Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: How a Korean Medicine Doctor Becomes the World's Best Physician in the Murim World
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My medical skills seem to be improving day by day.
Son Hu-ji, a physician from the Jung-gang Medical District, had come to the Qingcheng Sect's branch construction site alongside the Giant Wood Guild.
Ho Sam-ri, the site supervisor from the Giant Wood Guild walking beside him, spoke up.
"Thank you for coming along with us from the Giant Wood Guild this time, Physician Son."
"It's only natural for a physician. If it's for the Qingcheng Sect and the Giant Wood Guild, of course I should step up."
Son Hu-ji was a renowned physician in the Jung-gang Medical District.
"Heh heh, in the Jung-gang Medical District, you're the best there is, aren't you? There's this Physician Pyeon Dong-jin making a name for himself lately, but even so, he can't compare to you."
Son Hu-ji halted his steps. He shook his head gently at Ho Sam-ri.
"Physician Pyeon Dong-jin is undoubtedly skilled. Comparing him like that is rude."
Ho Sam-ri's face flushed awkwardly.
"Oh, is that so? That was a slip of the tongue—forgive me."
Pyeon Dong-jin, who had studied under Song Heon-ro from the Deokyang Medical District.
He had recently opened a clinic in Jung-gang City.
The two men, similar in age and skill, quickly became friends.
Back then, Son Hu-ji had introduced his master and asked.
"My master is known as the White Crane Scholar in the Deokyang Medical District. Who did you study under?"
"I studied under Physician Song Heon-ro of the Famous Physician Tower."
"Oh, Physician Song? You learned from an excellent physician."
"And..."
"And?"
"I also learned a little from a young physician in the Deokyang Medical District."
Pyeon Dong-jin's acupuncture skills were exceptionally impressive.
Son Hu-ji had asked who that young physician was, but Pyeon Dong-jin had never given a straight answer.
He always just smiled silently, his face full of reverence.
"While maintaining ties with the Qingcheng Sect, I figured I'd stop by Deokyang City to pay respects to my master and track down that young physician."
As Son Hu-ji organized his thoughts and walked on, the middle of the construction site suddenly grew noisy.
Ho Sam-ri asked in a startled voice.
"Could there be an accident?"
"I don't know. We should go check."
The two hurried toward the commotion.
But it wasn't an accident.
An old man was working on the roof, swinging a wooden mallet, and the Unit Stone Guild members were cheering at the sight.
Son Hu-ji couldn't immediately grasp what was happening.
Then Ho Sam-ri spoke up in surprise from beside him.
"That old man could barely lift a finger until recently."
"What do you mean he could barely use his strength?"
"His right shoulder was in terrible shape."
Ho Sam-ri explained about Mun Su-ro.
From the story alone, Son Hu-ji recognized it as a condition where the shoulder had naturally degenerated over many years.
"But how is he swinging that mallet so smoothly?"
It wasn't particularly strenuous hammering, but the shoulder rotated with remarkable freedom.
Moments later, as Mun Su-ro came down from the roof, Son Hu-ji approached him.
"I'm Physician Son Hu-ji from the Jung-gang Medical District. Might I examine your shoulder, sir?"
"A physician..."
"Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing. Examine it as much as you like."
Son Hu-ji moved Mun Su-ro's shoulder around, checking it thoroughly, and even took his pulse.
His diagnosis was correct. The shoulder had clearly improved dramatically.
"Did you receive treatment somewhere recently?"
Mun Su-ro opened his mouth with a deeply proud smile.
"From a master physician in the Deokyang Medical District."
"A master physician from the Deokyang Medical District? Then the White Crane Scholar? Or the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand?"
At that, the Unit Stone Guild members around them stepped forward instead of Mun Su-ro.
"He said a master physician from the Deokyang Medical District!"
"The master physician of the Deokyang Medical District—who else could it be?"
"Exactly! He's the greatest master physician in our Deokyang Medical District! Hahaha!"
The Unit Stone Guild members laughed and made a racket, as if paying back the Giant Wood Guild's arrogance and smugness in one go.
Son Hu-ji realized they had no intention of telling him and gave up.
