The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 109

Shinma’s Medical Lineage (109)

Lee Rip glared at Hong Jeok-mun, who was speaking in a teasing manner.

At that moment, Dan Ahk-seon and Bang So-bang, who had been talking some distance away, looked back this way.

Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes widened.

Then, he quickly approached and bowed his head.

“Hello, Uncle Chief.”

“Haha, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Dan Ahk-seon turned his head and looked back and forth between Bang So-bang and Lee Rip.

“Did you know So-bang?”

“He’s my disciple.”

Hong Jeok-mun was startled and looked at Lee Rip.

Bang So-bang was the same.

Blinking his eyes, Bang So-bang grasped the situation and then raised both hands, cheering silently. However, Dan Ahk-seon, who had no idea what was going on, smiled and nodded.

“Ah! So that’s how it was!”

Dan Ahk-seon looked up at Lee Rip and asked,

“But I heard you were looking for me?”

“I have something to ask.”

Then, suddenly remembering something, Lee Rip looked around.

“What’s wrong?”

At Dan Ahk-seon’s question, Lee Rip lowered his voice and whispered.

“She’s not here, is she?”

“Who?”

“That person.”

Just thinking of Han Seol-hwa made Lee Rip feel intimidated.

At that moment, a telepathic message flew towards Lee Rip.

—Don’t do anything foolish.

Lee Rip flinched and began to look around.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“You seem a bit strange today. Should I take your pulse?”

Lee Rip sighed and shook his head.

“No. There’s no need. More than that, let’s move to another place.”

The place they moved to was a vacant lot at the entrance of the village where Dan Ahk-seon always hung out with his friends. After confirming that there were no people around, Lee Rip immediately got to the point.

“Why are you ignoring us?”

“Excuse me? Me?”

“If that’s not the case, there’s no reason why we would be excluded from the joint signature petition.”

“Ah!”

Belatedly realizing the reason, Dan Ahk-seon smiled brightly.

“I was going to ask the Chief last.”

“Why? Why last? Is it because of that? Because we’re last in the list of the Nine Great Sects?”

“Pardon?”

“Just because we’re called the Nine Great Sects doesn’t mean we’re the least important. If you think about it, it should be called the One Sect, Nine Factions. You may or may not know, but our sect has the longest history among the Nine Great Sects. Before we were called the Beggar Clan, we were called the Dirty Clothes Sect, and even back then…”

Hong Jeok-mun sighed and interjected.

“You just called it the Nine Great Sects, Chief.”

“Huh? Did I?”

“You did.”

Bang So-bang also nodded at Hong Jeok-mun’s gaze seeking agreement.

“You did.”

“Ahem. Anyway!”

Lee Rip, embarrassed in front of his newly acquired disciple, turned his anger towards Dan Ahk-seon.

“Why are we last?”

“That’s…”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled and added,

“Because it’s the Beggar Clan. It was because of the symbolism the Beggar Clan holds.”

“Huh?”

“As the Chief said, it’s the oldest sect in the Central Plains [a region in Chinese martial arts stories]. Moreover, it’s a place that has upheld righteousness and trust without wavering even once during that long time.”

Unexpectedly, Lee Rip smiled awkwardly at Dan Ahk-seon’s answer.

“Ahem, we’re kind of like that.”

“I wanted to complete the joint signature petition with the Beggar Clan.”

After blinking silently, Lee Rip opened his mouth after a moment.

“So… you were trying to mark the culmination of the grand plan through us?”

Lee Rip was already grinning from ear to ear.

“You were trying to entrust the role of the finishing touch to our sect?”

When Dan Ahk-seon nodded, Lee Rip burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha. That’s right! Of course, it should be like that. That’s the way it should be. Of course, of course.”

Then, he turned his head sharply and glared at Hong Jeok-mun.

“See! I told you there’s no way he would ignore us!”

Hong Jeok-mun looked at Lee Rip with a dumbfounded expression.

Even though he was the Chief and a friend, he wanted to close his eyes and beat him up at times like this.

“You’re in front of your disciple. Please maintain some dignity. How can a Chief be so elated by something like this…”

Lee Rip stared intently at Hong Jeok-mun, then turned his head towards Dan Ahk-seon.

And he shouted cheerfully.

“Just leave it to us! The Beggar Clan will take responsibility for announcing the joint signature petition.”

“Really?”

“Of course! Who are we? We’re the righteous Beggar Clan! If it’s the right thing to do, we’ll naturally roll up our sleeves and step forward.”

It was then.

—That’s enough.

Lee Rip flinched at Han Seol-hwa’s sudden telepathic message. Then, he gave Dan Ahk-seon an awkward smile.

“Now that the misunderstanding is resolved, you can go back. Let’s meet again.”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled and bowed his head.

“Thank you once again.”

Dan Ahk-seon waved his hand towards Bang So-bang.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Bang So-bang looked at Dan Ahk-seon with a fresh perspective.

He knew he was a unique guy, but he was much more of a big shot than he had expected.

Hong Jeok-mun, who was watching Dan Ahk-seon walking away, suddenly opened his mouth.

“It seems he had an easier time getting the signatures of the famous figures than expected.”

“Who in the current Jianghu [the martial arts world] would take the name of trust lightly? He must have accumulated a lot of virtue.”

As Dan Ahk-seon’s figure disappeared from sight, the smile disappeared from Lee Rip’s face.

“Still, I’m worried.”

Lee Rip sighed softly.

It was because of the urgent news that the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] had moved.

Moreover, Namgung Baek was heading directly to Hubei [a province in China].

“It seems he’s caught on.”

