Chapter 1
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Farewell to Sichuan
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"We haven't even repaid a tenth of the grace the Divine Physician has shown us, and now you're leaving so suddenly like this."
Madam Heo, the unparalleled beauty of Sichuan who would take offense at being called second to anyone, sobbed as she dabbed at her sleeves.
"What more could there be by way of repayment? Seeing all of you healthy and well is my greatest joy."
"But if it weren't for the Divine Physician, my child might never have even seen the light of day."
"That's right!"
"If we'd known you were leaving, we would've done more for you..."
As one person began to weep, even the maids who had been brightly bidding farewell started to sniffle.
"We'll miss you!"
"Sob sob..."
"Allow us one last bow of gratitude. Thank you."
Had I formed bonds with so many people?
It had been quite some time since I'd taken refuge with the Tang Family Estate in Sichuan, so naturally, I'd gotten to know no small number of people as their physician. Even though I'd only sent word to about ten close acquaintances, dozens had shown up in a long line to see me off.
"If you leave like this, who will treat my husband's chronic illness from now on?"
The leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The great demonic sovereign who had given me the title of Divine Physician and made my name renowned even folded her arms and pouted.
She'd been truly terrifying when we first met.
But after treating her husband, we'd grown close, and now I treated her like an old friend.
"Don't worry about your husband. As I've told you many times, if he just stops his dawn training, there'll be no issues at all."
"Remember that. Oh, and next time you come to the Central Plains, make sure to contact the Cult."
I waved it off, but the Heavenly Demon grabbed my hand, looking deeply regretful.
"Tch."
Someone clicked their tongue in displeasure at the sight.
The only man who could boldly frown in the Heavenly Demon's presence—the Martial Alliance Leader.
"Please take care of Nangong Young Master as well."
I quickly inserted myself between the two.
This was my farewell gathering, so they wouldn't cross any lines, but these two absolute experts vying for the title of World's Greatest were no different from a natural disaster waiting to erupt.
"Of course."
"Haha, that's a relief."
"It would be proper for the boy to come greet you himself, but he's in no state to use lightness skill yet, so he couldn't make it."
"He absolutely needs his rest!"
Unlike the Heavenly Demon's husband, whom I'd treated as his personal physician, it had been less than a year since I'd first met the Martial Alliance Leader's son.
His internal injuries had ravaged his blood and essence, barely clinging to life. For him to come all the way here just to see me? Absolutely not.
"The Martial Alliance always welcomes the Divine Physician."
"It's an honor, truly."
Since he'd made the trip specifically to see me off, I expressed my heartfelt thanks to each and every one.
But we couldn't linger forever.
"Everyone, take care! Thank you for everything up until now!"
Any more delays, and I might miss my departure today. I bowed at a perfect ninety degrees to them all.
It wasn't quite in line with local etiquette, but so what?
'He really didn't come, huh? Even if he was upset, I figured he'd at least see me off.'
I scanned the gathered crowd one last time, but my master's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Feeling a pang of regret, I departed using the Lightness Skill.
It had been twenty years since I'd suddenly been dropped into this wuxia novel-like world. More than ten of those years spent right here at the Tang Family Estate.
Thanks to my master graciously providing me a place in the Tang family's medical pavilion.
'Tch, I knew he'd be upset.'
He was the only one who knew my homeland wasn't just some remote frontier beyond the border, so I figured he'd be quite shocked.
But what was with the tantrum to stop me from going?
Ask me to settle down here permanently?
It was a gracious offer... but no, that wouldn't do.
For twenty years straight, without a single moment's lapse, I'd yearned for my homeland, the Republic of Korea.
Truth be told, back in Korea, I hadn't exactly been overflowing with patriotism.
Besides, no martial expert in this world posed a threat to me anymore.
All the people I'd met here were precious, and the sky-high fame along with mountains of gold and jewels couldn't be better.
'So what? Even if the gold rots and overflows, I can't lay down an internet data network.'
I preferred the life of gaming under a microsuede blanket over being draped in silk and surrounded by gold.
To reclaim those precious days, I'd conducted endless research.
And finally, succeeded.
"Forgive me, Master! May you always be well. Your disciple, even from the distant lands of Korea, will pray for you!"
After bowing toward the Tang Family Estate where my master resided.
I unleashed the Soul Return Great Law.
I'd waited and prepared for this day.
The moment the moon vanished completely and yin energy peaked, I poured in nearly all the internal energy I'd amassed.
Woooooo—.
A massive light enveloped me.
Exactly like the scene when I'd been pulled into this place.
A towering twenty-story building. Cars speeding faster than Lingkong Xudu. People dressed in nylon and polyester.
The dreamlike world I'd longed for endlessly.
"Huh? Where'd you... No, Yeowon, why are you still here?"
The hotel door opened, and clear Korean pierced my ears.
How long had it been since I'd heard my native tongue?
Seeing my old friend's face nearly brought tears of emotion.
"Didn't you take the train to Sichuan earlier? Did you miss it?"
"Yeah. Traffic was bad."
"Oh no, what do we do? Don't we need to book the next train?"
My friend fumbled in panic, pulling out her phone, but I felt like shouting in triumph.
Success.
I'd truly succeeded in returning!
The fourth weekend of August. Beijing, China.
Perfect, without a single deviation in time or place.
"It's fine. Since we're already here, I was just gonna head straight back to Korea."
My name is Han Yeowon, and the friend calling me was Hwang Seoyeong.
We'd come to China using our last break.
It wasn't just a simple trip.
She and I were fourth-year students in the Korean Medicine program at Korea University, crossing the Yellow Sea to participate in clinical training at the affiliated hospital of a Traditional Chinese Medicine university.
We'd done our required training at our school's university hospital, but we'd decided to come here to see a wider variety of patients.
