143. On Dual Cultivation

  A grey, disheveled figure fell from a secluded mountain peak at Qingyuan Peak. After cautiously looking around and confirming that no one was there, it crept to the front of a cave, joined its palms together, performed a set of finger techniques, opened the outer seal, and entered through the stone gate.

  As soon as he entered the stone gate, he shouted loudly: "Xi'er, where is everybody?"

  He walked through the stone path and entered the hall, skillfully choosing a stone gate. After another set of finger gestures, the stone gate opened, revealing a handsome yet gloomy face welcoming him.

  But this face immediately turned into astonishment after seeing him.

  Jinghe Daojun carelessly wiped his face with a dirty hand, making it even more smudged and blackened.

  Qin Xi couldn't help but frown and ask: "What did you do? How did you get yourself into such a state?"

  Jinghe Daojun lowered his head and looked at himself, still sitting down in front of him with an air of nonchalance, pointing to his nose: "Still isn't it for you!"

  "For me?" Qin Xi raised an eyebrow in doubt. He absolutely didn't believe this, what kind of moral character did his master have, he still didn't know? It had been many years since he last called out his name, every time it was just "young one" this and "young one" that. Suddenly calling out his name with such warmth, most likely he had done something to make people laugh and cry and was trying to curry favor.

  As expected——

  Jinghe looked around cautiously to make sure there was no one else in the room, then leaned in mysteriously: "It's all because of you that I got into a fight with Old Man Zhenyang!"

  “……”

  "What's with that expression!" Jing He Dao Jun rolled up his sleeves, "I fought for you until I'm like this, and you're not even moved?"

  Qin Xi calmly opened his mouth: "First say what's going on."

  Back to the topic, Jinghe and Daojun stared at him for a while, and finally couldn't help but proudly boast: "The disciple of Lao Shenyang wanted to snatch your daughter-in-law, so I had a fight with him!"

  "......my wife?" Qin Xi asked slowly, "When did I have a wife?"

  "Hey, aren't you going to admit it?" Jinghe and Daojun glanced at him with an expression of "you don't have to be embarrassed", "Tiangē! I know you don't want to say it now, it's okay, I won't tell anyone, just take your time..."

  The words were left unspoken as Qin Xi's face had already darkened with a stormy expression: "Master!"

  "What's the matter?" Jing and Daojun thought to stroke their mustaches, but ended up wiping a handful of ash instead. They slapped at their clothes in annoyance, sending the entire stone chamber flying with black ash and mud.

  Qin Xi glared at him, but for a moment didn't know what to say. After a while, he calmed down: "Master, since you have nothing better to do, why not go out and travel? Your current cultivation is enough, it's time to find opportunities to advance to the later stages."

  His voice was calm and his words seemed considerate of others, but the underlying tone of warning was unmistakable to anyone who listened.

  Upon hearing his tone, Jinghe Daojun involuntarily shrank back a bit, but the next moment he argued with justification and shouted: "What kind of attitude is this? I've worked hard for you until I'm exhausted, without even keeping my image intact. You speak to me like that?"

  Qin Xi felt he had already been very restrained, but upon hearing this sentence, the fire in his heart suddenly flared up uncontrollably. He couldn't help but tense up his face: "Master, even if you're joking, there's a limit to it!"

  Jinghe Daojun apparently didn't know his limits, and upon hearing this sentence, he jumped up again: "You're saying I'm crazy? You actually dare to say I'm crazy? You... if it weren't for your weird personality, I'd have found a wife by now. Let me tell you..."

  "Who told you she's my daughter-in-law?" Qin Xi couldn't help but raise his voice, "You actually believe in something that doesn't exist! After living for 800 years, where has your brain gone?!"

  Having lived for 800 years, he was still being looked down upon by his juniors. Jinghe Daojun didn't know where his brain had gone, but he knew that his self-esteem had been hurt. His face suddenly turned fierce: "You stinky little brat! Do you think I don't know what's on your mind? You've always been like this since you were young, clearly thinking to death in your heart but not daring to say it out loud! If I didn't take care of you, you'd be crying later!"

  He shouted loudly. It's like having an elder, but Qin Xi didn't buy it at all: "Don't think you're justified! I have nothing to do with her!"

