Immediately after Zhi Xuan uttered those words, Xiao Die, submerged in the jade liquid within the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron, began to vibrate faintly. The soft rainbow powder that usually clung to her wings shed away, reabsorbing into her body and transforming her into a small, rapidly pulsing sphere of spiritual light.

  Three days passed in excruciating tension. On the sixth night, outside the cave, the sky of the Night Shadow Forest—usually dark and tranquil—suddenly began to churn. The air grew heavy, and a massive spiritual pressure descended from above, shattering the silence of the woods.

  Ao Sheng, standing guard at the cave’s mouth, gasped. He looked up at the sky and saw a pitch-black vortex forming amidst the towering tree canopy. The vortex pulsed with the essence of Pure Heavenly Lightning—the Ancient Insect Calamity had arrived.

  "Senior, the Heavens have responded!" Ao Sheng cried out, gripping his Black Water Dragon King Spear tightly as it vibrated in response to the lethal Lightning Laws.

  Inside the cave, Zhi Xuan did not turn. He felt the pressure and narrowed his eyes, the pillar pattern on his forehead flickering. This Heavenly Lightning pressure was far more terrifying than any mortal lightning storm he had ever faced; it was the wrath of the Heavens directed at an existence attempting to transcend its natural destiny.

  Ruo Xianxue snorted coldly. Her haughty expression remained unchanged, but the tension in her Sun and Moon dual pupils was palpable. "This Calamity is no jest. That Little Moth possesses an Ancient Bloodline that is far too pure."

  WHUMP!

  The first thunder—not a sound, but a pure vibration of the Lightning Law—struck the valley. The Natural Formation enveloping the valley immediately groaned, and the tree branches above the cave shook violently. From the distance, Ancient Beasts let out low roars, drawn by the Heavenly tribulation.

  Zhi Xuan channeled his Pure Lightning essence into the Heavenly Sword hovering above, using the artifact as a spiritual lightning rod. The crimson blade roared, emitting a defiant flash that challenged the Heavenly Lightning. Inside the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron, Xiao Die's sphere of spiritual light spun frantically; the majestic Heavenly Lightning Law felt like an invisible hand crushing her Ancient Soul.

  The First Calamity: Heaven’s Judgment Palm. The black vortex in the sky spun with mad velocity. Suddenly, from the center of the vortex, a massive silhouette of a brownish-purple palm emerged, crafted from incredibly dense Lightning essence. The palm descended slowly but inevitably, radiating a pressure capable of tearing through the Sea of Consciousness of a Soul Transformation cultivator.

  ZHENG!

  The Heavenly Sword shot upward, Zhi Xuan’s Pure Lightning clashing with the Judgment Palm. The resulting explosion was soundless; it was a ripple of pure energy that spread out, dissolving most of the green mist in the valley. The Heavenly Sword managed to cleave the palm, but the backlash forced the Immortal Artifact to vibrate violently.

  Zhi Xuan grunted, his blood churning faintly within his chest. "Incredible. Just one palm is equivalent to a full Soul Transformation battle."

  The Second Calamity: Three-Colored Heavenly Lightning Fire. The sky had no time to recover. The Lightning vortex spun again, and this time, three strands of Lightning—colored gold, silver, and deep crimson—descended simultaneously. They were not merely lightning; they were spiritual fires that burned the Soul and the Dao.

  Ruo Xianxue snorted, floating toward one of the Restriction Flags. "Stingy Heavens. If not for the Ancient Blood in her, there is no way this Calamity would be this strong."

  The four Restriction Flags Ruo Xianxue had planted immediately ignited. The protective dome around the Cauldron trembled. Zhi Xuan had no time for negotiation.

  "Heavenly Sword, forge the Wind!" Zhi Xuan roared. The Heavenly Sword did not attack directly. It spun in the air, creating a vortex of Pure Wind-Lightning. This vortex did not cleave the Lightning Fire; instead, it redirected and twisted the three strands, forcing them to veer off course.

  However, one remaining strand of Deep Crimson Lightning escaped, striking the dome of the Restriction Flags. CRACK! The first flag immediately fractured and crumbled into dust.

  The Third Calamity: Ancient Insect Star Spear. The sky screamed. Deep purple lightning formed dozens of sharp spears, each aimed directly at the Cauldron, as if the Heavens knew exactly where the Ancient Beast was hiding.

