The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 1

The Divine Doctor of New Demonic Arts (1)

Deep dawn, shrouded in darkness.

A figure walked along a rugged mountain path, cutting through the thick fog.

Perhaps in his mid-fifties.

A middle-aged man with sharp eyes and defined features was quite striking. His gaze was keen, betraying a sharp intellect and years of experience.

However, his complexion was extremely pale.

His martial attire, torn and tattered, hung like rags, and blood incessantly trickled from his mouth.

The exposed wounds were, without exception, gruesome.

In particular, a stab wound that began near his right collarbone ran across his chest to his opposite side.

A chunk of flesh, larger than a handful, was missing from his thigh.

The metal bolt deeply embedded in his shoulder also bobbed with every breath.

He was utterly battered.

It was a miracle he was alive with such critical injuries, yet he did not fall. His resilience was a testament to his iron will and years of training.

He simply gritted his teeth and repeatedly moved forward.

How long had he walked like that?

“Kuh…….”

A groan escaped the middle-aged man’s lips before long.

‘Is this the end?’

The thread of his life force finally snapped.

Blood began to gush from all the wounds on his body.

There was no longer any way to stop the bleeding he had barely suppressed with his internal energy.

A look of hollow laughter appeared on his face. A bitter smile played on his lips as he accepted his fate.

Then, he collapsed to the ground as if breaking.

An overwhelming despair washed over him.

As he gasped for what might be his last breath, a faint fragrance brushed past his nose.

Cho Ak-ryang strained to lift his eyelids.

Flowers in full bloom came into view. A vibrant splash of color against the encroaching darkness.

Gathering the last of his strength, he barely managed to roll over.

Wouldn’t watching the stars filling the night sky be a rather poetic death?

But…….

‘Damn it.’

He couldn’t see anything because of the thick fog.

It was all hazy and pitch black.

‘Just like my situation.’

It was then that he felt the strength draining from his body.

At the same time, his consciousness began to fade. He tried to lift his heavy eyelids, but even that was not easy.

‘So, this is really the end……, huh?’

Cho Ak-ryang could not continue his final thoughts.

Because of the face that suddenly appeared before him.

At most, about twelve years old?

A cute face that made you feel good just by looking at it. An innocent visage that radiated warmth and kindness.

And a boy with clear, bright eyes that stood out.

Cho Ak-ryang lost consciousness without even having a chance to examine the boy’s face further.

It was after a long time that Cho Ak-ryang regained consciousness.

Cho Ak-ryang couldn’t help but feel bewildered when he opened his eyes.

He, who should have been dead, was still alive.

‘Where is this?’

Come to think of it, the surrounding scenery had also changed.

He was lying in an unfamiliar room, on a clean bed.

He looked around.

It was a simple room with only a bed, a few pieces of furniture, and a table, but there was a scroll hanging on one wall.

Even he, who knew nothing about art, couldn’t help but admire the elegant calligraphy of the scroll.

As Cho Ak-ryang inadvertently tried to get up, he groaned without realizing it.

“Kuh!”

The pain that had been dormant throughout his body awakened all at once as soon as he moved.

It was an excruciating pain that made him shudder.

However, he gritted his teeth and got up.

“Haa……. Haa…….”

Cho Ak-ryang propped himself up against the wall with both hands, gasping for breath.

Even just getting out of bed caused sweat to pour from his body like rain.

‘Damn it!’

Forcing his unresponsive limbs, he staggered out.

“……!”

Cho Ak-ryang’s eyes widened in an instant.

He was at a loss for words at the sight before him.

A basin surrounded by towering cliffs like a folding screen.

The sight of a waterfall cascading from the cliff, creating a misty spray, was truly spectacular.

At the end of the waterfall was a pond.

A clear pond that made his heart feel refreshed just by looking at it.

A stream that started there flowed across one side of the basin.

Next to the pond stood a two-story building, exuding a picturesque charm.

As he looked around, his gaze stopped at one place.

The crimson flowers that looked as if red dye would stain his hand if he touched them. The waves of scarlet blossoms filling the field captivated his eyes.

It was then that a breeze blew.

The subtle fragrance carried by the gentle breeze quickly filled the valley.

‘I collapsed there.’

Cho Ak-ryang was wearing a wry smile as he recalled the past.

“Oh? You shouldn’t be up yet…….”

Cho Ak-ryang turned his head toward the voice.

Not far away.

The boy he had seen just before losing consciousness was approaching.

“You need to rest now.”

Instead of answering, Cho Ak-ryang stared at the boy and cautiously opened his mouth.

“Who are you?”

“Me? I’m Dan Ak-seon.”

Cho Ak-ryang frowned.

“I’m not asking for your name.”

