The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 169

The Divine Doctor of Mount Hua (169)

“……!”

At those words, the smile vanished from Zhuge Yan’s face.

Cho Ak-ryang quietly whispered to Dan Ak-seon, who was looking up at him with worried eyes.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of shedding blood on such a fine day.”

Having reassured Dan Ak-seon, Cho Ak-ryang turned his gaze towards Zhuge Yan.

The gentle look from just a moment ago was nowhere to be found, replaced only by thick murderous intent.

“I will not accept your written pledge.”

Zhuge Yan, who had been puzzled, flinched at Cho Ak-ryang’s subsequent words.

“So, come and find us whenever you want. The Murim [martial arts world] is not forbidden to you.”

Beom Gye-wi nodded, smiling.

“Be sure to come. We’ll be waiting.”

Beom Gye-wi was already looking forward to their visit.

“We will welcome you with all sincerity.”

The Beggar Clan disciples snickered, understanding the meaning behind his words.

Zhuge Yan, on the other hand, could not laugh.

The moment she met the eyes of the two men, with their terrifying murderous intent swirling within, she felt as if her entire body was being sliced apart.

At that moment, Lee Rip shouted once more.

“Let it be widely known throughout the Central Plains that all methods of the Beggar Clan have been declared forbidden to the Orthodox Sect! This is the business of our Beggar Clan friends!”

Lee Rip particularly emphasized the relationship between the Beggar Clan and Dan Ak-seon’s group.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a unanimous response erupted from the beggars gathered in the open space.

“Revere Chivalry! The Beggar Clan of the World!”

The united voice, resonating loudly, pressured Zhuge Yan.

Zhuge Yan’s gaze, which had been fixed on Lee Rip, passed over Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi and stopped at Dan Ak-seon.

Zhuge Yan cast a resentful look, but her influence here was extremely limited.

Eventually realizing this, Zhuge Yan slowly turned around.

She had come confidently, but her departure was utterly pathetic.

Soon, as she disappeared with the Murim Alliance members, Dan Ak-seon looked around and shouted.

“In gratitude for today’s hospitality, I have prepared some food. Please, everyone, enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

At Dan Ak-seon’s words, carts began to enter the open space shortly after.

Several carts were filled with all sorts of delicacies and jars of alcohol.

These were foods meticulously prepared by the Shinma Merchant Guild, having heard the news that Dan Ak-seon would be attending the Beggar Clan’s assembly.

The Beggar Clan members cheered as they busily carried the food.

“We’re already benefiting from our friend!”

“Thank you! We’ll enjoy it!”

“We’ll do our best as much as we’ve been treated!”

The beggars, each expressing their gratitude to Dan Ak-seon, soon took their places in groups of three or five.

Thus, the after-party of the Beggar Clan’s assembly began in earnest, and the venue became as lively as it had been at the start.

With alcohol added, voices grew even louder, and songs to liven the mood echoed from all directions.

There was even dancing.

The scene was so boisterous that it was overwhelming.

Leaving behind the Beggar Clan members enjoying the feast, Dan Ak-seon turned around.

As she left the open space and reached a secluded spot, Han Seol-hwa was waiting.

Dan Ak-seon approached her and expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Han Seol-hwa quietly smiled and shook her head.

“It was all done by your will and effort.”

Then, looking at Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi standing behind Dan Ak-seon, she curled up a meaningful smile.

“Those two beggars and I were just guarding your side.”

“……!”

“……!”

Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi’s faces contorted.

“We’re not beggars! We’re just guests!”

Han Seol-hwa snickered at Beom Gye-wi’s protest.

“You both look good together, why?”

Just as Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi were about to burst out, Dan Ak-seon spoke first.

“Let’s go home now!”

Dan Ak-seon wore an even brighter smile.

At that sight, the three nodded, laughing as if they had never bickered.

* * *

Gansuk Province, Muwi.

The streets, ten days after the New Year’s Day, were very deserted.

