Han Li turned and walked towards the door. Just as he was about to exit, he suddenly stopped and turned back to ask, "The gentleman standing behind you, Mo Dafu, has not spoken a word. Who is he?"
Mo Dafu chuckled slyly at Han Li's unexpected question, dodging it with a crafty grin. "You're quite sharp. Guess for yourself. You should be able to figure it out."
Han Li shook his head without responding further. With a clean, decisive motion, he stepped outside, whether because he truly couldn't guess or because he didn't want to waste energy on it was unclear. The answer didn't seem to matter much to him.
As soon as Han Li exited the house, his expression darkened.
"In this conflict with Mo Dafu, I had no means of counterattack and was completely subdued by him. This shows that I was still too naive, thinking I could rely on clever tricks to outmaneuver him. My carefully concocted Five Poisons Water didn't even get a chance to work before it was confiscated. I need to go back and think long and hard about how I can improve my own strength," Han Li thought as he walked briskly towards his quarters. He was clearly unwilling to simply accept being controlled by Mo Dafu without a fight.
Back inside, Mo Dafu stared blankly at the wooden floor, now marked with a large hole about the size of a bowl. Just moments ago, he had casually tested a shot from the iron tube, and the poisonous liquid that shot out had easily corroded through the floor. Witnessing the strange potency of the toxin, Mo Dafu's expression changed to one of shock and alarm.
"That damn brat, when did he learn to make such poison? I never taught him that!" Mo Dafu cursed loudly, his face twisting in rage. "I thought it was just some ordinary sleeping drug. This kid... he's ruthless and quick to betray. I'll make him pay for this."
Meanwhile, Han Li, unaware of the trouble he had caused, had returned to his room. Exhausted by the intense events of the day, he threw himself onto the bed and immediately fell into a deep sleep, his body and mind in need of rest after the emotional and physical strain he had endured.
After some time, Han Li slowly woke up. The first light of dawn was visible in the east. He had slept through the night, more deeply than he had expected. Sitting up, he glanced at the sky and realized it was already morning.
He didn't immediately get out of bed. Instead, he rested his chin on his hands and leaned back, deep in thought as he contemplated how to escape Mo Dafu's control.
It was clear to him that, for the time being, he was safe. Mo Dafu would do everything he could to protect him over the course of the year, since Mo Dafu's own life was tied to Han Li's success in cultivating the Changchun Gong. But once that year passed, who knew what would happen?
As for the problem of the Changchun Gong, Han Li wasn't particularly worried. He had already reached the fourth level a few days ago, and by the end of the year, he was confident that he would have reached the fifth level effortlessly, with no further issues.
The real concern was the Corpse Worm Pill. He had taken a special antidote, the Qingling Powder, hoping it would neutralize the pill's effects, but to his dismay, it had no effect at all. He would have to wait an entire year before he could take the antidote and resolve the situation.
"Mo Dafu wasn't lying about the Corpse Worm Pill. The Qingling Powder really doesn't work on it. Looks like I'll have to wait until the year is up to get the antidote," Han Li muttered to himself, frustrated.
After putting the bottle of Qingling Powder back in his robe, Han Li stood up and paced around the small table in the center of the room, deep in thought. As he walked, his mind kept circling back to all the things Mo Dafu had said. Han Li didn't trust everything Mo Dafu had told him. He knew that many of the details were likely to be false or skewed, but with the threat to his family hanging over him, Han Li had no choice but to comply—for now.
Han Li couldn't help but wonder if Mo Dafu would really keep his promise after a year. If things were as simple as Mo Dafu had said, it would be straightforward, but Han Li suspected that Mo Dafu had hidden something more sinister, something that would lead to a betrayal once his immediate concerns were resolved. Han Li couldn't afford to be caught off guard again.
"I can't just trust my life to someone else, hoping they'll show mercy when the time comes. That would be the most foolish thing to do," Han Li thought, pushing away that weak thought. He wasn't the type to rely on others for his survival.
After a few more moments of contemplation, Han Li arrived at a plan, though it wasn't much of a plan. He decided that the only thing he could do was to strengthen his own abilities from every angle, increasing his leverage and making himself harder to control. Even if Mo Dafu really intended to kill him later, Han Li wanted to have enough strength to protect himself or, at the very least, make it difficult for Mo Dafu to succeed.
It wasn't much of a strategy—more like a passive defense. But for now, it seemed like the best option. Han Li felt a sense of resolution settle over him.
With his decision made, Han Li walked outside into the open space, stretching lazily and yawning. He looked up at the red sun, halfway risen in the sky, the chill morning breeze filling his lungs.
A bold resolve surged within him. "My life will be in my own hands. I will never let anyone else control it," he declared to the empty air, his voice filled with determination.