Chapter 59
Chapter 59
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: How a Korean Medicine Doctor Becomes the World's Greatest Physician in the Murim World
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"And we have Jang Physician right here."
"You've never met him before either?"
Byuk Geum-seok's question drew a nod from Son Hu-ji.
"That's right. Master Yu never has any reason to come here."
"Fair enough."
"Hmm. I don't know why Master Yu showed up today, but Jang Physician really is something else."
"What makes you say that?"
"Even my master thinks the world of Jang Physician. Though he does seem closer to that apprentice from the Sichuan Tang Family here."
Byuk Geum-seok knew a fair bit about White Crane Scholar Jo Jeong-yak and Jang Wol. They'd even met together at the Deokyang So Family estate.
Byuk Geum-seok nodded.
"White Crane Scholar was stunned when he heard about those two's medical skills and poison-curing prowess."
"What did master hear?"
"I was teetering on the edge of life and death from Blood Response Poison, and those two cured me in a single night. I told White Crane Scholar all about it."
As Byuk Geum-seok recounted the tale, Son Hu-ji's eyes went wide.
"Blood Response Poison cleared up that fast... and those severe wounds healed overnight too..."
Son Hu-ji gazed at Clear Seclusion Clinic, nodding in awe-filled reverence.
"The more I hear, the more astonishing he sounds."
"And now Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand just went in too. Let's hurry and check it out ourselves."
"Yes."
The two headed straight into Clear Seclusion Clinic.
Bae Seon-u, who had been sweeping the courtyard, greeted them politely.
"Master Son, welcome! Oh? Lord Byuk of Gold Flower Merchant Company—you're here too. Hello. What a day this is, with Master Yu and the merchant lord both visiting! Please, come inside!"
Following Bae Seon-u's cheerful guidance, the pair entered the main building of Clear Seclusion Clinic.
Byuk Geum-seok wondered what business had brought Yu Ja-gyeom here.
Yu Ja-gyeom, who had been chatting with Song Heon-ro and the other physicians, spotted Byuk Geum-seok and gasped in surprise.
"What in the world? How did this happen? Was Clear Seclusion Clinic always this bustling? All of Deokyang's big shots gathered in one place. Song Physician, did you call them?"
Song Heon-ro shook his head with a wry smile.
"We just came to see Jang Physician, that's all."
"Then what's the Gold Flower Merchant lord doing here?"
Byuk Geum-seok answered Yu Ja-gyeom's question.
"I had some business with Jang Physician too. Looks like it just happened to overlap with everyone else's visits."
Yu Ja-gyeom cleared his throat with a displeased frown.
"Ahem. I just came for a quick moxibustion session, but I didn't expect it to be this busy."
Not just Byuk Geum-seok—everyone's eyes widened at that.
Deokyang Medical District's top physician, Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand Yu Ja-gyeom, seeking moxibustion from Jang Wol. It was the kind of thing no one could believe.
The other physicians chimed in eagerly.
"Master Yu, is that for real?"
"If that's the case, you should go first."
"We'll wait as long as it takes."
They murmured among themselves.
"Jang Physician's amazing moxibustion—Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand experiencing it firsthand."
"Exactly. There must be something we can learn from this."
Yu Ja-gyeom puffed up with pride as the other physicians yielded the floor to him.
"In that case, I'll handle my business first. No issue for you, Gold Flower Merchant lord?"
Byuk Geum-seok nodded.
"Of course not."
He had come to gauge Jang Wol and Clear Seclusion Clinic's current standing anyway. This was the perfect scene to confirm it, so he was more than happy to wait.
With the situation sorted, Yu Ja-gyeom turned to Jang Wol, beaming smugly.
"How about it? I've cleared the way for this one. I wanted to experience that moxibustion myself."
Jang Wol smiled faintly.
"Even the best moxibustion is overkill if overdone. Let's start with a pulse diagnosis first."
The corners of Yu Ja-gyeom's mouth curled up.
"As expected, Jang Physician isn't your average fellow. Go ahead and take my pulse."
Yu Ja-gyeom extended his wrist, and the onlookers all swallowed hard.
