Chapter 330 - 185: Yuzhi, You Wouldn’t Want...
"How will you help me?"
Chen Sheng looked at Sun Yuzhi, his gaze calm but tinged with a hint of inquiry.
Sun Yuzhi fell silent for a moment upon hearing his words. Her gaze landed on the swaying bamboo tips as she said softly,
"Several years ago, I obtained a portion of the Red Simurgh Yin Source, which I was saving for my own Core Formation. However, I have no use for it at the moment. I can share some with you to help you solidify your foundation. It might give you a better chance during your Qi Transformation and Essence Condensation."
"No use for it?"
Chen Sheng’s brow furrowed slightly, his tone low and slow.
"Vice Envoy, you mustn’t deceive me. If sharing this source would damage your fundamental essence, or even harm your future path of cultivation, then I absolutely cannot accept it."
"I said I have no use for it, so I have no use for it! Why all this nonsense?"
Sun Yuzhi turned back, her slender brows knitting together. A flash of embarrassed anger, born from being seen through, crossed her eyes.
Chen Sheng watched her in silence, his insistent gaze carrying more weight than any words.
After a moment’s standoff, Sun Yuzhi’s tone softened slightly, though she still tried to downplay it.
"I am still a long way from Core Formation, and it’s difficult to make full use of the source just by storing it in my body. Giving it to you to aid your breakthrough would be putting it to its best use. You don’t need to feel burdened or worry too much."
"Red Simurgh Yin Source..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng pretended to be lost in thought, repeating those four words. After a moment, he looked up.
"Vice Envoy, are you referring to the ’Red Simurgh Yin Source’?"
"That’s right."
A contemplative look appeared on Chen Sheng’s face, as if he were recalling something. A moment later, he suddenly spoke.
"I once chanced upon a record of a Secret Technique in the fragments of an ancient text. Perhaps... there is a way to use the power of the Red Simurgh Yin Source to help me break through without damaging your foundation, Vice Envoy. In fact... it might even benefit you as well."
"Oh? What kind of Secret Technique?"
Sun Yuzhi raised a delicate eyebrow.
She had indeed been deceiving Chen Sheng earlier. If she were to share the Red Simurgh Yin Source with him, her own foundation would inevitably be damaged. However, she was willing to do it for him.
But if there was a solution that benefited them both, that would naturally be even better.
Chen Sheng met her gaze and said, word by word,
"Jiao Luan union. Yin and Yang Complement Each Other."
"A Yin Yang Secret Technique?"
Sun Yuzhi was stunned at first, but then something seemed to click. A faint blush crept onto her fair cheeks, and a look of shocked suspicion flashed in her eyes.
"What do you mean by that?"
Chen Sheng’s expression remained neutral as he explained in a calm tone, as if discussing a Cultivation Technique.
"According to the Secret Technique, if we can find a Demon Beast with the bloodline of a Flood Dragon and refine its Inner Core, we can then use the core’s potent, masculine Yang energy to merge with the Red Simurgh Yin Source in your body, Vice Envoy. A Yin-Yang Convergence will occur, like a dragon and a simurgh singing in harmony."
"This will create a balanced, mutually beneficial state. Not only will I be able to smoothly absorb the aid of your Yin source to break through my bottleneck, but you, Vice Envoy, will also be nourished by the Yang essence of the Flood Dragon’s Inner Core. It might even make your Red Simurgh Yin Source purer and more condensed."
"This is a true win-win solution, a strategy that benefits us both."
As Sun Yuzhi listened to Chen Sheng’s explanation, the blush on her face deepened, spreading even to her neck and earlobes.
Suddenly, she whipped her head away, her voice laced with suppressed shame and anger.
"Chen Sheng, you... Are you trying to overstep your bounds?! This kind of absurd method... I will absolutely not agree to it!"
’What Yin-Yang Convergence.’
’What dragon and simurgh singing in harmony.’
’Does he really think I can’t read between the lines?’
’This Chen Sheng is obviously trying to tunnel his way into the Dao!’
Seeing her reaction, Chen Sheng immediately took a step forward and grasped Sun Yuzhi’s cool wrist, his tone low and earnest.
"Yuzhi, you don’t want me to be burdened by guilt for accepting such a great favor, do you? My thoughts would be blocked, and my cultivation would suffer. If this method succeeds, it will be truly mutually beneficial. I have no intention of defiling you. This Secret Technique focuses on the blending of qi and the mutual replenishment of our essential sources."
"When the time comes, if you feel it’s improper, Vice Envoy, or if you are unwilling, I will not cross the line. Everything will be according to your will."
That’s what he said, but once he was ’in’, Chen Sheng was determined to take the initiative.
Sun Yuzhi’s wrist trembled. She shook off Chen Sheng’s hand and took half a step back, her body tensing slightly beneath her official robes.
"I am your superior! How could I... How could we do something so outrageous!"
Sun Yuzhi’s tone was still harsh, but her flickering gaze and crimson cheeks betrayed the panic in her heart.
Although she was known as the Female Demon and had a formidable reputation in Ning’an Prefecture, she had, in fact, never been in close contact with any man other than Chen Sheng.
Even though Chen Sheng was the man she fancied, for him to propose it so blatantly was just too mortifying.
Chen Sheng knew she was inexperienced in matters of the heart and that he had to give her a way to back down gracefully. He softened his tone and said solemnly,
"Vice Envoy, please calm your anger. I have no intention of offending you. This method is, after all, a win-win strategy for the sake of both your cultivation path and my breakthrough. And I can guarantee... I will make absolutely sure the ’win’ is a comfortable one for you."
On this point, Chen Sheng was confident he had some skills.
After all, both Wang Zilan and Madam Yang had been very ’comfortable’ with their ’wins’ during their ’exchanges’ with him.
The only sound left in the bamboo grove was the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Sun Yuzhi stood with her back to Chen Sheng, her shoulders twitching slightly, a fierce battle apparently raging within her.
After a long time, she slowly turned around. The blush had not faded from her cheeks. She gave Chen Sheng a complicated look before quickly averting her gaze, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.
"Seeing as you are... so eager to cultivate, and your words are... sincere enough, this matter... I shall consider it."
"Thank you, Vice Envoy."
A slight smile touched the corners of Chen Sheng’s lips.
’Consider it.’
’That means she tacitly agrees.’
’She’s just too thin-skinned to admit it.’
"You mentioned the Inner Core of a Flood Dragon just now. Is your target the one in the Poisonous Flood Dragon Pool?"
Sun Yuzhi cleared her throat twice, quickly changing the subject and trying to regain her composure.
"What do you think, Vice Envoy?"
"That Poisonous Python is close to transforming into a Flood Dragon, so its Inner Core might be usable. However, that Poisonous Flood Dragon has ties to the Golden Spring Temple."
Sun Yuzhi said with a frown.
Apparently, she also knew something about this Poisonous Flood Dragon.