A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 112

112. The Return of Iron Sword, Mo Yongjin (2)

The morning after Son Bin and his party arrived in Wuhan, they were enjoying tea in the guest room of the Mo Yong family after finishing their meal.

The tea tasted especially good after being jostled in a carriage all the way from Wudang Mountain. Seo-rin, fascinated by her first visit to the Mo Yong family, was looking around with wide eyes.

“Hmph, the tea here is as good as ever,” Namak Old Master said, holding up his teacup. Son Bin quietly savored the tea’s aroma. He didn’t know much about tea, but he liked the soft, refreshing scent.

“Shall we take a look around Wuhan today? There are quite a few things to see,” Old Master suggested. Seo-rin and Dang Wora’s eyes lit up. Son Bin nodded.

“I understand. Let’s do that.”

“Just so you know, don’t even think about paying for anything,” Old Master said, taking a sip of tea.

“I said I’d pay for the return trip, so don’t worry about money. Let’s go to some fun places and eat some delicious food.”

“But Old Master, you’ve already paid for the carriage and bought us clothes…”

“Didn’t you buy me something too? Don’t worry about it. I told you, I have a golden calf [a symbol of wealth] at home, didn’t I?” Old Master snorted. Son Bin smiled wryly, knowing that Old Master’s generosity was genuine.

“Thank you, Elder,” Son Bin said politely. However, Old Master frowned.

“Don’t do that.”

“Yes?”

“When have I ever thanked you?”

“That’s…”

Come to think of it, Old Master had never thanked Son Bin directly. He had acknowledged his hard work or good performance, but that was it. Holding his teacup, Old Master looked away and said, “Formalities are only necessary for strangers. I’m not a stranger, so there’s no need to thank me so much.”

He took a slurp of his tea.

“Because I’m always on your side.” Old Master drained his teacup. His tone was casual, but his sincerity was clear to Son Bin.

“I understand,” Son Bin said, an irrepressible smile blooming on his face.

“Ahem. More importantly, what are you going to do about the situation here?” Old Master changed the subject, seemingly embarrassed, still looking away.

“I have already refused Lady Mo Yong’s request.”

“Is that so?”

“I wouldn’t mind helping someone in need, but if it’s a matter of the Murim [martial arts world], whether it’s a righteous or evil faction, I don’t think it’s my place to get involved.”

Old Master chuckled slyly. “So you won’t destroy the Black Tiger Clan, but you will stop a beautiful young lady from being dragged away.”

Son Bin gave an awkward smile. “A friend’s younger sister is being forced into marriage, so I can’t just stand by.”

“Hmm. But then you’ll end up fighting the Black Tiger Clan anyway, won’t you? It doesn’t seem like any other sects or government offices are going to step in.”

“Even if we defeat the Black Tiger Clan, the danger will still remain if the Mo Yong family is in this state. In the long run, the best solution is for the Lord of this place or Young Master Mo Yong to recover.”

“But they can’t recover, can they? The best doctors in Wuhan have all shaken their heads…” Old Master, who was speaking, suddenly smiled. “Why, is it worth a try?”

“I see something, but…” Son Bin smiled wryly. “The Divine Physician told me my method is too dangerous.”

“There’s no such thing as a risk-free endeavor, especially if you want something important.”

“Still, it’s a matter of someone’s life. If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t care, but now that I know it’s dangerous, I can’t just do it recklessly.”

“Tsk, knowing too much is a disease,” Old Master clicked his tongue.

“So, I’m thinking of bringing the Divine Physician here.”

“Divine Physician…” Old Master frowned. In principle, Son Bin’s words were correct. It’s not like there’s no time. Waiting might be a little boring, but.

“Well, in the meantime, we can just tour Wuhan,” Old Master shrugged.

“We should be careful in case the Black Tiger Clan does something.”

“Then we need to keep a close eye on that young lady,” Old Master said. “Right now, the Mo Yong family is basically being held up by that young lady alone. If the Black Tiger Clan tries to swallow the Mo Yong family, they will definitely target her. If she goes out, it’s best to stick close to her.”

