Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Physician and the Scoundrel
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I spotted someone I hadn't expected to see.
I never thought Nangong Mubaek would be in the herbal shop.
The shop was spacious, and with so many customers around, Nangong Mubaek hadn't noticed me come in.
He was too busy looking elsewhere to even care who was nearby.
Nangong Mubaek was prancing back and forth in front of a woman like a puppy wagging its tail and begging for attention.
It was his way of saying, look at me.
"Hmmm."
Calling him lovesick was putting it mildly. His eyes were practically sparkling.
Damn, there's a beauty like that even in Hefei?
I could understand Nangong Mubaek acting like a dog in heat, whining at her side.
I'd seen plenty of beauties in the Murim Alliance—courtesans worthy of the title "flowers of the moon"—but this woman ranked among the top three I'd ever laid eyes on.
Still, I quickly lost interest.
There was no such thing as a rose without thorns, and I'd never met a beauty with a personality to match.
"Isn't that the Anhui Saintess?"
A merchant buying herbs next to me muttered under his breath.
"Yeah. She came to Hefei recently and has been treating patients."
"Free treatments, too. She deserves the title of saintess."
"They say she treats dozens of patients a day. How does she cover the cost of all those herbs?"
"Word is she charges a fortune to the rich and powerful. Uses that to pay for the poor folks' medicine."
"Ah, a true healer for us commoners."
"And a stunning beauty on top of that. No end to the marriage proposals from high officials."
"Hey, isn't that guy Nangong Mubaek?"
"Now even the scoundrels are trailing after the saintess. Poor her—she stepped in shit."
"As long as that rogue doesn't cause her any harm."
"To be fair, he's been doing some good deeds lately. Helped merchants who were paying protection money to the Dusik Gang."
"Listen, mad dogs don't just bite people. They bite other dogs too. That was just a fluke. Don't get your hopes up. People don't change that easily."
"Still, he doesn't seem to be up to his old scoundrel ways as much anymore."
The two men gradually drifted away from me.
Glancing at the saintess physician, I saw she paid no attention to Nangong Mubaek bouncing around beside her.
She knew better than to make eye contact with a mad dog.
Having lived long enough, I'd learned there was no such thing as kindness without strings attached. So I eyed the saintess with suspicion.
No one would wander around like that without some agenda. Especially not a beauty like her.
The medical assistant tending to the saintess dropped some herbs while filling her basket.
"Let me get that."
Sensing his chance, Nangong Mubaek quickly picked them up and placed them in the saintess's basket.
"Thank you."
Unable to ignore the courtesy, the saintess inadvertently met his gaze.
Nangong Mubaek had been hovering for ages and finally got his eye contact.
Grinning boldly, he spoke up.
"No trouble at all. I'm Nangong Mubaek, youngest son of the Nangong Family. And may I have the lady's name?"
It was almost comical seeing a scoundrel minding his manners.
Scoundrels weren't scoundrels all the time.
When it came to things—or people—they liked and cherished, they could act perfectly normal.
This was one of those moments for Nangong Mubaek.
Unable to shake off the persistent flirt, the saintess replied quietly.
"I'm afraid I'm too busy. I must be going."
Blocking her path as she tried to leave, Nangong Mubaek spoke politely.
But only he was oblivious to how much it resembled a threat.
"Just tell me your name and where you're staying, and I'll step aside. How could I let a beauty like you slip away in Hefei? My family would beat me to death."
The saintess let out a deep sigh.
"I'm a physician."
At that, Nangong Mubaek clapped his hands.
"Ah, could you be the saintess who's been offering free treatments in Hefei lately?"
"The title 'saintess' makes me uncomfortable. I simply practice medicine."
"Right, right. What was your name again? I heard it once. Ah, Jong Sobin. That's it, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's my name."
The saintess wore a resigned expression, as if she'd given up.
"Lady Jong. There's no part of me that doesn't ache. I'll come to you often for treatment."
Having learned Jong Sobin's name and whereabouts, Nangong Mubaek flashed a triumphant smile like a victorious general and stepped aside.
As Jong Sobin left the herbal shop, she glanced briefly in my direction.
I met her calm gaze steadily, and she quickly turned away, hurrying out.
She was walking fast, probably worried Nangong Mubaek might follow.
"Ha ha ha. At last, this Nangong Mubaek has met a beauty worth admiring."
I approached Nangong Mubaek and asked,
"What brings you to the herbal shop?"
"Huh? What are you doing here, Scholar Cheon?"
"Buying some herbs I need."
The greedy glint in his eyes from staring at Jong Sobin instantly turned to disgust.
"I came to get some medicine made for myself."
"What kind? You could just use the family pharmacy."
"It's for personal use."
I snuck a peek at the two prescriptions in his hand.
The herb names alone told me their purpose.
One was just as I'd guessed.
This bastard's brewing aphrodisiacs because he plans to swing his dick around everywhere.
The other was unexpected.
Clarity Tonic, huh.
Clarity Tonic stabilized the mind and body while boosting memory and focus.
Why the hell does this guy need Clarity Tonic?
He half-assed both his studies and his martial arts training.
"Scholar Cheon, have you made any progress interpreting the manual I gave you? Can you really afford to wander around like this? Interpreting that thing should take all your time."
"I needed herbs while working on it, so I stepped out. I've interpreted a few lines, but it's quite difficult."
"Hmph. I had high hopes since you're a jinshi-level scholar."
His genuine disappointment made me chuckle.
"But given time, I think I can figure it all out."
"Really?"
Seeing him brighten up again, I felt more pity than annoyance.
"Tell me what you've interpreted so far. Let me hear it."
