Chapter 205: Late Night Recovery After a Nighttime Operation
Tang San's body trembled violently as three more elders surrounded him, completely restraining him. His chilling screams echoed in the night as his bones continued to shatter one after another, until not a single intact piece remained.
Yet, despite the overwhelming agony, he did not die. His body convulsed uncontrollably, trapped in an endless cycle of suffering. Worse still, though his physical pain reached unbearable levels, his mind remained unnaturally clear, forcing him to experience every ounce of torment in excruciating detail.
Then, through his hazy vision, he saw Tang Yin approach. The man squatted beside him, leaning in close to whisper words that only the two of them could hear
"Thank you, Tang San. Your Buddha Fury Tang Lotus was truly useful."
Hearing this, Tang San felt his blood surge violently.
He wanted to struggle, to curse, but he soon realized his throat and limbs had been bound tightly with ropes. He couldn't even open his mouth.
"Enough, Tang Yin. There's no need to waste words on him. A traitor like him must be condemned by all."
"Men, hang him over the cliff! Ensure he survives for seven days and seven nights let him be devoured by eagles and vultures. Other than those tasked with prolonging his suffering, no one is allowed to approach."
The elder who had first attacked Tang San was the one who spoke he was none other than the Sect's Punishment Elder.
By now, the earlier explosion from the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus had already alarmed the entire sect. The disciples in charge of punishments had arrived swiftly, and upon hearing the elder's orders, they immediately moved to carry them out.
Within the illusionary world, Tang San hung for a full seven days. By the end, he was barely alive, his body reduced to a near lifeless husk.
Yet, in those seven days, the one he thought about the most Tang Yin never once appeared before him again.
Through delirious consciousness, Tang San overheard passing whispers in the wind Tang Yin had successfully risen to power, becoming a shining figure within the Tang Sect, admired by all.
Another eagle swooped down, pecking viciously at his face. The sharp, searing pain jolted Tang San out of his dream.
Gasping for breath, he bolted upright in his bed, hands clutching at his surroundings as if to confirm reality.
The stench of blood and decay vanished, replaced by the familiar scent of his room. He collapsed backward onto his bed, his entire body drenched in sweat, muscles still involuntarily twitching.
"Damn you, Tang Yin. Damn those elders. Damn this cursed dream…"
He slammed his fist against the mattress. Fortunately, the cushioning absorbed most of the impact, preventing damage but fresh blood seeped from his knuckles once more.
In that illusion, he had spent countless days. Yet in reality, only an hour had passed.
His hands had already been injured, and combined with the stress from the dream, he had unconsciously clenched them again. The medicine and treatment from before were now completely wasted.
Meanwhile, Han Li had already left the academy and was nearing his estate.
The moment Tang Yin whispered his last words to Tang San, Han Li had departed. He had no particular interest in watching others suffer.
Of course, he didn't relinquish control he simply left behind a pre set command to keep the illusion running automatically while he made his exit.
As an added touch, he extended the same nightmare package to the rest of the mansion's inhabitants. If they were comrades, then they should share fortune and misfortune alike right?
Oh, and just a small note Yu Xiaogang received double the dosage of psychological torment compared to the others.
As for the innocent bystander Oscar? Well, he hadn't fully pledged loyalty to Xue Qinghe yet. And even if he did in the future, he'd be under the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's command not Qian Renxue's. There was still a layer of separation. So really, what did Oscar have to do with Han Li?
Naturally, Han Li didn't forget to take advantage of the situation. He siphoned another portion of Tang San's luck though at this point, the benefits were minor. Still, who would complain about more fortune?
Unknowingly, Tang San's destiny had been chipped away yet again.
Reaching his estate, Han Li saw the closed gate and, out of habit, vaulted over the wall instead.
Why? No particular reason bad deeds require sneaking in, not using the front door. That idea was ingrained deep in his subconscious. Even if he was just returning after causing trouble, he still followed protocol.
Expanding his spiritual sense, he confirmed that the others were diligently cultivating. Satisfied, he made his way toward Zhu Zhuqing's room.
He had promised to help her with body conditioning tonight, and he was not one to break his word.
Arriving at her door, he knocked gently.
Half a minute passed before Zhu Zhuqing emerged from her meditative state and opened the door.
