Chapter 751: A Little Black Ball

"Uhhh, just to be clear, I never came up with that nickname." Yun Xiao coughed awkwardly. Then, he glanced down at the little black beast. "Like I said earlier, that cat has problems in the head!"

Zhao Xuanran chuckled, her heart swelling with sweetness. To her, the Chaos Emperor Lotus before her was the most dazzling thing in the world—pure and flawless, a supreme tonic for the spirit...

"This fortune, useful as it might be for him, he still left it for me. Given that, there's no room for hesitation or self-deprecation; otherwise, I'd just be letting him down."

Zhao Xuanran was never fragile; on the contrary, during the darkest days of the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, it was she who held everything together, paving a warm path of cultivation for Yun Xiao.

She was the personification of the ideal senior sister. Regardless of heaven and earth, her presence was commanding.

Without a word, she plunged into the Chaos Emperor Lotus, her spirit transforming into a goddess atop the black and gold petals.

Zhao Xuanran and the Chaos Emperor Lotus formed a connection. With her at the core and the lotus as the catalyst, a new spirit came to life!

"It seems I can enter the Essence Manifestation Realm and manifest my spirit directly..." Zhao Xuanran's voice was distant, tinged with excitement.

"Manifest it then!" Yun Xiao awaited this moment.

The Essence Manifestation Realm was still weak for him, but for Zhao Xuanran, it was a step into divinity!

BUZZ!

Before Yun Xiao's Buddha's Treasure Spirit, petals of black and gold spontaneously appeared, gently rising. Within these petals, a beauty dressed in a gown of black and gold lotus petals slowly became visible, her smile tender, gazing deeply at herself.

"Senior Sister..."

Everything was as Yun Xiao had anticipated.

She was Zhao Xuanran, even in the manifestation of her spirit. Perhaps this was the simplest form of a true-self spirit, but what of it? Without a predecessor to lead, one had to become the guide for the future!

Authenticity was what mattered!

The third Primordial Coffin had once shown Zhao Xuanran's likeness, which had caused Yun Xiao some concern, fearing entanglements of other karma, less than pure.

But the appearance of this gentle woman, her spirit embodied by the lotus, proved his worries unnecessary!

She was real, pure, and simple. Just like him, a worldly heart and a true-self spirit!

"It's done!" Yun Xiao's Buddha's Treasure Spirit rushed forward, embracing the woman in the lotus gown.

He held her tightly!

"Junior Brother, can spirits kiss too?" Zhao Xuanran's eyes widened, utterly astonished.

"We can connect our spirits too," Yun Xiao declared, boldly stepping forward.

At this moment, fear of harming their unborn was absent.

In that instant, both spirits were engulfed in an ecstatic dream, their bodies sending ripples through the air.

The love of spirits, while physically less expressive, surpassed all in emotional connection, binding the hearts of lovers without any space left between.

This process also heightened Zhao Xuanran's mastery over her spirit, making its presence more tangible to her.

"Karmic Spirit Ordinance..."

The abundant heritage within the Chaos Emperor Lotus surged into her mind continuously.

As the Chaos Emperor Lotus transformed her soul, she saw the world differently. All the perplexing questions before now clicked into place, expanding her understanding immeasurably.

The path to immortality turned into a broad, grand avenue.

"Senior Sister, both your body and spirit are mine now," Yun Xiao said with a satisfied smile.

The love of spirits was boundless; the level of intimacy was almost impossible to describe without experiencing it oneself.

After some time, Yun Xiao ceased his fervent embrace, allowing her newly manifested spirit a moment to recover.

"Idiot." Zhao Xuanran was still dazed.

She retracted her spirit, continuing to nourish it with the celestial power of the Essence Manifestation Realm, forged by the Nine Heavens Star Meridians into an energy as vibrant as a stream of multicolored stars flowing through her Dantian.

"I'll forge your Sword Prisons for you later," Yun Xiao said.

