In the Eastern Lands of the Great Sage Continent, upon a nondescript mountain peak, stood Wang Lin, his presence as steadfast as the ancient pines. He gazed towards the azure sky, where white clouds drifted lazily. The wind, though persistent enough to tug at the edges of his robes, could not stir a single strand of his silver hair.

His eyes, deep and fathomless as the star-strewn heavens, betrayed a profound wisdom. His form, erect and unyielding, spoke of a spirit untouched by the passage of time. A tranquil grace emanated from him, a silent symphony played only for the wind.

The mountain, though humble in stature, was adorned with verdant trees. Their leaves rustled in the breeze, creating a melodious dirge that harmonized with the mournful whisper of the wind, a haunting serenade of the wild.

Wang Lin stood serenely atop the peak, his countenance unmarred by arrogance or pride. His triumph over the seventeenth level of the Celestial Ascension Trial had not inflated his ego, nor did the impending arrival of Grand Celestial Sovereigns, eager to enlist him, fill him with vain expectation. He was as he had always been in the realm of the Caves, quietly observing the heavens.

Time flowed, or perhaps it stood still, as the sun began its descent beyond the western horizon. Just as twilight threatened to swallow the day, the canvas of the sky before Wang Lin erupted in a breathtaking display. The dark curtain parted, revealing the returning white clouds, but against the black void, a sun, incandescent and proud, materialized.

This sun, born from nothingness, blazed with blinding intensity, banishing the encroaching night and bathing the land in an ethereal daylight. Waves of searing heat radiated from its core, as if the celestial orb were within arm’s reach. From within this fiery sphere, a figure emerged, taking form with deliberate grace.

Clad in the robes of a Daoist, his hair as dark as midnight, he appeared as a youthful and handsome man. It was Dao Yi, Grand Celestial Sovereign, the first to grace Wang Lin’s solitude with his presence.

As Dao Yi’s form materialized, the world around them froze in its tracks. The wind stilled, the trees stood motionless, and all life held its breath. Even the folds of Wang Lin’s robes seemed to solidify, as if caught in an eternal, silent snapshot.

The world was encased in an unseen frost.

Only Dao Yi moved, each step drawing him closer, out of the blazing sun and to within ten paces of Wang Lin. He floated in the air, his gaze descending upon the man below.

The moment his eyes locked onto Wang Lin, a sound, like cracking ice, reverberated through the void. It came suddenly, causing Dao Yi’s eyes to flicker with surprise.

Around Wang Lin, countless minute fissures appeared in the air, as if the invisible ice that held him captive was beginning to shatter.

In the blink of an eye, the solidified robes of Wang Lin stirred, swaying gently in a wind that should not have existed. He raised his head, meeting the gaze of Dao Yi!

This single act ignited a spark of admiration in Dao Yi’s eyes. He had not anticipated that Wang Lin could so quickly regain control in the face of his authority, which was capable of rendering the cosmos itself immobile.

For Dao Yi had arrived in his true form, not a mere projection of his consciousness or a distant avatar, but his very essence!

“Worthy indeed of being the foremost amongst the Celestial Ascendants, a man who has conquered the seventeenth trial! To recover under my personal authority is an achievement that makes you the strongest beneath a Grand Celestial!” Dao Yi declared, a faint smile gracing his lips. He seemed to have forgotten his moment of doubt during the Celestial Ascension Trial, when he had considered abandoning Wang Lin.

Wang Lin remained silent, offering Dao Yi a respectful bow.

Dao Yi’s brow furrowed briefly, but smoothed out just as quickly. He regarded Wang Lin, pondering for a moment before speaking, his voice calm and measured. But each word carried a weight, a resonance that seemed to reshape the very fabric of reality, causing the heavens and the earth to tremble.

“I offer you a treasure, forged by my own hand!” Dao Yi announced, raising his right hand. On his forefinger, a ring glimmered with golden light. It detached from his finger, growing larger as it hovered in the air, becoming a radiant halo nearly ten feet across.

“This ring, crafted from materials scavenged from the Ancient Divine Realm and tempered over ten millennia, is a testament to my devotion. Its design is a recreation of the Celestial Ancestor’s own cherished artifact, wrought with sacred mimicry. Even I would struggle to shatter it!”

Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed as he regarded the ring. It was extraordinary. His gaze could not penetrate its depths, as if it existed outside the boundaries of their reality, a figment of the ethereal realm. The oppressive aura emanating from it granted Wang Lin the unsettling sensation of standing before a Grand Celestial Sovereign.

Noticing Wang Lin’s interest, Dao Yi waved his left hand, summoning a verdant stalk of bamboo. It glowed with vibrant color and emitted a soothing fragrance.

“This bamboo is a treasure of the cosmos. By merging it with your essence, you shall accelerate the evolution of your very being, and within it lies a fragment of my Dao! If you can decipher its secrets, even if you never ascend to Grand Celestial Sovereign status, you will be eternally close!”

The appearance of the bamboo caused Wang Lin’s expression to darken. Merely inhaling its fragrance seemed to amplify his inner essence, bolstering its strength. Its potential to aid his cultivation was unparalleled.

To merge with it would bring untold benefits!

