Wang Lin pondered, and with a tap upon his storage pouch, a cerulean rose materialized in his hand.

The bloom was exquisitely formed, seemingly dewdrops clung to its petals, and it radiated a deep azure light. The moment it appeared, a gentle aura diffused from its surface, weaving a subtle illusion of being drawn into its very essence. Upon the heels of this mesmerizing light came a chilling frost that spread throughout the chamber.

Within the cold air lay a haughty and indescribable presence. This sensation eluded definition, perceivable only to cultivators who possessed a heightened connection to their spiritual origins.

Mortals would merely perceive a bitter cold, a sensation of the world fading away, leaving only the rose in its ethereal beauty.

But in Wang Lin’s eyes, beyond the icy pride, he glimpsed a faint, wavering figure upon the rose itself. Like a flame it danced, yet its very essence was frigidly aloof.

Regarding the azure rose, Wang Lin paused thoughtfully before placing it beneath the imperial crown.

His gaze sharpened as he observed the crown. The instant it came into contact with the rose, the five orbs embedded within it blazed with light. A visible, arcane force surged forth, flowing from the crown, through the rose.

Under Wang Lin’s watchful eyes, the cerulean bloom slowly dissipated, transforming into shimmering azure motes that melded into the crown.

In time, the crown pulsed with a wave of cerulean light, which gradually subsided, restoring the relic to its former appearance.

Wang Lin frowned, taking up the crown for closer inspection. After a time, a glimmer of understanding dawned upon him.

The crown possessed a spark of sentience, a subtle awareness. As he stared at it, he thought he perceived a fleeting vision of a figure within, eternally practicing sword forms.

Beyond this, no further clues revealed themselves.

“This artifact withstood the might of an Ancient God’s two-finger strike. It is undeniably extraordinary, yet its true purpose eludes me… That Greed Wolf spoke of harvesting the souls of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine mortal emperors to barely control it…” Wang Lin murmured, deep in thought.

“The souls of emperors… What connection could they have with the Five Elemental Affinities? Could it be that the crown’s previous master was an emperor possessing all five elements, enabling him to wield its full potential?” Wang Lin shook his head, unable to decipher the enigma.

Furthermore, the materials used in the crown’s construction were largely unrecognizable. Only Dragon Bone Flame could he identify, and even that he owed to the memories of the Ancient God Tusi.

It seemed the artifact’s origins were steeped in the distant past…

After a moment’s contemplation, Wang Lin put the crown away, his gaze shifting to the nearby Wangyue bone, now resembling a mountain range.

As the Celestial Sealing Bead continued its absorption, the amount of Golden Flame Ore within dwindled with each passing day. Wang Lin maintained his vigilance, brooking no interruption. Though the location was secluded, caution remained paramount.

Three months passed swiftly. No one disturbed his solitude. The Wangyue bone was reduced to mere rock and earth, the Golden Flame Ore completely consumed.

Wang Lin had harbored doubts whether even half the Wangyue bone would suffice to complete the Celestial Sealing Bead, but now the metallic glyph upon its surface had reached its zenith.

Before his very eyes, the Celestial Sealing Bead’s metallic aspect achieved perfection!

It shimmered with crystalline light, a radiant jewel imbued with ancient power. The five elements intertwined, causing the bead to slowly ascend.

Wang Lin’s eyes glinted with an arcane light. He bit his fingertip, releasing a drop of blood imbued with his spiritual brand, directing it towards the Celestial Sealing Bead. It landed upon its surface in an instant.

As the blood was absorbed, Wang Lin felt a tremor in his soul. It was as if a new object had taken residence within his very being.

At the same moment, a sigil of profound age appeared upon the umbrella of his mind. Gazing at the Celestial Sealing Bead, Wang Lin’s eyes hardened with determination.

He had waited nearly a millennium to witness the completion of the bead’s elemental balance. Yet, at this juncture, he felt no expectation, only vigilance and composure.

This treasure had accompanied him for far too long. Yet his understanding of its true nature remained frustratingly scant.

“What is the Celestial Sealing Bead, truly…? Could it be, as the woman in the painting claimed, that it originates from the Primordial Immortal Realm?” Wang Lin’s hands moved, fingers weaving a precise pattern, tracing the sigil that had manifested in his mind as a result of the bead’s completion.

The sigil was intricate, its strokes radiating a powerful sense of antiquity. Even the weariness exuded by the Fragmented Souls when San Mo possessed Wang Lin paled in comparison to this sigil.

As this age-worn aura expanded, the entire planet of Thunderlight was affected. Its vibrant energy was suppressed, the earth cracking and crumbling into dust.

