Mo Dafu glanced down at his left hand in slight surprise before shifting his gaze to Han Li, his voice dripping with disdain. "Interesting. It seems you haven't been idle over the past year. You've actually learned such bizarre techniques. But do you really think these petty tricks are enough to face me?"
"Looks like it's been a while since I had a good fight myself. It will be refreshing to get my hands dirty. I'll let you make the first move." Mo Dafu's tone was condescending, as though he were humoring a child. His years of experience led him to believe that Han Li's skills were nothing more than a shallow display.
Han Li ignored the taunt. He had already decided to take the initiative and strike first, gaining the upper hand.
He quickly moved his left hand to cross the short sword in front of his body, capturing Mo Dafu's attention. Meanwhile, with a swift motion, a small white paper packet slid out from his right sleeve and into his hand. He raised his hand and shook it, releasing a cloud of white powder into the air. The powder rapidly expanded into a dense white mist that enveloped his body, blurring his figure and making him appear as if he was fading into the very air itself.
The mist thickened and spread, soon filling the entire room. Han Li's figure was completely obscured, vanishing into the smoke, and the room became a sea of white, the air so dense that one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face.
Mo Dafu's brow furrowed in surprise. He hadn't expected such a tactic, but his experience told him that such a trick could be easily overcome. With his deep cultivation, he could hold his breath for a long time, so he had no fear of inhaling the mist.
"Ha! A parlor trick, huh?" Mo Dafu sneered, raising his right hand to strike out with a powerful open palm. The air cracked as his palm made contact with the smoke, and the mist swirled violently, parting into a large hole. But Han Li's figure was nowhere to be found.
Mo Dafu continued his assault, releasing several more strikes, each one dispersing the mist further until the entire room was cleared. The fog was gone, and the room was once again visible, but there was no trace of Han Li.
"Strange... This boy has some skill," Mo Dafu muttered to himself. He didn't panic. After all, with his vigilance, no insect could pass unnoticed near him, let alone Han Li. He scanned the room meticulously, his eyes darting over the bookshelves, desk, and the large armchair, but there was no sign of Han Li. How could a living person just vanish from a room like this?
Mo Dafu stood still, deep in thought. His years of experience as a doctor and a schemer had never led him to believe that someone could simply disappear in this way. But there was no sign of Han Li, and he couldn't help but wonder where the boy had gone.
A sudden realization struck him, and he smiled inwardly. "Up to the rafters, then."
At that moment, he decided to investigate the corner of the room where Han Li had last been. As he walked closer, he instinctively felt a sense of danger. The temperature in the air seemed to shift, and a faint killing intent seemed to hang in the air, focusing on him. He narrowed his eyes and carefully scanned the surroundings, but still saw nothing amiss. No one was there. Could he have been mistaken? Was it just a trick of the mind?
"Up to the rafters?" Mo Dafu muttered. He paused, thinking about what he had just realized, and was about to continue when suddenly a faint metallic clang rang from above.
"Not good!" Mo Dafu's heart skipped a beat as realization hit. Han Li had indeed hidden above him. Without thinking, he swung his palm upwards with a furious roar, trying to strike down the hidden figure.
With a deafening bang, his palm struck the air, sending a gust of wind through the room. The sound of metal clanging followed as the force of his blow sent a black iron bell dangling from the rafters into a frenzy, swinging wildly. The bell's clattering sounded loud and clear, but Han Li was nowhere to be seen.
Mo Dafu's eyes widened as he looked up. The rafters were empty. No one was there.
But before he could figure out what had happened, a sudden flash of cold light streaked towards him, moving faster than his eyes could follow. In the blink of an eye, the sharp blade of Han Li's short sword was almost upon him, aimed directly at his abdomen.
Mo Dafu's expression changed in an instant. His body moved faster than his mind could think. He immediately dropped into an iron bridge stance, arching his body backward in a way that defied natural movement. He managed to evade the strike, but the tip of the blade still grazed his stomach, slicing through his clothes and leaving a deep cut on his skin.
"That was too close..." Mo Dafu muttered, his heart racing in his chest. He had narrowly avoided death. He wasn't a novice, but Han Li's unexpected speed and precision had nearly caught him off guard.
Mo Dafu quickly slid backward, propelled by an invisible force, moving several feet away from the danger zone. As he regained his stance, he took a deep breath, his face turning slightly pale as the adrenaline pumped through his veins. He stared at the spot where Han Li had struck, his mind processing the near-miss.
There, in the place where Han Li had been standing, the ground began to bulge, forming a figure. Slowly, the dirt and earth shaped into a humanoid form, revealing Han Li, now clad in a uniform that matched the ground's color—an earthy, yellow-brown, making him blend seamlessly with the surroundings.
Han Li stood with his sword drawn, his expression one of mild annoyance. The near-miss with the blade had clearly been frustrating for him. His eyes were cold as he surveyed Mo Dafu, his mind focused on the next move.
Mo Dafu's face turned pale as he realized just how close he had come to death. His heart pounded in his chest. He had never been so close to death before, and certainly not from a person he had once looked down upon so easily.
Taking a deep breath, Mo Dafu steadied himself, his expression returning to its usual composure. He gave a dry laugh, though his voice was hoarse, "Looks like I've really underestimated you, my dear disciple. That was quite a move. I suppose now I have to take you seriously."
His hands lifted slowly, palms facing each other as if preparing to meet an old lover with affection. His eyes never left Han Li, yet in his posture, he seemed to momentarily forget the boy before him, as if he were lost in a trance.
Han Li raised an eyebrow, a faint sneer playing on his lips. "If you thought that was a mistake, you'll regret it."
With his grip tightening around his sword, Han Li took a slow step forward. The air in the room seemed to thrum with the tension between them. This battle would decide the outcome, and both men knew it.