When the plot-skips players into the game world Chapter 340

Chapter 340: Chapter 249: Why Use Nurturing Skill If There’s No Pain?

Chapter 340: Chapter 249: Why Use Nurturing Skill If There’s No Pain?

After Ligeia left, Aiwass refused the court maids who ca to tidy up the room and had Lily collect all the burnt items.

——Logically speaking, the chair that was scorched black beneath Aiwass, as well as the books, letters, and newspapers that were burnt, were all rather valuable!

With just a little processing, they could serve as decent ritual materials.

They could even be used as materials for Aiwass’s creation of Phantom Cards.

Even though the fire Aiwass summoned wasn’t particularly mighty, it was still the Fla of Celestial Marshal in terms of its hierarchical origin.

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Its strength attacked Aiwass from his illusions—or perhaps from his dreams, causing damage to reality that went beyond Aiwass himself.

This kind of power that could “seep from dreams into the material realm” is precisely the most standard force of the Celestial Marshal.

Thus, these ordinary objects burned by the Fla of Celestial Marshal were imbued with the traits of transcendent items due to this power’s touch.

The birth and demise of a thing each have their special significance, just as Phoenix Perch Catalpa and Lightning Stricken Wood are both valuable ritual materials.

Just like a person who has been mundane for decades without anyone rembering them—if they are suddenly smitten by divine punishnt one day, in death, they beco sothing special.

People would then rember this person who died an extraordinary death, for his end now carries the scent of divinity.

Lily, following Aiwass’s instructions, collected all the ashes.

She crushed them and then sprinkled them over the Codex Book.

In this way, not only could they draw strength from the Codex Book, which shared the sa origin, reducing its activity to serve as a seal, but the quality of these materials could also grow slowly.

The chair, too, could be chopped up into timber and stowed away for later.

Later on, it could be used to attract the power of other Angel Envoys or Celestial Marshals, to be made into incense or charcoal… But a compensation would still have to be given to Isabel.

After all, it was nearly a cause for a fire.

Although Master Yanis was watching, it definitely wouldn’t have beco a serious issue.

But after all, it wasn’t too good either.

As he silently watched Lily finish cleaning up, the Shadow Demon hiding in the shadow beneath Aiwass suddenly spoke up, “My master… Are you actually the type who fears pain?”

“Yes, I do fear pain.”

Aiwass admitted it very calmly without a hint of sha: “There’s nothing shaful about it… On the contrary, it shows that I am sensitive enough.

Humans can easily have problems with their bodies if they are numb to pain or endure suffering.

“Just as humans instinctively fear water because not everyone is born a swimr; people feel pain when they touch flas because burns can lead to infections or even death.

Suffering and fear are humanity’s best armor for self-preservation.”

“Of course, I understand that.”

The Shadow Demon replied with Miss Croix’s syrupy voice: “I’m not a native demon… Although it’s been a very long ti, I was once transford from a human.

Of course, I know that humans fear pain.

“…I just saw you, nearly every night nurturing us with Shepherd’s Nurturing.

I thought you were the type who could enjoy pain…”

Nurturing us…

A small twitch creased Aiwass’s brow as he thought about the Shadow Demon’s high emotional intelligence.

Because, in fact, he hadn’t been nurturing the Shadow Demon that often.

After he reached the third Energy Level, becoming no longer a beginner, his advancent might slow down a bit; but before that, his leveling speed compared to after a full promotion was overflowing, only limited by the half-month or month-long internal cooldown of rituals.

The tis he used the Nurturing Skill, aside from the first one or two tis to ta the Shadow Demon… were just in this past half-month.

And during this half-month, he had mostly nurtured the Defiant Fla Butterfly.

After all, the Defiant Fla Butterfly was a fully-ford Superior Phantom; it was only due to insufficient level that it couldn’t unleash its full strength; besides, the Defiant Fla Butterfly’s abilities were very versatile—it could ram people, shoot light cannons, cast spells, heal, and dispel.

Whereas the Shadow Demon was only an Upper-Level Demon, still far from a Superior Phantom, probably needing one or two more evolutions to get there.

A fully developed Superior Phantom was such that any Celestial Marshal or Pillar God who took notice could make it an Envoy.

But the Shadow Demon clearly wasn’t likely to beco one.

Although in this version of the ga the Shadow Demon still counted as a Boss, in just two major updates, it would beco a roadside elite monster.

The Shadow Demon was like the SR that newcors were guaranteed to draw.

By now, it had decent training, so continuing to feed it resources didn’t actually offer much return on investnt, especially since Aiwass even if he maxed it out couldn’t acquire the breakthrough materials it needed; but the Defiant Fla Butterfly was Aiwass’s first SSR draw, low-level with great potential.

anwhile, the Shadow Demon wasn’t currently Aiwass’s Great Beast, so it didn’t occupy the shared slot for Great Beasts.

Thus, both could appear at the sa ti… In a situation where resources were limited, it was rational for Aiwass to choose to prioritize nurturing the lower-leveled SSR!

The only issue seed to be that the Shadow Demon appeared to be… jealous?

It was like having a dog at ho for a long ti, only to suddenly realize that the master has brought ho a kitten and showered it with love—Even though they knew the newcor needed care, they still felt an imbalance deep down.

But now, the Shadow Demon realized sothing—was the master the type who feared pain?

