The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 399

Surveying the assembly, Dan Ahk-seon finally revealed the real reason for the meeting.

“I believe we must combine our strength now.”

Jeongyeon Shinni of the Emei Sect voiced her doubt at Dan Ahk-seon’s words.

“Do you mean to re-establish the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance] as before?”

Dan Ahk-seon shook his head.

“It will be difficult to face the Demonic Cult with the power of the Orthodox Factions alone.”

“Then?”

“Everyone, regardless of Orthodox or Unorthodox factions, must join forces.”

As surprise rippled through the room, Dan Ahk-seon pressed on.

“Therefore, I intend to lift the ban on my martial arts from today.”

“Are you sure?” Jeongyeon Shinni asked cautiously.

She knew well the effort and dedication Dan Ahk-seon had put into declaring his martial arts forbidden.

But now he was willing to discard it all.

However, Dan Ahk-seon nodded, a hint of relief in his expression.

“The resurgence of the Demonic Cult that we will soon face is a greater threat than turning against each other and dividing into factions.”

Dan Ahk-seon bowed politely to the assembly.

“I am ashamed to ask again of those who signed the petition [to ban his martial arts], but I ask for your help once more. Your help is needed to defeat the Demonic Cult.”

A moment of silence fell in the conference room.

But it didn’t last long.

“We will stand with Councilman Dan!” Hongjeokmun [Crimson Blood Gate] declared.

Following Hongjeokmun’s cry, Mount Hua, Hengshan, and Emei also voiced their support for Dan Ahk-seon’s intention.

The other sects followed suit.

Eventually, with the Joint Faction as the last, everyone decided to join forces to confront the Demonic Cult. Hongjeokmun then asked,

“Then what do you intend to do first?”

Dan Ahk-seon took out a pair of folding fans from his chest.

It was a folding fan that he had decided to call the Celestial Demon Fan (天魔扇) because it had belonged to the Celestial Demon.

Dan Ahk-seon unfolded the fan so that everyone could see the picture.

“First, I intend to find this place.”

If the elites of the Demonic Cult were being trained, this place they called the Divine Land was most likely the location.

“In fact, the entire Shinma Merchant Guild is now starting an investigation to find out the location of this place.”

“What do you intend to do after finding the location?” Beopryo asked.

Dan Ahk-seon answered immediately, “We must attack first before their forces are complete.”

At those words, everyone in the hall realized that the full-scale war with the Demonic Cult had begun.

Unlike the dangers that had only been spoken of until now, it had now become a tangible reality.

The meeting of the leaders of the Nine Great Sects continued late into the night.

The meeting to allocate and organize forces, focusing on the elites of each faction, was that much more arduous.

Dan Ahk-seon left the conference room for a moment and went outside.

Leaving the place full of hot air and feeling the breeze, the stuffiness finally disappeared, and he could feel the tranquility of a secluded summer night.

Blue stars embroidered the dark sky.

Bathed in the moonlight that seemed to flow down from above, he walked where his feet led him for a while.

Sensing a strange presence, Dan Ahk-seon suddenly stopped walking and stared straight ahead.

Not far away in the darkness, two figures emerged.

“Hehe. I finally get to meet the famous Shinma Physician,” a low voice chuckled ominously.

The other one added, “It was worth the wait.”

Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes hardened as he felt an unusual energy from the opponents, and he gripped Mukryong [his sword].

At that moment, the two figures hidden in the darkness rushed towards Dan Ahk-seon.

*Kwaeak!* [Sound of something tearing through the air]

At the same time, Mukryong, infused with Weihwa Divine Art [his martial art], tore through the air.

At that moment, the opponents hesitated.

“Wait!”

“Kehek! Ahk-seon, it’s us! Us!”

Dan Ahk-seon hurriedly withdrew his energy at the sight of the startled opponents who had fallen to the ground.

Doubt clouded Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes.

“Who…?”

The young man, sweating as he looked at Mukryong, which had stopped an inch from his head, wore an absurd expression.

“Wow, I’m disappointed. How can you not recognize us? We recognized you at once!”

Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes trembled slightly.

He belatedly noticed the ragged clothes the opponent was wearing and the knot at the waist symbolizing the Beggars’ Sect [a sect known for gathering information and helping the needy].

“Bang So-bang?”

The beggar youth grinned as Dan Ahk-seon recognized him.

“Then you are…?” Dan Ahk-seon turned his head and looked at the young man standing next to Bang So-bang.

