Immortal of the Ages
Chapter 468: Three Times Again?

After a diligent search, Yun Xiao concluded with a slight curl at the corners of his mouth. Lian Xi, clutching at her clothing, nestled within his embrace, her face flushed a deep crimson, utterly bewildering in her allure. Her mind went blank, overwhelmed by the situation.

After all, a host of elders stood right behind her...

And yet, he dared to recklessly count the small creatures nestled within his embrace at such a moment!

"Aha, you silver thief, I'll bite you to death!" A fluffy white kitten, no larger than a palm, was pulled out by Yun Xiao. More precisely, it had bitten and clawed onto his hand, dragged out amidst a display of tiny, bloody punctures and crimson trails it left behind.

"I'll bite you to death!" it screamed, glaring at Yun Xiao with fierce, menacing eyes, yet its tiny form, a mere ball of snow-white fur, only added to its charm, no matter how ferocious it tried to appear.

"Eh?" Yun Xiao, still holding Lian Xi, pinched the little creature's cheek, curiously inquiring, "Little Xi, where did this kitten come from? It's too adorable."

"I am a tiger!" the little white cat snarled.

Yun Xiao flipped it over, spreading its legs, laughing, "Oh, a female."

"Ah! Pervert, scoundrel, die!" The little white cat, feeling utterly disgraced, fluffed up its fur in anger, tears nearly spilling from its eyes.

"Y-you can't do this, it's too rude!" Lian Xi quickly snatched the kitten back, muttering, "It's my companion; I've... I've been raising it for a long time!"

"A long time? How come I've never seen it before?" Yun Xiao asked with a smile.

"It... it likes to wander off. It's been gone for a few days," Lian Xi earnestly replied.

"Oh? Is that so? After all, we've only known each other for a few days." Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow, looking again at the little white cat baring its teeth at him, then asked softly, "What's its name?"

"Pomelo," Lian Xi answered directly.

"Pomelo?" Yun Xiao's gaze shifted slightly, "You named it?"

"Yeah, does it sound bad?" Lian Xi lowered her head, still feeling a bit feverish.

"It sounds wonderful!" Yun Xiao stood behind her, his chin resting on Lian Xi's shoulder, looking down through the gap in her dress at the three small mounds, he asked the little white cat, "Pomelo, do you recognize me?"

"Of course, I recognize you! A villainous scoundrel who commits every sin under the sun, a murderer as common as grass, the very embodiment of trash! You dare bully Lil Xi, may you face the curse of having no descendants to carry on your name!" declared the little white cat fiercely.

"Oh?" Yun Xiao's thoughts flickered, and he pulled a small black creature from his embrace, asking, "And do you recognize this one?"

The little white cat's pupils dilated dramatically as it leaped back, shocked, "What in the heavens is this ugly thing?"

"Shut your mouth," Blue Star sneered.

"Spout nonsense again, and I'll devour you!" Red Moon glared.

"Come at me then, you ugly beast," the little white cat retorted angrily.

"Enough, this doesn't concern you anymore," Yun Xiao said as he tucked the small black creature back, then turned his attention back to the snarling little white cat.

He pondered, "It recognizes me because it saw me slay the Mystic Earth Immortal, but it does not recognize Blue Star or Red Moon. Does this mean it has no connection with the Pomelo of the Heavenly Realm's Primordial Bell? At least, there's no inherited memory?"

Yun Xiao speculated but couldn't be certain his guess was entirely accurate. More observation was needed.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly pinched Lian Xi's cheek, asking with a light laugh, "Little Xi, if I'm not mistaken, this must be the Primordial Pagoda, right?"

Startled by his sudden guess, Lian Xi stammered, "H-how did you know?"

"Just a guess," Yun Xiao looked at her with a slight surprise, "So, you did succeed in merging with the Primordial Pagoda?"

"Sort of..." Lian Xi replied, her gaze lowered.

"What do you mean by 'sort of'?" asked Yun Xiao.

"If the Mystic Earth Immortal had arrived a bit later, giving me time to recover, I wouldn't have been so defenseless at that moment," Lian Xi recalled regretfully.

