That evening, the inner council chamber was alive with whispers and restrained excitement. The elders gathered around Sect Master Yinxue, whose qi now radiated with the unmistakable depth of the mid-stage Soul Transformation Realm. Frost lotus patterns shimmered faintly across her robes, refusing to fade even hours after her breakthrough.
Elder Ziyue's voice trembled as she bowed deeply.
"Sect Master… this—this changes everything. If even you, whose foundation has already reached unimaginable heights, can break through so easily… then the Moon Lotus Codex is not just a scripture. It is destiny itself."
Another elder, her hands still shaking from the earlier surge of power, added quickly:
"With this… our disciples will catch up to the great sects of the Central Plains within years, not centuries! The seal-breaking… the coming war… perhaps we need not fear as we once did."
But Yinxue, calm even in her astonishment, lifted her hand. The elders quieted at once.
"Do not lose yourselves in excitement," she said softly. Her voice carried a quiet weight, more powerful now than before. "Yes, this breakthrough was real. Yes, it was without bottlenecks. But it is not my power that matters. It is the inheritance Senior Brother Haotian has left with us."
Her eyes lowered briefly, her hands curling into her sleeves.
"Without him, we would still be floundering in the dark. He has given us more than a scripture—he has given us the chance to endure the coming storm. But…" Her gaze hardened, frosted steel in her eyes. "…we must not grow complacent. Power without discipline will collapse upon itself. If our disciples do not cultivate their hearts, all of this will turn to dust."
The room fell silent. Her words struck true — the Moon Lotus Codex could carry them higher, but whether they could hold that height was another matter.
Ziyue lowered her gaze, murmuring softly:"…he has given us more than any man outside our sect ever has. And still, he asks for nothing in return."
Shuyue stood quietly at the side, her hands folded in her sleeves. Her eyes flickered briefly, conflicted. She said nothing.
Yinxue finally turned, her robes brushing softly against the jade floor.
"From this moment forward, our sect will rise faster than ever before. But we must temper this rise with clarity. Remember — the demon seal will not wait for us to stumble. Senior Brother Haotian has lit the path. It is our duty to walk it."
The elders bowed deeply.
"Yes, Sect Master."
Haotian's Perspective
Meanwhile, in a quiet chamber of the sect, Haotian sat at a desk, finishing the last strokes of a resource list for formations. His brush glided smoothly across the parchment, recording herbs, crystals, and rare ores needed to strengthen their defenses further.
A sudden tremor of qi washed over him. His brush paused mid-stroke. He lifted his head, eyes narrowing.
"…that surge… Yinxue."
A faint smile touched his lips as he set the brush aside. He leaned back slightly, his gaze turning thoughtful.
"She's already broken through again, and in less than a year." He exhaled, almost amused. "The Moon Lotus Codex is exceeding even my expectations."
He closed his eyes, extending his senses outward. He could feel the ripples of joy, astonishment, and reverence spreading through the sect. Disciples whispering his name, elders praising him, even Yinxue herself weighed down with gratitude.
Haotian rubbed his brow lightly, half weary, half content."…I only wanted to buy them time."
But deep in his chest, a quiet satisfaction warmed him. The Moon Lotus Codex was no longer theory, no longer test. It was living. Breathing. Transforming the sect before his eyes.
And for the first time in years, he allowed himself to close his eyes fully and rest, knowing that the Moon Lotus Sect was no longer fragile.
It was becoming a fortress.
The sect was quiet under the silver glow of the moon. Haotian sat in meditation, but his calm was broken by the faint creak of his chamber door.
He opened his eyes.
Elder Ziyue stepped inside, her aura noticeably stronger — proof she had just broken through with the Moon Lotus Codex. Her robes fluttered with traces of qi still settling, but her expression… her expression was conflicted, heavy, as though she carried a weight she could no longer hold.
She closed the door behind her. For a long moment, she only looked at him. Then she bowed slightly, her voice low.
"…thank you."
