Within Wang Lin’s enchanted pouch lay the last, and mightiest, of the God-Slaying Chariots. Its creator, a forgotten artisan of immense skill, had forged it with a single, blasphemous purpose: to craft a device that could extinguish even the immortal deities themselves!

Before Wang Lin stood this fearsome engine of destruction. An aura of bone-chilling dread radiated from it, a palpable pressure that threatened to crush the spirit. Its myriad barbs, each honed to razor sharpness, gleamed with an unholy light, their very appearance enough to instill crippling fear in any beholder. Wang Lin himself, when first faced with this artifact, had nearly succumbed to despair, daring not to unleash its power and instead sealing it away with the secrets of ancient binding.

But now, as he stood beside the God-Slaying Chariot, Wang Lin’s face remained a serene mask, his eyes burning with unwavering resolve. The long century of his trials had forged him anew, hardening him against the terrors that once held sway.

He closed his eyes, a moment of quiet contemplation before opening them, twin stars blazing with inner light. With practiced ease, he performed a complex hand seal, chanting words of forgotten power, arcane syllables that echoed with the weight of ages. His left hand gripped his right wrist, and a dark energy pulsed forth, gathering in his right hand until it shimmered with ominous power. In a single, decisive motion, he pressed this dark energy against the chariot’s surface.

The black light vanished, absorbed into the metallic frame as if devoured by the Chariot’s hunger. A moment later, the entire device erupted in a surge of even greater power.

The myriad barbs, now infused with the dark energy, pulsed with an inner luminescence, their individual lights merging into a vast, encroaching shadow that seemed to threaten the very heavens. This oppressive darkness coalesced, transforming before Wang Lin’s eyes into seven glyphs of pure black, their forms shimmering and elusive within the enveloping gloom.

As he gazed upon the seven glyphs swirling before him, the words inscribed on an ancient jade slip, left behind by the chariot’s creator, echoed in his mind.

“This third God-Slaying Chariot… its potency exceeds my wildest imaginings. If unleashed to its full capacity, it could strike down immortals with effortless ease. Alas, this weapon is incomplete, lacking three vital components: the Wings of the Shadow-Beast, the Timber of the Nether-Wood, and the Soul of the Celestial Butterfly!

I lament that I was unable to acquire these components. I beseech any inheritor of this knowledge to seek them out and fulfill my ambition. This third Chariot, to truly accept a master, must be bound to the soul by merging with its seven sealing glyphs. Only then will its true potential be realized. To merely merge the runes without this soul-binding is to leave its power dormant. Descendant, choose wisely and with utmost caution…”

Wang Lin’s expression remained impassive. In his youth, he had dismissed these words, believing that there was one type of artifact that deserved the greatest consideration before attempting to use it: a soul-bound weapon.

Ordinary magical items, once imprinted with a spiritual mark, might cause injury if destroyed, ranging from minor to severe, but never death. Even those nourished within the very depths of the soul, while carrying a greater risk if damaged, would still not claim the master’s life.

He recalled examples like the fragments of the Celestial Boulder, or the swords he once wielded; none of them could end his life.

But a soul-bound artifact was different. Damage or destruction could lead to severe injury, a fractured soul, or even complete annihilation. Yet, despite the immense risk, many cultivators sought to forge such bonds.

For the power of a soul-bound weapon could explode exponentially, its strength growing alongside the master’s own advancement.

Wang Lin recalled texts describing cultivators from the ancient eras whose soul-bound weapon, beginning as a simple flying sword, eventually ascended to unimaginable heights as its master grew in power.

“This third Chariot is unlike the others…” Lost in thought, Wang Lin focused his gaze on the seven glyphs pulsating within the Chariot’s darkness. With a flick of his wrist, he opened his pouch, releasing the swarm of Mosquito Beasts.

The creatures, long confined, erupted into the world with savage delight. A swirling vortex of wind and a chorus of piercing screeches heralded their arrival as they darted and circled, intoxicated by their newfound freedom.

Following the Mosquito Beasts came the Thunder Frog.

The amphibian materialized from the pouch, landing with a dull thud on the ground beside Wang Lin. Laziness glimmered in its golden eyes as it settled into a prone position, unwilling to exert any more energy than necessary.

After unleashing the two beasts, Wang Lin pondered for a moment, then retrieved his Celestial Sword. With a flick of his finger against its blade, Xu Liguo was expelled from within. He appeared with his usual sycophantic smile, but a single, piercing glare from Wang Lin silenced him before he could utter a single word.

“I am imbuing the Chariot. Allow no one within a hundred paces,” Wang Lin stated flatly. Xu Liguo nodded vigorously, beat his chest with a dramatic flourish, and declared with exaggerated loyalty, “Master, rest assured! Should anyone dare approach, they shall only do so over my lifeless corpse! I, Xu Liguo, live and breathe for loyalty! There is no more loyal soul in all of creation! I—”

He ceased his pronouncements as Wang Lin’s brow furrowed in displeasure, shrinking back and resuming his guarding duties at the hundred-pace perimeter. Sneaking a furtive glance, Xu Liguo muttered to himself, “I’ve grown lax… the flattery flows less smoothly now. That’s why the devil’s getting irritated.

Must practice… this is my greatest skill! Can’t let it wither, even if I make my escape someday, it’ll still prove useful.”

