A spear of solidified magic, forged in the crucible of arcane energy, screamed through the air. It was a bolt of raw power, a thunderclap given form, its passage shaking the very foundations of the ancient wood, aimed true at the verdant wraith guarding the formation. The wraith was vaguely humanoid, its features blurred and indistinct, a mere suggestion of a face upon its ethereal countenance.

Twin orbs, where eyes should have been, flared with an uncanny light. The wraith raised a hand, mimicking the gestures of a spellcaster, forming a complex mudra in the air. Its lips parted, emitting a sibilant whisper carried on the wind.

In that instant, the earth surrounding them pulsed with arcane energy. Every leaf, every blade of grass, every trunk and branch shimmered, then erupted in a verdant luminescence. A million emerald sparks filled the air, transforming the world into a kaleidoscope of crystalline light.

The transformation occurred in the blink of an eye. Wang Lin, witnessing the wraith’s unexpected mimicry of a spell, narrowed his eyes, then abruptly abandoned his assault. Ignoring the launched spear, he retreated, leaping back dozens of paces.

Though Wang Lin fled, the spear of pure magic raced onward, swifter than any lightning. It hurtled towards the wraith.

As he retreated, Wang Lin’s eyes shone with strange intensity. His hands blurred, weaving a tapestry of complex gestures. A storm of arcane symbols raged in his mind, each glowing with an eerie light. They danced and intertwined, linking and separating in a dizzying ballet. Yet, with each cycle, certain combinations held firm, a select few glyphs refusing to break apart, instead drifting to a secluded corner of his mind.

There, a growing collection of similar, stubbornly united glyphs pulsed with nascent power. This ceaseless dance, this union and dissolution, this endless cycle, was not random chaos, but a meticulous calculation.

The process had begun the moment he laid eyes upon the ancient formation, the instant he settled into a meditative posture. The forbidden arts Wang Lin commanded were no mere run-of-the-mill spells, but the legacy of a bygone age, gleaned from the ancient God’s Land during the Blood Tomb trials. Even the most ancient cultivators had merely mastered its use, never dared to claim its creation.

“Fifty-seven… and still counting!” Wang Lin muttered, his gaze unwavering.

The spear of solidified magic, a projectile of pure force, surged towards the wraith. In the very instant that Wang Lin leapt back, the spear breached the wraith’s defenses, coming within arm’s reach.

Such speed unleashed a torrent of displaced air. A howling gale preceding the spear crashed against the wraith.

At that critical moment, the wraith shattered under the assault, crumbling into shimmering dust.

As the wraith dissolved, the countless emerald motes suspended in the air dimmed momentarily.

Then, in a blinding flash, they exploded with renewed intensity.

The verdant luminescence surged outward, engulfing the valley and reaching a thousand feet in every direction. Each mote of light blazed with its own radiant energy, and from each, a beam of pure, emerald power shot forth, linking to its neighbors in an intricate web.

This transformation was instantaneous, leaving no room for reaction. The spear of magic, despite its speed, barely managed to advance a few more feet.

But then, as Wang Lin retreated, his eyes widened as the true nature of the formation revealed itself.

Though the calculations still raged in his mind, nearing completion, his focus remained locked on the formation.

Before his very eyes, the verdant motes solidified into a prison, the thousand-foot radius around the valley now encased in a web of emerald light, a shimmering cage.

Wang Lin was trapped within.

Within the cage, the light pulsed with malevolent energy. In that moment, countless beams of emerald force detonated in a synchronized burst.

With a deafening crack, the spear of magic shattered into two pieces.

The destruction of the weapon did not seem to concern Wang Lin. The spear was merely an extension of his will, formed from solidified magic. He knew, deep down, that it would never have been enough to truly breach the formation’s defenses, not unless it was completely unguarded and awaiting the strike.

The true purpose of the spear was to buy time, to allow the calculations in his mind to reach their inevitable conclusion.

Trapped within the verdant cage, Wang Lin’s expression remained unchanged, a mask of impassivity.

Within his mind, the calculations continued, relentlessly pushing towards their final solution.

From within the valley, the cackling laughter of Ouyang Hua echoed.

“Outlander! What do you think of my clan’s formation? It is not too late to turn back. Sever an arm and a leg, offer your soul for my sustenance thrice over, and I shall grant you passage.”

Wang Lin lifted his gaze, his eyes flashing with fleeting images of arcane glyphs. The images converged, merging into a single, focused point.

“Eighty-three! This is the limit. It is sufficient to break this prison.” The calculations reached their finality.

His gaze burned with an infernal light, as if the depths of the underworld shone through his eyes. He stared into the valley and uttered a chilling rebuke: “Insolent fool! You dare utter such blasphemies?”

