Chapter 46
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Bargains and Business
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Having finished his daily tasks, Sa Mu-sim stood before a birdcage set up in a corner of the valley, a good-natured smile on his face.
He was in the middle of training pigeons he had brought back one or two at a time from his trips to the village, feeding and caring for them himself to turn them into carrier pigeons.
"Let's do our best from now on."
Having grown quite fond of him, the pigeons affectionately rubbed their beaks against Sa Mu-sim's hand as he filled their feeder.
Just then, Beom Gye-wi's voice rang out from somewhere.
"Hey! Do it right!"
Sa Mu-sim turned his head toward the sound.
In the distance, near Dan Ak-seon's pavilion, he saw Beom Gye-wi looking at him.
As always, Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa were with him.
"Yes. I will do just that."
Sa Mu-sim's immediate reply left Beom Gye-wi feeling awkward.
Cho Ak-ryang asked Beom Gye-wi with a look of disbelief.
"What exactly were you telling him to do right?"
"Huh? Just... everything."
Just then, Dan Ak-seon, who was leaving the pavilion, smiled at Beom Gye-wi.
"I'm glad General Manager Sa seems to be adjusting well."
Beom Gye-wi, however, wore a skeptical expression.
"Is it because he came back from the dead? Why has he changed so much?"
Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa nodded silently.
Indeed, Sa Mu-sim's demeanor had changed drastically since his Qi Deviation was cured.
His relaxed attitude and smile, as if he had transcended worldly concerns, showed no trace of his past as the Money-Grubbing Ghost Lord.
"I think it's thanks to you, Uncle Beom."
"Huh?"
While Beom Gye-wi was flustered by the unexpected comment, Dan Ak-seon continued with a smile.
"You always strike up a conversation with him first, just like now. That kindness is your strong suit, Uncle Beom."
"Me?"
"Of course. I can vouch for it, having watched you all this time."
Unlike Beom Gye-wi, who laughed awkwardly, Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa furrowed their brows in bewilderment.
"As much as I trust and rely on Physician Dan, I can't agree with that."
Han Seol-hwa nodded in agreement with Cho Ak-ryang's words.
On the other hand, Beom Gye-wi, pleased by Dan Ak-seon's praise, shrugged and grinned at Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa.
Just as the two, now inexplicably annoyed, were about to retort.
Dan Ak-seon spoke to the three of them.
"I'm planning to start Uncle Cho's intensive treatment today."
"Intensive treatment?"
Dan Ak-seon nodded at Beom Gye-wi's question.
"I intend to properly align his minor meridians using the Dignified Fire Therapy. It will likely take longer than usual, so we should get started."
Beom Gye-wi glanced at Cho Ak-ryang, then revealed a displeased expression.
"Um... Physician Dan. Could we postpone our treatment for a few days?"
"What? Why?"
"I'm a bit tired."
"Oh? You shouldn't be."
As a surprised Dan Ak-seon hurried to take his pulse, Beom Gye-wi shook his head.
"No, no. It's not a physical problem. It's more... a mental exhaustion, you could say."
Han Seol-hwa, who had been listening quietly, looked aghast. The word 'mental' coming from Beom Gye-wi's mouth!
At that moment, Cho Ak-ryang's eyes narrowed.
"Don't tell me you're doing this because you don't want me to recover."
Beom Gye-wi retorted bluntly to Cho Ak-ryang's accusation.
"What do you take me for? Although, it's true that as you've recovered your martial arts, your nagging has gotten worse, your rebukes more frequent, and the number of times you glare at me has increased..."
Cho Ak-ryang's gaze turned fierce, but Beom Gye-wi was not one to back down.
"It's a fact that you've been looking down on me more lately than before!"
Just as an incensed Cho Ak-ryang was about to say something, Beom Gye-wi pressed him.
"Didn't you say you were grateful? Is this the look of a grateful person?"
Cho Ak-ryang stared at Beom Gye-wi for a moment before letting out a sigh.
"I'm sorry you felt that way."
Having apologized, Cho Ak-ryang continued with a serious gaze.
"I am grateful to you and Sister Han. I mean that sincerely."
"Sounds like you weren't sincere until now."