That puts things in a different light.

——Since the master fears pain so much, why would he use the Shepherd’s Nurturing to feed the Defiant Fla Butterfly every day?

Upon hearing this, Aiwass just smiled.

“It’s precisely because I fear pain that it has aning,” he replied offhandedly: “If sharing my flesh and blood with you was a pleasurable and enjoyable process, then it wouldn’t be considered a sacrifice.

Nor would it be recognized as dedication or kindness.”

If, because of the fear of pain, one feeds sothing that doesn’t hurt, carries no danger, or even brings pleasure—like hair or nails, for example—then the Shepherd’s Nurturing wouldn’t work.

“It is precisely because I fear pain and death that the act of cutting my wrists and grasping the blade becos sacred; it is precisely because I am in such pain and fear, yet my heart is filled only with compassion and goodwill, that I am able to employ the Shepherd’s Nurturing.

“If such injuries no longer threaten , or if I’ve grown accustod to or blocked out the pain, then the strength of Shepherd’s Nurturing will also decline.”

Aiwass patiently explained to the Shadow Demon.

If there ca a day when Aiwass’s body had healed so forcefully that he could cut open his wrist and it would imdiately heal, then this act would no longer pose a danger to him.

By then, Aiwass might have to cut open his throat.

Similarly, if Aiwass had gradually beco accustod to the intense pain of grasping a blade, and could endure it without flinching even without using Shepherd’s Nurturing, then afterward he might have to scrape bone and flay flesh.

“No wonder…”

Shadow Demon murmured in sudden realization, speaking softly.

“…No wonder?”

Aiwass, catching Shadow Demon’s words, asked with so confusion, “What do you an?”

“The aura emitted by your Nurturing Skill is constantly fluctuating.

The sweetest aura I ever felt was the first ti you used the Nurturing Skill on …

and every ti after that, it hasn’t been as overly sweet.

Though equally sweet, it’s like the difference between sugar water and ad…

the forr indeed can bring pleasure, but the latter can make one’s head swell.”

Shadow Demon spoke with respect and nostalgia, “After that nurturing, I felt a connection to you.

It was as if a part of your life flowed within , and I could feel that warmth all the ti…

like having a stream of heat within while walking in a world of ice and snow.”

The girl’s voice was full of longing, “I yearn so much for your blessing.

After that, I no longer devoured the flesh and souls of humans, but only longed desperately for your kindness.

My master, when will you let taste your true kindness again?”

At this, the crisp, immature voice of Defiant Fla Butterfly also ca from nearby, “I want so too, brother.”

Though she had no clear idea what Shadow Demon was talking about, it was certainly the right mont to chi in.

“There’s a limit to greed, you’re not even burdened with the great sin of gluttony!”

Shadow Demon was sowhat angry, its voice becoming hoarse and dry, “It’s not right for you to reap all the benefits!”

“You two, don’t be hasty, at least I can’t feed you for this half month…”

Aiwass casually replied, postponing the dispute for another half month.

He had sowhat of a headache.

This was just one and a half Great Sin Beasts…

What would it be like once he collected six Great Beasts?

…But the first ti?

Aiwass reminisced.

It was the first Nurturing Skill he tried right after reading the Nurturing Secret Sequel.

At that ti he had no idea what would happen next, so he was filled with fear; he also did not know to what extent the Nurturing Skill should harm him, so he exerted an unusual amount of force—clutching the ritual dagger tightly until the blade cut through muscle and lodged into bone; it was also the first ti Aiwass had hard himself, filled with fear and reluctance to face death.

As for when Defiant Fla Butterfly was sealed by him, Aiwass had already gone back to school.

Most of the ti he had things to do the next morning, and even if there were no classes, there were other schedules, so he dared not leave himself too weakened.

Every day he fed the flesh and blood to Defiant Fla Butterfly was calculated as sothing his body could withstand.

He had not fed all his mana either but had left so for the Rite of Fire.

Because Aiwass held back, was the Nurturing Skill that Defiant Fla Butterfly received after birth not as strong as the original?

No wonder Aiwass always felt that the Shadow Demon gained more from the Nurturing Skill than Defiant Fla Butterfly did…

It turned out not to be an illusion.

It was because Aiwass’s mindset had changed.

Thinking this, Aiwass’s mindset beca sowhat nuanced.

Perhaps this was why, although Shadow Demon was a little jealous, it never seed to be in a hurry.

After all, in Shadow Demon’s view, Defiant Fla Butterfly hadn’t really tasted anything good—the best had already been taken by it, and what followed was just mass-produced.

Now that Aiwass understood the principle of how the Nurturing Skill produced flesh and blood, he probably knew how to enhance its effects.

—Simply put, don’t feed it so calmly.

Be more wild, preferably to the extent that could scare others…

“Aiwass!”

Before Isabel even arrived, her anxious voice ca from the doorway, “Are you okay?”

The Shadow Demon beneath Aiwass imdiately dove into the shadows, and Defiant Fla Butterfly settled on Aiwass’s shoulder, remaining as quiet as a decorative accessory.

“Ah, I’m fine… Is sothing the matter, Isabel?”

Aiwass looked up and inquired, “Are you going out?”

“There seems to be sothing exciting happening at the port.”

Isabel looked spirited, “Want to go see it together?”