C11 He Said That the Mute and the Deaf Were Innocent but He Did Not

Atop the grand hall of the Order of Duality, five beauties waved their sleeves, their movements as graceful as clouds drifting across the sky, their assembly as vibrant as a bouquet of flowers. Yet Le Yang had discerned something amiss, likely grasping the reason behind Le Feng's prolonged inability to reach the threshold of the Golden Core.

Le Yang managed to tear his gaze away from the enchanting display, "Senior Brother, have them stop. I've figured it out."

Le Yang was ecstatic. "Little Junior Brother, if you can aid me in achieving the Golden Core, and you fancy these women, I'll gladly give them to you."

Le Yang, who had servants back home, was uncomfortable with the idea of treating people as commodities to be given away. As he was about to decline, a cool voice intervened, "Love is a double-edged sword; think carefully."

Le Yang looked over to find Le Yu.

He bowed respectfully to Le Yu, "Senior Sister's words are wise; I'll take them to heart." He then promptly turned down Le Feng's offer.

Pointing to the five exquisitely delicate beauties, Le Yang explained to Le Feng, "Senior Brother, achieving the Golden Core is simple. If these five women reach the Foundation Building Realm, and you cultivate with them for twenty-five days each, making a total of 250 days, the Golden Core can be formed."

Le Feng inquired, "Why is that?"

Le Yang elaborated, "Senior Brother, if my guess is correct, you've been absorbing the essence of women since you started in the Qi Refining Realm, replacing one after another once you've depleted them. Hasn't that been your practice all along?"

"That's natural," Le Feng replied. "The practice of the Arts of Acacia has always been so. Moreover, during my breakthrough to Foundation Building, I was fortunate to encounter a woman with the Absolute Yin Body, who alone supported my advancement to the mid-stage of Foundation Building."

Le Yang furrowed his brow, "Then I'm not sure whether to call you lucky or unlucky. Anyone else practicing Harmonious Bondage would hit a bottleneck in the late Qi Refining stage, realizing that merely absorbing the Nascent Infant isn't enough to break through. A woman also engaged in Qi Refining is needed for the cultivation. But fate smiled upon you, allowing you to bypass this step, causing you to overlook the true purpose of dual cultivation."

Le Feng expressed his confusion, "The practice of dual cultivation is meant to harness the surplus of others to supplement one's own deficiencies. When did I ever forget that?"

Le Yang replied, "You've forgotten that your foundation is shaky. How can you aim to reach great heights with such instability? The Art of Harmonious Union is akin to constructing a skyscraper; it requires a solid foundation, built layer by layer. Yet, brother, you've piled up a heap of stones and stood atop it. Not only is your stance unsteady, but the more stones you gather, the greater the waste. If you continue this way, you'll find yourself mired in it."

Le Feng was no fool. After reflecting for a moment, he dismissed the five women who had completed their demonstration and knelt in the grand hall, saying, "I never imagined that despite my decades of seniority over you, junior brother, you see things more clearly than I do. I have learned my lesson."

Afterward, Le Yang demonstrated the cultivation techniques to the other senior brothers, who generally shared the same issues as Le Feng. However, one had depleted his vital essence through excessive indulgence in wine and women, leading the sect master to strip him of his duties and send him to meditate on his transgressions.

"Let this be a reminder to all of you: our Order of Duality may be founded on the principles of dual cultivation, but it is by no means a den of iniquity. You must discern the true intent of your hearts. The essence of dual cultivation lies in the practice itself, not in the ceaseless pursuit of pleasure."

After addressing the issue with the elder, the sect master, still visibly upset, issued a stern warning before dismissing the assembly.

Le Yang stepped out of the hall, his gaze lingering on the sacred bell at its entrance, lost in thought.

"Junior brother, you appear distracted. Have you come to realize that the path of cultivation isn't as transcendent as you expected? Are you feeling disillusioned?" inquired Le You, the same person who had been at odds with Murong Xuanheng the day before. Now, without any malice, his face bore a teasing smile.

Recalling his master's advice to befriend Le You for the sake of vengeance, Le Yang still preferred to rely on his own strength to settle the score. Thus, he maintained a polite distance from Murong Xuanheng, responding with a courteous bow, "The world has always been about the survival of the fittest. I've never been disillusioned. As long as I can acquire skills, that's all that matters."

Murong Xuanheng appeared somewhat astonished, seemingly not expecting Yue Yang's response. Before he could utter another word, Yue Yang had already bid farewell and departed.

Yet, Yue Yang was far from indifferent to the events that had unfolded in the great hall. Witnessing women trapped within magical artifacts, bound by spells, or having completely forgotten their own humanity, he couldn't help but question the state of the world. Was it truly justifiable to resort to any means necessary in the pursuit of cultivation and power?

He pondered whether he should heed the advice of his dream master and work to expand such a sect. In doing so, how would he be any different from the villain who had massacred his entire family?

Overwhelmed by these thoughts, Yue Yang continued to walk until he reached the dense forest at the mountain's base. Unable to bear the weight of his conscience any longer, he collapsed to his knees, clutching his head, yearning to weep, yet no tears would come.

"I thought you were a cold-hearted cultivator, but it turns out you're just a regular person," came a voice from behind, one that Yue Yang recognized.

