The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 70: Provocation

Sect Leader Ma seemed to notice the tension between the two. Far from being concerned, a faint hint of delight appeared on his face.

"Though Young Doctor Han is still young, his medical skills can truly be called miraculous. I believe Elder Li will surely be revived," he suddenly praised Han Li's medical abilities.

"Oh? Someone so young with such high medical skills? I find that hard to believe. Could he really surpass Doctor Mo?" This elder had a fiery temper. With just a little provocation, he fell right into the trap and blurted out his distrust right in front of Han Li.

As soon as these words were spoken, the nearby family members were left at a loss.

Agreeing was out of the question—they were counting on this young miracle doctor to cure the poison and save their loved one.

But openly refuting him didn’t seem appropriate either, given that the other party was Elder Li’s close friend and an elder to most of them.

"Heh, Elder Zhao, you may not know this, but Young Doctor Han is Doctor Mo’s prized disciple. His medical skills have surpassed his master’s, far exceeding Doctor Mo’s," Sect Leader Ma added fuel to the fire, inwardly pleased.

"A mere teenager? Even if he started learning from the womb, how skilled could he possibly be? I still don’t believe it unless I see it with my own eyes." Elder Zhao shook his head like a fan, still unaware that he had fallen into the other’s trap and offended someone he shouldn’t have. Clearly, he was a reckless man. It was a wonder how someone like him had managed to hold onto the high position of elder without being ousted.

Han Li, listening nearby, rolled his eyes. Did his medical skills need this man’s validation? Though he knew Sect Leader Ma had deliberately lured the elder into saying this, he still felt a bit annoyed.

It was obvious that Elder Zhao and Sect Leader Ma were from opposing factions, with some hostility between them.

"Elder Zhao’s Mixed Origin Hand is truly peerless and immensely powerful!" Noticing Han Li’s displeasure, Sect Leader Ma grew even more delighted. Suddenly changing the subject, he made a seemingly random but pointed remark.

"Hmph! It’s nothing compared to Sect Leader Ma’s Profound Yin Finger," Elder Zhao retorted bluntly, not bothering to hide his disdain despite the other’s status as sect leader.

"Hahaha! Elder Zhao flatters me too much."

Sect Leader Ma was clearly the type to hide a dagger behind a smile. Unfazed by the sarcasm in Elder Zhao’s words, he cheerfully accepted the false praise.

This wasn’t the first time Elder Zhao had faced such a situation. Helpless and unwilling to engage further with such a shameless opponent, he fell silent. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder why Sect Leader Ma had suddenly made such a remark in front of so many juniors.

Though Sect Leader Ma wasn’t from his faction, this was the first time he had openly exposed their internal conflicts in front of the younger generation. There had to be some scheme behind it.

Han Li listened to their exchange without a change in expression, pretending to be oblivious. But in truth, he understood perfectly—Sect Leader Ma was once again trying to drive a wedge between him and the other high-ranking members.

Ever since their first meeting, Sect Leader Ma had repeatedly hinted and probed, hoping to recruit this highly skilled miracle doctor into his faction to expand his influence.

But Han Li had no intention of getting involved in the Seven Mysteries Sect’s power struggles.It wasn't that he deliberately acted aloof or arrogant, but ever since encountering extraordinary individuals like Doctor Mo and Yu Zitong—especially after mastering two spells—his perspective had unknowingly elevated. The power struggles within small sects like the Seven Mysteries Sect no longer held any appeal to him. Even if he were to become the kind of man who couldn't bear to be without power for a single day, he wouldn't stoop to serving under someone like Sect Leader Ma.

Although Han Li's current strength was considerable, he didn't wish to provoke the other party either. As a result, he engaged in a war of attrition with Sect Leader Ma—neither agreeing to his demands nor outright rejecting them, simply refusing to give a definitive answer.

This left Sect Leader Ma with a throbbing headache.

Since Han Li wouldn't provide a response, and his medical skills were indispensable, using force against him was out of the question. Thus, the matter of joining his faction dragged on without any clear resolution.

However, to prevent Han Li from joining other factions, Sect Leader Ma seized every opportunity to sabotage his interactions with other high-ranking members, sowing discord between them. Whether these seemingly childish tactics were effective or not, Han Li couldn't say, but it was true that no other faction leaders had bothered him so far. This unexpected benefit secretly delighted him.

Now, Sect Leader Ma was up to his old tricks again. Han Li suspected he wouldn't leave a favorable impression on this Elder Zhao.

Ma Rong, witnessing this tense standoff, grew anxious and hurriedly continued the introductions.

"This is my shiniang, Mrs. Li," he said first, pointing to a middle-aged woman who bore some resemblance to the young girl.

"This is..."

"And this is..."

The young girl, being the youngest, was introduced last. Her name was Zhang Xiuer, and to Han Li's surprise, she turned out to be Elder Li's niece.

When it came to introducing Li Feiyu, the latter deliberately pretended not to know Han Li, adopting an aloof and unapproachable demeanor. This left Ma Rong, who had been preparing to make the introduction, somewhat embarrassed. He quickly whispered to Han Li by way of explanation:

"Protector Li has always been like this—it's just his usual temperament, not specifically directed at you, Doctor Han. Please don't take it to heart."

Han Li smiled faintly, understanding that Li Feiyu didn't want to reveal their relationship in front of so many people.

"It's nothing. I won't stoop to the level of certain people. Let's focus on Elder Li's condition first—saving lives is more urgent," Han Li deliberately jabbed at Li Feiyu under his breath.

Hearing this, Ma Rong relaxed and promptly led everyone into the patient's bedroom.

Li Feiyu's lips twitched imperceptibly at the remark, appearing unaffected. But as everyone turned away, he suddenly stuck out his tongue at Han Li before immediately resuming his composed expression as if nothing had happened.

Suppressing his amusement, Han Li ignored him and followed closely behind Mrs. Li to Elder Li's bedside.

At the sight of the figure on the bed, even the usually fearless Han Li couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. Now he understood why the other physicians had been too afraid to prescribe any treatments.The usually kind-faced Elder Li now lay unconscious. From his face to his neck, from his hands to his feet, Poison Spots the size of copper coins had appeared—each one vividly colored in shocking hues that struck fear into the heart. What troubled Han Li even more was the bluish tint of his lips and the layer of black Qi shrouding his face—clear signs of advanced poisoning. Saving his life would be an extremely difficult task, if not impossible.

(End of Chapter)