Before setting off for the Star Dou Great Forest with Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi to hunt for spirit rings, Yu Qing spent several days arranging all the affairs within the Yin Yang Sect.
First was the matter of caring for the two newborns.
Dragon Yu and Sandalwood Yu, these two little ones, were now the treasures of the entire sect; whoever they were entrusted to had to be completely reliable.
After careful consideration, Yu Qing finally entrusted this heavy responsibility to Mother Zi. She had a gentle temperament, was experienced, and was Zi Ruyi's biological mother, so she would surely pour her heart into caring for the two children meticulously. When Yu Qing proposed it, Mother Zi joyfully accepted the task, holding her two grandchildren and being unable to put them down.
Second was the subsequent training of the two sisters, Ling Xin and Ling Mou.
Yu Qing already knew their medicinal bath and Medicinal Cuisine recipes by heart. He prepared enough medicinal ingredients and food materials in advance for two months, categorized and packaged them, and handed them over to the disciples in charge of logistics, instructing them to prepare them for the sisters on time and in the correct amounts every day.
The task of escorting the two sisters to the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena for their daily Spirit combat tempering fell upon Dugu Bo's shoulders. This Poison Douluo had now resolved his Spirit backlash, his strength was steadily improving, and he was in an excellent mood, so he readily agreed to Yu Qing's arrangement. With a Titled Douluo like him protecting them in the shadows, it was enough to ensure the sisters' safety in Heaven Dou City and deter all petty troublemakers.
Finally, and most importantly for the future development of the Yin Yang Sect—expanding the membership.
Yu Qing delegated this task entirely to the steady and experienced Father Duan and Father Zi. He set forth clear requirements:
1. innate Soul Power: At least level one. He didn't expect everyone to be a Genius, but they needed to possess the most basic Cultivation Aptitude.
2. Background: Priority should be given to children from commoner families or abandoned sons and daughters from other Spirit Master families. Such people often know how to cherish opportunities better, and their loyalty is easier to Cultivate.
3. Age: No older than twelve. Being young means they have high plasticity and can more easily accept the philosophy and training System of the Yin Yang Sect.
4. Number of People: Initially set at one hundred. The Yin Yang Sect was established less than a year ago, and resources, teachers, and experience are all limited. Blind expansion would only be counterproductive. It's better to proceed slowly and prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring that every child recruited receives the best training.
Father Duan and Father Zi took their orders and left, beginning to scout for suitable candidates through various channels.
After arranging and explaining everything, another half month was spent on final confirmations and adjustments. Ensuring everything was running normally, Yu Qing finally left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well quietly with Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi, whose conditions had been adjusted to their Peak, and embarked on the journey south to hunt for Spirits.
Just as the three of them stepped out of the Sunset Forest's range, Yu Qing's footsteps paused slightly, and he rubbed his brow with a bit of a headache.
"What's wrong, husband? Is something the matter?" the observant Zi Ruyi immediately asked with concern.
Yu Qing smiled helplessly. His mental force sensed two figures far behind them who were carefully hiding but hadn't managed to deceive him. He whispered, "It's A Rou and Fox Consort... they've secretly followed us."
Upon hearing this, Duan Xin's eyes immediately lit up, and she asked with a hint of excitement, "Then... should we wait for them?"
Yu Qing shook his head. "Since they chose to follow secretly, let them. I suppose they couldn't bear... cough, the days of staying behind alone were too boring." He naturally knew that the main reason A Rou and Fox Consort followed was likely because they didn't want to endure the hardship of "abstinence" for several months.
After all, the improvement and pleasure brought by Yin Yang Conjunction Dual Cultivation had long since given them a taste for it.
Thus, the group of three (actually five) traveled rapidly toward the Star Dou Great Forest in a peculiar manner, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Yu Qing also needed to make a trip to the ocean this time and only wanted to obtain suitable spirit rings for Duan Xin as quickly as possible. Therefore, they didn't stop much along the way, and the trio's speed was very fast.
Only during their unshakeable lessons every five days would they find a town to stay in, book a room, and engage in deep and necessary "cultivation exchanges."
However, along the way, an "interesting incident" occurred that made Yu Qing both happy and troubled.
Whenever Yu Qing finished Yin-Yang Harmonization with Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi to complete the Yin Yang Conjunction, and they each compressed and purified their spirit power or fell asleep shortly after, his window would always be lightly tapped.
Upon opening the window, it would either be A Rou with a sly smile or Fox Consort with a blushing face and dodging eyes. The two women would always find various excuses to quietly "steal" him out of the room and pull him to the room they had booked for themselves to continue another... special cultivation.
Under the pretexts of "A Qing cannot favor one over the other," "spreading the love equally," or "replenishing the Origin Qi consumed by the long journey"... Yu Qing fell into a three-day cycle of "high-intensity labor": traveling at full speed during the day -> Yin Yang Conjunction Dual Cultivation with Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi in the evening -> being conscripted by A Rou or Fox Consort late at night -> continuing the journey the next morning... With such a cycle repeating, even with Yu Qing's powerful physique and recovery as a Life Attribute Titled Douluo, he gradually began to feel sore in the waist and knees and lacking in energy.
Once, as he again dragged his slightly tired steps and quietly slipped back into the room he shared with Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi, he looked at his face in the mirror—which, though still handsome, could not hide a trace of weariness—and couldn't help but sigh to the heavens:
"Damn! I can barely handle four... if the number of Dao Companions increases in the future... I'm afraid I'll really be completely drained!"
At this moment, he desperately wished the System could enhance his combat endurance in that department. If he had such a guarantee, let alone four, even if a few more came, what would Yu Qing have to fear?!
