Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 57

The two of them tumbled down the hillside, surrounded by thick grass and rocks. He Lang focused on protecting Ao Li’s wounds, trying to prevent them from being further injured by sharp stones.

By the time they reached the base of the hill, He Lang’s head was throbbing, and he couldn’t pay much attention to his own scrapes and bruises. He quickly checked on Ao Li, who had turned pale and unconscious, finally succumbing to his injuries.

Panicked, He Lang searched for a way to help, and soon spotted a makeshift tea shed nearby with a horse tied up by a post.

His eyes lit up. Using his lightness skills, he managed to lift Ao Li onto the horse. In the urgency of the moment, he tossed some silver onto the table in the tea shed and hurriedly rode off with the horse, heading to a remote village.

In the village, He Lang first took Ao Li to the riverbank to change out of his blood-soaked clothes, then disguised himself as a scholar who had fallen from the mountain. He found shelter in the home of a kind-hearted woman.

Ao Li’s injuries were numerous and severe, and his loss of blood made him look near death. Without any miraculous medicines available in the village, He Lang could only turn to the book he had brought along for help.

The book contained a spirit beast named Gua Tu, which was a spirit transformed into a beast. Gua Tu, having hidden itself in the book during their escape, responded to He Lang’s plea.

“Gua Tu, come out and think of a way to save him.”

Gua Tu, aware of He Lang’s desperation, provided a list of herbs needed for a remedy but had no ready-made medicine. He Lang had no choice but to gather the herbs himself.

The list included over ten types of herbs. He Lang managed to buy three or four from a small village pharmacy, searched the dense forest for a few more, and even climbed a cliff for one elusive herb.

Though afraid of heights, He Lang used his lightness skills to scale the cliff and finally collected all the herbs. He borrowed a broken clay pot to brew the medicine.

After Ao Li took the medicine, He Lang breathed a sigh of relief and began treating his wounds.

After several days of tireless efforts, the effects of the Locking Skill Powder wore off, allowing He Lang to relax slightly. However, when he returned with food, he noticed something strange about Ao Li.

The “Mixed Yuan Demon Body” was normally rich in true energy, and now, with the lock, the surge of true energy was making Ao Li restless.

Ao Li’s brow furrowed as if trapped in a nightmarish dream. He Lang approached and patted his cheek, finding it cold.

Gua Tu used its spiritual sense to peek into Ao Li’s dreams and, hesitantly glancing at He Lang, chose not to reveal what it saw.

He Lang stayed vigilant, watching over Ao Li day and night. During the day, he accompanied villagers to the town for supplies, and at night, he carefully applied medicine and bandaged wounds.

Finally, Ao Li woke up, but his eyes were clear and childlike, which made He Lang realize something was amiss.

“Sect Leader?”

“Are you talking to me?” Ao Li blinked, curiously examining his wounds, touching them gingerly before wincing and looking at them with tear-filled eyes.

He Lang’s eyes twitched. “Do you… do you remember who you are?”

Ao Li shook his head honestly, leaving He Lang’s mind in disarray. He painfully explained, “Your name is Ao Li, and I’m your subordinate, Zhuo Shulang. Don’t forget.”

“Ao Li? I remember,” Ao Li said with a smile, holding He Lang’s hand. “Then you should call me Li Li.”

“…” He Lang hesitated for a long moment before asking if he was sure.

Addressing the former great demon king with such a nickname was difficult for him.

But Ao Li nodded confidently, accompanied by a rare, radiant smile.

He Lang felt the world spinning around him, overwhelmed by the chaos of the situation. The string of events left him at a loss.

Ao Li’s current state might be due to the effects of the Locking Skill Powder or the fall from the mountain, causing his mind to regress to that of a child. He Lang decided to wait until things calmed down before taking Ao Li to see a doctor.

He had hoped that once Ao Li woke up, things would become easier, but taking care of such a “big child” proved challenging.

After several days of sleep, Ao Li woke up feeling extremely hungry and immediately began demanding food.

“What do you want to eat?” He Lang, finding Ao Li’s childlike demeanor amusing, patted his head.

“I want to eat delicious food, lots and lots of it,” Ao Li said, emphasizing the quantity.

He Lang went to the village and bought a dozen steamed buns and two roast chickens.

Ao Li devoured the food quickly, then paused to tear off a chicken leg and offer it to He Lang.

“Lang Lang should eat too.”

He Lang stared in surprise at Ao Li’s innocent and expectant eyes. Touched, he took a bite.

Ao Li smiled in satisfaction, then eagerly finished the chicken leg, savoring each bite.

“…”

The small brick house they were staying in had only a tiny bed, so they had to squeeze together at night. But Ao Li was mischievous, insisting on staying close to He Lang and wanting to play rather than sleep.

