Beneath the shattered husk of a long-dead world, adrift within the belly of a Netherbeast, the madman knelt before Wang Lin. “Master!” he wailed, his forehead cracking against the dust, eyes blazing with a feverish devotion. “Accept this unworthy disciple!”

He prostrated himself repeatedly, a disturbing mix of reverence and wildness twisting his features. “By the sacred oaths of my immortal ancestors, I, Lian Dao-fei, swear allegiance to this most exalted one! Never shall I betray your teachings! Behold my fealty, honored Master!” As he spoke, he slammed his palm against his brow.

A ripple of arcane power emanated from him, a tendril of essence reaching out and dissolving into Wang Lin. The act left Wang Lin stunned. He’d only sought to frighten the madman into revealing the secrets of his flawed Divine Abilities, never expecting such a fervent declaration.

“Master, I implore you, reveal the secrets to taming such a beast!” the madman exclaimed, scrambling to his feet and plopping down beside Wang Lin. A sly glint flickered in his eyes. “Once I master this art, any beast foolish enough to threaten me will become my servant!” He chuckled inwardly. *My brilliance shines again! Not only have I secured a powerful mentor for my brother, but I shall learn formidable skills! A worthwhile investment, indeed! He will surely sing my praises!*

With a sigh, Wang Lin flicked his hand. The Netherbeast illusion faded, its essence dissipating into nothingness, leaving only the two of them on the silent, broken world. He turned a thoughtful gaze upon the madman, a smile slowly forming.

“The art of subduing such creatures is intricate and profound, not easily grasped. The time for your tutelage is not yet upon us. First, I must learn what other… talents you possess, to determine the path best suited for you.”

The madman’s eyes darted back and forth. “Talents? Alas, I’ve forgotten them all! My mind is a sieve!”

“Then so be it,” Wang Lin replied, his smile deepening. “But tell me, do you yearn to escape this desolate place?”

The madman shot to his feet, hope exploding in his eyes. “Escape! I have searched for an exit since time immemorial! But to no avail!”

“I can lead you to freedom,” Wang Lin said, settling back into a meditative posture. “But first, I must know which of your flawed Divine Abilities is the most potent.”

The madman’s eyes widened before he clapped a hand over his mouth. “The Nine Divine Severances of the Immortals… even my brother has only grasped the seventh…” He shook his head vehemently, fear twisting his features. “I cannot speak of it! I am bound by oaths! To reveal its secrets would invoke the wrath of the Heavens!” He lowered his hand, nervously picking at his nose, his gaze flitting across Wang Lin. He seemed anything but the tormented oath-breaker he claimed to be.

Wang Lin chuckled, waving his hand. “Speak no more. I have already gleaned much from you. To press further would be imprudent. Each of the four Abilities you have revealed will require extensive study to master. I have no time for further pursuits.”

“In three days, I shall lead you from this place!” Wang Lin declared, closing his eyes. Time was of the essence; he needed to harvest sufficient Dao Fruits to quell the raging resistance within him and complete his plans. He would use these precious days to further suppress the volatile energies and ensure his continued strength.

“But… but you promised to teach me!” the madman protested, his voice rising in a whine. “A Master cannot withhold his knowledge! It’s not fair! I demand instruction!” He stomped his foot, his petulance growing with each passing moment.

His tantrum continued, escalating until it reached a fever pitch. Finally, exhausted, he collapsed opposite Wang Lin, his muttering taking on a rambling, conversational tone.

“You cannot treat me so shabbily! I have shared my secrets! It is only right that you reciprocate! Just one spell! Little Red, do you agree? To be treated with such disrespect… is it bearable, Little Red?”

Annoyed, Wang Lin opened his eyes. With a flick of his wrist, a golden wind roared to life, swirling across the sky and coalescing into nine magnificent dragons. The beasts roared, exhaling gusts of violet wind so frigid that the very ground cracked and froze under its touch.

“Behold! The Imperfect Art of Calling the Winds! I bestow it upon you!”

The madman scoffed. “Don’t patronize me! I am no fool! Such a paltry trick is unworthy of my attention!”

Wang Lin dismissed the golden dragons and formed another hand seal. Darkness descended, and a deluge of black clouds surged across the heavens. Thunder boomed as a torrent of golden rain began to fall, drawing upon the very essence of the world.

“It’s raining… Little Red, look! Rain…” The madman blinked, watching for a moment before yawning and shaking his head. “Another deception! This is hardly worthy of the name. I refuse to learn such a paltry art!”

He called forth wind and rain, summoned illusions, and even attempted to shatter a mountain. But each time, the madman dismissed the display with a wave of his hand, his anger growing with each rejection.

“You old miser! Cannot you bestow a single worthwhile skill?! You… you are unbearable!”

Wang Lin fixed the madman with a stern gaze, taking a deep breath. He unveiled the secrets of the Azure Dream Dao Lord – the Reversal of Heavens Seal, the Escape of Radiant Light, even the merging of Dao Flaws.

