Chapter 2, The Great Demon Cultivation Technique

The fat old man said: "Does the little brat still have a weakness?"

The tailgate opened, the execution bed descended, and amidst the sound of the winch rolling, someone came up to untie Long Ying, remove the black cloth covering his eyes, and take out the earplugs

At over forty years of age, Lai Junchen has a medium build, a slender physique, and a face resembling that of a young chicken, presenting the appearance of a wicked scholar. His eyes are deep, fierce, and cold, with thin lips and a hooked nose; if accompanied by torture instruments, few would encounter him without trembling and breaking into a sweat

Princess Taiping suddenly became agitated and raised her voice, saying: "What is most perplexing is that she seemed to have foreseen today's situation, stating that if the secret scroll could not be found, she would show that young man her handwritten copy, ensuring that he would have no way to deny it"

Lai Junchen desired more than anyone else to witness the scene of the Dragon Eagle's blood flowing and his face being covered, yet he lamented that Princess Taiping had issued a strict order prohibiting any harm to his body. He deflected a blow from the soldier with his elbow and coldly said to the Dragon Eagle: "Are you afraid you won't have the opportunity?"

The reason why the "Dao Heart Cultivating Demonic Method" seems to have never been successfully practiced by anyone is quite complex. Its theoretical framework is flawless, and its fundamental techniques yield immediate and remarkable results. The entire text consists of twelve chapters, with the first chapter titled "Entering the Dao First." This chapter focuses on the authentic heart method of the Xuanmen school, aimed at establishing one's own "Dao Body and Dao Heart." However, even this first chapter has caused generations of demonic emperors to sigh in admiration. This is because those qualified to possess the secret scroll are all masters of the Heavenly Evil Dao sect, who have profound demonic skills. Who would be willing to abandon their existing demonic powers and start practicing a heart method that is entirely opposite to their original path?

The subordinate beside him shouted: "How dare you! This person is a distinguished guest, what do you mean by 'you and I'? Do you wish to be slapped?"

The plump elder remained silent.

This time, accompanying Wu Zetian is the foremost expert in torture among her ruthless officials, Lai Junchen. The instruments of torture and methods he devised are countless, and it is unknown how many princes, ministers, and members of the Tang royal family have fallen into his hands, being forced to falsely confess and incriminate themselves, leading to wrongful convictions. The mere fact that Wu Zetian has such a capable subordinate accompanying her clearly indicates her determination to obtain the "Dao Heart Cultivating Demonic Method"

Long Ying cursed inwardly, knowing that he would devise another plan after one failed, but it indeed struck at his vital point

He turned to his subordinates and said, "Bring him here!" With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and led the way.

The plump elder seemed to have some unspoken concerns, hesitating for a moment before slowly saying: "This! This is because the 'Dao Heart Cultivating Demon Technique' is the most esteemed among the demonic sects, also known as one of the four great extraordinary books in the world, hence the divine being must be curious about it!"

***

Lai Junchen stood at the rear of the cart, arms crossed, with a look of delight on his face, as if he were eagerly awaiting a good show. This form of torture, known as "Four Horses Pulling Apart," is one that even the strongest individuals cannot endure for more than six hours. After being released from the torture rack, the reactions of the victims are varied and bizarre; some weep uncontrollably, others curl up and tremble, while some experience convulsions, vomiting, and incontinence. Even worse, some succumb to the effects of the torture and die from exhaustion. Those who survive will confess to anything they are asked, sign as many documents as required, all in the hope of never being sent back to the torture rack.

Long Ying found it amusing that Lai Junchen did not mention his own greater fears, which reveals that his willingness to face fire and water for Wu Zhao, even at the cost of his life, is nothing but empty words

The next chapter "The Second Seed of Demons". The demon seed and the Daoist cultivator's Dao胎 are like the two sides of a copper coin, representing the two extremes of life: life and death. Daoism focuses on vitality, emphasizing practices such as the Hundred-Day Foundation, returning to the original state, the Great Circulation Golden Elixir, and transitioning from the acquired to the innate, always brimming with life force, making it easily accepted by people. "The Longevity Technique" is the supreme masterpiece of this kind of practice.

Long Ying rubbed his eyelids and sat up, stretching lazily. In the astonished gaze of Lai Junchen and more than ten subordinates, he opened his eyes and caught sight of their surprised expressions. He first touched his chest and belly, and exclaimed in astonishment: "What is wrong! Ha! I slept so sweetly and comfortably, I really didn't want to get up. Why did we stop? Have we arrived in Luoyang? What kind of place is this?"

The dragon eagle laughed heartily, pouted its long beak, and said: "Go ahead and strike!"

