Chapter 10: The Mysterious Bottle

Han Li strolled out of Divine Hand Valley, following the mountain path toward the distant silhouette of **Chishui Peak**. These days, he visited Zhang Tie daily—not out of necessity, but to mock his friend's comical grimaces while training under the waterfall.

"The **Elephant Armor Technique** is torture," Han Li mused, kicking fallen leaves. "If even the first layer is this brutal, the later ones must flay skin. Maybe we should beg Doctor Mo to let Zhang Tie switch techniques."

Autumn's end stripped the trees bare, their skeletal branches clawing at the gray sky.

Clangs of steel and cheers echoed from a nearby peak—**Hundred Forge Hall** disciples sparring. Han Li's mood soured.

Since becoming Mo's disciple, he'd been barred from martial training. "It'll hinder your mantra progress," Mo insisted. Han Li could only sneak borrowed weapons for fleeting practice.

*What's so special about this mantra?* he grumbled inwardly. Others grew stronger daily, while his progress stagnated. Even Zhang Tie, after two months of "Elephant Armor," boasted thicker skin and raw strength.

Yet Han Li knew: without Mo's patronage, he'd have failed the probationary trials. The silver sent home was worth the sacrifice.

Distracted, Han Li stubbed his toe on a hidden rock. Pain lanced through his foot, dropping him to the ground.

Cursing, he scanned the leaf-littered path. *Where's that damned rock?*

A stick in hand, he prodded the debris—and unearthed a **fist-sized object**.

The culprit: a mud-caked bottle, its neck slender and surface etched with jade-green leaf patterns. Though small, its metallic weight surprised him.

Rubbing away grime revealed an emerald sheen. The sealed cap resisted twisting. *What's inside?*

Foot throbbing, Han Li abandoned his hike. Clutching the bottle, he limped back to his quarters—mind racing with curiosity.