Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 754 - 737: Fate’s Trick!

Eight hundred years is not a short period; even for a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, it cannot be disregarded as it spans nearly a third of one's life.

In those eight hundred years, Zhouyang's footprints stretched across the five major Cultivation Realms, experiencing countless life-and-death crises and witnessing various wondrous people and scenes.

He partook in the refinement of sealed True Demons from Ancient Times, slew Tier Six Flood Dragons, witnessed the grand occasion of a ten-thousand-year-old demon crossing the True Spirit Celestial Tribulation, and conversed personally with Tribulation Crossing True Immortals...

The most spectacular events of Zhouyang's life all occurred during these eight hundred years.

For him, although the eight hundred years were not entirely as he wished, they were extremely fulfilling and greatly rewarding.

However, to Qin Yue'Er, who was left in the Kunxu Realm for eight hundred years, this period was overly monotonous and simple.

The Mysterious Black-robed Man initially promised Zhouyang that he would use the Tier Six Spirit Elixir Nine-leaf Rejuvenation Grass in conjunction with a special array to save the half-corpsified body of Qin Yue'Er, but the result would be the loss of her memory.

Indeed, as he told Zhouyang, after nine years of healing, the Corpse Qi within Qin Yue'Er was successfully expelled, and her Divine Soul was reshaped and restored with the help of the Mysterious Black-robed Man's Secret Technique.

Thereafter, the Mysterious Black-robed Man handed her the Memory Jade Scroll left by Zhouyang, allowing her a basic understanding of her name and background, essentially reconstructing her memory.

Thanks to the dense Spiritual Qi environment within the Kunxu Realm, along with various Spirit Elixirs refined by the Mysterious Black-robed Man and his personal guidance, and her own top-tier Profound Yin Spirit Body, Qin Yue'Er condensed her Golden Core in merely a hundred years.

Then, after over three hundred years of cultivation, she successfully condensed a Nascent Soul with the help of the Holy Infant Fruit bestowed by the Mysterious Black-robed Man, becoming a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.

By the time the Kunxu Realm reopened after eight hundred years, Qin Yue'Er had already become a Nascent Soul Stage expert with Second-Layer Nascent Soul Cultivation.

However, as a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, Qin Yue'Er had never seen any human cultivator other than herself, and the Mysterious Black-robed Man never mentioned anything about the outside world except to guide her cultivation.

Her understanding of the outside world solely came from the Jade Scroll detailing her background and other Cultivator relic Jade Scrolls found within the Kunxu Realm.

It can be said that throughout the tens of thousands of years of cultivation history in the Spirit Realm, there had never been a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator like Qin Yue'Er.

She was as pure as an orchid growing deep in the secluded valleys of a dense forest, exuding an ethereal and lucid aura, perfectly matching the fantasy image of a Fairy portrayed by mortal scholars.

When Zhouyang saw Qin Yue'Er again, he was amazed by her beauty and aura.

In terms of appearance alone, Qin Yue'Er was slightly inferior to Jiang Fengxian, but her ethereal and transcendent aura elevated her beauty, making her truly resemble a Nine Heavens Fairy beyond the mundane world, untouched by earthly matters.

"Eight hundred years have swiftly passed, does Fairy Qin remember old acquaintances from those days?"

At the snowy summit of a mountain, Zhouyang gazed at the white-robed beauty in the snow, as beautiful as a fairy from the heavens, and greeted her softly with a gentle smile.

Regarding Qin Yue'Er being controlled by Guo Jinhong and consorting with him, he didn't reveal anything in the Jade Scroll he left for her, intending to sever this entangled bond.

Now, meeting again after eight hundred years, he naturally wouldn't bring up this matter.

Nonetheless, upon hearing his words, an expression of excitement appeared on Qin Yue'Er's delicate face.

"Eight hundred years have passed, I have finally waited for my benefactor!"

With an expression full of excitement and emotion, she bowed deeply to Zhouyang and said, "This bow is to thank my benefactor for saving and recreating me. Without your righteous help, I would have become a corpse eight hundred years ago. This gratitude, Yue'Er cannot repay in this lifetime; I would repay your great kindness with utmost gratitude!"

"Fairy Qin, you're too polite. Back then, Zhou also bore some responsibility for the calamity you faced, and the one who truly resurrected you was not Zhou. The one you should genuinely thank is that elder!"

Zhouyang repeatedly waved his hands, not seeking gratitude or merit.

Qin Yue'Er was truly a pitiable soul, and Zhouyang was willing to save her back then, even exchanging the Netherworld Profound Coffin to save her, not only due to the responsibility he mentioned but also out of sympathy for her plight.

