The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 29: The Conflict Begins

Doctor Mo's face was expressionless, his eyes half-closed, and one hand firmly grasped Han Li's wrist.

All his focus was concentrated on the strength of the True Qi within Han Li's body, and he remained silent for a long while.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he finally let out a deep breath, as if expelling all the frustration in his heart. His eyes suddenly opened, and a sharp glint shot out from his cloudy gaze, making it difficult for anyone to meet his eyes.

His face was gloomy. It was clear that he was dissatisfied with Han Li, yet he still refrained from uttering any words of reprimand.

With a cold wave of his hand, he signaled for Han Li to follow him.

Han Li obediently trailed behind him. Although he was curious about the mysterious figure nearby, he knew now was not the time to ask questions casually.

After entering the room, Doctor Mo sat down wearily on the armchair, his back pressed tightly against the rest, half-sitting and half-lying. The sharp glint in his eyes had faded, and he returned to the appearance of someone long afflicted by illness.

The mysterious figure had been following closely behind him, never leaving his side. After Doctor Mo sat down, the figure stood straight behind the chair, motionless.

Han Li knew that Doctor Mo was in a bad mood and didn’t want to provoke him by speaking first. So, imitating the mysterious figure, he walked to the center of the room, faced Doctor Mo, and lowered his head, wisely refraining from any unnecessary movements as he waited for the other to speak.

After a long while, still no one spoke. Han Li grew curious and couldn’t hold back any longer. He quietly tried to raise his head to steal a glance at Doctor Mo.

"If you want to look, then look. Why sneak around?" Just as he had raised his neck halfway, Doctor Mo's cold and stern voice rang out.

Han Li’s body stiffened for a moment, but then he obediently raised his head. His eyes wandered over Doctor Mo’s face a few times before quickly retreating.

Han Li’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart was in turmoil, churning like a stormy sea.

Doctor Mo’s face had suddenly become so strange. His somewhat ashen complexion was faintly covered with a layer of dark mist, which seemed alive, extending countless tiny tendrils that danced wildly across his face. What shocked Han Li even more was that Doctor Mo, who had always been rigid in demeanor, now wore a fierce and resolute expression. He was staring at Han Li with a malicious gaze, a mocking sneer curling at the corners of his mouth.

Han Li felt that something was amiss. A sense of unease crept into his heart, and a dangerous aura began to permeate the room.

Alert and cautious, he took half a step back, his hand slipping into his sleeve to grasp a hidden iron tube. Only then did his tense nerves relax slightly. At that moment, a low, mocking voice from Doctor Mo reached his ears.

"Do you think a little cleverness is enough to show off?"

Doctor Mo moved. In an eerie manner, he shifted from his half-reclined position to standing upright. With a sinister smile, his figure flickered, and he appeared beside Han Li like a ghost, letting out a cold chuckle.

Han Li’s face turned pale as he realized the situation had taken a turn for the worse. He hurriedly tried to raise his arm, but his body went numb, rendering him immobile.

Only then did he notice that Doctor Mo’s fingers had just retracted from the acupoints on his chest.

It had been too fast. He hadn’t even sensed the other’s movements."Old Mo, what are you trying to do? If this disciple has done something wrong, please just speak up. Why must you seal my acupoints?" Han Li could no longer maintain his usual composure and forced a smile as he addressed Doctor Mo.

Doctor Mo remained silent, merely using one hand to lightly pound his own back and letting out a soft cough, appearing as frail and feeble as an old man on the verge of collapse.

However, Han Li had just witnessed the swift and decisive manner in which Doctor Mo had subdued him. He dared not truly regard him as an ordinary, seriously ill old man. Instead, this act only heightened his wariness.

"Doctor Mo, with your esteemed status, why bother dealing with a mere disciple like me? If you would just unseal my acupoints, I will bear any punishment you deem necessary."

...

Han Li continued to speak several more flattering and ingratiating words.

But Doctor Mo paid no attention. He reached into Han Li's sleeve, retrieved the iron cylinder, and held it in his hand, all the while looking at Han Li with a mocking, disdainful gaze.

Seeing this, Han Li's heart sank to the depths. Any hope he had of swaying the other party with words was completely shattered.

It seemed that Doctor Mo would not give him the slightest opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Gradually, Han Li closed his mouth, his expression becoming serene as he returned Doctor Mo's gaze with eyes devoid of any emotion.

In that instant, everything in the room seemed to come to a standstill, as silent and calm as the stillness before a storm.

"Good! Good! Good!" Doctor Mo suddenly exclaimed, uttering the word "good" three times in succession.

"As expected of someone I, Mo Juren, have taken a fancy to. You can still remain composed and unflustered in the face of danger. It was not in vain that I invested so much in you." He began to praise Han Li.

"What exactly do you intend to do with me?" Han Li did not respond to Doctor Mo's words but instead asked his own question.

"Heh! What do I intend to do with you?" Doctor Mo repeated Han Li's question without giving a direct answer.

"What I intend to do with you will depend on how you perform."

"What do you mean?" Han Li frowned, vaguely guessing some of Doctor Mo's intentions.

"Even if I don't say it, with your intelligence, you should be able to understand a bit, right?"

"I can only guess a small part, but I still don't understand the whole story, the causes and consequences." Han Li did not deny it and admitted frankly.

"Very good, that's the right way to do it. If you have any questions, just ask me directly. Don't keep them bottled up inside." Doctor Mo gave a sinister smile, the dark aura on his face seeming to thicken, making his features appear even more menacing.

"I know you've always been wary of me and haven't truly regarded me as your master. But that's fine, I haven't truly treated you as my disciple either." Doctor Mo snorted lightly as he spoke.

(End of Chapter)