The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 460

The Divine Doctor of Mount Hua (460)

“Did I ever restrain the Black Star?”

Yeop Dan-yeong responded to Dan Ahk-seon’s question with a bitter smile.

“Of course, you never have. But that’s just how people are. Regardless of the wielder’s intentions, the mere presence of a dagger at their throat is enough to make them shrink back.”

“……”

“Even if I become the Black Star Lord, it will be difficult to properly manage the Black Star without the help of the branch leaders. To gain their cooperation, I need a proposal that is just as tempting.”

Yeop Dan-yeong frankly revealed his inner thoughts.

“If you agree to the conditions I mentioned earlier, I will somehow persuade the other branch leaders.”

Dan Ahk-seon, who had been gazing silently at Yeop Dan-yeong, nodded.

“Okay.”

“Yes?”

Yeop Dan-yeong was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected Dan Ahk-seon to readily agree to his proposal.

In the meantime, Dan Ahk-seon took something out from his sleeve.

It was a small book.

Yeop Dan-yeong’s eyes wavered.

It was because he knew what that object was.

Although it was an ordinary book without a title or any other distinguishing features, he, as the person who had created it, could not fail to recognize it.

It was a book containing information on the Black Star’s organizational system, which was structured as a point organization, and the information of its members.

And at that moment.

Whoosh.

“……!”

Yeop Dan-yeong’s eyes widened in surprise.

Suddenly, pure white flames seemed to erupt from Dan Ahk-seon’s hand, engulfing the book as it was.

Dan Ahk-seon’s Samadhi Fire [a powerful, self-igniting flame].

Yeop Dan-yeong, who had been blankly watching the book turn to ashes and scatter in an instant, belatedly regained his senses and bowed his head to Dan Ahk-seon.

“Thank you.”

At this moment, Yeop Dan-yeong was simply dumbfounded.

Compared to what he had been prepared for, things had progressed so smoothly that he felt almost empty.

It was then that Dan Ahk-seon opened his mouth.

“There shouldn’t be a second time.”

It was an unexpected remark, but the quick-witted Yeop Dan-yeong immediately understood its meaning.

“As long as I am the Black Star Lord, the Black Star will never betray Doctor Dan.”

Then, Yeop Dan-yeong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

‘Was he expecting all of this?’

If that wasn’t the case, there was no reason for him to have brought the Black Star’s register to this place.

And soon, he was overwhelmed by the pressure to live up to the trust that Dan Ahk-seon had shown him first.

“What would you like us to do first?”

Dan Ahk-seon replied.

“I need rumors.”

“Rumors, you say?”

“Yes. The fact that I am traveling with Uncle Beom needs to be known to as many people as possible.”

“May I ask the purpose of that?”

“To make the Three Demonic Oddities come looking for us.”

After thinking for a moment, Yeop Dan-yeong’s eyes sparkled.

“Is it about the Heavenly Will?”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled slyly and nodded.

He was indeed no ordinary person.

There was a good reason why 능소밀 [Neng So-mil, likely a character’s name] had highly praised him in the past.

Currently, the Beggars’ Sect and the Hao Clan were tied down by the River Alliance, which had seized control of the Yangtze River.

The only place that continued to carry out intelligence activities south of the Yangtze River was the Black Star.

“Then we will also independently gather information related to the Heavenly Will.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“We will do our best.”

From Yeop Dan-yeong’s perspective, he couldn’t afford to miss the only opportunity to rebuild the Black Star.

“Ah! There is one way to spread the rumors widely.”

At this moment, Yeop Dan-yeong, who had thought of something, cautiously opened his mouth.

“Not far from here is the Geosan Manor (巨山房) [a fortified estate or manor house].”

“Geosan Manor?”

“It is a Black Faction [a group with questionable morals] that joined the Yangtze River Alliance early on. A man named Ban Yeo-geum, who holds the title of Geosan Overlord (巨山覇力) [a regional strongman], is the head of that place, and I heard that he has great trust from 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak, likely a character’s name]. As it is one of the main strongholds of the River Alliance, shaking that place will elicit some kind of reaction.”

“Hehe. I like that information.”

Beom Gye-wi nodded, very pleased.

Yeop Dan-yeong, who had gathered the information related to Geosan Manor and handed it over to Dan Ahk-seon, summoned his subordinates as soon as the two men left.

