Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: What Kind of Bullshit is This?
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I placed a large cauldron over a brazier fired with charcoal, poured in the blood of the Immortal Yin-Yang Serpent, and added the Celestial Horn Yang Herb and Earth Spirit Yin Root to begin brewing.
A server rushed over, pounding on the door and causing a ruckus about a foul stench, but after I gave him a silver coin, he bowed politely and retreated.
While the concoction simmered over a low flame, I lay on the bed sleeping. Go Un-hyo sat on the floor, dissecting the Immortal Yin-Yang Serpent, separating its skin and bones.
After simmering the blood and herbs for over eight hours, the medicine had reduced to about half a bowl.
I waited for the thick concoction to cool, then rolled it into three thumb-sized pills.
"Here! This will heal you."
I held out one of the pills to Go Un-hyo.
"Eat it."
"Yes."
"Chew it slowly and thoroughly."
Without hesitation, Go Un-hyo put the pill in his mouth and began to chew.
The sight of him chewing with his teeth exposed due to his missing upper lip could have been grotesque, but to me, it was simply beautiful.
I suppose this is how a mother feels watching her child eat.
"Have you swallowed it?"
"Yes."
"Sit cross-legged in front of me."
I sat cross-legged behind Go Un-hyo and pressed both my palms against the Gate of Life acupoint in the center of his back.
"Un-hyo, you must entrust everything to me and not resist."
"I understand."
Following the incantations from the Medical Scripture of the Central Heaven, I slowly and carefully infused my energy, stimulating the acupoints throughout his body one by one.
This spread the medicinal effects of the Celestial Horn Yang Herb, the Earth Spirit Yin Root, and the Immortal Yin-Yang Serpent's blood evenly and thoroughly throughout his entire system.
* * *
Four hours later.
Go Un-hyo lay naked on the floor, twitching.
"Kngh! Hnnngh..."
Completely exhausted, he let out agonizing groans.
An astonishing thing had happened to Go Un-hyo over the past four hours.
Completely unexpectedly, his Ren and Du meridians—the Gate of Life and Death—had been opened.
The Medical Scripture of the Central Heaven stated that brewing and consuming the Celestial Horn Yang Herb, the Earth Spirit Yin Root, and the Immortal Yin-Yang Serpent together, then guiding the effects through the body's acupoints with specific incantations, could induce a Rebirth of bone and flesh and a Marrow Cleansing. There was no mention of opening the Gate of Life and Death.
But who was I? With an intellect that surpasses the heavens, I deduced that I must have infused more energy than necessary, forcing open his blocked Ren and Du meridians and thus clearing the Gate of Life and Death.
Of course, this was only possible due to the potent effects of the herbs and, above all, the Immortal Yin-Yang Serpent, a legendary spiritual creature.
It was said that when a martial artist's Gate of Life and Death was opened, their internal energy would double. Thanks to me, Go Un-hyo had hit the jackpot.
After his Gate of Life and Death was opened, he underwent the Rebirth of bone and flesh—a process of replacing the bones and shedding the old form. That had happened two hours ago.
The process was so violent that I thought his body was breaking apart and that he might die.
In any case, he was now undergoing the third stage: Marrow Cleansing.
"Knghh... Hnnngh..."
A black liquid was oozing from every pore of Go Un-hyo's naked body as he trembled and groaned in excruciating pain.
All the foul toxins and impurities in his body were liquefying and being expelled through his pores.
*Ugh! The smell is horrendous!*
Watching the scene with a grimace, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
*When I get the chance, I should try this myself.*
With two pills left, I figured I could also open my Gate of Life and Death and achieve a Rebirth of bone and flesh and a Marrow Cleansing.
I brought a large basin of water and, soaking a towel in it, meticulously wiped down every inch of Go Un-hyo's body.
He was so filthy that I had to fetch fresh water several times.
"Don't move. Stay still."
"I'll do it myself."
*Smack!*
"I told you to stay still!"
I slapped him on the buttocks as he fidgeted.
Covered in the black liquid from head to toe, Go Un-hyo lay with his eyes closed.
As the black liquid was wiped away, a soft luminescence emanated from his revealed skin.
*Hmm! He's become like white jade!*
Go Un-hyo's body was now flawlessly clear and remarkably firm.
The important part was his face. I was curious to see how his hideous features had changed.
"Un-hyo, sit up."
After I had wiped his face clean as well, Go Un-hyo sat cross-legged, facing me.
I held out the bronze mirror I had prepared.
As Go Un-hyo took the mirror and brought it to his face, he was so tense I could almost hear his heart pounding. His hands trembled violently.
I watched him with a pleased smile.
Seeing his reflection in the mirror, Go Un-hyo burst into tears.
"How is it? Is that your original face?"
"Yes... it is...!"
Wiping away his flowing tears again and again, Go Un-hyo kept gazing into the mirror.
"My lord...! I think I'm even more handsome than before...!"
"You've undergone a Rebirth of bone and flesh and a Marrow Cleansing. Of course you are."
Even to my eyes, Go Un-hyo was truly handsome. No, even the most beautiful woman in the world could not compare to his beauty.
I had always considered myself quite good-looking, but compared to him, I wasn't even close.
"Stand up."
Go Un-hyo was only slightly embarrassed about being naked, as he had been unclothed in front of me throughout the entire procedure.
He seemed a bit taller, his entire body was as white and flawless as jade, and his physique was lean and muscular.
It seemed that a more perfect body, male or female, could not exist.
"Hmm! Perfect."
