—???—
While shameless seniors threw fits and nefarious plots ran amok, Xinzi made cultivation great again. Held in suspension, Dong Ling lay against Xinzi's chest. Her disheveled hair swayed alongside her bouncy tits and bubble butt as her monk's cock crammed her leaking pussy. Dripping cum and loving juice soaked the snakegirl's cunt, thighs and the ground underneath her. But without a care for her lascivious appearance, Dong Ling reeled in bliss—her legs raised high and her tongue hanging loose.
Xinzi showed no mercy and, with relentless thrusts, pumped his partner's sweet cum-drainer full of demonic spunk. The raunchy sounds of flesh clapping flesh filled the crypt. The mating went on, causing a dark-blue vortex to form above Dong Ling navel while gold and blood-colored flames coiled Xinzi's shaft. Driven by the Extreme Yin Transformation, the snakegirl's body experienced marvelous changes. Spiritual Drops upon Spiritual Drops formed in her miniature Ice Realm. Her Wood Element Spiritual Root and Monster Core shifted to the Ice Element. Her rosy skin shimmered in a celestial glow, and her cultivation base soared.
Meanwhile, as gold and blood-colored flames left Xinzi's cock for Dong Ling's cunt, dark-blue strands of energy flowed into the monk's dantian, making his skin take a dark-red shade even as he hammered away. The scene, akin to a goddess suffering the ravages of a frenzied demon lord, mystified Tusha—who watched with rapt attention. Unbeknown to Dong Ling, Xinzi tapped into the Reincarnation of Mahasura, channeling the obscene energies generated through dual cultivation to nurture his Yang Qi and Blood Energy.
—???—
Let's not mention benefits; without a formidable foundation to support them, others in Xinzi's shoes would see their bodies shrivel and their life-force breakdown as Dong Ling's sage-grade method drained their Yang Qi. Thankfully, Xinzi came prepared to give harder than he received, enabling both sides to profit massively. But despite the Qi and Blood Energy gains, Xinzi realized that to cultivate the Reincarnation of Mahasura to the first level, he couldn't rely on traditional paths.
A method used to achieve Bedevilment, the Reincarnation of Mahasura built on the foulest of forces. Only by cultivating vast sources of Evil Qi could Xinzi make rapid progress. But didn't he have one such source nearby? Drunk on Xinzi's Yang Qi, Dong Ling passed out. Sensing her limbs give out, the monk laid her on the ground—then took a second to admire his work.
"Initially, I wanted to give you the Ice-Glazed Lichen. But since you no longer have a use for it, I guess I better sell the thing on the black market," Xinzi said. At one point, he considered giving the lichen to one of his three initiates, A'Zhi, A'Zhu and Yan Le. But fearing the consequences on faction harmony, he decided against it. Better turn the lichen into treasures he could use to cultivate all three than show heavy favoritism at this early stage of his Liberation temple.
Putting those thoughts at the back of his mind, Xinzi stepped towards the center of the crypt and sat cross-legged. Subsequently, Tusha appeared at his left.
"Cast a Concealment Formation to hide the commotion. I will siphon all the grievances and Evil Qi accumulated in the Blood Spirit valley and Ice-Fire cave across the last 10,000 years," Xinzi said, making Tusha's eyes widen in disbelief. A primordial force derived from the malignant aspects of sentient interactions, Evil Qi came in various forms. Resentment, slaughter, mayhem, depravity, all could generate large quantities of Evil Qi. Likewise, Evil Qi offered myriad applications that only two other forces could compete with. Add to that its crushing destructive powers and Xinzi would never hesitate to cultivate it.
However, Xinzi's order showed a reckless urgency that—for her own good—Tusha couldn't indulge.
"Master, this…isn't wise. Although I alone was the primary force behind the disasters this place suffered, I've been operating for 10,000 years. 10,000 years of accumulation is no laughing matter. The legions of greedy cultivators that thirsted for false treasures, the White Immortal sect disciples that suffered backstabbing or wantonly slaughtered one another to snatch resources. The mortal stragglers that strayed into the Blood Spirit valley and were forcefully turned into Blood Spirits by my Soul Refining Workshops…spread that over 10,000 years and the Evil Qi in this place is enough to make even a demon lord salivate." Until she found a way to break his control over her, mind-fudging or not, Tusha would have Xinzi's best interests at heart. Said interests wouldn't condone any venture the nun deemed too dangerous.