The festivities for the New Year did not end on the day itself but continued until the Lantern Festival, fifteen days later.

Originally, the town should have been bustling with a festive atmosphere.

But the atmosphere was strangely bleak.

There were no lion dance performances that were held every year, and people who should have been exchanging New Year’s greetings closed their doors and did not go out into the streets.

The red lanterns hung throughout the town and the paper cuttings decorating the buildings were all the more meaningless.

Because of this, the merchants of the marketplace were deeply troubled.

It was a long-awaited peak season, but they were suffering for an unexpected reason.

This was also the case for Yang Il, the owner of Seonghwa Inn, which had been operating in Muwi for three generations.

“Hoo…….”

Yang Il sighed.

Looking at the trembling waiter, terrified before his eyes, made the current situation even more frustrating.

“Wh-what should we do?”

In the face of the sudden situation, the waiter was tearful, unable to put down the tray of food he was holding.

Yang Il gestured for the waiter to come over.

“It’s dangerous, so come over here first.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a shout erupted from inside the inn.

“You’re dead!”

Crash.

Following that, the sound of furniture being smashed was heard.

“Couldn’t they not break the furniture…….”

Hiding behind the counter, Yang Il cautiously peeked out to assess the situation.

Two Murim people were sitting across from each other with a table between them.

They had initially exchanged greetings in a friendly atmosphere and ordered food, but now they were wielding blue blades and fighting for their lives.

At the gruesome sight, the few remaining customers screamed and ran out of the inn.

“Go and inform the Shinma Merchant Guild.”

“Yes!”

At Yang Il’s instruction, the waiter quickly ran out of the inn.

At that moment.

“Kkeuaaak!”

A desperate, dying scream echoed through the inn.

Yang Il trembled at the horrific sight that unfolded before his eyes.

Jang Han was looking down at the blood-soaked corpse, smiling eerily.

In his hand was a jagged blade.

Jang Han, who had wiped off the flesh and blood from the jagged blade reminiscent of saw teeth, smiled at Yang Il and flew out the window, disappearing.

“There hadn’t been any killings yet…….”

Thanks to the Shinma Merchant Guild members who threw themselves to stop it whenever a grim atmosphere arose, no one had died.

But now, that line had been crossed.

“It seems like it’s really time to leave this place.”

Yang Il, with trembling legs, left the inn and sighed as he looked around the streets.

The depressing situation was unfolding all over the marketplace.

“You can’t just take it!”

Neighbor Jang cried out pitifully to a man who was passing by his stall and taking fruit without a word.

However, the man, who had not paid, retorted shamelessly.

“It’s on credit.”

“No! How many times has this been already?”

When Jang raised his voice, the man grinned and thrust a menacing face at him.

“Is this more valuable than your life?”

At the blatant threat, Jang staggered back with a pale face.

Crack! Kwang!

At the loud noise, Yang Il looked up to where the sound came from.

The sight of Murim people fighting in a chaotic tangle on the roof came into view.

As a result, pieces of roof tiles that had been scattered here and there rained down like rain.

The problem was that a passing Murim person was hit by a fragment and then intruded into the fight, causing even more chaos.

The ones causing the disturbance were not just them.

It was common to threaten passersby and rob them of their possessions, and there were even those who harassed women holding children.

And this had become a frequent occurrence in Muwi in recent times.

Around the beginning of the New Year’s Day.

The number of unorthodox Murim people, which had been increasing by one or two, was now so numerous that it was difficult to count them all over Muwi.

Arguments broke out several times a day, and fights broke out.

They used to back down when the Shinma Merchant Guild members appeared, but now they didn’t even care.

In the end, the people who had settled down and lived here in Muwi were the ones who bore the brunt of the damage.

It was then.

“Stop!”

Men who had run from somewhere stood face to face with the Murim people to resolve the situation.

They were martial artists belonging to the Shinma Merchant Guild.

At the head of them was So Jeok-san, the leader of Yiui-bang, who had once been the head of this place.

“I clearly told you not to touch ordinary people who have not learned martial arts.”

