: How Can This Be Considered Dual Cultivation?

The space within the formation resembled an enormous, bottomless vertical shaft, seemingly reaching straight down to the netherworld.

Yin energy surged within the shaft like tide, thick as ink. It no longer flowed in vast currents but was closer to a viscous liquid.

"Blackwater Mountain, White Paper City…" Seeing this, Ning Zhuo's heart stirred as he recalled the reputation spread abroad about White Paper Immortal City.

The shaft walls were smooth as mirrors, neither stone nor jade, seemingly constructed purely from the formation itself.

The blackwater-like yin energy roiled and roared within the shaft, occasionally churning up waves several zhang high that crashed together with thunderous, muffled booms.

Standing at the edge of the shaft wall, Yang Wenneng and the other two felt the bone-piercing cold emanating from the "blackwater." Its chill surpassed ice and snow, penetrating straight to the marrow, suppressing their own yang energy and even freezing the flow of their spiritual power.

Amidst this raging tide of yin energy, a figure floated quietly—the City Lord of White Paper City.

She wasn't drifting with the flow but rather, with an almost solidified, supremely authoritative posture, slowly rose and fell within the狂暴的黑潮.

She had a standard oval face, but her bone structure was exceptionally sharp and angular, with high, blade-like cheekbones and a distinct, powerful jawline. Even with her eyes closed in slumber, she exuded an air of unquestionable decisiveness and冷硬.

Her beauty was like two slender, sharp swords sweeping up towards her temples. Her black eyebrows were already tinged with a silvery-gray hue, like steel covered in frost.

Her eyes were closed, shaped into narrow, sharp phoenix eyes. Even shut, the curve of her eyelids resembled meticulously drawn ink lines, sharp and upturned at the ends, outlining a sense of nobility, arrogance, and scrutiny.

Her lips were thin with pronounced peaks. Originally a sharp vermilion, they were now a lifeless pale gray-purple, like withered wisteria petals, tightly pressed together, maintaining an aloof冷峻 even in unconsciousness.

Her figure was tall and straight, with well-proportioned bones, exuding resilience and strength even while lying flat.

Her long hair spread out, shining black so brightly that even the blackwater yin tide couldn't obscure it. At the tips, the black gradually transitioned into an eerie幽蓝色. Among the strands, tiny, ice-blue yin energy crystals occasionally flickered like stars before quickly vanishing into the dense waves of hair.

"City Lord…" Wen Ruanyu sighed.

After so long, he had finally seen the City Lord's true form, but she was clearly in a terrible state, unable to awaken.

Yang SanYan narrowed his eyes. This was his first time seeing the current City Lord of White Paper Immortal City.

Despite his broad experience and冷酷心肠, he was captivated by her compelling beauty.

And this was while she was unconscious. It was hard to imagine what kind of aloof, powerful demeanor she would have when her eyes opened.

The yin energy boiled within the shaft, crashing like thunder.

At the very center, the White Paper City Lord was like amber frozen in time. All the狂暴 approaching within a few feet of her body seemed suppressed by an invisible, absolute will emanating from her, becoming viscous and slow.

The White Paper City Lord was like a piece of eternal profound ice thrown into an ink sea, not only uncorroded and unmelted but instead madly assimilating and absorbing this energy足以毁灭一切.

Each slow rise and fall seemed like an unconscious breath, drawing vast yin energy into her body.

The skin occasionally exposed was already covered in a bluish tint, like ghost skin. Combined with her威严, it felt like paying homage to a ruler of the underworld!

The City Lord's paperman分身 let out a long sigh: "This is the current state of my true form. For the sake of White Paper Immortal City, she bore the overwhelming majority of the yin energy, falling into a coma years ago,难以唤醒."

Wen Ruanyu stared, his expression沉重无比: "The City Lord was originally a yang realm cultivator; her yang energy should far surpass her yin energy. But now, bearing so much yin energy, she's practically hanging by a thread!"

"What can be done?"

The paperman分身 shook its head: "I've secretly considered countless methods, all with little effect. The main reason is that the true form is near death; the approach cannot be too intense. The slightest imbalance could shatter this fragile state, causing instant death!"

"Yet if the methods aren't intense, how can they be effective against such a mountain and sea of yin tide?"

As if憋闷了太久 and finally having someone to confide in, the paperman分身 continued complaining: "All these years, for the sake of the city's大局, I've kept the true situation hidden, sealing the true form here."

"Out of necessity, I, this分身, have been impersonating the true form to handle certain situations."

Yang SanYan frowned deeply.

If the true form was in such a state, utterly unawakeable, how could a divine contract be signed?

Signing with just a分身 would greatly reduce its binding power.

"The sect's intelligence was correct."

