A miasma of shadows writhed within, straining as if to break free, yet held captive by an unseen force. The dark tendrils pulsed against an invisible barrier, unable to escape their prison.

Around the colossal cauldron, nine skulls rested in solemn vigil. These were not the bones of beasts, but of men! Upon the brow of each skull, intricate runes were etched, glowing with an ethereal light that formed a macabre constellation. “This is the Xuan Yin Cauldron,” Tasan whispered, his voice heavy with dread as he gazed upon the ominous vessel.

Wang Lin’s eyes, sharp as a falcon’s, followed his gaze. He extended his consciousness, probing the cauldron’s surface. After a moment’s hesitation, he plunged his spirit within, encountering no resistance. His essence slipped into the cauldron’s depths.

But the instant his consciousness entered, a shrill, unearthly shriek echoed forth from within the cauldron’s abyss. A sound beyond mortal hearing, perceptible only to the spirit, it carried with it a palpable killing intent. It struck Wang Lin’s spirit like a tempest, threatening to shatter his very essence. He stumbled back, his face paling, yet his eyes burned with renewed intensity. “I will remain here for several days. You must leave,” Wang Lin commanded, his gaze fixed upon the Xuan Yin Cauldron.

Tasan hesitated, then raised his head, his voice trembling, “Are… are you truly an Immortal?”

Wang Lin turned his gaze upon Tasan. From the moment the man had offered to guide him, Wang Lin suspected he harbored a hidden agenda, a question he wished to ask in private. He regarded Tasan in silence.

Tasan’s face contorted in anguish, “Since childhood, I have been told by my elders that we are the Chosen of the Immortals, blessed and favored above all others. Our lives are to be dedicated to the Immortals; it is our clan’s greatest honor…”

“This honor has been my constant companion, the sole tenet of my belief. Not just for me, but for all of my people.”

“But as I grew, I began to doubt. No one has ever seen an Immortal, save for the edicts etched in the shrine…”

“Periodically, this Xuan Yin Cauldron we guard spews forth a poisonous mist, which takes many forms, slaughtering our people. Again and again, our clan suffers, our numbers diminish. With each death, my grief turns to doubt. Do Immortals truly exist?”

“Today, I, Tasan, no longer believe. If Immortals truly exist, why have they abandoned us for so long?”

Wang Lin contemplated Tasan’s words. He remembered the elder’s claim of being a descendant of the Immortal Chosen, and a hazy understanding of their plight began to form in his mind. *’The Immortal Chosen… the Immortal Forsaken… Chosen to be abandoned…’ * “Tell me, does true Immortality exist? Are you an Immortal?” Tasan pleaded, his voice low, yet filled with a desperate intensity that surpassed any scream.

“I am not an Immortal,” Wang Lin declared plainly. Tasan shuddered, his face etched with despair. “Immortals may still exist, but their world, their Immortal Realm, crumbled long ago…” Wang Lin’s eyes fell upon the Xuan Yin Cauldron.

Tasan gave a hollow laugh, staggering back. “It is as I feared. There are no Immortals… we have wasted our lives guarding this place…” “What lies within this cauldron?” Wang Lin inquired, never breaking eye contact with the vessel.

“I do not know. The clan’s ancient texts speak of the day the逍遥 Immortal King brought our ancestors into the belly of this prison-beast, tasking us to guard this Xuan Yin Cauldron until his return,” Tasan mumbled. “How does one leave this place?” Wang Lin asked, turning his gaze from the cauldron to the tormented man.

“There is no escape. This entire place is sealed… I have tried countless times to find a way out, to seek the Immortals, but all attempts have failed. The sky has an end, yet it cannot be breached. Beyond the seams in the flesh-walls lies only the endless void,” Tasan sighed, his words laced with bitter acceptance. “What did the ancient Immortal edicts say?” Wang Lin pressed.

“No one can see… no one can discern what lies within. Not even the countless generations of ancestors who have died here know the answer…” Tasan replied, slowly recovering from his devastating revelation.

Wang Lin furrowed his brow, contemplating the situation. He approached the Xuan Yin Cauldron and placed his right hand upon its surface. He once again extended his consciousness, delving into its depths.

Almost instantly, the piercing shriek returned, amplified tenfold. It slammed into Wang Lin’s mind, threatening to shatter his soul.

Wang Lin focused his will, shielding his consciousness from the onslaught. The sound grew in intensity, its penetrating power reaching a crescendo. Wang Lin’s face paled, and he withdrew his hand, staggering back, his feet leaving deep imprints in the ground with each step.

He retreated seven paces before regaining his composure. He let out a cold snort and launched himself forward, flying above the cauldron. He peered down into the abyss, seeing only a swirling darkness, filled with malevolent shadows.

His eyes flashed with insight. Wang Lin raised his right hand, and the power of lightning crackled forth, coalescing into a vibrant sphere. He hurled the lightning bolt into the cauldron’s mouth. The light crashed into the dark shadows with a thunderous roar, but then a dark vortex formed and swallowed the ball of lightning whole. “Explode!” Wang Lin barked.

