Immortality Is No Easy Task

Chapter 5

“My tendons?”

Hearing her words, a frown couldn’t help but appear on Qi Chen’s face, as it turned dark.

“Yeah, your tendons!”

Her flippant tone did not help even a bit.

“I would not be able to move after this would I?”

“Don’t be too sad, you would still be able to move your fingers and wrists a bit, crawling would be far from a problem.”

Her tone was quite confident, even tinged with a bit of pride, as if it were a bargain that he still had some degree of mobility.

“Is this what you meant by ‘some modifications’?”

”For sure! It is not like the choices are limited. There are two choices actually. You can also have your limbs cut off and turned into a pure furnace other than getting your tendons spliced, it is really up to you.”

“…”

“So which one do you want?”

“Can I choose neither?”

“You already know the answer don’t you?”

She replied, with her hands fiddling with a short dagger that she seemed to have on her the whole time, an option had to be chosen today.

“Do you think I would have a chance if I made a run for it?”

“Well even if I let you, you would be lost in the thousand dimension gate, and get eaten by the protector, he is quite a cutie.”

Sighing, he took a seat on the chair beside her.

“You got tea?”

Narrowing her eyes, she met his question with a relaxed smile, carrying hints of interest.

“Of course, young master.”

With a clean snap of her fingers, a mystic pure white mist appeared around her palm, swiping her hands across the table separating the two, a tea set appeared.

Taking a cup, he slowly lifted the lid as he gently blew the boiling hot tea as the leafy aroma entered his nose.

“Smells like a good cup of tea.”

“My pleasure.”

Taking a light sip, the bitter tea touched his tongue, accompanied by a hint of herbal sweetness.

They were good tea leaves, slightly bitter and herbal, but far from overpowering like cheap tea leaves tend to be.

However, their taste carried a dose of the familiar floral scent.

“Are these the same leaves that you use for the incense?”

“That is correct.”

She replied, similarly helping herself to a cup of tea.

Noticing his experienced etiquette in drinking tea, her interest was piqued.

“Well you are quite the refined gentleman aren’t you?”

Giving a lazy glance at her provocation, he closed his eyes.

Somehow, he wasn’t exactly afraid of her.

While he could tell that slicing his tendons was probably true, cutting his limbs was a crude joke, with the sole goal of scaring him.

Perhaps he had gone through too many ups and downs in a short period of time, even losing his mobility and being crippled for his life did not sound too bad.

“I am a scholar, or at least was.”

“Well, figured as much.”

“Well then, Mr. Scholar, have you decided on your treatment plan?”

“Treatment is an interesting way to put it.”

“I will accept that compliment.”

“It wasn’t one.”

“That’s quite cruel to say to a lady.”

Finishing his cup of tea, he leisurely took the teapot, adding some more tea to his cup.

Noticing her gaze fixated on him, he felt the need to explain himself.

“Just enjoying the free movement of my hands while I still can.”

Understanding his underlying meaning, the end of her lips raised higher than usual.

“Wonderful, you made a choice quicker than I expected. You are a very decisive person aren’t you?”

Putting her cup on the table, she gestured for him to pour some tea for her.

“You should be able to do that yourself, it is quite rude to ask that from a soon to be crippled man.”

Gently putting down the teapot, he lazily replied, savouring the tea while looking away.

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“Is it not basic etiquette for the guest to serve the host?”

“You would find it shocking that it is often the other way round.”

“It’s not like you are crippled yet anyways.”

Despite mumbling her complaints, she knew that there was no way he would budge, sighing, she refilled her tea herself.

As she poured the tea into her cup, her gaze lingered on his face.

It was calm, indifferent, resigned, yet lacking the usual emotion one would have at this moment.

He was growing more and more interesting in her eyes as time passed.

“That said I thought you would throw a tantrum, cry, beg and I can see your flicker of hope slowly die out as I cut your tendons, guess I would not be able to see that show.”

“Well, I am sorry that you would miss the show you were expecting.”

While he noticed her gaze, his eyes were still glued to the cup of tea, his fingers lightly tracing the rim of the tea cup, his voice laced with indifferent sarcasm.

“No, it’s fine, you are pretty fun too. A good second place?”

“…”

While Qi Chen did not reply, he was quite curious if cultivators genuinely did not understand sarcasm, however knowing her personality, she was probably doing this to get a fun reaction out of him.

The tea was scalding, nearly at the temperature to burn his throat, yet it was good enough that he would willingly take another sip.

“Did you brew this yourself?”

“What, so interested about me?”

Staring at her smug flirtatious gaze, he ignored her reply.

“Forget I even asked.”

“You are so boring, you must know there are countless others who would love to be flirted with by a beautiful lady like me.”

That, he could not retort, she was indeed one of prettiest women he had seen in his life, and many men would indeed kill for her to say that to them.

“Well, when are you going to do it?”

“Do what?”

Her gaze settled on him, her tone seductive, but more so playful.

Seeing that he had no intention of entertaining her antics, she once again took another swig of tea, before replying to his question.

“I thought you would drag it a bit longer.”

She seemed almost surprised.

“Guess not.”

Noticing her curiosity, he decided to give her some clarity as for his genuinely confusing reaction.

After all it was indeed a reaction unbefitting of the current scenario.

“Dragging it any longer does not change anything other than waste time for both you and me. Time is a priceless commodity. It is often better to get it over to begin with.”

