In a heartbeat, Wang Lin’s vision blurred, and his body plummeted, his feet landing upon the solid earth. Li Yuan, his face ashen, touched down ten paces distant, while the woman, named Ge, was drained of all color, immediately succumbing to retching. The velocity of their descent had been so great that their mortal frames teetered on the brink of collapse.

The very instant Wang Lin’s boots struck the ground, a piercing agony erupted from the point on his chest where the orb of light had merged with his flesh. This torment washed over him like a tidal wave, threatening to drown him in its intensity.

He trembled, the sensation akin to a mortal man swallowing a burning ember. An unimaginable heat emanated from within, threatening to consume his very being in a raging inferno.

Li Yuan, having caught his breath, turned his gaze towards Wang Lin. He observed the man’s visage contorted in pain, as if a raging fire consumed him from within.

Ge, her eyes gleaming with malice, fixed her gaze upon Wang Lin. Perceiving his distressed state, she hesitated for but a moment, before reaching into her pouch. In her hand, she produced a dagger of obsidian black.

As soon as the dagger was unsheathed, spectral whispers coiled around it, the tormented souls of the dead bound to its blade. This was a family heirloom, laden with potent poison capable of dissolving flesh, and the imprisoned spirits within posed a grave threat to one’s very essence.

Li Yuan frowned slightly, but made no move to intervene. If this man were to perish so easily, it would prove that he was not destined to reach the ultimate destination.

Ge knew that this opportunity might never present itself again. With gritted teeth, she tightened her grip on the dagger, preparing to strike.

But in that very instant, Wang Lin’s eyes snapped open. Gone was the electric light, replaced by a burning inferno. He fixed his gaze upon the dagger-wielding Ge, and rasped, “A fine dagger. Is it a gift for me?”

Terror seized Ge’s heart. She stumbled backward, her voice trembling as she stammered, “Y-yes… it is…” She frantically tossed the dagger to the ground. Wang Lin closed his eyes, then reopened them, their clarity restored. With a flick of his wrist, the dagger flew into his hand. After a moment’s inspection, he stored it away.

The old man’s condensed orb had unleashed chaos within Wang Lin, a crisis of the highest order. Even now, the burning sensation persisted, threatening to incinerate his flesh.

Yet, strangely, this burning did not hinder his cultivation, but rather enhanced it. With each wave of agony, Wang Lin felt his power growing, inexorably drawing closer to the pinnacle of the Asking stage.

But the process was excruciating, pushing him to the brink of madness. Thankfully, his resolve, forged through millennia of cultivation, remained steadfast. He endured the pain, concealing his suffering from prying eyes.

“Li Yuan,” Wang Lin spoke, his voice now clear and even, “is the place you seek upon this continent?”

Li Yuan’s eyes flickered almost imperceptibly. He bowed respectfully. “Senior, I cannot say for certain yet. We must reach the heart of this land to ascertain its true location.”

Wang Lin scrutinized Li Yuan for a moment, then nodded.

Li Yuan moved ahead, and as for Ge, she was consumed by terror, and hastily followed behind him. Even so, she still felt the weight of his gaze, filled with murderous intent.

Wang Lin followed at his own pace. He had spared Ge’s life because she was clearly a key piece in Li Yuan’s plans! Her presence in the Land of Thunder was undoubtedly tied to Li Yuan’s schemes.

If Li Yuan truly sought the iron sword, his power would be sufficient to take it from her within the Land of Thunder. Yet, he had not done so, implying a deeper purpose.

Wang Lin observed with a guarded mind, enduring the torment within, his thoughts dwelling upon the enigmatic old man.

He felt both gratitude for the opportunity to advance his cultivation, and burning resentment for the trickery involving the Thunder Beast.

With a sigh, Wang Lin focused his mind and suppressed the pain. He could sense that his flesh was undergoing a profound transformation, reverting from a state of lightning to one of true flesh and blood.

How long this process would last, Wang Lin could not say. But he knew that when the transformation was complete, and the pain subsided, he would transcend the first stage of cultivation! Wang Lin had achieved perfection in the Asking stage, and his Intent had become the Law of Cause and Effect, yet he had remained stagnant, unable to progress further.

He inhaled deeply, and relinquished any attempt to suppress the pain, allowing it to surge forth, accelerating his ascent.

From afar, Wang Lin’s body appeared to flicker with light, as if flames danced upon his skin. And if one drew close, they could hear the faint crackling sounds of impurities being burned away.

Li Yuan led the way, not once looking back. However, the mark upon his brow shimmered faintly, a means by which he could accomplish feats normally requiring divine sense.

He observed Wang Lin’s condition, a frown furrowed on his brow. Wang Lin’s cultivation must not reach the peak of Yin Deficiency, or unforeseen events would occur.

“We must hasten our pace!” Li Yuan murmured to himself.

One month later, at the center of the continent, Li Yuan surveyed the landscape, as if comparing it to an image in his mind. At length, he nodded, and turned to Wang Lin. “Having inspected two fragments of this continent, I can now pinpoint the general location of the barrier, it is to the East!”

Wang Lin’s expression remained calm. “Lead the way,” he said flatly.

Now that their path was determined, their pace quickened. Without delay, Li Yuan flew from the eastern edge of this fragment, plunging once more into the void laced with chains of lightning.

Ge could only follow them helplessly. After three months, they had crossed four fragments of the continent. Finally, upon one land, Li Yuan’s gaze sharpened, fixed upon a towering peak. A flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes.

“This is it!” he declared.