bookbashuk Chapter 8 A Lingering Pain in My Conscience
Chapter 8 A Lingering Pain in My Conscience
Once the thought popped into my head, I couldn't suppress it.
Lu Changgeng coughed lightly, and his water-form avatar cupped his hands and said, "Madam Teng, if that's the case, wouldn't that be letting me take advantage of you again? Well then, I won't hold back anymore, as I also have a return gift to give you."
"Oh?" Teng San Niang's vertical pupils brightened slightly.
"In my cave dwelling, there is a spiritual spring. The spring water contains the energy of the true fire of the sun, which is of great benefit to cultivators who practice the fire and wood elements. Since you are made of grass and wood, if you use the spiritual spring to temper your body, you may be able to cleanse the impurities in your meridians and make your magical power more refined."
Teng San Niang was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, thinking that he was going to introduce her to the immortal arts, but then she thought that was impossible, since they had only met once.
He then seemed to ponder what Lu Changgeng had said.
Having cultivated for a thousand years, she was well aware of the shortcomings in her own foundation—the spirits and monsters of plants and trees were inherently diverse, and the cultivation method she practiced was incomplete, so the purity of her magical power was far inferior to that of other demon cultivators of the same level.
If she were truly tempered by the true fire of the sun, it would be nothing short of a complete transformation for her.
However, the true fire energy of the sun is hard to find in the world, and it's not something this person could possess, so she wasn't entirely convinced.
"Is your statement true?"
"really."
"Then I will shamelessly trouble you."
Iron-Boned King, who was listening nearby, suddenly interjected in a gruff voice, "What about me? Can I get one too?"
Lu Changgeng remained silent for a moment.
It's not that it can't be done, it's that it's not feasible.
This Iron-Bone King is filled with the aura of a demon of metal and earth. He wouldn't be in any danger if he jumped into the spring, but he's a male demon, so don't even think about it; even thinking about it would be a sin.
Fortunately, he had prepared his explanation beforehand. His water-form avatar spoke slowly and deliberately: "Fellow Daoist Iron Bone cultivates the energies of metal and earth. My spring water contains the true fire of the sun, and fire overcomes metal. If you enter the spring, you will not only fail to purify your magical power, but you will also deplete the metal-evil energy within your body. Your wife is made of wood, and wood generates fire, which in turn generates earth, thus forming a cycle with your metal and earth energies. The benefits she gains from soaking in the spring will naturally benefit you when you cultivate together with her."
Iron Bone King grunted in disbelief and turned to look at Teng San Niang.
The latter then took over the conversation at the opportune moment, saying softly, "My lord, Fellow Daoist Quan is right. I will go and refine myself for a few days, and when I return, I will join you in seclusion, which will surely help you advance your cultivation further."
Iron Bone King reluctantly nodded: "Alright then, but I'll have to stay by your side and protect you."
"This..." Lu Changgeng was taken aback; he had forgotten about this.
If the Iron-Bone King were watching from the sidelines, what kind of situation would that be?
"What? You won't allow it? Do you have improper thoughts about my wife?" Tie Gu roared angrily.
"Fellow Daoist Iron Bone, you are overthinking it. I just didn't expect the two of you to be such a loving couple. In that case, please."
"When would be a convenient time?" Teng San Niang asked.
Lu Changgeng naturally wanted to hurry, so he replied, "If you two have nothing else to do, you can come with me now."
Teng San Niang pondered for a moment, then glanced at her husband and nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Lu Changgeng traveled with the Iron-Boned Couple, with Ziying holding the Earthly Fruit and resting on Lu Changgeng's shoulder.
Teng San Niang followed behind with two maids, while Tie Gu Da Wang trailed at the back of the procession with a displeased expression. The group headed towards Zhuo Gou Quan in a grand procession.
Along the way, Lu Changgeng chatted casually with Teng Sanniang while secretly pondering the matter.
He passively accepted the seven celestial maidens bathing in the spring, his purity and innocence evident. Now, he actively orchestrated a married woman's bathing, and his conscience is aching.
However, as painful as the conscience is, the pain in one's cultivation is even greater.
Fifty years of stagnation had driven him almost crazy. As long as he could break through to human form, what did this little knot in his conscience matter?
