Multiple Breakthroughs

Joseph was exhausted. He did not think a basic mind invasion would be this tiring on the spirit. But it was to be expected. After all, Barnes had stated that multiple experts tried to heal Rosa too. Thus, it was not something the average person could achieve.

Still, what he experienced was unnatural. It was as if an expert had purposely sealed Rosa's mind to torment her. Furthermore, when he entered her mind, he went to sort her scattered memories, which was the normal case for broken individuals, but a strong aura blocked him.

Because of this, he could only make do with what she was experiencing and restore her forcefully. Unfortunately, he was sure she would not remember anything but the nightmare she locked herself into, and the moment he destroyed it. This was not his aim.

In fact, this entire thing could be seen as a half failure since she could change into a completely different person depending on how she accepted her past when she finally remembered everything.

Nonetheless, he put that issue aside for later and sat down in the lotus position. The most important matter at hand was recovering his lost energy until she awoke. Besides, he was sure by now Clouds Family was aware he sold a serious asset.

Thus, what he needed to do next was to make Rosa appear just as valuable. Unless he accomplished this, the friction between him and Clouds Family would not dissolve. Instead, it would escalate.

Fortunately, their search would start outside the mansion before checking his residence. This brought them time, and he would use every bit of it wisely.

Joseph calmed his thoughts and let the Iron Qi he possessed nourish his body. After half an hour passed by, he did something totally unexpected. He once again performed the Twelve Sacred Acupuncture Art and used it to demolish his cultivation completely.

There was one reason for this; the current foundation was too terrible. He simply could not allow himself to continue to build on it. His goals were much greater than pleasing a mere Clouds Family. Thus, it was important that he stayed strict on his cultivation requirements.

Only the best would suffice.

Joseph then extracted them and wiped the small blood trail running down his chin. Afterward, he opened his eyes and noticed that Rosa had woken up. But all she did was stare confusedly at him. However, Joseph did not have time to give her a warm welcome. After all, they were still pressed on time.

"Ah..."

"No time to explain. So, I will make this quick and simple for you. We are in danger, and I need you to trust me and co-operate completely. If not, things won't end well for us."

Joseph's tone did not change throughout the entire process. For Rosa's part, she did nothing but stare. Even someone like Joseph was forced to give in.

"What is it?"

"...Name."

She said stiffly. It let others know that she had not used her voice for some time. Joseph humored her before he got to the main point and gestured for her to be closer.

"Joseph. Come sit in front of me the same way I'm seated."

At present, Rosa was still in underwear, and Joseph had long since taken his clothes off until he only wore underwear also. The reason was simple, skin contact. It was because Joseph understood this, that he also entwined their hands and closed his eyes again before advising Rosa.

"Listen closely, even out your breath, close your eyes, and don't let go of my hand. What we are going to do is cultivate."

In order to dual cultivate, there needed to be skin contact. This step could not be avoided. Of course, there were separate amounts of skin contact, but that only distinguished whether it would be enjoyable or not. Moreover, intimacy was usually reserved for lovers and couples.

However, that did not minimize the problem and danger with dual cultivation. There was another step that generally troubled partners. This was energy exchange. It demanded a level of trust that opened their soul space and placed it on display.

By doing this, they would be able to take the yin or yang energy from each other and cultivate comfortably. This also meant they became vulnerable to one another. Each individual was distinctive, but depending on their trust between them, the cultivation speed could be fast with no secrets, or the cultivation could be slow, with each having their own share to hide.

It was because of this step that Joseph wanted a partner that was completely trustworthy. If not, how could he dare to let them see the strange book hidden in his dantian?

This was a secret item that would cause brothers and sisters to kill each other, parent and child to desire death upon one another, husband and wife to become sworn enemies. It was this kind of treasure.

And it was because of this that he also despised dual cultivation. It totally eliminated the privacy that humans were known to cherish. But it also could be looked at a different way in that it was this fact that made it probably the best path for cultivation.

After all, some believed to reach the peak one must wash away mortality and cast aside worldly desires. Or at the very least, Joseph thought this way. This is why what he said to Rosa next was,

"You should still remember I said I would show you 'good ones.' Therefore, the first lesson to achieve this is to be strong. Only the strong can do as they please in life. But strength is not easy. So I will guide you to it. You will only need to follow me for now and cast away distractions."

As Joseph talked, Rosa submerged herself into her soul space.

"Follow my Qi manipulation. This is a breathing technique that will enhance our collaboration and Qi rotation's circulation. The more cycles we perform in a single breath, the greater the benefits will be."

He proceeded to explain. And in the midst of his explanation, unseen to the naked human eye, swirling red-colored yang energy and yellow-colored yin energy combine around the two and turned orange.

This orange energy was the perfect balance of both that would help them truly cultivate. Upon witnessing the results, they did not stop. They both kept drawing in yang and yin energy, then turning it into Qi to be absorbed.

Despite Rosa's talent being ordinary, and Joseph's having a little bit of talent compared to Burning Sky City's standards, their strength continued to soar and promote.

1st Grade!

2nd Grade! 3rd Grade!

4th Grade!

At this point, the rise in power slowed. But even still, they both managed to push it further until it stopped at the beginning of the 5th Grade Strengthening Realm.

Rosa inspected herself with a slight puzzlement before gaining a mild smile. She felt that Joseph was correct. This invincible sensation was a 'good one.'

As for Joseph, he was extremely satisfied. To jump from being mortal, to the power of a 5th Grade Strengthening Realm cultivator was a frightening feat in Burning Sky City. This level of achievement would no doubt leave Clouds Family, speechless.

But for Joseph, this was simply natural. Not only was he an expert in his past life, but his former self also had hardly cultivated and still managed to reach the 2nd Grade.

Then there was the breathing technique. It was an extraordinary technique that came from the strange book hidden in his dantian. This technique was the True Profound Integration Soul Formula.

It was a technique he glimpsed at in his past life when he first acquired the strange book. Although he had yet to understand the true secrets of it, he did know a few. For example, one was the unparalleled abilities it possessed.

Just like when he first saw it.

At that time, it had given him three separate cultivation techniques. Of course, he chose the one that suited him most, which benefited a lone path, but he still remembered the one for dual cultivating.

Moreover, the last reason for their rapid promotion was the unique attribute of dual cultivation itself. When two people cultivated together, it accelerated their performance.

Even somebody with inferior talent could leap over the dragon gate if their partner were gifted. Thus, it was no wonder that this miracle-like feat was possible.

Upon knowing all this, Joseph calmly took it all inside. He then arranged some female garments for Rosa to cover herself before getting dressed too.

"Here, put this on. After you are finished, we will go see the Clouds Family Master."

Suddenly, there was a knock on his knock.

"Joseph!!! The family head wishes to see you! We know that you are there, so don't hide. We already got eyewitnesses stating they saw you headed toward Clouds Proud Estate with a half-naked girl."

An elder of the family accused. However, Joseph was prepared. It was as he said, it was finally time to meet the man who allowed the bullying.