Inside the cultivation chamber, Mo Tiange sat cross-legged.
The Spiritual Qi within her Dantian was abundant, containing a considerable amount of Yang Spiritual Qi.
After such a long period of cultivation, this Yang Spiritual Qi had smoothly integrated into her Dantian, merging with her Yin spiritual energy to form a single, circulating whole.
After forming her Core, her Dantian had expanded significantly, providing space for the Yin and Yang energies to converge. The Yang Spiritual Qi she had received from Qin Xi allowed her Hunyuan Cultivation Method to truly manifest its power, creating a genuine state of Hunyuan within her body.
Completing a major circulation cycle, she guided the spiritual energy back into her Dantian and stood up, walking out of the cultivation chamber.
Outside, a gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, and Feifei chirped excitedly as she pounced forward.
Xiaohuo had gone off to cultivate again. Within the Void Heaven Realm, they were the only two spirit beasts. Feifei loved to play, and without a companion, she was overjoyed whenever Mo Tiange emerged.
Mo Tiange smiled slightly, playing with Feifei for a while before finally pacifying her with several pills, sending her off to chase butterflies.
It was strange. Although she had always allowed the two spirit beasts to eat the spirit herbs in the Void Heaven Realm, they seemed to prefer pills. Perhaps the pills had more flavor? Thinking this, Mo Tiange couldn't help but smile, feeling a bit silly, and instinctively glanced back at the bamboo hut at the far end.
This was Qin Xi's cultivation chamber. It had been three years since he entered seclusion for Nascent Soul Formation. His chamber had remained quiet, with only the continuous circulation of spiritual energy and not a single sound.
During this time, Mo Tiange had come to understand something. What people feared was not the inability to obtain something, but obtaining it only to lose it again. In the past, when she was alone and unattached, secluding herself for five, six, or even over a dozen years hadn't felt like much. But now, accustomed to living with him, his sudden absence left her constantly feeling as if something was weighing on her mind.
Discovering this, Mo Tiange merely smiled, not finding it troublesome. She used to worry: what if she gained something only to lose it later? Thus, she was plagued by indecision. But in truth, what did it matter if she lost it? Cherishing the time she had gained, and then slowly adapting after losing it—that was the truly carefree state of mind. If one feared loss so much that one dared not gain, that would only lead to entanglement, an inability to see through.
Three years had passed. She had not yet advanced to Mid-stage Core Formation, but she was not far from the peak of the early stage.
The benefits she had gained from Dual Cultivation were no less than Qin Xi's. Before forming her Core, Qin Xi had healed her injuries, allowing her to obtain a portion of Yang Spiritual Qi and understand what Hunyuan was. After they began Dual Cultivation, the convergence of Yin and Yang allowed her to suddenly gain a great deal of Yang Spiritual Qi, enabling her Hunyuan Cultivation Method to truly operate.
She had originally thought her cultivation speed was already extremely fast after obtaining the Hunyuan Primeval Maiden Technique. Only later, after a true state of Hunyuan formed within her body, did she realize this was the true essence of the Hunyuan Cultivation Method.
The Five Elements generate each other; Yin and Yang converge, circulating endlessly, life begetting life without cease. Only from such chaos does vitality emerge.
If she originally needed to absorb Yin spiritual energy from the external world to increase her cultivation, now she could generate spiritual energy herself based on the Hunyuan within her body.
Of course, the speed of this generation couldn't be very fast. For normal cultivation, she still needed to absorb spiritual energy from the external world and transform it for her own use. However, the ability to generate spiritual energy based on one's own body was unheard of in the current world of cultivation. While absorbing external energy, her body was also generating it internally. This meant her cultivation would always stay ahead of others—this was the most heaven-defying aspect!
She didn't know if Qin Xi experienced the same after receiving her Yin spiritual energy. Logically, since his Three Yuan Revolving Wheel Art also required the circulation of three energies, similar in principle to her Hunyuan Cultivation Method, it should be roughly the same.
