Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, but suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Han Li's mind.
He quickly dashed toward the small pouch he had thrown earlier, his feet moving with the speed of an arrow. He bent down and retrieved it in one swift motion, tearing open the top and reaching inside to pull out the peace talisman his parents had given him.
The moment his palm made contact with the talisman, a soothing, peaceful energy filled his body and mind. His previously restless and agitated feelings evaporated instantly. The discomfort that had been overwhelming him disappeared without a trace, and the strange sensations in his body that had been spiraling out of control faded away as well. Everything seemed to return to normal.
Han Li, now calm, held the peace talisman gently in one hand, bringing it close to his eyes while using his other hand to lightly trace its edges. He gazed at it, letting the sense of tranquility wash over him. It was as though the talisman had cleansed his spirit, reminding him of the warmth of his family.
After a long while, Han Li sighed deeply, stopped caressing the talisman, and reluctantly shifted his gaze away from it.
What Han Li didn't realize was that what he had experienced wasn't a simple case of "going berserk" from overexertion or "fire deviation," but rather an encounter with something far more sinister: the intrusion of a cultivator's heart demon. Had he not acted swiftly and used an external object like the talisman to ward off the demon, he could have soon found himself trapped in an illusion, losing control of his body and possibly dying in a frenzied, uncontrolled dance of death. This was something Han Li only truly understood after he continued his path of cultivation.
Han Li took a moment to check his body using his cultivation techniques. To his surprise, everything seemed fine. What was even more surprising was that his cultivation had improved—though not enough to break into the fourth layer, he had reached the peak of the third layer, with only a small gap remaining.
A rare and unexpected improvement! Han Li smiled faintly at the sudden gain, but he quickly suppressed his excitement. He feared that allowing his emotions to rise too quickly might trigger another episode of instability. There was no telling if he would be so lucky a second time. He placed the peace talisman back into its pouch and was about to stow it away when something caught his eye.
"Eh?" Han Li was surprised to find an item that he had completely forgotten about: a mysterious little bottle.
This small bottle had long slipped from his mind, and if he hadn't seen it now, he might have never remembered it at all.
Compared to the Han Li of four years ago, the one standing here now had vastly improved in both experience and insight. His time spent studying in the library of the Valley of Healing had sharpened his mind, and his cultivation had made him much more perceptive. The more he examined the bottle, the more he realized that this object wasn't just an ordinary trinket—it was likely something extraordinarily valuable with an unknown function.
Han Li's goal was now clear: he needed to uncover the full potential of this mysterious bottle. He couldn't let its powers go to waste, buried deep within his pouch.
He took the bottle from the pouch and examined it carefully, though without rushing. His gaze scanned every inch of the bottle, searching for any small details he might have overlooked in the past.
But after several minutes of careful inspection, he found no new clues.
Without wasting any more time, Han Li carefully removed the cap of the bottle. The emerald-green liquid inside was exactly as it had been four years ago: sitting undisturbed at the bottom, its surface smooth and still. It had not changed in the slightest.
Han Li knew that the secret of this bottle likely lay in that small drop of liquid. The green liquid surely possessed some hidden, special ability, and to uncover its true nature, he realized that he would need to conduct a real experiment. Unfortunately, he had no idea what the liquid might do, but if it could benefit him in any way, he needed to find out.
However, it was late at night, and Han Li was exhausted after a long day of events. He considered going out to find a small animal for testing, but the darkness of night made it difficult to see any changes clearly, making such an experiment impractical for now.
After thinking it over, he decided it would be better to sleep and restore his energy. Tomorrow, after a good rest, he would perform the test and hopefully discover something extraordinary. Han Li went to bed that night with anticipation, looking forward to the surprises the morning would bring.
The next morning, Han Li awoke early and washed up. He then went to the large kitchen outside the valley for a simple breakfast. In the past, when Master Mo was around, the kitchen staff would deliver meals to the Valley of Healing. Han Li had enjoyed the convenience of never needing to leave the valley. But now, with Mo Dafu away, the staff no longer delivered food, which made Han Li somewhat nostalgic for the perks that came with authority.
After breakfast, Han Li didn't leave the kitchen immediately. Instead, he approached the kitchen manager and exchanged a few silver coins for two lively wild rabbits. With the rabbits in tow, he returned to the Valley of Healing.
Once back in the valley, Han Li tied the rabbits to a spot in the herb garden, allowing them to bask in the sun for a while. He waited until they were thirsty and sluggish from the heat before continuing with his experiment.
He carefully poured the emerald-green liquid from the bottle into a large ceramic bowl, adding a bit of plain water to dilute it. The liquid dissolved easily, turning the water a bright, deep green. The color was so intense that just looking at it sent a cool sensation through Han Li's body.
Han Li took the bowl over to the parched rabbits and set it down beside them. They eagerly surrounded the bowl and began drinking, desperate to quench their thirst. Han Li didn't want them to drink too much at once, so he took the bowl away after they had consumed a small portion. Then, he stood back and watched, waiting for the effects to unfold.
It didn't take long—just a short while later, the rabbits began to behave erratically. They hopped and thrashed around, becoming more and more agitated. Their bodies began to undergo strange changes—sudden lumps the size of eggs started to appear beneath their fur, and more and more began to grow. Before long, the rabbits were covered in these lumps, making their once-small bodies appear grotesquely bloated, as if they had been inflated like balloons.
The rabbits' bodies expanded at a terrifying rate, their skin stretching as though some invisible force was filling them with air. Soon, their bodies were as round and swollen as two large watermelons, the size of which seemed almost comical compared to their tiny heads.
As Han Li watched in astonishment, the rabbits let out agonizing cries, their once-lively movements now twisted by the bizarre transformation. The sight before him was far from what he had expected—if the green liquid were poisonous or simply a healing elixir, the outcome would have been more predictable. But this grotesque and terrifying reaction was something completely beyond his imagination.