Chapter 223 - 221: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 223: Chapter 221: Dual Cultivation

For a moment, Ruan Chongli’s expression became exceedingly strange. He wanted to say something, but the sight of the elixir in his palm seemed to hold him back.

"Sigh. Junior Brother Chen, if you don’t go back, how will you report to the Master?"

Chen Qingyang said, "I was originally sent by Fulu Workshop to the Yong Kingdom to retrieve an Immortal Grass. Complications arose, which led me to Nine True Mountain to deliver a letter. Then I was given a temporary assignment by Master Qing He. Otherwise, I would never have ventured so deep into the Demon Sect’s heartland."

Ruan Chongli was stunned again. ’So, after all that, Master Qing He sent a temp for such an important mission?’ "I say, Junior Brother, why put yourself through this? Why insist on wandering around the Demon Sect Land? The world is vast. Can’t you go anywhere else?"

"I could, but a place like this Demon Sect Territory is a rare sight. Senior Brother Ruan, would you be willing to offer some guidance?"

"Sigh!" Ruan Chongli sighed, shaking his head again. "If you travel tens of thousands of miles southwest from here, you’ll reach Yu Xiao Mountain. That is the Demon Sect’s main headquarters. Needless to say, it’s incredibly dangerous. Junior Brother, you shouldn’t go there for your training."

"Our Tai Xu Sect uses the Circulation of Stars Demon Suppression Array to lock down a region of the world. The Yu Xiao Demon Sect does the same. Their array is called the Ten Thousand Souls Locking Profound Vault. The temples, divine statues, steles, altars, and so on that you’ve seen on your way here, Junior Brother, are all pillars of this array."

"This array is formidable and works on a similar principle to our Circulation of Stars Demon Suppression Array. Junior Brother Chen, remember this: do not get into fights. If you unleash your True Qi too powerfully, the array will lock onto you, and you will surely die. As for other things... there’s not much else to say."

Having said his piece, Ruan Chongli still couldn’t seem to let it go. "Junior Brother, this is no laughing matter. Did your master not give you any instructions? I urge you, you really shouldn’t go."

He spoke with the air of an elder trying to persuade a junior. Out of gratitude, Chen Qingyang presented him with another Qihuang Replenishing Truth Pill. "Senior Brother Ruan, please don’t worry. I will be careful. If I manage to learn anything about the Demon Sect, I will certainly come back to inform you."

Ruan Chongli accepted the elixir first. "Alright. Junior Brother, you could go take a look at True Demon Mountain, three thousand miles from here. It’s a Demon Cultivation Immortal Mansion, quite famous in this Demon Sect Territory. They call it the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Demons. Once you’ve seen it, you can count your training as done. Then, head back."

Chen Qingyang bowed with his hands clasped. "Thank you, Senior Brother Ruan. I heard you say just now that you have been investigating the Demon Sect’s Fuyuan Temples recently. Are there any Fuyuan Temples nearby? Could you point me in the right direction?"

Hearing this, Ruan Chongli couldn’t help but become suspicious. "Junior Brother, what are you...?"

"I’m heading in that direction anyway. If I happen to come across one, I’ll go take a look and see if I can get some information."

’No matter the task, foresight and possession of essential information are paramount.’

’For example, regarding the Demon Sect’s seven manors, ten kingdoms, and one palace—if he hadn’t met a man like Ruan Chongli, Chen Qingyang would have had an extremely difficult time learning about these things on his own.’

’Without that knowledge, he would be like a headless fly, unable to make proper judgments.’

Ruan Chongli thought for a moment. "Fine. The Fuyuan Temples were established by Netherworld Peak specifically to cultivate disciples for them. The highest cultivation level you’ll find there should be in the Fourth and Fifth Realms..."

At this, he looked Chen Qingyang over again. "In any case, Junior Brother, just be careful."

He took a piece of paper from his sleeve. Chen Qingyang took it and saw it was a map. On it were marked the general locations of cities, rivers, mountains, and the Fuyuan Temples. It even noted the highest cultivation level discovered at each Fuyuan Temple.

’This is fantastic! Those two Elixirs were well worth it. I can just use this map to go down the list and steal a whole bunch of Immortal Seedlings. Otherwise, how would I, all on my own, just happen to stumble upon a Demon Sect Disciple I could actually defeat?’

