The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 88

Divine Physician of the Demonic Cult – Chapter 88

The three were a little suspicious, but they figured if Dan Akseon liked it, that was good enough.

Still, they each felt the need to say something.

“Don’t do anything foolish.”

“Whatever you’re thinking, just keep it to yourself.”

“…….”

As the three turned away, Ga Doo-dal’s eyes, which had been carefully controlled, shifted.

Dan Akseon was rolling the bead around, marveling at it.

Ga Doo-dal’s eyes, watching him, began to flicker with an intense, strange excitement.

‘There’s no rule that I can only steal *things*.’

The ultimate goal of a thief is to steal people’s hearts.

Ga Doo-dal glanced at the three figures walking away.

Just being near them still made his limbs tremble.

‘But that child is worth taking the risk for.’

Dan Akseon possessed the potential to become a perfect divine thief. And there was more.

‘Stealing the disciple of those monsters?’

Ga Doo-dal struggled to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out.

‘It would be the greatest achievement of my life.’

The mere thought sent a thrilling shiver down his spine.

* * *

“Finally, it’s Mount Hua.”

Dan Akseon exclaimed, looking at the towering peak in the distance.

One of the Five Great Mountains (五岳) [five most famous mountains in China, important in Taoism], the sacred mountain of Taoism, known as the Western Great Mountain (西岳).

Along with Wudang, it was one of the two major centers of Taoism, and also the location of the Mount Hua Sect, the leading sword sect in the Central Plains [historical region of China located on the lower reaches of the Yellow River].

“Plum Shadow Red Forest, Sword Conquers the Central Plains (梅影紅林劍征中原).” [A poetic description of Mount Hua, emphasizing its beauty and martial prowess]

Ga Doo-dal recited quietly, his eyes fixed on Mount Hua, which was shrouded in a mysterious mist.

Cho Ak-ryang’s eyes turned cold at those words.

“‘Sword Conquers the Central Plains,’ my foot.”

Bum Gye-wi added his own comment.

“They’ve always been the most arrogant in the world.”

Ga Doo-dal quietly retreated.

He’d gotten caught up in the moment and said something unnecessary, only to invite trouble. In truth, if he hadn’t been dragged along, he wouldn’t have even considered coming near this place. It was like carrying firewood into a fire; what good could come from traveling all the way to Mount Hua?

The position of the Mount Hua Sect was uniquely influential.

The Hua (華) in Hwaha (華夏), another name for the Han people [the dominant ethnic group in China], referred to Mount Hua.

That’s how immense their pride was, a reflection of their standing as the origin of Chinese martial arts.

Unlike Cho Ak-ryang and Bum Gye-wi, Han Seol-hwa stared at Mount Hua with eyes filled with a strange emotion.

Ga Doo-dal, feeling inexplicably awkward, turned to Dan Akseon and changed the subject.

“Did you know that only Taoist temples exist on Mount Hua?”

“You mean there isn’t a single Buddhist temple on this big, wide mountain?”

Ga Doo-dal nodded, as if he’d been waiting for the question.

“The famous Taoist Jin Dan, known as Master Hee-i (希夷先生) [a renowned Taoist philosopher and hermit], once played a game of Go here with Emperor Taejo of Song, Zhao Kuangyin. As a reward for winning, Emperor Taejo of Song decreed that the Taoist temples of Mount Hua would be exempt from taxes.”

After that, countless Taoists flocked to Mount Hua, leading to its current prosperity.

“In the end, it’s all about money.”

“They’ve always pretended to be noble, but they’re rotten inside. Where else would their roots lie?”

Cho Ak-ryang and Bum Gye-wi continued to express their displeasure, as if something deeply offended them.

In comparison, Dan Akseon’s expression was noticeably lighter.

It had been fifteen days since he started sparring with Ga Doo-dal and set out for this place.

The hardships he had endured during that time were difficult to describe.

When he stopped falling for the sand-throwing and iron caltrop tricks, Ga Doo-dal began to employ all sorts of despicable and underhanded methods in earnest.

Deliberately revealing flaws to bait attacks was child’s play.

Kicking the groin or scratching the eyes was commonplace.

