I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

As the flying boat ascended in the morning light, passing through the dark red crack in the array above the valley, Li Hanshan glanced back. The light of the array was slowly dimming; without the support of spiritual energy, the runes, like ashes scattered by the wind, peeled away layer by layer, dissipating and eventually turning into countless dark red specks of light that merged into the morning mist.

Yin Lingyue stood behind him, her grey robe replaced by a deep purple outfit, her long hair tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, making her appear less disheveled and more capable. Her face was expressionless, her gaze fixed on the dissipating trapping formation, lost in thought. But she made no attempt to escape, not even taking a single step back. The Yang pattern rooted deep within her dantian acted like an invisible rope, making her acutely aware that even if she managed to escape a thousand miles away, Li Hanshan could take her life with a single thought.

She obediently steered the flying boat, speeding towards the endless sea.

Yin Lingyue chose a different route than Li Hanshan had taken from the Endless Sea. She deliberately avoided the territory of the Heavenly Demon Sect and sped through the uninhabited mountainous areas. After traveling at full speed for more than half a month, the coastline of the Endless Sea came into view.

"Aren't you done yet?"

At the bow of the flying boat, Yin Lingyue was somewhat dissatisfied because Li Hanshan had taken a rather long time this time.

"etc."

Looking down at the rushing mountains and rivers below, Li Hanshan finally erupted.

That's truly progress by leaps and bounds.

For the past two weeks, almost every day, Li Hanshan would have Yin Lingyue engage in dual cultivation in order to deepen his Yin patterns.

Perhaps having resigned herself to her fate, Yin Lingyue no longer resisted as much, and sometimes even felt it intensely.

Li Hanshan lay on the large bed, gazing at the gradually graying sea ahead, pondering his next plan. After entering the Endless Sea, it would take several more months of sailing to reach the area where Seagod Island was located. This round trip, plus potential delays along the way, would take at least one or two years. Fortunately, there were still a few years until the Centennial Tournament, so the time wasn't too rushed.

He glanced at Yin Lingyue, who was cleaning, and after a moment's thought, said, "Come here."

Yin Lingyue paused, a hint of resentment flashing in her dark purple eyes, but she still walked up to him. "Master... what are your orders?" The word "Master" was still stiff, as if it were squeezed out from between her teeth.

Li Hanshan didn't stand on ceremony, reaching out to put his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. Yin Lingyue's body tensed slightly, biting her lip without struggling.

Li Hanshan held her like that, playing with her wantonly.

There aren't many dangers at the beginning of our journey into the Endless Sea, and with Xiao An around, we can handle them all.

Half a day later, Li Hanshan made another move.

He lowered his head and whispered in Yin Lingyue's ear, "While we're on the road these next few months, I'll help you solidify your foundation. Although your spiritual power has recovered most of its strength, there are still some hidden injuries in your meridians that haven't fully healed. Dual cultivation is faster than taking pills."

Yin Lingyue didn't speak, only closed her eyes. Li Hanshan handed the flying boat over to the automatic array control, then sat cross-legged and pulled her onto his body. Pure Yang energy surged out, flowing into her meridians along the point where their bodies met, gently and firmly circling the Yang pattern. Yin Lingyue's breathing quickened slightly.

"The Yin Sha technique you cultivate is too malevolent," Li Hanshan's voice rang in her ear, with a casual comment. "That malevolent energy accumulates deep in your meridians. You won't see any problems in the short term, but in the long run, it will hinder your breakthrough to the third level of the Nascent Soul stage. My pure Yang energy can help you refine it."

Yin Lingyue opened her eyes, a complex emotion flashing in her dark purple pupils. She was well aware of the hidden dangers in her cultivation technique. The Yinquan Sect's Yin Sha cultivation technique was extremely fast to cultivate, but the problem of accumulating malevolent energy had always existed, and only a few core disciples could obtain the Cleansing Qi Pill bestowed by the elders to resolve it.

She hadn't expected that Li Hanshan's pure yang energy could achieve the same thing directly, and even more quickly and thoroughly.

She didn't speak, but her body was noticeably more relaxed than before. Li Hanshan sensed the subtle change but didn't point it out, simply continuing to circulate his pure Yang energy within her. The flying boat sailed steadily northward, the sea changing color from light blue to dark blue, and then from dark blue to that familiar dark green. The sea breeze whistled past the sides of the ship, making their robes flutter loudly.

