NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46: A Weakling’s Flesh
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"It is in a cultivator's nature to eat their lesser brethren. The lives of inferior practitioners are short, their pursuit of Immortality forever unfulfilled. What are the few decades of a weakling worth compared to the eternal life we may one day achieve? Better that we consume them now, for what little they may achieve in their pathetic lifespan pales in comparison to the honour of becoming sustenance to fuel our ambitions.
"We all serve the Path in our own ways. The strong walk that perilous road, while the weak pave the way forward with their corpse and flesh. I had thought you fated to be the latter. You have since proven me wrong and shown your worth.
"Put thoughts of unfairness out of your mind, disciple, and eat. Hesitations lead only to foolishness and waste. There is no greater sin for a cultivator than to reject a meal. And if your resolve is found lacking, it will be you who is served on this plate for our next feasting ceremony.
"This is the way to live. This is… the only way to live."
— Words of Elder Jun to a one-armed, newly-inducted Outer Disciple of the Beheaded Phoenix Sect, who grievously wounded three of her seniors in self-defence after they tried to cannibalise her. Those three were then sent to the Butchery, to serve a term as punishment.
The table was soon laden with at least an adult's worth of human flesh. Strips of thin thigh meat stir-fried in rich human fats. Fragrant meat dumplings filled with tender eyeballs, cheek meat, and tongue, simmered within a large broth of intestine soup. Large cuts of human bones — sliced length-wise to expose the delectable marrow within — sat on a plate ready to be savoured, their contents heated to a delicate soft brown.
An entire raw liver, sliced thinly and expertly marinated in soy sauce and spirit wine, was unveiled as the prize dish on selection, for it was one of the finest delicacies enjoyed by cultivators. Rather than more wine, a carafe of warmed blood accompanied the array of dishes instead.
Save for the brain and heart, there was enough meat and organs presented to make a person thrice over — perhaps more, judging by the number of eyeballs stewing in the broth.
The rich smell of qi was impossible to ignore. This was no mere indebted mortal, taken away by the Sect to be diced and cooked as tribute to clear their family's financial obligation. This was a cultivator's flesh, one whose advancement was in the early Steps of the Tempering Realm, if Feng had to guess.
The Young Master's mouth watered even as he tried to look away from the heavenly spread laid out before him. Lianshi held no such restraint, her expression enamoured with the feast of tributes presented. Lingyu looked uneasy, but even she could not deny the appeal of such delicately prepared human meat.
"This is…" Lingyu began uncertainly.
"I had originally not planned for this treat," Patriarch Shang admitted. "Human meat rations are a rare delicacy and not one to be frivolously given out, even to honoured guests. As disciples of the Split-headed Carnivores Sect, I'm sure you can appreciate their worth."
The flesh of a cultivator was a potent catalyst for rapid advancement. With the aid of the Eternal Banquet, human meat rations helped stabilise qi imbalances and bolster cultivation far better than the flesh of Spirit Beast — assuming their advancements were of the same level. Even just a few periodic portions of lean meat rations were enough to greatly expedite a cultivator's growth. For certain Sects, such as the Yin-focused Split-headed Carnivores, rations of human meat were vital for reigning in their Hunger.
Despite their value, cultivated human meat rations were an understandably rare resource. No sane cultivator would willingly hand over their flesh to a stranger or even their superiors within a Sect. Trying to force such a thing without cause was also considered taboo, even if such acts often occurred throughout the Flesh-Grafted Empire.
But every Sect did have one source of cultivated human flesh, albeit one that was unreliable and not spoken of in polite company.
The Sect's Punishment House, also known as the Butchery.
"A trio of Core Disciples were caught committing a crime of assault on one of their Juniors." The Patriarch spoke calmly, as if he were merely discussing the weather and not a heinous act. "The act was witnessed by none other than one of your envoy's disciples, who promptly reported the offence to my Elders."
Feng winced. The fools could not have picked a worse time to commit such a transgression. Occurrences of bullying and aggression between disciples were unfortunately not uncommon. The gruelling and competitive nature of Cultivator Sects would naturally give rise to disputes and petty conflicts. No amount of camaraderie could tame a cultivator's Hunger and pride forever, and the Sect never expected its disciples to all get along with harmonious rapport.
However, what the Sect did expect of its disciples was to maintain the veneer of unity and fellowship when visited by esteemed guests. The many cruelties of living in a Sect did not relieve its disciples from upholding the image of sophistication and respectability.
For such a barbaric display of crime to be witnessed by foreign guests brings about profound shame and a loss of reputation for the Sect, and so appropriate punishments must be handed out to uphold the monastery's facade of justice and diligence.
"While their actions shame the name of our Sect — amid honoured guests, no less — it also presented me with an opportunity to serve a finer banquet for you two." His father gestured to the table. "The very meat presented before you comes from those same Core Disciples. They have each been sentenced to a term in the Punishment House, or until they provide the Sect with fifty quotas of meat rations."
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What may have once barely resulted in a slap on the wrist had devolved into horrifying confinement in the Sect's Butchery, doomed to have their flesh flayed and organs pillaged until their term was done. They would not die; their cultivation afforded them regeneration and hardened bodies, and the Harvesters who worked in the Butchery were experts in extracting the greatest amount of meat from disciples without expiring them.
