Watching the rabbits continue to grow and expand in size, Han Li began to sense something was terribly wrong. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. In a panic, he threw the ceramic bowl—now resembling a dangerous object—into the herb garden and ran, putting as much distance between himself and the rabbits as he could. He ran nearly twenty meters before stopping and glancing back over his shoulder.
Just as he did, two simultaneous explosions rang out. Han Li froze in fear. He turned to see that the two rabbits had, in fact, exploded—bursting apart into several pieces, their remains scattering across the ground in a gruesome display of blood and meat. The once peaceful spot where they had been tied was now a scene of utter devastation, with deep craters and body parts strewn all around.
Han Li let out a deep breath and collapsed onto the ground. His quick reflexes had saved him from getting caught in the explosion. While he may not have been seriously injured, getting splattered with rabbit blood and guts would have been an unpleasant experience.
Once his heart rate returned to normal, Han Li stood up and approached the site of the explosion. He gazed at the bloody remains and the broken ceramic bowl that had been shattered in the herb garden. A sense of unease washed over him.
He had expected to uncover some form of valuable elixir from the green liquid—perhaps a potent medicine or a deadly poison—but instead, he had discovered something far more horrifying. The rabbits had met a gruesome end, their bodies swelling and bursting in a horrifying manner. Han Li had seen his fair share of poisons, but nothing had ever been this brutal or grotesque. The experience had shaken him deeply.
Although Han Li was able to maintain his composure better than most, the sight of the explosion left him momentarily stunned. He quickly decided it was best to leave the area and deal with the aftermath later.
It was nearly noon, and he needed to deliver the medicinal powder to Brother Li. He pushed the horrifying scene out of his mind for the moment, deciding to handle everything else later.
After a short break, he gathered the necessary items and made his way to the entrance of the Valley of Healing to meet with Li Feiyu. Han Li, ever punctual, arrived exactly at noon. Li Feiyu was already there, pacing anxiously at the valley entrance.
Li Feiyu had changed into a white robe, his familiar long sword still strapped to his back. The moment he spotted Han Li, his expression softened, and he greeted him with a smile.
"Brother Han, you're punctual as always! It's exactly noon. I've been waiting for half an hour already," Li Feiyu remarked, half teasing and half complaining.
"Apologies. I was busy making the medicine last night and didn't sleep until late. I woke up a bit late this morning, but I got everything done just in time," Han Li explained casually.
"Brother Han, the medicine… is it ready?" Li Feiyu asked, his voice laced with impatience.
Instead of answering immediately, Han Li smiled calmly and pulled out a small package from his robes. He tossed it to Li Feiyu.
"Just mix a spoonful of this powder with some cold water before taking the Extracting Marrow Pill, and it should help alleviate the pain," Han Li said in a steady tone.
"Thank you, Brother Han! Thank you so much!" Li Feiyu exclaimed, his face lighting up with relief. He could hardly contain his excitement. The pain he had endured from the Extracting Marrow Pill had been excruciating, and any form of relief would be a blessing. He had tried many painkillers before, but none had worked. Now, with this new remedy from Han Li, he had hope.
"You don't need to thank me yet. Let's wait and see if the medicine actually works. Also, this is just a year's supply. I've used up all the ingredients, so I'll need to gather more before I can make another batch," Han Li said.
"No problem! This will be enough for now. Whether it works or not, Brother Han's kindness is greatly appreciated. I owe you a big favor," Li Feiyu said with a smile, showing his gratitude. His demeanor returned to normal, and he no longer appeared as anxious or tense as before.
Han Li smiled faintly and, not wanting to prolong the conversation, took his leave. Li Feiyu, now holding the medicine, was eager to test its effects and didn't try to stop Han Li from leaving. The two exchanged a brief farewell and went their separate ways.
Once back at the valley, Han Li began to clean up the mess left from the rabbit experiment. He carefully swept up the bloody remains, broken ceramic pieces, and dirt, filling the two craters with earth to make the area look as it had before the experiment. Satisfied with his work, he took one last look around to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
His gaze landed on the spot where the broken bowl had been. His thoughts grew heavy.
He recalled the moment when the green liquid had spilled onto the plants in the herb garden, soaking the soil around several of the plants. Han Li paused, wondering if the plants had absorbed the toxic liquid. If so, would they become poisonous? And if someone ate these plants in the future, would they suffer the same fate as the rabbits?
Han Li hesitated for a long moment. He wasn't sure if the plants would turn toxic, but he decided it was best to wait and observe. If they did become poisonous, he could deal with them later. For now, he opted to treat it as another small test.
After making his decision, Han Li turned his attention elsewhere. He felt a growing sense of frustration. His cultivation had hit a plateau, and it seemed like his progress had stalled. He needed a breakthrough, but without external help, he wasn't sure how to achieve it.
With a sigh, Han Li decided to focus on training in the stone chamber. He hoped that, with enough dedication, he could push past his current limits and reach new heights in his cultivation. However, as the afternoon passed, he found that his efforts were in vain. He had come so close to breaking through to the fourth layer, yet he still couldn't push himself over the edge.
Han Li's mind wandered to Master Mo, hoping that his mentor would return soon with the necessary herbs to help him break through his current bottleneck.