Chapter 319: A Wide Road

A world of ice and fire emerged once more.

The disturbance this time was considerable. A vortex seemed to form within the Array, sucking in all the surrounding Spiritual Qi. A cool breeze swept around the outside of the four-story building, lingering for a long time.

After suppressing the frigid energy in her body, the flames made Yun Ci feel incredibly comfortable, as if she were sinking into them, unable to pull away. She began to interact with it on a deeper level, with renewed vigor.

As for Chen Qingyang, he could feel his Cultivation increasing bit by bit, completely oblivious to the passage of time. During this period, the progress of his Nanming Red Emperor’s Method had increased by over a thousand points.

Before long, the cool breeze gradually died down.

A lightness spread through his body. Without the frigid energy to contend with, the True Dragon Fire suddenly had nowhere to go. When Chen Qingyang opened his eyes, he found Yun Ci gazing at him.

It was a soft, yet strange gaze—one of careful scrutiny, as if she were getting to know him all over again. She didn’t speak, just watched him quietly.

“Are you… feeling any better?” Chen Qingyang asked in a low voice.

“Yes.” Yun Ci nodded lightly. The frost on her face was gone, revealing a beauty as radiant as a flower. “I owe you my thanks once again… By the way, why did you come a bit early this time?”

Chen Qingyang replied, “A few days ago, I met with my senior brother. He said I might be sent away on a mission by the Sect soon. I was afraid of causing a delay, so I came early. I originally thought your injuries would have recovered much more. I never expected you to run into this kind of problem, which is why…”

Yun Ci seemed completely unconcerned. “It’s quite normal. These are all hurdles I must overcome myself.”

Today, she met Chen Qingyang’s gaze directly. She didn’t turn away or avert her head. The two of them simply sat facing each other in silence.

Chen Qingyang flicked his sleeve, and fifteen Elixirs landed at Yun Ci’s feet. Her jade feet were also bare.

“Why are there extra?”

“Consider the extras a gift for the Master to consolidate her cultivation.”

Yun Ci chuckled and accepted all the Elixirs. “Thank you for your trouble. My condition is quite good right now, so let’s refine that last bit of Fire Dragon Will in your body. You… close your eyes first, then hold out your hand.”

It seemed she still remembered the awkwardness from last time and knew to remind Chen Qingyang to close his eyes first.

But before that, Chen Qingyang had a favor to ask her. “I was wondering if the Master has any spare Earth Deities?”

Yun Ci asked, “Do you want it for yourself, or are you asking for someone else?”

“It’s for myself, in a way.”

Yun Ci pressed for details. “An Earth Deity… if you were to refine it directly with your current Cultivation, it would have almost no effect. It benefits the Divine Soul, not the physical body or Meridians. Furthermore, its effects only manifest after one reaches Half-Step Foundation Establishment. You surely aren’t asking for it for yourself?”

The Conscious Fish was a being of the Divine Soul, without a physical body or Meridians, which was why it could so easily steal an Earth Deity.

Chen Qingyang didn’t hide anything from her and explained the whole story in detail.

He had thought that since this item was so rare—capable of allowing a Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivator to ascend to a new level in a single step—Yun Ci wouldn’t part with it so easily. To his surprise, she didn’t even hesitate.

A strand of blue Profound Qi coiled around her slender, jade-like hand before she stored it in a Jade Box and placed it in front of him.

“Keep it sealed inside. Don’t open it, or the Spiritual Qi will dissipate.”

She had been so forthright that it made Chen Qingyang hesitate. “Master, if you lose this item, will it affect your Cultivation?”

Yun Ci said, “It would be impossible to say there’s no effect at all, but it won’t be too significant. Just take it.”

“Actually, I thought of a solution before I came. If I were to come here every day to accompany the Master in cultivation and meditation, using this blending of water and fire, wouldn’t that compensate for the Master’s loss of the Earth Deity?”

He thought it was a very considerate suggestion, but the Master’s expression turned slightly cross. Annoyed, she said, “You… are you really that clueless, or are you just pretending?”

Chen Qingyang was a little baffled. “I don’t know what the Master is referring to.”

Finally, he had succeeded in making Yun Ci turn her head away. “The intersection of True Qi, the fusion of water and fire, Yin and Yang—this is a Dual Cultivation Method. You help me occasionally, and because it is a necessity, I can accept it with a clear conscience. But if you were to come here every day, knowing full well that this is Dual Cultivation, how could I possibly remain at ease?”

