Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 26

The elders in charge of administration didn’t question the letter at all. This was because Master Wen often left the sect for extended periods, claiming he was searching for medicinal herbs.

Moreover, although he held the title of ‘Gong Feng’ [a position of respect], Master Wen was essentially a guest in the sect, especially since he had once saved the Sect Leader’s life.

However, some elders were skeptical about the letter’s claim that Han Li had inherited all of Master Wen’s medical skills.

Master Wen occasionally treated disciples suffering from colds, high fevers, or injuries. But, given his renowned medical skills, he mainly treated high-ranking figures of the sect, such as the Sect Leader and elders.

Therefore, the elders didn’t immediately appoint Han Li to Master Wen’s position. Instead, they assigned him to diagnose and treat the disciples’ injuries.

Han Li didn’t mind at all. He only wanted Master Wen’s position because of the secluded and quiet nature of the Divine Hand Valley and the lack of a medicinal herb source within the valley.

If he could stay in the Divine Hand Valley, the entire mountain valley would be under his control.

This would allow him to freely use his mysterious bottle to produce large quantities of rare medicinal herbs without worrying about being discovered.

It was fine for now, but if Master Wen’s return was delayed, the Sect Leaders or elders might try to take over the valley. Because of this, Han Li dedicated himself to examining the disciples.

He even secretly used the large quantities of precious medicinal herbs he produced daily, showcasing medical skills so miraculous that patients seemed to recover just by being examined by him.

Soon, he gained a reputation as an exceptional doctor who could even save patients on the verge of death.

His name spread throughout the Seven Mysteries Sect, and everyone was excited about the appearance of such a renowned doctor. They said his medical skills had reached a divine level, capable of completely healing external injuries, internal injuries, or even incurable diseases within a maximum of three days.

Rumors circulated that his skills were no less than, if not greater than, Master Wen’s.

When Han Li healed a severely injured disciple in a short period, even the influential figures could no longer remain patient and immediately summoned him.

The person who wanted to meet him this time was Vice Sect Leader Ma, whom he had met during the entrance exam.

* * *

Vice Sect Leader Ma had completely forgotten about Han Li, who was just a nominal disciple. Upon seeing Han Li, he immediately agreed to let him take over Master Wen’s duties and promised to treat him accordingly.

It was obvious that other Gong Fengs would object, and because of his young age of only sixteen, he couldn’t be given the position of Gong Feng. However, he would receive a monthly salary equivalent to that position.

Finally, Vice Sect Leader Ma said that if there were any unsatisfactory aspects, he would consider Han Li’s suggestions and handle them accordingly.

Judging by his generous attitude, Han Li was highly likely to get approval for any condition he proposed. Such generous treatment was rare even within the Seven Mysteries Sect.

The high-ranking members of the sect well understood what medical skills meant to a martial artist.

Han Li didn’t refuse and immediately requested to stay alone in the Divine Hand Valley and that no one interfere with his medical research.

Vice Sect Leader Ma immediately agreed. He even offered to send a maid to attend to Han Li. Although he was tempted by this unexpected offer, he quickly regained his composure.

It was a luxury he couldn’t afford, given the secrets he held, so he declined the offer. This refusal made Vice Sect Leader Ma pay even closer attention to Han Li.

He constantly spoke of how promising Han Li was and how he would want him as a son-in-law if he had a daughter.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like women, but the situation simply didn’t allow it. For this reason, the entire Divine Hand Valley became Han Li’s private domain, and outsiders couldn’t enter without permission.

Han Li hung a large bell at the entrance of the Divine Hand Valley, so that anyone who wanted to meet him would have to ring it.

Then, Han Li would come out of the Divine Hand Valley to meet them. Even the high-ranking members of the sect couldn’t violate this strange rule, which was to prevent the secret of the bottle from leaking out.

When this rule was first established, it was met with dissatisfaction from the high-ranking figures. They thought Han Li was arrogant and that his actions were presumptuous.

Even his master, Master Wen, hadn’t made such a rule, and now Han Li, who was still in the stage of practical training, was acting this way, which led to such misunderstandings.

However, after Han Li miraculously revived a severely injured Protector, these complaints disappeared, and no one expressed any resentment.

As time passed, even the Sect Leaders acquiesced to this rule. When they wanted to receive treatment from Han Li, they would send someone to ring the bell and then respectfully escort him.

In this way, Han Li gradually came to be treated as a special figure within the Seven Mysteries Sect. Even the Sect Leaders would address him as ‘Master Han,’ and there were few people in the sect who could call him by his name directly.

Of course, Li Fei Yu was an exception. Li Fei Yu still maintained a cold and cool demeanor in front of others, but when he met Han Li, he would immediately revert to his usual carefree self.

This was completely different from how other disciples, like Wang Pang, treated him with respect and distance. This behavior actually reassured Han Li.

Not long ago, Han Li unexpectedly encountered Wu Yeol again, who had originally climbed the mountain with him. He was suffering from a serious illness, a strange disease. Han Li ended up treating him out of consideration for Vice Sect Leader Ma’s reputation.

The moment Wu Yeol, who had heard of the famous Master Han, saw him, he recognized him as Han Li, who had once ridden in the same carriage.