It was an unenviable fate, one that all disciples zealously seek to avoid. Putting aside the torture and pain, one would not be able to cultivate when interned in the Butchery. Any ounce of qi the disciple absorbed would be directed towards the regeneration of flesh and organs, which they would then be swiftly deprived of by the Harvesters. This excruciating cycle of flesh harvesting and growth would repeat until the punished disciples had served their sentence.
They would suffer this with the knowledge that their own precious, cultivated flesh would be fed to the rest of their peers, who would profit from their torment while they languished behind in despair and torpidity.
"Please, enjoy this meal," his father said. "Though its amount is modest, I believe the quality should make up for it. Its Yang-aligned nature would also no doubt fit your palate."
Lianshi instantly bowed deeply. "Father-in-law, you have given us a treat most generous. This lowly daughter-in-law bows in awe of your gift. My sister and I most graciously accept."
It would be foolish for anyone to turn down such a windfall. Lingyu, in particular, stood the most to gain from the meal. Considering her cultivation was currently beneath that of the meat presented before her, she might even advance to the next Step by the night's end. The girl bowed and murmured the same grateful sentiments as her older sister.
Feng bowed as well, though his next words ran contrary to the sisters' eager acceptance: "I will abstain."
Lingyu looked at him in shock. Lianshi was less surprised, though a brief look of resignation passed her hungry eyes for a second. His father only raised a single eyebrow, showing neither approval nor disapproval. "Are you sure?"
"The sisters may have my share," Feng offered, his head bowed lower so that they may not see his gritted teeth and salivating mouth. "I would see the Hunger of my beloved Fiancée and my future sister-in-law quenched. They have travelled far, and deserve a proper treat."
The silence stretched for a second, before his father spoke. "It appears my son is a most generous host. In that case, I shall follow his example as well. Let it be known that the Beheaded Phoenix Sect does not leave its guests' Hunger wanting."
Feng silently breathed a sigh of relief when his father did not question him further. Lingyu looked like she wanted to ask, but Lianshi passed over to her a prime slice of liver, and the younger cultivator soon became distracted.
His Fiancée smiled understandingly at him, and he squeezed her hand under the table with a silent 'thank you'. Once she turned her attention to the meat, Feng looked discreetly at the phantom leaning silently against the end of the table.
The woman's unnerving gaze never left his face.
Her true thoughts and feelings were impossible to discern. Feng always felt that the expression on the wraith better suited a corpse than an animated being. Her lips rarely moved, either, even when she 'talked'. The words were just echoed in his mind.
"Meat is meat. What difference does its origin make? Be it willingly given, the plunder of conquest, or the exploitation of the weak. To deny your Hunger is not the way of your Path, is it not?"
He nearly scoffed at that statement.
"As if you would not chide me endlessly if I do consume this meat, you wretched thing," Feng thought to it. "First you complain about my diet, then you mock my choice to abstain? I could do without your persistent haunting."
"The flesh of humans ill-suits your palate, my God. Such worthless meat is beneath you. Only the flesh of the slain Divine should grace your tongue."
"Pity the Gods are dead, then. If you are hoping for me to find Divine flesh to sate the Hunger, you shall have to wait a long time. Besides, I'm already full."
"Your salivating demeanour suggests otherwise."
He frowned. "You are not usually this responsive. Did something good happen today?"
Rather than reply, the Jade-eyed phantom returned to her usual silence, quietly observing him with that unsettling dead gaze that he could never grow used to.
He sighed. Truthfully, he would not have minded 'conversing' more with her in this particular instance. It distracted him from the feast. His instincts were screaming at him to consume the delectable spread of human offal and flesh presented, and it was taxing his self-control to resist.
Lingyu's and Lianshi's enthusiastic indulgence of the meat on both sides of him did not help matters either. Each bite of thigh meat, each slurp of bone marrow, and each pull of the blood-filled carafe sent a new wave of Hunger through his very spirit.
"I am glad my guests are enjoying the treat," his father suddenly announced, causing the sisters to pause mid-feast. "However, there are some matters I would like to discuss with my son in private. Would you two mind if I take him away for a moment? I assure you, I will return him after you finish with the meal."
The Patriarch need not ask for their permission, but it was polite that he did so all the same. After a brief goodbye to the two, the Young Master and his father left the dining hall. Feng gave one last mournful look at the table, before shutting the door behind him.
It did not escape his notice that the wraith had already left the hall and followed him to the next room.
Second Realm: Shaping Realm (Development of Meridians and Dantian), Part 1
The Second Realm of Cultivation is the Shaping Realm, also known as the Qi Shaping Realm. This is the stage where cultivators truly begin their advancement of the Spiritual Form, and henceforth inaugurate their Path towards Immortality. Most practitioners of the Path do not even acknowledge a cultivator as such until they have at least progressed to the Shaping Realm.
With their bodies cleansed of base physical impurities from their trials during the Foundation Realm, the meridians of the cultivator's soul are now freed of blockages. Qi can now be circulated at a much easier rate, and reserves of Spiritual energies can be built within the cultivator by carving out roots and crevices within the primary body of their soul organs— the Dantian.
At this stage, the cultivator may focus on the more advanced forms of Qi manipulation beyond simple meditation. Assuming one is fortunate enough to find themselves within a Sect, they would most likely begin their learning of Qi Techniques and, if found worthy, be given Divine Viands to consume such that they may Commune with the Dead Divines and plunder their secret Arts.
– Excerpt from To Those Worthy of the Eternal Banquet