## The Return of Wang Lin!

These four words, forged of crackling lightning, shimmered within Wang Lin’s soul. Echoes of thunder rumbled within him, causing him to stagger backward from the crumbling bridge.

His expression a tempest of thoughts, Wang Lin fixed his gaze upon the bridge’s weathered stone marker, a chilling glint forming in his eyes.

“Intriguing…” he murmured. “To encounter such a thing within the Immortal Astral Continent… Divining the threads, mimicking the dance of ages, this mystic art holds considerable power…”

“The Great Soul Sect… Does fate bind me to it?” A flicker of contemplation passed through Wang Lin’s gaze.

“Were I to shift through dimensions again, what wonders, or perils, might I unearth? Yet, further tests are unnecessary! This Azure Bull Immortal of the Great Soul Sect, or any of the ancient powers dwelling within its walls, who foretold my arrival, my quest to absorb the Earthflame Lord…”

“Those who await me here, seek to intertwine their destiny with mine.” Wang Lin paused, then a slow smile bloomed upon his face.

“To unravel this scheme is simple, but why should I? The Great Soul Sect seeks to elevate me as an Elder, and I, in turn, desire to glean the secrets of this Immortal Astral Continent through its power!” With that, Wang Lin retreated a step, a ripple of energy swirling beneath his feet, and vanished without a trace.

Upon the Celestial Peak, azure snow fell, tireless and eternal. Kissed by the sun, the windblown flakes shimmered with an otherworldly hue, weaving a tapestry of serene beauty that seemed to merge with the very fabric of existence.

Amidst this snowy realm, the Azure Bull Immortal sat in serene meditation, his stark white hair unyielding to the relentless winds, not a single strand stirring, a phenomenon both peculiar and profound.

Before him, a snow-sculpted incense stick slowly dissolved, now dwindled to a mere sliver, its final demise imminent.

Time, with its relentless tide, flowed onward.

At the very instant the snow incense vanished, the azure flakes above coalesced with unnatural speed, forming a vortex that spun with furious intensity. From its heart, Wang Lin emerged, his silhouette sharp against the swirling snow.

The moment his foot touched the snow-laden peak, the last vestige of the incense melted away.

“You have returned,” the Azure Bull Immortal intoned, slowly opening his eyes, a hint of wistfulness etched upon his ancient face.

“This is the art of Soul Weaving.” The Azure Bull Immortal raised a hand, and from the void, a violet jade slip manifested, radiating an aura of profound age, as if it had witnessed the eons themselves.

Without a word of inquiry, the Immortal flung the jade slip toward Wang Lin.

Wang Lin caught it with ease, his expression serene as he absorbed its essence, then stored it away.

“Come, let us return to the Great Soul Sect.”

The Azure Bull Immortal rose, brushing the azure snow from his robes. With a step forward, a three-foot wheel of cloud materialized beneath his feet.

The cloud, spun from pure energy, resembled a whirling vortex of raw power, enveloping the Immortal’s feet and propelling him forward with blinding speed.

Wang Lin, with unwavering composure, followed, not merging with the cosmos as before, but as a blazing comet streaking across the heavens, mirroring the Azure Bull Immortal’s swift departure.

Within the Great Soul Sect, countless peaks dominated the landscape. The Scorched Peak, once connected to the Earthflame Lord’s pulse, was but one among many. From a celestial vantage point, an endless panorama of mountains rose towards the sky, some shrouded in mist, their depths harboring shadows and chilling energies.

Others were consumed by colossal, spectral visages, emitting silent howls that rippled outwards, distorting the very air.

Three hundred and sixty primary peaks formed the foundation of the Great Soul Sect’s dominion!

The distances between the minor and major peaks varied greatly, the valleys between teeming with ornate pavilions, grand halls, sprawling plazas, and countless hidden grottoes.

Ten thousand disciples resided within this sprawling sect, honing their skills in a vast array of mystic arts. The Great Soul Sect’s repertoire was immense, encompassing both its ancestral techniques and the forbidden lore wrested from conquered rivals, now taught to its chosen few.

At this moment, the once crimson Scorched Peak was irrevocably changed, its color now a bruised, dusky violet, marred by fissures and broken fragments, a testament to its devastation.

Upon this blighted peak stood a woman named Yan Yi, her face contorted in a mask of fury, her hair disheveled, as if a tempest raged within her.

The instant Wang Lin and the Azure Bull Immortal descended from the heavens, Yan Yi sensed their arrival. She whirled around, her eyes burning with malice.

“Disciples of Scorched Peak, heed my call! Follow me to slay the rogue who defiled our sacred ground!” With a surge of power, Yan Yi transformed into a streak of light, hurtling towards her quarry. Behind her, a dozen of her most trusted disciples followed, including Fan Shanlu and Fan Shanmeng.

