Рубрика: Путешествие к бессмертию

Chapter 44 Antidote.

Chapter 44: Antidote

The sun hung high up in the sky. Despite this time of year being the beginning of autumn, the heat from the sun was scorching hot.

Doctor Mo was in his room, fidgeting. Although he was confident in his methods of dealing with Han Li, he could not be completely at ease.

Suddenly, sounds of footsteps could be heard, slowly approaching his residence.

When he heard the sounds of the familiar footsteps, Doctor Mo was filled with joy. He rushed hurriedly and opened the door.

As expected, standing outside the door was his long awaited target Han Li.

Looking at him as Han Li walked towards him, Doctor Mo fiercely suppressed the glee in his heart before allowing a trace of smile on his face.

Not bad, you are indeed punctual. Seeing that you have made no attempts to escape, Im truly happy. This means that you are intelligent. Let us enter the house before we have a good discussion.

The expressions on Doctor Mos face was like that of a kindly elderly neighbor. The smile on his face was akin to a blooming flower.

You can relax, I didnt set any traps in the house, Doctor Mo quickly explained to him, seeing the alertness in Han Lis eyes.

Hmph! Since Ive dared to come, why would I be afraid to enter your residence? Han Li immediately replied, as if he couldnt stand the slightest provocation.

After he replied, Han Li took a step to enter the residence. freeebnovel.com

Doctor Mo immediately shifted his body to the side, allowing Han Li to enter. After Han Li entered, he extended his hands, attempting to close the door, but before he could do so, Han li interjected without turning back his head:

if you dare to close the door, I will assume that you have some tricks up your sleeves. Theres no way I would still discuss anything with you.

After hearing Han Lis words, Doctor Mo panicked. However, he swiftly recovered and left the door open. Unsatisfied, he exclaimed:

I truly want to have a discussion with you. I mean no harm towards you. Since you are not willing to let the door be closed, we will just leave it open then.

After saying this, Doctor Mo reclined on his chair. The two of them silently stared at each other. They have not met for half a year, and thus, they were considering and gauging each other carefully.

In Han Lis eyes, Doctor Mo had clearly declined a lot. He looked even more aged and withered now, no different from a 70 year-old grandfather. Involuntarily, he murmured in his heart, Could it be that what he said was true? All he wanted to do was to recover his vital energy? Was there truly no other sinister plan?. Did I overthink things?

As Han Li studied his surroundings, his pupils swiftly contracted. That muscularly built, mysterious figure was standing silently at one corner, like some sort of corpse. If Han Li had not meticulously scanned every corner, he would surely have missed him.

After his prior inspection of Han Li, Doctor Mo was extremely satisfied with his condition. As such, he warmly stated, Looking at the current you and comparing it to the person who had just entered the sect back when he was only ten years old, you have already grown so much.

The sudden shift in conversational topic and the change in atmosphere caught Han Li off-guard, making him wary of Doctor Mos intentions. However, in his heart, Han Li raised his alertness to its maximum level. This sly old fox, the salt he had eaten was much more compared to the rice Han Li had consumed*. If Han Li was the slightest bit careless, he would undoubtedly fall into a trap.

Old Mo, I will forever engrave your care towards me in my heart, never forgetting it. Whatever request you have, I will try to fulfill it. Han Lis expression warmed, as if he had turned back to the obedient disciple he had been ages ago.

Excellent! Excellent! Your words prove that I have not wasted my time and efforts on you. Come, let me see how much your progress with the Eternal Spring Arts has improved. At that moment, Doctor Mo seemed to assume the role of the kindly teacher. Standing up, he directly attempted to take Han Lis pulse.

Sly old fox, how cunning and thick-skinned. Han Li cursed in his heart as he swiftly side-stepped, avoiding Doctor Mos hand.

Old Mo, dont be in such a hurry, I can truthfully tell you that my Eternal Spring Arts have reached the fourth layer. However, I want you to give me the antidote to the Insect Corpse Pill first. After Im cured, I will let you inspect my progress. Han Li smiled as he used a sincere tone while talking to Doctor Mo.

Oh! Oh my, my mind must have become muddled. My memory is no longer as good as before. Initially, I intended to give you the antidote the moment you stepped in. Shock adorned his features as Doctor Mo seemed to have recalled something.

He withdrew a silver flask from inside his robes and took out a black-colored, ordinary looking pill, which he tossed towards Han Li.

Han Li acted clumsily and barely managed to catch the pill that was tossed over to him. Bringing it to his nose, he sniffed it. Waves of spiciness were released from the pill. He inclined his head to look at Doctor Mo, only to find Doctor Mo smiling at him.

He hesitated, suspecting the authenticity of this antidote.

Yet, there was no way for him to avoid ingesting it because the Insect Corpse Pill would soon activate. If he did not ingest the antidote now, it was equivalent to committing suicide. Han Li believed that Doctor Mo would continue acting cautiously and refrain from giving Han Li a fake antidote. Han Lis expression turned heavy as he chose to swallow the antidote, waiting for its medicinal effect to take place.

At this moment, Doctor Mo was extremely relaxed. He began to chat nonchalantly with Han Li, as if he had forgotten what his real purpose was.

Not long after, Han Li could feel a surging wave of immense pain originating from his stomach, but the pain swiftly subsided. He quickly began to inspect his own body and realized that the Insect Corpse Pill had disappeared without a trace. Joy filled his heart, and his face broke out with traces of a smile.

Naturally, the changes had not escaped from Doctor Mos notice. He waited for Han Li, who was completing his inspection. With a huge smile on his face, he said:

Ah, Han Li, when I gave you the Insect Corpse Pill to ingest, it was merely to give you extra motivation. If not for that, I think you might have have broken through to the fourth layers of the Eternal Spring Arts so easily!

Thank you for Doctor Mos beautiful intentions. However, I hope that such intentions will not be needed in the future. After recovering, Han Lis state of mind improved, and he began to slightly believe Doctor Mos sincerity. He was not as directly opposed to Doctor Mo as before.

Now, will you allow this old man to take your pulse??

Doctor Mos words caused Han Lis expression to grow unsightly. To think that Doctor Mo would still request examine his cultivation. Who knew whether Doctor Mo would decide to grab this opportunity to further control and harm him?

Chapter 43 Fully Prepared.

Chapter 43: Fully Prepared

At this time, the Seven Mysteries Sect was undergoing a major event.

It turned out that the idol of the current generation of disciples, Senior Disciple Li, possessed a perception far beyond that of his peers. He quickly saw through two of the Feral Wolf Gangs spies and their plot to steal the names of the disciples that were undergoing adventures away from the mountain. With ten fellow disciples, they captured them in one move. This was quite a meritorious deed.

Several days later, Sect Leader Wang awarded Li Feiyu the position of Protector in the presence of many disciples. This caused him to stride forward to the Seven Mysteries Sects mid rankings, leading to a rise of great sensation. Li Feiyus reputation had grown even greater.

Han Li didnt know of this at all. He was currently sealed off in a wooden house in the mountain, undergoing special training. Aside from occasionally going to the kitchen to get some food, he did not have any contact with others. He naturally did not know that his close friend was currently held in such high regard.

Summer passed, followed by autumn. Time passed quickly until the arranged date had finally arrived.

