Within the secluded chamber, bathed in the resplendent glow of Night Pearls, two figures remained entwined in silent harmony. Their eyes closed, each silently recited their cultivation mantras, refining the abundant spiritual energy coursing through their bodies. Around them, a vortex of heaven-and-earth spiritual energy swirled, threatening to engulf them both.
Facing Lan An, Yan Ruo Xue's cheeks flushed softly as she channeled her sect's cultivation art to refine the Mysterious Water Pill.
Through their intimate connection, they sensed each other's physical states. As Lan An refined the Earth Spirit Herb, strands of Earth spiritual energy cycled through his dantian before flowing into Yan Ruo Xue's body. Likewise, wisps of Water spiritual energy from her flowed gently into him.
Yan Ruo Xue's spiritual energy began to rise incrementally.
In contrast, the spiritual energy entering Lan An's body seemed to vanish like salt in the sea, not boosting his spiritual cultivation in the slightest.
This puzzled Yan Ruo Xue, her brows knitting with concern. She nearly spoke several times, but sensing Lan An's calm composure, she suppressed her worries.
To her, Lan An appeared mortal on the surface, yet she didn't believe it. She could feel his soul force nearing the level of a Golden Core cultivator, its purity astonishingly unmatched. She had never encountered such refined and potent soul force—he was like a living soul treasure, the key to her soul's recovery.
With her sharp intellect, Yan Ruo Xue, now clear-headed, realized the truth. Lan An's production of the Earth Spirit Herb and Mysterious Water Pill, coupled with his soul-healing, proved this was no illusion, as she had initially thought. She continued to play along, teasing him as he had teased her, masking her growing certainty.
From his rescue to their union and dual cultivation, everything was real.
She didn't care how he entered her chamber, healed her, or claimed her as his. All she knew was that there was no turning back. Her body and heart belonged to him. Far from regret, she silently thanked the heavens for bringing him to her.
Noticing his spiritual energy remained stagnant, Yan Ruo Xue accelerated her refining, channeling more Water spiritual energy into him.
Lan An, touched by her care, knew his body was unique. Lacking spiritual roots, he couldn't absorb spiritual energy to boost his cultivation like her. His purpose in refining spiritual energy was entirely different.
Time flowed slowly. Suddenly, Yan Ruo Xue's alabaster skin trembled, her luminous eyes sparkling with joy. A surge of vibrant spiritual energy flooded her meridians, eliciting a soft, contented hum.
Within her dantian, her Golden Core spun furiously, Earth and Water spiritual energies condensing ever denser.
Crack!
Her Golden Core shattered, revealing a miniature infant identical to her.
She had broken through to Early-Stage Nascent Soul.
The tiny infant was her Nascent Soul.
A mystical force radiated, granting her heightened perception. Every detail around her, down to Lan Nan's pores, became crystal clear.
This was the divine sense of the Nascent Soul realm, a hallmark of that stage.
Her breakthrough refined her spiritual energy, making it purer, more potent, and more abundant.
With her eyes half-closed, she relaxed, allowing Lan An to draw from her freely while hastening her refinement of the Mysterious Water Pill. The Earth-Grade Supreme pill's energy was so vast that, even after her breakthrough, half remained unrefined.
Lan An felt his body surge with exhilaration, nearly overwhelmed by the flood of Earth and Water spiritual energy from Yan Ruo Xue.
The Immortal Genesis Scripture roared to life.
BOOM!
An explosion resounded within him. In his dantian, he sensed two objects rapidly forming, forged from the dense Earth and Water spiritual energies.
His face lit up with. This was the true purpose of his refinement.
Though the objects in his dantian were not yet fully formed, Lan An felt an intimate bond with them—two massive cauldrons in the process of condensing.
The first layer of the Immortal Genesis Scripture: Cauldron Condensation.
Having achieved her Nascent Soul breakthrough, Yan Ruo Xue ceased absorbing external spiritual energy. Instead, through their intimate connection, she diligently refined and channeled her spiritual energy into Lan An.
As the saying goes, a wife supports her husband's joy.
Yan Ruo Xue poured her heart into aiding her man.
Time blurred. Her spiritual energy, vast even for a fresh Nascent Soul cultivator capable of prolonged battles, began to wane. That a mortal like Lan Nan could drain her so thoroughly underscored the immense difficulty of Cauldron Condensation.
