Published: August 15, 2025
Chapter 63: True Appearance
After wandering in circles for quite a while, Han Li finally came to a stop.
“Should I make this deal now, or wait until I really can’t cure the poison before deciding?” In the end, he could only think helplessly like this.
Then, he glanced outside at the burly man and recalled the strange words at the end of the farewell letter. A faint curiosity arose in his heart, and he prepared to try the method to control the burly man.
Han Li bent down and found a small brass bell from the pile of items. The bell was not big—just the size to be held in one palm—but it was exquisitely crafted, the proportions perfectly balanced. It was clearly made by a master craftsman. The only difference from ordinary bells was that faint streaks of dried blood were faintly embedded on the bell’s surface, making it stand out.
Han Li carefully examined this magical artifact called the "Soul Guiding Bell," but couldn’t see its extraordinary power. According to the letter, this item could actually control such a terrifying monster as the burly man. It was truly incredible!
Han Li held the small bell in his left hand while casually grabbing a dagger with his right. He cautiously stepped out of the stone house and slowly approached the burly man.
When he was about two meters away from the burly man, Han Li stopped, unwilling to get any closer in case something went wrong.
At this moment, the burly man was standing with his back straight towards Han Li.
“Ding!” A crisp bell tone rang from the small bell as Han Li gently struck the brass with the dagger.
Han Li frowned slightly—it seemed no different from the tone of an ordinary bell. Could this really control the burly man?
Doubt crept into his heart, and his body lowered slightly, ready to retreat quickly into the stone house if anything felt off.
Upon hearing the bell, the burly man’s shoulder twitched slightly, as if reacting. Han Li’s heart leapt with joy, and he hurriedly struck the bell continuously.
“Ding! Ding!…” The bell tones rang one after another. The burly man’s body began to tremble, his footsteps staggered, and he could no longer stand steadily. Finally, he collapsed heavily to the ground, unconscious.
The burly man's massive body hitting the dry ground kicked up a cloud of dust, causing Han Li—caught off guard—to sneeze repeatedly, looking quite embarrassed.
But at this moment, Han Li had no time to worry about trivial matters. He quickly pounced onto the burly man’s body and pulled the cloak off his head, revealing a swollen and grotesque face that made Han Li shudder involuntarily.
Suppressing the unease welling in his heart, Han Li dared not study the face too closely. He hurriedly used the dagger to lightly cut his own wrist, letting fresh blood flow freely, then smeared it all over the burly man’s face until it was completely covered. Only then did Han Li press on the wound, quickly searching for a clean strip of cloth to bind his wrist and stop the bleeding. He then calmly stood aside, watching the burly man’s reaction.
A strange thing happened—the blood slowly seeped into the burly man’s facial skin without leaving a single drop behind, leaving Han Li dumbfounded. He didn’t even realize that he pressed too hard on the wound and fresh blood had oozed out again through the cloth.
After the blood was completely absorbed, the burly man opened his eyes and slowly stood up. His expression was dull, his eyes vacant, showing no trace of emotion.
But when the burly man turned his head and their eyes met, Han Li felt a sudden buzzing in his mind—a strange feeling both unfamiliar and familiar arose in his heart. It was as if something foreign had suddenly entered deep within his soul, something that clung to Han Li like a well-loved dog, persistently calling out to him.
Han Li was startled but quickly regained his composure. He noticed the burly man’s stiff expression had changed—his face now filled with submissiveness, giving Han Li a strange sense that he could control the man’s very life and death.