novelSusiti Chapter 20 Dogs in the Same Cage, 9 Females and 1 Male
Chapter 20 Dogs in the Same Cage, 9 Females and 1 Male
However, even the most mortal body cannot withstand such relentless indulgence. Gradually, Yan Timur, consumed by sensual pleasures, began to feel his strength failing him. First, he experienced inexplicable dizziness during court sessions, and later, even his hands trembled violently when he held a pen to review memorials.
That day, he leaned against the brocade couch, his face ashen, his eyes dark and swollen. Even his purple satin robes could not conceal the deep-seated weariness emanating from him. He was like a caged beast whose strength had been drained, even his breathing was heavy and drawn out.
A capable-looking advisor dressed in a blue robe cautiously approached, stopping three steps away from the brocade couch. He bowed deeply, his voice extremely low, as if afraid of disturbing his lord.
"Prime Minister," he said, "I recently came across a piece of information while perusing old martial arts manuals. Long ago in Jiangxi, there was a sect called the Canglang Sect. The last page of their prized possession, the 'Canglang Saber Manual,' wasn't about saber techniques, but rather contained an ancient formula for tempering oneself with a secret elixir. The ingredients were unnamed…" His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice softening, yet carrying a seductive undertone, "but it's said to have miraculous effects: strengthening the body's foundation, restoring its former glory, and even… defying the laws of nature. However…"
The advisor's voice was faint, gradually lowering in pitch, carrying a hint of coldness:
"But the Canglang Sect was completely wiped out several years ago, leaving no one alive. The sword manual also... disappeared without a trace."
"Unknown whereabouts?" Yan Tiemu'er's half-closed eyelids suddenly opened, and deep within his turbid eyes, two eerie green flames seemed to ignite, their fleeting glint sharp enough to pierce the heart. He didn't look at his advisors, but stared at the setting sun outside the window, his chapped lips moving slightly, his voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable resolve:
"Send the order to Na Risu! Tell him to use all the power of the Heavenly Secrets Alliance, even if it means searching every inch of soil in Jiangnan and Jiangxi, and lifting every tomb brick, to find the 'Canglang Sword Manual' for me! There must be no mistakes!"
Na Risu—the name itself represents a bloody past that rose from the dust. He was originally Yan Timur's most loyal servant, a shadowy figure. It was Yan Timur who single-handedly placed him on the throne of the "Tianji Alliance," the largest gang in Jiangnan, transforming him from an obedient but vicious dog into a ruthless warlord who ruled over the wolves of the martial world. The Prime Minister's will was his sole guiding principle.
The secret edict from the Prime Minister's residence was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating a huge upheaval in the gray areas of the martial arts world and the imperial court. The saying "a county magistrate's property is confiscated, a prefectural governor's family is wiped out, and a powerful minister's wrath can affect hundreds of miles" was no exaggeration. Na Risu, Yan Tiemu'er's most trusted henchman—who controlled the largest gang in Jiangnan, the "Tianji Alliance"—immediately mobilized all his forces. All the alliance's experts were deployed, like countless hunting dogs smelling blood, conducting a thorough search and interrogation along the slightest clues left after the Canglang Sect's destruction. In an instant, martial artists with even the slightest connection to the Canglang Sect, and even scholars who had only collected a few words or writings from them, were affected. The martial arts world was filled with an invisible, bloody atmosphere, a chilling atmosphere pervading the air.
After several days of relentless investigation, they actually found a key figure—Xie Chenghuan, the "Seeing Blade," the second disciple of the Canglang Sect's leader and a recognized martial arts prodigy. He was already considered dead in the martial arts world. Years ago, due to sect upheaval and ideological differences, he ultimately chose to join the rapidly expanding Tianji Alliance, seeking protection and advancement. However, the irony of fate was that on the very day the Canglang Sect was destroyed, he suffered a crushing defeat in a life-or-death duel with his sixth junior brother, Song Bie. Heartbroken and disillusioned, he jumped off a bottomless cliff.
Everyone thought he was already shattered to pieces, but unexpectedly he miraculously survived. Now that he has been found by the Heavenly Secrets Alliance, perhaps harboring a sliver of delusion to regain power, he dictated and transcribed the most secret ancient formula in the appendix of the "Canglang Sword Manual" and presented it to them, relying on his remaining memories.
However, when the secret recipe was delivered to the Prime Minister's residence by fast horse and presented to Yan Temur, it did not bring him praise, but rather a thunderous rage.
"You bastard! You have an audacity!"
Yan Timur glanced at it, and his sallow face instantly turned purplish-red, veins bulging on his forehead. He crumpled the paper in his hand, coughing violently from extreme anger. The prescription contained only a few words, written in crude and vulgar language:
Ten dogs were kept in one cage, nine females and one male. The male was confined for several days and then released. The female was then observed to see what kind of grass she ate. She ate the same grass as the male, and her feces served as a medicinal ingredient. If they did not eat the same grass, the medicinal effect would be lost.
This hardly resembles the profound and mysterious techniques of any reputable sect. It's clearly a bizarre and evil remedy that even a shaman in the mountains might not dare to use! It's filled with an indescribable sense of absurdity and humiliation. Yan Tiemu'er has roamed the court and the countryside for decades, believing he has seen countless extraordinary people and events. How could he believe that this childish method is actually recorded in the legendary "Canglang Sword Manual"?
"It's fake! Xie Chenghuan must be deceiving me!" he roared hoarsely, his eyes blazing with malice. "Without seeing the original sword manual, how can I know it's not something he made up to fool me?" He was convinced that Xie Chenghuan was hiding something, and might even have colluded with some forces that were secretly opposing him, deliberately presenting him with a fake prescription to humiliate him.
In his rage, he once again issued a death order to Su: the original copy of the *Canglang Sword Manual* must be found! He specifically requested that Xie Chenghuan personally go to search for it to atone for his sins. "Tell him that if he can't find the manual, he should cut off his own head in front of me!"
However, the world of martial arts is vast and time has changed everything. The Canglang Sect has long since vanished, and the true "Canglang Saber Manual" disappeared without a trace after the tragedy, along with "Farewell Saber" Song Bie. Perhaps he has already passed away, or perhaps he has retreated into some unknown corner. Even if Xie Chenghuan possesses extraordinary abilities, where can he possibly find this person who has hidden his identity?
In the days that followed, besides his daily hunting trips to support the family, Fang Yingyu would spend any free time in secluded threshing grounds behind the village or deep in the mountains, diligently practicing the Canglang Sword Technique. Fang Xiaohe would often put down his books and help him understand the essence of the sword technique. The two brothers, one skilled in theoretical interpretation and the other in practical application, worked together with increasing synergy.
Five days later, in the dead of night, all was quiet at the threshing ground behind Sanlipu Village. The moonlight, like quicksilver, cast a long shadow of Fang Yingyu holding a wooden sword. He was completely absorbed in practicing the moves from the sword manual, his coarse clothes already soaked with sweat, which gleamed faintly in the cold moonlight.
"No." A deep voice suddenly came from the darkness. "This move, 'Waves Rolling Like Snow,' relies on the unity of the waist and stance. Your wrist needs to sink down a little more so that the force can penetrate to the tip of the blade, like waves crashing against the shore, continuous and unending."