At this point, Ning Zhuo was stuck.
He was a good student with a habit of studying in advance, but reaching the eighth level of the Cultivation Technique was his limit. His time was utilized to the extreme.
He had never thought of studying to the ninth level. In his previous view, it was a huge waste!
The future was really hard to predict.
Now, Ning Zhuo couldn't operate the ninth level of the Cultivation Technique and was awkwardly stuck at the peak of the eighth level.
But the dual cultivation continued.
The energy of Yin and Yang continuously flowed into him, quickly dissolving in the Three Elixir Fields and transforming into the foundation of the Three Seas.
As a result, thoughts in the Divine Sea surged, the number of thoughts skyrocketed; Mana gathered in the Qi Sea, waves formed in the cloud sea, creating a vast scene; Essence Blood in the Essence Sea expanded, transforming from a lake to a river and sea!
It was unbearable, too unbearable!
Ning Zhuo only felt chest pain, his brow swelled, and his energy was excessively vigorous, wishing to run at full speed for three days and nights without rest!
His nostrils bled first, followed by blood seeping from the other six orifices.
Just when he felt things were getting worse, Yang Chanyu finally woke up and regained her senses.
Seeing the balls of Yin and Yang energy between herself and Sun Lingtong, Yang Chanyu showed a look of shock and immediately stopped the Sunrise Yin Replenishment technique.
"Sun Lingtong, what's going on? Are you practicing the Youthful Emperor's Technique? How can it produce so much Yang energy?"
Yang Chanyu felt embarrassed and angry, her eyes complex.
Seeing this, Ning Zhuo panicked and quickly focused on Yuan Dasheng, itching to move.
But Sun Lingtong said, "Yang Chanyu, weren't you just crazily trying to dual cultivate with me? Now that you've succeeded, you're unwilling?"
Yang Chanyu snorted coldly, "I was schemed by the enemy, unable to resist the power of the Nascent Soul Level. It's a miracle I held out this long and saved your life."
"This time I came to discuss our marriage contract with you."
"The marriage contract was decided by our masters back then. Now neither of us is willing, cancelling it is the right path."
"But now, with what's happened, the dual cultivation is a fact."
"You must come back with me and explain everything to my master. You owe me an explanation!"
Ning Zhuo: "?!"
He felt something was wrong: "Didn't the boss say that dual cultivation of this level of Yang and Yin energy was ordinary? It didn't involve Origin Yang or Origin Yin!"
Ning Zhuo wanted to question Sun Lingtong, but it was not the right time, so he held back.
Sun Lingtong raised his head and glared at Yang Chanyu, "I'm not going back! If I go back, I'll lose my life."
"Our marriage contract was just your master's scheme to exploit my talent. Everyone knows this!"
"My master was tricked and lost a bet, having to agree to the marriage contract."
"Why should I go back with you?"
"Besides, I haven't found my master yet."
Sun Lingtong shook his head and flatly refused.
"Moreover, what explanation do I owe you?"
"Why do I owe you an explanation?"
"You were the one crazily wanting to dual cultivate with me, what could I do?"
Sun Lingtong's series of rhetorical questions left Yang Chanyu speechless.
"At that time, we were both under the influence of a seduction Ghost Technique. I was fine, but you were affected."
"You should be grateful to me for saving your life!"
"Without me extracting Yang energy from you to balance your Yin and Yang, you could have been overwhelmed by Yin energy and either died or been severely injured. Now you're standing here talking to me like this?"
"You know I practice the Youthful Emperor's Technique! Do you know the risks I took, dissipating my power to forcibly extract Yang energy, and the heavy price I paid!!"
Yang Chanyu opened her mouth to speak.
Sun Lingtong continued, "If you want to take me back, you'll have to take my corpse."
"I'll even blow up my soul, leaving nothing for you!"
Displaying a fierce and unyielding side, Sun Lingtong seemed quite different from the person who desperately pleaded with Ning Zhuo for help before, making it seem like just an illusion.
"Fine, fine, fine. Sun Lingtong, such sharp words!"
"You turn your back on me right after dual cultivation."
"Fine, fine! Like master, like disciple."
Yang Chanyu was furious, her face turning pale.
Sun Lingtong spread his hands, "You didn't lose your Origin Yin, only gave up some Yin energy, what are you fussing about?"
"With your status and talent, you must have dual cultivated with many other cultivators!"
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to let you use this to coerce me?"
"You!!!" Yang Chanyu was enraged.
Sun Lingtong sneered, "Do you want to fight? I just saved your life, and you want to repay kindness with enmity?"
"I must remind you, we are bound by a marriage contract."
"If you attack me, beware of the contract's backlash!"
Sun Lingtong wagged his chubby finger, mischievously smiling, making one want to smack him.
Yang Chanyu, left speechless, noticed the ghostly mist rapidly dissipating.
This place was not safe to stay.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Chanyu said, "Hmph, you've taken advantage of me and still dare act sly and deny it?!"
"I'm telling you, Sun Lingtong, this isn't over!"
With that, she cast a spell and disappeared into the void.
A talisman floated in midair.
It was left by Yang Chanyu.
Sun Lingtong's eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab it.
As he touched the talisman, Yang Chanyu's voice echoed in his ear, "Sun Lingtong, this Escape Void Talisman is for your protection."
"Keep your little life; one day, I'll settle this score with you properly!"
Sun Lingtong chuckled casually, "Settle the score with me? Try it with my little brother!"
