"How old do you think I am?" His cheek muscles twitched a few times, asking a seemingly irrelevant question.
"From your appearance, probably over sixty years old. But since you're asking, your age must not correspond with your appearance. Are you much older or younger?" Han Li felt somewhat surprised inside but maintained a calm tone as he spoke.
"Tsk tsk! Truly remarkable for someone who's practiced the 'Longevity Technique.' A little countryside brat has transformed into such a clever and intelligent person!" Doctor Mo exclaimed with admiration, gazing at him eagerly.
"You guessed right. I'm only thirty-seven years old this year." A number that left Han Li incredulous came from Doctor Mo's mouth.
"Impossible?" Han Li, who had remained composed, was astonished for the first time.
"Impossible! Indeed, it's impossible! Anyone who sees me, not only would they think I'm sixty, but if I were to claim to be seventy, no one would doubt it." Doctor Mo's voice suddenly became higher and sharper, sounding unbearable and uncomfortable to Han Li's ears, as if it touched the deepest pain in his heart.
"I, Mo Juren, was once famous in the martial world of Lanzhou, Yue Nation. I made quite a name for myself, creating my own territory with my bare hands. Hehe! Back then in Lanzhou, who didn't know the reputation of my 'Ghost Hand'? Regardless of black or white, those who followed me thrived, and those who opposed me..." Doctor Mo resumed his storytelling with a low voice, slowly narrating his story. As he spoke, his eyes emitted a sharpness akin to swords, as if he had returned to the days of his youth, when he was vigorous and wielded great power.
Listening to Doctor Mo's words, Han Li was secretly amazed. He hadn't expected that his nominal master had such a background.
"Unfortunately, good times don't last. Just as I entered middle age and was about to further expand my influence, I was ambushed by villains. A trusted person used treacherous means on me. Although I managed to control the severity of the injuries with my exceptional medical skills, I couldn't fully recover. My martial arts prowess declined, and I couldn't establish myself in the northern region. To avoid being targeted by enemies, I had to abandon my original foundation and family, disappearing from sight and searching for a way to restore my former strength in other parts of Yue Nation," Doctor Mo recounted his subsequent experiences, completely immersed in the narration. His hands clenched into fists, and his fingers dug deeply into his palms, causing blood to flow, but he seemed completely unaware, only showing a fierce and vicious look on his face. This ferocious expression sent shivers down Han Li's spine, indicating his deep-seated hatred towards those who had poisoned him.
Hearing the continuous resentment in his words, Han Li couldn't help but feel a chill running down his spine.
"Fortunately, fate smiled upon me when I stumbled upon a mysterious place and accidentally obtained a peculiar book. This book was cryptic and profound, and I struggled to understand it. But from it, I found a shortcut to restoring my strength. Following its instructions, I attempted to regain my lost vitality..." Doctor Mo paused for a moment, not continuing immediately, but his annoyed expression was evident, mixed with some regret.
"As a result, you ended up like this," Han Li coldly finished the words that Doctor Mo seemed hesitant to say.
"Exactly. I never expected that following the method in that book would restore my power but accelerate my aging. I've become what I am now, prematurely aged, neither fully human nor ghostly," Doctor Mo nodded with a tinge of sadness, not getting angry at Han Li's sarcasm.
"You should have found out the reason by now."
"I was invaded by evil energy due to improper methods. Now, I live one day equivalent to ten days of energy expenditure for an ordinary person. Every moment, I'm exhausting my life force at an alarming rate. Fortunately, I'm proficient in the art of nurturing and have concocted a secret medicine according to the book's instructions, which has slowed down the aging process in recent years, supporting me until now."
"What does this have to do with the mantra I practice?" Han Li cut to the core of the question bluntly.
"Not long after I became like this, I discovered a solution from the book, which is the 'Longevity Technique' you cultivate. As long as someone reaches the fourth level of cultivation and helps me with the technique, using Longevity Qi to stimulate the secret acupoints, I can free myself from my current predicament and regain my lost vitality."
"Why me? Can't you just find anyone else to practice this mantra?" Han Li pondered for a moment, finally asking the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.
"Do you think the 'Longevity Technique' is something anyone can learn? This technique not only requires a young person to start from scratch but also demands that the practitioner possess 'spirit root' physique. Although I don't know what 'spirit root' is, I've already searched for hundreds of children before you, none of whom were able to cultivate the Longevity Technique," Doctor Mo's face showed irritation.
"Is that so?" Han Li was a little surprised, not expecting the cultivation of this technique to be so stringent.
"In the remaining years, I thought it would be impossible to find someone to cultivate the technique, so I gave up and pretended to be a wandering martial artist, starting to wander around. Unexpectedly, I occasionally encountered the Seventh Prince of the Seven Profound Sect, who had also been ambushed. In sympathy, I saved his life and, at his invitation, became an honored guest of the sect, preparing to spend my last days on the mountain. Hehe! Miracles do happen. Initially, I was afraid that all my medical skills and martial arts would be lost, so I invited you two into the valley, intending to take you both as disciples. But inexplicably, I let you try the Longevity Technique. Perhaps I still harbored some hope. Even if you couldn't cultivate this technique, I would have accepted you both and passed on what I had learned. But never did I expect that you would actually respond to this technique. Haha! Truly, there is no end to the road of heaven!"
Doctor Mo unraveled all these mysteries in one breath, his face filled with a flush of illness, looking very proud of his good fortune.
"I haven't even reached the fourth level of the Longevity Technique. Why are you restraining me now and revealing all of this?" Han Li finally asked the question that currently concerned him the most.
"It's your fault. I've put so much effort and energy into you, but you can't satisfy me, always playing tricks on me. Now, it's just this final step, but you're reluctant to progress further. Originally, I could have waited for you for another two years, but when I went down the mountain this time, I was recognized by an enemy. After a fierce battle, although I killed the opponent, I also exhausted my already limited energy, greatly shortening my lifespan. Even if I exert all my strength, I can only extend my life by another year. How can I wait any longer?" Doctor Mo's triumphant expression disappeared without a trace, replaced by a fierce look. Finally, he roared at Han Li.
After listening, Han Li remained calm, showing no signs of being moved on the surface.
However, his heart was in turmoil, completely different from the composed and unperturbed appearance he displayed. Although he had long anticipated Doctor Mo's deep intentions towards him, he had never expected such a big revelation. The other party's background, experiences, and the mantra he cultivated all exceeded his imagination.
