A decree of power, unquestionable and absolute, resonated within Wang Lin’s words. Even as they left his lips, the seven celestial stars he had conjured blazed forth, searing themselves upon the ethereal maw of the Nether Soul.

The first star ignited with an unearthly brilliance. In rapid succession, the second, third, and fourth followed suit, their light piercing the gloom. A wave of ancient, soul-stirring energy surged from the stars, flooding Wang Lin’s mind with visions of ages long past.

Should all seven stars ignite, the Soul Seal would be complete.

Yet, fate proved fickle. The precious moments gained by Ling Dong and Zhou Jin, at the cost of their own absorption, proved insufficient. The Nether Realm, the origin of this creature’s power, roared open once more. An irresistible pull swept outward, threatening to drag Wang Lin into its abyss.

With swift resolve born of desperation, Wang Lin roared, his right hand rising to hurl a barrage towards the hidden Nether Realm within the Soul Maw.

A tempest of ancient spirit leaves, the Gu Xi, erupted forth, swirling towards the vortex, the gaping maw of that dark realm. With a resounding boom, the force of the Nether Realm weakened momentarily, allowing the fifth star to flare into life.

But as its light intensified, the swirling darkness devoured the Gu Xi leaves, the pull of the abyss intensifying anew. A glacial glint ignited in Wang Lin’s eyes. Though he had paid dearly for this chance to claim the Nether Beast, success would ensure the safety of Ling Dong and the others. Failure, at this critical juncture, would bring utter devastation.

Yet, his decision had not been made lightly. He had weighed the odds, calculated the risks. Even this unexpected turn lay within the bounds of his calculated gambit. The final two stars, he was confident, would obey his will.

As the pull renewed its assault, Wang Lin unleashed the final card in his hand. Behind him, the earth trembled as Wang Yue, the colossal Moon Devourer, emerged, its titanic form blocking the very entrance to the vortex. As the creature was dragged inexorably into the swirling abyss, it bought Wang Lin the final precious moments he needed.

The sixth star pulsed with life!

Then, the seventh star erupted in a blinding nova!

In a blink of an eye, the seven celestial stars within the Nether Soul Maw blazed with their combined might. Spinning with blinding speed, the Soul Seal was complete!

The external seal, the Soul Seal, the internal seal… Wang Lin had forged two links in this chain of binding. Only the final one remained. Having imprinted their mark, the seven stars of the ancient god retreated, returning to their place upon Wang Lin’s brow.

But in that very instant, a cataclysmic shift shattered the silence. From the sealed Nether Soul Maw, a ray of iridescent, seven-colored light tore forth, shaking the heavens and earth. This light, potent beyond measure, instantly engulfed the starfield, expanding outward for tens of thousands of leagues!

Even Wang Lin himself stood stunned by the sight.

“Seven Colors!”

The iridescent light surged, rolling across the void, obscuring the Nether Soul and enveloping the Nether Beast itself. A force beyond comprehension emanated from the creature’s very being, resonating with the flashing hues.

Simultaneously, the seal Wang Lin had etched upon the Nether Beast’s exterior began to unravel, its power fading before the onslaught of the seven-colored light. In an instant, it was shattered, reduced to a mere thread, threatening to vanish entirely.

Within the Nether Soul Maw, the newly formed Seven Star Soul Seal wavered, its brilliant light fading, the seven star imprints flickering like dying candles struggling against a tempestuous wind. Almost immediately, three of the star imprints extinguished completely!

This sudden and unexpected transformation caught Wang Lin entirely off guard. He had never foreseen that the Nether Beast possessed such a manifestation.

Seven Colors! Seven Colors!

As the iridescent light intensified, spectral figures began to emerge from the Nether Soul Maw, their forms shimmering and indistinct.

“Memorize, imprison the Heavenly Dao. All beings must endure countless tribulations to escape the deep prison of obsession. Dedicate yourself to the path of cultivation…” The ghostly murmurs echoed across the starfield, emanating from the ethereal figures.

“Memorize, beings of countless ages, solve the illusions of this world, escape the shackles of the heavens. Claim the path to the next life. Dedicate yourself to the path of cultivation…”

“Memorize, lock the fate of the dead, imprint the underworld. Those denied the true Dao are destined to drown in the sea of suffering, forever lost to enlightenment. Dedicate yourself to the path of cultivation…”

The figures multiplied, their ranks swelling until they surrounded the Nether Beast, a dense, spectral legion.

“Those who memorize the oaths!” A spark of understanding ignited within Wang Lin’s eyes.

He now understood the Nether Beast’s uncharacteristic behavior, its newfound sentience.

He understood the significance of the creature’s excrement left in the mist-shrouded starfield.

He understood why the Nether Beast had displayed such cunning, even flashes of intelligence in its eyes.

He understood the source of the seven-colored light erupting from the Nether Soul after the sealing process had begun.

