Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Hand Over the Thousand Poisons Pill (1)
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Two nyang of gold in debt—can I pay it off with a Thousand Poisons Pill instead? That was Dang Ok-gi's offer.
She probably didn't mean it literally, that she'd actually use a Thousand Poisons Pill to settle the debt.
And for good reason.
Pills from the Sichuan Tang Clan—whether elixirs or poison pills—came with strict handling warnings, unlike ordinary spirit medicines or pills.
But even so, they held tremendous value.
For instance, if someone stole one and dumped it on the black market, it would fetch an astronomical price.
'Of course, before any deal went through, the Sichuan Tang Clan folks would swarm out from their stronghold, rounding up the thief, the fence, and the buyer, turning them all into a puddle of blood.'
A measly two nyang of gold was nothing compared to the value of a Thousand Poisons Pill. So Dang Ok-gi's line—"I've got a Thousand Poisons Pill; want it instead?!"—was likely just her way of throwing a tantrum.
'An extension of her claim that she couldn't possibly be unable to cough up two nyang of gold.'
If her opponent had been some ordinary cadet or run-of-the-mill martial artist?
They probably would've backed off a step at her bluff.
'Something like, "Joking around? Why bring up a Thousand Poisons Pill?" They'd say the pill alone was worth more than two nyang and ask her to take her time paying it back.'
But I wasn't some ordinary cadet. Nor was I your average denizen of the jianghu.
I didn't bother hiding the smirk tugging at my lips as I spoke.
"Sure."
"...Huh?"
She clearly hadn't expected that. Panic flashed across Dang Ok-gi's face for a moment.
She seemed utterly baffled by the situation, so I helpfully clarified.
"Let's do it. Fine by me. Settle your debt with the Thousand Poisons Pill."
Was it my consideration that snapped her out of it?
After stammering blankly for a bit, she shook her head vigorously, regaining her wits, and blurted out urgently,
"You must not know what a Thousand Poisons Pill really is."
"I know enough. It's a spirit pill from the Sichuan Tang Clan, right? From the rumors—might be some exaggeration—but I hear if you absorb it properly, it grants thirty years of inner power and a body impervious to a thousand poisons. That sound about right?"
"Exaggeration?! The Tang Clan doesn't spout nonsense! That's roughly correct!"
"Then I know what I'm talking about."
"You do...? No! I mean... Argh! Look, you're just thinking it'll fetch a good price, but you can't even convert it to money. Say I give you the Thousand Poisons Pill—what if it somehow leaks out? You know what happens then? No questions asked. You'd get killed on the spot."
Dang Ok-gi was scrambling to take back her words.
Her tone and actions mixed genuine worry for me with bewilderment at how things had spiraled. Still, her argument had a hole in it.
"So you knew it couldn't be sold for cash, yet you offered it to pay off your debt?"
"......"
"And I thought the Tang Clan always settled favors and grudges clearly. I didn't make any unfair demands, didn't steal it or force it from you—you offered it yourself, and I just said okay. How's that a death sentence? Doesn't match the Tang Clan's style of repaying debts that I know."
Two flaws, not just one.
I pointed them out, and Dang Ok-gi bit her lip, at a loss for words.
At her expression, my master's voice rumbled from the sword at my waist, puzzled.
- ...Hmm. From what I see, that Tang Clan kid brought up the Thousand Poisons Pill just to make you back off from demanding repayment.
'Probably.'
- So if it's just her way of saying "stop bugging me to pay up," couldn't you just give her an out?
'Sure, but the Sichuan Tang Clan folks have strong pride, don't they?'
Admitting she was bluffing because she couldn't scrape together two nyang would wound that pride.
- True enough. The Tangs do have that streak. Even back in my day...
'Plus, if she backs down and I push— "No, go home, honor the deal"—she's sunk.'
If I did that?
She'd be trapped by her own words: the Tang Clan doesn't lie.
So this was a classic false start.
- Fair point. Considering your personality and tenacity, she never had a chance. Poor girl, caught in a dilemma. How'd she end up tangled with a guy like you? Tsk tsk.
'......?'
- ?
Ahem.
Anyway.
Trapped with no wiggle room, Dang Ok-gi—as I'd predicted—skipped begging me to back off and tried another angle.
"Anyway, you can't sell it."
But that was exactly what I'd been waiting for.
I jumped right in.
"Why would I sell the Thousand Poisons Pill?"
"Wasn't that your plan?"
"What do you take me for, to assume that?"
"A debt collector or loan shark?"
At that, a snort escaped from the sword at my waist.
- Pfft.
"......?"
"...Haha."
No, Ok-gi, don't laugh right now. Really?
"Haha?"
"...What?! Who was it always nagging you to pay up every time they saw you?!"
"Ugh, this is why I said never adopt a black-haired beast. You forget all about me getting you Sichuan snacks to share, and pull this crap."
"N-No, I didn't forget! I was even gratef... ugh. Fine, say I give you the Thousand Poisons Pill. Not to sell—what're you gonna use it for?!"
"Eat it, obviously."
That was the moment.
The instant I said I'd consume the Thousand Poisons Pill.
"Eat it? Ingest it?"
"Yeah. Ingest. Thirty years of inner power and poison immunity—why sell it? Got nothing else to eat."
Her face stiffened as if that was absolutely out of the question, and she spoke up.
