Innate Sword Body.
The Origin Sword Qi within this body was exceedingly precious. It represented the Source of Ten Thousand Swords, the very Origin of the Sword Dao.
Just as Yang Xiao's Heaven and Earth Origin Fire reigned supreme among all flames, the Origin Sword Qi of an Innate Sword Body reigned supreme among all Sword Qi.
At this moment, as this Origin Sword Qi fused with Yang Xiao's True Greater Yang Fire, his own flames began to coalesce, taking on the faint outlines of Sword Qi.
It felt as if his True Greater Yang Fire, which had once been like raw ore or grains of sand, was now subtly being forged into sharp, deadly swords.
Its destructive power had increased dramatically.
This was also, of course, of immense benefit to Yang Xiao's comprehension of the Sword Dao.
Yang Xiao even had a faint feeling that his Sword Dao would soon allow him to comprehend a second move.
Of course, the benefits Xue Yi received were also significant.
Divine Intent Fusion was the most important cultivation method for Dao partners precisely because it benefited both parties. As it absorbed Xue Yi's Origin Sword Qi, Yang Xiao's True Greater Yang Fire gradually took on the properties of Sword Qi, growing even stronger.
Meanwhile, Xue Yi's Origin Sword Qi, tempered by the True Greater Yang Fire, became increasingly powerful and pure.
Its lethality became more astonishing, and it also took on a terrifying trace of the Supreme Yang Flame's aura.
It was truly terrifying.
What was even more profound was that as the Origin Sword Qi became more terrifyingly powerful, it would, in turn, imbue Yang Xiao's True Greater Yang Fire with even more Sword Qi.
This created a feedback loop.
You refine me.
I refine you.
The two fused together.
Advancing as one.
Gradually, both Yang Xiao's True Greater Yang Fire and Xue Yi's Origin Sword Qi made tremendous progress.
The difference was so fundamental that they were like entirely new substances compared to before their auras and Divine Intents had merged.
Even the worldly and experienced Yang Xiao couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
'No wonder so many great figures in Ancient Times and the Ancient Era liked to keep women with special physiques to cultivate with. Looking back now, I was far too shortsighted in my previous two lives.'
Yang Xiao suddenly understood.
He had held a great deal of prejudice against the method of fusing auras.
In the past, he had also cultivated indiscriminately with others.
But he had never carefully sought out his partners, especially during his first life.
The people he cultivated with were unremarkable in both physique and strength.
The results were ultimately negligible.
He even often ended up just being a stepping stone for his partners.
As a result, many female living beings—and even some *maternal* living beings—saw him as a juicy piece of meat.
They were all dying to take a bite out of him.
This had left Yang Xiao with some psychological scars.
Therefore, for a long time afterward, he hadn't sought another cultivation partner.
Until he met Chang Xi.
The first Undying Fire Phoenix between Heaven and Earth.
Also born a god.
One of the Supreme Divine Beasts.
Although the Immortal Phoenix Fire in her body was not as great as the Heaven and Earth Origin Fire, it was incredibly noble and contained the characteristic of immortality, allowing for rebirth through nirvana.
As long as a single wisp of her flame remained unextinguished, she could reform her body.
It was a profound ability.
In his second life, Yang Xiao had detonated his Divine Format and used the power of an Unparalleled Divine Pill to escape with a sliver of life.
His ability to survive for a million years in the Void Dark Realm without perishing was not only because he had once reached the Divine King Peak, but also, in large part, because of Chang Xi.
The few times their auras had fused had allowed his Heaven and Earth Origin Flame to develop a trace of an undying, indestructible characteristic.
Otherwise, over those million years, even if his Divine Soul could remain intact, his Heaven and Earth Origin Fire would have long since been extinguished after its power was depleted.
'But at the time, I thought that cultivating with Chang Xi was beneficial because her strength was comparable to my own, not because of her special physique.'