“It devoured a Seven-Colored Realm within these last thousand years!” Wang Lin’s mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the impossible truth.

His deduction was correct. Years after Wang Lin’s brief encounter, the Nether Beast had wandered aimlessly through the misty starfield. Possessing a timid nature despite its formidable power, the Nether Beast avoided the numerous ferocious entities lurking within the mists.

However, the Nether Beast failed to realize its own inherent aura, repelling both ferocious creatures and cultivators alike. Where the Nether Beast went, the creatures scattered.

As the Nether Beast wandered, its mind remained in a fog. Throughout its life, the Nether Beast spent most of its time in slumber, emerging in a daze to simply wander.

However, after Wang Lin departed with the Immortal Chosen clan, the Nether Beast awoke with a pang of hunger. The Nether Beast dared not leave the mists and continued to slowly wander.

Time passed, and one day, a massive rift appeared in the mists before it. Rays of seven-colored light burst forth from the rift, striking the Nether Beast in its eyes.

In the very same moment, a disheveled figure emerged from the rift. With clothes torn and tattered, the figure laughed as soon as it appeared.
“At long last, freedom! Freedom from this cursed prison!” The aged Daoist croaked, his voice raspy with disuse. But the words died in his throat, choked off by the sight that greeted him. Before him loomed a monstrous creature, a beast of the Netherworld, its immense form radiating an aura of primal dread.

The Netherbeast, in turn, was momentarily startled by the apparition. For a fleeting moment, creature and man were locked in a silent, unnerving tableau. Then, beads of icy sweat slicked the Daoist’s brow, his face drained of all color. A piercing shriek tore from his lips, a sound that echoed across the desolate plane.

That shriek, born of pure terror, sent a jolt through the Netherbeast’s simple mind. The roar that erupted from its depths was not of aggression, but of sheer, unadulterated fright. Though its voice boomed like thunder, it was merely an echo of the Daoist’s own terror.

Without hesitation, the Daoist turned and fled back into the iridescent rift from whence he came, disappearing into the chaotic depths of the Rainbow Realm. Only the lingering echo of his scream remained, a testament to his overwhelming fear.

The Netherbeast, equally terrified, recoiled in a clumsy retreat, its eyes fixated on the shimmering portal. It had been caught completely off guard: first by the sudden appearance of the rift itself, then by the emergence of the gaunt figure, and finally, utterly shattered by the agonizing shriek.

Long moments passed before the Netherbeast, tentatively, cautiously, returned to its post. It stared at the Rainbow Rift, its gaze drawn to the mesmerizing colors. The Netherbeast was unusually fond of the vibrant array of color, as it was ordinarily cowardly beyond measure, but it was this unlikely affinity that had it return to the oddity time and time again.

Centuries passed, and the Netherbeast remained, a silent sentinel, lost in contemplation before the shimmering rift. It seemed to ponder the mysteries of its existence, yet remained none the wiser. It could not fathom the origin or purpose of the portal, but was both entranced and tormented by it.

Then, one day, a century after the Daoist’s first panicked appearance, another event unfolded.

The Netherbeast, its colossal form motionless, fixed its unblinking eyes, each the size of a manor house, on the rift. It lingered only a stone’s throw away, as if to discern the secrets held within the colorful plane.

From the depths of the rift, after what seemed an eternity of deliberation, the Daoist cautiously extended his head. His hair was matted and tangled, his face gaunt, and his entire demeanor spoke of untold suffering. The Netherbeast, its eyes fixated on the colorful rift, almost did not notice the gaunt figure. And so, as the Daoist’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw the monstrous form looming before him, and he could only manage a terrified scream.

“You! You are still here?! A century, and you still linger! Cursed fiend, have you been waiting all this time?!” He bellowed, his voice raw with panic, before vanishing back into the Rainbow Realm.

The sudden intrusion sent the Netherbeast reeling. Perhaps the memory of the earlier encounter was too vivid, for this time it retreated a considerable distance. Yet, the allure of the colors proved too strong to resist, and with cautious steps, it returned to its vigil, its gaze locked on the shimmering portal.

More centuries passed. The second, the third, the fifth. One day, a gnawing hunger began to stir within the Netherbeast. Yet, the creature could not bear to abandon its post. After much deliberation, it opened its maw wide and lunged at the Rainbow Rift, drawing the planar tear into the void.

The act created an incredible pressure, and suddenly, the dimension where the Rainbow Realm existed found itself consumed. It was now contained within the massive form of the Netherbeast.

Though Wang Lin could not know all the intricacies of the event, he had foreseen its grand design. Before him, the Netherbeast uttered a resonant mantra that reverberated across the cosmos. From the creature’s maw, with a thunderous roar, emerged a colossal stone tablet!

Upon its surface, etched in crimson blood, were the unmistakable characters of a forbidden text: *The Daoic Sutra*.