The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 15: Four Years Later

Doctor Mo was quite satisfied that Han Li could devote all his time to cultivation.

However, he still found Han Li's progress in the nameless chant to be too slow.

In recent years, Doctor Mo's illness seemed to have worsened. The frequency of his coughing had increased, and the duration of each coughing fit had also lengthened.

As his physical condition deteriorated, Doctor Mo appeared to be even more concerned about Han Li's cultivation progress. From his repeated reminders, one could sense the urgency in his heart.

Doctor Mo seemed to place great importance on Han Li. Not only did he give Han Li much more silver than the average disciple as agreed, but the way he looked at Han Li was also quite peculiar, as if he were gazing at a rare treasure, cherishing it immensely.

However, Han Li, who had reached the third layer of the chant, had become extremely perceptive. He inadvertently noticed that behind these affectionate and caring gazes, there was occasionally a hint of greed and desire that made Han Li uneasy.

These expressions sent shivers down Han Li's spine. He couldn't help but feel that when Doctor Mo revealed these emotions, he wasn't looking at a living person but rather at an object.

This left Han Li somewhat puzzled. What could he possibly have that Doctor Mo desired?

Of course, nothing. He answered himself with certainty.

Han Li sometimes even thought that he might be overreacting due to his intense training, secretly criticizing Doctor Mo, which felt somewhat ungrateful.

Yet, for reasons he couldn't explain, deep within the most hidden part of his heart, he still harbored a sense of caution toward Doctor Mo. And as time passed, this sense of caution only grew stronger.

Now, a significant problem had arisen before Han Li. He had encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation, and to make matters worse, after years of extensive training and consuming medicine, the precious drugs in Doctor Mo's possession had been completely depleted.

It was clear that Han Li was no prodigy. Without the aid of medicine, his cultivation progress had come to a complete halt.

This made Han Li feel deeply ashamed when facing Doctor Mo.

Doctor Mo had poured all his effort and resources into Han Li, creating the best possible conditions for his cultivation, yet Han Li was unable to meet his expectations.

This made it difficult for Han Li to face Doctor Mo, especially when confronted with his constant eager inquiries.

Strangely, for some reason, Doctor Mo, who was highly skilled in martial arts, couldn't discern the details of Han Li's cultivation. He could only get a rough idea of Han Li's progress by taking his pulse, so he remained unaware of the predicament Han Li was facing.

Not long ago, the uneasy Han Li finally confessed his cultivation situation to Doctor Mo.

Upon hearing that Han Li hadn't made any progress in the chant for a year, Doctor Mo's sallow complexion turned pale, and his usually expressionless face became even more grim.

Doctor Mo didn't reprimand him. Instead, he told Han Li that he would be leaving the mountain for a while to gather some medicinal herbs. He instructed Han Li to continue his training diligently and not to slack off in his chant practice.

Two days later, Doctor Mo left the Seven Mysteries Sect alone, carrying his luggage and herb-gathering tools.

After his departure, the entire Valley of Divine Hands was left with only Han Li.Another Senior Brother and close friend, Zhang Tie, suddenly disappeared two years ago after mastering the third layer of the "Elephant Armor Skill." He left only a farewell letter stating his intention to venture into the Jianghu, which caused quite a stir within the Seven Mysteries Sect. Later, it was said that Doctor Mo intervened to plead on his behalf, preventing any repercussions from falling on his recommender or family relatives. This sudden turn of events left Han Li feeling deeply saddened for several days. Upon further reflection, he began to sense that something was amiss, but being young and of little influence, no one sought his opinion, and the matter was eventually forgotten. Han Li later speculated that Zhang Tie might have fled out of fear of the challenges posed by the fourth layer of the "Elephant Armor Skill."

After several days of training in the valley with little to show for it, and driven by the restlessness of youth, Han Li decided to leave the Valley of Divine Hands and wander around Rainbow Cloud Mountain.

As he walked along the familiar yet somewhat foreign mountain paths, a sense of nostalgia washed over him.

Over the past few years, in his pursuit of martial arts, Han Li had been confined to the small valley, never once stepping outside.

He guessed that his fellow disciples outside had long since forgotten about him.

On the road, he encountered some patrolling disciples who, upon seeing him dressed in the sect's attire but with an unfamiliar face, approached him with suspicion. It took a great deal of explanation before he was allowed to continue on his way.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Han Li chose to take only the narrow, secluded paths, steering clear of crowded areas.

As expected, he encountered no further interruptions, allowing him to wander freely and enjoy the journey.

The beauty of the scenery, so different from that of the valley, and the chirping of various birds, momentarily lifted all his worries from his mind.

Suddenly, the faint sounds of clashing weapons, along with the shouts and cheers of a crowd, drifted up from a hidden cliffside.

Such a remote place! So many people gathered together! And such intense commotion!

Han Li's curiosity was piqued, and no longer fearing inquiries, he followed the sounds of the fight to the vicinity of the cliff.

What a spectacle! He was momentarily stunned and taken aback.

Beneath the cliff, completely obscured by trees, over a hundred people were gathered, filling the small area to the brim. Even on the branches of several larger trees nearby, a few individuals stood, watching intently.

Within the circle formed by the crowd, two groups stood in a hostile standoff.

The group on the left was larger, with eleven or twelve people, while the one on the right was smaller, with six or seven.

Han Li noticed that all these people, whether spectators or participants, were around his age, in their teens.

A faint smile appeared on Han Li's face. What a coincidence!

Among the crowd, he easily recognized several familiar faces.

"Wan Jinbao, Zhang Dalu, Ma Yun, Sun Lisong... Huh! Wang Da Pang has gotten even fatter, truly living up to his family's profession as chefs—well-fed and well-cared for! And this person, is that Liu Tietou? Tsk! Tsk! The once dark and sooty fellow has turned into a fair-skinned lad!" Han Li climbed onto a tree and began calling out the names of the familiar faces below.

(End of Chapter)