Haotian's brows softened. "So, you've broken through."
"Yes," she admitted, her eyes lowering. "Because of you. Because of all that you've given this sect. For the disciples. For the Sect Master. For me." Her lips trembled, but then she lifted her gaze, forcing the words out. "But Haotian… I cannot just thank you as an elder thanks a guest. I don't want to."
Haotian's breath stilled. "Ziyue…"
She stepped closer, her voice shaking but firm.
"I want more than your kindness, more than your guidance. I want you. Not as Senior Brother Haotian of the Moon Lotus Sect. Not as the man who saved us. I want to be with you — to be yours."
The air between them tightened, her words sinking like molten iron into the silence.
Haotian's chest tightened. He could see her trembling hands hidden in her sleeves, the flush rising on her pale face, and the raw courage it took to break every restraint of pride and position.
"You know what you ask," he said quietly. "You know the burdens I already carry."
Ziyue's lips curved into the faintest, bitter smile.
"I know. And I don't care. Even if it's selfish. Even if I must share you with others… even if it destroys me. I cannot seal my heart any longer."
Her voice cracked on the last words. Before he could reply, she bowed — low, trembling — then turned and left the chamber, robes trailing like frost behind her.
Haotian remained frozen, staring after her. His heart stirred painfully.
Haotian's Contemplation
The night stretched long.
Haotian stood by the window, staring at the moon above the snowbound peaks. Ziyue's words repeated in his mind, colliding with another voice — Lianhua's:
"If you have to, dual cultivate with them. I will allow that much… for the sake of the world."
He exhaled slowly, his hand tightening against the sill. Ziyue's confession had cracked something inside him — her plea, her trembling voice, her unflinching honesty.
She wanted to be with him. Not just in duty, not just in cultivation, but as a woman.
He thought of the seal at the sea bridge, the three years they had left, the endless demands of the world on his shoulders. And in that weight, the memory of Lianhua's sacrifice and understanding echoed once more.
Finally, his gaze hardened. A decision formed.
That night, under the pale moonlight, Haotian walked across the sect's quiet paths to Elder Ziyue's chambers. His steps were steady, though his heart carried the weight of choice.
In his hand was a scroll — the Union of Dual Souls Sutra.
He paused at her door, the cold air brushing against him. For a moment, he simply stood there, listening to the silence inside. Then he lifted his hand and knocked gently.
"Ziyue," he called softly. "It's me."
The knock echoed softly, and after a heartbeat of silence, the door opened.
Elder Ziyue stood there, her hair unbound, cascading like black silk across her shoulders. Her eyes widened as she saw Haotian standing tall in the moonlight, a faint smile resting on his lips, his princely aura radiating with quiet authority and warmth.
"Haotian…" she whispered, breath catching in her throat.
"May I come in?"
Her heart pounded, but she nodded quickly, stepping aside. Haotian crossed the threshold, his presence filling the chamber as the door closed behind him with a muted click.
Ziyue's room was simple, yet feminine. A makeup table rested near the window, delicate hair ornaments neatly arranged upon it, their jeweled surfaces catching the moonlight. Against one wall sat a round table with a pair of chairs, scattered with books and scrolls she had been studying. At the heart of the chamber stood a large decorated bed, veiled by translucent curtains tied neatly to its posts, soft light spilling across the embroidered covers.
Ziyue stood near the bed, her hands twisting lightly in her sleeves, her composure faltering under the weight of his gaze.
She lowered her head, cheeks faintly flushed.
"D-do you… need anything?" she asked softly, her voice unsteady.
Haotian stepped forward in one smooth motion and pulled her into his arms.
Ziyue stiffened in shock, eyes wide — but then, slowly, she melted into his embrace, her head resting against his chest. His warmth enveloped her, steady and firm. She closed her eyes, letting herself breathe him in, a small shiver running down her spine.
After a moment, she pulled back slightly, her lips curving into the faintest, trembling smile. "So… you…"
Haotian met her eyes, his expression calm but resolute.
