A flicker of complex emotion danced within Sun Tai’s gaze as he regarded Wang Lin. Silence hung heavy in the air. He had ascended to the Spirit Transformation stage, and his perception remained keen, yet he found himself unable to fathom the depths of Wang Lin’s power, no matter how intently he stared.

A sudden realization dawned upon him. Could this truly be the same Wang Lin, the weak Spirit Severing cultivator from the Immortal Realm, the one he had forced into abandoning a controlled puppet? Could this be the insignificant figure who had merely watched from the sidelines during his battle with Zhou Yi, a mere speck beneath his notice? It seemed impossible that this was the same man who now stood before him.

The Wang Lin of old, while possessed of a sharp glint in his eyes, had lacked cunning and was burdened by his meager cultivation. Had it not been for Zhou Yi’s Brand, Sun Tai could have crushed him with a single, dismissive strike.

But the Wang Lin before him now was different. His gaze was placid, yet even a fleeting glance from him sent shivers down Sun Tai’s spine. His very soul seemed to quake as if struck by thunder, his entire being thrown into turmoil. Such a stark contrast was too much for Sun Tai’s mind to reconcile.

In those bygone days, Wang Lin’s status was low. Even on Vermillion Bird Star, he was but a pawn, ignored by all the Soul Transformation cultivators.

Now, however, this same man appeared and immediately captured the attention of the venerable Soul Transformation ancestor of the Ran family, who went so far as to present him with an eighth-grade elixir. Meanwhile, Sun Tai had been reduced to a mere guest elder in the Ran household, his past glory utterly extinguished.

Once, Wang Lin had relied on Sun Tai to survive life-threatening situations. Had it not been for his intervention, the ancient Giant Demon patriarch would have surely slain him.

Yet this man now possessed unfathomable power. The very aura emanating from him screamed a chilling truth to Sun Tai’s senses: Wang Lin had killed! He had slain Soul Transformation cultivators! This was a terrifying revelation.

This stark reversal of fortune stirred a maelstrom of emotions within Sun Tai’s heart. A mere handful of centuries had wrought a transformation in the man before him that seemed nothing short of cataclysmic.

In his dazed thoughts, the memory of the insignificant worm he once looked down upon began to fade. Replacing it was the presence of a being so powerful that Sun Tai dared not speak too loudly, dared not meet his gaze directly, and would even serve as his servant without complaint.

Wang Lin, though not privy to the entirety of Sun Tai’s inner turmoil, gleaned much from his expressions. He remained silent, his gaze fixed upon Sun Tai.

“What… what is your current cultivation level?” Sun Tai finally whispered, his voice barely audible.

“Soul Transformation,” Wang Lin replied, his voice devoid of emotion.

Sun Tai offered a bitter smile. He could not believe that Wang Lin’s cultivation was merely Soul Transformation. Had that been the case, he would have sensed it. Yet, in his heart, he felt that even the Ran family’s ancestor was no match for this man he once considered a nobody.

Now, he understood why the Ran family ancestor had presented the eighth-grade elixir to Wang Lin in such a calculated manner.

“You have not yet answered my question,” Wang Lin said, his voice still even. His gaze shifted from Sun Tai to the vista beyond the window.

The simple words sent a jolt through Sun Tai, but it was quickly overwhelmed by the complexity of his emotions. How dare the little insect of old address him in such a manner? Yet, the tragic truth was that he found himself trembling at the sound of his voice.

“When I was transported to this Luo Tian Starfield, I found myself near Eastern Serenity Star. There, I resided for nearly a century, serving as a menial servant for the Lu family before finally earning my freedom. It was there that my Brand was shattered by a member of the Lu family. However… it seems that the Brand persisted, even after all this time,” Sun Tai confessed, his voice laced with bitterness.

“The Lu family?” Wang Lin’s gaze sharpened.

“Eastern Serenity Star is ruled by three powerful clans: the Xu, the Lu, and the Liu,” Sun Tai replied in a low voice.

Wang Lin’s eyes flashed with contemplation. He inquired slowly, “How strong are these clans? And what makes Eastern Serenity Star so different?”

“They are immensely powerful, their depths unfathomable. As for the extent of their power, my status was too low to know, but I dare say that any elder of these three clans could easily annihilate Ran Cloud Star… As for what makes Eastern Serenity Star different, let us just say that it is a chaotic hell, a world steeped in blood.” As Sun Tai spoke, memories of Eastern Serenity Star flooded his mind, and fear flickered in his eyes.

Wang Lin saw this fear and inwardly sighed. The once-proud Senior Elder of the Corpse Sect on Vermillion Bird Star was gone. Even if Sun Tai were to regain his former cultivation, he would remain forever stagnant, unable to ascend any further.

For he had lost the unwavering resolve that defined a true cultivator. His Dao Heart had been shattered by the hundred years he had spent on Eastern Serenity Star.

“Are there any Xiang families on Eastern Serenity Star?” Wang Lin asked abruptly.

“Xiang families?” Sun Tai paused, thinking deeply for a long moment, before shaking his head. “To my knowledge, there are no Xiang families on Eastern Serenity Star. Of course, it is possible that my station was too low to learn of certain secrets.”

Wang Lin fell silent, lost in thought. After a moment, he turned to Sun Tai and said, “As the Senior Elder of the Corpse Sect on Vermillion Bird Star, you must know something of the Corpse Sect’s inner workings. What kind of organization is it, really?”

