Chapter 321
Chapter 321
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 321
Chapter Title: Fighting Maiden
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Dang Mujin asked the group.
"So, which way are we going? North of Dongting Lake? Or south?"
The group fell into contemplation.
Their starting point was Wuchang, and their destination was Sichuan Province. However, the route they would take had not yet been firmly decided.
People often lumped everything south of the Yangtze as one thing, but the area south of the Yangtze was an incredibly vast land.
The two options Dang Mujin proposed could be summed up simply: travel close to the Yangtze, or a bit farther away from it.
It was commonly said that the region south of the Yangtze was the domain of the unorthodox sects, but that wasn't entirely accurate.
The upper reaches of the Yangtze, near Guizhou, could be considered unorthodox territory the moment one crossed the river—no issue there. In the upper Yangtze, clashes between unorthodox and orthodox martial artists along the riverbanks were everyday occurrences.
But farther east, in the middle reaches of the Yangtze, the situation changed somewhat.
A bit south from the middle Yangtze lay the massive Dongting Lake.
The people of the Central Plains called the north side of Dongting Lake Hubei and the south side Hunan. Even though Hubei lay south of the Yangtze, it was tacitly acknowledged as orthodox martial world territory. Conversely, Hunan was regarded as unorthodox territory.
In short, Dang Mujin had posed a simple question to the group.
Would they skirt the edge of orthodox martial world territory? Or plunge into unorthodox territory?
"Hmm..."
Logically speaking, traveling through orthodox territory seemed the obvious choice, but reality had its pros and cons.
Sticking to orthodox areas meant a risk of running into Nangong family warriors.
Venturing into unorthodox areas meant a chance of minor run-ins with unorthodox fighters.
Namgung Myeong voiced his opinion.
"Let's go with the original plan. Even if we clash with some unorthodox fighters, we'll head south."
Namgung Myeong was in a position where he desperately wanted to avoid bumping into Nangong family warriors, so it was a natural choice.
However, Hyeon-gong offered a counterargument.
"Still, Hubei is the safer bet. If it were just us, it might be different, but with Yeom Physician here, we should avoid risky situations."
Yeom Physician had learned a bit of martial arts, but his skills were far too lacking to count as a true martial artist. A fight with unorthodox fighters could put him in danger.
And Hyeon-gong had one more hidden motive: he wanted to escort Seolhwa along the safer path if possible.
Namgung Myeong and Hyeon-gong looked to Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae.
With their opinions divided, the route would be decided by the others.
Yeom Physician wasn't one to offer opinions in such situations, and Seolhwa knew nothing of Central Plains geography.
Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae pretended to ponder deeply before proposing a compromise. When opinions clashed, picking a middle ground always worked.
"Then let's head to Dongting Lake first and decide there."
Neither Namgung Myeong nor Hyeon-gong objected.
*
Dongting Lake was so famous that crowds poured in from across the Central Plains—ordinary folk without martial arts, and martial artists alike.
But to commoners and martial artists, Dongting Lake held different meanings.
To commoners, it was merely a scenic tourist spot. To martial artists, it was a land of opportunity.
With the north of Dongting Lake in orthodox territory and the south in unorthodox, the lake's vicinity was ambiguously in-between.
As was typical for such undefined borderlands, clashes between martial artists were a daily affair around Dongting Lake.
"Daily clashes" might sound odd, but there were plenty of martial artists who sought exactly that—young ones especially.
From the perspective of a brash, ambitious young orthodox martial artist, the Dongting Lake area was perfect: not quite unorthodox territory, yet a place to show off against unorthodox foes.
Even better, one could display that prowess to fellow orthodox martial artists and commoners alike. Making a name around Dongting Lake meant spreading one's name and moniker across the entire orthodox martial world.
Of course, orthodox martial artists often got thrashed by unorthodox ones, losing face. But hot-blooded youths tended to overlook such risks.
Hong Geolgae scouted the Dongting Lake vicinity on behalf of the group, then returned to report.
"No issues."
He had checked for Nangong family warriors and any wanted posters featuring Namgung Myeong's face.
Fortunately, no posters with Namgung Myeong's likeness hung around Dongting Lake. The group headed straight there.
