Chapter 279
Chapter 279
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 279
Chapter Title: The Immortal Herb
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Snorf, snorf...
Kim Ye-ryeong, who had returned to the Poison Medicine Sect, fell straight asleep. She was exhausted from covering such a long distance, but on top of that, she had gradually been poisoned during her fight with Dang Pae-gun.
Fortunately, Je Woon-hak was right by her side. As the true master of the Poison Medicine Sect, he was more than skilled enough to neutralize even the Poison King's venom.
"That should finish the prescription."
Only after feeding her the medicine and applying a few more acupuncture needles did the treatment finally end.
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks. She probably would've shaken it off and woken up on her own soon enough anyway. Her body's that tough."
He was right.
No matter how potent the poison, dispersing it merely as mist couldn't deliver a fatal blow to Ye-ryeong. If she had focused solely on treatment, she could've driven it out.
But doing so would've taken ages to recover. Anywhere from ten days at best to several months at worst—no way to know for sure.
"She should be up in about two or three days."
Soo-hyuk, who had been on edge just in case, finally breathed a sigh of relief at Je Woon-hak's words.
He knew all too well how terrifying poison could be. The Hydra's venom had been so vicious, its memory still burned vividly even after all this time.
'If it hadn't been for Kim Il-su, I might've ended up dead.'
That was why those who wielded poison always had to stay cautious. They could drag their foes along as companions on the road to the afterlife, even if it meant dying themselves.
In any case, hearing that Ye-ryeong's condition wasn't dire allowed Soo-hyuk to finally plant his butt on a seat.
"Now that I think about it, I rushed in here so fast I didn't even greet you properly."
Only then did Je Woon-hak, having finished treating Ye-ryeong, formally express his gratitude to Soo-hyuk.
"Thank you so much for avenging us. This debt of gratitude... I'll never forget it and repay it for the rest of my life."
Soo-hyuk, who had just barely sat down, shot back to his feet at the sight of Je Woon-hak bowing even deeper than before.
"No, no, please. We only did it because we had our own reasons too."
They had both gotten what they needed—no debts owed. That's what Soo-hyuk said, but Je Woon-hak's attitude didn't waver.
"No. You all could've taken down Dang Pae-gun plenty fine without my help. You've got more than enough skill for that."
The repeated thanks were starting to feel burdensome, but this one claim he couldn't deny.
What if they hadn't known about Je Woon-hak and the Poison Medicine Sect? What if they hadn't used Choi Mu-gyeol? Would they really have failed to catch Dang Pae-gun?
It would've just been a matter of time. The outcome wouldn't have changed. Je Woon-hak's role had been to accelerate things and solidly confirm the medicine's existence.
Essentially, insurance for guaranteed success.
"No need to bow like that. Who's contributed more isn't the point—what matters is that we helped each other out."
"Even so, I can't just let it slide with words."
Je Woon-hak wore an expression like he'd made up his mind about something.
"Wait here a moment."
"Pardon? Where are y—"
Before Soo-hyuk could finish asking where he was going, Je Woon-hak had already turned and headed off somewhere.
Soo-hyuk considered following but held back. The man had clearly resolved himself, and if whatever he was doing lightened the load on his heart, that was fine by him.
While waiting and confirming that Ye-ryeong's condition was improving, Je Woon-hak finally returned.
It took him nearly half a day.
"How far did you go?"
Soo-hyuk had been about to head out looking for him. He worried the man might've slipped out alone and run into trouble—or worse, made some extreme choice now that his son's revenge was complete.
Je Woon-hak had been gone so long.
"A ways off."
"What for, exactly...?"
That's when Soo-hyuk noticed the single herb root clutched in his hand upon return.
A pale purple root with mysterious orange leaves. At a glance, it was so vibrantly pretty it could've passed for a flower.
Soo-hyuk knew next to nothing about herbs, medicinal or poisonous, but in this situation, he could guess what Je Woon-hak had brought back.
"...Is that the Immortal Herb?"
"It is."
Je Woon-hak handled the Immortal Herb with utmost care, as if afraid it might crumble in his grasp—like it was his son's very life.
"This blasted thing... so much lost over it."
"I've heard it's incredibly valuable."
"Valuable? That's an understatement. For poison masters like me or Dang Pae-gun, we'd gladly reach for it even if it bloomed right at hell's gates."
Even so, Soo-hyuk had no real sense of its worth.
Just what about this made him lose his most precious son and live like a dead man for fifteen years?
"I have no use for it anymore."
With that, Je Woon-hak readily handed the priceless item over to Soo-hyuk.
Soo-hyuk waved his hands in驚愕.
"If anything, I don't need it. Whether as poison or medicine, you're the one who can make the best use of it."
"It isn't limited to poisons or medicines."
"Huh?"
"The Immortal Herb is also the greatest spiritual medicine in all the Murim world."
Soo-hyuk's eyes lit up at the added explanation.
He might not know beans about medicines or poisons, but spiritual medicines? Everyone knew how precious those were to players.
And the greatest one in Murim, no less.
"You need one, don't you."
"...That obvious?"
"Painfully so."
Soo-hyuk accepted the Immortal Herb from Je Woon-hak's hand. Up close, a sharp, tangy aroma wafted from it, along with a palpable lump of condensed mana.
