11: Protagonist Halo

That day, Han Li was startled and sent retreating by Lin Feng’s flick of a finger, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. He fled dozens of miles out of Jia Yuan City in one breath before finding a hidden mountain hollow, where he panted, still shaken.

“Foundation Establishment! He’s definitely a Senior at or above the Foundation Establishment Stage!” Han Li’s heart still pounded with lingering fear, and his face was pale.

He couldn’t understand how a small Mo Estate could hide such a terrifying existence.

Just who was that young “Mo Estate Son-in-Law”?

Recalling that casually dismissive flick of a finger, his Qi Refining ninth-layer magical power was as fragile as paper, sending a chill down Han Li’s spine.

“This is no place to linger!”

He forcibly suppressed the terror in his heart, identified the direction, and planned to find a place to hide for a few days before making further plans.

However, as soon as he stood up, a familiar chill surged through his body like a tide.

“Not good! Cold Poison!” Han Li’s face changed drastically.

Earlier, in the Mo Estate, intimidated by Lin Feng’s Aura, his mind was so agitated that he forgot the time for his internal cold poison to act up was approaching.

Now, as soon as he relaxed, the cold poison immediately retaliated.

The bone-chilling cold quickly spread through his limbs and bones, and his blood seemed to be congealing.

Han Li gritted his teeth and circulated Evergreen Technique, trying to suppress the cold poison, but with little effect.

He staggered and fled, hoping to find a safe hiding place.

He didn’t know how long he ran before an inconspicuous cave appeared ahead.

Han Li’s vision went black, and he practically crawled into it using both hands and feet.

Inside the cave, it was dark and damp, permeated with a faint fishy smell ( fishy smell).

Soon after he entered the cave, the cold poison completely erupted.

“Ugh ah!”

Han Li curled up on the ground, his body trembling violently, teeth chattering, and a thin layer of white frost condensed on his skin.

He felt as if his internal organs were about to freeze and crack, and his consciousness began to blur.

“Am I… am I going to die here today?” A wave of despair surged in Han Li’s heart.

The nuan yang treasure jade hadn't been obtained, and now the cold poison was attacking his heart. Heaven truly wanted him dead!

Just as his consciousness was about to sink, his finger accidentally touched a loose stone on the cave wall.

“Crack.”

The stone rolled down, revealing a small hollow behind it.

Inside the hollow, a dusty jade box lay quietly.

Han Li used his last ounce of strength, his trembling hand picking up the jade box.

Opening the lid, a Medicinal Pill the size of a Dragon’s eye, entirely crimson, and emitting a faint Medicinal Pill fragrance, came into view.

Next to the Medicinal Pill was a tattered beast hide, on which a few blurry characters were written in ancient seal script: “…fusion yang pill… Use with caution…”

“fusion yang pill?” Han Li was now desperate, willing to try anything.

Whatever kind of Medicinal Pill it was, he’d try anything to save a dying horse!

He grabbed the Medicinal Pill, didn’t even look at it, and shoved it directly into his mouth, swallowing it whole.

The Medicinal Pill melted upon entering his mouth, and a scorching warm current instantly rose from his abdomen, rapidly spreading throughout his Meridians.

That warm current was incredibly overbearing. The moment it met the cold poison in his body, it was like boiling oil poured on snow, making “hissing” sounds.

“Ah—!”

The extreme impact of ice and fire made Han Li let out an agonizing roar.

He felt as if he was in a melting pot, his entire body’s bones and flesh being repeatedly tempered.

After an unknown amount of time, the scorching sensation gradually receded, and the coldness in his body vanished without a trace.

Han Li lay on the ground as if he were exhausted, breathing heavily.

He observed himself internally and was surprised to find that the cold poison that had plagued him for several years was actually gone!

“Heaven doesn’t want me dead!” Han Li was overjoyed.

However, the medicinal power of this fusion yang pill seemed too potent.

As soon as he tried to sit up, his abdomen churned.