Thinking this, she turned her gaze toward Qin Xi's cultivation chamber.
Although Qin Xi had not emerged, based on the fluctuations of spiritual energy within the Void Heaven Realm, she knew his seclusion was proceeding smoothly. Perhaps he could truly advance to Nascent Soul successfully. She just didn't know how long it would take him.
The seclusion period for Nascent Soul Formation was generally longer than for Core Formation, but it varied from person to person, ranging from two to ten years. Before Qin Xi entered seclusion, his spiritual energy had been overflowing. Logically, it should be a matter of course and shouldn't take too long.
Thinking this, Mo Tiange grew somewhat worried again. Three years had passed, and he still hadn't emerged, nor had there been any movement. Could he have encountered some difficulty?
Regardless of whether Qin Xi faced difficulties, there was nothing she could do now. During Nascent Soul Formation, disturbance was absolutely forbidden. All she could do was wait outside. At least, the spiritual energy within the Void Heaven Realm was calm and peaceful; he should be fine for now.
Steeling her patience, Mo Tiange continued her days of opening her eyes to refine pills and closing them to cultivate. In cultivation, time held no meaning. In the blink of an eye, another two years passed...
On this day, Mo Tiange, deep in cultivation, suddenly opened her eyes.
The Void Heaven Realm was connected to her will. She had just felt a drastic change occurring within it.
She stood up, pushed open the door, and froze in place.
She saw that within the Void Heaven Realm, the already dense spiritual energy had condensed into dewdrop-like Spirit Pearls, their spiritual light illuminating the entire sky. Countless Spirit Pearls surged toward Qin Xi's cultivation chamber, swirling around the bamboo hut, shimmering with crystalline, translucent light, making the surroundings beautiful as a fairyland.
Mo Tiange recalled that when Uncle-Master Xuanyin formed his Nascent Soul, a similar scene had appeared on Clear Spring Peak. She couldn't help but smile. This meant Qin Xi's Nascent Soul Formation was nearly complete! Next, as long as he stabilized his mind and emerged from the inner demons, he would advance to Nascent Soul!
Thinking this, her heart filled with joy. She silently prayed for Qin Xi to endure this final trial and successfully advance to Nascent Soul. He had failed three times already, experiencing enough setbacks. If he still didn't succeed, it would be truly disheartening.
Days passed, and this spiritual light did not dissipate for several months.
During these months, Mo Tiange also kept vigil outside the cultivation chamber, not leaving for a moment.
At first, Qin Xi's chamber only slowly attracted the Spirit Pearls. Later, the speed increased until it gradually became a massive vortex. Within this vortex, countless Spirit Pearls surged inward, and along with them, the pressure grew increasingly intense. Mo Tiange felt that only by fully exerting her Soul Refining Art could she barely stabilize her mind under this pressure.
The stronger the pressure grew, the more joyful she felt within. With the Soul Refining Art, even if Qin Xi had reached Core Formation perfection, he couldn't suppress her with pressure alone—unless he was a Nascent Soul Cultivator. This indicated Qin Xi was not far from successfully forming his Nascent Soul!
After an unknowable length of time, inside the cultivation chamber, Qin Xi gently opened his eyes.
A mere few years felt like a lifetime to him. This time, he had finally succeeded in emerging from the inner demons.
He smiled slightly, looking down at his hands.
He had finally succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul!
Standing up, spiritual energy swirled around him like dancing spirit birds. His body was filled with power—the power to move mountains and overturn seas. This was the feeling of forming a Nascent Soul...
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again, a smile playing on his lips as he gently pushed open the door of the cultivation chamber.
Their eyes met.
Years of separation felt like a lifetime to him. He gazed greedily at the person before him, not missing the slightest nuance of her expression.
