The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 272

신마의선 (272)

Fifteen days after leaving Muwi.

Dan-ak Seon’s group entered Sichuan.

They had to pass through this place to get to Seojang, where Potala Palace was located.

Dan-ak Seon, who was running using his lightness skill, suddenly felt a sense of longing.

He was reminded of the warm welcome he had received from the Emei Sect when he had visited to complete the Yeonpanjang [a type of martial arts training or challenge].

However, he didn’t have time to visit the Emei Sect right now.

The nature and purpose of the journey were different from then.

Now, it was a priority to arrive at Potala Palace as soon as possible.

It was then that Cho-ak Ryang, who was running shoulder to shoulder with Dan-ak Seon, spoke up.

“Shouldn’t we take a break?”

“I’m fine. I can still run for another half-hour.”

Cho-ak Ryang nodded at Dan-ak Seon’s answer.

Dan-ak Seon had now reached a level of proficiency where he could hold a conversation even while using his lightness skill.

He was inwardly impressed by the rapid progress, but Cho-ak Ryang didn’t show it.

Instead, he asked another question.

“Is it true that the last time you saw your parents was eight years ago?”

“It’s been nine years now, since the year changed. I was seven years old then.”

Cho-ak Ryang was once again amazed.

He still wondered how he could have survived alone at such a young age.

“Haven’t you had any contact from Potala Palace during that time?”

Cho-ak Ryang had been wondering about that all along.

The Bone Marrow Cleansing, a type of Gaejeongdaebeop [a powerful healing technique], consumes a great deal of the caster’s internal energy.

Even his master had spent seven days and nights consuming his Wonjeong (元精) [vital essence] for him to complete the Chugung Gwahyeol(推宮過穴) [a specific meridian activation technique].

The Lama who performed the Bone Marrow Cleansing on Dan-ak Seon would have been no different.

There was no way he wouldn’t be curious about Dan-ak Seon’s news after pouring out his life’s worth of internal energy.

“Maybe they couldn’t contact me.”

Dan-ak Seon continued to explain to Cho-ak Ryang, who looked puzzled.

“After my parents left, I always had a Jinbeop [a protective formation] deployed for five years. In the first place, no one knew the location of Shinmagok except for Uncle Poong.”

“But didn’t the Divine Doctor and the Demonic Doctor treat Yeom-suk of the Jincheon Kwon(振天拳) [a martial arts style] before?”

“Most of the patients who came to Shinmagok were people who had a relationship with my parents in the past. But they didn’t know the exact location, so they were just wandering around Muwi.”

Among those who really needed treatment, the Divine Doctor or the Demonic Doctor would bring them to Shinmagok.

Of course, after clouding their minds with strong sleeping pills and Monghon medicine [dream-inducing drug], they blocked their eyes and ears to prevent the location of Shinmagok from being revealed.

“That’s why no one came to Shinmagok for over a year even after I lifted the Jinbeop.”

“I was the first person to enter Shinmagok.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Cho-ak Ryang, recalling his first meeting with Dan-ak Seon, smiled wryly at the incredible coincidence.

The first person to set foot in Shinmagok, which did not allow outsiders, was himself, who was infamous in Gangho [the martial arts world].

Thanks to that, he was able to save his life and continue his relationship with Dan-ak Seon.

The same goes for Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa.

If Dan-ak Seon hadn’t lifted the Jeoljin [protective barrier], he would have become an unnamed corpse and returned to a handful of dirt, and the two people traveling with him now would not be here.

With that short conversation, the group continued their lightness skill training.

Like that, for ten days.

They realized they had entered the Seojang area.

It goes without saying that the scenery they faced had changed greatly, and more than anything else, the figures of Lama monks were noticeable everywhere.

The attire was clearly different from that of the monks in the Jungwon [Central Plains, i.e., China].

In particular, some were wearing unique hats.

Then, one of them spotted Dan-ak Seon’s group and approached with a delighted expression.

“You must have had a hard time coming from afar.”

Perhaps he was in his mid-fifties.

The group was momentarily taken aback when the Lama monk, with a gentle smile on his face, spoke fluent Chinese.

“My name is Ajimba Sonam. I have been waiting here for you to come.”

At the Lama monk’s words, Cho-ak Ryang stepped forward.

“Aren’t you mistaking us for someone else?”

The Lama monk, who introduced himself as Ajimba Sonam, asked back with a puzzled expression.

