“Get up! Get up!”

A faint voice, as if coming from the heavens, startled Han Li awake. He opened his eyes and was met by a large face so close it almost seemed to be attached to his own. Han Li was so shocked that he instinctively recoiled. It wasn't some monster, but rather the face of another child—Zhang Tie.

“Eat something,” Zhang Tie said, handing Han Li two steaming steamed buns. “We have to go see Doctor Mo after dinner.”

Han Li stared at him for a moment before accepting the food. “Where did you find this?”

“There's a big kitchen near the valley. I saw everyone else getting food there, so I went too. After eating, I realized you hadn't eaten, so I got these two buns for you,” Zhang Tie explained with a simple smile.

“Thank you, Zhang Ge,” Han Li said, a little moved. Seeing that Zhang Tie looked much older and more mature than him, Han Li instinctively called him “Zhang Ge” (older brother).

“No… no problem! I'm used to doing chores back home. If there's anything that needs doing, don't hesitate to ask me. I might not have much else, but I do have strength,” Zhang Tie stammered, feeling a little embarrassed.

Han Li hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch, so he was starving. Within a few bites, the two large steamed buns were gone.

“It's getting late. We should go see Doctor Mo,” Han Li said, burping slightly as he looked out at the sunset. He quickly did the math in his head and decided it was time to go.

Zhang Tie had no objections and followed Han Li to Doctor Mo's house.

Inside Doctor Mo's room, the walls were lined with bookshelves filled with dense rows of books.

“Doctor Mo!”

“Doctor Mo!”

The two boys called out, but Doctor Mo was seated with his back against a grand chair, deeply absorbed in a book. He didn't acknowledge their arrival or respond to their greetings. Han Li and Zhang Tie, both still young, didn't know what to do. They simply stood awkwardly to the side, unsure how to proceed.

It wasn't until Han Li had been standing for quite a while and his legs had begun to feel numb that Doctor Mo finally put the book down with deliberate slowness. He glanced at the two of them coldly, then took a sip of tea before speaking slowly.

“From now on, you two are my registered disciples. I'll teach you some basic knowledge about herb gathering and alchemy, and perhaps some healing techniques. But I will never teach you martial arts.” Doctor Mo's face was expressionless as he placed his tea down.

Stolen novel; please report.

“I have a set of self-cultivation and health-maintenance mantras to teach you. Although it won't help you win battles, it will strengthen your body. If you really want to learn martial arts, you can go to the instructors for that. I won't stop you. But half a year from now, I'll be testing you on the practice of this mantra. If you fail, you'll be sent to the outer sect as outer disciples. Do you understand?” Doctor Mo's tone suddenly became stern, showing how much he valued this mantra.

“Understood,” Han Li and Zhang Tie responded in unison.

“Good. You may leave now. Come back tomorrow morning,” Doctor Mo said, waving them off before returning to his book.

Before leaving, Han Li couldn't resist a glance at the book Doctor Mo was reading, but since he couldn't read, all he could make out was the large black characters on the cover. Sadly, it seemed the book knew him, but he couldn't understand it.

Once outside, Han Li let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had been so nervous in the room, afraid even to breathe too loudly. His mind had been on edge. But now, outside in the open, he felt at ease again, his nerves relaxing.

For the next few days, Han Li was in high spirits, knowing that he was finally considered a disciple of the Seven Mysteries Sect. Although he was just a registered disciple, it was still better than being sent home like the other children. Even if he didn't pass the test in six months, he could still become an outer disciple, much like his Third Uncle. In Han Li's mind, his Third Uncle was already a person of considerable status, so he didn't worry too much about the upcoming test. Deep down, he even secretly hoped he would fail, so he could leave the mountain earlier and reunite with his parents and the little sister he loved so much.

Over the next days, Doctor Mo taught them some basic medical knowledge in the mornings. In the afternoons, he sent them to a study hall with the other children to learn reading and writing, as well as the basics of martial arts theory, such as the twelve meridians, the eight extraordinary meridians, and the locations of body acupuncture points. They also practiced basic stances and shadow boxing.

One month later, Han Li and Zhang Tie were separated from the other children. There was no longer any time for other studies, as Doctor Mo began to teach them the Nameless Mantra, a set of techniques that consumed most of their time. Doctor Mo strictly forbade them from revealing the mantra to anyone else. If they did, they would be severely punished and expelled from the sect.

During this time, Han Li learned more about the Seven Mysteries Sect and Doctor Mo from the other disciples. The sect was led by Sect Leader Wang Lu, who was a direct descendant of the Seven Absolutes Elder, and three Vice Sect Leaders. The sect was divided into the outer and inner sects. The outer sect included four divisions: Flying Bird Hall, Gathering Treasure Hall, Four Seas Hall, and Outer Blade Hall. The inner sect consisted of Hundred Refinements Hall, Seven Absolutes Hall, Devotion Hall, and Blood Blade Hall. There was also an Elder Council, led by the Sect Leader and on equal footing with the Vice Sect Leaders.

Doctor Mo, however, was not originally a disciple of the Seven Mysteries Sect. Several years ago, when Sect Leader Wang Lu was ambushed and seriously injured, it was Doctor Mo's medical skills that saved his life. Grateful, Wang Lu invited Doctor Mo to join the sect. Mo was not only skilled in medicine, but also had formidable martial arts abilities. Wang Lu had a small valley specially constructed for him within the sect, where he lived and worked. Doctor Mo had since become a member of the Devotion Hall. Despite his stern demeanor, his medical expertise had earned him the respect of the sect's disciples, even though they had never seen his martial prowess.