Chương 584: Chapter 579: Frenemies

I settled into the meditation position and began gathering my qi, while Mo Yuhang took control of manipulating the harmonic essence that filled his spiritual channels. The process was like conducting a complex duet where each participant played a completely different instrument. Following Azure's recommendations, I started with reduced qi intensity, letting my spiritual energy reach out through the chamber like a gentle current rather than a commanding flood.

The ambient harmonic essence responded much more smoothly this way, flowing toward our body in manageable streams rather than an overwhelming torrent. Mo Yuhang guided this incoming energy, shaping it according to the traditional formation patterns while I provided just enough qi influence to maintain stability without overwhelming his control. Layer by layer, we built the core structure.

For the first layer, I used short, controlled pulses of qi; just enough to gather the essence and compress it before pulling back to let Mo Yuhang's natural techniques take over. The harmonic essence settled into place like perfectly tuned crystal, vibrating at exactly the right frequency.

"Excellent," Mo Yuhang said.

"The essence is responding much more naturally than I expected." The second and third layers followed the same pattern. I'd pulse qi to gather and position the essence, then immediately reduce my involvement so Mo Yuhang could shape and stabilize each layer using traditional methods. We were solidly in Foundation Core territory, where his theoretical knowledge was more than sufficient to guide the process.

But as we moved into the fourth and fifth layers, Harmony Core territory, the complexity increased exponentially.

"The resonance bridges need to be precisely calibrated," Mo Yuhang murmured, his mental voice growing tighter with concentration.

"Each connection between layers has to be perfect, or the whole structure could collapse." This was where Azure's third recommendation became crucial. Instead of commanding the harmonic essence to form the bridges, I used my qi like a gentle shepherd, guiding the essence along the pathways Mo Yuhang indicated while letting it flow according to its natural harmonic properties.

"If even one frequency is off by a fraction," Mo Yuhang explained while working, "the resonance matrix won't stabilize properly." I watched through my spiritual sense as he worked, marveling at his skill. This young man might have weak natural talent for gathering essence, but his understanding of harmonic manipulation was truly masterful. Every adjustment he made was perfect; every connection he forged was exactly where it needed to be.

The fifth layer completed successfully, and we moved into legendary Symphony Core territory. The sixth layer required levels of precision that would have been impossible for any normal cultivator. Here, I had to be even more careful with my qi usage; providing just enough support to handle the massive amounts of essence required while never overwhelming Mo Yuhang's delicate work.

"Almost there," he whispered, sweat beading on our forehead as he guided the complex harmonic patterns into place. But as we began forming the seventh and final layer, something went catastrophically wrong. Despite all our careful preparation and measured approach, the sheer complexity of the Symphony Core's final layer proved too much. The harmonic essence required for this layer was so dense, so precisely tuned, that even my carefully controlled qi began to resonate with the core structure itself.

What started as gentle guidance suddenly amplified into overwhelming command. My qi surged beyond my control, its royal authority over harmonic essence becoming too aggressive as it fed back through the partially completed resonance matrix. Every bit of ambient essence in the chamber began rushing toward our body at once, drawn by the out-of-control qi like iron filings to a magnet.

"Divine one!" Mo Yuhang's voice cracked with panic.

"The essence flow is destabilizing! I can't control this much at once!" I realized immediately that this wasn't the kind of minor meridian damage that blue sun energy could heal. If all that energy entered our body, we'd instantly explode from energy overload. Without hesitation, I released a controlled burst of red sun energy, coating our body in that crimson aura again. The incoming harmonic essence recoiled in terror, fleeing back to the far corners of the chamber like animals escaping a forest fire.

But the red energy didn't just protect us from the external essence; it also affected the harmonic energy already inside Mo Yuhang's body. The essence that was supposed to form our seventh layer, which had been struggling against the chaotic qi fluctuations, suddenly became much easier to control. It was still afraid of the red energy, but that fear made it desperate to please, like a terrified servant eager to avoid punishment.