'Though I never imagined it'd be that wide a variety.'
We couldn't just go back and forth to the hospital during our training trip.
I'd always loved wuxia novels, especially those featuring the Sichuan Tang Clan. Plus, I adored spicy food—malatang or hotpot drove me wild.
How could someone like me come all the way to China and skip Sichuan Province?
"What are you talking about? You've been hyping it up for months! There should be tickets left. We have to go today or tomorrow at latest."
Unlike me, so enthusiastic about the travel, my friend was solely focused on the training.
No matter how close we were, she had no interest in changing trains multiple times to accompany me to Sichuan, so I'd planned to go alone during the final week of break.
No—I had gone.
Subjectively, twenty years ago. From this moment's perspective, just a few hours prior.
I'd risen at dawn and headed to Sichuan, only to get lost immediately upon arrival.
'Whew.'
Recalling it now still made my heart pound.
Wandering in a place where no one spoke my language, an old man had approached me in fluent Korean, telling me to follow him.
I might have suspected the odd vibe, but hearing my native tongue in that distant land melted my guard, and I'd trailed after him.
The moment I sensed something off in the deserted area, a blinding white light engulfed me.
What happened after... would fill ten books, so I'll skip it.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not going anywhere like Sichuan. Let's head back home together."
The destination I'd set for the Soul Return Great Law was this very hotel in Beijing, right before boarding the train to Sichuan.
I'd have loved to go straight home to Korea, but worried about immigration record issues if something glitched, I'd returned to this exact time.
"What? Just go back to Korea like that?"
That was the one wish I'd harbored unceasingly for twenty years.
I'd never set foot in Sichuan Province again. No—never step on Chinese soil again.
Finish out my remaining school days quietly and live a peaceful life.
"I was already thinking of skipping it 'cause I'm so tired anyway."
My resolve was firm, but I just gave an awkward smile.
"What...? You're not saying that just 'cause I don't wanna fly alone, right?"
"Nah, no way."
Hwang Seoyeong grimaced and tilted her head.
She couldn't make sense of my sudden change in attitude.
"Got it. Let me check for remaining flights."
But she didn't try to stop me further.
With the train already missed, what was the point of leaving me behind?
She must've wanted the company for the long flight too.
After complicated boarding procedures, we finally boarded the plane.
"Wow~ Lucky there were seats left."
I slid into the window seat and plopped down.
I was subtly fatigued from gathering the scant energy left in my dantian.
"Yeah, really."
"You sure about the ticket price?"
Hwang Seoyeong asked cautiously. The old penny-pinching me would've freaked at full-price same-day airfare, but to the current me, a few hundred thousand won was no concern.
"Don't worry about it. How was I supposed to help missing the train?"
As she said, seats available was all that mattered. Bank balance? I'd figure it out after Korea.
- Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard. Korean Air Flight 875 to Incheon Airport will depart shortly. Please power off all electronic devices in your possession.
The in-flight announcement soon played.
Can't use my phone right after returning—heartbreaking.
"What'll you do first when we get back to Korea?"
Still, endure a few hours, and it'd be the Korea of my dreams.
"Classes start right away—what time would we even have~?"
Hwang Seoyeong teased, but semester start couldn't dampen my excitement.
I muttered a list of foods I craved and turned on the screen on the seatback.
Can't use phone? This'll do.
The graphics were ancient, but after twenty years of digital detox, it was intensely stimulating.
Bam bam bam bam bam!
Even chatting with Hwang Seoyeong, I gleefully smashed enemy fighters.
About an hour later.
"Is there a medical professional among the passengers?"
At the sudden call for a doctor, I reflexively shot up from my seat.
"Yes!"
A habit from the battlefield-like urgency, rushing to save even one more life.
"Huh?"
Hwang Seoyeong, who had been dozing, startled and looked up at me.
"Yeowon, what are you gonna do?"
Her voice mixed with anxiety.
Only then did reality hit me.
'I'm no Divine Physician here!'
Yeah... what now?
Too late to regret as the flight attendant approached.
I wasn't worried about being unable to treat the patient.
Not that I could cure the whole world, but I had confidence no one else could if I couldn't.
The issue was my license.
'I've treated every bizarre illness under the sun, but here I'm just an unlicensed practitioner.'
In modern times, practicing medicine as a student could land me in serious legal trouble.
"We have a doctor here too!"
Right then, someone from the back raised their hand.
Fortunately, another medical professional was on board.
I secretly sighed in relief.
"Could both of you please come forward?"
With a lighter heart, I went to see the patient.
Hwang Seoyeong followed anxiously.
Excluding my murim experience, her practicals were just a few medical volunteer days, so her nerves were understandable.
"Hah... hah..."
At the front of the plane, in the space before business class, a man in his thirties in a suit gasped for breath.
"D-Doctor?"
Clutching his chest in agony, his face lit up like he'd found salvation at our arrival.
"Yes."
Precisely, the doctor who'd raised his hand from behind.
His middle-aged features, wrinkled with experience, inspired ample trust.
"What year out of residency?"
Instead of taking the patient's hand, he turned to me.
No need to ask—his seasoned look dwarfed mine. He meant to take the case.
'Must've always dreamed of that airplane doctor call.'
Music to my ears.
"Not... yet. Mmph."
I blocked Hwang Seoyeong's attempt to say "student" and answered politely.
"Fresh out of graduation. Please, you handle it."
No need to trouble him or unnerve the patient unnecessarily?
"Fine."
He sounded highly annoyed, but murim masters often grumbled just like that before imparting wisdom.
Pride and skill weren't linked, so I kept an open mind to learn from his exam.
...But soon, my mouth twitched.
That diagnosis—it couldn't go that way, could it?