The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 144

Absolutely horrified, Gwangseongja blocked the attacks of the three with all his might.

However, they were masters of a different level from the start.

Soon, a desperate scream echoed across the training ground.

On the other hand, Cho Ak-ryang was inwardly impressed by Gwangseongja’s martial prowess.

‘He’s definitely an outstanding talent.’

He was certainly not someone who would disgrace the name of Kunlun [a major Taoist sect] wherever he went.

It was even more surprising considering he was not yet past his coming-of-age ceremony.

It was from this point that the three began to take the sparring seriously.

Even as they pushed Gwangseongja to his limits, they accurately pointed out his shortcomings and helped him improve.

“Wake up. Can you be sure that the Demonic Sect doesn’t have masters like us?”

“……!”

Gwangseongja’s eyes refocused at Cho Ak-ryang’s advice.

As if stirring up the remaining ashes to rekindle a fire, Gwangseongja squeezed out every last bit of strength he had left.

About an *il-gak* [roughly fifteen minutes] passed like that.

Gwangseongja collapsed on the spot.

He literally didn’t have the strength to move a finger.

There wasn’t a single direct hit, but he had to experience near-death several times in that short period.

Having finished the sparring, Beom Gye-wi opened his mouth with a blunt expression.

“Thanks for playing with our Dan euwon [Dan Ak-seon’s title, meaning ‘Pill Master’].”

Leaving those words behind, Beom Gye-wi turned around.

“Does this mean we’ve earned our keep?”

At Cho Ak-ryang’s words, Han Seol-hwa quietly smiled and left the training ground together.

Left alone, Gwangseongja lay blankly for a moment, feeling a sensation he had never felt before.

An indescribable sense of elation filled his chest.

At that moment, his vision darkened.

Belatedly realizing that it was his master’s face against the backlight, Gwangseongja made a tearful face while lying down.

“I’m still alive, right?”

“You seem to be doing well enough to still be flapping your mouth.”

“Why are you so eager to eat up your only disciple?”

“Because you’re my only disciple.”

“……?”

Gwangseongja’s eyes wavered at Gwangjin Dojang’s words that followed.

“I don’t want to see that disciple get eaten up by the Demonic Sect bastards.”

“Sabu-nim [Master]…….”

“So stop exaggerating and get up. The sparring isn’t over yet.”

“Yes?”

Gwangjin Dojang curled up in a meaningful smile.

Gratitude was fleeting.

Gwangseongja’s face turned pale at Gwangjin Dojang’s words that followed.

“Shall we see how much our disciple’s skills have improved?”

* * *

New Year’s Day.

Time flew by quickly, and before they knew it, the New Year had arrived in Kunlun as well.

Although it was a barren place, Kunlun was also a place where people lived.

Fish paintings and red paper decorations wishing for good fortune were lined up everywhere in the buildings.

Although there was no splendid lion dance performance held at the temple fair, the festive atmosphere for the New Year was no less than any other place.

The sound of firecrackers occasionally bursting here and there.

There was plenty of leisure in the expressions of the people sharing words of blessing.

On one side of a wide open space with good sunlight, the elderly Taoists, who were the elders of this place, were leisurely chatting.

A Taoist with a small build and a body as thin as a tree branch, but with eyes as clear as ever, opened his mouth.

“When you get old, you’re supposed to get weaker, but everyone’s getting healthier instead.”

A Taoist with a gentle impression took those words.

“It’s all thanks to Dan euwon. It feels like we’re getting healthier just by being next to him.”

Other Taoists nodded their heads.

“He’s a natural-born doctor. He can’t stand to see sick people.”

“What about his martial arts skills? I’ve never seen a child develop so quickly in my life.”

Their gazes were fixed on Dan Ak-seon, who was far away, playing with firecrackers with other children of his age.

“Thanks to that child, the disciples of our sect are also growing rapidly.”

The skinny Taoist who had spoken first nodded his head with a satisfied face.

“They are having a good influence on each other.”

“It’s the Hongdeok (鴻德) [great virtue or blessing] of our sect. Great fortune has rolled in for us.”

Among the old Taoists who were nodding their heads, one person sighed softly.

“I wish we could keep that fortune here forever.”

“Then there would be nothing more to wish for…….”

One of the Taoists who had agreed with those words paused and trailed off.

It was because of the eerie energy wave that had flown in from somewhere.

Sure enough.

When he turned his head, he saw someone not far away staring at them with a murderous gaze close to hostility.

It was Beom Gye-wi.

He had overheard the Taoists’ words while passing by.

“I’m going to get those bastards who are after our Dan euwon!”