The black tendrils surged outward, pushed back by the explosion. For one fleeting moment, Wang Lin’s vision pierced the darkness and saw a small transmission array hidden deep inside.

The dark mist surged back, hiding the array once more. The shadows rapidly coalesced, taking the form of a woman. Her body was composed entirely of mist, her features indistinct.

She burst forth from the cauldron, a trail of dark fog swirling behind her. As she emerged, she let out another chilling shriek.
The shriek this time was no longer aimed solely at the nascent soul; it threatened the very flesh. So potent was its force, it birthed a sonic boom, solidifying into a tangible wave that crashed against Wang Lin.

Not far distant, Ta Shan also felt the ripple, his face draining of color. He stumbled backward, instinct taking hold, his eyes losing their luster. Though not blessed with the aberrant Thunder Nascent Soul, his spirit suffered nonetheless.

Without hesitation, Wang Lin retreated, yet the shriek still found him. His face paled instantly, blood trickling from his lips. As he fled, he seized Ta Shan, and with a burst of speed, they shot through the exit.

The wraith of the woman within the great cauldron pursued relentlessly, her swiftness carrying her to the threshold in a blink. A piercing wail erupted once more. A murderous glint ignited in Wang Lin’s eyes. He whirled, expelling a mouthful of his nascent soul essence, transforming it into a crimson mist that met the woman’s ethereal form. “Seal!” he uttered, his voice low and commanding.

Instantly, the bloody haze pulsed, coalescing into a constellation of restrictive seals. As the woman drew near, they latched onto her, forming a vast web of confinement.

Simultaneously, a chilling resolve hardened in Wang Lin’s gaze. He pointed a finger into the void, and the Karma Kunji Whip materialized, lashing out with brutal force.

A tortured cry echoed from the woman’s wraith as she stumbled backward. But she rallied, surging forward anew, her form dissolving into nine tendrils of black miasma. Like arrows loosed from a bow, they pursued Wang Lin relentlessly.

Wang Lin furrowed his brow and retreated further, until he reached the outer gate. He flung Ta Shan behind him and touched his brow, opening the Third Eye. A crimson beam blazed forth, engulfing the exit.

The crimson light weakened the pursuing black tendrils, causing them to dissipate rapidly. They converged, ignoring the power of the Third Eye, hurtling straight for the exit.

The elder outside, having witnessed the approach of the dark force, wore a look of utter dread. Without a word from Wang Lin, he began to weave a hand seal, the glyphs from his plant brow coalescing into a rune that he imprinted upon the gate.

With a groaning rumble, the massive doors began to close. From within the onrushing black vapor came a woman’s terrifying scream. The elder reeled back, coughing blood, his form instantly shriveling.

As the gate sealed shut, the woman was on the cusp of escape. Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed, his right hand sweeping across his storage sack. The Immortal Brush appeared in his hand, and with a single stroke, six runic symbols materialized, radiating golden light like a volley of shining swords. They shot toward the gate’s interior, striking the trapped woman’s wraith.

With a resounding boom, the woman cried out. Then, the gate sealed completely, silencing the piercing scream. Ta Shan, utterly stunned by the spectacle, stared fixedly at the closing gate, his skin crawling. “What was that?!”

“The Xuan Yin Cauldron Spirit!” the pale-faced Celestial Clan Ancestor rasped, wiping blood from his mouth, his gaze a mixture of awe and trepidation.

“You two, retreat seventy paces. Let no one trespass within this radius!” Wang Lin commanded, his face grim. The elder hesitated, then nodded respectfully, and with Ta Shan, they transformed into twin streams of light, fleeing into the distance.

Wang Lin fixed his gaze on the sealed gate. He had seen clearly the elder open it, using glyphs from his plant brow – a rune of his very essence.

Lost in thought, Wang Lin tapped his storage sack. When he left Vermillion Bird Star, he had acquired numerous skull trophies from the Celestial Forbidden Clan. Now, he summoned a handful of them before him.

Each skull was adorned with intricate runes. After a careful inspection, Wang Lin waved his hand, returning them to his sack. His eyes flashed as he looked towards the sky.

The sky was a pure azure, but with Wang Lin’s vision, he could faintly perceive that at the furthest reach of the clouds, what appeared to be flesh walls still remained.

“If this place is truly sealed, why was I transported here… This is no place of sanctuary. I must find a way to leave as quickly as possible! Yet, though dangerous, it is also the perfect hiding place!” Wang Lin mused. He tapped his storage sack once more, and from within flew an object.

The object was approximately fifteen fathoms long and four fathoms wide. As it appeared, an immense pressure filled the air. Countless spikes adorned its surface, lending it a horrifying visage, one that inspired dread and seized the heart in momentary madness. It was the Third Chariot, the Godslayer War Chariot!