Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 19. Honor
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Cool yet intellectual gaze, neat scholar's robes.
A capable woman who had claimed one of the Murim Alliance's highest positions at a young age.
And a beauty pleasing to the eyes.
After the Murim Alliance Chief Strategist Jegal Yeongyeong had left.
Jong Hakjin of the Luoyang Medical Hall's Ye Clinic chatted with a colleague.
"Didn't the Chief Strategist seem a bit unsteady just now?"
"Oh, you saw it too? I thought I'd imagined it, but it really happened. Was the news that Physician Baek is on leave such a shock?"
A memory suddenly flashed through Jong Hakjin's mind.
Time had passed and it had faded into obscurity, but there had once been a ridiculous rumor circulating among the servants.
"Hmm... What if what Jang Chil said was true?"
"Who's Jang Chil again?"
"You really need to remember people's names. Even if our duties differ, you still don't know Physician Baek's servants?"
"Oh, the blabbermouth! I only knew him by his nickname. So what did he say?"
Jong Hakjin's voice lowered.
"Ah, why. That the Chief Strategist has a crush on Physician Baek..."
"No way!"
"How else could she look so heartbroken?"
Just as the idle gossip began to swell again, a new person entered the Ye Clinic.
Jong Hakjin and his colleague quickly ended their conversation.
'A beauty! And she looks several years younger than the Chief Strategist—full of fresh vitality!'
Jong Hakjin, who had a taste for suspicious women, exerted excessive kindness.
"Please come in. Is this your first time visiting the Luoyang Medical Hall? If so, I can introduce each of our physicians one by one..."
A sound like jade beads rolling cut off his unnecessarily lengthy words.
"Thank you, but I'm looking for someone specific. Ah, I'm Nangong Yurin. I came to receive treatment from Physician Baek Yuseong."
Jong Hakjin's expression, which had blurred the line between public and private, swiftly changed.
To one perfectly official.
With her extraordinary background as a member of the Nangong Family.
And her terrifying family ties as the granddaughter of the Sword King, he absolutely could not trifle with her.
"So you're the Sword King's granddaughter. Physician Baek is on leave today, but what about Physician Cha? He possesses excellent medical skills as well."
"Ah... I'm sorry. I'll come back another time."
"Ah, wait...!"
As Nangong Yurin left without a backward glance, Jong Hakjin felt regret.
'There goes my side income!'
He would have to hope for another patient whom Physician Cha might refer over in exchange for a cut.
***
Jegal Yeongyeong was plunged into serious contemplation, wondering if her headache was so severe that she should take a vacation for the first time.
However, with the Alliance Leader personally calling an emergency full assembly, she had no choice but to shelve such thoughts.
'No helping it. Tomorrow the pain will be less than today. I'll just endure through today.'
Murim Alliance grand conference hall.
Jegal Yeongyeong habitually scanned the Alliance Leader's expression and felt relieved to see it quite bright.
It seemed they had not gathered for bad news.
Soon, the elders entered one by one, and when her eyes met one old man's, her mood soured.
He was white-haired, with snake-like slitted eyes and a displeasing smile playing at his lips.
'Still that repulsive gaze, Elder Moyong Rim.'
Moyong Rim was from the Moyong family and an elder who opposed Jegal Yeongyeong at every turn.
Privately, he was the father-in-law of Sima Cheon from the Sima Family, who had competed with her for the Chief Strategist position.
'Ha... If only he'd separate public from private. What can I do when he was outmatched by my skills.'
Though she held the lofty position of Murim Alliance Chief Strategist, her tenure was short by experience.
Moyong Rim had devoted a long time as an Alliance elder, making any power struggle futile.
One of the people who had worsened her headaches before her treatment from Baek Yuseong—encountering him again now that her headaches were severe made her head throb even more.
Regardless of her condition, the meeting began under the Alliance Leader's direction.
"I shall explain why this Alliance Leader has called this meeting. There are several agenda items, but I will share the most important news first. Yesterday, a great blessing came to our Alliance."
"What is it, Alliance Leader?"
"It would be best to see for yourselves. Demon Subduing Division Leader, enter."
The people buzzed.
"Didn't the Demon Subduing Division Leader enter closed-door training again some time ago and miss meetings? Don't tell me...?"
The Demon Subduing Division Leader had failed his closed-door enlightenment training to prepare for the end, only to cause a commotion at the Luoyang Medical Hall.
Then suddenly, he claimed to have found a breakthrough and secluded himself again.
That was all they knew, so his reappearance now meant...
Step- step-
Those in the Peak Realm gasped in admiration upon seeing Jeong Rip enter through the conference hall doors.
'The aura has changed!'
He had already been at the cusp of the Peak Realm, higher than them originally, but now, looking at the Demon Subduing Division Leader felt like the pressure of facing the Murim Alliance Leader himself.
This clearly indicated one fact.
The Murim Alliance Leader spread his arms wide.
"As you see, a new Transformation Realm master has been born in our Alliance."
"Ooh! A blessing for the righteous Murim! Congratulations, Demon Subduing Division Leader!"
"Truly astonishing progress! Why reveal such good news only today? Had we known yesterday, we would have rushed here even in the dead of night!"
"Congratulations on your great achievement!"
Demon Subduing Division Leader Jeong Rip nodded heavily to those rushing forward with friendly attitudes and uttered just one word.
"Thank you."
And that was the end of it.
As a response to their fervent congratulations.
"Ahem. As expected of the Demon Subduing Division Leader, ever steadfast, haha..."
"Indeed, such a solemn man. That's why he achieved such greatness, no?"
Jeong Rip's expression did not change, but inwardly he sneered at their reactions.
