The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 154

Perhaps they had both mastered the Divine Art of Harmony, which was rumored to have mysterious benefits.

Was this how Dan Akseon could sense Neng Somil’s presence from a distance, far beyond what they could normally perceive?

“You’ve really worked hard.”

“Gokju-nim…”

Neng Somil was simply grateful for Dan Akseon’s kind words.

His warm gaze made her feel as though all her hard work had instantly melted away.

It was often said that women would risk their lives for those who loved them, and men for those who acknowledged them.

However, the warmth didn’t last long.

As always, someone was ready to pour cold water on the situation.

“Why did you stop talking?”

“Yes?”

“You said you found them.”

Neng Somil swallowed a bitter smile at Beom Gyewi’s impatient prompting, her brow furrowed.

But soon, she relayed the information she had learned from Yeop Danyeong.

“As you suspected, Gong Hyeonja and his disciple, Hyeongeom, were indeed kidnapped.”

“Hmph, serves them right. To think that members of the Nine Great Sects would get kidnapped.”

Unlike Beom Gyewi, who scoffed, Cho Akryang wore a serious expression.

It was the Joint Faction, no less, and even their direct disciple.

They would have possessed enough skill to walk around the Jianghu [the martial arts world] with their heads held high.

To kidnap such experts meant that the opponent’s abilities were formidable.

“Did you find out anything about the culprits?”

At Cho Akryang’s question, Neng Somil calmly replied.

“Their skills were so great that it was impossible to approach them carelessly.”

Cho Akryang nodded.

It was better than recklessly trying to track them down and being discovered.

“What’s their location?”

Beom Gyewi was already fidgeting, impatient to act.

“Gokwoo Mountain, near Hanzhong. It’s an abandoned temple to the northeast.”

“Hanzhong?”

“It’s near the border between Gansu and Shaanxi provinces.”

“Not too far.”

Beom Gyewi nodded, roughly estimating the distance.

“Should we inform the Joint Faction?”

Cho Akryang shook his head at Dan Akseon’s words.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Do you think they would readily believe us? Besides, I don’t trust them.”

Given the sensitive nature of this matter, making a fuss would be counterproductive.

The key was to handle it discreetly and swiftly.

As if he had been waiting for it, Beom Gyewi jumped up.

“I’ll just go and bring them back.”

“Let’s go together.”

As Cho Akryang also stood up, Beom Gyewi, who wanted to show off for once, cast an unpleasant glance.

“Don’t you trust me?”

Beom Gyewi muttered quietly at Cho Akryang’s gaze.

“Even if it’s for our dear Doctor Dan, do you think I would kill them?”

Cho Akryang chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you.”

“Then?”

“I want to see who they are.”

Beom Gyewi grinned as if he understood.

“When you look at it, Cho Hyeong is quite wicked.”

“What?”

“You’re thinking of mocking those pathetic disciples who got kidnapped after boasting about being a prestigious orthodox sect, aren’t you?”

“…….”

Cho Akryang was speechless.

What he truly wanted to confirm was the identity of the culprits.

However, he simply wore a bitter expression and didn’t bother explaining.

It would only make things longer and more tiring.

Beom Gyewi readily nodded.

“If that’s the case, come along. Cho Hyeong must have a lot of pent-up feelings towards them, so I’ll make an exception and take you with me this time.”

At that moment, Neng Somil quickly spoke up.

“If the two of you move together, the person monitoring this place will notice.”

Beom Gyewi grinned at Neng Somil’s point.

“It’s okay.”

“Yes?”

“We just have to go faster.”

“Ah!”

Neng Somil exclaimed.

She had overlooked who they were.

From the start, they were beyond definition by ordinary standards.

Whether it was a person or a carrier pigeon.

No means of delivering news could be faster than them.

Their martial arts were simply monstrous, beyond the realm of common sense.

Dan Akseon said to Cho Akryang and Beom Gyewi.

“Then I’ll leave it to you two. Please be careful.”

