A shiver ran down his spine. “Luo Tian Starfield!” The words echoed in Wang Lin’s mind, yet they found no purchase in his memory. Not even the ancient god Tusi’s inherited knowledge held mention of such a realm, nor any region named a ‘Starfield.’

Within the enchanted scroll, the woman trembled, yearning to turn. But an unseen force, a magical tether, held her fast, preventing her from facing him.

“Home…” She whispered, the single word laden with longing.

Wang Lin contemplated, his gaze piercing the painted surface. After a time, he spoke, his voice a low rumble: “I have brought you here. Now, it is your turn.”

The woman in the scroll sighed, her voice like a phantom breeze. “Would you hear a tale…?”

Wang Lin’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. “I have no interest.”

The woman paused, as if a bitter smile touched her unseen lips. Her voice resumed, soft and ethereal. “In ages past, before memory itself, there existed a mystical starfield, a celestial haven for all cultivators. It was known as the Immortal Realm… the Xian Yu.”

“The legends of Xian Yu have faded, lost to the relentless march of time. Many doubt its very existence. Yet, one tale persists: that the Immortal Realm abandoned this starfield, vanishing from the cosmos, leaving behind only four paths—gateways to ascension. Over countless millennia, these paths have become sacred grounds, places of pilgrimage for the strongest of us. They have become new Immortal Realms: Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning… Beneath each lies a corresponding Holy Domain. Above my Luo Tian Starfield, soars the Thunder Immortal Realm!”

“The Heavenly Defying Bead… it is not of the Alliance Starfield. It first appeared within my Luo Tian Starfield. No one knows its origin, only that its arrival was marked by a celestial tremor, a whisper of the ancient Immortal Realm felt by every master cultivator.”

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed, his gaze unwavering. He said nothing.

“Imagine the fervor, the desperate longing that single echo of the ancient Immortal Realm ignited. But the bead… it vanished. Disappeared as mysteriously as it had arrived.”

“Years passed, turning into centuries. Then came a clue, a whisper carried on the cosmic winds. The bead, somehow, had found its way to the Rain Immortal Realm’s Alliance Starfield…” Wang Lin raised a finger toward the darkness above. “That ancient teleportation array… you crafted it, didn’t you?”

The woman in the scroll hesitated, then shook her head. “I did not enter the Alliance Starfield through that portal, but the array is indeed the work of Luo Tian Starfield cultivators. It is now defunct, useless without Luo Tian Stones. Not even Immortal Jade can restore its power.”

“I have told you all I know of the Heavenly Defying Bead. As for the fragmented soul within, I swear upon my ancestors that if you guide me through this vortex and return me home, I will beg my ancestors to restore her to life!”

Wang Lin’s gaze remained cold, calculating. He had recovered his composure the instant he recognized the name of the starfield. Her words were a lure, a honeyed trap to draw him into Luo Tian Starfield.

“What kind of sect do you belong to in the Luo Tian Starfield?” Wang Lin inquired, his voice betraying nothing.

“The Luo Tian Starfield is unlike your Alliance Starfield. There are no sects, only cultivation families. Mine is the Xiang family, of the Eastern Shores Star.”

Wang Lin feigned consideration. “This vortex… I doubt my cultivation is sufficient to pass through it.”

The woman shook her head, her voice laced with certainty. “You possess the Heavenly Defying Bead. It will allow you to pass.”

A flicker of cold fire danced in Wang Lin’s eyes. The woman’s assurance was too strong, hiding truths beneath layers of half-spoken words.

Wang Lin ended the parley. He seized the scroll, his hand a blur, and leaped upward, away from the vortex, toward the hidden exit.

“You… you don’t want to revive her soul?” The woman cried, her voice tinged with desperation.

Wang Lin remained silent, his body dissolving into a spectral form, merging with the pull of the vortex. He drifted upward. Heedless to the woman’s pleas, Wang Lin ascended, until the jutting stone reappeared, its twin across the void now within reach. He darted across the gap and landed on the stone platform, his eyes examining the old teleportation array. He channeled his energy into the ancient stone. Cracking sounds filled the air, blue light filled the air and the stones burst, turning to dust. The vortex grabbed the fallen debris, and it was gone.

Now, with no distinguishing mark, the passage became once again indistinguishable. Wang Lin grabbed the scroll and jumped into the rift. He plunged the scroll into the wall and with a flick of his wrists, a web of enchantments filled the small space and sealed the scroll.

“Why do you do this? Without my help, the soul within your bead will never live again!” The woman cried, her tone rising.

