Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: A Talent in Our Deokyang Medical District?
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"Is there such a talent in our Deokyang Medical District?"
Cheon Jang-gong's eyes widened.
"You say it can be treated with needles alone? That's nonsense. If you're giving false hope with lies, I won't forgive you, Jang Physician."
Na Ho-pyeong, who was nearby, calmed Cheon Jang-gong down.
"Master Cheon the Needle Smith, please wait a moment."
While the two men spoke, I spread out the needle pouch I'd brought on the table and took out one needle.
"I know Jang Physician's skills well. He even changed my daughter's constitution, after all. I thought he could really treat it with a single needle... Huh?"
Na Ho-pyeong's words trailed off. His eyes widened as he looked at the needle I held.
"...I figured he could, but that needle's too big, isn't it?"
"Yes. It's quite a large one."
The needle I'd taken from the pouch was the Great Needle, one of the Nine Needles.
The people around us murmured in surprise as they saw the needle I held.
"A needle? That's a needle?"
"No way—that's a chopstick, isn't it?"
They were right.
The Great Needle was longer than the Fire Needle but shorter than the Long Needle. The reason it was called the Great Needle, though, was its thickness. The tip was sharp, but it gradually thickened toward the handle.
So it was no wonder people mistook it for a chopstick.
'Among the Nine Needles, the Great Needle removes water stagnation from the joints. It's perfect for treating Master Cheon Jang-gong's knee.'
Dang Seol-yeong asked in a flustered voice.
"Physician, do you know how to use the Great Needle too?"
"Of course."
I could handle it because I had the mastery of the Nine Needles.
In modern Korean medicine, the Great Needle had fallen out of use. Naturally, I'd never handled one before.
"Not just Fire Needles and Long Needles, but even the Great Needle... At this rate, you'll master all the Nine Needles. Only the Divine Physician of Heaven could do that."
If I kept gaining Insights, I might one day.
Cheon Jang-gong seemed scared now that he saw the thick, massive Great Needle up close.
"I-innkeeper, are you sure of Jang Physician's skills?"
"Haha... Of course. I trusted him with my own daughter."
He added with an awkward smile.
"Though not with something like that Great Needle..."
As I approached Cheon Jang-gong with the Great Needle, he flinched and stepped back.
"You must have suffered a major injury to your right knee long ago. You missed the treatment window, and working by the fire made it worse over time. Now your knee is swollen with fluid, so we need to remove the inflammation and drain it."
A medial meniscus tear.
The knee takes an impact, inflammation builds, and effusion fills it.
In modern times, athletes often suffered from this, and some even retired because of it.
Cheon Jang-gong had been intimidated by the Great Needle's size. But after my detailed explanation and meeting my eyes, he quickly regained his composure.
"A man with great virtue can't have an undeserved reputation. I'll trust you, Jang Physician, and entrust my knee to you."
I nodded with a smile.
"Good decision."
I had Dang Seol-yeong prepare water boiled with coptis root, clean cotton cloths, and the like.
"Brother Na, could I borrow a room with a treatment bed?"
"Of course. Upstairs."
As he guided us to a room on the second floor, the people around started buzzing.
"Jang Physician's treating that knee?"
"Sounds like a good show. Let's go watch."
There was nothing good about the commotion.
I hoped someone would control them, and sure enough, a Murim warrior with a sword on his back stepped in to quiet the crowd.
"The Disruptive Maniac...!"
"Wh-what show? You'd just get in the way of Jang Physician's treatment."
As the Disruptive Maniac Hyeong So blocked them, the people slunk away.
I owed him again.
I sat Cheon Jang-gong on the treatment bed and brought a footrest for his right foot.
Beside him, I laid out Long Needles and Great Needles. To remove deep inflammation in the knee, Fire Needles wouldn't suffice—Long Needles were necessary.
Gulp.
Cheon Jang-gong, and even Na Ho-pyeong watching, swallowed hard at the imposing sight of the two needles.
Dang Seol-yeong looked at the Long Needle and Great Needle and said.
"That must hurt a lot. Shouldn't we prepare some Mafeitang?"
Mafeitang was like an anesthetic for this era.
"No, it'll be fine."
First, I enhanced the Long Needle with two Insights.
"It won't hurt like a Fire Needle."
"I-is that true, Jang Physician?"
Instead of answering the astonished Cheon Jang-gong, I inserted the Long Needle.
'When inserting a Long Needle near the knee, be careful not to pierce the joint capsule.'
Shh-shh-shh.
