However, Han Li was certain that the secrets of the bottle lay in the jade green droplet of liquid. To test his theory, he would need to find some small animals to perform a few cruel, live experiments.
It was midnight though, and the sky was pitch black outside. The darkness made it simply impractical for him to hunt for live animals right now, and after experiencing the attack of the Inner Demon earlier, Han Li was already somewhat exhausted. Even if he could catch a live animal, how would he be able to see if there were any changes to the test subject if it was pitch dark? Any actions Han Li could make would be a waste of effort.
After contemplating, Han Li decided to rest and replenish his energy before experimenting the next day. He told himself that there would be a big surprise waiting for him tomorrow, and with that thought, he drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Han Li did some washing up before before going to the kitchen outside the valley for a normal breakfast. Back when Dr. Mo was on the mountain, he had instructed the people in the cafeteria to bring the meals to valley, and by virtue of being Dr. Mo’s disciple, Han Li’s meals were also brought to him, so he didn't have to go out of the valley to eat. However, now that Dr. Mo wasn't in the Seven Mysteries Sect, his meals naturally weren’t being delivered to him anymore, leaving him to lament his own lack of power and influence.
After eating breakfast, he didn't immediately leave. Instead, he went to speak to the head of the kitchen, procuring two lively gray hares for a few taels of silver from him before returning back to the valley.
After he returned to the valley, Han Li chose a more spacious location inside the herb garden and tied the rabbits to a stake, making them stay outside in the blazing sun for a long period of time.
After the rabbits were dizzy from the heat and were almost dying of thirst, Han Li took out the mysterious bottle and poured the mysterious jade green droplet of liquid into a bowl before diluting it with water.
The mysterious droplet of liquid was about the size of a bean and easily dissolved in the water, causing the whole bowl of water to turn into a jade green color.
Han Li placed the bowl near the rabbits and waited for them to drink from it. Being out in the blazing sun for so long, the rabbits scampered up and drank the water in the bowl in big gulps. Han Li was unwilling to allow the rabbits to drink the entire bowl of diluted water though, and after half of the water was gone, he removed the bowl from the rabbits’ reach.
After that, he stood to the side and observed them, patiently waiting for any reactions from the rabbits.
After a short time passed, about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the rabbits started to frantically jump about, their actions becoming more and more agitated and ferocious. Their bodies then began to undergo an astounding mutation. Their fur and skin started to protrude lumps the size of chicken eggs, and the lumps multiplied until they covered the rabbits’ bodies. The lumps caused the rabbits to grow bigger by a single size, swelling up until both of the rabbits grew to the size of watermelons.
Looking at the rabbit's mutation, along with their tortured shrieks, Han Li felt truly shocked.
What just happened before his eyes was completely outside of his expectations. If the mysterious liquid was a potent poison or a miraculous medicine to increase cultivation, he wouldn't have been so shocked. However, he didn't expect that the rabbits would actually grow lumps all over their bodies and expand to such a size, becoming grotesque beyond belief!
Chapter 24: A Panicked Decision
Looking at the rabbits in front of him, he saw that they were still growing bigger and bigger.
Han Li had at last realized that something was wrong, and suddenly remembered something. He looked at the porcelain bowl in his hand like a snake and threw it to the side by the medicine field. He then turned around and took to his heels, running straight away from the rabbits for more than ten meters before stopping.
Just as he thought of looking back, one after another, two sounds simultaneously exploded over. Han Li shuddered and turned his head for a look. As expected, each of the two rabbits had turned into a bloody carcass, exploding into several chunks. Flesh and blood were scattered on the ground, covering a patch of grass with a blanket of blood. Two pits appeared in the places where the rabbits had been originally tethered to. Surrounding the pits were the rabbits’ messy remains. Bloody chunks of meat sprinkled the ground, creating a spectacle too terrible to observe.
