The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 38

Voices filled with worry and concern echoed throughout Hyeonjeong Hall.

At that moment.

Thwack!

The doors of Hyeonjeong Hall burst open, and a figure strode in.

It was Han Seol-hwa.

Whoosh.

Standing amidst a swirling vortex of icy energy, she fixed Namgung Baek with a chilling gaze.

“Withdraw your subordinates.”

Her voice, unlike when they first met, was cold and laced with a palpable sense of dread. Startled, Namgung Baek hesitated for a moment, and Han Seol-hwa fully unleashed her energy.

Crack.

The pure white frost that began beneath her feet spread rapidly across the floor, then climbed the pillars and walls with astonishing speed.

“Cough!”

Several martial artists inside Hyeonjeong Hall coughed up blood.

Namgung Baek hastily issued an order.

“Everyone, retreat outside!”

“But, Alliance Leader!”

“Now!”

At Namgung Baek’s thunderous command, all the martial artists vanished from Hyeonjeong Hall.

Once they were alone, Han Seol-hwa spoke quietly.

“If you ever direct your killing intent toward that child again…”

Han Seol-hwa continued, her words directed at the tense Namgung Baek.

“Then I will add my name to the Ten Great Evils.” [A list of infamous villains in the martial arts world.]

“……!”

With those words, Han Seol-hwa turned away.

Namgung Baek stared at the spot where she had disappeared for a long while before letting out a sigh that seemed to drain the very earth.

“Not Tae Tae Seonja [Great Fairy], but Ho-gu Tae-tae (Tiger’s Mouth Madam) [A fearsome and dangerous woman]……”

A female ghost who brings disaster wherever she goes.

At this moment, that was how Han Seol-hwa felt to him.

* * *

Dan-ak Seon, having returned to the detached palace, immediately sought out Pung Jin-seong.

It was to explain the cause of the illness he had uncovered, the reason for it, and to devise a treatment plan.

“Recovery of blood production is necessary. To do that, we need to activate the innate true energy [a person’s vital life force].”

“If we awaken the innate true energy, won’t the balance tilt even further?”

Dan-ak Seon nodded at Pung Jin-seong’s concern.

“Before that, I plan to use a potent elixir with strong yang energy [positive, active energy in traditional Chinese medicine] to eliminate the impurities in the blood all at once. Otherwise, even if it’s treated now, it will recur over time.”

“That’s too dangerous. It could be like burning down the house to catch a flea. Especially in her weakened state, even the energy of the elixir could become toxic…”

“Yes, controlling the yang energy is key.”

Pung Jin-seong shook his head.

“It’s not just about that… the gap between the time the elixir is absorbed and the time its effects manifest is too great. How will we cope with the side effects when they occur?”

He mentioned another reason as well.

“Even if her condition improves that way, there will still be problems. It will take a considerable amount of time to restore the balance of yin and yang [negative, passive energy in traditional Chinese medicine], which has tilted so greatly to one side. In her current state, Namgung Sojeo [young miss] absolutely cannot endure it.”

“What if it were possible to respond to those changes in yin and yang?”

“As I’ve already said, no elixir can…”

“It’s impossible with elixirs. But it’s possible with people.”

Pung Jin-seong belatedly realized something.

The gazes of the two men turned to Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa.

“I believe it’s possible if the two of you help.”

Han Seol-hwa would protect the internal organs and meridians with her yin energy, and Beom Gye-wi would burn away all the toxins in the body with his yang energy.

“After buying time that way, we can awaken the innate true energy with an elixir.”

“If it’s that kind of method…”

Pung Jin-seong, who had been running all sorts of calculations in his head, nodded.

“I think it might be possible!”

Yin-Han energy and extreme Yang energy, possessing opposing properties.

These were two people who had already reached the ranks of grandmasters by refining them to the extreme. If Dan-ak Seon’s medical skills were added to that, and he assisted from the side?

It was by no means an impossible task.

‘No!’

It was entirely possible.

Dan-ak Seon spoke to Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa.

“I need your help.”

Since the two of them would not refuse Dan-ak Seon’s request in the first place, they readily accepted. Then, suddenly, Cho Ak-ryang cast a strange glance at Beom Gye-wi.

“I’ve lived long enough to see this. That bastard is lending a hand in saving someone’s life.”

