Chapter 73: What Was Dual Cultivation? She Had No Idea.
The lightless Demon Realm made it difficult to tell the time.
Their intertwined hair, like the indistinguishable day and night in the dimly lit room.
Li Yu was exhausted.
Her mind foggy, her body numb, no longer feeling quite like her own, yet Mu Tao still wouldn’t let her rest.
The candles in the room had burned down, a perfect time for sleep, yet Mu Tao insisted on relighting them with her spiritual energy.
Just to see Li Yu’s face.
Li Yu repeatedly turned away, only to be gently drawn back by a kiss.
Mu Tao seemed to enjoy seeing her master like this, her hair disheveled, sweat glistening on her skin, her cheeks flushed, her eyes hazy.
She could feel her master’s every breath, rapid and hot, her body trembling beneath her.
Her master’s beautiful hands, pushing against her, a mixture of resistance and surrender.
She liked to gently nibble on those slender fingers, watching the red string on her wrist sway as she tried to pull away.
The soft chiming of the bells made her heart race.
Sometimes, her master, seemingly overwhelmed, would cling to her, seeking support.
But then, realizing this only intensified the intimacy, she would give up and lie still.
Whether active or passive,
Mu Tao couldn’t resist that soft, yielding touch.
There was no better master in the world, she thought.
Even her master’s soft moans and pleas were intoxicating.
She loved this closeness, this intimacy that belonged only to her.
But her master was weak; she didn’t want to exhaust her.
She would let her rest.
But these moments of rest were always brief.
She couldn’t help herself; holding her master like this, she always wanted more.
And once she started, she couldn’t stop, even when her master frowned and pushed her away, she would use a spell to restrain her wrists and continue.
“Mu Tao…” Li Yu’s mind, hazy and confused, was filled with a single thought.
—This little glutton, couldn’t she ever get enough?
Just like when they ate together, she wouldn’t stop until everything was gone.
But she, Li Yu, wasn’t a dish to be devoured.
“What time is it…” she whispered.
“What did you say, Master?” Mu Tao gently nibbled her ear.
“I said…what time is it…” Li Yu asked again, “Don’t you…want to rest?”
Mu Tao seemed to consider this, then hummed softly and whispered against her ear, “I don’t know.”
Only answering the first part of the question, ignoring the second.
She then nuzzled against Li Yu’s neck, licking the unhealed wound.
“…”
It was starting again—
This time, Mu Tao lit a few more candles, especially those near the bed.
The dim room brightened.
The warm, yellow light, filtering through the red bed curtains, illuminated Li Yu, making her look like dew-kissed petals, fragile yet tempting.
These unrestrained caresses turned Li Yu’s breaths into soft moans.
Intoxicatingly beautiful.
Her master, though perfect, was still too fragile.
Bruises, marks of her lost control, marred that pristine white skin, the colors darkening with time.
Mu Tao felt that someone as perfect as her master shouldn’t be marked by such imperfections.
—It was…unsightly.
But these marks, her marks, were like red plum blossoms on snow, alluring, captivating.
She couldn’t resist tasting them, savoring the slight tremors they elicited.
Her master seemed to have given up resisting, which made her slightly less interested.
“Master, do you want to try dual cultivation? It will help you recover faster,” she whispered, leaning against Li Yu.
Li Yu shook her head.
What was dual cultivation? She had no idea.
Besides, with the curse still in her body, how could she…?
Li Yu: “You shouldn’t use your spiritual energy…”
Mu Tao: “Are you worried about me, Master?”
Li Yu: “Mm…”
Mu Tao nuzzled her ear playfully. “Let’s try it. If it’s beneficial for you, Master, I’m not afraid of the pain.”
Li Yu: “But I’m so tired…”
Mu Tao chuckled softly. “I’ll control the technique, Master. You just lie still and circulate your spiritual energy, it won’t be tiring.”
Li Yu couldn’t argue with her and sighed. “If it hurts, stop immediately.”
