The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 11

Divine Physician of the Demonic Realm (11)

A special banquet hall on the fourth floor of the Hyangyeon Pavilion.

Before a table laden with delicacies from land and sea sat a man.

Perhaps in his mid-forties, his gaunt appearance and sharp eyes were particularly striking. However, the man didn’t even glance at the food.

He was merely sipping his wine with a bored expression.

Just then, the door opened and a person entered the banquet hall.

It was a gisaeng [Korean courtesan], around twenty years old, carrying a chilhyun-geum [seven-string zither].

A woman whose delicate beauty, not hidden by her heavy makeup, was especially noticeable.

The man’s languid gaze changed.

He swallowed hard as she curtsied deeply, appearing as delicate as a butterfly about to take flight.

Furthermore, his gaze lingered on her body.

His eyes, which had been following her long, slender neck, seemed to pause momentarily at her provocatively raised chest, before sweeping down over her slender waist and full hips in turn.

An alluring atmosphere emanated from her sensual figure.

Even within that, she possessed a subtle dignity that was hard to explain.

‘She’s really something!’

Neng Somil exclaimed inwardly.

She was the reason he had come to this Hyangyeon Pavilion.

Perhaps sensing Neng Somil’s gaze, the woman smiled faintly.

Even that alone made Neng Somil feel his heart pounding.

‘Truly a femme fatale!’

Neng Somil, struggling to hide his expression, cleared his throat briefly.

“Finally, today marks the hundredth cup I’ve received from you. The promise that we would spend the night together once all hundred are filled is still valid, isn’t it?”

At Neng Somil’s words, the gisaeng, Ye Wolhyang, blushed slightly.

“Of course. Tomorrow, I too will be returning to my hometown. I will gladly spend my last night here with you, sir.”

Ye Wolhyang sat demurely next to Neng Somil. Neng Somil’s hand naturally wrapped around Ye Wolhyang’s waist.

“The night is long, so don’t rush, sir.”

Ye Wolhyang gently pushed away Neng Somil’s hand as if somewhat embarrassed.

But even this felt like a seductive charm that melted his heart.

Just then, Ye Wolhyang exclaimed.

“Ah!”

She took something out of her bosom and held it out to Neng Somil.

“Our chief manager asked me to deliver this letter to you, sir.”

“Suddenly?”

“A beggar child brought it, accurately stating your name, I heard.”

“It’s not like I have eyes for letters right now……”

Neng Somil couldn’t finish his sentence.

Because of the writing on the letter.

Blood (血) [The character for blood].

A single character, scribbled as if in a hurry, was all that was on the letter, but the handwriting was familiar.

‘This son of a bitch!’

Neng Somil’s pupils shook rapidly.

‘I clearly heard he was dead?’

Ye Wolhyang tilted her head at Neng Somil’s noticeably stiffened expression.

“Sir?”

“Ha, this is driving me crazy.”

After hesitating for a while, Neng Somil finally sighed as if the ground was sinking beneath him.

Enjoying romance is good, but life comes first.

“Wait a moment. I’ll be right back. Ah! Damn it! That’s not a distance I can quickly go and return from, is it?”

Neng Somil cursed as he recalled the meeting place.

He seriously considered ignoring the letter for a moment. But that thought didn’t last long.

“No way. There’s no way that crazy bastard would tolerate it……”

If things went wrong even once, his Shinsobang (新紹房) [his base of operations/territory] would be devastated, and he wouldn’t survive either.

Neng Somil left the brothel and immediately used his qinggong [light body skill, a martial arts technique for moving swiftly]. But he couldn’t control the pent-up resentment.

“Why does it have to be today!”

After running for two hours without rest, he arrived at an abandoned temple far from Nanzhou.

Breathing heavily, Neng Somil entered the temple.

The temple was shrouded in deep darkness, and no sign of life could be felt.

Neng Somil looked around with a bewildered expression.

It was then that a person opened his eyes in the darkness.

“……!”

Neng Somil felt goosebumps all over.

Eyes as cold as ice.