Xu Liguo, while patrolling the perimeter, continued to mutter under his breath, words too low for most to discern. A careful ear, however, could catch snippets like:

“Master’s power is astonishing, like that of a true god! Little Xu’s reverence is boundless…”

“Wow, Master’s technique breaks new ground! Utterly admirable…”

“Hm? What’s this…? It… it’s Master’s artifact unleashing its power! Master, you’re the most amazing cultivator this little one has ever seen! Serving you is the best thing I’ve ever done!”

As Xu Liguo’s murmurs grew increasingly verbose, a Mosquito Beast flitted past, its antennae twitching as it caught the snippets of flattery. Its simple mind struggled to comprehend the meaning, but curiosity drove it to linger, occasionally hovering close to Xu Liguo to eavesdrop.
Once the venomous Mosquito Beasts, the crackling Thunder Frog, and the devilish Xu Liguo were unleashed, Wang Lin wove intricate hand seals. He then warded the perimeter with a series of arcane restrictions, finally allowing himself a moment of cautious respite. His gaze pierced the space before him, fixated on the ominous God-Slaying Chariot. With a touch to his brow, a beacon erupted, and from it, Wang Lin’s very soul detached itself from his mortal shell.

His ethereal form, shedding its human guise, coalesced into the magnificent shape of an Ancient Thunder Dragon. He surged towards the chariot, his form a swirling vortex of celestial energy. Reaching the obsidian vehicle, the dragon spiraled around the dark aura it exuded. Then, with a thunderous roar echoing through the spirit realm, Wang Lin’s dragon jaws snapped shut, engulfing one of the seven arcane runes etched upon its surface.

Immediately, a raw, untamed power surged within Wang Lin’s soul, a tempestuous force threatening to tear him asunder. The black symbol, now imprisoned within his essence, pulsed with defiance. Yet, the power of Wang Lin’s soul swelled to meet it, a relentless tide that sought to crush and contain the rogue glyph.

The shard of runic power, however, proved stubbornly resilient. It bucked and strained against the encroaching spirit, refusing to yield. Instead, it unleashed a ferocious surge of resistance.

Had this been Wang Lin of his Ascendant years, the symbol’s furious struggle might have proven insurmountable. His soul would have faltered, trapped in a draining and protracted battle within the glyph’s swirling energy.

But this was Wang Lin now, a being of unimaginable power. With a chilling snarl, the depths of his soul echoed with a series of resounding booms. Each resonant clap amplified the latent thunder within his essence tenfold. In an instant, the raw, crackling energy within his soul reached a devastating apex, becoming a lance of pure power that crashed down upon the swallowed rune.

With a shattering boom, the defiant symbol buckled and broke. As it crumbled, the released energy surged forth, a tidal wave of raw power that relentlessly assaulted the shattered fragments.

A chorus of thunderous echoes reverberated within Wang Lin’s soul as, in a matter of breaths, the glyph was utterly obliterated. In its place remained only a strange, untamed force that dissolved into Wang Lin’s soul, becoming a part of his very being.

The absorption of the first rune had taken less than half an incense stick’s worth of time. With newfound clarity, Wang Lin’s soul-eyes, calm and resolute, locked onto the second rune. He charged forward, consuming it in a single, ravenous gulp.

This glyph possessed a greater strength than its predecessor, yet Wang Lin’s soul, honed and tempered by countless trials, still proved sufficient to completely purify it. The process, however, demanded a full incense stick’s worth of time.

He wasted no moment in hesitation. With eyes ablaze, he lunged toward the third and fourth glyphs, consuming them simultaneously. An hour later, Wang Lin’s soul now possessed the strange power from four arcane runes.

With an almighty snap of jaws, the Ancient Thunder Dragon of Wang Lin’s soul swallowed the fifth rune. As the mark entered its core, it immediately devolved into a violent surge, and coursed through the entirety of his soul.

Wang Lin’s eyes glinted with frost as his soul coiled in on itself. Wrapped in dragon form, thunderous energy coursed through his form, relentlessly pounding the rune with its might.

Within his soul, strikes of lightning battered the fifth rune for two ceaseless hours. At last, the glyph shattered, becoming a strange, chaotic force that immediately dissolved into Wang Lin’s soul.

Slightly weakened, Wang Lin’s soul quickly retreated through the aperture of his brow and withdrew into his waiting body. He immediately adopted a meditative posture, seeking to replenish his spiritual strength.

Five days crept past. During that time, Wang Lin’s body remained still as a statue, and his soul slowly healed and recovered. Twice during those days, the Chosen Immortals, led by the elder Tasan and their venerable ancestor, had approached.

The high pitched screams of the Mosquito Beasts, the crackling light that shone from the Thunder Frog, and the savage grin from the demon Xu Liguo, deterred the immortals. They stayed beyond a hundred-foot perimeter, remaining on the verge and filled with apprehension.

Xu Liguo, in particular, drooled as he stared at the Chosen Immortals, bringing back warm memories from Qingshui Star.

Overcome by temptation, he could not resist. While Wang Lin meditated, he lingered near the edge of Wang Lin’s formation, coaxing them closer. However, the Chosen Immortals were a disciplined bunch, and none of them paid him heed.

The gazes of all were transfixed by the God-Slaying Chariot. They exchanged hushed whispers of awe and fear. Even the eldest of the ancestral elders, who had spent generations collecting knowledge, did not know its true nature.

Still, the overbearing presence emanating from the God-Slaying Chariot sent tremors of fear throughout their souls.

On the sixth day, Wang Lin’s eyes snapped open. He tapped between his brows, and once again, his soul burst from his mortal form and went towards the God-Slaying Chariot. Once his soul was visible to those waiting at the edge of the barrier, shouts of fear echoed throughout the area.