  "Hmph, hmph!" Jing and Daojun sneered, their eyes gleaming with sharpness. "What's the point of hiding your identity from her? What's the point of not seeing her for two years? What's the point of desperately cultivating? You were raised by me, and I know all about your twisted thoughts, even if others don't! You didn't tell her who you are because you didn't want to face her as a senior. You wouldn't see her, and you desperately cultivated because your self-esteem was hurt by that Xianzhen ancestor of hers! You thought you were taking care of her all along, but in the eyes of her ancestor, you're just an insignificant little ant. You felt like you suddenly lost the qualifications to have any thoughts about her, so you went crazy with cultivation... Kid, you always think your master is out of tune, but I've lived for 800 years, and I'm telling you, you're still a bit too tender!"

  Throughout this long speech, Qin Xi didn't say a word, but his face turned dark and terrifying. He knew that this master had always been unorthodox, but these words made him feel as if the secrets in his heart were suddenly exposed without any defense, laid bare under the sunlight, with no place to hide, and it seemed like someone had ruthlessly poked at his softest spot with a needle, causing an invisible pain that couldn't be touched.

  Jinghe Daojun finished speaking, took a deep breath and continued: "You have this stubborn temper, always keeping things in your heart, thinking you can handle everything by yourself. But I have to tell you, if you miss this opportunity, it's gone forever. So even if you don't admit it now, I'll be watching over you, but don't pretend to agree while secretly disagreeing, Master doesn't want you to regret it later!"

  Qin Xi didn't say a word, he just stared fiercely at Jing and Dao Jun in front of him. However, after hearing the words behind him, his gaze softened unknowingly. He lowered his line of sight, his face stiff, and it was unclear what he was thinking about. After a long time, he finally heard his seemingly hoarse voice: "Don't think you're all that, my hard work in cultivation has nothing to do with this matter!"

  "Doesn't matter?" Jinghe and Daojun came over, smiling. "Kid, can't I tell you've got something on your mind? Last time's incident definitely had something you didn't tell me, did it hurt your pride or what?"

  Qin Xi didn't say a word, but his face changed color and his palms clenched tightly.

  Seeing his expression, Jing and Dao Jun retreated, lightly sighing and saying in a soft voice that he had never used before: "Xi'er, this matter is all my fault for not teaching you well. You've been determined since childhood, only thinking about cultivation and nothing else, like an old man at a young age, so calm and steady. I thought you were born to cultivate immortals, but now I realize that's not the case. You don't get entangled in anything because you don't care, but when you do care, it becomes a disaster. Your cultivation path has been too smooth - don't glare at me, although you've experienced many dangers, you've never experienced mental hardships - so smooth that you've never tasted failure. Although I've taken care of you since childhood, you don't like to rely on me. These years, your cultivation to the Golden Elixir stage can be said to be entirely your own effort, and actually has nothing to do with me. Because of this, you've always been confident and proud, your pride making you always strive to be the best, not influenced by anything or anyone. This kind of temperament has made you always walk in front of others, but you don't know that excessive pride can be fatal!"

  Qin Xi hung his eyes and didn't speak.

  This out-of-tune master would never say such a long speech, nor would he use such gentle and soft tone, but this remark was too sharp, so sharp that he couldn't refute it.

  "Xi'er, if you continue like this, you will be haunted by a demon in your heart." He sighed heavily.

  Qin Xi's lips tightened, but he said, "I'll take care of it."

  Ke Jing and Dao Jun simply shook their heads: "I know you don't want to rely on me, but some things, this eight-hundred-year-old old monster sees more clearly than you. I don't know what's tangled in your heart, but I know that the source of all this is that little girl. So, I'm warning you very seriously, if you get her, your heart demon will naturally disappear."

  “She is not an object.”

  He heard him with a bit of stubborn tone, Jinghe Daojun smiled, not that kind of old and unscrupulous smile, but with a hint of tolerance and doting: "I said such a long passage, you actually only emphasized this point. Little boy, you're really finished."

  Qin Xi no longer spoke, lowering his head and remaining completely still.

  Jinghe Daojun wiped his face clean with his handkerchief and said in a low voice, "Actually, this girl is not bad. Having experienced hardships, she knows how to be self-respecting and strong. Although she hasn't grown up yet, given time and tempering, she will definitely become a capable person. Not to mention anything else, she really suits you. You don't like noisy girls, she's very quiet; you only love cultivating, she also has a firm mind; most importantly, you appreciate her very much. You're the kind of person who can't fall in love with a girl at once, it's impossible, it can only start from appreciation. The more you appreciate, the more you care, the more you care, the easier it is to move your heart. You always look down on girls, but just now you emphasized that she's not an object. Can you deny that she's special in your heart?"