The young Taoist with a neat impression, dressed in a clean robe, pointed to Bang So-bang, who was still sitting down.

“So-bang wanted to do it.”

“Huh?”

“He wanted to surprise you since it’s been a while? I clearly told him not to.”

Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes widened.

The appearance of his friends, whom he was meeting after several years, had changed drastically.

Their voices had deepened, and the childishness had disappeared. It was natural that he couldn’t recognize his friends, who had become young men.

In particular, Bang So-bang had changed so much that he wouldn’t have recognized him even if he had met him by chance.

Dan Ahk-seon wasn’t short, but Bang So-bang, who was the smallest of the three, had grown more than a hand taller.

The same was true of Woon Joong-san.

The more serious eyes and atmosphere contained the dignity of a stern Wudang [a Taoist sect] disciple, like an ancient tree.

Bang So-bang grumbled, dusting off the dirt on his clothes.

“Tch. One guy tries to beat me as soon as he sees me, and the other one is cowardly and snitches… Sigh, what can I do? I have to blame my fate for having these guys as friends.”

“So-bang!” Dan Ahk-seon hugged Bang So-bang tightly, then frowned.

“Why?”

Bang So-bang cast a puzzled look at Dan Ahk-seon, who was gently pushing him away.

Woon Joong-san frowned and threw a reproach. “Because you stink.”

“What, you bastard? If a beggar doesn’t stink, will he smell fragrant?”

“Still, you’re a bit too much.”

“So, is that why you kept staying away like that?”

Woon Joong-san avoided answering, but that was answer enough.

Bang So-bang, who had been staring at Woon Joong-san, suddenly spread his arms and rushed in.

“Come here, my friend! Let’s reaffirm our hot friendship after a long time.”

Woon Joong-san, startled, hurriedly stepped back.

“Oh? Ladder to the Clouds (梯雲縱) [a Wudang movement technique]? Did you eat some Taoist rice in the meantime?”

Bang So-bang, who unfolded the Beggars’ Sect’s unique skill, Drunken Eight Immortals Steps (醉八仙步) [a unique movement technique], caught up with Woon Joong-san and burst into hearty laughter.

“You’re still far from catching up with this *hyung* [older brother/senior], you punk.”

“…….”

Woon Joong-san, who had been silently glaring at Bang So-bang, waved his sleeve.

“Oops!” Bang So-bang, startled by the sudden force, hurriedly waved his hand.

As soon as he realized that Woon Joong-san was trying to shake him off with his energy, he also responded with the Beggars’ Sect’s unique skill, Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms [a powerful martial art technique].

*Pak.* [Sound of palms colliding]

The moment their palms touched, Bang So-bang was startled.

The energy containing countless changes and destructive power disappeared without a trace in an instant.

And before he knew it, a sticky and tough energy climbed up his arm.

“Are you using the Ten Softnesses to overcome Hardness (十段錦) [a Wudang martial art principle] in a cowardly way?”

Bang So-bang, who hurriedly escaped with the Divine Dragon Wagging Tail [a movement technique], cast an absurd look at Woon Joong-san.

The Ten Softnesses to overcome Hardness, which contained the mystery of using softness to control hardness, could be said to be the opposite of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, which was based on strong power.

“My palm technique is superior,” Woon Joong-san said.

Bang So-bang smirked at Woon Joong-san’s words, opening his mouth with a blunt expression. “You’re so great.”

But even this didn’t last long.

“Welcome, my friends!” Dan Ahk-seon, who had already grabbed the backs of the two, hugged their necks.

Meanwhile, in the backyard of the manor where the meeting was in full swing, “Ah, I’m anxious. I’m anxious,” Beom Gye-wi muttered with a suspicious expression.

There were two people fidgeting and sweating at the sight of him: Jang Cheol-woo and Jongri-chu.

As her belly began to swell, Byeok Hwa-ryeong decided to return to Hainan Island.

The problem was that the two people who would escort her were not up to Beom Gye-wi’s standards.

“Gaga [term of endearment], don’t worry too much,” Byeok Hwa-ryeong smiled and comforted Beom Gye-wi.

“Anyway, I don’t have high expectations for those two either. But I thought it wouldn’t be boring to travel with them on the long journey. Besides, I still don’t have much difficulty moving, so there’s no problem.”

Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo pouted.

It was a moment when they felt more keenly than anyone else the reason why the sister-in-law who stopped them was more hateful than the mother-in-law who hit them.

But they couldn’t dare to complain.

