Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 51

Ao Li certainly did not seem like a person burdened with the leadership of the entire Demon Sect. After interacting with him, He Lang felt that beneath his cold exterior, there might be an inexperienced young man.

This thought made He Lang smile.

When Ao Li saw He Lang smiling at him, he shivered and harshly ordered him to serve tea and water, then come back to paint for him.

He Lang complied, making the tea and bringing a set of new brushes.

Previously, he had always painted across a desk from Ao Li, but this time, he prepared a chair and sat beside him.

Ao Li watched He Lang sit down naturally, feeling an odd discomfort, and gave him a cold stare.

He Lang deliberately ignored the icy glare and busily arranged the drawing paper on the desk.

“If I sit beside you, you can see more clearly,” He Lang explained.

This explanation was reasonable. His natural and earnest attitude convinced Ao Li, making him settle down like a wild beast forced to calm. He quietly watched He Lang’s actions.

He Lang smiled and shook his head. Although Ao Li didn’t seem to reject close contact, he acted like a beast guarding its territory, unwilling to stop showing his authority until others were thoroughly aware of it.

This time, He Lang was painting various people from the sect, including Left Protector Ao Li, several elders, Ge Rulan, Ge the Sect Master, Demon Doctor, and even the long-haired man. Regardless of personal preferences, He Lang meticulously depicted their images.

After completing about seventy to eighty percent of the paintings, He Lang put down his brush and said, “These are all sect members, each with their own personalities and qualities, but they are all willing to follow you and would go through fire and water for you. Don’t you think that’s fortunate?” He sighed slightly.

Ao Li frowned slightly, seeming to not understand what He Lang was trying to convey, his eyes showing a hint of confusion.

These things had never crossed his mind. He only knew he was strong, so many people were willing to listen to him. Beyond that, he had never considered anything else. The idea of unifying the world or dominating the martial arts realm didn’t occur to him. He wasn’t sure if he could bear their expectations.

His life was merely about existing.

Ao Li’s mood seemed conflicted. He rarely communicated with others and had never developed thoughts from their words, but He Lang’s remarks made him think.

Seeing Ao Li frowning, seemingly having never considered such matters, He Lang decided to stop.

He selected a delicate brush and placed it beside Ao Li, hoping to teach him to paint, which was also one reason for sitting beside him.

“If you’re interested, you can try painting based on what I’ve done.”

Ao Li hesitated with the brush, then decisively set it down and shook his head in refusal.

He Lang patiently asked, “Is it that you don’t want to paint, or you don’t want to copy what I’ve painted?”

Ao Li remained silent, staying with him until dark.

Watching He Lang’s figure slowly disappear, Ao Li’s gaze returned to the desk in front of him, the paintings he had made, and the brush he had been given.

He took a deep breath, straightened up, and began to doodle on a blank sheet of paper, continuing until a disciple came in to light the lamps and gently advised him to stop.

The next day, He Lang arrived at Ao Li’s usual hall much earlier than usual.

The hall was empty, only the large desk was in disarray.

He Lang approached and saw a drawing on the desk, which had only outlines and a few smudges. It was evident that the artist had hesitated during the drawing process.

He Lang pursed his lips and looked at the crumpled papers nearby.

He carefully unfolded and examined them, finding that all the drawings were identical, but were discarded due to flaws in the eyes, eyebrows, or nose.

The person in the drawings… He Lang pursed his lips. Why did it seem like the drawings were of him? However, the cleaning disciples were never allowed to touch the master’s items, including the drawings and brushes on the desk. So, the artist must be…?

“Put that down!”

A scolding voice came from behind. He Lang quickly set down the items and respectfully stepped aside.

Ao Li stood at the door, frowning in anger. He didn’t walk over but flashed to the desk.

He Lang nodded slightly, placing his right hand on his chest. “Master, good day…”

Before he could finish, Ao Li, still enraged, angrily swept the drawings off the desk to the floor.

“Shut up!”

He Lang wisely stopped talking and moved to the side, fearing that Ao Li might kick him out again.

He thought Ao Li would punish him further for his anger, but he did nothing, merely sulking, leaving He Lang confused about what to do.

During a brief rest, He Lang decided to seek advice from the Left Protector on how to handle such situations.

He first found the knowledgeable Ge Rulan, but she told He Lang that the Left Protector was out on a mission, likely to stir up trouble for the righteous side and clear their joints.

