As the words echoed forth, the very void where Wang Lin knelt shimmered, and the form of Xuan Luo, etched in starlight, materialized within the cosmos. At the sight of him, the expressions of Daoist Lan Meng and Tosen shifted in unison, their pupils contracting with a sudden, weighty gravity. They had sensed nothing of Xuan Luo’s arrival, their perception extending only to the visual. Even now, with eyes wide open, their divine senses remained utterly blind to his presence.

Xuan Luo paid them no heed, a faint smile of curious amusement gracing his lips as he gazed upon Wang Lin, awaiting his reply. The fact that Wang Lin knew of his concealed existence came as no surprise, but to have his name spoken aloud stirred his suspicion, sparking a dawning comprehension.

“Ah, I see,” Xuan Luo began, his voice a low murmur woven with amusement. “Within the First Flower World, in the domain crafted by that white tiger cub, you claimed a sliver of divine sense from that minor cultivator of the Five Planets! Doubtless, you secretly gleaned from that fragment the events that unfolded upon the Five Planets after your departure!”

Wang Lin paused, then nodded in acknowledgment. It was precisely as Xuan Luo surmised: Wang Lin had indeed extracted his name from that fragmented consciousness. The sliver of memory held little, a mere echo of recent occurrences, yet it contained the scene of Xuan Luo’s appearance following Wang Lin’s leaving the Five Planets. This confirmed the faint suspicion that had first taken root within Wang Lin upon encountering the Five Planets cultivators, for he had not witnessed the fate of the elder who, with reckless abandon, had scorned the Ancient Clan and met his end at Xuan Luo’s hand.

The Soul-Searching had taken place in the instant when Wang Lin, joined by the seven-souled Tian Ni, was about to collect the Ink Fish. Its strange disappearance had shocked Wang Lin’s soul, forcing him to seek its cause; eventually, he discovered the answer within the sliver of consciousness. While inside the Dong Lin Sect, home to the Second Flower Ancient God, Wang Lin had become aware, and later within the Ancient Tomb, he had painstakingly confirmed his suspicions. In the moment when he stepped back, allowing Xuan Luo to act, Wang Lin knew the truth of what he had learned.

“Your uncanny ability to pinpoint my location likely stems from the Ink Fish… I had underestimated the resonance between male and female beasts,” Xuan Luo mused, shaking his head. This oversight was his own failing, yet Wang Lin’s discovery of his presence and identity filled him with a profound satisfaction. Wang Lin had surpassed his expectations, fulfilling his test, and now stood as a testament to his worth.

“Am I not correct, old friend?” Xuan Luo asked, smiling at Wang Lin. Wang Lin, his expression strangely unreadable, nodded once more.

“So, you know not only my name but also my true identity?” Xuan Luo’s smile deepened, a subtle joy flickering across his features. The time spent hidden alongside Wang Lin had been surprisingly pleasant, a feeling he found himself relishing. A touch of regret tinged his satisfaction, a wish that Wang Lin might have remained in the dark a little longer.

“Immortal Astral Continent, Great Heavenly Venerate of the Dao Ancient lineage, one of the Nine Suns,” Wang Lin declared softly, after a moment’s pause. When he had gleaned this knowledge from the fragment of consciousness, his heart had been a tempestuous sea, only to be stilled with considerable effort. Yet he had concealed his reaction, betraying no hint of his discovery.

“The cultivators of the Five Planets relinquished their pursuit of the third fragment, and their original goal, because of you, venerable one. Even your assistance to me was at your urging. For this, I am deeply grateful,” Wang Lin said, gazing upon Xuan Luo with sincerity.

Xuan Luo’s admiration for Wang Lin grew with each passing moment. He had exceeded all expectations, his satisfaction complete. Hearing Wang Lin’s words, delivered with neither excessive humility nor arrogance, Xuan Luo laughed aloud. Even more, he cherished the fact that Wang Lin, fully aware of his presence, had never once requested his aid. This, the claiming of the cave world’s core, was achieved solely through his own strength, a feat of defying the heavens. And at that moment, Xuan Luo knew, without a single doubt, that he would take Wang Lin as his sole disciple.

“Return with me to the Dao Ancient lineage of the Immortal Astral Continent, become my only disciple, and protect the Dao Ancient line, young friend. Will you accept?” Xuan Luo asked, his voice devoid of command, instead carrying the warmth and respect of an elder addressing a younger peer. This sincerity, this open invitation, stirred a spark of warmth within Wang Lin’s heart. Yet, he did not reply, falling into a deep contemplation.

Xuan Luo had observed Wang Lin for countless days, understanding him well. Seeing his hesitation, he could sense the turmoil of his thoughts. His brow furrowed as he glanced at the golden gate, a silent sigh escaping him. His displeasure was not directed at Wang Lin, but at the very nature of his inner struggle.