“Anyway, if I’m with you, I’ll be holding Gaga back forever. To do great things, you have to focus entirely on the goal in front of you. Come and pick me up after you’ve finished everything.”

“Still…” Beom Gye-wi hesitated.

“Are you that distrustful of me?” Byeok Hwa-ryeong’s voice was slightly sharp.

Beom Gye-wi awkwardly smiled. “Huh? No. I trust my woman more than anyone else.”

Then he hesitated for a moment and looked at Byeok Hwa-ryeong. “Still, wouldn’t it be better for me to go to Hainan Island with you?”

Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo’s faces turned pale at those words.

The Hainan disciples hated Beom Gye-wi.

They had worked so hard to get him out, but he was going back to Hainan Island?

Whatever the reason, the resentment would surely come back to them.

Regardless, Beom Gye-wi, who didn’t care about the two’s feelings, got up as soon as he said the words. “I have to tell Councilman Dan and leave.”

The person who stopped him was Byeok Hwa-ryeong.

“There’s still time, so there’s no need to rush so much.”

Cho Ak-ryang also agreed with Byeok Hwa-ryeong. “Go later. Councilman Dan has met his friends after a long time, so we should give him time to catch up.”

Beom Gye-wi turned his head and cast his gaze towards Dan Ahk-seon.

The number of people, which was three at first, had now increased to four.

“Hmm…” Beom Gye-wi sat down awkwardly with a bashful expression at the sight of Dan Ahk-seon smiling brightly for the first time in a while.

“So? When are you going back to Hainan Island?” Beom Gye-wi asked Byeok Hwa-ryeong.

Byeok Hwa-ryeong smiled. “I still have about a month left. Anyway, it’s hard to launch a ship in that area around this time because of the typhoon season.”

“Then I’ll have to make these two guys more useful during that period.”

“……!”

“……!”

Jongri-chu and Jang Cheol-woo wore gloomy expressions at the unexpected spark that had flown their way.

* * *

Was it because it had been a long time since they had seen each other’s faces? The stories between Dan Ahk-seon and his friends never stopped.

Just asking and answering how they had been doing and each other’s recent situation was enough to keep them up all night.

“Wow, great. When did our friend become so great?” Bang So-bang asked.

Woon Joong-san replied bluntly to Bang So-bang’s banter. “Ahk-seon was always great. From the first time we met.”

“Humph! Why are you like this? I’m doing pretty well too. See this? I’m the only one in the history of the Beggars’ Sect who has four knots at my age. Even our master was only a Third Class disciple at my age.”

“Master?” Dan Ahk-seon asked.

Bang So-bang’s face darkened at Dan Ahk-seon’s question. “Our master is always the only one. Although I am now learning martial arts from Chief Hong…”

Dan Ahk-seon also became gloomy at the sight of Bang So-bang, who was slurring his words.

It was because he remembered Lee Rip, who had accepted Bang So-bang as his direct disciple shortly before his death.

After a while, Bang So-bang muttered quietly with blazing eyes. “I will definitely destroy the Demonic Cult with these hands.”

The direct culprit in Lee Rip’s death was Chiljeolmagun No Dan-yang [a member of the Demonic Cult].

But now everyone knew that the Demonic Cult was deeply involved behind it.

It was then that one person suddenly stepped forward. “Our Kunlun [a sect] will stand at the forefront of that.”

Dan Ahk-seon nodded at the sight of Gwangseongja, who was burning with fighting spirit. “Please be careful.”

“Haha! Don’t worry. I won’t die until I’ve killed a thousand members of the Demonic Cult!”

Bang So-bang smiled brightly as if he had never worn a gloomy expression. “Wow, look at this *hyung’s* [older brother/senior] spirit? His momentum is like that of Yideok of Jangpanpa [a famous warrior]?”

Gwangseongja gave a favorable look to Bang So-bang, who compared himself to Jang Bi, who was praised as a legendary warrior along with Guan Yu.

“Our Ahk-seon’s friends are pretty good too. I feel reassured already thinking that these juniors are supporting me from behind.”

Even though it was the first time meeting Bang So-bang and Woon Joong-san, Gwangseongja had already become close like a decade-long friend.

The fact that they belonged to the same Nine Great Sects and hated the Demonic Cult like fire also played a big part, but above all, they had the commonality of being close to Dan Ahk-seon.

“Let’s meet again in a peaceful Gangho [martial arts world] without the Demonic Cult,” Dan Ahk-seon said.

At Dan Ahk-seon’s words, the other three nodded with serious eyes. “Yes. Let’s definitely meet again alive.”