The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 364

Dan Ahk-seon slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his deep meditative state.

He savored the refreshing sensation he had never felt before, but only for a moment.

Dan Ahk-seon quietly smiled at Joo Jang-myung, who was looking up at him with a surprised expression.

“How do you feel? Is there anything uncomfortable or strange?”

“No. It’s hard to explain, but I feel much better than usual. I don’t feel as lethargic or dizzy as before.”

Dan Ahk-seon checked Joo Jang-myung’s pulse and nodded with a smile.

“Congratulations, Jang-myung.”

“Yes?”

“You won’t be in pain anymore.”

“Then…”

Joo Jang-myung stared blankly at Dan Ahk-seon for a moment.

A complex emotion, hard to express, welled up inside him, and he couldn’t speak for a moment.

Then, he burst into tears.

His father had been dedicated to him.

How could he not know that, even if he was young?

He had pretended to be an innocent child, knowing that if he showed it, his father would be even more hurt.

Dan Ahk-seon patted Joo Jang-myung on the back.

“You’ve been through a lot. Both you and Councilor Joo.”

“Thank… you… so much…”

Dan Ahk-seon looked at Joo Jang-myung with affectionate eyes as he struggled to speak through his sobs.

How much time had passed?

Joo Jang-myung, who had stopped crying and regained his smile, asked Dan Ahk-seon.

“What about Hyung [older brother or respected male figure]? Is Hyung okay?”

“Me? As you can see, I’m fine.”

Joo Jang-myung sighed in relief at Dan Ahk-seon’s answer.

“That’s a relief. I thought something might happen to Hyung…”

“To me?”

“Yes. A dazzling aura appeared and disappeared above Hyung’s head.”

“Ah! That’s a phenomenon that occurs when I enter a deep meditative state while circulating my energy.”

Dan Ahk-seon, who had answered absentmindedly, suddenly felt strange.

At first, he thought the reddish scenery outside the window was due to the sunrise, but now he realized it wasn’t.

The surroundings were already enveloped in a deep sunset glow.

He had been in a state of deep, selfless meditation for a whole day.

Dan Ahk-seon suddenly felt dizzy.

He was reminded of Beop-ryo, the head of the Vinaya School of Shaolin, who had spent over a year in meditation seeking enlightenment.

In fact, he too had been unaware of the passage of time.

Dan Ahk-seon stroked his chest and said to Joo Jang-myung.

“So, you stayed with me all this time for my sake.”

“I had to let the others know if anything went wrong. But I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

“Hyung was smiling.”

It was a smile that evoked a subtle feeling that was difficult to express in words, like the flower-offering smile spoken of in Buddhism.

Dan Ahk-seon smiled and nodded.

“Something good happened to me too.”

“Something good?”

“I finally broke through the wall.”

“Wow! Really? Congratulations!”

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”

“I didn’t do anything?”

Joo Jang-myung was puzzled, but he smiled along with Dan Ahk-seon as he looked at him.

“Shall we go out now?”

The faces of the three people who must be anxiously waiting outside came to his mind.

And as expected.

The three people rushed over as if they had been waiting when he left the hall with Joo Jang-myung.

“Are you okay, Councilor Dan?”

Bum Gye-wi, who grabbed Dan Ahk-seon’s shoulder without hesitation, asked with a worried look.

On the other hand, Cho Ahk-ryang and Han Seol-hwa stared at Dan Ahk-seon with surprised expressions.

They immediately recognized that there was a big change in Dan Ahk-seon as soon as they met him.

Bum Gye-wi, who realized this a beat later, tilted his head with wide eyes.

“What is it? It looks like you’ve gotten taller in just one day?”

The answer to that question came from behind.

“It’s not the height that’s grown, but the presence.”

It was Cho Ahk-ryang.

“Oh? Then?”

“Councilor Dan has finally reached a higher level.”

Bum Gye-wi hugged Dan Ahk-seon tightly.

“Congratulations, Councilor Dan! I believed in Councilor Dan, even if those two didn’t.”

Han Seol-hwa snorted at those words.

“Hmph! Who was the most restless?”

Cho Ahk-ryang also shook his head.

On the other hand, Dan Ahk-seon was greatly surprised.

Before, it was just vague and indefinite, and he couldn’t even guess what level the three people were at.

But now he could feel their level to some extent.

Of course, they were far ahead of him.

But the fact that he could feel the difference was remarkable in itself.

The level they were walking far ahead of.

He had finally set foot on the entrance.

Dan Ahk-seon cast his gaze towards the entrance of the Divine Devil Valley with a lighthearted expression.

“Now we can open that door.”

Dan Ahk-seon gave the three people the brightest smile.

“Thank you for waiting.”

With this, the long and arduous training was finally over.

* * *

At dusk, as darkness crept in.

Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo visited the inn for a meal only after the sun had completely set.

And as usual, they ordered noodles.

But their eyes and expressions were full of tension.

A moment later.

“Damn it!”

“Here too!”

The two men exclaimed in astonishment as the waiter brought the food they had ordered.

The bowl was far beyond the normal size, at least three times as large.

The two quickly looked around at the mountain of noodles piled high inside.

The diners in the inn were filled with food.

The two groaned as they checked the amount of noodles in particular.

“Hey, waiter.”

The waiter rushed over at Jang Cheol-woo’s gesture, and a strange smile curled up on his question.

“Why is our food so much larger than everyone else’s?”

“I don’t know. I just bring what the cook gives me.”

Jong-ri Chu frowned.

“No, even so. Isn’t this difference too much?”

The answer came from the kitchen.

“The others’ are noodles eaten by the Demonic Path, and those are noodles eaten by the Righteous Path.”

Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo’s faces crumpled.