"The current White Paper City Lord is an ambitious woman with a strong desire for control. Despite such difficult and dangerous circumstances, she refuses to relinquish her position, stubbornly persisting in secret all these years."

If this situation were leaked, the position of White Paper City Lord would inevitably face multiple challenges.

Her true form could hardly fight, making it easy for others to challenge and depose her.

Yang SanYan produced the divine contract: "City Lord, I never expected your situation to be so dire. If your true form cannot be awakened, signing this contract would make it difficult to establish even basic trust between us!"

"How should this problem be resolved?"

The paperman分身 wore a bitter expression, slowly shaking its head.

Wen Ruanyu suddenly said: "So that's why the City Lord has been recruiting so many male consorts."

"It's because the true form is昏迷; only by having others engage in dual cultivation, with the other party taking the lead, can yin and yang merge, alleviating the yin energy burden on the City Lord's true form."

"Moreover, yin-yang dual cultivation is profoundly mysterious, a great principle of heaven and earth. Even a sea of yin energy must obediently transform, rather than directly extinguishing it like floodwaters dousing a fire."

The paperman分身 added: "But unfortunately, I channeled the yin energy within me according to the formation to the藏阳别府,壮阳院, and other places. Even combined, the efforts of the many male consorts are but a drop in the bucket compared to the total yin energy, barely enough to maintain this near-death state."

"As for the Golden Swallow Fork's yang energy, it wasn't through dual cultivation and was mixed with demonic energy, entirely unsuitable for my true form."

"The reason it was displayed was merely to give everyone some hope, to keep their spirits up."

For a moment, Ning Zhuo's emotions surged.

He thought of Sun Tiesheng, who had ruined his own path because of this, forced to transform into a half-human, half-demon creature.

What would Sun Tiesheng feel if he heard these words?

Sun Tiesheng was already dead; Shen Bing and Chen Sui had also died because of the Golden Swallow Fork.

If they knew this was just a scheme set up by the City Lord, what would they think?

Even Zheng Shoumo had been fooled.

Because of the Golden Swallow Fork's认主, he had acted repeatedly, and due to his haste, revealed flaws, allowing Ning Zhuo to catch his tail.

However, speaking of which, Ning Zhuo had also contributed to this situation.

If not for his and Wen Ruanyu's designs, the Spirit Contract Treasure Refining Formation wouldn't have been established in the壮阳院 with such fanfare.

"What about Li Xiangshang?" Ning Zhuo's heart stirred.

Li Xiangshang was sent by the White-headed Dragon Lord.

"The White-headed Dragon Lord first sent Jin Yangzi, then added Li Xiangshang. How much does he know? What agreement does he have with the White Paper City Lord?"

"Could Li Xiangshang also be someone adding to the momentum, unaware of it himself?"

Thinking this, Ning Zhuo gained a new understanding of the bewildering situation in White Paper Immortal City.

The true大局 was the River of Forgetfulness Prefect's century-long conspiracy. Under the Heaven Ghost Transformation Tribulation Offering Ceremony, White Paper Immortal City had been designated as the blood sacrifice site.

"This information, my mother knew through the Gray Bone Elder, but she didn't inform the White Paper City Lord."

"Then, does the White Paper City Lord know about this?"

On the River of Forgetfulness Prefect's chessboard, the White Paper City Lord was a piece, and White Paper Immortal City was the prey he intended to strike.

On the White Paper City Lord's chessboard, the Golden Swallow Fork was her tool; the Mourning Music幽伶, Wen Ruanyu, and even Ning Zhuo were her pieces. Sun Tiesheng, Shen Bing, Chen Sui, and the many other male consorts were her弃子. Li Xiangshang was likely also a piece, but whether the White-headed Dragon Lord was one, Ning Zhuo couldn't determine.

"What is this mysterious organization? I'm not yet qualified to know. Only after joining the Myriad Forms Sect will there be future opportunities."

"The message left by my mother positioned me表面上 as a piece, but暗地里 with the potential to become a player."

"Yang SanYan wants the City Lord's true form to sign the divine contract; this is beneficial to me."

The White Paper City Lord had greatly supported Ning Zhuo, bestowing rewards generously, even funding the Green Scorch Army with open-handed magnanimity.

An ordinary person would have long been devoted, offering loyalty.

But Ning Zhuo was no ordinary person.

He saw the situation clearly and understood the White Paper City Lord's nature and character.

Therefore, he decisively chose to align with the Myriad Forms Sect.

"Is the White Paper City Lord an accomplice of Zheng Shoumo?"

"This question is crucial!"

"If she is, I absolutely won't risk getting involved in the Heaven Ghost Transformation Tribulation Offering Ceremony."

Because, according to Yang SanYan, Ning Zhuo's mother was likely assassinated by the mysterious organization. Thus, the level of the message left by Meng Yaoxin was below that of this mysterious organization.

