Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 16. Fire Spirit Herb
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Long ago, a brilliant Divine Arts practitioner realized that it was impossible for one person alone to gather and master all the Divine Arts in the world.
He traveled the land, gathering fellow practitioners in similar straits, and that became the origin of the Mosan Sect.
Not long ago, a new recruit had joined the Mosan Sect.
"This child is my niece. Treat her well, everyone."
Thanks to the elder who held a prominent position and was Jin Eunseon's uncle, she adapted easily to the Mosan Sect and became the youngest member.
True to her role as the little sister, she took on all the chores and served her senior brothers and sisters diligently.
They, in turn, adored the earnest Jin Eunseon.
Soon, she drew the attention of all the disciples—and naturally, it was due to her spiritual power growing substantially day by day.
"It's truly amazing. Why does Little Sister's spiritual power keep increasing? What a enviable constitution."
"Senior Brother, yours has been steadily increasing too."
"I train my spiritual power for two hours every day. Unlike you, Little Sister, I wasn't born with such immense talent. I have to train diligently just to use Divine Arts as freely as others. But you keep growing even during Divine Arts practice time instead of cultivating spiritual power."
Jin Eunseon listened to the worries of her senior sister, who doted on her the most, and thought.
'Now's the time. Time to proselytize(?) to Senior Sister, just like Yuseong told me.'
Yuseong's request had been this:
Get along with everyone in the Mosan Sect and become as close as possible.
If you see their desire to increase their spiritual power, teach them the prayer to offer to Yuseong, depending on the situation.
But recruit them one by one, very carefully!
This was to prevent some rigid person from seeing it and thinking Jin Eunseon had been led astray by Yuseong.
Jin Eunseon was willing to do anything for Yuseong, her lifesaver who kept stirring embarrassing thoughts in her.
'If I obey well, maybe...'
Seeing another embarrassing thought rising, Jin Eunseon shook her head vigorously to dispel it.
She should only have such thoughts when alone.
Jin Eunseon looked at the senior sister before her.
She couldn't hide her envy, but there was no jealousy or malice.
Having spent time together, Jin Eunseon knew well that this senior sister's emotions showed plainly on her face.
They even shared a room, and she doted on the clingy Jin Eunseon, making her the perfect candidate.
"Senior Sister, what if... I have my own method. Would you like to try it?"
"Huh? What is it?"
"A way to increase spiritual power."
"You have your own method, Little Sister? The elders said your special constitution makes your spiritual power grow naturally."
"I'm not sure if it'll work for you. But if it does, it might be more effective than your regular training. Want to give it a try?"
Watching her senior sister nod vigorously with great anticipation, Jin Eunseon thought.
'Finally, an excuse to send a letter to Yuseong! I have to keep the correspondence going with this opportunity.'
***
Around the hour of the Snake.
Jin Eunseon had her senior sister, who was a full head taller than her, kneeling and was giving her various pointers.
"Put your hands together and fill your heart with sincerity, Senior Sister."
"Is this really right? I don't even know who this Baek Yuseong guy is."
"You know now. He's the gracious man who saved this cute and reliable little sister's life, right?"
"That's... true, it's grateful..."
"Anyway, do it earnestly, with as much gratitude as possible. Then your spiritual power might increase too."
Her senior sister didn't fully trust Jin Eunseon's words.
'How could praying to a living person increase spiritual power? Is Eunseon misunderstanding something?'
But learning that her constant prayers at the hour of the Snake were directed at this Baek Yuseong made her think, "Nothing to lose."
At least outwardly, she adopted a reverent posture to avoid correction from Jin Eunseon.
'I don't know who you are, but Baek Yuseong, thank you truly for saving my little sister's life. May you be greatly blessed. I hope my feelings reach you.'
As she offered the prayer, her upper dantian, accustomed to handling spiritual power, reacted.
'It really... increased?'
If the grain of sand gained from two hours of dedicated spiritual power training was the norm, this prayer had yielded five times that—in a very short time.
'Once a day is most effective, she said? The more sincere feelings toward Baek Yuseong, the greater the increase.'
She still didn't know him well, but she resolved to offer even greater sincerity and gratitude next time for boosting her spiritual power.
"Little Sister, my spiritual power really..."
Her senior sister turned excitedly to the side.
There, Jin Eunseon was praying with eyes closed in a posture straight out of a manual on reverence.
And she sensed Jin Eunseon's spiritual power had grown by an amount incomparable to her own.
'You said the key is how much gratitude you hold. Just how immense are your feelings?'
A moment later.
Jin Eunseon opened her eyes and turned to the side.
"How was it, Senior Sister? I was right, wasn't I?"
"Yeah!"
From that day, a certain name began to spread by word of mouth among those in the Mosan Sect who wanted to increase their spiritual power.
***
Yuseong read the letter packed with recent events, feeling pleased, and solved one mystery.
