Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 498

A crimson pill rolled out as the medicine bottle was turned over. It was a spiritual medicine made by refining the High-Grade Core Pill, so even Han Li was reluctant to use it. If his magic power hadn’t been sealed and Eunwol hadn’t been seriously injured, he could have easily used the Soul-Searching Technique to extract information. He pulled the chin of the blue-robed youth and inserted the red pill, enveloped in a blue aura, into his mouth. Soon, a slender needle with a shimmering light appeared in his hand. Pipipipit! The silver needle, emitting a cool light, transformed into several silver threads and pierced the blue-robed youth’s entire body, causing dark red blood to flow out, carrying a fishy smell. Han Li stepped back with his hands behind his back, waiting for the man to regain consciousness. After about fifteen minutes, Feng Yue, having expelled most of the poisoned blood, finally groaned and began to regain consciousness. Han Li’s eyes gleamed as he flicked his fingers, stopping the continuous flow of poisoned blood. The second Nascent Soul, which had been sitting on his shoulder, disappeared into the forest along with a dark aura. “You are…” The blue-robed youth finally opened his eyes and recognized Han Li. He was surprised and tried to get up. “Why are you so surprised to see me standing before you?” “Did you save me, cultivator? What happened to that old geezer, Feng Chim?” “If you’re talking about the cultivator in the purple robe, he’s over there.” Han Li gestured with his eyes. Feng Yue turned his head with all his might, and upon seeing that the old man had been reduced to a bloody mess without a trace, he turned his gaze back to Han Li, looking puzzled. “Did you do that to that old geezer, Brother Han? It seems your abilities are extraordinary. I will definitely repay the favor of saving my life.” Feng Yue probed him while taking out a pill from his waist and putting it in his mouth, barely managing to get up. However, before he could fully extend his legs, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground. “Oh, what’s going on! I can’t feel any strength in my body!” Feng Yue fell to the ground, his face pale. “Are you worried that I might have placed a restriction on you?” “What on earth is going on?” The youth glared at Han Li. “To think that you believe I would place a restriction on you, you overestimate yourself. Do you think there’s any need for that? Check for yourself.” Han Li sneered and reached out, throwing something to Feng Yue. It was an ordinary bronze mirror. Feng Yue looked at Han Li with a question, but the other man showed no particular expression. With no other choice, he gritted his teeth and picked up the mirror to check his appearance. “Th-this! My face… This poison, when did I get poisoned! Could it be that cunning old geezer poisoned me?” Feng Yue screamed in horror at the sight of his face in the mirror. He hurriedly turned over his storage pouch, spilling out a large number of medicine bottles. Han Li watched silently as Feng Yue rummaged through the various bottles, swallowing this and that. After taking the pills, Feng Yue immediately sat cross-legged and began circulating his energy, without even thanking or apologizing to Han Li. He seemed to be trying to force the poison out of his body with the help of the medicine. However, as time passed, his face only grew angrier. “What on earth is going on!? All the detoxifying medicines are useless! What kind of poison have I been infected with…” He finally realized the power of the extreme poison and began to panic. “I haven’t seen it before, but it’s probably Gu Poison, one of the Ten Deadly Poisons.” Han Li finally spoke calmly. “Gu Poison? Using such poison! That old geezer was indeed in league with the Gong family. I’ve heard that the Gong family has such poisons.” ‘Gong family?’ Han Li slightly narrowed his brows and then relaxed them. “But if it’s really Gu Poison, how am I still alive?” The youth suddenly realized something and became suspicious of Han Li. “Hmph, it’s good that you know. If I didn’t have a few questions to ask, why would I waste a precious Hao Yuan Pill [a high-grade spiritual pill] to save you? Besides, the item around your neck temporarily blocked the poison, protecting your heart, which is why you were able to wake up.” “Did you touch this?” The youth was startled when Han Li mentioned the silver-white necklace, and he discovered that the item he cherished more than his life was now exposed. “I was curious as to why a Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn’t die immediately after being poisoned by Gu Poison. However, even with the Hao Yuan Pill, it can only suppress the poison temporarily. After a day, the poison will attack your heart, and you will die.” “I’ve heard of the Hao Yuan Pill somewhere… Isn’t it an extremely rare pill? If I keep taking it, can I preserve my life?” Feng Yue thought for a moment and asked with a nervous expression. Han Li was puzzled that the other man had heard of the Hao Yuan Pill, but he replied coldly. “If you keep taking it, you might be able to prolong your life for a while, but do you even know what it’s made of? It’s not originally for detoxification but a spiritual pill used by Core Formation cultivators to overcome cultivation bottlenecks. It’s a priceless treasure.” “It increases the cultivation of Core Formation cultivators?” Feng Yue also realized how precious the pill was and fell silent. “However, if you want to live, it’s not like there’s no way.” “What do you mean? If you save my life, I will agree to any condition you propose, Brother Han.” “I’m not asking for a great reward. I just have a few questions, and if you answer them honestly, that’s enough.” “Of course! If I know anything, I will never hide it.” “The method is simple. Since your body is already beyond saving due to the extreme poison, you should just find another body. Many cultivators who have been poisoned by the Ten Deadly Poisons have maintained their lives in this way.” “Another body?” The youth was dumbfounded and then smiled bitterly. “What, is there a problem?” The youth hesitated before answering Han Li’s question. “That means…” Han Li was also surprised, having anticipated this. “That’s right. I’ve already taken over another cultivator’s body