玄羅靜立，面色如常，然心底卻暗流湧動。他知曉，此乃古道大天尊之不悅，故令他候于塔外。

其不悅之源，乃弟子王林身懷異端——體內竟藏有仙族修為之本源！

古道大天尊，乃秉承古訓之士，重血脈，尊古皇，更敬仙祖魂血。

然，他斷不容許，此等仙族氣息，存於身懷古祖血脈之人體內。

王林身軀顫抖，三日以來，鈴音如潮，入耳即化作驚天巨響，欲壓制其修為與本源，生生抹除。

“古族之力也好，仙族修為也罷，皆為我王林一生苦修所得，乃吾之力量，豈容輕奪！若僅剩古族之力，吾絕不允許！” 王林雙目赤紅，意志堅定，於鈴音之中，竭力掙扎！

其體內仙族之力，如困獸般衝撞，欲破開那縈繞心神的鈴音束縛。

王林劇烈顫抖之際，玄羅眸光一閃，猛然轉身，抬手欲助王林抵擋鈴音侵蝕。畢竟，王林乃他之弟子！

然，玄羅轉身之瞬，高塔之門再度洞開，一少年步履而出。

“玄羅大天尊，古主召見。”

玄羅身形一滯，沉默良久，終于以指點于王林眉心，而後轉身步入高塔。少年目光深邃，瞥了一眼王林，隨即退入塔內，大門隨之閉合。

玄羅一指之力，令王林心神巨震，一股溫暖氣息湧入體內，非為壓制，而是與那鈴鎖之力相抗衡。

得此助益，王林之修為與本源，似得喘息之機，迅速凝聚，驟然運轉。隨著玄羅指力與鈴音相互抵消，不知過了多久，鈴音漸漸消散，王林體內修為與本源加速流轉全身。刹那間，高塔四周鐵鏈上的鈴鐺，無風自動，鈴音如浪濤般湧入王林心神。

新一輪的對抗，再次展開。

王林一口鮮血噴出，身形一晃，退下數步，自山頂退至台階之上。

“散仙族修為，抹本源之力，忘卻昔日記憶，覺醒血脈傳承……此後，賜爾為道古一脈守護者，成就大天尊之能！” 一句冷漠滄桑之語，自鈴鎖聲響中，悠悠傳入王林心神。

王林猛然抬頭。

雙目血絲遍布，體內修為轟然運轉，配合其古族之力，瞬間達至巔峰。

“吾身之上，無仙族修為，唯有我王林三千多年，屬于我自己的力量！汝，憑何令吾散去！” 王林低吼，體內鈴鎖之聲轟鳴作響，與王林體內修為碰撞，王林再次噴出一口鮮血，身形不斷後退，似有一股無形巨力推動，令他連退數百台階，立于古道山山腰。

“吾之本源，乃人生沉澱，承載吾一生之命運與掙扎，汝，又憑何令吾散去！” 王林仰頭，雙目血絲更甚，向著山頂高塔，發出生命之嘶吼。

嘶吼之中，王林噴出第三口鮮血，身形搖晃，于體內鈴鐺咆哮轟擊中，再次退後，抵達山脊，身後僅余十九階石階！

“吾之記憶，重于修為，重于本源，重于血脈傳承，重于汝所賜之大天尊之能！吾一生為記憶而活，汝，憑何令吾將其遺忘！” 王林爆發最強咆哮，體內鈴鎖之力轟然捲動，似欲在他體內炸開一般。

王林噴出第四口鮮血，腳步連退十八步，于最後一階台階上，右腳猛踏，體內傳出砰砰巨響，整個人強行止步。

抬頭之時，雙眼赤紅，神色猙獰，然體內鈴鎖之力，卻被他完全壓制。無鈴音之威脅，王林之修為轟然爆發，爆發之際，其髮竟現半黑半白之色，身后，一輪大天尊之陽輪廓，赫然幻化！

大天尊之陽，亦是半黑半白，散發诡異光芒，展現王林前所未有之力量，堪比大天尊之力！

古道山天空，于王林幻化大天尊之陽之瞬間，風雲色變！

“古道山九百九十九階石阶，汝若能踏过三百，饶恕汝不敬之罪！” 冷漠沧桑之音自山顶高塔传出，回荡天地。

高塔顶层，一被迷雾笼罩身影盘膝而坐，玄罗立于其前。

“古道前辈……” 玄罗神色焦急。

“汝之弟子，吾不认可！” 被迷雾笼罩的身影，声音冷漠。

“然，既为汝所引荐，若能踏上三百台阶，吾可允汝带其离去。 然，其体内之魂血，吾不会出手令其血脉觉醒。

至于守护道古一脉之人…… 既汝选择了他，便由他来吧。不过，他从此之后，不可离开古族，否则，吾会出手。” 迷雾内身影，话语冰冷，不含丝毫情感。

玄罗面露苦涩，他引荐王林，本为好意，却不料古道大天尊竟有如此言语。 沉默中，他目露果断，向迷雾身影抱拳一拜。
“He shall not pass the three hundredth step,” the figure within the mist declared, its voice a slow, deliberate echo.

