Chapter 290 - 501 Torture Methods

(Meanwhile, Within The Heavenly Ascendancy Sect, Thunder Peak, Kremeth’s POV)

’My disciple will be arriving soon...’

Kremeth thought, letting out a long, weary sigh as he contemplated the troublesome responsibility that would soon be thrust upon his shoulders.

With each passing day, as the arrival of his unwanted disciple drew closer, his mood had grown progressively fouler, to the point where even his usual training routine had begun to irritate him.

And so, hoping to alleviate his frustration, Kremeth decided to descend from Thunder Peak that evening and visit an old friend, intending to drown his sorrows in a few generous cups of wine.

However, while he considered himself a thoroughly miserable man, the disciples who happened to witness his descent regarded the occasion rather differently.

Dressed in immaculate white robes, Kremeth walked through the common sect grounds with his hands clasped behind his back, his handsome features carrying an expression of quiet dignity.

"Greetings, First Elder!"

The disciples bowed respectfully as he passed, although among the younger female disciples, his appearance inspired considerably more excitement than their formal greetings suggested.

"Heavens! How can someone be so handsome? Even his walking posture looks elegant! I wonder if he has a Dao companion already?"

One female disciple wondered, discreetly adjusting her hair as Kremeth approached, hoping that the esteemed First Elder might spare her a passing glance.

"If only I could become his personal disciple! I would gladly spend every day cultivating beneath his guidance, even if he made me train until my legs gave out!"

Another thought dreamily, completely forgetting that she had spent the previous evening complaining about having to perform an additional hundred sword swings.

The male disciples regarded Kremeth with equal admiration, although their thoughts were considerably more focused upon the extraordinary strength he represented.

’One day, I’ll become just like him. A warrior whose name commands respect throughout the Empire, even among the strongest Ascendants!’

A young swordsman thought, straightening his posture as Kremeth acknowledged his bow with a faint smile.

To these disciples, the First Elder represented everything an Ascendant should aspire to become, possessing overwhelming strength, unparalleled discipline, and a seemingly perfect temperament.

And as Kremeth continued walking through the sect grounds, none of them could have imagined the rather peculiar reason behind his unexpected excursion.

For the esteemed First Elder was not heading towards the training grounds to impart wisdom, nor was he preparing to oversee some important sect matter.

Instead, he was visiting an old friend to complain about his miserable life, and hopefully pass out cold.

—-------------

(Brother Li’s Residence, Outer Sect)

"Brother Li! Are you home?"

Kremeth called upon reaching a modest residence within the outer sect’s residential district, knocking twice before pushing open the wooden door.

"First Elder!"

The middle-aged man inside immediately rose from his chair, his weathered face brightening with surprise as he recognized the unexpected visitor.

However, before he could offer a formal greeting, Kremeth raised his hand and shook his head.

"None of that nonsense today, Brother Li. I’m not here as the First Elder. I’m here as your brother."

Kremeth declared, causing the older instructor to smile warmly as he gestured towards the empty chair across his wooden table.

"HAHAHA! Only you still remember me as your brother. Everyone else has started treating me like some distant junior ever since they received their promotions."

Brother Li replied, sighing as he recalled the days when the two of them had been nothing more than ordinary outer sect disciples.

Back then, there had been four inseparable friends who trained together, competed against one another, and dreamed of someday becoming important figures within the Heavenly Ascendancy Sect.

However, as the years passed, their paths had gradually diverged, with Kremeth displaying extraordinary talent and eventually ascending to the prestigious position of First Elder.

Their other two companions had successfully entered the inner sect, while Brother Li’s comparatively limited talent had prevented him from advancing beyond the outer sect.

Instead, he had eventually been appointed head instructor of the outer disciples, a respectable position that nevertheless placed him considerably below his former companions.

Yet despite the enormous difference in their standing, Kremeth had never once treated him as anything less than an equal.

"Come, sit! I’m certain I have a bottle of rice wine hidden somewhere around here."

Brother Li offered, beginning to search through his cupboards before Kremeth raised a finger and shook his head with a knowing smile.

"Not today, Brother Li. Today, we’re drinking plum blossom wine!"

Kremeth declared, producing two beautifully decorated wine jugs from his storage ring before placing them upon the wooden table with considerable enthusiasm.

Brother Li’s eyes immediately brightened at the sight, recognizing the expensive wine that ordinary outer sect instructors could scarcely afford.

"HAHAHA! Now that’s what I call a proper visit! Come, tell me what’s troubling you, Brother. You wouldn’t have brought such fine wine unless something was weighing on your mind."

He remarked, eagerly retrieving two drinking cups as Kremeth uncorked the first jug and filled them both to the brim.

"My disciple is arriving in the next couple of days, and I genuinely have no idea what I’m supposed to do with the brat."

Kremeth complained, raising his cup before swallowing its contents in a single gulp.

Brother Li chuckled as he followed suit, immediately reaching for the jug to refill their cups.

"Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Frankly, it’s already strange that someone of your standing doesn’t have a single personal disciple."

He remarked, shaking his head as Kremeth responded with an irritated snort.

"Because that’s exactly how I like my life! I’m a warrior trying to perfect my own craft, not some instructor interested in guiding the next generation!"