Han Li let out a breath and sat down on the ground. He feared that if he had not reacted quickly enough at that instance, he would’ve been caught in the explosion. Although he might not have been seriously injured, having his entire body drenched in rabbit blood and dregs of meat would not have been a pleasant affair.
Waiting until after his heart calmed down, Han Li stood up and walked over to the pits.
After seeing the mutilation at the site, he took a look at the shattered porcelain bowl by the medicine field feeling speechless.
Han Li originally believed that he would have discovered the green liquid to be some sort of panacea, but he didn't expect it to be such a frightening thing. Poison was poison, but it made the rabbits die so tragically! No matter what he said to himself, he could not pass this off as a trick. It was far too frightening! Han Li was not unfamiliar with deadly poisons. Under Doctor Mo’s several years of instruction, Han Li was experienced with many poisons capable of delivering an instant death, but none of them were capable of killing a man so terribly.
After a while, Han Li regained his composure. Keeping his head calm, he made plans to depart from the medicine field.
Because it was soon going to be noon, he had to deliver the secret medicine to Senior Disciple Li. As for everything here, he would deal with it once he finished delivering the medicine.
With these thoughts in mind, Han Li didn't bother taking another look at the scene of the explosion, leaving all these troubles behind for later, and returned to his residence. After resting for a moment, he went and brought the medicine to the entrance of God Hand Valley.
Han Li was very punctual. He arrived at the entrance just as noon arrived, but Li Feiyu seemed to have already been there for a while now, anxiously waiting for him.
He was waiting alone at the valley’s entrance, wearing a white embroidered robe. However, he still carried along the saber that had previously left a deep impression on Han Li. Since Han Li hadn't arrived yet, Li Feiyu’s face showed a sliver of worry, anxiously looking towards the direction of the valley.
As soon as he saw Han Li finally arrive, he put away his anxious expression. The corner of his mouth slightly rose, showing a smile on his face.
“Junior Disciple Han, you are truly quite punctual! You said noon, and you arrived right on time. I was waiting here for almost an hour,” Li Feiyu said half jokingly, half complaining.
“My apologies. Blending the medicine took too much time yesterday, so I didn’t sleep until it was very late. I woke up a little late this morning. By the time I finished taking care of a some errands, it was almost noon already.” Han Li said. Only half of what he said was true.
“Junior Disciple Han… medicine, the medicine, did you finish making it?” Senior Disciple Li was quite anxious and flustered, actually speaking with somewhat of a stutter.
Han Li didn't directly answer Senior Disciple Li’s question. Instead, he calmly smiled, slowly taking out a large medicine bag out from his robes and throwing it over to Li Feiyu.
“Every time before you consume the Essence Extraction Pill, take the medicine by mixing a spoon of the medicinal powder in cooled boiled water, and it will help alleviate your pain.”
“Thank you, Junior Disciple Han! Thank you!” Senior Disciple Li was wild with joy. Even if it could only ease his pain, he still regarded it as great news. The pain from taking the Essence Extraction Pill made it so that he would shiver even when he just thought about it. He had already tried many painkillers before, but they all had no effect. However, since Junio
r Disciple Han knew all of the characteristics of the Essence Extraction Pill and had taken it before, perhaps this medicine would actually be effective.
"Don't thank me just yet, let's wait and see if the medicine works first. Also, this is only a year’s worth of medicine. I've currently used up all of the medicinal ingredients I had and I won’t be able to make any more for you until I gather enough again,” Han Li spoke bluntly.
“No problem. Isn’t this a year’s worth of medicine? This is enough for now. Regardless of whether or not this medicine is effective, I, Li Feiyu appreciate Junior Disciple Han’s kind intentions.” Having gotten what he wanted, Senior Disciple Li's expression returned to normal and was no longer so anxious, and he once again expressed his gratitude to Han Li.
Han Li faintly smiled. Not saying anything else, he took the initiative to part ways with Senior Disciple Li.