Lai Junchen replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice: "This humble servant must first apologize to the princess. The extreme punishment, which I named 'Four Horses Dissecting the Body', was completely ineffective against him. I extended the duration by double, yet after being released, he acted as if nothing had happened, even rubbing his eyes and stretching, claiming he had just had a good dream"

Lai Junchen further remarked, "However, this young man has a weakness; he is lecherous."

Princess Taiping said: "Be at ease!"

The plump elder wishes to speak but finds himself at a loss for words

Long Ying no longer regards Du Ao as a respected elder; instead, another master has emerged, not one who cultivates magical arts, but Xiang Yutian, who is renowned for his extensive knowledge of secret scrolls, the most outstanding evil emperor in the history of the Demon Sect

He personally attended to the dragon eagle, patted its face, then stuffed two specially made strange objects into its ear holes, cutting off its hearing. He then bound black cloth strips over its eyes and let out a sharp, owl-like laugh of satisfaction. Standing up, he slammed the car door shut with a bang and shouted, "Drive!" He then cheerfully said to the subordinates gathered around, "The most interesting thing is the tough guy."

Princess Taiping sent the dragon eagle into the clutches of Liu Junchen, as she saw through the dragon eagle's fearless nature, one that would never yield under normal circumstances. Therefore, she first made him suffer a round of hardships before speaking to him.

The process of life, from the union of man and woman, through ten months of gestation, to the development into adulthood, is a long and arduous journey, while death comes suddenly and violently. The foundational teachings of the first chapter were imparted by Du Ao to Long Ying, who only achieved success at the age of nineteen. However, according to the second chapter of cultivation, in a mere forty-nine days, he successfully planted the demonic seed, yet thereafter found it difficult to make any progress. This is due to the third chapter, "Establishing the Third Demon," which states at the outset that one must disperse all bodily techniques to allow the unfathomable demonic seed to emerge and take charge without being suppressed by the innate true qi of the orthodox sect. In simpler terms, the demonic seed is the "Yuan Shen" cultivated from death energy, while the Dao heart is the "Shi Shen" that bursts forth with vitality. Only when the Shi Shen leads the way can the Yuan Shen stand out. Regardless of how carefree Long Ying may be, he still does not dare to take this unpredictable risk. Moreover, he has no compelling reason to cultivate the demonic seed. However, he has now finally dispersed his techniques, and the demonic seed, which is combined with him in some mysterious way, is stirring restlessly.

However, he had no time to think further, as the sound of Lai Junchen kneeling echoed in his ears, followed by the voice of the plump eunuch saying: "What good news does Junchen have to report to the princess?"

Long Ying then realized his own state of punishment, secretly pondering that it must be the case that his vital energy and spirit had departed from his physical body, merging with the demonic species "upward," and that the "Establishment of Demons" in the third chapter must be like this

This is a sizable courtyard-style architectural complex. Long Ying speculated that if he was not mistaken, the place he was in should be a large county south of Yangzhou. The enemy should first escort him to Yangzhou and then take a boat north to Luoyang. He must find a way to escape before reaching Luoyang

As the sky darkened, the courtyard was illuminated with lights. They stood about twenty steps away from the main gate of the courtyard. The moment Lai Junchen entered, Long Ying thought that if he could hear their conversation, it would greatly benefit him. However, even though his martial arts skills were still intact, unless the other party spoke loudly, it would be impossible to eavesdrop on their dialogue in the hall. This thought lingered in his mind when an indescribable force suddenly expanded from the center of his brow, a feeling that was hard to describe permeated his entire body, and the meridians of both large and small channels trembled intensely, with all the acupoints coming alive. This was not the usual state of circulating true energy he was accustomed to, but a realm he had never even dreamed of. The sharpness of his senses increased exponentially, and at that moment, he intuitively realized that he had not only successfully "established the demon" but had also ascended to a higher level, reaching the stage of "binding the demon." According to the annotations by Xiang Yutian in the scroll, the demon seed had now successfully merged with him on a spiritual level, akin to a deep and unfathomable well from which one could draw water at any time. The demon seed was indeed the demon seed, fundamentally different from ordinary internal martial arts. When dormant, he was merely an ordinary person who did not understand martial arts, but after the merger, he would become immensely powerful. Otherwise, throughout history, the leaders of the evil sects would not have possessed profound demonic powers; who would be willing to risk their lives to practice such things.

How could the Dragon Eagle be without the power to retaliate? He laughed and said, "Oh, my lord, you are truly confused, completely unable to grasp the nature of my relationship with the princess. I currently possess something that the princess is willing to go to great lengths to obtain. If my only condition is to ask her to behead you in front of me, I am certain the princess would seriously consider it"

Princess Taiping helplessly said: "Alright! I will meet him alone in the study."

