Underground base.
Ghost Mist Whirlpool.
"Who goes there?!" Chi Dun discovered a disturbance and hurried over.
But he only saw a large blurry figure, charging headlong into the Ghost Mist without hesitation.
As Chi Dun approached the fog, his desires surged, engulfing his mind.
He hurriedly stopped in his tracks.
"I should set up a formation around the Ghost Mist, encircle it, and seal off the surrounding area!"
Chi Dun gritted his teeth in frustration.
Unfortunately, his abilities were limited.
He was a Body Cultivator and had poor skills in formation techniques. Setting up a formation would be more challenging than charging headfirst into battle.
"After the Recruitment Decree, many outsiders flooded into Fire Persimmon Immortal City. Hmph, who knows how many more rats are hiding in the shadows!"
Yuan Dasheng's movements were too fast for Chi Dun to even catch a glimpse of his retreating figure.
The Ghost Mist had little effect on Yuan Dasheng. In fact, most of the pressure was on Yang Chanyu.
Over Sun Lingtong's head hung the Life Hanging Thread, and Yuan Dasheng also bore one, especially the latter, which was the firmest, most tenacious, and solid thread planted by Ning Zhuo!
Therefore, even as the Ghost Mist reformed, Ning Zhuo did not lose his connection with Sun Lingtong.
However, the scene Ning Zhuo imagined of Sun Lingtong being tortured, severely injured, and barely clinging to life did not appear.
In reality, Sun Lingtong was tightly embraced by Yang Chanyu, their bodies pressed closely together. Yang Chanyu's face flushed, smiling foolishly, with her eyes shimmering seductively, and even drool at the corners of her mouth.
Sun Lingtong struggled to breathe, resisting with difficulty, unable to break free, only able to resist passively against Yang Chanyu's Sunrise Yin Replenishment technique.
Ning Zhuo was stunned for several breaths before he came to his senses.
"Vicious, sinister!"
"Elder Sun practices Youthful Emperor's Technique. If his cultivation base breaks, not only will his years of hard work be in vain, but his foundation will be greatly damaged."
"He has talent and a gift for cultivation. Once his cultivation breaks and he's injured, this talent may be compromised, he could even become a cripple!"
Ning Zhuo's heart burned with anger.
Sun Lingtong being put in such a situation made him even more furious than if it had happened to himself!
But just as Ning Zhuo was about to command Yuan Dasheng to act, Sun Lingtong spoke: "Don't kill her!"
"This Ghost Mist is formed from the arm of a Nascent Soul level body; let Yang Chanyu bear the brunt of the pressure."
"She is like the only pillar holding up a collapsing house. If I pull her away now, the house will collapse, and I will be buried alive."
"Brother, I'm only at the Foundation Establishment Stage. My body is too weak to withstand the methods of a Nascent Soul level opponent!"
Ning Zhuo hesitated for a moment, then quickly asked: "Elder, what should I do? Just tell me."
Sun Lingtong replied: "Lend me some Yang energy. If she wants to absorb Yang, let her take it."
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
"I have the body of a Youthful Emperor, my Origin Yang is immovable, and I have a natural resistance to all seductive arts, which is very high."
"Even so, with Yang Chanyu's mad absorption, I can barely hold on."
"Yes, Elder, you must not let your cultivation break!" Ning Zhuo quickly directed his own Yang energy through the Life Hanging Thread.
The thread between him and Sun Lingtong was not strong enough to withstand the interference from the Ghost Mist, nearly cutting off contact.
But the bond between Yuan Dasheng and Ning Zhuo was very close and solid.
The Life Hanging Thread could transmit information and power. When Ning Zhuo first extracted a sliver of the Buddha Heart Demon Seal's power, it was through this thread into the Magma Fairy Palace.
Life Hanging Thread could also transmit Mana, similar to puppet strings.
Yang and Yin energies were energies of the Qiankun Duality, which could flow through the Life Hanging Thread.
Ning Zhuo first passed his Yang energy to Yuan Dasheng, who then placed his palm on Sun Lingtong's back, directly transmitting it.
Yang Chanyu suddenly made a hoarse sound, her eyes shining brightly.
After so much effort, she had finally absorbed some Yang energy!
Her foolish smile faded a bit before returning to its previous state.
Sun Lingtong complained: "Brother, why is your Yang energy so little? Send more."
Ning Zhuo: "But I'm already giving it my all."
Sun Lingtong realized: "Oh, I didn't teach you this. Here, I'll now pass you a technique for extracting Yang energy."
Sun Lingtong spoke the technique aloud for Yuan Dasheng to hear.
Through the Life Hanging Thread, Yuan Dasheng conveyed it to Ning Zhuo.
This technique was simple and easy to understand, indeed enhancing Yang energy extraction.
Ning Zhuo, with a strong comprehension, understood immediately. Once he applied it, he found it extracted over ten times more Yang energy than before.
However, the young cultivator's expression was somewhat odd, inquiring, "Elder, you're training with the Youthful Emperor's Technique, how did you learn this method to extract Yang energy from the body?"
Sun Lingtong didn't answer directly, instead saying: "One gives birth to two; two gives birth to three; three gives birth to all things. All things carry Yin and embrace Yang, achieving harmony through their Qi."
"All things in the world transform through the interplay of Yin and Yang."
"This is your opportunity, Little Zhuo!"
Ning Zhuo: "Elder, what do you mean?"
