Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 128: This is Dual Cultivation

Zhao Changhe might not have understood this before, but after receiving detailed explanations from the golden foil, he knew what Yue Hongling was referring to.

Dual cultivation was indeed not limited to sexual intercourse. Theoretically speaking, even merely transferring a strand of one’s true qi to another person and them returning it to you could be considered a form of dual cultivation. It was quite a broad concept.

However, the harmony of yin and yang energies was not achieved simply by physical transmission. It required the interweaving of Taiji[1]; in other words, it required forming a connection that allowed both parties to exchange and blend their energies through orifices in each other’s bodies.

Of course, there was a commonly used opening for dual cultivation. However, the mouth was in fact the most obvious orifice in the human body.

The best practice constituted a connection both above and below, allowing for a much easier harmonizing of yin and tang.

This was indeed the most orthodox practice, and it was not just some random idea.

But how did Yue Hongling know about this? Where had she learned about the theories and principles behind dual cultivation?

Of course, in his current state, Zhao Changhe did not and could not think about these details. He slowly opened his mouth in a daze, and soon felt a surge of pure qi enter his body. It was not necessarily stronger than what she had transmitted to him through her hand earlier, but it distinctly contained yin qi that had not been present then.

With the transfer of yin qi into his body, the merging of yin and yang could finally happen.

Just as he was about to follow the Pure Bliss Art on how to guide the yin qi, however, the door to his room was kicked open once again.

Another Yue Hongling suddenly jumped in.

At the moment that the door was kicked open, the Yue Hongling who was kissing him jumped out the window and fled.

Zhao Changhe: “???”

Yue Hongling wanted to chase after the impostor, but she was worried about Zhao Changhe’s condition and dared not leave. She could only curse at the impostor, “If I catch you impersonating me and fooling around with men again, I swear I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth!”

A giggle came from outside the window, “It was just a kiss, nothing more. What’s so unbearable about that? I think if it were you, you would probably have done the same...”

Her voice drifted further and further away, and her last few words were barely even audible.

Yue Hongling grabbed Zhao Changhe by his collar and said, “You better not even think about using the qi she transferred you! Do you hear me? Hey!”

Zhao Changhe’s muddled mind actually did sober up from her words. He immediately dispersed the qi he had received, not daring to channel it into his body.

In fact, based on the thorough dissection of the Pure Bliss Art shown by the Heavenly Tome just now, if they had really begun dual cultivating just now, he had a fairly good chance of controlling the celestial maiden. Of course, the prerequisite to this was being in a clear-headed state. In the chaotic state that he had been in, he was utterly helpless. Therefore, Yue Hongling’s interruption could be said to be extremely timely.

That witch was truly relentless! She had taken the opportunity to impersonate Yue Hongling and try placing him under control while he was in an unstable state! Moreover, she had done it without arousing much suspicion; he really had thought that she was Yue Hongling.

Wait, does this mean that even if it were Yue Hongling who had kissed me to transfer qi back then, I would have found it believable to a certain extent?

Yue Hongling could tell what Zhao Changhe was thinking at a glance. She grabbed him by his collar angrily and said, “She said that I would probably have done the same. Do you believe that?”

Zhao Changhe said weakly, “I don’t know. I don’t have the strength to tell. You... can just knock me out and be done with it.”

“Even if I could indeed do that, I was afraid that you would have lost your rationality and not understand...”

“...” Zhao Changhe realized that she had likely been alerted by his angry shout earlier

“Sit down with your legs crossed,” Yue Hongling instructed him. Then, she sat behind him and placed her palm on his back.

A vast and powerful surge of true qi was transmitted into him. It was much stronger and more potent than the true qi that the fake Yue Hongling had given him earlier.

At this moment, Zhao Changhe realized his mistake. He should have been able to distinguish between the real Yue Hongling and the impostor just based on the true qi... If he had been clear-headed, he would have definitely noticed that something was amiss.

The effects of Yue Hongling’s assistance were much greater compared to the impostor’s. Zhao Changhe could clearly feel a soothing sensation in his dantian while the rampaging blood and qi throughout his body gradually settled down. The restless vicious qi within him had been greatly calmed

The strength of the Second Hidden Dragon was far from what a random celestial maiden could compare to.

“Thank you,” Zhao Changhe said weakly, but a hint of regret flashed through his heart.

How wonderful it would be if what happened earlier were real...

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Yue Hongling’s somewhat hesitant voice, “Have you... Have you really grasped the Pure Bliss Art? How did you learn it so quickly?”

Zhao Changhe said feebly, “I’ve always been fast at learning martial arts. I’ve never found any martial art or cultivation technique difficult to grasp, especially when it comes to... this kind of thing that men naturally are fone of.”

Yue Hongling spat out in annoyance. After a moment of hesitation, she said, “So, if you guide my true qi as it is right now, you should be able to circulate it according to the cultivation technique, right?”

Sure enough, the real Yue Hongling did not know anything about dual cultivation at all. Zhao Changhe sighed. “Maybe. It’s a stretch, but it should be possible. Just keep your hand from my back, this will require us to mutually exchange energies. Otherwise, it would be no different from me draining or harvesting your essence.”

Yue Hongling: “...”

Does that mean that that impostor was actually thinking of nibbling at you until the end rather than just sending a single mouthful of qi?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

She said with irritation, “Then go ahead and practice it. I’ll still provide you with true qi.”

Before she even finished speaking, her expression changed slightly.