"Common knowledge says you just ingest and absorb the Thousand Poisons Pill for thirty years of inner power and a poison-immune body, but that's misleading. It's not like other clans' spirit pills that anyone can take."
Having read the original novel, I knew it came with handling warnings.
But there could be details I missed.
Acting too knowledgeable might arouse the Tang Clan's signature suspicion, so I let her explain first.
"Go on."
"It's mainly for Tang Clan members who've built poison resistance since childhood by ingesting small doses. Otherwise, it's an emergency antidote for someone poisoned by an unidentified deadly toxin— the detoxification process can boost inner power like a lucky break."
"So a normal person just popping a Thousand Poisons Pill could turn it into poison?"
"Yeah. Deadly poison. You could die or end up crippled. If a friend of yours is suffering from some mystery poison, I might hand it over. But if you're planning to take it yourself? No way."
"Hm. So you could give it, but you're worried I'd end up crippled or dead?"
"Not worried exactly...! It's a favor, but if you die or whatever? Awkward for me. Not worry, but... something like that."
Just like in the original.
In the story, the Thousand Poisons Pill Dang Ok-gi brought from her clan was used the second way.
'To treat Jeong Hyeon's poisoning.'
It cured him, and when Cheon Jang-ho got jealous, she scowled and explained exactly like this.
But her original explanation didn't end there.
'She said it could work if you had enough other spirit pills to block the poison qi from invading your meridians and dantian.'
Then that beggar bastard Cheon Jang-ho whined about needing top exam scores for scholarships to get those pills—better to swallow a handful of deadly poison—and made Dang Ok-gi explode.
I remembered that scene vividly because it was hilarious.
Anyway.
There was one more method for the Thousand Poisons Pill: using pure spirit pills to neutralize its poison qi and protect the meridians and dantian.
And the requirement? Three top-grade elixirs, like Great Return Pills.
'Conveniently, I've got exactly three of those.'
The Small Purity Pill from the Wudang Clan as a Four Great Heavens scholarship recipient.
The Divine Calculation Heart-Protecting Pill from the Zhuge family as top academic scholar.
The Bodhi Heart Pill from the Ami Sect as diligent student scholar.
Having swept all three scholarships and holding onto those three pills untouched—it was perfect for me.
I consciously suppressed my rising smirk.
Pretending ignorance, I asked,
"Is that the only method?"
Dang Ok-gi swallowed hard and answered honestly.
"There's one more."
"What?"
"Well... Use pure-energy spirit pills to refine the Thousand Poisons Pill's poison qi and safeguard your meridians and dantian. You'd need about three top-grade ones, like Great Return or Small Purity Pills, to be safe."
"I see."
"Yeah. Even as top Tang Clan student, no way you have three of those. My big bro only got one last year as a Four Great Heavens scholar... Wait. ...Huh? Come to think of it, weren't you selected for all three scholarships?"
"Yep."
"...You still have all three uneaten?"
"Yeah."
Click.
Hand them over, Dang Ok-gi.
Dang Ok-gi emerged from Hyangran Hall carrying her house-call bag of emergency medical tools and a small wooden box. She clutched her forehead as she looked at me.
"I've lost my mind."
Whatever.
I led the way to my private training room attached to Cheongjuk Pavilion.
Once there, I thoroughly checked for any possible intruders, then locked the door and turned to Dang Ok-gi.
"Hand it over."
At my words, she dazedly pulled out the wooden box. But as I grabbed it, she suddenly snapped out of it, clutching it tightly herself, and spoke up.
"...Um."
"Yeah? What?"
"Don't you think even you that this is a bit much?"
"Not at all."
"......"
"What? Regretting it now?"
To my question, she gave an awkward laugh before replying.
"It's not that I'm regretting giving it..."
"Then?"
"...Suddenly worried about the fallout? If Father, the elders, or big bro ask about the Thousand Poisons Pill, I'd have to say I traded it for two nyang of gold. What do you think they'd say?"
"That you're an idiot or a sucker."
She glared daggers at me.
"Kyaaah!"
Good grief.
"And you call a upright young man a loan shark or debt collector?"
"...Upright?"
- ...Shameless.
But her glare didn't last.
Her brows soon furrowed with concern.
"...It's not really a waste. Just worried if the adults will buy the story. Unlike me, my family is super suspicious."
Acting like she's not.
You've got plenty of that yourself, girl.
Still, I got where she was coming from.
Besides, I never planned to take the Thousand Poisons Pill for free.
'That'd cause problems.'
The story might twist, but in this world, situations like the original where the pill was needed could arise. If I hogged it all, things would go even more haywire.
So I'd planned to pay fair value from the start.
'By supporting Dang Ok-gi's research to mass-produce Thousand Poisons Pills.'
Not a bad deal at all.
Getting the pill alone was worth more than gold, and funding the research paved the way to mass-producing Ten Thousand Poison Pills.
Anyway, thoughts aside.
I looked at Dang Ok-gi and said,
"Then I'll pay fair value."
"...Fair value?"
"I saw you talking to the professor in Poison Studies Fundamentals. You mentioned some research stalled for lack of materials. Prof said the academy was out of stock too?"
"Blood Water Ten Thousand Poison Brew?"
"Yeah. I'll buy that for you."
"...That's expensive, and not easy to find even if you want it."
"I've got the money, and I know where to get it."
So now, hand over the Thousand Poisons Pill.