The universe is comprised of six domains: the Cultivation Realm, the God Realm, the Immortal Realm, the Demon Realm, the Monster Realm, and the Buddha Realm. Every several hundred million years, a Great Calamity befalls these Six Realms. If the crisis is weathered, a new eon begins; if not, the Six Realms perish, returning to the primordial chaos.
Each Great Calamity requires at least one Ancient God to enter the cycle of reincarnation to face the tribulation. This time, it was the Snow Goddess who had reincarnated. To ensure she could successfully navigate the tribulation, most of the gods and divine guards of the Snow God Palace had also chosen to be reborn, leaving only a small fraction behind in the God Realm as reinforcements.
Originally, as the Patriarch of the Celestial Fox Clan, Bai Haoran had no need to undergo reincarnation. However, he could not let her go. More importantly, he desired her, and thus he followed her into the cycle of rebirth without a second thought.
Moreover, he understood deeply that if she failed to overcome the tribulation, only destruction awaited her. Disaster would consume the Six Realms, and under the weight of such a cataclysm, how could the Celestial Fox Clan hope to remain unscathed?
*Since you have already entered the cycle, then in this life, I shall be the one to protect you. We shall face the tribulation together. Even if we fail, I will gladly accompany you into oblivion!* Li Haoran gazed longingly at Li Xue by the lakeside, his eyes soft yet resolute.
Sensing his gaze, Li Xue looked up. Bathed in the morning sun, Li Haoran’s silhouette stretched long across the ground. He seemed brimming with vitality and vigor, and that steadfast look in his eyes felt as eternal and unchanging as the natural laws of the Dao.
Li Xue broke into a radiant smile and walked toward him. This was the first time she had taken the initiative. Perhaps it was the illusory quality of the morning light, perhaps she was moved by his unwavering resolve, or perhaps his devoted gaze had stirred her soul.
Whatever the reason, Li Xue found herself drawn to him as if by some divine providence. Li Haoran reached out just in time to catch her hand. Together, they walked through the grasslands and the forests, hand in hand. Their hearts were peaceful, comfortable, and content. Who was to say that affection required grand gestures? Li Xue felt that this was enough. Li Haoran felt the same; this moment alone was sufficient for him to cherish for a lifetime.
Li Xue and Li Lin’s cultivations had yet to break through to the Mahayana Stage. They had used the Yin-Yang Creation Formation to reach the late stage of the Tribulation Transcendence Realm, but reaching the Mahayana Stage required further worldly experience. Li Haoran, however, could wait no longer; he had already reached the threshold of ascension.
"If you do not wish to ascend yet, I have a secret technique that can suppress your cultivation," Jin Sang told Li Haoran.
"There is no need. It is time I went to the Immortal Realm to find those fellows," Li Haoran said, looking up at the sky.
"As you wish," Jin Sang replied helplessly.
Five-colored auspicious clouds began to drift across the sky—the celestial omen of ascension. The Golden Light of Guidance was imminent.
Li Haoran looked at Li Xue and Li Lin with lingering affection, sighing with regret. "Alas, I have only just reunited with you, yet now I must ascend. I truly cannot bear to leave you."
Li Xue felt a twinge of sadness, but a part of her felt relieved. The longer she stayed with Li Haoran, the more "little gestures" he made, which she found difficult to get used to. She whispered in her heart: *Fly away, fly away, hurry up and ascend. I really don't want to fulfill any 'marital duties' right now!*
Li Lin looked at his father with great reluctance. "Father, I will take you as my example!"
Li Haoran gave Li Xue one last soulful look. "I will wait for you in the Immortal Realm!"
Li Xue grumbled inwardly: *It won't be that fast. You just wait; I probably won't ascend for another thousand years!*
Li Lin nodded firmly. "Father, I will cultivate hard and strive to ascend as soon as possible!"
At that moment, the Golden Light of Guidance poured down, bathing Li Haoran’s body. Ethereal immortal music drifted through the air, and the entire Dream Realm was enveloped in sacred light and celestial melodies.
Standing within the pillar of light, Li Haoran took one last deep look at Li Xue before saying to Li Lin, "Son, take good care of your mother!"
Li Lin nodded solemnly. "Father, rest assured. I will protect Mother well!"
Li Xue suddenly remembered something. She quickly pulled out the Bai family jade token and threw it toward Li Haoran, shouting, "This is the Bai family jade token! If you encounter any trouble, find Bai Sha Luo Tian and ask for his help!"
Li Haoran’s form grew increasingly transparent within the light. He smiled happily as he accepted the token, his heart filled with sweetness, until he vanished completely.
The sight of the ascension left a profound impression on everyone in the Dream Realm. Each of them gained new insights, which would prove beneficial to their future cultivation.
