Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48
Page 122
Tang San’s expression was unprecedentedly serious, constantly watching the copper cauldron and the purple smoke rising from its lid. As time passed, the purple smoke became thinner and thinner, and at the same time the color changed from purple to white, then once again from white to black, in a bizarre process.
Over the course of this process, Tang San used Blue Silver Grass to open the cauldron and insert some medicinal plants three times. Even though by now his Blue Silver Grass had already attained Ice Fire Protection, each time it still withered.
Thus, Dugu Bo’s curiosity increased even more. After drinking his tonic, he quietly operated his poison skills, trying out the energy within that smoke.
However, no matter how he tried he was still unable to figure out just what medicaments had gone into that purple smoke. Dugu Bo only felt that it should be a mix of several kinds of poisons, complementing each other to create an extreme toxicity.
‘Don’t tell me this kid wants to kill me?’ Dugu Bo thought to himself. Otherwise, why would he be refining such an extremely poisonous drug?
But he quickly dispelled this thought. Let alone their relationship having become friendly, even if Tang San really wanted to poison him, he wouldn’t refine it right in front of him.
The refining process was endless, and by the morning the next day, the sky already bright, and Dugu Bo felt a bit impatient, that black smoke rising from the copper cauldron finally stilled and withdrew within the cauldron.
“It’s done.”
Tang San suddenly leapt up, an uncontainable excitement in his voice. His current excitement actually matched his age.
“Little freak, what is it you’ve done?”
Dugu Bo couldn’t help asking.
Tang San released a long breath, looking at Dugu Bo he mysteriously said:
“It’s a treasure. The treasure of a lifetime. I can guarantee that even if it hit you, you would still only have time for three breaths. Of course, it’s no threat to you; your skin is too thick and it couldn’t enter your body. I’ll let you see my masterpiece in a bit.”
A dozen Blue Silver Grass strands whirled out, dragging the copper cauldron back to shore, he waited for the cauldron to slowly cool without urgency.
Since Tang San had already said this, Dugu Bo could only wait. After no less than an hour, after the cauldron had completely cooled, Tang San stepped forward and cautiously uncovered the lid.
Dugu Bo used his poison skills to protect himself, stretching forward his head to look inside the cauldron. Inside, in the center was a small metal disc, surrounded by completely dried up remains, probably the remnants of dried out plants. And in the center of that disc were three one cun[ 1寸 = 10/3 cm.] long, completely unreflective pitch black little needles.
“You’ve worked for half a day, what is?”
Dugu Bo snorted unhappily,
“What use is this toy?”
Tang San grinned and, using Mysterious Jade Hand, cautiously took out the mold, further taking out a prepared small jade case from Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges and slipping the three needles into three grooves.
“It’s a poison capable of killing a Title Douluo, and you’re asking what use it is?”
A burning light flickered in Tang San’s eyes. Back at Tang Sect, this kind of gaze would appear every time he produced a super hidden weapon.
“This thing can kill a Title Douluo? Don’t joke with me.”
Dugu Bo’s expression was disbelieving,
“This little toy wouldn’t even penetrate a Title Douluo’s defense, what use is the poison?”
Tang San glanced at Dugu Bo,
“Do you know about what’s called hidden weapons? Hidden weapons are weapons used surreptitiously. Even if it can be blocked from the front doesn’t mean it can never have any use. Besides, in order to use these three needles I have to first break through the fortieth rank of spirit power. They require a special technique to use. They’re called Yama’s Invitation[ (阎王贴) Literally “Yama’s Sticker”, but in the next bit they speak of the invitation (请帖) of the god of death with a similar character with identical pronunciation. May be a typo.].”
“Yama’s Invitation? Why so?”
Dugu Bo couldn’t make sense of it.
Tang San looked at the three small needles in the jade box in his hand, his eyes expressing an infatuated light, as if looking at a rare treasure,
“‘Yama’ refers to the god of death. When speaking of gods in antiquity, if saying that the god of death had invited you, what did that mean? Naturally it was to have you return to the embrace of the god of death. If Yama called for your death at the third watch, nobody would dare wait until the fifth watch.”
* * *
1寸 = 10/3 cm.
(阎王贴) Literally “Yama’s Sticker”, but in the next bit they speak of the invitation (请帖) of the god of death with a similar character with identical pronunciation. May be a typo.
Chapter 068: Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse And Cluster Soul Chasing Ball
Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)
“Pei, you can return to the arms of death.”
Dugu Bo snappily rapped Tang San on the head. From his expression, Tang San could see he didn’t believe in the power of the Yama’s Invitation in his hand.
Actually, even Tang San hadn’t expected he would be able to refine the Yama’s Invitation.
As the third ranked in the Hundred Weapon Separation of the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, how couldn’t he be excited? In his previous world, any one in the martial world would tremble when hearing the name of the soul and life capturing Yama’s Invitation.
In order to refine Yama’s Invitation, Tang San used forty nine kinds of precious herbs near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, in order to make this Yama’s Invitation’s poison irresistible.
These black little needles basically weren’t metal, but were completely condensed from poisonous substances. Once it entered the body it would immediately turn back into poison, taking effect immediately.
