Chapter 21: Dual Cultivation
As the final rays of twilight faded behind the jagged silhouette of the Sixth Peak, Li Yao's expression remained composed—but within her chest, a storm raged.
Her master's voice still echoed in her mind like a haunting whisper, feeding a fire she had never known before. That fire now burned brightly, devouring every trace of hesitation she once had. A strange heat surged within her—not the gentle warmth of admiration, but the scorching intensity of possessiveness.
Her master's warning had done more than just awaken jealousy—it had struck deep into her soul.
"Su Lan… my own master… that cold vixen… lusting after Junior Brother?"
Her eyes narrowed, the faint glow of fury flickering within them.
"No. I won't allow it."
Whatever vague admiration she had once held for Su Lan had turned to ash. In her heart, Su Lan's favorability didn't just fall—it plummeted straight into the negatives. From a respected figure to a dangerous rival, Su Lan had crossed the line.
While she clenched her fists and made her decision, within the glowing ring on her finger, a far more ancient soul was caught in her own tangled web of emotions.
Inside that soul-bound artifact, floating calmly in ethereal starlight, Chang Yue, the Void Refining Realm expert and Li Yao's master, hovered in her soul form.
Normally serene and untouchable, the elder cultivator now found herself battling waves of confusion.
"Damn it... what is going on with this brat?"
Her brow furrowed as she mentally replayed her recent interaction with Meng Hao.
"Why does he feel so much more charming than before? Much more than his previous self. He seems like a completely different person now..."
She hovered in the void, arms folded, her long soul-form robes rippling gently around her.
"He wasn't like that before. Even though he was already unnaturally handsome—far beyond the average genius male cultivators I've seen over thousands of years—this is on a completely new level."
She bit her lip in thought.
"It's as if his charm… multiplied. If before he was one of the most beautiful men I've ever seen, now he may well be the most beautiful."
The realization stirred something within her she hadn't felt in centuries.
Lust.
Yes, even she, a being that stood at the pinnacle of cultivation, felt it.
"Even knowing he's just a Qi Gathering brat… even knowing my own disciple is in love with him… sigh…"
She groaned softly in the soul space, covering her face with one hand.
"But would it really be so wrong to have some fun with him?"
The thought was dangerous, seductive, and growing bolder with each passing moment.
"When I regain my body… I could give him a little opportunity. Dual cultivation with a Void Refining realm cultivator like me... would be a heavenly blessing for him."
She licked her lips at the thought.
"With his talent, it would take him more than a thousand reincarnations just to earn a passing glance from someone like me. If I offer him my body, it'll be the greatest fortune of his pitiful life."
And then she chuckled darkly, her laughter like a breeze over moonlit water—soft, cold, and beautiful.
But her thoughts were soon interrupted by a voice in her mind—clear, direct, and brimming with power.
"Master."
It was Li Yao. Her voice was calm and firm, filled with a focus that made Chang Yue blink.
"She already thought of something?" Chang Yue wondered, surprised. "So quickly?"
Li Yao spoke with complete resolve.
"Master, it seems there is only one solution left to my current problem."
Chang Yue straightened within the void, caught off guard.
"Just a moment ago, she was trembling with doubt. And now… this kind of voice?"
With confusion in her tone, Chang Yue asked, "What is it?"
Li Yao took a deep breath. The fire in her heart was now unquenchable.
"There's only one way to save Junior Brother from that lustful vixen of a peak master."
Chang Yue's expression darkened slightly.
"And that is…?"
Li Yao's eyes burned with resolve.
"To make him mine before she can."
The words exploded into Chang Yue's mind like a divine thunderclap.
Li Yao didn't stop there. Her voice dropped to a whisper—fierce and dangerous.
"Tonight is the last chance. If I delay, who knows what that vixen might do to him tomorrow. I won't let her get ahead of me."
She stepped closer to Meng Hao, eyes locked on him with unwavering intent.
"I must act faster than her… and make Junior Brother completely mine. Tonight. Body and soul. On the bed."
Her heart thumped rapidly as her declaration echoed in both her own mind and her master's spiritual space.
Meanwhile, Meng Hao, who had been calmly watching the sunset while brushing his robes, suddenly stiffened slightly.
A mechanical chime rang softly in his mind.
[Ding! A lustful girl's dual cultivation plan has been detected against you, Host.]