Painkillers

Senior Brother Li's eyelids trembled slightly. It was clear that an unusually fierce struggle was raging in his mind.

After a short while, his tightly shut eyes opened. He stared fixedly at the pill in Han Li's hand, his eyes burning with fervor.

Han Li said nothing more. He slipped the pill into his mouth and watched him swallow it dry with his saliva. Only then did he gently pull out the silver needles embedded in his body, one by one.

Once all the silver needles had been removed, the pill began to take effect. A few unnatural flushes rose on Senior Brother Li's pale face, and his cheeks gradually turned blood-red. His body began to twitch again, his hands and feet trembled, and low groans issued from his mouth in waves.

Clearly, he did not want to make a spectacle of himself in front of Han Li and had lowered his voice as much as he could, but the inhuman pain still made him roar aloud.

Senior Brother Li's roars grew louder and louder, and his body shook more violently. After a long time, his roars finally began to subside, until they faded away completely.

His face began to regain its normal color, and his body stopped twitching. It seemed he had endured the most painful stage.

Senior Brother Li slowly sat upright, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes again. He remained where he was, meditating and regulating his breathing. Han Li found a clean rock and sat down casually to one side, watching him circulate his power to restore his vitality.

After the time it took to eat a meal, Senior Brother Li, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes. He snatched up the long saber beside him and sprang to his feet. With a forceful swing of his arm, the saber flashed, and its gleaming blade came to rest against Han Li's neck.

"Give me one reason not to kill you!" A cold light shone in Senior Brother Li's eyes, which were filled with murderous intent.

"I just saved your life. Does that count as a reason?" Han Li's expression did not change. Only the tip of his eyebrow twitched slightly, so subtly that no one would have noticed without looking closely.

Senior Brother Li's expression softened a little, but he continued to glare fiercely at Han Li.

"Before I saved you, I already knew you might very well kill me to keep your secret. I just didn't expect you to act so quickly." Han Li finally gave a bitter smile, a hint of self-mockery on his face.

"Ah! Even though I knew saving you would only bring me trouble, I've studied medicine. I can't just stand by and watch someone die." Han Li sighed.

After hearing this, Senior Brother Li looked somewhat embarrassed. He moved the blade a little farther from Han Li's neck, but did not take it away entirely.

Han Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his voice grew even steadier.

"You don't have to worry about me telling anyone your private business. You can tell at a glance that I'm not a blabbermouth. If you still can't rest easy, I can make a vicious oath. You should be able to see that I don't know much martial arts. If you discover that I've broken my oath, you can easily kill me." Han Li calmly offered a suggestion.

"Make the vicious oath, then," Senior Brother Li said bluntly.

Only then did Han Li feel completely at ease. Although he had studied Senior Brother Li's face before treating him and felt that he was not an ungrateful, vicious, or cruel man, appearances could not be trusted completely. If he had turned out to be a scoundrel who repaid kindness with enmity, Han Li would have had no choice but to use his sole means of self-defense.

At that thought, Han Li quietly moved his fingers away from an iron tube concealed inside his sleeve.

After Han Li solemnly made a vicious oath, Senior Brother Li finally withdrew his long saber and returned it to its sheath.

Han Li touched his neck. The sharp blade had left a shallow, bloody scratch that felt a little sticky. He also felt a chill on his back; it seemed he had broken out in quite a cold sweat.

That was really close! I still didn't think things through carefully enough. I have to learn from this and never pull such a thankless blunder again, no matter what. Whether other people live or die is their own business. What the hell does it have to do with me? Han Li thought, still somewhat shaken.

Without enough benefit and absolute certainty, I'll never lift a hand to save anyone again, he resolved fiercely.

The unhappy consequences of Han Li's first attempt at saving someone directly led to his later bad habit of never rising early without profit. His once somewhat simple and honest nature was also cast aside completely. Though he did not become an evil man, he was a far cry from being kind and honest.

"You saved my life and agreed to keep my secret. I, Li Feiyu, owe you a great favor. As long as I'm alive, if there's anything you need help with, just come find me. As long as it's within my power, I'll certainly help you." Senior Brother Li had fully recovered the spirit he had shown beneath the cliff. He gathered up the miscellaneous belongings Han Li had searched out and placed on the ground, then came before him and sincerely gave his name and made his promise.

"I'm afraid I won't have any reason to trouble you. But you have plenty of trouble yourself, don't you?" Han Li smiled faintly and asked in return.

"How did you know?" Li Feiyu was taken aback, somewhat surprised.

"Anyone could guess. You're an ordinary protector disciple, yet you've risen above a whole crowd of hall masters, elders, and even the sect master's beloved disciples. How could they let you live in peace?" Han Li struck straight at the heart of the matter.

Li Feiyu's face darkened, and he said nothing for a long while.

"I don't want to meddle in your affairs, and I couldn't even if I did. But I can help ease some of the pain you suffer from taking the Marrow Extraction Pill."

"Really?" Li Feiyu's spirits lifted. The gloom on his face vanished to who knew where, leaving him beaming with joy. It seemed the pain of the Marrow Extraction Pill had tormented him badly.

"Why would I lie to you for no reason?" Han Li rolled his eyes at Li Feiyu. He did indeed have a prescription for easing pain, one he had specifically developed for Zhang Tie in his spare time. It greatly reduced the human body's perception of pain and was very effective.

"That's wonderful! Wonderful!" Li Feiyu rubbed his hands together excitedly and gazed eagerly at Han Li.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I don't have the medicine on me now. I have to go back to Divine Hand Valley and prepare it first."

Hearing this, Li Feiyu felt a little embarrassed. He had just threatened Han Li with a saber, and now he was asking him to prepare medicine.

"Come wait for me at the entrance to Divine Hand Valley at noon tomorrow. Once I've prepared the medicine, I'll bring it to you. Doctor Mo isn't home right now, so I can't let outsiders enter the valley as they please," Han Li said slowly.

"All right, I'll be there on time. Thank you so much, brother." Li Feiyu hurriedly agreed, afraid that Han Li would change his mind.

"My name is Han Li. I'm Doctor Mo's personal disciple. Your martial arts are so accomplished, so just call me Junior Brother Han."

Hearing him use even such an affectionate word as "brother," Han Li hurriedly gave him his name, lest he come out with an even more sickening form of address.