Chapter 45
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Nine Yin Severed Meridians
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‘In the Murim, the only thing I ever saw was Three Yin Severed Meridians... but to run into Nine Yin Severed Meridians here of all places.’
Nine Yin Severed Meridians—taken literally, it meant the meridians were severed by an overflow of Yin energy.
Anyone who's read a wuxia novel would immediately picture a frail beauty, which had already cemented it as a name-drop on par with ‘fireball’ in terms of clichés.
It buffed appearance and intelligence, but as a racial debuff, it shaved years off one's lifespan while cycling through various disease debuffs. A real headache of a trait.
There were two main ways to dispel this debuff.
One was mastering an extreme Yin martial art—like the Ice White Divine Art of the North Sea Ice Palace—and leveraging its properties at 300% efficiency. The other was forcing in extreme Yang energy to restore balance.
Where to get extreme Yang energy? In those old-school R-rated smut wuxia tales, the male lead with his extreme Yang cultivation would get handsy with the heroine. But usually, it was spirit medicines.
“So, if she takes medicine full of Yang energy, that'll fix it?”
True to her intelligence buff, Seol Yuhee quickly latched onto the idea—even without any wuxia background.
As a modern person, she might've pulled a face at talk of Yin-Yang harmony, but since no one knew the real cause anyway, she nodded along to the vague explanation.
“Yes. We'll need medicine brimming with potent Yang energy. Things like aconite, ginseng, and astragalus—stuff so intensely Yang that it'd cause a backlash in an ordinary person. We'll load it up heavy.”
Of course, that wasn't a true fix.
Even if aconite held the strongest Yang energy among currently circulating herbal medicines, if it were that simple, Nine Yin Severed Meridians wouldn't have been such a big deal in the Murim.
They had aconite there too, and their processing methods to neutralize its toxicity were even more advanced.
‘To dispel the trait itself, you'd need something truly special.’
I obviously didn't know any extreme Yin martial arts. Why would I? Half my twenty years in the Murim were spent wandering, the other half holed up in the Tang family estate. I'd never set foot in dangerous places like the North Sea.
Even spirit medicines were a long shot, even if I mobilized every connection from the Murim.
‘Still, you never know. There was Heavenly Pine and Poria, so maybe some rare aconite variant if fate allows.’
I had no plans to return to China, but I might look into private channels to source herbs without going through the FDA.
Since its existence was uncertain, the odds of failure were high right now—no sense giving false hope.
“Keep taking the medicine to maintain balance, and I'll use acupuncture to unblock the obstructed meridians. Your organs will recover bit by bit. Trust me once and follow my lead.”
What I could do immediately was just a stopgap.
Stop the treatment, and within a year, the surging Yin energy would overwhelm her again.
But I was the only one who could even pull off that stopgap.
Nine Yin Severed Meridians severed the pulse, but not in a way that a knife could physically cut. It was just Yin energy clogging the paths, blocking connections.
Drive out the Yin, open the meridians, pump in Yang-rich medicine—she'd at least return to human shape.
How did I know?
I'd treated a pretty boy with Three Yin Severed Meridians before.
This would be three times harder, but my qi manipulation had improved vastly since then. It should work.
“I'll trust only you, Director. I'll do whatever you say.”
Seol Yuhee nodded readily.
“Good choice.”
Honestly, I hadn't fully grasped everything my new boss had explained.
As a Korean sharing East Asian cultural roots, everyone knew what qi was or what Yin and Yang meant—but almost no one could explain it properly.
Cold was Yin, hot was Yang, sure... but if Yang medicine fixed it, wouldn't just basking in sunlight balance things out?
I had no clue what Yin and Yang energy actually did in real terms.
So, had Seol Yuhee accepted the offer purely on blind faith, skeptical as hell?
No reason to turn down free meds, and a job offer was a win anyway?
Nope.
She'd heard plenty of vague explanations before: your immune system's weak, you lack muscle, that sort.
‘Logically, this made the least sense...’
But emotionally, it pulled her the most.
After hopping hospitals with her condition, Seol Yuhee could spot a doctor's face from a mile away.
I dunno, too much hassle, she's hopeless anyway.
They'd speak warmly and kindly, but never go beyond putting out fires.
But this new boss? She conveyed rock-solid confidence through some unspoken vibe.
Han Yeowon knew exactly what was wrong with her and how to treat it.
At least, she'd never say, “Uh... it's not working. Sorry,” and fire her.
That's why she'd signed the employment contract on the spot.
“Start work tomorrow. I'll decoct the medicine today so you can begin then.”
“Yes.”
“Today, take a look around the treatment room and get some acupuncture before you go.”
“Oh, sure!”
First time going for a job interview and leaving with treatment.
Seol Yuhee followed Han Yeowon into the treatment room.
“Looking forward to working with you starting tomorrow. I'm Seo In-ae. Change into this.”