Xuan Luo remained silent.

At the base of the Ancient Dao Mountain, Wang Lin stood, gazing towards the summit. He knew his master was there, perhaps even now watching him.

“Wang Lin, ascend three hundred steps with your most potent cultivation! Let the Great Heavenly Venerate Ancient Dao see if my disciple, Xuan Luo’s, possesses the strength!” Xuan Luo’s voice boomed from the mountain’s peak, laced with a palpable fury.

This was Xuan Luo’s wrath, spoken from the highest tower, heedless of the Great Heavenly Venerate Ancient Dao’s presence within the swirling mists.

“I brought him from the Realm of Caves. I brought him here. And I shall take him away, or I shall die trying!” Xuan Luo turned to face the figure veiled in mist, each word a deliberate hammer blow. He stood tall, his back straight, his days of obeisance now past.

The figure within the mist offered no reply. Silence reigned in the tower’s highest chamber.

Xuan Luo held a singular affection for Wang Lin. He had witnessed Wang Lin’s struggles in the Realm of Caves, seen his resilience and determination. He had even glimpsed the profound love Wang Lin bore for the woman called Wan’er.

Xuan Luo could not forget Wang Lin’s tears in the Realm of Caves, the longing for his wife.

It reminded him of himself, of his own past. Even Wang Lin’s trials in the Immortal Clan were like seeing a reflection of himself, his long life momentarily overlapping with Wang Lin’s.

Wang Lin stood at the foot of the Ancient Dao Mountain, his master’s words ringing in his ears. Resolve hardened his gaze. He held no fondness for this Ancient Dao Mountain, and even less respect for the Great Heavenly Venerate Ancient Dao.

“In this world, the strong dictate the fate of the weak,” Wang Lin muttered. “Ancient Dao, with his unparalleled cultivation, the strongest in the Immortal Astral Continent, presumes to impose his will upon me. But the day will come when my strength surpasses even Ancient Dao’s. And on that day, I shall be the heaven!” The aura of the Great Heavenly Venerate’s Sun pulsed behind Wang Lin, radiating a blinding light that flowed into him, making him seem to tower over the landscape.

He raised his foot, stepping onto the first step!

This first step was Wang Lin’s initial act of defiance in the Ancient Clan. It was the first whisper of dissent, the first crack in the foundation of the Ancient Clan’s unwavering obedience!

He had intended to remain within the Ancient Clan for a considerable time, moved by his master’s grace, enduring the homage due to the Ancient Dao Emperor, and the discomfort of this land’s rigid imperial hierarchy.

But now, though he might continue to endure, a fissure had opened between him and the Ancient Clan, a rift that could not be erased. Perhaps, in the absence of further events, this crack might slowly heal under the balm of Xuan Luo’s affection…

But that chance, that fragile possibility, was utterly shattered by a momentous event unfolding within the Ancient Dao Imperial City, within the very heart of the royal family.

Within the Imperial Palace of the Ancient Dao Imperial City, the Ancient Dao Emperor sat in his private chambers, his eyes snapping open as he gazed ahead. Before him knelt three elders clad in purple robes, their faces flushed with excitement.

“Your Majesty, for centuries we have attempted to meld the remnant soul with countless women, yet all have failed. The chosen women cannot merge with the soul, exhibiting a violent rejection that prevents the soul from being nourished,” one of the elders declared, his voice trembling with anticipation. After centuries of clandestine effort, success was at hand, promising a reward of unimaginable proportions.

“Where did this successful candidate come from, and what is her name?” the Ancient Dao Emperor inquired, his composure masking a rising tide of expectation. He could not forget the words of the State Preceptor, that this remnant soul could grant him the power to unite all Ancient Clans under a single, eternal Emperor!

“From the Original Ancient lineage, Your Majesty. Her name is Song Zhi!” another of the kneeling elders eagerly replied.

“Bring Song Zhi to the palace. I wish to see this woman with my own eyes. Prepare a decree to announce to the realm that in three months, I shall hold a coronation! I shall take Song Zhi as my Empress, and establish her as the Empress of my Dao Ancient lineage!” The Ancient Dao Emperor rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with fervent zeal.