Chapter 20: Heir of the Medicine Immortal
A little while back, to the banquet held at the Baek family manor.
Dang Si Hyeok, who had been downing drink after drink, wore a displeased expression.
It was because of the voices incessantly ringing in his ears.
"That time! When the Eastern Sword Dragon drew his blade, didn't he say it? 'How dare you wander the jianghu as you please.' Man!"
Eastern Sword Dragon.
The swordsman from the East who had driven away the wicked Demonic Cult forces with his mere presence. In other words, it referred to me, Sado Hwan. Just as I predicted, hundreds of witnesses to the incident had coined this moniker for me. It was a pretty fitting nickname.
"And that's not all? For someone like us, lowly warriors, to step up and be recognized—who would do that? The Tang Clan stepping in—"
"Hey now, friend. You're quite drunk. Enough. Enough."
"No, am I wrong? Tell me if I'm wrong!"
Dang Si Hyeok turned his head and glared at the drunken man. Only then did the man flinch in fear, let out a squeak, and bolt from his seat, vanishing somewhere.
A Tang Clan warrior standing guard by Dang Si Hyeok spoke up.
"I'll go discipline him, Young Master."
"No need."
Dang Si Hyeok tossed back another drink and said bitterly.
"We're not the stars of this banquet. We can't cause a scene as uninvited guests."
"……Understood."
"The mood's ruined. Let's prepare to leave."
"Yes, Young Master."
Dang Si Hyeok rose from his seat. Not a soul came to see him off. The Tang Clan were usually treated as honored guests wherever they went, but as Dang Si Hyeok said, they weren't the protagonists here. Far off, surrounded by people and flashing a friendly smile, was Un Yeop Ja—and absent from the scene, the Eastern Sword Dragon. They were the stars.
Grind.
Dang Si Hyeok ground his teeth. His molars ached at the reality of being thoroughly sidelined. Fine, Un Yeop Ja had the seniority and justification.
'Eastern Sword Dragon? Hmph! That's just the coward's sophistry.'
A true warrior fought with the sword, not the tongue. But that guy had shamelessly dragged the other clueless fools here into it to play the hero.
'Whatever. They're nobodies I'll never cross paths with again anyway. Time to find the Black Feather Fan.'
As Dang Si Hyeok walked, he recalled his conversation with the Tang Clan head, Dang Mun Su.
"People think the Black Feather Fan is the Poison Demon's treasure, but in truth, it was the Tang Clan's. Until your grandfather lost it to the Poison Demon in a bet twenty years ago."
"Is it that important?"
"Very. It's not just some poison sprayer. A hundred years ago, during the Heavenly Demon Blood War, an immortal from the East lent it to us."
"That's still a hundred years ago."
"That immortal made a prophecy back then. A century later, his descendant would come to reclaim the item he lent. And this year marks that hundredth year. He'll surely come."
"Who the hell is this immortal that's got you so worked up?"
Dang Si Hyeok had been stunned by the answer.
Lost in those thoughts, Dang Si Hyeok suddenly noticed something tickling his nose. He sniffed the air and kept walking.
Where his steps halted was the spot where Pa Cheon had been embedded in the floor. The sword's outline remained etched there, and a faint poisonous scent wafted from it. No one else might notice, but it couldn't fool the nose of a direct Tang Clan heir, trained from birth.
In that moment, realization dawned on Dang Si Hyeok.
"……So, you were fooling everyone after all."
The subtle poison scent from where that guy's sword had pierced must mean his fan was the Black Feather Fan. He was definitely a Demonic Cultist, and everyone had fallen for their staged play. It was a hunch born of drink and jealousy, but Dang Si Hyeok had astonishingly neared the truth.
That was why Dang Si Hyeok sought out Sado Hwan with a twisted smile.
But.
The Eastern Sword Dragon he witnessed firsthand was no Demonic Cultist. Having chanced upon him unleashing his martial arts, Dang Si Hyeok felt like lightning had struck his mind—a massive shock.
"Perfect control of the Flying Sword…… that poison scent…… young face, from the East……"
Those clues pointed to one person.
"N-No way…… are you that person?"
The Eastern Sword Dragon's expression subtly hardened. Seeing that, Dang Si Hyeok was convinced he was right.
"That poison scent…… so that's what it was? You truly are him!"
The Eastern Sword Dragon nodded, his face full of dignified gravitas, speaking as if exasperated.
"……Took you long enough. Yes. It's me."
I sheathed Pa Cheon and crossed my arms, striking a suitably weighty pose. He seemed to think I was some big shot now.
"Y-Yes! Greetings, heir of the Medicine Immortal!"
Dang Si Hyeok clasped his hands in respect, bowing so low his crown was visible—like an L-shape.
"……"
I'm a veteran of Return to the Murim. I've devoured, dissected, savored, and reveled in it, so I know most characters. Even Dang Si Hyeok gets a passing mention as an extra during the Demonic Cult War.
Of course I remember the Medicine Immortal.