Thus, Yang Xiao had always been unwilling to cultivate with anyone weaker than himself.
This remained true even in his second life, when he tried to undo the Seal on his body. Unfortunately, that Seal was so terrifying that he couldn't even generate an aura, let alone achieve any results. It was completely useless.
Naturally, he never discovered this fact.
Later, when his aura fused with Yue Lingxi's, Yang Xiao felt his True Greater Yang Fire change, becoming more rounded and imbued with a hint of softness.
But he still didn't think it was because of her physique.
He just thought it was because Yue Lingxi was powerful.
He still hadn't realized the truth.
But now, cultivating with Xue Yi made him understand completely.
It had nothing to do with strength. It was all about the physique.
Xue Yi's strength was not weak.
However, her actual cultivation was very low. Her combat prowess was built entirely on her comprehension of the Sword Dao and her use of the Origin Sword Qi within her body.
Truth be told, she had never formally cultivated at all.
It was only because of the Evil Sword formed from the Bloodthirsty Celestial Cyan that she had gradually gained the ability to control her Origin Sword Qi.
Her strength was considerable, but her cultivation was shallow.
And yet, Yang Xiao's True Greater Yang Fire had undergone such a massive transformation.
This brought him to a realization.
At the same time, a story couldn't help but flash through his mind.
It wasn't about just anyone. It was the story of his cousin, the Xuanyuan Sword Emperor, one of the Five Emperors of the Ancient Human Race.
The story told that the Xuanyuan Sword Emperor was fond of taking Dao partners and had once cultivated with ten thousand women in a single night. In the end, he broke through his bottleneck and achieved the rank of Divine King.
He had laid the foundation of the Ten Thousand Dao.
Afterward, he contemplated the sword for a hundred years and then shattered the barrier with a single strike, attaining the status of Dao Attainment Emperor.
He became the last Great Emperor of the Ancient Times.
At the time, Yang Xiao had read it and dismissed it as a joke.
But now, he had an epiphany.
'Perhaps that story about cultivating with ten thousand women isn't false after all. And those ten thousand women... I bet not a single one had a poor physique. They were probably at least Ultimate Spirit Bodies, or perhaps even Treasure Bodies and above. There must have been quite a few Dao Bodies among them for Cousin Xuanyuan to achieve such a feat.'
To lay his Dao Foundation in a single stroke.
That was absolutely an act of defying the heavens and changing one's fate.
However, what Xuanyuan had done was not something Yang Xiao intended to do.
Besides, now that he understood that physique was the key to fusing auras and cultivating with a Dao partner, Yang Xiao felt even more strongly that quantity was merely a last resort. Quality was what truly mattered.
Take the Innate Sword Body before him, for example.
A single fusion of auras with her was probably more effective than with ten thousand ordinary Sword Spirit Bodies.
Similarly, regarding Yun'Er's Holy Spirit Body, Yang Xiao couldn't help but start making some plans.
'I should at least wait until that girl has cultivated a Five Elements Treasure Body, or even transformed into a Five Elements Dao Body, before we cultivate together. The effects will be truly immense then.'
Yang Xiao's eyes suddenly lit up.
But just then, Xue Yi, who was right beside him, began to stir.
This startled Yang Xiao.
He immediately snapped back to his senses.
He looked over.
And his gaze met a pair of blood-red eyes.
'This is bad! She's waking up now? The most crucial step hasn't even begun...'
And at that very moment, a terrifying Sword Qi erupted from within Xue Yi's body.
"Die!"
A heaven-shaking roar escaped her lips.
The Origin Sword Qi that had just been intimately intertwined with the True Greater Yang Fire in Yang Xiao's body instantly turned hostile.
It surged toward Yang Xiao, who was just inches away.
Manifesting a fatal blow.
It was as if a gentle lover, with whom you had just been sharing a moment of tender passion, had suddenly turned on you, pulling a dagger from under the pillow to take your life.
The color drained from Yang Xiao's face instantly.