He finally experienced the methods of Long Ying and hurriedly smiled, saying: "I have no enmity with Young Master Ying in the past. Today is a matter of official business. For the sake of the sacred, I would go through fire and water, and would not hesitate to face death. However, why must we bring things to such a point? As long as Young Master Ying agrees to the princess's request, can't we resolve this amicably? Perhaps I could even take Young Master Ying to Luoyang to enjoy the beautiful scenery and indulge in wine and song. Which brothel would dare to disrespect me?"

The plump elder said dejectedly: "There are some things I cannot speak of, otherwise I would meet a terrible end"

Lai Junchen respectfully replied: "Due to the gravity of the matter, I personally listened through a copper tube beside the charioteer. This fellow, within less than half an hour, was moaning as if he were on the brink of life and death. Generally, a person subjected to torture for two or three hours would already have a hoarse throat, or even fainted. However, this individual moaned continuously for a full twelve hours, and his moans only grew stronger; this alone is vastly different from others"

Lai Junchen suddenly came to a halt, and Long Ying along with the guards escorting him had no choice but to stop as well. This wicked and cruel official turned back and walked over to Long Ying, pretending to be an old friend, and leaned in to whisper in his ear: "Brother Ying, do you have a fondness for handsome men?"

Lai Junchen was taken aback; he was uncertain whether Princess Taiping would act in such a manner. However, Wu Zetian, who had even eliminated her own son, was undoubtedly that kind of person. If she desired something, sacrificing a subordinate official was of little consequence.

A gentle breeze caressed his body, and his skin tingled with a strange yet pleasant sensation. The scent of the flowers, grass, and trees outside the courtyard filled his nostrils, and he could discern the source of each fragrance as if he were seeing with his eyes

Upon seeing his reaction, Lai Junchen immediately understood. The key to his methods of interrogation lay in identifying the weaknesses of the other party. He cheerfully said, "Let us discuss this later. Please wait a moment, Brother Eagle, while I go inside to consult the princess." Having said this, he entered the residence ahead on his own.

The text appears to be incomplete or consists solely of symbols. Please provide a complete sentence or phrase for translation.

Lai Junchen, who usually speaks eloquently, was rendered speechless for the first time in front of the tortured prisoner, unsure of how to respond or what to say. The essence of torture lies in its momentum; the torturer must maintain control and completely overwhelm the opponent psychologically to achieve maximum effect with minimal effort. In this recent 'confrontation' with Long Ying, Lai Junchen suffered a complete defeat, as none of the expected reactions materialized.

Princess Taiping said with displeasure: "I do not wish to hear such an answer; you must know things that I do not. Do you understand? When I handed her the fragments I had found from Du Ao's corpse, her first question was how many people had seen them. I replied that only the daughter had probably seen them once, and only then did she set her mind at ease.

Princess Taiping fell silent for a moment and sighed, saying: "I understand. As her daughter, I too do not know when, in a fit of anger, she might execute me at the Wumen Gate."

Long Ying closed his eyes and, relying solely on sound, outlined the scene in the hall in his mind. Princess Taiping sat at the eastern end of the hall, while the plump eunuch was seated to her lower left. Lai Junchen stood about seven steps in front of Princess Taiping. He could not comprehend how he could grasp the situation in the hall so accurately by sound alone, as if distinguishing the flowers, grasses, and trees on either side by their scent.

The plump official immediately perked up, raising his voice to inquire for details. When Lai Junchen recounted the situation regarding the brothel, Long Ying could only manage a bitter smile.

That soldier, accustomed to acting tyrannically, could not contain himself and, in a fit of rage, threw a punch towards Long Ying's face.

Long Ying found it quite amusing

He no longer had the time to pay attention to Lai Junchen, who was stepping out of the hall, because the delicate voice of Princess Taiping came through: "The eunuch has served the Holy One for over thirty years, understanding her better than I, her own daughter. She has never regarded the eunuch as an outsider. Tell me! Why is the 'Dao Heart Cultivating Demonic Method' so different from other secret texts of the demonic sects? She has never been a person of the martial world and has not mentioned martial affairs in recent years. Why does she alone favor the 'Dao Heart Cultivating Demonic Method'?"