“We need to hold a general meeting, so contact the branch leaders immediately. Be sure to tell them that we have seized the opportunity to rise again.”

* * *

Around dusk, as a dim darkness began to settle.

Beom Gye-wi, who had arrived at Geosan Manor, looked at Dan Ahk-seon with a very excited expression.

“Doctor Dan, don’t step in.”

“Yes? But……”

“Leave the rough work to me.”

Fearing that Dan Ahk-seon might dissuade him, Beom Gye-wi kicked down the gate of Geosan Manor as soon as he finished speaking.

Bang!

With a roar, Beom Gye-wi flew through the gate, which had been torn apart like paper.

Screams and shouts erupted from inside Geosan Manor at the sudden disaster.

But the commotion soon subsided.

After a while, a thunderous shout erupted from inside Geosan Manor.

“Who is this Ban something guy?”

It was Beom Gye-wi.

Only then did Dan Ahk-seon step over the shattered gate and walk into Geosan Manor.

The first thing that caught his eye was the sight of men sprawled all over the place, groaning.

There was no one among them who was standing on both feet.

Some of them pointed somewhere with terrified faces.

Beom Gye-wi, who turned his head to where they were pointing, frowned.

“That guy is the head of this place?”

“Y, yes.”

“……”

Beom Gye-wi gave him a dumbfounded look.

He had expected him to be quite skilled, as he had the grand title of Georyeok Overlord, but that expectation was completely off.

He had been expecting some action, but he never imagined that he would be a guy who would spit blood and fall dead with just one punch.

At this time, Dan Ahk-seon checked Ban Yeo-geum’s face and nodded.

“I think this is the right person.”

That was because it exactly matched the description provided by the Black Star.

“No way……. Didn’t they say this guy was a master?”

Dan Ahk-seon chuckled at Beom Gye-wi’s still disappointed appearance.

“It’s just that you’re too strong, Uncle.”

“No. There might be an even greater master hiding somewhere than this guy.”

The survivors of Geosan Manor, who were barely breathing, trembled in fear at Beom Gye-wi’s gaze, which swept around with eyes like lanterns.

Beom Gye-wi, who seemed to have lost interest in the sight, smacked his lips once.

“Tch. How is this martial world working that a guy like this is rumored to be a master?”

He was ashamed of himself for being excited about such a guy.

Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, Beom Gye-wi swept around again.

“What should we do with those guys? Kill them all?”

“Let’s just send them away.”

“Why?”

“Because they will be witnesses.”

In order to spread rumors, the more mouths that talk, the better.

As soon as he finished speaking, the survivors of Geosan Manor rushed out, not wanting to miss this opportunity.

It was then that Dan Ahk-seon, who was looking around, nodded.

“Fortunately, the buildings are all intact.”

Geosan Manor was a sect that acted as the hands and feet of the Yangtze River Alliance.

Above all, it was adjacent to the Yangtze River and located in a key area with connecting transportation routes, making it advantageous in many ways to use as a base.

“I think it would be good to use this place as a branch of the Hainan Sect.”

Beom Gye-wi blinked at Dan Ahk-seon’s words and grinned.

“You took that into account and deliberately didn’t break it, right?”

“Huh? Um……. Right?”

Beom Gye-wi was inwardly a little embarrassed, but he brushed it off.

Whatever the result, he was happy to hear Dan Ahk-seon’s praise after a long time.

* * *

“Failed?”

The flames of the Daehwang Candle [a large candle], which had been quietly pushing back the darkness, flickered wildly at the sound of one person’s voice echoing through the room.

The man sitting in the grand chair, drumming his fingers on the armrest, cast a cold gaze.

The envoys who had been dispatched to pressure the Hao Clan.

In particular, the death of Dan Hong-do, the envoy of Noryong Stronghold, was truly unexpected.

‘I even sent the Blood Demon Whip with him, just in case.’

Although he didn’t like him, he was a capable man.

Moreover, he had sent him with carefully selected masters and even Tang Clan’s hidden weapons, which he had purchased at a considerable price…….

The plan to eliminate Bang So-bang, a rising master of the Beggars’ Sect, as an example, and to win over Yo-eum Nan-hee, who had considerable influence within the Hao Clan, had completely fallen through.

An inexplicable look appeared in 사종악’s [Sa Jong-ak’s] eyes, who had picked up a wine glass to refresh his bitter taste.

It was because of the pale-faced subordinate who was fidgeting.

