Han Li's face had turned pale. He watched helplessly as Doctor Mo raised the strange blade high above.
Under the sunlight, the edge glinted, making it look incredibly sharp.
A touch of panic stirred in his heart, but reason told him that the man had gone to great lengths to capture him alive and wouldn't just take his life without a word—he was merely trying to intimidate him.
So when the blade descended slowly from above, aimed straight at his body, Han Li remained silent, forcing himself to stay calm.
Only when the blade's edge was a mere half-inch from his scalp, and he could feel a chilling sensation in his hair, did he slowly close his eyes. A faint sense of regret flickered in his mind.
"Is he really going to kill me? If I had known, I would have begged for mercy—maybe I'd still have a chance. I'm so young; I really don't want to die like this. How will my parents feel when they hear the news? Will they be sad? Will they regret sending me to the Seven Mysteries Sect?"
At this life-or-death moment, Han Li's mind filled with a torrent of thoughts. In that instant, he seemed to have experienced all the joys and sorrows of life, gaining a profound understanding of life and death.
*Pfft*—the sound of a blade piercing flesh reached his ears.
Han Li's body trembled slightly, but then he was surprised—he felt no pain at all.
"What's going on?" He opened his eyes in astonishment.
As soon as he opened them, Han Li was stunned.
To his surprise, the strange blade was embedded in Doctor Mo's own shoulder, sunk deep into his body, with only the handle exposed, trembling slightly. Perhaps because it was so sharp, not a single drop of blood leaked out, giving it an eerie appearance.
Han Li was still gaping when Doctor Mo spoke up, praising him in an uncharacteristic manner.
"Ts, ts! Kid, you've got some nerve! With a blade at your neck, you still didn't beg for mercy. I'm impressed!"
"When I roamed the martial world, I saw plenty of heroes who claimed they feared death, but the moment they fell into my hands and faced a little threat, they all turned into sniveling cowards, begging on their knees for their lives."
Han Li was left speechless, mouth agape, unsure how to respond.
In truth, he had nearly broken down too, but he had held out until the end, clinging to a sliver of hope that the man wouldn't really harm him, thus getting by. Besides, he was too proud to suddenly change his tune and grovel.
Now, facing Doctor Mo's repeated praise, Han Li naturally didn't bother to explain. But a mix of emotions swirled within him—he couldn't decide whether to feel glad or dismayed.
While Han Li's thoughts were in turmoil, Doctor Mo swiftly took the remaining strange blades and inserted them all over his body, leaving only the handles with their demonic heads exposed.
When Han Li came to his senses, he was horrified to see that there were a total of seven blades, driven into Doctor Mo's shoulders, legs, abdomen, and chest. From a distance, it looked like he had been torn apart by a flurry of blades.
Han Li found the sight both amusing and startling. He realized that such self-mutilation was probably part of some extremely powerful technique—but was it meant to be used on him?
After inserting all the blades, Doctor Mo fell silent. He leaned forward, sat cross-legged opposite Han Li, closed his eyes, and entered a state of deep concentration, no longer paying attention to anything outside.
Han Li's heart stirred—he saw this as a rare chance to escape. He tried to move his limbs, but the moment he shifted slightly, he felt a heavy pressure on his shoulder and was instantly immobilized again.
Han Li smiled bitterly. How could he have forgotten the giant? With that brute watching his every move, how could he ever get a chance!
It seemed Doctor Mo had thought everything through before entering meditation and wasn't afraid of any tricks. This giant called "Tie Nu" was some kind of monster—just like Doctor Mo's "Silver Demon Hand," he was impervious to weapons, even his most vulnerable spot was the same. Han Li had completely fallen into his hands today.
While Han Li was secretly cursing the giant, the other figure before him underwent a bizarre transformation.
Doctor Mo's face began to twitch, his whole body shaking nonstop. His features distorted from the straining muscles, as if he were enduring immense pain. With several blades stuck in his body, the sight was eerie and terrifying, as if a cold, sinister aura was slowly rising in the room.
Suddenly, Doctor Mo stopped twitching and shaking, but from deep in his throat came a low growl, filled with primal ferocity. In that instant, Doctor Mo no longer seemed like an old man but like a wild beast that had just burst out of the forest.
Then, something even more horrifying happened: the ghostly mist that had once appeared on Doctor Mo's face a year ago resurfaced.
This mist was entirely different from before—much denser and darker. When it shrouded Doctor Mo's face, it was like a pitch-black mask that concealed his true features.
The tentacles that occasionally emerged from the mist had also undergone a dramatic change. The dark mist flowing on them was smooth, glossy, and substantial, as if they had taken on a physical form. They extended and retracted across Doctor Mo's face, dancing wildly.
Doctor Mo formed lotus-shaped hand seals, pressing his fingers together in a strange gesture. His lips moved slightly, as if muttering incantations, but the sound was too low for Han Li to hear clearly.
With Doctor Mo's inexplicable actions, the mist on his face seemed to grow agitated—like cold water thrown into a boiling oil pan, it began to churn and bubble. More small tentacles emerged from it, brandishing and snarling, as if trying to stop Doctor Mo from proceeding further.
Just as the black mist reached its thickest, Doctor Mo opened his eyes. Through the dense fog, Han Li could still see a brilliant light shining in them.
"Seven Ghosts Soul Devouring!"
Doctor Mo shouted the name of the secret technique he was using.
(End of Chapter)