Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 547

“Deputy Yeon.”

“You’ve arrived.”

Gi Woo-Hui looked as composed as ever. Her beautiful blonde hair, her slightly pinkish white skin, and her eyes full of wisdom and composure were all unchanged.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and joked,

“You’ve become even more beautiful since I last saw you. Have you found a man you like?”

Gi Woo-Hui gave a wry smile.

“I’m too busy to even have time to meet anyone.”

“I suppose so. Still, it’s a relief. I thought you might have lost a lot of weight.”

“I need to eat a lot to handle my busy schedule.”

“Good job.”

“By the way…”

Gi Woo-Hui looked around the interior of the Mukryong Unit with a look of astonishment.

“It’s really huge.”

Anyone entering the Mukryong Unit for the first time would be surprised by the sheer size of this cave.

It was also surprising that such a huge tunnel was being managed so meticulously. It was something that could not be achieved without considerable financial resources.

“Save your admiration for later, let’s go see the patient first.”

“Is that alright?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Still, I’m an outsider, shouldn’t I at least greet the person in charge here…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong snorted.

“Let’s see the patient’s condition first before visiting the Deputy Chief. He’ll understand.”

“You’ve arrived.”

Mak Won had become quite gaunt in the past few days.

However, it was only because he had lost weight. In reality, he had been accelerating his Qi [life force] circulation, and his entire body was circulating with healthy true energy.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and said,

“How is your body?”

“I’m fine. Surprisingly so.”

“That’s a relief.”

“As you said, I’ve been refining my inner strength with Qi all day, and the poison is gradually losing its power.”

“Most so-called potent poisons are of a Yin nature. It doesn’t mean they’re cold, but that they stagnate.”

“Anything that stagnates is dangerous.”

“Exactly. If you have the ability to completely control the poison, it’s important to make the stagnant poison lose its power through constant Qi circulation.”

“Not just anyone can do that.”

“You’re right. As I said before, it would have been impossible for me. It was possible because it was you, senior.”

“There’s no need to gild the lily. By the way…”

Mak Won looked at Gi Woo-Hui.

“Is this the famous Physician Chief of the Martial Alliance?”

Gi Woo-Hui bowed.

“I greet the great master of the Jianghu [martial world]. I am Gi Woo-Hui, currently in charge of the Physician Pavilion of the Martial Alliance.”

“Haha, it seems like you two are determined to flatter me today.”

Mak Won, who had been laughing heartily, bowed his head briefly.

“Nice to meet you. I am Mak Won.”

“I have always heard of the great reputation of the White Military God.”

“That’s an overestimation. I’m just a stubborn fool who doesn’t even know how the world is turning.”

There was a subtle bitterness in his joking words.

Yeon Ho-Jeong said,

“Let’s stop with the awkward self-introductions and get to the pulse diagnosis.”

“You’re such a character.”

Mak Won said, looking at Gi Woo-Hui,

“You must have had a hard time because of this guy.”

Gi Woo-Hui smiled.

“At first, I was too scared to even talk to him properly.”

Still, she had gained a lot of self-esteem while working as the Physician Chief. There was a sense of ease in her smiling face.

“But, this guy is right. I really want to get rid of this poison in my body as soon as possible. I would appreciate it if you could start the pulse diagnosis right away.”

“Then, I’ll be excused.”

Gi Woo-Hui took Mak Won’s pulse.

She closed her eyes and focused her senses as much as possible. Moreover, she was also trained in inner energy cultivation, so she could quickly grasp the condition of anyone, regardless of who they were.

After a while.

“Amazing.”

Pure admiration appeared on Gi Woo-Hui’s face.

“You’ve completely compressed and sealed such a potent poison.”

“This much is nothing if you know the trick. So, do you know the identity of this poison?”

The admiring look on Gi Woo-Hui’s face immediately turned serious.

“Yes, I know this poison well.”

A strange light flashed in Mak Won’s eyes.

Knows it well? It was a very peculiar statement.

‘Hmm.’

Suddenly, Mak Won realized that Gi Woo-Hui was a Westerner.

And that most of the cultists of the Shinwha Church who had poisoned him were also Westerners.

“…Perhaps.”

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong said,

“That’s right.”

“Huh?!”

“What you’re thinking is correct, senior.”

Mak Won’s eyes wavered.

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“There were circumstances. You can think of her as one of us now.”

“Hmph.”

“Let’s focus for now.”

“Ah, I understand.”

She was someone who belonged to the organization that attacked him. That alone was enough reason to distrust her.

However, Mak Won was not an ordinary person either. There was not a trace of anxiety or wavering in his expression.

Gi Woo-Hui said,

“The name of that poison is Fire Demon Divine Poison.”

“Fire Demon Divine Poison.”

“Yes. It’s an extremely rare Yang-dominant poison. Even a master of the highest level, let alone a peak master, would lose their life with just two or three drops.”

“Hmm.”

“Its nature is also like fire. Unlike nerve or blood poisons, it’s a bizarre thing that absorbs the Qi of living beings and increases its size.”

Mak Won nodded.

“That’s right. Although not now, until a few days ago, this poison was absorbing my inner energy and gradually increasing in size.”

“Qi is invisible. That’s why treatment is difficult. In the first place, it’s rare to treat someone who has been poisoned. Most people die as soon as they are poisoned.”

“Then, is there no way?”

Gi Woo-Hui shook her head.

“Of course not. Treatment is definitely possible.”

