The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 249

The Unfolding Situation (1)

In the ensuing uncomfortable silence, Hwangbo-eon found himself shrinking back, almost involuntarily.

Leaving aside the fact that Dan-ak-seon had completely taken the reins, he had been feeling overwhelmed by the child before him for some time now.

Dan-ak-seon’s gaze, urging a decision, held an indescribable, peculiar aura.

Hwangbo-eon pondered.

What if the Murim Alliance abandoned them, as Dan-ak-seon suggested?

‘We cannot avoid annihilation.’

Even if they were lucky enough to narrowly escape, their power would never be the same.

Even if the Murim Alliance helped, the situation wouldn’t be much different.

With undeniable evidence against them, they would be the first to be attacked.

In any scenario, there was no escape for him.

Finally steeling himself, Hwangbo-eon sighed heavily.

“What do you want?”

“Tell me everything you know.”

Hwangbo-eon nodded and opened his mouth with a grave expression.

“Before that, let me make something clear.”

Hwangbo-eon met Dan-ak-seon’s gaze.

“I only learned that the Seven Fiends Monarch was connected to Je Gal-yeon after the funeral of the Beggars’ Sect Leader. If I had known, I would never have brazenly attended the funeral.”

“That’s no excuse.”

“It’s not an excuse, but…”

“Even after learning the truth, you helped and cooperated with Je Gal-yeon, didn’t you? You chose to remain silent instead of revealing the truth.”

Hwangbo-eon’s face turned pale at those words.

He was truly speechless.

Even if he had ten mouths, he had nothing to say.

It was then that Cho-ak-ryang, who had been silently standing, spoke.

“Didn’t you say that a cornered animal might do anything?”

“……”

“It seems you’re already cornered enough.”

At Cho-ak-ryang’s words, Hwangbo-eon trembled as if struck by lightning.

“‘A desperate bird flies into one’s arms’ is a saying for times like these.”

It meant that a bird cornered would fly into a person’s arms. [Meaning, even an enemy can become an ally in dire straits.]

In short, it meant relying on even an enemy in a difficult situation.

“The Green Forest has already established a relationship of shared destiny with us. Adding one more won’t sink the ship of Muwi so easily.”

Cho-ak-ryang’s eyes turned cold.

“But you’ll have to pay the fare properly.”

Hwangbo-eon, who had been staring at Cho-ak-ryang with wavering eyes, finally nodded.

He felt a sense of guilt about Lee-rip’s death.

So, he began to reveal everything he knew.

“I learned all the facts after returning from the Beggars’ Sect Leader’s funeral.”

He mentioned that Je Gal-yeon had secretly visited him and, through confidential talks, had won over the Seven Fiends Monarch.

“I tried to leave the Murim Alliance immediately after learning that, but I couldn’t.”

It was because of the Green Forest, who were constantly looking for opportunities.

Moreover, the emergence of Muwi as a new hostile force to the Murim Alliance made it impossible to leave.

Turning his back first in a situation where the help of other allied families was desperately needed meant complete isolation.

“Je Gal-yeon… that vixen said she could sufficiently keep Muwi’s experts in check by using the Seven Fiends Monarch.”

“Hmph! With just No Dan-yang?”

Beom Gye-wi scoffed, and Hwangbo-eon sighed.

“She said that even if he didn’t directly confront them, just showing his face near Muwi would be enough to keep the seniors tied up there. Above all, she said that the three of you would prioritize the safety of the Divine Doctor. Besides…”

Hwangbo-eon, who had picked up his teacup and moistened his dry lips with tea, continued.

“No Dan-yang is no longer the Seven Fiends Monarch of the past.”

When he first mastered the Blood Demon Ganggi [A powerful and dangerous martial art], his martial prowess had increased surprisingly.

“But now, he has mastered another Demonic Art on top of that. If his martial arts continue to improve at this rate, she asserted that he would soon approach the level of the Ten Great Masters.”

Cho-ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi looked at each other with absurd expressions.

After a moment,

Cho-ak-ryang chuckled.

It wasn’t for nothing that the saying “a horned one has no teeth” existed. [Meaning, nobody can have everything.]

It meant that one person could not possess all blessings or talents.

Especially martial arts.

It was said that one who has mastered a thousand stances is not to be feared, but one who has perfected a single stance is to be wary of.

