Chapter 116: A Dual Cultivation Partner Is Required
High in the sky, the ancient Profound Turtle stretched its massive limbs through the sky, swallowing clouds and breathing mist.
Thick cloud cover disappeared in chunks, letting brilliant sunlight cascade down onto the Insight Academy Palace’s mountain forests. The light painted everything in warm, vibrant colors.
The sunlight reached beneath the eaves as well, casting its warm glow over the two figures standing there.
Echo’s silver hair gleamed like polished jade in the sunlight, and her eyes seemed clearer in the bright daylight—though all her attention was focused on the person in front of her.
Seraphine’s waterfall of black hair caught the light as she smiled and asked again, “So? Can’t you do it?”
Of course she could do it. Echo nodded.
“I can, but Seraphine, you don’t have someone special in mind. Without knowing their spiritual roots or cultivation level, what kind of manual should I get for you?” She opened her system shop, the interface displaying rows of gleaming cultivation techniques.
Seraphine’s gaze swept across Echo’s face, studying her calm expression. Her eyes narrowed slightly, hiding the irritation building underneath. She felt like she was trying to move a mountain with her bare hands—no tools, just chipping away at solid rock bit by bit.
At least that legendary fool managed to move his mountain eventually. Would this stupid thing ever have her moment of enlightenment?
Destiny and fate, she thought bitterly. Every cultivator faces their tribulations. Mine just happens to be love.
Watching Echo scroll through the interface with that serene look, Seraphine’s lips curved into a smile.
“That’s easy enough. Add another condition—find me a manual that ignores spiritual roots, bloodline, cultivation level, and existing techniques.” She met Echo’s eyes directly. “Can you buy something like that?”
“I can.” Echo confirmed.
The translucent interface flickered as product icons disappeared in rapid succession, vanishing row by row until only a precious few remained hanging in her shop panel.
Without hesitation, Echo purchased the most expensive manual available. A jade slip materialized in her hand, bound with red cord, with “Primordial Unity Manual” carved into the seal.
“Here.” She held out the manual to Seraphine.
Seraphine’s pupils dilated, and her face flushed red as she looked away. “Put that away first!”
“Okay.” Echo tucked the manual into her inventory, then smiled at her. “It doesn’t bite, you know.”
“……”
Hah.
Seraphine hadn’t expected Echo to actually tease her. She glanced at her sideways, lips curving upward as she said in a low voice, “Good. Now that we have the manual, we just need a dual cultivation partner. With the demon threat looming and time running short, you need to find me a suitable cultivation partner quickly—someone I can trust completely while also advancing my cultivation.”
Absolutely! Got it!
Echo nodded eagerly.
Seraphine’s gaze lingered on Echo for a moment before she turned and walked away.
Echo didn’t follow her, instead watching her figure disappear into the palace buildings before finally moving to walk slowly into the forest. She looked up and sighed.
Up in the tree, Error poked her head out. “Orb, you’ve been acting weird these past few days.”
“I’m just thinking,” Echo said. “You probably wouldn’t understand.”
Error bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?!”
Dragons can think too, you know!
She angrily threw the sword and jade flute down at Echo.
Echo caught both items, hanging the flute at her waist. She spun it between her fingers before bringing it to her lips, producing a series of “Pffft pffft pffft” sounds.
The mountain wind carried the mournful notes into the distance. Error swung her legs from her perch and couldn’t help commenting, “That sounds awful.”
The next day, Echo followed Seraphine to class.
“What are you doing here?” Seraphine asked irritably. “Someone as strong as you hardly needs to listen to instructor lectures.”
Even though Echo’d gotten her exactly what she wanted, Seraphine seemed to be in an even worse mood. Echo thought about it and said, “I’m escorting you. Plus, I need to do some research.”
Research on what? Seraphine raised an eyebrow, but then noticed the familiar jade slip in Echo’s hand.
“Hiss!” Seraphine’s eye twitched as she grabbed Echo’s wrist, hissing under her breath, “Put that away!”
