Four days passed. Baek Suryong ate and rested so well that his sharp jawline rounded out and his skin glowed with a healthy sheen.
Mae Geuklyom watched his grandson eat with pleasure, continuously piling various side dishes onto Baek Suryong's rice bowl. "Don't treat a single side dish lightly. Chew each one thoroughly and swallow. Here, try this seasoned fleeceflower root too."
"Grandpa, I can eat on my own," Baek Suryong complained. He puffed out his cheeks and pouted, but it was useless. His grandfather's love knew no bounds.
"Ahem! When an elder serves you, just say yes and eat!"
"Yes..." Baek Suryong wanted to say more, but he couldn't bring himself to argue with his injured grandfather, so he ate whatever was given to him.
"Hoho, yes, you need to eat well."
Mae Geuklyom had temporarily moved to the White Dragon Manor. Normally, he would have refused, not wanting to impose on his grandson, but Baek Muheun had forcibly brought him over, saying that it would be more convenient to care for two patients together.
"Father-in-law, please keep an eye on Suryong so he doesn't get into any trouble. Eat with him and make sure he takes his dicine. That way, the boy won't be able to run wild, right?"
Pretending to be swayed by these words, Mae Geuklyom took up residence in the room next to his grandson's and made sure that his grandson ate heartily and took his dicine on ti.
"Seeing you eat so well fills this old man's stomach even if I'm not eating. Here, try this too."
"Grandpa... I really can't stomach any more food..."
"Really? I see. Okay, just finish this then. It's a slow-cooked chicken dish sent by Mr. Namgung."
"......"
Mae Geuklyom removed the cloth covering the food. A large, whole chicken soup was revealed, looking appetizing.
Baek Suryong studied the dish seriously. Is this so kind of orthodox sect torture thod I don't know about?
His cheeks were already ballooned out from all the food cramd into his mouth. However, in Mae Geuklyom's eyes, those seemingly bursting cheeks were as endearing and lovely as a squirrel with its cheeks stuffed with acorns. A pleased smile never left his lips.
Sigh... how can I say I don't want to eat after seeing that expression?
In the end, Baek Suryong finished the chicken dish that Namgung Su had sent. At least this one tasted good.
Soon, al ti ended, but his ordeal was only just beginning. As soon as the table was cleared, dicinal decoctions and tonics of all kinds were brought in, filling the room with the sll of herbs.
"Now, it's ti for your dicine."
"Please, spare ..."
"Don't worry. I will make you healthy, no matter what it takes!"
"No, that's not what I an..."
I'm going to die from overeating at this rate!
At the White Dragon Manor, tonics and dicinal herbs, as well as miracle herbs sent from various places, were piling up. Ja Hyeon filtered most of them out, but the remaining amount was still substantial.
Even worse, as befitting a disciple of the Divine Physician, Ja Hyeon combined the dicinal herbs to create the most effective decoctions and pills, which she prescribed to be taken with every al.
"Swallow it in one gulp. Don't leave a single drop behind. That's right!"
"Ugh..." Baek Suryong grimaced as he drank the bitter decoction.
As if waiting for that mont, Mae Geuklyom placed a sweet candy in his grandson's mouth and smiled with satisfaction.
For an ordinary person, eating five als a day, every day, would be impossible to endure, but it was nothing that a martial artist's tabolism couldn't handle. As a result, Baek Suryong could feel his body getting healthier day by day. The dicine Ja Hyeon prescribed even seed to help with digestion too.
My physical condition is definitely improving.
He had to face the truth. He had always thought he knew his physical condition well. Even if he wasn't in peak condition, he had judged it to be quite good.
His problem lay not in an inability to estimate his limits, but in his standards. In his past life, pushing his body to its limits was a regular occurrence. Survival was a daily struggle, so he was grateful for a body that was rely 'good enough to fight with'.
Furthermore, his current body had been weak since childhood. After training with the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest and overcoming his congenital disease to so extent with the Heaven Defying Divine Art, his physical condition had improved.
However, it had only improved 'compared to before. At no point had he ever been in peak condition. On top of that, after fighting one strong enemy after another and overworking himself without adequate sleep, fatigue was bound to accumulate.