That’s how much effort it took to properly see even one martial art to its end.

Just mastering a few more Demonic Arts wouldn’t suddenly allow one to surpass their limits and become a master.

That was the norm, the common sense.

“Did Je Gal-yeon spout such nonsense?”

Of course, Sa Mum-sim had said something similar.

He had said that his martial arts had become so strong that he doubted whether it was the No Dan-yang he knew.

However, Cho-ak-ryang frowned at Hwangbo-eon’s subsequent words.

“The head of the Moryong Family, Moryong-geuk, also said something similar.”

“Moryong-geuk?”

Cho-ak-ryang vaguely recalled him from the funeral.

He certainly possessed a presence that didn’t fall behind anyone.

If such a master had said those words, it certainly wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

‘Did I underestimate his obsession and greed for martial arts?’

Perhaps there was something more he didn’t know behind it all.

At that moment, Hwangbo-eon spoke again.

“I don’t know if the heads of other families know about the relationship between Je Gal-yeon and No Dan-yang.”

“Perhaps she has won over all the family heads in a similar way?”

“One thing is certain: Moryong-geuk, the head of the Moryong Family, and Tang-ryeong, the head of the Tang Family, are the most actively helping Je Gal-yeon.”

“She wouldn’t have just pressured them with their weaknesses, would she?”

Hwangbo-eon’s face turned red at Dan-ak-seon’s question.

“She must have used incentives as well, right? What conditions did she offer?”

“She vaguely suggested that if the Murim Alliance stood at the center of the Kangho [The martial arts world] in the future, the next Murim Alliance Leader would come from our family.”

After silently staring at Hwangbo-eon for a moment, Dan-ak-seon finally nodded.

“Keep today’s meeting a secret until we find the Seven Fiends Monarch.”

Hwangbo-eon smiled bitterly.

In fact, he wasn’t in a position to go around talking about it.

Dan-ak-seon made one more request.

“Even if you discover any suspicious movements, don’t rashly contact us. That itself might be a trap set by Je Gal-yeon to weed out internal enemies.”

“Then…?”

“Just remember that we’re in the same boat. We’ll ask for your help at a crucial moment, and then you can move with us.”

Hwangbo-eon knew that it was just a request in name, but in reality, it was no different from an order.

But he had no choice but to accept it.

As Hwangbo-eon left, Beom Gye-wi asked Dan-ak-seon.

“Can we strike that vixen now?”

“Yes. With a witness, we can cooperate with the Nine Great Sects and sufficiently remove her from the position of Murim Alliance Leader. If the Beggars’ Sect actively steps in and we gather information through the Black Mark, we can easily collect related evidence as well.”

Cho-ak-ryang smiled and nodded.

“It seems the end is finally in sight. Good work.”

Above all, persuading the head of the Hwangbo Family was decisive.

However, Dan-ak-seon surprisingly shook her head.

“But not right now. One condition hasn’t been met yet.”

“Condition?”

At Cho-ak-ryang’s question, Dan-ak-seon’s eyes flashed coldly.

“Before anything else, capturing the Seven Fiends Monarch is the priority. If we rashly move and our actions are exposed, he will surely disappear and hide.”

“Hmm…”

Cho-ak-ryang frowned, belatedly realizing the problem.

“Je Gal-yeon wouldn’t be unaware of this.”

“She might even use it in reverse.”

When faced with a desperate moment, she might use the information about No Dan-yang as a bargaining chip.

“In that case, we’re back to square one. To lure out the Seven Fiends Monarch, we’ll have to use Je Gal-yeon.”

Dan-ak-seon shook her head at Cho-ak-ryang’s words.

“Actually, that won’t be easy either. She’ll be lying low right now.”

“Then there’s no way to track No Dan-yang?”

“It’s not that there’s no way at all.”

“……?”

“Until we find a new contact, there will definitely be a gap in the process of No Dan-yang and Je Gal-yeon communicating. We can use that situation to throw bait to No Dan-yang. He probably won’t be able to refuse it, especially now that his martial arts have improved.”

* * *

The Namgung Family, the foremost family in Anhui.

Namgung-ho and Namgung-hyang, siblings gathered in Namgung-baek’s residence, couldn’t help but feel gloomy in the heavy atmosphere of the family.

Namgung-ho, who had hurriedly returned from Lee-rip’s funeral, announced that the Murim Alliance had decided to investigate the Namgung Family to uncover their relationship with No Dan-yang.