“You are more fun than I expected. A close first place now. Well that bravery is commendable.”

“I would much prefer if you did not call it bravery, I simply did not have any choice.”

“Can’t you take a compliment?”

“I welcome most compliments except those from people who are hoping to cripple me by slicing off my tendons.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhm.”

It was a quiet bit of silence before a lively voice hijacked the rare moment of silence.

“Well then, let’s begin.”

Pushing herself out of the chair, her smile seemed to have a mild hint of coldness.

Turning her palm around, white mist once again gathered around her palm, as he found himself floating above, and forced into a flat position.

With a swift flick of her wrist, a scalpel appeared between her fingers.

“This is the knife I will be using, up to your standards? Hmm, Mr. Scholar?”

Her finger traced the edge of the scalpel, adding a healthy amount of creepiness into her flawless smile.

“Can’t say it is.”

“Well, I don’t have another knife, so bear with it.”

“Stay still, I don’t want to cut more than I should.”

“Can’t you just freeze me in place?”

“That won't be as fun.”

Her voice was flat, but he could sense that the previous air of playfulness from before was gone, her eyes were undoubtedly focused.

“Can’t you make me unconscious or something?”

“…”

“No.”

Sensing that she was unwilling, Qi Chen was not interested in tasting the consequences of her annoyance, as the one on the lower end, he could only comply.

”Cut away.”

”Thank you.”

Her hand wrapped around his forearm, twisting it slightly to reveal in the inner forearm, her other hand holding the scalpel.

Her touch was cold, as if a dead person, yet at the same time warm, like a fireplace during winter.

The scalpel was covered in a wisps of white, obscuring the edge of the blade.

“It’s gonna sting a little.”

The moment her scalpel touched his inner forearm, the cold metallic edge sent chills into his spine.

It was a tingly feeling, as his muscles tensed.

A bodily instinct.

The fingers curled, despite his calm demeanor, cold sweat was trickling down his back as his hands began to tremble against the touch.

His breath was hitching as they began to grow uneven, despite the desperate attempts to calm down, his heart seemed to only beat faster against his chest.

“Relax.”

Before the words even left her mouth a strangled sound tore from his throat as the body began to register a clean cut.

“Hnnghh-”

He let out an exasperated rough shriek.

It was more painful than anything he had experienced in his life.

A white-hot pain, a searing burning sensation registered.

A sudden weakness assaulted his senses, driving a liquid to form between his eyelids.

It was deep, he could feel it, something, something more than important, had been severed, cleanly.

Never again would he be able to reach it again.

His breath strangled around his throat, threatening another scream as he gritted his teeth, refusing to even let a trace of sound escape.

A deep tearing pain seemed to sear itself into his nerves, a tearing agony.

As if a band had just snapped inside of his flesh.

It is sickening and the pain did not fade, it was lasting, and increasingly painful, increasingly searing.

Her gaze was unsettling, more so humiliating.

He instinctively attempted to move his fingertips.

They were barely moving, they felt so weak, as if the only thing tugging them was a thin strip of string.

It clumsily closed as his fingers wiggled under the effort, they felt fatigued, as pain flared.

They were trembling and closing even his thumb was a chore, the second he lost control, it limply fell back in place.

“That was a mild cut of your inner forearm tendons.”

“You will retain the basic degree of movement, such as a very slight movement of your fingers.”

She clumsily imitated his actions, closing her hands roughly and weakly, demonstrating the extent of his current capabilities.

“It will be quite painful for a good while, however some degree of movement is definitely possible, but give up on attempting to hold a brush ever again.”

Gritting his teeth hard, and getting used to the pain, he limply nodded his head.

“Go on.”

His voice was weak, yet his eyes were more unwavering than before.

Tasting his first dose of the unbearable pain, he only wanted to go on.

“Of course, Mr. Scholar.”

The smile hung on her face, unmoving.

He weakly returned a smile.

“I don't think there is a scholar who can't lift his brush.”

“Indeed.”

The scalpel did not have even a drip of blood along its edge.

The scalpel landed on his other arm, he clenched his fists tightly for the last time, closing his eyes.

The second the scalpel touched, it sank deep.

A rough scream escaped the confines of his throat, yet it was not loud, rather than a shout, it could even pass as a squeak.

Yet it was the best of his capabilities, the pain seared into his nerves, the powerlessness took over as his fingers limped into a curl.

His breathing was ragged and rough, yet a quiet fire burned beneath.

Pain.

This is too painful.

Clenching his teeth, this was the only thought playing in his mind.

Pain is but a mere cry of the mortal body.

A mere vessel.

Devoid of will.

Devoid of mind.

Devoid of voice.

A searing cry means nothing.

A cry for hope is worthless.

He could only convince himself so, there was no other way.

Yeah it is so.

The body is worthless.

Pain is temporary.

But what?

What after this?

A feeling that accompanied him for so long, has become one he will never reach again.

“You are fairing quite well.”

His breath slowed, as he glared at her.

“I suppose I should thank you for your compliment.”

A forced grin appeared on the edges of his face, his voice was weak, dragged and choppy.

He fully relaxed his body, relaxing the tension.

At some point, the pain no longer felt so painful, the adaptation of the body for the mind is indeed miraculous.

“On to my legs then, try to not make it hurt as bad.”

His voice was weak, strengthless, yet carried a hint of haughtiness.

“No promises.”

Her hands once reached for his heel, the back of his ankle.

“Well then brace yourself.”