In the ravine of the overgrown forest, there was a strange, incomparable silhouette midst the overgrowth of the dangerously sharp and thorny branches. None of the sharp branches were able to obstruct the floating, smoke-like figure. In the thorny undergrowth, he weaved between the thick net like a fleeing demon. In a moment, he had appeared nearby, in the next, he was already a distance away. These motions were absolutely quiet, as if there were not a fleshly body but rather an incorporeal form.

Finally, this silhouette stopped on top of a tree trunk. Vertically standing at its peak, he surveyed the surrounding distance. This was Han Li, with some success from his cultivation regime.

Currently, the clothes on his body had turned to little more than worn, tattered rags, revealing the his bare flesh. His hair was like a ruffled crow, while his face was a mixture of black and white. His original appearance couldnt be made out. What was most astonishing were the small exquisite iron bells, each hanging from his neck, waist, arms, thighs and ankles.

Seeing these iron bells and then thinking about Han Lis ghost-like movements in the forest, it would be hard to differentiate Han Lis body technique from the movements of an actual demon.

Motionless, he turned his head toward the direction of God Hand Valley. He muttered to himself, Just in time. I had just become proficient in the Shifting Smoke Steps on this final day. With this technique, I have a slightly greater assurance of self-preservation.

Although the expression of his face couldnt be seen clearly, the joy in his eyes wasnt concealed at all.

After several months of diligent research and training, Han Li wielded a number of formidable secret techniques. He held quite a bit of confidence in them. Although he wasnt convinced that they could withstand Doctor Mos unfathomable skills, he held some confidence that he could defend himself.

A light breeze came. Han Li felt a slight chill on his body. He lowered his head to look at his clothing. Thinking about his current appearance, he couldnt help but bitterly smile.

Recalling his training with Shifting Smoke Steps, he still had some lingering fear. In the forest undergrowth where he cultivated the technique, he had lived through a truly frightening experience. When he started training with this strange technique, he was covered all over with cuts and bruises from scraping against the unavoidable, stiff thorns.

Fortunately, he possessed Vitality Raising Pellets. In addition to treating internal injuries, they unexpectedly had an amazing effect on external injuries. After eating one, not only did it staunch the wound, there wouldnt even be a scar by the next day.

Han Li clicked his tongue in marvel. This medicine was incredibly more potent than common concoctions. The only thing that confused him was why the medicine was named Vitality Raising Pellet. It seemed to him that the names Scars Away and Staunch Bleeding would be more appropriate.

If the experts that created the Vitality Raising Pellet knew what Han Li was thinking, they would have likely spit out blood from anger. This elaborate and elusive healing panacea had actually been compared to the Golden Wound Medicine, a common Jiang Hu elixir, by Han Li, who thought that it was only relatively stronger. How could these experts not die from anger?!

However, because he had practiced in such a dangerous environment, Han Li was able to make the fullest of his potential. Within this short time, his Shifting Smoke Steps had reached the level of proficiency where he could immediately put it to good use.

In addition, Han Lis Eternal Spring Arts had just recently and unexpectedly broken through to the sixth layer. This was the highest layer of the chant that Doctor Mo had given him. Were it not for the assistance of those tens of elixirs, even if he were to exert all of his strength, it would have been unlikely for him to achieve this level of success in this lifetime.

After a few years of cultivation, Han Li had quite a bit of understanding and experience with the Eternal Spring Arts. He felt that this level of success was very unusual. Regardless of the means by which he cultivated, the effectiveness and results were completely different from common martial arts.

Initially, Han Li thought that the success rate of cultivating this particular martial art, as well as the speed of comprehension, depended on ones individual talent.

One bestowed with good aptitude would naturally perform as expected, without any obstructions. Even if one had no external assistance, by means of hard work, he or she would be able to reach a high layer.

But if ones aptitude was no good, once a certain layer was reached, he or she would be unable to advance a single step further without the assistance from elixirs. Han Li estimated that in a normal cultivators lifetime, he or she would stop at that very point without the slightest advance. This idea was very much reflected upon himself. In the past, he managed to cultivate to the third layer very smoothly, but at the fourth layer, he was met with incomparable difficulty and did not advance in the least.

However, if one had elixirs, the impossible would become possible, and it would be possible for one to break through the limitations of their natural aptitudes and advance to another layer. With this in mind, it is obvious how greatly cultivation depended on the power of medicine! freewenovel.cm

However, those like Han Li, who ate elixirs everyday like snacks, were reckoned to be nonexistent in the entire world. Therefore, it would be reasonable to say that the even more difficult fifth and sixth layer had been effortlessly cultivated by Han Li, who had not encountered the difficulty that he had faced from cultivating to the fourth layer.

The cultivation of the sixth layer of the Eternal Spring Arts, aside from making Han Li feel more vigorous than before, made his mind even sharper. For the time being, he hadnt discovered any other wonderful effects. What was strange was that ever since he cultivated this Eternal Spring Arts, his spirit, mind, and five senses were somewhat strengthened with each increasing layer, but it had little effect on his bodys health. He had no choice but to make his body sturdy and his footsteps light. In addition, his cultivation of the Eternal Spring Arts had formed a new energy flow, which Han Li called pseudo-True Qi. Although it moved through the channels of True Qi, it did little more than make his sense of touch more sensitive. It did not have the same formidable might as True Qi.

Having trained this much, he was certain that the sixth layer wasnt the end of the chant. Perhaps it had the further wonderful effects that would be revealed in the later layers.

Thinking of this, he helplessly shook his head and sighed. With regards to his current relationship to Doctor Mo, the final layers of cultivation was a matter he could only dream of.

Halting his imagination, Han Li jumped, softly leaving the floor. Not a sound was produced. Then, with long strides, he walked to his residence.

Tomorrow, he would meet with Doctor Mo, but before then, he had to make full use of his innate skills. His mind planned each step of his encounter with Doctor Mo in advance. He carefully pondered every finite possibility of the dangers that had yet to occur and formulated an optimal plan for responding to the threats that he simulated in his mind.

Chapter 42 Cloudwing Bird.

Chapter 42: Cloudwing Bird

You are too full of yourself. That little brat is brilliant and is definitely someone who will spare no expense to achieve his aims. Dont count your chickens before they hatch and carelessly overlook things, lest you suffer your downfall at the hands of this little brat. Suddenly, the voice of a youthful man rang inside Doctors Mos mind.

Doctor Mos expression changed in an instant, as though it was covered by frost. He icily replied:

Yu Zhitong, you better not intrude in my business. Do you think you are qualified to tell me what to do? If I can succeed, I naturally wont forget about my promises towards you. Instead, the question is whether you are scheming behind my back. Are you withholding some crucial parts of the cultivation art you imparted to me and hoping that some accident will befall me? Doctor Mos voice was filled with suspicion as he replied.

The youthful mans voice seemed somewhat terrified of Doctor Mo, and he hurriedly assured: rewebnovel.com

How could there be any mistakes? Didnt you already test it on some animals? Other than the one that passed away due to its unfamiliarity with the cultivation art, didnt the rest survive? The failed experiments shouldnt hinder your plans, right?

Hmph! That better be the case. Its a pity that I cant cultivate. If that werent the case, my chances of succeeding would be increased by a large degree. As Doctor Mo heard the explanation from that mysterious voice, the last shred of caution in his heart melted away.

After finishing his sentence, that mysterious voice maintained its silence as though it was taught a lesson, leaving Doctor Mo to mumble crazily to himself. This caused the entire room to be filled with an eerie atmosphere.

