Zuo Qingya looked at Ye Huohuo. "Swear you won't secretly cultivate the Void Art, or you shall face heavenly tribulation."
This surprised not only Ye Huohuo but also Lu Yao. While Lu Yao knew the name and effect of the Void Art, she didn't know how it was cultivated. Her master had once mentioned it was against the natural order, so she didn't pry further. She had never been particularly interested in martial arts outside her own sect, preferring to focus solely on her own lineage.
This was where Ye Huohuo differed greatly from her. Ye Huohuo was very interested in any Taoist arts, regardless of the sect. She also had a knack for understanding and deducing things on her own, which explained her earlier statement in the police station about using actions as experiments to study corpse-dissolving talismans.
It also led to the two peculiar and strange murder cases that had troubled Captain Liu.
Zuo Qingya's demand for such a solemn oath from Ye Huohuo was significant. For ordinary people, oaths like being struck by lightning were mere words, easily spoken. But for cultivators, they were real. Once an oath was made, it would be fulfilled if violated.
Many had died by heavenly tribulation for breaking their oaths. Zuo Qingya's insistence on Ye Huohuo taking such an oath indicated he understood her personality well, fearing she might study it herself and cause trouble, leaving him unable to account for it to Xuanjizi and the Wuji Sect.
Ye Huohuo's curiosity had been piqued. At this moment, she would have barked like a dog if asked to do so in public. She bit her lip. "Fine, I swear I will never secretly study the Void Art, or I shall be incinerated by heavenly lightning, alright!" Her attitude was somewhat defiant, her words laced with a hint of anger. She hadn't expected Zuo Qingya to see her as someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
Zuo Qingya's expression remained very serious, unaffected by Ye Huohuo's tone. Usually gentle and refined, he was unyielding when it came to matters of principle.
He stared intently into Ye Huohuo's eyes and observed her demeanor. "Good. Since you are willing to swear, I will trust you. But remember your oath today. If I ever find out you've secretly practiced this art, even if heaven spares you, I will personally cripple you."
Zuo Qingya's words were harsh. Ye Huohuo, being a girl, had tears welling up in her eyes, but she managed to hold them back by gritting her teeth. On any other matter, she might have refused to listen, but the Void Art held too much allure for her. After much restraint, she ultimately chose to hear about the thing that so intimidated Zuo Qingya and her master.
Seeing her resolve, Zuo Qingya wasted no more words and told her directly. "The reason the Void Art became a forbidden art is that its cultivation requires a large amount of Zi He Che, and it must be the best quality. Now you understand why it's forbidden and why your master was so reticent about it."
"What? Zi He Che? Isn't that human placenta? It's cultivated using that?" Ye Huohuo was greatly astonished.
She had prepared herself mentally, thinking that defying the natural order might involve using spirits or even demons. It was similar to Miaofeng creating the blood-clad vengeful spirit, or those she had encountered who used the Seven Stars formation to refine vengeful spirits. These were indeed against the natural order, but they were all made from already deceased spirits. What Zuo Qingya had just mentioned was far more chilling.
In ancient times, many emperors and concubines used Zi He Che to extend their lives and preserve their youth. Zi He Che is what we now call the placenta that a fetus develops in the womb before birth.
Zi He Che also varies in quality. Placentas that are shed along with the infant at birth are considered the lowest grade. While they possess some medicinal properties, they are far from the best. The highest quality Zi He Che comes from placentas of fetuses that are only five or six months old and have not yet been born.
Many corrupt emperors of ancient times, to achieve their desires, ordered pregnant women carrying five or six-month-old fetuses to be disemboweled to obtain the Zi He Che. Legend has it that King Zhou of Shang once procured this type of Zi He Che for his consort, Daji.
Neither the infants nor the mothers survived the live extraction of the placenta. This was not just against the natural order; it was sheer madness. Therefore, even during feudal dynasties, only the most depraved rulers would resort to such acts.
She never imagined that Miaofeng would use such a thing to save Li Ke, truly resorting to any means necessary, daring to use even the finest Zi He Che. It was no wonder he was punished to suffer in the deepest abyss of hell for eighty years after his death in her previous life.
"Little Martial Uncle, don't worry, no matter how curious I am, I won't use Zi He Che to cultivate any Taoist arts." Ye Huohuo shook her head like a maraca. Firstly, she truly wouldn't do such a cruel thing. Secondly, she had to build good favor with Zuo Qingya; she didn't want her idol to misunderstand her as a perverted lunatic.
Seeing her, Zuo Qingya nodded with satisfaction. "Remember your words today. And you!" he added, turning to Lu Yao. "Although I haven't made you swear, if I find out you've been secretly cultivating with Zi He Che, I will not let you off." He hadn't forgotten Lu Yao, who had been expelled from the sect.
Although Lu Yao felt wronged, she didn't dare to speak, enduring it silently. After all, even Zuo Qingya's reprimand meant he still considered her one of his own, which was far better than her fellow disciples wanting to fight her on sight.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Ye Huohuo's mind. "That's not right. If Miaofeng really had the Void Art you mentioned..." She didn't finish her sentence and began searching the room, just like Zuo Qingya had done earlier.
Seeing her like this, Zuo Qingya nodded with satisfaction. "A promising student!"
"What? Why is she a promising student? As if I'm dumber than her," Lu Yao said indignantly.
"You still haven't figured out the key point, and in this, you are indeed inferior to Ye Huohuo. Your biggest flaw is your arrogance; you refuse to admit defeat. If you wish to advance further in your cultivation, you must change this envious habit," Zuo Qingya lectured Lu Yao.
Lu Yao was still unconvinced in her heart, but she dared not say anything more, as she didn't want to displease her idol.
"Then tell me, what have you discovered!" Lu Yao vented her frustration onto Ye Huohuo, her tone clearly hostile.
Ye Huohuo's mind was racing, and her eyes were searching everywhere. She didn't notice the sourness in Lu Yao's tone. Zuo Qingya, however, saw Lu Yao's demeanor and couldn't help but shake his head. "I wonder what Sect Leader Senior Brother would think if he saw you like this."
Upon hearing Zuo Qingya mention her master, Lu Yao's expression changed. She lowered her head, and her bangs perfectly obscured half her face, hiding the fluctuating emotions in her eyes.
"Why can't I find anything? It shouldn't be like this! Little Martial Uncle, you said the Void Art requires Zi He Che, but can it be small-scale? Or rather, how is it performed? Is it with talismans, hand seals, or something else?" Ye Huohuo searched for a long time without success and felt a bit disheartened.
"The Void Art has been lost for many years. I only know it's refined using Zi He Che, but I'm unclear about its cultivation methods or what is used during its casting. If I knew, I would have found them long ago," Zuo Qingya shook his head, his eyes filled with regret.
"The more you two talk, the more confused I become. What exactly is going on? Ye Huohuo, what are you looking for, and how does it relate to the Void Art?" Lu Yao detested this feeling of being kept in the dark while others knew.
It was a feeling of exclusion, and the fact that the ones excluding her were her idol and her rival, Ye Huohuo, made her feel even more unbalanced.
Ye Huohuo finally noticed Lu Yao's discontent and sighed. "You are truly blind. The answer is right before your eyes, but you just can't see it! We are looking for..."