Chapter 43: Fully Prepared

　　At this time, the Seven Mysteries Sect was undergoing a major event.

　　It turned out that the idol of the current generation of disciples, “Senior Disciple Li”, possessed a perception far beyond that of his peers. He quickly saw through two of the Feral Wolf Gang’s spies and their plot to steal the names of the disciples that were undergoing adventures away from the mountain. With ten fellow disciples, they captured them in one move. This was quite a meritorious deed.

　　Several days later, Sect Leader w.a.n.g awarded Li Feiyu the position of Protector in the presence of many disciples. This caused him to stride forward to the Seven Mysteries Sect’s mid rankings, leading to a rise of great sensation. Li Feiyu’s reputation had grown even greater.

　　Han Li didn’t know of this at all. He was currently sealed off in a wooden house in the mountain, undergoing special training. Aside from occasionally going to the kitchen to get some food, he did not have any contact with others. He naturally did not know that his close friend was currently held in such high regard.

　　Summer pa.s.sed, followed by autumn. Time pa.s.sed quickly until the arranged date had finally arrived.

　　In the ravine of the overgrown forest, there was a strange, incomparable silhouette midst the overgrowth of the dangerously sharp and th.o.r.n.y branches. None of the sharp branches were able to obstruct the floating, smoke-like figure. In the th.o.r.n.y undergrowth, he weaved between the thick net like a fleeing demon. In a moment, he had appeared nearby; in the next, he was already a distance away. These motions were absolutely quiet, as if there were not a fleshly body but rather an incorporeal form.

　　Finally, this silhouette stopped on top of a tree trunk. Vertically standing at its peak, he surveyed the surrounding distance. This was Han Li, with some success from his cultivation regime.

　　Currently, the clothes on his body had turned to little more than worn, tattered rags, revealing the his bare flesh. His hair was like a ruffled crow, while his face was a mixture of black and white. His original appearance couldn’t be made out. What was most astonis.h.i.+ng were the small exquisite iron bells, each hanging from his neck, waist, arms, thighs and ankles.

　　Seeing these iron bells and then thinking about Han Li’s ghost-like movements in the forest, it would be hard to differentiate Han Li’s body technique from the movements of an actual demon.

　　Motionless, he turned his head toward the direction of G.o.d Hand Valley. He muttered to himself, “Just in time. I had just become proficient in the s.h.i.+fting Smoke Steps on this final day. With this technique, I have a slightly greater a.s.surance of self-preservation.”

　　Although the expression of his face couldn’t be seen clearly, the joy in his eyes wasn’t concealed at all.

　　After several months of diligent research and training, Han Li wielded a number of formidable secret techniques. He held quite a bit of confidence in them. Although he wasn’t convinced that they could withstand Doctor Mo’s unfathomable skills, he held some confidence that he could defend himself.

　　A light breeze came. Han Li felt a slight chill on his body. He lowered his head to look at his “clothing”. Thinking about his current appearance, he couldn’t help but bitterly smile.

　　Recalling his training with s.h.i.+fting Smoke Steps, he still had some lingering fear. In the forest undergrowth where he cultivated the technique, he had lived through a truly frightening experience. When he started training with this strange technique, he was covered all over with cuts and bruises from sc.r.a.ping against the unavoidable, stiff thorns.

　　Fortunately, he possessed Vitality Raising Pellets. In addition to treating internal injuries, they unexpectedly had an amazing effect on external injuries. After eating one, not only did it staunch the wound, there wouldn’t even be a scar by the next day.

　　Han Li clicked his tongue in marvel. This medicine was incredibly more potent than common concoctions. The only thing that confused him was why the medicine was named “Vitality Raising Pellet”. It seemed to him that the names “Scars Away” and “Staunch Bleeding” would be more appropriate.

　　If the experts that created the Vitality Raising Pellet knew what Han Li was thinking, they would have likely spit out blood from anger. This elaborate and elusive healing panacea had actually been compared to the “Golden Wound Medicine”, a common Jiang Hu elixir, by Han Li, who thought that it was only relatively stronger. How could these experts not die from anger?!

　　However, because he had practiced in such a dangerous environment, Han Li was able to make the fullest of his potential. Within this short time, his s.h.i.+fting Smoke Steps had reached the level of proficiency where he could immediately put it to good use.