If he thought he was losing, he would unhesitatingly use the Lazy Donkey Roll (懶驢打滾) [a clumsy, desperate move to escape an attack], and he would also try to distract him by talking during the sparring.

However, what tormented Dan Akseon the most was something else entirely.

It was Ga Doo-dal’s lightness skill [a martial art technique that allows one to move with incredible speed and agility].

As befitting the name Ghostly Divine Thief (鬼影神偸), Ga Doo-dal exploited his advantages to the fullest and began to relentlessly harass Dan Akseon.

Before long, Ga Doo-dal was setting traps everywhere and luring Dan Akseon into them.

Even when he stepped on the same spot he had stepped on moments before, the floor would suddenly give way, causing him to stumble, or he would slip on muddy ground he had already crossed.

Ga Doo-dal never missed these opportunities.

When even that didn’t work easily, Ga Doo-dal simply refused to engage in a head-on fight. He switched to throwing hidden weapons from a distance, beyond Dan Akseon’s reach.

Stones or pieces of wood.

Even snakes or poisonous insects….

Ga Doo-dal picked up and threw anything he could get his hands on. And if he sensed even a hint of danger, he would use his lightness skill to climb up a tall tree.

In the end, Dan Akseon was left frustrated every time, like a dog chasing a chicken, only to stare helplessly up at the treetops.

But now that he had arrived at Mount Hua, wouldn’t he finally be able to catch his breath for a while?

“I’ll get the Mount Hua Sect’s letter of introduction,” Han Seol-hwa said, drawing everyone’s attention.

“I have a connection with the sect leader here.”

Dan Akseon smiled and approached Han Seol-hwa.

“But it’s my job to do it. Let’s go together.”

Bum Gye-wi and Cho Ak-ryang tried to dissuade Dan Akseon.

“Doctor Dan, you don’t have to go with her.”

“Yeah. Let’s trust Sister Han.”

“She said she’ll take care of it. Let’s go eat something delicious here while we wait.”

Han Seol-hwa quietly stared at the two.

It was hard to put her finger on it, but something felt suspicious. When had they ever followed her instructions so obediently? There had to be another reason for their behavior.

Han Seol-hwa reached out and took Dan Akseon’s hand.

“Okay. Let’s go together.”

Bum Gye-wi blurted out, “Hey! Witch! Are you going to go back on your word? You said you’d go alone!”

Cho Ak-ryang chimed in, “Yeah, Sister Han. Leave Doctor Dan here…….”

Han Seol-hwa’s cold voice cut off Cho Ak-ryang’s words.

“What kind of trouble are you trying to cause this time?”

Han Seol-hwa warned them, facing the flinching Cho Ak-ryang and Bum Gye-wi.

“Wait quietly. Don’t cause trouble like last time.”

“That time…….”

“Shut up.”

Bum Gye-wi, who was about to make excuses, fell silent at that single word.

“Don’t do anything,” Han Seol-hwa continued with a chilling look in her eyes, speaking from the heart.

“If you cause trouble one more time, I’ll drag you around by pressing on your blood points [a technique in martial arts to temporarily paralyze or incapacitate someone].”

“…….”

Normally, they would have exploded in anger, but the two, burdened by their past misdeeds, could only swallow their resentment.

Thus, Han Seol-hwa left with Dan Akseon.

Ga Doo-dal cautiously spoke to the two, who were sighing in disappointment.

“But Doctor Dan…….”

Ga Doo-dal asked what he was curious about with a frightened expression, shrinking under the gazes of Cho Ak-ryang and Bum Gye-wi.

“What kind of treatment are you two receiving from Doctor Dan?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

Ga Doo-dal, already timid, couldn’t continue speaking, his face etched with fear at Bum Gye-wi’s sharp tone.

“Forget everything you see and hear here. And stop paying attention to Doctor Dan.”

Ga Doo-dal mustered his courage at Cho Ak-ryang’s words, which were at least a little softer.

“From what I’ve heard, I can roughly guess the situation…….”

“Then just roughly guess like that.”

“Yes.”

Ga Doo-dal quickly nodded at Cho Ak-ryang’s annoyed expression.

There was no need to invite trouble for no reason.

Even though it was just that Dan Akseon had left, the two of them seemed strangely uneasy.