After Go Un-hyo circulated his energy and regulated his breath, his eyes widened in shock.
"Ah!"
He still didn't know that his Gate of Life and Death had been opened.
"What is it?"
"Ah! My internal energy has doubled...!"
"Oh?"
Go Un-hyo sensed that he had received another blessing besides the Rebirth and Marrow Cleansing.
"Get dressed."
"Yes."
Once he was dressed, we sat facing each other on the floor.
"During your treatment, your Ren and Du meridians were opened by chance."
"..."
Go Un-hyo didn't immediately understand what that meant.
"The Ren and Du meridians. I'm saying your Gate of Life and Death has been opened."
"Could it be..."
"Yes. It's exactly what you think."
"Ah!"
I smiled faintly.
"Your Ren and Du meridians opened unexpectedly, which is why your internal energy doubled."
"Ah!"
Go Un-hyo could only let out exclamations of awe.
"Didn't you feel them open while you were circulating your energy?"
"I didn't know."
Go Un-hyo began to cry profusely again.
"It feels like I'm dreaming...!"
"Your bad luck has vanished, and good fortune has begun to flow in. Live a new life now."
"Thank you!"
I stopped him as he tried to kneel while crying.
"That's enough crying, and no more kneeling."
* * *
As it was late, we decided to depart the next morning and had dinner at the tavern.
"Do you drink?"
"I've never had alcohol before."
I gazed at Go Un-hyo, who sat across from me speaking politely. He didn't feel like a stranger at all; I felt a real affection for the fellow.
I decided it was time to address the feelings I'd had for him ever since we first met.
"Un-hyo."
"Please, speak."
"What do you think of me?"
"You've shown me a kindness as vast as the heavens, and for the rest of my life..."
"I mean, as a person."
"..."
Go Un-hyo flinched, a troubled expression on his face.
"It's alright. Speak honestly."
"I..."
Go Un-hyo clasped his hands, glanced at me once, then lowered his head and spoke in a barely audible voice.
"You felt... like an older brother to me, my lord."
"Hmm!"
"I'm sorry... Please forgive me...!"
Go Un-hyo slammed his forehead on the table, begging for forgiveness.
He remained in that position, and when I said nothing, he cautiously raised his head to look at me.
His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the gentle smile on my face.
"Un-hyo."
"Yes."
"When I first saw you, I thought of you as a younger brother."
"..."
"I'm an orphan. If you're willing, how about we become sworn brothers?"
"Ah!"
Tears immediately welled up in Go Un-hyo's large eyes.
"You don't want to?"
"N-no! It's because I'm so moved!"
"I may be lacking in many ways, but I'll strive to be a good older brother."
"I... I..."
Unable to continue, Go Un-hyo broke down sobbing again.
"*Sob! Waaah!*"
He's a real crybaby. He must be starved for affection. Just like me.
"The seventh day of the tenth month. Today is our birthday as brothers."
"*Hic! Sob...*"
"Go on, try calling me 'big brother'."
Tears streamed down his face like a waterfall as he choked out the word.
"Big... brother...!"
"That's right, Un-hyo! From now on, I'm your brother!"
"Yes! Big brother!"
* * *
I took Go Un-hyo and went straight to the annex of the Purple Cloud Pavilion where Soyang-gun was staying.
Returning to Dong-ro County after half a month, I found Soyang-gun and Sang Gang-jo in an uproar.
They thought I had left without a word.
Impossible. Dong-ro County is like my hometown now. It's my base of operations. Why would I leave?
Inside the Dong-ro Branch annex, Soyang-gun, Sang Gang-jo, and I were seated around a table, with Go Un-hyo standing beside me.
More than anyone, Sang Gang-jo and Soyang-gun had been waiting for me. There was a critical matter to resolve.
"Where have you been?"
"We'll talk about that later."
Sang Gang-jo spoke with a resentful look on his face, glancing at Go Un-hyo standing next to me.
In fact, it wasn't just Sang Gang-jo; Soyang-gun also kept stealing glances at Go Un-hyo's exceptionally striking features.
Sang Gang-jo found wearing a disguise cumbersome, so he usually stayed in his original form.
Soyang-gun said seriously.
"I've sent a report on the situation here to the Alliance Lord via carrier pigeon."
"Did you tell her about the Chodang Pavilion incident?"
"Of course."
I smiled faintly.
"Didn't the Alliance Lord tell you to drop everything and withdraw?"
Once the Alliance Lord learned that I was a former low-ranking warrior of the Martial Alliance, any affection she might have had for me would have surely vanished.
Marrying a mere grunt from the Martial Alliance? It was laughable.
*Rustle!*
Soyang-gun carefully unfolded a letter and presented it with both hands.
"This is a letter from the Alliance Lord, in her own hand. Please read it yourself."
I took the letter. The calligraphy was a rare masterpiece.
-His name is Ak Bi-ryong. I swear, I will marry him, no matter what. I implore you both to protect him with your lives. If anything happens to him, or if you lose him, do not even think of returning.
-Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo's final word-
I threw the letter down and roared.
"What the hell! What kind of bullshit is this?"
I had been certain that Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo would be utterly disgusted when she learned I was that low-ranking warrior from Chodang Pavilion. If our positions were reversed, I would have been too.
And yet, she was declaring her intention to marry me. Not just that, but she'd sworn to do it 'no matter what.'
She had even threatened Soyang-gun and Sang Gang-jo, telling them not to think of coming back if anything happened to me.
Has she lost her mind?