  Zhi Xuan knew his Heavenly Sword could not cleave them all without destroying the valley. He immediately channeled all his Pure Wind-Lightning essence into his body. He shot out of the cave, standing in the open air beneath the Calamity. He did not attack; he created ten subtle Wind vortexes around him, mimicking the technique he had recently grasped in the Sea of Verdant Winds.

  The Purple Lightning Spears struck the Wind vortexes. The spears were not destroyed, but were deflected and twisted by the rotational speed of Zhi Xuan's Pure Wind, streaking in all directions and hitting trees in the distance, creating massive charred craters.

  The Fourth Calamity: Dragon Soul Shatterer. This tribulation was far quieter, yet more lethal. A wave of pale white Lightning, possessing no physical force, descended directly, piercing through the Natural Formation and the remaining Restriction Flags toward Xiao Die’s soul.

  Ruo Xianxue roared. "This is aimed at her Soul! An Ancient Soul cannot be tempered with mortal lightning!"

  The second and third Restriction Flags exploded simultaneously, sacrificing themselves to parry most of the Soul Lightning wave. Ruo Xianxue, in her spiritual form, spun frantically. "Zhi Xuan, hurry! Move Xiao Die!"

  "It is too late!" Zhi Xuan hissed, his face tense. The Soul Lightning had already breached the outer defenses.

  Zhi Xuan immediately withdrew his Primary Soul into his Sea of Consciousness. He utilized the Heavenly Samsara Wheel and his new Wind-Lightning Law, creating a spinning shield around the spiritual Cauldron housing Xiao Die. The Heavenly Sword streaked back, entering Zhi Xuan’s body to stabilize his Sea of Consciousness so it would not be torn apart by the Heavenly Soul pressure.

  The Fifth Calamity: Heavenly Wrath Claw. The fifth strike arrived with brutal physical force. Five strands of pitch-black Lightning merged into one, forming a massive Lightning claw that descended, ignoring the Natural Formation and targeting the cave’s entrance directly. The final Restriction Flag shattered into pieces.

  "Ao Sheng, get back!" Zhi Xuan roared. He knew this Heavenly Wrath Claw was beyond the realm he could handle with only his Five Elements Law.

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw, the pillar pattern on his forehead glowing intensely. He did not retreat. He released a portion of his Heavenly-Blood Body Law. His Heavenly-Devil blood churned, and deep crimson blood energy enveloped his body, forming a faint Devil silhouette.

  BOOM! The Lightning claw struck. Zhi Xuan screamed. His bones creaked, and he was hurled backward, hitting the cave wall with a heavy thud. The wall cracked, and the spiritual mist in the vicinity vanished. Zhi Xuan collapsed to the ground, his robes shredded, and his Heavenly-Devil blood seeped out, only to be immediately evaporated by the residual lightning clinging to his body.

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  The Sixth Calamity: Restraining Lightning Hammer. The Heavens gave no respite. Following the Lightning claw, the sixth tribulation descended as a massive golden sphere of Lightning, which not only sought to destroy physically but also targeted the Ancient Blood seal within Xiao Die.

  HUMM!

  Inside the Cauldron, Xiao Die’s buzzing, which had previously been frantic, now turned into a heart-wrenching drone of pain. Her sphere of spiritual light dimmed, and the jade liquid around her began to boil.

  "No!" Zhi Xuan hissed, struggling to rise, but the Heavenly Wrath Claw had wounded him internally.

  Ruo Xianxue, now fully focused, screamed in the Sea of Consciousness. "She cannot hold it! This tribulation targets the Ancient Blood! If that Blood fails to be sealed, she will become an Ancient Beast without consciousness!"

  Zhi Xuan staggered, trying to reach the Cauldron, but his body was frozen by the lightning.

  Ao Sheng, who had been forced to retreat to the mouth of the cave by Zhi Xuan’s order, witnessed everything. He saw the Heavenly Sword return to Zhi Xuan’s body, the Restriction Flags explode, and now, his Senior Devil was collapsed, and the innocent little moth was screaming in pain inside the Cauldron.

