Kael Lin survived the collapsing Mystic Realm, thinking the worst was finally behind him. But in the ruthless world of cultivation, escaping one death trap just leads to the next. While his strength has reached new heights, Kael returns with a grim strange parasites are hiding inside the skulls of the kingdom's elite. Before he can investigate, a more personal crisis strikes—Aria Duo has been taken. Held captive under the guise of "protection" by the Star River Sect's Ancestor, Kael finds his Golden Core completely sealed. The true danger is no longer the beasts of the ancient realm—it's the smiling Nascent Soul master standing right in front of him.