The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 434

It was then that a cool voice echoed from beyond his fading consciousness.

“The Heavenly Demon is dead, and the rise of the Demonic Sect has been blocked. Now, all of you, return.”

“And you?”

Dan Ahk-seon could tell that the one who asked the question was Yeon Ok-sang, the Palace Lord of the Ewha Palace.

Han Seol-hwa replied to her.

“We will remain here.”

Following her, Beom Gye-wi’s voice was heard.

“It’s best not to concern yourselves with Doctor Dan. We’ll take care of the rest. If any of you harbor any foolish thoughts…”

Beom Gye-wi growled with sincerity.

“You’ll have to face us first.”

Beom Gye-wi was openly declaring war against the Murim Alliance.

‘Thank you.’

The three people who were always unwavering for him.

That’s why Dan Ahk-seon didn’t feel lonely in this moment, which might be his last.

Meanwhile, the esteemed figures of the Central Plains were troubled by the current situation in their own way.

If they didn’t know, they wouldn’t have cared, but now that they knew, they couldn’t just leave Dan Ahk-seon, who possessed such extraordinary demonic energy, unattended.

But they couldn’t fight the Three Demonic Saviors either.

They had witnessed the true martial prowess of the Three Demonic Saviors firsthand during the earlier battle against the Demonic humanoids.

Given their personalities, they would not hesitate to wage war against the Central Plains Murim [martial arts world] for Dan Ahk-seon’s sake.

“It’s always one mountain after another…”

The complexions of the Murim warriors darkened instantly at someone’s muttered groan.

Just when they had barely overcome one crisis, they were faced with an even more daunting situation.

They were in a situation where they could neither advance nor retreat.

That was why they couldn’t simply turn back, nor could anyone step forward and speak their mind.

“Please stop.”

“……!”

Cho Ahk-ryang, Beom Gye-wi, and Han Seol-hwa were startled and turned their heads toward Dan Ahk-seon.

It was the first time Dan Ahk-seon had spoken since leaving the formation.

Dan Ahk-seon struggled to lift his head.

“This method of enduring by injecting Qi [internal energy] will soon reach its limit.”

No matter how great they were, they were still people made of flesh and blood.

Eventually, there would come a moment when their Qi would be exhausted.

No matter how much water they poured in, they could never fill a broken jar.

“I’m a doctor, so I know my condition better than anyone else. Now… it’s irreversible.”

And more than anything, there was another real problem.

Was it because of the influence of the demonic energy?

Even at this moment, he couldn’t control the murderous intent that was boiling up from the depths of his heart.

Even if he was lucky enough to stay alive, in this state, he would only become another disaster for the Central Plains Murim.

A terrible bloodlust that he could neither control nor tame.

Reason and will were helplessly powerless before it.

What if he lost his grip on consciousness and the rampaging demonic energy took over his body?

The thought alone was horrifying.

He was still holding onto a faint thread of reason with his superhuman mental strength, but deep within his heart, a massive murderous intent, independent of his will, was writhing fiercely.

“More than anything…”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled sadly.

“I, who set out to save the Central Plains, cannot become a disaster to the Central Plains.”

That sorrowful smile painfully pierced everyone’s hearts.

“So now… please stop, all of you.”

With those words, an extremely heavy silence descended around them.

After a moment.

“……?”

Puzzlement appeared in Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes.

It was because the Qi pouring into his body suddenly intensified.

“Uncle?”

It was Beom Gye-wi.

And starting with him, Cho Ahk-ryang and Han Seol-hwa were also squeezing out their remaining strength, injecting Qi into Dan Ahk-seon.

Dan Ahk-seon’s heart welled up.

Their efforts, risking their lives for him, were heartbreaking, but they still couldn’t change the outcome.

But then.

Thud.

Someone began to walk toward them.

It was Beop-ryo.

“You bald monk?”

Beom Gye-wi gritted his teeth, revealing a ferocious look.

“I told you, didn’t I? Mind your own business and get lost.”

However, Beop-ryo did not stop approaching despite Beom Gye-wi’s threat.

Undeniable tension settled in the eyes of Cho Ahk-ryang and Han Seol-hwa.

But they couldn’t let go of Dan Ahk-seon either.

It was then that Beop-ryo opened his mouth with a solemn look.

“Amitabha [a Buddhist expression of reverence]. But can this humble monk simply stand by and watch the current situation?”

An unexpected thing happened immediately after.

“I had this with me in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.”

In Beop-ryo’s hand, which had disappeared into his robe and reappeared, was something.

A martial treasure symbolizing the Shaolin.

It was the Great Revitalizing Pill.

And he was holding as many as three of them.

“Perhaps this too was a great intention prearranged by the Buddha.”

Beom Gye-wi, who met Beop-ryo’s gentle eyes with a faint smile, belatedly coughed awkwardly.

On the other hand, Cho Ahk-ryang let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He was already feeling faint.

It was clear that his Qi would be exhausted within an hour if things continued this way.

But if he had the Great Revitalizing Pill, the story would be different.

With this, he could put out the immediate fire.

“Thank you, Chief of the Arhat Hall.”

Cho Ahk-ryang said with sincerity.

“I will not forget Shaolin’s help.”

Beop-ryo smiled faintly.

“This is all thanks to Benefactor Dan’s merits accumulated so far.”

Was that the signal?

The atmosphere surrounding the Divine Land changed rapidly.

“Hmph.”

With a cold snort, Yeon Ok-sang gestured toward the back.

Then, one of the warriors of the Ewha Palace who had been attending to her carefully carried a small box and placed it in front of Cho Ahk-ryang.

When she opened the box, there was a small jade bottle the size of a palm inside.

“It’s Azure Stone Oil.”

