Chapter 300
Chapter 300
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 300
Chapter Title: Nangong Clan
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Dang Mujin reviewed Gwang Yeomra's condition.
'A fairly deep sword wound on his side, and who knows how many metal shards embedded in his back.'
Given that he'd fled while pressing his palm against his side, it must have been a severe injury that could have spilled his guts. And the number of metal fragments burrowing into his flesh likely wasn't small.
'Fifty percent chance of death. Fifty percent chance of survival. Even if he lives, he'll suffer for quite some time.'
The odds of Gwang Yeomra continuing to teach martial arts to unorthodox fighters and fight battles with that severe injury seemed slim.
Now that the unorthodox fighters had nothing left to gain, they wouldn't seek friction with the orthodox martial world.
Dang Mujin recalled a story he'd heard once.
They say the great war between orthodox and unorthodox starts with a bang and fizzles out quietly.
The end of the orthodox-unorthodox war was approaching. Or it might have already ended without anyone noticing.
Dang Mujin wasn't the only one who thought so. Hyeon Gong and Hong Geolgae had naturally begun preparing to return to Sichuan Province.
"Dang Mujin. Have you packed your things?"
"Why the sudden talk of packing?"
"Why do you think? It's about time we headed back to the house in Chengdu."
"...That's my house, not yours. Besides, I haven't finished my business here. Wait a bit."
Unlike Hyeon Gong or Hong Geolgae, Dang Mujin had no intention of leaving for Sichuan Province right away. The reason was simple. Kaifeng was overflowing with patients.
While clinics weren't skilled at treating external injuries, that didn't mean there was nothing they could do for the patients.
They might not be able to reattach bones and flesh, but they could manage the complications that followed wounds.
Of those with major injuries, more than ten out of a hundred would come down with high fevers.
Suddenly, fever would rage through their entire body, and their consciousness would blur. A skilled physician like Dang Mujin could certainly be of help in such situations.
And right now, Dang Mujin wasn't the only physician in Kaifeng.
Before fighting the unorthodox fighters, Dang Mujin had met a few physicians in Kaifeng. Physicians who had stayed at the Dang family estate, and those who had learned medicine from them.
Dang Mujin had told them to leave Kaifeng, and most of the physicians had followed his advice and departed. But two of them had ignored him and remained in Kaifeng.
Dang Mujin summoned the two physicians and said,
"I have something to ask."
"Yes? Oh, yes. Please speak."
"Why did the two of you stay in Kaifeng? I clearly told you before the unorthodox fighters arrived that you needed to leave for somewhere else."
The two physicians were nearly the same age as Dang Mujin's father, but they seemed intimidated by him and kept hemming and hawing.
Finally, they gave their answer.
"...But how could we physicians abandon our patients and go anywhere?"
Dang Mujin frowned.
"It's only by sheer luck that the situation has settled early enough to avoid that now, but if a physician gets wrongly entangled in matters between martial artists, they're likely to lose their life."
"We knew it was dangerous."
"You knew and still stayed in Kaifeng?"
"Even if we're in danger, we're not as precarious as the patients dying from sword wounds."
"..."
Dang Mujin couldn't overcome his frustration and shook his head, but unbeknownst to himself, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. A mix of displeasure and satisfaction.
Physicians are human too. Moments come when they must compromise with reality.
It could be something minor, like charging a bit more for medicine to cover living expenses, or something major, like retreating from near the battlefield to protect their own life.
Dang Mujin didn't think such compromises were bad.
However, occasionally, physicians appeared who refused to compromise.
They choose to stay by their patients' sides, even knowing their own lives are at risk. They can't rest easy unless they've brewed medicine for the patient, even if it means skipping their own meals.
Dang Mujin found such physicians frustrating, but at the same time, he couldn't help cherishing them. They were naive and upright, and thus noble.
Dang Mujin asked the two physicians,
"...What are your names?"
"Just call us Yang-ga and Yeom-ga."
"Yang Physician and Yeom Physician, then. Where are you from?"
"Near the Black Dragon River. We've been friends since childhood."
An unexpectedly distant place came up.
The Black Dragon River was far north of Kaifeng, and from there, one had to go a long way east. Even Dang Mujin, who had traveled quite a bit, had never been there, nor did he have plans to go.
"No family?"
In response to Dang Mujin's question, Yeom Physician answered.
