Like a drifting cloud, a flowing stream, Wang Lin clenched his fist and with a casual flick of his wrist, a cataclysm erupted. A tempest of obsidian energy, unimaginable in its power, surged forth. Before it, the three tendrils of divine sense, woven into the form of colossal dragons, were rendered vulnerable.

With a deafening roar, the first draconic construct, lacking any power to resist, crumbled into nothingness.

At the instant of its demise, within the Ghost Eye Citadel, in the second lavish chamber from the eastern edge, a man garbed in regal purple sat, enjoying a cup of tea. The porcelain shattered in his grip, the liquid within instantly vaporizing. The man’s face drained of color, and crimson trickled from the corner of his mouth. Terror seized his gaze.

His heart hammered in his chest, a frantic drumbeat. “Could it be… a Transcendent?” he gasped. His expression shifted wildly. With a final clench of his jaw, he took a single step, vanishing from the room.

Wang Lin, suspended in the void, drew his divine sense back into his body. He cast a chilling gaze at the final tendril, the essence of none other than that old fox, Yi Chenzi.

The preceding events had unfolded with the speed of a lightning strike. The last vestige of divine sense faltered, recoiling in a desperate attempt to retreat.

But Wang Lin, his face a mask of icy indifference, extended his hand. The final tendril was seized by an unseen force, crushed by the very fabric of existence. An irresistible pull drew it towards Wang Lin, and with a final, fatal grasp, he extinguished it utterly.

In the grandest chamber of the Citadel’s eastern wing, an elder with hair the color of winter’s snow stood at a table. A brush danced in his hand, weaving a vibrant tapestry upon the scroll before him.

Such divided attention was child’s play for one of his mystical caliber, but in that fateful moment, the brush snapped with a sharp crack. The elder’s head snapped up, his face turning ashen. A mouthful of blood surged into his throat, but he forced it down with sheer willpower.

“Disaster!” he cursed inwardly. With a dramatic flourish of his sleeves, he surged from the chamber with unnatural speed.

Within the Ghost Eye Citadel, a cacophony erupted. The collapse of the protective arrays sent tremors through the city, alerting every cultivator, great and small. All turned their eyes towards the heavens.

Wang Lin remained unmoved. He had shown restraint repeatedly. Had these three released their hold on his divine sense, none of this would have come to pass.

Three streaks of light shot from the city below, materializing before Wang Lin as three figures: the Three Dust Daoists!

The snow-haired elder, Yi Chenzi, led the trio. Behind him stood the elder clad in green, and the purple-robed man. Their faces were etched with bitterness. Never could they have imagined that a divine sense, seemingly in the nascent stages of the Seer Realm, could belong to such a formidable being. This entity, arriving in the flesh, had shattered their combined assault with effortless ease.

Merely destroying their divine senses would not have shaken them so profoundly. Together, they possessed the strength to at least put up a fight. What truly terrified them was the sheer ease with which he had accomplished it.

A grab, a punch, a squeeze. Three simple, almost dismissive gestures. It was as if he were handling feathers, not wrestling with potent divine energy. That was the heart of their dread!

Such a feat was impossible for a mere Seer Realm cultivator, not even one at the peak of their power. Not against three opponents of their caliber. There was only one explanation: the one before them had transcended, achieving the Transcendent Realm!

“Daoist Wang, forgive our transgression! We acted rashly…” Yi Chenzi lamented, bowing with a forced smile. They stood before Wang Lin, acutely aware of their precarious situation. Their reputation on Tian Yun Star was renowned, yet they had provoked someone far beyond their reach. They felt nothing but regret, knowing that a Transcendent being had the right to scrutinize them in such a manner.

Had they known the truth of his cultivation, they would have never dared to interfere. A Transcendent who deigned to visit the Ghost Eye Citadel would have been treated as an honored guest, even without a formal invitation.

*This Tian Yun Star, and all the surrounding worlds, are so very short on Transcendent cultivators, that the one who stands up will be met with shaking of other cultivators.*

“Daoist Wang, it was we who were mistaken, and can not wait to be rid of it,” the green-robed elder said, with no small amount of awkwardness.

The purple-robed man followed, his face etched with regret. “Even in the face of a Transcendent, what being would dare fight in the open?”

The expressions on their faces expressed regret. Wang Lin softened only slightly. “I also was disturbing to the area first, and it is just as I will now be at peace.”

The three heaved a collective sigh of relief. Had Wang Lin persisted, they would have had no choice but to flee. To anger a Transcendent was to invite death itself.

“Daoist Wang, I invite you for the Jade elixir that you have requested. It is scheduled to take days to prepare. Do you have a place to rest in between this time.?” Yi Chenzi asked tentatively.

The purple-robed man and the green-robed elder looked intently to Wang Lin, a hopeful look in their faces.

In face of someone of Transcendent status, the other 3, who are in the face of the world were a little more respectful, and not very quick to go into anything, and instead, tried to become closer with one another.

“Jade Elixir?” Wang Lin knew of something of its importance, pausing he examined the three before saying, “Then so shall I trouble all three Daoists with it.”