But this was a Long Needle at mastery. Without even needing to focus, the precise needle sensation guided me to insert it flawlessly and swiftly.
Na Ho-pyeong, watching, was wide-eyed.
"I thought my daughter was exaggerating when she said you inserted needles like shh-shh-shh... But Jang Physician, your acupuncture has reached an even higher realm?"
The effect of the mastered Long Needle showed immediately.
The overall swelling in his thigh and calf subsided.
"H-how... My leg..."
To the shocked Cheon Jang-gong, I said.
"The main treatment is still to come. We need to drain the fluid from your knee."
The massive swelling in the knee remained.
In modern times, they'd drain knee effusion with a syringe at a Western hospital.
At a Korean medicine clinic, they'd treat it by eliminating the inflammation.
I took up the Great Needle and used the remaining three Insights.
I held up the Great Needle.
"It didn't hurt with the Long Needle, right?"
"N-no, it didn't."
"The Great Needle will be the same."
Before Cheon Jang-gong could respond, I inserted the Great Needle.
Two into the Suprapatellar Crease points near the knee swelling, and three into the Weeping Blood points.
'Both are key acupoints for treating the knee.'
The Suprapatellar Crease points were called the eyes of the knee. Located in the dips on either side below the kneecap, they resembled eyes. Pressing them was effective whenever the knee hurt.
"How is it? No pain?"
"Not a bit. Truly astonishing acupuncture."
Na Ho-pyeong, unnerved by the huge Great Needles embedded in the knee, stepped back slightly.
'Murim folk kill each other without flinching, but they're scared of this.'
A moment later, I removed the Great Needles and gently pressed the swelling to drain the effusion.
Yellow fluid flowed out for a while, then red blood followed.
'The swelling's back to normal size.'
I wiped the blood, applied an ointment made from chrysanthemum, forsythia, and coptis root—excellent for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects—and wrapped it neatly in clean cotton.
"Try standing up."
Cheon Jang-gong rose blankly and moved his leg around. It was a leg that had limped for decades. The gait was still awkward and unfamiliar, but he'd adapt soon enough.
Cheon Jang-gong stared at me with a dumbfounded expression.
"In my whole life, I've never seen a physician like you."
"Congratulations on your full recovery."
Cheon Jang-gong went to a friendly blacksmith in Deokyang City and borrowed their forge.
"What happened, Master Cheon the Needle Smith? Your leg's fine now?"
Cheon Jang-gong grinned and replied.
"I met a master physician."
"A master physician? Did you see the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand or the White Crane Scholar?"
Cheon Jang-gong's eyes narrowed.
"What? It was Jang Physician from Clear Seclusion Clinic."
The blacksmith nodded with a laugh.
"Ah, there."
"You know of him?"
"Of course. Even the Unit Stone Guild folks go there often. Everyone who visits raves about it."
Cheon Jang-gong nodded, grinning again.
"No wonder."
What Murim warrior in the jianghu would dislike such a master physician?
With the forge borrowed, Cheon Jang-gong immediately set to crafting silver needles for Jang Wol.
He slowly melted and alloyed pure silver and white gleaming iron in the proprietary ratio of the Round Iron Flow School.
Forging the alloy, polishing it, quenching it several times.
Soon, gleaming silver Nine Needles began to emerge.
Followed by intricate needle finishing.
The nearby blacksmiths watched, breathless at the precision.
"That's Master Cheon the Needle Smith's craftsmanship."
"Look at those needles. So exquisite and beautiful."
Two days later, many Nine Needles were complete.
Cheon Jang-gong was satisfied with the silver needles he'd poured his soul into, but also a bit regretful.
'If my leg hadn't been lame, I'd have learned gold needle crafting from Master.'
Gold was softer than silver, making gold needles even harder to craft.
He planned to meet his master later and learn then. He already felt pleased imagining his master's shock at seeing his leg.
He made a needle pouch from luxurious blue silk, embroidering it with the Round Iron Flow School's emblem of a bird feather and Jang Wol's name.
A nearby blacksmith asked admiringly.
"Is it done? Truly magnificent."
"I'm delivering it myself."
Cheon Jang-gong took the finished silver needles to Clear Seclusion Clinic.
From afar, he heard hammering. Up close, major construction was underway.
'Amazing. It was such a small clinic. Good thing they're expanding.'
Treatments were over; no patients. But another guest was there.
"Isn't that Song Heon-ro, physician of Famous Physician Tower?"
Song Heon-ro, talking with Jang Wol in the courtyard, turned to Cheon Jang-gong.
"You know me?"