Her energy depleted, Yan Ruo Xue showed signs of weakness.
Meanwhile, in Lan An's dantian, two cauldrons—one large, one small—spun furiously, nearing the final stage of formation.
As the Water energy in the Mysterious Water Pill ran dry, the cauldrons stilled. The Earth energy from the Earth Spirit Herb had long been exhausted, its Mysterious-Grade potency no match for the Earth-Grade Mysterious Water Pill.
With the cauldrons fully formed, Lan An's mortal spiritual cultivation skyrocketed.
Early-Stage Qi Refining… Mid-Stage… Peak.
Early-Stage Foundation Establishment… Late-Stage… Peak.
Early-Stage Golden Core.
His spiritual cultivation halted at Early-Stage Golden Core.
Without pausing to check his body, Lan An enveloped Yan Ruo Xue's frail form in his arms, whispering against her lips, "Thank you, my treasure. I love you."
Before she could respond, he summoned a Healing Pill with a thought, placing it in his mouth. Kissing her deeply, he passed the pill to her, his tongue gently entwining with hers.
Sweet and moist.
As the pill's energy restored her spiritual energy, Yan Ruo Xue melted into his chest, her cheeks flushing as she felt their lingering connection.
Only then did Lan An direct his consciousness to his dantian, inspecting his new creations.
Two cauldrons, one larger than the other, rested in his dantian.
The smaller, earthen-brown cauldron was forged from Earth spiritual energy. The larger, deep azure cauldron shimmered with flowing Water elemental patterns.
Both stood as if capable of suppressing the heavens, continuously absorbing spiritual energy. After processing it, they converted it into spiritual energy, boosting Lan Nan's cultivation. He sensed a minute increase in his spiritual cultivation after one cycle, though the gain was slight.
"This is Cauldron Condensation?"
"What a terrifying cultivation method. No wonder the Heavenly Dao fears this Forbidden technique," Lan An marveled, awestruck.
These cauldrons surpassed spiritual roots by leaps and bounds. While cultivators with spiritual roots required secluded meditation to absorb spiritual energy, Lan Nan's cauldrons autonomously cultivated for him. The chamber's spiritual energy was already insufficient for their voracious appetite.
"I'll name you Spirit Earth Cauldron and Mysterious Water Cauldron," Lan An declared silently.
The Spirit Earth Cauldron, formed from lower-grade Earth energy, was a full size smaller than the Mysterious Water Cauldron, forged from superior Water energy. Consequently, his Water spiritual energy was purer and more abundant than his Earth energy.
"You broke through to Golden Core?" Yan Ruo Xue asked, her breath like orchids, sensing his aura.
"No, my cultivation is called Dual Cauldron, Early-Stage, roughly equivalent to Early-Stage Golden Core," Lan An replied, pinching her cheek affectionately.
The Forbidden Immortal Genesis Scripture was too profound, creating a unique cultivation system that defied conventional stages. While others formed Golden Cores, he forged cauldrons.
"Dual Cauldron?" Yan Ruo Xue murmured, the term alien to her. But she didn't care. A man with secrets only made him more alluring.
Clang! "As the host has successfully cultivated spiritual energy, the System unlocks the Host Information function," the mechanical voice announced.
"Open it immediately," Lan An commanded.
A screen materialized in his mind, displaying his details:
Host: Lan An
Spiritual Cultivation: Dual Cauldron, Early-Stage
Soul Cultivation: Peak Foundation Establishment
Physical Cultivation: Entry-Level
Cultivation Art: Immortal Genesis Scripture
Martial Skills: Four Spirits Soul Guardian Technique (unlearned)
Artifacts: Spirit Realm Pearl
Items: Healing Pill x1, Minor Teleportation Talisman x1
Remaining Rewards: One designated Heaven-Grade artifact summon
Lan An reviewed his stats, nodding in satisfaction before dismissing the System.
Rolling over, he pressed himself against Yan Ruo Xue's soft form, gazing at her with deep affection. "My treasure, shall we continue?"
"Mm, be gentle," she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck. Yet, her eyes lingered on his perpetually closed lids, a flicker of unease stirring within her.
"Ruo Xue, be my wife," Lan An said, pausing to face her, captivated by her dreamy expression.
"My little man, I love you. I'll marry you," Yan Ruo Xue replied without hesitation, leaning up to kiss him fiercely.
"I love you, my wife Ruo Xue. I love you."