Chapter 001: To Practice Divine Arts, One Must First Emasculate

Yao Yuan's fingers traced the intricate patterns etched into the dagger's blade, his brow furrowed in contemplation. The weight of the decision bore down upon him, a profound choice that would irrevocably alter the course of his life. His gaze shifted downward, studying his own form as if seeing it for the first time, questioning the necessity of the sacrifice demanded by the [Divine Art].

Was this truly the path he must tread? Without embracing this transformation, how could he hope to wield the celestial might required to avenge the grievances that burned like an eternal flame within his soul? The internal struggle raged, a tempest of doubts and resolute determination vying for dominance.

At the tender age of seventeen, Yao Yuan had already ascended to the rarefied Golden Pill stage, a prodigy among his peers. His talents were undeniable, a gift that many would covet. Did he truly need to relinquish everything he had cultivated, all the hard-earned achievements that had etched themselves into the fabric of his being, just to unlock the secrets of the [Divine Art]?

The weight of the decision pressed upon him, each moment stretching into an eternity as he wrestled with the implications. Yao Yuan's gaze hardened, a steely resolve flickering in the depths of his eyes. He had made his choice, a sacrifice willingly embraced in pursuit of a greater purpose – the [Divine Art] would be his, no matter the cost.

With a sharp intake of breath, he tightened his grip on the dagger, its edge gleaming with a promise of both liberation and consequence. The amputation would mark the beginning of a new journey, a path shrouded in mystery and peril, but one that he knew he must tread, driven by a thirst for retribution that burned hotter than the fires of creation itself.

"AHHHHH..." A wail of agony echoed through the cavernous depths, reverberating endlessly against the unyielding stone walls. The sound was a haunting melody of suffering, a primal expression of the unfathomable pain that had robbed the person of consciousness.

After what seemed like an eternity suspended in a void of torment, Yao Yuan's eyelids finally fluttered open, his senses gradually returning to him. With trembling fingers, he fumbled for a bottle of healing pills tucked away in his pouch, the last remnants of his meagre savings. These precious elixirs were rumoured to possess the power to revive the dead and mend even the most grievous of injuries.

Uncorking the vial with a tremulous hand, Yao Yuan swallowed the pills, their bitter taste a mere footnote to the lingering anguish that still coursed through his veins. Drawing upon the last reserves of his strength, he assumed a cross-legged position, channelling his internal energy to initiate the healing process.

The minutes ticked by like eons, each second a battle against the searing agony that threatened to consume him. Gradually, the pain began to ebb, the wounds that had torn through flesh and spirit slowly knitting themselves together under the guidance of his unyielding will.

Finally, Yao Yuan let out a ragged sigh of relief, his fingers closing around the jade stone that lay beside him. Etched upon its surface were the words [Divine Art], a promise of unfathomable power that had driven him to the brink of oblivion. As his consciousness delved into the jade's depths, he could finally discern more of its closely guarded secrets.

Previously, all he could perceive upon entering its realm was a single, ominous line: "To practice this divine art, one must first emasculate." But now, having paid the ultimate price, the true teachings began to unfold before his mind's eye.

The sentence struck him like a thunderbolt, causing his breath to catch in his throat. "Since you are determined to emasculate yourself, there is nothing in this world that can defeat you anymore."

Yao Yuan's eyes widened, his mind reeling from the profound implications of those words. He had sacrificed everything, enduring unimaginable torment, and now stood at the precipice of a power that rendered him invincible. A tremulous smile tugged at the corners of his lips, for in that moment, he knew that his suffering had not been in vain – the path to retribution had been forever etched into his very being.

Despair. True, visceral despair threatened to consume Yao Yuan's very being as the weight of the jade stone's revelation bore down upon him. This story, the culmination of his sacrifices and suffering, seemed to have reached its cruel and twisted conclusion, mocking his determination with a bitter sense of futility.

