Colorful Mist Coast, Great Yan Clan Land.
Following the elder, Xia Sheng and Jiang Cheng arrived at the clan land he mentioned.
This is a secluded clearing hidden within a dense rainforest, with rows of blotchy tombstones at the entrance.
The inscriptions on the tombstones have been eroded by wind and rain, making them unclear. Nearby, weeds thrive and wildflowers stubbornly bloom through the cracks, adding a bit of vitality to this desolate place, yet appearing somewhat out of place.
Following the elder deeper into the clan land, a path paved with bluish stone slabs winds forward, the cracks filled with moss, and the dilapidated buildings on both sides have blotchy walls, with many already collapsed into ruins.
It can be seen that the entire Great Yan Clan Land is nearly abandoned, becoming a paradise for plants.
They finally stopped in front of a decrepit building.
The building was constructed from a combination of some kind of plant vines and stones, the roof sagged, and the closed window lattice decayed, filled with a heavy sense of age.
With the light of the rising morning sun, Xia Sheng and Jiang Cheng’s gaze penetrated the open doorway of the building and saw a Jade God Statue standing in the front hall.
Many Spirit Plant offerings were placed in front of the statue, with strands and wisps of energy drawn by an invisible force fluttering towards the statue and dissipating.
The statue had a female form, wearing a War Helmet embedded with a Ruby. Below the helmet was a face of resolute beauty and eyes filled with an endless fighting spirit. The workmanship of the statue was exquisite, even each piece of armor on its body was finely detailed, and even the tense and powerful muscle lines were visible.
In the right hand of the statue, it grasped a long red Sword, pointing straight to the heavens, as if declaring war against an unknown enemy.
It was evident that the statue was frequently well-maintained, not a speck of dust on it.
Before Jiang Cheng and Xia Sheng could speak, the elder took the initiative to explain:
"This is the deity our clan worships, one of the overseers of the world, the Eight Extremes: Wrath Restraint."
Through the guidance provided, Jiang Cheng, who had some understanding of the system in Monster World, curiously asked:
"Have you seen Wrath Restraint?"
The elder shook his head:
"The Eight Extremes God are the overseers of the world’s operation; how could I be fortunate enough to glimpse its true face? Including my clan’s ancestors, none have seen it, but it doesn’t hinder our clan’s faith in it."
"Never seen Wrath Restraint, how was the statue made?" Xia Sheng was astonished.
"This is my clan’s imagined appearance of Wrath Restraint, the actual appearance is unknown, it’s just a rough outline concept from the stories passed down. What’s important is the gemstone on the statue," said the elder, pointing towards the red gemstone on the helmet of the statue, and continued:
"This is the Faith Stone that connects to Wrath Restraint, our clan’s offerings are also conveyed to Wrath Restraint through this stone."
After speaking, the elder walked towards the inside of the building.
Jiang Cheng and Xia Sheng followed him immediately.
Passing by the hall where the statue was placed, through a long narrow corridor, pushed open the door to a backyard filled with various pottery jars, the air was filled with the pungent smell of herbs.
At this moment, the elder stopped, turned to look at Jiang Cheng and Xia Sheng, and smilingly said:
"I bet you are curious about the Secret Technique I’m going to impart to you?"
Hearing this, Xia Sheng nodded while asking in return:
"Speaking of which, aren’t you curious about our origins?"
The elder shook his head:
"No matter what your origins are, all I need to know is that you are native races of Monster World, we all share the common goal of reclaiming our lost lands."
"Alright, begin your performance, tell us in detail about the Secret Technique you want to pass on?"
The elder didn’t waste words, a hint of red light appeared in his eyes, veins on his body bulged, and his body visibly grew an inch taller:
"Talking too much is no match for personal experience; prepare yourselves...."
As he spoke, the elder raised his right hand, and suddenly a red light shot out from the palm of his hand, sweeping over the bodies of Xia Sheng and Jiang Cheng.
Instantly, an intense feeling rose from the bottom of their hearts.
It was a pain that penetrated deep into the bones, as if tearing apart their souls, the pain was not limited to any single area of the body, but surged like a tide, engulfing the whole body, as if every nerve was enduring the roasting of fierce fire, or as if frozen by freezing ice, different extreme sensations intertwined, creating an unimaginable pain.
Jiang Cheng and Xia Sheng’s breath became rapid and heavy, each inhalation felt like a sharp blade cutting inside the chest cavity, and exhaling seemed to draw out the last bit of warmth and strength from their bodies, sweat and tears uncontrollably sliding down.
As their strength climbed, they finally couldn’t bear it, screaming and rolling on the ground.
And the continuously rising pain was nearly reaching the critical point of triggering the "Purification System" taboo.
Just then, the elder suddenly lowered his right hand, withdrew the released red light, and cheerfully said:
"This is my ability, I call it Touch of Pain; it can store the memory of pain I have endured into a Pain Imprint, then transmit it to the enemy through Spirit Tentacles, causing extreme spiritual damage. This layer of damage has both extreme sensory feedback and mental impact damage."
"This is also why I chose you, to cultivate my Secret Technique — first, one must have enough willpower to bear the pain, and then they can convey the pain to the enemy. Only those with strong willpower can master this supreme Secret Technique. Are you willing to learn?"
As the elder withdrew his hand, the pain receded like a tide. Recovered, Jiang Cheng and Xia Sheng looked at each other and simultaneously said:
This Secret Technique, in the eyes of Jiang Cheng and Xia Sheng, seemed tailor-made for them.