It was a rare sight—a physician of Yu Ja-gyeom's caliber letting someone else diagnose him.
Jang Wol grasped the wrist, and moments later, Yu Ja-gyeom grinned confidently.
"Well? Perfectly healthy, right? I check my own pulse every morning."
"You have Kidney Yang Deficiency."
"Pardon?"
Yu Ja-gyeom's eyes bulged, and the surrounding physicians began whispering.
"Even Master Yu has Kidney Yang Deficiency."
"No matter how great a physician, age catches up to everyone."
Unlike the murmuring physicians, Byuk Geum-seok had no idea what that meant. He quietly asked Song Heon-ro nearby.
"What's Kidney Yang Deficiency?"
"Simply put, it means the kidney's yang energy is depleted, leading to weakened bodily functions. It can stem from various causes, but it's also a natural diagnosis with aging."
"So it's not a serious illness for Master Yu. Then why's he so flustered?"
"Yang energy is vital for a man. Kidney Yang Deficiency also implies a decline in masculine vitality."
Byuk Geum-seok finally nodded in understanding. That explained Yu Ja-gyeom's reaction.
Overhearing the whispers, Yu Ja-gyeom stammered awkwardly.
"W-well, that's unavoidable."
"True enough. It is Kidney Yang Deficiency, though. Moxibustion should help regardless. Please remove your upper garment and lie face-down on the treatment bed."
Yu Ja-gyeom had only wanted to try Jang Wol's moxibustion once. But now that his condition was out in the open, he meekly complied and lay on the bed.
"For moxibustion on Kidney Yang Deficiency, we'll naturally target Kidney Shu and Gate of Life points."
Kidney Shu and Gate of Life—both on the back.
Kidney Shu benefited the kidneys as the name suggested, while Gate of Life was closely tied to reproductive functions.
Jang Wol molded mugwort powder into cones and placed them on Kidney Shu, Gate of Life, Three Mile Point, and others. He lit them, and soon smoke rose, filling Clear Seclusion Clinic with the scent of burning mugwort.
As the mugwort burned down, Yu Ja-gyeom's eyes grew wider. A sharp, vibrant energy began gleaming in them.
Moments later, Jang Wol wiped away the ash and asked.
"How do you feel?"
Yu Ja-gyeom sat up, straightened his clothes, and cleared his throat with a solemn, dignified expression.
"Ahem. As rumored, what incredible moxibustion. This could be Deokyang Medical District's pride and joy. No wonder I wanted to recruit you, Jang Physician."
"You're too kind."
"I'm dying to see that rascal Gu Saeng-myeong's reaction when he shows up. Heh."
The other physicians murmured.
"Is that Gu Saeng-myeong from Yangyang Medical District coming?"
"Gu Saeng-myeong—the one they call Jiangnan's Greatest Physician?"
The murmurer fell silent under Yu Ja-gyeom's sharp glare.
But Jang Wol seemed utterly uninterested, turning back to Yu Ja-gyeom.
"You haven't mentioned how the moxibustion felt, though."
"W-what's there to say! Anyway, I'll be off."
Yu Ja-gyeom dodged the question and hastily fled Clear Seclusion Clinic.
"He left in quite the rush compared to when he arrived."
"Must be overflowing with energy now."
As Yu Ja-gyeom vanished, Jang Wol approached Byuk Geum-seok and bowed apologetically.
"I'm sorry for making you wait despite your visit. The appointments with Song Physician and the others were already scheduled."
Byuk Geum-seok nodded with a pleased smile.
"No harm done. It was my fault for showing up unannounced."
He had come to assess Clear Seclusion Clinic's prestige. Every scene unfolding before him solidified his confidence in Jang Wol.
Soon, after all the physicians had left, Byuk Geum-seok finally got his time.
"Incredible. All those famous physicians learning from Jang Physician."
"Learning? We're just researching together."
"Cheol-bo told me you had business with me. Is it about that investment in Deokyang Medical District?"
"Yes. I plan to make Deokyang Medical District the greatest in the jianghu."
"As a merchant, that's a tantalizing ambition."
"But we can't do it overnight. We'll build it step by step. The first step is having all of Deokyang Medical District's physicians meet regularly to share knowledge."