“Oh.” Echo obediently stored the slip back in her inventory, then glanced at her and laughed softly.
It wasn’t Echo’s usual flat “haha” sound, but something low and gentle—like wind through willows, soft and warm. Seraphine’s ears flushed red as she stared at Echo in surprise. “What are you plotting?”
“Sexual desire is natural instinct. In the scientific world, humans use sexual reproduction to continue their genetic lines, and in this world, such desires can serve as cultivation tools.” Echo looked at her curiously. “Seraphine, why are you embarrassed about the dual cultivation manual you asked me to buy?”
“……Shut up!” Seraphine snapped.
Understood.
Echo smiled and followed her into the lesson area.
Flat stones formed a martial arts courtyard. Several cultivators who’d arrived early were already meditating cross-legged—Insight Academy Palace was rich in spiritual energy, so whenever cultivators had time, they’d sit in meditation.
Seraphine led Echo into a quiet corner, her voice lowered. “The instructor for this course was Cultivator Mingyan. She possessed a supreme-grade fire spiritual root and had already made a name for herself across the Five Continents two hundred years ago.”
“Siyi told me that Master Mingyan doesn’t like giving lectures—she prefers sparring with students. Anyone whose cultivation isn’t up to standard gets thrown into her Flame Array for intensive training.”
“Classes can last anywhere from one day to several months. If I can’t return in time, just wait for me at Phoenix Perch Terrace. Don’t go wandering around causing trouble.”
“Did you hear me?” She poked Echo’s shoulder firmly.
Ouch.
Echo played along by swaying backward, laughing as she caught her finger. “Please rest assured, Seraphine. I’m very well-behaved.”
You’d better be, little liar.
“Hmph.” Seraphine flicked her sleeves and sat down cross-legged.
Soon, Master Mingyan descended on her flying artifact. Only after landing did everyone notice the jade tokens in her hand, carved with flame patterns.
This stern-faced instructor wasted no time on pleasantries, speaking directly: “As an instructor at the Insight Academy Palace, I’m one of ten who possess these jade tokens, each capable of opening the Insight Academy Palace’s forbidden area—the Insight Academy Secret Realm.”
“The secret realm contains only spiritual springs. One day of cultivation there equals ten days outside.”
Everyone who came to study under Master Mingyan had fire spiritual root—thirty-nine people besides Echo. When they heard her words, every gaze locked onto the tablet in her hand.
Master Mingyan suspended the tablet in midair, her unsmiling face sweeping over the group. “I only accept fire spiritual root disciples. Starting today, we begin trials. Each person will fight five opponents of the same level daily.”
“After one month, the ten with the most victories enter my Flame Array. The first to emerge receives the Fire Spirit Token and may cultivate in the secret realm for a full month. Upon return, trials continue in this cycle.”
Seraphine blinked, murmuring, “What an intense teaching method.”
One word: fight.
But if Master Mingyan only accepted fire spiritual roots…… Seraphine glanced at Echo. “This is a rare opportunity. Want to participate?”
Master Mingyan only took fire spiritual roots, but Echo could just find a fire-attribute artifact.
Echo shook her head. “I have more important things to do.”
Can’t spend all her time fighting here.
Seraphine hadn’t expected that answer. She clicked her tongue. “Fine, suit yourself. But don’t forget what I asked you to do.”
Echo smiled brightly. Absolutely won’t cause any trouble!
Oh, and the research too.
Echo had originally planned to stay and watch Seraphine spar with other cultivators while doing her research, but Master Mingyan couldn’t stand seeing her sitting around idly. She kicked her out, telling her to go cultivate properly.
Under Seraphine’s amused expression, Echo trudged away dejectedly, thinking: But I am cultivating.
Her subsystem orb had been cultivating diligently with spirit heart inside Seraphine’s jade box this whole time.
From that day on, Seraphine became busy, often not returning to Phoenix Perch Terrace. When she did come back, she went straight to her cultivation chamber.
