The clash of existence and oblivion, of fate intertwined and mirage unveiled! Fire, Water, Lightning – the very essence of the Six Paths converged in a cataclysmic dance of destruction.

Volcanoes crumbled and lightning pools shattered as a torrent of blood, transmuted into elemental water, unleashed a surge of raw power. And through the deafening roar, amidst three ethereal swords forged from the quintessence of illusion, rent the tormented shriek of Xu Decai.

Engulfed in the lambent glow of a celestial lantern, Xu Decai coughed crimson ichor, his face ashen, retreating in desperate haste. Above him, the lantern drifted, its light a ward against annihilation, preserving him from the Six Paths’ fury, albeit wounded and shaken.

Long had Wang Lin known the arduous task of vanquishing a Void Tribulant cultivator. Witnessing Xu Decai’s survival through the first onslaught, a flicker of disappointment crossed his face, yet he remained undaunted – such resilience was expected.

Xu Decai, in truth, was a foe even more formidable than the late Liu Ziyuan. He must not be granted respite, for with a moment to breathe, his arcane prowess would overwhelm Wang Lin, turning the hunter into the hunted.

Aware of this peril, Wang Lin acted without hesitation. Even as Xu Decai’s gaze remained fixed upon the strange lantern, even as he recoiled, Wang Lin raised his right hand and, heedless of the backlash, unleashed his power with a guttural roar.

“Bind!”

A single word of binding. Within Wang Lin, a tempest raged. The disparity in their cultivations was vast, and to forcibly restrain his opponent demanded a terrible price. Crimson stained his lips, yet his countenance hardened with grim determination.

As the binding spell took hold, Xu Decai’s arm, barely raised in preparation for a counter-spell, shuddered. A sensation akin to countless silken threads ensnaring his flesh, penetrating his very being, and shackling his movements gripped him.

Even the lantern above seemed to dim, as the spell severed its connection to Xu Decai.

Yet Xu Decai was a formidable opponent. The spell’s effects were but fleeting, lasting only an instant. But that instant was all Wang Lin needed to disrupt his foe’s incantation, to deny him the chance to retaliate, and to unleash a second wave of annihilation!

The moment the binding word escaped his lips, Wang Lin swept his sleeve. The countless black snowflakes, which had fallen upon the battlefield, stirred in a sudden gust of spectral wind, rushing towards Xu Decai.

The thick carpet of obsidian snow that covered the ground was also swept up, hurtling towards the doomed cultivator. For these were no mere snowflakes; each contained a multitude of arcane seals, born from Wang Lin’s essence of forbidden power.

A vortex of black snow engulfed Xu Decai, a prison of arcane seals tightening around him.

In the merest heartbeat, Xu Decai regained his mobility, his eyes widening in terror.

“What… what sorcery is this?!” he cried, his voice laced with dread. “It can freeze my very actions, my mind, even my thoughts! Never have I witnessed such a terrifying art!” His face ashen, he staggered backward, raising his hand once more.

“Bind!” Wang Lin roared, and thrust his fingers again.

This time, the effort cost him dearly. A torrent of blood spewed forth, his face drained of color, yet his resolve remained unbroken. At his command, Xu Decai, who had barely recovered his freedom, was seized by a sudden and terrifying stillness.

Above, the storm of black snow thickened into a swirling, ominous cloud. This was the power of Wang Lin’s Soul Sail, the most potent art of the Great Soul Sect. Its strength lay in its ability to disregard cultivation levels and distort the mind.

The dark cloud descended, coalescing with unnatural speed into the form of a solitary, white-clad woman, seen only from the back.

Her soft sobs echoed across the battlefield, chilling the soul with their ethereal sorrow. For she was not living, but a spirit!

The art of the Spirit Illusion was unleashed. Xu Decai was once again bound, forced to witness the spectral woman take form. As the physical restraints dissipated, the ghostly figure materialized in his mind.

Confusion clouded Xu Decai’s eyes. In that moment of vulnerability, Wang Lin flung his sleeve again. The ground trembled as thirty million souls, fused into the very earth, surged skyward like tendrils of shadow, directly towards Xu Decai.

The mass of souls enveloped Xu Decai, entangled in the swirling black snow, and ascended into the sky. There, the azure expanse, the manifested power of Wang Lin’s Azure Umbrella, awaited. This artifact was not only a shield but a weapon of immense power.

From afar, it appeared as though Xu Decai, ensnared by thirty million souls, was launched skyward like a meteor. As he neared the azure canopy, Wang Lin unleashed a final, guttural command.

“Slay!”

The heavens roared. The azure dome shattered. Thirty million souls tore and gnawed, while the black snow churned in reverse. This cataclysmic implosion focused all its destructive force upon Xu Decai.

Within Xu Decai’s mind, the weeping spirit woman continued to entangle him in a phantasmal nightmare.

Wang Lin had no time to observe the outcome. Killing a nascent Void Tribulant cultivator was a task of utmost peril. Such figures possessed renown and resilience, and could not be approached with anything less than unwavering vigilance.

Without hesitation, Wang Lin summoned his Fire Essence Avatar and raised his right hand, pointing towards the heavens.