Dao Yi had been carefully observing Wang Lin’s reactions, and a smile blossomed on his face. Based on his understanding of Wang Lin, he believed the man was driven by the allure of external treasures, and that they held immense appeal for him. Therefore, he came prepared to tempt him with material wealth!

Moreover, both of these treasures were expendable to Dao Yi. If they were to secure Wang Lin’s loyalty, then it would be a wise investment. However, he also knew that Wang Lin was not an ordinary cultivator, and others would inevitably come seeking his allegiance. Therefore, if he didn’t offer something truly exceptional, he risked being outbid by his rivals.

“Besides these two treasures, there is yet another!” Dao Yi added. Even as he spoke these words, he felt a pang of reluctance in his heart. This artifact was a true treasure, the mysteries of which even he had yet to fully unravel.

With a flick of his sleeve, a massive vortex appeared before him. From its depths, a fist-sized skull slowly emerged. Enshrouded in spectral light, it emanated an aura of death so profound that it crashed over the landscape like a tidal wave.
The deathly miasma, a palpable shroud of decay, crashed against the very stasis Dao Yi had woven. The frozen world shattered, and as life returned to the land, it was marred by the touch of this creeping demise.

The relic Dao Yi offered was unsettling: a skull, seemingly not of an adult, but the delicate cranium of an infant!

“This artifact,” Dao Yi intoned, “was not plucked from the hallowed Tai-Gu Divine Realm. Long ago, I ventured beyond the Immortal-Astral Continent, into the vastness of the heavens. There, amidst the ruins of a shattered world, drifting aimlessly through the void, I found it.”

“The moment I claimed it, that floating land dissolved into oblivion… This skull holds a power I cannot decipher, yet I feel it resonates with the potential to break the shackles of a Grand Empyrean and ascend to the heights of an Immortal Ancestor. Perhaps it was destined for me to find, but not to understand. Now, for many years it has rested in my hand… pledge your allegiance, Wang Lin, and it is yours!” The determination in Dao Yi’s eyes was clear. To gain Wang Lin’s fealty, he offered a truly substantial prize.

Wang Lin stared at the infant skull. He could not comprehend its secrets, yet an indescribable feeling washed over him. It was a sense of familiarity, buried deep within his soul, a memory lost to the mists of time.

A fierce internal struggle waged within him. Finally, after a long silence, Wang Lin spoke, “I thank you, Grand Empyrean Dao Yi, for your generous offer. However, allow me time to consider.”

Dao Yi’s brow furrowed slightly. He regarded Wang Lin for a long moment before slowly nodding. “As you wish. With your cultivation, it is only natural that you would be courted by more than just myself. A moment’s consideration is understandable.”

Even as Dao Yi spoke, a primal roar echoed from beyond the shroud of deathly miasma. The sound was like thunder, shaking the very heavens. The miasma itself churned violently as the air rippled and parted, revealing a figure.

A giant of a man emerged, his head shaved bare. Clad in simple roughspun robes, he strode forward with unwavering purpose. Each step shook the earth, as if the forces of the world were compelled to yield before him.

Seven steps he took, and the very fabric of reality seemed to buckle. The deathly miasma recoiled, unwilling to impede his advance. This bald giant, a veritable war deity, thundered into their midst.

After his seventh step, he stood beside Wang Lin, his feet firmly planted upon the stone of the mountain peak, unlike Dao Yi who remained suspended in the air.

“Greetings, Grand Empyrean Wu Feng. In the Lands of the Empyrean Nirvana, you aided me, Wu Feng, I shall not forget that benevolence.” Wang Lin clasped his hands in a respectful bow towards the towering warrior.

Wu Feng erupted in a hearty laugh, a booming sound that shook the heavens. “Nonsense! I simply took a dislike to that Immortal Emperor! It was merely a word spoken!” He was very different from Dao Yi, who spoke only in the third person. Wu Feng exuded a straightforward, almost boisterous, charm.

“You must have guessed the reason for my visit. But before we discuss terms, I have a flask of my finest wine, reserved for special occasions. Will you partake?” With a flick of his wrist, a jade-green gourd materialized in Wu Feng’s hand. He offered it to Wang Lin with a jovial grin.

A slight smile touched Wang Lin’s lips. He extended his hand and, with a subtle gesture, drew the gourd towards him. He caught it deftly and took a long, deep draught.

“Excellent! Whether you choose to join me or not, you are welcome to visit me in the Glacial Wastes of the Northern Province.” Wu Feng clapped Wang Lin on the shoulder, still chuckling. Only then did he turn his gaze towards Dao Yi, hovering in the air.

“Dao Yi, when an Ascendant Empyrean is sought after by multiple Grand Empyreans, there is an understanding between us. You are given but a single opportunity to offer your terms. Have you exhausted your enticements?” His gaze swept over the three treasures Dao Yi had displayed, lingering for a moment on the skull, his expression hardening slightly.

“Is that all you have to offer? If those are the best of your words, then it is over.”

Wu Feng’s challenge was clear.

Wang Lin’s mind raced. Such a situation, with multiple Grand Empyreans vying for a single Ascendant Empyrean, was exceedingly rare. Wu Feng’s directness, his obvious attempt to pressure Dao Yi, could not be unintentional.

“Is he trying to aid me…?” Wang Lin glanced at Wu Feng with a thoughtful frown.