Chapter 228
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 228
Chapter Title: Melancholy Treatment
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Of course, herbal medicine takes center stage in treating melancholy.
The Donguibogam classifies diseases into three main categories: external afflictions, internal injuries, and those that fit neither.
External afflictions refer to infections from bacteria, viruses, and the like coming from outside the body. Internal injuries include the seven emotions, poor diet, and overwork or idleness. The neither category covers traumas, drug side effects, genetic conditions, and so on that don't fall into the first two.
Most modern mental illnesses fall under the seven emotions category.
It views excessive joy, anger, sorrow, pensiveness, grief, fear, or shock as disrupting the flow of qi and blood in the organs, leading to illness.
That said, there are various subtypes like mania and melancholy.
In cases like Im Juwon's melancholy, it's reasonable to say the symptoms mostly stem from qi stagnation.
If it persists untreated, it affects the organs, leading to poor appetite, sleep issues, and depletion of qi, blood, yin, and yang—what we'd call neurotransmitter imbalance in modern terms.
"Yes. Acupuncture helps too, but herbs will be the mainstay. We'll start by releasing the stagnant qi from stress and restoring balance, then focus on tonifying qi to recover the damaged body."
Unlike liver yang rising in anger syndromes or mania, which often involve heat, melancholy typically mixes deficiency and excess.
For elderly patients with melancholy, even if it takes longer, we base treatment on tonics and attempt to dispel stagnation. But for young patients with enough stamina, clearing the blockages first is fine.
"Will this tightness really ease up? I thought it was just pressure from studying..."
Im Juwon clutched her chest and lowered her gaze.
"How long has it been like this?"
"This spot feels stuffy? Hmm, back in my first year of high school, I'd get short of breath thinking about senior year coming up. Lately... uh, whenever I realize I haven't studied, it's always there?"
"Does it hurt when you press?"
She winced as she pressed a spot slightly left of center on her chest.
"Yes, right here. It feels knotted up. It doesn't hurt unless I press, and it's not indigestion, but it throbs sometimes. Is this qi stagnation...?"
"Exactly."
To my qi sense, stagnant dead qi was tangled right where she pointed.
Without training, one can't perceive the world's flows, but changes in one's own qi—like blockages or depletion—are usually noticeable.
"If it can get better... I want treatment."
Im Juwon met my eyes with resolve, then quickly looked down again.
"But aren't herbs expensive? Should I bring my mom?"
"For custom decoctions, yeah. Can you bring her? If it's hard to bring up..."
Custom herbal prescriptions don't qualify for insurance except in specific cases.
To stay within coverage, pair acupuncture with the closest pre-made formula and adjust diet and sleep as much as possible.
It's not ideal, but Soso Powder would work after that.
"I'll bring her. She'll understand. Mom had depression back in the day... Oh, keep this between us, okay?"
"You sure it'll be okay? That's the best scenario."
"Yes. Can we come this weekend?"
Just as I was pondering options, it looked like we'd go with a custom decoction after all.
Pre-made formulas aligned to broad categories aren't bad, but tailored ones are better.
"Sounds good. For today, let's treat the headache first, and I'll needle the digestion too."
"Ah, yes. But... talking about it, my head hurts less already."
The headache from oversleeping had eased somewhat with distraction.
"Still, let's treat it. Needling can move qi in ways other things can't. You'll feel hungry after, so eat a solid meal."
"Yes."
Im Juwon nodded several times.
"...I should avoid naps, right?"
"Right. Before 10 p.m., if you're tired, do some light activity even if brief. No coffee, though."
"Got it..."
Guilt started creeping onto her face again, so I cut it off quickly.
"No need to regret or feel guilty over one nap. Think of it like a sprained ankle—you're told not to run, but maybe you dash once or twice because you're late. Of course, it's best not to, but it happens."
"Yes."
Taking it as a joke, Im Juwon burst into a grin.
"We can always treat again. A few slips or setbacks along the way are all part of progressing."
"Yes, thank you."
"I won't tell you not to stress about studying."
You can't just tell a senior and expect the pressure to vanish.
Society pressures diligent students and slackers alike to obsess over it.
"No one uses their time at 100% efficiency. Still, try not to dwell on regrets or what you didn't do."
"...Yes."
"Before bed, note at least one thing you did that day in a diary and praise yourself. Coming to the clinic and committing to treatment counts today."
"Yes."
"If truly nothing, study just 30 minutes and call it. That'll do."
Students are students; doctors do what they can.
"I'll do that. Thank you, Director."
"You'll get better. You're quick on the uptake and motivated."
I led Im Juwon to the treatment room and needled her.
Not just the headache—I also cleared the stagnant chest qi noted in her pulse and palpation.
