Lord Ling Tian revealed these hidden truths to me and aided me so generously, his underlying intent could only be that he sought my favor… Likely, the greatest part of his reasoning lay within my Vermillion Bird lineage… A further fraction, perhaps, was to set my mind at ease!” Wang Lin’s expression remained impassive, yet his heart saw all with perfect clarity.

As Lord Ling Tian entered the towering monolith, the gazes of the tens of thousands of Da Luo Sword Sect disciples fell upon Wang Lin. Accustomed to such undivided attention, Wang Lin’s expression remained serene as his divine sense unfurled, sweeping outwards with the force of a tempest.

The divine sense of a nascent Spirit Severing cultivator was far beyond the resistance of these Da Luo Sword Sect disciples. As it washed over them, their faces paled, and their eyes reflected a newfound reverence for Wang Lin.

“Where is the dwelling prepared for me?” Wang Lin inquired calmly.

A fair-faced female cultivator hurried forward, stopping ten paces from Wang Lin. “Disciple Zhou Xiu greets the Elder. Your arrival was… sudden. It is customary for Elders to select their own dwelling,” she replied, her voice tinged with constraint.

Wang Lin took a step forward, his form vanishing from sight. He reappeared a thousand li away, beside a towering structure on the sect’s outskirts. Casting a cursory glance, Wang Lin chose not to enter, instead settling into a meditative pose before the tower. With a casual wave of his hand, a vast array of restrictions shimmered into existence around him.

The Da Luo Sword Sect disciples dispersed, their eyes occasionally drifting towards Wang Lin’s chosen location as murmurs filled the air.

Seated in contemplation, Wang Lin’s gaze darkened. He felt as though Tian Yunzi had foreseen every event, as if his every step had been calculated.

“Tian Yunzi, I once caused you to err. Today, I shall make your calculations utterly fail!”

Wang Lin reached into his storage bag, retrieving the sliver of Extreme Yang. It pulsed with scorching heat, and Wang Lin dared not grip it tightly, for he knew his hand would be instantly pierced by its searing power, his very soul wounded. Only his Ancient God physique allowed him to hold it at all without being consumed.

“Were my Ancient God body stronger, perhaps I could grasp it without harm!” Wang Lin inhaled deeply. He cared not if Lord Ling Tian’s divine sense observed him, for this sliver was a karmic consequence woven by Tian Yunzi. If another seized it, the impasse would be merely resolved, not broken. To truly shatter the scheme, he must confound Tian Yunzi’s expectations. After a long deliberation, Wang Lin gritted his teeth, and guiding the Extreme Yang, pressed it against his brow. A searing pain erupted as the essence merged with his forehead, vanishing from sight.

Within his body, a sea of fire arose, unimaginable heat engulfing every inch of his being. Wang Lin felt as though he were trapped within a cosmic forge, being mercilessly tempered.

Within the towering monolith on Da Luo Star, Lord Ling Tian sat cross-legged, his eyes glinting with an eerie light. The fissure in his brow, recently healed, reopened once more.

He fixed his gaze on the direction of Wang Lin’s location, his eyes clouding with thought.

“This is… Extreme Yang!” Lord Ling Tian’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Tian Yunzi uses this sliver of Extreme Yang as bait. But to what end…?” Ling Tianhou raised his right hand, then slowly lowered it, shaking his head. “Tian Yunzi, do you seek to lure me to take this Extreme Yang?”

Within Wang Lin’s body, the sea of fire raged, its endless burning causing a thick mist to emanate from his pores. Strangely, his robes remained untouched by the flames.

Beads of sweat, large as beans, poured from his body, soaking his garments.

The firestorm raged within, the sounds of crackling and popping echoing endlessly. The flames intensified, reaching a terrifying degree in a mere moment.

The pain radiating through Wang Lin’s body twisted his features. The sensation was akin to a mortal swallowing burning coals. Only Wang Lin’s iron will prevented him from crying out.

Any other cultivator, even one of higher cultivation, would have been overwhelmed by the unbearable heat. Fortunately, he possessed the body of an Ancient God, and though in agony, he could endure.

Yet, if it continued, even his Ancient God body would fail.

Time crawled forward. A mere incense stick’s worth passed, yet to Wang Lin, it felt like years. The heat within intensified, and under the assault of the flames, Wang Lin’s body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He snapped open his eyes, twin azure flames blazing within them. Even the air around him shimmered with invisible fire, the void itself cracking and groaning under the strain.