Hong Jeok-mun could easily guess the reason.

“Doesn’t that child know anything?”

Lee Rip shook his head.

“No. He probably knows. He’s a smart kid. The problem is…”

Lee Rip trailed off, staring with a heavy expression at the place where Dan Ahk-seon had disappeared.

“Despite that, I think that child will side with them.”

“What do you plan to do if something goes wrong?”

“That’s why I’m worried.”

After organizing his thoughts for a while, Lee Rip looked at Hong Jeok-mun and smiled bitterly.

“Maybe you’ll have to suffer a bit.”

Hong Jeok-mun sighed.

“Is that the conclusion you’ve come to?”

“At least we have to protect that child, don’t we?”

In fact, that was the real reason they came here.

The Beggar Clan had also been watching Dan Ahk-seon for a long time.

Dan Ahk-seon’s actions.

Through the series of large and small incidents that constantly occurred following his movements, they had vaguely noticed the existence of Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi.

Then, Beom Gye-wi appeared in Shaolin, and decisively, the sect leader was killed by Cho Ak-ryang in the Qingcheng Sect.

Through this, the Beggar Clan was able to confirm that Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi were with Dan Ahk-seon, in addition to Han Seol-hwa.

The reason for creating the joint signature petition must also be because of those two.

“But Chief, are you really okay with this?”

“……?”

“If they are really Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi, the arrows of blame could be directed at our Beggar Clan. Especially that Je Gal family girl who is already trying to find fault with the Nine Great Sects.”

Lee Rip nodded.

“I heard that she’s been unusually confrontational with the Murim Alliance Leader recently? I wonder what she’s thinking…”

“Leaving aside external criticism, we can’t ignore the internal backlash either. How many members of our clan have died at the hands of the Ten Great Evils?”

“Do you think I don’t know that?”

Lee Rip continued with a serious look.

“But the power of the Murim can’t weaken any further.”

“What do you mean?”

“If the inside is noisy, it means it’s harder to notice the movements outside.”

Lee Rip asked Hong Jeok-mun.

“Haven’t you ever thought it was strange?”

“……?”

“The movements of the border regions, including the Saewe, have been too quiet since some time ago.”

“Isn’t it a good thing if those guys are quiet?”

“No. It’s too quiet. That’s why it’s even more suspicious.”

Lee Rip’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Moreover, there’s information that someone is secretly gathering the figures of the Demonic Faction who were being chased by the Murim Alliance after the Murim Alliance declared the subjugation of the Hundred Great Evils.”

“Could it be…?”

Hong Jeok-mun’s eyes wavered.

“I can’t be sure yet, but it’s true that the current situation feels somewhat artificial.”

“Is that why you’re helping that child?”

Lee Rip nodded.

“When the joint signature petition is completed and announced, Muwi will be a safe place for the Demonic Faction. If the Demonic Faction, who were being chased by the Murim Alliance, entrust their safety there, this situation, which is riddled with unnecessary slaughter, will be settled to some extent.”

“As a side effect, it will be easier to monitor the Demonic Faction.”

“It will be much easier than now, when they are scattered everywhere.”

Lee Rip nodded and sighed deeply.

“Anyway, protecting that child is the priority now.”

“There will be no small amount of internal strife.”

Hong Jeok-mun revealed his thoughts to the puzzled Lee Rip.

“Won’t the Qingcheng Sect be the first to rise up? With two sect leaders dying in succession, they won’t welcome the Chief’s decision.”

This was what Hong Jeok-mun was worried about.

The relationship between the Murim Alliance and the Nine Great Sects was not the same as before, and this decision could shake the solidarity of the Nine Great Sects.

However, Lee Rip was firm.

“The Qingcheng Sect won’t have the mind to do that.”

“Why is that?”

“To maintain even the lowest position among the Nine Great Sects, they will have to be mindful of the other sects. I heard that the Hengshan Sect, which is trying to rejoin the Nine Great Sects, is already contacting other sects.”

Hong Jeok-mun pondered for a moment and then agreed.

Lee Rip spoke again to him.

“It’s a tangled situation. With no way to break through, that child has opened a path.”

Hong Jeok-mun nodded silently in response.

Sometimes he makes people difficult with his unpredictable actions, but the man in front of him had better insight and a righteous heart than anyone else.

Hong Jeok-mun was proud that he was the Chief of the Beggar Clan.

“That great guy is my friend.”

Lee Rip and Hong Jeok-mun couldn’t hide their embarrassment at the sudden words.

Now they knew why Bang So-bang was called Little Beggar.

He was hiding his presence so quietly that they had forgotten about him.

Lee Rip burst into hearty laughter.

“It will probably be the best thing you’ve ever done in your life.”

* * *

“Excuse me?”

Ga Doo-dal’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

Beom Gye-wi frowned and said.

“Leave. While we’re letting you go nicely.”

“So suddenly?”

Ga Doo-dal hurriedly opened his mouth at the unexpected words.

“But there are still two more duels left? Besides…”

Cho Ak-ryang cut off Ga Doo-dal’s words.

“The Murim Alliance guys are coming.”

Ga Doo-dal was startled.

He knew that Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi had been having some serious conversations recently, but he never thought it would be related to the Murim Alliance.

As much as he coveted Dan Ahk-seon, he had to live first.

Looking around, Ga Doo-dal slowly backed away. Then, at some point, he turned around and ran away.

“What are you going to do now?”

“What else can we do? With the situation like this, is there any other way?”

A flash of light flickered above Cho Ak-ryang’s eyes.

“It’s my own fault, so I have to deal with it.”