But Yao Yuan refused to accept this fate, refused to surrender to the abyss of hopelessness that yawned before him. A burning fury ignited within his soul, a righteous inferno that demanded retribution, consequences be damned. He would find the one responsible for creating this accursed jade stone, the architect of his torment, and they would pay a debt that transcended mere honour or morality.

"This damned bastard, utterly heartless, worse than animals," he spat, his words dripping with venom as the curses spilt forth in an unrelenting torrent. For hours, Yao Yuan raged, his voice hoarse and raw, a primal scream against the injustice that had been inflicted upon him.

Exhaustion finally claimed him, his head spinning as the weight of his anguish and wrath bore down upon him. His body went limp, collapsing to the unyielding ground in a boneless heap, the fires of his fury flickering and dimming as unconsciousness beckoned.

In that moment of vulnerability, Yao Yuan missed the jade stone's transformation, its physical form dissipating into a shimmering energy that harmlessly entered his body, carrying with it the promise of revelations yet to come.

Unaware of this cosmic exchange, Yao Yuan slumbered, his mind adrift in a tumultuous sea of dreams and nightmares, each vision a twisted reflection of the trials he had endured and the reckoning that still awaited on the horizon.

"Ah... my head." Yao Yuan sat upright, her fingers gently massaging her throbbing temples as the haze of unconsciousness slowly dissipated. Her gaze swept across unfamiliar surroundings, taking in the ornate furnishings and delicate tapestries that adorned the chamber, a stark contrast to the unyielding stone walls of the cave.

"Miss, you're awake. Xiao Cui, go inform the young master," a maid dressed in a crisp, elaborately embroidered awaiting attire spoke with urgency before hurrying out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Yao Yuan's eyes widened as she took in her own appearance, clad in sumptuous robes of the finest silk, a far cry from the tattered garments she had worn during her arduous journey. A veil of confusion settled upon her features as she struggled to piece together the fragmented memories of her recent ordeal.

"Miss, do you feel unwell anywhere?" The maid's voice, laced with concern, pulled Yao Yuan from her reverie.

"I... I'm fine. Ah! What happened to my voice?" Yao Yuan recoiled, startled by the gentle, melodic timbre that had replaced her once-deep tones. But as the realization dawned, the reasoning became clear – with the ultimate sacrifice she had made, a change in voice was hardly surprising.

"Miss, are you alright?" The same question, this time posed by a handsome young man who had entered the chamber. Clad in immaculate white robes that exuded an aura of elegance and wealth, he carried himself with the poise of a privileged heir, every movement radiating a sense of refined grace.

As Yao Yuan's gaze fell upon this vision of affluence and privilege, an unexpected surge of jealousy welled up within her heart, a bitter envy that caught her by surprise. The sacrifices she had endured, the agonizing trials she had faced, all in pursuit of the same power and status that this young master seemed to have been born into.

The juxtaposition was jarring, a cruel reminder of the vastly different paths they had trodden, and the injustice of a world that bestowed its greatest gifts upon those who had never truly suffered for them.

"Miss?" Luo Zhan'en's brow furrowed as he vaguely sensed the undercurrent of hatred simmering in Yao Yuan's eyes like a smouldering ember threatening to ignite into an inferno. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features as he grappled with the reasons behind such resentment. Could it be that she harboured suspicions about his intentions, believing he had witnessed something untoward during her vulnerable state in the cave?

Quickly composing himself, Luo Zhan'en sought to dispel any misunderstanding. "Please, there's no need for such animosity. It was my maid who discovered you while searching for a secluded spot to answer nature's call," he explained, recounting in detail the sequence of events that led to Yao Yuan being found and brought to the safety of his opulent home.

Yao Yuan's gaze remained guarded, her expression unreadable as she processed his words. Finally, after a tense silence, she inclined her head ever so slightly. "I am Yao Yuan. I thank the young master for saving my life. I will surely come back to repay this favor one day," she declared, her voice betraying no hint of the turmoil that still roiled beneath the surface as she made a move to depart.