At this moment, Han Li was holed up in an unassuming cave. This cave was even more secretive and remote than the meeting place he found with Li Feiyu.

The layout of the area revealed that the only path to this cave was obscured by two mountain peaks that formed the shape of a line. The mountain ravines were swamped with shrubs and plants on both sides of the path, making the path impossible to traverse. The only way to arrive at the cave was through a hidden rope that dangled from the top of one of the mountain peaks. Other than that rope, there were no other entryways.

Thorny trees surrounded the area and occupied the majority of the area, only leaving a small piece of land where Han Li could cultivate. At the top of the mountain cave, there were some unknown vines weaved together into a natural canopy, so Han Li had no concerns that he would be accidentally discovered by random prying eyes.

Han Li removed the items that he held on his body, placing them below an enormous mountain rock, and returned back to the center of this area. He closed his eyes, falling deep in thought. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, revealing traces of determination in his eyes as he lightly said, Lets start practicing from the Soft Bones Art. And just like that, Han Li embarked on his path to cultivation.

What he didnt realized was that not far from him was a yellow-coloured bird perched onto a tree branch, constantly monitoring his movements. Because Han Li had no intentions of escaping, the yellow bird did not immediately rush to inform its owner.

And within the mountain cave, a single glance could tell that there was no one else inside the cave. The only ones who were there were Han Li and that little yellow bird, which was preening its feathers as if it had forgotten its original mission.

Suddenly, a grey-coloured bird flew inside the canopy. It rested on top of a yellow pile of wood before taking off again.

In that instant when the yellow-colored bird saw a bird of the same species appear before it, its expression turned somewhat human-like as it became filled with disdain.

The little bird that just arrived stood on one leg as it contemplated its surroundings. When it discovered the yellow bird, it flexed its wings, wanting to fly over.

Abruptly, something unexpected occurred. A yellow palm appeared out of nowhere, catching hold of the grey coloured bird in a single attempt.

This sudden change caused it to be terrified. It struggled in vain with its life on the line. No amounts of efforts could allow it to regain its freedom.

At this moment, the little bird understood that what it had mistaken for a pile of yellow wood was actually a yellow-robed youth. This yellow-robed youth had a dark complexion and extremely ordinary looks. Other than his clear eyes, he had no other attractive features.

The youth smile slightly, looking at the struggling bird in his hands. When it finally grew tired, he opened his palms as he stated gently:

You can go. Dont be so foolish next time. Look carefully before you attempt to rest.

Once the bird regained its freedom, it no longer bothered with the yellow clothed youth. It frantically flapped its wings and flew out of the cave opening.

As his gaze followed the path of the flying bird, the youth stood there mutely. Only after a moment passed did he begin to mutter under his breath:

Seems like my breath control and concealing techniques are already somewhat proficient. Next, I must practice my assassination techniques.

After speaking, Han Li walked towards a small wooden house which he had built, and on the way there, he involuntarily glanced at the yellow-colored bird.

This birds strange actions had caught his attention about half a month ago. This bird would always perch nearby, observing his actions, as if the bird had gained intelligence.

When he first saw it, he was amazed and captivated by the intelligence of the yellow bird.

He tried to capture it but was unsuccessful no matter what methods he used. This bird seemed to have no inclination to be fooled. It even stared at Han Li as if he were an idiot, causing Han Li to smile bitterly.

Afterwards, in a fit of anger, he tried to use direct force, but before he even got near, the yellow bird would soar to the skies, out of his reach. Whenever Han Li left, it would return back to its original spot. Han Li had no other ideas and thus could only stare at it from his original position.

On the surface of his mind, Han Li no longer concerned himself with the bird. In his heart, however, he had already deduced that the bird was here for a reason. Perhaps the bird was sent here by Doctor Mo to spy on his movements.

Even so, Han Li had no cause for concern. As long as the one doing the monitoring was not Doctor Mo himself, how many details could the little bird reveal? And in addition, he was amazed by the intelligence that this little bird possessed and was thus unwilling to use poison to deal with it.

At this moment, Doctor Mo was in a stone chamber, using the bones of wild beasts to form a strange array formation. As he arranged the formation, he was discussing matters with the mysterious voice from earlier, not knowing that Han Li had already discovered the method he was using to spy on Han Li.

Chapter 41 Leaving a Message on a Nights Departure.

Chapter 41: Leaving a Message on a Nights Departure

Han Li didnt have much time left. At most, he had another four to five months before he and Doctor Mo completely revealed their trump cards. Before then, he had no choice but to acquire skills to defend himself.

As a result, he ultimately decided to only cultivate the simpler and easier mysterious techniques that could be used immediately. The more difficult ones would be put to the side temporarily. After he managed to escape the tigers den, it would not be too late to resume practicing them.

This would greatly cut down his cultivation time, enabling him to quickly and thoroughly master many of simpler secret techniques.

Han Lis mind understood. Even if he could completely master this secret technique, he wouldnt necessarily be Doctor Mos match.

If Doctor Mo hadnt been lying last time, his strength would be comparable to that of a regions illustrious overlord. Han Li did not know how many ferocious and vicious moves hadnt been exposed during their last counter. He feared that the skills that Doctor Mo had revealed was only a fraction of his true strength.

As Han Li thought of Doctor Mos monstrous agility, a burst of cold fear entered his mind.

He was well aware that the time he had to learn was short and that any threat he could muster against Doctor Mo would be awfully marginal, almost negligible, but to have his hands tied and allow himself to be manipulated was something Han Li could not allow.

Han Li knew that if he were to raise his hand against Doctor Mo, he would only have one decisive opportunity to seize a victory. Doctor Mo would most likely look down on him. Only by using Doctor Mos carelessness and negligence against him would Han Li be able to catch him off guard and possibly obtain the opportunity to live.

In the following days, Han Li finished memorizing all of the Blinking Sword Art manuals. From the manuals, he selected the secret techniques that would were the most useful to him. He began to research them, meditating on the cultivation paths that would yield the quickest results.

He racked his brains for a few days. An entire set of cultivation methods from the manuals were laid out before him. Within this short time period, he was able complete such a complicated task, making him feel pleased that his efficiency was extraordinary.

During the second half of the month, Han Li handled a few trivial affairs, fully preparing himself by making sure that there was nothing left to worry about.

First of all, he returned the secret manuals to Li Feiyu and took the opportunity to tell him about his encounter with the Feral Wolf Gangs spies as well as the real identity of the kitchen steward. freewebnvel.cm

After Li Feiyu heard this, he was pleasantly surprised. He embraced Han Lis shoulders and repeatedly said, Good brother for presenting him with such a great merit without taking any of the credit. This moved him greatly.

However, he didnt know that Han Lis life was currently busy. How could Han Li possibly think about catching a spy? By telling Li Feiyu, Han Li wouldnt have to trouble himself with the matter and would also be currying favor from the senior disciple at little cost to himself. What would Han Li have against this?

Once he finished his business with Li Feiyu, Han Li paid a visit to the sects most skilled blacksmiths.

He then placed orders for several daggers and secretly requested a few minor modifications. In addition, he ordered a few seemingly useless and obscure items, including several small exquisite iron bells. He also requested that all the items be forged with haste. As a result of his large purchase, Han Li had spent a considerable amount of silver, causing him to feel a slight heartache.

