Having devoured the Demon Sect Master, Wang Lin closed his eyes. Within his very being, thunderous booms echoed as he suppressed the ancient soul of the fallen Master. He extinguished the man’s sentience, then melded the remnant essence into the god-vein of his Speeding Divine Incantation. In time, he would use these stolen souls to weave new strands into his divine network.

Moments later, Wang Lin opened his eyes. With a single sweep of his sleeve, the earth trembled. The shattered lake and its island, once landmarks of the Demon Sect, were blasted into oblivion, reduced to a field of ruin beneath the tempestuous force of his power.

The Demon Sect, thus, was no more.

High above, the Imperial Emissary, bathed in the golden light of his decree, stood in awkward silence. When Wang Lin’s eyes opened, the Emissary offered a wry smile and a respectful bow.

“Daoist Wang, forgive me… I… I did not expect the Immortal Emperor’s Edict to contain such things. Had I known, I would have stood by your side to slay this fiend!”

Wang Lin regarded the Emissary with a stoic gaze, offering no words. In truth, the contents of the Edict, particularly its final words, had surprised him greatly: “…unto Lien Dao-fei, a debt of gratitude.”

“The madman’s true name is Lien Dao-fei… When I first opened my storage space, he and the silver-clad woman were swept away by the void. The madman often declared himself a King, and I heard whispers from my Master Xuan Luo that his brother was none other than the Immortal Emperor…”

“Could it be the Immortal Emperor has found Dao-fei? And upon his awakening, Dao-fei told the Emperor of our bond…” Wang Lin pondered, as the Imperial Emissary above felt a chill run down his spine. He cursed the Demon Sect Master’s demise with every fiber of his being.

“That damned Sect Master! To die, and yet drag me down with you! Had I known, I would have ignored Wang Lin’s slaughter and simply finished reading the Edict…”

“Just who *is* this Wang Lin, that the Immortal Emperor speaks to him in such a tone? A debt to Dao-fei… King Dao-fei awoke only thirty years ago… Could it be…?” The Emissary’s eyes widened, and he swiftly banished the thought from his mind. Some truths were better left unknown, some mysteries best left unsolved.

“With Wang Lin’s cultivation, and… and the Emperor’s favor, I must mend this rift quickly.” The Emissary forced a reverent smile and bowed deeply.

“Forgive me, Daoist Wang, truly, I was foolish before. This Demon Sect Master deserved his fate!” The Emissary spoke, watching Wang Lin’s face. When he saw the other man’s gloomy countenance, a stone dropped into his stomach.

“This is bad. He is still angry about my earlier interference… If he speaks ill of me before the Emperor… I… I…” Sweat poured down the Emissary’s brow, turning cold in the wind.

“Heh heh… Daoist Wang, I have brought some specialties from Central Continent. A small gift, our first meeting, unworthy of your attention, but I beg you, accept it.” Gritting his teeth against the pain, the Emissary produced a jade slip and, alongside the Emperor’s Edict, presented it to Wang Lin with utmost respect.

Lost in contemplation, Wang Lin raised his head at the words of the Emissary. He accepted the Edict, but turned his gaze to the jade slip instead.

He swept it with his divine sense, his expression unchanging, but within, a spark ignited. The slip contained not mere words, but a pocket dimension filled with an abundance of spirit stones, shimmering with celestial energy.

He took the slip, and fixed the Emissary with an icy stare, saying nothing.

The Emissary moaned inwardly under that piercing gaze. Gritting his teeth, he waved his hand again, producing a jade vial. He forced a smile with great effort.

“Ah, I almost forgot! Another specialty from Central Continent. It is nothing too valuable, but you must accept it, Daoist!” He presented the vial to Wang Lin with trembling hands.

Wang Lin took it and, right before the Emissary, inspected its contents with his divine sense. It contained a vast collection of elixirs, potent healing remedies, many of which were exceedingly rare.

Ordinary cultivators could only dream of obtaining such things. Only an Imperial Emissary with connections in the Central Continent could acquire them.

Having given two lavish gifts, the Emissary was stricken with heartache. He watched Wang Lin’s face like a hawk, and only when the man’s dark expression softened did he exhale a sigh of relief. Still, Wang Lin’s icy gaze remained fixed upon him, even after examining the elixirs.

Under that gaze, the Emissary once more felt dread coil in his gut.

“So greedy… This… This…” the Imperial Emissary was forced to smile. His right hand trembled almost imperceptibly as he summoned yet another jade slip, forcing his face into a rictus of joy.

“I also possess a property in the Central Continent capital city…” He said, presenting the slip with a pained smile.

Wang Lin inspected it and, slowly, a smile spread across his face. That smile, to the Emissary, was like the light of dawn after a long night. He finally exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“There’s no need for such formality, Emissary. Since these Central Continent specialties are of no great value, then I will accept them without ceremony.”

“Yes, yes, nothing of great value at all!” the Emissary replied, his chest constricting.

