Chapter 95
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Our Master's Words
"Nine Meridians Blockage..."
Ha Mu-baek murmured after hearing the full story.
Gong Son Mu-oe watched him intently with a tense expression.
He had heard plenty of rumors about the man.
As the Valley Lord of Pure Healing Valley, he had access to reliable information on Ha Mu-baek.
That was precisely why he was being extra cautious.
Pure Healing Valley stood at the pinnacle of orthodox martial world's medical arts.
Though it belonged to the New Eight Gates, even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans avoided antagonizing it.
The Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans were friendly toward Pure Healing Valley. No one knew when they might need its help.
And Ha Mu-baek commanded the same respect.
His subordinates had owed much to the healers dispatched from Pure Healing Valley during the recent war.
"Since it's a matter involving Pure Healing Valley, I'll help if I can."
Gong Son Mu-oe's face lit up at Ha Mu-baek's response.
"We owe you a considerable debt from the last war, after all."
Gong Son Mu-oe replied calmly to Ha Mu-baek's follow-up.
"It was only right."
His words carried the pride of the World's Foremost Medical Sect.
Even they, however, were stumped by Nine Meridians Blockage.
"That said, I'm not the one who can treat Seven Meridians Blockage. I'm still learning it myself."
Gong Son Mu-oe's face froze for a moment at Ha Mu-baek's words.
He had naturally assumed it would be Ha Mu-baek.
A little thought would have told him otherwise.
"It's my master. I'll ask him first."
There was nothing for it.
They would have to settle in and wait.
With that, their conversation in the rundown tavern came to an end.
As Ha Mu-baek rose from his seat, the Thunderclap Hound spoke in wonder.
"Well, I'll be. I agonized over bringing you here, but I never expected such ready agreement."
"A life debt weighs heavy. Even if it wasn't my own life."
Ha Mu-baek said as he left the tavern.
The three remaining exchanged glances.
"Pure Healing Valley has amassed a great deal of virtue."
A faint smile touched Gong Son Mu-oe and Gong Son Bi-yeon's lips at the Thunderclap Hound's praise.
It was a source of pride.
"No, Uncle. We merely did what was right."
"You can tell just from how that grumpy, unpredictable fellow treats you."
"Pardon?"
Gong Son Mu-oe asked, puzzled.
"You've heard nothing about that man?"
"I know he was a war hero who shone brightly in the last conflict, and that his skills rival the Alliance Leader's."
Gong Son Bi-yeon's eyes sparkled at Gong Son Mu-oe's words. Unlike her uncle, she knew little in detail about Ha Mu-baek.
"Tch. Holed up in those mountains, you know even less about the world than I do. That thunderhead of a man turned the orthodox martial world upside down..."
"I leave external affairs to the elders, protectors, and Wu-gyeong, so I apologize for my ignorance."
"Elder, what happened?"
Gong Son Bi-yeon asked with keen interest.
Having someone show curiosity must have sparked his own.
The Thunderclap Hound downed a shot of liquor and slowly unraveled the tale.
Gong Son Bi-yeon listened with shining eyes.
"Is that truly possible?"
Gong Son Mu-oe asked incredulously.
"Whether possible or not, it's already happened."
"Hah..."
Gong Son Mu-oe could only let out a deep sigh.
"When provoked, he spares no regard for Righteous Heaven Alliance elders or clan heads. For him to show such respect to Pure Healing Valley alone means your debts are clear-cut. Fortunately, you've built up quite the favor with him."
"Truly fortunate."
"Keep things smooth with him going forward. I didn't spin this yarn for fun."
"Understood."
Gong Son Mu-oe replied gravely to the Thunderclap Hound's admonition.
"You get it?"
The Thunderclap Hound's gaze shifted to Gong Son Bi-yeon.
"Yes."
Gong Son Bi-yeon replied demurely.
Yet deep in her eyes lingered a quiet spark of intrigue.
The sun was already dipping low.
The first day of leave and rest was drawing to a close.
Yet Baek Ri-pyeong remained on the training ground.
Dang Jin-san and Nak Woo-jin had returned to the dormitory just moments ago.
Only he lingered, swinging his sword to the end.
Dan Mok Un-roe's performance in their recent spar.
That image kept flickering before his eyes.
"Whew. You're really going at it."
Then a voice of admiration reached Baek Ri-pyeong's ears.
He lowered his sword and turned toward the voice.
It was Ju Woo-myung.
"You know you're the only disciple left alone on the training grounds around here?"
He was from Squad Seven and Squad Twenty, close friends since the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest training.
Squad Twenty consisted only of Ju Woo-myung and Ha Seol-ran, but still.
"Is that so?"
"Swinging your sword like you're chasing something—it's worse than not swinging at all."
Baek Ri-pyeong's brow twitched at Ju Woo-myung's sudden remark.
"Those are our master's words."
Baek Ri-pyeong sealed his lips, which had parted to retort, at the explanation.
"A few days before I came to the Dragon Training Pavilion, my master saw me training alone and said that."
Doubt flickered in Baek Ri-pyeong's eyes.
What reason would a Wudang Mountain disciple have to swing his sword so desperately?
"I'd heard about you all. Fierce Dragon Corps disciples who beat Namgung Ji-hu at the Summer Combat Festival tournament. I got anxious without realizing it. Wondering what kind of guys you were."
Ju Woo-myung chuckled.