Sensing her intent, Luo Zhan'en raised a placating hand. "Miss Yao, please don't rush off. Rest first, and then we'll talk. I've already sent for Doctor Xu to examine you," he suggested, his tone equal parts concern and gentle insistence.

A surge of anger flared within Yao Yuan at his persistence, her patience rapidly fraying. "Can't you see I'm not a woman? Please don't call me 'miss' anymore," she snapped, her words laced with a barely restrained venom.

Luo Zhan'en blinked, momentarily taken aback by the vehemence of her reaction. Schooling his features into a mask of calm diplomacy, he nodded acquiescingly. "Alright, then how should I address you?"

Yao Yuan's cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation, her jaw clenching as she fought to maintain her composure. "Call. Me. Young. Master. Yao," she ground out, each word a challenge to the proprieties that governed their social spheres.

In that moment, the chasm between their worlds seemed to yawn ever wider, a divide that extended far beyond mere titles or honorifics. Yao Yuan's demand was a defiant declaration, a refusal to be bound by the constraints of a society that had already exacted such a brutal toll upon her very being.

"Okay, Miss... I mean, Young Master Yao. Please rest. I won't disturb you further." Luo Zhan'en's words tumbled out in a rush, his usual composure cracking as he made a hasty retreat from the room, movements almost frantic, as if fleeing from an unseen threat.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Luo Zhan'en's brow furrowed, and he muttered under his breath, a nagging suspicion taking root in his mind. Could Yao Yuan have sustained a head injury during her ordeal? It would certainly explain her peculiar behaviour and adamant refusal to be addressed by the proper honorifics befitting her gender. A slight frown tugged at his lips as he resolved to ensure Doctor Xu conducted a thorough examination later. Otherwise, this beautiful young lady risked transforming into an unrefined, uncouth tomboy – a disheartening prospect that struck him as an unfortunate waste of her delicate feminine charms.

Shortly after Luo Zhan'en's departure, the esteemed Doctor Xu arrived, his presence heralded by the soft tapping of his cane against the polished floors. Yao Yuan's heart swelled with hope, wondering if this respected physician might hold the key to restoring her to her former masculine self.

Alas, her optimism was swiftly dashed as Doctor Xu confidently declared, "Miss, don't overthink this matter. You have likely suffered a brain injury, leading to a mistaken perception of your gender. Rest assured, this condition will resolve itself in due time." With those words, he turned on his heel and strode from the room, leaving Yao Yuan in the care of Xiao Cui, the young maid who had become her temporary attendant.

Yao Yuan's shoulders slumped, her earlier defiance deflating like a punctured bladder as the weight of the doctor's pronouncement settled upon her. Her fingers clenched the bedsheets, knuckles whitening as she wrestled with the implications of his diagnosis. A brain injury? A mere mistaken perception? The dismissive tone with which he had waved away her insistence on being addressed as a young master stung like a slap across the face.

As Xiao Cui bustled about the room, straightening linens and plumping pillows, Yao Yuan's gaze grew distant, her mind retreating inward as she grappled with the jarring dissonance between her lived reality and the perceptions of those around her. The path forward stretched before her, shrouded in uncertainty and fraught with challenges that would test the very core of her being.

"You're called Xiao Cui, right?" Yao Yuan addressed the young maid, her voice carrying a clipped edge.

"Yes, Miss, I am," Xiao Cui responded with a deferential bow of her head.

"Don't call me Miss."

Xiao Cui blinked owlishly, momentarily taken aback by the curt demand. "Then how should I address you, Miss?"

Yao Yuan's cheeks flushed an angry crimson, her jaw clenching as she fought to rein in her mounting frustration. "Call. Me. Master Yao," she bit out, each word a challenge to the social conventions that governed their interaction.

The maid's eyes widened fractionally before she inclined her head once more. "Alright, Miss... I mean, Young Master." Xiao Cui stumbled over the unfamiliar honorific, muttering the correction under her breath as if committing it to memory. Despite the undercurrent of tension, she couldn't help but note her mistress's striking beauty, even when contorted by flashes of anger.

