Wang Lin pondered deeply. The longer he lingered in this Demon Spirit Land, the more he felt its unsettling strangeness. First, the portrait of the Yellow Dragon, then the two identical Mo Feis, and now the imposing brute who bore a striking resemblance to the Marquis of Ling Tian.

Wang Lin’s eyes glinted as he murmured to himself, “Heavenly Fate adheres to the will of the heavens. If he insists on my presence here, surely he has ulterior motives. Furthermore, when I was on Heavenly Fate Star, Bai Wei pointed out that most of Heavenly Fate’s disciples who had cultivated for over ten thousand years had vanished. I wonder if the disappearance of those senior brothers is connected to this Demon Spirit Land.”

He touched his storage bag, a cold light flashing in his eyes. “Regardless,” he thought, “as long as my own strength is sufficient, even if this place is riddled with mysteries, it cannot shake my Dao heart!”

Wang Lin closed his eyes, his primordial spirit within him deepening the brand upon the Scattered Demon Soul, slowly solidifying the mark into the soul’s very core.

Beyond this, with the growing numbers of the Soul Refining Tribe, more and more individuals practiced the art of soul refining. Moreover, this land was an ancient battlefield, rich with souls. Though most were hidden deep beneath the earth, as the Soul Refining Tribe migrated here, pits were gradually dug out, and subterranean cultivation became a unique practice for the tribe’s soul refining.

This was only one method. Another effective way was to venture into the Fire Demon Prefecture and absorb the souls of the fallen demon soldiers.

Only those with some skill in cultivation were deemed worthy to go. Each tribesman seeking to venture alone into the Fire Demon Prefecture was personally assessed by Ouyang Hua, who decided whether they were fit to go.

The entire Soul Refining Tribe was growing at an astonishing rate. This growth increased daily, like a fledgling butterfly absorbing nourishment within its cocoon, destined one day to break free and shake the Nine Prefectures!

In the heart of every tribesman, the towering spire in the empty ten-mile radius at the center was a sacred ground, inviolable, like a deity!

As for Wang Lin, who had not emerged from the tower for a decade, he was revered as the tribe’s ancestor, their guardian!

Wang Lin spent his days reinforcing the Scattered Demon brand and crafting layer upon layer of enchantments into his enchantment banners. Over these ten years, he had ceaselessly refined and perfected the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine formations, slowly approaching completion.

The Soul Devouring Banner had long been unfurled by Wang Lin, its one hundred million souls transformed into a black cloud that shrouded the Soul Refining Tribe, the cries of tortured souls ceaselessly echoing, a peculiar landmark for the tribe.

The God-Slaying Chariot also claimed Wang Lin’s attention, and he devoted considerable effort to deciphering the five seals upon it. In his Nascent Soul Middle Stage, he could barely open one seal, but now, having reached the Ascendant stage, the first seal yielded easily. Yet, this was not enough. He sought the second!

With the first seal open, the God-Slaying Chariot could threaten Nascent Soul Late Stage Great Perfection cultivators. As for the second, Wang Lin merely probed it with his divine sense and immediately drew forth a stream of lightning that chased after him. Prepared, Wang Lin unleashed his Immortal power and, after several breaths, shattered the lightning.

From this lightning, Wang Lin deduced that if the second seal was broken, the power of the Soul Beast would be immense! Furthermore, the second seal likely contained the power of the Soul Beast’s lightning!

The God-Slaying Chariot was an artifact of the Immortal Realm. Its creator had proclaimed it an ultimate weapon, worthy of the name “God-Slaying.” Though arrogant, the chariot’s power, from Wang Lin’s centuries of experience, had convinced him, if not entirely, at least in part.

The beast’s mastery of lightning only fueled Wang Lin’s interest in the second seal.

The late-stage Ascendant old man beneath the Demon Tower had displayed a profound mastery of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. Wang Lin’s heart still trembled at the memory. The black lightning was the strongest element, without which its power would have been greatly diminished!

Wang Lin was confident that he could open the second seal. However, analyzing the power of the lightning, he realized that once the second seal was broken, the Soul Beast’s strength would overwhelm the Beast-Driving Circle! The Beast-Driving Circle was a gift from Tuo Sen’s ancient cultivators in the Ancient God Land to assist Wang Lin. It had served him greatly over the centuries, especially in the God-Slaying Chariot, allowing him to wield it even when his cultivation was insufficient!

But now, as Wang Lin’s cultivation improved and the God-Slaying Chariot’s seals were gradually undone, the circle was too weak to restrain the Soul Beast!

Wang Lin pondered for a moment, then slapped his storage bag. The Beast-Driving Circle flew out, hovering before him. The ancient bronze circle was etched with countless runes and images of ancient beasts, bearing a few subtle cracks from when the Soul Beast had previously rebelled.

Looking at the Beast-Driving Circle, Wang Lin hesitated. Without its restraint, he would have to truly subdue the Soul Beast with his own strength, fully mastering the method left by the chariot’s creator. Otherwise, the treasure would be rendered unusable.

Resolve hardened in Wang Lin’s eyes. He seized the Beast-Driving Circle, stood, and stepped forward, vanishing from the tower. He reappeared ten thousand miles from the Soul Refining Tribe.

