Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Did You Hear? Even the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand Acknowledges That Skill!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Did you hear? Even the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand acknowledges that skill!"
The disciple asked his master, Yu Ja-gyeom, without much surprise.
"Are you saying we should recruit Jang Physician to our Immortal Spirit Pharmacy?"
Yu Ja-gyeom had already recruited several skilled physicians from the Deokyang Medical District multiple times.
It was all to elevate the Immortal Spirit Pharmacy to the top clinic and earn recognition for the Deokyang Medical District as the finest in the martial world.
That was why the disciple wasn't particularly shocked by his master's words.
Yu Ja-gyeom nodded.
"Of course. It's astonishing enough that he treated the Deokyang So Family's daughter, but improving the Ten Thousand Winds Inn master's daughter's constitution? That's truly remarkable."
"Yes. Both girls suffered from conditions that stumped the physicians of the Deokyang Medical District."
"Indeed. I'm especially curious how he altered that constitution. Did he use the Qi Transfer Art, perhaps?"
The Qi Transfer Art was a method of sacrificing one's own internal energy to impart it to another person.
With his profound internal energy, Yu Ja-gyeom figured it was entirely possible that way.
Yu Ja-gyeom nodded repeatedly in his mind as he organized the principles of the Qi Transfer Art.
"Hm, hm. Yes, that's right. With the Qi Transfer Art, it's feasible. By channeling internal energy into the Mingmen and Ren points while simultaneously expelling the child's yin-deficient energy through the Baihui or Yongquan points, he could alter her constitution. Though I'd lose a substantial amount of the internal energy I've cultivated over the years."
As he muttered to himself, piecing together his own treatment approach, his disciple cautiously spoke up.
"Master, there's one flaw in that premise."
"What? How dare you question this master's theory."
"No, it's not that. Jang Physician hasn't even learned martial arts to begin with."
"...What? You're saying he's an ordinary person with no internal energy at all?"
"On top of that, he has the frail look of someone in poor health."
"Hah, so he achieved all that with pure medical skill alone? Wait, didn't you say Jang Physician is at the Clear Seclusion Clinic?"
"Yes. It's located on the outskirts of the Deokyang Medical District."
"Clear Seclusion Clinic, Clear Seclusion Clinic. Now that I think about it, there was an old physician there. He was the oldest one in our Deokyang Medical District."
The old physician appeared to be in his eighties. But he hadn't been in the Deokyang Medical District since his youth. Just a few years ago, he'd come from outside and established the Clear Seclusion Clinic there.
The disciple nodded.
"They say Jang Physician was an apprentice working under that old physician at the time."
Yu Ja-gyeom paused to collect his thoughts, then nodded.
"I see. That explains everything. That old physician must have been a master of remarkable medical arts from some lineage, and this young Jang Physician is the sole inheritor of that lineage."
"That could very well be the case."
Yu Ja-gyeom grew even more eager about this physician named Jang Wol. Recruiting him to the Immortal Spirit Pharmacy would undoubtedly bring great renown to both the pharmacy and the Deokyang Medical District.
"Go to the Clear Seclusion Clinic right now and make the recruitment offer to Jang Physician."
"Right now?"
"Yes. Jang Physician is still virtually unknown. We need to snag him before anyone else does!"
"Understood."
The disciple hurried out, leaving Yu Ja-gyeom alone. He clasped his hands behind his back and gazed contentedly at the pond outside the window.
"Heh heh. To think such a talent was in the Deokyang Medical District. I'm glad I found out before the other clinics could whisk him away."
And the disciple returned in less than half a shichen.
He'd only moved within the Deokyang Medical District, so a quick return was expected—but this was too quick.
Yet the disciple was alone.
"Why'd you come back by yourself?"
The disciple awkwardly opened his mouth.
"I met the apprentice girl there first and nearly got chased off for talking nonsense. What a spirited little miss."
The disciple shuddered, recalling the encounter.
"What? You should have met Jang Physician, not the apprentice."
