Among the elixirs known to the world, there are so that are always ntioned when asked to na the most famous.
One of them is Shaolin's Great Rejuvenation Pill.
An elixir said to be able to instantly heal any internal injury and grant unimaginable internal energy just by taking it.
If the opportunity to take a Great Rejuvenation Pill arose, most martial artists would risk their lives to challenge it.
“……”
The one called one of Shaolin's two great holy dicines along with the Great Rejuvenation Pill is the Small Rejuvenation Pill.
As one can infer from the na, its efficacy is inferior compared to the Great Rejuvenation Pill, but that is only when compared to the Great Rejuvenation Pill.
If one were to classify the nurous elixirs, the Small Rejuvenation Pill is also an elixir that can be called high-grade.
Its value would be impossible to convert into re money.
‘This is definitely a Small Rejuvenation Pill.’
Namgung Il could assert so without a mont's hesitation.
Because he had seen a Small Rejuvenation Pill in person once in the past.
Since he had seen it through Jinheo, who was the abbot of Shaolin at the ti, it was safe to say that there was no way Namgung Il would mistake a genuine article for a fake.
"Oh, this is a Small Rejuvenation Pill?"
"Yes, handle it with care."
"Since it's co to this, can't you show the Great Rejuvenation Pill too?"
"I'm sorry, but even if it's your request, that's impossible."
"What, are you afraid I'll snatch it and eat it? Don't be so cheap and just show for a mont."
Although he pestered him persistently, Namgung Il ultimately could not see the Great Rejuvenation Pill in person.
Because the Great Rejuvenation Pill could no longer be produced even in Shaolin.
The manufacturing thod for the Small Rejuvenation Pill still remained, but for so reason, the manufacturing thod for the Great Rejuvenation Pill had disappeared long ago in the distant past.
Therefore, only the abbot of the ti could access the Great Rejuvenation Pill, and even the abbot could not use it at his own discretion.
"The Small Rejuvenation Pill is also sothing that cannot be shown to outsiders carelessly. I'm showing it to you like this because it's you, Do Yeok-san."
"Well... alright."
"Thank you for understanding."
"Then just give one Small Rejuvenation Pill. I think my back has been hurting a bit lately."
"..."
Namgung Il had naturally not expected to see the Small Rejuvenation Pill he had failed to receive back then, here.
‘A Small Rejuvenation Pill… This is sothing even I didn't receive.’
No matter how much the manufacturing thod remained, the fact that the Small Rejuvenation Pill was a treasure of Shaolin did not change.
Even among the disciples of Shaolin, it was common to give the Small Rejuvenation Pill only to the successor who would carry on the lineage, and it was extrely rare to give the Small Rejuvenation Pill to an outsider.
Seeing that they didn't even give it to him, who had a long-standing relationship, it must be assud that the Small Rejuvenation Pill was almost never taken outside.
Therefore, Namgung Il could not understand this situation at all.
‘Wait…’
Just then, another mory ca to Namgung Il's mind.
This was also a conversation he had had with Jinheo in the past.
It was quite a shocking content, so Namgung Il had not forgotten it and still rembered it clearly.
"What? The Small Rejuvenation Pill was stolen?"
"...That's right."
"Huh... What kind of crazy bastard broke into Shaolin Temple and stole the Small Rejuvenation Pill?"
"Shintoo... have you heard of him?"
There was once an existence that made the martial world buzz.
That person's na was Shintoo.
Of course, it was not his real na but a na given by others, but in fact, there was no title that suited him as well as Shintoo.
‘At that ti, there was a saying that there was no object in the world that Shintoo could not steal.’
Shintoo was not a simple petty thief.
The objects he stole were only those whose value could not be easily asured, like Shaolin's Small Rejuvenation Pill.
The victims who had their belongings stolen by Shintoo at that ti were so nurous that it was said a book could be made by listing them all.
"Can't you catch Shintoo with the Beggars' Sect's information network?"
"Well... I'll try my best."
"Thank you. And you be careful too. The place he's aiming for next might be the Beggars' Sect."
"The Beggars' Sect is fine."
"...?"
"In the first place, there's nothing to steal."
"Ah..."
It seed there had never been a ti when he could say the Beggars' Sect was poor as proudly as then.
Anyway, at Jinheo's request, the Beggars' Sect had mobilized all its information network to search for Shintoo, but in the end, they could not find any clues to catch Shintoo.