“Silence!” Wang Lin snapped. His sigils formed, more and more in number, that filled the small rift. He could not destroy the scroll, he had learned upon his ascension. But he could imprison the woman, keeping her secrets locked away forever.

“Wang Lin! Without me, the soul in your bead will remain a ghost for eternity.” The woman’s voice became a venomous hiss that echoed with ill will.

Wang Lin face darkened and he accelerated his work on the seals. Eventually the malevolent cries faded away, and were no more.

For months, he worked on the seal. He did not stop, weaving seal upon seal together, to form an impenetrable barrier.
Months drifted past like dust motes in a sunbeam. Wang Lin stepped back from the chasm, his gaze sharp and calculating. With a swift motion, his hand slammed against the fissure’s maw, no larger than a man’s reach. Stone crumbled, the opening collapsed in a shower of dust, and the painted scroll was buried deep within.

From the outside, naught betrayed the secret within. No casual traveler would suspect that, entombed within the rock, lay a woman imprisoned in a painted world. Even should one brave the unnatural pull of the chasm’s depths, they would scarcely spare a glance for the seemingly identical walls around them.

Having sealed the artifact, Wang Lin did not immediately depart. Instead, he withdrew to a distance, his eyes closed in contemplation.

Days seeped into the earth. Then, from the heart of the sealed place, a faint tremor rippled forth. The instant this subtle disturbance escaped the fissure, Wang Lin’s eyes snapped open, a predatory smile playing on his lips.

He weaved intricate hand seals, and from the void behind him, a shadow coalesced, taking the form of a formidable dark guardian. The spectral warrior lunged towards the former site of the fissure.

“Seal!” Wang Lin’s voice was a low command. The guardian’s ethereal hands mirrored his own, conjuring a radiant seal. Just as the tremor intensified, the guardian slammed the sigil against the rock.

A muffled cry of pain echoed within. Wang Lin’s eyes glinted with satisfaction. Together, he and the guardian hammered further seals into the stone, binding the painted prisoner ever deeper.

When their work was done, Wang Lin recalled the guardian and resumed his vigil.

Months later, the tremor returned. Each time, it was met with another layer of potent sealing. After the third such encounter, Wang Lin, his brow furrowed in thought, abandoned his post and ascended from the abyss.

“That woman, trapped within the scroll, must have once commanded immense power. Now, she is sealed away, and by all rights, should never escape her prison. But she absorbed a fragment of power from the Three Ancestors in the Land of Immortal Speed, and gained a sliver of her former abilities. Despite my caution, she has gleaned many of my secrets these past years. Only the strange nature of this abyss has forced her hand, revealing her true intentions. Otherwise, she would have silently awaited her restoration.”

He brooded as he climbed. “To harbor such a risk is to invite disaster. Her desire to lead me to the Starfield of Luo Tian reeks of ulterior motives.”

“Of her words, I trust perhaps a third. But the existence of that Starfield must be true, or she would not be so eager for me to take her there.”

His gaze narrowed, Wang Lin ascended. The abyss’s unnatural gravity was formidable, and though he had attuned himself to its pull, he still felt the crushing pressure hindering his progress.

He inhaled deeply, then struck his storage satchel. Immediately, the Seven-Star Sword Formation erupted, forming a whirling vortex of blades around him. The array generated a powerful thrust, propelling him upward with renewed speed.

“The Xiang family of the Eastern Realm Star… even if they hold no direct ties to her, they may know her identity. If, as she claims, their ancestor can revive Wan’er, I shall see for myself, truth or lie. Without the scroll-woman as my companion, my passage to Luo Tian will remain unknown, and none shall discover I wield the Heaven Defying Bead.”

“Furthermore,” he continued, his thoughts swirling as rapidly as the sword array, “this Realm of Demon Spirits is rife with peril. Tian Yunzi and his ilk may arrive at any moment. Should we meet, my power is insufficient to withstand such beings.”

A chilling gleam flickered in Wang Lin’s eyes as he climbed.

“However, I hold the final key to the True Immortal’s Cave. Without me, they cannot hope to enter. Their presence here is futile. Even if Greedy Wolf reveals the key’s location, and they ultimately confirm it, by then I shall be long gone, dwelling in the Starfield of Luo Tian! Once my strength grows, I will return and unravel the mysteries of this tomb!” His eyes blazed with newfound resolve.

“But before that day arrives, there are loose ends to tie. This departure may last for years…” he sighed softly.

Within the abyss, the Seven-Star Sword Formation began to falter. Wang Lin’s shadow flickered, and the guardian manifested once more, this time transforming into a black hurricane that carried him upwards with even greater force.

