The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 160

Divine Doctor of Primordial Demise (160)

Dan Akseon was inwardly dumbfounded.

Just yesterday, there was a celebration for Yeon Daeya’s sixtieth birthday.

As it was a feast hosted by the wealthiest man in the village, even the local beggars sought it out for alms.

Unfortunately, they ran into Yeon Jeoksim, Yeon Daeya’s son.

He started beating the beggars without a word.

Then, he offered them one silver coin per hit.

“So, you took the beating? Just for a silver coin?”

Bang So-bang shook his head.

“Of course not. No matter how much we love money, what good is it if our bodies are ruined? But when our kids refused, that bad guy forced the silver coins into their hands and beat them until he felt he had gotten his money’s worth.”

Dan Akseon was speechless.

He couldn’t believe he was living under the same sky as someone with such deep malice.

“So, I went to return the money.”

It was to get a sincere apology to ensure this never happened again.

“Well, honestly, I also wanted to avenge our kids.”

Yeon Jeoksim, knowing Bang So-bang had learned martial arts, requested a duel.

Bang So-bang accepted, thinking it was a good opportunity.

He intended to give him a good beating.

But unexpectedly, Yeon Jeoksim’s martial arts were considerable.

Since childhood, he had taken elixirs [medicinal concoctions] and invited famous martial artists from the Jianghu [the martial arts world] to learn all sorts of techniques.

Bang So-bang sighed.

“That’s how I ended up like this. That bastard’s martial arts were quite strong.”

Even Bang So-bang, who prided himself on being strong among his peers, couldn’t handle his martial arts.

“Elixirs are indeed fearsome.”

Bang So-bang was superior in the subtlety and precision of his stances. However, it was meaningless in the face of overwhelming internal energy.

“You had a duel, but he was so merciless?”

At Dan Akseon’s question, Bang So-bang smiled awkwardly.

“Well, I was going to do the same. But what can I do? I lost because I wasn’t skilled enough. But his last words were humiliating.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me to know my place. If I felt wronged, I should go get some elixirs. He said what elixirs would there be in the Beggars’ Sect, which is full of beggars…”

Recalling that moment, Bang So-bang bit his lip, seemingly overwhelmed with anger.

After calming down for a while, Bang So-bang spoke again.

“He said any beggar who comes again would end up like this. His smug look was so irritating…”

At those words, Dan Akseon’s eyes flashed.

“Any beggar?”

What if it were Irip or Hong Jeokmun?

Bang So-bang, noticing Dan Akseon’s thoughts, shook his head.

“We can’t involve Master or the elders.”

“Why?”

“It was a legitimate duel in name. Besides, Master has his dignity. How can he let everyone know about his foolish disciple’s embarrassing situation [referring to Bang So-bang’s defeat]?”

Bang So-bang inwardly gritted his teeth.

He felt resentful and wronged no matter how many times he thought about it.

Seeing Bang So-bang’s state, Dan Akseon and Woon Joong-san were both angry and heartbroken.

How long had it been?

Suddenly, Dan Akseon opened his mouth.

“So, a duel is all it takes, right?”

Dan Akseon, who had been lost in thought, suddenly took off his clothes.

“What are you doing?”

Dan Akseon took his clothes and went outside the hut.

Soon after, Dan Akseon returned wearing someone’s rags.

He had exchanged clothes with a beggar outside the hut.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to beg.”

Bang So-bang, belatedly realizing Dan Akseon’s intentions, jumped up and tried to stop him.

“You don’t have to do this because of me.”

“How can I not?”

“What?”

“If you were me, would you just ignore it?”

Bang So-bang flinched at Dan Akseon’s angry gaze.

Dan Akseon asked again.

“Can you really do that?”

“……”

“I can’t. I’ll make anyone who bullies my friend pay the price. Even if it’s anyone…”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Woon Joong-san also took off his robe.

“Hey! Why are you doing this too?”

Woon Joong-san replied to the surprised Bang So-bang with a natural expression.

“I can’t send Akseon alone. We’re friends.”

“Haa… you crazy guys.”

Bang So-bang shook his head.

“Joong-san, there’s something you’ve overlooked.”

“……?”

“Did you forget that Philosopher Kim, Bang Dae-hyeop, one of Yeon Jeok-sim’s martial arts instructors, is a secular disciple of Wudang [a famous Taoist sect]?”

Bang So-bang continued sternly towards the hesitating Woon Joong-san.

“If you go there and cause a ruckus, the elders of your sect will severely punish you.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What?”

“I’ve already been punished once.”

Woon Joong-san turned his head towards Dan Akseon.

