Immortal of the Ages

Those of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm had arrived early, hoping to avoid the chaos and trouble that large crowds brought. By settling their disciples on the Extreme Yin Star ahead of time, only then would the Three Divas find some peace of mind.

Normally, the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm would send hundreds, if not up to 1,000 people to attend the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects. But this time, every additional person carried an added risk!

Yun Xiao lingered at the back of the Harmony Divine Palace's group. As he drew closer to the 10,000 Taiyi Sourcecores, the dazzling starlight bathed him, making him appear like a deity.

He noticed that these myriad stars were arranged in a ring—a congregation that grew denser toward the center as one drew closer. Yet the exact location of the Extreme Yin Star remained a mystery.

"Hmm?" Yun Xiao peered toward the center of the Grand Assembly Arena, only to find it devoid of the dense star clusters he expected.

Instead, there was a sinister, eerie vortex, swirling with dark mist.

It resembled a gaping maw of darkness, or a bottomless abyss, emitting a ghostly wailing as if countless millions cried out in unison, a sound so chilling it raised the hairs on one's neck.

"Mother, is that the Ancestor Immortal Grotto?" a short-haired girl asked the Sea Lineage Diva.

Her sisters, gazing upon the dark grotto, felt a shiver of fear.

"Yes, don't be afraid. I ventured there in my youth, and it was nothing to fear," Wan Ji spoke softly, reassuring them.

The girls nodded silently, mustering their courage.

"And remember, you don’t have to enter if you don't wish to. The battle within the Ancestor Immortal Grotto is a personal contest among the top talents... Our goal at Harmony Divine Palace is to rank among the top ten in the Heavenly Deity Stellar River. The grotto battle comes later," Wan Ji comforted.

"Right, it's a personal honor, a contest for rewards. It involves inheriting ancient secrets and venturing deep, based on outstanding performances in the Grand Assembly Arena. To be chosen, you must compete against the elite from all 18 Stellar Rivers of the Samsara Galaxy—not an easy task," the Ice Lineage Diva added.

"Understood!"

The girls were not so much frightened as they were awestruck, seeing the legendary grotto that symbolized both destruction and fate for the first time.

"Bro!" Blue Star suddenly called out.

"What is it?" Yun Xiao asked.

"The Third Primordial Coffin is hidden within this Ancestor Immortal Grotto" Blue Star exclaimed with excitement.

"So, you mean to say my Senior Sister Zhao might also be in there?" Yun Xiao quickly asked.

"If she hasn't perished, she should be," Blue Star replied.

"To hell with this!" Yun Xiao's eyes blazed as he stared at the Ancestor Immortal Grotto. He had chased this lead here, and now he was close! "First the Grand Assembly Arena, then the Ancestor Immortal Grotto, right? Alright..."

Some very stern guards currently stood watch outside the entrance of the Ancestor Immortal Grotto. It seemed to be a shared domain of the Heavenly Deity Stellar River, clearly difficult to enter without special permission.

Yun Xiao would have to grit his teeth and wait until the Grand Assembly Arena was concluded!

Obviously, while he was saving Zhao Xuanran, he would also take back the Third Primordial Coffin!

As Yun Xiao looked on at the eerie Ancestor Immortal Grotto, they arrived at the Extreme Yin Star.

It was a pastel-white Taiyi Sourcecore very similar to the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, about one thousandth the size of the Celestial Court, resembling a fortress in the stars.

If need be, it could house hundreds of thousands!

According to the rules, Yun Xiao and his eight fellow prodigious disciples were to defend this Extreme Yin Star and then conquer other stars.

Clearly, when the final reckoning came, rankings would surely be calculated by the number of territories held!

The twelve of them landed on the Extreme Yin Star together.

Once there, Yun Xiao found that, although smaller, the environment and celestial energy here were nearly identical to that of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, instilling in them a natural desire to defend this place.

"Our sisters shed much blood here, some even remaining forever, unable to return home..."

Thinking of this, tears involuntarily filled the eyes of Wan Ji's daughters.

"Their graves lie ahead."

Wan Ji, too, had a daughter buried here, and her heart was filled with endless sorrow. Yet in such moments, she had to stay strong, not letting her grief weaken her daughters' resolve.

Beyond a stretch of icy hills, a valley appeared, filled with graves marked by names once hailed as geniuses of the Harmony Divine Palace, now eternally asleep in this foreign land...

To die in the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects and to be buried in the Grand Assembly Arena was a rule of the Samsara Galaxy—designed to strengthen the desire to protect and resolve of each new disciple toward their Taiyi Sourcecore.

"This is your sister Hai Yao. And this is Hai Xi… And this..." As Wan Ji pointed to several tombstones she had erected herself, memories of them welled up, and she found herself unable to continue.

The seven young women kneeling before these graves had already let tears fall, unable to utter a word.

With her eyes slightly red, Wan Ji could only close them.

"Perhaps we should withdraw from the competition, take the girls back and then seal off the Harmony Divine Celestial Formation completely," Si Ji suggested.

The Snow Lineage Deity knew that Wan Ji's heartache was not for the daughters already sacrificed, but for the seven living ones at her side, who could still weep for the dead. Yet, soon, perhaps they too might lie here permanently.

