High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 155: Chapter 79 Spirit Turtle_1

”Deep within the Silent Forest, a gray sparrow and a carrier rat share a den, dwelling in Stone Mountain.”

”From the mountain shared by bird and rat, three hundred and sixty steps to the southwest, there is a mound, topped with redwood, shaped like an old man in his twilight years, bearing red fruits; to the north of the mound, a beautiful stone of a blackish-yellow color; laying to the south of the mound, a Spirit Turtle, with a horn protruding from its forehead.”

”This turtle is divine and extraordinary. It turns white at a hundred years old, fur sprouts from its shell at a thousand years, and at ten thousand years, it can converse with humans.”

”Take the shell of a hundred-year-old white turtle, sacrifice the turtle to forecast, practicing No Loose Ends.”

”Take the shell of the thousand-year-old Furry Turtle, roast it over fire and grind it to consume, using one intact piece can prolong life by a hundred years.”

”When encountering a ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Turtle, light incense and pray, . wishing for fortune and fate, which shall not fail.”

As Doctor Duzem muttered these words, he moved an elderly turtle covered in long fur from beneath his desk and placed it before the two young wizards.

The elderly turtle’s shell was rugged and uneven, covered in grayish white long fur, its head and legs shrunken within the shell. At first glance, it resembled a piece of moldy wood.

”Is this the thousand-year-old Spirit Turtle you just mentioned?” Zheng Qing looked at the ’wood’ in front of him with a hint of reverence and asked respectfully.

This was the first time he encountered a creature that had lived for over a thousand years up close.

Just by standing next to it, one could feel a wave of historical profoundness.

It was awe-inspiring.

The doctor slightly nodded his head, then bent his fingers and knocked on the old turtle’s shell.

”Ding, ding, ding.”

The knock sounded as though metal was colliding with stone, producing a crisp and melodious sound.

The shell jittered, then, the sound of scratching followed.

The head and limbs of the old turtle slowly emerged from the shell.

A short individual horn that looked like a solidified cup of wine, bright as the moon, was the first to meet everyone’s eyes.

”Since you don’t want the ’Sage’s Powder’, I will take the trouble to mix you several doses of ’Residual Spirit Powder’.” As they waited for the turtle’s slow emergence, Doctor Duzem clapped his hands and spoke to Zheng Qing, ”This recipe comes directly from the anecdote I just told. The shell of a thousand-year-old Spirit Turtle contains abundant life energy. It is a very important main ingredient in many life-saving miracles.”

While he spoke, the Spirit Turtle that was lying on the desk lethargically started to stick out its head and limbs.

It slowly blinked, shaking off the floating dust and cobwebs on its eyelids. It opened its mouth, silently stretched its neck, lifted its head, and looked at the doctor.

Doctor Duzem cast a glance at it, didn’t speak, but took out a short-handled silver knife from the tool box and started wiping it with a silk cloth.

”Are you planning on killing the turtle to remove the shell?” Jiang Yu suddenly stepped forward, stretched her arm to shield the turtle, raised her voice slightly, ”I can’t let you do this.”

Zheng Qing was taken aback, then suddenly realized, and quickly shook his head, he also objected, ”I don’t agree either, I don’t agree either.”

To hurt an innocent life for a group of elves, this was unacceptable to him under any circumstances.

”I could choose the ’Sage’s Powder’, at worst I’ll borrow some jade coins from the Wandering Wizard to tide things over.” Zheng Qing worriedly looked at the short knife in the doctor’s hand and quickly said, ”Saving lives by killing lives, that’s just not a good idea.”

Jiang Yu turned to look at him, revealing a brilliant smile, holding up her Kun bag, ”I can lend you money, interest-free!”

”Thump!” A loud sound on the desk redirected the attention of the two young wizards.

Doctor Duzem had his hands on the table, his eyes were gaping with empty sockets, looking very terrifying. His voice was an octave higher than Jiang Yu, ”Kill the turtle to take the shell? Do I look that stupid to you?”

The old turtle with its neck stretched out also twisted its head, blinking its tiny eyes, about the size of a mung bean, and mocked the two young wizards.

Zheng Qing had never thought that a turtle could demonstrate such expressive facial expressions.

Truly worthy of being a thousand-year turtle, he thought privately.

”But,” Jiang Yu’s face turned red, her extended arm slowly shrank back, she said softly, ”Didn’t you just say you were going to kill an entire turtle, and after taking the shell, grind it, and roast it over the fire?”

