Immortal of the Ages

"Senior Sister Zhao, the Six-Hearted Serpent died down there," the young maidens reported, their voices trembling with fear, "but, but... its Divine Spring Blood is gone!"

"How? Weren't you all keeping an eye on it? Yet, someone still beat you to it? What are you all good for!?" the woman in the black dress scolded sharply, her voice piercing the air and stinging Yun Xiao’s ears.

It appeared this woman in the black dress was also surnamed Zhao. There were likely many Zhaos in this world, but the one Yun Xiao could not forget was only her.

"Senior Sister, it's not our fault, after all, even wounded, a Six-Hearted Serpent is hard to deal with," another young maiden stammered in defense.

"I don’t care! Without the Divine Spring Blood, you'll repay the debt with your own blood!" The woman in the black dress' face turned cold, and her murderous intent surged as a black Sword Soul appeared in her hand. Before anyone could take a proper look, she swept it across, unleashing a flash of sword light.

With a single slash, before the dozen young maidens could even scream, they were severed in half, their bodies split into over thirty pieces scattering in the air.

"No, please no!"

Their spirits screamed tragically as the woman in the black dress produced a black bell, absorbing their spirits into it.

BUZZ! She casually shook the black bell, igniting black flames within, the screams inside growing even more piercing.

SIZZLE! SIZZLE! SIZZLE! The woman in the black dress then swept her cold gaze around, snarling fiercely, "Let me find out who took my Divine Spring Blood, and I, Zhao Menglin, will tear them to pieces!"

Her declaration shook the mountains, and even the tree leaves in Yun Xiao’s vicinity began to fall like rain.

Luckily, the woman in the black dress had not spotted them; instead, she mistook the direction and moved farther away from where Yun Xiao and the War Princess were hiding.

"This woman is truly terrifying," the War Princess murmured with a shudder. "One setback, and she slaughters all her own disciples."

Fortunately, Yun Xiao was cautious, for a direct confrontation would have been difficult to manage.

"She does remind me of something," Yun Xiao mused.

“What?” Yun Xiao mused.

“Back in my Cloud Nation, someone once hypothesized that if only women were left in the world, would the world become kinder, more cooperative, gentler, and harmonious?”

“Why even consider such a hypothesis?” the War Princess asked.

“They argued that men are naturally combative and that wars and disasters are often their doing,” Yun Xiao explained.

“And what was the consensus? Did they think a world without men would be more harmonious?” the War Princess asked with curiosity.

“Most in the Cloud Nation thought it quite likely that the world would indeed be more harmonious. I myself thought so at the time,” Yun Xiao admitted with a rueful laugh.

“And now?”

“This Extreme Yin Celestial Realm is the very answer to that hypothesis,” Yun Xiao said.

Indeed, this world bore no roles for men.

“Then let’s see how it unfolds; perhaps what you’ve seen is merely an exception,” the War Princess suggested.

“Possibly.” Yun Xiao nodded, “But I’ve come to believe that human nature transcends gender. Greed, love, cruelty, and gentleness are not confined to one sex. The presence of both sexes adds something to the world—love. A world without love, regardless of gender, will find something else to fill the void, likely not another form of love.”

“What do you think it is?” the War Princess asked.

Yun Xiao pondered for a moment and replied, “In a world that doesn’t need to attract the opposite sex, people might focus more on competition and conflict. Swords then become a source of security. So, what fills the void left by love is likely killing.”

“That terrifying, huh…” the War Princess was taken aback.

Following Yun Xiao, she too was observing humanity and the trials of life.

“Love, friendship, and kinship are the glimmers of beauty in the world. The more they abound, the more harmonious the world becomes—not based on gender,” Yun Xiao earnestly said.

“Is that your excuse for being a womanizer? Adding a bit more love to the world? How noble of you,” the War Princess mocked with a scoff.

Just as Yun Xiao was feeling moved, her jab almost made him bite his tongue.

“Guess I'm just preaching to a wall!” Yun Xiao glared at her, then scooped her up in his arms and continued towards the distant horizon.

“Why not carry me on your back, so I can keep you under my thumb?” the War Princess taunted.

“Keep boasting now, but once you melt, I'll pinch you to death!” Yun Xiao retorted through gritted teeth.

Knowing he meant what he said, the War Princess immediately recoiled, sticking out her tongue, “Alright, don’t be mad. I'm just teasing you. Oh High Immortal Yun, have a big heart, don’t stoop so low as to argue with a little devil girl, will you?”