Forging the Sword Prisons was simple, merely icing on the cake.

Today had been a resounding success!

"Go about your tasks; I'm in no rush. Now that I've entered the Dao, I can find my own way. You go forth boldly," Zhao Xuanran instructed.

"Huh, no way! Since I'm trapped in the Great Dao Celestial Realm without a way out, I might as well stay by your side," Yun Xiao replied.

Though anxious, he could not hasten their escape.

Fortunately, with Moon Fairy navigating the Six Paths of Reincarnation, progress was being made elsewhere, preventing wasted time.

With a great weight lifted from his heart, Yun Xiao felt immensely relieved.

With hundreds of years added to her lifespan, protected by the Cosmic Pagoda and enlightened by the Chaos Emperor Lotus, Zhao Xuanran was essentially immortal in the Great Dao Celestial Realm.

The three Cosmic Stars further stabilized her life, ensuring her enduring stability.

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Inside the Azure Rain Sword Vessel, the War Princess was staring at the Cosmic Pagoda, utterly bored, nearly nodding off.

Suddenly, the Cosmic Pagoda shrank, and two beams of light emerged from within it. The woman in the black gown caught the War Princess' eyes.

"She's changed a lot..."

The figure of Zhao Xuanran in her eyes was distinguished and graceful, exuding a sense of grandeur.

"Who does she remind me of?" The War Princess pondered for a while and finally found a comparison.

It was Empress Zhao!

"It's somewhat that feeling, but for some reason, she seems much more refined, and not at all haughty or overbearing. Instead, she's approachable, like the big sister next door..."

It was just a glance, but her mind whirled with many thoughts.

"Congratulations," the War Princess said, a hint of envy in her voice.

"Thank you for your hard work as well," Zhao Xuanran responded gently. Previously, she had felt somewhat uneasy in front of the War Princess, but now, with her spirit matured, she was much more composed.

"Let's tour the Great Dao Celestial Realm together." Yun Xiao, unable to wait, pulled her from the Azure Rain Sword Vessel and stepped into the Celestial Court.

Apart from the Heavenly Palace, the rest of the Celestial Court was also breathtakingly beautiful!

Yun Xiao planned to soar through the skies with her on their Sovereign Swords, to relax thoroughly before seeking a way out to his next destination.

After stepping out of the sword vessel, Zhao Xuanran, now in the Essence Manifestation Realm, felt like a mortal ascended to heaven, her eyes wide with awe...

"Grand, isn't it?" Yun Xiao asked.

"Mhm," Zhao Xuanran nodded.

"Let's stay here from now on! I'll build you another Little Cloud Residence, complete with a fish pond, a stone table, osmanthus trees, and the finest celestial wine," Yun Xiao declared confidently.

Zhao Xuanran paused, slightly embarrassed, "But, Junior Brother Yun, I'd still like to return to Azure Spirit sometimes."

"Why? That place really hinders cultivation," Yun Xiao remarked.

Zhao Xuanran looked down. "It's just that, the feeling of home, it's not something you can find just anywhere. Staying there, I feel more at peace."

"Alright!" Yun Xiao wasn't one to fuss over such matters.

He had provided Zhao Xuanran with many opportunities and never needed her to aid him in combat.

So, what was the difference in the pace of cultivation? Finding comfort in nurturing life, that naturally took precedence. Everyone had their pursuits, and not imposing was the greatest respect.

"Let's go!"

A streak of azure light and a nine-colored Sword Soul soared into the sky.

She and Yun Xiao were about to gracefully navigate the heavens, savoring a rare journey of pleasure—a welcome respite for Yun Xiao, who had been pressing hard for months.

"Senior Sister Zhao!"

In the winds of the Celestial Court, Yun Xiao looked at the woman beside him, her black hair flowing, her gaze profoundly serene, and he felt an immense sense of happiness.

He was a lonely wanderer, his soul adrift. Without Zhao Xuanran, he would forever be like a kite in the sky, never finding a place to land.

