Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: The Divine Doctor and the Blade Leaf Demon
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After feeding her the antidote, I instantly identified her vital points. Based on her heartbeat, blood flow, and the state of her muscle convulsions, I roughly pinpointed the parasite’s location, then inserted paralyzing needles into her head, neck, chest, and abdomen.
Then, I placed my hand on her abdomen and channeled a wave of Heavenly Demonic Energy. A sinister line of demonic energy meticulously penetrated her body. Like a physician treating a patient, the finely crafted strand of energy sought out the parasite. And then…
“Got it.”
“……!”
‘Wh-what does he mean? Huh?’
Cho-wol’s body was paralyzed, rendering her unable to speak, but she could only groan as she felt something rising from her stomach up her esophagus. An indescribable pain soon followed.
It felt as if her throat and lungs were burning, and a splitting headache made her mind go hazy.
The parasite, caught by the Heavenly Demonic Energy, was thrashing about, causing convulsions from within her body.
Normally, such a fit would have been fatal, but the antidote that subdued the parasite and the paralyzing poison suppressed the seizure as much as possible.
I seized the parasite with the strand of demonic energy. Then, I slowly pulled it up. Even while paralyzed, the parasite struggled as it was dragged upward. Cho-wol desperately endured the agony.
Veins bulged on her neck and her eyes turned bloodshot as she withstood the pain.
I, too, had to focus intently on treating Cho-wol to ensure she wouldn’t die while I extracted the parasite. Sweat began to bead on my forehead and neck.
This was where the Divine Doctor’s seasoned acupuncture skills shone. After fully locating the parasite, I placed three more paralyzing needles into Cho-wol, completely immobilizing it.
As Cho-wol vomited out the deep-seated pain, the parasite popped out.
“Kuaaack!”
The parasite that fell to the ground couldn’t move due to the paralysis, but it let out a bizarre sound.
“Kieeeek!”
It was the scream of a forcibly extracted parasite.
I quickly wrapped the parasite in a cloth. After handing a weakened Cho-wol some medicine and confirming she had taken it, I manifested a healing formation to treat her swiftly.
Tucking the cloth-wrapped parasite into my robes, I removed my mask and spoke.
“It’s a success.”
“……!”
Cho-wol couldn’t hide her astonishment at having survived and expelled the parasite.
‘Who in the world is this man? Who is he to do something so absurd so casually? His face still looks young, yet his actions are reminiscent of a seasoned physician.’
“We don’t have time. Follow me out, and my subordinate will protect you.”
“Yes… Thank you.”
“I’ll accept your thanks when this is all over.”
Taking advantage of the commotion, Cho-wol and I prepared to slip away quietly. Before we left, we lit a small lamp and used the bedding to create a doll resembling her. From the outside, a shadow was cast, making it seem as if Cho-wol were sitting there.
And with that, the first piece was in place.
***
-A pavilion on the outskirts of Blade Leaf Valley.
The night deepened, and the darkness grew thick. In the pavilion, the Golden Fang Poison Claw was gathering poisonous herbs to feed to the Blade Leaf Demon and his men.
“They may look like ordinary plants, but depending on how you combine and refine them, they can become either deadly poisons or miraculous elixirs.”
Just then, two of Gu-cheong’s subordinates found the Golden Fang Poison Claw, bowed, and spoke.
“L-Lord Golden Fang Poison Claw!”
“What’s with all the commotion?”
Gu-cheong’s subordinates reported the situation to him.
“You… If something like that happened, you should have informed me first! Gu-cheong! Why is that fool only reporting this now?”
The Golden Fang Poison Claw was a man who had spent a long time in the martial world. As he assessed the situation, it was clear to him that this had to be the work of someone inside Blade Leaf Valley.
The warehouse fire, the farmers’ protest, and the moment Gu-cheong was suppressing the protest—that was when the cultivation fields were set ablaze. The entire sequence of events was too seamless.
This meant a master from the Divine Cult wasn't responsible, but rather that one of the Blade Leaf Demon’s subordinates was still here, and that person was likely carrying out a diversionary tactic.
“His target is likely the Blade Leaf Demon and his granddaughter. Check on the Blade Leaf Demon’s granddaughter immediately.”
‘Well, it’s not like anything major could happen…’
The Blade Leaf Demon’s granddaughter, Cho-wol, was afflicted by a parasite.
The Blade Leaf Demon and his men were poisoned.
It was too late for anyone to try anything now.
That had to be it. And yet…
For some reason, the Golden Fang Poison Claw felt a sense of unease.
At that moment, inside Cho-wol’s room, a gracefully flickering lamp added a touch of warmth, and the bedding, shaped to resemble her, sat on a chair in front of the desk.