He Lang was worried that Ao Li’s restless movements might aggravate his wounds, making it even harder to find the necessary herbs. He sternly told Ao Li to stay still and not touch his injuries.

Unaccustomed to He Lang’s harsh tone, Ao Li was taken aback. Feeling a mix of fear and stubbornness, he thought He Lang was displeased with him. He turned away, sulking as if to protest.

He Lang sighed, choosing not to comfort him. As long as Ao Li stayed still, he closed his eyes to rest.

In the middle of the night, Ao Li shifted closer and carefully snuggled into He Lang’s embrace, murmuring, “It’s cold outside…”

He Lang, with a helpless smile in his heart, adjusted the thin blanket for Ao Li. He knew Ao Li, accustomed to luxury, wouldn’t adapt well to their current poor conditions. He planned to leave the village the next day and head to a nearby town to gather information.

Indeed, the tumultuous events concerning the Mixed Yuan Sect were still making headlines, with various versions of the story circulating widely.

Fortunately, Ao Li had seldom left his home, and few people would recognize him. As Ren Bozhong and the Left Guardian were still fighting over the sect’s treasures, they hadn’t had time to pursue them, so no one was chasing them at the moment.

He Lang took Ao Li to a nearby town to rest and prepare for their next move.

After a few days of hard living in the village, Ao Li was quite dissatisfied. He Lang took him to an inn and booked two rooms.

Ao Li asked curiously if they would have other companions joining them. He Lang was puzzled by this and answered calmly, “This will be your place to rest.”

“No!” Ao Li refused firmly, his face serious.

“Why? You don’t need to worry. I’ve booked a top-quality room,” He Lang explained with a frown.

Ao Li shook his head again, looking slightly disappointed and with a hint of grievance, “I want to sleep with Lang Lang.”

“Sect Leader, please conduct yourself appropriately,” He Lang said, shaking his head.

“I’m not the Sect Leader, I’m not! I’m your Li Li,” Ao Li replied, looking pitiful and childish, unlike his former self.

He Lang was troubled by this and unsure how to handle the situation. He knew Ao Li’s mind had regressed to that of a child, and he shouldn’t be too harsh. However, his image of Ao Li as a cold and authoritative figure was deeply ingrained, making it hard to treat him as a child.

Seeing He Lang hesitate, Ao Li thought he might be wavering. He pressed on, “We used to sleep together before. Why can’t we now? Is it because you have a better room and don’t want me anymore?” He pouted, looking like he was sulking, which reminded He Lang of the old Ao Li.

He Lang couldn’t help but chuckle at Ao Li’s reasoning. How could the Sect Leader think this way?

Their wandering life had depleted their funds, and He Lang was trying to save on the cost of an extra room. Eventually, he gave in to Ao Li’s demands.

While ordering food in the inn’s lobby, He Lang overheard some conversation about the Xuan Kong Sword Sect arriving in the area. They were reportedly trying to encircle the Mixed Yuan Sect and eliminate its remaining followers.

He Lang realized that Ren Bozhong and the Left Guardian must have had a falling out.

“The Xuan Kong Sword Sect is here again. Whether it’s justice or just being troublesome, who knows?” said a few wandering heroes at a nearby table, eating and drinking.

He Lang, listening while leading Ao Li upstairs, understood that the Xuan Kong Sword Sect’s frequent visits suggested they had some ongoing agenda.

After settling Ao Li and getting him to sleep, He Lang quickly went out.

With the Xuan Kong Sword Sect present, their danger level had increased. He Lang wanted to restore Ao Li’s mind as soon as possible to avoid another unsettling situation like before.

He also sought a doctor in the town but found none with the expertise needed. Gua Tu told him about a special herb, Xuan Vine, which could be made into a pill to help Ao Li if he could find it.

The herb wasn’t far, and the route was not difficult. He decided to make a quick trip without telling Ao Li, fearing he would want to accompany him.

Following the guidance of a woodcutter, He Lang found himself on a desolate mountain peak, not far from the town but seldom visited.

Without much time to think, he searched several caves where the herbs might grow but found nothing. As the day grew darker, he became more anxious and searched repeatedly.

Without any lighting tools, He Lang failed to notice a cave’s collapse in the dim light. He fell unexpectedly into a pit, his heart sinking. He tried to use his lightness skills to climb out, but the pit seemed to pull him in like a magnet. Gua Tu, frightened, flapped in mid-air before diving back into the book in He Lang’s chest.

**Author’s Note:** Letting loose, this story now has amnesia *2.

I thought the amnesiac Sect Leader would be very cute, but instead, he seems quite foolish.