"Seeing you now takes me back to how I was then."
"Ah..."
Baek Ri-pyeong let out a low exclamation.
"Back then, I couldn't touch a sword until I came here. Master forbade it."
With that, Ju Woo-myung waved and departed.
Baek Ri-pyeong stared blankly at his retreating figure.
He mulled over their exchange.
He gazed at his sword for a moment before sheathing it.
Then he simply stood there, lost in thought.
Ha Mu-baek watched from afar.
"Tch. No need for me to step in."
He had just returned, drawn by Baek Ri-pyeong's persistent presence on the training ground.
But Ju Woo-myung had given him sound advice and left.
Now, how would the boy take it?
"Heh. I thought them mere kids, but they've grown well. Looking out for each other's shortcomings."
"Indeed."
Wi Ji-gun had approached unnoticed. He had witnessed it all.
"So, why'd you come?"
He asked about the day's events.
Ha Mu-baek calmly explained the visitors from Pure Healing Valley.
"Hmm. Nine Meridians Blockage..."
Wi Ji-gun pondered briefly.
"As you know, I'm no healer. But trying to save Ran-a made me learn all about meridian blockages."
His sect's records had helped greatly.
There were methods for training and treating disciples born with weak qi meridians.
"If Pure Healing Valley has no answer, will the treatment I found work?"
He was confident with Seven Meridians Blockage, which he had treated before, but cautious about the unknown Nine Meridians Blockage.
"They came all this way after seeing the herb list Master wrote. They must have spotted a clue. I'm still learning from Master myself, so I couldn't give them any answers."
Wi Ji-gun gazed westward at Ha Mu-baek's reply.
Deep sunset hues blanketed the sky.
"Fine. Nine Meridians Blockage is still a blockage at heart. Let's take a look. If my disciple owes a life debt, it's mine to bear as his master."
"Thank you."
Ha Mu-baek smiled.
The debt to Pure Healing Valley from the war was no small thing.
Especially Dam Mu-hyeon, who had visited him recently—he had been pulled back from the brink of death.
Thanks to Pure Healing Valley's treatment.
That was why Ha Mu-baek called it a life debt.
"As they say, pull the ox horn while it's fresh. Let's go."
With that, the two headed to the inn where Gong Son Mu-oe and Gong Son Bi-yeon had settled.
He hadn't had time to inform them which inn, but it didn't matter to Ha Mu-baek.
He could sense their presences.
They arrived at the inn's first floor just as dinner hour began.
The inn, which should have been bustling, was eerily quiet.
A baffling situation.
Ha Mu-baek understood upon entering.
Gong Son Bi-yeon was dining, occasionally lifting her veil just so.
The patrons held their breaths, staring intently for those glimpses, silencing the place.
Even the waiter was entranced.
Ha Mu-baek shook his head.
Such stunning beauty could sometimes be a public nuisance.
Gong Son Mu-oe spotted Ha Mu-baek first. Seeing the elder behind him, he sensed the man's importance.
"Welcome. Thank you for coming so quickly. Greetings to the esteemed guest."
Gong Son Mu-oe bowed and cupped his fists toward Wi Ji-gun.
Gong Son Bi-yeon set down her chopsticks, rose, and bowed as well.
Regretful sighs and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Have you booked a room?"
"We have. This one insisted on eating downstairs, and look at the mess."
Gong Son Mu-oe gave a wry smile at Ha Mu-baek's question.
"She spent her life in the mountains, so... Tch."
He spoke as if displeased by the onlookers' stares.
Ha Mu-baek understood his feelings well.
Meanwhile, Gong Son Bi-yeon hid a small smile behind her veil.
"Then let's head to your room and talk."
"Yes, that would be best. My apologies for showing such an unseemly sight to our esteemed guest after your arduous journey."
Gong Son Mu-oe bowed slightly to Wi Ji-gun.
"Hoho. With such a radiant young lady, it's no wonder. Think nothing of it."
Wi Ji-gun replied with a laugh.
Gong Son Mu-oe led them to the finest room on the inn's top floor, befitting the Valley Lord of Pure Healing Valley.
"I wish we'd found an inn with a detached annex, but none nearby had vacancies."
An annex would have been ideal, but apparently none were available near the Dragon Training Pavilion.
"I'm Wi Ji-gun, this one's master as well."
Gong Son Mu-oe bowed again at Wi Ji-gun's introduction.
"I know you're pressed for time, so to the point: I'll help. My disciple owes you a great debt, so it's my duty as his master."
Gong Son Mu-oe bowed once more at the immediate consent as they sat.
"Truly, thank you, esteemed guest."
"Hoho, 'esteemed guest' is too much for me. Valley Lord."
"If it discomforts you... then I'll call you Lord Wi Ji."
Wi Ji-gun could not refuse the courteous address.
"One thing you should know: I'm no physician. Just a martial artist. My disciple had Seven Meridians Blockage, so in saving her, I exhausted every method and ended up treating it. Nine Meridians Blockage may be beyond me."
"That's more than enough. Even the method you used for Seven Meridians Blockage."
"There's a child with Seven Meridians Blockage I'm currently treating. It may be hard for me to go to your valley. Is that alright?"
Gong Son Mu-oe nodded at Wi Ji-gun's words.
"I'll send an express messenger. The child is frail, so it may take time to arrive. We appreciate your care."