In that fleeting instant, the illusory phoenix shimmering about Yan Luan shattered like glass. Then, as the heavens themselves seemed to twist and writhe, a series of burning signal fires erupted, encircling Wang Lin. Eight towering columns of smoke, thick with monstrous energy and roiling like the breath of a beast, pierced the sky.

From within those smoky pillars arose wails of anguish, chilling the very air. Rather than remain static, the eight columns spun around Wang Lin, a raging vortex that hurtled towards the oncoming Yan Luan, engulfing her within its fiery tempest. The ensuing thunder echoed across the heavens.

The assembled Elders of the Great Soul Sect, witnessing this spectacle, bore expressions of profound gravity. Wang Lin’s arcane power was terrifying, inspiring dread even in their seasoned hearts.

“This is pure Daoist magic, unlike anything practiced by the Immortal Clans!” one whispered, his voice hushed with awe.

“The ancient Daoist arts are rarely deployed in a single burst, but rather woven into intricate combinations, unleashing unimaginable force at the final moment. This man’s origins are… troubling. Why would the Ancestor bring him into our midst?”

“His cultivation appears unremarkable, yet this spell… even I would be forced to retreat! A misstep could mean oblivion!”

“Warriors of the ancient kingdoms are renowned for their resilient bodies. Surely his physical strength is extraordinary!”

Yan Luan’s hair billowed wildly as the inferno-smoke storm, composed of the eight pillars, engulfed her. Darkness clouded her vision, and mournful shrieks assaulted her ears. A relentless, unseen force seemed determined to tear her asunder.

The icy touch of mortality gripped her soul.

“Who is he?!” she raged inwardly. “The flame-circle spell was astonishing enough, but to possess such a horrifying, supplementary power…” Without pause, Yan Luan bit down on her tongue, spitting forth a mouthful of blood. With a swift gesture, she caught the crimson fluid in her palm and crushed it.

“By my own lifeblood, I summon the heroic spirits of the Great Soul Sect’s ancestors across the void! Soul Manifest, return!” Her voice, sharp and piercing, cut through the storm of fire and smoke, reaching the ears of all those who stood outside.

As Yan Luan’s hand pulverized her blood, crimson mist seeped from her fingers, rapidly congealing into a scarlet path that stretched far into the endless void, leading to some unknown realm. A muffled roar thundered from the depths of the blood path, and the air crackled with arcane energy. As if a gateway had been ripped open in the fabric of reality, a figure emerged. It radiated an aura of bloody carnage, wreathed in the tormented souls of countless victims.

The moment the figure stepped onto the blood path, the very heavens trembled.

“It is the Ninth Ancestor! Yan Luan’s Soul Manifest can call upon him! How did she cultivate such unwavering will?” a voice gasped.

“The Ninth Ancestor, Luo Yunhai! Our murals depict his life of slaughter, imprisoning a billion souls! A warrior without equal!”

“When he reached the peak of his power, the Ninth Ancestor challenged the Heavenly Venerate Dao Yi and was defeated. The Heavenly Venerate, however, spared his soul, allowing it to return to our sect as a testament to his bravery…”

A wave of murmurs swept through the assembled onlookers as the blood-soaked figure materialized behind Yan Luan.

The spectral form was shrouded in shadow, lacking discernible features, but the raw, visceral power of its aura was undeniable. With a single step forward, the earth trembled, and a wave of oppressive energy surged outwards. The fiery storm surrounding Yan Luan faltered, unable to withstand the force. Even Wang Lin felt a jolt of surprise and a gleam ignited in his eyes.

“The Daoist arts of the Great Soul Sect are truly formidable! The position of Elder holds untold value for me! Both the Soul Manifest and the Soul Shift are powerful arts. I *must* learn them!” Wang Lin muttered inwardly. As the horrifying pressure intensified, he took three steps back. The aura of his own ancient Dao surged forth, and a towering, spectral form coalesced behind him. The illusion solidified, clad in ancient armor and bearing Wang Lin’s very likeness.

Reaching out his right hand, Wang Lin pointed a single finger forward.

“Demon Dao, Reversal of Life and Death!”

Yan Luan gasped, her face contorted in shock. She felt the life force within her rapidly transforming into deathly energy, and a debilitating weakness washed over her.

As Wang Lin unleashed his Demon Dao, the sky itself grew heavy with the stench of death. The accumulated demise of countless souls throughout the history of the Great Soul Sect coalesced into a tangible force.

The deathly energy surged like a tide, forming what seemed like a sea of the dead outside the Great Soul Sect. Within its depths, tormented cries echoed, swallowing everything in their path.

The approaching Elders of the Great Soul Sect recoiled, instinctively retreating. Only those of the highest cultivation dared to remain, their faces etched with concern and their eyes gleaming with a deep-seated wariness as they looked at Wang Lin.

