Months passed in the blink of an eye.
On this night, a blood-red full moon hung in the sky.
On a mountain peak.
Yang Feilong and Mo Qingqiu sat on the summit, the evening breeze rustling around them. Mo Qingqiu leaned into Yang Feilong's embrace, his arm around her shoulder. They appeared peaceful, serene, and harmonious.
To be honest, after spending so much time in the Demon Realm, Yang Feilong had grown accustomed to its suns, moons, and environment.
The blood-red full moon no longer felt as awkward to look at as it did when he first arrived.
"When do you plan to take me?" Mo Qingqiu's sudden question caught Yang Feilong off guard.
The statement felt uncharacteristic, yet so very much like Mo Qingqiu.
"Ahem, why bring this up so suddenly?" Yang Feilong choked slightly, asking helplessly.
"I have a feeling that the heavenly tribulation is not far off!" Mo Qingqiu said with a wry smile.
"En?" Yang Feilong froze upon hearing this.
Then, understanding dawned.
No wonder she had suddenly become so direct. In the past few months, they had fought side-by-side on numerous occasions, and there had been intimate moments between them. Of course, they hadn't truly crossed that final boundary.
The reason was simple: Yang Feilong was worried. He was deeply concerned that if they were to cultivate together, Mo Qingqiu, whose strength was already at the limit of the Integration Realm, might not be able to suppress the surging power, directly triggering the heavenly tribulation on the spot.
His own cultivation would also surge, perhaps quickly reaching the late or even peak Integration Realm.
Yang Feilong's current cultivation had reached the peak of the mid-Integration Realm, and he could break through to the late Integration Realm at any moment.
Yang Feilong was currently suppressing his own cultivation because he was extremely worried that once he reached the peak Integration Realm, the heavenly tribulation would descend at any time. What would happen to the women in his mortal world and the Spirit Realm?
He hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye to them yet.
Therefore, Yang Feilong wasn't cultivating at full intensity. Yet, even without actively cultivating, his strength was constantly improving whenever he engaged in dual cultivation.
Of his five women in the Demon Realm, excluding Mo Qingqiu who had not yet dual cultivated, the other four were: Wei La Duoduo, who was at the peak Integration Realm; Qing Luan Ailisi, whose cultivation had also progressed significantly and was now at the peak mid-Integration Realm; and the other two, Bu Gu Niao Bu Ding and Bai Ling Niao Ling Mu Mu, were both at the peak late Void Refining Realm.
Of course, the main reason for their rapid cultivation advancements was Yang Feilong's current immense strength. The benefits they received from dual cultivation with him were substantial.
The heavenly tribulation, for some, was self-induced. For others, it was the rules of heaven and earth sensing that you had reached a certain stage and that an obstruction was necessary!
Given Mo Qingqiu's repeated actions in recent days, she had clearly attracted the attention of the heavenly rules. If this was the case, even if she didn't actively induce the tribulation, it would descend after a certain period!
In the past, many people had not actively sought to induce the tribulation, yet they sensed it was coming.
Once such a situation arose, the heavenly tribulation would inevitably arrive, be it within three days or within half a month!
"Do you know which Saint Realm you will ascend to if you ascend?" Yang Feilong asked after a moment of contemplation.
"Tian Wei Saint Realm!" Mo Qingqiu replied without hesitation.
"Tian Wei Saint Realm?" Yang Feilong was taken aback. He recalled his master mentioning her origins before her tribulation and ascension. Her family was once part of the Tian Wei Saint Realm, but they were annihilated due to a certain treasure.
He hadn't expected that cultivators from the Demon Realm would ascend to the Tian Wei Saint Realm!
"What's wrong?" Mo Qingqiu, noticing Yang Feilong's unusual expression, couldn't help but ask.
"Nothing," Yang Feilong said, pursing his lips. "Do you know much about the Tian Wei Saint Realm?"
"I don't know a lot, but I have some understanding. All the myriad of minor worlds and the three thousand great worlds ascend to the Saint Realms. There are one hundred and eight Saint Realms, arranged according to the Heavenly and Earthly Constellations, comprising thirty-six Heavenly Constellation Saint Realms and seventy-two Earthly Constellation Saint Realms. Our Demon Realm, for countless years, has always ascended to the Tian Wei Saint Realm!" Mo Qingqiu explained, looking at Yang Feilong.
"En," Yang Feilong nodded.
He had initially considered asking Mo Qingqiu if she wanted to ascend to his world to face the tribulation. However, he decided against it. The Tian Wei Saint Realm was home to the Nine-Tailed Fox clan, and upon her ascension, the powerhouses of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan would escort her. If she ascended in his world and then to the Saint Realm, who would protect her?
After all, upon ascension, her cultivation would still be relatively weak. While not at the absolute bottom in the Saint Realm, according to his master Bai Yidie, talented cultivators could reach the Saint Realm upon adulthood. Therefore, someone newly ascended to the Saint Realm would have ordinary cultivation and would need considerable time to grow stronger!
"Husband." Mo Qingqiu, seeing Yang Feilong lost in thought, turned and kissed him. Her eyes were filled with reluctance.
After finally finding someone she loved, they had to separate after only a few months. The feeling was indescribably terrible.
She had spent so many years prioritizing her clan. Now that she no longer had to consider them and could do as she pleased, having to part with the one she loved was a deeply regrettable situation.
"Then, I will accompany you during your ascension!" Yang Feilong said. "As for dual cultivation, we can do that when we meet again in the future! After all, I'm not with you just for your body!"
It was the same point he had made earlier. Mo Qingqiu's situation served as a reminder. He had to exercise restraint now, lest he reach a level that triggered the heavenly tribulation prematurely, jeopardizing many things he wished to accomplish later.
"My husband, you are so good." Mo Qingqiu was deeply moved by Yang Feilong's gentle words. She then actively sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his waist, and they began to kiss passionately.
Mo Qingqiu was very proactive, as if she wanted to consume Yang Feilong right there and then.
"Then, when we meet again in the Saint Realm, I will give myself to you!" Mo Qingqiu said passionately.
"En."
Days turned into weeks.
Mo Qingqiu's feeling of the impending heavenly tribulation grew stronger, reaching a point where she could ascend at any moment.
As for her clan, all necessary arrangements had been made.
The Nine-Tailed Fox clan no longer required Mo Qingqiu's sole protection. With six cultivators at the Integration Realm guarding them, it was almost as strong as when Mo Qingqiu was alone.
Moreover, with more individuals, they could spare one or two to remain within the clan while the others led the clan members out to gain experience and temper themselves in various places.
The Star Sea and Flying Cloud Empires had also declared a ceasefire with the Demon Moon Empire. They had no choice but to cease hostilities as the lost territories of the Wei La Empire had been fully recaptured. Their prolonged conflicts had resulted in immense losses for the three empires.
Now, cultivators at the Integration Realm were emerging in the Wei La Empire like mushrooms after a spring rain, their numbers even comparable to the combined strength of the three empires. It was a stark contrast, considering the Wei La Empire had lost many Integration Realm cultivators previously.
The three empires had also suffered significant losses. Now, even combined, they barely outnumbered the Wei La Empire, a situation that was incredibly frustrating.