34: Chapter 34 Perfect Fusion

"Mm."

Chen Zilong nodded lightly, his gaze falling on Liu Mei, with a hint of undetectable attachment.

"Alright,"

Liu Mei's lips curved slightly, her eyes flowing with a charming grace. "This master will now take you to the earth fire furnace. With me protecting and assisting you, you can focus on refining your Lifebound Treasure."

Inside the tranquil bedchamber, moonlight streamed through the sheer window lattice.

It cast a hazy glow on her exquisite face, and a faint, elegant fragrance subtly wafted through the air.

However, Chen Zilong did not immediately respond.

He suddenly stepped forward, wrapping his arm around her.

He encircled Liu Mei's soft, slender, snake-like waist, then gently rested his head in her warm embrace.

"Master... there's no rush now..." His voice, muffled, carried a hint of coaxing.

His warm breath brushed against the delicate skin of Liu Mei's neck.

Liu Mei's long eyelashes trembled slightly, a knowing smile and indulgence flashing in her eyes.

How could she not know what this little rascal was thinking?

But she did not push him away, merely allowing him to hold her.

Their gazes met, deeply intertwined.

Invisible threads of affection seemed to entwine in the air, and an unyielding love silently flowed between their eyes.

Emotions deepened, becoming uncontrollable.

The next second, their lips pressed tightly together, like dry wood meeting a raging fire, intertwined in an endless, inseparable embrace.

The temperature in the bedchamber seemed to rise with them, leaving only soft breaths and endless tender affection...

...

Deep within the back mountains of Purple Bamboo Peak.

Inside a secluded, cold cave dwelling, the light was dim.

Water droplets condensed on the damp rock walls, occasionally dripping, making a clear "drip" sound in the silence.

Ye Wushuang sat cross-legged on the cold stone ground, his upper body bare.

He had just endured the punishment of the fire whip, and his back and shoulders were covered in hideous whip marks.

His flesh was torn and bloody, and every slight breath pulled at his wounds.

Bringing waves of sharp pain that covered his forehead with cold sweat.

Just then, a slightly ethereal dragon-shaped light projection, emanating an ancient aura,

Slowly emerged from his storage ring.

It was the remnant soul of the Taixu Divine Dragon residing within.

"Shuanger, how do you feel?" The dragon soul's voice was low, filled with concern.

Ye Wushuang raised his head, looking at the dragon soul's phantom before him, his suppressed resentment almost overflowing. He asked in a dry, hoarse voice:

"Master, this disciple wishes to ask you something."

"Ask away." The dragon soul's tone remained steady.

"It's been a full thirty years!"

Ye Wushuang's voice suddenly rose, filled with intense frustration and unwillingness. "This disciple still hasn't broken through to the sixth level of Qi Refinement! Master, didn't you say I was a child of destiny, destined by heaven?"

He stared at the dragon soul, speaking faster and faster, as if questioning, "Have you ever seen a child of destiny who couldn't even touch the threshold of Foundation Establishment after thirty years?!"

The dragon soul was silent for a moment, its light projection subtly fluctuating, seeming to sigh soundlessly, before slowly speaking:

"Shuanger, do you still remember how you obtained your supreme fire attribute spiritual root and that one-in-a-million Supreme Sword Body?"

Ye Wushuang pursed his lips tightly and nodded, the resentment in his eyes undiminished.

"You must understand,"

The dragon soul's voice carried the vicissitudes of time, "These heaven-defying aptitudes did not originally belong to you; they were forcibly integrated into your body later."

"Therefore, you need to expend far more time and vast resources than ordinary people to achieve perfect fusion and adaptation."

It paused, its light swirling, "This is the fundamental reason why your cultivation progress seems extremely slow."

"Because over ninety percent of the cultivation resources you absorbed were used to aid your complete fusion of the spiritual root and physique."

The dragon soul's light projection appeared even more solemn:

"Furthermore... Shuanger, you were born to mortal parents, so your innate cultivation foundation was extremely weak."

"Your parents also never had the opportunity to use heavenly treasures to cleanse your meridians and establish your foundation."

Its tone shifted, carrying a hint of comfort, "However, it's fortunate that these thirty years of effort and time were not wasted."

"In a few more months, your spiritual root and Supreme Sword Body will truly and flawlessly merge with you, with no more barriers!"

"Re... really?" Intense hope and excitement instantly burst forth in Ye Wushuang's eyes, temporarily suppressing the doubts and indignation in his heart.

"Of course!"

The dragon soul affirmed, its tone filled with expectation, "In three years, it will be the Xuantian Sect's inner sect's once-a-decade disciple recruitment competition!"

"Shuanger, you must seize this opportunity to make a name for yourself and win the favor of the inner sect's chief!"

The light projection subtly fluctuated, as if also anticipating that moment. "At that time, you will receive the full cultivation support of the sect, gaining vast cultivation resources!"

"Your path to rise will be unimpeded!"

"Hahaha!"

Ye Wushuang clenched his fists tightly, disregarding the pain in his wounds. He threw his head back and let out a long-suppressed, wild laugh, his eyes flickering with the flames of revenge. "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river! Don't bully a young man for being poor!"

He abruptly turned his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the cave's stone walls, pointing towards the distance:

"Chen Zilong! The humiliation and pain inflicted upon me today, I, Ye Wushuang, will surely repay a hundredfold, a thousandfold in the future!"

"The day of my rise will be the day you perish!"

He roared hoarsely, his voice echoing in the small cave dwelling.

The dragon soul listened to this all-too-familiar "declaration of rise," its light projection subtly wavering.

An indescribable irritation and helplessness surged from deep within its heart.

It had heard this phrase so many times its ears were almost calloused!

It silently took a deep breath, suppressing its impatience, and said in a deep voice:

"Shuanger, the urgent task is to find some medicinal herbs to aid your cultivation."

"Search according to the information I just transmitted to your mind, and try to complete the perfect fusion of your spiritual root and physique within three months."

Its tone once again became serious and powerful:

"At the Grand Competition three years from now, you must make a spectacular debut!"

Ye Wushuang nodded heavily, his eyes now filled only with resolute determination.

He no longer delayed, immediately got up, enduring the pain, and following the information given by the dragon soul in his mind, began his arduous journey of searching for medicinal herbs...

Three days later.

In the earth fire region, the air was scorching and distorted.

In the vast underground space, dozens of earth fire vents were distributed.

Scorching magma churned and roared deep within, emitting a muffled rumble, and burning hot waves, laden with the scent of sulfur, rushed forth.

Liu Mei had prepared everything and led Chen Zilong directly into one of the most heavily guarded and well-equipped earth fire chambers.

Her figure was graceful, her skirt gently swaying as she moved.

Even in this scorching environment, she appeared exquisitely refined and charmingly beautiful, like a secluded orchid reflected in water, a stark contrast to the surrounding rough heat.

Chen Zilong sat down cross-legged, his expression focused.

He took out the rare heavenly treasures he had prepared, arranging them in a line before him.

He used exquisite incantations to draw upon the scorching earth fire, transforming it into leaping spiritual flames that enveloped the materials, and with focused concentration, began refining his Lifebound Treasure...

...