Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Risk and Hesitation

A sudden surge of confidence invigorated Jiang Hanzheng, and he made up his mind. His spiritual energy swelled in response to his resolve.

In that instant, the small sealing talisman on the inner core fluttered as if blown by the wind, emitting a faint whistle. The characters on it glowed briefly before vanishing into nothingness.

The pale inner core gradually darkened, radiating a blinding red light—vivid and dazzling.

Centered on this inner core, all the spiritual energy within a kilometer radius was mobilized. Using the fire-element spiritual energy from the Red-Eyed Beast’s inner core as the catalyst, and with the fire spiritual root leading the way, fire nurtured earth, earth nurtured metal, metal nurtured water, water nurtured wood, and wood nurtured fire once more. In this moment, Jiang Hanzheng’s five-element spiritual roots were fully connected.

The massive surge of spiritual energy moved in an orderly flow following the five elements, sweeping through the surroundings and forming a large vortex that shook the back mountain. At the center of this vortex was Jiang Hanzheng.

Faced with power within reach, it was nearly impossible to remain calm, and Jiang Hanzheng was no exception.

Countless thoughts flitted through his mind, yet they clung tightly to his heart, impossible to dispel.

Jiang Hanzheng wrestled with his emotions, nearly tearing his robes apart in his inner struggle. His mind spun relentlessly. If he took just one step further, he wouldn’t only gain cultivation but also a future filled with honor, his master’s daily favor, and the chance to hold his head high in front of his senior brother. This was what he had dreamed of and yearned for day and night!

As a cultivator, he still could not completely rid himself of human desires, let alone abandon the obsession that had clouded his mind over the years. He could not bear to give up now.

Reason told him that once he had chosen this path, he must see it through. He didn’t want to waver, only to end up with nothing in the end.

Gritting his teeth, Jiang Hanzheng forcibly absorbed the overwhelming spiritual energy. Though he expected it to be immensely challenging, with the inner core in his body as a mediator and his meridians expanded twice before, he absorbed the power effortlessly like a vast container.

In that moment, Jiang Hanzheng’s dark hair flew wildly, his robes billowed, and a dazzling aura erupted around him. The immaturity in his presence seemed to be gradually washed away.

At the same time, Jiang Hanzheng felt a strange sensation within, as if his connection to the heavens and earth had deepened. The range of his spiritual perception extended by several kilometers. With his eyes closed, it felt as though everything within his surroundings was under his control.

These signs indicated that he had effortlessly broken through to the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm and was even on the verge of the Core Formation stage, allowing him to faintly sense the laws of the world.

He looked at his body in disbelief. A ceaseless surge of power filled him, and he felt as if he could reduce the entire back mountain to dust in an instant if he willed it.

The Red-Eyed Beast’s inner core truly lived up to its reputation. Jiang Hanzheng had never imagined breaking through could be so easy. Estimating the core’s power, he realized it held as much spiritual energy as a Core Formation cultivator. Coupled with his own solid foundation built through hard work, he was confident he could advance another small realm within the short duration of the competition.

Though he couldn’t yet absorb all this vast energy, the tangible benefits he had tasted made him reluctant to stop now.

Jiang Hanzheng’s confidence soared, and an unnoticeable streak of ambition quietly emerged. A daring thought he had never allowed himself to entertain before now arose in his mind.

If he could fully utilize all the energy in this Core Formation inner core, could he perhaps achieve the Golden Core stage?

In the vast expanse of Mount Tian(Tianshan), even the youngest Golden Core cultivators had cultivated for over 500 years. It was not a goal a new disciple could easily aspire to. Many cultivators, even after thousands of years, remained stuck before the Golden Core stage due to unstable mindsets, inferior spiritual roots, or insufficient rare artifacts.

Kong Huai was currently the most promising candidate to inherit the title of the youngest Golden Core cultivator, and he indeed had the potential. However, for now, he was still at the peak of the Core Formation stage, seeking a breakthrough. Without a fortuitous opportunity, he would remain stuck at this bottleneck for some time.

Jiang Hanzheng saw this gap as something he could bridge. Thinking of this, he allowed a faint, relaxed smile to appear and resumed his cultivation, staying out all night.

—

The young disciple’s absence through the night went unnoticed by He Lang, who was preoccupied with Kong Huai’s constant presence. This was the first time he realized just how persistent and bothersome his usually aloof and untouchable disciple could be.