“Mm!” Mu Tao nuzzled her ear again.
She had studied dual cultivation techniques ever since her master first mentioned it.
It was simply the circulation and merging of two cultivators’ spiritual energies; one controlled the technique, and the other cooperated.
She had tested the curse poison; its backlash was proportional to the amount of spiritual energy used.
Dual cultivation didn’t require much; the backlash shouldn’t be severe.
If it could help her master recover faster, she was willing to endure the pain.
Thinking this, Mu Tao gathered her remaining clean spiritual energy and carefully entered Li Yu’s sea of consciousness as they became intimate.
For the first time, she saw that towering tree with its vast root system in the endless, dark sea.
The flickering candlelight was gone, replaced by the soft blue light emanating from the tree, like stars falling from the sky, like snowflakes gently landing on the earth.
They were together, beneath the tree, their bodies intertwined.
The sea beneath them, its surface like a mirror, reflecting their image.
They were within it, surrounded by it, yet they didn’t sink.
—It was just an illusion.
That pure spiritual energy, drawing in the soft blue light.
Their long hair, like ink in water, spread across the cool surface of the sea.
Mu Tao endured the slight backlash, controlling the dual cultivation technique, the blue light enveloping them.
Like a gentle stream, the spiritual energy flowed through Li Yu’s damaged meridians.
Li Yu’s senses heightened.
Mu Tao’s movements clouded her already hazy mind, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Mu Tao, her eyes unfocused.
She couldn’t describe the sensation,
Her body both light and heavy, as if she could float away on the wind, yet also sink into an abyss.
She wasn’t sure if this was a normal part of dual cultivation, or if Mu Tao was using the technique incorrectly.
A gentle breeze, and she shivered.
Her vision blurred, but she still heard Mu Tao’s soft voice: “Master, don’t let your spiritual energy dissipate.”
How did she know if her spiritual energy was dissipating? She wasn’t even sure if she was conscious.
Suddenly, a deep kiss, stealing her breath, brought her back.
“Master, don’t let your spiritual energy dissipate,” Mu Tao repeated, her lips gently brushing against Li Yu’s forehead.
Her warm breath, a fleeting warmth against Li Yu’s skin, quickly turning cold.
Li Yu took a deep breath, trying to gather her dissipating spiritual energy.
She felt its flow within her again.
The clearer the flow, the more acutely aware she was of Mu Tao’s every touch, every movement.
Even the slightest friction between their skin sent shivers through her.
Her mind drifted again,
Only unconscious responses remained.
Li Yu’s spiritual energy dissipated completely, even her protective aura was gone.
Her body, exposed to the cold.
She shivered and instinctively snuggled closer to Mu Tao.
Sensing Li Yu’s lack of response, Mu Tao stopped the dual cultivation technique, withdrew from Li Yu’s sea of consciousness, and shielded them from the cold.
Silence fell.
She looked at the jade-like figure in her arms, the emptiness within her heart slowly filling.
Mu Tao kissed Li Yu one last time.
Either afraid of Li Yu catching a cold, or afraid of losing control again, disturbing her sleep,
She reluctantly tucked Li Yu into the blanket and held her close.
Gazing at Li Yu’s flushed cheeks in the candlelight, she smiled faintly.
It was time to sleep, she thought.
The curse’s backlash had weakened her.
She would clean up the mess tomorrow.
When Li Yu woke up, the candles in the room had burned down.
The dim light made it difficult to tell the time, only the faint outline of a figure sleeping beside her visible.
Mu Tao, seemingly sensing her gaze, slowly opened her eyes.
After a brief exchange of glances, Mu Tao smiled faintly.
“Master is awake.”
“Mm.”
“How…how was last night?”
“…”
Li Yu didn’t know how to answer.
It wasn’t that she was embarrassed, just unsure what Mu Tao was asking.
Was it…about their intimacy, or the effects of dual cultivation?
If the former, she didn’t have much to say.
If the latter, she did feel that her previously blocked meridians were slightly clearer now.