Sun Tai sighed, replying with bitterness, “Though I was the Senior Elder of the Corpse Sect on Vermillion Bird Star, you must understand that there are many like me. As for the Corpse Sect’s innermost secrets, I know little of them. I know only that the Corpse Sect is one of the two major sects within the Alliance Star System.

When I say ‘sect’, I speak of a true sect, one that is not confined to a single star or territory, but encompasses a vast area, affecting the entire Alliance. Within it are countless cultivators of great power, and its strength extends even into the inner circles of the Cultivation Alliance.

Rumor has it that the Sect Master of the Corpse Sect is a figure of great importance within the Cultivation Alliance itself, which is why the Corpse Sect has endured for so long.

The other great sect that rivals the Corpse Sect is the Four Sacred Sect. To be precise, Vermillion Bird Star itself is an ancient branch of the Four Sacred Sect, a sliver of power that has split off from it. The first Vermillion Bird was said to have emerged from the Four Sacred Star.

And that Four Sacred Star is but a branch of the Four Sacred Sect. In truth, when one truly examines the matter, you might even be considered an outer disciple of the Four Sacred Sect.”
Wang Lin’s brow furrowed, his gaze heavy with thought. His cultivation was yet young, and such veiled secrets were beyond his ken. Hearing these revelations, his perception of the Celestial Alliance underwent a profound shift.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Wang Lin turned to Sun Tai. “What station do you hold within the Ran Clan?”

“Merely a guest elder,” Sun Tai replied, a shadow of weariness in his eyes. “I tend to the Baolou Pavilion here in this city, thanks to the Ran Clan patriarch, who saw some merit in my understanding of alchemy and artifact crafting. That is why I am taken in.” A flicker of regret passed across his face. He hesitated, then continued, “That Eighth Grade Elixir… you should not have claimed it. It was a ploy of the Ran Clan patriarch, set in motion four years past…” Sun Tai spoke at length, recounting all he knew of the events of four years prior, his account aligning with what Sun Xi had told.

Twilight descended, the dying sun casting its amber rays through the window, bathing Sun Tai in a golden light. This only accentuated his aged appearance, making him seem even closer to the veil of death.

Indeed, as the sun’s final embers touched him, a faint aura of mortality seeped forth, almost imperceptible. Yet Wang Lin, with his profound understanding of the Cycle of Life and Death, discerned it instantly.

“Your life’s flame dwindles,” Wang Lin stated, his voice even.

Sun Tai nodded, a bitter smile gracing his lips. “Indeed, not more than twenty years remain to me, I can feel.”

“Then return to your dwelling. If, after two decades, I still reside on Ran Xing, I will personally escort you,” Wang Lin said, closing his eyes once more.

Sun Tai stood in silence for a long time, his gaze fixed on the setting sun. Finally, he spoke, his voice soft, “Would… would you grant me one request?”

“Speak,” Wang Lin replied, his eyes still closed.

“Twenty years hence, should you truly convey me, I ask that you carry my ashes back to An Yue, a world within the Celestial Alliance. There, upon the foot of the Heavenly Mountain, lies a humble village. Entrust my remains there…”

Wang Lin sighed softly, opening his eyes to meet Sun Tai’s gaze. He nodded once.

A gentle smile illuminated Sun Tai’s face, now bearing the countenance of a simple mortal man longing for his ancestral home before his final rest, unwilling to become a wandering spirit in a foreign land.

From his robes, he produced a storage pouch, placing it gently to the side. “Within lies some immortal jade, saved in the hopes of one day regaining my cultivation. Upon seeing you, I realize I have no further need of it. Take it, along with my notes on alchemy and artifact crafting, as a token of gratitude for guiding this old soul back to his home.”

Bathed in the twilight’s glow, Sun Tai shuffled towards the exit, the fading light painting him in hues of orange as he slowly faded into the distance.

A chance encounter with an old acquaintance in a faraway land stirred complex emotions. As Wang Lin watched Sun Tai’s retreating figure, he saw the echoes of the formidable Grand Elder of the Corpse Yin Sect, who once battled Zhou Yi for the possession of a female corpse, now superimposed upon this weary old man.

Sun Tai never inquired about the fate of the demonic child he had released so long ago, perhaps because he had truly relinquished all attachment. For his remaining years, he sought only peace and quietude.

Offering the storage pouch was an act of catharsis, signifying his abandonment of all hope for recovery, indeed, of everything he had strived for. Even the resentment he harbored for having come to this corner of the Luo Tian Starfield had dissipated.

It was Wang Lin who brought him to this state, and it was Wang Lin who offered him liberation from his centuries-long torment. If there was any karmic consequence, then this was it.

His sole desire now was to return home, to have Wang Lin escort him back to that small village at the foot of the Heavenly Mountain…

The last rays of the sun caressed Wang Lin as he closed his eyes. Life and death, cause and effect, were often separated by the thinnest of veils, like Yin and Yang, illusion and reality.

Such was the nature of existence…

“Karma… a manifestation beyond the Cycle of Life and Death, one could even say that karma is the very genesis of life and death. For where there is life, there will inevitably be the fruit of death…” A flicker of understanding dawned in Wang Lin’s eyes, yet it remained elusive, as if seen through a fog.