"Hey, you bastard! How many times do I have to say I'm grateful? Do you think it's common for people to hear 'thank you' from me? Besides my late master and Physician Dan, you two are the only ones!"
"Words are cheap."
"What, you punk?"
Cho Ak-ryang asked through clenched teeth.
"What do you want?"
"Acknowledge it."
"....?"
"Acknowledge that I am the head of the Ten Great Villains."
"What?"
Glancing at the dumbfounded Cho Ak-ryang, Beom Gye-wi stretched languidly.
"If you just acknowledge that one thing, I feel like my body will feel light as a feather right away."
"They're all dead, and of the four... no. That bastard, the Seven Severing Demonic Lord, betrayed us, so he doesn't count."
Cho Ak-ryang asked Beom Gye-wi with a look of pity.
"There are only three of us left. Is that really important?"
"Sheesh, you talk too much. Are you going to do it or not?"
"Fine, I'll do it! I will!"
Cho Ak-ryang shouted at Beom Gye-wi.
"You are the greatest of the Ten Great Villains!"
"Ah, come on."
"What now?"
"Since you're doing it anyway, can't you put some real feeling into it?"
Cho Ak-ryang was seething inside, but he once again displayed superhuman patience.
"I, Cho Ak-ryang, acknowledge Mang Mountain's Thistle, Beom Gye-wi, as the head of the martial world's Ten Great Villains! Are you satisfied now?"
"Hehe. You should have just done that from the start."
Seeing Beom Gye-wi's satisfied laughter, Cho Ak-ryang was both bewildered and utterly flabbergasted.
But that wasn't the end of it.
An unexpected obstacle was waiting for Cho Ak-ryang.
"What about me?"
Han Seol-hwa, who had been quietly watching their conversation, suddenly interjected.
"What is it with you now?"
"We both helped with the treatment, but I can't let that fool be the only one to benefit."
"Haa... why are you being like this too?"
Cho Ak-ryang sighed and asked.
"So what do you want?"
"..."
Han Seol-hwa fell silent.
"I asked what you want."
He asked again, but Han Seol-hwa remained silent.
Cho Ak-ryang asked Han Seol-hwa with a suspicious look.
"Did you just jump in without thinking of anything?"
"No, I have something."
After a moment's hesitation, Han Seol-hwa spoke.
"Carve me a wooden statue."
"A wooden statue?"
"I want to preserve my current appearance."
Cho Ak-ryang nodded.
He could somewhat understand why Han Seol-hwa had requested such a price.
Time had passed her by until now, but as her treatment progressed, she too would age and grow old like a normal person.
She must want to leave behind an image of herself at her most beautiful.
"Alright. I'll make you a stone statue instead of a wooden one, so your image can be preserved for a long time."
A faint, barely perceptible smile formed on Han Seol-hwa's lips.
Seeing this, Dan Ak-seon spoke with a satisfied expression.
"Shall we begin now, then?"
Dan Ak-seon headed to the thatched hut with the three of them.
Watching the scene from a distance, Sa Mu-sim smiled warmly.
The utterly peaceful and heartwarming sight was a pleasure to behold.
Who would ever call them the infamously fearsome Blood Hand Honored One and Mang Mountain's Thistle?
His heart warmed anew.
For he too was now one of their companions.
To him, who had been counting his last days, his connection with Dan Ak-seon was a stroke of miraculous fortune.
Not only had he escaped Qi Deviation, but his severe internal injuries were also completely healed.
But there was an even greater blessing.
His twisted life had found its proper place.
He could not forget the kindness of Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi, who had created this opportunity.
They were the ones who had extended a saving hand each time, even though they could have easily ignored his plight.
'How can I ever repay them?'
It was a debt of gratitude so immense it would be difficult to repay even if he were reborn several times.
'For now, I can only do my best at the tasks I've been given.'
Sa Mu-sim made his way to a warehouse set up in a corner of Divine Demon Valley.
When he opened the warehouse door, his eyes fell upon stacks of wooden statues. These were the carvings Cho Ak-ryang had made over the past month.
At first, they were taken to the woodcraft shop in the village as soon as they were made, but Sa Mu-sim had objected.
He had come up with a way to maximize their profits.