The figure reflected on the window was unmistakably that of a young girl.
***
-The underground prison, northwest of the central pavilion.
Streaks that looked like water stains were, in fact, dark red bloodstains that had dried to a sticky crust.
A man bound by countless iron chains was there.
His muscles were so defined they looked as if the fibers were pulling at each other. The dense, massive muscles even seemed to hold his bleeding wounds together.
His body, twice the size of a normal man’s, caused the chains binding him to clang together with every breath.
The sharp edge of the Blade Leaf Demon’s energy, battling the poison within his body, was palpable even in his ragged exhalations.
As the Blade Leaf Demon let out a harsh breath, a finely honed aura escaped from his lungs.
His arms and legs were shackled, the cuffs fixed to iron bars embedded in the walls.
Beneath his long, graying hair, his once hopeful and intense eyes were gradually losing their light.
“What have I done…”
‘This entire underground prison, once used to restrain criminals, is now stained with blood and filled with my poisoned subordinates.’
He had heard from Gu-cheong, a warrior dispatched from the main cult, that Cho-wol had been kidnapped. He had already known his granddaughter was missing, so he had mobilized his forces to rescue her.
He had launched a surprise attack based on Gu-cheong’s words. But it had all been a trap set by Gu-cheong and the Golden Fang Poison Claw.
He had to cut down dozens of Tang Clan warriors and fight through a poisonous fog just to reach Cho-wol. However, seeing his granddaughter writhing in agony from the parasite, he had lost all will to fight.
To prevent needless sacrifices, he had commanded his men.
-Flee! That’s an order!
So… he should have been captured alone.
-How can we leave our master behind? We will stay as well.
-I will stay too.
-Me too…
Contrary to his expectations, his subordinates had all thrown down their weapons and surrendered. Yes… they were truly loyal men. But he was a grandfather who loved his granddaughter. Their priorities were different…
And this was the result.
He and all his men in Blade Leaf Valley were now locked in this underground prison, awaiting their deaths.
‘Yes, this is the martial world, and this is the Demonic Cult.’
The poison was sapping his strength. He was fated to be imprisoned, used by his enemies, and then die.
“If only I had abandoned my granddaughter from the start…”
After losing his precious daughter and son-in-law to an internal power struggle within the cult, Cho-wol was the only family he had left.
He knew better in his head, but seeing his granddaughter suffering before his eyes had clouded his judgment.
If he hadn’t lost his fighting spirit, blinded by familial affection, he might have been able to wipe out all the enemies present.
But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“I must be getting old. How could I have made such a soft choice…”
Now, not only his granddaughter and his men, but the entire Blade Leaf Valley was being held hostage. The cunning bastards, their trap was so meticulously laid that there was no way out.
It was in that moment of despair.
A commotion erupted outside, followed by the sound of people falling.
“……”
It wasn’t just sounds. The guards in the minimally staffed prison began to fall one by one, bleeding.
‘Whoever it is, they’re skilled at concealing their presence. They’re taking out the prison guards quickly and efficiently.’
The intruder cut down the last guard and spoke.
“Sloppy.”
The masked man in black approached me without hesitation and spoke.
“A body twice, no, three times? larger than average, and a sharp aura that can be felt despite being filled with poison. Are you the Blade Leaf Demon?”
“…Who are you?”
“I am Baek Mu-heun, the fourth young master of the Heavenly Dance Family.”
“Baek Mu-heun, the fourth young master of the Heavenly Dance Family? I don’t know who you are, but what more could you want from me in this state?”
“There’s no time for a long explanation. Just know that the one who sent me was the Cult Leader.”
“Wh-what…?”
“The Cult Leader sent me for you, Lord Blade Leaf Demon.”
“Yes, the Cult Leader…”
The man in black swung his sword, shattering the chains and shackles that bound me, and briefly explained why he was here.
It was truly a ray of light descending into the darkness of despair. I swept my tangled hair back, checked my condition, and said,
“The situation is not good. Even if I give up on my granddaughter, my men and I have been poisoned. We can’t even muster a tenth of our original strength. We’re useless as a fighting force.”
“I can detoxify you. Please allow me to examine you.”
“Wh-what…?”
I was momentarily stunned by his bold words.
***
‘First, I need to see what kind of poison he’s been afflicted with.’
After quickly examining the Blade Leaf Demon, who was steeped in poisonous energy, I mixed the medicinal herbs I had brought and prescribed a treatment. Poison and medicine were two sides of the same coin. Depending on how the ingredients were neutralized, they could aid the body’s recovery.
I had seen the poisons of the Tang Clan ad nauseam; treating something of this level was child’s play.
