Chapter 1969: Dimming Lights, A Step on the Mountain Platform Cuts Off All Ties!

Xuan Luo stood there calmly, but internally, he was struggling. He understood that this was the Ancient Dao Great Heavenly Venerate's dissatisfaction with him, hence why he was made to wait outside.

Furthermore, he understood that the source of this dissatisfaction was that his Disciple, Wang Lin, possessed Immortal clan cultivation and Origin within his body!

The Ancient Dao Great Heavenly Venerate was a person who upheld tradition. He cared about the Bloodline descendants of the Ancient Ancestor, the Ancient Emperors of all generations, and especially the Immortal Ancestor's Soul Blood!

But he clearly could not allow someone who possessed such Soul Blood to also have the aura of the Immortal clan within their body.

Wang Lin's body trembled. For three days, the sound of the bell, after entering his mind, transformed into earth-shattering roars, seeking to forcibly erase his cultivation and Origin by suppressing them.

"Be it the power of the Ancient clan or the Immortal clan cultivation, they are the result of Wang Lin's hard cultivation throughout this life. This is the power of my cultivation; if I lose it and am only left with the power of the Ancient clan, I absolutely will not allow it!" Wang Lin's eyes were bloodshot, and his will was extremely firm, constantly struggling against the sound of the bell!

The Immortal clan power within his body continuously surged, attempting to blast open the bell sound that had invaded his mind.

As Wang Lin's body violently trembled, Xuan Luo's eyes flashed. He abruptly turned, raising his right hand, ready to help Wang Lin resist the bell sound. After all, Wang Lin was his Disciple!

But the moment Xuan Luo turned around, the door of the tall tower opened again, and the youth stepped out.

"Xuan Luo Great Heavenly Venerate, the Ancient Lord summons you."

Xuan Luo paused, silent for a long time. He still placed his right hand on Wang Lin's glabella before turning and walking into the tall tower. The youth gave Wang Lin a meaningful look, retreated into the tower, and the large door closed.

The power of Xuan Luo's finger caused Wang Lin's mind to roar intensely. A warm aura surged into his body, not suppressing his cultivation, but instead fighting against the power contained within the bell sound.

This allowed Wang Lin's cultivation and Origin to stabilize; they quickly condensed and began circulating abruptly. As the power of Xuan Luo's finger and the bell sound cancelled each other out and gradually dissipated—after an unknown period of time—Wang Lin's cultivation and Origin quickly rotated. The moment they circulated throughout his body, the bells on the iron chains surrounding the tall tower began to sway again without wind. The constant clanging sound surged into Wang Lin's mind like waves.

It launched another round of confrontation against the cultivation and Origin within Wang Lin's body.

Wang Lin spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. His body swayed, and he staggered back several steps, retreating from the mountaintop onto the steps.

"Disperse your Immortal clan cultivation, erase the power of your Origin, forget your past memories, and awaken the Bloodline Legacy… Thereafter, you shall be granted the position of Protector of the Dao Ancient Lineage, achieving the power of a Great Heavenly Venerate!" A cold and ancient voice slowly rose in Wang Lin's mind, emerging from the sound of the bell.

Wang Lin suddenly raised his head.

His eyes were bloodshot, and the cultivation within his body roared into operation, combining with his Ancient clan power, instantly reaching the Peak of his current battle strength.

"I do not possess Immortal clan cultivation; what I possess is the power that belongs to Wang Lin over three thousand years! By what right do you demand I disperse it!" As Wang Lin roared, the sound of the bell within him clanged loudly, colliding with his internal cultivation. Wang Lin spat out fresh blood again, his body continuously retreating backward. It was as if a pushing force was transmitted, forcing Wang Lin to retreat hundreds of steps until he stood on the mountainside of the Ancient Dao Mountain.

"My Origin is the accumulation of my life, carrying the fate and struggles of my entire existence! By what right do you demand I disperse it!" Wang Lin looked up, his eyes even more bloodshot, letting out a life-affirming roar toward the tall tower on the mountaintop.

Amidst this roar, Wang Lin spat out a third mouthful of fresh blood. His body swayed and, under the roaring assault of the bell inside him, he retreated again. This time, he retreated to the foot of the mountain, where only nineteen steps remained behind him!

"My memories are heavier than cultivation, heavier than Origin, heavier than my Bloodline Legacy, and heavier than the power of a Great Heavenly Venerate you grant!! I have lived my life for my memories! By what right do you demand I forget them!!" Wang Lin let out his strongest roar. The bell's power surged violently within him, as if exploding inside his body.

Wang Lin spat out a fourth mouthful of fresh blood. He retreated eighteen steps in succession. On the very last step, Wang Lin stomped his right foot down firmly. Amidst the thumping sounds from within his body, he forcibly stopped himself there.

Looking up, his eyes were completely red and his expression was ferocious. However, the bell's power within him was completely suppressed at this moment. Without the presence of the bell's power, Wang Lin's cultivation erupted. Furthermore, during this eruption, his hair suddenly turned half black and half white, and behind him, the outline of a Great Heavenly Venerate Sun distinctly materialized!

This Great Heavenly Venerate Sun was also half black and half white, emitting eerie light behind Wang Lin, causing the current Wang Lin to display his strongest power—power comparable to a Great Heavenly Venerate!

The sky above Ancient Dao Mountain changed color the instant Wang Lin's Great Heavenly Venerate Sun materialized!