"At first, she thought I was a patient. She insisted I get in line, so I had no choice but to wait before bringing it up—and that's when it happened."
"So you didn't get to see Jang Physician?"
"I did. He must have heard the commotion and came out. We even talked."
"But he still won't come to the Immortal Spirit Pharmacy?"
"Yes. He said he wasn't interested. I tried to say more, but he claimed he had to head to the Famous Physician Tower and was busy, so I gave up and came back."
"Famous Physician Tower! So he's joining Master Song after all?"
"Not exactly joining under him—they're going to work together, it seems."
"Work together? Naturally, Master Song is the senior, so Jang Physician would be the junior. But how did Master Song, of all people, learn of and contact this unknown Jang Physician?"
As Yu Ja-gyeom expressed regret, his disciple cautiously spoke up.
"Um... I don't think that physician is unknown anymore."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Writers from the Serene Flower Literary Hall were staying at the Clear Seclusion Clinic."
"What? Writers from the Serene Flower Literary Hall?"
The Serene Flower Literary Hall had approached the Immortal Spirit Pharmacy first. But they'd been too busy to meet, so they'd declined.
Yet they'd gone to the Clear Seclusion Clinic of all places—utterly unexpected.
Yu Ja-gyeom organized his thoughts for a moment, then stood from his seat.
"I need to go to the Famous Physician Tower and meet Master Song."
In the middle of consultations, a strange visitor had shown up.
'Someone from the Immortal Spirit Pharmacy wants to recruit me.'
It was a truly sudden proposal.
But why would I go?
'I got pushed out by a veteran clinic in my previous life, and now they want me to join one here?'
The man from the Immortal Spirit Pharmacy had left as if fleeing from Dang Seol-yeong.
'Still, it doesn't feel bad.'
It meant even the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand had acknowledged my abilities—albeit through rumors.
Today's consultations ended, and I packed my things.
'I'll be staying at the Famous Physician Tower for a while.'
I'd agreed to demonstrate acupuncture techniques for their disciples there. Unfortunately, it overlapped with the Clear Seclusion Clinic's expansion period.
About a fortnight of closure.
So I decided to stay at the Famous Physician Tower for that long.
As I packed and stepped outside, Mae So-hwa and Won Ji-ro were waiting for me.
"We'll head back now."
"Ah, have you finished gathering your material?"
Mae So-hwa smiled.
"Of course. There's more than enough to write about. Thank you so much, Jang Physician. For treating my condition and allowing us to gather material like this."
Mae So-hwa gazed at the Clear Seclusion Clinic building, gesturing with her hands as if painting a picture.
"This modest Clear Seclusion Clinic, developing its own unique medical arts in the Deokyang Medical District. And the stories of its two inhabitants—Jang Physician and Apprentice Dang—will surely shock the martial world when turned into a book."
"I look forward to an entertaining read."
"It'll definitely be my masterpiece. Oh, and lately, I've been hearing the Clear Seclusion Clinic's name popping up a lot in Deokyang City. Other writers will probably come looking too."
"Those people can just turn around and go home."
Mae So-hwa's eyes widened.
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"I've got an exclusive contract with the Serene Flower Literary Hall."
Mae So-hwa stared blankly at me before breaking into a grin.
"I've learned so much from you, Jang Physician. Not about medicine, but about how people connect and share their hearts."
Did I teach her that?
Mae So-hwa also bid farewell to Dang Seol-yeong.
"Thank you too, Apprentice Dang. Thanks to your herbal decoction, I've been sleeping soundly these days."
"If you have trouble sleeping again, come back anytime."
After exchanging goodbyes with Won Ji-ro as well, the two departed from the Clear Seclusion Clinic.
Dang Seol-yeong watched them go with a bittersweet expression.
"It feels oddly empty now that they're gone."
"Yeah, it does."
The already cramped Clear Seclusion Clinic had always had Mae So-hwa and Won Ji-ro around.