Beom Gye-wi flared up.

“I’ve saved plenty of people too!”

“You have?”

“Of course! How many people have I let go without killing them?”

“Is that the same thing as this?”

“What’s the difference? Whether you flip it or flop it, the result is the same.”

Then, as if realizing something, Beom Gye-wi grinned at Cho Ak-ryang.

“What’s with the old man’s antics?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s obvious, what. Aren’t you just sulking because there’s no place for Cho-hyung [older brother] to step in?”

Dan-ak Seon, who had been discussing specific treatment methods and detailed procedures with Pung Jin-seong, joined their conversation.

“What? Cho-ajussi’s [uncle] role is the most important, though?”

“Cho-hyung’s?”

Unlike the flustered Beom Gye-wi, the corners of Cho Ak-ryang’s lips quirked up.

“Even a slight mistake is not allowed in this procedure. Moreover, it’s not something we can try multiple times.”

Dan-ak Seon’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the three of them.

“To do that, we all need to be in sync.”

“Does that mean we need to practice?”

Dan-ak Seon nodded at Han Seol-hwa’s question.

“That’s why Cho-ajussi’s role is the most important. He’s the closest to the patient’s condition, after all.”

Han Seol-hwa and Beom Gye-wi.

Cho Ak-ryang was suddenly overcome with a sense of foreboding at the gazes of the two people staring intently at him.

‘Can I trust those guys?’

Dan-ak Seon smiled brightly at Cho Ak-ryang, who couldn’t help but worry.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m here, after all.”

“I trust Dan-uiwon [esteemed doctor], of course. It’s just those two that are the problem.”

“There’s no other way right now. We have no choice but to trust each other.”

Cho Ak-ryang sighed.

Dan-ak Seon was saying this much, so he couldn’t just keep backing out.

At that moment, Pung Jin-seong spoke.

“Now, the most important problem remains.”

The group’s gazes all turned to Pung Jin-seong.

“How should we be compensated for doing such a difficult task?”

Pung Jin-seong smiled slyly.

Beom Gye-wi shouted loudly as if he had realized something.

“Elixirs!”

Pung Jin-seong nodded.

“Not only that, but we should also get a hefty treatment fee.”

He, too, had already heard about the friction between Namgung Baek and his group.

“We have to get it all without any discounts.”

Cho Ak-ryang echoed Beom Gye-wi’s words.

“Of course. Dan-uiwon is the only one in the world who can cure this disease.”

* * *

Namgung Baek gripped the armrest of the grand chair as he listened to the report.

Crack.

The solid rosewood was crushed under his grasp. Still unable to shake off his anger, he glared at the woman bowing her head below the dais and shouted.

“So? You’re saying you couldn’t find him?”

Jegal Yeon, the leader of Cheonidan [information guild], the information organization that served as the eyes and ears of the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance], lowered her head.

“I apologize. We are searching with all available personnel, but more time is needed. He has been missing for so long…”

Jegal Yeon bit her lip, her head lowered at Namgung Baek’s display of disappointment.

‘Is this really what I should be doing?’

It was too personal a matter to be considered the work of the Murim Alliance. That was why she had felt uneasy throughout this task.

Nevertheless, she had no choice but to endure, considering the relationships between the various clans.

Hiding her true feelings, she looked at Namgung Baek with determined eyes, as if nothing had happened.

“I will find him without fail.”

Namgung Baek silently nodded in response.

After Jegal Yeon left, Namgung Baek drank the cold tea. He drank three cups in a row, but the fire in his chest remained.

It was anger directed at the head of the Biryong Merchant Guild [a powerful merchant organization], who had presented the bed made of Cheonghwa Eunok [a rare and valuable jade].

Ten years ago, when he first came to him, he had offered a large amount of wealth and was guaranteed rights within Anhui Province. After that, he used his skills to push out the merchants in Anhui Province one by one, and among them were quite a few merchants who had deep ties with the Namgung Clan.

The Namgung Clan remained silent in their fight.

Perhaps it was because they had already received a large amount of wealth, but in reality, the Biryong Merchant Guild had taken better care of the Namgung family, who were the rulers of Anhui, than the existing rights.

