A hush fell upon the ranks of the Gui Yi Sect, both within its walls and stretching beyond, as a voice of celestial authority echoed from a golden figure suspended in the heavens. Every cultivator, from the lowliest disciple to the most venerable elder, craned their necks skyward, their faces etched with awe and trepidation.

The Imperial Family!

The Immortal Emperor!

An Imperial Edict!

Such pronouncements were exceedingly rare, perhaps appearing only once in tens of thousands of years. Each one carried the inescapable, supreme power of the Immortal Emperor, who reigned from the distant Central Continent. To defy it was to defy the very heavens themselves.

In the vast expanse of the Immortal Galaxy, the Immortal Emperor, scion of the Immortal Ancestor, was the supreme, unchallenged sovereign of the Immortal clans. Though his dominion was nominally exercised over the entire Immortal race, no sect, no faction, no single province could withstand his will.

By virtue of his lineage, he was both the titular Emperor and the living embodiment of the Immortal race. To refuse an edict was tantamount to betraying one’s immortal heritage, a treason that would be met with swift and terrible retribution.

Moreover, the current Emperor, being one of the Nine Suns, possessed unimaginable power, which coupled with his station elevated the imperial authority to unprecedented heights.

“Hail the Immortal Emperor!” a unified chorus arose. From the Dao Demon Sect to the Poison Demon Sect, and even from within the Gui Guang Sect itself, every cultivator, regardless of their cultivation level, bowed deeply with genuine reverence.

Though the golden figure in the sky was not the Emperor himself, he bore the Imperial Edict and was, in that moment, his very avatar.

Immortals do not kneel before Emperors, but a single bow of respect is permissible, for so decreed the Immortal Ancestor. He believed that the path of cultivation was a struggle against the heavens themselves, and thus, an Immortal should not readily bow before any being.

Furthermore, the reason the Emperor’s lineage adopted a laissez-faire approach to the various provinces, intervening only in matters of utmost importance, was also rooted in the Immortal Ancestor’s will: immortals must not be unduly constrained, for such restrictions would render them unworthy of their ascension.

Therefore, even the four Great Celestial Sovereigns, second only to the Emperor in power, held the Imperial lineage in due respect.

As every cultivator within and around the Gui Yi Sect bowed, the golden figure’s gaze swept across the land.

“Three Edicts are issued this day: one here, one at the Great Soul Gate, and the last at the Dao Demon Sect of the Green Demon Province!”

With a flourish of his hand, a blinding golden light erupted, and a scroll crafted from some unknown, precious material was unfurled.

“By the blood of the Immortal Ancestor, the Immortal clans of the Heavenly Bull Province and the Green Demon Province shall cease their hostilities immediately! Yun Yi Feng, Tang Jia, Bian Yun, Zhou Hai, Zhao Dong Qing… and eight others, heed the summons and enter the Ancestral Temple for trials!”

The golden figure’s words were measured, yet each syllable resonated like thunderclaps, echoing throughout the land. The named cultivators, eight of whom were currently within the Gui Yi Sect, visibly stirred with excitement.

These were the most promising sixteen cultivators to emerge from the war, and their deeds had not gone unnoticed by the Emperor.

As the announcement reverberated, the Sect Master of the Gui Yi Sect released a slow breath and a smile graced his lips. The war, though complex in its execution, had a simple aim: to showcase the talents of the younger generation from both provinces, thereby drawing the attention of the Immortal Emperor and securing entry into the Ancestral Temple!

The Sect Master was not alone in his delight. The Void Tribulation Grand Elders from the Green Demon Province outside the Sect also joined in, offering their bows and greetings.

“We obey the Immortal Emperor’s decree!”

With another wave, the golden Edict transformed into a beam of light, streaking towards the earth and finally settling above the gates of the Gui Yi Sect, radiating a soft, golden glow.

His task complete, the golden figure vanished without another word, his presence fading into the sky, the golden light slowly dissipating.

Almost simultaneously, near the Great Soul Gate, where the fighting was at its fiercest, and where Yun Kong and other rising stars of the Great Soul Gate were locked in deadly combat, a golden light erupted in the sky, and a second golden figure manifested.

The same scene played out above the Great Soul Gate, a mirror of what had occurred at the Gui Yi Sect.

With all cultivators bowing in submission, and with the very text of the Edict being almost identical, differing only in the names of the eight selected, the golden figure departed, leaving the Edict suspended in the air above the Great Soul Gate. Silence descended upon the land around.

The Azure Bull Ancestor raised his gaze to the fading golden light, a complex expression upon his face. He sighed softly. So many had perished in this war between the provinces, but the prize – a chance at entry into the Ancestral Temple – made it all worthwhile!