She closed her eyes, checking her spiritual energy flow.
It wasn’t her imagination.
Her injuries had slightly improved.
Not significantly, but still faster than her usual self-cultivation.
So dual cultivation was actually useful…
As she was thinking this, Mu Tao sat up, straightened her clothes with a spell, and lit the room with spiritual fire.
Then, she gathered the scattered clothes from the floor with a flick of her wrist.
Looking at the torn fabric, Mu Tao glanced at Li Yu, a hint of guilt in her eyes.
“These are…unwearable,” she muttered, stating the obvious.
“I’m used to it,” Li Yu sighed, sitting up and pulling the blanket around her.
She felt unclean, beyond what a simple cleansing spell could fix. Even changing clothes now would just result in them getting dirty again.
Yesterday’s wedding attire seemed mostly undamaged; she could wear that for now.
Although heavy and cumbersome, it would be fine for a quick bath. She could change later.
As she reached for the red robes, the bed curtains fell around her.
Before she could react, Mu Tao pulled her out of the bed and wrapped her in the soft red silk.
Although translucent, the layers of silk, like a cocoon, completely enveloped her, restricting her movements.
Li Yu frowned. “What are you doing?”
Before she could even finish, Mu Tao lifted her into her arms.
“I’m taking Master for a bath,” Mu Tao said with a smile, carrying her out of the dim room.
As they left, Li Yu saw the Netherbloom Flowers outside glowing faintly.
It must be early morning.
Although the sky was still dim, it was light enough to see.
Being carried like this, wrapped in silk, without any proper clothes, made her feel incredibly exposed.
Li Yu panicked. “Where are we going?”
If anyone saw her like this, she would die of embarrassment!
Mu Tao seemed to sense her concern. “Don’t worry, Master, this place is like Chaoxi Pond, no one besides us is allowed here.”
She quickened her pace, using a spell, and soon they arrived at a cold pool.
Mu Tao tilted her head. “The water is cold, should I warm it up, Master?”
The pool was large; warming it up would require a significant amount of spiritual energy.
Although it would be effortless for the current Mu Tao, with the curse in her body, even a simple spell would cause pain.
“Don’t bother, I have protective spiritual energy.” Li Yu shifted in Mu Tao’s arms. “Put me down.”
Mu Tao obediently placed her on the ground.
The red silk slipped from her body, and Li Yu, barefoot, carefully stepped into the pool.
The water was cold, but her protective spiritual energy shielded her from the chill.
It felt like swimming in an indoor pool in late autumn, a slight coolness, but not unbearable.
She would probably get used to it.
The water near the edge wasn’t deep, just reaching her chest when she sat down, her shoulders and neck exposed, allowing her to breathe easily.
Li Yu exhaled slowly and sat down.
Just as she did, Mu Tao also removed her clothes, her cheeks flushed, and entered the pool.
Looking at her blushing face, Li Yu had a bad feeling.
As expected, those restless hands reached for her.
“Mu Tao…” Li Yu gave her a look, hoping she would understand her silent refusal, her weariness.
Mu Tao bit her lip. “I’ll…wash your hair for you, Master!”
Li Yu: “Fine.”
Washing her hair was better than…other things.
Mu Tao’s face lit up.
She gently gathered Li Yu’s long, wet hair, her touch almost reverent, carefully washing and combing it.
Her fingers were so gentle that Li Yu thought, if only she were this gentle in bed.
Li Yu lowered her gaze, counting the bruises on her body as she washed.
A pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
“I’m done, Master,” Mu Tao whispered against her ear.
That familiar, possessive warmth tickled Li Yu’s ear.
Li Yu knew Mu Tao wanted something more.
But she couldn’t; they had important matters to discuss. She couldn’t let this little glutton drain her energy!
“Mu Tao, we need to talk about the curse in your body, today.”
“Mm,” Mu Tao replied, her lips gently brushing against Li Yu’s earlobe.
Li Yu took a deep breath. “I’m talking about something serious, control yourself.”
