Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: The Sima Clan
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For roughly the past three years, Sima Yugong hadn't been in a good mood.
To be precise, it had started from the day the Sima Clan leader, Sima Jeong, ordered him to learn medicine.
*Over fifty years old, and now medicine? What the hell...*
All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind. Was Sima Jeong trying to keep him in check? Trying to cut down on the time he could devote to martial arts so he wouldn't threaten his position?
But that wasn't a convincing guess. Sima Jeong's position within the clan was rock-solid, and in terms of martial prowess, he was considerably ahead of Sima Yugong.
Both were peak experts, but even among peak experts, there were gaps.
*Why the hell is he doing this? Our relationship was never bad.*
Sima Yugong and Sima Jeong's relationship went beyond "not bad"—it was exceptionally good.
They had been close since childhood, and Sima Yugong had thrown his full support behind helping Sima Jeong ascend to clan leader.
Sima Yugong had always trusted Sima Jeong, and Sima Jeong never doubted Sima Yugong's words.
But the order to learn medicine was utterly incomprehensible. At least medicine suited his aptitude, which was fortunate. If it hadn't, he might have run away from home at his age.
Having endured three years filled with dissatisfaction, Sima Yugong was now enjoying the happiest time of his life. Had his influence within the clan ever been this strong?
The insane plan to artificially induce meridian blockage syndrome. The monumental scheme that would forever alter the landscape of the Central Plains martial world. And the success or failure of that mad plan rested entirely on Sima Yugong's fingertips.
*I was chosen for this. Sima Jeong picked me to etch our names into Central Plains martial history together.*
Every time Sima Yugong saw Sima Jeong, his chest swelled with emotion. Who could have imagined such grand intent behind the order to learn medicine?
It seemed his luck was finally turning. Not only had he been entrusted with a heavy responsibility, but things were progressing far better than expected. He even seemed poised to win over that Dang Mujin fellow.
It had been a few days ago. Noticing Dang Mujin couldn't focus on his research all day, Sima Yugong casually probed.
"Young Hero Dang. Is something the matter?"
"...It's nothing."
He seemed to be brushing it off, but the air around him reeked of some deep worry.
"Why don't you open up? If it's obvious even to me, it must be weighing on you heavily."
"Um..."
"If it's not something you're comfortable sharing with me, no need to force it. Don't feel burdened."
Dang Mujin hesitated before replying.
"Honestly, if I have to tell anyone, it should be you, Elder Sima."
"Really? Now I'm curious."
Dang Mujin fidgeted a bit more, then stepped out and returned with a small teapot of freshly brewed tea.
Whenever Dang Mujin brewed tea, he would infuse it with a pinch of various herbs, and the subtle aroma wafting from them wasn't half bad.
At first, Sima Yugong had suspected some poison might be mixed in, but not once had any tea from Dang Mujin been tainted. From their time together, he knew Dang Mujin was innately gentle by nature.
Sima Yugong and Dang Mujin shared the tea. Once it had cooled to lukewarm, Dang Mujin sheepishly broached the subject.
"Elder. About the research we're working on."
"Yes."
"Doing this research... it makes me have some selfish thoughts."
His ears perked up involuntarily at that. But Sima Yugong kept his composure and replied evenly.
"What kind of thoughts would make you hold back like this?"
"We first met at that inn, and we've been at this research for months now. Doesn't it feel a bit of a waste to spread the results of all this hard work far and wide?"
The moment he heard that, Sima Yugong nearly jumped up and clapped. Instead, he desperately schooled his expression and responded calmly.
"Well, well, you're no saint yourself, it seems. You can think like that too?"
"I didn't know it myself. But this is the first time I've devoted months to a single topic... so I guess I'm attached."
Sima Yugong didn't answer right away. He lowered his head, pretending to ponder to buy time, then replied.
"You're not wrong, actually. The Sima Clan devised the plan, and you and the Sima Clan did the research. We even made sacrifices..."
"Sacrifices?"
Sima Yugong hurriedly covered.
"No, slip of the tongue. I meant financial sacrifices. Research like this costs a fortune, doesn't it?"
"Of course. The spirit herbs and ingredients we've used so far are worth a staggering amount."
"Anyway, we're the ones who put in the effort, but having everyone reap the rewards equally feels a bit off."
The conversation paused briefly.
In that moment, Sima Yugong felt an inexplicable chill. He looked up and scanned the surroundings.
But he couldn't pinpoint why. There were only the two of them in the room, and Dang Mujin looked as guileless as ever.
"Anyway, I get your point. I'll pass it along to the clan leader."
Surprised by Sima Yugong's proactive attitude, Dang Mujin waved his hands in alarm.
"No need to go that far. I think I got ahead of myself. Forget I said anything."
"Don't worry. Nothing strange will come of it. At most, we'll keep the research results to ourselves for a generation or two, then share them later. That way, we spread the medical knowledge, and you get a fair reward, right?"
Of course, what happened after a generation or two was none of his concern. Dang Mujin would be a hoary old grandfather by then, and Sima Yugong would be long dead and buried.
But with the burden off his mind, Dang Mujin nodded shyly. Sima Yugong chuckled inwardly.
*Well, you're human too. Of course you'd have some greed.*
Dang Mujin offered Sima Yugong another cup of tea.
"...Please mention it to the clan leader."
"Will do."
Sima Yugong drained the teacup cleanly.
*
Sima Yugong headed straight to the clan leader's quarters in the Sima Clan residence.
"Clan Leader. Are you inside?"
There was newfound strength in Sima Yugong's voice.
Unlike the old days when he shrank before Sima Jeong, now he could stand tall. People gained confidence when entrusted with great responsibility.