'Lately, my Divine Power increases more around the hour of the Snake—turns out Eunseon has been doing well. It's just the beginning, and it'll grow more ahead. Exciting.'
Recently, Yuseong had one worry.
His future prospects.
His time at the Luoyang Medical Hall had been too short to be certain.
But now, he had some data accumulated, so to speak.
The people visiting the Luoyang Medical Hall.
Among them, non-martial artists didn't yield much Divine Power.
There were special cases like Jin Eunseon.
But most only gave a tiny bit.
'On average, martial artists give the most, then slum patients, then regular visitors to the Luoyang Medical Hall.'
Every result has a cause.
Those affluent enough to visit the Luoyang Medical Hall didn't provide much Divine Power unless critically ill.
They saw it as paying fairly for treatment, so their gratitude was small.
Martial artists, however, treated their bodies as their fortune and valued knowing good physicians.
There might be other reasons too.
The problem was he couldn't quit the Luoyang Medical Hall and just treat slums.
Money aside, not working for an institution tied to the Murim Alliance made one draft fodder.
Those who practiced martial arts were exempt, but Yuseong currently wasn't.
He absolutely refused conscription.
Plus, no better place to build ties with new Murim Alliance warriors.
Yuseong made his decision.
No clear alternative after more thought, so he'd continue as is.
'It's rewarding in its own way. No complaints—do my best with what's here. Eunseon is cheering me on. I'm moving forward today too.'
Then one day, late afternoon.
Yuseong had finished most treatments and scraped up every bit of Divine Power efficiently.
Patients miraculously healed praised him, promising a fulfilling end to the day.
Then the outside of the treatment room grew very noisy.
"Make way, everyone! Emergency patient!"
A familiar figure in ragged earthen clothes was carried into Yuseong's treatment room.
Face blackened from long outdoor work, honest eyes.
"Chosan!"
The herbalist Chosan was on his fifth visit, brought in with blood pouring from his head.
"He slipped on the mountain. Severe head injury."
Yuseong hurriedly examined Chosan.
Checking his condition, he realized.
'He's beyond saving. With full Divine Power, maybe a slim chance, but impossible now.'
All physicians feel this toward patients, but Yuseong desperately wanted to save Chosan.
Yet with his current ability, it was impossible.
With richer Divine Power and advanced skills, perhaps—but no one could save this Chosan now.
Until now, no one he treated had died.
He'd braced for this day, but not for someone he'd bonded with like Chosan.
Yuseong shook his head gravely at the servants who brought him.
"Too late."
Then.
"Ugh..."
Chosan opened his eyes.
Unclear if he'd been unconscious or just eyes closed from pain.
Blood vessels burst in his eyes.
"As expected, no good. I stubbornly insisted on bringing him to you, Physician Baek, just in case."
"...I'm sorry."
"No need. You warned me to climb mountains carefully, but I didn't listen. Truth is, right after falling off the cliff, I knew survival was slim. A passerby brought me here still breathing—miracle enough."
Facing imminent death and pain, Chosan's tone was calm and even.
Return light, perhaps?
"Any family?"
Yuseong asked, thinking to relay his final words.
"None. But one last thing to do—can you help?"
"Tell me."
"There's a Fire Spirit Herb in my sack. A fine, grown specimen, though I couldn't check exactly."
"Shall I show you?"
"Can't see anymore. Looked about fifty years—hope it is."
"..."
"I was digging it from the cliff when the accident happened. Want to deliver it to the monk who saved my life. Can you?"
Chosan had met disaster trying to gather herbs for Shaolin Temple.
Why risk life for some Fire Spirit Herb?
He knew cliff herb gathering was dangerous.
"You must think me foolish. I know I look like an idiot, but everyone has dreams. I just wanted to repay the monk who saved me. No great attachment to life anyway."
Foolish man.
Who has no attachment to life?
Yet thanks to Chosan, Shaolin might craft the Great Returning Pill after thirty years of effort.
Hope it's used rightly, making his death not in vain.
"Sigh, I'll deliver it. Who is the monk?"
"Thank you. Only you I could trust. It's Jeonghae Abbot."
Jeonghae Abbot.
Yuseong recognized the name immediately.
Not because Shaolin was on Lesser Room Peak in Luoyang near his city.
He'd known since Baek Family Manor days.
That famous a monk.
"So the one who saved you before was the Shaolin Temple Abbot."
"Yes. Without him, I'd have died then. Wanted to help him somehow—now I feel relieved. Feels good."
"Jeonghae Abbot... Understood."
"Then I entrust it to you."
Chosan's face looked at peace.
"Anything else?"
A moment later, Yuseong realized Chosan's breathing had stopped.
"Rest in peace."
Yuseong carefully took the Fire Spirit Herb from the sack.
Strange grass with blue leaves tinged red.
Size of an adult's palm.
'Is this really a fifty-year Fire Spirit Herb?'