The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 221

Shinmaeuiseon (221)

Late evening after finishing the day’s work.

Danakseon, sitting around the table with the Shinma Gok family, smiled brightly.

“It’s so nice to have everyone together like this.”

Han Seolhwa sighed softly.

“Can you still say that after seeing the trouble those two idiots caused during the day?”

“But no one got hurt, right?”

Danakseon was just purely cheerful.

More than anything, she felt reassured by Cho Akryang’s return after being away from Shinmaeui Ga for so long.

“Besides, Uncle Beom’s treatment is finished as of today.”

And with Sa Musim and Neung Somil as well.

Danakseon was happy enough just to be able to gather with everyone who shared her vision, eat together, and talk.

However, that amicable atmosphere didn’t last long.

It was because of the story Cho Akryang brought up.

“While tracking Noh Danyang’s trail, I reached Daemak (大幕) [a large tent or encampment, often used by nomadic groups].”

Cho Akryang explained in detail what he had found out.

“The Chiljeol Magun learned demonic arts?”

At Danakseon’s question, Cho Akryang nodded.

“It’s certain. I clearly confirmed traces of Hyeolra Ganggi [a powerful, dark energy technique].”

“But didn’t the Lord of the Namgung Family say he only gave him half of the secret manual?”

“Someone must have given him the complete manual.”

One cannot drink seawater just because they are thirsty.

There was no way a master like Noh Danyang would learn half-baked martial arts.

He knew the danger better than anyone else.

Danakseon’s expression darkened.

“The one who helped him is the current Martial Arts Alliance Leader.”

Danakseon, who had been organizing her thoughts for a moment, sighed.

“It seems we’ll have to clash with the Martial Arts Alliance again.”

Cho Akryang snorted briefly.

“We were bound to end up like this with those guys from the start. Justice and evil are hard to coexist.”

Beom Gyewi nodded and took the words.

“That’s right. It was doomed from the start with those guys anyway. It’s still the Martial Arts Alliance, just changed from the Nine Great Sects to the Sega Alliance. Besides, that snake-like woman was the first to antagonize us.”

Unlike the two who showed animosity, Neung Somil couldn’t just react emotionally.

Since the Shinma Merchant Group was involved, it was necessary to approach it realistically.

“Many of the security agencies are related to them.”

It had become quiet now, but there was no knowing when the Green Forest [a collective term for bandits and outlaws] would show its teeth again.

Akho-gun wasn’t one to just let things go after suffering such humiliation.

Although they were currently focused on trade with the Western Regions, they eventually had to carry trade goods to various parts of the Central Plains to make money.

As such, openly opposing the Martial Arts Alliance, which wielded influence over numerous security agencies, would be a considerable burden.

“We may need to decide on a course of action at this point.”

Sa Musim and Neung Somil nodded at Cho Akryang’s words.

The Green Forest and the Martial Arts Alliance were both trying to bring Muwi to their side.

It wasn’t intentional, but Muwi itself was playing a kind of balancing role.

It was then that Danakseon, who had been silently thinking, opened her mouth.

“Before deciding that, there’s something I need to tell you. I think we need to confirm this before deciding which side to take. Maybe this will allow us to choose without hesitation.”

As everyone’s attention focused on her, Danakseon cast a heavy gaze.

“I hope it’s just my worry…….”

Danakseon, who had been hesitant, carefully revealed her thoughts.

“A bloodbath is coming to the Central Plains soon.”

“Bloodbath?”

At Beom Gyewi’s question, Danakseon nodded.

“People who have learned demonic arts have appeared in the Green Forest and the Hainam Sword Sect. But are those the only Central Plains people who have learned demonic arts?”

As the silence of the crowd continued, Danakseon spoke again.

“It’s just an assumption, but I think the possibility is very low. Just like thunder always follows lightning, the consecutive occurrence of such coincidences is a sign of something.”

Everyone’s faces became serious at Danakseon’s words.

“Perhaps there are far more demonic arts spread throughout the Central Plains than we have identified.”

