"What a beautiful new friend indeed."

Li Mo examined the slender sword, gleaming like frost under moonlight, and stroked his chin. He had long wanted to find a companion for his hammer—rarely was it just empty talk to placate the weapon—but why did Hammer Bao have to go play with Little Yue right during their dual cultivation session? What if another hammer popped out of his pocket now?

Yet, the ice block (Ying Bing) had already brought out her own treasured blade.

Divine weapons shared a bond with their masters, and within his inner world, Hammer Bao was already spinning excitedly in circles.

"Am I, the fourth-ranked genius of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, really going to falter at such a trivial test?"

With gritted teeth, Li Mo summoned his hammer, channeling the power of his inner world.

"Hammer Bao can be a bit fierce, carrying the sharp aura of a weapon of war... Huh?"

The hammer that emerged was docile, almost like a shy puppy, its faint vibrations resembling a friendly greeting.

Meanwhile, Little Yue had also left Ying Bing’s palm.

The two weapons resonated, their hums harmonizing like two whales calling out to each other. Strangely enough, they seemed perfectly in sync.

Seeing this, a rare softness flickered in Ying Bing’s eyes.

"Hello there, I’m Hammer Bao~" came a deep, rumbling voice.

"Hello, I’m Little Yue," replied a gentle, delicate whisper.

"Let’s go catch jellyfish together!"

"…?"

Ying Bing turned to see Li Mo sitting cross-legged on the frost-jade bed, his lively voice-over providing the "translation" for the weapons’ "conversation."

"Were they really saying that?"

"The exact words don’t matter—the sentiment’s the same."

Li Mo was genuinely curious. Among the hundred prodigies on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, he was the only one who wielded a hammer.

They say the sword is the gentleman of weapons, the spear the king, the blade the embodiment of courage... Every weapon had its noble title. So what was the hammer?

"Weapons aren’t as complicated as people," Ying Bing said, pulling up a chair and placing her cool, jade-like hand in Li Mo’s palm.

"Ice Block, aren’t you coming up here?"

Ying Bing shot him a look—half-annoyed, half-accusing.

"But you don’t have a hammer in your pocket anymore."

"????"

Li Mo rubbed her chilly fingers, his mind flashing to an image of Ying Bing nestled in his arms, her silver teeth lightly grazing his skin as if she might bite him...

Wait—had she planned this all along? Her earlier offer to find a companion for Hammer Bao—was this the real trap?

Her gaze seemed to say:

"Without Hammer Bao, how will you explain what’s in your pocket now?"

"...So this was your scheme all along."

Li Mo suspected he’d been played, but he had no proof.

"Wasn’t this already agreed upon?" Ying Bing tilted her head slightly, her expression blank.

The ice block doesn’t understand what you’re talking about.jpg.

Li Mo narrowed his eyes, still unconvinced. But before he could voice his doubts, a Bodhi fruit was stuffed into his mouth.

To enhance their dual cultivation, Li Mo always prepared spirit fruits—like this soul-cleansing Bodhi fruit—for their sessions.

"Let’s focus on training," Ying Bing said, picking up a fruit for herself.

These natural treasures weren’t as potent as elixirs, but they had no side effects. Plus, they were delicious—refreshingly sweet.

Li Mo, mouth full, tried to speak: "But—"

"One’s not enough?"

Ying Bing stuffed another fruit into his mouth, her fingers glistening with juice.

"Still—"

"You’ve got quite the appetite today."

"Mmph—"

Now with both cheeks bulging, Li Mo could only mumble incoherently, drool nearly escaping the corners of his lips.

Ying Bing pressed her lips together, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. Perhaps in a moment of carelessness, she absentmindedly licked the juice from her fingertips—then froze.

A faint blush crept up her snow-white neck, as if the spring warmth had suddenly gotten to her.

"!"

Li Mo’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t speak.

And so, today’s dual cultivation proceeded as usual—full of... twists and turns.

Once, Li Mo had wondered how the mighty leader of the Divine Calling Sect, a master of Yin-Yang Dao, could have fallen to the level of the Ancestor of the Joyous Harmony Sect.

Now, he understood—he’d been too naive.

If not for that wisp of immortal energy, he might’ve strayed down the wrong path on day one.

After all, how many disciples could withstand such trials?

Time flowed on.

The moon hung high, its silver light at its peak—the moment when the essence of the Lunar Dao was strongest.

Seated on the bed, Li Mo suddenly sensed a familiar, mystical ripple—one that resonated with the Lunar Dao in his inner world, like an eternal radiance illuminating past and present.

"Ice Block... is breaking through?"

He opened his eyes to see Ying Bing, a divine sigil glowing faintly between her brows, exuding an air of sacred nobility.

He could feel it—the Yin and Yang energies, refined into nourishment for the soul, surging under her control as they assaulted the seventh aperture.

Without words, Li Mo instinctively knew what she needed.

His true essence and accumulated Yang energy ignited in an instant.

For some reason, it reminded him of gaming—when the enemy’s base was in sight, and he’d just mash his keyboard, unleashing every skill at once...

And then—victory!

[Congratulations, Host. Successful investment in ‘Ying Bing,’ aiding her breakthrough to the seventh aperture of Divine Observation.]

[Investment Reward: Yellow Dragon Divine Observation Diagram.]

Before him appeared not a victory screen, but Ying Bing’s flawless jade-like face. Fresh from her breakthrough, her eyes shimmered with lunar light, as if the moon itself were gazing upon the mortal world.

Yet she bit her lip and lowered her lashes.

"My turn to help you."

"Just do your best—no need to force it."

Li Mo was only a hair’s breadth away from the seventh aperture himself.

But the problem was, the Divine Intent of the Great Sage couldn’t be comprehended through meditation—only battle could refine it.

And unless his Great Sage Intent and Lunar Intent progressed in tandem, he couldn’t break through.

Ying Bing gave a slight nod, then pressed a fingertip to Li Mo’s brow.

......

Under the night sky, at the gates of the Autumn Water Pavilion.

A faint chime of bells sounded. Tian Miao had stayed at the Qingyuan Sect for quite some time, but with pressing matters awaiting her, she’d decided to leave tonight.

Yet as she reached the courtyard entrance, she paused.

"The fluctuations of Lunar Intent..."

She glanced back at the chamber on the second floor. "Ying Bing broke through again?"

Tian Miao took a deep breath. Well, her early departure wasn’t entirely due to her duties.

Staying here day after day was a test of her mental fortitude.

Regardless of anything else, the way these two skyrocketed in cultivation—as if riding a rocket—was enough to shake anyone’s Dao heart.

Keep in mind, Ying Bing and Li Mo were still young, and they’d only been practicing martial arts for about a year.

Now, the faint ripples gradually subsided, with no signs of a second breakthrough.

"They must be dual cultivating."

"But the Frost Fairy advanced, while Li Mo didn’t."

Tian Miao exhaled in relief, as if a weight had been lifted.

She pulled out a sheet of paper and made a note.

She updated Ying Bing’s cultivation level to "Seventh Aperture of Divine Observation," while Li Mo’s remained unchanged—though she added a footnote:

‘Excellent cook. Currently learning weapon forging—may become a Divine Artisan in the future.’