Chapter 321

I know a thing or two about famous elixirs in the world.

The Elder let out a chuckle in response.

“Originally, the teachings of our Dao advise to keep away from false dreams. What’s this alchemical practice all about? It sounds like nonsense meant to achieve immortality! Those Hwasan folks, despite being schooled by the Great Master, stubbornly dedicate themselves to this alchemical nonsense. They can really be quite annoying.”

However, at this point, Hwasan was more akin to a massive sect than a simple Taoist temple, so it’s not all that strange for a big sect to research elixirs.

“Besides, don’t they have plenty of good herbs over there?”

Hwasan is notorious for its treacherous mountains, considered some of the most rugged terrain in the Central Plain.

When they say the mountains are rough, it implies there are many places untouched by human hands, allowing rare herbs to thrive.

In contrast, Jongnam Mountain, known for its scenic beauty, proudly represents Shaanxi Province as a splendid tourist spot.

Thanks to that, every single spot is trampled by humans, making it a desolate mountain where even finding a small ginseng root is tough.

“So, I stocked up on a few.”

“Is it really okay to give me such a precious item?”

“That’s not particularly precious.”

“What?”

“Go ahead and open it.”

When Qing opened the box, she found it filled with small, shattered pieces.

“It’s hard to say how it was made, but it’s roughly about half of it.”

“Ah. Yes…”

Qing managed to get a piece of what was left!

These remnants were what remained after all the experimenting that messed everything up, so the elixir that was supposed to be round ended up looking… well, let’s just say it wasn’t the best presentation.

Nonetheless, gratitude is a must.

Such an illustrious elixir in the world, even half of it is something to cherish.

But then again, is it okay to dissect someone else’s sect’s elixir for research?

Of course, Qing couldn’t hold back her curiosity and immediately inquired about it.

“Aren’t we and Hwasan one and the same? If there’s something good, we should share it. In the first place, since Hwasan originated from our Jongnam, isn’t their elixir essentially ours as well?”

One could imagine how the Hwasan disciples would react when they heard this.

“By that logic, wouldn’t it be burden-free for you to accept and us to give? The Sect Leader has been thoughtful about this.”

Elixirs are, after all, a matter of life and death.

If one were to offer a sound elixir, and somehow it falls short, people would inevitably harbor resentment.

So, how about just giving me what’s left over?

In fact, sharing the impression of Jeolgeumbyeok was a debt to be paid anyway since it was a legacy left to Jongnam.

Thus, this exchange meant that Qing didn’t owe Jongnam a thing, and the same goes for the opposite.

If an additional complete elixir were to be given, it would actually be more of a burden, so wouldn’t it be fine to accept an unfinished one without incurring any emotional debt?

Of course, Qing thinks of elixirs as not too shabby.

Half is appreciated, and a full one is appreciated too, but that doesn’t mean she’d feel uneasy about handling this favor.

Let’s just say it was a case of overestimating Qing.

—

Inside Qing’s Dantian, true energies were swirling together once again, making quite the ruckus.

And who could blame them? It had been pure chaos outside of her Dantian, making it impossible to even step out.

The trapped demons cowered in a corner, trembling, while Hwanhee Jin-gi glanced at Moon Lady Jin-gi.

But when Moon Lady shook her head, they were merely told to leave it be, leaving Hwanhee Jin-gi to smack his lips in quiet frustration, his eyes narrowed.

“Consider yourselves lucky,” he thought.

The demons let out a huge sigh of relief, but with nowhere else to go in this bustling Dantian space, they simply huddled in a corner, lamenting their miserable existence.

Then came the burst of laughter from Pachen Magi.

Just when they felt like they were already at their lowest, the horrifying sight of mold on the Dantian wall seemed to scratch at their insides.

Wanting to cry, the demons piled up on Pachen Magi, kicking and scratching in a misguided release of frustration.

Once more, Pachen Magi took a beating today.

