Li Yundong abruptly felt Su Chan's Yin energy swell into something immense, like a colossal vortex actively drawing his Yang energy into her core.

A jolt of alarm shot through Li Yundong, and he instinctively resisted by controlling his breath. But this resistance immediately caused the two streams of Yin and Yang energy to become intricately intertwined.

The moment these two energies met, Li Yundong distinctly felt an unstable force rapidly expanding between him and Su Chan, like a steadily growing fireball perpetually on the verge of explosion.

A thought stirred in Li Yundong’s mind, quickly recalling a verse from Zhang Boduan’s Wuzhen Pian (Treatise on Understanding Reality): “Fire is born from wood, keeping its edge concealed; probe without understanding, do not attack by force. Calamity arises when one harms the self; one must subdue it by seeking the Metal Master. The Metal Master is inherently the son of the Eastern House, sent to dwell and be born in the Western Neighbor; recognize him, call him back to nurture at home, and arrange a marriage with the maiden of the house.”

This verse explained that one's Yang energy is originally stored within the body's Yin energy, and forcing cultivation without the proper method invites disaster, harming both oneself and others. To resolve this, one must find the secret to cultivating the Metal Body. That secret lay in the Yang energy the self lacked, which was held by the maiden of the Western Neighbor; meanwhile, the Yin energy that maiden lacked resided within him. By arranging a match between them, each could obtain what they needed.

Even though Li Yundong grasped the principle, he still couldn't fathom how to solve the current predicament where his primal Yang energy and Su Chan's primal Yin energy, if they clashed, would explode.

As Li Yundong worried internally, he suddenly overheard a few tourists walking by the edge of the training ground, chatting on the other side of the wall, laughing as they said, “Oh, you don’t need to be so polite just because I came out to play with you. Besides, it’s only right that I give you gifts—what’s mine is yours, isn’t it? We’re family, why be so formal?”

Though Li Yundong was currently attempting the minor dual cultivation of the Metal Body with Su Chan, his mind was calm, and his hearing spanned all directions. He heard the tourists' words clearly and was suddenly struck by an insight, instantly recalling another line from Zhang Boduan’s Wuzhen Pian: “When deploying, one must distinguish the left and right armies; allow the other to be the master, and I the guest.”

His and Su Chan's energies, despite the fundamental difference between Yin and Yang, were merely like the difference between a left hand and a right hand. Why differentiate between master and guest, or mine and yours? If she wished to absorb, then let her absorb.

With this realization, Li Yundong smiled slightly and released his control. His powerful and surging primal Yang energy immediately rushed towards Su Chan.

With no resistance from Li Yundong, the Yin and Yang energies ceased their entanglement, and his primal Yang energy naturally flowed into Su Chan’s body.

Su Chan, inherently a primal Yin body, felt a thrill shoot through her as a surge of powerful primal Yang energy flooded her primordial spirit body.

The intermingling of Yin and Yang is the supreme pleasure in the mortal world. Though Li Yundong and Su Chan were only engaging in the divine communion of the Metal Body, the moment their pure Yin and Yang energies merged without conflict, it was as if two young lovers, just discovering affection, nestled close, breathing in the scent of the other’s presence. Though lacking true physical ecstasy, it was an undercurrent of profound rapture.

For a moment, Su Chan felt a chill in her head and a sense of ethereal lightness, so blissful she could barely distinguish directions, desperately drawing in the robust primal Yang energy like a newborn infant crying for sustenance.

But after drawing for a while, Su Chan suddenly snapped back to alertness, crying out in alarm internally: Oh no, how could I have absorbed Yundong’s primal Yang energy? Damn it!

Horrified, Su Chan urgently wished to send Li Yundong’s primal Yang energy back immediately, but as her thought formed, Li Yundong seemed to sense her intention and spoke, “Don't rush. Follow the circulation path of the Great Heavenly Cycle; let my energy travel through your body once, and it will naturally return once it completes the circuit.”

Su Chan, still locked in lip-to-lip contact with Li Yundong, distinctly heard his voice echo in her mind. She was startled and widened her eyes, thinking: Is this the art of sound transmission?

Li Yundong chuckled, “Silly girl, we are currently engaging in the communion of the Yang Spirit, so we can sense what the other is thinking.”

Su Chan opened her eyes and glanced at Li Yundong, only to see him kissing her while his own eyes held a gentle smile watching her. The little girl’s heart immediately lit up, and she winked at Li Yundong.

Although the intersection of Yin and Yang energy was an extremely perilous act, where a slight misstep could lead both into deviation and madness—which is why Zhang Boduan cautioned later cultivators in his poem, “I urge you not to take the enemy lightly in battle, lest you lose the priceless treasure of my lineage”—yet, as their lips met and their eyes locked, they felt no danger at all, only a sense of playful mischief. They secretly delighted in their illicit joy while experiencing hidden rapture.

Unbeknownst to them, this very state perfectly aligned with the unrestrained, spontaneous state of mind cultivated by true practitioners. In that instant, their energies flowed through Su Chan’s Yang spirit body once without any friction.

When the energy completed its circuit and returned, Li Yundong distinctly felt that his own energy was now infused with a cool, profound Yin essence. Similarly, Su Chan felt a faint, almost imperceptible thread of primal Yang energy within her—like a barely visible ember appearing in a frozen cavern, while Li Yundong felt like a dry, scorching desert suddenly blessed with a stream of clear spring water.

They didn't know how long this state lasted before they reluctantly separated. Once their lips parted, they looked at each other, and Su Chan suddenly burst into laughter.

Li Yundong smiled, “What are you laughing at?”

