The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 71

As they exchanged greetings, a shout erupted from the entrance.

“Hey, you! I told you to take it easy, didn’t I? See this? You almost made a hole in it!”

Turning towards the voice, they saw Ryong Somil grabbing a tiger and scolding it.

“Huh? It’s because it’s me that I’m letting you off easy. If it were someone else, you’d be skinned alive by now. Understand?”

Ryong Somil turned and dragged a bear that was trying to sneak away back to its spot. He then continued his lecture for quite some time.

Looking at the shaking eyes of the beasts, it seemed this wasn’t the first time this had happened.

Samusim was dumbfounded by Ryong Somil’s serious demeanor.

“Do you think those beasts understand human speech?”

Unexpectedly, an answer came back.

“They seem to understand.”

Samusim was surprised by Cho Akryang’s words and asked again.

“Are you saying you can communicate with animals?”

“I guess they’ve grown fond of each other from bickering.”

While others didn’t seem to pay much attention, Samusim’s thoughts were different.

Mansusan Manor, which had established an absolute stronghold in the southern regions through communion with beasts, was a force to be reckoned with.

Ryong Somil was accomplishing something that would be impossible for anyone else.

“Today, the Chief Manager is back, so I’m letting you off easy! Now, go!”

*Thwack! Thwack!*

The stick in Ryong Somil’s hand struck the beasts’ heads.

With the beasts scurrying back into the mountains with their tails between their legs, Ryong Somil boasted.

“If only you guys listened when I told you nicely! Then we wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

At first glance, Ryong Somil exuded an aura as if he were the king of the mountain.

Samusim couldn’t hide the look of wonder as he gazed at him.

That evening.

Sitting around a bonfire, Samusim had a long overdue conversation with Ryong Somil.

Ryong Somil poured out stories without rest, and Samusim listened with a good-natured smile.

However, he didn’t forget to occasionally turn his head to check on Dan Akseon.

A wide-open space about twenty yards away.

Dan Akseon was practicing the Geumna Su [a martial arts form] under the guidance of Cho Akryang.

Her movements were not only smooth but also precise, and the flow of her stances was extremely natural.

It was hard to believe that she had only been training for half a year.

A strange light flickered in Samusim’s eyes.

Ryong Somil turned his head, following Samusim’s gaze, and smiled.

“Impressive, isn’t she?”

Samusim nodded.

“If I had heard this story from someone else, I would never have believed it. Her progress is truly remarkable.”

“She’s been training so hard. To the point where I’m sick of it.”

“It seems so.”

It was then.

“Ah! That stance shouldn’t be used like that…”

Bum Gyewi’s regretful sigh was followed by Han Seolhwa also sighing and shaking her head.

“Pi Mang Ah Jeong Dae (彼忙我靜待)… Ji Bak Im Gun Tu (知拍任君鬪)…”.

“What are you talking about?”

Han Seolhwa glared at Bum Gyewi as if he were hopeless before sighing once more.

“It’s… something like that.”

It was a core principle that stated one must wait when the opponent rushes and know how to strike no matter who they fight, but Bum Gyewi wasn’t one to understand even if she explained it.

It was easier to give up than to waste her breath.

Watching the two, Ryong Somil lowered his voice.

“They also interfere with each other terribly.”

“Haha.”

“It’s not something to just laugh off. The three of them fight almost every day over Young Miss’s training methods. They really went at it a few days ago, you know?”

Ryong Somil pointed to one side of the valley.

“See those two pavilions over there? They’re newly built. They destroyed the old ones.”

“Hahaha. Isn’t that the fun of this place? Honestly, it seems like you’re enjoying it quite a bit too?”

“Enjoying it? I’m just giving up and living with it because I don’t have the strength to do anything about it.”

In the meantime, Dan Akseon finished her training. And with a look of regret, as if something was lacking, she glanced at Cho Akryang.

Noticing this, Cho Akryang shook his head firmly.

