Chapter 265
Chapter 265
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 265
Chapter Title: Handing Over the Gold Immortal Pill Manual
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Ha Baek gulped dryly, overwhelmed by Namgung Hyeok's expression and aura.
Having barged into the workshop and exuding such intense pressure, it wasn't easy to respond right away.
"W-What... do you mean, work?"
"What else would a pill refiner have to do?"
"Y-You're saying...?!"
Ha Baek's eyes widened in shock.
The refinement Namgung Hyeok was talking about had to be the Gold Immortal Pill, of course!
With eager anticipation in his voice, Ha Baek shouted.
"The Gold Immortal Pill?!"
"What? Gold Immortal Pill?"
"Yes! You're preparing to make the Gold Immortal Pill, right?"
"Hah!"
Namgung Hyeok snorted and furrowed his brows.
"You bastard. Don't even mention the Gold Immortal Pill."
"Pardon?"
"That's why my head hurts right now."
No, why is your head hurting about that?
I'm the one doing the brain work.
"...Then what are we making?"
"Sigh, hey! Is the Gold Immortal Pill the only spirit pill in the world? Huh? These days, even street vendors yap about spirit pills rarer than gold!"
"Pardon?"
"Whether it's poison or medicine, we need to make something first!"
Ha Baek couldn't understand Namgung Hyeok's mix of madness and irritation, but he let it slide.
He had already felt it keenly while living in the Namgung family compound—that Namgung Hyeok was utterly unhinged.
"So, once this is done, we'll immediately...?"
"If I could make it, I'd have you start right now! Do you know what hell I've gone through because of that thing?"
"Ah!"
Ha Baek let out a gasp of admiration and clenched his fist tightly.
To a martial artist, a pill refinement method held more value than any manual, divine weapon, or spirit pill.
And this was the Gold Immortal Pill, no less.
It was the greatest spirit pill Ha Baek had ever seen in his life, one he could proudly claim.
An incomplete Gold Immortal Pill already surpassed the Great Return Pill—what must the finished product be like?
Completing that formula would be an achievement comparable to being hailed across history as a peerless physician or pill refiner.
'Once this job is done, I'll finally get to see the secret formula!'
Namgung Hyeok's words and actions were odd, but that wasn't new, so he ignored it.
He simply couldn't contain his excitement at the thought of learning the Gold Immortal Pill's secret once this was handled.
Calming his pounding heart, Ha Baek spoke softly.
His expression turned serious once more.
"As it happens, Young Master, I've already been refining a spirit pill just as you instructed."
"Huh? Already?"
...This bastard forgot after telling me to do it.
Namgung Hyeok scratched his head.
He had genuinely forgotten all about it.
With so much on his mind, he couldn't keep track of Ha Baek's tasks too.
Ha Baek pouted briefly before speaking seriously again.
"For now, please inspect the spirit pill I've made. Not only for my sake, but you need to be satisfied with my skills before you can fully trust me with the Gold Immortal Pill's secret formula and your support."
"Good. I like that thinking."
Namgung Hyeok approved of Ha Baek's confidence and logic.
Of course, he would have checked anyway, even without that attitude.
Distrust was his default mode.
'No way in hell I'd hand the Gold Immortal Pill secret to some random hack!'
"So, where's the spirit pill?"
No sooner had Namgung Hyeok asked than Ha Baek pulled a wooden jar from under the table.
"This is a spirit pill made by fully utilizing my master's secret arts. It may not match the Gold Immortal Pill, but it won't fall short."
Ha Baek spoke brimming with confidence.
This Divine Wood Pill was the result of pouring his life into sleepless days and nights.
Namgung Hyeok gazed at the three Divine Wood Pills wrapped in silver foil.
"What do you think?"
"Hmm."
"Not bad, right?"
Namgung Hyeok replied indifferently.
"You'll know once you try it."
"Huh?"
Pop!
Before Namgung Hyeok could stop him, Ha Baek popped one Divine Wood Pill into his mouth and closed his eyes.
Ha Baek's mouth fell open before he inwardly cheered.
