Chapter 11: Unusual Phenomena Arise

Knowing Han Li had injured his foot, Zhang Tie personally brought the food to his room, intending to share the meal with him.

Han Li watched him clumsily move chairs and adjust the table in his room. After a long time of bustling about, everything was finally ready for them to eat. Han Li found it a bit amusing, but was primarily touched.

Once seated at the table, they chatted about matters within the sect while eating, occasionally sharing insights about their respective cultivation practices.

Whenever "Elephant Armor Art" was mentioned, Zhang Tie would roll his eyes in frustration.

Zhang Tie now dreaded the "Elephant Armor Art." Even though he had only trained in the first layer, Doctor Mo had already tortured him relentlessly. Not only did he have to regularly soak in foul-smelling medicinal concoctions, but Doctor Mo also frequently beat him with a wooden stick, claiming it was to temper his bones and muscles.

These brutal training methods meant that for a period, he couldn't sleep soundly at night. His entire body was red and swollen, and the slightest touch of the wooden bed would make him wince in pain.

For him, it was truly a nightmare.

In contrast, Zhang Tie felt immense envy for the nameless cultivation technique Han Li practiced.

He thought Han Li simply had to meditate and chant like a monk every day. Such comments left Han Li speechless.

Han Li could understand Zhang Tie's fear of the later layers of the "Elephant Armor Art." Anyone who knew they would have to endure torment several times more severe than before would be restless and unable to eat or sleep peacefully.

The fact that Zhang Tie had persevered without giving up amazed Han Li.

If it were him, he would never practice such a self-abusive martial art, even if it could turn him into a top-tier master overnight.

As they talked, dinner was almost finished. Zhang Tie quickly cleared the dishes, then stood up to leave, telling Han Li to rest early to recuperate his injured foot.

Han Li stood at the doorway, watching Zhang Tie leave. He then hurried back into his room, closing the doors and windows tightly, leaving only a small skylight open for ventilation. He then took out the bottle from his bag and began examining it again.

Han Li was, after all, only a child of about ten years old. After fiddling with it for a while and finding no clues, he grew tired. With his foot still injured and his mind weary, he unconsciously dozed off, holding the bottle and leaning against the bed.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Han Li, sleeping soundly, suddenly felt a cold sensation emanate from one of his hands.

Han Li shivered, barely managing to open his heavy eyelids, and groggily looked at the hand that was causing the strange sensation.

Suddenly, he shot upright, his mouth agape, not even noticing the drool trickling from the corner of his mouth. All traces of sleepiness vanished as he was utterly stunned by the sight before him.

Fine, visible threads of white light descended from the open skylight, the only opening in the room. They converged on the bottle in his hand, forming rice-grain-sized white specks that completely enveloped the bottle in a thin, glowing aura.

The white light was incredibly soft and not at all dazzling. The cool sensation emanated from this faint glow.

Han Li swallowed a mouthful of cold saliva, suddenly jolted awake. He threw the bottle aside as if it were burning his hand, then scrambled to the other side of the room.

After observing cautiously for a moment and perceiving no danger, he slowly approached again.

Enveloped in white light, the bottle appeared exceptionally beautiful, alluring, and somewhat mysterious.

Han Li hesitated, then gently poked the bottle a few times with his finger. Seeing no reaction, he carefully picked it up again. He placed it back on the table and then excitedly crouched nearby, observing this never-before-seen phenomenon.

Han Li stared intently at the bottle in the white light for over fifteen minutes without blinking. Finally, he discovered some of its secrets.

The bottle, through its surface, was continuously absorbing the white specks of light floating nearby. No, not absorbing—these specks were desperately forcing their way into the bottle, scrambling over one another as if alive.

Curious, Han Li lightly touched one of the specks with his fingertip.

It was cool! Other than that, there was nothing special about it.

Han Li looked up.

Threads of white light continued to fall ceaselessly from the skylight, showing no signs of stopping.

Han Li looked at the closed doors and windows around him, then back at the open skylight above.

A thought sparked in his mind. He gently pushed open the door and peeked out cautiously.

Fortunately, it was late at night, and save for a few chirping autumn insects, everything outside was silent, with no one around.

Han Li withdrew his head, turned, grabbed the small bottle, shoved it into his leather pouch, and quickly ran outside.

He ran until he reached a quiet, deserted open space before finally stopping.

He scanned his surroundings to ensure no one else was present. Only then did he carefully take out the bottle again and gently place it on the ground.

The light specks that had been around the bottle had vanished without a trace after he put it in his leather pouch.

But Han Li wasn't worried.

Sure enough, after a short while, countless threads of light, far more numerous than those in the room, converged from all directions. Then, innumerable white specks densely appeared around the small bottle, forming a large cluster of light the size of a washbasin.