  After saying that, Qin Xi still didn't respond, but it made Jing and Dao Jun even more excited: "It's been many years since I've seen you look so awkward, seeing you like this, Master really has a sense of accomplishment!"

  Upon hearing this sentence, Qin Xi raised his head and angrily shouted: "Master!"

  Jinghe Daojun was overjoyed, so he ignored his complexion: "Don't be like that, other people's children will have youthful worries in their teens or twenties, but you're having them at over a hundred years old, how rare is that!"

  Qin Xi's anger grew, although he didn't say a word, he clenched his fists as if wanting to punch someone. Of course, he wouldn't dare do such an unfilial thing as physically attacking an elder, but he had no qualms about throwing the person out!

  Looking at him, Jing and Daojun cleverly saw the good and collected: "Okay, let's not talk about that. Let's simply and seriously discuss the feasibility of dual cultivation. Young man, you have already cultivated the Pure Yang Secret from Huashen to the third layer, right? At present, your pure yang energy is getting stronger and stronger, and it's almost indistinguishable from a pure yang body. Your three yuan conversion has now obtained Taiyang and Zhonghe two qi, only lacking Taiyin, isn't it?"

  Seeing Qin Xi nodding hesitantly, Jing He Dao Jun continued: "Firstly, let's talk about the Three Origins Conversion. This technique is closely related to the ancient breathing method. Ancient cultivators believed that the Three Origins' energy is the root of heaven and earth, and if one can unify the Three Origins, they can attain the Great Way. According to what you said, this technique is most suitable for advancing in rank, but the requirements for cultivation are also very strict. If one cannot obtain the Three Origins' energy, then the Three Origins will not be complete, and the Great Way will be unattainable. Currently, you already have the two energies of Taiyang Middle Harmony, but you can't find the energy of Taiyin. I don't believe that you don't know that dual cultivating with a female cultivator who has a pure yin body is the easiest and safest way to obtain the energy of Taiyin."

  Qin Xi remained silent, and Jinghe Daojun didn't force him to speak, continuing: "Let's talk about the Pure Yang Technique. In the past, I inadvertently obtained the Yang Spirit Pearl, and I told you that this heavenly treasure would make your yang energy endless, and it might change your physical constitution. Now that we have obtained the Pure Yang Technique, this statement seems to be fulfilled. If you become a pure yang body, then dual cultivation with someone who is a pure yin body will bring immense benefits!"

  After saying this, the room fell silent.

  Jinghe Dao looked at Qin Xi, seemingly waiting for him to make a decision, while Qin Xi's face was stiff and he didn't say a word.

  After a long time, Qin Xi finally spoke up: "I don't want to dual cultivate for the sake of some kind of benefit, whether it's cultivation or heart demons."

  Jinghe Daojun burst out laughing, not surprised at all by his answer. He patted Qin Xi's shoulder with a hint of helplessness: "Kid, I just said that excessive pride will be the death of you. You still..."

  "What's the point? If we have to rely on women to get married, what's the fun in that?"

  "......Sigh!" Jing and Daojun shook his head, but suddenly asked, "Then I'll ask you, not for cultivation or heart demons, do you really not want her?"

  This time, he didn't wait for an answer and had to tidy himself up before returning to the Upper Clear Palace with a refreshed and radiant appearance - how could he, who had been wise all his life, let his disciples see him in such a sorry state? Fortunately, this young man hadn't accepted any apprentices yet and was currently in seclusion, so there wasn't a single person around the Dongfu!

  After Jinghe and Daojun walked for a long time, a low voice finally came from the Dongfu: "At least... wait until after the wedding..."

  Qin Shou Jing!

  Baiyan flew forward, gritting her teeth and forcefully casting a spell.

  A towering old tree in front of him suddenly snapped, "hula" and crushed a patch of shrubs. He felt a bit relieved, found a place to squat down and rest.

  Bai Yanfei had always been very proud of himself, he thought he should be proud.

  He was born into a royal family, noble as the Crown Prince of Yan, and wore brocade clothes and ate fine food from a young age. At the age of ten, a fairy master came to the imperial palace, proficient in the art of immortals, mastering the wonderful method of wind and thunder, letting him know that this world really has immortals.

