Immortal of the Ages

"It's still too early to say this; time is short, and I'm not progressing as swiftly as you," Yun Xiao remarked.

He had crushed his way to the present, facing the most tenacious of foes—Lu Fan, Chaos Soul, singing his way through the battles like a true, carefree Immortal. Yet, he did not allow pride to cloud his judgment.

After all, even a Category 1 place like the Great Dao Celestial Realm concealed heaven-defying protagonists like the system-user Lu Fan; scorned cripple Ye Xingchen; and reborn Divine Sky Sword Emperor, Ling Chen.

Who knew what monsters lay in wait within the Category 3 Samsara Galaxy?

Staying grounded was crucial!

"I get it now!" Feng Yao suddenly scoffed at Yun Xiao, saying, "You're really something, aren't you? Jumping right into the fray, saving the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm from disaster, gaining the tearful gratitude of countless maidens, all of them throwing themselves into your arms…"

No sooner had she spoken than she suddenly grabbed Yun Xiao's arm, her lips pursed as she accused, "Your true aim isn't to turn the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm into your harem, is it?"

At this, Yun Xiao nearly choked on his own blood, gritting his teeth, "What do you take me for? I'm not some breeding stallion."

"That's true, you do have taste..." Feng Yao then turned her gaze to the Divas and Valkyrie Queens, sourly adding, "When you rise against the odds to protect the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, at least these beauties won't escape your palm."

"I can't be bothered to talk about this," Yun Xiao said, speechless.

"Caught you out, didn't I?" Feng Yao chuckled.

After that, seeing Yun Xiao ignoring her, she huffed and changed the subject, "Speaking of which, those poor weak women are targeted by the entire Heavenly Deity Alliance. It’s quite pitiful; they do need some help."

"Heh." Yun Xiao laughed.

"So, you're not pitying them and trying to play the hero?" Feng Yao asked, puzzled.

"What’s there to pity? They've made their bed. That's the end result of thousands of years of waging war on the other gender, behaving pretentiously, and isolating themselves. Frankly, it's no surprise they're being targeted," Yun Xiao said.

Feng Yao thought he was blinded by beauty and had forgotten these issues, so she asked, "Then why still fight for them?"

"You're overthinking it. I fight for myself; battling is my quickest path to advancement. The Harmony Divine Palace just happens to offer me shelter for now, in these pressing times. I don’t have the luxury to look for other backers," Yun Xiao explained.

"Oh…" Feng Yao tilted her head, pondering, "So when they've warmed up to you enough and are sufficiently grateful, you could address the slave issue in a rather bloodless way… Looking at it that way, you’re practically a saint!"

"Saint my ass," Yun Xiao couldn’t help but laugh and cry, "It’s just that I see the root of the slave issue, left by their foolish ancestors. I want to eradicate this chronic disease, starting by breaking their faith in these founders to fundamentally change things."

"Oh!" Every time the two of them touched on complicated issues like this, Feng Yao looked up to Yun Xiao, utterly dazzled once again. Then, she looked at him solemnly and warned, "Just be aware, leveraging such a desperate situation for support, you'll face endless foes across the Heavenly Deity Stellar River."

Yun Xiao's eyes twinkled slightly as he chuckled, "I wouldn't have it any other way. The greater the storm, the more valuable the fish."

For him, the most vital thing was always himself.

"Your words, they stir the blood in my veins!" Feng Yao exclaimed, thrilled.

Yun Xiao smiled. "Right, stick with me and we'll do great things."

"Indeed." Feng Yao nodded, then turned back to gaze at the three Divas, unable to suppress a sigh. "Truth be told, from my interactions with these Divas, I've found them to be more peaceful than the usual women of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm. They're not nearly as cruel."

"That's because they stand on higher ground, seeing clearly that everything the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm upholds is wrong. It's impossible for them to rule over all men, and it's even more impossible for them to incite a gender war across the Samsara Galaxy.

"So, they keep a low profile, reluctantly adhering to the ancient decrees set by their ancestors. That's why they're different from the ordinary celestial maidens, who are haughty, snarling, and quick to tout female superiority, gathering slaves and fostering envy," Yun Xiao explained.

"Oh," Feng Yao nodded, a light of understanding in her eyes. "No wonder the Snow Lineage Diva sought you out and immediately freed those millions of slaves."

Yun Xiao too had come to understand this through his interactions with the three Divas. To be honest, they were indeed in a difficult and reluctant position. They had to enforce the will of their ancestors.

The will of the ancestors was to defy the world. Knowing they couldn’t possibly win, they aimed to keep as low a profile as possible, staying closed off to avoid contact with the outside world.

Behind them, the ignorant celestial maidens had aspirations as high as the skies, blindly pushing them to confront the world.

Stuck in the middle, they indeed suffered greatly.

And now, after years of standing defiantly alone, the backlash had arrived.

The first to rush out to defend the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm were still them and their descendants.

As for the ordinary celestial maidens of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, like Zhao Mengmeng during the palace selection… if the Heavenly Deity Alliance's blade didn’t fall on their necks, they would continue to dream their grand dreams of overturning the norm and leading a maternal domination over the Samsara Galaxy.

The Harmony Divine Palace wasn't on the side of justice!

Of course, Yun Xiao didn’t think the myriad factions of the Heavenly Deity Alliance targeting them were right either.

It would be more fitting to view this situation not through the lens of good and evil but rather as a conflict of principles.

If Yun Xiao had to take a side, he naturally stood with the slaves.

If these three Divas had also helped him set sail, he would naturally reciprocate.

It was just that simple, open-hearted, with a mind clear of tangles.

As the Sea Lineage Diva concluded her announcement, under her command, the three Divas, accompanied by Wan Ji's seven daughters, along with Yun Xiao and Feng Yao, prepared to move toward the teleportation formation.

It was a group of twelve, but Yun Xiao stood out like a sore thumb!

"Three Divas!" Several Valkyrie Queens stepped forward, confusion etched on their faces. "We have nine spots, but why are only eight filled? And in such a gathering, why bring a slave?"

The Ice Lineage Diva spoke plainly in the presence of all the Valkyrie Queens, Valkyrie Princesses, and Valkyries. "Feng Yao's slave has been jointly tested by us and found to meet the standards in combat prowess. Additionally, he is willing to exert himself for the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm. We have collectively decided to include him as a secret weapon in the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects!"

Wan Ji couldn't help but roll her eyes, muttering to herself, "Collectively? Wasn't it you who insisted on this?"

She didn’t bother to interfere, considering Yun Xiao was her family's lifesaver.

And the Snow Lineage Diva remained silent, unsure of what Yu Ji intended.

"But he's still a slave..."

Though the Ice Lineage Diva's mysterious assertion stirred imaginations, the higher-ups of the Harmony Divine Palace still harbored significant reservations about livestock joining the battle.

"There's no need to dwell on this."

Wan Ji, unwilling to argue over such trifles before departure, put an end to it with a single statement.

"Understood!" The Valkyrie Queens, though inwardly perplexed, could only nod in forced agreement.

"Even if a slave is exceptional, what can it truly achieve?"

"Will he not just turn the Harmony Divine Palace into a greater laughingstock?"

Such doubts, they kept to themselves.

"Farewell, Divas!"

As the light from the teleportation formation shone, the Valkyrie Queens set aside their helplessness and gloom, bowing deeply, hearts filled with prayers, hoping these expeditioners could save the world they so cherished...