Sima Jeong opened the door himself and replied.
"Clan Leader? When it's just us, speak freely."
"Haha. Right you are."
Even better, Sima Jeong accepted Sima Yugong's attitude as natural.
Yes. Before they were clan superior and subordinate, they were friends.
Sima Jeong seated Sima Yugong and asked.
"What brings you here? The research?"
"Some research talk, yes. But there's also good news."
Sima Jeong's eyes lit up at that.
"What is it?"
"The Medical Dragon, Dang Mujin. We can bring him into the Sima Clan."
Sima Jeong's reaction was lukewarm.
"Didn't we decide to cut his throat once the research ends?"
"We only planned that because he seemed like a liability. But the research is nearing completion, and the guy's showing greed now. He hates the idea of sharing the results outside. Plus, his skills are the real deal. Too much of a waste to kill him now."
Despite Sima Yugong's persuasion, Sima Jeong remained cautious.
"He's still an outsider. Who knows when he'll change his mind."
"No big worry there. Lin-ah is starting to show results."
"Sima Lin?"
"Yeah. She told me she's been hanging around Dang Mujin whenever I step out. The other day, he saved the snacks I gave him and shared them with Lin-ah."
Hearing this, Sima Jeong broke into a satisfied smile.
"Sima Lin's beauty is exceptional, after all. And she's got a great personality."
Dang Mujin showed no interest in other women in the clan, but over time, he grew comfortable with Sima Lin.
Her beauty was exceptionally striking, and she aggressively orbited him.
No man could reject a woman's advances forever, no matter how many times at first. Inevitably, Dang Mujin let Lin-ah into his room and even offered her snacks.
From there, it was clear. Their meetings would lengthen, shift from daytime to evenings, and eventually tea would turn to wine.
In such a situation, a single flirtatious glance from a girl like Lin-ah would seal the deal.
Sima Jeong pondered a bit more, then nodded.
"Fair enough. The Medical Dragon hails from some rural physician family on the frontier."
His wife was most likely from equally humble origins.
After scraping by in some backwater, embracing a beauty backed by the Sima Clan would make him forget his old wife entirely.
Whether instinct or reason, joining the Sima Clan as a son-in-law was the superior choice.
And the Dang Mujin that Sima Jeong and Sima Yugong knew wasn't foolish enough to miss that.
"Then we'll keep an eye on Dang Mujin a bit longer. If we can bring a skilled physician into the clan, it couldn't be better."
In the end, Sima Jeong left the door open for Dang Mujin to survive.
But one issue remained. Sima Yugong brought it up.
"The remaining problem is Dang Mujin's friends. They're the real headaches."
The three so-called friends holed up in the guest pavilion. If they wandered around spreading rumors, things would get messy. Other sects and clans would swarm, demanding the research results.
They might lack justification, but power often overrides justification. Even the righteous sects weren't immune.
The problem was dealing with Dang Mujin's friends wouldn't be easy.
The beggar was manageable, but the other two were top-tier later-generation experts with renowned names in the Central Plains.
Of course, it didn't mean the Sima Clan couldn't handle three men. Their foundation wasn't that weak.
The biggest issue was their outrageously prestigious backgrounds. Wudang Sect and Nangong Clan. Even the Beggars' Sect one had an astonishing five knots.
But Sima Jeong spoke nonchalantly.
"No need to worry about that. Just keep them under close watch so they can't run."
"You have a plan?"
"The key is handling them quietly. The aftermath is simple—spread some rumors, erase the evidence. It's nothing new for us..."
Leading a clan inevitably involved dirty work. For a powerhouse like the Sima Clan, reaching into various ventures for profit was par for the course.
And in this regard, Sima Jeong's abilities were exceptional. He'd killed countless people over a decade-plus without a whiff of scandal, steering the clan smoothly.
His cleanups were so thorough that he rarely even faced suspicion, let alone evidence.
Sima Jeong stretched out comfortably and looked at Sima Yugong.
"So, is that all for today?"
"No. One more thing."
As Sima Yugong spoke, he felt an odd haze settling over him.
Was it the full belly from the snacks? Or the warm sunlight draping his shoulders?
Since Sima Yugong didn't continue right away, Sima Jeong prompted.
"What is it?"
"The research is nearly complete. It's time to move to the main phase."
"You're confident?"
Even in his daze, Sima Yugong pictured Dang Mujin's face. His confident voice and expression were vivid.
"Yes. It's definitely improved. I can't see room for further progress right now."
"Success rate?"
"In my view, over eighty percent. Maybe even ninety..."
Treating meridian blockage had become routine. The peril lay in artificially inducing it.
One tiny mistake during the process could cause yin or yang qi to backflow into the brain, turning the subject mad if not addressed swiftly.
And they still had no way to restore those who went mad from meridian blockage.
But Sima Jeong deemed it acceptable.
Even if two out of ten went mad, saving eight was profit enough.
A martial clan's prestige had little to do with a few who burned out young. What mattered were the few geniuses who survived to reach high realms.
Better eight out of ten break through while two die, than three break through while seven fail.
"No room for more refinement?"
"There might be a little. But better to start procedures without delay than wait and miss the timing."
As with martial cultivation, building internal energy was most efficient when young. Clans funneled spirit herbs to the young for that reason.
Sima Jeong nodded.
"Good. But we won't do them all at once. Treat one, observe for issues over a few days, then the next."
"Naturally. Doing them daily would wear out you, me, and Young Hero Dang first."
"Is that so? You'll be working hard from now on."
Sima Jeong and Sima Yugong shared a laugh as they rose from their seats.