Sun Lingtong continued: "It is said that one Yin alone cannot give life, and one Yang alone cannot grow."
"Without Yang, Yin cannot thrive, and without Yin, Yang cannot transform. Dual cultivation of Yin and Yang is the righteous path of cultivation."
"At this moment, you can dual cultivate with Yang Chanyu, mutually generating Yin and Yang, enhancing your cultivation level."
Ning Zhuo: "What?!"
Sun Lingtong added: "Brother, look."
"Yang Chanyu has lost her mind, influenced by the Ghost Mist, and unconsciously uses the Sunrise Yin Replenishment technique."
"I will use your Yang energy to perform the corresponding technique to supplement Yang with Yin. As Yin and Yang circulate, your cultivation will skyrocket."
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"If Yang Chanyu were in her right mind, she would never do this. She's at the Golden Core stage, and you're merely in Qi Refinement. Dual cultivating with you would be a huge loss for her."
"Conversely, you benefit greatly."
"Wait!" Ning Zhuo interrupted, "Elder, you haven't told me how you know about these techniques for extracting Yang energy and supplementing Yang with Yin."
"Ah, no harm in telling you," Sun Lingtong said, "Our Bukong Sect's tenet is to steal from Heaven, Earth, and all things. The three treasures of essence, Qi, and spirit of cultivators are also within the scope of our theft."
"To steal essence, one must naturally practice these techniques."
"Most disciples of Bukong Sect have mastered such spells."
"Quickly, your Yang energy is insufficient again, send more," Sun Lingtong urged.
Although Ning Zhuo complied, he hesitated.
After all, he came to rescue Sun Lingtong.
But now, it turned into him dual cultivating with Yang Chanyu!
This was far beyond his expectations.
Sun Lingtong, understanding Ning Zhuo well, immediately sensed his hesitation and counseled him: "Little Zhuo, what are you worried about?"
"The union of Yin and Yang is the natural order of Heaven and Earth, the Kingly Way of cultivation!"
"One gives birth to two; two gives birth to all. Heaven is Yang, and Earth is Yin. It is the combination of Yin and Yang that creates Heaven and Earth!"
"Men are Yang, women are Yin. The union of Yin and Yang leads to the existence, propagation, and flourishing of all species."
"In Buddhist sects, there are joy techniques emphasizing the union of emptiness and joy through dual cultivation, purifying the body and mind, and achieving perfect wisdom."
"In Taoist sects, they say, 'Yang Qi when in motion produces Yin, Yin Qi when at rest becomes Yang.' Cultivation can harmonize the body's Yin and Yang energies."
"Many techniques involve absorbing the Yang energy of the sun at dawn, noon, and dusk, or the Yin energy of the full moon, extracting Yin and Yang energies for cultivation."
"The union of Yin and Yang is very common, permeating a cultivator's life. It is not like you are merging your Origin Yang with Yang Chanyu's Origin Yin; just a little Yin and Yang energy is no big deal."
"It's just like when you and Zheng Jian worked together to create the Martial Fighting Ape puppet. Harmless!"
Convinced, Ning Zhuo resumed transmitting Yang energy.
The Yang and Yin energies entwined between Sun Lingtong and Yang Chanyu, forming a Tai Chi ball of Yin and Yang energies.
The ball rotated continuously, consuming the Yin and Yang energies and generating marvelous Tai Chi energy.
Though Yang Chanyu had lost her mind, Sun Lingtong had not.
He immediately extracted the Tai Chi energy, channeling it into Yuan Dasheng, leaving nothing for Yang Chanyu.
Yuan Dasheng then used their Life Hanging Thread to transmit the Tai Chi energy into Ning Zhuo.
As the Tai Chi energy entered his body, Ning Zhuo gasped in amazement.
Without any need for cultivation, he felt the Tai Chi energy rapidly consume itself, while his essence, Qi, and spirit significantly increased!
All three of his treasures were at the early stage of the seventh tier.
With the consumption of the Tai Chi energy, his treasures surged forward like a raging river, swiftly reaching the mid-seventh tier.
"Amazing, truly amazing!" Ning Zhuo was astonished.
This cultivation speed was beyond anything he had seen or heard before, surpassing even the pace of a thousand miles a day!
"Right, the Jade Match Talisman!"
Without delay, Ning Zhuo used three Jade Match Talismans on himself, synchronizing the advancement of his essence, Qi, and spirit.
He continuously consumed Yang energy, producing Tai Chi energy.
Mid-seventh tier!
In just a short while, Ning Zhuo reached the next minor realm.
He had only recently broken through to the seventh tier, and at the later stages, the cultivation of the three treasures required triple the effort of the previous stage. Normally, Ning Zhuo would have had to put in triple the time to advance at the same rate.
But now, he surged to the mid-seventh tier.
"This is truly a leap in one bound, reaching the heavens in one step."
And this was only the beginning.
Late seventh tier.
Seventh tier peak.
Eighth tier!
Ning Zhuo's body trembled as his three treasures simultaneously broke through, ascending to the eighth tier.
"Luckily, I previously pondered the essence of the eighth-tier techniques, understanding how to operate them."
Ning Zhuo felt gratitude.
The Tai Chi energy continued to flow, dissolving into the three elixir fields.
Ning Zhuo's cultivation level kept rising.
Early eighth tier.
Mid-eighth tier.
Late eighth tier.
Eighth tier... peak!
He was stuck.