Kremeth declared, emptying his second cup before continuing his complaints.

"And if the Sect Master absolutely insisted upon forcing a disciple onto me, couldn’t he have chosen someone who already belongs to our sect?"

He demanded, gesturing irritably with his cup as Brother Li listened with an increasingly amused expression.

"Instead, he’s sending me some pampered noble brat who has spent his entire life living inside a castle! Do you have any idea how different life here is from the Imperial nobility?"

Kremeth continued, shaking his head as though the very thought of accommodating such a disciple was enough to ruin his entire year.

"These nobles expect servants to handle everything for them, and I’m supposed to turn one of them into a proper warrior? I doubt the boy will survive a month!"

Brother Li nodded sympathetically, although the generous quantities of plum blossom wine were beginning to make his agreement considerably more enthusiastic than necessary.

And so, over the following two hours, the two old friends proceeded to discuss everything that was wrong with their lives.

They complained about the Sect Master, troublesome disciples, unreasonable women, and the general unfairness of a world that refused to accommodate their perfectly reasonable expectations.

By the time the second jug was nearly empty, both men had abandoned any semblance of the dignity expected from senior members of the Heavenly Ascendancy Sect.

"Hic! You know something, Brother Kremeth?"

Brother Li suddenly asked, swaying slightly in his chair as his flushed face struggled to maintain a serious expression.

"Hic! What?"

Kremeth replied, squinting at his old friend while attempting to refill a cup that was already overflowing.

"I love you, my man! I really do! You’re the only bastard who still treats me like a brother!"

Brother Li declared, thumping his chest with such enthusiasm that he nearly toppled sideways from his chair.

Kremeth burst into laughter, raising his cup in acknowledgment as Brother Li leaned forward with an expression of drunken determination.

"And because I love you so much, I’m going to give you something I’ve never given anyone before!"

Brother Li announced, wagging his finger dramatically as Kremeth regarded him with sudden suspicion.

"Hic! What is it? If you’re about to give me another book explaining which positions to try with women to spice up my intimate life, then forget it!"

Kremeth protested, causing Brother Li to shake his head so vigorously that he nearly lost his balance.

"No, no, no! Nothing like that! This is something far more valuable, especially for someone who’s about to become a teacher!"

Brother Li insisted, staggering towards a nearby cupboard before rummaging through its contents with considerable difficulty.

After several moments of searching, he finally returned carrying an old, worn book whose cover appeared to have survived decades of careless handling.

He placed it upon the table with a triumphant grin, allowing Kremeth to read the title written across its faded surface.

501 Ways to Ethically Break the Morale of Your Disciple

Extreme Training Methods Guaranteed to Break Anyone’s Spirit.

"Hic! HAHAHAHA! What the hell is this, Brother Li? Why would you even own something like this?"

Kremeth demanded, bursting into drunken laughter as he picked up the book and began flipping through its pages.

"Because I train hundreds of snotty brats every day, and believe me, some of them deserve special attention!"

Brother Li replied proudly, leaning forward as he pointed towards one of the techniques described within the book.

"Look here! According to this method, if a disciple wishes to improve their resistance to fire, you make them plunge their hand into burning oil until their skin begins blistering!"

He explained, his eyes gleaming with drunken enthusiasm as Kremeth stared at the instructions in disbelief.

"Then you immediately treat the burns with healing agents, allowing the flesh to recover before repeating the exercise whenever their training requires it."

Brother Li continued, tapping the page with a knowing smile.

"Technically, it’s a legitimate method of conditioning the body against extreme temperatures, and with proper healing, the lasting physical damage can be minimized."

He explained, lowering his voice conspiratorially as though revealing one of the greatest secrets of the Heavenly Ascendancy Sect.

"But the psychological suffering? HAHAHA! That’s an entirely different matter! Imagine how much a disciple would begin dreading training after enduring something like that!"

Brother Li declared, laughing so hard that he had to steady himself against the table.

"And that’s just one method! There are five hundred more, each perfectly justifiable as some obscure form of extreme training!"

He continued, pointing towards the remaining pages with an expression of unmistakable pride.

"Use enough of them, and even the most stubborn brat will eventually lose the will to continue. Once their performance deteriorates, you can officially dismiss them for lacking dedication!"

Kremeth stared at the book for several moments before slowly raising his head towards his old friend.

Then, an enormous smile spread across his flushed face.

"Hic! Brother Li... you magnificent bastard!"

Kremeth exclaimed, reaching across the table and grabbing both of his friend’s hands with genuine emotion.

"I knew coming to you was the right decision! Only my brother truly understands the suffering I’m going through!"

He declared, shaking Brother Li’s hands enthusiastically as the two men dissolved into another round of uncontrollable laughter.

"HAHAHAHA! To brotherhood!"

"TO BROTHERHOOD!"

Their cups collided, spilling plum blossom wine across the table as the two drunken Ascendants celebrated what they believed to be the perfect solution to Kremeth’s unwanted responsibilities.

Unfortunately for them, neither man possessed the slightest understanding of the disciple who would soon arrive at Thunder Peak.

For the young noble they intended to torment was an absurd monster whose tolerance for suffering had been forged through experiences far more terrible than anything described within Brother Li’s ridiculous book.