From afar, this procession of women, each exquisitely beautiful, resembled a majestic phoenix soaring through the air, hurtling towards Wang Lin and the Azure Bull Immortal. Returning to the Great Soul Sect, Wang Lin remained outwardly calm, yet his heart held a different rhythm. His first arrival had been a clandestine infiltration, but this time, he walked with purpose, standing as an equal.

He and the Azure Bull Immortal travelled in silence. As the Great Soul Sect’s towering peaks loomed ahead, the Immortal was about to speak, but a frown furrowed his brow. Wang Lin also sensed a shift in the air, as a colossal, phantom phoenix erupted from the heart of the Great Soul Sect. Its head was formed by the very woman who had pursued Wang Lin into the Earthflame Lord’s domain – her beauty twisted by a primal rage!

“Thief! You desecrated my peak! This transgression will not go unpunished!” The woman wasted no time allowing the Azure Bull Immortal to speak. She possessed the insight to recognize the subtle threads of power at play: the ancestor had personally escorted this interloper, and judging by his demeanor, he was treated as a guest, not a captive.

Therefore, she seized the thread of cause and effect, ensuring that even the ancestor would have to provide an explanation, for she, Yan Yi, was an Elder of the Great Soul Sect!
Lady Yan, a sorceress of unparalleled beauty and cunning, did not emerge alone. Instead, she swept forth, leading all the core disciples of her lineage. In doing so, she laid a subtle trap. Should the Grand Elder favor the trespasser, he would effectively disown her entire bloodline, a spectacle witnessed by all her students, making her position within the Great Soul Sect untenable. It was an act bordering on open defiance.

Furthermore, Lady Yan announced her arrival with a magnificent illusion – a colossal phoenix silhouette, its aura of dominance spreading throughout the sect. This was not for the Grand Elder’s eyes alone, but to stir the other peak lords and her allies, compelling them to emerge from their mountain sanctums. Her actions placed her on seemingly righteous ground, making the Grand Elder’s choices all the more precarious in the face of public scrutiny.

Such deliberate machinations within a short span revealed the sorceress’s extraordinary nature. Even as she descended, a chorus of powerful energies erupted from various peaks within the Great Soul Sect, solidifying into figures rushing towards the scene. These figures, their cultivation ranging from nascent Void Tribulant to mere Ethereal, were drawn by the unfolding drama.

“Thank you, Grand Elder, for aiding me in the capture of this rogue! Scoundrel, you shall not escape this time!” With a swift movement, Lady Yan lunged towards Wang Lin. To his eyes, the beautiful woman transformed into the head of a monstrous phoenix, its beak a weapon of terrifying precision. It was as though the firebird sought to devour the very heavens.

A nascent Void Tribulant force erupted from within the phoenix, though it seemed unstable, momentarily flickering. Clearly, her battle with Wang Lin had left her deeply wounded. The sight of her ravaged peak only fueled her rage, and she had rushed forth without a moment for healing, upon seeing Wang Lin’s reappearance.

Wang Lin’s eyes blazed with an inner light. Instead of retreating, he threw back his head and laughed, a sound that echoed across the heavens. He intended to join the Great Soul Sect, to become one of its Elders, and to do that, he needed to establish his power. The Grand Elder knew of his origins in the Cave World, and most certainly of his Dao-Ancient bloodline. Wang Lin would no longer conceal his heritage. He would unleash it, and the Grand Elder could deal with the consequences.

With newfound resolve, Wang Lin stepped forward. He raised his right hand, forming a fist and unleashing a devastating blow upon the void.

“Divine Tremor, Army of the Body Refinement!”

His fist struck the air, unleashing a deafening roar. The heavens themselves warped, collapsing into a gargantuan vortex. It seemed as though the world itself was spinning, everything save Wang Lin remaining steadfast in the center of the storm.

This swirling sky, this vortex of destruction, seized Lady Yan’s phoenix form, contorting her very essence. The phoenix silhouette faltered, as if the vortex would tear it apart.

Wang Lin had employed this Immortality-Defying art against the Battle Ghost, whose cultivation rivaled his own, and its power remained astounding!

The moment Divine Tremor manifested, the faces of the approaching Elders of the Great Soul Sect twisted in shock. Even Lady Yan was taken aback, her pupils contracting. She had fought Wang Lin before, but she had never witnessed this terrifying technique.

“Dao-Ancient aura!”

“The aura of a cultivator from the Ancient Lands! This man… this man is not of our Immortal race!”

“He is an Ancient Land cultivator!”

The Azure Ox’s true form creased his brow in concern. With a silent sigh, he raised his right hand and waved it across the sky. Instantly, a vast power bloomed, enshrouding the area, and concealing Wang Lin’s Dao-Ancient aura, preventing it from reaching beyond.

“Demonic Art, Beacon Fires Ascend the Mountains!” Wang Lin stood tall against the turbulent sky, his white hair whipping around him, a figure of immense power. He retracted his fist, opening his palm, and unleashing a final, decisive blow.