Perhaps sensing the host's heartfelt and intense desire, the usually cold System actually gave a response!
[Ding! Detected the host's strong and special request. Based on the core rules of the dao companion system, a special limited shop is temporarily opened for the host! This shop will only appear once; it will not return, so please choose carefully!]
Hearing this, Yu Qing's Spirits were suddenly lifted, and he immediately immersed his consciousness into the System space.
Sure enough, next to the regular shop, a temporary shop icon emitting an ambiguous pink light had appeared.
He couldn't wait to click in.
The product list refreshed, and as expected, they were all... strange things!
[I Love a Stick of Wood (Little Blue Pill Version)]: Greatly increases combat power in a certain area after consumption, effect lasts for 12 hours. Price: 1,000 yin yang points.
[Unyielding Golden Spear (Talent Trial Card)]: Temporarily obtain the "Unyielding Golden Spear" talent, effect lasts for 3 uses. Price: 5,000 yin yang points.
[Seven Times a Night Man (Title)]: After wearing, receive a psychological suggestion that slightly boosts self-confidence. Price: 8,000 yin yang points.
[Source of Vitality (Passive Skill)]: Slightly increases physical strength recovery speed. Price: 20,000 yin yang points... Yu Qing's mouth twitched. What kind of stuff were these?! Does he, Yu Qing, need to rely on such external items and empty titles to keep up appearances?!
His gaze quickly swept past these "low-tier goods" and finally stopped at the item at the bottom of the list, which emitted a hazy light of Chaos and was the most expensive of all—
[Yin Extreme Reverse Yang Art] (Special Dual Cultivation Secret Method):
Introduction: Heaven and earth are divided into Yin and Yang; solitary Yin cannot give birth, and lone Yang cannot grow. However, when Yin reaches its extreme, Yang is born; out of the depths of misfortune comes bliss! This art is profound and is not an ordinary evil art of plucking and supplementing, but a truly supreme and marvelous method. At the Peak of pleasure and the realm of extreme Yin, the practitioner glimpses a sliver of Innate Yang harmony, nourishing themselves and tempering their Origin. The richer the experience and the deeper the insight, the stronger the endurance, recovery, and combat power will become! In a true sense, the more one fights, the stronger one becomes, without end! When practiced to Major Achievement, Yin and Yang circulate endlessly, making one like a... perpetual motion machine!
Price: 359,000 yin yang points!
Yu Qing's eyes instantly became terrifyingly bright!
This is it!
This description, this philosophy, perfectly matched his needs! This was the truly powerful ability he wanted! Not those "fake strengths" that relied on external items or short-term boosts!
Although the price was outrageously expensive, almost draining the fortune of yin yang points he had painstakingly accumulated over nearly three months, Yu Qing did not hesitate for a second!
"Buy! I must buy it!"
[Ding! Purchase successful! Deducted 359,000 yin yang points! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the special secret method "Yin Extreme Reverse Yang Art"! It has been automatically transferred to the host's sea of consciousness!]
Seeing the yin yang points on the System panel instantly shrink to nearly zero, Yu Qing's heart bled with pain, and he couldn't help but curse, "Profiteer System! So black-hearted!"
But when he began to calm his mind and carefully comprehend the incredibly profound Yin Extreme Reverse Yang Art in his head, all the heartache was instantly replaced by immense surprise!
The subtlety and power of this secret method far exceeded his imagination! It was not simply plundering or taking; rather, during the ultimate process of Yin and Yang blending, at that Peak moment of "extreme Yin," it captured a wisp of "Innate Yang harmony" Qi born from the void, nourishing oneself, fundamentally strengthening the life Origin, expanding Yang Qi, and tempering the Spirit! Every deep cultivation session was an excavation and sublimation of one's own potential!
Its effect was not just to improve ability in a certain area, but an all-around enhancement! It even had great benefits for his cultivation of the Thousand Refinements Method and Star Burning Battle Method!
"Worth it! So worth it! These 359,000 points were not spent in vain at all!" Yu Qing was so excited he almost wanted to dance. He immediately returned to the room, sat cross-legged, and devoted himself entirely to the comprehension and initial cultivation of the Yin Extreme Reverse Yang Art.
From then on, Yu Qing's "happy" life underwent an earth-shaking change!
In every deep exchange, he was no longer passively enduring or merely enjoying; instead, he actively operated the Yin Extreme Reverse Yang Art, guiding the cultivation process.
The effect was immediate and astonishing!
He became increasingly... formidable!
Whether it was the gentle tenderness with Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi or the intense clashes with A Rou and Fox Consort, he could handle it all with ease, becoming stronger as the battle progressed! Even A Rou, who could previously hold her own against him or even occasionally defeat him, was now no match for him even if she teamed up with Fox Consort!
Often after a special cultivation session, Yu Qing was not only free of weariness but was instead high-spirited, with full spirit power and a glowing Spirit, as if he had received great nourishment and tempering! The next day, he could still travel at full strength, full of vitality.
In contrast, the four women—Duan Xin, Zi Ruyi, A Rou, and Fox Consort—were often languid and weak, needing to adjust their breath for quite a while before they could recover. The way they looked at Yu Qing was filled with love, satisfaction, and a hint of... unbelievable "awe."
They whispered among themselves privately: "Husband... seems to be getting more and more... powerful..."
"Yeah... it's like he's a different person..."
"But... I really like it..."
"(Nods shyly)..."
Yu Qing finally understood what it meant to "stand up and take charge." The Yin Extreme Reverse Yang Art was indeed marvelous and peerless!
In this manner of "happy" travel and cultivation, the group of five (three in the open, five in total) finally crossed the vast territory and arrived at their destination—the Star Dou Great Forest!
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)