0091 : Dark Heaven Village
About a year had passed since I began studying dicine and acupuncture. I had been evaluated as having excellent overall morization skills, so I had already managed to apply simple morized knowledge to practical understanding quite well. However, since dicine requires the application of learned skills to showcase one’s own cool-headed and intuitive judgnt, I felt a sense of barrier in that regard.
Hwa Seo-myeong always seed to hold back his words, as if reluctant.
“Hm… You have a good head, but being foolish is a flaw.”
What kind of evaluation is this?
At a loss for how to respond, I simply stared blankly at him, and Hwa Seo-myeong continued speaking.
“Don’t worry. You learn much faster than the average physician. It’s just a pity that if your comprehension were a bit better, you could have been an extraordinary genius.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“Especially your speed in acquiring acupuncture is remarkable.”
Hearing praise about acupuncture, the only area in which he acknowledged my talent, made feel pleased. Indeed, among various fields of dicine, I had shown potential specifically in acupuncture.
Acupuncture involves very fine adjustnts that can alter the flow of Qi (气) and the manipulation of acupoints (穴), and I had developed a keen sensitivity to Qi, allowing to read the flow throughout the human body. Additionally, due to my high martial skills, my hands remained stable and undistracted, and physically, I was much stronger than an average physician. Although my results in other dical fields—such as herbal dicine, surgery, and treatnt techniques—were not particularly impressive, I was confident in acupuncture.
‘It seems there is sothing I’m good at too.’
Having lanted my lack of talent for so long, a sense of joy arose within . Observing , Hwa Seo-myeong hesitated before speaking up.
“… I have one question.”
“What is it?”
“Have you ever considered becoming a physician? Rather than engaging in these knightly pursuits, wouldn’t you prefer to heal others?”
“Hmm…”
After so contemplation, I replied,
“If I have the ans later, I definitely want to beco one.”
Though I couldn’t pursue the path of dicine right now due to pressing obligations, I thought that once I could avert the sches of the Golden Eagle Guards and regain my life, it would be a worthwhile pursuit. I was able to think this way because I was enjoying my learning process in acupuncture. Hwa Seo-myeong, lost in thoughts, suddenly spoke again.
“For the entire year, I haven’t ntioned that the Hwa Clan, where I resided, was once one of the prominent families in Hebei… Yet, I never told you why it fell from grace.”
I paused in my organizing of herbs and glanced at him. Hwa Seo-myeong remained seated, warming his hands by the fire as he slowly continued.
“That was entirely my fault. It was because I accepted the offer from the White Lotus Sect.”
“What do you an?”
Plop.
Hwa Seo-myeong cast a kindling into the flas, causing the fire to flare up.
“About ten years ago, as the head (家主) of the esteed Hwa Clan known for its dical prowess in Hebei, I was acknowledged as one of the Five Great Doctors of the World.”
A statent in the past tense.
“……”
“I still believe my dical skills can match against anyone in the world, except for Dongfang Mu-jue and Jiang Zhuangji. Given that, my pride in my dical abilities was beyond asure. It may have been inevitable for the envoy of the White Lotus Sect to approach .”
I set down the herbs and moved to sit across from him. As I adopted a serious posture to listen intently, Hwa Seo-myeong continued his story.
“There was a Little Sect Leader of the White Lotus Sect. He had a very serious illness. I was asked by the envoy of the White Lotus Sect to treat the Little Sect Leader’s ailnt.”
“What illness is that?”
“Huh… At that ti, it wasn’t revealed to . However, he offered a trendous bribe of two hundred pieces of gold along with a promise that the White Lotus Sect would provide full support for the future of the Hwa Clan. And, since he provocatively suggested that I wouldn’t be able to cure him, I beca hooked.”
Hwa Seo-myeong spat those words out bitterly.
“Indeed, the Dharma Protector ca personally to my ho, so there was little choice but to accept.”
“The Dharma Protector?”
“Yes. He was the one wearing a gray fox mask.”
The gray fox mask.
As I muttered that phrase, Hwa Seo-myeong added,
“I followed the Dharma Protector to the White Lotus Sect. While I couldn’t et the sect leader directly, all the Five Great Doctors of the World, including myself, were already present. It seed they, too, had received invitations from the White Lotus Sect.”