The senior from the desk brought clothes and spoke.
Different vibe from the director, but this one had its own subtle aura.
‘Will I end up like that once I gain experience?’
She changed and waited briefly. Han Yeowon finished with another patient, drew the curtain, and came in.
She tore open an acupuncture pack and inserted a needle right at the crown of her head.
Even a few months at Haneul Clinic had taught Seol Yuhee the basics—even a dog spending three years at a private academy recites poetry. She knew this point.
Baihui.
Then nine more needles into unnamed points on her limbs.
That it? Nope—one last long one into her lower abdomen.
“Ugh.”
In every clinic she'd worked, the doctor needled and left. Wait twenty minutes retaining the needles, then a nurse did foot acupuncture. Standard routine.
Seongsu Clinic did the same, but today Han Yeowon placed a hand on the Baihui needle.
“Breathe in through your nose, imagining warm energy entering.”
“Ah, okay.”
“I'll count to two. One. Two.”
Not a tough incantation, whatever it was.
Seol Yuhee breathed in as instructed.
“Exhale through your mouth, imagining cold energy leaving grandly. To four. One, two, three, four.”
She exhaled much longer than she'd inhaled.
Meditation? Her mom had pushed her into it briefly once. Recall a warm meadow, they'd said.
“Inhale again, feeling the energy reach down to your lower body. One. Two.”
“Draw the body's cold energy upward to refresh your head, and exhale some out. One. Two. Three. Four.”
“Inhale again. Down to your soles. One... two...”
“Exhale. Cool your chest and head. One... two... three... four.”
Seol Yuhee followed without overthinking.
Breathing as directed cleared her mind.
Just the breath. Nothing else remained.
Focusing on it, she felt it.
Something sucking out from her head where Han Yeowon's hand rested. The lower abdomen needle vibrated on its own, untouched.
As if ‘qi’ were really moving.
‘Yang and Yin energy feel like this... Ah!’
Just as she thought she could distinguish them, something burst through her forearm—the one spot where qi stubbornly refused to budge, unlike the rest.
“Wha—what was that...? Like electricity shot through my arm.”
“You felt that?”
“Yes. Everywhere else felt blocked except head and belly, but... you didn't block it on purpose or mess up, right?”
Han Yeowon widened her eyes in genuine surprise.
“You felt it that far. I didn't block it—your Yin energy was clogging the meridian. Clearing it is perfect. We'll recover the other eight the same way.”
“Ah...?”
“That's enough for today. Practice the breathing before bed at home—it'll help when I assist.”
Han Yeowon removed all the needles.
It sounded like fantasy, but she couldn't deny it now.
She'd truly felt the overflowing Yin energy in her body.
Heading home with her contract, she even fancied sensing heaven's and earth's qi.
“How does this bus never come on time?!”
The guy next to her griped at the stop, but Seol Yuhee wasn't annoyed.
She sat cross-legged, practicing the breathing.
Joking that sunlight alone should absorb Yang? It actually felt like it worked.
November already, yet the sun felt incredibly warm.
Seol Yuhee adapted to treatment fast.
Even basic Three Elements Qi Circulation—how quick was that to learn?
She expelled Yin as I received it, drawing Yang from heaven and earth.
The inner power from qi circulation was minuscule, but with meds, balance was holding.
Work went smoothly too.
I wasn't ready to hand her the treatment room yet, but she nailed reception.
Normally, veterans manned the desk while rookies tanked the treatment room—but that needed a full staff.
In our clinic, one treatment room staff handled hot packs, physio, moxa, cupping for ten-plus patients at once, while positioning me efficiently.
Couldn't even attend school properly—where'd she get that people skill?
She handled patients amazingly.
Pushy jerks folded before her beauty; hardcore trolls crumbled against innocence and purity.
Seol Yuhee was perfect—save for her health.
“Hello. Kim Jinsang here.”
She handled work brilliantly, but I couldn't leave her alone with Kim Jinsang—the biggest pain in clinic history, inches from violence.
Seo In-ae and I paused, senses sharp.
‘Early today?’
He'd been meek lately, so neither of us jumped in.
Pattern was off, though. Usually rushed in at closing, skipping everything for poison needle acupuncture only.
“Park Seonyoon. First time. Fill this out?”
Hm? Qi sense open—there was a companion.
I finished my patient quick, peeked out.
Referrals were welcome usually, but from Kim Jinsang? Park Seonyoon was instant red flag.
“Yes. Initial consults need the director, so fill it out and wait. I'll take Kim Jinsang to the treatment room first.”
“I'll join the young master for the consult.”
……?
Young master?
Felt like tripping back to wuxia for a sec.
Thankfully, Kim Jinsang's ‘young master’ wasn't in green training robes like Tang heirs. Nor silk merchant finery.
Park Seonyoon wore an obviously expensive suit, soft smile all composed.
‘Right, Kim Jinsang's a chauffeur.’