"Is it okay to talk about it here?"
"It's just a line or two from the manual. No one would understand even if they overheard."
He had a point, so I quietly recited my interpretation of a couple lines.
Nangong Mubaek nodded as he listened.
In truth, Nangong Mubaek was inwardly shocked.
He'd shown the same manual to five scholars he'd hired as private tutors, but none had demonstrated Cheon Taesan's level of insight.
And Scholar Cheon's interpretation matched the most orthodox one upheld by the family.
They said he was jinshi-level, and it's true.
It was a manual that required vast erudition to interpret.
Over centuries, countless scholars and warriors had verified its meaning, yet he'd matched it perfectly in just a few days. Calling him a genius wasn't hyperbole.
In that case, I should milk this scholar for more. To surpass my brothers.
Nangong Mubaek's greed had been sparked by Scholar Cheon's interpretation.
"My own interpretation is pretty similar to yours, Scholar Cheon."
Nangong Mubaek, spouting nonsense, fixed me with a steady gaze.
It lacked the usual hostility, leaving me a bit off-balance.
Something important was coming.
"Do you have something to say?"
"In two days, guests from the Zhuge Family will visit."
It was a somewhat out-of-left-field comment.
"And?"
"Well, one of them is a friend my age."
I picked up the thread.
"Young Master Zhuge Dowon, you mean?"
"You know him?"
Of course I did. Who wouldn't know that scoundrel?
The infamous rogue of the Murim Alliance alongside Pang Soun.
"I've seen him a few times at the Alliance, but he wouldn't know me."
I'd taken note of the scoundrel, but since he lacked the Big Dipper aura I sought, I'd left him alone.
Just a routine visit.
A regular scoundrel gathering. Scoundrels flock together when no one else will have them.
That's when it clicked why Nangong Mubaek was brewing Clarity Tonic out of the blue.
He planned to chug it down, muster some focus, and hold his own against Zhuge Dowon.
Nangong Mubaek pondered for a moment before speaking.
"When they arrive, join us, Scholar Cheon."
His intentions were so transparent I couldn't help but smirk.
"No thanks. Why would I crash a gathering of family heirs?"
"You've been to the Alliance. You must know him well."
I knew exactly why he wanted me there.
Zhuge Dowon had more learning than the other heirs.
The Zhuge Family prized scholarship over martial prowess.
They were famous for their formations and arrays, too.
Zhuge Dowon loved showing off with poetry, essays, and paintings at these heir gatherings.
The other scoundrels hated it.
He clearly wanted me to undermine the guy's bragging.
"Come on, join us. The food and drink will be top-notch."
"Still no."
My blunt refusal made his cheek twitch.
He tended to throw fits when things didn't go his way, but he held it in this time.
"What do you want?"
"To observe your training."
Though he neglected his studies, Nangong Mubaek never skipped his daily martial arts practice.
It showed he was aware of his status as a direct heir.
He knew a family heir with mediocre skills wouldn't be respected anywhere.
Catching my unexpected request, Nangong Mubaek stared blankly for a while.
"My training? Why?"
"Prestigious sects and families have their signature symbols. To accurately interpret the manual you gave me, I need to understand other martial arts manuals. I'd like to read the manual for the technique you're currently practicing, watch your movements, and verify my interpretation."
Nangong Mubaek was genuinely surprised by the scholar's passionate gaze, for two reasons.
First, the scholar truly wanted to interpret the manual he'd given him.
Most scholars had zero interest in martial arts. They wouldn't even glance at sword forms demonstrated right beside them—lofty types who dismissed it as vulgar, lifeless physicality.
Plus, he'd assigned this manual almost like homework, baiting the scholar into qi deviation.
Yet here he was, eager to watch such tedious stuff.
Second, he'd handed over a manual designed to induce qi deviation, but not only had the scholar avoided it—he'd interpreted it correctly.
Most scholars mangled it with wild misinterpretations, wandering into dead ends.
They'd sooner drown in scholarly anguish than true qi deviation.
Qi deviation was dangerous mainly for martial artists with built-up internal energy.
For non-cultivators, it was like a bad flu—days to months of misery, at worst.
Occasionally, it left someone crippled like a stroke victim, but that was exceedingly rare.
Good. If you dive deeper into that manual, it'll work out for me too. Let's play the long game.
The scholar was too sharp to fall into qi deviation right away.
So Nangong Mubaek decided to lure him in further.
"Warriors' training must look like pointless, boring motions to a scholar. You sure?"
His utterly unconcerned expression undercut the concern.
"On the contrary, may I ask if you're okay with it? I hear it's rude to watch a warrior train uninvited."
A scoundrel like him cared more about tormenting a scholar who'd humiliated him than any unwritten murim rule.
"If I'm fine with it, what's the problem? Watch away. Ask if you don't get something."
Genuinely committed to breaking the man, Nangong Mubaek was even cordial.
"Understood. Then I'll come to your training after the Zhuge Family guests leave."
"No, start tomorrow. Today I've got urgent business. And every day after. Promise me."
Nangong Mubaek even extracted a pledge that Scholar Cheon would keep his word.
"Understood."
Watching Nangong Mubaek leave with a satisfied grin after our odd agreement, I smiled.
Absorbing his aura too should extend my lifespan by a few years. But first, train him well to cultivate that prime Big Dipper energy. With Pang Soun and now Nangong Mubaek under my belt, I'll finally catch a break.
I smiled again as I watched Nangong Mubaek head off in the direction where the saintess physician had vanished.
The next day, before heading to the training grounds, Nangong Mubaek summoned me and handed over the manual for his current technique.
I was stunned when I saw the title.