Chapter 19: Misunderstandings Draw Swords (1)
Ten days ago, Sewoon, the Young Master, suddenly appeared at the Heaven’s dicine Hall.
“I want to repay the debt I owe to the clan and contribute to the family.”
It was the first aningful step Sewoon took the mont the house arrest imposed by the Clan Head was lifted.
However, neither the Vice Hall Leader of Heaven’s dicine Hall, Tang Serin, nor the Hall Leader, Tang Jun—
In fact, no one from the Heaven’s dicine Hall had any great expectations.
This was because everyone knew that Sewoon’s dical skills barely amounted to handling hands or managing minor illnesses.
But...
“Who could’ve known! That in the anti, the Young Master’s dical skills had reached the heavens!”
“There’s no disease he can’t cure with just a needle, that’s why so many people are flocking here.”
“Rumor has it he even received teachings from the Divine Nun of Mount Ei.”
“Oh, that might actually be true!”
What sort of enlightennt had he gone through?
From the very first day Sewoon appeared at the Heaven’s dicine Hall, he displayed trendous skill.
The patients treated by his divine acupuncture all recovered completely and returned ho healed.
As the Tang Clan’s fortunes declined, the Heaven’s dicine Hall had also fallen to the point where only a few regulars ca.
However, rumors about Sewoon spread rapidly, and even if temporarily, he managed to overco this slump.
‘So what the Fourth Elder said about there being sothing to emulate was referring to his dical skills.’
Only then did Hayoung feel her suspicions clear up.
She had already heard of the Heavenly Punishnt disease afflicting Sewoon, as it was widely known throughout Sichuan’s martial world.
If he had been imrsing himself in dicine rather than martial arts all this ti, such results were certainly possible.
“Lately, the escort agency has gained fa, but during the ti when the Tang Clan was one of the Seven Great Clans, the best things were the forge and the physician’s hall!”
“Of course, they were the very foundation!”
“Sigh. It’d be perfect if only the line were a bit shorter.”
“…Still, if we’re going to wait this long, wouldn’t it be better to go to Mount Ei, where they’re even more skilled?”
Cheong Yeon, feeling insulted, subtly joined the conversation, but the patients quickly scoffed.
“Hmph, only the rich can even get inside the gates there. For regular commoners, getting diagnosed is like plucking stars from the sky.”
“And unless you’re eting the Divine Nun herself, our young lord is way better.”
“Exactly. Just the other day, he cured a nobleman suffering from a boil—soone even Mount Ei refused outright!”
“Phew, our young lord alone is a hundred, no, a thousand tis better than Mount Ei!”
Hayoung’s face flushed red from embarrassnt.
The other two were the sa.
Thinking of her master’s dignity, Hayoung sent a telepathic ssage to Geum Hwa.
[Master. I’ll hurry to the back door and inform another guard.]
[No.]
However, Geum Hwa rejected the offer.
Startled, Hayoung asked again.
[Huh? Why not?]
[Since it’s co to this, let’s just wait. I’ve beco curious to see the skills of this Tang Clan Young Master who’s supposedly better than Ei.]
[……!]
It seed the previous patient’s words had struck Geum Hwa’s pride in the Ei Sect.
Geum Hwa’s alias was the “Living dicine Sword.”
She was regarded as having perfectly inherited the dical skills of the Divine Nun Boyeon, known as the “Divine Physician,” so her pride must’ve taken a significant hit.
‘No, I’m probably the sa way.’
In the end, Hayoung didn’t try to stop her master either.
It wasn’t just that she couldn’t go against her master’s will as a disciple—
She too felt discomfort and doubt about the situation, just like Geum Hwa.
“Ugh, when are we going to be done waiting?”
Having been dragged into lining up, Cheong Yeon started whining, but they didn’t have to listen for long.
Though the line was incredibly long, Hayoung expected it would take at least half a day.
However...
“Next patient, please co in.”
“The patient after that, co in too.”
‘…This fast?’
The patients ahead in line were disappearing so quickly, it was almost unbelievable.
‘This is impossible.’
That was when Hayoung ca to a conclusion.
This speed wasn’t natural at all.
Even if it were just diagnoses without treatnt, it should’ve taken more ti.
