In the third step of cultivation, should no feud of life or death exist, should no absolute desire to vanquish the other claim the heart, then mutual respect becomes a sacred necessity. For those who ascend to the pinnacle of the third step are but a rare few across the countless millennia of the star-strewn heavens, a scarce handful compared to the vast multitudes who tread the path of cultivation.

Master Lu, renowned for ages past, harbored no true animosity toward Wang Lin. Though the emergence of the Blood God Child had spurred a confrontation, it remained merely an opposition, a clashing of forces.

Master Lu held no desire to unduly antagonize Wang Lin for the sake of the Blood God Child. In his eyes, Wang Lin was no longer an equal as he had previously assessed, but now held a slight advantage.

Yet, Lu believed his own millennia of experience in the third step far surpassed that of his adversary, and thus, he harbored no true fear.

Wang Lin, though yet to fully attain the third step, possessed a body akin to that of a third-step grandmaster. Having weathered the trials of the Outer Realm’s Ancient Star Domain, having faced the myriad third-step experts there, Lu was but a shadow in Wang Lin’s sight.

Since Master Lu remained so stubborn, Wang Lin would not hesitate to impart a lesson. Now that his Ancient God body had reached seven stars, and since his battle with Tuo Sen, he hadn’t engaged in combat with a third-step grandmaster. Facing Master Lu, Wang Lin’s heart stirred with the thirst for battle.

Master Lu’s gaze flickered, fixing upon the space between Wang Lin’s brows. He clearly sensed the surging battle intent emanating from him, and his pupils contracted slightly, causing him to reconsider.

“Fellow Daoist Wang Lin,” Master Lu declared, “should we unleash our full might, this Luo Tian Star Domain would surely crumble beneath the strain! It may even awaken the Boundary Sealing Array, which may result in unforeseen trouble… Let us instead engage in a scholarly contest, a trial of wits decided in three rounds!

“Should you prevail, I shall personally deliver the Blood God Child into your hands. But should I be victorious, you must depart with haste and never again set foot in Luo Tian without my express consent!

“Do you dare accept my challenge of the mind!” Master Lu reckoned that a full-fledged battle with Wang Lin would likely result in a draw, a stalemate with no clear victor.

Moreover, he would be cautious of sustaining injury, as his preparations for future plans would be heavily affected. He needed to preserve his chance to seize the Outer Realm incense, which he simply could not risk.

“A scholarly contest?” Wang Lin, who had spent his life cultivating the Dao, had rarely engaged in contests of wit. Hearing Master Lu’s words, a curious glint appeared in his eyes.

The Inner Realm was unlike the Outer Realm. A fierce battle between third-step grandmasters would inevitably cause the collapse of vast swathes of the star-strewn sky, revealing the Boundary Sealing Array that encircled the entire realm. This, Wang Lin knew well.

“Indeed! Though third-step experts are exceedingly rare within our Inner Realm, almost unheard of for millennia, a scant few yet remain. We do not lightly engage in battles of life and death, lest we trigger the Boundary Sealing Array, resulting in a loss for all!

“Thus, the custom of the scholarly contest arose!

“The first trial shall be the art of crafting. We shall gather materials from this place and forge a treasure, which we shall then use in the first contest of our duel! If crafting does not suit your skills, alchemy or even soul refining may serve just as well!

“The second trial shall be a battle of Dao Hearts!

“And the final contest shall be a single, mighty spell. After these three trials, your prowess shall be measured against mine, and we shall retain a sliver of respect for one another!”

A smile spread across Wang Lin’s face as he glanced at Master Lu. With a flick of his sleeve, he laughed, “Very well! If you desire a scholarly contest, Wang Lin shall gladly indulge you.”

Master Lu inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He had sensed a confidence within Wang Lin’s battle intent, a confidence that hinted at potential dangers. Ever cautious and prudent, and as the Ancestor of Luo Tian, as a third-step grandmaster, he could not afford to lose.

Thus, he had proposed the scholarly contest. Seeing Wang Lin’s agreement, he could not help but sneer inwardly.

“This youth, though possessed of remarkable cultivation, has spent little time on the Dao. Other aspects of his skill are surely lacking!” Master Lu had been stagnant in the initial stage of the third-step Emptiness Nirvana Realm for tens of thousands of years, unable to reach the mid stage due to a lack of incense. During those countless years, he had delved into the arts of crafting, alchemy, and restrictions, and his confidence was not unfounded.

“Please, Fellow Daoist, choose the first trial of our contest! What shall we craft?” Master Lu asked slowly.

“Let it be crafting,” Wang Lin replied, a knowing look in his eyes.

Master Lu’s expression remained unchanged, but he sneered inwardly. His mastery of crafting surpassed even his skill in alchemy. In fact, his most prized treasure was a broken artifact which he had personally refined.

Without another word to Wang Lin, he flicked his sleeve. The enormous vortex surrounding him spun violently, as if countless mists had gathered. Transforming into a fierce storm, the master’s body ascended from within the swirling vortex. He appeared above the vast star array in an instant.

Behind him, tens of thousands of Thunder Celestial Hall cultivators directed their gaze toward him, their eyes filled with fervent respect. Master Lu, Ancestor of Luo Tian!

