Inside the room, staring at the two Pure Yang attribute heavenly treasures on the table, Yun Lian felt a struggle within her heart.
Should I use them?
Use them to break through to the next realm myself.
Although there was nothing wrong with it—these were, after all, gifts from my bargain Master, given to me for free…
But Yun Lian still felt uneasy.
The Hehuan Technique is incomplete; it lacks the dual cultivation part, and she now knew this.
Yet, Yun Lian still felt that something was amiss.
Senior Sister, and Master as well—it felt like they were both still hiding something from her.
She might not possess her elder sister’s ability to see through cause and effect, but she was born with a strong intuition of her own.
It was this intuition that had helped her avoid danger and make the right choices many times.
Yun Lian felt she needed to calm herself and think this through.
After all, this concerned cultivation—it could not be taken lightly.
Then, let’s start by analyzing the structure of the Hehuan Sect.
Hehuan Sect, Sect Leader Tai Lingxuan, forty-eight years old, Fifth Stage of the Body Fusion Realm.
What was most terrifying was that, at the Sect Assembly three years ago, Tai Lingxuan was only at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm.
In just three years, she jumped an entire major realm and five minor ones…
Is this reasonable?
Obviously not.
Especially now that she knew the Hehuan Technique was flawed.
Given the situation in Hehuan Sect, unless they could provide Tai Lingxuan with an immense amount of heavenly materials and earthly treasures, plus her own extraordinary talent, it would be impossible.
But is the Hehuan Sect really that wealthy?
At least, it didn’t look that way.
Then look at my other senior sisters.
Gu Qiushui, twenty-seven years old, First Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm.
Her talent was indeed excellent, but she also practiced the Hehuan Technique, which required massive amounts of heavenly materials and earthly treasures to supplement.
But just now, when I asked Master and Senior Sister how much she used, what did Master say?
Master just said it was quite a lot.
Clearly, that was being vague.
Otherwise, this information would help me set clear expectations and greatly benefit my own cultivation—what reason would Master have to withhold it?
So, the reasonable guess is, Senior Sister Gu Qiushui probably used very little—at least far less than normal.
Because it couldn’t be used as a reference, and might even mislead me, Master left it unclear.
Then, what’s the reason?
We’re all cultivating, but I need to use more?
At this moment, an answer faintly surfaced in Yun Lian’s mind. But to be sure…
After half a moment.
Yun Lian arrived at Ling Xi’s courtyard, knocked on the door, and entered.
…
Inside the room, on the bed, Ling Xi sat cross-legged, running her cultivation technique.
“Senior Sister Ling Xi, how is your injury recovering?”
Yun Lian smiled and approached with concern.
Ling Xi stopped her technique and gave a graceful smile.
“I’m mostly fine now—just some superficial wounds, which need a bit more time.”
“It’s just this Flood Dragon Scale, I need to spend extra effort to refine it.”
As she spoke, Ling Xi proudly raised her wrist.
On the back of her hand, a phantom of a purple-gold scale shimmered with light.
Yun Lian’s eyes brightened, unable to hide her envy.
“Senior Sister, gaining such a fortune will surely be a huge help for your future cultivation.”
With a laugh, Yun Lian sat at Ling Xi’s bedside, holding her hand.
“But, Senior Sister Ling Xi, there’s something I don’t understand. I hope you can enlighten me.”
Hearing she was being asked for advice, Ling Xi’s eyes sparkled and she thumped her chest confidently, making a thumping sound.
“No problem, Junior Sister, just ask whatever you want! Your Senior Sister promises to tell you everything she knows!”
Yun Lian gave a faint smile, but secretly thought to herself that she had guessed right.
Of all the people in the sect, this bargain Senior Sister Ling Xi was the easiest to handle.
“I want to know, Senior Sister, how have you progressed so rapidly in your cultivation without relying on external aids?”
Yun Lian asked deliberately.
Even if she didn’t know whether Ling Xi truly avoided external aids, such words were meant to test her.
“Oh, there’s no special trick~”
Ling Xi shyly scratched her nose and chuckled.
“Actually, it’s all because of… my senior brother and I…”
Halfway through, Ling Xi abruptly shut her mouth.
Not that the words were hard to say, but she realized that if she let out the secret of getting stronger by fighting her senior brother, wouldn’t her junior sister run to him every day too?
Then the time senior brother could spend fighting with her would be less…
“Well, actually it’s nothing much. I just train hard, and I’m not entirely without external aids… I’ve actually consumed quite a bit over the years.”
Ling Xi quickly changed her tune.
Unfortunately, Yun Lian had already caught the first half of her words.
So it is really connected to that bargain senior brother!
She had suspected there might be something between Ling Xi and senior brother.
Now it seemed her guess was right.
It was even highly likely that Senior Sister Gu Qiushui, even Master, all had deep ties to this bargain senior brother.
But if that was so, there was still one thing that couldn’t be explained. That is…
How could this bargain senior brother endure it all?
A person’s Pure Yang essence is, after all, limited.
