A Door Away, Spring Within the Cave Dwelling

After leaving that ancient cave dwelling, Lingxu Fairy went directly to Changming Peak. Upon stating her purpose, a disciple led her to the cave dwelling where Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao supposedly resided.

"Your Highness the Saintess, this is Senior Brother Ning Fan's cave dwelling."

"I shall take my leave now."

"If Your Highness requires anything else, you may call for me."

"..."

The Changming Peak disciple spoke, then respectfully withdrew.

Thump, thump—

Lingxu Fairy raised her hand and gently knocked on the heavy stone door.

After a long moment.

There was no response from within.

"..."

Lingxu Fairy frowned. She had asked the disciples at the peak gates and learned that Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao were inside. Why was there no response?

Bang, bang—

Lingxu Fairy raised her hand and slapped the door with more force. Her palm striking the stone sent faint ripples of qi rolling off the surface.

"Who is it?!"

Only then did Ning Fan's voice sound from inside. Lingxu Fairy could clearly hear a trace of impatience in his tone, as if he had been rudely interrupted.

As if to confirm her guess, a faint, muffled sound echoed from within the cave.

"Coming at a time like this, really..."

"It is I."

Lingxu Fairy's voice rang out.

She had come to inform Ning Fan of a momentous affair. Combined with her supreme status as the Saintess of the Yin Yang Divine Sect, whatever important matter Ning Fan was handling...

He had to set it aside immediately.

Sure enough.

The moment she announced herself, a chaotic flurry of rustling and stumbling echoed from within, and the impatience in Ning Fan's tone instantly vanished.

"Wait a moment, Your Highness!"

"Ouch!"

"Slow down, you little lecher. If you move like that, I can't keep up..."

"You slow down..."

"Hiss-"

"..."

A chaotic string of noises drifted out. Hearing them, Lingxu Fairy couldn't help but tilt her head, a hint of confusion rising in her heart.

She had no idea what was happening inside.

Judging by the voices, Ning Fan and his companion weren't far from the door at all. Yet, she waited several full breaths before Ning Fan's voice finally sounded from the other side again.

"Your Highness the Saintess, is there something you need?"

"..."

Lingxu Fairy's frown deepened.

Ning Fan actually had the nerve to ask her if there was something she needed?

Logically speaking...

Upon learning of her arrival, he should have thrown the doors wide open immediately. Even if he didn't sweep the path to welcome her, he still should have respectfully and politely invited her inside.

Yet here he was, asking her through a closed door.

"Disciple Ning Fan, is this your way of treating a guest? You won't even open the doors to welcome me into your cave dwelling?" Lingxu Fairy asked coldly.

She could vaguely hear a series of highly rhythmic sounds coming from behind the door, crisp and distinct, much like clapping.

"Uh, well..."

"Your Highness, if you want the door opened, you might have to wait a little longer. I'm... 'handling a certain matter' right now, ahem."

Ning Fan's terribly conflicted voice drifted through the stone.

"What matter? Can you not pause for a moment?" Lingxu Fairy's brow furrowed tightly.

She had already spoken so plainly, yet he was still making excuses and refusing to open the door. A spark of genuine anger began to kindle in her chest.

"This matter... I really can't stop right now." Ning Fan sounded entirely helpless.

"..."

Lingxu Fairy slowly raised her hand, fully prepared to blast the cave dwelling doors open with a single palm strike. She was going to see exactly what Ning Fan was doing.

But just before her spiritual power erupted, a suppressed, heavy groan drifted through the door.

"Mmph."

The sound was restrained, yet thick with a very particular, undeniable emotion.

It instantly froze Lingxu Fairy's raised hand in midair.

She may never have experienced dual cultivation herself, but she wasn't a fool. The moment she heard that unmistakably amorous sound...

She understood everything!

"..."

In an instant, a scarlet flush exploded across Lingxu Fairy's face. Her fingers curled slightly inward of their own volition. After a long, agonizing moment, she slowly lowered her hand and clasped it behind her back.

