Chapter 123
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Watch Closely
The flames ignited by inner energy burned with a brilliant blue hue.
Wi Ji-gun channeled his inner energy to heat the pill furnace, where the precisely measured herbs had been placed.
Inside the furnace, the herbs melted and fused together.
Throughout the process, Wi Ji-gun's inner energy subtly permeated them.
Wi Ji-gun gazed intently at the furnace with focused eyes.
The herbs had melted into a sticky mass.
They had turned black and tangled with one another.
Wi Ji-gun shifted the flow of his inner energy. The blue flames gradually died down, and he began injecting it directly into the furnace.
The swirling herbs followed the movement of his inner energy.
In this way, the herbs blended perfectly with Wi Ji-gun's inner energy and slowly solidified.
How long had he concentrated?
Inside the furnace, three completed pills remained.
Wi Ji-gun's back was drenched in sweat.
"Did you see it?"
He asked as he straightened up.
"Yes."
Ha Mu-baek gave a curt reply.
He had watched the entire process without missing a single detail.
Following his master's instructions, he had even activated the Infinite Bright Wheel Eye, ensuring not a single flow of inner energy escaped him.
"I've been meaning to teach you alchemy someday, but I never thought it'd happen like this."
Even the Infinite Pills had all been refined by his master up until now.
It was something Ha Mu-baek had to learn eventually.
And today was that day.
"The Infinite Pills use the same method. Only the herbs differ."
"The key is how the alchemist injects their inner energy."
Wi Ji-gun nodded at Ha Mu-baek's words.
"Exactly. It's a bit different from before, thanks to you."
It had to be.
In the meantime, Wi Ji-gun had overcome a small wall.
"So if you refine them, the effects might differ from mine. The basic efficacy will be the same, of course."
Ha Mu-baek suddenly grew curious at Wi Ji-gun's words.
What would happen if he refined the Infinite Pills himself?
Wi Ji-gun read the expression on his face.
"Curious as you may be, don't you have work to do right now?"
Ha Mu-baek snapped back to attention.
That's right.
Those three pills his master had just refined were the final medicine.
The last step in curing the chronic illnesses of three people who had been treated only with decoctions until now.
All three were already over ninety percent healed.
Today, those pills would complete the Dragon's Final Point treatment.
Treating them one by one would make for a busy day.
"Where do you want to go first?"
"Since we started treating Un-hye first, we should go to her."
"What about Un-roe?"
It was the day his little sister would fully recover from her illness. Naturally, he'd want to be there.
But the Eastern Tournament was just two days away.
He was in the final stretch of training for it.
"I'll ask Un-roe."
Wi Ji-gun nodded at Ha Mu-baek's response.
Ha Mu-baek called Dan Mok Un-roe aside and quietly asked. He said his sister mattered more than training and would come right away.
And so, Dan Mok Un-roe decided to join them.
The other disciples tilted their heads at him suddenly skipping training, but Yeon Ha-min gave a subtle smile.
She sensed something good was about to happen for him.
The instructor had done the same for her. Today, Un-roe's worries seemed like they would be resolved in the same way.
"Watch closely."
Wi Ji-gun said to Ha Mu-baek.
[The treatment consumes a lot of inner energy, so it's not easy. I wonder how it'll go this time since I've broken through the wall.]
Concerned the family might worry, Wi Ji-gun sent a voice transmission only to Ha Mu-baek.
There would be no acupuncture today.
The treatment involved consuming the pill and using inner energy to guide the pure vital energy, eradicating the remaining roots of the blocked meridians and strengthening the channels.
Wi Ji-gun sat cross-legged behind Dan Mok Un-hye's back.
As instructed, Ha Mu-baek focused intently, taking in every detail.
On one side, Yeo Hwa, Dan Mok Un-roe, and Thunderclap Dog watched with tense faces.
"Once today is over, you'll be completely healthy. Un-hye. No pain, so don't worry. But if you feel anything strange inside, don't make a sound or move."