He couldn't demand gratitude just because Qin Yue'Er had become beautiful and powerful now, ignoring his conscience.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing his words, the expression of gratitude on Qin Yue'Er's face grew even stronger, and she quickly said, "Benefactor need not be modest. Elder Lan had already told me the whole story. In these eight hundred years, besides cultivating, I constantly reminded myself not to forget the life-saving grace of my benefactor and Elder Lan. Today, being able to meet my benefactor again is heaven's will, dictating that I repay you, Fellow Daoist Zhou."

Before Zhouyang could decline again, she smiled sweetly and said, "Elder Lan has been waiting for Fellow Daoist Zhou for some time. Benefactor should quickly enter the valley to see him!"

"Alright, then I'll first go to visit—um, visit Elder Lan."

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang's attention was indeed diverted.

The Mysterious Black-robed Man within the Kunxu Realm was a clone left by a Lower Realm True Immortal from the True Immortal Realm, and his knowledge of the hidden secrets of the True Immortal Realm was extremely attractive to a Lower Realm Cultivator like Zhouyang.

Zhouyang also wished to inquire about the disappearance of Jiang Fengxian and her daughter.

He did not forget the issue of Qin Yue'Er's address, and immediately looked at her seriously and said, "But Fairy Qin, please don't call me benefactor anymore. I truly don't deserve it. If you don't mind, let's address each other as Fellow Daoists."

"Since benefactor dislikes being addressed so, from now on, I'll call you master. If you don't mind me, please allow me to serve by your side, pouring tea and water, as your maid."

Qin Yue'Er responded with a smile, willingly replacing the title with another, refusing equal treatment, and clearly assuming a servile position.

Beneath her seemingly gentle exterior was a strong and resolute heart.

"Fairy you..."

Zhouyang, mouth slightly open, looked at the beauty before him who smiled back, wanting to say something, but pausing.

From Qin Yue'Er's unruffled gaze, he had already discerned her inner stubborn determination.

As a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, once she decided to do something, it was unrealistic for others to change her mind merely through words.

Moreover, the complex relationship between the two made Zhouyang realize that when it came to rejecting Qin Yue'Er, he was not as firm and resolute as he originally thought.

"A Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator of esteemed stature willing to accompany Zhou is something I naturally eagerly welcome, yet there's no need to speak of being a maid!"

After hesitating for a moment, he slightly shook his head and declined Qin Yue'Er's offer to become a servant, then looked at her seriously and said, "If Fellow Daoist truly wishes to express gratitude, I, Zhouyang, invite you on behalf of my clan to serve as our clan's Supreme Elder. In the future, if you can assist me and my clan a few times when needed, I would be most grateful!"

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, having come to this place, why are you not entering the valley to meet me? Could it be that you harbor some concerns about my family?"

A deep and resonant male voice suddenly drifted from within the valley behind the snowy mountain, interrupting Zhouyang and Qin Yue'Er's conversation.

It was the mysterious black-robed man urging him to enter the valley with Qin Yue'Er after seeing his reluctance.

Seeing this, Zhouyang temporarily put aside the discussion regarding how to address Qin Yue'Er and immediately followed her into the Holy Infant Valley to pay his respects to the mysterious black-robed man.

Within the Holy Infant Valley, the Holy Infant Fruit is still unripe, and this time, since the Kunxu Realm will not manifest, those array restrictions that test entrants will naturally not activate.

Led by Qin Yue'Er, Zhouyang quickly bypassed the array restrictions and entered the black palace on the mountain, where the mysterious black-robed man awaited them.

This mysterious black-robed man has an enigmatic background, possibly a clone of the Celestial Immortals who once descended to the Linghuan Realm to impart the cultivation techniques of the human race. Even though Zhouyang is now at the Sixth Layer Nascent Soul Cultivation, he dares not show any disrespect before him.

After meeting, he stepped forward to pay his respects, saying, "Junior Zhouyang greets Elder Lan."

"You are quite remarkable! In just eight hundred years, you have advanced from the First-Layer Golden Core Cultivation to the Sixth Layer Nascent Soul Cultivation. Such a cultivation speed would earn you the title of a genius even in those Immortal Sects of the Upper Realm!"

The mysterious black-robed man's gaze assessed Zhouyang for a while before retracting it and praising him with a hint of surprise in his voice.

Qin Yue'Er, who had been following this mysterious black-robed man for eight hundred years, had never heard such a change in his tone, which made her even more curious about Zhouyang, her benefactor.

Her charming eyes constantly scrutinized Zhouyang's handsome face with undisguised curiosity, seemingly trying to discern what made him different.

Unfortunately, she had only ever seen this one real person, Zhouyang, and had no others for comparison, nor did she understand where Zhouyang's eight hundred years of cultivation achievements stood within the Linghuan Realm, naturally unable to see any discernible difference.

