215: Chapter 215 Your sister Xinxi was a great help.

The full moon hung high, spilling silver-like radiance across the bay. Within the bay, the winds were calm and the waves were still.

Suddenly, as a gust of sea breeze brought the sound of sobbing from the nearby cloud boat treasure ship, the perfect reflection of the moon on the sea surface shattered, turning into countless leaping golden scales that rose and fell with the gentle undulation of the seawater.

Gentle waves lapped against the hull, pushing the cloud boat treasure ship toward the river mouth. However, as it neared the entrance, the impact of the river current caused the cloud boat treasure ship to hover back and forth at the river mouth, again and again.

The sobbing of the sea breeze was intermittent, blending into the increasingly urgent sound of the waves.

The hull swayed gently, and a glazed lamp hanging from the corner of the pavilion's eaves saw its soft halo begin to flicker irregularly; the lamp tassel swayed with it, and then it extinguished.

The pavilion plunged into darkness.

A point of piercing frost-white light suddenly ignited! In Xia Yingying's left eye, the original passion vanished, replaced only by bewilderment!

"Yingying, you...!"

Control of the body was forcibly switched under the violent impact.

Yue Xinxi, who now occupied the body, only had time to let out a scream of mixed shock and rage within her Sea of Consciousness. A wave struck, the ship rocked, and "Xia Yingying's" body could not sit steadily, forced to sway without end.

"Please... Sister Xinxi... This Cultivation Technique requires two people to bear it in turns..."

Xia Yingying's weak yet slightly cunning plea rang out in the Sea of Consciousness.

"I... I really can't hold on anymore..."

Yue Xinxi was practically going insane!

She tried to struggle, but control of the body remained in Xia Yingying's hands. The Soul threads entwined within the Cultivation Technique kept her closely connected to the sensations of Xia Yingying's current body, making it impossible to completely isolate herself.

"You... you little brat!"

She could only passively endure it, wanting to die from shame and rage.

Unknown when, the cloud boat quietly started, continuing to sail upstream, entering deeper into the vast river that flowed into the sea. Under the moonlight, the pure white reed catkins shimmered with silver radiance, like fine snow falling across the sky, rising and falling like snow waves in the night wind.

Occasionally, a startled night heron would let out a short "caw," spread its huge white wings, and skim low over the shimmering river surface, its shadow quickly disappearing into the deep night and the depths of the reed thickets.

On the cloud boat treasure ship, inside the pavilion.

On the table inside the pavilion, the armillary sphere rotated continuously, the trajectories of the stars entwining and undergoing Fusion with each other, as tightly integrated as a double helix.

The star sand flowing in the star clepsydra also became thick and slow, as if time had been stretched within this small world.

"Little Yingying, begin circulating the 'Twin Soul Metamorphosis Scripture'. I need to test the results after your Cultivation Technique reaches Major Achievement..."

Although it was Yue Xinxi who occupied the body now, the command was issued to Xia Yingying, the one in control.

In the Sea of Consciousness, Xia Yingying, having just caught her breath, subconsciously began to circulate the Cultivation Technique with all her might. In an instant, a burst of pure Soul Power surged forth from their entangled Soul threads.

"Mmph!"

The body controlled by Yue Xinxi suddenly tensed, and a suppressed groan spilled from her tightly bitten lips. Ling Hao's aura, strength, and even that vast life Origin were clearly transmitted through the circulating Cultivation Technique, washing over her senses and making her Soul body tremble.

A thick layer of clouds quietly drifted by, obscuring the bright moon in the sky. The world suddenly darkened, leaving only the halo of the glazed lamp on the ship casting swaying shadows among the reed thickets.

Just as the light and shadow flickered—

"Caw!"

A sharp, short bird cry pierced the silence! Immediately following was the dense sound of wings flapping!

Hundreds of millions of night herons roosting deep in the reeds near the shore were startled, their huge white wings flapping frantically against the air, quickly vanishing into the deeper night and the swaying reed thickets.

The clouds drifted slowly, a gap split open, and the cold moonlight shone into the depths of the swaying pavilion.

In the star clepsydra, the star sand that had been flowing at a steady speed seemed to freeze for an instant, then continued to drip.

The light outlined an upturned profile. That face was half-lit and half-dark; the left eye burned with cold frost-white flames, while the right eye was normal.

On her long eyelashes, two lines of clear tears were silently sliding down, falling into the shadows beneath her. The tears refracted broken points of light under the moonlight.

"Revered Master, you bad man..."

...

The first ray of golden-red dawn pierced the horizon, tearing a rift in the pitch-black night curtain.

