chap 495

It's quite peculiar for a newborn to master the art of potty training.

At seven, it is somewhat expected for one to have mastered that art. It might raise eyebrows in elementary school, but isn't out of the ordinary for the younger grades.

But at twenty-seven?

At an age where 21st-century media eagerly proclaims me a hero and martial artists far and wide dub me the successor to the Fire King and a divine force poised to reshape the martial realm, you'd think I'd have other concerns.

Yet, here I am...

'Fuck.'

I just let it all out. At twenty-seven. Not urine, but shit. And right in front of Mun Kyung.

'Ah, ah. Anastasia!'

'…Take your time and clean up.'

After a painful pause, Mun Kyung departed.

His words seemed less driven by sympathy and more by a fear that his dagger might become tainted by the mess. Damn old geezer.

Each time the memory surfaces, I'm tempted to log out of Murim for good.

'Maybe I should just leave Murim altogether.'

Lost in my thoughts beside the water, a familiar face approached with a grin.

"Squad Leader. What are you doing all alone here..."

Recognizing him, I couldn't help but curse out loud.

"Hyuk Mu-Jin, you son of a bitch."

"Why are you cursing all of a sudden?"

"Stay out of my sight for a while, please."

"Even if you're the Squad Leader, isn't it wrong to spit in the face of someone who's smiling?"

"Hawktuah!"

"Ugh!"

Hyuk Mu-Jin barely dodged the spit, staring back at me as if I'd lost my mind.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing. So please, just shut up and disappear from my sight."

"Something about this doesn't add up."

"Do you want your limbs to not add up?"

It was because of the water that bastard brought that I lost not only my stats but also my dignity.

I only held back my fist because I knew that Mun Kyung was the real culprit.

Hyuk Mu-Jin's expression was a picture of confusion, as he had no way of knowing the full story.

"Seriously. Someone might think you soiled your pants because of me."

"…!"

"What's with that reaction?"

"…It's nothing. But why did you come here?"

Hyuk Mu-Jin, his brow furrowed in suspicion, gestured towards some figures in the distance.

"The sorting's mostly done, but something's off."

"Off? What is?"

"It seems there are fewer bones and scales of the Imugi than expected. You should probably see for yourself, Squad Leader."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Given the size of the Imugi, the quantity that turned up is too little. Sage Hyun Gong is so enraged, he's scouring the area as if he would lay bare the ground. If someone has stolen them, he vows to expose the culprit on the honor of the Primordial Heavenly Lord."

"…"

No, does he think he's the Wudang Detective like Kindaichi? [Note: The Kindaichi Case Files is a Japanese mystery manga series based on the crime solving adventures of a high school student, Hajime Kindaichi.]

Though he wielded the Ultimate Sword of Wisdom to secure these bones, the thought that they could vanish so swiftly has probably nearly driven him mad.

As I listened, disbelief crept over me, prompting me to challenge Hyuk Mu-Jin.

"How could anyone steal them? And it's not just a small amount that's missing — it must be over a thousand pounds. Who could hide that right under our noses?"

"Exactly. Only a handful of people even know about this place…"

Just as Hyuk Mu-Jin was about to continue, he paused, then probed.

"But how did you know?"

"Huh?"

"The missing amount. You said it's over a thousand pounds."

"I just guessed, you know. It's been pretty noisy over there."

My response was as nonchalant as possible, yet internally, I flinched.

Because…

'I'm too quick-witted. I need to watch my words.'

The very criminal Sage Hyun Gong has vowed to uncover in the name of the Primordial Heavenly Lord is me.

Each time I consider my Inventory, brimming with loot, a thrill surges through me.

'Hmm. I did take quite a bit, didn't I?'

Snatching those treasures felt simpler than idly scrolling through my smartphone in bed.

The corpse of the Divine Water Dragon was vast, and I had harvested more than anyone, swiftly stashing the prime cuts into my Inventory.

