Chapter 89: Senior Sister Must Regain This Month’s Share Through Cultivation!

Later, Li Yao also learned that Cao Xuan had privately sought out Lin Miaoxuan and Chen Qianru for cultivation as well.

Though there were times when she steeled her heart and swore she would drain her junior brother’s true essence dry, regrettably, Cao Xuan still ended each time full of vigor and went off in search of someone else.

It left Li Yao so angry the corners of her mouth twitched, yet there was nothing she could do; she could only resent her own lack of resolve.

In truth, when it came to endurance, women were stronger than men.

Once a man entered that sage-like state, his mind began pondering the birth of the universe, while a woman might only just be starting to feel anything at all.

But after becoming cultivators, matters were different, especially since Cao Xuan had gone out of his way to strengthen himself in that particular regard.

Spiritual energy and true essence nourished the body, and ordinarily such nourishment improved one’s physique in a balanced, all-around way, without deliberately reinforcing any single part.

Cao Xuan was different. Was not this the very meaning of cultivation? Not merely to strengthen, but to push everything to the fullest, to reach the utmost limit each realm allowed.

The third stage of Qi Refining, the seventh, the tenth, and the Foundation Establishment realm—these crucial phases of bodily enhancement, for others, might mean no more than tempering the flesh a little, while female cultivators perhaps repaired and refined their beauty.

But Cao Xuan understood that he had to win from the starting line. When one man ascends, even his chickens and dogs rise with him; if the elder brother was to be strengthened, then the second brother had to be honed to the absolute extreme as well.

That was why, whether it was Li Yao or Yu Wan, a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment, both ultimately met defeat at his hands.

After all, deliberate calculation always outmatched unprepared resistance. Cao Xuan himself might not even have realized it, because at every step he had laid his foundation with perfect solidity.

If one had to compare, then perhaps only someone in the Nascent Soul realm might rival him in this respect, and even then, it would have to be a body cultivator who specialized in tempering the flesh.

Among cultivators, once a Golden Core was formed, there was a saying: “Once a single Golden Core is swallowed into the belly, only then does one know that fate no longer lies with Heaven.”

After the foundation of the Dao, transformed from essence, energy, and spirit, condensed into a Golden Core, cultivators no longer cared overly much for the body itself.

To them, the flesh was merely a vessel for storing cultivation.

Protected by magical treasures, profound in their arts and laws, what truly mattered was ascending to a higher realm.

So in comparison, to improve his cultivation while never forgetting the advancement of his second brother as well—Cao Xuan had already carried things to the utmost limit.

At this moment, when Li Yao felt Cao Xuan’s body tremble, she thought she had finally managed to defeat her junior brother for once, and her heart leapt with delight. When she discovered that was not the case, she immediately began sulking.

“I do not care. You just think your cultivation has surpassed Senior Sister, so now you want other female cultivators!”

“Now that you’ve come to Central Province, are you planning to cultivate with other women again?”

Cao Xuan was helpless. He knew that whether Li Yao was a female cultivator or an immortal maiden, in the end she was still a woman.

And when a woman chose not to be reasonable, there was simply nothing to be done.

So he could only go along with her. “Yes, yes. Junior Brother has indeed surpassed Senior Sister. Are you satisfied now?”

For a moment Li Yao did not react, but as their cultivation continued, she suddenly understood the double meaning in Cao Xuan’s words.

Her face flushed red. She raised a hand and thumped him once. “What do you mean, surpassed Senior Sister?”

“You are far too wicked!”

Seeing that he had successfully diverted her attention, Cao Xuan grinned mischievously. “Senior Sister, what are you talking about? Am I not right now surpa—”

Li Yao lifted her head at once and blocked his mouth.

“I said you are not allowed to say it, and yet you still do!”

The moment she let him go, she said, “Continue cultivating. Senior Sister is going to make up this month’s share!”

...

Rumble—

Time passed swiftly, and before long the Whale-Dragon Vessel descended at the Azure Cloud Ferry in Central Province.

Everyone filed out of the cabin one after another. When they saw Cao Xuan emerge from Li Yao’s room, none of them thought much of it.

After all, while journeying in cultivation, discussing the Great Dao with one’s fellow disciples was the most normal thing in the world.

Jin Tiehua likewise stepped out from Liu Yu’s room, wearing the same satisfied expression as Cao Xuan.

