Chapter 56

“Yu Zitong, I’m just reminding you one last time: if anything happens to me, you won’t fare any better.”

“Know this: your current Nascent Soul form cannot last much longer. Without my help to find you a suitable body, you’ll truly dissolve and scatter. So if there’s any deception or omission in the cultivation method, now’s your chance to tell me—I won’t hold a grudge. I’ll even swear a deadly oath right before your eyes.”

Doctor Mo still wouldn’t give up, continuing to plead with the young man.

Han Li finally understood a little. Doctor Mo had gone to such lengths to speak these empty words simply because he feared this Yu Zitong had tampered with the transmission of the method, causing his spell to go awry and bring disaster upon himself. That’s why, at this critical moment, he hesitated and second-guessed, trying to verify once more from the other’s mouth before feeling safe.

“The soul-stealing method I transmitted to you contains not a single alteration. If I’ve deceived you, may my entire clan be struck down by heavenly retribution, die a wretched death, and be utterly wiped out.” Yu Zitong didn’t pause at all, swiftly swearing another deadly oath—he clearly understood Doctor Mo’s concerns.

“Moreover, after using the Seven Ghosts Devour Soul Technique, though you gain temporary magic power and can cast a few simple spells, it’s still feeding your body to ghosts, consuming your essence. How much essence remains in your body? Will you even have enough for the next use of this technique?”

After these words, the stone chamber fell silent again, broken only by Doctor Mo’s restless pacing.

Han Li silently prayed inwardly—though he never believed in gods, for the first time he made a wish to passing immortals, hoping the man would grow afraid and abandon his sinister intentions. Even though he knew it was absurd, even self-deceptive, it was the only thing he could do now.

“Fine. Trust those you employ; doubt those you don’t. If you seek such great benefits, taking a small risk is only natural.” Doctor Mo finally hardened his resolve.

At these words, Han Li felt despair. If his face could feel, it would surely turn pale, worn with utter dejection.

Yu Zitong, by contrast, looked delighted, his voice brimming with excitement.

“That’s how it should be. Think: you were originally a commoner without any spiritual roots, utterly cut off from the path of cultivation. But once this ritual succeeds, everything changes—you’ll possess a body with spiritual roots, and can then seek out a cultivation family or sect to join and rely upon. From then on, you may escape the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, the five elements’ Lunhui . At the very least, you’ll live far longer than any mortal.”

“Heh, then I’ll accept your good wishes. Don’t worry—I, Mo Juren, keep my word. As soon as it succeeds, I’ll immediately find you a body with spiritual roots. I won’t shortchange you, Brother Yu.” Doctor Mo, stirred by Yu Zitong’s words, began to dream wildly. Thinking of the bright future after the ritual, his heart burned hot, and he grew much more courteous toward Yu Zitong, his tone now laced with flattery.

“Then thank you, Brother Mo. After success, I won’t hide a single thing—I’ll hand over every cultivation technique to you.” Yu Zitong, equally cunning, seized the opportunity to draw closer, forging a bond with the other.

Han Li listened nearby, seething with rage. These two were truly partners in crime, shameless and unscrupulous, treating his body as if it were already their possession, never once considering the owner’s will. Yet now, he truly had no recourse.

Having cast aside his doubts and made his decision, Doctor Mo no longer wished to delay.

He pulled out several thin golden needles from somewhere and swiftly inserted them into secret acupoints at the back of his skull, causing his face to flush red and his spirit to surge—giving him enough energy to perform the spell without error.

Then he walked to Han Li’s side, lifted his body upright, and arranged it into a seated posture on the ground. He himself sat opposite, arms crossed tightly around his shoulders.

Doctor Mo formed a hand seal, flicked his wrist, and a red light shot out, striking the pattern beneath Han Li. Instantly, several jade stones around them glowed brightly.

Low, guttural incantations slowly issued from Doctor Mo’s mouth, like a demonic chant, lulling anyone who heard them into drowsiness. Han Li’s consciousness, as the incantation entered his ears, gradually blurred, becoming heavy with sleep.

“Bad,” Han Li realized at once—this was deliberate. It was the prelude to seizing his body. He refused to accept it. He wouldn’t surrender passively. He fought with all his might against the sound.

But it was useless. If he could still control his body, he might bite his tongue or pinch his flesh to stay awake—but now, he could only endure it passively.

Under the overwhelming hypnotic power of the incantation, Han Li soon lost consciousness. Before slipping into coma, he faintly saw Doctor Mo’s once strikingly handsome face, now twisted and terrifying under the dim light, stripped of all charm.

“You’ve become so ugly!” That was the last thought Han Li had before falling asleep—an unspoken, curse-free lament.

In endless darkness, Han Li had a strange, peculiar dream.

In the dream, he was a green light sphere, no larger than a fist, possessing his own small realm, where he freely drifted, utterly joyful.

But soon, a yellow light sphere burst in—no bigger than a thumb, far smaller than Han Li’s green sphere, yet aggressive and hostile. The moment it saw Han Li, it charged forward with a gaping maw to bite him. Han Li, of course, didn’t back down—he too formed a mouth and struck back fiercely.

In just a few moments, the yellow sphere, outmatched by Han Li’s greater size, was easily swallowed. The battle ended effortlessly.

Victorious, Han Li rejoiced, savoring the taste of his prize. Then another intruder entered—this time, another green sphere, identical to his own, but one and a half times larger, its glow dim and weak, unlike Han Li’s brilliant radiance.

This new enemy, upon seeing Han Li’s green sphere, clearly startled, paused, and seemed hesitant.

But Han Li had just tasted the exquisite delight of devouring other spheres—he wouldn’t let this one escape. Ignoring the difference in strength, he charged straight at it. Seeing this, the opponent had no choice but to advance as well, and they began biting each other.

The opponent was slightly larger, but weak and feeble—clearly just an empty shell. It held out only a moment longer than the yellow sphere before collapsing, beginning to flee.

Han Li refused to let it go, chasing after it. But the opponent was cunning: every time Han Li caught it, it shed the bitten portion and kept fleeing. In this way, it actually escaped—though its size had shrunk by a third.

After two battles, this realm remained solely under Han Li’s control. His light sphere still waited for more intruders to arrive—but sadly, none ever came again.

As time passed, he no longer cared. He drifted alone, happily, for a very, very long time—seemingly forever.

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