Chapter 117: The Method of Surviving by Severing an Arm
"Daoist Yun, please."
Inside the cave abode, Lin Chang’an poured a cup of fine spirit tea, while Yun Yao, with a calm expression, removed her veil and disguise, revealing her true appearance.
"Daoist Lin, your cave abode has quite the scenery."
Outside were pavilions, ponds, and surrounded by green bamboo, while next to the cave abode, the Silver River Waterfall flowed serenely.
The carved beams and painted rafters of the pavilion extended into the cave abode, with spring water nourishing the interior, surrounded by an abundance of spirit grass and spirit flowers.
Above the cave abode, a skylight allowed sunlight and moonlight to shine in, rendering the scenery tranquil and pleasant.
It was a beautifully cultivated environment for cultivation.
Faced with Yun Yao’s praise, Lin Chang’an simply smiled and nodded. "It’s nothing more than a little leisure."
Though he was a diligent cultivator, that did not mean he knew nothing of enjoying life.
While sipping tea, they chatted from the scenery of the cave abode to cultivation insights, until the fifth pot of spirit tea was finished.
During their conversation, both of them seemed somewhat absent-minded.
Even whenever their gazes met, they would promptly shift the topic.
It wasn’t until the sixth pot of spirit tea entered his mouth that Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly.
The high-grade spirit tea gifted earlier by the Zhou Family had already been consumed. This sixth pot was brewed with ordinary spirit tea.
At the side, Yun Yao’s expression remained serene, as if she noticed nothing.
"Brother Lin, congratulations on your breakthrough to Low-grade Second-rank Talisman Master."
Finally, Yun Yao took a deep breath and offered a somewhat unnatural cupped-fist salute.
She had come today with important business; she could no longer linger over tea.
"That is all thanks to Daoist Yun’s help before."
After saying this, Lin Chang’an couldn't help but flash a hint of embarrassment.
He truly wished to express his gratitude to Yun Yao—for the talisman inheritance she had once gifted him at Bamboo Mountain Marketplace, and the Exploding Talisman Inheritance not long ago.
However, Yun Yao seemed to ignore the implication behind his words. With forced composure, she gently set down the teacup and softly said:
"I wonder, Brother Lin, when can we begin?"
"Now, if you’re ready."
"Now!?"
A flicker of panic flashed in Yun Yao’s eyes, but she still gave a cold nod.
"Alright."
Simple and direct, Yun Yao stood up without hesitation and reached to undo the white jade belt around her slim waist.
Upon seeing this, Lin Chang’an took a deep breath—when it came to his craft, he was entirely professional.
"Daoist Yun, I have already prepared the secluded chamber. No one will disturb us."
"Good."
Lin Chang’an led Yun Yao into the prepared secluded chamber.
A natural spring pool emitted mist, while beside it lay the spirit brush and cinnabar Lin Chang’an had prepared in advance for drawing talismans.
As the white mist swirled, Yun Yao’s earlobes flushed red. She took a deep breath, putting on a candid and straightforward demeanor, though her smile appeared somewhat stiff.
"Brother Lin, use the materials I brought."
Yun Yao retrieved a small bottle of crimson cinnabar from her storage pouch. As soon as it was opened, the dense spiritual energy made Lin Chang’an widen his eyes.
"Third-rank cinnabar."
"Mm."
Upon receiving her confirmation, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but show a trace of envy. In the world of cultivation, it wasn’t always a matter of having spirit stones—some high-grade resources were beyond one’s reach without strength or connections.
"Understood."
Amid the gentle mist, the white jade belt slipped off, followed by the white robe embroidered with cloud patterns draping over her shoulder.
Revealed beneath was a close-fitting inner garment adorned with cloud motifs, her back exposing skin as smooth as congealed fat.
Within the mist, Yun Yao’s delicate snow-like skin quickly took on a rosy glow. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her eyes like ink dots, lips like cinnabar.
"Brother Lin… I’m ready."
"A-alright."
As the final inner garment slipped off, Lin Chang’an took a deep breath, then focused intently, picking up the spirit brush and dipping it into the third-rank cinnabar Yun Yao had prepared.
The moment the fiery red cinnabar touched the brush to her snow-white skin, it flushed with red instantly.
The searing sensation caused Yun Yao’s brows to knit tightly. Every stroke of Lin Chang’an’s brush felt like a branding iron scorching deep into her bones.
The Exploding Talisman, when drawn directly onto a cultivator’s body, was an extreme and unorthodox technique.
The process itself was excruciatingly painful.
Using a cultivator’s skin as the talisman paper and their flesh and blood as the guide, in a life-or-death moment, it could unleash terrifying power.