As the inferno grew more ferocious, Wang Lin could no longer restrain a roar. The sound reverberated like thunder, shaking the heavens.

Far away, on Tianyun Star, at the summit of the trident-shaped celestial peak, Tian Yunzi sat in meditation. His closed eyes flickered open, revealing a gaze that could pierce the very fabric of reality.

His gaze fell upon the sky, as if he could see through the immeasurable distance to Wang Lin on Da Luo Star.

Tian Yunzi’s expression remained unchanged, yet his brow furrowed slightly. “This is not something you can swallow… In seven breaths, you will expel it… One, two…”

Tian Yunzi’s eyes were clear and bright as he began to count. On Da Luo Star, Wang Lin’s body radiated an unnatural crimson hue, born of the zenith of heat within. As the endless firestorm raged, it permeated every inch of his flesh.

Tian Yunzi reached five.

The sea of fire within Wang Lin erupted, sending a torrent of blood spurting from his body. He knew that if he did not expel the Extreme Yang, he would be consumed to ash!

“Seven!” Tian Yunzi uttered the final word.

In that instant, the inferno within Wang Lin detonated completely, forming a raging firestorm that converged from every corner of his being, racing towards his nascent soul.

But in that very moment, a swirling mist emanated from Wang Lin’s soul, and the Heavenly Jewel appeared! As the Heavenly Jewel materialized, the ravenous flames surged closer, only to halt abruptly. An unnatural suction emanated from the Jewel, drawing the firestorm entirely into its depths.

Wang Lin’s eyes gleamed, and the excruciating pain vanished, replaced by an indescribable sense of relief.

As the Heavenly Jewel absorbed all the flames, the mark representing the sun, within the Jewel’s sun and moon sigil, began to glow with intense radiance. Only Wang Lin could perceive its blinding brilliance.

At the instant the Heavenly Jewel pulsed with light, Lord Ling Tian, who had been intently observing Wang Lin from within the monolith, cried out in alarm. He slammed his eyes shut, and without even rising to his feet, recoiled backwards at an impossible speed.

In that fleeting moment, he had witnessed the fire within Wang Lin vanish with unbelievable speed, and a premonition of impending doom had gripped his soul.

He had not felt such a sensation even when facing Tian Yunzi. Only in the Kunxu Cultivation Realm, years ago, had he experienced a similar feeling – one that told him he would be annihilated if he did not flee. The memory triggered a wave of fear and without hesitation, he slammed his hand into his brow, unleashing a flash of black light as the phantom sword, which he summoned during the battle with the gray-robed Tian Yunzi, materialized. Without pause, he sent it hurtling forward.

In the instant the phantom sword flew forth, an invisible light appeared before it, colliding with a cataclysmic force. The sound of the collision remained unheard to others, unfelt, yet Lord Ling Tian coughed forth a mouthful of blood. He crashed through the tower’s wall, the impact sending him tumbling outwards.

The phantom sword, on the verge of collapse, emitted a mournful shriek as it retreated back into Lord Ling Tian’s brow. Lord Ling Tian’s face paled once more. He sprayed out another mouthful of blood, his body weakening. Terrified, his scalp prickling with dread, he did not hesitate, flashing into the earth, heading straight to the center of Da Luo Star.

During his escape, Lord Ling Tian cast spells, breaking through layer after layer of seals. Panic gripped him. His only thought was to reach the heart of Da Luo Star as quickly as possible!

Meanwhile, on Tianyun Star, the composed demeanor of Tian Yunzi upon the trident peak shattered in an instant! Such a shift in expression was unheard of for Tian Yunzi, almost unprecedented. If anyone had been present to witness this, they would have been unable to believe their eyes. Tian Yunzi, known for his infallible calculations and unshakable composure, remained unfazed even when a mountain crumbles before him.

But his eyes, containing even a hint of fear, would send tremors throughout the Cultivation Alliance, shocking all who knew him! He inhaled sharply, disbelief etched upon his features. With blinding speed, he swiped his hands through the air, summoning a rainbow-colored cloud. He sent it streaking forward, as if to resist something.

Before the cloud had traveled half a zhang, an unimaginable force crashed into it, causing it to explode! From the ensuing chaos, a hand materialized out of nothingness, reaching out to seize Tian Yunzi!