‘Then at so point, he stopped his activities and beca quiet.’
In just one year, Shintoo had clearly imprinted his na in the mories of the martial artists.
There were rumors in the world that Shintoo had died in an accident during the process of stealing, and that the treasures he had stolen were hidden sowhere in the Central Plains.
For several years, martial artists had run rampant, saying they would find that treasure vault.
Well, he didn't know who had found the vault, but as the Righteous-Demonic War broke out, Shintoo's existence naturally faded from people's mories.
Swoosh—.
Namgung Il raised his head and looked at Old Man Heo.
Unlike when he first saw the Small Rejuvenation Pill, his eyes were now calm.
As a series of mories connected into one, Namgung Il felt he knew the origin of this Small Rejuvenation Pill.
“What on earth is this?”
Namgung Il asked calmly, showing the Small Rejuvenation Pill.
As if he really didn't know what it was.
Since the surroundings were dark, Old Man Heo had not been able to properly see the expression Namgung Il had made when he first saw the Small Rejuvenation Pill.
“It’s an elixir.”
“……”
“A very good elixir. If you take it, it will surely be of great help to you.”
As expected, Old Man Heo did not directly ntion the Small Rejuvenation Pill.
Just then, a snort was heard from the front.
Namgung Il clicked his tongue lightly and threw the wooden box at Old Man Heo.
“……!”
At that, Old Man Heo was flustered and caught the wooden box with both hands.
Fortunately, the wooden box landed safely in Old Man Heo's hands without falling to the floor.
Old Man Heo let out a sigh of relief and shouted at Namgung Il, raising his voice.
“To throw such a precious thing… What on earth are you doing!”
“Seeing your reaction, it seems to be precious.”
“……?”
“But how can I believe that it’s a good elixir?”
At those words, Old Man Heo was dumbfounded.
Certainly, that action just now was sothing one could do because they didn't know its value.
There would be no crazy person in the world who would throw a Small Rejuvenation Pill.
“Tell exactly what it is.”
“That… I cannot do.”
“Why? Is there sothing you’re hiding?”
“……”
“Such a dangerous item of unknown origin. How can I possibly accept it?”
There was sufficient reason in Namgung Il's words.
As if he hadn't thought that far, Old Man Heo remained silent for a mont.
“……I guarantee that this item is safe.”
“……”
“Before that, this item is worth taking the risk to obtain… It has that much value.”
Old Man Heo seed to have no intention of revealing the identity of the Small Rejuvenation Pill until the end.
Namgung Il silently stared at Old Man Heo for a mont, then nodded his head and said.
“I understand.”
“Th-then…”
“Let’s check it one more ti.”
Namgung Il said and slowly approached Old Man Heo.
“Yes, good thinking!”
“……”
“This opportunity is such that it can be called a fortuitous encounter for you…”
It was then.
The mont Old Man Heo held out the wooden box he was holding again, Namgung Il's figure, which had been walking this way, instantly disappeared from before his eyes.
Thwack—!
Simultaneously, a trendous impact was felt in his abdon.
Namgung Il's two hands were now aid at Old Man Heo's abdon, and from there, the energy of the Thunder Lord Emperor Divine Art was glowing like a fla.
“……!”
At Namgung Il's sudden attack, Old Man Heo could only be caught off guard.
However, before the shock in his abdon subsided, a sharp blow ca in succession.
Towards Old Man Heo's head, which was politely bowed, Namgung Il was striking upwards with his right hand.
Hwik—.
Fortunately, Old Man Heo was able to narrowly avoid the attack aid at his chin.
However, as if the shock of the first blow still remained strong, Old Man Heo's expression was not very good.
“What is this… what are you doing?”
“So it was you.”
“……?”
“Dayti Drunkard… no, Shintoo.”
The mont Namgung Il ntioned that na, Old Man Heo's eyes widened slightly.
With just that reaction, Namgung Il could tell that his prediction was correct, but in fact, he was already convinced just by the movent Old Man Heo had shown.
“About twenty years ago, there was a person who shook the martial world for a while.”
“……”
“People called that person Shintoo. Because his thievery was close to the realm of the gods.”
Old Man Heo just listened quietly to Namgung Il's words.
He couldn't tell if that reaction was an affirmation or a denial, but Namgung Il continued to speak without caring.
“For a year, after sweeping up all the treasures throughout the martial world, Shintoo suddenly disappeared.”
