The Third Layer of "The Phoenix Singing in Tianze"

"Double cultivation?"

As the words fell, the air grew subtly tense.

Creak, creak—

What was that sound?

Li Mo paused, glancing down to see Ying Bing gripping her Frostblade Sword so tightly it creaked.

Hmm.

If anyone else had said that, the sword would have already swung at them, right?

When he looked up again, he met Ying Bing’s scrutinizing gaze.

Li Mo: "!"

Was she... disgusted with him?

Blame those lecherous scoundrels in the martial world, always calling their yin-absorbing demonic techniques "double cultivation," making it easy for misunderstandings to arise.

"Practicing our sword techniques together counts as double cultivation too, doesn’t it?"

"This is proper martial arts," Li Mo added.

"What do you mean, proper or not?" Ying Bing tilted her head slightly in confusion.

She had actually been wondering which inheritance from the Eastern Wasteland Domain Li Mo had obtained.

How did it even include martial arts related to double cultivation?

After a moment of thought, Ying Bing murmured, "Martial arts like these place extremely high demands on both parties."

"We might not be able to practice it. Show it to me first."

"Alright."

Li Mo nodded, pulling out a few faintly golden pages from his robe.

Ying Bing sat at the stone table, resting Frostblade across her knees as she read. Gradually, a trace of surprise flickered in her expression.

She couldn’t discern the grade of the martial art.

"Well, I stumbled upon it by accident too."

"I’ll come to your room tonight."

"Huh?"

"Wasn’t it you who wanted to double cultivate?"

"..."

The ice block’s straightforward agreement was unexpected.

Li Mo couldn’t help but admire her—always decisive and unhesitant.

Speaking of double cultivation... could it be considered a kind of investment?

Leaving the martial arts manual behind, Li Mo noticed Shang Wu leaning against the back door, crooking a finger at him.

The meaning was clear:

"Come out and get beaten."

Li Mo sighed and stepped outside.

Only after he left did Ying Bing’s grip on the pages tighten slightly.

She wasn’t naive.

This was indeed a legitimate double cultivation technique.

But even legitimate ones were typically practiced between partners.

The Moon Palace strictly forbade disciples from romantic entanglements.

In her past life, many sect members had been caught by her precisely because they secretly practiced similar techniques.

Yet now, she was...

That strange feeling in her chest made her want to curl her fingers.

But if not for this excuse, she wouldn’t know how else to fulfill the punishment criteria.

After all, Li Mo wouldn’t drunkenly stumble into the wrong room every night...

It’s fine.

This was just to reclaim the top spot as soon as possible...

And to repay the favor she owed him...

Yes, that was all. Nothing more...

Besides, she could also figure out what kind of constitution Li Mo had to produce such bizarre internal energy.

With these thoughts in mind, Ying Bing lowered her head and studied the pages seriously.

......

Outside the courtyard.

Flames once again engulfed the open space.

Li Mo still found the domain uncomfortable, but he didn’t try burning it away with his internal energy this time—after all, staying inside tempered his qi.

Besides, if Shang Wu paid even a little attention and patched the gaps in time, his previous trick wouldn’t work again.

Looking up, he saw Shang Wu perched lazily on the wall, one leg crossed over the other.

"Today, I’ll still be teaching you how to fight."

"But what I’ll show you today is the real deal."

"Come on, make your move."

She crooked a finger.

Li Mo was surprised to see a hint of seriousness on his usually indifferent master’s face.

He steeled himself.

Alright.

Windshadow Steps first.

Then the Star Piercer.

Then get flicked away by his master’s finger.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, he moved.

But just as he thought everything would go as expected—

He met those fiery almond eyes.

Li Mo’s chest suddenly tightened as if struck by lightning, a divine mountain pressing down on him while he was nothing but a withered blade of grass beneath it.

Darkness swallowed his vision.

He died.

No, not truly.

But he had experienced death in its most vivid form.

That bone-chilling aura lingered in his consciousness even after he awoke.

"You woke up faster than I expected."

Shang Wu was still sitting on the wall, her legs swinging leisurely.

"Just now..."

"Sword practitioners have sword intent. Hammers aren’t just for smashing things."

Shang Wu hopped down.

"The killing intent of weapons?" Li Mo ventured.

"Not entirely."

The fire in Shang Wu’s eyes dimmed.

"You’re sitting on a treasure trove without even realizing it."

"Same as always—learn as we fight."

"..."

Li Mo fell silent.

Was he going to get knocked out all day again?

......

Night fell.

Another day of combat training came to an end.

"Now I know why Master never had disciples before."

"Anyone else would’ve had three-foot-tall weeds on their grave by next year."

Too exhausted to lift a finger, Li Mo sank his awareness into his dantian.

Admittedly, if one could endure Shang Wu’s training methods, the results were remarkable.

His internal energy had grown slightly stronger.

And that wasn’t even the main benefit.

If he fought his past self with comparable qi, he was confident he could win within ten moves.

Both his cultivation and combat skills had improved at an astonishing rate.

Another month or so, and he might reach the peak of Qi Condensation?

Dragging his weary body back into the courtyard, Li Mo saw the "Phoenix Cry Over Heavenly Marsh" manual he had given Ying Bing earlier lying untouched on the stone table.

Clearly, the ice block had read it and just tossed it there.

"Come to think of it, I haven’t even read it myself yet."

Li Mo reheated his meal and skimmed through the manual as he ate.

The martial art had no grade and was divided into four layers.

The first layer focused on the fusion of energies.

The second layer, the fusion of spirits.

The third layer... the unity of flesh and soul.

"Does ‘unity of flesh and soul’ mean..."

Li Mo fell silent briefly.

[Ten years of martial insights successfully integrated.]

[First year...]

......

Soon, the comprehension was complete.

Huh. Oddly enough, he grasped this thing pretty quickly.

Li Mo’s jaw slackened, his food forgotten.

This martial art could be practiced between people of the same gender, but the third layer was unattainable.

Because it required both cultivators to know each other... intimately.

Only then could their essence, energy, and spirit achieve a fleeting, perfect fusion.

Yikes...

Same gender wasn’t entirely impossible either... but that wasn’t the point!

Ying Bing hadn’t realized this part, had she?

"Li Mo."

A familiar voice came from upstairs.

Ying Bing stood by the window.

"Come up."

"Alright."

Li Mo climbed the stairs with no small amount of trepidation.

Creak—

Pushing the door open, he was met with Ying Bing’s cool, penetrating gaze.

Under her stare, Li Mo grew uneasy.

"How much of that double cultivation technique have you learned?"

"Just barely grasped the first layer. I was planning to work on the rest tomorrow—"

"Good. The first layer is enough."

Li Mo relaxed slightly.

Then, the familiar chill began radiating from Ying Bing.

In the darkness, the young woman patted the bedside, her voice icy.

"Take off your clothes. Come here."