Chapter 15. One of the Hundred Great Spirit Treasures

Hou Gong chuckled.

"Where in the world is there a place without the Jianghu? No matter where you are, you are part of the Jianghu. But perhaps a place with righteous and beautiful people like the four of you is not the Jianghu."

Ban Jiaoyin's cheeks soon turned rosy.

While Hou Gong spoke, he gazed intently at her, making her heart race.

"How about you, Fan Gongzi, try practicing martial arts as well?"

It was Miao Jialing, the daughter of the Baihua Hall's hall master.

Hou Gong simply smiled in response.

Seeing the close rapport between these young people, he subtly hinted at his departure by looking outside.

The four people, understanding his meaning, felt reluctant.

"Are you leaving already?"

Hou Gong nodded.

"How could I not lose track of time talking with all of you? The turmoil seems to have settled, so I should return now."

As they parted, they exchanged pleasantries.

Invitations to visit, requests for invitations, and promises to have a drink soon were among the words exchanged. Ximen Xian, who hadn't been asked, was particularly reluctant, saying he was leaving for his maternal home the next day.

'Haha, these kids...'

He usually didn't invite them or drink with them, but the atmosphere was unusually serious.

After parting with them and changing locations, Hou Gong immediately called Song Hua.

"Sir, it's already getting dark. Are you going back?"

"No."

Hou Gong then instructed one of his guards.

"First, we need to check. Go back to the main house and see what the situation is. If the stench hasn't been resolved, we'll stay outside tonight."

"Yes."

Meeting a wise master makes one's body and mind at ease.

The guard's face brightened at the thought of avoiding the terrible stench and rushed off.

After nearly an hour, the guard returned.

The news he brought made Hou Gong's eyes widen.

"Something came out of the ground? Why?"

It was an utterly unexpected and bizarre situation.

***

That night, the stench at Tianhua Library had disappeared.

But Luo Jiuzhu's mood was far from pleasant.

Another person was also uncomfortable.

It was Bian Yishi, the renowned physician of Tianhua Library.

The air between the two was tense.

Luo Jiuzhu spoke.

"You, my friend..."

The patriarch, unable to contain his anger, took a deep breath to suppress his urge to curse and continued.

"When giving advice, shouldn't you consider a person's nature and past actions?"

"Lord, this is the best course of action."

Bian Yishi defended himself, his eyes showing no sign of backing down.

"You're being too extreme."

"..."

"I know the eldest grandson asked for some kind of medicinal or spirit elixir. As a grandfather, wouldn't I want to provide it?"

"..."

"I also know his appetite has changed significantly, and he can eat most things. But shouldn't we consider his weak stomach? Just today, he couldn't stand the stench and went outside in the morning. While I was pleased by his determination to live, his stomach is still a concern."

"This is not an ordinary spirit treasure."

Bian Yishi stood firm.

Luo Jiuzhu sighed.

"Yes, it's not ordinary. That's the problem. It's too special. Have you forgotten that it's a spirit treasure that emits such a foul stench that it contaminated the entire library, even breaking through the earth's formations?"

The patriarch pointed to a black package on the side, looking frustrated.

The material of the package was not ordinary.

It was made of high-quality leather with a black sheen, and something inside was writhing, causing the package to squirm.

The patriarch continued.

"The Hexagonal Net is an amazing spirit treasure, but if it must be consumed with fresh blood, the situation is different. Even someone who would chew iron for its health benefits couldn't tolerate the Hexagonal Net's foul smell."

The source of the stench was the Hexagonal Net, a spirit creature of the dragon-like variety.

They had to break through several formations to finally corner it with an illusionary formation and capture the cunning and swift Hexagonal Net. During the capture, the stench was so unbearable that some fainted, and many vomited, causing chaos.

The Hexagonal Net primarily lives deep underground and is highly mobile, with an exceptional ability to burrow through soil. It is about the length of an adult's arm, with a hexagonal head, hence its name. It is also known as the Green Blood Net.

Its skin is yellow at the head and red on the body, but its blood is strangely green.

According to ancient texts, the Hexagonal Net is one of the Hundred Great Spirit Treasures, and its effects are astonishing. If a martial artist consumes the Hexagonal Net's green blood, their internal energy will greatly increase, and they will become immune to poisons. For those who haven't practiced martial arts, it is said to cure all illnesses for life. However, the smell is a significant issue.

The Hexagonal Net lives underground, and its stench is so intense that it can cause breathing difficulties. Ancient texts state that no one has ever drunk the Hexagonal Net's blood, as the smell from its green blood is even more unbearable than its skin, causing anyone who tries to drink it to vomit it all out.

There was also a problem with the method of consumption.

If the blood is poured into a bowl and drunk, the effect is halved. To achieve maximum effect, the blood must be consumed before it is exposed to air, meaning the Hexagonal Net must be alive, and one must suck the blood directly from its skin.

Bian Yishi's suggestion that the eldest grandson drink the Hexagonal Net's fresh blood left the patriarch puzzled.

