When Soluna didn't hear the words of rejection she was expecting, her eyes flew open as she gathered her courage and looked up at the giant dragon head looming over her body.
'She didn't reject me?' Soluna had to ask in her head because the situation felt unreal. 'O-OH! SHE DIDN'T REJECT ME!'
Yasenia was going to speak further, but she saw Soluna, quite literally, burst into a pillar of flames.
WHOOSH!
The golden and silvery pillar that shot skywards left the dragoness speechless. 'I-Is she that excited?'
She moved the tip of one of her enormous claws, which were around 15 meters long, and poked the flaming spirit. "Soluna, relax a bit." Yasenia laughed. "You are going to melt our surroundings."
Soluna snapped out of her excited state, but her body kept swirling with flames. Thankfully, she wasn't spewing them out in a massive pillar like before. "I-I've relaxed, Yasenia!"
The dragoness really wanted to tell her that she didn't, but with the possibility of those words making the Spirit lose control again, she held them back. Instead, she said. "Wait a second, Soluna, I want to change back to my human form. While I like being in my dragon form, it is a bit inconvenient to move around the sect."
Soluna nodded a few times. "A-After all, if mortals see your majestic body for too long, they might die of a heart attack!"
Yasenia, thankfully, was a four-legged creature, or she would've probably tripped after hearing that comment. 'Ah… Whatever, let's not correct her.'
Before she transformed, Tatyana floated in front of her face and spoke. "When you are transforming back, if you follow the same process as you did before, you will become a lot taller. So, focus on your form quite a lot unless you want to become a 3-meter tall woman, hahaha."
The dragoness blinked and imagined herself cradling all of her dears as if they were cute children. She couldn't help but feel tempted to become that large.
However, Tatyana, who knew her little treasure well, warned. "Everything is proportional. Unless you want to break them in half at night, I recommend maintaining your previous height."
Yasenia's mind went toward the night action situation, and her lips twitched. 'I would kill them… Too big!'
Convinced by Tatyana, she decided to be careful and keep her usual height. The dragon closed her eyes and began gathering energy.
A powerful hurricane of energies surrounded Yasenia as she began absorbing energy to change back into her humanoid body. The energy quantity she was absorbing for the process was ridiculously high.
It was to the point that the energy density in the sect noticeably decreased. While the change was not large, high-level cultivators were able to feel it, which brought about another round of surprise.
Amidst the hurricane of energies, Yasenia's body shrunk and she transformed back into her humanoid form.
As she decreased in size, she regained her human features. Her limbs changed, her scales slowly melted into skin, and her wings gently folded into her. Everything was gradually but constantly changing.
As it was the first time she transformed back, Yasenia was careful and took her time.
Around ten minutes later, the seductive and curvaceous dragoness appeared, wearing her usual seductive blue dress with empyrean images etched on it. Her beauty, as she had increased her realm, increased in not a physical, but more in an ethereal manner.
Her eyes appeared to radiate light, and her skin looked as if it was made of the finest silk. The body's enthralling aura was even more enchanting, giving her an otherworldly beauty that could charm mortal men and women with a single glance.
By now, Yasenia's appearance had crossed the limits of mortal appearances, entering the realm of fairies.
Tatyana looked at Yasenia with a raised eyebrow. While she expected her looks to improve once she entered the Dantian Spiritualization Realm, even she was surprised. 'Ho~, my little treasure is a true beauty now. Other than her cultivation, I can't really feel any mortal defects on her.'
The dragoness's profound and charming golden eyes gently moved, looking at Tatyana. The gaze filled with mystique and love actually made Tatyana's heart skip a beat. 'Oh dear, this is bad.'
Yasenia smiled, making the world around her look dim, and laughed. "I've managed to do it, Tatyana. I beat the tribulation."
When the dragoness said those words, the realization that she actually did it hit her.
She finally defeated the terrifying tribulation that would've taken her life if not for Kali's Life Saving Pill. 'Ah… I really did it.'
Her heart surged with incomparable happiness and relief. A sense of liberation filled her, and the looming dark clouds that clouded her thoughts cleared. The world around her looked brighter, and the air she breathed felt cleaner.
