A ripple of unseen force emanated from the two figures, centered upon the mountain peak, crashing outwards in a reverse tide. The mountain groaned in response, a thunderous echo that rolled across the land. This circular wave seemed to stir the very heavens, imbued with a terrifying majesty.

With that single palm strike, Wang Lin had transmuted his understanding of the Primordial energies of lightning and fire, embedding it as a seed within the thirteen souls of his disciple.

“I gift thee no bauble of magic, but this seed of Origin!”

Thirteen shuddered. Within his mind, as Wang Lin’s hand fell, a golden seed blossomed into existence. This seed, radiant with gold, held Wang Lin’s perfected comprehension of fire and thunder, an echo of the power that marked the Third Step of Immortality.

Moreover, this seed pulsed with the immortal essence of Wang Lin’s very blood, hence its golden hue.

This single seed was worth more than any celestial treasure, its value so immense that it could ignite a cosmic war. Yet, Wang Lin gifted it freely to his first disciple, Thirteen.

“Thy master departs.” Wang Lin gazed deeply at Thirteen, reclaiming the ancient demon statue from him before turning and ascending into the sky. He faded slowly, until, at the very precipice of vanishing, he seemed to glance back, his eyes holding the tender affection of a father for his son. He nodded gently to Thirteen below.

“Do what thou wilt… so long as it aligns with thy heart. Even should thy deeds unleash a cataclysm upon the heavens, thy master will be there… Thou shouldst seek a woman to love, lest thou become as I.”

Thirteen bit his lip, tears streaming down his face. Silently, he watched his master’s departure, then knelt and touched his brow to the ground nine times.

Wang Lin strode through the starry expanse, alone in his arrival and alone in his departure. Two thousand years had hardened him to solitude, accustoming him to the sight of swirling nebulae, to the silent rhythm of breathing in a universe of loneliness.

He was long since used to it.

The ancient demon statue was not immediately absorbed into his left eye. He instead kept it within his spatial pouch. For now, he could still control the unleashing of its inherent disruptive power. Only by absorbing it at the most critical moment could the statue achieve its full potential.

If he could avoid absorbing it, Wang Lin would.

He wished to allow the statue more time to grow, to mature. As for the ancient demon he had captured in Luo Tian, it remained sealed within his pouch, waiting for its moment.

He had vowed to grant it a sliver of life, a promise Wang Lin had not forgotten.

The starry cosmos, inherently silent as a moonless night, was seldom disturbed save by the thunder of warring cultivators. Now, under this tranquil celestial dome, Wang Lin walked onward, one step at a time.

His pace seemed slow, but in truth, each stride spanned immeasurable distances, a merging of spatial manipulation and the natural order.

He would not visit the Realm of Rain, not yet. Though tempted, time was against him. Pausing before the hidden gateway to that realm, Wang Lin cast a final glance backward, then turned away. He had another task, to retrieve a madman.

Within the Kun Xu Starfield, at its very edge, there was a vast emptiness. And within that emptiness, a single cultivation star existed. Not the Vermilion Bird Star, but a seventh-grade planet.

Surrounded by smaller stars, the region seemed tranquil from afar.

Perhaps because of its desolation, few cultivators ever ventured here.

Upon this planet, within a mortal city, autumn held sway. A chilling wind swept across the land, insinuating itself into every town, stealing something unseen and carrying it away.

It was a small, unremarkable town, harboring few residents. The streets were nearly deserted, save for the flapping pennants of a few shops, rustling in the autumnal breeze, imparting a sense of melancholy.

A few stalls were set up in a narrow alleyway, their keepers yawning and trading lazy gossip. Though bundled in thick clothing, they still felt the biting chill of the season.

A soft rustling sound echoed along the ground, the whisper of dying leaves, stirred by the wind. They skittered along the streets, swirling around obstacles. Some were blown towards the stalls, stopped by the table legs, and detoured around them, carried onward to some unknown destination.

Other leaves took flight in the wind, whirling and dancing towards the other end of the street. With a sharp “thwack,” one plastered itself to someone’s face.

The figure, who had been swaggering along, flanked by two obsequious companions, had been interrupted mid-sentence. The two followers had been speaking in hushed, flattering tones, coaxing peals of delighted laughter from the swaggering one.

The leaf abruptly silenced the merriment. Muttering in annoyance, the figure slapped his face, dislodged the leaf, and threw it to the ground. Then, with a violent fury, he began stomping on it repeatedly.

He stomped and roared in a low voice.

“Insignificant leaf! How dare you assault this king! Hmph, see how I deal with you!” The man stomped for over a dozen breaths, until a sudden gust of wind lifted the ravaged leaf and carried it away. Only then did the man cease his assault.

This man was the madman. His two companions were Xu Liguo and Liu Jinbiao. They seemed accustomed to the madman’s antics, and exchanged a knowing glance.

“Old Liu, I can’t help but feel that his words held some deeper meaning… Could he have seen through us?” Xu Liguo blinked, watching the leaf as it drifted away.

