Dual Cultivation: Omnipotent Villain with Reader System!-Chapter 78: Cultivate, prove yourself.

Meanwhile, within the central courtyard, the cold misty air of spiritual energy hung heavy with the scent of pine and morning dew. The sky was a canvas of pale azure, streaked with two dazzling golden suns.

Inside the chamber, Tianmo stood straight, looking at Ling’er and Liu Ruyan, who were sitting cross-legged with bright golden energy covering their bodies.

Liu Ruyan had made a breakthrough to the late fifth stage of the Foundation Establishment realm, and Ling’er had broken through to the early Foundation Establishment realm, because Tianmo had offered them the refined essence of sect disciples.

"Ugh..." Ling’er coughed up some black blood. Severe pain moved through her body. Her brother had offered her blood-cleansing and marrow-cleansing pills, which were currently removing the impurities from her body.

The process was painful, but the result was worth it. Her skin, already pale from the Ice-Maiden Physique, took on a translucent, jade-like quality. Her meridians, once narrow and constricted, were now wide rivers of spiritual energy, capable of channeling far more qi than before. Her bones, once brittle, were now as strong as refined steel.

Liu Ruyan, too, underwent a similar transformation. Her Nine Yin Body, already a vessel of immense potential, was further purified. The dark, murky energy that had accumulated in her meridians from years as a slave was expelled, replaced by a clear, pristine Yin essence that flowed like moonlight.

"Good! After this, I will make sure to prepare a good bath for you. In the Foundation realm, rather than focusing on the dantian, you should focus on flesh and bone cultivation, strengthening them further. The body is the vessel of the Dao, and a weak vessel cannot hold the ocean of profound might," Tianmo said, his voice calm and authoritative like that of a grand elder of a sect.

Ling’er nodded, her face pale but her eyes shining with newfound determination. Hehe, she felt happier. She finally got a chance to connect with her brother. It felt like she could still feel the shadow of his Yang in her womb. She wiped the black blood from her lips, grimacing at the foul smell. "I understand, Brother. I will not waste this opportunity. I will cultivate diligently."

Liu Ruyan bowed her head, her long black hair falling forward to veil her face. "This slave thanks Master for his benevolence. This one will cultivate diligently and not disappoint the Master’s expectations."

Tianmo waved his hand dismissively. "Words are wind. Results are stones. Cultivate to prove yourself."

After the marrow-cleansing and blood-cleansing, Tianmo brought them to a spiritual bath with rich herbs and spiritual water, able to strengthen the body and increase its durability.

The spiritual bath was located within the rear pavilion, a secluded sanctuary built upon a natural hot spring that had been infused with spirit stones and rare medicinal herbs by the Azure Cloud Sect. This place also had naturally Yang-enriched hot springs, created by a natural volcano—far better than the previous hot spring in the Valley of Morning Dew.

The water glowed with a faint, ethereal blue light, the steam rising like the breath of a sleeping dragon. Tianmo waved his hand, and a jade bottle containing the blood essence of impure vermilion came into existence, purchased from the system for one hundred thousand Saint-grade spirit stones.

Woosh!

He poured the blood essence into the already spiritual water; the crimson liquid diffused like ink in a vast ocean, turning the water a deep, rich vermillion. The temperature of the water rose instantly, the steam carrying a faint, metallic scent that prickled the senses.

"Enter," Tianmo commanded.

Ling’er and Liu Ruyan obeyed without hesitation. They slipped into the steaming water, their bodies submerging up to their shoulders. The moment the vermillion-infused water touched their skin, a sharp hissing sound echoed through the pavilion, like water droplets landing on a scorching hot pan, their skin glowing red.

"Ahhh!♡"

"Hnnng!♡"

They gasped in unison, their backs arching slightly as the potent essence seeped into their pores. The blood essence was violent, a raging fire that sought to burn away the remaining impurities in their blood and marrow, forging a new vessel from the ashes of the old.

After taking the Spirit Upgrade Fruit, Liu Ruyan’s spirit roots upgraded to a Saint-grade five-element spirit root. She was the first woman to have a spirit root of such quality.

The water churned violently, bubbling as if a fire had been lit beneath the pool. The vermillion essence was not gentle; it was a savage beast, raw and barbaric, clawing at their skin, forcing its way into their meridians with the subtlety of a landslide.

Ling’er gritted her teeth, her hands gripping the edge of the pool until her fingers turned white from the strain. The pain was excruciating, like thousands of ants biting her skin, but she refused to cry out. She had asked for this. She had begged to be useful, to be strong enough to stand beside her brother. She would not show weakness now.

Liu Ruyan, too, endured in silence. Her face was pale, her lips pressed into a thin line, but her eyes were resolute. She had been a slave for too long. She had known the whip, the chains, and the humiliation of being less than nothing. As much as she hated Tianmo, she loved him equally. Of course, the hate came from her own origin, insecurity, and her treatment. After all, he could be more gentlemanly, more polite, more understanding—or even more romantic.