During these times, Echo stopped overthinking and told Error somewhat wistfully, “I kind of miss being an orb.”
If Seraphine could carry her human body around while returning her orb form, she could hang like fruit in the trees outside the classroom.
Error didn’t understand Echo’s melancholy. She’d gathered a pile of flowers mixed with bird feathers—gold, red, emerald green, all very pretty—and was weaving them into garlands.
Echo enthusiastically helped, but somehow all the flowers and feathers ended up as tattered scraps.
Both of them looked down at their hands, made eye contact, then casually kicked the ruined materials under some bushes.
“Let’s find something fun to do!” Error suggested.
Error, all you ever think about is playing.
Echo nodded. “Sure, but first I need to find Qiu Shuangshuang.”
Echo’d used her remaining points from buying Seraphine’s manual to get some Thunder Bombs for Qiu Shuangshuang’sprotection. As a master, she needed to consider her disciple’s safety.
She was her first disciple, after all. If she died, that would be it.
Error jumped up from the ground, patted her bottom, and said cheerfully, “Let’s go.”
Qiu Shuangshuang lived in the mountain forest below Phoenix Perch Terrace, in a two-story jade building set among red maples.
When they arrived, she was away at class. The idle duo circled the house once, and Echo left a small basket of gifts on the steps before calling into the house, “Water Dragon’s Hymn, my injuries are all healed. Want to come play?”
As soon as Echo finished speaking, a water-blue spear flew out the window, transforming into a floating female figure. Her skin and clothes were the same color, flowing robes and sashes giving her an ethereal appearance. Blue pupils looked at Echo as a clear voice said, “Play.”
But where should we go?
Echo thought for a moment, looking at Error who had a maple leaf stuck in her hair. Her eyes lit up.
“I know just the place.”
Prospect Peak was eternally shrouded in mist. Whether the Profound Turtle soared through blue skies or dove into ocean depths, this mountain forest always had drifting fog that never dispersed.
One in green, one in red, one in blue—they walked up the mountain path.
The green-clothed girl walked step by step, the red-clothed girl bounced along, and the blue ethereal figure floated behind them. When they reached the summit, a child was already waiting at the mountain entrance.
Echo waved. “Hello!”
Teacher, I’ve brought Error to school!
The child swayed slightly as they recited in a clear, innocent voice:
“Beneath the pines I asked a child;
They said the master had gone to gather herbs.
He’s somewhere in this mountain,
But the clouds are deep—I know not where.”Echo asked curiously, “Are you the child?”
The child put their hands behind their back, saying seriously, “I am the Pine.”
Behind them, an enormous pine tree towered above the peak, its canopy blocking out the sky. A breeze stirred the air, and two white cranes took flight from beneath the pine, one after the other. Pine needles rustled with a soft “shasha” sound.
All three of them—Echo, Water Dragon’s Hymn, and Error—looked up at the massive tree and said in unison: “Oh!”
It’s a tree, Echo thought.
Water Dragon’s Hymn thought: Pine tree.
Error said, “It looks very climbable.” So big, it could definitely support her true form!
“Wouldn’t that be prickly though?” Echo discussed the sleeping logistics with Error. She replied, “My scales are thick. I’m not worried.”
The child, having established their scholarly dignity, immediately retorted, “My pine needles are quite sharp too.”
Water Dragon’s Hymn asked curiously, “Are you good in a fight?”
The Pine Child fell silent, eyeing this glowing blue human floating in the air with suspicion. Water Dragon’s Hymn considered for a moment, then shifted into dragon form.
“Please show proper respect to your master!” the Pine Child said sternly. “Didn’t you come here to learn how to be a proper demon?”
“I’m not a demon.” Echo said with a smile.
I’m a system.
“Neither am I.” Water Dragon’s Hymn added.
It’s a divine artifact.
The two of them fell silent, simultaneously looking up at the child. Behind him, the only actual spirit beast among them—the Fire Rock Dragon—had somehow made her way up into the pine tree and was excitedly hanging from the branches, sunbathing.