I blad my worsening condition solely on my constitution and the Heaven Defying Divine Art...
Baek Suryong finally ca to understand his physical condition objectively. By resting and eating as prescribed by the physician, he could feel his health improving day by day. Moreover, the physician who prescribed the treatnt was a disciple of the Divine Physician, making this encounter nothing short of miraculous.
Of course, separate from that, he couldn't help but feel restless from just lying around. Therefore, when Noh Goonsang ca to visit, he cautiously brought it up.
"Um, Principal. I think I should be able to work from ho now. Could you perhaps persuade my grandfather?"
Contrary to his expectations, however, he received a harsh scolding.
"Nonsense! Don't even think about setting foot in the Azure Dragon Academy until you're fully healed. This is an order from , the Principal!"
Noh Goonsang, who rarely got angry, berated him for a whole hour. Hearing the commotion, Mae Geuklyom and Baek Muheun even joined in, each nagging him for two more hours.
Is Namgung Su my only hope left?
Baek Suryong pleaded with Namgung Su, who had co to visit with a nutritional al from the Namgung Clan secret manual, using telepathy. [You know how I feel, right? Sneak so ink, brushes, paper, and the docunts from my desk. The Heavenly Martial Festival is less than three months away, and if the preparations get delayed because of this...]
"Do you think you're qualified to teach others when you can't even take care of your own body?"
Unfortunately, Namgung Su refused to listen any further and rose from his seat. Having confird that Baek Suryong was fine, he had no reason to stay any longer. Furthermore, with Baek Suryong absent, his own workload had increased.
Glaring at Baek Suryong with his cool golden eyes, he said, "You should be glad this happened when school is on break. If this had occurred during an important ti, you would have caused major disruptions to the entire class schedule. Despite that, you show no signs of remorse."
"It's not like I got hurt on purpose! Why are you being so an?"
"Stop talking nonsense and focus on recuperating. The other instructors will split up your work for a while."
Baek Suryong frowned. "It's not that I don't trust the other instructors, but it's better if I do it myself."
"I will review everything in the end."
"...Tsk."
Dismissing the rebuttal, Namgung Su carefully took out a painting scroll from the bag he had brought. Baek Suryong instantly recognized the painting as the New Moon White Ice Dance.
"Why did you bring that?"
Thanks to the sorcery cast by Artist Pung Wol, the New Moon White Ice Dance had remained safe even though his office was destroyed. Afterward, he had hung it in Namgung Su's office, and now Namgung Su had brought the painting from his office.
"The painting doesn't suit my office and ruins the aesthetic."
"What are you talking about? You like this painting quite a bit, too."
"Please hang it back in your office once it has been rebuilt."
Namgung Su glanced around the room and hung the New Moon White Ice Dance on a suitable wall. Just hanging that one painting significantly changed the room's atmosphere. After that, as if he had nothing more to say, he turned and left.
Of course, not before placing enough food to last three days in a corner of the room.
"Is he telling to stay sick or what?" Baek Suryong stared blankly in the direction that the man had left, then glanced at the New Moon White Ice Dance painting.
Am I imagining it? I feel like Master Eun is smirking at mischievously.
Scratching his cheek awkwardly, he muttered a half-hearted, "Yes, I know..."
I know that Namgung Su said those things because he was worried about . I know that my father, my grandfather, my colleagues, my students, and of course, many others are genuinely worried about my health.
"...But I'm just not used to it!"
Everyone fussing over feels embarrassing and awkward, so I whined and acted ike a child several tis.
It was obvious what his masters would have nagged him about if they saw him like this.
They would have told to stop bluffing and just quietly accept it.
Baek Suryong knew better than anyone that he needed to rest and recover, and that taking good care of himself was the best way to repay the people who were worried about him.
Masters, it seems I was blessed with good family and friends in this life.
He let out a small laugh. For their sake as well, doing his best to recover was...
The door slid open.
"Mr. Baek! It's alti!"
Watching the food being brought in, filling an entire table, he couldn't help but sigh. "It's also true that this is a bit much."
After the promised seven days had passed, Ja Hyeon examined Baek Suryong's body again and nodded. "I think you're more or less ready to receive treatnt."