“I see. I’ll keep that in mind,” Son Bin nodded and quietly picked up the teapot. Old Master’s teacup was already empty.

He poured, and the tea filling the teacup made a sound like rolling beads. As the hot steam rose and the soft scent of tea filled the room, Seo-rin frowned.

‘Does Rin-ie dislike tea?’ Son Bin wondered as he put down the teapot. He didn’t know if she disliked the bitter taste or if she had some bad memories, but it was clear that Seo-rin didn’t like tea.

* * *

“L, let me down. Quickly!” Mo Yongrin said, her face flushed red. She was so flustered that she had slipped into the tone of a younger sister nagging her older brother.

“Ouch. Okay, okay, just don’t hit me. And you gain weight from everything you eat, so be careful,” Mo Yongjin teased as he released his arm and let Mo Yongrin down. Mo Yongrin, who had landed on the ground, then realized her mistake and cleared her throat.

“Now, then, it’s time to punish the guys who insulted my sister, right?” Iron Sword Mo Yongjin smiled and turned his head.

*Whoosh.*

In an instant, his aura changed. The men of the Black Tiger Clan, who met Mo Yongjin’s gaze, flinched. Even the self-proclaimed Herculean Overlord, Jang Hwasan, was startled but soon regained his composure.

“Don’t be fooled by his bluff!” Jang Hwasan shouted as if he was screaming. “That guy can’t use martial arts! All the best doctors in Wuhan have guaranteed it! Don’t you know why the disciples of the Mo Yong family left without any regrets? It’s because that guy can’t use martial arts at all! The Nam Gung family said so too! It’s all a bluff!”

Mo Yongrin gritted her teeth as she listened. Most of what he said was true. The doctors who diagnosed the Lord and Mo Yongjin all shook their heads. The best doctor in Wuhan even said the situation was hopeless.

She had asked them to keep the secret and even gave the doctors a considerable amount of money, but the very next day, the Nam Gung family knew about it.

The next day, all the sects and merchants who had maintained some kind of relationship turned their backs at once. And the next day, the disciples left the sect proudly, without any fear of punishment.

“Did they say that?” Iron Sword Mo Yongjin frowned slightly. “Well, everyone has their own point of view, so they’re free to talk nonsense. But would they still say that after seeing this?”

*Whooong.*

Mo Yongjin’s sword seemed to be weeping, and soon a blue aura began to form.

“N, no way!” Not only Jang Hwasan but also the faces of the Black Tiger Clan men turned blue. Mo Yongjin smiled faintly at their expressions.

“It is.”

“St, stop him. Stop him!” Jang Hwasan stammered, but there was no one among them who could stop Iron Sword Mo Yongjin. Mo Yongjin’s shining sword began to sweep through the Black Tiger Clan as if it were in a no-man’s-land.

*Whooong.*

“Aaaagh!”

“Cough.”

Listening to the incessant screams of the Black Tiger Clan, Mo Yongrin couldn’t hide her excitement. It felt like a dream, but the person who was running rampant before her eyes was definitely her brother, Mo Yongjin.

The man who was about to swing his heavy iron mace had his mace shattered, and the man who was about to fire an arrow sat down, overwhelmed by the force of the energy flying through the air.

It was truly an overwhelming difference.

‘It’s really my brother.’ Mo Yongrin’s heart was full. Mo Yongjin looked even more impressive than before he had collapsed.

‘But how on earth…’ As she watched the Black Tiger Clan being crushed, a natural question came to her mind. How could her brother, who had been lying in bed until this morning, display such power?

Suddenly, Mo Yongrin turned her head and looked back. And she found a group of people standing at a distance, watching. The familiar sight that she had seen every day for the past few days was none other than Son Bin and his party.

‘Son Bin!’ Son Bin’s shameless appearance, watching as if he were watching a fire in someone else’s house, was the first thing that caught her eye. A sense of betrayal surged up, but even before that, the figure of an unfamiliar old man captivated her attention.

‘Th, that person is…’ A person whose medical skills are said to have reached the level of the divine.

A person whom the Five Great Families and high-ranking officials of powerful families, as well as the imperial family, invite with all due respect.

