Chapter 500 - 249: Entering the Poison Cave, Refining the Gu King

Chapter 500: Chapter 249: Entering the Poison Cave, Refining the Gu King

Seeing this, Chen Sheng unhesitatingly forced three drops of crimson essence blood from his fingertip.

The essence blood left his body, but instead of falling, it hovered above his fingertip. As he continued to form the Seal Techniques, the surface of the blood was rapidly etched with a series of minuscule, esoteric sigils, causing it to emit a peculiar ripple of energy.

"Go!"

Chen Sheng flicked his finger. The three drops of essence blood, now bearing the brand of the Secret Technique, transformed into three streaks of blood and shot precisely into the body of the Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada.

PHUT, PHUT, PHUT.

With each drop it absorbed, the entire body of the Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada flared with a halo of crimson light.

Its quivering cry changed as well, shifting from a sharp shriek of resistance to a low hum, tinged with a hint of unwilling resignation.

Chen Sheng could clearly feel that a preliminary, yet tangible, connection had been established between him and the Golden Cicada.

Of course, this only laid the foundation of the bond. In the future, it would require long-term nurturing and refinement with his essence blood and Secret Techniques before he could truly control it as an extension of himself, their minds perfectly in sync.

HUM...

The humming gradually faded.

The Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada circled a few times in the air, trailing streams of Golden Light, before slowly descending. It landed quietly on the back of Chen Sheng’s outstretched hand, looking like an exquisite golden tattoo.

Yet through their nascent connection, it still conveyed a distinct craving for his vital energy and blood.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Sheng decided to house it temporarily within his arm.

He immediately straightened his fingers like a blade and made a light cut on the inside of his left arm, opening an inch-long wound.

The Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada on the back of his hand folded its golden wings slightly. Its body abruptly transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the wound.

A flash of Golden Light glinted on the surface of his skin before disappearing. The wound healed just as quickly, leaving only a faint, golden, cicada-shaped mark.

The creature seemed to have fallen dormant, but Chen Sheng could clearly sense it inside his arm. The Golden Cicada had already begun to draw wisps of his vital energy and blood at a slow, steady pace.

At the same time, a strange, warm, and pure energy, tinged with the might of a dragon, flowed back from its body. It merged with his blood, subtly tempering his physique.

This was only the initial stage of their fusion, yet the effects were already so miraculous.

Seeing this, a genuine smile finally bloomed on Sun Yuzhi’s face, and she felt a surge of joy for Chen Sheng.

’All I need to do now is follow his example and tame the Phoenix Yin Gu King,’ she thought. ’Then Chen Sheng and I can perform the Dual Cultivation Technique. We’ll trigger the state where Yin and Yang Complement Each Other, the dragon and phoenix singing in harmony. The benefits we’ll gain then will be far greater than this.’

However, they waited for a full fifteen minutes.

The two of them even carefully ventured a little deeper into the cave. The scent of the Spirit-Attracting Liquid had long since dissipated, yet there was no other sign of activity.

Aside from the venomous insects still prostrated on the ground, too terrified to move, no other wondrous creature with such a majestic aura appeared.

The smile on Sun Yuzhi’s face gradually stiffened, turning to confusion, then darkening with a shadow of unease.

’The Dragon Yang Gu King has appeared, so where is its symbiotic partner, the Phoenix Yin Gu King?’

A sense of restless anxiety began to creep into her heart.

Chen Sheng saw the change in her expression and knew he couldn’t stall any longer. He sighed inwardly and spoke.

"When I was taming the Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada just now, I tried to use it to sense the other Gu King’s presence, but... I got no response at all."

Chen Sheng’s tone was grave as he delivered his prepared excuse.

"From the looks of it, there are only two possibilities. One, the Phoenix Yin Gu King has already perished. Two... someone may have already beaten us to it and tamed it."

Sun Yuzhi’s face paled, and she bit her lower lip.

Her worst fears seemed to be coming true.

After a moment of silence, Sun Yuzhi looked up at Chen Sheng, her eyes filled with deep worry.

"Without the Phoenix Yin Gu King, the Yin and Yang will be unbalanced. It’ll be impossible to truly activate the Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada’s miraculous abilities, let alone gain the benefits of dual cultivation... What are we going to do?"

Even now, her first thoughts were still for Chen Sheng.

A warmth spread through Chen Sheng’s heart. He reached out and gently patted the back of her hand, comforting her in a soft voice.

"Even without the Phoenix Yin Gu King, this Dragon-Singing Celestial Cicada is an incredibly rare treasure in its own right. It’s already a huge boon to me, so don’t worry too much."

After a brief pause, Chen Sheng continued.

"This whole thing is strange. I’ll find an opportunity to sound out Lady Lan, see if the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect has paid any special attention to this cave or these kinds of wondrous creatures in recent years. We might find some clues."

Of course, Chen Sheng couldn’t reveal the entire truth, as it involved his greatest secret—the Celestial Book of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil.

He could only use this as an excuse, a way to guide Sun Yuzhi toward the answer naturally.

Sun Yuzhi knew Chen Sheng’s suggestion was the most viable path forward. Though her heart was filled with reluctance, she could only nod helplessly, the worry still etched on her brow.

"I... I suppose that’s all we can do. I just hope there’s still a chance..."

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