Dual Cultivation

"Did I hear your words correctly? You — someone who has always been telling me to forget about relationships to focus on the Dao of Alchemy — want me to meet someone? You are the last person in this world I'd expect such words from!"

Zhu Mengyi was dumbfounded speechless. Because of her monstrous talent in the Dao of Alchemy, her mother, Matriarch Zhu, would remind her almost every day to focus on Alchemy and nothing else, yet out of the blue, she's being told to meet some young man?

"I know what I have said over the years but this… this is different. You will understand it once you meet him."

"Ridiculous! I refuse! I will not meet him!"

How could she meet up with a young man right after she told Wu Jinjing that she will be dedicating her life to the Dao of Alchemy?

Matriarch Zhu sighed, thinking in her mind, "Aiya… I knew she would say something like that… Looks like I'll have to use 'that'."

"If I recall correctly, you really admired Immortal Fairy Su Yue, right?"

Zhu Mengyi frowned when she mentioned her. Like many individuals in this world, ever since she met Immortal Fairy Su Yue, she has been looking up to her as a role model, but why would Matriarch Zhu bring her up in this type of conversation.

"What does Elder Sister have to do with this?"

"What if I told you that this young man is closely related to her?"

"What?!"

Zhu Mengyi's eyes widened.

"I'm sure you have already heard of this rumor, but—"

"This young man is Elder Sister's son?!" Zhu Mengyi quickly said. She didn't believe the rumors at first, but seeing her own mother also mention him, it must be true!

"Impossible… I thought for sure that the Nine Spring Hall had spread such rumors just to increase their customers!"

"Well… I can't say with certainty that he is 100% Immortal Fairy Su Yue's son, but there is a high chance of it being true."

Zhu Mengyi clearly expressed her disappointment after hearing that it wasn't confirmed. "So it's just you rambling in the end, huh. I should have known better. There's no way someone as elegant as Elder Sister would have a husband, much less a son. After all, nobody in this world is worthy of her. Forget it, I still won't meet him — not even if he turns out to be her real son!"

Matriarch Zhu smiled bitterly and said, "The real reason why I want you to meet him is not because of his status. Have you ever seen a flawless-quality pill?"

"Flawless quality? Isn't that just a legend?"

"Go find core disciple Qing Shan and you will find out whether or not it's a legend. I have told you this on the day you became the Prime Disciple of our Four Seasons Academy, but your Dao of Alchemy has already reached the level where I really have nothing more to teach you. Perhaps, after seeing Qing Shan, you will learn something new."

"Qing Shan?"

After talking for a few more minutes, Zhu Mengyi decided to find Qing Shan to see what this is all about.

"Senior apprentice-sister Zhu? What are you doing here?"

Although Qing Shan had expected Matriarch Zhu to appear before her, she did not expect the Prime Disciple to be there, too.

"The Matriarch told me to come find you about some flawless-quality pill. I don't know what she's up to but I came here anyway." She did not hide her intentions and told Qing Shan her reason for being there.

"Ah… so you're also here for that… here you go..."

"..."

Zhu Mengyi raised her eyebrows in a surprised manner when Qing Shan began searching her storage ring. "She couldn't possibly have a flawless-quality pill, right?" she wondered inwardly.

A few seconds later, Qing Shan retrieved the heavily secured pill bottle and showed it to Zhu Mengyi.

"I-Impossible… This is a pill?"

When Zhu Mengyi saw the pureness of the pill, her eyes nearly popped out of its sockets from pure shock. How could a pill turn out to be so perfect — so flawless?

"Where did you get this pill?" Zhu Mengyi asked her while heavily breathing.

"It was given to me by our esteemed guests. I had lost miserably in a match against him, and he gave me this afterward."

"Tell me more! Tell me everything!" Zhu Mengyi looked more and more enthusiastic after seeing the flawless-quality pill.

In her eyes, this pill represented a new world for all the Alchemy Masters in this world! A new limit for them to try and grasp!

Qing Shan nodded and started recalling to her the events at the Lecture Hall.

"..."

Zhu Mengyi was quiet throughout the entire story, and once Qing Shan was finished, Zhu Mengyi returned to Matriarch Zhu's side.

"This young man, where is he?"

Matriarch Zhu looked at her with a smug look, and she said, "What's this? I thought you had said…"

"I know what I said! But this is different! I want to see it with my very eyes! His Dao of Alchemy!"

Matriarch Zhu smiled and said, "I am not going to tell you to seduce him or anything like that. I only hope that you can learn something from him, as he won't be here long."

She then told Zhu Mengyi the location of Su Yang's living quarters.

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Inside Su Yang's room, papers with words scattered everywhere.

Xiao Rong had been learning the human language earnestly since last night. However, there was a catch to such behavior.

"Look! I finished this one, too!" Xiao Rong said as she showed him the results of her learning.

Su Yang smiled and said, "Let me take a look."

After confirming that she'd answered all of the questions on the paper correctly, Su Yang raised his hand and directed some of his Profound Qi to his fingers.

"Very good. Here's your reward."

Xiao Rong's eyes flickered with excitement at the sight of Su Yang's fingers that was emitting an alluring smell. She then opened her mouth that was already drooling with saliva and started licking his fingers clean, looking like she'd been starving for days.