The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 101

The Divine Doctor of Mount Hua (101)

A secluded courtyard behind an inn.

“I’m ready.”

Kadootal, who had been yawning widely, turned his head at Dan Akseon’s voice from behind.

“Ready for what?”

Dan Akseon spoke with a serious expression.

“A duel. I won’t be defeated so easily this time.”

Kadootal stared at Dan Akseon, who seemed to have been diligently preparing since their last defeat.

‘No way.’

Kadootal had no intention of readily agreeing to a duel.

“You’re not ready yet.”

“Huh?”

Kadootal approached Dan Akseon, who wore a puzzled expression, and whispered something.

“……!”

Dan Akseon’s eyes wavered.

“No! That’s not true!”

Kadootal grinned at Dan Akseon, who strongly denied it.

“Is that so? How can you be so sure?”

“Well…….”

Dan Akseon turned his head towards Beomgyewi and Han Seolhwa, who were standing far apart.

“Those two would never do that.”

Beomgyewi tilted his head, wondering why their names were suddenly being brought up.

“What would they never do?”

“The two of them are…….”

Dan Akseon blushed and trailed off, seemingly embarrassed to explain.

Then, with a slightly suspicious look, he asked back.

“Right?”

“So, what is it?”

Kadootal hurriedly stepped in.

“Haha, it’s nothing.”

Kadootal turned to Dan Akseon.

“You’re shaken by such a simple provocation; do you call that being ready?”

Dan Akseon looked surprised.

“I see…… this time too.”

“Yes, it’s a lie.”

Kadootal said with a solemn expression.

“In real battles, all sorts of insidious schemes run rampant, incomparable to what you see now. If you can maintain your composure even in the face of my divisive tactics, then I will agree to a duel.”

Dan Akseon sighed and stepped back.

Even though he knew it was a lie, he found himself momentarily swayed by Kadootal’s words. Truly, he was more skilled than anyone at manipulating people’s hearts.

Just then,

A person entered the courtyard, guided by an employee of the inn.

“I think those are the people.”

The employee pointed to Dan Akseon’s group, and the man following him muttered.

“A beauty that catches the eye, a giant with a frame like an iron tower, a cute child, and a goatee…….”

The dark-skinned man’s face lit up.

The man, looking pleased, approached and asked Beomgyewi abruptly.

“Are you by any chance Doctor Akil of the Jinseong Family?”

“Huh? Akil?”

Beomgyewi, who had been wearing a puzzled expression, suddenly remembered something.

It was the name he had used in the Murim Alliance [a loose organization of martial artists].

Beomgyewi grinned.

“Oh, I’m Akil. It means the best among the wicked.”

“Ah! That’s a relief. I’ve finally found you. I’ve been searching every inn in the vicinity to find you.”

“You were looking for us?”

The man nodded at Beomgyewi’s question.

“My name is Gu Chil, and I work making dyed fabrics under Master Yeom. Master Ak Gong [Cho Akryang’s alias] has a message for you…….”

Before Gu Chil could finish speaking,

“Uncle Cho?”

Dan Akseon, who had run over unnoticed, sparkled his eyes.

“What did he say?”

Just as Gu Chil was about to relay Cho Akryang’s message, Beomgyewi stopped Dan Akseon and stepped forward.

“Show me some proof.”

“Pardon?”

“Do I look naive enough to believe whatever you say without question?”

Gu Chil blinked, then suddenly remembered something.

“He said there would be a bald eunuch receiving treatment here…….”

“You son of a……!”

Gu Chil was startled by Beomgyewi’s thunderous shout and collapsed on the spot.

“N, no, it’s not me saying that, it was Master Ak Gong…….”

Han Seolhwa stepped forward, pushing past Beomgyewi, who was screaming and ranting.

“What’s the message?”

Gu Chil stared blankly up at Han Seolhwa for a moment.

He had never seen such a stunning beauty in his life.

“Ah! Cha Geo!”

Startled by the sudden chill that crept down his neck, Gu Chil belatedly met Han Seolhwa’s gaze, which was fixed on him, and hurriedly opened his mouth.

