With a single word, he sought to bind. Yet, it was but a fleeting moment as Wang Lin’s arcane energies, channeled through the tip of his right index finger, dissolved into the void. This binding incantation, however, was not fueled by his dwindling celestial essence, but only by his internal wellspring of power.

Across the ether, it was as if countless silken threads unfurled, entangling themselves around the High Sage of Extremes just as he dared to step into the rift. In that instant, the Sage was at his weakest. The thirteen layers of azure intent had shattered, and he sought only to flee, to mend his wounds in solitude. To linger here would be certain death.

He was ever a decisive man. The self-destruction of four layers of his azure intent was a desperate gamble to secure his escape. He would carry news to Grand Overseer Chongxuan – the tidings that Yan Leizi’s power had surpassed even the late stage of Shattered Nirvana!

“Yan Leizi’s cultivation has not reached the Third Step,” he thought with dread, “But it far exceeds the Shattered Nirvana stage! He must be at the Great Perfection of the Second Step!”

As he poised to cross the threshold, the High Sage of Extremes felt the unseen threads latch onto him. His right foot faltered.

In normal times, he would have ignored such paltry bonds. With a mere flex of his will, they would shatter. He could even turn the caster’s spell against them, obliterating body and soul. But now, with death’s shadow looming, the slightest delay could prove catastrophic.

The High Sage’s face contorted in horror. Yan Leizi, stunned for a breath, erupted in wild elation. With a triumphant roar, he lunged, his palm striking the High Sage’s chest, shoving him back from the rift. Even as the High Sage was expelled, from the distant depths, Wang Yue, the Star Devourer, opened its monstrous maw and swallowed the High Sage whole!

At the instant his binding spell took hold, Wang Lin was struck with the force of a rampaging titan. A torrent of blood gushed from his lips as he was hurled backward, his body teetering on the brink of collapse. His cultivation was but a fraction of the High Sage’s; the backlash threatened to tear him apart. Cracking sounds emanated from within as crimson mist sprayed from every pore.

“Venerable Yan Leizi, I have done my utmost!” Wang Lin cried out in a pained voice as he retreated. He played his hand to increase his weight in the eyes of Yan Leizi and the others – he would make the Lord owe him a debt of immeasurable magnitude!

And at the same time, it was a pledge of allegiance to secure Luo Tian’s protection.

This was a genuine offering, an act of unwavering loyalty. With this deed to his name, no matter what the future held, Wang Lin would forever be a crucial hero in this inter-stellar war.

It could never be forgotten. Should calamity befall Wang Lin and Luo Tian were to turn a blind eye, it would be an abhorrent betrayal with far-reaching consequences. Who else would dare to risk all in this grand conflict?

He had calculated everything. With his cultivation combined with the strength of his Ancient God physique, he might have been killed by the backlash had the High Sage been at full power. But the Sage was wounded, desperate in his retreat, and thus Wang Lin’s interference, even if unsuccessful, would not mean certain death.

When all paths are closed, one must gamble, carving out a new road with sheer force of will! Wang Lin was gambling for a future of promise.

His instincts were correct. Had he lacked the Ancient God physique, he would have surely perished. But possessing such power, and with the High Sage in a weakened state, he emerged merely wounded.

Yan Leizi laughed, moving in a blur towards Wang Lin. In an instant, he was beside the retreating figure, his hand gently touching Wang Lin’s back.

A surge of unimaginable power coursed from Yan Leizi, flooding Wang Lin’s body. It calmed his own turbulent energies, purged his injuries, and was then cut off and deliberately left within him.

Wang Lin felt his power surge. His nascent soul opened its eyes, absorbing the energy with a fervor. A sensation of immense strength swelled within him, bringing his cultivation to the peak of the early stage of Nirvana Peering, ready to step into the mid-stage with the slightest further insight!

Yan Leizi had held nothing back, bestowing upon Wang Lin a gift of immeasurable value.

For a cultivator of the Second Step, every increase was of utmost difficulty! Beyond the understanding of realms, it was essential to absorb the energies of heaven and earth – this alone could consume lifetimes!

“Good! Good! Good!” Yan Leizi withdrew his hand, gazing at Wang Lin with booming laughter.

“Xu Mu, you have performed a great service! This High Sage of Extremes is the head of the Four Guardians of the Alliance! In their hierarchy, he ranks ninth! This service, I will remember! The Luo Tian Starfield will remember!” Yan Leizi’s laughter held a note of satisfaction. The High Sage of Extremes was one of the very enemies that hunted him in the past!

This sudden turn of events left the surrounding cultivators dumbfounded. Lie Yunzi and Elder Shen Gong looked upon Wang Lin with newfound respect.

Lie Yunzi nodded in approval, admiration etched upon his face.

The normally impassive Elder Shen Gong even offered a fleeting smile.

As for the black-robed elder and white-clad youth, their gazes were mixed, but tinged with admiration. They could never have summoned the courage to act as Wang Lin had!

