The Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 1591 - Battle with the Juxtapose Phoenix, Qing Shui's Departure

Yiye Jiange chuckled. "I don't mind."

Yiye Jiange smiled while she said those words but not because she didn't care about Qing Shui. Rather, she knew that some things were out of her control. Since she had chosen him, she would accept everything about him, including his women.

She had basic knowledge about all the women by Qing Shui's side. All of them were stunning and were chosen from millions of others. They were all outstanding, but like all these women who were willing to commit to him, wasn't she the same as well?

Qing Shui could sense Yiye Jiange's emotions from the side and felt a wave of guilt, but there was nothing he could do except send an apologetic look her way.

Yiye Jiange reciprocated with a smile. "Just be yourself. If either of you forsakes the other after this, then they'd have left the other's side anyways. Since it's like this, it just means you've been chosen for who you are."

"To be able to marry you is my reward for eighteen generations of virtue. God has bestowed you to me in this life." Qing Shui said with delight.

"Alright, I wasn't serious about it so both of you don't have to get all mushy on me. Can you consider my feelings too?!" Muyun Qingge spoke up. What she really felt, even she wasn't sure.

"What are both your plans in the near future?" Qing Shui asked, indicating that he was planning on making his departure soon.

"You're planning on leaving already?" Muyun Qingge stated softly while Yiye Jiange remained quiet. Qing Shui had once invited her to leave with him but after much consideration, she decided to stay. She still felt that this was the right choice.

"Mm, perhaps in the next three to five days. Will the Sea King's Palace be expanding in this area? If you're staying here, it'll be easier for me to come back. Oh, that reminds me, you can shift the Sea King's Palace a little to the South—it should be better there than here. Or maybe just build a palace in that area and you can both stay there." Qing Shui said after some thought. He was referring to where the Jade Kirin Dragon Vessel was.

If the two women stayed there, not only was it full of spiritual Qi, but also it'd also be easier for him to locate Yiye Jiange.

"You've found somewhere good?" Yiye Jiange laughed. The two women were both intelligent and could tell that much between the lines of Qing Shui's response.

"I stumbled into a water tunnel previously, and it turned out to be a former Divine Cave. There's ample spiritual Qi there; if either of you stay in there for a period of time, I'm sure it'll be beneficial."

Qing Shui had planned to go into the spiritual cave on his own. With the long period of vacancy, the accumulated spiritual Qi was exceptionally dense.

"You should go instead. Once your might gets stronger, the Sea King's Palace will likewise be safe." Muyun Qingge said with a smile.

"The spiritual Qi there won't be exhausted by just one or two people. It's a spiritual cave and the spiritual pulse should be decent. Its location is concealed too; I had set a formation there. I'll tell you how to go there now. Even if you don't expand your territory, you can still cultivate there." Qing Shui said with a shake of his head. The spiritual Qi there really wouldn't be much use for him. Compared to the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, the latter was much better in terms of returns for the time spent. A day spent in the Divine Cave would be equivalent to ten days outside.

The two women didn't stand on ceremony any further and Qing Shui likewise taught them about the formation before bringing them to their destination.

Once they arrived, Qing Shui smiled at the surrounding mountains. "Building the Sea King's Palace here won't be too bad either. The mountain range here is overflowing with immortal Qi."

"I did think about it. Since it was a Divine who built this, then there must be something special about it." Muyun Qingge said seriously.

She smiled towards Yiye Jiange when she was done. "What do you think, Jiange?"

"It's pretty good since the Sea King's Palace needs to expand its power anyway and it isn't too far away. Regardless of location or other conditions, it's a decent spot." Yiye Jiange scrutinized their surroundings before replying.

"Alright, that's a deal then. We'll build a small palace here and conceal this cave within it. Thereafter, we'll begin expanding out gradually. For now, let's live here with a few others."

Talking as they walked, the two women managed to get into the formation without a hitch. Going through the concealed boundary, they let out an uncontrollable moan just like Qing Shui did upon his discovery. They covered their mouths in haste before flashing shy smiles at Qing Shui.

The soft moan that was caused by a surge of refreshing comfort had Qing Shui's blood pumping. Qing Shui had heard it numerous of times from Yiye Jiange but she was still shy, shooting an annoyed glance at him.

Muyun Qingge swept a glance with her flushed face at Qing Shui but soon enough began measuring up their surroundings.

"This is the cave of the Jade Kirin Dragon Vessel—there's a statue of him inside. There should be some spiritual sense left behind by him downstairs. Although it isn't huge, it isn't tiny in here either; there should be enough space. You won't even have to clean up this spiritual cave—with such overwhelming influx of spiritual Qi, the atmosphere will be cleansed accordingly."

There were a few partitions in this place that Qing Shui found during his previous visit. These should be rooms for the people who were staying here to cultivate. Qing Shui had planned to stay here with the women for a few days to teach them a few formations and while he was at it, a new set of combat skills that he just learned as well.