  Though he only knew Xiao Die as a quiet and obedient moth, an instinct far older than himself as an Ancient Golden Dragon surged. An Ancient Beast must protect an Ancient Beast. Ancient Blood must defy the Heavenly Calamity. Ao Sheng was an Ancient Golden Dragon, the king of Sea Beasts. Though he had only reached the Azure King realm, his blood was among the most majestic and defiant of the Heavens.

  He ignored Zhi Xuan’s command to stay outside. "Senior, I will help!" Ao Sheng roared.

  Zhi Xuan, struggling for breath, turned his head, his eyes widening. "Do not come closer, Golden Dragon! This lightning will burn your Soul!"

  Ao Sheng did not listen. He stepped forward, his Black Water Dragon King Spear vibrating in his hand—not from fear, but from the wild joy of Ancient Blood challenging the Heavens.

  The Seventh Calamity: Soul-Cleaving Lightning Rain. The sky responded to Ao Sheng’s defiance. The seventh tribulation came as a rain of thousands of fine Lightning needles, far more lethal and harder to parry than spears. Ao Sheng roared, the aura of the Black Water Dragon King exploding from his body. He no longer cared about concealment. He spun his spear, creating a vortex of Black Water that swallowed the Lightning needles.

  The Eighth Calamity: Ancient Blood Seal. The eighth tribulation descended as a purple Lightning seal shaped like a rune, aimed directly at the Cauldron. Its purpose was to lock away Xiao Die’s Ancient Blood forever, stripping her of her potential to become a true Ancient Beast. Inside the Cauldron, Xiao Die’s buzzing faded, replaced by a terrifying silence—a sign that her Ancient Blood was nearly giving up.

  "There is no more time!" Ao Sheng roared, his eyes emitting a brilliant golden light. He reached the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron. Zhi Xuan, having managed to rise but still staggering, tried to reach out a hand to stop him. "Ao Sheng, don't! You will—!"

  Ao Sheng ignored his senior. He touched the Cauldron, and the pain from the residual lightning raced through his hands, but he ignored it. He knew what had to be done. Ancient Blood against Ancient Blood. Ao Sheng bit his thumb with his sharp teeth, letting pure golden blood flow. This was the Essence Blood of an Ancient Golden Dragon, a priceless spiritual treasure. He let several drops of his spiritual blood drip into the Cauldron, falling into the boiling jade liquid.

  The Ninth Calamity: Final Heavenly Disaster. As the drops of Golden Dragon Blood touched the jade liquid, the Heavens seemed to go into a mad rage. The ninth calamity descended—a single pillar of Pitch-Black Lightning, containing the essence of pure destruction. The black pillar struck the cave, dissolving most of the rock cliff above. Zhi Xuan and Ao Sheng were hurled away by the shockwave.

  However, inside the Cauldron, a miracle occurred. When the Ancient Golden Dragon Blood came into contact with the jade liquid and Xiao Die, the aura of Ancient Blood that defied the Heavens exploded. The Golden Dragon Blood was a majestic essence that rejected Heavenly tyranny. The jade liquid turned into a color of gold mixed with rainbow hues.

  Xiao Die’s sphere of spiritual light, which had nearly been extinguished, suddenly shone with a blinding intensity. The Golden Dragon Blood did not just heal her; it reactivated and perfected her Thousand Feathered Moth Blood, granting her a foundation of majesty equal to a Golden Dragon.

  Ruo Xianxue shrieked from the Sea of Consciousness. "He used his Ancient Blood! Mad Dragon!"

  The Pitch-Black Lightning pillar struck the dome of the Cauldron. The Cauldron, as an Immortal-grade artifact, vibrated violently but was not destroyed. More importantly, the Black Lightning was absorbed by the gold-rainbow blood surrounding Xiao Die, for that blood now carried a more majestic Ancient Law.

  After a deafening silence, the Ninth Calamity subsided. The black lightning pillar dissolved entirely into the Cauldron. The sky above the Night Shadow Forest gradually calmed, and the black vortex vanished, leaving behind the smell of ozone and destruction.

  Zhi Xuan stood up, though injured, staring at Ao Sheng with wide eyes. Ao Sheng, blood flowing from his hand, panted heavily, but his spear shone with pride. They had succeeded. Inside the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron, Xiao Die’s spiritual light began to expand. A calm, melodious hum replaced the screams of pain.