The Murim people who confronted So Jeok-san laughed at him.

“Are you talking to us now?”

The one-eyed man who had just killed someone in the inn glared at So Jeok-san, emitting murderous intent.

“What if I don’t want to?”

So Jeok-san paused at the intense murderous intent that pierced his skin.

But he did not back down and shouted.

“Those people will never sit idly by!”

“Those people?”

The one-eyed man, Yu Gwi, who had been tilting his head, burst into laughter.

“Are you saying that Blood Demon Lord and Mangsang Choja, the Ten Great Evils, would take issue with such a thing?”

The threat that had worked at first was no longer effective.

“It is their will to protect the people of this Muwi!”

At those words, the other unorthodox people snickered.

“Are you saying that those who are the heads of the villains care about ordinary people?”

“Even a passing dog would laugh.”

“If you had spouted such nonsense in front of them, you wouldn’t be safe right now, would you?”

The surrounding responses, adding one word at a time, stimulated Yu Gwi’s bravado.

“Then let’s test it.”

Yu Gwi grabbed the handle of the jagged blade.

“I’ll know if I kill you. I doubt they’ll even remember you guys, but let’s see if they get angry.”

As if enjoying the fun, Yu Gwi approached So Jeok-san.

“Try to stop me.”

With those words, Yu Gwi drew his sword like lightning.

But his jagged blade could not cut So Jeok-san.

The moment the sword was half drawn, someone suddenly intervened and blocked So Jeok-san.

Tuk.

Yu Gwi was startled and checked the person who had grabbed his hand.

“Sa Mu-sim!”

Sa Mu-sim cast a cold gaze at Yu Gwi, who had recognized him.

“Leave this place.”

“What?”

“You are not qualified to stay here.”

With those words, Sa Mu-sim turned his gaze to the other unorthodox people.

“Please listen carefully and keep this in mind. The people of this place are the true owners of this Muwi. And you are guests. If you do not behave as guests, no matter who you are, you cannot stay here.”

“Nonsense!”

Yu Gwi, who had confirmed that Sa Mu-sim’s gaze was directed elsewhere, tried to draw his sword with all his might.

Ududuk.

“Kkeuaaak!”

Screaming, Yu Gwi collapsed to the ground.

Sa Mu-sim, who had grasped Yu Gwi’s intention, put strength into his fingers and crushed Yu Gwi’s hand holding the Dopah [a type of Korean sword] as it was.

The venue became as quiet as if cold water had been poured over it at Sa Mu-sim’s overwhelming martial prowess.

It was then.

“Then how should a guest behave?”

There was a man entering the venue while asking a question.

He was an old man with ruthless eyes filled with deadly murderous intent.

Uniquely, he was covering his hands with loose sleeves, and the colorful Jangpo [a type of patchwork robe], sewn with fabrics of all colors, was embroidered with gruesome demons that were chilling to look at.

‘Geo Ryung No Gun!’

Sa Mu-sim, who immediately recognized his identity, inwardly groaned.

Notorious in the Mu Yang area, he was famous for his high level of martial arts and cruel hands, so much so that if they were to pick the Ten Great Evils again, he would immediately be named in it.

Finally, an opponent he was reluctant to face had appeared.

Nevertheless, Sa Mu-sim answered with a calm gaze.

“The principle of this Muwi is clear. If you cause harm to ordinary people who have not learned martial arts, you must leave this place without question.”

“Without question…….”

Ko Wi-gwang smiled as he pondered Sa Mu-sim’s words.

“But who judges and decides that? Surely it’s not you, is it?”

“…….”

“I’ll tell you in advance, I’m not afraid of them either.”

It was not difficult to guess who Ko Wi-gwang was referring to when he said ‘them’.

Sa Mu-sim, who had been staring at Ko Wi-gwang, quietly sighed.

“I clearly warned you.”

“Warned?”

A terrifying murderous intent poured out from Ko Wi-gwang’s entire body.

“You dare to me?”