Besides, he's not going to do anything immoral or heinous.
It's just letting people take a bath; taking a bath doesn't violate any laws.
Yes, that's it.
He mentally prepared himself and quickened his pace.
By the Cleansing Spring, six spiders had been waiting impatiently.
Chixiao crawled restlessly back and forth on the stone by the spring, its eight legs scraping against the stone with a hissing sound.
Seeing Zi Ying return with her water-shaped incarnation, everyone rushed to greet her.
Ziying jumped down from Lu Changgeng's shoulder. This time she stopped shaking, but her eight legs still clung tightly to the Earthly Fruit. She whimpered intermittently, as if telling her sisters about the thrilling experience she had just had.
When the Iron-Bone King raised his hand to slap her, the patterns on Green Ivy's back suddenly lit up.
Standing by the spring, Teng San Niang's gaze swept over the spiders in the water, her vertical pupils slightly contracting. With her eyesight at the Concentration stage, she could naturally tell what was flowing through these seven spiders—genuine immortal techniques, definitely not some ordinary, unorthodox method.
She glanced back at the Iron Bone King, her eyes conveying a clear message: Now you know why I stopped you, right? The entity behind this spider is not someone we can afford to offend.
Iron Bone King was quite sensible; he sullenly squatted on a large rock a dozen feet away, hugging his injured left arm, his yellow eyes warily surveying the surroundings of the Cleansing Spring.
The wound on his arm had stopped bleeding. As a powerful demon of the Condensation Realm, his physical recovery ability was quite good, and new flesh was slowly spreading from the edge of the wound at a visible speed.
Lu Changgeng's water-form incarnation walked to the spring, sat cross-legged, and gestured to Teng Sanniang that she could soak in the spring.
He did not intend to communicate with Teng San Niang in the guise of Quan Ling. The water-form incarnation could be any identity, but the secret of Quan Ling must never be exposed.
Fortunately, he had already prepared his explanation along the way: he was just a rogue cultivator practicing by this Cleansing Spring, and his spiritual energy was compatible with the spring, allowing him to temper himself with the power of the spring water.
As for where his true identity is, it is not convenient to reveal. There are plenty of independent cultivators in Xiniu Hezhou, and everyone has their secrets.
Teng San Niang didn't ask any more questions.
Whether she's a rogue cultivator or a powerful demon, the fact that she can cultivate in this spring is what matters.
She bent down to test the water temperature. As soon as her fingertips touched the spring water, she felt a warm current spread from her fingertips to her meridians throughout her body. The wisp of mixed demonic energy in her body trembled slightly, as if it had encountered its nemesis.
"It truly possesses the aura of the sun's true fire!"
She sighed softly, no longer hesitating, and dipped her feet into the water while holding onto the stones by the spring.
She hadn't taken off her clothes; her dark green dress, soaked by the spring water, clung to her body, outlining her slender and supple curves.
When she stepped barefoot into the spring, a tingling warmth spread through her feet, as if countless tiny warm currents were climbing upwards along her meridians.
The spring water reached above her calves, then her knees, then her waist, until she was completely submerged, with only her shoulders and neck above the surface. Her vine-like hair floated on the water's surface, and the tiny white flowers at the tips of her hair, steamed by the water vapor, slowly bloomed.
"Well……"
Teng San Niang couldn't help but let out a soft moan; this feeling was so comfortable.
The true fire energy of the sun slowly seeped into her meridians, and the chaotic demonic energy accumulated over hundreds of years was gradually refined and purified. She could even clearly sense that the purity of her magical power was slowly increasing.
This is true tempering, not by devouring rare and precious materials, nor by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, but by improving one's physical constitution from the root.
The Iron-Bone King squatted on the big rock, his large, copper-bell-shaped eyes fixed on the lady in the spring, his expression softening slightly.
However, when his gaze turned to Lu Changgeng, he glared at him fiercely.
Lu Changgeng had no time to pay attention to him. He was currently studying the incomplete immortal technique given to him by Teng Sanniang on the way, while also sensing the condition of his body's Cleansing Spring to see if he could receive any benefits from Teng Sanniang.