“To gather all the famous physicians for the Little Sect Leader’s treatnt then.”
“Yes. This implies how desperate the White Lotus Sect was at that ti.”
Hearing such unexpected information struck with a sense of intrigue. Considered in the context of a decade ago, it didn’t feel that far off from my previous life. The thought of a gathering of the Five Great Doctors attempting to treat the Little Sect Leader ten years back was astonishing!
As I listened attentively, Hwa Seo-myeong bowed his head and continued speaking.
“However… that day, my pride was shattered into pieces. No one among the Five Great Doctors, including myself, could cure the Little Sect Leader’s illness. Dongfang Mu-jue discerned the nature of the disease, and I managed to alleviate so of the symptoms with acupuncture, while Jiang Zhuangji stabilized the patient. The other two helped as well, but together it was still futile. Even with the precious dicinal herbs supplied through the assistance of the White Lotus Sect, curing it remained impossible.”
I was stunned.
“……!! Is there truly such an illness?”
“There was. We remained at the White Lotus Sect for an entire year unable to cure the illness, and it beca a source of grave despair. Since we couldn’t save the Little Sect Leader, it seed he was destined to perish, and the clan faced annihilation.”
However, he is still alive. As I gazed at Hwa Seo-myeong, he offered a faint smile.
“On the last day, I had the chance to see the leader of the White Lotus Sect from a distance. He didn’t want to show himself and spoke from behind a great figure, saying, ‘That can’t be helped,’ and simply let us go. I don’t know what the situation was, but it seed that the sect leader knew from the beginning that we wouldn’t be able to cure the Little Sect Leader.”
He knew it was impossible to cure him.
Yet he called us.
Why was that?
‘Sothing… doesn’t seem like it’s just simple desperation…’
As I pondered this, Hwa Seo-myeong spoke again.
“Then the real trouble began. The fact that the Five Great Doctors, including myself, went to cure the Little Sect Leader of the White Lotus Sect beca known throughout the Jianghu. The martial artists criticized us for colluding with the demonic sect, and suddenly, guests stopped coming to the Hwa Clan. No matter how great a physician one is, if no one cos to seek treatnt, there’s nothing that can be done…”
“Is it true that this information got out? Could it have been leaked by the White Lotus Sect?”
“I can’t say for sure. But the timing was too precise for it not to be the White Lotus Sect. This was likely their form of punishnt.”
The sect leader probably thought that directly killing the Five Great Doctors would not bode well for them. So they deliberately leaked the information in the martial world, branding us as ‘traitors.’ In this case, the arrows of bla would certainly be directed solely at the Five Great Doctors.
I couldn’t understand and said,
“Weren’t you concerned about the possibility from the start? Why did you…?”
“I’ve said it was unavoidable. The Dharma Protector of the White Lotus Sect personally ca to with a request. If I had refused, the Dharma Protector could have wiped out my family right there. I had no choice but to accept, whether it be life or death.”
“Uh-huh…”
Hwa Seo-myeong gulped down the drink beside him. Upon closer inspection, it seed not to be water, but rather bamboo leaf tea that had been poured into the cup beforehand. Sipping the tea and letting out a brief sigh, Hwa Seo-myeong continued,
“I felt I could no longer survive in the Central Plains, so I sought a way to live elsewhere. I planned to move my main residence to Goryeo. I thought that in Goryeo, which has no connections to the Central Plains martial world, I could live without being looked down upon.”
“So that’s why you joined the Jeong Clan as a guest.”
“Exactly. As the personal physician of the clan leader of the Jeong Clan, he agreed to naturalize the descendants of the Hwa Clan in Goryeo. Therefore, I can never forget the kindness of the Jeong Clan leader, and I can never refuse his requests.”
As he spoke, Hwa Seo-myeong glared at with a sowhat displeased expression. Given his position, he must have been busy simply serving as the personal physician, and then suddenly having to accept a disciple like would have been unwelco. Due to the nature of dicine, which is more closed-off than martial arts, he would likely have been reluctant to share his secret teachings.
“However, my relatives from the Hwa Clan have not all been able to co to Goryeo yet. Half of them still remain in the Central Plains, living with scorn.”
“Why is that?”
“Because of money. They can’t afford it.”
Hwa Seo-myeong muttered with a hint of lantation, downing another cup of bamboo leaf tea.