The sharpest tail bone, resilient scales from the neck, and even slabs of flesh — I had snagged them all, just in case.

Stacked together, my hoard would tower as high as a grand mansion.

"…Why are you smiling so contentedly?"

"Me? When did I?"

"Just now. You looked quite sinister."

It was apparent that the thrill of pulling off the perfect heist had etched itself across my face. I straightened up, adopting a more somber tone.

"I did not."

"…"

"Anyway, don't worry about what's happening over there. Start getting ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To go back. You want to move into a lakefront property?"

The remains of the Divine Water Dragon were being methodically and covertly transported, piece by piece, by trusted individuals.

And most of it was destined for the Jin family's estate in Taiyuan.

'Thinking about the battles to come, this will be a great help.'

With my plans laid out, I rose from my seat.

Watching Hyuk Mu-Jin sprint away into the distance, I whispered to myself.

'Inventory open, summon.'

Swoosh.

At my command, the bones, scales, and flesh of the Divine Water Dragon materialized in my hand. A grin of satisfaction spread across my face.

'Item appraisal.'

Ding.

Item Window

[Divine Water Dragon's Bones]

Type: Material

Grade: Transcendent

Restriction: Only a master craftsman can refine it

Description: Bones of the Imugi, the Divine Water Dragon, which has lived for ages. Possesses incredible strength and is imbued with a mysterious, divine energy. If processed by a craftsman who has reached enlightenment, its true power can be unleashed.

Although there are some differences, the description for the scales was similar.

Infused with divine energy and remarkable durability, they were identified as Transcendent materials. The flesh, reputed to boost energy and enhance stats gradually, was akin to striking gold.

'It's like hitting the jackpot.'

But these weren't the real jackpot.

If the bones and scales were akin to hitting a standard lottery and the flesh represented a consistent annuity, then what I was about to unveil was the American Super Bowl of windfalls. [Note: the average Korean lottery jackpot is approximately 1.7 million USD. Each football player on the winning team of the Super Bowl receives 171,000 USD as a bonus check and a ring, which costs on average 40,000 USD. I'm assuming that he means the total money pot for the Super Bowl, which would come out to approximately 2.3 million USD for the average team. Or he could just be making a joke about everything being bigger in America.]

With my heart racing, I retrieved 'it' from my Inventory.

'Item appraisal.'

Ding.

Item Window

[Divine Water Dragon's First Clarity]

Type: None

Grade: None

Restriction: None

Description: The First Clarity of the Divine Water Dragon, an Imugi that has lived for an incredibly long time. It is a type of elixir that was damaged by magic but extracted according to the will of the Divine Water Dragon. It is extremely pure and contains enormous energy, making it different from ordinary elixirs. If you cannot withstand the energy contained in the First Clarity... (text omitted).

'Fantastic.'

I gently held the [Divine Water Dragon's First Clarity] in my hand, marveling at its potential.

Although the last line was concerning, this was, by far, the greatest treasure from this trip to Hubei.

'It's different from ordinary elixirs... just how powerful is it?'

Since it was tainted by magic, it would undoubtedly contain less than the original energy of the Divine Water Dragon, but it would still be immensely powerful.

The Divine Water Dragon had lived for over five hundred years. By my estimate, it had probably accumulated energy of at least ten gapja. [Note: ten gapja is equivalent to around 600 years worth of Qi. There are two ways to explain why this number is larger than the Divine Water Dragon's age. One is that the MC is bad at math, which is very much likely. The other is that the Divine Water Dragon was diligent at its training to achieve enlightenment and steadily accumulated energy over the years. We have seen instances where a person's years of Qi exceeds their age. Case-in-point, the MC has ~180 years of Qi even though he's only in his late twenties. The Divine Water Dragon also mentioned that it had previously defeated the "evil turtle-shaped spirit" so it could have also absorbed that spirit's Qi.]

