Immortal of the Ages

Amidst the falling snow, Yun Xiao was already planning to use that mysterious Calamity Source he'd found to tackle the Fourth Dao Tribulation and condense his Corona!

But before that, there were still things going on with his body double!

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Back in the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Moon Fairy had reached this same crucial juncture!

It was a bustling time in the Beastly Peaks, where 1,000,000 beasts of the Desolation Corps were flocking towards the direction of the Ghost Cauldron.

The cauldron's core, a wick of green life flames, erupted, casting its eerie glow across the dim skies, illuminating the ferocious faces and pointed fangs of endless vicious demons. This ghastly fire lent an even more brutal, wild, intense, and fearsome air to their visages.

Such a vicious and violent world stood in stark contrast to the cold, subtle ambiance of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm.

The Harmony Divine Palace was breathtakingly beautiful; the Beastly Peaks, hideously ugly.

Yet, at their core, the struggles of these two places were fundamentally the same!

The Beastly Peaks, though not as vast as the Harmony Divine Palace, stretched endlessly like countless ghostly claws reaching for the heavens, with continuous howls and cries piercing the air.

“True to its name, the Beastly Peaks, where the demons are primarily birds and beasts,” Moon Fairy remarked wistfully.

While these were common creatures, they bore the bloodline of eternal reincarnation, reputedly living far longer than cultivators from other Celestial Sourcecore realms.

Amidst billowing smoke and fierce cries, countless fierce demons swept past Moon Fairy, rushing towards the direction of the Ghost Cauldron.

The thunderous stampede of 1,000,000 Fourth Dao Tribulation demons was a spectacle of immense magnitude.

Yet, Moon Fairy was in no rush. As he observed the rugged scenery of the Beast Path, he asked the tree demon Old Kapok hanging above him, “In the Six Paths of Reincarnation, would there be a Sword Immortal daring enough to forge a Sword Ring from our Demon Source?”

“Of course! When the old Six-Eyed Pandemonium was overseeing things, there were constant skirmishes between different paths of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The mission of our Desolation Corps was to battle for the Beast Path. Where there’s war, there's death. So, naturally the human Sword Immortals would shame us by plundering our demon bones and sources,” Old Kapok replied, his voice tinged with anger, yet he soon chuckled, adding, “But we've had our revenge. We’d often devour their corpses raw, and those beasts would turn into their animal forms to ravage their women.”

“Alright then!” Moon Fairy's inquiry about the Demon Source was mainly because it related to the Fourth Dao Tribulation.

The Fourth Dao Tribulation for demons was distinct from that of humans and devils.

Moon Fairy hadn’t been in the Beast Path long, but he’d studied it thoroughly.

“Although the Fourth Dao Tribulation for demons doesn’t forge a Corona, they also undergo the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms, crossing eight tribulations, and likewise, they require a Calamity Source for each tribulation.

“After a demon's spirit breaks through to the Taiji Spirit Plane, they can attract the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms using a Calamity Source, just like humans and devils. The difference lies in the fact that the tribulation doesn't form a Corona but rather creates a Demon Source within their bodies.

"The Demon Source is, in essence, similar to an internal Corona.

"However, unlike a Corona, a Demon Source doesn't boast a myriad of complex augmentations. It's a pure convergence of tribulation power, its sole purpose being to continuously forge the demon's body while gathering all the demon's energy into a core to amplify its magic."

Demons differed from humans; before the Fourth Dao Tribulation, a demon's power permeated their flesh rather than coursing through their meridians, lacking a core for their Dantian or heart.

So, from the Sacred Wheel Realm onwards, there would be differences.

"By the Fourth Dao Tribulation, humans and devils have two tribulation cores—Dantian and heart for storage, and the Corona for utility. But a demon has only one tribulation core, the Demon Source. This source, a crucible of demonic energy and magic, exists independently from the demon's physical body, so it can be used to forge a Sword Ring…"

A Sword Ring formed from a Demon Source could harness the power of the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms, making it exponentially more powerful than the Blood Crystal Sword Rings of the First and Second Dao Tribulation.

With this understanding, Moon Fairy’s goal was straightforward!

That was to acquire a Calamity Source for his tribulation quickly, create his own internal Demon Source, and enter the Fourth Dao Tribulation!

"The Fourth Dao Tribulation for demons may not be as flashy as a Corona, but it’s purer, employing the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms to the utmost to forge the body and consolidate the Demon Source. So, in terms of sheer combat prowess, it might even surpass humans."

It was the same baptism process; yet, it was simpler, making it far more brutal.

Still, humans were diverse, with Sword, Inscription, Martial, and Anima Immortals!

"Old Kapok." As the six-tailed demon fox ambled leisurely, he glanced up at the old tree demon aloofly hanging above.

"What’s up?" Old Kapok chuckled.

"Do you have a Calamity Source? I’d like to borrow one," Moon Fairy asked straightforwardly.

Demons, after all, were blunt!

"Eh?" Even so, Old Kapok was taken aback, staring blankly at Moon Fairy.

For Moon Fairy to ask this was nearly the same as saying, "Do you have a coffin handy? Lend it to me."

In any place, a Calamity Source was rare and precious, especially the supremely high-grade ones.

"We’re as close as brothers in this life; just tell me straight," Moon Fairy said.

Being a body double, he wasn't afraid of losing face.

"Seriously..." Old Kapok stared at him, took a long pause, and then hesitantly said, "I do have one, but it’s reserved for myself. Besides, you couldn’t use it anyway!"

"Why can't I use it?" Moon Fairy asked.