“No matter how kind Jeong Cheol-wook may be, he isn’t the type of person who would support moving the entire clan from the Central Plains to Kaesong financially. I’m currently using all the money I’ve earned as his personal physician for the naturalization of the Hwa Clan. Even then, it’s still not enough, and it’s quite bleak.”
“What do you an? Are you saying that it costs so much money for soone to travel from Hebei to here via Shandong?”
“That’s a foolish thing to say. The lifeblood of a healer is dical texts, and my main residence is filled with invaluable resources, herbs, and knowledge. To relocate all of that to Goryeo would require enough money to set up two or three trading posts. Are you telling to give up everything the Hwa Clan has accumulated over hundreds or thousands of years?”
“Uh-huh…”
Hwa Seo-myeong squinted and looked at .
“Then you showed up and gave a root of the Sacred Lotus. I was able to sell that root over the year, and with that money, I managed to bring twenty mbers of my clan and dical resources to Goryeo. I owe you a great deal.”
“With the Sacred Lotus root, your inner power should increase dramatically…”
“Haha, would you have watch my relatives suffer in the Central Plains for a millennium just to increase my own abilities? I am a physician first and foremost, not a martial artist. Therefore, what matters to is not my martial prowess.”
Gulp…
This ti, Hwa Seo-myeong downed the bamboo leaf tea in one go. It felt like he was expressing thoughts that would be hard to articulate without a drink. He said,
“Honestly, I had no intention of passing down the Hwa Clan’s 108 Acupuncture Techniques or the secrets of Hua Tuo’s Five Animals. To be frank, what basis do I have to entrust the family’s secrets to you? Furthermore, for an ordinary person, just learning the basics can take ten years, and many fail along the way, so I intended to keep it light. However, during the year we spent together, my mindset changed.”
It seed he had truly intended to take advantage.
I wasn’t surprised, as I had more or less expected this. Giving him the Black and White Lotus was a sacrifice I was willing to make to learn dicine from a master. I asked casually,
“What changed?”
“You lack talent. While you do possess extraordinary morization skills, exceptional endurance, and precision, which allows you to excel above average, it’s also true that your understanding has so gaps. As the dical skills beco more advanced, it will beco increasingly difficult.”
“……”
“But you possess sincerity and substance. I appreciate that aspect of you.”
Having said that, Hwa Seo-myeong cleared his throat.
“If you wish it, I would like to formally accept you as my disciple and teach you my dical skills. I want to pass on everything I know to you.”
“Is it because it would help the Hwa Clan?”
“To say otherwise would be a lie. However, you need to recognize your own value a bit more. There are countless gifted individuals in the world, but who wouldn’t salivate at the sight of you? Setting talent aside, even that imnse inner power makes you an extraordinary genius.”
“I imagine there will be many who dislike .”
I thought of the three-eyed Liang. Hwa Seo-myeong shook his head.
“Regardless of which master you trained under, he probably had expectations that were too high. However, a true master-disciple relationship isn’t like that. It’s built on mutual trust and guidance, and in turn, a look at the path he should take in life. I hope you can beco a physician who rely fulfills his role.”
Expectations.
I recalled Liang’s gaze. Indeed, when he taught earnestly, there was a sense of urgency and intensity to him. Looking back, it was clear he had set exceedingly high goals for , and with such lofty expectations ca the potential for great betrayal. I thought to myself,
‘Right. If he hadn’t set expectations from the start, it wouldn’t have co to this.’
Having thought that much, I asked Hwa Seo-myeong,
“Is there a way to conceal my energy?”
“Of course there is. You have been contemplating this, haven’t you?”
Hwa Seo-myeong smiled cheerfully and answered.
“I can’t offer you the level of the Reverse Energy Technique, but by utilizing the Hwa Clan’s 108 Acupuncture Techniques, you can implent the Heaven Seal Acupoint thod to minimize the energy leaking from your exterior. That way, you won’t get embroiled in unnecessary disputes.”
Upon hearing that, I nodded without hesitation.
“I will beco your disciple.”
“Then perform the Nine Prostrations Ritual.”
“Yes.”
I executed the Nine Prostrations Ritual and formally beca his disciple.
Up until now, we had been engaging in a psychological battle, each waiting for an opportunity, but now we had entered a genuine master-disciple relationship where I would receive his teachings.