"Lord, it is one of the Hundred Great Spirit Treasures. Compared to it, a hundred-year-old ginseng or huangjing is like a common herb. If the eldest grandson drinks it, he will live a life free of illness, making him the rightful successor to Tianhua Library."

Bian Yishi remained firm.

The patriarch shook his head.

"What good is any precious elixir if it can't be consumed? Although the eldest grandson's appetite has improved and he can eat a variety of foods, this is different. Forcing him to drink the Hexagonal Net's blood could lead to unforeseen consequences. Bu Meng, what do you think? Can you drink it?"

"Me?"

Bu Meng, who had been standing quietly to the side, shuddered.

"Why are you asking me, grandfather?"

Bu Meng had been thoroughly disgusted during the capture of the Hexagonal Net and only wanted it gone.

"Did you see that?"

"I understand, but disposing of the Hexagonal Net would be a great waste. It's a spirit treasure that can't be obtained even if you had a mountain of gold."

"Fine. Then let's compromise. Find a way to consume it without the stench, even if the effects are reduced."

"Lord, how about suggesting it to the eldest grandson first, and if he refuses, we can look for other options?"

"Ah, you've become quite stubborn. It's impossible. Just opening the leather package makes me feel dizzy!"

At that moment, Yun rushed in, panting.

"Grandfather!"

"What is it?"

"The eldest brother is very angry right now."

The patriarch's eyes widened in surprise. The blame fell on Bian Yishi.

"Did you hear that? Suggesting he drink it is like challenging him to a fight..."

"Grandfather, that's not it."

"Huh?"

"The eldest brother is asking when he can drink the Hexagonal Net and why it hasn't been brought to him yet. He's making a fuss."

"Why?"

A moment later.

The patriarch was stunned.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The scene was so absurd that his eyes lost focus.

"Suck, slurp, slurp!"

Even if he had been told, he wouldn't have believed it.

It was impossible.

He thought the eldest grandson would run out of the room, saying he couldn't drink it.

But the eldest grandson was sucking the Hexagonal Net's blood with all his might, his face turning beet red from the effort.

The patriarch wasn't the only one shocked.

Bian Yishi, who had strongly recommended it, was completely stunned, his mouth agape in disbelief.

Yun and Bu Meng, who were ready to restrain the eldest brother if he had a fit, felt the Hexagonal Net had met its match.

After a while, the plump Hexagonal Net was significantly shriveled.

"It's done..."

The patriarch couldn't continue.

The eldest grandson didn't stop.

The slurping sound continued.

Even after Song Hua, who had been holding the Hexagonal Net's head and tail to make it easier to drink, grimaced and stepped back, the eldest grandson showed a terrifying determination to leave no drop behind.

The Hexagonal Net, drained of blood, died with its eyes open. Even then, the eldest grandson didn't stop, but it was safe to assume he had drunk it all.

Bian Yishi quickly spoke.

"Lord, I have an urgent matter to attend to..."

"Where are you going?"

Without finishing his sentence, Bian Yishi rushed out, slamming the door. The stench in the room was so unbearable that he was fleeing for his life.

Song Hua followed.

"Lord, I also..."

As soon as she said "I," she vanished. Her voice trailed off from outside. Yun and Bu Meng also disappeared, seemingly faster than they had ever been.

But the patriarch remained.

He looked worried.

The stench was unbearable, yet the eldest grandson was calmly still sucking on the skin. The patriarch wondered if there was something wrong with his sense of smell and taste.

"Child, isn't the smell terrible?"

"It is. It's incomparable to anything else."

"Then why are you okay with it?"

"Yes, I'm fine..."

"Then that's settled!"

Satisfied that there was no problem, the patriarch also fled.

Left alone in the stench, Hou Gong frowned and smiled.

Why wouldn't the smell be terrible?

'It's almost unbearable.'

But this was a treasure that emitted a smell.

Hou Gong knew about the Hexagonal Net.

In the martial world, which loves ranking things, the Hexagonal Net was ranked around 20th among spirit treasures.

Its ranking might have been pushed down due to its difficult consumption method.

The Hexagonal Net's effects were comparable to those of the Green Jade Liquid, and it could make one immune to all poisons, making it on par with the top ten spirit treasures.

With this, he could quickly advance to the Heart Channel and Thoroughfare Vessel in the protective qi, and reaching the 2nd level of the Intangible Taiji Heart Sutra would not be difficult. With this, he could reach the 12th level, his original realm, within five years.

Suddenly, a thought came to him.

'The Three Evils?'

This was Fan Xiang's knowledge and memory.

The Three Evils, along with the Hexagonal Net, were known as the Three Great Stenches: Lingsha, Lingcao, and Duyangchong.

The Hexagonal Net.

The Lingcao.

The Duyangchong.

Lingsha was the Hexagonal Net he had just consumed, Lingcao was a plant, and Duyangchong was a type of insect. Hou Gong had never heard of Lingcao or Duyangchong, but according to Fan Xiang's memory, consuming all three would result in effects far beyond those of consuming them individually.

'The effects are almost on par with the Five Great Spirit Treasures.'

How troublesome.