"Well, it must be my master or the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand."
He would visit his master later. Asking then would surely reveal the answer.
That evening, Son Hu-ji visited White Herb Hall.
Upon entering, his fellow disciples, with whom he had shared joys and sorrows, recognized him.
"Senior Brother Son, you've come."
"It's been a while."
After exchanging greetings, Son Hu-ji asked.
"Where is Master?"
"He's in the herb garden right now."
A smile crept onto Son Hu-ji's lips.
"No matter when I visit, Master never changes."
As Son Hu-ji walked toward the herb garden with a laugh, the junior disciples murmured behind him.
"It's not that he hasn't changed at all..."
But their voices didn't reach Son Hu-ji.
Son Hu-ji soon arrived at the herb garden. In the distance, he saw his master, White Crane Scholar Jo Jeong-yak.
Jo Jeong-yak was chatting with a bright-eyed young girl in the herb garden.
"A girl I've never seen before—maybe he's taken a new disciple. She'd be my youngest junior sister then."
As he drew closer, their conversation was utterly unexpected.
"Mixing this Gu-myeong Herb with Ma-eun Herb makes a poison and its antidote. You can drop it into blood and observe the reaction—that's enough for full research."
"Oho, I see. What remarkable talent!"
To his ears, it sounded like the young girl was teaching his master.
Son Hu-ji, staring blankly, soon shook his head at the absurdity.
"No, that can't be. She's probably reciting Master's teachings, and he's impressed."
Son Hu-ji approached his master and bowed.
"Greetings, Master. Your disciple Son Hu-ji has come to pay respects."
"Hu-ji, you've arrived. I heard you came for the Qingcheng Sect branch construction."
Son Hu-ji also greeted Dang Seol-yeong.
"Junior Sister, good to see you. I'm from Jung-gang..."
"Junior Sister?!"
Son Hu-ji stopped, startled by his master's suddenly raised voice.
"Not junior sister—she's an esteemed guest."
"Ah..."
Dang Seol-yeong greeted the wide-eyed, surprised Son Hu-ji.
"Hello. I'm Dang Seol-yeong from Clear Seclusion Clinic."
Clear Seclusion Clinic? A place he'd never heard of.
"Ah, Miss Dang, I apologize for the rudeness. I'm Son Hu-ji, the Dream Physician from the Jung-gang Medical District."
Dang Seol-yeong said to Jo Jeong-yak.
"Since your disciple has arrived, I'll head back for today."
"You must come again! We still have unfinished poison talk!"
Dang Seol-yeong smiled brightly.
"Of course. There aren't many people I can discuss poisons with. The folks at Clear Seclusion Clinic and I don't click at all on that."
"Heh heh, I get that."
The two shared a perfect rapport.
In the murim world, they were distant senior and junior, but on poisons, they dropped all formalities.
After Dang Seol-yeong left with her farewells, Son Hu-ji asked Jo Jeong-yak.
"Master, did you treat that old man's right shoulder from the Unit Stone Guild?"
"What? What are you talking about? Unit Stone Guild old man? I've never treated anyone like that."
Jo Jeong-yak crouched down disinterestedly and pulled weeds.
Then it must have been the Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand.
"Oh, and I met a Physician Pyeon Dong-jin from the Jung-gang Medical District. He says he's a disciple of Physician Song Heon-ro from the Famous Physician Tower."
The hand pulling weeds absentmindedly stopped for the first time. Jo Jeong-yak looked up at Son Hu-ji.
"Disciple of Physician Song from the Famous Physician Tower?"
"Yes. His acupuncture is remarkably skilled. When I asked, he said not only Physician Song, but also a young physician from the Deokyang Medical District taught him a bit."
"Ho ho, is that so? Yeah, timing-wise, that makes sense."
"Pardon? You know who that young physician is, Master?"
Hee hee hee.
Instead of answering, Jo Jeong-yak suddenly grinned mischievously.
"Wh-why are you laughing all of a sudden?"
"Well, when you visited recently, that physician wasn't well-known yet."
"That physician?"
Hee hee hee.