That chilling gaze pushed back the darkness.

Even that alone made the seemingly empty temple feel full in an instant.

An immense pressure that perfectly dominated the surrounding space.

An overwhelming presence that only those who have the world at their feet can possess.

‘Damn it!’

Neng Somil closed his eyes tightly with a bleak feeling.

A unique gaze that stimulates primal fear deep within his heart.

He wasn’t emitting murderous intent or a flamboyant aura, but Neng Somil froze in place.

It was definitely the Blood Demon Sovereign, who he thought was dead.

It was his unique gaze that he could never erase from his memory, no matter how hard he tried.

Neng Somil struggled to shake off the fear that was creeping up.

Then, forcing a smile, he opened his mouth.

“It seems you can’t trust rumors in the Jianghu [martial arts world] after all.”

With those words, Neng Somil carefully examined Cho Ak-ryang.

“I heard you had a mutual demise (同歸於盡) [died together] with the Murim Alliance’s experts.”

Cho Ak-ryang was silent.

On the other hand, Neng Somil’s insides were burning. Cho Ak-ryang’s silence felt ominous.

‘How the hell did he get out?’

It was the Murim Alliance’s inescapable net (天羅地網) [a comprehensive and inescapable trap].

Moreover, it included the Namgung Clan’s elder, the Shaolin’s Arhat Hall leader, and the Sichuan Tang Clan’s Thousand Hands Shadow…….

It was as if they had poured in three-tenths of the Murim Alliance’s entire power.

That’s why he believed the Murim Alliance’s announcement that they had both perished (兩敗俱死) [suffered mutual destruction]. But no matter how he looked, he couldn’t find any traces of injury on Cho Ak-ryang.

‘No way.’

He didn’t want to believe it, but he had no choice but to believe it.

Because there was no other way to explain his current presence.

Neng Somil glanced outside the Guan Yu Temple. The east was starting to dawn far away.

He felt impatient.

“What brings you here to me?”

Neng Somil was anxious at Cho Ak-ryang’s continued silence.

“Perhaps you want to ask about information related to the Murim Alliance’s extermination of the Ten Great Evils?”

As expected, there was no answer.

Neng Somil clenched his teeth.

At this rate, even spending the whole night wouldn’t be enough.

‘Oh well, whatever.’

With a feeling of resignation, Neng Somil opened his mouth.

“My desire to be of help to you, Your Excellency, remains unchanged, but please understand that I am also in a position to be responsible for my gang.”

Neng Somil continued, watching Cho Ak-ryang’s reaction.

“Moreover, since this matter is related to the Murim Alliance, the risk that my gang has to bear is very great. Therefore, providing information is……”

At that moment.

Cho Ak-ryang opened his mouth for the first time.

“Is that all?”

“……?”

While Neng Somil was puzzled by the incomprehensible words, Cho Ak-ryang spoke again.

“If it were me, I would have left behind something more plausible.”

“Yes?”

“It’s too shabby for a last will and testament.”

With those words, Cho Ak-ryang smiled brightly.

Neng Somil’s heart sank.

‘Damn it!’

The intuition of a martial artist who had overcome countless crises until now was ringing alarm bells fiercely.

Sure enough.

The air surrounding him seemed to freeze rapidly, and an oppressive feeling that made it hard to breathe pressed down on his chest.

It was then that he saw Cho Ak-ryang slowly raising his hand.

“……!”

Neng Somil was dumbfounded.

Cho Ak-ryang was just raising his hand and pointing at him. But even that alone brought a sense of despair.

Neng Somil, who had been trembling while standing, fell to the ground.

“Please spare me!”

But there was no answer.

Even after a long time had passed, Neng Somil couldn’t dare to raise his head. Because he could still feel the gaze flying and piercing the back of his head.

Tududuk.

Cold sweat poured down like rain, flowing down his nose and falling to the floor.

How much time had passed like that?

“How many did you get?”

“Yes?”

Neng Somil, who had reflexively asked back, hurriedly opened his mouth.

“Six people!”

