The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 21: Painkiller

Senior Apprentice Li's eyelids trembled slightly, revealing the intense internal struggle he was going through.

After a short while, his tightly shut eyes opened, and he stared fixedly at the pill in Han Li's hand, his gaze filled with fervor.

Han Li said nothing more and pushed the pill into his mouth, watching as he swallowed it dry with his saliva. Only then did Han Li gently remove the silver needles one by one from his body.

After all the needles were taken out, the effects of the pill began to take hold. Senior Apprentice Li's pale complexion flushed with an unnatural redness, and his entire face gradually turned a deep crimson. His body began to convulse again, his limbs trembling, and low groans escaped from his mouth.

It was clear that he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Han Li, so he tried to suppress his voice as much as possible. However, the inhuman pain forced him to let out a roar.

Senior Apprentice Li's roars grew louder, and his body shook even more violently. After a long time, his cries gradually subsided until they completely disappeared.

His complexion began to return to normal, and his body stopped convulsing. It seemed he had endured the most painful phase.

Senior Apprentice Li slowly straightened his body, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes again, sitting still as he began to meditate and regulate his Qi. Han Li found a clean rock nearby and casually sat down, watching as he worked to restore his Origin Qi.

After the time it took to finish a meal, Senior Apprentice Li suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed the long saber beside him, and leapt to his feet. With a forceful swing of his arm, a flash of blade light appeared, and the gleaming edge of the saber was now pressed against Han Li's neck.

"Give me a reason not to kill you!" Senior Apprentice Li's eyes were cold and filled with killing intent.

"I just saved your life. Does that count as a reason?" Han Li's expression remained unchanged, though a slight twitch of his eyebrow could be seen if one looked closely.

Senior Apprentice Li's expression softened slightly, but he still glared fiercely at Han Li.

"Before I saved you, I already knew you might kill me to keep your secret. I just didn’t expect you to act so quickly." Han Li finally let out a bitter laugh, a hint of self-mockery on his face.

"Even though I knew saving you would bring me trouble, I couldn’t stand by and do nothing since I’ve studied medicine." Han Li sighed.

Upon hearing this, Senior Apprentice Li's face showed a trace of embarrassment. The blade moved slightly away from Han Li's neck, but it wasn’t completely removed.

Han Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone became even calmer.

"You don’t need to worry about me revealing your secrets. It’s clear I’m not the talkative type. If you’re still uneasy, I can swear a blood oath. You can see I’m not skilled in martial arts, so if I break the oath, you can easily kill me." Han Li calmly proposed.

"Swear the oath, then," Senior Apprentice Li said bluntly.However, Han Li finally let go of his worries. Although he had observed Senior Apprentice Li's demeanor before treating him and felt that he wasn't an ungrateful or cruel person, this wasn't entirely certain. If he turned out to be a villain who repaid kindness with malice, Han Li would have no choice but to resort to his only means of self-defense.

With this thought, Han Li quietly moved his finger away from a small iron tube hidden in his sleeve.

After Han Li solemnly swore a severe oath, Senior Apprentice Li finally sheathed his long saber.

Han Li touched his neck, where the sharp blade had left a shallow cut. It felt sticky, and he noticed his back was cold, likely drenched in cold sweat.

"That was really close! I didn't think things through enough. I must learn from this experience and never do such thankless and foolish things again. Whether others live or die is their own business—what does it have to do with me?" Han Li thought with lingering fear.

"Without sufficient benefits and absolute certainty, I will never save anyone again," he firmly resolved in his heart.

The negative consequences of Han Li's first attempt at saving someone directly led to his habit of never acting without personal gain. His once somewhat simple and honest nature was completely abandoned. Although he didn't become a villain, he was far from being kind and virtuous.

"Your Excellency saved my life and promised to keep my secret. I, Li Feiyu, owe you a great debt. As long as I live, if you ever need my help, come to me. Whatever I can do, I will help you," Senior Apprentice Li said earnestly, having fully regained his composure. After collecting the items Han Li had searched and placed on the ground, he approached Han Li and made this promise.

"I doubt I'll have any need to trouble you, but it seems you have plenty of troubles yourself, don't you?" Han Li smiled slightly and countered.

"How did you know?" Li Feiyu was taken aback, clearly surprised.

"Anyone could guess. You're just an ordinary Protector Disciple, yet you've surpassed a large number of hall masters, elders, and even the Sect Leader's beloved disciples. How could they let you live peacefully?" Han Li pointed out bluntly.

Li Feiyu's expression darkened, and he remained silent for a while.

"I don't want to meddle in your affairs, nor can I. However, I can help alleviate some of the pain caused by the Marrow Extraction Pill you've been taking."

"Really?" Li Feiyu's spirits lifted, and the gloom on his face vanished, replaced by joy. It seemed the pain from the Marrow Extraction Pill had been tormenting him greatly.

"Why would I lie to you?" Han Li shot Li Feiyu a glance. He indeed had a prescription to reduce pain, which he had developed during his free time specifically for Zhang Tie. It significantly dulled the body's perception of pain and was highly effective.

"This is wonderful! Truly wonderful!" Li Feiyu rubbed his hands together excitedly, his eyes fixed eagerly on Han Li.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I don't have the medicine on me right now. I need to return to the Valley of Divine Hands to prepare it before it's ready."

Upon hearing this, Li Feiyu felt a bit embarrassed. He had just threatened Han Li with a saber, and now he was asking him to prepare medicine."Tomorrow at noon, come wait for me at the entrance of the Valley of Divine Hands. I'll prepare the medicine and bring it to you. Doctor Mo isn't home right now, so it's not appropriate for me to let outsiders enter the valley casually," Han Li said slowly.

"Alright, I'll be there on time. Thank you so much, brother," Li Feiyu quickly agreed, fearing that Han Li might change his mind.

"My name is Han Li, and I am Doctor Mo's personal disciple. Since your martial arts are so advanced, you can call me Junior Brother Han."

Hearing Li Feiyu use such an affectionate term as "brother," Han Li hurriedly introduced himself to avoid any more overly intimate titles from being uttered.

(End of Chapter)