But a person who turns his back on all that wealth and glory and devotes himself only to saving lives.

‘Divine Physician!’ With his hair and beard mixed with black and white, the old man was clearly the Divine Physician.

“You’ve worked hard,” Son Bin said to the Divine Physician.

“I didn’t do anything, so there’s nothing to work hard about,” the Divine Physician replied in a calm voice. He was watching Mo Yongjin’s every move as if he were examining the patient’s condition.

“That can’t be true. If it weren’t for the Divine Physician, how could Young Master Mo Yong be so healthy? It’s something I could never do.”

The Divine Physician turned his head to look at Son Bin instead of answering. Son Bin was a little puzzled but calmly waited for the Divine Physician’s words.

“You are…” Son Bin’s words were correct. The Divine Physician minimized the shock and side effects of the treatment and advised the patient on the best course of action. So it would be fair to say that the Divine Physician coordinated the entire treatment process.

But the most important core was done by Son Bin, with the help of Old Master, of course.

“Hoo.” The Divine Physician, who was about to say something, suddenly sighed. He had seen it once before when he treated Sa Soo-yeon, but he couldn’t understand it at all, to the point where he felt a moment of doubt about his own medical skills as a doctor.

“No. You worked hard too.”

“Hehe,” Old Master laughed quietly from behind. “Do you understand how I feel now?”

The Divine Physician did not answer. Instead, he carefully examined Mo Yongjin’s movements, not wanting to miss a single one.

“But, is it okay for him to use his inner energy so recklessly?”

“It’s okay. It’s probably because he feels the flow of Qi [life energy] is smoother than usual. It’s because the Qi and blood in his whole body have been activated in the process of releasing the cold energy…” the Divine Physician said. “It’s a temporary phenomenon, and it will return to normal in a few days, so there’s nothing to worry about. Depending on how he does it, he may be able to make great progress in his future training… Just don’t overdo it right now.”

Son Bin was worried. In fact, he was worried that Mo Yongjin was overdoing it even now.

“And when you go home, read at least the Medical Classics. Your terminology and expressions for explaining the flow of Qi are too messy. Besides…” He swallowed the words that Son Bin would probably have this kind of thing often in the future because he thought Son Bin might take medicine too lightly.

“If you don’t want to be ignored by the kids, you should read that much,” Old Master reacted before Son Bin.

“Kids? Why kids?”

“They’re reading the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine [a foundational text of Chinese medicine],” the Divine Physician said as if throwing it out. “The young lady from the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center is teaching them very thoroughly. The children memorize it quite well too.”

“Th, the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine is…”

“Has this guy gone senile? Why are you teaching that to kids?” Old Master interrupted Son Bin’s words and asked.

The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine is the oldest medical book. It is recognized as the best classic in medicine and is a book that contains a philosophical understanding of human nature beyond a simple medical book.

“What are you talking about? Kids should know basic medicine too. That way, they won’t be fooled by quack doctors, right? If one person is sick, the whole family has a hard time,” the Divine Physician said, his expression firm.

“The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine is a medical book, but it is largely an understanding of human beings, so it is a book worth reading at least once. You should take the time to read it too.”

Old Master frowned. The Divine Physician’s words were a hundred times right.

“But isn’t it too early for children?” Son Bin cautiously raised an objection, but it didn’t work for the Divine Physician.

“Does anyone know from the beginning? They’ll do it if you teach them. And surprisingly, medicine doesn’t require much brains. If you memorize a lot of things, you’ll at least be in the middle. Kids are much better at that,” the Divine Physician said indifferently. And he turned his head to look at Mo Yongjin, who was running rampant, and the men of the Black Tiger Clan, who were being chased.

“It was a good thing you didn’t step in,” the Divine Physician’s eyes turned cold. “The affairs of the Murim world are like a mud pit, and only your hands will get dirty. So don’t ever get caught up in such foolish things in the future.”

“I understand,” Son Bin replied.

“But if there’s something really precious in that mud pit, shouldn’t we pick it up even if our hands get dirty?” Old Master frowned and looked at Son Bin. Son Bin smiled.

“Just like the Divine Physician does.”

