The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 66: An Eccentric Rule

The other party's generous attitude made Han Li realize that as long as his conditions weren’t too excessive, they would most likely agree to them. It seemed his original goals could be easily achieved.

However, such lenient treatment was rare even within the entire Seven Mysteries Sect. It was clear that the higher-ups well understood what a highly skilled physician meant to those in the Jianghu.

Han Li didn’t hold back either. He immediately requested that the Valley of Divine Hands be handed over to him alone, and he didn’t want any outsiders disturbing his medical research in the valley.

Such a trivial condition was naturally agreed to without hesitation by Sect Leader Ma. Perhaps in an effort to win Han Li over, the sect leader even offered to send him a young and beautiful maidservant to attend to his daily needs.

For a moment, Han Li’s heart raced at this unexpected offer, and he nearly accepted it outright. But after calming down and remembering the many secrets he carried, he reluctantly declined, though it pained him to do so.

This move of Han Li’s earned Sect Leader Ma’s admiration, who now regarded him in a new light. He kept praising Han Li for being young and accomplished, not indulging in lust, and even joked that if he had a daughter, he would surely marry her to him.

Han Li could only laugh bitterly at these words. It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in women—it was just that he couldn’t afford to be right now.

And so, the entire Valley of Divine Hands became Han Li’s private domain, with outsiders generally forbidden from entering without permission.

To enforce this, Han Li even placed a large bell at the valley’s entrance. Anyone who wished to see him had to ring the bell, and Han Li would promptly come out to meet them. This eccentric rule was boldly displayed beside the bell, and even some mid-to-high-ranking members of the sect were not exempt.

Han Li had established this bizarre rule solely to eliminate the slightest possibility of the bottle’s secret being exposed. As long as no one barged into the valley uninvited, he could ensure that the bottle’s miraculous properties would never be discovered by another soul.

At first, this rule didn’t bother the lower-ranking disciples much, but it greatly displeased many of the higher-ups. They felt Han Li was getting too full of himself, acting as if he were above everyone else—even Doctor Mo had never put on such airs. How dare a mere newly graduated apprentice be so audacious?

But when Han Li successfully treated a severely wounded Protector on the brink of death, pulling him back from the edge and fully healing him, all the complaints vanished without a trace. No one brought it up again.

No one would risk offending a physician who could potentially save their lives multiple times over such a trivial matter. The act of ringing a bell to request an audience was naturally attributed to the eccentric temperament expected of a miracle-working doctor.

As days passed, even the sect leaders gradually accepted this rule. When they needed medical treatment, they would politely send someone to ring the bell and respectfully invite Han Li over.

Thus, Han Li slowly became a legend within the Seven Mysteries Sect—an anomaly.

Was he part of the higher-ups? He held no high-ranking position nor wielded any authority. Was he a low-ranking disciple? But who had ever seen a disciple with such prestige that even the sect leaders would respectfully address him as "Physician Han"? Few dared to call him by his name directly anymore.

Of course, this didn’t include our Li Feiyu, Great Senior Brother Li.Li Feiyu maintained his cold and aloof demeanor in front of others, but the moment he saw Han Li, he immediately switched to a carefree and casual attitude, addressing him by name without any formality. Unlike Wang Da Pang and other disciples who had grown distant and deferential due to Han Li's changed status, Li Feiyu remained as straightforward as ever.

This actually brought Han Li some comfort, as the loneliness of being isolated wasn’t something he enjoyed.

Whenever he recalled Li Feiyu’s playful grin, Han Li couldn’t help but think of another familiar face—one twisted into a bitter, pumpkin-like expression.

Not long ago, he had unexpectedly encountered another acquaintance from their shared carriage journey into the mountains—Wu Yan, now a Core Disciple of the Seven Wonders Hall. Wu Yan was suffering from a peculiar illness that wasn’t life-threatening but had stubbornly resisted treatment from other mediocre physicians, leaving him in considerable distress. Eventually, he had no choice but to leverage Sect Leader Ma’s influence to seek out the renowned "Divine Doctor Han" for help.

It must be said that Wu Yan’s memory was quite sharp. The moment he laid eyes on the illustrious Doctor Han, he immediately recognized him as the same Han Li who had traveled with him in that carriage years ago. The mix of shock and awkwardness on his face left a lasting impression on Han Li, especially since Wu Yan’s attitude toward him back then had been far from friendly—even downright hostile.

Seeing Wu Yan’s discomfort, Han Li found it rather amusing. Naturally, he didn’t refuse to treat him. However, to protect his own reputation, Han Li deliberately prescribed a stronger dosage, ensuring Wu Yan’s recovery within just two days. The only catch was that the excessive potency of the medicine caused Wu Yan considerable extra suffering during the healing process—a small but fitting retribution for his past behavior.

It seemed Han Li wasn’t as magnanimous as he liked to believe. In truth, he held grudges more than he admitted.

And so, Han Li gradually took over Doctor Mo’s former position on the mountain, even surpassing it in influence.

These days, he would take out the small vial daily and place it in an open area within the valley, allowing it to accumulate its miraculous green liquid every seven or eight days. This liquid was then used to nurture rare, long-aged medicinal herbs, which Han Li meticulously processed into various refined medicines.

A small portion of these medicines went to patients who sought his help, while the majority was consumed by Han Li himself to nourish his vitality, refine his Qi, and advance his cultivation of the Eternal Spring Art.

Han Li shifted slightly in the reclining chair, adjusting himself for greater comfort.

Though the chair had once belonged to Doctor Mo, this wasn’t Mo’s residence—it was Han Li’s own dwelling. He had unceremoniously claimed anything he deemed useful from Doctor Mo’s quarters and moved it all into his own home. Given his current status, even if someone witnessed this disrespectful behavior toward the late Doctor Mo, no one would dare challenge him. After all, in the eyes of others, Han Li’s importance now far exceeded that of Doctor Mo. People were nothing if not pragmatic.

Truthfully, Doctor Mo’s former residence was much larger than Han Li’s current one, and moving there directly would have been more fitting.

But Han Li couldn’t shake the odd feeling that came with living there. After all, Doctor Mo’s death was inextricably linked to him, and blatantly occupying the home of someone who had died by his hand sent an uneasy chill down his spine. His own humble abode, however shabby, felt far more reassuring and comfortable.

Yet, the thought of Doctor Mo inevitably reminded Han Li of the lingering frustration of still being bound by the dead man’s schemes.During this time, he meticulously examined his body inside and out several times. Indeed, there was a trace of an elusive, chilling substance lurking within his Dantian. Han Li attempted to take "Clear Spirit Powder" and tried various other detoxification methods, but unfortunately, none proved effective. It seemed the long journey a year later was unavoidable.

(End of Chapter)