A Record of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Chapter 48: Deceptive Words

Doctor Mo lightly landed on the spot where Han Li had originally been standing. Without a moment’s hesitation, he ghosted a swift turn, facing Han Li once more. The proud expression that had been on his face was completely gone, replaced by a blank look, though a faint, almost imperceptible trace of something unusual flickered in his eyes.

At the same time, Han Li’s condition was far from good. He was panting heavily, his face pale, beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, and an abnormal flush spreading across his cheek.

All these signs clearly indicated that Han Li’s life-saving technique just now had drained most of his strength. It was very likely that next time, he would no longer be able to use the same skill.

Taking a deep breath, Han Li tried to relax his body as much as possible to reduce the tremendous strain the “luo smoke step” had inflicted on his muscles. At this moment, all he could do was seize every chance to recover more energy, hoping for a better shot at winning the next round.

He glanced down at his left hand, which was still trembling slightly. It had gone completely numb, with no sensation at all, making it utterly impossible to wield a sword. It seemed that his deliberately trained left-hand sword technique was temporarily useless. He would have to fight using only his right hand.

Thinking of this, he gave a bitter smile. Now, having lost more than half his stamina and unable to perform the intricate “luo smoke step,” and worse, being forced to fight one-handed, he was truly in the worst possible predicament. It looked like he had no choice but to use his last secret move.

Han Li looked out at the sun hanging outside, estimated the time, and decided it was just right to execute this final technique.

He then glanced at the short sword embedded in the wall. It seemed he wouldn’t have the chance to retrieve it; the opponent wouldn’t allow him to boldly pull it out.

Han Li pondered for a moment, then took another weapon from his pocket. This was also a half-foot-long sheathed short sword. Due to its small size, it was more accurate to call it a dagger. After drawing it from the sheath, it appeared much wider and thicker than an ordinary dagger, gleaming brightly and looking extremely sharp.

Han Li discarded the sheath to the side, switched the weapon to his right hand, extended his arm, and pointed the tip of the sword obliquely at his opponent, assuming an offensive stance.

Doctor Mo observed all this quietly but did not rush forward to attack. Instead, he folded his hands behind his back, and his expression suddenly softened. In a gentle voice, he said:

“Han Li, you’ve dodged me several times now, which truly surprised me. But do you really think you’ll be as lucky as before and escape my grasp again? The footwork you used just now is indeed impressive, but it seems to have significant limitations. Judging from your stamina alone, you won’t be able to perform it smoothly again. Just surrender obediently! You should see that I have no intention of seriously injuring you. If you comply, things might not be as bad as you imagine.”

Doctor Mo’s chameleon-like change in attitude gave Han Li goosebumps. One moment the man played the benevolent master, the next cold and ruthless, now earnestly persuading him to surrender. It left Han Li at a loss for words. Did Doctor Mo really think he would be dazed enough to fall for such a melodramatic and obvious trap?

But these words from Doctor Mo actually gave Han Li a bit more confidence. If the opponent wasn’t wary of him, why would he resort to such childish tricks to coax him?

In that instant, Han Li saw through it all clearly. He sighed softly, shook his head gently, and said nothing. Instead, he used the short sword in his hand to gesture a few times toward Doctor Mo, making his intentions perfectly clear.

The veins on Doctor Mo’s forehead throbbed violently. Seeing Han Li completely ignoring his words and defiantly provoking him with his weapon, he could no longer contain his anger.