# Chapter 92: Sword Talisman
Everyone who witnessed this scene thought their eyes were playing tricks on them.
When they first saw the grey light turn back toward the Sect of Seven Mysteries, they assumed the dwarf had changed his mind and intended to slaughter all the other disciples of lesser martial prowess before returning to deal with the grey-robed man.
But when the grey radiance flew into the crowd, it was effortlessly captured by an ordinary-looking disciple with a casual wave of his hand. It was simply too incredible to believe!
On the side of the Sect of Seven Mysteries, everyone—including Sect Leader Wang and the grey-robed man—was overwhelmed with a mixture of relief and astonishment at this sudden reversal from the brink of death.
In his wild elation, Sect Leader Wang Juechu felt even more fortunate for his foresight in agreeing to let Han Li participate in the death match. He knew that whether everyone could survive this death match, and whether the Sect of Seven Mysteries could continue to exist from now on, all depended on this suddenly unfathomable Doctor Han.
Li Feiyu, who knew Han Li somewhat, stood with his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long while. Although he knew his friend was somewhat extraordinary, the ability to capture on the spot a celestial flying sword belonging to an immortal cultivator—it made him feel as though he were dreaming in broad daylight, dazed and bewildered.
As for Zhang Xiu'er, Elder Li, and Jia Tianlong's group on the opposite side, they were equally dumbstruck, their facial expressions each more dramatic than the next.
Countless gazes filled with fear, doubt, and astonishment all fell upon Han Li. Yet Han Li maintained his composure, smiling calmly throughout, seemingly entirely unaffected by the attention of so many people.
But no one knew that beneath Han Li's unhurried exterior, his heart was actually in considerable distress.
Heavens knew, Han Li had never intended to make his move so soon! His original plan had been to wait until the dwarf let his guard down and dropped the golden barrier before launching a sneak attack. At that moment, he only needed to sneak behind him and use a tiny "Fire Bullet" to easily finish the opponent off.
But who could have predicted that human plans are no match for fate? Han Li, merely because he saw the grey light darting back and forth, felt his heart itch with curiosity. Without realizing it, he had already used the "Object-Drive Art" he had practiced countless times, and effortlessly seized the item.
The ease with which he had taken it far exceeded his expectations. He simply extended his spiritual power onto the grey light, and it was that simple—he wiped away the dwarf's spiritual imprint and established a connection between himself and the grey light. Under his command, the grey light wobbled toward him like an infant who had just learned to walk, and he successfully received it.
Now Han Li felt a secret thrill on one hand for having so easily snatched away his opponent's treasure. On the other hand, he harbored some worry about having to face the dwarf directly.
He was well aware that he did not have much confidence in forcefully breaking through the opponent's turtle-shell defense. The only thing that gave him a few degrees of confidence was that his spiritual power was several times deeper than the dwarf's.
Of course, none of this worry was visible on Han Li's face. For he knew well that if one gained the upper hand psychologically, one would also possess considerable advantages in actual combat, adding several extra chances of victory—a trick he had learned from the Blinking Sword Manual.
Therefore, seeing the dwarf's terrified demeanor, Han Li did the opposite, putting on an expression of complete confidence.
He was leisurely examining the treasure that had just come into his possession. The grey light in his hands still brimmed with spiritual energy, stretching and contracting unpredictably, its cold glow shimmering so that its true form could not be seen clearly.
Han Li looked up at the dwarf, whose face had turned somewhat pale, and offered a faint smile. Wrapping his hands in spiritual energy, he pressed the grey light between his palms and gave it a gentle rub. The radiance on the grey light immediately dissipated, revealing its true appearance. It was actually a talisman—a peculiar talisman depicting a small grey sword.
The grey sword on the talisman paper was rendered vividly, as if it were real. Even without spiritual energy to activate it, the small sword emanated a faint glow of its own, like a peerless blade radiating a bone-chilling cold.
Han Li stared at it, feeling somewhat disappointed in his heart. This clearly wasn't a flying sword or any similar treasure. Though it was strange, it was still merely a piece of talisman paper.
However, when he recalled the impressive display the talisman had made earlier, he felt somewhat consoled. After all, he had witnessed its power with his own eyes, and it would surely be of great use to him in the future.
Han Li casually tucked the talisman into his pocket. He dared not openly use this item right in front of its original owner. Who knew what tricks the dwarf might have placed on the talisman? Moreover, his "Object-Drive Art" had barely been practiced with actual objects—it was still quite clumsy. He estimated that even if he used it now, it would be difficult to harm the opponent.
The Gold Light Immortal across from him watched helplessly as Han Li tucked his treasure away, and fury surged within him. Yet he lacked the courage to rush forward and fight. After all, the fact that the other could so easily erase his spiritual imprint on the talisman meant that his spiritual power was at least several times deeper than his own—he simply did not have the nerve to challenge him.
Seeing the dwarf shrink back, visibly angry but not daring to act, Han Li knew the opponent had been completely intimidated and did not realize his true situation. His courage grew even bolder.
Han Li decided to play the part of the tiger borrowing the fox's majesty to the very end. After applying the Wind-Riding Mantra to his body, his figure flickered several times, and he was suddenly standing before the dwarf.
The Gold Light Immortal saw Han Li move with such ghostlike speed, and his fear intensified. He involuntarily stumbled back a few steps, whispering in a timid voice:
"What do you want? I haven't encroached on the mineral resources of this place, nor have I gathered any spiritual herbs or medicines. I merely collected some gold from mortals—I haven't infringed upon the interests of your local clan. You have no reason to kill me."
Hearing these words, Han Li was secretly delighted. He realized the opponent had mistaken him for someone from a certain immortal cultivation clan, and his confidence swelled further. He deliberately offered a faint smile, then leaned in and asked in a mysterious whisper:
"Might I ask who you are, sir? And why you have voluntarily involved yourself in mortal affairs, disrupting the secular order of this region? This puts our clan in quite a difficult position."
The dwarf heard that the other's tone was gentle and seemed to hold no intention of attacking him. His spirits revived immediately. His two small eyes darted around several times before he hurriedly explained:
"I am a disciple of the Ye family from Qin Ye Ridge. I was merely passing through. Because I had some old ties with the leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, I couldn't refuse his earnest request and lent him a hand. I absolutely did not mean to deliberately offend your clan. I hope you can forgive me. May I ask the name of your honored clan? I will certainly come to your gate in the future to apologize for my offense!"