The tribulation threat's pressure always pushed her to her limits, forcing her to take her steps as if she was walking on thin ice.
Now, she has beaten it.
Now, her strength has consolidated.
Overcoming the tribulation with all her paths at once was beneficial in more than one way.
When fighting the tribulation and breaking through all paths at once, those paths would faintly interlock with each other, creating a link between them.
This link was faint, and it didn't mean that the paths had fused. However, now, instead of three individual separate paths, Yasenia's cultivation was formed of three individual yet connected paths.
Looking at the energy swirling inside of her, the dragoness couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. The purity, amount, and strength radiating from her energy was incomparable to before.
Even if she fought ten of her previous selves, she would probably be able to beat them. 'My strength… It has grown so much…'
Yasenia opened her eyes and expanded her spiritual sense again, now with her mind much clearer and calmer.
The feeling of looking down at the world almost overwhelmed her. The strength she gained was insane.
This made her both joyous and worried. 'Have I left the girls too far behind already?'
While Yasenia was preparing for such a situation, she expected it to happen when crossing into the Transcendence Realm, where the advantages became much more noticeable.
Tatyana asked. "What's wrong?"
Yasenia lifted her gaze from looking at her fist and saw Tatyana's red eyes gently looking at her. She commented. "My strength… It's so high."
Tatyana nodded and agreed. "It is."
Yasenia was surprised. This time, there were no buts, Tatyana just admitted that Yasenia was strong.
These two words that carried certainty from Tatyana made Yasenia's heart tremble. "Am I strong?"
Tatyana nodded again, her face serious. "You are strong, Yasenia."
No matter what perspective you looked at Yasenia with, her strength was clearly abnormal. She had two powerful Level 5 intents, one exceptionally strong Level 6 intent, three cultivation paths, a peak-level Ancient bloodline, a unique energy and great control over it, a powerful Natural Treasure, and on top of all of that, she had a Transcendent Level weapon.
Yasenia's strength was sky-high for her current level and age, and no one could deny it as long as they were sincere.
Yasenia opened and closed her mouth, not knowing how to answer. Tatyana could understand Yasenia's feelings.
Although her little treasure had a long way to go, knowing that she was on the right path and that all her efforts and delaying had actually borne fruits must've felt overwhelming.
While Yasenia was still young—not even 60 years old—she had spent almost her entire life fighting and getting stronger. Her only rest was when she was either taking care of the sect or taking care of her harem. The time outside of that was spent getting stronger.
Tatyana looked at Soluna, who was looking from the side with a shy look and beckoned her. "Come closer, Soluna."
Yasenia looked sideways, and Soluna approached with tiny steps. Tatyana spoke. "In my opinion, I feel that you becoming her contracted spirit is a good thing. I'm not against it." Tatyana explained further. "The girls will probably not be against it as well."
Soluna's face brightened with happiness.
Tatyana continued. "However, you must have in mind one thing."
Soluna became serious and listened closely.
Tatyana looked at her and asked. "What do you think of Yasenia's tribulation?"
Soluna remembered the terrifying Lightning Soldiers and spoke. "Terrifying. I am still in disbelief that Yasenia managed to overcome it!" Soluna said excitedly. "S-She is super awesome!"
Hearing Yasenia laugh lightly at the side, Soluna became embarrassed.
Tatyana commented. "If you become her contracted spirit, you will face those tribulations as well."
Soluna blinked and looked at Tatyana with a serious face. "I know."
Tatyana nodded. "I know you know." Tatyana laughed. "You are fifty times older than Yasenia, so I know you are not ignorant." Then, she said with a severe tone. "However, that's not all. After entering in contact with Yasenia, you will most likely change. Contracted creatures are affected not only by their owners' destiny and fate, but by their energy as well."
Tatyana looked at Soluna's body and said. "You are a Sun and Moon spirit that has managed to gain certain control over these opposite elements. However, inside Yasenia, there are Moon, Sun, and Star elements. So, making a contract has two paths for you as a spirit."