In a way, the dilution of the First Clarity's power was serendipitous.

'If the bowl is small, the water will overflow.'

The item description was a critical warning: the overwhelming force within could pop me like an overstuffed balloon.

'The question is when and where to use it.'

The faces of a few people come to mind, and particularly, the face of one old man.

'Grandfather.'

My thoughts turned to Jeok Cheon-Gang, not just because of his age.

Ironically, it was Mun Kyung's poison that brought him to mind.

Having endured the crippling effects of the Seven Steps Doom Powder, which stripped ten points from my stats and induced severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea, a chilling realization dawned on me.

'If the Seven Steps Doom Powder is this strong, what state must Grandfather be in after being struck by the Phantom Poison?'

While the Doom Powder was exceedingly deadly, it paled in comparison to the lethality of the Phantom Poison that afflicted Jeok Cheon-Gang in Henan.

It was a poison of such malignant intensity that even the renowned Mad Doctor of Luoyang, among the highest echelons of healers, implored us to consult the Divine Doctor.

Yet, even his expertise was insufficient and finding a swift antidote was imperative.

'Fortunately, I had the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng to complete the treatment, but...'

Had it truly eradicated all traces of the affliction?

My eyes lingered on the [Divine Water Dragon's First Clarity], a mix of skepticism and concern clouding my gaze.

It seemed this item was destined for a specific purpose right from the start.

"Youngest!"

Open Inventory. Store.

The voice of Jin Wi-Kyung echoed from behind, snapping me back to the moment. I hurriedly concealed the [Divine Water Dragon's First Clarity] in my Inventory and spun around with a practiced smile.

"Yes, I'm coming now!"

Today had been fruitful, marked by significant gains.

Yet, it was also a day laden with unease, leaving a knot in my stomach that seemed to twist tighter.

Gurgle.

"…Sigh."

The abnormal status hadn't yet subsided.

* * *

The instinct to settle near water is not exclusive to humans; it's a natural behavior shared across the animal kingdom.

From birds that nest along the cliffs overseeing the vast expanse of Dongting Lake to boars, foxes, wolves, and even tigers.

While humans might be permitted below the cliffs of Dongting Lake, the domain above was reserved for the wild.

A sanctuary undisturbed by human presence.

Hence, the ruler of this place, the Great Tiger, was none too pleased with the sudden appearance of an uninvited guest.

- Grrrrr.

A low growl escaped his sharp teeth, signaling his displeasure.

His twitching nose was still busy tracing the faint human scent that dared invade his territory.

And it didn't take long for his acute sense of smell to pinpoint the interloper.

- Grrrr.

Perched on the precipice of the steep cliff and spotting the uninvited guest, the Great Tiger sneered.

The audacious intruder turned out to be far smaller and more pitiable than he had expected.

A small old man, who was hardly a mouthful.

Swoosh.

It was precisely at that moment, as the massive form deftly closed in on the old man, that the unexpected remark came:

"Oh, it's a tiger."

- ...!

The Great Tiger's stride came to an abrupt halt.

Suddenly, the old man rose, balancing on his stubby legs, and fixed the Great Tiger with a penetrating stare.

"You're an old one, too."

- Grrrr.

The Great Tiger flashed his teeth in a display of defiance, yet the old man simply chuckled with a dismissive air.

"Enough with the theatrics. Come here. Keep this old man company."

- Roaaaar!

"Do you want to die? I said come here."

Huff.

For reasons he couldn't fathom, the Great Tiger felt a shiver run through his fur, compelling him to cautiously step toward the old man.

As the old man's wrinkled hand tenderly scratched his chin, the tiger couldn't help but revel in the unexpected affection.

- Rrrrr.

Listening to the Great Tiger's contented purr, the old man, Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang, spoke with a soft tone.

"Yes, yes. I'm old too."

Above the cliffs, the sky stretched clear and bright, yet his heart remained shrouded in shadows.