“If Akseon hadn’t come, I would still be performing the punishment of facing the wall in the solitary room.”

“……!”

Surprise appeared on Bang So-bang’s face.

The Wudang sect’s wall-facing punishment was known to be harsh.

They couldn’t even drink water, let alone eat food, and had to sit facing the wall in one position for days.

In fact, Woon Joong-san had tried to request a duel with Yeon Jeok-sim to avenge Bang So-bang. And before that, he had wanted to ask permission from the elders of the sect.

However, the elders of the sect stated that it was a formally held duel, so there was nothing to get involved in.

Still unable to give up, he secretly climbed over the wall.

But he was caught by the elders of the sect who were waiting outside and went straight to the solitary room.

“If Akseon hadn’t come to find me, I wouldn’t have been able to come here.”

Because of Dan Akseon’s reputation, they couldn’t refuse and sent Woon Joong-san. But from the beginning, they didn’t plan to punish him for long.

“Haa… what am I going to do with these guys?”

Bang So-bang sighed deeply, looking back and forth between Dan Akseon and Woon Joong-san.

But even as he said that, his eyes were filled with tears.

He was so moved by the sincerity of his friends who were willing to throw themselves into danger for him.

Bang So-bang removed the splint and struggled to get up.

“Oh, a beggar’s dying.”

“Why are you getting up?”

At Woon Joong-san’s question, Bang So-bang grinned.

“The saying ‘Following a friend to Gangnam [a wealthy area], didn’t come out of nowhere, right?”

Following a friend to Gangnam.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Bang So-bang joked at Dan Akseon’s worried gaze.

“Of course, I’m not okay. But what can I do? I have to blame my fate for having the wrong friends.”

Soon after, three young beggars left the hut and headed somewhere.

Han Seol-hwa, who was watching the scene from afar, was inwardly dumbfounded and couldn’t speak for a while.

After a while.

“Why does Doctor Dan have to be a beggar?”

Han Seol-hwa muttered as if she couldn’t believe what she had just seen.

If she had to pick the human types she hated the most in the world, it would definitely be beggars.

Due to her pathologically clean nature, she could never tolerate or accept beggars.

But Dan Akseon, whom she cherished the most in the world, was wearing smelly rags and wandering around.

Han Seol-hwa shuddered, a terrifying sight she had never even imagined.

Bum Gye-wi made a troubled expression at the scene.

“Should we go stop them, Older Brother Cho?”

“Can you handle it?”

“What do you mean?”

“If Doctor Dan finds out we were secretly watching, he’ll definitely sulk, right?”

“Ah! That won’t do.”

There was no need to hesitate between Dan Akseon and Han Seol-hwa.

From the beginning, the two could not be put on the same line.

“But we can’t just watch. It’s not because of the witch, but because we don’t know when those strange guys will pop out. They’re definitely targeting Doctor Dan too.”

“Isn’t that why we’re escorting him?”

Cho Ak-ryang suddenly had a distant look in his eyes.

“That’s how they grow up at that age. Getting some dirt on them, breathing in some dust…”

“Well, we had times like that too.”

Cho Ak-ryang frowned.

“Why are you bringing up our story there? Let’s just bury the past in the past. It’s not something to be proud of.”

“Oh? They’re using 경공 [light body skill, a martial art technique for moving swiftly]?”

With those words, Bum Gye-wi flew off.

Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa also quietly began to follow.

Soon after, Dan Akseon and his friends arrived at Cheongsim Manor, Yeon Daeya’s residence.

Although the sixtieth birthday celebration was yesterday, it seemed the party was still in full swing, with loud noises coming from over the fence.

“Are you ready?”

At Dan Akseon’s words, Woon Joong-san and Bang So-bang exchanged glances and nodded with determined faces.

“Shall we start then?”

With those words, Dan Akseon plopped down in front of the Cheongsim Manor gate.

Woon Joong-san and Bang So-bang immediately followed suit.

And as they had practiced beforehand, they shouted loudly without anyone saying anything first.

“Please give us a penny!”

“Bestow charity on the pitiful beggars and enjoy blessings for generations to come!”

“One coin will avert misfortune!”

The resounding voices of the three people drew the attention of the people going in and out of the manor, and they all turned towards the gate.

In the midst of all this, Bang So-bang scolded Dan Akseon.

“Hey, what kind of beggar is so confident?”

“Huh? Isn’t this how you do it?”

“You have to look as pitiful as possible. Make your eyes look more pathetic! Yes, that’s it!”

“Ah! Begging requires skill.”

