Half an hour after Kong Wudao left, Qi Tuojiang and Qi Dingjiang also departed.
Their moods might have been different when leaving, but their gazes at Shen Lang before departing were the same: filled with resentment and malice.
Shen Lang noticed their looks but paid them no mind.
Since they were already his enemies, what difference would it make how they looked at him? Would they stop seeking revenge if they didn't harbor resentment? That was clearly impossible.
"Uncle, I truly owe you today. Without you, saving them would never have been so easy."
After Kong Wudao, Qi Tuojiang, and the others had left, Shen Lang turned to Song Sha and said with a grateful expression.
He knew that without Song Sha, he would have already died at the hands of Shanyuan, let alone saved anyone.
Despite having no blood relation, Shen Lang felt an unprecedented familial warmth from Song Sha, filling his heart with an indescribable warmth.
Just now, Shen Lang had also sensed the presence of Earth Realm experts within Longze Mountain Villa, and more than one. However, they had not intervened but had left with Kong Wudao and the others.
Clearly, the outcome was obvious. These individuals did not act because Song Sha was present, knowing they were no match for him, and thus were intimidated.
Thinking this, Shen Lang felt even more grateful to Song Sha.
"Haha, kid, what nonsense are you talking about? You call me Uncle, and you need help; would I just stand by and watch?"
Hearing Shen Lang express his gratitude, Song Sha clapped him heavily on the shoulder and laughed, "You're a good lad. At only twenty-five, you're just a step away from the Earth Realm mid-stage, and you even managed to injure Shanyuan. You're much stronger than I was at your age."
"Alright, I've already helped you a lot today, so I'll help you one more time."
With that, Song Sha moved his wrist. As he did so, Shen Lang instantly felt a terrifying power enter his body.
This potent force, immensely powerful, circulated once in his dantian before surging like a flood towards the bottleneck that Shen Lang had been unable to break through.
In an instant, with just one surge, the bottleneck that Shen Lang had attempted to break countless times was shattered. Then, the powerful force spread throughout his body, allowing Shen Lang to break through from the Earth Realm early stage directly to the Earth Realm mid-stage in one go.
"No, that's not right. This isn't Earth Realm mid-stage; it's Earth Realm peak."
As Shen Lang probed his own strength, he discovered that not one, but two bottlenecks had been broken. His power had increased by seven to eight times, and the formidable strength almost made him lose control.
Finally, the terrifying power Song Sha had left within him tamed this immense strength, allowing Shen Lang to control it at will.
"How is it? Surprised?"
Seeing the shock on Shen Lang's face, Song Sha laughed. "To become an Earth Realm peak in one go, how does that feel?"
"Uncle, how did you do this?"
Shen Lang did not hide his shock, saying, "I've never heard of any method in this world that can directly help others break through their martial cultivation. What is this technique of yours?"
Martial cultivation was like physical strength; it had to be trained and condensed bit by bit by oneself. Apart from consuming elixirs, outsiders could not help increase one's strength.
Otherwise, over the years, Earth Realm and Heaven Realm experts would likely be walking everywhere.
But Shen Lang never expected that Song Sha possessed such a means, and that it had elevated him to the Earth Realm mid-stage.
Logically, this should be like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, but Shen Lang felt no such strain. The power within him was indistinguishable from what he had cultivated himself. He could manipulate it at will, and there was no damage to him whatsoever.
Even his old master couldn't achieve this. How did this uncle manage it? Shen Lang was utterly bewildered.
"Haha, this method, you can't learn it. No one in this world can learn it, only I can."
Song Sha looked at Shen Lang and smiled, "It's related to a secret technique I cultivate, but this technique is extremely difficult to cultivate, and more importantly, it's life-threatening."
"My secret technique requires cultivation from the age of ten. By the time I turn forty, I must abolish all my cultivation and start from scratch. If I don't, my meridians will rupture, and I will die."
"What?"
Hearing Song Sha's words, Shen Lang was greatly astonished. "I've heard of many secret techniques, but never one like this. No one would want to cultivate it."
"Because, for any martial artist, no one can give up decades of martial cultivation to start from zero. It's like a billionaire not giving up his vast fortune to start from scratch."
Seeing the expression on Shen Lang's face, Song Sha elaborated, "Although I have to abolish all my cultivation at forty, after starting from zero, one day is equivalent to ten days for an ordinary person, one year is equivalent to ten years for an ordinary person, and ten years is equivalent to a hundred years of cultivation for an ordinary person."
"Uncle, you're in your early fifties now, so according to you, don't you have a hundred years of martial cultivation?"
Shen Lang looked at Song Sha with a shocked expression.
"You could say that."
Song Sha did not conceal his strength and smiled, "This secret technique not only accelerates cultivation speed but also helps others improve their cultivation. At the final stage, it can even absorb others' inner energy for one's own use. Unfortunately, I'm still a little short of that stage, but I will reach it soon."
Speaking of this, Song Sha looked at Shen Lang and suddenly said, "Do you want to learn it? Uncle can teach you."
"I..."
Shen Lang replied, "This secret technique is indeed formidable, but to ask me to give up all my martial cultivation at forty and start from scratch, I'm afraid I don't have that courage."
Given Shen Lang's talent, his achievements at forty were immeasurable, and starting from zero then would be truly impossible for him.
"Haha, that's true. Who knows how powerful you'll be at forty. Alright, if that's the case, then don't learn it."
Song Sha patted Shen Lang's shoulder and said, "The matter is resolved, I'm leaving. Come find me for tea at Song Family Villa if you have time in the future."
With that, Song Sha turned and left Longze Mountain Villa.
After Song Sha left, Shen Lang looked at the last living person in the arena and smiled, "Lin Ling, you have nothing to say upon seeing me?"
Yu Linling heard him and replied, "Is there anything else we need to say?"
Shen Lang said, "Of course, you can make a condition. If your condition moves me, you can live."