CHAPTER 820: DUAL CULTIVATION

Translator: CinderTL

Despite his doubts, Song Wen knew he had to visit Heavenly Heart Lake.

After three months of cultivation, he set off for the lake.

Heavenly Heart Lake spanned several thousand miles, dotted with over a hundred islands of varying sizes.

Song Wen flew over the lake, extending his Spirit Sense to scan the entire area.

He discovered several rogue cultivators who had established Cultivation Caves on the islands. Two Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators occupied the two islands with the densest Spiritual Qi. The rest were Qi Refining Stage rogue cultivators.

Xue Mei’s Cultivation Cave was indeed well hidden.

Who would have guessed that a Nascent Soul cultivator would choose to live among a group of low-level rogue cultivators?

If the dozen or so rogue cultivators at Heavenly Heart Lake knew a Nascent Soul cultivator was lurking nearby, what would they think?

After searching the area, Song Wen still couldn’t find Xue Mei. He took out his Communication Jade Slip and sent a message:

Fellow Daoist Xue Mei, I have arrived at Heavenly Heart Lake. Where is your Cultivation Cave?

Xue Mei responded quickly:

West of Heavenly Heart Lake, on an island with a blue stone mountain.

Song Wen had previously scanned the entire lake and remembered the locations of the hundred-plus islands. He quickly found the island where Xue Mei’s Cultivation Cave was located.

The island was only half a mile in size, making it unremarkable among the many islands.

Song Wen repeatedly scanned the entire island with his Spirit Sense, but still found nothing.

Song Wen’s mouth parted slightly as two Shadow Gu emerged, lurking near the island before he landed on it.

Fellow Daoist Xue Mei, I’ve arrived. Song Wen transmitted again.

"Ji Yin, enter the water from the east side of the island and dive to the lakebed. You’ll find my Cultivation Cave there," Xue Mei’s spiritual sense transmission replied.

Song Wen followed her instructions and descended into the water.

The tiny island, only half a mile in diameter above the surface, had transformed into an underwater stone mountain several miles wide.

At the foot of the mountain, a ten-foot-wide cave entrance stood open.

Outside the entrance lay a circular boulder, originally meant to seal the cave, but now moved aside.

"Ji Yin, come in. I’m inside," Xue Mei’s voice echoed from the cave.

Song Wen stared at the entrance for a moment before stepping inside.

Ten feet into the cave, a Formation barrier blocked the lake water and prevented his Spirit Sense from penetrating further.

Beyond the barrier, the cave remained ten feet wide.

After walking another mile, the cave opened into a vast Cultivation Cave a mile wide.

Though sparsely furnished, the cave contained everything necessary for cultivation: a Pill Refinement chamber, a stone bed, tables, chairs, meditation cushions, and illuminating gemstones.

Xue Mei sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, her gaze fixed on Song Wen.

"Ji Yin, is it true that your cultivation has reached the bottleneck of the Early Stage Nascent Soul?"

"Yes," Song Wen nodded.

"Your cultivation speed is simply unbelievable. How much of the cultivation of those who practice the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art have you devoured?" Xue Mei murmured in amazement.

In her view, there was no other explanation for Song Wen’s ability to reach the Early Stage Nascent Soul bottleneck in just twenty years other than devouring the spiritual power of others.

It wasn’t impossible that Song Wen, through his control of the Asura Sect, had secretly captured numerous Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Stage Corpse Dao cultivators and forced them to practice the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art, allowing him to devour their cultivation.

Song Wen touched his nose but remained silent.

Seeing this, Xue Mei didn’t press further and instead asked, "When do you plan to begin dual cultivation?"

"That depends on Fellow Daoist’s wishes," Song Wen replied.

"I’m ready anytime," Xue Mei said.

"Do you have a dual cultivation technique?" Song Wen asked.

Xue Mei shook her head. "I’ve never delved into this path before."

Song Wen raised his hand and tossed her a jade slip.

