Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 46

He Lang worried that if he rashly went to the Demon Sect, he might be mistaken for having malicious intentions. However, wandering outside posed a high risk of being pursued, making even staying at an inn dangerous.

After some thought, he sold his valuable items, including a jade pendant and a waist ornament, to prepare funds. He also arranged for a horse and set off towards the Demon Sect’s stronghold on Pingling Mountain.

Pingling Mountain had been a graveyard decades ago, perpetually shrouded in阴气 (yīn qì, ominous energy). Except for occasional Qingming Festival visits, it was seldom approached. At some unknown point, the Hunyuan Demon Sect had risen overnight, occupying several peaks in the area, making it the heartland of the Demon Sect.

The area was sparsely populated, with barren land and scattered old trees. Although the scenery was bleak, riding through the mountain paths on horseback brought a sense of peace and tranquility.

Passing a clear little stream, He Lang removed his disguise, let his long hair down, and washed his face. Looking at his reflection in the water, he saw a handsome face with distinct eyebrows and bright eyes—indeed, a striking appearance.

However, a beautiful woman’s face suddenly appeared behind him in the water.

He Lang was slightly startled, and the woman giggled, “What a handsome young man.”

Her attire and appearance were strikingly seductive, with a loose neckline revealing her fragrant shoulders, wide sleeves, and flowing skirt accentuating her graceful figure. Her dark lips resembled enticingly dangerous black rose petals.

He Lang sensed something was amiss and instinctively took a defensive stance.

The woman covered her mouth slightly, feigning surprise, “Oh, you’re a martial artist too.”

He Lang took a deep breath and politely asked, “Are you a member of the Demon Sect?”

“And if I am?” The woman fluttered her wide sleeves, creating a cool breeze, and smiled sweetly at him. “Aren’t you afraid? Don’t your righteous people say we eat people and dig out hearts?”

She extended her red tongue, licking her lips in a menacing manner to intimidate him.

He Lang touched the sword on his back, feeling that the woman was very dangerous.

This seemed to be her domain, but he couldn’t remember how to use his sword at the moment, and he felt he had no chance in a barehanded fight.

A muscular man hurriedly arrived from behind, probably a companion of the woman. He glanced at He Lang, slightly taken aback, and said to the woman, “This person is being hunted by the righteous sect recently. What is he doing here on Pingling Mountain?”

The woman’s eyes widened slightly, “Could he be the He Lang of the Virtuous Sword Technique?”

He Lang was relieved to see that they bore no killing intent toward him.

The man remained silent, observing him seriously, while the woman, Ge Rulan, frequently asked questions. “I heard you’re colluding with the Demon Sect? How interesting.”

He Lang smiled, wiping sweat from his forehead, and lowered his gaze, expressing sorrow. “I am deeply disappointed with those self-righteous people from the righteous sect.”

“Self-righteous? That’s a good term. What do you mean by that?” Ge Rulan was slightly excited to hear him disparage the righteous sect and wanted to know more.

He Lang told her half-truths about how he had uncovered Ren Bozhong’s conspiracy and was then hunted by them. He described how Ren Bozhong and his disciples had an ugly and fierce demeanor, and finally accused him of colluding with the Demon Sect.

After hearing this, Ge Rulan asked with a smile, “How about making the rumor come true?”

He Lang hesitated, pretending not to understand.

Ge Rulan’s eyes narrowed, “Seeing your skills, I can introduce you to the Hunyuan Demon Sect to follow the leader’s steps and achieve great unification!”

He Lang’s eyelids twitched, and he appeared to struggle for a long time.

“I have heard of the leader’s reputation for a long time, but…”

“But what?! The leader’s martial skills are superb, and the Hunyuan Demon Sect’s domination is imminent! You still hesitate?! Foolish!” Ge Rulan tried to brainwash He Lang, who looked surprised and worshipful, nodding in agreement and occasionally echoing “Long live the leader.”

Seeing that he was following along, Ge Rulan nodded in satisfaction.

“My second brother, Ge Wenjing, is one of the hall masters. Meeting us siblings is your fortune. Let’s go back to the sect.”

Ge Wenjing did not speak but nodded in agreement. He Lang complied, showing a docile demeanor as he followed them away.

The Demon Sect members, while in their own domain, were not as friendly as they seemed. He Lang was puzzled by their sudden trust, but it turned out that being pursued was not entirely a bad thing. After several days of wandering, he found that his troubles led him to a place without much effort.

Although the Hunyuan Demon Sect’s base was hidden in the mountains, it was as luxurious as a palace, with exquisite carvings and decorations. The trees and flowers were elegant, making the sect members proud to call it the Underground Palace.

He Lang started as the lowest-ranked disciple of the Demon Sect. Every day, apart from carrying out some errands and practicing basic techniques on his own, he had little else to do.

