Chapter 12: The Price of Memories Past

After listening to Sun Ni’s words, Zhang Jing immediately relaxed, shrugged, and said, “That’s a game for the big shots, nothing to do with us, right?”

The shadow didn’t speak but nodded in agreement.

Sun Ni’s gaze fell on Qian Ye, and she said, “It’s somewhat related, but not much. We don’t need to worry about why this child survived, but we should proceed as usual. Give him the most standard training, and follow the rules. If he can survive and walk out of here, it will be his own merit. If he dies halfway, it has nothing to do with us from the Netherworld.”

After a pause, Sun Ni added, “In short, let’s pretend the matter of the origin power plundering never happened. No matter which powerful figure is behind it, it has nothing to do with us. If that person really wants to cause trouble, we from the Netherworld are not afraid! So, there’s no need to be overly cautious. This is… the Chief’s order.”

This time, even Zhang Jing lost her casual demeanor, and everyone was surprised, asking, “The Chief is back?”

Sun Ni didn’t answer but gave an almost imperceptible nod.

All the instructors immediately became extremely excited, and Long Hai even let out a silly laugh.

With her hands behind her back, Sun Ni circled around Qian Ye, saying, “But now, we might as well give him a little bit of special attention. Otherwise, he probably won’t make it through this. The timing is bad, and if we let him die like this, others might think we, the Netherworld, are really afraid of those families! Hmm, I’ve already checked his body, and the part of the Soldier Conquest Technique that impacts the qi sea node needs to be adjusted. Here’s how it should be… Zhang Jing, when the child wakes up, you can teach him alone!”

“Alright.”

Sun Ni nodded and turned to leave.

The instructors exchanged glances, and then Shen Tu began to treat Qian Ye.

At this point, Zhang Jing and the other instructors looked at Qian Ye with a hint of regret. What kind of prodigy must this child have been to catch the eye of someone bold enough to use the forbidden technique of origin power plundering?

Unfortunately, it was all in the past. Even the most extraordinary genius would become ordinary after being subjected to the origin power plundering, not much better than a regular cultivator.

When Qian Ye woke up, the surroundings were somewhat familiar. Realizing he was lying on a metal table in the biology lab, his heart thumped violently. If not for the numbness in his body, he would have fallen off the table.

He felt a burning sensation in his chest, punctuated by sharp pains.

“You’re awake? Get down by yourself!”

Qian Ye turned his head and saw Zhang Jing with her back to him, leaning over a lab table, her spine curved into a tempting arc, writing something.

Qian Ye tried to move his fingers, managed to sit up, and then got off the table. But as soon as his feet touched the ground, they gave way, and he fell to the floor.

Zhang Jing exclaimed, “Oh, I forgot the anesthesia hasn’t worn off yet.”

Zhang Jing came over, picked up Qian Ye, and placed him in a chair. She then handed him a piece of paper, saying, “Memorize this here, and ask me if you have any questions. This can only be seen here and cannot be taken out.”

Zhang Jing’s unexpected kindness did not make Qian Ye feel comfortable; instead, it filled him with unease. She was far from the gentle and approachable person she appeared to be, with cruel and venomous methods. Even Long Hai avoided her like a snake.

The paper contained a long chant, with detailed annotations below. Qian Ye read it for a while and understood that it was a modification of the Soldier Conquest Technique, focusing on the impact on the qi sea node.

“From now on, cultivate according to this method until you ignite the qi sea node. The process might be painful. If you have any discomfort, you can come to my place anytime. I’ll inform the guards to let you in.”

With that, Zhang Jing left the room, leaving Qian Ye to silently memorize the chant.

Half an hour later, Qian Ye had memorized everything on the paper. Following Zhang Jing’s instructions, he tore the paper into shreds and carefully placed them on the table before leaving.

Zhang Jing’s place was not far from the camp. As Qian Ye passed through a forest, he suddenly saw Song Zi Ning leaning against a large tree, looking up at the sky.

Following his gaze, Qian Ye also looked up, seeing only blue sky and white clouds, not even a bird.

“What are you looking at?” Qian Ye asked curiously.

“The great path and the future,” Song Zi Ning replied unexpectedly.

Qian Ye understood the word “future” but not “great path.”

Before Qian Ye could say anything, Song Zi Ning asked nonchalantly, “Are you alright?”

Qian Ye hesitated and said, “The instructor said my cultivation method had issues and made some adjustments.”

Song Zi Ning’s expression tensed, and he asked, “Which instructor?”

“Zhang Jing.”

“Good, if it’s her!” Song Zi Ning relaxed and said, “Don’t worry, everyone’s talent is different, so the general cultivation techniques are often not the best fit. If possible, they should be adjusted. Zhang Jing is not simple. Having her guide your cultivation is good for you. But…”

Seeing Song Zi Ning’s hesitant look, Qian Ye quickly asked, “But what?”