He Lang realized that the Left Protector’s duties were different from his own, not just being a high-ranking servant but also performing tasks…

Seeing He Lang’s expression, Ge Rulan gave him a side glance and sighed, “It seems your role as the Right Protector is not as simple as it appears.” She thought this young man, having become a protector by sheer luck, would learn a lot from being close to the sect master. But instead, he seemed to be growing more foolish, not even understanding his own duties properly. It seemed he was just a useless protector.

He Lang touched his nose and candidly told her that he only served tea, water, wrote, and painted for the sect master every day.

Ge Rulan’s eyes widened in surprise. She never expected him, as a protector, to be doing these menial tasks.

However, seeing his healthy appearance, he no longer looked as pitiful as before, which meant he was doing okay.

She adjusted the ribbon on her shoulder, glanced around, and then lowered her voice, intrigued, “Since you’re a protector and serve the sect master every day, you must know a lot of secrets and interesting stories. Why don’t you share some with me? For instance, what is the sect master’s personality like? People say he has a violent temper. Aren’t you afraid? How does he appear in your eyes?”

He Lang thought for a moment, then touched his chin and said, “A bit… immature, I suppose.”

Ge Rulan was stunned. “What?!”

She tapped He Lang on the head. “You really can’t speak well! Don’t let others hear this, or you might lose your head! Don’t say whatever comes to your mind!”

He Lang nodded obediently, not arguing further.

In truth, he had his own considerations. He believed that Ao Li wasn’t as bloodthirsty and brutal as others claimed. Though his temper was indeed bad, He Lang had never seen him commit any heinous acts. Even when servants made mistakes, Ao Li only glared at them to scare them, without any severe punishment. Compared to the palace he had previously served in, the Demon Sect was surprisingly more lenient.

As he began to understand that Ao Li was not truly violent, He Lang, in a somewhat reckless manner, started to provoke him actively.

But Ao Li refused to engage with him, only watching him paint.

He Lang pursed his lips, realizing that provoking was not really his style. He decided to incorporate his thoughts into his paintings instead.

Ao Li, although still expressionless, seemed to be in a good mood as he watched He Lang paint with interest.

He Lang relaxed, twisted his wrist, and changed his usual detailed painting style. He used brushes of different softness and colors.

Ao Li found this fresh and watched intently without blinking.

The painting initially showed two people traveling side by side, followed by various scenes behind them: blooming white pear blossoms, enchanting pink peach blossoms, and red plums, with snow on the trees, depicting the chaotic yet fascinating beauty of the seasons.

As the painting extended, it depicted a picturesque Jiangnan scene with river boats, colorful lanterns, dazzling fireworks, and crowds bustling on the opposite shore, with lovers in pairs.

Further on, the scene transitioned to the desert with yellow sands, rising smoke, soaring eagles, and in the background, green mountains, winding valleys, scattered villages, and meandering streams.

The entire painting, when viewed from beginning to end, seemed like they had traveled through the four seasons, witnessing the blooming and falling of flowers, and explored the world’s beauty. Each scene, full of stories, was chaotic yet thought-provoking.

Ao Li was mesmerized, unable to return from the painting for a long time.

At the right moment, He Lang’s gentle voice said, “If there’s a chance in the future, through rivers and mountains, I will take the sect master to travel together.”

Ao Li was stunned and looked at him in confusion, mumbling, “Why treat me like this…”

They were not close nor familiar, having known each other for only a few months, and with the relationship of superior and subordinate.

Everyone revered him and placed him on a high pedestal, but why was this person not afraid and insisted on standing by him, treating him so specially?

These questions, like hard seeds planted in his heart since their first meeting, made him uncomfortable, yet they grew into branches and leaves, spreading in his heart.

He Lang put down his brush and said naturally, “It’s only right for me to treat you well.” He had only one task in each world; he should be attentive to it.

Ao Li pondered for a long time but only shook his head, feeling an indescribable sensation in his heart, perhaps finding that this answer didn’t resolve his confusion.

Noticing Ao Li’s continued struggle, He Lang’s relaxed smile faded slightly. He examined Ao Li’s hands and exposed skin, noting some faint scars that seemed old and persistent.

He moved closer to Ao Li, his tone carrying a hint of sympathy.

“Because, master… you seem very lonely.”

### Author’s Note

I usually write side stories for festivals, but this time, there won’t be any dog abuse. Happy Qixi Festival! Are you still single or already in a relationship?