A light of relief flickered across Mak Won’s face.

“That’s a great relief.”

“However, it will take quite some time to fully recover. You need to administer the correct medicine, at the correct time, in the correct amount.”

“Does that mean drug treatment is necessary?”

“Yes. If it were possible, we could stimulate it with acupuncture and draw it out with blood, but considering the nature of the poison, that would be a dangerous method.”

“Is it impossible to draw it out with inner energy?”

“If it were possible to draw it out, you would have already done it yourself.”

Mak Won nodded. It was not wrong.

Gi Woo-Hui continued,

“The good news is that thanks to the Tang Clan Head, faster and more efficient detoxification is possible than originally thought.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong asked,

“Did the Tang Clan Head’s opinion help?”

“Yes. My knowledge of poison was similar to his, but I couldn’t even dare to follow the Tang Clan Head’s methods of applying and detoxifying it. I learned so much in that short time.”

“Well, he is the head of a family that has been handling poison for generations.”

Gi Woo-Hui said to Mak Won,

“First of all, we need a lot of medicinal herbs. The treatment will start tomorrow, so for today, please focus on controlling the poison and eat nutritious food.”

“I understand. And thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s a doctor’s job to heal people’s bodies.”

Gi Woo-Hui said, looking at Yeon Ho-Jeong,

“You should thank Deputy Yeon.”

Mak Won chuckled.

“He’s the type of person who would get embarrassed and curse if you thanked him.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong grinned.

“You’ve quickly grasped my personality.”

“Still, thank you.”

“I need to make you usable, don’t I? There’s no need to thank me.”

“Yes, I knew you’d say that. By the way, what is the expected treatment time?”

Gi Woo-Hui said with a serious face,

“It depends on the patient’s will, but I think it will take about one to two months.”

Surprise flickered across Mak Won’s face.

“The treatment period is longer than I thought.”

“Yes. It’s that potent of a poison.”

“Hmm.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong got up from his seat.

“Anyway, please take good care of yourself during the treatment. I might be back around the time your detoxification is finished.”

“Hmm? Where are you going?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked to the northwest.

The cloudy sky, which could not be seen from the cave, dyed his eyes white.

“I’m going to a rather troublesome place.”

* * *

*Thwack!*

The last strike he unleashed properly split the oncoming wind.

“Hoo.”

Paeyul, who was breathing softly, lowered his spear.

“How was it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong said with a surprised face,

“It’s much better.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The pure penetrating power has decreased compared to before, but instead, it feels like it has developed in a balanced way in all aspects. Especially the way you manipulate the rhythm with your footwork was amazing.”

“That’s a relief.”

Gang Ryang, who had been watching with Yeon Ho-Jeong, clicked his tongue.

“Who exactly are you trying to turn into a skewer with that martial art?”

“Shut up, you impudent junior.”

“…Even when I say it’s amazing, you still complain.”

Paeyul completely ignored Gang Ryang.

“So, when is it?”

“Did you know?”

“There’s no way a guy who usually doesn’t show his face would come looking for me in the middle of the night without a reason.”

“As expected, your intuition is extraordinary, senior.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face became serious.

“I’m planning to leave right away tomorrow morning.”

“It’s like you have a fire under your butt.”

“Yes. Things have become a bit urgent.”

“Why? Is someone else being chased like Senior Mak Won again?”

“There’s a high probability that trouble will break out in the Tang Clan.”

In an instant, Paeyul’s face also became serious like Yeon Ho-Jeong’s.

“The Tang Clan?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong told him the general situation.

He had been so focused on training that he didn’t even know what had happened inside the Mukryong Unit. The Mukryong Unit itself was also very large.

“Such a thing happened in the meantime?”

“Yes.”

“Huh, those Three Teachings bastards are really going crazy. Now they’ve even released demonic arts?”

“They’re the kind of guys who commit even worse acts. This is nothing to them. However, the problem is the people they are targeting.”

Paeyul nodded.

“I’ll go to your place at dawn tomorrow.”

“I’m counting on you again this time.”

Paeyul immediately frowned.

“Why are you talking so cringey, unlike you? Cut it out.”

“This time it’s really dangerous. The Tang Clan, the Yin Sect… Honestly, I feel like leaving everything behind.”

“Have you only faced a near-death crisis once or twice? Stop complaining and go.”

“You’re so cold-hearted.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong and Gang Ryang got up from their seats and left Paeyul’s residence.

At that moment, Paeyul asked,

“Wait a minute.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong grumbled,

“You told me to leave, and now you’re suddenly stopping me. Why?”

Paeyul tilted his head.

“Besides us, who else is coming with us?”

“I don’t know yet, except for the Ironclad Unit Commander.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But why?”

“It’s just…”

Paeyul said with a reluctant face,

“Now that I think about it, I’m wondering if this is okay.”

“As expected, you’re human too, senior. Are you feeling a little nervous this time?”

“…Don’t you sometimes talk really dirty?”

“I know.”

“No one likes to die, but I’m used to being active in deadly places, so I don’t care. The problem is not that I’m afraid of dying, but that I’m afraid of failing.”

“…”

“With this number of people, can we handle the Tang Clan’s affairs and bring Yin Sect’s Ha Eun-Gyo to our side?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes deepened.

“So, there is one person I’m worried about.”

“Who? Surely not the Deputy Chief or the Second Princess, or Baek Seo?”

“Not someone from our side.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong pointed north with his thumb.

“From the Martial Alliance.”