Upon hearing the mysterious black-robed man's praise, Zhouyang humbly replied, "I'm ashamed to say that most of my accomplishments owe to the power of elixirs and spiritual objects, and I dare not accept such praise in front of you, elder!"

"I merely speak the truth; you need not be modest. Furthermore, the higher your cultivation, the better it is for me."

The mysterious black-robed man slightly shook his head, unconcerned with Zhouyang's humility, then instructed Qin Yue'Er, "Yue'Er, you should go cultivate. I will entertain Fellow Daoist Zhou here."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yue'Er obediently replied, "Yue'Er shall comply."

She then gracefully bowed to Zhouyang, saying, "Master, please feel at ease to converse with Elder Lan here. Yue'Er shall take her leave."

After Qin Yue'Er left, the mysterious black-robed man looked at Zhouyang and asked again, "How is it? Is this girl's current state to Fellow Daoist's satisfaction?"

"Elder Lan indeed possesses unmatched mastery; Miss Qin's condition is precisely as you previously stated, leaving me nothing but admiration!"

With a face full of appreciation, Zhouyang looked at the mysterious black-robed man, his eyes filled with respect and wonder.

He understood best how perilous Qin Yue'Er's situation was in the past. Even with his current divine techniques, he would have had no solution in such a circumstance.

Yet, the mysterious black-robed man reversed life and death with just one Nine-leaf Rejuvenation Grass, saving Qin Yue'Er, whose body was turning into a corpse and divine soul fading away—such divine mastery truly defies comprehension!

"It seems you have some reservations about this girl. Do you not wish to keep her by your side?"

The mysterious black-robed man said, then shook his head, "Forget it. This is a personal matter between you two, not for me to interfere. However, I remind you that the cultivation technique this girl practices, the Profound Yin Su Girl Scripture from the Upper Realm, is a renowned dual cultivation technique. The more compatible her physique is with the technique, the higher her cultivation, the more beneficial it is to male cultivators, and the Profound Yin Body is precisely the most compatible physique for this technique!"

"With your current cultivation levels, merely taking her Primordial Yin Power could increase your odds of breaking through the late Nascent Soul Stage bottleneck by at least sixty percent, and in the future, greatly accelerate your cultivation speed through dual cultivation!"

Zhouyang was immediately astounded.

He never imagined that after Qin Yue'Er wandered between life and death, she still couldn't escape the fate of becoming a dual cultivation furnace!

This truly is the caprice of fate!

Nor did he expect the mysterious black-robed man to instantly discern the cultivation quandary he currently faced.

Indeed, after secluded cultivation within the underground magma sea for over a hundred years, his cultivation, aided by the optimal environment and numerous spirit elixirs, not only ascended two levels to the Sixth Layer Nascent Soul but also subtly nudged the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul Stage.

Such cultivation bottlenecks had occurred during his Golden Core Stage too, hindering him for quite some time before breakthrough.

However, compared to overcoming a bottleneck at the Golden Core Stage, breaching the barrier between Mid-Stage and Late-Stage Nascent Soul is exponentially more challenging.

Throughout history, countless talented Nascent Soul Stage cultivators have been obstructed by this bottleneck, never to advance in their lifetime.

While Zhouyang was confident he wouldn't become one of them, he still lacked assurance regarding breaking through this layer in his current state.

His plan was to focus on comprehending the Heaven and Earth Laws and practicing divine techniques once his cultivation could no longer advance, both to see if it would inspire new insights and to improve his magical combat abilities.

But now, with the mysterious black-robed man's claim that simply acquiring Qin Yue'Er's Primordial Yin Power could boost his chance to break the bottleneck by sixty percent, his heart could not help but be greatly stirred.

He did not doubt the mysterious black-robed man's words, as leveraging dual cultivation power to break bottlenecks is a widely recognized technique in the cultivation realm, and a dual cultivation furnace with Nascent Soul Stage cultivation like Qin Yue'Er is rare within the Linghuan Realm.

Given her Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, coupled with the exceptional Profound Yin Body physique and specialized dual cultivation, asserting that her Primordial Yin Power could aid in surpassing the late Nascent Soul Stage bottleneck left no room for doubt among cultivators.

But can he truly do this?

Doing so, would it align with his conscience and Dao Heart?

Zhouyang soon calmed his mind, his gaze firm, shook his head decisively, and said, "Your words are mistaken, elder. When I initially saved Fairy Qin, it was out of moral duty. If I now regard her as a dual cultivation furnace to seize her Primordial Yin Power to break my bottleneck, how would I be any different from those who once sought to harm her?"

As he spoke, his expression grew more resolute, his tone increasingly fervent, declaring, "Although I, Zhouyang, am not a man of great virtue, I disdain to commit such disgraceful acts!"