Ignoring the surprised expressions of the crowd, Yeon Ok-sang continued to speak.

“It’s a shame that I sold some to the Namgung Clan a long time ago, but there’s nothing I can do. That’s all the Azure Stone Oil this palace has.”

Yeon Ok-sang stared intently at Cho Ahk-ryang.

The supreme elixir that made the current Ewha Palace exist.

It would be a lie to say that she didn’t regret that this precious elixir, with its valuable worth, was disappearing into the throat of Cho Ahk-ryang, who was like a thorn in her side.

But she couldn’t just let Dan Ahk-seon die like this.

“Thank…”

Yeon Ok-sang cut off Cho Ahk-ryang’s words, which he reluctantly uttered.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not doing this because I want to hear that kind of flattery from you.”

With those words, Yeon Ok-sang turned her figure.

And leading the women of the Ewha Palace, she left the Divine Land as it was.

Following her, the esteemed figures of the Nine Great Sects, who had been hesitating until now, began to move in a hurry.

Starting with the Emei Sect and the Hengshan Sect, which had deep ties with Dan Ahk-seon, they began to take out the elixirs and spiritual medicines they had been holding back, without sparing them.

Violet So Dan and Supreme Purity Divine Pill.

In addition, all kinds of famous elixirs and spiritual medicines from the Central Plains quickly piled up.

Hope began to dawn in the eyes of the Three Demonic Saviors, who exchanged glances.

‘Is it impossible to fill a broken jar with water?’

If so, then they just had to pour in more than the amount of water that was leaking.

Too much is as bad as too little?

What a ridiculous nonsense.

More is always better in life.

That was the unchanging truth.

Didn’t Dan Ahk-seon say that once?

The more elixirs, the better.

“Do you see?”

Cho Ahk-ryang opened his mouth toward Dan Ahk-seon.

“It seems that the Central Plains Murim has no intention of letting you go so easily.”

At Cho Ahk-ryang’s words that followed, Dan Ahk-seon’s tear glands finally burst.

“So you must not collapse here. Let’s work together a little harder.”

“Yes, Doctor Dan. Just trust us.”

“We will always be by your side.”

Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa also cheered for Dan Ahk-seon.

“…Thank you.”

At this moment, the only words Dan Ahk-seon could say were those.

But that overwhelming emotion did not last long.

“Keuk!”

Suddenly, Dan Ahk-seon clutched his chest and collapsed on the spot.

The hearts of the Three Demonic Saviors sank.

It was a very ominous sign.

Rough breathing and unstable eyes.

Dan Ahk-seon’s complexion, which quickly turned red and then blue again, was unusual.

As expected.

The demonic energy that had been writhing inside Dan Ahk-seon, riding on the rapidly fluctuating pulse, swelled up uncontrollably.

The demonic energy that he had been barely managing lost control and began to run wild.

Dan Ahk-seon squeezed out his remaining strength and opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I might fall into Demonic Heart [a state of being controlled by demonic energy] because of this.”

“…….”

At those words, the eyes of the Three Demonic Saviors wavered.

A silence as heavy as each other’s hearts descended for a moment.

Cho Ahk-ryang was the first to speak.

“Don’t worry. No matter what situation comes, we will not leave you.”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled weakly and nodded his head.

“So there’s something I want to ask of you three.”

At Dan Ahk-seon’s words that followed after a moment, the eyes of the three people sank gloomily.

“If I am ever possessed by demonic energy and go mad… then please grant me peace.”

Dan Ahk-seon knew very well that it was a very cruel request for them.

But there was no other way.

The thought alone was terrifying.

He didn’t want a bloodthirsty demon, a monster with demonic energy surpassing even the Heavenly Demon, to roam the Central Plains.

And this was the same for the Three Demonic Saviors.

They could not allow the hero of the era, who had united the Central Plains and curbed the rise of the Demonic Sect, to be branded as a demonic figure reviled by the Murim.

It was then.

“Didn’t I tell you not to worry? Trust us… and Doctor Dan himself.”

Beom Gye-wi thumped his chest.

“As we have always done, we will overcome this crisis together.”

“That’s right.”

Cho Ahk-ryang nodded his head.

“Just as you have done, we will not give up on you either.”

Dan Ahk-seon, with a faint smile that seemed to be visible, slowly nodded his head.

Then, with his eyes closed, he began to concentrate his consciousness.

He had to somehow control the rampaging demonic energy for the time being.

In that way, his consciousness, which had quickly reached a state of deep selflessness, soon began to wander the endless sea of Samadhi [a state of profound meditation].

The eyes of the three people watching Dan Ahk-seon also sank deeply.

All of them were properly aware of the current situation.

The real fight, in a different sense, had just begun.

But no one knew.

That this time would be so endlessly long.

For countless seasons, they remained in that place, continuing the fight without end.

The time they had accumulated in that way was a full seven years.

Dan Ahk-seon was still staying in that place.

* * *

Midsummer, when the sweltering heat was rampant.

Today, as always, a woman who visited the washing place exchanged greetings with the other women who had arrived earlier and poured out the laundry she had brought on one side.

After chatting with the people around her for a while, she continued to do laundry.

“Kyaaak!”

At the shrill scream that came from the opposite side, the women’s gazes turned all at once to the place where the scream had echoed.

It was then that the corpse floating down from the upper reaches came into view.

This place was one of the many tributaries of the Yangtze River.

As such, drowned corpses occasionally floated down like this.

It wasn’t a common occurrence, but it wasn’t something that never happened either.

But this time was different.

The complexions of the women soon began to turn pale.

That was because the corpses floating down were not just one.

More than twenty corpses were being swept away by the current in a chaotic manner.

Among them were beggars wearing dirty rags, and Taoists wearing fairly well-dressed robes.