“You traveled through the Azure Ox Continent to reach Green Devil Continent, Emissary. How fares the war there?” Wang Lin asked casually, as he put away the jade slips.

“The Immortal Emperor sent three Edicts this time. One each for the Great Soul Sect and the Returning Unity Sect in Azure Ox. The war should be over, and they should be returning to their respective sects by now.” The Emissary had no reason to lie.

“Is Dao-fei in the Imperial City?” Wang Lin asked, shifting the topic.

“Since his awakening, King Dao-fei has remained in the Imperial City. He wishes to leave, it is said, but the Immortal Emperor forbids it.” The Emissary said, careful to present the facts as mere hearsay, nothing that could be pinned to him.

“Ah, I share a bond with Dao-fei, and offered him some small kindness in the past,” Wang Lin said, smiling.
The Imperial Envoy, ever mindful of his station, bowed low. Even as he delivered the decree, he had sensed the truth of the matter. Wang Lin’s confirmation only solidified his unease.

“Dao Fei’s nature…alas, it has been long since our paths crossed. Does he still bear the same countenance?” Wang Lin mused, a sigh escaping his lips.

“Prince Dao Fei…” the Envoy hesitated, yet remembering the scroll’s contents and Wang Lin’s prior words, he continued. “With my lowly position, I am forbidden to gaze upon the Prince. Yet, whispers carried on the wind speak of a change. They say that since his awakening thirty years past, his temperament…it is not as it once was. Though, at times, the old Prince flickers through…” the Envoy stammered, unsure of his footing.

Wang Lin’s eyes flickered with interest, a subtle smile gracing his lips as he offered no further comment.

Understanding the subtle signals, the Envoy clasped his hands in a final salute. “Daoist Wang, this decree serves as a vessel for teleportation. Middle-Earth is a great distance hence, requiring eight such journeys. I must return to deliver my report. I shall take my leave, but rest assured, upon your arrival in the Imperial City, I shall be there to greet you.” With a forced smile, the Envoy hastened away, fearing his words might displease the formidable Wang Lin, resulting in yet another “insignificant offering…”

As the Envoy disappeared into the distance, the smile vanished from Wang Lin’s face, replaced by a grim shadow.

He remained amidst the ruins of the Dao Demon Sect, seated upon a shattered slab of jade, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

“Lian Dao Fei… his avarice, his darker inclinations, were consumed by Tian Yunzi, the Heavenly Dao incarnate. By all rights, his nature should have undergone a profound transformation…”

“The Envoy’s words hinted at this shift, yet failed to reveal its true extent…”

Wang Lin furrowed his brow, his gaze lifting to the darkening sky. “However, if his character has truly been remade, why has it taken thirty years since his awakening for the Immortal Emperor to announce this decree? Had he wished to express his gratitude, I was within the Scorpion Temple during those years, enduring pain and revelation…”

“The contents of this edict… they are curious indeed.” A chilling glint flickered in Wang Lin’s eyes. With a swift gesture, he unleashed a torrent of black wind into the inky darkness. Moments later, a chorus of agonizing screams echoed, then abruptly ceased.

Wang Lin’s resolve was unwavering. Once committed, his heart grew cold. His oath to extinguish the Dao Demon Sect extended even to those remnants fleeing towards the distant Sky Bull Continent.

Those arriving now, lured by the promise of their former glory, were high-ranking disciples who spared no expense to expedite their return through teleportation arrays. Yet, Wang Lin remained, not only to intercept these stragglers but also to await a single, significant prey!

“The Ancestor of the Dao Demon Sect must be on his way. A Celestial Venerate, his demise is vital to truly eradicate the Sect’s lineage! Even if I sought no quarrel, he would seek vengeance upon me!”

“A Celestial Venerate… I wonder, clad in the Soul Armor, how will I fare?” Wang Lin mused, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

“Once this matter with the Dao Demon Sect is concluded, I face two choices: either venture to the Eastern Verge Sect and immerse myself in the Eastern Verge Pool, seeking to coalesce my remaining Origins into a true body…

“Or, I journey to Middle-Earth, to unravel the mysteries of that perilous realm. To discern whether Lian Dao Fei remembers me, and what designs his brother, the Immortal Emperor, harbors…”

“Yet, my Master once warned me that the Immortal Clan shelters five Grand Celestial Venerates, and Lian Dao Zhen, the Immortal Emperor himself, is one among them! To venture there is to court danger…” Wang Lin closed his eyes, shrouded in the growing darkness, lost in silent contemplation.

Across five continents, separated from the Green Devil Continent and the decaying Dao Demon Sect, a streak of light tore through the heavens. Within it rode a crimson-haired elder, his face a mask of serenity, yet his eyes blazing with unbridled fury.

With a flicker, the very fabric of reality trembled as he vanished into a distant teleportation array. Paying an exorbitant price, he called upon the teleportation energies, hurtling him from continent to continent, drawing ever closer to his destination!

He was none other than the Celestial Venerate Ancestor of the Green Devil Sect, a loyal subject under the command of Dao Yi, the Grand Celestial Venerate!!