A man named Jo-sin was one of the envoys who played the role of 장자방 [Jang Ja-bang, a strategist] for him.

“Is there anything else to report?”

“Th, that is……”

사종악 [Sa Jong-ak], who had been staring at Jo-sin’s Adam’s apple as he swallowed hard, wore a hollow expression at the report that followed.

“The Blood Flame Squad, which went to attack the Mount Hua Sect, and the 창랑 Squad (滄浪隊) [Changlang Squad, likely a specialized unit], which was deployed to support them, have been annihilated.”

“What?”

“Moreover, even the Chungui Stronghold has been occupied by the Mount Hua Sect……. Cough!”

Jo-sin, who was reporting, coughed up blood and fell backward.

This was because the terrifying aura that had exploded from the front had shaken his heart.

Crack.

The handle of the grand chair that 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak] had been gripping crumbled into powder.

“Again, the Divine Doctor of Mount Hua……. It must be that guy?”

A thick murderous intent surged above 사종악’s [Sa Jong-ak’s] eyes.

The forces he had invested to attack Mount Hua.

Above all, losing the 창랑 Squad (滄浪隊) [Changlang Squad], which numbered thirty, was a very painful loss for him.

Moreover, the fact that the Chungui Stronghold, a key point in Dongting Lake, had fallen into their hands.

It was then.

“L, Lord!”

사종악 [Sa Jong-ak] frowned at the sight of another envoy rushing into the inner palace in a fluster.

“What is it this time?”

“Geosan Manor has fallen.”

“Ha……”

사종악 [Sa Jong-ak] laughed in vain.

Now he was beyond dumbfounded, he was just feeling empty.

“Is it again the work of that brat named Dan Ahk-seon?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Then?”

“It is said to be the work of the 망산초자 [Mangsan Choja, a wild or untamed person] who recently joined him.”

A strange light settled in 사종악’s [Sa Jong-ak’s] eyes.

After thinking for a moment, 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak] poured a glass of strong liquor into his mouth in one gulp.

“Beom Gye-wi, huh……. I’ve wanted to fight him once before.”

“You don’t mean to step out yourself, do you?”

“Not yet. First of all……”

An indescribably complicated emotion arose above 사종악’s [Sa Jong-ak’s] eyes, who was slurring his words.

“I need to untangle the complicated relationship first.”

“If you are talking about the Heavenly Will, you should hurry.”

“Why?”

“That’s……, that 망산초자 [Mangsan Choja] is still occupying Geosan Manor. I heard that he is openly saying that he will use that place as a branch of the Hainan Sword Sect.”

사종악 [Sa Jong-ak], who had been wearing a blank expression for a moment, burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! As expected of 망산초자 [Mangsan Choja]. As expected, he is no ordinary madman, just like the rumors say.”

At this time, Jo-sin, who had wiped the blood from his mouth and straightened his posture, expressed his concern.

“This is not something to laugh off. If that is true, the situation is gradually becoming serious.”

At those words, 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak] stopped laughing as if it were a lie.

“The situation has been serious for more than just yesterday or today. I’ve been tired of your incompetence for a long time.”

Shame arose on Jo-sin’s face at the blatant criticism that was close to ridicule.

But he soon regained his composure.

That was because there was something more urgent to do.

“If the Hainan Sect starts to spread its power with that place as a base, the situation will spiral out of control. They are also experts in naval warfare, no less than us.”

Jo-sin continued to speak towards 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak], who was casting a displeased gaze.

“Moreover, our intelligence network does not reach Hainan Island, so it is difficult to gauge their strength. If 망산초자 [Mangsan Choja] joins them……”

“Tch.”

Eventually, 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak] clicked his tongue, casting an annoyed gaze.

“If necessary, drag them into the Yangtze River. I’ll take care of it. How can you be so flustered by a guy who couldn’t even get into the Five Supreme Masters?”

Jo-sin, who had heard the answer he wanted, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had witnessed him defeat Jin Myeong-jin, one of the Five Supreme Masters, with his own eyes, so he had no doubt about his martial arts, even if he didn’t know anything else.

At this time, 사종악 [Sa Jong-ak], who was tilting the bottle over the wine glass, frowned.

He had already emptied a bottle of wine.

사종악 [Sa Jong-ak], who had been staring intently at the wine glass, suddenly opened his mouth.

“What is that woman doing?”