Chapter 27: The Fall of a Tyrant

"How old do you think I am?" Mo's cheek twitched as he posed the seemingly irrelevant question.

"From appearance, around sixty. But since you ask, your true age must differ—either much older or younger," Han Li replied flatly, though inwardly puzzled.

"Ha! The 'Evergreen Art' truly sharpens the mind. A village boy turned shrewd prodigy!" Mo's eyes gleamed with fervor. "I am thirty-seven."

"Impossible!" Han Li's composure cracked.

"Impossible? Indeed!" Mo's voice sharpened, grating against Han Li's ears. "In my prime, I ruled Lanzhou's martial world—bare-handed, feared as the 'Ghost Hand.' Yet a betrayal left me crippled. Poisoned by a trusted ally, my body decayed. Though I suppressed the damage, my strength withered, forcing me to abandon everything and flee."

As Mo recounted his past, his fists clenched until blood dripped, his face contorted with hatred.

"By chance, I found a cryptic tome. It promised restored power, but the ritual backfired. My body aged decades in days. Now, each day consumes ten days of life. Only alchemy slows the decay."

"What does this have to do with my cultivation?" Han Li cut to the core.

"The 'Evergreen Art' is the key. A fourth-layer practitioner can channel its energy to reverse my condition. But the art demands a wielder with 'spiritual roots'—a rarity. I tested hundreds of youths. None succeeded… until *you*."

"Why confront me now?"

"You stalled!" Mo roared. "I've waited years, but my time runs short. A recent battle drained my remaining life. I have one year left. You *will* break through the fourth layer—or perish with me."

Han Li's face remained impassive, but his mind churned. The web of Mo's desperation and deceit stretched far beyond his fears.

Han Li's mind was in turmoil—fear, regret, and confusion swirled within him. Despite stalling until now, he still couldn't find a way to escape. He was panicking.

He was still young, after all, no match for an old fox like Doctor Mo. His forced composure and attempts to keep his expression neutral had been seen through. The faint sweat on his forehead exposed him as a paper tiger.

Doctor Mo didn't miss a single change in Han Li's demeanor. He was satisfied with the immense pressure he had inflicted. He always believed that only when someone's mental defenses crumbled would they spill the truth.

"You think I've been slacking off, delaying my progress in cultivation?" Han Li was stunned by this sudden accusation.

"Of course. Two years and you still haven't broken through to the fourth layer? Did you really think I wouldn't see through your little tricks? The first three layers took you only three years. Even if the fourth layer is difficult, without medicinal aids, you shouldn't have made zero progress in two years!" Doctor Mo's voice turned icy, his brows furrowing with a murderous aura, as if his long-suppressed dissatisfaction was finally erupting.

"It seems no matter how I explain, Elder Mo won't believe me," Han Li thought bitterly. He never expected that hiding his true progress would backfire so spectacularly.

Truly, he had lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot. He didn't know whether provoking Doctor Mo's outburst and uncovering this truth was right or wrong.

"Enough talk. I don't care if your past actions were genuine or fake. Listen well—I'll ask you one question: If I give you another year, can you reach the fourth layer of the Evergreen Art?" Doctor Mo sneered, uttering the most critical sentence of the day. His eyes bore into Han Li, unblinking, as he awaited the answer.

Han Li knew full well that his response would determine not only Doctor Mo's fate in a year but also whether he himself would survive this moment.

"You already know the only answer I can give. Now, unseal my acupoints," Han Li said, his tone suddenly relaxed as if he had surrendered to the inevitable.

Doctor Mo's expression softened slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. But instead of freeing Han Li, he cautiously pulled out an intricately carved sandalwood box from his robe.

"Empty words won't reassure me. If you slack off again, it'll doom us both. For the sake of our lives, we need an… insurance policy," he said darkly.

Inside the box lay a white pill.

Doctor Mo jabbed Han Li's body, unsealing his acupoints. Before Han Li could move, he shoved the box into his hands.

"You're smart. No need for me to spell it out," Doctor Mo narrowed his eyes, his gaze treacherous.

Han Li flexed his numb limbs briefly, then wordlessly took the box. He pinched the pill between his fingers and swallowed it without hesitation.

"Good! A wise man knows when to yield. Help me recover, and I'll reward you handsomely. With the rift between us, taking you as a disciple is impossible, but I can guarantee you a life of wealth and luxury," Doctor Mo clapped his hands, offering a sincere-sounding promise.

"Now, tell me what that pill does. I'd hate to die from ignorance," Han Li said coldly, unmoved.

"Heh. It's called the 'Corpse Worm Pill.' Not a drug, but eggs treated with a secret technique. After ingestion, they'll lie dormant in your body for a year. Rest assured—they're harmless during that time. Take the antidote in a year, and they'll dissolve. But if you don't…"

Doctor Mo continued casually, "Without the antidote, the eggs will hatch, devouring your organs one by one. You'll scream in agony for three days and nights before dying." His tone carried a veiled threat.

Han Li shuddered, his face paling as he struggled to suppress his fury. But Doctor Mo wasn't done.

"Oh, and I hear you have many family members. Are the monthly funds you send home sufficient? If not, just ask. I care deeply for your loved ones," Doctor Mo added softly, finally baring his fangs and striking Han Li's weakest point.

Han Li's face turned ashen, his composure shattered. He bit his lip hard, refusing to beg or curse. He knew neither would sway the man.

"Within a year… I'll reach the fourth layer," Han Li spat through gritted teeth, no longer hiding his hatred.

Under such naked threats, he had no choice but to yield. He couldn't abandon his family.

With his fatal weakness exposed, even thoughts of mutual destruction vanished. In this first clash with Doctor Mo, Han Li had lost utterly.

Doctor Mo exhaled in relief, though his tension had matched Han Li's. He'd simply masked it behind a facade of cunning.

"That damned Evergreen Art! How is this brat so shrewd at his age?" Doctor Mo cursed inwardly, torn between envy and resentment.

While the Evergreen Art enhanced one's intellect, its effects depended on the practitioner. Han Li, already precocious, had honed his wit and stratagems far beyond ordinary youths through the art.