Chapter 60: Transaction

Han Li unearthed various strange, familiar, and unfamiliar items, sorting them into two piles based on their suspiciousness and setting them aside.

He was gradually amazed by the sheer number of miscellaneous items Doctor Mo carried. Many of them were clearly lethal at first glance.

A sleeve dart that could kill instantly upon drawing blood.A packet of poisonous sand steeped in snake venom.Over a dozen extremely sharp boomerangs.

As the number of items grew, Han Li's breathing quickened. The more thoroughly he searched, the more alarmed he felt.

Only then did he realize how lucky he had been during his fight with Doctor Mo. Had Doctor Mo not intended to capture him alive, Han Li would likely have perished long ago.

Wiping the cold sweat from his face, Han Li chuckled at himself. "I'm a living person," he murmured, "yet I'm thoroughly frightened by a dead man's belongings."

With the search finally complete, Han Li began to examine each item in the pile he deemed suspicious.

"This small bottle smells awful; it seems to be some kind of antidote. Probably nothing important.""This strange weapon looks like a small wheel. I don't know what it's for, but it probably has no connection to the giant. I'll put it aside for now.""As for this sachet..."

Han Li fiddled with the items, talking to himself and appearing quite engrossed. At that moment, he was holding a plain sachet embroidered with simple white silk flowers.

Logically, such an ordinary sachet should not arouse suspicion. However, Han Li believed that while such a common item was unremarkable on an ordinary person, its presence on a formidable figure like Doctor Mo was quite unusual.

Han Li first cradled the sachet in one hand, weighing it. Finding it very light, he concluded it contained no heavy objects. He then squeezed it, feeling a paper-like texture, as if there were pages or similar items hidden inside.

Han Li's spirits lifted. He untied the sachet and, as expected, found several sheets of paper inside.

He quickly scanned the papers, recognizing Doctor Mo's handwriting, which gave him some confidence. Upon closer, detailed inspection, Han Li was astonished: it was actually a suicide note left by Doctor Mo.

Han Li felt a bit puzzled, and his curiosity was piqued. He picked up the letters and read them thoroughly.

After finishing the letter, Han Li let out a long sigh, exhaling upward, then furrowed his brows, becoming deeply troubled.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced like an old man, walking aimlessly. After every two steps, he would stop, deep in thought, unable to make up his mind, then take a few more steps before stopping again to ponder.

Unconsciously, Han Li resembled a donkey turning a millstone, circling Doctor Mo's corpse incessantly. His expression fluctuated, sometimes reddening, sometimes paling, revealing his inner turmoil and lack of control.

This state of agitation, surprisingly, came upon Han Li. If Li Feiyu knew, he would probably burst into loud laughter.

Han Li was in this state entirely because the suicide note left him with a terrible piece of news and a difficult dilemma: the antidote for the "Corpse Worm Pill" was actually poisonous, a rare and insidious type. The letter stated that this poison could only be neutralized by his family's inherited "Warm Sun Jade," with no other known remedy, not even several legendary detoxifying elixirs.

Therefore, on these pages, Doctor Mo clearly stated that this suicide note and the insidious poison he administered were his contingency plan for the worst-case scenario. If his soul-snatching attempt failed or something went wrong, Han Li would most likely be the one to survive. To settle affairs after his death, he intended to make a simple deal with Han Li in the letter, ensuring a mutually beneficial arrangement. This would not only eliminate his own worries about the future but also allow Han Li to gain immense wealth and countless benefits.

As for whether Yu Zhitong would be the one to survive, Doctor Mo hadn't considered it at all. In the letter, he spoke of Yu Zhitong with contempt, believing him to be not only cold-hearted but also cowardly and merely possessing a bit of petty cunning. Even as a cultivator, he wouldn't achieve much, and he would certainly not be the one to have the last laugh.

Reading this, Han Li could not help but smile bitterly. Doctor Mo, with all his intricate schemes, probably never anticipated that he himself would ultimately fall into a trap set by someone he usually disdained. Had Han Li not concealed his true progress in the Evergreen Arts, he would almost certainly have perished alongside Doctor Mo, leaving Yu Zhitong to reap the benefits. Of course, this also had to do with Doctor Mo himself, whose mind had been clouded by the beautiful dream of achieving immortality. It seemed no cultivator, regardless of their standing, should ever be underestimated.

In the letter, Doctor Mo's proposed deal was simple: he required Han Li to visit his home within one to two years. Firstly, the insidious poison he had administered would activate after two years. Secondly, he had wives, concubines, a daughter, and a considerable estate at home. Although Doctor Mo had made extensive arrangements and created a smokescreen before leaving, if he did not return for a long time, his unruly subordinates and enemies might grow suspicious and pose a threat to his family. Therefore, Han Li had to protect his family before things worsened, settling them properly, ideally ensuring they were far from the bloodshed of the martial world and could live a comfortable, ordinary life.

As compensation for his treachery against Han Li and as a reward for Han Li's willingness to help despite past grievances, Doctor Mo was willing to designate one of his daughters to be Han Li's wife. Her dowry would include half of his entire fortune and the "Warm Sun Jade."

Before leaving, Doctor Mo had already entrusted the jade to his principal wife, specifically stating it was to be part of his daughter's dowry. Therefore, for the sake of his own life, Han Li had no choice but to marry her, whether he wanted to or not.

Naturally, he also explicitly pointed out that his enemies and adversaries were powerful, and his subordinates were difficult to control. Han Li, with his current abilities, would likely be unable to directly confront them. To this end, he had specially prepared two false identities for Han Li in a hidden compartment at his residence, leaving behind tokens and handwritten proof letters, allowing Han Li to choose the appropriate identity himself. Additionally, the letter listed trusted individuals, suspicious characters, and a roster of enemies and adversaries, along with other crucial details and matters requiring careful attention.

Finally, to confirm his sincerity in leaving this suicide note, he appended the methods for controlling and summoning the "Giant Iron Servant" and the "Cloud-Winged Bird."

What left Han Li somewhat bewildered was that Doctor Mo vaguely implied that the Iron Servant was a soulless corpse, merely a walking dead body whose true soul had already reincarnated, and that Han Li shouldn't feel sad upon seeing him. This puzzled Han Li. "Do I really seem like an overly emotional person?" he wondered.

However, even setting aside the matter of the poison, it would be a lie to say Han Li wasn't tempted by such immense wealth. Always sensitive to money, he was genuinely intrigued by the deal Doctor Mo had proposed. As for marrying his daughter, this also stirred strange feelings in Han Li, who was at an age where he was beginning to experience romantic inclinations. After all, judging by Doctor Mo's own appearance, his daughter certainly couldn't be ugly.

However, the risks involved were far from negligible. A single misstep could cost him his life. Enemies considered formidable by Doctor Mo would not be easy to deal with!

Doctor Mo, who had meticulously arranged his post-mortem affairs, used a layered trap, linking life, beauty, and immense wealth, to tightly bind Han Li's safety with that of his own wives and daughter. It seemed Han Li had no choice but to swallow this honey-coated poison with a bitter expression.