She could clearly feel that after her true qi entered Zhao Changhe’s body, she no longer held as much control over it as before. It rapidly merged and blended with Zhao Changhe’s true qi, converging into one stream of qi. In the end, she completely lost control over her own true qi.

It actually was the action of “draining essence” that was taking place right then. However, it was not to the extent that it would harm the foundation of the target. The true qi that Yue Hongling lost could be recovered later.

Yue Hongling pondered this and decided not to remove her hand from his back, intent on seeing what the so-called dual cultivation without “draining essence” was.

When she thought of this, her face turned slightly red.

We’re really dual cultivating, and I even took the initiative...

No wonder Zhao Changhe felt that it would be understandable if she really did kiss him. How many times in the past had she thought about whether or not she would refuse if he tried to kiss her?

Yue Hongling wasn’t sure. Looking back, she could easily say that she would simply refuse, but in the head of the moment, who really knew?

This time, she had even been the one to initiate the dual cultivation with him. Even though she was far more restrained, could her actions really be compared to the fake?

Zhao Changhe did not have the time to dwell on whatever was going through her mind. He focused on gradually guiding her true qi to interact with his own masculine qi. Although it did not provide the same clear sensation of yin and yang making contact that he had felt with the celestial maiden just now, it was still quite effective.

After all, a woman’s true qi was still a woman’s true qi. Even if a woman were to practice the same cultivation technique as a man, her cultivation would still naturally come to possess some yin.

This was a natural principle of the world.

Tang Wanzhuang had mentioned that anything overly rigid was easy to break. This not only applied to combat techniques, but also to cultivation itself. He had the blood and qi of a young man, cultivated a bloodthirsty power, and strengthened his muscles and bones through hard exercise. Even the Six Harmonies Art, though seemingly balanced, leaned toward precisely the same overbearing nature.

If he did not practice a “softer” martial art together with all of his “hard” qualities, then the best solution was, in fact, to engage in dual cultivation. This was the best way for him to achieve balance, dulling the excessive sharpness and strength he had. This would allow him to reach a state of harmonious balance between hardness and softness.

When Yue Hongling’s true qi merged with his, not only did it stabilize his restless true qi and his bloodthirst, but it also nourished the slight damage to the meridians caused by his forceful pulling and stretching earlier. Finally, he managed to solidify his breakthrough, allowing his true qi at the fourth layer of the Profound Gate to grow stronger. He was no longer merely at the entrance of the fourth layer.

Their first-ever “dual cultivation,” which could not really be considered true dual cultivation, had produced results beyond expectation.

However, it wasn’t over yet. Zhao Changhe still needed to return this qi that had already had its properties altered and balanced back to Yue Hongling.

Yue Hongling felt the true qi he was sending back to her through his back.

She had always thought that her own true qi was quite robust, but such attributes were always relative. When compared to Zhao Changhe’s true qi, hers quite apparently leaned toward yin.

With the true qi that Zhao Changhe balanced and returned to her, Yue Hongling truly experienced the significance of “yang.” It was a blazing sun, the majesty of mountains, and an indestructible, domineering force.

As a result of the exchange, her originally strong and fierce true qi now had an added layer of majesty. It was like the afterglow of the setting sun reflecting on a river, but it did not solely give off a feeling of melancholy anymore. Now, it also gave off a vast and majestic feeling.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes, and Yue Hongling withdrew her delicate hand.

Both of them were immersed in experiencing this new feeling, and silence enveloped them.

Is this what dual cultivation is? Even though it’s just a mediocre form, the effects are incredible. Not only did I benefit from it, it even seems like Yue Hongling managed to make some progress toward the ninth layer.

However, Yue Hongling’s current thoughts were not on her progress toward the ninth layer. Instead, she was thinking about how no matter how plain the dual cultivation they performed just now was, it was still dual cultivation. They had to sit on the same bed in such close proximity to one another.

No words needed to be exchanged; the atmosphere naturally became intimate.

Yue Hongling finally could not take it anymore and abruptly jumped off the bed. “Seeing as you’re fine now, then that’s that... This method of cultivation isn’t actually as perverse as I thought it was...”

Just as she was feeling a bit flustered and wanted to run away, she suddenly felt her waist and arms being tightly embraced.

He hugged her so tightly that when she instinctively tried to struggle out of his embrace, her shoulder ached and she could not break free. She tensed up all over and she gritted her teeth. “Zhao Changhe, don’t take advantage of the situation.”

Zhao Changhe held her firmly as he said softly and with a hint of confusion in his voice, “I’ve wanted to hold you for so long. On the back of your horse, in the mountain stronghold, in the secret passage, after everything was over, and now even more... I don’t want to suppress it anymore. Please just let me have this...”

As Yue Hongling listened to his plea, she gradually relaxed herself and allowed him to embrace her quietly.

Seeing that he did not make any unnecessary movements, she breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, “We martial artists of the jianghu aren’t bound by so many rules and restrictions. Giving me a hug is fine, but, uh, behave.”

The first half of her sentence sounded like she was convincing herself, while the latter half seemed like a warning to him.

However, Zhao Changhe did not reply, nor did he make any unnecessary moves. He simply continued to hold her. Yue Hongling finally closed her mouth, standing there quietly in his embrace. The room fell completely silent

1. Sometimes transcribed as “taichi” or “Tai Chi.” The term means “supreme ultimate” or “great polarity” and is represented by the well-known black and white yin-yang diagram. It refers to the interactions between yin and yang that give rise to the primordial forces of the world. ☜