Beom Gyewi cast a suspicious glance at Cho Akryang, who nodded.

“But Cho Hyeong, can you keep up with me?”

“No problem.”

During his winter stay in Kunlun, Cho Akryang had focused on recuperation.

Thanks to that, the internal injuries he had sustained in the Qingcheng Sect had completely healed.

The same was true for his inner energy [qi or vital energy].

It wasn’t perfect yet, but it was much better than when he had first arrived in Sichuan.

“Still, don’t overdo it.”

Beom Gyewi nodded in agreement at Dan Akseon’s worried words.

“Don’t lose your temper again and get hurt. Don’t make our dear Doctor Dan suffer for nothing.”

Cho Akryang’s eyebrows twitched.

Hearing the same words from Beom Gyewi of all people made him feel very unpleasant.

Regardless.

Beom Gyewi, having said his piece, immediately darted away.

Cho Akryang sighed quietly at the sight.

To be scolded by Beom Gyewi of all people.

“Then I’ll be back.”

With those words, Cho Akryang disappeared out of the inn.

* * *

An abandoned temple where human presence had ceased.

Inside the half-collapsed main hall of the Great Hero Shrine, where no one had set foot for a long time, two people were sitting cross-legged, circulating their energy.

Perhaps they were in their mid-thirties.

Although their Taoist robes were torn and their hair was disheveled, their eyes were firm—a middle-aged Taoist.

And a young man of about twenty with striking features.

However, both of them looked extremely haggard.

Their faces were as pale as paper, and sweat poured down like rain, gathering at their chins and dripping down.

“Keuk…….”

It was then that a groan escaped the young man’s lips.

Gong Hyeonja urged, as if scolding his uneasy disciple.

“Endure! You must persevere!”

“Yes……. Sifu [Master]……. I…….”

“The elites of our sect will come looking for us soon. Until then, we must endure by any means possible!”

Hyeongeom barely clung to his wavering will at the firm voice that awakened his scattering mind.

And he began to continue circulating his energy again.

On the other hand, Gong Hyeonja’s complexion began to darken, turning from pale to black.

Opening his mouth during the circulation of energy caused his vital energy to falter, and as a result, the thread-like vital energy that had barely been maintained was severed.

Fearing that his disciple might hear, Gong Hyeonja bit his lip to endure the pain.

However, as the delicate balance within him was broken, the pain he had been suppressing rushed in like a tidal wave.

‘What a truly vicious poison!’

The Energy-Dissipating Poison used by those bastards was extremely vicious.

It felt as if tens of thousands of ants were biting at the blood vessels throughout his body.

A truly unbearable, excruciating itch.

Added to that was a burning pain that felt like being scorched by fire.

The terrible pain that surged like waves several times in a short period felt like being thrown alive into the middle of hell.

‘Damn it…….’

Gong Hyeonja cast his gaze out of the temple and inwardly cursed.

Before he knew it, a burning sunset had begun to descend around him.

The setting sun, oblivious to his burning impatience, was mercilessly sinking into the west.

It had been ten days since they were kidnapped to this place.

During that time, they hadn’t been able to drink even a drop of water, let alone eat any food.

They couldn’t even sleep.

All they could do was to circulate their energy non-stop to resist the Energy-Dissipating Poison.

If they stopped circulating their energy, the Energy-Dissipating Poison would destroy all the inner energy they had accumulated over a lifetime.

For a martial artist, nothing was more miserable than losing their martial arts.

However, even he couldn’t guarantee how long he could endure.

That was because he had already reached his physical and mental limits.

Several times a day, the temptation to give up everything and let go would suddenly come.

Yet, each time, Gong Hyeonja gritted his teeth again.

He couldn’t abandon his disciple, who would be left in pain, and seek comfort for himself first.

There was no other way now.

He could only trust the sect and wait.

However…….

As the time they were held captive here grew longer, that belief was wavering.

Clatter.

It was then that a person entered, stepping on the broken tiles scattered on the floor.

