The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 48: Deceptive Words

Doctor Mo gently landed where Han Li had originally stood. Without the slightest pause, he turned around like a ghost, facing Han Li once more. The arrogance that had previously adorned his face had completely faded, leaving behind only an expression of indifference, though a faint trace of something unusual flickered in his eyes.

At this moment, Han Li’s condition was also far from ideal. He was breathing heavily, his face pale, with beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. A flush of unnatural redness had spread across his cheeks.

All of this indicated that Han Li’s earlier life-preserving technique had drained most of his physical strength. It was likely that he would be unable to use the same skill again in the next encounter.

Taking a deep breath, Han Li tried to relax his body as much as possible to alleviate the heavy strain on his muscles caused by the use of the "Ruyan Step." For now, he could only seize every opportunity to recover some of his strength, hoping to increase his chances of victory in the next round of combat.

Han Li glanced down at his left hand, which was still trembling slightly. It was completely numb, with no sensation remaining. He could no longer wield a sword with it, meaning that the left-handed swordsmanship he had painstakingly practiced was temporarily useless. He would have to rely solely on his right hand to fight.

At this thought, he let out a bitter laugh in his heart. Now, with most of his strength depleted, he could no longer use the profound "Ruyan Step." To make matters worse, he was forced to fight with only one hand. This was truly the worst possible situation. It seemed he would have to resort to his final hidden move.

Han Li looked out at the sun and estimated the time, feeling that it was just about right to execute this move.

He then glanced at the short sword embedded in the wall. It seemed there was no chance of retrieving it, as his opponent would not allow him to casually walk over and pull it out.

After a moment of contemplation, Han Li took out another weapon from his chest. It was also a half-foot-long sheathed short sword, though its size made it more akin to a dagger. When he drew it from its sheath, it appeared broader and thicker than a typical dagger, gleaming brightly and looking exceptionally sharp.

Han Li discarded the scabbard and switched to holding the sword in his right hand. He extended his arm, pointing the tip of the sword diagonally toward his opponent, assuming an offensive stance.

Doctor Mo observed all of this but did not rush forward to attack. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back, his expression suddenly becoming gentle. In a soft and persuasive voice, he said:

"Han Li, you’ve managed to evade me several times, which has indeed surprised me. But do you really think you’ll be as lucky as before and escape from my grasp again? The footwork you used earlier was quite remarkable, but it seems to have significant limitations. Just from your physical condition alone, it’s clear you can’t sustain its use. Why not surrender peacefully? You should be able to see that I have no intention of seriously harming you. Complying with me might not be as bad as you imagine."

Doctor Mo’s sudden change in demeanor, like a chameleon, sent shivers down Han Li’s spine. One moment he played the role of a benevolent mentor, the next he was cold and ruthless, and now he was earnestly urging Han Li to surrender. It left Han Li at a loss for words. Did Doctor Mo really think he would be so foolish as to fall for such an obvious trap?However, the other party's words actually boosted his confidence a bit. If they weren't wary of him, why would they resort to such childish tactics to deceive him?

In an instant, Han Li had thoroughly thought through all of this. He sighed softly, shook his head gently, and without uttering a word, he simply gestured with the short sword in his hand towards the other party, making his intentions clear.

The veins on Doctor Mo's forehead throbbed a few times. Seeing that Han Li completely ignored his persuasion and instead provoked him with his weapon, he could no longer suppress the anger in his heart.

"You don't know what's good for you!"

He suddenly took a large step forward and then fiercely spat out, "So Close, Yet Worlds Apart."

In the next moment, his entire body seemed to float lightly, arriving just a few steps away from Han Li, as if he had mastered the art of shrinking the earth, leaving people in awe.

Han Li also seemed quite startled, his face filled with panic. He hurriedly took two steps back, creating some distance between them, and then held his short sword horizontally in front of him. He swung it into a small patch of cold light, blocking Doctor Mo's path, seemingly having completely forgotten the hardships he endured during their last encounter.

Doctor Mo sneered inwardly, naturally not inclined to kindly remind his opponent. He separated his palms and attacked Han Li from two directions, completely ignoring the cold light.

Just as the two silver hands were about to pierce into the sword light, a light laugh suddenly came from the opposite side. The laughter was hearty and unrestrained, like the triumphant laugh of a hunter seeing prey step into a trap.

Doctor Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously slowed his momentum, his movements becoming slightly sluggish. But then he heard a cold, icy voice:

"Now, you're the one who's truly fallen into the trap. Look at the short sword in my hand!"

Hearing this, Doctor Mo couldn't help but glance at the short sword. He saw that the other party had, at some point, stopped the movement of his hand and instead adopted a strange posture. His upper body leaned slightly back, the short sword held horizontally at his waist with one hand, while his lower body was in a tense, ready-to-spring stance, making his entire body resemble a bow drawn to shoot an arrow.

As for the short sword mentioned in the words, aside from a faint blue glow, there was nothing unusual about it. This left Doctor Mo somewhat bewildered. Could it be that by adopting such a strange posture and using deceptive words, the other party was trying to unsettle his mind and gain an advantage?

Thinking this, Doctor Mo found it somewhat amusing and couldn't help but want to mock the other party. But suddenly, he saw Han Li lunge forward like an arrow shot from a strong bow, transforming into a sharp projectile that shot towards him with such speed that even Doctor Mo couldn't help but change his expression.

Doctor Mo hurriedly brought his separated hands together, intending to clamp the sword blade between his palms. But then he saw the short sword on the opposite side flicker lightly, transforming into a dozen identical blades, all coming from different directions, making it hard to distinguish the real one.

Doctor Mo snorted, his estimation of Han Li dropping even further. In front of a master like him, using such flashy but impractical Moves was nothing short of suicidal. He could easily spot the real blade.

So he widened his eyes, pinpointing the origin of the real Sword, and without changing his hand Moves, he instead accelerated his momentum, aiming to shatter the blade in one strike and leave the other party defenseless.

(End of Chapter)