Zheng Qing was nodding vigorously on the side, indicating that he also heard it.

”Is that the extent of children’s understanding these days?” Doctor Du Zemu lowered his head, looking helplessly at the old turtle.

A trickle of blood plasma streamed from his eyes.

The old turtle quickly extended its neck, its long tongue sucking up the blood plasma.

Then it retracted its neck, smacked its mouth, and slowly shook its head.

”Take the shell of a thousand-year-old turtle, roast, pound, and swallow it all, extend one’s life by a hundred years--is that the verse?” The doctor took out a jade slip from his toolbox, wiped it carefully with a silk cloth, and asked in a loud voice.

The two young wizards quickly nodded their heads.

”Either of you two, want to translate?”

Jiang Yu glanced at Zheng Qing, signaling him to speak with her eyes.

Zheng Qing cleared his throat and roughly translated, ”It means that the shell of a thousand-year-old turtle, ground into powder after being heated by fire, can extend life by a hundred years.”

”The youth of today are just so imprecise.” The doctor shook his head, sighing repeatedly. ”If you want to accurately understand the original intention of ancient verse, you must translate it directly, not paraphrase it... Paraphrasing always leads to omissions.”

The old turtle also nodded its head repeatedly, showing an expression of agreement.

”I only need to extend the lifespan of your little elves by a week or two. Do I need a whole turtle shell? Think!” Doctor Du Zemu pointed at his head, asking, ”If you think about it, do you expect a life-extending potion for a hundred years to cost only one gold bean?”

Zheng Qing and Jiang Yu’s faces turned red simultaneously.

Doctor Du Zemu paused, not continuing to reprimand the two young people, but added, ”That verse comes from an ancient great wizard. The ’extend one’s life by a hundred years’ naturally refers to people of that wizard’s caliber... Can a group of little sprites’ consumption amount to a fingertip of the great wizard?”

”Equality among all beings,” Zheng Qing grumbled quietly.

”What?” The doctor asked loudly.

”He’s saying, what we should do.” Jiang Yu intervened in exasperation. She glared at Zheng Qing and said to the doctor, ”How long will it take for you to create this remedy? Should we wait here?”

”Not long, not long.” The doctor waved his hand, hesitating for a moment before adding, ”However, I indeed need your assistance.”

Hearing this, Zheng Qing’s spirits lifted as he rolled up his sleeves and looked at the workbench by the wall, an eager expression on his face.

”You two, stay away from the workbench.” The doctor took a step to block Zheng Qing’s view and pointed out the window with an impassive face, ”You go to the yard and cut twelve tender leaves from the top of that old mulberry tree; the leaves must have fruits...these are the tools. Cut with the jade slip, place them on the porcelain plate. Remember, don’t touch with your hands, don’t take leaves from dead branches, and don’t take fruits from old mulberry leaves.”

Zheng Qing took the jade slip and porcelain plate, deflated, then headed towards the courtyard with Jiang Yu.

He really wanted to see how the doctor made this medicine.

If he could assist, that would be even better.

Watching the two young people leave the study, Doctor Du Zemu lowered his head, counted the little sprites in the box one more time, and then looked back at the spirit turtle.

”Old guy, let’s make a deal,” he said gleefully, rubbing his hands together, ”How about you lend me twelve whiskers?”

The old turtle lifted its head, opened its mouth wide, and stared angrily at the doctor, shaking its head resolutely.

”Just twelve strands. When we’re done, I’ll give you a pill made from ’Sage’s Powder’.” His large hand pressed down, roughly plucking a handful of gray hair from the turtle’s back. ”I didn’t even touch your shell, don’t be so stingy.”

”Ah...” The turtle shoved his hand with its head, letting out an angry roar from its throat.

”Oh, a few extras...Don’t worry, consider it a discount.” The doctor looked into its gaping eyes, chuckling as he twirled the gray hair between his fingers.

Old servant Constantin had somehow reappeared in the study.

After looking worriedly at the turtle, he whispered, ”Young Master, it’s time for lunch.”

”The guests haven’t left, let’s eat later, let’s eat later!” Doctor Du Zemu waved his hand repeatedly. After hesitating for a moment, he ordered, ”Bring me my eyeballs... I think they’ve been soaking a bit too long today.”

Speaking, he picked up a silver short knife beside him and began to finely chop the gray hair plucked from the turtle’s back.

On the desk, the old turtle watched malevolently as the two eyeballs floated up and down in a cup of liquid. It opened its mouth, but eventually closed it with a huff.