It was even possible that the message she left had long been known by the mysterious organization, merely intentionally preserved.

Thinking this, Ning Zhuo had grasped the key to the present: "The City Lord's true form must be awakened."

With his mind made up, he acted decisively.

Immediately, he broke the silence: "Awakening the City Lord isn't actually difficult."

This single sentence instantly drew the attention of everyone present.

"You have a method?" Yang SanYan asked curiously.

Ning Zhuo cupped his hands, wearing a serious, solemn expression: "To inform you all, I have some knowledge of medicine. I have a technique that can precisely resolve the City Lord's current awkward situation."

Yang SanYan nodded decisively: "Then please, young brother, demonstrate this technique."

Wen Ruanyu looked on with expectation.

The paperman分身沉吟道: "That could work, but I must closely supervise the entire process."

"Naturally." Ning Zhuo smiled. "This medical technique of mine doesn't forbid observation by outsiders."

"Please." The paperman分身 gestured.

She manipulated the formation, causing the blackwater yin tide to support the true form, slowly raising it to the shaft wall edge.

Ning Zhuo stood before the City Lord's true form.

Up close, he realized the City Lord was very tall, almost nine chi.

He decisively reached out, approaching the City Lord's body.

When still three chi away, Ning Zhuo felt his hand as if being pricked by needles.

The yin energy stored within the City Lord's true form was truly terrifyingly abundant!

Any ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator would have long died. Only the White Paper City Lord, relying on her innate talent, could achieve such an exaggerated state.

Ning Zhuo wisely stopped, aligning his palm with the City Lord's true form, three chi apart.

The paperman分身, Yang SanYan, and Wen Ruanyu watched Ning Zhuo's actions without blinking.

Contrary to their expectations, Ning Zhuo didn't activate any medical technique but directly released a stream of yang energy from his palm.

The paperman分身 immediately showed disappointment.

She had thought Ning Zhuo would perform some mystical医术, but it was still the old routine of yin-yang dual cultivation.

"Ning Zhuo is merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator; his combat power is formidable, but after all, he's too young. How much yang energy could he possibly have?"

"Hmm?!"

The next moment, the paperman分身's expression changed.

She was astonished to see that once this stream of yang energy surged out, it didn't require Ning Zhuo to control it, nor him to主持双修; it directly entered the White Paper City Lord's true form, like a swallow returning to its nest.

In this process, the yang energy rapidly merged with the yin energy.

And this fusion was incredibly fast, incredibly efficient, practically perfect!

Noticing this, Yang SanYan and Wen Ruanyu also showed异色, viewing Ning Zhuo in a new light.

"How strange! What kind of technique is this? The refined yang energy is extremely close to the true form's own, almost as if it were the true form's itself!" the City Lord分身 exclaimed in amazement.

Wen Ruanyu nodded, praising: "Young friend Ning Zhuo, though his cultivation is low, his methods are extraordinary, repeatedly surprising people."

Yang SanYan: "Rather than calling it medicine, isn't it more like a dual cultivation method? I never expected you to be so skilled at dual cultivation, Ning Zhuo!"

"Ahem, ahem, ahem." Ning Zhuo coughed repeatedly. "How can this be considered dual cultivation?"

"Exchanging primal yang and primal yin is what counts as dual cultivation!"

"This level is merely me producing some cultivation resources for the City Lord to use."

"Senior Yang, I still plan to join the Myriad Forms Sect in the future. I'm still young, please don't ruin my reputation!"

Yang SanYan blinked: "Your technique is extremely profound! It seems capable of altering your own yang energy according to the target, making it perfectly compatible with someone."

"Remarkable!"

"If this were exposed, who knows how many female cultivators would want to cultivate with you."

Ning Zhuo coughed twice more: "This technique consumes my foundation, cannot be used indiscriminately, nor frequently. It's only due to the current迫不得已 situation that I'm using it. I hope all present will keep it secret for me!"

Yang SanYan: "I won't speak of it."

Wen Ruanyu: "A gentleman keeps his mouth shut."

The paperman分身 said: "Truly our city's savior. Young Lord Ning Zhuo, your methods are mystical, always beyond expectation. Ah, to have you expend your foundation like this, the reward will certainly not be small! I hope you'll exert more effort to save my true form, which is also saving the entire White Paper City."

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, pretending to exert all his strength.

He secretly activated the Demon Blood Tendon Art,调动自身血气, causing his complexion to rapidly turn pale.

In reality, the yang energy he emitted all came from the Yin-Yang Unity Gourd, essentially converted from the White Paper City Lord's own yin energy and had little to do with him.

After a moment, the White Paper City Lord's true form's eyelids twitched, slowly opening, her first gaze fixing on the big-headed youth who had been dual cultivating with her.

(End of )