The exit of the chasm grew ever closer…

A swarm of monstrous mosquitos filled the air at the abyss’s mouth. Among them, one of a violet hue, whose eyes had previously been dull and listless, suddenly ignited with fervent light. It burst forward, scattering its kin, and fixed its gaze upon the abyss below. A piercing screech echoed from its mandibles.

In that cry resonated pure, unbridled joy. The violet mosquito trembled, its wings beating furiously. Like a bolt of lightning, it plunged downwards into the abyss, heedless of the calls of its brethren. Nothing could deter its descent.

As Wang Lin ascended, he sensed the commotion above. He looked up and beheld the mosquito he had known for decades. The beast saw him and its eyes glowed with delight. It shrieked incessantly, circling around him like a long-lost child reunited with their parents.

In a frenzy of delight, it positioned itself beneath Wang Lin, bearing him aloft. With the assistance of the guardian’s hurricane, they shot forth from the chasm. As they burst into the open air, Wang Lin exhaled a deep, relieved breath.

His ascent had been aided by his attunement to the gravity, the power of the Seven-Star Swords, and the guardian’s strength. But the diminishing pull of the abyss in recent days had played a crucial part.

This abyss’s gravity was ever-changing, fluctuating between feeble and crushing. Had it been at its strongest, even with all his advantages, he doubted he could have escaped.

Mounted upon the mosquito, Wang Lin saw the teeming thousands of its brethren, their crimson eyes fixed on him with raw, savage hunger.

Wang Lin frowned. Their numbers were far fewer than he remembered. The battle between Greedy Wolf and Zhou Yi must have wrought unforeseen devastation, leading to the dramatic reduction in their ranks.
A veil of uncertainty hung heavy, shrouding the nature of recent, unsettling events. Wang Lin, with a moment’s pensive pause, placed his hand upon the carapace of the colossal mosquito-beast beneath him, and unleashed the torrent of his divine sense.

Instantly, a cascade of images flooded his mind. He witnessed the clash between Zhou Yi and the avaricious Greed Wolf, abruptly interrupted by the arrival of two figures, a man and a woman, emerging from the gateway of the Fire Demon Prefecture.

Their power was undeniable, their presence overwhelming. With but a gesture, they seized Greed Wolf with ease. Zhou Yi, too, was ensnared by their arcane abilities, yet their countenance held no malice. Upon beholding Zhou Yi, a look of profound melancholy, tinged with longing, flickered in the man’s eyes.

The swarm of mosquito-beasts had not been annihilated. Rather, the enigmatic duo had employed their sorcery to abscond with the vast majority. Only those mosquito-beasts, including Wang Lin’s own mount, that had sensed the impending doom and undergone a miraculous transformation, masking their true nature, had escaped capture.

Wang Lin withdrew his divine sense, a grim expression settling upon his face. After a period of brooding, he spurred the mosquito-beast into motion. Instead of heading toward the Fire Demon Prefecture, the creature veered away, towards the entrance of the Water Demon Prefecture.

By virtue of Wang Lin’s metamorphic abilities, any location could serve as an exit.

As they soared through the skies, the remaining thousands of mosquito-beasts trailed behind, their mournful cries echoing through the air, as though pleading with their brethren to remain.

At the tidal entrance to the Water Demon Prefecture, a violet streak pierced the heavens, coalescing into the form of a mosquito-beast. Upon its back sat Wang Lin, his expression somber and resolute.

In the wake of the violet light, over two thousand mosquito-beasts surged forth, encircling Wang Lin, their gaze fixed upon the purple mosquito-beast, their mournful cries intensifying.

The eyes of Wang Lin’s mount burned with resolve, its shrieks echoing in response.

A deeper sorrow emanated from the swarm, their gazes darting between their king and Wang Lin, their eyes flashing with feral intensity.

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed. He stood, unleashing the raw power of his Primordial Spirit. Lightning crackled around him, his eyes blazing like bolts of pure energy as he cast a cold stare upon the swarm.

Sensing his master’s intent, the mosquito-beast beneath him emitted a piercing shriek, a sound laced with such power that the surrounding swarm began to slowly disperse.

Wang Lin produced a storage pouch, opening its maw towards the swarm.

Silence descended upon the creatures. After an eternity, one of them broke ranks, transforming into a streak of gray light, and vanished into the pouch. One by one, others followed.

Yet, not all chose this path. Nearly two-thirds remained, standing their ground, watching Wang Lin and their king depart, disappearing into the vast expanse of the sky.