“The Seven-Colored Arts!”

As the words echoed, the heavens were awash in blinding, iridescent light. The colors converged, forming two spears. The second was wreathed in flames, and together they streaked into the heart of the shattered azure dome, towards Xu Decai!
“Spirit Binding Seal!” Wang Lin rasped, his voice raw, as his right hand slammed upwards. The heavens roared, and a colossal palm print materialized, shimmering with celestial energy. Behind it, a second palm, wreathed in roaring flames, mirrored its trajectory, both hurtling towards Xu Decai!

“Ancient World-Burning Umbrellas!” Wang Lin bellowed, raising both hands in a sweeping gesture. Innumerable arcane symbols surged skyward, coalescing into a gigantic, open umbrella woven from pure fire. A spectral twin bloomed behind it, both umbrellas contracting in unison, unleashing a cataclysmic wave of incandescent destruction.

“Call the Winds and Summon the Rain!”

“Scatter the Beans, Bring Forth the Soldiers!”

“Mountains Crumble, Earth Devastated!”

“The Shifting Moon Shows Clear!!!” Wang Lin poured every fiber of his being into the incantation, drawing upon the ancient arts of Bai Fan. From them, he forged a spell of his own design: the Shifting Moon Shows Clear!

A dark, baleful moon materialized in the heavens, its surface marred by shadowy craters. Within its depths, a second, phantom moon flickered, creating a terrifying celestial double.

A Double Moon!

The roar that followed shattered the very foundations of reality. A piercing shriek echoed across the ravaged landscape as the oppressive darkness began to crumble. Two rainbow-hued lances, streaking like bolts of divine wrath, pierced the fading gloom. The Spirit Binding Seal slammed home behind them, followed by the inexorable descent of the Shifting Moon, its spectral luminescence searing Xu Decai’s flesh.

Xu Decai coughed blood, his right arm exploding in a shower of gore. He appeared a withered husk, drained of life force, teetering on the precipice of oblivion. Were it not for the flickering lantern hovering above his head, he would surely have succumbed to the carefully orchestrated second wave of Wang Lin’s deadly assault.

The lantern’s candle flame danced erratically, threatening to extinguish entirely. Unadulterated terror flooded Xu Decai’s eyes, a primal fear he hadn’t known in centuries. The chilling specter of death hung heavy upon him.

“Just give me a chance! Just one chance!” Xu Decai’s robes were soaked in crimson, his face contorted in a mask of desperate madness. He stumbled backwards, one step, two steps, poised to take the third.

“Bind!” Wang Lin roared, spitting forth a mouthful of blood. He channeled his last reserves of strength into the binding spell, his third attempt. Xu Decai’s body shuddered, his eyes widening in abject despair as Wang Lin unleashed the final, decisive volley of his offensive.

With a blur of movement, Wang Lin lunged towards the critically wounded Xu Decai. Simultaneously, a savage roar, brimming with primal fury, erupted from the depths of the earth. The one-armed Yi Si, a hulking figure of bestial rage, surged forth, intent on rending Xu Decai limb from limb!

And from the distant sky, the mosquito beast materialized, its multifaceted eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. With a deafening shriek, it plunged towards Xu Decai, accelerating to impossible speeds.

This was Wang Lin’s third offensive, his ultimate gambit.

Three forces converged upon Xu Decai, a trifecta of death closing in from every direction. Yi Si was the first to arrive, a cruel leer plastered across its monstrous face. Its remaining hand clawed at Xu Decai, a strike empowered by its nascent Sky Severing Realm cultivation. The already shattered Xu Decai suffered grievous new wounds.

Xu Decai screamed in agony, his body finally succumbing to the onslaught. With a deafening crack, his physical form disintegrated, ripped apart by Yi Si’s devastating blow!

Xu Decai’s spirit essence, still clinging to the lantern, recoiled in abject terror. As it fled, the Mosquito King, patiently waiting for its moment, descended with terrifying speed. Its proboscis, a weapon of horrifying efficiency, lashed out, striking Xu Decai’s spirit dead-on. A fresh wave of screams echoed through the air as the mosquito attempted to drain the essence entirely. Only the burst of light emanating from the lantern forced the beast to recoil, saving Xu Decai from complete annihilation.

But as the lantern’s light pulsed outwards, engulfing Yi Si, the demon writhed in pain, black ichor oozing from its wounds. Yet, the agony only fueled its bloodlust. Ignoring the excruciating pain, it charged forward once more, its remaining claw reaching for its prey.

Xu Decai’s spirit, already ravaged and weakened, emitted a final, desperate cry of anguish.

And in that moment, Wang Lin arrived.

Xu Decai was a broken ruin, his body shattered, his spirit on the verge of collapse. Only the inexplicable power of the lantern stood between him and utter obliteration.

But the lantern’s properties were beyond Wang Lin’s comprehension. To truly destroy Xu Decai, he had to sever the connection between him and the enigmatic artifact. As he closed the distance, Wang Lin’s right hand glowed with a crimson light. He drew the Blood Sword, its edge shimmering with malevolent power, and swung it down upon Xu Decai’s head with all his might!