Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual

For the next few days after returning home, Zhou Er waited for news from Gu Fan.

Of course, more than Gu Fan, Zhou Er cared about that Golden Cicada Slough.

These past few days, he had even dreamed of getting his hands on the slough.

After waking one morning, Zhou Er pondered for a while, then gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"To gain it would be my good fortune; to lose it would be my fate."

The good news, though, was that he learned that very day that Gu Fan was willing to be with him too.

"My niece Gu Fan is very pleased with you, and the Patriarch has said he'll witness your union."

Gu Jiu smiled as he spoke to Zhou Er.

Having brought about a happy match, he felt like the God of Marriage had descended to earth, and was naturally pleased as well.

"Brother Gu, does that mean I'll have to call you Uncle Jiu from now on?"

Zhou Er joked.

"It doesn't matter. We're already more than five degrees of kinship apart, so we can each go by our own seniority. I'll still call you Old Brother Cang. If you want to call me Uncle Jiu, that's fine too."

Gu Jiu laughed heartily.

Cultivators didn't rank people by age, but by the strength of their cultivation.

No matter how young a Foundation Establishment Expert was, he still outranked an old Qi Refining cultivator by a generation.

When an old Qi Refining cultivator met a young Foundation Establishment Expert, he still had to respectfully address him as Senior.

Zhou Er and Gu Jiu were both Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, so naturally they could treat each other as equals.

Of course, they were only joking for now.

Both sides were willing for Zhou Er to marry into the Gu Family. After meeting and getting to know each other, the matter was more or less settled.

Still, some details needed to be worked out, and it would take time to discuss them.

For example, the betrothal gifts for Zhou Er were an especially important part of the arrangement.

Zhou Er was currently at Late-stage Qi Refining, and he was young, so his betrothal gifts would naturally be more generous.

According to Gu Jiu's estimate, Gu Fan should be able to give him betrothal gifts worth about eight hundred Spirit Stones to support his cultivation.

Of course, there was a price.

From then on, he would become a son-in-law of the Gu Family. His children would have to bear the Gu surname, and he wouldn't be allowed to interfere in Gu Fan's property.

Zhou Er didn't care about any of that.

Children and grandchildren would find their own blessings. Making a big windfall was the best outcome for him.

Of course, whether he would have children and grandchildren at all was another matter.

Back when Zhou Er was in the Xiayun Sect and still Dao Companions with Lin Shiyu, he would see an option after every Yin-Yang Harmony.

He could pass his attributes on to his descendants. On the one hand, he didn't want to lose the attributes he had worked so hard to solidify; on the other, he was still young and his cultivation was shallow. He could barely take care of himself, so having children would only hold him back. That was why he hadn't had any.

Once his cultivation was higher, he wouldn't have to live in fear as he did now. Then, leaving behind one or two children to brighten up his dull life would be best.

For now, he was busy cultivating and making talismans every day, so he wouldn't consider it.

Gu Fan's parents and elders had passed away, so the Gu Family's current Patriarch had the final say. He settled the matter, setting the wedding date for a month later.

Over that month, Zhou Er made several trips between Fanhua Island and Bashui Immortal City, each time to grow closer to Gu Fan.

Gu Fan also came to Bashui Immortal City twice, and bought him a few things each time.

Gu Fan was generous, especially after the wedding date was set. She bought Zhou Er a more advanced set of talisman-making tools.

A Snow Fox Brush, a Longquan Inkstone, and a Fuxi-shaped paperweight.

Together, they must have cost close to a thousand Spirit Stones.

The Snow Fox Brush could also give Zhou Er a new attribute—or rather, upgrade an existing one.

[Snow Fox Brush: Made from the softest fur beneath the forelegs of a snow mountain spirit fox, it allows for fine, delicate strokes.]

[Equipped Attributes: Wondrous Brush (Green)]

[Wondrous Brush (Green): Increases the success rate of making second-tier talismans by thirty percent.]

[Solidification Condition: Successfully make one thousand second-tier talismans.]

[Equip?]

The Wondrous Brush attribute from the Snow Fox Brush took Zhou Er by surprise. The white Wondrous Brush had already been incredibly useful; now it could upgrade to a green attribute, which was a huge boost for him.

In theory, second-tier talismans weren't restricted to Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Even Qi Refining Cultivators could cast second-tier spells and draw second-tier talismans.

However, Qi Refining Cultivators had such weak Spiritual Sense that they could barely muster any force. They couldn't cope with complicated rune arrays, and learning second-tier spells was usually extremely difficult. Their success rate in making talismans was also very low.

Now that Zhou Er had the Wondrous Brush's boost, his starting success rate was thirty percent. No matter how you looked at it, that was enough to cover the costs, so he could give it a try.

It wasn't that Zhou Er was getting ahead of himself. He had already hit a bottleneck.

The income he could make from first-tier talismans had more or less reached its limit. No matter how much his cultivation improved, unless he reached Foundation Establishment, his earnings would stay at about the same level.