She was supposed to be the hope for everyone, yet due to a slight misstep, she found herself in a dire situation!

Thankfully, Yun Xiao turned the tide, granting her a chance.

"So, your safety is assured moving forward?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"As I continue to integrate and assimilate the essence of the Pagoda, there shouldn't be a problem. Pomelo said there would be a significant leap forward," Lian Xi's eyes brightened as she spoke of her future prospects.

"That's good to hear," Yun Xiao nodded, then added, "But, you were planning to keep this from me?"

"I… I was wrong," Lian Xi said, her voice tinged with guilt.

"It's not your fault, surely this little kitten told you not to say anything," Yun Xiao caressed her cheek.

"I am a mighty tiger!" Pomelo bared her teeth once more.

Yun Xiao chuckled at it, then provocatively stated, "Lil Xi is mine; you can't take her away."

"Ugh! Shameless!" Pomelo retched.

Yun Xiao found that despite her ferocity, she was somehow more adorable than the white tiger from before.

In the vast expanse of the Heavenly Realm, where the Primordial Bell and the Primordial Pagoda stood as symbols of untold power, a revelation came to light. Both were manifestations of a white tiger named Pomelo, stirring Yun Xiao's curiosity about their interconnectedness.

"Could their relationship be akin to that of Chen Xi and Lian Xi?" he mused, considering the bond between the two incarnations of Pomelo he had encountered.

Chen Xi, as Pomelo, had witnessed much by Yun Xiao's side, now residing with him in the guise of the Heavenly Realm's Primordial Bell.

With this thought, Yun Xiao found a semblance of peace.

"I... I think I'll return to Master's lotus platform," Lian Xi said, her cheeks painted with blushes of innocence, overwhelmed by Yun Xiao's imposing presence.

Knowing when to press and when to retreat, Yun Xiao, with a smile, agreed and escorted her to Dean Yu's lotus platform before swiftly departing, leaving a trail of light in his wake.

"To save you, he risked everything," Dean Yu remarked to her disciple, her smile tinged with a blend of admiration and envy. "In this world, you'd be hard-pressed to replace another so suited to you. Do not let him slip away, child."

The ideal Immortal partner, a match made in the ethereal realms, was rare and enviable.

"Common sayings hold, 'We envy the lovebirds and not the Immortals,' but you, being both, are truly enviable," Dean Yu added.

"Master, I need to rest for a while," Lian Xi replied, her lips quivering slightly as she took a seat, her demeanor shy.

The turmoil of the world seemed distant on the tranquil lotus platform.

"Lil Xi! Lil Xi! Great news!" Pomelo exclaimed, barely containing her excitement, whispering fervently from within her embrace.

"What is it?" Lian Xi inquired.

"You're about to strike it rich!" Pomelo vibrated with excitement.

"Rich? How so?" Lian Xi was puzzled.

"I scratched that detestable man and discovered something!" Pomelo's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"What did you replace on him?" Lian Xi asked, curiosity piqued.

"The power of the Primordial Martial Dao! And it's a Martial Furnace," Pomelo revealed.

"A Martial Furnace? How does he possess such a thing?" Lian Xi questioned.

"The Primordial Dao is the foremost among the Immortal Daos, widespread in its inheritance. His origins are mysterious, so it's not unusual he possesses such power. But to replace a Martial Furnace so pure and akin to yours is exceedingly rare in the mortal realm," Pomelo explained, its gaze cunning.

"Oh, but what does this have to do with becoming rich?" Lian Xi still didn't understand.

"The significance is immense! You cultivate with the Yin Furnace, and he possesses the Yang Furnace!"

After this revelation, Pomelo whispered eagerly into Lian Xi's ear, detailing a scheme that would enhance her powers through their union.

As Lian Xi absorbed Pomelo's plan, her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. "To take a fraction at first, then a third the second time, and finally, to consume his Yang Furnace entirely, creating a Primordial Yin-Yang Furnace and boosting my cultivation to surpass that of a Yang Immortal instantly?"

Muttering to herself, she then vehemently shook her head, "Pomelo, this won't do. I can't harm him."

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