Several days later, Han Li received his order from the blacksmiths. Seeing the shining daggers and small exquisite bells, he was very satisfied. He showered the blacksmith with praise, knowing that his silver was not spent in vain.

That night, Han Li left his residence and disappeared without a trace. The only thing he left behind was a slip of paper on his bedside with the following words:

Elder Mo,

You need not worry, I did not run away and hide. I merely felt that being with you in the valley was far too stifling to cultivate the Eternal Spring Arts. For this reason, I decided to find a different secluded location in this mountain and enter closed door cultivation. Please be at ease. After four months, I will punctually return and meet with you.

With respect,

Han Li

Reading this out loud while sitting on his armchair, Doctor Mo grabbed the slip of paper in his left hand and quietly looked at it, his face still covered by dark clouds. On the side of the table, there was another note from the blacksmith, detailing Han Lis recent order.

At this moment, Doctor Mo lightly tapped the desk with a finger from his right hand.

Pu pu

No other sound echoed.

Suddenly, he coldly snorted. The paper in his hand turned to fine ash and drifted into the air.

He stood up unsteadily and paced around the room. Doctor Mo wrinkled his brow in contemplation. After pacing back and forth a few times, he stopped and said to himself, Little bastard, although I dont know what sly plan you have in mind, you will not escape the palm of my hand regardless of what trick you play. I need you too much to allow that to happen.

After he finished speaking, Doctor Mo suddenly turned around and walked to the window. A low and lengthy whistle left his mouth. Immediately after, a small and obscure yellow feathered bird flew into the window. It flew several circles around the room before landing on his shoulder.

A single small bird stood firm. It affectionately rubbed its beak against his face, letting out a melodious glulu.

Alright, I know youre hungry. Here, its your favorite Yellow Chestnut Pill.

Upon seeing the bird, Doctor Mos gloomy face revealed traces of a doting smile. From his pocket, he took out a yellow ball of bird feed and put it into the little birds mouth.

Go. It will be like before. Follow that person diligently. If he leaves the mountain range, return to me immediately. Doctor Mo spoke to it as if he were talking to a person.

Glulu. After finishing its meal, the little bird let out an excited coo and flew around the room. After hearing his words, it left through the window and its figure faded away into the sky.

Humph! Under the surveillance of the Cloud-Winged Bird, known to travel even faster than a flying arrow, I wonder what tricks you will pull, he said to himself sinisterly.

Four months? I will wait for the day of your arrival. It appears that my plan will be a success! Who would dare obstruct my progress? If they obstruct my plans, I will kill them! If a god hinders me, that god will die! If a Buddha hinders me, then that Buddha will die!

Hahahaha! Doctor Mo suddenly laughed wildly, his eyes filled with a crazed expression.

Chapter 40: Origin of the Secret Technique

Those who complained did not know that the Elder who created this particular sword art had a very deep and profound level of skill. However, his meridians were injured during a battle against another cultivator of Jiang Hu. As such, he had been unable to cultivate True Qi.

In order to protect his status in the sect, the Elder had kept the matter a secret. From then on, he acted mysteriously, pretending that he had overwhelming strength to deceive all of the members in the sect.

Ever since then, however, it had been undeniable that he lacked the ability to protect himself. He had to rely on wit and experience from that moment on, protecting himself through deception

That era was when the Seven Mysteries Sect stood at the height of its power.

When this Elder realized that his power would never recover, he became depressed and organized many covert raids on the smaller sects. He acted behind his superiors back by using deceptive schemes that hid his movements.

During the raids, he forcibly seized many secret martial arts manuals, hoping to find a top-level skill that he could cultivate without True Qi.

After many years of research, the Elder did indeed discover many mysterious techniques that didnt require True Qi. However, none of them suited him.

He was greatly depressed.

However, this Elder had talent and intelligence that far surpassed the norm. Suffering from depression and frustration, he decided to combine all the unfathomable martial techniques that he had discovered, thus creating his own set of top-tier skills.

Once the notion appeared in his mind, he was fully obsessed by it. He intended to create a special set of technique unique to himself. This was something that all martial artists aspired to do. With his full attention and effort, he threw himself wholeheartedly into research. Eventually, fearing distractions, he entered into closed-door meditation and did not bother himself with matters of the sect..

Creating a set of skills was an extremely difficult thing to do. Not to mention the fact that the skill he intended to create had to be a top-tier skill that did not require True Qi to execute.

Creating this unprecedented martial skill was a process filled with many hardships that vastly surpassed his expectations. However, his determination and willpower was beyond that of a normal human. After half a lifetimes worth of efforts that he expended over the course of ten years, he finally created his skill, the Blinking Sword Art.

That Elder was extremely excited, spreading the joyous news to his sect members. However, he discovered that the Seven Mysteries Sect had regressed tremendously and was now a shadow of its former self. The Seven Mysteries Sect been attacked and surrounded by an alliance of various sects, it could be wiped out at any moment.

The Elder was furious and alarmed upon hearing the news. Using the skill he had just created, he unleashed its godly might, killing many top tier opponents and terrifying those that remained. Under the encirclement of the various sects, he managed to slaughter a bloody path out to safety, creating immense merit for the Seven Mysteries Sect.

Regretfully, although the sect managed to avert the disaster, the Elder was at the brink of death. He could only pass on his newly created skill and place it in the Seven Supreme Hall, leaving it behind for the other disciples before he passed away.

What was even more regretful was that, even after all this years, none of the following generations had managed to successfully cultivate this particular skill other than Han Li. As a result, this bright pearl was hidden under the dust, never to see the light of the sun.

Han Li had no idea of the history behind the Blinking Sword Art. Even if he knew, he would not be moved. To him, as long as this particular sword art could allow him to protect his own life when he clashed against Doctor Mo, it was already sufficient. Why care about its history? Its creation process? Han Li had no interest in such mundane details. He was a practical man, Han Li would not be interested in spending his time and energy to understand things that had no benefits to him.

In his own residence, Han Li lit an oil lamp as he laid in front of the table. He repeatedly flipped through the pages of the manual underneath the candlelight.

He had no intentions of copying the manuals. What he was planned to do was to use his Eidetic Memory and memorise all the contents within the secret manuals. This way, he could always have the contents in his mind without arousing suspicions.

Regarding Doctor Mo, Han Li still maintained a high sense of alertness. He was not foolish enough to think that he would be safe because Doctor Mo had slackened his supervision. If Doctor Mo knew about all the secret manuals he had in his residence, wouldnt all his plans come to naught?

Under the dusky yellow light from the lamp, crackling sounds rang out, reminding Han Li that he had been studying for a long time and that it was time for him to get some rest.

However, Han Li had no intention of stopping. He fully immersed himself in the contents of the secret manuals, absorbing all the information they contained into his mind.

As the light popped, a shadow appeared on the wall and began to sway back and forth in the flickering light. Han Li continued to sit there, immersed in the sword manuals, and didnt budge an inch. His body contrasted sharply with this almost demonic shape, however, if one looked closely, he or she would see a sort of harmony between the two.

As time passed, the shadow behind Han Li became fuzzy as it slowly faded away into nothingness. Outside, dawn had broken.

Unknowingly, Han Li had spent an entire night studying.

Pa!

A soft sound rang out as the light from the lamp died out. Only then did Han Li come to his senses.

He lifted his head and looked at the oil lamp before glancing at the daylight that shone outside his residence. A bitter smile rose from the bottom of his heart.

