The chambers were still and quiet, the faint fragrance of frost blossoms hanging in the air. Haotian lay upon the bed with Yinxue and Ziyue nestled against him, his arms wrapped around them both.
Yinxue stirred first. Her long lashes fluttered, and she blinked at the sight of him awake, golden eyes already open, his gaze calm and steady. For a moment she only looked at him, then she leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "For last night," she whispered, her voice soft with uncharacteristic tenderness.
Ziyue stirred soon after, her violet eyes narrowing at the sight — Yinxue kissing Haotian openly. But instead of speaking, she only smiled faintly, whispering under her breath, "Fair enough." She pressed herself closer, her hand brushing his chest. A moment later she, too, leaned forward to kiss him.
Haotian laughed, warm and low, and returned their affection, kissing them both in turn. Then, the three of them relaxed back into the sheets, the morning sunlight cutting gently across their forms.
But soon talk shifted. Yinxue straightened slightly. "Today… is the scheduled day for the mass dual cultivation."
Haotian nodded. "All the better. I brought something back that will help them. The Heavenly Ice Soul Crystal." His eyes gleamed. "I'll set it in the bathhouse, above the source crystal. Its aura will guide their comprehension — they'll walk the Dao more quickly."
Ziyue tilted her head, intrigued. "So you'll use a heavenly treasure… for them?"
Haotian grinned. "Of course. What's the point of hoarding it? Let it watch. Then it can decide whether it belongs here… or with me."
By midday, the sect had assembled.
Hundreds of female disciples sat cross-legged around the flag post at the heart of the bathhouse complex. Their robes glimmered faintly, the air alive with restrained anticipation. The soundless formation was already in place, ensuring that nothing of what transpired would leak beyond these walls.
Haotian walked to the central source crystal and lifted his hand. The Heavenly Ice Soul Crystal floated into the air, gleaming with an inner frostlight. As it hovered above the source crystal, the aura it exuded washed across the room — sharp, cold, but clarifying. Immediately, the disciples straightened, their breaths catching as their Dao auras resonated more keenly.
Inside Haotian's mind, the crystal's voice thundered, dripping with disdain. "This place… this humid pool of yin energy, this chaos of bodies and chi. You would set me here? You desecrate me."
Haotian only chuckled. "Then watch. And decide for yourself."
He pressed his palm against the source crystal. Golden yang qi surged outward, flooding into the formation. The soundless veil trembled faintly — then broke open with life.
The disciples began.
Their yin qi flowed in response to the yang he provided, cycling through the source crystal and returning in endless rhythm. One by one, the women trembled, their Dao resonances stirring, their cultivation spiraling upward. A chorus of moans, gasps, and laughter filled the chamber — muffled to the outside, but within the formation, raw and vibrant.
The Heavenly Ice Soul Crystal fell silent. Its perception pierced the concealment instantly, and what it saw made its core shudder. Hundreds of women, writhing in synchronized cultivation, their yin qi pulsing in waves of intimate resonance. Threads of Dao interlaced with their pleasure, rising higher and higher.
"…This… this is…" the crystal stammered. "…Dual cultivation? But… multiplied a hundredfold?!"
If it had cheeks, they would have flushed. Its once-arrogant voice faltered, trailing into silence as it tried to process what it witnessed.
Haotian laughed softly, golden light surrounding him as his chi poured endlessly into the source. "Yes. This is our method. A cycle of yin and yang, balanced and shared. It forges both body and Dao. Every fourth day, this is what happens in the Moon Lotus Sect."
The crystal's voice was faint now, uncertain, shaken. "…Every fourth…?"
Haotian's grin widened. "Mm. So? Do you want to stay here, and witness this each time? Or follow me?"
Silence. The crystal pulsed faintly, as if stunned into wordlessness.
Haotian chuckled. "I'll take your silence as a yes."
The chamber trembled as the cultivation session deepened, yin and yang surging in endless cycles. The women's Dao resonances glowed brighter, their paths opening faster than ever before.
And above them all, the Heavenly Ice Soul Crystal hovered — no longer arrogant, but quietly, wordlessly captivated.