She was just a girl, OK? She wished to be seen as more than just a tool for dual cultivation, a piece of flesh meant for pleasure. She wished to be seen as who she really was—as a person. She envied Ling’er, because her master saw her as more than a piece of flesh for pleasure or a dual cultivation tool. At least, despite the jealousy, she and Madam Lin were the same: the master saw them as nothing more than disposable furnaces.

This pain was nothing compared to the agony of powerlessness. She welcomed it, embracing the fire that promised to forge her into something more than a broken doll.

The transformation took three hours.

When the water finally settled, the steam dissipating into the cool air, the two women climbed out of the pool. The water had turned a deep, murky black.

Ling’er stood shivering, her skin glowing with a faint, pearlescent sheen. Her hair, usually jet black, was now streaked with streaks of silver, like moonlight catching the waves of the ocean. Her eyes, once clear, had shifted to a deep, icy blue, the color of a frozen lake.

She looked at her hands, flexing her fingers. The strength in her limbs was palpable, a tangible surge of power that made her feel light as a feather. Her body was perfect, and her nipples looked more pink than before, with a hypnotic glow.

Liu Ruyan, on the other hand, was a different story.

She stood with her head bowed, her body trembling not from the cold, but from the sheer magnitude of the change within her. Her bones and muscles had strengthened greatly, and maybe she could last longer in bed with her master now. Also, circulating qi had become much faster with wider meridians.

The water had stripped away the last remnants of her mortal frailty. Her skin was now as pale as moonlight, almost translucent, revealing the faint, rhythmic pulse of blood vessels beneath.

"It seems you have thoroughly absorbed the vermilion blood essence," Tianmo observed, his gaze sweeping over them like a master appraising his wares. "You should now cultivate with a firm heart. Too much dual cultivation would ruin the foundation, and too many natural treasures would cause nature poisoning."

"Brother... But... But I want to make love to you again and again..." Ling’er’s voice was a fragile whisper, her eyes downcast, unable to meet his gaze. She reached out, her hand trembling as she touched his chest, her fingers tracing the hard line of his pectoral muscle. "I want to feel your warmth, your strength..."

"Shush! Cultivate earnestly now. You should be able to cultivate faster than before. Do not waste the opportunity I have given you," Tianmo said, his voice low and commanding, cutting through her lingering desire like a blade of ice.

He turned his gaze to Liu Ruyan, who was still standing there, her body trembling slightly.

"Ruyan, you are next. Go to the meditation chamber and meditate on the ’Jade Heart Sutra’ I gave you. Focus on the circulation of your qi. Do not let your mind wander to trivialities. You also need to make sure your foundation is properly healed..."

"Yes, Master," Liu Ruyan replied, her voice trembling slightly. She bowed her head and walked out of the pavilion, her movements slow and deliberate. Last time, when he had continuously poured his Yang into her body, her foundation had been slightly damaged, but it could be healed easily.

"Brother... Does that mean you will find a new woman again? I don’t like it... I don’t like it at all!" Ling’er’s voice cracked, the fragile veneer of her composure shattering. She stepped forward, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "You should also cultivate earnestly, brother. How can our foundation be ruined and yours not? That’s very unfair..."

"What’s unfair... As long as you can grow stronger and build a strong foundation, you can be with me for a longer time. If you are weak, you will be a burden to me. If you are a burden, I will have to discard you. That is the law of the Dao."

Tianmo’s voice was devoid of emotion, a cold, hard truth spoken with the finality of a gavel striking a bench, while pulling her closer, his hands resting on her soft buttocks, squeezing them slightly.

"Brother...!" Ling’er gasped, her body melting into his embrace. The harsh words were like a whip, but the touch was a balm. She buried her face in his chest, inhaling the scent of his skin—the scent of power, of dominance, of the only man she truly belonged to. "I... I will not be a burden. I will become strong enough to stand beside you, to protect you... I will not let you discard me."

She looked up, her eyes fierce with a determination that belied her delicate appearance. "I will cultivate until my bones turn to diamond and my blood turns to gold."

Tianmo’s gaze softened, the cold mask slipping just enough to reveal a flicker of approval. "Good. A woman who understands her place is a treasure. A woman who seeks to rise above her station is a burden..."

He released her, the sudden loss of contact sending a shiver through her body. "Go. Cultivate. Do not disappoint me."

Ling’er bowed her head, a mixture of relief and lingering desire in her eyes. She turned and walked away, her steps light, her body humming with spiritual energy.

Tianmo watched her go, his expression indistinct. A yandere was a useful tool, provided she was kept on a tight leash. If not... Pity—ending the unwanted pawn was the best course of action.