Wang Lin inhaled deeply. The moment the sigil was complete, he clapped his hands upon it, sending it drifting towards the Celestial Sealing Bead.

A violet light burst forth from the bead, blinding in its intensity. The nearby Immortal Guard puppet was immediately overcome by decay, its physical form crumbling at a visible pace.

Wang Lin was taken aback, and with a thought, the Immortal Guard was transformed into a black streak and recalled into his body, halting its disintegration. However, the aura of decay lingered.

It wasn’t only the Immortal Guard. Even the three main souls within his Soul Summoning Banner were similarly affected. Had Wang Lin not acted with speed, they would have succumbed to decay in mere moments.

The violet light continued to spread, until at last the entire planet of Thunderlight was enveloped in a shimmering purple shroud. The aura of decay reached its apex.

The entire planet of Thunderlight, as if afflicted by a potent spell, slowly crumbled under the weight of this decay.
The violet light did not cease its advance. It continued to unfurl, encompassing even the loose stones scattered about, which crumbled and dissolved into dust upon contact.

In that moment, it seemed that only Wang Lin and the pearl remained in all of creation, the rest consumed by an all-encompassing, terrifying violet.

This strange spectacle sent tremors through Wang Lin’s very being. Though he had pondered the mysteries of the Celestial Bead, he had never imagined its perfection would manifest in such a way.

As Wang Lin stood in awe, the light’s expansion halted. The five elemental powers that resided within seemed to diminish drastically, as if the collected essence of millennia was being unleashed.

Where the Celestial Bead hovered, the violet light intensified, slowly coalescing. With a thunderous rumble that shook the heavens and earth, a colossal, violet gate materialized before him!

The gate was immense beyond comprehension. Wang Lin, standing at its base, felt like an insignificant ant.

Wherever the violet light had spread, a profound seal formed in its wake. A single glance at this seal sent a chilling premonition through Wang Lin, a feeling of utter helplessness. Any attempt to comprehend it was unthinkable.

No living creature could penetrate this barrier!

It was as if this region, bathed in violet, had been excised from the very fabric of the Luo Tian Starfield by an unimaginable divine power, severing it from all that was.

And within this isolated space, the gigantic gate stood defiant, reaching towards infinity.

Gazing upon this gate, Wang Lin was not merely shaken, but gripped by a primal fear, an emotion rarely experienced.

He fought against it, his Daoist heart rebelling at the notion of surrender. Yet, the fear was instinctive, woven into the very core of his being, impossible to eradicate.

It was a gulf of existence, an insurmountable chasm!

This feeling had long been alien to Wang Lin. Even facing the colossal Wang Shou, he had felt shock, not this soul-deep tremor that stripped him of all resistance.

It was reminiscent of his days as a mortal boy, standing beneath the imposing peaks of the Heng Yue Sect, gazing up at the majestic, immortal realm, his heart filled with a humbling reverence.

Through cultivation and trials, that sensation had vanished. Even facing the heavenly tribulations during his Soul Transformation in the Land of the Demon Spirits, he had persevered with unwavering determination.

Yet now, this colossal gate emanated no obvious pressure, yet his very being quaked.

He would not yield!

Wang Lin’s eyes burned crimson, his body trembled, but he raised his head, refusing to bow!

Just as he had years ago at Heng Yue Sect, struggling up the mountainside, his body bloodied but his spirit unbent!

Now, the primal reverence surged like a tide, threatening to engulf him, to force him into submission. But Wang Lin would not, could not allow it.

For what sustained him were the souls of Wan’er and Wang Lin dwelling within the Celestial Bead!

He would allow no harm to befall them.

“Celestial Bead, it was I who perfected you! If the heavens seek to kill, I will obliterate the heavens! If you turn against me, I will shatter you!” Wang Lin’s voice, though wavering, resonated with an indomitable will, each word a defiant roar.

His unyielding Dao heart stirred the ancient Thunder Dragon essence within him. A storm of lightning raged within, coursing through the vessel formed by his thunderous flesh.

Tendrils of lightning spread from Wang Lin’s feet, rising in concentric circles, transforming him into a being of pure lightning, a true Thunder Immortal!

He commanded the power of thunder! And within that thunder, burned a refusal to yield, the unwavering essence of Wang Lin’s Dao!

The ground crumbled beneath him, but Wang Lin remained steadfast, his bloodshot eyes burning through the fear in his soul, his indomitable gaze fixed on the gate.

That gigantic portal, standing between heaven and earth, shimmered with violet, like a mirage. Under Wang Lin’s unwavering stare, the violet light intensified, solidifying into a gigantic arm that reached out from the gate, beckoning Wang Lin.

Even with his keen senses, Wang Lin knew instantly that this gargantuan limb did not belong to any Ancient God!