Wang Lin, with a gaze as keen as a falcon’s, swept his eyes across the vast expanse of the Thunder Pool Plaza, a thousand fathoms wide, before turning his attention away.

Under the guidance of the aged guide, he walked a path that led him towards the eastern reaches of the Thunder Immortal Palace. In the distance, he espied a grand edifice, many times larger than the other palaces, resembling a slumbering leviathan. Even before nearing it, a palpable aura of power emanated from its ancient stones.

At a distance of several leagues from the grand hall, the old guide halted. “Daoist Xu,” he said with a courteous smile, “the Palace Lord summoned you alone. I am unable to accompany you further. You may proceed on your own.”

Wang Lin’s gaze lingered upon the distant hall. He clasped his fist in respectful salute to the elder, saying, “Many thanks for your guidance, Senior!”

“Old one such as I, worthy of being called Senior?” The old man chuckled. “Daoist Xu is favored by the Palace Lord, and will surely soar beyond the confines of this pond. When that day comes, I hope you shall remember me.” He shook his head, offering a farewell salute before turning and departing.

Wang Lin, cautious as a seasoned traveler, spread his divine sense before him, venturing forth. Gradually, the hall loomed larger. As he drew near, he beheld a lone figure standing before the entrance, back turned towards him. Yet, in its stillness, the figure stood as a mountain, unyielding and grand.

“Flame Thunder Child!” Wang Lin was not surprised. He lowered himself closer to the ground, clasped his fist, and said, “Greetings, Senior Flame Thunder Child!”

“A Glimpse of Nirvana? Excellent, truly excellent!”

Wang Lin remained composed, betraying no hint of unease at the revelation of his true self. “Be it Xu Mu or Wang Lin, Senior, you have summoned me here not merely to delve into my true name.”

Flame Thunder Child cast a glance at Wang Lin, a subtle smile playing upon his lips, his eyes gleaming with approval. “Well spoken,” he said. “Truly, you are one bound by fate to I. I care not whether you are Wang Lin or Xu Mu. I ask you this: the war in the Alliance Starfield, will you participate?”

“My strength is meager,” Wang Lin replied after a moment’s contemplation. “Even if I were to participate, I would be of little consequence.”

“A Glimpse of Nirvana cultivator, claiming to be of meager strength?” Flame Thunder Child chuckled, a flash of coldness in his eyes.

Wang Lin considered his words, then nodded. “If Senior Flame Thunder Child places such value in my abilities, then I shall participate in this war!” Within Wang Lin’s heart, he had already anticipated this before his arrival. To vie for one of the hundred and eight Immortal Titles, he must enter the fray of the war between Luo Tian and the Alliance.

“Good. The token I bestowed upon you in the past, keep it safe. It may prove invaluable to you in the future! Consider it a boon for your past promise!” Flame Thunder Child flicked his sleeve. A gust of wind arose, swirling before Wang Lin, forming a vortex that shimmered with lightning—a teleportation array.

“Depart using this array. In three days, I, along with several Daoist friends, shall personally witness this Immortal Sealing War. At that time, your elder brother, Pure Clarity, will also be present!” With these words, Flame Thunder Child turned and strode towards the grand hall.

“Senior Flame Thunder Child, may I request the return of my Thunder Beast?” Wang Lin inquired, his voice calm, as he watched Flame Thunder Child.

“It shall be returned to you once the passage is opened!” Flame Thunder Child’s form vanished within the grand hall.

Wang Lin paused, then stepped into the vortex of the teleportation array. When he emerged, he found himself outside the outer halls of the Thunder Immortal Palace, near the Four Great Teleportation Arrays.

The area was deserted, the others having already received their assignments.

As Wang Lin materialized, he immediately turned. Behind him stood a woman, her countenance exceedingly fair, like carved jade, clad in a gown of azure silk.

“Senior, are you Xu Mu?” Her voice was clear and melodious.

Wang Lin nodded.

“This humble one is Chen Shan, tasked by command to await Senior. This is your token and teleportation device for the upcoming Immortal Sealing War. As for your residence, the token contains all the details.” Chen Shan’s expression was respectful. She produced a palm-sized token from her storage bag and presented it to Wang Lin. After a moment’s hesitation, her cheeks flushed slightly as she softly spoke, “These coming days, should Senior require a dual cultivation partner, you may contact this humble one through the token. The Thunder Immortal Palace shall provide all necessary assistance to all participants in the Immortal Sealing War.”

With these words, the woman’s face turned even redder. She bowed deeply and retreated, her form fading, revealing glimpses of her captivating figure beneath her dress as she departed.

Wang Lin took the token, his divine sense sweeping through it. The artifact resembled a jade scroll, containing a simple map of the Thunder Immortal Palace and an inactive teleportation array. Locating the position of his designated residence, Wang Lin swiftly moved, heading directly towards it.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Wang Lin remained in secluded meditation, maintaining his cultivation at its peak. On the noon of the third day, the entire Thunder Immortal Palace was abuzz with activity. The light of teleportation arrays flashed continuously as groups of cultivators arrived one after another. Many had come to witness the Immortal Sealing ritual, foremost among them the cultivation families of the major stars within the Four Great Star Domains. These individuals were only granted the privilege of observing from the outer perimeters.

Following them were the cultivation families within the Luo Tian Star Domain who, while inferior to the Yao Clan, still surpassed the families of the major stars, such as the Shen Gong and Zhan clans. Then came the cultivation families of the Four Great Lineages, inheritors of ancient power from the Immortal Realm.