Let alone an antidote, even if one existed, there wouldn’t be a chance to use it. There wouldn’t even be enough time for a hero to cut off his wrist.
Yama’s Invitation, how could it be so easily received?
However, the technique for launching Yama’s Invitation required enormous internal strength. By Tang San’s calculations, to have enough Mysterious Heaven Skill to use Yama’s Invitation, he would need to reach at least the fortieth rank, and moreover his entire internal strength would only be enough for one attack.
But this was already sufficient. Even if Tang San hadn’t tried it, he could be certain that even if he was unable to kill powerful opponents, as long as he could get the Yama’s Invitation to pierce the skin, then the opponent would soon have his life and soul captured.
Cautiously putting the jade box within Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges, Tang San thought to himself that this was fortunately at the side of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, otherwise, where would he find so many precious herbs? Unfortunately, the two higher ranked hidden weapons couldn’t be created just with herbs.
Sorting out his thoughts, Tang San looked at Dugu Bo. Over this past half year, Dugu Bo’s appearance had changed considerably. The originally wretched green hair had already become an ordinary grizzled color and, besides his eyes, his green tint had gradually vanished.
Half a year of medication left Dugu Bo practically without the pain from the poison backlash. But he had after all been poisonous for many years. Completely purging himself was practically impossible.
Dugu Bo was already extremely satisfied with his present condition. Naturally he was aware of his circumstances. At the same time he could be certain that using the same method to eliminate his granddaughter’s poison wouldn’t be a problem.
“Little freak, return it to me.”
Dugu Bo noticed Tang San looking at him, and extended his right hand to make a gesture.
“Return it? Return what?”
Tang San
puzzled asked.
Dugu Bo said:
“What? Don’t tell me you still want to keep my pearl your whole life? I’d hate to part with it.”
Tang San somewhat astonished said:
“You’re not afraid I’ll poison your medicine?”
Dugu Bo snorted,
“By now I’ve internalized the poison skills, gathering them in my spirit bone. Mere poisoning, I suspect there isn’t any kind of poison that can kill me. Even if those little needles of yours could really deal with a Title Douluo, they would be useless against me. Quickly give it back, haven’t you had enough benefit from it alread? In this half year your spirit power has already reached the thirty seventh rank. I’m afraid you’ll absorb all the energy of the pearl.”
Tang San smiled. He knew that even if Dugu Bo didn’t want to admit it, he already didn’t have any wariness towards him. In this half year he had also gradually come to understand Dugu Bo. This seemingly extremely ferocious Poison Douluo actually wasn’t much different from common elders. Even if the words that came out of his mouth were frightening, his basic character wasn’t bad. As long as he wasn’t threatened or offended, he wouldn’t casually go looking for trouble.
“Take it. Frankly, I’m also a bit reluctant to part with it.”
Tang San looked at Dugu Bo with a smile, spreading his arms.
Dugu Bo stepped in front of Tang San, raising his hand to push at Tang San’s stomach. A scorching hot energy immediately provoked a contraction in Tang San’s dantian, and immediately afterward, along with Dugu Bo drawing his hand up, the hot flow followed up to the throat. Tang San opened his mouth, and with a green light the pearl flew out, falling into Dugu Bo’s hand.
Even though it seemed like such a small thing, Tang San still relaxed his whole body. The threat to his life that had troubled him for half a year was finally dealt with. In fact, he hadn’t had any way to deal with Dugu Bo’s pearl.
“Little freak, my poison is also practically under control, and recently I’ve felt your antidot have less and less of an effect on me. There’s a lot of poison accumulated within me, I know that myself, it’s impossible to completely store it in the spirit bone. Besides, my body has already adapted to a certain degree of poison, if I didn’t have any at all, it might actually be harmful. I’ll consider it treated here. Later I’ll bring your teachers as well as my granddaughter, and once you’ve cured Yan-yan, you can leave.”
“You’re letting me leave?”
Tang San looked at Dugu Bo. He didn’t know why, but deep down he was somewhat reluctant to go. Was it a reluctance to part with these precious herbs around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? Perhaps, but that wasn’t everything.
Dugu Bo’s expression seemed somewhat lonely,
“You’re still young, I can’t keep you here for a lifetime. It’s a pity, if you were a few years older, I’d marry my beautiful granddaughter to you, then you could call me grandpa.”
Tang San helplessly shook his head, saying:
“Forget about it, it’s enough for that granddaughter of yours to inherit your traditions. Besides, she’s already got a lover. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan’s direct heir, wouldn’t he be more outstanding than me?”
“Kid, are you provoking me? Even if the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan is powerful, compared to your background it doesn’t count for anything. Besides, that kid Yu Tian-Heng still lacks a lot compared to you.”
“My background?”
Tang San stared blankly, unconsciously recalling his, for several years unseen, even without a letter, father, he couldn’t help sighing,
“What background, I’m just a blacksmith’s son.”
Dugu Bo also stared blankly. Over this half year he had also gained a considerable understanding of Tang San. From his expression he could clearly see that Tang San wasn’t deliberately putting on an act.
“Kid, tell me about your past.”