“Tsk tsk.”

The person who clicked his tongue at Gong Hyeonja and Hyeongeom was a hunchbacked old man with a short stature and a bent back.

Moreover, most of his eyes were covered by drooping eyelids, giving him a very grotesque appearance.

“Trying so hard, trying so hard.”

The hunchbacked old man, scratching his cheek with his left hand, which had only a thumb and index finger remaining, opened his mouth mockingly.

“It seems the Joint Faction has abandoned you. They still haven’t driven out the Son of Righteousness and his group.”

“Shut up, Seven-Fingered Monster Hunchback (Chilji Goeta)!”

“Oh? You can still open your mouth, so you must have some energy left? Excellent. I’ll acknowledge that much for your mental strength. Truly worthy of being the next sect leader of the Joint Faction.”

Gong Hyeonja, who rebuked the hunchbacked old man for trying to shake them, glared at him with furious eyes.

“Do you think this sect will succumb to the threats of mere villains? You will pay the price soon enough.”

“Really? I wonder about that.”

Hong Danyeop, called the Seven-Fingered Monster Hunchback, wore a bitter smile.

“But why haven’t the esteemed swordsmen of the Joint Faction even shown their faces?”

“…….”

“You’ve been abandoned. Because of that paltry pride. Because of the reputation of being one of the Nine Great Sects.”

Gong Hyeonja gritted his teeth until they were about to shatter.

“You’re just a bunch of guys who resort to cowardly ambushes using Energy-Dissipating Poison, so you wouldn’t know anything about honor.”

“Hey, Malko. I think you’re greatly mistaken about something.”

Hong Danyeop chuckled.

“Don’t tell me you think we’re afraid of you and holding back?”

“If we fought properly, you wouldn’t be a match for me.”
Hong Danyeop laughed, as if something was so funny.

Then, he reached out and retracted his hand like lightning.

“I’m not the same as I used to be. Someone like you wouldn’t even be worth a hundredth of a blade of grass to me.”

With those words, Hong Danyeop held out his hand and spread it open.

In his palm was an ear.

Gong Hyeonja’s heart sank.

It was a move he had made right in front of his eyes, but he couldn’t follow it with his eyes.

That was how terrifyingly fast it was.

However, he couldn’t contain the boiling anger within him.

That was because he belatedly confirmed Hyeongeom’s cheek, which was bleeding profusely.

“Ugh…….”

A groan escaped Hyeongeom’s lips once more.

The excruciating pain of having his ear torn off had broken his concentration.

Gong Hyeonja shouted, not even caring that his vital energy was faltering.

“Endure! This level of hardship is nothing! You are someone who will one day rise to the position of the greatest person under the heavens! So you must never give in!”

“Your love for your disciple is truly touching.”

Hong Danyeop approached Gong Hyeonja with a bitter smile.

“What are you up to?”

Gong Hyeonja’s eyes flickered uneasily.

The smile on Hong Danyeop’s face deepened as he looked into them.

“Since the Joint Faction continues to be uncooperative, I was thinking of changing my approach at this point.”

Thud.

No sooner had those words been spoken than Hong Danyeop grabbed Gong Hyeonja’s shoulder as if pinching it with his left hand, which had only a thumb and index finger remaining.

Sizzle.

“……!”

With the acrid smell of burning flesh, the whitish, scalded flesh was torn away powerlessly.

No blood flowed from the gaping wound.

That was because the bleeding had been stopped by the powerful heat energy.

Gong Hyeonja’s eyes, wide open, were filled with blood vessels.

However, he endured to the end without uttering a single groan.

He had displayed superhuman patience for the sake of his disciple.

Hong Danyeop sneered at him.

“Don’t worry. At least you won’t die from bleeding.”

Hong Danyeop looked down at Gong Hyeonja, who was trembling in terrible pain, and continued.

“I’m thinking of sending this to the Joint Faction piece by piece. I wonder how your sect will react.”