His face showed surprise and disbelief. Han Li was secretly amused by Wu Yeol’s predicament, but he couldn’t refuse to treat him because of their past. Han Li also had to maintain his reputation, so he prescribed a large amount of medicine and managed to completely cure Wu Yeol in just two days.

The fact that the medicine was a bit too strong, causing Wu Yeol a little more pain, could be considered Han Li’s small revenge for his past malicious attitude.

In this way, Han Li gradually completely replaced Master Wen’s position within the sect. He was even receiving better treatment now.

Only a small portion of the precious medicinal herbs that Han Li produced were used for patients. Most of them were consumed by Han Li to nourish his Yuan Shen [spirit/soul] and cultivate his magic tools.

This was to increase his progress in the Eternal Spring Arts as quickly as possible. Han Li was leaning back in an armchair, resting. This place was no longer Master Wen’s room but Han Li’s residence.

Han Li had moved the items he could use from Master Wen’s room to his own residence. In fact, Master Wen’s residence was much larger than Han Li’s, so moving there would have been more convenient. However, Han Li was reluctant to move his residence there.

After all, he had played a part in Master Wen’s death, so shamelessly occupying his room was a chilling thought.

Thinking of Master Wen, he was disheartened that he was still being manipulated by the dead.

After his death, Han Li had examined his body several times. There was an extremely cold substance hidden in his dantian [energy center], the nature of which he couldn’t guess. Han Li had tried various detoxification methods, but none of them worked. It seemed that he would have to embark on a long journey in a year.

* * *

Without any movement, Han Li suddenly raised his right hand and held up one index finger. Soon after, ripples appeared from Han Li’s finger, and several flames sprang up in the air.

With a ‘whoosh’ of flames, the space distorted, forming a red fireball. The fireball wasn’t very large, but the entire room was filled with heat.

Even as time passed, the fireball maintained an extraordinary momentum and showed no sign of extinguishing.

The finger that was pointing at the fireball began to tremble, and the trembling gradually spread throughout his body.

His face, which was steadfastly staring at the fireball at the tip of his finger, flushed red, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead, neck, and exposed skin on his back. It was as if he had just finished an intense workout.

After a while, perhaps influenced by the intense trembling of Han Li’s body, the fireball also began to fluctuate. Soon, it gradually shrank, turning into sparks and disappearing into the air.

As the fireball disappeared, Han Li slumped onto the chair as if his spine had been pulled out. He was exhausted after using too much energy.

“The Fireball Technique is too difficult. I’ve been researching it for half a year, and I’m only managing to increase the time little by little,” Han Li muttered to himself, looking at the ceiling. At the end of the book containing the formulas of the Eternal Spring Arts, there were several low-level magic techniques recorded, which seemed to be meant for beginners in cultivation.

Han Li was so excited that he lost sleep for several days, as if he had found a treasure.

It wasn’t strange that he was so excited. After seeing Master Wen cast magic, he had become extremely interested in the mysterious world of magic.

Unfortunately, Han Li had been living with the magic power of the Eternal Spring Arts without knowing the techniques or even the basic principles of magic. So, when several magic formulas suitable for beginners fell into his hands, he couldn’t help but be overjoyed.

The magic techniques recorded in the book were the ‘Fireball Technique,’ ‘Mind Stabilizing Talisman,’ ‘Wind Control Technique,’ ‘Object Control Technique,’ and ‘Heavenly Eye Technique.’ The formulas included in these techniques were profound and difficult for Han Li to understand.

The terms used in the formulas were written in ancient grammar, vocabulary, and notation. Although he had read a considerable number of books, he knew nothing in this area.

He searched for related books written in ancient script and devoted himself day and night to researching the true meaning of the formulas. He didn’t miss a single word in the formulas, repeating them dozens of times before moving on to the next.

After three months of research, Han Li finally mastered the theory of the formulas.

He was finally able to begin true magic cultivation, and he was greatly shocked during his actual training.

He had expected that with his intelligence, learning magic wouldn’t be too difficult. However, when he started learning magic, he found that even though he knew the principles, he couldn’t execute them properly. If he didn’t lack the technique, he would mispronounce the formulas, or he wouldn’t use his magic power correctly. It was as if he had become completely dull.

His current problem was a lack of proficiency. It seemed that his innate talent for learning magic was less than he had imagined.

This was the conclusion Han Li reached after much hardship. After arduous training, Han Li was able to achieve some success in the Fireball Technique and the Heavenly Eye Technique. However, he had made no progress in the other three types of magic techniques.

Among them, the power of the Fireball Technique absolutely didn’t disappoint Han Li. It even far exceeded his expectations.

The fireball of the Fireball Technique was small, but it contained tremendous heat. It could burn almost any object.

Even sophisticated swords would melt instantly upon touching this fireball. He had tried putting the fireball in water, but it boiled and turned into steam. Water couldn’t extinguish the fireball.

After discovering the power of the Fireball Technique, Han Li finally understood why Lin Zhidong had ignored the criminals. With just a little magic power, one could defeat the masters of the martial world. If a cultivator with strong magic power were to appear, it seemed that no one could stop them from sweeping away the entire martial world.

# 28