“He said not to go to Cheongseong, but to head straight to Wudang. He will join you there in due time.”

Disappointment that he couldn’t hide washed over Dan Akseon’s face, who had been looking forward to reuniting with Cho Akryang.

“To Hebei?”

Gu Chil nodded at Han Seolhwa’s question.

“Yes. He said you won’t be able to meet the leader of Cheongseong.”

Han Seolhwa was puzzled and lost in thought for a moment. On the other hand, Beomgyewi’s face visibly hardened.

The long-standing grudge between Cho Akryang and the Cheongseong Sect.

He was one of the few who knew the reason.

‘So, he couldn’t hold back after all?’

The worst thing he had feared had happened.

‘Speak of the devil…….’

He had once told Dan Akseon that if Cho Akryang were around, something would have gone wrong. Recalling those words, Beomgyewi slapped his own mouth.

“This damn mouth is the problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

Beomgyewi smiled awkwardly at Dan Akseon’s question.

“Nothing. It’s nothing…….”

After Gu Chil left, the group immediately left the inn.

Since Cho Akryang’s joining them was canceled, there was no reason to stay any longer.

They turned towards Hebei, where Mount Wudang was located.

How long had they been walking?

“Dan Doctor, aren’t you uncomfortable?”

Beomgyewi lifted Dan Akseon and placed him on his shoulders.

“Shall we run wild for a change?”

Dan Akseon nodded with a gloomy face.

Beomgyewi began to dash forward, using his qinggong [a martial art technique that allows the user to move swiftly and lightly]. Han Seolhwa silently followed behind, flying like a shadow.

Kadootal did the same.

Having the chance to fully utilize his inner energy and unleash his qinggong, Kadootal was thrilled.

But after about an hour, his inner strength gradually began to deplete.

‘Damn it!’

Kadootal, who was quickly running out of breath, glanced at Beomgyewi and Han Seolhwa.

They still showed no signs of fatigue.

They were truly monstrous people. He had prided himself on being a master of qinggong, second to none in the Murim world, but compared to them, he was like a firefly in front of the full moon.

An hour later,

A groan involuntarily escaped from Kadootal’s exhausted mouth.

“Please put me down now.”

Beomgyewi’s figure stopped abruptly at Dan Akseon’s words.

The group had already crossed the border of Hubei and reached Jun County.

“Is that Mount Wudang?”

High peaks shrouded in mysterious mist.

“Oh dear. Did we come all the way here just for a breath of fresh air?”

Beomgyewi paused, feigning innocence. Dan Akseon was staring up at him.

“Please tell me now.”

“Huh? What?”

“What’s going on?”

“Well…….”

Beomgyewi hesitated inwardly.

He hoped it would end as a needless worry, but for some reason, he kept having a bad feeling. But if he told the truth, he was worried that Dan Akseon would be concerned.

Dan Akseon asked again.

“Is Uncle Cho in danger?”

Han Seolhwa shook her head.

“Don’t worry. If you were to pick someone in the entire Murim world who has even a slight chance of defeating me, it would only be Cho Oraboni [term of endearment for older brother].”

Beomgyewi bristled at those words.

“What about me?”

Han Seolhwa smirked at Beomgyewi.

It was just that, but the meaning behind it was clear.

Beomgyewi, his pride wounded, glared at Han Seolhwa with a scowl. He wanted to start a proper fight, but now was not the time.

“That’s only when he’s in good shape. Even if it’s Uncle Cho, he’s in danger now.”

In the end, Beomgyewi explained the long-standing grudge between Cho Akryang and the Cheongseong Sect.

After the rather long story ended, Dan Akseon sighed.

Only then did he realize why Cho Akryang’s words were so few whenever the Cheongseong Sect was mentioned.

“I didn’t even know…….”

Despite having such a story, Cho Akryang had silently endured coming to Sichuan for him, who needed the list of names.

“Don’t worry, Dan Doctor.”

Beomgyewi thumped his chest with his fist.

