Chapter 257: A Ninety Percent Chance, Keeping the Good Stuff in the Family

"The power of the Profound Yin Divine Body is beyond doubt!"

Elder Xuan said crossly, "Otherwise, why do you think so many mighty figures are coveting the Profound Yin Divine Body? It's because the Profound Yin Divine Body is just too precious!"

"If outsiders found out that the girl Dandan possessed the Profound Yin Divine Body, all the old monsters in the Eastern Wilderness would mobilize, fighting to take her as a Cauldron! At that time, let alone the Taichu Holy Land, even an ordinary Emperor Clan wouldn't be able to protect her!"

"A Cauldron?"

Miao Dandan's face instantly turned pale, and her body began to tremble even more violently.

"Don't be afraid."

Zhou Chen immediately walked over and took her somewhat cold little hand. "Rest assured, as long as I'm here, nothing will happen."

"Master…"

Miao Dandan looked up, her eyes rimmed with red, looking at Zhou Chen with a gaze full of dependence and trust.

"Furthermore…"

Elder Xuan continued, "If you make your Breakthrough now, the girl Dandan's Profound Yin Divine Body will be completely wasted. This is because only when you Breakthrough to the Emperor Realm can the powers of both sides achieve the most perfect fusion."

"Once you succeed in your Breakthrough, her Profound Yin Divine Body can never be fully activated again, and she will be stuck in a semi-Awakened state for the rest of her life. At that time, her Physique will slowly weaken, and it might even cause a backlash against her body."

"But if you two engage in Dual Cultivation now, not only can you Breakthrough, but she can also use your Essence Yang Qi to let the Profound Yin Divine Body fully Awaken, and perhaps even Breakthrough directly to the Emperor Realm!"

"This kills two birds with one stone. You two decide; I, this old man, won't meddle further."

After Elder Xuan finished speaking, he looked at the two of them, waiting for their reaction.

Zhou Chen fell silent.

He looked down at Miao Dandan's pitiable appearance in his hands, his mind racing with thoughts.

To be honest, this suggestion came too suddenly.

Although he and Miao Dandan were close, they hadn't reached that step yet.

But…

Zhou Chen looked at Miao Dandan and saw her head bowed, her pretty face flushed crimson, her whole person seemingly trying to shrink into a ball.

"Master…"

Miao Dandan suddenly spoke, her voice so small it was almost inaudible. "Dandan… Dandan has long been prepared."

"You…"

Hearing this, Zhou Chen was stunned for a moment.

"From the day Dandan met Master, Dandan has belonged to Master."

Miao Dandan looked up; though her eyes were shy, her gaze was incredibly sincere. "Whatever Master wants Dandan to do, Dandan is willing."

"Silly girl."

Zhou Chen's heart softened, and he reached out to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes. "When did I ever say I wanted you to do anything?"

"But… but Elder Xuan said…"

Miao Dandan bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. "Master, please don't leave Dandan behind, okay?"

"Dandan wants to follow in Master's footsteps and stay by Master's side forever. If Master makes a Breakthrough now, I'll never be able to catch up…"

As she spoke, her tears finally couldn't be held back and flowed down.

"And… and if my Physique cannot Awaken, it might even backlash against me in the future… Dandan doesn't want to be a burden to Master…"

"Who said you were a burden?"

Zhou Chen stroked her head. "Silly girl, you have always been a help to me."

"But Master, my strength is really too weak…"

"Then we'll get stronger together."

"Really?"

Miao Dandan's eyes lit up, then dimmed again. "But… but Elder Xuan said only Dual Cultivation can…"

"Then we'll do Dual Cultivation."

Zhou Chen interrupted her, his tone calm. "What's the big deal?"

"Master…"

Miao Dandan's eyes widened as she looked at Zhou Chen in disbelief, then she broke into a smile through her tears.

During her time with Zhou Chen, she had been very fearful and uneasy at first.

Later, she discovered that Zhou Chen wasn't a bad person at heart; instead, he treated her very well. Not only did he improve her Physique, but he also constantly gave her Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Pills to help her.

During this encounter, Zhou Chen had even removed the Divine Soul Brand from her. In her heart, Zhou Chen already occupied a particularly important position.

"Silly girl, you've followed me for so long, how could I possibly leave you behind?"

Zhou Chen pinched her face. "And to be honest, this benefits me too. A ninety percent chance of becoming an Emperor, plus the possibility of condensing a Small World—I'm not stupid, why would I refuse?"

"Hee hee!"

Elder Xuan laughed loudly from the side. "Kid, you've finally seen the light! I thought you were a total blockhead!"

"Elder Xuan, can you stop causing trouble on the side?"

Zhou Chen rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine, fine, I'll shut up."

Elder Xuan smiled even more happily. "But kid, I must remind you that Dual Cultivation is no simple matter. Your minds and spirits must be in sync, and you must trust each other completely to achieve the best results."

"I understand."

Zhou Chen nodded and looked at Miao Dandan. "Dandan, do you trust me?"

"Dandan trusts Master!"

Miao Dandan nodded vigorously, her eyes full of trust.

"That's good."

Zhou Chen smiled. "Then let's start preparing."

"Okay!"

Miao Dandan's face was flushed, but her voice carried determination.

"Wait."

Elder Xuan suddenly spoke up. "You can't Breakthrough here. Although this place is hidden, there's still a risk of being discovered."

"Then where should we go?"

"The Core Area of King Mings Immortal Mansion."

Elder Xuan said, "There are Restrictions left by King Ming there. I explored it earlier; outsiders can't get in. Moreover, the Spiritual Qi is dense, making it perfect for a Breakthrough. I'll take you there now."

Inside a secret chamber in the Core Area of King Mings Immortal Mansion.

Elder Xuan suddenly turned back and gave Zhou Chen and Miao Dandan a mischievous grin.

"You two take your time. I'll keep watch for you outside. Remember, the synchronization of mind and spirit is most important. Don't be nervous."

After he finished, he added another sentence: "Oh, and keep the noise down; don't let those outside hear you."

"Elder Xuan!"

Zhou Chen's face went completely dark.

Miao Dandan was so ashamed she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, her entire face as red as if it were about to drip blood.

"Hahaha! I'm leaving now, leaving now!"

Elder Xuan laughed as he floated out of the secret chamber, not forgetting to give a thumbs-up before he left. "Kid, go for it!"

*Click.*

The door closed.

Inside the secret chamber, only Zhou Chen and Miao Dandan remained.

The air suddenly became quiet, so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing.

Zhou Chen cleared his throat and turned to look at Miao Dandan.

She was looking down, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes. Her face was as red as a ripe apple, and even her neck and ears were tinged with pink.

"That…"

Zhou Chen spoke, his voice a bit dry. "Let's begin."

"Mm."

Miao Dandan nodded, her voice as small as a mosquito's buzz.

Both stood where they were, neither moving.

The atmosphere became even more awkward.

*Cough, cough.*

Zhou Chen coughed twice. "Dandan, first circulate your Cultivation Technique to let the Taiyin Qi emanate. We'll first try to guide the auras to merge."

"Mm… okay… alright."

Miao Dandan closed her eyes, held Zhou Chen's hand, and began to circulate her Cultivation Technique.

Soon, the Taiyin Qi within her body began to surge out, permeating the secret chamber.

The cold and pure power caused the temperature in the entire secret chamber to drop sharply, and a thin layer of frost even began to form on the ground.

Zhou Chen also circulated his Chaos Spiritual Energy, and Essence Yang Qi emanated from his body.