In a flash, 50 years passed!
50 years of time was more than half of one’s life for mortals, but for cultivators, it was just a short closed door cultivation session. But during these 50 years, a legend arose in the Immortal Astral Continent.
This legend spread between the Eastern and Southern Continents. This legend was about an Empyrean Exalt cultivator who wore white, had a head of white hair, and had a Golden Exalt sea dragon.
He moved through more than 30 continents among the Eastern and Southern Continents to search for Empyrean Exalts to battle!
There were nearly 100 Empyrean Exalts, including those that hadn’t joined any Grand Empyrean and those that remained in closed door cultivation year-round. In particular, the Southern Continent had far more Empyrean Exalts than the Eastern Continent.
The Eastern Continent was originally ranked second among the five major continents. However, after Grand Empyrean Gemini’s soul split during her last reincarnation, they gradually fell in rank and became the continent with the lowest number of Empyrean Exalts.
This white-robed Empyrean Exalt challenged all his fellow Empyrean Exalts. Those battles and thunderous rumbles echoed endlessly. Almost everyone in the sects across the two continents knew him.
In the Nuo Yun Continent, he had battled the Nuo Yun Sect’s Empyrean Exalt old ancestor!
In the Hai Luo continent, he had battled the Virtue Sect’s Empyrean Exalt old ancestor!
In the Nine Devil Continent, he had battled the Devil Heavenly Sect’s Empyrean Exalt old ancestor!
In the Spirit Dragon Continent, he had battled Empyrean Exalt Hang Tao, who was under Grand Empyrean Dao Yi!
In the Mountain Spirit Continent, he had battled Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng, who was under Grand Empyrean Wu Feng!
One battle after another, one earth-shaking event after another, one achievement after another created a legend!
White-Haired Empyrean Exalt! Not many people knew of Wang Lin’s name, and it was impossible to spread due to the rumors. As various clues were obtained and people learned that Wang Lin had white hair, they began calling him the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt!
It was rumored that the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt only lost 20 times after nearly 100 challenges. However, this series of wins was a shocking record, and his reputation spread to the north, west, and even the Central Continent.
Almost all the Empyrean Exalt cultivators in the Celestial Clan knew that a white-haired Empyrean Exalt had powerful battle capabilities!
Rumor had it that this unknown White-Haired Empyrean Exalt’s last battle was in the Mountain Sea Continent against Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi. He had failed this battle! After that battle, he disappeared for years.
In the Mountain Sea Continent, there was a city built for cultivators to trade in. There was a restaurant, and an old man was drinking wine and slowly telling a story. “This White-Haired Empyrean Exalt battled against Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi above the sea. The sea collapsed, and it felt like even the world was going to collapse. I was at the edge of the sea at the time, and as the waves surged, I vaguely saw the figure of the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt!”
There were four or five cultivators around him that all began to listen closely.
“Unfortunately, the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt lost that battle.” The old man sighed as if he was very familiar with the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt and felt regret for him.
“Grand Empyrean Hai Zi is rumored to be infinitely close to the Ascendant Empyrean stage. Even though the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt is powerful, he is no much for Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi!” A young cultivator sneered.
“Everyone knows that due to Grand Empyrean Dao Yi, our Southern Continent has a lot of Empyrean Exalts. Grand Empyrean Dao Yi never forces any Empyrean Exalts to join him, but any Empyrean Exalt in the Southern Continent can listen to a 100-year dao lecture once. This is why many Empyrean Exalts in the Eastern Continent come to our Southern Continent.
A middle aged man among them held up a fan and smiled. “I think the reason the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt has been challenging so many Empyrean Exalts over the last several decades is to attract the attention of Grand Empyrean Dao Yi.”
A black-robed man who never spoke looked at the crowd and slowly said, “How do you know Grand Empyrean Dao Yi hasn’t already tried to recruit the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt? I heard that Grand Empyrean Dao Yi tried to recruit him more than 50 years ago but was rejected.”
“Oh? Such a thing happened?”
This restaurant was not big, and it was prepared for cultivators. It didn’t sell food, but scented wine that was famous in the surrounding region. Only a limited amount was sold each day, and it was very popular among cultivators.
As these cultivators talked, a white-robed young man was sitting in the corner. He looked at the sky outside the restaurant and drank the wine in his hand.
He had a head of white hair, but he wasn’t the only white-haired cultivator in the restaurant. There were three to five other white-haired cultivators around. It seemed that as the White-Haired Empyrean Exalt became more famous, more and more white-haired cultivators showed up.
Listening to the words entering his ears, Wang Lin put down the wine cup and frowned. Looking at the sky above, he silently pondered. During these past 50 years, he had challenged a number of Empyrean Exalts. While gathering fame, he was also becoming familiar with how Empyrean Exalts battled and trying to make himself stronger.
30 years ago, he went to the Mountain Sea Continent and battled the strongest Empyrean Exalt there, Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi. Wang Lin lost that battle! He had used all his avatars and still lost.
“Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi can fuse 70 spells into his finger. I’m not his match at all unless I put on the soul armor… But if I put on the soul armor, it would not allow me to gain experience.” Wang Lin picked up the wine cup and took a sip.
“After 50 years of time, with both my essence true bodies, I can compress my nine spell limit almost three times! This allows me to achieve power similar to an Empyrean Exalt who can fuse 36 spells.
“In addition to the battles, I need to search for the metal and wood essences. Once I acquire those two essences and form their essence true bodies, my five-element true body will be complete. Then I can fuse 18 spells into my punch, and with the compression, I will be able to match an Empyrean Exalt that has fused 72 spells! I will be able to battle against Hai Zi again!
“Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng once said that at the bottom of the Mountain Sea, there is a Mountain Sea Tree. The entire sea is supported by this giant tree, and the entire Mountain Sea Continent is sealing the soul of the Mountain Sea Tree!
“This tree is extremely powerful. When the Celestial Ancestor sealed it, even he was injured. However, because too much time has passed, the Mountain Sea Tree soul has long become a dead soul, leaving only its branches. However, there should be enough wood essence inside that if I get it, my wood essence will be complete and I will be able to form an essence true body!” Wang Lin pondered as he drank wine.
“After I battled Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi, I started observing the Mountain Sea Continent. What Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng said is most likely true! Therefore, I can only use the soul armor and beat the guardian, Empyrean Exalt Hai Zi, to get into the Mountain Sea Tree and absorb the wood essence!” As Wang Lin pondered, he revealed a decisive gaze. He put down the wine cup and left a small origin stone before walking out of the restaurant.
This city built by cultivators contained a lot of cultivators. Aside from the shop, there were private stalls selling the treasures they had obtained.
Wang Lin walked through the city and disappeared in a flash. He reappeared in the sky in the distance, and just as he was about to leave, he stopped to look back.
The world behind Wang Lin distorted and a tall figure appeared. This figure was more than 100 feet tall and wore a purple robe that covered their whole body. This figure wore a golden mask, and the mask gave off a shocking pressure. The pressure spread out and caused ripples to echo around the figure.
If one looked from below, the area around Wang Lin and the masked figure would look like a lake with ripples echoing.
Wang Lin slowly said, “So it’s Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng, who is under Grand Empyrean Wu Feng!”
“Fellow Cultivator Wang, we haven’t seen each other in several years. I wonder if you have considered…” The golden-masked cultivator seemed to be smiling as he looked at Wang Lin.
Wang Lin had battled against Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng before. They were equal in strength when Wang Lin didn’t have the soul armor on. Later, he found Wang Lin and conveyed Grand Empyrean Wu Feng’s message.
He wanted to recruit Wang Lin!
This was the second Grand Empyrean after Dao Yi who wanted to recruit Wang Lin. Wang Lin learned that this Grand Empyrean Wu Feng was just as the Devil Dao Sect old ancestor had said. He was extremely aloof and rarely valued Empyrean Exalts. Only Ascendant Empyreans could attract his attention.
But that didn’t mean there were no Empyrean Exalts under him, it was just that those under him were all exceptional talents, like Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng. Wang Lin clearly felt that Chi Feng had held back in their battle, just like he had.
“Back then, Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng passed the message from Grand Empyrean Wu Feng. He didn’t come personally, nor did he appear with a trace of his divine sense. He obviously believed that with my battle power, it was only worth a message… Compared to Grand Empyrean Dao Yi, this is obviously lacking.
“However, it could be because Grand Empyrean Dao Yi saw my power after putting on the soul armor. That would explain it.” Wang Lin pondered a bit and clasped his hands at Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng.
“Fellow Cultivator Chi Feng, I still need to consider this matter and I haven’t made a decision.”
Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng was not surprised about Wang Lin’s delay. He only revealed a look of pity as he looked at Wang Lin and smiled bitterly.
“Fellow Cultivator Wang, we Empyrean Exalts have very high status in the celestial clan. Even Grand Empyreans should personally invite those who they wish to recruit, this I understand. Before I came here, Grand Empyrean Wu Feng told me that if you can break through the ninth level in the Empyrean Trials, he will come in person and not just an embodiment of his divine sense!
“Fellow Cultivator Wang, if you have time, please head to the Empyrean Trial. If you can break through the ninth level, I believe all five Grand Empyreans will try to pull you in.” After Empyrean Exalt Chi Feng finished speaking, he clasped his hands at Wang Lin and his figure gradually disappeared.
Wang Lin silently pondered in the sky and looked at the sky after a long time.
“Empyrean Exalt… Grand Empyrean Dao Yi said that if I break through the ninth level, he will come again. Grand Empyrean Wu Feng also said the same. Could there be something special about the ninth level?”
Wang Lin had verified the method of entering the Empyrean Trial many times during the last 50 years, but he had never gone there. Now he pondered a bit and his eyes lit up.
“I should go check it out!”