The boy, who identified himself as Dan Ak-seon, tilted his head for a moment. Then, he nodded.

“I’m the one who saved you, mister.”

“You saved me? You did?”

“Yes. I’m a doctor.”

Cho Ak-ryang was taken aback.

He couldn’t help but think he was a very cheeky kid.

A child who hadn’t even lost his baby fat was a doctor.

“Let’s talk about the details inside.”

Dan Ak-seon urged again.

“You’re in a state where you could die at any moment, so I think it’s better to go inside and lie down.”

Dan Ak-seon passed Cho Ak-ryang, went inside the cabin, and pointed to the bed.

However, Cho Ak-ryang was reluctant to follow.

He couldn’t understand the situation at all.

“Are you really saying that you treated me?”

At his wary appearance, Dan Ak-seon smiled quietly.

“There’s no one here but me. If it’s not me, there’s no one to treat you or attack you. So, please come in and lie down.”

Cho Ak-ryang’s eyebrows twitched.

“Do you know who I am?”

Dan Ak-seon pondered for a moment before answering.

“A sick person.”

“…….”

Cho Ak-ryang was speechless. Then Dan Ak-seon urged once more.

“Hurry. If we don’t continue the treatment quickly, it will be difficult to reverse. Do you know how hard I worked to save you?”

Cho Ak-ryang groaned.

‘Certainly…….’

That was true.

Wasn’t he as good as dead before he lost consciousness? Besides, Dan Ak-seon’s face held innocent eyes without any ulterior motives.

In the end, Cho Ak-ryang lay back down on the bed.

Dan Ak-seon handed him a damp cloth.

“First, wet your throat. It’s been three days since you woke up.”

To the puzzled Cho Ak-ryang, Dan Ak-seon continued to explain.

“You lost too much blood. If you drink water as usual in your current condition, it can put a strain on your body. You can put that in your mouth and suck on it slowly.”

Cho Ak-ryang silently followed Dan Ak-seon’s instructions.

“Then, I’ll start.”

Dan Ak-seon took out a small wooden box from his pocket. And from it, he took out needles of different sizes.

The needles were made of an extraordinary material at a glance.

The handle of the blue-tinged needle was made of ivory, which was quite unique. And the delicate carvings on the needle tip.

A memory he had heard somewhere came to mind.

“Celestial Reliance Needles (仙仰針)?”

“Oh? You know about them?”

Cho Ak-ryang was surprised by Dan Ak-seon’s question.

“How do you have the divine artifacts of the Saintly Hand Divine Physician (聖手神醫)…….”

“He’s my father. Now, I’ll start applying pressure to your blood points.”

Before he could finish speaking, Dan Ak-seon’s hands moved. In the blink of an eye, needles were stuck all over Cho Ak-ryang’s body.

“……!”

Cho Ak-ryang was horrified as he felt his entire body stiffen in an instant.

‘Simultaneously targeting the lethal and dormant blood points?’

It was truly an exquisite blood point technique.

But it was nothing compared to the surprise that followed.

‘The pain is disappearing!’

The seething energy calmed down, and his body began to feel comfortable quickly.

‘Perhaps…….’

Cho Ak-ryang’s heart began to pound.

If the boy in front of him was really the son of the Saintly Hand Divine Physician…….

And if he had inherited his medical skills?

‘I can live!’

The Saintly Hand Divine Physician was a doctor who would save anyone as long as they were still breathing.

‘Wait?’

But there was a problem.

The Saintly Hand Divine Physician had only treated righteous martial artists.

‘Has it already been twenty years since he disappeared from the martial world?’

At one time, all sorts of information organizations in the martial world had stirred up the Jianghu [the martial arts world] to find him. Including the Thousand Change Gate, the Beggars’ Sect, the Hao Clan, and even the Six Fan Gates of the government.

But no one found any trace of him.

As he was engrossed in such thoughts.

Swoosh.

Cho Ak-ryang’s entire body was relieved as his shoulder area cooled down.

Cho Ak-ryang exclaimed.

“It’s true that you saved me.”

Now there was no way he could not believe it. He had seen it and experienced it himself, so how could he doubt it any further?

But soon, another question arose.

“Why did you save me?”

Dan Ak-seon widened his eyes and asked back.

“Does a doctor need a reason to save a patient?”

“Just…… is that all?”

Cho Ak-ryang sighed and said.

“I’m not a righteous martial artist.”

“Is that so?”

“As far as I know…….”

Cho Ak-ryang carefully continued.

“I know that the Saintly Hand Divine Physician has only treated righteous people throughout his life.”

“Ah! So you’re an unorthodox martial artist?”

“That’s right.”

“I see.”

Dan Ak-seon smiled as if he found it interesting.

