Chapter 452: Chapter 451: Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication
Immortal Yan saw Yang Fei’s sorrowful expression and couldn’t help but mock herself, "Feigning kindness and righteousness, if you were truly compassionate, how could you have killed so many people in the Duanmu Family?"
Yang Fei glanced at her, offering no explanation.
He never considered himself to be compassionate, for his hands were stained with countless lives. As for the enemies he personally killed, he never felt merciful or regretful.
But to kill the innocent without cause, that, he couldn’t do.
"So who are you exactly, Immortal Yan, the demoness of the Poison Sect, or the young miss of the Helian Family?" Yang Fei asked as he looked at her.
Immortal Yan gave a seductive smile, "Does it really matter to you?"
Yang Fei nodded, "If you’re the demoness, I indeed have reservations about revealing Taoist techniques to you, fearing that it would only bring more disaster to this world. But if you hail from a famous family, that would be different."
Immortal Yan snorted derisively, "I’m not a three-year-old child, so you needn’t try to deceive me with such talk. The nature of a person’s heart is much more reliable than moral labels of good and evil. Moreover, the Poison Sect is not an evil cult; otherwise, how could the Hidden Sect’s Eight Great Forces allow it to exist? As for the Helian Family, they’re not necessarily the bastion of nobility and justice either."
Yang Fei chuckled, "You seem quite averse to the name Helian Rong. You hold a grudge against the Helian Family, don’t you?"
Immortal Yan replied indifferently, "So what if I do? That hardly seems like your concern. Let me ask you, are you truly willing to cooperate? If not, I will have to resort to harsher measures. As the saying goes, ’courtesy before force.’ I’ve been quite kind to you these days; you best not reject wine only to be forced to drink a penalty."
Yang Fei nodded, "As a prisoner, I must admit I’ve been treated fairly well. Rest assured, as long as you keep your promise, I can teach you the Taoist techniques I know."
Immortal Yan’s eyes brightened, looking eagerly at Yang Fei, "That’s more like it. You don’t want to be trapped here forever, right? Tell me what I want to know sooner, and I can arrange for your release sooner."
Yang Fei chuckled, "Now that the Hidden Sect has sealed its gates, how do you intend to send me away?"
"Ahem..."
Immortal Yan was slightly embarrassed but not annoyed. She said, "I meant to set you free, not to let you leave the Hidden Sect World. Under the current circumstances, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to help you leave this world. But as long as they can’t find you, given enough time, they’ll naturally reopen the gates. Then, finding a way to send you out will be feasible."
Yang Fei sighed, "I have no choice but to trust you now."
Immortal Yan nodded in agreement.
She had gone through great lengths to capture Yang Fei. If she couldn’t get what she wanted from him, she was definitely not going to let him go.
As for whether she would let him go after getting what she wanted, only heaven knew.
But Yang Fei had no better alternatives.
He believed that if he continued to remain silent, offering Immortal Yan no benefits, this demoness would surely find a way to torture him.
Rather than being tortured by her, better to cooperate willingly, maintaining their current situation, in hopes of finding a chance to escape.
"Taoist techniques focus on building the Golden Body and nurturing the Primordial Spirit. Absorb the power of Heaven and Earth into the body, tempering the body until it is undying like gold. Through meditation, open up the world of the Sea of Consciousness, give life to the Primordial Spirit, form the Golden Core, venture beyond with Divine Traveling, and live as long as Heaven and Earth."
Yang Fei slowly started, outlining the essentials of the Taoist technique.
Immortal Yan listened intently, then frowned and scoffed, "Talk about something practical."
Yang Fei smiled, "Don’t be in a hurry, we need to start with an introduction."
Without withholding, he then shared part of the Taoist mental method he practiced.
Immortal Yan listened very seriously, pondering for a while after. Her eyes grew brighter. Although it was a simple breathing technique, she felt this technique was different from those of other schools and sects. It not only encompassed all vital elements practiced by the Hidden Sect’s Eight Great Forces but had aspects absent in other techniques.
Moreover, this technique was very simple and easy to understand, exuding a sense of returning to basics and the simplicity of the ultimate path.
"Wait a moment," Immortal Yan pondered for a while before having Yang Fei pause. She turned around, took an incense, lit it in the incense burner, and then handed Yang Fei a pill.
Looking at the elixir, Yang Fei’s face immediately frowned, "I’ve been so cooperative, and you still want to poison me?"
Immortal Yan smiled and said, "I need to verify if your cultivation technique is real. I need some time to prove your sincerity, right?"
Knowing she did not trust him, Yang Fei did not waste more words and swallowed the pill. After a moment, the effect of the hypnotic fragrance emerged, and Yang Fei became irritated and restless, utterly unable to maintain a state of deep meditation.
It was unclear whether Immortal Yan was already immune to the toxin or had taken the antidote beforehand, but she was unaffected. After Yang Fei was controlled by the drug, she still did not feel completely assured and personally sealed the major acupoints around his body, then tossed him on a soft, spacious bed, rendering him immobile.
Having handled everything, Immortal Yan sat cross-legged next to Yang Fei, entering a breathing state of in and out as taught by Yang Fei, similar to Old Ceng meditating.
Time passed second by second, and after an hour, Immortal Yan was still immersed in this transcendent state.
She was already of the Innate Realm in her cultivation, and was initially a bit uncomfortable with the new breathing method. However, she gradually found this cultivation technique very practical for her.
No, it was not just suitable for her, it should be applicable to all cultivators.
But that wasn’t right.
Wasn’t it too simple?
Immortal Yan, feeling the harmonious connection she had established with the Heaven and Earth Power around her that signified Unity of Heaven and Man, started to harbor doubts.
After a while, she opened her eyes and then looked towards Yang Fei beside her.
Yang Fei’s face was flushed, his eyes flickering with raging flames, staring straight at her.
If his entire body hadn’t been sealed by acupoints, he might have pounced on Immortal Yan by now.
Even though he made no move, the look in his eyes allowed Immortal Yan to guess that during the past period, he had considered unspeakable, indecent acts involving her in his mind.
Although she was a bold and unconstrained demoness, thinking about this scenario still inevitably made Immortal Yan blush.
Muttering to herself in frustration, Immortal Yan huffed softly.
That sound carried a deep True Yuan, having an effect that could shake one’s inner demons and bring peace of mind.
Yang Fei’s shaken spirit quickly returned, and seeing Immortal Yan leaving her meditative state, he couldn’t help but say, "Quickly get rid of that hypnotic fragrance."
Immortal Yan ignored him and asked, "Are you sure you’re not deceiving me?"
Yang Fei was taken aback, "Why would I deceive you?"
Frowning, Immortal Yan said, "The cultivation technique you spoke of seems too simple, doesn’t it?"
Yang Fei, appearing calm, responded, "If you do not believe me, there is nothing I can do. In any case, I have always been cultivating with this technique. As they say, ’Great Tao is the simplest’. Taoists emphasize that techniques should appear natural. You might find the technique simple, but for many others, it is profound and elusive. Could it be because you are already a skilled practitioner of the Innate Realm and have your own understandings of cultivation, thus making it seem easy to you?"
Immortal Yan had indeed considered this, but she remained skeptical as it truly seemed too simple.
Yet seeing Yang Fei’s innocent and sincere expression, she couldn’t help but wonder to herself.
Could what he said be true?
If Taoist techniques were so simple, then how could they be revered as the foremost in the world of cultivation?
"Is there anything else you haven’t told me?" Immortal Yan asked.