He tried to persuade him to return to his room to rest, but Kong Huai remained unmoved, ignoring all hints to leave, as though he didn’t understand the unspoken suggestion.

Watching He Lang’s exasperated and helpless expression, Kong Huai’s usually emotionless face softened with a rare hint of amusement. He kept his gaze fixed on He Lang, either studying him or simply lost in thought.

Under Kong Huai’s intense gaze, He Lang grew uneasy, worried that his disciple might notice something unusual about his body. With a flick of his sleeve, he prepared to use force to send him away.

Unexpectedly, Kong Huai caught his raised hand and, in that fleeting moment, smiled faintly.

“You’ve changed a lot over the past century… But it’s a good change.”

He tried to sound gentle and sincere, but not being skilled with words, his intended warmth came across as somewhat stiff. Even so, the sentiment was unmistakable.

Kong Huai paused, locking eyes with He Lang again, subtly expressing his thoughts.

He Lang, relieved that Kong Huai harbored no suspicions, breathed a sigh of relief. However, the hint of affection in his disciple’s tone felt off, and he looked at Kong Huai in confusion, momentarily forgetting to push away the hand holding his own.

Kong Huai avoided his gaze, lowering his eyes slightly, lost in his own thoughts.

His impression of his master in the past had been vague—lofty, detached, untouched by the mundane. He had accepted his master’s care as naturally as any disciple would, but there was always a sense of distance.

Thus, when he learned of his master’s feelings for him, he had felt fear and disbelief. Such emotions between a master and disciple were something he had once scorned, dismissing them as the illusions of a lonely immortal.

But now, upon returning, he saw a master who was both similar and entirely different from before.

The same flawless appearance, untouched by time, yet the coldness in his expression had softened significantly. Detached but not indifferent, proud but not arrogant, no longer holding the unapproachable air of a true immortal. He even interacted with outer sect disciples, servants, and spirit pets.

He no longer spent his days secluded in his dark cave dwelling for cultivation. Instead, he seemed to embrace life beyond, visiting pavilions, exploring the back mountain, reading, painting, or simply watching Jiang Hanzheng practice swordsmanship.

Even worldly habits frowned upon by cultivators, like eating grains, he indulged in, sleeping like mortals under the pretense of relaxation.

The once-distant figure, high above the nine heavens, had descended to earth and reappeared before him. Even if his attention wasn’t focused on Kong Huai, the distance between them felt smaller. For the first time, he could genuinely sense his master’s emotions and existence.

What could have caused such a transformation over the past century? Who was it that influenced him? Was it Jiang Hanzheng? Kong Huai couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the thought.

He began to understand the emotions he once disdained. Whether master or disciple, they were both merely cultivators—not yet immortals—and it was perfectly natural to be entangled by human desires.

Perhaps he should follow his master’s example, learning how to see things more clearly.

Reflecting on his own past, since the discovery of his exceptional spiritual root, his family had been overjoyed, sending him to Mount Tian with high hopes. The sect had nurtured him with great care, instilling the importance of cultivation into every aspect of his life. As a result, from childhood to youth, his world revolved solely around cultivation.

Proud of his abilities, he had pursued this path relentlessly, never looking sideways, much like a traveler hurrying toward a distant goal while ignoring the scenery along the way.

But now, meeting a master like this, he found himself pausing.

In this vast world, what meaning was there in mere existence without a purpose or direction of the heart?

As a cultivator, it was natural to pursue spiritual power and immortality.

Yet the road to ascension was long, with only a handful of cultivators achieving it after centuries of effort. Did he truly desire this? Was he willing to endure endless loneliness for it?

In the past, he would have dismissed such questions as absurd, but now, he hesitated.

He had basked in the envy of others and tasted the sweetness of power. Initially, it had filled him with pride and ambition, but the excitement faded, leaving him numb, treating it all as nothing more than dirt.

Now, he envied his master’s carefree life, free from the burden of lofty aspirations, finding joy in the simplest things. This life was alluring in its own way and perhaps the reason he found himself drawn to his master.

If his master, a true immortal, could shed these restraints so easily, why couldn’t he stop and take a moment for himself? With this thought, a faint, hazy smile appeared in Kong Huai’s eyes.

“The competition begins tomorrow. Will you attend, Master? But not to watch him—watch me,” he emphasized the latter part, clearly referring to Jiang Hanzheng.