Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 60

Ren Bozhong’s movements were incredibly swift. When the tip of his sword was just a foot away from He Lang, Ao Li saw it in slow motion. His subconscious was aware that, with just a moment more, the sword would pierce He Lang’s vital points. What would happen then?

Would He Lang die? If so, he would never again see those gentle eyes looking at him, would never be taken to buy candied hawthorns in the streets, never see him draw, tell stories, or coax him to sleep.

Ao Li’s lips pouted in grievance. The thought of never seeing He Lang again made his heart ache, causing his internal energy to become chaotic and uncontrollable.

His pupils seemed to turn crimson, and in an instant, he appeared to be in a state of demonic frenzy. His dark hair flew wildly, his clothes billowed, and his body erupted with unprecedented demonic energy.

Like an Asura emerging from the fires of hell, Ao Li’s uncontrolled aura stopped Ren Bozhong’s sword just a fraction of an inch from He Lang’s heart. No matter how much strength he exerted, he couldn’t advance the sword any further.

What stopped his blade was Ao Li, who had lost control. He gripped the blade with his bare hands as if he felt no pain and even increased his strength, breaking the sharp steel sword in his grasp.

Ao Li’s palms bled, staining the blade red. Seeing the blood, his eyes sparked with a hint of excitement, as if his next target was Ren Bozhong.

Ren Bozhong’s palms ached from the shock, and he threw away the sword handle, using both hands to attack. However, his attack was rebounded, and the powerful force sent him flying several meters away.

Ren Bozhong’s actions seemed desperate. His initial attack on He Lang was suspicious. If he truly hated the demon sect, he should have targeted the actual demon first. Why attack a seemingly insignificant person?

Moreover, this person had been silent, led them to the location, and then let the child go. He seemed to know a lot, and Ren Bozhong’s actions, which turned deadly without warning, suggested he was guilty and wanted to eliminate witnesses.

The demon sect leader appeared indifferent, like an innocent young man, only showing his demonic side when facing Zhuo Shulang.

Worried that Ao Li’s uncontrolled rage might cause further problems, He Lang quickly tried to calm him down. He bowed respectfully to the righteous experts, explaining the situation and presenting evidence, including the Xuan Kong Sword Sect’s recent activities and the secrets of this place. Much of it was verifiable.

Seeing He Lang’s calm demeanor, the experts were half convinced and tried to gather information from the children who had been abducted.

The eldest child, who could speak, pointed at Ren Bozhong and shouted “bad person,” then pointed to his own tongue, showing small wounds from blood extraction. The other children also showed fear towards Ren Bozhong.

With such solid evidence, there was no room for denial. The experts were dismayed, realizing that while they had no doubt about Ren Bozhong’s character, they had been misled. Ren Bozhong, being a person of high standing and good relationships with several sects, had not been suspected until now.

The group then cleaned up the aftermath, reported to the authorities, and sent the children back to the town.

Ren Bozhong, entangled by the demonic Ao Li, was eventually exhausted and struck down by Ao Li’s palm, barely clinging to life as he was sent back.

Ao Li clearly wanted to kill him, but after a long period without using his demonic energy, the sudden outburst, combined with his obsession and emotional turmoil, caused him to faint midway.

The righteous experts, seeing that they had saved the children, decided to let them go and allowed He Lang to reform.

He Lang agreed and took the unconscious Ao Li to a new inn.

In the next few days, Ao Li showed no signs of waking. A doctor was called, but he could only diagnose it as a complicated illness with no cure, leaving He Lang at a loss.

Just as He Lang was considering seeking another doctor, familiar faces arrived.

Among them were the long-lost Ge siblings, the Demon Doctor, Qi Jun, the head of the Execution Hall, and Wu Zheng, still with long hair.

They were all experts from the sect who had been ambushed and had lost their martial arts during the trial by the Left Protector. When the leader and He Lang had left, most of their forces had been involved in the pursuit, allowing them to escape from the sect.

Now that the situation had calmed, they had gathered to search for Ao Li.

They aimed to revive the demon sect, but it was challenging. They needed to stabilize their home base and gather the remaining surviving disciples first.

With their martial arts restored, they hoped that once Ao Li woke up, he could lead them back to Pingling Mountain to reclaim the sect.

He Lang was initially troubled by Ao Li’s unconscious state, but fortunately, the Demon Doctor identified the problem immediately upon arrival. Understanding that it was due to blocked demonic energy, he asked the Ge siblings, who had deep internal power, to help clear his meridians.

Upon learning about Ao Li’s amnesia and the medicinal herbs He Lang had used, the Demon Doctor stroked his beard and nodded, “Indeed, that’s the right approach. You’ve done well, Lang kid.”

The Demon Doctor’s medical skills were indeed exceptional, far surpassing those of ordinary doctors. Seeing his extensive knowledge of pharmacology, He Lang asked about the Xuan Teng Pills he had taken and their remarkable blood-nourishing effects.

To He Lang’s surprise, the Demon Doctor’s eyes sparkled, and he laughed heartily. “It’s not just about nourishing the blood; it’s quite extraordinary. Once inside your body, it will effectively clear your meridians, making your martial arts practice twice as effective. In the future, it will continuously supply you with true energy, enriching your blood and strengthening your inner power.”

This pleased He Lang. With Ao Li’s situation resolved and reliable allies restored, he felt a sense of relief and clarity, like seeing the sky after the clouds parted.

However, there was still Wu Zheng, who had always been at odds with He Lang. Upon seeing He Lang, Wu Zheng didn’t provoke him as before but simply turned his head away and remained silent.

Although Wu Zheng had grievances with He Lang, he was loyal to the revival of the Sect of Mixed Yuan and would undoubtedly take on the task if it meant restoring the sect.

By dusk, Qi Jun, who had gone to scout Pingling Mountain, returned safely and described the current situation within the Sect of Mixed Yuan.

At the same time, Qi Jun had spread the news among some disciples, declaring that Ao Li had regained his martial arts and would soon be attacking the mountain to reclaim the sect.

The next day, the Left Protector, upon hearing the news, was indeed thrown into disarray.

Having missed the best time to pursue vengeance, he was already anxious and uncertain about when retribution might come. Now, with this new development, he was terrified, blaming Ren Bozhong for disrupting his plans.

Although he was a top martial artist within the sect, he would not last long against Ao Li, especially with the help of the Ge Hall Master and Qi Hall Master.

Seeing that only a few low-ranking disciples were willing to follow his orders, he realized he could not compete and reluctantly looted some of the sect’s known secret manuals and treasures before retreating.

The group returned to their familiar place, immediately settled Ao Li, and began to renovate the sect.

News of the sect leader’s return spread quickly, and the scattered disciples inquired eagerly and rushed back to join. Also widely discussed was how Ao Li and He Lang had saved the missing children and ruined Ren Bozhong’s reputation.

Many people’s views on the Sect of Mixed Yuan changed significantly. Some believed that, despite their good deeds, the sect’s nature as a ruthless and violent organization remained, and caution was still needed. These opinions pushed the sect into a critical spotlight.

At this time, the sect leader, who had been the subject of much discussion, slowly regained consciousness.

The people around him seemed somewhat unfamiliar. Ao Li glanced around and saw that the Demon Doctor and several hall masters were kneeling and bowing to him. Hearing their familiar voices, he began to recall his memories of them.

Then, he focused on the only man in green who had not knelt. Just a glance, and he averted his eyes.

**Author’s Note**: Almost done with the chapter! Now, I’m going to start adding some melodrama!