"Evil Qi is the most corruptive force under the heavens. Mortals cannot cultivate it without getting twisted into demonization. You have a demon body, a demonic bloodline and my Immemorial Blood Gu, which naturally predisposes you to cultivating foul forces. But at the same time, your divine spark and Night Spirit divineline remain. The celestial and demonic do not mix. Considering your current foundation, if you suck in such a massive quantity of Evil Qi at once, your Divine Soul will grow chaotic and the corruption spread faster. On the road to hegemony, one must learn to balance boldness with patience. You do not strike me as the rash and obstinate type. Why rush into self-harm?" Tusha did her best to advise Xinzi.
"You cannot stain black with black. A corrupt heart in an enlightened mind as very little to fear from corruption? I achieved Lianist Enlightenment through Indulgence. The Golden Lotus will protect me. Moreover, I am not in a position where patience is sound advice. As for the damages, don't worry. I am different from the average Night Spirit. Throughout the Great Desolation World, one hand is enough to count those able to damage my soul. This place…isn't on the list," Xinzi said and closed his eyes. Realizing that the monk had closed himself to further debate, Tusha broke into a cold sweat, fearing that her words offended Xinzi.
"Since I allowed you to keep your mind and personality, it means I value both. Give all the advice you wish to. If I find them valuable, I will apply them. If I don't, I will simply refute them. Don't fret the small stuff. Do your job to the best of your abilities, and you will be rewarded accordingly. Should the opportunity present itself, and his existence pose me no threat, I don't even mind resurrecting Qiu Meng," Xinzi said. The words took Tusha by surprise, trapping her in a blend of confusion and joy. With measured doses of good treatment, words and deeds, Xinzi wormed into the nun's heart—slowly but surely making a mess of her loyalties.
"Thank you, master, for your kind words. Your servant swears to not hold anything back and serve you to the best of her abilities!" Tusha said. Her hands flashed in mysterious gestures as she activated the Concealment Formations scattered throughout her domain—uniting and amplifying them through her Spiritual Sense. At the same time, the nun poured her spectral cultivation into Xinzi's body, enabling him to spread his Swallowing Skill throughout the domain without straining his Divine Soul.
Satisfied, Xinzi activated the Swallowing Skill, targeting the resentment, slaughter, treachery and depravity that stained the Blood Spirit valley and Ice-Fire cave for millennia.
Of all the vices and virtues, Xinzi most struggled with control. On rare occasions, he wished to let it go. But more often than not, he obsessed over it. Truth be told, Xinzi despised self-control and craved ownership. To possess those that surrounded him in an absolute and irresistible fashion—that various conflicting characters abandoned morals, duties, virtues and loyalties to willingly put their all at his feet made his heart throb with excitement. But he couldn't and dared not accept those hideous facets of his personality, less he became the reflection of the one person he had to rip asunder.
Two figures flashed in the monk's mind. One made disgust, rage and unwillingness swell his chest—the other balanced his erratic heart.
'Zhen'er. My beloved Zhen'er. You are the doll we manufactured, the flawless product of our careful nurturing. We and only we control the strings of your soul. No matter what you do and how far you go in your immortal life, you will always stand within the palm of our loving hands. Embrace your destiny, and serve us wholeheartedly.' These words flashed by Xinzi's mind, making his skin crawl and his breath grow ragged. Reciting the Clear Heart Mantra, Xinzi suppressed his chaotic thoughts and fell into a trance.
Invisible to all but Tusha and Xinzi, waves of dark-purple qi rose from the earth, trees, rocks, wind—all corners of Tusha's domain—to pour into Xinzi's body. Brutal and unbridled, the Evil Qi flooded Xinzi's body and stained his soul. His dantian neared a breaking point, but supported by Tusha and his demonic constitution, it held on.
A tribulation-grade technique mastered only by the rulers of the Infernal Paradise, the Reincarnation of Mahasura had seven levels: the Six Manifestations and the Apotheosis. Channeling the surplus of Evil Qi, Xinzi attacked the first level. Dark-purple waves flew out, intertwining, morphing and hardening as Xinzi's cultivation of the diabolic art deepened. One dark-purple arm rose from the coiling Evil Qi, holding a pink heart that loudly beat as if to announce its arrival in the mortal world.
Seductive demonic energies oozed from the heart, casting a Fascination Domain where the weak-willed would instantly find themselves bewitched. With each level of the Reincarnation of Mahasura, Xinzi could condense a floating infernal arm and heart. The arms mattered little. The hearts, however, not only enabled Xinzi to tap into the bloodlines of noble demon clans, but they could also turn into demonic avatars bound to Xinzi's will.
The first heart, the Klesha Heart, unlocked mystical abilities that'd pair with Xinzi's Silk Shifter bloodline to perfect his corruption and deceptive skills.
Arm and heart flew into Xinzi's body, and his Blood Energy level soared. At that time, Dong Ling stirred from her slumber. Xinzi put an end to his cultivation session and walked back to Dong Ling's side for another bout of dual cultivation.