It was said that a late Foundation Establishment cultivator once perished alongside six other cultivators of the same stage.
Its power was comparable to a strike from a Golden Core cultivator.
But the price was one’s life.
"Daoist Yun, endure it. If it gets too hot, I have Iceheart Pills here."
This pain seeped into the marrow. Yun Yao’s ability to grit her teeth and remain silent impressed even Lin Chang’an.
"N-no need… I have the Ice Soul Pearl!"
Eventually, Yun Yao’s face turned pale as she could no longer bear the pain, afraid to make a sound and embarrass herself before Lin Chang’an.
Her sandalwood lips trembled as they slowly opened, and a bead emitting a cold aura floated out, circling around them and easing her discomfort.
Not a word was exchanged. Yun Yao clenched her teeth, face twisted in pain, sweat pouring down. Lin Chang’an, too, was drenched in sweat, not daring to relax for even a moment.
Drawing talismans on a cultivator’s body left no room for error, and some areas required Yun Yao’s full cooperation.
Several hours passed...
"Gulp... gulp!"
Inside the cave abode, Lin Chang’an, drenched in sweat, picked up the spirit tea and downed it in one go.
Breathing heavily, he was secretly alarmed. This secret technique of drawing on a cultivator’s body drained both mana and energy immensely.
"Fortunately, my mana is dense and my talent extraordinary."
On the other side of the cave abode, Yun Yao had her back to him, trembling slightly as she dressed in her magical robe. But just as she turned around, her body swayed and nearly collapsed.
"Daoist Yun, this secret technique also consumes a great deal of the cultivator’s own energy. Please rest for a while."
Lin Chang’an stepped forward to help Yun Yao sit upright on a stone stool.
At this moment, Yun Yao’s face was deathly pale, clearly looking as if her vitality had been overly exhausted.
"Brother Lin, I didn’t expect that you would be so gifted in the Talisman Path. I thought it would take several attempts to succeed."
Yun Yao was breathing weakly, yet when she looked at Lin Chang’an, there was still undisguised admiration in her beautiful eyes.
Although Lin Chang’an had poor spiritual root aptitude, his talent in the Talisman Path was definitely not lacking.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have reached Foundation Establishment relying on talismans alone.
Only Lin Chang’an knew the truth of his own talent.
"Not really, it’s just that practice makes... cough, cough."
Lin Chang’an nearly blurted out “practice makes perfect”—but this was actually his very first time drawing this thing.
At the side, Yun Yao gave a soft chuckle, lifting her teacup to hide her embarrassment, but the flushed redness of her ears had already betrayed her.
"Daoist Yun, this cave abode is still fairly rich in spiritual energy. Stay here for now to restore your mana. I’ll go rest and recover a bit myself."
The earlier scene kept echoing in their minds, making things somewhat awkward now. Lin Chang’an found a reason to excuse himself and left.
He left the cave abode behind for Yun Yao.
"Brother Lin."
Seeing Lin Chang’an about to leave, Yun Yao took a deep breath. Since she had come to him, she had naturally already made up her mind.
She had only needed a moment to adjust. She was not the reserved type and respectfully cupped her hands.
"The current situation is unstable. I had no choice but to cultivate this technique. I must thank you, Brother Lin."
By the time she said the final sentence, Yun Yao had already composed herself, revealing a straightforward smile.
Seeing this, Lin Chang’an felt a wave of emotion. In the world of cultivation, if given a choice, who would willingly allow talismans to be drawn on their own body?
"Daoist Yun’s disposition—I truly admire it."
Letting go of all that had happened, the two of them, recognizing each other’s unwavering determination in the cultivation world, exchanged sincere smiles.
In this unpredictable cultivation world, to have a kindred spirit walking the path with you was an enviable blessing for many cultivators.
Too many cultivators, as they walked their paths, would one day find themselves alone, with only endless solitude accompanying them.
After Lin Chang’an’s figure disappeared and only the gentle sound of spring water remained inside the cave abode, Yun Yao’s face blossomed with a radiant smile.
...
Inside the pavilion.
While Yun Yao was restoring her mana within the cave abode, Lin Chang’an was doing the same in the outer pavilion.
"This sort of unorthodox demonic technique, while incredibly dangerous, is also sometimes the most practical."
Two days later, as his mana and mind had recovered, Lin Chang’an read over the jade slip Yun Yao had given him with a serious expression.
Generation after generation of cultivators in this world truly possessed exceptional talent—to the point of conceiving and even executing a technique involving talisman drawing on a cultivator’s body.
"Exploding Talisman—drawn upon the cultivator’s body, using their flesh and blood as the medium. Once activated, there is no turning back."
