The sudden turn of events within Xu Yuan's sea of consciousness caused Tianyan's expression, normally placid as water, to shift slightly.
An intent-soul was both robust and resilient, yet exceedingly fragile at the same time.
It was resilient in that, when casting intent-soul secret arts, it could even materialize into physical form.
It was fragile in that an intent-soul was an indivisible whole; pull one hair and the whole body moves—especially when, as just now, she had poured all her focus into it.
At a time like this, even the most gossamer wisp of intent-soul turning on her could cause a backlash severe enough to trigger qi deviation.
However, now was not the time to worry about herself.
She could voluntarily sever this thread of intent-soul with a secret art, like a lizard shedding its tail.
Doing so would damage some of her intent-soul, though she could recover after recuperating for a few hours. But if she did, the bastard before her would suffer immensely.
The severed Heavenly Yan divine soul would not disperse; instead, it would run wild inside Xu Yuan's body.
Even an insignificant wisp of a Heavenly Yan divine soul at the Origin Realm was simply beyond what Xu Yuan's current cultivation could withstand.
And indeed, Xu Yuan was having an excruciating time.
Even though Tianyan had immediately begun reining in the intent-soul and Source Qi that entered his body the moment the accident happened, his entire body still felt as if it were falling apart.
First, because of Tianyan's somewhat chaotic Source Qi; second, because his sea of consciousness felt as though it were about to burst.
Although it had all happened in a flash, because it occurred within his own sea of consciousness, Xu Yuan still sensed what had just transpired.
Everything inside a cultivator's body could be described as an extraordinarily precise machine. Whether meridians, dantian, or the sea of consciousness, they all possessed intense rejection properties.
And of these, the sea of consciousness was the most extreme.
If it became contaminated with too much of another person's intent-soul aura, Rejection Syndrome would erupt.
And Tianyan, to avoid inadvertently polluting his sea of consciousness, had purged nearly all impurities from the wisp of Heavenly Yan divine soul she sent in.
It was precisely this caution that left her gossamer wisp of Heavenly Yan divine soul completely undefended, like a block of translucent tofu.
The moment this "tofu" entered, the intent-soul residing in Xu Yuan's sea of consciousness moved on its own.
As if in a stress reaction, it transformed into thousands of sharp blades, instantly slicing that wisp of Heavenly Yan divine soul into countless pieces and grinding it down like a millstone into masterless soul power.
The companion secret art of the Blood Yuan Heart Calamity Art... was circulating on its own!
The wing room was silent.
The two sat cross-legged facing each other. Tianyan's brows were tightly knit; Xu Yuan's face was deathly pale. A gentle breeze rippled outward from the two of them, stirring her cascade of straight, long black hair and the snow-white bed curtains.
How long this drawn-out silence lasted was impossible to say.
"Release."
Rustle...
As the True Word broke, the soft bed sank. Xu Yuan collapsed backward onto the bedding, staring blankly at the white canopy.
Tianyan remained sitting upright. She stared at him for several breaths before murmuring softly,
"Xu Yuan, can't you stop that secret art of yours?"
"Yeah."
Xu Yuan's complexion hadn't improved; he remained pale, his voice slightly breathless. "C-can't stop it... and my sea of consciousness probably won't be able to hold your soul power."
The Source Qi threatening to riot in his meridians had already been calmed by Tianyan, but the aching fullness in his sea of consciousness only grew more intense.
That nameless intent-soul mantra was still circulating on its own.
If a single cycle of this secret art devouring another's intent-soul was compared to partaking in a grand feast, what had just happened was merely slaughtering and prepping the ingredients. Now was the actual time to feast.
And it was only the beginning, yet Xu Yuan's sea of consciousness was already feeling saturated.
Even though Tianyan's Heavenly Yan divine soul was just a wisp, the soul power contained within was far greater than Su Jinxuan's Meishen spore.
For Xu Yuan right now, it was like forcibly stuffing twenty jin of meat down the throat of a beanpole.
The beanpole's stomach would rupture.
And his sea of consciousness would rupture just the same.
Having verified her suspicions, Tianyan's heart beat faster by the second as her mind raced through countermeasures.
Subconsciously, she wanted to utter the "Seal" True Word to forcibly halt the circulation of Xu Yuan's bizarre secret art, but she caught herself before the word left her lips.
She couldn't do that...
While the miraculous properties of the Heaven Character True Words could definitely halt his technique, the problem was, what then?
Her intent-soul, having been sucked in, wouldn't simply vanish into thin air.
Halting the secret art would only leave those crushed remnants of soul power without guidance.
And without guidance, that pure soul power would rampage.
For a cultivator, any harm to the sea of consciousness led to qi deviation at best, or a total loss of consciousness and ending up brain-dead at worst.
Thinking of this, she immediately dismissed the idea.