It wasn’t just an empty threat.

That much Beom Gye-wi’s voice contained a terrifying will that could never be overlooked.

Nevertheless, the old Taoists did not show any signs of fear.

They just gave an awkward smile as if they were shameless.

Beom Gye-wi turned his head with a dumbfounded face.

“Hyung [older brother] Cho, these old men aren’t afraid of me anymore?”

Cho Ak-ryang, who was walking towards Beom Gye-wi, scoffed and scolded him.

“Isn’t it natural since we’ve been together for over two months?”

Beom Gye-wi muttered quietly at Cho Ak-ryang’s appearance, who was giving eye greetings to the old Taoists.

“Are we allowed to get close to the Orthodox Sect bastards?”

“Didn’t they get close to our Evil Sect bastards?”

“…….”

“And in fact, when did we ever distinguish between Orthodox and Evil? We didn’t particularly favor the same Evil Sect, either.”

“I guess.”

Beom Gye-wi, who had agreed with those words, smacked his lips and nodded his head.

At this time, Dan Ak-seon, who belatedly discovered the two, came running.

He was holding a pile of firecrackers in his arms.

“Let’s do it together!”

Beom Gye-wi grinned as he faced Dan Ak-seon’s face, whose cheeks were flushed red.

“Okay. New Year’s is all about firecrackers!”

Dan Ak-seon looked around.

“Where is Ajumeoni [Auntie]?”

“The Witch? Who knows?”

Beom Gye-wi replied as if it was nothing.

“She must be taking a nap somewhere. Let’s just play by ourselves.”

“Still…….”

“It’s okay. The Witch doesn’t like this kind of thing anyway.”

It was then.

“Who doesn’t?”

Dan Ak-seon suddenly turned around at the voice he heard.

Han Seol-hwa was standing there with a sulky expression, wondering when she had arrived.

Beom Gye-wi made a sullen expression towards Han Seol-hwa, who was silently glaring at him.

“Why? What? It’s true. You said firecrackers were too noisy and you didn’t like them, right?”

Han Seol-hwa scoffed and retorted.

“It depends on the person.”

As the atmosphere seemed to be getting more and more fierce, Dan Ak-seon quickly grabbed Han Seol-hwa’s hand and led her away.

“Let’s play together!”

Han Seol-hwa reluctantly followed and smiled slightly.

“Let’s do that.”

With that, Dan Ak-seon and the three headed towards the open space next to the training ground, where firecrackers were in full swing.

Dan Ak-seon stretched out the firecrackers connected by thread and hung them on a long pole before taking out a *hwaseopja* [a container for holding embers to start fires].

“Huh?”

Dan Ak-seon let out a look of bewilderment as he opened the lid and tilted the *hwaseopja*.

Because he had been walking around all day and setting off firecrackers, there were no embers left inside the *hwaseopja*. But at times like this, there was someone with him who was more reliable than anyone else.

“Uncle, please.”

“Hehe. I knew you’d say that, so I prepared in advance.”

Beom Gye-wi’s index finger raised in front of him.

On top of it, a stream of flames was already surging.

As Beom Gye-wi brought his finger to the wick, the firecrackers instantly made a loud noise and scattered in all directions.

“Using Samadhi True Fire [a powerful internal energy technique] for mere firecrackers.”

Despite Cho Ak-ryang’s disapproving words, Beom Gye-wi didn’t seem to care much.

“What does it matter? He likes it so much.”

Dan Ak-seon, who was running around excitedly through the smoke.

The three of them smiled contentedly as they watched that scene.

They were naturally pleased with the completely different appearance from the New Year’s Day last year.

Around this time last year, Dan Ak-seon was extremely depressed.

Even though he had suggested playing with firecrackers, he would just sit there with a blank expression, resting his chin on his hand, and only watch the scattering smoke and flames.

They didn’t want to see Dan Ak-seon like that again.

Soon, when all the firecrackers were used up, Dan Ak-seon smiled brightly and looked back at the three of them.

“It was effective after all.”

Dan Ak-seon continued, addressing the three people who were wondering.

“They say that bad things disappear when you set off firecrackers.”

Dan Ak-seon strode forward and hugged the three of them tightly.

“Thank you for being with me.”

Beom Gye-wi, who was suddenly stuck close to Han Seol-hwa, frowned.

Han Seol-hwa was the same.

She frowned her beautiful eyebrows and silently glared at Beom Gye-wi.

But she couldn’t bring herself to shake off Dan Ak-seon’s hand.

She stood there awkwardly, unable to do anything, for a while.

