Chapter 79 – Dual Cultivation

  Jun De’s consciousness stirred.

  It was faint at first, a vague awareness that bloomed through layers of agony and cold. His breath caught in his throat as a wave of pain rolled through him. His meridians burned, and his Dantian felt torn and unstable, as if it were a battlefield under siege.

  There was something else as well, demonic Qi. It was a roiling, furious, and invasive mass of foreign energy that fought against his own Qi. He could feel it writhing beneath his skin, seeking to destroy everything it touched.

  Then, as he regained consciousness, he was aware of warmth. He felt someone’s breath, soft and close. Then there was a pair of lips pressed against his own.

  His eyes flickered open, but Jun De’s vision was blurry, and he couldn’t see clearly. The world slowly came into focus, and what he saw made his already fractured mind reel in shock.

  Elder Mu was close to him. Far too close!

  Her lips were pressed gently against his own, and he could feel their softness.

  Sensing that he was awake, Mu Yanyu drew back from him slowly. Her eyes opened to meet his, and Jun De could see that her usual composure was laced with tension, sorrow and a rare vulnerability.

  “Elder Mu?” Jun De rasped, and his voice was barely more than a breath. Even that amount of effort proved to be too much for him, and he gasped as pain flooded his body again.

  Mu Yanyu exhaled and pressed a hand lightly to Jun De’s chest to keep him from moving.

  “Don’t move. You are still on the edge of death.”

  Jun De winced as pain lanced through his Dantian. He could feel the dark tendrils of Demonic Qi raging within him, battering at the last shreds of golden Qi that remained within it.

  Mu Yanyu watched him for a moment, her expression grim. When she spoke, her voice was low and careful.

  “The demonic Qi inside you is far too entrenched and powerful. It was planted with malice by Xun Beiming, and it was meant to kill you and Shen Ruolan. Thankfully, the protective talisman I gave you reduced its effects, but it will soon destroy your meridians and leave you crippled.”

  “None of our Elders can remove it without killing you.” Mu Yanyu explained, and Jun De felt a rising panic fill him.

  “How am I still alive?” Jun De gasped, and his jaw clenched as another surge of agony hit him.

  “I am holding it back. But I cannot do so for long.”

  A silence settled between them that was filled only by the faint sound of the ship's protective wards humming in the background.

  “There is a method to expel the demonic Qi. Your own spiritual energy appears to counter the effects of demonic Qi, but it is far too weak to succeed. I can reinforce your cultivation, restore the balance within your body and give your Qi the strength to fight back.”

  Jun De looked up at her, and he felt hope crush the despair that had been welling up inside him.

  “Dual Cultivation is not a decision to make lightly, Jun De. This method I am proposing is usually reserved for Dao Companions, those who have committed their lives to walking the same path. The spiritual bond it forges is intimate, far beyond a mere physical joining.”

  “But it will allow our Qi to merge, and with my guidance, you can push the demonic Qi out of your body.”

  Her eyes searched his, and Jun de didn’t see a trace of doubt within them.

  “I will not force you. But, if you refuse, I fear you will not live to make it back to Tranquil Mountain for treatment.”

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  Jun De’s chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. The pain was sharp and nearly all-consuming. He didn’t doubt what she said; even the brief contact was enough to wake him up and help him a small amount.

  ‘But Dual Cultivation. Isn’t that the same as….’ Jun De thought.

  He looked into her eyes and nodded.

  “I trust you.”

  Mu Yanyu’s expression softened, and she reached out to slowly brush her fingertips against his cheek with a tenderness that surprised him.

  “Then steady yourself, Jun De, and accept me.” She whispered, and her voice was as soft as silk.

  Mu Yanyu leaned in once again, and her lips pressed softly against his. Her kiss was filled with intent, and he could feel a resonance of spiritual energy building between them. Her body began to align with his, and her Qi flowed gently into him like a pale blue river, mixing and merging with his own golden Qi.

  Jun De’s body trembled as warmth flooded into him, driving back the cold and pain caused by the rampaging demonic Qi.

  Their breathing quickened as the distance between them closed further.

  And, deep within Jun De’s Dantian, the raging storm of demonic Qi began to recede.