Yi Chenzi laughed, “There is nothing to trouble us about, to get to know Daoist Wang has created a bond,!” As he said this, his right hand was forward, inviting and with a smile.

Wang Lin turned to look into the distance, at the distant gates, Bai Wei gazed into the distance. In the back, Xu Liguo took the form of dark clouds.

“It is alright for all of you to come here.” Wang Lin was speaking quietly, but Bai Wei could understand him clearly.
Bai Wei hesitated a moment, then, with a fleeting shimmer, she vanished into the air. Xu Liguo, utterly captivated, watched her departing figure with longing, hastening to follow in her wake.

Upon beholding Bai Wei, the trio of cultivators, led by Yi Chenzi, paused in stunned silence. Yet, none dared utter a word. With silent guidance, they led the way to a resplendent four-story pavilion situated in the eastern quarter of the city, a place known as Ghost Eye City. Encircling the pavilion was a sprawling courtyard, adorned with artful rockeries and murmuring streams, exuding an aura of verdant serenity.

“This humble abode serves as the temporary dwelling of my two fellow disciples and myself, within this Ghost Eye City,” Yi Chenzi declared with a smile. “Fellow Daoist Wang, you are welcome to consider it your own.”

“I thank you,” Wang Lin replied with a gracious smile, clasping his hands in polite acknowledgment.

Seeing Wang Lin’s amicable expression, the three cultivators finally seemed to set their anxieties aside. The middle-aged man in purple robes chuckled, “Brother Wang, please, make yourself comfortable. We have sent word for them to prepare fruits and delicacies. Our encounter today, though born of conflict, has forged a unique bond. We four must, without fail, engage in a discourse upon the Dao.”

Yi Chenzi nodded in agreement, a smile playing on his lips. The elderly cultivator in verdant robes added, “Third Brother speaks truly. Our acquaintance with Brother Wang is indeed quite the saga. A grand toast is in order!”

Wang Lin smiled faintly, and yielding to their warm invitation, found it imprudent to refuse. Furthermore, his interest was piqued by the promise of the Violet Jade Nectar. He nodded, saying, “If that is the case, then Wang shall humbly oblige.”

“Brother Wang is far too courteous,” Yi Chenzi responded, clasping his hands once more. He then took his leave, along with his two companions.

Bai Wei seemed ill at ease amidst these proceedings. His cultivation, alas, placed him far beyond this level of interaction, even as a disciple of Tian Yunzi.

Before long, servants arrived, their purpose to arrange accommodations for the two guests. The pavilion held many vacant chambers. As Bai Wei turned to depart, Xu Liguo, acting on instinct, moved to follow. However, a chilling glance from Wang Lin caused him to immediately retreat, resuming his position behind Wang Lin as they went to their respective rooms.

Wang Lin chose a chamber on the second floor, a small room of refined elegance. Beside the purple wood table and chairs stood cabinets of dark red wood. Upon the walls hung several paintings, each imbued with a certain ethereal quality, inspiring a sense of peace.

A dragon-carved oil lamp stood ready, its light diffused by a lampshade of pale yellow silk, embroidered with depictions of mountains and rivers. The filtered light cast a soft, yet radiant glow, illuminating every corner of the room.

The chamber may have been modest, but Wang Lin found it pleasing. Xu Liguo hovered nearby, his gaze darting around in appraisal. Inwardly, he scoffed, deeming the place unworthy. “What’s so great about this dump?” he thought. “That Star Devil head is clueless about the finer things. If it were me, I’d be seeking a place filled with ladies! Now that’s what I call comfortable!”

Wang Lin sat quietly within the room, his eyes half-closed, seemingly fixed upon the purple-flowered window before him. In truth, his mind was occupied, contemplating Bai Wei’s actions along their journey.

“What could Bai Wei possibly want from me? He wouldn’t have summoned me here for no reason. And then there’s that strange mark upon his body…” Wang Lin mused, sensing that Bai Wei had something he wished to impart.

“Everything he has said along the way has been mere triviality, not a single point of substance… What is it he truly wishes to tell me?” Wang Lin furrowed his brow, recalling Bai Wei’s words. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

“Could it be that Bai Wei’s true message lies hidden within those very trivialities…? If that is so, then he must be burdened with some unspoken secret, unable or unwilling to speak it plainly. And that which he fears is not I, but… Master?” Wang Lin felt as though he had grasped a tenuous thread, yet he dared not be certain.

“Or perhaps, there is some form of restriction upon him, preventing him from speaking… forcing him to rely upon hints…”

Wang Lin delved deeper into his thoughts, recalling the moment when he had merely inquired about the cultivation arts Bai Wei practiced. He remembered the sudden shift in Bai Wei’s countenance.

It was at that very instant that Wang Lin had first noticed the bizarre mark formed by the flow of Yin energy within Bai Wei’s form!

“What is it that Bai Wei wishes to say…?” Wang Lin pondered, then his expression shifted. He looked towards the door, as Yi Chenzi’s cheerful voice echoed forth.

“Brother Wang! The fruits and fine wines are prepared. Before darkness descends, shall we four engage in a discourse upon the Dao?”