Even considering many possibilities, it wasn’t exactly wrong.

“What kind of bastards are doing this?”

“It must be the Demonic Cult.”

Sa Musim, who had asked the question, paused at Danakseon’s answer.

“I can’t think of any other place right now. All the circumstances are pointing to them.”

However, Cho Akryang and Beom Gyewi thought differently.

Cho Akryang tilted his head.

“Those guys are revealing their martial arts?”

The Demonic Cult had pride in their martial arts more than any other place.

As such, they were thoroughly preventing the leakage of their martial arts.

But they were spreading it themselves instead of recovering it?

“Despair is all that awaits those who have fallen into Juha 입마 [Qi Deviation, a dangerous state in martial arts cultivation].”

A terrible thorny path.

It was as if a terrible heavenly punishment (天刑) [divine punishment or fate] had been given, where they could not stop moving forward even knowing that the end was certain death.

“Wouldn’t those who learned the martial arts know that? They must have felt some signs during the training process. And by the time they felt it, they would have already entered an irreversible state.”

They were no different from patients who had been given a terminal diagnosis.

Focusing on that fact, Danakseon approached it in a doctor-like manner and derived a conclusion.

“The patients who came to my parents. Many of them came too late, missing the appropriate treatment period.”

Regardless of justice or evil, they had one thing in common.

“They’ll do anything if there’s a way to live. No matter what it is. Patients who have learned demonic arts and fallen into Juha 입마 are not much different.”

“But isn’t it strange?”

Beom Gyewi tilted his head.

“None of the guys who fell into Juha 입마 came to Dan Doctor of their own will, right? Even that Green Forest punk named Jin Youngsan only sneaked in here in the first place.”

“They wouldn’t have known that I could treat Juha 입마. Besides, they would have wanted to hide the fact that they had learned demonic arts until the end. They would be criticized wherever they went just for learning the Demonic Cult’s martial arts.”

“Hmm…….”

Cho Akryang made a sound of contemplation.

It was only then that he realized the true meaning of what Danakseon was trying to say.

“Except for me, they only have one option from the beginning.”

“To go to the Demonic Cult and get the proper mental cultivation method.”

Danakseon nodded at Cho Akryang’s words.

“Both of you would have made the same choice if you hadn’t had a relationship with me. That’s why I think there are more people who have learned demonic arts.”

Soft exclamations erupted from various places.

“In that case……?”

Neung Somil trailed off as if it were uncomfortable to say.

Danakseon drove a wedge there.

“The masters who have trained in demonic arts in the Central Plains naturally become subordinates of the Demonic Cult. With the single-mindedness of wanting to live.”

Sa Musim and Neung Somil were momentarily shocked and couldn’t speak for a while.

The same was true for Han Seolhwa and Beom Gyewi, including Cho Akryang.

If what Danakseon said was true, it was truly a chilling scheme.

“It’s just a guess, but this is my reasoning.”

Danakseon began to explain the summarized content to them.

“In the past Jeongma War [a war between righteous and demonic factions], the Demonic Cult had its major secret manuals stolen by the Martial Arts Alliance. It was no longer their own martial arts. So they just spread it out. They chose martial arts that required unique internal energy. And they planned to make the people who learned it naturally come to the Demonic Cult.”

Cho Akryang contemplated.

“Are they using the crisis as an opportunity?”

A bold strategy of turning misfortune into profit (以患爲利) [using a disaster to one’s advantage].

He didn’t know whose idea it was, but he was truly a great person.

The eyes of the crowd, who realized the seriousness of the situation, became heavy.

Breaking the silence that had settled in the hall, Danakseon turned to Neung Somil.

“Please find out about the people who have suddenly disappeared from each sect.”

They couldn’t just stand by and watch any longer.

It was clear that similar cases were happening somewhere at this moment.

“And also about the name Kang Myung.”

It was the name that the two patients who had learned demonic arts had mentioned.

“I’ll move right away.”