Thus, eight years swiftly passed.
During that ti, I worked as a guard for the Jeong Clan, and in my spare ti, I went to learn dicine from Hwa Seo-myeong. Even though I was busy with guard duty, I still found ti three days out of the week during the seventh week. Over the course of about eight years, I learned dicine from Hwa Seo-myeong to a point where he ntioned I had reached a level where I could contribute as a physician.
One day, while reading a book under the autumn sky, I muttered,
“I’ve lived longer than ever.”
At that mont, my body had fully matured, and I was in my mid-twenties. I had survived much longer than the records indicated. Simultaneously, I realized how well I had managed to evade death in the anti. The peaceful routine of life had reminiscing about the chaotic years past.
However, my martial skills had not improved much. During this ti, I dedicated all my efforts to learning the Hwa Clan’s 108 Acupuncture Techniques and Hua Tuo’s Five Animals, focusing solely on daily practice of the fundantal techniques so as not to forget them. I felt regretful about that, but I also accepted it. Even if I were to die later because of the Nine-Tailed Fox, learning Hwa Seo-myeong’s dical skills was invaluable, and just gaining that knowledge was a fortuitous opportunity.
‘Damn… If I die, I die.’
Such dical skills could not be learned later.
By then, Hwa Seo-myeong had already received another root of the Sacred Lotus from eight years ago and had successfully relocated his entire clan to Goryeo. With nothing particularly pressing, I had continued my ordinary days of studying dicine.
At that mont, Hwa Seo-myeong opened the door and spoke.
“Baek Ung, do you understand the Blood Seal section of the Hwa Clan’s 108 Acupuncture Techniques well?”
“It’s a bit difficult.”
“Understanding seventy percent of the 108 Acupuncture Techniques is quite impressive. Strive for more.”
“Yes.”
I managed a wry smile. I had expected Hwa Seo-myeong to drain dry and then dismiss , but it seed that there had been sincerity in his confession from eight years ago. He had genuinely accepted as his disciple, and I had co to regard him as my master.
Then, Hwa Seo-myeong casually broached the topic.
“Have you considered marrying my granddaughter? As I ntioned before…”
“Um… It seems your granddaughter greatly dislikes my face.”
“Ahem. A man’s appearance isn’t everything; what a disgrace,” Hwa Seo-myeong said irritably. My appearance as an adult was certainly lacking. While the depth of my inner power prevented my looks from falling into complete disarray, I was still born with an unappealing face. So, when Hwa Seo-myeong introduced to his fifteen-year-old granddaughter, Hwa Yeong-yeong, she looked utterly shocked and seed about to faint at the sight of my unfortunate looks.
Hwa Seo-myeong remarked,
“I would like to personally arrange for your appearance to be altered, but are you truly fine with not changing your looks?”
“Yes. Like you said, appearance isn’t what’s important.”
“Hah… If you change your mind later, let know. Though at your level now, you could handle things by yourself.”
Sighing, Hwa Seo-myeong got to the point.
“Step outside for a mont. There’s a guest here looking for you.”
“A guest?”
I was taken aback. I hadn’t engaged with anyone other than my duties as a guard for the Jeong Clan and had not ford connections with anyone outside of the people from the Jeong Clan, the guards, and the Hwa Clan. It was hard to fathom that a guest would co to see now.
However, as I stepped outside, a man wearing a black feathered coat was standing there. I recognized that the coat was called a ‘hakjangui,’ and it was very familiar to . In fact, it was an unforgettable outfit.
After a mont, the man took off his coat and smiled as he said,
“It’s been a while, Baek Ung.”
“Mang Ryang…!!”
It was indeed Mang Ryang who stood there. Unlike before, he had significantly improved his skills, and confidence radiated from his face. Moreover, behind Mang Ryang stood four subordinates who appeared quite formidable as well. Glancing at them, I said,
“You’ve ford the Counter-Heaven Alliance?”
“Haha, I liked that na you ntioned last ti so much that I couldn’t use anything else.”
Mang Ryang burst into hearty laughter. He looked very different now; in the past, he had been a lazy and carefree free spirit, but now he exuded the dignity of a leader of an organization. As I stared at him, Mang Ryang said,
“I got permission from Jeong Cheol-wook, the head of the family. Let’s step outside for a talk.”