The chamber quieted slowly, the resonance of yin and yang ebbing like receding waves. The source crystal pulsed faintly, its light dimmed after channeling Haotian's qi through hundreds of cycles.
The disciples opened their eyes one by one. Where moments before there had been trembling bodies and flushed faces, now there was awe, wonder, and disbelief.
"I… I touched it," one whispered, her eyes wide. "The Dao of Moonlight… I felt it."
Another's hand shook as she pressed it to her chest. "My frost qi… it transformed. The Dao whispered to me. If I meditate now, I can grasp it!"
More voices rose, hushed but urgent, each one trembling with excitement.
"I saw the path of mist clearly—so close."
"My sword qi… it sharpened, like it became alive."
"Water and desire—could they merge?"
One after another, insights blossomed. At least a dozen disciples sat in stunned silence, their auras flaring faintly — already standing on the very threshold of Dao Comprehension.
The realization struck them all at once.
They scrambled to bow toward Haotian. "Senior Brother Haotian, thank you!" Their voices trembled, gratitude woven into every syllable.
Haotian only smiled, his golden eyes calm. "Don't waste time thanking me. Go. Meditate. Reflect. Fix what you saw before it slips away."
The disciples straightened, determination burning in their eyes. Without hesitation, they hurried out, robes trailing like ribbons of frostlight, scattering to their secluded chambers. Each one eager, each one desperate not to lose the spark they had glimpsed.
In the now-quiet bathhouse, only the faint pulse of the Heavenly Ice Soul Crystal remained, its aura still shimmering faintly. If it had words left, it did not speak.
Haotian chuckled softly. "Not bad."
The day's tide had ended — but the echoes of its gains would ripple across the sect for years to come.
The next day, the Moon Lotus Sect awoke to a storm of radiance.
One by one, pillars of Dao light erupted across the mountainside. What began as a handful became a tide. Frost-blue beams pierced the sky, mingling with arcs of lightning, streaks of wind, veils of mist, and threads of moonlight. The heavens themselves seemed to shake as the sect's grounds bloomed with comprehension.
By midday, the count was staggering. Two hundred and seventy-eight disciples had crossed the threshold into Dao Comprehension.
The air shimmered with their resonance. Some were pure and direct — single Daos chosen with clarity: the sword, the frost, the moonlight. But scattered among them, new sparks of brilliance appeared — disciples who had dared to merge.
One disciple's Dao burned sharp and wild: ice and lightning, crackling frost laced with thunder. Another radiated speed: ice and wind, her steps already light as drifting snow. Yet another glowed with dual resonance: frost and mist, her aura blending sharpness and concealment.
Others carved unique paths: moonlight and frost, ice and speed, mist and water — each one distinct, yet each one forged carefully with penance, ensuring their overlap would not break but harmonize.
Haotian stood above it all on the sect's main terrace, his golden eyes shimmering with countless threads of chi. He watched them, listened to their resonances, and smiled broadly.
"Yes," he murmured. "Ice and lightning can sharpen beneath the sword. Ice and wind… wind is auxiliary, it binds easily. Frost and mist — concealment and endurance, perfect for ambush." His laughter rose, bright and full. "They're learning to weave their truths together. This is what I wanted."
Disciples gathered below, their faces alight with awe and joy. Voices rose in wonder, marveling at the sheer scale of what had happened.
Never in the sect's history had so many broken through at once. Never had so many new Dao resonances filled the air, singing together in harmony.
Haotian lifted his head to the sky, his grin easy but his eyes burning with satisfaction.
"This," he said softly, "is only the beginning."
The Moon Lotus Sect had stepped into an era no rival sect could ignore.
Across the southern region, sects that had watched idly now stirred in alarm.
From hidden ridges, spies returned with trembling voices, their reports spreading like wildfire.
"Two hundred and seventy-eight breakthroughs in a single day…"
"They merged Daos — ice with lightning, frost with mist, even moonlight itself. Such combinations should take decades, but they succeeded instantly."
"The Moon Lotus Sect has risen beyond measure. If this continues, they will eclipse us all."
In the grand halls of rival sects, masters and elders gritted their teeth.