"The Ancient Dao Mountain has nine hundred and ninety-nine stone steps. If you can traverse three hundred of them, I shall forgive your disrespect!" That cold and ancient voice came from within the tall tower on the mountaintop, echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

Inside the tall tower, on the highest floor, sat a figure completely obscured by mist. In front of him was Xuan Luo.

"Ancient Dao Senior…" Xuan Luo showed a look of anxiety.

"I do not approve of this Disciple of yours!" A cold voice came from the figure obscured by mist.

"However, since you brought him here, if he can ascend three hundred steps, I can allow you to take him away. But, I will not take action to awaken the Bloodline of the drop of Soul Blood within his body.

As for the Protector of the Dao Ancient Lineage… Since you chose him, then let it be him. However, from this day forward, he cannot leave the Ancient clan. Otherwise, I will take action." The figure within the mist spoke coldly, devoid of any emotion.

Xuan Luo wore a bitter expression. He had brought Wang Lin here with good intentions, but he never expected the Ancient Dao Great Heavenly Venerate to speak such words. In his silence, his eyes showed resolve, and he clasped his fists and bowed toward the figure within the mist.

"If he cannot pass three hundred steps, he must stay." The figure within the mist spoke slowly.

Xuan Luo remained silent.

On the steps below Ancient Dao Mountain, Wang Lin stood, gazing at the mountaintop. He knew his Master was there, perhaps watching him.

"Wang Lin, use your strongest cultivation to traverse three hundred steps! Let the Ancient Dao Great Heavenly Venerate see if my Disciple, Xuan Luo's Disciple, possesses this capability!" Xuan Luo's voice came from the mountaintop, filled with rage.

This was Xuan Luo's fury. He spoke these words on the top floor of the tall tower, completely disregarding the Ancient Dao Great Heavenly Venerate's figure within the mist.

"I brought him out of the Immortal Cave Realm, and I brought him here. I must take him away, unless I die!" After speaking, Xuan Luo turned to face the figure within the mist, speaking word by word. His back was now perfectly straight; he did not bow again.

The figure within the mist did not speak. The top floor of the tall tower was silent.

Xuan Luo harbored a special affection for Wang Lin. He watched Wang Lin struggle within the Immortal Cave Realm, saw his resolve and decisiveness, and even witnessed Wang Lin's genuine affection for the woman named Wan’er.

Xuan Luo could not forget the tears he saw Wang Lin shed in the Immortal Cave Realm, and the longing he held for his wife.

This reminded him of himself and his own past. Even the scenes of Wang Lin in the Immortal clan made Xuan Luo feel as if he was seeing his own shadow; in his long years, he seemed to overlap with Wang Lin.

Wang Lin stood on the first step below Ancient Dao Mountain, his Master's words echoing in his ears. His eyes suddenly showed resolve. He disliked this Ancient Dao Mountain, and regarding the Ancient Dao Great Heavenly Venerate, he no longer held any respect!

"The affairs of this world are inherently about the strong controlling the destiny of the weak… Ancient Dao's cultivation is so high that he is the foremost person in all of Immortal Astral, thus he can impose his will upon me… But one day, if my strength, Wang Lin's strength, replaces Ancient Dao, then I shall be Heaven!" Wang Lin's gaze flashed. The outline of the Great Heavenly Venerate Sun behind him emitted ten thousand rays of light. These rays simultaneously merged into Wang Lin's body, making Wang Lin's figure seem taller.

He abruptly lifted his foot and took a step toward the steps!

As this step landed, it marked Wang Lin's first act of defiance within the Ancient clan! It was the first sound of rebellion he uttered within the Ancient clan, the first Rift he created that should not exist within the Ancient clan!

He had originally intended to stay in the Ancient clan permanently, grateful for his Master's kindness, enduring the Dao Ancient Imperial Venerate's demands for him to kneel, and enduring the helplessness of not being accustomed to the imperial power here.

But now, even if he were to continue enduring, an indelible Rift had formed between himself and the Ancient clan. Perhaps, if nothing else happened later, this Rift might slowly heal under the Master-Disciple bond with his Master Xuan Luo… But… that chance was completely extinguished right now, due to a major imperial event occurring in the Dao Ancient Imperial City!!

Inside the Imperial Palace of the Dao Ancient Imperial City, the Dao Ancient Imperial Venerate sat in his Side Hall, his eyes opening and closing as he looked forward. In front of him, three purple-robed old men were kneeling there, their faces filled with excitement.

"Your Majesty, over these hundreds of years, we have attempted to achieve the Fusion of the remnant soul with countless women, but none have succeeded. The chosen women were all unable to fuse with this soul, resulting in extreme rejection, and fundamentally failing to nourish the soul.

But now, one woman has successfully achieved soul Fusion!!" The speaking elder's voice revealed excitement. They had been working on this matter secretly for hundreds of years, and now that they had succeeded, a huge reward surely awaited him!

"Where does the successful person come from, and what is her name?" The Dao Ancient Imperial Venerate appeared calm, but anticipation faintly stirred in his heart. He could not forget the words of the National Preceptor back then: this remnant soul could allow him to become the true Ancient Emperor who would unify the Ancient clan throughout the ages!

"She comes from the Initial Ancient Lineage, and her name is Song Zhi!!" Another elder among the three kneeling men quickly spoke.

"Have Song Zhi enter the palace. I wish to meet this woman personally. You are to draft an imperial decree announcing to the world that in three months, I shall hold a Grand Empress Conferment Ceremony! I shall take Song Zhi as my main wife and establish her as the Empress of my Dao Ancient Lineage!" The Dao Ancient Imperial Venerate laughed, stood up, and his eyes revealed monstrous brilliance.

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