"We do. But our families know we both have the wandering star strong in us, so they've grown accustomed to us roaming distant lands. Neither of us is a good husband or father. We just go back occasionally to add to the household funds."
People said to have the wandering star can't stay in one place.
Some wander because they can't stand staying put by nature, while others love settled life but can't stay anyway. Those with the wandering star end up leaving for distant places no matter what happens.
After wandering a few times like that, they soon accept their fate and drift aimlessly across the world. The wandering star is a kind of heavenly curse.
"We learned the physician's trade because of the wandering star too. While drifting about, we looked for a skill to earn a living, and pretending to be physicians seemed best. At first, we thought we'd just fool people and scrape by... but after thirty years or so, the two of us together can handle about one person's worth decently."
"You're too modest."
The two downplayed themselves, but their skills were solid enough to claim excellence anywhere. Good enough to serve as retainers in a powerful household.
As they chatted for a bit, Yang Physician subtly broached the subject.
"Um, Dang family head. We have a request."
"Yes?"
"Actually, my friend Yeom-ga and I stayed briefly at the Dang family estate once before. Back then, the Medical Pavilion Leader mentioned there were medical techniques he couldn't teach us."
The Medical Pavilion Leader referred to Chu Sam.
Of course, there wasn't actually a building called the Medical Pavilion. But people called Chu Sam that because he was a pillar of the Dang family estate, handling medical arts.
"There are, indeed."
"...By any chance, could we learn those techniques?"
Of the medical arts Dang Mujin had learned, only a little over half were those passed down through Chu Sam at the Dang family estate.
The Righteous Healer's arts were taught in full, but the Evil Healer's arts weren't taught at all. There was no intention to pass them on. They weren't for saving lives, after all.
The problem was the Eccentric Healer's arts.
The Eccentric Healer's arts for ordinary people were taught alongside the Righteous Healer's.
But there were parts hard to teach. For example, treating internal injuries in martial artists using the physician's own internal energy. That was a technique no one without internal energy could replicate.
"It's not that we don't teach it—it's that even if we did, you couldn't learn it, so we gave up on passing it on. It requires cultivating internal energy like martial artists. Plus, if the treatment goes wrong, you're likely to be harmed by the martial artist, so we're cautious about teaching it."
Most people would give up and back off upon hearing that.
But Yang Physician and Yeom Physician reacted differently, as expected.
"That's fine. We still want to learn it."
"It won't be easy."
"Our age?"
Dang Mujin nodded.
"Yes. The younger you start, the easier it is to build internal energy—you know that."
"We've heard that much."
"Even starting now, you won't become like other martial artists. You won't win fights—not even against alley thugs—and at best, you'll improve your constitution to reduce minor ailments. But the training will be several times harder than for others. It doesn't add up."
"We don't need it to add up."
Dang Mujin smiled faintly and explained in more detail.
"You'd have to wake before dawn, when even roosters don't crow, for Qi Circulation and Breathing. Avoid hot-natured foods and alcohol. Spend several hours a day moving your body in training. Even then, you don't know how many patients you'll heal. Opportunities to treat martial artists' internal injuries are rare. You might diligently train and never use it once in your life. Still okay with that?"
A barrage of negatives. Yet Yang Physician and Yeom Physician's expressions didn't waver.
"You said we can learn it, right?"
"That's right."
"Then that's enough. We want to learn."
Yang Physician and Yeom Physician looked at Dang Mujin with resolute expressions.
Dang Mujin smiled brightly.
"Then, since we've talked about it, better to start right away."
Dang Mujin drew his needle case and tapped the back of their knees.
"For the next month, do not fully straighten your knees."
"...Yes?"
"Maintain the horse stance in every moment of daily life."
Two hours later, Yang Physician and Yeom Physician were rolling on the ground, clutching their trembling legs.
*
By the time treatment for the warriors staying in Kaifeng had settled and Yang Physician and Yeom Physician had grown accustomed to wobbling around in their awkward horse stance,
Manryeokseung came to Dang Mujin and said,
"Dang layman. A meeting will be held again soon."
"I think so too."
It had been confirmed that the Demonic Cult was behind the clash with the unorthodox martial world, and news had spread that the Demonic Cult Leader had mastered Gaese's martial arts.
Now, even if they wanted to stay put, they couldn't. The orthodox martial artists would gather again as soon as they regained some stability to discuss future plans.