Juxtapose Phoenix!

The names of both the Phoenix and Kirin were androgynous, when in actual fact, there was a male and female gender for both creatures. This combat skill was the latest technique of the Phoenix, and it was meant for two people to complete.

It was a combat skill designed for a husband and wife pair, but the technique didn't make this a requirement. As long as it was used between a pair of people within a certain distance, they would be able to increase their strength by 10%.

However, if they were husband and wife, it would be increased by 20% and even more if they were of one mind—there wasn't an exact gauge as to how much it could increase by.

"If you could stay with Jiange, then your strength would have increased by a substantial amount—it's a pity you can't." Muyun Qingge said regretfully.

"Actually, it's pretty tough to master the skill, tougher than you'd expect. Even if you're husband and wife, you might only see an increase of 20%, which is why there are many who don't dare to." Qing Shui smiled.

"Why not? Who knows... they might be able to increase by 50% in their strength if they're as one."

"It'd be great if they were of one mind, but there aren't many instances of those in this world. The standards for being of one mind are high: to share the same ideals, to have a love tougher than gold, with alignment in perspective towards life, as well as strength, sentiments towards each other, hobbies, sense of good and evil, judgement and plans for the future… So, it'll be better if the both of you learn this instead, even if you don't increase your strength by too much."

Qing Shui's last sentence had incurred the wrath of the two women who wanted nothing more than to give him a beating. If the two of them got to the point where they were of one mind, then Qing Shui might just cry. Of course, the chance of this was near zero and he was merely joking.

It wasn't difficult to learn, as it was just a technique like any other. The only exception was that they could only use it if they were both in battle together, but at that point, they could unleash it easily.

Qing Shui hadn't mentioned this, but he had never planned to learn this with his women. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that he never planned to use this at all because the technique would only work best between just one pair of husband and wife.

It wasn't an absolute waste though and so Qing Shui kept the skill, planning to teach it to friends or relatives who would need it.

Yiye Jiange was deep in thought when she looked towards Qing Shui. She realized they were still connected by their heart and soul, but it was a pity that the man she loved would never be tied down by just one woman. Even an outstanding woman would be attracted to him like a moth to a flame without hesitation, even after knowing he had other women by his side. She was one of them and it wasn't like she wanted repayment in gratitude—there wasn't such a thing left between them. As long as either of them was reluctant, then neither would force the other.

There were a lot of formations that Qing Shui knew. On the other hand, the two women didn't have an exceptional talent for using them. Still, they weren't terrible at it and could even be considered superior to normal people. During the next few days, Qing Shui taught them quite a number of formations, mainly those that were simpler and could be layered. This way, even if Qing Shui wasn't with them, they could research after understanding the logic behind them and create their own formations.

With a blink of an eye, several days passed and it was time for Qing Shui to go. Yiye Jiange couldn't bear to see him leave and ended up sending Qing Shui off for thousands of miles before hugging him tightly, unwilling to let go.

"Why don't you leave with me?" Qing Shui said with a smile.

"I can't abandon the Sea King's Palace. Be good, we'll have lots of time once the Sea King's Palace is done with its development." Yiye Jiange replied softly.

Qing Shui chuckled. This was the first time he had heard her with such a motherly tone, and it sounded exceptionally comforting. With a tight hold around her, he continued, "I'll find you every time I miss you. It's really convenient. Reunion after a brief parting is as sweet as a new marriage—are you excited for our next meeting? I'll leave you walking on Cloud Nine." Qing Shui left a kiss on her ear.

Yiye Jiange's breathing became increasingly labored as she held his face in her hands. "Alright, Qing Shui. I can't endure you doing that. I really hadn't expected you to have such strong desires."

Qing Shui smiled at her. "Then do you like that my desires are this strong…"

"You're terrible. I do... are you satisfied now?" Yiye Jiange held onto that sly hand of his and said softly.

Before he left, he had already been entangled with her for more than half a day, and he was only teasing her now. With a light kiss to her face, he bid his farewell. "Take good care of yourself."

"I will. You have to take care of yourself too."

……

Even though farewells were heartbreaking, both of them were composed. It was only when Qing Shui disappeared from view that Yiye Jiange exhaled the breath she was holding.

"Why didn't you follow him if you couldn't bear for him to leave?" Muyun Qingge appeared beside Yiye Jiange.

"A woman and a man should always maintain an appropriate distance. While I can't let him forget about me, I can't have him getting tired of my presence as well. I'm afraid he will forget about me, but I'm more scared that he will get sick of me." Yiye Jiange smiled at Muyun Qingge.

No matter how beautiful a woman is, as soon as the novelty rubbed off and she was without a trace of mystery, then she would likewise not feel as cherished anymore—both in action and thought.

"So our Goddess-like beauty has the same fear that she won't be fancied too?" Muyun Qingge froze for a moment before breaking out in a giggle.