Chapter 430: Senseless (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 430: Senseless (2)
Death.
The word, so stark and familiar, made Gu Yangcheon frown.
“What do you mean by that?”
Was it too sudden? A prediction that he would die soon in his current state?
When Gu Yangcheon looked at the Immortal Healer in shock, the man began his explanation with infuriating calm.
“Every person is born with a vessel. You know of this, yes?”
“…Yes.”
A vessel—the internal space that contained one’s Qi. It was the very source of a human’s existence. But why bring it up now? Gu Yangcheon steadied his gaze and waited for the healer to continue.
“Your vessel has reached its limit.”
The words struck Gu Yangcheon’s heart like a physical blow.
“…Meaning?”
“Your ability to wield multiple Mind Arts is one thing. Your vessel shattering from being overfilled is another.”
Gu Yangcheon had already resolved the danger of his conflicting Qi types. But that was a separate issue from the fundamental container of his life force straining to the point of rupture. Yet, one thing nagged at him.
“I… was never told about this before.”
During his previous examinations, the Immortal Healer had never once mentioned such a risk.
Hearing this, the Immortal Healer sighed, his tone laced with something akin to awe. “I never anticipated you would incorporate yet another type of Qi. Did you think it was normal for someone to push their vessel to its absolute limit?”
“…”
“Your vessel is not small by any means. And yet, it is on the verge of overflowing. What do you suppose that means?”
If a vessel could no longer contain its contents and overflowed, it would explode from within. Even without overflowing, the strain could cause it to fracture, wreaking havoc inside the body.
“Is there anything I can do?” Gu Yangcheon asked.
“As I said, the fastest method is for you to seal your Dantian.”
It was the quickest and safest way to eliminate the risk.
“…I cannot do that.”
For Gu Yangcheon, that was a fate worse than death. He had too much to prepare for, too many responsibilities looming in the future. He could not afford to cripple his Dantian and revert to being an ordinary man.
“Is there no other way?”
The Immortal Healer frowned. Even faced with death, this martial artist chose to cling to his power. In the healer’s eyes, all martial artists were the same: Fools who value their arts more than their lives. One must be alive to cherish loved ones and build a future, yet they chose to live like moths drawn to a flame. Remembering the countless martial artists who had died such pointless deaths, the healer couldn’t help but scowl.
“If you refuse that path, then you have two choices,” he said, listing them despite his disapproval. As a doctor, he believed in giving patients their options.
A flicker of hope crossed Gu Yangcheon’s face. There was another method after all.
“You can cease increasing your Qi. If you maintain your current level and are fortunate, you may live a reasonably long life.”
“…”
It meant Gu Yangcheon could never train again, never grow stronger. He would be frozen forever at his current stage.
In some ways, it was not a bad fate. As an unstable Fusion Realm expert—a rank held by only a thousand or so in the entire Central Plains—he was already far superior to most. He could live out his days with his head held high.
But…
That’s pointless.
Gu Yangcheon knew better than anyone that such a life was not an option for him.
Seeing the deep concern on the young man’s face, the Immortal Healer sighed heavily. This answer clearly did not satisfy him.
“You are no different from the other fools. You truly cannot give up the martial path?”
“…I am sorry.”
What the Immortal Healer did not know was that Gu Yangcheon was perfectly willing to abandon martial arts. If he desired, he could seal his Dantian and live as a common man.
But then who will protect everyone?
That was Gu Yangcheon’s duty. It wasn't about a desire to be a hero who saved the world. He simply had too many people around him that needed protection. That was why he needed strength. And that was why he could not give it up now.
“Is there… no other choice?”
The Immortal Healer had said there were two. The final option was Gu Yangcheon’s last hope.
As he waited anxiously, the healer spoke with another sigh. “It is not a cure, but it is possible to delay the inevitable a little longer.”
“Meaning…?”
“I can use medicine to reduce the risk temporarily. A full recovery is impossible. Even my hands are tied in that regard.”
“…”
Gu Yangcheon fell into deep thought. Watching him, the Immortal Healer calmly closed his eyes. Throughout their conversation, he had felt a strange sensation from the young man.
Once Gu Yangcheon had finished his deliberations, he wet his lips and asked, “…This medicine you speak of. Are you the only one who can make it?”
“Yes. The recipe is known only to me here in the Central Plains.”
It made sense. Gu Yangcheon had never heard of a medicine that could stabilize a fracturing vessel. It was a hopeful response, but a crucial question remained.
“Do you intend to give me this medicine?”
The healer’s tone had implied a willingness.
“No, I do not.”
The answer was firm and immediate.
“It merely buys a little time. I will not aid you when you refuse to choose a perfectly viable option.”
“…”
Gu Yangcheon simply stared at the healer, who seemed to be speaking out of anger. His gaze felt peculiarly intense.
“Immortal Healer,” Gu Yangcheon said, the atmosphere growing heavy. “If it truly prolongs my life, by how much?”
Even now, he asked such a question, further irritating the healer.
“If the medicine takes effect properly, you will not live past forty. If your body rejects it, you may only gain ten more years.”
Gu Yangcheon fell into thought again, as if calculating the worth of that time.
Seeing this, the Immortal Healer added, “If you are thinking of seeking a cure after taking the medicine, abandon that notion. This medicine—”
“…Ten years, you say.”
