Wang Lin, retreating swiftly amidst the star-strewn void, planted his feet upon the back of the colossal Netherbeast. The beast, having departed before him, had cloaked itself in the essence of the cosmos, fading into an ethereal nothingness, unseen by mortal eyes.

Now, conjured forth once more, it served as his sanctuary. He sat cross-legged upon its spine, his face pallid, bearing the searing agony of his wounds. Yet, his eyes, unwavering, were fixed upon the Five Planets.

Seeing no alteration upon their surfaces, Wang Lin knew his gamble had paid off. They dared not risk it!

In truth, even had they called his bluff, he possessed an avenue of escape. He still held the Bow of Li Guang, though loath to use it. But if pressed, he would draw it without hesitation.

This venture to the Five Planets had wounded him, but his gains were immeasurable. With a raised right hand, he tapped several vital points, suppressing the torment within. With the Netherbeast as his steed, he withdrew, slowly but surely, from the celestial sphere of the Five Planets, emerging into the Kunxu Starfield.

“That Elder Ma possesses power exceeding even the Sovereign,” he mused. “He has not truly attained Emptiness Tribulant, yet he must have weathered the trials of numerous Mystic Tribulations…”

“And the first level of that towering pagoda…empty, save for a suit of armor…These cultivators of the Returning Sect wield uncanny power, channeling strength through enchanted armor. That armor on the first level…it likely belongs to Elder Ma.”

“If it is his, what heights of power would he reach when clad in it?” Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed with contemplation.

After Wang Lin’s departure, Elder Ma stood upon the Five Planets, his face a mask of grim consideration, his gaze locked on the heavens. He wavered, caught between action and restraint.

He could not be certain if Wang Lin held further cards to play. Yet, the audacity of the youth, knowingly venturing into danger and wresting the Blood Sword from his grasp, spoke of meticulous preparation.

Lost in thought, his eyes flashed with cold light. The elder clad in the Twin-Patterned Armor dared not utter a sound, standing respectfully by.

Likewise, the three from the fifth, sixth, and seventh levels were reverent, cowed by the power of Elder Ma.

Yun Yifeng, of the Returning Sect, stood beside Elder Ma, gazing silently at the sky.

“What are your thoughts?” Elder Ma finally spoke, his words directed at no one in particular. Yet, only Yun Yifeng, after a moment’s reflection, answered in a low voice.

“This humble one does not believe that the Heavenly Dao can devour us! The Heavenly Dao, itself…my Senior Uncle uncovered certain clues. I followed those leads, and although I found nothing concrete, I have formulated a few theories.

“The Heavenly Dao is fractured. Though this youth wields a portion, it is incomplete! An incomplete Heavenly Dao might swallow the masses, but those of great cultivation, it cannot contain!

“He came here, I believe, knowing we were not natives of the Cave World, seeking the key to his Third Soul. He fears our power and thus seeks to draw us from the shadows, to learn our secrets, and to formulate a plan against us!

“Of course, these are merely my conjectures. But if it be true, then this man is a force to be reckoned with.” Yun Yifeng finished, lost in thought.

“It seems so. Besides the Heavenly Dao, he holds other trumps, or he would not have dared to come so boldly!” Elder Ma’s eyes flashed. He swept his gaze across his companions, his expression darkening. With a flick of his sleeve, he turned to re-enter the towering pagoda.

But then, a calm voice echoed across the Five Planets.

“Was it you who spoke of the Dao Ancient bloodline as savage barbarians?”

At the sound of that voice, Elder Ma’s expression twisted in horror, his pupils contracting. Cold sweat beaded on his brow. Though the voice was calm, it resonated with a power that shook the very soul.

Not only Elder Ma, but Yun Yifeng also blanched, frozen in place.

The three surrounding them trembled, their eyes filling with dread.

The elder in the Twin-Patterned Armor turned ashen. Unbelief filled his eyes. The voice resonated within all their minds, transforming into a terror that erupted from within them.

That terror threatened to extinguish their very life force. The three middle-aged men spat blood, staggering backward as if struck by an unseen hand.

The heavens roiled, the winds howled. Ripples spread, and a hazy figure materialized, walking towards the earth.

The figure was not tall, but its presence caused the very ground to tremble, threatening to shatter the Five Planets. All life cowered in helpless terror, as if the figure embodied the power to create and destroy, to shatter the very firmament.

Silence descended upon the Five Planets. Even the sun in the sky seemed to vanish in that instant.

“Was it you who spoke of the Dao Ancient bloodline as barbaric trash before the glory of the Returning Universe?” The chilling voice echoed again from the hazy figure, which moved among them. Without affording any chance for resistance, it appeared before the elder clad in the Twin-Patterned Armor. With casual ease, it seized the elder’s throat.

It all happened in an instant, and the overwhelming pressure left the armored elder helpless to dodge or retaliate. He clutched at the hand around his neck, desperate to break free.

The hazy figure flicked its wrist. The sturdy armor of the Returning Sect, the Twin-Patterned Armor, crumbled like paper, scattering into dust that was carried away by the wind.

“Was it you who spoke those words?” The hazy figure, clutching the armorless elder, drew him close, its gaze chilling.

Elder Ma’s legs trembled. He stared in horror, an expression he had never worn before. Yun Yifeng was no different.

“Lord…Grand Empyrean…” Elder Ma stuttered, his lips trembling. To casually shatter the Returning Sect’s armor and to so forcefully demand retribution for disrespecting the Dao Ancient bloodline… there was only one being capable…

“Grand Empyrean Xuan Luo!!!” Elder Ma spat blood and staggered back, his eyes filled with unimaginable fear.