"...Just follow this direction, and you’ll reach True Demon Mountain. Be careful with everything. When you get back, you can come find me at Dingling Peak, and we can catch up."

"Very well. Thank you, Senior Brother."

...

「That night.」

He rested at the inn. A team from the Tai Xu Sect had already left, presumably for the Yong Kingdom. Another team left later, but their destination was unknown.

This kind of operation was always secret, and Ruan Chongli wouldn’t tell an "outsider" like him about it.

[Chen Qingyang]

[Essence Condensation Four Realms]

[Great Soul Scripture: (46/999,999)]

[Tai Xu Star Pivot Purple Micro True Skill (Spiritual Constellation Scroll): (23/20,000)]

[Danxia Nourishing Truth Sword Manual: (19,732/34,000)]

[Tier Five Nameless Elixir: (19/10,000)]

[Nanming Red Emperor’s Celestial Burning and Sea Boiling Daoist Truth: (126/24,000)]

[Inner Nourishing Five Elements Sword (Bone): (1/240,000)]

[True Understanding of the Celestial Star Demon Suppression Array: (0/15,000)]

[Ten Thousand Miles in One Breath Technique: (201/50,000)]

[Available Immortal Seedlings: 3,239]

Small golden words floated before his eyes. Chen Qingyang looked over his Cultivation Techniques from top to bottom. Of course, he had hidden some of them.

For example, the Nine Luminaries Array he had cultivated before. His original plan was to study this array for a while to see if it could shield his Qi Mechanism. Now that he was cultivating the True Understanding of the Celestial Star Demon Suppression Array, he could temporarily set aside all other studies of arrays.

Of course, for now, his progress on this array was at zero; he hadn’t even reached the entry level.

At a glance, the techniques he cultivated seemed messy and varied, but upon closer inspection, there was a pattern. They were simply the three arts of Sword, Pill, and Array—part of the Seven Arts of Immortal Cultivation. He had barely touched the other four.

This time, he would leave behind 39 Immortal Seedlings and spend all the rest on his Cultivation. ’I’ll return to Nine True Mountain once I break through this realm, or whenever I’m forced to leave.’

’After this, I’ll focus on finding the third volume of the Great Soul Scripture. By then, my Cultivation should have broken through to the Essence Condensation Six Realms, and I should still be able to hide it. If I also learn Universe in the Sleeve, everything will become much more convenient.’

’Based on my understanding of the Tai Xu Sect, if my Cultivation breaks through to Foundation Establishment too quickly, it would easily attract attention and danger. It’s best to make arrangements in advance and get connected with a Golden Core True Monarch.’

’With a True Monarch’s backing, the path after Foundation Establishment will be smooth sailing. I saw this clearly in the way Qing Yao True Monarch cared for Jing Yuan.’

’When the time comes, if I don’t know who to look for, I’ll pay another visit to Senior Brother Lu. He should know the most about this.’

With Chen Qingyang’s current Cultivation, he could only think as far as what came after Foundation Establishment. As for what lay beyond that, who could say for sure?

Earth Deities, Dao Demons, Eternal Life, the struggle for the Golden Core... one thing after another, the situation was so complex. Sometimes, even if you didn’t want to get involved, you would be dragged into it, just like the inescapable karma between him and Purple Sun Master.

Besides, no matter what happened, he could never change the fact that he came from the Tai Xu Sect.

He thought far ahead and sorted out his plans. Afterwards, he sat down quietly to cultivate.

After breaking through to the Fourth Realm, every time he meditated and performed Qi Refining, the True Essence within his body would change.

A breath of Spiritual Qi was first drawn from the Spirit Stone in his palm. It then passed through the Seven Meridians and Eight Vessels, undergoing Purification and Refinement. Then, it passed sequentially through the Earth Root, Mingtang Hall, Jiang Palace, and Spirit Platform. A portion was absorbed by the Qi Vortex, while the vast majority entered his Spiritual Sea and Dantian.

To form heaven and earth within the body, to gestate the Five Elements within the self, to use the Divine Soul as Yin and Yang, to transcend the ego, and to step into the unfettered Great Freedom Realm...

