It was common knowledge that dual cultivation was dual cultivation, while lovemaking was lovemaking—the two could not be equated.
Dual cultivation was ultimately still a form of practice, but lovemaking was the true pinnacle of human pleasure.
Having successfully obtained a thread of the Power of Creation through cultivating the Procreation Chapter, Yan Zhen then pulled out all the stops. He tried every position and trick in the book, filling Zi Xunyi to the brim before finally stopping.
On the silent altar, soft moans and gasps echoed endlessly, gradually fading into quiet.
From outside, through the gauzy curtains draping the stone bed, one could vaguely make out the entangled figures of the young man and woman.
They lay on their sides together, Yan Zhen pressed snugly against Zi Xunyi’s beautiful back. One hand lay open beneath her head as a pillow for her neck, while the other circled to her lower abdomen, gently caressing the faint Bloodline Divine Tattoo there.
Zi Xunyi’s eyes were half-closed like those of a drowsy kitten, still moist. She found Yan Zhen’s touch immensely soothing. Her delicate body slowly recovered from the waves of ecstasy, the intense passion transforming into a serene happiness that moistened her heart like sweet dew.
The warmth in her belly made it clear to Zi Xunyi that she had conceived Yan Zhen’s child. An unprecedented peace and calm filled her heart, and a hint of maternal tenderness appeared on her face.
Just a month ago, she never would have imagined becoming pregnant before marriage—and through a dual cultivation secret art, no less.
“This should do it, right?” Zi Xunyi said lazily. “Next, should we transfer Ling’er’s consciousness into me?”
Yan Zhen withdrew his hand from Zi Xunyi’s abdomen and began stroking her pale purple hair instead.
“We should wait until a month from now, when the fetus has taken initial form, before transferring it.”
“What should I do in the meantime?”
“You mean nurturing the baby?”
Zi Xunyi’s face grew warm, and she nodded with a soft hum.
“There’s nothing special to watch out for. Just carry on as usual. If any issues come up, tell me, and we’ll consult with Master.”
At the mention of her master, Zi Xunyi felt a twinge of embarrassment. Though Chen Xi had not appeared, she knew her beautiful master was still quietly watching over them.
Perhaps the way Yan Zhen had driven her to ecstasy earlier had all been seen by Chen Xi. How was she supposed to face her afterward?
With that thought, Zi Xunyi curled up, nestling deeper into Yan Zhen’s embrace.
Seeing this, Yan Zhen released her hair and wrapped his arms around her instead, his hand perfectly covering her chest, where he felt her heartbeat quicken slightly.
“By the way, Zi Ji, are you planning to merge with your future memories?”
As Zi Xunyi grabbed his mischievous hand, she replied, “That was me all along.”
—So there was no need to merge or not.
Yan Zhen chuckled speechlessly. He had underestimated his wife’s open-mindedness. She had quickly accepted his identity as a transmigrator and shown keen curiosity about otherworldly matters, so naturally, she could accept her future self without any persuasion.
Actually, that phrasing wasn’t quite right. Whether it was her past self or future self, it was all her. What was there to accept or reject?
The clumsy child who tripped on flat ground in childhood was her. The one who secretly crushed on the girl from the next class in school was her too. The one who buried themselves in hard work after starting a job was her as well.
More precisely, they were all “parts” of her.
A person’s fleshly body housed the soul, the soul housed the memories, and the memories were the unique moments each had etched into themselves.
Rebirth, perhaps, was merely reclaiming those past moments.
With that realization, Yan Zhen felt a pulsation in his Divine Soul. His brow furrowed slightly, and his Divine Soul—which had already reached the peak of the Manifest Realm—began a Mystic advancement.
The five realms of the Divine Soul were Hidden, Manifest, Nether, True, and Mystic. Subdivided, they encompassed nine realms in total, with the extra four serving as transitions, similar to those in the Body Realm.
In that moment of insight, Yan Zhen’s Divine Soul advanced from the Manifest Realm into the mid-Nether Realm, allowing his spiritual power to leave his body and roam freely.
Once he reached the Nether Realm proper, he could take it a step further and form a Divine Soul Incarnation, coming and going as he pleased, just like Zi Xunyi.
Divine Soul cultivation was the complete opposite of body refining. Body refining required honest, steady effort—strength came largely from diligence. Soul refining, however, enlightened the heart. One insight could equal a decade of toil. Some grew stronger through brushes with death’s terror; others through reading the classics. It all depended on talent and opportunity.
Yan Zhen closed his eyes, quietly savoring his new Divine Soul realm. His spiritual power, like an excited elementary schooler rushing home from school to play games, burst out from the gauzy curtains. It darted around the altar and even sensed the presence of his beautiful master.
She sat cross-legged atop the starry array formation overhead, a light mirror hovering before her, reflecting the scene on the bed.
Sensing Yan Zhen’s spiritual fluctuations, she hurriedly withdrew the mirror, coughed twice, and said sternly, “Zhen’er, your Divine Soul has just advanced. You should calm your mind and consolidate it properly. Don’t let yourself go wild, flitting about everywhere—it might breed a Heart Demon.”
—Ah, the thrill of being scolded by his beautiful master after so long.
Yan Zhen quickly reined in his spiritual power and opened his eyes. He planted a kiss on Zi Xunyi’s cheek.
Zi Xunyi turned to face him, her eyes bright as she gazed at her husband. “You broke through?”
Yan Zhen hummed in affirmation. “Thanks to you, Zi Ji. Having a wife who’s such a lucky charm is the best!”
Zi Xunyi bowed her head, pouting playfully. “It was your own enlightenment. What does it have to do with me?”
“Our dual cultivation pushed my spiritual power to the peak of the Manifest Realm, letting me advance smoothly.”
“Mm~ Y-you, what are you doing?”
“Thanking my wife.”
“I—mmph—no need—mmph—hand, don’t touch—husband~~”
“Zi Ji, be a good girl. Get on all fours.”
Soon after, the bed echoed once more with the young woman’s enchanting moans.
High above, Chen Xi watched her disciple and daughter-in-law’s dual cultivation in secret. She couldn’t help thinking that she and Yan Zhen had never tried that particular position.
Aside from that one time he’d lost control, Yan Zhen was always so obedient and considerate toward her as his master—following her every word, even in their intimate moments. He was like a eager puppy, tongue lolling and tail wagging, doing everything to please her.
Perhaps it was time to switch things up, try something new…
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, when Yan Zhen awoke, the woman in his arms was gone. Instead, his beautiful master sat at the bedside, gazing at him tenderly.
“Master, good morning~” Yan Zhen sat up, letting out a big yawn and rubbing his eyes. “Where’s Zi Ji?”
“That girl was too shy and left early,” Chen Xi said with a soft laugh. “I’ve checked her—she’s successfully conceived. In about a month, the fetus will take shape, and we can transfer Ling’er’s consciousness then. The transfer ritual is quite complex and requires some materials for the array formation. Remember to prepare ahead of time. Here’s the list.”
Yan Zhen took the cloth from her and glanced at it. The items were few, all rare materials related to the Divine Soul.
“I’ll prepare them, Master.”
Chen Xi ruffled his hair. “No more lingering in bed. Get dressed and up. Forge the sword. At this rate, it’ll be complete in another ten days or half a month. But for perfection, you’ll need a trip to the Yin Extreme Secret Realm for the final tempering and blood-opening.”
Yan Zhen’s spirits lifted, and he nodded.
