The Antidote

1,209 words

The sun hung high in the sky. Though it was already early autumn, the air still carried a touch of sweltering heat.

Inside his own room, Doctor Mo paced restlessly. Although he was confident in the method he had used to coerce Han Li, now that the moment had arrived, he found himself caught between hope and uncertainty.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from the far end of the path, gradually growing closer.

Recognizing the familiar rhythm, Doctor Mo’s face lit up with pleasant surprise. He hurried to the door in a single stride and pushed it open.

A figure was approaching in the distance—the very person he had been eagerly awaiting: Han Li.

Watching the youth draw near, Doctor Mo suppressed his excitement and forced a smile onto his face.

“Good. You’re punctual. I’m pleased that you didn’t try to run—it shows you’re sensible. Come in now. We have matters to discuss.”

Doctor Mo’s expression was warm as a kindly elder from next door, his face beaming like a flower in full bloom.

“Don’t worry, there are no traps inside. It’s not a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den.” Seeing Han Li cast a wary glance toward the room, Doctor Mo quickly offered an explanation, adding a small goading remark.

“Hmph! Since I’ve already come, do you think I’d be afraid to enter your room?” Han Li gave a light snort, as if rising to the bait, and spoke.

With that, he took the lead and stepped inside.

Doctor Mo promptly smiled and moved aside, clearing the entrance. As Han Li entered, he instinctively reached to close the door, but abruptly heard Han Li say without turning his head:

“If you dare shut that door, I’ll take it as a sign that you’re playing the old trick of catching a turtle in a jar, and there will be no further discussion between us.”

Doctor Mo froze for a moment, hesitating. But then he stepped away from the door, waving his hand dismissively.

“I genuinely want to talk things over with you. I mean you no harm. If you say the door stays open, then it stays open.”

With that, Doctor Mo returned to his Taishi armchair and lay back down. Han Li wasted no courtesy—he pulled over a stool and sat down boldly across from him. The two had not seen each other for nearly half a year, and they appraised one another for a moment.

Han Li noticed that Doctor Mo had aged considerably since their last meeting, looking no different from a man in his seventies. He could not help but mutter inwardly: “Could everything he said before actually be true? Could he really only want my help to restore his vitality, with no ulterior motives? Have I been overthinking this?”

Han Li swept his gaze across the room, and his pupils suddenly contracted. That tall, mysterious man stood silently in the corner, motionless as an inanimate object. Had he not actively searched for him, he would never have sensed his presence.

By this time, Doctor Mo had finished his own appraisal of Han Li and seemed satisfied with what he saw. He spoke in a gentle tone:

“Seeing you now reminds me of the day you first arrived. Back then, you were just a boy of ten or so, only this tall. Now, you’ve grown so much. Time truly waits for no one.”

The casual, familial tone caught Han Li off guard. He could not discern what the man was driving at, but instinctively raised his guard, reminding himself: This man is an old fox. He’s eaten more salt than I’ve eaten rice. If I’m not careful, I’ll fall right into his trap.

“Master Mo, I have always remembered the care you’ve shown me and dare not forget it. If you have any instructions, feel free to command me openly.” Han Li softened his expression, using a respectful address, as if he had once again become that obedient little disciple.

“Good! Good! Having you say that, I haven’t wasted all the effort I poured into you. Come now, let me check on your progress with the Eternal Spring Art.” Doctor Mo seemed to have fully entered the role of a kind master. He stood up, walked over, and reached out to take Han Li’s pulse.

“Old fox! Still playing the elder card without a shred of shame,” Han Li cursed inwardly, quickly dodging to the side to avoid the grab.

“Master Mo, let’s not rush. I can tell you plainly that I have indeed reached the fourth layer of the Eternal Spring Art. But wouldn’t it be better if you first bestowed the antidote for the Corpse Worm Pill? Once my worries are gone, I can let you examine my cultivation in peace.” Han Li smiled, his tone earnest and sincere.

“Oh! Silly me, look at this memory of mine. Getting old has made my mind slip. I was actually planning to give you the antidote the moment you walked in.” Doctor Mo’s expression shifted as if he had just remembered.

He fumbled inside his sleeve and produced a silver bottle. From it, he poured a single dark pill and tossed it to Han Li.

Han Li pretended to fumble clumsily before barely catching the pill. He brought it under his nose and sniffed—a pungent, spicy odor rose up. He lifted his head and looked at Doctor Mo, who was watching him with a half-smile.

He hesitated for a moment, suspecting the pill might be a fake.

But he had no choice. The time for the Corpse Worm Pill to activate was nearly upon him. If he did not take it, he would surely die. He reasoned that the man still needed him for something, so the antidote should be genuine. With a grave expression, he swallowed the pill and waited for the medicine to take effect.

Doctor Mo, for his part, seemed in no hurry now. He slowly lay back down in his chair and began making idle small talk, as if he had forgotten the real reason he had summoned Han Li.

Before long, Han Li felt a brief stab of pain in his abdomen, which passed immediately. He quickly examined his body and found that the Corpse Worm Pill had completely dissolved without a trace. Joy surged within him, and a faint hint of it crept onto his face.

These changes did not escape Doctor Mo’s notice. After Han Li finished confirming the antidote’s effect, he smiled warmly and said:

“Han Li, you must understand that giving you the Corpse Worm Pill was a last resort. Without its pressure, I daresay it would not have been so easy for you to reach the fourth layer.”