“I’ll go and bring Uncle Cho back.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Beomgyewi shook his head at Han Seolhwa’s words.

“You, the witch, have to protect Dan Doctor.”

Beomgyewi immediately sent a telepathic message.

―I don’t want to show Dan Doctor.

―Show what?

―Just everything.

Beomgyewi continued the telepathic message.

―Cho Hyung [term of endearment for older brother], who is usually so calm, is charging into Cheongseong at this time? There must be a reason.

“…….”

―It feels like a very gruesome scene will unfold.

Han Seolhwa thought for a moment and nodded.

Dan Akseon looked up at Beomgyewi and said.

“Please. Please bring Uncle Cho back. I’ll wait here.”

“There’s no need to go that far…….”

“No. I’ll wait.”

Dan Akseon said with a stubborn look.

“The list of names, and making martial arts forbidden……. All of that was started for all of us from the beginning. It’s meaningless without Uncle Cho. And Uncle Beom too. So…….”

Dan Akseon trailed off, gazing at Beomgyewi with sincere eyes.

“Please come back safely.”

Beomgyewi grinned.

“Trust me.”

Having obtained Dan Akseon’s permission, Beomgyewi flew away.

As Beomgyewi’s figure quickly disappeared into the distance, eventually turning into a small dot, Dan Akseon let out a soft sigh.

“Will he be alright?”

Han Seolhwa patted Dan Akseon’s shoulder silently.

‘Even if there’s no one to worry about.’

Rather, Kadootal felt sorry for the Cheongseong Sect, who would face an unexpected disaster. Then, a thought suddenly crossed Kadootal’s mind.

‘Wait? Could this be an opportunity?’

Kadootal glanced at Han Seolhwa.

With her distracted, it was a situation where he could run away with Dan Akseon.

An opportunity he couldn’t even imagine when Cho Akryang and Beomgyewi were around!

As Kadootal was watching Han Seolhwa, a look of bewilderment appeared in his eyes.

Her expression, as she stared at the place where Beomgyewi had disappeared, looked different from usual.

‘Is she worried? About those two?’

Knowing the relationship between the three, who were always bickering, Kadootal was momentarily confused.

‘Come to think of it…….’

Kadootal turned his head and looked at Dan Akseon’s expression.

Seeing Dan Akseon’s eyes, which were genuinely worried about the group even at this moment, made him feel strangely sentimental.

‘It’s like a family.’

Kadootal felt a strange emotion.

He had lived his whole life freely, without being tied to anyone.

But somehow, at this moment, he felt envious of them.

* * *

The Sangcheong Palace of the Cheongseong Sect.

This is the largest building among the dozens of Taoist shrines clustered on Mount Cheongseong.

Historically, it is second only to the Cheonsadong.

That’s why Cheongmyeong Sanin recently moved the headmaster’s office here.

Of course, there was also the reason that he didn’t like the No Gun-gak, where his teacher and former headmaster, Unsan Jin-in, resided. Somehow, the No Gun-gak seemed to symbolize the declining Cheongseong Sect.

Although it is inferior to Wudang in martial arts and to Hwasan in reputation, Cheongseong is still the most historically deep Taoist sect in name and reality.

Cheongseong Mountain was also where Jang Do-reung, the founder of Cheonsado [a Taoist religious movement], preached the doctrines of the Odomi-do to the people, and is therefore still recognized as one of the origins of Taoism.

The building built where Jang Do-reung stayed is the Sangcheong Palace.

What place could be more suitable to symbolize the authority of the Cheongseong Sect’s headmaster?

Cheongmyeong Sanin smiled contentedly as he adjusted the robes presented by his disciples.

The inauguration ceremony is only two weeks away.

Soon, congratulatory envoys from each sect will arrive.

At that place, he was going to show off the Cheongseong Sect’s continued existence.

For a long time.

He will reveal the results of his training in the deep mountains and valleys, away from the eyes of the people, and rewrite the history of Murim.

‘First, I will put my name on the list of the Five Great Masters of the World.’