At this moment, Doctor Mo recalled how Han Li had insisted on keeping the door open when they first entered the room. It seemed that even then, Han Li had already laid the groundwork to use the sunlight’s reflection. For someone so young to devise such a meticulous and ruthless trap, ensnaring an experienced veteran like himself with almost no chance of recovery—this level of cunning was utterly incongruent with his age and experience. Could he truly be a born prodigy, a reincarnated genius?
The more Doctor Mo pondered, the more terrified he became. Cold sweat drenched his body from head to toe.
After this setback, Doctor Mo grew even more wary of Han Li. He faced him with extreme caution, not daring to act rashly for the time being.
For some reason, Han Li merely stared back at Doctor Mo without showing any intention to attack. The two found themselves at a standoff, eyeing each other warily.
After a moment of awkward silence, Han Li suddenly spoke words that left Doctor Mo utterly stunned and speechless.
“Doctor Mo, how about we call a truce? Or I could surrender. What do you think?”
With that, Han Li tossed his weapon to the ground, revealing a set of white teeth as he smiled innocently at Doctor Mo, looking every bit the simple country boy.
“Surrender?”
At first, Doctor Mo thought he had misheard. But then, glancing at the iron awl Han Li had discarded, he scoffed incredulously and retorted fiercely, “What kind of trick are you playing? Do you really think I’d believe such nonsense? If you wanted to surrender, you could have done so from the beginning. Why wait until we’ve fought to the brink of death to pull this stunt?”
Han Li simply smiled without responding, seemingly accepting the accusation. The two fell into another tense standoff.
After a short while, Doctor Mo suddenly seemed to recall something absurd. He bent over, clutching his stomach, and burst into unrestrained laughter, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.
“Haha! Ha! Haha! How… how amusing! I actually forgot such an important thing. I really… really went head-to-head with you openly,” he stammered between fits of laughter.
Han Li frowned briefly but soon relaxed. He glanced out the window, a confident smile spreading across his face as he spoke calmly, “Doctor Mo, don’t you think we’ve wasted enough time? It’s time to end this.”
Doctor Mo paused mid-laugh, taken aback.
He slowly straightened up, his expression hardening as he stared coldly at Han Li. After a long silence, he replied icily, “I agree. It’s time to end this.”
Suddenly, both men seemed to hold all the cards, each confident they had found a way to subdue the other.
After another tense silence, Han Li was the first to break it. He spoke with unwavering confidence, certain that his words would force Doctor Mo to yield.
“Doctor Mo, are you aware that your life is now in my hands?” Han Li’s opening statement was startling.
“My life is in your hands?” Doctor Mo sneered, his face full of disbelief.
“Don’t you feel something unusual about your wound?”
“Nonsense! I checked carefully. Your dagger clearly had no—” Doctor Mo retorted but cut himself short, his face paling as he remembered it wasn’t the dagger but the hidden awl that had wounded him.
“It seems I need not explain further. Doctor Mo already understands,” Han Li said with a sly smile.
“Even so, what does it matter? Don’t forget, I taught you everything you know about medicine. What poison could I possibly not have an antidote for?” Doctor Mo replied, his composure returning.
“Heh! I forgot to mention—the weapon was coated with ‘Entangling Fragrance Silk.'”
“Entangling Fragrance Silk?” Doctor Mo gasped softly, clearly caught off guard.
“Indeed. I assume you’re well aware of the potency of this drug?” Han Li taunted leisurely.
“Preposterous! How could you possibly have concocted such a poison? I never disclosed even a hint of its formula,” Doctor Mo insisted, though the strange sensation from his wound already confirmed Han Li’s words about ninety percent.
Seeing Doctor Mo’s stubborn denial, Han Li sighed and explained, “You’ve forgotten, old man. Your medical books were completely open to me. The formula was tucked away in an obscure pharmacology text. If I hadn’t been thorough, I might have missed it.”
Only then did Doctor Mo remember: when he had first obtained the formula, fearing he might forget the complex ingredients and steps, he had meticulously copied the recipe and list of required herbs onto a slip of paper and tucked it into one of his books. Over time, amidst countless events, he had completely forgotten about it. Now, that oversight had come back to haunt him.
“Let’s sit down and discuss a truce properly,” Han Li said confidently.
With a cold snort, Doctor Mo ignored him, frantically trying to recall the effects and preparation of “Entangling Fragrance Silk.”
The name “Entangling Fragrance Silk” sounded harmless, even evoking romantic imagery. But its potency was as overwhelming as the longing of a lovesick woman—seeping deep into the bones, relentless and inescapable.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage