Chapter 377
Chapter 377
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 386
Chapter Title: A Taste of Paradise
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Hye-gong channeled his inner energy into his eyes, focusing every nerve on Ha Baek.
Anticipation welled up within him—what sort of formula would he use for refining, and what method?
*The secret manual of Venerable Geungmok is right before my eyes...!*
For now, without the ingredients, it would just be a demonstration, but Venerable Geungmok had been an extraordinary man.
His pill refinement techniques were equally extraordinary, and the spirit pills he produced—all hailed as divine-grade—were the pinnacle of their kind, without equal.
Shaolin still preserved some of the Great Reversion Pills and Soul Return Pills he had left behind.
Those made in his youth had already earned the title of divine-grade—what more need be said of those from his later years!
*This Divine Wood Pill must stem from insights gained while mastering Venerable Geungmok's secret manual.*
Said to surpass Shaolin's Arhat Pills and rival the Soul Return Pills in quality.
Hye-gong's eyes widened.
Since ascending to the position of Precept Master and being hailed as a great sage of the martial world, had he ever felt such excitement and anticipation?
He was about to witness the secret technique infused with Venerable Geungmok's hard-won insights from his final years.
How could he not be thrilled?
Was this not akin to beholding the revival of Shaolin itself!
And to think, he was granted this glimpse of such monumental history thanks to the Radiant Dragon—or rather, Patron Namgung Hyuk—standing before him.
Especially for him!
*Now, show me!*
His gaze locked onto Ha Baek, unyielding.
Hye-gong strained his eyes, determined not to miss even the twitch of a single muscle fiber.
*Now... show it...*
Thud thud thud!
Ha Baek began pounding herbs in a pestle the size of a hand.
Even without a shred of martial training, the speed and flair of his hands were utterly captivating.
Ha Baek's forearms rippled.
"Like this, and this. Do it this way, and..."
Thud thud thud!
"Like so, and then like this...!"
Thud thud thud!
"And so...!"
Blood vessels bulged in Hye-gong's eyes.
*Now he'll show it...*
Dozens of bowls filled with ground herbs, and a small pill cauldron began to bubble.
Bubble bubble!
*So now he'll show it...*
Thud thud thud!
The pestling resumed.
*Now he'll show...*
Squelch squelch!
Ha Baek kneaded the herbs like dough, mixing in honey and some bizarre liquid.
Then boiled it again.
Thud thud!
Hye-gong's eyelids, which hadn't so much as blinked, began to twitch.
*...When exactly is he going to show it?*
No, there must be more.
There has to be more.
More...
"And this completes it."
Thud!
Ha Baek beamed proudly, presenting the pill.
"...This is it?"
"Yes, made lightly according to Venerable Geungmok's manual."
"...All of it?"
"Yes! Just the basics. Impressive, isn't it? To produce something like this!"
Hye-gong hesitated, staring at the plump, black pill resting in Ha Baek's palm.
Was this truly made from Venerable Geungmok's manual?
*It looks too ordinary.*
Nothing special about it?
Had he missed something?
In pill refinement, even a pinch difference in ingredients yields an entirely different result.
So this could be a failed spirit pill.
A mistaken formula, or a slip-up in haste—perfectly possible.
Venerable Geungmok's manual was undoubtedly profound and complex; rushing through it at this pace was bound to cause errors.
And strictly speaking, this was just the process; the final product wasn't even complete yet, was it?
Or perhaps this Ha Baek was playing a prank.
*He wouldn't dare prank Shaolin...*
Even the first-generation disciples behind him whispered.
"Master, this doesn't seem right."
"Yes. We must have been mistaken."
"Pill refinement can't be this simple, and spirit pills made so carelessly—do they even work...?"
Hye-gong let out a low hum and glanced at Namgung Hyuk.
Namgung Hyuk shrugged.
"Why?"
"...Is this truly Venerable Geungmok's secret, Patron Namgung Hyuk?"
"No."
"Hm?"
"Not a single ingredient for the Golden Immortal Pill was used—how could this be a Golden Immortal Pill? What is this, a tasting party? You want to smash those precious materials just to sample them? Do you know what I went through to obtain them!"
Namgung Hyuk ground his teeth.
