## The Bow of Li Guang

“Dao Yi Li Guang!” the name echoed in Wang Lin’s mind, a chilling whisper from a forgotten age.

Years past, that name was spoken in hushed reverence and mortal fear, for it was Li Guang who drew back a bow of unimaginable power and pierced the very eye of Dao Gu. That legendary bow, now held by another, was a weapon that defied the heavens and challenged the essence of creation. It shattered Dao Gu’s celestial arts and stole away his sight, carrying with it the echoes of his homeland and a lifetime of memories.

The bow’s terrifying legacy was etched in Wang Lin’s memory. In the ancient tomb, seated upon a throne of bone, he had witnessed a vision, a fleeting glimpse of Li Guang’s unparalleled skill. One arrow, loosed with impossible force, could rend the very fabric of space. Wang Lin believed that a single shot from that bow would shatter even the great Sealing Array, leaving no resistance in its wake.

This bow was not of this realm; it was a treasure from Dao Gu’s distant home world. In all his travels, the only artifacts that rivaled its power were the Celestial Banishment Bead and the broken compass needle of the Fallen Land.

Such a weapon inspired dread within Wang Lin’s heart. His pupils contracted, a wave of icy fear washing over him. A piercing pain erupted from his brow, as if a phantom wound had reopened. Every hair on his body stood on end as the chilling premonition of death settled upon him.

“That bow was claimed by the Seven-Colored Immortal who nurtured the Dao of Heaven!” he realized, his eyes locked on the white-robed youth. “And now it is wielded by the First Disciple of the Sovereign! What connection binds the Sovereign to the Seven-Colored Immortal?!” The youth’s vitality was visibly draining, his youthful features withering as his right hand drew back the bowstring, offering his life force as fuel for its power.

Perhaps only Wang Lin, beyond the Seven-Colored Immortal, knew the true history and devastating potential of this bow. His grim expression, however, remained a mystery to the onlookers.

To the casual observer, the white-robed youth was a mere novice, barely beyond the Empty Nirvana stage. The bow in his hands appeared unremarkable, lacking any discernible aura.

Suppressing his rising panic, Wang Lin stilled his racing heart, entering a state of perfect clarity. The world around him faded, leaving only himself and the slowly drawing bow.

Thankfully, it was unstrung.

The single arrow, the one that pierced Dao Gu’s eye, had shattered the void when it struck, vanishing into the unknown. No one knew if it still existed, or where it might lie.

Wang Lin had once believed that finding that arrow would lead him to Dao Gu’s lost eye. But such an artifact, if it still existed, would surely be found in some desolate and untouched realm. Should it fall into the hands of another, it would ignite a war, a cosmic calamity rivaling the ancient struggle for the Celestial Banishment Bead. Yet, Wang Lin had never heard any whisper, any legend, concerning its fate.

The arrow was lost, vanished without a trace.

A bow without its arrow, though still formidable, could not unleash the same devastation that Wang Lin had witnessed in his vision. Had it been otherwise, he knew he would not stand a chance of survival.

He focused on the white-robed youth, whose every movement now seemed to unfold in slow motion. He watched the youth raise his arm, slowly drawing the bowstring until it formed a perfect crescent. The searing pain in Wang Lin’s brow intensified, as if a spike was being driven into his skull.

Sweat beaded on Wang Lin’s forehead. All this transpired in the fleeting moment between turning his head and seeing the white-robed youth draw the bow.

Without hesitation, as soon as he recognized the weapon, a thunderous roar erupted from within Wang Lin. He leapt backward, his form blurring, as if attempting to merge with the very fabric of reality.

Simultaneously, his hands flew up. The ancient god star on his brow whirled wildly, erupting from his forehead. The seven stars spun, aligning themselves before him, unleashing a wave of ancient god power.

As that power spread, the stars before Wang Lin shifted and reformed, coalescing into the ethereal head of Dao Gu!

All this happened in an instant. Wang Lin mustered every ounce of speed and prepared his defenses as he vanished from sight. His swift reaction surprised even the white-robed youth, whose eyes narrowed in response.

“He recognizes the bow!” the youth thought, and with a flash of resolve, he released the string.

The bowstring snapped back, unleashing a resounding twang. A blinding ray of light erupted from the bow, swallowing the youth’s hand. The youthful flesh of his arm withered, and the decay spread rapidly, consuming half his body. It withered into a gaunt frame hidden beneath his robes.

His life force was transferred to the bow, coalescing in the heart of that radiant light, forming an ethereal, pearlescent arrow. With the bowstring released, the arrow hurtled forward, leaving a trail of raw force.

It streaked across the heavens, aiming directly for a breach in the Sealing Array, a fissure less than fifty feet across. As the ethereal arrow neared its target, the almost silent hum grew into a deafening roar, shaking the very stars.

The roar washed over all within the Sealing Array – cultivators from both the Inner and Outer Realms. Their minds were assaulted, their very life force drained by the sound. Many succumbed, collapsing as their bodies erupted in gouts of blood.

Some of the more heavily injured fell prey to the roar and were destroyed. Red Spruce and South Cloud ceased their struggle, and lifted their heads in awe and dread.

And only the Celestial Concubine and Zi Meng, the woman of Zhaohe, saw this weapon, their eyes reflected unspeakable fear.

“That bow!”

“He wields that bow!”

The roar echoed across the heavens as the ethereal arrow plunged into the Sealing Array. Its passage sent tremors throughout the structure of the array, not just in the immediate vicinity, but across the entirety of the Inner Realm, shaking the foundations of the very stars.