"I'm not going back!" Hai Ying, the young short-haired woman among them, looked up determinedly and said, "The Extreme Yin Celestial Realm has no deserters. We should take up our responsibility even more."

They were keenly intelligent, fully aware of everything. Though the likelihood was death, as cultivators, how could they know if there was no chance without fighting?

"Pay your respects, then prepare for battle!"

In contrast, the Ice Lineage Diva, Yu Ji, had no patience for farewells, speaking coldly. After she spoke, the other women said no more.

Following their respects, they gathered in the valley where Yu Ji emphasized a few points of caution.

"There are small changes introduced with every Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects. I'll update you on the eve of the battle. You have the better part of a day left; use this chance to solidify your preparations," Yu Ji said.

"Mother, where will you be then?" Hai Ying asked.

"We're usually on the Extreme Yin Star too, but we must not intervene. Any intervention, and we're stripped of our ranking, plummeting to the bottom," Wan Ji responded helplessly.

This time, the Heavenly Deity Alliance had set a stringent decree for the top ten; wherever they were, they could not interfere even a little bit.

"Understood."

Then, they prepared for battle, their backs against the Extreme Yin Star.

Above the horizon of the Extreme Yin Star, bursts of starlight frequently streaked across the sky. These were the talented disciples and mighty figures from various sects, laughing heartily, utterly at ease, moving in groups, engaging in lively conversations.

As time passed, their numbers grew.

Eventually, the Grand Assembly Arena became like a vast inn, buzzing with voices everywhere. Laughter, cheers, old friends reuniting over drinks, making merry and singing songs filled the air.

Immortals, long separated, now called each Taiyi Sourcecore home, bridging the distances of the entire Samsara Galaxy. Visits and warm greetings between them were frequent, creating a lively scene.

In these moments of laughter, meetings, and gift exchanges, inevitable private alliances and cliques formed.

With elders making introductions, everything was easier for the younger generation!

In cultivation, one also cultivated worldly connections. Having skills that reached to the heavens was less valuable than having 80,000 allies.

Where there were people, there were rivers and lakes; where there were rivers and lakes, there were factions; with factions came backgrounds, which could be used to bully others!

In contrast, the atmosphere on the Extreme Yin Star was utterly desolate, cold, and silent, like a stubborn and lonely piece of ice amidst a raging fire—glaring yet pitiable.

Outside, it was lively and bustling; here, it was bleak and dismal.

Of course, Yun Xiao felt no pity for them. The state of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm was self-inflicted.

They were contradictions unto themselves, akin to ingesting poison—knowing it was wrong, yet unable to quit or break free.

The three Divas were utterly at a loss. They lacked foundational support, only possessing endless worries, unease, and a propensity for risky ventures.

All this was the reason why the Ice Lineage Diva even considered making such a desperate deal with Yun Xiao.

In the Grand Assembly Arena, those from the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm were like a group of paranoid prey, always capable of eliciting sinister smirks from the men.

"Hey!"

Inside an ice cave on the Extreme Yin Star, Feng Yao glared at the relaxed young man lying in the snow, and said with a frown, "I still don’t understand. Why did the Ice Lineage Diva allow you to fight?"

She could already picture it, the mockery Yun Xiao would face when he revealed himself to the crowd.

"Well, it's not the first time you haven't understood something," Yun Xiao said.

"Could it be…? No, impossible. The Ice Lineage Diva's heart is basically a block of ice; how could you possibly charm her?" Feng Yao said incredulously, gritting her teeth.

Just then, Yun Xiao sent off a flying talisman.

"Who are you sending that to?" she asked, suspicious.

"To the Ice Lineage Diva. I've asked her to send me an Upper Burying Heaven grade Calamity Source. I'm planning to break through to the Second Baptism Realm," Yun Xiao explained.

"Heh, you dream big, don't you?" Feng Yao folded her arms and laughed scornfully.

Before long, a shadow flitted across the snow outside, and a gentle voice followed, "Senior, Yu Ji requests an audience."

Hearing this soft, beautiful voice, Feng Yao was stunned on the spot.

"Enter."

Then, she saw the Ice Lineage Diva enter cautiously, a blush of shyness and nervousness on her face as she handed Yun Xiao a jade box, saying, "Please, have a look."

Her demeanor made Feng Yao's eyes widen, and she couldn't help but rub them in disbelief.

Yun Xiao took the jade box, glanced at it, and then closed it, saying, "Good, you may leave now."

"Alright, I won't disturb you further."

With that, she bowed slightly and withdrew.

Feng Yao watched the entire exchange, dumbfounded.

"No way, did you really fool her that badly? Just by acting all high and mighty around me?" she asked, still in shock.

"Want to learn how? I can teach you," Yun Xiao offered with a smile.

"I don't think it's something you can teach!" Feng Yao looked at him, speechless. It seemed there was nothing difficult for this guy.

"Alright, you can go now. I'm going into seclusion." With that, Yun Xiao took the jade box and turned towards the deeper part of the ice cave.

"I can't be bothered with you." Feng Yao stood up, her long legs carrying her off to discuss details with her seven female comrades.

Just as she arrived, she noticed a chill on the faces of Wan Ji's daughters.

"What's going on?" she asked, and then looking down, she saw an invitation in Hai Ying's hand.