The healer tried to explain the dangers, but Gu Yangcheon interrupted, his voice unnervingly calm.
-That should be enough time.
“…”
The monotone words echoed in the Immortal Healer’s ears.
As the sun set, a banquet was underway elsewhere to celebrate the Poison King’s return. But the Immortal Healer sat alone on the floor of his guest house, pouring himself a drink.
“So…” he murmured, recalling his conversation with Gu Yangcheon and the strange sensation that had persisted throughout. After long contemplation, he finally understood. Or perhaps he had known from the moment he saw him.
That boy hadn’t changed.
It wasn’t that his confidence had diminished or that he had grown more tense. He was simply hiding it.
The Immortal Healer thought back to their first meeting. Despite the boy’s abrasive personality, his eyes had been calm. They held the same look as the martial artists who had walked to their deaths during the Demonic Realm incident.
Gu Yangcheon had those same eyes.
The Immortal Healer took a drink. You…
That child had no desire for his own life from the very beginning, or so it seemed to the healer. He should have realized it immediately.
Even when discussing his own impending death, Gu Yangcheon had remained perfectly calm. He held no fear of death. Instead, he seemed to be coldly calculating how much time he had left to accomplish his plans.
An unstable vessel could mentally affect a martial artist. It could cause severe pain and debilitating headaches. Yet, in the Immortal Healer’s eyes, Gu Yangcheon seemed calm despite enduring such torment.
He’s not just calm. He is simply worn out.
The mental state that should have been in turmoil… The fear of death. This boy felt none of it.
The healer had known the moment the Poison King brought Gu Yangcheon to him. Martial artists might lack the perception, but the Immortal Healer did not. It would not be strange for Gu Yangcheon to die at any moment. That was why, though he had initially only planned a visual inspection, he had asked to check the boy’s pulse.
The inside of his body was a mess. His various Qi types were maintaining a precarious, forced harmony—a balance destined to shatter and cause catastrophe. There wasn’t much time left.
But was the boy truly unaware of this? The healer wondered.
“…”
The most horrifying thing was that when Gu Yangcheon heard he might only have ten years left, he had seemed… happy. Not happy to live longer, but…
Then what was it?
What had damaged this child so profoundly? His mind was far too dark and cold for a man barely twenty years old.
What are you planning?
The Immortal Healer thought of Gu Yangcheon’s departure. As if forgetting the healer’s refusal to provide the medicine, the boy had simply said he would visit again before taking his leave. Watching his retreating back had felt like a heavy boulder settling in the healer’s heart. To witness a person so utterly detached from their own life affected him deeply.
“Tch.” Even so, the healer had no intention of giving him the medicine. It was not easy to concoct, and the ingredients were scarce. He had only gathered enough for Wi Seol-Ah. But even if he had more, he would not have offered it, for the medicine’s effects were irreversible.
After taking it, a person could no longer survive if their Dantian was later sealed. They would be trapped. Furthermore, missing a dose would cause severe Qi instability. How could a doctor in good conscience prescribe such a thing? Though their meeting had been brief, the way it ended left him deeply unsettled.
As the Immortal Healer poured another drink, he sensed a presence entering the room.
Slide—
He let out a derisive snort upon seeing the visitor. “Hmph. You said you wouldn’t be coming for some time, yet here you are, crawling in?”
His tone was rude, but the man who heard it only smiled. “It was harder than I expected. The child is better at hiding than I thought.”
His voice was both heavy and soft. He was an old man, his face etched with wrinkles, but his shoulders and back were straight, betraying the posture of a seasoned martial artist.
“Jeez, if the child doesn’t want it, you should just move on. Must you be so forceful?”
Chuckle.
The old man chuckled. “He’s a bit old to be called a child.”
“What does his actual age matter?”
“If you care so much, why don’t you pay him a visit yourself? I’m not the only one with family ties here.”
“How could I go see those children, not knowing what you people would do if I tried?”
The old man offered no reply and walked over to the sitting area.
Swish.
With a slight gesture, a cup flew through the air and into the old man’s hand. It was performed effortlessly, but the Immortal Healer showed no surprise.
“Drinking alone? This isn’t like you. Did something happen?”
“Don’t worry about it. I just felt like drinking today.”
“Hmm… I see.” The old man asked no further questions.
Step.
He walked slowly toward the Immortal Healer, his martial robes swaying with each movement. The character for ‘Namgung’ was clearly embroidered on them.
“So, did you get to see that child?”
“…”
The Immortal Healer’s shoulders twitched almost imperceptibly.
“The Lesser King of Hell… that’s what they call him. I’m talking about that child.”
“Go see him yourself if you’re so curious. It seems a girl from your household is with him anyway.”
The old man smiled and sat down beside the Immortal Healer. “It would be a bit disappointing to see them now. I’ll see them later. We will meet eventually; I can save the enjoyment for then.”
“You still have a strange personality.”
“That’s rich, coming from you.”
The old man chuckled and waved the liquor bottle in his hand. It was cheap stuff, not what he usually drank, but with the moon hanging beautifully outside, it wasn’t a bad day for it. A full moon had risen after the sunset.
This old man was a living legend of the Namgung Clan, one of the greatest martial artists of the Orthodox Faction.
The absolute of the Namgung Clan.
The Heavenly Venerable took a sip of his drink as he watched the moon.