Chapter 41: Losing Before the Battle Even Begins
Shi Hao stared at her, speechless. Once again, he realized that the “wife” beside him was truly an unparalleled demonic witch, capable of leading the dark path and causing chaos in the martial world.
Su Mei chuckled, “Torture, pain, even humiliation and abuse, for a self-righteous, hypocritical Daoist prude like her, will only strengthen her sense of martyrdom, making her believe she’s a hero sacrificing herself for a greater cause.”
“For someone like her, if you can’t completely shatter her beliefs with words, then drown her reason with pleasure, make her lose herself in the ecstasy you provide, and then, in her desperate craving for more, turn her into a begging sow.”
“You have to break her, not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally, making her abandon her dignity and reason for this addiction. Hee hee, are you excited? Do you want to try it?”
Shi Hao stammered, “I…”
Su Mei’s lips almost brushed against his face, her voice barely a whisper, like a secret voice within his own mind, “Imagine the Holy Jade Immortal. Isn’t she beautiful? Isn’t she divine?”
“She’s the leader of the righteous Daoist sects, a celestial being revered by all. And then, you capture her, use techniques she can’t resist, completely destroying her dignity, shattering her beliefs.”
“With just physical stimulation, you turn her into the most despicable woman in the world, willingly debasing herself, posing for you in all sorts of ways, crying and begging for your mercy…”
Although her voice was barely audible, her words echoed in his mind, forming vivid, irresistible images.
Shi Hao’s mouth went dry. He imagined the scene, a strange sense of anticipation rising within him.
He stammered, “Wife, I… I…”
Su Mei whispered in his ear, her voice sweet and intimate, “Don’t worry, we’ll take it slow. She’s too strong now, but it doesn’t matter. One day, you’ll be able to do it.
“You’re a special man, a powerful man. Why should you let that woman look down on you with her arrogant demeanor? But we’re not in a hurry. Now, quietly, quietly learn the Butterfly Flower Finger from me. We won’t let her know.”
Her voice was sweet and gentle, like two conspirators whispering in the dark, plotting something wicked.
This secret couldn’t be revealed to anyone. They were partners in crime, bound by a shared secret, two schemers in the same boat.
Deep down, Shi Hao knew this was wrong.
He didn’t want to conspire with her, and he didn’t intend to use these methods on the Holy Jade Immortal.
Yet, he nodded.
He felt a surge of wicked excitement, a thrill of breaking free from moral constraints.
Even though he hadn’t done anything yet, that disturbing yet exhilarating image was already deeply ingrained in his mind…
Shi Hao left the partially collapsed palace and walked through the ruined grotto heaven.
He then learned the Butterfly Flower Finger from Su Mei.
She patiently taught him the technique, even letting him practice on her, the entire process quite sensual.
But deep down, Shi Hao felt a sense of unease.
Standing among the ruins, he looked up at the sky.
In this place without sun or moon, the sky was a dull grey, a mystical light shimmering at the horizon.
A tilted jade pillar stood before him. Shi Hao stared at it, lost in thought.
He didn’t know why he was staring at a pillar.
After a while, he sighed and flew towards the waterfall.
He saw the Holy Jade Immortal again.
According to their agreement, they would switch every six hours, allowing him to learn both Daoist and demonic techniques.
The moment he looked at the waterfall, the water parted, and the Holy Jade Immortal emerged from behind it, as if by magic.
Shi Hao realized there was a space behind the waterfall.
And the moment he looked, she appeared, like a sudden revelation, a flower blooming in the darkness, a breathtaking sight.
Landing gracefully beside him, the Holy Jade Immortal’s beautiful face was serene, her eyes glancing at him, sharp as swords.
Shi Hao felt exposed, a sudden wave of guilt washing over him.
The Holy Jade Immortal asked, “You’re back. What technique did she teach you?”
Shi Hao said, “The Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art. And some miscellaneous martial arts knowledge.” He felt a twinge of guilt.
The Holy Jade Immortal nodded slightly, “The Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art is considered a rather bizarre and difficult technique to counter in the demonic sects. Martial arts derived from it are often unpredictable and surprisingly effective.”
“She chose to teach you the Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art, a seventh-rank technique of the Evil Lotus Sect, probably because I taught you the Gathering Essence Flowing Pearl Technique. You’ll understand later, when you use them, that although these two techniques are diametrically opposed, they also have surprising synergy.”
Shi Hao pondered, “They are indeed opposites. The Gathering Essence Flowing Pearl Technique projects energy outwards, while the Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art creates an internal vortex, drawing things inwards.”
The Holy Jade Immortal said softly, “The Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art has corresponding techniques and applications. She’ll teach you those in six hours. For now, set it aside. I’ll teach you another sword technique.”
Shi Hao said gratefully, “Thank you, Sister Zi Yin.” He looked at her, his thoughts wandering.
The Holy Jade Immortal, her white robe fluttering, was pure and ethereal. He knew he shouldn’t have such disrespectful thoughts, especially since she was acting as both his teacher and sister, treating him so kindly.
Yet, he couldn’t control his impure thoughts, replaying that inappropriate scene in his mind.
The Holy Jade Immortal, looking at him, smiled faintly, took his hand, and said, “Come, let’s sit by the lake.”
She led him to the pool’s edge, gracefully removed her shoes, and sat down on a rock, her delicate feet dipping into the water.
