Chapter 41
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Sword Sovereign's Tomb
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One-Star Medical House.
Each province usually has about two Star-ranked medical houses.
The people of the martial world are a folk who love to classify and rank everything.
They lined up the Star-ranked medical houses and ranked them as well.
Of the two Star-ranked houses, the superior one is called a One-Star Medical House, while the relatively inferior one is called a Two-Star Medical House.
Once a house is designated as a One-Star, it gets to use the name of its province as if it were its own. The Shaanxi Medical House, the Shandong Medical House, and so on.
For reference, Henan, where Nanyang is located, also has a One-Star Medical House, which is called the Henan Medical House instead of its original name.
This classification system leads to fierce competition between One-Star and Two-Star houses, a conflict that people call the War of the Medical Stars.
We still have a long way to go to become a Star-ranked medical house.
But Wi Ji-cheon thought otherwise.
It was a long way off, but it wouldn't take long.
They say it takes one generation for a Village-ranked house to become a Land-ranked one, and at least two generations to go from Land-ranked to Star-ranked.
But that didn't apply to the Medical Immortal Medical House.
Because the Medical Immortal Medical House had Wi Ji-cheon.
He would crush every obstacle in his way and move forward.
Alright, everyone, listen up! I am Hong Gae, a Five-Knot Beggar of the Beggar's Sect! We will now open the tomb! Our Beggar's Sect, along with Mount Hua and Jongnam, will take the lead! Since our sect was the first to acquire the treasure map, I trust there will be no complaints!
The martial artists murmured amongst themselves.
It meant that the Beggar's Sect, Mount Hua, and Jongnam would monopolize the best treasures.
But how could they dare to protest?
We have no interest in anything other than the Sword Sovereign's enlightenment, the 'Flowing Water Sword,' so you may divide the remaining treasures among yourselves. However, if anyone tries any funny business inside the tomb, be prepared to have your entire sect annihilated!
Everyone nodded at the chilling warning.
Unless one could slaughter everyone here to silence them, trickery was impossible. If even one person survived to spread the word, they would become the public enemy of the Beggar's Sect, Mount Hua, and Jongnam.
Shall we head in, Great Warrior Hong Gae?
Said Hyeon Un, the Plum Blossom Swordsman of Mount Hua.
Yes, we will open the tomb. Open the gate!
As they manipulated the hidden mechanism according to the treasure map, a tremendous rumbling sound echoed, and the entrance to the cave, once concealed by a boulder, was revealed.
The darkness felt eerie, as if a monster were opening its mouth, and the martial artists gulped in spite of themselves.
Hmph.
Plum Blossom Swordsman Hyeon Un and Jang Myeong of the Jongnam Sect led the way, with the rest of the Mount Hua and Jongnam disciples following behind.
Before entering the cave, Cheong Song, whom he had met in Xi'an a while ago, sent a brief, welcoming glance toward Wi Ji-cheon and then went inside.
Hmm, why do I have such a bad feeling about this?
Wi Ji-cheon furrowed his brow.
It had started the moment the tomb entrance opened.
He felt an unidentifiable sense of dread.
The greeting from Cheong Song just now felt like it could be his last.
My intuition is usually accurate. Could there be an unexpected danger lurking?
Just then, he spotted an unexpected figure among the martial artists entering the tomb.
A middle-aged man with a menacing face, looking as if Im from the underworld was written on his forehead.
Great Warrior Jang Sam?
Flinch!
Jang Sam slowly turned to look at Wi Ji-cheon.
Are you also planning to enter the Sword Sovereigns tomb, Great Warrior Jang Sam?
What business is it of yours? You little brat.
Pardon?
Wi Ji-cheon asked blankly.
It was a sound he shouldn't have been able to hear unless either his ears were broken or Jang Sam had gone mad.
Since his ears were perfectly fine, he concluded that Jang Sam had lost his mind.
Great Warrior are you alright? Are you perhaps unwell somewhere?
It was a question that meant, Are you crazy? Do you want to die?
Normally, Jang Sam would have understood the subtext perfectly, but he just snorted.
Im fine. Heh heh, of course Im fine. The Sword Sovereigns martial arts will belong to me, Jang Sam, the Southern Hegemon of Nanyang! The day has come to wash away the years of shame!
It was a declaration that screamed:
I will master the Sword Sovereigns arts and I wont let you off, Wi Ji-cheon!
Wi Ji-cheons mouth fell open in disbelief.
Um, Great Warrior Jang Sam? I think that tomb might be dangerous.
It was a piece of advice given out of their established rapport.
Wi Ji-cheons intuition was telling him.
Someone like Jang Sam would be swiftly dispatched in that tomb!
Hmph, trying to play tricks on me, you must be scared! Be prepared! From now on, this Jang Sam will become the Sword Sovereign of Nanyang! Of course, after I stomp on a certain detestable demon!
Jang Sam huffed and puffed as he entered the tomb. After everyone who was going in had done so, the surroundings fell silent.
Since the martial artists had just entered the tomb, the medical houses stationed outside had nothing to do for the time being.
When should I go in?
There was no need to rush in right now.
The real disaster wouldn't happen for a little while.