I neutralized the poison with a precise prescription, applied needles using the principle of using poison to fight poison, and aimed to expel any untreatable toxins along with the impurities accumulated in their bodies.
I made a detoxifying agent by mixing wood herbs, mugwort, reishi mushrooms, loess, green tea, gardenia, and eucalyptus, and had them drink it.
Watching me, the Blade Leaf Demon couldn’t hide his amazement.
‘The poison of the Sichuan Tang Clan… The fourth young master of the Heavenly Dance Family… Incredible.’
The Blade Leaf Demon felt the poisonous energy that had been obstructing his energy circulation begin to dissipate. Not only that, but his exhausted and ravaged body and mind also recovered to some extent.
“A-amazing.”
“Only the poison has been removed; your body has not fully recovered. I’ve brought water and food. Eat and drink in small amounts to regain your strength.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve also brought salves for your wounds, apply them. You won’t be at full strength, but you should be able to fight to some degree.”
After speaking, I moved quickly through the underground prison, freeing the Blade Leaf Demon’s men and detoxifying them.
After treating everyone, about thirty of the Blade Leaf Demon’s subordinates had survived.
I handled all of this systematically, at a speed that would have made an ordinary physician faint.
After all, I had treated over thirty poisoned patients in about fifteen minutes.
The Blade Leaf Demon gathered his freed men, explained the situation, and distributed the water and food in small portions.
“Circulate your energy and wait for the right moment!”
“Yes, Lord Blade Leaf Demon!”
Finally, I approached the Blade Leaf Demon and said,
“Your granddaughter is being protected by my subordinate in a safe place. For now, just trust me and recover. I will give you a signal.”
“…Is that true?”
The Blade Leaf Demon knew how unhelpful his question was. Right now, he had to follow, whether those words were true or a lie meant to boost morale. Even so…
Hearing that Cho-wol was safe, his heart wavered.
“Trust me.”
I said, my gaze unwavering. Seeing my eyes, the Blade Leaf Demon gave a short reply.
“Alright, I understand.”
It was a brief answer, but the sorrowful grief on the Blade Leaf Demon’s face was replaced by hope.
It was as if he was asking himself, wasn’t everything that had happened so far also hard to believe? The face of a warrior who had made up his mind was resolute, and I found myself liking this Blade Leaf Demon.
“I will wait for your signal.”
His mind made up, the Blade Leaf Demon began to focus on healing his internal injuries.
***
A warrior, ordered by the Golden Fang Poison Claw, went to check on Cho-wol.
First, he asked the servants who brought meals to her room, and they said she hadn’t come out yet.
The warrior thought that nothing was wrong, but just in case, he approached Cho-wol’s room.
A crimson light from a lamp leaked from within the room.
Cho-wol’s shadow was cast on the paper door.
It seemed she was reading a book.
‘Thank goodness. What the Golden Fang Poison Claw was worried about didn’t happen. As long as we have the Blade Leaf Demon’s granddaughter, even if that masked man rescues the Blade Leaf Demon, he’ll just be running in circles.’
From now on, he had to make sure the Blade Leaf Demon’s granddaughter didn’t fall into enemy hands.
“I’ll keep watch here. You go report to Lord Golden Fang Poison Claw.”
“Got it.”
Hiding nearby, shrouded in black cloth, Pa-sun and Cho-wol whispered.
“It seems the enemy hasn’t noticed yet.”
“But can we win like this? Our opponent is the Golden Fang Poison Claw of the Tang Clan. He’s a master who has reached the transcendent level in terms of internal energy!”
“My master has a plan.”
Gu-cheong’s subordinates failed to notice the two. One stayed to guard Cho-wol’s room, while the other went to report to the Golden Fang Poison Claw.
“What you were concerned about, my lord, did not happen.”
“It didn’t happen?”
“Yes! That’s right. The Blade Leaf Demon’s granddaughter was right where she was supposed to be. I also left a warrior behind to guard her.”
The Golden Fang Poison Claw smiled from beneath his black bamboo hat.
“Well done. It seems he hasn’t been able to reach that far yet. Still, don’t let your guard down and continue to monitor her.”
“Yes! Once our allies outside the valley establish a perimeter and close in, we’ll be able to catch the one interfering with us soon.”
“Do not be complacent until the very end. To succeed in this grand endeavor, you must not let your guard down until the final moment.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
“You may go to Gu-cheong now.”
“Yes, understood.”
The Golden Fang Poison Claw still had a nagging feeling, but he hoped it was just his imagination.
‘But… if Cho-wol isn’t the target, does that mean he’s not one of the Blade Leaf Demon’s subordinates? If so, then who is the audacious bastard setting the stage here?’