  Page Break

  Shen Ruolan paced the length of the upper deck of the Tranquil Mountain Sect’s flying ship. Her arms were folded tightly over her chest, and her eyes were fixed on the stairwell that led to the healing chamber Jun De was currently recovering in.

  The sky had long since darkened, and the stars wheeled overhead. Lanterns had been lit along the railings, casting gentle pools of light that swayed with the drifting of the vessel, but Shen Ruolan hardly noticed.

  It had been a full day since they had returned to the ship, and there was still no sign or word about Jun De.

  Shen Ruolan had tried to mediate, but her concentration failed. She tried to eat but couldn’t find an appetite. Her thoughts kept returning to the image of Jun De lying pale and bloody, his breath shallow and his body wracked with Demonic Qi.

  She trusted Elder Mu; at least she knew that Jun De did, and that the Tranquil Mountain Sect valued Jun De far too much to allow anything to happen to him. But still, nothing could quiet the anxiety that was gnawing at her heart.

  As the night stretched into early dawn, Shen Ruolan continued to pace. Her eyes were red with fatigue, and the sky was just lightening with the first traces of sunlight when a figure emerged from the stairwell.

  Mu Yanyu stepped out on the deck, her blue robes fluttering around her faintly in the cold dawn wind.

  Shen Ruolan rushed toward her the instant that she saw the Elder.

  “Vice Sect Master Mu! How is he? Did it work?” Shen Ruolan called out, her eyes wide.

  She stopped short of the other woman, and the Elder’s appearance finally registered with her.

  Mu Yanyu looked exhausted. Her normally smooth expression was muted, while her steps were slower and her breath was slightly uneven. But, more than that, there was something different about her.

  Shen Ruolan thought she could detect a faint glow in Mu Yanyu’s complexion. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and there was a glimmer of joy and happiness within her eyes.

  “He’s alive?” Shen Ruolan narrowed her eyes slightly. She didn’t know why, but something about Mu Yanyu rubbed her the wrong way. It frustrated her that she had to depend on the Elder to heal Jun De.

  Mu Yanyu nodded and brushed a stray lock of her long, black hair out of her face that had come loose in the breeze.

  “The method I used succeeded. The demonic Qi has been purged, and Jun De is recovering.”

  Shen Ruolan’s shoulders sagged in relief, and tears welled in her eyes.

  “Thank the heavens.” She whispered.

  “Jun De has come through this trial stronger than ever. He has broken through to the 7th Stage of Qi Condensation. His foundation is stable, but he is still consolidating. It would be best not to disturb him.” Mu Yanyu added, and a small smile appeared on her lips.

  Shen Ruolan blinked in surprise at the sudden statement.

  “He broke through?” Shen Ruolan repeated, and her thoughts were overwhelmed for a moment.

  ‘Of course he did! He’s incredible! I would expect nothing less from my future husband!’ Shen Ruolan thought.

  “I want to see him.” Shen Ruolan said firmly, but Mu Yanyu shook her head.

  “No. His cultivation must settle properly. Disturbing him now would not be beneficial to him.”

  Something in Mu Yanyu’s tone silenced Shen Ruolan. She hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the Vice Sect Master again.

  There was a sort of softness to Mu Yanyu’s presence now. Her Qi still radiated strength, but there was something mixed within it.

  Shen Ruolan didn’t know why, but she suddenly disliked Mu Yanyu intensely. She frowned as she crossed her arms in front of her.

  “What method did you use to heal Jun De?” Shen Ruolan asked. If there was ever a problem with him in the future, she wanted to be able to help him and not rely on Mu Yanyu.

  Mu Yanyu’s smile faded. She turned away slightly and was already stepping back toward the lower decks when she replied.

  “It was something that only I can do.” Mu Yanyu said without looking back.

  “Hmph. We’ll see about that!” Shen Ruolan muttered. Now that Jun De was healed and healthy, the feeling of despair that had been pressing down on her evaporated like the morning mist in the light of the sun.

  Shen Ruolan left the deck and went looking for her mother.

  She was Shen Ruolan, granddaughter of the City Lord of Yunlai City. Jun De was hers, and no one was going to get in her way.

  When Jun De finished consolidating his cultivation, she would be waiting for him.