The First Illustration, a Young Girl's Thoughts

The night was cool as water, and bright moonlight spilled across the courtyard.

Lu Yu and Little Fairy Doctor sat facing each other as the energy of heaven and earth flowed like thin streams, pouring endlessly into their bodies. About two hours later, the two opened their eyes at the same time, and the auras around them gradually settled.

"How do you feel?" Lu Yu asked softly, his gaze falling on Little Fairy Doctor's fair face.

Little Fairy Doctor let out a gentle breath, a soft smile rising at the corners of her lips. "Mm. That bottle of poison I swallowed back in the Monster Beast Mountain Range has now been completely refined..."

As she spoke, she suddenly noticed something strange in Lu Yu's expression. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Lu Yu pondered for a moment, then took out a Jade Slip from his robes that glowed with faint golden light. "This is a dual-cultivation technique called the Great Emperor Internal Scripture. I studied it carefully and found that its dual-cultivation method is quite profound. It's a technique that can continuously improve one's aptitude."

"What's even rarer is..."

His voice was steady as he continued explaining, "The Yin-Yang Qi derived from this technique is utterly pure and harmonious, able to merge with all methods in the world. No matter what technique one cultivates, this art can be practiced alongside it."

"You mean..."

Little Fairy Doctor's delicate brows drew together slightly as she spoke in confusion.

"We can try cultivating this technique."

Lu Yu's expression did not change as he said it with complete seriousness.

"Let me see it first..."

Little Fairy Doctor extended her slender, jade-like hand and asked Lu Yu for the technique Jade Slip. Lu Yu understood and gently placed the golden-glowing Jade Slip in her palm.

Little Fairy Doctor focused her mind and calmed her breath, slowly probing into the Jade Slip with her Soul power. As her understanding of the technique deepened, her fair cheeks gradually flushed red, even the tips of her ears turning scarlet.

"These... these dual-cultivation postures are too..."

Her voice trembled, and she was so embarrassed she could barely speak. The blush spread from her cheeks all the way down to her neck. "Too shameless..."

The vivid diagrams inside the Jade Slip lingered in her mind and would not fade. Little Fairy Doctor only felt her whole body growing hot, so embarrassed that even the roots of her ears turned pink. In her panic, she tried to close the Jade Slip, but her hands were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped it to the ground.

Lu Yu gave a light cough and explained gently, "Xian'er, the dual-cultivation diagrams recorded in this Great Emperor Internal Scripture... We can completely follow our own circumstances and gradually cultivate the first few diagrams step by step. They'll still have an effect. There's no need to force ourselves to comprehend all of them."

Hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor became even more bashful, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremor. "Those shameful postures count as a cultivation method too?"

Seeing her like this, Lu Yu felt a trace of amusement in his heart, but he did not dare let the slightest bit show on his face. He hurriedly soothed her. "Don't be anxious, Xian'er. Although this technique is... somewhat unusual, it can indeed help improve one's aptitude. We can take it step by step and try the gentlest first illustration. How about it?"

Little Fairy Doctor bit her lip and hesitated again and again. In the end, she could not resist her desire to increase her strength, nor her trust in Lu Yu, and replied softly, "Then... then let's try the first illustration first."

With that, she gave Lu Yu a light glance, then slowly took off her stockings, revealing a pair of crystal-clear, exquisite jade feet.

Seeing this, Lu Yu secretly let out a breath of relief. He removed his boots and adjusted his posture according to the diagram in the Jade Slip. Their palms pressed together, the soles of their feet touched, and their limbs naturally interlaced into a perfect cycle.

When his hands gently held Little Fairy Doctor's jade feet, that delicate, cream-like touch made his fingertips tremble slightly. Lu Yu took a deep breath, quickly reined in his mind, and focused on adjusting the angle of their postures.

"Mm..."

Little Fairy Doctor bit her lip lightly, her toes unconsciously curling a little as a faint blush spread over her snow-white neck. But seeing Lu Yu's focused expression, she could only force herself to calm down, though her long lashes kept quivering.

