95 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Episode 95 "Is that what I know as an elixir?" Shinui was thrown into confusion as he observed Jeokgeom and Seollan engaged in meditation exercises. "There is indeed poison present, but it seems like the spiritual energy they absorbed surpasses it..." He shook his head in disbelief. Poison is inherently harmful to the body. That is a fundamental truth. At times, sects that specialize in poisoning arts, like the Sichuan Tang Clan or the Wudumen in the west, might consider poison to be an elixir, but those are exceptions rather than the rule. So the concept of a poisonous elixir was foreign to him. It defied his understanding. “Haha. Is this a dream or reality?” It was right before his eyes. Though not deeply entrenched in martial arts, the master of Cheonjungmun, had enough knowledge to maintain his health. Even so, he could tell. The aura emanating from Jeokgeom and Seollan was undoubtedly due to the elixir. ‘I wonder how it’s made.’ Now that he acknowledged it, his curiosity was piqued. Just then, the two finished their meditation and staggered to their feet. Even with weary faces, they moved quickly to light a fire and set a pot on it. Cheonhui proceeded to add herbs. Some were recognizable to him. Starting from Guyencho used for wound healing to Sourenghwa used for internal injuries, along with a few other medicinal herbs. But it was the final yellow flower that made Shinui furrow his brows deeply. ‘He’s mixing all that together?’ The source of the poison he sensed in the pill was not any ordinary toxic herb but a highly toxic plant called Sanbisang. ‘Using such a potent poisonous herb... no, I’m not sure yet.’ Shinui carefully watched Cheonhui's actions. The Sanbisang amid the herbs. It didn’t fit at all. Then. “What’s that...?” Cheonhui began adding other toxic herbs in large quantities. The scene seemed as if he was concocting poison, and Shinui watched in disbelief. ‘If they ingest that, they’ll surely perish...!’ Suddenly, Shinui’s eyes widened. A brilliant idea struck like lightning in his mind. “Idojeido...” He swallowed his astonishment. The method of countering poison with poison was documented even in the Cheonjungmun. But it was something one would resort to only in dire circumstances. “He’s mad.” Astonishingly bold. A misstep could lead to a state of poisoning, costing one’s life. “Only a madman would dare to create an elixir using such a method.” Shinui shook his head, overwhelmed by Cheonhui's gamble on an elixir that came at the cost of one's life. But was he aware? What Cheonhui had discovered was an elixir crafted more from demonic energy than mere poison, detailed in the ‘Recipe for Spiritual Pellets’. “One wrong move, and they could die.” Now knowledgeable of the method, Shinui stroked his beard. “Add herbs, then toxic herbs, followed by Sanbisang...” As Shinui recounted the herbs and toxic plants Cheonhui added, he couldn’t help but feel disappointment. ‘The combination is somewhat lacking. If he’s using Idojeido, he should add even more toxic herbs.’ His tongue itched to speak up. ‘Not those herbs, use more toxic ones!’ Watching Cheonhui continually add herbs, Shinui finally gave in and yelled. “Add more toxic herbs there!” “What?” Cheonhui looked at Shinui, who unexpectedly offered advice. “The extreme poison of Sanbisang requires all the remaining toxic plants to be combined to neutralize it. That quantity is far too little!” “Is that so? Well, if you say so.” With the explanation, Cheonhui accepted and dumped the rest of the toxic plants into the pot. As the liquid began to boil vigorously, a noxious stench erupted. “Ugh, ack.” “Ugh.” As Jeokgeom and Seollan flinched and tried to back away, Shinui approached them. “Do you have Yonggap or Cheolgapseok?” “No, we don't.” “Chuff.” Shinui clicked his tongue, knitting his brows. “It would be better with those. Yonggap supplements yin energy, and Cheolgapseok amplifies the pellet's energy.” “We will try to find them later.” Cheonhui nodded just as Shinui interjected. “Indeed. Those are essential for crafting a Daehwandan too, you