However, while he was the leader of the Murim Alliance and was temporarily neglecting the affairs of his clan, this had happened. The owner of the guild had already changed, and that person had disappeared without a trace.

Namgung Baek’s stomach churned.

At that moment, Yang Bul-wi, the head of the Changcheon Division [a division within the Murim Alliance], spoke.

“The head of the Jinseong Medical Clan is requesting an audience.”

Namgung Baek nodded silently, and after a while, the doors of Hyeonjeong Hall opened and Pung Jin-seong entered.

“Pung Jin-seong of the Jinseong Medical Clan greets the Alliance Leader.”

Pung Jin-seong was as polite as ever.

“I heard there was a small misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding? Was it a misunderstanding?”

Namgung Baek chuckled.

However, he didn’t bother to continue the story related to him.

It was something that hurt his pride the more he thought about it, so he didn’t even want to mention it again. So, he replaced it by asking about his daughter’s well-being.

“Hyang-i, how is that child’s condition?”

“That’s why I came to see the Alliance Leader.”

At Pung Jin-seong’s words, a smile spread across Namgung Baek’s face.

“We have decided on a treatment plan.”

“Are you saying treatment is possible?”

“I cannot guarantee the results, but one thing is certain.”

“……?”

“It is the only way to save Sojeo [young miss].”

“I will trust the head of the clan! Please save that child!”

Pung Jin-seong looked at Namgung Baek with an ambiguous smile.

“I will convey your words as they are.”

“What does that……”

“As you know, the person in charge of the treatment is not me. We, the people of the Medical Clan, are only helping from the side, and all the overall treatment depends on Gokju-nim [esteemed master physician].”

Pung Jin-seong continued.

“Originally, Gokju-nim should have come and explained the treatment process himself, but he is still researching treatment methods. That’s why I came instead.”

Namgung Baek waved his hand.

“Please just save her! I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life.”

“Kindness? It’s just what a doctor should do.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“There is something I would like to ask of the Alliance Leader.”

Pung Jin-seong explained the general treatment method. Of course, the martial arts parts of Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa were replaced with other content.

In the process, he especially emphasized the need for elixirs.

“Elixirs, you say……”

Pung Jin-seong took out a piece of paper he had prepared in advance and handed it over.

One of the warriors of the Changcheon Division received the paper and handed it to Namgung Baek.

However, Namgung Baek let out a groan as he checked the list of medicinal herbs that was densely written on the paper.

At first, common medicinal herbs were listed, but as he went on, even he was surprised by the elixirs that were listed.

“Cheoneum Seolryeongwa (Heavenly Yin Snow Lotus Fruit) [a rare and potent medicinal fruit] and a thousand-year-old Hasuo [a legendary medicinal plant]……”

In addition, there were Shaolin’s Daehwandan [a powerful healing pill], Hwasan’s Jasodan called Mae Hwa Sindan [a plum blossom divine pill], and Wudang’s Taecheong Sindan [a supreme clarity divine pill]. Each one was an elixir that would shake the world.

But the real problem was something else.

One word written on the last line.

“Gongcheong Seogyu [a mythical medicinal oil]?”

While Namgung Baek was at a loss, Pung Jin-seong replied with a calm face.

“If we can get it, the success rate of this treatment will increase by at least 10%.”

While Namgung Baek was contemplating, someone carefully opened his mouth.

“Alliance Leader.”

It was Sagong-un, the leader of Cheonghwadan [finance division], the organization in charge of the Murim Alliance’s finances, planning, and execution.

“The elixirs requested by Pung Gaju [clan leader] are strategic assets that are permitted by this Alliance only in special cases after a difficult procedure. Please be careful in your decision……”

Namgung Baek raised his hand to cut him off.

“These medicines are for my personal use, so I will obtain them with the assets of the Namgung Clan.”

Sagong-un retreated immediately, as if that was what he wanted to hear. Seeing this, Namgung Baek looked at Pung Jin-seong again and asked.

“What is the original probability of success?”

“50%.”

“Barely?”

Namgung Baek’s eyebrows twitched at the words that it was at best a fifty-fifty chance.

However, Pung Jin-seong replied calmly.

“Even that would have been unthinkable if it were someone else.”

“I understand.”

Namgung Baek made a decision.

“I will do whatever it takes to prepare it for you.”