As their postures settled into place, the Dou Qi inside their bodies began to circulate on its own, and an indescribable tacit understanding flowed between them.

Little Fairy Doctor could clearly feel a warm, gentle current rising from her dantian and flowing through the meridians of her entire body like a spring breeze brushing past willows. The acupoints that had been blocked for years were actually opening one after another under the nourishment of this warm current. That unprecedented feeling of ease made her involuntarily let out a soft moan.

Time quietly flowed by in silence.

Once her mind cleared somewhat, Little Fairy Doctor suddenly realized how she had lost composure just now, and her ears instantly burned red with embarrassment, even her fingertips tinged with faint pink.

Lu Yu keenly sensed her awkwardness and stopped the cultivation at the right moment, saying gently, "Let's stop here for today. This dual-cultivation method has already shown initial results. We can continue step by step in the future."

Little Fairy Doctor remained silent, her long lashes trembling faintly in the candlelight. The even more shameful diagrams from the Great Emperor Internal Scripture flashed through her mind, and by instinct she wanted to refuse, but then she remembered the promise she had made when she first accepted the Great Pagoda Art—

Hadn't she already agreed to dual cultivation back then?

What was more... she quietly raised her eyes and looked at the young man before her, who had always treated her sincerely. Ever since they met, Lu Yu had never wronged her in the slightest. Whether it was precious medicinal pills or a mysterious technique like the Great Pagoda Art, he had always shared them with her without the slightest stinginess.

"I..." Her red lips parted slightly, her voice as fine as a mosquito's buzz. "I'll continue practicing it..." After saying that, she hurriedly lowered her head, afraid he would see her burning cheeks.

The next day.

At the entrance of the Barren Iron Mercenary Group's base.

Xiao Ding gripped Lu Yu's hands tightly, his eyes filled with reluctance. "Brother Lu, if you have the chance in the future, you must come back to Stone Desert City and visit us brothers."

Xiao Li, standing to the side, also stepped forward and rarely revealed a smile. "You'd better not forget us, kid. Next time you come, I'll treat you to the best strong liquor."

Lu Yu smiled and cupped his hands. "I will remember the kindness of you two elder brothers in my heart. If there's a chance in the future, I'll certainly come bother you again."

Little Fairy Doctor stood quietly beside the carriage, while Qing Lin carefully rode on the back of the Twin-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, her small hands gripping its scales tightly, both nervous and excited.

Hai Bodong had long since sat cross-legged inside the carriage, his fingertips rhythmically tapping his knees, his brows full of impatience.

"Let's go!"

Hai Bodong finally could not help urging them. "If you keep dawdling, we'll be sleeping out in the desert tonight!"

Lu Yu solemnly cupped his fists toward the Xiao brothers. "Two elder brothers, until we meet again." With that, he leapt neatly onto the carriage.

As the driver cracked his long whip, the convoy suddenly set off. Qing Lin cried out in surprise and quickly leaned down to hug the Fire Spirit Snake's neck. The giant snake stirred up rolling sand as it moved, keeping pace with the carriage.

Xiao Ding watched the group gradually travel farther away, his gaze lingering on that small figure riding the snake. "No wonder the Mo Family had designs on this girl..."

A cold glint flashed through Xiao Li's eyes as he sneered. "Big Brother, could it be you still haven't heard? The Mo Family is now a rat crossing the street. They were long since driven out of Salt City by the three great families working together."

He flicked his sleeve lightly with his fingertips, his tone carrying a measure of satisfaction. "Now, within the borders of Northeast Province, who would still dare bring up the Mo Family?"

Xiao Ding gently shook his head, a trace of emotion flashing through his eyes. "Back then, how glorious was the Mo Family? They controlled Salt City for decades, had the Cloud Mist Sect at their back, and even the imperial family had to give them some face. Now..."

He did not continue. He only looked at the sand rising in the distance and sighed softly. "In this world, strength is what matters in the end."