"Yes. I accept your feelings."
Her heart skipped a beat. She trembled faintly, tears threatening the corners of her eyes, but she bit them back and smiled.
Haotian then lifted the scroll in his hand, unfurling it slightly. The golden characters of ancient runes shimmered faintly on its surface, pulsing with the rhythm of yin and yang.
"This," he said, "is the Union of Dual Souls Sutra. It is a dual cultivation art — one that merges yin and yang through intimacy, binding not only bodies but souls. I have cultivated it before… with Lianhua. It is why, together, we reached the peak of Soul Transformation Realm so quickly."
Ziyue's breath caught. Her eyes lingered on the scroll, then returned to him. "So that is your secret…" she whispered, awe mixing with longing.
Haotian nodded. His gaze softened as he continued, his voice deep and steady.
"This sutra is powerful, but it is not something to enter lightly. Each cycle brings extreme pleasure — threefold what one would normally feel. And each climax strengthens the merging flow of chi. With our physiques, with the Codex as foundation, it will accelerate your cultivation beyond any ordinary path. But more than that… it requires trust. Complete trust."
Ziyue's hands trembled as she reached forward, gently brushing her fingers across the scroll, her heart pounding like a war drum. She lifted her gaze, her eyes glistening.
"Haotian…" she whispered, voice fragile yet firm. "…then tonight… let me entrust everything to you."
Haotian closed the scroll, setting it aside. His hand rose to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. She leaned into his touch, her lips parting softly as her breath trembled.
The air between them thickened, charged with both emotion and chi.
Haotian whispered one last time, as though sealing a vow:
"Then let us begin."
The glow of golden and blue threads filled the chamber, weaving into rainbow light as the sutra deepened its pull. Each cycle drove them further, both in spirit and body.
Haotian pressed closer, his breath warm against Ziyue's ear. She gasped, her hands clutching at his shoulders as her body shuddered under the tide of merging chi. Her cries spilled freely, each one trembling with bliss.
"Mnnn—ahh… Haotian… it's too much…!"
He steadied her with strong hands at her waist, guiding her movements as the flow of energy intensified. When her strength faltered, he shifted her, pressing her beneath him, anchoring her body against the silken sheets. His eyes burned with calm intensity as the sutra drew their chi together in radiant bursts.
Ziyue clung to him, her nails tracing his back. "Don't stop… please, don't stop…!"
At the next cycle, he shifted again, rolling so that she straddled him. She gasped, startled, her hair spilling down like a curtain around their faces. Her hands pressed to his chest, trembling as she adjusted.
"Haotian… I… I can feel it even deeper now…" she moaned, her body shivering as another wave tore through her.
Haotian's hands rose to anchor her, one firm on her waist, the other steadying her shoulder. Each time she trembled, he guided her balance, letting her lean into him as the sutra demanded more. The threads of gold and blue entwined tighter, glowing brighter with each cycle.
"Don't fall," he murmured against her cheek, voice low but steady.
"I won't," she gasped, her face burning with both embarrassment and ecstasy. "Not as long as you hold me…"
The cycles rolled onward — 10, 15, 20. Each climax sent Ziyue crying out, her voice hoarse yet desperate. She moved with him now, no longer hesitant, every shift and press of their bodies fueling the chi flow further.
By the twentieth cycle, Ziyue's body was no longer beneath him — she was above, straddling Haotian as the sutra drew them deeper into each other's essence.
Her palms pressed against his chest, her nails leaving faint crescents on his skin as her head whipped back, her dark hair spilling like silk behind her. Her body arched, trembling violently as another wave of ecstasy tore through her.
"Ahhh—! H-Haotian!" she cried, her voice cracking as her moans echoed through the chamber.
Haotian's hands gripped her firmly at the waist, anchoring her movements, steadying her trembling form. He controlled her pace, guiding her descent and ascent so the chi flow did not break its rhythm. Each time she came down, the golden and blue threads flared brilliantly, rainbow sparks exploding outward.