After Li Haoran’s departure, peace returned to the Dream Realm. With Jin Ling’s addition, the Dream Realm’s area continued to expand, and its spiritual energy became increasingly refined. Centered around the valley’s great lake, the realm now spanned a radius of several thousand meters.
Rolling mountain peaks were shrouded in spiritual mist, lush with exotic trees and rare grasses. The spirit herb fields emitted a refreshing medicinal fragrance. A great river wound its way through the landscape, its surface occasionally shimmering with icy light as Ice Whale Beasts chased after Water Spirits in play. It was a picture of perfect harmony.
Li Xue curled up comfortably on a swing, her mind clear and open. It had been a long time since she had felt this relaxed. She had been in secluded cultivation for so long, yet even with the Creation Formation, she hadn't been able to break through.
Under Jin Sang’s organized arrangements, every person and beast in the Dream Realm was given one opportunity to enter the Creation Formation to raise their realm.
The first time one used the formation, the effects were most significant; subsequent attempts yielded negligible results. Li Xue and Li Lin were prime examples; after their initial jump to the late stage of Tribulation Transcendence, they made no further progress despite multiple attempts.
However, the Creation Formation possessed another function: it could facilitate the crossing of tribulations. Thus, it remained a truly heaven-defying existence.
After practicing within the formation, Ji Rufeng, Bai Xingyu, and Yun Mingxian advanced to the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm. Yu Ming and Dongfang Jing reached the late stage of the Deity Transformation Realm directly. As one of the masters of the Dream Realm, it was not unusual for Yu Ming to leap across realms through her insights into heaven and earth. What surprised everyone was Dongfang Jing; he had also skipped stages, and even Jin Sang couldn't explain why.
Dongfang Jing now walked through the Dream Realm with his head held high, strutting from one cave dwelling to another to show off. His smug, punchable expression left everyone speechless.
The divine beasts were even luckier. To those of divine lineage, the Creation Formation was an incredible tonic.
Hei Yan and Chi Ze stepped directly into the Ninth Rank, equivalent to the Mahayana Stage. Phoenix Yu and Li Xiaoyin reached the Eighth Rank, equivalent to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.
Bing Yan finally took human form and advanced to the Seventh Rank, equivalent to the Deity Transformation Stage. Lan Xi and Yin Sang had also reached the Transformation Stage.
Huan Xi, the Phantom Butterfly Envoy, entered the formation for secluded cultivation after being unsealed. Her strength recovered to the level of a Great God, making Jin Sang incredibly envious. He grumbled incessantly about his own poor luck for missing out.
Yun Xi’s realm jumped directly to that of a Common Immortal. Immortals were ranked as follows: Loose Immortals (those who failed their tribulation and cultivated as spirits; they remain in the Cultivation Realm and ascend after surviving nine tribulations every ten thousand years, with a Nine-Tribulation Loose Immortal being equal to a Golden Immortal), Common Immortals (those who ascend after a successful tribulation), Golden Immortals, Luo Tian High Immortals, Heavenly Lords, and Nascent Gods (immortals about to face the Divine Tribulation).
The sheer power of the lineup within the Dream Realm left Li Xue stunned. This was already enough to establish a sect and become a major power.
Jin Sang, however, curled his lip. "This is still far too weak. A single Heavenly God could wipe out the entire Dream Realm with one palm. Back in the day..."
"Alright, alright. The past is the past. We’ll take it one step at a time!" Li Xue quickly interrupted him. Li Haoran had been right about one thing: sometimes, Jin Sang really was quite talkative.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 六界 | Six Realms | Cultivation, God, Immortal, Demon, Monster, and Buddha Realms. |
| 天狐族 | Celestial Fox Clan | The clan led by Bai Haoran (Li Haoran). |
| 接引神光 | Golden Light of Guidance | The light that transports a cultivator to a higher realm during ascension. |
| 散仙 | Loose Immortal | A cultivator who failed their physical tribulation but survived as a soul. |
| 繁仙 | Common Immortal | The first rank of immortal after ascending from the mortal realm. |
| 金仙 | Golden Immortal | A mid-tier rank in the immortal hierarchy. |
| 罗天上仙 | Luo Tian High Immortal | A high-tier rank in the immortal hierarchy. |
| 天君 | Heavenly Lord | A very high rank, below the level of gods. |
| 初神 | Nascent God | An immortal on the verge of becoming a god. |
| 冰鲸兽 | Ice Whale Beast | A type of spirit beast found in the Dream Realm. |
| 水灵 | Water Spirit | Elemental spirits living in the waters of the Dream Realm. |
| 幻蝶使 | Phantom Butterfly Envoy | Huan Xi's title/role. |
| 白煞罗天 | Bai Sha Luo Tian | A figure mentioned by Li Xue, presumably a powerful contact in the higher realms. |
