Free Web NovelChapter 272: Chapter 50: Hua Yutang’s Secret
「A few days later.」
Fang Cheng walked out of the Quiet Chamber, his face etched with exhaustion.
His qi and blood were depleted, and his soul was incredibly weak, as if he had been brutally tormented hundreds of times by a demoness skilled in the art of essence-draining.
Fortunately, Ye Yan and the other women usually stayed inside the Pocket World Spiritual Building, so they didn’t see him in this state.
He wasn’t worried about the depletion of his qi and blood. With the foundation built by his Celestial Fire Body Forging Technique, along with various Spiritual Medicines and Spiritual Cuisine, he could recover quickly.
The damage to his soul, however, required the help of his Fifth Senior Sister, Hua Yutang.
Only the two Ninth-Grade Golden Lotuses in her Cave Mansion could help him make a swift recovery.
Otherwise, relying on his own recuperation would take at least half a year.
Fang Cheng walked out of Canglan Cave. Not far from the entrance stood a grand, enormous wooden palace. A plaque hung above, bearing the two large words "Shuiyun Hall."
Ye Yan had chosen the name.
These days, Ye Yan, Die’Er, Dong Qing, and Mu Xuanyu often spent their time cultivating within, planting Spirit Rice, raising fish, and tending to cranes, living quite contentedly.
Fang Cheng had just consecutively refined two Dream Spirits.
The first Dream Spirit had been at the Peak of the Life Soul Realm before perishing in a ghostly mist.
The second had reached the Late-Life Soul Stage but had fallen in battle.
Fang Cheng was gradually uncovering the true secrets of the Dream Spirit Secret Technique. As long as he could solve the problem of soul damage, he could refine a continuous stream of Dream Spirits.
Perhaps due to the limits of his own cultivation, the Dream Spirits produced by the Secret Technique could never seem to break past the shackles of the Life Soul Realm.
Although he couldn’t leech off that Supreme Great Power, the strength of these two Dream Spirits was still nothing to scoff at.
To Fang Cheng, his own cultivation was fundamental; the Dream Spirits were merely a means of protection!
He had now cultivated to the Mid-Life Talisman Stage. Once he had accumulated a few more Dream Spirits, he could venture deep into the Earth Abyss. There, he could slay High-Tier Demons and refine them with the Li Hen Demon Light to rapidly increase his Magical Power.
At this rate, he was certain to break through to the Late-Life Talisman Stage in no more than twenty or thirty years.
Such an astonishing cultivation speed, if not unprecedented and peerless in the world, was definitely second to none in the lands of the Yun Country.
Beyond the Yun Country, however, it was hard to say.
After all, the Demon Buddha’s Cultivation Techniques and Divine Techniques were already heaven-defying, and there was no guarantee that beings even more formidable didn’t exist.
Before long, he arrived at his Fifth Senior Sister’s Cave Mansion.
Dressed in a simple gown, Hua Yutang greeted him with a radiant smile. On her gentle and dignified face, her beautiful eyes darted about, full of charm.
"Junior Brother, have you been practicing some Secret Technique that consumes the soul? Why have you gotten yourself into such a state again?"
Hua Yutang smiled, pressing her lips together. Her voice was soft and pleasant.
Fang Cheng nodded and said, "We’ve been through this once, so there’s no need for formalities. Senior Sister, could I trouble you for another pot of your lotus seed wine?"
After their last dream experience, he felt there was no longer any need for them to be strangers.
Hua Yutang shot him a glance and chuckled. "My lotus seed wine isn’t free, you know. The last time was my treat, but this time, there are conditions."
Fang Cheng smiled faintly. "As it should be. Senior Sister, what are your requirements? Please, tell me."
Hua Yutang’s lovely eyes shifted. "For you, it should be a simple matter. I’ll tell you later. Let’s treat your soul first. We shouldn’t let it linger for too long."
With that, she rose, plucked a seed pod from the Ninth-Grade Golden Lotus, and steeped the seeds in wine before handing it to Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng took the Spirit Wine and gave Hua Yutang a meaningful look. "Senior Sister, I’ll see you in a bit."
With that, he drained the Spirit Wine in one gulp.
He immediately felt his soul grow heavy and drowsy. A tipsiness washed over him, and his soul began to slowly recover, a very comfortable sensation.
Just like last time, Hua Yutang took out an ancient zither and began to play softly.
The melody was graceful and lingering, filled with a tender longing that soothed the hearts of those who listened.
Fang Cheng watched her attentively. As he did, a flash of insight struck him, and he suddenly understood.
’So, it’s a Zither Illusion Technique... Is she using it now because my soul is weak? What is she really after?’
Fang Cheng’s thoughts churned, but he remained outwardly calm. He sat cross-legged on the jade mat by the pond, formed a hand seal, and circulated his Demon Skill. Clearing his mind of all stray thoughts, he focused completely on his recovery.
In the blink of an eye, he entered a state of deep meditation, as still as a statue, and drifted off to sleep.
A warm, gentle power began to slowly and continuously heal his soul.
...
Just as Fang Cheng had expected.
The sensual dream recurred!
This time, Fang Cheng didn’t hold back. He went all out, overwhelming Hua Yutang until she was utterly routed, weeping and pleading for mercy.
In the end, his senior sister could not withstand the assault. Under Fang Cheng’s aggressive pressure and teasing punishment, she saw that her junior brother had seen through her scheme and could no longer hide it, so she confessed everything.
It turned out she did need a favor from Fang Cheng, but the matter was of great importance and could not be easily revealed to him.
That was why she had used the opportunity of healing his soul to cast her Zither Illusion Technique, attempting to plant a thread of affection in his soul to lay the groundwork for what was to come.
With this thread in place, Fang Cheng would gradually develop a fondness for her, perhaps even love, and become willing to do anything for her. At the very least, it would ensure he would never betray or plot against her.
Its effect was similar to the Love Gu in Fang Cheng’s possession.
Two different methods to achieve the same end.
Unfortunately for her, Fang Cheng had once used a Glazed Jade Golden Flower to strengthen his Divine Sense. Coupled with his Sword Heart Clarity, which made him adept at noticing the slightest details, he had seen through Hua Yutang’s ploy.
Fang Cheng didn’t press the matter and make things awkward.
Although it was a dream, their souls had already engaged in a deep exchange, no less intense than a real-life battle.
He then used a gentler approach to once again toy with his senior sister. Both found pleasure, and a mutual affection began to grow between them.