'At the level of this Divine Wood Pill, even the Orthodox Heaven Alliance couldn't produce fifty in a year.'
The Orthodox Heaven Alliance was the world's greatest power, the most massive and meticulously organized.
Even with every physician in their Medical Hall and all branch medics working together, producing fifty spirit pills at the Divine Wood Pill's caliber in a year would be a stretch.
Only the Orthodox Heaven Alliance could manage fifty—the average sect couldn't even dream of it.
So, what kind of evaluation would his Divine Wood Pill get?
Confidently, Ha Baek declared.
"It's the fusion of my master's secrets and my own research. There's no finer pill anywhere in the world..."
"It's average."
"Pardon?"
"Average. You could probably buy something like this in any market."
"W-What are you talking about? How can this be average?!"
If the Divine Wood Pill was average, then the only true spirit pill in the world would be the Great Return Pill.
Ha Baek stared at the Divine Wood Pill with his mouth agape.
"Y-Young Master, you might not know much about spirit pills, but at this level..."
"Making it might be beyond you. But I've consumed more spirit pills in my life than you'll make in yours."
...Yeah, that's right.
Just the ones poured on Namgung Hyeok during his Nine Yin Severed Meridians days filled a cart.
"It's not brag-worthy if it's inferior to the early Gold Immortal Pill."
"Ugh!"
"And there's too much杂質 energy. When refining the medicinal properties, crank up the heat a bit more. Like trapping the heat inside."
Ha Baek felt as if he'd been smacked hard on the back of the head by Namgung Hyeok's words.
'...I knew something was off, but it was the fire control?'
Even so, pinpointing the flaw instantly and offering a solution like that.
Had he eaten so many pills he could critique them at this level?
Or...
'No, no. I need to verify first.'
Ha Baek shook his head.
Namgung Hyeok set down the Divine Wood Pill and said.
"It's not bad, though."
"Then the Gold Immortal Pill..."
"Damn it, always Gold Immortal Pill this, Gold Immortal Pill that. Have I entrusted you with it yet?"
"No, but you just said you'd tell me!"
"I will tell you. I will, but..."
As Namgung Hyeok trailed off ambiguously, Ha Baek looked puzzled.
"You mean you can't tell me right now?"
"Well, there's a bit of a problem."
"Pardon? What problem? Did something happen to the formula...?"
"Are you insane? It's just a minor issue."
"Phew, that's a relief. What is it?"
Ha Baek sighed in relief and asked.
Namgung Hyeok gave an awkward smile.
"The ingredients are gone."
"The ingredients are gone? Well, can't we just get more? What ingredient? I'll fetch it right away."
"The crest red of the Thousand-Year Crimson Crane."
"Crest red is easy to... What did you say? What's gone?"
"Crest red."
Ha Baek dug in his ear.
The Thousand-Year Crimson Crane's crest red was gone?
What kind of nonsense is this?
"N-No, why would it be gone?! How?! How do you manage ingredients that they just disappear?!"
"To be precise, it was there, but then it wasn't."
"Pardon?"
Namgung Hyeok scratched his head.
"I ate it."
"...You ate it?"
"I had no choice. So, I need a substitute. I'll have to find a Millennium Flower Chestnut soon too, so if we get substitutes by then, there won't be issues making the Gold Immortal Pill."
Wow, he says it like he just saw a stray dog on the street?
'The completed formula's been derailed, and he calls this minor?'
If he could, he'd choke Namgung Hyeok right now and make him vomit up the crest red.
Ha Baek's forearms twitched.
"So, is there a substitute? Where do we find something comparable to the Thousand-Year Crimson Crane? Without it..."
"Two Great Return Pills and two incomplete Gold Immortal Pills."
...That's more than enough?
Those were items no sect could obtain even if they uprooted their foundations.
Hearing he had the two greatest spirit pills in history made his stomach feel full.
Thousand-Year Crimson Crane's crest red?
He could make the Gold Immortal Pill without that chicken feather nonsense.
Casually, Namgung Hyeok added.
"And my blood?"
Having periodically taken spirit pills, eaten incomplete Gold Immortal Pills, and recently the crest red.