"Now!" I said, seizing the opportunity.

"While the essence is contained!" Mo Yuhang didn't hesitate. Working with precision that bordered on the supernatural, he guided the cowed harmonic essence into the final layer configuration. The seventh layer snapped into place with an almost audible click, followed immediately by the full resonance matrix activation. I quickly withdrew both the red sun energy and my qi influence, letting Mo Yuhang's natural spiritual signature bond with the completed structure. The finished core was a thing of beauty.

Seven layers of compressed harmonic essence, each vibrating at a perfect frequency, all connected by a web of resonance bridges. It pulsed in the center of Mo Yuhang's dantian like a heart, radiating an aura of barely contained music that was entirely his own. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. But Mo Yuhang had gone completely silent.

For a moment, I worried that something had gone wrong: that the formation process had somehow destroyed his consciousness or driven him insane. I quickly checked his mental presence and found him still there, but apparently speechless. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he managed to stutter out a single phrase:"S-Symphony Core..." I smiled, feeling genuinely pleased with our success.

"If you're going to do something, you should always aim for the best."

"Divine one," Mo Yuhang whispered, his voice thick with emotions I couldn't even identify.

"I... you've given me something I never dared to hope for. A Symphony Core... there are legends about cultivators who achieved this level, stories passed down through generations. And now..." I could feel his worldview shifting, the image of me as some benevolent god cementing itself permanently in his mind. Which was probably for the best; I needed him to trust me completely for what was coming next.

"Would you like to try it out?" I asked, offering him control of the body. He accepted eagerly, and I felt him settle into the driver's seat of his own consciousness. The change in his spiritual presence was noticeable. Where before there had been uncertainty and limitation, now there was confidence and capability. He began with a simple Second Scale technique, the Body Strengthening Chorus we'd practiced earlier, but the result was nothing like his previous attempt.

"Let strength flow like mountain streams," he sang.

"Through channels deep and meridians wide." The harmonic essence responded to his call like an eager pupil, flooding through his meridians with an efficiency that was absolutely stunning. Where the technique had previously provided a fifty percent increase in physical capabilities, now it was closer to doubling them.

"Let bone become as iron beams, And flesh like stone that will not slide." I watched in fascination as his muscle density visibly increased, his posture becoming more solid and grounded. The Symphony Core was amplifying every aspect of the technique, turning a basic enhancement into something approaching a genuine transformation.

"By harmony's eternal song, Make weak become forever strong." When he finished, Mo Yuhang looked down at his hands with an expression of absolute wonder. He flexed his fingers experimentally, then made a fist and punched the air. The motion created a visible shockwave that rippled through the chamber, strong enough to ruffle the leaves on distant plants.

"This is..." he started, then stopped, shaking his head in amazement.

"Divine one, when I was a child, I used to dream about feeling this powerful. I would imagine what it would be like to have true strength, to be able to stand alongside the talented cultivators instead of being left behind. I never really thought it would happen." I didn't interrupt, understanding that this moment was important for him. He needed time to process the magnitude of what had just occurred.

"When I first began cultivating," he continued, his voice growing stronger, "my elemental affinity was tested. I have an earth affinity, which... well, my mother would say it matched my personality. Steady, stubborn, slow to change but difficult to move once set in place." Watching Mo Yuhang's determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds, his refusal to give up despite years of setbacks - earth affinity suited him perfectly.

"Element manipulation is more important at the Fourth Scale," he explained, "but Third Scale cultivators can perform minor elemental techniques. I learned all the theory for earth-based applications, but I never thought I'd actually have the chance to use them." He turned toward one of the practice areas and began to sing again, this time incorporating earth-harmonics into the melody.

"Stone and soil, hear my call, Rise and harden, stand up tall. From the depths where minerals sleep, Form the spears that I would keep." The stone floor of the chamber cracked and shifted, sending up a series of perfectly formed earth spears that gleamed like polished marble. With a gesture, Mo Yuhang sent them flying toward the practice dummies, where they struck with enough force to punch clean through the reinforced targets.

