Chapter 251: What's the use of pastoral care if it doesn't hurt?
After Ligeia left, Aiwass refused the palace maid who came to clean the room, and instead asked Lily to clean up all the burnt things in the room.
- To be honest, the scorched chair under Aiwass and those burned books, letters and newspapers are all quite precious things!
With a little processing, they can be used as good ritual materials. They can even be used as materials for Aiwass to make magic cards.
Even though the flame brought out by Aiwass was not very powerful, it was still the fire of the God of Heaven in terms of status.
His power attacked Aiwass from within his illusion—or rather, his dream—causing damage to all parts of reality besides Aiwass. This "power that seeps from dreams into the material world" is the most typical power of the Celestial Master.
And these mortal things that were burned by the fire of the heavenly god also possessed the characteristics of extraordinary things because of the influence of this power.
The birth and demise of a thing have special meanings. Fengqiwu and Leijimu are both precious ritual materials.
It's like a mortal who has lived an ordinary life for decades, forgotten by no one. If one day he is suddenly punished by the gods and dies, then his death will become somewhat special. People will remember this person who died in an extraordinary way because his death has been tainted with the aura of the gods.
Following Aiwass's instructions, Lily gathered the ashes, crushed them, and placed them on top of the secret book. This way, not only would they draw upon the power of the secret book, which shared its origins, reducing its activity and thus acting as a seal, but it would also slowly improve the quality of the material.
The chair could be chopped down into lumber and stored away. It could later be used to draw the power of other apostles or celestial beings and made into incense or charcoal... However, I still had to pay Isabel some compensation. After all, it almost caused a fire.
Although with Master Janice watching over it, things would definitely not get too serious, but it was still not a good thing.
The shadow demon, who had been quietly watching Lily finish cleaning up, suddenly spoke from the shadows beneath Aiwass, "My master...are you the type who is afraid of pain?"
"Yeah, I'm afraid of pain."
Aiwass didn't feel the slightest bit ashamed, but calmly admitted this: "There's nothing shameful about this... Rather, it proves that I'm sensitive enough. If humans become numb to pain or endure suffering, their bodies will easily develop problems.
"Just like how humans instinctively fear water because not everyone can swim; people feel pain when they come into contact with fire because burns can lead to infection or even death. Pain and fear are the best armor humans use to protect themselves."
"Of course I understand that sort of thing."
The Shadow Demon replied in Miss Chloe's sweet voice, "I'm not a native demon... Although it's been a long time, I was once a human. Of course I know that humans are afraid of pain.
"...I just watched you feeding us with pastoral care almost every night. I thought you were the type who could enjoy pain..."
Feed us...
Aiwas's brows twitched slightly, thinking that this Shadow Demon had a very high EQ.
Because he actually doesn't spend much time feeding Shadow Fiend.
Afterward, he reached the third energy level, having already left the novice stage. His advancement speed might have been slightly slower, but before that, his leveling speed was completely excessive. It was only the half-month or month-long internal cooling period during the ritual that held him back.
The only time he used the pastoral method, except for the one or two times when he first tamed the Shadow Demon... was in the past half month. During this half month, he basically fed it to the Flame-Rebellious Butterfly.
After all, the Flame-Butterfly was a fully-fledged upper-level Phantom Demon, its level insufficient to unleash its full power. Furthermore, the Flame-Butterfly's abilities were quite comprehensive, capable of charging, firing beams, casting spells, healing, and dispelling spells. Meanwhile, the Shadow Demon was merely an upper-level demon, still a long way from becoming an upper-level Phantom Demon. It would likely require one or two more evolutions.
A fully developed upper-level phantom demon can become an apostle as long as he is favored by a celestial official or a pillar god.
But Shadow Fiend is obviously impossible.
Although Shadow Fiend is still a BOSS in this version, after only two major versions, Shadow Fiend will become an elite monster on the roadside.
Shadow Fiend is like the SR that novices must get in their first draw. Now that it has reached a very good level of training, the cost-effectiveness of feeding it dog food is actually not high at this time. Moreover, even if Aiwass feeds it to the full, he cannot get breakthrough materials for it; and the Flame Butterfly is the first SSR that Aiwass has drawn. It has a very low level and has a promising future.
At the same time, Shadow Fiend is not yet Aiwass's big beast, so it does not occupy the shared field position of the big beast. So they can both appear at the same time... Then, with limited resources, it is reasonable for Aiwass to choose to feed the lower-level SSR first!
The only problem is that Shadow Fiend seems a little... jealous?
It's like a dog that has been raised at home for a long time, and suddenly finds out that the owner has brought home a kitten, and then takes good care of the kitten - even if he knows in his heart that the kitten is a kitten that needs care, he will still feel unbalanced.
But now, Shadow Demon discovered one thing - it turns out that his master is the type who is afraid of pain?
Then the nature is different.