"To get those, I went through hell—and you want to just smash them?!"
As he spoke, memories flooded back of his frantic efforts to gather the Golden Immortal Pill ingredients, raising his voice.
Eek, madness...
Ha Baek flinched.
"Y-Young Master, calm down."
"Huuuuh!"
Namgung Hyuk steadied his breathing.
"Just verify it, just verify."
Seeing Hye-gong's bewildered expression, Namgung Hyuk flashed a gentle smile once more.
"This is Ha Baek demonstrating the realm he's attained in Venerable Geungmok's secret arts."
"Hmm!"
"Isn't that what Shaolin wanted to confirm? Whether the Namgung family truly unraveled Venerable Geungmok's secrets—and how extraordinary they are."
"Indeed."
"Then have a bite."
Namgung Hyuk grinned wickedly, pointing to the pill Ha Baek had made.
Freshly made and still steaming, it couldn't possibly exhibit full effects.
But if there was something special...
Hye-gong picked up one of the newly made pills.
Ha Baek tensed.
*Shaolin is eating my pill.*
It felt worlds apart from handing them out to strangers in the Righteous Alliance.
A Shaolin monk was about to judge the worth of his pill refinement skills!
Munch munch!
Hye-gong chewed the pill.
Made with the lowest-grade ingredients, yet according to Venerable Geungmok's secrets.
The watching first-generation disciples swallowed dryly.
*Does it really work?*
*Can't you see the Master's face?*
*That's the stern look he wears when enforcing Shaolin's precepts.*
*To me, it looks like he's chewing rotten grain.*
*Doesn't it even smell musty?*
As the disciples shook their heads,
Hye-gong's eyes shot open.
He glanced at Ha Baek briefly, then popped another pill into his mouth.
*Why is he doing that?*
*Probably shocked because it tastes like nothing.*
*What could an unfinished pill possibly do?*
*The Namgung family seems to have overplayed their hand.*
*Then what about Brother Deokjin? Did he get duped by... this?*
Whoa, no way.
What exactly did he fall for?
As the disciples murmured,
Hye-gong examined the bowl intently and spoke.
"Is this truly made according to Venerable Geungmok's manual?"
His voice was low and solemn.
So grave and icy that the disciples flinched.
Oh no, trouble.
Ha Baek nodded.
"Yes."
"Truly?"
"Yes."
Hye-gong seemed to squeeze his eyes shut, then snapped them open.
With fierce intensity, he stared at the bowl and said,
"You all try one too."
"Pardon?"
"Hurry!"
None dared defy Precept Master Hye-gong.
The disciples exchanged glances before each taking a tentative nibble of the half-finished pills.
And then.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"Wh-what is this?"
A sweet, fragrant aroma spread through their mouths, widening the Shaolin disciples' eyes.
"Pure bliss."
"I've seen paradise."
"This can't be!"
The disciples exclaimed in shock, and Hye-gong nodded emphatically.
He turned to Ha Baek.
"Amitabha! Manager Ha Baek! You've opened my eyes today, heh heh heh! Marvelous, simply marvelous!"
"Heh heh!"
"You've truly unraveled Venerable Geungmok's manual!"
Ha Baek's lips curved upward.
Hye-gong turned to Namgung Hyuk.
"Patron Namgung Hyuk!"
Namgung Hyuk, who had been smirking slyly, resumed his gentle expression.
"Yes, Venerable."
"So, what should we start with?"
What should they start with?
What else?
"Bring some paper and brushes first."
* * *
Namgung Jangcheon watched the procession at the Namgung family gates, his mouth agape.
What in the world...
"What is this?"
His gaze swept over the people streaming through the main gate.
"Amitabha!"
"Guanyin Bodhisattva!"
"Greetings, patrons."
"Nam amitabha!"
Bald heads clad in crimson robes filed in one after another.
Were the Shaolin monks holding a group assembly?
Why were they still coming?
No way—after Hye-gong, was Shaolin planning to relocate entirely to the Namgung family?
"Turning our main estate into a branch temple?"
Steward Geum Gwangmo chuckled beside him, utterly delighted.
"It seems Young Master pulled off another one."
"Yeah, I knew he'd fleece them."
"Not fleeced—looks like he bankrupted them."