Plenty of patients, even without full depression criteria, have qi stagnation around the solar plexus.
Like the prince under stress, everyone struggles with their burdens somehow. Chronic illnesses breed stress too.
"My head feels much lighter, and my chest is easier... Please thank her for me."
Im Juwon bowed politely at the desk after treatment too.
"Of course! Get well soon!"
Gong Nari beamed, handing over the Soso Powder I'd prescribed.
With her politeness and receptiveness, she'd improve fast.
Symptoms this subdued? Two or three months at most.
As a senior, exam season might stir things, but she'd handle it.
- What, melancholy? You don't mean those weaklings huddled at home sniveling all day, do you?
...Someone who'd ignored me no matter how I pleaded came to mind.
She'd been on my thoughts since earlier—and she even resembled Im Juwon a bit.
- No, that's not it. Plenty of people seem bright on the outside but are deeply wounded inside. It's more dangerous when those around them don't notice.
- So you're calling me weak?
- That's not—!
The one who'd spread the title of Divine Physician across the world.
Baeksa of the Plum Blossoms under the Falling Sun.
That must've been around seven or eight years after I fell into the martial world, right?
After getting past the language and script hurdles, leaving behind days working under other clinics or hawking acupuncture from a street stall, and settling into a decent place for practice.
'Before meeting Master... and when my name occasionally buzzed among the Demon Cult due to the Heavenly Demon.'
Once known, martial artists visited often, but I was far from one myself.
I'd skimmed some manuals, but I was worlds apart from real cultivators.
There was a time I both feared and admired them.
"Doctor, please save my junior brother!"
To me then, Baeksa looked incredibly cool.
First impression: a bold, hearty warrior.
The Heavenly Demon, the only absolute expert I'd known before... honestly, she inspired more fear.
She'd politely asked me to heal her husband, but her presence alone threatened life, and her enigmatic side kept me on edge every meeting.
"He won't die, Junior Brother!"
Unlike her, Baeksa was the classic orthodox warrior.
Good, righteous, straightforward, strong.
The type juniors followed and commoners revered—a traditional protagonist.
"Bring him inside now. When did this happen?"
She'd brought several injured juniors straight to me.
Around then, some evil faction clans had clashed with Mount Hua's lay disciples.
Mount Hua headquarters had declared they'd send Plum Blossom Swordsmen to wipe them out.
But the factions had ties to high-ranking Evil Heaven Net members, leading to unexpected casualties.
"Yesterday. We cut down those scum who deserved it, but even with golden sore salve, the blood keeps pouring. Afraid to make it to Mount Hua like this."
The accompanying Taoists all gazed at Baeksa with admiration.
She had her chilling warrior side, but still, cool.
"Stitches are best. Lay him down just like that. Yes. It's crowded—everyone out except one."
Pretty handy with trauma by then, I easily removed debris, stopped the bleeding, and sutured.
"How long to heal? Not a day or two, huh?"
"Using lightness skill will burst it for sure. Even with a martial artist's recovery, two weeks bed rest minimum."
"Mm, should be able to circulate qi by then."
"Senior Sister, I'm fine..."
"No!"
For days after, Baeksa stayed at my place.
No staff for inpatients, so a caregiver had to stay.
Fresh from battle, revenge strikes were possible.
Other juniors could've stayed, but she'd just get dragged to tedious events.
"Doctor, this firewood?"
"Just leave it!"
"Haha, since I'm here, put me to work!"
"Really, no need—you're a guest. Bored? Watch me prep herbs?"
"I'll help!"
Baeksa helped with patient care and my chores, genuinely interested.
She seemed so cheerful, bright, perfectly fine.
'Gasp! She's training!'
I was horrified seeing her swing her sword all night without sleep.
"Lady Baeksa, do you train like this every night?"
"Ah, it's routine."
"Is it really because of a potential attack...?"
"No. Just precaution—nothing dangerous, don't worry. Personal training only."
Who trains like that?
Baeksa abused her body without a drop of internal energy.
Her muscles were squeezed so hard, veins were bursting.
"Haven't slept a wink in a week, have you?"
"Sometimes you must when hitting a wall."
Aside from helping me or with juniors, she swung her sword all day, pushing herself relentlessly.
Martial artists train a lot, sure.
"Hahaha! Sweat it out in a trance to clear stray thoughts."
But to me, it wasn't training to grow stronger.
Just self-destruction.
"At least heal while you do it. Can't you self-recover at your level?"
For a peak expert like Baeksa, less sleep was nothing.
She could circulate qi to fix damaged muscles mid-swing.
"Mm, but that invites stray thoughts."
Instead, she just bandaged her battered body.
Where was the flaw in that beaming smile? To me then, it was baffling, distant.
"Lady Baeksa, more urgent than your junior's treatment is yours."