Soft and warm morning light filtered through the light gauze, gently spilling onto the nine heavens ringing jade zither resting quietly beside the soft couch. A few dewdrops staining the strings refracted a seven-colored halo under the sunlight.

Where the dawn and the zither light converged, a hazy figure quietly emerged.

The figure was dressed in a moon-white to black gradient dress, her temperament ethereal and misty. She seemed to have just awakened from a deep sleep, wearing a hint of bewilderment, quietly watching the figures embracing on the couch.

In just an instant, her figure dissipated like morning dew, hiding back into the zither body.

Ling Hao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep as the sea. He glanced at the spot where Qing Shang had vanished, his eyes thoughtful, then withdrew his gaze and looked down at the young girl sleeping soundly in his arms.

A cold, clear female voice rang out in Ling Hao's Sea of Consciousness.

[Ding! Detected that Xia Yingying's loyalty has reached 100%, triggering Heaven-Defying Fate Change! Celestial Spirit Body evolved into Creation Saint Body!]

[Creation Saint Body]

Ten Thousand Laws of Same Origin: Possesses supreme comprehension of all laws under heaven. Can see through the essence of any Cultivation Technique or art below Immortal grade, and can easily simulate them.

Creation of Living Beings: Consuming life force and Origin Dao Qi can enlighten stubborn stones and vegetation, opening their spiritual wisdom. If staying in one place for a long time, Spirit Medicine will grow wildly and Spirit Beasts will gain intelligence, resembling a fairyland on earth.

Dao Erosion: ...

[Name: Xia Yingying (Yue Xinxi)]

[Age: 20 (2561)]

[Spiritual Root: Celestial Spiritual Root (Dark Spiritual Root)]

[Physique: Creation Saint Body (Calamity Body)]

[Cultivation: Golden Core 7th Layer (Soul Transformation 8th Layer)]

[Loyalty: 100 (90 — 100)] (Yue Xinxi's loyalty is fluctuating violently)

The dawn completely spread across the sea surface, dyeing the cloud boat in gold.

Xia Yingying's long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

What met her eyes was Ling Hao's face, wearing a hint of playful amusement. She instantly remembered everything from last night, her little face turning as red as a ripe peach, and she subconsciously wanted to shrink into Ling Hao's arms.

"Awake?"

Ling Hao's fingers lightly brushed across her smooth shoulders, causing her to tremble slightly.

He deliberately leaned close to her ear, his warm breath brushing past, "How does it feel? My little matcha cake?"

Xia Yingying was so shy she buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled: "Revered Master... don't say anymore..."

Ling Hao chuckled softly, but his gaze swept over her left eye, asking pointedly:

"Where is your Sister Xinxi? Why doesn't she come out? Last night... she was a huge help to you."

Xia Yingying froze for a moment, then immediately focused her mind to sense the Sea of Consciousness.

Deep in the Sea of Consciousness, Yue Xinxi's remnant Soul was curled into a ball, the light of her Soul Power flickering, and the manic mental fluctuations were almost overturning the Sea of Consciousness.

"Shut up! Don't mention it! Ahhhhh!! That beast! Scoundrel! Lecher..."

"What help?! I was forced! Forced!"

"Yingying, you traitor! To actually push me out..."

"And that damn Cultivation Technique! That 'Twin Soul Metamorphosis Scripture'! I knew it! I knew he didn't have good intentions when he brought out this Cultivation Technique!"

Yue Xinxi was overcome with sorrow.

This was clearly... this was clearly just... just to make it convenient for him... wuu...

But... why... that feeling... it seems... it seems... I liked it?

No! Impossible! How could I... Ahhhhhh! It must be the Cultivation Technique! It's the side effect of the Cultivation Technique! Yes! It must be!

Yue Xinxi's thoughts fell into a chaotic whirlpool of shame, rage, lingering fear... and a trace of aftertaste like poppy?

Xia Yingying felt the storm of chaotic, violent, yet strangely embarrassed emotions in the Sea of Consciousness. The expression on her little face became extremely strange, mixed with apology and a hint of suppressed amusement.

"Uh... Sister Xinxi... she's awake."

Xia Yingying answered cautiously, paused, and then added another sentence, her voice even smaller,

"It's just... she seems to have been greatly stimulated..."

The corners of Ling Hao's mouth curled into a knowing arc, the smile in his eyes deepening.

He didn't press further, only holding the warm, soft body in his arms tighter, his gaze cast toward the now bright sky and the shimmering river surface.

"Alright, the sky is bright, it's time for us to go back."

The cloud boat turned, rising slowly into the air to meet the rising morning sun, heading toward Nanzhao City, breaking through the air and leaving behind only the shimmering golden light on the river surface and the reeds on both banks still swaying in the wind, covered in morning dew.