The Cold River Sect, once proud in their frost heritage, whispered with unease. The Mist Shroud Pavilion, known for concealment, clenched their fists at seeing mist woven into Moon Lotus breakthroughs. Even the great sword sects of the north fell into silence, their disciples muttering: "If their women now grasp the Dao of Sword as well… what use are we?"
Fear turned to schemes. Eyes sharpened. And in the shadows, alliances began to form.
The Moon Lotus Sect had become too bright a flame. Rival sects whispered of extinguishing it.
But within the Moon Lotus Sect itself, another storm brewed.
Shuyue sat alone in her chamber, her hands trembling as she stared at the faint glow of her meridians. Around her, the mountain pulsed with brilliance — ninety… then hundreds of breakthroughs, a chorus of Daos awakening one after another.
Yet her body remained still. Her heart-seal burned like ice in her chest, choking her flow of qi.
She bit her lip until blood welled, her shoulders shaking. Everyone… everyone is leaving me behind.
Tears blurred her vision. She pressed a hand to her heart, where the seal pulsed mercilessly, cutting her off from the path she longed for.
"Why me… why only me?" Her whisper was hoarse.
The voices of disciples outside carried through the halls — joy, triumph, laughter, gratitude. Every word carved deeper into her.
Finally, she stood, swaying on weak legs. Her eyes were hollow, her face pale, but her resolve had sharpened through despair.
I can't… I can't endure this any longer. If anyone can break this seal… it's him.
Without hesitation, she turned, her steps quick, almost frantic.
She would find Haotian.
She would beg for his help.
Even if it meant laying her heart bare.
Night fell soft over the Moon Lotus Sect, the glow of two hundred and seventy-eight breakthroughs still shimmering faintly in the sky like lingering stars.
Yinxue walked along the halls, heading back to her chambers, her frost veil lifted, her eyes luminous in the moonlight. "Tonight… perhaps we should celebrate," she said softly, her voice steady but her cheeks touched with rare color.
Her message was sent telepathically. Haotian still in his room, smiled and replied. "A sect-wide celebration can wait. There will be more breakthroughs soon. But a private one…" His tone dipped, teasing.
"…that can never be delayed."
Yinxue's breath caught, her composure cracking as she blushed. She began to walk faster to reach her room. Meanwhile, in another hallway, Ziyue was smiling and sent her own telepathy message.
"Then let's not delay. I will head to Yinxue's room now."
But before anything more could pass between them, a faint sound came from Haotian's door.
Haotian turned, golden eyes narrowing. The door slid open before a knock could fall.
There stood Shuyue, frozen mid-motion, her fist raised to strike the wood. Her face flushed scarlet at being caught, her voice stumbling out in a whisper: "S–Senior Brother… I… I didn't mean to disturb. I… may I come in?"
The tremor in her tone cut deeper than her words.
Haotian's smile softened, but his sigh was quiet, weight heavy in it. He stepped aside, his gaze serious now. "Come."
As she slipped inside, he glanced once down the hall. His divine sense stretched outward, his thought flicking into the minds of Yinxue and Ziyue.
Shuyue came to me. She's reached her limit. If this continues, her heart-seal may break her body. I have to help, or she risks chi deviation… or worse.
Yinxue's reply came swiftly, her concern sharpening like frost. Can you help her?
Haotian closed the door gently behind him, his answer short but firm. It will be hard… but I'll try my best.
Ziyue, who had been walking toward their private celebration, slowed to a halt. She didn't answer with words — only a small smile, faint but sure. She turned back toward her own chambers. Might as well rest… he'll succeed.
Inside, Shuyue stood awkwardly, her hands clenched in her robes, eyes downcast but trembling with desperate hope.
The night that was meant for celebration now bore the weight of something heavier.
The chamber was quiet, save for the faint hiss of incense curling in the corner. Shuyue stood before Haotian, her hands twisting in her sleeves, her eyes lowered but restless.
Haotian regarded her for a long breath, then motioned for her to sit. He settled opposite her, his gaze calm but serious.
"Shuyue," he began softly, "I can see the seal. The way it coils around your heart, choking the flow of your chi." His golden eyes glimmered, tracing the invisible threads that bound her. "Had you listened to me earlier… had you abandoned that flawed method for the version I perfected… you would not be in this mess."