From then on, Li Hanshan would cultivate with Yin Lingyue every day.

Once in the morning, once at dusk, and sometimes even once more after nightfall. Yin Lingyue went from initially resisting stiffly to silently accepting, and now, although she still has no expression, she no longer deliberately tenses her body; the whole process is completed in silence.

She still wouldn't admit it, and would turn her head away from him after each time they finished, but she called him "Master" more and more naturally, and sometimes she would even whisper it out of her own accord during dual cultivation, and then turn away with a blush afterward.

One afternoon, Li Hanshan and Yin Lingyue were cultivating together in the cabin when his divine sense suddenly detected a streak of light flying from the south. The light wasn't fast, but its aura was steady, indicating it was at least at the late Nascent Soul stage, and it was heading straight towards the flying boat. Li Hanshan and Yin Lingyue simultaneously sensed the approaching entity. He released her, giving her a meaningful look, and Yin Lingyue immediately understood.

She took out an old, gray cloak from her storage bag and put it on. Then, she disguised her face again as that of a withered old woman, hunched over, and slowly walked out of the cabin. Li Hanshan concealed his aura and retreated to the shadows of the cabin.

The streaking light quickly reached the airship, then dissipated, revealing a middle-aged man in a gray robe. His robe was also embroidered with the unique dry well runes of the Yin Spring Sect, though the lines were simpler, clearly indicating a lower status than Yin Lingyue. He hovered a few feet in front of the airship and respectfully bowed to Yin Lingyue: "Uncle-Master Yin, this disciple was ordered to patrol this area of ​​the sea, but unexpectedly encountered you here. Where are you headed, Uncle-Master?"

Yin Lingyue spoke in a hoarse voice, her tone carrying the typical indifference of a Nascent Soul cultivator addressing a junior: "I'm going to take care of some business in the depths of the Endless Sea. You go on your patrol, don't worry about me."

The middle-aged man nodded hurriedly, his gaze sweeping over the flying boat. It lingered for a moment on the faintly visible blue figure at the cabin door, but he didn't ask any further questions. He bowed again and took his leave, transforming into a gray streak of light and flying off in the opposite direction, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

After the light completely disappeared, Yin Lingyue removed her disguise, revealing her true appearance as a young woman. Li Hanshan emerged from the shadows of the cabin, watching her retreating figure, and said thoughtfully, "Why did you disguise yourself like that? With your looks, you should be more valued in the Yinquan Sect."

Yin Lingyue's body stiffened slightly. She turned around, a complex light flashing in her dark purple eyes. After a moment of silence, she said in a low voice, "There is an elder in the Yinquan Sect who is particularly lecherous. Any outstanding female cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage will be summoned by him under the guise of 'guiding their cultivation.' Ordinary disciples have no way to resist. I didn't want to be targeted by him, so for hundreds of years I have presented myself as an old woman."

As she spoke, she clenched her sleeve, her fingertips turning slightly white. "If I hadn't been able to disguise myself so well, he would have ruined my innocence long ago."

Li Hanshan gazed at her profile; her face, concealed by disguise for centuries, appeared exceptionally frail in the twilight. He walked behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. Yin Lingyue's body trembled slightly, but she did not pull away.

"Beauty is indeed a source of trouble." Li Hanshan's voice carried a casual sigh, but his hand slid down her waistline. "But with me, you don't need to hide anymore."

Yin Lingyue felt his hand moving, her dark purple eyes widened suddenly, and a blush rose to her cheeks. She tried to push him away, but he pressed her against the edge of the ship's railing. She could only grip the railing with both hands, turning back to glare at him, her voice filled with shame, anger, and helplessness: "You...you're crazy? Just now..."

"That wasn't enough." Li Hanshan lowered his head and kissed her lips, silencing her before she could finish her sentence. Yin Lingyue struggled for a moment, but ultimately gave in.

The airship continued its journey across the sea, the array patterns along its hull shimmering with a faint blue light in the twilight, enveloping the two figures in a flowing halo. Yin Lingyue bit her lip, suppressing all sounds deep in her throat.

In the days that followed, the flying boat continued its journey deeper into the Endless Sea. The color of the seawater deepened, changing from dark green to dark purple, and then from dark purple to a deep blue that was almost black. The faint lingering aura of sword intent began to permeate the air; though weak, it was like an omnipresent background sound, constantly lingering at the edge of one's consciousness.

