Chapter 211: Phoenix Blood: Heavenly Pond, Sea of Qi!
Shi Hao, his mind calm and focused, raised his sword, its tip pointing towards the sky.
Although he hadn’t moved, his sword intent, powerful and vast, radiated outwards, as if merging with the heavens and the earth.
Ye Zi Yin’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise in their depths, “Impressive.”
Her praise wasn’t because his skill was now comparable to hers, but because, during his last visit, she had just taught him those countless sword techniques in the Celestial Realm.
Only a month had passed in the mortal world, and he had already grasped the essence of sword intent, his understanding of the sword reaching a new level.
Such talent was truly remarkable.
“Be careful, Sister Zi Yin,” Shi Hao said, taking a step forward.
His sword intent surged, and he thrust his sword forward, a seemingly simple and direct attack, yet the trembling tip of his blade hinted at hidden complexities.
And the very space around him seemed to ripple and distort, the power of his attack concentrated at a single point.
A weaker opponent would have been overwhelmed by the sheer force of his aura.
Ye Zi Yin, however, saw that he had combined the Sacred Heart Clear Mirror Technique with his sword intent, amplifying its power, creating a formidable pressure.
She drew her sword, her strength matching his, not exceeding it.
Her movements were graceful and precise. With a flick of her wrist, her sword intercepted his, a single, precise touch just behind the tip of his blade.
His sword, like a snake struck at its vital point, froze mid-strike.
Shi Hao shifted his footwork, twisting his wrist, his sword sliding along hers, deflecting the blow, then continuing its attack.
Ye Zi Yin’s eyes shone with approval. His seemingly straightforward attack had been a feint, a subtle maneuver to redirect her force and create an opening.
Although she had blocked his initial strike, he had anticipated her defense, using it to his advantage.
This move wasn’t from any specific technique, but a spontaneous, intuitive response, a testament to his growing mastery, his understanding of the sword transcending mere forms and techniques.
Their swords clashed, a flurry of motion, dozens of exchanges in an instant.
Despite Shi Hao’s best efforts, he couldn’t break through her defenses.
Her swordsmanship was effortless, fluid, like a brushstroke on silk, each movement imbued with a profound, almost mystical, grace. As the duel continued, her every move seemed to anticipate his, guiding his actions, subtly controlling his responses, his movements becoming increasingly constrained.
He stopped, sighing, “I’m no match for you, Sister Zi Yin.”
Ye Zi Yin sheathed her sword and smiled, “Your progress in such a short time is remarkable. With your current skill, combined with the techniques you learned in the Primordial Grotto Heaven and the power we can lend you, you can face Yi Shenzi, even with the beast’s power.”
She turned and walked towards the waterfall, “Follow me.”
Shi Hao tucked the jade sword into his sash and followed her.
With a wave of her hand, the waterfall parted like a curtain.
They passed through, the water closing behind them, a shimmering curtain of light.
They walked along a narrow path and entered the grotto, its walls adorned with glowing patterns woven from Cave Meditating Grass, the air filled with a faint, ethereal light.
Strange and beautiful plants grew everywhere, and beyond them were the giant peonies, their blossoms as large as houses.
Ye Zi Yin said, “Wait for me here.” Then, with a gentle leap, her figure a blur, she disappeared.
A fragrant breeze, and Shi Hao turned around, his mind reeling.
Ye Zi Yin had changed her clothes.
She now wore white trousers and a thin, almost translucent, white robe.
The robe, open at the front, its two lapels hanging loosely from her shoulders, its long hem trailing behind her, revealed her undergarments beneath.
Traditional women’s attire consisted of three main styles: the shenyi, the zhequn, and the ruqun.
The shenyi was a long, flowing robe, wrapped around the body, its lapels crossed over the chest, the hem reaching the ankles, concealing the figure completely.
It was designed for modesty and practicality.
Ancient women, when wearing a shenyi, either didn’t wear trousers or wore open-crotch pants, since the robe itself concealed everything.
The ruqun, however, consisted of a separate top and skirt. The skirt was loose and flowing, allowing for greater freedom of movement, while the top could be worn in various styles, open at the neck, or with crossed or overlapping lapels.
During the early Sheng Dynasty, the ruqun’s top was often tight-fitting, accentuating the figure.