Wi Ji-gun spoke softly but firmly.
"Yes!"
Dan Mok Un-hye replied bravely.
Wi Ji-gun's palm touched her Ming Gate acupoint.
"Now, take the pill."
At Wi Ji-gun's instruction, Dan Mok Un-hye placed the pill in her mouth.
Dan Mok Un-roe grimaced and turned his head away at the sight.
He had strong, negative memories associated with pills.
The pill melted into liquid the moment it touched her saliva and slid down her throat.
A refreshing, uplifting fragrance filled her mouth and wafted up to her nose.
Dan Mok Un-hye closed her eyes slowly, intoxicated by the scent.
About two hours passed like that.
Wi Ji-gun, beads of sweat forming on his face, slowly withdrew his hand and stood up.
Dan Mok Un-hye still had her eyes closed.
The family watched her anxiously.
Wi Ji-gun already wore a faint smile as he stood beside Ha Mu-baek.
"Did you see it?"
"Yes. I saw everything."
"Then you handle So-yu and Palace Lord Gong."
"Understood."
Ha Mu-baek nodded at Wi Ji-gun's words.
At that moment.
Dan Mok Un-hye slowly opened her eyes.
They were clearer and more transparent than ever, impossible to believe they belonged to the child who had suffered from a severe illness.
She had already regained much of her health, shedding her frail appearance.
But this was different.
Truly different from two hours ago.
It was indefinable, but unmistakably changed.
"U-Un-hye..."
Yeo Hwa called to her daughter in a trembling voice, taking step after hesitant step forward.
"Mom. I don't hurt at all anymore!"
Dan Mok Un-hye said with a bright smile.
"Un-hye!!! Hic...!"
Yeo Hwa rushed to her, collapsing into an embrace and bursting into tears.
"M-Mom. Why? I'm all better now..."
Was it her mother's tears?
Dan Mok Un-hye's eyes suddenly welled up red.
"Waaah."
She finally burst into tears herself.
Watching them, Dan Mok Un-roe's tears streamed down unchecked.
Thunderclap Dog wiped his eyes and slipped quietly outside.
Ha Mu-baek watched the family's sea of joyful tears for a moment before stepping out.
He was giving them family time alone.
"Today marks the end for this house too."
Thunderclap Dog said, gazing at the shack-like home with tear-filled eyes.
"We've found a new place. Moving tomorrow."
The timing was perfect.
How had it aligned so precisely?
"I-Instructor. Where are you?"
Moments later, Dan Mok Un-roe called for Ha Mu-baek in a choked voice.
Ha Mu-baek reentered the house.
"Thank you... truly, thank you, Instructor."
"How can we ever repay you? We'll never forget this grace, even in death. Elder!"
Yeo Hwa, Dan Mok Un-roe, and the Dan Mok family showered Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun with thanks.
Smiles spread across Wi Ji-gun and Ha Mu-baek's faces.
How could anything feel this good?
After leaving Dan Mok Un-roe's house, Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun headed to the manor where the Gong father and daughter were staying.
Ha Mu-baek sat cross-legged behind Gong So-yu.
"Let's begin."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, Gong So-yu placed the pill—the same one Dan Mok Un-hye had taken—into her mouth.
The pill melted instantly into liquid, filling her mouth with a refreshing fragrance.
As Gong So-yu began to succumb to the scent.
Ha Mu-baek placed his palm on her Ming Gate acupoint and slowly injected his inner energy.
Just as his master had done.
Gong So-yu felt a warm energy slowly entering her body from her back.
No one had taught her, but she focused on its movement.
It felt too good not to.
Ha Mu-baek slowly guided his inner energy to direct the pill's medicinal power.
The power, which had begun spreading throughout her body, followed his lead.
In this way, he uprooted the last vestiges of yin energy deep within her nine meridians.
The medicinal power slowly circulated through her meridians, seeping into them bit by bit.
As it did, her channels grew stronger.
They transformed into wide, sturdy meridians that could no longer harbor imbalanced yin or yang energy.