“Gurgle gurgle…”

Han Li’s face changed, and he hurriedly rushed out of the cave, finding a hidden patch of grass.

“Whoosh la la…”

A moment later, Han Li stood up, leaning on a tree, his expression strange.

“This Medicinal Pill… does it have other effects?”

He felt his body was much lighter, but his abdomen still ached faintly, as if there were some lingering after-effects.

For the next two days, Han Li recuperated near this cave.

Although the cold poison was resolved, the after-effects of the fusion yang pill made him miserable.

He suffered from diarrhea, three to five times a day at least, seven or eight times at most, and he lost a noticeable amount of weight.

“What kind of situation is this!” Han Li wanted to cry but had no tears.

Fortunately, apart from the diarrhea, his body was fine, and the circulation of his magical power was even smoother than before.

Two days later, Han Li felt his body had recovered by seventy to eighty percent, so he left the cave.

He was now alone; he absolutely dared not return to the Mo Estate.

After much thought, he decided to go to the Tai Nan Small Meet to try his luck.

Firstly, he wanted to purchase the subsequent Cultivation Technique for “Evergreen Technique,” and secondly, he wanted to see if he could find some Medicinal Pills for healing or replenishing Origin Qi, as the past few days of diarrhea had caused him some Origin Qi deficiency.

He traveled day and night, heading towards Tai Nan Valley.

One day, as he rested at a teahouse by an official road, he encountered the first Fellow Daoist Han Li befriended in the original work.

“Fellow Daoist, are you going to the Tai Nan Small Meet?” A slightly surprised voice rang out.

Han Li looked up and saw a slightly plump, honest-looking young man looking at him.

“Fellow Daoist is?” Han Li felt a little wary.

In the original work, Han Li and Wan Xiaoshan became friends at first sight, but now, after being tricked by Lin Feng, he was very cautious of Loose Cultivators.

“Haha, I am Wan Xiaoshan of the Wan Clan from Kuya Mountain!” Wan Xiaoshan walked over enthusiastically, “This time, my clan sent me out for experience, and I was just worried about not having a companion. Fellow Daoist, are you also going to this Tai Nan Small Meet?”

Han Li nodded: “Indeed.”

Wan Xiaoshan said happily: “That’s great! I feel a bit lonely traveling alone. How about we journey together? We can look out for each other on the way.”

Han Li pondered for a moment and then agreed.

It was good to have a companion; at least the journey wouldn’t be so lonely.

The two of them simply ate something and then set off together.

Along the way, Wan Xiaoshan talked non-stop, mostly about things he had heard from the Seniors in his clan and his yearning for the Tai Nan Small Meet.

Han Li only occasionally responded, his mind not truly on the conversation.

The discomfort in his abdomen was subtly acting up again.

“Brother Wan, you go ahead. I… I’ll be right back.” Han Li clutched his stomach, his face a little pale.

Wan Xiaoshan saw his unusual expression and asked with concern: “Brother Han, are you alright? You don’t look so good.”

“It’s nothing, just an old problem.” Han Li forced a smile and turned to duck into the woods by the road.

Wan Xiaoshan shook his head and muttered: “Brother Han’s problem is truly bothersome.”

After waiting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Han Li emerged from the woods with a look of relief (and a hint of embarrassment).

“Brother Han, you… you took too long, didn’t you?” Wan Xiaoshan chuckled.

Han Li coughed twice: “The mountain roads are rugged, and I’m a bit unaccustomed to the local conditions.”

Over the next few days, similar situations occurred several more times.

Wan Xiaoshan went from initial concern, to later teasing, and finally to getting used to it.

“Brother Han, aren’t you suffering from some strange illness? Why don’t you find an alchemist at the Tai Nan Small Meet to take a look?”

“I say, Brother Han, did you secretly eat something unclean? How many times has this been now?”

Han Li’s old face flushed at his words, but he couldn’t refute him, so he could only silently endure.