Yun Xiao ignored her. Before long, they reached another icy region and found a deep cave, where he finally set the War Princess down.

"Should I start refining the blood?" the War Princess asked.

"I'll refine the blood for you; you head back into the Life Gate with your spirit and see if there's a way to break through that Taiji Gate," Yun Xiao instructed.

"Alright..." The War Princess knew that Yun Xiao intended for her to attempt to break through to the Fourth Dao Tribulation with the icy blue blood. This would certainly make their quest to find an exit at the Harmony Divine Palace more feasible.

She felt immense pressure.

"By the way, when we change locations, which Life Gate will we enter?" the War Princess asked.

"We'll know once we enter."

Moon Fairy had reached the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but there hadn't been time for his spirit to enter the Gates of Life and Death.

"Okay." The War Princess was obedient when it came to cultivation. She settled herself, her spirit ascending as the Gate of Death appeared in the sky.

"The Gates of Life and Death here are surely different."

Yun Xiao concluded this because the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit saw that the Gate of Death was made up of pinkish-white components.

It bore the distinctive mark of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm!

"Could it be that every Celestial Sourcecore, regardless of its size, possesses its own Gates of Life and Death?"

BOOM! While pondering, the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit plunged into the Gate of Death.

HUM! Before the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit, a pinkish-white fog of death permeated the air.

As the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit adjusted, numerous clamorous voices echoed around.

"Senior Sister Chen, long time no see."

"Did you get a Harmony ring?"

"Damn it, that wretched Yen Ruoxuan stole it!"

Looking around, the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit saw spirits everywhere within the fog.

The Mortal Dust Devil Spirit moved forward for a time and found that this spiritual plane of death had no end!

"Indeed, the Gates of Life and Death in the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm are mostly populated by female spirits..."

There were a few male spirits, but they were mostly submissive.

Most of the powerful spirits were just passing through the Gate of Death, heading towards the Gate of Life.

Silently, the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit moved through the Gate of Life and discovered that this gate was also boundless, filled everywhere with spirits!

The spirits of the Third Dao Tribulation stayed in the Gates of Life and Death, while the spirits of the Fourth Dao Tribulation rushed toward the swirling Taiji Gate.

"The Taiji Spirit Plane's been buzzing lately, everyone's talking about the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects!"

"Mom, when is the selection for the Harmony Divine Palace spots?"

"In a couple of days."

"I want to go..."

"Go, your head! First, break through to the Fourth Dao Tribulation. Without that, you can't even enter the Harmony Divine Palace!"

"I’m breaking into the Taiji Spirit Plane today!"

Before the Mortal Dust Devil Spirit, a mother and daughter conversed—the daughter likely no older than 13 years old, yet already aiming to tackle the Fourth Dao Tribulation.

"So many prodigies here, what do you make of it?" the War Princess asked.

Yun Xiao chuckled, then replied, "I've fed you Origin Orbs and nearly refined all that serpent's blood into Mortal Dust Devil Blood. Try breaking into the Taiji Spirit Plane now."

"Beyond that gate lies a place called the Taiji Spirit Plane?" the War Princess asked curiously.

"It’s likely a massive spiritual world that spirits from many celestial realms can reach, and the Gates of Life and Death serve as stations for each of these realms," Yun Xiao explained.

"That Samsara Galaxy sure is fascinating..." the War Princess remarked.

"The key is whether you can reach the Fourth Dao Tribulation. Did you hear earlier? To enter the Harmony Divine Palace, you need to at least be in the Fourth Dao Tribulation," Yun Xiao pointed out.

"Got it!" The War Princess felt an odd sensation. She muttered, "Why do I feel like I’m your daughter, being pushed forward by you, hoping I turn out successful?"

"You’re thinking too much. You’re at most a pig I’m raising," Yun Xiao joked.

"You! Ahh!" The War Princess was fuming.

Her spirit, strengthened by Origin Orbs and absorbing the life mist, had reached the Establishment stage of the Dawn God Realm.

Now, all that was left was to smash through the gates of the Taiji Spirit Plane!

Channeling all her rage into the dragon horns atop her head, she charged forward like a rhinoceros, teeth gritted.

"Yun Xiao, I’ll kill you!" She envisioned the gate to the Taiji Spirit Plane as Yun Xiao and rammed into it with all her might...

BOOM! The gate shattered on impact.