“These guys are for real! Why don’t you just pick a fight outright! Why discriminate against people like this?”

The cook shouted back.

“Why is this discrimination? I’m treating you with kindness, considering the face of Daego Byeok [an honorific for Byeok Hwa-ryeong]. These guys are complaining even when I’m being nice to them.”

Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo sighed in embarrassment.

Daego was an honorific for Byeok Hwa-ryeong among the people of Muwi.

As Bum Gye-wi’s formally married partner, she naturally held the highest position in Muwi, regardless of age.

But even at that moment, the two men’s sharp eyes did not miss the smiles that appeared and disappeared on the faces of some people.

“Aren’t you eating? It’ll be harder to eat if the noodles get soggy.”

At those words, the two men sensed that the waiter in front of them was in cahoots with all the guys inside.

“Damn it!”

“Okay! I’ll eat it, I’ll eat it!”

They had no choice but to stuff the noodles into their mouths.

They had no idea how many days they had been eating noodles day and night.

At least they could slurp the noodles and stuff them in, but they couldn’t even think of eating the other foods that were piled up like mountains every time.

‘Vicious bastards.’

‘Just you wait.’

It would have been better if they had picked a fight like when they visited before, but the excessive kindness disguised as goodwill was not easy for them.

If they left food behind, they would grumble and spread rumors.

―There are two guys who ignore Muwi’s kindness.

Once, they were walking down the street when they were lectured by a neighborhood kid for being bad adults who left food behind.

The two quickly finished their meal, put the coins on the table, and quickly left the inn.

It was because of the waiter’s eyes, who was constantly looking for a chance.

If they had delayed even a little, he would have brought out another huge amount of other food as a dessert.

“Hoo.”

Jong-ri Chu, who had left the inn and entered the alley, sighed as he hugged his mountain-like stomach.

Jang Cheol-woo, who was panting and sweating, was also having a hard time.

The two men, who met each other’s eyes, sighed as if the ground was sinking.

“We can’t make a move first because of the Branch Leader.”

When Byeok Hwa-ryeong first disappeared into the Divine Devil Valley for training, the two men enjoyed their newfound freedom like fish in water.

Then, they had a conflict with the Demonic Path people who were bullying them.

Sa Mu-sim couldn’t stand it and scolded the Demonic Path people, and the guys who harbored resentment changed their methods and started to torment them in this way.

It had come to the point where they were spending more money on digestive medicine than on food.

It was then.

Swoosh.

Something suddenly flew towards them with a fierce sound of tearing through the air.

“Now you’re showing your true colors!”

“Okay! Let’s have a good fight!”

Disappointment soon settled in the eyes of the two men, who shouted bravely and raised their fighting spirit.

They thought it was a hidden weapon, but…

‘Dumpling?’

It was also a huge size, at least twice the size of a normal dumpling.

“Hey, Righteous Path friends. Have one of these. It’s freshly steamed and very hot.”

The faces of the two men crumpled at the words of the street vendor who threw the dumpling.

It was clear that he was a Demonic Path master with considerable martial arts skills.

In the end, Jong-ri Chu burst into anger.

“Let’s just fight!”

But an unexpected answer came back.

“You won.”

“What?”

“I lost.”

The street vendor who was steaming dumplings.

Lee Han-young, once known as Cheonggeum Ghost Hand, smiled.

“This is a gift to offer as a sign of surrender.”

The two men, who were so embarrassed that they inadvertently grabbed the flying dumplings, made a tearful face.

They were already full and exhausted, but suddenly they were burdened with two huge dumplings.

Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo puffed out their noses.

“We’re leaving here as soon as the Branch Leader comes down!”

“This damn neighborhood! I won’t even pee in this direction in the future!”

Lee Han-young sneered at the two men.

“It looks like Daego Byeok doesn’t even care? Well, I would too. I heard you stubbornly refused to serve Daego Byeok? I would abandon such disloyal subordinates.”

Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo were furious at those words.

“What nonsense!”

“The Branch Leader can’t do anything without us!”

“Of course! How much have we cherished and cared for her since she was young!”

“We may have different blood, but we are like brothers to the Branch Leader!”

Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo shrugged their shoulders with triumphant expressions at Lee Han-young’s surprised appearance.

But suddenly, they had a bad feeling.

They belatedly realized that the eyes of the Demonic Path guy, who had been making fun of them, were facing somewhere else, not them.

As expected.

“It’s been a while. Brothers.”

The two men trembled as if struck by lightning at the unexpected voice of Byeok Hwa-ryeong.

The two men, who turned their heads, froze as they faced a chilling smile.

But at this time.

Someone rushed over to find Byeok Hwa-ryeong.

“The Clan Lord is looking for you.”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong had a puzzled expression.

There was no particular reason for So Jeok-san to look for her.

A man, presumed to be So Jeok-san’s subordinate, hurriedly opened his mouth to her.

“Councilor Dan and the three Divine Devils have arrived first.”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong turned her head and glared at Jong-ri Chu and Jang Cheol-woo.

“I’ll see you later. Brothers.”

Byeok Hwa-ryeong, who left a chilling threat, flew away and headed to the hall where the main base of the Divine Devil Merchant Guild was located.

The highest top floor.

Byeok Hwa-ryeong, who landed in the Clan Lord’s office, could hear So Jeok-san’s voice reporting something to Dan Ahk-seon.

“The Beggars’ Union has been requesting a meeting for the past three months.”

“The Beggars’ Union?”

“Yes. A conflict has erupted with the Green Forest [a group of bandits or outlaws], and the friction is unusual.”

“What’s the reason?”

“I’ll find out right away.”

Dan Ahk-seon shook his head.

“No. I’ll meet them myself.”