Two senior sisters might be manageable, but Master is at Fifth Stage Body Fusion Realm—the amount of Pure Yang essence needed would be astronomical…
Unless…
A special constitution!
With this in mind, Yun Lian probed further.
“By the way, Senior Sister Ling Xi, I’ve noticed Senior Brother Yuyang seems quite extraordinary. Does he have some kind of special constitution?”
“Huh, you didn’t know? Yuyang is actually a Pure Yang Supreme Body.”
Ling Xi blurted out subconsciously.
This really wasn’t a secret in Hehuan Sect—she thought Yun Lian surely knew.
Yun Lian’s eyes sparkled with amazement as she nodded repeatedly.
After a few more casual questions, Yun Lian left Ling Xi’s courtyard and soared back through the air.
So that’s how it is, that’s how it is…
Now, everything made sense.
Why the bargain Master’s strength soared in recent years.
Why the bargain senior sisters progressed so rapidly.
The key to everything was that youth.
The claim that the Hehuan Technique was incomplete was just a lie for an outsider like herself.
Master and the senior sisters must have the complete Hehuan Technique, including the dual cultivation method.
And Chen Yuyang was their furnace.
Pure Yang Supreme Body.
Cultivating with such a special body, how could they not make explosive progress?
As for herself…
The key to quickly boosting her strength lay here as well.
Dual cultivate with the bargain senior brother!
Vigorously dual cultivate!
But…
Wouldn’t that mean she’d have to offer her own chastity… to this person?
As for Chen Yuyang—
Yun Lian at most just admired his handsome looks, and had some fondness for his patient guidance.
But she was far from wanting to be his woman.
Yet…
This was a Pure Yang Supreme Body.
If she could dual cultivate with him…
When the next Ziyang Secret Realm opened, just how much could her strength advance?
For a moment, Yun Lian was dazed.
Scenes from her memories flashed before her eyes.
In the torrential rain, blood stained the courtyard red.
She and her sister hid trembling in a well, soaking in icy water, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Fourteen years ago…
In the name of demon extermination, her whole family was slaughtered.
For two years after, she and her sister depended on each other, suffering cold and hunger, wandering like dogs, enduring scorn and abuse.
If not for the Holy Sect’s shelter, how would she have survived till today?
This blood feud must be avenged!
Not only revenge—she and her sister must live on, live freely, live with pride.
But…
Yun Lian recalled her sister’s words.
The fate between herself and her sister would end in three years.
That meant that she and her sister would both perish in the great battle three years from now.
Their only hope for survival lay with the Hehuan Sect’s only man, Chen Yuyang.
Previously, Yun Lian hadn’t understood.
But now, she felt she understood the true meaning.
To dual cultivate with Chen Yuyang, seize his Pure Yang Supreme Body, and transform, becoming powerful.
Only then could she protect herself and her sister in three years’ time.
Salvation lay here.
For that, what did chastity matter?
Even if she became his woman, as long as she could become stronger, take revenge, and protect herself and her sister, she would not regret it.
White.
At this moment…
Yun Lian made up her mind.
Now that the way to quickly get stronger was right beside her.
If she didn’t seize it, wouldn’t that waste this great opportunity?
After all, even if he was the best furnace, the bargain senior brother’s Pure Yang essence had its limits.
In other words…The faster she acted, the more she could obtain.
If she was slow, her bargain senior brother would be completely drained by Master and the senior sisters.
Thinking of this, Yun Lian took a deep breath, stopped hesitating, immediately turned and flew toward the mountain where Chen Yuyang was.
When Chen Yuyang opened the door and heard the girl’s earth-shattering words, he was stunned.
What do you mean, “accompany me in dual cultivation too”?
Am I really the kind of person who always dual cultivates with others?
And Junior Sister, why would you suddenly come and ask for dual cultivation out of nowhere?
For the first time, Chen Yuyang felt he truly couldn’t understand a person—a girl only seventeen or eighteen years old.
“Junior Sister Yun Lian, I… don’t understand what you mean.”
Chen Yuyang at first even wondered if he’d misheard.
Yun Lian grabbed Chen Yuyang’s shoulders with both hands, her expression serious, gaze resolute, as if she’d made a huge decision.
“I said, Senior Brother Yuyang, dual cultivate with me!”
Alright…
He hadn’t misheard.
But Chen Yuyang still couldn’t understand why Yun Lian suddenly made such a shocking request.
The youth’s lips twitched slightly.
“What’s wrong? Junior Sister Yun Lian, why are you suddenly asking to dual cultivate with me… We’re not even that close—”
Before the youth could finish, Yun Lian interrupted with a delicate shout: “Drop the act, Senior Brother Yuyang!”
“I already know everything about you and Master and the senior sisters!”
Chen Yuyang’s pupils contracted instantly.
She knew about him and Master?
How did she know?
Chen Yuyang narrowed his eyes sharply but still pretended to be clueless.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Junior Sister Yun Lian. If you want to comprehend sword intent, you’re always welcome here, but as for dual cultivation… your senior brother is not that kind of casual man.”