Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Deceiving Heaven to Cross the Sea

To avoid worrying the person in front of him, Jiang Hanzheng nestled carefully in his embrace and softly whispered, “Master, your disciple is fine. I’ve troubled you.”

At this moment, he appeared as gentle as when they first met. All his thoughts of vengeance, brutality, and competition quickly faded, leaving only this person in his eyes.

He Lang nodded, pulled the person in his arms out to inspect him carefully, and confirmed that there were no severe injuries. Then he tugged him onto his sword. “The secret realm is about to close. Let’s leave first and discuss later.”

Jiang Hanzheng obediently agreed, tightly holding onto his master’s hand. Hugging him from behind, he slightly tiptoed due to his insufficient height, resting his chin on He Lang’s shoulder. He showed no sense of urgency to flee; his expression was like a cat that had stolen cream, fully aware that He Lang was busy flying and had no time to reprimand his small actions.

Moreover, though Jiang Hanzheng’s cultivation was nearly on par with He Lang’s, he pretended to be as fragile as someone who had just formed their foundation, clinging closely to He Lang as if he feared flying and was unfamiliar with swordsmanship.

Luckily, He Lang’s speed was fast. They exited the secret realm in less than the time it takes for a single incense stick to burn, and the entrance behind them slowly closed.

Jiang Hanzheng, who was fine a moment ago, suddenly became weak, possibly due to the aftereffects of the inheritance.

He Lang caught the person collapsing into his arms, his heart still racing with fear. If they had been a bit later, this vibrant life would have vanished, breaking his connection with the world. However, fate seemed to favor them. Because the previous three, including Kong Huai, had failed to obtain the inheritance, Jiang Hanzheng unexpectedly won the championship of this competition. The result was surprising yet not entirely unexpected.

Jiang Hanzheng’s victory also doubled the spirit stones He Lang had bet on him earlier. However, He Lang had no time to care about such matters now. Jiang Hanzheng had been unconscious for a whole day and night, leaving him anxious and uncertain.

After a thorough examination, He Lang was surprised to find that Jiang Hanzheng had broken through several major levels in his cultivation and that the seal on his inner core had been lifted, gradually merging with his body.

This should have been good news, but upon closer inspection, Jiang Hanzheng’s previously solid spiritual foundation and steady heart platform were showing signs of imbalance. His heart fire was strong, and there was a faint darkening in his dantian, suggesting he might be plagued by inner demons.

The most urgent task was to wait for Jiang Hanzheng to wake up and inquire about the situation.

He Lang stroked his disciple’s cheek, estimating that he should recover soon. He then softly murmured by his ear, “Can you hear me? You’ve won the championship, but if you don’t wake up, it’ll have to go to Kong Huai… What a pity.”

The person on the bed’s eyelashes trembled slightly, a tiny movement that He Lang immediately noticed, revealing a hint of amusement. Despite Jiang Hanzheng’s attempts to hide his displeasure, He Lang knew his disciple harbored a grudge against Kong Huai.

He Lang was convinced Jiang Hanzheng could hear him, but his mind was not yet fully conscious, and his body was still immobile. He decided to provoke him further.

“Rest well. Since you haven’t woken up, I’ll have to pass on the Lunar Sword Technique you love to Kong Huai. I’ll allow him to move into my quarters, take him to see the sunset over the spiritual fields every day, greet him with good mornings, let him lean in my arms to read… let him do everything that only you can do.”

The person on the bed jolted and abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with anger. Yet upon seeing He Lang, his fury quickly turned into grievance.

Still weak, Jiang Hanzheng softly called out in a feeble voice, “Master…”

Had he not caught the mischievous glint in He Lang’s eyes, Jiang Hanzheng might have truly lost his temper. How could his master deliberately provoke him like this, knowing his weaknesses? He had just undergone the inheritance and was emotionally unstable. What if this anger caused him to lose control?

Though Jiang Hanzheng’s body was unharmed, he felt a suffocating heaviness in his chest as he gazed at He Lang with resentment.

