Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 94

Chapter 94: The Battle for Slaying the Demonic Beasts

If it weren’t for Kong Huai’s deliberate reminder, the master would definitely not have noticed him. No matter how dazzlingly he performed or how he captured everyone’s attention, he still couldn’t earn half a word of praise.

Feeling frustrated, he began to understand a few things. Jiang Hanzheng had always performed mediocrely, always ending the competitions injured and looking pitiful. Naturally, this drew the master’s concern.

The master, being someone who favored the soft over the hard, found Jiang Hanzheng more endearing when compared to Kong Huai, who seemed to have everything going smoothly. It was just like how a crying child gets candy—his master neglecting him no longer seemed surprising.

“Your performance is flawless and needs no intervention from me,” He Lang replied ambiguously.

Kong Huai stepped closer, as though interrogating yet also nostalgic. “Master, you once said I was your greatest pride in this world, your bond with Mount Tian and the mortal realm, your yearning. And now? Do you still remember any of it?”

He used to find his master’s words awkward, but now they sounded incredibly soothing. The more he thought about them, the more they comforted him, dispelling much of the frustration he had felt over Jiang Hanzheng in the past few days.

He Lang’s eyelids twitched. He couldn’t recall if the original self had said such things but couldn’t help interrupting, “Kong Huai, it’s getting late.”

“You used to call me Huai’er,” Kong Huai said, grabbing his hand and ignoring his words entirely.

Unable to resist his burning gaze, He Lang gave in. “Huai’er—”

Yet the familiar nickname brought an unfamiliar feeling. Before Kong Huai could smile, the cold words from the man before him pierced through.

“A hundred years have passed. These past events have long drifted away like the wind, forgotten.”

Kong Huai said nothing, his face darkening slightly.

He couldn’t fail to notice that his master seemed unwilling to revisit their shared past… Fine. Forgetting the past and starting anew wasn’t so bad.

He Lang didn’t want to push too far either and stopped at that. “It’s late. If you don’t need to prepare for tomorrow’s battle, rest for a while and carefully think about the path you should take. You are a smart person and should know which road suits you best.”

The path that suits him best? Was this man hinting that his recent attempts at reconciliation were a mistake?

Kong Huai frowned, slightly displeased, and looked at the obliviously hurtful master in front of him, feeling a pang of melancholy.

How could he not wish to live freely, free from entanglements, and spend his days with ease?

Although Kong Huai had been basking in glory and excelling in competitions, seemingly without obstacles in his cultivation, he harbored a hidden frustration.

In his youth, his cultivation had advanced as swiftly as Jiang Hanzheng’s, and due to the superior talent of his single spiritual root, he didn’t need to spend time laying a foundation or endure the monotonous practice that others did. Yet he effortlessly outpaced new disciples.

But after leaving Mount Tian and venturing out to train, his progress slowed significantly. There were various reasons for this, and it was still considered normal.

However, years ago, when he first heard his master had taken another disciple, his heart had wavered.

Using techniques such as the Tranquility Mantra and external aids like pills and talismans, Kong Huai successfully eliminated all distractions from his heart and didn’t dwell on the matter.

But at the same time, his cultivation had stagnated entirely.

Back then, he speculated that his lingering attachment to Mount Tian had hindered him from breaking through. Yet he had no reason to return and neither the courage nor the opportunity. If his master still harbored feelings of that nature, he could never reciprocate. How could their master-disciple relationship continue?

When the opportunity for the competition arose, Kong Huai, who had always been deliberate and introspective, didn’t overthink and returned overnight.

But unexpectedly, even now, the knot in his heart seemed to deepen, despite having already resolved the cultivation barrier in his mind.

This could only mean his heart’s burden lay elsewhere.

And the source of it all… Kong Huai brushed his sleeves, lifted his gaze toward He Lang, with a hint of distress and hesitation on his face, and spoke earnestly, “Master, you might have already become my heart’s knot.”

…

Since spending that night with Kong Huai, He Lang immediately secluded himself for three days.

When he heard Kong Huai say that he had become his heart’s knot, He Lang naturally felt burdened. He wondered if his clear attitude of wanting to sever ties had been too obvious, deeply wounding the pride of someone as proud as Kong Huai, and thus causing such an abnormal reaction.

However, He Lang quickly decided not to dwell on the matter. Faced with Kong Huai’s persistent entanglement, he simply secluded himself, planning to wait until they had completed the fourth round of the competition to see the results.

Clearly, facts proved that He Lang didn’t need to worry.

The next day, Jiang Hanzheng appeared in an entirely new light, sweeping away his previously lukewarm demeanor.

No one could pinpoint what had changed about him, yet they were sure something had. Why else would his aura today be so sharp and lethal? He maintained silence, revealing no more information, which only heightened the anticipation for his performance.

