The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 444

Divine Doctor of Primacy (444)

In the process, direct armed conflicts often arose.

“The Nine Great Sects criticized their opportunistic behavior. The more they did, the more the small and medium-sized sects sharpened their antagonism.”

Dan Ahk-seon frowned.

This was far from the result he had expected.

“How did it come to this?”

Neng So-mil smiled wryly.

“It’s because of a lack of experience.”

“Yes?”

“The subjugation of the Demonic Sect ten years ago and the previous war between the Orthodox and Demonic factions were different in nature.”

Dan Ahk-seon was momentarily speechless at Neng So-mil’s explanation.

“The past war between the Orthodox and Demonic factions took place in the Central Plains. As such, countless damages occurred everywhere, and the resulting fear was deeply ingrained.”

Remembering this, most of the Central Plains martial artists showed gratitude and respect to the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families who had defeated and driven out the Demonic Sect, yielding many concessions.

“On the other hand, the fight ten years ago took place in a remote area of Xinjiang [a large, autonomous region in Northwest China]. Therefore, there is a difference in that most martial artists do not really feel it.”

The peace of the Central Plains, which the Nine Great Sects and the unorthodox factions of Muwi had protected with blood and lives.

However, for most people, the whole process did not resonate with them.

This was a part that Dan Ahk-seon had not even thought of.

“We fought so hard against the Demonic Sect for everyone’s sake, but…”

It was a moment when the past years and efforts felt futile.

It wasn’t that they wanted their efforts and sacrifices to be acknowledged, but being ignored like this was not desirable either.

“Of course, I think your choice was right. If the fight with the Demonic Sect had spread throughout the Central Plains, something truly terrible would have happened.”

Dan Ahk-seon silently nodded.

After a moment.

There was still something he didn’t understand.

“But no matter how much damage the Nine Great Sects suffered and how skilled the Four Evil Swords were, they shouldn’t be able to stand up to the might of the Nine Great Sects.”

“That’s because there was one big variable that we didn’t know about until now.”

“A variable?”

“That is…”

Neng So-mil’s face darkened in an instant.

At his subsequent explanation, Dan Ahk-seon’s eyes wavered for the first time.

“It was my misjudgment. At first, I didn’t think he was that great.”

That’s because, compared to the threat of the Demonic Sect, he thought that a mere group of bandits would not be a big threat.

But it wasn’t.

“Do you remember the Demonic Sect’s vanguard that we encountered before entering Shinji?”

“Are you talking about the unorthodox people led by the Three Demonic Lords?”

The martial artists who Samol and Ssang Gwai and the unorthodox people of Muwi had persuaded.

“Ah!”

Belatedly, Dan Ahk-seon realized one important fact.

At that time, two-thirds of their forces had left the battlefield.

And one of the conditions for persuading them was freedom.

The prerequisite for this was treatment.

It was an essential process to escape from the control of demonic arts and drugs.

However, neither Muwi nor the Divine Doctor could be found anywhere.

“As planned, the Divine Doctor’s family accepted them. But soon a problem arose.”

“A problem?”

“Most of them escaped from the medical family and fled.”

“……!”

“They were already severely addicted, so treatment was not easy. In the process, one died by suicide, and one became a madman or a cripple due to demonic energy backlash.”

“Ah!”

Dan Ahk-seon let out a heartfelt sigh.

No matter how many excellent doctors there were in the Divine Doctor’s family, their treatment was extremely difficult.

At best, only Poong Jin-sung or Joo Cho-woon would be able to handle it.

However, the number of patients was far too large for the two of them to handle.

He could not help but understand their struggle to find a way out in that pessimistic situation.

“The desperate atmosphere also played a part in their actions, but the real reason is different.”

“What is it?”

“Because a rumor spread among them.”

Neng So-mil explained the situation at the time.

“Among those who had previously escaped from the Divine Doctor’s family, a person who had become perfectly healthy appeared.”

Dan Ahk-seon was startled.

Because he could only think of the royal physician of the imperial palace as a doctor with such high medical skills, except for the Divine Doctor’s family.

But an unexpected story flowed from Neng So-mil’s mouth.

“The doctor who treated them. That doctor was a member of the Four Evil Swords. Those who heard the rumor left the Divine Doctor’s family and mostly joined him.”

“So, did they really receive proper treatment?”

Neng So-mil smiled slyly at Dan Ahk-seon’s concern for the patients even in this situation.

No matter how different his appearance and atmosphere were, Dan Ahk-seon was still Dan Ahk-seon.

Neng So-mil nodded.

“I heard that most of them have been completely cured. Moreover, they have completely escaped from the demonic arts. They also maintain their martial arts, so they have become a major force for Beonga Ryong.”

Thanks to this, the unorthodox forces led by the Four Evil Swords were achieving a great success that could not be compared to the past.

Dan Ahk-seon was lost in thought for a moment.

Given Neng So-mil’s personality, he must have cross-validated the information several times.

But he couldn’t readily believe it.

Treating that many people was something that Dan Ahk-seon could not easily guarantee.

But one doctor completely cured everyone.

If he was such a great doctor, rumors would have already spread throughout all the medical circles of the Central Plains.

As if guessing Dan Ahk-seon’s thoughts, Neng So-mil opened his mouth.

“They seem to call that doctor the Heavenly Doctor.”

“Heavenly Doctor?”

It was a truly arrogant title.

Because it literally meant that his medical skills had reached the sky.

Neng So-mil smiled bitterly.