  He was very envious and begged the immortal master to accept him as a disciple. The immortal master couldn't resist him, considering his status as a prince, and reluctantly tested his spiritual root. Unexpectedly, he discovered that he had a rare single spiritual root talent that appears only once in a hundred years!

  This immortal master was overjoyed and reported the matter to his own sect. In fact, this immortal master was only a miscellaneous disciple of the Xuanqing Sect in the past, and after obtaining the permission of the sect to leave the mountain, he just wanted to return to the mortal world to enjoy wealth and glory, but unexpectedly discovered a single-spirited genius for the sect, and as a result, he gained great benefits, was admitted to the inner sect, and was even given a foundation-building pill.

  Later, the senior fellow of this immortal master personally came to the State of Yan, took him back to Mount Taikang, and had him worship under the First Seat Elder, who personally instructed him.

  At this time, he no longer valued the worldly glory and wealth, threw away the position of the crown prince, as well as the envious eyes of his father, brothers and others, to become the inner disciple of the first elder of the Xuán Qīng Sect.

  When he was an ordinary person, he was a prince of a country. When he cultivated immortality, he was again a proud disciple of a late-stage Yuanying great cultivator. With such achievements, what reason is there for him not to be proud?

  As expected, his journey to immortality was extremely smooth, advancing in rank, building his foundation, these thresholds that were difficult for others to pass were effortlessly crossed by him.

  However, he still had times when he was unhappy. For example, whenever the female cultivators in the sect mentioned the male disciples in the sect, they would inevitably say that Shou Jing Shu Shu was so and so, and Shou Jing Shu Xiong was so and so.

  He is extremely dissatisfied! What's so special about Qin Shoujing? Building the foundation at 20 and completing the elixir at 78? The legitimate disciple of Jinghe Daojun? Looking handsome?

  As for appearance, he had seen Qin Shoujing's looks before, and it was just average. He thought himself to be handsome and elegant, not losing to anyone! As for status, he was the closed-door disciple of Zhenyang Daojun, wasn't that comparable to Qin Shoujing? Zhenyang Daojun was a great cultivator in the late Yuan Ying period, his cultivation status was higher than both Jinghe Daojun and Qin Shoujing! And as for cultivation, wasn't Qin Shoujing older than him? In terms of talent, Qin Shoujing only had a double spiritual root, far inferior to him!

  In summary, Qin Shoujing was just born over a hundred years earlier than him, and even if given more than a hundred years, Qin Shoujing wouldn't be worthy of helping him tie his shoes!

  Of course, he had thought about these things before, but mentioning Qin Shoujing now made him uncomfortable. At this moment, he gritted his teeth and hated that he couldn't blast Qin Shoujing with a spell like the tree!

  To be honest, he didn't have any major objections to that Shifu sister. He just felt that as a young and talented hero like himself, how could he not have a beautiful woman by his side? That Shifu sister was qualified in terms of identity, her cultivation wasn't bad, her looks were above average, and her age was similar to his; most importantly, she had a gentle temperament, unlike Wu Shifu from Qingyuan Peak who was so gloomy, or Jiang Shimei from Liuyun Peak who was so arrogant. Her ability to handle matters also wasn't bad, and she would definitely be able to take care of the household and teach their children properly.

  But unexpectedly, just when he thought there was someone who could catch his eye, that guy Qin Shoujing suddenly appeared out of nowhere!

  What's Qin Shoujing? Nothing compares to one's own! It's just because he's over a hundred years older than him that his cultivation is higher!

  No way, he can't be outdone by Qin Shoujing. Others are fine, but that Mo Shijie was chosen to be his dual cultivation partner, how could he let Qin Shoujing steal the show? That would be too humiliating!

  Since he had been hostile to Mo Shijie for a long time, he must win her over and make Qin Shoujing that guy know that Bai Yufei is the number one young genius of Xuanqing Gate!

  With that thought, the white goose flew down and perched on a tree stump, letting out a "heh heh" laugh.

  Thank you for the rewards from Shangxia 5000, Sa Sa, Shan Shui Ren Jian Bu Xu Gui, Xuxu 227 and the two pink votes from Fei Xiang De Xiao Tang. I know it's definitely fallen to someone, but I don't know where to look... By the way, in this chapter of Evil God Eagle, I really want to name it "The Troubles of Youth", that would be too transmigratory.