“Thank you for your ‘kindness,’ Master Mo. But next time, please spare me such favors.” Relieved of the hidden threat, Han Li’s mood improved slightly. He was beginning to trust Doctor Mo’s sincerity a little, and thus no longer met his hypocrisy with outright confrontation.

“Then, may this old man take your pulse now?”

Doctor Mo finally voiced the request that had clearly been meant to put Han Li on the spot. Who knew whether he would seize this chance to immobilize him?

(The chapter ends.)

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Chess Match Begins — Negotiating Survival

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

Catching a Turtle in a Jar (瓮中捉鳖): This is a classic Chinese idiom describing a situation where an enemy is trapped with no escape route. Han Li calls out the tactic before it can be used, forcing Doctor Mo to keep the door open and maintain a degree of fairness. This is not just paranoia—in a world built on poison, hidden blades, and secret arts, anything that limits your mobility is an instant death sentence.
Corpse Worm Pill (尸虫丸): A parasitic pill introduced earlier in the novel. It lays dormant for a year before hatching and devouring the host from within. The antidote is a calculated risk: Doctor Mo gives it up now, but he does so because he believes he still has leverage over Han Li through other means (likely his family or the threat of the mysterious Iron Servant). In the Mortal Stream, an antidote is never a gift—it is a reinvestment.
The Goading Technique: Doctor Mo uses a subtle psychological ploy when he says, “It’s not a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den.” This is a veiled challenge to Han Li’s courage. If Han Li had acted timid, he would have lost face and ceded psychological ground. Han Li counters with a dismissive “Hmph!” and walks in confidently, preserving his dignity and control.

Divine Sense Check / Pulse Diagnosis (把脉)

Allowing an elder cultivator to take your pulse is a high-risk act of trust—they can detect lies, hidden injuries, and even lock your cultivation. Han Li’s refusal to submit immediately is a calculated victory.

Pseudo True Qi (伪真气)

The non-combative energy stream generated by the Eternal Spring Art. It sharpens the senses and mind but is useless for destructive work in combat.

Chapter Overview

Get ready, because the chess match is about to begin! After half a year of tense avoidance, Han Li finally walks right into the lion’s den—Doctor Mo’s personal quarters. The two old acquaintances sit down for a talk that is anything but a cozy reunion. Every smile is a feint, every compliment carries a hidden blade. Han Li secures the antidote to the Corpse Worm Pill, but he knows full well that this is not the end of his leash—just a longer one. Doctor Mo plays the doting elder expertly, but the chapter opens with him pacing like a trapped beast, revealing just how desperate he really is. This is a masterclass in two-faced negotiation, where the stakes are measured in freedom, trust, and survival.

Key Plot Points

The chapter opens with Doctor Mo pacing anxiously in his room, a rare display of vulnerability from the usually composed schemer. He is worried about whether Han Li will show up—a sign that his grip on the situation is not as ironclad as he pretends.
Han Li arrives punctually, forcing Doctor Mo to suppress his excitement and put on a grandfatherly mask. The dynamic is immediately set: Han Li holds more power than the old man wants to admit.
Han Li refuses to let Doctor Mo close the door, calling out the classic “catching a turtle in a jar” trap tactic. This small victory establishes the rules of engagement for the entire conversation: no hidden setups, no unfair advantages.
Both men size each other up. Han Li notes Doctor Mo’s dramatic aging (now indistinguishable from a seventy-year-old), which fuels his suspicion that the man’s story about needing vitality restoration might actually be true.
Doctor Mo tries the warm, paternal approach, reminiscing about Han Li’s childhood. Han Li plays along with respectful deference, but internally brands him an “old fox.”
The core negotiation: Han Li demands the Corpse Worm Pill antidote before letting Doctor Mo check his cultivation progress. He successfully forces the exchange on his own terms—a significant tactical win.
Doctor Mo hands over the antidote. Han Li hesitates, suspecting a trick, but his life is on the line. He swallows the pill, and it works: the Corpse Worm dissolves completely. The burden is lifted.
With the poison gone, Doctor Mo returns to his armchair, taking his time with idle chatter. He is no longer in a rush, subtly reminding Han Li that one hostage situation has simply been replaced by another.
The chapter ends on the same tense note as it began: Doctor Mo asks to take Han Li’s pulse, and the reader knows this is a request that could easily turn into a trap. The game is not over—it has only just begun.

Reading Guide

Pay close attention to Doctor Mo’s pacing in the opening. This is one of the very few times we see him truly unsettled. It tells you that Han Li has become a variable he cannot fully control—and that terrifies him more than any physical threat.
Han Li’s internal monologue versus his spoken words. Notice how polite and submissive he sounds on the surface, while his inner voice is a constant stream of calculation and insults (“Old fox!”). This is the essence of the Mortal Stream protagonist: the mask never drops, even when victory seems assured.
The pulse-taking request. It seems like a minor procedural step, but in a world of hidden cultivation, letting someone take your pulse is like handing them the keys to your soul. They can detect lies, hidden injuries, and even trigger a lock on your energy. Han Li’s refusal to comply immediately, and his success in delaying it, is a major tactical victory that many first-time readers might miss.
The chapter title matters. “Antidote” lulls you into thinking this is a resolution chapter. But the last line leaves you hanging on a knife’s edge. Don’t let the successful pill dissolve fool you—this is an armistice, not a surrender. The war between master and disciple is far from over.