“I don’t know exactly about him either.”

“I’ll have to find out. If he’s really that skilled, I’d like to meet him.”

“Please have a meal and get some rest first. I will prepare the audience with the Emperor separately.”

“Yes, I will.”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled quietly.

“It’s sudden, but you’ve really worked hard.”

“I did work hard… a lot. But seeing you like this feels like I’m being rewarded. You’ve really worked hard.”

Neng So-mil was also learning the Divine Power of Majesty, but he couldn’t even guess the achievements that Dan Ahk-seon had made.

Nevertheless, he could clearly feel one thing.

The deeply sunken eyes.

The quiet yet turbulent presence within made him guess how many walls Dan Ahk-seon had overcome.

Even now, it was like that.

Like this, when he occasionally met his gaze without saying a word, he would unknowingly feel a chill.

It was proof that he had been reborn as a terrifying master.

‘Is he no longer a child?’

On the one hand, he was proud, but on the other hand, he was still somewhat disappointed.

So he couldn’t help but ask.

“What happened in there?”

“Well.”

Dan Ahk-seon recalled the events of the past ten years and forced a smile.

“There wasn’t anything particularly great. Just…”

“……?”

“I just honed what I do best even more.”

“What are you best at?”

Dan Ahk-seon replied as if it were nothing.

“Enduring and persevering.”

“…….”

Neng So-mil felt a tingling in one corner of his heart.

Facing a sad smile that was worse than crying, he felt as if his heart was breaking for some reason.

“Try some of this too.”

Neng So-mil picked up food and put it on Dan Ahk-seon’s plate.

“You don’t have to do this.”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled awkwardly as if conscious of the gazes around him, but Neng So-mil did not give up.

It was because he felt like tears would leak out if he didn’t do this.

The next day.

Dan Ahk-seon had an audience with the Emperor.

The Royal Garden located behind Gonnyeong Palace.

It was the Cheonchujeong, one of the many pavilions located within, which boasted a particularly beautiful view.

Various kinds of trees and bizarre stones created an exceptionally beautiful harmony, boasting the finest scenery around this time.

The Emperor, who had dismissed his escorts, stared silently at Dan Ahk-seon.

“You’ve changed a lot.”

“That’s because that much time has passed.”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled and met the Emperor’s gaze.

“You haven’t changed, Your Majesty. It seems like time has only passed by Your Majesty.”

The Emperor chuckled.

“Is it ‘one who is near vermilion gets stained red’…” [a Chinese proverb meaning one is influenced by their surroundings].

“Yes?”

“There is one who skillfully puts sweet words on his tongue next to me.”

“Ah!”

It wasn’t difficult to guess who it was.

“One like Boo Do-eosa is enough. So you don’t have to try to lift my spirits with flattering words.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The Emperor, who had been thinking about something for a while, opened his mouth again after some time.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t given you the reward for subduing the Demonic Sect yet.”

“I did it because I wanted to. Besides, it seems like it has caused another confusion.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“This time it’s not about the Demonic Sect, but about the affairs of the martial arts world, so you might feel burdened.”

The Emperor frowned slightly.

Certainly, that was true.

The imperial family could intervene in the Demonic Sect because there was a justification for plotting treason, but in the case of the Four Evil Swords, it clearly violated the principle of non-interference by the government.

“I heard that the opponent is not easy.”

“That’s why I hope Your Majesty will show the people an unwavering image as the Son of Heaven.”

The Emperor smiled bitterly.

“You don’t want anything from me this time either.”

The more he thought about it, the more mysterious Dan Ahk-seon’s existence was to the Emperor.

He also thought that he was a similar type to Neng So-mil.

He always followed his words, but he could never be put in his hands….

He could possess anything he wanted if he set his mind to it, but there were exceptions from time to time.

“There is one thing I want.”

The Emperor was delighted at Dan Ahk-seon’s cautious words.

“Is that so? Tell me. I’m listening.”

However, he unknowingly chuckled at Dan Ahk-seon’s subsequent words.

“Please take good care of our Uncle Neng.”

The Emperor, who had been staring silently at Dan Ahk-seon, slowly nodded.

“……I will.”

The Emperor smiled quietly, showing an unlike-himself look.

It was a complex smile that went somewhere between satisfaction and regret.

* * *

Seol Nan-yeong raised her head and stared at the sky.

The high and clear sky without a single cloud seemed to make her heart feel clear just by looking up at it.

However, her heart was more chaotic than ever.

Five men who came without prior notice.

Moreover, their sudden demands were more perplexing than ever.

It was after a long time that Seol Nan-yeong met the men’s eyes again.

“Could you tell me again?”

The faces of the men, who had been creating a very fierce atmosphere, relaxed in an instant.

For a moment, their hearts wavered at her radiant smile, which was worthy of the name Yoeum Nanhee [a renowned beauty], and captivated people’s souls just by facing her.

But that was only for a moment.

One of the group belatedly came to his senses.

“I said I want to meet Haho Moonju [chief of the Haho clan].”

At those words, the other four quickly recovered their expressions.

Reminding themselves of the purpose of their visit here, they soon raised a thick killing intent and pressured Seol Nan-yeong.

But they chose the wrong opponent.

She was an expert at dealing with people.

“Well, even if you say that, as a concubine, I can only say this.”

The men in front of her were the owners of the waterfronts who occupied a fairly important position in the Janggang River Alliance [Yangtze River Alliance].

At Seol Nan-yeong’s subsequent words, the men’s eyebrows twitched.