“Mo Tianliao?” Qingtong shoved him. He didn’t respond. Qingtong got up quickly and pulled on him until he lay flat. He placed a hand on his wrist and examined him carefully; apart from his still unhealed injuries, there were no new wounds, so what was wrong?
“Master, what’s… wrong…” Hearing Master’s cry of alarm, Shuang Ren struggled to lift himself from the floor, told his sister to wait there, turned into a human and ran upstairs quickly. Only to see Master with his clothes partly open, half cradling second shixiong in his arms.
He seemed to have discovered something terrible! The hair on Shuang Ren’s tail puffed up, but luckily, he was in human form so it was not visible. He silently turned around, ready to go downstairs.
“Stop,” Qingtong called his youngest disciple. “What happened?”
Shuang Ren turned around and peeked at Master. However, the man who looked like a fallen immortal was already neatly dressed, except for his mermaid silk shawl, he wore everything else, his hair had turned inky, and his cold and beautiful eyes were perfectly dignified. Shuang Ren blinked, had he just imagined the previous scene?
After listening to his youngest disciple’s thorough account of what had happened, Qingtong frowned slightly. He took particular notice of something Shuang Ren had said; Mo Tianliao’s eyes had looked red during the fight.
“Ngh…” Mo Tianliao suddenly groaned. Immediately after, the surrounding qi began to violently gather around him. Since Qingtong was still checking his pulse, even his own spiritual force started to rush toward Mo Tianliao.
It affected his vital force, causing Qingtong instant pain. He quickly withdrew his hand.
“Master!” Seeing that Qingtong was unwell, Shuang Ren rushed to support him. “Second shixiong, is he… advancing?”
A few days ago, he was in the middle period of the Golden Core stage, and when he met him again, he was already at the late period of the Golden Core stage, which could be explained by previous accumulation of spiritual power. But to be advancing once more now, how could that be explained?
Qingtong shook his head briefly, took out eighteen top-grade lingshi, raised his hand and threw them, scattering them evenly around the bed. “Go back downstairs. No matter what happens, don’t come unless I call you.”
When Shuang Ren saw his Master’s grim look, he immediately nodded and ran downstairs.
Qingtong waved his hand and set up a sound insulating barrier. Since he had to use his vital force, once again he felt substantial pain in his Dantian. With a thought, the whole Crystal Palace became a milky white, all the walls and floors no longer transparent.
Mo Tianliao, like a huge qi vortex, completely engulfed all the qi around him. The eighteen top-grade lingshi soon lost their colour and crumbled into a pile of grey ash.
Qingtong immediately threw another big chunk to replace them. If he was not mistaken, Mo Tianliao suddenly advanced to the late period of the Golden Core stage because of last night’s dual cultivation, but because he had not realized it himself, and because of his stressed state of mind, his Dantian was unable to absorb sufficient qi. Now that he could relax, it was trying to make up for it.
Fortunately, there was plenty of qi on the snowy mountains, and he had enough lingshi at hand. This process of absorbing qi lasted from noon to dusk, and Mo Tianliao fell into a prolonged sleep.
Dreams were always a confused muddle. The empty valley before his eyes looked very familiar. There was only low grass in the silent valley, a short tree stood in the centre. “Meoooow.”A snow-coloured kitten stood trembling at the top of the tree, it called at him in a weak and feeble voice.
This was… Absolute Death Valley!
“Baby!” Mo Tianliao walked over and reached out toward the kitten. Why were they here again? They had to leave as soon as possible; he could somehow sense that something bad was going to happen.
When the kitten saw him, he ran over happily. Suddenly, the dark blue and silver wrist guard on his arm shone brightly, resonating with the bracelet on the kitten’s paw. In an instant, the kitten was sent flying. Mo Tianliao felt the blood throughout his whole body freezing solid; he ran towards him.
The scene before him morphed, the dark green grass turned into black stone, spikes were everywhere. Qingtong lay on the ground in human form, countless spikes stabbed through his slender body, his snow-white clothes completely dyed a bright red.
“Qingtong…” Like a madman, Mo Tianliao rushed to help free him from the sharp spikes, but he could only powerlessly moan in agony.
All this is caused by you! Between heaven and earth, an oppressive voice like thunder reverberated ceaselessly in his ear. It’s all you, leaving him a wristband that could cause a rebound! Because of you he has been suffering for 300 years, yet you hurt him like this! He’s going to die. You’ll never be with your cat again! Ha ha ha ha ha!