Old Kapok stretched out a branch and hushed, then leaned close to whisper, "Lil bro, I'll tell you, but you must never speak of this."

"Rest assured, our friendship has been forged through life and death," Moon Fairy said solemnly.

"Cough, cough," Old Kapok nodded, then tensely disclosed, "This Calamity Source, it's Sealing Heaven grade!"

"Sealing Heaven grade? What level is that? Is it higher than the Defying Heaven grade?" Moon Fairy asked with a chuckle.

"Damn it!" Old Kapok spat, "Don’t play dumb, boy. Between the Nine Heavens Celestial Grades, from Common, Vast, Supreme, Dao, and Divine to the Defying, Sealing, Swallowing, and Burying! The Sealing Heaven is the seventh highest grade of the nine. Tell me, do you think it's higher than the Defying Heaven grade?"

"You're right, it is a lot higher. So, high I've developed a fear of heights," Moon Fairy laughed.

"Still pretending, you cunning old fox," Old Kapok cursed playfully.

But Moon Fairy wasn't pretending at all. He had been studying the introduction to the Harmony Divine Palace for a long while, yet he had overlooked the true scope of the Nine Heavens Celestial Grades.

"So, the last four grades are Defying, Sealing, Swallowing, and Burying!"

The highest Burying Heaven grade also seemed related to Yun Xiao's Heaven Burial Sword Soul. From this, one could tell how revered Calamity Sources, celestial treasures, pills, and techniques of this grade were.

"The first five grades all make sense—Common, Vast, Supreme, Dao, and Divine... But the last four grades begin with Defying, followed by Sealing, then Swallowing, and finally Burying... What terrible misdeeds did the wretched heaven commit, to be treated so harshly by the people who made up these grades? Haha."

Moon Fairy was laughing when suddenly he realized that heaven in human terms referred to the creator... Wasn't that himself?

"Damn!" He couldn't laugh anymore.

After all, these grades had become Defy Me,Seal Me, Swallow Me, and Bury Me...

Putting aside these silly thoughts, Moon Fairy had come to realize the rarity of Old Kapok's Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Source.

"Old brother, forgive my boldness, but isn't this Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Source only useful once you've achieved the Third Baptism Realm? What's your cultivation at right now?" Moon Fairy asked.

Old Kapok puffed up proudly and chuckled. "Know why everyone respects me? Because I'm in the Second Baptism Realm, a sergeant in the Desolation Corps with ten subordinates! My position is more tangible than your adjutant rank—it's actually on the books."

Now Moon Fairy knew that within the Desolation Corps, ranks were roughly divided by strength and cultivation, from Desolation Soldier, Sergeant, Lieutenant, to Colonel.

So that Black Brute Bear was truly formidable; she was in the Fourth Baptism Realm, having already passed half of the Eight Extremes Celestial Baptisms.

Just a step away lay the rank of a true general in the Desolation Corps.

Old Kapok was a sergeant, having already transcended two tribulations. His next assault on the rank of lieutenant would allow him the use of a Seal Heaven grade Calamity Source.

"Hold on…" Moon Fairy, smiling slyly, gazed at Old Kapok and asked, "Which stage of the Second Baptism Realm are you in?"

Old Kapok replied with a sheepish grin, "The Early stage, what of it? That's still the Second Baptism Realm."

"And how long do you reckon it'll be before you can use it?" Moon Fairy pressed.

"Give this old one 500 years, and I shall break through my bloodline shackles, ascend to the Third Baptism Realm, and command 100 soldiers of the Desolation Corps, bringing honor to my ancestors," Old Kapok declared, his face alight with fervor.

"Five hundred years? By then, your source will have gone off," Moon Fairy joked.

"What are you saying? Can a Calamity Source even go off?" Old Kapok replied, flabbergasted.

"Bro!" Moon Fairy stopped walking and said earnestly, "Lend it to me. I'll return ten Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Sources in a couple of days. You know my talent is exceptional."

"Uh…" Old Kapok was clearly torn, saying, "Lil bro, it's not that I'm stingy, but you really can't use it now. You don't even have a Demon Source, and you dare to use a Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Source for your first baptism? Be careful not to explode into a puff."

"Let me be honest with you, I'm also in the Second Baptism Realm. You can't sense my Demon Source because it's hidden deep. Plus, I'm already at the Establishment stage in this realm. Otherwise, how could I have taken on so many people back there at the Soul Refining Cauldron?" Moon Fairy explained seriously.

"Really?" Old Kapok asked, skeptical.

"I'd be less than human if I lied," Moon Fairy responded earnestly.

"But you're not human, are you?" Old Kapok retorted.

"I'd be unworthy of being a fox if I lied!" Moon Fairy declared once more.

Old Kapok's face contorted with effort, but after a moment, he nodded, satisfied. "That's more like it!"

Moon Fairy had been bluffing somewhat, but surprisingly, it worked.

"Old bro, you really are a good soul, truly a lifesaver," Moon Fairy exclaimed, moved.

Old Kapok coughed a few times and said, "It's mainly because you're fated!"

With that, he really did produce a pitch-black box. Moon Fairy quickly transformed into human form and caught the Calamity Source.

"This old thing has wanted to give it to you from the start; otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned having it," the Yaksha Ancestor remarked coolly.

"I know, which is why I took it when the opportunity arose," Moon Fairy said.

"What's all this about?" The Nian didn't quite understand.

It was clearly a loan, yet their conversation sounded as if Old Kapok was offering a gift voluntarily.

"Don't worry about it too much, just keep your nose out, you daft mutt," the Yaksha Ancestor sneered.

JustLivingJL's Thoughts

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