Sensing an opportunity to steer the conversation onto more neutral ground, Yao Yuan posed a question. "Can you tell me where this is?"

"This is the Luo residence, in the city of Baihu in Zhangzhou," Xiao Cui replied promptly.

"Is the Luo family famous here?"

"The head of the Luo family is the deputy city lord of Baihu, with a Grandmaster realm," the maid explained, a hint of pride colouring her tone.

"Oh, that's impressive." Yao Yuan's expression remained impassive, but her mind drifted back to her own family's legacy. Her father had once been a highly esteemed general of the Hongkun Dynasty, his cultivation prowess nearing the realm of Demi-God. Unfortunately, even such lofty attainments could not shield him from the machinations of political enemies, whose false accusations ultimately led to his execution and the annihilation of their family.

Baihu City lay tens of thousands of miles from the Hongkun Dynasty's borders. Here, in this distant land, perhaps she could find sanctuary, a respite from the ghosts of her past that still haunted her steps. A fleeting sense of relief washed over her, tempered by the ever-present knowledge that true peace would remain elusive until she had exacted her long-awaited vengeance.

"Do you know where my belongings are?" Yao Yuan's voice sliced through the tense silence, her tone clipped and businesslike.

"We found your belongings in the cave where you were discovered. The young master asked me to bring them here for you to inspect," Xiao Cui responded promptly, crossing the chamber to retrieve a modestly-sized bundle wrapped in coarse cloth.

With deft fingers, Yao Yuan untied the bindings and carefully examined the contents, her sharp eyes scanning each item with meticulous scrutiny. However, one crucial belonging was conspicuously absent – the jade stone, the embodiment of the [Divine Art] that had driven her to make such an agonizing sacrifice.

A wry smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she considered the likely fate of the priceless artifact. Well, who could resist the temptation of such esoteric power? Suddenly, a sense of grim satisfaction washed over her. Another person, deceived and manipulated by the stone's false promises, would provide her with a perverse sense of kinship amid her solitary torment.

Her mind made up, Yao Yuan decided to stay, at least until she heard that anguished scream echoing through the halls – a twisted symphony that would herald the revelation of the stone's true nature to its latest victim.

Xiao Cui watched her mistress's expressions shift with a growing sense of unease, brow furrowing as Yao Yuan's features contorted into a disturbing rictus grin. The maid couldn't help but wonder if her mistress's mind would ever fully recover from the trauma she had endured.

"Hahaha..." Yao Yuan's laughter erupted, an unsettling cackle that seemed to reverberate through the very stones of the chamber. For a good half hour, the eerie sound continued unabated, leaving Xiao Cui paralyzed with a creeping dread that coiled like a serpent in the pit of her stomach.

As the final echoes of manic mirth faded, the young maid swallowed hard, her hands trembling imperceptibly. It seemed there was little hope for her mistress's full recovery – whatever demons had taken root in Yao Yuan's psyche during her ordeal had well and truly taken hold.

Within a few days, Yao Yuan had regained much of the vitality she had lost during her arduous ordeal. The act of emasculation had exacted a heavy toll, the trauma inflicted upon her body forcing a profound transformation from the yang essence of masculinity to the yin energies of the feminine. However, this metaphysical shift went largely unnoticed by Yao Yuan herself, her singular focus fixated upon silently awaiting the agonized scream that would signal another soul's descent into the abyss she had so narrowly escaped.

As news of her recovery spread through the Luo residence like a rippling current, Luo Zhan'en found himself compelled to pay her another visit, curiosity gnawing at him regarding the state of the enigmatic young lady's mind.

A polite rap of knuckles against the heavy wooden door preceded his arrival. "Luo Brother, please come in," Yao Yuan called out, having anticipated this encounter. Clad in masculine attire, she sat with a studied nonchalance, having claimed the main seat of honour as if it were her birthright.

As Luo Zhan'en entered and took in Yao Yuan's masculine guise, he couldn't help but feel the undercurrent of a unique, magnetic charm emanating from her very being – a disquieting allure that seemed to defy the boundaries of gender itself.

