The white Lihuo instantly surged into Xiyang's body, and the red flames surrounding the pair were instantly ignited by the pale Cangyan, turning a ghostly white. The temperature inside the cave soared, even causing the stone bed beneath them, which had been tempered by the Heart of the Earth's flames for countless years, to show signs of melting.

Yet, as this Lihuo entered her, Xiyang’s body trembled violently. Both were now unconscious, their actions driven almost entirely by instinct. They clung to each other tightly as the white Lihuo continuously refined Xiyang's physical form. Occasionally, a small amount of Lihuo was drawn into Ye Jingyu’s Fiery Aperture, causing the crimson mist within to surge madly. The surrounding Fire Elemental Energy rushed violently into his body, coupled with the massive influx of pure, innate Fire Elemental Power erupting from Xiyang, causing Ye Jingyu’s cultivation level to skyrocket.

As the Lihuo relentlessly burned and remolded Xiyang's body, her cultivation increased even faster, instantly propelling her to the peak of the Ninth Heaven Realm.

It was at this precise moment that Ye Jingyu's body spasmed, and his primordial Yuanyang shot directly into Xiyang.

Ye Jingyu possessed the Chaos Physique, and this Yuanyang, transformed from his vital essence, naturally contained the most primitive Chaos Force—a power significantly superior to innate forces.

One had to remember that the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque) was an innate being, generated within the Chaos itself. The first generation Vermilion Bird contained a trace of Chaos Force within its body, but as the bloodline diluted over generations, this Chaos Force grew fainter, causing the ancestral divine beast, the Vermilion Bird, to decline with each successive era. However, Ye Jingyu's infusion of Chaos Force was sufficient to bring about a monumental change in Xiyang’s fundamental nature. As long as she continued to cultivate, she was bound to eventually reach the level of the first-generation Vermilion Bird, perhaps even surpassing it.

With the entry of this Yuanyang, Xiyang’s body shuddered once more, and a surge of intensely hot energy flooded into Ye Jingyu’s body, rushing directly into his Fiery Aperture. Instantly, the sound of phoenix cries echoed, and a fiery bird shape, resembling a Vermilion Bird, faintly manifested within Ye Jingyu’s aperture.

Xiyang’s body slowly began to rise. The entirety of the white Lihuo sank into her form. Streaks of red light erupted from within her, gradually coalescing into a colossal luminous barrier that enveloped her completely.

Viewed from a distance, she resembled an egg, finally solidifying into a massive, glowing red orb that settled exactly where the Lihuo had been spouting from.

The moment she emerged from this red sphere of light would mark the instant her power ascended to the Celestial Immortal, or Venerable (Zun) Realm.

As for Ye Jingyu, still lying on the stone bed, his body was also undergoing transformation. He possessed the Chaos Physique, a body far superior to the Innate Physique; however, this physical form was still incomplete. As the surrounding Fire Elemental Energy continued to temper him and the Fire Elemental Aperture condensed its energy, Ye Jingyu’s physical body grew progressively stronger. Notably, after the power emanating from Xiyang flowed into his body, the Golden Core within his Fiery Aperture began to show distinct signs of formation.

Yet, he remained deeply asleep. If he could awaken at this juncture, he could fully command his internal strength to absorb the surrounding dense Fire Elemental Energy and complete the forging of his Golden Core. Alas, in his current state, he remained oblivious to it all.

The cave fell silent. Ye Jingyu lay still, while the sphere of light surrounding Xiyang ceaselessly absorbed ambient energy, converting it into the purest Fire Origin Power delivered into her core, slowly accumulating strength for her metamorphosis.

A full seven days passed before Ye Jingyu stirred awake from his stupor.

Opening his eyes, he found himself completely naked, sprawled upon the stone bed. The bed, however, was distorted, and his own body radiated a faint crimson hue, as if composed of flickering flames. A faint tattoo now adorned his chest—a mark resembling a Vermilion Bird.

A scan with his divine sense revealed that within his Fiery Aperture resided a life form—one incredibly weak yet possessing immense potential.

A Vermilion Bird? Could that truly be the Zhuque? Ye Jingyu’s heart seized with shock. He glanced around the surroundings and found no trace of Xiyang.

What had happened? Why this outcome? Where was Xiyang? Had she vanished? Was that Vermilion Bird entity her?

Panic tightened in Ye Jingyu’s chest. He desperately did not want Xiyang to have sacrificed her life to save him, only to transform into a literal Vermilion Bird.

“Brother Ye, thank you. Thank you for helping me complete my coming-of-age ritual. From now on, Xixi belongs to you, so don’t you dare disappoint Xixi, okay? Xixi now needs three years. In three years, Xixi will have completely digested the Lihuo left by Mother. By then, Xixi will definitely come find Brother Ye…” Seemingly sensing Ye Jingyu’s distress, a subtle divine thought was transmitted from within the red sphere of light.

Ye Jingyu froze. Coming-of-age ritual? What coming-of-age ritual was this? Hadn't she mentioned absorbing that mass of Lihuo upon reaching adulthood? Did she mean the transition from girl to woman?

Seeing that no one else could possibly have entered this area, memories of the intense pleasure from his dream involuntarily flooded his mind, and he instantly grasped what had transpired.

Feeling the changes within his Fiery Aperture, sensing the near-completion of his Fire Golden Core, a maelstrom of emotions—frustration mixed with elation—swelled within him.

Frustrated that he hadn't escaped Xiyang's clutches after all, yet thrilled that his power had increased by a massive margin.

“Alas, I, Young Master Ye, famous throughout my life, have now suffered a blow to my reputation. I… I… how am I supposed to face Ling'er?” Shaking his head, and looking again at Xiyang enveloped in the red light, Ye Jingyu sighed heavily.

He was hardly an ascetic. He never complained about what had already occurred, nor did he harbor resentment. After all, she was an untainted maiden; if she didn't complain, what right did he have?

As for Ling'er, he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

Three years later, she would reach the Venerable Realm. He needed to work harder too, lest he be surpassed by his own woman!

His clothes had long been incinerated by the intense heat. Only the War Soul Divine Armor remained hanging nearby. Grabbing it and slipping it on, he prepared to leave the cave, only to notice a large, pitch-black seal resting on a flat stone.