Her tone was no longer cold, but carried a hint of accusation.

‘That makes sense. I was only thinking about improving my Cultivation and didn’t consider this point at all.’

‘Whether in the Demon Sects or the Daoist Sects, all forms of Dual Cultivation I’ve seen are filled with carnal desire and lust. Me and this Master… it’s really not appropriate right now!’

However, Chen Qingyang had his own argument. “A Master is called a Master because they seek their true nature and recognize their true self. If the thought is in your heart, Master, you can’t erase it no matter what. If it isn’t in your heart, the very act of trying to suppress it will cause it to appear. Since that’s the case, why be concerned with anything else?”

“What are you trying to say…?” Yun Ci asked urgently, whipping her head back to face Chen Qingyang, her eyes burning.

Chen Qingyang continued, “Since that’s the case, if cultivating together can help the Master’s Cultivation recover completely, why not continue? Desperate times call for desperate measures. Once your injuries are healed, we won’t need to do this anymore, right?”

Yun Ci turned her head away and was silent for a long moment. Chen Qingyang waited for a reply, but all he got was a single word: “Hah!”

So proud, yet full of spirit.

‘What does that mean?’

Just as he was wondering, she spoke again. “You have far too many arguments. Hand out, eyes closed.”

Chen Qingyang had no choice but to obey.

After that, their hands naturally met. The flames and the cold light rose once more, lasting for a long time. Chen Qingyang felt the Fire Dragon Will fading away until it vanished completely.

When they stopped, Yun Ci was panting heavily, a cold light swirling around her. It had clearly taken a lot out of her. “Finally… I’ve finally helped you solve this problem!”

Her smile was so weak it inspired pity.

Chen Qingyang said nothing. He simply activated the Nanming Red Emperor’s Technique again, not caring whether she agreed or not, and began helping her recover her Cultivation.

He could sense her resistance, or lack thereof, through her Qi Mechanism. Just like a physical body, she tensed for a moment before completely relaxing and accepting it.

Bit by bit, thread by thread… a perfect fusion, like water and milk, a union of heaven and earth. An unknown amount of time passed.

As before, Yun Ci was the first to stop.

Her complexion was countless times better than before. Meanwhile, the progress of Chen Qingyang’s Nanming Red Earth Method had increased by another thousand-plus points.

[Nanming Red Emperor’s Celestial Burning and Sea Boiling Daoist Truth: (18078/120000)]

At this rate, his Conscious Fish would break through to the Eighth Realm while his true body was still stuck in the Sixth Realm.

When he opened his eyes, the Master was no longer sitting in front of him. She had stood up and was now gazing out the window.

Chen Qingyang looked up at her. Her figure was slender, with a hint of her calves showing above her ankles.

“I can no longer sense any Fire Dragon Will inside you. Although I don’t know what kind of existence that Fire Dragon is, you are forbidden from seeking it out ever again.”

Her voice drifted down from above. Chen Qingyang found it quite comfortable to just sit there like that.

“Don’t worry, why would I go looking for trouble? Besides, the Master herself said that with my talent, if I cultivate properly, I have a great future ahead of me.”

Yun Ci glanced back, seeming to roll her eyes at him. “Who said you have a great future? You’re really good at flattering yourself!”

“Haha, maybe so many people have told me that, I must have gotten confused.”

Chen Qingyang stood up and bowed. “Master, don’t forget to take the Elixirs. I will take my leave now!”

Yun Ci continued to look out the window. “Mm, if you’re free tomorrow, come again!”

“Ah… come over for what?”

From the sound of her voice, Yun Ci was a little annoyed. “You were the one who said we should cultivate. Was that just a casual remark? Were you not being sincere at all?”

Chen Qingyang quickly replied, “It was my idea, all my idea. I’ll be back to bother you again tomorrow.”

As he went downstairs and left, Qingfeng gave him a strange look, as if he wanted to say something but held back.

Chen Qingyang didn’t know what it meant, and frankly, couldn’t be bothered to ask. He cast one last glance back at the fourth floor.

‘Performing “Dual Cultivation” with Master Jingzhi, a Foundation Establishment Stage expert, while only at the Essence Condensation Seventh Realm… I must be the only one. My path forward has certainly widened.’

‘As for her instructions not to visit the True Dragon… I think I’ll go tonight. I need to teach that fellow a lesson and make it lose all hope of trying anything funny with me again. From now on, it will have to cooperate obediently.’