Doctor Mo, was quite satisfied with Han Li's dedication to training, spending all his time on cultivation. Yet, he still found Han Li’s progress in mastering the unnamed technique rather slow. In recent years, Doctor Mo’s illness seems to have worsened. He coughs more frequently, and each cough lasts longer than before. As his condition deteriorates, Doctor Mo has become increasingly concerned about Han Li's training pace. From the repeated, urgent messages he sends, one can clearly hear his growing anxiety. Doctor Mo evidently holds Han Li in high regard. Not only does he provide Han Li with more silver coins than usual—beyond what is standard for a disciple—but also regards him with an unusually special gaze, as if viewing him as a rare treasure, cherished beyond measure. However, at the Third Layer of the technique, Han Li has grown remarkably sensitive. In moments of casual awareness, he notices that behind these warm and attentive glances, there occasionally emerges a subtle tone of unease—of greed or yearning—that unsettles him. These expressions make Han Li feel distinctly uneasy. He often wonders whether Doctor Mo sees him not as a living person, but rather as an object—a thing to be cultivated, collected, and eventually consumed. So he finds himself puzzled: what could possibly be of value to Doctor Mo that he himself possesses? Of course, the answer is clear—he has no such thing. At times, Han Li even suspects that his cultivation may have caused some kind of allergic response. In private, he quietly criticizes Doctor Mo, feeling deeply ungrateful. Yet, for reasons he cannot explain, deep within himself, a sense of vigilance toward Doctor Mo persists—and over time, this sense only grows stronger. Now stands a major issue before Han Li: he has reached a cultivation plateau. Worse still, due to his consistent training and medicinal intake over the past few years, Doctor Mo’s precious medicines have been completely depleted. It is evident that Han Li is not born with exceptional talent. Without these medicines as support, his progress has come to a complete halt. This makes Han Li feel deeply ashamed when facing Doctor Mo. Doctor Mo has poured nearly all of his heart and resources into Han Li, creating the best possible training conditions—yet Han Li is unable to meet those expectations. Thus, Han Li feels uneasy in meeting Doctor Mo’s persistent, eager inquiries. It is strange—why cannot a master of such high skill detect Han Li's detailed progress? He can only glean a general impression through pulse examinations. Therefore, for these days, he has remained unaware of the difficulties Han Li faces. Recently, after growing increasingly anxious, Han Li finally confessed his training situation to Doctor Mo. Upon hearing that Han Li had made no improvement in the technique over the past year, and that his previously healthy complexion now appears slightly pale, with his face growing even more expressionless and strained, Doctor Mo did not scold him. Instead, he informed Han Li that he would be away from the mountain for a while, going to seek new herbs and medicines. He urged Han Li to intensify his training on the technique, without letting it slacken. Two days later, Doctor Mo departed with luggage and medicinal tools—leaving behind only Han Li in the entire Shen Shou Valley. Now, within the valley, there is only Han Li alone. His elder brother-in-training and close friend, Zhang Tie, vanished suddenly two years ago when he achieved the Third Level of "Xiang Jia Gong." He had left behind a farewell letter announcing his intention to go on a journey to establish himself in the world beyond. This news caused quite a stir throughout the Seven Perfection Sect. It was only thanks to Doctor Mo’s advocacy that the recommendation and family connections were spared from being affected. Han Li found this departure sudden, deeply saddened—and after some reflection, he sensed something subtly amiss. Yet, being young and voiceless, no one asked him about it. Thus, the matter faded quietly into obscurity. Later, Han Li speculated that Zhang Tie may have feared the challenges of advancing to the Fourth Level of "Xiang Jia Gong," and had thus slipped away unnoticed, gradually. After several days of training within the valley with little apparent result—and given his youthful temperament—Han Li decided to leave the valley altogether, beginning to stroll freely around Cai Xue Mountain. Walking along these paths that are both familiar and yet strangely new, Han Li felt a gentle sense of reflection. For years now, to train, Han Li has lived as if confined in prison, never leaving his small mountain valley once. He now suspects that by the time outside the valley, his fellow disciples must have completely forgotten about him. Along the way, he encountered several patrol disciples. Seeing him dressed in standard disciple attire yet with an unfamiliar appearance, they approached with alertness and questioned him thoroughly—requiring many explanations before he could escape them. To avoid unnecessary interruptions, Han Li chose to walk only along winding, secluded trails, steering clear of bustling places where people might gather. Indeed, throughout his journey, there were no more such bothersome inquiries. He now moved freely and comfortably, ever deeper into the landscape. As he admired the vibrant scenery outside the valley and listened to the lively chatter of birds, all his worries seemed to vanish from memory. Suddenly, a sound of metal clashing, accompanied by waves of shouting, cheering, and encouragement, began to rise from beneath a more secluded mountain cliff. How remote! So many people gathered here! And such a vibrant, intense atmosphere! Han Li’s curiosity was instantly piqued. No longer fearing questions, he followed the sounds of combat and arrived at the cliffside. What a scene! He stood momentarily stunned—amazed. Under this fully shaded mountain cliff, exactly one hundred people were gathered in a dense circle. The relatively small space was filled to capacity, with several individuals even standing on branches of nearby large trees, looking down upon the crowd. Within this large group, two groups of people faced off against each other with strong mutual hostility. On the left side, there were more—eleven or twelve persons; on the right, fewer—with about six or seven. Han Li observed that every person in attendance—both those surrounding and those directly involved—appeared to be around his own age, all young adults, only in their teens. A gentle smile spread across Han Li’s face. What a pleasant coincidence! Among so many people, he easily recognized several familiar faces. "Wan Jin Bao, Zhang Daliu, Yan Yun, Sun Lishong… Ah! Wang Dabai has grown even fatter—indeed, it's no surprise given his family background in cooking; such a well-nourished man. This one—is Liu Tietou? Hm! Hm! Once a dark-haired black-shouldered fellow, now he looks so clean and fair!" Han Li climbed up onto a tree to give an easy list of names to those below him.