Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Reunion
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—Dang Baek-ho's Office—
"Family Head, a man has come seeking an audience. He says he has something to discuss regarding the Divine Doctor of Sichuan."
"What? The Divine Doctor of Sichuan?"
"Yes. His name is Baek Mu-heun, a young man who looks to have just come of age."
"What could a greenhorn like him possibly..."
"Well, he introduced himself as the Fourth Young Master of the Heavenly Dance Family of the Demonic Cult and claimed to be the hidden disciple of the Divine Doctor of Sichuan, Baek Jung-hyeok."
"What? The hidden disciple of the Divine Doctor of Sichuan, Baek Jung-hyeok?"
‘What in the world is this? Why would a hidden disciple of the Divine Doctor of Sichuan come to see me at a time like this?’
"Did he come alone?"
"He did."
"His martial prowess?"
"I couldn't feel any power from him."
"So he's just an ordinary physician... Have him enter my office."
"Yes, sir."
So, Dang Baek-ho, without any suspicion, summoned Mu-heun to his office. Outside the door, Dang Cheong-cheon, known as the second-in-command of the Tang Clan, stood waiting.
Reunion.
A reunion where only one party was aware of it.
Dang Baek-ho offered Mu-heun a cup of tea, but Mu-heun did not drink it. Seeing this, Dang Baek-ho immediately realized this man was no ordinary person.
"So, you're the hidden disciple of the Divine Doctor of Sichuan?"
Dang Baek-ho asked, his displeasure evident, and the expressionless young physician replied in a toneless voice.
"That is correct."
"This is not a peaceful time, so let's get straight to the point. What is it you wish to discuss about the Divine Doctor of Sichuan?"
"I'll be direct. I have obtained the fruit of the Myriad Fragrance Blood Jade Tree."
"What...?!"
Mu-heun thought to himself as he watched the flustered Dang Baek-ho.
‘The Poison King, Dang Baek-ho, said to have reached the pinnacle of his art... was he always this naive? He reveals his emotions so easily. He may be underestimating me now, but he will soon regret it. In about fifteen minutes, this act will no longer be necessary.’
"I said that I have obtained the fruit of the Myriad Fragrance Blood Jade Tree, the key ingredient for the Myriad Fragrance Grand Restoration Formation."
"Where is the fruit! Where have you put it? I promise you wealth enough to last a lifetime, and if you wish, the Sichuan Tang Clan will protect you for the rest of your days."
"I consumed and assimilated it."
"...!"
Dang Baek-ho was momentarily stunned. The very fruit he had been searching for so desperately had been consumed and assimilated by the man before him?
"There had better not be a single lie in what you're saying."
"Would I lie before the Poison King? Allow me to show you."
Mu-heun mixed various fragrances and had Dang Baek-ho smell them.
Hundreds of scents mingled, overwhelming Dang Baek-ho's sense of smell. It was an experience unlike any he had ever had.
‘He's telling the truth. In that case, the Myriad Fragrance has practically walked right up to me...! With him, I can mass-produce the Poison Blood Demon warriors! But... why would a hidden disciple of the Divine Doctor of Sichuan suddenly appear at a time like this?’
Dang Baek-ho couldn't make sense of the situation.
‘Why would he come here, knowing who I am? Could it be that the Divine Doctor of Sichuan asked him to cooperate with the Tang Clan? Yes, that would make sense.’
If the Divine Doctor had asked his old disciple for research cooperation before being betrayed, the situation would fit perfectly. And... if that were the case, this was a stroke of heavenly luck.
It was an unexpected windfall of the highest order.
Mu-heun could clearly see the emotions reflected in Dang Baek-ho's eyes.
Suspicion, bewilderment, and then the joy of a silver lining, his face brightening.
As the absolute powerhouse here, he was arrogant. Thus, he was convinced that everything was unfolding in his favor.
Having collected his thoughts, Dang Baek-ho spoke again.
"Are you aware that the Divine Doctor of Sichuan is dead?"
"Yes. The Tang Clan claims the Divine Doctor was killed by our Cult, while our Cult says he was killed by the Tang Clan."
"That is a misunderstanding on your Cult's part."
"A misunderstanding... you say."