There was no way Zhou Er could increase his income by relying only on first-tier talismans.

After all, working the assembly line at an electronics factory wouldn't make you much money, even if you spun your arms until they smoked.

If he wanted to make real money, he had to produce something more advanced: second-tier talismans.

Second-tier talismans often sold for three or four Spirit Stones apiece, about ten times the price of first-tier ones, so their profit margins were naturally higher.

And a Second-tier Talisman Master had a status that a First-tier Talisman Master couldn't compare to.

Of course, making second-tier talismans wasn't simple.

First, he had to be able to cast second-tier spells. Then he had to learn advanced runes.

For Zhou Er, who had already mastered most first-tier runes, advanced runes weren't particularly difficult to learn.

However, he was busy with the wedding for now, so he would have to put off learning advanced runes until later.

Before he knew it, the wedding day had arrived.

Since this was Gu Fan's second time taking a Dao Companion, they didn't hold a grand ceremony. They invited only a few close friends and shared a meal at Zuichun Pavilion, a famous Spirit Restaurant in Bashui Immortal City.

The Gu Family's Patriarch, Gu Xingjian, witnessed their union, thereby accepting Zhou Er into the Gu Family as one of its members.

Gu Fan also owned a small house in Bashui Immortal City, which she had previously rented out.

She had taken it back a month earlier and furnished it as their new home.

They planned to stay in Bashui Immortal City for a few days before returning to Fanhua Island.

After the banquet ended, the two returned to their new home.

"Little Brother Er, do you know what comes next?"

Bathed in the glow of the red candles, Gu Fan smiled as she spoke.

Though they had spent a few days together over the past month, they hadn't yet done anything intimate.

Still, they had grown quite familiar with each other.

Gu Fan was very pleased with Zhou Er, a handsome young man, and when she teased him now, she was less dignified than usual.

"Sister Fan, I've never done this before. I really don't know what to do."

Zhou Er pretended to be innocent too.

"Then let's read this Dual Cultivation Technique!"

Gu Fan took a book from her Storage Ring. Five characters were written on the cover.

Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual.

[Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual: A proper Dual Cultivation Technique for Yin-Yang Harmony, intended to balance yin and yang and help both partners advance together.]

[Equipped Attributes: Yin-Yang Harmony.]

[Yin-Yang Harmony: Balances the yin and yang within the body.]

[Solidification Condition: Spend three hundred hours with a Dao Companion.]

[Equip?]

When Zhou Er saw Gu Fan bring out the textbook, he suppressed a laugh and looked it over with her.

They had barely read a couple of pages before they both heard the other's soft, ragged breathing. They were both lost in desire, and there was no need to read any further; instinct told them what to do next.

They breathed in the delicate fragrance of orchids and musk, their breaths growing ragged; gauzy silk fell away to reveal their skin...

The next day, Zhou Er woke with Gu Fan in his arms.

When he got up, he noticed a plum blossom on the bedsheet.

He was puzzled. Hadn't Gu Fan had a Dao Companion before?

How could this have happened?

Had he been too young and hurt Gu Fan?

"Sister Fan, I was too rough and impatient last night. You weren't hurt, were you?"

Zhou Er asked with concern.

"I'm fine."

Gu Fan nestled against Zhou Er like a little cat.

Only after they talked did Zhou Er learn that Gu Fan's previous wedding had taken place before she entered the bridal chamber. Her former Dao Companion had fallen into a lake and been eaten by the fish, so she had remained pure.

Gu Fan's purity made Zhou Er feel a little ashamed of himself.

Still, having lived two lives, he wouldn't dwell on something so trivial.

After they got dressed, Zhou Er thought of the Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual from the day before. It could still be of some use to him.

Yin-Yang Harmony would improve his cultivation state, so he said:

"Sister Fan, I haven't finished reading the Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual. Could you give it to me?"

Now that Gu Fan and Zhou Er had become Dao Companions, their bodies and hearts were one. She naturally wouldn't refuse such a small request. She took the Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual from her Storage Ring.

Zhou Er smiled as he studied it. When the time came to use it, he equipped it in his Equipment Slot.

Over the next few days, the two tried every position in the Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual. By then, it was about time to return to Fanhua Island.

Bai Zhuozhuo came to fetch them by boat. The two boarded the little boat and returned to Fanhua Island without a hitch.

Living on Fanhua Island would save Zhou Er the rent from now on.

It would be a bit of a hassle to travel between Fanhua Island and Bashui Immortal City, though.

But Gu Fan gave him her little boat. With the Magic Boat, he could reach Bashui Immortal City in half an hour.

In the future, he could bring a few more Storage Bags and stock up on more goods, making the trip once a month.

Perhaps it was the effect of the Yin-Yang Great Joy Manual. Just a few days after Gu Fan returned to Fanhua Island, she broke through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

Zhou Er was happy for her, but his mind was still turning over two matters.

The first was a Foundation Establishment Pill; the second was Gu Fan's late father's keepsake, that Golden Cicada Slough.