He remembered the dream within the inner demons. In it, he had succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul. A hundred years later, she too stepped into the Nascent Soul realm. The two of them walked hand in hand through the mortal world, cultivating the Immortal path together, their fame shaking the Tianji Region, and together they advanced to Soul Transformation. This time, he hadn't lingered long before breaking free. As long as he opened his eyes, this was their real life. What need was there for illusions?
Mo Tiange didn't speak. Neither did Qin Xi.
They simply moved toward each other naturally and embraced quietly.
Because of this Nascent Soul, they had almost been separated by the ends of the earth. Today, they had finally achieved their wish.
Mo Tiange smiled slightly. Having kept vigil here for months without moving, her voice was slightly hoarse. "Congratulations, Uncle-Master Shoujing, on advancing to Nascent Soul."
Qin Xi also smiled, unable to resist lowering his head to give her a playful nip. "Uncle-Master, hmm?"
"Isn't that right?" Mo Tiange stood on her tiptoes and nipped him back, her arms encircling him as she teased, "Advancing to Nascent Soul, attaining the rank of Dao Lord—from now on, you're no longer counted within the seniority order of the sect. Uncle-Master Shoujing, you can't escape the reputation of an old bull eating tender grass!"
"Then let it be inescapable," Qin Xi said, wrapping his arms around her waist. With a slight exertion, he lifted her up and kissed her. "We haven't reached white hair facing youthful beauty, so why fear the pear blossom overwhelming the begonia..."
After an unknowable length of time, a breathless kiss finally confirmed each other's existence. Qin Xi held Mo Tiange and simply sat down on the steps where she had been sitting.
"How long did you wait outside?"
"...Not long. I don't remember."
"Don't remember?" Qin Xi looked down at her. "Truly don't remember, or don't want to tell me?"
Mo Tiange's eyes shifted. She smiled. "Since you know I don't want to tell you, why ask?"
"...Alright." Qin Xi sighed, knowing that if she didn't want to say, he certainly wouldn't get an answer. He changed the subject. "How long did my Nascent Soul Formation take?"
"Five years." Mo Tiange asked, "Was your formation process smooth?"
Qin Xi nodded happily. "Very smooth, almost without a hitch—though merging with the Yin spiritual energy took a lot of time, which is probably why it took five years."
"Smooth is good." Mo Tiange was quiet for a moment, then suddenly said, "Back then, I was truly afraid something would go wrong after you shattered your Core..." If one shattered the Core but failed to form the Nascent Soul, a lifetime of cultivation would be wasted. Failure in Core Formation allowed for repeated attempts, but Nascent Soul Formation wasn't like that; the risk of failure was too great.
During this time, she had also wondered: what if he failed and damaged his cultivation? Thinking it over later, she only strengthened her resolve. Nascent Soul was a path that all cultivators yearning for the Great Dao must walk. Even with the danger of Core-shattering and cultivation destruction, could one simply not attempt it? Loving and staying together shouldn't make them timid and hesitant; it should make them walk forward more bravely.
"How could that happen?" Qin Xi smiled slightly, gazing at her as he said softly, "The Great Path to Immortality—I want to walk it together with you."
He rarely spoke sweet nothings, but many vows were hidden within such words. Mo Tiange smiled and said, "Don't worry! At most a hundred years, I'll also form my Nascent Soul. Then, we'll achieve Soul Transformation together!"
"A hundred years..." His eyes didn't blink as he looked at her, but he suddenly laughed. "A hundred years from now, you still won't be two hundred years old. Are you so certain you'll become the youngest Nascent Soul Cultivator in the Tianji Region?"
"Of course!" Mo Tiange said without a hint of blush. "I have talent rarely seen in millennia, and opportunities unheard of in the Tianji Region for tens of thousands of years. Why can't I become the youngest Nascent Soul Cultivator in the Tianji Region?"
The last couple of days have been chaotic with a false alarm... Well, actually, the alarm isn't over yet, but I'm much calmer now. What's coming will always come.