Smiling, Jin Tiehua said, “Senior Brother Liu’s Dao and spirit are truly inspiring. I admire you greatly, Junior Brother, and feel that I am not far from late-stage Foundation Establishment!”

From the flattering tone of his words, it was not hard to see that his earlier dull honesty had most likely been an act.

Still, it was understandable. Along the road of cultivation, certain necessary concealments were themselves a kind of method.

Liu Yu nodded. Looking at the contented Cao Xuan and the blissful Li Yao, he cupped his hands and said,

“It seems that Senior Brother Cao and Senior Sister Li have also gained no little benefit.”

This time, however, he harbored no ill intent. After thinking things through—no longer regarding Li Yao as a future Dao companion, nor Cao Xuan as a rival in love—then as fellow disciples, having arrived in Central Province, it was only natural that their relationship should become somewhat closer.

To put it plainly, aside from Cao Xuan, the others had all grown up in the mountains. They seemed calculating enough on the surface, but in truth they all still possessed the temperament of children.

Only people like the various peak masters, though they too had spent years upon the mountain, had gone out on missions and accumulated a hundred years of experience. Aside from small matters and personal trifles they might ignore, when it came to great principles and major distinctions, they already saw everything clearly.

Even Cao Xuan’s way of cultivating with women—Yu Wan, who had traveled abroad, might not care very much.

But Li Zhiyun certainly understood it all. As the master of Demon-Subduing Peak, she knew far more of demonic cultivation than the other peak masters.

The love between man and woman conformed to the great Dao of yin and yang, yet it could just as easily lead one down the demonic path.

Take, for instance, the Jade Maiden Sect, one of the two demonic powers among the Six Sacred Lands. Within its gates, there were in fact orthodox methods of great Dao cultivation as well.

But its subordinate branch, the Hehuan Sect, as a first-rate force of the demonic path, had long since turned this dual cultivation Dao into utter filth and corruption.

Cao Xuan could only be glad that the one he had taken as master was Yu Wan, and thus he had become this rebellious disciple who dared covet his teacher.

Had he truly become Li Zhiyun’s disciple instead, let alone trying to advance upon his master—even if he had shown the slightest sign of removing his clothes, her Demon-Breaking Blade might have been at his throat the very next instant.

So although Liu Yu was not worldly, once the Whale-Dragon Vessel entered the territory of Central Province and he sensed, from time to time, powerful auras streaking across the sky, he unconsciously became somewhat more restrained.

Because his own master, Yu Qingsong, was nearing the end of his lifespan, and Yu Wan’s succession as the next sect master had already become a foregone conclusion.

What Liu Yu hoped for, more than anything, was that even after Yu Wan became sect master, Azure Cloud Peak would still remain the central pillar of the Azure Cloud Sect, rather than allowing Talisman Peak to overtake it.

He wished to ease tensions and compete fairly. At the very least, among the younger generation, he wanted to surpass Cao Xuan. Naturally, he took the initiative to speak; in bearing and magnanimity, he could not allow himself to lose.

When Cao Xuan heard his words, and then saw Jin Tiehua coming out of his cabin, his expression turned slightly strange. “Mm, there were gains, there were indeed gains.”

Li Yao had no notion of the feverish nonsense running through Cao Xuan’s mind. She only felt that his tone was improper, and her face reddened at once. She lightly patted his chest. “Junior Brother, be serious. There are others here.”

Though Liu Yu was utterly baffled, he had the distinct feeling there was something beneath Cao Xuan’s words. Combined with Li Yao’s remark, his face darkened. He gave a cold snort and said no more.

But inwardly, his thoughts whirled madly. Had I said something wrong? Damn it, he is only relying on the fact that his cultivation is a little higher than mine!

He felt, somehow, that he had lost again—but had no idea where he had lost!

The corners of Cao Xuan’s mouth were harder to suppress than a rifle’s recoil. He could not help it. Of course he knew that Jin Tiehua had entered Liu Yu’s cabin to discuss the Dao and the like.

But comparing himself—arms around the lovely and fragrant Senior Sister Li Yao—with Jin Tiehua and Liu Yu, it was only natural that he could not quite keep the smile from creeping across his face.

Hoo—

Just as Cao Xuan’s thoughts were wandering wildly, a sonic boom suddenly split the sky, and in the next instant an immortal maiden appeared before them.