“On the Immortal Astral Continent, many cave worlds exist. Nearly every sect of any standing holds its own. Yet, throughout history, it is exceedingly rare for cave world beings to venture forth, let alone usurp control. Had the Colorful Immortal not shattered his own soul, he would never have met such an end,” Xuan Luo explained, his voice grave and resonant. “Do you know why? It is because of the laws of the Immortal Astral Continent! Within the cave worlds forged upon the Immortal Astral Continent, should a being without Immortal Astral blood dare to breach the ancient, inviolable laws, they would face certain death. These laws are not merely regulations but a tangible force, an alien pressure that would crush a cave world being without the proper lineage, causing their soul to shatter upon entry!”

“This immortal rule is insurmountable! I understand your thoughts, you do not wish to leave this place, you wish to take all of those who seek to leave here with you to the Immortal Astral Continent.” Xuan Luo sighed, his gaze piercing.

“If they do not wish to leave this place, I will not force them, however, there are some who do, and it is my intention to bring them with me,” Wang Lin replied quietly after a long silence.

“That is not possible! Not even she, the woman called Wan’er whom you saw in your dream world, can go to the Immortal Astral Continent!” Xuan Luo said, his voice heavy with concern. Wang Lin, startled, lifted his head. “She cannot go?” Xuan Luo’s face was a mix of emotions, knowing how much this woman meant to Wang Lin, and nodded. Wang Lin stood still, unmoving, for a very long time.

“But I was told by someone that if there was a Guide on the Immortal Astral Continent, that it would be possible to lessen those dangers…”

“Whoever told you that was mistaken! This cannot be done, unless the Nine Suns all acted at the same time, could the supreme immortal laws be resisted! These immortal laws, are ordained by the bloodlines of the Immortal Ancestor and the Ancient Ancestor, and cannot be changed!”

Wang Lin’s face was ashen, his body swayed as if most of his blood had left him, with the last bit of that blood spilled from the corners of his mouth.

The light in his eyes dulled in an instant, replaced by a tortuous despair that twisted deep within his heart.

“I have investigated this woman Wan’er. Strangely, it would seem that her soul is incomplete, a portion of it is missing. I have even helped you in this cave world, to try and find some clue, but found nothing, which is highly unusual. But however it may be, her soul, incomplete, cannot be revived. If that part of her soul can be restored, perhaps I can help her awaken!”

“You can go to the Immortal Astral Continent first, and if you have an opportunity, find the missing part of her soul, then you can return here…” As he said this, Xuan Luo stopped speaking, for he could see in Wang Lin’s eyes, blood-tears welling up. “Truly… It cannot be done…?” Wang Lin lowered his head in despair.

“I will not leave Wan’er here, all alone, to go to the Immortal Astral Continent… I am going to open the doors of this cave world, and go to the Immortal Astral Continent, all because of her!!”

“So that she might be awakened, my original plan was to bring her with me to the Immortal Astral Continent, and find the opportunity to revive her… If she cannot go, me alone to the Immortal Astral Continent, for thousands, tens of thousands of years… It would be better for us to remain here in the cave world, together forever, until death…” Wang Lin was speaking to himself, tears streaking down his face, a faint red hue coloring those tears. Like the sorrow of reason, like the sadness of the gods, like a complete despair of all existence, congealing into tears of blood.

Wang Lin’s words reached the ears of Daoist Lan Meng, and he stood there in silence, listening to the man his daughter loved, so infatuated with another woman, but at this moment, he felt no anger, only pity and grief, and thought of his wife. Xuan Luo looked at Wang Lin, for a very long time, and then sighed, and said,

“Wang Lin, it is not as though there is no other way! I will throw caution to the winds, and help you resist these immortal laws, and cast the Heavenly Yang Reincarnation Art! All of your friends who seek to leave this cave world, through my reincarnation arts, will be reborn on the Immortal Astral Continent!”

“After they are reincarnated, they will be people of the Immortal Astral Continent, and possess the bloodline, but their memories will be sealed, and you will have to search for them, and awaken their sealed memories!”

“This process will be extremely long, and I cannot know how long it will take, and there may be some who are reincarnated within the next few years, and there may be others that take thousands of years!”

“And this reincarnation, I cannot choose the location, the Immortal Astral Continent is vast, you must be prepared, and confident, that you can find them all!”

“As for that woman called Wan’er… Her soul is not complete, and therefore cannot be reincarnated… But I will still help you, when resisting these immortal laws, you will have a fifty percent chance, to bring her with you safely to the Immortal Astral Continent!”

“But this possibility, is only fifty percent! If you fail, you will die along with her! Tell me, what is your choice!” Xuan Luo’s offer would come with a great price for him, but he looked at Wang Lin, and said these words without hesitation.

In this world, there is no help without a reason, and Wang Lin understood this. However, there are people, whose actions can bring about different ends, like the former Dun Tian, and the current Xuan Luo, they acted with their own reasons in mind, but Wang Lin’s heart was warmed, not chilled.

And Wang Lin valued the kindness that was shown to him, he, was worthy of that kindness shown to him by the former Xiao Tian, and the current Xuan Luo.