“Aren’t you the Divine Doctor and his party from Jungwon?”

“……!”

Cho-ak Ryang was startled and looked back at the group.

How on earth did they know they were coming here?

They had been moving only through deserted places, using their senses to the fullest, from the time they left Muwi until they left Sichuan.

This was to prepare for any possible emergencies.

This was because if it became known that they had disappeared from Muwi, the Demonic Sect might try something.

At that moment, Dan-ak Seon stepped forward.

After politely paying his respects in their way, Dan-ak Seon carefully spoke.

“We are the people the monk was waiting for. But how did you know in advance and wait for us?”

The Lama monk replied with an infinitely happy expression.

“The Dalai Lama told me. He said that precious guests would be coming from Jungwon, so go out and greet them.”

“Dalai Lama, you mean……?”

“Ah! I’m sorry. In Jungwon language, he is called Dalai Lama(達賴喇嘛).”

Cho-ak Ryang briefly explained to Dan-ak Seon, who was tilting his head.

“Lama means teacher in their language. The title Dalai means great sea. It refers to the Daebo Beopwang(大寶法王) [Great Treasure Dharma King], the actual ruler of this place.”

Beom Gye-wi tilted his head.

“But how did they know we were coming?”

He carefully observed the Lama monk in front of him, wondering if he was a con artist, but he could not find any suspicious points in his innocent eyes or expression.

“Do they really have some kind of supernatural power?”

Cho-ak Ryang muttered unconsciously, recalling the rumor that some of the Lama monks in Seojang possessed strange supernatural powers.

There was no way he couldn’t have heard this, but the Lama monk bowed his head reverently with a smiling face.

“I will guide you to him.”

However, Cho-ak Ryang did not move easily.

Aside from the fact that they were waiting for them, he had no idea why they were welcoming them so warmly.

More than anything else, if they knew their identities, they would know their infamous reputation in Gangho.

The fact that they were willing to guide them to the Dalai Lama was suspicious.

Reading his eyes, the Lama monk gave him a gentle smile.

“He told me to tell you, ‘You must let go of your doubts to face the truth.'”

“……!”

While Cho-ak Ryang flinched, Dan-ak Seon nodded and approached the Lama monk.

“Please guide me.”

With a satisfied smile, the Lama monk nodded.

“Follow me.”

Now that Dan-ak Seon had made up his mind, the others had no choice but to follow him.

However, they never let their guard down.

How long had they been walking?

“Wow!”

Dan-ak Seon exclaimed without realizing it at the spectacle unfolding before his eyes.

To be exact, it was because of the magnificent building of enormous size.

And this was the same for Beom Gye-wi, including Cho-ak Ryang.

Surprise also appeared in Han Seol-hwa’s eyes.

“Have you ever seen anything like that in Jungwon?”

Cho-ak Ryang shook his head at Beom Gye-wi’s question.

An architectural structure that no castle, including the imperial palace, could dare to compare with.

It was the Potala Palace, also known as Nabsal Castle(拉薩城) [Lhasa City].

The Lama monk, who was walking ahead, smiled and spoke.

“It’s no wonder you’re surprised. The length from east to west alone is over a hundred Jang [approximately 300 meters], and the north-south is a little less than ninety Jang [approximately 270 meters]. The height of thirteen floors is also forty Jang [approximately 120 meters]. According to the Seoyuk merchants who travel to and from Jungwon, it is the most magnificent building in the world as a single building.”

As he said, the reddish Potala Palace felt more like a fortress than a palace.

Moreover, it created an even more mysterious feeling when combined with the scenery unfolding behind it.

A clear blue sky that seemed to stain your hands with blue water if you touched it.

Below it, the huge mountain range covered with eternal snow formed a clear contrast with the red Potala Palace, creating a sacred atmosphere that seemed not to exist in this world.

After crossing the moat that surrounded the entire building around the entrance and entering inside, another sight appeared.

“As you can see, the red Hong Palace(紅宮) [Red Palace] on the outside is a space for the Buddha, and the white Baek Palace(白宮) [White Palace] in front of you is where we live.”

Guided by the Lama monk who explained that, they arrived at the largest room in the Potala Palace, which was also the most central.

In the center of the room, which had no Taesa chair [a type of ceremonial chair] or even a chair, a man was sitting with his eyes closed.