A mournful cry rose in unison, a final lament. Then, one by one, their forms crumbled, their life force extinguished, and they plunged from the heavens, falling into the churning depths of the tidal entrance.

Far off, Wang Lin’s mount shuddered, turning its head to gaze back at the abyss, its eyes mirroring the same sorrow.

Wang Lin sighed, gently stroking the creature’s head.

He understood. Only the young could be tamed, could accept a new master. The adults, the loyal warriors, knew no other path than to follow their king or to perish. In the world of the mosquito-beasts, abandonment by their king meant only death, unless a new king were to rise.

The creatures’ desolation tugged at Wang Lin’s heart. He soared upwards, drawing the mosquito-beast into his storage pouch to join the hundreds of other younglings and the ever-present Thunder Frog, hoping that companionship might ease its pain.

Suspended in the air, Wang Lin gazed up at the blue sky and billowing clouds, a sight he had not seen in far too long. After a moment of reflection, he tapped his storage pouch, and a crystal materialized in his hand.

He infused it with his divine sense, and it blazed with crystalline light, enveloping him. In an instant, the light, along with Wang Lin, vanished.

He reappeared within his hidden grotto, gazing upon the myriad, as yet unsolved, enchantments that guarded its secrets. His eyes glinted with determination. “When I return,” he murmured, “each and every one of these seals will yield to my will, and I shall unlock the mysteries within!”

He drew a deep breath, performing a series of hand seals to seal the grotto, and then disrupted the teleportation array, ensuring that none could enter, not even the Blood Ancestor.

Having completed his preparations, Wang Lin cast one final, lingering glance at the grotto. The spirit of the grotto manifested upon the stone door, its silent gaze fixed upon him.

Wang Lin turned away, clutching the crystal, and departed.

Outside the Soul Refinement Tribe in the Sky Demon Prefecture, Wang Lin’s form materialized. He stepped forward, and the tribesfolk, upon beholding him, experienced a moment of bewilderment, quickly followed by a surge of joy, and they prostrated themselves before him.

Without taking the souls they had diligently collected, Wang Lin summoned Thirteen and Ouyang Hua to his pagoda, offering them words of guidance. He bestowed upon them techniques, including the continuation of the Giant Demon Tribe’s arts for Thirteen. Then, treading upon empty air, he vanished.

As he departed, Thirteen knelt, striking his forehead against the earth in a gesture of gratitude. Ouyang Hua mirrored his action, a deep sadness in their eyes. Though Wang Lin had spoken nothing of finality, they sensed that this parting might well be their last.

—

Within the Sky Demon Prefecture, in the demon general’s mansion, Shi Xiao sat in meditative repose. Beside him, Chen Tao breathed deeply, his strength restored after years of treatment and medicinal aid. His cultivation had returned to the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, even surpassing its former heights, though the immortal Ascension Realm remained distant.

After a while, Shi Xiao opened his eyes, a spark of intelligence glimmering within.

Chen Tao opened his own eyes, their depths inscrutable.

“Chen Tao, on the morrow, I shall petition the Demon Emperor to appoint you as a demon general, granting you access to the Dragon Pool for enlightenment. Though it is not the true inheritance, the insights gained there will be of immense benefit to you,” Shi Xiao stated calmly.

Chen Tao offered his thanks, saying, “Tomorrow, I shall be addressing you as Vice-Marshal!”
Lord Shixiao, a cruel smile twisting his lips, declared, “That seat, the throne of power, should have been mine a century past! But that cur, Mo Lihai, stole it through treachery! And without that insignificant Wang Lin, Mo Lihai would be nothing, a shadow dancing in the wind!”

Chen Tao, his gaze steady upon Shixiao, said with quiet intensity, “Wang Lin is my brother in the Dao.”

Shixiao’s brow furrowed, his voice dripping with scorn. “Where was this ‘brother’ of yours when my Sky Demon Legion spilled blood across the Fire Demon Lands? He swooped in when the Fire Demons were weakened, claiming the glory that was rightfully ours! He may have aided the Ancient Demon Sovereign, but he did so with a dishonorable heart! Besides,” he sneered, “the man is long lost, likely naught but dust and bone. You may remember him as a brother, but I doubt he recalls you as kin.”

Chen Tao fell into a deep silence, offering no retort.

A flicker of malicious amusement danced in Shixiao’s eyes. “To call him base is a kindness. If he still draws breath, I would gladly end it, to teach him how a cultivator should conduct himself within the Demon Spirit Realm!”