"Yes, the Divine Doctor of Sichuan did not die at the hands of the Tang Clan. He was killed by a member of the Demonic Cult. And while he was alive, he had a wish he hoped to fulfill before his death."
"And what was that?"
"To modify the Myriad Fragrance Grand Restoration Formation and cultivate Poison Blood Demons. To give the children new strength, to make the Tang Clan powerful, and to root out the Unorthodox Sects in Sichuan."
"Ah..."
Mu-heun feigned a naive expression, and Dang Baek-ho, seeing this, thought to himself.
‘Is he this gullible because he's young? He's completely fallen for it, this fool.’
"Come now, don't be like that. Join me. I will spare no expense in supporting you. You will inherit your master's research. You have the right and the ability to do so."
Mu-heun found Dang Baek-ho's demeanor so detestable he could barely stand it, but then he realized the time he had been waiting for had passed.
A smile began to spread across Mu-heun's previously expressionless face.
"Hahaha... Powerful martial arts and deadly poison. Weren't your schemes and machinations enough?"
"...?"
"Dang Baek-ho. You're really full of shit, aren't you."
Mu-heun's previously blank eyes suddenly pierced Dang Baek-ho as if hundreds of frost-covered swords were aimed at his throat, and the atmosphere in the reception room instantly turned frigid.
Poison, fragrance, hidden weapons, and internal energy. Mu-heun mobilized all his senses to observe Dang Baek-ho's movements.
Dang Baek-ho was contemplating. Killing a mere physician would be laughably easy for him. However, if he killed Mu-heun, who had assimilated the Myriad Fragrance, right away? It would disrupt his future plans. Therefore, he was desperately suppressing his anger.
Watching Dang Baek-ho, Mu-heun reflected on the past.
Poison and medicine were always two sides of the same coin.
Like countless martial artists in the world, there was much talk of the white path and the black path, but in the end, the essence of 'martial arts' was to injure or kill people.
The only difference, perhaps, was the will behind the drawn sword.
Some would have drawn their swords to save lives, while others would have drawn them to take lives.
That will.
That heart.
It was what divided those who drew their swords into the white path of the Orthodox Sects or the black path of the Unorthodox Sects.
But since when?
Since when did they start dividing the black and white paths, the Orthodox and Unorthodox Sects, and branding the Divine Cult as the Demonic Cult?
Since when?
Since when did those who concocted poisons and drew swords with wicked hearts begin to be called 'justice' simply because they belonged to the Orthodox martial world?
Just as the seasons change, everything is bound to transform. Like the green leaves of summer turning red in autumn, and then falling to the ground in winter to become nourishment for the next generation.
The old standards were never meant to be eternal and unchanging; new standards should be able to replace them.
‘I was a person who had not the slightest desire for martial arts. No, in fact, I despised them.’
A person who knew even less about managing people and building factions. A person who overcame unfortunate circumstances to pursue the happiness of the many.
A foolish person who believed that if he continued his research and tried to benefit the world, he would one day be purely rewarded for his efforts.
He believed that if he researched with a good heart, created medicine, and improved formations, the world would change on its own...
He was truly a frog in a well. It was all just a hollow excuse.
Captured by the Golden Fang Poison Claw, from the moment of his death, he had repeated the same thought every single day. Yes, the world was a cruel place.
But there was nothing special about that.
From now on, he would simply face reality head-on.
He began to cultivate power to match a world governed by the logic of strength.
Some days he bowed his head, and on others, he devoted himself to training. On still other days, he nurtured successors, and on some, he ensured his will would be carried on.
And so, he had come this far.
Just then, Dang Baek-ho spoke to Mu-heun in a warning tone.
"Young physician, do not act recklessly."
However, Mu-heun paid him no mind and replied.
"Humans are creatures who never know when they might die. So, it's perfectly natural that you don't know who I am. Even I didn't expect to meet you this soon."
"I don't know what you're talking about. You don't even look thirty yet, so why do you insist on this bravado? Don't you want to get married? Why can't you think about succeeding here, starting a family, and living happily? Why are you so immature?"
"It is because I had a goal I yearned for enough to give up all of that."
Dang Baek-ho didn't understand what Mu-heun was saying, but he dismissed it as the bravado of a young physician and tried to persuade him.
"Whatever your goal may be, if you fulfill your master's goal, I will actively support yours as well. The Myriad Fragrance you have mastered is worth that much."