“No, that won’t happen!” Inside his dream, Mo Tianliao roared and released a huge fire dragon into the heavens. He wanted to tear up this God, he wanted to tear up everything, so that his Qingtong could come back!
Qingtong had been sitting by the bed and watching Mo Tianliao, when he saw sweat starting to form on his forehead, his mouth beginning to let out a cry and his body no longer absorbing the lingshi, he immediately came forward, flicked away the lingshi and patted his face. “Mo Tianliao, wake up!”
Mo Tianliao grit his teeth, blue veins protruded on his neck. He suddenly opened his eyes. But those eyes were no longer as deep and gentle as they used to be, they were a bloody red.
Qingtong immediately grabbed him by the neck and pressed their foreheads together.
“Ahhhh!” Mo Tianliao yelled and began to struggle. The spiritual force running through his body became more and more violent, as if in the next moment it would destroy everything around him, yet he still instinctively avoided Qingtong and did not hurt him at all.
Qingtong had no choice but to climb on top of Mo Tianliao, holding down his thrashing arms and legs. He drew close once more, touching their brows together and transferred his own beast soul to help him sooth his internal demons.
Inside his lingtai, Mo Tianliao’s divine soul was wandering around, teeth bared and claws flashing, looking like a madman. The brilliantly white beast soul coiled around it, gently enveloping it, and extinguished all the chaotic red spots inside it.
Mo Tianliao gradually calmed down, but he was not yet completely conscious. He sensed a sweet scent around him, he kind of wanted to… get a little closer…
Internal demons. Before the qi in the Taixuan continent changed, they meant just a bottleneck during cultivation, they could be overcome through gaining understanding of one’s self. However, after qi became intermixed with demonic qi, internal demons could really make people go mad. When internal demons occurred, one’s consciousness became befuddled, and one’s spiritual power caused havoc. For lower level cultivators, it was still possible to use pills to somewhat neutralize them, but for those of a higher level it was difficult. In severe cases, they might die because their bodies ended up exploding.
That’s why everyone wanted to get their hands on Demonic Beasts to sign a blood pact with them. Someone like Mo Xiaozhao, who could still help guide his divine soul in times of crisis even when a blood pact was not signed, one could search the whole of the cultivation world and still not find anything like him.
The bloody tint receded a little. Mo Tianliao seemed to wake up a bit, but in reality, he was not truly conscious yet. Smelling the enticing scent of the one on top of him, he suddenly flipped over, pressed Qingtong, who was still guiding his divine soul, beneath him and opened his mouth to bite the white neck. His hands teared open the snow-coloured clothes, then started to rub all over.
“Mmph…” While Demonic beasts were trying to sort out a divine soul, they were very vulnerable. Without the slightest chance of resisting, Qingtong was caught off guard and pushed down by Mo Tianliao. However, at the same time, the brows of the two men separated, and his guidance of the divine soul was interrupted.
The man on top of him placed sucking kisses everywhere at random, he also seemed unaware of how much strength his hands possessed, he soon hurt him. Qingtong frowned and slapped Mo Tianliao on the head, shouting, “Behave!”
Mo Tianliao’s movements froze, before he had time to react, his body was flipped and pressed under Qingtong’s. If he tried to resist further, he would earn a punch.
Mo Tianliao, who was firmly beaten, became docile and his consciousness became much clearer. He lay still and let Qingtong guide his divine soul.
Inside his lingtai, Mo Tianliao’s now calm divine soul stood quietly. Seeing the brilliantly white beast soul floating closer, he caught it in his open arms. The beast soul wrapped around him to help guide him, but Mo Tianliao’s own divine soul was not idle, he tightly held the beast soul which was basically Qingtong, and, while the other was focusing on extinguishing his internal demons, penetrated it with a part of himself.
“Ohh…” Qingtong suddenly let out a sweet and intimate moan, the pleasure brought by both of their souls touching immediately spreading all over his body.
Mo Tianliao extended his arms and clasped his baby close, he kissed his pale thin lips gently, his divine soul helplessly penetrating even deeper.
“Ahh…” Qingtong fell softly on top of Mo Tianliao, his beautiful eyes half closed, his pupils trembling ceaselessly. A big calloused hand caressed the back of his neck, stroking gently, as if soothing a sleeping cat.