Thus, Gong So-yu was fully cured.
Gong Mu-hyeok was the same. The only difference was that his required extracting poison infused with demonic energy rather than yin.
Even so, Ha Mu-baek completed both treatments flawlessly.
After two back-to-back sessions, Ha Mu-baek's face and back were soaked in sweat.
It wasn't easy doing them consecutively. As his master had warned, the inner energy drain was immense.
But having broken through the wall, he managed to finish without issue.
His master had said that during Seol-ran's final treatment, he had exhausted all his energy and collapsed.
That was why Wi Ji-gun stayed by his side, watching closely. Just in case.
This place too became a sea of tears.
Gong Son Mu-oe, Gong Son Hwa-gyeong, Gong Son Bi-yeon.
Not just the people of Seon Yu Valley, but even the two from the Myriad Things Alliance's Gong family.
None could easily stop crying.
"Truly... thank you. Instructor Ha—no, Corps Leader Ha."
Gong Son Mu-oe gripped Ha Mu-baek's hand tightly.
"Elder... thank you so much."
Gong Mu-hyeok and Gong So-yu bowed repeatedly to Wi Ji-gun.
"Hoo."
A deep sigh filled with myriad emotions escaped.
"At least we made the deadline, somehow."
In front of the main gate, where the Dragon Training Pavilion's plaque was visible.
The middle-aged man muttered softly before walking forward.
The gate guards raised their alert at the approaching figure, then gasped in surprise.
"P-Pavilion Lord!!!"
Pang Do-yul, the Dragon Training Pavilion Lord who had been away for a long time due to family matters.
He stood before them.
News of Pang Do-yul's return spread instantly to the Pavilion Lord's quarters.
He walked leisurely toward them, surveying the pavilion here and there.
Had it really only been two months and a fortnight since the incident?
Short as it was, Pang Do-yul felt as if he were returning to a hometown after a long absence.
"Wh-what brings you here?"
Lost in thought, a gruff voice interrupted him.
Gi Yu-chan stood there, lips pursed.
"Ha ha. This is where I belong, so I came back. But why the long face?"
"You weren't here, so I was finally getting things done properly... Now that you're back, it'll go back to normal."
Pang Do-yul chuckled at his words.
There had been many tasks delegated to him for final approval under the Pavilion Lord's authority.
He must have been thrilled handling them with the Vice Pavilion Lord.
Pang Do-yul could picture it without seeing.
"Pleased to meet you, Pavilion Lord. I'm Yeon Baek-jin."
Yeon Baek-jin, standing behind Gi Yu-chan, greeted him with a cupped-fist salute.
"Pleased to meet you. Pang Do-yul. I deeply apologize for the trouble caused to the Vice Pavilion Lord due to my clan's shortcomings."
Pang Do-yul returned the salute with a deep bow.
"Not at all. It was just doing my duty."
His dark, sallow skin and hollow eyes screamed exhaustion, yet he spoke plainly. It was pitiful yet amusing.
After a brief reunion, Pang Do-yul headed to his office.
It was impeccably clean, hard to believe he'd been away for over two months.
Gi Yu-chan's handiwork, no doubt.
"You can start work tomorrow. Though the pavilion closes for holiday after that anyway."
Pang Do-yul just smiled at Gi Yu-chan's dissatisfied tone.
"Right. Then I should rest off the travel fatigue today."
With that, Pang Do-yul headed to the Pavilion Lord's residence.
On the way, he veered toward the instructors' quarters. Someone he wanted to see.
Conveniently, the man was nearby.
He must have sensed his presence.
"You've come."
Ha Mu-baek said upon seeing Pang Do-yul.
"Yes, I'm back. Nothing much happen while I was gone?"
Pang Do-yul asked with a grin.
"Nothing much... No peaceful days around here. Wonder if this place is cursed."
Ha Mu-baek grumbled.
"Same old noisy opponents, huh."
Ha Mu-baek chuckled at Pang Do-yul's words.