Neung Somil, who bowed her head, stepped outside.

It was more than half a month later that Neung Somil reported the results of the investigation to Danakseon.

“We’ve identified more than thirty people from the righteous sects from the Black Market. There are also many who have disappeared from the evil sects. Except for those gathered here in Muwi, most of them are scattered, so it’s difficult to know the exact number, but it seems to be several times more than the righteous sects.”

In some ways, it was natural.

The situation of the martial artists of the evil sects was that much more dire and desperate than the martial artists of the righteous sects, who had to learn demonic arts while avoiding the strict rules and eyes of their sects.

Cho Akryang nodded.

“It’s as Dan Doctor expected.”

Danakseon, who was thinking about something, met Neung Somil’s eyes.

“Do they have anything in common?”

Neung Somil handed Danakseon the reports from various places.

“They were all people who desperately wanted strong martial arts.”

Most of them were those who were talented but missed the opportunity to learn martial arts, or those whose martial arts skills did not support their status or background.

As much as they craved strong martial arts, it would have been difficult to shake off the temptation of demonic arts.

Danakseon, who was checking the contents of the report with a serious expression, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Were there any people related to the Martial Arts Alliance among them?”

“Not yet.”

“Hmm…….”

Cho Akryang asked at Danakseon’s expression, which seemed somewhat uneasy.

“Are you worried about the Martial Arts Alliance?”

Danakseon slowly nodded.

“Anyway, it’s certain that they are related to demonic arts.”

The only definite clue currently given was the relationship between Noh Danyang and the Martial Arts Alliance.

If the person who provided Hyeolra Ganggi to Noh Danyang was Jegal Yeon, the situation would become even more serious.

If they were in collusion with the Demonic Cult, the Central Plains martial arts world would be the same as having an enemy inside.

It was truly a worm living in the body of a lion.

“I think we should investigate the Martial Arts Alliance first.”

Neung Somil expressed concern at Danakseon’s words.

“If they find out, it could lead to an all-out war.”

“I’ll avoid fighting as much as possible, but I won’t hesitate if necessary.”

Han Seolhwa, who had been silently guarding Danakseon’s side, nodded.

“Originally, an internal enemy is more dangerous than an external enemy.”

Beom Gyewi smiled grimly and took Han Seolhwa’s words.

“I can finally pay those guys back.”

Danakseon expressed her will.

“We need to hurry. It’s highly likely that the Demonic Cult will also realize that we’ve noticed something. They’re the ones who have meticulously planned this scheme. If they realize that their true colors have been revealed, they may execute their original plan ahead of schedule.”

The problem was that there was no way to know what that was right now.

* * *

Around the end of Myosi [5-7 AM], when the dawn began to break.

Danakseon, who put down the writing brush on the desk, sighed.

Her head was complicated, so she stayed up all night.

She stared blankly at the various possibilities and hypotheses scribbled on the paper for a while.

“Huh?”

Suspicion arose in Danakseon’s eyes.

The brush on the desk was faintly trembling.

“Earthquake?”

Come to think of it, the building seemed to be shaking faintly.

Danakseon hurriedly stepped out of the building.

“Huh?”

It was then that she discovered a person standing blankly in the distance.

It was Han Seolhwa.

“You’re up early?”

As Danakseon approached and greeted her, Han Seolhwa frowned strangely.

“I couldn’t……. sleep well.”

Danakseon nodded with a bitter smile.

It was already undeniable that Bukhae Binggung, one of the Saeoe Ose [Five Great Clans Beyond the Border], was involved in this situation.

For her, who had once been a member of Bukhae Binggung, it must have been a very complicated matter.

However, Danakseon’s guess was pleasantly off.

“Stop it a little.”

The place she was looking at was Beom Gyewi’s residence.

The epicenter where the reverberation spread in Uiga started.

But she couldn’t explain the reason to Danakseon.

It was then that a loud shout erupted from the direction of Cho Akryang’s residence.

“Let’s get some sleep! You guys!”