“Is that so…?” A voice, cold as glacial ice, echoed from the unseen places around them, a chilling whisper carried on the wind.

Shixiao started, his face darkening. He scanned the empty air, roaring, “Who hides in the shadows, playing tricks? Reveal yourself, dog!”

But Chen Tao’s eyes flashed, his gaze drawn upwards, towards the twilight sky.

A figure, cloaked in darkness, materialized in the heavens. The moon hung behind him, a radiant disc against the void, and he descended upon beams of pure moonlight. Crackling arcs of violet energy danced around his form, a spectacle of raw power that sent a shiver down the spine.

“You… You are Wang Lin!” Chen Tao breathed, his voice barely a whisper as he recognized the encroaching shadow.

“How dare you trespass on my grounds!” Shixiao snarled, his eyes burning with murderous intent. “Three breaths to depart, or face oblivion! My power has surged of late, nearing the peak of Ascendant Soul! The demonic energy within me runs like a raging torrent!”

Wang Lin touched down, his feet upon the earth. His eyes, calm and unwavering, locked onto Shixiao. “I pledged a life to a debt long ago. Today, I have come to collect.”

Shixiao’s eyes blazed with fury. With a blur of motion, he became a dark streak, hurtling towards Wang Lin. His hands weaved through arcane gestures, preparing to unleash a devastating technique.

Wang Lin remained still, but beneath the pale gaze of the moon, his shadow stirred. It contorted, becoming a grotesque parody of the man, and surged forth from the ground in a ravening tide of darkness. It collided with Shixiao in mid-air, a silent and terrible exchange.

Chen Tao, his face etched with alarm, moved to intervene, but the shadow, as it passed, fixed him with a chilling gaze.

The power of that look was like a physical blow. Chen Tao staggered, his soul trembling, his advance halted. Cold sweat beaded on his brow.

“Illusion and Reality intertwined…” He whispered, his voice laced with dread.

The shadow retreated, slithering back beneath Wang Lin’s feet, once more a mere absence of light. Shixiao crashed to the ground, his eyes wide and staring, the remnants of his killing intent frozen upon his face. But his life, his energy, the very essence of his being, lay shattered within him.

Wang Lin turned and walked away.

Beneath the moon’s watchful eye, his figure seemed to glide upon the silver light, his robes billowing, his hair dancing in the wind. He drifted further and further away, becoming a distant silhouette against the vast canvas of the night.

“Be wary, Elder!” Wang Lin’s voice echoed in Chen Tao’s mind. He stared blankly at the disappearing form, unable to utter a word.

Having settled his affairs in the Demon Spirit Realm, Wang Lin arrived at the Maw of Tides. He glanced back at the land behind him, before his gaze was drawn upwards, piercing through the sky, ascending beyond the realm and settling on the Eastern Sea.

Outside the Demon Spirit Gate in the Eastern Sea stood Tian Yunzi, Ling Tianhou, the Blood Ancestor, and a handful of ancient elders, their faces grim.

They waited for Ling Tianhou to open the gate, when Tian Yunzi gave a murmur of surprise, glancing at the shimmering portal with a troubled expression.

They were entering the Demon Spirit Realm decades earlier than planned. A decision prompted by a creeping dread that had settled upon Tian Yunzi over a decade prior, a sensation of imminent peril he hadn’t felt for millennia.

The source of that dread lay in the Demon Spirit Realm. It stemmed from the mark he had placed upon a disciple long ago, a boy named Wang Lin. In a single, shocking moment, that mark had been forcibly severed! He had only witnessed such a thing once before, when a disciple named Sun Yun had accomplished the impossible.

Tian Yunzi was not alone in his unease. The Blood Ancestor also felt a gnawing apprehension, focused on his daughter, Yao Xixue. As time passed, that feeling intensified. At his level of cultivation, such premonitions could not be dismissed as mere fancy.

Thus, when Tian Yunzi suggested an early entry into the Demon Spirit Realm, the Blood Ancestor was the first to agree. Yao Xixue was his only daughter, his only family. For her, he would risk everything! Ling Tianhou shared their dread. Of the Twelve Sword Kin, nine of their life lamps had been extinguished…Ling Tianhou’s fury was a tightly coiled spring within his chest, and he intended to find Greed Wolf within the Demon Spirit Realm and demand answers.

None of the three realized that the source of their anxieties, the architect of their worries, was a single, unassuming man. Ling Tianhou pressed his seal upon the gate, causing it to shimmer and crackle with power. With a flick of his sleeve, he stepped through, and into the unknown.