Chapter 58: Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Dao Scripture

Having sorted out the cultivation stages, it was now time to examine the Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Dao Canon.

Given the title of "Dao Canon," its contents were naturally far more profound than what a mere dual cultivation technique could encompass.

The art of dual cultivation was a righteous tradition of heaven and earth, a pure and proper path. The union of yin and yang, the harmonious interplay of dragon and tiger, brought mutual benefit to both parties, accelerating their progress in cultivation.

Compared to the demonic arts that drained cultivators' vitality and often cost the lives of their furnace partners, dual cultivation was vastly superior. It neither harmed life nor undermined the foundation, resulting in more solid advancement and no hindrance in breaking through future realms.

Within the world of immortality seekers, dual cultivation techniques had always been immensely popular as supplementary arts. In the famous axiom "wealth, companion, method, and land," the term "companion" referred not only to lovers or Dao partners, but also to fellow cultivators, mentors, and peers along the path of immortality.

Thus, terms like sharing, teaching, resolving doubts, and discussing Dao were all included. However, since the word for "companion" was pronounced the same as "woman," people often associated it with a wife. As a result, in the current immortal cultivation world, "companion" had indeed become a synonym for Dao partner.

The entire Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Dao Canon, apart from its auxiliary cultivation method—the Yin-Yang Dragon Vein Harmonization Technique—also contained a method for refining the Yin-Yang Dragon Needle artifact, a recipe for the Yin-Yang Harmony Pill, and a treatise expounding the principles of yin and yang. This treatise was the true essence of the canon; depending on one's individual comprehension, one might derive different arts, secret methods, or even supernatural abilities from it.

Most importantly, Cao Chengyu could revisit the canon repeatedly, scrutinizing each word and always gaining new insights. The more he read, the more esoteric techniques he could grasp.

As for the Yin-Yang Dragon Needle and the Harmony Pill...

Ahem...

These were much like certain toys or blue pills in another world, stimulating both participants' constitutions, heightening sensitivity, and achieving an experience of ecstasy.

When the acupuncture points were stimulated with the Yin-Yang Dragon Needle, and the Harmony Pill was consumed to invigorate the blood and qi, it was like lightning setting fire to tinder—they would be unable to stop for three days and nights.

Afterward, both would still be vigorous, their bodies showing marked improvement in every aspect.

By the standards of this world, the Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Dao Canon was at least of sixth grade, while the Golden Core stage corresponded to the fourth grade; one could imagine what a sixth-grade technique entailed.

Of course, the canon contained much more, and depending on what arts one comprehended, its grade could fluctuate. Only the artifact, the pill recipe, and the dual cultivation method were unchanging, all capable of reaching the sixth grade.

With complete refining methods, Cao Chengyu could use the same approach as with the Jade Pure White Lotus Platform—starting with lower-grade materials of similar properties to forge the artifact, and upgrading it as his cultivation advanced and better materials became available.

This would avoid the disadvantage of being unable to use higher-level artifacts at lower realms.

However, now that he had defected from the Skywatch Tower, he had no way to acquire the third-grade restriction technique for the Jade Pure White Lotus Platform.

That was not a pressing concern; the second-grade would suffice for a long time. At first, when he exchanged for it, he only planned to get the first-grade refining method, with a single restriction technique. Yet, since the Jade Pure White Lotus Platform performed exceptionally well and advanced to second grade, he later supplemented the restriction and even exchanged for the third-grade restriction technique.

That would last him until the Purple Mansion stage.

As for where he got the contribution points...

Let’s just say that being sickly in youth had its benefits; best not to regret it later in life.

Some women had a particular fondness for his youthful, delicate appearance.

Seated cross-legged upon a yellow cloud, having organized the gains in his mind, Cao Chengyu felt no urgency to produce the Yin-Yang Dragon Needle or the Harmony Pill. He had no partner for the time being anyway.

His next step was to go to Luozhou and speak plainly with Ning Wenjun.

Whatever her decision, Cao Chengyu would wait and see; if their paths truly diverged, parting ways was always an option.

He believed that even if they "broke up," it would not affect her for long; in time, she would recover. After all, she was nearing a hundred years old, with far more life experience than he.

Moreover, cultivators were renowned for their strong wills. The tribulations along the immortal path were a crucible for one's heart and spirit; a mere heartbreak should hardly be a matter of consequence.

So Cao Chengyu thought.

Little did he know that the moment he was kicked out, and the next when he defected, once Luo Yuzhu found out, she destroyed the entire Spring Blossom Pavilion in a fit of rage.

Cao the Second's life nearly ended under the weight of her fury.

Nominally, it was said that Cao Chengyu was forced out by Xiangliu Yan, so Luo Yuzhu, newly advanced to the Purple Mansion, caught Xiangliu Yan and gave her a brutal beating.

If not for the intervention of the Alchemical Sage, Xiangliu Yan might have been killed on the spot.

Cao Chengyu had gained fame in the capital less than a year after his duel with Ning Que, so his defection caused a sensation far greater than that of Xiao Yan. The response was on an entirely different scale due to their differing reputations.

Previously, Xiao Yan was accused of ingratitude, failing to appreciate the Skywatch Tower’s favor, always chasing after whichever sect offered more benefits—a classic turncoat.

Cao Chengyu, on the other hand, would have been likewise vilified had he not cried out at that crucial moment. Thanks to his outcry, the common folk heard, and the Great Yue Dynasty, already sensitive to injustice, took notice.

The ideal of joint governance by mortals and immortals in Great Yue, hindered by certain individuals, was already difficult to implement, making it all the more necessary to address such incidents with fairness. Otherwise, public resentment would only increase, making the dynasty’s fate even more precarious.

In particular, rumors spread that when Cao Chengyu first joined the Skywatch Tower, he had been tormented by Xiangliu Yan on a trial alchemy mission, narrowly escaping disaster thanks to his wits.

Now, he had merely gone out for a stroll and was assaulted unto death by a cultivator at the Dao Body stage; his agonized screams were said to have echoed throughout the southern quarter.

The word "tragedy" became synonymous with Cao Chengyu.

Thus, among the common folk, rumors abounded demanding justice for him, while among cultivators, save for the uninformed itinerants, most scions of noble houses and sects were well aware of the true course of events.

The Skywatch Tower, having been played in this manner and lost face, was naturally indignant. However, with Luo Yuzhu vouching for him and promising that if he returned, the matter would be quietly dropped, the higher-ups relented.

After all, the Tower Master, the Alchemical Sage, and the Lord of Myriad Phenomena did not wish to stir up trouble at such a crucial juncture; the plan for transcendence had been in motion for three centuries and was now at a critical stage, ill-suited to any disturbance.

Of course, if Cao Chengyu truly did return with Luo Yuzhu, snuffing him out would be an effortless matter.

This approach, not even the Alchemical Sage opposed; to offend them, even in the slightest, was to court death.

Luo Yuzhu’s pleas would be granted if reasonable, dismissed otherwise. If it was a trifling matter, they would agree in word, but when the time came, they could always renege with the excuse that it was a lesson in Daoist resolve—a reminder that the path of immortality was paved with bones.