Suddenly, Dang Mujin thought that if Yeongheo were alive, he would have been quietly pleased.
Hadn't it been proven late that Yeongheo, who advocated uniting the orthodox martial world to strike the Demonic Cult, was right?
Dang Mujin asked back,
"We can't know yet when or where the meeting will be, right?"
"Of course not."
Dang Mujin was the head of a household and a family man with wife and children. He couldn't stay in Kaifeng waiting for an unknown meeting.
Dang Mujin's group packed their things. It was time to return to Sichuan Province.
"We'll meet again soon. Please handle the aftermath of the Ghost King well."
"Don't worry about that."
The sorrow of warriors who had lost their sect leader wouldn't be light, and the Ghost King would almost certainly die. Even if he survived, he wouldn't escape Shaolin Temple's Repentance Cave. He'd likely live out his days with his dantian crippled, copying scriptures.
Of course, Hyeon Gong showed no sign of actively defending the Ghost King. People's hearts differ when heading to the outhouse and when coming out.
The number of people in Dang Mujin's group leaving Kaifeng had grown to seven. Including Yang Physician and Yeom Physician, as well as Seolhwa.
Hyeon Gong strongly insisted he couldn't leave Seolhwa, who didn't even speak the language, behind.
Seolhwa seemed eager to find Baekhyanga as soon as possible, but seeking her out now would be utter folly.
The group headed south. As before on previous trips to Luoyang, they would go south, board a boat on the Yellow River, and head to Sichuan Province.
After traveling about half a day like that, Nangong Myeong, who had kept his mouth shut until now, approached Dang Mujin and spoke.
"Dang Mujin. I have a favor to ask."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Could you make me a new sword?"
"Why? Is the one I made you in bad shape?"
Nangong Myeong had cherished the sword Dang Mujin made him.
But it wouldn't be strange if it had been damaged in this fight. It had been quite intense.
However, Nangong Myeong shook his head.
"It's been used a while, but the condition is still good."
"Then why do you need a new sword?"
It wasn't just laziness to make one—Dang Mujin had a bigger reason. There was simply no need to seek a new sword.
Contrary to common belief, swords weren't something to replace with a slightly better one every time it came along.
A sword's familiarity in the hand was as important as its sharpness. Swords gradually attune to their master's sword path and mold to the owner.
With long use, not just hand oil but hand imprints form on the hilt. Gripping it feels like the slightly indented hilt lightly clasping your hand back.
Just as the hilt molds to the owner, the blade subtly familiarizes itself with the master's swordsmanship. There's bound to be a slight difference in power between techniques with a familiar sword and a new one.
Nangong Myeong said,
"...I have a use for it. I need the best possible sword. You could make an even better one."
"What for?"
At Dang Mujin's question, Nangong Myeong smiled meaningfully, yet quite seriously. It was different from before.
"What else? I'm planning something big."
"...You're going to use a sword for thieving? You?"
"It might come to that."
"You're serious?"
"Of course."
Nangong Myeong was a thief. He sneaked in quietly and stole, never swinging a sword to threaten and rob. That was bandit territory, something Yujin Gwang might do, not him.
Dang Mujin recalled the direction their group was heading. What lay south?
Two places came to mind.
First, Wuhuan, where the martial tournament had been held.
Second, the Nangong Clan in Anhui Province.
Dang Mujin realized where Nangong Myeong intended to go.
"You're heading to the Nangong Clan?"
Nangong Myeong grinned and nodded.
And seeing that expression, Dang Mujin was horrified. This madman was finally going to steal the Nangong Clan's treasure, the Xuanyuan Sword. The Sword Ghost Nangong Jincheon's sword!
"You're going to steal the Xuanyuan Sword? Even if it means crossing blades with your father?"
But Nangong Myeong shook his head.
"No. The order's reversed. Crossing blades is inevitable now. And the Xuanyuan Sword is just part of what I'll seize."
It was bewildering in many ways, but one phrase stuck out especially.
Seize the Xuanyuan Sword. Not steal, but seize.
"...Seize? The Xuanyuan Sword? Wait, no—not just the Xuanyuan Sword, you're seizing other things too?"
"Yeah. I'm taking it all."
Nangong Myeong grinned fiercely.
"Before my father ruins the Nangong Clan further, I'll seize the Nangong Clan."