There was no need to rush for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Zhou Er cared more about the Golden Cicada Slough.

He and Gu Fan were newlyweds, and their relationship was going well. This wasn't the right time to bring it up.

Zhou Er could only set the matter aside for now and first get used to life on the island.

The island had a pleasant environment and several dozen fishermen and farmers. It was entirely self-sufficient, and life there was like living in seclusion. It was very relaxing.

Half a month passed, and Zhou Er and Gu Fan's relationship settled into a steady rhythm.

Cultivating together improved both their cultivation speeds.

Dual cultivation didn't provide benefits to both partners out of thin air. It worked by balancing their yin and yang.

Once their yin and yang were balanced, though, their cultivation naturally became twice as effective.

The two also discussed in detail whether they should have children.

"Neither of us has reached Foundation Establishment yet, so it wouldn't be wise to waste our time and energy on that now."

Gu Fan thought for a moment before speaking.

She hadn't considered having children before she turned thirty.

The years before thirty were the golden period for cultivation. Once that time had passed, cultivation would slow greatly.

After sixty, one could make no further progress; one's cultivation might even decline.

Most Foundation Establishment Cultivators reached Foundation Establishment around the age of thirty. Any later, and their chances became slim.

Those with exceptional talent could reach Foundation Establishment before thirty. They were all priority candidates for the Gu Family's training.

Given Zhou Er's circumstances, if he had several Foundation Establishment Pills to rely on, he would absolutely be able to reach Foundation Establishment before thirty.

But as an outsider, he couldn't possibly receive the family's full support.

Only if his children bore the Gu surname would they receive the family's attention.

As for Gu Fan, though her talent was somewhat lacking, with the resources her parents had left behind, she could at least reach the Qi Refining Tenth Layer before thirty.

One could attempt Foundation Establishment at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, so she might yet be able to make the attempt.

So even though she had taken a live-in son-in-law, she wasn't in a hurry to have an heir.

"I'll do whatever you think is best."

Zhou Er nodded. He didn't want children right now either.

In his previous life, he had looked after kids, and they were a handful.

If they had a child, he would have to spend most of his energy on it and wouldn't be able to focus on his cultivation.

Besides, children born after Foundation Establishment had a slightly higher chance of possessing a spiritual root than those born while their parents were at Qi Refining.

Many cultivators didn't deliberately have children for the sake of continuing the family line.

Usually, they only thought of having children once they reached a certain level of cultivation and hit a bottleneck.

"The only concern is that without an heir, if anything happens to me, the family will take back this island."

Gu Fan said with some worry.

She had seen many clan members lose their property to the family because they had failed to leave behind children with spiritual roots.

"Sister Fan, don't worry so much. With Sister Bai and me here, no one can hurt you."

Zhou Er put an arm around Gu Fan's shoulders and spoke.

"I believe you'll protect me."

Gu Fan nodded.

This was an important matter for them. Once they had resolved it, Zhou Er felt the time was right to bring up something else.

"Sister Fan, I want to try making second-tier talismans now, so I'll need to learn second-tier spells. Do you have any spells your father-in-law left behind?"

That was what Zhou Er planned to do next: study second-tier spells.

"My father was a Foundation Establishment sword cultivator, so he wasn't skilled in spells. But my mother did leave behind a few. I'll take you to look for them."

Gu Fan pulled Zhou Er by the hand and took him to look for her mother's belongings.

Both she and her mother had Water Attribute Spiritual Roots, and all the spells Mother Gu had left behind were Water Attribute spells.

Mother Gu had left behind several inheritances. One of them had been inscribed with Spiritual Sense onto a special jade scroll and had to be examined with Spiritual Sense.

Perhaps she had worried that her descendants might want to learn the spells early, so she had gone to the trouble of copying out several versions by hand—a thick stack of them.

The two most useful spells were the Water Mirror Technique and the Heavy Water Cage.

The Water Mirror Technique could conjure a mirror of water that absorbed incoming spells and reflected them back.

The Heavy Water Cage, meanwhile, created a small prison made of heavy water to restrain enemies.

Heavy water was much denser than ordinary water. It had to be refined in advance so it could be brought forth instantly when needed.

Both spells would be extremely useful to Zhou Er.

After weighing his options, Zhou Er decided to learn the Water Mirror Technique first.

He took a large stack of books recording the Water Mirror Technique, which he could study in his free time.

"Little Brother Er, if you want to practice the Water Mirror Technique, I happen to have an extra century-old Ningxi Pearl that can help you."

Gu Fan took a deep blue pearl from her Storage Bag and handed it to Zhou Er.

[Ningxi Pearl: A pearl formed when a tide shell absorbs the moonlight.]

[Equipped Attributes: Mystic Water Insight (White).]

[Mystic Water Insight (White): Increases aptitude for Water Attribute spells by 30%.]

[Solidification Condition: Master five Water Attribute spells.]

[Equip?]