Translator: Cinder Translations
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The Star Chariot Divine Ship flew rapidly through the dark night sky.
"Ji Yin, I must thank you again. Not only did you save my life, but you also helped me participate in the battle between the Liangyi Sect and the demon clan," Zhu Yin said with a grateful expression, addressing Song Wen.
Song Wen remained calm and replied, "You don't need to thank me. You should understand why I did all this. As long as you keep your promise, that will be enough."
"Don't worry, I swore a soul oath, and I will not go back on my word," Zhu Yin said confidently.
Song Wen glanced at Zhu Yin but didn't say anything further.
Zhu Yin had already advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, and with her magical power, she activated the Star Chariot Divine Ship, allowing it to travel at full speed without needing extra spiritual stones.
Three days later, the two arrived at the outer seas.
At Song Wen's request, the Star Chariot Divine Ship slightly adjusted its course and sailed southeast.
Two months later, the Star Chariot Divine Ship reached a small island on the edge of the Chaotic Sea.
The island was only about ten miles in diameter, surrounded by lush green trees, teeming with life, and exuding a strong spiritual aura.
A group of Feiyun Beasts lived on the island.
Throughout the journey, it was Song Wen who had guided them, and with his directions, they easily found this small island.
Zhu Yin, curious, asked, "How did you know there was an island here? Have you been here before?"
Song Wen nodded and answered, "I had formed my Golden Core here."
This island was where Song Wen first arrived after being transported to the Chaotic Sea and exiting the Misty Ghost Realm. It was also the place where he formed his Golden Core.
Song Wen had chosen this place because it was remote, making it unlikely for either the human or demon clans to come here.
He had left this island forty-two years ago. The Feiyun Beast king he had contracted back then had long since fallen.
The Feiyun Beast tribe had a new king.
"Why did you choose such a remote place to form your golden core?" Zhu Yin asked.
Song Wen smiled slightly but did not answer.
The two did not disturb the Feiyun Beasts and quietly arrived at the cave where Song Wen had previously secluded himself.
After setting up defensive and concealment arrays, the two began to meditate and recover.
The continuous travel had drained both their magical power and mental energy.
Three days later, while Song Wen was in the middle of his cultivation, his meditation was interrupted by some unusual sounds.
It was Zhu Yin who had disturbed him.
Zhu Yin had set up a stone offering table in the cave.
The table was about ten feet long, seven feet high, and was made entirely of black stone.
She placed a dozen black tablets on the offering table.
At the front of the table, there was one tablet that read: "Honorable Father, Zhu He Tian."
Zhu Yin then took out a tall incense burner and placed it on the table.
Next, she took out three incense sticks.
The tips of the incense ignited without fire, and faint wisps of blue smoke gently drifted into the air.
Song Wen furrowed his brow and asked, "Zhu Yin, what are you doing?"
Zhu Yin deeply bowed to the offering table, then inserted the incense into the burner.
After completing the ritual, she finally spoke.
"Since I wish to become your Dao companion, I must report to my elders."
Song Wen shook his head, unable to understand Zhu Yin's actions.
In his view, the dual cultivation with Zhu Yin was merely a transaction, not a true commitment to becoming Dao companions.
"Ji Yin, I know that you have no true feelings for me, and I don't harbor any affection for you either. However, you are the only person I can trust a little, especially since you saved my life. Becoming Dao companions with you is not degrading to me."
"In this life, besides you, I don't think I will ever cultivate with anyone else again. Therefore, I plan to inform my elders about us becoming Dao companions, as a way to comfort their spirits in the afterlife."
Zhu Yin gazed at the tablet on the offering table, a hint of distraction in her eyes.
She turned and looked at Song Wen. "Ji Yin, we are cultivators, and forming Dao companions doesn't require the usual worldly formalities. However, I hope you can offer incense to my elders. Is that alright?"
Song Wen looked at the offering table and the tablets, and his heart immediately understood Zhu Yin's intent.
Zhu Yin's motivation for cultivation and survival was to avenge her tribe.
Therefore, these seemingly cold tablets represented the driving force behind her actions.
Song Wen nodded.
This ritual would not harm him in any way, but it would make Zhu Yin happy. There was no harm in doing so.
He stood up and walked to the offering table.
Zhu Yin smiled faintly and immediately took out three incense sticks and handed them over.
Song Wen's thoughts shifted, and the incense began to burn.
After respectfully paying his respects, he placed the incense into the burner.
"Ji Yin, since you've shown respect to my Zhu family's elders by offering incense, from this moment on, we are Dao companions. When do you wish to begin our dual cultivation?"
Zhu Yin tried to keep her voice steady, but Song Wen could still detect a hint of nervousness in her tone. Even her body had stiffened slightly.
"No rush. I plan to cultivate for a while before beginning dual cultivation. What do you think?" Song Wen replied.
The formation of a Nascent Soul was a significant matter, and Song Wen wasn't about to rush it. He needed time to adjust his mind and magical power, bringing his vitality and energy into the best possible state.
Additionally, Zhu Yin seemed somewhat tense and resistant, not in an ideal state for dual cultivation at the moment.
According to the Yin-Yang Harmony technique she had given him, dual cultivation required both parties to open their minds and relax, allowing the full benefits of the practice to manifest.
Hearing this, Zhu Yin's stiff body visibly relaxed.
"Alright, let's do it your way."
In the days that followed, the two of them shared a quiet understanding and increased their time together.
At night, they cultivated in the same room.
During the day, they watched the sunrise and sunset, or when the mood struck, they went fishing in the sea, cooked their catch, and had a few drinks.
Neither of them sought deep affection from the other; they simply wanted their dual cultivation to come naturally, without too much intention.
They didn't want it to feel like mere beastly desire, driven only by primal urges.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, and Song Wen's mind and magical power reached a perfect state. It was time to attempt forming the Nascent Soul.
One evening.
The sky had darkened outside, and Zhu Yin was about to begin her cultivation for the night when she suddenly heard Song Wen's voice.
"Zhu Yin, come with me."
Zhu Yin opened her eyes and looked at Song Wen with confusion.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm going to show you something interesting," Song Wen said mysteriously.
Zhu Yin was full of questions but knew that Song Wen would not harm her. She nodded and followed him out of the cave.
The two flew out of the island's range and then dove into the water.
After diving for several dozen miles, a strange sight appeared before them.
In the pitch-black deep sea, countless unusual sea creatures floated around.
They resembled jellyfish but were much larger, with bodies about ten feet in diameter, leisurely drifting through the ocean.
These creatures seemed to be crafted from the purest crystal, their bodies glowing with various colors.
As they gently swayed, brilliant, multicolored lights radiated from within them, like flowing neon, illuminating the surrounding waters in vibrant hues.
It was as if rainbows had fallen into the deep sea, dazzling and dreamlike.
Such a beautiful scene captivated the mind, making it hard to look away.
(End of the Chapter)
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