  A golden lotus floated out from within the Cauldron, illuminating the surroundings with a tranquil light. The petals fell away one by one, revealing a small figure about the same height as Ao Sheng, appearing as an innocent young girl.

  The teenage girl wore a dress that shimmered with gold and subtle silver, with pure greenery embroidered at the waist. Her hair was styled in two soft black braids, resembling the two wings that had now become hair. Her eyes opened, and they were the color of a soft ocean; a fragrance like flowers and honey spread throughout the cliff.

  The girl, who was now Yunyi Die in human form, stepped forward slowly, descending through the air with grace, a cheerful smile playing on her lips. Her soft ocean eyes radiated infinite gratitude. She looked straight at Ao Sheng, the savior who had sacrificed his Ancient Essence Blood for her life.

  "Big Brother Golden Dragon!" Xiao Die cried out, her voice sounding like cheering crystal bells—exactly how Ruo Xianxue once laughed, but this time without the mocking tone.

  She intended to step with graceful movements, full of the politeness she had learned from observing Zhi Xuan. However, her newly forged Ancient Blood and overflowing joy made her movement calculations a total mess.

  The first step was perfect. The second step radiated the aura of a majestic Sacred Beast. On the third step... her tiny feet slipped on the air still decorated with residual lightning ripples. That majestic movement immediately turned into a clumsy and embarrassing scene.

  Xiao Die lost her balance. Her hands, originally extended for a formal greeting, now flailed wildly for a grip. Her body spun at a dizzying speed, and she plummeted downward—not with grace, but like a bag of beans falling from the Heavens.

  "AAAAAAH!" Xiao Die screamed, her voice changing from crystal bells to the screech of a frightened little moth. She flailed wildly, her soft black braids coming undone and dancing randomly like two ropes trying to save themselves. She crashed through the air, failing to find the Wind footing she should have mastered after the Calamity.

  Zhi Xuan, who had been propping himself up with the Heavenly Sword, witnessed this scene. He should have been worried about his internal injuries or the destruction of the valley. However, seeing a young girl—who had just conquered a Heavenly Calamity that nearly took her life—now falling because she slipped in mid-air, caused his pain to vanish momentarily, replaced by a powerful wave of absurdity.

  He closed his eyes, let out a long breath, and held his aching stomach—not from wounds, but from holding back an inevitable laugh. Beside him, Ao Sheng, who had been ready to receive a solemn thank you or at least a formal bow from the newly transformed Ancient Beast, stared at the scene with golden-blue eyes blinking in confusion. The Ancient Golden Dragon had survived a lethal Calamity and sacrificed his precious Essence Blood, only to witness the object of his rescue turn into a failed projectile.

  "Little Moth," Zhi Xuan hissed, struggling not to laugh bitterly. He moved his hand and deployed a Four-Directional Blood Shield that halted Xiao Die’s momentum and let her glide safely to the ground.

  Xiao Die landed with a soft plop on the ground still warm from the lightning, neatly wrapped within Zhi Xuan’s deep crimson blood shield. Her soft black braids were now a total mess, covering her small face. She hurriedly pushed her hair aside, her newborn face flushing bright red with shame—not because she had nearly died, but because she had fallen in front of her senior and her savior. She immediately hopped out of the blood shield, took two steps back, and gracefully—this time on solid ground—bowed deeply toward Ao Sheng.

  "Big Brother Golden Dragon," she spoke again, her voice like crystal bells once more, but with a slight tremor. "Thank you for the majestic Blood you sacrificed. Xiao Die will never forget this kindness."

  Ao Sheng, still digesting the fall, could only nod stiffly, his spear tilted slightly. "It is no problem, Xiao Die. The Calamity... is indeed exhausting." He intentionally avoided mentioning the slipping moment.

  Suddenly, a dry but deep laugh broke the silence in the ruined cave. Zhi Xuan finally let the laugh escape, holding his bruised side and laughing heartily. Zhi Xuan’s laughter sounded wild and honest, like the crackling of ancient crystal.

  "Gods and Devils, it is like I am looking at two little bamboo stalks," Zhi Xuan teased, though there was an inevitable sense of relief in his mockery. He shook his head as he saw how Xiao Die and Ao Sheng were both short and young; his smile showed the arrogance that had just returned after being struck by Heavenly Lightning. "The two of you are like similar little frogs. A little boy and a little girl; I feel like a caretaker."