Medicine Immortal. Literally, the immortal of medicine. One of the most famous sages, master of every elixir and poison like a deity.
He never appears directly in the story. But he pops up whenever someone marvels, "Ooh, the elixir left by the Medicine Immortal!" Those elixirs have insane effects, sparking sect wars over them.
Right now, Dang Si Hyeok mistook me for his heir.
'……From the East, a master. That's not enough to think Medicine Immortal's heir.'
The final clue was the 'poison scent'. Now it clicked.
'Dok So Gong's poison qi!'
Pa Cheon had absorbed Dok So Gong's poison qi, leading to this misunderstanding.
"I…… I had no idea. Not until you deliberately released that poison scent to enlighten me."
"……"
That wasn't intentional—it was just flair for kicking down the Baek manor door, and Pa Cheon ad-libbed some sword qi. Anyway, sniffing out the lingering poison from that? I'd have to be extra careful using Pa Cheon from now on. Wielding it like a family heirloom could backfire big time.
"So that fan must be the Black Feather Fan."
"……"
"To reclaim what the Medicine Immortal entrusted a century ago. Forgive us—our clan lost it, so you recovered it yourself."
"……"
Keeping up the dignified act, Dang Si Hyeok was drumming and fanning himself, spilling all I needed.
That the Black Feather Fan was originally the Medicine Immortal's. Explained its ridiculous power.
[No way that's true.]
'What?'
Pa Cheon spoke.
[The Black Feather Fan is the Divine Cult's treasure.]
'Well, the Poison Demon was Cult folk, so he'd say that.'
One flaw in Dang Si Hyeok's tale: the Medicine Immortal has no heir. He ascended without one. Later, that fact leaks, causing elixir shortages and price surges—an episode in the novel.
Heh.
I couldn't help smirking inwardly.
So now, Dang Si Hyeok had basically fleshed out my vague 'Eastern' origins for me.
His lost-puppy, desperate face suddenly looked adorable. Even dog shit has its uses in medicine.
But that was just my inner thought. Outwardly, I kept the solemn Medicine Immortal heir vibe.
Dang Si Hyeok squirmed. No wonder—a century-old sage's heir would outrank even Nine Great Sect leaders by seniority. With them as S-tier, the Five Great Clans were A+ at best. I couldn't be comfy around that.
'First things first: shut his mouth.'
[Planning a massacre? I'll help.]
'You wanna be a bloodthirsty killer? Shut it.'
I maintained my dignified expression.
"Dang Si Hyeok."
"Y-Yes, Heir."
"You know what you did wrong?"
"That is……"
I bellowed suddenly.
"You fool!"
Like a man stepping on his own toes, Dang Si Hyeok dropped to his knees.
"S-Sorry! Five days ago, drunk, I picked a fight. Ten days ago, a bet where I roughed up a subordinate. A month ago, I smashed an inn's furnishings—but I compensated with silver! And also……"
Th-Those were kinda cute(?) mistakes. Usual warrior screw-ups involve dead or maimed bodies.
This one had reform potential?
"A-And……"
"Enough. That's not your sin."
I cut him off.
"Judging people rashly with your shallow eyes. That's your crime. Before knowing the truth, you saw me and Taeryeong County's warriors as mere nobodies."
"Gasp!"
Dang Si Hyeok clapped a hand over his mouth, busted.
Of course. Junior disciples spout that crap. Un Yeop Ja's the odd one. Well, he's beyond junior level now.
"Remember this, Dang Si Hyeok. The jianghu is vast, full of people. Never be arrogant."
Dang Si Hyeok's ears flushed red with shame. Blushes-at-the-ears type, huh. He nodded vigorously.
"Understood, Heir! I won't be arrogant, ever."
"One more thing. Don't call me heir."
"Pardon?"
"I'm on a vital mission to the West. The Black Feather Fan was incidental."
"Th-Then let me assist!"
"No. It's a secret Eastern mission. Exposure would jeopardize it."
"So you hid your identity…… What of Un Yeop Ja?"
"Un Yeop Ja's a good man. But he only knows I'm from the East."
Dang Si Hyeok's face lit up oddly.
"Anyway, no rash actions. Leak nothing beyond my Eastern origins. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
"And the Black Feather Fan……"
"Naturally, it belongs with you, Young Master—not heir, I mean. Of course."
"……"
H-He surrendered it too easily. Now I feel like the villain.
[You're a bad guy.]
'Hey.'
[But Dang Si Hyeok's worse. Falling for it so naively. Typical jianghu idiots.]
'Junior disciples are all like that.'
The world runs on deception.
His personality made him vulnerable; my salesman-honed tongue and acting were unbeatable for a 'naive'(?) guy like him.
That said, not done yet.
"Dang Si Hyeok. You have a poison pouch, right?"
Poison users all carry poison pouches. Dok So Gong did too.
"Yes, of course, but……?"
"Hand it over."
Got a sucker? Milk it dry.
Pretending to Be the Heavenly Demon