Namgung Hyeok's blood was practically a spirit medicine itself.
At Namgung Hyeok's shrug, Ha Baek's pupils shook.
His lips curved up as his cheeks rose to the heavens.
"Then let's start by drawing your blood."
"...Why blood first?"
"Spirit pills are finite, but blood is infinite, isn't it?"
"What nonsense is that?"
"You can keep drawing blood as long as you eat well and it regenerates."
"..."
Damn it.
Namgung Hyeok's face crumpled.
"But first, wipe that murderous glint from your eyes."
"...It's passion."
"Why draw your sword? Planning to slice flesh instead of drawing blood?"
"Stay still, stay still. It'll sting."
"Hey, you bastard! Hold on."
Namgung Hyeok pulled out a thick wooden manual from his bosom, titled 'Zen'.
The damnable scrawl-filled Gold Immortal Pill secret manual by Hong Mok!
Namgung Hyeok said.
"I've added notes here and there, so interpret it yourself. That guy's handwriting is atrocious."
"Ah!"
Ha Baek accepted Hong Mok's manual with an enraptured expression.
Finally, he could see the Gold Immortal Pill refinement method!
A shiver ran through his body.
Ha Baek's pupils trembled nonstop.
Namgung Hyeok dusted off his shoulders.
"First, understand it. You won't reach the creator's level, but at least follow in his footsteps."
Ha Baek flinched.
"...Yes, understood. But where are you going?"
"To work."
"Draw blood before you go to work."
"...I gave you the manual, you punk!"
"The manual's the manual, blood's the blood!"
Ha Baek lunged at Namgung Hyeok with his blade drawn.
A strange light gleamed in Ha Baek's eyes.
"This damn bastard."
No, why is this guy so persistent?!
Namgung Hyeok gaped at Ha Baek, blade flashing.
* * *
Having finally donated blood to Ha Baek, Namgung Hyeok rubbed his arm as he exited the workshop.
"Whew, that guy's relentless."
It reaffirmed that anyone deeply obsessed with a single field was out of their mind.
"And his skills are better than expected."
To Namgung Hyeok, the Divine Wood Pill was average, but in this era, it was definitely upper-grade or higher.
Producing it so handily meant he had talent.
'I told him to make more Divine Wood Pills for now, so the spirit pill side is sorted.'
Ha Baek would handle researching Hong Mok's manual and preparing the Gold Immortal Pill.
"Now, time to get the old fogeys moving..."
It was a hassle, but he had a plan.
Namgung Hyeok trudged back to his residence.
Namgung Ryong, the Thunder Dragon Squad, the Peng siblings, So Hye-yeon, So Geol-gae, and the Tang siblings had naturally set up camp in front of it.
Namgung Hyeok glanced at them and called out.
"Hey, bro."
"..."
"Wanna go for a drink?"
"...A drink. Where?"
Namgung Ryong rose with a faint smile.
He seemed subtly excited at the prospect of a walk with Namgung Hyeok after so long.
The three Thunder Dragon Squad members naturally fell in step, and the Peng siblings and So Hye-yeon stood up.
So Geol-gae grumbled.
"Damn, how long have we been here and you're heading out again?"
The Tang siblings, watching from afar, quietly moved to join the group.
Namgung Hyeok twisted his lips.
"Up to here."
Swoosh—drawing a line in front of the three Thunder Dragon Squad members, everyone stared blankly.
Peng Jung-hyeok looked disappointed.
"You're not taking us?"
So Geol-gae furrowed his brow.
"Yeah, why exclude us?"
"Didn't say you didn't want to go."
"No, we haven't even heard where, and you're not saying we can't go?"
"Family business, so sit it out."
"Oh."
So Geol-gae scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Family business, huh...
But why take the three Thunder Dragon Squad members for family business?
Namgung Ryong and the Thunder Dragon Squad trio were equally puzzled.
Namgung Hyeok shrugged.
"Got a quick errand."
So, where?
Leaving the head-tilting group behind, Namgung Hyeok beckoned with a finger and turned away.