Shi Hao followed suit, the cool water chilling his feet.
The Holy Jade Immortal said softly, “Brother Hao… since you call me Sister, I can call you Brother, right?”
Shi Hao said, “Of course.”
The Holy Jade Immortal asked, “Just now, when you looked at me, what were you thinking?”
Shi Hao said, “I was just wondering what kind of martial arts techniques correspond to the Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art.”
The Holy Jade Immortal smiled, “Is that so? Weren’t you imagining stripping me naked, like you did to that Du Yuejiao girl, torturing and humiliating me, perhaps even using the techniques that witch taught you, turning me into a… a whore, begging for your mercy?”
Shi Hao’s mind went blank. He stared at her, speechless.
The Holy Jade Immortal’s smile remained unchanged, “Was I wrong?”
Shi Hao wanted to flee. But he had a feeling that, at least at this moment, she wasn’t angry.
But if he ran away now, she would lose all respect for him.
His body stiff, his mouth dry, he stammered, “Sister Zi Yin… Immortal… how did you know?”
Ye Zi Yin smiled faintly, “It wasn’t difficult to guess. From the beginning, I knew Su Mei wouldn’t just let you go. And when you returned, your words were evasive. When you mentioned interrogating Du Yuejiao, you glossed over the details, and you avoided my gaze.”
“You thought I was a righteous Daoist immortal and worried I would blame you for your methods. If even Su Mei could see through that, how could I not?”
“Demonic cultivators excel at exploiting the darkness within people’s hearts. You were conflicted and hiding something from me. With that witch’s cunning, she would definitely exploit that. Brother Hao, frankly, you’re no match for her. It’s only natural that she’s playing you like a fiddle.”
Shi Hao smiled wryly, “Sister Zi Yin, you two are truly formidable. I’m no match for you. Compared to you, I feel like a naive child.”
Ye Zi Yin smiled, “Listen carefully to what I’m about to teach you. Martial arts is not just about flashy moves and powerful foundations. The seventh, eighth, and ninth ranks are all considered low-level, no different from street thugs brawling in our eyes.
“To become a true expert, you must first achieve inner peace, leaving no weaknesses for others to exploit. For example, you used those… unsavory methods on that girl, and you thought I would blame you.”
“But why do you care about my opinion? Everyone has their own way of doing things. Even within the Taisu Immortal Pavilion, not everyone thinks alike. Since you acted for the greater good, I wouldn’t blame you. And even if I did, you should trust your own judgment.”
“As long as you believe in righteousness and justice, and act without regret, your heart will be unassailable. And even if your actions are controversial, don’t dwell on it. Who can live a life without any regrets? You must trust yourself and your decisions.”
“I’ll ask you again, give you another chance. Would you still capture her, still use any means necessary, to obtain the information about the God-Sealing Stones?”
Shi Hao said resolutely, “I would!”
Ye Zi Yin said softly, “Then why do you care what I think? You didn’t even need to hide it from me. It’s precisely because your heart wasn’t clear, because you were hesitant, that Su Mei found an opportunity to exploit your doubts, turning a minor detail into a demonic seed planted within your heart.”
“Once that seed takes root and grows, your inner demons will emerge, and your life will be in her control, with no escape.”
Shi Hao sighed softly, “I was wrong, Sister Zi Yin. I’ll be more careful in the future.”
Ye Zi Yin shook her head, “No, you still don’t understand where you went wrong. Let me ask you, when you went to her, she must have done something that left a deep impression on you. What did she do?”
Shi Hao asked, surprised, “How did you know, Sister Zi Yin? She was in the pool, and when I looked at her, she suddenly emerged from the water, her beauty breathtaking, her body partially concealed, tantalizingly visible yet also obscured.”
“She put on her veil as she spun, chanting her poetic title, walking on the mist. It was truly mesmerizing. Now that I think about it… uh!”
Ye Zi Yin smiled, “Is that when you started to lose your focus?”
Shi Hao whispered, “Yes.”
Ye Zi Yin asked, “Then let me ask you, do you know what I was doing before you returned here?”
Shi Hao asked, “What were you doing, Sister?”
Ye Zi Yin smiled, turned, and pointed towards the higher ground behind them, “I was watching you from there. When I saw you returning, I went back behind the waterfall. And when you arrived and looked at the waterfall, I timed my appearance perfectly, creating a memorable image.”
“Initially, I didn’t know you were hiding something from me. But after I appeared, I deliberately looked at you with a sharp, emotionless gaze. You were too captivated by my entrance to think clearly, so you instinctively avoided my eyes.”
“That’s when I knew Su Mei must have done something to you. But I didn’t know what exactly. So, I asked you what she had taught you. As you answered, your eyes darted around, your gaze briefly lingering on my chest.”
“Combined with your earlier evasiveness, I understood everything.”
Shi Hao stared at her, speechless. After a while, he finally said, “So, her emerging from the water, your appearance from behind the waterfall, even your walking on water before teaching me the Gathering Essence Flowing Pearl Technique, it was all deliberate?”
Ye Zi Yin smiled faintly, “That’s how true high-ranking experts operate. The battle begins before the first move is even made. Brother Hao, you said you were no match for us. That’s not true. You lost before the battle even began.”
Shi Hao was stunned. After a long while, he sighed, “I said I was like a naive child compared to you two.
“Now I realize how arrogant I was. Compared to you two, I’m just a newborn infant!”
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