Chapter 47 Part 1

Lian Yunzhi had a disgusting dream. In the dream, the statue that resembled the “Immortal” who had suppressed Mu Cheng appeared before him. It claimed that he had transformed from a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Herb and thus possessed immortal affinity. He should not entangle himself with a heinous evil demon. It also said that his soul differed from that of human cultivators, so even the Soul Dao Companion Contract was not unbreakable for him. It even tried to teach him how to dissolve the contract. Lian Yunzhi immediately lashed out with vines and drove the statue away.

When he fully awoke and recalled the dream, he grew even angrier.

“What bullshit Immortal!” Lian Yunzhi fumed to Mu Cheng. “It can’t distinguish right from wrong and even sows discord. Once I ascend, the first thing I’ll do is deal with it!”

Mu Cheng fell silent for a moment before asking, “What method did it say could dissolve the contract?”

Lian Yunzhi narrowed his eyes at him. “I didn’t listen. Why are you asking?”

Mu Cheng said nothing.

Lian Yunzhi turned his body around and stared into his eyes. “Did that thing enter your dream too? What did it tell you?!”

Mu Cheng’s lips parted as he prepared to speak, but Lian Yunzhi stopped him. “Forget it. I’ll see for myself!”

With that, he pressed his forehead against Mu Cheng’s and forcibly sent his Primordial Spirit into his Knowledge Sea.

Forcibly invading someone else’s Knowledge Sea with one’s Primordial Spirit was extremely dangerous. If the invaded person’s consciousness remained intact and their Divine Soul Force was strong, they could instantly slaughter the intruding Primordial Spirit. Fortunately, their Knowledge Seas were already intimately familiar with each other. Before Mu Cheng could react, his Primordial Spirit and Divine Soul entwined with Lian Yunzhi’s, mistaking it for an ordinary session of Divine Soul Dual Cultivation.

Thus, Lian Yunzhi effortlessly viewed Mu Cheng’s dream from the previous night. He even saw something else.

For instance, he had never realized that Mu Cheng harbored an unusual… appetite for the Primordial Spirits of those Evil Cultivators.

After their Primordial Spirits separated, the two stared at each other in silence.

Lian Yunzhi gradually grew angry. He raised his hand, intending to smack Mu Cheng on the head hard—they often performed Divine Soul Dual Cultivation, yet Lian Yunzhi had never noticed this before. There was only one explanation: Mu Cheng had deliberately hidden it during their sessions, though how he managed it remained a mystery.

But as he looked at Mu Cheng’s downcast eyes and slightly trembling lashes, Lian Yunzhi’s raised hand froze in midair. Suddenly, he could not bring himself to strike.

He gently cupped Mu Cheng’s face, leaned in for a kiss, and whispered, “It’s okay.”

It’s okay.

Mu Cheng reached out and hugged him tightly, like a drowning man clutching a piece of driftwood.

.

“You were right to hold back from devouring those Evil Cultivators’ Primordial Spirits,” Lian Yunzhi said. “Who knows what filthy things in them might drive you mad… If your cultivation can’t advance, so be it. Just wait for me to take you to ascension.”

Lian Yunzhi continued, “Don’t listen to that bullshit Immortal’s nonsense. You aren’t going anywhere. I’ve already claimed the Pure Bottle—what place could you even go? If it were truly that powerful, it would have locked you up long ago instead of blabbering on!”

“…In the end, we still need raw strength. Lu Yan only had himself to blame for being too weak when he was killed. If we were stronger, no one could touch us!” Lian Yunzhi clenched his fist and declared to Mu Cheng. “Let’s go to the Blood Yin Secret Realm!”

The Blood Yin Secret Realm was the most dangerous secret realm in the Upper Immortal Realm. High-tier Demon Beasts roamed everywhere, and every gust of wind, every falling leaf could kill. Yet danger coexisted with opportunity. The spiritual energy there was extraordinarily abundant—one day of cultivation inside equaled ten days outside. Rumors even spoke of a Near Heaven Tower within, where time flowed differently: one day inside was like a year outside.

Lian Yunzhi thought that if he could enter the tower, he would surely ascend within fifty days!

The very idea set his blood boiling. He stood up and said to Mu Cheng, “I’ll definitely ascend there successfully. Let’s prepare now!”

Mu Cheng looked up at him and said, “Okay.”

.

And so they hurriedly made preparations.

The Blood Yin Secret Realm was not accessible to just anyone—Soul Transformation cultivation was the minimum requirement. Though it remained open year-round, Access Tokens were limited in number. As the realm had been open longer and longer, tokens on the market grew scarcer. The last one auctioned had fetched a billion spirit stones.

Lian Yunzhi and Mu Cheng needed two tokens.

They first consumed Butterfly Shadow Disguise Pills and returned to the Mission Hall to turn in their proof-of-kill missions, earning three million spirit stones. They then sold unnecessary magic artifacts and scriptures for fifteen million more. Adding their savings, they were still short… one hundred and eighty million spirit stones.

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Yes, their original savings had only been two million spirit stones. Though they had earned plenty over the past year, they had spent it all on magic artifacts and scriptures, leaving scant reserves.

Thus, when Mu Cheng once again conjured Qi Refining Bird Feathers from his hair, Lian Yunzhi did not stop him. Instead, he hung his head and bit his lip dejectedly.

Mu Cheng leaned in to kiss him, freeing his lip from his teeth. “This is really nothing,” he said with a smile. “I’m still waiting for Zhi Zhi to take me to ascension.”

“I’ll take you to ascension.”

Lian Yunzhi said firmly.

Mu Cheng replied, “Good. I’ll wait.”

.

With spirit stones in hand, everything became straightforward. Half a month later, Lian Yunzhi and Mu Cheng, pockets stuffed with two Access Tokens and a large bottle of fresh Butterfly Shadow Disguise Pills, slipped quietly out of the auction house.