"My resonance with the world's fundamental symphony," he said, wonder clear in his voice.

"It's not just improved; it's completely transformed. I can actually hear the music now, not just sense it dimly."

"Is that just from reaching Third Scale?" I asked.

"Partially," he said, nodding.

"A higher tier core definitely improves resonance quality. But this feels like much more than I expected, even from a Symphony Core. It must be because of your divine energy's influence during the formation process." I agreed with his assessment. Having qi help form the core had probably changed its fundamental nature, giving it some of qi's natural ability to command harmonic essence. The result was a cultivation foundation that was probably unique in this realm's history.

It turns out that I really was the fortuitous encounter that Mo Yuhang had been waiting for his whole life. As I watched Mo Yuhang continue experimenting with his new abilities: creating walls of stone, manipulating the earth to form complex shapes, even managing to make small plants grow faster by singing to them - an uncomfortable realization was crystallizing in my mind.

Even with all these improvements, even with my vessel now possessing a similar cultivation level, and a core that was unprecedented for this day and age, there was no way I could defeat Guo Xinyi in a straight fight. Liu Wenqing had been peak Third Scale before the possession, with years of advanced training and combat experience. And Guo Xinyi herself was a musical prodigy who'd already demonstrated her ability to dominate opponents through environmental manipulation.

Who knew what level of power Guo Xinyi could unleash in what was essentially her perfect vessel. As for my own vessel, even if it reached the Fourth or Fifth Scale, my terrible affinity for music-based cultivation would result in me being on the receiving end of a brutal beatdown. I would have the power but lack the skill to use it. Which meant I only had one option: I couldn't treat this as a typical one vs one battle. I needed to change the fundamental nature of the encounter.

"Mo Yuhang," I said, resuming control of the body.

"I want to propose something unusual. Instead of me fighting Guo Xinyi while you watch, I'd like us to fight together. Truly together, as partners." The silence that followed was profound. I could feel Mo Yuhang's shock rippling through our mental connection.

"Divine one," he finally whispered, "in all the records of previous Descents, in every story passed down through generations... the divine beings have always been described as arrogant, powerful, commanding. They used their vessels as tools, never as partners. No god has ever asked for a mortal's help in battle." His amazement was palpable, but underneath it I could sense something else: a fierce pride and determination that reminded me exactly why I'd chosen him in the first place.

"I accept," he said firmly.

"I swear to you, divine one, I won't let you down."

"I know you won't," I replied, knowing he meant every word. Mo Yuhang was exactly the kind of person you wanted watching your back in a fight. Someone who would never give up, never surrender, never stop fighting no matter how impossible the odds became. Combined with his newly enhanced abilities and theoretical knowledge, he might actually be able to keep up with Guo Xinyi, at least for a little while.

"What's our next step?" he asked.

"The preparation continues," I said.

"You've reached Third Scale and gained access to new abilities, but I'm not sure that's going to be enough to defeat my opponent. Which means I need to prepare some trump cards of my own." I could feel Mo Yuhang's curiosity, but he didn't press for details. Probably for the best, since what I was planning would be difficult to explain without revealing more about my true nature than was wise. Extending my hands, I began channeling energy through the spiritual link again.

But this time, instead of using either red or blue sun energy separately, I called on both simultaneously. Azure light blazed around my left hand while crimson light erupted around my right. The two energies maintained a careful distance from each other, neither trying to merge nor conflict; just existing in parallel like two dancers performing different routines on the same stage.

While I was still a long way from successfully merging the power of the two suns, that level of integration would require further mastery of each energy, I did have an idea for how to use each energy type to help us win this battle. Something no one would ever expect, because no one else had access to energy forms that could terrify, devour, and command harmonic essence the way mine could.

"Preparation continues indeed," I murmured, watching the twin energies dance around my hands like living flames. This was going to be interesting.