Ouyang Hua’s laughter exploded in response. “Then you shall see which of us is the fool! Emerald Wraiths, inflict the sentence of annihilation!”

At his command, the web of verdant light began to contract, shrinking towards the valley with impossible speed. It was a blur, already within dozens of feet of Wang Lin.

The compression occurred in a mere heartbeat.

“Outlander, you shall become the second ghost to haunt the Vale of the Luo Clan! Succumb!” Ouyang Hua’s voice echoed with a cruel, bloodthirsty delight.
Wang Lin remained still as stone, yet within his eyes, an arcane dance unfolded. Runes of power, strange and fleeting, flickered in rapid succession, each ephemeral flash accompanied by an eerie, otherworldly glow.

Almost in unison with this dazzling display, the first of these runic seals sprung forth from his gaze, immaterial, yet potent. They shot outwards, etching themselves upon the very fabric of reality surrounding him.

The initial rune pulsed with a forbidden, ethereal light, escaping Wang Lin’s eyes to vanish into the void. It rippled, unseen, unheard, creating a wave of unseen energy that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Meanwhile, drawing near with murderous intent, a tide of azure luminescence swept across the land, leaving behind a trail of desolation. Wherever the emerald radiance touched, life withered and died, as if the very essence of existence were being devoured. As it converged, shrinking its dominion, the force it emanated swelled exponentially.

At last, the ghastly light pressed close, a mere ten paces from Wang Lin’s stoic form.

But in that moment, the second of the runic seals, complete and resonant, burst forth from the depths of Wang Lin’s eyes. It dissolved into the ether, its power rippling outwards. The unseen wave collided with the approaching emerald net.

There was no cataclysmic roar, no earth-shattering tremor. Yet, the advancing azure net faltered, a chorus of hissing whispers emanating from its form, its relentless advance momentarily checked.

Wang Lin’s eyes flared once more, and this time, a score of complete runic seals, identical in purpose, materialized. They too, dissolved into nothingness, their power rippling outwards like waves upon a phantom sea.

The azure net, previously halted, now buckled beneath the arcane assault. The hissing intensified, morphing into a chorus of sharp cracks as fissures, like the veins of a shattered artifact, spiderwebbed across its radiant surface, spreading swiftly along its energy conduits.

“Thirty runic combinations!” Wang Lin whispered, his eyes blazing. He unleashed a fresh wave of thirty more runic constructs, each a complex web of power, which merged seamlessly with the void.

The azure net, now within striking distance, utterly dissolved, cascading into a shower of emerald sparks, like a constellation scattered across the heavens. The scene was as beautiful as it was deadly.

Wang Lin remained impassive, his gaze fixed upon the valley. From his eyes, arcane glyphs danced once more, each a key to unlocking hidden power.

This time, forty more complete runic matrices emerged, one after the other.

With a gesture of his right hand, Wang Lin unleashed them, a frigid resolve hardening his expression. The runic constructs surged forth, each a wave of calculated destruction, hurtling toward the valley. They melted into the air, becoming vibrations.

These eighty-three runic combinations were Wang Lin’s answer, born of long hours spent deciphering the valley’s defenses. They were specifically designed to dismantle the array that protected it.

In that instant, the entire valley erupted with azure light, spewing forth from its hidden depths.

Yet, as soon as the light materialized, countless runic seals flashed upon its surface. With each flicker, the azure luminescence dimmed, fading into oblivion with unnerving speed.

Wang Lin’s eyes blazed with arcane energy. He began to walk, his footsteps deliberate, measured, drawing him ever closer to the guarded valley.

In response to his advance, greater torrents of azure energy roared from the valley, coalescing into a colossal pillar of emerald light, several fathoms thick. It surged forth, a desperate attempt to extinguish the threat, colliding headlong with Wang Lin’s unyielding advance!

Wang Lin did not falter. His steps did not falter. He moved forward.

The column of light struck with deafening force. Yet, a mere ten paces from Wang Lin, a barrier of runic seals erupted into existence.

The emerald pillar buckled, its leading edge crumbling under the arcane assault. Wang Lin, however, remained unfazed, his gait a testament to an unearthly equilibrium, each step carrying him inexorably forward.

As Wang Lin drew closer, the emerald pillar recoiled, collapsing upon itself in a cascade of shattered light.

When Wang Lin stood but ten paces from the valley’s entrance, the azure defenses shattered completely. A tremor rippled through the land, signaling the collapse of the protective barrier that had shielded the valley from intrusion.

“Spare me, Immortal, have mercy… Ouyang Hua begs for forgiveness!” a voice cried out from the valley’s depths.