In the celestial tapestry of the Luotian Starfield, amidst the brilliant starlight, lay a scattering of stellar remnants. This vast expanse, known as Luotian, housed countless cultivation stars, each a beacon of spiritual energy. Within the confines of the Alliance Starfield, most cultivators remained blissfully unaware of the existence of other realms, save for a select few.

Luotian Starfield, however, was different. Its inhabitants, for the most part, knew of the four great Immortal Realms – Wind, Rain, Lightning, and Electricity – each ruling over its own domain of stars.

This stark contrast to the Alliance Starfield, where the Cultivation Alliance held absolute sway, was no coincidence. The Alliance, through its secretive machinations, had convinced most, including Wang Lin, that only the Alliance existed beneath the starry sky. Luotian, by comparison, was a realm of greater freedom, where hidden truths were not so easily suppressed.

Another distinction lay in its societal structure. Unlike the Alliance’s reliance on sects and academies, Luotian revered bloodlines. Here, familial ties were paramount, forging unwavering unity and giving rise to mighty clans.

Across the star-strewn void, streaks of vibrant light blazed, carrying four figures at breakneck speed. Three were men, one a woman, all seemingly youthful in appearance despite their indeterminate ages. Their cultivation levels were comparable, the woman being at the mid-stage of the Infant Transformation realm, while the men were at the early stage.

The woman, her beauty reminiscent of a maiden in her prime, possessed an alluring charm tempered by an icy demeanor. Yet, she displayed no arrogance, instead exuding an aura of refined grace.

Her male companions, each handsome in his own right, wore grim expressions, their gazes darting nervously over their shoulders.

“Perhaps we should discard the Crimson Flare Stone,” one of the men urged, “lest these Mist Fiend Worms relentlessly pursue us. If we are surrounded…”

“The Mist Fiend Worms do not easily relinquish their prey,” the woman replied as she flew, her voice soft but firm. “Even if we cast it away, they will not cease their chase.”

Behind them, a churning expanse of gray mist billowed forth, its ominous advance accompanied by an eerie wail. Within its depths, countless finger-sized insects swarmed, their bodies the source of the suffocating miasma.

Each of the four travelers bore a Star Compass beneath their feet, guiding them with unnatural speed. Had it not been for the woman’s occasional wave of her silken sleeve, sending shimmering shards of light towards their pursuers as a brief obstruction, the mist would have engulfed them long ago.

Despite her efforts, the woman’s face grew increasingly weary, and the encroaching mist drew ever closer. At last, with a surge of oppressive energy, the fog overtook them, encircling them in its suffocating embrace.

From afar, only a vast cloud of gray mist was visible, obscuring the four figures trapped within its depths.

These three men and a woman hailed from Planet Ranyun in the Luotian Starfield. The woman was named Ran Yue, and her companions were Ran Chen, Ran Feng, and Sun Xueshan.

Originally, they had ventured forth on a trial, but a chance encounter had led them to the Crimson Flare Stone, thus attracting the relentless swarm of Mist Fiend Worms. After days of desperate flight, they had finally been ensnared.

The mist emitted by the worms was a potent toxin to cultivators, capable of damaging their souls and eroding their divine abilities. Had it not been for the faint, protective light of thunderous energy emanating from Ran Yue’s jade bracelet, they would have been consumed long ago, their spirits scattered to the void.

The men desperately unleashed their own powers and summoned their treasures, attempting to breach the wall of fog, but the density of the mist proved impenetrable.

As time wore on, their celestial energy waned, and their supply of elixirs dwindled.

“Mist Fiend Worms fear lightning-based arts,” Ran Yue said softly, her brow furrowed in concern. “I have sent a plea to our clan. Though we are far from our home, we must endure. Surely, our elders, skilled in lightning techniques, will come to our aid!”

Her celestial energy was being drained the fastest, mostly by the bracelet. Without it, they would be instantly consumed.

Sun Xueshan, the only non-clan member among them, offered a wry smile, his gaze fixed on the countless worms swirling within the mist. A glimmer of despair flickered within his eyes.

“It was my own greed that brought us here,” he lamented silently. “Had I not pressed to seize the Crimson Flare Stone, we would not face this dire fate.”

Meanwhile, beyond the gray fog, a streak of silver light hurtled through the cosmos. Upon this shimmering dragon-like energy, a young man sat serenely. His white robes were as pristine as fresh snow, and his long hair was casually tied behind his head. Though his features were ordinary, his skin possessed an ethereal glow, and his eyes were fathomless pools, occasionally flashing with arcs of lightning, lending him a touch of piercing intensity.

He was Wang Lin! After becoming one with the vortex, he had felt as if he was thrust into a vast array of runes. When the sensation had ended, he found himself in a strange section of the cosmos.

This starfield was alien to Wang Lin, for it was not his home of the Alliance Starfield, but rather the Luoyun Starfield under the reign of the Lightning Immortal Realm.

After a moment of contemplation, Wang Lin withdrew his Star Compass, a touch of uncertainty in his eyes, and began to wander through the unfamiliar territory.

In the distance, the gray mist caught his attention. Beneath him, the silver light pulsed, propelling him towards the anomaly. As he drew near, his eyes crackled with lightning, instantly revealing the sinister nature of the fog and the figures trapped within.