"This jade slip contains a cultivation method called the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique, a genuine Daoist dual cultivation secret art. If practiced correctly, dual cultivation with me will not harm you in any way. In fact, you might even gain some benefits."

Song Wen had obtained the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique from Zhu Yin.

Xue Mei accepted the jade slip, briefly examined it, and replied, "Give me a month. I should be able to grasp this cultivation method by then."

Song Wen said, "Very well. I’ll also take this opportunity to rest and restore my condition to its peak."

Xue Mei nodded. "Agreed."

Song Wen glanced around the Cultivation Cave. Although it contained a high-grade Spirit Gathering Formation, only nine of its thirty-six formation pillars were set with High-Grade Spirit Stones. The Spiritual Qi within the cave was insufficient to support his breakthrough.

He waved his hand, and twenty-seven High-Grade Spirit Stones flew out, settling into the remaining formation pillars.

The Spiritual Qi within the cave immediately surged noticeably.

Xue Mei, seeing this, produced an Array Disk and cast several magic seals toward it.

Instantly, the Spirit Gathering Formation’s rate of extracting Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Stones accelerated dramatically, causing the cave’s Spiritual Qi to spike again.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist," Song Wen said. He then walked to a corner of the cave, retrieved a meditation cushion, sat cross-legged, and began cultivating.

Perhaps because she would soon engage in Dual Cultivation with Song Wen, Xue Mei’s heart seemed to be a mix of emotions. She stared at the meditating Song Wen with closed eyes for a long time.

Time flew by, and a month passed.

Song Wen suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Xue Mei.

As if sensing his gaze, Xue Mei opened her eyes and looked back at him.

Their gazes met in mid-air, and everything was understood without words.

Their robes fluttered.

They faced each other with complete honesty.

Their bodies intertwined.

Mouth to mouth, orifice to orifice.

They began to circulate the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique.

Having cultivated with Zhu Yin before, Song Wen quickly entered the state required by the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique: "Desiring without desire, dwelling in the dust yet remaining untainted by it."

Xue Mei, though not overly coy, took a moment to fully enter the meditative state.

For the next forty-nine days, the two remained in Dual Cultivation.

Strands of pure Yin Essence rose from Xue Mei’s body and flowed into Song Wen’s, where it mingled with his own Yang Qi. This fusion transformed into a potent Yin-Yang Qi, which then merged into Song Wen’s Nascent Soul.

Facing this Yin-Yang Qi, the Nascent Soul reacted like a child presented with candy, its eyes sparkling with unrestrained excitement.

Its mouth opened slightly, greedily inhaling the Qi.

The Nascent Soul’s expression gradually became more animated, and a layer of alternating light and shadow shimmered around its form.

As the Dual Cultivation concluded, a peculiar rhythm suddenly pulsed through the Nascent Soul—a sign of its impending advancement.

The Nascent Soul began to ravenously devour the surrounding Spiritual Qi.

Song Wen’s mind stirred, and ten High-Grade Spirit Stones materialized in mid-air.

With a flick of his finger, a beam of Spiritual Power shot forth, shattering the ten stones one by one.

The concentration of Spiritual Qi in the area immediately surged.

Song Wen channeled the Corpse King’s Rebirth Art with all his might, absorbing the influx of Qi.

A rosy blush lingered on Xue Mei’s cheeks, as if she had just enjoyed a light drink.

She raised her hand and waved it in the air. The scattered garments on the ground rose without wind and draped themselves over her.

By this point, the flush on her face had faded, restoring her usual composure.

Xue Mei glanced at Song Wen, who was currently inhaling Spiritual Qi like a whale drinking seawater, her gaze cold and detached.

Then, with a flash of movement, she vanished from the Cultivation Cave.

(End of the Chapter)

---

📖Read (RDC) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c1030. [+2]

🔑Early Access at $5.

✍Translated (6) Series, (3.6K+) Chapters, (5.1M+) Words.