Indeed.
In the face of profit, even non-existent patience would spring forth. Such was the martial world, such were the Orthodox Sects. This was the righteousness and chivalry they spoke of.
Mu-heun quietly savored the situation.
"This doesn't taste very good."
"...Don't obscure the point with incomprehensible words. Are you really trying to refuse the cup of wine offered by the Tang Clan on Sichuan soil?"
"A cup of wine...? Strange. What I received was a cup of poison from the very beginning."
"You received a cup of poison? From the Tang Clan?"
"Still, I came quickly. I haven't quelled my rage, but using the Golden Fang Poison Claw as sustenance allowed me to endure much."
"This bastard, to the very end..."
Dang Baek-ho used telepathy to call for his right-hand man, Dang Cheong-cheon.
[Come in, capture this bastard, and interrogate him. We must find out why he's acting so bold.]
However, despite Dang Baek-ho's call, Dang Cheong-cheon did not enter.
One second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds, five seconds.
Five seconds passed, but for some reason, there was no response from Dang Cheong-cheon, who should have been guarding nearby.
"..."
Just then, Mu-heun opened his mouth, his tone mocking.
"Why? No answer from Dang Cheong-cheon?"
"...!"
Dang Baek-ho was deeply shocked by Mu-heun's words. He had no idea how the man knew what he was thinking. And he felt an unidentifiable sense of unease. The way he spoke was familiar, yet he had never seen him before. He was an endlessly strange man.
"You... what is a mere physician like you relying on?"
Dang Baek-ho struggled to maintain his composure and ordered his servants.
"Go outside at once and assess the situation!"
"Yes, sir!"
The servants rushed outside, and Mu-heun began to pour out the truth to Dang Baek-ho.
"I collaborated with the Tang Clan on research. From then on, I was no longer a physician for all people, but a researcher for the Tang Clan. Just as you said, I immersed myself in my work and felt, for the first time in my life, that I was nearing my ultimate goal."
"...Are you saying you're the Divine Doctor, Baek Jung-hyeok?"
"After experiencing death, the title of one of the three great Divine Doctors of the Central Plains started to sound rather ridiculous."
"...I see."
The servant who had gone to check the situation outside returned and reported to Dang Baek-ho. Dang Baek-ho finally understood the sense of unease he had been feeling. He couldn't help but realize that the situation was going terribly wrong.
"So the Mad Doctor used the Soul Separation Grand Art. Have you returned to take revenge for my betrayal?"
"Pfft. So you do know what you did wrong. Your guilty conscience is showing."
"Yes, now everything falls into place. The Kunlun, Kongtong, Emei, and Qingcheng Sects sealing their gates. Dang Cheong-cheon fighting Kunlun's Cloud Dragon, Gu Pae-seon. The entire Tang Clan grounds turning into a battlefield. And most of all, the Lord of the Red Demon Pavilion invading this far... it was all your doing! Divine Doctor, Baek Jung-hyeok!"
"You don't have to shout. I can hear you just fine, you bastard."
"...!"
Baek Jung-hyeok.
In his past life, he had been stabbed to death by the poison claws of the Golden Fang Poison Claw, starting from the extremities of his body. He had writhed in agony, vomiting dark red blood. He drew his last breath the moment the claws pierced his heart deep within his body.
He had been filled with resentment.
And then, he encountered a miracle.
Somewhere on the border between the afterlife and the world of the living.
He met the first Heavenly Demon.
He learned the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon from the Heavenly Demon,
and before returning to the mortal world,
he carved two wishes into his very bones.
The first of them became a message for the Sichuan Tang Clan.
‘That I would surely return.’
The second became a message for the martial world.
‘Isn't it time for a change?’
The crisis that would soon befall humanity.
The threat that would lead the world to ruin.
Shouldn't they stop the otherworldly beings that the Heavenly Demon and the martial arts masters had joined forces to repel just once? And to do that, shouldn't they cut out the existing rot and let new buds sprout?
And now,
he intended to cut out that rot.
Mu-heun tore off the demon-sealing paper wrapped around his hand.
In that instant, a massive demonic energy erupted as the paper stretched out, transforming into Mu-heun's weapon, the Sun and Moon Sword.