Shuyue's lips trembled, shame burning in her cheeks. She whispered, "Then… is there no way?"
Haotian leaned forward slightly, his voice steady but unyielding. "Once we break the heart-seal, you will lose all of your cultivation. You'll have to start over from the beginning. If you don't… if you continue on this path…" His tone deepened, carrying the weight of truth. "You'll face chi deviation. Or worse… death."
Her breath caught, her eyes widening in fear.
"Can you… help me?" she asked, her voice so quiet it almost vanished.
"Yes," Haotian said without hesitation. "But it comes with risk. To break the seal, I'll have to bear the backlash. The pain will be tremendous. For me, and for you."
Her eyes flickered with conflict — fear, but also fragile hope.
Haotian's expression softened slightly. "But know this. When your seal is broken, though your cultivation will vanish, the Moon Lotus Sect's method is much higher than anything you've walked before. It is complete — movement, sword, formations. Cultivating it will raise you back very quickly."
He reached out, pressing his fingertip gently to her forehead. A golden ripple flowed from him into her mind.
Shuyue gasped. Her pupils dilated as streams of knowledge unfolded within — the Union of Dual Souls Sutra. Its patterns, its resonance, its promise.
She clutched her chest, her breath shallow, her face heating as the understanding sank in. "Th-this… this technique…" She blushed furiously, whispering, "Are we… doing this tonight?"
Haotian shook his head, his smile faint but steady. "No. Not tonight. Go back. Review it. Prepare your mind. The pain will be torturous. In two days, we'll attempt to break your heart-seal."
Her lips parted, but no words came. Finally, she stood, her hands trembling. At the door, she turned, her eyes shimmering with gratitude and something she couldn't name. "…Thank you, Senior Brother."
Haotian sighed quietly as the door slid shut behind her, leaving him in silence. He leaned back, closing his eyes. Two days. I'll need to prepare as well.
Two nights passed in steady quiet. On the third evening, Haotian sat with Yinxue and Ziyue in Yinxue's private council hall. The lamps flickered gently, shadows stretching across the frost-carved walls.
"The heart-seal is dangerous," Yinxue said, her voice even but tinged with concern. "You will take the backlash into yourself if you force it open. And she… she will lose everything. Her cultivation, her foundation, her pride."
Haotian inclined his head. "Yes. The seal will shatter her from the inside. Without help, she'll deviate or die. But with me, she has a chance."
Ziyue leaned forward, her violet eyes sharp. "So what exactly will you do?"
Haotian's gaze softened. "The most efficient way is to dual cultivate with her using the Union of Dual Souls Sutra. The resonance will synchronize her body and soul with mine, letting me absorb the backlash. The pain will be minimized — dulled by the pleasure the sutra creates."
His smile curved faintly. "And I'll double the effect by layering my Dao. Six times the normal resonance. Enough to rip the seal apart cleanly."
The room was quiet for a moment. Then Ziyue's chair scraped sharply against the floor. She shot to her feet, her cheeks flushed.
"I knew it!" she snapped. Her finger jabbed toward him. "That night — the night you took Yinxue's first time! I thought I was going crazy. I can go for fifty cycles without slowing, but that night it only took one cycle and I nearly fainted!"
Her voice cracked between outrage and embarrassment. "The pleasure was so much I thought I'd black out! That wasn't normal cultivation — you were already using this trick!"
Yinxue's eyes turned toward Haotian slowly, her frost composure unshaken but her gaze piercing. "…Is it true?"
Haotian chuckled, leaning back against his seat with an easy grin. "What can I say? The cat is out of the bag."
Yinxue's lips curved ever so slightly, a flicker of amusement breaking through her calm. Ziyue groaned, burying her face in her hands, muttering under her breath.
Haotian only laughed, the sound warm and irreverent, filling the hall.
Shuyue stood in silence before Haotian's chamber bed, her hands trembling at her sides. The flickering lamplight painted her figure in pale gold.
"Stand here," Haotian said gently, guiding her toward the bedside. His voice was steady, but his golden eyes sharp with focus. He placed his hands at her waist. "I'll begin now."