The surge of deathly energy showed no sign of abating. As it permeated the land, Wang Lin thought he heard a faint, but familiar roar echoing from the depths beneath them.

It was the roar of the Celestial Bull!

Deep beneath the ancient grounds lay a Celestial Bull, neither truly dead nor truly alive. Its body had become the earth itself, its spirit nourished the souls of the living, and its soul remained imprisoned. But its indomitable will persisted.

Now, as Wang Lin reversed the flow of life and death, a colossal surge of deathly energy erupted from the depths of the earth. The ground trembled as if the world was being swallowed by a dense fog. The energy coalesced, forming a colossal Celestial Bull before Wang Lin.
A bestial roar of utter despair, born of defiance against impending oblivion, tore through the heavens. The visage of the Ox-God, contorted with rage, eyes burning crimson, erupted into existence.

Its appearance sent tremors through the Great Soul Sect. Elders, scattered across the grounds, recoiled, disbelief etched upon their faces.

“The Celestial Ox!”

“Can it be…? Is that truly the form of the Celestial Ox manifested?!”

“Impossible! How can this be happening?!”

Even the ancient, reclusive figures, normally content to observe from afar through tendrils of divine sense, were shaken from their seclusion. They emerged from their secluded peaks, drawn by the terrifying presence of the death-infused Celestial Ox in the sky.

Some, whose cultivation was so profound that ordinary battles held no interest, were now captivated, their aged faces etched with awe.

Deep within the heart of the Great Soul Sect, atop the highest peak, sat an ancient being in meditation. His features were a perfect mirror of the Ox-God’s true form, leaving no doubt as to his identity: the True Immortal of the Azure Ox.

His eyes, long closed, snapped open, revealing an uncharacteristic surge of excitement.

“A soul capable of summoning the Celestial Ox… He is the one foretold by our ancestors! Countless ages ago, they moved the Great Soul Sect to this Celestial Ox Continent, choosing the Earthfire Vein as our foundation, all to await the arrival of this very person!”

“He who can awaken the Celestial Ox… He who comes from the Cave Realm… It is him!”

“He is not of the Immortal Astral Continent. He originates from the Cave Realm, and in some fundamental way, he mirrors the seventy-two savage beasts sealed beneath the seventy-two provinces of the Immortal Clan!”

“The Celestial Ox comes from beyond the stars, not born of this world. He is the same. That is why he can draw forth the Celestial Ox’s spirit!”

Yan Luan’s face turned ashen as the aura of death washed over her. Never had she imagined that a simple duel could escalate to such an unbelievable magnitude.

Another earth-shattering roar reverberated across the land as the deathly Celestial Ox lowered its monstrous head, unleashing a tempest of decay. It charged toward Yan Luan, its advance relentless. At the same moment, behind Yan Luan, the blood-soaked specter upon the crimson path once more stirred. This time, it took not one, but three steps forward!

With each step, Yan Luan’s complexion paled further, yet an ever-intensifying wave of pressure radiated from the specter, a shield against the onslaught of the deathly Celestial Ox!

The very air crackled and exploded as the two forces collided. Though the Celestial Ox and the specter did not physically meet, their auras clashed in a cataclysmic war, twisting the fabric of reality.

The blood specter wavered, then vanished, consumed by the clash. In equal measure, the deathly Celestial Ox fragmented and dissipated, its spectral form collapsing in a maelstrom of swirling death energy. The Ox-God’s projection was but a fragment of its true, cosmic self, far removed from the genuine article, yet its power remained undeniable!

“Gods, Demons, Devils… in the Ancient Path, there are no Immortals!” Wang Lin murmured, his outstretched fingers coalescing into a palm. He gently pressed forward, and the ancient power within his very being began to converge, culminating in a single, unified force. He clenched his fist, unleashing it in a devastating blow.

Within his fist, he carried the fury of the Ancient Path. Behind Wang Lin, the towering phantom of the Daogu giant, clad in ancient armor, opened its spectral maw, emitting a soundless roar that accompanied the strike.

His fist connected with empty air, yet nine concentric waves of power rippled outward. Where they passed, the earth groaned and fractured, the sky roared its disapproval. Grass, trees, temples, and even the very outer perimeter of the Great Soul Sect were bathed in a ghastly grey light, petrifying with alarming speed.

Yan Luan coughed up blood, reeling backwards, her face a mask of horror as she stared at Wang Lin.

As the nine waves of destruction closed upon Yan Luan, a voice, deep and resonant, thundered across the heavens.

“Enough! Yan Luan, withdraw! You dare show such disrespect to the newly appointed Elder! Your Flame Vein Peak will be compensated for your troubles!”