This time, the nine contestants traveled together to Heishan(Black Mount), a thousand miles away from Mount Tian.

This was a gathering place for demonic beasts, shrouded year-round in miasma with turbid spiritual energy, an ideal breeding ground for beasts lurking in the dark. The mountain peaks were enveloped in ominous black mist, eerie and strange, hence its name.

These demonic creatures, after dwelling on the mountain for long periods, occasionally descended to wreak havoc on the mortal world, causing significant harm and loss. Mount Tian, which prided itself as a righteous sect, naturally took action.

Thus, under the guise of this competition, Mount Tian sent its disciples to the lair of the demonic beasts to eliminate them and protect the people.

The competition revolved around comparing the number of beasts killed and the quality of combat performance. Given the pervasive corruption and malice in Heishan, it also served as a test of whether participants could maintain spiritual stability and resist demonic influence.

The entire competition was recorded and monitored using magical mirrors. If a disciple were severely injured, the observing elders would immediately activate the protective talismans on them, teleporting them out of Heishan, which would count as an elimination.

Apart from those disqualified, only the four best-performing participants would advance to the finals.

Realizing this, everyone aimed for one of the four coveted spots. Those who entered with a passive attitude, hoping to coast through, would inevitably fall behind in the competition and be eliminated.

Everyone understood this, exchanging glances and silently reaching the same conclusion.

At the signal to start, nine figures quickly darted off in different directions. In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, the sounds of clashing blades echoed through Heishan, accompanied by the roars of beasts and anguished cries, startling birds that flapped their wings and flew out of the forest.

Among them, the commotion caused by Jiang Hanzheng was the greatest.

He first activated his wide-range spiritual sense. Having recently advanced to the Opening Light stage, he could survey all movements within Heishan, noting the locations of nearby beasts, high-tier beasts, and poorly guarded ones.

Strategically planning his route, he avoided rugged terrain and caves that were advantageous for the beasts but difficult for combat. Following his plan, he first encountered a group of low-tier beasts charging at him. With just a few sword strikes, he cut them down.

In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, Jiang Hanzheng had killed seven low-tier beasts.

First-tier beasts had minimal spiritual energy, equivalent to mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators. Second-tier beasts equaled the peak of Qi Refining and counted as two kills. Third-tier beasts, comparable to Foundation Establishment cultivators, counted as three kills, and so on.

The number of beasts killed by each participant was displayed in real-time above Heishan, visible to all of Mount Tian.

Shortly after the competition began, the others’ scores remained at zero, while Jiang Hanzheng’s “7” stood out prominently.

This number, visible to everyone in Mount Tian, immediately drew all eyes to Jiang Hanzheng, who had claimed the first kill.

Not yet in competition mode, Kong Huai raised his eyes to glance at the score for a moment before turning and springing into action, searching for the trail of beasts and gradually closing the gap between them.

Having traveled extensively and often encountering demonic beasts, he should have been able to handle them easily. However, without the firm resolve and determination he had possessed in previous days, his actions lacked the sharp decisiveness they once had, and he ended up entangled with the beasts for over ten rounds.

Even so, Kong Huai’s strength had not significantly waned. Within the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, his score had already caught up with Jiang Hanzheng, who had seized the early advantage.

Another person closely watching the competition was Liu Yihan. Despite being in the midst of intense combat, he never forgot to search for Jiang Hanzheng’s figure and monitor his progress.

The abrupt end to their last battle had been a significant regret for him. Seeing this young man stand out today and shine made him eager to confront him directly.

Liu Yihan noticed that Jiang Hanzheng was gradually moving toward the center of Heishan. Coincidentally, he himself was nearby, and the distance between them was shrinking. It seemed they would meet soon.

Based on the spiritual energy fluctuations in the air, Liu Yihan could vaguely guess Jiang Hanzheng’s intentions.

At the center of Heishan resided a sixth-tier beast, exuding considerable pressure. The other disciples had long sensed its presence and deliberately avoided it, preferring to hunt more low-tier beasts rather than provoke such a formidable opponent.

Using his wit and awareness of the situation, Liu Yihan had avoided competing directly with others, claiming a large number of easily defeated beasts. Currently ranked fifth, he was not outstanding but showed great potential.

He naturally didn’t want to take unnecessary risks. However, if he could kill the sixth-tier beast, not only would he secure a spot among the top four, but it would also significantly boost his evaluation for the final battle.

Moreover, if even Jiang Hanzheng was fearless enough to target the beast, how could he cower? Wouldn’t that be admitting his inferiority? Liu Yihan quickly wavered.

Taking advantage of his proximity, he was the first to find the slumbering sixth-tier beast.

Author’s note: I wonder if there will be a reversal, haha. Do you want Langlang and Daxi to take it further? A little flirting, hugging, and kissing, perhaps… before Jiang Zheng gets darker.