To think that he had actually spent a day studying and researching killing techniques. He had truly changed from his former self.

Han Li lost himself in contemplation for a moment before standing up and stretching his body, causing cracking sounds to ring out. After doing so, he left his residence and went to collect a basin of cold water from the nearby well in order to wash himself. Han Li activated the Eternal Spring Arts, regaining his energy and causing all the fatigue from the previous night to melt away.

After a whole night of study and research, Han Li already knew that he had to fully understand the principles behind this set of martial arts techniques. If he did not practice it for at least eight to ten years, there was no way he would be able to master it. Even a genius would at least need two or three years in order to yield some results.

Time waits for no one!

Chapter 39 Abnormal Requirements.

Chapter 39: Abnormal Requirements

However, Han Li was quite unfamiliar with the voice of the other spy. He must have never met this person before. However, judging from the spys voice, his age must be relatively young, around 20 years old.

Unfortunately, in order to insure his own safety, Han Li didnt dare to steal a glance. He feared that these two men practiced martial skills that could detect his spying gaze, enabling them to be aware of nearby outsiders. The potential gains were not worth the potential losses.

After this slightly dangerous event, the trip after became quite safe.

Han Li finally returned home after his regular supper time.

As always, Doctor Mo mysteriously paid him a visit and gave him a glance that lacked any interest. Aside from delivering a few concocted medicines, he normally left Han Li to do as he wished.

Han Li seemed as if he had not noticed the medicines that Doctor Mo had delivered. They were all created from rare medicinal ingredients that were gathered from his previous expedition away from the mountain. Han Li believed that Doctor Mo had abandoned his expectations of him and had some other malevolent scheme prepared.

For now, Han Li completely disregarded the precious medicine Doctor Mo had delivered. But in order to avoid raising suspicion from Doctor Mo, he pinched his nose and swallowed it down.

He threw away any suspicion that the medicines were laced with poison. Currently, any harm Doctor Mo inflicted onto Han Li would only be hurting himself.

With regards to seeing the Feral Wolf Gang spies, Han Li thought of the best method to deal with them on the way back to his residence.

Although he wasnt deeply passionate towards the Seven Mysteries Sect, he was halfway to becoming an Inner Disciple. How could he possibly be impartial toward a harmful affair toward the Seven Mysteries Sect before his eyes and ignore it completely?

He had long thought of a best candidate to handle this matterLi Feiyu, the famous Senior Disciple Li.

According to Han Lis observation, perhaps the reason Li Feiyu consumed the Essence Extraction Pill was because he greatly valued being in the center of attention far greater than a common man and and possessed no small amount of ambition. He had always dreamed of entering the upper divisions of the Seven Mysteries Sect, further becoming the focus of attention.

Han Li had previously suspected that Li Feiyu probably thought he was in the last stage of his life, and thus he became even more frantic and hungry for fame.

If Han Li allowed Li Feiyu to perform a large contribution to the Seven Mysteries Sect, Li Feiyu would certainly be excited to no end. This way, Han Li would be able repay Li Feiyu for stealing the sword manuals.

Thinking of the Blinking Sword Art, Han Li felt a wave of emotion.

Han Li did not tell any lies regarding the Blinking Sword Art to his good friend. This sword art truly did not suit Li Feiyu. However, Han Li did not reveal many of the details.

An essential rule of survival was that one should always keep a few secrets, regardless of who they were being kept from.

Although Li Feiyu and Han Li seemed to have a close relationship, it was hardly exceptional.

However, the contents written in these secret manuals were quite different from common martial teachings.

It seemed to Han Li that, rather than to say it was a sword art, it would be more appropriate to call it sword ingenuity. It was a complete integration of weather, timing, favorable positioning, and secretive assassination techniques against all kinds of factors and people, such a skill was rarely seen. It was pure killing skill, as soon as the sword was drawn, death approached.

These books described different environments, times of day, and the utilization of diligently practiced secretive sword skills. There were all kinds of sure-kill techniques that would cut down an enemy in a single strike.

The manuals taught those that learned these sword skills to make use of every tree and strand of grass in the terrain, as well as light rays of all intensities and angles, in order to hinder the opponents vision. During the split second the opponent was weakened, the user would take advantage of it and kill them in an instant.

This was a mysterious technique that required much attention and skill to execute. Without the slightest talent, it would be impossible to understand this sword art.

Therefore, those who learned this mysterious technique must excel in the five senses. Their vision and hearing must far exceed that of an ordinary person by many levels if there were to be the promise of even the slightest results.

Even if they had the requirements to achieve that stage, there would inevitably be a few disciples who would covet the Blinking Sword Arts formidable power and choose to cultivate it immediately after reaching the minimum requirement.

However, mastering the sword art required an excessive amount of effort. In addition, it had even harsher requirements. Those who cultivated this mysterious technique could not possess pure inner strength. Otherwise, their body would suffer from complications when trying to execute the technique. This made cultivating the sword art quite difficult.

Even if someone with True Qi was lucky enough to succeed, if the True Qi in their body became too vigorous during actual combat, the sword maneuvers would unwittingly produce deformations. These deformities left large gaps for the opponent to take advantage of, thereby causing life-threatening calamities.

These requirements basically severed away the majority of those attempting to cultivate the technique. In Jiang Hu there was a common saying: To practice the fist and neglect skill will end with ones effort in futility.

To not practice inner strength was an enormous taboo. Anyone who would abandon their cultivation of True Qi and spread their name with ineffable sword swordplay would truly be the laughingstock of Jiang Hu.

Therefore, only the remaining few still had the intention to continue cultivating the technique.

However, even if those individuals had plenty of talent and had no problem with abandoning True Qi, the final difficult barrier would thoroughly dispel their intentions of continuing down this path.

The final obstacle was the excessively complex nature of the Blinking Sword Art and the painstaking memorization of the meticulous conditions in which each of the sword maneuvers within the sword manuals could be applied.

Seeing such a large pile of thick secret manuals would intimidate any average person at first glance.

Each sword manual represented a sword maneuver, and each sword maneuver could be broken into hundreds of sword forms. Every sword form must be carefully selected for different environments and different times of day. To fully master the Blinking Sword Arts, one had to make complete use of different techniques for every situation.

The tremendous quantity of sword skills, let alone cultivation, could make ones head ache. Not to mention that this further required the complete memorization and comprehension of every sword maneuver and sword form.

The previously mentioned abnormal requirements have obstructed an innumerable number of motivated disciples, making them endlessly curse in their heart at the Elder who had established this sword art.

With the passage of time, the Seven Mysteries Sect gradually lost interest in this sword technique. Believing it impossible for someone to train in this martial technique, many disciples thought that the Elder had baselessly and casually fabricated these martial teachings as he was facing deaths door. Otherwise, why would there be these excessive requirements? This was deliberately designed to be difficult for disciples that were unaware of how things stood. As a result, these secret manuals were put away on a shelf, no longer catching anyones interest.

Chapter 38: Encountering a Midnight Spy

Walking in the pitch black forest, Han Li heightened his senses. Ordinary humans wouldnt be able to clearly see the path in front of them, but for Han Li, it was as clear as day.

Despite his advantage, Han Li continued to be cautious. His caution was not honed by hunting ferocious wild beasts, but rather developed into a habit by hiding from Doctor Mo.

