Cultivation Starts from Farming

One month later.

The Divine Sense fluctuations within Duan Shuang’s cave abode finally settled completely, becoming rounded and full, vast and unfathomable.

The stone gate of the cave abode slowly opened, and Duan Shuang, in a moon-white Daoist robe, her figure even lighter and more graceful, her bearing tinged with a sharper, deeper chill, stepped out with unhurried elegance.

Brilliance glowed in her eyes; it was obvious this breakthrough had yielded tremendous gains.

At a glance, Duan Shuang saw Xu Ping standing in the hall with a smile. Her snowy, ice-cold features at once blossomed into a bright smile from the heart, like spring flowers bursting into bloom.

"Xu Lang."

"Congratulations, Shuang’Er. Your Divine Sense has broken through; the Great Dao is within reach." Xu Ping’s lips curved, his eyes filled with heartfelt appreciation.

"All of this is thanks to Xu Lang."

Duan Shuang rose lightly, her delicate body naturally pressing close to Xu Ping. She tilted up her lovely face, her eyes flowing with dependence and admiration.

"Had Xu Lang not granted this concubine the ’Thousand Mechanism Skill’, how could this concubine have what she has today?"

Xu Ping naturally extended an arm, gently encircling her slender waist that could be held in one hand, feeling that astonishing softness and coolness, and said with a smile:

"Between you and me, there’s no need for such words."

He paused, then asked with concern, "How is your progress in cultivation and in the musical arts?"

At the mention of the musical arts, the confidence in Duan Shuang’s eyes deepened. "After my Divine Sense breakthrough, my perception and control over sound and rhythm have become several times more refined."

"This concubine is confident that within fifteen years, I will surely push my musical arts to the Fourth Rank Middle Grade level. It’s just that..."

Her tone faltered slightly, a hint of bashfulness appearing. "As for breaking through to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul... this concubine’s heart still has no confidence at all."

Within the Nascent Soul Realm, every step was as hard as ascending to the heavens; each minor realm breakthrough required immense opportunity and accumulation.

The mid-stage bottleneck was all the more so, having trapped countless cultivators of outstanding talent and extraordinary aptitude.

Some were mired for hundreds of years without the least advance; some even went mad from qi deviation after forcing a breakthrough.

"There is no need to worry overly. The path of cultivation is not something to be rushed."

"When the time is ripe, as your husband I will naturally seek out the Spiritual Objects most suited to your breakthrough, and personally stand guard for you, helping you succeed in one stroke."

"With your talent and foundation, breaking through to the mid-stage is only a matter of time." Xu Ping soothed her.

At his words, spring ripples flowed in Duan Shuang’s star-bright eyes, faint waterlight shimmering there.

She suddenly rose on tiptoe, leaned to Xu Ping’s ear, her warm breath brushing his earlobe, her voice carrying a slightly coquettish, provocative lilt:

"Xu Lang... this concubine has only just formed her Divine Sense. It seems my realm is still somewhat unstable."

"I just so happen to need to seek out someone whose Divine Sense far surpasses my own, to consult him well, in order to fully solidify it."

Xu Ping’s brows lifted slightly as he looked at the rare initiative and teasing posture of the beauty in his arms, yet he hesitated:

"To do such a thing right after breaking through... will it not make your foundation unstable?"

At his words, the cunning in Duan Shuang’s beautiful eyes grew stronger. Her slender jade finger lightly traced across Xu Ping’s lips, her breath ever more enticing:

"That is precisely why this concubine must ask Xu Lang... to properly help this concubine consolidate, consolidate..."

Faced with such a direct provocation, how could Xu Ping possibly show weakness?

"Since that is the case, as your husband I would be discourteous to refuse!"

With that, Xu Ping scooped Duan Shuang’s warm, delicate body into his arms and strode back into the cave abode.

Not long after.

Within the cave abode, a melodious zither melody drifted out.

At first, the zither sounded like a murmuring stream, gentle and unhurried, easing one’s mind.

As time passed, the music gradually grew stirring and surging, like rivers rushing wildly, involuntarily tightening the listener’s nerves.

Only after an unknown span did that soaring music slowly subside, finally returning to serenity.

Inside the cave abode.

The flush on Duan Shuang’s charming face had yet to fully fade. Her eyes were half-closed, her whole person like a drowsy cat, curled up in Xu Ping’s embrace.

Xu Ping lowered his head, gazing at the beauty in his arms in this beguiling state, and couldn’t help but curve his lips in a satisfied, doting smile.

"How could a true man allow himself to be provoked at will?"

Xu Ping chuckled softly, his fingertips gently gliding along her smooth, jade-like back, savoring that silk-like sensation.

Then Xu Ping sank his mind inward, carefully feeling out the gains brought by this bout of Dual Cultivation.

Duan Shuang’s Divine Sense had just broken through to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul level; the very source of her Divine Sense had increased considerably, both in quality and in quantity.

Through this wondrous Dual Cultivation Secret Technique, Xu Ping could clearly feel that his own Divine Sense—already vast as an ocean—had actually increased by a slight margin in turn.

Although this tiny increment, compared to his current Sea of Consciousness that already rivaled the peak of a Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, was merely a drop in the ocean—utterly insignificant.

Yet it was an extremely good beginning, and its significance was anything but small.

"Many a little makes a mickle, grains of sand can raise a tower..."

Xu Ping mused inwardly, a sharp light flickering in his eyes. "Once Shuang’Er’s cultivation breaks through, and her musical arts advance, the benefits fed back to me will definitely be greater!"

For other Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivators, this would be an unimaginable shortcut in cultivation.

At their level, every trace of cultivation gained, every slightest wisp of Divine Sense improvement, required enormous precious resources, or grinding tempering over interminable years.

Yet Xu Ping could, through the continual growth and advancement of his Dao-companion, obtain a continuous stream of feedback gains—tiny, yet steady.

"If one day... Shuang’Er’s cultivation also breaks through to the Late-Stage Nascent Soul..."

A thought flashed through Xu Ping’s mind, stirring a heat in his chest.

At that time, when their Divine Senses resonated and they Dual Cultivated again, the increase it brought... would likely be a qualitative leap.

It might even truly be possible to push his Divine Sense to that legendary level—the realm of a Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarch.

That would be the true pinnacle of the mortal world.

Overlooking all living beings, carefree beneath heaven and upon earth!