“Haha, hoho, hahaa…”

Yet, Pachen Magi continued to laugh…

Amid all this chaotic joy, suddenly, the door to the Dantian flew open.

Could a new member be arriving now?

The various true energies from both the Dao and Demonic Arts all turned their heads in unison, while the demons who were hitting Pachen Magi paused, expecting a visit from the “Big Sister” type.

Pachen Magi seemed indifferent, merely chuckling away.

But the newcomer looked unfamiliar.

Wrapped in fluffy, white beast pelts, they entered blank-faced, glancing around as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then headed towards one side.

And then, from wherever, they pulled out a gigantic iceberg and plopped it down on the Dantian floor.

The Ice Essence trio, along with Oknyeo Jin-gi and Hwanhee Jin-gi, surged towards it with excitement.

“Wow! Ice Essence! It’s really… freezing!”

This was exactly what one needed when it came to the protection against the chilling cold, and yet there were no words to express it properly…

Centered around the Ice Essence, frost began rapidly spreading across the Dantian floor.

When Moon Lady Jin-gi shrugged her shoulders lightly and clapped her feet, a line was drawn at the halfway point, preventing the cold from encroaching further.

On the opposite side, Zhu Yang Jin-gi looked visibly displeased, summoning flames to make their half ablaze.

Thus, one half was frozen, while the other half was aflame.

Pachen Magi, caught in the middle, must have been feeling both hot and cold, but they just kept on smiling, making it hard to gauge their true feelings.

Regardless, with that, a new member, Bing Baek Jin-gi, was settling into the Dantian.

Seomun Qing, Ice White Divine Skill, a high cost-performance ratio.

“Ahh.”

Qing rubbed her temples, feeling dazed and dazed before letting out a deep breath.

This brain-fogging technique was just something she never really got used to.

This sensation of her brain being toyed with was something I couldn’t even begin to describe, leaving her feeling unsettled and like some grime just wouldn’t wash off.

It was at that moment Qing was frowning at the aftertaste, still lingering in her mind.

Suddenly, with a creak, the door opened and Seoliri entered.

“Ah, hey! Gunyongi, come here! I have some badass stories to tell you!”

“Let’s start with the broth. Also, I don’t like being called Gunyongi.”

Seoliri approached, gingerly cradling a large tray filled with steaming medicinal broth.

But for whatever reason, her trembling hands moved at what felt like a snail’s pace, delaying the arrival of the broth.

Qing watched in confusion, wondering what was up with her, until after what felt like an eternity, the bowl finally came into her reach.

“Oh wow, she filled it to the brim.”

Indeed, the bowl was filled nearly to the point of overflow.

So, Seoliri must have been trying her hardest not to spill a drop, moving like a sloth in molasses.

But seriously, where did she even start moving this slowly?

While Seoliri was quaking with a mere bowl of broth, Qing, with unmatched balance, swiftly brought the bowl to her lips, gulping it down like a champ, pumping the healing broth into her system.

“Yuck, this tastes awful.”

Seoliri was fully aware of how disgusting it was, yet she had neatly piled sugar cubes on the tray.

Qing snatched one and popped it into her mouth while holding another out for Seoliri to eat with grace.

“Here you go, Gunyongi. Now come sit down. I’ve got some dope stories to share.”

“I said don’t call me Gunyongi—”

“Would you prefer ‘Hole’? Then, here we go, take a seat, Hole. I’ve got some badass stories to tell.”

“I don’t like Hole either!”

“Such a picky one. Alright, listen up. I had to repeat myself a million times just to get here. So, I spotted a transparent, icy wall stretching all the way to the depths of the ocean over a northern sea even farther than the North Sea. I even found a den of those savage, disgusting barbarians who feast on raw meat nearby. They said it was over ten thousand years of ice, treating it like some divine thing. No need to translate their pathetic nonsense, the best way to put it is simply that it’s known as Bing Baek in our superior language.”

Who knows who the founder of the Ice White Divine Skill was, but it’s clear that racial discrimination was rampant back in the day.