Unlike other sects with specific martial arts methods, the Hunyuan Demon Sect only provided basic mental cultivation methods for disciples to study freely. Only at higher levels could one obtain more advanced techniques.

Thus, martial arts practice was quite informal here. Most people studied martial arts on their own, and the diverse techniques and methods of new disciples formed the sect’s style, unlike other sects where disciples learned according to their own sect’s manuals.

Although He Lang had some foundation from his previous self, he still couldn’t grasp the practice methods. After looking at a few basic manuals with no clue, he decided to set aside martial arts practice for the moment.

However, internal strife within the Demon Sect was common, and peace and harmony among members were not guaranteed just because they were from the same sect.

As He Lang was browsing through the martial arts manuals in the assigned disciple’s quarters, the flimsy wooden door suddenly crashed to the ground. A long-haired man stormed in, his eyes lighting up upon seeing the “Qianren Treasure Book” in He Lang’s hands.

“So it was you holding it! It’s been hard to find!”

He Lang realized the man’s intention was to seize the manual he held, and his brows furrowed in alert.

The manuals were copies available for disciples to choose from. However, this one was selected by Ge Rulan from the advanced techniques, making it somewhat rare. As a high-ranking disciple, the long-haired man was frustrated to see a low-ranking disciple with a manual he desired, and his anger flared up.

The long-haired man looked him over, his face twisting. “Oh, isn’t this the He Lang everyone’s talking about lately? What are you doing here causing trouble in the Hunyuan Demon Sect?! And taking my manual as well—quickly get back to your righteous sect!”

He then moved to snatch the manual by force.

The long-haired man carried a short blade, but seeing that He Lang remained seated and unmoving, he decided not to use the knife and instead struck out with his palm.

He Lang could only recall the palm technique he had used against Fu Yifei and couldn’t remember any other moves, so he had to use it again stubbornly.

Fortunately, the technique was effective. When their palms met, a deep inner strength burst forth. He Lang gritted his teeth and pushed back, causing the long-haired man to retreat repeatedly.

The man, who was usually a bully, saw that He Lang remained calm and unharmed despite taking his attack, and he suspected He Lang’s true strength was hidden.

When the man momentarily ceased his attack, He Lang’s temples throbbed slightly, and his breath was caught in his throat. However, he did not show any sign of fear and sharply ordered, “Get out!”

When the man, still unwilling, left, He Lang slumped over, clutching his abdomen with a pained expression. He felt intense pain from the attack, and he hadn’t fully recovered yet.

The sudden conflict was unexpected. The man had acted aggressively over a single manual copy, showing a brutish nature.

…

The next day, when Ge Rulan came looking for him and found him injured, she cursed, “Serves you right.”

She threw a small vial of pills to him and continued, “Such things are inevitable in the Demon Sect. If you still try to reason with such people, you’re being foolish! When you encounter such individuals, it’s acceptable to kill them outright.”

He Lang took the porcelain bottle and found her casual tone hard to accept. “Kill them…? Even among sect members, is there no constraint or discipline?”

Ge Rulan nodded, giving a teaching-like expression. “The Demon Sect is a place of the survival of the fittest, completely different from your righteous sect. Boy, you have much to learn. The first step is to change your soft and indecisive nature. You’re so reluctant to even get into a fight—it’s infuriating!”

He Lang knew she meant well and wasn’t upset. He blinked at her, “Sister Rulan, stop calling me ‘your righteous sect.’ I’m now a member of the Demon Sect.”

Ge Rulan was taken aback, squinting and smiling, “Heh—your mouth is quite eloquent.”

During these few days, Ge Rulan took good care of He Lang, and he was curious about why she was so kind to him for no apparent reason.

Ge Rulan’s answer was simple and casual, “Because you’re so handsome.”

In just a few days, it was clear that the Demon Sect was filled with people who had damaged faces or limbs, including rough men and those with sinister auras. Amidst such a mix, He Lang was a refreshing sight—clean and elegant. It was no wonder the women found him appealing.

Thus, she enjoyed spending time with him, often engaging him in playful banter and treating him as a form of amusement.

He Lang had a good temperament. Although he occasionally heard her cold remarks, he remained gentle in her presence and enjoyed hearing about the Demon Sect.

He noticed that within the Hunyuan Demon Sect, there were individuals like Ge Rulan who weren’t inherently bad, and others who were truly vicious. This uneven standard made it seem that joining the sect had no clear criteria.

Ge Rulan’s response was slower than usual.

“What standard is there? They are just… discarded individuals.”

Her voice suddenly became soft, and her previously bright gaze dimmed slightly.

“And the leader?”

Someone in such a high position, leading the entire sect, could also be abandoned?

He Lang’s question was abrupt, and Ge Rulan fell silent. She glanced at him and then left quietly.

Author’s Note: Can the new world be accepted? …orz I’m not sure what the readers think. The main character still has two more chapters to come out.