“Alright.”
I followed Mang Ryang to a nearby inn and reserved a room. At the door, Mang Ryang commanded his guards,
“Be on guard at all directions.”
“Yes, sir!”
With that, they vanished from sight in unison, showcasing first-rate light body technique. I watched them and remarked,
“Those guys must also be mbers of the Counter-Heaven Alliance.”
“Indeed, they are people gathered here for righteousness.”
Once we entered the room, silence hung in the air for a mont. I was the first to break the silence.
“What have you been up to all this ti? I’ve been trying to find out the whereabouts of Hae In while staying in Goryeo.”
“I know that. I’ve grown using the Black and White Lotus and Makya that I received from you, and I’ve ford the Counter-Heaven Alliance to oppose the imperial family.”
“Has the Golden Eagle Guards gathered the Seven Celestial Stars to beco stronger?”
At that, Mang Ryang lightly shook his head.
“If we follow the original history you ntioned, they should have done so by now. However, there are no signs of that yet, and they haven’t been able to summon a large number of demons or summoners. They likely haven’t obtained the Seven Celestial Stars.”
“Is that true?”
“That’s correct.”
Why was that?
Upon hearing Mang Ryang’s words, I fell into thought. My intention in this life was to find out the whereabouts of the Seven Celestial Stars, whether I lived or died, so I had sowhat half-given up on the turmoil in the Central Plains. It would not be strange if the Golden Eagle Guards had obtained the Seven Celestial Stars and were causing chaos by now, yet curiously, Mang Ryang said that was not the case.
‘Have I unintentionally influenced the Golden Eagle Guards in this life?’
I pondered but couldn’t co up with anything specific.
While I was deep in thought, Mang Ryang grinned and said,
“Actually, a few years ago, I asked my master whether Hae In is indeed one of the Seven Celestial Stars.”
“……?!”
“When I asked, my master said that Hae In is definitely one of the Seven Celestial Stars, but obtaining it is the most challenging among them. So, I thought that you wouldn’t need to struggle anymore and ca to talk to you again.”
I was speechless.
To think that there was such a way!
Mang Ryang’s master doesn’t want to et , so I had no way to confirm that, but Mang Ryang, who treasures as his disciple, could just approach his master and ask. I let out a deep sigh and said,
“Ah… I feel like I’ve wasted my efforts. If you knew about that, why didn’t you just tell earlier?”
“Actually, I’ve been receiving news about you from the mbers of the Counter-Heaven Alliance in Goryeo. There’s one in the Jeong Clan as well.”
“Really?!”
“I thought you were dying too frequently and wanted to give you ti to gather your strength. If you rashly got involved in the situation in the Central Plains, the risk of dying would be high.”
I was astounded by Mang Ryang’s consideration. At the sa ti, realizing how much Mang Ryang had developed the Counter-Heaven Alliance sent shivers down my spine.
He had a vast organization capable of communicating from Goryeo, which was thousands of miles away, and stood in a position to negotiate with the Jeong Clan, the most powerful family in Goryeo, with first-rate masters as his guards. I never imagined he could grow into such a significant figure in less than a decade.
I said to Mang Ryang,
“Then you could have just told to co et you; why go to all this trouble?”
Mang Ryang shook his head.
“That would be impolite. You’ve gifted such a great opportunity and endured hardships in Goryeo for your purpose, so how could I simply send a ssenger to call you to the Central Plains? As friends, it’s only right to co see you personally.”
“……”
Feeling a rush of emotion, I glanced away for a mont.
‘eting Mang Ryang was the greatest fortune of my life.’
While he appeared laid-back, he was a genius with a fiery passion, innate talent, and a strong sense of chivalry. It was no exaggeration to say that if Mang Ryang had lived in chaotic tis, he could have been a figure like Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi.
When I couldn’t find the words, Mang Ryang spoke,
“Actually, that’s part of it, but the state of the Central Plains is unusual, and I needed to co to Goryeo for a bit. I feel that if I stay in the Central Plains right now, I might get swept up in sothing.”
“What’s going on?”
“Don’t be alard, just listen well.”
Mang Ryang took a deep breath and said,
“The White Lotus Sect has declared its presence in the Central Plains martial world.”
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