After a round of soul blending, both of them paused for breath. Mo Tianliao’s eyes had returned to their usual black, but he had not had his fill yet, he leaned closer to continue kissing.
“Get up since you’re fine!” Qingtong raised a hand to block the big head drawing closer.
“Not yet.” Mo Tianliao moved and deliberately touched him in a certain unmentionable place. “You see, there are still some things that have to be dealt with.”
Qingtong was momentarily stunned, then he raised his hand and slapped him. He got up, ready to leave. This fool was really getting more and more impudent!
“Baby!” Mo Tianliao rose and embraced his prey who was ready to escape. “My cultivation has suddenly increased.”
“You don’t say.” Qingtong elbowed him.
“Stop that. Listen to me.” Mo Tianliao grabbed his elbow and pulled him closer, looking intently at him. “What about your cultivation? Has it suffered any damage?” What he was most worried about was Qingtong having any cultivation backlash. If he had been hurt in any way, he would not even mention dual cultivation again until he had reached the Half-Immortal stage again.
“…It hasn’t.” Qingtong lowered his eyes and uttered the two words after a long pause.
“Really?” Mo Tianliao’s eyes lit up. No being in the universe can gain anything without giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This was the Way of balance. Why had his cultivation improved, yet Qingtong’s cultivation remained unaffected?
“Haha. The Great Ancient Beasts actually used this method to cultivate. If it were to damage those who practiced it, then why would anyone do it?” Taishi flew out from under the bed, turning into a big mouth and making a racket.
The method of dual cultivation currently known in the cultivation world, always involved damage to one party, although using Heavenly grade Silk Tree Nectar would protect both partners, it would also make it impossible to increase their cultivation through the act. However, this Great Ancient Beast dual cultivation method was different.
In the ancient barbaric past, cultivation methods simply did not exist. Great Ancient Beasts cultivated by absorbing the qi present in nature as well as the essence of the sun and moon. During dual cultivation, they could accelerate the absorption of qi and even nourish each other. For the Great Ancient Beasts, dual cultivation was really a method to practice cultivation, not just a way to seek pleasure.
Mo Tianliao stared blankly for a moment, then the corners of his mouth gradually began lifting, his smile grew ever wider and bigger. Lucky, lucky, lucky me! Strictly speaking, his body was also that of a Beast now, and since he already had a divine soul, he only needed to absorb enough qi in order to be able to advance, which fit nicely with the secret Great Ancient Beast dual cultivation method!
Qingtong saw the way he was smiling like an idiot and raised a hand to slap him. “Get up and go cook since you’re fine.” Hadn’t he said that he had brought something delicious?
“Who said I’m fine?” Mo Tianliao threw Qingtong down like a hungry tiger pouncing on his prey. “I told you, there are still some things that have to be dealt with.”
“Ah…” Qingtong lifted a hand, intending to beat him.
“Don’t use your vital force, it’ll hurt you,” Mo Tianliao warned softly as he untied his belt. “Don’t worry, you will be healed after a few more rounds.”
The sun sank towards the horizon; the snow made a rustling sound as it fell outside the window.
Shuang Hua crouched in front of the elk and took a sip of water. She turned to look at her brother who had been gazing at the top of the stairs. “Brother, when can we eat?”
Shuang Ren flicked his tail. “I don’t know, I guess it will take a long time for Master to heal second shixiong.”
The little Frost Fox climbed on top of the elk and curled up into a ball. “Let’s go to sleep for now. On here, that way we’ll know when your second shixiong comes to cook the elk.”
Shuang Ren also thought that was a good idea, he jumped up and huddled with his sister.
It was a very long night. It was not clear when they would be finally able to eat some roast meat.
“Double cultivation is really versatile”
Carpenter: Master, I’m being beset by internal demons. I need to dual cultivate
Carpenter: Master, you are injured. Come quickly, let’s dual cultivate
Carpenter: Master, lately I’ve been a bit hot-tempered…
Master: Does dual cultivation also help when you’re feeling incensed meow?
Carpenter: Of course, dual cultivation can certainly quench this fire, ehhehe
Unedited, please point out any mistakes
I’m back! Next chapter in a couple of hours. I’ll try to post every day to make up for the wait!