The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 52: Seven Ghosts Devouring Souls

Han Li's face began to turn pale as he watched Doctor Mo raise the strange blade high into the air.

Under the sunlight, the blade's edge gleamed brightly, making it appear even more extraordinarily sharp.

A sense of panic crept into his heart, but reason told him that the other party had gone through so much trouble to capture him alive and would not simply take his life without a word. He believed Doctor Mo was merely trying to intimidate him.

Thus, as the blade slowly descended from above, aiming directly at his body, Han Li remained silent, forcing himself to maintain a calm demeanor.

Only when the blade's edge was half an inch away from his head, and he could feel the coldness brushing against his hair, did he slowly close his eyes. A faint sense of regret flickered in his heart.

"Is he really going to kill me? If I had known this would happen, I should have begged for mercy. Maybe there would still be a sliver of hope for survival. I’m still so young; I really don’t want to die like this. Will my parents be heartbroken when they hear of my death? Will they regret sending me to the Seven Mysteries Sect…"

Facing this life-and-death moment, a flood of thoughts surged through Han Li's mind. In that instant, it felt as though he had experienced the joys and sorrows of life, gaining a profound understanding of the nature of life and death.

The sound of the blade piercing flesh reached his ears.

Han Li's body trembled slightly, but then he was surprised to feel no pain at all.

"What’s going on?" He opened his eyes in astonishment.

As soon as he opened his eyes, Han Li was stunned.

To his surprise, he saw that the strange blade had been plunged into Doctor Mo's own shoulder, deeply embedded in his body, with only the hilt exposed and trembling slightly. Perhaps because the blade was too sharp, not a single drop of blood had spilled, making the scene eerily bizarre.

While Han Li was still in shock, Doctor Mo, contrary to his usual demeanor, began to praise him.

"Tsk tsk! Kid, you’ve got some guts. Even with the blade at your neck, you didn’t beg for mercy. Impressive!"

"When I roamed the Jianghu in my younger days, I’ve seen countless so-called heroes who claimed to fear no death. But once they fell into my hands, with just a little threat, they all turned into cowards, kneeling and begging for their lives, showing their true colors of fearing death."

Han Li was dumbfounded, at a loss for how to respond.

In truth, he had almost faltered earlier, but he had managed to hold on until the end, clinging to a sliver of hope that Doctor Mo wouldn’t actually harm him. Moreover, he was too embarrassed to change his demeanor and beg for mercy like a coward.

Now, faced with Doctor Mo’s continuous praise, Han Li naturally didn’t feel the need to explain himself. But a mix of emotions welled up in his heart—should he feel proud or disheartened?

While Han Li was lost in thought, Doctor Mo swiftly inserted the remaining strange blades into various parts of his own body, leaving only the ghost-headed hilts exposed.

When Han Li finally regained his senses, he was horrified to see that a total of seven blades had been embedded in Doctor Mo’s shoulders, legs, abdomen, and chest. From a distance, it looked as though he had been brutally dismembered by a flurry of blades.Han Li watched with a mix of amusement and alarm, realizing that the other party was mutilating himself to perform an extremely powerful technique. He wondered if it was intended to be used against him.

After inserting the Strange Blades, Doctor Mo stopped speaking. Instead, he bent down, sat cross-legged opposite Han Li, closed his eyes, and entered a meditative state, completely ignoring his surroundings.

Han Li's heart stirred, thinking this was a rare opportunity to escape. He tried to move his limbs, but as soon as he shifted slightly, he felt a heavy pressure on his shoulder and immediately became immobilized again.

Han Li smiled bitterly. How could he have forgotten about the giant man? With him watching so closely, there was no chance of escape.

It seemed Doctor Mo had already considered everything before entering his meditative state and wasn't afraid of any tricks Han Li might try. This giant man, known as "Iron Slave," was a monster of unknown origin. Like Doctor Mo's "Demon Silver Hand," his entire body was impervious to Sabers and Spears, even the most vulnerable spots of a man. Today, Han Li was completely at his mercy.

While Han Li was inwardly cursing the giant man, the other person in front of him began to undergo a bizarre transformation.

Doctor Mo's face started twitching uncontrollably, his whole body shaking violently. His face contorted due to the muscle spasms, as if he was enduring immense pain. Combined with the sharp blades embedded in his body, it created a sinister and terrifying sight, as if a chilling Qi was slowly rising in the room.

Suddenly, Doctor Mo stopped twitching and shaking, but a low growl emerged from deep within his throat, filled with primal savagery. In that instant, Doctor Mo no longer seemed like an old man but a ferocious beast that had just emerged from the mountains.

Then, something even more horrifying happened. The Ghost Mist that had appeared on Doctor Mo's face a year ago now reappeared.

This Ghost Mist was completely different from before—much thicker and darker. It covered Doctor Mo's face like a pitch-black mask, obscuring his true features.

The tentacles that occasionally materialized from the Ghost Mist had also undergone a dramatic transformation. The black mist flowing on the tentacles was smooth, glossy, and had a substantial texture, as if it had gained physical form. They extended and retracted on Doctor Mo's face, wildly dancing about.

Doctor Mo's fingers formed a lotus-like gesture, making a strange hand seal. His lips moved slightly, as if he was murmuring incantations, but the sound was too faint for Han Li to make out clearly.

As Doctor Mo performed these mysterious actions, the mist on his face seemed to be provoked, like cold water poured into boiling oil, causing it to churn and boil. More tiny tentacles emerged, flailing menacingly, as if trying to stop Doctor Mo from proceeding further.

Just as the black mist reached its peak intensity, Doctor Mo opened his eyes. Through the thick black mist, Han Li could still see the intense light in his eyes.

"Seven Ghosts Devouring the Soul!"

Doctor Mo shouted, revealing the name of the secret technique he was using.

(End of Chapter)