Chapter 39: Message at Night Out

Han Li did not have the luxury of waiting. In four to five months at most, Doctor Mo would completely reveal his true intentions, and Han Li needed to possess some self-preservation abilities before that time.

Therefore, he ultimately decided to only cultivate a few secret techniques that were simple, easy to master, and immediately useful. He would set the others aside for now, as it wouldn't be too late to study them after he had truly escaped this dangerous situation.

This approach significantly shortened his cultivation time, allowing him to quickly master several fast and easy-to-learn secret techniques.

Han Li was acutely aware that even if he mastered every single one of these secret techniques, he might still not be a match for his opponent.

If Doctor Mo had not been lying last time, then given his prominent status as a former powerful overlord, he surely possessed countless formidable and ruthless methods that were not revealed during their last conflict. The skills he had demonstrated were likely only a small fraction of his true capabilities.

Even so, the thought of Doctor Mo's ghostly agility still sent shivers down Han Li's spine, making him extremely wary.

He knew full well that what he could learn in such a short time was limited, and the threat he could pose to Doctor Mo was minimal, almost negligible. However, Han Li would absolutely not commit the foolish act of surrendering and allowing himself to be manipulated.

Han Li knew that if they were to fight again, his only chance of gaining an advantage lay in his opponent's underestimation of him. Only by capitalizing on Doctor Mo's carelessness and oversight, and launching a surprise attack, could he possibly secure a glimmer of hope for survival.

In the following days, Han Li memorized all the techniques from the "Blink Sword Manual." He then selected several secret techniques that were currently useful to him and began to study them, hoping to devise a fast and effective cultivation method.

After several days of intense brainstorming, he managed to organize a complete set of cultivation methods from the book. He was quite proud of his efficiency in completing such a complex task in such a short period.

Over the next half month, Han Li meticulously handled all the trivial matters, ensuring he was fully prepared and leaving no loose ends.

First, on a certain day, he returned the original secret manual to Li Feiyu, exactly as he had received it. He then took the opportunity to recount his encounter with the Wild Wolf Gang spies, and naturally, he also revealed how he had uncovered the kitchen steward's true identity.

Upon hearing this, Li Feiyu was both surprised and delighted. He threw an arm around Han Li's shoulder, repeatedly calling him "good brother." He was deeply moved by Han Li's generosity in presenting him with such a significant contribution.

What Li Feiyu didn't know, however, was that Han Li was currently preoccupied with saving his own life and had no inclination to chase down spies. Since he could do someone a favor without any effort on his part, why would he not?

After concluding matters with Li Feiyu, Han Li personally sought out several skilled blacksmith masters within the sect.

From them, he commissioned several sheathed short swords of varying designs, secretly requesting small modifications to each. Additionally, he ordered several unnamed, seemingly purposeless components and a few small, exquisite iron bells, all to be forged as quickly as possible. For these items, Han Li spent a considerable sum of silver, which made him feel a slight pang of regret.

Several days later, Han Li received his custom-ordered items from the blacksmiths. Seeing the gleaming short swords and the small, exquisite iron bells, he was very satisfied and repeatedly praised their craftsmanship, feeling his money had been well spent.

That night, Han Li vanished without a trace from his dwelling, leaving only a note on his bedside table that read:

"Elder Mo, please do not be alarmed or angry. I am not attempting to escape or hide. I merely feel that residing in the same valley as you creates too much pressure, which is detrimental to my cultivation of the Evergreen Art. Therefore, your disciple has decided to find another secluded spot on the mountain for isolated training. Rest assured, I will return promptly to meet you on the same day, four months from now.""Respectfully, Han Li"

Leaning back in his armchair, Doctor Mo held the note in his left hand, scrutinizing it with a clouded expression. On a nearby table lay another memo, detailing the order catalog Han Li had recently given to the blacksmiths.

Inside the room, at that moment, the only sound was the faint "thump-thump" of Doctor Mo lightly tapping the tabletop with his right hand.

Suddenly, he let out a cold snort, and the paper in his hand disintegrated into fragments that scattered across the floor.

He stood up irritably, pacing a few steps around the room, his brow furrowed in thought. After a few turns, he stopped and muttered to himself:

"You little brat, I don't know what tricks you're planning, but no matter what schemes you try, you won't escape my grasp. I've already decided to claim you."

After speaking, Doctor Mo suddenly turned and walked to the window. A low, prolonged whistle sounded from his lips, and immediately, a small, unnamed bird with yellow feathers flew in from outside. It circled the room a few times before landing on his shoulder.

As soon as the little bird perched steadily, it affectionately rubbed its beak against his face, emitting crisp, trilling sounds.

"Alright, I know you're hungry. Here, these are your favorite 'Yellow Chestnut Pellets'."

As soon as Doctor Mo saw the bird, a faint smile appeared on his gloomy face, and his eyes softened with affection. He took a yellow bird pellet from his pocket and placed it into the bird's beak.

"Go, follow that person closely, just as before. As soon as he leaves this mountain range, fly back and tell me immediately," Doctor Mo instructed, as if speaking to a human.

As soon as the little bird ate, it excitedly flew around the room, trilling. After hearing his words, it circled once before swiftly flying out the window and disappearing into the sky.

"Hmph! With a 'Cloud-Winged Bird' — said to fly faster than an arrow from a strong bow — watching him, let's see what tricks he can pull off," he muttered sinisterly to himself.

"Four months, is it? I'm waiting for that day to arrive. It seems the plan is about to succeed! Now, whoever dares to stand in my way and obstruct its implementation, I will kill them. If gods obstruct me, I'll slay gods; if buddhas obstruct me, I'll slay buddhas."

"Hahaha!" Doctor Mo suddenly burst into wild, uninhibited laughter, his eyes gleaming with madness.