Thank the heavens she hadn't smashed the door open.

If she had acted impulsively just now, the resulting situation would have been too awkward to bear.

So... those crisp, rhythmic sounds coming from inside the room were...

"Hiss-"

Lingxu Fairy couldn't help but stagger a few steps back, the crimson hue on her cheeks practically dripping blood. She only stopped when she could no longer hear those faint, rhythmic slaps.

No wonder Ning Fan couldn't stop.

This kind of thing...

It would be a miracle if a man could just stop halfway through.

"Ahem."

Lingxu Fairy coughed lightly, suppressing the suffocating awkwardness in her heart as best she could, and forced herself to speak.

"Then... I will wait."

"Once the two of you have finished... finishing your business, we will discuss matters in detail."

"Thank you for your understanding!" Ning Fan replied.

Now hyper-aware of the situation, Lingxu Fairy naturally picked up on the terribly strained cadence of his voice. She spat lightly in disgust.

She wanted to curse at him, but quickly realized she had absolutely no standing to do so.

Thus...

Lingxu Fairy could only retreat further, finally sitting cross-legged on a large boulder outside the cave dwelling. Originally, she imagined that waiting a quarter of an hour would be more than enough.

But as time flowed on...

A quarter of an hour. Two quarters of an hour. Three quarters of an hour...

The heavy stone doors showed absolutely no sign of opening.

It takes this long?!

Lingxu Fairy frowned deeply. She truly didn't know how long a session of dual cultivation was supposed to last. With the doors shut tight, all she could do was wait.

"Ptooey."

A deeply bizarre feeling churned in Lingxu Fairy's heart. Never in her entire life had she imagined that one day, she would be sitting outside a cave dwelling, patiently waiting for someone to finish dual cultivating.

It was simply absurd.

But wouldn't returning now mean she came for nothing? She had already waited this long; leaving without even delivering her message would only make her look like a fool.

As the ancient proverb said:

Since I'm already here...

Meanwhile, inside the cave dwelling.

"Mmph."

A soft whimper escaped Ye Honglian's lips. For some inexplicable reason, conversing with the person outside had made Ning Fan exceptionally excited.

Of course.

Ye Honglian herself also found the illicit thrill rather novel.

"You little lecher."

"Who exactly is that outside? She shows no sign of leaving. What is she waiting for?" Ye Honglian whispered.

"Our sect's Saintess. She should be here to deliver a Fated Chance to me," Ning Fan replied softly.

"Eh..."

Ye Honglian turned her head, fixing Ning Fan with a long stare. She pursed her lips and asked, "That Saintess... she doesn't have designs on you, does she?"

"I... I'm not sure," Ning Fan admitted, hesitating deeply.

"But Fairy Sister, rest assured! No matter what terms she offers me, if it involves dual cultivation, I will absolutely refuse!"

"Hmph-"

Hearing this, Ye Honglian couldn't help but let out a soft snort, the corners of her lips curling upward in a slight smile.

"It's coming!" Ning Fan's voice suddenly hitched.

Spiritual power.

It was pouring in!!!

"..."

Ye Honglian could profoundly feel that this session of dual cultivation was reaching its climax. She bit her lower lip slightly, fully immersing herself in the surging flow of spiritual power roaring through her meridians.

The next moment.

Their spiritual power intertwined, achieving the Grand Perfection of yin and yang harmony. As their energies finally separated, Ning Fan's cultivation realm violently broke through its final bottleneck.

Profound Extreme Realm, Third Layer!

A single session of dual cultivation...

It had completely restored all the cultivation he had previously sacrificed! Furthermore, his current foundation was undoubtedly several times denser and more tyrannical than his previous time at the Profound Extreme Realm's Third Layer!

Looking at it this way...

Shattering his own cultivation base to re-cultivate the Spirit Marrow Saint-Piercing Method was undoubtedly the most brilliant decision he had ever made.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Ning Fan and Ye Honglian exchanged a startled glance.

No.

Something wasn't quite right here.

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