The orb of light met the crescent moon, vanishing without a sound, yet from the very point of contact, fissures erupted, tearing through reality itself. With impossible speed, they spread, catching several unfortunate cultivators unaware. Those touched by the rifts shuddered once, then blinked from existence.

Wang Lin’s eyes, barely perceptibly, narrowed. He surged forward, dissolving seamlessly into the fabric of the world, yet without ceasing to exist. In this ethereal state, he raised a hand, fingers forming an arcane gesture, and commanded the heavens, “Celestial Fire!”

Instantly, a crimson inferno bloomed into being, silent yet all-consuming. Born from nothing, it devoured the sky, its mere presence radiating a terrifying power. The encroaching flames forced the surrounding cultivators into hasty retreat, each fearing to be consumed by its overwhelming heat, a heat that threatened to reduce the very heavens to slag. Even a single spark was enough to inspire dread in their hearts.

The surge of elemental power twisted around Wang Lin, causing his form to flicker in the fiery light, yet none dared to look away. He raised a hand, pressing downwards, and whispered a single word, “Consume!” The world seemed to buckle, and the sky-spanning flames responded, intensifying as though drenched in oil, erupting with renewed ferocity.

Enveloping all, the inferno lunged towards the figure in the center, coalescing into countless fiery dragons that roared with heat as they sought to devour the man.

The man, his face grim, his eyes alight with cold fury, released his spear. It shattered into dust, swirling around him like a protective shroud. He then pressed a finger to his right eye, causing it to glow with an intense crimson light.

“I did not expect such power from a junior cultivator,” he spoke, his voice cutting through the roar of the flames. “Impressive! You have earned the right to witness my extreme state!” With that, his right eye unleashed a bolt of crimson lightning. As it tore through the air, a wave of frigid air followed in its wake, extinguishing the raging flames in a long, searing trail as it hurtled towards Wang Lin.

Wang Lin, his gaze unwavering, channeled his energy once more, forming another incantation. He thrust his hand forward and roared, “Incinerate!”

With a resounding crash, the flames encompassing the man surged skyward, forming a colossal sphere of fire with him trapped within.

The sphere contracted, imploding in upon itself, seeking to burn away all within.

It devoured not just tangible objects, but even the very void, leaving nothing untouched by its ravenous hunger.

Only the lightning, representing the extreme state, erupted from the shrinking sphere, streaking towards Wang Lin. In the instant the fiery orb imploded, the crimson bolt slammed into Wang Lin.

A destructive force exploded within him. Wang Lin could see the old man’s spirit crumbling under the assault, only to reform an instant later, but weaker each time.

What felt like an eternity to Wang Lin passed in mere moments. Summoning his own spiritual strength, he intervened as the old man’s spirit reformed once more.

Wang Lin had no choice. If the old man’s spirit were to truly shatter, or be unable to resist, he could simply withdraw, leaving Wang Lin’s own spirit to face the lightning alone – a battle he knew he could not win.

The lightning, unleashed from the depths of the seal, was powerful but weakened; however, the current manifestation was a completely different threat! The moment Wang Lin’s spirit intervened, it felt the lightning’s terrifying power, and his spirit trembled. The protective energy acted like a paper shield, unable to withstand the lightning’s blade.

But the intervention had given the old man’s spirit enough time to recover and strike. Just as the lightning pierced Wang Lin’s soul, the old man’s spirit seized it, consuming it to place it under layers of spiritual seals.

Though this seemed drawn out to Wang Lin, it happened in an instant. None of the onlookers had perceived anything amiss.

“Close call! This must be the power of the Immortal Monarch, Clearwater. It’s a pity my true body cannot come to this realm. It seems I’ve underestimated him, even after all these years imprisoned, he still has such strength!” The voice of the mysterious elder echoed in Wang Lin’s mind. The sphere of fire collapsed in on itself, shrinking to a mere ten feet, before exploding outward, amplifying its contained power many times over.

In an instant, the very fabric of reality was enshrouded in fire, its light visible even from vast distances.

Wang Lin stood at the epicenter, bathed in that overwhelming light, his form radiating power and majesty.

Shen Gonghu, his eyes burning with excitement, watched Wang Lin, his mind racing. “This is the true power of the Master! I knew my gamble was not wrong!”

Zhan Konglie, standing in the void, could feel the heat even from a distance. He was shaken and watched Wang Lin in the fire, and the same thought that Shen Gonghu had once spoken to him about resurfaced.

“His level is bottomless… He was suppressing his strength… this isn’t the limit!”

As for Tang Yanfeng, his face was pale and his expression had changed drastically. He was already shaking from seeing Wang Lin fighting with the white-haired monster.

But now, after seeing the fire, he knew that what he thought was shocking was only the tip of the iceberg.

“Who… is he?” Tang Yanfeng mumbled to himself.

Shen Gong, with a cold smile, looked at Tang Yanfeng and said, “Friend Tang, do you remember when you mocked me outside the Lightning Immortal Realm gate? The person you see before you is the one who made me, Shen Gong, willing to face the family’s disgrace and be isolated by the Thunder Immortal Hall!”

Tang Yanfeng was frozen in place, staring at the figure in the fire, unable to speak for a long time.

Just then, a deep voice echoed through the air.

“To survive the Extreme, you are strong.” From the heart of the fire, a statue appeared, and crumbled. From within it, stepped a young man, handsome yet marked with an unsettling, dark aura.