Dual Cultivation Chapter 3 Waste of a Handsome Face
Previously on Dual Cultivation...
Once inside his quarters, Su Yang disrobed and entered the attached bathroom to wash the dried blood from his skin.
“That brat certainly landed a solid strike… How many eons has it been since I last bled, let alone had a cavity opened in my chest?”
In his former life, Su Yang reigned as an Immortal, a being perched at the very zenith of Cultivation. He possessed everything—unrivaled power and breathtaking women—living a life that invited the envy of the heavens. Currently, however, he was in such a state that he couldn't even compare to a common mortal at the Elementary Spirit Realm, especially with such a grievous wound.
Technically, it was the original 'Su Yang' who had blundered into this crisis, not the current soul. Nevertheless, Su Yang refused to use that as a justification; since he now inhabited this body, he took full responsibility for its failings.
After rinsing away the gore, he applied medicinal salve to the puncture in his chest, bound the wound with clean cloth, and finished his self-treatment.
By the time Su Yang had finished tending to his injuries, word of his victory over Yan Ming in the deathmatch had already surged through the outer court like a forest fire.
“What? You're telling me that useless Su Yang—the one who can't even use his tool properly—actually took down Yan Ming? Are you certain?”
“I witnessed it with my own eyes! After Yan Ming drove a sword through his chest, Su Yang let out a roar so powerful that everyone near the stage spat out a mouthful of blood. Yan Ming himself just collapsed, completely unconscious!”
“A simple shout made everyone vomit blood? What a load of garbage! I don't buy it for a second.”
“Aiii… I can’t say I blame you for doubting it… Even I struggled to believe what I was seeing at the time…”
Similar rumors dominated every corner of the Sect. Even Elder Sun, the man who had intervened to stop the slaughter, couldn't stop thinking about the terrifying pressure that had suddenly smothered the arena.
“Explain exactly what transpired between you two during that duel! Leave nothing out!”
Elder Sun fixed a piercing gaze on Yan Ming, whom he had brought in for interrogation.
“I… I’m not sure…” Yan Ming replied, clutching his throbbing head. “I remember stabbing Su Yang in the chest, but then a tidal wave of killing intent just crushed me… Before I hit him, it was like sparring with a moron who didn't even know the basics of a sword swing… But afterward…”
Yan Ming trembled as the memory of Su Yang’s expression after the stabbing flashed in his mind.
“It felt as though I was facing an entirely different person the moment my blade pierced him!”
“...”
Elder Sun sat in silence, weighing Yan Ming’s testimony.
“The killing intent radiating from that boy wasn't something a person develops from a single wound. It’s the kind of aura only born from countless brushes with death and the slaughter of thousands… Just who is this Su Yang? And why is he only catching my attention now?”
Elder Sun dismissed the boy with a cold look. “You may go. If I catch you on that stage without authorization again, there will be consequences!”
“This disciple wouldn't dare!”
Once Yan Ming had retreated, Elder Sun began investigating Su Yang’s records. Within minutes of looking through the files, the information he discovered left him speechless.
According to the records, Su Yang had been a member of the Sect for nearly a year, yet his Cultivation had remained stagnant since his arrival because he had failed to secure a partner. Elder Sun found it hard to believe a man as strikingly handsome as Su Yang couldn't find a match, so he delved further into the boy's history.
The details he uncovered left him stunned and bewildered.
“Mental instability? An inability to perform his duties as a man? Zero talent? Are these reports accurate?”
Elder Sun questioned the source of the information—a fellow Sect Elder.
“You likely haven't heard of him because you rarely bother with the outer court, but Su Yang’s 'condition' is common knowledge there. He only remains a disciple because the Patriarch believes his handsome face might eventually be of some benefit to the Sect.”
“Aiii! If his mind were only sound, he might actually have a future in this world…”
Elder Sun sighed at the other man's assessment. It was undeniable that Su Yang possessed a face that was exceptional even by the Sect's elite standards. Given his reputation, though, such looks were a tragic waste.
“And yet…”
Elder Sun’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The boy I saw today was nothing like the person you’re describing.”
“I’ve told you everything I know, Elder Sun. That’s the extent of his reputation.” The Elder shrugged indifferently.
“...”
“I see. I appreciate the help, Elder Mu.”
“By the way, how is your granddaughter adjusting to the Sect? Has she chosen a partner yet?”
Elder Mu shifted the topic to Elder Sun’s granddaughter, a recent initiate.
At the mention of her, Elder Sun’s stern demeanor softened into a laugh. “That girl is far too selective; I doubt she’ll find anyone suitable for quite some time.”
“In that case, perhaps you could introduce her to my grandson, Mu Gong, sometime soon?”
Elder Sun’s expression twitched at the blatant suggestion, but he maintained a polite smile. “Perhaps one of these days.”
–
–
–
When Su Yang finally stepped out of his room, he encountered Tang Hu and a beautiful young woman. This was Meng Jia, Tang Hu’s cultivation partner.
“How is your chest?”
Tang Hu asked the moment he spotted his roommate.
“Nothing more than a bug bite.”
“A bug bite, you say…”
Tang Hu gave a short laugh. Having lived together for nearly a year, he could sense a profound shift in Su Yang. Most notably, that vacant, foolish look had vanished, replaced by a much more composed air.
“Wait, where are you headed?”
“Just going for a walk,” Su Yang replied, already stepping through the doorway.
“But what about your injury?”
“As I said—it’s just a bug bite.”
“...”
Once Su Yang had disappeared from view, Meng Jia remarked, “He seems different today…”
“You noticed it too? In what way?”
“He’s… even more handsome?”
“Huh?”
Tang Hu stared at her, caught off guard by the comment.
Meng Jia laughed at his stunned face and teased, “Don't worry. No matter how good he looks, you’re the only partner for me!”
“That wasn't what I was worried about…” Tang Hu muttered, his face turning red.
“Fine! Let’s go Cultivate.”
Without warning, Meng Jia pulled Tang Hu toward his room, where they would soon join together in the rites of the Sect.