Before they knew it, the two’s gazes were focused on Dan Ak-seon.

Dan Ak-seon, who was rubbing his cheeks affectionately with a flushed face, just felt cute.

It was then that Cho Ak-ryang’s eyes flashed with interest.

“Your strength has gotten quite good.”

“You’ve gained quite a bit of muscle, too.”

Dan Ak-seon smiled bashfully and nodded his head.

“It’s thanks to Gwangseongja hyung’s [older brother] help.”

Speaking of tigers, Gwangseongja, who happened to be passing by, came walking with firecrackers.

“Happy New Year.”

Beom Gye-wi replied curtly to Gwangseongja’s New Year’s greeting.

“There are no red envelopes [traditional monetary gifts given during holidays].”

Gwangseongja smiled good-naturedly and made a fist salute.

“I’ve already received more than enough. Your teachings are beyond compare.”

Beom Gye-wi turned to Cho Ak-ryang with an awkward face and said.

“I feel like my presence is fading away.”

Beom Gye-wi was feeling strange inside because the notoriety of Mangsan Choja, who had reigned as the terror of the Jianghu [the martial world], no longer seemed to be a threat here in Kunlun.

This was no different for Cho Ak-ryang either.

But deep down, he didn’t hate it.

He had never even imagined that he would be able to get along so freely with the members of the Orthodox Sect, who were also the core members of the Nine Great Sects.

But it wasn’t difficult to guess the reason.

It was because of Dan Ak-seon.

In a way, the ability to bring together those who were like water and oil was perhaps Dan Ak-seon’s true talent.

Gwangseongja was the same.

To be playing with firecrackers with the masters of the Evil Sect, whose fame alone shook the Jianghu.

It was something he couldn’t have imagined just two months ago.

It was then that the old Taoists who were far away approached the group.

“Oh? Are you sick again somewhere?”

The old Taoists smiled and shook their heads at Dan Ak-seon’s concern.

“If it’s like today, I’m healthy enough to enjoy Baeksu (白壽) [living to 99 years old].”

The old Taoists handed Dan Ak-seon the things they had been hiding behind their backs.

Dan Ak-seon received the things they handed him with curious eyes.

“It’s a kite?”

The old Taoists nodded their heads.

“I’ll show you our sect’s special hidden masterpiece.”

“A hidden masterpiece?”

Looking at Dan Ak-seon’s sparkling eyes filled with anticipation, the old Taoists smiled contentedly.

Then, after attaching firecrackers to the kite and lengthening it, they handed the string controlling the kite to Dan Ak-seon.

One of the old Taoists lit the long wick and shouted at Dan Ak-seon.

“Run!”

Dan Ak-seon grabbed the string and started running.

Then, the kite, which was embracing the headwind blowing over the ridge, rose high into the sky.

At that moment, the firecrackers attached to the kite began to explode.

“Wow!”

Dan Ak-seon exclaimed as he looked up at the sky.

A long string of firecrackers following the kite.

The way it wriggled in the smoke every time the firecrackers exploded was like a dragon cutting through the clouds.

Dan Ak-seon couldn’t close his open mouth at the spectacle unfolding in the sky.

Cheers erupted from all over Samsungyo [likely a location within Kunlun].

The old Taoists burst into laughter at the sight of everyone, young and old, enjoying themselves to the fullest.

“This is our sect’s masterpiece, Unryong Daebakjuk (雲龍大爆竹) [Cloud Dragon Big Bang Bamboo – a type of firecracker kite].”

After a while.

The flames of the firecracker bundle, which had gradually decreased in length, touched the kite.

The kite, made of thin paper oiled, was instantly engulfed in flames and flew far away.

“Is it okay to let it fly away like that?”

Dan Ak-seon asked cautiously, worried that a fire might break out.

At this, the old Taoists smiled and nodded their heads.

“There are no dense shrubs or forests here like other mountains. So it’s a game that’s only possible here.”

“I see.”

At Dan Ak-seon’s expression, which felt a sense of regret for some reason, the old Taoists looked at each other and smiled meaningfully.

“Do you want to play more?”

Dan Ak-seon’s face, which had been nodding, soon brightened.

It was because of a bundle of firecrackers that the elders of the Kunlun Sect had handed him.

“New firecrackers!”

Dan Ak-seon, who never got tired of it, was now carrying a pole with firecrackers attached to it and running around like a puppy meeting snow.

Cho Ak-ryang, Beom Gye-wi, and Han Seol-hwa quietly smiled at the cute sight.

Next year too.

And the year after that too.

It was the reason why they were looking forward to every New Year they would spend with Dan Ak-seon.