After the Seven Mysteries Sect relocated to the Rainbow Celestial Mountains, the beasts and creatures inhabiting the mountains and forests were eradicated in order to ensure the safety of the sect members. In addition to the ferocious beasts, even normal wild animals, such as the venomous snakes, had been hunted and turned into food for the disciples.

Han Lis vigilance was not a part of his natural personality. He had developed it after experiencing Doctor Mos schemes so that he could prevent any unwanted dangers.

The mountains bone-chilling wind got stronger and stronger, giving off a shrill sound that caused his hair to stand on end. The distant Han Li, upon sensing the wind, hastened his pace as he stepped across the boundary that marked the edge of the forest.

He lightly sighed. Walking alone in this pitch dark made his heart grow heavy. Han Li quickened his pace once more, increasing his stride in order to leave the forest as soon as possible. All of a sudden, a strong gust of wind blew towards him.

After enduring the strong gust of wind, Han Li paused as if he had discovered something bizarre. He furrowed his brows and tilted his neck, as if he was trying to listen for something.

Han Lis expression quickly turned serious. He heard the sound of footsteps echoing in the distance. Although the footsteps were extremely light and the owners of the footsteps were far away from him, Han Li could determine that there were two individuals rushing closer towards his direction.

He lightly lept away and hid himself in the forest next to the mountain path without making a single sound.

There was a large tree about thirty meters away from the path. Han Li hid himself behind the tree, curling himself into a ball. If one were to examine the tree from the front, he or she would not be able to find any traces of Han Li.

It was only after finding a good hiding spot that Han Li gradually began to calm down.

This time, Han Li was not being overly sensitive, there was something truly strange going on. It was highly illogical for two people to prowl around a remote location in the middle of the night. Han Li was eighty percent positive that the two mysterious figures were hiding something fishy up their sleeves. freewenovl.co

Han Li did not want the mysterious figures to kill him for discovering their secret, even if he did so by accident.

However, if there were no dangers facing Han Li, then there would be no problem for him to eavesdrop on their secrets. Han Li was no hypocrite, he merely understood that if good fortune delivered itself to his doorstep, he would be a fool not to take advantage of it.

…Descending the mountains… arrange well….time..people….Commander….

Waves of low-sounding voices drifted over from far away. At this moment, the mountain wind was blowing extremely strongly. As a result, most of the words had been scattered by the wind, leaving only a small portion of the conversation that made its way into Han Lis ears.

Han Li was astounded to think that he had managed to discover a portion of their secret. In this region, the only person with the title of Commander was the Golden Wolf Jia Tianlong from the Feral Wolf Gang. This person had great enmity with the Seven Mysteries Sect. Now that Han Li had heard his name in this remote location, it provided much food for thought.

Jia Tianlong was a ruthless, blood-drinking demonic figure in the eyes of the Seven Mysteries Sects disciples. Rumors told that he was a broad-shouldered man with a fat waist, long teeth, and a livid face. He supposedly ate human flesh and drank human blood three times a day. Many of the Seven Mysteries Sects junior disciples were frightened out of their wits just by hearing the rumors of such a devilish figure.

However, according to Li Feiyu, the rumors were far from the truth. Contrary to the rumors, Jia Tianlong was skinny and weak with exquisite facial features. He was quite young, in his early thirties. The rumors regarding how he ruthlessly killed people, however, were true. Jia Tianlong could not be judged by his appearance. After all, based on his facial features alone, no one would expect him to be able to control the other members of the gang.

Han Li gathered his thoughts as he tried to remember all that he knew about Jia Tianlong. Sucking in a cold breath, he curled up even tighter, trying to lower the sound of his breathing.

…this time…. steal….list of names….kill….

Another part of the conversation drifted over, clearer than before. The two mysterious figures were getting closer and closer to Han Li

Han Li did not even dare to breathe loudly. He knew that if he were to be discovered now, only death would await him. The two of them were likely spies from the Feral Wolf Gang, and they would definitely not let an outsider know of their secret.

….Plan…must…not….quickly…

Gradually, the voices of these two mysterious figures got even lower. It seemed like they had reached the crux of their discussion, which meant that they were about to reveal the most crucial information.

After a short moment, the voices got louder again, but Han Li could not hear them clearly, he could only hear the sound of the mountain wind blowing through. The outlines of these two mysterious figures passed by Han Li and gradually disappeared into the distance.

Han Li still did not dare to make any movements for a long period of time. Only after activating the Eternal Spring Arts and determining that there was no one near him in a thirty meter radius did he slowly reveal himself.

This time around, he had avoided certain death. Luckily for him, he managed to discover the movements of these two spies early on. If Han Li had met them face to face, he would surely have been killed to protect their secret. Even worse, based on his own martial skills, he did not even have a single shred of hope that he would survive such a confrontation.

Han Li stood motionlessly at the same location. Lost in his thoughts, his fingers lightly rubbed his chin while he gazed at the direction where the two spies had disappeared.

From the fragments of the secret conversation he heard, he could gauge that in the near future, the Feral Wolf Gang would undertake some action that would prove greatly detrimental to the Seven Mysteries Sect. There was a high probability that this action would have a close connection with the list of names that was previously mentioned.

What surprised him the most was that Han Li had already identified the identity of one of the figures despite of not being able to see their facial features. Even though the two mysterious figures had not spoken much, Han Li could match one of their low voices to the kitchen steward on the mountain of the Seven Mysteries Sect.

The steward, who had sold rabbits to Han Li back then, gave him a low impression. He had a mustache and an ignorant face, and he loved to take advantage of others. To think that he was actually a spy from the Feral Wolf Gang once again reminded Han Li that one could never be too cautious.

But reflecting back upon it, this was something to be expected. Only with a position such as a kitchen steward could a spy been able to enter and leave the mountains and pass along any news that he or she had obtained without arousing any suspicions.

Chapter 37 Three Restrictions for Cultivation.

Chapter 37: Three Restrictions for Cultivation

The crisp sound of pages flipping was pleasant to Han Lis ears.

However, Li Feiyu hated that sound.

He ignored Han Li, who was concentrating on reading, and walked towards the mountain spring. He pulled out a long saber from the mud and started practicing.

Han Li glanced over at him. Seeing his friends overwhelming energy, Han Li stopped paying attention to Li Feiyus movements and shifted his concentration back to the book in his hands.

Han Li could read at a shocking speed of ten lines per glance. He quickly finished the thick book and grabbed another book without even lifting his head to look.

He kept his eyes partly closed while reading, showing a pensive expression from time to time. His eyes were glued to the books pages and unwilling to detach themselves for just a single moment. The way that his head followed his gaze and moved back and forth gave him the appearance of an elegant intellectual.

As time flew by, Han Li rapidly browsed through the Blinking Sword Arts many manuals.

When he finished reading the eleventh manual, he suddenly stopped and threw the book back in his bag.

He closed his eyes to rest for a little bit.

Once he felt better, he sat down cross-legged and started cultivating the Eternal Spring Arts, striving to comprehend all the information he had just read.

Han Lis facial expression shifted back and forth from excited and lively to serious and dispirited.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Han Li finally opened his eyes and was shocked by what he saw in front of him.

He didnt realize that Li Feiyu had sneaked up so close to his face while his eyes had been closed. Li Feiyu was in such close proximity that their noses had almost touched.

What are you doing? Arent you supposed to be practicing with your saber?

Junior Disciple Han, cant see you what time it is right now? Youre asking a stupid question. Li Feiyu pulled back his body and twitched his lips.