Then, Dan Akseon stepped back with a disappointed look and began Do-in exercises [Taoist yoga].

Shaking, tapping, stretching, and pulling.

It was a finishing exercise that loosened the joints, muscles, and ligaments through various movements while stimulating the acupoints to help circulate the body’s Qi [life force] and blood.

Leaving Dan Akseon behind, Cho Akryang approached Bum Gyewi and Han Seolhwa.

“It seems like it’s about time she experienced actual sparring.”

Bum Gyewi wore a puzzled expression at Cho Akryang’s words.

“If it’s sparring, I do it with her every day?”

Cho Akryang frowned.

“I mean real sparring! Dan Euiwon doesn’t feel threatened in your sparring matches!”

“What, am I the only one?”

Han Seolhwa, receiving Bum Gyewi’s gaze, subtly turned her head away.

“What is the most important thing in a life-or-death battle (生死決)?”

At Cho Akryang’s question, Han Seolhwa and Bum Gyewi answered.

“Distance and breath.”

“What are you talking about? The most important thing in a fight is momentum!”

Cho Akryang shook his head.

“No.”

“…?”

Cho Akryang spoke to the puzzled pair.

“It’s courage (膽).”

“Courage?”

“Yes. To put it another way, it’s guts or boldness.”

Cho Akryang continued.

“No matter how skilled you are in martial arts, if you lack courage, you won’t be able to fully display your abilities.”

The fear of death or injury.

If you lack courage, you become trapped in fear even in the face of minor crises, and when you’re trapped in fear, your senses become dull.

The information you obtain through your senses becomes limited, and as a result, you have fewer means to deal with actual dangers.

“Fear is ultimately something that your own mind creates. There is only one way to overcome it.”

That is to constantly spar with threatening opponents.

“If you spar with difficult opponents, you won’t be intimidated even if you encounter a formidable enemy in an emergency, and you’ll be able to fully display your skills.”

That’s why there’s nothing better than real sparring.

“Then we’ll need someone really nasty, won’t we?”

At Bum Gyewi’s casual remark, Cho Akryang unknowingly fixed his gaze on one person.

“Wouldn’t that guy do?”

Bum Gyewi and Han Seolhwa, following Cho Akryang’s gaze, soon agreed.

When it came to viciousness, there was no one quite like him.

Unaware of the situation, Ryong Somil was gleefully chattering away.

A short while later.

Ryong Somil, summoned by Cho Akryang, was dumbfounded to hear that he had been chosen as Dan Akseon’s sparring partner. Putting aside the difference in skill, what would he do if Dan Akseon got hurt?

On the other hand, Dan Akseon couldn’t hide her anticipation.

“Is it really okay for me to spar?”

“However, there’s a condition.”

Cho Akryang’s gaze turned to Ryong Somil.

“You must not use any internal energy at all.”

“Pardon?”

“Excuse me?”

Dan Akseon and Ryong Somil both asked back in surprise.

Bum Gyewi and Han Seolhwa were no different.

“Isn’t that too much, even so? That would be too advantageous for Dan Euiwon, wouldn’t it?”

At Bum Gyewi’s question, Cho Akryang smiled meaningfully.

“Is it really?”

Cho Akryang said to Ryong Somil.

“Instead, you can do anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yes. You can use any means or method to win.”

At those words, Ryong Somil grinned.

Cho Akryang was the only one who knew the true nature of Ryong Somil, who was fiercely determined.

He openly encouraged him to fight using all possible means.

Ryong Somil wasn’t so clueless that he didn’t understand the meaning of that.

And so, Dan Akseon and Ryong Somil.

The two’s sparring match was set.

“Watch closely. See how your overprotectiveness ruins Dan Euiwon.”

Bum Gyewi and Han Seolhwa scoffed at Cho Akryang’s words, but their faces soon hardened.

“That’s so underhanded!”

Bum Gyewi glared at Ryong Somil.

