Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Precious Blood
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"No!"
"Urk!"
Mun Won-bi and Baek Mi-hu cried out at the same time.
No one could have imagined Han Ibi going this far.
And yet...
How had Han Ibi pierced the skin of a Bloodstripe Weasel, known for being tough and resilient?
In truth, Han Ibi had attempted something entirely new there.
Likely the first—and last—in martial history.
That's right.
He had activated the Dark Tumor Skill, implanted it in the jaw joint, and then bit down on the Bloodstripe Weasel, ripping it apart.
'Urgh!'
Han Ibi felt like vomiting right then and there.
The scorching blood of the Bloodstripe Weasel, carrying an utterly foul stench, bubbled up and poured down his throat.
But he couldn't pull his teeth away recklessly—not when he had no idea what counterattack might come.
It was then.
That's when he heard an unexpected voice from the system...
'Urk... I'm already drinking it... Why is this...'
Gulp.
At last, the sound of the door opening rang out.
Disciples of the Sichuan Tang Clan came rushing in all at once.
In that moment, Han Ibi felt his mind growing faint.
He blacked out without even time to sense the approaching breaths of Mun Won-bi and Baek Mi-hu.
Did light emerge from the darkness?
Or darkness from the absence of light?
The unknowable question shook his mind briefly.
Then Han Ibi gradually regained consciousness from the edges.
It felt as hazy as waking from a sudden faint or a hangover after heavy drinking.
And his body boiled like a blazing inferno.
A horrific heat, as if he were burning alive, mercilessly scorched every inch of him.
Then came a droning voice.
"Even taking his pulse... this Paeng can't diagnose him at all. I've never seen anyone suck down a Bloodstripe Weasel's precious blood before... Perhaps its effects are overpowering the poison..."
A familiar voice.
Damn it.
Paeng Mo-ha, from that one class session.
You never know where or how you'll run into people, so he should have behaved better...
Who could have imagined leaving his body in this guy's hands?
Regretting a bit, Han Ibi perked up his ears.
"I've lived long enough to see every kind of lunatic. Who'd have thought a Bloodstripe Weasel would end up biting a man to death."
Another familiar voice.
Dang Hyo-bi, the hidden weapons instructor of the Sichuan Tang Clan. He let out a deep sigh before continuing.
"And to lose such a rare Bloodstripe Weasel so pointlessly... I can't even fathom how to report this to the clan leader."
"Don't worry too much, Brother Hyo-bi. If the clan leader sees my state, he won't have much to say."
That's right.
Another familiar tone.
It was Dang Ho-yeon, who had lost his left arm to the Bloodstripe Weasel.
Dang Hyo-bi said,
"Don't say that, Brother. Just seeing it breaks my heart."
Dang Ho-yeon laughed boldly.
"At least I kept my life."
"Ah... but still..."
Then a soft voice interjected.
"So, Physician Paeng. How is this young man's condition?"
Heo Son-dam's voice!
'This young man' seemed to refer to Han Ibi.
Paeng Mo-ha grimaced.
"Gulping down that poisoned blood like that... The fact he's still alive is a miracle. How he's holding on, even recovering bit by bit... As I said, I have no idea."
Then Dang Hyo-bi spoke up as if remembering something.
"Ah! That's right. Didn't Chief Instructor Heo mention it? 'That lord' asked us to watch him carefully. Could this boy be..."
Dang Hyo-bi's words trailed off.
Heo Son-dam's index finger was pressed to her lips.
Han Ibi's eyebrows twitched involuntarily.
What the hell did that mean?
Heo Son-dam said,
"Instructor Dang. You must always watch your words."
Dang Hyo-bi flushed and replied,
"Of course. My thinking was shortsighted."
Paeng Mo-ha then said,
"Anyway, this one's life isn't in danger anymore. No need to worry."
Heo Son-dam said,
"I see... But Physician Paeng, is something bothering you?"
Of course. Naturally.
Who wouldn't be annoyed at having to save a rude, worthless trainee like this...
But he couldn't say it outright.
"No, nothing like that."
Then came Dang Hyo-bi's heavy sigh.
"Still... How do we handle all this damage? Those poisons were hard to gather."
Dang Ho-yeon said,
"What's done is done. We'll just have to collect and raise more..."
Dang Hyo-bi thumped his chest in frustration.
"Argh! How did this happen? Our precious venomous snakes and poison fire ants, all ruined."