On the other hand, Cho Ak-ryang’s eyes turned cold.

“What’s the answer to my question?”

“I’m sorry for laughing. It’s hard to explain.”

Dan Ak-seon, who had stopped smiling, looked at Cho Ak-ryang.

“I’m not my father.”

Still, Cho Ak-ryang couldn’t shake off his suspicion. Dan Ak-seon pouted at the sight.

“I wasn’t taught that saving people is wrong either.”

Then, he added bluntly.

“It’s your only life. Cherish it. There must be someone who will be sad when you die.”

“There’s no one who will be sad for me.”

Cho Ak-ryang said firmly.

“Is that so?”

Dan Ak-seon added bitterly.

“I’ll be sad. If you die.”

This time, Dan Ak-seon took out another wooden box.

When he opened the box, a red needle appeared. It was a needle with a handle made of jet-black ebony. Cho Ak-ryang was startled and shouted when he discovered the demon-like figure carved on the handle.

“Demon Spirit Needle (魔靈鍼)!”

Dan Ak-seon asked with a surprised expression.

“You know this too?”

“How can I not recognize the divine artifact of the Life and Death Demon Physician (生死魔醫), who stands at the pinnacle of unorthodox medicine along with the Saintly Hand Divine Physician?”

She, too, had disappeared at the same time as the Saintly Hand Divine Physician. She, who had only treated unorthodox martial artists, was famous for her eccentric personality as much as her exquisite medical skills.

The words she left behind when she disappeared were still talked about.

―You ungrateful bastards, may you all become eunuchs.

“Could it be?”

The boy nodded at Cho Ak-ryang’s question.

“Yes. She’s my mother.”

“The Divine Physician and the Demonic Physician got married?”

“So that’s why I’m here, right?”

His expression seemed a little sulky. The suspicion soon turned into conviction.

“It’s going to hurt a bit this time.”

The moment Dan Ak-seon inserted the Demon Spirit Needle.

“Keuh!”

A scream-like groan erupted from Cho Ak-ryang’s mouth.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I forgot to apply pressure to the blood points.”

At that moment, Cho Ak-ryang felt his entire body paralyzed once again. But the pain was still there.

He had been composed even at the threshold of death.

But the pain now was so terrible that it could not be compared to anything then.

The problem was that there was nothing he could do about it.

He could only swallow his screams inside.

* * *

Three days later.

Cho Ak-ryang, who woke up in the morning, looked down at himself and muttered.

“I…….”

His body condition was definitely different.

“I’m alive.”

He had overcome the precarious crisis.

“The son of the Divine Physician and the Demonic Physician…….”

Cho Ak-ryang moved slowly and left the cabin. It was still difficult and painful, but it was nothing compared to three days ago.

Could there be any other stroke of good luck?

Meeting Dan Ak-seon just before death was already a miracle.

It was then that Cho Ak-ryang was enjoying the rare sunshine.

Far away.

There was a figure entering the entrance of the Divine Demon Valley.

It was Dan Ak-seon.

“Oh? You’re up?”

Dan Ak-seon, who found Cho Ak-ryang, ran over.

His face was much brighter than usual.

“Look at this, mister!”

Dan Ak-seon took something out of the pouch he was wearing around his waist and held it out. It was a grass with pure white flowers and nine leaves.

“Hehe. I finally found it!”

“Is that why you’re in such a good mood?”

Dan Ak-seon smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes! This is called Spirit Recovery Grass (氣靈草), and it’s a good herb for internal injuries. It’s usually hard to find, but I was lucky.”

“You don’t mean…… you found it for me?”

“Of course! Just wait a little bit. I’ll prepare it for you soon!”

Cho Ak-ryang reached out and grabbed Dan Ak-seon, who was turning around.

“How did you get like this?”

Cho Ak-ryang asked, staring at Dan Ak-seon’s hands, which were scratched and scraped and covered in blood.

‘Come to think of it……?’

It wasn’t just his hands.

His whole body was covered in dirt, and his neck and cheeks were full of wounds. Judging from the fact that the blood was not dry, the wounds were recent.

Dan Ak-seon smiled nonchalantly.

“Spirit Recovery Grass grows in a bit of a rough place.”

“……!”

Cho Ak-ryang was speechless.

The child in front of him was only twelve years old.

This young child had braved the dangerous mountain path alone for the sake of a stranger.

His heart ached.

Decades of traversing the Sword Mountain and Blade Forest (刀山劍林) [a metaphor for a life filled with hardship and danger].

It was a feeling he had felt for the first time in a long time.

“Come to think of it, there’s something I haven’t told you yet.”

“What is it?”

Cho Ak-ryang bowed politely to Dan Ak-seon.