“It’s not just skill, it’s a life-saving technique. Our livelihood depends on this one skill.”

Dan Akseon suddenly looked curious and whispered towards Woon Joong-san.

“But why do they say to accumulate virtue?”

“Accumulating virtue means doing good deeds. It’s also one of the methods of practice in our Taoism.”

No matter what the religion, it inevitably contains secular ethics.

In particular, what is emphasized in Taoism is accumulating virtue, that is, accumulating good karma.

It is believed that if good deeds are lacking or even one bad deed is committed, other religious practices or practices are invalidated.

Conversely, there was a widespread belief that accumulating good deeds could avert sudden disasters even without going through other religious practices or training processes.

“In the end, if you think about it, the ideal of Taoism is immortality, that is, living a long and healthy life.”

Not eating grains and only eating raw foods such as pine needles, jujubes, and chestnuts, practicing bigok [abstaining from grains], taking medicine or elixirs, regulating breathing, and guiding qi [internal energy flow].

Furthermore, introspection and sitting in oblivion are also required to accumulate virtue.

Dan Akseon, while kneeling, admired Woon Joong-san’s explanation.

“There are so many meanings contained in such simple begging.”

“For something like that, we look too poor, don’t we?”

The three people chuckled at Bang So-bang’s words.

They clearly came to take revenge, but thinking about the current situation, it was just funny and amusing.

“Please give us a penny!”

“The beggar who came yesterday isn’t dead yet and came again!”

“The good do not come, and those who come are not good!”

Good people do not come, and those who come are not good.

Bang So-bang admired Woon Joong-san’s witty twist.

“Oh! So, you’ve eaten some Taoist rice [gained some Taoist knowledge]?”

Woon Joong-san retorted.

“Then you can’t even pay for your rice.”

“What?”

“You’re the one who eats beggar’s rice every day, but Akseon looks more like a beggar.”

“Kuh.”

“Hehe.”

While kneeling and laughing, someone appeared in front of the gate.

“What kind of guts do these guys have?”

Dan Akseon raised his head at the cold voice.

A group of people, presumably bodyguards, were looking down at them with complicated eyes.

“I told you I’d break your ankles if you came again?”

One of the warriors made a stern expression.

“Get lost. You might really die this time.”

It was then.

“Why are you chasing away precious guests?”

At the voice from behind, the warriors respectfully bowed their heads.

Yeon Jeok-sim, the young master of this place, appeared.

Yeon Jeok-sim, upon discovering Bang So-bang, curled up a bitter smile.

“You’re already moving? You’re amazing. Well, I was very generous yesterday.”

Dan Akseon raised his eyes to confirm Yeon Jeok-sim’s face.

A boy who, despite being the same age, seemed a head taller than them.

In contrast to his handsome features, his eyes were cloudy and turbid.

“Is that him?”

“Yeah.”

Bang So-bang nodded at Dan Akseon’s question.

Then, Yeon Jeok-sim took something out of his pocket and shook it in front of Dan Akseon’s eyes.

“You want to beg? Then how about this?”

Clang.

Yeon Jeok-sim smiled, shaking a pouch full of silver coins.

He looked happy as if a new toy had come walking on its own.

“If you follow me, I’ll give you all of this. You’re beggars, so you wouldn’t refuse, right?”

Dan Akseon, facing the cruelly sparkling eyes beyond the friendly smile, smiled and got up from his seat.

“With that much money, of course, I have to follow you.”

“Good.”

Yeon Jeok-sim nodded with a satisfied expression and began to walk ahead.

Then, the warriors guarding the manor also moved behind him with serious expressions.

Dan Akseon, Woon Joong-san, and Bang So-bang exchanged glances and slowly nodded.

And they moved their steps towards where Yeon Jeok-sim was leading.

The place they arrived at was a secluded clearing in the forest behind the manor.

Yeon Jeok-sim gestured, and the bodyguards blocked the retreat.

Clang.

Yeon Jeok-sim threw the pouch full of silver coins in front of Dan Akseon’s group.

“I haven’t had enough sparring partners lately.”

Yeon Jeok-sim’s cold eyes turned to Bang So-bang.

“It would be great if you were only as good as you.”

Yeon Jeok-sim’s confident eyes flashed at Bang So-bang’s state, who was trembling with his fists clenched.

“The conditions for the duel are as follows. One hour. If you each last one hour, the money is yours. But once the duel starts, it can never be stopped.”

“Okay.”

Dan Akseon, who stepped forward first, smiled, grabbing Muk-ryong [his weapon, likely a sword or staff].

“Those are very pleasing conditions.”