“Why did you bring it up for no reason?”

Bum Gye-wi’s eyebrows furrowed at Cho Ak-ryang’s nagging.

“What about Brother Cho? Brother Cho also chimed in.”

“What, you punk?”

“Even if Brother Cho hadn’t stepped in, I could have persuaded Doctor Dan well enough.”

“You? With what?”

“Others may not, but they listen to me. I’m Doctor Dan’s favorite person among us.”

“You’re kidding me. It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t suggested we go up to Shaolin, Sister Han wouldn’t have acted like that.”

“Did I break the Buddha statue? Why are you blaming others when Brother Cho caused the accident?”

Ga Doo-dal, caught in the middle, was in agony at the sight of the two snarling and directing their killing intent at each other.

He was truly restless.

In this situation, Ga Doo-dal already missed Dan Akseon.

When Dan Akseon was around, the atmosphere never became this tense.

“By the way…….”

The gazes of Cho Ak-ryang and Bum Gye-wi focused on Ga Doo-dal.

“Are you deliberately letting those tails follow us?”

Cho Ak-ryang scanned the surroundings and chuckled.

“I just didn’t feel like bothering to shake off the small fries.”

Chijijik.

Ga Doo-dal turned his head at the sound he heard nearby.

Bum Gye-wi, who had singed off his cactus-like beard by creating fire energy, took out a wig and a hero’s headband from his bundle and began to disguise himself.

“What are you doing? You.”

Bum Gye-wi replied nonchalantly to Cho Ak-ryang’s question.

“I feel dirty because even small fries keep chasing me.”

“……?”

“I need to check what kind of guys they are. There’s nothing to do here anyway.”

“Have you forgotten Sister Han’s words?”

Bum Gye-wi scoffed.

“Since when has Brother Cho listened to the witch’s words?”

“I guess.”

Cho Ak-ryang, who nodded awkwardly, took out a human skin mask and put it on his face.

“Are you thinking of going to the village?”

“If they’ve gathered looking for bait, I need to throw them some appropriate bait.”

It was an incomprehensible statement, but the decision wasn’t up to Ga Doo-dal anyway.

Although Han Seol-hwa’s warning bothered him, he ultimately had no choice but to follow the two.

* * *

A training ground paved with bluestone slabs.

A young man holding a sword was performing a sword dance alone.

The blue sword, which had been cutting through the air, leaving behind blue afterimages, suddenly changed.

The purple energy that had been faintly flickering at the tip of the sword seemed to intensify like an explosion, and the red shadows that rose like mist filled the training ground.

Then, in an instant.

A clear red light (紅光) flashed through the purple mist.

At the same moment, plum blossoms with a reddish glow bloomed like illusions, following the swaying sword.

The Mount Hua Sect’s technique, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Swordplay (二十四手梅花劍法), had revealed itself.

Five red plum blossoms that instantly multiplied.

The clear purple sword flowers (劍花) [metaphor for the beautiful and deadly movements of the sword], which lived up to the name of the stance, Five Plum Blossoms Competing for Speed (五梅爭速), displayed their graceful appearance along the sword’s path.

It didn’t end there.

Following Snowy Plum Tree (雪梅蒼然) was Plum Enduring the Snow’s Cold (梅忍雪寒), and then Plum Fragrance Becomes a Stream (梅香成流)…….

The red plum blossoms, which became clearer as time passed, transformed into a cloud of formidable sword energy in themselves when they reached the ultimate move of the Plum Blossom Swordplay, Falling Plum Blossoms Become Rain (落梅成雨), filling the training ground.

The sword, which had been unleashing the ultimate moves of the Plum Blossom Swordplay in rapid succession, suddenly stopped, hovering in the air.

“Haa…….”

A heavy sigh escaped the young man’s mouth.

Without wiping the sweat pouring down like rain, and without catching his ragged breath, the young man stood blankly for a long time.

How much time had passed?

“The tip of the sword is unsteady.”

The young man, Myeong-geom, turned his head at the voice he heard.

“Disciple Myeong-geom greets Master.”

Pung Hyeon-ja, who approached, nodding his head, smiled quietly.

Myeong-geom let out a soft sigh at the sight of his master’s silent gaze.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about?”