Doctor Mo landed gently where Han Li had been standing just moments before. Without the slightest pause, he turned like a ghost, his face once again directed toward Han Li. The arrogance that had previously adorned his face had completely vanished, replaced by an expression of wooden indifference, though a faint, almost imperceptible strangeness flickered in his eyes.
Han Li’s condition wasn’t much better. He was breathing heavily, his face somewhat pale, with fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead. An unnatural flush colored his cheeks.
All of this indicated that the life-saving technique Han Li had just employed had drained most of his stamina. It was highly likely that he wouldn’t be able to execute the same move again.
Taking a deep breath, Han Li forced his body to relax as much as possible, trying to alleviate the severe strain that using the “Smoke Mist Step” had placed on his muscles. For now, he could only seize every opportunity to recover some strength, hoping to improve his chances in the next round of combat.
He glanced down at his left hand, which was still trembling slightly. It had gone completely numb, with no sensation returning yet. He couldn’t even lift a sword with it. It seemed the left-handed swordsmanship he had deliberately trained so hard in was temporarily useless. He would have to rely solely on his right hand to fight.
Thinking this, he inwardly smiled bitterly. Now, with most of his stamina gone and unable to perform the intricate “Smoke Mist Step,” things couldn’t get worse. To make matters worse, he could only fight with one hand. It seemed he had no choice but to use his last hidden trump card.
Han Li glanced at the sun outside, estimating the time. He felt it was just about right for executing this move.
He took another look at the short sword embedded in the wall. There was no chance of retrieving it now—his opponent wouldn’t allow him to casually stroll over and pull it out.
After a moment of contemplation, Han Li drew another weapon from his robe. It was another half-foot-long sheathed short sword. Given its short length, it was more appropriate to call it a dagger. Once unsheathed, it appeared broader and thicker than an ordinary dagger, gleaming brightly and looking exceptionally sharp.
Han Li tossed the scabbard aside, switched the weapon to his right hand, extended his arm, and pointed the tip of the blade diagonally toward his opponent, assuming an offensive stance.
Doctor Mo observed all of this but didn’t rush to attack. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back, his expression suddenly turning amiable. In a gentle voice, he advised, “Han Li, you’ve managed to evade me time and again, which is truly beyond my expectations. But do you really think you can be as lucky as last time and escape my grasp again? The footwork you used earlier was indeed marvelous, but it seems to have significant limitations. Just judging by your stamina, you can’t sustain it any longer. Why not surrender willingly? You should be able to tell I have no intention of seriously harming you. Complying with me might not be as bad as you think.”
Doctor Mo’s chameleon-like shift in attitude sent shivers down Han Li’s spine. One moment, he played the kind mentor; the next, he was cold and ruthless. Now, he was earnestly urging Han Li to surrender and await his fate. Han Li didn’t know what to say. Did his opponent really think he was so foolish as to fall for such an obvious trick?
However, these words actually boosted Han Li’s confidence. If Doctor Mo weren’t wary of him, why would he resort to such childish tactics to deceive him?
In an instant, Han Li saw through everything clearly. He sighed softly and shook his head slightly. Without uttering a word, he merely gestured toward his opponent with the short sword in his hand, making his stance perfectly clear.
The veins on Doctor Mo’s forehead throbbed visibly. Seeing that Han Li completely ignored his persuasion and instead provoked him with his weapon, he could no longer suppress the fury in his heart.
“You don’t know what’s good for you!” he roared, taking a large step forward. Then, through gritted teeth, he spat out the words: “Inches Apart, Worlds Away.”
In the next moment, his entire body drifted lightly to a spot just a few steps away from Han Li, as if he had mastered the art of shrinking the earth. It was truly astonishing.
Han Li appeared equally startled, his face filled with panic. He hastily retreated two steps, putting some distance between them, then held the short sword horizontally in front of himself. He swung it, creating a small curtain of cold light to block Doctor Mo’s path, seemingly having completely forgotten the suffering he had endured in their previous exchange.
Doctor Mo sneered inwardly. Naturally, he wasn’t about to kindly remind his opponent of anything. He separated his palms, attacking Han Li from two directions, completely disregarding the glimmering blade.
Just as the two silver hands were about to pierce through the sword light, a light, cheerful laugh suddenly came from the opposite side. It was a laugh brimming with delight, like that of a hunter witnessing prey stepping into a trap.
A chill ran down Doctor Mo’s spine. Unconsciously, he slowed his momentum, his movements growing slightly sluggish. Then, he heard an icy voice say, “Now, you’re the one who’s truly fallen into a trap. Look at the short sword in my hand!”
Hearing this, Doctor Mo couldn’t help but glance at the short sword. He saw that Han Li had, at some point, stopped swinging the sword and had assumed a strange posture: his upper body was slightly leaning back, the short sword held horizontally at his waist with one hand, while his lower body was in a tightly coiled bow stance, ready to spring at any moment. The entire pose resembled someone drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.
As for the short sword mentioned, aside from a faint blue glow, there was nothing unusual about it. This left Doctor Mo somewhat bewildered. Could it be that Han Li had adopted this bizarre stance and used deceptive words to unsettle him, hoping to seize an advantage?
The thought made Doctor Mo feel somewhat amused, and he couldn’t help but want to mock his opponent. But suddenly, he saw Han Li lunge forward as if shot from a powerful bow, transforming into a sharp arrow that shot toward him. The speed of his approach was so astonishing that even Doctor Mo’s expression changed.
Doctor Mo hastily clasped his separated hands together, attempting to catch the blade between his palms. However, the short sword opposite trembled slightly, transforming into a dozen identical blades that thrust toward him from various angles, making it impossible to distinguish reality from illusion.
Doctor Mo snorted, his opinion of Han Li dropping even further. Using such a flashy but impractical move in front of an expert like him—wasn’t that seeking death? He could easily identify the real blade.
So, widening his eyes, he pinpointed the true sword’s trajectory. Without changing his hand movements, he instead accelerated, aiming to shatter the blade with a single strike and force his opponent to surrender empty-handed.
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