Without waiting for her to speak, Han Li stepped inside. This was his house, after all.
"How was the medicinal bath?"
The lingering scent of herbs in the air told him she had taken the bath in her room, likely still feeling a bit uneasy.
"The effects were excellent. I can feel my body much lighter, and the areas where I had hidden injuries are slightly warm. My soul power also flows more smoothly."
Zhu Zhuqing closed the door and answered earnestly.
She was still dressed in her usual tight fitting outfit, wrapped up conservatively. But no matter how much she covered herself, her stunning figure was impossible to hide.
"Good. Give me your hand I'll check again to see if we need to adjust the formula."
In this field, Han Li was unquestionably an expert.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated momentarily. But after confirming that Han Li's expression and aura remained composed, she extended her hand.
From one cage into another that was her current reality.
Even if this "cage" was far more comfortable than the last, she was still aware of her situation.
Noticing her moment of hesitation, Han Li simply smiled and said nothing. Instead, he focused on her condition, scanning her meridians carefully.
After a thorough examination, he withdrew his hand.
"Not bad. The results are even better than I expected. You should be able to start supplementing with whale gelatin as well."
Perhaps her strong foundation played a role, or maybe it was due to her year long period of stagnation. Either way, her body was absorbing medicinal properties far better than Han Li had anticipated.
Hearing this, a flicker of excitement crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
Earlier, after Han Li had left, Dugu Yan had taken the time to explain many common sense cultivation techniques methods to drastically accelerate growth.
Zhu Zhuqing had been both shocked and eager.
Yet just as she was contemplating this, she noticed the subtle smirk on Han Li's lips.
"…But, are you sure you don't want to change into something else first?"
Zhu Zhuqing froze.
She had specifically changed into her normal attire because Han Li was supposed to only help with her body conditioning.
But now, he had suddenly added whale gelatin enhancement into the mix.
And from what Dugu Yan had told her whale gelatin body forging produced extreme amounts of heat.
Her current tight outfit? Yeah, that wasn't going to work.
If she didn't change, things could get… uncomfortable.
More importantly Han Li's eyes were never honest.
And now? She was officially his subordinate. She had sworn a Martial Soul Oath.
At this point, wasn't she basically offering herself up on a silver platter?
"…I'll go change."
Zhu Zhuqing stammered a response before dashing toward her bedroom, completely forgetting to ask Han Li to wait outside.
It wasn't until she was already halfway through changing that she remembered but at this point, it wasn't like she could go back out and shoo him away. Resigning herself, she hastily sped up the process.
Meanwhile, in the living area, Han Li wasn't even thinking about that. He was busy analyzing everything he had gained from the illusion, using it to further refine his understanding of Xuan Tian Gong.
Xuan Tian Gong was indeed a proper Daoist cultivation technique balanced, inclusive, and highly adaptable.
In truth, the soul power cultivated through Xuan Tian Gong wasn't without an attribute; rather, it simply took on the nature of its wielder.
As for why it had never shown any special effects on Tang San? Han Li could only attribute it to the fact that, before his bloodline awakened, Tang San's martial soul was inherently weak. His natural life attribute had also been diluted by the conflicting properties of his added soul rings, causing his Xuan Tian Gong to remain unimpressive.
Hmm… it might be best for them all to fully transition to Xuan Tian Gong first, then later modify it according to their individual martial souls essentially evolving it into a personalized cultivation technique.
If they combined this with their newly developed inner core based soul nuclei, their internal energy generation speed would become insanely fast, practically limitless.
At that point… this wouldn't just be Xuan Tian Gong anymore. It'd be Nine Yang Divine Art.
Realizing this, Han Li became even more satisfied. This nighttime operation had been ridiculously profitable.
Lifting his head, he saw that Zhu Zhuqing had already finished changing and was walking toward him.
Oh? New skin unlocked? His eyes lit up.
She had swapped out her previous black skintight outfit for a flowing white dress.
Under the warm glow of the lights, her exposed skin gleamed with an almost ethereal brightness so fair it nearly reflected the light. Coupled with her incredibly curvaceous figure, her youthful face, and those signature cat ear like black locks, the contrast created a mesmerizing mix of innocence and allure.
And given that they were alone in the room… and that she had forgotten to kick him out earlier while changing… her light blush only made the atmosphere even more intoxicating.
"You look beautiful. It really suits you," Han Li said without hesitation, his gaze completely unrestrained.
But rather than feeling more embarrassed, Zhu Zhuqing actually relaxed at his words. The complex emotions stirring in her heart settled, and even the tension and shyness from earlier faded significantly.
Every room in this mansion had the same layout.
Seeing that she had calmed down, Han Li got up and walked toward the bedding area inside the bathroom the space had already been modified for convenience.
"We'll do it here. Makes things easier afterward."
He gestured toward the bed, signaling her to lie down.
This time, Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate. She removed her shoes and climbed onto the bed herself.
However, her slightly rushed breathing, the way she turned her head away, and the way her fingers unconsciously clenched each other all exposed the nervousness she was still trying to suppress.
"Relax a bit. I'm not going to eat you. At least… not yet."
Han Li chuckled, teasing her as he approached.
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's body tensed up immediately only to slowly relax again a moment later. But her exposed earlobes and the nape of her neck had already turned bright red.
"You're lucky. Your first session happens to line up with my recent breakthrough."
As he spoke, Han Li established a spiritual link between them, activating a function that allowed him to see the flow of her soul power with perfect clarity.
"Relax. Don't be so tense. From now on, whenever you take whale gelatin, I'll guide the refinement process for you. I'll also teach you a new cultivation method. Memorize the circulation pattern and follow it in the future."
His voice resonated within Zhu Zhuqing's mind, and along with it, a detailed soul power circulation route appeared in her spiritual consciousness.
"…Mm."
She responded softly before falling silent again. She had already encountered too many things today that completely shattered her previous understanding of cultivation, but strangely enough, she was adapting rather quickly.
"…Don't just say 'Mm.' Turn your head over. How are you supposed to take the gelatin if you're facing away?"
Han Li sighed, half amused, half exasperated.
In their shared mental space, Zhu Zhuqing's spiritual presence wavered slightly. Then, wordlessly, she slowly turned her head.
Her eyes remained shut, her long lashes trembling faintly. Her face was deeply flushed.
Han Li smiled silently.
With a flick of his fingers, flames ignited in his palm. The prepared whale gelatin melted under the heat, turning into a soft, edible form before he gently placed it into her mouth.
At the same time, he grasped her hand, carefully channeling his own soul power converted through a micro domain filter into an attribute that perfectly matched her martial soul, helping her circulate Xuan Tian Gong.
"Memorize this circulation route. Using it will boost your cultivation speed by at least forty percent. It will also significantly enhance the development and evolution of your martial soul."
Han Li's gaze shifted slightly to the Evil God Orb on Zhu Zhuqing's chest it was faintly glowing with a black gray light.
He was very pleased with the results.
Unfortunately… because of their shared sensory link, it wasn't exactly appropriate for him to look too much right now.
After all, her clothes were already drenched in sweat from refining the whale gelatin.
Just a single glance, and Zhu Zhuqing's breathing wavered her soul power nearly destabilized.
On one hand, Han Li got an eyeful.
On the other, he also didn't dare push his luck further.
There will be plenty of chances in the future. But cultivation… cultivation must never be taken lightly.
Since her entire cultivation method needed to be adjusted, this session took significantly longer than when the others had first refined their whale gelatin.
It took a full hour for Zhu Zhuqing to completely absorb and convert the energy.
Of course, once she became more accustomed to the process, the efficiency would improve.
Midway through, Han Li disconnected their mental link, though he continued to monitor her training and correct any mistakes in real time.
Honestly?
He was having a great time.
After steadily smoothing out her soul power, Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes. Feeling the significant improvement in her body, she excitedly clenched her fists and sat up.
Then… she suddenly felt a gaze on her.
Turning her head, she saw Han Li staring at her.
Realizing something, Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head to check the state of her clothes.
The next moment, her face turned completely red.
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around herself and buried her head into her knees.
"…Alright. I'm heading back. Finish cleaning up and get some rest."
Han Li chuckled lightly at her reaction, stood up, and headed for the door.
"Oh, and… same time tomorrow."
Hearing his footsteps fade into the distance, Zhu Zhuqing remained curled up in place.
She only lifted her head once she heard the door open and close again.
Letting out a deep breath, she finally relaxed.
…But her face was still burning red.
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