“That is what, even? Does not teach me”

“What is a nude divine ability even, does not teach me”

“Fusion like this? To weak”

Frustration gnawed at Wang Lin. “What, then, do you desire to learn?”

The madman’s face twisted in fury. “You mock me! I wish to learn the art of taming the great beast!”

Wang Lin rubbed his temples. With a final sigh, he formed a hand seal. The very fabric of reality shifted. The barren world transformed into a vast ocean, stretching as far as the eye could see. At the horizon, a new sun began to rise, its golden rays piercing the darkness, unleashing the power of the Twilight Remnants.
A glint of madness sparked in the lunatic’s eyes, only to be quickly extinguished. He pursed his lips, shaking his head. “That’s…passable. But I possess powers far surpassing such trifles.”

Wang Lin’s patience began to fray. With a sweep of his hand, the encroaching dawn yielded to a spectacle of arcane might. From the fading darkness materialized a colossal stone gate, its surface etched with the silent stories of ages. The very air thrummed with the palpable weight of epochs.

A resonant boom echoed as time itself seemed to accelerate, centuries collapsing into fleeting moments.

Yet, after a prolonged examination, the madman shook his head once more.

“Bah! That gate wouldn’t grace the entrance of my royal palace. Why would I bother learning such a thing?”

Even Wang Lin’s considerable self-control trembled. He inhaled deeply, summoning forth nearly every arcane art he had mastered throughout his life, presenting them for the madman’s discerning eye. But to no avail. The man continued his incessant, infuriating denials.

And it wasn’t merely rejection; the lunatic seemed more enraged than Wang Lin himself, his fury escalating with each display. He roared, his voice echoing through the desolate landscape.

“You are a master, a sage! You cannot be limited to these meager spells! You simply refuse to teach me!”

“Enough!” Wang Lin snapped, his voice cutting through the madman’s tirade. A mirthless smile stretched across his face. “One final art. Learn it, or don’t!” With a raise of his hand, requiring no incantations or gestures, Wang Lin invoked the very first spell he had ever mastered: the Art of Attraction.

His cultivation having reached its zenith, the application of this rudimentary technique was effortless. The earth trembled as a sizable boulder tore free from the ground, pirouetting in the air with clumsy grace.

The madman stilled, his gaze transfixed on the floating stone. A light, brighter than any star, ignited in his eyes. He leaped to his feet, vigorously rubbing them, then clapped his hands together with delight.

“This is delightful! Ha! Truly delightful! Such a master you are, to possess such profound and playful magic!”

Wang Lin, disinclined to engage further with the eccentric, inscribed the Art of Attraction onto a jade slip and tossed it to the man before retreating into silent meditation.

The madman snatched the jade, his eyes widening with each passing moment as he assimilated its contents. A smile split his face as he began to bounce with unrestrained joy, mastering the art with astonishing speed. With a wild cry, he raced into the distance. He pointed a trembling finger, and another stone rose from the earth.

“Playful, so playful!” he shrieked, pointing again and again, until dozens of rocks danced around him. He spun in circles, the rocks mimicking his movements, until dizziness overcame him. Yet, his euphoria remained undiminished, his laughter echoing across the plains.

His ambition unquenched, the madman ventured further, leaping into the air and pointing towards the ground. Cracks spiderwebbed across the earth, unleashing a torrent of stones that swirled around him in a chaotic ballet, numbering in the hundreds, perhaps even thousands.

Three days passed with the swiftness of a dream. On the third dawn, Wang Lin opened his eyes. The golden light that burned within was now veiled, perceptible only to the most discerning gaze.

But as his gaze swept across the landscape, a frown creased his brow, and a rueful smile played upon his lips.

In the distance, the madman cavorted amidst a cacophony of shouts and laughter. He commanded ten thousand stones, forming a semblance of a formidable army, arrayed around him like a protective barrier. Opposite them stood another legion of equal size, mimicking the stance of an enemy.

He manipulated this stony multitude, orchestrating a mock battle, each rock colliding with another in a whirlwind of dust and debris.

“Fair maiden of the Seven Hues, will you not yield to my desires? I, your king, command an army of ten thousand! Dare to defy me, and unleash my righteous wrath!” The next moment, the madman dashed into the heart of the opposing stone formation, contorting his body, fluttering his eyelashes, and adopting a delicate, feminine tone.

“You lecherous fool! If you have the courage, then come and take me!”

Wang Lin, struggling to suppress his mirth, sighed. Seeing the madman lost in his peculiar games, he rose and strode forward.

“Enough! Continue your diversions elsewhere!”

The madman, seemingly reluctant, followed Wang Lin, casting longing glances towards the abandoned stones, weighing whether to bring them along.

“There are stones aplenty outside,” Wang Lin said, with a hint of resignation.

Together, the two figures dwindled in size, eventually vanishing completely from view, swallowed by the vastness of the world.