Chapter 35: Stealing the Secret Manual

One afternoon, over ten days later, Han Li secretly slipped out of God Hand Valley again to meet up with Li Feiyu.

Actually, it couldn't be called sneaking out; Doctor Mo had long been fully aware of his frequent trips out of the valley, but he never interfered, letting Han Li come and go freely.

This hands-off approach initially made Han Li feel a bit uneasy, not knowing what kind of scheme the other was plotting. After coming and going safely a few times, he discovered that no one was really following him, so he set his mind at ease and boldly went about his own business.

Later, after a long period of deliberation, Han Li gradually began to understand the reason for the other's indulgence.

Doctor Mo had his own hidden difficulties in being so tolerant of Han Li.

Although he used the "Corpse Worm Pill" and the lives of his family as two heavy locks to keep Han Li firmly under his control, he also knew that using such brutal methods to control the other would surely fill the other's heart with resentment, making him unwilling to cultivate. If he were to further restrict the other's freedom of movement, it would certainly be counterproductive. After all, Doctor Mo's original intention was to have him actively and positively cultivate the Everlasting Spring Technique, not to bind his hands and feet and force him to cultivate.

Once Han Li understood the cause and effect of this matter, his courage grew even greater. Previously, he had needed to slightly avoid Doctor Mo's sight and be cautious when entering and leaving the valley, sneaking out; now, he was even more straightforward—he didn't even say a word and would swagger right past him.

On the surface, Han Li seemed careless and completely indifferent, but in his heart, he actually still maintained a cautious style.

As soon as he stepped out of the valley, he would employ the Everlasting Spring Technique, elevating his senses to an incredible realm, bringing all moving objects within dozens of feet under his control.

Han Li believed that even if Doctor Mo came to tail him personally, he wouldn't be able to escape his sensory detection.

He might not be good at head-on combat, but when it came to the application and mastery of the five senses, he had absolute confidence in himself.

Along the way, Han Li carefully avoided the patrolling disciples and, through the secret passage in the old locust tree, crawled into the vicinity of the small pool where they had met last time.

As soon as he entered, he saw Li Feiyu sitting by the pool with his bare feet.

He lowered his head, his two bare feet soaking in the icy pool water, "plop, plop" splashing the water surface vigorously, sending up colorful droplets, playing with great interest.

Hearing the sound of Han Li entering, he didn't even lift his head and complained directly:

"Han Shidi, you're coming later and later. Every time, you make me wait for half a day. Can't you come earlier just once?"

"Sorry, I..." Han Li brushed the dirt off his clothes with his hand, just about to explain a few words.

"Catch."

Without waiting for Han Li to finish speaking, Li Feiyu threw a large package he had been hiding behind his back directly at Han Li.

"What is this? Something good to eat?" Han Li was a bit confused, but then felt that the package was hard and heavy, not like something edible.

"You only know how to eat! Didn't you ask me to bring out the sword manual for the Blinking Sword Art?" Li Feiyu glared at him and then said with a straight face.

"This is a sword manual? You're not mistaken, are you! You didn't accidentally put the whetstone from your courtyard in here, did you?" Han Li looked at the behemoth in his arms, his face full of disbelief.

"So heavy!" He exerted force with his arms and weighed it with effort, almost causing himself to stumble.

"Haha!" Li Feiyu couldn't hold it in anymore, opened his big mouth, and laughed wildly, finally laughing so hard that he rolled on the ground, getting covered in grass and dirt.

Han Li looked suspiciously at the other's bizarre behavior and then glanced at this incredibly large package.

"Thump!"

He kicked the package lightly with his foot; it really did feel like books.

No longer paying attention to his friend who was already laughing uncontrollably, Han Li touched his chin with his hand, stuck out his butt, and squatted down beside the package.

For him, guessing about something whose result he could know immediately was a foolish waste of mental energy.

A pair of fair, clean palms rested on the dead knot of the package, and ten fingers immediately began to flick slightly. A blurry shadow of fingers flickered over the package, and the tightly tied knot miraculously loosened.

"Clap, clap!"

A burst of crisp applause rang out.

Han Li didn't go to open the package first but turned his head to look at the mischievous friend who had just been laughing loudly.

Don't know when, Li Feiyu had already stopped laughing and put on his shoes.

Now he was clapping his hands desperately, cheering for him, seemingly not caring at all that his palms were already red from clapping.

"Tsk tsk! Every time I see you use the 'Entangling Silk Hand' martial art so skillfully, I find it incredible. This martial art seems to have been tailor-made for you. It's only been two short months since I taught it to you." Li Feiyu continued to clap, his mouth clicking in constant praise.

"You didn't turn a book into such a big package just to make me perform, did you?" Han Li said with annoyance.

"Of course not. You'll understand everything once you open the package." Li Feiyu put away his playful expression, his face becoming serious.

Seeing him suddenly speak with such an expression, Han Li's curiosity was piqued. He turned his head back, his gaze falling once again on the package before him.

Tilting his head and thinking for a moment, he extended his index and middle fingers, lightly pinched a corner of the package, and lifted it, revealing all the objects wrapped inside.

"This is..." Cold sweat broke out in dense beads on Han Li's forehead, and his eyes almost popped out.

"How about it? Quite a shock, right?" Li Feiyu walked up slowly and patted him on the shoulder.

Han Li turned around blankly, looking straight at the other, speechless for a long time.

"Why are you looking at me with that expression? I'm not going to offer myself to you, am I?" Li Feiyu teased Han Li with a grin.

After hearing this joke, Han Li seemed to finally wake up.

"I want to draw a line between us. From now on, consider that I don't know you, and you've never seen me." Han Li shouted angrily.

"I don't know if my eyes are playing tricks on me or if you've gone crazy. You actually moved half of the Seven Absolutes Hall's book collection here! If the Hall-Patrolling Protector discovers this, it will be hard for the two of us to even die!" Han Li pointed at the pile of secret manuals of all sizes in front of him and roared at Li Feiyu.

On the upper left corner of these book covers, they were all uniformly marked with a brush, with the eye-catching golden characters "Seven Absolutes Hall Book Collection."

===== CHAPTER 36 =====