Chapter 124: Wang Dong Breaks Through to Soul Elder
As their bond deepened, the rate of their joint cultivation skyrocketed—up to sixty times faster.
However, that boost mostly applied to Wang Dong. Ye Chen's cultivation required far more energy due to his higher realm, and even with the dense ambient soul power around them, his maximum acceleration barely reached fifteenfold. But that was more than enough.
...
After one full hour, Wang Dong's progress plateaued at mid-level 29. She'd need at least another hour to hit level 30.
"Ugh… so close, just one more step…"
Wang Dong sighed, feeling dissatisfied as she sensed her soul power still short of the breakthrough.
"Don't get distracted. Keep going," Ye Chen said firmly, giving her a light pat on the hip to refocus her.
"Ah… but I thought we could only train for one hour a day…" she stammered, cheeks flushing as she shifted slightly.
"This is different. You're almost there. I can push harder and pay the price for it if needed—what matters is that you reach level 30 as soon as possible."
Ye Chen's tone carried a hint of strain, feigning effort.
Of course, there was no real "price," but it wasn't something Wang Dong needed to know.
If she thought there was a cost to his help, she'd cherish the opportunity more—and push herself harder.
And indeed, hearing that, Wang Dong was overcome with emotion.
"Then maybe we should stop here for today. One more day won't hurt…" she murmured softly, teary-eyed with concern.
She didn't know what that "price" entailed, but from the look on his face, it must've been exhausting.
Well, Ye Chen was suffering—just not in the way she imagined. If not for that damn Tang San's divine restriction, he would have already taken this fortyfold cultivation session several steps further…
"Enough talk. Focus and keep cultivating."
He took a deep breath and squeezed her again, a signal she couldn't ignore.
"O-okay…"
Blushing, Wang Dong shut her eyes and resumed meditating.
But in her heart, she'd already decided—once they finished, she would take care of him properly. A massage, maybe two… he'd earned it.
And guilt tugged at her.
Ye Chen really did care about her deeply. She shouldn't have let jealousy get in the way.
Her heart softened.
...
With that shift in mindset, their resonance grew stronger. The acceleration rose again—to sixty-fivefold speed.
After another half hour of cultivation, Wang Dong's soul power burst forth like a surging tide.
Under Ye Chen's amplified resonance, she effortlessly shattered the barrier that had held her back.
In an instant—she reached level 30!
A true Soul Elder!
"Ye Chen! I—I did it! I reached level thirty!"
Her joy was radiant as she felt soul power coursing wildly through her veins.
"Good… that's my girl," Ye Chen said, collapsing back onto her bed with a tired sigh.
He was genuinely drained—both physically and mentally. Maybe next time, he thought, they should keep their clothes on while training.
"You okay, Ye Chen?"
Wang Dong practically pounced onto him, hovering over him with concern etched across her face.
She didn't know what kind of toll this had taken on him, but seeing his fatigue made her heart ache.
"I'm fine, just…"
Ye Chen leaned close and whispered something softly in her ear.
The next second, Wang Dong's face turned a bright shade of red.
"Y-You… you jerk!" she squeaked, swatting his arm in embarrassment.
Still, she got up, pulled a pair of stockings from her storage device, and slipped them on in silence.
...
Half an hour later.
Two discarded stockings lay on the floor.
Wang Dong had cleaned both herself and Ye Chen before slipping under the blanket, curling up tightly in his arms.
"Hmph, satisfied now?" she murmured, her voice soft but teasing.
Ye Chen smiled lazily. "My Dong'er is so considerate~"
"Remember that. You'd better treat me well from now on—no flirting around with other girls!" she muttered, cheeks puffed out adorably.
"Mm-hm…"
Ye Chen nodded absentmindedly.
"Really?" she asked, hopeful.
When she looked up, his eyes were closed already.
"…Over the line, Ye Chen. You're such a faker," she pouted—but deep down, she was happy. He might be evasive, but he hadn't brushed her off completely.
After a moment of quiet, something occurred to her.
"Oh, right! Now that I'm a Soul Elder, I think I'll ask for a short leave—go home for a few days so my family can help me acquire my third spirit ring. Ye Chen, do you want to come with me?"
Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she stared at him expectantly.
She wanted to introduce him to her family—to her uncles.
If her two great guardians saw his talent, they'd surely approve of him!
In fact, she could picture it already: them meeting Ye Chen, nodding in acceptance… maybe even treating it as an engagement!
"No."
Ye Chen suddenly opened his eyes and refused outright.
"What? Why not?" Wang Dong froze, her voice trembling, disappointment clouding her expression.
"It's not that," Ye Chen said dryly. "I'm just afraid your family might kill me."
"Kill you? Why would they—!?"
"Because from their perspective, this is basically early romance, and their precious daughter's been lured away by some bastard me." Ye Chen gave her an exasperated look.
He wasn't joking. Meeting her guardians—Dai Ming and Er Ming—was basically suicide.
Beyond that, he couldn't risk them mentioning anything to Tang San.
Ye Chen and Wang Dong's relationship was already stepping past what Tang San's divine consciousness would tolerate.
For now, Tang San was distracted by his own problems—still reeling from Ye Chen's continuous curses—and unlikely to take notice. But if her guardians reported anything unusual? That would shatter everything.
Absolutely not.
"Don't say that," Wang Dong huffed. "My family's really kind. With your talent, they'd definitely approve of you."
"I'm serious." Ye Chen grabbed her cheeks, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "You can't tell your family anything about me. Nothing. Especially not how your power's increased!"
He emphasized each word carefully. "If they ask, you keep quiet. Understand? And don't mention our training—ever."
"…Okay," she mumbled, shrinking slightly. "You're so scary when you get like this…"
It was the first time she'd seen him that serious.
"Ssh. This is important. Just listen to me. Once you reach a stable Soul Elder rank, I'll give you something better than that Butterfly Dagger, deal?"
"Really?"
"Really. I promise."
"Then it's a deal! You have to keep your word~"
"Yeah, yeah."
Ye Chen coaxed and reassured her until she nodded obediently, entirely forgetting her earlier frustration.
Normally Wang Dong would never blurt out secrets. But when it came to her guardians, Ye Chen couldn't risk it—either of them could accidentally trigger Tang San's awareness.
The pills, the cultivation, none of it mattered. What truly needed hiding was their closeness.
That was something he could never let Tang San discover.
(END CHAPTER)
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