Starting with the consumables of the Demonic Sect, one can barely achieve immortality.

Despite his dislike for Tian Tong, Yan Cheng had no intention of missing this opportunity to ask him for favors.

Otherwise, wouldn't this fight have been for nothing?

Although he didn't actually make a move, he used the exquisite "White Crane Seven Star Steps" to completely dodge Deng Jian's ruthless but inaccurate sword thrusts.

Using footwork also requires consuming true qi and spiritual power.

If it weren't to demonstrate his strength in front of all the cultivators, why would he have clashed with Deng Jian?

Riding the wave of his easy victory over Deng Jian, and also to add unpredictability to this exploration and disrupt the upper cultivators' plans, Yan Cheng spoke directly:

"Senior Brother Tiantong, may I bring one more person with me?"

Tian Tong was taken aback for a moment, then understood and smiled:

"Junior brother, are you referring to your maid?"

"Logically speaking, bringing along a beginner cultivator would inevitably become the team's weakness, putting everyone in danger."

"Generally speaking, I would not agree."

"But I also understand why my junior brother wanted to bring her along. When necessary, the forty-nine strands of Yin Corpse Qi within her body can be used as materials for many spells."

The implication was that Yan Cheng, being a cultivator of cold qi rather than yin Sha, could not produce yin corpse sha on his own and therefore had to draw sha qi from Wang Qing.

Yan Cheng thought to herself, "It's so convenient to deal with smart people."

He didn't even need to think of an excuse; this guy had already come up with one for him.

But Tian Tong's lips curled into a smile:

"Although we do not have the means to create corpse puppets, if necessary, the black gold corpse control ring in my junior brother's possession, combined with my puppet-pulling silk, can be used to strongly control the corpse cultivators."

"When danger arises, she can be used as a substitute for the robber."

Yan Cheng felt that he had been influenced by the style of the immortal sect, but he was still shocked by Tian Tong's way of thinking once again.

Is it possible to play like this?

The cultivators present nodded repeatedly in agreement.

The group initially thought that Yan Cheng's suggestion to bring along an extra person, relying on his background and cultivation level, was a sign of disregard for the lives of the group.

But after listening to Tiantong's explanation, I realized the benefits of bringing along a beginner-level corpse cultivator.

Everyone was impressed by Senior Brother Yan Cheng's thorough consideration, which reflected the sect's tradition of making the best use of resources.

Pei Yi's eyes burned with desire as she stared intently at the black gold ring on Yan Cheng's finger.

But then Tian Tong's expression turned solemn:

Let me make the unpleasant things clear from the start.

"If things really get to the point where that female cultivator will hold you back, Junior Brother Yan must remember to make a clean break immediately."

"Do not hesitate over a little bit of evil energy or the gain or loss of a piece of consumables, lest you lose your life."

"Only those who can distinguish between what is important and what is not, and who can clearly calculate gains and losses, are worthy of cultivation and the potential to attain enlightenment. Remember this well!"

All the cultivators bowed and thanked them in unison:

"We will always remember our senior brother Mingjiao."

Just as Yan Cheng was still inwardly criticizing the Immortal Sect's team-building activities as being comparable to pyramid schemes in her previous life, she saw Tian Tong's amused smile:

"That's true, but before discarding these consumables, we, as qualified disciples of the Immortal Sect, should still squeeze out every last bit of value from them."

"Junior brother...did you ever exchange for a dual cultivation method in the hall?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Cheng was truly stunned and couldn't think of a response for a moment.

Seeing his reaction, Tiantong simply gave him a knowing smile and said leisurely:

"Junior brother is exceptionally talented, but he doesn't know that those of us with ordinary talent begin to feel powerless once we reach the middle stage of cultivation on our own."

"Since we have the will to cultivate our own nature, we cannot do anything that would ruin our future by borrowing money for spiritual practice. Therefore, there are many practitioners who can benefit from the practice of dual cultivation."

"Junior brother, there's no need to make that face. Our sect's authentic dual cultivation tradition emphasizes mutual assistance and benefit, where both parties can benefit."

"It's not a one-sided, self-serving evil practice of 'sexual enhancement'."

"Those righteous cultivators in the South love to criticize our methods of controlling and raising corpses, denouncing them as heretical and evil practices."

"But they've never uttered a word about this dual cultivation method. Do you know why, junior brother?"

A subtle smile appeared on Tiantong's face:

"That's because their reliance on this dual cultivation method is even deeper than ours."

Yan Cheng said that he had never heard of anything like this in the three months he had been in the palace.

He even pays Tiantong tuition every month, yet Tiantong has never mentioned such an important matter to him!

Tiantong knew his feelings and spoke with a hint of apology:

"Junior brother, please don't be offended. Senior Sister Huang has always discouraged early-stage corpse cultivators from engaging in dual cultivation. She fears that early-stage cultivators, whose Dao hearts are not firm, may become addicted to the pleasures of dual cultivation and neglect their true cultivation."

"But now that you are a mid-stage cultivator, the greater your contribution to the hall will be with each increase in your cultivation level."

He smiled slightly and glanced at the assembled cultivators:

"Everyone here, except Junior Brother Yan, has some knowledge of dual cultivation techniques; otherwise, how could you have progressed so quickly?"

Yan Cheng followed his gaze to the crowd and saw that the four mid-stage corpse cultivators all looked calm and showed no embarrassment at being exposed for practicing dual cultivation.

No, upon closer inspection, this is actually quite normal.

If dual cultivation can indeed benefit one's path to enlightenment, then it is no different in essence from meditation, drawing talismans, practicing swordsmanship, or cultivating other arts; it is simply an indispensable part of the cultivation process.

Since it's as normal as eating and drinking, cultivators naturally wouldn't talk about it all the time.

Yan Cheng was simply curious: given the estrangement and distrust among the cultivators of the Hall of Longevity, could they really be at ease engaging in dual cultivation with each other?

Sure enough, Tiantong's next words precisely addressed his doubts:

"Generally speaking, this dual cultivation method requires both parties to have a certain degree of trust in each other in order to allow the other's aura to flow and remain in their own bodies."

"It's a pity that the morals in this hall have deteriorated to this day. Fellow disciples who should be as close as brothers and sisters now have very few who can trust each other."

After saying that, he put on a disappointed and sighing expression.

Yan Cheng cursed inwardly:

"Damn it, don't you know who ruined the atmosphere in this godforsaken place?"

Tiantong then said:

"According to past practice, the temple will prepare a certificate of voluntary dual cultivation for both practitioners."

"This indicates that both parties have promised not to use underhanded tactics during the dual cultivation process, thereby harming each other's path to enlightenment."

"If the increase in cultivation level after dual cultivation is not as expected, one must not use this as an excuse to provoke trouble."

He glanced at Yan Cheng, his eyes filled with ill intent:

"Finding a trustworthy partner for spiritual practice is no easy task in this day and age."

"But for my junior brother who possesses the Black Gold Corpse Control Ring, this hurdle was easily overcome."

Yan Cheng frowned deeply:

"You don't mean to make me force myself to cultivate with Wang Qing, do you? That would truly be the act of a demonic cultivator!"

Tiantong revealed a meaningful smile:

"Junior brother, you misunderstand. How could we, cultivators of the Immortal Sect, possibly engage in forced cultivation?"

"Now that you've already controlled that female cultivator with the Black Gold Corpse Control Ring, whatever you make her do in the future can naturally be considered as her doing it willingly!"