His poison-loving master had a playful side, Son Hu-ji knew that, but it only frustrated him now.
"Why do you keep laughing? If you know, just tell me."
"Didn't you say you'd be here for a few months? You'll find out naturally."
"Naturally?"
Jo Jeong-yak smiled warmly.
"Of course. Everyone in Deokyang City loves that young physician."
The moment I started morning consultations, Mun Su-ro from yesterday came to mind.
"He'll come today as promised."
Soon after, Bae Seon-u entered after receiving a patient.
"Physician Jang, Elder Mun Su-ro is here."
"Ah, good, he's here."
"But he came with members from the Unit Stone Guild."
"Huh? How many?"
"Five of them."
Is something up?
I let all five in.
Mun Su-ro, of course, along with Seok Jung and the Unit Stone Guild folks who'd worked on our Clear Seclusion Clinic construction.
"What brings you all at once?"
Mun Su-ro smiled sheepishly at my question.
"Sorry about this. They insisted on coming since you said treatment finishes today."
Seok Jung spoke to me too.
"If it's not too rude, may we stay? We want to celebrate the moment Senior Mun recovers."
Though they asked politely, the other Unit Stone Guild members' eyes were full of eager anticipation.
"Well, it's a joyful day of recovery, so it's fine."
Isn't it a good day? No real disruption.
"Plus, they're familiar faces."
People I'd greeted often during the Clear Seclusion Clinic construction.
"Physician Jang, have a great day!"
"Does our progress look good to you? The construction's wrapping up fast."
"Heh heh, it has to please you, Physician Jang."
"What if the roof breaks again later? Don't worry—we'll handle aftercare perfectly."
I nodded with a smile to the lively bunch.
"Of course. It's the day your elder recovers—we should all celebrate."
"Lucky to be here for Senior Mun's recovery!"
"Thanks, Physician Jang!"
Everyone buzzed with excitement.
"The Unit Stone Guild folks are really tight-knit."
I unwrapped the cloth from Mun Su-ro's shoulder and wiped it with water boiled with huanglian.
"The swelling's gone down a lot. He'll be fully healed today."
I unrolled my acupuncture pouch and took out the Lance Needle. No one flinched or showed fear at the sharp point.
"Faces full of trust instead."
Of course—everyone here had been treated by me before.
Under their watchful eyes, I inserted the Lance Needle into the swollen areas of Mun Su-ro's shoulder.
I pricked here and there, drawing out stagnant blood. The blood was clearer than yesterday, with yellowish fluid draining.
Carefully pressing the swollen spots to remove the fluid, the swelling subsided quickly.
"D-did you see that?"
"Healing that fast..."
But it wasn't over. I wiped the shoulder clean once more and prepared moxa.
I placed mugwort powder balls on the acupuncture points and lit them. The powder burned, sending up smoke.
Mugwort scent filled Clear Seclusion Clinic.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed audibly. I could feel their intense focus.
Eyes brimming with expectation.
"I won't disappoint."
Soon after, I wiped away the mugwort powder.
The treatment was complete.
"Try moving it."
Mun Su-ro rotated his shoulder tentatively, then vigorously with astonished eyes.
"N-no pain at all."
I smiled at Mun Su-ro.
"Glad to hear it. That's the end of treatment. You should be able to work the site for a few more years."
"Woo-hoo!"
Everyone surrounded Mun Su-ro, cheering.
"Senior Mun, does this mean no retirement yet?"
Mun Su-ro, blinking back tears, forced a smile.
"...Heh heh, looks like it. Now I can prepare my heart properly."
The heartwarming scene filled me with joy just watching.
Mun Su-ro, holding back sniffles, bowed in gratitude.
"Truly, thank you. Now I can spend more time with my Unit Stone Guild family."
Then the surrounding Unit Stone Guild members whispered.
"Physician Jang's skills are incredible as always."
"His medical prowess seems to improve day by day."
"That physician from the Jung-gang Medical District will be amazed again tomorrow."
A physician from the Jung-gang Medical District jogged my memory.
"Jung-gang Medical District? That's where Pyeon Dong-jin sent a letter saying he'd opened a clinic."