'Among those pretending to be close to me now are some who treated me like air when I was dying. Is this politics too? So complicated.'
Holding fast to the clue he had obtained not long ago and enduring painstaking effort, Jeong Rip had finally achieved the longed-for shedding of bones and marrow yesterday.
Naturally, the illness that had once forced him to prepare for death was completely cured in the process of his body reconstructing.
Reaching the Transformation Realm elevated his martial realm another step, and his lifespan extended as well.
Jeong Rip wanted to rush to Baek Yuseong.
The man who saved his life when all had given up and granted the dream realm every warrior yearned for.
He harbored inexpressible gratitude, yet had not conveyed it upon actually meeting him.
Of course, Jeong Rip's feelings had transformed into divine power and reached Yuseong, though no one yet knew of it.
Yuseong was busy diligently using his Acceleration skill to grow the Transformation Spirit Herb at the Shaolin Temple.
In any case, after adapting for a day to his shed body, Jeong Rip reported to his direct superior, the Murim Alliance Leader, and the meeting was promptly called.
As always, Jeong Rip withdrew his interest from the other agenda items and merely kept his seat as the meeting proceeded.
No matter what major or minor matters they discussed, drawing his attention would be difficult.
Yet while everyone appeared calm, one person's poor condition briefly caught his eye.
'The Chief Strategist's health seems quite bad. She should see Physician Baek for treatment.'
Jeong Rip never voiced such thoughts aloud.
Her condition was so dire that even he noticed it.
The Murim Alliance Leader even requested a brief break during the meeting.
Jegal Yeongyeong immediately refused.
'A short rest won't solve it. Better if it improves after the meeting ends.'
Though the meeting was sudden, with everyone gathered, they had to address the backlog.
Delaying for personal reasons might give her opponents ammunition.
Of course, one such opponent was already nitpicking every item.
When Jegal Yeongyeong offered her opinion on one agenda, Elder Moyong Rim immediately objected.
"Heh heh, the Chief Strategist has a point, but what if this happens? The lives of righteous warriors hang on our decisions, so we must always consider all possibilities."
His nitpicks were so cunningly phrased that they could not be easily dismissed.
She wrung her aching head forcibly for debate, moved to the next item, debated again. After repeating this for some time.
Jegal Yeongyeong struggled to manage her expression amid the relentless torment of her headache.
The stronger it grew, the more her resolve to push forward new agenda blazed.
'I can't fail. This item must pass.'
It was vital for her and for the righteous Murim.
Finally, after discussing the last item.
Jegal Yeongyeong spoke.
"I propose a new agenda here."
"What is it, Chief Strategist?"
"We must bring a skilled physician directly into our Alliance. The Luoyang Medical Hall is excellent, but as it's not a direct organization, there are limits. If we secure a skilled physician under our direct employ, we can provide high-quality treatment to our warriors. They could perform their duties even more bravely."
She did not expect easy passage, of course.
Sure enough, Elder Moyong Rim immediately raised an objection.
"Isn't that wasteful? The physicians who passed the Luoyang Medical Hall exams are all top-tier, and with over ten gathered there, wouldn't it be better to utilize them?"
"Not all Luoyang Medical Hall physicians are equal in skill. There are clear differences among them, and some possess astonishing talents we must recruit directly."
Moyong Rim nodded.
"Of course, like Physician Yang Jiheon, disciple of the Divine Physician. Is that whom you mean, Chief Strategist? Then it's worth considering."
He had objected habitually at first, but his tone softened slightly.
One memory flashed through Jegal Yeongyeong's mind.
'Hadn't Elder Moyong Rim been saved by the Divine Physician during his time wandering the rivers and lakes?'
If he favored Physician Yang, things might go smoothly.
"He is skilled as well. I was considering both Physician Yang Jiheon and Physician Baek Yuseong. Their skills are truly exceptional."
It was an agenda born from her desire to keep Baek Yuseong nearby for her headaches.
He absolutely could not be excluded.
Seeing Moyong Rim's attitude, including Physician Yang might ensure smooth passage.
However, this was Jegal Yeongyeong's miscalculation, underestimating how petty and base Moyong Rim truly was.
Moyong Rim deeply resented Jegal Yeongyeong for snatching the Chief Strategist position from his son-in-law Sima Cheon.
With Sima Cheon poised to succeed the previous Chief Strategist Sima Byeong, he could easily become Chief Strategist and bring benefits to the Moyong family—that was the expectation.
Having been thoroughly thwarted, Moyong Rim had investigated to find her flaws and now deployed the weapon he held.
"Physician Baek Yuseong... that young, handsome new recruit. There were rumors the Chief Strategist visited him daily because she fancied him. Was that true?"
Jegal Yeongyeong failed to maintain composure at the unfamiliar accusation. She was still inexperienced despite her brilliance.
"What do you...! Groundless rumors!"
Yuseong was handsome, but she had never harbored other feelings, she thought.
"Tch! When did the Murim Alliance become a place where unskilled people could join! Admitting him due to the Chief Strategist's personal affections would turn our Alliance into a laughingstock for all Jianghu!"
Amid rising fury at Moyong Rim's nonsense, Jegal Yeongyeong calmly organized her rebuttal in her mind.
And just as she opened her mouth.
A heavy voice that pierced every ear rang out.
"Elder Moyong Rim, Physician Baek Yuseong's skills are the highest among all physicians I know. I stake my name on it. Apologize for insulting him at once. Otherwise, you will face a life-or-death duel with me."
The Transformation Realm master famed for never interrupting meetings had stepped forward to defend Baek Yuseong's honor.