Here, on a wide, open plain, Wang Lin tossed the Beast-Driving Circle into the air, forming a hand seal and pointing forward. The circle immediately emitted a black glow and, with a bang, transformed into the God-Slaying Chariot, crashing onto the earth.

As the God-Slaying Chariot, bristling with jagged spikes, appeared, it radiated an intense light. Simultaneously, the Soul Beast materialized, its hundred-zhang body a veritable mountain.

Its crimson eyes locked onto Wang Lin the moment it appeared, and with an indomitable roar that shook the heavens and the earth.

With the roar, it charged toward Wang Lin like a mountain hurtling forward, the sound of tearing air trailing behind it. Wang Lin remained impassive, raising his right hand and casually slapping forward.

The slap was like a giant hand descending from the heavens, instantly landing upon the Soul Beast and pinning its enormous body to the ground with a deafening crash.
Dust devils danced, spiraling outward in a chaotic ballet, causing the very earth to tremble beneath unseen feet.

The Soul Beast, ancient and formidable, raised its horned head, its eyes ablaze with a tormented struggle. A deafening roar ripped from its throat as it locked gazes with Wang Lin, a primal defiance echoing through the air.

Wang Lin regarded the beast with a tranquil gaze. Years past, when he first encountered this primordial creature, he was but a fledgling, utterly incapable of standing against its might. Now, however, he possessed the power to bind it, to suppress its desperate attempts at escape.

His right hand clenched in the void, as if grasping the very essence of the beast. Biting the tip of his left tongue, he painted a crimson glyph in the air, a sigil of power passed down from the ancient Immortal who crafted the God-Slaying Chariot. Seven such runes were needed, each a step in forging a true bond between the chariot and its master.

Yet, two of these blood-etched marks could only be applied after the opening of the Fourth Seal.

With a flick of his wrist, the newly formed blood-rune pulsed with crimson light and shot toward the struggling Soul Beast, embedding itself upon its brow.

The creature convulsed violently, a cacophony of anguished bellows erupting from its being. Its form thrashed wildly against unseen constraints.

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed, and he released his hold.

The moment its freedom was restored, the beast spun to face Wang Lin, its low growls laced with unrestrained fury. The defiance in its eyes burned brighter than ever.

Wang Lin returned its gaze, his hands weaving arcane signs, an obsidian glow emanating from his conjured gestures. He spoke in a low, resonant voice, “First Seal, be undone!”

The ebony light shot forth from his sigil, striking the Soul Beast with a resounding crackle. A surge of immense power thrummed through the creature’s body, emanating outward in waves.

In that instant, the Soul Beast surged skyward, its jaws gaping wide as if to swallow the very heavens.

Wang Lin remained steadfast, raising his right hand and gesturing forward with a sweeping motion!

A gust of wind, imbued with formidable power, manifested as an ethereal hand, striking the creature’s open maw with a resounding *crack!* The Soul Beast staggered backward, its form dissolving into countless motes of black energy that scattered in all directions, then converged upon Wang Lin in a frenzied assault.

Wang Lin mirrored the gesture with his other hand, two more blood-runes appearing as the dark motes threatened to engulf him.

In a heartbeat, the darkness burrowed beneath Wang Lin’s skin, rushing towards his very soul. A cold smile played upon his lips as his eyes snapped open, revealing a blazing inferno within.

“Soul, depart!” Wang Lin uttered, his eyes closing momentarily. From the crown of his head, his astral form detached, the Soul Beast struggling feebly within its grasp.

The two remaining blood-runes flew forth, clutched by the astral hand and imprinted upon the creature’s forehead with a double strike.

A shockwave of raw power exploded from the Soul Beast, shattering Wang Lin’s mental hold.

Wang Lin’s consciousness returned to his physical form, and he opened his eyes, focusing his gaze upon the writhing beast.

Meanwhile, countless leagues away, on the borders of the Fire Demon and Gold Demon domains…

…lay a vast, untamed mountain range, perpetually shrouded in poisonous miasma. A desolate land, unclaimed by either domain.

Deep within this fog-choked wilderness stood a pale city, or rather, a fortress, encircled by towering walls of white stone. A sense of eerie mystery permeated the air.

At that moment, a figure cloaked in darkness descended from the mists, kneeling before the city’s gate. “My lord,” the figure croaked, his voice deferential, “I have found him. Wang Lin, who vanished from the Ancient Demon capital twenty years past!”

Silence hung heavy within the fortress before a chilling voice echoed forth. “What is his power now?”

The shadowed figure hesitated. “That I could not ascertain, my lord. The squad that sought to capture him within the Heavenly Demon domain was utterly annihilated, leaving no trace. However, I did learn that he now serves as an emissary for the Ancient Demons.”

“An emissary, you say? Ha! The one I marked is indeed extraordinary. Send three squads, accompanied by a celestial guardian, to capture him alive!”

The dark figure bowed low in obedience and vanished into the mists.

Within the fortress, a diminutive, wizened figure muttered to himself, “This Wang Lin, if properly tempered, could serve as another celestial guardian! No matter how great his power, if he has not ascended to Ascendant realm, then a single guardian will be enough.”