Finally, there appeared the clansmen from the two ancient cultivation families that co-organized this Immortal Sealing event with the Thunder Immortal Palace. Although the number of cultivators watching the Immortal Sealing War was not large, amounting to tens of thousands, they were arranged by the Thunder Immortal Palace. Centered around the Thunder Immortal Palace’s inner hall, numerous floating platforms were constructed to accommodate the observers.

The battlefield for the Immortal Sealing was set within the Thunder Immortal Palace’s inner hall—the Thunder Pool Plaza of a thousand fathoms! Around the plaza, a dozen white futons emanated a faint immortal aura. Flame Thunder Child sat cross-legged upon one of these futons. Beside him, Pure Clarity Immortal Lord sat in silent meditation, seemingly disinterested in the events unfolding before him.

As the number of cultivators observing the battle increased, the old ancestor of the Xiang Clan materialized in mid-air with a single step, saluting Flame Thunder Child with a clasped fist before taking a seat upon a nearby futon.

As the two conversed, the Gongsun man, clad as ever in black, similarly materialized and took a seat.

Soon after, the major cultivation families of the Yao lineage and others from the Immortal Realm arrived. The Yao Clan sent the Blood God Child, who, along with the other old monsters from the three families, seated themselves upon the futons, not once glancing in the direction of Pure Clarity.
As the Houses of Shen Gong and Zhan arrived, the ancient patriarchs Shen Gong and Lie Yunzi soon followed, settling upon the silken prayer mats. Not long after, other venerable ancestors of cultivation clans appeared, taking their places upon the remaining mats.

When the sun reached its zenith, Yan Leizi, eyes flashing with an inner fire, spoke in a measured tone, “The battle for the One Hundred and Eight Immortal Titles of Luo Tian begins!” His voice, like thunder made manifest, rumbled through the halls of the Thunder Immortal Palace. As the sound reverberated, countless teleportation arrays materialized in the sky above, each identical in size. From these shimmering portals emerged a multitude of cultivators.

Among them stood Wang Lin! Xue Shenzi, the Blood God, raised his head, his gaze piercing and malevolent, fixing upon Wang Lin before turning away with a scornful snort, his face a mask of grim displeasure.

Apart from the Blood God, another gaze, from the distant throng of onlookers, fell upon Wang Lin. Xi Zifeng, biting her lip, watched him silently, her heart sighing with a touch of confusion in her eyes.

Ever since Da Shao returned from the Thunder Immortal Realm, the image of Wang Lin had stubbornly remained in her mind, impossible to banish. Hearing of the Yao clan’s pursuit of him, her heart trembled, yet she was powerless to help. Though she sat in meditation daily, she knew that Wang Lin’s escape from their clutches had filled her with joy, a joy tinged with a deep and abiding bitterness.

“He has likely forgotten even my name…”

Xi Zifeng was beautiful, a fact of which she was well aware. Many a handsome scion from various cultivation clans had professed their love for her. Even her own cousin, the most promising of the Xi lineage, Xi Zimo, harbored a secret affection. Yet, before, she had remained aloof to all advances. The path of dual cultivation had never even crossed her mind. Her dream was to emulate her clan’s ancestor, becoming a female cultivator of unparalleled power. But all of that had shifted after her encounter with Wang Lin. Even she herself was perplexed by the change. The sight of him, leading a hundred cultivators, charging into the teleportation array of the Thunder Immortal Palace, and his echoing cry of “Make way!” had resonated within her soul, an echo that refused to fade.

Xi Zifeng had hoped that the passage of time would dim the memory, but today’s reunion made her bite her lip until it drew blood, oblivious to the pain as she stared at the figure in the sky – both familiar and yet strangely distant.

Not far from Xi Zifeng sat an elderly woman. Though she lacked the status to claim a place upon the prayer mats, she was none other than the ancestor of the Xi family! She frowned, glancing at Xi Zifeng, and sighed inwardly, “A cursed fate!”

Wang Lin, suspended in the air, remained composed, observing the majority of the gifted cultivators from the Luo Tian Starfield, especially those seated upon the dozen or so prayer mats. Each possessed a cultivation base rivaling, or even far surpassing, that of the Blood Ancestor.

As the three hundred and twenty-five teleportation arrays above fully materialized, revealing all those vying for the titles, Yan Leizi spoke, his expression unchanging, “This Immortal Ascension is divided into Three Trials, Six Paths, and a Single Line of Heaven! The Three Trials, of Heaven, Earth, and Man, test cultivation. The Six Paths of profound enlightenment temper the will and understanding of reincarnation. After traversing the Three Trials and Six Paths, one hundred and eight shall be chosen. These chosen shall enter the One Line of Heaven, a realm of life, death, and slaughter, where only the thirty-six who claim the most lives shall be sealed as Heavenly Generals! And granted the chance to leave their name upon the Seal of Immortality Stone!”

These words sent a ripple of shock through the Thunder Immortal Palace. Even those seated upon the prayer mats around Yan Leizi were visibly moved, their gazes sharpening as they fixed upon him.

Even the patriarch of the Xiang family and the black-clad man of the Gongsun lineage were taken aback, their eyes turning to Yan Leizi! Even Immortal Lord Qing Shui, opened his eyes, revealing a piercing coldness, and questioned in a low voice, “Are you referring to the Seal of Immortality Stone, left in the Thunder Immortal Realm by the ancient Immortal Domain?”