Dongting Lake was renowned as one of the Central Plains' most beautiful landscapes.
In the early morning, thick mist cloaked the lake, creating an ethereal atmosphere as if immortals might appear. As the sun rose high, the mist lifted, leaving the lake sparkling crystal clear. At sunset, crimson rays bathed the lake in splendor.
Even after dark, the scenery didn't fade. Inns encircling the lake competed by lighting red lanterns.
Yeom Physician gazed blankly at Dongting Lake, then broke into a smile without a trace of shadow—the first since Physician Yang's death.
"Thanks to traveling with you all, I'm even getting to see Dongting Lake, something never in my stars."
"We'll stay a few days before leaving, so take your time and enjoy."
"Right. Thank you."
The group dispersed. Hyeon-gong slipped away with Seolhwa under the pretense of sightseeing around the lake, while Hong Geolgae and Namgung Myeong quietly tailed them.
Dang Mujin chatted with Yeom Physician before naturally entering an inn and raising a cup of wine. It was a rare moment of peaceful leisure.
With so many incidents around Dongting Lake, inns buzzed with gossips swapping tales.
The hottest topics were local happenings—like yesterday, when orthodox martial artists got beaten badly at some inn, losing face.
But gossip couldn't rely on local rumors alone. Stories from other regions filled the gaps.
Most were trivial, but some piqued Dang Mujin's curiosity. Like this one.
"Hey, heard that story?"
"What story?"
"They say a master called Heavenly Spirit Dog appeared in Wuchang."
Dang Mujin's ears perked up. Unaware, the gossips continued.
"Heavenly Spirit Dog? First I've heard. A Beggars' Sect guy, right?"
"Yeah. Word is he took down the Beggars' Sect Leader before even turning thirty."
Nonsense. Hong Geolgae had always stuck with the group, so Dang Mujin knew his whereabouts inside out.
As far as Dang Mujin knew, Hong Geolgae had never fought the Beggars' Sect Leader. It must have been a garbled version of his Wuchang tournament win spreading to Dongting Lake.
Dang Mujin chuckled softly, listening in. The tale grew ever more dramatic.
"Took down the Beggars' Sect Leader? What happens then? I hear the Vice Leader spot's vacant."
"That's why the Beggars' Sect is in such a weird spot. One of them—Driftwood Dog or Heavenly Spirit Dog—is definitely next Leader, but who?"
The crowd hotly debated who would claim the next Beggars' Sect Leader position.
It started with the Leader seat but, as martial world talk often did, shifted to who was stronger: Driftwood Dog or Heavenly Spirit Dog.
Public opinion even leaned toward Heavenly Spirit Dog being superior. One fellow claimed he'd seen him thrash Driftwood Dog.
Dang Mujin's mouth itched to speak. He itched to expose Hong Geolgae's truth right then.
But before his restraint snapped, someone burst into the inn, shouting.
"Miracle herbs! Anyone have herbs to heal internal injuries!"
Absurd. Miracle herbs for internal wounds weren't common, and what were the odds of one being in an inn?
The man had likely dashed in grasping at straws, having already run around frantically—panting heavily.
Yet the world was vast, and miracles happened. Like having a physician who could treat internal injuries right there in the inn.
Dang Mujin spoke up.
"What seems to be the trouble?"
"The Ouyang Song Clan's heir suffered internal injuries during a duel and is vomiting blood! We'll reward anyone who provides miracle herbs!"
He'd picked a fight with an unorthodox fighter to make a name, only to get thoroughly trounced. Onlookers clicked their tongues.
But the man approached Dang Mujin.
"By chance, do you have any miracle herbs?"
"No. They're not exactly common."
The man's face darkened. Urgent times, wasted on idle curiosity.
But Dang Mujin added,
"However, I do know how to treat internal injuries without miracle herbs."
"What kind of dog..."
A savage curse nearly escaped when one gossip whispered to another.
"Isn't the Medical Dragon around that age? Looks neat and composed, too."
The voice wasn't loud, yet it rang strangely clear.
The man, mid-curse, quickly gauged Dang Mujin's expression. Oddly relaxed.