Heo Son-dam said,
"I've heard the gist... Everyone agreed the Bloodstripe Weasel attacked Jong Ri-mae. They said it was extremely agitated, chasing only him."
Dang Hyo-bi tilted his head.
"That's true... That's the odd part. This Bloodstripe Weasel never showed such excitement before."
Dang Ho-yeon said,
"Maybe the sudden change in environment? This was our first time taking it outside, right?"
"Yes, that's possible. But..."
Dang Hyo-bi glared straight at the prone Han Ibi.
"Why him of all people..."
Dang Ho-yeon smiled faintly.
"The Bloodstripe Weasel's instincts were spot on, in a way. It sensed the enemy that would bite it to death..."
Dang Hyo-bi shook his head.
"Aigoo, Brother. You find this funny now? Seeing that arm kills me every time. Don't move—go rest. I'll handle things here."
Dang Ho-yeon said,
"Don't worry. It's just one arm gone."
Dang Hyo-bi and Paeng Mo-ha stared at him in disbelief.
Heo Son-dam then said,
"They're right. You have much ahead, so rest. I'll prepare the Murim Alliance report."
Dang Hyo-bi frowned.
"Somehow..."
All eyes turned to him.
"...Whenever this guy shows up, disaster follows."
Heo Son-dam merely nodded lightly, saying nothing.
The conversation continued, but Han Ibi's consciousness faded again into deep slumber before he could hear it all.
How many days had passed...?
Perhaps because his condition was improving.
Visitors grew scarce.
Only Paeng Mo-ha stopped by once a day.
Other instructors and trainees were barred to prevent accidents.
In truth, Han Ibi was incredibly sleepy.
Exhaustingly so, every day.
As if he'd inhaled a handful of anesthetics.
It was because converting the Bloodstripe Weasel's precious blood into internal energy consumed an enormous amount of power.
A few more days passed like that.
That day, like any other, he slowly opened his eyes.
The room was empty, as usual.
Still lying down, Han Ibi raised his palm to his forehead.
'C-cold!'
The raging fever had vanished without a trace.
And the refreshing sensation throughout his body!
This bursting freshness!
Han Ibi bolted upright in bed.
He couldn't believe he'd been groaning in pain just yesterday.
He wanted to shout out loud.
What in the world was this?
He quickly sat in half-lotus under the bed.
He wanted to check his body's state.
Focusing on his dantian, the familiar green figurine image appeared in his mind.
He was visualizing his internal energy.
Smoke rose near the figurine's dantian.
'Hmm... Seems normal... Huh?'
Han Ibi couldn't trust his eyes.
'What is this, a rainbow?'
That's right.
His dantian was now filled with smoke of every color.
'W-what does this mean?'
Han Ibi peered deeper into his dantian, concentrating harder.
Sensing qi was always a delicate task.
First, black.
Like wildly swirling cigarette smoke—that was the Crimson Dream Great Law's internal energy.
Forcibly injected against his will...
It still roiled threateningly, provoking its host.
'You're always like that.'
Then the white smoke enveloping most of the dantian, flowing leisurely.
Steady as the Yangtze River.
The essence of the Zhongli Clan's Pure Heart Method.
Han Ibi's everyday internal energy.
But...
Something new appeared.
A deep yellow energy...
'What is this? What happened?'
Closing his eyes, Han Ibi pondered.
But no matter how he thought, he couldn't figure it out.
'Could it be from sucking that Bloodstripe Weasel's blood?'
Yes.
His dantian looked calm now, but it was like a disguised peace on the brink of war.
Four energies churned within him.
The original Pure Heart Method energy.
The added Crimson Dream Great Law power.
The endless cycle of poisoning and detoxification from the Demonic Poison Bear's physical toxins.
And finally, the absorbed Bloodstripe Weasel's precious blood.
Overconsuming the precious blood was essentially lethal poison.
As the Fortuitous Encounter DB described, it required dilution and gradual intake.
The neutralization process boosted功力 in a short time.
Like tempering muscles for internal energy.
But gulping it like Han Ibi would have killed him instantly.
However, Han Ibi had the wild card: the Crimson Dream Great Law.
It engaged the precious blood's energy in massive battle upon entry.
Though it devoured its host's body, the Crimson Dream Great Law boasted unparalleled healing.
That's why his body had boiled for days.
But the Bloodstripe Weasel's—Emperor of Poisons—precious blood was no pushover...
The clash formed a powerful new internal energy, locked in stalemate.
To sum up Han Ibi's state:
(To be continued in the next installment.)