"I haven't dual cultivated with you."
"No, that's not it!" Ning Zhuo hurriedly transmitted, "Elder Sun, what's going on?"
Ning Zhuo's head was close to exploding.
He only knew that Sun Lingtong and Yang Chanyu were enemies, unaware there was more to it, including a marriage contract.
"Yang Chanyu, uh, Fairy Chanyu, is she my sister-in-law?" Ning Zhuo asked.
"Pah!" Sun Lingtong spat immediately.
"I practice the Youthful Emperor's Technique, what sister-in-law? Don't mention this again!"
"Her master sought my Lingtong talent to help Yang Chanyu advance further."
"Talking about a marriage contract, if I fell for it, I'd be dead!"
"Luckily, I accidentally took a Youth Preserving Pill and could only practice the Youthful Emperor's Technique, thus delaying the contract."
"My master and I traveled extensively, avoiding these master-disciple duo."
"It's all ancient history now, no need to bring it up."
With the ghostly mist thinning significantly, Sun Lingtong put away Yuan Dasheng, disappeared with a flicker, and reappeared in a secret underground base, reuniting with Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo stood with a stern face, silently staring at Sun Lingtong.
Sun Lingtong grinned, "Little brother, thank you for saving me."
Ning Zhuo shook his head, "Elder Sun, you schemed against me."
Sun Lingtong, usually tough, had been desperately seeking Ning Zhuo's help amidst the ghostly mist, contrary to his nature!
Ning Zhuo was deeply worried about him at the time, not noticing this flaw.
Now that Sun Lingtong was safe, Ning Zhuo realized what had happened.
"Elder Sun, you deliberately made me dual cultivate with Yang Chanyu, entangling me with her."
"You've always suggested I take over the Immortal Palace and run. You kept suggesting I join the Bukong Sect!"
"Are you worried I'll stubbornly stay here?"
Sun Lingtong, unflustered by Ning Zhuo's discovery, gave him a thumbs up: "As expected of you, Little Zhuo, you saw through my plan so quickly."
"Hee hee hee."
"I wasn't scheming against you but paving the way for us brothers in the future."
"When you take the Immortal Palace, we'll retreat to the Bukong Sect."
"You lack my talent, but now with dual cultivation with Yang Chanyu and owning the Magma Fairy Palace, you have great value, perfect to get her master to back you."
"Having you as my brother, I turn a strong enemy into an ally, avoiding the marriage contract, and preserving my Youthful Emperor's Technique. It's a win-win!"
Ning Zhuo sighed and shook his head.
In someone else's case, he would be furious.
Ning Zhuo was decisive since childhood and would retaliate against anyone making decisions for him.
But this time, it was Sun Lingtong scheming against him.
This was something else entirely.
Without Sun Lingtong's care, Ning Zhuo would have struggled to progress. For over ten years, Sun Lingtong's guidance, spending day and night with Ning Zhuo, made him like a brother, teacher, and father to Ning Zhuo.
Sun Lingtong's "scheming" was fundamentally for Ning Zhuo's sake.
But this goodwill made Ning Zhuo, a small Qi Refinement cultivator, directly provoke the Bukong Sect's Golden Core True Transmission, which was quite a burden.
Sun Lingtong further explained, "The situation was really dangerous then."
"I wasn't consciously scheming against you, little brother."
"I just went with the flow. Given the circumstances then, this was the best solution."
"This encounter was truly rare and precious!"
"You want to seize the Magma Fairy Palace but struggle with a weak cultivation level. Dual cultivation can accelerate your progress; it must be said, your luck has arrived."
Thinking about luck, Ning Zhuo couldn't help but think of the theory of fate.
Sun Lingtong asked, "Little brother, how much cultivation did you gain this time?"
Ning Zhuo truthfully told him.
Sun Lingtong nodded repeatedly, smiling, "Good, good."
"Your breakthrough being stuck at the peak of the eighth level is actually beneficial. You can purify the Three Seas and solidify your foundation."
"After that, use the ninth level technique to breakthrough."
"Then, your breakthrough will be smooth and natural. And because your foundation in the Three Seas is so strong, your cultivation level will likely soar."
"I'm not sure if your breakthrough will directly reach the mid or late stage."
"Even reaching the peak of the ninth level is possible."
"If you reach the peak... Tut tut," Sun Lingtong anticipated, "Little Zhuo, you can consider Foundation Establishment then."
Cultivation really did depend on opportunities.
Sometimes a single heavenly fate could lift a mortal to the pinnacle!
Though Ning Zhuo was annoyed by Sun Lingtong's scheming, he couldn't deny that Sun Lingtong did him a great favor this time.
The originally planned long cultivation time was suddenly shortened by eighty to ninety percent!
Ning Zhuo pondered, "Since Yin and Yang dual cultivation is so convenient, I can find someone else to dual cultivate with."
Sun Lingtong laughed, "Little brother, you're enlightened!"
"Dual cultivation is convenient; otherwise, why are Immortal City's flower towers so bustling?"
"But dual cultivation has its downsides too!"
"Frequent dual cultivation can lead to mixed Chi, unfavorable for future progress."
"Moreover, the gains from dual cultivation aren't always as you experienced."
"Yang Chanyu's talent and her Golden Core level far above yours resulted in such a significant improvement."
"Without a suitable partner shortly, don't continue dual cultivation. Low benefits, mixed Chi, would affect Foundation Establishment!"
Ning Zhuo nodded, "Understood, Elder Sun."