46 Way of the Caged Soul: Demons Release 2 (1/2)
'Ha ha ha! That's impossible, because you would have to die to use this cultivation method and enter here.' Those very words continued to echo in his head, without thinking he started replaying word for word in the exact pattern the Demon had said, thinking he might have misheard or misunderstood.
Stigma had stood silence for a moment from what the Demon said, assuming it was more of a wordplay or idioms that cultivators normally use in this realm, like training yourself until you die.
But then again, there were a handful of idioms he can remember that means doing the impossible from among rest. But he couldn't remember them all.
”Hey, what you mean die? Do you mean push through your limits kind or the literal death kind.”
”Well a little bit of both, besides it makes no sense if there's no risk to the gain, repeatedly training a powerful technique would make no difference if you can't tell if you progress in training or in experience. Also don't you think, that it makes it more exciting when one pushes himself to the limit on the a life threatening challenge then reap great rewards in both scenarios. I believe there was a phrase in your world, something like 'Whatever doesn't kill makes you stronger'.”
The Demon all of a sudden jumped in front of him and got on a stone pedestal, making a landing pose like a gymnast would do, making Stigma question for his personality and mindset.
Stigma then looked away for a moment and tried grab one of the floating lights near the tree, he had already seen how the human souls turn into butterfly shaped light when they passed away from his skill, for animals they change into furballs that seemed cute to him.
The feeling was like holding on to nothing, he turned back and listened, but he started to regret letting the Demon continue on about the great nature of the method.
”Besides, the cultivation method I'm teaching you is effective since you can still use this even when you are dead, why waste time on some ancient cultivation training that works only when your alive and any moron can use it if their requirements fit.Also, you need some useless piece of garbage that you can't find anywhere unless you blah, blah blah blah!”
The Demon then ranted on how great the cultivations it was going to use. It hasn't been long since Stigma meet it, but he can tell how the little Demon mentality works. Though he can't tell from his mouth, since it uses a smile as it usual face, but he can tell what it was thinking based on its eyes.
When it gets extremely excited, its eyes would go bloodshot from not blinking the entire time along with a wide grin showing of its sharp teeth, its tail started to spin around in circles in a rapid pace. He really thought he was facing a child trying to show off its talents and intelligence rather than a Demon trying to deceive him.
With the Demon's lecture kept going on, Stigma started wandering his eyes around the area, the Demon continued on about how great the cultivation technique he was proposing, then finally went to the main point.
”It's a unique technique only you can use, because unless one experienced death can use it.”
”DO YOU UNDERSTAND! YOU! ARE CURRENTLY! DEAD!” The Demon started pointing at Stigma with much zeal that he finally turned his head to pay attention. Though he didn't really understand most about its gibberish half the time, he still got the gist that it was very special as it was excited in letting Stigma usie it, so he just made a random comment on the last words he heard to humor it.
”Oh, I see, I see. One has to actually dead to use this...WAIT A MINUTE... WHAT DID YOU SAY, I'M DEAD AGAIN!” Stigma gave a dumbfounded expression from hearing its confirmation by shaking its head up and down with a wide grin.
”But of course! You would not have been capable of entering in the realm in the first place!”
When the Demon saw his reaction he was delighted, it was going to tease Stigma after hearing him going through an episode of despair, then tell him about the surprise information he withheld then announce it in the end, but was soon puzzled upon seeing him bow down with his head hitting the ground repeatedly.
”Um, Sir?”
”WHAT THE HELL, I STILL DIED A VIRGIN!” The scream echoed through the room, causing it to reach all the way to the lobby, it was clear Stigma or Cheng Xuan was suffering over an old memory.
....
Left with such a deafening scream out of nowhere had caused the Demon to have his mouth wide open when he heard the content, he had expected Stigma to be excited when he was a new place so he planned to burst his bubble with the requirements in entering here if he didn't understand, but if he got scared he was going to reveal the hidden secret about how to get back.
Though the Demon was mischievous by nature, it would do no such harm to Stigma since they have a special connection to some extent. He then felt awkward when he saw Stigma lying down on the ground, devoid of like.
*COUGH!* *COUGH!* Taking a deep breath, the Demon started to reveal the trick to the realm.
”Though I say you have to die to use this cultivation, you just have to be in a death like state to use it such as being in a coma, so you technically died but you can still be revived so don't dwell on the thought.”
When Stigma heard those words, he suddenly jumped up and landed on his feet, grabbing the Demon by the shoulder and breathing heavily as he stared at it with murderous intent.
”YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT EARLIER, YOU GAVE ME ANOTHER HEART ATTACK!!!!!!”
*COUGH!* *COUGH!*
”Well anyway you understand how difficult it is for normal people to use this, even if they know the cultivation method once they fail the first part there was no need to give a damn about them. He he he...So please listen carefully...” Stigma then let go of the Demon and followed it explanation.
The cultivation training the Demon was planning involved a high risk factor, for one to even start training the cultivator has to have his or her soul removed from the body, hence a death like state would mean being a coma where one's body and mind is shut down and no outside influence can affect them be it pain or sound.
The reason death had to be involved in this cultivation, was due to the thought of being close to death means the cultivator will be closer to the natural energy surrounding him.
But it does not necessarily mean one has to always really on self suicide from time to time to have one's souls removed from the body, having a clear mind and body would also be effective, but only those that reached enlightenment can achieve such a feat.
In other words, the calmer the mind means they are closer to absorbing more energy, and would be considered a genius. But to reach the higher levels one has to stay in the realm in a longer time span, but they are chances that their souls would drift from where their body were and the risk of being spirited away and pass on, leaving behind their own body without a soul.
”...I see this sound very dangerous, wait a moment, you only explained as how one cultivates. What about a way back?”