Even Yan Leizi and the two others within the vortex wore expressions of reverence. In their eyes, Master Lu was a god of Luo Tian!

To witness their revered Ancestor personally crafting a treasure was a momentous occasion for these tens of thousands of cultivators, an event to stir their hearts and fill them with awe.

“The treasure that I craft today shall remain in the Thunder Celestial Hall, becoming its most precious artifact. During future battles against the Outer Realm, the Luo Tian Celestial Ranking shall be opened, and to the one who eliminates the most Outer Realm invaders, that will the treasure belong!” Master Lu’s words echoed, reaching the ears of every cultivator present.

As his words faded, a wave of cheers erupted as the tens of thousands of cultivators responded with excitement.

Master Lu stood a hundred paces from Wang Lin, his right hand raised to the star-filled sky. Instantly, rays of starlight flashed from all directions.

In an instant, the entire star sky seemed to be enveloped in starlight, a breathtaking sight to behold!

“Today, I shall use the starlight of Luo Tian as the root material!” With a reach of his hand, Master Lu gathered the starlight, condensing it within his grasp.

In a heartbeat, a silhouette of starlight appeared in his hand—the shape of a great tree!
The Great Tree, woven of pure starlight, blazed with a blinding radiance. It appeared as though countless celestial bodies had been compressed into a single, colossal entity. Thousands of fathoms high, it drifted serenely amongst the stars.

“From the cosmic dust that swirls through the ages of the Ro Tian Starfield, I shall forge its form!” Master Lu’s voice echoed through the void as he cast a spell with his left hand, sweeping it across the heavens. Instantly, the entire starfield shuddered, a tremor that resonated throughout the Ro Tian Domain.

As ripples spread outwards, countless particles of dust, invisible to the naked eye, were torn from their slumber and drawn towards Master Lu by an irresistible force.

Like a tempest unleashed across Ro Tian itself, a cacophony of thunderous sound heralded the arrival of an endless swarm of dust, converging from every direction to merge with the towering star-tree.

These motes, mere specks of cosmic debris, were absorbed by the tree, slowly solidifying its ethereal form, granting it substance where before there was only shimmering light.

Wang Lin watched with serene eyes as Master Lu plied his craft. Under his gaze, the star-tree, once a blurry vision, took on a tangible reality, a towering monument etched against the starlit canvas.

With the void as its soil, cosmic dust as its sustenance, and starlight as its soul, the tree materialized, a celestial wonder seemingly born from the dawn of time.

A wave of immense power emanated from the Great Tree, encompassing all in its wake. A profound life force pulsed from within, invigorating the tens of thousands of cultivators from the Thunder Immortal Hall arrayed behind Master Lu.

“The form is wrought, but lacks its source. Though I am a son of Ro Tian, I owe a debt to the Wind Immortal Realm, and have spent my life understanding the essence of wind. Now, I shall imbue this treasure with the power of my own being!”

Master Lu stretched forth his hands, unleashing a howling gale from within his very core. Nine swirling vortexes of wind materialized within his pupils, each rotation amplifying the tempest raging within him.

In an instant, all lesser storms throughout the starfield were consumed by this primal gale, their energies drawn in to fuel a cataclysmic force aimed directly at the Great Tree.

Wang Lin stood unmoved, the tempest battering against him. He invoked the power of Lightning and Fire from within, layers of elemental energy deflecting the onslaught.

The gale slammed into the Great Tree, seemingly awakening it from a deep slumber. A nascent aura of Nirvana, a power beyond mortal comprehension, permeated the void.

“It possesses its source, but lacks its bloodline! This treasure is destined to remain in Ro Tian, gifted to another. Thus, it must be a true child of Ro Tian, its bloodline the very essence of its cultivators!” Master Lu’s eyes gleamed with purpose. With a flick of his wrist, a tendril of wind snaked through the gathered ranks of cultivators.

As it brushed against them, a single drop of blood coalesced upon the brow of each, these crimson tears gathering at Master Lu’s feet. He bit his tongue, offering a mouthful of his own, a potent essence of a Third Step cultivator, mingling it with the others. With a sweeping gesture, he sent the crimson tide surging towards the Great Tree.

In that instant, a sense of kinship, of shared blood, bloomed within the hearts of every cultivator who had contributed to the ritual.

With the final preparations complete, Master Lu roared, the wind vortexes within his eyes spinning with frantic speed. He raised his right hand and slammed it downwards.

“The final step! To compress a star into a treasure!”

The Great Tree shuddered, a deafening boom echoing through the void. It began to shrink with incredible speed, its towering form collapsing from thousands of fathoms to a mere ten. An awe-inspiring power erupted from within, causing the very fabric of space to tremble.

“I name this treasure the Ro Tian Tree! What say you, friend?” Master Lu’s face radiated pride and satisfaction. This treasure, rooted in Ro Tian, nourished by the blood of its people, fueled by his own essence and refined by his power, might not be the greatest artifact in existence, but he had forged it in such a short time, with such great skill, he could not help but be pleased.

The offering of his own blood and source of power, though a painful sacrifice, was a necessary cost for this contest of artifice.