With the secret medicine in his hands, Li Feiyu naturally wanted to test its efficacy as soon as possible. He didn't keep Han Li waiting, and the two mutually took their leave.
After returning from the valley entrance, the first thing Han Li did was clean up the medicine fields. He swept the rabbit remains, bloodied earth, and broken bowl shards all into a hole and buried them, and just like that, it appeared as if nothing had happened.
Satisfied, Han Li patted his hands and looked around to see if he had missed anything.
When his eyes fell onto where the porcelain bowl had shattered, he couldn't help but start thinking.
He remembered very clearly that when he threw away the bowl, the diluted water within had spilled all over a small portion of the medicine field, landing on several medicinal herbs. He couldn’t help but be somewhat hesitant since he didn’t know whether these medicinal herbs would become poisonous after absorbing the water. Also, if someone were to eat these poisonous herbs, would they also experience the same horrible death as the rabbits? Should he just destroy these poisonous plants? This chain of questions abruptly rose in Han Li’s mind.
Han Li pondered for a while, and eventually decided to wait and do another small experiment. If in the following days, the medicinal herbs really became poisonous, it still wouldn’t be too late for him to destroy them.
With that decided, he looked around to see if there was anything else he could do and then went back to the stone room to practice. He hoped that he would be capable of making a breakthrough, on account of his earlier advancement.
Han Li currently no longer cared about the chant’s specific usefulness. His cultivation of this chant had already become instinctive. If he didn't cultivate it, Han Li wouldn’t know what else he would do in the mountain valley. Stubbornly cultivating this chant to a greater layer of cultivation had already become his current life goal.
After an afternoon absorbed in cultivation, Han Li dispiritedly discovered that he truly wasn't a genius. Although he felt that the distance from the fourth layer could be pierced through by a finger, he couldn’t advance an inch forward and had diligently cultivated the whole afternoon in vain.
It seemed he couldn’t cultivate any further without the support of medicinal elixirs. Otherwise, it would be very likely that he would forever stay at the peak of the third layer, unable to advance any further.
Han Li’s mind began to hope expectantly that Doctor Mo would return a bit earlier, and that he would have been lucky enough to have found enough medicinal ingredients to help Han Li break through his current predicament.
Chapter 25: Interference of Success
Another night passed. Han Li woke up at the crack of dawn and walked towards the medicine field. He wanted to observe whether or not the medicinal herbs had changed in any way.
Before he even entered the medicinal field, he could suddenly smell several rich medicinal fragrances.
Han Li was slightly dazed, but soon after, his mind stirred. “Perhaps it’s……”
He couldn’t help but increase his pace until he finally arrived in front of several medicinal herbs that were emitting an intense fragrance.
Were these the medicinal herbs from yesterday? Han Li didn’t dare to trust his eyes. Using his hands, he fiercely slapped his slightly drowsy face until the pain made him stop.
“The leaves of this Yellow Dragon Grass has some hints of purple, the Bitter Lotus Flower actually has flowered nine petals, and the skin of this Forgotten Sorrow Fruit has turned black, ha ha! Ha ha!” Han Li couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore. Usually, Han Li was calm and composed, but this time, he couldn’t help but laugh heartily while facing the sky.
“This time I came across a great fortune. These medicinal herbs only needed one night to develop properties that require two years of age. All of their appearances turned to that of herbs aged more than ten years. Seeing the color of the leaves, the shape of the fruit, and the petals’ fragrance…there are all qualities that belong to rare herbs that have already matured for quite some time.” Han Li carefully examined all of the medicinal herbs, confirming they were identical to those described in medicine books. They were truly rare medicinal ingredients that have been aged for a great length of time.
“If I can mature medicinal herbs with this method, how many rare medicinal ingredients will I have?! I can also sell the medicinal herbs that I don’t use. If that happens, how much silver will I make…?” Han Li was unable to restrain his excitement and started to let his imagination run wild.
