165: Cultivators are also human.

Looking at Shen Yueyao's shy, hesitant, and bashful appearance...

The mischievous smirk on Lu Yi's lips shot up like an uncontrollable AK47.

Instead of backing away, he pushed his luck and leaned in several inches closer, until he was almost pressed against Shen Yueyao's body.

"What's wrong?"

Lu Yi deliberately lowered his voice, teasing her with an extremely ambiguous and suggestive tone:

"Don't tell me you want to... 'Dual Cultivate' with me? Oh my, this is so sudden."

Lu Yi feigned modesty by clutching his chest:

"Even though I'm not mentally prepared, if it's you... I suppose I can accept it. For the sake of becoming stronger, I'll force myself to cooperate."

"Pah, pah, pah!!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yueyao's face turned so red it looked like it might drip blood.

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she spat several times and glared at this improper fellow with mortal embarrassment and indignation:

"Lu Yi! How is your head filled with such filthy things all day long?! Who... who wants to Dual Cultivate with you?!"

She stomped her feet in frustration and defended herself incoherently:

"I'm talking about a serious Cultivation method! Not that kind of... messy, evil technique!"

Facing Shen Yueyao's righteous accusations...

Lu Yi looked completely innocent, even bringing out his own philosophy with great conviction:

"Hey, you can't put it like that."

He shook his head and lectured her earnestly:

"The ancients said that food and sex are human nature. Most of us Cultivators, for the sake of that ethereal Great Dao, gave up eating long ago, losing even that simple pleasure."

Lu Yi spread his hands:

"If we also ban the feelings between men and women and live like stones, wouldn't this long road to immortality be so dull and tedious that one would want to commit suicide?"

"Though we are Cultivators, we are humans first. We need to have other hobbies to fill our boring lives."

Lu Yi continued his solemn nonsense:

"This is called balancing work and rest, do you understand? Only when your mood is pleasant and your thoughts are clear can your Cultivation advance by leaps and bounds."

"You... you..."

Listening to this bizarre set of fallacies that somehow sounded slightly reasonable...

Shen Yueyao felt her Dao Heart wavering.

She took a deep breath, telling herself not to stoop to his level.

"Whew..."

Shen Yueyao sighed helplessly, then asked through gritted teeth as if in a fit of pique:

"Fine, fine, fine! I can't out-argue you! You're right! Just say it—are you going to practice or not!"

"I'll practice! Of course I'll practice!"

The moment serious business was mentioned, Lu Yi immediately dropped his playful grin.

He nodded like a woodpecker, his eyes flashing with sharp light:

"This isn't just to win, it's for my dignity and your happiness!"

Seeing him agree so readily, Shen Yueyao didn't waste any more words.

She grabbed Lu Yi's wrist and, without a word, pulled him directly into her bedroom.

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

Immediately after, she cast several hand seals to activate all the isolation Restrictions around the room.

Having done this, Shen Yueyao hadn't even had the chance to explain the specific Cultivation steps.

She had only turned around for a moment to close the door and adjust the Formation.

Rustle, rustle...

Behind her came the hurried sound of clothes rubbing together.

Shen Yueyao was startled and instinctively looked back.

!!!

In the next second, her eyes widened.

Lu Yi's movements were so agile it was as if he had practiced them ten thousand times.

In the blink of an eye, he had already nimbly stripped off his outer robe and thrown it on the floor; now, his hands were on his belt.

He looked at Shen Yueyao with an expectant expression of "death before dishonor" mixed with "I'm ready to sacrifice my body":

"Come! Use me to your heart's content!"

"Ah—!!!"

Shen Yueyao shrieked.

She hastily covered her eyes and spun around, turning her back to Lu Yi.

"What are you doing?! Put them on! Put them on right now!"

Shen Yueyao's voice was trembling with extreme shame and anger:

"Who told you to take off your clothes?! We are using Qi guidance! It's Physique resonance! No need to undress!!"

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Lu Yi's hand on his belt froze.

"No need to undress?"

He curled his lips in disappointment, slowly picking up his outer robe from the floor to put it back on, while muttering under his breath:

"Tsk... after all that, it's just a 'vegetarian' session... got excited for nothing, your technique is so improper..."

Once fully dressed, Lu Yi straightened his collar and resumed his serious appearance:

"Ahem. Alright, alright, you really should have explained clearly."

Lu Yi plopped down on the bed and crossed his legs:

"Okay, what's next? Teacher Shen?"

"Phew... phew..."

With her back to him, Shen Yueyao took several deep breaths to calm her nearly exploding state of mind.

She turned around and gave Lu Yi a fierce glare, but didn't press the matter further.

Time was tight. She walked to the window and pushed open the carved lattice.

Outside, the Upper Realm's vast and brilliant starry sky seemed within reach, and a particularly massive full moon radiating a cold glow came into view.

Bathed in the moonlight, Shen Yueyao's expression became serious and holy as she pointed to the moon outside:

"The timing is perfect. Tonight is a full moon, when the Lunar Essence is at its peak. As long as you can guide the Power of the Stars into your body, supplemented by my Lunar Essence for harmonization, we can achieve the effect of Yin and Yang balancing each other with double the results for half the effort."

Following Shen Yueyao's guidance, Lu Yi focused his mind and sat cross-legged on the bed in the Five Hearts to Heaven posture.

The Star Immortal Art began to circulate frantically.

Boom—

As soon as he entered meditation, Lu Yi instantly felt the massive difference between the Upper Realm and the Lower Realm.

The Spiritual Qi here was as thick as water, especially the Power of the Stars across the sky, which no longer had the obstruction of the heavy world barrier of the Lower Realm.

It became exceptionally clear, active, and even... violent!

Countless points of starlight poured through the window like a surging river, frantically flooding into his Meridians.

"So strong!"

Lu Yi was startled; this Cultivation speed was more than ten times faster than in the Lower Realm!

But following it was a sharp pain in his Meridians.

Just as Lu Yi gritted his teeth and endured, immersed in the mixture of pleasure from his rapidly growing cultivation and the accompanying pain...

Hum...

A warm, gentle, and cool pure power slowly flowed into his body.

This coolness was like the perfect catalyst, or a pair of gentle hands.

In an instant, it smoothed out all the violence and agitation.

The Spiritual Qi that was previously like a wild horse instantly became as docile as a lamb, beginning to flow happily through his Meridians.

Yin and Yang harmonized, blending like water and milk.

"Mmm..."

That sense of comfort and sublimation from the depths of his Soul...

Made Lu Yi unable to resist tilting his head back, nearly moaning in pleasure.

"Is this... the effect of Physique resonance?"

"This feels... too good."