Chapter 27: Conflict Arises

Doctor Mo was expressionless, his eyes gently half-closed, one hand resting firmly on Han Li's wrist. His entire focus was on the strength of the vital energy within Han Li's body, and he remained silent for a long time.

After a short while, he finally exhaled deeply, as if releasing all the frustration in his heart. His eyes snapped open, and a piercing gleam shot from his murky gaze, making it difficult for anyone to meet his eyes. His face was grim. He was clearly dissatisfied with Han Li, but no words of reprimand emerged.

He waved his hand indifferently, signaling Han Li to follow him. Han Li obediently followed behind him. Although he was curious about the mysterious person nearby, he knew it wasn't the right time to ask questions freely.

After entering the room, Doctor Mo sat wearily in a grand armchair, his back pressed against the backrest as he half-sat, half-reclined. The piercing gleam in his eyes had vanished, and he reverted to his usual appearance of someone long afflicted by illness. The mysterious person had been following closely behind him, never leaving his side. After Doctor Mo sat down, the person stood rigidly still directly behind the chair.

Han Li knew Doctor Mo was displeased and didn't want to provoke him by speaking first. So, mimicking the mysterious person, he walked to the center of the room, lowered his head, and faced Doctor Mo, sensibly remaining still while waiting for him to speak. A long time passed, and still no one spoke. Han Li felt a bit strange and, unable to contain his impatience, quietly tried to raise his head and steal a glance at Doctor Mo.

"If you want to look, just look. Why be so secretive?" Doctor Mo's stern voice came just as Han Li had lifted his neck halfway.

Han Li froze for a moment, then obediently raised his head. His gaze lingered on Doctor Mo's face for a few moments before quickly retracting. Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but inside, his heart churned like turbulent waves.

Doctor Mo's face had suddenly become strangely unsettling. A faint layer of dark mist subtly covered his somewhat ashen complexion, seeming to come alive as countless tiny tendrils danced menacingly across his face. What startled Han Li even more was that Doctor Mo had abandoned his usual rigid expression, now displaying a ruthless and decisive look. He was staring at Han Li with ill intent, a hint of mocking amusement playing at the corners of his mouth.

Han Li felt that something was amiss. A sense of unease crept into his mind, and a hint of danger began to spread throughout the room. He shrewdly and cautiously stepped back half a pace, slipping his hand into his sleeve to grip a small iron cylinder hidden there. Only then did his tense nerves relax slightly. Just then, Doctor Mo's low, mocking voice suddenly reached his ears.

"Do you dare to show off such petty cleverness?"

Doctor Mo moved, strangely transitioning from a half-reclining to a standing posture. After a sinister smile, his figure flickered, and he appeared beside Han Li like a ghost, chuckling coldly as he looked at him.

Han Li's expression changed dramatically. Knowing something was wrong, he hastily tried to raise his arm, but his body went numb, and he couldn't move. Only then did he see the other's fingers withdrawing from a pressure point on his chest. It was truly too fast; he hadn't detected the other's move at all.

"Elder Mo, what are you doing? If your disciple has done anything wrong, please just say so. Why must you incapacitate me by striking a pressure point?" Han Li could no longer maintain his usual composure at this point and forced a smile as he spoke to Doctor Mo.

Doctor Mo didn't speak. He merely tapped his own back a few times with one hand and coughed lightly, presenting the image of a frail and feeble old man. However, Han Li had just witnessed how swiftly he had incapacitated him. He no longer dared to genuinely regard him as an ordinary, gravely ill old man; instead, Doctor Mo's feigned weakness made Han Li take him even more seriously.

"Doctor Mo, considering your status, why bother lowering yourself to deal with a mere disciple like me? Please release my pressure points. Whatever punishment is due, I will bear it entirely." Han Li continued to utter several flattering and complimentary remarks.

But Doctor Mo paid no attention at all. He reached into Han Li's sleeve and retrieved the iron cylinder, holding it in his hand, and then watched Han Li's "performance" with a mocking, disdainful gaze. When Han Li saw this, his heart sank to its deepest depths, and his initial hope of moving the other with words was completely shattered. It seemed the other party wouldn't give him any opportunity whatsoever.

Han Li gradually closed his mouth, his face becoming calm, and he returned Doctor Mo's gaze with eyes devoid of any emotion. Suddenly, everything in the room seemed to freeze at that instant. There was complete silence, as calm as before a storm.

"Good! Good! Good!" Doctor Mo suddenly uttered three "good"s.

"As expected of someone chosen by me, Mo Juren. You can still maintain a calm expression and remain composed in times of danger. My significant investment in you was not in vain." He immediately praised Han Li.

"How exactly do you intend to deal with me?" Han Li didn't respond to Doctor Mo's words; instead, he asked.

"Heh heh! How to deal with you?" Doctor Mo repeated Han Li's question noncommittally. "How to deal with you? That depends on your own performance."

"What do you mean?" Han Li frowned slightly, vaguely guessing some of the other's intentions.

"Even if I don't say it, with your intelligence, you should understand a little, shouldn't you?"

"I can only guess a small part, but I still don't understand the whole story, its origins and consequences." Han Li didn't deny it; he admitted it very frankly.

"Very good, that's the right way to do it. If you have any questions, just ask me directly. Don't keep them bottled up." Doctor Mo smiled sinisterly, the dark mist on his face seeming to thicken by several layers, making his features even more sinister.

"I know you've always been wary of me and never truly regarded me as your master. But that's fine; I never truly regarded you as my disciple either," Doctor Mo said with a soft snort.