She nodded, barely, her lips pressed tight.
Haotian leaned in and brushed his lips lightly against hers. For a moment she froze, uncertain — but then, hesitantly, she answered, following his lead. The kiss deepened, their breaths mingling, her trembling arms rising to cling to him.
Their embrace tumbled backward onto the bed, lips still locked. Haotian shed his robes in one smooth motion, while Shuyue lingered, her face red, her body stiff with hesitation. At last, she slipped free of her robe, letting it fall open across the bed like a fan of pale silk.
Haotian kissed her again, trailing down from lips to neck, from collarbone to waist. When his touch pressed lower, Shuyue jolted sharply, a cry caught in her throat. She bit her finger, trying to stifle the sound, her body arching against the waves of sensation.
Her breath came ragged, and her mind spun. What is he doing to me? The pleasure was too sharp, too sudden, leaving her moaning before she could stop herself.
Haotian raised his head, lips glistening faintly, and positioned himself over her. His eyes burned. "This is the moment. Breaking the seal. Are you ready?"
Her voice trembled, but she nodded.
The pressure came all at once. Pain lanced through her, streaking up her spine. Shuyue gasped, clutching at Haotian's arms, her nails digging into his skin. Tears welled in her eyes. "I… it hurts… unbearable…"
Haotian grimaced as well — the backlash ripping into him — but his voice remained firm. "Use the Sutra. Replace pain with resonance. Cover it with pleasure. Let it flow."
Through choked sobs, Shuyue forced herself to recall the Union of Dual Souls Sutra he had imprinted into her mind. Slowly, shakily, she began to circulate the mixed yin and yang. His qi flooded her meridians, threading into her core.
The pain dimmed — not gone, but dulled, wrapped in rising waves of warmth. Her cries shifted, turning softer, trembling with both relief and sensation. Her arms rose around Haotian's neck, pulling him into a desperate kiss.
He pressed deeper, their rhythm growing steadier, his own pain ebbing as their bodies aligned. Shuyue moaned into his lips, tears spilling down her cheeks even as her voice rose louder, rawer.
"Haotian…! Something's happening! I… I don't know what—"
"Don't resist," he told her firmly. "Let go. Embrace it."
Her eyes widened, her body shuddered — and then the chains broke.
A cry tore from her throat, sharp and raw. The heart-seal shattered, fragments of its binding dissolving into nothing. Her body tightened, her qi burst free, and the backlash erupted through her as both pain and ecstasy intertwined.
Haotian held her steady, absorbing what he could. The backlash tore into his own body, but he gritted through it, his golden eyes fierce.
When it was done, both collapsed together, their breaths ragged.
Shuyue sobbed softly against him. She could feel it — her dantian empty, her cultivation drained to nothing. The seal had consumed it all.
Her tears fell freely. "It's all gone…"
Haotian brushed them away with his thumb. His voice was warm, steady. "Yes. You've lost everything. But you are free now, Shuyue. Free of the seal. This is not the end — it is your true beginning. With the Moon Lotus method, you'll rise faster and higher than before."
Despair flickered in her chest — but then Haotian's golden eyes steadied her, and his lips found hers again.
And the floodgates opened.
Through the Union of Dual Souls Sutra, they cultivated without pause through the night. Haotian's yang qi poured endlessly into her, guiding her shattered meridians into new form, weaving her foundation anew. Her yin resonated with his, blossoming again like a lotus after winter frost.
By dawn, the sun spilled gold across the frost-blue peaks. Shuyue stirred in Haotian's arms, her body exhausted yet radiant.
She reached inward, her breath catching — a spark glowed in her dantian once more. Fragile, but alive.
Her cultivation had returned. Not to her old level, but to the initial Core Condensation Realm.
Tears welled again — but this time, they were tears of relief. "I… I'm really free."
Haotian smiled, brushing her hair back from her face. "Yes. And now, you'll climb again. Without chains. Without fear."
Shuyue kissed him then — no hesitation, no shame, only boldness. She pressed herself close, her arms tight around him, as though to never let go.
The night that began with pain ended with her rebirth.