Especially coming from someone born into the barbarian tribe of the North Sea.

Heck, the Han language isn’t even their own!

“Seomun Seomun? Right now—”

“Shush! I’m gonna drop some secret technique, so open those ears wide and listen up! Hmm? Gunyongi ears? Hole ears?”

“You’re getting too much.”

“Well, anyway, the Ice Baek truly inspired me! Ice and cold, indeed, wield the might to freeze both space and time, even the cosmos. Therefore…”

Just as the chanted secret technique started flowing, Seoliri quickly closed her eyes and focused her ears on the sound.

As Qing recited the same technique again, two, three, four times. Just as she was about to start for a fifth time…

A brutal winter wind burst into the room, turning the late summer warmth into a chilling winter bite.

Mmm, refreshing!

If we had to point out a downside to the Ice White Divine Skill, it’s that you get numb to the cold and become super sensitive to heat.

This isn’t the same concept as the state of being immune to cold as a martial artist grows in power, where they become less susceptible to both the chill and heat.

Being immune to cold merely means not getting sick from the weather, still feeling hot when it’s hot, and cold when it’s cold.

So, no matter how much you say “Wow, it’s freezing” or “Ugh, it’s hot,” it just doesn’t stop the cold or heat itself.

So really, the attributes of the Ice White Divine Skill shouldn’t be labeled as a side effect, but rather imagine it as a function.

Since the North Sea is perpetually cold, there’s only a gain here, with no risk of ever overheating.

But, Qing felt hot.

She figured she could just keep cool using the Lamentable Skill, but then again, after that, she ended up fainting from a breakdown following her Qi’s surge.

How ridiculous!

Her tendency to act impulsively without much thought usually led her to trouble.

Cursing herself for hastily acting when it wasn’t necessary, she ended up making inefficient choices, like repeating the same task over and over.

But, hey, at least it felt refreshing!

Basking in this bone-chilling gale within the room sparked a wave of nostalgia, something familiar and heartwarming.

It felt like being in my home where through the cold winds and hearts boarded, an actual snowstorm engulfed the house at Seongnyeong Temple.

Yeah. Thinking about it now makes me want to head home…

How long has it been?

Seoliri suddenly opened her eyes wide.

Then, her expression morphed into something soft, her gaze turning warm as she looked over at Qing.

As Qing tossed a sugar cube into her mouth, she reached out again.

Seoliri, recognizing the bitter sweetness flooding her mouth, widened her eyes in shock.

Normally, she doesn’t even show much emotion, but her eyes go wide when she’s surprised—kinda cute, actually.

“Ugh.”

“Whoa, don’t spit that out! That’s an elixir! You know what a Jae So Dan is, right? It’s precious stuff, gulp it down and save it!”

Qing boasted about it even though she too received it for free.

This was a tiny remnant of the half-sized Jae So Dan gifted by the Elder, all pieced together into one.

Qing was in perfect shape with her powerful inner strength, so it’s not like she’d ever felt like something was lacking.

In fact, it’s just the opposite; she was often overwhelmed, once getting thoroughly scolded by the Great Master!

On top of that, Qing had the Great Elixir on hand.

Still, it felt a little wasteful to give such a powerful elixir to someone incapable, useless, and a burden all at once.

However, a half-sized Jae So Dan? According to the Elder, there should be little stress in giving that away.

Who knows, maybe our Gunyongi has changed now; perhaps I can expect a top-notch companion to get my back…

Wait! What am I thinking?

After pondering for a sec, I realized I’ve been carrying around the burden of a useless companion without fulfilling their role!

Instead of supporting me, I’ve merely been feeding, dressing, and cleaning this little one with zero results!

“But maybe it’s time to get something back.”

Wasn’t there something about collecting debts and payments due? Where have I seen that?

Nevertheless…

Having practiced high-level skills and taken in half an elixir, shouldn’t she at least be able to contribute a quarter of her worth?

After all, I’m not expecting a full portion!

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