There was only one way such a thing could be possible.
“These people…”
Geum Hwa’s eyes had grown icy cold.
There was even a sense of deep anger.
Dulling pain with sothing like paralysis powder and pretending the patient was healed, then collecting the consultation fee—
This was what they called “fraudulent dicine.”
It was sothing only lowlifes of the Demonic Alliance or Black Path would do.
The patient not only lost money but also the precious ti they could have used to survive—making this the act Geum Hwa despised the most.
‘Did they think we’d overlook this farce just because the Alliance owes them?’
In that instant, even Hayoung’s gaze, which had briefly viewed Sewoon positively, turned cold.
“Next patient, please co in.”
At last, their turn had co.
---
Guided by a female physician, the three of them finally entered the Heaven’s dicine Hall.
Physicians and dical students, wearing the Tang Clan’s distinctive green robes and white headbands marked with the character for “dicine,” bustled about.
“To receive a consultation from the Young Master, please wait here a little longer. There is a designated attendant who will guide you shortly.”
“Thank you.”
The mont the female physician bowed and disappeared, the three of them couldn’t hold back a sigh.
‘Ha, this is textbook fraudulent dicine. Just how much more are they planning to extort from us in the middle?’
Even without seeing it, they could already envision what was about to happen.
Soon, a middleman would show up and pressure them—saying that without additional paynt, the Young Master would not provide a consultation.
The three of them were dumbfounded.
It wasn’t the Demonic Alliance, and yet a legitimate orthodox clan was brazenly engaging in the sa tactics as black-path lowlives.
However—
“Oh dear, apologies. The three of you must have waited a long ti?”
“…?”
Contrary to their expectations, the one who appeared shortly after was a young servant boy, seemingly around Cheong Yeon’s age.
Wiping away the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve, Jang Il spoke up.
“Phew, there are more patients than usual looking for the Young Master today. Please follow
now.”
“…Is that all?”
“Pardon?”
At Hayoung’s question, Jang Il blinked, not understanding what she ant.
As the three of them stared at him for a long mont, Jang Il, flustered, suddenly looked as though sothing dawned on him.
“Oh dear, I completely forgot to ask the most important thing.”
There it was—finally, the mont had co.
The three of them simultaneously focused on Jang Il’s lips.
“Well then, which of you ca here injured?”
“What?”
“Excuse ?”
This ti, it was the three of them who blinked in confusion.
No matter how long they waited, there was no ntion of additional fees.
No, this couldn’t be right.
Just as confusion settled on their faces—
“…Is no one here actually sick or injured?”
Jang Il asked cautiously.
Ah, right.
In order to get a consultation, soone needed to be injured.
Just as suspicion began to flicker in Jang Il’s eyes, who was tilting his head—
Thunk!
“Ack!”
“Gasp! A-Are you all right?”
“Ahem, as you can see, this child has injured her foot.”
Cheong Yeon suddenly grabbed her shin and began hopping on one foot.
Geum Hwa had lightly kicked Cheong Yeon’s shin at an incredible speed—one the martial-arts-ignorant Jang Il could never have caught.
“U-Um.”
“Ack! I-I’m sorry.”
“N-No, it’s fine.”
Startled, Jang Il had quickly tried to support Cheong Yeon but backed away in a hurry.
Cheong Yeon’s face was turning red.
In the slightly awkward air that followed, Jang Il, afraid of getting into trouble, quickly guided the three of them to the front of Sewoon’s consultation room.
“Please wait here. Once the previous patient’s treatnt is done, he’ll see you right away.”
Bowing deeply, Jang Il then went off to call the next patient.
The three of them stood in a small courtyard, gazing at the consultation room ahead.
Because of the hot weather, the door was left half open.
‘…Is that him?’
Unlike the others, the figure wore a green robe lined with purple silk—a mark of a Tang Clan direct descendant.
Since he was turned away, they could only see his back.
But the outline of his body seed far too slender to be that of a martial artist.
“Huuuh. Young Master, please, I beg you—please help my child.”
“Don’t cry, Mom.”
At that mont, it wasn’t Sewoon who ca into view first.
It was a weeping woman and a child, about five years old, who was comforting his mother.
