Chapter 135: A Predestined Ordeal

Aunt looked at me with concern after hearing my words. "Dachuan, are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded. "Yes, I’ve decided. I’m going to give it a shot. I have faith." To be honest, I felt a bit of confidence—partly due to my Yin-attuned blood, partly because of my upright heart, and partly because I was driven by love and friendship. I knew I could do it.

"Very well, if you truly wish to do this, I will help you," Aunt said sincerely.

Wan'er walked over, her face full of anxiety. "Brother, are you... are you really going to do this?"

"Yes, I have no other choice."

"Brother, please, be careful." Wan'er clutched my arm, her expression brimming with tenderness.

During the day, Aunt taught me breathing techniques, saying they would help me maintain oxygen intake. She and Wan'er also prepared nourishing meals for me to help me conserve my strength. Over those three days, it was nothing but exercises and meals. Meanwhile, inside the iron cage, Yueyue’s body had grown extremely weak; she lay there, seemingly unable to even move.

On the evening of the fourth day, Aunt called me over. "Dachuan, are you ready?"

"I'm ready." I rolled my shoulders, feeling much stronger than before.

"Good. We begin the transfer of the Yin-Absorbing Technique tonight. Are you sure? Even now, if you regret it, there is still time. This is not something that must be done. Yueyue has killed too many; even if she dies, no one will pity her," Aunt said.

What she said was true. Yueyue had consumed many souls and carved out many hearts. Her crimes were heinous. Yet, she wasn't the mastermind; she was coerced and had no choice. Of course, I wasn't doing this entirely for her—Wang Ying and Wei Qi were other reasons. Sometimes, a man has to take a risk and fight for something. I said firmly, "Aunt, I am ready."

"Very well, follow me." Aunt told Wan'er and Fatty Shao to wait outside, and I followed her in.

"Aunt, I have one concern. If I truly lose control, you know what to do, right?" Whatever happened, I could not become a second soul-devouring demon. Still, I had confidence in myself.

"Stop that nonsense, you brat. If anything happens to you, don't think I won't scold you. You must come through this just fine." Aunt punched my shoulder, then added, "If you falter even a little, how am I supposed to answer to your Second Uncle?"

"Hehe, Aunt, let me ask you something. Is there... that kind of relationship between you and my Second Uncle?" The question had been buried in my heart for a long time. Aunt treated me no differently than he would; if it were just a normal relationship, she wouldn't be this way.

"What kind of messy thoughts are running through your head? Stop daydreaming."

Seeing she didn't want to talk about it, I let it drop.

Aunt took Yueyue out of the iron cage. The girl had no strength left. Aunt, being a hybrid of human and ghost, did not fear Yueyue. Yueyue had no energy left in her body; she likely couldn't even use the Yin-Absorbing Technique anymore. Seeing her after she hadn't eaten for days felt cruel, but there was no other way—if she had any strength, she surely wouldn't have been docile.

"Dachuan, there are two ways to transfer the Yin-Absorbing Technique. One is for the two of you to engage in intercourse. If I channel my energy into her back, the transfer will succeed within ten minutes," Aunt explained.

My face darkened instantly. Back when Yueyue first started practicing the technique, Li Danian had told me that intercourse could purge her Yin-toxin. I hadn't agreed then, and I wouldn't agree now. Doing this just to transfer the technique felt wrong. I didn't care about myself, but others would be hurt—Yueyue, Wang Ying, Wan'er, and even the moral order itself. I asked, "Aunt, what is the other way?"

"Fine, I see you aren't that kind of person. We shall use the second method. But understand, it will be slower—it will likely take an hour."

"That's fine. I have nothing else to do."

Aunt placed Yueyue on the bed and, to my shock, stripped her bare right in front of me. At this moment, Yueyue could only be described as skin and bones; her haggard face was narrower than a blade. Her breasts had shriveled from malnutrition. It was clear the technique had tortured her. As a normal man, I expected to feel something, but standing there, I felt no such thing—only sorrow and pity.

"Dachuan, don't lose focus. Take off your clothes as well," Aunt said with a stern expression.

"Ah! I have to take my clothes off too?" I looked at Aunt, feeling embarrassed. Isn't this just a technique transfer? Did it have to be so erotic?

While I hesitated, Aunt stood up and removed her own clothes until she was completely bare. She placed both hands on Yueyue’s back. The moment she did, Yueyue’s hands suddenly straightened out.

I immediately pushed all thoughts of eroticism aside, hurriedly stripped, and sat down, pressing my palms against Yueyue’s. The moment our palms met, my whole body trembled as if struck by electricity. A current-like energy slowly forced its way from her palms into my body.

This heat was intense. It surged into my body, flowing wildly. When I looked up, I saw Yueyue’s fair skin becoming translucent. Her veins turned dark purple, crawling over her skin like earthworms. The Yin energy pulsed and flowed into me. As it entered my blood, I felt a heavy pressure; I felt nauseated, my chest tight and unable to breathe.

"Dachuan, are you alright?" Even though Aunt didn't move her lips, I heard her voice clearly.

"Aunt, I'm fine." I said this, but I feared I wouldn't hold out. I never expected the transfer to be this difficult.

"Hold on. Press all the energy into your Dantian. Do not let it linger in your limbs. The Dantian—press it into your Dantian!"

"Understood!" I replied, gathering my strength, forcing the incoming energy into my Dantian.

*Hum!* The moment I pressed that breath into my Dantian, my head buzzed as if ten thousand bees were swarming around it, or as if I had been struck by a club.

"Dachuan, can you hold on? It's almost over." Aunt, likely sensing my energy was unstable, spoke to me via telepathy.

"I..." I was struggling, but I had to persevere, or the consequences would be unimaginable. At that moment, I felt a pang of regret. But regret was useless; I could only persist. Thankfully, Aunt said it was almost over.

I readjusted my breathing, drawing the last bit of energy Yueyue was transmitting into my body, and with all my might, I forced it down into my Dantian.

Before it could settle, the energy recoiled violently. I felt a stinging pain in my abdomen, and a wave of heat surged from my chest. Before I could hold it back, I spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the floor, losing consciousness once more.

I don't know how much time passed before I woke up. I felt weightless, as if floating on a cloud. There was no one around me, only pure white.

What happened? Did I die? Where is this? I struggled to turn over and realized I was in Wan'er's room; the white was the wall.

"Wan'er... Wan'er." I tried to shout, but no sound came out; my throat felt parched and raw. However, my movement drew people in. Wan'er ran in first, followed by Aunt.

"Aunt, I... I’m sorry!" I used all my strength to squeeze out the words.

"Dachuan, I am the one who should be sorry. I miscalculated the situation. Tell me, have you been using the Palm Thunder recently?" Aunt frowned.

I suddenly remembered that when I traveled through time, I had indeed used the Palm Thunder to deal with the Lu Kingdom assassins. "Yes, I used it during the crossing, and I passed out once then, too. It was much like today."

Aunt’s eyes reddened instantly. "You child, why are you so disobedient? I told you not to use the Palm Thunder; it consumes your vital essence and stamina... Sigh! Let us hope for the best. I hope you can survive this tribulation."