HSSB212: Yan Zhaoge’s method
Looking at Feng Yunsheng, from her gaze, Yan Zhaoge did not see heat temporarily rushing to her brain, instead seeing a cold yet decisive firmness.
Feng Yunsheng said, pausing with each word, “My own choice, I will be responsible.”
“There is indeed a method,” Yan Zhaoge was silent for a while before he said slowly.
Yan Zhaoge was also not a hypocritical person, also not making things difficult for Feng Yunsheng in wanting her to propose it for herself.
This time, while he still had a plan, he really didn’t want to use it.
“You shouldn’t rush to make the decision,” Yan Zhaoge shook his head slowly, “Have you ever heard of Cold Marrow Needles?”
Seeing Feng Yunsheng’s uncomprehending expression, Yan Zhaoge said, “It is normal for you not to have heard of it. But Soul Lighting Lamps, you should have heard of those, right?”
Feng Yunsheng had indeed heard of those, “It is a rumoured torture method of before the Great Calamity, causing people to wish for death yet not able to have it come, forever suffering indescribable torment.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded before shooting Feng Yunsheng a deep glance, “Before the Great Calamity, Cold Marrow Needles and Soul Lighting Lamps were both part of the Seven Great Tortures.”
“This method causes extreme coldness from the marrows of one’s bones. However, the coldness will not lead to numbness, instead inflicting a pain like billions of sharp needles piercing simultaneously.”
“In suffering the torture, one would always remain in a conscious state, not even able to faint if they wanted to.”
Yan Zhaoge said softly, “This is not something that can be suffered through with clenched teeth through firm willpower alone, because not just the fleshly body, thousands of holes would also be pierced in the soul of the one suffering it. And despite the feeling of weakness, one would not die, forever being tortured, every moment and every instant, both internally and externally, in every single part of the body.”
“In saying every single part of the body, it is not like if I pricked you with thousands of needles. It is not that every pore or every acupoint would feel the piercing; there would be no respite in any part of the body, and this pain would emanate everywhere from within the body itself.”
Yan Zhaoge’s gaze swept over Feng Yunsheng, “Some parts of the human body are more resilient, while some parts are especially weak. For example, the eyeballs and such.”
“However, Cold Marrow Needles would not care about those, taking care of every single part of your body. Therefore, the weaker the place, the more the pain that would be felt.”
Feng Yunsheng quietly listened to Yan Zhaoge’s narration.
Yan Zhaoge continued slowly, “Then, because of your Extreme Yin Physique, the pain you feel from the Cold Marrow Needles would only be more intense than for the average person.”
“This method would indeed strengthen your Extreme Yin Physique, even accelerating your day to day cultivation through it, causing your cultivation speed to increase a step further. However, the precondition is that you would first have to be able to tolerate the pain within.”
Having finished, Yan Zhaoge closed his mouth, not saying a word.
He had never intended to use this method from the start, rather letting Feng Yunsheng’s speed of improvement be a little slower, waiting for one or two more years.
Even after knowing that the Sacred Sun Clan was also trying to raise Meng Wan’s strength through a yin-yang coexisting technique, Yan Zhaoge actually still hadn’t considered this method, instead trying to think down other paths.
Even Yan Zhaoge himself wasn’t absolutely confident of being able to withstand this method.
“I am willing to try,” As soon as Yan Zhaoge had finished speaking, Feng Yunsheng answered calmly.
As Yan Zhaoge looked at her, Feng Yunsheng smiled, “At present, there are no other methods left, right?”
“Time and tide waits for no man. If senior apprentice-brother Yan has a better method, that would naturally be best, but before you come up with one, let me first try these Cold Marrow Needles.”
With Feng Yunsheng having lost two years of her time, Meng Wan, as the most outstanding Maiden of Extreme Yin, was far ahead of her.
With Meng Wan also currently using a yin-yang coexisting technique to strengthen herself, Feng Yunsheng’s and Broad Creed Mountain’s hopes of catching up to her instantly became distant.
The two’s starting points were just far too far apart, both also currently progressing. Feng Yunsheng’s rate of improvement would have to be much greater than Meng Wan’s in order to catch up with her.
Otherwise, however high her speed, it still being limited, who knew when she would be able to catch up.
With the current volatile situation, not so much time remained for her and Broad Creed Mountain.
She pursed her lips, “Senior apprentice-brother Yan, despite how confident I look now, I am actually also not confident of truly being able to withstand it.”
“It’s, as you say, one of the Seven Great Tortures ah, their original meaning if not to torture, probably to force out a confession or to inflict a fate worse than death. If it could be withstood so easily, how could it still be considered a Great Torture?”
“Still, I want to try.”
Feng Yunsheng sucked in a deep breath, her gaze ever determined, “I want to win the Extreme Yin Bout. However tough or painful it may be, I must also bear it, must also persevere.”
Yan Zhaoge was silent for a long time before he nodded, “Fine.”
A smile appeared on Feng Yunsheng’s face, “Don’t tell Master and the others first.”
Yan Zhaoge sighed, “Fine.”
A decision having been made, the tense atmosphere finally eased a little.
As the two had conversed earlier, there had seemed to be a formless barrier enveloping their surroundings, causing others to instinctively avoid drawing near.
The atmosphere having eased now, Little Meaty instantly ran over to Feng Yunsheng joyfully.
However, just having run halfway, a massive black shadow suddenly flashed past, drawing up a gale which nearly blew over the small black dog.
With a speed even faster than Little Meaty, Pan-Pan rushed over before Feng Yunsheng, his eyes blinking repeatedly.
As a true glutton, his appetite had been caught by Feng Yunsheng over this past period of time.
Feng Yunsheng shook her head, laughing. She stroked Pan-Pan’s head, than waved Little Meaty over.
Little Meaty leapt up, leaping into Feng Yunsheng’s embrace.
She first stretched comfortably, then bared her teeth towards Pan-Pan, finally twisting her head away very proudly, no longer looking at Pan-Pan.
Black rings around his eyes, Pan-Pan first looked at Little Meaty’s size, then lowered his head to look at himself.
Shaking his huge head, he called out lightly, white fire and black water surfacing about his body, enveloping him within.
The next moment, the water and fire dissipated, Pan-Pan who had originally been the size of a normal panda having shrunk once more.
His appearance still of that of a grown panda, he had not returned to a furless panda cub, just that his size had decreased considerably, to around the same size as Little Meaty.
After that, Pan-Pan let out a joyful cry, his chubby body resembling a small furball as he leapt up from the ground, also leaping into Feng Yunsheng’s embrace.
Little Meaty instantly stared, looking at her mistress nervously, her eyes full of helplessness.
Shaking her head and sighing, Feng Yunsheng cuddled the two of them, one in each arm.
Seeing this scene, Yan Zhaoge’s mind drifted a little.
A thought sprung up very suddenly within his heart.
If he were a little stronger, a little more able, possessing a little more methods.
If he could let this bright, strong girl, even not having to do anything, just happily accompany Pan-Pan and Little Meaty in playing, afterwards putting on that Extreme Yin Crown, how great would that be…
Yan Zhaoge shook his head slightly, stabilising his mind once more, his thoughts no longer drifting.
He could not help but laugh, “Something completely given by others, not having had to put in any effort for it at all. I think she would instead be a little desolate at that.”
Looking at Feng Yunsheng, Yan Zhaoge shook his head lightly, “While it is said that the heavens reward the diligent, those who work hard are not always rewarded. I have truly seen such matters too many times.”
“However, you-you will wear the Extreme Yin Crown.”