Tianyan's white canines bit down hard on her lip. Looking at his pale face, she said:
"In... in the Charm God Illusion realm, I never saw you practice this kind of secret art. Why... why so suddenly—"
"The Pure Yang Physique lacks the meridians... This secret art... can probably only be practiced by an Innate Dao Body."
"..."
Tianyan's breath caught slightly, her hands clenching unconsciously.
She realized that in the face of this situation, she was utterly helpless.
For anyone else, one would simply need to release this masterless soul power. But the problem was that her Heavenly Yan divine soul clearly conflicted with Xu Yuan's intent-soul secret art.
She didn't dare send her divine soul back into his sea of consciousness to guide it.
Amid her racing thoughts, Tianyan suddenly realized her concern had clouded her judgment.
For she was not the only pinnacle figure aboard this black eagle pavilion. If she couldn't do it, she could find someone else.
Just as the thought crossed her mind,
Tianyan heard Xu Yuan murmur weakly from the bed:
"Sister... this has nothing to do with Tianyan."
"..."
Tianyan's clear golden pupils contracted abruptly. Her chaotic mind had prevented her from noticing that another person had entered the room.
Following his gaze behind her,
she saw an enchanting woman in a cleavage-baring purple cheongsam, who had appeared inside the wing room at some unknown moment and was standing a mere two feet behind her.
Watching her quietly.
With just a single glance, Tianyan felt towering killing intent radiating from her.
Her voluptuous, seductive figure could not conceal the chilling coldness radiating all around her, nor the near-callous apathy in her pale green eyes.
Their gazes met for an instant.
Perhaps because of Xu Yuan's words, Lou Ji's aura deflated instantly. Staring at Tianyan, the corner of her lips curled into a smile:
"Changtian was away from me for merely a moment, yet Her Ladyship the Saintess has worked him into such a state. Truly quite the capability..."
"Sister."
Xu Yuan interrupted Lou Ji, his tone firming slightly. "This was just an accident."
"..."
Hearing that, Lou Ji withdrew her gaze, a hint of helplessness showing in her eyes as she drew out her words:
"Fine, fine, fine... Big Sister won't hold it against her."
With that, Lou Ji spared the Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion no further glances, leisurely walking over to the head of the bed to sit down.
The soft bedding sank under her weight. Lou Ji gently reached out to brush his feverishly warm cheek, then murmured softly,
"Were you two cultivating just now?"
"Yeah."
"Oh? A dual cultivation method?"
"..." Xu Yuan rolled his eyes at this auntie.
He was in such a wretched state, yet she still felt like joking around.
However, Lou Ji's attitude also allowed him to put his heart at ease.
If she hadn't had a solution, Lou Ji would probably have struck the moment before when Tianyan hadn't noticed her.
The fact that she was still joking meant she had a way to resolve it.
Straightening up, Lou Ji glanced toward Tianyan, who seemed slightly ill at ease:
"Saintess, this seat is willing to believe Changtian's words that this was merely an accident.
"However, if you have the leisure to linger here doing nothing, why not go fetch that Bai girl?"
Bai Muxi...
Tianyan was silent for a moment, then pursed her red lips.
"Why?"
"Why?"
Lou Ji half-narrowed her eyes. "As an Origin Realm cultivator, you should know full well how to handle Changtian's current condition. If you aren't doing it, it's most likely because a clash of cultivation arts or constitutions prevents you from guiding him through dual cultivation."
At this point,
Lou Ji tapped a slender jade finger against her chest and chuckled softly.
"This seat wouldn't mind dual cultivating with Changtian, but due to some past matters, our constitutions clash somewhat. So, we can only have that Bai girl do it."
"..."
After a few breaths of silence, Tianyan bit her lip hard, stood up in silence, and murmured a single word in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum:
"Blink."
"..."
Watching the girl's figure vanish abruptly, a thoughtful look appeared in Lou Ji's beautiful eyes.
"The Heaven-Deducing Art is truly miraculous, isn't it?"
With that,
she chuckled softly, looking down at the half-dead Xu Yuan on the bed, and asked curiously,
"Changtian, what technique were you two cultivating just now that required the Saintess to send her intent-soul into your sea of consciousness?"
She paused briefly,
tapping her index finger lightly against her fair chin.
"And this intent-soul secret art you practice can actually refine another's intent-soul for your own use. Sister is quite envious, you know~"
"..."
While enduring the intent-soul swelling and growing stronger in his sea of consciousness, Xu Yuan replied weakly,
"You can't practice this technique."
Hearing this, Lou Ji followed up smoothly:
"Then what were you cultivating just now? The Heaven-Deducing Art?"
"Yeah."
"Huh?"
Lou Ji froze slightly, glancing between Xu Yuan and the spot where Tianyan had vanished, back and forth twice, before asking with disbelief:
"Are you sure it's the Heaven-Deducing Art?"
Xu Yuan raised a hand to rub between his brows.
"Just one of its chapters."
"I see..."
Lou Ji murmured, then adopted a slightly more serious tone:
"Changtian, does the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master know about this?"