Her cries grew louder, raw with both pleasure and surrender. Every motion sent her further into bliss, every merging cycle unraveling more of her composure until she was nothing but moans and tears.
Then — it struck.
A violent shudder tore through her body, her eyes flying wide as her sea of consciousness expanded outward. A burst of light and sound erupted from her core, exploding into a shockwave of yin chi that rippled through the chamber, rattling the very bedposts.
"Ahhhh—!" Ziyue screamed, her entire body convulsing as her aura surged.
Haotian's eyes flickered in recognition. She's breaking through.
Her aura flared wildly, the threads of chi fusing into a blinding spiral. In the next breath, her cultivation surged past its bottleneck. Her spiritual sea expanded, stabilizing at a new height. The resonance of her soul rang out like a bell in the night.
She had stepped into the initial stage of the Soul Transformation Realm.
"Haotian—! I… I broke through—!" she gasped, tears streaming down her cheeks, her voice filled with disbelief and joy.
But even as she trembled from the breakthrough, the sutra demanded more. The threads had not completed their cycles, and her body, drunk on ecstasy and power, moved again.
"Please—ahhh—don't stop—!" she begged, riding the rhythm he set, her moans louder now, echoing with both cultivation and pleasure.
Haotian kept his grip steady on her waist, his voice low but firm. "Then don't hold back. Let the Sutra guide you."
And she did.
They continued, cycle after cycle, her body arching above him, her cries growing more desperate with every descent. Each wave sent her aura spiraling higher, her consciousness quivering on the edge of collapse.
By the time the fortieth cycle came, Ziyue's strength was gone. She collapsed forward against his chest, her tears dampening his skin, her voice broken into hoarse whispers.
"Haotian… never stop… please… never stop…"
Her aura burned brighter than ever, the proof of her breakthrough shimmering in the rainbow glow around them. Yet in his arms, she was nothing but a trembling woman, her body surrendered, her soul bound to his through the Union of Dual Souls Sutra.
The pale morning light seeped gently through the curtains, scattering across the quiet chamber. Ziyue stirred first, her lashes trembling before her eyes opened.
Her cheek rested on the solid warmth of Haotian's chest. His arm was still looped protectively around her waist, holding her as though the night had not ended. For a breath, she lay still — then memory crashed back.
The heat of his embrace. Her own moans echoing against the chamber walls. The way her body trembled as rainbow threads of chi wrapped around them both. The Sutra dragging her into cycle after cycle until she could no longer think, only cry his name.
Her face flamed red. I… I really gave myself to him…
And then she felt it — the quiet hum of her cultivation. She gasped softly, focusing inward.
Only yesterday morning, in the bathhouse, she had broken through from late Nascent to peak Nascent Realm, astonishing even herself with the Codex's speed. Yet now — after last night — her aura was vast and stable, her spiritual sea stretched wider than ever.
She had leapt again — to the Initial Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm.
Her heart trembled. Two breakthroughs in two days… it's unthinkable. But with him…
She recalled the exact moment: straddling him, her head whipping back as pleasure and chi fused into one, the shockwave bursting from her core while Haotian's hands anchored her hips. Her voice breaking into screams as the realm shattered and rebuilt within her.
Her blush deepened furiously. I was so loud… so shameless… and yet he never faltered. He held me steady through all of it.
The chest beneath her shifted. Haotian stirred, his breath deepening as his eyes slowly opened. When he saw her flustered face, his lips curved into a gentle smile.
"Ziyue," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep, "you're awake."
She lowered her gaze at once, unable to meet his eyes, her voice small.
His hand brushed softly along her back, steady and warm. "How do you feel?"
Her blush only worsened. After a pause, she whispered faintly, "…Sore."
Haotian chuckled low, the sound rumbling beneath her cheek. "Expected. You endured the Sutra's full cycles. But…" he tilted his head, his tone softening, "…you also broke through."