Su Chan giggled, “The way you were staring at me with wide eyes while slurping just now—you looked so silly!”

Li Yundong laughed helplessly, “Is that so? A fool has a fool’s fortune! If not for that, I’m afraid the two of us would have been blown apart again!”

Su Chan looked at Li Yundong with undisguised admiration. “Yundong, you are incredible, self-taught! You figured it out without anyone instructing you!”

Li Yundong laughed and playfully winked at Su Chan, saying, “Man and woman—do things like this really require instruction?”

Su Chan tittered, “You’re naughty! This is the dual cultivation of the divine spirit in practice; you think just anyone can do it?”

Li Yundong looked at Su Chan with amusement. He noticed that her already beautiful features were now enhanced by a rosy flush, clearly benefiting from his primal Yang energy, which lent her overall aura a touch of seductive maturity.

Li Yundong couldn't help but recall the first time he met the young girl, sighing inwardly: If this little girl cultivates to the realm of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox… what will she look like then? What level of world-shattering beauty will she possess?

But as soon as this thought formed, he recalled Yan Fang’s challenge and interrogation during the Lotus Picking Assembly, spoken publicly: Whenever a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox appears, chaos erupts in the mortal world!

But if Su Chan cultivated to become a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, would chaos erupt then too?

Li Yundong was startled, pondering secretly: Is this a prophecy or a curse? Or perhaps just a fundamental law of the cultivation world? Does this mean my little girl should never reach the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox realm? Impossible. My dear girl is very obedient; she wouldn’t cause any trouble staying by my side. Even if she becomes a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, it will be fine.

Seeing Li Yundong suddenly sink into contemplation, silent, Su Chan couldn't help but ask, “Yundong, what are you thinking about?”

Li Yundong snapped back to the present and chuckled, “Nothing much. I just remembered when we talked about traveling all over the great rivers and mountains once our cultivation succeeded. We’ve succeeded now, don't you think we should go wander about?”

Su Chan was instantly overjoyed, but then hesitated slightly, saying, “But… what about Sister Zhou Qin and Sister Ziyuan? Should we just leave them behind?”

Li Yundong smiled, “We’ll go out in our Yang Spirit forms and be back quickly; it won’t take much time.”

Su Chan considered this, nodded with a radiant smile, and taking Li Yundong’s hand, the two instantly vanished from the spot.

Li Yundong and Su Chan soared into the air hand-in-hand. Su Chan leaned against Li Yundong’s side and said sweetly, “Yundong, where should we go for fun?”

Li Yundong thought for a moment and replied, “Wherever you want to go, we’ll go, okay?”

Su Chan batted her eyelashes, made a funny face at Li Yundong, and said playfully, “You stole my line! That’s what I was going to say!”

Li Yundong laughed happily, “Then let me think… where should we go? How about we visit the mountain where you used to cultivate? Will that be okay?”

Su Chan immediately shook her head like a rattle drum: “No way. I lived there too long as a child; I know every flower and blade of grass with my eyes closed. It’s dreadfully boring! Let’s go somewhere new, okay?”

Li Yundong considered again, “Then how about Mount Heng? It’s also a place rich in earthly essence and human spirit?”

Su Chan laughed, “Once you’ve seen the Five Great Mountains, no other mountain is worth seeing; once you’ve seen Mount Huang, no other peak is worth admiring! Yundong, didn’t we just go to Mount Huang?”

Li Yundong playfully chided, “You little girl are hard to please. We didn’t go to Mount Huang for sightseeing last time! How about we go to Mount Huang again?”

Su Chan quickly shook her head, “No, that place was too terrifying. Every time I go, I think of Xu Ling and all those cultivators who died on Tiandu Peak.”

Li Yundong spread his hands, “That won’t work, and that won’t work. You pick a place.”

Su Chan thought for a moment and said, “It would be best to go somewhere fun and exciting, okay?”

Seeing that although Su Chan was already a Seven-Tailed Divine Fox and her demeanor had matured slightly after the recent divine communion of the Metal Body, her girlish nature hadn’t faded, Li Yundong chuckled helplessly, “A fun and exciting place?”

Su Chan grinned playfully, “Yes, like an amusement park?”

Li Yundong was struck speechless, a mix of laughter and distress on his face, “Huh? We are considered great cultivators now, and we’re going to an amusement park? Are you serious? That’s a bit too childish, isn’t it?”

Su Chan pouted high, “How is it childish…”

Li Yundong pretended to think seriously for a moment, then suddenly announced, “Wait, I’ve got it!”

Su Chan’s eyes lit up, and she quickly pressed, “What is it?”

Li Yundong grinned, “A place that is both fun and exciting? Then there’s only one option!”

Su Chan grabbed Li Yundong’s hand and shook it repeatedly, “Tell me, tell me quickly!”

Li Yundong said with grave seriousness, “Mount Longhu!”

The little girl was so startled she nearly fell out of the sky. She stared blankly and stammered, “The ancestral court of the Zhengyi Sect, Mount Longhu? That—how is that fun?”

Li Yundong smiled ambiguously, “We were bullied too severely by the Zhengyi Sect in the past. Now, shouldn't we go find some amusement, play a game of hide-and-seek? Isn't that fun and exciting? My last trip when I struck Mount Longhu with lightning was quite thrilling!”

The little girl widened her eyes, and a spark of excitement gradually appeared in them. She clapped her hands and laughed, “Great! If you’re not scared, I’m not scared either! Let’s go to Mount Longhu right now!”

Li Yundong roared with laughter and waved his hand grandly, “Let’s go! Mobilize the troops and march on Mount Longhu!”