Currently, only Song Heon-ro, Sa-gong Yak, Jong Ri-soong, and a few others were involved.
But Jang Wol intended to expand it to every physician in the district.
"Grand plans require stages, naturally. I get the first one. And you need my cooperation?"
Jang Wol smiled.
"Exactly."
A few days later, after finishing my consultations, I headed to the auditorium at Famous Physician Tower.
Deokyang Medical District had about ten clinics. Half were connected to me somehow, but the other half weren't.
The power of the collective is key. Developing alone won't cut it.
I needed to elevate the entire Deokyang Medical District.
I'd seen the strengths of franchise Korean medicine clinics even in modern times.
Branding built stable recognition and trust. Unified systems and manuals ensured consistent treatment, making collaboration seamless.
New treatments or herbs could be adopted faster too.
And I'd get exposure to a wider range of patients.
Joint consultations meant we could reach out for tough cases.
It would create more opportunities for me, no doubt.
But uniting the district overnight was impossible.
So the first step: regular gatherings where Deokyang's physicians researched acupuncture, medical techniques, and shared insights.
Arriving at Famous Physician Tower's auditorium, Song Heon-ro, Sa-gong Yak, and Jong Ri-soong were already there.
"Welcome, Jang Physician."
"Hello."
I exchanged greetings with them, then with the other physicians.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Jang Wol of Clear Seclusion Clinic."
They weren't complete strangers—we'd crossed paths around Deokyang Medical District.
The physicians who'd greeted me spoke up.
"We've heard the rumors. You want to hold a medical discussion forum with us Deokyang physicians."
Song Heon-ro and the others had apparently named it a "medical discussion forum." Fitting for a gathering to debate medicine.
"Yes. It could help us all advance our skills together."
But the physicians looked unimpressed.
"We've heard plenty about you lately, Jang Physician. Your skills are said to be extraordinary."
"But Deokyang Medical District is still part of the jianghu. And the jianghu has its hierarchies and reputations."
"Right. Without Immortal Spirit Miracle Hand or White Crane Scholar—the district's top two—it's only half a gathering..."
"Ah, looks like we're late."
Yu Ja-gyeom and Jo Jeong-yak soon entered, glancing around in surprise.
"Ho, what a rare sight. Every physician in Deokyang Medical District in one place."
"Impressive maneuvering, Jang Physician. Well done."
Yu Ja-gyeom and Jo Jeong-yak took their seats.
The hesitant physicians froze, suddenly speechless.
I smiled at them.
"With those two here, it won't be half a gathering anymore."
"W-well... I suppose... I could give it a try."
A few physicians began leaning toward agreement.
But some still looked worried.
"Still, for gatherings like this, we need a sponsor. Small ones we could fund ourselves, but at this scale..."
At that moment, someone entered the auditorium.
"Don't worry about that. Gold Flower will sponsor as much as needed."
"L-Lord Byuk of Gold Flower Merchant Company—what brings you here?"
"Heh, what do you think? Jang Physician asked me to come."
The physicians' wide-eyed stares turned to me.
Even with a sponsor, some hesitation lingered. I understood—such a forum was unprecedented.
People get cautious with new ventures.
Then Yu Ja-gyeom stood, his voice ringing clear and sharp.
"Why all the hesitation? Young Jang Wol here is stepping up personally—do you plan to be uncooperative?"
"..."
"We've always been dismissed as the jianghu's backwater compared to Yangyang or Jeongju Medical Districts. And now Gu Saeng-myeong from Yangyang is visiting soon."
Mentions of Yangyang Medical District and Gu Saeng-myeong shifted their eyes.
"Gu Saeng-myeong's coming? Count me in, then."
"We can't let Yangyang or Jeongju outshine Deokyang Medical District."
Suddenly, the physicians were fired up.
Sense of belonging is a scary thing.
And Deokyang seemed to harbor more rivalry toward Yangyang and Jeongju than I'd thought.
To the re-energized crowd, Yu Ja-gyeom declared.
"And we have Jang Physician right here. He pulled off an astonishing treatment just the other day."
All eyes turned to me.