Chapter 80 – A Dream Upon Waking

  Jun De sat cross-legged in a private cultivation chamber aboard the Tranquil Mountain Sect’s flying ship. It was quiet, and the room was sealed from the outside world by a formation array. Soothing incense burned in a stone brazier near the wall, its smoke rising in lazy curls.

  His white robes hung loose around his shoulders, and they had been cleaned of blood and dirt while he rested. His body ached in places where the Demonic Qi had rampaged through him, but the worst of it had passed.

  He breathed in slowly, each inhale drawing the spiritual energy in his surroundings into his lungs, while each exhale released turbid Qi that contained remnants of impurities that were being expelled.

  Deep inside his Dantian, the Dawnheart Flame burned bright and steady. It flickered with warmth, while radiating a power that could not be extinguished. Jun De wasn’t sure how or why, but the little flame’s colour was deeper now, its light a more golden-red than it had been before.

  ‘The 7th Stage of Qi Condensation.’ Jun De thought.

  Jun De hadn’t expected to break through so soon, especially not after being nearly killed by Xun Beiming’s spear and infected with Demonic Qi.

  Yet, as the saying goes, with crisis comes opportunity. He was stronger than before, and the method Mu Yanyu had used to heal him had the side benefit of increasing his cultivation.

  Jun De let his mind sink inward, reaching his senses into his Dantian. The Qi inside was pure and rich, and it circulated through his meridians with fluid ease. His spiritual sea had expanded, and his channels felt clearer.

  As for the method itself, Jun De couldn’t remember everything. It was like a dream, and now that he was awake, the details were hazy.

  Fragments remained with vivid clarity. The pain that nearly stopped his heart. A burning cold that ran through his veins, spreading like poison. Then there was light and warmth, followed by a presence that was gentle and steady, wrapping around his spirit like silk.

  Mu Yanyu.

  Jun De remembered enough of their time together that he could piece together what had occurred between them.

  Dual Cultivation.

  He recalled the act, if not the details of the process. He could still feel the touch of her lips against his, the sensation of her body pressed against him, and the relief her Qi brought from the agony that had been all-consuming.

  But, beyond that, Jun De wasn’t sure. It hadn’t been the same as his time with Lin Yue. He remembered every moment of that night.

  No, it was like a dream that faded at the coming of the morning sun. He tried to grasp it, but it would slip through his fingers.

  Jun De let out a sigh and opened his eyes slowly.

  Sunlight filtered in through the chamber’s window, catching on the motes of spiritual energy that floated in the air like drifting embers from a campfire. Jun De felt whole and renewed. He placed his hand over his heart and breathed in again, this time letting his Qi spread throughout his body.

  There was no trace of demonic Qi. No corruption or lingering effects from the battle against Xun Beiming.

  “I just wish I could remember it all.” Jun De muttered, rubbing his temples.

  “I spent the night with a beautiful woman, and the whole thing fades like a dream! Damn you, Xun Beiming! I hope City Lord Han buries you for what you did!” Jun De cursed.

  After a few moments, Jun De calmed down and let out another sigh.

  “I want to go back to the Sect. I’d even re-enter the Ninefold Refinement Array if it meant I could go home.” Jun De whispered sadly.

  After stabilizing his cultivation, Jun De stood up and left the chamber in search of Elder Mu. The door had just opened and he had barely time to step outside when a figure rushed forward and collided with his chest.

  “Jun De!”

  Shen Ruolan wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding him as though he might vanish if she let him go. Her face was pressed up against his chest, and her voice trembled with relief when she spoke.

  “You’re awake! Thank the heavens that you’re healed.”

  Jun De’s mouth opened, but no sound came out as he was caught off guard by Shen Ruolan’s sudden embrace. He didn’t expect her to practically jump into his arms, and he was stunned for a moment.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  His arms hung awkwardly by his waist as he processed what was happening, before he slowly brought them around her and gently returned the hug.

  “I’m glad that you’re safe as well.” Jun De said softly, and he truly meant it. He liked Shen Ruolan, despite her constant talk of him marrying into her family, and he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

  She pulled back just enough to look at him, and Jun De could see that her eyes were red-rimmed and filled with tears.

  “I thought you were going to die. You didn’t hesitate to throw yourself in front of me to keep me safe.” Shen Ruolan whispered, and Jun De smiled.

  “I didn’t have much time to think. If I had, I may have tossed you at that spear and run away.” Jun De joked, and Shen Ruolan let out a small snort, before blushing red at the embarrassing sound.

  “You idiot. You can pretend otherwise, but I know you care about me too much to let me be harmed.” Shen Ruolan said, wiping away the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand as she stepped back and released him.

  Before Jun De could respond, Shen Ruolan continued.

  “It’s good that you have left your room. We’ll be arriving in Yunlai City soon.”

  “And the demonic cultivators?” Jun De asked, thinking of Xun Beiming, and he silently whispered another curse.

  “There hasn’t been any trace of them. They vanished, but Grandfather is meeting with the Sect Master of the Tranquil Mountain Sect as we speak. They will be conducting a sweep of the region. I doubt Xun Beiming will be able to escape them for long.” Shen Ruolan explained.