Han Li realized just then that the sunlight had dimmed.

He lifted his head and looked up. The sky was currently a blueish-grey colour, which meant that it was already evening.

Cough! Time has really flown by while I was cultivating. I didnt notice that it was this late already.

Han Li stood up and moved around a little bit.

So? Did you find anything interesting in the book? Li Feiyu looked at Han Li passionately, hoping that Han Li could tell him about the Blinking Sword Art.

Hmm, its not bad. I think this technique will suit me.

Huh?! What do you mean not bad? Tell me the actual truth, said Li Feiyu in a slightly dissatisfied tone.

Specifically, these rare books are a combination of different techniques. In other words, there is no full set in here. They have all been pieced together from different martial arts styles, Han Li slowly explained.

Then what is the meaning of the name Blinking Sword Art? Is it even an actual sword art? Why is the name so strange? Li Feiyu was still unsatisfied by Han Lis response, so he kept asking questions.

Blinking Sword Art actually exists, but the manuals that pertain to it are only a small portion within the big mash up, Han Li said with patience.

As for the name of the Blinking Sword Art, there is a special reason for it.

What reason? Why cant you say it all at once? Stop talking sentence by sentence, you are just like the old people in town. Li Feiyu glared at Han Li, he couldnt stand Han Lis slow explanation.

At Li Feiyus urging, Han Li couldnt do anything else but speed up his clarification.

According to the books, this sword art manipulates light to affect the opponents eyesight, thereby giving the user a chance to land a decisive blow. It often makes your opponents lose their lives the moment they blink, hence the name Blinking Sword Art.

There is actually such a strange sword art? There are quite a few eccentric martial artists in this world! Li Feiyu showed a lot of interest after listening, but quieted right after Han Lis next sentence.

This sword art has three restrictions. It cannot be practiced by those have cultivated True Qi, those who lack perseverance, or lastly, those without talent.

When Li Feiyu heard the first requirement, he immediately gave up on cultivating the sword art. His True Qi was already at trained to a formidable stage. There was no way that he would be willing to disable his own internal strength to practice this new skill, which he knew next to nothing about.

Since he had completely lost interest in the rare books, Li Feiyu didnt want to stay there any longer.

He stood up and was getting ready to leave, but before he left, he warned Han Li to copy the rare books as soon as possible so he could bring back all the original copies when they next met. Even though these rare books werent valued very much by other people, but if they disappear for a long time, it would still attract attention.

Not long after Li Feiyu left, Han Li left the place as well.

The whole landscape of the mountainous region was covered by layers of fog, causing it to be slightly dark. A forest of thistles grew on both sides of the narrow mountain paths. When a gust of mountain wind blew through the forest, a hua lala sound would be emitted. The leaves on the branches on both side of the path would flutter about frenziedly, akin to bared fangs and dancing claws.

On the somewhat seemingly sinister mountain road, Han Li rushed toward God Hand Valley.

Because he left mountain when the sun was beginning to dim, the sky was completely dark by the time he walked halfway to the valley.

If it hadnt been for his Eternal Spring Arts, which sharpened his night vision, Han Li wouldnt have been able to rush down the mountain in this dark environment. After all, this small road was not well tread. The road was filled with dangerously placed twists and turns. If one were not careful, an accident was likely to occur, thereby claiming his or her fragile life.

Chapter 36 Shocked.

Chapter 36: Shocked

Seeing that Han Li became furious, Li Feiyu did not get angry. Instead, Li Feiyu remained indifferent.

He tilted his head, stuck his pinky into his ear, and concentrated on cleaning his ear. Han Lis reaction was an appropriate and expected one.

After Han Li had vented his anger, he saw that Li Feiyu remained as brazen as a city wall, almost as if he had not heard any of Han Lis remarks. Han Li calmed down, sensing that something was off.

You are not a fool, nor are you an egomaniac. You wouldnt do anything that would get yourself killed. You must tell me what your reason was behind such a reckless action right now, Han Li gravely demanded.

Li Feiyu, seeing that Han Lis anger was quickly being replaced once again by reason, felt somewhat regretful. He assumed a wronged and pitiful appearance and repeatedly complained of this injustice by shouting, Heavens! Im being wrongly accused!

A moment ago, I was actually about to give you an explanation, but you didnt even give me a chance to open my mouth!

Now youre complaining about me, am I truly no longer a person in your eyes!?

This kind of whining was obviously fake. Anyone who took a quick glance at this farce would feel annoyed after seeing through the act.

Han Li also could not help but think of taking advantage of the situation and stepped forward, fiercely kicking Li Feiyu, who was resembling a sh!t-eating dog.

Give me less acting and more explaining. Quickly!

You scoundrel. If the junior disciples that admire you see your lazy appearance, your image as a powerful and confident fighter would be completely shattered. Han Li gave him a bit of a mocking expression.

Han Li currently had no time to vent his anger and argue with Li Feiyu. If this secret exchange was not handled well, the two of them would face enormous consequences.

Li Feiyu seemed to realize what Han Li was thinking at this moment and no longer ridiculed or denounced him. Rather, he lazily walked over to the bundle and picked up a rare book.

After standing up straight, his face had a mysterious radiance. With a smile that was simultaneously not a genuine smile, he handed the book over to Han Li. Afterwards, signalling with his eyes, Li Feiyu beckoned Han Li to look at the books cover.

Han Li reached out with his hand to receive the very thin and rare book, giving Li Feiyu a look filled with doubt.

He was at a bit of a loss, not knowing what sort of crafty scheme Li Feiyu was plotting.

Open it and take a look for yourself. If you do, youll understand everything. Li Feiyu deliberately used a mysterious tone in order to coax Han Li into examining the book.

What, you cant say it outright? Whats the point of trying to keep it a mystery?

Although hesitation was evident on Han Lis face, he flipped through the pages of the book.

He opened the cover, revealing the first page of the rare manual. The top of the page, neatly written in black and white, were three large words: Blinking Sword Art.

En! Han Li was slightly astounded.

Han Li was astonished that the first book Li Feiyu had given to him was exactly what he desired.

Dont lose your focus. Come and see the rest of the books. Li Feiyu tossed over a few nearby rare manuals in succession.

Han Li caught the books one by one and was completely stunned after quickly skimming through their entirety..

All of their titles were clearly written with black and white characters: Blinking Sword Art.

Only after a long while had passed did Han Li lift his gaze from the books in his hands.

Pointing his finger at the large pile of secret manuals on the ground, Han Li asked stammeringly, You… you cannot possibly tell me… that these…. these… these are all manuals for Blinking Sword Art!

I am very sorry, Junior Disciple Han. You have indeed guessed correctly. Li Feiyu shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands, his face wearing an expression of helplessness.

Although Li Feiyu seemed apologetic, his feelings did not coincide with his words. The corner of his mouth rose faintly as he derived pleasure from Han Lis frustration.

This is impossible! There are almost a hundred books here, so how could all of these possibly be manuals for Blinking Sword Art? Unable to stomach Li Feiyus cheap tricks, Han Li questioned Li Feiyu because he was filled with great doubt.

Youre asking me? Who was I even supposed ask in order to verify that they were the right manuals without getting caught?

I was at the corner of the Seven Supreme Divisions library when I suddenly came upon so many rare manuals sharing the same name. I, too, was shocked! Li Feiyu rolled his eyes and mumbled to himself, giving off the appearance of having lingering trauma.

