Immortal of the Ages

Yun Xiao had little interest in what sort of distinguished guest had arrived. Yet, this presented an opportunity to approach the Ghost Cauldron and the Reincarnation Wick.

"First, let's condense a Corona for Yao Yao," he decided.

His primary focus returned to Feng Yao. Her body was suffused with Mortal Dust Devil Blood under his control, and he allowed it to flow to every corner of her being. So intimate was his knowledge of her body that he could manage even the sway of her hairs—sometimes to a disturbing extent!

In a sense, her blood was now his, a significant and essential part of her being. The Mortal Dust Devil Blood coursed through her heart, arteries, and countless finer vessels, permeating her flesh, organs, and every internal system.

This level of contact and control surpassed even the pleasure between a man and a woman, embedding deeply within her body. Because of this, whenever Yun Xiao cultivated using the Mortal Dust Blood Calamity, she couldn’t help but feel emotional shifts; her heartbeat quickened, blood surged faster, aiding her cultivation.

The more she cultivated, the more her complexion and skin flushed, now resembling a ripely blushing peach, emitting wisps of white steam. Her accelerating heartbeat and the surge of blood through her body sometimes caused peculiar sensations, bringing her intense pleasure, compelling her to emit prolonged, soft moans.

It was indeed a soul-stirring experience.

This was why Yun Xiao advised her to moan less during cultivation.

"Whew!" Feng Yao took a deep breath, her chest heaving. Opening her blood-drenched eyes, her gaze fell on her jade-like fingers, holding an icy slip.

「Upper Defying Heaven grade, Sanguine Spirit Serpent Calamity Source, born of heaven and earth, imbued with the power of a Sanguine Spirit, destined to summon the Sanguine Spirit Baptism upon the bearer…」

To ease the unusual surge of blood within, the War Princess bit her lip and asked in a dazed and enduring tone, "This Defying Heaven grade, is it higher than the Divine Heaven grade within the Nine Heavens Celestial Grades?"

"Hmm," the Mortal Dust Devil Seed in her heart replied casually, "Common, Vast, Supreme, Dao, Divine… Yeah, Defying Heaven is the next one up. I suppose it would be natural to assume that Defying Heaven grade treasures, pills, and Calamity Sources surpass those of the Divine Heaven grade."

It was a quality so superior it defied the heavens!

After saying this, Yun Xiao added, "The Great Dao Celestial Realm is classified as Category 1. Generally, Category 1 places lack Calamity Sources. So, no cultivators there are in the Fourth Dao Tribulation, nor are there Defying Heaven grade treasures."

"What about the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm?" Feng Yao asked softly, her eyes glazed.

"Zhao Menglin has a compendium here on the entire Samsara Galaxy. It indicates that the Samsara Galaxy is Category 3, two levels higher than the Celestial Court," Yun Xiao replied, his true self not far away, currently engrossed in reading that very section on the Heavenly Deity Stellar River.

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Within the vast expanse of the Samsara Galaxy, 18 stellar rivers crisscrossed, each harboring numerous Celestial Sourcecores, governed by various major powers.

Some of these worlds were rife with numerous sects, leading to chaotic societies where bloody internal conflicts were frequent. Yet, others, like the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, were firmly under the centralized rule of the Harmony Divine Palace, where such concentrated power often meant greater strength.

"So, are there also smaller places like the Celestial Court here?" Feng Yao inquired.

"They likely exist but are probably under the dominion of various sects. For instance, the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm is 1,000 times that of the Celestial Court. From one to 1,000, the entire Samsara Galaxy is immensely vast, likely containing many different sized Celestial Sourcecores," Yun Xiao explained.

This was the reason his spirit soared with such grandeur! This realm was vast!

The Harmony Divine Palace of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm was merely a forced choice, a narrow path in a grand scheme.

He desired to break free from this world of women!

Both Yun Xiao and the War Princess, as well as Moon Fairy, sought to traverse the infinite stellar seas! To do that, stepping into the Fourth Dao Tribulation was crucial.

So, during their conversation, Yun Xiao, using Mortal Dust Devil Blood, opened the icy slip that Feng Yao held!

BOOM! With the opening of the slip, cold air burst forth.

Within that chilly mist, a crimson blood serpent emerged—not a creature of flesh but a vague energy form, a concentration of tribulation power, as if a celestial tribulation had solidified into matter.

"Hiss, hiss!" The crimson serpent, its power flowing, slowly raised its head and stared coldly at Feng Yao, flicking its tongue at her.

"Who are you trying to scare?" Feng Yao retorted with a flick of her own tongue, which was almost serpent-like itself, long and smooth; no wonder Zhao Menglin favored it.

"Swallow it, and I'll refine it with Mortal Dust Devil Blood to trigger the Sanguine Spirit Baptism. Survive this, and integrate the tribulation power into the Mortal Dust Devil Blood to form the Sanguine Spirit Serpent Corona, and you'll enter the First Baptism Realm," Yun Xiao said earnestly and sternly.

"Huh, weird… These Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms aren’t just thunderbolts from the sky? Internal rather than external, how strong can it be?" Feng Yao asked, puzzled.

"Just how strong or deadly, you'll find out soon enough," Yun Xiao replied with a teasing smile.

"Alright then!"

"Shall we start now?" Yun Xiao asked.

"Wait..." Feng Yao hesitated as she regarded the Sanguine Spirit Serpent, its body swirling with wild, Defying Heaven grade tribulation power. The idea of ingesting such a Calamity Source into her body was somewhat frightening.

"I still don't quite understand. Explain this Fourth Dao Tribulation to me again!" Feng Yao asked timidly.