The Divine Physician chuckled. He, too, had saved Murim people more than once or twice. They were lives he had to save before they were Murim people.

“That’s right. How they live is each person’s responsibility, but at least helping them up is what a doctor should do,” the Divine Physician turned his head. In his opinion, the actions of the Murim people were just foolish things.

“If you think that the life you saved with that effort will be wasted on foolish things, it’s truly a futile thing,” the Divine Physician clicked his tongue at the foolish actions of the foolish. Even at that moment, Mo Yongjin’s sword was falling towards the men of the Black Tiger Clan.

*Swoosh, thump!* A large iron mace was cut in half, and a man with a sturdy physique sat down backward. As blood spread from the sword mark on his face, the man screamed as if he were about to die.

“Aaaagh! I, I’m going to die!” Leaving him writhing on the ground, Mo Yongjin slowly walked forward.

The Lord of the Black Tiger Clan, the self-proclaimed Herculean Overlord Jang Hwasan, stepped back hesitantly.

“St, stop! If you kill me…”

“No one is dead,” Mo Yongjin said in a cold tone. Only then did Jang Hwasan regain his senses and look around. There were people lying all over the place who had lost consciousness or were injured by swords, but no one had actually lost their lives.

“My father taught me that those who wield a sword must value its weight and always show mercy by looking back on themselves. I’d like to kill you on the spot, but…” *Crack.* Mo Yongjin gritted his teeth. Hope flashed in Jang Hwasan’s eyes.

“Th, then…”

“I can’t go against my father’s teachings, so I’ll destroy your martial arts on the spot and hand you over to the government. Whether you live or die will be decided by the imperial law.”

Jang Hwasan’s complexion turned blue. It was obvious that the corrupt officials would wash their hands of him if they knew he was crippled.

“J, just kill me instead. I’d rather die than live like that…” Contrary to his words, Jang Hwasan was stepping back hesitantly.

*Step, step.* Mo Yongjin approached Jang Hwasan.

“I, I’m also the Lord of a faction,” Jang Hwasan gritted his teeth. “I won’t die like this even if I die.”

Jang Hwasan held his blade with both hands. His large blade, which was close to a giant axe, gleamed with a blue edge, but it could not be compared to the aura emanating from Mo Yongjin’s sword.

“Repent of your sins in prison,” Mo Yongjin raised his sword.

*Swish.* Watching the blue sword falling towards him, Jang Hwasan closed his eyes and reflexively raised his blade.

“Sh, shibal [Korean profanity]!”

*Clang!* A sharp sound and a low groan flowed out. And Mo Yongjin took two steps back. The groan was not Jang Hwasan’s, but Mo Yongjin’s.

“Huh?” Jang Hwasan opened his eyes wide and looked at his blade. He thought it would be cut in half by Mo Yongjin’s sword, but the blade was still intact.

Even he didn’t understand what was going on, but Mo Yongjin was different. Mo Yongjin turned his head.

“Who are you?”

It was a low voice, but the other person would have understood it well enough because he was the man who knocked out Mo Yongjin’s sword with a small piece of stone.

*Step, step.*

“I thought I’d see a dignified evil faction judging the hypocritical righteous faction…” A young warrior wearing black martial robes and a wide-brimmed bamboo hat walked slowly. His face was not visible due to the brim and shadow of the bamboo hat, but anyone could recognize the sharp aura he exuded.

“I’m disappointed, Black Tiger Clan.” Everyone’s eyes turned to him at once. Mo Yongrin and the disciples, and Son Bin and his party’s eyes as well.

‘That person is…’ Son Bin recognized who he was. No, everyone in Son Bin’s party, including Mo Yongrin, knew. He was the warrior they had met at the Cheonghwa Brothel.

“That guy…” Old Master frowned and muttered.

“Do you know him?” the Divine Physician asked. Old Master shook his head.

“No. But that guy is…”

“Then stop him,” the Divine Physician said before Old Master could finish speaking. “The patient is in danger if you face a guy like that.”

The Divine Physician’s gaze was directed at Iron Sword Mo Yongjin. He was holding his sword with a calm expression, but the blue energy that was forming on his sword was clearly shaking.