The palace-dressed woman looked at Wang Lin with something akin to interest. Even in that moment, a glimpse of her allure left many breathless.

“Xu Mu, after this battle, when the rewards are given, I shall not only return your Thunder Beast but also bestow upon you a treasure for your protection! With this treasure, few within the Alliance Starfield will be able to harm you!” Yan Leizi roared with laughter, stepping forth to confront the Black Fiend and the Cloud Dragon Demon Lord.
Wang Lin held a serene countenance. The arcane energies within him surged, granting him an immediate sense of burgeoning power. He inhaled deeply, realizing his gamble had paid off.

With a thunderous roar, the colossal, ancient tree crashed into the northern fringes of the Alliance battlefield. The force of its arrival sent Alliance cultivators reeling. The sight of the revered celestial beast, Wang Yue, consuming the esteemed Sage of Immense Virtue instilled shock and dread, severely diminishing their fighting spirit.

Wang Yue, a monstrous entity of immense power, rampaged through the battlefield. Its serpentine tentacles lashed out, and any unfortunate soul touched by them withered and crumbled, their life essence violently drained away.

Wang Yue was undeniably too powerful.

The Black Fiend Demon Lord and the Cloud Dragon Demon Sovereign, their hearts trembling, retreated in disarray. No longer possessed of any desire to fight, they prepared to flee.

Suddenly, from the distant northern reaches of the starry sea, a force akin to the arrival of the ancient tree, perhaps even greater, thundered towards them.

Arrayed in the void, a multitude of thousand-foot-high towers, each resembling a sharpened cone, raced towards the fray. Atop each towering edifice stood nearly a hundred cultivators, radiating a palpable aura of deadly intent that tore through the surrounding space.

The sight was breathtaking. The starry sea teemed with these cone-shaped towers, numbering well over a hundred, their passage marked by a piercing, high-pitched shriek.

A boundless pressure emanated from their advance. Flanking these towers were four gargantuan celestial bodies, each carried aloft by a towering giant. These giants, each a thousand feet tall, bore the mark of a war axe upon their foreheads, identifying them as members of the mighty Giant Demon race.

Upon each of these celestial fortresses stood a solitary figure. Three were venerable elders, their white hair flowing, exuding an aura of divine grace and unwavering authority. The fourth was a woman garbed in a flowing azure gown, her raven hair cascading down her shoulders. Her delicate hand cradled an eight-petaled lotus platform, her piercing gaze fixed upon the battle ahead, radiating a chilling resolve.

The sudden arrival of this Alliance force drew the attention of all present. The Alliance cultivators, emboldened, rallied to their banners, their fear momentarily abated.

On the side of Luo Tian, the Blood God Son and three ancient ancestors from the Immortal Realm stood in the void, their gazes cold and calculating.

The Flame Thunder Sovereign stepped forward. With a sweep of his hand, a sea of fire erupted before him, hurtling towards the enemy. Simultaneously, Wang Yue unleashed a deafening roar, its serpentine appendages extending with renewed ferocity.

The ten thousand Luo Tian cultivators surrounding the ancient tree took to the skies, unleashing a torrent of spells and arcane artifacts. The battle, destined to shake the heavens, was about to begin in earnest!

In that tense moment, the woman in azure spoke, her voice clear and commanding: “Invite Senior Wu Dongchan to step forward!”

At those words, a raucous laugh echoed from the distant stars. A swirling cloud of blackness surged forth, blotting out the light.

Within the inky expanse stood a man of middle age, his face square, his bearing noble and imposing in his purple robes. As he arrived, a tempest of dark mist churned around him, accompanied by the thunderous roar of storms.

“Flame Thunder Sovereign, your reputation precedes you!” the man declared, his voice brimming with arrogance. “Today, I, Wu Dongchan, challenge you to single combat!” As he spoke, the black mists beneath his feet surged forward, a direct assault upon the Flame Thunder Sovereign.

The Flame Thunder Sovereign did not recognize the name of Wu Dongchan. Clearly, he was a newcomer who had risen to prominence after his departure from the Alliance Star Domain. Yet, he did not underestimate him. The aura emanating from Wu Dongchan was profoundly unsettling.

“If you desire battle, then battle you shall have!” the Flame Thunder Sovereign replied, his voice like ice. With a single stride, he plunged into the darkness. The mists writhed and ascended to the uppermost reaches of the starry sky, swirling with incandescent flames and thunderous explosions.

“Seal Wang Yue!” the woman in azure commanded. At once, the hundred cone-shaped towers emitted an ear-splitting screech, their speed increasing a hundredfold.

Like a barrage of celestial blades, they hurtled forward, converging upon Wang Yue.

Wang Lin felt a premonition of impending doom. It was clear to him that Luo Tian was on the defensive. He subtly retreated towards the rear of the ancient tree, but as he did so, he felt a sharp gaze fall upon him.

It was the woman in azure, her eyes locked upon Wang Lin with an inscrutable expression.