Mu Tao: “…”
Li Yu: “I told you yesterday, you have to obey me in all important matters.”
Mu Tao reluctantly pulled away, picking up a strand of Li Yu’s hair and playing with it, a dissatisfied look on her face.
Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief. “Weisheng Xuanzhu used me to set a trap for you. He wants the Demon Bone but is also wary of your current power.”
“Since he came up with this curse, he must be able to sense it when it’s transferred… Even if he can’t, the news of our marriage will surely reach him soon.” Li Yu frowned slightly. “He might already be on his way to the Demon Realm.”
“Mm!” Mu Tao listened attentively.
“I don’t know his true strength, but what I saw before he revealed his identity was already…formidable…”
The day he destroyed the Heavenly Gate, he single-handedly intimidated all the immortal sects.
And he hadn’t even used that mysterious stellar power.
Perhaps the power he displayed was just the tip of the iceberg.
Mu Tao wasn’t the true Heavenly Demon, just a vessel for its power.
She was young and hadn’t had much time to master the Demon Bone’s power. Even without the curse, she might not be a match for Weisheng Xuanzhu.
Yet, he still chose the most cautious approach.
“Even Si Qinglan couldn’t detect that curse; his cultivation is unfathomable.” Li Yu’s voice was serious. “In your current state, you’re no match for him.”
Mu Tao’s eyes flickered, lost in thought.
“We should prepare a trap. Even if we can’t defeat him, we have to ensure our own safety.” Li Yu looked at Mu Tao seriously. “I don’t know how fast he can travel, but it’s probably not slow. We don’t have much time; we can’t waste it on other things.”
Mu Tao opened her mouth as if to say something, then hesitated.
Her brow furrowed slightly, a clear sign of displeasure.
Of course, she wasn’t displeased about not being able to touch Li Yu, but about being interrupted on their wedding night.
Li Yu, seeing the resentment in her eyes, couldn’t help but chuckle and gently kissed her forehead. “Alright, after this is over, you can do whatever you want.”
“To deal with him, ordinary formations and barriers won’t be enough.” Mu Tao frowned. “I don’t know much about formations, but Xiang Hanyu told me that the formation she used to trap you took three days to create…”
Li Yu: “Then we have to hurry!”
Mu Tao nodded and quickly got out of the water and dressed. “Master, you finish bathing, I’ll go and find Xiang Hanyu.”
Li Yu: “Wait!”
Mu Tao: “Huh?”
Li Yu: “Send some people to guard the entrance to the Demon Realm, to buy us some time.”
Mu Tao nodded vigorously. “I’ll go and arrange it, and also get you something to eat!”
Li Yu instinctively wanted to say that it wasn’t necessary, that they should focus on the task at hand.
But she had been hungry all day, and her stomach growled, overriding her better judgment. “Just something simple, a bowl of noodles will be fine.”
“Okay!” Mu Tao transformed into a black flame and vanished.
Li Yu quickly finished bathing, dressed, dried her hair with a spell, and returned to the dimly lit wedding chamber.
The first thing she saw was the scattered clothes, jewelry, and pearls on the floor.
Although she didn’t know if Mu Tao would bring anyone here, the thought of someone seeing this mess made her cheeks burn.
She quickly gathered the clothes and stuffed them under the bed,
Then collected the pearls and put them into her spatial pouch.
She breathed a sigh of relief,
Walked to the table, and sat down, nibbling on the leftover pastries.
The red silk decorations were still there, the burned-down candles had reformed, and even the wine pot had a red “double happiness” symbol.
Everything reminded her of last night.
And the memories brought back the lingering aches in her body.
She couldn’t let Mu Tao be so unrestrained anymore.
That girl had no sense of boundaries; she would have to talk to her about it later!
Li Yu thought this, suddenly feeling thirsty. But there was only the bitter wedding wine.
She stood up, intending to find some water.
As she left the room, the usually dark sky of the Demon Realm was…
…filled with twinkling stars.
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