He was tempted to gulp it down right then, but he hesitated for a moment.
"You sure it's okay for me to take this?"
To Je Woon-hak, the Immortal Herb wasn't just some valuable spiritual medicine—it held meaning far beyond that.
Depending on how you looked at it, this little herb might as well have been a memento of the son who had left him.
No matter how much Soo-hyuk coveted it as a spiritual medicine, wolfing it down felt... off.
Je Woon-hak answered Soo-hyuk's final question.
"No need to feel bad. This is truly my way of repaying you."
Ye-ryeong finally opened her eyes again about a day later.
Her skin, which had darkened slightly from the poison, was back to normal, and her complexion looked perfectly healthy. Like she'd just woken from a deep, refreshing sleep, she immediately complained of hunger.
"I'm starving! Feed me!"
She said it to Soo-hyuk, but it was Je Woon-hak who brought the food. Ye-ryeong wolfed it down, then patted her belly with a satisfied grin.
"All done?"
"Yeah. Might explode."
She chuckled, poking at her bulging stomach. As Soo-hyuk cleared away the dishes, he gestured outside.
"If you're feeling up to it, come help me out for a bit."
"Why? Who we killing now?"
"...Is killing all you ever think about?"
"Wanna die? What, am I some serial killer?"
"If it bugs you that much, stop saying 'wanna die' all the time."
Grumbling, Ye-ryeong got up and followed behind Soo-hyuk anyway. The place he took her was a dim, secluded cave—one that would be hard to find even in the Kunlun Mountains.
"Didn't know this spot existed."
The cave had a high ceiling and was wide enough for dozens of people. Plenty of room even for a few bears.
Of course, it wasn't spacious enough for serious training. Perfect for a quick rest, in a spot untouched by human hands.
"What's this place for?"
"Got this from the elder."
"Huh? What is it?"
Ye-ryeong blinked at the herb Soo-hyuk pulled out. After a moment's thought, her eyes went wide.
"No way—that's...?"
"Yeah. Immortal Herb."
"Why do you have it?"
Ye-ryeong had no idea what monetary value the Immortal Herb held. All she knew was the tragedy it had sparked between Je Woon-hak and Dang Pae-gun.
But that alone made its worth easy to guess. Dang Pae-gun had stopped at nothing to get it.
"The elder gave it to me."
"And you're gonna...?"
"Eat it."
"...Eat it? You sick or something?"
"Nah. Using it as a spiritual medicine."
From that answer, Ye-ryeong realized what Soo-hyuk wanted from her.
"You want me on guard duty."
"No clue how long it'll take. Might run into issues."
Soo-hyuk knew zilch about the Immortal Herb.
Je Woon-hak called it an amazing spiritual medicine, but who knew? Maybe it'd yield just a handful of mana after consumption.
"You sure it's safe to eat?"
"It's fine."
At that moment, Je Woon-hak—who had arrived at the cave ahead of time—stood up straight.
"I'll be here with you."
Ye-ryeong wasn't too surprised by his appearance. She'd already sensed one extra presence besides themselves in the cave.
"Above all, the Immortal Herb isn't poison to begin with. It can become a deadly toxin depending on how it's used, that's all."
"Well, if you say so..."
Even with Je Woon-hak's words, Ye-ryeong couldn't fully shake her worries. But seeing Soo-hyuk's face, she knew he wouldn't back down.
In the end, she sighed and shook her head.
"Fine, do whatever."
"Thanks."
With Ye-ryeong's okay, Soo-hyuk sat down.
He urgently needed to deliver the antidote to Hye-min too. Ideally, he'd save the Immortal Herb for later.
But right now was the perfect time to consume it.
No one knew herbs like Je Woon-hak.
"Here goes, then."
Soo-hyuk didn't wait for a reply.
The Immortal Herb went into his mouth. It was still gritty with sand, but he chewed without hesitation.
Crunch, crunch...
Chewed thoroughly in his mouth, the Immortal Herb carried a sharp, alcoholic tang and a burning heat. He swallowed it down and closed his eyes.
'Hot.'
The first sensation was like swallowing lava.
As if the energy had taken the form of fire, his gut grew scorching hot.
But only for a moment.
'No—cold?'
It shifted to an icy chill colder than ice.
Hot yet cold, flexible yet rigid. Like a mirage that could become anything.
A spiritual medicine that could be poison or cure. He was starting to get what that meant.
The Immortal Herb's energy pierced through his meridians, surging across his entire body—from his organs to his fingertips and toes, crashing like fierce waves.
'...This is no joke.'
He could see why Dang Pae-gun had craved it so badly.
What started as a small burst of power quickly swelled inside him into raging waves, then an entire ocean. Far beyond what he'd expected—just a few stat points. This force was too massive to control.
'Not good.'
If things stayed like this, it came down to two options.
Either fail to rein in the wildly churning energy and let it spill out uncontrollably, or get greedy and rupture his meridians and blood vessels throughout his body.
Neither was ideal. Better to vent it outward than risk greed, but giving up just like that wasn't easy.
Thump—
That was when his heart began to beat on its own.
The hearts of lightning and thunder.
The two hearts pulsed slowly, drawing in the uncontrolled, surging energy.
Roooaaar—
The Immortal Herb's power began rushing toward the twin hearts.