Chapter 515

As soon as I heard that a precious person was hurt, I got tense and rushed in, only to find a ragged mess smeared in blood sewing up my belly.

“Hello, elder,” he bowed his head at me while I stared, flabbergasted.

I panicked and checked him out, realizing that his veins were fine, so just applying some ointment and wrapping it up should do the trick.

You see, precious people don’t usually get hurt, so they’re sensitive to even the tiniest pain and burst into tears, which was exactly what had happened when the old physician showed up, frozen in shock.

But lo and behold?

There stood a breathtaking beauty, her eyes sparkling sweetly as she gazed at me.

Before I knew it, a lecture blurted out.

“What on earth is this? You, a lady, don’t know how to cherish your own body?”

“Uh.”

“First, you need to stitch it up and rest! How can you just slap on the ointment and wrap it up? As for scars, you’re a precious one, so just wash it off in a hot spring! Good grief, what kind of butchery is this? How can someone harm another like this?”

The old physician was taken aback.

The back, slashed by countless strokes, looked ghastly, enough to make even the faint-hearted faint on the spot.

Surprisingly, not a single piece had fallen off, but knowing where to start was utterly overwhelming.

“I must stitch this up immediately!”

“Uh, my skin’s a bit tough, so it might be hard to sew.”

“How tough can human skin be—”

“Gah!”

“I put in plenty of anesthetic, how is this happening? Ugh, why is this so difficult? Ugh!”

“Gah!”

In the end, I managed to patch up his skin with a thick needle meant for cowhide.

Squinting and grimacing, it seemed even more painful than when he faced a Life and Death Match.

His big, glistening eyes welled up with tears, all droopy and sad.

The old physician also looked exhausted, panting heavily like a train.

Time flew quickly for the Deputy Commander.

A day barely felt like five years.

Well, with the esteemed Mama herself slowly withering away, it was only natural that he’d age rapidly too.

Should I intervene? The Mama had explicitly told me not to! But is it really okay to just watch this iniquity unfold?

Wang Sang-ryong’s dilemma was not because he suddenly became a patriotic hero.

I mean, even if it’s an order, should I really go along with it?

It felt as if five cows were about to bolt in every direction at once.

And so, after witnessing the duel, in just one day, Wang Sang-ryong suddenly seemed like an old man filled with wisdom, or perhaps experience.

Even now, he anxiously paced back and forth in front of the building, clearly a bundle of nerves.

Then there was a soft clatter.

The sound of a door opening and closing.

I couldn’t help but notice the exhausted old physician shuffle out as if her energy was drained.

Wang Sang-ryong dashed over to her like a horse galloping.

“How is the young lady doing?”

“She should be fine after some good rest.”

“Fine, you say? After such a horrific ordeal, instead of resting, she should have some herbal medicine, yes? Get some precious ginseng, don’t worry about the money—”

The old physician shook her head.

“Really, she just needs to rest. Martial World Individuals shouldn’t just take random medicine; her blood is already rich, so if she takes those herbs, the energy will merely surge. She just has a bruise, and aside from that, she just needs to rest properly and keep clean to avoid any complications.”

It seemed like the old physician had questioned herself for over fifty years about the existence of such a patient in this world.

Someone had intricately sliced veins while neglecting everything else, making one wonder if such actions belonged to a human being—just imagining it sent chills down her spine.

Of course, she knew later that it was a misunderstanding.

“Hehe, it’s not that! It’s a defensive technique that uses a gamble to protect the bones, you know? The skin might be a bit messed up, but I heal without leaving scars, so this is truly a case of sacrificing flesh to save bones!”

As it turned out, the young lady had a knack for being a total brat, and the physician, not realizing it herself, slapped the stitched-up back, causing the young lady to roll around on the floor, shrieking in pain before realizing she was standing there, trembling stupidly.

The physician shook her head, disbelief written all over her face.

—-

On the second day of Liu Bang’s stay, the news of the duel rose high again.

Yet, while everyone was aware, no one dared to step up, and on the second day, they simply returned to their posts with their heads hung low.

Well, avengers have their pride.

Everyone had witnessed the gruesome scene yesterday.

Now, the young lady had a massive bandage on her cheek, so asking for a Life and Death Match now seemed like asking for trouble.

So, someone other than me had to step up and halt this recovery from happening.

Anyhow, the schedule for Cheonhwa-geom was set.

The opponent was marching towards Hangzhou, surrounded by soldiers.

No need to sugarcoat things; the idle nobles were already gearing up to follow the Cheonhwa-geom on its pilgrimage, decorating themselves as if they were heading out for a feast.

I worried they might use injuries as an excuse for an appearance, but as soon as the sun rose at noon, wouldn’t they wave a flag demanding to settle the score?

They were eager to seek revenge despite the apparent risk!

So, from the perspective of my enemies, there’s no rush there.

Thus, Yubang District suddenly turned into a rendezvous point.

Supreme Martial Artists roamed around looking for partners to team up for revenge while training together, painting quite the spectacle.