「In the early morning.」

Hearing a commotion from the street, Chen Qingyang opened his eyes and realized his fellow sect brothers had all left overnight.

Down on the first floor, the attendant from yesterday was still dozing off. But when he saw Chen Qingyang, he became much more enthusiastic. "Young Master, you’re up!"

Remembering how the attendant had given him tea dregs to drink, Chen Qingyang couldn’t be bothered with him. After leaving the inn, he slowly made his way to the city gate. Although he was in Demon Sect Land, he felt a sense of ease.

’Ever since I got here,’ he mused, ’I’ve either been fighting for my life or plotting against others. Even the rare moments of warmth I’ve found have been fleeting.’

’Of course, with the exception of Liu Tao, any warmth I’ve received has only come after I started to gain some power.’

’Now, in a place where no one knows me, I don’t have to carry the title of a Tai Xu Sect Disciple. I don’t have to carry the weight of the name Chen Qingyang. I can just walk, slowly and leisurely.’

After leaving the city and reaching a deserted area, he followed the map from yesterday toward the nearest Fuyuan Temple.

’I don’t need much. I just want the head of the one with the highest Cultivation among them.’

The scenery of the Western Continent Kingdom was pleasant, especially in the lush green mountains. Vines covered the trees, ancient trees reached for the sky, and desolate places were everywhere.

Occasionally, on a hill, he would see a temple. Inside, he would invariably find scenes of worship, or perhaps, sacrifice.

Every time he passed one, Chen Qingyang would only glance at it before quickly leaving. After seeing so many, he came to understand a principle—it was all consensual.

Only the one being sacrificed would show confusion, or a desire to live, but they were swept along by the crowd, either forced by others or forcing themselves... In any case, the result was always the same.

The four hundred miles passed quickly. Before noon, he had entered a mountain. There, on the mountainside, were cultivated terraces, houses, and a plank road running up and down. This was another Fuyuan Temple.

’That proves Senior Brother Ruan’s map is mostly accurate.’

Just like in the Tai Xu Sect, the Demon Sect’s Foundation Establishment Masters wouldn’t show themselves lightly. Senior Brother Ruan had been very clear about this; it was impossible for a Foundation Establishment Master to be in a Fuyuan Temple. Relying on Yu’er, he entered openly.

Here, too, were the divine statues, the Blood Evil Qi coming from all directions, and the Holy Mother-like woman looking down upon all living things.

After a look around, Chen Qingyang immediately locked onto two people: one at the Fourth Realm, and one at the Third Realm. He planned to take out the Fourth Realm first, then the Third, and get them both.

However, he observed them for two days and found that the two of them were together day and night. It was a man and a woman. The man was handsome, with an excellent overall physique, clearly defined muscles, and was full of a virile, masculine beauty.

The woman possessed a feminine softness and a coquettish charm. Her skin was white as snow and tender as jade, and her waist was especially flexible, able to twist into extremely exaggerated positions.

The two were clearly a pair of Dao Companions. Aside from handling some daily affairs, the rest of their time was spent baring themselves to each other, twisted together in an extremely bizarre posture.

’Joined above and below, a perfect fit of convex and concave.’

Roars like an ox, punctuated by endless, delicate gasps. They overturned the clouds to make rain, but the storm never passed, only a mingling of fluids. Her eyes shimmered like springs, his ten fingers stiffened into claws. Legs hooked and straightened, waists swayed and crashed...

Chen Qingyang watched all of this with perfect calm, maintaining a mindset of Enlightenment as he used his Conscious Fish to carefully perceive their Qi Mechanisms.

This was one yin and one yang, Divine Soul and Essence Blood, Mingtang Hall and Earth Root, man and woman, heaven and earth, water and fire, sun and moon, life and death, high summer and harsh winter... the great Dao of balance.

The Qi Mechanisms of the two connected through their mouths, then passed through their lower bodies, circulating endlessly.

The woman’s naked body was flushed red, while the man’s skin was like bronze, full of power, yet also possessing a stark aesthetic beauty.

’How elegant. I never thought Dual Cultivation could reach such a state.’

Chen Qingyang remembered that the Demon Sect seemed to have such a peak.

’That’s right. It’s called Red Jade Peak.’