“According to this Daoist’s analysis, the man is genuinely mad. He would never be able to tell. Rest assured, Grandfather Xu,” Liu Jinbiao replied.

Xu Liguo nodded, trusting Liu Jinbiao’s judgement. They had conspired to swindle the madman for quite some time and reaped a considerable profit.

Thinking of this, Xu Liguo quickly donned a flattering expression and stepped forward to massage the madman’s shoulders, glaring fiercely at the airborne leaf. “Indeed! Crush it! How dare it slight the King? King, shall I fetch it back for you, so you may torture it some more?”

The madman waved a hand dismissively, and laughed gleefully. “Enough, I shall spare the leaf this time. Xu, where is that little concubine of yours? Take me to her at once. If she pleases me, I shall reward thee handsomely.”
At the mention of a reward, Xu Liguo’s eyes gleamed with avarice, yet Liu Jinbiao, standing beside him, merely coughed, his face betraying an unsettling calm, as if unmoved by the promise.

“My Lord,” Xu Liguo began, his voice laced with obsequiousness. “The offerings before did not meet your esteemed tastes, but this time, I, Xu Liguo, have poured forth a great measure of effort. Surely, this offering will bring you satisfaction, though…” Before he could finish, the Mad King, as he was known, raised his right hand and bit down, drawing blood. He smeared the crimson ichor upon Xu Liguo’s person.

“Enough,” the Mad King declared.

Xu Liguo, his face a mask of frenzied excitement, carefully dabbed the blood from his raiment, preserving it before nodding vigorously.

Even Liu Jinbiao’s eyes flickered with interest. He licked his lips, striving to maintain his impassive facade, yet his gaze continually strayed towards Xu Liguo.

Driven by the Mad King’s impatience, the trio hastened towards the far end of the desolate street. There, a dilapidated shop stood like a forgotten sentinel. Liu Jinbiao strode ahead, disappearing within.

As the Mad King and Xu Liguo crossed the threshold, Liu Jinbiao slammed the door shut. With deft movements, he wove arcane hand seals, casting a series of binding enchantments that sealed the portal. He then turned, hastening to rejoin the others.

“Must you always make such a fuss?!” The Mad King’s enraged bellow echoed from within.

In the shop’s rear courtyard, a crude teleportation array lay etched into the cobblestones. It was clear the runes were newly wrought.

The Mad King stood at the edge of the array, his gaze fixed on Xu Liguo.

Xu Liguo bowed low, his hands clasped together in supplication. “My Lord, patience is the mother of fortune. This time, I have procured for you a true cultivator. A master of the Yang Solid state, no less! He was reluctant at first, but I expended much persuasive rhetoric to sway him. However, his station is high, and he fears discovery, hence the need for such circumspection.”

The Mad King pouted, his face a thunderous sky. “I’ve been here for so many days, and nothing has ever worked!” he whined. “If this fails, I shall abandon this game! Nothing is as wondrous as you claim. I have sampled every conceivable delight.”

Xu Liguo chuckled, a lecherous glint in his eyes. “Once you have savored the delights that await, you will find that I have not exaggerated in the slightest. Yet, alas, the activation of this array requires spiritual stones, of which I have few…”

The Mad King grumbled and hesitated, then bit his finger again, squeezing out a droplet of blood and flinging it towards Xu Liguo. “My blood is a precious elixir! In the days of yore, even he…”

Ignoring the Mad King’s rambling, Xu Liguo caught the droplet, his eyes shining with greed. He discreetly nodded to Liu Jinbiao, who, with a subtle manipulation of unseen energies, activated the teleportation array without attracting the Mad King’s attention. With a flash of blinding light, the three figures vanished.

Within a secluded mountain valley, the air crackled as the teleportation array flared to life, depositing the trio into their new location.

Before long, the Mad King’s roar echoed once more.

“Another teleportation array? I refuse to play this game!” No matter what cajoling Xu Liguo attempted, the Mad King continued to resist until at last, the teleportation array pulsed with light, and they were gone, leaving the mountain valley once more undisturbed.

And so it continued. With each teleportation, the Mad King’s rage intensified. He was dragged across mountain peaks, barren plains, hidden basins, and isolated isles, each location marked by a flash of teleportation light and the Mad King’s ever-increasing cacophony of displeasure.

“How many teleportation arrays are there?! I truly will not endure this! You torment me! This is outrageous! I shall inform my Master!”

Perhaps it was the final utterance that struck a chord of fear. Xu Liguo visibly paled. Even Liu Jinbiao’s impassive eyes widened in alarm. They had, over the course of their journey, unearthed the secret of the Mad King’s tutelage.

Xu Liguo stammered. He had nearly forgotten his perilous situation. “This is the last one! I swear it! And it requires no spiritual stones. We need only ascend, and the fair maiden shall be within our grasp.”

Meanwhile, beyond the veil of this very celestial body, a ripple disturbed the fabric of space. Wang Lin stepped forth, casting his gaze upon the planet below. A frown creased his brow, and a chilling light ignited within his eyes.

“Such mischief!” he muttered, his voice laced with wrath.