  “That’s good. We can’t let something like this happen again. The disappearances and the conflict. It all needs to stop.” Jun De said.

  ‘Or else something bad might happen to me again.’ Jun De added silently.

  Shen Ruolan hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer to Jun De once more. She looked up at him as her hand reached forward and placed her palm against his chest, over his heart.

  “Jun De. When we get back to Yunlai City, I hope that you will stay with me. You have done so much for me, and the city, and I…” Shen Ruolan trailed off, flushing even redder than before. She took in a deep breath and was about to speak again when she was suddenly interrupted.

  “That will not be possible. Jun De is expected at the Tranquil Mountain Sect. His entry into the Inner Sect cannot be delayed.”

  Shen Ruolan flinched at the voice, and Jun De looked up to see Mu Yanyu standing a short distance away. Her blue Sect robes were as pristine as always, while Jun De noticed that she looked tired.

  The normally composed Elder Mu was frowning slightly as her eyes flickered briefly between Jun De and Shen Ruolan’s hand on his chest, before settling on the young woman.

  ‘Is she jealous?! No, that can’t be right. She was only willing to help me last night because the Sect values me for my supposed talent, and I gave her the Moonfrost Sword. Elder Mu doesn’t seem the type to actually want to be with me, right?’ Jun De thought.

  Shen Ruolan stiffened, and she spun around to glare at Mu Yanyu. Jun De wasn’t sure why, but he got the impression that Shen Ruolan didn’t like Mu Yanyu at all.

  “Jun De has only just woken up. He is still recovering. I believe it will be more beneficial for him to spend some time resting in Yunlai City before returning to the Tranquil Mountain Sect. I am sure that my grandfather will agree.” Shen Ruolan said briskly, her tone lacking in any sort of respect for the Vice Sect Master.

  “He has recovered.” Mu Yanyu interrupted, her voice quiet, but firm.

  “His cultivation has broken through to the 7th Level of Qi Condensation, and he will be expected to enter the Inner Sect immediately upon his return to Tranquil Mountain. The Sect Master himself has commanded it, and I doubt even your grandfather can change his mind.”

  “And what about what Jun De wants?!” Shen Ruolan snapped, and her voice rose. She was no longer the fearful young woman who had looked at Jun De with tears in her eyes. Shen Ruolan was acting as the granddaughter of the City Lord of Yunlai City. A talented prodigy in her own right.

  Elder Mu stepped forward, the sound of her footsteps barely audible on the polished wooden floor of the ship’s deck. Jun De unconsciously took a step back, leaving space between him and Shen Ruolan as he did so.

  “This is not a matter of sentiment. The demonic cultivators may be gone for now, but their threat lingers. Jun De’s potential cannot be left to idle in some backwater city. He is needed in the Tranquil Mountain Sect, where he can be trained properly. I doubt Yunlai City has the resources to support his needs.” Mu Yanyu said, her tone critical and condescending.

  Shen Ruolan drew in a sharp breath with a hiss, and her eyes flared open.

  “Watch your tongue, Vice Sect Master Mu.” Shen Ruolan said coldly, and this time it was Mu Yanyu’s turn to react in shock at the harsh words. No one had ever spoken to her in that tone before, especially not a Qi Condensation cultivator.

  “Yunlai City may not match the prestige of the Tranquil Mountain Sect, but we are not some nameless backwater. My grandfather is City Lord Han Zhengwu, with a cultivation in the Early Stage of Nascent Soul. He is equal to your own Sect Master.” Shen Ruolan said proudly.

  “We can provide everything that Jun De needs.” Shen Ruolan finished.

  “I am speaking for what he needs. Jun De needs proper guidance, with access to our library of techniques and Elders capable of mentoring him. I will not allow someone who hardly knows him to hold him back.” Mu Yanyu said coldly.

  Mu Yanyu’s composure cracked for a heartbeat. It was just a flicker of emotion in her eyes, but it was enough.

  She was exhausted, and her time with Jun De had stirred up feelings she wasn’t accustomed to. Dual Cultivation formed a connection that was normally reserved for Dao Companions, and Mu Yanyu hadn’t had time to adjust.

  Her Core Formation aura surged outward, and the pressure in the air grew sharp. Shen Ruolan’s eyes widened as it hit her. She staggered back, clutching her chest as her breath caught in her throat.

  “Mu Yanyu!” Shen Ruolan gasped, but she wasn’t able to say anything more than that.

  Unfortunately, Jun De wasn’t spared either.

  The weight slammed into him like a tidal wave. His newly stabilized Qi surged in protest, but his knees buckled as pain lanced through his meridians, and his vision spun.

  “Jun De!” Shen Ruolan managed to shout, and she tried to reach toward him.

  Mu Yanyu’s eyes snapped to him in horror as the colour drained from his face. She retracted her aura immediately, while rushing forward to catch him.

  But Jun De crumpled before either of them could react, and he fell to the deck.

  He had one last thought before darkness claimed him once again.

  ‘Harems are too complicated. Maybe I should just find one nice girl. Someone without any cultivation. I’ll go looking for her tomorrow.’