Now with the clinic expanding and them gone, it was bound to feel even emptier.
I turned to Dang Seol-yeong and said,
"But we'll have one more new family member joining the Clear Seclusion Clinic."
Dang Seol-yeong looked at me in surprise.
"Are you bringing Bae Seon-u back with you from the Famous Physician Tower this time?"
Visitors to the Clear Seclusion Clinic were steadily increasing. Expansion was the natural next step.
But even after expanding, I couldn't handle all those patients alone.
I needed more hands.
Not just any hands, but ones skilled in medicine.
As Song Heon-ro's disciple, Bae Seon-u surely had the skills, and his personality was kind too.
He was perfect in every way.
"I'll have to try bringing him along."
Dang Seol-yeong turned toward me, clenching her fists tightly.
"Not try—do it! Definitely!"
Determination burned in Dang Seol-yeong's bright, sparkling eyes.
And anyone could see that look screamed, 'Finally, I'll have someone under me too!'
The Famous Physician Tower's consultations for the day had ended. Yet the clinic buzzed with activity.
It was because of what their master, Song Heon-ro, had told the disciples that morning.
- Jang Wol of the Clear Seclusion Clinic will be staying here for a while. He's going to demonstrate acupuncture techniques for you all, so watch and learn carefully.
From morning on, the disciples had been whispering among themselves.
"Jang Wol of the Clear Seclusion Clinic? I've heard the name lately."
"He got some fame before with Generate Pulse Powder."
"But isn't that just one herbal remedy? Doesn't that make him more like an apothecary?"
"No, there are rumors his medical skills are exceptional."
"Pfft, from what I know, that Jang Wol is younger than me."
"He treated the Deokyang So Family's daughter alongside Master."
"No way! That tricky condition?"
"That's why Master invited him to demonstrate this time!"
The disciples gossiped skeptically like this.
But one among them fervently praised Jang Wol's medical prowess.
"When he treated So Hong-ryeo, he jabbed in six Fire Needles with a crisp sasak sound."
It was Bae Seon-u, with his round, gentle-faced impression.
The other disciples listening to Bae Seon-u laughed.
"Haha! What nonsense is that? Sasak?"
"There wasn't an actual sasak sound, but that's the feeling. Ask Master later!"
At that moment, another disciple, Pyeon Dong-jin, cut Bae Seon-u off.
"Seon-u, enough. Come with me to tidy the apothecary."
"Yes, understood, Senior Brother Pyeon."
As Pyeon Dong-jin headed to the apothecary with Bae Seon-u, he said,
"Seon-u, I know you like that physician. But it's best not to lie."
Pyeon Dong-jin was thirty this year. Soon, like the senior brothers before him, he'd have to leave to open his own clinic.
So hearing that Jang Wol from the Clear Seclusion Clinic—far younger than him—had astonishing acupuncture skills was hard to believe.
"Even Senior Brother Pyeon doesn't trust me. It's true. I vouch for his acupuncture skills."
Pyeon Dong-jin chuckled.
"Seon-u, how can your endorsement prove his skill?"
"Oh, right. Master acknowledges him too. That's why he's invited for the demonstration."
"Master is too kind-hearted; it's probably just polite praise. Unless it's the famously strict and impartial Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand acknowledging him."
Just then, their master came into view, walking and talking with a familiar face beside him.
"It's the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand."
"He visits often these days."
The two bowed in respect as they passed by Master and the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand.
At that moment, the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand's voice reached Bae Seon-u and Pyeon Dong-jin's ears.
"I've heard of Jang Wol's outstanding medical skills too. What do you think about recruiting him to our Immortal Spirit Pharmacy?"
They couldn't hear the rest as the voices faded.
But that alone was enough to shock Pyeon Dong-jin.
Bae Seon-u said excitedly,
"Did you hear? Did you hear? Even the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand acknowledges that skill!"
Pyeon Dong-jin's eyes went wide.
Just what kind of person is this Jang Wol fellow?