know.” “Really? Daehwandan too... huh?” What? He knows how to craft a Daehwandan? For the first time, Cheonhui was slightly surprised. Shao Lin's Daehwandan was a rare elixir with its formula unknown. Yet now Shinui was revealing the ingredients involved in making a Daehwandan. “Do you know how to make a Daehwandan?” “The person who helped create the Daehwandan was a scholar from our sect.” “How is it made?” “Do you wish to know? I could tell you, but it’s a secret of our clan...” Seeing the interest in Cheonhui's eyes, Shinui stole a glance at him. As if saying, ‘Do you want to know?’ with his whole demeanor, Cheonhui calmly turned his head away. “Never mind. Even if you tell me now, I can't make it anyway.” “Ahem, I'll tell you.” When Cheonhui nonchalantly dismissed the interest, Shinui hurriedly spoke. “To make a Daehwandan, you boil Gongcheongseok oil with the flesh of a Wan Nian Huo Li and Wan Nian Xue Li, then sprinkle Yonggap and Cheonggeumseok, oil the mixture, and simmer it for a prolonged period.” It sounded special, but it was quite similar to crafting Ma Huo Chilso Dan. Ultimately, the foundation was key. It involved gathering a variety of precious ingredients and investing a significant amount of time in the process. Simple yet more effective than anything else. “And other pellets...” As time passed while conversing about such matters, Seollan approached them. “Uncle, it’s ready.” “Is it?” Cheonhui moved immediately, skillfully reaching into the pot to extract the tightly packed pellet. “Hm. This batch looks quite good.” A satisfied smile appeared on Cheonhui’s face as he examined the compressed pellet. He split it in half and tossed it effortlessly. “Catch.” Jeokgeom and Seollan resignedly caught it. Then the halves of the spiritual pellet found their way into Jeokgeom and Seollan's mouths. As they sat for meditation again. “But why don’t you use spiritual creatures or herbs instead of toxic ones?” Shinui queried Cheonhui. Why use toxic herbs? The answer was simple. “They’re cheaper.” Though he wished to use better ingredients, acquiring enough quickly to produce a substantial quantity was not easy. Faced with limited options, turning to toxic herbs proved to be the most efficient solution. They were inexpensive, in demand only by those attempting assassinations or practicing poison arts, making them cost-effective. ‘Back in the Cheonma Cult days, such considerations with materials wouldn’t have even crossed my mind.’ Cheonhui recalled the ingredients used back then to craft elixirs. The rare Flower Leaf Spirit Grass, which blooms once a century, and the sacred Heavenly Demon Milk purified by Heavenly Demonic Fire, alongside the hundreds-of-years-old Gongcheongseok Oil. These items were abundantly available in the Cheonma Cult. They made renowned elixirs from other sects like Hundred-Year-Old Polygonum Multiflorum seem like garbage. Cheonhui brushed aside these thoughts. The past was the past, and now was now. The Huashan Sect couldn’t acquire those materials. “And spiritual herbs are hard to find, so we can’t produce them in bulk.” “Hmm, that’s true.” Shinui acknowledged and accepted this explanation. ‘Maybe this is an opportunity too.’ Jeokgeom, who was circulating his internal energy using the Plum Blossom Arts, had mixed feelings. Consuming the elixir was painful. But the results were undeniable. ‘Already, my internal energy has increased just a bit... Ugh!’ Suddenly, Jeokgeom’s body shuddered, and veins protruded all over his skin. His complexion turned ashen. Ugh! The intensity of the toxin this time was entirely different, leaving him breathless. I’m going to die! I’m dying! His head felt like it was splitting, and his abdomen throbbed, like something was rampaging inside. At that moment. 『I told you repeatedly to stay focused.』 Cheonhui's telepathic message pierced through his mind. No, what? How can I endure this pain? He wanted to scream out loud. But since he was in a state of meditation, he couldn't move due to the pain. Understanding Jeokgeom’s thoughts, Cheonhui reached out again telepathically. 『If you don’t absorb all the energy you’ve acquired, the pain will persist.』 