Song Zi Ning didn’t answer, but instead, scrutinized Qian Ye, then said, “Nothing, you’ll find out. Hehe!”

His smile was odd, and then he left, ignoring Qian Ye.

Qian Ye watched Song Zi Ning’s retreating figure, doubting that he had just been here to look at the sky. Perhaps he was worried and came specifically to wait for Qian Ye?

Although Song Zi Ning had consistently ranked first, the other children were close behind. Time was the most precious thing in the training camp, and lack of effort could lead to elimination. For all the children, time and “Vermilion Blood” were the most precious things.

So, Qian Ye kept Song Zi Ning’s figure in his mind.

Some things didn’t need to be said, and time would reveal the truth.

This was their longest conversation in months. Many things Song Zi Ning said were new to Qian Ye, indicating that this child’s background was more complex than he had claimed.

Qian Ye checked the time, realizing he had ten minutes until the next class. He quickened his pace and hurried to the small valley.

As the scent of “Vermilion Blood” enveloped him, Qian Ye entered a state of mental clarity and began to cultivate. This time, he slowly guided the origin power tides along the new chant, gradually approaching the qi sea node in his chest.

However, when the origin power tides reached the injured area, it was like sinking into a quagmire, each surge becoming difficult and sluggish. Each pulse of origin power in the injured area was like using an iron brush on a fresh wound, causing excruciating pain that almost made Qian Ye pass out again.

The modified Soldier Conquest Technique caused less pain than the original, which allowed Qian Ye to avoid passing out immediately, as he had in the beginning.

Qian Ye had a toughness and resilience in his bones. He endured the pain silently, gritting his teeth. However, he soon realized that the origin power moving through the injured area not only caused intense pain but also slowed down, weakening its impact. Only by accumulating more profound origin power could he achieve the normal impact force of the origin power tides.

And more profound impact meant more pain.

Qian Ye decided to go all out, treating his body as if it wasn’t his own. However, the intense pain was almost unbearable, and before the two-hour cultivation class was over, Qian Ye collapsed, exhausted.

Still, this cultivation session yielded some results, with progress in his origin power, though it was abnormally slow. Qian Ye touched the scar on his chest, feeling a heavy shadow in his heart. He didn’t know who or what had given him this scar, but it continued to affect his fate, trying to drag him into the mire and push him into the abyss!

As night fell, the children had a brief period of free time. This was when they learned various knowledge or practiced extra cultivation. From this time on, the children had a little freedom to decide their future direction based on their interests.

Qian Ye went to see Zhang Jing. The guards, as instructed, did not stop him.

Zhang Jing lived in a small, separate courtyard, unlike the metallic and bluestone buildings common in the training camp. The courtyard was in an imperial retro style, with an elegant two-story building as the main structure.

Just from her living arrangements, it was clear that she was different from the other instructors. Long Hai and the others lived in dorms, which looked like big metal boxes.

Qian Ye gently knocked on the door, and Zhang Jing’s voice came, “The door is unlocked, come in.”

Qian Ye entered the courtyard, walked into the main room, and carefully avoided touching anything.

Zhang Jing was not in the living room, but the sound of water came from the bedroom, as if she was taking a bath.

Qian Ye stood patiently, having learned obedience and patience over the years. When there were no new orders, not moving was the best choice.

A moment later, Zhang Jing emerged from the inner room, wrapped in a bathrobe, and sank into the sofa, glancing at Qian Ye.

Her bathrobe seemed a bit small, with a short hem that barely covered her long, white legs. Her ample chest strained against the neckline, as if ready to burst out.

To Qian Ye, those legs were exceptionally dazzling, every movement flashing like lightning.

Children born in rural areas and times of war matured early. In the pre-imperial era, the human race advanced the age of marriage and childbirth to produce more warriors. The human body developed faster to survive. Even now, it was common for people to marry and have children at fourteen or fifteen.

Ten-year-old Qian Ye was not too young. The children in the training camp cultivated the Soldier Conquest Technique, a hot and explosive method that accelerated physical and emotional development. The biology classes provided a thorough understanding of the human body.

But Zhang Jing seemed unaware that Qian Ye was no longer a naive child, stretching languidly, her legs straightening, almost revealing what shouldn’t be seen.

Qian Ye’s heart felt like it was hit by a hammer, and the world seemed to change. Was it the world, or his feelings that had changed?

“Little Qian Ye, what do you need?” Zhang Jing asked lazily.

Qian Ye avoided looking at her and quickly explained the problems he encountered during cultivation. He was unsure if the extra pain and sluggishness of the origin power were normal.

Zhang Jing became a bit more serious, gesturing for Qian Ye to come closer.