Chapter 19 Part 2

Shen He shook his head, then nodded. “First, I’ll take you to find the source of Demonic Qi for your resurrection, then I’ll go find Senior Sister Le.”

Xie Linlang felt a warmth in his heart and didn’t stand on ceremony. “Then let’s not waste time. Head straight to the depths of the secret realm.”

Shen He asked softly, “Are the materials we’ve gathered along the way enough for you to refine pills after recovery, Shizun?”

After resurrection, Xie Linlang would have no cultivation left. Though Shen He had prepared cultivation pills and protective spiritual artifacts in advance, Shen He figured that with Xie Linlang’s abilities, he would surely plan to refine his own pills.

Xie Linlang’s tone grew even gentler. “For now, yes. Besides, I plan to cultivate our family secret art, which doesn’t require as many pills as ordinary cultivators.”

In the past, Xie Linlang had found the Treasure Tree Scripture too erratic, treating it only as a supplementary technique.

But now, circumstances forced his hand. Revived with the Nine Revolutions Return to Truth Pill refined from Demonic Plants, Demonic Qi would naturally generate in his body. He could no longer walk the orthodox spiritual power path, so he might as well return to his bloodline inheritance and focus on the Treasure Tree Scripture.

The Treasure Tree Scripture required few pills, had no attributes of pure or turbid qi, but demanded various Heavenly Demon powers.

Xie Linlang knew he had a glaring weakness to Heart Demons, but he already had countermeasures prepared, so he wasn’t afraid of Heavenly Demons’ weakness attacks.

“That’s good.”

Shen He breathed a sigh of relief. He stowed the Storage Bag containing various materials and stuffed a prepared Pill Furnace inside. “I know you disdain the poor quality of my Pill Furnace, Shizun, but make do with it for now. Once your cultivation is fully restored, you can retrieve your old storage and cave abode, and use a better one…”

Xie Linlang smiled unconsciously.

“Your Pill Furnace is indeed poor quality. Once your cultivation improves and your pill refining reaches master level, I’ll give you a better one.”

Shen He laughed brightly, his ponytail bobbing behind him, lively and spirited.

“Then I’ll be counting on you, Master.”

Xie Linlang had meant to say that cultivators could only rely on themselves, but the words caught in his throat as past scenes flashed by. He sighed. “Then be cautious. Don’t rush into trouble. You have to stay alive to wait for me. Otherwise, even if I avenge you, you’ll already be dead.”

Shen He: “Haha, you’re right, Shizun. I’ll listen to you.”

With master and disciple in high spirits, Xie Linlang taught Shen He some Demonic Qi-saving combat techniques and hidden secret arts while they traveled.

Shen He committed them all to memory. Another day passed, and they finally approached the vast, continuous ruins on the eastern edge of the secret realm.

Scattered remnants of walls and broken tiles began appearing amid the dense forest, along with occasional snapped tree trunks and scorched black earth barren of grass.

Shen He and Xie Linlang fell silent. Shen He focused on his footing while Xie Linlang kept watch around them, gradually delving into the depths of the ruins.

They saw some Demon Beast skeletons, abandoned eggs, and lifeless shells; numerous desolate, lifeless spiritual fields. Gradually, the ruins’ structures connected into clusters, revealing doorways, corridors, rooms, and even the general layout and paths of the buildings.

But as Shen He pressed deeper, his steps slowed.

The air grew thick with mingled Demonic Qi and spiritual power, like entering water. Each step forward drastically reduced his reaction speed and strength.

Xie Linlang felt no such effect. As a remnant soul, he actually found it comfortable throughout.

Finally, before what seemed an ordinary cultivator’s abandoned chamber, Shen He stopped.

Leaning on the damaged doorframe, he said weakly, “I can’t go any further.”

Shen He’s goal was to find a suitable resurrection spot for Xie Linlang, so he had avoided storage houses and places with potential treasures or Demon Beast materials along the way.

Panting, he asked, “This seems like a cultivator’s meditation chamber, Shizun. Is this spot suitable?”

Xie Linlang was silent for a moment before saying, “Hang the Yellow Jade Gourd on the Hollow Sword, put the materials, artifacts, and pills in the Storage Bag, and send the Hollow Sword flying.”

Shen He froze. “Master?”

Xie Linlang said softly, “I want to go further. I feel like something’s waiting for me ahead. We’ll part here and meet again if fate allows.”

Shen He’s voice carried a sob and reluctance.

“Shizun, you promised to give me a new Pill Furnace and protect me. You have to come back.”

Xie Linlang sighed.

The one he had once promised to return to had vanished forever. He truly couldn’t promise to come back.

Shen He recalled Senior Brother Zheng’s debt theory and quickly said, “Shizun, you’ve used the jade pendant left by my father. You can’t default on the debt! Even if something goes wrong, you have to come back to repay it!”

Xie Linlang was amused and exasperated. “Leave the things and get lost.”

Shen He had no choice but to leave the Yellow Jade Gourd, Hollow Sword, and a Storage Bag, turning back every few steps.

He wailed in a drawn-out tone, “Remember, I’ve invested so much! You have to pay me back, or I’ll be at a huge loss!”

With the heirloom jade pendant for finding relatives gone, and if his master was gone too, his future would truly be bleak.

Xie Linlang muttered to himself at first, “Pei Ji never asked for returns from others.”

Then he laughed. Shen He was a good child. Since he had taken him as a disciple, he needed to teach him properly.

But that would come after reshaping his true body.

With that thought, Xie Linlang used his divine sense to hang the Yellow Jade Gourd on the Hollow Sword, attach the Storage Bag, and send the sword, gourd, and bag straight toward the depths of the ruins.