"Are you following me because you want my help with your cultivation technique?" Yue Yang tensed and quickly stood, turning to face Murong Xuanheng in the dim twilight.

"That's not necessary. Though I haven't delved deeply into the Dao, I have my insights into cultivation. I'm confident I'll achieve Golden Core status within three years," Murong Xuanheng declared with self-assurance.

Yue Yang couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at Murong Xuanheng's confidence. Some people just seemed to have it all, making others wish they could step into their shoes.

"So, what is it that you want?" Yue Yang asked, eyeing Murong Xuanheng warily, unable to imagine what else about him could possibly pique Murong Xuanheng's interest.

"You're quite intriguing, even more so than your master. I really can't fathom it—why can't you guys openly embrace the joy of love between men and women?"

As Murong Xuanheng smiled, his teeth shone brightly against the stark contrast of his unnervingly red tongue, giving him the appearance of a predatory beast.

"I don't like this. I'm going back. Don't block my way."

Le Yang was set on leaving, not wishing to engage further with Murong Xuanzang. His intuition screamed that this man was dangerous.

"Junior brother, are you still upset with your senior brother? How about this: I'll host a feast for you tonight to make amends. There should be no lingering resentment between brothers."

Le Yang found it difficult to refuse Murong Xuanzang after hearing his offer, as he wasn't one to create unnecessary enemies.

To Le Yang's surprise, Murong Xuanzang was not adept at the art of cloud riding, and his residence was separated by three towering mountains.

"Just wait here, I'll find you a fine horse."

After a brief wait, as Murong Xuanzang announced "Here she comes," Le Yang saw a woman approaching who seemed like a sprite, untouched by the mundane world.

"Where's the horse?" Le Yang inquired.

Murong Xuanzang chuckled, gesturing towards the ethereal woman, "Isn't this her?"

With that, Murong Xuanzang created a gust with his sleeves and soared away on the wind, leaving Le Yang alone with the woman, unsure of how to proceed.

"The young master has asked me to take you along. Come, stand behind me and hold on tight."

Chu Yunrou recognized the young man before her as the sect's newly advanced Junior Martial Uncle from the day before. Despite being in the early stages of Qi Refining, he had been granted a title usually reserved for those in the Foundation Building stage, surely indicating his exceptional talent. Yet, it was a shame he couldn't ride the wind.

Unaware of the plain-clothed woman's thoughts, Le Yang did as told and wrapped his arms around Chu Yunrou's waist. A sweet fragrance enveloped him, distracting him from the discomfort of the journey as he silently recited verses from the Heart-Cleansing Chapter of the White Bone Monastery.

Upon landing, Le Yang was greeted by a bustling panorama: towering edifices reaching skyward, a patchwork of dark-tiled roofs stretching into the distance, throngs of people bustling below, and a myriad of sights close at hand.

"Yunrou, look at how you've carried my Junior Martial Brother. You may go and accept your punishment now."

After the prolonged jostling, Le Yang, unaccustomed to such an ordeal, felt dizzy despite his cultivation. As soon as Chu Yunrou set him down, he succumbed to his nausea and began to retch.

Although Le Yang intended to comfort Chu Yunrou, the moment he tried to speak, a wave of nausea overcame him, and he was escorted to a side room.

"Please bathe, Junior Martial Uncle."

Le Yang didn't realize he was being attended to by two young girls, as delicate as budding flowers, until his clothes were completely removed. The young man's embarrassment made him snatch his clothes back and clutch them tightly, yelling for the girls to leave.

To his surprise, the girls immediately knelt down, weeping and begging for mercy. Le Yang learned that Murong Xuan enforced severe punishments on his servants for the slightest displeasure, with tortures as common as oil cauldrons and knife slices. His pharmacy was always stocked with various medicines to keep people alive against their will.

Feeling helpless, Le Yang instructed the girls to turn around so he could wash himself.

"This Junior Martial Uncle is actually quite kind."

"Don't be fooled. In the Order of Duality, anyone who's a Junior Martial Uncle has methods no less severe than the young master's. We just can't see it. Better to speak less and avoid trouble."

The two girls, having nothing else to do, whispered among themselves, not realizing Le Yang could hear them.

After cleaning up and donning fresh clothes, Le Yang approached the girls from behind and coughed lightly. Seeing their faces turn pale with fright, he realized his joke had gone too far.

"Sisters, I swear, I won't tell your young master."

Le Yang's reassurance brought some color back to the girls' cheeks.

"You're all set now. Come join the feast. There's fine wine and charming company; we're only missing our esteemed guest."

As Le Yang opened the door, Murong Xuanzang welcomed him with a beaming smile. But before Le Yang could take another step, he heard Murong Xuanzang command, "Take these two wretches to the White Water Hall for their loose tongues. Have they no sense of decorum?"

Le Yang spun around, intending to intercede, but Murong Xuanzang had already pulled him toward the main hall. He caught a glimpse of the two girls' tearful, resentful gazes.

"Junior Brother, don't let these two wretches spoil your mood."

Le Yang found himself pulled into the grand hall by Murong Xuan, and he was immediately dazzled by the brilliance around him. Despite not recognizing the lavish treasures that adorned the room, purely for decoration, he could sense their exceptional nature.

Indeed, it's often said that a life of seclusion in the mountains is arduous, but such opulence is rare in this world.