He Lang, seemingly unfazed, looked at him with the calm demeanor of someone observing a loyal dog throwing a tantrum. Though affectionate, he remained composed. “Explain your sudden increase in cultivation.”

Jiang Hanzheng’s heart skipped a beat. He tried his best to appear nonchalant, but anxiety swirled within him. This moment had finally arrived. He Lang was not someone to be easily deceived, yet he couldn’t reveal everything either.

Thus, he concealed part of the truth. He omitted the fact that he had broken the seal himself and only mentioned that after receiving the inheritance, his inner core’s power surged uncontrollably, forcing him to absorb it.

He also refrained from bringing up anything about Kong Huai, knowing full well that he had initiated the hostility. If he complained first, who knew how Kong Huai would retaliate?

He Lang listened carefully and immediately asked, “So you’re saying that just one inheritance allowed you to break through three major levels and reach the Golden Core stage? Is such a thing possible?”

Jiang Hanzheng hesitated briefly but had no better excuse. The inheritance provided a perfect cover, so he nodded.

“A true miracle,” He Lang sighed softly. Though pleased, he remained cautious.

He scrutinized Jiang Hanzheng, concerned about whether his disciple could handle such a sudden surge in power.

Misunderstanding He Lang’s expression as doubt, Jiang Hanzheng felt a bead of cold sweat form on his brow and added nervously, “During the inheritance, my meridians expanded, the seal was forcibly broken, and the inner core was refined and merged into my spiritual body.”

He Lang nodded repeatedly, praising, “Indeed, a miracle. There’s no one in the world who makes me prouder than you.”

Though He Lang noticed his disciple’s odd behavior, he chose not to pursue it. Perhaps there was more to Jiang Hanzheng’s rapid advancement, or he had some unique method or fortuitous encounter.

But He Lang cared only about the result, not the process.

With the issue resolved, Jiang Hanzheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The competition had ended, and with his master’s indulgence, he managed to secure a period of rest in He Lang’s quarters.

Though he was unscathed, his injuries from the secret realm won him much sympathy from his master, who granted his every request. These days felt like walking on clouds—utterly carefree.

Sometimes, Jiang Hanzheng dreamed of living a secluded life with his master. But he quickly woke from such fantasies, understanding reality all too clearly.

Everything he had now was the result of his persistence and ambition. His master desired a disciple who could bring glory to the sect, achieve great things, and ascend to the heavens—not someone content with small successes and limited aspirations.

Jiang Hanzheng’s victory brought him fame. Old acquaintances, even mere nodding acquaintances, sought to curry favor, using his supposed ill health as an excuse to visit.

Visitors came daily, but only Bai Lingzhi managed to bypass the restrictions around the residence.

The two were old friends. Jiang Hanzheng treated her with respect and greeted her politely.

Though Bai Lingzhi appeared confident, being in the famous master’s residence made her slightly nervous. After briefly examining Jiang Hanzheng, she smiled and asked, “How are you? Have you recovered?”

When he nodded, she continued, “You look full of energy, not at all like someone unwell. The master must have taken excellent care of you.”

Jiang Hanzheng smiled faintly, remaining silent. Though outwardly calm, her words filled him with quiet joy. His master indeed treated him well, and in others’ eyes, they seemed so close.

Knowing how to speak tactfully, Bai Lingzhi quickly became someone Jiang Hanzheng enjoyed conversing with. Hearing her praise his relationship with his master brought him comfort.

Observing Jiang Hanzheng’s reaction, Bai Lingzhi continued to share stories about He Lang, particularly his decisive actions during the secret realm finals.

“You have no idea how charming the master was then. Despite our attempts to dissuade him, he insisted on going in to save you, saying he wouldn’t turn back. He was truly magnificent.”

Her vivid description made Jiang Hanzheng’s heart skip a beat. Even in front of someone else, he couldn’t help but lose composure, his face heating as he buried it in his arms.

He felt the same. On the path of pursuing his master, he had already reached a point of no return.

Author’s Note:

I’m back! Someone mentioned that the romance felt lacking? Like there’s no sense of them truly being in love, always lukewarm?