Han Li’s thoughts further developed and he became more elated. He felt that he had truly picked up a treasure this time. All of a sudden, he somersaulted a few times. At this moment, he no longer maintained his normal calm appearance and expressed the excitement entirely like that of a normal 14-15-year-old adolescent.
After a while, Han Li had finally calmed down, and his brain recovered its sharp wit. He began to think of how to deal with the somewhat difficult problems that were brought by this huge meat pie that fell from the sky.
(TL: “huge meat pie that fell from the sky” is a Chinese idiom for a fortuitous encounter)
First of all, there seemed to be no problems with the external appearance of these medicinal herbs. However, he still had not tested their medicinal properties. After all, they only became like this after they absorbed that strange liquid. Who knew whether their internal elements were abnormal? Yesterday, he had seen those rabbits’ miserable demise with his own eyes. He still had to be careful.
Secondly, the green liquid within the small mysterious bottle had already been used up. He did not know whether the strange phenomenon that created the liquid drop would happen again. Perhaps it was an occurrence that only happened once. At night, he would go to confirm it himself.
If there were no problems with these two matters, then he truly needed to grasp the details and particulars of the drug-inducing ingredients in this manner. Then he would have complete control over this inconceivable method.
Han Li later pondered, arriving at the conclusion that if he were unable to resolve his few difficult problems that were earlier mentioned, this huge meat pie would only be a passing flower lost in a fog.
After everything was taken into account, Han Li began experimenting.
He first went to the large kitchen outside of the valley and asked the manager for another pair of gray-haired rabbits. Han Li’s actions made the kitchen manager both happy and somewhat puzzled. Why does this youngster keep on buying live rabbits? Could it be he wants to butcher them himself and practice his culinary skills?
Han Li didn’t care about what others thought of him. He didn’t keep the rabbits at the medicine fields like before; instead, he bound them to the gate of his room so that he could conveniently observe how they change at any time.
After that, he went to the medicine fields and carefully picked the matured medicinal herbs. He made quite a few rolls of bone and muscle enhancing medicines and mixed them into the rabbits’ favorite foods. Everyday, he fed them three such meals to test whether these medicinal herbs were poisonous.
With th
is finished, Han Li anxiously waited for nightfall. He felt time pass very slowly. Later, the moment he had been expectantly waiting for had finally arrived.
Just as the sky began to grow dark, Han Li ran out and took the small bottle from the back of his room and set it on the ground. He concentrated on the small bottle, anticipating its change.
As a quarter of an hour went by, the bottle showed no activity.
Then half an hour went by, but the bottle still didn’t show any activity.
And three-quarters of an hour……
As time elapsed, Han Li’s heart had sunk more and more. He had stayed awake until daybreak. The bottle, however, was still no different from before.
He was completely dispirited. Could it be that this bottle was truly usable only once? Or did he not do something correctly?
Han Li strengthened his spirit and looked at his surroundings.
“There are no suspicious areas apart from the somewhat black sky.” Han Li said to himself.
He suddenly stopped, at a loss for words. He lifted his head and gazed at the sky. The sky was black and cloudy; not a thing could be seen. “The sky is a bit dark…” At these words, Han Li suddenly understood
“Could it be that it’s because the clouds are preventing any light from the moon or the stars from falling on the bottle?” Han Li recalled that the bottle’s previous transformation occurred during a clear sky. There had been nothing in the sky sheltering the moons and the stars, but today, there was gloomy weather. The whole sky was covered with black clouds.
Han Li’s hopes were raised but he saw the color of the sky turn a bit pale. He knew that a clear sky would not happen tonight. He put away the bottle and prepared to test it again once the sky was clear.
However, contrary to Han Li’s expectations, the next half month had uninterrupted drizzling and persisted until now.
Han Li looked at the continuous waves of drizzle outside. His mind was gloomy, and he continued to grow more anxious as he waited for the weather to clear. It had continued to drizzle down constantly without end or even the slightest intention of stopping.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 16