Chapter 294: The Fiery Aura Returns

The troublesome thing is that Pei Renji will attack Wagang Stronghold again, but this time Bai Lang is injured and needs an excuse not to go. It's simple: just say he's training the troops, which is true. These county soldiers have begun practicing the Qi‑transportation method and are now obsessively training—such opportunities are rare, and if a top master is willing to teach them a human martial art, especially an internal skill, why wouldn't they train desperately?

There is also the short‑and‑long weapon technique taught by Bai Lang, used for formation drills and duel training, practiced with wooden staffs instead of weapons—Bai Lang strives to hide his injury. So he has a reason to say he's training the troops and can't go. Moreover, this time the attack is a coordinated assault; several Great Sui generals will attend, and the front of Wagang Stronghold was heavily damaged by Bai Lang before, so he believes they will likely win this time.

But the situation turned absurd: Pei Renji inexplicably lagged behind, failing to arrive at the battlefield at the appointed time. The other Sui generals were defeated and retreated, and shortly after, Pei Renji beheaded the Inspector General who had surrendered to Wagang Stronghold? At that moment Bai Lang was eating, and the food in his mouth froze, unable to swallow; when he opened his mouth to speak, the food spewed out.

"What on earth is happening? How did that old bastard turn traitor?" Bai Lang roared, while the messenger trembling could not utter a word. Pei Renji's defection is a problem; it frees the bandit army of Wagang Stronghold, boosting its strength beyond any previous era. "Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin, Pei Xingyan… now probably also Cheng Yaojin. If Wagang Stronghold attacks Luoyang, Wang Shichong might not be able to hold it!"

Bai Lang himself wasn't worried; after all, he wouldn't defend the city. If Wagang Stronghold attacks, he would certainly take the initiative. Then his cavalry would trample thousands, unstoppable, and he doesn't think anyone can block his assault. At present his injuries are healing well, especially the blunt wounds on flesh are almost gone, and his bones are tingling, seemingly regenerating, though progress on the reforged Golden Bell Shield technique remains slow.

Although his meridians are fully opened, the broken Golden Bell Shield must be rebuilt level by level, and Bai Lang doesn't want to attempt that before his bones fully heal. The fierce qi of the Southern Dipper White Tiger Fist isn't ready for restoration either; Bai Lang prefers to wait until he's fully recovered before resuming—he believes it will be quick. "The Golden Bell Shield technique takes at most three days; the Southern Dipper White Tiger Fist can be mastered as soon as the qi flows through."

The situation is tense; Wagang Stronghold's fiery aura is rising again, and Yang Guang has sent an Inspector General, a civil official surnamed Yin, to Xingyang Commandery. Is he going to meddle? At least Bai Lang heard that Pei Renji was forced by the Inspector General and reluctantly defected to Wagang Stronghold and killed the Inspector General, which Bai Lang scoffs at. Mr. Yin, however, is a clever fellow; in Xingyang he spends his days at banquets, occasionally mingling with the Zheng family, and rarely takes on the role of "Inspector General" here for Bai Lang.

Probably frightened by Bai Lang, the first time he met him his complexion turned pale; even though Bai Lang was merely seated calmly, the man seemed to see a demon tiger, and ever since he avoids Bai Lang if he can. Likewise, the prestigious Zheng family of Xingyang Commandery refuses to see Bai Lang, and Bai Lang likewise avoids them—proud of their high lineage, they regard Bai Lang as a brute. Yet this brute is so ferocious that the high families, scarred by the lessons of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, wisely keep their distance to avoid trouble.

Everyone keeps to themselves, ignoring each other—after all, Bai Lang's governing policy in Xingyang Commandery aligns well with the Zheng family's wishes, so there's no need to tug at the tiger's whiskers.

Bai Lang feels a tingling itch in his bones, as if he wants to peel off his flesh and scratch it, but the intense pain from the black wind inside his body eases the itch. The black wind has mostly dissipated, leaving only a faint trace that should vanish in two or three days. Bai Lang assumes it's actually demonic aura, because he once sensed a similar scent on a near‑shapeshifting frog demon during an expedition in the Adventure Hall.

This demonic aura roams within him, constantly shattering Bai Lang's original qi and Internal Force, forcing him to continuously reconsolidate; as a result his Internal Force becomes purer and tougher, like steel forged a hundred times. "People are lowly insects; without a beating they don't know how awesome they are," Bai Lang thought. The master is somewhat reliable, but recalling that the traitorous army's enemies would entangle him, Bai Lang breaks into a cold sweat.

Facing this ape‑like enemy shouldn't be a problem for Bai Lang; otherwise he would have already been torn apart by that demon. "Alas, other masters shield their disciples from blades. Here, the master's enemy could kill with a single finger…" Bai Lang feels both curiosity and exhilaration; he truly wants to see what kind of formidable characters can oppose such demons. At this thought, Bai Lang's contempt for the world's grandmasters grows even higher.

During this period, the Twin Dragons have been causing quite a stir; in the Jianghuai region the two have become troublemakers, involved in everything, constantly pursued like dogs whose owners have perished. Yet no one can kill these two cockroaches; they have grown from cockroaches to nearly the size of martens—carelessly they might bite back, fiercely so.

He heard that a nunnery called Cihang Jingzhai claims to search for a rightful ruler for the world; Bai Lang naturally recalls the plot, "A mere nunnery—who gave you the authority to replace the world in finding a rightful ruler? Yang Guang, the legitimate ruler of the Great Sui, is still alive! The Great Sui still reigns! Moreover…" Bai Lang then quotes a saying from the late Tang and Five Dynasties, "The emperor is served by those with strong troops and fine horses! What does a shabby nunnery have to do with it!"

Even possessing the Imperial Seal is useless; it's merely a decorative flourish, not a lifeline in a crisis. Having it won't prevent annihilation by powerful forces and may even invite ruin. However, the book describes the marvelous uses of the He Shi Bi, which piques Bai Lang's interest. "Unfortunately, the lord must guard the country and may not be able to leave."

When the Wagang Stronghold envoy arrived, one must admit the man was audacious. Perhaps he was already prepared to die; he came to deliver a surrender letter drafted by Li Mi and his strategist, trying to persuade Bai Lang to join Wagang Stronghold. As for Li Mi's dead son? Compared to the world, it's trivial. Bai Lang read the letter and laughed heartily, "Today I won't behead you, envoy. Not cutting an envoy in a two‑state war is just the act of a bandit. I spare your life only so you can return to Li Mi and tell him to clean his throat and prepare for death!"