Dugu Bo pulled Tang San to sit by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Tang San nodded, and besides his greatest secret of passing into this world, he didn’t hide anything about his life since coming to this world.
At once, he spoke of everything from his childhood, spoke of his innate full spirit power, twin spirits, even further spoke about taking Grandmaster as his master, as well as entering Shrek Academy and everything that happened afterward, he recounted everything in detail.
Carefully listening to Tang San’s story, Dugu Bo was inwardly astounded. Even if he was still certain that Tang San was that person’s son, he hadn’t expected he would be left like that in his childhood.
“Then where did you learn about poison? Picking up a book to reach this level? This old man doesn’t believe it.”
Tang San grinned,
“Doesn’t matter if you believe it. It’s a secret, I’m not telling.”
Dugu Bo snorted,
“Then I’ll leave it at that. Take this.”
While speaking, Dugu Bo pulled out a blue leather purse from somewhere and tossed it to Tang San.
The leather purse was only the size of two adult palms, the kind that was hung from the belt. Even if it was much larger than a spice bag, it could comfortably fit in one hand.
“What’s this? Are you bribing me?”
Tang San suspiciously untied the leather purse, without asking he knew this was a spirit tool,
“I already have Teacher’s Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges. You keep this, or give it to your granddaughter.”
Dugu Bo shook his head,
“No, this is different from the one you have. My granddaughter doesn’t like playing with these drugs, giving it to her is a waste. It’s called Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse[ (如意百宝囊)]. Even though that spirit tool of yours is pretty good, it’s still a bit lacking compared to this. Because, yours can hold dead things, mine can hold living things.
Tang San was intelligent, and immediately understood what Dugu Bo was saying. His lips moved slightly, whistling quietly.
A thread of jade light whooshed out from Tang San’s bosom and into his palm, it was precisely that five cun long, entirely jade green Nine Segment Jade.
In the past half year the Nine Segment Jade had shown a not inconsiderable change. Its size hadn’t changed, but its little eyes had become even more sparkling, its whole body also close to transparent, jade green as if carved from perfect jade, red and white streams moving within its body, and when it was motionless it appeared like a decoration rather than a living thing.
“In other words, this little creature can be held inside without suffocating?”
Tang San’s expression was pleasantly surprised. A spirit tool that could hold living things was vastly different from his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges. It wasn’t just holding the little Nine Segment Jade in his hand, even herbs could be kept fresh inside. Like this, he wouldn’t need to render herbs into pills to carry them. In fact, a lot of herbs that could be used fresh would have a better effect the fresher they were.
Dugu Bo looked at Tang San’s surprised face, and grinned,
“Just now you seemed to say you didn’t want it, yes. Then give it back.”
While speaking, he extended his hand and gestured at Tang San.
Perhaps it was because he had been together with Dugu Bo for so long, but Tang San’s character had also been a bit infected. With no trace of politeness he hung the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse on his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges,
“Did I? I can’t remember. Giving me something then still wanting it back, are you still a Title Douluo.”
Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)
Dugu Bo snorted,
“Anyway, there’s only you and me here, what’s a Title Douluo? Title Douluo are still people. I promised you that as long as you could cure my poison, I would grant you three things. The first you’ve already said, I can’t injure Shrek Academy’s people. If I give you this Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, isn’t it a second?”
Tang San winked at Dugu Bo, somewhat in
nocently looking at the Poison Douluo,
“Old freak, just now you were the one who took the initiative yo give it to me. Why should I care what you think?”
“You……”
Dugu Bo was immediately angry, but unfortunately he didn’t have a way against Tang San.
Tang San calmly smiled, touching his waist, he flicked his wrist, holding out his palm to Dugu Bo,
“Even if the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse can’t be considered one of the conditions, I can’t take something for nothing. I’ll give you this in return.”
Dugu Bo looked at Tang San’s palm. In it quietly lay two not very large iron balls, completely pitch black, without any visible features.
“What’s this? Poison? Or a tonic?”
Dugu Bo sniffed, but didn’t smell anything, and asked curiously.
Tang San smiled:
“Can’t you see? These are two iron balls. Where would there be any drugs, old freak, don’t tell me you can’t even tell the difference between medicine and metal?”
Dugu Bo glared at him, saying:
“How can these two things compare to my Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse?”
Tang San said:
“Why wouldn’t they. They can save your life.”
Dugu Bo snorted disdainfully,
“Little freak, there’s no problem with your brain. This old man is a Title Douluo, there aren’t many people in this world who could prevail over me, just a few people with abnormal strength, what can relying on these two iron balls do?”
Tang San said:
“You don’t believe me? Then fine, I would be reluctant to give them to you.”
While speaking, he was about to withdraw the iron balls.
With a flash of green light, before Tang San could turn his wrist, those two iron balls were already in Dugu Bo’s hand,
“Giving things and then taking them back, aren’t you the cheeky one? Tell me. What use are these things.”
Dugu Bo held the two iron balls in his left and right hand, but didn’t see any result. Using the other hand to pinch one, he was just about to test its strength when Tang San hurriedly stopped him.
“Do you want to die? Don’t pinch it.”