Divine Dawn was like another kite, their interactions—competitive, conquering, confrontational—were intriguing.

The War Princess was like the tail of his own kite; a kite couldn't be without its tail.

Thunder Emissary Cao was like a gust of wind—refreshing as it passed, pleasing both the kite and the breeze, but that was all.

With all the thrills and uncertainties on the path to immortality, it was easy for his drifting heart to lose its sense of reality. That's why Zhao Xuanran was so important to Yun Xiao. Only her eyes and peaceful smile could calm his restlessness…

Yun Xiao couldn't lose her, or else he'd lose his way home, and everything would turn into a fleeting illusion.

"Junior Brother Yun." Zhao Xuanran stood on her nine-colored Sovereign Sword, gazing out at the expansive world.

Zhao Xuanran needed Yun Xiao just as much too. All her waiting was for the moment when his drifting ceased, waiting for an answer.

The broader his world, the more uncertain she felt. So, at this moment, they flew side by side, hands tightly clasped in the wind. They had their brief moments of companionship.

The two toasted together to a small flask of wine, the warmth of the drink baring their souls.

"Tsk tsk, drinking while flying. Here I thought you changed."

"Alcohol affects more than just you! A reckless sword ride can split a family in two!"

The little black beast was perched on Yun Xiao's shoulder, joining in the rare moment of relaxation with constant chattering.

Just then, the expression on the little black beast’s face suddenly changed!

“It’s over, it’s over, it’s coming out!” Blue Star shrieked.

Yun Xiao abruptly stopped his Sovereign Sword, furrowing his brow and asking, “What’s coming out? Are you having a baby?”

“Damn! You guessed it!” Red Moon trembled in discomfort.

Right after his words fell, Blue Star’s face turned red, his throat trembling violently—a clear sign he was about to vomit.

“What’s wrong…” Zhao Xuanran turned her Sovereign Sword around, approaching with a face full of concern.

At that moment, Blue Star could no longer hold back, and with a retch, he expelled a black object.

“A Primordial Coffin!” Yun Xiao’s face changed.

Blue Star had actually vomited out the third black Primordial Coffin.

The black Primordial Coffin trembled, clearly about to undergo a transformation.

“That Six Paths of Reincarnation's Dao Source is in a distant land, why would it react now!” Yun Xiao was greatly shaken. He felt an urge to flee!

A sense of foreboding filled his heart as he quickly reached out to grab the black Primordial Coffin.

Unbelievably, the coffin, just like Blue Star and Red Moon, suddenly transformed, morphing from a coffin into flesh and blood, and in an instant, it became a furry black beast.

It looked just like a ball! This ball, covered in black fur and without any discernible features like hands, feet, a mouth, or a nose, was perfectly round.

In the next moment, the furry black sphere split open to reveal six round eyes, each filled with a golden iris.

The sight seemed familiar to Yun Xiao!

His heart skipped a beat. "Six-Eyed Pandemonium?!"

The Six-Eyed Pandemonium from the Six Paths of Reincarnation probably looked similar to this fleshy ball with six eyes.

However, the massive Six-Eyed Pandemonium, devoid of fur, appeared quite repulsive, and its eyes were murky, not like the golden, dazzling, cold, and domineering eyes before him now.

"What in the world?" Blue Star was also taken aback, indicating even he was unfamiliar with this furry ball.

"A little beast ball?" Zhao Xuanran, unaware of its hostile intent, found it rather adorable.

"Squeak!" The little beast ball suddenly let out a sharp shriek, its tone seemingly feminine.

WHOOSH!

It abruptly appeared above Zhao Xuanran's head, nesting there, its six golden eyes suddenly swirling into golden vortexes.

"Huh…?" Zhao Xuanran shuddered, her eyes transforming into golden spirals. She became eerie and detached.

With a woosh, she turned and fled on her Sovereign Sword, disappearing into the distance in an instant...