Soon after, he saw Han Lis dumbfounded expression and couldnt help but laugh heartily.

Li Feiyu would later say that seeing Han Li suffer such a shock was indeed a rare and impressive sight.

Ordinarily, Han Lis face was always calm and composed, as if he always had a card up his sleeve. For Han Li to be shocked was near impossible.

At this moment, Han Li had such a numb, foolish look that made Li Feiyu feel that these past few days had been well worth the taxing effort.

After a moment, Han Li had at last cleared his mind.

He tightly grabbed several books with his hands and lowered his head, deep in thought. Then, with a thought, he looked up and asked neither slowly nor rushed, Did you count how many manuals were in the bundle?

In total, how many manuals did you bring? Han Li once again asked.

Naturally, I counted the manuals multiple times. Altogether, there are seventy four books, all with the same name. Li Feiyu immediately replied, without any hesitation.

If we dont know the exact quantity of manuals and fail to return one or two books, we might draw ourselves unwanted attention, which might prove troublesome, Han Li immediately explained.

He softly pinched the somewhat yellow pages, slowly turning them over as he carefully skimmed one of the secret manuals in his hand.

Chapter 35: Theft of Secret Manuals

On an afternoon ten days after their agreement, Han Li sneaked out of God Hand Valley in order to meet Li Feiyu.

In actuality, Han Li couldnt have snuck out even if he tried. Doctor Mo was aware of Han Lis every movement and simply let Han Li move with unrestricted freedom.

The amount of freedom he was granted initially caused Han Li to be suspicious of Doctor Mos intentions, but after leaving the valley several times without detecting any signs of his movements being tracked, Han Li began to feel relieved. Reassured, he continued to carry out his own plans within God Hand Valley.

After a long period of deliberation, Han Li gradually deduced the reason why Doctor Mo granted him so much freedom:

Doctor Mo had been patient and accommodated Han Lis needs because it was in his best interest to do so.

Although Doctor Mo used his two trumpcards, the Insect Corpse Pill as well as the lives of his family, to threaten Han Li, he knew that such methods would not be able to fully control his disciple. Han Li would only feel vengeance in his heart, thus causing his cultivation progress to be half-hearted. Therefore, if Doctor Mo did not restrict Han Lis freedom, Han Li would no longer feel as oppressed or have a shadow over his heart. After all, even though Doctor Mo wanted Han Li to cultivate the Eternal Spring Arts, there was no way he could tie Han Li up and forced him to cultivate at knifepoint.

After Han Li deduced the reason, his guts got bigger and bigger. In the past, he would try his best to sneak out of the valley, without alerting Doctor Mo. But now, he would just swaggering walk out of the valley.

On the surface, Han Li seemed not to be affected by Doctor Mos hidden surveillance, but in reality, he was extremely cautious to not reveal what he was scheming..

After he walked out of the valley, Han Li activated his Eternal Spring Arts, causing his perception to rise to an unearthly level. His heightened perception could accurately register any living being within a radius of about thirty meters.

Han Li believed that even if Doctor Mo was secretly watching him, there was no way Doctor Mo could escape from being detected.

Although Han Li knew that it was impossible for him to win in a direct confrontation against Doctor Mo, he was confident that his five senses surpassed Doctor Mos own senses.

After walking for some time, Han Li cautiously entered their previous hiding spot where he and Li Feiyu had enjoyed the refreshing bath earlier.

The moment he entered, Han Li noticed that Li Feiyu had already arrived and was sitting next to the pond.

Li Feiyu had lowered his head, observing his bare legs soaking in the cooling water pond. Pu tong Pu tong He kicked his legs above the surface of the water, causing the pond to be disturbed by small waves. Li Feiyu lost himself in the excitement of his unusually childish actions.

When Li Feiyu heard the sound of Han Li entering, he did not even turn his head and complained straight away. Junior Disciple Han, you are getting more and more late to our meetings, making me wait more than half a day every time. Cant you try to arrive earlier?

Sorry, I… Han Li flicked the mud stains off his robes as he tried to explain more.

Catch this.

Li Feiyu did not wait for Han Li to finish his explanations before tossing a large bundle towards him.

What is this? Is this something delicious? Han Li asked, but after grabbing the bundle, he could feel the hard and unyielding objects stored inside. They didnt seem like food that could be eaten.

You only know how to eat! Didnt you want me to get for you the manual for Blinking Sword Art? Li Feiyu glared at Han Li.

What? This is a sword manual? Are you sure you are not mistaken? Did you accidentally grab a stone from your backyard? Han Li hoist up the huge bundle. An expression of disbelief could be seen in his face.

So heavy! Han Li exerted his strength to hoist the bundle, but it was so heavy that he fell over.

HAHA! Li Feiyu began to laugh wildly, unable to suppress it any longer. He rolled on the ground, laughing his ass off in childish glee.

Han Li suspiciously glanced at Li Feiyu before staring at the huge bundle once again.

Peng!

A sound rang out as he kicked the huge bundle. It seemed like there really was a book wrapped inside.

No longer paying attention to Li Feiyu, he squatted besides the large bundle and used his hands to feel what was inside.

He quickly stopped. Wasting time to guess the contents of the bundle was an extremely foolish action.

A pair of clean, white palms grasped the complicated knot of the bundle. Using all of his fingers, he forced the knot open.

Pa pow!

The crisp sound of clapping hands rang out.

Han Li did not immediately opened the bundle. Instead, he turned his head and stared at his evil, laughing friend, Li Feiyu.

It was unknown when, but Li Feiyu had already stopped laughing and put on his shoes.

Currently, he was furiously clapping his hands while cheering for Han Li, oblivious to the pain from his red-tinged palms.

Excellent! Every time I see you execute the Silk Wrapping Palms, I find it incredible. That technique seems to have been designed for you alone! Since the time that I taught to you, only a span of two months has passed. Li Feiyu continued clapping his hands and praising Han Li.

Dont tell me that in order to see me demonstrating that technique, you purposely tied a convoluted knot on such a large bundle? asked Han Li, slightly agitated.

Of course not. Once you open the bundle, youll understand. Li Feiyu smiling countenance suddenly turned serious.

Curious and bewildered as to why Li Feiyu would suddenly speak with such a tone, Han Li cast his gaze onto the bundle once more.

He deliberated for a moment before stretching his index finger and middle finger, lightly grasping the edge of the item inside the bundle, and dragging the hidden item out in the open.

This is… Beads of sweat appeared on Han Li head as his two eyes almost popped out of their socket

How is it? Are you shocked? Li Feiyu slowly walked towards Han Li, patting him on his shoulder.

At a loss for words, Han Li stiffly turned his body, and looked straight at Li Feiyu.

Why are you looking at me with that expression? Theres no way Ill marry you, alright? Li Feiyu laughingly teased Han Li.

After hearing Li Feiyus words, Han Li cleared his mind.

I want to make it clear between us! From this moment on, I dont know you, nor have you met me before. Han Lis voice got louder in intensity as he roared furiously.

I dont know if my vision is blurry or if youve gone insane! You actually stole half of the Seven Supreme Divisions secret manuals?! If youre discovered, both of us will suffer a fate worse than death! As he hollered at Li Feiyu, Han Li pointed his finger at the pile of secret manuals in front of him.

On the top left hand corner of the manuals were several characters written in gold:

Seven Supreme Division, Secret Library