"Coward," Yun Xiao's true self glanced at her disdainfully, then explained, "The First Dao Tribulation is foundational, the Second Dao Tribulation tests the Dao Heart, the Third Dao Tribulation the spirit, and the Fourth Dao Tribulation the Corona. However, this Fourth Dao Tribulation is indeed quite different from the previous three."

"How is it different?" Feng Yao asked.

"There's a saying in the world. To transcend the Corona is to become a boundless Immortal. It means if you pass the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms, you become an Immortal without limits, one who can cleave Celestial Sourcecores in two with a mere gesture!

"The Fourth Dao Tribulation itself comprises eight realms, each a tribulation itself. With each tribulation conquered, another ring is added to the Calamity Corona. The First Baptism Realm is the lowest, and the Eighth the highest. Each of these realms further divides into Early, Middle, Late, Perfect, and Establishment stages," Yun Xiao explained.

"So, the Fourth Dao Tribulation also encompasses 40 stages. It's not about surviving five small tribulations within one realm but rather every stage in each of the eight realms is a major tribulation..." Feng Yao realized with an epiphany.

Before, the Wind Fire Tribulations, Five Calamities, and Five Thunders Spirit Tribulations were all small tribulations.

However, the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms were all major ones!

Looking at the Sanguine Spirit Serpent Calamity Source before her, Feng Yao couldn't fathom how it could possibly bring her a major tribulation.

"Right, does that mean, depending on the Calamity Source one chooses, the nature of the tribulation changes?" she asked, puzzled.

"Indeed," Yun Xiao nodded, consulting the compendium he held. "It's said all Calamity Sources originate from a place called the Myriad Dao Ocean of Calamity. It's filled with innumerable celestial tribulations, and to date, the Samsara Galaxy records indicate there are as many as 1,800,000,000 types of Calamity Sources."

"Good heavens! That many..." Feng Yao was stunned.

"Though there are 1,800,000,000, you only need to choose eight. What's there to fear?" Yun Xiao chuckled.

"Wait, are some Calamity Sources weaker than others? Why not pick the easiest one and just get it over with?" Feng Yao asked, somewhat embarrassed.

"The higher the grade of the Calamity Source, the more destructive it is, but the greater the benefits once you transcend it. You're a peerless genius, how would you choose?" Yun Xiao countered.

"So, if you only pick the highest grades and endure the harshest trials, you can become way stronger," Feng Yao replied with a smirk, then gave Yun Xiao a sideways glance. "Why not wait then? Snag the Calamity Sources at the highest grade of the Nine Heaven Celestial Grades at the right moment, making all your tribulations of the highest order? Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Yun Xiao shook his head. "Firstly, it's written here that for the first two celestial baptisms, only the Defying Heaven grade can be chosen. Historically, those who opted for higher grades in their first two baptisms have all perished without exception. Secondly, if you don't become stronger, where are we supposed to find higher quality Calamity Sources?"

Feng Yao gave him a peculiar look. "Aren't you handsome? This place is teeming with thirsty celestial beauties. You could sell a little charm, and wealth would follow."

"Get lost." Yun Xiao glared at her, too exasperated to continue explaining.

Regardless of whether the War Princess knew what he was doing with his body double or not, it made no difference to Yun Xiao.

"The Sanguine Spirit Serpent Calamity Source is Upper Defying Heaven grade, the finest available for entering the First Baptism Realm. Go on, eat it," Yun Xiao instructed.

Feng Yao gazed at the menacing blood serpent, trembling slightly. "This serpent is too disgusting. Can we change it?"

"What would you like instead?" Yun Xiao asked.

"Maybe a bunny or something..."

"Go eat dirt!" Yun Xiao couldn't stand her antics any longer. He approached, seized the Sanguine Spirit Serpent Calamity Source with one hand, and pried open her cherry-red lips with the other, slapping the Calamity Source into her mouth.

"Mmph!" Caught off guard, Feng Yao bit down reflexively. Her tongue, supple and strong as an arm, wrapped several coils around Yun Xiao's finger.

"What are you doing?" Yun Xiao glared. His face was fierce, but the sensation at his fingertips was... indescribably sublime.

"That hurts..." Feng Yao attempted another bite, aiming to teach him a lesson, but the Sanguine Spirit Serpent Calamity Source surged toward her heart, unleashing its power. The pain made her cry out, her face tightening and tears flowing, pitiful yet compelling compliance as she opened her mouth and relaxed her tongue.

"Don’t move, let me handle this."

Yun Xiao withdrew his finger, cupped her cheek, and soothed her.

Meanwhile, the Mortal Dust Devil Seed took direct action, wresting control of all the Mortal Dust Devil Blood in her body, confronting the Sanguine Spirit Serpent Calamity Source right at her heart!

BOOM! The moment they collided, her delicate body exploded with wild celestial tribulation power. Thousands of crimson blood shadows surged across her body, myriad tribulation blood serpents splitting from the battle with the Mortal Dust Devil Blood, transforming into millions of Sanguine Spirit Serpents invading her organs, bones, flesh, and meridians…

In an instant, she became a raging cocoon of blood, the surging blood tribulation power spreading throughout the entire Zhao Menglin Pavilion, dyeing the celestial arrays blood-red, with the tribulation power of the Sanguine Spirit Serpents blasting in every direction!

"AHHH!" Her body, ravaged by the celestial tribulation power, endured unspeakable pain. The agony erupted simultaneously throughout, each inch of her body throbbing as if pierced by needles.

She trembled with pain, clutching Yun Xiao like a drowning person. Seated cross-legged and tall, she naturally buried her face in his lap...

"Stop fussing; the pain will pass soon!"

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