tide of fiends. His actions drew the attention of all present. He paid them no heed. He approached a pack of charging beasts, raised a hand, and unleashed the spiraling sword-qi. It tore through flesh and bone, plunging into their very core. Before they could even think of self-destruction, many were slain by Wang Lin’s strike. Waves of pure, white energy poured into him.

This burgeoning life-force was absorbed by his nascent soul, mending his wounds with astonishing speed. Realizing the potential benefits, Wang Lin used the recoil of his attacks to propel himself backwards. With a flick of the wrist, he appeared before a group of beasts surrounding a terrified individual. His fingers became a blade, striking one monster. In the instant of its death, Wang Lin flowed away, a fish in water.

Deafening booms echoed across the mist. In a matter of moments, dozens of monsters lay dead. The cultivator, moments before facing certain doom, looked upon Wang Lin with overflowing gratitude.

Wang Lin ignored him, and turned to face his next target.

As time flowed by, Wang Lin’s actions drew the eyes of everyone present. Where he appeared, beasts were slain with unmatched speed, then he departed, seeking new targets.

The middle-aged warrior with the ever-present wine gourd at his hip extracted his blade from the skull of a fiend. He laughed as a hundred more descended upon him. Raising the gourd to his lips, he swallowed a large draught, preparing his magic.

A flash of searing light descended like a ray of the sun. It was Wang Lin, appearing as a blur. With a few blinding strikes and booming roars, most of the hundred beasts lay dead. Claiming his prize of life-force, Wang Lin turned and vanished.

The middle-aged man frowned, muttering to himself, but suddenly, his eyes widened. He had caught a glimpse of the truth. He was not alone. All here were possessed of cunning and wit. Under their scrutiny, Wang Lin’s motives became apparent.

“To slay them before they self-destruct! It brings forth a surge of life-force, and heals wounds. It is like days of meditation!”

But as they realized this, almost a thousand beasts lay dead by Wang Lin’s hand, and a third had perished in the chaotic self-destruction caused by the other warriors. Only a thousand remained, forming a teeming, frenzied mass. With a burst of speed, Wang Lin lunged forth, intending to claim them all.

Behind him, only the cloaked woman of the Sealed Lineage remained rooted to her platform. The white-clad woman was serene, unperturbed, and unmoved. The others, however, were gripped by avarice. The last thousand beasts were seen as potent elixirs. With cries of greed, they erupted, twenty-odd streaks of light surging forward, hoping to steal the bounty from Wang Lin. “Fellow cultivator in white, we share a fate! We cannot allow you to face these thousand monsters alone. Let us join you!”

“Friend, slow your steps! These thousand beasts possess devastating destructive force. Tread carefully!”

“White-clad warrior, the others are yours! Leave three hundred for this old one!” Cries of greed and ambition cut through the air as the others sped forth, pursuing Wang Lin. Wang Lin’s face remained serene. He smirked as he approached the thousand beasts. His brow, nearly unseen, flashed with the light of the Ancient God. From one star, a dim beam of light was emitted.

Wang Lin weaved signs with his hands and flung them outwards.

The Heaven Defying Furnace materialized in the sky. It enveloped the approaching monsters! The vast furnace, spectral and shimmering, radiated an aura of ancient power, becoming a vortex that churned the very air. “Refine!” Wang Lin roared as his pursuers drew near.

The word tore free from his lips, and the furnace reverberated. Within, the thousand beasts screamed in pain. Before they could self-destruct, the air within grew thick and turbid with the power of the Ancient Gods. The pursuing warriors watched in stunned silence. The Heaven Defying Furnace, seemingly made real, shrank until it became a beam of light and vanished into Wang Lin’s brow.

This all happened in a flash, a fraction of a breath. Wang Lin had claimed all thousand monsters without leaving so much as a single scale behind. Turning, his eyes blazed with glacial fire as he swept the pursuing cultivators with his gaze. In their hearts, he glimpsed turmoil. He turned, and a single step carried him back to his platform. With a wave of his sleeve, the force of his cultivation spread, silencing all.

The twenty-odd warriors glared, but they dared not act against his power. In the distance, the veiled woman of the Sealed Lineage, sensing an opportunity, steeled herself to move forward, but as she did, Wang Lin turned and fixed her with his frigid stare.

The young woman felt a chill in her soul. Her face paled. Her feet froze in place, incapable of motion.

After a time, the twenty-odd cultivators returned to their platforms, shelving their anger for the moment, but their glances towards Wang Lin were filled with malice.

Only the white-clad woman showed a hint of approval, and gave a respectful nod.

At that moment, the platforms they stood upon shuddered, then lurched forward, picking up speed as they raced towards the swirling mists, vanishing into the unknown.

“These beasts’ vitality will heal me. No one will steal them from me!” Wang Lin stood impassive, a blank mask hiding his thoughts. But within his eyes, a cold fire burned. Deep within his brow, from the Heaven Defying Furnace, waves of invigorating life-force poured into his body, mending his wounds with increasing speed.

“It is time to make an example…” In his left eye, a phantom flame flickered.