Cho Ak-ryang smiled faintly at Neng Somil’s quick response. But Neng Somil couldn’t let his guard down.

Because he knew the person in front of him better than anyone else.

Even a single word out of place would lead straight to the afterlife.

He had seen countless times that there was something extremely dangerous lurking beyond that smile.

Neng Somil began to reveal all the information he knew regarding the Murim Alliance’s extermination of the Ten Great Evils.

“……That’s all I know.”

When Neng Somil’s explanation, which lasted about an hour, was over, Cho Ak-ryang asked a question.

“Why only three people?”

According to what he mentioned, the Murim Alliance announced that they had killed seven of the Ten Great Evils.

But since he was still alive, six people had died.

The calculation didn’t add up. There had to be one more survivor.

Neng Somil quickly replied.

“One person surrendered to the Murim Alliance.”

Cho Ak-ryang frowned at Neng Somil’s answer.

The survivors of the Ten Great Evils besides him were Beom Gye-wi, the Green Forest’s chief bandit leader Ak Ho-gun, and No Dan-yang, who was called the Seven Severing Demon Lord.

First of all, Beom Gye-wi was out of the question.

The Green Forest’s chief bandit leader was also not possible.

There was no way that greedy bastard would hand over the Green Forest Eighteen Strongholds to the Murim Alliance.

Then there was only one person left.

‘Seven Severing Demon Lord.’

He couldn’t believe that he, who was stubborn, had surrendered to the orthodox sect.

Neng Somil nodded.

“I heard he is personally leading the Evil Shattering Squad (破邪團) [a squad dedicated to destroying evil].”

The Evil Shattering Squad, one of the four organizations supporting the Murim Alliance, is a pursuit squad (追殺隊) [a team dedicated to hunting down enemies] that specializes in tracking down and exterminating the enemy’s remnants.

Cho Ak-ryang was lost in thought.

After a while.

Cho Ak-ryang looked at Neng Somil.

“I am more certain about repaying debts than anyone else.”

Gulp.

Neng Somil swallowed hard.

He wasn’t foolish enough not to know what that meant.

“I will be the only one who knows that I met the Blood Demon Sovereign today. No……”

Neng Somil quickly shook his head.

“I will erase it from my memory altogether.”

Cho Ak-ryang smiled slightly.

“See you again.”

Cho Ak-ryang passed by Neng Somil as he was and disappeared beyond the rising sunlight.

Neng Somil, left alone, closed his eyes tightly.

“Hoo.”

With a sense of relief that he was alive, Neng Somil lay flat on the floor and looked at the sky.

It was already the time when he had to look directly at the sun as the day had dawned. As he felt that sense of relief that he was alive, he remembered a fact he had forgotten.

“Wolhyang-ah!”

Neng Somil cried out pitifully.

The time and effort he had poured into the dreamlike first night.

Everything had disappeared like a midsummer night’s dream.

* * *

Dan Ak-seon enjoyed the rare peace.

But before a day had passed, loneliness washed over him.

He thought he was used to being alone, but he already missed the lively atmosphere.

The absence of the two people was felt that much more.

‘Should I go to the village?’

It just so happened that the herbs the owner of the herbal medicine shop had requested were prepared. Dan Ak-seon loaded the dried herbs onto a cart and left Shinma Valley.

As he walked along the secluded mountain path, he thought of Beom Gye-wi.

‘If Uncle was here, he would have arrived by now.’

Beom Gye-wi, showing off as he used qinggong.

He couldn’t help but smile as he thought of him.

On the other hand, he was also worried about Cho Ak-ryang, who had not yet recovered his martial arts.

‘I hope nothing bad happens.’

The martial artists of the Murim Alliance he had encountered at the herbal medicine shop some time ago kept bothering him.

After thinking about this and that, it was already half a day later when he arrived at the village.

“Hello, oh?”

Dan Ak-seon’s eyes widened as he entered the herbal medicine shop.

It was because he had encountered an unexpected person.

Perhaps in his late forties, he was an impressive middle-aged man with a calm gaze as much as his neat attire.