He was a young monk who seemed to be only about twenty years old at best.

Was he really the Dalai Lama, the ruler of this place?

“I have brought the guests.”

The young Lama monk, who was sitting in the center of the room, slowly opened his eyes at the words of the Lama monk who had guided Dan-ak Seon’s group.

At that moment, the three people except Dan-ak Seon stopped and blocked Dan-ak Seon.

This was because the moment they met the eyes of the young Lama monk in front of them, a strange presence that was difficult to explain filled the room.

“Guests, please let go of your wary hearts. This place is where Buddhists who follow the teachings of the Buddha stay. We will never harm our benefactors.”

It was a look and voice that gave the other person an extremely comfortable feeling.

But a benefactor?

At Dan-ak Seon’s questioning eyes, the young Lama monk smiled and spoke.

“It’s been a long time.”

“Do you know me?”

“Of course. You may not remember, Benefactor.”

“……?”

“I was there the day you were born.”

Dan-ak Seon was startled and asked back.

“Could it be that you are the one who gave me the Bone Marrow Cleansing?”

Immediately after asking the question, Dan-ak Seon noticed something strange.

The Lama monk in front of him was only about twenty years old at best.

When he was born, his age would have been only four or five years old.

As expected.

The young Lama monk smiled and shook his head.

“He is Banseon Lama(班禪喇嘛) [Panchen Lama], my teacher.”

“Banseon Lama?”

To Dan-ak Seon, who was asking back with a puzzled face, the Lama monk, who was presumed to be the Dalai Lama, smiled and began to explain.

“In the past, during the prosperous Toban Dynasty [Tibetan Empire] in this region, there were no Buddhists here. The indigenous religion, so-called Tantrism [a form of esoteric Buddhism], was deeply rooted among the people.”

He added that Buddhism flowed in during the early Yuan Dynasty [Mongol-led dynasty of China] and combined with Tantrism, resulting in their own unique Seojang Buddhism [Tibetan Buddhism].

“It was around that time that a great teacher called Paspa(巴斯巴) [a Tibetan spiritual leader] revealed himself. At that time, the Yuan imperial family appointed him as the Imperial Preceptor Daebo Beopwang(帝師大寶法王) [Imperial Preceptor Great Treasure Dharma King], and after the country changed, he stepped down from the position of the emperor’s teacher. Since then, only the name of Daebo Beopwang has been passed down to the Dalai Lama.”

The young Dalai Lama’s explanation continued.

“Among the Seon monks who gave teachings, there was a person named Jongkapa(宗喀巴) [founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism].”

In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that he completed the current Lamaism [Tibetan Buddhism].

This was because the construction of the current Potala Palace and the establishment of the Lamaism system began with him.

He passed on his teachings to two disciples, the chief disciple being the Dalai Lama and the second disciple being the Banseon Lama.

“And the Dalai Lama and the Banseon Lama take turns becoming teachers and disciples to each other.”

At first, Dan-ak Seon was puzzled because he didn’t know what that meant, but he was embarrassed by the explanation that followed.

“When the Dalai Lama’s life is about to end, he tells his disciple, the Banseon Lama, in advance where he will be reincarnated. After the Dalai Lama passes away, the Banseon Lama travels around the area according to the will he left behind during his lifetime, finds the child who has been reincarnated as the Dalai Lama, and takes him as his disciple.”

“How do you know that the Dalai Lama has been reincarnated as that child?”

It may have been a rude question, but the young Lama monk explained without any concern.

“Although he is young, the child clearly speaks of what happened in his previous life(前生) [past life], just as Yang Ho(羊祜) [a historical figure known for his virtue] found the golden ring(金環) [a symbol of recognition from a past life].”

He even mentioned memories that only the teacher and disciple knew, so there was no room for doubt.

“The Banseon Lama brings the child and makes him the Dalai Lama and passes on the teachings he has inherited. When the Banseon Lama is also near death, he tells his disciple, the Dalai Lama, where he will be reincarnated. The Dalai Lama also finds the reincarnated Banseon Lama, makes him his disciple, and passes on the teachings(敎) [teachings].”

In a word, the Dalai Lama and the Banseon Lama repeat reincarnation and become teachers and disciples to each other.

“That’s why I have a relationship with the Divine Doctor and the Demonic Doctor.”

The young Lama monk, the Dalai Lama of the time.

A surprising story flowed from his mouth.