Dual Cultivation Chapter 1 Su Yang
At the peak of the Eternal Retribution Cliff sat two individuals. One was an ancient figure, while the other was a strikingly handsome youth possessing an ethereal beauty. A primal aura radiated from the elder, causing the very fabric of space to warp and ripple around him. Despite the crushing pressure of the atmosphere, the young man remained seated casually, appearing entirely unbothered by the phenomenon.
"Young man, what manner of crimes led you to be imprisoned in such a desolate place? You do not seem like the type who belongs here..." the old man remarked. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he observed the youth, whose noble presence seemed to stabilize the turbulent space in his immediate vicinity.
A faint smile played on the young man's lips. "I have committed many acts, including the consumption of a forbidden fruit cultivated by His Majesty, the Heavenly Emperor," he answered with a composed voice.
The elder’s eyebrows shot up in astonishment, and a flash of genuine shock crossed his features as he stared at the youth.
"You... you... you..." The old man could only stutter, lost for words. For a being as ancient as himself to be rendered speechless was a rare occurrence, and his eyes had not widened this much in countless millennia.
"I am far more shocked that you are still breathing after such a feat than by the deed itself!"
In response, the young man merely continued to smile.
Suddenly, the elder erupted into boisterous laughter. "I can only imagine the fury on the Heavenly Emperor's face when he received the news! Ahahaha! Young man, you have earned my favor! Tell me, what is your name?"
The intimidating, ancient aura that had previously surrounded the elder vanished completely. He now resembled a gentle grandfather more than a powerful entity.
"The name is Su Yang," the youth replied.
"Well then, Su Yang... would you like to find a way out of here?" The old man grinned broadly, revealing two rows of stained, yellow teeth.
For the first time, Su Yang looked directly at the old man's face; it was a mass of deep wrinkles, resembling a withered fruit. Yet, despite his skeletal appearance, his eyes remained as clear as a mountain spring, shining with a brilliance that surpassed the brightest stars in the eternal darkness of the sky.
"What would be the point?" Su Yang remarked after a brief pause. "Even if I managed to escape, it would only serve to inflame the Heavenly Emperor’s rage further. I would rather sit here until my very soul withers away than spend eternity fleeing from his wrath."
"And what if I told you that you could leave without being pursued by the Heavenly Emperor?" The elder maintained his wide grin, though a mysterious light flickered deep within his eyes.
"Then what? What path should I take once I am gone? Should I continue the decadent lifestyle I’ve led for thousands of years? Or perhaps seek vengeance against those who framed me?"
"That... is entirely up to you."
Su Yang suddenly reached out toward the dark heavens, his hand closing as if trying to seize the distant stars. "Then... if I ever decide to depart from this place, I shall..." He cut himself off and laughed softly. "Never mind. I think I’ll just stay here and be lazy until my time is up."
The old man laughed once more. "You are still far too young to mask your true desires from me, boy! Even if you remain here for eternity, can an immortal such as yourself truly die of old age? Hehehe... your silent wish... I shall grant it!" He stood abruptly and flicked his sleeves. The night sky, which had remained unchanged since the dawn of the Eternal Retribution Cliff, suddenly transformed into bright daylight, shocking every soul imprisoned there.
"You... who exactly are you?" Su Yang asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the grinning elder.
The old man replied, "Just a bored old man. Oh... before I send you on your way, I want to thank you for what you did..."
"Thank me...? What do you mean by tha—"
Before Su Yang could finish his question, a blinding white light consumed the world, erasing everything from his sight.
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Immediately after the flash, Su Yang felt a piercing agony near his heart, as if a blade had just run him through. He forced his eyes open to find a handsome youth with a cruel expression standing before him on a large arena stage, gripping a steel sword.
"Tch. I barely missed his heart," the handsome youth muttered.
Looking down, Su Yang saw the blade impaling his torso and instantly snapped into a state of high alert. "Scram!" An explosive, murderous aura erupted from Su Yang’s body, causing the youth in front of him and dozens of spectators around the stage to vomit blood from the sheer pressure.
Because the handsome youth was so close to the source, the shock caused him to lose consciousness immediately after coughing up blood.
The arena fell into a deathly silence as Su Yang gripped the sword in his chest and pulled it out, completely disregarding the pain.
With the blade removed, Su Yang took a moment to frantically sift through his mind.
He discovered that he now occupied the body of a young Cultivator who shared his name—Su Yang—and possessed the exact appearance of his younger self. However, the similarities ended there. His current Cultivation base was pitifully weak compared to his previous life. He was currently a disciple of the Profound Blossom Sect—a place where the primary focus was Dual Cultivation, involving sexual practices between men and women to increase their power. It felt as though he had been sent back to the very beginning of his journey as a young boy!
Regarding his current predicament, the original 'Su Yang' had attempted to woo a female disciple named Xing Xing. This had insulted her current partner, Yan Ming—the unconscious youth on the floor—leading to this lethal duel.
"What in the heavens is going on?!" Su Yang thought, remembering the old man's promise to help him leave the cliff.
"Did he send me back in time? No... I have no memory of ever being a member of this Profound Blossom Sect... Then..."
As Su Yang was lost in thought, a booming voice shattered the quiet. "Everyone, stop what you are doing!"
A middle-aged man leaped onto the platform, scowling at Su Yang and the fallen Yan Ming. "Who gave you permission to hold a deathmatch today? Get out of here before I summon the disciplinary squad!"
"Yes, Elder Sun!" The surrounding disciples quickly dispersed, leaving only Su Yang and Yan Ming behind.
Su Yang decided it was best to retreat and process his situation in private. As he prepared to leave the stage, the middle-aged man known as Elder Sun called out, "What is your name?"
"Su Yang," he answered calmly.
Elder Sun gave a brief nod and turned away, picking up the unconscious Yan Ming to carry him off.
Stepping off the stage, Su Yang relied on his new memories to navigate toward his living quarters.