But now, the tops were generally looser, worn over undergarments and chest coverings, concealing the body more effectively, less revealing than during the Sheng Dynasty.
The zhequn, also a two-piece garment, its top longer than a typical ruqun, sometimes even longer than a shenyi, was open at the front, requiring undergarments and trousers to avoid exposure.
Ye Zi Yin, however, wore trousers but no under-robe beneath her zhequn, its sheer, embroidered silk lapels barely concealing her breasts, her figure, her delicate waist and curves, clearly visible.
Her Daoist bun was also undone, her long, black hair cascading down her back, enhancing her beauty.
At this moment, she looked less like a powerful martial artist and more like a beautiful young wife waiting for her husband’s return.
Shi Hao stared at her, captivated, his mind blank, unable to even process the question of why she had changed.
Ye Zi Yin explained, “The Wedding Dress Divine Art has two applications. One is transferring your cultivated essence, either your Daoist internal elixir or your demonic source, to another person. This is often a life-or-death sacrifice, and the recipient can’t fully absorb the transferred energy.
“Since an internal elixir or a demonic source is cultivated through years of dedicated practice, it carries the cultivator’s unique imprint. And demonic sources are connected to the Demonic Realm. Forcefully transferring them can attract Yin Demons. This kind of transference can have serious consequences for the recipient, either causing irreparable damage or requiring the recipient to disperse their own foundation, turning it into a raw, undifferentiated energy that offers only a temporary boost.
“Like when you absorbed the True Dragon energy. Although it increased your power, it wasn’t your own, and your foundation was unstable.”
Shi Hao, his gaze fixed on the curves of her body, barely concealed by the sheer fabric, nodded absently.
He thought that Yuejiao must have received Madam Demonic Vine’s demonic source, which explained her sudden increase in power, her advancement to the sixth rank.
But that demonic source was likely corrupted by Yin Demons. Yuejiao was showing signs of demonic affliction, and he wasn’t sure how much of her soul had been affected.
If it was just her Po, her consciousness, it was less serious, although her personality and her perception of the world would still be twisted and distorted.
But if her Hun, her life essence, was also affected, then a part of her was already… gone.
And the Wedding Dress Divine Art’s transference of energy likely had similar risks.
Otherwise, powerful martial arts families could simply pass down their cultivated essence through generations, creating an endless supply of experts.
But almost no one used this method.
That old woman hadn’t intended to simply transfer her power to Yuejiao, but to completely possess her, sacrificing her own dying body, a desperate act that had been interrupted by Hou Bomin and Xiang Gu.
And although Yuejiao’s power had increased, it was a dangerous gain… With her talent and background, she could have reached the mid-ranks eventually through normal cultivation.
Ye Zi Yin continued, “The other application is for a powerful cultivator to temporarily lend their power to another.”
Shi Hao thought of the term “replenishing magic.”
Ye Zi Yin said softly, “But this connection requires… physical contact.”
Shi Hao’s eyes widened. Was this really… “replenishing magic”?
Ye Zi Yin, maintaining a serious demeanor to prevent any further… misunderstandings, continued, “Technically, the connection should be between the solar plexus and the dantian acupoints, but since I’m a woman, it’s not convenient for us to… connect directly. The Tian Chi (Heavenly Pool) acupoints on the chest are close to the solar plexus, so we’ll use those, along with the dantian, three points of contact.
“Then, by circulating our energy, we can create a resonance between our solar plexus and dantian acupoints, allowing our powers to flow and merge.”
Shi Hao, his gaze lingering on the curve of her breasts, the delicate valley between them, thought that connecting their solar plexus acupoints directly would indeed be… challenging.
His gaze drifted downwards, towards the embroidered lapels of her robe, barely concealing her breasts… the Heavenly Pool acupoints.
And then lower, her white trousers, pulled high on her waist, concealing her navel… the dantian was located below the navel.
He suddenly wondered… was Yi Shenzi actually a good guy?
A seemingly evil demon, but secretly a matchmaker sent by heaven?
Sensing his gaze, the beautiful immortal blushed slightly, a rare display of vulnerability.
Connecting at the Heavenly Pool acupoints on both sides of the chest and the dantian below… what kind of position would that require?
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