Geum Hwa’s expression grew solemn.
[Everyone, focus. The mont we confirm any evidence of fraudulent treatnt, we’ll strike imdiately.]
[Understood.]
[Don’t worry about a thing!]
Swish!
After exchanging telepathy, a golden glow began to form in the eyes of the three.
It was the manifestation of the true energy of Golden Purity Eyes, the supre internal art of the Mount Ei Sect.
Though they were seated quite far away, once the true energy activated, it was as clear as if it were right before their eyes.
The woman’s clothes were noticeably shabby at a glance.
A sharp, fishy scent lingered near their noses, suggesting she likely worked as a fish vendor in the city markets of Chengdu.
“Calm yourself. I will surely heal him.”
“Sob, sob. Young Master…”
‘…!’
But unlike the hypocrites of the other martial clans, Sewoon calmly patted the woman’s shoulder without hesitation and gently soothed her.
Then he spoke to the child, who sat sullenly.
“All right. What’s your na?”
“Soha. Jin Soha.”
“That’s a wonderful na. So, Soha. Where does it hurt?”
The child pointed to his left leg.
His pants were clean on the right side, but the left side was stained with dirt and dust.
It ant he had fallen countless tis on that leg.
“Here. My left leg suddenly stopped working three months ago.”
“Oh dear. That must’ve been hard. May I take a look?”
“…The other doctors said I’ll never walk again.”
“Goodness, you must’ve only t a bunch of quacks.”
Without a mont of hesitation, Sewoon replied to the child’s lifeless words.
“Soha, I promise you this.”
“Huh? Promise
what?”
“Once we’re done here, you’ll be able to walk ho just fine.”
“Wow, really?”
“Heh, of course, really.”
Excited, the child rolled up his pants.
His ankle, unused for three months, looked severely emaciated.
Sewoon examined the affected area with a gentle touch.
‘…That’s…’
A strange gleam rose in Hayoung’s eyes.
She caught sight of the mysterious black gloves Sewoon was wearing.
Then, Sewoon quietly asked the child:
“Did you ever have to dodge sothing suddenly?”
“Oh, now that I think about it, I rolled away from a carriage that was coming at .”
“Just as I thought.”
The mother’s eyes widened in shock.
She had visited countless physicians to heal her son, but none had diagnosed the issue just by looking.
Her body trembled as she clung to that newfound hope.
“D-Did you figure out what the illness is?”
“Yes.”
Nodding, Sewoon explained fluidly.
“It’s a condition called foot drop. It seems the nerve running down this part of Soha’s shin bone is damaged. The trauma to this area caused all the surrounding muscles to beco paralyzed.”
“Then… can it be cured?”
“I was planning to cure it right now anyway.”
“-!”
Smiling slightly to reassure the woman, Sewoon transitioned smoothly from diagnosis to treatnt.
Cheong Yeon, watching this, let out a breath in disbelief.
[Ha, how disgustingly shaless!]
[…]
[…]
[Master? Senior Sister?]
But her words scattered into emptiness.
Unlike Cheong Yeon, who seethed with anger, the other two were deeply unsettled.
Cheong Yeon, whose dical knowledge fell short of her martial skills, hadn’t caught it.
‘Hearing it and looking again, the diagnosis is too precise.’
‘…No, even I couldn’t have diagnosed that at a glance like he did.’
Sewoon’s assessnt of the patient’s condition perfectly matched their own conclusions.
Because they had been so certain it was a scam, their shock was all the greater.
However—
‘…No. It’s still too early to cast aside suspicion.’
They decided to observe a little longer.
No matter how perfect the diagnosis, the rapid string of complete recoveries they had seen earlier was still impossible.
Diagnosis and treatnt were two different realms.
While pain could be numbed with paralysis powder, getting soone who couldn’t walk to stand again required real treatnt.
Geum Hwa and Hayoung focused their qi even more into their eyes.
Then it happened.
Swish!
Geum Hwa and Hayoung’s pupils shook violently, as if hit by an earthquake.
From the very tip of Sewoon’s glove, which had previously shown nothing—
‘That—?’
‘W-What the—?!’
Like a goblin’s trick.
An unidentified black needle was revealing itself.
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