Dual Cultivation

"Why?" I whispered to Selena.

"Come here." She dragged me back into the cave again. But before that, she gave orders to everyone. "All of you, stay inside the cave."

After reaching a secluded spot, we began talking.

"You don't want to be seen as a monster, right?" Selena asked.

"Of course not. That's why I made you my disciple."

"Storm Snake is a monster that has terrorized the world for hundreds of years. If you defeat that monster, instead of being thanked, people will fear you."

"But I am currently holding the Holy Sword. People see me as a hero now. Won't they be grateful if I defeat the Storm Snake?"

"Do you want to take on the responsibility of being a hero?"

"Of course not."

"If you don't want the responsibility of a hero, then don't take the glory that belongs to a hero."

"I see. So you want to defeat the Storm Snake yourself and take the glory, don't you?" I managed to read her true intentions.

"I'm not denying it. This is all because of you wanting me to save the world, so the hero's glory should also be mine."

Suddenly, Naevys entered our conversation. "My lady, the situation has gotten worse. The Storm Snake has surfaced."

"Why?"

We returned to the mouth of the cave. The situation had become more chaotic. Many people were trembling in fear but stayed calm inside the cave. But there were also some who were hysterical and trying to escape. Fortunately, Selena's subordinates managed to control the situation.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, we could no longer see the snake. We could only hear explosions in the distance and feel the ground shaking violently.

"Clairvoyance." Selena used her magic.

A screen appeared, showing the Storm Snake fighting a group of therianthropes. Among the group, I saw Gik, Gream's younger brother.

"That kid, he must have brought so many people here for revenge. But on the way, he encountered the Storm Snake."

"He will die because of his arrogance. Still, his foolish actions could also affect us."

"What should we do, my lady?"

"Do you think I'm strong enough to face that snake?" Selena asked me.

"Of course not. With your current power, you'd be crushed just by its weight. At the very least, you'd need to form a heavenly heart to stand a chance against that snake."

"Then, we must wait here until the snake leaves."

"Are we staying here overnight, my lady?"

"Yes, there's no other choice."

So, we all stayed inside the cave for the time being. I took the auction house as a place to stay with Selena. After all of Selena's tasks were done, she came over to me as I was lying on the bed. This used to be Velaria's bed. I had cleaned the bed and the room from its poison.

"What do you want from me? Are you feeling wet down there?"

"How can I become stronger quickly?" Selena got straight to the point, ignoring my joke.

"Huh! You're boring. The fastest way to get stronger is by stealing someone else's power."

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said, you kill others, and you take their power. That way, you can quickly increase your cultivation."

"Other than that, I don't want to commit any crimes." Her position as a princess opposed it. Unlike Graem, who willingly supported the black market from behind the scenes.

"The second way is to gain my trust."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"I have treasures that can effectively speed up cultivation. If you gain my trust, I can grant you access to those treasures."

She furrowed her brows. "I've already given you my virginity, but I still haven't earned your trust."

"Of course. These treasures are incredibly valuable, so valuable that even if I were offered a nation in exchange, I wouldn't agree."

"You're exaggerating." She didn't believe me.

"Believe it or not, these treasures are truly priceless. So valuable that they could invite the greed of the entire world. I've slaughtered millions just to retain ownership of these treasures, and I've destroyed nations because of them."

"Is that so?" She still didn't believe me. "If you've killed so many people, your reputation must have spread across the world. But why have I never heard of your name?"

"Of course, because I come from another world. Haven't you ever thought of that?"

"Wait a minute." She paused to think. [From all the historical texts I've read, none mention cultivation. A power system like this has never existed in this world. Why am I only realizing this now?]

Elves are a long-lived race. That is one of their advantages for recording detailed history. It's also ingrained in their culture. They're not like humans—a short-lived race—who often forget history.

"What kind of world do you come from?"

"A world with predators more vicious and larger than humans. They're not like monsters. If monsters are cruel, our predators are extremely powerful. That's why life expectancy there is so low."

"Is that why you created a power system that would allow you to survive longer?"

"Yes, unlike your power system—magic—which focuses on gaining power quickly to attain glory, our power system—cultivation—is designed to help us survive longer. That's why most cultivators seek immortality."

Selena nodded after listening to my explanation. "Back to the main topic, what's the third way to become stronger quickly?"

"The third way is through dual cultivation."

"You mean using more than one cultivation art?"

"No. Dual cultivation is a polite term used by cultivators, whereas the crude term for it is sex."

"So, it comes down to sex. Are you manipulating me just to satisfy your desires?"

"Why would I go through such trouble just for sex with you? I can just call you if I want to satisfy my desires, am I wrong?"

"No, you're right." She exhaled wearily. "Then, let's get it over with."

Selena then began undressing right in front of me.

With her face still cold and arrogant, she shamelessly removed her top, revealing her firm, enticing breasts. Her pink nipples were so cute and sweet, making me want to lick them.

As her clothes fell to the ground, her long and perfect legs came into view. But the most captivating part was between her legs, her vagina so tight and beautiful, completely hairless.

Completely naked, she walked toward me before climbing onto the bed.