Plus, around Dongting Lake, no one would blather nonsense upon hearing the Ouyang Song name.
Clinging to a slim hope, the man twisted his words.
"...Even in a dog of a situation, luck can turn! Are you perchance the Medical Dragon?"
"I am."
Imposters sometimes posed as martial artists in remote areas, but this was Dongting Lake—martial artists everywhere.
No sane person would impersonate another martial artist here. And though Dang Mujin carried a faint whiff of alcohol, he looked impeccably respectable.
"Great hero, spare us a moment!"
"Certainly. Yeom Physician, let's go together."
Dang Mujin followed the man.
*
They arrived at a lavish pleasure house.
Signs of a brawl littered the interior—furniture smashed everywhere, half the tables slashed or splintered.
The Ouyang Song heir lay slumped in a corner, blood trickling from his mouth. Clearly not normal.
Dang Mujin and Yeom Physician pushed through the surrounding Ouyang Song clansmen.
Dang Mujin checked the youth's chest rise and complexion.
'Doesn't look serious.'
He then examined the spat blood. No organ fragments, color normal.
'No major issues.'
Dang Mujin gripped the patient's left wrist, gesturing for Yeom Physician to take the right.
They needed to treat, but this would also serve as a teaching case for Yeom Physician.
Dang Mujin said calmly.
"Yeom Physician, which acupoints seem problematic?"
"Let me see... Root Flexor and Divine Pivot are clearly the issues. They're tightly knotted."
"And the Foot Shao Yin Liver Meridian?"
"Ah, Long Meridian has a problem too. Nearly missed it."
A leisurely exchange unfit for the tension. Enough to frustrate listeners.
Yet Dang Mujin still didn't act directly.
"To realign the twisted channels without worsening them, what measures should we take?"
"Temporarily sealing Central Pivot and Pottery Path would prevent the Conception Vessel from deteriorating."
Like tourniqueting a wound to stem bleeding. Sound and practical.
"Good prescription. Your internal energy control is still developing, so I'll calm the channels for now."
Dang Mujin channeled fine internal energy, straightening the rampaging acupoints. But the patient's state seemed unchanged.
Still, Dang Mujin remained composed.
"How will you treat the Long Meridian?"
"Pressing Hidden Gate and Rapid Pulse should do."
"Fundamentally correct. But since the Long Meridian isn't severe, treating it directly is viable too."
As the crowd debated speaking up, Dang Mujin pressed the patient's flank, stimulating Long Meridian.
Miraculously, the patient's condition improved. Blood still trickled, but his color brightened noticeably, breaths deepening.
Even the clueless could tell Dang Mujin was no quack.
The crowd's urgency visibly faded.
When Dang Mujin paused, the surrounding men spoke.
"Is the treatment done already?"
"No. Think of it as temporarily stabilizing to prevent worsening."
"...Can't you cure him?"
"I could wake him now, but that's not ideal long-term. Better to treat slowly over two or three days for optimal recovery. No need to rush—wait patiently."
The crowd finally relaxed.
*
The Ouyang Song heir awoke the next day, and two days later, Dang Mujin's treatment concluded. He'd need rest, but his condition had stabilized—no major worries.
A few more patients appeared occasionally, mostly serving as practice dummies for Yeom Physician.
Four days later, as the group prepared to leave Dongting Lake, a young woman pushed through the crowd to Dang Mujin.
"Um... are you by chance the great hero Dang, the Medical Dragon?"
Another fight victim? Dang Mujin assumed, asking back.
"Yes. You have a patient?"
"Yes."
Better to check all patients before departing. Dang Mujin said lightly.
"Lead the way."
But the woman hesitated.
"The patient's not nearby. Is that alright?"
"Not around Dongting Lake?"
"Yes. It'd take two days to reach them."
Dang Mujin hadn't lingered long near Dongting Lake. For someone to seek him from that distance, it wasn't ordinary.
When Dang Mujin inquired, the woman glanced around warily before leaning in.
"Um, your ear..."
"Yes."
As Dang Mujin tilted his head, she whispered.
"The Fighting Maiden has collapsed. Have you heard the moniker Fighting Maiden?"