"Not fleeced?"
"You cleaned them out."
No sooner had Geum Gwangmo spoken than wagons piled mountain-high with goods rumbled through the massive gates.
Creak creak creak!
The wheels shrieked in protest as they barely rolled forward.
"Heh heh heh... heh heh..."
What the hell happened?
Watching Namgung Hyuk grinning from afar, the thought bubbled up unbidden.
*If that kid had been born a Peng, our family would have starved for three generations.*
A guy who could fleece even Shaolin Temple—if he'd been a Peng clansman, would the Namgung family have survived intact?
Thinking that, he felt truly grateful.
*Thanks for being born my son.*
Heh heh...
Namgung Jangcheon let out a hollow laugh, eyeing the endless stream of wagons.
At the gate, Ha Baek—looking every bit the hunter—waved enthusiastically.
"Hurry hurry! Over here, over here! Uh heh heh, coming, coming! My... er, hands are arriving! More hands, more hands!"
His muscles flexed as Ha Baek danced about.
His cheeks flushed, his face beaming with ecstasy.
Whoa, what is all this?
Did they raid a bandit stronghold on the way?
The ingredients just kept pouring in without end!
The Namgung family's procurements were top-grade, but Shaolin's herbs were supreme-class, beyond reproach.
Ha Baek's mouth stretched ear to ear.
"Ahh! No shortages, no shortages at all!"
Far from shortages—they overflowed.
The Radiant Dragon—no, our Young Master was right.
Suckers walking right in!
Ha Baek's shoulders shook with glee.
Even the Namgung elders couldn't help but shimmy.
"It's Shaolin!"
"Shaolin this time!"
"Heh heh, should I string prayer beads around my neck?"
"We could wallpaper in gold! Heh heh!"
"Oh man, our Hyuk pulled off another big one!"
Keh heh heh!
Laughter echoed ceaselessly at the Namgung gates.
Deokjin smiled warmly at the Shaolin brothers entering the Namgung estate.
He turned to Hye-gong.
"Heh heh, the Namgung patrons are trustworthy, aren't they?"
Hye-gong groaned.
"...The pill refinement is genuine."
"They've mastered Venerable Geungmok's secrets perfectly."
"You rascal, Deokjin."
"Yes."
"You're nearly sixty—how are you still so naive?"
Hye-gong groaned again.
Deokjin wore a puzzled look.
"Is there a problem?"
"Do you truly believe that pill refinement secret is authentic?"
"It's a copy, but didn't the Venerable's intent come through fully?"
"You think it makes sense for just the contents to be copied?"
"...No reason for the patrons to deceive us..."
Deokjin frowned.
No reason to deceive, so no deception.
If the Namgung family meant to cheat Shaolin, why share Venerable Geungmok's secrets or reveal the recipe?
Why share a treasure they could hoard?
He was a monk, but he knew human greed.
That was why Deokjin trusted Namgung Hyuk and the Namgung family.
"Then?"
Hye-gong sighed.
"Everything has a reason. Whatever it is, there is one."
"...Hmm!"
"The Namgung family's reasons were fortunately pure. But they drew us in for those reasons... and now, those reasons no longer matter."
"Why not?"
"Because the pill refinement is real."
Hye-gong had confirmed it with his own eyes.
Knowing Venerable Geungmok's techniques were genuine made other reasons irrelevant.
"Then we can get it back..."
"You fool."
"Yes, Master."
Hye-gong eyed Deokjin like a wayward child before speaking again.
"Get it back and then what?"
"Well, naturally, we'll study the secrets..."
"And you can read it?"
"The letter said..."
Ah, he couldn't.
How could he read it?
All he could read was the letter itself.
"Patron Namgung Hyuk read it flawlessly."
"...!"
"If we can't read it but they can, we stay. Even if it costs our livers and galls—we learn! Yes! We must learn!"
Hye-gong's eyes blazed fiercely.
"Amitabha."
Smelling something burning, Deokjin simply chanted and gazed at Namgung Hyuk laughing in the distance.
A strange feeling flickered, but look at that gentle smile.
But he didn't know.
Namgung Hyuk was simply delighting in how to work his new 'bald slaves.'
Shaolin had no inkling.