"I heard that Brother Yao is recovering well, so I come to visit," he remarked, his tone cordial yet laced with a hint of uncertainty.

"I appreciate your concern. Please, take a seat," Yao Yuan responded with a wave of her hand, gesturing for him to join her at her side.

Once Luo Zhan'en had settled into the proffered seat, Yao Yuan leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. "Have you by any chance seen a green jade stone with the words 'Divine Art' carved on it, near where you had found me?"

The question hung in the air, laden with unspoken implications and a weight that seemed to press down upon them both. Yao Yuan's gaze was piercing, her eyes boring into Luo Zhan'en as if seeking to plumb the depths of his very soul for any flicker of recognition or deception.

Luo Zhan'en visibly stiffened as Yao Yuan leaned closer, her words carrying the weight of unspoken implications. A faint floral fragrance, at once delicate and bewitching, reached his nostrils, causing an unbidden flush to bloom upon his cheeks. Flustered, he quickly shifted away, putting a sliver of distance between them before replying.

"I haven't seen it. Is it something important? I'll have someone search for it immediately," he offered, his tone slightly strained beneath the veneer of courtesy.

Yao Yuan's lips curved into the ghost of a knowing smile as she took in Luo Zhan'en's reddened complexion. "Keep pretending," she mused inwardly. "You'll soon be tempted to practice that [Divine Art], and we'll become companions bound by shared secrets."

Aloud, she waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine, it's lost anyway. Since you're here, let's discuss something."

Relieved to steer the conversation onto more familiar ground, Luo Zhan'en inclined his head deferentially. "You can count on me for anything within my abilities."

"I want to go out and see if there are any martial arts techniques available for purchase," Yao Yuan stated matter-of-factly, her gaze unwavering.

Luo Zhan'en's brow furrowed slightly at the request. "Going out is no problem, but good martial arts techniques might not be available for purchase. If Yao Brother doesn't mind, I have some martial arts techniques suitable for you to practice at home."

A flicker of discomfort passed across Yao Yuan's features as she considered his offer. "That... wouldn't be appropriate. Your family's martial arts should not be passed on to outsiders."

A sly smile played upon Luo Zhan'en's lips as he reached into his storage ring and withdrew a bamboo scroll. "It's alright; this set of martial arts isn't from my family. I happened to find it in a secret dungeon."

Yao Yuan accepted the proffered scroll, her eyes narrowing as she glimpsed the title etched upon its surface. "[Fairy Plays with Butterfly]." A silent curse echoed through her mind as she recognized the cultivation technique that had catalysed her harrowing metamorphosis. But as she unfurled the scroll and scanned the opening lines, she couldn't help but be struck by the extraordinary nature of its teachings.

Noticing the astonished expression that flickered across Yao Yuan's features, Luo Zhan'en chuckled softly to himself. "How about it? This cultivation technique is quite remarkable, isn't it? I think it might even be a Realm Master-level technique; even I am tempted to practice it."

Yao Yuan suppressed a derisive laugh, her thoughts drifting to the brutal price she had paid to unlock the secrets of this very technique. "Soon, you'll be practising this technique," she mused inwardly, a hint of dark amusement colouring her musings.

Outwardly, however, she maintained a composed facade, offering Luo Zhan'en a slight nod of acknowledgement. "It seems you're happy with it."

Luo Zhan'en's chest puffed out ever so slightly, a swell of self-satisfaction washing over him at her apparent approval. "Consider this manual a gift from me to you."

"I am deeply grateful," Yao Yuan responded, inclining her head in a gesture of sincere gratitude. "In the future, if you need any help, I will do everything in my power to assist you." A pause, then she added, "But I still want to go out and shop for other cultivation manuals."

"Of course, I'll arrange for a carriage," Luo Zhan'en acquiesced with a slight sigh, his thoughts drifting to the seemingly insatiable desire of women for shopping excursions.

**To be continued