Lai Junchen is ordered to leave

The Fourth Binding of the Demon

The so-called prison cart is actually a type of execution vehicle. The carriage is reinforced with thin iron sheets, drawn by four strong horses, with a door at the rear. Aside from the ventilation holes in the door, the rest is sealed. Long Ying is forced into the prison cart, compelled to lie on an adjustable torture bed inside the carriage, with his limbs tightly bound by ropes. The winch located near the door at the bottom of the bed is then turned, pulling the ropes towards the four corners, forcing Long Ying, who is lying on the torture bed, into a "big" shape. Aside from a slight movement of his head, he is unable to perform even the simplest action of stretching. However, when the torture bed is adjusted to tilt significantly downward on one side towards his head, blood flows down, causing his head to become congested, and the only movable part of Long Ying's body becomes completely immobile. At this point, Long Ying begins to deeply realize how precious the ability to move one's body truly is.

Long Ying is undoubtedly the only person among the victims of the torture inflicted by Lai Junchen in his lifetime who feels grateful to him

He bitterly smiled and said: "Since the Holy Deity announced her 'Demon Extermination Edict' to the martial world, under her unparalleled command and insight into the demonic sect, we have consistently held the upper hand. Even the invincible Evil Emperor Du Ao could not escape his doom. Who would have thought that encountering such a clueless brat, who knows nothing of martial arts, would leave us at a loss? I truly wish to slay him with a single strike, yet I lament that the Holy Deity would never let me off the hook."

The next piece, "The Fifth Devil's Tribulation," is even more difficult to implement than the previous one, discussing the concept of being placed in a situation of death only to be reborn. The sixth piece, also known as "The Sixth Sowing" which Du Ao carried with him and obtained from the corpse of Wu Zhao, precisely addresses all the challenges posed by the previous five pieces to the leaders of the Evil Dao throughout history, reflecting the consistent self-serving nature of the Great Union of Demonic Sect. The method involves seeking another Dao body, and then personally sowing the demon, ensuring absolute control at the moment just before the Dao body dies, to perform the technique of stealing the sowing for oneself. Such a piece, Du Ao was absolutely unwilling to allow Long Ying the opportunity to see, thus he privately dismantled it before handing over the secret scroll to Long Ying.

The fat elder asked: "What is the condition of his punishment?"

Lai Junchen, acting on the emperor's orders, feared that Princess Taiping would blame him for his ineffectiveness in handling matters. Therefore, he resorted to severe measures, extending the punishment of bedchamber torture to twelve hours. He thought to himself that this time he would surely achieve great merit.

***

Lai Junchen saw him lost in thought and knew that the scheme had succeeded, so he said with delight: "It doesn't matter if you prefer male beauty, as long as others appreciate your male beauty. I will take special care of you and select a few particularly strong individuals from those in the army who share this preference, ensuring that you can enjoy yourself thoroughly. Just wait for the princess's approval, and it will be accomplished."

The Princess Taiping, who had not spoken a word except for the phrase "Be at ease," said with a heavy heart: "Junchen, you wait outside for a while and await my instructions."

Hearing him mention brothels, Long Ying asked: "What are the famous brothels in Luoyang?"

Princess Taiping continued: "Father must be hiding something from me. The Holy Spirit personally transcribed the remaining scrolls and instructed me that if I could obtain the complete 'Dao Heart Seed Demon Great Method', I must place it into the copper box given to me, sealed with the divine lock crafted by the master artisan Chen Laomou, and no one is allowed to view it, including me, this daughter. Father, can you tell me what is going on?"

The extreme punishment of Lai Junchen is indeed a remarkable masterpiece from the perspective of criminology. It targets the weaknesses of the human body, encompassing intense agony that tears the body apart yet leaves one unable to move. The congestion in the head leads to dizziness, rendering normal thought impossible, and even worse, the inability to see or hear creates a terrifying sensation that drives one to madness. The most tormenting aspect is the uncertainty of when the suffering will cease. At the beginning, Long Ying truly could not withstand the torment of a life worse than death, but in no time, he seemed to transform into countless particles ascending upwards, merging with a certain chaos, becoming indistinct and vague. At the moment of awakening, the time spent in torture felt like a mere instant. It turns out that such rigorous practice is indeed effective. Although the path to cultivating the demonic seed remains fraught with challenges, his confidence in the "Dao Heart Cultivating Demonic Method" has significantly increased.

Even without the formidable challenge of dispersing one's energy, this piece alone is enough to make the Dragon Eagle hesitate. It describes various bizarre forms of self-mutilation and enduring hunger and hardship, with the aim of provoking the demonic seed. One must ask, how could a decent person willingly seek such suffering? The irony lies in the fact that Lai Junchen, a master of torture, is precisely the one who "righteously" provides the Dragon Eagle with the service he urgently needs at present. Therefore, the Dragon Eagle's gratitude towards him is genuine, though Lai Junchen could never have imagined this.