“……”
“Everyone thought he was dead. But… surprisingly, Shintoo was not dead and was still alive.”
Swoosh—.
“Right before my eyes.”
“……”
“Will you admit it?”
Namgung Il asked, pointing a finger at Old Man Heo.
“……How absurd.”
“……”
“It’s all speculation. Shintoo? I don’t know what that is, but I’m not…”
“Are you denying it even with this?”
Namgung Il cut off Old Man Heo's words and showed him the Small Rejuvenation Pill in his hand.
No way… did I drop it when I was hit earlier?
Old Man Heo bit his lip and glared at the Small Rejuvenation Pill.
“Among the treasures Shintoo stole, there was also Shaolin’s Small Rejuvenation Pill.”
“……!”
“Shaolin has never leaked this to the outside. Except for that one ti it was stolen by Shintoo.”
Old Man Heo's eyes were wide with sothing beyond surprise, close to astonishnt.
To think Namgung Il knew the identity of the Small Rejuvenation Pill.
Moreover, that tone… Old Man Heo realized that it was impossible to feign ignorance any longer.
“……How do you know so much about Shintoo?”
“……”
“It was before you were born. It would be normal for most people not to know in such detail.”
“Is that important right now?”
Namgung Il said and closed the wooden box, putting it into his bosom.
“What’s important now is that you had the Small Rejuvenation Pill, and that you just dodged my attack.”
“……”
“There is already enough evidence that you are Shintoo.”
“……I suppose so.”
Old Man Heo muttered and let out a hollow laugh as if he were dumbfounded.
However, his eyes soon changed.
That was by no ans the gaze of a man called the Dayti Drunkard.
Phat—.
At that mont, Old Man Heo's figure instantly disappeared from the spot.
‘I have no choice.’
Old Man Heo chose to abandon the Small Rejuvenation Pill and run away.
To think there was a guy who rembered him even after so much ti had passed.
The fact that his identity had been discovered by such a young brat was still unbelievable to Old Man Heo.
Hwik—.
Now that his identity had been revealed to Namgung Il, he would no longer be able to live as the Dayti Drunkard in Luoyang.
No matter how much ti had passed, if the rumor that Shintoo was here spread, nurous places would be hell-bent on catching him.
First, he had to get out of Luoyang and go into hiding.
‘It’s been a really long ti since I’ve run away like this.’
It even felt like he had returned to the ti when he was making a na for himself.
Of course, his skills might have diminished compared to then, but still, he was confident he could shake off at least one person like Namgung Il.
“Keuk—.”
Just then, Old Man Heo's movent montarily faltered.
The first blow from Namgung Il that he had allowed due to the surprise attack.
It was a considerably powerful move, so it was inevitable that his movents would be affected.
‘This much is…!’
He had experienced such difficulties countless tis in the past.
Wasn't he the one who had successfully shaken off all the flying and crawling guys of the martial world and escaped back then?
No matter how seriously he was injured, he could sufficiently shake off one brat like that.
Pajik—.
It was then.
The mont Old Man Heo tried to move again, sothing flashed before his eyes.
“……?”
A white line had appeared before his eyes.
Like a kite tied to a string, what was stretching out that line was a sharp… dagger?
The mont Old Man Heo instinctively felt danger and tried to move again, Namgung Il appeared there, snatching the dagger like a flash of light.
Thwack—!
Namgung Il's kick accurately struck Old Man Heo's solar plexus.
Due to the rebound, Old Man Heo rolled roughly on the floor and flew back, and when his movent stopped, he was looking up at the sky, spread out in a ‘大’ shape.
“Keok—!”
Lying on the floor, Old Man Heo coughed up blood.
His body was broken to the point where he could no longer get up, but for so reason, Old Man Heo's mouth was smiling.
‘No way… to think I’d be caught like this.’
For the end of a person who had once made the martial world buzz, it was extrely shabby.
If he had known it would be like this, he would have rather been caught by the renowned masters back then.
That would have been a more fitting end to leave the na Shintoo as a legend.
Swoosh—.
Old Man Heo squeezed out his strength and raised his head.
Namgung Il, who was slowly walking this way from over there.
Old Man Heo looked at him and muttered as if in lant.
“To think the one who caught is such a brat…”
“……”
“It’s not even… funny…”
Thud—.
In the end, without being able to finish his words, Old Man Heo's head fell back to the floor.
(End of Chapter)
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