"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear those words."
Ja Hyeon had visited twice a day to examine Baek Suryong. She restored his vitality by placing needles, performing moxibustion, and prescribing food and dicine. In a way, it was nothing particularly special. He didn't see any amazing acupuncture skills befitting the reputation of the Divine Physician's disciple, nor did she use so miraculous elixir to instantly cure him. However, he felt his condition improving day by day, and he was certain that Ja Hyeon was an outstanding physician worthy of succeeding the Divine Physician.
He created a qi sound barrier and asked, "Can you swear on the Divine Physician's Gratitude Token that you'll protect my secret?"
Right now, they were alone in the room. Mae Geuklyom and Baek Muheun, who were usually present when Ja Hyeon ca, were waiting outside today, but he still felt he needed to take precautions.
Ja Hyeon nodded without taking offense. "Protecting a patient's secret is a physician's duty, but if you wish, I'll swear an oath."
Baek Suryong expressed his gratitude and took out a wooden box from his robes. He opened the box, and imdiately, the half-crushed finger of the Blood Demon and the poison crystal left by the Poison Demon began to emit a formidable energy.
TZZZZZZT...
Ja Hyeon's expression hardened at the sinister energy emanating from the two demonic artifacts. For the first ti in seven days, she revealed a hint of fear. "Such dense demonic qi... Did those belong to powerful demonic masters?"
"These artifacts are necessary for my treatnt."
WUUUUUNG!
The sorcery cast by the Divine Azure Dragon Sword blocked the demonic qi from escaping. [I cannot block it indefinitely. Half a day is my limit.]
[That should be enough ti.]
Baek Suryong earnestly requested that no one be allowed to enter the room until the treatnt was finished.
"This treatnt thod does more than just heal the Heavenly Yin Severed ridians. It transforms the Severed ridians into a constitution most suitable for learning a specific martial art. I apologize, but I can't tell you the na of that martial art."
"I'm fine with that. I'm rely a physician." Ja Hyeon shook her head firmly, indicating she had no interest in the affairs of the murim.
"Thank you. Now, I'll explain the technique."
The na of the technique was the Heaven Defying Blood Circulation Art. While Baek Suryong absorbed the demonic qi with the Heaven Defying Divine Art, a master physician needed to continuously stimulate the acupoints all over his body in sequence with precise depth and strength. Since this process required withstanding the energy of the Heaven Defying Divine Art at close range, the physician had to be outstanding in both dicine and martial arts.
If any part of the process went even slightly wrong, he would lose the precious materials he had painstakingly prepared and suffer severe internal injuries.
"I understand."
"Then let's begin imdiately."
Baek Suryong removed his shirt and sat down cross-legged. He swallowed the poison crystal in one gulp and crushed the Blood Demon's finger between his palms, pressing them together.
DRIP...
The blood flowing from the finger didn't fall to the floor, but rather stread over his skin and covered his entire body. It looked as if new blood vessels were being carved onto his body.
"Hoo..."
In the past, he had thought this technique existed simply for changing his constitution. However, as his understanding of the Heaven Defying Divine Art deepened and he learned that the Blood Demon had taken his own life for a specific purpose, he began to suspect that the Heaven-Defying Blood Circulation Art might also be part of a grander plan.
I can confirm it this ti.
"Co back again soti."
He recalled the Blood Demon, who had addressed him from his jade throne. The man's face was languid and weary, like an absolute being who knew everything.
Once more, I will enter the mories of my past life.
Baek Suryong began circulating the Heaven Defying Divine Art. The incantations his past self had left in the journal naturally blended with the existing ones. His hair slowly turned crimson, and a blood-colored mist enveloped his body.
KWAKWAKWA!
Ja Hyeon carefully placed golden needles all over Baek Suryong's body. Each ti she placed a needle, she felt a considerable repulsive force, draining her stamina and ntal energy. Nevertheless, she remained composed.
I'm counting on you.
After nodding at Ja Hyeon, Baek Suryong closed his eyes. Slowly, he sank into the world of his unconscious, feeling a sense of lethargy spread through his entire body.
When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in the prison where he had first t his four masters.
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