As a result, Namgung-baek had even interrupted his closed-door training.

In particular, Namgung-baek had heard about the situation from Hongjeokmun, who had visited a few days ago, and couldn’t hide his concern.

After a moment of silence with the tea set between them,

Namgung-baek, having decided something after a long deliberation, opened his mouth.

“I think I’ll have to leave the family for a while.”

“Father!”

“But…”

Despite facing the eyes of his agitated children, Namgung-baek stated with a calm expression that he had no intention of reversing his decision.

“I can’t stand by any longer. I must deal with him with my own hands.”

Namgung-baek instructed Dan Ri-ungpung, the family’s chief steward, to hasten the preparations for his departure.

And a moment later.

One person entered Namgung-baek’s residence.

It was Yang Bul-wi, who had been Namgung-baek’s bodyguard since his days as the Azure Sky Great Lord.

“I heard you’re going on a hunt.”

Namgung-baek, who had been thinking about something for a moment, spoke to Yang Bul-wi.

“You will stay here.”

Namgung-baek gave a faint smile to Yang Bul-wi, who didn’t answer with an unwilling expression.

“In the unlikely event that an unavoidable situation arises, you are the only one I can trust to take care of these children.”

“Is that an order?”

“No.”

“……?”

“It’s a request as a friend.”

Yang Bul-wi sighed deeply.

At that moment, Dan Ri-ungpung’s voice was heard from outside the residence.

“Family Head, a guest has arrived.”

“A guest?”

Namgung-baek’s face hardened without him realizing it.

A guest at this time.

He wasn’t very pleased.

Especially if it was an uninvited guest.

However, he changed his expression and went outside at Dan Ri-ungpung’s subsequent words.

“The Muwi’s Physician Dan wishes to see you, Family Head.”

Namgung-baek personally went out to the main gate to greet Dan-ak-seon.

After exchanging greetings with Dan-ak-seon, Namgung-baek also politely greeted Cho-ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi.

Then, he guided them to a secluded pavilion in the back garden.

After sharing a cup of tea and exchanging pleasantries for a while,

Namgung-baek mentioned the story of Hongjeokmun’s visit.

“I told Elder Hong at the time as well, but I don’t know why he learned Demonic Arts.”

Cho-ak-ryang nodded silently, as it was a story he had already heard last time.

It was then that Dan-ak-seon took out a half-burnt letter from her bosom.

“Is this Je Gal-yeon’s handwriting?”

“……!”

Namgung-baek, who recognized the contents of the letter, couldn’t help but be shocked.

As he had received reports from her, who was the Chief of Cheonidan [An intelligence agency within the Murim Alliance] during her time as the Murim Alliance Leader, it wasn’t difficult to recognize her handwriting.

The problem was that the core formulas of the Demonic Arts were written in Je Gal-yeon’s handwriting.

“Did she make a copy…”

Namgung-baek groaned with a heavy face.

No matter how thoroughly he prided himself on managing it, Je Gal-yeon, who managed the information, had the authority to access the secret manual at any time.

All the questions were finally answered.

“The last person the Seven Fiends Monarch met was Je Gal-yeon, and he disappeared that way. The Seven Fiends Monarch left without regret because he achieved what he wanted.”

Dan-ak-seon nodded.

“And there must have been some kind of deal.”

A heavy silence followed for a moment.

Soon, Namgung-baek opened his mouth.

“We can’t rule out the possibility that he has mastered all the remaining Demonic Arts.”

Namgung-baek’s heart grew heavier.

Leaving aside the fact that the management of the secret manual was careless, the person who appointed Je Gal-yeon as the Chief of Cheonidan was himself.

“What can I do?”

Dan-ak-seon quietly stared at Namgung-baek’s question.

“First, we need to lure out the one hiding in the dark. To do that, we need the Family Head’s decisive action.”

Namgung-baek, who understood those words, smiled faintly.

“You mean to be the bait.”

“If there is anyone that No Dan-yang grinds his teeth over, it would be you, Family Head.”

Namgung-baek deeply felt responsible for Lee-rip’s death.

Regardless of the reason for the incident, the beginning of all this was due to his decision.

Namgung-baek quietly smiled and nodded.

“Since I am the cause of all this, I will take responsibility for it.”