The moment Dan Akseon closed the distance, Ryong Somil, as if he had been waiting for it, threw dirt and sand in her face.

Startled by the sand in her eyes, Dan Akseon was surprised and stepped back. Ryong Somil didn’t miss that opportunity and rushed in.

Dan Akseon tried to counterattack with Geumna Su, but by then, Ryong Somil had already placed the branch he was holding against Dan Akseon’s neck.

Ryong Somil wore an aggrieved expression under Bum Gyewi’s murderous aura and Han Seolhwa’s fierce gaze.

“I was just doing as I was told…”

Instead of Ryong Somil, who was on the verge of tears, Cho Akryang calmly opened his mouth.

“If this were a real battle, Dan Euiwon would be dead.”

“…!”

While Bum Gyewi and Han Seolhwa were speechless, Cho Akryang spoke to Dan Akseon and Ryong Somil.

“Continue.”

This time, Dan Akseon also held her Jemi Geon [a type of short sword].

After taking a moment to regulate her breathing at a fixed distance.

Dan Akseon’s eyes flashed sharply.

She had found a sliver of an opening in Ryong Somil’s defensive stance.

“Hah!”

With a short shout, Dan Akseon’s figure closed the distance with Ryong Somil. At the same time, her Jemi Geon sharply pierced towards Ryong Somil’s opening.

But at that moment.

“Ah!”

An exclamation burst from Dan Akseon’s mouth.

It was because of Ryong Somil’s gaze, which was fixed on an odd spot.

Was he spacing out in the middle of all this?

He wasn’t even noticing the Jemi Geon flying towards his side.

Dan Akseon hurriedly released the strength in her hand.

Smirk.

It was then that Ryong Somil curled up a smile.

Realizing belatedly that it was Ryong Somil’s act, Dan Akseon gritted her teeth and tried to continue her attack.

However, it was extremely difficult to put strength back into a force that had already been withdrawn.

She gave up the fleeting gap where breaths crossed.

Ryong Somil, who had exquisitely slipped through that gap, poked the bottom of Dan Akseon’s chin with a branch.

Dan Akseon puffed out her cheeks, feeling wronged and resentful.

Even in the midst of all this, Cho Akryang didn’t hold back his harsh words.

“It’s a common mistake made by those new to the martial world. They are so confident in their martial arts skills that they overlook the fact that they can lose their lives at any time due to the opponent’s petty tricks. Just like Dan Euiwon right now.”

Cho Akryang said to Dan Akseon.

“If this were a real battle, you would have already died twice.”

“But…”

“You feel wronged?”

Cho Akryang clicked his tongue.

“Who wouldn’t feel wronged by death?”

Dan Akseon had nothing to say.

She had finally realized what Cho Akryang was trying to teach through this sparring match.

Bum Gyewi and Han Seolhwa were the same.

Cho Akryang spoke to the two, who couldn’t hide their discomfort.

“You know what the problem is now, right?”

“…”

Cho Akryang smiled slyly.

“We have no choice but to increase the intensity of the sparring for Dan Euiwon’s sake.”

It was a painful and agonizing, but necessary thing to do.

“Tch, I got it.”

Bum Gyewi glared at Ryong Somil for no reason.

“Our Dan Euiwon can’t be defeated by such a sneaky guy.”

Han Seolhwa also stared intently at Ryong Somil. Ryong Somil, who had suddenly received the two’s fearsome gazes, could only stammer with a tearful face.

It was then that Dan Akseon smiled and opened her mouth.

“You could have just told me.”

“Hmm?”

“Even if the process is difficult and painful, I can handle it well enough. Did you think I would have started without that much resolve?”

Cho Akryang smiled contentedly.

“That kind of mindset is very commendable.”

Cho Akryang, who was about to continue his praise, suddenly stopped.

“Dan Euiwon?”

“Yes?”

“Is that a Maring Chim (魔靈鍼) [Demon Spirit Needle] in your hand?”

“Yes.”

“Why suddenly that?”