Besides cultivating with Yin Lingyue every day, Li Hanshan would also sink into a dream every few days after nightfall. Luo Li would always wait for him by the river. The time they spent in the dream was getting longer and longer, and he felt that the divine soul sword in his sea of ​​consciousness was becoming more and more solid, and the silver-gray halo around its edge was getting thicker and thicker, naturally increasing its power.

Finally, after nearly three months of sailing, a familiar white mist appeared on the sea ahead. The mist, like shredded cotton, covered the entire surface of the sea; any attempt to probe it with divine sense was like sinking into the ocean, all perception instantly severed. Li Hanshan stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the white mist, a long-lost sense of familiarity welling up within him.

An insurmountable barrier. He's back.

The flying boat slowly came to a stop at the edge of the white mist. Yin Lingyue stood beside him, her dark purple eyes filled with a hint of solemnity: "The sword energy here is very dangerous. I don't recommend getting close. Let's find another place to pass through."

Li Hanshan shook his head: "I need to comprehend those sword intents." He didn't explain further, but simply jumped off the flying boat and landed on a reef protruding from the sea. He sat cross-legged and carefully probed the white mist with his divine sense.

Those hair-thin sword energies still hovered in the void, like raindrops frozen in time. The moment his divine sense touched them, he felt a sharp pain. He did not retreat, but used the pain as a trigger, letting his divine sense slowly extend along the nearest sword energy, trying to capture the sharp texture contained within it.

The sword intent of the chasm was exactly the same as the ancient sword intent he had felt in his dream, only more primal and rougher. He closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness into it, trying to touch the core of the texture. The moment his consciousness touched the deepest part of that sword energy, a familiar sense of attraction surged from the depths of his consciousness.

He stood once again in that grayish-white void. The mist churned, and a pale blue figure emerged from it, his hair held back with a wooden hairpin, his face as cold as frost, and the three-foot-long sword in his hand already unsheathed.

"Heavenly Demon." She spoke, and a sword light slashed down.

This time, Li Hanshan didn't rush to defend. He raised his hand, and the Sword of Divine Soul condensed in his sea of ​​consciousness, meeting the sharp sword light head-on. The moment the two swords collided, he once again felt that pure sharpness, as if his soul had been cut by an invisible blade, stinging yet carrying a strange sense of clarity. This time, he wasn't blasted out of his dream. He withstood the first sword strike, and even after the aftershocks dissipated, he took a step forward and unleashed his second sword strike at the pale blue figure.

A faint hint of surprise flashed in the woman's eyes. She seemed surprised that Li Hanshan could counterattack after withstanding the first sword strike, but her movements didn't falter; the second sword followed immediately, faster and more ruthless than the first. Li Hanshan dodged to the side, his pure Yang fire condensing into a flaming longsword in his palm to meet the silver sword light. The moment the two swords collided, his divine soul avatar was forced back several steps, but this time he wasn't jolted out of the dream.

He steadied himself and assumed a defensive stance again. The woman glanced at him, her third sword already poised to strike. The ice cracks on the sword were denser than the previous two, and the sharpness emanating from it caused even the golden membrane at the edge of the dream to ripple. Li Hanshan knew he couldn't withstand this strike. He didn't try to block it; instead, he deliberately withdrew from the dream the instant the third sword landed.

He opened his eyes. The tide was receding over the rocks, but the white mist of the chasm still churned before him. He looked down at his palms; the sharp sensation still lingered on his fingertips.

This time, he wasn't forced out of the dream; instead, he withdrew voluntarily. Although he could still only withstand two sword strikes, he had made significant progress compared to before.

More importantly, he vaguely grasped a pattern—as long as he wasn't blasted out of his dream by the woman, it wouldn't affect his subsequent entry into Luo Li's dream. There seemed to be a boundary between the two; as long as he didn't cross that boundary, they could coexist peacefully. This relieved him. He could now enjoy both dreams simultaneously.

He didn't linger at the edge of the chasm. He returned to the flying boat, and then Yin Lingyue maneuvered the boat to find a spot where the sword intent was weak, thus crossing the chasm formed by the sword energy.

After crossing the formidable barrier, the next step is to find Poseidon Island.

The Endless Sea was so vast that ordinary cultivators couldn't even discern directions. Fortunately, Li Hanshan had some tokens left behind by the giant tortoise.

With the help of this token, it took more than two months for the airship to finally approach Poseidon Island.