once. This body isn’t originally mine either.” “Then there’s no way. After all, the Ten Deadly Poisons are famous for having no antidote.” Han Li sighed and raised both hands. “Really… Is there really no other way? Brother Han, you have great insight, please think about it again.” Feng Yue began to beg earnestly. “There’s nothing to think about. If the Ten Deadly Poisons had an antidote, would they be called the Ten Deadly Poisons?” Han Li shook his head. “That means I only have one day left.” The youth’s face turned pale. “If you keep taking the Hao Yuan Pill, you might live a few more days, but you will die the moment the medicine’s effect wears off.” “How many Hao Yuan Pills do you have, Brother Han? Can you sell them to me?” As if a drowning man grasping at straws, Feng Yue looked at Han Li. “If you have the ability to pay, I can sell them to you, but I don’t have many. More importantly, you must answer my questions first.” “Ask me anything. What is there that I can’t answer in my current state?” “Then, first, I’ll ask about your cultivation. You don’t seem to be from the Daluo Sect, so are you a cultivator belonging to a Great Jin family?” “You’re asking even though you already know.” Feng Yue raised his head and looked alternately at his jade pendant and the silver-white key hanging on his chest. He seemed to think that if Han Li had seen those two items, he would naturally know his identity. “What does ‘Jeo Jung-pung’ written on the jade pendant mean?” “Of course, it’s the Feng family of the Guan Prefecture. It’s quite a large power in the Guan Prefecture.” “If it’s the Guan Prefecture, which prefecture are you referring to?” “There are many Guan Prefectures in Great Jin, but the Guan Prefecture Feng family is only in Liao Prefecture.” Feng Yue found it strange that Han Li was asking in such detail, but Han Li ignored his question and nodded, then pointed to the jade pendant. “Then what is that, and where did you get it?” “My father left this Lingxia Pendant, saying it was a sacred object of the Feng family. Why are you asking about this?” “A sacred object? Does that mean that every disciple of the Feng family uses such a top-grade magic tool as a sacred object?” “Of course not. There are only three or four such sacred objects in the entire Feng family. Only direct descendants can possess them.” “Then your position in the family must be quite high.” “I am the eldest grandson of the Feng family, so if there had been no changes, I might have inherited the Feng family in a few decades.” Feng Yue’s lips twitched, filled with resentment. Han Li, having heard that, sensed that there was a problem with the other man’s family. “What is the relationship between the Feng family and the Buddhist sects of Great Jin? Seeing that such profound Buddhist spiritual power is imbued in the sacred object, there must be a connection.” “There is a connection. One of the Feng family’s ancestors was previously a lay disciple of the Qian Guang Temple in Guan Prefecture. Qian Guang Temple was a branch of the Jin Luo Sect, one of the Buddhist sects of Great Jin. So, our Feng family originally practiced Buddhist techniques. However, when Qian Guang Temple moved out of Liao Prefecture hundreds of years ago, we changed to practicing Confucian techniques.” Feng Yue answered without hiding anything, though he was a little puzzled. Han Li was secretly pleased at that answer. Although he had never heard of Qian Guang Temple, he knew that the Jin Luo Sect was one of the four major Buddhist sects of Great Jin. It seemed that the Feng family had previously practiced the most orthodox Buddhist techniques. “Do you know anything about those Buddhist techniques?” “How would I memorize the hand seals of techniques I haven’t even practiced? However, the family itself has preserved some techniques and training methods.” Feng Yue answered hesitantly. As the mysterious person in front of him showed interest in Buddhist techniques, his confusion only grew. Although Buddhist techniques were powerful later on, it was a well-known fact among the cultivators of Great Jin that their training speed was extremely slow and their training methods were close to asceticism. Frankly, very few people truly wanted to learn the hand seals of Buddhist sects on their own. “Ask him how far his ancestor had mastered the Buddhist techniques. Also, whether he had refined a Sharira [a relic of Buddhist monks]. Only a cultivator from a Buddhist sect who has refined a Sharira can eliminate the killing intent.” Daeyun Shingun reminded him. A Sharira was a special object of Buddhist sects, and some refined it in the Core Formation stage, while others did so in the Nascent Soul stage. The seemingly irregular Sharira was a very mysterious thing for cultivators outside the Buddhist sects. However, what was certain was that many Buddhist techniques and divine powers could only be used by cultivators who possessed a Sharira. “Sharira? I’ve heard that my ancestor also refined one. Unfortunately, he lacked talent and failed to reach the Nascent Soul stage, so he established our Feng family.” Feng Yue narrowed his brows. Han Li’s mind was jolted. It seemed that luck was on his side. It was possible that he could obtain a technique to eliminate the killing intent even before reaching Great Jin. Thinking this, his face naturally brightened. “But why would the other party use Gu Poison on you, a Foundation Establishment cultivator? The Ten Deadly Poisons are, in some ways, more precious than rare pills. Wouldn’t it have been enough to just kill you with Core Formation cultivation?” “Ah… That’s because the old man named Feng Chim was originally a demonic cultivator taken in by the Feng family. He had offended some high-level cultivator and was on the run when the Feng family took him in and even gave him a name. At that time, my grandfather was still alive, and the Feng family’s power was strong. Since then, he had been in charge of trade between the Feng family and some Daluo tribes. Who would have known that the old geezer would collude with the Gong family and lure me to the garrison to use Gu Poison? He has a secret technique on his body, so only direct descendants of the Feng family above the Foundation Establishment stage can restrict his cultivation. That’s why he ambushed me in that way.” Feng Yue’s face grew darker as he spoke.