It would be best to enter after the martial artists inside had cleared some of the traps and dangerous mechanisms.
Still, feeling uneasy, Wi Ji-cheon lingered near the entrance.
He got glares from the disciples of other medical houses for standing there, but he ignored them.
What are you doing?
Ah, Junior Sister Dan Yeo. I was just thinking about the people bleeding inside, and it made me feel uneasy.
Dan Yeo scoffed, Hmph.
Arent you too soft-hearted? Senior Brother, sometimes I think youre too nice for your own good.
You think Im nice?
Wi Ji-cheon gave Dan Yeo a look that questioned her sanity, and Junior Brother A-seop, who had been quietly following behind, also shot her a stunned glance.
However, Dan Yeo seemed to genuinely believe it, as she stammered.
I-Its not a compliment, so dont get the wrong idea, okay? A physician needs a cool head, but being purely nice like you, Senior Brother, is a problem in itself.
Junior Sister Dan Yeo, Senior Brother Wi Ji-cheon isnt exactly purely nice
What did you just say, Junior Brother A-seop?
Nothing. Everything you said is correct, Junior Sister. Senior Brother Wi Ji-cheons goodness is enough to make the celestials in heaven weep.
A-seop, who had embarked on the path of a healer with grand ambitions but had risen to third in rank among his peers through sheer perceptiveness rather than medical skill, quickly agreed with his young junior sister.
It was then.
Wi Ji-cheons face hardened.
He sensed a presence from within the tomb.
Someone was coming out!
An injured person?
Someone coming out at this point probably wouldn't be too seriously injured.
The truly dangerous traps were usually located deeper inside.
But then.
Thud!
!!
Everyone was horrified.
The person who emerged was drenched head to toe in blood.
Damn. Too late.
Wi Ji-cheon, who was standing next to the entrance, was the first to check the person's condition, followed by the physicians from the Central Flower Medical House, who were camped relatively close by.
They all came to the same conclusion.
It was too late.
How can the wounds be this severe?
What kind of traps are in there?
The physicians who examined the injuries turned pale.
The persons entire body had been slashed to ribbons.
The wounds were so horrific it was a miracle they had made it this far.
Just then, the injured person opened their mouth.
I-Inside is h-hell
!!
We need a physician b-before its too late
With those last words, their head dropped.
They were dead.
The surroundings fell silent.
Everyone was at a loss for words in the face of this unexpected event.
W-What in the world is happening in there?
He said they need a physician?
Are there that many injured people?
That was the moment.
Rumble!!!
The cave entrance began to vibrate.
The entrance mechanism is collapsing!!
Get back!!
Dan So-cheon, the head of the Central Flower Medical House, gave the urgent order.
It was a natural command, as staying nearby would mean getting swept up by falling rocks, resulting in serious injury or being crushed to death.
But just then.
Junior Sister Dan Yeo, step back.
Senior Brother?
Its dangerous, hurry!!
Wi Ji-cheon darted inside.
Somethings gone wrong. If I leave them, everyone who went inside will die!
The other physicians, startled by his action, shouted.
No! Its dangerous!!
Come back!!!
At that moment, Dan Yeo bit her lip hard.
Junior Brother A-seop, get back.
J-Junior Sister, dont tell me?
Dan Yeo was from the inner disciple lineage of a medical house.
Though her skills were not profound, she had learned basic martial arts.
Dodging the falling rocks, she followed Wi Ji-cheon into the tomb.
I wont let Senior Brother be the only one acting all high and mighty!!
And as for A-seop,
Aaaah!! Why am I following them?!
He covered his head with his hands and scrambled after Wi Ji-cheon and Dan Yeo.
The reason? It was simple. As a master of reading the room, he got swept up in their momentum.
Everyone, its dangerous!!!
Craaash!!!
Just after A-seop made it inside, a massive boulder fell in front of the tombs entrance.
The entrance was completely sealed.
Seriously, why did those two follow me?
Wi Ji-cheon wore a troubled expression.
He himself had no worries, no matter what dangers lay inside. But Dan Yeo and A-seop were a different story.
Unaware of his thoughts, Dan Yeo raised her voice in a shout.
Wi Ji-cheon, are you out of your mind?!
Junior Sister Dan Yeo?
Senior Brother, my ass! Youre just a kid! No matter how much you care for patients, doing something this reckless! Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish?! Huh?! You wanna get beaten to death by your big sis?!
Lets calm down and look around first.
He had a bad feeling.
He took out the tinderbox he had brought with him.
Fwoosh.
He lit a flame and walked deeper inside.
He hadn't gone far.
The metallic scent of blood washed over them, and the faces of Dan Yeo and A-seop turned pale.
There were dead people up ahead.
Just as I thought. Something terrible happened.
Wi Ji-cheon inwardly clicked his tongue and checked on Dan Yeo and A-seop.
He figured the shock would be immense.
Even a seasoned physician would find such a gruesome scene hard to bear.
As for Wi Ji-cheon, well, he had personally orchestrated scenes far more horrific than this with his own hands.
But then.
Swish.
Dan Yeo raised her hand and covered Wi Ji-cheons eyes.
She spoke in a trembling voice.
Dont look.
Junior Sister?
Close your eyes and step back.