Once poisoned by the "Silk of Entangling Fragrance," its toxic effects would gradually spread throughout the body via the bloodstream.
Within a short period, if the poisoned individual was an ordinary person, the danger wasn't too severe. But for a martial artist, it posed a fatal threat. The victim could not recklessly circulate their internal true qi during this time, or it would accelerate the poison's onset, causing a violent backlash of the blood that would be excruciatingly painful.
If the poisoning lasted longer and the toxin seeped deep into the body, the situation became even more troublesome.
Although control over one's true qi could be regained, an antidote had to be taken daily to suppress the toxin. Otherwise, the bones throughout the body would slowly undergo a grotesque transformation, causing the entire body to atrophy. Ultimately, the victim would shrink into a formless lump, paralyzed on the ground and unable to move.
What was truly terrifying was that since the toxin had penetrated deep into the marrow, it could not be completely purged. One could only rely on long-term consumption of the specific antidote to temporarily prevent its manifestation. Like the entangling threads of fate, the poison would accompany the victim for life, never to be parted.
The ingredients used to concoct this poison were varied and complex, with many being easily substitutable. While the ultimate consequences were the same, the specific toxic properties differed depending on the preparation, making them unpredictable and bizarre. The antidote naturally varied as well. Only the person who created the poison could prescribe the correct countermeasure and suppress its effects. Others, even if they knew the formula for the "Silk of Entangling Fragrance," would be powerless to devise an antidote.
Thus, the poisoned person's life was held firmly in the hands of the poisoner. They could only obey, never daring to resist.
Doctor Mo sifted through the memories in his mind concerning the "Silk of Entangling Fragrance," and in his heart, he understood the reason for Han Li's confidence.
A cold smile touched his lips, but his expression remained unchanged as he said lightly: "This is your final move, then?"
"If you have no other tricks, boy, surrender yourself quietly!"
Han Li's heart sank. Seeing Doctor Mo's expression unchanged, showing no concern for his threat whatsoever, he knew he must have miscalculated something.
He could tell that Doctor Mo truly did not care about this poison. The fact that the "Silk of Entangling Fragrance" was already inside him didn't seem to bother him in the slightest, not even a nerve.
And because of this, Han Li clearly understood he was at an absolute disadvantage. It seemed his opponent already had immense confidence in capturing him.
Seeing Han Li silent, Doctor Mo chuckled darkly, a flash of cunning in his eyes, and then roared: "Tie Nu, go and seize him for me!"
The moment Han Li heard this, he remembered that after entering the room, he had completely forgotten about a crucial person. Before he could think further, he flicked the weapon at his feet with the tip of his toe, and the iron cone automatically leaped into his hand.
In that very instant, a massive black shadow, accompanied by a violent gust of wind, shot out from one corner of the room and appeared right before him. Its speed was so great that Han Li had no chance to dodge.
Left with no alternative, he thrust the sharp cone directly at the shadow's lower abdomen, hoping to impede it slightly and gain a moment to retreat.
Using a small, short cone to stab at the abdomen was far from ideal, but Han Li had no choice. The opponent was simply too towering, and the weapon in his hand was only about an inch long—this was the only spot he could reach.
Han Li suddenly felt as though he had collided with some inhuman beast. His extended wrist felt as if it had been struck violently by a great timber, dislocating it instantly. His body was knocked back several steps by the impact, and the iron cone in his hand, as if it had struck solid rock, was deflected away and disappeared from sight.
Shock and fury surged within Han Li. Just as he barely stabilized himself after the collision, he felt a shadow darken before him as the giant figure followed close behind. Then, a searing pain lanced through both shoulders as two enormous hands clamped onto his shoulder blades, giving him the sensation that they were about to be crushed.
Han Li struggled desperately, but his body was pinned as if a mountain were pressing down on him, utterly immobile.
In his desperation, he disregarded everything else, raising his knee to drive hard toward the vital area between the giant shadow's legs.
"Ouch!" A cry of pain escaped him, and cold sweat immediately beaded on his forehead. That supposedly fatal spot on his opponent was also incredibly hard. He felt as if his kneecap had cracked against stone, shattering into several pieces.
However, this action seemed to enrage his attacker. The giant hands on his shoulders suddenly applied even greater force, causing Han Li so much pain he nearly blacked out. His entire body went limp and collapsed to the floor.
"Gently, Tie Nu. I still have use for this person." Just at this critical moment, Doctor Mo's stern voice rang out.
As the words fell, Han Li felt the weight on his shoulders lessen, and the pain greatly diminished. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, finding Doctor Mo's voice surprisingly pleasant to his ears for the first time. Yet, amidst his relief, the doubt that had long tangled in his mind grew even stronger.
From the very beginning, Han Li had noticed that for some reason, Doctor Mo would always hold back at critical moments, seemingly afraid of hurting him. He certainly wouldn't believe the man had suddenly developed a kind heart and was deliberately showing mercy. There had to be some unspeakable, underhanded matter he didn't know about that made Doctor Mo hesitant to act, preventing him from attacking with full force. Otherwise, their struggle wouldn't have dragged on until now.
He silently resolved to fully exploit this point to bargain with his opponent and find a way to escape from his clutches.
Doctor Mo walked up to him, seeming to see right through his thoughts. A mocking look flickered across his face for an instant. He first patted Han Li's chest, removing a heart-protecting mirror from there, and couldn't help but feel a slight surprise—so it was this object that had blocked his acupoint strike.
He gently shook his head without comment, then produced a rectangular yellow wooden box from his robes. The box was exquisitely crafted, adorned with carved dragons and painted phoenixes, clearly a precious item rarely seen among common folk.
In front of Han Li, Doctor Mo solemnly opened the lid. Inside lay several identical Silver Blades. These blades had a strange shape, resembling neither a saber nor a sword. Their curved edges formed a crescent moon shape, and they were about the size of a dagger—truly peculiar.
When Doctor Mo lifted one of the Silver Blades from the box, Han Li finally noticed that the strange weapon was incredibly thin, as thin as a sheet of paper. A cold light flowed and flickered across its surface, making it look incomparably sharp at a glance. It would surely slice through flesh as easily as cutting cloth. What was even more bizarre was that at the end of the Silver Blade's hilt was embedded a demon head with tightly shut eyes. The demon head had a green face, sharp fangs, two horns growing from its skull, and was utterly ferocious.
Doctor Mo held this strange blade and shot Han Li a meaningful glance from the corner of his eye.
This action sent a chill down Han Li's spine. Could it be that his pessimistic guess was right? Was his opponent actually going to carve him up with this terrifying weapon?
(End of Chapter)