Under the weight of his gaze, the Mist Fiend Worms within the mist recoiled, as though Wang Lin’s eyes were tangible weapons. They instinctively parted, creating a small, empty space within the writhing mass.

The trapped figures were taken aback. Ran Yue’s eyes flashed with surprise and wonder. Such power, to make the insects retreat with a mere look! It stirred within her a mixture of hope and trepidation.

Her gaze swept towards the edge of the mist, and she saw the youth atop the silver light.

Sun Xueshan’s fading hope flared back to life. He cupped his fists together and called out, “Senior, I am Sun Xueshan of the Sun Clan from Planet Ranyun. I beg for your assistance! Our clan will repay your kindness handsomely!”

Ran Chen and Ran Feng also revealed looks of joy. They hurriedly and respectfully bowed, speaking honestly, pleading for their rescue.

Ran Yue gazed at the youth atop the silver light, her elegant brows subtly relaxing, and softly said, “Senior, I am Ran Yue of the Ran Clan from Planet Ranyun. We are besieged by these Mist Fiend Worms. If Senior would lend a hand, the Ran Clan will surely offer their gratitude.”
Wang Lin, his expression serene, cast a fleeting glance upon the quartet before him. His gaze then drifted away, and a dense fog, as if summoned by his very will, swirled and billowed, consuming the abandoned factory in its spectral embrace.

Cries of alarm echoed from within the swirling mists as the faces of the trapped adventurers paled with apprehension. Sun Xueshan, his voice laced with desperation, cried out, “Venerable One! We possess a Crimson Emberstone! Should you deign to deliver us from this peril, we offer it as a token of our gratitude!”

The allure of a “Crimson Emberstone” was lost on Wang Lin, for its nature remained unknown to him. His thoughts were elsewhere. He observed the encroaching fog with a flicker of contemplation in his eyes. He was a stranger in the starfields of Luo Tian, and swift knowledge was paramount if he were to find the path to the Xiang family, as the woman in the painted scroll had directed.

Trapped within the swirling mists, their vision obscured, the captives – save for Ran Yue – were gripped by a tense anxiety.

Ran Yue, her brow furrowed with concern, realized the dwindling supply of elixirs in her pouch. Time was slipping away, and should the family’s rescue not arrive soon, the consequences would be dire. Steel in her resolve, she bit her lip and began, “Venerable One, I…”

Before she could finish, Wang Lin’s voice resonated through the fog.

“Where lies the sanctuary of He Yun?”

The quartet were taken aback by the question. Sun Xueshan hastily replied, “It lies seven days’ journey by the star-ways, due north of here! If you seek passage there, Venerable One, we shall gladly guide you, as recompense for your gracious salvation!”

Seated upon his silvery platform, Wang Lin’s eyes flashed with intent. He raised his right hand and extended a single finger towards the fog. Instantly, a bolt of lightning, born from the depths of his very soul, surged forth from his fingertip.

He had surmised from the dissipation of the fog under his gaze that these creatures were vulnerable to the power of lightning.

Now, with a resounding crackle, the bolt leaped from his finger, transforming into a miniature, yet terrifying, thunder dragon, carrying with it a palpable sense of overwhelming power. It slammed into the fog bank.

The denizens of the mist, the冥雾蟲 (Míng Wù Chóng – “Nether Mist Insects”) shrieked and scattered, secreting vast quantities of fog from their bodies in a desperate attempt to smother the electric onslaught. Ordinary lightning might have been somewhat diminished by the mist and its potent toxins, but this was no ordinary sorcery.

This was true lightning, born of the primal union between Wang Lin’s soul and the ancient Thunder Dragon! It was a manifestation of his very being.

The thunder echoed, the fog dissipated utterly, and the lightning crackled through the mass of fleeing insects. The creatures sensed the pure, unadulterated power of the thunder – a power they instinctively recognized as their natural enemy. Their retreat was swift and absolute.

In mere moments, as the lightning faded, the 冥雾蟲 had withdrawn entirely. Ran Yue and her companions, now free, transformed into streaks of light and converged near Wang Lin, each bearing the palpable aura of those who had narrowly escaped death. Yet, even greater was the awe that now resonated in their hearts.

Sun Xueshan stared at Wang Lin with eyes wide with astonishment. A denizen of the Luo Yun starfield, he was no stranger to the lore of lightning-based arts. Though he lacked the skill to wield them himself, the connection between the Luo Yun starfield and the Realm of Thunder granted him familiarity. Here, lightning arts were known to be the most devastating of all.

His shock stemmed from the palpable essence of pure thunder that had emanated from that single bolt. He could not fathom what form of lightning sorcery could possess such authentic power, a feat beyond even the capabilities of his clan’s elders and ancestors! Ran Yue and her fellow clansmen shared in this astonishment. Ran Yue in particular gasped, and her eyes brightened with sudden realization.

Her cultivation, reaching the mid-stage of the Infant Soul, and her elevated standing within the family, allowed her to glimpse matters beyond the grasp of her companions. Now, piecing together the power of that thunder strike with whispered rumors, she took a deep breath and, with utmost reverence, uttered, “This humble ninth-generation scion of the Ran family dares to inquire, Venerable One, are you perchance a Messenger of the Thunder Immortals?”

Sun Xueshan’s face flushed crimson. He thought to himself, *So it is! This man must be a Messenger of the Thunder Immortals! But… why would a Thunder Immortal Messenger seek passage to Ran Yun Star…”*