Jang Wol stepped forward to introduce him.
"Ah, this is Master Cheon Jang-gong the Needle Smith."
Song Heon-ro nodded, impressed.
"So you're the famous Master Cheon the Needle Smith. Pleased to meet you. What brings you here?"
"The Ten Thousand Winds Inn owner asked me to make something, so I brought it directly for Jang Physician."
Cheon Jang-gong took out the pouch and spread it open.
Exquisitely crafted, beautiful silver needles gleamed.
Song Heon-ro's eyes went wide.
"These must be Master Cheon the Needle Smith's legendary silver needles. Truly astonishing."
Cheon Jang-gong joked with Song Heon-ro.
"I'll make you some someday. No idea when, though."
"Haha, I'd be grateful even for the words. Jang Physician, come to Famous Physician Tower tomorrow and demonstrate these silver needles—they'll all be amazed."
Cheon Jang-gong's eyes widened.
"A demonstration at the famous Famous Physician Tower? What a remarkable fellow. Good thing my silver needles found their true master."
For a craftsman, nothing was more gratifying than their creation finding the perfect owner. Cheon Jang-gong's smile wouldn't fade.
He wanted to stay longer in Deokyang, but he had places to go.
"Jang Physician, I'll be off. Thanks again."
"No, I'm just glad your leg's safe."
Cheon Jang-gong bid farewell and left Clear Seclusion Clinic.
But soon, someone chased after him. It was Dang Seol-yeong.
"Miss Dang, what is it?"
"I heard you came from the Sichuan Tang Family. Are the Tang Family people well?"
Cheon Jang-gong had suspected as much. No way a Sichuan Tang Family member would apprentice at such a small clinic. But she was indeed one.
"They're all doing well."
"That's a relief."
Dang Seol-yeong smiled, but it was hard to read.
She bowed in greeting.
"Safe travels, then."
"Got it. Take care, Miss Dang."
Cheon Jang-gong parted with Dang Seol-yeong and continued on. She hadn't asked him to keep her secret. But after receiving such grace from Jang Wol, he'd never tell anyway.
'A Sichuan Tang Family member under a master physician like Jang? What an interesting place.'
First, he planned to find his master.
'I still haven't repaid Jang Physician for my leg.'
Someday, he'd craft gold needles for Jang Wol.
Thanks to Jang Wol, his leg that had limped for over a decade was fixed. Adaptation was tough, but his steps were lighter than ever.
Immortal Spirit Pharmacy.
The Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand Yu Ja-gyeom, finished with the day's treatments, thought of So Hong-ryeo.
'Song Heon-ro still hasn't treated the Deokyang So Family daughter.'
So Hong-ryeo's condition was longstanding. Every physician in Deokyang Medical District knew of it.
Yu Ja-gyeom knew too, and he'd diagnosed it as Liver Qi Stagnation and Knotting.
'But I didn't tell Song Heon-ro. It's not courteous to another physician.'
Yu Ja-gyeom took a sheet of paper and wrote his personal secret formula for Liver Qi Stagnation and Knotting. He called a disciple.
"Deliver this secret formula to the Deokyang So Family. Tell them it's from Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand of Immortal Spirit Pharmacy—they'll be thrilled to receive it."
But the disciple returned quickly, placing the formula before Yu Ja-gyeom.
"Huh? Why'd you bring it back?"
"So Hong-ryeo's condition is already fully cured, so it's not needed."
Yu Ja-gyeom jumped up in shock.
"What? Did Song Physician cure it?"
"Song Physician and Jang Physician—the two of them did."
Song Heon-ro had mentioned Jang Physician before.
And now Jang Physician again.
"Just who is this Jang Physician?"
"Didn't you know, Master? Lately, Jang Physician's name has been popping up around Deokyang Medical District."
Yu Ja-gyeom only dealt with the renowned. He hadn't heard.
The disciple explained about Clear Seclusion Clinic's Jang Physician.
The story of healing Choi Cheol-bo's leg.
The tale of distributing astonishing Generate Pulse Powder throughout Deokyang.
The account of treating Seok Jung of the Unit Stone Guild's shoulder.
The story of healing a burn from white aconite in a single day, and more.
"And he changed the Ten Thousand Winds Inn owner's daughter's constitution. This time, the Deokyang So Family daughter's treatment was also Jang Physician's doing."
Yu Ja-gyeom's eyes went wide.
What on earth had been happening in Deokyang Medical District without his knowledge?
"Is there such a talent in our Deokyang Medical District? We must recruit him to Immortal Spirit Pharmacy!"