Ziyue's eyes flickered up at him, shining with both disbelief and gratitude. She nodded faintly, pressing her cheek back against his chest to hide her blush.
For the first time in years, she felt completely unsealed — no wall of restraint, no cold detachment, only the warmth of his arms, the memory of her cries, and the undeniable truth that he had changed her path forever
Silence lingered after Haotian's words. Ziyue lay against him, her cheek pressed to his chest, her thoughts in turmoil. The warmth of his arm around her waist made her feel safe — yet it also made her heart ache with something she could no longer suppress.
She lifted her head slightly, her eyes shimmering with uncertainty. Her lips parted, but the words caught in her throat. Haotian looked down at her, his expression calm and steady.
"Ziyue," he said softly, "you're trembling."
Her breath shook. She closed her eyes for a moment, then whispered, voice breaking:"…I don't want to just thank you anymore. I… I want to belong to you. Not as Elder Ziyue of the sect, not as a disciple who owes you for what you've given… but as myself."
Her cheeks burned red, but she forced herself to continue."I want to be with you, Haotian. Truly. Even if it's selfish. Even if it's only a part of you that I can have… let me stay by your side."
Haotian's eyes softened. He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her flushed face. For a moment he didn't answer — and Ziyue's heart clenched in fear — until his hand cupped her cheek.
"You already are by my side," he said gently. "Last night proved that. But Ziyue… you know my path is heavy. My heart belongs to Lianhua, and my family is waiting for me."
Her eyes glistened with pain, but she nodded faintly. She had expected this.
Yet his thumb lingered against her cheek, and his voice softened further."But if you wish to stay with me… if this bond is what you truly desire… then I won't reject you."
Her breath hitched. Tears welled as relief and joy broke through. She leaned into his hand, nodding quickly before pressing her forehead against his chest."…Then I'll endure. As long as I can remain yours, even like this, it's enough."
Haotian held her quietly, no more words between them — but the air itself was heavy with what had been spoken.
The Chambers Open
By late morning, the two finally dressed and prepared to leave.
Ziyue fussed with her hair in the mirror, cheeks still flushed, before glancing at Haotian. "Don't smile like that when we step out," she muttered. "They'll… they'll know."
Haotian chuckled. "You're glowing brighter than a spirit crystal. They'll know regardless."
She swatted his arm, flustered, but his laughter only deepened.
When the chamber door slid open, the crisp air of the sect greeted them — along with startled voices. A few disciples, passing by, froze on the spot. Their eyes widened as they saw Elder Ziyue stepping out with Haotian beside her.
"E-Elder Ziyue… Senior Brother Haotian…" one stammered, bowing quickly, their faces red.
But it wasn't just her presence with him. It was the aura. Ziyue's body radiated fresh power, her chi refined and luminous, the unmistakable aura of the Soul Transformation Realm.
A stir rippled through the disciples. Just yesterday, reports had spread that Elder Ziyue broke through to peak Nascent Realm during cultivation in the bathhouse. Yet now… her cultivation was leagues beyond.
Then, Sect Master Yinxue arrived, drawn by the commotion. Her eyes immediately locked onto Ziyue. The aura surrounding her left no doubt.
"…Ziyue," Yinxue said slowly, astonishment flickering in her gaze, "you've broken through… again."
Ziyue froze, her face flushing. The disciples whispered amongst themselves, their gazes darting between her and Haotian.
Haotian's calm voice broke the tension. "Sect Master, it seems Ziyue's foundation was more solid than expected. With the right guidance… she managed to cross her bottleneck in one night."
Yinxue's eyes narrowed briefly, suspicion stirring — but she said nothing. Instead, she offered a small, knowing smile."…Then congratulations, Ziyue. The sect grows stronger by the day."
Ziyue bowed quickly, trying to hide her blush. But as she rose, her eyes flickered sideways to Haotian — and she knew from the faint curve of his lips that he was silently amused.
Her heart pounded. She was glowing, and everyone could see it.