“The deductions left behind by the Old Ancestor, though not entirely accurate, are largely consistent… but I did not tell Wang Lin the full ramifications…” The Azure Bull Ancestor shook his head and retreated toward his secluded chambers.

The century-long war between the provinces ended with these two Edicts. The Green Demon cultivators slowly retreated, returning to their homeland, the Green Demon Province.

The Heavenly Bull Province had suffered great losses, but the toll on the Green Demon Province was even greater.

Meanwhile, back in the Green Demon Province, within the Dao Demon Sect, the sealing formations rapidly contracted, obliterating all in their path. Any who touched them died a horrific death, and the very structures of the Dao Demon Sect crumbled into ruin.

In less than thirty breaths, the encompassing formations had annihilated everything, slaying countless cultivators. The souls of the dead were largely destroyed, but the souls of several of the surviving experts were trapped within the formations and were pulled before Wang Lin, who grasped them in his hand.

Souls were precious for Wang Lin, for they were crucial to advancing his Mastery of Speed. With only one Spiritual Meridian, absorbing more souls would not only strengthen the Meridian, but also allow him to cast spells with incredible speed!

The souls of the two Void Tribulation experts who had chosen to die, one destroyed, one burned, were not taken. Wang Lin needed to understand the level of his current cultivation to judge how far he had come.
In his present state, to concern himself with the careful preservation of nascent souls for later consumption would cloud his judgment, preventing precise command over every sliver of his power. The acquisition of vacant-void souls would be no great task in the ages to come. But these few score of mighty beings, their souls were forfeit. With a flick of his sleeve, they were swept into his boundless storage.

Wang Lin remained unaware of the events unfolding across Tianniu Continent. His gaze was fixed upon the lake below. The cries of dying cultivators had long since faded, replaced by an oppressive silence.

“The Dao-Devil Sect is shattered, its halls rent, its inhabitants slain. Even those who linger scattered across Tianniu, I say to you, reveal yourself!” His words, sharp as winter winds, echoed forth as he raised his right hand, cleaving the air above the lake.

Instantly, the seals that bound the lake’s perimeter erupted in blinding light. A deafening roar tore through the desolate ruins of the Dao-Devil Sect. Within the radiant glow, the encircling barriers contracted with unnatural speed, converging upon the very heart of the lake.

The water within churned and swelled under the encroaching force, thick mists rising as the lake itself began to crumble and dissolve. The seals, imbued with immense destructive power, tightened relentlessly, obliterating water and land alike as they bore down upon the central island.

Yet, when the seals had constricted to encompass but half the lake, a thunderous bellow erupted from its depths. From the churning waters, a leviathan of the deep, a sea dragon of sapphire hue, burst forth!

A dragon of the sea, its scales a shimmering blue, a creature of ten thousand zhang in length! In this land of Xian-Gang, such beasts were revered as celestial, their countenances fearsome, yet radiating an aura of purest celestial energy.

Age had etched itself upon this dragon, imbuing it with an ancient wisdom. Its head, dragon-like but subtly different, bore a spine of sharpened barbs along its back, a terrifying spectacle.

Clawless, it resembled a colossal serpent, yet possessed the power of its draconic kin. Though seemingly slender, its girth was a hundred zhang thick. Two massive fins, like fans of bone and skin, sprouted from its head, connecting seamlessly to its body.

As it breached the surface, torrents of water cascaded from between its scales, replenishing the dwindling lake. Its emergence sent the water level plummeting.

*ROAR!*

The great beast, its crimson eyes burning with ancient wrath, locked its gaze upon Wang Lin. The roar shook the very heavens, and as it echoed, two more eyes, burning with the same fiery intensity, flickered into existence above the first pair. The dragon possessed four eyes!

A creature of the open ocean, it dwelled within this secluded lake. Now, as it emerged, an aura of pure dominance emanated from its form, washing over the ravaged landscape.

Simultaneously, from the crumbling island at the heart of the lake, an earth-toned light pulsed, enveloping the land in a protective shield, deflecting the relentless assault of the encroaching seals.

Then, with a single, fluid motion, the sea dragon lunged. Its maw, a cavern of teeth and terror, opened wide, lunging towards Wang Lin with a venomous roar.

The barbs along its spine bristled, reflecting the sunlight like a thousand icy daggers.

This sea dragon possessed a cultivation not inferior to that of a vacant-void peak, a true paragon of power!

For countless years, it had served the Dao-Devil Sect’s Celestial Ancestor. When that ancient master departed, he entrusted the dragon to the sect, a guardian of unparalleled might. He was confident that with the dragon’s power and the sect’s own strength, the Dao-Devil Sect would endure for ten thousand ages!