——Since the master is so afraid of pain, why does he use the pastoral method to feed the Flame-Rebellious Butterfly every day?
Upon hearing this, Aiwass just smiled.
“It’s because I’m afraid of pain that it makes sense.”
He casually replied, "If I find pleasure and enjoyment in sharing my flesh and blood with you, then it cannot be called a sacrifice. Naturally, it cannot be called dedication or kindness."
If you feed body parts that are painless, harmless, or even pleasurable—like hair or nails—because you’re afraid of pain, then pastoral care won’t be effective.
“It is precisely because I fear pain and death that my act of cutting my wrists and grasping the blade is sacred; it is precisely because I am in so much pain and so much fear, yet my heart is filled with only compassion and kindness, that I can use pastoral care.
"If the injury no longer threatens me, or I've become familiar with or blocked out the pain, then the power of pastoral care will diminish."
Aiwass patiently explained to Shadow Demon.
If one day, Aiwas's body's recovery ability becomes so strong that he can cut his wrist with one foot and it will heal immediately with the other, then this action will no longer pose a danger to him.
By then, Aiwass might have slit his throat.
Similarly, if Aiwass has gradually adapted to the excruciating pain of gripping the blade and can endure it calmly even without using the pastoral method, then he may have to scrape the bones and cut the flesh.
"No wonder……"
The Shadow Demon suddenly realized and murmured softly.
"……No wonder?"
Aiwass heard the Shadow Demon's words and was a little confused: "What do you mean?"
"The aura emanating from your pastoral care method fluctuates constantly. The sweetest aura I've ever felt was the first time you used it on me... and every subsequent aura hasn't been as sweet as that one. While equally sweet, it's like the difference between sugar water and honey wine... The former brings joy, while the latter makes one's head swell."
The Shadow Demon spoke with reverence and nostalgia, "After that pastoral care, I felt a connection with you. It was as if a part of your life flowed through me, and I could feel that warmth constantly... It was like walking in the snow, yet warmth flowed through my body."
The girl's voice was filled with longing: "I long for your gift so much. After that, I no longer devour the flesh and souls of humans, but only yearn for your kindness with all my heart. My master, when will you let me taste your true kindness again?"
Hearing this, the clear and tender voice of the Flame-Defying Butterfly came from the side: "I want to eat too, brother."
Although she didn't know what Shadow Demon was talking about, it was definitely right to mention it at this time.
"Even greed can never be enough. It's not the sin of gluttony that you bear!"
The Shadow Demon was a little angry, and his voice became hoarse and dry: "There is no reason why you should get all the good things!"
"Don't worry, you two. I won't be able to feed you for at least the next half month..."
Aiwass replied casually, let's postpone the dispute until half a month later.
He had a bit of a headache.
This is only one and a half of the Sin Beast...
What will the fight be like when he gathers six big beasts?
...But, the first time?
Aiwass recalled.
That was the pastoral method he tried immediately after reading the Shepherd Tantra.
At that time, he didn't know what would happen next, so his heart was filled with fear; and he didn't know the extent to which the pastoral method would hurt him, so he used unusual force - gripping the ritual knife tightly until the blade cut through the tendons and pierced into the bones; that was also the first time Aiwass hurt himself, and he also had the fear and resistance of death in his heart.
By the time he sealed the Flame-Butterfly, Aiwass had already returned to school. He usually had things to do the next morning, and even if he didn't have classes, he still had other plans, so he didn't want to let himself get too weak.
At that time, he fed the Flame-Defying Butterfly flesh and blood every day, calculating that his body could bear it. He did not use up all of his mana, but reserved some for the fire sacrifice.
Because Aiwass was holding back, the pastoral methods that the Flame-Defying Butterfly ate after it was born were actually not that strong?
No wonder Aiwass always felt that Shadow Fiend's improvement from Shepherd was greater than that from Flame Butterfly...
It turns out it wasn't an illusion. It was because Aiwass's mentality had changed.
Thinking of this, Aiwass's mentality became a little subtle.
Perhaps this is why Shadow Fiend is never anxious even though he is a little jealous.
After all, in the Shadow Demon's opinion, the Flame-Butterfly had never eaten anything good - the most delicious one had been taken away by her, and the ones after that were just mass-produced.
However, after Aiwas understood the principle of pastoral care to produce flesh and blood, he probably understood how to enhance the effect.
——In short, don't feed it so calmly. Be a little wilder, preferably to the point where you can scare others...
"Evans!"
Before Isabel arrived, an anxious voice came from the door: "Are you okay?"
The shadow demon under Aiwass instantly dived into the shadow, and the Flame Butterfly also landed on Aiwass's shoulder, remaining silent like a decoration.
"Ah, I'm fine... What's wrong, Isabel?"
Aiwass looked up and greeted, "Are you going out?"
"There seems to be something exciting going on over at the port."
Isabel looked very excited: "Want to go see it together?"
(End of this chapter)
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