"..."
Xu Yuan shook his head, closing his eyes without answering.
Tianyan had kept secrets for him, so naturally he could not disclose her business to Lou Ji either.
Watching him, Lou Ji lifted a finger to gently massage between his eyebrows, sighing softly:
"Keeping secrets, are we? Big Sister doesn't dislike that."
Xu Yuan let out a faint grunt.
"Heh... Sister, how are things downstairs?"
Lou Ji glanced in the direction of the bottom floor and said softly,
"Wanyao Valley has immersed itself in the dao of medicine for years; there probably won't be any results anytime soon..."
"I mean, what did you say to Luo Xiran down there?"
"..."
A touch of awkwardness surfaced on Lou Ji's glamorous face as she feigned ignorance:
"Say what about what?"
Xu Yuan sighed internally and, eyes closed, offered a gentle warning:
"Luo Xiran and I are partners. There's no need to make things so tense."
Hearing this, Lou Ji's tone grew somewhat dissatisfied:
"Changtian, your trust isn't something to hand out carelessly, especially to someone whose stance conflicts with ours.
"And rather than relying on fickle human temperament, you need to put your faith in binding mutual interests and the coercion of force."
Leaning against the soft pillow, Xu Yuan spoke without any ripple in his voice:
"I know that. The reason I trust Luo Xiran is mostly because I am, in a sense, the repository of her life's faith."
"Repository of her faith?" Lou Ji was puzzled.
Xu Yuan gave a low chuckle:
"Sister, ten years of aimless drifting drag on painfully, but a century flies by when one strives to achieve something.
"Luo Xiran and that old man Jiang He are of the same kind, and I am the vessel for her life's work."
Lou Ji's mind remained lightning-fast; in a flash, she connected this to Xu Yuan's bizarre method of perception from earlier.
It seemed that thing of Changtian's was related to that ten-thousand-year-old woman...
Thinking this, she said softly:
"If that's the case, then Big Sister won't go behind your back to do things you dislike."
With that, she turned her gaze toward the door:
"All right, the Saintess is back."
As her words fell,
the wooden door of the wing room was pushed open from the outside.
Two slender figures appeared in the doorway.
Tianyan walked in front, eyes cast down, her thoughts unreadable.
Bai Muxi followed behind, her bright eyes clear as the moon, her face wearing a troubled look, though her steps were brisk.
The two women approached. Tianyan remained silent.
Bai Muxi curtsied, offering a textbook Great Yan court etiquette:
"Young Master, Chief Lou."
Sitting at the bedside, Lou Ji swept her gaze over the two women, letting it rest on Bai Muxi:
"You should know why this seat called you here, yes?"
Bai Muxi did not reply immediately. After a brief pause, she said hesitantly and in a low voice:
"Muxi knows. It is to dual cultivate with Young Master... It's just that dual cultivation should properly be done by..."
At this point, she glanced sidelong at the young girl beside her.
The atmosphere grew slightly delicate with Bai Muxi's glance.
Tianyan shot her a sideways glare, her voice flat and low:
"It's merely dual cultivation to guide and transfer qi. My technique clashes with Xu Yuan's."
"..." Bai Muxi was taken aback.
Before coming, she had only heard Tianyan mention the Young Master's condition and the need for guidance through dual cultivation.
In the underground palace, dual cultivation always meant carnal union between man and woman. Transferring qi counted as dual cultivation too?
Bai Muxi's eyes flickered for an instant as she said softly:
"Yet Muxi has never practiced this kind of dual cultivation method. If something goes awry midway..."
She had to seize every opportunity to climb the ladder, using her body to make the Young Master develop a taste for her and further elevate her status.
Hearing this, annoyance and embarrassment flared in Tianyan's heart. Suppressing her earlier guilt and gloom, she said coldly:
"With Chief Lou and me watching, nothing will go wrong."
"But if anything were to happen to the Young Master..."
"..."
Watching this bickering unfold, Lou Ji sized up this concubine Changtian had taken in with great amusement.
In their few previous encounters, the girl had always been docile and obedient as a rabbit.
It seemed now that she had quite a few calculating thoughts of her own.
With that in mind, Lou Ji glanced at the half-dead Xu Yuan on the bed. Suppressing her urge to enjoy the drama, she coldly cut the two off:
"If you want to squabble out of jealousy, do it some other time. If anything happens to Changtian, neither of you will leave here alive."
"..." Tianyan fell silent at once, worry flashing in her eyes.
"..." Bai Muxi shrank back her neck.
Seeing that the two had quieted down, Lou Ji turned and climbed onto the bed, pointing to the space before her:
"Bai Muxi, since you aren't familiar with it, familiarize yourself with this seat first."
"B-but the time..." Bai Muxi still tried to push back.
"It takes only an instant."
Lou Ji's tone turned slightly chilly, carrying a hint of impatience:
"Get on the bed."
Chapter 367