Judging by how things went yesterday, it seemed manageable enough once they found a rhythm.

And about that injury from Cheonhwa-geom?

Someone might challenge and disrupt the recovery.

Except, those challengers were likely having similar thoughts.

Which is why no one dared to step up.

Bored, I sat down on a chair.

Basking under the glaring autumn sun, who would leave me alone in my pity?

Wang Sang-ryong came over, providing a large parasol for shade.

He also graciously offered some snacks and iced tea.

Even if I were the greenest of greens, I wouldn’t indulge in a garish feast in front of curious onlookers.

Nibbling slowly like a bird pecking at grains, I carefully munched along the lines of Seomun Sulin’s refined treats.

The onlookers, clueless about when the fight would begin, sprawled around, chowing down on snacks.

The tension in the air evaporated as the second day came to a close.

And then the third day too.

Thus, after three full days in Yubang, it was time to move on to the next city.

—-

The physician received lavish treatment.

Of course, nothing comes for free in this world.

With such treatment, there’s always a price to pay.

Originally, there had been a medical hall in the Heavenly Demon Sect.

To be precise, there used to be one.

For generations, the top physician of the Heavenly Demon Sect was referred to as the ‘Demon Physician’.

But the state of this Demon Physician?

If he were a respectable man, he wouldn’t be taking pride in such a title mired in darkness and death.

So, who was it?

Some lunatic, half-cracked, who took joy in human experimentation.

Naturally, he wouldn’t be thrilled about the new doctrine of living kindly, hence why he joined the rebellion to form a ‘proper Divine Sect’.

Those rebels are no longer in this world.

So?

The Divine Sect needs a physician.

The new Heavenly Demon Sect doesn’t have time to cultivate a physician.

They seek instant recruitment for an immediate clinic success.

That is when they met the precious physician sent by the Heavenly Demon.

This individual saw through the currents of heaven and earth like a true manifestation of the bodhisattva.

Thus, the members of the Seolga Merchant Association treated this physician with the same respect as they would their own parents.

Consequently, the physician felt somewhat accepted.

That Cheonhwa-geom serving alongside was like a cherished daughter to him.

With such an excellent environment, how could one not develop a gentle spirit?

Such thoughts could make the countless deceased weep tears of blood.

But the dead can’t speak, and what can a corpse, regardless of its tears, do about it?

They could only lament their fate.

The physician gazed at the man before him…?

Strangely enough, he was a strangely beautiful man.

No, he was even more beautiful than a woman.

While one might find delicate young men, this was just plain outrageous.

It was evident he was a man.

Yet still, he resembled a girl more than any of them.

With that snake-like hair stuck around him, would he not be deemed strange?

The owner of that ‘snake’, Seolga, threw in a line.

“Our association is flourishing, so we might need a physician soon. Would you care to take the position, elder?”

“Ahem. I’ve received ample treatment thus far. Why would I refuse?”

That made Seolga smile brightly.

The effects of cross-dressing were starting to show.

By simply smiling, he could attract countless resources.

Of course, the physician felt a bit chilly seeing Seolga’s true form.

“Elder, I’m not simply asking for a physician to look after our association but to build a proper medical hall and establish a proper branch of our clinic. Not just your medical expertise, but even your unique methods.”

“Hmm, so it’s the unique methods you’re interested in, isn’t it?”

The physician replied gruffly.

But already his ears were perked, and a smile crept across his lips. Despite his demeanor, anticipation was clear in his expression.

After all, who would refuse the offer to establish a medical sect?

He had thoughts of living life leisurely while raising disciples, and wouldn’t it be even better to have several of them?

“Of course, we’d name it the Physician’s Medical Academy under your banner.”

The corners of the physician’s mouth crept higher.

They were even offering to put his name on the door!

The Physician’s Medical Academy! Head Physician: Bo Yeol!

Reading through the title in his head, he felt quite thrilled.

But.

“I feel embarrassed to put my name up there. What would the Sapa folks think if they saw?”

“Fear not! Our association dominates the region north of the Yangtze River, so those Sapa chumps wouldn’t dare cross our path. Besides, we have some martial arts capable enough to keep those riffraff at bay.”

“Hmm. Well, if you look at Choi family, they’re definitely top-tier martial artists!”

With age, he called Choi by name like an old friend, referring to him casually, having spent time together since they were young.

“Will you then accept the offer?”

“Well, the old man still has some dignity left. I can’t pretend to refuse your kindness.”

“Thank you.”

Seolga bowed deeply, a wicked smile creeping across his face, something again felt unsettling.

A deep sense of foreboding rose within the old man, as if he were falling into a trap.

What could this be?

Has aging clouded my instincts?

The physician brushed aside the rising unease.

Then Seolga continued speaking.

“From now on, you’ll be revered as our elder.”

“Wasn’t I honored before? You’ve treated me splendidly all along.”

Seolga responded with a sinister grin that chilled the spine.

“Our association has a revered collection of ancient medical texts; would you care to see them?”

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