What was that? Dumbfounded by the revelation. Oh god! Is Master trying to kill me? Jeokgeom gritted his teeth. Damn it! I don’t want to die! Jeokgeom urgently refocused on the Plum Blossom Arts. But grappling with the headache and trying to channel energy was a significant struggle. That wasn’t all. The poison continually aggravated his stomach, and his entire body was overcome with fatigue. Save me! A continuation of pain so intense it made him think, ‘If there’s a hell, this must be it.’ Yet, driven by a tenacious will to live, Jeokgeom held on, gritting his teeth against the pain. Finally! Momentarily, as he absorbed all the energy. Woosh! A warm surge erupted within his abdomen. The torment that plagued him ceased as if washed away, leaving his body feeling warm. It was a comforting warmth, akin to soaking in a hot spring. ‘Ahhh.’ He felt as though he was melting away. Is this the immortal paradise? As he floated into that serene ambiance. Urgh— A loud burp escaped his mouth. Refreshing. He felt exceptionally good. It was as if he was floating on clouds, filled with thoughts that he could dominate the entire world. ‘Hehehe.’ This unexpected change led Jeokgeom to a moment of euphoric delusion. ‘I must have died after all.’ Chuckling to himself, he slyly opened his eyes. Thankfully, he was welcomed neither by paradise nor hell, but by Seollan. “Sa-mae?” “Sa-hyung?” The two called out to each other and laughed simultaneously. “We survived!” “We didn’t die!” Perhaps it was the joy of being alive, both shouted loudly and jumped to their feet. “Huh?” “My body feels light.” They examined themselves thoroughly. Though they moved only slightly, they discerned the changes quite distinctly. The dull pain from the poisoning had vanished, and all fatigue was completely gone. Replaced by nothing but vitality! A desire to unleash their martial arts overwhelmed them. With this momentum, they elevated their internal energy. Boom! A blast of air exploded, sweeping past Cheonhui and Shinui with its force. “This blend truly is the best.” Shinui’s advice had proven effective. “Hrm, hrm. Our sect has many other skills, aside from making elixirs. How about it? Do you wish to learn...?” Shinui paused mid-speech, frowning. “That little rascal.” Shinui’s fists trembled as he seethed. The reason was that Cheonhui had already moved over to Jeokgeom. “Master Uncle!” Meanwhile, Jeokgeom warmly greeted Cheonhui as he approached. ‘Haha, as expected of Master Uncle!’ He seemed to have completely forgotten the day’s suffering. Seeing the invigorated Jeokgeom, Cheonhui spoke. “Let’s send a letter to Bifengshan.” “A letter?” Jeokgeom scratched his head, puzzled. “What kind of letter…?” Without missing a beat, Cheonhui responded. “Just tell them to send whatever remaining toxic or medicinal herbs they have.” After sending everyone away, Cheonhui stroked his chin and closed his eyes. ‘The elixir is complete.’ Fortunately, with Shinui’s help, the creation of the elixir was efficiently resolved. Now, only one task remained. To rapidly advance not just the second disciples but the first disciples and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen. What would be best? The ideal would be life-and-death combat. At that thought, memories of training in the Cheonma Cult surfaced. Particularly the life-threatening trials upon entry. That was harsh, indeed. But the skills improved rapidly. Even in retrospect, it was a harsh place. Wait a moment. That could work... The gates aren't demonic arts, are they? Cheonhui's eyes sparkled. In the Cheonma Cult, entering the training grounds known as the Ten Heavenly Demon Gates was mandatory. The Cheonma Sabang! Cheonhui immediately began formulating his plan. ‘This requires more than just myself.’ It was different from simply making an elixir. The Cheonma Sabang was extensive, comprising complex formations. Thus, it required considerable manpower and experts knowledgeable in formations. Requesting assistance from the Cheonma Cult wasn't possible. Cheonhui pondered as he barely opened his eyes. ‘Is there no choice but that place?’