He had already been entrusted with full authority over the finances of Divine Demon Valley, including its income and expenses.
After checking the quantity and condition of the statues, Sa Mu-sim moved to another warehouse.
It was a newly prepared storeroom for medicinal herbs.
The moment he opened the door, a deep, fragrant aroma enveloped him.
When he removed the cloth covering a box, he saw rows of pills wrapped in beeswax.
Sa Mu-sim smiled with satisfaction.
The very first thing Sa Mu-sim did after becoming general manager was to ask Dan Ak-seon to create pills.
These were Nourishing Pills, made with common medicinal ingredients instead of expensive ones to lower the cost.
However, their medicinal effects were far superior to the existing pills traded through medical houses.
Most importantly, they had no side effects.
'There's no better all-purpose medicine.'
They not only had antipyretic and analgesic effects but could also calm the mind and body even in small doses.
If crushed and applied to a wound, they also had an excellent hemostatic effect.
It was practically a panacea.
But the true value of the pills lay elsewhere.
'If martial artists find out about this, they'll come flocking with fire in their eyes.'
Having traversed the perilous Forest of Swords and Mountains of Blades, Sa Mu-sim himself had experienced injuries both large and small.
Naturally, he had been treated by physicians on numerous occasions.
But he had never encountered such a perfect medicine.
It could be used for both internal and external injuries.
Moreover, its effectiveness was incomparable to existing medicines.
For internal injuries that weren't life-threatening, simply taking the pill led to an astonishing improvement.
The same was true for external injuries.
It seemed to combine the disinfecting and pain-relieving properties of a Sweet Scallion Brew, the hemostatic effect of Peach Blossom Powder, and the flesh-regenerating power of Flesh Growth Powder all in one.
No wound salve he had ever encountered could compare.
Even the famous Plum Blossom Ointment of the Huashan Sect was a clear step below it.
"Now it's time for me to do what I do best."
He had already established a detailed method and plan, and the preparations were complete.
A fiery heat flickered in Sa Mu-sim's eyes.
* * *
That night.
Dan Ak-seon was in the middle of filling a book with characters when he paused his brush, lost in thought.
Lately, Dan Ak-seon had developed an ambition.
To establish a proper medical house and treat more patients. But he knew better than anyone how difficult that would be.
His own life was confined to this Divine Demon Valley, while the others were martial artists who belonged to the wider world.
They were staying here for treatment now, but they were people who would one day leave.
His dream must not become shackles for them.
"Valley Lord, may I come in for a moment?"
Sa Mu-sim's sudden voice pulled Dan Ak-seon from his thoughts.
"Yes, come in."
As Sa Mu-sim entered, Dan Ak-seon pushed the books on his desk to one side.
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"I'm thinking of starting to sell the wooden statues and pills."
Dan Ak-seon's expression brightened.
"That's great. The man at the craft shop has asked me several times when he could start receiving the statues."
"I'll speak with him separately. I think we need to change our sales method slightly."
A sudden worry crossed Dan Ak-seon's mind.
He had already heard about the evil deeds Sa Mu-sim had committed in the past to make money.
But, just as he had until now, he decided to trust Sa Mu-sim.
"I've already entrusted all authority to you, General Manager, so please do as you see fit."
Sa Mu-sim smiled quietly at Dan Ak-seon's expression of complete trust.
He was once again struck by the magnitude of Dan Ak-seon's character.
'Indeed.'
Sa Mu-sim nodded to himself.
There was a good reason why people like Cho Ak-ryang, Beom Gye-wi, and Han Seol-hwa cherished and followed Dan Ak-seon.
Dan Ak-seon suddenly looked puzzled.
"Is there something else you wanted to say?"
Sa Mu-sim began to speak carefully.
"I have a request."
"Please, go on."
"There is someone who needs treatment."
"Who is it?"
"His name is Elder Jo, the head of the largest merchant guild in Muwei. He is not only a skilled businessman but also a man of virtue and high repute, holding great influence in this region."
He was also an essential figure for creating steady value through the business they were about to start.
Dan Ak-seon readily nodded.
"Bring him here."
Sa Mu-sim smiled and bowed his head.
"I will do so."