Chapter 50: Seven Ghosts Devour the Soul

Han Li's face turned pale. He watched helplessly as Doctor Mo raised the strange blade high. Under the sunlight, the blade glinted, emphasizing its extraordinary sharpness.

Panic welled up in him, but his rational mind told him that after so much effort to capture him alive, the other party would not simply take his life without a word. They were merely trying to intimidate him. So, as the sharp blade slowly descended from above, heading straight for him, he remained silent, managing to maintain a composed expression.

It wasn't until the strange blade's edge was only half an inch from his head, and his hair tips felt the chill, that he slowly closed his eyes. A faint thought of regret flickered in his mind.

"Is he really going to kill me? If I had known, I would have begged for mercy; perhaps there would still be a sliver of hope. I'm still so young; I truly don't want to die like this. When my parents hear of my death, will they be sad? Will they regret sending me to Seven Mysteries Sect...?" At this critical moment between life and death, countless thoughts flooded Han Li's mind. All sorts of emotions surged through him, as if, in that instant, he experienced all the joys and sorrows of life, gaining a profound understanding of life and death.

*Thud!* The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh echoed. Han Li's body trembled slightly, but then he was surprised; he felt no pain at all.

"What's happening?" He opened his eyes in astonishment. The moment he opened his eyes, Han Li was stunned. To his surprise, the strange blade was embedded in Doctor Mo's own shoulder, deep within his flesh, with only the hilt exposed and trembling slightly. Perhaps because it was so sharp, not a single drop of blood flowed out, making the sight extremely bizarre.

As Han Li stared, dumbfounded, Doctor Mo, contrary to his usual demeanor, began to praise him. "Tsk, tsk! Boy, you truly have some guts! With the blade at your throat, you still didn't beg for mercy. Well done!"

"When I roamed the martial world back in my day, I saw countless heroes who claimed they weren't afraid of death. But once they fell into my hands and received a little threat, didn't they all turn into cowards, kneeling and begging for their lives, looking utterly terrified of death?"

Han Li was dumbfounded, speechless, unsure how to respond. In truth, he had almost made a fool of himself just now. He had simply held on stubbornly, and at the very end, a glimmer of hope remained in his heart that the other party wouldn't truly harm him, which allowed him to get through. Besides, he was too thin-skinned to change his expression and grovel for mercy. Now, facing Doctor Mo's continuous praise, Han Li naturally wouldn't bother to explain. Yet, a mix of emotions arose within him, unsure whether he should be happy or disappointed.

As Han Li's mind raced, Doctor Mo swiftly plunged several more strange blades into various parts of his body, leaving only their skull-adorned hilts exposed. When Han Li came to his senses, he was horrified to discover that a total of seven sharp blades were embedded in Doctor Mo's shoulders, legs, lower abdomen, chest, and other areas. From a distance, it looked as if he had been dismembered by countless blades.

Seeing this, Han Li felt both amused and startled. He knew that Doctor Mo's self-mutilation was likely part of an extremely potent technique, but he wondered if it was meant to be used against him.

After inserting the strange blades, Doctor Mo stopped speaking. Instead, he bent down and sat cross-legged opposite Han Li, then closed his eyes and entered a meditative state, no longer paying attention to his surroundings.

Han Li's heart stirred. He thought this was a rare opportunity to escape. He tried to move his limbs, but the moment he shifted, his shoulders suddenly felt heavy, and he immediately found himself unable to move again. Han Li gave a wry smile. How could he have forgotten about the giant? With him standing by, never leaving his side, how could Han Li possibly have a chance?

It seemed Doctor Mo had thoroughly considered this before entering his meditative state, completely unafraid of any tricks Han Li might try. This giant, named "Iron Slave," was an unknown entity, impervious to blades and spears all over his body, just like Doctor Mo's "Demonic Silver Hand." Even a man's most fatal weakness was similarly protected. Han Li realized he was utterly defeated by this man today.

While Han Li was inwardly complaining about the giant, the other person before him began to undergo an eerie transformation. Doctor Mo's face began to twitch intermittently, his entire body shaking uncontrollably. His features distorted from muscle contractions, as if he were enduring immense pain. Combined with the sharp blades embedded in his body, the sight was chilling and terrifying, as if a sinister coldness was slowly rising within the room.

Suddenly, Doctor Mo stopped twitching and trembling, but a deep growl, filled with primal savagery, emanated from deep within his throat. In that instant, Doctor Mo no longer seemed like an old man, but rather a ferocious beast that had just emerged from the mountains.

Then, something even more horrifying occurred: the ghostly mist that had appeared on Doctor Mo's face a year ago now resurfaced. This ghostly mist was utterly different from before; it was much denser and far darker than previously. When it enveloped Doctor Mo's face, it was like a pitch-black mask, obscuring his original features. The tentacles that intermittently materialized from the ghostly mist also underwent a tremendous change. The faintly flowing black mist on the tentacles was sleek and dark, possessing a substantial quality, as if they had become solid. They writhed and extended erratically across Doctor Mo's face, constantly dancing wildly.

Doctor Mo's fingers formed a lotus shape, pressing into a strange hand seal. His lips moved slightly, as if he were incanting something, but his voice was too low for Han Li to hear clearly. As Doctor Mo performed these mysterious actions, the mist on his face seemed to be agitated. It began to boil and churn like cool water poured into a pot of hot oil. More small tentacles emerged from it, brandishing themselves menacingly, as if trying to prevent Doctor Mo from proceeding further.

Just as the black mist grew densest, Doctor Mo opened his eyes. Through the thick black mist, Han Li could still see the intense spiritual light in them.

"Seven Ghosts Devour the Soul!" Doctor Mo roared, uttering the name of the secret technique he was using.