Tatyana lifted one finger. "First option, you become her contracted spirit but don't fully connect with her. This option will limit the influence Yasenia has on you. You will become someone like Sierra or Ebirah."
Soluna asked. "What's the other option?"
Tatyana lifted her other finger with a smile. "You are a spirit. A being created by pure energy. Hence, you have a second option that beasts don't have when entering contracts with the masters. You can assimilate Yasenia's energy and create a connection with her at a deep level."
Soluna tilted her head. "And what's wrong with that?"
Tatyana pointed at Yasenia's navel, or well, dantian area, and spoke. "Inside there, there is Celestial Energy and a powerful Natural Treasure that is tightly connected with the Celestial Energy." Tatyana's lips arched further. "If you connect deeply, those two things looking at you as if you were a snack is not completely out of the question."
Soluna froze, and even Yasenia was surprised. Tatyana laughed. "So, there is a chance that you might be devoured once you try to make a contract with Yasenia at a deep level. If you fail to make your presence known and create a space inside her convoluted Dantian for yourself…" Tatyana's laugh became chilling. "You will die."
The dragoness listened from the side, not interrupting. This was an important decision for Soluna, after all. Without enough resolve to accept such risks, becoming a basically eternal companion was nothing but a pipe dream. She could give words of encouragement, telling her that she would fight for her and try to control her energies, but she didn't. Instead, she kept an indifferent face and looked at Soluna as Tatyana explained the situation.
Tatyana commented. "I know spirits don't usually die. They just become energy and return to their surroundings when they are defeated. With time, they can even reform. You are practically immortal creatures as long as someone doesn't actually aim to finish you off." Tatyana poked Yasenia's navel a few times. "But in here… If you die, that's it. Your conscience, soul, energy, and everything will be absorbed."
Tatyana grinned. "Of course, I won't stop that, as absorbing a spirit of your quality is quite nutritious for Yasenia. You would become her strength regardless of whether the contract is successful or not."
Soluna looked at Yasenia's stomach and couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
*****************************************************************
Author: Hohoho, what will Soluna choose~?
Andrea: It is indeed a dangerous situation.
Kali: What would you girls do? Would you risk it?
Evelyn: I actually wouldn't. After all, the things inside Yasenia's Dantian are ridiculous entities. I'm not entering there to be eaten!
Andrea: Hahaha. Well, so much for loving her.
Evelyn: *Rolling her eyes* Would you do it?
Andrea: Hahaha, nop.
Evelyn: …
Cecile: I would.
Angel: I also would! Hehehe.
Kali: I'm not sure, to be honest.
Yasenia: No need to care about it, dears. So, author, who is today's guest?
Author: Hmm… Let me see…
Author: Ah, I know. I summon you!
Andrew Miles: Hello~.
Kali: It's been a while. Welcome back.
Andrew Miles: Thank you, Kali.
Andrew Miles: So, Tatyana, a question for you.
Tatyana: Sure, ask away.
Andrew Miles: Tatyana, what kind of information or knowledge from either Distancia or the Lost Town Secret Realm have you sent back to the Sky Continent?
Tatyana: That's an interesting question. Well, I've sent back all the Body Cultivation manuals we've discovered and also the formations Angel discovered in Lost Town. They are exceptionally well-crafted formations to create imaginary lands and tests.
Tatyana: Other than that, I've sent information about the people who arrived and tasked a group with finding their original worlds.
Andrew Miles: And if they find them…?
Tatyana: *Smiles*
Tatyana: Although, I actually have an idea about the Undead Race's world.
Tatyana: *Thoughtful* If I'm not wrong, they should be ***** *** **** ********
Tatyana: …
Author: Hehe, that's a spoiler~.
Tatyana: Sigh, whatever.
Andrew Miles: … Ugh.
Author: Hohohoho. Anyway, that's all for today. Thank you for reading, dear. See you tomorrow!
The Girls: Bye-bye~.
Proofreader Sarah: Hope you have a good day and hopefully we'll see each other again soon!
Proofreader Ayan: Far too wholesome~. Hmph~.