Reading this, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but sigh deeply. He could only hope that his friend Yun Yao would never need to use this technique in her lifetime.
"But in a life-and-death situation, most cultivators would likely choose this path."
The cruelty of the cultivation world wasn’t something one could escape from by begging for mercy.
Even a rabbit would bite when cornered. Faced with certain death, many cultivators would choose a ruthless option—if they couldn’t take you down, at least they’d leave you bloody and miserable.
"However, since the Exploding Talisman can be drawn on the whole body, it can naturally be drawn on individual limbs. That makes it even more suitable for my Regenerative Body."
Gazing at the jade slip in hand, Lin Chang’an sank into thought.
The divine ability ‘Regenerative Body’ awakened by the ancient cultivation technique he practiced had never really been fully utilized—more due to limitations than desire.
But now, it seemed he had found a new direction.
"This talisman uses the cultivator’s limbs and flesh as the medium. If I only draw it on my arms or legs, the power would be greatly reduced, but it could serve as a life-saving method in critical moments."
At this thought, Lin Chang’an’s eyes lit up.
His regenerative limbs, as long as his mana and blood essence could keep up, could fully regrow.
What would be a self-harming method for others could become a means of survival by severing an arm for him.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Lin Chang’an felt a surge of excitement.
"Truly, it’s like finding something after a long search without effort."
If such a crisis really came, he could even use it to terrify his enemies—after all, this was a mutual destruction tactic.
In such situations, whether to cover a retreat or go all out, this would be a perfect choice.
Just as Lin Chang’an was beaming with joy over acquiring a new life-saving method, a figure slowly emerged from the connected cave abode.
"Brother Lin, thank you."
When Yun Yao walked out, she had returned to her usual graceful and valiant demeanor. Though her skin still faintly ached, she could now endure it.
"You’re too polite, Daoist Yun."
Amid laughter and conversation, they once again drank tea and discussed the Dao.
Yun Yao was indeed a disciple of a major sect. Though she had once been targeted as a furnace vessel by a Golden Core cultivator, she had truly received resources.
Later, she even joined the Mystic Yin Sect. Whether in knowledge or spellcraft, she far surpassed Lin Chang’an.
"Demonic techniques are known for being easy to start and immensely powerful—but they come with their price. Just like the Water Yin Demonic Art I practice.
Though its cultivation speed is astonishing and its divine abilities powerful, the downside is enduring extreme yin cold—and constantly being hunted."
At this point, Yun Yao couldn’t help but show a trace of hatred. If she had had a choice, what female cultivator would willingly allow talismans to be drawn on her own body?
Listening to her, Lin Chang’an, however, had a different take and shook his head.
"For drifting cultivators, the hardest part is not having the proper method. That’s why even a single fragment of a technique can lead to rivers of blood."
Demonic techniques were something that came from inherited sect lineages.
But for drifting cultivators, it was called a fortuitous encounter.
After this discussion, before they parted, Yun Yao left behind a Voice-recording Talisman—capable of transmitting messages over a certain distance.
This item was only given to true close friends. It wasn’t cheap either.
...
Watching Yun Yao leave in disguise, Lin Chang’an sat alone in the pavilion and sighed softly.
Yun Yao had taken shelter in the demonic sect, surrounded by dangers. He hoped everything would go smoothly for her.
After decades of cultivation, to have reached this point—she was the only friend he had left.
"Moo!"
At that moment, the Azure-Horned Bull, satisfied after chewing up the Spirit Fruit Yun Yao had thrown it before leaving, wagged its tail and approached its master with a pleased look.
"You silly bull, at least you still remember who your master is."
Lin Chang’an glared. The longer he raised this bull, the more he realized how intelligent high-grade spirit beasts truly were.
It had become a habit to flatter guests and beg for spirit fruit and spirit grass.
He even suspected that this bull could feed itself without any help from him.
However, when Lin Chang’an returned to the cave abode and saw the bottle of Third-rank Cinnabar still by the pool, he couldn’t help but sigh.
"Daoist Yun is truly generous."
What a huge gain.
He had not only learned a Second-rank talisman but also acquired a new means of self-preservation. A totally unexpected windfall.
Though this was a method to survive by severing a limb—only usable in dire situations—in terms of regular combat power, he was still somewhat lacking.
"I can’t miss this upcoming auction."
Thinking about what he still needed, Lin Chang’an frowned. He hoped he had enough spirit stones.
He needed far too much right now—Second-rank Alchemy Furnace, Second-rank Alchemy Formula, and High-grade Spirit Liquid. Even if he could earn spirit stones, he couldn’t withstand the cost.
This auction—he must find a divine spell that could enhance his combat strength.